1001 Albums Summary

Listened 11/3/23. Long time favorite.

Just short of 5 stars. Not sure what else it could do. 4.75 Excellent.

Solid 4.5.

This didn’t hurt to listen to but it’s not my thing. Glad to now know who Joan Armatrading is. Great voice. Wouldn’t turn it off if I was forced to listen to again. But wouldn’t choose to listen to it.

All time classic

Masterpiece. One of the best albums ever made.

Iconic album. Importance in musical history cannot be understated. Run DMC. Beastie Boys and LL Cool J kicked off the new era of rap. But the fall off on songs after the first four is too great. Happy to listen to a few songs again here and there. But wouldn’t choose to listen to entire album if I had the choice. 2.3

One of the best debut albums ever. Incredible how many hits.

This isn’t my favorite Floyd. Understand its place and significance in psychedelics music, but it’s not super easy listening for me. But nice to where they started, with Syd.

Not sure what purpose this album serves in the grand scheme. Plenty of better examples of this post hardcore early 90s scene. Would rather never listen to again. 1.5

A few massive tunes for the Stones and really the album where they started to carve out their own style, but overall average album, especially given their catalog. 3.5

Just not for me. Would probably be amazing live.

This could have been a part of my mid 1990s playlist. Not great. But pretty good. 3.0

Felt like I was stuck in a broadway play. Every song sounded the same. Wasn’t horrible. But glad it’s over.

Just like Pipers, this just isn’t my thing. 2.5

As good as modern pop is going to get for me. Years of listening to the Ryan Adams version helps a lot. 3.75

Easy 5. Opens with one of the best songs ever. Then classic Stones tune after classic Stones tune. Blues. Country. Rock. Closes out with one of the all time great rock anthems.

Not his best album. The next two he made were much better start to finish. This one made the list because of one hit song. Last 8-10 tracks all sound the same. 2.75

I think this one could grow on my with a few more listens. Not outstanding. But I enjoyed my second run through and could listen again.

Not my thing. Awful.

Pure 1970s sex music.

I don’t get what all the fuss is about. Going with a 3 because it’s definitely not terrible. But it doesn’t live up to all the hype either. I need to listen a few more times to see if it will start to hit better / differently. 3.25

Solid album. Happy to listen to whenever. Didn’t blow me away, but 3-4 solid tunes and the rest is fine. 3.75

Wasn’t completely horrible. But I’d rather not listen again given the choice. Had maybe one or two songs that were ok. Never was a Byrds fan, and this follows suit.

Great intro to Kayne. I knew a few hits, but this is my first deep dive into an album. Having a son that loves his music made this more fun for me. Almost a 4, but just won’t be something I pull up and listen to as often as would a 4. 3.75.

Not bad. Just all sounds the same. Early 60s rockabilly isn’t my thing. 2.75

This album came along at the right time for me in my early 20s. Hard. Powerful. In your face. I disagree with some of their politics, but can look past that to the greatness that is the album as a whole.

The award for - Best recovery from a dead lead singer - goes to AC/DC Back in Black.

A few solid songs. Lyrics way ahead of their time. Would be happy to give it a few more spins over time.

Rambling’ is the right word. 1950’s country / folk is not for me.

This album lies right between my two favorite Bowie periods. Solid album, but far from his best, since he sets the bar so high with some of his others. 3.75

This was almost a 3 but not quite there. Not sure I’d choose to listen to this. Maybe one or two songs. 2.75

As it turns out, 40 years doesn’t change a thing. I hated this in 1983 and still hate it in 2023.

Solid early 80’s post punk. With another big song or two, could have been a little higher rating. 3.75

One of the best albums of the 1980s. Westerburg’s voice is iconic. Seems like a soundtrack to a specific time period.

Great debut album. Several massive hits. Falls off a bit in the second half. Starts to sound all alike. 3.50

Great Christmas album. Includes a few songs I consider the definitive versions like I Saw Mommy Kissing SC and Frosty the Snowman. Enjoyed it.

Awful. Why is this on the list??

Why???

Enjoyed this one. Didn’t blow me away. No song really jumps out as great, but a solid album. Will listen again.

I get it. James Hetfield can play guitar really fast. Outside of One, which is a pretty great song, everything just sounds the same. 2.75

Good early 70s metal. Respect what they did. Not my thing. 2.75

Great album. Will likely send me down a Bob Mould rabbit hole. 3.75

Never was a huge fan even though I loved the genre but this first album actually appeals to me. Way more punk than her later music. Lots of seeds of the British post punk movement in there as well. Heard some early Cure sounds. 3.0

There enough grade A songs in this album to make a 5 start album. But there’s also enough general fucking around by the Beatles with songs that sound like they should be on a kids album that it knocks it back just a tiny bit. 4.75

Solid. Enjoyed that and dove into a little more TCQ over the weekend.

