442
Albums Rated
3.27
Average Rating
41%
Complete
647 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Soul
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
32
5-Star Albums
9
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ctrl
SZA
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
|
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
The College Dropout
Kanye West
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Either Or
Elliott Smith
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
|
5 | 3.41 | +1.59 |
|
Diamond Life
Sade
|
5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
|
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
|
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
|
5 | 3.51 | +1.49 |
|
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
|
4 | 2.58 | +1.42 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
|
2 | 3.82 | -1.82 |
|
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
|
2 | 3.61 | -1.61 |
|
Low
David Bowie
|
2 | 3.55 | -1.55 |
|
Timeless
Goldie
|
1 | 2.53 | -1.53 |
|
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
|
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
|
2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
|
Suicide
Suicide
|
1 | 2.46 | -1.46 |
|
...And Justice For All
Metallica
|
2 | 3.43 | -1.43 |
|
Synchronicity
The Police
|
2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
|
The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
|
2 | 3.39 | -1.39 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kanye West | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 5 | 4.2 |
| R.E.M. | 3 | 4.33 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Björk | 4 | 2.25 |
5-Star Albums (32)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Talk Talk · 2 likes
4/5
Wasn’t happy with a song lengths but it was a pretty interesting listen. Vocals sounded like Tears for Fears. Two songs were just no sound for a while which was kind of annoying but the rest was good. Low 4.
Portishead · 1 likes
2/5
Didn’t enjoy the vibes of this one. Not my thing.
Pixies · 1 likes
2/5
Another album where the super popular song doesn’t sound much like the rest of the album. Idk I couldn’t really get into this.
Otis Redding · 1 likes
4/5
The Watch the Throne Otis sample is not on this album but a few parts did sound like it. Pretty good, not bad for doing work. 30 minutes, 11 songs, can't complain.
1-Star Albums (9)
All Ratings
Dusty Springfield
4/5
I remember listening to this at Geagle and then I realized I didn’t really listen to it so I didn’t rate it. But I was listening to it at work and I enjoyed it a lot. High 4
Bob Dylan
4/5
Had to focus on the lyrics a lot more than I was expecting, was following along on Genius for the album. Lot of harmonica.
The Band
2/5
I was surprised this was from the 60's since it does not sound like the Beatles.
This was extremely mediocre. Nothing really clicked for me, not even the one hit song. The organs were nice though. High 2.
Blondie
4/5
Groovy beats, fast tempo, the vocalist was doing her thing, but as songs I felt like all of them didn't land. Some good tracks and no duds, I think it could grow on me. I like the album cover. Would give a 3.5 if I could.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
The album length made me think about how I evaluate whether an album is good or not. As a listening experience, it was great, but can I pick out individual songs and add them to the rotation of Liked Songs? Possibly. I don't know if I would listen to 8 and 7 minute long songs on the regular.
I like the album cover. The production was great and fun to listen to. Lot of good songs. Overall great album.
Public Enemy
3/5
This album differed from the previous albums in the sense that it required more attentive listening, since there is a lot of emphasis on the lyricism. I listened more passively, so I can't say I appreciated it fully. Maybe later I'll revisit certain tracks individually. I enjoyed the instrumental tracks though.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Felt kind of tranquil listening to this one. Some songs I liked were Blue, Carey, and California. I liked how simple some of the songs were, like just vocals and a piano. Overall though it wasn't my thing, don't know if I would listen to the cover to cover again.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
First live album I have been tricked into listening to. Wasn't bad, guitar parts were pretty cool, and some of the songs in the beginning were pretty good I think. But I don't remember too much of it.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
I was hyped for this album because I like Under the Bridge as well as some RHCP songs from other albums. But turns out every song is like a worse version of Give it Away, a track I already dislike. Was feeling kind of tired of the vocalist's choppy flow by the end. Maybe the rating is lower because I had high expectations
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Definitely a unique sound all around, the vocals are probably the most memorable part. Enjoyed the second half of the album a bit more.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I kind of listened to most of this but don't remember much of it, only the guitar solo in the really long song. I’ll revisit some of the popular songs later
Beastie Boys
3/5
This was alright. Shouting worked on some songs. The vocal effect where it seems like they are talking through a megaphone was not fun, it all sounded the same. I am not sure what the musical interludes were for. Solid 3.
Liz Phair
3/5
Not bad, but just so long. I was putting off reviewing this because I couldn't figure out which songs I liked.
The Police
3/5
Pretty middle of the road. This was better than Synchronicity though.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Wasn't a bad album, kind of relaxed, no real duds, but nothing that jumped off the page for me. By the end of each song I was a little bored of it.
Wasn't expecting the Aldous Huxley shout out
Garbage
4/5
I liked the vibes. The vocals went well with the beats
Soul II Soul
2/5
I listened to this twice while traveling and feel asleep both times. Wasn't a bad sounding album though. I was pleasantly surprised to recognize that Feeling Free was sampled on a song that I listen to sometimes.
Stereolab
4/5
Sounded unique, interesting production, enjoyed the vocals and the repetitive parts. I am not a fan of the album title inspiration though.
Various Artists
4/5
This would be great in a Christmas setting, but not optimal to listen to back to back by yourself. I enjoyed the songs I recognized, the rest sounded pretty similar given the theme.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Felt like a very 80s album, like songs that could have been in the Top Gun soundtrack. Enjoyed the vocals and the Kate Bush feature. Some songs kind of dragged, but overall great album.
George Harrison
5/5
The long album length prevented me from listening to this earlier. It is pretty good, What is Life is one of my favorite songs on any of the albums we've got. The instrumentals and rerecordings aren't that necessary but aren't bad to listen to. Low 5.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
I liked the album length. Pretty mediocre. Some really slow or instrumental songs. But not bad sounding, just boring at times. Also this is called Buffalo Springfield Again, which means that there is going to be a Buffalo Springfield self titled on this list. Smh. High 2.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Sounds like the 60s, so nothing too crazy. One of the female singers on the cover looks kind of like Lindsay Lohan. Listening to California Dreamin reminded me of the California lottery ad that featured a version of the song with a choir. It was pretty good.
Hookworms
3/5
Interesting choice by the 1001 Album Generator, especially since albums such as Playboi Carti's Die Lit were also released in the same year.
The tracks on the album sounded pretty good for the most part, but somewhat familiar to other indie/alternative bands out there. I was not a fan of so many long songs, and I liked the first half more than the second.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Their style gets kind of annoying after a while but still fine.
R.E.M.
4/5
Not as good as the other one, maybe I should’ve given that one a higher rating. But still good. Stand was fun to listen to because it was in Parks and Rec when Ben is making his claymation. Low 4
Ravi Shankar
3/5
Not the worst thing to listen to while I was at work. Could’ve done without the talking. Low 3.
1/5
Not good. Didn’t listen to this a second time.
Beastie Boys
3/5
It was cute when they all rapped together
Edit -- I watched a video of the samples that they used and it's quite impressive, but that didn't make it any more enjoyable to listen to again.
The The
3/5
I liked parts of most of the songs, but as a whole it was alright. I like the female vocals, but the male vocals were hit or miss.
Paul Simon
5/5
Great album, no real skips. Songs make you want to tap your foot. I would say the second half after You Can Call Me Al is a bit weaker but it's still great.
Keith Jarrett
2/5
Sounds fine but so long, couldn't appreciate it more than what I heard. They really kept all of the applause. High 2.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
I feel like all of the Bollywood songs sounded the same back then because vocals are done by the same playback singers. Some interesting jazz-sounding elements in the background music that sounded like other stuff on this list.
Iggy Pop
4/5
No real duds, I found the last three songs a bit boring but still not bad. I enjoyed the expressive vocals
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Great album, very calming. It seems like he really knows what he is doing. Lot of great songs with unique sounds, I was considering giving it a 5.
Edit -- I changed it to a 5.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Pretty similar to other jazz albums on this list for me.
Supertramp
3/5
I had high hopes given everyone else's ratings. It started off strong but I got kind of bored after the first 3 songs. Some of the songs were a bit too long for me.
Sister Sledge
4/5
I enjoyed the tunes. The slow songs without the beat behind them were kind of boring, but overall very enjoyable.
The Stranglers
3/5
Quintessential 1001 album. Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I listened to it 500 days earlier, but I’ve definitely heard stuff like this already. Nothing really stood out to me.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
First song almost put me to sleep. Second song woke me up but then got boring. Idk how you could watch this live. High 2.
Billy Joel
5/5
All pretty good songs, no real skips
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Better than Peter Gabriel 3 but not as good as So. Kind of fun at times. Low 4.
