452
Albums Rated
3.17
Average Rating
42%
Complete
637 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
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When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Curator
Rater Style ?
55
5-Star Albums
21
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water From An Ancient Well | 5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
| Faith | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
| Achtung Baby | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| Music in Exile | 5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
| Pretenders | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
| From Elvis In Memphis | 5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
| Eliminator | 5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
| The Köln Concert | 5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
| Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs | 5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
| Live! | 5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Of Denmark | 1 | 3.14 | -2.14 |
| Autobahn | 1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
| Reign In Blood | 1 | 2.96 | -1.96 |
| Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes | 1 | 2.93 | -1.93 |
| In Rainbows | 2 | 3.84 | -1.84 |
| Goodbye And Hello | 1 | 2.83 | -1.83 |
| Tago Mago | 1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
| My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts | 1 | 2.78 | -1.78 |
| Nixon | 1 | 2.76 | -1.76 |
| Basket of Light | 1 | 2.76 | -1.76 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 5 |
| R.E.M. | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Doors | 3 | 4.67 |
| Dire Straits | 2 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 4 | 4.25 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 1.67 |
| Kraftwerk | 2 | 1.5 |
| Björk | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Fleetwood Mac | 5, 2 |
| Van Halen | 5, 2 |
| U2 | 5, 2, 5 |
| The Who | 3, 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (55)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Randy Newman
2/5
I enjoy Randy Newman in small doses. This exceeded my USRDA serving for one sitting.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (21)
All Ratings
R.E.M.
5/5
DJ Shadow
4/5
Really interesting album.
Elvis Presley
5/5
A classic album with some truly great songs.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
Coldplay
4/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Nick Drake
4/5
Parliament
4/5
Q-Tip
3/5
Interesting. I liked it more than I thought I would.
fIREHOSE
4/5
Frank Sinatra
5/5
A classic. Truly impressive voice and he has an amazing ability to bring his own stylings to a song
Carole King
5/5
Air
3/5
Too ethereal for me.
5/5
A great album and to my mind some of U2’s best work. Even the less well-known tracks are awesome.
The Saints
3/5
Solid punk performance from Australia. Solid and edgy but listenable.
Beck
3/5
I really like Beck but don’t love this album.
Gorillaz
4/5
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
Not particularly memorable. Some songs were downright sappy. Not sure I needed to listen to this album before I die.
Underworld
3/5
Black Flag
4/5
A solid punk offering (even though the album was released in 1981, after punk’s heyday) with some classic lyrics and powerful vocals from Henry Rollins. I especially enjoyed Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie and Rise Above
Violent Femmes
4/5
3.5-4 on my scale. Classic album from my early college days. Acoustic punk is a great way to describe them. Sadly, when I saw them in the 90’s, they were playing folk festivals.
Deep Purple
3/5
Amazing drum and guitar solos. I could do without some of the screaming- or maybe I am just getting old.
I am not usually a big fan of live albums (with some exceptions) but this one is pretty solid and an amazing band
Gene Clark
2/5
Totally forgettable to me.
Queen
4/5
Bohemian Rhapsody is a classic and immediately brings me back to my youth. It was cutting edge and truly amazing then and remains so today.
The album has a couple of other great tracks and some cuts that are not particularly noteworthy.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Interesting. You can hear elements of country rock and folk rock in many of the cuts. Some interesting orchestral elements as well. Enjoyed it even though I am not a big Neil Young fan.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
The Who
3/5
Some classics and some questions. Clearly some blues influences (though I would’ve stayed away from “I’m a Man” if I were The Who) and mor pop sounds than I expected but the album is a bit all over the place. But I do like The Who.
Morrissey
2/5
For the most part I found this album to be completely forgettable. Background or elevator music. Morrissey has an impressive voice. His lyrics could motivate the most stable person to contemplate suicide.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
The album is a bit meandering but includes some truly great cuts that demonstrate Hendrix’s guitar virtuosity. And it certainly ends strong.
The Hives
2/5
Started out with a great head-banger but went downhill from there.
Joy Division
2/5
While I appreciate its place in the punk — post-punk progression, I don’t love it. Too ethereal and depressing. But even so, She’s Lost Control is a fan favorite of mine.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this album. Chapman is a poetic storyteller and observer of the human condition. Her songs resonate and often strike somber emotional chords in a sharp way but portraying scenes you can almost visualize.
Orbital
1/5
Reminded me of the SNL skit featuring the Sprockets.
“Do you want to touch my monkey?”
Don’t love techno and did not love this. Spent most of my time looking forward to the end of the album.
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
Totally forgettable. Hit most if not all of the country music stereotypes (though not sure I heard reference to a hound dog).
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Ambitious but not my cup of tea.
Funkadelic
3/5
Totally enjoyable funk. I don’t have enough knowledge to know where this falls on the pantheon of great funk, but it had great musicianship, great grooves, and was a lot of fun to listen to.
