One of my all-time favs. I will forever love the music these two poets make. One of my favorite lyrics of all time lives on this album: "I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep let the morning time drop all of its petals on me. Life, I love you..." "For Emily..." is incredibly beautiful and inspired heartache in me even as a pre-teen who had no grasp of love.

Am I missing something? What’s the big deal with this album?

If you castrated George Michael and made him sing against his will, he would still sound better than this group.

Music like this - where the instruments drown out the barely audible vocals - really doesn’t do it for me. Like why even bother having worthwhile lyrics if nobody can hear them? The band sounds fine enough and maybe it was more a problem with my stereo but the mix is trash.

Controversial opinion(?) but Syd Barrett without Pink Floyd sucks. Especially all the outtakes at the end of the album. I don’t care what kind of genius he is, I don’t need to listen to him cough into the mic.

Instrumental. Jazz. Not my favorite, but I appreciate being exposed to it. Good background work music.

I already liked Lorde so this was an easy one to enjoy.

Really enjoyed this!

Fine. Nothing stood out to me as particularly great on this album.

Wow what a lush tapestry of sounds. I loved the diversity of the tracks. This is a masterpiece.

So nice to listen to Stevie Wonder for a full album. What talent, such a unique and recognizable round sound.

Weird and experimental and off the wall. I liked it, but probably not for a repeated listen.

Swanky, funky. I enjoy it but it's not one I'd pick up again.

Studio mixing and overall sound is thin. Repetitive. What exactly is so great about this group? They sound like a throwback to traveling groups of the 70s. The music is basic, no particular instruments (including the lead singer's voice) stand out as talented or musically beautiful. Best song is \"One Horse Town\" because it has a sweet melody and easy harmonies. They grew on me over time, but still... not my style.

Great album - can you imagine hearing this for the first time ever? Great hits entering the world: Free Bird, Simple Man. Wow.

I looove the slide guitar! This must have been absolutely wild live. I don't prefer listening to live albums but this one was mixed well and I didn't hear the distracting crowd noise too much. And the talent (esp on the guitar) is on another level. Very "American" sound.

A resounding MEH. “California Stars” is recognizable and I love nearly everything Natalie Merchant does but I was left wondering why on Earth this album was included.

All in Spanish, nice cultural change up from what I've been listening to. I respect its contribution to the global music scene but it's not a re-listen for me. Lots of horns, that Latin percussion style, a recognizable cadence. I like the piano & slide guitar on "Murmullo."

I feel like I'm stuck in a rut of being served albums that are "fine" for me but have a lot of love in other parts of the country. I'm trying to appreciate them but this one is another album where I'm like OK, next. Good background music for working though!

Fun and raucous. This would have been a riot to dance to when it first came out. The lead singer embeds a lot of character and emotion into his voice. A little too "punky" for me to fully love, but I appreciate it all the same. All shorty songs, longest (by almost a full minute) is 4.5 minutes.

A cleaner sound than I would have expected for how I understand live shows from The Who to be. I enjoyed it, fondly remembering how silly some of their songs are.

Fully immersive and soulful sound. I love it. Every song is (or feels like) a smash hit. Holy crap what an amazing album. I even loved the instrumental piece.

Categorically disliked this album. Every song set my teeth on edge. I’ve seen “shoegaze” type bands live and they are not any better that way.

While I liked the voice of the singer, all songs similarly blended together into one long blur of sound. It was gentle to listen to but nothing stood out.

Tiny snippet songs. Feels old-timey, definitely from the mid-60s! Sweet voice, soaring background music. Pleasant listening but didn't evoke much of an emotional response for me.

This album still slaps, even all these years later. Timeless. Sorry not sorry, but Oasis crushed Blur in the Brit Pop competition.

Fun, immature, shallow. I would have loved to see these guys during a glam metal music festival along with Motley Crue, Cinderella, the Scorpions, Ratt, etc.

I'm biased of course because I listened to this album quite a bit growing up. What a delightful mess of boundless creativity. I love it.

Kinda quiet and oddly distorted vocals. I liked the orchestra mixes behind "The Funny Bird." Never heard of these guys and I doubt they'll leave a lasting impression.

Not a lot of experience with listening to full-length albums by DJs. I guess I view them as a completely separate category in music since they are creating a collage rather than strictly brand new material. But I guess the same could be argued for all music? It's all recycled, built on previous artists, using the same sounds and instruments... Anyways this guy was fine.