Need a few more listens. It’s growing on me. A bit brooding at times. But I think I could like it with a little more time.

Sounds like the early 2000s. Every band from that era. Not terrible. Just not original.

Solid metal. Not my thing, but I respect their place. The music is outstanding for metal. The voice is ok.

Fun. Sounds like music that was on the movies in late 50s and 60s. Like in a James Bond scene in Africa or the islands.

Jazz isn’t my thing. But this wasn’t awful. I could listen in background of an event and not be turned off. But wouldn’t choose it on my own. 2.5

I’m just not a S&G fan.

This wasn’t terrible but it’s not for me. Something about her style or voice just makes every song sound the same. Needs to throw a chorus in every once in a while. 2.5

Glad I got to listen to this one. Have heard about these guys forever. Played at Woodstock. Good old 60’s psychedelic blues. Reminiscent of early Pigpen days of the Dead.

Good start. Not great. But pretty good.

Maybe the biggest album of my high school era. Remember where I was when it was released. Consumed me until I saw the final show of the JT tour that December at Hampton. 5

Solid from start to finish.

Still have some work to do to complete this 4 album box set, but going to move on anyway. Classic voice. Classic songs. Going to change up my rating scale slightly. While I wouldn’t choose to put this one on again on my own, I respect it all too much to give less than a 3. It’s really good for what it is.

I enjoy later Kinks but this was bubble gum 1960s crap like early Beatles and Beach Boys. 2.75

Enjoyed that a lot. Will definitely listen to more from The National. 3.5

Opens strong. First three songs are 5+. Levels off after that to a solid 4 at best.

Really enjoyed that trip down memory lane. This album always felt like the start of REM chapter 2 for me. There’s some gems that remind me of chapter 1, but then there’s Pop Song 89, Stand and Orange Crush that definitely lead the way into the new phase, which wasn’t my favorite.

What if Thom Yorke went the singer / songwriter route instead?? This got worse for me the second time through. Just not sure what he’s going for here.

I dig some early Bauhaus but this wasn’t it.

Deep Purple isn’t my thing. Appreciate what they were doing in their era, but I’ve heard Smoke on the Water enough. Just not my thing.

Lauren Hill is clearly the best female rapper ever. Whole vibe of this album is great. So unique.

Never knew Janis was in a band before she was solo. Had heard of BB&THC before. But didn’t know anything about them. Wouldn’t listen to this over and over. By wasn’t bad.

Awful.

Iconic album. 4.5

Decent Dylan for 1987.

Great voice. Just not my thing. Son of a Preacher Man is really good.

Really enjoyed this one on my second play through even more than the first. Really tough debate whether or not to go 4. Ultimately it’s a 3.75 for me. Definitely hear a lot of what early Nirvana was influenced by.

Three or four really good songs keep this from being a 2. But it’s barely a 3. Definitely not his best work on my opinion.

Not bad. His voice gets a little old after while, but I like the album and KoL in short spurts. Good to hear what they sounded like before their Sex caught Fire.

Dig the music. The singing isn’t my thing.

Masterpiece. The Clash at their best. Punk, Reggae, Rock, back to punk. This album is great from start to finish.

Dolly is a legend. She has a beautiful country voice. But almost every song sounds just the same. And I’ve never heard someone sing about their momma so much. Just not my style / thing.

Everything from 1965 & 1966 sounds the same. The Beatles, The Stones, The Kinks, Paul Revere, The Beach Boys……they all had the same sound and same formula. Glad they all found drugs and a different path in the years to come. This wasn’t bad, but just more of the same from that era. 2.75

Not bad. A few gems like Animal Zoo. Interesting history with Led Zep. Super soft 3.

Elis Regina has a beautiful voice, and will be my go to when I need to hear some Brazilian Bossa Nova. But I’m not sure when I’ll ever get that feeling to hear it again.

80s Brit metal. Not the worst thing I’ve heard but not my thing. 2.5

Really good music for sitting on an outdoor patio in Miami on a sunny day with a nice drink and cigar. 3.5.

Huge Jimi Hendrix fan, so that affects my review. This album, much like the Beatles White (double) Album has a bit too much noodling around in between the best songs to make it a 5. If only the best songs were made into a single album, this would be a 5, but with the addition of some of the “extras” it brings it down to a 4.

I enjoy some punk, but this drum machine punk sounds more industrial. Just ok.