The Doors
5/5
I am not a huge Doirs fan, but definitely enjoy and appreciate the band’s music. This is a great album, with lots of blues influences but not limited to the blues. Peace Frog is awesome and Roadhouse Blues is iconic Doors.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
There was nothing incredible about the Incredible String Band. I cannot get back the time spent listening to this album. Not sure why it is considered an album you must hear before you die. It might cause some to want to die. My personal hell would involve being required to listen to this album on repeat in perpetuity.
Miles Davis
5/5
A classic with some of the greatest jazz musicians ever. Hard to believe it is only five tracks.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
Eclectic and interesting but not something I am likely to seek out.
The War On Drugs
2/5
Harmless enough and fine as background music but not particularly memorable. Hints of Jackson Browne and Wallflowers but pretty forgettable the minute the album was over.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
So good I basically listened to it twice in a row. A classic. Got to see these guys live in 1973 or 84. Didn’t truly appreciate how epic they were at the time.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Really liked this. She has an an amazing, powerful voice and I enjoyed the R&B and funk influences. Thoroughly enjoyed this album.
MGMT
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyable. A bit hipster/electronica and to my mind a bit ahead of its time while drawing from the past.
The Associates
2/5
This album sounds like a collaboration between David Bowie and the Cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Party Fears Two isn’t bad. Too synth-pop for me.
Talking Heads
4/5
Not my favorite Talking Heads album but has some great songs - Life During Wartime, Cities and Mind among them. I Zimbra is different and interesting as well. Really wanted to give this a 3.5.
De La Soul
4/5
A truly fun album.
Massive Attack
3/5
Interesting. Enjoyable listening. Mood setting music.
Foo Fighters
4/5
Excellent album and great jumping off point for the band. Amazing that Dave Grohl basically played all of the instruments.
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
Somewhat generic and nondescript with some decent material thrown in. Just not that memorable.
The Police
4/5
Classic Police. Some great tunes - although I truly don’t understand Mother.
Admittedly, this album came out when I was a teenager and was totally overplayed. For the longest time, I could not listen to king of pain as I was so sick and tired of it. Listening to the whole album now, though, you realize what a terrific album it is and how, influential the Police were in their day.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
A truly iconic album. And I don’t even like Stevie Nicks.
Genesis
3/5
Wanted to love this as I think of myself as a Genesis fan, but just couldn’t do it. The medieval orchestral folk prog rock is just not my thing. Admittedly, they are an amazing group of musicians, and some of this is quite interesting, but just not approachable from my perspective.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Really enjoyed this album more than I thought I would.
Marty Robbins
2/5
he knows how to tell a story in song, but all of the songs start to sound about the same at some point. He does have an impressive voice.
The Who
5/5
A truly amazing album by an incredible band. Almost every song is a classic.
The Verve
2/5
I enjoy Bittersweet Symphony and Lucky Man - the rest is pedestrian and fairly forgettable.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Not particularly noteworthy. Not sure why it made this list.
Otis Redding
5/5
A classic. Otis has an amazing soulful voice and his backing band here was incredible.
Somewhat disappointing album overall. Some great songs, while others feel like they were mailed in. Not great U2.
3/5
Fun.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Haunting but impressively so. The story behind the album makes it that much better. His words strike at your heartstrings in a way few lyrics do.
2/5
I enjoy an occasional Yes tune but this was a bit overwhelming. Didn’t love it.
Kate Bush
3/5
I wanted to like this one more than I did. I definitely enjoy some of Kate Bush’s music but a lot of this album was too ethereal and seemed to go nowhere.
Garbage
3/5
Solid 90’s alt rock album. A bit calculated in its production but generally enjoyable all around.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. I did not appreciate Black Sabbath’s musicianship. Really enjoyed Changes and Laguna Sunrise.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Classic heavy metal with some truly memorable tunes.
Portishead
3/5
I enjoyed this but didn’t find it particularly memorable. Some solid songs and some less memorable tunes. I like but don’t love trip-hop.
U2
5/5
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Some great stuff but some rather offbeat material as well. Certainly not my favorite David Bowie album.
David Bowie
3/5
Some great songs, but also some rather offbeat stuff as well. Certainly not my favorite David Bowie album.
4/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
I am not a huge Neil Young fan but this is a solid album.
The Beach Boys
4/5
A great Beach Boys album with some truly classic songs that represent the era in which they were popular.
The Jam
3/5
Beatles
5/5
A truly amazing album with some absolutely classic songs. Eclectic in many ways but truly great.
3/5
Tim Buckley
2/5
Not exactly sure why this is a “must hear” album.
The Beach Boys
5/5
Wire
3/5
Energetic British punk. Fun album.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni has an amazing voice. Solid folk rock.
Kate Bush
4/5
Some of her best songs.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Solid Brit protest folk rock.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Lik Ed it more than I thought I would.
