1001 Albums Summary

Not my favorite style of soul/funk, but Isaac's voice is on point and some of the guitar points had me grooving. Might warrant a few more listens on my part, as I have not previously given this album a chance.

I love Talking Heads, but this might be one of the albums I listen to the least. I know it's the most acclaimed, the most inventive, etc. but it doesn't hit me the way Fear of Music does. Still, its Talking Heads, so I'd rather listen to this than most other music.

I love this album. For being recorded in a prison, there is so much pure joy contained in the sounds - from Johnny's singing and jokes between songs to the raucous laughter and cheers from the crowd, there are very few live documents that truly capture the power and energy of being there. Of course, the songs are all incredible, and that voice is on full display. Absolutely the album I would play for someone who says they 'don't like country music'.

I don't know if I have ever listened to this album before, and it is much better than I expected. I've never had anything against Black Sabbath, they've always just seemed a step too slow and sludgy for my tastes, but this album is great. I can see why this is considered the 'cocaine' album. Urgent, exciting and driving, this is not what I thought I'd be listening to, and I was pleasantly surprised. Great stuff.

Can I give this album a 5 while also acknowledging the fact that it is incredibly flawed? Yes, yes I can. Let's be honest, there are some real garbage tracks on here, maybe more so than any other Beatles album, and a single LP probably would have fixed most of this (which is true for almost every double LP I can think of). But it does have Martha, My Dear, Dear Prudence, Rocky Racoon, Blackbird, Julia, etc. which more than makes up for Honey Pie (fuckin' Honey Pie, am I right)?

Let them brush your rock 'n roll hair.... Is it just me, or is this album not as good as I remembered? I found myself just wishing that Benjamin Orr sang all of the songs, and that the guitar was more prominent than the keyboards. Don't get me wrong, there are some classic songs on here, but it's not an essential for me.

Mostly overblown and self-indulgent. All traces of the storytelling narratives in Tumbleweed Connection are gone, and noodly nonsense has taken its place. Saturday's Alright For Fighting is pretty good, but otherwise this has the vast majority of my least favorite Elton John songs on it.

Trippy, Brit-hippie nonsense. I like some of the Martin Hannett-associated stuff, but this ain't one of them. Sounds like the Spin Doctors fucked Blind Melon and the offspring were raised on a diet of cheap ecstasy and dirt weed in Manchester.

I first discovered a love for Marvin Gaye through the early Motown tracks - Grapevine, Can I Get a Witness, Ain't That Peculiar - the songs with that big beat. As I get older, I appreciate sweet, smooth Marvin Gaye 'with a message' more and more. This album is so incredibly powerful, and such an amazing statement if you consider the state of 'socially conscious' music at the time of its release, and the introduction of the orchestra and the use of the jazz elements and improvisation still sounds fresh and new. Absolutely essential.

Not for me. Surprisingly, I know a lot of people who love Bjork, and I've never understood it. It has elements of things that I like, but the finished product is not my thing whatsoever.

Ew, no.

I started to listen to this at 8:30am. Now I don't need coffee. First impressions: this is much better than I expected. Good, aggressive vocals, interesting percussion (is that the snare sound or a timpani?), and the guitar tone is impressive for this type of 90s metal (pre-Nu Metal?). It's brutal, but also kind of accessible. I'm pretty sure the last track is gun shots and someone intensively cleaning a cooking pot.

I love the Temptations, but this is nothing special. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a classic, but the rest of this album is a "What's Going On" also-ran. Not bad to listen to in the background, and the band is incredible, but the songs are phoned in and its all easy to ignore.

Not really my thing. Kind of sounded like 70s variety show music.

Okay. Kind of forgettable.

The greatest Christmas album of all time? It's possible. Every song is a banger, the production is impeccable (obviously) and the voices are note perfect. Those drums, reverbed vocals, all of it. Nothing gets me into a Christmas mood more. I'd listen to this in July, I love it that much.

Such a fun album. I love playing "identify the sample". Not an every day listen for me, but a great LP nonetheless.

I had this album cover's poster on my wall as a teenager. Way before I knew who Raymond Pettibon was and had gone backwards to discover earlier SST bands like Black Flag, Minutemen and Husker Du, Sonic Youth was my epitome of cool and this album was the most accessible of the bunch. All these years later, it still holds up.

This sounds like walking into Guitar Center on a busy weekend.

I met GZA once on the street with my sister. He asked us who our favorite member of Wu Tang was, and I said him. My sister said "Method Man", to which he replied "Fuck outta here" and I missed my opportunity to hang out with GZA. This album is great. One of the best Wu Tang solo albums.

This is good. A little generic at times, but I enjoyed it much more than I expected. Solid album.

It's fine. There's some good tracks and some stinkers.

A near perfect album. Got to love that Hi Records sound.

I like poppier, more upbeat Madonna, and I remember Ray Of Light being ever present on MTV when it first came out. This is atmospheric and basic electronica - easy to use as background music at work. Meh.

Not really into this at all.

This is good enough. Not a big fan of neo-soul, and she modulates her voice in an odd way that I am not a fan of. It's not bad, and very listenable, but I wouldn't choose to play this on my own.

Perfect album of quirky genius. Thirty-five minutes of eccentric pop mastery. I really love this album more than words can describe. Nilsson should be spoken of in the same breath as Brian Wilson, Lennon/McCartney and Smokey Robinson for sheer songwriting power and pure fun.

I once went to a bar deep in Astoria, Queens, because I was told Shane MacGowan often played there after Pogues shows in New York City. My friends and I proceeded to get blackout drunk, singing along to whatever songs they played at the bar waiting for Shane to arrive. I honestly cannot say whether he showed up or not, but the parts of what I remember, still rank as one of the greatest nights of my life. This album reminds me of that night, and all the other amazing experiences I've had while listening to the Pogues. And absolutely essential band with an energy that you rarely see outside of punk rock dive into this album, as well as Red Roses for Me and Rum, Sodomy and the Lash, and discover your new favorite band.