Aerosmith
3/5
Some good songs, like Sweet Emotion and Walk this Way. Memorable vocals. Apart from that, everything was alright. The beginning of Uncle Salty sounded a bit like Man I Feel Like a Woman.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
I feel like every song is decent or non offensive at the least. Overall, I enjoyed most of it. The female vocals are great, the male vocals are ok.
Scott Walker
3/5
Kind of whimsical at times. Boring towards the end. Turns out these are all covers of other songs which is interesting. The cover for Scott 3 goes crazy though.
Fugazi
2/5
Didn’t enjoy this too much.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Better than the last live album I had to listen to. Decent as background music, vocals are great. Still kind of boring, I would have lost my mind if I was at Mister Kelly's in 1957 having to rawdog 36 minutes of this.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I liked the length of the album and the songs, as it allowed me to listen to the album multiple times today. I had high expectations so I really tried to like it but I couldn't get into most of the songs. The vocals felt like a bit much after a while
Lou Reed
3/5
The singing style took some getting used to, and there are still some songs that were just not fun to listen to. Instrumentals were great, and some songs were good. Would give this a low 3
Tortoise
2/5
Boring, but not the worst thing to listen to when I was getting groceries. But I’m not rocking with a 20 min long song
Common
4/5
I’ve been meaning to listen to this album. I enjoyed the chipmunk soul production, similar to Kanye’s first 2 albums. The storytelling songs were pretty good too.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
This album wasn’t bad sounding, but it still felt like a slog to get through. I think because of the trumpets and the awful British accent, which I got used to after a couple listens.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
Some interesting moments but kinda weird. Like the nuclear test voiceover and the female singing seemed kind of random. Also my 200th review.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
I don't really have much of a reference point to judge this from, but I enjoyed most of the tracks. I liked that they were all short in length. They all sounded pretty similar, but it was still a fun listen, seems very emblematic of its time.
The Black Keys
4/5
Wasn't rocking with the pickup truck commercial sounds, but pretty good overall with some catchy tunes
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Pretty good. Kanye sampled Distant Lover on Spaceships. Good length too.
Björk
2/5
Pretty weird, which was expected. Glad I listened to it though.
David Bowie
3/5
Some good songs, some boring. In addition to the two popular songs I liked tracks 2, 5, and 6.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Not a bad album, but I am ambivalent about some aspects like the repetition, lyrics, off-key singing, and song lengths. The production was great though. Overall, there were a few songs I liked, the rest didn't hit.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I'd heard of Arcade Fire because they've performed 5 times on SNL, and after reading the wikipedia article for the album I had high hopes. At first all the songs have the same blaring instrumental with some guy shouting in the background. But after multiple listens I did enjoy a lot of the tracks.
Edit -- I don't see myself listening to anything on this again, listening to it for a week straight kind of drained me.
Can
2/5
Listened to this more times than I would’ve liked to, because I always end up tuning it out. Not bad for work, but doesn’t sound great. Low 2.
Weather Report
4/5
I haven't really listened to much jazz, so I didn't know what to expect going into this, but it was pretty fun.
Stan Getz
4/5
I had high expectations going in, given that this is one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time. It was pretty good for study music, very peaceful. I don't know if I can choose specific songs but as a whole it was great. Like Loobis said the last one was elevator music, this is definitely hotel music or something.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
The beginning of the first song reminded me of the Black Keys album. Overall pretty good, maybe would’ve enjoyed it if I spoke the language or looked up the lyrics. Liked the fast paced songs more. Was surprised to see a song with Iggy Pop on their 2017 album.
George Jones
3/5
Didn't sound bad, just isn't my thing, I'm not sure if this is mediocre or outstanding in some way. Pleasant listen though.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Definitely glad I listened to this multiple times so that I could pick up on the bars. The flow and beats went well together, made me want to bob my head along with the rhythm. Some mid songs like What? but overall a great listen.
Elton John
5/5
Crazy first song for an album. Probably my favorite. Lot of great songs, some that had percolated through pop culture. I definitely enjoyed the faster paced songs at first listen, but the slower songs grew on me as I listened more.
Overall I think I need to adjust what I consider a 5 or a 4 because I end up spending way too much time relistening to these albums so I'm just going to give this one a 5
Janis Joplin
5/5
I enjoyed this a lot, her voice is very distinct and expressive. I thought the instrumentals on most of the tracks were fun too.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
The Scottish accent is something else, I couldn't understand any of the lyrics. This album has a very distinct sound which is great, but listening to all the songs back to back was a bit much for me, like eating a lot of pickles at once. I really like the album cover, fits the vibes.
Edit -- One of the most unique albums I've listened to, there are a couple songs that I didn't like but overall really good, changing rating to a 5.
Elis Regina
4/5
Pretty solid. I was kind of stuck on whether or not I liked this album after the first 3 songs but I feel like the point of this is to explore new music, and I shouldn't be overthinking these ratings so much. Overall good vibes plus learning about Bossa Nova
Beatles
4/5
I had pretty high expectations which I think are justified given that this is the number one album on the site. I like the album length and the songs sounded good. There were some great tracks but a lot I was feeling ok about. I think if I listened to this another 4 or 5 times it would grow on me but for now I am giving it a 4.
The Stone Roses
5/5
Pretty solid overall. Liked the cover art.
Edit -- I have a lot of the songs saved, low 5.
Kraftwerk
2/5
First I was hyped when I saw the length of the album. But I was less hyped when I saw the number of songs. But I was not discouraged. This seems like good study music but I was not feeling it. Songs were kind of boring and long.
The Kinks
4/5
I really enjoyed this, I thought the vibes were great. Some of the songs were kind of goofy but overall I liked it a lot. I liked the first song, the first few seconds sounded close to something I'd heard in Portlandia.
Edit -- In hindsight this wasn't as good as I thought it was. Bumping down to 4.
Air
3/5
Kinda boring but has some good moments. Very peaceful and calming vibe.
Mariah Carey
3/5
There were some songs I liked, others were too slow, breathy, or boring. I liked her voice and the overall vibes.
Rush
5/5
I liked this album a lot, as well as the album cover. It was pretty short and had fewer songs, which made it easier to review. There are definitely some longer songs, but the instrumentals on those grew on me.
The Libertines
3/5
It was alright. I liked the chill songs more than the others. The guy on the cover looks like Jason Schwartzman.
k.d. lang
4/5
This was a pleasant listen. It reminded me of the Everything But the Girl album, where nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out. Overall though, I enjoyed it as ambient music.
The Isley Brothers
5/5
I thought all the songs were pretty good, enjoyed the production.
The Byrds
4/5
I've realized if I don't listen closely all these 60s albums will sound like the Beatles. Some of the songs kind of dragged since it seems like all of them are talking about the same thing. But overall I liked it.
Beach House
4/5
This is great music for me to mope around to. None of the songs are duds, but as a listening to the entire album several times through it is a lot.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
This album started off pretty great but I felt like a lot of tracks afterwards were not my thing.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
Outside of the 2 hits, this album is extremely mediocre. The rest of the songs don't sound bad but are so bland. They are like packing peanuts that only serve the purpose of filling space on the tracklist around Cry Me a River and Rock Your Body.
Elliott Smith
5/5
I enjoyed this album a lot, seems like he really knew what he was doing
The White Stripes
3/5
Not bad sounding, there were some songs that I liked. For an album called Get Behind Me Satan I was not expecting something so laid back
Eminem
2/5
I appreciate the rapping and storytelling aspect but there were so many parts of this album that made me cringe a little. I don’t want to seem like I’m pearl-clutching but some things seemed like they were there just for shock value. I guess I wasn’t there when Eminem was huge but I can’t think of an appropriate situation to listen to a lot of these songs.
Goldie
1/5
If this was half the length I wouldn't have minded. But at close to two hours I need more than these beats. I saw one review that said this was the type of music Jez and Super Hans were making on Peep Show which cracked me up. Peep Show has some funny moments.
Metallica
2/5
Not really my thing
The Kinks
4/5
I thought this was pretty good, not as good the the Village Green one, but still decent
Simple Minds
4/5
Firstly, the album cover and album name are both terrible, very forgettable. As for the album, it was very 80s, which I liked. Some songs were ok, but overall I liked the synths and everything.
The Streets
2/5
Everything, from the flow to the beats to the features, was laughably bad. I couldn't take this seriously.
Edit -- While this was bad, it was fun to listen to. Bumping to 2.
CHIC
4/5
Pretty solid all around, I found the instrumental tracks a lot more fun than I expected.
Dire Straits
3/5
The first few songs were banging but then they really slowed down. They sounded alright but it was kind of boring
R.E.M.
