396
Albums Rated
2.91
Average Rating
36%
Complete
693 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Blues
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
15
5-Star Albums
21
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homework | 5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
| The College Dropout | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| One Nation Under A Groove | 5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
| good kid, m.A.A.d city | 5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
| The Cars | 5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
| Justified | 4 | 2.68 | +1.32 |
| Who's Next | 5 | 3.91 | +1.09 |
| Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | 5 | 3.93 | +1.07 |
| Cosmo's Factory | 5 | 3.93 | +1.07 |
| Eli And The Thirteenth Confession | 4 | 2.94 | +1.06 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackstar | 1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
| It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back | 1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
| Urban Hymns | 1 | 3.35 | -2.35 |
| A Girl Called Dusty | 1 | 3.33 | -2.33 |
| Raw Power | 1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
| Pyromania | 1 | 3.13 | -2.13 |
| Dirty | 1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
| NEU! 75 | 1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
| At Folsom Prison | 2 | 3.99 | -1.99 |
| Vulgar Display Of Power | 1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Dusty Springfield | 2 | 1.5 |
| Sonic Youth | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Fall | 2 | 1.5 |
| Tom Waits | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 2 |
| Leonard Cohen | 3 | 2 |
5-Star Albums (15)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Nas
3/5
Knowing it's high regard, I have listened to this album various times even prior to this 1001 albums prompting, trying to "get it". I read the entire Wikipedia article. I re-listened multiple times and even had the Genius lyrics up to explain.
While I appreciate his lyricism, articulate delivery, "90s NY Hip Hop" vibes of the production, it would be disingenuous to act like I relate to any of his topics. If not for the accolades, feels indistinguishable from plenty of other stories in rap. The obvious one that comes to mind is Kendrick's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. However, I find the latter to be easier to bop along to, wheras Illmatic feels more like cerebral slam poetry to me. I enjoyed it enough, but there isn't anything memorable to bring me back for the fun of it.
As a fan of hip hop, I'm disappointed that I can't bring myself to love the album, even though I can respect it and understand why it is so highly regarded. But what it probably just means is that I prefer rap that is more catchy to rap that is more poetic.
5 likes
Queen
3/5
Discovering albums like this are what this project is all about. Somehow never heard any of these songs but liked it. Definitely a more classic hard rock sound than some of their later more famous stuff. You can still see the theatricality, particularly in the march of the black queen.
5 likes
Deep Purple
3/5
A fun listen, only song I knew was smoke in the water but I actually liked the other songs more, as well as the extended jamming. A good example of how rating these albums can kind of be apples and oranges, and you would rate a live album in a different criteria than you’d rate a studio album you’ve heard many times.
4 likes
The Residents
1/5
what in the fuck did i just listen to. absolute trash. Avant-garde art experiment masquerading as "music"
4 likes
Finley Quaye
2/5
A Scot impersonating a Jamaican accent to do reggae is the equivalent of a trust fund Pennsylvanian putting on a southern drawl to do country.
3 likes
4-Star Albums (89)
1-Star Albums (21)
All Ratings
The Rolling Stones
4/5
first one?
King Crimson
3/5
Like the prog rock
Keith Jarrett
2/5
Background music. Interesting story (cautionary tales podcast)
The Strokes
3/5
AC/DC
3/5
Simple rock done well. Lots of recognizable hits. I probably would have rated it 3 or 4 stars when I was 18-20 but today I can’t actually picture myself putting this on when so much more interesting music exists. I guess a good album to have to put on when entertaining a bland boomer/ conservative crowd.
R.E.M.
3/5
Madonna
2/5
I appreciate it more than I like listening to it. The genre pivot / reinvention. Definite vibes of the late 90s/ matrix era. Sounds/ songs that have been buried deep within my brain that I recognize but would never pick out.
The Stooges
1/5
I had missed this one originally and finally got around to listening to it. I wish I hadn’t.
Public Enemy
1/5
I like chuck d’s flow & delivery. While I respect the groundbreaking status of the album and what the political lyrics might mean to some, I can’t say I actually enjoyed listening to it. Probably would be a 2 ⭐️ if it weren’t for that talentless hack flava flav interjecting his annoying “yeah boiii”s enough that it made me want to turn it off.
Carole King
3/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
proto - daft punk-y
Johnny Cash
2/5
More of a novelty / snapshot in time / historical piece than something I'd want to actively re-listen to (besides Folsom Prison Blues). Might be OK to put on for old-timey, western, "Better Call Saul" vibes.
The Verve
1/5
a boring version of oasis. too long. Like caleb said, a sound of the late 90s that stayed there for a reason. at least it has "bittersweet symphony"? "come on" actually had some energy, they should have brought that to the rest of the album
Neu!
1/5
I guess there’s little I “hate” bc I didn’t mind listening to the experimental sound but I’d be kidding myself if I would actually ever put this on in any scenario. Part ambient elevator music and part experimental rock
Traffic
3/5
Never heard of it before (Steve Winwood's band) and not sure if I'll remember it but i liked the prog-rock/ jazz/ blues sound
The Cars
5/5
recently rediscovered the album on a reddit post of albums with no skips and i agree with the assessment. Catchy hooks and guitar riffs combined with new wave synths.
Iron Maiden
2/5
Has that classic metal sound. Good instrumentals. I like songs from other metal bands better (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath) but I can respek
David Bowie
2/5
Fine but not essential. Probably didn’t need to be on this list.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Sounded good, don’t know if I’d seek it out?
Joni Mitchell
2/5
good "poet", cool voice, nice listen. Not a lot of focus on hooks or melodies. voice can get annoying after awhile. "raised on robbery" is fun
Elliott Smith
3/5
Never heard of this guy before but I liked it. As some said, vaguely OC / death cab sounding. The wiki said he was in inspo for boygenius members and I hear that
Pink Floyd
4/5
we don't need no thought control
Dusty Springfield
1/5
old lady music (carly probably loves it)
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
Grungey, boring, kind of dissonant. guy's delivery sounded a bit like nine inch nails?
