1001 Albums Summary

Sounded like a rave backdrop. Pretty repetitive beats but some interesting lyrical choices (also repetitive within the song). Reminded me of chemical brothers? Would fit into the Matrix soundtrack

Interesting timing on custard. In my time dying I thought was too long.. Trampled under foot or Kashmir probably most well known. Bron-yr-aur is beautiful. Enjoy this album

Songs blend together as if one long set - meant to be heard as an album? Short samples bound by music. “Tonight” is my least favorite, although I didn’t really enjoy any all too much.

Bit of a funky feel to begin, remnants of 60s with the orchestration. Beatles vibe. Kinda reminds me of Little Feats (around the same era). Get it on (bang a gong) certainly the most popular song on the album.cool groove on Motivator. Most songs have room to breathe. I enjoy this one a lot

Liked how the early songs blended together. Tommy mentioned throughout, pinball also. Curious if real person. Pinball wizard probably the big hit from this album? Enjoyed it

Heard the “I ain’t got nobody” riff/phrase before but not in context, that was cool. Jump Jive and Wail popular cover (Brian Setzer) late 90s so I knew that one. Buona Sera another popular one. Cool to revisit swing/jazz/big band again, many great players. Some funny lyrics throughout, I enjoyed this collection a lot.

Don’t know many Beastie Boys songs (none on this album), interesting with a lot of low-hanging rhymes but then something much more sophisticated. Album seems sample heavy but works in the genre. Unsure how B.B. is regarded within hip hop, but they have an undeniable sound. Imagery is comical. B-Boy bouillabaisse set is a totally different sound. Think my fave was either “egg man” or “looking down the barrel of a gun”

Baba Oreilley is a massive hit, probably the biggest by the Who. Another great album

I immediately liked the music but thought the vocals sounded like a drunk at karaoke. But with more listening I started to enjoy it more. Maybe that’s the way with this punk music, not caring about a commercially/stereotypically “good” song package, and more about staying true to yourself and your message.. “Futures and Pasts” is my favorite, but enjoyed “Industrial Estate” and “Underground Medecin”

Brand new artist but Wow, really like this one! Reminds me a lot of different bands like Poison, the Cure, Duran Duran, even the Beatles.. but there is such a variety across the album it speaks to the talent they have. “Elizabeth My Dear” sounds exactly the same as Scarborough Fair, and therefore in my opinion the weakest. Loved them all so hard to choose my favorite for my Spotify playlist but I have to go with “She Bangs the Drums”

What a guitarist! “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va” are huge hits - that I’ve heard before - but this album is more than those two songs. Great blend of Santana’s solos with the rest of the band proving their abilities as well. Cool Latin vibe underlying with classic 70s rock sounds overtop. Liked how the songs wove together to provide a tide of music, slowing and quieting just to swell again; made for a pleasant album-long listening session.

Hard to find, not on Spotify. Nice easy listening. To me it’s good but not amazing, middle of the road. Would listen but probably wouldn’t seek it out.

Definitely interesting compilation-style album. Many songs in different “styles” but then some seem out of place. Favorites are the titular ‘Rip it up’ and ‘Can’t help myself’, reminded me of INXS, Prince, the Cars.. I enjoyed ‘Louise Louise’ although had an older feel to it. ‘Million pleading faces’ and ‘Hokoyo’ had an African (Swahili?) vibe.

New artist/album although I have heard of Elvis Costello.. I enjoy the punk flavor with some classic 70s aspects as well, like synth keyboards. ‘Pump it up’ reminds me of ‘Voodoo Child’ - possible sample/influence there; one of my album favorites. Noticing some familiar sounds that remind me of later artists like Counting Crows and Tom Petty, but also earlier like the Who (‘You belong to me’ resembles ‘my Generation’). Interesting phrase “she’s last years model” in ‘(don’t want to go to) Chelsea’ when the album is titled “this Years Model”. Overall I really enjoyed the whole album, pretty cohesive across the board.

Somewhat familiar with VH so this was a fun listen. ‘Jump’ is probably the biggest song they have, but ‘Panama’ is big too. To have these back to back speaks to the albums quality. The song ‘I’ll Wait’ was charting the week I was born (#18). Love the drums on ‘Hot for Teacher’. Guitar solos throughout are incredible.

Know a couple queen songs but not many. Definitely a classic identifiable sound in Mercury’s vocals. ‘Killer Queen’ the biggest hit of the album (and only one I knew), but lots of fun variety regarding time, emotion throughout. Lyrically impressive with some sophisticated rhyming but still cohesive. Some really nice guitar solos across the board. ‘Lap of the Gods’ seemed to imitate Pink Floyd, in sound style as well as the echoes in the revisit at album’s end. I’m not a huge fan of the ballad-style songs although ‘Dear Friends’ was nice. Reference to Jim Croce’s character in ‘bring Back Leroy Brown’?

I don’t know what to say about this, definitely WEIRD and experimental. Never heard of this artist before. I enjoyed “Lord give us more money” as background music but there is so much going on it got a bit disjointed and fatiguing for my taste. I enjoyed the more laid-back vibe of ‘Persian Love’ and ‘Hollywood Symphony’. Maybe a jazz background, certainly playing with sampling. Enjoyed hearing something new

First heard of Marty Robbins from a Rick Beato video, so familiar of this album. Great voice, sneakily good guitar, beautiful harmonies. Very fun cowboy western music. ‘Cool Water’ was fun to hear as I remember it from the “Buster Scruggs” movie. Favorites are ‘Big Iron’ (love the harmonized octave slurs) and ‘El Paso’.

This reminded me of lots of different bands: Grateful Dead, Allman Bros, the Doors,Steve Miller band, CCR… and I kept thinking I would rather been listening to those bands instead. Liked the A-side treated much like 1 long jam, B-side definitely more disjointed. Added ‘Who do you love pt 1’ to my list as I enjoyed the first half more. Unfortunately this album is quite forgettable for me, even though I didn’t hate it

Some songs just gave me a headache, some I enjoyed. As something that isn’t really my taste, this album was more fun than I thought at the outset. Favorites include ‘Boys’ and ‘Jimmy’, more than the commercial success ‘Paper Planes’. Beats were fun, almost had an Indian/Persian flair at times. I wanted to like/dislike this album more than I did

Not bad but wasn’t feeling it. I have heard of Supertramp but not sure I could name any specific songs. Favorite from the album is probably ‘Dreamer’

I only know of the Byrds for their psychadelic rock. Maybe this Americana style was present in the undercurrents of their earlier/other music (‘Nothing was Delivered’ sounded the most like the Byrds I was familiar with). I can’t tell if this album was made as satire or the group was truly interested in Country/Western music. Either way, I can appreciate the songs’ quality of production and musicianship even if I don’t enjoy the genre too much. Favorite song is probably ‘Hickory Wind’ or ‘Lazy Days’

Wasn’t sure what to expect but what a cool album. Long-form jazz takes a certain kind of mood, but didn’t take too long to feel it. Very funky Afro jazz, great drums, fat horns… First time hearing of Fela, but I may have heard some of his music back in my jazz band days. Interesting to read up a bit about him while listening! Favorite song probably ‘Ye Ye De Smell’

Great Hendrix album. Pretty recognizable sound, exactly what you’d expect. ‘Purple Haze’ is probably the most popular song on the album, I think my favorite is ‘Hey Joe’ since that’s my name (also a pretty big hit).

Nice album, heard of ‘money for nothing’ and ‘walk of life’ but the others were easy listening.

Elton John is a great artist. There is always so much movement in his piano playing! ‘Tiny dancer’ is the only song I’ve heard from this album and must be the biggest hit, but every song was definitely enjoyable

I’ve heard the song ‘Kids’ but overall a totally new artist.

Definite similarities with other English bands, like the Beatles or Hermans Hermits. Didn’t know any songs on the album but in searching I did know several other Kinks songs. Fun use of different sounds (horns, kazoo) throughout. I enjoyed every entry on this album, favorite was ‘Shangri-La’ but not a bad choice to be made.

Certainly lots of energy! Good live album but wasn’t really into it

Nice folk album, beautifully simple and profound at the same time. The vibrato in her voice became a bit much for me all at once but was better broken up around the errands I had. Definitely renaissance festival vibes. Nice chill listen

Bjork takes the weird and turns it up to 11.. I was expecting to dislike this album more than I actually did. Ethereal.

Good live album, the audience was quiet during to songs - due to nationality of recording I’m not sure. Was familiar with ‘Smoke on the Water’ but several other great songs too. “Disc 2” was weird as it was the same encore (?) songs from different dates, so I only listened thru each unique song.

Fun music, my first fully foreign album on here

Familiar with several Iron Maiden songs but none from this album.

Bob Dylan is a beloved artist and songwriter, but not really for my preference. His decision to be so loose with the time structure of some songs is distracting to the point that the lyrical strengths are lost to me. ‘Blowing’ in the Wind’ is certainly the most well-known from this album, I think my favorite was ‘Hard Rain’s a-gonna Fall’. Pretty decent folk album, feels like a soundtrack to the 60s.

I wanted to like this album as there were different aspects of each song I enjoyed. But it was a chore to get through.

Cool alternative/grunge sound, good listen.

