651
Albums Rated
3.19
Average Rating
60%
Complete
438 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Samba
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
95
5-Star Albums
65
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rising Above Bedlam
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
|
5 | 2.61 | +2.39 |
|
Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
|
5 | 2.66 | +2.34 |
|
Olympia 64
Jacques Brel
|
5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
|
The Sounds Of India
Ravi Shankar
|
5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
|
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
|
5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
|
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Copper Blue
Sugar
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Eternally Yours
The Saints
|
5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
|
Life's Too Good
The Sugarcubes
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tapestry
Carole King
|
1 | 3.91 | -2.91 |
|
The Score
Fugees
|
1 | 3.69 | -2.69 |
|
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
|
1 | 3.65 | -2.65 |
|
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
|
1 | 3.64 | -2.64 |
|
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
A Tribe Called Quest
|
1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
|
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
|
1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
|
Stankonia
OutKast
|
1 | 3.55 | -2.55 |
|
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
|
1 | 3.53 | -2.53 |
|
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
|
1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
|
Blue
Joni Mitchell
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 5 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 4 | 4.5 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.67 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.67 |
| Queen | 2 | 5 |
| Stan Getz | 2 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 |
| Amy Winehouse | 2 | 5 |
| Fela Kuti | 2 | 5 |
| Tom Waits | 4 | 4.25 |
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 4 |
| Beatles | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Byrds | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Stooges | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Doors | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 1.33 |
| Public Enemy | 2 | 1 |
| Joni Mitchell | 2 | 1 |
| Siouxsie And The Banshees | 2 | 1.5 |
| Belle & Sebastian | 2 | 1.5 |
| Fatboy Slim | 2 | 1.5 |
| Brian Eno | 4 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Pet Shop Boys | 1, 4 |
| Sonic Youth | 5, 2, 3 |
5-Star Albums (95)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Public Enemy
1/5
Wow - this was some kind of torture. Every song even more boring than the previous ones. As far as I understand, this album is quite important for the history of hip-hop. But definitely, absolutely, without any question not for me.
4 likes
Nico
1/5
I know and like very much the album by The Velvet Underground and Nico. So I really expected something special when this album turned up.
But, oh no, ...
first song ... ok, it's terrible but something better must come
second song ... ok, it's also terrible but something better must come
third song ... ok, it's also terrible but something better must come
and so it continued until
tenth song ... oh, no, it's even worse than the first nine
A really terribly boring album
2 likes
Jacques Brel
5/5
It is somehow crazy, that there are so few albums on this list, which are not American or British. It is supposed to be a list of 1001 albums you really should listen to but is so full of mediocre albums. This album proofs that the "author" at least tried to put some other great non-US/non-British musicians on the list. But still it is far from enough.
Of course Brel needs to be on this list. Of course a lot of people will not like his music. Of course that is ok. But nevertheless, this is in the history of western music certainly a very important musician.
Now we can start to debate if the list should also contain various great folk musicians from around the world ...
2 likes
Public Enemy
1/5
Oh no ... the second day row this (for me) terribly boring music. No, no, no!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1 likes
Depeche Mode
3/5
Typical music from Depeche Mode. Generally I find them ok, some songs are really great, some not.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (65)
All Ratings
Carole King
1/5
No fan of Carole King.
The Band
4/5
I thought I already knew all famous and important bands of the 70s. But I must admit I did not know The Band at all. So this was a great listening, getting to know yet another good 70s band.
Michael Jackson
2/5
Interesting listening. Of course I listened to this album in the 80s and at that time found it great. But now, approx. 40 years later, it simply isn't the same as before. Yes, it was great at it's time but for me now not anymore.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
The Rolling Stones has always been a band with a couple of nice songs but never a band where I sat down to listen to a whole album. I see now that this was wrong.
Aftermath is a wonderful album, one of their first as far as I know. There is a wonderful freshness in the songs and it contains quite a lot of their well known pieces. Even if only for this album, taking part in this journey of 1001 albums has paid off.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
Never really listened to The Smashing Pumpkins and this album won't change that. A couple of songs are ok, the rest I found quite boring.
Not the right band for me.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Wonderful album by this old and very classic band!
Portishead
4/5
For me a discovery. Very interesting, a lot of nice and surprising musical topics. Good album.
Traffic
4/5
Interesting ... once again a 70s band I did not know. Very nice 70s rock music. Like it!
R.E.M.
3/5
A nice album by a band "everybody" knows.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
Not my album, not my music!
Gorillaz
1/5
Not really my music. Liked a couple of song but in my opinion a very ordinary album with no big highlights.
The Who
4/5
Interesting album. A great piece of art if you consider the age of Pete Townshend when composing it. But still it does not grab me as much as I thought. Probably one should have heard the first time in the 70s.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Wonderful. A classic great album by Bob Dylan. Like everything about it.
The Darkness
3/5
The album is, good rock but not really my cup of tea. Maybe if I'd have the patience to listen to the album a few more times I'd like it. But I rather want to turn to the next album.
Rocket From The Crypt
4/5
Nice rock punk album. Like it
David Bowie
5/5
A wonderful mix of jazz and rock. Definitely my favourite in this list until now. Will be listening a lot to it in the future.
The Sugarcubes
5/5
This was 16th album and the first one I really know, which I find interesting since I know a lot of the albums on the 1001-list.
Life's Too Good is a classic album from the 80s and from a time before Björk became famous in the whole world. I grew up with this album and personally, I like the Sugarcubes albums better than what Björk did later.
Can recommend it to anyone - a real gem.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Interesting psychedelic rock from the 60s. But did not like it very much.
Blur
3/5
Didn't know the album but have heard Song2 a million times. So expectation was high, expected more of such.
But unfortunately no, the others are not bad but different. It could have been a 5 with more Song2-songs but the rest is simply not special.
The Stone Roses
1/5
Sounds like a mixture of other bands. Nothing interesting.
Gillian Welch
2/5
If you like this kind of folk music, I suppose the album is fine. The music kind of flows along withouth any highs or lows. For me not interesting.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
A nice rock album and, once again for me, something new.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Wonderful classic album by the great singer Aretha Franklin. Contains a lot of the well known, but also some of the lesser known songs. A gem!
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Nice rock by - once again - a band which I did not know until now (although the name was familiar).
William Orbit
3/5
Music I usually do not listen to, but goes well as background music when working. Will not be looking for more music from William Orbit, though.
John Lennon
4/5
Nice album with nice songs. Definitely recommendable!
Duran Duran
3/5
I hated this band in the 80s but I forced myself to listen to the album. Now, fourty years later, they are not as bad as in my memory but still, I wouldn't voluntarily choose an album from this band.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
I really struggled to listen to this album ... a couple of songs on the second were ok, but the rest really the worst imaginable pop music. Ok, I am aware that a lot of people like and enjoy this music but I will never, ever be one of them.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Interesting album, although not my kind of music.
David Bowie
3/5
This was the second album from David Bowie I encountered here in this travel of the 1001 albums THBYD. I loved the first one, Blackstar. This one is also ok, but at least from a couple of listenings for me "only" a good rock album.
Portishead
4/5
The second album I encountered here at 1001 ATHBYD. The first one being "Third" was good but I like this better. Intriguing songs ...
Beatles
4/5
Nice Beatles album. Had never listened to this album but contains a lot of well known songs.
George Harrison
3/5
A big range of songs. Some well known like "My Sweet Lord", some average ones and some great instrumental pieces at the end of the second cd (I listened to the 2014 Remaster version.
Joan Armatrading
2/5
No, nothing for me. Music is ok, but I did not find it interesing at all.
The Byrds
5/5
Wonderful, classical album by The Byrds, certainly one of important bands in the history of "modern" music.
Miles Davis
5/5
A wonderful album! The music circulates and soars. Never boring, though on the first listening, a lot of repetition. Definitely one of my favourites by Miles.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
Well, it's similar as with Blur by Blur. You know a song, never had the chance (or simply never thought about) listening to more songs or an album by this band. You expect something you like. And you are let down.
Generally the band has some turns, liked the song "Monitor" but did not like anything else on the album.
R.E.M.
3/5
Nice album from the 90s. But I was never a R.E.M. fan. For me they play music, which is nice to hear in the background, good melodies and songs but nothing more.
Goldie
1/5
Boring, boring and once again boring.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I am definitely one to put on an album by Leonard Cohen although I have heard several of his (popular) songs through the year. So I did not expect much.
But in this case I was positively surprised. I sure do not like all the songs on the album, but "Take This Waltz - Paris Version" and a quite funny "Jazz Police", as well as "Tower of Song" were ok/good.
The Cure
4/5
Not the best one by The Cure, but a solid, nice collection of songs by this classic band. Like it!
Marilyn Manson
3/5
A rock/metal album definitely worth hearing. But still I miss something to be able to say "great album".
Little Simz
1/5
I suppose you should study the lyrics to make any sense of this. She can rap - that's no question - and she has a great sense for rhythm and putting words to rhythm. But for me there is nothing in the music.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Nice album by one of the historic persons of popular music the last 70 years.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Isaac Hayes is certainly one of the greats of the last 50 years of music history. This album maybe is a bit too much film-music-like but it does not really matter. The songs are still great and the album as a whole also.
Randy Newman
3/5
Never listened to an album by Randy Newman before, although I of course (who does not?) knew a few of his songs. Guess this is one of oh so many nice albums out there, which I think are ok, maybe even good, but which I will never search out for listening.
Rush
2/5
One of those bands which can play very good, which have ideas, which - of course - have their fanbase.
But, sorry, I did not connect to the music. I suppose if you grew up with it, you will like it. But I do not!
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Once again the Rolling Stones, the second album on this trip of these 1001 albums. Aftermath is in my opinion better but also this one is one of the great albums of the band!
Coldplay
3/5
Quite nice. That's it.
U2
4/5
A very good, but not the best, album by U2. Quite a few really great songs but also some - in my opinion - poorer ones. But overall an album you can put on anytime.
Fiona Apple
5/5
I had never heard about Fiona Apple before this album came up here. I had not heard any of the songs on the album before. Therefore a big surprise: I really like it. Will definitely be listening to her again!
Van Halen
2/5
For me this is one of so many 80s albums which are ok, but kind of boring. You can listen to them again and again but it simply does not get interesting.
The Kinks
4/5
What to say about this album? The Kinks in the 60s are very 60s. The music is great - also for later generations - but also somehow "simple". Short songs (who would wirte a song like Two Sisters or No Return today?), instrumentations, etc. But then they have some great highlights like Waterloo Sunset (on this album) or Lola (not on this album), which turn them into a classic band, which "everybody" knows.
This album - certainly worth sitting down and listening to - even if you're not into 60s music.