I have no idea why this man has 5 albums on this list. 2.5

Now I know what Janelle Monae sings. 2.5

Not a big fan of 196”’s folk music.

Soft 3. Enjoyed the guitar.

Seems like too much going on at once. Like a car crash or a trainwreck.

Great early grunge with a side of punk thrown in. Knew Overblown and a few other MH tunes but overall not super familiar with them. Will enjoy browsing through their extensive catalog. 3.5

Just an incredible debut album. 6 solid hits including two of the best Cars songs ever - Bye Bye Love & Moving in Stereo. Unfortunately a few tunes shy of hitting a 5. 4.25.

That unmistakable Nile Rodger’s sound is what makes this album great. Solid 3. Disco!!!

Maybe the best female singer ever. She could sing the phone book and it would be good.

Not their best work but I can see where they were headed with this one and it’s much better than most other American music being made in 1987. 2.5

Why is this on the list??

Enjoyed that quite a bit. Not sure how to describe. More sour than rock. 3.75

Important work from Bowie, even if not my favorite. I love the whole concept. It could grow on me. 3+.

If I made a list a list of 2001 albums I needed to hear before I died, this wouldn’t be on the list.

Despite a few gems, Block Rockin’ Beats and Where Do I Begin, the rest of the album is just too repetitive. Same beat over and over. Sometimes hard to actually distinguish one song from the next. 2.25

Beautiful voice. Not my thing though.

Great album for a warm summer day with the windows down.

Great album start to finish. 4.25

Just not sure why this band is on this list. And I know there’s one more from them which makes no sense to me. Could barely distinguish on a number of songs that there was actual singing going on. Just a lot of noise / too much noise over what might be decent songs. The last song, which I think was an actual instrumental, was probably my favorite.

Enjoy the hits. MoP and Sanitarium are great. The rest all runs together. Appreciate what they were doing in the mid 1980s was very different. But speed guitar just isn’t my jam. 2.5

Beyoncé is the Kardashians of the music industry. I hate the fucking Kardashians.

Fine background funk / Motown.

Neil is so hit or miss for me. This one is too folky. 2.5

What country music should be. 3.25

Another mid 1960’s British album that sounds the same as the rest. Is it the Kinks? Is it the Beatles? Who knows. 2.5

Classic album. A few of the biggest TH tunes ever. Crossed & Painless is an all time great, and Once in a Lifetime may be their best song ever. 4.5

Hit after hit after hit. Half point deduction for overplay, which wasn’t really their fault. 4.5

Lots of gems on this one between the two big hits. Easy to pick out the songs Jorma and Jack wrote. Solid early San Fran sound. 3.5

Not bad. Not my favorite. But I see where its place is on the list at least. 2.25

Two days in a row of Jazz makes Jack a dull boy!! Perfectly fine old school Jazz. Just not jazzed about more jazz. 2.50

Surprising that a Girl Band imitating the Clash in 1979 never took off. 2.75 for trying.

Really enjoyed this. Listened a number of times. Approaching a 4, but not quite there. Yet. 3.95

I forgot how many songs I know and like from this one. This is as good as electronica gets for me. 3.75

Enjoyed this one a lot. Sounds like music from movies. Is French Latin music a thing?? I dig it. 3.25

Here’s another album I’m not sure why it’s on the list. Could blend in with another few hundred albums from this era. Was it bad? Not really. Did anything stand out as great? Also not really. 2.75

“I wonder what Jumping Jack Flash would sound like on the sitar?” ……is a question no one really needed to know the answer to.

I get why this is here, if it’s when they started to sound like Queen. But a lot of it runs together for me. Definitely some 70s glam rock / metal in there. Killer Queen shoes what they were capable of. But they weren’t quite there on most of this one. 2.50

Ok. A few nice hits. Second half mostly sounds the same. 2.25

This album kills from top to bottom. Second and third times through I skipped BMW & Oye Como Va because I’ve heard them 1000 times in my life and wanted to really focus on the rest of the album. I now think they may be my least favorite two songs on the whole album. 4.50

A lot of the same over and over.

Just meh.

Not available anywhere. But I know enough Fats D to rate him a 2.75

Solid - in its own lane.

Not sure I understand the point of this one. Interesting concept I guess.

“Oh my God, that’s the funky shit!” 4.25

This album kicks ass from start to finish.

Lots of classic hits. But I would be ok never hearing the whole album again.

If this is actually your style of music, there has never been an easier 5.

An all time classic singer / songwriter. Doesn’t get enough praise. Solid album start to finish. 4.25

There’s certainly no Let’s Get it On or What’s Going On, on this album. Just a lot of the same old stuff. They all sound the same.