Liked it

Great high-octane metal album. Was familiar with many of the songs but a couple were new. Liked them all, good mix of blazing speed with melodic ballad

Nice jazz album, short form may be more accessible for general audience but would have been nice to have longer songs

Even though the Spotify link doesn’t go to the original album, it was still a good listen. Fantastic ambient listening, very relaxing and meditative. Very cool

I was a fan back in the Nirvana heyday, and possibly have been exposed to this set either thru MTV or something else, but wow what an amazing live set! I understand that some people can love or hate it, and can see both perspectives, but I really enjoyed the listen (nostalgia? Taste?). Nice curation of songs that doesn’t rely too heavily on Nirvanas smash hits, and also covers that highlight their talent within the acoustic space. Cobain’s haunting and soulful singing works just as well “unplugged”

Nice unique singing voice, soothing songs that remind me of old Disney movies. I enjoyed the music behind, great horn solos that compliment and aren’t starved for the attention. Songs did blend together a bit. Not my favorite album but overall very nice

I remember some of these songs from the time of release. ‘Drive’ and ‘Pardon Me’ are the biggest songs on the album. I liked the funkiness of ‘Battlestar Scralatchtica’. This album is a pretty good summary of my music tastes at the end of the 90s

Interesting music for the background but not something I’m terribly interested in.

Nice live album, the crowd noise even enhances it; would have been great to hear it in person, sounds like everyone was having a great time. Was not familiar with any of the songs, although I did know BB King was a big name in blues.

First album that I know well, and it’s one of my favorites!! A lot of depth layered within the songs that is easy to miss on a quick listen. And such a great debut for a band too

Thought I wouldn’t like this much but I did. Not sure what they mean by ‘ambient’ because some songs definitely bring your attention. Brand new artist, never heard the name. I could see listening again, at least in the background. Favorites: Xtal, Ageispolis, Delphium Least favorite: Green calx

I have two feelings about this album; I generally like it but the angsty lyric screaming over the top in places seems to be trying too hard (I liked the lead female vocals when more controlled). Reminds me of Scott Pilgrim movie, I saw a review say the early 00s EA Sports and that seems appropriate also. I enjoy ‘Maps’ and ‘Y Control’ the most, and they are at the end of the album, reminds me a bit of Paramore

Don’t listen to rap much, and this is probably my first UK rap album. Decent variety in the hooks, interspersing of conversation seems fairly common in the genre but was a distraction. Not bad but nothing terribly new or valuable. Hard to find a song I wanted to add to my playlist.

Pretty big variety of sounds on this album, very eclectic. Enjoyed some, but it was all so weird that it was hard to take it seriously. Which maybe was the point.. Very middle of the road ratings-wise, not my favorite but not terrible.

I have heard some of these (‘Kicks’, ‘Not your Stepping Stone’), at least as far as I know. Fun bubblegum music for the most part. Definitely reminds me of the Monkees, the Grassroots, early Beatles, maybe a bit like Herman’s Hermits. ‘SS 396’ is more like a Beach Boys/Jan & Dean song, didn’t fit in with the others.. with so many styles and that this was a pretty early album for PR&tR, may have been identity decisions, or just chasing commercial success.. Classic 60s sound that is fun to hear.

Great album, I’ve heard a couple songs here and there but never to the whole. As one review said aptly, so excessive but so uncluttered! Shows its age but it has aged well. Lots of hit songs just from this one album, was a pleasure throughout.

This is a hard rating for me. There’s been some albums that I didn’t enjoy AND didn’t understand them being on the list. I can see the importance of this one but it just didn’t grab me in any way. It’s not that I didn’t like it though.. maybe it just wasn’t a good day for this one to come up.

Another hard one to rate. There were certainly times that were too experimental for me and I hated it, but at the same time could see myself getting into it.. guess I should have gotten high before listening. Middle of the road but rating down as I dont see listening again

Great album full of hits! Easy to argue the importance of Carole King, some of the songs on this album were massive hits for the covering artists. Really liked this one, I was familiar with some of the songs.

Lots of songs that I enjoyed, although it was monotonous in places. I wish I heard this when it was released! I would def listen again.

I’ve heard of Sonic Youth but don’t think I’ve ever listened to any of their songs. Few places that were a bit like noise but overall very cohesive. I enjoyed, would listen again but may not seek it out.

Never listened to too much Pearl Jam but an old neighbor was into them enough for the both of us!! Amazing A-side with hit after hit, but 2nd half dropped off a little bit — could be that I just wasn’t as familiar. There were some songs I didn’t know the title but that, once started, seemed to come back to me. Fantastic debut album, for me it’s a 4.5... I wish they would allow half-star ratings but rounding up

I enjoy this album more than my previous from the list (Sheer Heart Attack) despite not knowing any of these songs. There are definitely typical Queen glam sounds but in general a bit heavier. I like the fantasy subject matter, some beautiful lyrics throughout. White queen on A-side, black queen on B-side. 3.5/5

Reading some of the other reviews, I understand why this may have been added to the list. Was it a minority choice to appease the jazz listeners? It was barely listenable, and I’m somewhat a fan of jazz. Every so often something would bloom from the chaos and be quite nice, but then degrade back into noise. The high point is that I made it through the whole album… 1.5/5

Sounded familiar but also new. Decent album, middle of the road

Cool old-school hip hop. Think I’ve seen that ‘Walk this way’ gave Aerosmith a resurgence. Fun listen, 3.5/5 but rating up as you can easily see how it was influential to the genre

I knew several of these songs as I had a Beatles anthology set as a kid, but at least half were new to me. They’re all pretty much bubblegum pop, short songs, exactly what you think of with early Beatles. Fun listen, even the “throwaway” songs were decent. 3.75/5

Knew a couple of these songs from back in the day, plenty of new ones too. Great album with lots of big hits.

I wanted to like this album, and ‘That Lady’ was a great start. But it just devolved into covers that I’d rather hear the originals, some other instrumentally decent songs that were forgettable. 2.5/5

Plenty of big hits, one of the biggest albums of all time. Still, amazingly, was my first time listening to the whole album thru

Couple songs I knew, overall a really fun listen. The excess of 80s hair bands but some real subtlety hidden there

Remember this from back then, never quite my thing.

Album started off nice and I thought I would love it, but it quickly became nothing more than background music and didn’t hold my attention. I enjoyed ‘Unfinished Symphony’. Overall middle of the road- enjoyed but wouldn’t seek it out, 3/5

Decent mix of punk alternative and rock. Sounded familiar yet don’t think I have heard any of these songs. A couple played with the time signature which added interest. 3.75/5

Decent album, many new songs. 3.5/5 rounding down as I don’t think I would seek it out

Short album, I enjoyed it a lot 4/5

Great album, remember from back then.

Thought I would enjoy more than I did. May be my unfamiliarity with the genre but didn’t do it for me. 2.5/5 but rounding down as I won’t be seeking it out again

Only 8 songs but some massive hits! Nice listen, surprising it’s only 41 minutes. Hit songs I knew well but even the ‘filler’ had some cool sounds and ideas within them. 4.5/5 but with ‘Everybody wants to rule the World’ having 1.5 billion plays on Spotify, I’m rounding up 👍

Great album with lots of huge hits. Catchy tunes, not 100% my style but still a fun listen that’s massively popular. Can’t fault, 4.5/5

Cool album from a brand new band to me. Really enjoyed, did blend together a bit.

Pretty cool, reminded me of The Rolling Stones 3.5/5

Not sure what to say. Some songs were nice, some were awful. Some had decent production, some sounded shit. 2.5/5 but I’m rounding down because I’d be ok not hearing ever again

So good. Except ‘promentalshit…’ really rug-pulled the rest of the album. I have heard some Funkadelic before but none of these. Accessibility hurts this one; as good as it is, should be on streaming platforms. 4/5

Strange album, couldn’t figure out the cohesion.. ok but not great, 2.5/5

Decent easy listening, ‘Sultans of Swing’ their biggest hit with over a billion plays on Spotify. 3.5/5

Know of Radiohead but not crazy familiar worth many songs. Pretty good album, from my musically-formative years so a bit of nostalgia rates this up. Not seeking this out but enjoyed listening throughout. 4/5

Really cool old-school hip hop, really enjoyed. Not my typical listen but it was a treat. Never heard the album but I swear the album art is giving me serious deja-vu. 3.75/5

Decent folk music. Nothing outstanding, middle of the road

Not into it. Not that it’s bad, but I just don’t get it

Know Coltrane is a jazz master but I don’t like free-form jazz anymore

Decent, pretty typical 80s pop songs but pretty sexual. Didn’t really hold my attention too well, right down the middle 3/5

Unavailable on Spotify but found on YouTube, wish streaming accessibility was better. Enjoyable listen, although I was working on other things so nothing specifically stands out. Somewhat generic electronic pop sounds, but still holds up today. 3.5/5

A lot of reviews are talking about blues, and I kinda get it, but I always thought of the Black Keys as an alternative rock band. Decent album but does blend together. 3/5

This was a weird album, it sounded like so many different artists: Tom Petty, Beatles, Prince, Hendrix… it showed the talent that Kravitz has but also all the influences taken. I didn’t realize how well rounded that he was, I admit I hardly know any of his songs. There’s definitely some hidden depth, I’m gonna go 3.75/5

Definitely goes hard.. nice head-banger that can hang with the likes of Metallica and Megadeth. Wasn’t sure if I’d like it as much as I did, although it could have used a reprieve from the high octane chugging. 4/5

Another brand new artist for me. Wasn’t sure what to expect and was nervous about the run time but it was a joy. I liked how each song had a certain hook that they explored from different sides, reminded me of Pink Floyd. Really can’t believe this came out in ‘89.. I think ‘Lord can you Hear Me’ will be most people’s favorite as the most “song”-y track I feel like I want to be stingy with my 5/5 ratings but this album was my jam.

