552
Albums Rated
3.85
Average Rating
51%
Complete
537 albums remaining
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When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
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US
Top Origin
Generous
Rater Style
133
5-Star Albums
7
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Histoire De Melody Nelson | 5 | 2.76 | +2.24 |
| Vanishing Point | 5 | 2.82 | +2.18 |
| 69 Love Songs | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| I Am a Bird Now | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| Want Two | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| Gold | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| The New Tango | 5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
| Kick Out The Jams (Live) | 5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
| The Sun Rises In The East | 5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
| The Last Of The True Believers | 5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Theory | 1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
| Black Sabbath | 2 | 3.83 | -1.83 |
| American Idiot | 2 | 3.77 | -1.77 |
| 21 | 2 | 3.69 | -1.69 |
| Slipknot | 1 | 2.68 | -1.68 |
| A Grand Don't Come For Free | 1 | 2.67 | -1.67 |
| Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water | 1 | 2.47 | -1.47 |
| Frank | 2 | 3.45 | -1.45 |
| Synchronicity | 2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
| My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | 2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 7 | 4.43 |
| Beatles | 4 | 4.75 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.75 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 5 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.67 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 4.67 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3 | 4.67 |
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| Wilco | 2 | 5 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| Dolly Parton | 2 | 5 |
| Beastie Boys | 2 | 5 |
| Van Morrison | 2 | 5 |
| The Clash | 2 | 5 |
| The Smiths | 2 | 5 |
| Peter Gabriel | 2 | 5 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Albums | Variance |
|---|---|---|
| Miles Davis | 3 | 1.41 |
5-Star Albums (133)
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Popular Reviews
Stan Getz
5/5
The criteria for album selection remains elusive, but I share an enthusiasm for esoteric Latin jazz that seems also to be held by the creators of this list.
Hard to beat Stan Getz. Thoroughly enjoyed this album and will continue to listen.
4 likes
The White Stripes
5/5
This album was such a breath of fresh air when it came out. Popular music had really reached a nadir at the turn of the millennium. These two really reshaped things in a really good way. I can remember hearing “Fell in Love with a Girl” the first time and really felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness for Jack White I say.
4 likes
Pink Floyd
4/5
Ah yes - a genuine classic. My sister had this album when I was a kid. I used to love looking at the art (which was from the movie that came out a few years later) - just totally was captivated by it. Forget the music. The idea of a concept album like this was so exciting.
But 40-odd years later, the album holds up. Some of the band’s best music, threaded together with motif and premise. If you’ve got two and a half hours to chill in a beanbag chair with your hifi, you could do a lot worse.
2 likes
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Yeah this was cool from a sort of historical perspective. Clearly impactful, and yet I wouldn’t say this is something I’ll be eager to throw on in the future.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (7)
All Ratings
Iron Maiden
4/5
Maiden rulz!!!!!
Elvis Presley
4/5
After watching the Little Richard documentary, I’m a little less inclined to give Elvis the credit he traditionally receives when it comes to the birth of rock and roll. But this album does show that The King was certainly onto something. I think questions of musical appropriation are interesting, and worthy of asking, though I am often less inclined to be upset about them as other people are. I think music and food are both places where cultural crossover is important to pushing boundaries and creating new art. But I’m also pretty sure that what Elvis really represents is the moment that white people allowed themselves to adopt black music.
Queen
3/5
I love that Queen is simultaneously groundbreaking rock and roll and also the kind of music that you are clearly listening to if you have a wizard painted on the side of your van. Sonically incredible and ripe for parody at the same time. I’ll be watching Spinal Tap tonight.
In some ways, I’m kind of surprised this album made the list. It may have broken the mold for rock ‘n’ roll, but to me, it sounds so much like bands that aren’t Queen. Like I hear quite a bit of Led Zeppelin in here and maybe The Guess Who - especially on tracks like “The Loser in the End.” Already by Sheer Heart Attack they had found a voice that was so much more uniquely their’s. And frankly, I would take “Brighton Rock” over any song on this album. But you know, it’s still Queen. Probably the best music to have on when you’re playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Elliott Smith
5/5
An absolute all-timer for me. Fell in love the second Cynthia Mason put “Say Yes” on a mix tape for me my freshman year of high school - same year the album came out. What a great time to be a disaffected teenage mope.
I know Smith can be polarizing. Count me firmly on the pro side of the spectrum with this album squarely at the top of his canon - though I’ll listen to X/O any time. Genuinely made soft acoustic a punk rock experience.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Another banger for me. I’m happy to see hip hop represented relatively early on this list and I don’t think you could do better than this album. Controversial take - I’m not a huge fan of a certain 80s hip hop sound that shows up on albums by Run-DMC or even early Beastie Boys (who, caveat, I would list among my favorite artists all around - hip hop or otherwise). I think the cadence of that era is a little silly and feels dated. And frankly I think that’s due to groups like Tribe that really changed the game. Tribe often (rightfully) is credited for building a bridge between jazz and hip hop and you can obviously hear that all over this album. Changed rap (and jazz!) forever for the better.
In 2016 shortly after Phife Dawg passed away, TCQ released an album called “We got it from Here…Thank You 4 Your service” that featured support from Kanye, Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes (who makes his debut on this album!), and my personal favorite, Kendrick Lamar. And I would guess that those artists were the ones who felt like they had caught a windfall by being invited in. But you don’t find yourself in that kind of company without having made an enormous impact.
Low End Theory is an iconic album and the first that we’ve listened to so far whose influence on genre is, in my opinion, indisputable.
Queen
4/5
Six out of 1,001 albums and we’ve already heard Queen twice. I’m not complaining, but it does seem that the people responsible for curating this list are situated pretty clearly in a specific musical mode.
I, like many people my age, discovered this band through the lip-sync sequence of Bohemian Rhapsody in Wayne’s World - a moment that projected the song back into the top ten after it’s initial breakout from this album sixteen years earlier. What a feat! The song currently has over TWO BILLION plays on Spotify alone. Hot damn. Much as such singular hits can sometimes hang like an albatross around so many bands’ necks, I can’t really think of a song that sums up a band’s entire oeuvre as neatly as BR does for Queen. But don’t sleep on The Prophet’s Song. In many ways an equal.
This is peak Queen for me. The majesty of classical orchestral mixed with rock instrumentation. So much more fun than Queen II - and much more musically interesting. They would go on to put out some killer albums after this one, but everything from the seersucker, ice-cream-parlor-esque sounds of Seaside Rendezvous and Good Company to the majestic closing on God Save the Queen are strung through with trademark humor and musicianship that blows away anything that’s being made today. Great album!
I’ll rate four stars just to give my other ratings a little more legitimacy, but it’s probably closer to a 4.5 for me.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
I hate the Grammys. I think they’re dumb and they generally lift up the worst that popular music has to offer. But I do remember watching in 2008 when Quincy Jones stepped up to present the Album of the Year award. And the collective look on everyone’s face in the theater read, “Who the fuck is Quincy Jones?” And then, to everyone’s surprise, who wins the award? Herbie Hancock for his paean album to Joni Mitchell. And the collective look on everyone in the theater’s face read, “Who the fuck is Herbie Hancock?” Well, everyone’s except for Quincy Jones. So even the proverbial blind squirrel finds the proverbial nut from time to time.
The real irony of that Grammys was how little those musicians likely realized how influential Herbie Hancock was to their music. This is a man who redefined himself again and again without sacrificing any integrity. Listen to Takin’ Off or Maiden Voyage and you might assume Hancock was only another (albeit excellent) bebop artist. And then listen to this and realize how much conversation is being had with Sly, Parliament, or the Staples Singers. And then ask yourself what other jazz artist is noteworthy thanks to their presence on MTV like Herbie was with “Rockit.”
Two of Hancock’s most recognizable tunes on this album - “Chameleon” (which I learned about when we played an extraordinarily simplified version in high school marching band) and an updated take on his own “Watermelon Man.” I prefer the original on Takin’ Off, but this really is excellent. Herbie Hancock is spectacular at every stage of his prolific career. I really enjoyed listening to this album.
Slade
2/5
When this album popped up I was excited because it was a band I didn’t know by name. Then I went to their Spotify page and learned it’s the band that originally wrote and performed “Cum on Feel the Noize.” Fun.
When the album started it thought - not my thing, but I can listen. But as the album went on it just felt sillier and sillier. I can see the influence on bands that I really like, but this is probably the first and last time I deliberately listen to this band.
Genesis
3/5
Genesis with Peter Gabriel > Genesis with Phil Collins. Anyway, here are 1,001 albums you need to hear if you’re super into prog rock.
1/5
I’m trying to give this album’s inclusion the benefit of the doubt, but I can’t find purchase anywhere here. I suppose the concept is cool, but intention is not why I listen to music. Maybe included so we can have a sense of the genre. Anyway - I’m glad I’m not the type of person who gets invited to experimental art exhibit openings.
David Bowie
4/5
Now this is what I’m talking about. When I think about lions of rock and roll music, Bowie stands shoulder to should with the greats. And beyond that, Bowie’s friendship with Andy Warhol as celebrated on this album is one of the central characterizations of the 70s for me. I sometimes feel like I missed out by escaping a heroin addiction and never sleazing out at the Mattress Factory. Incidentally, I recommend Bowie’s turn as Andy Warhol in the movie “Basquiat.” Sort of fun to watch a friend portray the likeness of a friend in homage.
I imagine this isn’t the last time we’ll see David Bowie on this list. This isn’t even my favorite era of his. But a really great album all around. A groundbreaking artist in so many ways. Enjoyed from start to finish and enjoyed having the weekend to hear it a couple of times.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
No surprise to see Buddy Holly on the list here. The apocryphal story I’m familiar with is that John Lennon wanted to so name the Beatles as a sort of cheeky reference to The Crickets. So if you can draw a direct line from one to the other, I’d say that’s pretty significant. I also like knowing that this nerd is who’s hanging around at the birth of rock music. Would we have Elvis Costello or Ben Gibbard without Buddy Holly? I think not.
Enjoyed the album and thinking about its influence. Obviously familiar with several of these songs. And yet this album is of a moment for me and not one I’m likely to revisit with too much frequency. Still, happy to have explored it and to have enjoyed its charms for a morning.
Pulp
5/5
I got so excited when this album appeared I literally shot my fist into the air. I love Pulp. I love Jarvis Cocker. I love this album.
My first exposure to Pulp was the Mission: Impossible soundtrack. That album ruled. “I Spy” was a standout - but I was sort of into that Cold War/wet European streets kind of music at that time (Massive Attack, Portishead), so it clicked. But I had no idea what was waiting for me when I ordered this album from Columbia House. I was in.
To call Cocker’s sexuality overt on this album is an understatement. But it is tied into many of the frustrations of coming of age in Thatcher’s UK. Sex is all over this album, but it’s really class that’s front and center. Take some of the lyrics with an ironic grain of salt, but listen up when he’s talking about the haves and the have-nots.
Brit pop stalwarts for good reason. Excellent album. 6/5.
Coda: do yourself a favor and listen to the William Shatner/Ben Folds spoken word version of “Common People.” It will change your life.
Parliament
4/5
Remember when you could enter a secret code and play as George Clinton on NBA jam? That was cool.
The hits keep on coming. I was quite thrilled to have Parliament do it to me in the ears. Easily the most fun album we’ve listened to so far. The world is a better place thanks to the imprint Parliament has left on it. I mean…what would PCU even have been without their cameo appearance?
Anyhoo, make my funk the P-Funk.
MGMT
3/5
Interesting choice! I really liked this album when it came out, but I can’t say I’ve listened to it at all in the last decade. To me this sounds a lot like much of the indie rock that was coming out at the same time. Were MGMT the progenitors of this sound? Were they more indie dance pop than Passion Pit or Small Sins? I’m not sure what makes them more this than any other band that was hitting in the late aughts, but I was certainly happy to throw this on for a good listen.
I like the album quite a bit, but looking back at my other ratings for previous albums, it’s hard for me to think that this belongs on the same plane as Parliament or David Bowie. 3.5/5
Dusty Springfield
3/5
I mean what can you say about Dusty Springfield? Dynamite diva. As good as Aretha or Etta James? No. But great in her own right? Absolutely.
I prefer the music she put out later in her career (Dusty in Memphis is an incredible album), but you have to imagine that when she came out with this that she was obviously hard to ignore. Soulful and fun. Good album.
Fugees
5/5
Would you believe I’ve been listening to this album quite a bit lately? Maybe because Pras has been in the news over his upcoming imprisonment. Maybe just because this is one of the greatest fucking albums of all time. Anyway - who needs the excuse.
The album is unassailable. Every track is enlightening, poetic, and brutal. Lauryn Hill is a treasure. Phenomenal piece of work here. Hats off to its inclusion on this list. 10/10 - would recommend.
The Police
2/5
This is the beginning of the end of Sting for me. For a band that started off so strong, I think this album is largely pretty silly. There may be some listenable stuff here, but mostly it’s just more prog and yacht rock. So weird when you think about about Sting’s trajectory over time. The first few albums by The Police were almost punk. And then by the time you get to Ten Summoner’s Tales the man has gone full cheese. And still somehow he exudes cool. Not sure how that happened.
I also think Every Breath doesn’t belong on this album. It somehow captures the easy listening spirit of the rest of it while reminding you that this is a band that could still write an awesome pop song. Unlike the rest of what’s on here.
Aphex Twin
3/5
I will freely admit that I got into the electronic music craze that hit in the mid to late 90s. I may have gone to clubs that were playing songs by The Chemical Brothers and The Crystal Method. I may have owned some Prodigy albums and a visor. I may have surfed through CD bins for compilations of electronic music that featured Aphex Twin. At the time I got into electronica, it was clear that Richard James had established himself as an important figure on the club circuit, but I had no idea that his footprint went back this far in time. I think some people could listen to this album and argue that there is no variety to electronic music. But I am more impressed at how influential this guy had been for so long. Now electronic music’s DNA is in everything from Taylor Swift to LCD Soundsystem. Despite the terrifying album covers, the rest of the catalog is also worth a listen. This was enjoyable, but I prefer grown up Aphex Twin. Still - pretty cool to see the blueprints here.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
I’ve come across some Siouxise sporadically (a “Dear Prudence” here, a “Cities in Dust” there) and even own Hyena on vinyl. But I haven’t dug too deep into their catalogue. “Hong Kong Garden” is the only track on this album that I recognized. I like a lot of music of this style and era like Joy Division, The Cure (Robert Smith actually played guitar with the Banshees for a while), Cocteau Twins and so on. But I found this album a little opaque from time to time. Interestingly, Siouxsie’s recognizable songs often don’t sound too much like the rest of what’s on an album. I suppose that’s not too uncommon - but you get a lot of art rock here when I might have enjoyed some stuff that was a little more accessible.
Still, I’m always fascinated by how much rock music changed during the 70s. Abbey Road and Let It Be had been released fewer than 10 years before this album came out. Imagine how people’s minds must have been blown when they heard the opening track on this album. And just as a cultural force, Siouxsie and the Banshees have clearly had a significant impact. Think of that character from G.L.O.W. who dressed like a wolf. All Siouxsie and the Banshees.
I’m glad I live in a world where this band has made an impact. For its faults it’s still a fun listen. I’ll give it a 4 but closer to a 3.5.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Confession: I don’t love The Beach Boys. I know that this album is often considered the most important in rock history. And I certainly cannot deny Brian Wilson’s influence on bands that I love dearly. But mostly I think this band is goofy. This may not be a valid criticism, but this music is squeaky clean. Frankly it belies the psychosis of its creator. And I don’t know how many songs about boats or surfing the average person truly needs to listen to. But they’re all here.
I’ll give it credit for its influence. But I have tried and tried to like this band, and with few exceptions I just can’t. But, we’re rating albums and not the groups themselves. Incredible harmonies and some sonically interesting stuff here right from the get-go. Maybe it’s revolutionary? I dunno. 2.5/5.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
How can you not like CCR. Right off the bat the sound is inimitable (though I learned that John Fogerty reasonably sued The Hollies when “Long, Cool, Woman” came out). But I suppose that’s what it means to be impossible to imitate - try it and everyone sees the original.
These songs conjure grainy film footage of high school football players and soldiers on their way to Vietnam - so wound up is this band into the fabric of the American past. Really enjoyed the opportunity to go back and listen to them.
Some highlights: yes, I like the key change in “Lodi.” I think it’s expertly done. I also appreciate the way “Sinister Purpose” presages some of the hard rock that was about to come in the next decade. And while Fogerty had an appropriate reputation for reimagining soul and blues songs made famous by other artists, I’d say leave “The Night Time…” to Ray Charles.
All in all a great listen. But not as a good as Willy and the Poor Boys.