Eminem
4/5
Going in, one of my favorites. Love the beats and the energy and ridiculousness of his lyrics, Although the main ding on this album is it’s probably a tough listen around non-Eminem fans so you can’t just throw it on in any situation. I Should also probably leave room to grow for MMLP
Fugees
4/5
Top tier hip hop boosted by recognizable singles. Love the cool sound and the blend of styles. Everyone vibed in the car on the way to ski at palisades. Shae wanted me to put in the record that he would also rate this highly although he will not be filling out a ballot. I wonder if I wouldn’t rate this a 5 if I had grown up listening to the whole album more.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Good hip hop vibin music
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Perfect for carly's birthday. Thank god this is the last dusty trombone album we will have to listen to. At least this one had "son of a preacher man". i think i don't really like this older blue-eyed soul bc it comes off as corny when white people do it. I do kind of see the influence of this kind of stuff on someone like Adele or Amy Winehouse (per the wikipedia page)
Def Leppard
1/5
Boring uninspired generic hair metal/ glam rock: a genre I realized I hated by always being repulsed by the Sirius xm channel.
Eurythmics
3/5
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
Immediate take is that it sounded like the Rolling Stones. Was validated when I read the Wikipedia summary. Mick Jagger said it's a better version of Sticky fingers and I hear it. For a band and songs I've never heard of I really liked it. The album-based recommended radio that came on after was also a good listen; I like whatever this genre is.
Prince
3/5
I respect prince's talent and output more than actually enjoy the songs themselves. Maybe would change with some more familiarity though.
Jorge Ben Jor
2/5
cool foreign sounds to mix things up from western music, but probably mostly a novelty for me
Burning Spear
2/5
Liked it but wouldn’t be able to differentiate it from any other decent reggae album. Probably would change if i was more familiar with reggae than just putting it on for vibes.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Good jammy music, a bit weird. i like the bluesy "willie the pimp"
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Beatles-y
Bob Dylan
3/5
Not a great singer but great songwriter
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Good production. higher ground is a great song.
Sonic Youth
1/5
Discordant noise
Jeff Buckley
2/5
Not bad, a bit Whiny Radiohead -esque. Interesting to hear the rest of a style of “hallelujah”
Bad Company
2/5
Prototypical classic / dad rock. Def didn’t hate it but wouldn’t seek it out.
Beatles
3/5
Nostalgically quaint
Massive Attack
3/5
I like the chill trip hop beats and sounds especially for background music. cool to see the lineage to the Madonna album we listened to (ray of light), the matrix, gorillas, and Born to Die by Lana del Rey, etc.
Britney Spears
3/5
The sound of the late 90s, and quintessential Max Martin.
While the hits still get played (overplayed by the nostalgia junkies IMO) the middle and back songs aren’t very good at all. To have not heard the album for 20+ years but still recognizing these trash songs shows how much we must have listened to this CD in formative years .
Provides good album ratings debate on how to factor in:
-familiarity/fondness/cultural impact
-album consistency (highs vs lows)
-music quality in a vacuum
Coldplay
2/5
While I find Coldplay pretty “meh” I don’t see how they can invoke such strong feelings either positive or negative. After listening to this album i couldn’t help but wonder if this music was some unknown artist (like Elliot smith) if we wouldn’t be more generous to our takes and say something like “oh that was pleasant”. However, the album radio afterwords put on similar songs that were actually enjoyable which kind of proves the “Coldplay is boring” take. I am now curious what specifically it is sonically about their music that makes it so mid at best
The Monkees
3/5
Long but pleasant? Probably need to listen to it again since I wasn’t paying that much attention
Moby
3/5
You don’t know me. You’re too old. Let go, It’s over. Nobody listens to techno.
But actually pretty good tbh
Neil Young
3/5
Pleasant listen. His instrumentals are more country sounding than I realized even though his voice is distinctly Neil young and not country
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
Chill. I recognized the one song, probably from the kraftwerk album radio, considering they came up a lot after this album was over. Hard to rate bc I doubt I’d seek it out specifically as “background music” but it did sound good for what it was.
James Brown
3/5
I enjoyed it, but like many of these older albums it’s more of appreciating a historical piece than something I would actually regularly play. However, I like the funk/ blues/ soul sound of the music as evidence by the other songs that came on the album radio
Frank Black
2/5
Exposing a blind spot of pre-00s Alt/indie/punk rock that didn't break through to the pop charts. I have never heard of this guy before until looking into him. Made me realize how little i know of the Pixies and similar bands. While i don't know the specific songs, the actual music didn't sound all that foreign or off-putting as it's adjacent to other music that I enjoy (e.g. Nirvana). So with a little more familiarity i bet I'd appreciate it more, but as is it didn't move the needle much.
Portishead
4/5
Really liked this. Chill, Dark, moody, cinematic, downtempo with cool hip hop beats. Singer has a unique voice. Some of the songs almost had a feel of a "less-soul, more-electronic Fugees". I had previously saved Sour Times and recognized Glory Box and now saved that too.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Didn’t grow up listening to Bruce so I don’t have the nostalgia connection others have to give it auto 5 ⭐️, so here is a sober take:
Dad rock (whether or not you use that term as a pejorative, it fits the bill). Def hear the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" inspiration. the instrumentation is fantastic, vocals not so great but that’s part of the charm. One of the reviews said he sounds like Meatloaf and i can't unhear it. The worst part for me is the mumbling, histrionic lyrics (although I can see how they would be fun if you grew up with them and know them all). I really want to like it more but it’s hard to sing along when you can’t make out the lyrics.
The Boo Radleys
2/5
It was fine 90s alternative music but not sure how this could be considered one of 1001 albums to hear before you die. Especially jarring a day after having Born to Run to have analbum that seemingly has little impact on general culture, rather a niche has-been band. Pretty forgettable and the album was long.