Decent, didn’t know much about them

It was ok. Unfortunately my rating system is based on my replay-ability and I just wouldn’t put it back on much, if at all. 2.5/5

Nice enjoyable album. A lot of times with my hearing I have a hard time with lyrics, so it’s more about the music. And this doesn’t translate too well with rap/hiphop. Nice variety of hooks, cool to hear so many different artists on here too. 3/5

Nice album, played it while watching the eclipse

Love Tom Petty, but not super familiar with album releases. Huge hits in ‘Breakdown’ and ‘American Girl’ but also some outliers that sounded out of place (‘Mystery Man’ and ‘Luna’). For a debut album it shows the promise of the great artist Petty will be, overall a solid album but not his greatest. 3.75/5

Another wu tang member’s solo album 2 days later… again middle of the road listen, again it’s not something I mind but wouldn’t listen to often

Nice album, I enjoyed some of the covers. Great soulful singer

I was too young when Nevermind came out but I was into Nirvana starting around 1996. Awesome album, tons of great hits here and very deserving to be on the list.. 5/5

Nice album, variety of sounds spanning from the 60s to 90s. ‘Lovefool’ the big hit here but other good ones here. 3.5/5

I liked this, definitely more of an ambient album. Another album that I wish I could rate half stars: want to give it more but can’t quite give it a 4.. glad to have it on the list but somewhat forgettable within the scope of the 1001-album challenge. 3.5/5

I liked this. Remember some of these songs from the release. 3.5/5 but rating up as I’d listen again without much convincing

Another fun album, didn’t know any of the songs but was a cool transitional mesh of psychedelic and hard rock. 3.5/5

This was not at all what I expected. There were times I couldn’t tell they belonged on the same album, so heavily influenced/mimicking the Beatles or Beach Boys.. but even on the same album there were so many different sounding songs, it was quite disjointed. Still was a decent listen, some songs missed the mark but some were great. 3.5/5

Cool story behind the album, and I know what a great artist Brian Wilson was (is?). But this was a weird listen… some songs had cool harmonies calling back to Beach Boys hits, but then other songs were a fever dream during a drug binge. Disjointed flow between songs with some hard transitions, where some faded well. I wanted to like it more than I did. 2.5/5

Nice indie pop music that can be on in the background or searched for deeper meaning. Not terribly familiar with Arcade Fire other than a single from their 2022 album I found last year, but I’m a fan. Easy listening, 4/5

Super chill, nice listen. Didn’t get a chance to listen to actively but had it on while running errands, need to revisit this. Great background music though

Subsequent plays are better, and I want to like this album/artist, but I just can’t into it. The first 30 seconds of the first song of the album is just a screech, like it’s actively trying to get the mainstream listener to dislike it so the punk fans can claim superiority.. second Pere Ubu album, another 2/5

I first heard of Kate Bush a couple years ago as ‘Running up the hill’ was surging in the charts (thanks to Stranger Things, I now learn), and Rick Beato breaking down the song. Listening through now, the whole album is a true experience. The 80s peek through the curtains but I also feel this could have been released any time since and it would fit in. Mix of pop with much more experimental stuff. Both lyrically and melodicly interesting, it was a pleasure to be (finally) introduced to this album. 5/5

Tough to rate this one: there were some points where I felt I could get into it, but devolve back into the muddy soup of noise. I haven’t heard of “noise rock” before so maybe this is exactly the point. First impression was of a low-production dirty bootleg for a little known punk group. There were some nice bass lines throughout. 2.5/5

Like it more after a couple songs, like a slow burn. Once you’re in for a bit you realize the tide has pulled you deeper than you thought.. more sophistication melodically, and deeper sadder lyrics blossom. Not sure if I’ve heard of Big Star before but certainly the first time with all these songs. And by the end it had me digging into more of their catalog. 4/5

Started ok but quickly got repetitive. Background music at best for me, not amazing not terrible 2.5/5

Another album that I didn’t expect to be as good as it was. And only gets better with subsequent listens. It’s sparse but yet very deep, “simple” stream-of-conscious lyrics that are incredibly profound as they simmer. Incredible voice (that initially grated me) that truly makes the listen feel all the more real and personal. Awesome album 4.5/5

Great album and makes jazz very accessible to the layperson. You could listen to this any time. Smooth with a great groove, nice tight playing.. well done. Heard of both credited artists but not terribly familiar with their work, I’m a fan. 4/5

Pretty typical late ‘00s alternative/indie rock, reminds me of Arctic Monkeys, a bit of Black Keys here and there. Enjoyable but nothing too amazing. I liked the different styles from song to song. 3.5/5

‘Sympathy for the Devil’ is the hit of this album, but other than that I didn’t hear anything too spectacular. Granted I was driving a van full of kids to go camping, so my attention was divided.. 3/5

Nice chill album, nice one while relaxing while camping. 3.5/5

This is the great thing about this album project - finding great music that you wouldn’t necessarily know about! Great singing and hip groove, 3.5/5

I appreciate the challenge mindset behind this album project, but this was too much. Some songs were okay but they really all blended together and became monotonous. 2.5/5

I knew Prince was a sex symbol in his heyday, but this album was auditory imtercourse. Really good though. 3.5/5

Started mid but finished worse. Didn’t really enjoy, 2/5

Really enjoyed this album, perfect mix of quirky with alternative, easy to listen in a variety of settings. ‘Beautiful Monster’ I recognized from Shrek but I probably had heard some of this when it released. Vocals were somewhat one-dimensional but some cool effects helped. 4.25/5

Nice smooth jazz good for entry level listening or those with a more experienced ear. 3.5/5

A lot of mixed reviews here, but I really enjoyed this. The first and last song were somewhat a test of patience but it fit with the style and theme, like an eclipse of phrases. 4/5

Not sure if they were trying too hard, but I just didn’t get into this album. Flickers of great music but overall just mediocre. 2.5/5

Decent fan of Elvis but don’t see this as one of his greatest albums. Seemed like a lot of B-sides toward the end of his reign as king. Still a great voice though, 3.25/5

Think I may have heard some of these songs from past delves into 60s music, but certainly my first time through the album. Having “Elvis in Memphis” yesterday there are some comparables, but I have to say I enjoyed this more. Dusty’s voice is so warm and welcoming, and orchestration and songwriting is perfect for the easy listening this is. Works well when feeling up or down. ‘Son of a Preacher man’ certainly her most popular song here but there are plenty of other greats here. 4/5

Decent oldschool album, not familiar with any of these songs. I enjoyed their later “Raising Hell” album more but knew some of those songs. Definitely pioneered some of the hiphop genre

I sorta understand the concept of the album, but this style and the length of the album did not lend itself to active listening, which in turn leads to more personal connection to the band and discovery within the genre - it turns into simply background ambient music, which is not something that fits the project in my opinion. This was not bad music, just middle of the road. 2.5/5

Nice jazz album, great for both deep active listening or background dinner music.

Throwback! 3.5/5

Came to the reviews to see why this would be on the 1001 list… and most others don’t know either. Not bad, but certainly reeks of someone leaving a group for a solo career, and producing this average material. 2,2/5

Wasn’t sure what to expect, I knew the name Neil Young but was not too familiar with his music. I can now say that I am not impressed.. can’t decide if this album sounded more like an amateur busker or drunken karaoke. Very few redeeming moments sparsely scattered throughout. 1.5/5

Nice breath of fresh air after what a week of crap albums… great production, some massive hits for Queen here. Even a few new ones for me that were sneakily good. Really nice harmonies. And how can I not choose ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ for my 1001 playlist…

No idea what it would be coming in, but this really surprised me! Nice variety of pop, alt rock, industrial.. Clear vocals that have a certain angsty edge, I love female voice over heavier music. Each song has an interesting hook that draws you in. Great production value, has a 90s flavor but does sorta transcend the era in some ways. I’m sure I heard this back then but can’t be sure. Some songs maybe weren’t as commercially successful but nothing here is “bad” in my opinion.. An unashamed 5/5 from me

It’s nice that musicians create music that means something to them and want to share it with others, but this was not for me. It seemed emotionless and flat throughout — I have a hard time hearing lyrics often so it’s more about the music for me and this could have been the main issue here. I appreciate twhat I imagine is the sentiment behind the album, but I will never listen to this again. 1.5/5

Great rock album with some massive hits, including their top 3 on Spotify with all over a billion plays. Clear that they are still influential today. Been a fan of these big hits but was cool to hear some others for the first time. 4.5/5

Feels very niche, but at the same time broad as the folk-rock movement of the era. Once again the cool part of the 1001 project - hearing brand new groups.. Thought they were a British Invasion group but turns out they’re American! Enjoyed it well enough, 3/5

Not quite sure how I feel about this one! There’s some interesting stuff, some boring, some funny, some sad but true… some songs I really liked, some I didn’t… Really enjoyed ‘Marie’ with its beautiful sadness. Gonna give it a 3 but it could fall on the scale anywhere depending on the day haha

Feel like I might need to revisit this album where I can really actively listen better, but my first experience with Love was positive. Seemed to be plenty of interesting and unexpected sonic movement, dreamy vocal sequences. Holds its own alongside other late-60s bands like the Doors, Beatles, Grateful Dead, etc. 3.5/5 but rating up

Some big hits for Springsteen on this album! Never loved his music but this was appropriate for Memorial Day weekend working out in the yard haha. 3.5/5

Not a big fan of country (especially older honkytonk stuff like this) but I have heard of Loretta Lynn. It’s filled with the country tropes you expect - poverty, relationship problems, retribution.. incredible voice is the main focus, and tasteful backing music staying just below the surface. Definite parallels to Elvis, Dolly Parton, June Carter.. 2.5/5

Torn with this album as I enjoyed her singing voice and the sparseness of the backing music, but also felt my attention waning with the slow speed and sad droning melodies. Although I didn’t give her any favors by waiting so late in the evening to listen.. didn’t know any of these songs but more recognizable for her contributions to “O Brother, Where Art Thou”. Not exactly my cup of tea, 2.5/5 not sure if I’ll rate up or down yet.