Elvis Costello
4/5
A really solid album with some classic songs.
Dire Straits
5/5
A truly great album. Great songs, great musicianship.
The Strokes
4/5
A solid rock album epitomizing the 2000’s
Soundgarden
3/5
I associate this sound with a particular era. Fun but not sureI’d sit down and listen to this ent album start to finish in one sitting ever again.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Not my all-time favorite Siouxsie & The Banshees songs selections, but a salad out nonetheless.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
An enjoyable listen, though not my favorite Marley album.
Yes
4/5
A somewgat edgy sound for their time. I thoroughly enjoyed this blast from the past.
Lou Reed
4/5
Really interesting album. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
T. Rex
3/5
Classic 70’s sound.
David Gray
4/5
Very enjoyable. Mellow but well worth listening to.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
Eclectic but not particularly noteworthy.
George Harrison
3/5
Some great gems here but runs a bit long. Seems like he anticipated dying young or just wanted to demonstrate his deeply philosophical side.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Still a great album, though with some cringe-worthy songs. Not sure what MJ and Paul were thinking on THE GIRL IS MINE. And THE LADY IN MY LIFE was not much better. I think the title song, THRILLER, benefited from the video. But overall an impressive album.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
Okay but not particularly memorable. Defines most of this generation of music.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
This screams the 80s to me. Drum machines electronic synthesizer and Moody lyrics. Not as good as some of the classic bands, but certainly listenable.
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I appreciate Leonard Cohen and love many of his songs but this album doesn’t really do it for me.
5/5
Cutting edge for its time with some truly great unforgettable tracks.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
She has an impressive voice and a truly interesting jazzy delivery.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
I am truly torn about this one. This album has some objectively amazing songs that are true Classics, including some of my favorite songs growing up. However, the racist overtones associated with this band potentially overshadow their art.
I scored this for based solely on the music, divorcing that from the larger context, though it gives me more than a little discomfort to do so.
Mudhoney
2/5
I understand it’s context in music, history and grunge and punk interplay, but I do not connect with this.
Pixies
3/5
I was really hoping to like this album more than I do. It has some good songs but a lot of stuff just blends together.
Sam Cooke
5/5
I am generally not a huge fan of live albums, but this one is certainly an exception. Sam Cooke has an amazing voice and this album just conveyed what an amazing present he must’ve been. Some truly great classic songs.
Sigur Rós
2/5
Forgettable
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Not particularly memorable. I was hoping for a little more.
Joy Division
3/5
Just what I expected from Joy Division. Not exactly my groove but fine enough in small doses.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Really enjoyed this album.
Charles Mingus
3/5
While I love most jazz, this album was interesting but not really my cup of tea.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I feel like this album starts with a bang and then pretty much declines from there. Sympathy for the devil is awesome, but the rest of the album does not live up to that performance.
Frank Zappa
4/5
Way more jazz oriented than I anticipated. I really like this one a lot and way more than I thought it would.
Beyoncé
3/5
Not in my wheelhouse. Innocuous but almost modern bubblegum pop with lots of drum machine/techno background.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Didn’t love this album but it has some great tracks. Dylan is not for everyone, but he is an icon in the world of folk rock and the transition of folk from the early 60s to electronic folk rock.
OutKast
3/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
A solid classic Led Zeppelin album with diverse tracks. Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Houses of the Holy, The Wanton Song are excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed Boogie with Stu.
Can
1/5
Not my thing. I tried, I really did but nope.
Abdullah Ibrahim
5/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Great listening.
Jefferson Airplane
5/5
A great 60’s rock album with some true classics but lots of great music.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Motörhead
2/5
Some interesting songs and some great examples of heavy metal, but I definitely did not need the second desk with alternative versions of all of the songs on the first record.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
A fun album.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
A fine pop album. Not particularly memorable.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Love Janis’ voice. So raw.
Metallica
2/5
Admittedly, I am not a huge thrash metal fan. Can listen to it in small doses in the right context. Didn’t find this album to stand out from other similar albums.
The Dictators
3/5
Fun campy punk with great energy.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Mudhoney
2/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Easy 5 here. Every song is a classic. Amazing musicians and incredible music.
The Killers
5/5
Great album.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Not really my jam.
Napalm Death
1/5
Not a genre I am into.
Green Day
3/5
A solid album
Daft Punk
2/5
Fine as background music but too repetitive to actually listen to. Not sure I actually needed to listen to this before I die.
John Coltrane
4/5
Noteworthy jazz album by a phenomenal artist.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Some of these songs still hold up well almost 60 years later. Some truly impressive harmonizing.
Ash
3/5
Fairly generic - fine for what it is.
Ministry
3/5
Liked most of this way more than I thought I would. Jesus Built My Hotrod is awesome.
Queen
3/5
Solid album. Not my favorite queen album, but certainly enjoyable.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Still rocks. A great album.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Solid big band.