Don’t really need to hear again. But didn’t kill me.

Masterpiece. Great from start to finish.

Made for 1983 MTV. My 12 year old self enjoyed this a lot more than my 52 year old self. Very schlocky. Probably generous with a 3 rating.

This is about as good as jazz gets for me. 3.75

Silly. Didn’t hurt to listen to. But silly it’s on this list.

No one would have ever heard of this if Bootsy Collins didn’t join them for a song.

I know this is full of popular hits, but early 70s female folky music all sounds alike to me and just isn’t my thing, and even worse, it reminds me of my mother-in-law.

Sounds like my late 90s soundtrack. Enough big tunes to warrant a 3. Unfortunately a lot of the other songs run together.

Not sure what to say. Not my thing. It sure why this or a few other hundred made the list.

Hopefully the last time I hear that song in it’s entirety.

This was just ok. Might grow on me if I gave it a chance. But I won’t.

Great Dylan. Just wears on me after a while.

Basic Boy Band Beatles. Not their best. But a few large early hits. 3.75

Not sure what that was. All made harder my only being available on YouTube. 2???

Angry I have to rate this a one. One is very generous. Why was this noise recorded? And more importantly, why was this noise on this list? Dumb.

This is as good as jazz gets for me. 3.75

Classic Neil. 3.75

I had a lot more hope that this would be really good.

Sounds like the type of jazz going on in a 70s detective shows, with the lead narrating over the music about the crime they are getting ready to solve.

Why was I subjected to that?? And how many better albums were dropped from earlier versions of this list to add that garbage in the latest version? zero.

Ok. Don’t hate it. Can’t say I’d listen to the whole thing a lot, but it’s fine.

Solid Doors blues album. Love Her Madly, LA Woman & Riders on the Storm are a few of the Doors best.

Great early Smiths. Love all the bitching about Morrissey in the reviews.

It’s fine. Not sure why it’s on the list.

I like this style of jazz.

Another perfectly fine female punk album from the 70s. But also another one that I don’t understand the purpose of it being on this list.

There’s a few gems on here but overall this isn’t my music. I understand the relevance. And it’s crazy that a few of those songs from 1957 became major hits for other artists.

The end of an era as we know it!! This album marked the end of REM 1.0. Green followed and was a transition to the new REM 2.0, but this one capped off their greatest years. Was fun to go down this road again.

Garbage. Noise.

Can’t say I would listen to this all the time, but I enjoyed it and like the style a lot.

All time classic. 10th grade me is happy I had this one.

Was hoping for more from this. Thought it was rather boring. 2.5

Still processing this but it’s growing on me. Has a Shins feel to it. Need to dive into some more Elliott Smith to truly process. Album starts off slow, and wasn’t sure if I liked it but really picked up in the second 1/3.

Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan is like eating your vegetables as a kid. Everyone tells you it’s good for you, but you still end up swallowing a few without chewing to get them all down.

Almost as bad a Bjork, but not as Bjorky.

Another late 70s British punk album. Yay!! 2.5

This is as much a Brian Eno album as it is Bowie. Not my favorite work from one of my favorite artists.

Solid debut album

Sounds like Brian Eno.

This album kicks ass. Lots to like here. Amazing they made this coming off of backing Bob Dylan, as I find him fairly boring. Chest Fever is a jam. So close to a 5 for me. Just a song or two away. 4.5

Not as bad as I thought it would be. But don’t see me coming back to it. Ever.

Solid Neil album. 3.5

This album didn’t hit me as well as Figure 8. Seemed a bit more mellow and depressed. I know that’s his thing, but only one song really grabbed me after two listens. Still want to dive a little deeper. 2.75

I hated this as a 15 year old and it hasn’t gotten any better. 1 point boost for Wanted Dead or Alive. While I still hate it, it does have a slight bit of creativity to it. The rest of the album is garbage.

Willie falls in that same category as Bob Dylan for me. Everyone seems to love him, but I’m not sure he’s my thing. Sounds more like a guy talking over the music. 2.5

Great stuff. Not sure why this isn’t a Faces album. But it’s really good. 4.25.

My second Kanye album. Starting to see what my son enjoys about this. Music is great. Lyrics good / funny. Need to listen a few more times. But overall pretty good for post 2000 rap. 3.5.

Not nearly as good as their debut album. A few monster songs like Little Wing and Castles Made of Sand and Bold as Love, but the rest of the album is a bit pedestrian for the legend. 3.95

Love this band and their sound. This is solid 1970s/early 1980s British punk / new wave. 3.5

Interesting to begin with, but all starts to sound the same after a while. 2.25

Sweet soul music. Who doesn’t like a little Al Green.