Really torn as I enjoy both Metallica and orchestral music. And it’s a cool concept. But although the differing music sounds great together and really elevate each other, the singing was a MASSIVE distraction. The only songs I enjoyed were the ones with no vocals, of which there were few. Some of this is the inherent difference with live albums - it’s a performance for the live audience and doesn’t translate well to recordings, since the whole visual/atmospheric show is missing from the experience. Unfortunately, gotta give this one a low score, not only for being disappointed in the product but also I don’t feel a hits compilation has business being on the 1001 list

Was initially interested that she was a harpist, thinking this would be some nice soothing music to put on and chill. Instead what I heard was shrill wailing that was like nails on a chalkboard. I saw one review say she is the “wish.com Bjork” and funnily enough it’s pretty accurate. Her music does grow on you a bit but there is almost no chance I’ll give it any more than the time already given to her. 1.5/5 as it’s not the absolute worst thing I’ve heard. Annoyed at first that this wasn’t on Spotify but found on YouTube. Now I’m glad it’s not on Spotify so I don’t have a song to add to my 1001 playlist.

Nice to hear the lyrics to all the gold/elevator music! But honestly, very smooth, easy listening that goes with almost anything. The parade song sorta pulled the rug from under you in the middle, but it quickly settles down again. 3/5 not phenomenal but if you’re feeling like Austin Powers, then put this on, baby, yeah

Definitely an avant-garde album that I can see would not be for everyone. But I thought this was great. Simple yet profound, shows you don’t need to overload with too many parts - less is more. ‘Heroin’ plays with the soundscape in a way that makes you feel desperation and euphoria. Maybe this hit me on a good day, and an argument could be made to lower the rating, but giving 5 stars today

I enjoy Stevie Wonder and absolutely love ‘Superstition’. This was a nice listen, forgot how diverse the sounds were in his music. Certainly a lot of deeper interest within the music. 4.25/5

Nice but fairly predictable country, enjoyable listen. Couple songs I liked a lot, a few I didn’t like. Down the middle, 3/5

I really enjoyed this, the synth/pop feel with maybe just a touch of electronic, just seemed so cool. First opening I really didn’t know what to expect, but the 1:08 went incredibly fast for me. I only had heard ‘Cars’ before today but some others seemed familiar. 4/5

Enjoy Marley’s reggae even though I’m not too familiar. I see in the comments that the lyrics have a bit more depth but as usual my ears treat the vocals as an instrument far more than commentary. Easy to zone out and imagine chilling on the beach, drunk and/or high, which is a welcome fantasy on so many days! 3.5/5

This album has a much more dark and sinister feel than the Cure songs I’m familiar with. Subtly complex, decent hooks. Songs blended together a bit, didn’t really love the drum sound with the echo, made everything feel much muddier than it really was. 3.25/5

Really nice production balance, nice variety between tracks. Pretty unfamiliar with Morissey/The Smiths so can’t really comment like other reviewers, but this was pretty good. Enjoyed the heavier stuff a bit more but liked the satire humor in others. 3.75/5

This entire album is the band standing on their soapbox screaming “look how quirky and interesting we are!” I guess my question is, who gave them a soapbox? This was awful.

The summary says “themes of heartbreak, desolation, solitude, and loneliness”… well it’s certainly palpable, not only in the lyrics and vocal performance, but in the dissonance throughout. Great production and balance. I remember Beck from back in the day, but didn’t know any of this album. 3.5/4

Really give a punk-rock Nirvana feel. Wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it as I haven’t given the best scores to punk albums but I really like it. Nice mix of sounds, time signatures and vocal performance make for an interesting listen. 3.5/5

Found on YouTube and therefore sound quality was a bit lacking.. seemed fairly stripped down and clean, I enjoy female-led alt/punk rock so I’m keen on this. Accessibility hurts this one a bit, 3.5/5 rounding down

Jazz smooth as butter! And this cool cat loved it

This was a strange one. Orchestration was nice on some of the songs but incredibly jarring in other places. Iconic Bee Gees vocal sounds, I really couldn’t get into this album. I have had ‘Odessa’ earlier where I could sense their ambition, which made it better than this. 2.5/5

Twice in a week, after never hearing before.. this is a decent little album, a bit boring for me but still middle of the road. Adding “More you ignore me…” to my 1001 playlist. 3/5

Middle of the road electronics house music. Some cool beats, but got a little fatigue as it’s all pretty similar tempo. Great background music, and mixed very well

I’ve heard a couple of these before, but first time listening all the way through. Nice hybrid of the rock/metal instrumentals and hiphop/shouted vocals, yet keeping things fairly simple and clean & well balanced. 4/5

Super fun and funky album. ‘Give up the Funk’ is a classic but there was plenty of great parts in the other songs. Final song ‘Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples’ was the only track that I didn’t particularly like, only for the weird synth bass part.

Never heard of Bad Brains so idea what to expect, but this was cool. Nice blend of punk and metal, will definitely be exploring their catalogue. 3.75/5

Mediocre album, nothing too groundbreaking. It was ok but not clear why this is on the list. Am I missing something? 2.5/5

Second CAN album, I enjoy this but it unfortunately becomes just background music for me. That being said, it’s amazing that this futuristic stuff was made this early. Certainly deserving of its place on the list 3.25/5

I’ve known a bunch of Rod Stewart songs, and these are no exception. Great variety of sounds within the album, good production. Got several different vibes throughout, like Tom Petty and Steven Tyler, but always clearly himself. Adding ‘Maggie May’ to my playlist as it’s arguably his greatest hit. 3.5/5

I’ve heard maybe half of these songs but never gave the album a full listen. This feels, to me, to be the quintessential punk album: the right amount of rock, anger, sloppiness, power vs restraint.. definitely earns its place on the list as I believe it was influential on many other groups, but I also can understand why some other listeners don’t like it - everyone has their own tastes. But for me this is an easy 4.5/5

Wow, this was definitely an encompassing task and felt much longer than the listed 1 hr 25; “The Wall” is itself a wall of soundscape and experience, in some places even a hurdle. But it’s filled with a gamut of emotions both up and down (touching on Pink Floyd’s theme of the music star’s experience). First time listening all the way through but I’m familiar with many of these tracks. Not my favorite PF album but still a great listen, 5/5

Another MJ album with several massive songs, but another that I haven’t ever listened straight through. There are a few filler songs that aren’t the best, and many tracks are a bit synth-heavy for me, but that just shows the album’s age. It’s easy to see how people could get caught up in the sensation and name Jackson the king of pop - each track is fun, phenomenally produced, and buried in layers of tremendous musicality. He, and the team behind him, are certainly masters of their craft. 4.25/5

Fun album, I’ve heard some of these songs but others were new to me. Amazing to learn that this is the first of 3 albums they released that year. No bad songs here but a few were a bit long, 4/5

I have heard of Iggy Pop/Stooges but none of these songs sounded terribly familiar. I did enjoy the sound of the album: little bit punk, real grimy garage-style high intensity rock. 3.5/5

I’m not the biggest fan of folk/singer-songwriter sort of albums. Although I did enjoy some parts, there were others that I didn’t. I think if I had a more laidback day this would be pushed to 4 stars, but didn’t really work while more hectic. 3/5

Total dad-rock but it was a fun listen. Nothing too outstanding to my ear. 3.25/5

Knew the first song ‘Love the one you’re with’ but this was full of nice tracks. Great mix of styles, it was easy to hold your interest throughout. Hard to choose a favorite song. Pleasantly surprised with this album as I was expecting to have a hard time with it

It’s possible that I haven’t given the Beastie Boys a fair shake, but this was much more sophisticated than I was thinking! Nice mix with different undercurrents of jazz, funk, punk, rock… not sure I would normally spin this all the way through, but once again that’s what I like about this 1001 challenge. Only knew ‘Sabotage’ but coming away with some new appreciation. 4.25/5

Middle of the road easy rock.. It seems like the pieces were there for this to be better but it just fell a bit flat. Nothing too exceptional, 3/5

Haven’t watched Shaft but I do know of Isaac Hayes.. Fun album, jazzy and funky soul music, really nice listening. That being said, not sure why a movie soundtrack would be included on the list. I wish half ratings were a thing because although I’d like to score higher than a 3, it doesn’t quite reach 4 for me. 3.5/5

Great debut album, I knew the hits but there was plenty of new tracks for me. I don’t remember ‘Light my Fire’ being as long as it was. 4.5/5 bit gonna round up

This album sounds like a lot of fairly typical 70s ballad-style rock/pop music, but also contains much more on subsequent listening. In fact there is enough variety that I wonder why this collection was arranged into the (double) album as it loses its cohesiveness a bit. That being said, I believe Rundgren is quite groundbreaking as some of this material could fit in many subsequent eras, and it’s quite impressive that he was behind basically the entire arrangements, vocals, instruments, and production. This easy listening is simple enough for background music, but also sophisticated enough to delve into deeper. 4/5

Couldn’t get into this one, partially for the length.. 1.5/5

Awesome! Hard rocking, I really enjoyed this. Not sure I’d go much longer than this length though, got a bit fatiguing by the end. Brand new but a new fave, 4.5/5

Another awesome brand new artist courtesy of the 1001 project! Really fun funky samba. The fact that it was sung in Portuguese didn’t matter at all!

