700
Albums Rated
3.36
Average Rating
64%
Complete
389 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
97
5-Star Albums
18
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
São Paulo Confessions
Suba
|
5 | 2.83 | +2.17 |
|
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
|
5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
|
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Ice Cube
|
5 | 2.93 | +2.07 |
|
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Wild Gift
X
|
5 | 3 | +2 |
|
Larks' Tongues In Aspic
King Crimson
|
5 | 3 | +2 |
|
Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
|
5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
|
1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
|
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
|
1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
|
Only By The Night
Kings of Leon
|
1 | 3.23 | -2.23 |
|
Pyromania
Def Leppard
|
1 | 3.13 | -2.13 |
|
Your Arsenal
Morrissey
|
1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
|
Survivor
Destiny's Child
|
1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
|
You Are The Quarry
Morrissey
|
1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
|
Club Classics Vol. One
Soul II Soul
|
1 | 2.82 | -1.82 |
|
Planet Rock: The Album
Afrika Bambaataa
|
1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.8 |
| Steely Dan | 4 | 4.75 |
| Metallica | 4 | 4.75 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 5 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.67 |
| Fela Kuti | 2 | 5 |
| The Band | 2 | 5 |
| King Crimson | 2 | 5 |
| Rush | 2 | 5 |
| The Flaming Lips | 2 | 5 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kanye West | 2 | 1 |
| Morrissey | 2 | 1 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 1.67 |
| Kings of Leon | 2 | 1.5 |
| Madonna | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Cure | 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (97)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Stone Roses
4/5
Finally, a Britrock record on this list that's worth a damn.
6 likes
Minutemen
5/5
I'd known about Corona before this, but I'm super impressed with this record. This is one of the best punk records I've ever heard.
4 likes
5/5
THE Bowie album. Immediate 5 stars.
2 likes
1-Star Albums (18)
All Ratings
Foo Fighters
3/5
Huh. Not sure why this is an album I have to listen to before I die. Kinda generic 90s post-grunge (whatever the hell that means), though there are some pretty good songs on this record. And even if I think it's kinda generic, Dave Grohl is still a cool dude.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It's funny that "Bob Dylan Dream" is on this cover because there's a few tracks ("No Expectations", "Dear Doctor") sound like Bob Dylan playing the blues.
Overall, it's a really soulful record. Not every record can speak to it.
Fela Kuti
5/5
This is the kind of record I was hoping for from this app. I've never heard of Fela Kuti, so I'm very excited to dig in.
It's such a groovy record. It's a mix of jazz, funk, and I assume some western African folk music. A quick Google says Kuti called this sound "Afrobeat," and given other records I've listened to from African artists I now see where their sounds come from.
In reading the background about the record, I can see why this is such an important record. It was a political statement about the Nigerian government and the military. The lyrics (scant as they are) speak directly to these issues. But the music is such a unique blend of soulful grooves and motifs that you could easily enjoy the music even without the statements.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Holy hell, this is like THE Creedence record. I already know 2/3 of these songs by heart. The others fit perfectly along with those.
God, I love Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
I still know so very little about jazz. I’ve never heard of Hugh Masekela before, but this record makes me want to look into more of his work.
This record has a lot of good slow jams that I personally love. Despite the slow beat nature of this record, there’s still plenty of good improvisation work going on.
Deep Purple
2/5
I'm actually not able to stream this album. Deep Purple is a hole in my music knowledge, particularly for this early rock period.
Bee Gees
1/5
I was not expecting this from a Bee Gees album. This has a 60s/70s singer-songwriter vibe, which I dig a lot.
Actually, it feels and sounds like David Bowie. But like a cheesy Bowie.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Another Rolling Stones classic! Unlike Beggar's Banquet, this leans more into the rock music side of the Rolling Stones. Several songs I'm very familiar with ("Brown Sugar", "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'", "Wild Horses"), but I'm excited to dig into the ones I don't know as well.
Oh man. I think this might become an all-time favorite record for me now.
PJ Harvey
4/5
I've always heard about PJ Harvey but I've never listened to her. No better excuse.
It seems like this is a pretty political statement about the British government and its history. A whole lot of references to war and British actions in the word.
It's a great record, though it's tough to sit down and have this on in the background. It's a record you have to pay VERY close attention to. It's more of a statement than it is a record.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I've always made an assumption that Simon & Garfunkel were just average 60s folk musicians, but they are so much more than that. I think I just heard a synthesizer which blows my mind for a record from 1968.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
I appreciate this album for a huge leap forward in alternative modern music. It’s just a tough record to go back to and listen.
Laura Nyro
3/5
Muddy Waters
4/5
This is a fantastic live record. Really shows off what Muddy Waters could do.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
This moment in time with progressive music is a bit beyond me. It's high art that influenced a lot of musicians going forward, but it's a bit too artsy for me. Not a bad record, just doesn't do it for me personally.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Never listened to Leonard Cohen before, but I can hear why he was so influential among artists I love.
Aphex Twin
4/5
Only ever heard Come to Daddy and Milkman by Aphex Twin! This is really outside of my normal listening patterns, and I'm only on the first track but I love it.
This is the perfect work music for me. While it can be repetitive if you're paying close attention, most of this music feels meditative to me.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
I've been waiting for this recommendation. Reggae speaks to me in a way I never thought possible. This is a fantastic record, hard not to bob your head along with it.
Fred Neil
2/5
I'd never heard of Fred Neil, but I just read about him a little. The intro of the Wikipedia page specifically mention he never achieved commercial success himself. I hate to be mean but I see why. I haven't a clue why this record is on the list.
Steely Dan
5/5
Possibly my favorite Dan record!
Metallica
4/5
An album I'm incredibly familiar with. It's not my favorite Metallica record nor is it their best record, but it's the record that put them (and metal as a genre) on the map. It's one of the most important records ever made and definitely one of the most influential records. I have to imagine a lot of people picked up guitars and drums after listening to the Black Album.
Jethro Tull
4/5
My mom had this record and would play it when I was a kid. There’s a bit of nostalgia with this one for me.
It’s alright! It’s like pop prog almost.
Spiritualized
5/5
I'm stunned at this one. I'd heard of the band before but never listened. Glad this got pushed to me. I absolutely love it. This is my favorite record recommendation so far.
The Roots
5/5
I'm very familiar with "The Seed (2.0)," but I'm unfamiliar with the rest of this record. It's so much more than just hip-hop. It's a pretty transcendent work of art. I'm genuinely impressed by the depth of this record, and I find myself bobbing along with the infectious beats. Pure genius.
Supertramp
3/5
I saw Supertramp and expected Breakfast in America, which I love. But I hadn't listened to Crime of the Century before. I am familiar with "Bloody Well Right" but not much else. Another exciting record for me!
It’s not bad! Bloody Well Right, while a good song, isn’t enough to carry the whole album.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
This music has a time and place. It's a very classic kind of bluegrass/gospel sound that you could see on a TV show or movie. Not something I'd listen to all the time. It has a very earnest quality that comes across as pretty cheesy to me.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
This is cool to me simply because of the combination of influences Kiwanuka uses. I love records that are difficult to qualify in easy genre terms, and KIWANUKA is certainly one of those.
ZZ Top
3/5
You know exactly what you're getting when you listen to a ZZ Top record. And this is THE ZZ Top record.
Mudhoney
2/5
Eh. I don’t see the big deal.
Billy Bragg
5/5
I adored this record. I love its protest spirit and combo of folk and punk sounds. Not about of records like this one out there.
Sex Pistols
4/5
I adored this record. I love its protest spirit and combo of folk and punk sounds. Not about of records like this one out there.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
This record is A N G R Y. I'd never listened to it and knew the overall demeanor about it, but it's different to actually hear it.