Happy Mondays
4/5
Another one I spasmodically reacted to when it popped up! I’m really entranced by this whole era of Britpop surrounding Factory Records. Some of my favorite bands are in this orbit (Joy Division/New Order, The Stone Roses), and Happy Mondays are no exception. The movie 24 Hour Party People (so named after a Monday’s song) is a good primer on this whole “Madchester” movement - though Tony Wilson is apparently a much bigger asshole than Steve Coogan portrays him and The Stone Roses get short shrift since they didn’t really give their blessing to the project. Still worth a watch.
“Loose Fit” is a personal favorite, but the whole album is full of danceable and sing-along-able tunes. Drug-fueled and sex-driven. Hard not to like this band in spite of all of its baggage. Great record.
Frank Ocean
2/5
I’m glad I had the chance to give this album another listen. I had tried it when it came out thanks to the critical noise it was getting. But it wasn’t for me then.
And, uh, it’s not really for me now either.
But I can see why people who appreciate modern R&B would like it. Good for what it is, but not especially a kind of music I spend time listening to. 2.5/5 for me.
Magazine
4/5
I do not know Magazine, so I was excited to throw on some unfamiliar music. Hooked right from the get go - even the cheesy synths on the title track. Looked into the album and artist, and lo and behold - this band is the brainchild of Buzzcocks founding member Howard Devoto. I love The Buzzcocks, but Devoto likely made little impact on the catalogue of theirs that I’m familiar with, having left the band before their first full length album dropped in 1978. Still, you can hear the connective tissue between both bands here.
I used to write off “80s music” as disposable and goofy. But I’ve revised that position significantly after listening to new wave music that is clearly an outgrowth of the punk rock of the 70s that I love. Now late 70s and 80s alternative ranks among my favorite genres and eras.
Genuinely enjoyed this album and am looking forward to moving more Magazine into my regular listening alongside Wire and Gang of Four.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Hot damn, what an album. Stevie Wonder is a goddamn national treasure. Hot take: this is a superb album. Hot take 2: other superb things include sex, Cheers, and pizza.
Teenage wunderkind turned soul impresario. Nothing to not like here. We are lucky to have Stevie Wonder’s contributions to music and the universe. Cannot say anything objective about this album. It’s perfect.
Wilco
5/5
Is there any band that better encapsulates dad rock than Wilco? Is there an album that better represents Wilco’s canon than YHF? Is…is this…the holy grail of dad rock!!??
I’ve liked this band for as long as I can remember and this album overshadows the rest of a really great catalogue. I also recommend the documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart which follows the release of and tour for this album. And Jeff Tweedy’s books. And going to Chicago and seeing the parking structures featured on the front of this album and then going, “hey - it’s the corn cobs on the front of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot!”
This album has some of the band’s best songs - “Jesus, Etc.,” “Heavy Metal Drummer,” “Kamera” - but each song has cleverness and style. Have been meaning to pick up the reissue on vinyl and this may be just the nudge I needed. A great way to start the week!
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
When we resurrected listening to vinyl as adults, this was the first album my wife bought for me. Before we even had a turntable! I love The Boss. When the guys get together we will inevitably play some of these songs. What an album! What a cover (that’s Clarence he’s leaning on there)! That right there is the benevolent figurehead of rock and roll music, enshrined for me when he gave the keynote speech at SXSW over a decade ago. It’s worth a listen if you can find it out there on the interwebs. Poet. Storyteller. Blue-collar philosopher/troubadour who charges exorbitant prices for his shows. I don’t care. Give me Bruce all day. He has always been with me. Save me, Springsteen!
Born in the USA is his bestseller (by an absurd margin). But this is peak Bruce for me. Some of the songs on this album are just…they’re just…I mean…wow. As soon as you hear the opening piano and harmonica on “Thunder Road,” just give yourself over to it. Hop on your motorcycle with your girl and ride off across the river to your last chance to make it in America.
And I would drop my thesis on “Jungleland” here, but I don’t think the word count would accommodate it. Suffice it to say, a miniature masterpiece in all of it’s cheesy, 1975 glory.
Phenomenal album all around. Not a weak spot on it. Give me more of this.
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
I had never heard of this artist. But much of this album resembles the type of music I was listening to in 1999 (Morcheeba, Esthero, Chicane, Bjork, etc.). I would have likely owned this album if I had known about it.
There are a lot of different styles showing up here - certainly not complaining about that. But the tracks that connected with me most are the ones that resemble the above-mentioned artists. The whole album has an international flair, drawing from a number of different traditions throughout. I enjoyed the album overall and am eager to find more music by this artist.
Kate Bush
4/5
Hi, like many people, have been thrilled at the Kate Bush Renaissance that has happened in the wake of stranger things. As a teacher, I find it delightful that today’s 16 and 17-year-olds recognize her name and her music. I might argue that albums like hounds of love or the sensual world are much more accessible than this album, but Kate Bush has always been kind of weird, and I have loved her for it. I listened to a lot of Fiona Apple and Tori Amos growing up, and the influence that Kate Bush has had on them, and other artist is profound.
This album definitely represents wacky Kate Bush, but everything from her inimitable voice to the driving drums, and in the case of this album, somehow very impressive guitar work, I think it is a very good representation of who she is as an artist. I enjoyed it, and I’m happy to continue expanding my appreciation of this artist.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Any time I’m doing something that can be described in six syllables I like to announce it to the tune of “Aqualung.”
“Going to the Starbucks.”
“Picking up the groceries.”
People really love it.
Proto-metal here. I’ve listened to this album enough to know it’s not my thing. But I couldn’t help moving my head along to songs like “Cross-Eyed Mary.” In spite of its renaissance-faire stylings, still enough to like here.
Dire Straits
4/5
Hard not to enjoy one of the best guitarists of all time. I certainly had heard Dire Straits in my life, but it was Mark Knopfler’s album with Emmylou Harris that really brought me to the band. And while Brothers in Arms may have more ear worms, this is an excellent representation of a kick ass catalogue. Can’t say anything critical about “Sultans of Swing,” but I really enjoyed some of the songs I wasn’t familiar with - “Six Blade Knife” a particular standout. Lotta fun.
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
For whatever reason I have resisted listening to Frank Zappa in my life. I’m not sure I could name a song or recognize a tune as his. It’s certainly not that I was under the impression that this wasn’t musically impressive. It is. And it’s not that I was scared of it. It’s remarkably ahead of its time. Maybe it’s how much it reminds me of Gallagher or how much it seemed like kitsch. And it is kitschy. And I have liked kitschy music in the past (They Might Be Giants and even Tom Waits who ranks among one of my absolute favorites). But on the whole, while I enjoy the fact that this music exists and think that everyone could learn a lesson about their own self-seriousness from an album like this, I can’t imagine ever deliberately putting this music on.
I’m glad I live in a world where Zappa has made an impact and I’m glad I finally was given a reason to give him a close listen. And I think I can close the book on the extraordinarily brief chapter on my relationship with the Mothers of Invention.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Sabbath! I mean, what can you say about the goddamn Prince of Darkness. As silly as it is, this music rips. Punk and metal owe an outsized debt of gratitude to Ozzy, whether you dig this or not.
I don’t listen to a ton of Black Sabbath, but I’m never disappointed when it comes on. Some of these songs are just linchpins of hard rock music. I think anytime someone plays “Paranoid,” Jack Black goes into a spasmodic fit wherever he is.
Bring on the rat salad. I had fun with this.
The Streets
1/5
Is this a joke? Evidently this album has near universal acclaim. I think it’s awful. I don’t know what I’m missing. How could so many people find purchase here? The whole thing sounds like a five year old made it. Not a fan.
Supertramp
4/5
Everything I know about Supertramp
comes from Breakfast in America, so it was fun to go deeper into the catalogue here. Really fun music - love the harmonies and the electric piano. I probably don’t listen to enough of this band. I’ll have to amend that after listening to this album.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Did we line dance to “Personal Jesus” at school dances in the 90s? Is this album in our vinyl collection? Have we sung the song “Clean” so often to our six year old when she gets out of the bathtub that now she sings it herself when she’s done with her shower? Do we love Depeche Mode and especially Violator in this house? A resounding yes to all.
A dark turn for an already dark new wave band, this album confronts the band’s abundant drug use in a chilling and incredible way. Not a single miss on the whole thing. Contemplative and weird. I love it and know my rating without having to put the needle down…but I happily will.
Kanye West
3/5
I love Kanye’s early albums and would list Late Registration among my favorite hip-hop albums. But since his decline into…whatever he is now, I’ve tried to avoid Kanye West. There’s not a single step he’s taken that I haven’t found disgusting. Marrying a Kardashian. His comical stint as an evangelical musician. Rise to MAGA superstardom. It’s fair to say that he is my least favorite celebrity.
But I don’t know another public figure whose descent has been so widely documented through pervasive media presence, and maybe I shouldn’t hold that against him. But my view of him as an human no doubt affects my view of him as an artist. I thought Nicki Minaj was the best thing about My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and that is supposedly a great album?
Is he a genius? Is this album great? Is it as great an album as Kanye West is an asshole? Does it matter?
Anyway - for all of the people who have been classified as geniuses and whose
lights have faded too soon, I don’t know why this guy keeps hanging around like a barnacle. It’s a pretty good album, but I don’t like that Kanye West made .003 cents while I listened to it.
Iggy Pop
5/5
Iggy Pop has always been untouchable - on a different plane. If anything cool is happening in music it’s because Iggy set the tone.
I would guess that for most millennials like me, awareness of Iggy Pop started with Trainspotting where Danny Boyle used the title track of this album expertly. (Now that track is on cruise ship commercials, but that’s another story.) But of course anybody who was worth listening to in the 90s would was only so because of The Stooges.
The solo stuff is not quite as tough as the Stooges, but damn is it good. I just watched Gimme Danger a month or so ago. The takeaway from that doc was that nobody really knew what to do with The Stooges when they hit the scene. But that music is more impressive than virtually anything that’s happening in music right now. And the obvious next step in the evolution is this album, which absolutely kicks ass.
The hits from this album are obviously great, but I’ll take Neighborhood Threat 11 times out of 10. Give me the whole album. Loved it from tip to tail.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Pro Nilsson! Until recently I didn’t known this artist by name, and I was bowled over when I realized how many songs of his that I knew. So maybe not as familiar as the artists that adored him, but certainly as important. I liked this as much as anyone likes anything that has been with them their whole lives without them knowing it.
Miles Davis
5/5
This is the sort of thing I appreciate about having undertaken a project like this one. An opportunity to go a little more off the obvious path (Kind of Blue, Bitch’s Brew) and get into a less familiar album by a massively influential artist. It’s kind of amazing people would consider this album controversial when you consider how influential it feels. Maybe sort of like Dylan goes electric. Whatever the case, this solidifies that Miles was so much more than what he is commonly known for.
Beatles
5/5
What is there to say about the most important rock and roll band ever? There are people who like the Beatles and people who don’t. But I think among people that love the Beatles, there is no bad Beatles album. Only a ranking of those which are more superior to the others. This is my favorite Beatles album, though I think it often falls more towards the middle of the pack for most. But these are the songs that I learned to sing harmony to. And songs that I learned how to write songs imitating. Even if you don’t like the Beatles, whatever you do like, is more than likely following the template, set by this band and on these songs.
I would guess that though it’s the first, this won’t be the last Beatles album encountered with this project. What a great start though.
Johnny Cash
4/5
“I’m not really a live album person.”
“What about ‘At San Quentin?’”
“Oh, well yeah. Of course ‘At San Quentin.’”
I think the context of live albums is as important as the music itself. It’s as much fun to listen to Cash’s banter here as it is to listen to the songs. This album cements true outlaw status for the Man in Black.
Tom Waits
4/5
It pains me to say this as someone who loves Tom Waits - I’ve always found this album impenetrable. I get what he’s doing here. And there’s no doubt that it’s great for what it is. But I’ve never been inspired to just throw this album on for some fun listening. Though I will say that I enjoyed this album more on this listening than I have previously. Maybe I’m finally old enough to appreciate how immature it is. I just don’t know how much xylophone I need in my life.
I love the world that Tom Waits lives in. It’s as if everything around him is some demented adult cartoon. I hope there is more from him on this list. 3.5/5
Leonard Cohen
4/5
What a weird and cool trajectory Leonard Cohen had as a musical artist. Compare this to Songs of Leonard Cohen and you’d never guess you were listening to the same artist. This album has more in common with Nick Cave than Paul Simon. But maybe Cohen is the connective tissue. Lou Reed + Depeche Mode + Tom Waits + Morphine. You might say the synths date the music, but for me it’s what gives it its David Lynch quality (couldn’t you hear the title track in background of an episode of Twin Peaks?)
Excellent album. Give me more.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Not exactly what you envision when you hear “coke-fueled rock and roll,” but here we are. A great album from what is probably the world’s most dysfunctional, and yet somehow incredibly successful band. I mean, this band spun gold out of their shitty lives. And though this album belies the problems roiling underneath the sound, you can’t help but think of their story anytime you listen to any of their albums. The standouts here are standouts for a reason, but the whole album is a delight.
Various Artists
4/5
A must have for the vinyl collection. We’ve been listening to this one several times a week lately to get into the holiday spirit. Easily my favorite murder-adjacent Christmas album. The monologue at the end hasn’t aged well, but otherwise this is solid gold. Plus it’s basically the soundtrack to Goodfellas, so bonus points there as well. A great way to celebrate the season.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Like Dylan, Cohen is more poet than musician, but it’s poetry I can get behind. I appreciate that this album was on the list the week after “I’m Your Man,” seeing as how you can really hear the expanse of his catalogue between those two albums. Ultimately I prefer guttural, synthy Leonard Cohen, but this is still pretty great stuff.
William Orbit
4/5
I’ve come to enjoy road trips more since undertaking this project because it gives me an excuse to deliberately listen to these albums without interruption. Unfortunately today’s road trip involved the entire family…who did not enjoy this record. I, however, firmly liked it as I have with any of the electronica that has appeared on this list. William Orbit is a top-tier name in electronic music and this album is a clear example of why.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Smashing Pumpkins’s best album. People who only heard their radio songs probably didn’t realize how heavy they could play as heard on this one. It’s really quite a feat to put out a double album with as many songs that kick the way that these do. I was happy to go back to this one and listen with fresh ears. I think I’ll be listening more in the next few days.
The Offspring
4/5
Man how the mighty have fallen! This album kicked so hard. And then this band really - I mean really started to suck. Compare any song on this album to “Pretty Fly for a White Guy” and ask yourself if you still have faith in humanity. Every song on this album rips. More punk than pop which is more than I can say for anything else they did after this. Iconic album for 90s punk kiddies.
Kings of Leon
4/5
I wasn’t really sure where this band came from when they had gotten as big as they did - but I always enjoyed listening to them as I did this album. Solid rock and roll that leans on the band’s southern rock roots. Will listen again.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
Fun stuff here. Orchestrations and arrangements are masterly. But I mean, what kind of person are you if you’re listening to ELO regularly?
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Hell yes.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
It’s probably not cool to like this album as much as I do, but I do. Every track is a standout. Perfect album.
David Bowie
5/5
Does all Bowie get five stars? No. But 99% of it does. Long live Ziggy!!
N.W.A.
3/5
This is a complicated album. NWA were and are some of the most talented and innovative artists in music. Any hip hop artist (and many artists in other genres) owe a lot to this group and its members. And frankly, while I probably loved this album in my teens, in my forties, I’m not sure I want to hear some of this stuff. It’s brilliant and groundbreaking. And misogynist and homophobic.
Slint
4/5
I thought this was a cool album! Hadn’t heard of the band before, but I dig it. Low key and heavy at the same time. File under Fugazi/Built to Spill. Will listen again.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
There really aren’t a ton of straight up rock and roll bands left - I’m glad Queens of the Stone Age is one of them. Wasn’t as familiar with this album as with their later stuff, but I enjoyed it and could hear the blueprint of where they were headed. This was cool.
Jack White
4/5
I’m genuinely thankful for the contributions that Jack White has made to rock music. I love just about everything he puts his hands on. Fun to revisit this album. Enjoyed it multiple times over the weekend. I’m not sure I can fully distinguish it from what he does with The White Stripes other than having more instrumentation. But maybe that’s what you need to do when your claim to fame is a two-piece. Loved the electric piano on this album. Solid through and through.
Metallica
4/5
I know that the hardliners think of this album as the beginning of the end for Metallica (for me it was Load). My brother was a metal head, so I had experience with their early albums before this one was on my radar. But this is what launched them into the mainstream - and if you were 10 or 11 in 1991 like was, mainstream Metallica was still pretty awesome. And Justice for All was probably their last great album. Not a ton of virtuosic solos here or cheesy speed metal. But if this was the first introduction to them, it would still melt your face off.