Pretenders
3/5
Rock of the 80s. Nice, ok, sometimes good, sometimes not.
Blondie
3/5
Blondie at her best. Some nice songs but also some boring songs. ok.
Gene Clark
2/5
ok, but nothing more
Al Green
5/5
A classic album. Not the best soul album of the 70s but certainly contains some of the best classic soul songs. Always nice to hear.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
An album which is easily listened to in the background. For me not more.
Astor Piazzolla
5/5
Wonderful work. Great musicians, great music. I suppose difficult for all, which are not used to jazz, tango or similar music but if you are patient enough to listen a few times to this album it will pay you back!
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Good album.
Soft Cell
1/5
This combines everything I don't like about 80s music. The synthetic beats, simple melodies and sooo many played like this.
Except for Tainted Love nothing special.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Basically a nice album. But somehow the songs flow by and don't leave so much behind. It is simply to smooth, nothing unexpected, nothing exciting.
Wire
4/5
1970s ... Punk ... loud ... quick ... simply as it should be :-)
Small Faces
2/5
Nothing spectacular. Only really nice song is Lazy Sunday. The rest partly ok, partly quite funny but it simply isn't anything more.
3/5
Used to listen quite a lot to PJ Harvey but not quite so impressed today. I like the album, but somehow something is missing. Total impression = ok.
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
Typical Indian classical music. I have always liked it as a background music. In a restaurant, when working, when reading, ... But never really dived any deeper into it. For me this album is exactly perfect for this kind of background music. And it gets better at every listening.
3/5
Classic country. Quite ok but will never be my favourite.
Queen
5/5
A Queen classic. One of the really great ones and one of the hightlights in the history of this big rock band.
Radiohead
3/5
Radiohead is a band I tend to like. Didn't know this album, though, and it ist in my opinion not one of their hightlights.
David Bowie
5/5
The second David Bowie album I get in this series. The first I did not know but Hunky Dory is full of great well known songs. Great to listen to and reminds one of his genius as a musician.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
Hmmm ... modern country music. Sounds ok. Bute leaves nothing behind. One wonders why Kacey Musgraves is so popular but you probably have to be more into this kind of music to understand that.
Sex Pistols
5/5
Such a wonderful historical album. Today nobody will understand why "God save the Queen" was a major scandal. But it took some courage for "Virgin Records" to publish this - now classic - album (nobody else wanted to!). An important contribution to the world of rock and popular music.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Not the best but ok.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Typical music from Depeche Mode. Generally I find them ok, some songs are really great, some not.
Blur
3/5
Not the highlight of Blur but ok.
Air
2/5
Music, which can server as background music somewhere where you don't concentrate on the music itself. Some of the melodies are ok, but there is nothing emotionally capturing in this work.
Slipknot
3/5
I am not a big fan of heavy metal music although I really love some songs by Metallica, Korn, System Of A Down, etc. Slipknot will never be a band I can listen to, simply too far away from my musical taste. But one can't deny that they have quite a lot of nice riffs and they are really good musicians (I don't think you can play good heavy metal music without being an excellent musician).
Snoop Dogg
1/5
Very simple --- I did not like it. And, to be honest, I did not think it is such a great album. Probably it hit the nerve of the time when it was published but to me it sounds a lot like an album made for teenagers with the goal of making money and less like an album where a musician put in a lot of work to do the music he'd like to.
Michael Jackson
4/5
The newer albums were more popular but sound boring today. This is still to fine to listen today.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Experimental music from the 80s. What more you can say.
Big Star
2/5
Did not know the band and after reading a review on it I expected something interesting. But no, it was not interesting. More boring than anything else.
The The
4/5
Nice 80s rock. Didn't know it but like it!
De La Soul
2/5
Probably they were good in the 80s. Some of the sampling is nice. But not my thing.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Songs are ok, could listen more often to the album. But does not convince me.
The Blue Nile
2/5
Boring 80s music. No wonder I did not notice this band then.
Not a "1" terribly boring, but I would not put the album on again.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Good Bob Dylan album but not the best.
Beatles
5/5
One of the great ones by the Beatles. Lot of nice songs.
The xx
1/5
x=Boring => xx = Boring*Boring
Dolly Parton
3/5
It's ok, not particularly good, not particularly bad.
If you're a country music fan I guess it's a kind of highlight. But if you're not, not so special.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Nice rock but not very nice.
fIREHOSE
2/5
Sometimes I wonder how and why the albums have been chosen for this list. This is one of the case.
Randy Newman
4/5
Nice!
The Strokes
5/5
Although I am quite familiar with the band and know a few albums I had never listened to this one from the beginning to the end. And this is also a nice album with several great songs.
Morrissey
4/5
Nice album, sounds similar to The Smiths - guess Morrissey simply was such an important person of the band.
Emmylou Harris
1/5
Not my kind of music - found it boring, even after two listenings.
Gil Scott-Heron
5/5
A really great album by an artist, I must admit, I did not know. A shame that is isn't available on Spotify, but found it on Youtube. Will be dipping into his other records but since I listen either on Spotify or on my stereo I will probably not hear this record again ...
Pixies
2/5
Except for the song "Here Comes Your Man" quite boring.
Wilco
3/5
I knew Wilco from a couple of songs but I have never been a fan. This album - ok, quite ok but still nothing which convinces me
Rahul Dev Burman
2/5
Bollywood music is certainly not my favourite. But in this case I expected more. Maybe it get's better with repeated hearing but I gave up after one time ...
Elton John
5/5
Great - like it
Bob Dylan
4/5
I'm more familiar with the "old" albums of Bob Dylan (although I guess 1997 is for a lot of people also "old"). This is in my opinion not as good as those, but still quite good. So definitely worth listening to.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
Well, a 60s band, reminds one of other 60s bands (I did not know the band before listening to this album) but doesn't add anything to what one has already heard.
The Thrills
3/5
It's ok ... but definitely not more ...
Booker T. & The MG's
5/5
Wonderful album. Some nice blues, great usage of the organ. Certainly one of the greats in the history.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
It doesn't matter what you think about this album - if you like or dislike it - it is one of the most important albums in the history of rock. As the last album of Hendrix, it can only make us imagine what could and would have come next.
Calexico
3/5
Didn't know this album by Calexico but have listened to other albums. I find this very similar to the other. There are a few magnificent songs (e.g. Across the wire) and then some songs which sound like a "filling" for the rest. For the best songs it would be a 5, for the filling it would be a 1 or 2.
Elliott Smith
2/5
No idea why this album is here on the list. It sounds like thousands of others, but probably I simply don't get it.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
Neither knew the band nor had ever heard one of the songs. So this was a positive surprise. Very nice.
Tom Waits
3/5
I know several of Tom Waits albums but this one I had never listened to. Unfortunately, this one did not convince me. There are a couple of songs, like A Little Rain or Black Wings, which I find very nice. But too many, which (in my opinion) are not that good. Albums like e.g. "Blue Valentine" or "Alice" (and others) are by far better.
The Temptations
3/5
Nice background music, but not really more.
Paul Simon
4/5
I'm not a fan of Paul Simon. But this definitely was a major album when it was released. In a time before the "World Music" of the 90s it was an encridibly important album for popularize unknown (at least for many) music styles. For this reason a "4". Otherwise it would have been a "3".
Sonic Youth
5/5
Wonderful rock album. Powerful, loud, noisy and interesting.
Fugees
1/5
Simply not my kind of music. Although some of their songs are quite ok.
Common
1/5
No, this is nothing for me.
Hole
3/5
Nice rock album with some good songs but a lot of average songs.
Megadeth
2/5
No, this is nothing I will ever like. One or two songs made me give a "2" but it's more like 1.6
Prince
4/5
Know a few of the albums by Prince, but did not know this album before. Has quite a few nice songs but will not become my favourite.
But definitely worth listening to if you like his music.
A Tribe Called Quest
1/5
No, do definitely not like it. There are some nice samples here, which are used in a good way. But still, no, not for me.
D'Angelo
3/5
Listened quite a lot to "Voodoo", but did not like this debut album as much. It's ok but not as good.
Yes
4/5
Yes, this is totally different than the famous Yes album from the 80s.
Yes, I know the one from the 80s, and Yes, I loved it.
Yes, I also like this one.
Yes.
Stan Getz
5/5
One of the great albums in the history of jazz. Nothing more to say.
Donald Fagen
4/5
Nice 80s pop.
Spacemen 3
2/5
It is definitely not mainstream. But I did not find any connection to the music.
Circle Jerks
4/5
Nice 80s punk.
The Go-Go's
3/5
Average pop from the 80s. Ok but nothing more.
Coldplay
4/5
Nice.
Genesis
3/5
I have now and then listened to some of the 70s Genesis albums. The music is very good and sometimes quite complex, which are normally things I like in music. But still I never really became a fan. For me something is missing.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Nice!
Tortoise
1/5
Didn't find anythin interesting here.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Rock. Rock. Rock.
One of the great ones.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Listened a lot to this album in the 70s. But except for Honaloochie Boogie I do not find anything so nice anymore.
Pink Floyd
4/5
This is certainly one of the great albums in the history of rock. But for me, personally, it's not one of my favourites "of all times", therefore the 4.
N.E.R.D
4/5
Nice rock! Much better than I expected.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Nothing to say about this album. Everything has already been said.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
I probably would have liked them in the 80s but didn't know them then.
Now I think this is quite boring typical 80s music.
Stereo MC's
1/5
Connected is a nice song. Everything else is at Ground Level without any Pressure and listening to it feels like listening All Night Long to one song, simply boring. At The End it's better to Fade Away and forget this Creation which feels like Chicken Shake to me.
Television
4/5
Interesting, that this is rated as punk. I would call it rock or even pop. But it sounds nice, like it.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Well, it didn't start so bad. Assassins and Dracula Mountain are quite good songs. But then, oh boy, it was an endless downwoard spiral. It got worse and worse. And then even worse. And it didn't end. No end? No, this does never end. Or not? Well, it has to have enden, otherwise I would not be writing this.
NEVER AGAIN!
Fishbone
3/5
ok but not more
Keith Jarrett
5/5
Certainly one of the classics in music history, even when taking all music directions into account. Great and always worth hearing.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Certainly one of the classics in the history of popular music. I had not listened to this album for probably like 30 years. Used to like it a lot. But now I think it is a collection of some very good work but unfortunately also some poorer stuff. If I had reviewed this album in the 80s I would have given it 5, but now it'll have to be a 4.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
Nice!
Public Enemy
1/5
Wow - this was some kind of torture. Every song even more boring than the previous ones. As far as I understand, this album is quite important for the history of hip-hop. But definitely, absolutely, without any question not for me.