It's also a super well-made record. Lots of extremely recognizable songs that feels like the epitome of a 90s rock record.
Garbage
3/5
Much like Jagged Little Pill, this record is extremely 90s. Hell, it has Butch Vig of all people on it.
That being said, I have no idea why it's an album I should hear before I die. It's not bad per se, but it's not the classic that its inclusion on the list might indicate.
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favorite Bowie album though Heroes is a fantastic song. And the worst Bowie album is better than most artists' best.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Great record and a foundation of big beat electronic music. I really think it’s a classic simply because of how representative of 90s electronic music.
The Saints
3/5
Another artist I've never heard of! It's not quite punk to me, but it certainly has that aesthetic right down to the production quality from this period.
I also can't help but compare to Bob Dylan. Maybe it's just the singer's voice, but it has an electric Dylan vibe to me. As if Bob Dylan got into punk rock.
Roxy Music
3/5
I appreciate what this album is doing, and I actually love Avalon. But this record is pretty early in Roxy Music's career, and every artist has to find themselves a bit. This record proves that.
David Bowie
4/5
I love the soul influence on this record. Bowie is the ultimate songwriter in that he can take any kind of musical idea and incorporate it into his own style, and Young Americans might be the perfect example of that.
The Prodigy
5/5
Foundational 90s electronic record. I’m surprised by how familiar I was with it despite rarely listening to electronic music.
Peter Tosh
4/5
I appreciate reggae music, and this is an excellent example of the art form done well. But reggae tends to meander for me. The songs tend to repeat the same hook over and over again for a few minutes and it's over.
Franz Ferdinand
2/5
No idea why this is on this list.
The Killers
4/5
The 00s represented a sea change in alternative music to me. Grunge and whatever post-grunge is was on its way out and left room for a number of styles, including dance music infusions like Hot Fuss. This was a shockingly good record from the time that has become a classic of the 00s.
Sonic Youth
5/5
Perfect album from artistic geniuses during a time when this kind of music wasn’t profitable to corporate publishers. No other notes.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Fela Kuti is becoming a favorite artist of mine because of this site. A fantastically prolific artist who has music on the brain.
System Of A Down
4/5
I'm not sure why this SOAD album is on it in place of Toxicity, a far superior album. No question this is a great record from a very unique metal artist, but there are better examples of this band and what they do.
That being said, System of a Down is amazing.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
This is absolutely incredible. More words couldn't do it justice.
Deep Purple
3/5
I think this record was more important historically. It's not that it doesn't hold up, but you can't sense the impact it had at the time.
Travis
3/5
I'm surprised to see this one on the list. I would never have thought about this band since I haven't heard about them since "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" came out. I like the album, but this one is another head scratcher as to why it's on the list.
Beatles
5/5
This might be my favorite Beatles record. So many classic tracks on it, and it marks the big change in the Beatles' career. Everyone wants to point to Sgt. Pepper's for that, but it was really Revolver.
Queen Latifah
2/5
Another album that makes me wonder who made this list. It seems like this was included just because the author owned it and wanted to justify it. It's not a bad record but it's not a genre classic either.
Destiny's Child
1/5
Eh. Not for me. 00s overproduced pop/R&B had its time and place for some people. But I don't feel like I'm missing anything in life by skipping over this one.
Deep Purple
2/5
I don't understand this list's obsession with Deep Purple. No doubt they helped build the foundations of early heavy metal, but they're the overlooked band for a good reason.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Hell yes. This album rules, and so do the Beastie Boys.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
This list continues to perplex me. There's some fantastic picks on here that I agree are classics every music nerd should listen to. But then there's stuff like Badly Drawn Boy. Like a lot of other records on this list, it's not bad! In fact, I kinda dig it. But I don't think this is a must-hear record.
Femi Kuti
5/5
Like father, like son!
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
Not that this is a bad record or artist, but this feels really generic. Bonnie Raitt combines a lot of different styles of roots music (blues, folks, country, etc.) that comes out super bland to me. She's an awesome guitarist though.
Bad Brains
3/5
Foundational record for hardcore punk! I know why it's important but it's a little too chaotic for my personal tastes.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Wow. An inspired pick on the list. Possibly the most iconic hip hop album of all time.
Eagles
3/5
Suzanne Vega
3/5
An interesting subdued modern folk record.
John Prine
5/5
Every song on this record touches my heart. Prine wrote everything he saw with all his soul, and this is the pinnacle to me. He certainly created a lot of impactful music long after this record released, but nothing of his touches this one.
Adele
3/5
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
I can hear why this record is important to music, but it's not for me.
R.E.M.
4/5
REM represents an interesting moment in music. At a time when music was overly commercialized, REM went against the grain to create their own sound. They certainly were a popular band, but they weren't doing what the market was dictating at the time. Plus they're excellent songwriters in their own right. Document is an excellent example of that ethos.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Fiona Apple is a highly underrated and under appreciated songwriter, and Fetch The Bolt Cutters is a modern classic of storytelling through song. Absolutely worth all the accolades it received.
Elvis Presley
3/5
This record was likely massive for popular music in the 1950s, but it hasn't aged well due to some controversy. It does feel like Elvis was stealing what black artists had already done. There are some discussions of whether Elvis was recording these songs in order to bring attention to black artists at the time, but I'm not sure there's much evidence of that.
All the being said, Elvis's voice alone is iconic. Few things scratch a nostalgic itch like hearing "Blue Suede Shoes".
Talking Heads
4/5
Lightning Bolt
4/5
A really unexpected gem!
R.E.M.
4/5
Daft Punk
3/5
I don't see the big deal. It's just house music. Well made house music but house nonetheless.
Dr. Dre
3/5
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Arctic Monkeys
2/5
Another puzzler. What's with this writer and British rock bands? There seems to be a bias in favor of British indie rock groups for some inexplicable reason. I don't see the big deal.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
I love trip hop. It's a real niche genre (at least in the US where I am), and it's a subtle sound to master. Beyond Skin is a fantastic example of how unique the subgenre is.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Eh.
The Stooges
5/5
One of my all-time favorites. The Stooges and Raw Power are incredible.
The La's
4/5
I really love this record, and this is the first time I've heard it. It feels very late 80s/early 90s alternative to me, and it set up a lot of what pop rock would do over the next decade.
Shuggie Otis
4/5
I'd never heard of Shuggie Otis before, but perhaps I should have since he played with Zappa. This is an incredible piece of niche 70s music. Psychedelic soul had its day, but not many folks actually created music in this style. Inspiration Information is the record to exemplify what musicians did with this sound.
Linkin Park
4/5
Certainly a monumental title for 2000s pop metal. It had a significant influence on how mainstream listeners saw metal bands at the time and left a lasting impression on the genre.
Miles Davis
5/5
What can you say about something that’s had everything said about it?
Love
3/5
The Clash
4/5
An incredible start from the Clash. It's so funny that they're reduced to just being a punk band when their music is so much more than that. The Clash is a combination of a lot of different musical ideas expressed with protest songs and political commentary (which might be why the band is considered punk). This record, while not their best, is super fun and fantastic to listen to.
Burning Spear
3/5
Slayer
4/5
Not only is this an important record for its time, but it's an important for metal all time. It helped build underground metal in the 1980s and was a heavy influence in the creation of death metal (which some folks say Slayer is the first death metal band).
Jamiroquai
4/5
Emergency on Planet Earth feels like a record out of time. It's employing a lot of musical ideas that weren't in style in the mid-90s. This version of jazzy funk was relegated to the 1970s, but Jamiroquai made it popular and fun again using new production technology. Fantastic record even if it doesn't include Virtual Insanity.
Steely Dan
5/5
What can you say about Aja that hasn't been said about the Mona Lisa?
Björk
3/5
Bjork is an incredibly creative songwriter though a lot of what she does goes over my head. Vespertine does have some interesting tracks that scratch both intellectual and primal music itches.
