Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
503
Albums Rated
3.23
Avg Rating
34
5-Star Albums
46%
Complete
586 albums remaining
Rating Speed
4.9
Per Week
714
Days Active
Reviews
467
Written
93%
Review Rate
vs Global
-0.06
Avg Diff
3.23
Avg Rating
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How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Balanced
Rater Style
8
1-Star Albums
5-Star Albums (34)
View Album Wall
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back | 5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
| A Rush Of Blood To The Head | 5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
| Illinois | 5 | 3.49 | +1.51 |
| Licensed To Ill | 5 | 3.56 | +1.44 |
| Exile On Main Street | 5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Dreaming | 1 | 2.96 | -1.96 |
| Tracy Chapman | 2 | 3.78 | -1.78 |
| 90 | 1 | 2.7 | -1.7 |
| Aladdin Sane | 2 | 3.62 | -1.62 |
| Oracular Spectacular | 2 | 3.61 | -1.61 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 4 | 4.75 | 4 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Radiohead | 5 | 4.4 | 3.88 |
| Bob Dylan | 5 | 4.4 | 3.88 |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Eno | 4 | 2.25 | 2.57 |
Popular Reviews
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
I can appreciate the political drive behind the lyrics, but they favor message over music to an extreme. Nothing here that other groups (before and after) didn't do better.
2 likes
Mariah Carey
1/5
Look, Mariah undeniably has a great voice and that's on display here. And if one of these tracks popped up while I was shopping, or on hold for some company's customer service, I'd be fine with it. But listening to 1 hour straight of what felt like essentially the same song was more than I could take.
1 likes
The Black Crowes
4/5
One of the best 70s blues/Southern rock albums, and it came out in '90. Really enjoy this one.
1 likes
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This is my favorite of Cohen's albums. It's the perfect blend of when his voice is at its somber baritone best, and his lyrics harmonize with it to hit just the right note of melancholy with a tinge of self-deprecating humor.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (8)
All Ratings
Cat Stevens
4/5
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Radiohead
4/5
Taylor Swift
4/5
This represents the peak of my enjoyment of Taylor. She's clearly got talent for putting out hit songs (some I find enjoyable, some not) but this one has a good blend of the pop-catchiness with some ties still to her roots.
The Who
3/5
Eminem
3/5
Michael Jackson
3/5
Oasis
3/5
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
Dr. Dre
3/5
Frank Zappa
3/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
Various Artists
4/5
SZA
2/5
The Cure
3/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
4/5
The Mars Volta
4/5
David Bowie
3/5
Depeche Mode
3/5
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Mercury Rev
3/5
Throwing Muses
3/5
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Sister Sledge
3/5
The Go-Go's
4/5
4/5
Erykah Badu
3/5
Didn't know anything about this artist. Album was lyrically interesting, and I like the jazz feel of most of the tracks.
Billy Joel
5/5
So, so good. This album is filled with undeniable hits (it could almost be half of a Greatest Hits double album), but I'd probably have to rate it 5 stars just for Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.
Metallica
3/5
Kate Bush
1/5
Well it wasn't boring, so that's something. Just wasn't pleasant to listen to, at all.
Marty Robbins
4/5
Hard to separate the music from the feeling I got playing Fallout: New Vegas. Definitely transports you to dusty gunslinger days.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
I liked this one alright, Janis Joplin's vocals and energy are definitely the highlight.
Joy Division
3/5
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Obviously great vocals, and a nice sound that is reminiscent at times of some of the best Motown tracks.
Al Green
4/5
Sonic Youth
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this- maybe not as much as some of the indie rock/alt rock albums that would come after, but it's easy to see the influence this had on them.
Nirvana
5/5
Phenomenal. Never get tired of listening to this one.
Elliott Smith
3/5
An enjoyable listen, but the more upbeat music is a bit odd coming from Elliott. I think I prefer his more brooding style from the earlier albums.
Miles Davis
3/5
Enjoyable listen, but not one that had melodies that will stick with me the way some of his other works do.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Love Arcade Fire, this one doesn't quite grip me the same way as Funeral but still really enjoy it.
Lambchop
2/5
Pretty odd, I did like a couple of the tracks but didn't love the album overall.
Dr. John
4/5
Super interesting and unique sound. Probably the closest thing I've heard to Tom Waits.
T. Rex
3/5
This was alright, nothing really grabbed me.
Radiohead
5/5
One of my favorite bands, and a fantastic album.
Joe Ely
3/5
Not a huge country/country-rock fan, but I thought this one was pretty enjoyable.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Well I'm a sucker for English folk rock apparently, as I really enjoyed this. Vocals were the highlight for me (lyrics were great too, but a lot of the credit there goes to Bob Dylan).
The Byrds
3/5
I've always sort of dismissed the Byrds as another 60s manufactured Beatles-wannabe band, that happened to have a couple decent songs. This album surprised me with its more experimental sounds.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Maybe not my absolute favorite Stones album, but still undeniably a great record.
Van Halen
4/5
Fun album with some real bangers.
The Kinks
3/5
Not bad, a few good tracks but nothing super memorable outside of maybe Waterloo Sunset.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
While I prefer the albums he produced later (when he lived in the bass range much more than he does here), this one still has some of the same lyrical power and a couple really, really good songs.
Circle Jerks
2/5
It was short, but still felt repetitive. The sort of songs I would only listen to if I was playing Tony Hawk.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Not my favorite genre, but it is impressive how effortlessly it can evoke a certain mood and sense of place.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Great psychedelic rock. I knew Somebody to Love and White Rabbit of course, but the rest of the album had some other good tracks with a nice sound.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
A great singer, but overall I thought the album was just alright.
The Black Keys
4/5
I love the Black Keys' sound, and really enjoyed this album throughout.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Wasn't a huge fan of this.
Alice In Chains
4/5
I never really got into Alice In Chains, and I'm not sure why. Really enjoyed this one.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Love the sound on this album. Definitely transports you to the era of funk, but with some tracks that are timeless.
GZA
3/5
Prefer Wutang, but this was pretty good.
Fred Neil
4/5
This was a new one to me, and I quite enjoyed it. "Everybody's Talkin" and "That's the Bag I'm In" were the highlights for me.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
I can appreciate the political drive behind the lyrics, but they favor message over music to an extreme. Nothing here that other groups (before and after) didn't do better.
De La Soul
3/5
It's different, I liked the flow of it overall.
Steely Dan
3/5
Steely Dan is one of those groups that I know are masterful artists and extremely musically gifted, etc., but that I just don't ever seek out to listen to in favor of other bands. I liked this album well enough, there were a few tracks that stood out as really good, but again nothing I'm probably going to think to come back to later.
Beastie Boys
5/5
So many classic hits on this one- "Fight for your Right", "Paul Revere", "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" are all ones I would hear blasting from dorm rooms in college (two decades after this album was released). Lyrics that would be juvenile or cringey from other artists just seem funny and charming coming from the Beastie Boys.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Enjoyed this listen, good background music.
White Denim
3/5
Fun little indie rock album.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
I was excited to get this album because I have such fond memories of listening to these songs back when it released (many of which I still hear quite frequently). For the first half of the album, I was not disappointed. So many huge hits on here- "Scar Tissue", "Otherside", and "Californication" are obvious highlights. Easy 5/5. But then the second half just kind of drags, you start to notice the poor mix quality (I'm listening to it now on with a much better sound setup than when I was jamming out to it in college), and there's no memorable songs to be had. Drags the whole experience down, but I still have to give it a 4/5 for the bangers on the front end along with the nostalgia kick.
The Cars
3/5
Classic pop rock album, lots of well-known hits here. It's easy listening, and probably just as likely to be heard in boomer-directed advertisements as on the radio these days. Can't deny the catchiness of songs like "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", and "You're All I've Got Tonight".
Elbow
3/5
Was not at all familiar with this group, but I thought this album was pretty catchy. "Grounds for Divorce" was my favorite track on this one.
Massive Attack
2/5
Not a big fan of electronica, including of the hip-hop variety. This was still a pleasant enough listen, but not one I'm likely to want to return to.
Pixies
3/5
Yeah this was alright, but didn't capture the same magic of the first couple Pixies albums in my opinion.
Beck
4/5
Classic 90s alt-rock/alt-folk album. Plenty of solid tracks on here.
The Band
4/5
Really enjoy this album and group, a couple timeless classics on there that I listen to regularly.
Ray Charles
3/5
Classic voice, but only a couple songs from this album really stood out.