This is good. Again, another album that I don't think I would choose to listen to, but it was thoroughly enjoyable. Fiona has a great voice - throaty and bluesy, and while the production was not my favorite (very appropriate for the time it was released), the songs are strong and catchy.

It's the Beatles. This album is great, but less great than other Beatles albums. A second-tier Beatles album. Still better than most albums, but not a five star.

I've always liked the Minutemen, but I've never loved them. This album would be a great single LP, but the sheer length along with some filler loses it a star for me. I do wish D Boon had done a campfire folk album before he died though. The acoustic tracks on this are killer.

Fuck this neo-nazi adjacent shit. Everyone who likes this album is an asshole.

beep boop bop boring.

Not my thing at all.

I really enjoyed this. Fun and catchy.

Another essential. There are other Otis records that I love more, but this record is still absolutely incredible. A must-listen.

I worked at a record store when this album came out. When it would come on during the day, we'd joke it was 'nap time'. That being said, it's a great background album, but I don't mean that as an insult. I know the band made up a language for this, and it makes the vocals another instrument and part of the soundscape. Upon close listening it's droney, symphonic and catchy in all the ways I want music like this to sound. I like this so much more than Radiohead I can't even begin to tell you. Take my 4 stars, you weird Icelanders, you've earned it.

I learned how to scream by listening to this album. Not for a band or anything, just for fun.

Baby-making music. When I worked at a record store in my teens/twenties there was a very large lady working in the receiving department who listened exclusively to D'Angelo on her portable boombox. So I know this album well. It served her well, and I enjoyed it as well.

Another album that I had low expectations but found myself really enjoying. I forgot how good a song 'Faith' is, and the album keeps going from there. Lots of songs I recognized from the radio at the time this came out. I'm not rushing out to buy this, but I wouldn't complain if someone put it on.

I have loved this album since I traded a Temple of the Dog cassette for a copy of this with my friend George, who bought it because he heard Kurt Cobain considered them an influence but he hated it. His loss, this album rules.

One of the greatest punk rock albums of all time. The out of tune sax, Poly's incredible vocals, the songwriting - it's perfect. Absolutely perfect.

I love the Band, and this album has some of my favorite songs of theirs. It also has some of my least favorite. I think that they found their footing on later albums, but this one, as great as it is, misses the 5 star rating from me if only due to the inconsistency of the track list.

This is good. Not really my taste, but I appreciate it.

This is absolutely exceptional. My first five star that I had never heard beforehand. What an amazing voice. Jesus.

This one was a slog for me. I know so many people who absolutely love Nick Cave, and I trust their musical tastes, but I've never been able to get into him. This is maudlin, overblown and just so overwrought that I can't help but dislike it. The lyrics are weaker than I expected, and the songs themselves all sound like something out of a Sweeney Todd-esque Broadway show. Not for me at all.

Let me make this clear - I don't think this is a good album. It's a clusterfuck of different styles of 60s and 70s cliches, with no more than a song or two leaving any lasting impression. What is impressive though, is that this album was released on a major label in 1989 - the height of hair metal. Helping to launch Lenny Kravitz into pop-culture stardom at a time when music like this was impossibly uncool. Respect for that earns it a star from me.

There are so few artists in the history of popular music that can instantly immerse you in their world as soon as you drop the needle, and Stevie Wonder had that ability at his peak. Although I prefer a bit more grit with my Wonder, it's undeniable that this album tells a story like few others. Living For The City and Higher Ground are immortal, and the album as a whole has a cohesive narrative that certainly makes a lot more sense than most "concept" albums. Wonder's orchestration, songcraft and mastery of melody and harmony are unsurpassed. Definitely an essential album.

Some overserious pencil dick tried to disparage this album in their review by calling it "music made by teenagers" or something like that. Fuck you, dude, not everything needs to sound like Yes to be important. This is the perfect album to put on when you want to break stuff. In fact, I always have at least three copies of Group Sex at all times just in case one gets broken in the course of listening. Essential.

I decided to give this a listen with open ears, in spite of my preconceived notions of the Doors, and Morrison in particular. It starts all right, Break on Through is a decent enough track with fun keyboards. Soul Kitchen is fun (I prefer the X cover), but by the time we got to Crystal Ship I was starting to remember what I don't like about this band. The lyrics are abysmal. Anyone who considers Jim Morrison a poet probably isn't really listening. Stupid, amateurish and forced, the lyrics really take me out of it. The music is fine. It doesn't drive me wild, but it's not offensive in anyway. A little noodly at times, but that's a given for the beginning of the psychedelic era. I just don't find a lot on this LP that gets me excited. I don't hate it like I've said for years, but I don't think it's ever going to be in my regular listening rotation.

This album has some great songs, and some real filler. I like REM, and this has hints of their later greatness, but it's never been my favorite of theirs.

Sounds like Elvis.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz. It's fine.

I've always really enjoyed the early Pretty Things singles like Midnight to Six, they have a rawness and soul that even the early Stones records don't have. But SF Sorrow has always sounded too kitschy and faux mind-bending for my tastes. In listening again it's better than I remember, and still has lots of ummph to it for a "psychedelic" record. It's not top-tier for me, but it was a very enjoyable listen. I'll definitely give this some more spins in the future.

I don't know exactly when Elton John started to suck, but this album is still mostly awesome. It's no Tumbleweed Connection, but the opening 1-2 of Tiny Dancer and Levon is incredible. What a great album.

Pleasantly surprised by this album. Pretty, mellow indie rock with catchy melodies.