M.I.A.
2/5
Not sure what the big deal is with this record apart from having Paper Planes on it. Interesting use of sound effects as beats, but that's nothing new. Maybe I'm biased against MIA since it's hard to separate the art from the artist for me here.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Frank Sinatra can't be denied, but I don't see any particular albums from him to be all the important. It seems to me that a "greatest hits" compilation of Sinatra might be more appropriate to the list.
Stephen Stills
4/5
Wow. Incredible record that's an excellent example of singer-songwriter style of the time. While there may only be a single classic "hit" on the record, every song is an incredibly soulful musical journey.
George Michael
3/5
For a record from a massive pop artist at the time, the album is remarkably stripped down and simple. Each song is really only a few tracks put together, which shows you that it doesn't take a billion dollars and all the musicians money can buy to make a great record.
5/5
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Magazine
3/5
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
Foundational record for British rock and blues music.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Kraftwerk
5/5
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
It's Creedence. There's a reason it plays all the time.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Supergrass
3/5
Nohing bad about it, but I'm not sure why it's on this list. This writer seems to be obsessed with 90s British alternative bands and it seems forced.
Doves
3/5
More British alternative on this list. Either my algorithm just coincidentally is giving me these, or this writer is really biased in favor of British alternative bands.
The Band
5/5
Brilliant record. No notes.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Pere Ubu
3/5
I can see why some people appreciate this band.
The Human League
4/5
Sweet early synth pop!
Talking Heads
4/5
While this isn't the definitive Talking Heads record, it's the exact sound I think of when I think about Talking Heads.
Dire Straits
3/5
Sultans of Swing is fantastic. The record isn't necessarily forgettable but I couldn't say what else is on it after listening to it several times.
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
It feels a little too navel-gazey for me.
Van Halen
4/5
Maybe the most 80s album. Fantastic vibes and good times. Maybe not the greatest record ever made but one of the funnest albums.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
An incredible work of art given the nature of their music and when it was released.
That being said, the record does have long stretches of navel gazing with entire tracks dedicated to replaying recordings with some synth and sampler notes underneath.
Genesis
4/5
I'm genuinely impressed by The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway! I'd always associated Genesis with Phil Collins and completely forgot Peter Gabriel used to be in the band. This has to be one of their best records and definitely the best Gabriel Genesis record.
John Lennon
3/5
John Lennon post-Beatles does very little for me. Imagine is also kinda ruined by that awful Covid sing along video. Well-made record but not my favorite.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
One of my favorite band's best records. Easy A here.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Elton John
4/5
Not the greatest Elton John record but a damn good one.
5/5
THE Bowie album. Immediate 5 stars.
Skepta
4/5
I'm floored by this one. I was skeptical since it's a relatively new record by an artist that isn't promoted in the US (as a bunch of records of its kind on this list have been boring and disappointing), so I'm glad to be proven wrong with Konnichiwa.
Parliament
5/5
Funk as delivered by the greats.
I get that it's part of rock history, but this does nothing for me.
Björk
3/5
Kanye West
1/5
I really don't care what this record meant at the time, Kanye West is a piece of shit and deserves whatever bad things happen to him. Screw this.
5/5
Absolutely blown away. What an interesting combination of sounds. I plan on returning to this one.
Arrested Development
3/5
Not a bad record, but it feels very meandering. Each track has cool beats and engaging grooves, but the songs don't feel like they go anywhere.
M.I.A.
2/5
MIA made one maybe good album, why is this here?
The Allman Brothers Band
5/5
What can you say about the Allman Brothers that hasn't been said about the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower, or the Sydney Opera House? Absolutely brilliant stuff.
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Heavy Tangerine Dream vibes. Incredibly entrancing.
Aimee Mann
4/5
Mann is a criminally underrated songwriter. Whatever is one of the unsung records of the 90s.
The Temptations
3/5
Really interesting to hear this from the Temptations, who you normally associate with a more doo-wop kind of sound.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Richard Thompson
3/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Maybe the most 90s record ever.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
It's Stevie Wonder, even if it's not his best record.
The Byrds
4/5
Love it!
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Post-hardcore does it for some.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Iggy Pop
2/5
Johnny Cash
5/5
Hawkwind
2/5
Judas Priest
4/5
I'm more of a Screaming for Vengeance fan but British Steel is damn good.
B.B. King
4/5
This list of records reminds me that live blues is really fun, especially when it's done by masters like BB King.
Bauhaus
3/5
I can see why this is influential for a certain kind of sound.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Billie Holiday
4/5
What a voice. What a singer. What a lady. What a record.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Fantastic deep cut! I've listened to Daydream Nation and Goo a bunch but never Sister. Don't know if it really needs to be an album to hear before I die but I do enjoy it.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
ELP has been pretty iffy to me before. Just very dense and inaccessible stuff. Tarkus makes me think of Rush's 2112 for fairly obvious reasons. Despite the super prog of both records, Tarkus is much more enjoyable to me than other ELP records have been.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Shocker: this record is kind of a bummer. Pretty interesting given the context of its release but wow what a bummer.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
5/5
This feels like the ultimate 60s rock record to me. Blew me away.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
5/5
Always wanted to listen to Captain Beefheart so this is a fantastic opportunity! This is wonderful blues rock with an artsy bend to it that clearly influenced a lot of following acts, including his contemporary Frank Zappa. Long live Beefheart!
Jack White
2/5
Norah Jones
5/5
Beautiful modern jazz record. I love Norah Jones and Come Away With Me with all of my heart.
The White Stripes
4/5
Why garage rock came back in the 2000s is still a mystery to me, but this is a damn good example of that movement.
Portishead
5/5
Trip-hop is a super unique genre that's very niche and specialized. There aren't many artists who employ this kind of technique in songwriting, but Portishead is one of the best.
Carole King
4/5
This is the most 70s soft rock/singer-songwriter record ever. Hearing Carole King has generally evoked an idea about kind of generic sounding music to me, but I think that's because Tapestry just created a model of what 70s singer-songwriters sounded like. That all sounds like negative criticism, but I promise I mean it positively!
Herbie Hancock
5/5
One of the best records of the 70s, and one of the best jazz records. Period.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
It's Creedence. What more is there to say?
AC/DC
4/5
Hard rock classic. Can't be denied.
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
Never knew how badly I needed to hear instrumental Indian subcontinental music. This is genuinely amazing. Makes me think of a lot of modern post-rock records as well.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Robbie Williams
2/5
This is butt. Generic 90s pop garbage. Why is this here?
U2
4/5
80s U2 is the good U2. End of discussion.
Maxwell
4/5
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Shoegaze masterpiece.
The Cars
5/5
Absolutely love this band and record. Such a unique sound for the time that really didn't fit into any particular scene which makes it so fantastic.
The Byrds
4/5
The Byrds are the sound of the 60s. This record shows the transition rock music was going through at the time and became what so many other bands in the 60s did.
David Gray
3/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Bon Jovi
2/5
I understand this meant a lot in the 80s. But seriously? Bon Jovi?
Stereo MC's
2/5
Pretty generic, even for a time when this kind of music wasn't common.
Napalm Death
4/5
Mindblowing in its time, and the themes of the record are still very relevant today.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
Beautifully soulful.
Television
4/5
Monumentally important record! Not my favorite, but I hear a ton of other bands in this record. Super influential stuff and an important piece of music history.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Formative hardcore punk record.
Beach House
4/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Neil Young is an incredibly gifted songwriter, but these songs feel a little half-baked and recorded in a cassette deck in a crappy hotel room. I know it was in 1969 and that this is blasphemous but I can't help but think that.
4/5
Paul Weller
3/5
Stevie Wonder
5/5
One of my all-time favorite records. It's brilliant every time I listen.