5/5
This was pretty solid, some of the songs were a bit mopey but I enjoyed it as a whole.
Edit -- Bumping to a 5 because I have a lot of the songs saved.
The Clash
4/5
Once I got used to the vocals I enjoyed it. Also most of the songs did not really match the vibes I got from the album cover or my general perception of punk as a genre. A lot more upbeat and less edgy. Maybe the punk I’m thinking of is from the 90s.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Sounded kind of like the Beatles but not really. Some good songs but overall I was feeling ok about the album.
MGMT
4/5
I'd only listened to the 3 popular songs, but the rest of the album is pretty good. The songs aren't as pop, but they are interesting. I enjoyed the first half of the album more than the second half.
Joy Division
3/5
I like the album cover a lot. Before this album the only Joy Division I had listened to was their most popular song, so I had some expectations. I wasn't the biggest fan of the style of this album, but I enjoyed this more than the punk music on other albums we've listened to.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
The album was pretty long, with a good number of mediocre songs. I liked some of them, especially the ones with Stevie Nicks. Each track had different writers and vocals, which meant different vibes, making it less cohesive overall. Album cover is cool.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Very pleasant sounding, but there is a ceiling to how much I will enjoy a jazz album with no vocals like this one.
Björk
2/5
I liked this one more for sure, the songs sounded nicer and the production was great at times. I am still not a fan of her voice, so I wasn’t able to enjoy a lot of the songs.
Eels
4/5
The cover is creepy, but once I got past that I enjoyed the album. Interesting vibes, and the strained vocals reminded me of the Elliot Smith album we got earlier.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Every song sounded somewhat good but somewhat ok. Like I enjoyed the vocals on his other album, but they didn't hit the same on this one for some reason. Nothing unpleasant but nothing I really liked.
2/5
Not that fun to listen to. And it’s live.
Talking Heads
3/5
Not my thing. Sounds alright but I didn’t enjoy the vocals a lot. Every song seemed to be trying too much. Interesting listen, was considering a 2
Tracy Chapman
3/5
First 3 songs were nice, the rest had good parts but were overall kinda boring.
The Byrds
4/5
Pleasant listen. Still sounds like the Beatles at times. Low 4.
The Cars
3/5
Everything sounds good, but overall I found it kind of average. Feels like there wasn't too much to the songs other than repeating the chorus. A lot of "hey thats the name of song" moments on this album.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
I had only listened to two songs with Lupe Fiasco - Show Goes On, and Touch the Sky. So I was interested to see what he was up to. The production was really good, and his flow went well with it. I'm not sure how many songs I would listen to on the regular, but overall a great album.
Beck
3/5
I first heard of Beck when he beat Beyonce for Album of the Year a while back and Kanye had something to say about that. The album started off pretty strong, but after Lost Cause I was kind of bored. High 3.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I liked the length of the album. The piano and guitar parts were nice, and his voice is distinct. Overall pretty good.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
I listened to this because Joe “I cook da pizza” Dosch said it was his favorite jazz albums. I definitely enjoyed it but I feel like there is a ceiling for albums like this. I can’t appreciate the sax parts as much as other people
Dolly Parton
3/5
The vocals were the best part. All the songs seemed to be about relationship problems which was fine, but it got kind of boring after a while. Didn’t enjoy the slower songs.
Adele
4/5
I thought the songs that were not radio hits would be duds but I was surprised, there were some nice ones I hadn't heard before. It was a bit mopey at times but overall I liked it.
David Bowie
3/5
I was somewhat grateful that the second half was mostly instrumental tracks because I had to evaluate less songs. There were some decent songs but most were not hitting for me. Sounds interesting but not my thing.
Nick Drake
5/5
I put this on during the flight back and immediately knocked out. But overall great vibes and soft vocals to go with the variety of instruments.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Had an “oh it’s that song” moment . Not the biggest fan of British rock like the Libertines and such but this was decent.
Nas
5/5
Like any lyrically dense album, this warrants multiple listens. The flow and delivery is second to none. Reading the meaning behind the lyrics on Genius was pretty interesting, given the double entendres and storytelling. The production compliments vocals nicely, but wasn't the main attraction. Obviously a very influential album that has been referenced countless times, some lines just stand out by themselves (dome-piece, magmatize me, dead presidents, sleep is the cousin of death, etc). Overall its one of the best for a reason, not my favorite type of hip hop but still great, need to listen to this more to appreciate it. Low 5.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Kinda long but pretty interesting listen. Wide range of sounds and vibes, which could be good or bad. Liked the album cover and how it connected to the music.
Nico
2/5
First few songs were pleasant, the rest were pretty boring, especially the two long ones, those were a slog to get through. Lot of “go girl give us nothing” moments for me. She seems pretty interesting as a person, but she is possibly a violent racist
Sam Cooke
4/5
Listened to this during a light leg day. I liked the album length. Probably my favorite live album on this list because of the audience and live band and his energy. Not my thing but enjoyable.
Pere Ubu
1/5
Pretty bad. The songs started out well but then they started singing. Sounded a bit like IceJJFish.
Tears For Fears
4/5
This reminds me of the New Gold Dream Simple Minds album due to the 80's vibes and standout hits that I'd heard of before. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is definitely the best song for me by a mile, but upon subsequent listens the rest of the album is a little boring but still pretty good.
Orbital
2/5
Sounded alright but boring. Long songs too.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
I liked the album length. Seems like a slightly worse version of the Buddy Holly Crickets album. Some of the lyrics were very straightforward, not much subtlety.
DJ Shadow
2/5
It’s cool that it’s all samples but it’s pretty boring. Nothing I would revisit.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Sounds emblematic of old school hip hop. The album most similar to this that I have listened to is Low End Theory, which had more interesting production and flows, along with a tighter tracklist. This one was nice to listen to but I got bored of the songs.
808 State
3/5
Had low expectations since it was an electronic album, but it was a pleasant listen. Some danceable moments as well.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
2 hours is egregious. I remember Alain said he listened to the 5 hour long deluxe version which is a little crazy. I liked the first disc more, the screeching vocals worked for some of the tracks, mostly because they were more high tempo. The second disc was mostly boring, wasn’t a fan of the slower tracks and the others didn’t sound great.
David Bowie
4/5
I didn't have particularly high expectations given the last 2 David Bowie albums (and there's 6 more??). The songs on this one have a lot of stuff going on, so it took repeated listens to enjoy most of the tracks. Interesting listen, his vocals and instruments took some getting used to, background vocals were nice. Giving it a low 4.
Radiohead
4/5
Pretty good, no real duds. Was considering giving it a 5 but feel like some of the tracks kind of stood out as louder and more pop than others, which took me out of the vibe. But still great album, I liked the album cover too.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Album length was great. Sounded good, but country rock isn’t my thing so I wasn’t too engaged. Guitar parts were good, and instrumental tracks were nice
Butthole Surfers
1/5
The band name piqued my interest, and the first song started out well, but it was not enjoyable after that. Worst song was U.S.S.A., which was followed by the best song, O-Men. Human Cannonball was alright. Apart from that, not good.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Solid album length. Long songs are great but they are very long. Apart from those two the vibes were good. Giving it a low 4.
Tom Waits
2/5
Not my thing. The vocals were a bit much. Apart from that the instrumentals were ok.
The Shamen
2/5
I was not happy to see an hour long electronica album, but when I started listening to it I thought it wasn't too bad. But then I realized I was halfway through the third track and there were 12 more left. Overall, it has some good moments, but was a slog to get through. 666 Edit has that one popular hip hop sample.
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
Listened to this earlier but kept losing interest, then listened to this all the way through in the car. Seems like a lot of emotions went into the songs. Some of the lyrics didn’t really hit though. There was a female singer at one point? Middle of the road 3.
Edit -- this wasn't that great bumping down to 2.
Beatles
5/5
Was happy to see this was 14 songs and only 34 minutes long. With the two Beatles albums we've got I've had pretty high expectations that were not completely met. Like the albums are good, but they aren't amazing or anything. Even then, after multiple listens, I enjoyed it; lot of light, fun songs. Giving it a low 5.
Goldfrapp
2/5
Cool vibes, but so boring.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
Another electronica album, pretty much the same feelings as the last few. Did not enjoy the moaning sounds. Giving it a low 2.
Eminem
3/5
Better than the first one. The skits are pretty corny and there are a lot of cringeworthy bars, but there are some enjoyable tracks.
Scritti Politti
3/5
This one has the makings of a compelling album. Each song starts off with nice instrumentals, very 80s vibes, and his voice is interesting. But as a whole the songs didn’t click for me. Giving it a solid 3.