This one took me a few listens but it began to grow on me. As a die hard 70s & 80s Bowie fan, his later albums never resonated with me at the time of release, so I’m glad I’m getting a chance to listen to a few on this project. Second half of the album stands out to be over the first half. 3.5

There are a lot of 5s on this album but just enough songs that aren’t to bring it back one notch. Incredible album. The change from OK Computer to Kid A was immense. Maybe one of the best back to back album combos in 30+ years. 4.5

Not a fan of his voice. Not a fan of his face. Not a fan of his lyrics. Not a fan of his lifestyle. Not a fan of his wife. Music isn’t too bad.

Interesting. Really needs a few more listens to make a great review, but it’s not something that really makes me want to listen to it again right away. So that tells me something. Just kind of meh! 2.5

Classic 80s New Wave. 3.75

Enjoyed that.

Gave 25 a 4. Might have been a bit aggressive at the time. I still think Adele is one of if not the greatest female singers of the last 50 years. This one got a bit overplayed, but has some mister hits on it. Gotta dial it back a notch but still a 3.75.

Starts out strong but gets a little repetitive - meh after a while. Not their best effort.

I think I like the idea of The Velvet Underground more than I really like The Velvet Underground. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the Band and their music, but in small doses.

All their stuff sounds the same to me. Decent background music, but nothing exciting. Not sure why they have more than one album on this list. 2.5

I rather enjoyed that a lot more than I expected. Need a few more listens to be honest but I think this one’s a 4 for me.

I don’t dislike Wu Tang and all the spin offs. But it’ll never be something I crave to listen to. This one wasn’t bad. 2.5

More 1960s jangle pop. 2.5

She’s just not for me.

another one that just didn’t need to be on the list.

First time listening in years. Enjoyed that.

How much electronica does one really need to hear before they die??

Greta debut album. Saw her play this whole album opening for Blues Traveler at the Boathouse in October 1994. Good times. 3.5

This was the start of a pretty solid three album run, after a period of lackluster albums after Joshua Tree. Album starts out super strong and fades a bit at the end. But still solid.

Enjoyable. A mix of Radiohead and Keane with a splash of Coldplay. Good background music for a coffee shop or gourmet sandwich shop.

I’ve always looked at Green as the dividing line between REM 1.0 and REM 2.0, with Green showing elements of both. This album falls fully into the REM 2.0 era, and I’m not a huge fan. Feels like they are actually writing songs for the radio and for MTV and not for themselves and the fans. 3.0 (boosted because they’re REM)

This was pretty good given my expectations. Can’t go crazy over it like many of the reviews. But it wouldn’t be something I was dying to turn off.

All sounds the same. Like Madonna.

Love the Cure. But this isn’t my favorite. Definitely dark and gloomy. A few stand outs. 3.5

An almost perfect album. Two huge hits, that I love, and they may be the weakest / worse songs on the album. Three Days is a masterpiece followed by another in Then She Did.

First half - 3/4 of the album is as good as it gets. Trails off just a little in the end to keep it from being a 5. 4.5.

Overplayed, overproduced manufactured anger.

The Public Enemy influence was unmistakable. Always surprised when folks are shocked at the lyrics of early gangster rap. Different times. 2.75

Overall album is solid. While this isn’t my normal genre at all, GM is easily one of the better male vocalists of the last 50 years. But Freedom! ‘90 is a damn anthem. Great piano hook. All of it. Don’t even get me started on the video. Great stuff. Album without F! ’90 might be a 2.75 or 3. But because of it it’s a 4.

Ok. Sounds like a lot of other stuff. Also sounds like a demo album.

Just great stuff. Chuck D maybe the best voice ever in rap. Wore this one out on cassette and CD. 4.25

Beautiful voice. Every song. I understand why this was so highly received and she won Grammys. Just not my type of music. Be happy to listen to in the background of a cocktail party or coffee shop. 3.25

So this experiment has taught me that I really don’t like noise disguised as music.

A bit melancholy and slightly boring but also a bit interesting at times. 2.5

Sounds like the 70s.

Not a huge fan. But this is probably his best work.

Perfection. Flawless. There are very few album that have no down time and no fillers. And PF made two of them.

When I first saw French electronica I assumed another 1 star rating was on the way. This wasn’t the worst thing I’ve heard. Probably would never dial it up again though. 2.65

I hate this shit.

She’s got a great voice. But the adult contemporary category is not for me.

Enjoyed this one a few times. New to me. Chill laid back vibe.