Klaxons
3/5
Cool ideas.
Beck
3/5
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
How do you follow up one of the best pop records of all time? With maybe the second best pop music record of all time. The dude was a messed up guy with a tragic backstory himself, but Bad cannot be denied.
Prince
4/5
Clearly the reason Prince did the Batman 89 soundtrack. Fantastic statement record.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Finally, a Britrock record on this list that's worth a damn.
Prince
5/5
This feels like it set up pop music for the 80s. The synthesizers, guitar and bass, and drums all sound so stereotypically 80s, but this was the most important first record to do that.
Black Sabbath
4/5
THE BEST. Not their best record but a damn great record.
Gene Clark
3/5
John Coltrane
5/5
A beautiful odyssey through jazz history.
Soundgarden
4/5
Chris Cornell singing some of the most iconic songs of the grunge movement. 'Nuff said.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Beautiful harmonies and a unique record!
Caetano Veloso
4/5
De La Soul
5/5
Foundational hip hop record.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Incredible dark singer-songwriter material. Murder Ballads is so outside what most people would associate with "singer-songwriter" in the best way possible.
Fats Domino
4/5
Beautifully soulful R&B/rock n' roll from the 50s. If the production values on this record (not his fault, limited by the technology), I think we'd talk a lot more about Fats Domino.
The Shamen
1/5
I hate this. This is an example of the cheesiest late 80s/early 90s electronic dance that just really sucks.
The Doors
5/5
What a way to go out, Jim.
Manu Chao
3/5
Metallica
5/5
Possibly the only metal album that matters. I believe this to also be the most important record of the 1980s.
The Smiths
3/5
Cool record and band except for Morrissey. I find him to be the most annoying musician so it's hard for me to give this 4 or 5 stars. He's just so whiney. No thank you.
Metallica
5/5
The greatest live album ever. Period.
The Fall
2/5
Post-punk is just soulless music to me. They're certainly creative and have something to say, but I feel unmoved by it entirely.
Fairport Convention
2/5
Frank Zappa
5/5
Zappa is a god, and Hot Rats is a book of his holiest tome.
Holger Czukay
3/5
Certainly not a bad record but is the epitome of navel gazing.
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
What an oddly awesome and interesting record!
Dolly Parton
4/5
Kings of Leon
1/5
Why in the hell in this trash an album I should listen to before I die? Kings of Leon sucks. It is super generic. Who cares.
Eminem
3/5
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
I can see where the folk explosions came from with this!
Willie Nelson
5/5
Never listened to this one before but I absolutely love it. Willie-fied pop standards are incredible.
Radiohead
4/5
Marilyn Manson
1/5
Neil Young
4/5
50 Cent
2/5
Meh.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I think this album was likely more interesting at the time of its release. Now it feels like being artsy for the sake of it. Kind of without purpose to me.
All that being said, Maps is a brilliant song of the 00s.
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
Damn. This is great. I'd never heard of Nightmares on Wax before this record, and now I'm looking up the rest of their stuff.
Beatles
5/5
If I was able to pick a favorite Beatles album, it would probably be Rubber Soul. Which I think is odd since it was a transition record from their bubble gum pop era to the artsy era.
Air
4/5
Though I love Air, I'd never seen the movie so wasn't aware of this soundtrack. Another incredible record from them!
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Stan Getz
3/5
Great Latin-influenced jazz.
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
As much as I love a good jazz record, Sunday at the Village Vanguard is meandering and loses the bead quite a bit.
The Doors
3/5
This one feels a little generic to me. It feels like any random rock record from the late 60s. It's not a bad record but it doesn't stand out to me either.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Another Sonic Youth banger.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Instant 5 stars. You wouldn’t have metal without Sabbath.
The Specials
3/5
John Martyn
4/5
I actually love the melodies and music, but John Martyn has to be the laziest singer I've ever heard. He's got some serious mush mouth at times and his lyrics are completely incomprehensible.
Pretty great other than that.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
The Monkees
2/5
David Bowie
4/5
Incredible final send off to a once in a lifetime artist.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Not the best Zeppelin album. Not sure why it's on here when there are several other Zep records that are significantly better.
Green Day
5/5
Hell yes.
Faith No More
3/5
Some great tracks on this one, including the all-time Epic. A cool post-80s thrash metal sound, too.
Ice Cube
5/5
An album that was probably great in its time, but the themes in the record have aged well. Aged in the sense that the issues Ice Cube discusses is so much more real to us as a society and a country.
King Crimson
5/5
The greatest prog rock album. Maybe ever but at least of its decade.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Something about music from the 60s gives it all more soul. You feel this music in your bones.
Small Faces
3/5
Really unusual album I wasn't expecting. Some folks have described it as early proto punk, which I can kind of hear. Everything starts somewhere.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Not my personal taste here. It's crappy 80s synthpop with new equipment and technology.
Eminem
3/5
3/5
Digital Underground
2/5
This kind of hip hop just hasn't aged well.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Not the best Zeppelin album to me. Zeppelin overall is a bit overrated. Not saying they're bad, but I don't get where all the mega hype comes from.
Simply Red
2/5
This is the most stereotypical soft rock record I've ever heard. Blech.
Fishbone
3/5
I do love ska, but I'm a little confused as to why this is here.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
I kinda hate this. Some people would call this experimental, but it feels like there's a lack of music knowledge misinterpreted as passion.
Alice In Chains
5/5
Best grunge album to me. Can't be beat.
UB40
2/5
UB40? I need to listen to UB40 before I die?
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
Another record that's got a pretty derivative sound. Even at the time, this sounded like 100 other artists. I don't see the big deal.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Real throwback record. Feels like something from the 60s.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Beautiful record and a soulful sound!
Tears For Fears
4/5
Includes a track that I think encapsulates 80s pop music in Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Never listened to it entirely until it was recommended here, but I think this is absolutely brilliant. Pop music to be sure but with progressive songwriting sensibilities.
Green Day
3/5
A little overplayed but it was a real statement when it was released.
Funkadelic
5/5
A legit classic by any measure.
Elbow
3/5
Pixies
3/5
Miles Davis
3/5
Not his best but still good 50s jazz.
Marty Robbins
4/5
This is just brilliant country music. Can't beat it.
The Pretty Things
2/5
Tom Tom Club
2/5
Really repetitive. Not sure why this is here other than an association with Talking Heads.
Beatles
5/5
Best Beatles record.
George Jones
4/5
Few things like this old country music.
Brian Eno
3/5
Great early foray into ambient music!
Lorde
3/5
Eh. Fairly standard '10s pop music.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
I appreciate Captain Beefheart, but sometimes this stuff is artsy for its own sake. I appreciate what that means for artistic expression, but it's not necessarily musically moving for the listener.
Sabu
3/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Picking a single Kendrick album for this list is missing everything he does. But that being said, it would be hard to pick an album over good kid, m.A.A.d city. Like very hard though.
The Smiths
1/5
I hate the Smiths. Morrissey is a fat whiney baby, and I really wish he'd go away and take his asinine contradiction-for-the-sake-of-it with him.
The Charlatans
2/5
Good lord, another British alternative band from the 90s. The writer seems to heavily biased in favor of this stuff, which at a certain point just sounds like dudes who thought they could also be the Stone Roses.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Thin Lizzy is a lot like Queen to me. They're more of a singles band than an album band, so live albums and compilations are a stronger showing of their art. This is an excellent live record as a great example of 70s rock music.
Santana
4/5
One of the best late 60s/early 70s records period. Such a cool amalgamation of sounds.
Mariah Carey
1/5
I truly, deeply, and intensely hate Mariah Carey. I know it's wrong to evaluate this record based on something that isn't on it, but "All I Want For Christmas Is You" can go to hell. And she can join it.