Kinda whiny, very Oasis. I liked it well enough but it's not like I'm gonna enter any of the songs into my personal rotation.

I'd almost give this album 5 stars just based off of the song "Here There and Everywhere." What an absolutely lovely song. Keep giving me Beatles albums and I'll keep giving them 5 stars.

Meh. Studio mixing is primitive. I only recognized one song and it isn’t even a polished version of it. 2 stars because of sentimentality, otherwise it would be 1.

Oi really did nowt loike dis awbumm. And it 'ad two discs! Just a guy singing with his electric guitar... did not like this voice. I hope this is the end of Billy Bragg for me.

Ethereal and trippy. I really enjoyed listening to this while I worked, I'd probably love cranking it with the windows down while I drive through a city at night.

I enjoyed this more than I expected because of my limited understanding of Deep Purple's scope. I love this type of glam metal vocals, pumping guitars.

Some hints of Rush with the interplay of guitar and bass runs. A little too jam-bandy for me to LOVE, but still way better than Phish, Dead, etc. I like the voice on the singer but only when he goes hard.

Swanky and swaggery at times. It has a hint of the Beach Boys but different enough to stand on its own feet. Heavy threads of sadness throughout, especially the songs "Home," "Farewell My Friend," and "End of the Show" which hit hard knowing he is struggling so much with substance abuse at the time of recording. Actually forget it the whole gd album is acutely sad.

Campy, genuine mood-lifter. I loved nearly every track. Wavered between 4 and 5 stars but the sadder song "It Can't Come Quickly Enough" sent me into 5 stars.

I love this phase of Bowie. I like all the saxophones and saucy background singing. Almost five stars but not quite. "Young Americans" is always a banger.

A couple of huge hits, obviously, which makes it hard to imagine what it must have been like to hear them for the first time. I am wavering between 3 and 4 stars, that last song was so weird I'm afraid it's pushing me to giving this 3.

I love this album - it's full of fun, bluesy rocks songs. Puts a smile on my face, nostalgia from "Bell Bottom Blues." Minus one star because Eric Clapton broke my heart by becoming a dickhead.

I'm not a country music fan but her voice is sweet and pleasant to listen to. Her music is soothing and positive. Enjoyed it!

What the actual fuck is this? It's like Primus, but take away all the talent and add a bucketload of annoying noise. I almost turned this off but I sat through it. Once is more than enough for this lifetime.

This was their debut album! I'm not even a little bit of a Beastie Boys fan but I knew at least three of these songs. They sound like they're having so much fun. I want to give them 4 stars but a whole album of their thin yelly voices got tired after a while.

So this is where Janis Joplin got her singing inspiration from. What a soulful performance. The energy of the crowd is high and infectious. I don't love live albums so I can't go above 3 stars on this one.

Honestly I like glam rock and I hear traces of Bowie in this but this album had no standout pieces. Boring.

Who even is this? Pleasant background music, nothing remotely interesting about it.

I, like many people, remember where I was when I first heard this album. The crooners aren’t as good (Paul, just no) but everything else is so remarkable, it just doesn’t matter.

Weird to hear so many covers by the Beatles who were absolute masters at writing their own music. Best song is "All My Loving." It's a little unpolished but undeniably fun. While I enjoyed this, since almost half of the songs were covers, I am only awarding 3 stars.

Strange experience: I kept waiting for "Life During Wartime" to turn into "Psycho Killer" haha. Classic Talking Heads album. Fully of catchy bops, and I don't even particularly like this band.

I historically have been pretty ambivalent towards REM. They're one of those bands whom I respect for what they have contributed to the world of music, but I don't choose to listen to. This album was a pleasant surprise. No standout songs, nothing to make it GOOD per se, but Michael Stipe is less whiny here than my audio memory of him would indicate.

This is tough because it's Bob mfckn Dylan. I went through a Dylan phase in college and really loved his poetic ramblings. I guess my tastes have changed since I really don't have the patience for his nasal inflections and longass songs. I do like "Tangled Up in Blue" and other singles, just not a whole album at once.

Beginner’s rock. The singer is too punk-like for me. Forgettable. I liked the bass on “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” though.