Bert Jansch
3/5
Reminded me of Nick Drake. Pleasant listen, but not much other than the guitar stuff. The short instrumentals were kind of boring. High 3
The Police
2/5
This reminded me of other albums we've listened to with 1 or 2 songs that are way more popular than anything else on the album, like the Everybody Hurts on the REM album or the Cars or Franz Ferdinand etc. Similarly, Every Breath You Take sounds very different from everything else on the album, which could be because I'm a lot more familiar with it or because its just different. But anyway the album itself was a bit of a letdown for me, only a couple enjoyable tracks.
Pixies
4/5
Pretty bold intro song. Interesting set of songs, didn't sound much like Where is My Mind. Enjoyed most of them as a whole. Low 4.
Edit -- Sounds good as a whole but don't see myself listening to many of the songs individually.
Miles Davis
2/5
Very happy to see only 2 songs in this album. It sounded good, pretty uneventful. Like other jazz albums, can't really appreciate it much, isn't my thing.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
This sounded a lot more like the Beatles than I was expecting. Some slow parts weren't great but everything else was pretty good. The Sound of Silence sample was interesting. Low 4.
Nirvana
4/5
I had pretty high expectations considering this is one of the highest rated songs on the website. When I started listening to this I was thinking that some of these songs are definitely on Nevermind, and then I looked the album up and turns out its a live album that's part of an acoustic series, and was one of the So I had to listen to the original and then the cover for each song so this took twice as long. The album is good, but a lot of the songs are not that different from the originals. Some exceptions include the last one, Man Who Sold the World, All Apologies. So idk how to think of the project. But still good, a lot more Kurt Cobain in the songs.
The Dictators
4/5
I listened to this last night and I enjoyed it, and then I listened to it when I went to the gym today and it was alright. Then I listened to it again and it was pretty good. I feel like there is probably other stuff out there that sounds exactly like this, but it was a fun listen.
Talk Talk
4/5
Wasn’t happy with a song lengths but it was a pretty interesting listen. Vocals sounded like Tears for Fears. Two songs were just no sound for a while which was kind of annoying but the rest was good. Low 4.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Album cover is cool. Not as good as Songs in the Key of Life but still good. High 4
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I was listening to this in the car and my dad said that Aretha Franklin was in the Blues Brothers movie so we watched that, and she had a whole musical number that’s pretty good. Too bad that was not on the album.
The album itself is great as a whole, but outside of the first song not many stood out by themselves for me.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Sounded kinda like Gorillaz and then I saw that this dude was involved with Demon Days. Pretty interesting listen. Cool instrumentals. High 3.
Parliament
3/5
Maybe a little too much funk?
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
Whenever there is a recent album I am a bit skeptical because I feel like it takes the place of an album I am more familiar with (ex: IGOR, which came out in 2019 as well). But this was a great listen. The first 3-track run was probably my favorite, after which it slows down a bit, but it grew on me with multiple listens. The interludes before some of the songs were hit or miss for me. I enjoyed the varied instrumentals as well, relaxed vibes all around. Low 5.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
60s album that doesn't sound as much like the Beatles as the other 60s albums, which was nice. Other than that it was fine.
OutKast
4/5
I was familiar with the hits (Ms. Jackson, B.O.B, So Fresh So Clean) but I'd never listened to the whole thing, which was a bit longer than I would've liked. The duo's chemistry and delivery was great and fun to listen to, like on Spaghetti Junction. Some of the songs with features didn't hit the same though. Also We luv deez hoez reminded me of Laughin to the Bank by Chief Keef because of the hahaha.
Above average 4.
Edit -- I would say low 4. There are some bangers but some skips for sure.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I remember my high school math teacher played the Chain song when we learned about the chain rule. Felt pretty much the same about this as the last Aretha Franklin album.
The Pogues
3/5
After a solid run of interesting albums we are reminded that there are like 200 more British indie alt punk rock albums to listen to. But this is actually an Irish band and was an interesting listen. High 3.
John Cale
3/5
I liked the album length. Apart from that it was fine. Chilled out vibes except for Macbeth. Also I think this is the first time I've been the first to review an album. High 3.
XTC
3/5
Interesting album. I liked the title and the cover art. The only other place I’ve heard of skylarking is in the lonely island song Ras Trent. The songs all had parts I liked and parts I did not. It didn’t sound like a typical 80’s album.
Slint
2/5
I liked the number of songs, but they were all too long. There were no songs that particularly stood out to me. Odd vibes from this one, reminded me of the Afghan Wings album. High 2
Beck
3/5
Pretty different from the last Beck album. There were some interesting songs but a lot were kind of boring.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
I was surprised that she is British, but apart from that this seemed par for the course.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
A new variation to 60s bands - Beatles with women. Low 4
Laibach
2/5
Interesting cover. Seems like this band is ironically fascist. Lot of boring songs, some good ones that sound the same. High 2.
The Byrds
4/5
Listened to this when I was biking around, which was fun. It was pretty much what I was expecting.
The Doors
3/5
44 minutes and 11 songs is the stuff of dreams, so I had high expectations for the album, which were unfortunately not met. I listened to it twice to and from Oakland and the Drizzle fell asleep on the way back. I didn't care for the vocals. I liked the overall sound, different from the other 60's albums we've listened to. High 3.
Nick Drake
4/5
Less pop than the last one. Still good, just mellower.
Sabu
2/5
Not really my thing. Lot of drums.
Jack White
4/5
Kind of fun. Low 4.
3/5
Not much about this album online, maybe it’s here because Suba died while recording it. Idk. Not bad to do work to.
Van Morrison
5/5
I enjoyed this one, lot of good songs, some of which sound like Brown Eyed Girl. Solid album length. There’s one guitar part on Into the Mystic that sounds similar to the Peace Train song. Low 5.
Beatles
4/5
Great album length. There are a lot of albums on this list that have a Beatles sound but obviously the Beatles do it best. This was nothing crazy but sounded good. Reminded me of the kinks more than any other Beatles album.
Talking Heads
3/5
Had an oh it’s that song moment which was nice. Not as new wave experimental as the last Talking Heads album but still not for me.
Pink Floyd
4/5
I liked the number of songs. Nice album cover too. My favorite song was the titular one, the others were good but kind of boring.
Neu!
2/5
First track was nice but I didn’t enjoy the rest of it.
David Bowie
4/5
One of the better David Bowie albums. The longer songs work well on this one, especially since there are only 6 tracks.
Elvis Presley
4/5
This was better than I was expecting. Background vocals were nice. High 4.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Some interesting parts but kinda boring, especially the vocals. Also the album cover isn’t great.
5/5
There are a lot of David Bowie albums on this. Most have ideal runtimes but are kinda weird, which made them hard for me to review. But I was waiting for this one given that it is one of the highest rated albums on the website. Still weird but it's good. Ziggy Stardust was great. Low 5.
4/5
Very 80s, it almost feels like a parody of itself at times. Even then, it’s still enjoyable because it sounds like 80s songs. I was going to knock it for 4 ever 2 gether because it sounds like Outta Touch by Hall and Oates but turns out this came out before it. Low 4.
The xx
2/5
This was pretty underwhelming and then I saw that the intro track has 650 million plays?? That song was fine, but it was 2 minutes no vocals. I was surprised to see how popular the album was as a whole. I was not feeling it though.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
I recognized the artist name from the Touch the Sky sample. Some good moments but not my thing.
3/5
Pretty much what I was expecting. Great album length.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Pretty enjoyable, better than the other one.
Machito
4/5
I listened to this at work and then today when I was making lunch. It was better than I expected. Low 4.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Idk how I feel about this band and grunge in general. I didn’t want to listen to this a million times like I did with arcade fire. Vocals are suspect at times. High 3.
The Cure
2/5
Solid length. I found it kind of boring though.
Solange
3/5
I've heard that this is a good album so I'm glad it's on the list. It sounded nice but was kind of boring, I was able to do work when I was listening to it.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
High energy, fun live album. Didn't know where the term Good Golly Miss Molly game from. Apparently this guy was as popular as Elvis back in the day but then he married his 13 year old cousin and fell from grace.
Portishead
2/5
Didn’t enjoy the vibes of this one. Not my thing.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
This was fine
Skunk Anansie
3/5
This one definitely grew on me.
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
Interesting album, first track and Nothing Compares 2 U are great. Low 4.