There's also an overly cheesy sound to some 90s pop that I just can't stand.
2/5
What in the hell even is this. It's not like actively bad but why would anyone want to listen to this?
3/5
Prog rock can be real hit or miss. This is clearly a prog classic, but Close to the Edge feels like a bit of navel gazing from Yes.
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favorite Bowie record, but the worst Bowie record beats the best of most artists.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Really interesting sound! Not my personal bag but this is very unique.
The Beta Band
4/5
I can honestly say I started Hot Shots II thinking I would hate it. I am extremely pleasantly surprised to discover a very unique and original record!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I deeply appreciate what Nick Cave does. Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus is a unique look at gospel and blues music that takes it in a wildly different direction.
The Go-Go's
3/5
Jacques Brel
2/5
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Beautiful 90s singer-songwriter record. Obviously Hallelujah being the standout, but several other incredible songs.
Cat Stevens
3/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I just don't like Bruce Springsteen. That's my personal taste. This album is well-made and everything, but I just don't like Springsteen.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Rush
5/5
My favorite prog rock album. Every song is a classic.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
Interesting record, but it's not something I would want to listen to very often.
Silver Jews
2/5
Feels artsy for the sake of being artsy.
Björk
4/5
Most accessible record Björk has ever made. A good record that shows her career's trajectory without the navel gazing tendencies her other records have.
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
It's weird that this is reflective of both late 70s/early 80s counter culture and also 50s rock and roll. Not sure what to make of that but it's interesting.
The xx
2/5
Eh.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Beautiful. I'd never listened to Joni Mitchell before, and I can see why Blue is such a lauded record now. It's a unique folk record for its time since it eschews some radio sensibility-style rhythms or melodies, opting instead for a more poetic songwriting style. It feels more like she's written a series of experiential stories.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Kinda generic to me. Not a bad record but I think I could die just fine not having heard this.
The B-52's
3/5
A little too post-punk for my taste, but this would've been really cool to hear when it first released.
Beatles
5/5
What's left to even say about the White Album?
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Duke Ellington
3/5
Mudhoney
2/5
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
The Style Council
2/5
This is not the worst on this list but it's pretty lame and boring.
2/5
Eh.
3/5
Live albums don't really do it for me, but having seen Dylan live a few times myself this is by far the best I've ever heard. This does feel like a compilation album though which doesn't necessarily qualify it for this list to me.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
The Yardbirds
2/5
Spiritualized
4/5
Cool spacey rock record. Having heard this after listening to "Ladies and gentlemen..." gives me a great view of where Spiritualized started and where it went.
Talking Heads
3/5
Pentangle
4/5
Surprisingly great! Made me think of the Wicker Man with Christopher Lee.
Fugazi
4/5
Songhoy Blues
5/5
Man, I love Afrorock bands. There's a soul and rhythm to this form that's difficult to find these days. Music In Exile also has the spirit of a protest record which is a common thread among African recording artists.
R.E.M.
4/5
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Pretty standard 90s alternative to me.
Lou Reed
3/5
I can see both why critics thought this was incredible and why it was a commercial failure. It's very cool musical art but not something you'd just throw on.
Van Morrison
4/5
The Strokes
4/5
I don't know why garage rock came back when I was in high school but Is This It was a mainstay in my CD player. Haven't thought about this record in some time, thanks 1001 Albums!
Pulp
3/5
A bit more interesting than I would've thought but still a little generic and not sure why it would be included here.
Fever Ray
4/5
Very interesting record and sound. It's more soundscapes than its predecessor, the Knife. Very atmospheric record.
Wilco
5/5
Fantastic Wilco record. Nothing more to really say about that.
Elvis Presley
4/5
I'd never listened to Elvis before this list. There's really only 2 songs on this track that I've heard before, and I'm surprised by that since they're all incredible examples of both Elvis and the musical era.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Eh
Public Enemy
3/5
Public Enemy definitely has earned their vaunted status, but I don't know if hip hop records of this error have aged particularly well. They were certainly limited by technology and their message is still pretty apt, but it just sounds really outdated.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
Incredibly musically dense record from a talented though tragic figure.
Aerosmith
2/5
Aerosmith is the Pearl Jam of the 70s. They're just really generic sounding. I don't see the big deal.
Death In Vegas
4/5
Never listened to Death in Vegas before! This is a really cool record. A unique amalgamation of sounds. This one breaks the mold for artistic and experimental approaches to conventional pop music. Those records tend to be interesting but not soulful or something you could just throw on. This is definitely something I could think you could just have in the background.
ABBA
3/5
I know why Abba is important but it's really tough for me to care. It's well-made though!
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
Really cool record! What an interesting blend of sounds.
Black Flag
4/5
Steely Dan
5/5
I love this band and this record in particular. Automatic 5.
Iron Maiden
4/5
So rad. Definitely pissed off some prudes back in the day, which should really be a feather in its cap. If there's a group of loud fuddy-duddies excoriating your music, you're on the right track.
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
WHAT IS WITH THIS WRITER AND BRIT-ROCK BANDS?!? There are so many records on this list from British alternative bands from the 2000s through the 2010s that really aren't that interesting. I don't understand.
The Band
5/5
Before the Clash, the Band was the only band that mattered.
Nina Simone
4/5
Brian Eno
3/5
I appreciate Brian Eno but sometimes stuff like this is a chore to listen to.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I personally just can't get into the Velvet Underground. It's a little too artsy for me to just put on whenever. A lot of how I personally rank on this list is if it's something I could turn on and have playing any time. White Light/White Heat isn't one of those. It should be something music lovers should appreciate though.
The Black Keys
3/5
I remember this being such a huge record and how representative it was of music at the time. There was a big trend of using vintage equipment and methods to record, and it seems like the Black Keys might've been the band that started the trend. Cool record that had significant impact at the time, but I don't think it's really that unique as time has gone on.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Sam Cooke
5/5
Sam Cooke is a voice that no one could ever imitate. This live record shows off the incredible range and energy of his voice.
Soul II Soul
1/5
Absolutely hate this. Who listens to house music outside of a club?
Muddy Waters
3/5
Nick Drake
3/5
Neil Young
3/5
Nick Drake
3/5
G. Love & Special Sauce
4/5
I love G. Love and Special Sauce! It's a cool modern take on blues music. But despite loving it so much, it seems out of place on this list.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
I've been playing this for a bit and wondering if I'm going crazy. This sounds like a terrible mix with some weird interference going on. I listened to a few other records on Spotify using the same headphones and different styles of music to confirm it's just this record. It's really off putting. The beats are cool and all but it's driving me crazy.
Def Leppard
1/5
Ugh. Hair metal.
The Cure
2/5
I like the Cure but this record is kinda boring and repetitive. Props for being the Cure though.
Massive Attack
3/5
Very early Massive Attack record and it shows. There's always been a hip hop influence to their music since that's the origins of this kind of electronica anyway, and this one has a pretty heavy hip hop influence. An excellent showing of where they were and how far they've come.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Cool beats but a record that's really showing its age at this point.
New Order
2/5
Madonna
2/5
Various Artists
4/5
Hard to remove the name Phil Spector from this, but this is a fantastic Christmas album.
Beck
4/5
Not Beck's best record but my personal favorite.
Willie Nelson
4/5
Morrissey
1/5
Morrissey is the actual worst. Not gonna listen to this one. It’s hard to separate the art from the artist.
Plus his voice is super annoying.
Solomon Burke
3/5
Talking Heads
5/5
Incredible. No other notes.
Heaven 17
2/5
I find this kinda lame. This list continues to mystify me.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Considering this was recorded in 2001/2002, this sounds super dated right now.
Beastie Boys
5/5
What to say about Ill Communication that hasn’t been said about the Eiffel Tower?