This was fun! A romp through the unique sound of Talking Heads. A bit experimental so there are some misses, but most of the songs are cool and weird.

I love the Cars. This is a tremendous (debut) album, chock full of hits. Punchy pop, immediately puts me in a good mood. Rock on.

I liked this album much better than the other T. Rex album that I was served from this project. It was sultry, glammy, and the musicians sound like they're in love with every song they perform.

I liked the band and the music on this album a lot! But the lead singer ruins the songs. Like total annihilation.

Is this punk? It's mostly yelling. I don't like it. Pass.

I listened to this while driving anxiously around North Philly in a torrential downpour. Joni, your voice soothes all storms. I love your grace and simplicity.

I've never been a fan of Elvis's voice. His band is undeniably talented and his songs are catchy but his vocals just sorta wreck this for me.

Man oh man am I tired of getting served bands like this, where the lead singer is a whiny wet blanket. Why are so many of these albums in this style making this list? Where is the instrumental stuff? World music? Anything but western male-dominated bands? Oh well, I kinda liked their sadder songs like "The Drowners" and "Sleeping Pills."

Another band with a lead singer who has this type of singing voice. I feel like I'm in a rut. I liked the funky guitar, percussion, and horns on this album - it was a nice peppy way to shake things up. But please give me a break from dudes who sing like Simon Le Bon/David Byrne/Billy Bragg. Not bad, and it's not their fault that they're showing up after a long line of similar bands.

Low-key. Pleasant to listen to, but honestly whose world would this actually rock? Maybe that's not the point. "Where My Love Lies Asleep" is a soft, sweet song, and represents most of what is on this album.

This was clearly a lot of fun for these guys to record. I enjoyed the light-hearted nature of the tracks. One listen is fine.

I love this band. It's another album where I wish I could have experienced what it was like to hear all of these hits on one album when it first dropped. I love the vocals, I love the twangy guitar. So different for what passes as "hits" these days.

Love Fiona. This was an amazing album when it came out - every song is great but SIX hit singles out of ten tracks? Greatness. And a perfect broody soundtrack for my angsty teen self. Swanky and jazzy at times, ragey and rocking at others, I really enjoyed the range of emotions displayed here.

I don't know these people but I really like the reverb guitar, gentle background vocals, and occasional falsetto on The Calvary Cross. The title track is very catchy. The rest of the album is pleasant for a listen, except for "The Little Beggar Girl" like who green-lights songs like this. The last track was a royal bummer.

I really like "Rock Bottom" - this was the first time I've heard it. It's like the only song on the album that follows a standard song format. The rest of the album is a mess of crude and violent imagery, unconventional story-telling, and immature characters. While I respect Eminem's massive talent and how he carried rap into a different corner, I found most of the songs difficult to listen to. So how do I rate this? Based on talent (5 stars) or enjoyability (1.5 stars)?

I was enjoying this as kind of a quirky background work music type of album but then the demon(?) voices started on track 2 amidst some pretty rockin guitar and I was jolted out of my flow. The rest of it was widely varied and interesting. Of course I recognized The Shining melody at the beginning. What exactly is going on in the last track?

Quite the range of sounds out of this band - who even are they? Blues, honky-tonk, rock, gospel, some country vibes... Tirelessly recorded, I can hear the cocaine from here. I liked the soulful backup singers of "Let It Loose" and "Shine a Light."

An enjoyable album of jangly 80s pop. Given that I love music from this decade, I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this band. Particularly liked songs like "Made of Stone" and "This is the One." Enjoyable yes, but will I listen again? Probably not.

Wow. I guess I'm not a gangsta rap girl. I appreciate some diversity in the albums (finally!) but... Such profanity and tough talk mixed with some good ol' misogyny. He's angry, and probably justifiably so (there is literally a drive-by as one of the tracks) but I still did not like this.

I like this album - Madonna is going through her sleek, ethereal club phase and it evokes a wistful sense of nostalgia for my 90s life. Some wonderful songs on here, like "Frozen" and "Skin."

I liked her wistful way of singing, perhaps for one song at a time. I don't love a whole album of her voice. Her songs are pretty but aside from "Stolen Car," nothing really stands out to me.

Fuck Kanye. Narcissistic sack of shit. This album is very good, some real bangers. But 1 star because his shoes suck and his public stances on white nationalism and antisemitism are reprehensible.