I like Sebadoh, but I've never really found an album that I felt was listenable the whole way through. Sebadoh III might be the closest, but this album suffers from the same problems - mostly three songwriters with vastly different visions that makes for a disjointed album. There are some very good songs on here, as well as some unlistenable tone experiments. It's a good album overall, but I definitely skipped some tracks.

A beautiful voice, great lyrics, some truly timeless songs - why don't I like this more?

It's Neil Young. Never loved him, but don't hate this.

Nope. Hate it.

There's nothing to be said about this album that hasn't already been said better. From the opening riff a damn near perfect album, weird Bowie production and all.

The older that I get, the more convinced I become that CCR is the greatest rock 'n roll band of all time. This album plays like a greatest hits and never lets up. Fucking mint.

This shit sounds like the MASH theme song played at a dentist's office. Pure garbage.

One of the greatest voices I've ever heard. There are better Aretha albums (Aretha Now, for one), but Lady Soul flows so well and is a great "clean your house" album. You WILL sing into a broom.

My second favorite Bowie album released in 1977, but still an indispensable classic, if only for the title track alone. The rest of the album is filled with krautrock odes, traditional Japanese music and other things that have no place in a mainstream rock album, but cocaine is a hell of a drug.

This sounds like the soundtrack to a nightmare about a Renaissance Festival. Truly awful.

I fell asleep halfway through. Which was embarrassing because I was at the gym.

I've tried so many times to get into Lambchop. It's not bad, I actually like the music here a lot, but his voice takes me out of it. Not for me.

What a gem! I guess I never really gave this album a listen (but I thought I did)? The songs are jangly, catchy little masterpieces and it's infectious like my favorite power-pop. I'm sorry that I slept on this for so long!

Couldn't get into this at all. Is the show tunes?

Yes.

I loved this album as a teenager, and many of the songs still hold up, but there is also a good deal of filler on this. Not as cohesive of any album as I remember.

Possibly the best album to choose to decide if you love Motörhead. I already knew the answer to this question, and already knew where I stood on this album. I just wish my speakers were 20x as loud.

Was that just chimes for four minutes up front? It sets the stage for an anti-climactic, self-indulgent mess of cockery and noodling. Not at all something I need in my life.

I didn't hate this. Sounded kind of like a mix between Roxy Music and Elton John. I guess I know what Todd Rundgren sounds like now.

I should like Zeppelin on paper. I like British blues rock. I like guitar solos. I like monster drums. And I have to say I like this more than any Zeppelin listening experience I can remember, but it's still not something I'd choose to listen to personally. Maybe it's Robert Plant's vocals. Yeah, it's probably the vocals.

I gave this a chance and I has high expectations. I like Dion's early doo wop period and his later singer-songwriter folky stuff is great too, but I couldn't get into this. Not bad, but not for me.

The perfect culmination of her career. It combines some bluesy caterwauling with a lot more polish. My only complaint is that it isn't longer, which makes sense given the timing on its recording and her death.

Half paying attention this album isn't offensively bad, but when I listened again without distractions I could barely make it through. It was awful bar-band blues rock noodling with high school poetry.

This is good, not great. There's a lot of filler and some element of "boogie" that rubs me the wrong way in a way that the later Isbell and post-Isbell stuff doesn't. Not bad by any stretch, but not an album I'd reach for regularly.

This album was great. A wonderful mix of his early Byrds-era songwriting with what came afterwards. I really enjoyed this.

Totally fine, but not my thing.

I love Nina Simone's voice and her bluesier arrangements. There is some of this on here, but a lot of jazz-influence and other elements that I don't gravitate towards as much with her music. This is very good, but not as consistent as I would like.

The later "weirdo" period Tom Waits songs always sound to me like they should be performed by an old man dressed like a sea captain at some off-off-Broadway interpretive performance of Bukowski works. That's not a bad thing. Like other artists (like Beefheart) I have to be in the mood to listen to it, and Tom Waits is still one of the coolest guys to ever walk the earth, but it's great music.

This album is catchy and fun. Is it cheesy? Of course. Is it meant to be profound? Definitely not. Just throw it on and enjoy it.

I'm not usually a fan of overt guitar heroics, but Jimi Hendrix is a major exception. The songwriting is great and I love his voice (even if he didn't love it himself).

One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The samples are killer and the rapping is excellent.

This is garbage.

A post-punk masterpiece. As much as I treasure every post-Devoto Buzzcocks single and LP, what he brought to the group before leaving to form Magazine is truly special. This still has plenty of hooks, but with an angular guitar-led approach that makes it a completely unique album for its time. Essential.

Is there anything worse than soulless garbage like this in music?

Really liked this one, and it hadn't been on my radar before. Soft / hippie rock vibes with a little country thrown in. I'm looking forward to giving this a second listen when I have time.

Incredible album from one of the pioneers of hip hop.

Orchestral, baroque pop perfection. So beautifully constructed and performed, and Colin Blunstone's voice might be one of my favorites to come out of the 60s and the British Invasion. I first heard these guys as a young punk kid, expecting the name to align with some scuzzy pre-punk noise. It obviously didn't, but the Zombies have since become among my most treasured artists, and this album is definitely their pinnacle.

Great album, great samples. Who doesn't love this album? Assholes, that's who.

Not bad. Some good songs here, along with some soft-rock schmaltz. Overall, I'm glad I took a listen.

This rocks more than I thought it would. I actually like Harvey's voice a lot as well. I may have to dive deeper into this.

Haunting, urgent and totally unique. One of the best punk/post-punk debuts ever.

I don't know what happens at the chicken shack on a normal day, but with Jimmy Smith it's smooth and a little funky. Great music to relax go on a Sunday morning.

Eh.

It's Maiden. This album is great. Would I listen to it every day as a middle-aged man? Fuck it, sure. Let's go.