Air
3/5
I was listening to this and was reminded of Moon Safari and then I looked this album up and turns out it's by the same people. That album was pretty good in hindsight. Cool soundtrack plus the album cover is cool too. Still kind of quiet at points. Will have to watch the movie at some point.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
I listened to this more times than I needed to. Songs 10-14 are kind of boring but the rest was great. I came across a Crosby Stills and Nash tour t shirt at some thrift thing, maybe I should’ve bought it. Also wasn’t Teach Your Children on Deja Vu?
Emmylou Harris
3/5
One of the three singers from the Trio album. What I expected, similar to that album.
50 Cent
2/5
Album cover is iconic. Kinda bloated outside of the two hits. 21 questions reminded me of the Kanye bar on College Dropout. High 2.
Edit -- Wanted to add that the production is good but I found the vocals underwhelming.
Willie Nelson
3/5
I've tried listening to this at work a few times and I thought I was going to doze off. Some good songs but most were a little too slow for me. High 3.
Radiohead
5/5
I'm glad we got Bends before this one because it is interesting to see how the music changed between the two albums. I liked this one more, Bends feels too upbeat and pop in comparison. This album is great, I hadn't heard Let Down before and that was good. Tracks 7-9 were the only weak part. The interlude wasn't great and Electioneering + Climbing up the Walls felt out of place. Low 5.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Interesting to see that this came out in 1985. Definitely ahead of its time. But I didn’t care for it, too much noise. High 2.
Little Simz
2/5
Little Simz released an album in 2021 that was making waves so I was interested in this one. I didn’t realize she was British though. Idk I can’t take British rapping seriously, it reminded me of the Streets album. I was pleasantly surprised by the Michael Kiwanuka feature. High 2.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
I was excited to see this album because Mr. Blue Sky is on it, but they make you work for it. 1hr 16 mins and Mr Blue Sky is the 13th song. But at least it sounded nice. Album cover is pretty cool too.
SZA
5/5
One of the few albums on this list I’ve listened to before so it gets points for that. Lot of good songs but definitely liked the first half more. Production is good. I didn’t realize how mid the Kendrick song is.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Had an oh it’s that song moment which was cool. Rest of it was fine, boring at times.
AC/DC
4/5
Fun if you don’t think too much. Low 4.
Norah Jones
4/5
I had first heard of Norah Jones a while back when my parents had gone to her concert. I looked up this album and turns out it swept the Grammys, which is kind of crazy. The album seemed pretty simple, and was nice to listen to. Some songs were kind of boring but nice vibes. Low 4.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
This was really fun. I enjoyed the West Side Story shout out. High 4.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
Lot of stuff going on on some of the songs. I said this on another review but blues seems like such an American genre that I am surprised there are so many British artists who have made albums like this. Low 4.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
I've listened to one Arctic Monkeys song and this album is nothing like that, which surprised me. A lot more British and as a result a lot more goofy sounding. But it's still fun listen. Low 4.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Folksy, I enjoyed the first two songs the most. Not the best for working out, but good otherwise. A Sailors Life was a bit too long. Cajun Woman sounds like Highway 61 Revisited.
Turbonegro
3/5
Kind of dumb but not the worst thing to listen to when I was at the gym and doing work in the office. Also I was the number one listener of Turbonegro on Airbuds at some point so that counts for something.
Van Halen
3/5
One good song, the rest is serviceable at best. Low 3.
Steely Dan
4/5
I liked this one, the vocals felt older and the instrumentals felt fresh. I remember reading not too long ago that Chevy Chase was in Steely Dan. Opening track was nice. High 4.
Björk
3/5
More digestible than the last two. Still weird though.
The The
4/5
Kind of boring at times but pleasant to listen to at work. Low 4.
The Black Crowes
4/5
Pretty good. Some of the songs sound like they would’ve been on the radio in the late 2000s. I’m surprised that they chose Seeing Things and She Talks to Angels to be the two singles, I didn’t think they were the best on the album.
The Specials
3/5
Some songs are good, others sound fun but fall flat.
Silver Jews
2/5
Pretty unenjoyable, I didn't like the off-key singing. Low 2.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Pretty good. Album cover reminds me Sinead O’Connor
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Solid length, light listen.
Eagles
4/5
Pretty chill. Low 4.
Boston
4/5
Sounds pretty typical, but was a fun listen. Had heard the first song before but the rest was decent.
B.B. King
3/5
Another live album. Pretty standard, met my expectations for what this would sound like.
Bad Company
4/5
Was a bit apprehensive because I did not recognize any of the members of this "supergroup." But it was better than I was expecting. Low 4.
Gotan Project
2/5
Wasn’t bad to listen to while I was doing other stuff, but when I wasn’t it was pretty boring. High 2.
Pixies
3/5
After listening to the other Pixies album I can’t say this was unexpected. Not my thing though. Odd vibes.
Elton John
4/5
When I go to an albums Wikipedia page and it mentions that it is a part of this 1001 list, I am worried, because it means that no one else had anything good to say about it. Which is why I was surprised to see it for an album by Elton John. But it wasn’t bad. Not nearly as good as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, some songs were pretty boring. But still a pleasant listen. Low 4.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I saw Loobis’s review so I listened to Paint it Black from the US version in addition to the UK album. Paint it Black is good. Nothing else really stood out. Sounded old.
The Killers
4/5
Two standout songs I had heard before. Interesting vibes, it didn’t really feel very upbeat or happy. But still decent. Low 4.
The Who
4/5
This sounds nothing like the only Who song I’ve listened to (Baba O’Riley). But I guess every band in the 60s was doing the stereo sound. Not bad though. Low 4.
N.W.A.
3/5
Production is crazy. Starts off strong. But pretty long and I got tired of the flow.
Adele
4/5
4 hits and everything else was fine. The hits don’t feel as fresh since I’ve heard them everywhere but still good.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Sounds clunky at times. I couldn’t make it through it’s tricky. Low 3.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Interesting vibes, some good songs, but not my thing.
Heaven 17
3/5
You can only listen to 5 songs on Spotify, and even less on Youtube. Lets go, less songs for me to listen to. Pretty 80s with some catchy repetitive choruses, but some more adventurous sounds that don't always hit. High 3.
Edit -- Not a high 3
The Zombies
4/5
Yet another Beatles album. Pretty much what I expected after hearing the first song. Fun listen, great length.
The Birthday Party
1/5
Spotify describes this band as “most challenging.”
Black Sabbath
4/5
Reduced track list so only 28 mins. Vocals were a little underwhelming on some of the tracks but they were shredding. Low 4.
Queen
4/5
This started off very strong but after You’re My Best Friend it lost steam. Still sounded fine but not nearly as fun. Prophets Song sounded like a Bjork song at times. Low 4.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
Bluesy. Pretty boring and long. Thought this would be a band but it seems like one dude.
Oasis
4/5
Felt very British youth, like the Arctic Monkeys album but for a different generation. Some of the vocals reminded me of Smashing Pumpkins. Glad I listened to this since they recently announced the reunion tour. High 4.
The Prodigy
4/5
Was reminded of the crab rave music video. One of few albums where I felt like the parts without vocals were better. Still fun.
Soft Machine
2/5
Once you get past the first 5 minutes of the first song, it gets more interesting. But still way too long. I am grateful that the second disc is not on Spotify.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
I liked the name of the album. Started off well but the rest was ok. Was a pretty good length.
The Stooges
3/5
Iggy pop band. I liked the saxophone on some of the tracks but overall it was alright. Lust for Life was fine but not the biggest fan of this album.
Talking Heads
4/5
Still weird and David Byrne’s voice is an acquired taste for me. But I liked this one more than the last two Talking Head albums.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Pretty good, I’m glad I listened to this because my friend had got the album cover poster for me because we thought it looked cool so now it wouldn’t be weird if I put it up. Drums and were crisp.
Carole King
4/5
Sounds old timey. I was surprised to read that she is the most successful female songwriter of the 20th century, because this is good, but I didn’t think it was that good. Low 4.
Can
2/5
Last song had some good parts but I checked like 3 times and it was still not close to finishing.
Bad Brains
2/5
Interesting combo of genres but it mostly sounds like punk to me. Recording a song from a prison call is pretty cool though. High 2.
David Bowie
3/5
Kinda weird, which is expected, and not as fun as the other albums. Nothing I would revisit. Also on Wikipedia it said he was inspired by Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips? I don’t listen to Death Grips but I didn’t catch the Kendrick Lamar vibes.
David Bowie
4/5
Like every other David Bowie album, I listened to this way too many times because I couldn't figure out whether I liked it. Probably why David Bowie was my top artist last year. I feel like I always zoned out after the 4th song. Rest of it is fine. Panic in Detroit! Low 4.