Lead singer's voice is airy and refreshing. The songs are light and fun. I'd put this on again and go for a drive in my nonexistent convertible. I especially liked the dreamy "Hysteric."

A joyous departure from what I've been listening to. Compels me to get up and dance even though I don't know how. Not sure how to rate this. I liked it but probably won't listen again. Unless I'm throwing a Latin-themed dinner party.

OK. This is just a cool album made by a cool group.

This album is full of stupid songs, which tracks with the past productions of the lead singer of Blur. whinge whinge whinge

One of my all-time favs. I will forever love the music these two poets make. One of my favorite lyrics of all time lives on this album: "I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep let the morning time drop all of its petals on me. Life, I love you..." "For Emily..." is incredibly beautiful and inspired heartache in me even as a pre-teen who had no grasp of love.

Most of the songs on this album are pleasant enough, easy-listening stuff. Nothing really stands out, except for when he goes hard, like during "Down." And that was awkward and didn't work very well. "Without You" is a recognizable power ballad. "Coconut" is cringey.

One of the most expressive performers of all time. Most of the songs are covers, but I'd argue - with few exceptions - these are the best versions of these songs.

I'm not a the world's biggest hip-hop fan but I'm open to the possibility of liking some. This album is not it for me. Common seems to be providing a lot of commentary on race and gender issues but it doesn't resonate with me. Must have been under a rock in the early 2000s because this was the first time I heard "The Light" - a vulnerable and sweet love song, but not enough to save the album for me.

Listening to this album again immediately transported me back to my high school days driving around in my clunky standard transmission Volvo station wagon. I loved this album, knew - and still know - every word by heart. The nostalgia, the guitar riffs, the talkbox, the heart and soul, the crush I had on Richie Sambora... it's all still there.

While I recognize, appreciate, and have immense gratitude for this dude's contribution to rock and roll, I find his songs hokey. His songs are the formula used by many who came after and even though he's the giant whose shoulders they stood upon, I'm not yearning for another re-listen anytime soon.

Historically I'm not a jazz fan but this singer has a magnificent voice. "How High the Moon" includes her scatting (live) and it's like watching a gymnast execute a perfect routine.

A different listen for me. This album used a lot of the ethereal sounds I associate with sci fi and space-themed movies. It was fun to have on in the background as I drove around on a rainy day but it's not my favorite type of music.

I like a lot of 80s music but this was a lot of fluff (needs more pumping base). I think I just wanted them to be Depeche Mode and they aren't. Honestly, this is what people are probably thinking of when they say they don't like 80s music. And why was this album so friggin long?

Controversial opinion(?) but Syd Barrett without Pink Floyd sucks. Especially all the outtakes at the end of the album. I don’t care what kind of genius he is, I don’t need to listen to him cough into the mic.

This is some of my favorite type of music. Classssssic arena rock painstakingly arranged, I love the layers of carefully and deliberately screeching guitars. I wish they (Tom Scholz) could have made 50 albums like this.

Techno beats. Rather than grinding away at an ecstasy-fueled club, I'm listening to this during a slow Tuesday morning at work. I'll give it one additional contextual-dependent star as an acknowledgement of this unavoidable situation.

Nice background music (especially if played live) for a dinner in a candle-lit, velvet-lined, red wine & martini-serving restaurant.

Wow what a voice, what an experience. I love the baritone and sultry vibes of this record. I love how his voice is buttressed by the soft backing vocals. -1 star for the synth use. Don't care for that sound, even if it was edgy for the times.

God I hate this music. Punk sucks. And, sorry, but it's several orders of magnitude worse when it's being screeched at me by girl voices.

A couple of WEIRD songs on this one. But I enjoyed it more than I expected - the tunes and singer were actually kind of soothing, wistful, and dreamy. And then there were space lasers (?) I wonder how the musical was. 3.4 stars.

Live. Very talented. Foundation of blues in America? I knew a couple of the songs.

Oh fuck yes. Drums yes. Guitar YES. Vocals were good, not quiiiiite great, which is why this album gets 4 motherfuckin stars from me.

A real banger, from start to finish.