Very soothing and delicate covers. As famous as Willie Nelson is I have never listened to any of his albums, I quite enjoyed this. That being said, not sure how I feel about a cover compilation being on the list, would much rather hear something original - he did put his flair on it at least. 3.5/5

New artist, reminded me of Crash Test Dummies. Not really interested at first but by the end (and second listen) I enjoyed it more. Subtly intricate in the background but I believe the singing would be the biggest turnoff for people. 3.35/5

Great listen, I enjoyed this more than many of the other hip-hop albums I’ve had so far. Super lyrical rapping but the samples and scratches are cool too. Heard of Nas but never listened to any of his music. You can really feel the gritty sounds of NY from the 90s

Amazing harmonization, great songwriting, emotional performances… S&G are the complete package here. Hard to pick a favorite to add to my 1001 playlist, too many goodies.

New album for me, although I know others by the White Stripes. Great mix of alt rock with a pinch of punk here and there. Shows how big a sound you can have while stripped way back instrumentally. 4/5

Knew a few of these songs, I’m realizing through the 1001 project I enjoy the synth-y futurism of new wave. Vocals are dark and ominous but fit so well with the production of the music. A couple songs weren’t my favorite but there were enough bangers that raise the score. 4.25/5 would listen any time

Super fun poppy album, but with a nice variety of styles at the same time. Some big hits here too. Her voice has always been a bit grating to me

I believe this was influential on the pop genre, I remember how huge she was right out of the gate with this debut album. Certainly a blast from the past - a bunch of these songs I had completely forgotten about. Total bubblegum pop without much substance like much from the time, but the producers sure knew how to appeal to the masses

Any time The Rolling Stones comes on, I roll my eyes a bit… always found them a bit overrated. They are a solid band, sure, and have stuck around. They do their blues-rock well, but lyrically it’s not aged well. The Spotify link sends the listener to the UK version, which eliminates their greatest hit “Paint it Black”.. To me this was ok but not great

I really like Arcade Fire but this album really didn’t do anything for me. Maybe it hit me on the wrong day.. added the title track to my playlist as no specific song jumped out at me

I just can’t get into Neil Young, his vocals ruin any song for me. This project sure wants to give me more and more chances to change my mind…

First time with this band but I really liked it. Wide variety of styles, instrumentation, and overall super fun. Definitely looking more into them! 4/5

Awesome album! Added a couple songs to my lists. Liked the variety of sounds and styles

Instant 5 stars when it comes to Sam Cooke! Heard some of his radio hits thru the years but really “discovered” him around 2005ish, instantly loved him.. nice change on this live album from his more whitewashed pop sound - makes sense that he was in the middle of the civil rights era

Gonna be honest, I think I got this album on the wrong day. I enjoyed this one fine, but didn’t appreciate as much as I should have (or would have on a less hectic day). Added ‘Who knows where the time goes’ to my 1001 playlist. Will need to revisit Fairport Convention in the future

Interesting in a way, but nothing so mind blowing that I would be scrambling to relisten unfortunately. Didn’t know what to expect from the outset but quickly became fairly typical Euro pop reminiscent of what I remember from the time

I knew of Gorillaz but hadn’t listened to much of their material. Some interesting stuff here, I enjoyed 5/4, Clint Eastwood one of their biggest.. can’t say that it’s been one of my favorite albums from the project but I would listen again. 3.5/5

How many Neil Young albums are they going to throw at us?!? This one was better than the others I’ve had already (certainly the earliest yet from the catalog), with a few bigger hits, but other songs were just a chore.

Hard to rate this one… I enjoyed the dreamy weirdness of some of the songs, some not so much, really loved a couple, really disliked others. So many things going on, some work and some fall flat. Gonna rate this 3/5 today but I could understand anyone’s ratings from 1-5 (because my feelings throughout the album and even some songs swung from 1-5). Fave song is ‘Astonished’ as it reminds me of Lord Huron with the female harmonies

Not what I was expecting outside the title track! Reminded me of the Doors, Aueen.. The jazz on ‘Blue Turk’ was out of the blue but so great. 4.25/5

Awesome album, feel like I’ve heard of Siouxie Sioux but not sure if I had heard any of her music.. I’m a bit of a sucker for a female lead with a punk or metal sound, so this was great. 4.5/5

Never heard the term “dream pop” before but it fits well! Really enjoyed this one, super chill. Fun play with time signatures, made things more interesting. 4.5/5

Really hard to rate this album. Kept getting Phil Collins vibes, which makes sense now that I find out Gabriel was in Genesis! First listen I didn’t enjoy much as it was so scattered and incohesive, but subsequent listening I enjoy each song more.. gonna stick with 3/5 but I can understand any ratings 2-5

I have a distinct memory riding in the truck with my dad, going thru cassettes to play while driving out to go hunting, and seeing this. Don’t remember the music though, just the title and album art.. Anyway, this is dripping with excess but is pretty decent if you don’t take it too seriously. 3.5/5 not exactly my cup of tea but it was a good listen, some nice funny moments throughout helped too

Delightfully dreamy hippy pop music. I know of the Zombies name but it took a bit for me to place which songs I knew. Really enjoyed the album, nice harmonies like The Beach Boys but a little more subdued. Evokes different emotions well. 4.5/5

I enjoy new wave and I do love ‘Come on Eileen’ even though I’ve heard it a million times.. but this album was full of other great and fun songs. Prominent horn section throughout, I’m curious is this was part of an early ska scene. Unashamed 5/5 from me, really nice listen

I enjoy Stevie Wonder but didn’t enjoy every one of these songs. And I don’t even have that good a reason.. that being said, still going 4/5 as he’s a great artist and really like the funky tracks

I enjoyed this album for ambient background music, but probably would not return to it. It’s all a bit too avant garde for me. I did enjoy it well enough, 3/5

Enjoyed the album as background, I could see myself revisiting. I like the more worldly met this cast, some pretty cool sounds explored.. 3.5/5 but I’m gonna round down as I didn’t find any single songs particularly stand out amazing, more good overall

First time hearing but I loved it! Maybe it’s a punk thing to have lots of short tracks, but it really serves as a nice intro Punk 101 sort of thing, cool riffs that don’t overwhelm/overstay. Also loved the production, gave it an underground feel, whether this is deliberate or showing its age doesn’t matter. 5/5

Once again the singer-songwriter genre is lost on me. I did enjoy more on the second listen through, but it just seemed boring to me - whether this was Cohen’s dry monotone singing, stripped-down backing guitar and lack of ensemble, or my own ignorance and lack of appreciation, I don’t know exactly. I can understand why people may both love and hate this album. Quality musicianship, but I think I just need more. 2.5/5

Looking at other ratings I wasn’t keeping my hopes up, but this was much better than I expected. Although it is categorized as punk it seemed much more island/reggae or ska (certainly for the first half). It was a fun listen and I enjoyed it, 3.5/5 but rating up as I don’t think this should average below 3

I knew the name Africa Bambaataa but don’t remember hearing any of these tracks.. I think the electronic/hiphop hybrid works decently, and like some other early hiphop albums on the list I’m sure this was quite influential to the genre. 3.25/5 I enjoyed but not sure it’ll make regular repeats for me

Nice jazz, great grooves. Something about the recording sounded fuzzy/rattly, like a microphone with interference.. wasn’t constant but kept bringing me out of the moment (which hurts the rating unfortunately). Favorite track was ‘Manenburg revisited’ 3.5/5

Not the biggest singer/songwriter fan and not a diehard Bob Dylan fan, but this album was great! Certainly exceeded my expectations anyway. Storytelling was great, singing was much clearer than I had anticipated. And every song new to me but enjoyed. 4/5

Didn’t think I knew any songs by Suzanne Vega, but turns out I did know her top hit “Tom’s Diner”… anyway, I enjoyed this album some, but it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea either. Favorite song by far was ‘Marlene on the Wall’, none of the others stood out to me. Average album, 3/5

Waited a bit too long to start this album, after a long work day, so I was a bit tired and didn’t initially like what I was hearing. But realized I liked it much more on the second listen through! Never heard the term shoegaze before, but the dreamy ethereal songs seem to fit the definition I found. I’m a fan of alt/indie rock like this, I probably heard some Deerhunter songs without even realizing.. 4/5

Beautiful silky voice, and chill yet sophisticated music that doesn’t overpower. I remember when this came out, and I didn’t give it much of a chance.. still not my favorite but enjoyed more than I thought. Standout songs ‘Don’t Know Why’, title track ‘Come Away With Me’, ‘Turn Me On’ 4/5

I have heard of Gang Starr somewhere, although with my limited hiphop knowledge I don’t know where I know them from. I enjoyed this album enough, it was such a hectic day that my attention was divided and I don’t think I gave it enough, will have to revisit.