Roxy Music
3/5
This was an interesting listen for me. The vocals sort of grated on me in the beginning, but grew me on me as the album went on. The instrumentation was pretty interesting though, seems like something out of time. "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" has a haunting, dark feel to it that was pretty captivating. Overall, not an album I would probably return to often but one I'm glad I experienced.
Bad Brains
2/5
This was OK, I thought the mix of heavy/punk metal and funk made for an interesting sound. Just didn't have any songs that stuck out to me as very memorable.
Jurassic 5
3/5
This wasn't bad, by any means- I enjoyed the beats, and the flow of the MCs. I just don't think there is anything on the album that particularly elevates it above a lot of other hip-hop albums.
Beastie Boys
3/5
While it's not my favorite Beastie Boys album, and the second half starts to drag, it does have a couple legitimate bangers. "Sabotage" is on my short list of greatest hype songs of all time.
Don McLean
3/5
Outside of the title track (which I've heard countless times) I don't think I've heard most of the songs on this album more than once or twice before, if at all. There's some good stuff here, but it all has been (rightly, IMO) overshadowed by the iconic first song.
The Replacements
3/5
I liked this one ok, some catchy riffs on I Will Dare and Unsatisfied.
Elvis Presley
3/5
He's the king for a reason, and his influence is obviously felt throughout the whole history of rock music. But when it comes to this album, outside a couple tracks there's nothing here that really makes it a stand out.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Not my favorite style music, but a fun listen regardless. Shining Star is one of pervasive hits that pops up everywhere, and the album as a whole has a pretty nice upbeat energy that makes it easy to listen to.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Great album, not the best Springsteen ever produced but still powerful.
Culture Club
2/5
As a child of the 90s, when I think "80s music" the thing that always pops into my head is androgynous, brightly-clad singers in retro-futuristic clothing spouting nonsensical lyrics while backed by synthesizers. While this project has shown me plenty of great 80s counter-examples, this album is maybe the embodiment of that mental image. Some catchy songs, though.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Solid punk rock music with some seriously bleak and disturbing lyrics. There were long stretches of this album where I couldn't actually make out what was being said, and that might be for the better. Still an intriguing listen, and one that I suspect would grow on me with repeated listens (and that scares me a little).
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Buckley is one of the great "what-ifs" in music for me. As it is, the one album he did make before his death is very solid. His voice is the star, but the instrumentation throughout the album isn't bad either. There's a definite haunting/melancholic feel that pervades the whole thing.
The Verve
3/5
I enjoyed this one well enough, though didn't find a whole lot here to love outside the first track.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
An iconic soundtrack that influenced a whole genre of movie soundtracks, and gets referenced still in popular music today. Such a great funky, soulful sound.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Any song or album automatically sounds iconic when it's got Elvis' voice on it. This particular one lacks any of his especially memorable tracks (save maybe "In the Ghetto") but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The Who
4/5
Overly long with a plot that would be impossible to understand without the Wikipedia page, this was still way more enjoyable than I expected. Pinball Wizard also has one of my favorite guitar intros in all of rock history. Have to give credit to what The Who was able to pull off here, warts and all.
MC Solaar
2/5
Never has my 3 years of high school French felt so useless.
The Stone Roses
3/5
A pleasant, if unremarkable, listen. The most interesting part is that (aside from 1-2 tracks) this album could have been made in almost any decade. I actually was thinking it was a late 90s/early 00s album at first, then started wondering if it was from the 60s. Turns out it came out in '89.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Just listening to this without context, I thought it was just OK- a cool funky beat with some nice saxophone instrumentation, but gets overly long and repetitive.
... but after reading the Wikipedia page and understanding the real-life consequences of this album (led to the Nigerian head-of-state sending an army to attack Fela Kuti's compound and murdering his mother), it takes on some extra weight. Puts into perspective the serious risks this guy took (and the price he paid) compared to the American musicians putting out anti-war protest songs in the 60s.
Method Man
2/5
Bring the Pain is solid, the rest was meh.
Donovan
3/5
Not an artist I was that familiar with, but I liked this album. Reminded me of late-stage Beatles with a bit of Dylan sprinkled in.
Mariah Carey
1/5
Look, Mariah undeniably has a great voice and that's on display here. And if one of these tracks popped up while I was shopping, or on hold for some company's customer service, I'd be fine with it. But listening to 1 hour straight of what felt like essentially the same song was more than I could take.
Radiohead
5/5
Not much to say here. Beautiful album by one of my favorite bands.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
About the most classic of classic rock. While the sound would be built on by artists to come later, this album still holds its own with a couple particularly iconic tracks.
U2
4/5
As someone who generally favors the 80s U2 albums, I actually really enjoyed this listen. Pretty impressive that they undertook such a shift from their previous sound and still managed to produce some absolute classics like "One" and "Mysterious Ways".
Tim Buckley
3/5
Apropos album title- some nice jazzy instrumentals interspersed with melancholic singing. Not bad.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I've heard several of these tracks countless times, and many are among my favorite songs from this era. I don't know that I had ever listened to this album straight through, though, and it was surprising at times. The synth sounds on "Save the Life of My Child", and the cohesion of the Side A tracks compared to the relative disjointedness of Side B was unexpected.
2/5
This one was just alright. Reminiscent of some sounds the Beatles had already done (better) on Sgt Pepper, nothing that really stuck out as particularly memorable.
Stan Getz
3/5
Pretty on-the-nose name for an album. My reaction can probably best be summarized as "yep, that's what jazz samba sounds like". Pleasant enough as background music, but not something I'm going to seek out.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Loved this, just pure unfiltered rock energy from start to finish.
3/5
Every once in a while I get reminded that I should probably listen to Muse more than I do. This album served as the most recent such reminder.
Megadeth
3/5
Classic thrash metal. Not my typical genre of choice, though I do appreciate the energy.
Blondie
4/5
Really, really liked this one. A couple big hits (Heart of Glass the most well-known) but I enjoyed the other tracks as well.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
This is a great album that I haven't listened to in a long time. A couple tracks (most notably Take Me Out) got a good bit of radio play during my college days, but the rest of this album is really solid too.
The Hives
2/5
Solid set of tracks, but I feel that including a compilation album here is sort of cheating.
Tim Buckley
3/5
This was decent, gets a bit repetitive but I liked "I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain".
Fela Kuti
3/5
I liked this one more than the other Fela Kuti album on here. Good background music, still not the sort of thing I'm going to seek out to listen to in the future.
The White Stripes
5/5
One of, if not the, best rock albums of this century. That includes probably the most recognizable guitar riff of the last 30 years in Seven Nation Army. "Ball and Biscuit" is also a personal favorite.
Adele
4/5
Great album to showcase the best vocalist of the last 20 years. The range and power of Adele's voice is amazing, and I love the raw emotion and vulnerability in the lyrics on several of these tracks.
The Fall
2/5
As far as I can tell, "post-punk" basically means 80s-era bands throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks. Some of it works beautifully, some it is trash, but most of it (like this album) oscillates between "weirdly compelling" and "unpleasant to the ears".
Green Day
5/5
Love this album. So many absolute monster hits, and perfectly captures the 90s punk aesthetic. I was too young to appreciate it when it first came out, but when I started listening to punk rock about 5 years after this (around the time Green Day had a resurgence) it still loomed large.
Pavement
3/5
I've often heard Pavement (and this album specifically) listed as one of the biggest influences of some of the 90s/00s indie bands I really like. I can see where those influences lie, and there's a couple songs on here I do really like, but the album as a whole is just too uneven with a couple legitimately awful tracks.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
I'm not the biggest fan of extended "jam band" live albums, but I have to admit I did like this one pretty well. My main issue with it is that it just... keeps... going, and I'm not sure what the destination is.
Pink Floyd
4/5
I love Pink Floyd, and while this is not my favorite of their albums from this period, that's an extremely high bar to clear. Sure, this one drags a little in the middle and is not nearly as tight as their best albums (an 80 minute runtime will do that). But it still contains some of my absolute favorite music ever created, including not one but two of the best guitar solos of all time on a single track (Comfortably Numb).
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
This was alright. I know Elvis Costello is very influential (and is going to pop up a lot in this list) but this album felt like it was all over the place and honestly just didn't do a lot for me.
Charles Mingus
3/5
I wish I could appreciate jazz more, but it rarely does a whole lot for me. This album was more of the same- enjoyable as background music, and this one has some unique sounds that got my attention, but just not my favorite style.
Judas Priest
3/5
I enjoyed this one pretty well, doesn't have the super iconic tracks like some of the later metal albums it inspired, but I can see where those were influenced by this one.