Better (different!) than the other album I've heard from them on this list. Singer found his niche: dramatically belting out a song like it's a musical's closing number. I rather liked "The Wild Ones." "The 2 of Us" is full of anguish. Given how much I loved Queen (and glam rock) when I was a teenager, I probably would have gotten into Suede if I had known about them.

What a classic sound. I'd recognize it anywhere, even if I didn't know the song. I can't believe I am just learning today that his father murdered him. YIKES. Anyway, this album is sex.

Gods of rock, we are not worthy. Every single track is majestic, stellar, magnificent.

This was a delightful, if unpolished, musical romp. I love Janis and I love her bluesy band but parts were uneven.

I love this album. I walked down the aisle to “Thank You” but every song is a phenomenon.

I hated Hole when they were big, and I hate them now. Screaming into mic does not a song make. In my unpopular opinion they have only one not-too-bad song and it’s not even on this album.

I guess this type of music exists. And I guess there are people who go fucking nuts for it. I cannot imagine losing my shit for this chill synth repetitive sound. But it wasn't the worst thing I've heard. Some parts were pleasant.

I enjoyed it. Nothing stood out but it was soothing to listen to. Would give it another, more thorough listen, perhaps.

Historically, I have not enjoyed the radio hits from the Clash. Two of them are on this album. But there is also a wide range of offerings which have given me a greater appreciation of this band’s scope. However, I still dislike this type of lead vocals that seems so be so popular on this list: whiny, pissed off British boys.

Iconic sound from my adolescence. Perhaps due to this nostalgia, I did not tire of the songs. I welcomed the change up to a harder sound!

Whoever made this list had a raging hard-on for British boy bands from the 80s. That being said, this band was one of the slightly better ones. I probably won’t remember it though.

Parts of this album are like warm sunshine on my brain and it’s difficult to separate the quality of the songs from the love I have for the memories associated with that horn/guitar/vocal combo. And then there’s parts of the album that need to be tightened up: do I really need to hear six minutes of guitar feedback?

How could I give this icon less than 5 stars? I fell in love for the first time while listening to “Under My Skin.”

I liked this: fun sound, peppy guitar. I wonder if they’re any good live.

I love this album. I bought it when it first came out and thus became an early fan of the new band Coldplay. The warm and immersive guitar, the soft vocals… every song is wistful and soothing and evokes a gentler time.

What a sweet album for these ears to take in. I enjoyed every track except the one where Richard sang and whatever the heck that last experimental one was.

Classic Yes sound. I have always liked their instruments, but I don’t care for the vocals. 3.5 stars rounded up - this album is short and sweet and leaves some wanting me.

Too off-kilter and experimental for me.

I have loved the song “Northern Sky” for years and I was happy to see I knew that and another song on this album. It was pleasant listening, features an unexpected amount of flute.

Almost an AMAZING album. If it had been reduced by five or so songs, this would have been a masterpiece. All tracks were full of varying levels of fun and camp (except for “Candle in the Wind”) but that Jamaica song has got to go.

I have no real way to evaluate if this is a good hiphop album since I am not a fan of hiphop. The gunshot made me flinch since I was outside listening to this. Takeaways: Drugs. Objectifying women. Numerous puzzling references to Tony Stark. I’m sure I just don’t get it.

Short and sweet. The guitar sound >>> Ozzy’s vocals. Of course this album is on this list, no problem saying that even though they’re not my favorite band.

Eclectic, creative, and fun. I enjoyed this and want to return for a closer listen. +1 ⭐️ for Philly representation

Marvin Gaye: the world is a mess Also Marvin Gaye: just love one another This album is seamless, a work of art.

Seemed rather good. Hip hop isn’t my thing but I enjoyed a few of the songs, especially the title track and “They Say.”

What a voice. His music is dramatic and soulful and there really can only be one George Michael. Some of it is a little over the top and I prefer his upbeat hit on this album ("Freedom.")

Music like this - where the instruments drown out the barely audible vocals - really doesn’t do it for me. Like why even bother having worthwhile lyrics if nobody can hear them? The band sounds fine enough and maybe it was more a problem with my stereo but the mix is trash.

Mournful, almost country-rock at times, Neil Young probably deserves his own genre. I like him best when he's harmonizing with others, and that only happened a couple of times on this album.

When Depeche Mode are good, they are SO good. That bass sends me right back to an earlier time. That voice is instantly recognizable anywhere. The hits on here and out of this world, pulling up the average for the rest of the album.