Duran Duran is where new wave really started to separate itself from punk in my opinion. Some good post-punk elements on this, but the whole image of the band and the focus on fashion, etc. really puts me off. For songs only, however, it's a strong album.

A great live document of Van Morrison's skill as a performer and the soulfulness of his voice.

The greatest rap album of all time. Absolutely perfect.

Early Bee Gees are the best Bee Gees.

This is fairly awful, although some of the lyrics are amusing.

I hope he gets the help he needs.

One of the best spite albums of all time. From heartbreaking to humorous at times, this is the work of a genius sending a giant 'fuck you' to his label and ex-partner in the most creative way possible.

One of my favorites from Bowie. A little croonier than Low, but some great tracks on this.

Beautiful and thought-provoking. It'll always amaze me that Billy Bragg never became a household name.

Surprisingly better than I expected. I still hate Tom Sawyer, but that is classic rock radio's fault more than Rush's.

I don't know what this type of music is called, but I hate it.

Schmaltzy pop with some good tracks. I've always wanted Wings to be better than they were.

It's very conflicting to hate Clapton as much as I do, yet really enjoy this album. Tales of Brave Ulysses kicks ass.

I acknowledge that her voice is an acquired taste. I acknowledge that most of the genius is in the instrumentation and songwriting. I also acknowledge that "These Days" is one of the greatest songs ever written.

My favorite Bowie album. Strange, cold and obviously influenced by krautrock, Eno and copious amounts of illegal substances, it is the pinnacle for me of this period of Bowie's career. Put it on at a party and watch the chaos ensue.

I actually just discovered this album recently after writing off Funkadelic as the inferior group to Parliament for all these years. Holy shit, what an album. Worth it alone for Eddie Hazel's guitar playing, especially on the opening track. This might be my favorite "psychedelic" album of all time.

My least favorite of the three Experience LPs, but still essential. Great stuff.

This is like Peter Gabriel, but more boring.

Eh. Basic psych pop.

Not really for me.

Speed + JLL = heaven

This is much better than the last Nick Cave record that came up. I actually like this a lot. Rocking, catchy and the vocals are a little theatric but they fit the so gs well. Very into this.

Catchy moments, and interesting instrumentation.

One of the greatest albums of all time. Put it on for an instant party.

I usually like droney music, but this is too much for me.

Good stuff.

Shit blues-ripoffs with horrible caterwauling and moments of boogie rock. Hate it.

Not altogether awful for what it is, but I don't really want to listen to it.

Baby babble nonsense.

I can't help but like this album. It's well-crafted, catchy and fun. You already know all of these songs but in the context of the album they are that much more compelling.

Probably the TSwift album I align with the most. The New York song is annoying. The Style guitar line sounds like the opening riff from Eminence Front by The Who. Shake It Off is great (except for that weird rap break). Overall this album is great.

Good, low-key disco-ish funk. Good stuff.

This is awful.

I really hate Queen.

Stupid fun with good rhymes and some content that has not aged well at all. Still worth listening with an understanding of the moment in time when this was created.

This was okay. It had elements of what sounded like delta blues, which was very cool, but overall it didn't keep my attention.

I actually hated this a lot less than A Night At The Opera.

This album has my favorite Beatles song of all time on it (For No One), but might be my second favorite album if theirs next to Rubber Soul. Still essential and a great listen ever for the zillionth time.

This is pretty good. I enjoyed this much more than I expected / remembered.

Heck yeah! I could listen to this all day. Love me some Depeche Mode, even if I still no zero words after all this time I still sing along to the synth lines every time.

I first listened to this album when I was working at a record store in college and it blew my mind. From that first guitar chord it had me hooked and I loved Dylan's seemingly effortless rhymes and the energy of the songs. Over the last 25 years I've listened to this album countless times and it never grows old.

There's a lot to like on this album. The beats are good, sample choices are a plus and you already know some of the songs. I guess that leaves LL himself. There's something a little too "teen heartthrob" about him that kept me from loving this. It's okay, and great at moments. Worth a listen.

Eh. It was fine.

Heck yeah! Other than Hoover Dam this album is nearly perfect. Hooks galore, loud guitars and that Bob Mould voice. If I Can't Change Your Mind was on so many of my mixtapes back in the day.

Just because all of these songs have gotten stuck in my head at one point doesn't mean I like this album.

Not into this at all. This guys voice sucks, the songs are weak. Nope.

Better than I expected, but less silly hats and treadmills.

All of these songs, and not one of them is the hit single "Smooth" featuring Rob Thomas? Hard pass.

Vicious? Maybe, but there's a lot of soft shoeing and camp too. This album didn't make sense to me for many years, but I get it now, and it's excellent.

No shame, this is great.

God, this is boring.

I found parts of this that I liked, but overall, I don't know if I quite got it. Still, I'm going to file this for some thing to listen to again in the future, as it was definitely some thing that caught my attention.

Better than I expected for French hip-hop.

There's something about S&G that I can't stand. But every 15th song or so hits me in the right way. This album isn't terrible, but I still hate most of it.

I love early Waits (the drunken piano ballads era) the best, but sometimes the later stuff works for me. Other times it sounds like an ogre screaming as someone throws silverware on the floor. The stuff that sounds like Beefheart is the best, and there's some of that on here so I'm okay with this album.

Two days of Tom Waits? After this I think I'm going on a four-day bender and waking up next to my new exotic dancer bride in a cheap Tijuana motel with no money and someone else's boots.

Excellent album that I had not listened to before. Richard's singing in particular was a highlight for me.

Much better than I thought it would be. Even the vocals were pretty okay. Fuck, do I kind of like Rush??