John Coltrane
3/5
I liked this better than most jazz albums, but I still have a hard time fully getting into it.
Beatles
5/5
Over 130 albums into this project, and finally I get my first Beatles album. This is a great one to start with, as it shows them early in the process of maturing from mostly covers to fully original songwriting. And it starts with probably the most iconic and recognizable single chord to kick off any album, ever.
Scritti Politti
1/5
Not my cup of tea.
Louis Prima
4/5
Listening to this I can see the neon lights on Fremont Street and hear the slot machines dinging in the background. I don't listen to much swing, but this was really fun.
David Bowie
2/5
This one just doesn't do much for me.
Kanye West
3/5
I think 'Ye has always been better as a producer/artist than an MC, and that is true on his debut album here too. I do like some of the tracks that he explores spirituality (which was so different from anything else in the rap genre at the time), but overall this album doesn't rate as one of my favorites.
Rush
4/5
This was a fun listen. I've not listened to a lot of prog-rock outside of Pink Floyd and Rush has always been right at the periphery of my musical tastes. Lots of good stuff on this one though.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Very familiar with this album, as it was on a frequent rotation for me back in my college days. "Do You Realize??" is one of my favorite indie rock tracks ever (was pleasantly surprised when it popped up in the latest GotG movie).
The Smiths
2/5
A couple interesting tracks, but just OK for me overall.
The Only Ones
2/5
A couple pretty catchy songs, but overall felt this was just another relatively forgettable "new wave" album.
Beatles
4/5
Not as rich as some of their later albums, but still a great listen. Does a good job of capturing the manic, upbeat energy I associate with early Beatlemania.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Fantastic album, southern rock at its finest.
Talking Heads
3/5
Catchy tunes throughout, with some rather sinister lyrics that make it more memorable than a lot of similar albums.
Ministry
3/5
Apparently Ministry is in a similar echelon of \"industrial rock\"/thrash metal with NIN and Rammstein, but I'm way less familiar with their music compared to those other groups. Still, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
I'm not a fan of shoegaze, and this only helped confirm that opinion. I honestly thought the stream had glitched at a couple points. Distortion can be artfully done, but its use here just felt antagonistic. Giving this 2* only because the latter half could be decent background music if you're feeling particularly melancholic.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Really liked this one- great beat and bass-lines with a real jazz feel mixed with some of the smoothest flows from any hip-hop album I've heard. The lyrics seem a bit dated now at times, but honestly that kind of adds to the charm.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Another fantastic album by CCR. Enjoyed it from start to finish, very tight and no filler whatsoever.
Grateful Dead
2/5
The last album I got before this one was a CCR record, and in the course of reading about that one I stumbled on this quote from John Fogerty:
"I didn't like the idea of those acid-rock, 45-minute guitar solos. I thought music should get to the point a little more quickly than that."
Pretty funny then that I got this album the next day, which is probably the purest form of what he was criticizing. While I can understand the appeal, and there's some interesting stuff on here, I'm with Fogerty on this one.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
This was alright, the unique feel from the horns at least helped distinguish it from other like-sounding new wave albums.
Fugees
4/5
I liked this one, very 90s hip-hop feel to it.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Solid album- has a couple of my favorite Dylan tunes, though unlike a few of his top-shelf albums it does have some tracks that just don't land for me.
Jethro Tull
3/5
This one was good, outside of the title track I didn't recognize most of these songs but I liked them.
10cc
3/5
Had never heard of these guys before, but this was a fun one.
Pink Floyd
5/5
One of the all-time greats! Absolutely love this album, especially the guitar work on the title track.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
I liked it, it's like a window into another time.
Tears For Fears
3/5
I have to credit the staying power of a couple of these songs- as I write this, nearly 40 years after this album came out, the current #1 movie in the box office features "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" quite prominently. But outside that and "Shout", I found the rest of the album to be pretty average.
Van Halen
4/5
Great album, I loved the first half of it especially. Eddie's guitar is definitely the star of the show.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
I didn't enjoy this one as much as their other album in the list, it just didn't have any songs that grabbed me like that one did.
KISS
2/5
Meh, this just doesn't do anything for me. Detroit Rock City is a decent song, but the rest of it is just... nothing special.
4/5
Wow, this took me off-guard. Had never heard any of this before, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Meat Loaf
4/5
I've never been all that big on Meat Loaf (the dish or the musician), but there are some stone-cold classics on here. These rock ballads with a great vocalist are the sort of music that just never gets made anymore, and I think that's too bad.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
I know this is a seminal album for hip-hop, and it does have a nice laid-back, R&B-feel to it. Plus I like the message and emotion behind the lyrics throughout. There's just not a lot of songs here that really stick in my brain the way some others do.
Ghostface Killah
2/5
Ghostface does a good job creating some interesting stories, and is very talented lyrically. I just feel like the gansta rap thing had kind of run its course by this point, and this one starts to wear out its welcome partway through.
Tina Turner
4/5
Great singer, wonderful energy, really solid album.
Hole
3/5
Pretty solid, but not spectacular, 90s alt rock album. Really enjoyed the first couple songs on this one, but there wasn't enough in the back half to make me rate it that highly.
Stan Getz
3/5
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to, really pleasant vibe and good background music.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
I had no idea what to expect from this, and was pleasantly surprised. Probably not something I would listen to on repeat, but it had some nice grooves to it.
The Byrds
3/5
I'm familiar with a couple of the Byrds' big hits from the mid-60s, but had not heard most of this album before. I thought it was very solid, though the random acid-trip breaks in the middle of a couple songs wear a little thin.
The Temptations
4/5
Great album with a couple massive hits. "Papa was a Rolling Stone" is one of my favorite songs to ever come out of Motown.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I guess we had to get a Sinatra album eventually. I didn't hate it, it has a definite charm to it- but I'm sure glad this isn't where popular music peaked.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Not my favorite songs by the Beastie Boys, but the production with the layered samples and how well they work together is pretty astounding. This is one of the few albums on the list that I think truly could not be made today, just based on the licensing costs it would incur alone.
Garbage
4/5
Quintessential 90s alt rock. Lots of nostalgia here, and the sound still holds up even if the album might get a bit long.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
A charming, pleasant listen.
David Crosby
3/5
I've always preferred CSN to any of the solo efforts from that trio, and this one didn't change my mind. Still had some pretty interesting tracks though, so I didn't hate it, but not one that rises to the top for me.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
A couple solid classics here on a good, tight funk/soul album.
David Bowie
3/5
The title track really stands out here, I love the sound and underlying story. But not much else on this album really gets me that excited.
Solomon Burke
3/5
Apt name for this album, some old-school rock with an R&B/soul feel to it. Enjoyed this one.
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
Listening to this is like being stuck on Space Mountain, in the dark, right before the ride is about to actually start. The music (effectively) sets a tone, and gets you ready for *something*, anything, to happen, but it never does.
Nas
4/5
Great, lean album with no filler.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
A solid, but unspectacular, entry on this list. There's a lot of 90's/00's indie groups (whom I really like) that clearly took some inspiration from these guys, but I don't get quite as much from this one.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Another great golden age hip-hop album. This one looms larger than most, with some monster hits that have stood the test of time.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
I liked this one, I of course knew "Son of a Preacher Man" which is a great song, but most of the rest was new to me.
Björk
4/5
I liked this one a good bit more than I expected to. Nothing about the genre in general (or Bjork in particular) appeals to my musical tastes, but somehow this album just kind of works. It's full of melancholy, beautiful in places, and vulnerable.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
A decent golden age hip-hop album, but not one that really stands out for me.
Killing Joke
3/5
Had never heard of these guys before, but this was a pretty solid album.
Linkin Park
4/5
Nostalgia does a lot of the heavy lifting here, but I was the prime age to enjoy this when it came out and I still do.
Television
4/5
A band that I had heard of but never made it a point to listen to. I really liked this one though, the guitar harmonics are really beautiful and I like the simplicity of the production. This is one I'll probably return to.
The Sonics
3/5
Captures that same raw, bluesy energy from the Beatles earliest albums. I like the original songs on here ("Strychnine" and "The Witch" stand out particularly) but most of it is treading old ground with well-covered songs from the time.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
Had no idea what to expect from this one, but I ended up enjoying it well enough. It's like a mix of Skynard (who gets referenced more than their fair share) and Tom Petty with some extra social commentary thrown in for fun. It's not the best southern rock I've heard, but it's far from the worst. I just wish it wasn't 90 minutes long.