Tricky
2/5
3/3 of the trip hop artists named in the Wikipedia summary for the genre is too many over the course of two to three weeks
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
American girl and Breakdown are classics but a lot of the rest is forgettable
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Chooglin Blues / country/ folk rock. Not actually born on the bayou. Part of an insane 3 albums in a year run of great music
Garbage
3/5
not garbage. we have been getting a lot of 90s alternative lately but this one sounded more listenable and distinct than some of the others. Also I went the whole day thinking the lead singer was Courtney Love
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Fun Big beat / electronica to have on while doing stuff. Reminded me of fatboy slim, I could see a connection to homework by daft punk as well.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Fun British honky Tonky bluesey country rock bookended by two great songs (gimme shelter and you can’t always get what you want)
Faust
2/5
Initial reaction of frustration for yet another Krautrock band we would have never heard of and will never hear again made me want to give 1 ⭐️. However, I decided to give it a fair shake and must admit that some of the instrumentals are good. I guess chalk it up to ignorant American lenses, but I don’t think this qualifies as one of 1001 albums to hear before you die, at least in a list targeted at Americans.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Unfortunately I think reggae has a low ceiling for me as I can’t really tell the difference between great reggae and mid reggae as it’s more just for the vibes, mon.
Paul Simon
3/5
Paul Simony
The Residents
1/5
what in the fuck did i just listen to. absolute trash. Avant-garde art experiment masquerading as "music"
The Yardbirds
3/5
Enjoyable blues rock with a hint of psychedelia and other eclectic sounds, particularly Jeff Beck's guitar work. Interesting to learn more about an influential band that spawned Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton (even if they aren't on this album). Spotted the Pussycat Dolls sample on "He's Always There". Probably didn't need the demos and B sides at the end.
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Somehow never heard of this, but it was good. Smooth beats and delivery.
Queen
3/5
Discovering albums like this are what this project is all about. Somehow never heard any of these songs but liked it. Definitely a more classic hard rock sound than some of their later more famous stuff. You can still see the theatricality, particularly in the march of the black queen.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Like the last Marley album, I don’t feel qualified to tell if this is good reggae or not which limits its ceiling. That being said I enjoyed the music and knew the one song so that’s something
Miriam Makeba
2/5
Felt like the music you would hear in Animal Kingdom. Interesting and decent, but like most world music I’m not going to actually listen to this outside of the novelty. Recognized the precursors to “the lion sleeps tonight” in Mbube
Screaming Trees
2/5
Unremarkable and forgettable
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Superbad soundtrack if they just smoked weed and sat on the couch.
DJ Shadow
2/5
Sounded interesting, but fairly disappointing and boring. I wanted to like it more.
David Bowie
3/5
I’m finding Bowie is an artist I like more in theory than in practice. Might just need more reps.
Also, Jean Genie was ripped off for Gold on the Ceiling by the Black Keys.
The Icarus Line
1/5
Noise/ Garage rock is not a genre I enjoy, especially when done as boring and forgettable as this.
Calexico
4/5
Loved the indie western mariachi etc blend. A unique find that I'll be listening to again.
Richard Thompson
2/5
Sounded vaguely Irish folky? Fine but not super memorable.
The Who
3/5
a 2 for enjoyment and a 3 for appreciation
Van Morrison
4/5
Mellow and vibey
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Upon first listen (in a semi-distracted, background music state), I found it boring and couldn't even make it through the double album. But reading the Wikipedia page and reviews and listening a second time, i enjoyed it a lot more. A good case for knowing the background behind an artist or album improving one's enjoyment of it.
Eagles
3/5
Good candidate for a 3.5 since i don't quite "love" it but feels like it should stand a bit above the glut of 3s. Enjoyable easy-listening country-rock blend that is recognizable, but I understand the critique that it can be a bit boring. Ironic timing to get a descendant of the "California sound" originated by the Beach Boys the day after a Dennis Wilson album
American Music Club
2/5
pretty unremarkable, can't see why it's on this list. third california-centric rock album we have gotten in a row. this isn't even factoring in the pain it was to find these songs using youtube since it wasn't on spotify.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Rage Against the Nigerian Machine's version of "fuck you I won't do what you tell me". Great listen, very funky blend of jazzy afrobeat sounds that I never would have been exposed to without this generator.
on top of that, background story to this on the wikipedia page is a trip (Being attacked by soldiers in retribution, them murdering his mother by throwing her out a window , him taking 27 wives and rotating them, etc)
Michael Jackson
5/5
It’s tempting to be contrarian with the highest-selling album of all time, but there’s a reason 34 million people bought it. Despite years of overplay, Thriller is just plain fun to listen to, with diverse sounds ranging from pop, R&B, funk, rock, and disco. Quincy Jones brought the heat on the production to accompany Michael at the height of his powers. It has the most top 10s from an album of all time (I don’t care about the Mickey Mouse Spotify-era records of Taylor Swift, Drake, and 21 Savage).
I debated dropping it to a 4 due to some down-ballot clunkers (“The Girl is Mine” = cringe). However, an album this catchy, with this much cultural impact, and this many hits has gotta qualify as a 5, or else I’m setting myself an unreasonable standard.
The Smiths
2/5
Similar to my Coldplay take: I can't see why people hate the Smiths so much. Definitely an enjoyable enough listen but i don't think i fully appreciate their music the way some of their avid fans do. I could see a world where I am exposed to them more and/or do a deep dive and get a feel for why people are drawn to them, but i don't have the time or interest.
Jangle Pop / new wave, proto- indie/britpop
Lightning Bolt
1/5
As the book so eloquently described: "a truly challenging listening experience." If this is considered their most accessible album, i don't want to hear the rest of their shit
Joy Division
2/5
Mopey, boring, post-punk / gothic rock is not my genre, but I am grateful to this 1001 albums project for making me actually listen to this "less mainstream, but still culturally referenced" musical lineage. Rather than just zoning out, I got some insights about what the fans are hearing by CTRL+F 'ing the song name and reading through those excerpts from the reviews for each particular song
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
I'm not an active jazz fan as much as I like using it as background music for a vibe. However, with two recognizable songs "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and "Take Five", interesting time signatures, and an accessible cool jazz sound, this album stands out among the nameless shuffled playlists. I was shocked to see it was from the 50s, I guess jazz doesn't show its age as much as pop/rock.
Also enjoyed the fun fact of the melody of "Kathy's Waltz" inspiring the Beatles' "All My Loving"
GZA
2/5
Atmospheric, eerie, cinematic, almost lo-fi production. His flow is nice. I like it as background music, but that's a backhanded compliment in this context.