Public Enemy
1/5
Oh no ... the second day row this (for me) terribly boring music. No, no, no!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I was a bit surprised by this album. I would not consider myself a person who "likes" the Pet Shop Boys. But this album is nice and I listened to a few times. Gets better every time.
The Only Ones
3/5
Nice but not more. Maybe I need to listen a few more times.
The Who
2/5
Had never listened to this album. But my first thought was "yes, this must be good" since it is by "The Who". No, a great disappointment. With this music they would never have become the famous band they are today.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Even though this one, her first album, is not the best she already show the power and musical skills of her voice here. So for me this is clearly a "5".
The Smiths
3/5
The album is ok. It is nice but nothing more.
Slayer
2/5
Fast, fast, not interesting, but ok as background music ...
Black Sabbath
5/5
Simply great
Anita Baker
2/5
This is so typical average sing-song of the eighties. Not my music although one must say, that she is a good singer
The Police
4/5
Nice but the not the best by The Police.
Robbie Williams
2/5
Well, now, I never would have thought, that I'd listen to a Robbie Williams album from the beginning to the end. But it confirmed what I expected. Sing-a-song-along but nothing special. Ok for the radio when you're driving but nothing more.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Quite nice. Never heard about them and never heard one of their songs as far as I know so was a nice surprise
Peter Gabriel
3/5
In the 80s I did like a few of his songs. But the rest on the album are simply ok, nothing more.
Steely Dan
3/5
Nice but not more.
Deep Purple
5/5
Wow, what a wonderful live album. Music at its finest.
Joan Baez
1/5
Joan Baez is of course extremely well known and loved by many. I've never been one of her fans and this album doesn't change anything. Typical folk music singing. Songs played at a camp fire by so many. Of course she can sing, of course she can play the guitar ... but there is - in my opinion - simply nothing special at all about this.
The Auteurs
3/5
Quite nice.
Metallica
5/5
Metallica with a symphonic orchestra. What sounds strange when you read doesn't sound strange when you hear it.
Great live album.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Everybody knows Elvis. Everybody know how much he influenced pop/rock music. And he was probably the first globally loved pop/rock musician.
I guess for that he deserves 5 stars.
But I guess we are all here not to rate by the value for history but value for us and for me this is "only" a 3 star album.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Several songs of the album are well known and have been played soooo often. The album as a whole ist ok. I could listen to it now and then. But there is no highlight there in my opinion.
Slipknot
1/5
Terrible, terrible, terrible
Supergrass
3/5
Quite nice
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Wonderful album full of well known and lesser known songs. Great.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Not interesting
Underworld
2/5
Not my type of music.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Well, Johnny Cash. It's nice, it's entertaining, but not really anything more.
Belle & Sebastian
1/5
Nothing interesting here
SAULT
4/5
Nice soul. A bit too playful for my taste (more "real songs" would have been nice). But definitely worth listening to.
Nick Drake
4/5
Certainly a surprise. Nice songs, well composed and nicely played.
PJ Harvey
3/5
A difficult album. One of the one side very interestingly composed songs. A lot of variety and creativity. On the other side I'm simply not so fond of them, also after listening a few times. My vote is therefore is somewhere in the middle.
Ravi Shankar
5/5
What a nice surprise. Although I'm not really a fan of indian music I especially valued the explanations in the beginning coupled with the pieces. For me a discovery and one of the reasons why I am listening to all these albums here.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
ok
Foo Fighters
2/5
Very good debut album by a great band.
Liz Phair
2/5
You can listen to it in the background. But it is simply boring!
3/5
Some nice concepts in there. Some nice songs. But overall average.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
So 60s. But somehow nice. And somehow so typical. Not great but is a good listening.
Beatles
4/5
Certainly one of the "big" albums of the Beatles. Lots of known songs.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Never been a fan of Cohen. Some songs are ok but generally I've never benn able to connect to his music. This album is slow and for me not really interesting.
Queen Latifah
1/5
Terribly boring.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I guess one must be a fan of Cohen to appreciate this album. It is quite interesting how he combines his "murmuring" with the music. And the songs are quite ok. With another singer it would probably be better - for everybody except the Cohen fans.
The Replacements
3/5
Some very nice stuff here. If I could take approx. half of the album it would be a clear "5" but the rest is boring.
ABBA
4/5
Loved this album when I was a kid. Now it's ok to listen to, guess I've simply heard it too often!
Johnny Cash
4/5
Nice!
Siouxsie And The Banshees
1/5
No, this band will never become a favourite of mine. This is the second album I had and I disliked it even more than the first one
White Denim
3/5
Surprisingly good album - had no expectation. Still, it is one of many good rock albums. Nothing more.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Very 80s, some interesting songs. But not really my cup of tea!
Adele
2/5
Great voice, but still - I simply don't really like her music
Megadeth
2/5
it's ok, but simply quite boring - every song sounds the same
The Icarus Line
4/5
Very nice rock album.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Very nice!
The Smiths
4/5
You could call this album the beginning of the 90s music. The typical 80s sounds is not there anymore, but still it is 1986. Great collection of typical Smiths-songs!
Mj Cole
2/5
House with a touch of soul and R&B. Probably quite good music if you like the style but not really what I like
Tina Turner
4/5
One of the great musicians of the twenthieth century, although not one of my favourites. But there is no doubt that this album is very good.
The Pogues
5/5
One of the great albums in the history of The Pogues. Wonderful collection of great songs!
Iron Maiden
3/5
Quite good rock. But as a whole album not so interesting.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
What a terrible album. I think I like this even less than Tapestry by Carole King.
Little Richard
3/5
Certainly an important album in the history of pop/rock. I suppose almost everybody has heard at least one of the songs. And at the time it was published it was of course something new, creative and great. Today, though, I do not find it really very interesting. It is ok. It is not bad to listen to. But for me it'll only be a 3.
Brian Eno
2/5
Well, certainly interesting. But really just quite boring.
Spiritualized
3/5
Difficult to decide for this album. On the side spiritual, meditational, somehow very nice. On the other side a bit boring, but maybe simply needs to listen to it a few times.
T. Rex
4/5
Classic album. Good rock if you like the style.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Not really my type, although sometimes it reminds one of the minimalistic pieces by Philip Glass or Steve Reich. But then it wanders of into some kind of not so exciting vocal parts. But still, creative.
Can
2/5
On the one side interesting, creative band from the 70s. On the other side the music flows by and I can't find anything interesting in it.
Fats Domino
2/5
Once again one of these albums one knows is historically important but one doesn't really like. How to vote. Well, I chose a two. Blueberry Hill is at least one song I can listen to again and again and which I have liked for decades. The other ones typical rock'n roll of the 50s where you really hear very clearly the movement from blues to the "new" form called rock'n roll.
4/5
Nice!
Frank Black
3/5
Nice rock!
Sonic Youth
2/5
I loved the album "Dirty" but find this so much less appealing.
Janet Jackson
2/5
Ok! This album is sooo typical Jackson. It was nice in the 80s and beginning of the 90s. And it was a great album back then. But listening to it now isn't really exciting. Of course it is nice dance music as was typical for the Jacksons. But I don't see this as music, which is timeless although quite a lot listen to it even today.
The Who
4/5
One of the great albums of The Who. I like a lot of their songs but I never have been able to find a real connection. Therefore the 4!
Van Morrison
3/5
Nice Van Morrison but certainly not the best
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I like it, but it will not be one of my favourites.
Billy Joel
3/5
I have listened quite a lot to Billy Joel but didn't this album. It contains several well known songs, though, most of which I like. The others are not so good, though.
Beck
4/5
A really nice surprise. Never heard of them and never heard anything from them. Great sound, great songs (not all but relatively many) and never boring.
The Clash
3/5
Of course this is an important album in the history of punk. Still, it sounds so "mild" today, not "wild" in any way, simply some nice punk songs. Obviously the 47 (!) years which have passed have changed music a lot.
Elbow
3/5
Quite nice!
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I know some of the early albums of Neil Young, but was not aware of his later albums like this one. A nice surprise. Good music, good playing, garage rock as it should be.
Black Sabbath
5/5
One of the great albums in the history of rock and metal. Of course the music sounds so different to todays but still an important landmark in the history. Something you can always listen to.
The Specials
3/5
I like their style and some of their songs. But then there are quite a lot of songs which I think are too simple and not interesting.
Le Tigre
3/5
Interesting album from an interesting band. But not quite my style.
Stan Getz
5/5
One of those jazz albums, which you hear as background music in restaurants, bars, etc. But the music should really be listened to. Although both Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd have played much more complex pieces with technically much more difficult (to play and to listen to) solos, this album also shows their genius well.
Also, so happy that at least once in a while there is a highlight like this on the list of 1001 albums among which there are so many mediocre rock and pop albums.
Genesis
4/5
Although not really a fan of progressive rock I really loved this album. Great creativity and a lot of variation in the music.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I love Marvin Gaye's album "What's Going On" and have listened to that one several times. This one was new to me. I didn't like it as much but maybe simply need to listen to it more often.
Judas Priest
4/5
Nice rock album :-)
3/5
Of course this is a very famous album.
Of course the great song Starman is on it.
Of course Ziggy Stardust is also quite good.
Of course Lady Stardust is ok.
Of course the rest is simply not so great.
A important album in the career of Bowie but in my opinion not one of his best.
Donovan
3/5
It's ok. But not more.
The Cars
4/5
I really liked the "The Cars" in the 80s but have never listened to this particular album. Still, it is so obviously "The Cars", but maybe without a last finishing touch. I liked it.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Quite impressive, good sound and songs.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
I really love this album and every song (except for the last one "Addicted") on it. I really don't know what to say more about it. It simply "feels good".
Tom Waits
5/5
As most albums by Tom Waits this is simply great! It's not my favourite one but still wonderful.
The Stooges
5/5
After listening to the album the first time I had to check the release year again. 1970? And this music? What a great surprise (for me)! I knew the name but exactly nothing about their music. Should have checked that earlier. Now I am a fan!!
Beastie Boys
1/5
Terribly boring!
Metallica
4/5
A great album by this so very important band in the history of metal. But not the best one. Some of their best songs are to be found here but too many songs which are average.
Neneh Cherry
1/5
Sooo terrible
Ramones
4/5
Certainly one of the important bands in the history of popular music. The album is extremely nice to listen to. But the songs are simply a bit too similar. But still very nice.
Khaled
3/5
I do not know Arabic music well. Some songs I've heard through the time have an (for me) "exotic" sound, which I like. This album sounds for me like a mixture of Arabic music and French Chansons. Some of the songs I find very nice, some I don't like at all. Therefore it's a "3" for me. But much nearer to "4" than to "2".
Jeru The Damaja
1/5
A really terrible album. I'm certainly no big fan of HipHop but a lot of artists base their music on samples, whiche are often interwoven with the rap singing in an interesting way. But here, nothing, void, total abyss.