This might be my favorite Kraftwerk album. It's certainly the darkest and most dystopian. Unfortunately, I can only play this when my wife isn't home since she calls it that "beep boop bullshit". Well you married a guy who loves this beep boop bullshit, okay? Who's worse?

I put this on and immediately hated it, thinking it sounded like a bad YouTube ASMR video. Also, I remembered when SPIN Magazine or someone tried to make them the "next Nirvana" in the 90s, as if instrumental math-rock was going to blow up and blast from every high schoolers' car stereo in America. Then I left it on and forgot about it, only to find myself making guttural noises along with the instrumental sounds and tapping my steering wheel along with the drum beats. Okay, part of this is catchy. By the end I was totally invested. It may not have blasted from this high schooler's car stereo in the mid-90s, but it was playing at a reasonable volume in my sensible truck almost 30 years later, and I was enjoying it.

The single greatest live album of all time. From the introduction, the way that it builds, the way that Sam whips the crowd into a frenzy, the release on Somebody Have Mercy and the sheer peak of Bring It On Home To Me, followed by the slow cool down that ends with the celebration that is Having A Party. In the words of Mr. Cooke himself, "I just can't quit you". His voice is raspy perfection, the best a soul singer has ever sounded on tape - a little raspy, tired, pleading, a little cocky and hopeful that it will all work out in the end. The band is loose but tight in all the right places. The crowd is vocal and you can hear their sweaty love for it all through the tape and 60 years of time. A masterpiece.

This was a surprising one. I can't say I didn't enjoy parts of it, but I don't think I fully get it.

The best white guy blues record ever made. Fight me.

Yeah, can't get into this at all. So much scatting.

I hate when I look forward to my album of the day and I get a total shitburger like this.

Not my thing at all.

Talentless, racist clown. I agree with Angus Young that the only good thing he did was the Bluesbreakers album.

It's Fats Domino, how could you not love this?

Good mood music with some catchy tracks. Not hating this at all.

Yes! This album reminds me of high school. Still love it.

Quirky but not all that fun. The second half is better.

Great voice and great songs. I enjoyed this a lot.

The best concept album about being an 80s fuckboy in London I've ever heard.

I kind of hate this album. It sounds empty and cheap in all of the worst ways.

This sounds like the Eagles if they were even more boring.

Scottish pop perfection with a dose of grungy distortion. Teenage Fanclub are hard to beat and this may be my favorite album of theirs.

Great album and great representation of the later-period Dylan sound. A bit repetitive at times, and something that deserves a deeper listening, but overall a pleasure of an LP.

I always found Frank Black solo stuff to be like a more boring Pixies. This album is the best of the bunch, but still kinda boring.

The only band that understood the assignment when it came to Unplugged. As essential as any of their studio albums.

It's fine. I really wish I loved this, but it's just kind of whiney and boring.

Really liking this. I get why they called him the African John Lee Hooker. Smoother, but just as hypnotic.

Such a beautiful album, and one of the few artists whose lyrics can actually be considered poetry.

Pompous, fantasy van music. The funny part is, I don't think nights flying dragon or aliens, floating through space would want to listen to the garbage. When it comes to Yes, I say no thanks.

The beginning of the weird era for the Kinks. I love this run of albums, up to Muswell Hillbillies. Some great tracks on this one.

Nightswimming might be the best REM song, and the rest of this album is killer, albeit equally depressing. Not a bad thing, but you have to be in the mood for it for sure.

It's Abbey Road. Oh Darling fucks harder than your mom on a first date.

Every song sounds like a Frankensteined collection of other riffs. Which isn't to say it isn't enjoyable at times, but it's not exactly memorable or all that good.

This rules. African blues with a hypnotic edge. Reminds me a lot of hill country Mississippi style blues.

Victoria is the greatest Kinks song of all time. I don't know how much I consider this a "concept" record, but I definitely love it. Essential mid-period Kinks.

Couldn't get into this at all. Atmospheric and moody (even more so than many other 80s pop records) that just didn't draw me in.

This is actually great. Catchy, clever lyrics and much more well produced than I thought it would be. Shit, do I like this?

This album is so fucking great. The concept was excellent, and the execution is flawless. I actually slightly prefer the second volume, but I'd listen to this any day.

I appreciate this album but I have never fully fallen in love with it. Son of a Preacher Man is a classic but the rest of the album just has a little too much pop schmaltz for my liking. Dusty's voice is stellar, I just wish these songs had more grit to them.

This album is so close to being brilliant. I have lots of love for the Gun Club but there is something that has always bugged me about them that doesn't bother me in bands like the Cramps. I think it's the vocals, the more I listen to this album is particular. Still worth a listen, but not an all-time favorite for me.

I wish there was a 3.5 star option. This album is great, and a lot of fun, but it just keeps going at the same speed the whole time. Which is totally punk rock, but I need a little variety in my old age.

This is a fun album, as in, I can imagine the band having fun making it and drunken teens having fun listening to it. It is also an "important" album in the evolution of popular music - so says the critics. Is it a good album though? Is it?

Johnny at his most badass. The edgier counterpart to Folsom, the songs aren't as iconic, but he still has the audience in the palm of his hand. An excellent performance from a master.

I have a hard time with a lot of jazz albums, but this one just owns it from start to finish. Everything about this album is excellent - from the rhythms to the sound of the recording and of course the songs themselves. I understand why this is a classic.

Am I in a bad mood or does this kinda suck?

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes! Fuck yes. This album will brighten any day, and if you don't appreciate Bowie I don't want to know you.

This is fine. It's just so basic. Nothing outstanding or distinctive in my opinion.

This sounds like Lemmy playing bass for a prog rock band. Which is exactly what this is. Parts of it rule (especially the bass) but some of it sucks.