Despite everyone gushing about his lyrics, I can't help but find them boring and repetitive. Similar feeling to what I had for Illmatic. I just can't possibly relate to anything he is rapping about. This sounds naive, but plenty of other more pop-savvy rappers can make similar topics more catchy or fun enough for me to enjoy. I've never really gravitated to these East Coast technical "street cred" rappers like the Wu-tang Clan or Nas, but rather ones that make hip-hop accessible, like Jay-Z or Biggie. I wish I did, and maybe this project will eventually lead me to a greater appreciation, but sadly not as of now.
Also, rap skits always suck.
Elton John
4/5
I’m between a 3 and 4: there’s one all-time song but the rest is still Elton John even if it isn’t all a sing a long. Also hilarious how bad the Indian song has aged
Pavement
2/5
Didn’t need to hear that
Iggy Pop
3/5
2.5ish but I’ll round up. Can hear the Bowie fingerprints
Janis Joplin
4/5
Never actually listened to this album outside the singles and it’s great. I love the blues rock and the way she sings it.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Solid all the way through, a couple classics including Cecilia which had been a party sing-a-long staple for us
3/5
Maybe it's the glam rock or the punk-ish sound, maybe it's his voice or nonsensical "eccentric" lyrics, but I'm beginning to think that Bowie just isn't for me. I realize many people speak highly of him and this album in particular, but i just don't get the reverence. Album is still good (especially the music and arrangements), particularly Starman.
Deep Purple
3/5
A fun listen, only song I knew was smoke in the water but I actually liked the other songs more, as well as the extended jamming. A good example of how rating these albums can kind of be apples and oranges, and you would rate a live album in a different criteria than you’d rate a studio album you’ve heard many times.
John Martyn
4/5
Really liked it. Folk, blues, psychedelic rock, jazz combined in a really appealing way.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Willie's Outlaw country style and Booker T's folksy arrangements are probably the only way I could enjoy listening to an album of pop standards
Nas
3/5
Knowing it's high regard, I have listened to this album various times even prior to this 1001 albums prompting, trying to "get it". I read the entire Wikipedia article. I re-listened multiple times and even had the Genius lyrics up to explain.
While I appreciate his lyricism, articulate delivery, "90s NY Hip Hop" vibes of the production, it would be disingenuous to act like I relate to any of his topics. If not for the accolades, feels indistinguishable from plenty of other stories in rap. The obvious one that comes to mind is Kendrick's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. However, I find the latter to be easier to bop along to, wheras Illmatic feels more like cerebral slam poetry to me. I enjoyed it enough, but there isn't anything memorable to bring me back for the fun of it.
As a fan of hip hop, I'm disappointed that I can't bring myself to love the album, even though I can respect it and understand why it is so highly regarded. But what it probably just means is that I prefer rap that is more catchy to rap that is more poetic.
Finley Quaye
2/5
A Scot impersonating a Jamaican accent to do reggae is the equivalent of a trust fund Pennsylvanian putting on a southern drawl to do country.
The Smiths
2/5
sounded listenable enough but i don't think i get the smiths
Ice T
2/5
Never actually listened to Ice T before. Interesting to hear this west coast style after recent archetypal examples of east coast rap (GZA, Nas, Public Enemy). My gut reaction is that I think I enjoy West Coast hip hop more than east, as it has more of a catchy fun vibe. the lyrics are simpler and more repeatable which makes them easier to participate in.
That being said this album didn't do much for me and I doubt I'll seek it out to play again. It was certainly fine (he had some funny lines and moments) but nothing stood out as needing to hold onto and revere. Def liked the sound and vibe and his delivery.
Also: Cube > T >>>>>>>>Vanilla
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Metal for rap lovers. High energy, fun to listen to, gets you pumped. You don't even need to listen to the lyrics to feel the message. Zack raps kind of like Chuck-D. Also, the album art is metal AF.
Pretenders
3/5
The pop hooks and melodies made this new wave /punk adjacent sound much more palatable to me. I enjoyed. Only knew brass in pocket from Rock Band
Bee Gees
2/5
Interesting to hear their pre disco sound. Almost sounded like the Beatles and The Band on some songs. That being said it was pretty boring beyond the novelty of getting to hear another side of the famous band.
3/5
new to me. Almost baroque or symphonic? I Didn't love it at first but wasn't paying attention. It grew on me after listening like 3 times.
k.d. lang
3/5
hotel lobby jazzy bluesy lounge country. Really good voice. Not sure how country fans were surprised she was gay when that's the first thing I thought of when I saw the album cover.
feels like the first country/western album we are getting
Metallica
3/5
Don’t usually like metal but this one is decently mainstream and accessible. Helps that it has a couple recognizable hits.
The Kinks
3/5
I would benefit from a deeper dive or song explainer documentary to better appreciate the lyrics and meaning. As it was, I passively listened to the album (both in real-time in Norway and a month later playing catchup) and came away thinking it was a decent enough baroque pop Beatles knockoff. I can't help but feel I'm missing something that fans are seeing, so I'll be generous and give it a 3.
Janet Jackson
2/5
I always wondered how an artist so popular in her time and with so much cultural influence doesn’t seem to have any staying power today in 2024. After listening, it’s immediately obvious it’s the new jack swing that poisons this to be “of a time”. That said the songs are decent, particularly the rock oriented ones. I can see me liking this album a lot more if I was 20-40 when it came out
Boards of Canada
3/5
Enjoyed it, especially on a car ride through the Norwegian alpine countryside.
The Offspring
3/5
Fun pop punk to enjoy while traversing the Norwegian Fjords
The War On Drugs
2/5
Very boring and monotonous. Not a great soundtrack for driving through the mess of Catania streets
Supergrass
3/5
Not bad 90s britpop, knew one song. Listened to on way to mt. Etna.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Was surprised at how listenable this was and not just “old- time classic” you have to take like medicine. Good for the ride from Taormina to Palermo.
The Only Ones
2/5
unmemorable. can't even remember where in sicily we listened to it
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Recognized from girl talk. Sounds like Lenny kravitz in little trigger. Didn’t love it at first probably bc I never have listened to Elvis Costello (that punk rock blind spot). But some of it grew on me. Likes the accordio-ish sound, which seems unique.