Sinead O'Connor
2/5
Never been a fan although I like some songs. I do not really understand why the hype around here happened. Yes, she has a good voice, but so have so many other singers. But that's it, one of many good singers. And the album? Well, nothing special.
Rush
2/5
I must admit I don't know Rush. But the sound is very 70s, not so unexpectedly. Probably great if you grew up with them. But not for me.
Sade
2/5
Good singer but I heard the album too much in the 80s. I simply don't like it anymore.
Paul Simon
3/5
Hmmm ... difficulto rate. Somehow I like it but then again it sounds partly boring. Not really sure, therefore it will be a "3"
The Cure
2/5
In my opinion one of the not so good album by The Cure!
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Very nice!
Jeff Beck
5/5
It's always a nice surprise when you find a great album, which you were not aware of before. And that is what happened to me here. A bit sceptic at first, I started listening, thinking this is probably one of so many average albums on the market. But no, this was totally different. Great songs, great playing. Of course everything very 70s. But if one like the 70s rock music, I think one will also love this album.
John Martyn
3/5
Ok, but in my opinion nothing special.
OutKast
1/5
When I started this journey of the 1001 albums I promised myself to listen to every album at least once. My goal is not only to listen to artists I already like but also discover new ones and new sound and music.
A few of the albums I've listened to (this was nr. 247) have been a real challenge. Not that I am saying that the music is bad. But I simply don't like it. No, this is not correct: I simply can't stand it. It's simply not my music. Obviously there is a reason why I have never listened to that music.
Probably it is now needless to say that this album is one of them. My first thought when through with the album was "Thank god it's finished". The same I thought with Back To Basics form Aguileira, Doggystyle from Snoop Dogg, Kollaps from Einstürzende Neubauten and a few more.
Hope there aren't a lot of more such albums on the list!
Mercury Rev
2/5
Hmmm ... simply boring
Leftfield
2/5
First of all, this is not my kind of music. But what I wonder most about is why should listen to this music when not dancing. It is so clearly made for dancing and for that purpose is good. On the other side, the monotonic 4 and 8-beat are quite ok as background music for work etc.
Beastie Boys
1/5
bad
Dusty Springfield
5/5
I was positively surprised by this album. Who doesn't know "Son Of A Preacher Man" featured in Pulp Fiction? But often these songs, and I love "Son Of A Preacher Man", are the only likable songs on the album, on which they are to be found.
In this case it is totally different. This album is fine soul singing with a bit of pop. Not all songs are top but enough to make this (in my opinion) one of the best albums of this 1001 albums list.
Dr. Dre
1/5
Hip-hop with angry teenager vocabulary. If you like, you like it.
But I don't.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
A wonderful album with mostly songs by Jobim. A classic.
Talking Heads
4/5
One of the better albums of Talking Heads.
Talking Heads
3/5
Ok, but not more
Raekwon
1/5
A really, really, really horrible album.
The Police
3/5
I'm not so convinced by this album. It's The Police, ok. But in my opinion not one of their best.
Sepultura
4/5
Oh what a joy ... some good music again, the third album in a row which I like after having had to fight through the last 10 albums (of which 9 were really boring)
Radiohead
4/5
Nice 90s rock!
The Clash
4/5
One of the classics.
Pulp
5/5
Did not know this album but loved it from the beginning. The opening part of Mis-Shapes got me hooked right away. I've listened to it a few more times in the meantime and it does not change. Wonderful and simply very nice.
John Coltrane
5/5
Hasn't everything been written about this album, which is worth mentioning? I guess so.
As with most great music, this is not an album most music lovers like or love from the beginning. This is like a tree which grows and every time you look at it, it gets bigger and more beautiful. And sometimes the tree takes leaps in growing and you wonder why you didn't notice something before, which is obvious and so nice now. You need to look and you need some patience but you will be rewarded.
Certainly one of music history's masterpieces!
The Waterboys
4/5
Nice
Pink Floyd
3/5
It's definitely not one of my favourites by Pink Floyd despite some good stuff here.
John Grant
3/5
Average - ok.
American Music Club
1/5
Terribly boring!
Pere Ubu
3/5
Creative and funny! But in terms of music not so interesting.
James Brown
3/5
By far not what I had expected. It's nice but not so powerful as the better known songs by JB. Ok but not more.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Very nice. Did not know the album or the band although I know "Spinning Wheel" quite well from hearing it regularly over the years on the radio. So it was a nice surprise!
Lupe Fiasco
1/5
Ok, this was not as bad as I feared when it started. Partly ok, some nice samples, etc. Still it's a 1 for me, way too little to give a 2.
The Verve
3/5
I sometimes really wish there would be a possibility to rate ,5. This is one of those albums. I like it, but not enough to give it a 4. On the other hand, 3 is too little.
I have to choose one - this time it is the 3.
The Cure
4/5
Was not sure if it's a 3 or 4. Would have given a 3.5 if possible. Nice album but not really a 4.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
Where is the possibility to give a negative rating? Or at least a zero? Anything less than 1 would make me happy.
What a terrible, terrible album!
Paul Weller
4/5
Completely new for me. But very nice - liked it a lot.
Metallica
3/5
I like Metallica but I think this is by far not as good as the S&M or Metallica albums.
Aimee Mann
3/5
A typical US singer/songwriter. Not really a fan but ok
Lou Reed
3/5
Didn't know the album but know Lou Reed of course. Expected more ...
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
I really like to listen to jazz and I listen very much. I did not know this album and it is nice, but I was not able to find any deeper connection to Bill Evans' music on it.
Elvis Costello
3/5
ok
Michael Jackson
4/5
I guess almost everybody knows or has heard about this album. It was and still is an historically important for the history of pop/rock. But for me, despite its' historical relevance can not be more than a 4.
The Residents
3/5
Creative, funny, playful
Björk
4/5
I listened to this album soooo many times in the early 90 right after it was published that I then completely stopped and have probably not heard it since 20 years or so ago. After all these years it's once again wonderful to listen to. Lot's of great songs and who knows ... maybe I'll start listening to it more often again.
Sonic Youth
3/5
partly nice, partly not so good
The Fall
4/5
Nice!
The Boo Radleys
3/5
It's somehow nice. Somehow it floats by without any highlights. Somehow I'm not sure - therefore a "3"
King Crimson
3/5
This I find quite difficult. I think King Crimson is a very interesting band, which plays really interesting music. The problem is, I have never really liked their music. I have over the time listened quite a lot to some of their albums but I always find something missing.
Composing and playing more complex music than most bands is something I like but the result has also to be likable ... and here the problem starts for me.
Talking Heads
3/5
ok
Black Flag
4/5
Great punk! Like it!
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
I grew up with this album. Have probably listened to it a few hundred times. At the time also special since it is a double LP (and therefore quite long). Today, I think it's ok. But still, there are sooo many songs on it which I really love. So it's a five.
The White Stripes
4/5
Great album
Weather Report
4/5
A nice very famous jazz album. Not my favourite but always worth listening to.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Hmmm ... listening to the album is ok, but somehow nothing at the end. The music flows by and by.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I'm not the biggest Rolling Stones fan around. But this album I really liked!
Willie Nelson
5/5
I'm not much of a country fan. But this one is a real gem! Is it country? I'm not sure. For sure it's pop. And it's not complex and not challenging to listen to, which is - I guess - typical for pop music. But it still has something special. Maybe it's because it has songs of the 50s, which did not tend to the exaggerated simpleness of today pop music.
I'm not sure, but I love it.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
One of the big ones. Wonderful album.
CHIC
3/5
So disco, disco, disco. But also nice. But not nice enough. But still you can listen to it and smile and think back to former times.
ZZ Top
5/5
Wonderful album by a wonderful band
Aerosmith
3/5
Aerosmith - one of the most popular rock bands. But in my opinion because they play very smooth easy to listen to rock. Not really good, but ok. And album is also like that.
The Jam
4/5
Great album. Like it very much!
Steely Dan
4/5
Very nice.
Bad Company
3/5
Nice rock from the 70s. But not really any big highlights even after listening a few times.
Koffi Olomide
4/5
Very nice … and so great not to have a USA or UK album …
5/5
In my opinion the best album by U2. So for me a classic, one of the great ones, one you should regularly listen to.
The Roots
1/5
Not really much. Not so terribly boring. But also not really interesting
Morrissey
3/5
ok, but not more
Traffic
3/5
60s pop/rock.
Nice but not really more.
Dire Straits
5/5
I've always been a big fan of Dire Straits. But this was the first album which didn't convice me. Too much pop, too little of sophisticated music making like on "Love Over Gold", etc. Listened of course quite a few times in the 80s but stopped quite quickly and went back to the earlier albums.
Sometime, maybe 20 years later, for some reason I put the album on again and this time it convinced me more. Probably my taste changed and my expectations changed. Anyway, now I really love the album and think, that - like all other original Dire Straits album out there are certainly 5 stars albums!
Pavement
3/5
Something new for me. Partly really good. Partly a bit boring. But in total ok.
The Saints
5/5
Great, powerful punk/rock. Like it!
DJ Shadow
3/5
ok but not more
Charles Mingus
5/5
I always find Mingus a bit "complicated" and I seldom put on an album by him. This one, I did not know. But a nice and great listening. Very clearly a 5 here!
Moby
3/5
Some nice songs, some ok. In total average.
M.I.A.
2/5
Really very boring. But not as boring as so many albums here, therefore a 2!
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Certainly one of the classics of the late 80s.
Gang Of Four
3/5
Not really sure. On the one side ok, nice, good 80s music. On the other side a bit boring, predictable.
Run-D.M.C.
1/5
Walk this way is fine. Raising Hell is partly ok. The rest is terrible, so terrible.
The Undertones
3/5
ok - but not more
Red Snapper
2/5
Not terribly boring but still quite boring.
Death In Vegas
3/5
Some songs are ok, some not so special
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
One of the nice reggae albums from Bob Marley :-)
Boston
4/5
Nice 70s rock. I would have liked to give it a 3,5 but having to choose between 3 and 4 I'll go for the 4!
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
Interesting album. A bit simple to repeat the same part of Mussorgskys "Pictures At An Exhibition" but as a complete album quite good.
Eminem
4/5
One of very few hip-hop albums, which I think are really worth listening to.
Neil Young
3/5
I have always wondered how Neil Young was able to do "Harvest", a marvellous album full with great songs, when all other albums are so different. They are ok, the songs are partly nice, ok, but never great. And this is also valid for this album. It is ok, there are some nice songs, some not so nice, but nothing is great.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
A very nice 80s pop album.