To quote my father (a serious CSNY fan) “they just don’t make music like this any more.” This is a rare moment in which I agree with him. This album is perfect.

This album was almost good but nothing really stood out to me. If it was a color, it would be a pleasant beige. Not offensive, but not interesting either.

The mix on this album was crap - it was very bass-heavy and I don’t like not being able to make out James Hetfield’s voice and lyrics. However, the drums were phenomenal and while this version of Metallica is less melodic and more thrashy than the Metallica that I prefer, there is definitely a place for this album in my heart. I loved the last track, “Dyers Eve.” What a way to end.

While I am still not (and, this point, probably will never be) a fan of rap, I appreciate this guy’s obvious talent.

He’s Snoop Dogg so he’s got that recognizable smooth flow which is just so cool. What isn’t cool is the casual misogyny and exhaustive profanity, both of which make this album a difficult listen.

To my untrained ears this just sounded like an organized mess of horns. I know I know. I’m sorry.

If you castrated George Michael and made him sing against his will, he would still sound better than this group.

Mostly crashy clashy noise with 2-3 major hits thrown in. I’m not a fan of Grunge but I appreciate these kings and what they did for music.

I liked this album more than their early silly shallow stuff. The songs here are somber, full of warnings and questions and wistfulness. I hadn’t heard a single one of them before, so I gained a greater appreciation for the Beach Boys’ breadth of talent.

Am I missing something? What’s the big deal with this album?

An absolutely beautiful album to listen to the day after your cat dies.

If someone went back in time and killed the butterfly who flapped its wings and set off the events that made New York Dolls a success, would that mean we’d be spared all the insufferable imitators of this vocal style? The band is fine. Can’t stand the singing.

What an odd little album. I rather liked some of the tracks and others seemed silly, like songs for children.

One of the best. I love this album.

I love Depeche Mode. This album had a bit of everything - some hits and some wonky tracks. Like what is "Pimpf" even doing. Anyways, when they're good they're SO good and when they're weird, they're like normal weird.

This was fine. Nice to paddle my kayak to.

I feel about this album the same way I feel about some modern or minimalist art. "I suppose somebody had to do it, so why not them?" But that means it's a one-time listen from me, dawg.

A pleasant listen. The best song (by far, in my opinion) is the Bob Dylan cover. I am grateful to these musicians to provide shoulders for many others to stand on. Waffling between 3 & 4 stars...

Ugh enough with this style of music already.

Iconic sound. LP hit a vein of gold and then milked it for all it was worth. This album was for all those angsty teens existing without normalized therapy and proper mental health awareness. Hits like a greatest hits album.

I love the theatrics of this band, especially coming from singer Rob Halford. What a fun time it was to listen to this! Some obvious hits, but the entire album is a celebration of metal <3

I love this album. The raw vocals of Axl Rose and the over-the-top guitar off the Slash, it's all here to enjoy. Fun silly manic energy that must have been so crazy to hear for the first time. I know like 3 songs of these are played to death but just IMAGINE it. Put yourself into the shoes of someone hearing these guys for the very first time.

Very very Neil Young. Mournful and poetic. I don't really get where Neil got his reputation as a rocker since all of these songs seem carefully mellow. Maybe his live shows are real gnarly.

I’ve never had a very high opinion of The Rolling Stones and this album did little to change that. Who actually wants to hear Mick Jagger free-style for 11 minutes. [I listened to the UK version]

Probably one of the best albums ever made. And I'm not even really an Eagles fan. It's just that good. Don Henley fucks.

These guys are fine. I guess they opened the door for others to borrow some pretty recognizable sounds of the 90s. Nothing really stood out to me, but I was also fully immersed in that decade as I was growing up and all of the bands kinda blended together as their sounds washed over me.

Difficult for me to rate soft organ jazz. The music gave me warm and fuzzy feelings, and I would love to have this playing in the background as I sipped a glass of red wine next to some candles in a dim restaurant.

Listening to this gave me anxiety. Spotify served me up a 5 hour, 4 disc album set for this title. No chance I was going to make it through that without falling ear-first onto a fork. I listened to the first one and called it a day.

She's talented and unique, just not my favorite. She just came and played at the Met here in Philly so good for her to have this kind of staying power.

Jazz. Seems cool. Easy to listen to, I guess.