Listened to on drive from Trapani to Agrigento in Sicily
The Who
3/5
A long album, but cohesive and good for a road trip. We listened while driving from Agrigento to Syracuse in Sicily. I've never actually listened to the album outside of Pinball Wizard, so this is why I appreciate the 1001 challenge. I don't have the memberberries associated with this like Carly does and don't see myself craving to put it on in the future, but I enjoyed it and would listen again. Would need to be in a situation with a lot of time. I could see this rating growing to a 4 with more familiarity, as it is a true album with a distinct sound and story.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I enjoy blues rock whenever it comes up, and I don't think I ever gave the Stones enough listen outside of the hits. I like their loose-sounding playing while in reality having impeccable instrumentation and arrangement. Great opener in "Sympathy for the Devil".
The lyrics to Stray Cat Blues certainly don't age well
Hawkwind
3/5
As active listening: nothing really stood out and it was way too long.
As background / multi-tasking music: I liked the psychedelic space live jam sound. The length doesn't hurt it as much when you aren't paying close attention and are just looking for some decent vibes to throw on the Sonos.
Orbital
2/5
I’m probably being inconsistent in my ratings but I don’t know how to handle these albums that I enjoy for background listening but would not seek out to actively listen.
Missy Elliott
3/5
I remember when Missy played the Super Bowl and all the white suburban online millennials pretended to be longtime huge fans. When in reality they were just nostalgic for her hits like "Work It" which reminded them of middle school dances. I doubt many regularly (if ever) put on "Under Construction" as an album.
The album definitely feels of its early 00's time, not the least because of the distinctly Timbaland production. Her flow is good and understandable why she is held in such high regard for her rapping. It was a fun and interesting listen for the time-capsule element, but I don't think it has the timeless sound that keeps me coming back regularly in 2024. My gripe is mostly with people who pretend otherwise for the clout.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Yes, Chef. Great grooves, psychedelic guitar, and a soulful voice that sounds more modern than 1969. Also, recognized "Walk on By" as sampled in Ludacris's "Southern Fried Intro"
De La Soul
4/5
Despite never listening, I have heard good things about De La Soul. They were only recently put on Spotify due to sample-clearing issues, which may explain the blind spot for me and modern listeners. I like alternative hip hop and this album could be considered the genesis of that subgenre. It's a fun listen, and they were clearly having fun messing around making this. You can hear its influence on many modern projects. I really dug the "sampledelia" instrumentals, extra impressive since this was before easy sampling tech.
I found some of the dialogue and in-jokes kind of corny and annoying, and this album holds the dubious distinction for inventing the dreaded "rap skit." The lyrics sometimes almost gave me the juvenile vibe of a "t3h PeNgU1N oF d00m" (soooo randommm). I'll blame my lack of lyrical connection on unfamiliarity, which will improve on subsequent listens now that it's on Spotify. The music is just too good and the album too influential on a genre I like to rate it a 3.
*Saw a couple reviews that said this was "hip hop's Sgt. Pepper" and the timing is ironic because we got Sgt. Pepper the following day.*
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Hated it on first listen but forgot to log. Upon re-listen, yup I still hate it. Not going to subject myself to listening to this entire album again
Jamiroquai
3/5
Never listened before, I like the funk-infused acid jazz sound. I like the use of bass (especially in Whatever it Is) and didgeridoo.
It dawned on me part of the appeal was that this sounded like a white Stevie Wonder knockoff. The lyrics can be a bit overly earnest.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I've procrastinated reviewing this classic album for two months, trying to find a reason not to give it a 5. I failed to do so. It's interesting how much I enjoy Led Zeppelin when I tend to dislike the metal and glam rock they spawned. I'll attribute that to their phenomenally catchy blues-rock riffs. Whole Lotta Love is one of the best songs of all time.
Iron Maiden
2/5
I don’t like metal but this wasn’t too bad. I’d be kidding myself if I were to ever want to put it on to enjoy.
The Byrds
3/5
Sounded Beatles-y
Al Green
3/5
Nothing stood out in particular, but smoove soul vibing music.
M.I.A.
3/5
Paper Planes, XR2, Boyz, and some of her older songs off Arular give the je ne sais quoi of late 2000s high school (Dansex) & early college (pimp plaza). However, I imagine if I weren't in this prime demographic when it was released, I'd find this album very abrasive.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
The hits from this album have been in the ether to such an extent that it's easy to take for granted its place in the elder-mid millennial pop culture canon. Front-loaded with big hits, it drags in the second half. For better or worse, RHCP certainly have a distinct sound and vibe.
Coldplay
2/5
For most artists, the album project has allowed me a deeper appreciation that I might have missed before. Unfortunately for Coldplay and their legion of fans that exist for some reason, I am becoming radicalized in the "Coldplay sucks" camp whereas I was indifferent before. Like the diehard fans, their music also brings me back to my childhood. However, it evokes memories of hearing this bland adult contemporary shit on the radio. I thought listening with fresh ears and an open perspective would allow me to understand what so many others love about them. I guess it's just a "you had to be in the fan club" kind of appeal, because in the words of Siobhan from Banshees, "You're all feckin' boring!"
Pantera
1/5
After 20 years of giving Metal a shot, I think it's just not gonna click for me. Sorry, Ethan. I like the vibes, but hate the sounds.
Metallica abandoned their thrash metal sound for a more commercially accessible one their self-titled album in 1991, one that I enjoy as far as hard rock goes. Pantera viewed this as a disappointment and an opportunity to fill a gap and produce this record. I understand that there is a distinct subculture to which this is a good thing, but not to my ears.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Good music to vibe to. Filled the same use case as fela kuti for me. Nothing specific stood out but I listened in the background multiple times.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Didn’t realize they did relax. Had some other covers. Very 80s sounding with the new wave and all that.