Venom
2/5
There's a lot of heavy metal out there that I like, but the only thing that distinguishes this one is the so-over-the-top-it-has-to-be-parody-right Satanic lyrics. It's almost funny in its ridiculousness, but the fact that it spawned a whole subgenre of music that is responsible for some legitimately awful stuff is enough to keep from just dismissing it out of hand.
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Well I'm a sucker for 00s-10s indie folk, so this one is right up my alley. The lyrics, the instrumentals, and the harmonies are just so good.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Pure 80s pop bliss. So many of these have stood the test of time, and are an essential part of any soundtrack for any media set in that decade.
Black Flag
3/5
Starts out on a really solid note with "Rise Above", with a couple other bangers scattered throughout ("TV Party", "Six Pack") but the back half starts to get a little grating and repetitive (even with the short runtime).
Brian Eno
2/5
I think I like Eno better when he's producing for other artists. There just wasn't much here that captured my attention.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Classic old-school hip-hop.
Prince
3/5
I've never been a huge fan of Prince, but I can't deny his talent in producing massively popular pop songs. There's some classics on here, but did it really have to be a double album? The back half really drags in my opinion.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
I was first introduced to RATM from watching The Matrix a few years after this albums came out, and hearing "Wake Up" for the first time probably marked the beginning of my foray into this genre. Lots to like on here, and bonus points for one of the more affecting album covers I've seen.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Pretty run-of-the-mill early 00s album that has a few nice beats but nothing special.
Carole King
5/5
Awesome album from one of the best singer-songwriters of all time.
Björk
2/5
Björk is one of those artists that I'm glad exists, simply because I think you need people like this to come along and challenge musical conventions every once in a while. I admire her creativity and boldness in that regard. Unfortunately for me as the listener, it turns out a lot of those conventions exist for a reason, as this weird, confusing, disjointed album shows.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Solid album from a fantastic singer.
Duran Duran
3/5
Early 80s new wave synth-pop is just not my jam, but I liked this one better than I expected. I knew some of the bigger hits from it, but I think the standout track for me was The Chauffeur.
Radiohead
3/5
I love Radiohead, but this is my least favorite of their albums on this list. Still a good listen, just not to the level of their better efforts.
Stereolab
2/5
Didn't love it, some catchy sections here and there but overall I thought it was pretty boring.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
"Xtina" has great talent, obviously, and I remember this one being when she started to really break out of the teeny-bop image. It has several good pop songs, maybe even a couple great ones ("Beautiful" and "Fighter" still get tons of play 20 years later). But man, going through this list has made me realize how much the invention of the CD caused serious runtime bloat to albums. This one is about 8 songs too long.
Kate Bush
3/5
Much, much better than the last Kate Bush album on here.
Jack White
4/5
Not quite to the level of his work on White Stripes, but still a lot to like here.
The Fall
2/5
This was OK, got a little repetitive after a while with nothing really that memorable.
Queen Latifah
2/5
Not terrible, but IMO doesn't stand up well to most of the other hip-hop albums on this list from that same era.
John Cale
3/5
I liked this one just OK, not sure baroque pop is to my taste.
Kraftwerk
3/5
It's very different, and I didn't hate it. Didn't love it either.
Green Day
4/5
A very, very popular album from my youth. Still holds up really well.
Elis Regina
2/5
Ian Dury
3/5
Classic UK punk rock, pretty fun.
The Damned
3/5
Oh, more British punk rock. I liked this one, especially "Noise, Noise, Noise".
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Didn't know this one, but there's a lot of well-known songs on here that have been covered extensively. Impressive collection of songs.
4/5
Some absolute classics on this one, probably the peak of 90's "Britpop" and one that I listened to a *lot* in high school and beyond. Anyway, here's Wonderwall.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
This was fine, just unremarkable.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I liked this more than I expected to, late stage 80s (really early 90s) synth-pop.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Not bad, a little morose but I enjoyed it.
Little Richard
4/5
Good music, great energy, all around a classic.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
A fun, upbeat album. Really liked the sound on this one.
Solange
3/5
I liked the soulful sound on this one. Had a hard time connecting to any of the lyrics, which I guess is to be expected as it says pretty explicitly that it's not "for me". Oh well, still a pretty interesting listen.
The Auteurs
2/5
I can see where later Britpop bands get their inspiration from here, but this one just doesn't have the same appeal (or hit songs) that those others have going for them.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
I think this one would probably grow on me with time, as it is I liked it fine but didn't find anything particular memorable that elevates it above a lot of other 90's indie rock.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I get the appeal, it's definitely got a beat and you can dance to it. The repetitiveness just gets to me, and that's why I can never get into techno. Still, I have to give this one props for having a couple huge hits that got way more airplay than I'd expect from this type of album back in the 90s.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
This was an impressive listen, a mish-mash of different genres and influences from all over the place, but it all somehow comes together and just works.
Orbital
2/5
It's fine as background music, it's just not really to my taste.
The War On Drugs
2/5
Sounds a bit like Springsteen if he just took a sleeping pill.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Beautiful album with some of my favorite folk/folk rock songs of all time.
Miles Davis
5/5
The only jazz album I really listen to on a regular basis. Just an all-time great.
The Police
4/5
Great sound, with some really catchy songs. One of the "new wave" bands that really transcended the sounds of the day.
Peter Frampton
3/5
This is enjoyable, just not particularly memorable outside a couple of tracks that have filtered down through the years and still got regular airplay. Not enough here to get me overly excited about it.
Violent Femmes
3/5
I like the raw, early grunge sound. Outside of "Blister in the Sun" though, none of the tracks really stood out as particularly memorable.
The Beach Boys
5/5
Love this album, one where the legacy speaks for itself but it's such a great listen too.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Just an all-around pleasure to listen to, so soothing to listen to and an interesting contrast to something like Kind of Blue where the brass tend to command attention.
Moby
3/5
I expected to hate this one, and while it still wouldn't rate high on a list of albums I'd be listening to on purpose, I have to acknowledge there's some real artistry here. Plus the way this music was just showing up *everywhere* in the early 00s says something about its mass appeal (as background for car ads if nothing else).
The Stooges
4/5
It's fun to hear something with this much raw, punk energy from such an early album. Really liked this one.
Traffic
3/5
Decent classic Brit rock from a band I knew little about, "Feelin' Alright" was the only one I was already familiar with.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Iconic, immediately transports you to a very distinct time and place.
Dire Straits
4/5
Love their sound, and what an impressive debut album. I hadn't heard much of these outside "Sultans of Swing" but I really enjoyed it.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
I didn't expect to like this one. The lyrics are cringey in places and sexist/overly hedonistic throughout, and it lacks some of the fire behind the more "conscious" rap. But Snoop's flow and Dre's production still makes it a fun listen in places.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Wow, this list-maker really likes Elvis Costello. Like his other entries here, this was a solid if unspectacular album.
Genesis
3/5
As "prog-rock concept" albums go, this one wasn't too bad. Several of the songs here are really good, I just felt it stretched on for far too long.
Ray Charles
4/5
Several classics here from a bygone era.
The Kinks
3/5
I should probably listen to more of the Kinks, as I do like their music. But all I could think of listening to this was "We have Sgt Pepper at home. Sgt Pepper at home:"
Johnny Cash
4/5
What a performance by one of the best singers of all time. While I think his Folsom live album is a touch better, this one still has a ton to offer. The energy coming off both Cash and the audience is electric, and a couple of the new songs here (San Quentin and especially Boy Named Sue) are instance classics.
Gillian Welch
4/5
I was first introduced to Gillian Welch through the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, and been a fan ever since. This is probably my favorite album of hers.
David Bowie
2/5
Apparently I'm very up and down on Bowie, with this one being in the down column. A couple decent tracks but no real standouts here for me.
Brian Eno
3/5
Experimental, nonsensical, glam rock don't usually work for me but here it's not too bad.
The Stooges
4/5
Love the raw power throughout, with some really nice guitar sound on songs like Gimme Danger.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Enjoyed it, but it just doesn't connect nearly as strongly with me as Songs in the Key of Life.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
I haven't been a big fan of most of the "world music" in this list, but this one hits a little different. A real guitar-driven, bluesy feel but with some African flair mixed in. Not bad for a few guys from (literally) Timbuktu.
Foo Fighters
3/5
This is good as debut albums go, though it's probably my least favorite of the 90s/00s Foo Fighters albums.
Magazine
2/5
This was fine, nothing particularly special in mind.
ZZ Top
4/5
A classic Southern rock album, though honestly side A feels a bit weak compared to the bangers on side B.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Another pleasant Stevie Wonder listen.