Not sure what specifically about this albim, but I loved this! Something about the ethereal waves of sound, weird lyrics, experimenting with time signatures to make you feel like something isn’t quite normal.. unashamed 5 stars from me, this is the entire purpose of the 1001 project for me - explore different artists and genres, you never know what new favorite you’ll find!

Really liked how stripped back this is. Good mix of styles as well. No real standout songs to me, all were pretty solid. 4.5/5 still not sure if I’ll rate up or down yet.

Solid MJ album, some songs Ive heard and some new to me.

Yet another Neil Young album full of songs that have potential but are instantly ruined by his awful vocals. Please stop!

Really enjoy jam sessions like these, although I can understand others may not. I regularly play long tracks from Grateful Dead, phish, Allman brothers, Pink Floyd… so track lengths didn’t bother me either. 4.5/5 rating up

Really cool album, enjoyed very much. I was familiar with ‘The Robots’ but not the others.

Album was certainly full of talent, but 2 20min jazz songs are a big step up in effort for beginners, which hurts the ratings I believe. 3.5/5 but not sure I would seek this out again

Listened to this one a lot back in the day, was certainly a throwback. Liked the production, and a how they would change tempos and styles throughout added a lot of interest to the tracks. 4.5/5 rounding up for nostalgia

This was ok but got a bit repetitive and overstayed its welcome. Favorite song came at the very end with ‘O Children’ which was a little too late for me. On another day it MAY have gone higher but for now I’m going a straight 3/5

For as much as Kanye has been in the limelight for as long as he has, I really don’t know any of his music. And unfortunately, none of these tracks particularly spoke to me.. much like most of the hiphop genre. 3/5

Not too much to say about this album. Listened to it while cleaning and didn’t realize it had looped back and replayed a couple tracks.. nothing too bad about the album but it was just so… blah. 2.5/5 but rating down as I wouldn’t listen again and don’t feel I will be missing out

Hadn’t heard of the Vines before but I loved this album! Another one introduced by the 1001 challenge that I may not have found 4.5/5

Enjoyed each of these songs, although ‘Sweet 16’ was a bit gross.. all in all a classic 70s brit rock album 4/5

Halfway through ‘Walk on By’ I thought, nice funky-soulful groove, but maybe just a bit too long. And then I got to ‘…Phoenix’ and I realized I had no idea. Shame that half the songs overstayed their welcome, it would be higher. Great voice, good music, but track length sinks this album. Music 4/5, length 2/5

Lot of great songs in this one album! Think I knew 2 of these but all were good. In my head I thought Blondie sounded more disco, guess I was remembering it differently. 4/5

Another huge album by Van Halen! Some great songs here but still some new to me. Great energy, wicked guitars, all in all a fun listen with no bad songs. 4.5/5 but gotta round up due to so many hit songs

Great album with some great hits! And I do enjoy 90s alt-rock. Didn’t really have any songs that were too bad, although my opinion is the album length hurt itself a bit. Even with a nice variety of sounds and styles I did get a bit bored. Probably would be a 5 star rating if it was cut down to even 45-50 minutes but as it was, 4.25/5

Always been a fan of Green Day and heard many of these songs, but think that was my first full listen thru the album

Something about singer/songwriters just puts me off, I don’t know what it is.. great voice and soothing music. Only knew ‘Fast Car’ but ‘Talking about a Revolution’ was another favorite. 3.25/5

Love Lorde’s voice and style.. this was a bit depressing album but was her intent so can’t really fault it much.

Knew and liked ‘Criminal’ from back on MTV but really the first time delving into any of Fiona Apple’s catalog. This was a fantastic album! Really liked each song, great variety but also worked well together. I’ve been missing out! 5/5

I can understand artists experimenting, pushing their boundaries, and/or trying something different… but this is just bad. In fact I’d be worried for their clearly drug-addled brains if this wasn’t from 55 years ago and they’re all most likely dead now. A chore to get through, unashamed 1/5

Not a bad song in here, and some huge hits as well? Easy 5/5. Easy listening but there are some sneakily sophisticated parts too.

Soothing album, didn’t dislike any tracks but none of them jumped out at me for being so amazing I want to listen all the time.. so for that gotta go 4/5. I will probably explore more of Elliot Smith’s catalog

Awesome Beatles album, liked this one more as tracks were a bit more melodic and sophisticated than their earlier bubblegum pop songs. Liked the A-side a little more but was also familiar with the songs, but enjoyed the entire album.

Said it before that I’m not a huge hip-hop fan, but if I need to listen I would choose Tribe Called Quest! I enjoy the old-school hiphop with the laid back vibe. 3.5/5 but rounding up as it was nice chillin’ with the Tribe today

Really enjoyed this one, had a nice mix of rock, punk, alternative pop.. sure I have heard a few of these tracks before but could only remember ‘Alright’

Longer tracks that leave room to breathe and explore the atmospheric soundscape. Album hit me on the perfect day, although I feel I would have enjoyed anyhow. Gives me Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen vibes.

Thought I would enjoy this more as I was expecting more rock songs like their later catalog, but this was a good listen still. ‘La Grange’ has one of the best guitar riffs still

First track really threw me, I did not like the sound. But I enjoyed the rest of the album (why do I like new-wave so much?). This was more of a background album as I was pretty busy. Going 4/5 as ‘New Stone Age’ was a turnoff

Like most other ABBA, it’s super fun whether you want to admit it or not!! Knew a couple songs but many were new to me. 4.5/5

Certainly interesting album, and not at all what I was expecting after reading some of the reviews.. much better than I was led to believe. Quite strange, and quite a wide variety in sounds. 3.5/5 rounding up as it’s too low globally, however not sure I’d seek it out again. Thanks to the 1001 project for bringing it to my attention, wouldn’t have found this otherwise

Hard time deciding where to rate this.. I enjoyed it quite a bit but no tracks really jumped out at me as being amazing, but liked some aspects in each song. 3.5/5 but since u have other Arcade Fire songs in my rotation I’ll give them the benefit and round up

I know a few Police songs but not many.. never heard of them as “white reggae” but now I’ll never forget it!!! Appreciate the sophistication within the music, but they’ve never been my cup of tea. 3/5

Link went not to a full album, found the self-titled “Madness” had all the correct songs. Pretty good album with lots of layering, seems pretty underrated. I did know ‘Our House’ 3.5/5

On my first listen, I enjoyed track 1 well enough but each song after dropped my opinion more and more. But listening a second time through gave me a better appreciation. Mixture of being amped up, depressive lack of energy, and descent into madness.. Reviews are all over the place (musical tastes are subjective). Least favorite song is ‘Girl’. Going 3/5

Pretty decent album, a little too easy-listening for my tastes but no bad tracks. ‘Coconut’ is embedded in pop culture but I always thought it was a bit overrated. 3.25/5

Super smooth jazz! That being said, got this in a day I was running around crazy, would have been better to be able to chill with this on a dreary day. 3.25/5

This album did not blow me away. Seemed pretty mid-tier electropop without any standout tracks for my taste. Decent sound, wish I enjoyed it more than I did.

This was probably remarkably heavy for the time, it seems relatively tame with so many heavier genres today. I knew of Black Sabbath but had only heard bits of ‘NIB’ all the other tracks were brand new. 3.25/5 decent rock but not sure I’d seek it out again. I can imagine this influenced many musicians

Classic songs by a classic band.

‘Take me Out’ was a huge song but I didn’t know any others. The sound feels nostalgic but still sounds good. I appreciate when songs have some room to breathe rather than a wall of lyrics crammed together (this album does decently). Variety of styles between tracks. 3.5/5

My only experience with Captain Beefheart is “Trout Mask Replica” so when I saw this album today, my heart dropped. But this was not what I expected. Sure there are still some quirky experiments going on, but in a more accessible format. Nice changes in time, tempo, and style really make for an interesting listen. 2.5/5

Super fun jazz, fat horns and awesome rhythm. Really good 4.5/5

I thought this was okay but many of the tracks seemed quite flat. Didn’t want to turn it off but wouldn’t seek out again. 3/5

I enjoyed the sound of XTC, I thought they were a new band for me but after checking their page I realized I did know “Mayor of Simpleton” (their Spotify #5) and could then hear it throughout. Another album I wish could have half-star ratings.. 3.25/5 rounding down as no tracks jumped out at me

I knew some songs from the Talking Heads but this album had a bit more David Bowie-ness than I expected (maybe this is their typical sound and I just know the new-wave ‘hits’). Fun listen, 4/5

Don’t know many Radiohead songs, although I am familiar. This was great right off the bat, ‘15 step’ grabs your interest with the unique time signature. Great production, great layering of sounds, ambiance.. really nice album! Certainly owe them a dive into their catalog - I’ve been missing out

Nice to get some more world music from this list. Curious that the selection was a soundtrack and how it compared to other mainstream music at the time, and the rationale choosing this. 3.5/5 but rating down as I don’t think I would search this album out again

I like David Bowie well enough, and this album is no exception. I liked it better in a second listen. 3.5/5

I really enjoyed this, although upon seeing the album art I could have sworn I had reviewed this one before (must have recently discovered it on my own somehow). Loved the traditional sounds, while also incorporating the sounds of the 60s in a more accessible manner. Soothing, sad, funny, this had it all. Beautiful smooth vocals, laid back melodies.. just great! 4.5/5

I wish I enjoyed Dylan more, but I just feel ambivalent about his music… there are many others here that could tell about how great an artist he is, but it’s just okay to me. 3.5/5

ABBA is great here once again, despite none of their massive hits being on this album. Vocals/harmonies are incredible, production is stellar. Nice easy listening. 4.25/5

I liked a lot of the sounds in this album, but didn’t really enjoy the album.. maybe it came on the wrong day and I wasn’t in the right headspace for what Radiohead was trying to do here. Possibly too experimental for my brain today. Gonna go 3 stars but will need to revisit in the future

Nice music, feel like I’ve heard many of these songs over the years.