ZZ Top
4/5
Very approachable and crowd-pleasing with catchy riffs and southern boogie rock sound. I will say that there isn't much depth or complication after awhile but they are a fun listen and what every bar band thinks they sound like
Daft Punk
5/5
Daft Punk Slaps. I've been looking forward to the day we got Homework. I have no idea how Discovery, Random Access Memories, or Alive 2007 (one of my favorite albums of all time) didn't make the cut. It's interesting to see them as the progenitor to the nu-disco trend of the 2010s & 20s. Funny timing to receive this album, as I was searching the internet for any chatter on why they didn't perform at the Paris 2024 Olympic closing ceremonies last night.
Pulp
3/5
A musical blind spot for me, but enjoyable. I imagine if I were more familiar I would like it even more. It. sounded more like 80s new wave (e.g. the Cure) vs. the 90s Britpop it was described as (e.g. Oasis)
Jacques Brel
2/5
Sounds like Pepé Le Pew
Deep Purple
3/5
I'm wondering why the authors would include this and the live album "Made in Japan" when 3 out of 7 songs overlap. I suppose the latter is more included as a display of one of the highest-regarded live albums of all time, but it still feels weird to listen to such redundancy when so many other albums are omitted. That aside, Deep purple is about as "down the middle" as "classic rock" gets.
Queen
4/5
props to this project for showing me how good Queen's non-Greatest Hits catalog is.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
You can't beat the 1-2 punch of Sir Duke and I Wish. Great album, though its length caused it to get diluted from pure bangers to good music to vibe to. If it were a bit tighter in the tracklist it would be a 5.
The Temptations
3/5
decent but boilerplate soul/ Motown songs, but I particularly enjoyed the psychedelic / funky songs like "Runaway Child, Running Wild". You can hear the influence of Sly and the Family Stone on these songs.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
I was surprised to see how highly regarded this album is because I found it fairly dull. Even the songs I recognized from Guitar Hero weren't doing it for me. A great example of grunge, but an indication that I don't like the genre so much as I like Nirvana. Makes sense since at its core, grunge is a fusion of punk rock and heavy metal, both genres I don't particularly enjoy as much.
EDIT: shamefully missed “Cherub Rock” in the music trivia “songs from rock band” category the day I listened to this song twice. Kind of proves my disinterest.
The Fall
2/5
The guy’s voice and lyrics reminded me of a wannabe David Byrne. Music was fine enough although it was nothing I would seek out
4/5
I liked it a lot more on a subsequent closer listen. Like in the "Village Green", I'm getting a lot of Beatles, but with a tinge of Rolling Stones with the guitar work. The rock opera storytelling of the album reminded me a bit of Tommy by the Who. Really liked Victoria. Makes me wonder about an alternate universe in which I am just as familiar with the Kinks songs as the Beatles, would I feel differently? I'll give it a 4 because I was pleasantly surprised and want to compensate for my lack of exposure to some bands.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I have always found the Beach Boys campy and corny. Maybe it's their high-pitched vocals that sound and feel their age, but they never seem to stand up to modern music, unlike some of their peers such as the Beatles. I appreciate them rather as a time capsule of influential history that has been passed by. Brian Wilson described this album as "Commercialized choir music," which explains why I have never really vibed with the songs as much. The Wall of Sound is almost too much sound and the lyrics are very childlike and innocent for 20-somethings.
That said, I've spent the past two weeks procrastinating this review so I can read the entire Wikipedia page, watch "Love and Mercy", and both the BBC and Disney + documentaries. I have a newfound appreciation for the Beach Boys, particularly Brian and Pet Sounds. I now understand its complexity, uniqueness, and influence on future music (such as Sgt Pepper).
3/5 for actual enjoyment and 5/5 for appreciation
Solange
2/5
Listenable enough production, but pretty unremarkable and unmemorable songs. I thought I’d like this more but it came off as artsy rather than catchy.
The Cardigans
3/5
Only knew Lovefool going in, but was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this. Really interesting use of minor chords and interesting arrangements
William Orbit
3/5
I liked it more than I expected at first as an ambient electronica trip hop listen. Started to get a bit boring by the end though. Reminded me a little of the music in Madonna's Ray of Light / the Matrix / video games where you are hacking the mainframe.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
We started our Labor Day Friday with “immigrant song” , which we recently learned was written about the band’s trip to Iceland. It proved a cruel irony though, as we had made the difficult decision to forego our flights that evening to Reykjavik due to logistical issues. So it was either a sign that we should send it, or the 1001 album gods taunting us.
As for the rest of the album, I can’t help but think it doesn’t bring the heat like some of the other Led Zepplin offerings outside of immigrant song. Regardless it’s still a great listen.
Duke Ellington
3/5
I like jazz as passive listening, so this historical album was cool to hear and learn about. The emcee talking and applause give the feel of what it would be like to be there, but does take away from the background listing qualities.
By far the oldest album we've gotten so far (5th oldest of the whole list. Good timing to hear what inspired Stevie Wonder to write "Sir Duke" as we just had that album two weeks ago. Also funny to put an actual voice to Jordan Peele's "Ghost of Duke Ellington" character in Big Mouth.
Kate Bush
2/5
I gotta be honest, I found this kind of grating. I know it gets glazed by people who wanna show off their musical street cred to teenagers who just heard of her from Stranger Things. Despite how experimental and interesting some of her sounds were, I can't say I found them all that appealing to listen to.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Thought it was church music at first. Later on felt like they were just button mashing the keyboard. Interesting collection of sounds that I can't say I'd seek out again. It is a good example, however, of my struggle to rate some of these albums. I am pretty tolerant of a "jammy" album even if I don't love the actual music because it provides good background music.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
To me, Sheryl Crow evokes bland, adult-contemporary radio and grocery store music. Upon listening, I found her voice to be borderline unpleasant at times, her delivery Dylan-esque. That said, the instrumentals and songwriting were good and gave a laid-back 90s folk-pop summer vibe. I imagine if another artist (such as the Dixie Chicks) were given these songs they would be more effective.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Marvin just couldn't stop getting it on. Very cohesive, probably the first album that comes to mind when one thinks of "mood-making music." Kanye West samples; here's one for example: "Distant Lover" → "Spaceship"
Arcade Fire
2/5
I would be more interested in delving into what I'm missing about Arcade Fire if I hadn't already done that in 2011 when The Suburbs won the Grammy for Album of the Year. I couldn't figure out what the appeal was then and I can't now. I found them bland, similar to listening to Coldplay. It's wild to see how widely regarded their albums are among critics. I guess that's the stereotype of indie rock snobs being pretentious. I'll give Funeral credit for the indie rock sounds and tropes they spawned that have become ubiquitous in the decades since.