I have probably heard songs from this album thousands of times. Blasting from shitty car stereos, sports stadiums and boomboxes. You have too. We all know these songs. Either you like them or you don't. I'm on the side of liking them. I like their earlier, thrasher stuff better, but this still mostly kicks ass. It's hard to imagine this album NOT existing, so maybe that does mean it's essential?

Nope. I really hated everything about this album.

This sounds like "Happy Birthday" Marilyn Monroe fronting a made for TV ABBA with a little 90s alternative angst thrown in for good measure. Which means I don't necessarily HATE it, but I don't need to listen to it again.

Great voice, boring songs.

I crashed my car and ran home on pure adrenalin after putting this on. Fuck you, mom and dad!

The beginning of folk rock and an absolutely wonderful album. That 12 string guitar (especially that riff on Tambourine Man) creates some of the most iconic guitar sounds to come out of the sixties, and the harmonies are incredible. Gene Clark does not get enough credit for his pop genius along with Crosby and McGuinn, and I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better is a near perfect song.

I thought I'd like this more considering their obvious influences, but I found it boring and uninspired.

So fun and odd. I love OutKast for their ability to add so much joy to their music, while adding a good deal of funk and groove to every track. I could listen to this all day.

Today I learned that the lyric isn't "and there's a road with a piss stained glove" so this album just lost at least a star.

The most enjoyable Paul Simon album besides Graceland. Fun and not as boring as some of his other stuff.

My second favorite Beatles album. You Won't See Me is perfect, as is I'm Looking Through You and that deep breath in Girl. What a great album.

A great, funky album from everyone's favorite Loser. In my opinion, this one falls into the winner camp.

I almost turned this off about 30 seconds in and declared it total garbage, but I'm glad that I didn't. It is totally ridiculous, and may still be garbage, but I'm now enjoying it immensely with the same part of my brain that loves the Shaggs and certain Daniel Johnston songs. The musicianship is better than both, but the songs are totally stupid and amazing.

This is okay. Nothing struck me as especially distinctive or unique. Electronica-flavored reggae that very much dates itself.

Overdramatic nonsense. I tried, I really did. I put this on with an open mind and listened to the whole thing. Terrible. Why do people like this band?

She has a wonderful voice. This album is hella boring.

Another Bjork album. Still awful.

Meandering and self-indulgent. I hated this slightly less than other Radiohead albums post OK Computer, but I would still never willingly listen to this for fun.

This is fine for 90s electronica, which might be my least favorite genre.

A total classic of pent up sexual frustration and swampy punk rockabilly. An absolute essential release, and one of my favorite albums of all time.

I have to admit that this is very catchy. Not something I'm usually into, but I admire the songwriting and approach.

Do you like filthy funk jams that seem like they will never end? Me too. Four stars.

This shit is so plodding and boring. Every song is so fucking slow and whiny. Awful.

Great album. I don't love the production but the songs are top notch punk rock n roll. Definitely worth a listen.

This album is fine. You know the hits and the rest is filler.

Blowin' in the Wind might be the weakest song on this album, and that song is so iconic that I learned it in 3rd grade.

The album that opened my eyes to what else punk rock could be beyond fast and loud. So much to live on this album from elements of reggae, jazz, blues, rockabilly and early rock 'n roll that have nothing back in terms of ferocity from their earlier albums. They would never hit this mix as flawlessly again.

What I always wished Bad Brains had started sounding more like rather than going the metal route. This album is fun, thought-provoking and catchy as hell. The Chili Peppers wish they sounded like this!

The songs are great, but I still wish someone was singing them other than Neil Young.

My favorite album featuring an electric jug. Essential psych rock from the Evil One himself, Roky Erickson. What a great scream and songs you'll find yourself humming for days.

My favorite album by the Who. I love everything about it - one foot in pop and another in this pseudo-psychedelic oddness that includes commercials, odd jingles, etc. along with pop masterpieces like "I Can See For Miles" and "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand". I'll take this over Who's Next any day.

Beautiful. Really enjoyed it. Is that a xylophone?

I can't. Not for me in the least.

One of the best hip hop albums of all time.

Hey ma! Someone got shitty prog rock and jazz chords in my garage rock.

Do you like the music from Peanuts but want to seem more cultured? This is the ticket - and that is not an insult whatsoever.

I didn't hate this album the first 10,000 times that I heard it. But, unfortunately I worked at a record store when this came out, and we had the label reps calling daily to offer us prizes if we played it daily on the in-store system. This is where this album became my nemesis.

LCD Soundsystem is the Wilco of electronic music. Meaning everyone has that uncle that's way too into them.

Beautiful, but totally fucking depressing. This makes Elliott Smith sound like the Spice Girls.

I'm a 43 year old man, of course I love this album. Nirvana was always my favorite, but Pearl Jam was excellent as well, and this album combines the best of their songwriting with a love of 70s rock, sludge and a tiny bit of punk rock (surprisingly, they got punkier later). An essential album.

Weird sound bites and electronic soundscapes. Who listens to this shit?

I hate that this album is so great. I will separate the art from the artist and remember how I felt when this album came out. It was such a revelation and the songs were such a breath of fresh air. So sad what this guy became.

This might be my favorite MJ album, but it also makes me realize that maybe I don't like Michael Jackson solo all that much. Thriller is a great song, but I love the video more than the music. Everything else on here is either things I've heard a zillion times (which is no fault of this album) or just kind of 'eh'.

This album is GREAT! I never listened to Screaming Trees as I always lumped them into that grunge also-ran category of downtuned grumblings, which I am not a fan of most of, but this album is tuneful, even poppy at times. Catchy and very fun to listen to. I'm a fan.

Strange, lo-fi pop blasts. 28 songs (and song fragments) in 41 glorious minutes. Dive the fuck in.

The Who at their most pretentious and self indulgent. There are some decent songs on here, but I never actively choose to listen to this, and relistening to it now confirms I am correct in this decision.