Nirvana
5/5
Be still my teenage heart. What can you say about this album that hasn’t already been said? I’m pro-Nirvana. Pro Seattle music. I get that their rise to fame and the current resurgence in their popularity belies their identity and philosophy. But I can’t imagine a world where Nirvana doesn’t impact music after 1991. What would we be? I am firmly in the camp of those who consider this a game-changing album.
Listening to it I'm reminded of the scene in Almost, Famous when Zooey Deschanel defends Simon and Garfunkel by calling it poetry and Frances McDormand responds that it’s the poetry of sex and drugs. I feel like I had similar arguments with my own parents about this album. And they came of age in the 60s! Who knows. I can’t explain Billie Eilish, so maybe it all comes around.
Buzzcocks
4/5
Yes!! Love Buzzcocks and I love this album. The only thing that keeps me from rating a 5 is that Singles Going Steady is even better. Excellent and incredibly impactful band and record.
Talking Heads
5/5
One of my favorite things about Talking Heads is that every one of their albums, though distinct in its own way, makes sense within the band’s oeuvre. This album does not sound like ‘77 or Speaking in Tongues. But it still sounds like Talking Heads. Thank god for this band.
Beatles
5/5
Yeah this is pretty good I guess. These guys might be going somewhere.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Hard to pick an album from someone who made so many. This is a good choice though. I will say, I don’t listen to a lot of JLL - yeah, because of the teenage cousin thing. This is good and clearly important for the development of rock and roll. But something doesn’t hit in quite the same way as Cash’s live albums. Or anything by Elvis.
3/5
I knew the radio hits by War but had never listened to a full album. I’m not sure I would have pegged them as a band that might have a 12+ minute track on one of their albums. But I s’pose that was the way of the time. I enjoyed the listen - a really cool fusion of styles on this album. 3.5/5
Joe Ely
4/5
I never thought I liked country music, and then we moved to Austin. This was 15 years ago, but I never realized that what is sold to the masses as country is a far cry from where the genre started and where so many great artists remain. Joe Ely is a great example.
Enjoyed the album as well as the related songs that Spotify started playing after it was finished. Fits very well into my vibe.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
There is a serious lack of female artists on this list. It’s nice to get a little diversity and you could do far worse than Cyndi Lauper. Never listened to this album before but I really liked it. It’s funny to think that she ever could have been controversial. She really has been a pioneer for pop culture. Truly influential. This album spoke to the theatre student in me.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
I’m not a huge fan of what this band stands for socially. But oh my god can they rip. Pioneers of southern rock and this album really shows why. I enjoyed listening, even if I may not go back to it too often. 3.5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
A whopper of a double album. In my mind Nick Cave can really do no wrong. This album really capitalized on the promise of his whole catalogue up to this point. I personally prefer Abattoir Blues to Lyre of Orpheus, even though the songs “Breathless” and “Easy Money” are among the best on the album. Overall the whole thing is great and I’m proud to say that both of these records are in regular rotation at our house.
Nick Drake
4/5
Just a thoroughly lovely album. Nick Drake is a singular tragic figure in an industry full of them. These songs are heart on sleeve and they honestly could have been written yesterday. It’s kind of no wonder he went more or less unnoticed during his time. I have and will listen to this album on a plane, in the rain, in a box and with a fox. Excellent.
Barry Adamson
4/5
When “Something Wicked This Way Comes” came on it took me directly to Lost Highway, which is funny because I don’t know this artist by name or reputation. The whole thing smacks of David Lynch. But to look at his pedigree and similar artists I’m not at all surprised to find that I like it. I was also not surprised to find Nick Cave guesting on the penultimate track. From the moment I started listening to this album I wanted to throw on Let Love In. They kind of go hand in hand.
The spoken word track was a little too bizarre for me. But otherwise I really enjoyed this from start to finish.
Frank Black
3/5
Heck yeah. I’m a big fan of The Pixies and you can really hear Frank Black’s imprint on the band’s sound when you hear him solo. I love Kim Deal too, but the shadow of Black Francis looms large. Still, I’d rather have The Pixies (or The Posies or Throwing Muses). A good listen.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
I’m not sure I have a resistance to Jefferson Airplane per se. This album pretty much contains my entire knowledge of the band. I recognize that they are a significant group when it comes to the evolution of rock ‘n’ roll. And there’s nothing on this album that I found outright unlikable. And still it doesn’t seem to have quite the same staying power as other music from this era. Definitive of a period and consequently of a moment.
The xx
3/5
Interesting choice. This band and this album are representative of this sort of sad, quiet indie rock that was popularizing itself at this time (see Daughter, Beach House, etc.). Good mood music, but not exactly something I’m eager to throw on and actively listen to. Some good grooves here, but nothing earth shattering.
Richard Hawley
4/5
Burt Bacharach!? Elvis Costello!? Nope! It’s a guy who’s been in a couple of bands you’ve heard of!
Glib kidding aside, I actually really liked this album. It may cover some well-worn territory, but it does it effectively and convincingly. Maybe not surprising when you look at the bands he’s been associated with. I did not know Richard Hawley before, but he’s on my radar now - especially since he appears to still be releasing new work.
The Associates
2/5
Definitely the sound of a moment. Reminds me of a lot of stuff that I prefer to this. I’d rather listen to David Bowie or Devo. I applaud the list for not simply sticking to the obvious choices. But there are less obvious choices that are more interesting and more impactful than this album.
Britney Spears
2/5
I understand her contribution to pop music. I lived through the sensation that she was at the time. I know her importance to the queer community. I have all the sympathy in the world for her as a teenager who got ground up in the gears of the industry.
I just do not like this music at all.
The Who
4/5
How can you not like The Who? Everything that makes them great is on display in this album. Still, I’m not sure there’s too much that makes this live album better than any of their studio albums. But it’s nice to hear the banter. Keith Moon’s drums sound terrible.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I was born in 1981. My siblings are 7 and 11 years older than I am. This album was pretty much the soundtrack to my growing up - but I didn’t really realize the importance of Bruce Springsteen on the world until I was a teenager. I read The Boss’s autobiography a few years ago and was surprised to learn that this was the album that really cemented him as a legend - so profound are his albums that preceded this one. But I get it. This album capitalizes on the promise of his 70s music while ushering him into a new era. It’s hard to think of him in the same light as similar monoliths like Madonna or Prince since they are all so different, but Bruce is really keeping rock and storytelling alive here. There’s a reason he’s considered one of the best and it’s all over this album. An all timer.
Cheap Trick
3/5
I’ve only just started to listen to Cheap Trick, so it was nice to get a chance to figure out what they were really about. I’m really not a huge fan of live albums, but this list really seems to love them. Still, it gives you an insight into what a band is truly like. Also, it was fun to hear where the sample at the beginning of Check Your Head comes from. 3.5/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
I JUST finished the excellent (and hard to listen to at times) podcast Think Twice chronicling MJ’s rise and fall. It both made me want to listen to these songs and to never listen to them ever again. He truly was the King of Pop - even if that moniker is fraught with all of the challenges that encompass Michael Jackson. His mark on pop music is indelible. An excellent debut by a truly troubled artist.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
I enjoyed this album a lot more than The Scream. Siouxsie’s albums definitely get better over the course of her catalogue, showing the growth and range of her influence. I would say this is really where things start taking off. I’m surprised she shows up twice on this list and I’m curious if we’ll see more of her. Good listen!
Dolly Parton
5/5
It can be hard to know where to even start with a legendary artist who has so many albums. You could do a lot worse than this one for Dolly. I hear so many contemporary artists that I love in this music (Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires) - the DNA is inextricable.
Too many standouts to name, but I might choose “Early Morning Breeze” as my personal favorite. I love groove of certain 70s country tunes. Glad to have had the weekend to give this one several spins.
Common
4/5
This is such a good album. It was a revelation to me when it came out. I think “The Corner” is one of the best songs in hip-hop, and the rest of the album is not far behind it.
I just finished the excellent book “The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip-Hop” by Jonathan Abrams. His chapter on the Midwest claims Common as the conscience of hip-hop and this album is irrefutable evidence of that. Wonderful through and through.
a-ha
3/5
Frankly there just isn’t enough oboe used in pop music. Thank god for a-ha.
Everything I knew about a-ha previous to listening to this album was in relationship to its opening track (Norwegian band, revolutionary music video, impressive falsetto). I had never been inspired to listen to any more an-ha after hearing “Take On Me.” I likely will not deliberately listen to any more a-ha after having heard this album in its entirety.
To be fair, there is a lot of Nordic pop that I really like (Robyn, First Aid Kit, Jens Lenkman). And I like new wave, even if only nostalgically. But I really couldn’t tell you what distinguishes this from The Fixx or Howard Jones or Naked Eyes.
It’s fine.
The Monkees
2/5
It’s fine.
Björk
4/5
A genuinely interesting album choice for this list. Maybe there will be more Bjork on this list, but I’m otherwise surprised that this is the album of hers that merits listening over some of her other better known work. This is a challenging album - and I mean that in the best way possible. Bjork really toes the line between pop and art. Her music requires focus and concentration. It is simultaneously melodic and bizarre. And I think it gets more complex as her canon goes along. I think this album showcases so much of what I love about her as an artist and neglects so much of what I love about her as an artist. I really enjoyed listening to this, and I also found myself wishing I was listening to Debut or Post. Great album from a great artist though.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Probably Cash’s most notable entry in his American saga. It’s certainly the one that brought him more fully into my sphere. Before this album I really didn’t know enough about what an important figure he was in music - but his covers of songs that I knew and loved made me realize that he crossed over into and influenced other genres in ways I never fully realized. An album like this makes his duet of “Redemption Song” with Joe Strummer seem less bizarre.
I love the paradox of the way this album begins and ends. It almost imbues “We’ll Meet Again” with its own kind of darkness. I’m pretty sure that “Hurt” was the big moment on this album, but for me, it’s the cover of “Personal Jesus.” The whole album is really an important entry in the career of one of the most important musical artists.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Sort of a peculiar album tucked between one of his finest (Innervisions) and his magnum opus (Songs in the Key of Life). This could be an album of b-sides for the former. It’s possible that, with hindsight, because it is flanked by two such powerhouses, the songs here might feel a little less impactful that those on its brethren. 3.5/5
Animal Collective
2/5
I remember people going crazy for this album when it came out. To me it sounds like a guy trying to figure out how to use Garage Band.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Heck yeah. Super Furry Animals. I don’t listen to this band enough, but I really like this sound and similar bands of the era. Enjoyed this album. Everyone should know this band.
The Waterboys
3/5
The playlist for “The Waterboys Radio” includes The Rolling Stones, Crowded House, Big Country, Joe Jackson, and Elvis Costello. All bands and acts that I enjoy immensely more than I enjoyed this album. I think that’s interesting because I can absolutely hear where this album fits in with those groups. But this just didn’t grip me in quite the same way that similar artists have throughout my life.
Jimmy Smith
5/5
This album was dope. File under “should have listened to by now.” I like that this list doesn’t shy away from jazz. In my opinion there could be a separate list of only jazz albums.
Goes right alongside my love of Booker T. and Delvon Lamarr - which I am listening to right now since this album has put me in the mood.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I was a teenager in the 90s and I lived through the swing revival. Yeah, I saw Brian Setzer in concert. I saw the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies at the Cleveland Rib Fest. I saw the movie Swingers enough times to quote most of it. I minored in Theatre in college. I have an appreciation for this music. And yet, I don’t think I would ever purposefully put it on to listen to. Charming and pleasant. And not particularly diverse. And probably the only time I will deliberately listen to Old Blue Eyes this year.
Black Sabbath
2/5
This is goofy music.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
If all this project was was listening to Stevie Wonder albums it could be a lot worse. The good news is that this the third of his albums in the first 100, so I’m hopeful that there’s still more to come from the wunderkind.
A spectacular album and the first in a line of impossibly good bangers. The world of music owes so much to Little Stevie.
The Verve
4/5
I don’t think you can overstate how big of a hit “Bittersweet Symphony” was. So when I was 15 (when this album dropped) I had to see what the rest of it was about. And for whatever reason, though there was much other Brit-pop that I genuinely loved, I couldn’t get into this album.
Fast forward 25-odd years…I don’t know what I was thinking. This album is excellent. Yes, the opening track kicks (and I understand that in the last five years Mick Jagger and Keith Richards allowed Richard Ashcroft to receive rights to this song), but the whole album is thoughtful, introspective, and musically complex. A really great listen. Glad it was on the list.
The Temptations
4/5
I would guess that this is not the only Temptations album that will be on this list. If that’s the case, then I’m plenty happy to start with this one that is more “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” than it is “My Girl.” Fun, funky, and showing off not only the depth of their sound, but of Motown Records as well. Their take on “I Heard it through the Grapevine” is fantastic. Enjoyed the whole thing as much as I enjoyed having the whole weekend to listen.
Marty Robbins
3/5
Fantastic cover art. No notes.
Like listening to a Coen Brothers movie. Definitely a portal into a different time. This is entirely a reflection on me, but I would much rather listen to a band like the Cactus Blossoms, who are clearly influenced by Marty Robbins, than I would to this album. Good to know who this is, but it’s hard to take this music as seriously as it takes itself.
**Note: this album grew on me as I listened. By “El Paso” I was enjoying what I was listening to.
Ghostface Killah
5/5
How do you choose a single member of Wu-Tang to highlight and not then highlight every other one of them? In my opinion they’re the best collective in hip-hop. Every single rapper is a genius who helped craft the sound of 90s rap.
And then how do you choose a single album in Ghostface’s enormous catalogue? He is so prolific, and really hasn’t taken a wrong turn. This album is excellent. Bring the ruckus.
Dr. Dre
3/5
Oh shit! Ghostface followed by Dre!? East coast vs west coast!? Not that Wu-Tang ever really got mixed up in that BS. But you definitely have two styles going on between the two records. For my money, the stuff from the home of hip hop is preferable to west coast gangsta.
Like NWA, this album landed better for me when I was a teenager. It doesn’t scratch the same itch as it maybe once did for me, and frankly I’m not sure how much of this I need in my life.
And frankly, of all the things Dr. Dre is known for, I think rapping is the thing he is least good at. So give me Ghostface, Nas, or Biggie any day over this album. Still - important for the evolution of the genre. 3.5/5.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
My parents were anomalies. They started their adult lives in the 1970s and we had records like James Taylor and Carole King in our house. For some reason, Joni Mitchell never got played. In fact, this is the first real experience I have had in actively listening to her music. I’m not sure why some singer songwriters of this era made it into our collection and she did not. But this is not an artist that shaped my musical education.
I really wish she had. I loved this album. I understand why she is such an important figure to so many artist and musicians that I love. The poetry and storytelling are one of a kind. I love the sound of the guitar on this album too. Unfortunately, this album was not on Spotify so I had to listen on YouTube which is not my favorite method of music consumption. We’re not for that. I would guess that this album would be on regular replay in my house from this point on.
Green Day
4/5
The first and last Green Day album worth paying attention to in my opinion. I can’t deny that they were my gateway to punk rock. And man did they un-punk themselves pretty quickly. The music got poppier and poppier until it turned into a Broadway musical.
But this album is a really good starter kit for kids to wrap their head around the thrill of being obnoxious. And I’m not embarrassed to play it as an adult. Fun nostalgia.
ZZ Top
3/5
Solid rock and blues. I’ve never really been inclined to listen to ZZ Top. I felt like I was in a biker bar the whole time. Clearly talented. Not really for me.
KISS
3/5
KISS clearly rocks. But they’re very silly. I think as someone who was born in 1981 and really came of age musically in the 90s, I really only need a few bands to scratch this itch. ZZ Top followed by KISS…well, I guess it’s time to grow out my mullet and hop in my Camaro to go bust up some mailboxes.
Faith No More
3/5
I’d be really curious to know what today’s young person thinks of Faith no More. Kinda silly but definitive of a time in music. Probably the silliest band I like.
Fugazi
5/5
Look upon my works, ye “punks,” and Despair! Here be no Blink-182s, no Fall Out Boys, but real disaffected malcontents. This is the real shit. All Fugazi is good, but this Fugazi is the best Fugazi. 10/10
Eagles
4/5
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t understand the hate that gets directed towards the Eagles. I think this is a good album. Plenty of other light rock like this that’s close to my heart (America, Michael McDonald). I enjoyed the listen.
Paul Simon
5/5
What a fascinating album. I just watched “Under African Skies” - the documentary about the making of this album. It unlocks new levels of understanding. I knew that there was controversy around it, but the movie helps firm up and understanding of all of that. Opens up important questions about appropriation and appreciation.