Faith No More
2/5
An interesting listen, cool to see the influence in nu-metal bands like korn, limp bizkit, papa roach. Guys voice was annoying. I liked epic and war pigs (credit mostly to Ozzie). Wouldn’t actively seek this out but glad we got it.
Beastie Boys
3/5
Like a cross between rage against the machine and a tribe called quest and the Styleboyz from Popstar
Adele
3/5
Great voice. Hello was so over played it’s nice to listen to it fresh and remember what a good song it is. I thought it was going to be a 4 until I listened through it and found some of it formulaic compared to 21 or 19
Blur
3/5
nothing too memorable (Besides song 2) but nothing too off-putting. Getting a 3 due to the rating needle's inertia rather than any deep thought about this album.
Lou Reed
2/5
was fine, but nothing stood out as worth going back to. Contrary to most people's reviews, I think Bowie's touch is a negative
The Mars Volta
2/5
Didn't enjoy it. I'll chalk it up partly to lack of exposure and partly to lack of preference to this genre
Gorillaz
4/5
Catchy combo of genres. Clint Eastwood is a great song.
Funny timing since we got Blur three albums ago.
Sepultura
1/5
Nope. Couldn't finish it.
Marty Robbins
4/5
NGL, kind of a vibe. Old-school gangster, "shoot someone who's talkin' to your girl at the saloon" shit. Years of accumulated useless knowledge from Wikipedia rabbit holes also yield the following easter eggs/ fun facts.
Big Iron: famous as a meme from the radio on Fallout: New Vegas
The Strawberry Roan: Namesake for Chappell Roan (her grandfather, Chappell's favorite song)
El Paso: Featured in Breaking Bad finale "Felina," as the story echoes Walter's arc in the final season.
Janelle Monáe
2/5
Never heard of this but given its critical reviews and genre description I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I can't say I enjoyed it; I found it boring. 70 minutes and none of the songs caught my ear. To me, Janelle Monae's cultural recognition far outweighs her mainstream output, as evidenced by my not recognizing or vibing with any of the songs. One explanation would be an "alternative R&B" blind spot to experimental, non-mainstream acts such as this. Another interpretation would be that I gravitate toward catchier songs vs artsier songs, and she is firmly in the latter group. She takes herself very seriously: like Prince but with less of a talent for producing earworms.
Miles Davis
2/5
cacophony
The Prodigy
3/5
brought an upbeat energy, would probably be good to run to. Started to feel a little redundant by the end but I enjoyed it for a change of pace
Everything But The Girl
2/5
90s chill electronica to be played at the mall. I liked the beats and music especially at first but I found her vocals off-putting and boring. Close to a 3 but I found my mind wandering by the end which probably slides it down to a 2.
When Carly pointed out that this band did the song "Missing" (recognizable 90s song of this vibe that we keep missing in music trivia), it all made sense.
Sigur Rós
3/5
Very pleasant and musically well done, just not something I actively seek out. Rather a good background/ sleep vibe
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Pleasant enough, but the only song I actually knew and enjoy is Mrs. Robinson.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Gravelly spoken word poetry of a dying man. Interesting but not musically enjoyable. Sabrina Carpenter hates the lyrics.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
A genre I’m not going to actively listen to but great to put on for a vibe
Ray Price
2/5
Nice historical listen, but not something I'd flock back to
Ray Charles
3/5
Cowboy Charles
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Most reggae is high floor low ceiling for me, but the hits on this one push it to a 4
Girls Against Boys
2/5
Didn't enjoy it, and the album radio confirmed similar songs from albums I didn't like before.
Korn
2/5
music the bad kids in elementary school would listen to.
Neil Young
3/5
it's fine i suppose. could probably use a re-listen
The Go-Go's
3/5
Fun listen for drive in CA. does sound a bit dated which hurts its replay-ability, but a good example of nu-wave and has the hits to back it up.
2/5
fine, but boring
Willie Nelson
3/5
nice enough outlaw country listen.
Gene Clark
3/5
never heard of it but it was decent 70s LA country-rock
Bon Jovi
2/5
high school quarterback rock. earns points for it's hugely influential hits, loses points for their oversaturation and the types of people who get hype for them. Also loses points for "hair metal" not holding up as a genre in 2024
https://slate.com/culture/2018/04/how-bon-jovi-influenced-pop-music-despite-its-critics.html
Elvis Costello
2/5
It was certainly fine, but nothing grabbed my attention.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Liked it well enough, but beginning to realize that Bruce Springsteen’s reputation precedes him. His appeal relies heavily on in-group lore and shared fandom
Paul McCartney
4/5
Torn between:
-Appreciation of his lo-fi underproduced sound oozing with great melodies, hooks, and ideas
-Disappointment that he couldn't have taken his time and/or worked with other talented musicians (such as John, George, and Ringo...) to fully fledge out these songs because they had the potential to be so much more.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Was considering a 3 since I found it pleasant and technically good. However, I would never actually seen this out to listen to again, so that makes it a 2.
Goldfrapp
3/5
The author really likes his 90s British electronica. Sounded like an even more downtempo Portishead. Very James Bond-y. Boring at first but grew on me a bit. I could see putting this on around the house.
I am duty-bound to acknowledge Kanye West's sampling of "Human" on "Freestyle 4" (The Life of Pablo)
R.E.M.
2/5
wasn't bad but there was nothing drawing me to listen again.
Lorde
4/5
r/popheads would be happy to finally see some representation. I slept on it a bit in real time but looking back it's a great modern pop album, showcasing Jack Antonoff's production at it's finest.