Some of these other reviewers need to get their nose out of the air, their head out of their asses, and stop taking music (and themselves) so seriously. Is this the absolute peak of music?? No, but welcome to the music industry. They find what sells and duplicate to oblivion! With multiple tracks with over a billion plays on Spotify, this is a mega album. It’s fun, high energy, nice solos. I think I’d typically rate this 4/5 but I’m rating up to stick it to the sticks-in-the-mud that think they’re too good for this hair metal.. screw them

Second C.A. Album for the project, and once again it wasn’t awful but it’s just not my thing. She has a tremendous voice but seems to be a bit one-trick flourishing every phrase over similar pop music, and it gets tiring quickly. Although I’m not sure, I assume this project was a bit of a deviation from true pop-singing for her, but why was this released as a double album? Because I have no idea

This was a strange album… I enjoyed parts but it almost seemed as if Wainwright was pressing the “unique” factor. Also, he has a great singing voice but to me, he came across as almost entirely cold and disinterested, even when the music suggested otherwise. 2.5/5 but rounding down as I would not listen again

I enjoyed how sparse this album sounded - it allows Willie Nelson’s voice and lyrics to come to the forefront and not stand on their own. This risk not to hide behind instrumentals and production worked here! Simple and clean. I’m not often into country music but Willie is, deservedly, one of the great legends of the genre. 3.25/5

I knew the name Merle Haggard but hadn’t listened to any of his music. Classic country that’s stood the test of time

Another from the project where I have heard of the artist but haven’t listened to any music! Nice tracks that blend soul, funk, r&b. I enjoyed the album enough, but seemed a bit dated, wasn’t really my groove today. 3.25/5

This album was average, nothing terrible but nothing jumped out at me. I thought throughout that I wanted to be enjoying it more but something kept me holding out.

I know the name Keith Jarrett but I don’t know where I would have heard it.. I’m a bit of a sucker for piano lately, certainly one played so magnificently. You can tell by some of his noises in the background, that he is truly passionate and loves what he is doing, and this makes the recording all the better. Amazing improvisation: Seems some parts were somewhat exploratory, where others he knew just where he was going. Another great album I may not have discovered, courtesy of the 1001 project!!

New one for me, I may have heard Nina Simone in passing but didn’t recognize any of the top Spotify tracks.. I feel like I probably missed some civil rights masking in the lyrics but it was pretty enjoyable. 3.5/5 but rounding up

Enjoyable to me, although I understand the people that don’t like the Smiths so much. 3.5/5

Had this on while painting, I probably listened through 3-4 times. Really enjoyed this, 4/5

I really like when world music comes up on the project, as it’s typically something wholly new for me. You can tell this is music played for the love of it. It is by no means perfect, but it’s better for its flaws. Touré is a wonderful guitarist, and the music as an experience really brings your imagination to life and transports you anywhere

Weird but I liked it. I’ve heard of Frank Zappa but pretty sure I’ve never heard any of his songs

I knew ‘Blister in the Sun’ very well from the past, but unfortunately for me I hadn’t heard any others on the album! I really liked the stripped back sound, really a pioneer of the alternative grungy style that came later. 4.25/5

Great album by a master of the craft! The length hurts this one, as well as the fact it’s live (doesn’t bother me much but it will to some). Hard to pick a favorite for my 1001 playlist

This was much better than expected, it’s a shame this wasn’t well received when it came out. No bad songs

I really wanted to like this, but it was as if they were trying too hard. They wanted to experiment with different things, liked it, and then stacked everything on top of each other. The bass player had some funk! 2.5/5 rounding down as I believe there are examples from the time that were doing similar things in a better way.

Enjoyed this well enough, although I thought it dragged out a bit too long. Incredibly influential and was the beginning of many successful careers. Heard a bunch of these before but never listened in its entirety. Album is a product of its time and circumstance. 3.5/5

Heard of the group before but don’t think I’d be able to name any of their songs.. I wanted to like this more, but something was just unsettling to me. No terrible but I would not seek this one out again.

I enjoyed this well enough, she reminded me of someone but I couldn’t/still can’t place it. Favorite track was ‘Never Said’

Reading all the raving reviews makes me think that I missed something here.. this album was fine but forgettable in my opinion. I get experimentalism but feel like this could have been better. 3/5

Pretty good album, I know I’ve seen/listened to some of this but not straight through. There were some times where the mix levels felt off, like the drums were too loud in relation to vocals, etc.

Really like Daft Punk and this album, but the length and repetitiveness hurt this some. That comes with the genre though; sampling and layering.

Nice album, I was busy all day so although I “listened” all the way through twice it wasn’t a very deep delve.. 3.5/5 but I will need to revisit this

Another great CCR album that brings a couple huge hits and plenty of other soulful country-rock tunes along with them. This is the second of the three ‘69 albums for me during this project, looking forward to the other!

Really fun energetic album. Guess I’m the age that enjoys the lame dad rock that other reviewers hated.. plenty here to enjoy. 4.5/5

I loved this album! Brand new artist, I’ve been missing out. Will definitely be digging into their catalog more

A bit droll and dry, reminded me of Leonard Cohen. Not really my thing usually, but this album was more interesting than I would have thought. I had heard “Wild Side” before, and it is probably the big hit here, but I preferred ‘Perfect Day’

Couple huge hits here, some decent songs, and some filler (like some of the Michael Jackson albums I’ve had on the project). When you’re such a sensation and putting out lots of music, they won’t all be hits. Can hear Prince’s influence on ‘Love Song’ for sure. Solidly 4/5

Played through twice while working but again, I don’t feel like I got a great “listen”… really liked the style, this is a brand new artist for me. Indie feel, reminded me a bit like Guster. 3.5/5

Usually love the Who but this was just too weird. Great vocal harmonies for songs that are pretty stupid. My opinion and probably rating continues to drop after each track. Not sure this album is one that you must listen to before you die… 2.5/5 rounding down as I would be ok not listening again. Great band, but not a great album this time around

Not my first time with the Band but is my first time with the album. Nice chill music, 3.25/5

Didn’t recognize any song titles but I sure knew the tracks as soon as they played! Great mix of styles and sounds, really good album! I didn’t love every track but having a hard time finding negatives, would easily listen again, and therefore giving it 5/5

First time with this Paul Simon album. ‘Call me Al’ is probably his biggest song and I’m sure I’ve heard a couple of the other tracks as well. This probably deserves 5 stars from me but there’s something about Simon that rubs me wrong.. great voice, great songwriting.

Funky groove, easy to listen to. Not my main cup of tea but a good listen every so often. 3.25/5

At first I had a hard time with the feedback sounds on some of the tracks, but the more I listen the more I love this! Tended to enjoy the dreamier showcase tracks more but the more punkish songs grew on me.

I remember Missy Elliot was pretty influential in the genre for promoting female artists, so I expected much more from this album. It was mediocre at best, and totally forgettable. No songs stuck out to me as great, and the album being on this list is questionable. Too long/too many tracks. 1.5/5

I know Bob Dylan is a prolific singer and songwriter, but I guess I missed the boat. Never been too impressed with his style of music and this is no different. 2/5

This was an ok album. I was hoping for something a bit deeper but felt is was pretty straightforward euro pop music. I didn’t have time for a second listen so maybe I missed some complexity. 3/5

I really liked this album! The warble in the voice was grating on a couple songs but made it more unique. Also likes how they didn’t take themselves to seriously and had fun lyrics/subjects. Nice hooks as well. 4.5/5

Started off loving this but it quickly faded into the background. But I think it’s because I was too busy and overtired to give it my full attention, not that it was boring. Will need to revisit this album but rating 4/5 for today

Liked many parts of this album, although stylistically it will always become background music. Not terribly complicated and somewhat predictable. First time with this band but I’d listen again. 4/5

Another album that suffers from my busyness. Didn’t feel strongly one way or the other. Masterful musicianship but it was kinda weird and stylistically broad

Loved this band! Can’t believe I’ve been missing out on them for so long (I have probably heard some of their hits before)

This was some fantastic music that I would have never found outside the 1001 project! Easy to listen to, great sound production. Such an easy 5/5 from me

I’ve heard a couple of their big hits but haven’t gone too deep on the Pretenders - I definitely need to look into their catalog more. This was a great album, certainly more matured than debut albums tend to be. Great sound production that can be both bright and dark, love the vocals, just a great overall package. 4.5/5

Nice album if you want non-stop mambo.. great musicianship, nice vocals. Got a bit repetitive, but worth listening to this. 3/5

I didn’t realize this was from the 70s at first, I thought it was contemporary with a throwback sound to seem more classic. Great production, great variety with some of the tracks. Added ‘Boxcars’ to the list but liked ‘Cornbread Moon’ as well. 3.5/5

I remember this being pretty big when it came out, but I didn’t give it much credence. Listening now, it was okay but not mind blowing. Went on too long and too many skits in my opinion. Definitely not as awful as some of the reviews I read. 3/5

This was all over the place.. my first listen was probably around a 2.5 but subsequent listens grew on me and I enjoyed it more. 3.25/5

This album was better than some of the other Dylan albums I’ve had during the project so far.