Ray Charles
3/5
Some real classics and interesting versions of well-known songs.
Nirvana
4/5
David Bowie
3/5
Solid Bowie but not one of my favorite Bowie albums
Little Richard
3/5
Classic for what it is. Love his energy.
Tim Buckley
2/5
He has a good voice but I don’t really get this music.
Prince
3/5
Some truly great songs but the back half of this album kind of meanders with odds and ends.
Wilco
3/5
This was a good not great album for me, with some noteworthy songs.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Some truly memorable tunes.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
A true classic with truly great songs
The United States Of America
1/5
Didn’t really get this one. Not approachable for me.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
A classic country rock album with some great tunes.
Primal Scream
3/5
Solid background music.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I understand the allure at some level but just cannot get into it. Not my jam.
Stan Getz
4/5
I really enjoy Stan Getz. His music is so simply yet so melodic. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Talvin Singh
2/5
Fine as background music, but not something I’m going to actively listen to for an extended period of time.
Lucinda Williams
4/5
When this album first came out, I didn’t love it but it has grown on me, as has Lucinda Williams.
Goldie
2/5
Interesting but not something I’m going to sit and actively listen to. Background music at best.
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Not my jam. I think I’m the wrong generation.
Kanye West
3/5
Interesting album. Liked it more than I thought I would, especially given the artist and his story and the fact that he is a horrible human being.
The Cure
3/5
Some great songs and some very forgettable songs
Boards of Canada
2/5
Fine as background music, but not really my thing to listen to on its own.
Megadeth
2/5
Fine for what it is but not my jam.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Fascinating story behind the album and interesting sound.
Kraftwerk
2/5
This sounds like the background music from TRON - interesting for what it is but not something I am going to sit and actively listen to.
The Waterboys
2/5
Sounds like the background music from TRON. Interesting for what it is but not some am going to sit down and actively listen to.
Fats Domino
3/5
Brian Eno
3/5
Interesting.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Interesting but you need to be in the right mood for this.
Fever Ray
2/5
Cat Stevens
5/5
A true classic.
Rush
3/5
I know I’m supposed to love this album, but I am just not there.
The Clash
5/5
A punk classic. Every song is awesome.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Given the hits on this album, it has to be a five.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Liked it more than I thought I would but it got a bit repetitive.
Slayer
1/5
Van Halen
5/5
A classic.
ZZ Top
5/5
While a bit inconsistent this is a true classic with some truly amazing songs.
Prince
3/5
Dr. Dre
3/5
Like this one more than I thought I would. I want to love it, but some of the language and some of the thieves are cringe worthy to me.
Pantera
2/5
George Michael
5/5
The Prodigy
2/5
Not bad but not my genre
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
The Lemonheads
3/5
The Cramps
3/5
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
I love ELO, but this album does become a bit repetitive overtime.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Ridiculously good — every song.
Pulp
3/5
Somewhat innocuous
Don McLean
4/5
Some classic folk “rock” songs. Not particularly uplifting but certainly memorable.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Nick Drake
4/5
Really liked this.
3/5
Solid
The Pretty Things
4/5
Really interesting. And you can definitely get a Who/Beatles vibe from this.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Not a huge Neil Young fan and this album did nothing for me.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
The Band
4/5
Not perfect but a great album with some gems.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Too short but otherwise a solid album.
Steely Dan
3/5
A solid album with a couple of memorable songs but some of the songs are relatively nondescript.
Ryan Adams
3/5
Not a huge fan but this was enjoyable.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Kanye West
2/5
This one didn’t do anything for me.
Beck
4/5
Terence Trent D'Arby
2/5
Didn’t love it. Too nondescript.
The Byrds
3/5
Provide a bit of background on early country/folk rock. Interesting but not really in my wheelhouse.
Randy Newman
2/5
I enjoy Randy Newman in small doses. This exceeded my USRDA serving for one sitting.
The Stone Roses
3/5
Pretenders
5/5
Dire Straits
5/5
Such a distinct sound. To me this is a great album.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Machito
4/5
Fiona Apple
3/5
Some great songs and a solid album.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
A great album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Television
3/5
ZZ Top
4/5
A truly sold album with some awesome bluesy hits.
Coldplay
3/5
Some solid songs and some less memorable ones.
Radiohead
3/5
Death In Vegas
2/5
Meh. Not particularly memorable and not something I will be going back to.
The Mars Volta
2/5
Meh
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Meh
Dolly Parton
3/5
Not my style but Dolly has an impressive voice. I understand why she is an icon.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Not my favorite Michael Jackson album. This is glorified elevator music for the most part.
The Temptations
3/5
Some solid songs
Scritti Politti
2/5
Bubblegum pop - not really new wave.