Neil Young
4/5
A great Neil Young album. Doesn't quite rise to the level of Harvest for me, but that's a really high bar to clear from one of greatest songwriters of all time.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
"Court and Spark", "Free Man in Paris", "Help Me" are the highlights here. Joni Mitchell can be a little hit or miss for me, but this album is firmly in the "hit" column.
Billy Bragg
3/5
I like the concept of the album, taking unheard Woody Guthrie songs and putting them to Billy Bragg/Wilco music. A couple tracks here really stood out (California Stars, Way Down Yonder in the Minor Key) but overall it didn't blow me away.
The Offspring
4/5
One of best things to come out of the 90s grunge/skate-punk era. Already was well-acquainted with the bigger hits from this ("Come Out and Play" and "Self-Esteem" are a couple of my favorite 90s songs) but really liked the whole albums from start to finish.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
As someone who doesn't listen to a ton of jazz, I've been a little surprised during this list with how many of the jazz tracks I recognize. This one might have the second-most (to Kind of Blue) that fall into that category, which is pretty impressive in its own right.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Can't argue with the talent and massive influence that Elvis had, and obviously he had some songs that have some great staying power. But as an *album*, I just didn't find anything here that wowed me.
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
More new wave that I don't hate but don't find that interesting either.
The Black Crowes
4/5
One of the best 70s blues/Southern rock albums, and it came out in '90. Really enjoy this one.
OutKast
4/5
Now we're talking, absolutely monster hip-hop album. The skits/interludes do grate on me a little but not as much as a lot of others. Andre 3000 is probably my favorite MC of all time, and his flow shines all over this one. B.O.B., Ms. Jackson, So Fresh So Clean, the hits just keep coming.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I went back and forth while listening to this one, from hating the lead singer's voice, to appreciating the guitar work, to rolling my eyes at the lyrics, to then really liking the songs on the back half.
Faith No More
3/5
Not bad, not my favorite metal album either though.
Pixies
4/5
I really like this album, though maybe more for the other albums it inspired through the 90s alt-rock craze.
The Zutons
4/5
Had absolutely no idea what to expect with this, but I really liked it.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
K-dot is my favorite current hip-hop guy, and I love the blend of politically and morally complex lyrics with some incredibly catchy beats. This is a good debut, but not my favorite of his.
The xx
3/5
Wasn't at all familiar with this group, but I enjoyed it. Has a sound very reminiscent of a lot of early 2010s indie rock groups.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
A stone-cold classic. Near-perfect album all the way through, loved it.
Eminem
4/5
Lyrics are as childish and, in places, repulsive as I remember. But they are undeniably catchy, and so over the top that they cross over into being enjoyable again.
Iron Maiden
3/5
It has its moments, but doesn't feel as groundbreaking as the heavy acts that came before, or as rich as some that would come on its heels.
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
I know this is a classic hip-hop album that I'm "supposed" to find incredibly groundbreaking but I've just never loved it. It's got a couple tracks I really like but the rest are pretty meh for me.
Beck
2/5
I like Beck, but his later stuff has never really landed with me. This one is fine, just a little too bland for my taste.
Little Simz
3/5
Went into this one blind- had never heard of Little Simz or this album. I won't say I was blown away, but I thought the production on this was well done, and the beats on a couple tracks were quite catchy.
Elton John
4/5
Alright, this one has some absolute classics on it no question, and if it was just Side A&B I'd probably give it 5 stars. But did it really need to be a double album? Sides C&D just don't land quite the same way with me.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Subtle this is not. Wasn't a huge fan.
Arcade Fire
4/5
My car that I've been driving since 2010 still has a 6 CD disc changer in it, which is rarely used anymore but every once in a while the mood strikes me and I'll flip off my phone and over to that. This album has been in slot 2 for almost that whole time, and I'll still gladly listen to it all the way through with no skips.
Bob Dylan
5/5
At least in terms of pure songwriting, this album is what I would consider to be the GOAT. I know it was hugely influential in a lot of other ways musically, but honestly just the lyrics on songs like "Like a Rolling Stone", "Ballad of a Thin Man", "Highway 61 Revisited", and "Desolation Row" would be enough to make this an easy 5 stars.
Talvin Singh
1/5
If I'm rating purely on musical artistry or creativity, then sure this might warrant at least 3 stars. But these are my ratings, based (in large part, at least) on how much I *like* the music, and on that basis this one's a dud.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Starts out with a bang on Immigrant Song, but the rest of the album is not up to the standards of LZ's other albums. That's probably an unfair benchmark, but it's hard not to judge this one on the basis of those. Still, a solid album regardless.
Can
2/5
Did not care for this one at first, though by the back half it started to grow on me.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
These guys are a nice contrast to the darker, "tough-guy" style that permeates a lot of the other rap albums from this era. Upbeat, fun, with some smooth flow and interesting lyrics.
George Harrison
4/5
Good stuff, it's remarkable to me that he was putting this together in the midst of all the chaos of the Beatles break-up. My only complaint is the length, I could see this being a double album but triple, really??
Beatles
5/5
It's hard to argue against this as the GOAT. Has probably the best opening 1-2 punch of any album ever, amazing guitar work and production throughout, and the side B medley is maybe my favorite multi-track stretch of songs that's ever been made. Oh and the most iconic album cover ever created. Just all-around incredible.
Guided By Voices
2/5
If I could go back to the 90s, and park my car somewhere that I could pick up multiple college radio stations on the AM dial (some of them with a good deal of static), switched to a new one every minute or so whether the current song was done or not, and captured it all with a handheld cassette recorder, I imagine it would sound a lot like this.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I can see where existing fans might have been confused or put out by this one, and I don't personally enjoy it nearly as much as Pet Sounds, but it's got some interesting stuff. I especially like the last few tracks.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
A little too understated next to some of their other albums, I just didn't get much enjoyment from this one.
The Doors
4/5
Well acquainted with this one, and one I've always liked for the combination of Jim's vocals/lyrics as well as the really unique addition of the organ that gives a fullness to the sound. There are just a couple tracks here that I don't really care for, which is the only thing keeping this from a 5 star album.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
Didn't know these guys beforehand, but I enjoyed this one pretty well. Felt like a proto-emo/screamo type album.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Didn't expect to like this one as much as I did. Some really good songs on here.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Great overall, can't say I loved every single track but it does have a couple of my favorites of his.
Coldplay
5/5
Love this album. I'm not a huge fan of most of Coldplay's output after this, but this has some of the best pop/rock songs from this decade. The Scientist, Green Eyes, and Amsterdam are some of my absolute favorite songs.
The Cure
3/5
Hadn't heard this one before, and I liked it. Very tight album with a very 80s sound that I will probably return to.
Ice Cube
3/5
Something about Ice Cube's energy and delivery that just really sells his music for me. Didn't love every track, but overall I thought it was solid.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Nice, quick, energetic album.
Röyksopp
2/5
Not my usual style of music- it was a pleasant enough listen I guess but just not to my taste.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Awesome album, Janis's vocals are just on another level and really pull you into every song.
Gorillaz
3/5
A couple tracks on here were frequent listens for me back in high school, though the album as a whole doesn't quite live up to the promise of those songs.
Dead Kennedys
2/5
I like punk, and I like angry music, but it's got to have some variety and *some* level of musicality. This one had one or two tracks I thought were good, the rest was pretty meh.
Parliament
4/5
Classic funk record, what's not to like?
Tom Waits
3/5
I am a huge, unabashed fan of Tom Waits. There's at least 4-5 of his albums that I would think easily deserve a place on this list. That said, this isn't one that I hold in quite as high of regard.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Another classic Dylan album. For me the second half of this double album doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first, but it's a great one nonetheless.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
I know this is a seminal hip-hop record, and it's got a couple really good tracks, but overall I've never quite gotten the hype for it.
Mj Cole
2/5
Doesn't do much for me.
The Jam
3/5
Not bad, not particularly memorable either though.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Another very enjoyable entry from this group.
U2
4/5
Great record with a couple of my favorite U2 songs.
John Lennon
4/5
Objectively this is probably the best post-Beatles album any of them came out with, but man does the sanctimony and derision rub me the wrong way on so many of these songs.
Tom Waits
4/5
Here's another Tom Waits album that is not in my regular rotation, but which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Norah Jones
3/5
Nothing says "hanging out in Starbucks in the early 00s" quite like this album.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Love Hendrix, really like this album even if it's lacking many of his more iconic tracks.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Another fantastic Dylan album. Tangled up in Blue and Shelter from the Storm are two of my favorite Dylan tunes, which help elevate this album to 5 stars in my mind.