But however you feel about the way this album was made, it’s hard to deny what a truly excellent album it is. A genuine masterpiece.
MC Solaar
3/5
This is pretty good, but I kept waiting for Arsenio Hall to pop out to talk to me about AIDS.
OutKast
5/5
Spectacular album. Hard to say if it’s OutKast’s best. But it’s nearly perfect as far as I’m concerned.
Deep Purple
3/5
Uh…ok
Arcade Fire
4/5
Whatever my feelings about Win Butler, this is an important album by an important band. 4.5/5
5/5
I will go down defending U2. I don’t care how douchy Bono is. This album is amazing and so, so special to me. As is Rattle and Hum - the documentary and album chronicling the tour for Joshua Tree. I could put this album on every day and not get tired of it. Spectacular. A genuine masterpiece.
Red Snapper
4/5
This was cool! I had never heard of this band. Definitely would have been listening to this in 2000 if I had known about them. From the description I read, I was expecting something more like the band Galactic. But this doesn’t quite fit that mould. Very very cool.
George Michael
3/5
My first thought was, “Cool. I’ve never listened to a whole George Michael album.” My second thought was, “I know most of these songs.” So I guess a good exercise in understanding that certain pop idols are famous for a reason. Still, though many of these songs were nostalgic and enjoyable for me, I don’t think that George Michael is necessarily somebody that I’m going out of my way to listen to. I think I might equate him to Harry Styles as a contemporary analog. Musically competent, important for pop cultural reasons, but not necessarily somebody that I am looking to have more of in my canon.
Japan
3/5
While listening to the first track, I began to feel bad that I had given Duran Duran the credit for so many years when this band that I had never heard of had clearly laid the ground work for them. But as I continued to listen the album became much less compelling to me. Tracks like “Despair” just sounded like someone noodling on a piano to me. Neither complex nor interesting.
A lot of shared DNA with bands I love. But those other bands ultimately do it a lot better.
R.E.M.
4/5
A well-loved album from one of my favorite bands. There are better R.E.M. albums, but this is the first one I owned and it has a special place in my heart.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
No Stairway? Denied!
What an iconic album. Led Zeppelin is a little silly - but this album just rocks. Plain and simple. Set aside some of the more D&D-esque tracks like “The Battle of Evermore” or even “Stairway to Heaven,” this is real rock and roll.
The Pogues
4/5
Hell. Yes.
I actually learned the term “punk trad” from an interview Chris O’Dowd did about meeting Shane McGowan. I think it’s a pretty good way to think about the influence of music like this on punk rock. Shane presents as a punk, even though the music often sounds like traditional Celtic. It is not a far stretch to link a band like this to a band like Minor Threat or Fugazi.
I have a copy of Rum Sodomy and the Lash that I put on on St. Patrick’s Day. And of course “Fairytale of New York” is on regular repeat during the winter holidays. But I really should be listening to this band more often throughout the year. an excellent album!
Paul Simon
4/5
I think of Paul Simon as embodying an unobtainable kind of cool while being completely uncool at the same time. A walking paradox.
I grew up listening to Simon and Garfunkel, but I didn’t know this album at all. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy anything PS puts his stamp on. A good listen!
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Spectacular
Beach House
3/5
I really think this list’s excitement about down-tempo indie from the aughts is fascinating.
5/5
It’s obviously great. Hot take - one of the best albums by one of the best artists is an album you should hear before you die.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Ive loved Belle & Sebastian since high school. So, you know, things were really easy for me.
Air
4/5
Excellent album.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
This is so much better than The Chronic, but I feel like Snoop was always a little overlooked in the shadow of Dre. But again, I think it speaks to how much a better cultivator of talent Dr. Dre is than a rapper.
Enjoyed the trip down memory lane with this one.
The Cure
4/5
I really like this early era of The Cure. You really get a sense of how important they were to New Wave when you put together all of the ways their sound grew and changed over the years. Enjoyed the listen and the reminder that I should be coming back to these early albums.
Ray Charles
4/5
Just one of the best. It’s interesting that this album came out close to the same time as Sinatra’s “Songs for Swingin’ Lovers.” I just find this so much more interesting. Great songs realized by…well, a genius.
Screaming Trees
4/5
Excellent. Just grunge enough to rock and not enough to be a turn off. Big fan of this band. Appropriate that they are on the list.
Muddy Waters
3/5
I’m sort of ambivalent about blues music. Talent is obvious, but it has never landed on me the same as other genres. Good background music. 3.5/5
Missy Elliott
4/5
Awesome album. I feel like Missy does and doesn’t get the respect she deserves. I think people know how good and influential she is and I don’t hear her music enough. Certainly not as much as I hear some of her contemporaries. I’m glad I listened to this.
Radiohead
4/5
A lot of critics considered this to be the best album of its decade. I’ve always considered OK Computer to be superior. In fact, I’ve often thought this album sounds a lot like my kids screwing around on the keyboard. But I’m glad I had a chance to reconsider Kid A on this listen. I understand what makes it great. But still not the greatest.
John Coltrane
5/5
I mean what else can you say? Supreme indeed.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Yeah it’s pretty great. This is the music that I was raised on and I’ve always had a reverence for S&G. Listening to this music is how I learned to sing harmony. And despite the fact that this duo is deeply uncool, they remain cool in their own very specific kind of way. Have and will listen to this album frequently.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Classic. So good.
Boston
4/5
I’m not super into the mustache/mullet variety of classic rock, but for some reason I have a soft spot for Boston. This is one of the first albums that we bought when we started collecting vinyl again. It sounds really good on an old turntable.
Gorillaz
4/5
This album really was a game changer. It didn’t fit in precisely with anything else at the time. The guy from Blur is starting a band where he casts himself as a cartoon ape? And it’s kind of electronic-driven? And Del shows up on a track to rap? Awesome. Always love a listen.
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
At what point in the 23-minute version of the song “Whipping Post” is the song no longer “Whipping Post.” I would have been pissed if I had been at this concert.
Yes
2/5
Not my jam. A little self indulgent.
The Killers
4/5
Awesome album. This band was such a needed thing at the time. Popular music was just starting to crawl out of the depths and The Killers really helped launch the return of listen-toable music. From the first notes you’re just hooked and the album really doesn’t let up. No weak spots on the album as best as I can hear. Great listen.
The Black Crowes
4/5
I was surprised to learn that this album was released when it was! I spent so much of my adolescence in the mid to late 90s hearing these songs on the radio. I guess I never realized that The Black Crowes started as early as they did. I guess to me they always were the connective tissue between 90s alternative and 70s rock, so it makes a lot of sense that they date back as early as they do. Keeping rock alive. Good stuff.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
I feel like I made in error in attempting to honestly review these albums. I mean - what are you supposed to say about Deja Vu? Yeah. It’s pretty good.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
I like Monk, but sometimes he can be too complex for me. I listened to this in the car on a five hour trip and really got to concentrate on listening, and I really enjoyed it. I feel that’s what you have to do with his music. It’s not passive listening. The man was an absolute genius.
Nas
5/5
Didn’t have to play a note of Nasty Nas to know this album was getting five stars. One of the absolute best.
Astor Piazzolla
5/5
Boy did I love this album. Absolutely fantastic. The only question I have is if they’re going to include albums like this on this list, why the hell are we listening to so much shitty 70s prog rock?
John Martyn
4/5
Nick Drake meets Bruce Cockburn. Did not know this artist at all, but I think he pairs nicely with the flecks of gray in my beard. Enjoyed it.
Blondie
4/5
Blondie, like the Talking Heads, are often mentioned as progenitors of punk rock even though they sound nothing like conventional punk music. But their attitude and creativity are both very punk rock rock. Do it yourself and do it outside of the system. I wish more bands like this existed today. And listening to this album really helps you realize how connected they are to everything from funk to new wave. To punk and everything in between. They even get mentioned as influential to hip-hop sometimes thanks to “Rapture.” But honestly Debbie Harry can call herself whatever she wants.
King Crimson
3/5
The guy who owns one of the record stores in my town is a little like Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons. He always has this record in stock and prominently displayed, so I have seen this album cover many times, though I have never listened to it. It was better than I expected. But still the kind of music that “Record Store Guy” would play in his store.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
File under “not-quite-as-good-as-Depeche-Mode-or-New-Order.” Definitely of a time. When I listen to music like this, I have to remind myself that synthesizers were sort of cutting edge instruments, and though their sound dates, the music a bit I still found this fun to listen to.
4/5
Preferred this significantly to the Pet Shop Boys, who we listened to the day before. This one seem to have a little bit more of a pumpkin influenced groove to it, and that connected with me. Still, I can’t say I really really know this band very well. Glad to have listened to something that was not on my radar.
Simply Red
4/5
God help me, I like Simply Red and I always have. Nothing cool about this band at all. But they definitely do not sound quite like any other band. This album was equal parts interesting and cheesy as hell. Always a great listen.
Pink Floyd
4/5
I mean how can you not have a special place in your heart for this album. Sixth grade me syncing this up to The Wizard of Oz before I had even smoked pot…wow. Memories.
Pink Floyd definitely has a reputation, but I mean come on. It’s good rock and roll. And any band that writes a song in 5/4 gets immediate points in my book. Sorry not sorry. I like this album.
Fats Domino
4/5
I really liked this! I haven’t listened to a lot of Fats Domino, but this album had a lot more variety on it than I thought it would. You can really hear the start of rock and roll on this album. And I really liked the periods in time when you really needed to have talent to be a pop star. Really great.
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
Hell yes.
Justin Timberlake
4/5
I was in college when this album came out. As someone who had been reared on alternative and punk music, I just absolutely hated groups like N’Sync and The Backstreet Boys. They stood against everything I believed popular music should be. It required no actual creativity on the part of the “artist” and never got deeper than a puddle in its content.
I’ve softened on pop music in general and I fully recognize that (though he has taken quite a bit of deserved heat lately), JT is the real deal. This is not an album that I would put on if I were alone in the car, but I’ll be damned if I’m not heading out on the dance floor when “Rock Your Body” gets played at a wedding.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Yeah, this is what Steve Winwood sounds like.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
I mean it’s one of the best albums of all time. Who am I to say otherwise?
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
In my life, I have been resistant to Neil Young because of the timbre of his voice. But recently, I have been listening to him more and more and feel like I have been unfair to him in the past. This album was really great and it is absolutely clear why he is such a legend of rock ‘n’ roll music.
Big Black
4/5
Timely given the recent passing of Steve Albini. This is obviously not for everyone. I think it helps to know a little bit about Albini’s ethos to help make sense of the music. But even if it’s not lyrically your thing, it’s clear that musically this is innovative and special. Always cool to hear an impactful artist on the cusp of their influence.
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Yeah this was cool from a sort of historical perspective. Clearly impactful, and yet I wouldn’t say this is something I’ll be eager to throw on in the future.
John Prine
5/5
Simply one of the best. Almost every song on this album is perfect for campfire noodling. A genuine troubadour and storyteller. I love this album and I love John Prine.
Frank Zappa
2/5
164 albums into this project and this is the second Zappa album I’ve listened to. One I think is enough.
I have heard exactly zero Rolling Stones albums so far.
ABBA
3/5
I totally get why people like ABBA. I’m also not really one of those people.
Björk
4/5
I could say the same thing about this album as I did for the last Bjork album we listened to. Surprised to see this before some of her better-known albums. Still great.
Kid Rock
1/5
This is an album you MUST listen to for the same reason you must know what chlamydia is.
Arcade Fire
5/5
AF’s best album as far as I’m concerned. Not that their first two aren’t close behind. I loved this band at the time this album came out and was just really happy that they kept improving up to this album. I think part of the reason that Reflektor was such a disappointment is because this album is so good.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
I enjoyed this. I like Thin Lizzie. I do not understand the love for live albums.
Deep Purple
3/5
Not my thing. But if you like it, that’s cool.
Jorge Ben Jor
5/5
This was awesome. More of this please.
Paul Weller
4/5
Pretty good stuff.
Randy Newman
5/5
This was really great. My first introduction to Randy Newman was the song ”Burn On” which appeared at the beginning of the movie Major League. I grew up in Cleveland and I love baseball, so I’ve always had a fondness for that track. But the more I heard Newman’s music, the more I really got what he was about. There’s really nobody else like him - maybe Tom Waits shares some of that same type of storytelling DNA. But it’s clear from this album why RN is distinct and revered.
Earth, Wind & Fire
5/5
Superb. Made me feel bad for any other album I’ve given five stars to. So good.
Eagles
4/5
Second album by Eagles on this project (still no albums by the Stones). I’m wondering why people have such an antipathy towards this band. Good listen.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Super good. I wouldn’t hate it if this whole lists was post punk bands from this era. Also, can never hear “Killing Moon” without thinking of Donnie Darko.
Arrested Development
4/5
The Golden standard socially conscious hip-hop. I still listen to this album all the time.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
I cannot tell the difference of this band with or without Neil Young. I cannot tell one album from another. And I cannot really distinguish one song from another. Still the one song that they have written and perform 6000 variations of is pleasant enough. But as far as I am concerned, if you have heard Crosby stills and Nash album, you have heard them all.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Even when I was a kid who liked house music, I felt that Fatboy Slim was a little more redundant than the other electronic musicians. Important for the popularization of electronic dance music, but not a great listen today.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Difficult for me to objectively review an album like this. For me The Rolling Stones are one of if not the most influential bands in rock and roll and anything they’ve done carries some kind of superior weight. So. Damn. Good.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Great album. Reminder of Marley’s real genius. Don’t listen to a lot of reggae but this was fun.
Justice
4/5
Compared to Fatboy Slim, this is a great example of how much electronic dance music grew in such a short time. Total blast. Love this album.
The Young Gods
3/5
I was just thinking I needed more French industrial in my life.
But still, I’ll take something unique any day. This is like Tom Waits meets Ministry crossed with Gogol Bordello.
And hey, if you really want to alienate your family, play this album on a road trip like I did.
Radiohead
3/5
Not nearly as bad as I remember. I think the problem is that after OK Computer and Kid A, The only place to go was down. I think the more conceptual these albums got the less interested I was in them. It wasn’t until In Rainbows I happily got back on the bandwagon. I give this a 3.5 out of five.
Stan Getz
4/5
I mean, what’s not to like here? This is obviously wonderful. Again – no idea what the criteria for choosing these albums is. But a total delight.
The Mars Volta
3/5
Interesting, but Mars Volta has never quite been my cup of tea.
Stereo MC's
4/5
I really like this group. I think a lot of people think of them as one hit wonders or a flash in the pan, but I’ve always appreciate what they bring to the table. Kind of an uncool coolness that is both admirable and not worth riding for.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
It’s funny. I love Tom Waits, but have never enjoyed some of the artists that I think you can draw direct lines to and from. This is a good example of one that I could take or leave.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
The first albums by this group are just unassailable. Love Tribe and everything they stand for.
Van Halen
4/5
I don’t listen to a lot of 70s and 80s hair metal, but if I do chances, are it’s Van Halen. This album is excellent. And I’m always mystified at how we could get from Chuck Berry to Eddie Van Halen in less than 20 years. Superb. I will always listen.
Beth Orton
4/5
I went to see Beth Orton on a lark in the early 00s. She was promoting her album Daybreaker at the time and it ended up becoming one of my favorite albums at that time. I wish more people knew about her. Great stuff on this album, including “Stolen Car” and the title track. Two of her best.
David Bowie
5/5
One of the best by one of the best. I don’t know how you rate any of Bowie’s albums from the 70s and 80s as anything other than five stars.
Leftfield
3/5
Opening track reminded me of early Massive Attack. Which made me wish I was listening to Massive Attack. So I liked this, but not as much as adjacent stuff that I like better.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Yeah this is excellent. Truly great listen.
Metallica
5/5
There’s probably a lot to laugh at about Metallica, but I can’t help my love for their early albums. Metal for people who don’t love metal. But it rips.
The Undertones
4/5
I don’t know why I don’t know this band. I definitely should. Loved this album and spent the rest of the day listening to REM and The Specials. Super fun. Will listen again.
New Order
4/5
I love New Order. I am especially fascinated by the story of how Joy Division became New Order. It’s such a strange transition. Still, both bands are great. This album shows off the band’s talent and distinct sound. Loved it.
Steely Dan
4/5
Also a risible band. I’m not sure too many 17 year olds were into Steely Dan in the 70s. But any major dude will tell you this band has more musical competence than about anyone else out there. Great stuff for this dad rock fan.
Prince
4/5
It’s hard to go wrong with Prince. The ultimate reminder to Bruno Mars that it’s already been done. This isn’t my favorite of his albums, but still always a fun listen.