Air
3/5
Glad I was in a good mood when I listened to this - and not near an open window. Man it is dark.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I like their music, but this album really didn’t do it for me
David Bowie
2/5
Didn’t do it for me, much as I love Bowie
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Funky versions of some classics!
Tim Buckley
1/5
Don’t exactly get why this album made the list.
Britney Spears
3/5
I recognize her status in pop music, but I’m just not a bubblegum pop fan.
The Doors
5/5
Impressive that this was their debut album. Dark but pretty much every song is memorable and sticks with you.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
A little too raw for me.
The Stooges
3/5
Okay but not my favorite Stoiges songs.
Metallica
4/5
Enjoyed this. Thought it was a great collaboration but way too long to really sit and digest.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Prince
5/5
When almost any song from this album comes on, you can’t help but tap your fingers or bop up and down to the rhythm.
Beatles
5/5
This album truly show the depth and breath of The Beatles music and the progression of rock ‘n’ roll in the late 60s.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Enjoyable.
King Crimson
3/5
I was somewhat familiar with King Crimson but had never listened to an entire album. Enjoyable enough and you can hear a lot of their contemporaries in the songs. Probably not an album I will listen to again.
Liz Phair
3/5
I appreciate this album’s place and Liz Phair as an artist. Love some songs on this album and find others to drone on a bit.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Not a huge fan of the Smashing Pumpkins but this was enjoyable enough. Not sure I will ever sit through the whole album again.
Blondie
3/5
Enjoyable new wave and edgy for it’s time.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
Interesting.
Various Artists
3/5
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
Interesting guitar work but it all seemed to run together after a time.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Generally I don’t love live albums but this was a really good one.
John Lennon
5/5
While not perfect this is an eclectic album with a truly memorable opening song.
Lou Reed
3/5
Arrested Development
3/5
Fun
The Charlatans
3/5
It is fine and enjoyable enough but I found myself agreeing with the comments that a lot of the album was generic.
The White Stripes
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyable. Jack White’s guitar work is truly impressive.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Not particularly memorable. Probably great background music, but not really my thing.
Living Colour
3/5
Enjoyable listen.
John Martyn
3/5
I have to agree with the comments about the unintelligible singing in some of the songs. I didn’t get it. Some other decent folk songs that would be fine background music.
CHVRCHES
3/5
Bubblegum pop. Innocuous enough.
The Zombies
3/5
Epitome of 60’s music. Interesting but not part memorable other than Time of the Season.
ABBA
3/5
70’s schlock but classic 70’s schlock. You know every word to most of the songs and when you hear them, they become earworms for days afterwards.
The Who
2/5
I don’t love live albums, and found this one to be fairly mundane without any particular draw. Much as love The Who, this one did not do it for me.
Gene Clark
3/5
It is fine but not particularly noteworthy.
Brian Eno
1/5
Not my thing. I understand the concept and recognize that they are both musical geniuses but it does nothing for me.
4/5
A strong album with a number of really good songs.
Judas Priest
4/5
Some banging classics.
The Specials
4/5
Fun upbeat ska music.
The Style Council
3/5
Interesting but all over the place. Not exactly a coherent theme to the album. Almost felt like a movie soundtrack.
Common
3/5
Like this more than I thought I would, but I still cringe at some of the language.
The Smiths
3/5
Enjoy the Smiths but not a huge fan. This was solid and definitely the Smiths with their very distinctive sound.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Excellent all around.
M.I.A.
3/5
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Kept me moving.
Love
3/5
A fine psychedelic rock album but not particularly memorable.
The Cure
2/5
While I am a big fan of lots of The Cure’s music, this album didn’t do it for me.
Adele
4/5
Just an amazing voice.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Admittedly I don’t love Bob Dylan’s voice though I acknowledge his talent as a songwriter and his role in the development and growth of folk music. This album had some great songs but a lot I will probably never seek out again.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Really enjoyed this one more than I thought I would.
Spiritualized
2/5
Not really my thing but someone interesting.
John Grant
1/5
I honestly could not determine whether this was genius parody material, or just incredibly bad poetry addressing sophomoric themes. I ultimately settled on the latter.
David Bowie
3/5
Meh.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Lust for Lude and Tge Passenger are bangers. The rest of the album is less memorable.
The Beta Band
3/5
More interesting and enjoyable than I thought it would be.
Culture Club
2/5
Nostalgic but dated. Nothing to make it memorable long-term.
R.E.M.
5/5
A solid album all around. Every song has its merits.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Pretty much every song brought a smile to my face.
David Bowie
2/5
Heroes is great but the rest was not my cup of tea.
Megadeth
2/5
Not my thing.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Not as memorable as I hoped it would be.
Massive Attack
3/5
Easy listening as background music.
Miles Davis
4/5
Loved this. One of the true jazz masters at his best.
Talking Heads
4/5
Enjoyable listening and certainly eclectic.
Beck
3/5
I enjoyed this album though a lot of the songs sounded somewhat the same.