Nirvana
5/5
One of the greatest live rock performances ever captured, and to have it happen when these guys were at their peak right just a few months before it would all come to a tragic end gives it some extra weight.
Korn
2/5
While I was admittedly a fan of some of their imitators/successors in my younger years, Korn never held any real appeal for me. This album has energy and style to it, for sure, but just doesn't really resonate with me the way it might have as a teenager.
Wilco
3/5
Decent but lacks the really gripping songs that I love from YHF.
Radiohead
5/5
Been waiting for this one. :) Part of my regular rotation, one of my favorite Radiohead albums (sits just below OK Computer in my book).
Tracy Chapman
2/5
This was fine, nothing to get excited about.
Steely Dan
3/5
Really impressive for a debut album, though outside of "Reelin' in the Years" the other songs aren't particularly memorable for me.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Nice blues album by a real blues legend.
Mike Oldfield
3/5
Me at 0:10: oh nice, it's the theme from The Exorcist, that's super catchy
Me at 12:00: still going huh? OK he's doing some slightly different stuff at least
Me at 26:00: well that was long but not terrible and it's over now- oh, nope, there's a part 2
Me at 37:50: oh hey, the demon from The Exorcist actually makes a cameo
Me at 49:10: well that was very different. Did I like it? I'm not sure
Big Star
3/5
A little darker/more depressing than I expected, but didn't hate it.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
One of the best folk rock albums out there. I'm a sucker for good vocal harmonies, and this is full of them.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
A favorite of mine going back to my college days. Such a rich-sounding album with some really fascinating themes throughout. Also, mind-boggling when you look at the credits and realize Sufjan Stevens did basically everything on here (instruments, vocals, engineering, production) himself.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Judging the album by the cover, I thought I was going to hate this but it was actually pretty enjoyable. Early punk with added saxophone makes for a compelling combo.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Lots of rage, lots of energy, only moderately enjoyable for me.
Deerhunter
3/5
One that might grow on me with time, as I like a lot of their indie rock contemporaries but never really took the time to get into Deerhunter. Didn't blow me away, but I might return to this one.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Pretty much what I expect from a Bob Marley album- chill, upbeat, and makes me wish I was sitting on a beach instead of in front of my computer.
Metallica
3/5
A solid album, but it's hard to avoid comparing it to their Black Album, and by that comparison it just feels woefully average.
Motörhead
2/5
I know live albums aren't always going to be great for sound quality, but I thought this one was especially poor. That and the fact I don't really care that much for Motorhead made it a pretty subpar listen.
Grateful Dead
4/5
I still don't really get the hype around the Dead, *but* I enjoyed this album so much more than the live one I got earlier in this list. This has some actual, tight songs with rich instrumentation and catchy riffs. I could get into this, but as I understand it this was the pinnacle of their studio albums so I still don't think I'll ever really get into them as a band.
Digital Underground
3/5
This was a pretty wild trip. I went from bopping along happily, to laughing out loud, to cringing in discomfort, back to bopping (sometimes all on the same track).
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
"But all my words come back to me, in shades of mediocrity. Like emptiness in harmony I need someone to comfort me." Call it what you will, mawkish, overly sentimental, whatever. S&G's lyrics and harmonies have a way of pulling at my emotions that almost no other music does. Here's another of their albums full of incredibly well-written, meticulously performed classics.
Beatles
5/5
Another day, another Beatles masterpiece. This was the start of when they stopped worrying about being able to reproduce their music live and just focused on innovation in the studio, and as someone who wasn't alive to see them perform live anyway, I'm very happy for it.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Just because the name lampshades the fact it's going to put me to sleep doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy it any more.
MGMT
2/5
Typical electro-pop fare, not sure why it made the list to be honest.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
Not a group I've listened to much, I liked this one OK there just aren't any tracks that really stood out.
Pixies
3/5
I know it was influential to a lot of early 90s alt-rock groups that I really like, but this one never resonated that much with me.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
This is about as quintessential 90s as you can get. Has a couple weaker tracks, but several monster hits that still get regular airplay.
Public Enemy
3/5
I like Public Enemy, Chuck D is one of my favorite MCs, but this one doesn't quite live up to their earlier efforts.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Great songwriting, even if it doesn't have my favorite songs of his.
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
An interesting slice of 70s R&B, if not exactly up my alley.
Eagles
4/5
The title track on here is of course as iconic as they come, for good reason. And there's a couple other very very good songs on here- I debated between 4 and 5 stars on this for a while, and went with 4 because while it has a couple incredible songs the album as a whole doesn't quite carry the same weight.
Neil Young
3/5
Has its moments, but never rises to the level of some of Neil's other works.
Van Morrison
3/5
A solid live album, even if live albums aren't generally my thing.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
This one took me by surprise, wasn't familiar with this group at all but really enjoyed it.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I know they're influential, but there's a reason many of the groups they influenced made it much bigger: their music was just a lot more fun to listen to.
Pink Floyd
5/5
About the easiest 5 stars there will be on this list. Just a masterpiece, plain and simple, which I enjoyed just as much today as the first time I heard it.
Fiona Apple
3/5
I like this one pretty well, holds up well as a decent 90s female vocalist album. Impressive for a debut album, but unfortunately I got it just a couple weeks after Jagged Little Pill and it pales next to that one.
Brian Eno
2/5
Surprising and interesting at times, but "surprising" and "interesting" aren't always compliments when it comes to music.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
Good debut album, and a harbinger of things to come from this guy. This one has a couple very good tracks that stood the test of time, and a bunch of good-but-not-as-memorable songs that leave me wishing I was listening to one of his later records.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
An interesting blend of styles and eras, but not one that really gelled with me.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Still has a lot of vitriol and punch today, so I can only imagine the response to this one when it came out almost 50 years ago. It's not something I find myself wanting to revisit much, but I give it some extra points for its influence on music culture and its staying power.
Prince
4/5
Prince was a weird dude whose music sometimes astounds me, sometimes makes me cringe, but pretty much always makes an impression.
Steely Dan
4/5
This is one of those that always comes up on lists like "best produced album ever" or "best one to listen to when testing out new speakers/headphones" and it is in fact impressively produced and performed. I've never gotten super into Steely Dan, something about their music never connected with me on a personal level, but I can respect the skill on display here.
The Strokes
4/5
A milestone of garage/grunge rock from my formative years.
Van Morrison
4/5
Nothing earth-shattering, just a really solid mix of jazz, folk, and pop that makes for a very pleasant package of tunes.
Björk
2/5
So I get the appeal of Björk, I really do, but her music just isn't to my taste.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Sparse but solid album. Wasn't familiar with her work but I enjoyed the listen.
Bauhaus
2/5
An album that was interesting mostly because I was surprised the goth rock sound originated this early. That said, I've no particular fondness for goth rock so that isn't exactly a point in its favor.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Boy this one was the source of so much disgust and moral panic when I was a kid. Peeling back the layer of blasphemy and hateful lyrics, there is actually some legitimately interesting sound to this. I think that's more due to Trent Reznor's brilliance as a producer than anything on Manson's end, but it elevates this from pure 1-star filth to at least a noteworthy listen.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
Country pop is pretty low on my preferred genres list, but this was tolerable.
Miles Davis
3/5
Definitely a nice, enjoyable listen, even if it doesn't hit me the same as the seminal records that he would drop a few years later.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
A 90s alt-rock standard. Still holds up, IMO.
The Associates
2/5
80s synth-pop, art-rock, whatever you call it, just is not really my jam.
k.d. lang
3/5
Not bad, better than expected at least.
The Pogues
4/5
Quite enjoyed this one, a different type of music than I usually find myself listening to but one I could enjoy occasionally. I know they didn't write it, but I did find their rendition of "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" moving.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Don't often find myself listening to big band/orchestral jazz albums, but here we are. Toe-tappers for sure, and talented musicians throughout, albeit not the type of music I look for often.
Prince
4/5
Definitely my favorite Prince album, and one filled with some real bangers.
The Pretty Things
3/5
This was very interesting, I think the idea of rock operas always appeal to me more than their actual execution, but I did enjoy this one pretty well.
Dolly Parton
3/5
I liked this one, these are some of my favorite female vocalists and I especially enjoy Emmylou Harris' voice
Aerosmith
4/5
I do like Aerosmith, and it's kind of entertaining to listen to some of this music that's a window to a not-so-distant past where rock groups could croon lyrics that would never fly today.