The Slits
2/5
The band name reminds me of a band called the Slants that caused controversy for their band name because it was considered a slur. This album was ok though, kind of boring.
Hole
3/5
I heard a song from this album, either Violet or Jennifer's Body at a punk-themed bar near my apt. Album was alright, I am not the biggest fan of punk or grunge.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Jazz. Sounded good.
Ramones
4/5
Very happy with length. I couldn’t place where I’d heard Blitzkrieg Bop but I looked it up and it was in Spiderman Homecoming. Which I guess makes sense because the Ramones and Spider-Man are both from Queens. I was also really surprised to learn that this band is from the US, because they sound so British, which was one part I didn’t like about the album. But otherwise good, a lot of the songs start the same way.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Parts of this sounded like it could have been made in the 60s which was cool. As a whole though this was kinda long and boring. I did not appreciate that that the stereo versions were not in the same order so I could not skip a song if I had already listened to it.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Pretty good, the long songs were good. Some of the more instrumental ones were not that great but enjoyed this one.
Cat Stevens
4/5
Cover is cute from afar but up close is a bit odd. Music felt cozy.
Meat Loaf
4/5
Not what I was expecting from the cover. Pretty fun and high energy, felt like a musical or something like that.
Sonic Youth
2/5
The start was not that bad but after Pipeline/Kill Time I was not enjoying the songs enough. The vocals were not my favorite. High 2.
Santana
4/5
Interesting, I've never listened to Latin rock before. Lot of shredding. I know Loobis liked at least half of this.
Radiohead
4/5
More raw and experimental than the other two Radiohead albums we've listened to. Makes you feel on edge a bit. Sounded good but I was annoyed by songs like Treefingers that were mostly nothing. Low 4.
Pixies
2/5
Another album where the super popular song doesn’t sound much like the rest of the album. Idk I couldn’t really get into this.
Kings of Leon
3/5
In the background it sounded fine but when I gave more attention it was not as good. More southern than I was expecting.
Japan
2/5
I feel like I have a baseline knowledge of the popular 80's bands/albums so I was a bit suspicious about this one since I had never heard of the the band. The guy on the cover looks like David Bowie. The music itself was fine, kind of boring. Low 3/High 2.
Coldplay
4/5
Apparently this was the stuff back in the 2000s. Reminded me of the Arcade Fire album from a while back with the loud stuff in the background. A bit mopey but the hits are undeniable. Low 4.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Liked this more than I was expecting. Flutes were nice. 22 minute song is still frowned upon though. Low 3.
Kings of Leon
4/5
Better than the earlier Kings of Leon album. Has a lot of their hits. More pop, less Southern sounding. I didn't understand much of the lyrics. Low 4.
R.E.M.
4/5
Idk how I feel about the album cover. The album itself was solid, similar in vibes to Automatic Stop for me, but not as good. High 4.
Gram Parsons
3/5
Pretty chill, but I am getting tired of Emmylou Harris's voice. Also this guy was in the Byrds.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I thought the Rolling Stones made a different type of music that wasn't so laid back. Maybe their sound changed over time. This sounds like the Byrds or something. High 2.
ABBA
4/5
Pretty much what I expected it to sound like. The songs after Slipping Through My Fingers were not as good. Low 4.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Bringing back disco is cool and all but not much stuck with me. The Comfortably Numb cover is a bold choice but I did not care for it. It sounded like Stayin Alive at times.
M.I.A.
3/5
There was some interesting production but a lot of it didn't really hit for me. Did not care for the Where is My Mind part either.
Kanye West
5/5
An album that for some reason is always described as maximalist. Not a perfect album by any means but the highs are so high. The first 3 tracks plus Devil in a New Dress are probably my favorites, mostly because the production is so good. The 30 Rock line on Gorgeous is a highlight. There are a lot of features and almost all are great. Overall an essential rap album.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Sounds like Born to Run but not as many good songs. Also he looks 10 years younger in this album cover than Born to Run even though this was released 3 years later. Low 4.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
Pretty chill music to have in the background
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Better than the Let it Bleed. Started off strong. I thought that blues was a very American genre so it is very surprising listening to UK bands emulating the sound. Low 4.
The Prodigy
3/5
Was somewhat similar to the Crab album with some high tempo moments but doesn't pack the same punch.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Yet another album with Gram Parsons. Some points for the name of the band. I am getting a little bored of this 60's pop rock genre, which Gram Parsons' Wikipedia describes as "Cosmic American Rock." Low 3.
Michael Jackson
4/5
For some reason I can’t imagine listening some of these songs just for fun, maybe because they are also well known and overplayed. The album itself was fine, the hits were good and most of the other songs were decent.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Solid length. Sounded somewhat like Pet Sounds with some fun tunes. Only so many I can listen to at a time though.
Queen
4/5
I thought this would be the album with Bohemian Rhapsody based on the cover. Decent, hadn’t heard any of these songs before.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Sounded fine. Epitomizes the 1001 albums list.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Listened to this quite a few times and nothing quite stuck with me. Sounds nice.
Peter Frampton
4/5
Pretty good. I don’t understand how a live album can be a breakthrough album for an artist. Like why weren’t people listening to his songs when they originally came out? Were the live versions that much better? Also he did some guitar on All Things Must Pass.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Like Nirvana but doesn't pack the same punch. Sounds fine. High 3.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Started off well but the 11 minute song was not fun. Went a little too hard on the instruments.
Kelela
4/5
Interesting production. Some of it was too electronic for me but still good. Enjoyed the first half more than the second half.
Beatles
4/5
The Beatles album are nice because they are short, there is a high floor for the quality of the music, and the cultural cachet. This one is decent but a lot of the songs sounded more like the other 60's albums on this list, more so than Revolver or Abbey Road. As of now this is 3rd on my ranking of Beatles albums I've listened to (Revolver, Abbey Road, Rubber Soul, Hard Day's Night). Low 4.
Nirvana
4/5
I was familiar with some of the songs from the MTV album which made it easier to get into this album. Pretty good, but an insignificant number of songs that were too abrasive for my liking. Interesting to read that they got the guy who produced Surfer Rosa for this. Low 4.
The Go-Betweens
4/5
Sounds familiar but it was good. The woman on the cover looks like Carrie from Sex and the City.
The B-52's
2/5
Great length. I did not enjoy this much except for Rock Lobster which was kind of catchy. High 2.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Outside of the 3 hits the songs sounded good but nothing really stuck with me. Slash was shredding though.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Better than the Sister album, but still not my favorite type of music. The guitar and instrumentals are good but I don't care for the vocals.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
When I saw the album length and number of songs I thought it was alright, could be worse. But I wasn’t happy to see one 1 minute song and one 9 minute song. Nothing really sounded that great either
John Martyn
3/5
Cool cover. I cracked up the first time he starts singing but got used to it. Reminded me a bit of Nick Drake. Some songs were too slow, others were a bit odd. Not bad though.
The Clash
3/5
Sounds like the Ramones but just a tad more British. Great length.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
On his Spotify bio it mentions that he was contemporaries with Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan, who are all in the Complete Unknown movie, which I would recommend watching because Highway 61 is on this list. The album is kind of boring and the audio quality isn't great. Also the Dink's Song for some reason plays a song by Sarah Vaughan that doesn't appear to have much to do with this compilation.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
Pretty good, I’ve definitely become a lot more familiar with britpop with all the albums on the list.
Michael Jackson
4/5
The first two songs are the best by far but a lot of the other ones are also good. Beats are funky. A couple of the later songs are slower and kind of boring. Good average song length.
Steely Dan
3/5
Rudy's mentioned in the first song. Sounds fine but kind of boring. Jazz with some singing. High 3.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Not that great
The xx
2/5
I remember being really surprised that the self-titled album was so popular because it was so bland and boring. I looked up the band on Wikipedia and looks like songs from the album were used a lot as background music in tv and movies which could explain why it is on this list. But this album doesn't seem like it got the same buzz, and the songs are all pretty mediocre and boring. Maybe good background music.
The Crusaders
2/5
Sounds fine but nothing I would revisit. Not bad for doing work though.
Paul Simon
4/5
Felt folksy. I had first heard the Julio song in the SNL parody of Wes Anderson, and then Royal Tenenbaums. I enjoyed the flutes on Duncan, it reminded me of Illinoise. Some of the songs were kind of quiet and didn't have much going on. Low 4.
Otis Redding
4/5
The Watch the Throne Otis sample is not on this album but a few parts did sound like it. Pretty good, not bad for doing work. 30 minutes, 11 songs, can't complain.
Brian Eno
4/5
Glad I listened to this because “Eno” is a popular crossword clue. Reminds me of the artists he’s worked with like David Bowie and Talking Heads, so kind of weird but still good.