Butthole Surfers
3/5
Needed some time to decide the rating here. On the one side I really like the album. Partly really good music although one feels, that they are really playing around and having fun. So my first intention was a "4". But when I compared it to other 4 I had given finally decided on a 3.
Van Morrison
5/5
Lovely album from a great musician!
Ray Charles
4/5
Nice album
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Don't get it. The sound of indian classical music trying to imitate western pop. Doesn't sound right. But still not bad.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
I often ask myself what the intention of this list is. It is certainly not to be a list of 1001 albums you should hear before you die. There are simply too many mediocre pop and rock albums on the list. And too many other albums out there which you really should listen to. But then suddenly you have this album on the list. And ok, this is really one of the albums one should have listened to "before you die". And because of the albums like this one, I will be carrying on going through this list.
The Fall
3/5
Average album with average songs
Various Artists
4/5
A nice Christmas album!
Miles Davis
4/5
Although a great and very important album in terms of history of jazz, it is and never will be one of my favourites. The pieces are short, the solos therefore not so interesting solos. It kind of flows by in a nice way but does not leave a lot to remember. But that is written in 2025, and the situation was surely a completely different one fifty years ago.
The Doors
5/5
A classic, an album everybody who is interested in the history of rock/pop must listen to.
The Monks
4/5
This sounds like an album where the making of it made so much fun. Easy lyrics, simple musical concepts but somehow it fits together and I also found it fun to listen to.
Aerosmith
4/5
Nice 70s rock album
Beastie Boys
2/5
Not as terrible as III Communication and Paul's Boutique. I wonder why anyone should listen to 3 albums of Beastie Boys before he/she dies. I don't get it.
Taylor Swift
3/5
The first album I've ever heard with Taylor Swift. Better than expected but it also convinces me that her popularity is not through the music. It is ok, there are nice songs in there and I understand that a lot of people love her music. But it is not enough to explain her popularity. She must be a genius in creating some kind of group feeling that glues her fans to her. One can only say "well done" to that!
The Pretty Things
3/5
60s pop - similar to a lot of other stuff. If you grow up with this particular band, you probably love it. Else it is simply sounds so similar to a lot of other bands.
Radiohead
2/5
Surprising album. Expected much more and was quite disapointed. No song which reminds one of songs like Creep or Karma Police. Not my thing.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
In my opinion not one of the greatest albums of Hancock but still great music.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Not interesting
Pavement
4/5
Quite nice
The Who
3/5
Hmmm ... "The Who" certainly is a great band in the history of rock/pop but I never really found a connection to them. The album should probably be a 5 if you count in the importance of most of their albums . But, sorry, for me it is only a 3.
Incubus
4/5
Not my favourite Incubus album but still very nice
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Nice album!
R.E.M.
3/5
R.E.M. is a nice band. And this album is also a nice album. But I don't really find anything more to say about it. It is nice. But not more.
Common
3/5
Partly quit funky - very "Roy Hargrove"-funky, which I like. Partly too much rapping, which I am not so fond of. But ok as a whole.
The Band
3/5
Well, "The Weight" I knew. Never heard any of the other songs. And not so surprised. The songs are ok but no special highlight.
Suicide
2/5
Very boring. After reading about it I understand, that it was quite important for the evolution of synth pop in the 80s. But still ... oh, so very boring.
Joy Division
3/5
Typical sound of late 70s/early 80. Ok, but not more.
Elastica
4/5
Very fine punk rock - like it.
Tori Amos
2/5
Not very fond of this kind of singer/songwriter. Probably not so bad if you like that type of music.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
One of the all time great soul albums. Nothing more to say about this one.
The Stooges
4/5
Did not know this album before and expected more. It is a nice punk/rock album but in my opinion not one of the big ones.
Sepultura
4/5
I'm not much into Metal. But this (as well as a few others e.g. by Metallica or System Of A down) I really like. It will never be my favourite album or music but on the right moments it's really, really nice :-)
Basement Jaxx
3/5
Much better than expected. Even some likeable and nice songs
David Bowie
2/5
In my opinion one of the worse albums of Bowie. Can't really find anything special here. "Wild is the Wind" is quite good. All the other songs nothing special.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
One of the classic albums of jazz. Always a joy to listen to.
Yes
3/5
Loved Roundabout. But not really the others.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Very nice
k.d. lang
4/5
I'm normally not a fan of country. But I found this mix of country and some very light blues quite nice.
Björk
2/5
Ok, Björk. Hmmm ... lost her in the 90s. Had followed her music since Sugarcubes and loved it. But "Human Behaviour" was more or less the last album I intensively listened to. Have of course heard "Post". That was ok. But the real heights were the Sugarcubes.
When listening to Vulnicura it is clear to me that I didn't really miss much. Yes, the music is creative, it is special, it is innovative. But the problem is, I don't really like it. Thus, it doesn't mean anything to me.
I love Deus, Regina and Chiuahua. But these are not today's Björk, these are the old Björk (or to be exact Sugarcubes).
Sorry, therefore it won't be more than a 2 here!
Dion
1/5
I am not able to understand why this album is on the list. It has nothing interesting. It has nothing new. It is not a first album of some kind of subgenre. It is simply one of several albums which a few people like.
Well, Dion is not an unknown musician. But his peak was in the 60s. "Runaround Sue" was a big album at the time. Although I am not fond of the music I would perfectly understand why it is on this list.
But "Born To Be With You"? What? No? It's simply not possible.
Adele
3/5
Great voice. But I don't really like her music. It's ok, the singing is great, but the songs are nothing special.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
One of the great albums by Jimi Hendrix. Nothing more to say about that.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Wonderful great album
Johnny Cash
5/5
I would go so far and say, this is one of the best albums since the year 2000. Of course only "old" songs, but sung and played with such a virtuosity and in such a dignified way, that you must bow your head and shout out a big "thank you".
B.B. King
5/5
Maybe not the best but a very good and classic album by one of the greatest blues musicians ever.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Historically certainly interesting. The music is also ok. It probably would have sounded much greater in 1966 ... but now, almost 60 years later, it is not so interesting any more. Still a quite good and listenable 60s record.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
A very "nice" album. I don't really think, that this is great music. But it's so very nice, that I have to give it a "4".
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
What should one say about this album. Probably one of the generally most popular albums of jazz - also for people, who are not into jazz. Normally that means, that the music is simpler, easier to grasp. But in my opinion this is not the case here. A great album by one of the great jazz musicians.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
Is this supposed to be a joke? Or is it supposed to test our believe in the 1001 albums "to hear before you die"? Why should anybody listen to this album? I reckon that you will find a couple of persons who actually like to listen to the album. But what have I missed if I hadn't listened to it. The answer is very, very simple: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
Very interesting. And partly very nice. Liked the Indian pieces. The other ones were not quite as interesting but ok.
Jack White
3/5
After first time listening not so impressed. The second time much more. But I thought quite long whether it's a 3 or 4 for me. Couldn't really clearly decide but went for 3 since some of the songs I really do not like.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
In my opinion by far not the best album by RHCP. But still powerful, creative, good rock with partly great songs.
John Cale
2/5
No, this is not my music. Quite boring and nothing really interesting on the album.
Missy Elliott
1/5
No, this is nothing for me. Simply terribly boring, boring, boring.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Good rock, nice songs.
Cornershop
4/5
I knew Brimful of Asha but did not know anything else about Cornershop before this listening. Was positively surprise. I like the mixture of pop and the Indian sounds/beats. Good idea and nice album.
The National
2/5
I can't find any connection to this music. For me it sounds like background shopping music. Nothing more. It is not bad or terrible but not in any way interesting.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Nice album but not really one of the great ones by Dylan in my opinion.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Never listened to this album before. But should have. Great, powerful rock. Well, just as this band is known for!
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Great album. Great musician. Great music.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
4/5
Did not know this album and it was a nice surprise. Good music!
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
At the start I thought "that will be a 1 if it continudes like this". But it got better. Not that I really like the album, one slow song after another is not my thing. But it grew and in total it's ok. When comparing with albums I gave a "3", I must give a 2 here, though. But if it would be possible a 2.5.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
What can one say about this album, which has not already been written and talked about. Today a classic album. Can't be anything else than a 5.
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
Quite nice. For me a first listening but convinced me.
Neil Young
5/5
Absolute the best album in my opinion by Neil Young. I like the music in the 70s and I love the songs even more today.
Jacques Brel
5/5
It is somehow crazy, that there are so few albums on this list, which are not American or British. It is supposed to be a list of 1001 albums you really should listen to but is so full of mediocre albums. This album proofs that the "author" at least tried to put some other great non-US/non-British musicians on the list. But still it is far from enough.
Of course Brel needs to be on this list. Of course a lot of people will not like his music. Of course that is ok. But nevertheless, this is in the history of western music certainly a very important musician.
Now we can start to debate if the list should also contain various great folk musicians from around the world ...
Duke Ellington
4/5
Duke Ellington, well, that's Duke. One of the great ones of American and world music history. One of the biggest or event the bigges composer of non-classical music. This double disc album is from a concert in Newport and gives a good summary of his music. For me it is not one of the greatest albums of all times, I like more the more modern versions of his music. But that does not change anything about his importance.
New Order
2/5
Didn't like it. But a few songs, which were ok (Run and Dream Attack).
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
I will never be a fan of Belle & Sebastian, but I found this much better than "If you're feeling sinister". At least a couple of songs which were not very boring.
Marty Robbins
3/5
I really love "El Paso". The other songs were ok, some quite nice, others not so interesting. But overall a decent album.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
Was ok, but nothin special
New York Dolls
4/5
Surprising album. Music which is not 1973 but sounds like the punk rock of five years (and more) later. But very nice.
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Hmmm ... this is a very strange album. My first thoughts were "terrible". But there are some real gems on it ("Time Enough For Rocking We're Old", "Long-Forgotten Fairytale" or even "Two Kinds Of People", which I love). In between then again stuff, which has nothing special. And because the majority of the album is like that I ended up giving a two.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
Not interesting
Buzzcocks
4/5
Nice powerful rock - like it!
Thundercat
4/5
Very fine!
Alice In Chains
3/5
I have often listened to Alice in Chains but never really been a fan. Their albums are ok but have not really convinced me.
The Soft Boys
3/5
ok
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Didn't like it. Reminded me partly of Carole Kind and her I don't like at all.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
A nice album. Would have given it 3.5 if possible. But it's nearer to 4 than 3 ...
Eurythmics
3/5
Not my favourite by Eurythmics, but ok.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
It was ok
FKA twigs
3/5
Creative but not my music
The Zutons
3/5
Quite nice! For me nota a 4 to good for a 3. Difficult to decide but at the end I give it a 3.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
A classic. Although not much of a fan of the 50s rock & roll one cannot deny their meaning to the evolution of modern pop and rock music. Also a couple of nice well known songs on the album.