Gang Of Four
3/5
Reminiscent of my youth. It certainly reflects a particular time.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Fine as background music but not particularly compelling.
Beatles
5/5
So many great songs on this and a distinctive sound on most of the songs on this album - different from prior albums.
Patti Smith
3/5
Enjoyable but other than one or two songs not particularly memorable.
The Blue Nile
2/5
Arguably interesting but not really my thing.
White Denim
4/5
To roughly enjoyed this album.
a-ha
2/5
One memorable but far overplayed song. Otherwise emblematic of an era but not particularly noteworthy.
Radiohead
3/5
Enjoyable but not life-changing to me.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Some great songs on this album.
Blue Cheer
2/5
Fine for what it is.
The Black Keys
4/5
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
Rumours was one of the first major albums I remember coming out and being a big deal and I really liked that album. I remember being excited about the release of Tusk and being disappointed when I actually heard songs from it for the first time. Having now given it a full listen decades later, my opinion has not changed.
Deep Purple
4/5
A classic
Miles Davis
3/5
Not my favorite style of jazz, but certainly enjoyable enough.
Blur
3/5
Interesting
Stevie Wonder
5/5
To my mind a truly great album.
The Roots
3/5
Sugar
3/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
The White Stripes
4/5
Joan Armatrading
3/5
An enjoyable listen.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
While this album has its place in time and may have been cutting edge at some point, it is lost on me.
Queen
3/5
Meh. Not my favorite Queen album.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Elvis - you know what you are getting.
Neil Young
3/5
Not a huge Neil Young fan great songwriter, but his voice generally grates on me. With that being said, this was an enjoyable album.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Bernie Hancock’s music just exudes “cool”.
Simple Minds
2/5
It instantly brings me back to the early 80’s but not necessarily in a good way. Largely forgettable synth-pop.
D'Angelo
3/5
Enjoyable. Mellow and low-key.
The Gun Club
3/5
Interesting enough.
The White Stripes
4/5
I like the White Stripes and definitely enjoyed this album. Admittedly it tails off towards the end but the first few songs include some great tunes.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Solid all around
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Some truly amazing and tightly orchestrated songs. Classics in their own right. The album tails off at the end but the first 8 songs are all keepers.
Björk
2/5
I wanted to like this album more than I did. It is certainly quirky and has some good tunes, but a lot of it was all over the place to me.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Enjoyable enough with some decent tracks, if overly synthesized.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Enjoyable and nostalgic
R.E.M.
4/5
The Sonics
3/5
Decent garage versions of some classic tunes. I see the alleged influences but too many exclamation points and too much screaming “WOW!” to needlessly punctuate a song.
Lambchop
1/5
The musical equivalent of white noise. I have no idea why this album made this list. To my mind, it was totally nondescript.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Textured but droning after a short time
Pulp
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Van Halen
2/5
Represents an era but I don’t love it. Eddie can rip on the guitar but with limited exceptions the lyrics and songs are largely forgettable.
Method Man
2/5
Not my thing.
The Doors
4/5
Hüsker Dü
4/5
Really liked this - more than I thought I would.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Enjoyable.
Eminem
3/5
Donovan
2/5
A little too minstrely for me. Interesting psychedelia, though.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Definitely a sound I associate with a certain era.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Interesting and different. First soundtrack for me on this list. Glad to see some broader diversity of music here.
Beatles
5/5
Too many people analyze this album in the arc of rock music progression, failing to give it credit for its time in history. Yes, it is a “pop” music album. Yes, it is not the Beatles at their most sophisticated. But it is still an amazing album. Every song inspires emotion. The instrumentation is getting more complicated and the harmonies are amazing. I could listen to this album on repeat for a long time, even though I generally hate pop music.
Jurassic 5
4/5
Liked this way more than I thought I would. Compelling beats and solid lyrics.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
His ego clearly exceeds his talent. Mediocre at best. Not sure why it is on this list.
Pentangle
1/5
Not my thing. Too old school minstrelly for me.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
The Go-Go's
3/5
The sound of a certain time period in my life
Nick Drake
3/5
Elliott Smith
3/5
CHIC
3/5
Metallica
3/5
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
The xx
3/5
Interesting and enjoyable enough.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Really interesting and different. Beach protest music of sorts.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Johnny Cash at his best and one of the best live albums ever. However, i question why we have more than one Johnny Cash live album included on this list if they are going to limit it to the critical albums you need to hear before you die. Seems like a list of this nature should include only one of these albums as this album and San Quentin live are more or less the same, with the same grit, same irreverence and largely the same playlist.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Classic Elvis Costello. Every song was enjoyable.
The Byrds
3/5
The sound of a certain early era of “rock and roll”. Not lost on me though I don’t love it.
BUT - So You Want to be a Rock and Roll Star is a great song to kick off an album with.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
Not really my thing.