Somewhat sleepy until we were served up "Proud Mary" which is a delicious slice of glorious blues rock art. Aside from that track, the album is fun to listen to but mostly forgettable. Mostly.

Almost there, but ultimately unsatisfying. Like a single coat of cheap paint in a really great color on a dry wall. Also, their art inexplicably gives me the heebie jeebies.

This drummy trumpety rhythm album resulted in the death of his mother and the destruction of his home? What?!

Weird and trippy, very "of the times." Not my cup of tea, but I acknowledge that their contributions were far-reaching.

The thin vocals paired with minimal instrumentation somehow result in a sound that is greater than the sum of its parts. I think the Whites could have shaved off 3 or 4 songs to maximize the punch of these particular Blood Cells.

Ethereal, gorgeous, heartfelt. The soaring melodies, the swelling background vocalists, these arrangements make me FEEL deeply. The world needs more artists like Michael Kiwanuka. I'm very much looking forward to seeing him perform at the Met in a few days!

Well shit I love this album. Second half cannot keep up with the galactic speed of the first but that is only because the first three songs left the world breathless. “Running to Stand Still” remains in my list of top 10 songs of all time.

This was enjoyable to listen to. Comfortable, like a soft pair of jeans. Can’t explain it.

Recognizable bubble-gum sound. Good for them, not interesting for me.

It's not my least favorite of all hiphop albums I've heard from this list. But it's not my favorite either. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm grateful for the exposure because I would have never listened organically to these guys.

I honestly don't get the hype. Would this guy even be famous if he hadn't changed his name and have the fortune of having an album gain popularity in the wake of [the other] Elvis's passing?

More noise than music. This sounds like a bunch of above-average New York subway buskers found themselves in a recording studio. I would love to meet a dedicated fan of this group and have them explain to me what they love about listening to this album.

A handful of recognizable hits as well as a handful of songs that sound like the recognizable hits. He’s less of a singer than a poet soliloquizing his thoughts with a guitar and harmonica. I like when he laughs mid-speak/song.

I like quite a few of Kings' of Leon songs... but none of the songs on this album were any good! What even was going on with the lyrics on "Taper Jean Girl" and "The Bucket?" The latter was the only song that sounded like the Kings I loved in the mid-aughts.

What a bonkers album. FM's musical genius shines through the experimental mêlée at times like beams of pure golden light. Many risky songs live here but only "Tusk" was a hit. And even that one is bananas.

Sexy and swanky. I already knew/liked "Thinkin Bout You" and other favorite track was "Sweet Life." A lot of sexy talk which isn't typically my vibe, but it was fun to listen to at a low volume.

Difficult to pin down a review for this one. Twinkly, ethereal, shallow… I feel nothing.

Leonard Cohen doing Leonard Coheny things. Man sounds like he’s lost all his friends, flung himself into an empty well, and then decided to cut an album.

Fun, get up and dance music. I don’t understand any of the lyrics, of course. But I enjoyed bouncing and bopping along to the snazzy beat.

I want to give this queen five stars because of her legacy and impact on the music industry. But I found most of this album somewhat difficult to listen to. Maybe it's just not my style? I feel some kind of way that I like the white-man-covers of two of these songs better than her originals.

This is what the northern lights would sound like if they made music.

I wish I liked Sting's voice more. If I did, I'd be a much bigger fan of the Police. That said, this is a pretty good album. Quirky, eclectic, silly at times, and downright awful for one track ("Mother" seems like it was recorded by Primus before they figured themselves out). I want to give it four stars but it didn't quite reach that level for me.

Felt like I was on drugs listening to this. But if I were actually on drugs, this album might give me a very disturbing experience. If I saw this guy live, I'm 100% certain that his entire audience would be tripping balls.

This album washed over me like a warm waterfall. Wistful, wonderful, their use of reverb really tugged on my heart (esp "Burning"). Now I want to see these guys live. My one gripe is that many of the songs sounded similar.

Eerie and ethereal. Though I admit that I was one of the millions who made their way into Kate Bush's catalogue due to "Stranger Things," "Running Up That Hill" is still the best track on this album. "Cloudbursting" was also good.

Not a jazz fan, but I enjoyed listening to this while I worked. It felt like a great productivity booster.