The White Stripes
4/5
I liked that all of the songs were short. Started off strong, I liked the garage band vibes. I remember listening to the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast back in the day and they used We're Going to be Friends as their theme song, didn't know it was by the White Stripes. Kind of fun, low 4.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Pretty enjoyable. Had an oh its that song moment.
Paul McCartney
3/5
Sounds nice but a little boring. Great length. Also he has a deeper voice than I was expecting.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
Interesting album cover. Was enjoying it in the beginning but got bored of the guitar strumming. Read on Wikipedia that he was romantically linked to Natalie Portman.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
The lead singer's voice sounds strained in a lot of the songs. Apart from that it was an interesting listen, lot of random stuff in the background. The songs mixed by Mokran were definitely better. I liked this one more than the Yoshimi album. Low 4.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
I enjoyed some of the songs in the beginning but the end left a bad taste. Reminds me a little bit of Smashing Pumpkins and a more digestible version of Sonic Youth. High 3.
5/5
Pretty similar to the previous Oasis album, which was good, but the vocals on this one were easier on the ears. Reminds me a bit of Stone Roses. Low 5.
Meat Puppets
2/5
The Meat Puppets songs were my least favorite ones on the MTV Unplugged album. I liked Aurora Borealis though. Lake of Fire was not great. Overall not much going on on this album. High 2.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
Kind of boring.
Circle Jerks
3/5
Lets goooooooooooooo only 15 minutes
The album itself isn't anything to great, reminded me of the Apocalypse Dudes album. But very pleased with the length.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Decent, I liked the vocals. Kind of long and got bored by the end though.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Pretty mediocre but sounded fine. Low 3.
David Bowie
2/5
Yet another Bowie album. I think we are getting them at an unsustainable rate. My least favorite one we've gotten so far, no real hits and a lot of songs with not much going on. High 2.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Kind of good. Voice felt a little strained. Would have given it a 4 but feel like I've heard other stuff like this already. High 3.
The Doors
4/5
Pretty fun, I liked this one more than the first doors album we got.
Britney Spears
3/5
Easy listen, was able to get the vibe of the songs on low volume without relistening too much. Sounds extremely 2000s. Low 3.
KISS
3/5
Like the Britney Spears album, it is very emblematic of its time and not much else. I liked the album cover though. Low 3.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I enjoyed the two popular songs and the other ones were nice but kind of boring. High 3.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
In late 2021 I listened to a good amount of RHCP including this album and I added some songs to my Liked Songs, mostly the hits. Listening to this album 3.5 years later I would agree with my impression of the band. I enjoyed the hits a lot, but there are only three. The rest is Anthony Kiedis trying to rap which kind of sucks.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Started off kind of slow but got pretty interesting. Still nothing I was very drawn towards except the nutcracker song. The applause at the end of Great Gates of Kiev was way too long and a little unrealistic. High 2.
Aphex Twin
2/5
Reminded me of the xx albums, just ambient type music. Not much going on.
Elliott Smith
4/5
More upbeat than Either/Or. Not as good though and a little longer. I still liked it a lot. This came out in 2000, so I wonder if he performed any of these songs at CMU.
a-ha
3/5
One good song, maybe 2, but the rest was pretty generic 80’s stuff.
Big Star
4/5
Pretty good, low 4.
Kate Bush
3/5
Interesting listen, a few good songs.
Steve Earle
3/5
It was fine. Nothing special.
Björk
2/5
Another Bjork album. Started off alright but the songs were too long which made it hard to get through.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Lot of noise, pretty bad
Nirvana
5/5
Idk if I enjoyed the vibes of the album as a whole but there are so many good songs. Maybe listening to the MTV unplugged album before this made me enjoy some of the songs more.
Ash
4/5
Decent. But idk how many more 90s britpop oasis bands I can listen to.
Wild Beasts
2/5
Similar to the xx album. Received a lot of acclaim for some reason but not that great. Pitchfork has the xx album at 3 and this album at 9 on their list of the best albums of 2009. So maybe people were just into that sort of stuff back then or Pitchfork was full of shit, which they often are.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Pretty sleepy. Sounded fine
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Some good parts but very repetitive. Could’ve been half as long.
Bauhaus
2/5
Pretty boring, nothing I would revisit.
Queen
4/5
There are a lot more Queen albums than I thought. Not as good as I was expecting but still alright. Tracks 2-5 were my favorite. Low 4.
Blur
3/5
I like the cover, it reminds me of Without Warning. But the vibes are quite different. First 4 songs were good, rest were ok. Also I saw a video on youtube about greyhound racing in West Virginia.
Sugar
4/5
Relatively unknown band. Better than I was expecting. Reminded me of REM at times. Low 4.
Prince
3/5
Reminded me of a funk album that we got a while back. Sounds good but it’s just long and repetitive.
Nina Simone
3/5
Her voice was deeper than I was expecting. When I was listening to Four Women I realized one of her songs was sampled on Blood on the Leaves. Album was fine, a little boring.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Not bad for doing work, but pretty standard electronic music. Feels very 90s. Also it is odd when we get an album from a somewhat well-known band or artist but the album doesn't have any of their most popular songs.
2/5
Pretty long and not great. The mission impossible sample was funny. Very 2000s.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Vocals and flow is like Tidal. Album was ok.
Morrissey
4/5
No subtlety on this one. Especially the first song. But overall sounded good, low 4.
The Kinks
4/5
Like any other Kinks album. Sounds fine but there is a ceiling for my level of enjoyment. Low 4.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Like the other Chemical Brothers album, pretty boring, not bad for doing work, maybe 1 good song. High 2.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
First few songs were fun, I enjoyed the Light my fire cover. But soon afterwards it got pretty boring.
Jamiroquai
4/5
Pretty fun. I saw a review that said it sounds like Stevie Wonder which I would agree with.
Portishead
3/5
Interesting vibes but still a bit boring. Better than the other Portishead album we got.
Eurythmics
3/5
Kind of weird. Sweet Dreams is good but I never liked it too much. I like Walking on Broken Glass but that's not a Eurythmics song.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Probably my favorite Beach Boys album out of the three that we've gotten. The songs are easier to listen to when they are not all singing together. Album cover is so dramatic, it reminds me of the Famous Trick Donkeys illusion.
Malcolm McLaren
4/5
Interesting album. I don't understand who Malcolm McLaren is and what made him create an album like this. Low 4.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Pretty bad, no reason it should be on this list. Had me dozing off at work.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I liked the first song but it got worse after that. The songs were too long.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Interesting, listened to this a few times. Low 4.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Solid length. Started off strong, but not too many great songs afterwards. The Just Like Heaven cover was interesting, not what I was expecting.
Fairport Convention
3/5
Sounded pleasant but some of the songs were kind of long. High 3.
Beatles
4/5
One thing I like about the Beatles is that almost all songs have a Wikipedia page with a lot of stuff to read about. Another thing i like is that their albums are usually pretty short, so I was a bit annoyed with this one. The first disc was a lot better than the second one. Right now this is around 3rd place on my list (Revolver, Abbey Road, White Album, Rubber Soul, Hard Days Night).
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Interesting listen but got tiring after a while. Had first heard of him when they played Bonkers in the Kingsman movie. I cannot take this or a lot of British hip hop seriously though.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I enjoyed this one. Great length. I didn’t realize Pusha Man from Acid Rap was based on Pusherman from this album.
10cc
4/5
Some of it was interesting, some of it was familiar. Sounds fine though. Good length. Low 4.
Hole
3/5
Better than the other Hole album. Some good songs, some were ok.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Solid length. The voice worked well on some songs. High 3.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Highest rated album, so I had high expectations. Also lot of Yay Area representation in this band. Album didn’t blow me away but it was a great listen. Lot of hits and solid length. Last three songs were alright.
Merle Haggard
3/5
Quite pleasant and not bad for doing work. But I feel like this is no different from so many other albums on this list.
Hot Chip
4/5
The tweet did come to mind when I first saw this album. Nice album cover. Have to point out that this is a relatively obscure pick for the 2010s. But wasn’t a bad listen, I enjoyed parts of it. Low 4
Brian Wilson
3/5
Sounds like the Beach Boys, which is expected. Kind of whimsical and fun, could've been shorter. High 3. Seems like the 1001 generator can give an album based on real world events, since we got this the day after Brian Wilson passed. Please don't go lead singer Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers!
The Darkness
3/5
The singer's voice is too high for me to enjoy this. Sounds like Kiss at times. Also why was this released in 2003.