U2
3/5
Nick Drake
3/5
N.E.R.D
2/5
This band feels like they're trying to do way too much at the same time. There's too many influences informing their music that don't work together to me.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Minutemen
5/5
I'd known about Corona before this, but I'm super impressed with this record. This is one of the best punk records I've ever heard.
George Harrison
4/5
Rush
5/5
Rush is one of the greatest musical acts ever. 2112 is absolutely brilliant. It's not my personal favorite Rush (that would be Moving Pictures), but this is absolutely a masterpiece.
Cornershop
4/5
I was not expecting this one! I was anticipating some stereotypical 90s grunge rock, but this is not that. It's way more poppy and funky than I would've anticipated. Never judge a book by its cover, y'all.
Kraftwerk
3/5
T. Rex
3/5
This was probably incredible when it came out. Just something very new and different at the time. Now, all I can think of is glam rock and hair metal and no thanks. Not a bad record though, just not my personal taste.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
Rod Stewart
2/5
Pretenders
3/5
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Blur
4/5
Beatles
4/5
Not the most iconic of Beatles records, but an excellent example of their early career.
Hole
3/5
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Khaled
4/5
This is such a unique sound to me. It seems like a mixture of Algerian folk music (not something I'm at all familiar with), modern pop, and jazz. Not a ton of artists doing something like this, so I'm glad this was on my list today.
The Who
4/5
Killing Joke
4/5
I had a very different expectation of this record, and it blew me away!
The Triffids
1/5
No idea why this is here.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
What a beautiful record. May of the topics are tragic and sad, but Stevens has a way of engaging the listener even when it's a real bummer. It's incredibly compelling.
Coldcut
2/5
This was probably a lot more interesting when it first came out. Now it sounds incredibly dated.
Sepultura
4/5
A brilliant metal record in a time where those were starting to get hard to come by. Sepultura was one of the few bands keeping extreme metal alive during the dark ages of the 90s. Arise isn't Roots Bloody Roots but it's a damn fine record. Excellent intro track, too.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. Very interesting stuff. Not my personal taste but still very intriguing record.
The Temptations
3/5
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Mike Oldfield
3/5
Radiohead
4/5
Underrated Radiohead record. Whenever you talk about Radiohead, it's like the fifth record you might mention. Says a lot about their career and not enough about this record.
Ramones
5/5
Never actually listened to a Ramones record until this was recommended. Apparently I'm a Ramones fan!
Tangerine Dream
4/5
Incredible record. Not necessarily for everyone but I personally love the atmosphere it creates.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Queen
3/5
Queen is a great band who make boring albums. They're more of a singles band. It's not that they're bad songwriters, because they aren't. They have some incredibly memorable music. But the stuff that isn't memorable is really forgettable. Sheer Heart Attack has quite a few of those kinds of songs.
Tori Amos
3/5
Incredible voice and piano talent. Other than that, this is pretty generic 90s soft rock.
Patti Smith
3/5
David Bowie
4/5
Laibach
4/5
I'm kinda blown away by this record. Never heard of this group before this recommendation. It's not something I'd listen to all the time, but I'm hearing the beginnings of industrial music hear. Likely a far more influential record than many realize.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Depeche Mode is such an interesting group. It's the darkest dance music I've ever heard. Violator in particular is entrancing. Such a unique sound.
Public Enemy
3/5
Thundercat
4/5
Thundercat is so weird and awesome. Nothing else to really say apart from damn those are some real bass skills.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
A very unusual but interesting record. Not sure entirely what to make of it. It's a very interesting combination of a variety of genres that you don't hear often. It feels like a funkier version of a Pure Moods compilation from the 90s. Which sounds like a slight, but it's just the best description.
X-Ray Spex
5/5
I think X-Ray Spex is my new favorite punk band. They're really upbeat and fun! And having a saxophonist in the band gives the music more soul than your average punk band can claim to have. Germfree Adolescents should be a staple of any punk fan's music collection.
Aerosmith
2/5
Eh. It's Aerosmith.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
Tom Waits
4/5
Not my personal favorite Tom Waits album, but even the worst Tom Waits is better than most artists' best.
Dolly Parton
5/5
Beautiful American country music sung by 3 iconic voices. What's not to like?
Bob Dylan
4/5
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Favorite Hendrix album.
The Fall
2/5
Post-punk does so very little for me. It feels soulless. There's no groove to it for me.
The Dictators
2/5
Eh. Pretty generic to me.
Living Colour
4/5
Love Cult of Personality! The other tracks are really cool, too. Living Colour has a very unique sound that combines so many different influences.
The Darkness
2/5
Way too gimmicky. Why is this on this list?
Germs
3/5
As much as I like punk and appreciate hardcore, bands like Germs are really hit or miss for me personally. They clearly have a lot of passion that comes through in their music, but it kinda lacks soul as a form of artistic expression. GI isn't a bad record, it's just that hardcore and especially the early stuff is anger without form.
Mercury Rev
3/5
Madonna
2/5
Orbital
1/5
This record is boring and repetitive. Period.
The The
2/5
Feels like a band that doesn't want to commit to a sound. It's almost generic and experimental at the same time since the record is including a lot of electronic music concepts for being released in the mid-80s, but it's so reserved in its use that it almost seems accidental.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I'm possibly on this hill alone but I just can't get into Leonard Cohen. This album is especially off-putting to me. Hearing this synth and drum machine underneath Cohen's rhythmless and unmelodious voice just makes so little sense to me.
5/5
I'm delightfully surprised by Wild Gift! I hadn't listened to X before and had some pretty low expectations coming into it. Given that it's an early American punk record, it's surprisingly musical, i.e. it's more than screaming and loud barre chords. There's some elements of 50s rock n roll and flecks of other genres and influences as well. The songwriting is shockingly varied as well. This rocks.
The Undertones
4/5
This record feels like it was way ahead of its time. This feels like relatively modern pop punk and emo, which is shocking for a record that came out in 1980. I'd never heard of this band before but it's encouraging me to keep going with the 1001 albums. This is exactly the kind of record I was hoping to find.
Slipknot
3/5
I appreciate Slipknot for what they did for metal at a time when metal wasn't remotely popular. This also goes far beyond what I've expected from Slipknot on previous records. They have more evidence of the roots of metal in the guitars and percussion. However, there is a critical album to lean into instead of this one. Slipknot's debut album is far more important and pretty much just better.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
The Flaming Lips is such a unique band. No one creates music like they do. They started at lo-fi alternative psychedelia and have grown into something beyond genre. The Soft Bulletin was their first true triumph and set the scene for their future releases, like Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The Soft Bulletin is unique in its beauty.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Not my favorite alt hip hop record but an interesting listen.
10cc
2/5
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
4/5
Possibly the most iconic record of the 90s period. Definitely the most iconic British record of the 90s anyway. Nothing but hits.
The Streets
3/5
Gary Numan
4/5
Interesting early electronic record. Who can deny Cars anyway?
Richard Hawley
4/5
Never heard of this guy but I'm a bit blown away. I love the way Hawley puts his songs together. You hear singer-songwriter and have a certain expectation of what that might be, but Coles Corner is so much more than a random singer-songwriter record.
Kanye West
1/5
I 100% refuse to listen to this album. The artist and the art cannot be separated.
George Michael
2/5
This sounds dated even for a record from 1990.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
This feels artsy for the sake of it. I don't know what it's trying to say.
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Some entries on this list really call into question the author's taste.
Culture Club
2/5
Karma Chameleon is cool and all but the whole album? 1001 songs to hear before you die maybe, but the entire record? I find this pretty lame.
Arcade Fire
3/5
This is a very good album with excellent songwriting and production. It's not my personal taste and it's not an album I would want to listen to very often since there's a lot of emotional heaviness to the songs themselves, but that doesn't mean it's bad by any means.