Solid 70s flute rock. 3.5

As someone who grew up on 1980s MTV, who has many times defended the 1980s as “not so bad” when it comes to music discussions, I have to admit, this project and especially this album, make me think that maybe the 1980s was “so bad.”

A few real gems. A few other not so much. 3.75

As a kid who was raised on the Surfin’ USA Beach Boys, I had always heard the significance of this album but until a few years ago had never given it a solid listen. Knew a few of the major hits but that was about it. While I understand the importance this album plays in musical history, it just doesn’t stand out to me as one of the greatest albums of all time. Seems a bit overproduced, which maybe was a huge deal in 1966. I enjoy it. But just can’t fall all over myself about it. 3.95

If you took the best 9 or 10 songs from this great double album it would be a 5. Have to drop it down a notch for a few less then stellar fillers, but overall great album and the first 4-5 songs are as good as you can start an album. 4.5

This music drives me nuts. And Little Richard was a fraud. 1.5

Street Life is ok. The rest didn’t hurt me. But I’m not chasing this down to hear it again.

As good as this genre is going to get. Best Christmas tune. 3.75

Good mid 1990s stuff. Nothing groundbreaking. But still fun. Opening song is great. 3.75

New Kid in Town makes me want to poke my eardrums out with a pencil. I hate the fucking Eagles, man!! Joe Walsh is the only saving grace on this album. 2.0

Meh.

This one grew on me with each new listen. Petty (Thief) Lout stood out. I need to give this band a little attention.

Solid Dad Rock. 3.75

Good debut. But not great. Saved by a few top songs. 3.25

Just way too repetitive.

Nice change of pace. Not going to dial this one up all the time. But it was mostly enjoyable.

Pretty Good stuff. If you like that stuff.

Really no idea why an album like this makes the list. Early hard rock / punk. Wow.

Just more of the same old question- why is this on the list??

Easy to like.

Not a huge early Elvis fan, but was an easy listen.

Nothing here really blew me away, but found pretty enjoyable. Late 70s UK punk / alt rock.

Definitely a 2. But add a 1/2 point for the use of xylophone in multiple songs. That’s a bold strategy, Cotton. 2.5.

This wasn’t awful but it follows a week of average ir bad music on this ride and that made it a little less fun for me. Latin African Drum Jazz isn’t anything I see myself craving to listen to. But it didn’t hurt me to hear it. 3

I very much dislike this whole genre is music. 1.5

Good stuff.

This is fine as far as this type of music goes - electronica?? Maybe. Not my thing. But not offensive. Fine background music.

Solid vocals and lyrics.

Classic Frank. Not something I could listen to every day. But it’s good to be reminded of his great voice. 3.5

Like bread & butter. Just a solid part of life.

Really solid debut album. Probably a 3.75, but listened to this 4 times today and really enjoyed, so I’m going 4.

Not my thing. I can enjoy it for what it is, but this style of music isn’t for me. 2.95

Another album where I have zero idea why or how it’s on this list.

Why??

Solid live album from the blues King.

Solid Iggy / Bowie. 3.5

One song cannot save an album. But can make it a 2. Shout out to Mark Canha’s walk up song.

This was pretty fun. 3.75

Ho hum. Nothing spectacular. Nothing bad. Just an 88 mph fastball down the middle.

Enjoyed this. Sounds like it would be playing in an open air bar in warm climate international city with exotic ladies dancing. 3.25

Solid debut. A few bangers.

Maybe the cornerstone album of an incredible 5 album run in the 1980s. SBS & NYD launched U2 into a different realm in the music world at the time. Probably deserves a 4.75 based on some of my prior rankings, but due to its significance in my teen years, I’ll give it the extra .25.

Solid early Brit punk. Not sure I get all the 5s, but it was enjoyable listen or two. 3.5

Always great to listen to the Clash. 3.75

Not for the Start Me Up RS crowd. The culmination of maybe the greatest 5-year four album run. Quite simply a Masterpiece. Every song flows together so well. No just a collection of great music. It’s amazing how all these different genres work as one.

This is definitely not my style of music / rap. But it wasn’t as bad as I’ve been lead to believe. A few songs I almost liked. 2.75

Used to enjoy this in high school. Then some sorority played PbtDL 1000 times at social events in college and now it makes me want to jab pencils in my eardrums when it’s playing.