Metallica
3/5
By this point in their career, Metallica had really become a bit of a joke. Load and Re-Load were legitimately awful albums that really took them away from their thrash metal roots and into Creed territory. I remember this album really helping them to reestablish some of their legitimacy. This album came out the year after Portishead’s (utterly superior) Roseland NYC Live that incorporated the NYC Philharmonic. I think that album is sort of the apex of what that kind of combination could do. I think I’d put Puffy’s version of Kashmir at the bottom and this one somewhere in the middle.
Which is not to say that it should be written off. I think this album highlights the musicianship (and the excess) at the heart of Metallica and I think it helped get them back in the good graces of the music community. Enjoyed the listen. 3.5/5
The Cure
4/5
Pound for pound I think this is a better album than Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. I think the songs on this album sound a little more timeless and a little less like someone was excited to get a Casio keyboard. (I love the cure, but some of their songs can sound dated.) some of my favorite songs are on this album and the rest of the tracks fill in very nicely. A great listen.
The Magnetic Fields
5/5
Hands down an absolute masterpiece. I love the Magnetic Fields and Stephin Merritt is a goddamn genius and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.
Fiona Apple
4/5
My kids are really into Olivia Rodrigo right now so we have been listening to a lot of her music. I will be honest that I have turned a corner on her and think she’s actually a pretty impressive pop artist. But every time I hear one of these teenage pop artists that sort of crawled out of a production studio laboratory, it always makes me long for artists like Fiona Apple, who I deem to be more authentic, and to be an overall better songwriter. They’re singing about the same things, but FA just did it in a way that rang more true and impressively. Of course I was like 15 when this album came out, so I’m sure I carry some bias. But I have a feeling that 40-year old Olivia Rodrigo will not come close to an album like Fetch the Bolt Cutters.
John Lennon
5/5
My kids have gotten into The Beatles lately, so it’s been kind of fun to show them that the members had lives outside of the band. They loved this album, as do I.
The Who
4/5
I don’t think it’s cool to like The Who. But I like The Who. And while I like late 60s/70s Who, I really like this album.
Meat Loaf
4/5
I don’t much care for the socio-political human he became, but I don’t know how you don’t love Meat Loaf.
Neil Young
4/5
I think that the best thing about this project is that I’ve really become a fan of Neil Young in the process. Enjoyed this album a lot.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
I think that the best thing about this project is that I’ve really become a fan of Neil Young in the process. Enjoyed this album a lot.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
I mean what can you say about this album. Absolute masterpiece.
Foo Fighters
4/5
I can remember growing up in the 90s and wondering, which of my bands were going to stand the test of time and who we would be talking about later years. Nirvana and Radiohead are no surprise to me, but I’ve always been a little curious as to how the Foo Fighters stuck around. Listening to this album helped remind me this was a good band out of the gate and I think they deserve the acclaim. Not quite sure I understand why they take on the ridicule that they do as well, but as far as rock ‘n’ roll goes, it’s hard to beat.
The Charlatans
4/5
I was into some Brit Pop bands when I was younger, but I’ve really gotten into 80s/90s Brit Pop as an adult. Charlatans (UK) weren’t a band for me when I was a teenager. But they are now.
Joan Baez
4/5
I don’t listen to a lot of Joan Baez. It’s clear to see how instrumental she was to the folk movement, especially when you consider that this album was recorded at the dawn of the 60s. But it also feels a bit of its time. An important album that I am not likely to put on again.
Wild Beasts
4/5
I did not immediately think I would enjoy this, finding the lead singer’s voice to be a bit dramatic. But the more I listened, the more it grew on me. High marks here.
Eminem
3/5
I feel the same way about this as I did with Straight Outta Compton. Eminem could probably have been considered the best in the game at one point. And at 42 years old, I’m not sure about how much of this I actually enjoy listening to.
David Bowie
4/5
Hard not to love everything Bowie did in the 70s. The critics may have been divided at the time, but this album really holds up. And the history of it is pretty fascinating too. High marks for difficulty. Sticks the landing.
Ice Cube
4/5
Cube solo > Cube with NWA.
Kanye West
2/5
Like Kanye himself, this album turned out to be a complete and utter disappointment. The best part about it is Nicki Minaj’s verse on “Monster.”
Supergrass
4/5
Good album
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
I really don’t think this band is for everyone. But, this is one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands. It combines so many of my favorite genre elements, from punk to disco to even Phillip Glass-esque repetitive sound. More LCD Soundsystem.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
When I started this project, I was very nervous that artists like Kendrick Lamar were going to be overlooked because they were too contemporary. And it may be that his best work is still left off of this list, but this choice affirms this project for me, regardless of how many times bands like Yes or Genesis have shown up. A truly superb debut album for an unignorable talent. Loved it.
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
I couldn’t tell you how this album stacks up to other Bonnie Raitt albums, but that’s only because there is nothing about her that should have connected with me when I was eight years old and she was releasing albums. I’ve always thought there was something fairly Nancy Meyers-esque about her music. But I like Nancy Meyers, even if I’m not the target audience. Same goes with Bonnie Raitt. Great blues/country-ish music. Great album.
Violent Femmes
5/5
Strong week so far. Another epically important album. Bonus points for Milwaukee’s greatest alternative-folk-nerd band.
The Young Rascals
4/5
I really enjoy when I happen to own the record of the daily album. We got to listen to this one on vinyl, which I think makes it more special. The Rascals are great. Always a fun listen.
Willie Nelson
4/5
A wonderful choice! It can be so hard to know where to begin with someone who has such a large catalogue. I’m not sure this is where I would have chosen to start, but at least it’s a start.
I don’t necessarily love cover albums, but I love the opportunity to think about what makes a good cover. Willie makes these songs his own. He also makes them fresh. He might as well have released this album yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyed the listen.
The Who
4/5
Imagine the overture for this album playing while this midwestern dad drove to pick up bagels. Wonderful.
As someone who has appeared in more than two productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, the era of the rock musical still blows my mind. This one, while not my favorite, still has some pretty great moments. Hard not to like this one.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Just one of the best.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
Another excellent choice. More staying power than the Sex Pistols. Maybe just as influential? Love a lot of it, but not all of it.
The Darkness
4/5
This was a riot. I liked this album when it came out, but I haven’t listened to it in 20 years. A total blast.
Calexico
4/5
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to listen to this band. I know they are frequent collaborators with Iron and Wine - one of my favorites. I can hear they go hand in glove. So glad to have had the opportunity to listen. Will definitely be playing this band regularly from now on.
Beastie Boys
5/5
One of the absolute best. I think your favorite BB album depends on when you were born. This one is right in the sweet spot for me. I remember seeing the music video for Sabotage in a Hard Rock Cafe on the 6th grade trip to Toronto. I was hooked. This album showcases everything that’s great about the Beasties and with hip hop, including the overlap with punk rock (which often gets overlooked historically). Such an important album and a total blast.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
This is the type of music that I assumed that I would be listening to at this age. Maybe with a little gold hoop earring and my gray hair in a ponytail.
Loved the title of the album and the first track. Musically, some I liked. Some I could leave.
David Ackles
2/5
This is well-crafted songwriting. And I have no idea under what circumstances I would put this album on.
Ride
4/5
An excellent choice! I’ve come to realize that the alternative that I grew up listening to in the 90s was really the end of a movement that had gas in the 80s as well. And while Nirvana should get credit for popularizing a certain sound, bands like Ride were already breaking the mold before Nevermind.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Hard not to love Jimi. Fun to listen to earlier stuff for which he’s maybe not quite as well known. Enjoyed the listen.
Otis Redding
5/5
The woman on the cover of this album is not Otis Redding.
Gene Clark
4/5
I can’t say I know Gene Clark, but I like The Byrds and the Laurel Canyon sound. This was a good representation of it.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
This was a total surprise to me! I knew Frankie Goes to Hollywood were gay icons, but really thought of them as one-and-done with Relax. But this whole album was a ton of fun! I will say that I think a band has to work hard to produce a cover worthy of an original and the covers on this album ain’t quite it. But I still had a great time listening.
Miles Davis
5/5
I mean…one of the greatest jazz albums of all time by one of the greatest jazz musicians with some of the other greatest backing him up? Yeah. It was pretty good.
Pink Floyd
3/5
I give Pink Floyd all the credit in the world. Important band for sure. But the overwrought songs are just not for me.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Don’t tell the other English majors, but I was never into Bob Dylan as a young person. I’ve come to appreciate him more as I’ve gotten older, but this album showcases some of the things that have always pushed me away from him. Nine minute songs with no variation. Arbitrary harmonica. That voice.
Still, I’d rather live in a world where Dylan has had such a profound influence than one where he never existed.
Love
3/5
I’ve heard this band described as “tragically overlooked.” I think that’s possibly fair. Definitely further ahead of the curve than a lot of other bands at this time. Still, this was likely a one-and-done for me.
Bad Company
3/5
I liked this more than I thought I would.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
After a string of pretty uninspired hair rock, I was happy to get this album. I like the Boo Radleys - this is the music I really grew up on. Still, I’m not sure it belongs in the same conversation as some of these other great albums.
Linkin Park
1/5
This was the worst collective week of this project, capped it off with this shit burger.
Blur
4/5
Really great and important Brit-pop. I wasn’t aware of Blur before Song 2, so I had to go back in time to figure out this band’s roots. But I have loved this album as long as I’ve known it. A gem.
Lightning Bolt
2/5
Though this be madness, yet there is method in it.
I was 100% ready to abandon this album after the opening minutes, but it grew on me as I listened. Not my favorite genre, but not a total waste of time.
Plus there’s a song called “Dracula Mountain” on this album, so it can’t be all bad.
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
Sure. Why not.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Was never really able to get into this band. I do always find it interesting to consider how certain bands choose to express their angst. I was much more of a punk rock guy in my youth. Music like this can sound very silly when you consider how seriously they seem to be taking themselves.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
This is the kind of music that should be playing in the background of every record shop you walk into.
The kids loved it.
Michael Jackson
4/5
There are better albums by MJ. But for people my age, this album was IT when it came out. Everything that this album spawned, from the Weird Al parodies to Moonwalker.
I have such conflicted feelings about this artist. But his importance to music is just so massive.
Aerosmith
4/5
This album was towards the end of Aerosmith’s life as a respectable band, but there was still gas in the tank. A lot to like here.
I was probably 10 when I saw the video for Janie’s Got a Gun. Changed my life. It may be cheesy, but I like it.
1/5
I like that the linked Wikipedia review acknowledges that later versions of 1001 Albums removed this album. Hilarious that it was included at all. Fred Durst can choke on a hot dog.
On a more serious note…Kid Rock, Linkin Park, and now this. I’m sure more than one person contributes the albums to this book. But good lord - talk about questionable decisions. 0 stars.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Great album by a great artist. I love the simplicity of Tom Petty. Rock and roll in its purest form.
Bill Evans Trio
5/5
Superb in every way.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Genuinely excellent album that endures decades after its release. Truly a delight.
Portishead
3/5
My least favorite album by one of my all time favorite bands. I wouldn’t go a week without listening to Portishead when I was in high school. I was so pumped when this album came out - I think it had been 10 years since Live at Roseland. Unfortunately this one just never mustered the same kind of genius as their earlier stuff. Interesting, but not quite top form.
Rush
4/5
I actually thought this was a lot of fun. My daughter is learning to play the drums and she really got into what Neil Peart was doing. Maybe I enjoyed it a little more than I thought I would because of that.
Roxy Music
4/5
We’re a pro-Brian Ferry, pro-Brian Eno, pro-Roxy Music family over here. Good listen.
Van Morrison
5/5
Yeah, it’s pretty good. I also recommend Coca-Cola and Steven Spielberg movies.
The Clash
5/5
Apex album from the only band that ever mattered. People might have some things to say about Sandinista or Combat Rock, but saying this isn’t the most important album from The Clash is like saying you don’t like The Beatles.
Little Simz
4/5
I thought this was a really cool little album! A nice surprise for sure.
Love
3/5
I liked this better than the other Love album we listened to. I didn’t especially like the slower songs, but the upbeat ones were super mod and fun to listen to. 3.5/5
The Modern Lovers
4/5
Yes. So good. Real pioneers of alternative music.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
There’s a lot to love and laud about both Ella Fitzgerald and the Gershwins. Still, at over three hours, this album questions just how much of this one needs in their life. Pleasant, but would I buy this if I found it in the bargain bin? Probably not.
Dire Straits
4/5
Can something be cheesy and awesome at the same time? Better believe it, if Mark Knopfler has anything to say about it. Great guitar work. Great album.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
I didn’t know this band or this album, but I really liked the sound! The more the album went on, though, the more I wished there had been a little more variety. Honestly I couldn’t tell where the first track ended and the second one began. And by the end I wished I was listening to The Jam. Not bad - not great.
Elastica
4/5
Super good. This band should have been much bigger than they were.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Really curious to see what the community reviews on this are. We took our kids to see her live last year, and I gotta say, she earned some serious respect from me when I saw her. It takes a lot to do what she does. This is definitely the album where I started to take her seriously. That said, this is pop music and I’m not really a fan of pop music. It’s pretty good pop music, but pop all the same.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
I love the Beatles, but never really spent a lot of time in the members’ solo projects. There are clear extensions from one to another here. Enjoyed hearing beyond some of the only Wings songs I know.
Cat Stevens
4/5
A truly lovely album. We used to sing Cat Stevens songs to our girls as lullabies. Would but everyone was as peaceful as these songs.
The Replacements
4/5
I wouldn’t wish lives like the ones the members of this band have led on anyone. And still, I kind of mourn that this attitude just doesn’t exist in rock and roll anymore. I wouldn’t want to hang out with Paul Westerberg or Tommy Stinson, but damn if they didn’t write some awesome music.
This album sees the band starting to “mature” (as much as they ever could) into a more deliberate sound. Still carrying a little of the rowdiness from “Sorry, Ma,” which I also listened to to get a sense of the shift. Some real gems on this album, but still not as good as the album that follows it. 4.5/5
Aerosmith
3/5
This might be the most emblematic Aerosmith record. A song like “Big Ten Inch Record” shows off the band’s musical talent while making you cringe at the extremely thinly-veiled double entendres. Points for “Sweet Emotion,” but I’m reminded why I really haven’t listened to this band since I was 13.
The Incredible String Band
2/5
Silly
Al Green
5/5
The reverend prevails. What an album. Absolutely excellent.
Funkadelic
4/5
This album was so ahead of its time. Hard not to love it.
Rocket From The Crypt
4/5
Super good! I just finished the book Sellout that looks into the rise of punk bands signing to major labels in the mid 90s to early 00s. Rocket doesn’t get their own chapter, but they do get name checked quite a bit. This might not have been a huge band, but they were very influential to the movement.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
Excellent and exactly what I need right now.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Fun. I’ll give big points for their importance to and influence on hip hop. But I can’t really imagine putting this on for the hell of it.
David Bowie
3/5
The beginning of a strange little comeback towards the end of his life. This album shows interesting diversity for Bowie. His last two albums are somehow simultaneously odd and right at home in his trajectory. More experimental in its sound but still more interesting than 90% of what’s out there. Still, I own a lot of Bowie albums. And I don’t own this one. 3.5/5
R.E.M.
5/5
REM is/has always been one of the most important bands for me. I grew up in the mid-90s, so albums like Automatic for the People and Monster were crucial for me. But my sister grew up in the 80s where the IRS records held greater sway. Thanks to her I was able to experience this band across time and get a sense of their development over time. For me this band never lost what made them them, even if they lagged later in their career. When you hear an album like this one you can hear the band’s resonance across time. I love every song on this album, just like I do almost all of their work.
David Holmes
3/5
Pretty good, but not really the same staying power as other electronic music of the time. It feels dated, but I still enjoyed the listen. 3.5/5
Jamiroquai
4/5
Hot take: if Jamiroquai hadn’t become briefly popular with Traveling Without Moving, they would have maintained more clout. They are an incredibly impressive band. But they felt like a novelty act in the 90s. Never mind that funk and disco really weren’t that far away from them. I mean, Green Day has been making the same shitty music for 30 years. Why couldn’t a 90s funk band have seemed more directly tied to the funk movement 15 years earlier than they ever did? Good band. Good album.
Ice T
4/5
Ice-T doesn’t really rank in my favorite hip-hop artists, but I was glad to listen to this. I think I unfairly overlook him - this album is an important link between the progenitive rap of the 80s and where things were heading. Really good.
James Brown
3/5
This album felt a little insubstantial to me. I can’t say anything bad about JB’s music, but I’m not sure what makes this better than other entries in his catalogue.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Curtis Mayfield is a national treasure. That is all.
Suede
4/5
I really dug this album. I need more Suede in my life I guess. Good listen.
Stereolab
5/5
This album was already on my turntable as I refreshed for today’s pick! A fun coincidence.