Depeche Mode
4/5
While I'm not exactly a synth-pop fan, I have to admit this one's really good. You've got some upbeat bangers like "Personal Jesus" and the more brooding/introspective songs that fill it out nicely, all with a pretty compelling sound behind them. Depeche Mode might "make me a believer" yet.
Elvis Costello
4/5
I hadn't listened to much of this guy before going this list, and now feel inundated. This is probably the best of the bunch, though.
The White Stripes
3/5
A nice collection of songs, but one that lacks the power and impact of their previous albums.
808 State
1/5
I guess if you're high in a rave club this is a fine beat to dance to? Just doesn't do anything at all for me. And while we're probably rapidly approaching the point where GenAI can make good music indistinguishable from creative artists, I'm pretty sure computers could already make music this good 20 years ago.
Roni Size
1/5
Not my style, and it wore out its welcome with an hour and a half left. Were it a bit shorter I might could justify a second star, but as is I just really, really did not care for this listening experience.
Elton John
4/5
Very good album, with a couple absolute classic Elton numbers (Tiny Dancer being foremost). Might not be quite at the same level as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road but it's great nevertheless.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
I feel like a major CCR fanboy right now, as this is their third album I've received, and I'm about to give 5 stars for the third time. But I can't help it, this is just an incredible record from start to finish.
Paul Simon
3/5
Not bad, but not one that lives up to his other works in my view.
The The
3/5
An odd in-betweener album that feels ahead of any alt-rock 80s efforts but not quite a 90s feel.
Kanye West
3/5
This was probably the last Ye album I took much interest in, and for me it's nowhere as enjoyable as some of his previous efforts. That said, I give points for some of the legitimate innovation here.
Nick Drake
4/5
Only really know Nick Drake's music from assorted movie soundtracks, but to his credit they're some of my favorite soundtracks. This album was really solid though- seems like a direct line from him to guys like Elliott Smith.
The Clash
4/5
This one looms large on the punk scene. It's got great energy and I love rawness of it, though if I'm just judging it on its own merits rather than its influence it doesn't land with me the same as some of the later albums it would be a model for.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
This was enjoyable enough, but not really breaking any new ground here.
Gram Parsons
3/5
Emmylou Harris is the main draw for me on this one. The songwriting and Parsons' vocals are good too, but there's a part of me that dislikes it simply because I think it helped create the template for a lot of really corny country music that would come later.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Good stuff, a little lighter and more Phil Spector/wall-of-soundy than their later more mature albums. But it's hard not to like the energy pure all-American pop vibes.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Dark and brooding, I like his voice on these later albums but this one doesn't the songs that land quite as well as a few of his earlier efforts.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Much, much better than I expected from the electronica genre label. More of a fusion with alt-rock, and I thought it was pretty enjoyable.
Small Faces
3/5
A blend of psychedelia that has a little more variety to it than a lot of its contemporaries. This one was pretty interesting.
Metallica
4/5
I may be a bit biased as a Hokie fan, but I think Metallica is far and away the best thrash metal band ever. The combination here of aggressive speed riffs, adrenaline-inducing drums, great harmonizing, and thematic lyrics is pretty hard to beat. While their Black album will probably always be my favorite (again, some bias from all the times of bouncing in the football stands to Enter Sandman), this one's pretty great too.
Boston
4/5
Could just as easily be a greatest hits album. I think every song on here gets pretty consistent play on rock stations, and I know it had a huge influence on the industry when it debuted.
Nina Simone
4/5
This one took me off-guard. Not the type of music I listen to often, but I loved the charged vocals and raw feeling behind the lyrics.
The Who
5/5
About as classic as it gets for "hard rock" albums. Between this and Tommy, I'm struck by The Who's knack for opening guitar riffs on their albums. A couple of the middle tracks are not my favorite, but the rest of it is so good I still easily give it 5 stars.
Skepta
2/5
Some variety here in the hip-hop genre which I appreciate, but no standout songs that really grabbed my interest either.
Peter Tosh
2/5
Eh, while I can dig the sound, it gets pretty monotonous after a while.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Not really my style, and nothing here stood out as particularly memorable.
Supertramp
2/5
Never been very drawn to Supertramp, and nothing in this album led me to regret that sentiment.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This might rival the Boston album for being the most full of radio hits with no filler. Not that I'm the biggest Boss fan, but this is an impressive collection of hits.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Catchy music (especially the beat) with vocals that alternate from weirdly compelling to irritatingly offputting.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Not bad, a little wistful and melancholy.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I liked this one a lot, has a nice mix of bluesy rock and more gloomy "goth rock" that has some nice power behind the lyrics and vocals.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
Meh, perhaps if I was Brazilian or understood Portuguese this would have more impact.
ABBA
4/5
I've always dismissed ABBA as being overly "poppy" but I was impressed with the depth of this album. A couple legitimate hits here, but with some real interesting music behind it too.
Syd Barrett
2/5
Not great. After the first couple songs I thought it might actually be decent, but it quickly descended into what should have been studio outtakes. I feel a little bad after reading more of the history behind this album, but this is just a sad, incoherent mess.
William Orbit
3/5
Good mood setter, this may be a new go-to when I'm doing heads down work where I'd get distracted by music with words.
Mekons
2/5
Not exactly up my alley.
Haircut 100
2/5
Another downy-soft new wave album to throw onto the pile. Some catchy tunes but nothing that really appeals to me.
fIREHOSE
3/5
Fairly standard late-80s alt-rock fare.
FKA twigs
3/5
Definitely one of the better recent R&B (electronic R&B? alt R&B) albums I've heard.
Laura Nyro
4/5
This one surprised me as I wasn't familiar with her at all, but there's some Carole King similarities here and also a proto-80s/90s female songwriter vibe too.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Never really been a Rod Stewart fan per se, but this one was fine enough.
King Crimson
3/5
I know they're an influential early prog-rock group, but King Crimson has always been second fiddle in my mind behind groups like Pink Floyd. Still, I can see the inventiveness here and admire their desire to experiment and push boundaries.
George Michael
3/5
I get why this is included in the list. There's several tracks here that were monster hits, and yeah they're catchy. It's just not one that's really to my taste.
Machito
3/5
Energy and beat are fun, but it does get a little same-y after a while.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Classic, the actual "birth" of metal as I understand it. Doesn't hit quite the same as some of their other efforts but impressive and fun to listen to all the same.
2/5
This was fine, an interesting vibe but nothing that makes me want to come back for more.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Enjoyable, but not mind-blowing, jazz album.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Very much a product of its era, this was a moderately fun listen.
Tito Puente
3/5
Was it fun and upbeat? Sure. Did it hold my interest after the first few minutes? Not really.
Johnny Cash
4/5
This is one I've been enjoying for 20 years. A solid collection of covers done by a legend, the only knock is that there are almost no original songs. Still, this provided my favorite version of most songs here, and my 2nd favorite of all the rest.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Raw, energetic, eccentric, not quite to my taste.
Madonna
3/5
I can appreciate that in the time period where this came out, there was a lot of teen pop and R&B dominating the charts, and Madonna was going for something relevant but more refined. And I think she mostly succeeded, though it's not the sort of music I'm generally a huge fan of (and the cover of American Pie is a travesty).
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
I generally find very little to love in the post-Beatles solo efforts, but this album is one of the very few exceptions. While it doesn't live up to anything he did with the Beatles, it's a great showcase for Paul's knack for making catchy pop hits.
The Stooges
3/5
Not bad, not all that notable either.
G. Love & Special Sauce
4/5
Is this album "notable" enough to warrant inclusion on the list? I don't know, but I really dig the sound and the interesting mix of blues with the more hip-hop/soul feel.
The Verve
3/5
This was enjoyable enough, I think I prefer their other album on the list but I would listen to this one again.
The Cardigans
4/5
I think this one just hit me in the right mood today, because I thoroughly enjoyed this from beginning to end. I was familiar with the singles from this album (especially Lovefool) but this was the first time I'd heard most of the others and was pretty impressed.
The Who
4/5
Definitely near the top of the list of favorite live rock albums.
The Blue Nile
2/5
Seems like rather standard 80s synth-pop fare.
Jane Weaver
2/5
Meh, nothing to move the needle here.
The Birthday Party
1/5
When I started this list, I committed to myself that I would listen to every album all the way through no matter how unpleasant. 430+ albums in, and this is the first to really tempt me to turn it off early. Just, why?
Crowded House
3/5
This one was fine, just no real standouts for me.
Ute Lemper
3/5
A rather somber sound overall, with a mix of downer lyrics to go with it. I liked it ok, but not a real standout for me.