Solid album. Lots of hits. Some overplayed a bit much when released. Just a tad long for me. 3.75

Hunky Dory is the first glimpse at what was to come in the Ziggy Stardust era. Solid Bowie. Not quite a 4. 3.95

Fantastic overall album. Houses of the Holy, Kashmir, Ten Years Gone By, Down by the Seaside, all easy 5s. The addition of the extra songs / outtakes from earlier album brings this one down to a 4.5 for me. Like most double albums, if you chose the top 9-10 songs it’s an easy 5, but a few too many “average” Zeppelin tunes on this one. And they didn’t do “average” very often.

Just like Neon Bible, this is just another ho him media fastball down the middle. Nothing bad, nothing overly exciting. Easy to listen to. But just there for me.

First side of album 1 is fire. Goes a bit downhill from there. But the nostalgia points make this one an easy 3 for me.

Solid early 90s rap. Better than today’s rap. Just not my thing.

Not my thing.

Bruce had never been my favorite, but I’ve always understood his place in rock history. Just not sure why this album made the list. It’s just ok. Without Prove It All Night, I’m guessing it wouldn’t have made it. 3. Barely.

This album had a huge influence on me in 8th grade, the year after it came out. The music, the lyrics, all of it. Hard to find a better debut album.

Solid album. A few really strong big hits.

Not bad. I understand its place in the list.

This is my 3rd Arcade Fire in 21 albums. I have no idea how this band landed 3 albums on this list. I didn’t need three albums to re-enforce the fact that this band just cranks out 3s. Nothing bad about them. Nothing good either. Just average background music with one or possibly two above average songs per album. If you took the very best two songs from each of the three albums I’ve listened to over the last three weeks, you’d have a decent LP that might be a 4.

Great debut album. Really like the whole vibe of this one. Chrissy Hynde was way ahead of her time. 4.0

Yes, It all sounds the same. Still a 4.

Bjork isn’t for me. Musically this album is ok. But she’s just a strange lead.

This album certainly has its place in musical history. It came out when I was in my third year of college. Heard it 1000 times. Made for a heavy partying 20 year old. But I just can’t get passed the annoyance & cockeyness of the Chili Peppers. Saw the Foo Fightets open for them when Foo had one album and they blew the RHCP away. I was actually embarrassed for them a bit. Giving it a 3 for its place in history, but it’s a stretch.

Fantastic old school bluegrass album. While not my every day listening choice, this album would be the perfect example of old bluegrass.

One of my all time favorites from the 1980s. Peter Hook’s bass as lead is great. They added a lot more synth on this album. Love Vigilantes is great. Elegia reminds me of old Joy Division. 4.5

Ok. They have better.

Enjoyed that. Ahead of its time for sure.

Better than the last VU I had.

Another one that I have no idea why it’s on this list. Perfectly acceptable music. But nothing special. And I’ll never listen to it again. 2.5

Good old school soul R&B. I get why it’s on the list. A lot of this music all runs together for me and it’s hard to pick the great from average. 2.75

All time classic.

Big ol’ 5. Great stuff.

I hated this music in high school And nothing has changed 40 years later.

Loved this one for 35+ years.

Why???

Solid SW album. 3.5

Best album from this mid 1960s era so far. Not the best Who album, but way ahead of its time in 1965 as far as hard rock. A few huge hits.

Good old school rap. How it’s meant to be. 3.5

Silly. No list of must listen to albums needs to include this.

Consider myself a pretty good TH fan. Knew most all of the songs but can’t say I’d heard that album from start to finish before. Really enjoyed that.

Solid Neil album. Andrew of his biggest hits. 3.75

Great. 4.5

Love her voice. One and done. Can’t be replicated.

Right back to senior year in high school. Good stuff. 3.75

This wasn’t bad and could have been on any 90s playlist of mine. But I don’t get why it’s in the list.

Pretty good Dylan for me. Not a huge fan but this is close to as good as it gets for me. 3.5

I have always been familiar with Germa and their story but clearly had never listened to their music. I was shocked to find out they only made one album. Turns out it was one too many. I appreciate their place in the LA Punk scene, but that was a tough listen.

Solid album. Amazing the number of hits. The best of Billy Joel on one studio album. 4.5

Not awful. Not great. Sort of all sounds the same. No idea what NME was thinking with their rating or why it’s even on this list.

Did not know PIL had so many albums dating back to the late ‘70s. This one was a lot of noise with a few alright songs.

Ok Ok Ok.

Classic cocktail hour music.

Not a big electronic instrumental fan. This was alright I guess. 2.25

Nit a fan.

A few 5 star songs. The rest of the album is ok. But the hits are huge. 3.75.

Ok. I see this is when they “ found their sound”. But it’s just ok. 3 for being Queen.

A few huge hits can’t save this one for me. 2.25

One of the greatest debut albums of all time.

No denying the talent. A few great tunes. Peak CA. Just not my music. But she’s got talent for sure.