I don't dislike Dusty Springfield, and the songs are great, but sometimes she sounds like my grandmother singing the songs of her youth. This is a good example of this.

An incredible introduction to old time, country and bluegrass music. This is a gateway to the original recordings (which you should definitely check out if you like this) and the studio interactions between the musicians are priceless as well. Essential.

Fun theatrical French pop. Not my usual first choice but I liked this a lot.

Such beautiful songs. I'm not crying.

If this album was one disc it would be perfect, but as a two album set there is a good deal of filler. Still, filler from George Harrison is still better than most artists' best work. It's the only thing that stops me from giving this five stars though.

This is one of those albums that I hate that I love. I attribute most of it to the influence of Bernie Leadon, who adds most of the country elements, but Glenn Fred's vocals are also exceptional on this album. I also give Jackson Browne credit for the pop perfection that is "Take It Easy". Otherwise, fuck the Eagles. Except for Joe Walsh, I like that guy.

I don't even need to listen to this again (but I will), it's one of my favorite albums of all time. Love everything about it, even the mixing (love those low vocals in the mix for minimum Mick). Near perfect.

You've either heard one of the eight songs on the album a zillion times since childhood or you have never heard it because it is objectively terrible. Still, I can't help but have some nostalgic link to this steaming pile of music shit.

Garbage vapid electro-indie pop. Who buys this shit?

I get it. I like noise. But how do you separate good noise from bad noise? I don't know, but this is not good noise. It's like 70s sitcom music with feedback and prog leanings. I hate it.

It's fine. Totally serviceable British pop music.

I saw Morrissey at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem once. At the entrance they were aggressively scanning each chubby middle-aged Otho from Beetlejuice lookalike for weapons when one security guard turned to the other and said "Hey man, why we gotta be doing all this with these bitches?"

There's a reason you see so many copies of this album for cheap at Goodwills, flea markets and less discerning used record stores - it's complete garbage.

A fun album, and on the top of my list of my favorite Brit-pop albums (admittedly not a long list). I wouldn't death stare someone who put this on at a party.

Pompous and clodding. Not for me at all. Maybe if I was getting dressed for a Ren Faire or something.

Great proto-butt rock from Rod Stewart and company. I love the Faces singles more than any single LP, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be this one. Great guitars and the songs are excellent all around.

This is the type of shit playing way too loud at some boutique you get dragged into with like 3 things for sale.

There are parts of this that are incredible, but it's all weighed down in this hippie-era slop of pretension and ego. Still, it's undeniable that there are some incredible songs on here.

I love the early Solomon Burke sides. His mix of deep soul, pop, blues and country is completely unique and this album is a perfect starting point for those looking to dive in.

Much better than I expected. Good screams and growls over odd music. Not bad.

Saw these folks once live about 25 years ago. Put this on and realized I'm still good from that.

The most offensive thing about this album is how fucking boring it is.

Not as perfect as the first album but still exceptionally accomplished and hella catchy.

This album is the blueprint for so much of what I love. Gerry's vocals alone were enough to influence teenage me to shred my own vocal cords trying to replicate that scream. Basic, primal angst and aggression in its most suburban teenage form. What a band.

I can't say anything about this album that hasn't been said better before. Absolutely life changing for me and one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

This album fucks.

In the UK they'd call this "bloody awful".

Not my favorite Willie album by a long shot but still a great representation of the man's talent.

Better produced than his earlier solo albums. There are some great songs on here, but maybe I just don't love MJ all that much.

First song: oh, I like this. Fifth song: this first song is really long and boring.

I don't really love jazz, but this album is an exception. This is some classy shit from a pre-coked out Miles Davis.

Great stuff. The musicianship is top notch, the songs are catchy and it kept my attention. Enjoyed this one a lot.

This album is all of the worst parts of Brit-pop combined. Awful.

Wash your hair and stop with all the whining already.

Second only to "What's Going On" as Marvin Gaye's 70s masterpiece. Essential.

Better than I expected from a Jack White solo album. Still, a little too self-absorbed and unfocused for my tastes. Dude can write a great song, someone just needs to stop him before he covers it in bad ideas.

An essential album of my teenage (riot) years. It could stand to be a tiny bit shorter, but no other complaints. I love every atunal, feedback-ridden rock dork note of it.

Great album, and more than just reggae. Some great elements of rocksteady, soul, folk and even prog. It's hard to say Marley is underrated, but his albums as a cohesive listening experience might be.

I listened to this. No thank you.

Revolutionary in approach and songwriting. Some of this hasn't aged perfectly, and there is some schmaltz, but still an amazing achievement and lots of fun to listen to.

I was in a great mood this morning. It took about 5 minutes of this shitbrick of an album to change that. I loathe this with the passion of 1,000 suns.

I love this album, from its punk energy to its country rock roots. Elvis's voice was fully formed from the start and the songs are all singalong bangers (even Alison, which is way overplayed on classic rock radio).

Good background working music. No complaints, but nothing stood out.

This is fine.

Great late period Muddy Waters, with a killer backing band. Proof that he had it right up to the end.

One of my favorite albums of all time. Their rules of negative self-definition from 1977 that formed the basic framework of the band said it best: No solos; no decoration; when the words run out, it stops; we don't chorus out; no rocking out; keep it to the point; no Americanisms.

I once saw Snoop live and he had people come out with money guns and shoot cash into the crowd.

Nothing objectionably bad, but pretty basic 90s British rock to these ears.

Surprisingly enjoyable. Like a half-speed Devo with more British influence. Got a little repetitive towards the end, but I liked it overall!

Listening to this because I love it, not because I need to, since I have this album memorized. Always killer, zero filler and one of the best arguments for the power of southern soul music.