Love Stereolab and this album in particular. This band’s vibe is just fun, and musically they just don’t sound like anyone else. Big fun.
Miles Davis
2/5
This is not my favorite thing that exists. There is definitely genius here, but I’ve never been able to fully get into this album.
Stan Getz
5/5
The criteria for album selection remains elusive, but I share an enthusiasm for esoteric Latin jazz that seems also to be held by the creators of this list.
Hard to beat Stan Getz. Thoroughly enjoyed this album and will continue to listen.
Lorde
3/5
Listen-to-able pop music. I’m not calling her a genius, but I enjoyed listening. More or less.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I think it’s absurd to have two albums by this guy on this list. I guess you had to be there.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Better than expected, but not for me.
Garbage
4/5
Garbage is great. I didn’t own this album, but somehow I knew all of these songs. Lots of love for this band.
Nirvana
5/5
I was surprised at how much of this album I remembered. Not just the songs, but the feedback, the missed notes, the banter. This was such an epic album for me and a lot of people my age. Really cool to revisit it.
Also, Unplugged was such an incredible thing. I would love to see it make a comeback.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I will say this every time there’s a Dylan album on this list - I would rather live in a world where Bob Dylan exists than one where he doesn’t. But I have never been able to get into this. Maybe I was just born too late. It’s sort of like when I try to tell my students how much William Faulkner revolutionized writing. Super important but maybe not for everyone.
The Lemonheads
4/5
Good 90s nostalgia here. I actually still listen to this album quite a bit. Nothing revolutionary, but always a good time.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Hot buttered indeed.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
An all timer for me. I can’t explain it. I hate rap rock, but I love RATM and this album in particular. There is both a simplicity and a complexity in this music. And frankly it helped me become a young radical. Two thumbs up.
Beatles
5/5
I love this album and I love this movie. I know a lot of pop stars have stints as film actors, but I don’t think anyone can do it with the same style as the Beatles. Extra fun with my 10-year old singing along in the backseat.
The Doors
3/5
I have nothing against the Doors. I’ve also never deliberately sought to listen to them. That won’t change after hearing this album in full.
The White Stripes
5/5
This album was such a breath of fresh air when it came out. Popular music had really reached a nadir at the turn of the millennium. These two really reshaped things in a really good way. I can remember hearing “Fell in Love with a Girl” the first time and really felt like I could breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness for Jack White I say.
The Zombies
5/5
I love this album and I love The Zombies. Listening again, I wonder why this band hasn’t had the same staying power as the Stones or the Beatles. They surely had a stronger handle on the psych elements of the 60s more strongly than either of those bands. And I love the musicianship on display here - relic of a bygone era in music. Truly enjoyed this.
Lambchop
4/5
Of the albums and artists I have been introduced to throughout this project so far, this is the one I am most embarrassed for having not known.
R.E.M.
5/5
A great week finishes with an absolute banner album. I think I’ve already gushed about REM in a previous review. Suffice it to say, this band was a revelation for a bookish young kid - this album in particular. Absolutely wonderful.
Rush
3/5
This one gets a great endorsement from the 7-year old. I never thought I would be listening to this much Rush, but ya gotta give the people what they want.
Pretenders
4/5
I don’t think the Pretenders’ biggest hits do their reputation justice. A much better album than you’d expect if all you know is “I’ll Stand By You.” Enjoyed the listen.
Depeche Mode
4/5
I love Depeche Mode. I love that they are a band that has existed for so long that people can have different experiences with them based on when they come to them. For me, Violator was such an important album I can lose sight of the fact that they were huge before it came out. This album is good evidence of why.
Turbonegro
4/5
This album fucking ruled.
The Cars
4/5
I was excited to listen to this and consider how to rate it objectively. I think the Cars are a five star band. But I’m not sure this is a five star album. It’s great, no doubt. And the Proustian transportation that happens when I hear “Moving in Stereo” is special. Loved it. Love it. Great band.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Not a huge Elvis fan. Not a huge fan of this album. 2.5/5
Brian Eno
3/5
Points for originality and authenticity. An enjoyable and important album. Not one I’m likely to put on with much regularity.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This was a new album for me and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I enjoyed it! I also thought the background was pretty interesting as well - brought many of the songs to life more than they might otherwise have been.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
I like being reminded that Nirvana didn’t come out of nowhere. Bands like Jesus and Mary Chain (and others) were steadily paving the way. Great listen.
CHIC
5/5
I’m realizing that I’ve only given five star ratings to albums with which I’m already familiar. And while I know “Le Chic,” this album was otherwise new to me. I loved it. And I’m ready to trade in Daft Punk.
Pixies
5/5
More Pixies please. What a debut. Seriously - “Where Is My Mind” - the one everyone knows, is the least good song on the album. And it’s still fucking great. 10/10
Adele
2/5
I would never argue that Adele is untalented or that these songs are not catchy. But as I’m listening to this album in also reading “The Name of this Band is R.E.M.,” and I’m reminded that there have been many times where what is popular is…well…good. Its begs the question of where the line is between what is broadly appealing and what is just broad.
Like, what is the aesthetic foundation of these songs? What does Adele believe in? What do these songs mean? These songs are unobtrusive, inoffensive, and completely uninteresting. There’s just no there there.
Kelela
4/5
Was not expecting to like this album. I loved it.
Kate Bush
5/5
This album was so ahead of its time. An influence on many of my favorite artists. We had actually listened to this on the turntable just a few days ago - in regular rotation at our house. Great album.
The Smiths
5/5
Put aside your feelings about Moz and remember that this dysfunctional group of pricks make some truly excellent music. For sad boys, it’s hard to do better than The Smiths. And it’s frankly hard to do better than this album.
3/5
This was a band my students adored and who I could never really get into. It’s not bad, but it’s not great. Sort of a not-quite-Radiohead meets not-quite-Queen. It’s fine.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
Nothing not to like here. Couldn’t make time to listen to the entire album, but really liked the first disc that I was able to get to.
Radiohead
5/5
Yep. I’m one of those. Absolutely a 5/5. A truly pivotal album for me growing up and Radiohead’s best as far as I’m concerned. I’m sure the response will be polarized, but there is so much going on here I can’t help but fawn. A truly excellent piece of work.
Television
5/5
Short-lived but incredibly influential band. I guess you can say that about a lot of acts (Nirvana, Velvet Underground). This album is so good. Proto-punk/alternative. A great album.
Talking Heads
5/5
One of the best by one of the best. I like most of Talking Heads, but this is absolutely at the top of a phenomenal catalogue.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
My parents are a little too old for Clapton, and I’m a little too young to have come to him on my own. But plenty of my friends had parents in the right age range for this to be the music that influenced them. And when they introduced me to Slowhand, I was in. It’s hard not to like this, even if Clapton is a gargantuan prick.
Lenny Kravitz
4/5
I listened to a podcast a while ago that compared Lenny Kravitz to Bruno Mars in that it’s hard to distinguish an actual sound that defines either artist. I agree for the former, but not for the latter. Funk-inspired rock, not an imitation.
Kravtiz’s songwriting strength is definitely in the music, not the lyrics. Still, the music is so good, I find myself not really caring too much what the lyrics are about. Let love rule? Sure! Why the hell not!
Taylor Swift
3/5
It’s fine.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Superb album. Confident, mature, and just awesome.
Cream
3/5
I thought it was interesting that I hadn’t come across a Clapton album yet in this project and this week here are two. Stranger still is how much more I preferred the Derek and the Dominos album to Cream. Still, it’s fun to think of how the psych rock (which I largely think is silly) compares to other music of the time. Good stuff on here. But not completely for me.
Beck
4/5
Like Weird Al, Beck is an artist that I would not have thought was a top one for me. And yet he has played an outsized role in my life. Paid to see him in concert? Yep. Owned most of his albums? Check. Can I tell you the fundamental difference Sea Change and Odelay. Absolutely. So I guess I like Beck.
This album is, to me, his most self-assured and confident, taking some of the goofiness of Mellow Gold and Odelay and focusing it into some truly well crafted pop songs. It’s good from start to finish with some real standout tracks. Still obscure and odd, but catchy and enjoyable.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Sort of a silly side project, but not bad.
Beatles
4/5
Early Beatles are great. It really helps to understand the influences and get a sense of where they came from. Fun to think of this as the same band that would soon create albums like Sgt. Pepper or Let It Be. Also, “All My Loving” is an all timer for me.
That said, this is the era of Beatles that I listen to the least. They were groundbreaking and yet still sound of a time on this album. Still enjoyed thoroughly.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Hard to go wrong with Aretha. Weirdly, this album doesn’t hit me quite as nicely as I’ve Never Loved a Man… But there are still some real showstoppers here. I mean this feels unarguable. Just a great album from a great artist.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
My wife bought this record for me before we got our turntable. It was just the motivation I needed to start my vinyl habit. If she knew then what she knows now…
Excellent from start to finish with some of The Boss’s best (title track, Badlands, Prove It All Night). I personally think he’s got some albums that are just a tad better than this one, but it’s still excellent.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I loved Transmissions from the Satellite Heart when it came out, but it didn’t necessarily give me a full portrait of who Wayne Coyne was as a songwriter. When this album dropped it sort of blew my mind. I listened to this CD until I couldn’t play it anymore. And it was hard to reconcile it with who I thought The Flaming Lips were. This album showed that the group had great flexibility while remaining true to a vision of themselves. A really good album by a really important band.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I’ve got a big ol’ Joni Mitchell-sized hole in my listening background and I d really enjoyed the opportunity to start to fill it in with some of these albums. These songs are a little corny, but utterly musical and extremely well crafted. I certainly see why she is wildly adored.
The Specials
4/5
Look. Do I hold a special place in my heart for ska music? Was I a member of one of the top three or four teenage ska bands to grace the stages of Cleveland, Ohio’s mid-range club circuit in the late 90s? Perhaps. Does that make this any less enjoyable of an album? It does not. Nor does it make this album quite as good as the band’s debut. A pretty good and frankly under appreciated follow up. But still very solid.
ABBA
3/5
Delightfully silly. Hard not to have a soft spot for ABBA, even if it is not music that I go out of my way to listen to. 3.5/5.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I don’t know that there’s more to say about this band that hasn’t already been said.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
It’s weird - by all accounts I should have loved this album. Musically it’s obviously great. Some parts are brilliant. But as an album I found it wandering a little too much. Never fully hooked me. Maybe I needed to be in a better headspace. I’ll come back to this one when I’ve got more time to concentrate on it.
Joy Division
5/5
Seminal album. Another example of a band with small output and huge impact. Everything about Joy Division fascinates me - from Ian Curtis’s dancing to their evolution into New Order. While this is the only album that JD released in Curtis’s lifetime, I still somehow own eight of their records. Evidence that their fans will buy as many bootlegs, live recordings, and demo albums as they can get their hands on. Absolutely one of the best.
Rod Stewart
4/5
Growing up, Rod Stewart was the “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” guy, and was more or less a punchline. I assumed most of his songs were that. It wasn’t until I was much older that I learned about Faces and what a badass he was in his early career. He may be a bit of a clown now, but music like this reminds us that he wasn’t always that way.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
Waylon is my favorite outlaw. More than Willie. More than Johnny. But I couldn’t say I can really tell the difference between any of his albums. But the nice part is that they all sound good to me. A great listen.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Hard to beat.
Carole King
5/5
I suppose listening to and liking Carole King makes you a specific kind of person. If you know and are excited by the fact that she plays a recurring character on Gilmore Girls and think that that in many ways helps define the show, that probably says something about you. If you’re not ashamed to ask Cool Record Store Guy if he has a used copy in stock. I’m 100% that guy.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This is such an important album for me. Maybe not as good as Mellon Collie, but it made such a huge splash and heralded what was truly a great band (at least for a while). Have to love it for it meant to a generation of disaffected teenagers.
Christine and the Queens
4/5
This album was a super pleasant surprise! I had heard the name Christine and the Queens before, but never listened to them. My bad. I really liked this album a lot. Slots right in next to HAIM and Yumi Zouma. A treat.
The Sonics
4/5
This was a total blast and completely unexpected. More 60s garage rock.
Neil Young
4/5
A new appreciation of Neil Young is the best thing that has come out of this project. Turns out this album that everybody loves is actually really good. Who knew.
Radiohead
3/5
I think the members of this band are true artists and possibly geniuses. That said, I can’t imagine what state of mind I would have to be in to willingly put this album on.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I don’t have anything against anyone who likes this album. I also don’t understand the level of hate this band gets. I think Blood Sugar Sex Magik is an awesome album and I really like most of what this band did before that album. And I don’t like much of what they did after. I will always have love for Point Break era Flea and Anthony Kiedis. That buys them enough good will for me to consider this album.
Nick Drake
5/5
What’s not to love about Nick Drake. Another talent taken way too young. Would love nothing more than a lifetime’s work. Loved it.
Faust
4/5
I liked this! Didn’t know anything about Faust (and really still don’t). I guess I like krautrock? Anyway - I can see the connection to Gang of Four (who I occasionally thought I was listening to), T. Rex, NEU!, and Kraftwerk. This was cool.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Lovely album. Definitive of the Laurel Canyon sound. What’s not to love?
AC/DC
4/5
AC/DC is a band I have generally tried to avoid. I’ve never enjoyed anything I’ve heard by them enough to deliberately seek out more. But I actually really liked this album. Is the band one note? Extremely. But it’s a pretty fun note at that.
Muddy Waters
4/5
I don’t listen to a lot of straight blues. But I really like it when I hear it. And Muddy’s one of the best. Loved everything about this album.
Green Day
2/5
When Green Day (not punk rock) was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (questionable), Fall Out Boy (extremely not punk rock) listed off a list of their punk rock bona fides (a not very punk rock thing to do), including their contribution to a Green Day Broadway musical (I’m not sure there’s anything less punk rock than a Broadway musical). Like their contemporaries The Offspring and Weezer, a band with incredible promise that really plummeted. This album is about as interesting as under seasoned mashed potatoes.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
Exactly what I needed today.
Elliott Smith
5/5
In Smith’s catalogue, I’m least familiar with this album. Still loved it. Another light snuffed out too soon.
Duke Ellington
3/5
I think it may be that I’d rather hear a small combo than a whole jazz band, but two hours of this album was a bit long. That said, you can’t deny the musicianship and importance of the thumbprint left on jazz music by Duke.
As the album goes on (and on, and on), you do really start to get a sense of the evolution of the form.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
I honestly would not have minded if the name of this project was “1,001 Albums You’ve Never Heard from World Cultures.” But it ain’t. And when an album like this pops up I find myself wondering what the selection criteria here is. Surely there are more than 1,000 Israeli, Thai, Korean, Cuban, or Afghanistani albums that we should hear. That said, there was enough to enjoy here. I’m curious if it is the best representation of music from India and why this is likely to be the sole entry in this catalogue.
3/5
What a weird week for music. I like XTC, but this album is a bizarre choice. I guess it’s a good example of a late-stage pop act that doesn’t really care about radio play. In a lot of ways it sounds very much like XTC, but not a great representation of them as a band.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
This being the fourth or fifth Neil Young album on the list, I’m not sure there’s much more I can say about the guy. I do enjoy his music with Crazy Horse - rocks a little harder. Good album.
Alice In Chains
4/5
I certainly understand why people who share a lot of my musical DNA do not like this band and this album, but I will always have a soft spot for Alice In Chains. This was probably the hardest album I listened to in my youth and it paved the way for a lot of other grunge bands. Still love it.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Just a great rock and roll record. Ton of fun.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Not completely my cup of tea, but certainly not bad.
Haircut 100
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. Didn’t know the band and am very upset about it. Disappointed to see that some of these songs have as few plays as they do. So I guess I’m not the only one. Great era for this kind of sound.
Sigur Rós
5/5
Just a totally beautiful album from start to finish. So glad this was put back on my radar. Love this band and love this album.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
This was a really fun listen. Will keep in the rotation.
Deep Purple
3/5
Not bad. Not my cup of tea.
Anita Baker
3/5
Uh, okay.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
A lot less silly than some of their other albums. And Immigrant Song is a top 10 rock and roll song. Hard not to like. Even though it is essentially more music to play Dungeons and Dragons to.
The Isley Brothers
5/5
Flawless. The originals are fantastic and the covers are reimagined in a thoughtful and unique way that make them the band’s own. Absolutely loved it.
The White Stripes
4/5
Not as good as White Blood Cells, but still a good entry into the catalogue. He’s polarizing, but I think Jack White is essential to modern rock and roll. Glad he exists.
Pearl Jam
5/5
For some reason Pearl Jam has an outsized space in my pop culture brain. But honestly I think this might be their only good album. I like what they stand for and I like Eddie Vedder. I’ve never really been able to listen to any other album than this one. That said, I’ve listened to this album A LOT. A seminal piece of my childhood. And sure, if grunge isn’t your thing, then this album isn’t your thing. But I love it.