This was surprisingly good for an album I still don’t know why it’s on the list. I could listen to this more regularly. 3.25

French parish crooner. He’s good for what he does. Not my thing. 2.5

One more time - why is this on the list??

These are the albums I am here for. Always heard of Gram Paraon’s influence on the “country honk” side of the Rolling Stones but has never given a good listen. Really enjoyed this one. 3.75

Rave music isn’t my thing.

I kind of like this guy. This one wasn’t as good as Pink Moon, a bit more melancholy, but I still enjoyed it.

Great music. Theme from Shaft is a classic. But this is a true soundtrack including background music. Some songs sound like the background to a scene in a coffee shop. Just hard to listen to much of it more than once. I do love hearing Chef sing though.

While some of the off songs aren’t awesome, this album contains 4-5 monster heavy grunge tunes. For that it earns a 4.

This was surprisingly good from start to finish. So close to a 4. 3.95

Didn’t hate this. Not a huge Elvis fan. Sounded like ……. Elvis. 2.5

Great debut. Not a weak spot on the album.

This album confirmed for me that I do not like KoL. Every song sounds the same. And I think that singing voice is made up and not his real voice.

This is completely not my style of music, but it’s really good. The band is great and her voice is top notch. If I was into this music, it’s a 5 but just because it’s a complete style that doesn’t really work for me it loses a bit on my scale. 3.95

Iconic singer / voice overtop of pure 80s cheese.

I prefer my world music to be Latin and not African. But this was enjoyable. Once. 2.5

Classic bluesy Doors. Love it.

Need to give this a few more listens. But it’s starting to grow on me. 3.75

Turns out I’m I’m not as big on the VU as I thought I was.

Not awful but just not my thing at all. One song is fine. Whole album is just too repetitive. 2.5

I’m just glad Billie Joe and Dick Cheney made up and are now on the same team! Music - 3.75 How punk are they - 0.00

Not as good as Aja, but still a solid listen. 3.5

The Monkees are the dumbest thing ever.

Love old school TH. This one has a few real gems on it.

This is my least favorite of his three albums. Overproduced for his style. 2.5

Beautiful voice. This old school female country isn’t my thing.

All sounds the same.

Say what you want about Coldplay and what they’ve become, this album was near perfection when it was released.

This was a complete waste of time and space on this list.

Good old school East Coast rap. Not my favorite - I was more of a West Coast guy. And now the affiliation with Diddy sort of ruins Biggie’s rep a little more. But still a classic example of early 90s rap style.

Great timing. Just saw the Dylan movie a month ago and listened to this classic a few times the week after. I’m not a big Dylan guy at all, but this is by far his most complete work in my opinion. Definitely a few monsters on this one for him. 3.5

Outside of Computer Blue, a pretty close to perfect album. Going with a 5 here because the other 8 tracks are so well done. But more like a 9/10 5 and not a 10/10 5.

Better than I expected. Definitely long. The best 9 songs would have made a great album. Music is really good. I grow tired of his voice.

It’s not awful. But I didn’t need to hear it.

Greta debut. Really enjoyed that one.

Incredible debut album. Takes me back to 8th grade era. REM 1.0 (pre-Green) was a game changer for music. 4.5

Found enough of this to listen a know it’s not my thing.

Sounds like a movie soundtrack. 2.5

Fantastic.

Solid.

Never been a fan of this early 60s rock sound, even from the all time greats. It is interesting to see where they started. But only giving it a 3 because of what this led to.

Didn’t know so many people hated John Lennon. Kind of refreshing to see. Album is a 2 at best. Can’t believe his iconic solo song is on such an average / below average album.

Oh look, another late ‘70s punk band I haven’t heard of. This one wasn’t terrible.

Oh look, two days in a row of late 70s punk bands I’ve never heard of. Think that makes 10-12 so far. This one isn’t terrible.

Hard to believe this came out in 1970. Must have blown some minds and speakers. War Pigs, Paranoid and Iron Man on the same studio album doesn’t even seem real. Three of the hardest songs ever. Whole album rocks. Great lyrics too.

Knew a few of the hits. Really enjoyed Stand.

Really enjoyed this one. Those late 1980s UK bands like J&MC that followed the Smiths and The Cure and others really carried the sound into the 1990s. 3.75

A few great songs. A lot of average songs. Overall a fine album. Too bad she might have killed CK. 3.5

Have always appreciated Dylan more than I’ve liked him. Recent events have had me listen a bit more and this album has probably risen in my rankings more than in the past. Not something I’m going to pull up and listen to regularly. But still a nice work.