Yes
4/5
As much as Rush probably took the title of Prog Rock Band to Know, Fragile was THE prog rock album. And it lives up to the hype.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
You can hear the roots of modern EDM hear but boy does it sound dated. This record is from 1999 but it sounds like it could've been made a decade earlier. Much of the synth and electronic sounds in the record sound very dated as does the style and song structure as a whole. Odd choice.
Sigur Rós
4/5
Not the best of Sigur Ros but a damn fine start!
The Verve
3/5
Having one massive song doesn't make the album great. Not the first record on this list that seems to be one massive hit and a bunch of B sides. It's not bad but it's not interesting either.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Eh. It's not a bad record but not great either. If someone asked me what U2 albums they should know about, I wouldn't say All That You Can't Leave Behind.
William Orbit
4/5
Not usually much of an electronic guy, but I dig this record. Really subtle and calm grooves that are very engaging.
Paul Simon
3/5
Public Enemy
3/5
Blur
3/5
Grateful Dead
4/5
A classic album by a band not known for the studio recordings. Hard to go wrong with some Grateful Dead.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Adele
3/5
What a voice! Maybe I'm mishearing, but the production feels a little rough on this album. Not awful, but I would've assumed such a lauded pop record would be crisper.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Slint
3/5
Clearly a critical album for the post-rock and post-hardcore scenes. Certainly interesting to listen to while also having a number of tracks that kind of meander.
Air
5/5
Best electronic record ever.
Janis Joplin
4/5
What a voice! What a band! I hadn't listened to Janis Joplin records before this one, but this record is a lot of fun and has some real soul and groove to it.
Eurythmics
4/5
Pretty awesome 80s synthpop record. With likely the most famous synth song ever.
Motörhead
3/5
As much as I appreciate Motorhead, every song kinda sounds the same. It's great fun and all but not super exciting.
The KLF
2/5
The Doors
4/5
Gotan Project
3/5
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
As much as I love Peter Gabriel, this one's pretty out there for me. I appreciate it even if I don't love it.
Prince
5/5
C'mon. You can't even argue this one.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
Koffi Olomide
2/5
James Taylor
4/5
A personal favorite American singer-songwriter at his best.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
3/5
Peter Gabriel
4/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Sparks
2/5
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Talvin Singh
3/5
Interesting electronic record.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Not a huge disco Jackson fan but this is a well made record.
The Replacements
3/5
k.d. lang
4/5
A fantastic voice and excellent songwriter. A cool and jazzy approach to country music, not unlike T Bone Burnett.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
OutKast
4/5
Robert Wyatt
4/5
A very unique record. I find it very interesting even if it isn't a record I'd listen to often. The opening track is super fun and funk though.
Portishead
3/5
While I do like Portishead, this album is kind of a bummer. But a more aggressive bummer than I was expecting.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Heck of a Dylan album. Possibly the most important one.
Hot Chip
2/5
Paul Simon
3/5
Elton John
4/5
A personal favorite record. This one's good as there isn't a single track you'd want to skip. Not a ton of those out there.
Animal Collective
3/5
I could use a little more grooviness to this kind of alternative electronic music. Not bad though.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Some incredibly timeless tracks on here. The rest is a little forgettable to me.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
If it wasn't for the fact that this was an early representative of post-hardcore, I'd say this is a fairly run of the mill post-punk/hardcore record. But given its time and place, this is actually pretty cool.
Kings of Leon
2/5
Kings of Leon is annoying as a band. They started as an okay garage rock band that turned into the most 00s generic post-grunge band. Youth and Young Manhood is alright but nothing to write home about.
Tom Waits
5/5
I love Tom Waits but I'd only ever dug into this record once or twice before. This is really an incredible work of art.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Suede
2/5
The Cardigans
2/5
Kinda seems like this is on here as a result of a single. A good song doesn't make a good album. This is also a very tinny sounding record. It kinda hurts to listen to.
Drive-By Truckers
4/5
Hard to beat Drive By!
Dire Straits
4/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
I think I love Kraftwerk.
The Pharcyde
4/5
Mekons
2/5
This kinda sucks. It's not the worst thing ever but it's unnecessarily artsy.
The Smiths
1/5
Rod Stewart
2/5
Eh. Maggie May is a good song, I guess.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Interesting record that tells a story through music. Not one I'd return to often but a cool experience.
Radiohead
5/5
Nothing to write other than this is an incredible work and maybe the most important record of the 00s. I listen to it on a regular basis.
Wire
2/5
If nothing else, this list proves to me that I find post-punk pretentious and an unnecessary exercise in navel-gazing.
Nirvana
5/5
What's left to say about Nevermind?
The Cramps
3/5
I appreciate their direction and creating such a niche and unique sound with Songs the Lord Taught Us.
Kid Rock
1/5
Fuck this, this is legitimately horrible.
Lupe Fiasco
5/5
I didn't have high expectations for this one as I misremembered who Lupe Fiasco was. Boy was I pleasantly surprised when I pressed play. Fantastic loops, excellent rhymes and flows, and mesmerizing beats.
The Lemonheads
3/5
It's alright. Doesn't fit the list to me but it's not bad.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Alice Cooper
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I find it to be generically British and mopey. It's not bad but meh.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
The The
3/5
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Roni Size
2/5
Dion
3/5
I honestly can't decide if I like it or not.
David Crosby
3/5
The Beach Boys
5/5
Hole
4/5
Coldplay
4/5
Excellent pop rock from the 00s. The Scientist played everywhere, but it's one of the few songs I'm not annoyed about. I'm not a big fan of Coldplay's newer stuff, but this record proves the band are some incredible songwriters.
Solange
4/5
Ute Lemper
3/5
ZZ Top
4/5
What's not to like?
The Avalanches
3/5
This feels like if you gave Pure Moods a small shot of adrenaline.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Incredible debut record that started a 90s trend. The trend wasn't great, but Rage absolutely was.
Mylo
2/5
It's not the worst thing I've heard but it's pretty lame.
Kate Bush
3/5
The Who
4/5
Soft Machine
3/5
Stereolab
4/5
Cheap Trick
4/5
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Al Green
4/5
Guided By Voices
4/5
I appreciate this record and this band a lot. Pollard is such an incredibly prolific songwriter. The lo-fi production I could do without though it is a cool vibe.
Common
3/5
XTC
5/5
I am absolutely fascinated by Skylarking. I can see why so many artists I like who seem off-kilter can point to XTC.
Le Tigre
3/5
Elastica
3/5
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Not that it's a bad record but it certainly had a time and place.
Joy Division
4/5
Japan
2/5
Tim Buckley
3/5
Definitely not what I was expecting from Jeff Buckley's biological father. In a good way!
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Duran Duran
4/5
A personal icon of the 80s. This is what the 80s truly sounded like.
Suede
3/5
Not bad but certainly not a classic.
The Cure
5/5
Incredible record.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
OutKast
4/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
The Only Ones
3/5
Arcade Fire
3/5
KISS
3/5
Fun but fairly generic 70s rock.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
The undersung record of the 90s.
CHIC
2/5
Eh. I appreciate it but won't be returning.
Elvis Costello
3/5
The Incredible String Band
2/5
The Pogues
4/5
Genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this! Some of the slower songs aren't the greatest. The vocalist can't hit a note in the lower range and it's a little grating.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Not the best Ozzy-Sabbath album but super good. Supernaut is a personal highlight but this record has several great tracks on it. It's a very good Sabbath record that isn't highlighted enough.
Afrika Bambaataa
1/5
Renegades of Funk is cool just because of Rage Against the Machine. Otherwise this record sounds super dated and amateurish.
Soft Cell
2/5
Another one that feels like it made the list because of a single song. It's cool to hear the roots of synth-based pop music but this is kind of lame.