Janis Joplin
5/5
Wonderful album by one of the greatest pop/rock performers of all time.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Yes, I know, this album is on the 500 best of Rolling Stones. But still, for me it is one of so many 60s albums, which sound nice but give me nothing more.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
ok
Pearl Jam
5/5
I won't find any additional words to all the praise and acclamations made so many times by so many people. Great album, great music, one of the big ones.
Deee-Lite
2/5
Not my music. But Groove Is In The Heart is ok.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
5/5
A nice surprise. Great album with great songs.
The Vines
3/5
Quite nice. Better than 3 but not a 4 (for me), so it'll be a 3 :-)
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Quite nice songs by a young Makeba. As a whole album ok, but for me not more.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I was never really a fan of this album. But I always kind of like it. And it still hasn't changed.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Nice album by a nice band.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
5/5
What a nice surprise. Great album with great musicians!
Tom Waits
4/5
Not the best by Tom Waits but quite good.
Ash
4/5
Nice rock
Primal Scream
2/5
Not terrible and nothing especially interesting.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
I guess everybody know Jerry Lee Lewis. And some of his songs are so well known that it's probably not wrong to argue that all grown-ups know them. That does not necessarily mean that you like the songs, and, well, the album is nice to listen to but I wouldn't put it on again.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I am not a particularly big fan of The Beach Boys. And I probably have never listened to a whole album before. But I must admit I found it quite good.
Steve Earle
2/5
Did not like it
Bad Brains
3/5
ok
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Dead Kennedys ... as always creative, innovative and simply very good punk
George Michael
4/5
I had never expected to listen to a whole album by George Michael. I never was a fan but did like some of his songs. So I was a bit surprised that I didn't find the album so bad, to be honest quite good.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Quite nice and generally I like this kind of music. But something is missing. There are no highlight, there is nothing special. It's like having a nice evening with somebody but then forgetting it very quickly because there is nothing to remember. I still give it a 3 since - as already mentioned - I like this kind of music.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Very boring
Jurassic 5
2/5
As an absolute non-listener to rap or hip-hop I found this album not as terrible as many others, which have been on this list. It did not hurt to listen to it but it was really no fun.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
Ok, not my kind of music. Partly not so boring, but mostly didn't like it.
And ... this is - in my opinion - not music to listen to at home - this is only fun when dancing
The Style Council
3/5
Difficult. Generally, I liked the album and I think that a 3 is too little.
On the other hand I also don't find the album that good and therefore I think that a 4 is too high.
Today I'll decide for a 3. Tomorrow I might have a given a 4.
Neil Young
4/5
Great album from a great singer.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
It's not bad, but I didn't like it
The Specials
4/5
A very nice album. Like it
Nico
1/5
I know and like very much the album by The Velvet Underground and Nico. So I really expected something special when this album turned up.
But, oh no, ...
first song ... ok, it's terrible but something better must come
second song ... ok, it's also terrible but something better must come
third song ... ok, it's also terrible but something better must come
and so it continued until
tenth song ... oh, no, it's even worse than the first nine
A really terribly boring album
Lambchop
2/5
Did not really find it interesting.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I didn't know this album but knew the band of course. I expected more but of course it is ok.
System Of A Down
4/5
Yes, this is nice
Caetano Veloso
4/5
Wonderful album.
Alice Cooper
4/5
No, this is not only the song School's Out. It is a collection of very nice rock music from the 70s. Definitely worth listening to.
John Lee Hooker
5/5
Great musician, great blues, great album.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
No idea why this album is on this list. Is this really one of the 1001 albums you need to hear anytime? Certainly not.
Fela Kuti
5/5
This is one of the few non-US/non-UK albums here on this list, which are really one of the albums you should hear "before you die". It doesn't really matter if you like it or not. If you are interested in music and interested in which musicians have had a big influence and changed music styles through the time, this is one of the albums you need to listen to.
It is such a shame that this list of 1001 albums does not have more of important albums like this one but so many mediocre (US/UK) pop albums, which will be forgotten in a few years!
Talking Heads
2/5
Rather boring. Nothing exciting about this.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This was the fourth album I got by Cohen. And it isn't in any way better than the other ones. I understand that his kind of singing will attract some people, but I am not one of them.
The The
3/5
After a bad start (didn't like the first song at all, and wasn't very fond of the second) things started to get better with every song.
Paul Simon
4/5
A surprisingly good album. Of course I know Paul Simon, but I associated him more with music like you hear in Graceland or with Art Garfunkel. His music in these are ok but for nothing special. This, though, I found quite nice.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Nice jazz album. I must admit, that I did not know Hugh Masekela before although I listen quite a lot to jazz. But it is never to late to learn about good musicians.
Kate Bush
3/5
Basically a nice album by a very good singer with an incredible voice. But it's still by far not as good as Hounds Of Love.
Björk
3/5
I did not really like it. But I must admit it is very creative. Therefore a 3.
Daft Punk
1/5
Well, it's 90s dance music. And for that purpose it fits very well. But for all purposes in life this is simply boring. Boring. And again: Boring.
And by the way, in the 90s nobody heard the music. They were all in some other sphere dancing and only felt the beat. So probably nobody had heard this album before it was put on this list.
TLC
3/5
Ok, some very nice songs, some not so ...
Method Man
1/5
Very simple: Terribly boring.
Jethro Tull
5/5
One of the big classics. Nothing really can't be said, which hasn't already been said.
4/5
I really don't think that this is an important album or it needs to be heard (don't think it should be part of this list which also goes for a lot more albums). But I like the music and simply find it very nice.
Big Star
3/5
One of these, where you ask yourself "why is it on the list". It is not bad. It is quite typical of its time. It's also ok to listen to. But what make it such a special album, that it needs to be on this list. It's a big big question.
Love
3/5
ok - not more
Baaba Maal
4/5
Wonderful album and for once a real album you should hear before you die. No medicore USA/UK band playing something, which so many bands have also played, which for some reason found its way on to this list.
Bon Jovi
4/5
Nice 80s rock. Simple, powerful, loud but gorgeous!
Emmylou Harris
3/5
A good singer but not quite my kind of music
Drive-By Truckers
4/5
Nice southern rock. I would have given it 3,5 if possible but it is defiinitely nearer to 4 than 3.
Destiny's Child
2/5
This is too much pop for me. A bit more soul-vibes would have done this album good. But then the group wouldn't have been as popular.
Beth Orton
2/5
No, this is not an album for me.
Django Django
2/5
Not interesting, nothing special.
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
Astrud Gilberto is for me a difficult person. On the one side you have songs like "The Girl from Ipanema" with her lovely singing. On the other side you have her singing, where I have the feeling that she is singing off-key (on this album e.g. in "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice"). And furthermore in spite of her somehow nice voice it often sounds thin and you constantly have the feeling that she will miss the next tone.
Nevertheless I tend to like her singing and this album is no difference to that.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Three weeks ago I had the Ginger Baker album by Fela Kuti. So I expected a lot when this came up. And my expectations were kept. Great album by a great musician.
Bill Callahan
2/5
The album is not terrible, but simply boring.
Ride
3/5
This album is one of the reasons why I am on this journey of 1001 ATHBYD. Started reading about the band and came across the term "shoegaze", which I was not aware of before.
The album and the music is a combination of partly nice rock songs. Partly powerful, some good guitar sound, singing is not great but ok. As a whole a good album worth listening to but not great.
Ministry
4/5
Not the music I listen a lot to, although I like their album Rio Grande Blood and have listened to that quite often. Creative, powerful, interesting, loud … Good!
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Certainly one of the classics of pop music, which you can always listen to.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
I did not find a connection to this album. The songs sound ok, the singing is good, there is a dark, sad mood over everything. From that point of view it is good work. But still, it doesn't touch me.
Radiohead
3/5
Radiohead is for me a difficult band. On the one side you have wonderful, great, magnificent songs like Creep and Karma Police. But on the other side albums like this one, which is ok but far away from the heights of the songs mentioned. I really like Knives Out and Life In a Glasshouse. But the rest did not impress me.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
Sorry all fans of Joni out there, but this is sooooo terrible for me. I hate these moments of this list. I decided at the beginning to listen to all albums, but albums like this make me claw for ending that. But I kept through, I survived (although it may have done some permanent damage), I'll still continue my journey of the 1001 albums and I'll still listen to all albums.
George Jones
3/5
Not a country fan but the album is still simply a feel good nice listening.
Miles Davis
5/5
Probably one of the most popular jazz albums of all times. But still a "real" jazz album and not one of so many "pop jazz" albums out there.
One of the big ones. No doubt.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
It's ok but too much "jazz pop", ok to listen to but nothing special.
k.d. lang
4/5
Quite good. Like the sound, the songs, the singing.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Well, certainly one of my favourite albums. And historically important. No wonder Rolling Stones consider it the best album of all times (status: list from 2020).
Grateful Dead
3/5
Grateful Dead is a complicated band. Their songs are ok, but not good enough for me to hear them at their length. At some point I simply get bored of a song.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
One of the so many albums here on the list which are ok but nothing special.
Elvis Presley
3/5
I am certainly no fan of Elvis Presley. I like some of his songs and don't like a lot of his songs. This album I found surprisingly good, although I wouldn't necessary listen to it again.
The B-52's
3/5
This music sounds like the number 80 (even though published 79).
It's ok. Interesting to hear the young Rod Stewart hear (even at that time he had this "old" sound). But I was not particularly fond of the music.
Brian Wilson
2/5
Found this rather boring
Eagles
4/5
I am not a big fan of Eagles. But still they produced "nice" songs. Can't really describe them differently. They are songs which flow by in the background. There is nothing edgy about them, nothing special, nothing unexpected. And the same I think about this album. If it would be possible, I'd give it a 3,5 but it's better than 3 so it'll be a 4.
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
Why is this album on this list? It has nothing. It is from a "one hit wonder band". Everything on this album is simply boring and bad. I'm sure the band had fun recording the album but if you every band which has fun recording its album on this list you will end up with ten or hundred thousands of albums.
Simply terrible.
Steely Dan
3/5
Didn't know the album. Probably I expected to much since I am not so convinced. There are some really nice songs on here ("Rikki ...", Barrytown, ...) but some don't convince me at all.
John Martyn
4/5
There is some quite nice stuff on this album. It is very creative, spanning a lot of different music styles. You need to listen to it a couple of time to see the value but it's worth it.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Partly very nice, partly very average
Solange
4/5
Partly very nice. Like the soul sound although at times it goes too much into pop in my opinion. But overall a nice album.
Hole
4/5
Great album. Liked this much more than Celebrity skin. Much more powerful, better rougher sound. Nice.