Silver Jews
3/5
This was ok, kind of a standard circa-2000 indie rock flair.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This is my favorite of Cohen's albums. It's the perfect blend of when his voice is at its somber baritone best, and his lyrics harmonize with it to hit just the right note of melancholy with a tinge of self-deprecating humor.
The Cramps
3/5
I like the spooky, gothic feel of this one pretty well though none of the songs were real standout hits.
New York Dolls
3/5
This is a band (and album) that gets cited as a big influence by a lot of bands I really like, and I know is a favorite of Christgau and his ilk. Maybe it would mean more to me if I heard it in the context of when it came out, but as is it's just kind of- good? Not earth-shattering or anything.
The Stranglers
4/5
Moody without being a downer, raunchy without quite being obscene, this one strikes a pretty unique note that I enjoyed.
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
Caustic, raw, emotion-filled. I liked it.
Richard Hawley
3/5
Has a pleasant, old-school feel to it. Not a lot of standouts but a nice one to put on the background anyway.
Otis Redding
4/5
Absolutely wonderful music from a master singer. The only thing holding it back is that only a couple of these are originals (one of which would soon be completely overshadowed by Aretha Franklin's rendition).
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
This was a solid R&B album, but not enough to turn me into an R&B fan.
50 Cent
2/5
This was a big one during my high school days, "In Da Club" in particular got an insane amount of airplay. 50 Cent just never appealed that much to me.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
All hits, no filler. A serious contender for GOAT album, especially knowing the backstory of all the drama that led to it. Also inspired one of my favorite bits of comedy dialogue:
"You get a love triangle- you know? Fleetwood Mac situation. Well there was four of them, so more of a love square... Mind you, they did make some of their best music back then."
"Rumours."
"No, that's all true."
Lightning Bolt
2/5
Oof, this was an assault on the senses. The only thing keeping it from a 1 is that I have to admire the audacity in trying to make music out of this, even succeeding at it in a few places.
Soul II Soul
2/5
This was... fine. Pretty mellow dance music that has a decent beat and a couple catchy songs but nothing real special about it.
Klaxons
2/5
This was hit-or-miss for me, a couple pretty strong tracks but a lot that were fairly forgettable.
3/5
I laughed out loud when this one popped up. The idea of this over-the-top, cringe-worthy album being on any essentials list of albums seems ridiculous. But as I listened to it (hit with a heavy dose of nostalgia from listening to this as a teen) it occurred to me that if you wanted to pick an album to best reflect what pop music culture was (the good, the bad, and especially the ugly) circa 2000, this might just be the one. Much as I detest Fred Durst's lyrics and vocals, I have to admit there's some catchy riffs on here thanks to Wes Borland's talent. I'll let nostalgia carry the day and award it 3 stars.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
A solid debut album, this offers a light preview of the edgier, blues-influenced rock the Stones would pump out over the next several years. This collection of covers doesn't hold a candle to the albums that would follow shortly after, though.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
A decent bit of early 90s alt-rock. Seems like a direct precursor to the emo groups that got big later this decade.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
90s-00s era country music is among some of my least favorite music, but this album (while not immune to those influences) at least shows some progress toward the "Americana"/roots style music that is IMO much better.
Didn't really know any of these apart from "Stay With Me" but I thought this was a nice listen.
Cornershop
2/5
Eh, not bad but didn't find it that interesting either.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Classic hip-hop golden age album (and arguably the one that kicked off the golden age). Still holds up pretty well.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Is it the best Neil Young album out there? No, not by a long shot. But it's still a solid effort.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
Short and sweet, but there's nothing particularly "inspirational" about it.
Wire
4/5
It's funny to see something that came out in '77 labeled as post-punk, but I rather enjoyed this one.
David Bowie
4/5
This list is a little too Bowie-heavy for my taste, but I prefer this one to most of his output from the 40-ish years prior. Does some interesting experimentation while still creating some catchy and enjoyable music.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Airy, ethereal vocals that have some charm but do wear thin after a while. Still a pleasant enough listen.
Black Sabbath
4/5
A classic, even if it doesn't quite reach the peaks that their first couple albums did.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Pretty decent old-school hip-hop.
Ramones
4/5
Great early punk album.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
What a debut album. Is it as good as II or IV? Probably not, but what is?
Pantera
3/5
Never really got into Pantera but I like a few of the riffs on this one.
Brian Wilson
3/5
This is one where I think the legend and lore far outweigh the significance of the actual music on the album. Had it come out in 66 when it was supposed to maybe it's a different story, but as it is this is an interesting but not groundbreaking record.
Slipknot
3/5
One of the better examples of 00s metal, I like the transitions from heavy vocals+thrashing into the more melodic sections.
Weather Report
2/5
Jazz-fusion, jazz-rock, whatever you want to call it, just doesn't do much for me.
TV On The Radio
3/5
A decent indie rock example, but no real standouts.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Not my jam.
The Undertones
3/5
Nice little early 80s punk album but nothing terribly special about it.
Robbie Williams
2/5
Generic-sounding britpop- it's not terrible, but it suffers in comparison with similar albums I've rated more highly simply because I don't have the same affinity for any of its songs from my youth.
The Waterboys
4/5
I really like folk rock, and this one's no exception.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
I admire this guy and his craft, and I wanted to like this one more, but it just didn't really pop for me.
Deep Purple
4/5
One of the great early hard rock albums.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Throw another decent-but-samey new wave album on the pile, I suppose.
The Vines
3/5
An enjoyable but not groundbreaking 00s alt rock example.
Buzzcocks
4/5
Pretty enjoyable punk album. The thing I'm appreciating about punk albums from this list is they very rarely outstay their welcome. Less is more.
Public Enemy
5/5
It's a toss-up between this and Licensed to Ill for my favorite 80s hip hop album, but this one's so good and definitely takes on some added heft with the social commentary.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Basically a non-stop hit parade. As pop albums go, this one's pretty close to the top.
3/5
Good, solid brit-pop listen.
Moby Grape
3/5
There's no real standout songs here, but it's a consistently fun listen the whole way through.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Been pretty up and down with Nick Cave on this list, but I thought this was one of the better ones.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
There's much better Springsteen albums out there, but this isn't bad.
The Residents
1/5
A couple years ago, I had to have an old root canal repaired. The start of the procedure, as they were drilling through tooth, was quite unpleasant but I found a way to push through. Then, without warning, the drill started hitting against the old filling, causing a (quite alarming) metallic grinding sound and vibration that sent a jolt through my whole body. This proceeded intermittently for the next half hour.
This album was basically the musical equivalent of that.
Happy Mondays
2/5
This one sent me down a wiki-hole of reading about Madchester. A pretty interesting sound, but sits in between some genres that appeal much more to me.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Just pure 60s rock.
The Triffids
2/5
This is one I could see growing on me, but it didn't resonate with me too much on the initial pass.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Has its ups and downs but I liked this on the whole.
Nick Drake
3/5
A little maudlin but I still liked it well enough.
Arrested Development
4/5
A nice hip-hop album with some change of pace from what was the gangsta rap norm at the time. (And "Tennessee" stands as an all-time great single).
Stereo MC's
2/5
Not terrible, just not that interesting for me.
The Slits
2/5
I don't mind punk being combative and crude, that's kind of the point, this just felt like it took it a little past the point where it was still enjoyable.
Butthole Surfers
3/5
This album seems to have all the ingredients for one I would hate- weird tonal shifts, bizarrely aggressive lyrics, spurts of incoherent noise... and yet, for reasons I can't really explain, it just all sort of *works* for me somehow. I'm not saying it's great, I don't think it is, but it was fascinating enough to cancel out some of the more off-putting elements.
Pere Ubu
2/5
It is certainly interesting, and I can see how it was pushing the bounds back in the 70s, but it's not exactly to my taste either.
System Of A Down
3/5
SOAD is one of the few nu metal groups that I think has aged well, though this debut album doesn't showcase their talents as much as Toxicity.
The Temptations
3/5
Nice blend of soul and funk. Not really what I think of when I think of this group.
Janet Jackson
2/5
Don't get the hype for this one, seems like typical late 80s pop fare.
Steely Dan
3/5
Slickly produced, enjoyable enough, but with nothing that grabs me emotionally.
Brian Eno
2/5
I mean, as ambient music meant for relaxing in an airport goes, I guess this is as good as it gets? But what a weird category to voluntarily put your music in.
David Bowie
3/5
Is there a Bowie album *not* on this list? This one was pretty decent, anyway. Just didn't enjoy the B-side all that much.