Brian Eno
3/5
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
A foundational record for a number of reasons. While it's certainly not the polished version of avant-garde pop music for the time, Freak Out showed a lot of aspiring musicians what the limits of their creativity could be.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
The Teardrop Explodes
5/5
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Absolutely one of my favorite records. "Keep the Customer Satisfied" is one of my favorite songs of the 60s.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Great instrumental record from a time where instrumental records weren't really a thing.
The Pogues
3/5
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Solid groovy jazz.
Beyoncé
3/5
Incubus
4/5
I definitely likes this in high school, and it's certainly the best example of what alternative music was doing at the time. I think most folks could probably live without Make Yourself though.
David Ackles
3/5
Unique record. Really interesting direction for a 70s singer-songwriter.
Wild Beasts
3/5
New York Dolls
3/5
Frank Ocean
3/5
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
Lauryn Hill
4/5
Ray Charles
4/5
Can
4/5
Can continues to surprise me. I'd only listened to them as a result of this list, and I'm now fascinated with them. Future Days has been my favorite so far.
Metallica
5/5
Everyone thinks this is the weird cousin to Master of Puppets' golden child role. But AJFA saw Metallica really flexing their songwriting muscles into new progressive territory. It also had the band's first mainstream hit with One, and that's humongous for extreme metal.
The Kinks
3/5
TV On The Radio
3/5
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Common
3/5
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Brian Eno
3/5
Not the Eno I was looking for. It's certainly not bad, just not my taste.
Crowded House
2/5
It's pretty generic adult contemporary.
The Offspring
4/5
The incredible bridge between hardcore punk and pop music sensibilities. This leans more in the hardcore direction but it's the album that launched 1000 bands that littered pop music for a decade.
Anthrax
3/5
Anthrax is the least remembered of the big 4 of thrash metal, and there's a pretty good reason for that. It's not that they're bad, just that the rest are so good. Among the Living is one of their better records, which can be very hit or miss.
The Zombies
3/5
Eh. Not sure what the big deal is just because there's a single iconic song.
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favorite Bowie album but good nonetheless.
The Crusaders
4/5
LOVE. Wonderful R&B.
Gillian Welch
3/5
As much as I appreciate what Gillian Welch does, her records just bum me out too much.
Beastie Boys
5/5
A perfect record.
Throwing Muses
3/5
Cool alternative. Feels grunge adjacent to me.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Buck Owens
4/5
Wonderful old time country! This kind of music really is hard to beat.
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Giant Sand
3/5
The Vines
3/5
Otis Redding
4/5
Liz Phair
4/5
I kinda thought this was going to be some fairly stereotypical 90s riot grrl, which I don't have a problem with but it's a derivative sound. What I heard greatly surprised me.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
The music is cool, but it's just out there stuff. It's hard to really get into.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Jungle Brothers
2/5
This is an incredibly dated record now. Old school hip hop just sounds so old.
Blue Cheer
3/5
Cool record that many think started the heavy metal movement. It's early and it's rough, but it's still a good time.
Grateful Dead
3/5
An incredibly unique live album for the time.
Korn
3/5
The album that launched a million chain wallets. As easy as it is to make fun of nu metal, Follow the Leader is pretty good.
Venom
2/5
While I can appreciate this for what it's done for metal, Venom is the ultimate one-trick pony. Black Metal is a rad track though.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Justin Timberlake
3/5
Adam & The Ants
2/5
Someone appreciates this. It's not me, but somebody.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
I was really surprised to learn this was released in 1993. This sounds like an informercial from the 80s.
Wilco
3/5
Not the greatest Wilco record but not bad at all.
Motörhead
4/5
Classic stuff. Motörhead is metal.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Baaba Maal
3/5
Scott Walker
2/5
Dr. Octagon
4/5
Surprisingly good!
Bob Dylan
4/5
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
White Denim
3/5
Very indicative of alternative and pop music of the 2010s was.
Blondie
4/5
Enjoyed that far more than I thought!
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Eh. A little too artsy for me. It doesn't have a lot of soul or feeling in it to me.
The Specials
3/5
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Much like Public Image, this just doesn't do a ton for me. Post-punk is such a strange genre that I can appreciate while not caring for much of it.
Stan Getz
4/5
Nirvana
4/5
It's not Nevermind, but what is? Plus, In Utero is still incredible with some key Nirvana tracks.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
John Lee Hooker
2/5
John Lee Hooker is an awesome blues guitarist, but this record has a lot of hallmarks of late 80s/early 90s records. Unnecessary synths and processing take the fun out of the blues to me.
Madonna
2/5
This is the most 80s pop record it could possibly be. Higher production quality than your average 80s pop but it all feels the same to me.
Saint Etienne
2/5
Lou Reed
3/5
I can appreciate what Lou Reed has done for modern pop music, but it's just not my bag.
The National
3/5
Ah, so this is where the 2010s indie vibes came from. It's cool to hear that, but the post-punk vibes here just have so little soul to them.
King Crimson
5/5
So awesome and weird and great.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
2/5
80s hip hop is so dated at this point that it becomes difficult to appreciate it when the real hip hop everyone points to was the next generation.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Pretty classic rock record right there.
The Birthday Party
3/5
It's cool to hear where Nick Cave started but post-punk is frequently artsy for the sake of it.
Simple Minds
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
As a huge Tom Waits fan, I feel like I should love Nick Cave. But I just don't. It's not that it's bad music. It's definitely not. The Boatman's Call has some real heartfelt and wonderfully written songs. But it just doesn't speak to me.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Stephen Stills
3/5
Slade
2/5
Bad Rolling Stones impression.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
The Bees
2/5
I dunno what to make of this. It's almost too eclectic and kinda doesn't sound like anything.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
The Jam
3/5
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Primal Scream
3/5
The White Stripes
4/5
Not the best White Stripes record but a fun one anyway.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
All the classic tracks here. The band that started 1000 other bands.
David Holmes
2/5
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Steely Dan
4/5
Love the Dan. Aja takes the cake for me, but Countdown to Ecstasy is awesome.
Shack
2/5
Fairport Convention
3/5
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Scissor Sisters
3/5
This feels like an Elton John rip off. The first thing I thought of when I turned it on. Which is cool in its own way but it's not very original.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Eh. There are some real questionable choices on this list.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Lambchop
3/5
Violent Femmes
4/5
MGMT
5/5
The album of a generation, I think. You couldn't escape MGMT for several years, but I personally didn't want to.
Q-Tip
3/5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
The Jam
4/5
The xx
4/5
I'm surprised how into this I am. xx is a sweet collection of pretty chill jams. Very minimalist and enjoyable.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Leftfield
2/5
Interesting take on electronic music from the 90s. But it's still electronica from the 90s.
Screaming Trees
3/5
Randy Newman
4/5
a-ha
2/5
One song does not a great record make. It's a great song with a significant legacy, but who cares. Otherwise, this record is a poor man's new wave.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Not necessarily my bag but I can absolutely appreciate the influence Smith had.
Neil Young
4/5
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Morrissey
1/5
I really hate Morrissey
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
It's fine.
Coldplay
3/5
Great album that started a pop rock trend in the early 2000s.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
Fantastic singer-songwriter compositions!
Eels
2/5
Pink Floyd
3/5
I love Pink Floyd and I appreciate Syd Barrett but it’s not my favorite Pink Floyd era.
Love
3/5
Well done psychedelia.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Really cool desert/Afro blues record!
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
The Beach Boys
4/5
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Sweet riot grrl/slacker rock record. Heck of a breakout album for a late 90s release that's somehow not considered grunge even though it feels right in line with Nirvana to me.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Kind of bums me out. It's not bad per se but I don't really want to listen to it.
The Verve
2/5
The Flaming Lips
5/5
Fantastic and perfect.