Faith No More
2/5
Wasn't bad but got bored of it fast. Reminded me of Smashing Pumpkins at times. High 2.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I like the album name, it has an interesting history. I feel like you don't hear that much about DuPont nowadays. Album itself was very 90s and pretty boring. Not bad for doing work. High 2.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Lot more jazzy than I was expecting. It was fine. Surprised to see they won a Grammy for best album back in the day.
Suicide
1/5
From the title of the band I thought this was going to be noisier. I tuned out the first few songs so I had to relisten, they weren't too bad. But Girls and Frankie's Teardrop were pretty painful to get through. High 1
The Band
4/5
I remember I didn’t really enjoy the first The Band album we got a while back but this was better. The last song sounded like Should I Stay or Should I Go. Also I feel like a self titled album should be the first thing an artist puts out. Low 4
Louis Prima
4/5
Listened to this quite a few times. Pretty fun, the instrumentals were a bit boring though. Fun chemistry between the singers. Plus he did the song from Jungle Book.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
For the most part, I've enjoyed the Brazilian albums on this list. Good length. High 3.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Teen Age Riot is fine but overall this album is not my cuppa tea
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
Could've been louder. Nothing really stood out to me.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
From the cover and album name, seems like a not-so-subtle jab at the Beatles. So I don't know if this should be judged based on how well it satirizes the Beatles' music or how good it actually sounds. Either way it sounded fine but was kind of dumb at times.
Kanye West
5/5
This album, along with Late Registration and Graduation got me into hip hop and listening to music in general. A great introduction to the genre. Some of Kanye's best rapping, and all the samples with the chipmunk soul production is so good. Last Call is long but worth listening to. I will say some of the skits are kind of corny, and tracks 13 through 17 are a weak spot on the album for me. Obviously Kanye is off his rocker now but listening to the college dropout trilogy makes his current persona feel all the more disappointing and frustrating.
The Smiths
5/5
I really enjoyed this one. I’d heard tracks 3 and 9 before but the rest was also great. Whenever the last song starts I think I’m getting a phone call.
The Cure
3/5
Listened to the quite a few times. It was good but I didn't like the vibes.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Lot of shredding all the tracks except Laguna Sunrise, which was a welcome change of pace. Low 4.
Little Richard
4/5
Tutti frutti was the best song but after that it got a little boring. Still fun though. Low 4.
Ozomatli
3/5
The rapping was pretty corny and the rest, which was very different, sounded generic. But not bad to listen to. Low 3.
Skepta
4/5
I liked this more than I was expecting to. I have found British hip rop and rap a little silly but I think it works better on this album. Wasn't expecting references on back to back tracks about the same Dizzee Rascal song. Also why does he compare his relationship with his girlfriend to Mufasa and Simba
Travis
3/5
Sounds like the early 2000s. Also a lot like Radiohead. Some sounded nice because they were so familiar but the rest were pretty boring. Also not a fan of long final songs, especially when parts of them are just silent. High 3.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
The found the other Everything But the Girl album pleasant and inoffensive. This one was similar but not as nice to listen to. Low 3.
CHIC
4/5
Like the other CHIC album, pretty repetitive. Not as good though. Low 4.
The Cardigans
5/5
I really enjoyed this one. Easy listening experience.
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
Some interesting songs. Singers sound very British. Low 4.
T. Rex
4/5
I enjoyed most of this. Reminds me of some of the other albums on this list but I’m not sure which ones. Low 4.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Over a "sinister" beat, the song begins with Offset rapping in the chorus and first verse about his diamond jewelry and having shooters by his side, while switching his flow and using his signature triplet rhyme scheme. In the second verse, 21 Savage immediately compares himself to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a joke, while rapping about how he is still hanging out with the "killers" and "gorillas" with guns. The third verse finds Travis Scott in Auto-Tune laced vocals, referencing his drug use and being a "Nike" boy.
I enjoyed this album. Lot of MF Doom samples. I really like the Special Herbs albums and the beats pop up in other hip hop songs. The Ne-Yo parts feel dated.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Was not expecting Paul McCartney to be on this. The less popular songs were ok but sounded quite unremarkable compared to the hits. I think it’s cool that Thriller started the concept of doing music videos as we know them today.
Prefab Sprout
4/5
Kind of endearing, sounds like the 80s. Relaxing listen. Low 4.
Aerosmith
3/5
Pretty much what I was expecting.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
They’re from the yay area (San Francisco). Falls into the Raomes category of sounding British but being from the US. Good length.
Chicago
4/5
I think this was good. I listened to this quite a few times but it is so long that I lost track of what I was listening to. The Free Form guitar song was the worst. The 67 and 68 song was my favorite, unironically. Low 4.
Blur
3/5
I recognized the first two songs. The rest was mediocre. Death of a Party gave me Air vibes. Low 3.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Listened to this quite a few times last week while doing work. The best parts aren't as good as Songs in the Key of Life but overall this was shorter and more consistent. Muy chévere. Low 5.
CHVRCHES
4/5
I think the first time I heard of chvrches was their Arctic Monkeys cover on YouTube, which I liked a lot. This album was pretty good. Lot of catchy songs. The male vocals weren’t as good as the main singer.
John Coltrane
3/5
This was fine
Brian Eno
3/5
The guy on the cover looks like Christian Bale in the Thor movie. Some good songs but this album felt a lot longer than 40 mins. I enjoyed the Warm Jets album but this was more out there. High 3.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Not much happening on this one but there were some very recognizable tunes like Twist and Shout. Also, great length. Low 4.
Kings of Leon
2/5
Maybe I’ve heard enough of their stuff on this list already but I did not care for this.
The Vines
2/5
The cover looks like AI to me for some reason. Maybe it's the font. I didn't enjoy this one, everything was too loud and didn't sound great. The start of Aint No Room reminded me a lot of One Hundred Years by the Cure.
Klaxons
4/5
I kind of enjoyed this, but I don't like that almost every recent album is from some unknown indie band and has this vibe. Low 4.
FKA twigs
3/5
Recent album from an artist I have heard of. I enjoyed Two Weeks. The rest was ok. Low 3.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
LCD Soundsystem is always a 3 for me. There are some good parts in every song but they are all so long. Also I don’t like the all lowercase aesthetic.
Lana Del Rey
2/5
Recent album from an artist I have heard of. But idk, Lana Del Rey isn’t for me.
Robbie Williams
3/5
Better than I was expecting. I thought for some reason that he would be trying to rap. But this just sounds like another britpop band. High 3.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Songs are too long and I didn’t enjoy the talking.
Madonna
2/5
The second best album called Music that I listened to this year. Pretty boring, it had none of the Madonna songs I had heard of. American Pie was the only interesting part.
Miles Davis
3/5
Not bad for doing work
Depeche Mode
3/5
Album cover is cool. Like the last Depeche Mode album, I found their style pretty boring. Low 3.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Pretty good. Didn’t pay attention to the demo versions.
The Bees
3/5
I liked the album cover. Sounded fine but nothing memorable.
Talvin Singh
2/5
Very boring. Idk if I like this genre fusion. Had to listen to other songs in the middle so that wouldn’t fall asleep.
Daft Punk
2/5
I like some Daft Punk songs but didn’t really enjoy this, it felt like a lot of the other electronic albums on this list. Also I never really liked Around the World.
Madonna
2/5
Sounded nice but was long and made me feel sleepy. High 2z
Prince
3/5
Sounded fine but kind of long and not engaging enough.
D'Angelo
4/5
D'Angelo passed away recently so I am surprised that we did not get this album then. Better than I was expecting, low 4.
Elastica
4/5
It’s not always a good song when we get an album and all the artist’s top songs on Spotify are from that album. This sounds very similar to some other stuff on this list. Low 4.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Pretty good. The last song reminded me of Special Herbs.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I was happy when I saw that this was 33 minutes but then I realized there were multiple songs longer than 5 minutes. Album was fine. I did not realize that Good Golly Miss Molly was a cover the Little Richard version
Pulp
4/5
Yet another britpop band. Some of the whispering was annoying. Low 4.
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
I had listened to Hurt before. The rest I did not enjoy very much. Did not listen a second time.
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
I liked this more than I was expecting. The production is great, it sounds very different than what I expect modern country to sound like. But, I didn’t really care for the lyrics at all. I can’t see myself singing along to these songs. High 3.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I enjoyed the first 4 songs the most. Last song was good but idk why there was such a long pause in the middle.
Napalm Death
1/5
While I appreciated the album length and the average song duration, this was not fun to listen to and sort of blended together. High 1.
Sade
5/5
Jazzy
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Great length and average song duration. I liked this one more than Bookends.