Kate Bush
5/5
Superb.
Public Enemy
5/5
Top tier. Fear of a Black Planet is my number one, but everything PE put out is so damn good. And the Anthrax collaboration is iconic.
Eminem
3/5
The introduction of a genuine talent who likely has much more purchase with 13 year olds.
The Smiths
5/5
“Girlfriend in a Coma” alone is worth the five-star rating. Luckily the rest of the album holds up against that song as well. Love this band for all of its eccentricities and the fact that Moz is in it.
The Birthday Party
3/5
Somewhere between brilliant and nothing I ever want to listen to again.
FKA twigs
3/5
This is not for me, but I can’t pretend that it is just haphazardly slapped together like some other reviews here suggest. It is clearly for a different type of listener than me - but I can say the same about plenty of stuff that I listen to and other audiences. Will not listen again, but obviously intentional and guided by a vision. Sort of like art in a museum that might not fit my tastes.
Elvis Costello
5/5
I read Complicated Shadows a few years ago and was disappointed to learn that Elvis Costello (born Declan MacManus) really didn’t have anything in his history, upbringing, or story that justified his being such a significant musician or such a significant asshole. And yet here he is. This is great music made by a tedious person. I love this album, and whether or not he is rehabilitated from his dickhead years, I’m glad I’ve never been locked in a walk in pantry with Elvis Costello.
Louis Prima
4/5
I’ll admit, I wasn’t super excited when this popped up. But I couldn’t help but have a good time listening to this. Ten times more fun than Sinatra. A real gem.
Radiohead
4/5
To this day it’s their best since OK Computer/Kid A. Not genius in the same way that some of their other albums are, but a really good listen.
Throwing Muses
4/5
I like Throwing Muses. I don’t love them. I liked this album. I didn’t love it.
The Band
3/5
It’s probably sacrilege to say it, but The Band really doesn’t do it for me. I’ve never been possessed to put on one of their albums, I don’t care about The Last Waltz, I don’t even like Bob Dylan that much. I get it, but it’s not for me.
Scissor Sisters
5/5
Hell yes. This is an awesome and subversive album, reviving glam rock for a moment in the 00s. Loved it when it came out and still listen to it today. And the disco cover of Comfortably Numb? Chef’s kiss.
De La Soul
5/5
I’m just happy I can hear this on Spotify after De La’s unfortunate contract deals.
One of the best by one of the best.
The Clash
5/5
I just finished the book Fahrenheit-182 (sidebar: is two literature what blink-182 is to music), and was surprised at how often Mark Hoppus referred to his band as a punk band and not a pop band. A good experiment in considering what punk rock actually is.
For my money, this is punk. And I know London Calling is their magnum opus or whatever. And nothing against that album. It’s great. But I’d take this 9/10.
R.E.M.
5/5
I’m 43 - on the Xenniel cusp. My sister is 11 years older than I am. A true Gen-Xer. I don’t know if I would have been as into R.E.M. if it hadn’t been for her. And yet, we think of different points in time as the band’s peak era. And with that, we each have a different sense of what their definitive album is. For me, it’s this one. And I love the I.R.S. records - really most of their catalogue. There’s hardly an album until New Adventures that I wouldn’t give five stars. But for me, this is top of the heap.
Boards of Canada
4/5
I like this album and I like Boards of Canada. But I’ve always wondered why they got critical acclaim while other artists were doing very similar things just as well or better at the same time. Either way, good listen.
Don McLean
4/5
I am sure that in my heart of hearts I knew or understood that the song American Pie was in fact written by somebody and that that person‘s name was Don McLean. Although I prefer to believe that the song was created when lightning struck a puddle of toxic waste and what emerged was this travesty to exist in an eternity of replays on clear channel or terrible covers by shitty bar bands.
But, after the first track and subsequent 25% of the album was over, I was surprised to learn that Don McLean was a lot more like Jim Croce or John Denver. I really enjoyed the rest of the album and was happy to have the opportunity to listen to it.
Queen
5/5
Under-appreciated album that can be overlooked when you consider the rest of the band’s catalogue. This album is so good - from cover to cover.
The Black Keys
4/5
These songs have showed up in so many beer commercials, it’s hard to objectively say how good they are. Anymore they mostly remind me of ordinary sedans. But I do like the Black Keys and they get extra points for being from northeast Ohio. Not as hard or quite as interesting as the stuff that put them on the map, but a nice easy listen.
The 13th Floor Elevators
4/5
I have a complicated relationship with this album. The opening track really rips. I have always hoped for more throughout the album, but the rest of it never quite hits me as hard. That said, this is an important entry for psych-rock aficionados. Here’s to them.
Tito Puente
5/5
I had a total blast listening to this album! I guess it’s time to hit the supper club scene.
Gillian Welch
5/5
Welch (and Rawlings) - an absolute favorite. Also, recently learned the dress she is wearing on the cover of this album is in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Loved every second of this.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
I did not like this.
Heaven 17
3/5
I had not heard of Heaven 17. After listening to this album I’m not sure there’s any reason that I should have. It’s not bad. But it’s not better than a dozen other bands that were doing the same thing at the same time.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
4/5
Wasn’t sure what to expect here, but this was better. Really enjoyed.
Steve Earle
4/5
Best heard while enjoying a Lone Star and playing chicken shit bingo at the Little Longhorn.
Jeru The Damaja
5/5
An early underground masterpiece. This album is amazing and Jeru deserved so much more recognition than he ever got. Awesome.
SZA
4/5
I like this project best when it gets me to listen to albums that I would not otherwise seek out on my own. And while I understand, I am joining the zeitgeist in this opinion, I really like this album. I’ve heard several songs by SZA that I have liked before realizing the artist. But this is my first time listening to a complete album. Really enjoyed it. Hip-hop and R&B are in good hands.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
This was a ton of fun. Had no idea what to expect and am still not entirely sure what I heard. But I liked it a lot.
The Avalanches
3/5
I’ve actually discovered this band only recently. Had no idea they’d been around for as long as they have. I’ve been into editions and sample-based music since the 90s, but never came across these guys.
I think it’s good, but not as good as some of their peers. I’d rather listen to Caribou, who I think they share a lot of DNA with. Still, not a bad listen by any means. 3.5/5
Laura Nyro
4/5
I really dig this. Sort of an edgier Carol King. Theatrical and strange. A good listen.
Can
4/5
This band was so ahead of its time. Love to listen.
Nanci Griffith
5/5
Really wonderful album. Gone too soon - should be thought of every time someone mentions Emmylou Harris or Linda Ronstadt. Top notch!
Jeff Buckley
5/5
What would Jeff Buckley have become? Who else sounded like this at the time? What fingerprints could he have had on the landscape of American music? Frankly, I’d be a lot more interested to know this than if Kurt Cobain had been able to have a long career. A real genius gone way too soon here. Absolutely love this album.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
At first when this popped up I was like, cool - I like Jimi Hendrix. And then I listened for a little bit and I was like, wait - do I like Jimi Hendrix? And then I was like, wait - why do I like Jimi Hendrix? He’s a good guitarist. These songs don’t suck. And then I was like, I never listen to Jimi Hendrix. But then a song would come on and I’d be like, oh, I know this song. Everybody knows this song. I guess I do like this. But do like this? Like, like like this? I mean, I like Coca-Cola. Everybody does. But I hardly ever drink it. But I’m glad it exists. Anyway…yeah. This is pretty good music.
XTC
4/5
Hell yeah. The second XTC in the last couple of weeks. If the best thing that comes out of this is that a bunch of people learn about or remember XTC, then it was a worthy endeavor.
I will admit that this is not my favorite XTC album, but like sex and pizza, there’s no bad XTC album. Thoroughly enjoyed.
3/5
I probably would have dug this when it came out. Not sure I’ll listen again now though. The artist certainly seems to have an interesting and tragic story though.
Blue Cheer
3/5
Heavy blues/proto-metal. Not exactly my thing, but I know there are plenty of bands that I love that wouldn’t exist without Blue Cheer. What I expect to be playing when I walk into certain independent record stores.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Absolute all-timer from the Stones. Maybe not their apex, but a five-star album no doubt.
The Roots
4/5
Among the deepest and most important questions of our age, perhaps the most pressing is whether or not The Roots’ decision to become The Tonight Show’s house band forever altered their credibility as an underground hip-hop act. Perhaps we will never know in our lifetime. But it is hard to think of this as the same band who helps support Jimmy Fallon’s mid-tier antics on that show. And at the same time, that level of exposure has brought very worthy attention to their music. Questlove is now in the same circles as Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen. Does that negate this album? I don’t think so. But I’m happy that I knew this album before any of that happened. They will always be underground pioneers to me, no matter how many of them wind up in the dunk tank on national TV.
The Byrds
3/5
I don’t know that I’ve ever listened to an entire album by The Byrds. Lovely in a lot of ways, but not anything I’m dying to listen to again soon. Glad they made the impact that they did though.
The Pretty Things
3/5
I suppose there are elements to this that I enjoy when I hear them in music I’m more familiar with. But this really didn’t grab me. Maybe I need more than a day to sit with this one.
Primal Scream
5/5
I don’t think Primal Scream ever got their due during the 90s Brit Pop wave. They certainly weren’t playing them with the same frequency as Oasis or Coldplay or even Pulp. But if you looked in the right places you could get your fix. This album really fits squarely in my teenage sweet spot. Loved it
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Yeah, it’s good.
UB40
4/5
Had to get over the Zack Morris poster/Red Red Wine/cover of Can’t Help Falling in Love to realize that at some point, apparently, UB40 was a legit reggae band. I really dug this.
Tom Tom Club
4/5
All praise to Tina Weymouth and anything she’s involved in! Essential new wave/punk crossbreeding here. Be still my heart.
Daft Punk
4/5
Such an interesting band. True pioneers in electronic music as seen on this album. What does it mean to listen to Daft Punk if you’re not dancing to it? The beat is such an essential part of what makes them great, but there’s also an almost Philip Glass-like sense of composition in these songs. Everything counts in a Daft Punk song.
I was always afraid to let my punk friends know how into electronic music I was in the 90s, often feeling like I had to be one thing. Skip ahead to bands like LCD Soundsystem and low and behold, these things can be married to one another. Thanks in many parts to the contributions of this band and this album.
Fever Ray
4/5
I liked this way more than I thought I would from its opening seconds. Kind of Bjork-influenced indie rock. Would definitely let them watch my plants.
Moby Grape
3/5
I’m not sure the whole album is available on Spotify. Which is fine with me.
The Fall
3/5
I certainly love when an album is described as a band’s “most accessible.”
Metallica
4/5
‘TALLICA RULZ!!!!!
The Beach Boys
4/5
A better album than Pet Sounds. I don’t especially like The Beach Boys, but this album showcases everything about them they qualifies them as genius. A winner.
The Soft Boys
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed!
Simple Minds
4/5
I’m not sure if any band exemplifies 80s new wave as well as Simple Minds. This is the sound. Really good album.
Also - fascinated to learn a while ago that the band is still releasing music. Good music! I’m all for it.
N.E.R.D
4/5
Liked this band when they broke through in my college years. Expertly tapping into a whole host of genres. Lots of fun.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
About halfway through I put on Jill Scott.
Gotan Project
4/5
Again, I find this project’s commitment to Latin-inspired music funny and a little confusing. But I ain’t complaining. Pretty cool little album. Feels a bit of its time, but I would have loved it when it came out and would have annoyed the hell out of my college roommate with it.
Sade
4/5
Again, I find this project’s commitment to Latin-inspired music funny and a little confusing. But I ain’t complaining.
Pretty cool little album. Feels a bit of its time, but I would have loved it when it came out and would have annoyed the hell out of my college roommate with it.
Slipknot
1/5
Trash
The Beach Boys
2/5
I’m assuming that there are more coming, but interestingly the first two Beach Boys albums I’ve encountered in this project have come within a week of Brian Wilson’s death. (I’m assuming/hoping this is coincidence as I haven’t gotten a Sly album yet - a travesty!) The first was the far superior Surf’s Up - an album that legitimately got me to reconsider my feelings about The Beach Boys. This album returns me to my prejudices.
I think a lot of people start with the feelings about this band that I currently hold and then move towards a realization of Brian Wilson’s genius. I sort of go the opposite direction and can recognize the genius and his contribution to pop music and still not be all that interested in the band.
Still, I’m glad that I live in a world where The Beach Boys happened and I’m ride or die for Uncle Jesse.
David Bowie
5/5
Oh hell yeah. Bowie almost always will get five stars from me, but this one gets extra love. So goddamned good. Take me back to an era when an album cover like this could exist. Masterpiece after masterpiece on this album.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
I thought I liked Manic Street Preachers. Maybe I’m thinking of someone else or maybe it’s just this album, but I thought these songs weren’t quite there. They’re not bad or unlistenable. But something about them just doesn’t quite get them over the line. I’ll take REM 100 times out of 100.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Can’t say anything about Dylan that I haven’t already said in a previous review. Still feel the same way about him and his music. This album in particular.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Unpopular opinion: Sonic Youth is a fundamentally important band. And they’re not very fun to listen to.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Fun. Silly. Important. Risible.
808 State
3/5
Interesting to get this the day after a Kraftwerk album. Hard not to see some parallels. There probably would not have been an 808 State without Kraftwerk. I enjoy seeing the DNA across some of these albums. As a fan of electronic music, I enjoyed this, but not as much as some other entries.
It’s less strange to me, but still curious, that this list gives such priority to electronic music from several different generations than they do for Latin jazz (which, caveat, I really enjoy). Just interesting to see where the list’s priorities are when it comes to influential music.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Yeah this was sort of emblematic of the 60s sound without being too notable. I enjoyed a lot of it but mostly found it pretty fluffy. The stuff of one-hit wonders.
David Crosby
4/5
This is album 445 for me and we’ve been squarely in the “your dad’s record collection” for a few weeks now. I feel like this is deliberate. A fair number of intriguing artists and albums to get you hooked, but now you’re in too deep and you can’t give up now. So lately it’s been solidly forgotten albums from between 1968-1972.
That tirade aside, I don’t know how you’re not supposed to like an album like this. Folk rock royalty doing what he does best on this album. A delight.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Just really, not my cup of tea at all
Billie Holiday
3/5
Often imitated and never duplicated, I have nothing but love for Billie Holiday and her truly unique voice. I enjoyed listening to this album. That’s said, it was very difficult for me to determine when one of these songs ended, and the next one began. A lot of similarities across this album. So a pleasant listen, but not exactly ripe with distinct musical moments.
Antony and the Johnsons
5/5
Thrilled that this album is on the list. Antony obviously has an unconventional voice and I wouldn’t say this music is for everyone. But I think that many artists attempt to do what this album does and fail in the process. Theatrical and sweeping. A gift.
Massive Attack
5/5
Absolute banger. I think Mezzanine is their apex, but this is as strong a lead-in as you could ask for. A masterpiece through and through.
Brian Wilson
3/5
Not much else to say about Brian Wilson.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I’ll say what I keep saying about Joni Mitchell - as someone who didn’t grow up listening to her I’m amazed at how familiar she sounds. I understand why she’s so important to so many people. Excellent album.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Sure. Fine. Whatever.
The Prodigy
4/5
I came to this album after Fat of the Land (which I think is an all around superior release), but it was clear that this “band” (essentially just one guy) was more than just some loops on a computer. Really challenged what electronic music could be. Really took me back listening to this.
Gang Of Four
5/5
Such a good and important album. I hear so many later bands that I love in Gang of Four, it’s impossible not to recognize the influence. This album rips.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Yes, I went through the swing phase of the mid-90s. Yes, I was a band geek. Still, I wasn’t crazy about this album. Felt very supper clubby to me.
Madonna
4/5
Madonna certainly had her finger on the pulse of the moment. While I wasn’t crazy about this album when it dropped (vivid memories of changing the radio station when the title track would come on), I have come to appreciate Madonna as an artist in my old age and this music feels like it has taken on a new life for me at 43. This not only captures late 90s pop, but it does so authentically and with panache.
Devendra Banhart
4/5
Madonna certainly had her finger on the pulse of the moment. While I wasn’t crazy about this album when it dropped (vivid memories of changing the radio station when the title track would come on), I have come to appreciate Madonna as an artist in my old age and this music feels like it has taken on a new life for me at 43. This not only captures late 90s pop, but it does so authentically and with panache.
Black Sabbath
4/5
RIP Prince of Darkness
Buck Owens
4/5
Classic influential country music. I don’t listen to this stuff often, but I love what it influenced. A good reminder of how wrong and off the rails some country music has become (I’m looking at you, Jelly Roll).