This is so self-indulgent and wanky that I hate it so much that I almost come around to respecting it again. Almost.

It's fine. The song you know is the best one, the rest is pretty standard synth pop.

This is fine. Basic coffeehouse folk.

Fiona Apple is the female Tom Waits. I say that in all of the good and bad ways you can think of.

Great album, and wonderful representation of the early Beatles. Not as thought provoking, deep or Duffy as their later stuff, the pop hooks are still here in abundance.

There are some absolutely great songs on this album - along with some filler. Overall it's definitely worth a listen, and was enjoyable all the way through, even the forgettable tracks.

I wanted to like this so much. I love Soul Side, the band's previous incarnation with a different singer, and appreciated the punk meets post-hardcore sound that was unmistakably Dischord out of Washington DC. This album starts the same musically, but the vocals are growly and buried in the mix. The result sounds much more metallic and less tuneful. I just couldn't get into it.

This album reminds me of fall weather, driving around with nowhere to go, blasting this at ear-splitting volume. Of course, this was almost 15 years after the album came out, but it was still in regular rotation, even among a bunch of college radio station punks. A truly great album, even if you hate the band, its members and everything else they even put out it is absolutely undeniable.

So raw, primal and absolutely strange. I've loved this album since the first time I heard it and it has only continued to grow on me since.

I enjoyed this. Angsty, grungy rock with hooks and attitude. Surprised I never got into PJ Harvey when this came out.

One of the most nuanced and varied punk album from the initial British explosion. More tuneful than the Sex Pistols, as energetic as the Damned, as varied in their influences as the Clash. This album is a blast of fresh air from bored teenagers already looking past punk rock at what else is out there. Their second LP is even better!

I'll admit that I've never fully understood the attraction and obsession some people have with Sabbath. I mean, this album is fine. Is it infinitely better than other music of the era? Not in my opinion. It's completely serviceable heavy rock, played a bit too slow for my taste.

A bridge between his more exploratory early work and more commercial success in the early MTV era. Inconsistent but compelling.

A perfect mix of psych, pop and everything that makes music fun and wistful.

Metallica could do no wrong up to this album, which is still a classic, but loses a lot of the thrash edge and lets the self-indulgence creep in just a bit.

A very good album from a band I could never quite get into. The songs kind of blend together and it's all so lethargic and mumbly. Still, some gems in here, just not my go-to band or album.

Another favorite Kinks album from their pastorial period. Not a bad song on here.

This is great. So many influences I can hear, from Lauryn Hill to Bowie to Ella Fitzgerald to more modern indie rock. Janelle's amazing voice is the constant. Really enjoyed this one.

My least favorite "grunge" band. What makes this not metal?

Heck yeah! GP and Emmylou's voices together is a thing of magic. Love these songs.

Great album - strange and catchy and the vocals really stick in your head.

I actually enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Spacy prog rock with excellent vocals and compelling songs. Maybe I like Genesis?

This sounds like a precursor to alt country, but it's missing something that didn't allow me to get fully into it. Good songs.

Yawn.

This sounds like Duran Duran. I don't like Duran Duran.

This album is among the most perfect blends of punk rock's drive and aggression with pure pop instincts, all made by Northern Irish hobbits. Essential.

Moody, atmospheric and super depressing. I love it.

I love Emmylou, especially her work with Gram Parsons and her solo work immediately following, but this is not my favorite. It's boring and monotonous. And is that Dave Mathews? Fuck outta here with that shit.

I always meant to check out this album. I liked the single from this LP, and appreciated their appearances in the Brian Jonestown Massacre documentary. This was less poppy than I expected, and not as interesting as I had hoped. It's a bit dated by 2024 standards and not quite as "classic" as this list may have thought it would be.

I'm not a huge Neil Young fan by any stretch, but this album is fantastic. Good low-key, sinister sounding tracks along with some rootsier songs that don't have as much of a focus on his vocals. Maybe it's the Rusty Kershaw involvement, but I like this way more than I expected to.

I listened to this all the way through and didn't hate it. The single "Don't You Want Me" might be the weakest song on the album. I appreciated the Ramones call out.

The hits are the best part of this album. I grew up with these songs but don't necessarily love this album. It's a mishmash of styles and has an undercurrent of jaded old rockstar (especially in Money For Nothing) that has not aged well (along with the liberal use of f*ggot). Definitely a flawed effort.

I needed this today. Worth the price of admission for "Oh Shit" alone. Fun, highly-skilled hip-hop from when it was fun as hell.

Wasn't my thing. My grandmother would've love this. In fact, she probably did. Need to check her cassettes...

File under: yawn.

A blast of an album from start to finish. Brings back great childhood memories.

I really enjoyed this album. Moody (but driving) indie pop. Why did I always think these guys were electronica?

The best hoots and hollers on any Springsteen record.

Sounds like a game show band. That is not a bad thing.

A perfect album. If you don't think so then fuck you.

My least favorite Pixies album, but still a banger.

Eh.

Might be my favorite Beck album. Great, confessional songs with enough catchy pop elements to keep it lively.

Wanted to love this but it's boring as fuck.

This sounds like something Ali G would put out.

Growing up in the 80s, this album was everywhere. From the video starting Chevy Chase to the cassette in every Toyota Tercel, I'd know all of these songs whether I liked them or not. Luckily, I think it's not JUST nostalgia that brings me back to this album fairly regularly. The songs are smart and catchy with a bit of swarmy yuppie ideology sneaking in (it was the height of Wall Street era after all). But most importantly it introduced so many to sounds from other places that had not appeared in pop music previously. For that alone, this is an essential listen.

Sorry, but this shit blows.

Boring, predictable indie pop with no soul whatsoever.

Run of the mill early 2000s electronica. Nothing special.

I understand and appreciate that this is important music.

Fun and funny. A great party record.