I'm grateful to this project for giving me an album that I'd never listen to by an artist I've never heard of, in a genre that is brand new (to me). I didn't really like it but still, grateful.

The hits are the hits. No doubt, great songs. I saw Duran Duran in 2004 and they were terrific. All that aside, the rest of the album is forgettable, too much same same in the other tracks.

This is more country than rock for me: not my cup of joe. And the band name is just embarrassing. Sorry to be in a bad mood with a headache while listening - if I felt better, I might be a bit more generous with my rating.

So Zappa is like the original jam band guy? But with trumpets? Dislike. And I was really bummed to see another entry featuring one of the only artists I've given one-star on this list (Captain Beefheart). Blech.

This man changed my life and sculpted so many of my musical tastes. This album is yet another serving of his endless creativity: unique, exciting, tragic. This heavy dish is not for easy listening.

Pleasant enough, a little too twangy for me. The last song lingered way too long. 14+ minutes of going nowhere slowly. Yawn.

No matter what happens and how evolved I become in this life, I don’t think I’ll ever be into punk. Even the more “musical” punk such as this. Bangy bangy yelly yelly done.

I’m a sucker for a leading man who sings the high notes.

I liked this. It gives a vibe of stripped-down Beatles.

The first half of this album makes my heart flip sideways with nostalgia. But then we hit songs like "How Do you Sleep" and "Oh Yoko" and I'm like yeahhh there: this is why John will never be more than my third favorite Beatle.

Throwing me back to that emotionally turbulent time of the early aughts when I listened to these guys *on repeat.* I still like them, but I'm not sure I love the memories their songs are dredging up.

I do not like Sheryl Crow. I find her to come across as low-effort and low-energy, the iceberg lettuce of rock and roll. She opened for the P!nk concert I went to a few weeks ago and I showed up late so I didn't have to see her. This album was still better than I expected. A begrudging 2 stars.

Groovy and pleasant, this is the music that I would call "hippy shit." I like it well enough, especially the first track "Alone Again Or."

This was a beautiful album. Mournful and understated, I really like this version of Beck. He should have his heart broken more often and write albums from the resulting chasm of sadness. I'm sure certain billionaires will attest that this is a money-making strategy.

Honestly one of the most beautiful works of musical art I've ever experienced. I can't believe I'd never heard "Bullet Proof..." before today. Gorgeous.

I listened to this the day that Tr*mp won the US presidential election. I was depressed. As far as Dylan sounds go, this is the stuff I tend to prefer. However, I keep reading how he didn't like the production on this album, which means I just don't care for the "typical" Dylan sound. That's not news. I was vibing along until I hit that final track which felt like it lasted for 16 hours, just like this week feels like it has lasted 16 years. Minus one star just for that, for making this terrible day in this terrible week seem even longer than it already is.

Did the lyrics of a song from this album just use the word "retarded" over and over? Yes. Does this make me somehow dislike punk music even more than I did before? Yep. At least these songs are all short. Say what you want about punk, they don't belabor their point.

Yes, I love this album because it takes me back to a different, exciting time in my life. But, and I may be in the minority here, I also love how it sounds today. Great vocals, pounding guitar, even the DJ in the mix serves as a flourish and not relied upon too heavily.

I mean... it was fine. What I expected. They are psychadelic. They are fun. No surprises.

The genius of Prince is that he makes his masterpieces seem effortless. The man was operating on a plane several levels above his contemporaries. I don't *like* every song on this album but that doesn't stop me from recognizing the brilliance. Everyone should listen to this. In addition to classic Prince sound, this album even offers up "conventional rock" with "The Cross."

I greatly enjoyed listening to this - all the layers of voices, meshing together to create a warm, auditory tapestry. That said, my untrained ear didn't discern much difference between the tracks. They all sort of melded together into one unified super-song.

This was an incredible album. No notes.

I think I was more familiar with the live recordings of some of these songs: "No Woman No Cry" sounds very clean and less impassioned in this studio cut. It's a general theme here that these tracks seem very clean and tidy which is to say that they lack some of the emotion that I usually associate with Mr. Marley. I admire his careful and delicate control of his voice and while I'm firmly out of my reggae phase, this album was a nice way to revisit the roots of that time in my life.

How do I rate a collection of songs that I personally do not care for or about but recognize the importance of to the broader cultural landscape of this country?