TV On The Radio
5/5
Love this album. Love this band. Great recorded. Great live. Great for rock and roll.
The Cardigans
3/5
I had hoped to like this more. I think “Lovefool” deserves its iconic status, but I never listened to more Cardigans than that (and I listened to that song a lot). The rest of this album is probably too smart for the same crowd that enjoyed their radio hit. Still (or maybe consequently) it’s not as easy to get into for me. Big points for the Iron Man cover though.
Van Morrison
5/5
There’s a reason this is considered one of the best.
Nirvana
4/5
Not as revolutionary as Nevermind, but nearly as important. Some of this album’s legacy feels directly tied to the Unplugged performance which kind of calls into question its lone significance. But either way, this is the sound of my disaffected youth.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
So interesting how many contemporary musicians are trying to do with this band has already done. Love the reverb and the indecipherable lyrics.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Iva always loved Isaac Hayes and of course the theme from this movie. But listening to this entire soundtrack I was surprised and the musical diversity. Had a lot of fun listening.
Bee Gees
3/5
Fun to listen to The Bee Gees before they became what you think of them as. But I think there is a reason they’re better known for disco.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Such an important album when it came out. Haven’t listened to it in years but really enjoyed the opportunity. Still awesome.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
The one song of this album that was available was enough for me. I don’t know why, because I love so many artists that you can draw a straight line to from Captain Beefheart, but this was never a band that I could get into. So points for influence, but I won’t be listening to this group again until their next album pops up on this list.
The Vines
4/5
This band got lost for me among The Hives, The Thrills, The Kills, and The Chills. All bands that hit at the same time and have vaguely similar sounds. But listening to this is isolation helped me hear its distinct qualities. Really enjoyed the listen.
Arcade Fire
5/5
The second excellent album by Arcade Fire and my personal favorite of their catalogue. This established that the band really knew what the hell they were doing and that their first album wasn’t a fluke. Loved listening, but I still listen to this one all the time.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
At this stage of my life, I can’t say I find much meaning in this music.
Mudhoney
4/5
No Nirvana or Soundgarden without Mudhoney. Iconic opening track. Rock and roll throughout.
Talking Heads
5/5
The Talking Heads are like The Beatles to me - I can’t tell what makes one better than another. Not to say that they don’t sound different, but I really just think they’re all great. I loved listening to this album as I always do.
Django Django
4/5
This band was more or less a blip for me, flaring at the same time as a couple of dozen other similar sounding indie bands. A good listen, but not revolutionary by any means. 3.5/5
Serge Gainsbourg
5/5
Totally essential hipster listening here. After reading the brief wiki blurb, happy not to be able to understand the actual text of the songs. But sonically it’s excellent. Serge may be the best thing that comes out of this project for me.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
I don’t remember any of these songs in Jesus Christ Superstar.
The Style Council
3/5
I thought this was fine. I love The Jam as well as some of the supplemental artists on this album. But nothing here really gripped me the way that other music by these very same people does. Nice piece of pop culture, but I don’t see myself coming back to this.
DJ Shadow
5/5
Fundamentally important album for sample-based music. I’ve always loved this record - feels like you’re on a different planet. My guess is this is going to be a polarizing one, but for me one of the best.
Living Colour
4/5
Excellent album to be played at top volume. So glad it’s on this list.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
I never especially liked GnR. And about 15 years ago I dodged the cover at a bar in Madison, Wisconsin - only to find a band called Adler’s Appetite, composed of former Roses drummer Steven Adler and members of other bygone 80s hair metal bands, playing this album cover to cover. It was one of the most surreal and fun nights of my life. I may never come around to spandex and bandanas, but this album is pretty damn fun.
Julian Cope
3/5
These albums are all starting to run together - haven’t we listened to this already? Or is this another vaguely melodic indie alternative album? Is this good? Just not mainstream enough? Like something you’ve heard before but with a singer who is just slightly off pitch? Was this an important album you’re just a little too young to remember having made an impact?
It was fine.
Traffic
3/5
Musically good. Thematically silly.
Billy Bragg
5/5
Yeah - I mean this is what it’s all about.
Sonic Youth
5/5
Always important to know who had been pumping life into music all along.
The Go-Betweens
4/5
This was good. Reminiscent of a lot of bands I like without being those bands.
CHVRCHES
4/5
I like CHVRCHES, but as with a lot of “indie” bands like this that are on the list, it’s hard to determine what makes them them the band or album that you MUST listen to. It’s good, but is it really the bellwether?
Can
3/5
Can is such a cool band - so outside of my conception of what was going on at the time. But they still lose a star for a 19-minute track.
Morrissey
4/5
A fine example of what makes Moz both a brilliant musician and an insufferable prick.
Laibach
2/5
Absolutely the silliest thing I’ve listened to all year.
5/5
Pretty important stuff here. A great listen from a fundamentally impactful band.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
Pretty solid “indie” rock here. Have always liked this album, but I had to remind myself several times throughout the day what the day’s album was. Huh.
Fred Neil
4/5
Yeah this was cool. Overlooked by time I guess. And extra points for being from Cleveland! Still prefer Nilsson’s version of Everybody’s Talkin’, but I liked listening to this quite a bit.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Say what you will about Perry Farrell, it’s hard not to love this music. Really iconic band and album. And even PF gets points for being a godfather of alternative rock culture. Great listen.
The Stooges
5/5
Yeah, I mean how do you do better than Iggy and the Stooges? This is an important album for a reason. Where would we be without it?
Wilco
5/5
Good to remember these guys always had it. I really do love Wilco and I’m glad Jeff Tweedy’s around. Serious dad rock, but I love it.
American Music Club
4/5
Pretty good album from an otherwise forgotten band. Certainly a pleasant listen.
Peter Tosh
4/5
Classic reggae. Not sure what it is that keeps Peter Tosh from being as well loved as Bob Marley, but even listening to this I can hear that it’s not quite as masterful. Still, a fun listen.
The Icarus Line
2/5
There are a lot of other Hellcat bands that people probably aren’t familiar with that are more worthy of being on this list. I never got hooked here.
Shuggie Otis
5/5
So damn good and exactly what I needed today. We should just have Snuggie Otis days where people fuck off, listen to this music, and dance.
Neneh Cherry
4/5
Nothing but love for Nenah Cherry. I will say, the music is definitely of a time. But it is some of the best music of this time and moment. Fun listen.
I can’t remember if we’ve listened to a Faces album yet or not. Maybe I’ve said this before but this is not a band I grew up listening to and had some preconceived notions about Rod Stewart. That’s why I really enjoy listening to this music because it blows those stereotypes apart. I really enjoyed the listen. Good rock ‘n’ roll.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Ah yes - a genuine classic. My sister had this album when I was a kid. I used to love looking at the art (which was from the movie that came out a few years later) - just totally was captivated by it. Forget the music. The idea of a concept album like this was so exciting.
But 40-odd years later, the album holds up. Some of the band’s best music, threaded together with motif and premise. If you’ve got two and a half hours to chill in a beanbag chair with your hifi, you could do a lot worse.
Pere Ubu
4/5
Cleveland’s own! One of the better things to come out of my home town. Not always accessible, this has more in common with Talking Heads than 70s gutter punk - but just as essential. Glad this was on the list.
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
I know this band is well regarded and that were it not for Throbbing Gristle we wouldn’t have essential music that followed. But I found this unlistenable. Extra point for what appears to be a good sense of humor though.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Really interesting to get this album back to back with Throbbing Gristle. Both important to industrial and electronic genres, and this one incredibly easier to listen to. Repetitive, experimental, and (no other way to say it) - German. Not always fully accessible, but I’m never upset to listen to this album.
Rufus Wainwright
5/5
I love just about everything Rufus puts his hands on - this album is no different. We are so lucky to have an artist like this in the world.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Cool addition to the list, but it still didn’t grip me the way I hoped it would. Wanted to like it more than I did.
Ute Lemper
3/5
This album is a cool idea, and it intrigues my inner theater kid. But the reality of listening to more of it is not likely. Maybe a little too dramatic. But I love the concept.
T. Rex
5/5
Man - T. Rex is so good.
Thundercat
5/5
Fuck. Yes. Thundercat fucking rules. I hope this turned some new people onto his music. I think he is a genius. Do yourself a favor and watch some video of him playing. If you’re not impressed by listening to the album, that should do it for you. Awesome choice.
Fela Kuti
5/5
This is great. I don’t remember if we’ve already done a Fela Kuti album yet - everything’s running together - but we should do more. Excellent.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Had to listen to this on YouTube, and experience I really do not enjoy. So that may have flavored my listening, but I found some tracks on this album to be frustratingly unlistenable. At the same time there were some songs that were really compelling and that I really enjoyed so overall I think this album feels kind of inconsistent. It is obviously by design that it sounds like a teenager Fucking around with a four track in their bedroom, but whatever. I guess that’s good for some people, but not for me.
Digital Underground
4/5
RIP Shock G. Lots to love here - humor, good times. But I don’t think DU ever had quite the same finesse as a lot do their peers. Good for a listen, but give me The Pharcyde or Arrested Development.
Alice Cooper
4/5
It’s funny to think that Alice Cooper ever had a reputation for being the devil’s spawn. This is theatre kid music. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for it.
Hot Chip
3/5
An odd choice to include. I like Hot Chip, but I don’t think any of their albums are must listens essential to understanding the evolution of pop music. Fun, but not essential.
Scott Walker
3/5
An odd choice to include. I like Hot Chip, but I don’t think any of their albums are must listens essential to understanding the evolution of pop music. Fun, but not essential.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
I do not know what Grime is, certainly not well enough to know if Dizzee Rascal is a good representation of it. I actually think I see why some people would like this. But I am not one of those people.
Ray Price
4/5
I liked a lot of this album. Real classic country swing. It’s nice that this came at a time when the days are getting shorter - a good album for the dark.
I will say, Ray Price seems to have a problem with hanging around in bars, my primary source of a good time. Bring on the honky tonk angels I say.
Ryan Adams
5/5
I don’t know if it’s his best, but this album holds such a significant place in my heart. My first exposure to Ryan Adams, and the gateway to some of my favorite artists. Our wedding song is on this album. I spent countless sleepless nights driving around listening to this. Our daughters’ lullabies that they now sing themselves are on this. Such an important album for mainstreaming alt-country.
It’s unfortunate (and probably not surprising) that he turned out to be such a creep. I atone by buying all of Phoebe Bridgers’s albums in recompense.
Portishead
5/5
I just absolutely love this album and everything it stands for. To call it a trip-hop essential doesn’t do it justice: it’s definitive of a style, the best of its form. The combination of styles, the inimitable vocals from Beth Gibbons, and the deceptive simplicity of construction. An absolute all timer for me.
Goldfrapp
4/5
Goldfrapp is unclassifiable, and still anything they do feels like exactly what they should be doing. I really enjoyed this album when it came out, and I am thankful for the opportunity to listen again after a long time away. Some truly wonderful songs on this album.
Hawkwind
3/5
Sure. Wizard on the size of a van music.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I know Pet Shop Boys have an important part in the world of new wave music. But this album did not move me very much. Not as good as New Order. And not as good as other albums of theirs. Not sure why this is the one that made the list.
Janelle Monáe
5/5
As far as I’m concerned, Janelle Monáe can do whatever the hell she wants.
Robbie Williams
3/5
It’s weird - Robbie Williams only showed up on my radar when Millennium - a minor hit in the us - came out. But I know these songs. So I must have heard that song on a different album and liked it enough to seek out more Robbie Williams and thus listened to this album?
Anyway, it’s fine.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I dig how much this list is into Wilco. This is a particularly good choice. Two great artists combined (plus a few assists from Natalie Merchant) - very nice.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Gotta give it up for Run-DMC. Where would we be without them? Nostalgic, positive, all around awesome. I do have to say that I don’t listen to a ton of this anymore, but this is the DNA of hip-hop. Essential listening.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Look…Frank Sinatra is great. Who doesn’t love Frank Sinatra. But I do not listen to Frank Sinatra on purpose. It’s like asking someone to rate bread.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
I absolutely love Peter Gabriel and this is one of his best. I think So rightfully gets the attention it deserves, but this to me is as good as he gets.
I tried listening to this album with fresh ears and wondered how I would feel if this was the first time I had ever heard PG. Would I like this album if I had never seen the music video for Sledgehammer? Hard to say. Weird sax. Tribal drums. Seemingly arcane lyrics. But it turns out, all the things I love about him.
Jane Weaver
4/5
Really cool, atmospheric album. Had never heard of this artist and I’m glad I know her now. This is the type of thing I hoped would come out of this undertaking.
The B-52's
5/5
This band is not Love Shack and not even Rock Lobster (though those songs are essential). They are so much more. And I feel like you can’t really get a song like Love Shack until you hear the rest of their catalogue. This album ushers in all the joy, all the weirdness, all the subversiveness of a truly important band. A great listen.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
At first I was really excited about this album and enjoyed its uniqueness. But it wore on me quickly.
Gang Starr
5/5
Now we’re talking! It’s about time this list got some teeth!
Excellent album and I wish there was more like this on the list.
Klaxons
3/5
Yeah, Klaxons are fine. I don’t really have any problems with this album, and it was fun to come back to it after almost 20 years. But I don’t think this short-lived project is especially memorable.
The Specials
5/5
Excellent weekend listen - was able to enjoy it a few times.
Essential listening. I appreciate that The Specials have never lost their place in the conversation of ska music. Real godfathers and worthy of the legacy.
Orange Juice
4/5
This was cool. Good new wave. I enjoyed.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
More than halfway through the project and now all of a sudden, a saturation of Peter Gabriel. Two albums in as many weeks, not that I’m complaining.
I think this is a five star album, but I still think that his 1980 “Melt“ album is a better feature. This album has all of the hallmarks, including a bizarre opening track, expansive sounds, and some overall really excellent music.
Barry Adamson
3/5
Definitely Lynch-esque. It’s mood music, but I don’t know what kind of mood I’d be or want to be in in order to listen to this. Totally competent. Pretty weird.
Bee Gees
3/5
Second Bee Gees album from their pre-disco days on this list for me. I’m glad they opted for the leisure suits.
Elis Regina
3/5
Fun soundtrack for purchasing donuts this weekend.
The xx
4/5
I have always liked this band, but I have to admit I was surprised to see how many plays some of these songs had. I think I am just old enough that I know who they are and enjoy them, but think of them more as mood music than as a cultural force. Still a lot to enjoy here and I liked listening to it.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
I like groups LIKE Basement Jaxx, but I’ve never been able to get into them. I’m clearly in the wrong as this group has collaborated with many people I like and respect, but it’s just not my type of “boom boom” music. Too chunky for me.
SAULT
5/5
I love this album. I’m not sure how this group wound up on my radar, but it happened at exactly the right time,
just about the time it was released. It spoke to the moment profoundly, but I also continue to listen to it regularly still.
It’s hard to find much data about them, which I think adds to their appeal. Overall and excellent listen and probably the best contemporary addition to this list so far.
Coldplay
5/5
Is liking Coldplay the coolest thing about me? Honestly…maybe.
You can say what you want about this band, but this (and its partner first album) are truly great and arrived at a time when popular music desperately needed to be steered in another direction.
Maybe laughable now - and maybe then. Who knows? But I like it and I stand by it.
Baaba Maal
4/5
This was cool! Certainly nothing I had ever listened to before. I’ve found myself watching a lot of non-American films lately. Maybe it’s time to switch musically too.
Anthrax
4/5
Yeah man. Anthrax fucking rules.
Dolly Parton
5/5
An absolute treasure of an album. Each of these artists is phenomenal on their own. And together, lightning in a bottle. 6/5
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
I didn’t not like this, but I kept waiting for this album to hook me, which it never did. Listen-to-able, but not astounding by any means.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
What a delightful, quirky little album! I had a great time listening to it. Unconventional arrangements and instrumentation. Great to have on during thanksgiving.
Femi Kuti
5/5
Yeah this is dope. I’m guessing there are some Dave Matthews bros who wouldn’t give this album the time of day. Pity. A total blast.
M.I.A.
4/5
This list does short shrift to hip-hop. And what gets included can be a little head scratching. But while I wouldn’t want to spend time in a room with M.I.A., this album is pretty damn good.
The mighty have definitely fallen, but if you can separate art from the artist, this is a pretty enjoyable listen.
2/5
There cant be more than one Yes album on this list, can there? Surely nobody would put multiple albums by Yes on this list of important releases. That would have to mean that more deserving albums wouldn’t make the list so that multiple albums by Yes could be on it. And that wouldn’t make any sense at all.
Kings of Leon
4/5
I think I’m not supposed to like this band. But I like this band. And I like this album.