LL Cool J
1/5
Ok ... after six good albums I suppose it was time again for one of those terribly boring albums, which are simply painful to listen to. The whole body fights with the ache spreading through your brains, your lung, your heart and the only thing you can think about is when this terrible, terrible pain will end.
I guess that is the also the reason why these album are on this list. Before starting the journey of the 1001 album I had never encountered such nasty feelings when listening to music. And I guess that it therefore makes sense to introduce these albums to a wider range of listeners. And I really to congratulate the organiser of this list for these albums. They really make you feel - in a negative sense - the music.
Enjoy the pain!
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Partly very good (God! Show me magic and Something 4 the weekend) but mostly very average. Still nice listening to the album.
Def Leppard
2/5
This is so 80s rock. It's ok, it partly quite nice, but I really don't like the way they play. I wasn't a fan in the 80s and I am not a fan today.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Great album, great songs, good music.
Killing Joke
4/5
Powerful rock, good riffs, heavy sound. Like it!
Sugar
5/5
Didn't know the album. And what a gem! Really good album with great sound, great songs, great riffs, great singing. Love it.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
A classic album. One of the great ones in the history. And really great music for the most parts
Rod Stewart
3/5
ok but not more
The Undertones
3/5
Some songs are ok
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
Yes, they are interesting. Yes, they are creative. Yes, there are some interesting songs on the album.
BUT
No, apart from 2-3 songs I wouldn't like to listen again.
Still it is a 3 for the creativity.
Linkin Park
5/5
Love this album.
Britney Spears
1/5
Unlike many albums on this list I do understand why this album is among the 1001 albums. It is historically a "big" album, an important album in terms of influencing others.
But that does not change the fact that this is simply pop music. And not especially good pop music. But it was at the start of and shows the way music has taken in the last 25 years, becoming simpler and simpler and easier to listen to. It enters your brain, it leaves it immediately and doesn't leave any trace behind. It is - if you like this kind of music - nice for now only, not for after five minutes, not to mention for after one day/week. So easy only, you don't have to think. You're only consuming like a robot for a kick of joy, which disappears more or less simultaneously when listening.
The Black Keys
4/5
Great blues-rock!
The Byrds
4/5
It's nice but I could not really decide whether to give 3 or 4. It is too good for a 3 but not really a 4. But for the song "Mr. Tambourine Man" it will be a 4.
Jamiroquai
5/5
A great, wonderful, magnificent soul/funk-album. I love it!!!!
Dagmar Krause
2/5
As with so many other albums on this list, you can ask whether this should be on the list. At least it's not another average pop/rock album from USA or UK. So that is a good reason for including it rather than those. But it does not change anything about how I like this album and I do not really like it (some few parts are quite good). Of course I know Hans Eisler but are there no other singers out there which master these songs better? Or generally songs of this aera? And for gods sake, why does she sing so many songs in english? These sound terrible.
Wu-Tang Clan
1/5
What a terrible, terrible album.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Never hear about them but really nice.
Tangerine Dream
1/5
In 1974 this was genuinely something new. But it all lacks power, movement, music. No, this is too little
Meat Puppets
3/5
The album is quite interesting. But not more.
Fred Neil
3/5
Partly ok, especially the blues stuff. But the rest not so exciting.
Sigur Rós
2/5
Difficult. I love "Starálfur" since several years but I did not like any other song on this album. It is creative, there are lots and lots of moments which are interesting. But still, I simply don't get it for most parts.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Liked "Nothing's Shocking", like this one also.
Barry Adamson
4/5
Interesting album. I had to read the Wikipedia article to understand what it's about. And from a musical point of view, very nice and diversified. Good!
Ice Cube
1/5
I guess this album is on the list to remind everybody that there are a lot of terrible and horrible music out there which can only be feared.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
No real highlight here. But a nice album.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
This is like listening to a repetition of the same song over and over. The only difference are the lyrics.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
The Rolling Stones. What can you say more.
Gang Starr
1/5
Say Your Prayers! Yes, that is exactly what one needs to do before listening to this.
What You Want This Time? Well, music would be fine.
Take A Rest. Yes, listened to the album and I really need a rest after this terrible thing.
No, no, no ... simply bad!
Manu Chao
4/5
Liked it!
The Bees
4/5
Nice mellow album. Not necessarily a lot of highlights but a very pleasant to listen to.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I really like Bruce Springsteen. But this has never been one of my favourites. Still ok. But not more.
4/5
Good rock album, certainly an important band for the history of rock/punk. Doesn't sound like 1969.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
It's ok. Games Without Frontiers is the only real highlight on the album. But as a whole the album is ok.
Scritti Politti
3/5
I wonder why this album is here on the list. This is so 80s. And not in a positive way. It's not one of these albums, which are still "famous" today or were in some way special. No, this is the very, very average 80s. It is simply the sound of the 80s. But does that it make important to listen to. No! Not even if this was the 11234 albums you have to listen to before you die.
Aphex Twin
2/5
The album is ok. It's simply nothing special. It sounds like somebody playing around. Not for me.
Elton John
4/5
One of the better of the Elton Johns albums (in my opinion).
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Expected more. Maybe that's the reason I am only giving a 3 here. There are some really nice songs (Get Ready For Love, There She Goes My Beautiful World, Hiding All Away) on the album but the rest. The rest is ok. Some songs are a bit likable. But for me, they're not enough. And the main thing: I wouldn't listen to the album again after hearing it twice now.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Nice powerful music. Like it.
The Prodigy
2/5
Published 3 years befor The Fat of the Land and they sound maybe not totally different but could be another band on this one. The album is ok but a long way from what The Fat of the Land
The Stooges
4/5
Great debut album by a great band.
Pantera
3/5
I'm not a big metal fan but l like some songs very much. I find this album ok but I miss something. Somehow the songs are too similar but in total ok.
Brian Eno
2/5
Hmmm ... did not convince me. Brian Eno has made so many great songs. But they are not to be found on this album.
John Lennon
4/5
If only for Imagine, this album deserves a lot of stars. A song, which still manages to capture the mind of young people. But the album also contains further "nice" songs. Definitely worth listening to.
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
Wonderful album with two of the greatest guitarists, Clapton and Allman.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Some really nice (and well known) songs. The rest is ok.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Love their version of Take Your Mama since a long time. Didn't know anything else from the album. And I don't really like the other stuff. Parts are ok (e.g. Laura, Music Is The Victim) but others I find rather boring.
As a whole, the album is ok but not more.
The Beau Brummels
4/5
Nice 60s album
The Killers
4/5
Powerful melodical rock. Really good! Like it.
Elliott Smith
2/5
I must admit, that I don't understand this album. It is on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. But what makes it so great? That's a real mystery to me. Twelve very similar songs sung by a guy with a guitar. Somehow melancholic and definitely not bad, I would also say "nice". But one of the 500 greatest albums of all time?
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
5/5
A great album. A great Eric Clapton album. It ist still 1966 and he will develop a lot but very fine blues (although not so extremely creative) already to hear here.
Wonderful.
5/5
Certainly one of the "big" albums of Dylan. Shows that he was not only a genius in the studio but also on stage. Wonderful album, which for sure belongs to this list of 1001 albums.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
This is the third album of CCR, which I encounter here on this list. Great as the other two. Don't know what to say more.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
Hadn't listened to this album from QotSA before. But this first album of theirs shows what the band is famous for. Good, powerful rock with great riffs. Nice!
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Classic album. Good album.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Good 80s album.
Bob Dylan
3/5
For me this is not one of the best albums of Dylan. But still a nice one.
Coldcut
3/5
Pros: Interesting album. Partly quite funny. At the time something new and creative.
Cons: Boring.
Paul McCartney and Wings
2/5
I've never been a fan of McCartney after the Beatles. The songs are ok, but they are somehow to "smooth" and nothing interesting about them. Jet and Band On The Run (on this album) are well known and of course I also know them and have listened to them often. They are, in my opinion, the best songs of the album. The rest is simply the typical McCartney music.
Queen
5/5
I am definitely the opinion that the earlier albums of Queen were far the better ones, the later albums are too much "pop-music". But this is not one of the highlight. Yes, it has "Seven Seas Of Rhye". Yes, it has everything which make Queen so special (especially in the early times). But no, it is simply not as good as Queen I, A Night At the Opera or A Day At The Races. Still, a great album.
2/5
Not very interesting.
Syd Barrett
2/5
Not very bad but simply not my stuff.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I'm not really a fan of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, but I found this album quite ok. Something, which can be listened to more often.
King Crimson
1/5
No, King Crimson is not my music. I've tried to listen to a few of their albums over the years. But I was never able to connecto to the music.
This album ... totally boring.
The Human League
3/5
Soooo 80s. I really liked Don't You Want Me at that time. But as so often the rest of the album is not so good. Some songs are quite ok (Love Action, ...) but most are not good.
Simple Minds
2/5
Not really interesting. Sounds like a boring version of Simple Minds.
Paul McCartney
2/5
No, this is not for me. The songs are simple boring singalongs and the song "Singalong Junk" describes rather well what the album is about. But still for me a 2, the 1 I only give to "terrible" albums.
The Dictators
3/5
Partly really great ("The Next Big Thing", ...) but partly not good ("Master Race Rock", "Back To Africa", …)
Madonna
1/5
This is supposed to be one of the 1001 albums, which one should listen to before one dies? Is that some kind of joke? It's not different to thousand others pop albums out there, except maybe that a very famous person made this album. If I'm missing something I really would like an explanation.
The Beta Band
2/5
Didn't leave anything after listening to it.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The really good Springsteen was in my opinion from mid 70s to end of the 80s. After that the albums by far not so good. Sometimes it feels like a repetition, sometimes like changing to simple pop mnusic. Not that all songs are bad or boring, but the creativity and inspiration seems to be missing.
This album is typical for that. Some nice songs and some lalalalala-songs.
The Byrds
4/5
Certainly very different to the other music I knew by "The Byrds". But - although me not being a country fan - I found it quite pleasent to listen to. Quite ok. It still leaves me a bit surprised why this is in the 1001 list. Aren't there better "real" country albums out there? Or is this really so special because The Byrd was one of the bands introducing "country rock"?
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
OMD is a band, which I neither liked or disliked in the 80s. They had some nice songs, which never got on my nerves but also never got my attention. Since then I don't think I have listened to one of their songs, except maybe on radio or TV. Therefore I was surprised on how much I liked this album. Maybe I should start to listen actively to their work now, fourty years later ;-)
David Bowie
4/5
Not my favourite by Bowie but good.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Listened quite a lot to PJ Harvey in the 90s and early 00s but did not know this album. You already hear her typical sound here although for me the sound and songs I most liked are not so prominent on this album. So this one only gets a 3 from me.