I was worried seeing a low rating, and for the first 10 seconds of the first track I really wasn’t sure what I thought. Another 10 seconds I was into it. And I absolutely loved it before the end of the playtime, and gladly let it run through again. Gritty, heavy, humorous, great musicianship hiding behind the yelling, and the playtime was perfect - enough to get to the point and not waste any more time. I’ve had plenty of bloated albums by now, and this album shows that more doesn’t mean better and in fact can mean worse. I would normally rate this 4-4.25/5 but I’m rating up as the current global 2.7 is too low. Not my typical musical genre but this was fucking great

I waited a bit too late in the day to give this a fair shake. I’ve never been a massive Bowie fan, but this was enjoyable enough. ‘Heroes’ was my favorite track, song wise, but I enjoyed getting lost in the ambiance of the B-side, especially ‘Moss Garden’ and ‘Neukoln’. 3.5/5

I’ve had one other PSB album on the project and didn’t care for it much; this one was better in my opinion, although still not my cup of tea. I tended to enjoy the music more than the vocals. Added ‘So Hard’ to my playlist, I also liked ‘Jealousy’. 3/5

This got repetitive real fast. Quite a boring album, not the greatest day to listen to this driving in heavy traffic with too little sleep. Gotta give this 2/5 as I don’t see listening again

Randomly saw the Flaming Lips at Milwaukee’s Summerfest several years ago, and they played Yoshimi. Although this is the only song from this album I knew, I’ve been listening to a smattering of their songs ever since. This was a great album to hear complete! Simplistic structure in some ways but quite deep lyrically and complex upon careful listening.

Love good Irish music, and I’ve listened to the Pogues here and there before. Not my favorite with the gravelly vocals but really enjoyed the how the influences taken from other cultures (Turkish, Spanish) meshed. Also enjoyed the collabs with the Dubliners as I’ve listened and enjoyed their music as well. ‘Fairytale of New York’ looks to be their biggest hit, also adding the traditional ‘Shanne Bradley’ to my playlist, just beautiful. 4.25/5

I, like many, knew a bunch of these songs, and knew as soon as I saw it that I would rate this album pretty high. Whether this is nostalgia or musical tastes, deserving or not, is obviously subjective. Couple new tracks to me.. I’m not an expert in the Beatles catalog but this album seems to mark a stylistic shift in their music, moving towards the psychedelic and expanding influences.

Pretty good album with a massive hit that overshadows some other pretty decent tracks. I liked the atmospheric quality of the songs, may lend itself more to background music. 3.75/5

I know of Jeff Buckley, I’m assuming it’s due to his cover of ‘Hallelujah’ but I’m not really sure. This album was alright, I didn’t dislike it but really didn’t love it either. Appreciated the cover of ‘Lilac Wine’ by Nina Simone that I remember from earlier in my 1001 project. 3/5 middle of the road

I’m torn on this rating, as Sinatra has an exceptional voice but the songs all seemed to blend together. Yes this was a good album but they didn’t seem to be taking any chances to make great music - songs were tailored to fit one crooning style, rinse and repeat. As great as Sinatra is, this wasn’t very interesting

Appreciate the concept and chances taken with this album, makes listening much more interesting and fun. Favorite track was ‘Roulette Dares’. 3/5 wasn’t my favorite but still enjoyable

Several great hits on this album! Excellent voice, nice catchy melodic hooks, nice production.. pretty overplayed for a while there, but glad I never listened to Adele too much so I could enjoy this album today. 4/5

Wasn’t very interesting to me, pretty repetitive sound-wise. I thought I would enjoy this more than I did, and would choose other bands/albums of the era before this. Not real inspiring

Pretty chill classic rock, I didn’t know any of these tracks but I’m familiar with Aerosmith’s sound. No songs really stood out to me as amazing but none were bad, 4/5

I did not feel very engaged while listening to this. Seemed quite repetitive with the beats (and remixes of songs) and overall was pretty boring.

I’ve listened to this album before, but it’s always been enjoyable. Several big hits for S&G, and the rest are still great examples or what made them so popular. Amazing harmony, great songwriting.. 4.5/5

This album was fine, a bit repetitive but easy enough to listen. Only knew ‘Take me to the River’. 2.5/5 middling album

Not a big fan of Cohen.. sure he’s a great lyricist but his songs are quite boring. Sorry Lenny

Decent listen but nothing too outstanding. 3/5

Got nervous after seeing some of the reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised with this. Brand new to me, I was into the strange comedic lyrics, very well produced, this is much more solid album than the ratings give it credit for. 3.75/5

I really liked this album! New artist to me, was a really cool fusion of different styles, really felt timeless. 4.5/5 would definitely listen again

Kings of Leon reminds me of Neil Young - some good music brought down by the vocal performance. Of course it is their style and there will be some that love it, it’s all subjective. I have a couple random obscure KoL songs saved on different playlists, but I didn’t really love any on this album. 2.5/5

Know the name and probably heard some of his music, but this was a great soulful blues album. Musicianship was top notch. 4.25/5

Stylistically and melodically varied, ethereal, plays with tempo and time signatures to add interest… this is a very good album! I have heard some of his songs before, but nothing from this album. At first I thought there were parts that were a bit too avant garde for me but through a second listen I enjoyed each song more. 4.5/5

This seems like something that I should like more than I did… it probably came to me on the wrong day. Will need to revisit

Pretty easy 5/5 for me! Really enjoy Green Day in general, but this was a pretty formative album for me. Well produced, great sound, bringing (pop) punk to the mainstream.

This was not that great… quite basic electronica that went on overly long and didn’t hold my attention.

Nice collection of Christmas songs, can tell Spector had his hands in it with the “wall of sound” throughout, many of these still in heavy rotation even now. 3.25/5

Even though there were many things I didn’t like about this album, I really enjoyed the bass sound and production. Favorite song was ‘Swan Lake’ but many cool bass licks throughout. Vocals took this down a bit, and things were a bit overlong. I enjoyed this more the longer I listened but not really my cup of tea

This was a cool album, I don’t think I was in the right headspace to enjoy this to its full extent, and yet I still enjoyed, and won’t hesitate to take on a deeper listen. Exemplary production, quite sophisticated melodically.. I understand others’ issues with the vocals, but it seemed to underscore the themes and lend itself to the ambiance. 4.5/5

No idea what to expect with this coming in, but I liked it more than I thought. Categorized as country which doesn’t seem quite right but I don’t know what else it should be. Plenty of interesting songwriting/production decisions that add interest. Had a hard time choosing my favorite track. 3.5/5

Having a hard time with this rating, I need to give it a deeper listen. I tended to like it more after some time with it.. giving it 3/5 for now

Always felt an irrational hate for the Eagles, not really sure where it came from. And upon seeing this album today, I was sorta hoping for it to be worse so I could rate it down a bit… however, the production was phenomenal, masterful instrumentals, soulful clear vocals, this really is a great album. 4.5/5

I enjoyed many of these songs, certainly the style of them. I think Harrison was out to prove that he was more than just a Beatles backup, and he went too far here. Not necessarily in quality, but quantity and length. Had this been a single album with a more curated tracklist, I probably would have given this 5/5. Well done, George, but this was too long.

Decent blues album, nothing blew me away but was fine. A bit square compared to other blues I’ve heard

REM vibe for sure, felt slightly worse production/musicianship but still entertaining. Needed to play with Spotify equalizer a bit

Bookended by 2 huge songs, but the meat of the album was still pretty enjoyable. Hard time rating this, 4.5/5

This album is not great, but doesn’t deserve to be in the bottom 10. It’s listenable, although I tend to hear the music above the lyrics.. 2.5/5

This was ok, not my favorite but did grow on me as it went

Wanted to like this one more than I did. 3.25/5

Great collection of fun dance songs here, love hearing new non-English albums! Amazing musicianship, great vocal performance, overall very fun listen!!

I thought I would enjoy this more than I did. The talent was there but something about the tracks just didn’t resonate with me as much as other Temptations songs have. Middle of the road 3/5

This was entertaining enough, but didn’t terribly hold my interest. Seemed to be an album made up of tracks from the cutting room floor, ones that were decent but didn’t quite make a previous record. 3/5

Decent Spanish album, a bit slower than I would have liked, but a solid listen. 3.25/5

I was excited to see Paul Simon today but I was a bit let down with this one, I typically enjoy his songs more than I did these. They were okay tracks, just no real big hits.

Lot of great tracks here! Love how stripped back this is, but sounds so huge at the same time.

Great album, many of the Beastie Boys songs I know are from this album so it was fun to listen again. 4.5/5