2/5
Innocuous enough but rather bland. Not memorable at all to my mind.
Nas
2/5
Not my thing and rather bland. Everything sounded basically the same.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
A solid Stones album
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
The group’s future potential can definitely be seen in this album. Still a bit raw but a fun listen.
JAY Z
3/5
I must admit this was better than I expected
Oasis
4/5
A really solid album. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Pixies
3/5
Interesting enough.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Trippy and chill with a couple of salad songs but not really my thing.
The Monkees
3/5
Well, I wanted to love it, I found it to be a bit kitchy.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Love her voice. Some memorable tunes on this album as well.
Rod Stewart
4/5
Raw Rod Stewart and some solid songs
OutKast
3/5
Some really good stuff but a lot of things that could have been left on the cutting room floor. This might’ve been better as a single album with some of the fluff cut out. But it does have some great songs.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
An enjoyable listen but not particularly remarkable other than Let’s Get It On.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Not really my thing. But some interesting songs mixed in here.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Interesting enough
Amy Winehouse
4/5
An Amazing voice lost too early. I can listen to this album on repeat for hours. A great album.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
An amazing album. Almost every song is great and most are true classics.
Yes
4/5
Really solid album. Easy to lose yourself in this one. It does bring you back to a different time and place in the rock spectrum but it is an annota le place.
The Kinks
2/5
Not exactly sure why this album is on this list. Not particularly noteworthy and rather boring.
Kings of Leon
3/5
I enjoyed most of this album. Certainly a distinctive sound.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Eclectic but interesting. Liked it more than I thought I would.
Funkadelic
3/5
Paul Simon
5/5
A great album. Definitely from a specific point in time but still holds up well. Interesting blending of musical genres and cultures and great, catchy lyrics.
Hole
3/5
Interesting and more diverse than I thought it would be.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Not particularly memorable but fine enough for what it is.
Meat Puppets
3/5
I can see both sides on this album. Lots of dissonance, noise and whining, but some interesting offbeat material as well. I wanted to like it more than I did.
I understand why it is on this list. It is not one of the top thousand best albums ever, but it is something you should be exposed to at some point in your listening career.
Sex Pistols
3/5
This is a guilty pleasure for me. I became a punk fan after the heyday of punk had passed but still enjoy the raw energy and emotion of it and this album epitomizes that.
Blur
3/5
Fairly forgettable.
Buck Owens
3/5
Given the reviews, I was concerned I was going to hate this album. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. It is certainly from a long-gone era that I don’t really relate to. But musically, it wasn’t that bad.
Supergrass
2/5
Rather innocuous. A couple of somewhat catchy tunes but to me this album was largely nondescript and forgettable.
The Fall
3/5
Given the diverse opinions registered in the global reviews, I was curious about this one and suspected I would hate it, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Easy to rate - a solid 5 from top to bottom. And I don’t consider myself a huge Rolling Stones fan. But this album is excellent. Some true classics with great instrumentation.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Fine as background music but many of the tracks are boring and many of the lyrics are indecipherable. As others commented, it was often difficult to determine what language it was.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Not exactly sure why two Fatboy Slim albums made this list but this was certainly a fun listen.
Burning Spear
3/5
Raw but deep and solid.
David Bowie
3/5
Interesting mix of music
Bob Dylan
3/5
Classic Dylan. A few classics but all in all solid.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Great - even with the extended drum solo.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this album. More than I thought I would pleasantly surprised.
The Offspring
3/5
Sour album. Some really good songs, but after while it all starts to sound the same. I do love the songs that kick ass, however.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
A solid album with that instantly recognizable sound and some great songs.
Songhoy Blues
5/5
Loved this. It is the best non-English language album I have heard so far. Great musicianship and moving tunes.
Goldfrapp
2/5
Dreamy, ethereal but pretty much instantly forgettable. Fine for what it is but won’t be making its way into regular rotation for me.
4/5
Enjoyed this one a lot. Some great songs. It is admittedly a bit all over the place but still a fun listen.
Justice
2/5
Not my thing but interesting enough
Ice Cube
3/5
Loved the beats but must admit that in some of the songs the lyrics were a bit offputting. It is a generational thing, I am sure.
Soft Cell
2/5
Other than Tainted Love and Where Did Our Love Go, I had no familiarity with Soft Cell and did not know what to expect. Now I understand why. This album was all over the place and not in a good way. Also some of the vocals were interesting. Many of them fell flat literally. Can’t give this a one because of the two songs that are noteworthy. But it’s a close call.
Soul II Soul
3/5
Salad beats and a fun album overall. Not particularly memorable with a couple of exceptions.
Leftfield
2/5
Interesting enough but not particularly distinctive from other artists in this genre. Not sure why this particular album is a “must listen”.