ABBA
2/5
No, this is not ABBA as everybody knows them. So it is maybe not so bad that they were in the process of splitting when making this album.
Pentangle
3/5
The music as such is not bad. But I simply don't like this kind of singing of old medieval tunes. Not my stuff. But a 3 for good musicians.
Lorde
2/5
One more pop album but quite new. Ok, so it might be interesting. But not really. Once again one of these albums where you wonder why it is on the list.
The music is quite nice. But it's simply pop music.
Best case it will not be forgotten in 2030.
It's certainly not one of the albums which you must hear before you die.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Wow, never heard about this band. But really nice. Good solid (indie) rock and even a bit punky. Really liked it.
Wilco
3/5
Ok
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Lovely jazz with a much underestimated instrument in the jazz world. Listen to musicians like Barbara Dennerlein or Dr. Lonnie Smith and you might really get the hang of it. This album shows the greatness of Jimmy Smith. An album well worth listening to despite its age.
Bobby Womack
5/5
Wow … what a great album. I knew Bobby Womack but only from some songs and I had never listened to one of his albums. That was definitely an errror.
Beck
2/5
One of the albums where I ask myself why somebody thinks it is important to listen to. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there, which like the album. But that can't be a reason. The worst pop music is listened to by a huge amount of people. So what makes it so important? That would actually be interesting. Why is it considered so important?
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Frank Zappa before he was famous. And as can be expected from Zappa, simply excellent.
Joy Division
2/5
Very 80s. But boring 80s. Not really worth listening to 80s. At least not the kind I like of the 80s.
David Ackles
4/5
This album is one of the reasons I keep staying on this list. A wonderful surprise. Never heard of David Ackles, never heard his music. This is not the kind of music which will become my favourite in any way but still a great album with lovely songs which I surely will be listening to more often.
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
This is very country. And somehow most of the songs sound very similar. But I suppose if you're a country fan, you like it that way. Not that it is bad and Yoakam seems to be very popular, but it's not really my music.
Faust
1/5
What a terrible, terrible album. Just because some teenagers decided to make some noise, it doesn't have to be put on this list. Or would it be sufficient to land on this list by going into a school of 14 years old and record their noise?
Kanye West
3/5
After listening to this album I have no idea why this guy is famous. Not everything is bad - some nice ideas but very, very much average pop music.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Really liked the first song but after that there was no real highlight anymore ... a bit dissapointing.
Skepta
1/5
Is this supposed to be a joke. This album cannot be here on this list. It is only terrible and boring and horrible. No one should have to listen to this. And the main question is: Why is the album on this list?
Jeff Buckley
3/5
ok
Holger Czukay
3/5
Surprising. Partly nice. Partly not so special.
Os Mutantes
4/5
Good album. Great to see something else here than the usual US/UK-bands.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Ok, nothing interesting here. One can listen to it but flows by without any special highlights.
Brian Eno
2/5
A strange album. A few songs, which are ok. The rest is nothing special.
Mariah Carey
2/5
The album was not so terrible as I expected. Mariah Carey is certainly a good singer and what I like are the soul-like songs. But too many of them are simply bad pop-music.
Laibach
1/5
This is really something different. Don't really know what it is supposed to be. A bunch of bored teenagers trying to get attention? A bunch of grown up boys wanting to be cool but totally missed it? I'm not sure, but what I'm sure about is that it would have been better had they just stayed in their garage and played. The recording was not necessary.
Soft Machine
3/5
Progressive rock has never been my thing. But Soft Machines music is creative and quite ok.
Kate Bush
5/5
Loved the album in the 80s and still love it. A great singer with lots and lots of very creative music.
Slade
4/5
Slade. Wow! Listened to them as a kid in the 70s. Good memories although by far not one of my favourites today.
Blue Cheer
4/5
A good rock album from the 60s. Reminds one of Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep.
The Cramps
2/5
Nothing really great here
Girls Against Boys
5/5
This album is one of the main reasons I am doing this journey of the 1001 albums. I had never heard about this band, I had never heard any of their songs. But what a discovery. Great, loud, powerful rock.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Once again, I wonder why this particular album is on this list. No, not because I don't like it but because I do not see what makes it special in any possible way. And ... of course I do not like it ... but that's not the problem.
Can please anyone here on the planet tell me what is so special about this music.
Dr. Octagon
1/5
Ok, obviously a young man with a lot of imagination concerning the other sex. That is not so surprising. The surprising thing is that somehow this album found its way on this list. That is extremely surprising.
The Charlatans
3/5
I really was unsure whether to rate this with 3 or 4 stars. On the one side great songs, simply good rock music.
On the other side some really poor songs.
Maybe I should have listened more often, then it would have been 4 stars - but at the end (after listening twice) I went for the 3.
Chicago
5/5
Great debut album by one of the great bands of the 70s
Venom
2/5
Strange album. Somehow it makes me think of a band trying to make great metal by playing fast and concentrating their lyrics on hell, satan etc. But the music is simply not interesting. A few parts where you think 'ok, now it's starting' but no, nothing follows. Maybe it's simply since it was 1982. Of course at that time one hadn't heard all the music which was to come so it probably was different at that time. But if it is like that, the album should have been omitted from this list.
David Gray
3/5
I'm sure Grays music is quite good if you like this kind of music. I hear a lot of good singing, good lyrical music. But it's simply not my kind of music.
The Doors
4/5
Not the greatest album from The Doors but a good one.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Partly great, partly not so
Grizzly Bear
2/5
Rather boring!
Lauryn Hill
4/5
Love her soul music. But do not like her hip-hop/rap stuff.
Julian Cope
2/5
Really, this is one of the 1001 albums one must listen to? Of all albums and all music varieties in the world? No, that is simply not true. As is the case with so many other albums on this list. Still, the album is ok. But is in no way special. It is comparable to thousands of other albums out there.
Brian Eno
2/5
This is the fourth by Brian Eno. Boring as always, although one has to admit, that he has a certain kind of creativity.
Tom Waits
5/5
I've bin a fan of Tom Waits for a long time bat although knowing more than 10 album very well, I still hadn't listened to this one. But again … just as good as the others. Wonderful.
Fatboy Slim
1/5
Fatboy Slim is a DJ. That means his music should be heard on the dance floor and has therefore absolutely no right to be on this list.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Not very boring but nothing special.
David Bowie
3/5
I like a lot of songs by Bowie. But I've never been very fond of his albums. There are simply too many "standard, average" songs on them. And this is also true for this album.
The Fall
3/5
Quite good punk - but not good enough for a 4.
Mylo
3/5
Electronic music, mostly for the dance floor. But some good pieces on here which you can also listen to withouth dancing.
Radiohead
4/5
Nice good Radiohead
Manic Street Preachers
5/5
Didn't know this band before getting it here on this list. Very nice, like it very much. Reminds me a bit of Incubus and partly Billy Talent as well, which I used to listen to a lot.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Interesting album. My expectation was, that it would be terrible. Someone, who is able to sell so much and be so popular normally does not do good music. Simple, easily accessible, not any surprises and "nice" to listen to music but not good in a musical sense. But the music is not so bad. Partly ok to listen to. Not really anything special, everything is as smooth as possible, everything is nice but it is not terrible and not really bad. You might even be able to listen to the album a second time.
3/5
Quite nice punk but not really more than "quite"
Haircut 100
4/5
I can not remember having listened to Haircut 100 in the 80s. But quite a nice album. Of course very 80s but musich with good vibrations.
Hawkwind
3/5
Hmmm ... it is ok ... but is sooo long and not really so special
Travis
3/5
Partly really nice. And then simply holes in between.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
Simply very boring. Dance music not meant for anything else than dancing.
Eagles
4/5
A classic and good album
Iggy Pop
4/5
Did not know this album. But liked it. Not very much. But too much to give a 3. So it'll be a 4.
Furthermore it reminded me of David Bowie. That has not really happened before with music by Iggy Pop.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Love the first song of the album. The rest is ok but not so special
George Michael
3/5
Some of George Michael songs are really great. But when listening to a whole album the songs resemble each other too much. And then it gets boring.
Morrissey
2/5
Oh, no, Morrissey, what have you done. Complaining about the whole world does not fill an album. I guess your big times were before this album.
Patti Smith
3/5
Not so bad but not so good
Green Day
4/5
For me Green Day is the pop music of punk/rock. I enjoy listening to them. But they tend to have a lot of "sing-along easy to remember" music. That doesn't make them really great but for me that's fine.
a-ha
3/5
The well known songs are ok. The rest is boring
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Listened a lot to to Nine Inch Nails for a few years. A great band with a lot of energy and ideas which are produced in a very creative way.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Started very nice. The first four songs fine. But then it just got worse. Don't really know how to vote for that ... but it'll be a 3
The Kinks
3/5
As with sooo many albums on this list: Partly good, partly not. So again it's a 3.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Nothing to add about this album, which has not been said before.
Kanye West
1/5
It's really not as terrible as I had expected. And even one or two songs you might be able to listen to a couple of times. But still a "one".
Cypress Hill
1/5
I partly understand why this album is on the list. Cypress Hill is popular and sells a lot of albums. In that way he has become an important part of the hip-hop history. And yes, he has also been copied a lot, so a sort of role model for others. It doesn't change anything about his "music", though. Not interesting, not good, not anything at all.
Joe Ely
4/5
I'm not a great fan of country, but this was quite nice to listen to.
Bert Jansch
2/5
For lovers of folk and acoustic guitar, Bert Jansch and this album is surely a good thing. But it is not something you have to listen to before you die. Never, ever. And there is no question about it. There are so many folk musicians out there doing the same thing as Mr. Jansch is doing here.
His music is not bad and he is a skilled guitar player. But on this list ... ?? Well, maybe it was supposed to be a joke.
The xx
3/5
An average album from an average band
Iron Maiden
4/5
Iron Maiden has never been one of my favourites. I know a few songs but was never especially impressed by them. So I was quite surprised this one to be pleasent to listen to. Nice.
Black Sabbath
5/5
One of the most important albums for the history of rock/hardrock/metal. Exactly why it is good and correct to have it here on this list.
Garbage
4/5
Nice
Kid Rock
2/5
Starts good but then it's simply repetition, repetition, repetition. Could have been an album with three songs and you wouldn't hear the difference
Fever Ray
1/5
I suppose it is some kind of (bad) joke that this album is on this list.
Don McLean
4/5
A very nice album (except for the terrible, terrible last song)
The Sonics
3/5
It's nice to listen to. But it's so typical 60s and so predictable
Beach House
2/5
Not very bad, but certainly not good
Burning Spear
2/5
Simply not my kind of music. But it sounds like he knows what he's doing.
The Doors
4/5
One of the great ones.