Screaming Trees
4/5
I did not know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by this album. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I get that it is grunge adjacent and does not epitomize true grunge, but I found it eminently listenable. 3.5 stars rounded up to four.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
The first album ever bought as a kid was a Paul Revere and the Raiders album from the discount rack. I honestly don’t remember which album but it possibly could’ve been this one. Given that, I had high expectations for this album, but it fell flat. I found it markedly uninteresting with a couple of exceptions.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Fine for what it is with a couple of noteworthy songs, but this is certainly not my favorite Elvis Costello album. Many of the songs kind of blended together at the same basic background.
David Ackles
1/5
Weird. Just weird and sophomoric. Don’t quite understand how this made the list.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
While he was a despicable human being on many levels, he could sure as hell perform.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Well, this really isn’t my thing, I found it to be pleasant enough and enjoyable, particularly as background music. I must admit that when I was listening to it, the music had stopped for several minutes before I realized that the album had ended.
Paul Simon
3/5
Definitely enjoyable with some classics.
Silver Jews
1/5
I so wanted to like this based on other reviews I read but — nope, just couldn’t get there. A droning often monotonous voice, with lyrics that were a struggle to make sense of and basic instrumentation.
Not my jam.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Apparently I am not disenfranchised enough to fully appreciate this album though I found some of it interesting and the comments even more so
Janis Joplin
5/5
An iconic voice range and diverse collection of songs. To my mind, just Awesome.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I suspect this is his most commercially approachable album but it doesn’t really do it for me, with some exceptions. It is fine but not haunting enough for true Leonard Cohen.
Big Black
3/5
More approachable than I expected it was solid for what it was.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Eclectic and fun, drawing from a wide variety of musical genres.
Wilco
3/5
Enjoyable enough, but nothing in particular stood out about this album.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
Fine but rather innocuous. Not sure what is so compelling about it that it deserves inclusion on this list.
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
Well, I am not a fan of German industrial music, I understand that it is appropriate to include in a list like this. With that being said, I did not mind listening to this, but I get both sides of this debate in terms of noise versus cutting edge Music.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Disappointed- I wanted to like it but it fell flat. Not particularly compelling
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Fun guilty pleasure
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Fine as background or elevator music but relatively innocuous and not particularly noteworthy.
The Smiths
4/5
I’m not a big Morrissey fan. I need some more than I thought I would. It’s whiny, more melodic than expected if they enjoyed beyond the classics.
Supertramp
3/5
Hit and miss for me much as I wanted to love it.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Enjoyable enough folk rock with some interesting instrumentation. Not exactly sure why it made this list.
Radiohead
2/5
Interesting enough with some solid instrumentation and orchestration on some songs but I agree with the comments about a lot of the songs being almost indistinguishable from one another and the whining nature of the singing. Not a huge fan but fine as background music.
The National
2/5
Not bad, but not practically know worthy either. Seems like I just wanted to check the box for her rose depressing summer music with that certain woe is me sound.
The Triffids
1/5
I did not really get where this one was on this list. It reminded me of a bad 70s soft rock cover band that perhaps one it’s high school talent show thought that maybe they could come up with some of their own music. Totally forgettable and certainly nothing cutting edge warranty, any particular attention.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
Didn’t hate it that’s about all I can say. Fine in the background but nothing particularly distinguishing this from anything else in the genre.
Cream
4/5
Great example of 60’s psychedelic rock. Some great songs with some laggards as well. Some great musicianship too.
Kraftwerk
1/5
Before I started listening to this album, I committed that I would listen all the way through and not give up after a couple of songs or in this case part way through a 22 minutes on. I powered through it, but barely. I understand that Kraftwerk is cutting edge in the electronica space and among the pantheon of music of gods to many, but man it was painful to listen to. I can understand, listening to it in small snippets or simply background music but how many hallucinogens do you have to be on to make this pleasant to listen to for 42 minutes straight?
Beth Orton
3/5
Don’t know the sound, but he has an interesting voice, not a standard delivery.
TV On The Radio
1/5
I understand and appreciate why this album is included on this list. But it is not my genre. While it was “interesting” I will almost certainly never listen to it again.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
I understand why it is on the list, but I am not a big Butthole Surfer fan.
Genesis
3/5
Interesting. A bit long-winded for me but some solid tunes
Supergrass
3/5
This was just a fun album to listen to.
Digital Underground
3/5
While I am not a rap aficionado, this was definitely an approachable album.
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
Liked it more than I thought I would.
Al Green
5/5
Os Mutantes
3/5
I must admit that I didn’t really love it but understand why it is on this list. It is certainly funky and different.
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Pere Ubu
1/5
Just not my thing
Björk
1/5
Wanted to reach on myself and love this album to its essence but just couldn’t get there. I could hardly wait for it to be over.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
I am not a big Neil Young fan. His voice is like fingernails on a blackboard. With that being said, this album is somewhat tolerable. Cinnamon Girl was a great start and then it kind of plateaued.