David Bowie
1/5
I am frustrated by the curve on which we as a society grade an aging artist's late-career projects that have no actual cultural or chart impact. It's like the bullshit "lifetime achievement award" to pay your respeks. "Oh wow, so brave, good for you still out there making music." Who honestly wants to this self-indulgent shit instead of a contemporary artists at the top of their game. Listen to his back catalog and then this and tell me they are being judged the same way. I DGAF if he died, this still sounds like shit. I'm sick of everyone pretending this kind of stuff is good just because of the artist's "legendary" status.
Mekons
2/5
Didn’t make an impression
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
When I discovered the 1001 Albums Generator, this was the first album to come to mind. I've been on the record, having nominated (declared) The Chain (later modified to all of "Rumours") for the GOAT List in 2017.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/1bz7v49/billy_corgan_rides_a_rollercoaster/
Sam Cooke
2/5
Enjoyable enough since he has a lot of good songs. The live album was an interesting one time listen. But the combo of the two makes me skeptical that I would ever seek it out again.
Pink Floyd
5/5
millions of college kids with this poster can't be wrong
Elvis Costello
2/5
Sounded fine but elvis Costello doesn’t really move the needle for me
Missy Elliott
3/5
If it weren’t for timberland’s production this would be a 2. No songs really stood out and caught my ear but it sounded like good, turn of the millennium hip hop. We might take this for granted given how the sub genre went on to dominate, but cool to hear who did it first before that sound was ubiquitous.
Cream
4/5
Quintessential psychadelic rock
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Best flow in rap. Could use fewer skits and Diddy.
Disappointed to not receive this as my final album of 1001 so that I would be "Ready to Die"
MGMT
4/5
Quintessential college music of the late '00s. The three singles were mainstays at parties and on playlists. I probably downloaded them either from LimeWire, fratmusic.com, or from my roommate's iTunes library "family sharing" we had set up in the pre-streaming age.
The rest of the album keeps up the electronic psychedelia vibe but doesn't maintain the high points. Some songs sound like David Bowie or Tame Impala. Synths are great, vocals not so much.
3/5
Cool to hear the famous "Dylan Goes Electric" show. Can't say I loved his singing or rambling poetic lyrics. The Electric Half massively improved for me over the folk half. Could attribute a lot of that to the instrumentals of The Band.
The Undertones
3/5
Nothing stood out but sounded fun. Reminded me of the Ramones
B.B. King
4/5
This was great and led to enjoyable album radio on the Spotify
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Dramatic but listenable. Singer reminded me of Rush or the lady from Jefferson Airplane
Silver Jews
2/5
Boring, depressing indie rock sung with almost indifference. I thought it was satirical at first given the singer's bored inflection and sarcastic lyrics. Music wasn't bad i suppose, just nothing catchy enough to bring me back.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Dylan's music tends to emphasize the poetic lyrics over catchiness, so I'm usually lower on him than the general consensus. It's just harder to just throw on and go off of vibes. So with that baseline, and putting extra effort to actively pay attention, this was pretty good. This era of Dylan is fresh on the mind, having received "Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)" a week prior. Makes me want to watch the upcoming biopic "A Complete Unknown" to fill in the gaps in Dylan appreciation that I'm not picking up on currently.
Red Snapper
3/5
Never heard of this before, reminded me of Massive Attack. I liked the beats, good for vibing around the house on the Sonos. Realistically not relevant enough to be on the list but I enjoyed it.
Dire Straits
3/5
80s dad rock that doesn't suffer from overplay like some of its contemporaries. A little boring but not bad.
Radiohead
2/5
really boring. i enjoyed the electronic songs (backdrifts) more than the rock ones.
Fever Ray
3/5
Chill
Laibach
2/5
Nick would love this.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Mostly electronic ambient noise. I was in the most receptive state possible at the beach and i could find some relaxation in the album, almost like a not-as-good Challengers soundtrack.
Prince
4/5
I like Prince more in theory than in practice. His more pop-accessible songs are fantastic and this album leans that way.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
their songs are pretty basic and uninspired to begin with, and the live instrumentation doesn't add anything.
Tom Waits
1/5
a collection sounds for contrarians.
George Michael
3/5
Enjoyable example of the 80s but like the Janet album and Hair Metal, it's not timeless. I don't find myself seeking out this outside of a novelty. But if you are looking on throwing on some 80s music it's a great album.
The Smiths
2/5
Morrissey delivers train-of-thought lyrics like he’s a Greek Orthodox priest sing-reading a passage from the Bible.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
No nostalgic connection for me, CSN(Y) occupies a sort of background folk rock that comes on adjacent album radios but I would never specifically identify nor seek out. That made it a perfect candidate for a deeper dive and Wikipedia research to understand what I might not be appreciating. It good.
The Doors
4/5
Visited the LA hot dog shop bathroom this was recorded in two months ago. The “Jim Morrison Memorial Shitter”
The Crusaders
2/5
Elevator/ hold music. Decent for background
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
Listening to this lying on a shakti mat watching the aurora projector lights feeling like I’m George Harrison
Mott The Hoople
3/5
The dudes? Instrumentals sounded like E street band. Vocals of Dylan meets Bowie
Elton John
5/5
beginning to think that this elton john guy is gay
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Sounds like a boring version of Bob Dylan: a poetry audiobook with background guitar.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
Really interesting to hear lot of 90s alt rock sounds from a band you've never heard of before (good name, though). The wiki confirms that they were an influence on more popular acts.
Wilco
2/5
This project is teaching me that I like indie rock significantly less than I previously thought.
The Stone Roses
3/5
Always interesting to get an album that you have never heard of, especially one that apparently is so highly regarded. Despite my cultural blindspot to this album, our dear friend Alex Wise was salivating over this selection and pleads for listeners to listen to the original or 1st remaster, as the "20th anniversary turned the bass up to a trillion and it drowns everything out."
These are always tough to rate as it seems it warrants a deeper dive than i'm currently willing to give it. I liked the sound enough though (kind of a bridge between jangly 80s new wave and 90s britpop) so i'll hedge and give it a 3
The Pogues
3/5
The xx
3/5
Linkin Park
4/5
If evoking a physical reaction is an indicator of an album's worth, this would be a 5. I listened while going for a run and each catchy hook or riff gave me a boost of energy. S/O to Collision Course which arguably does this even better and features the best parts of this album.
About the sweet spot of heaviness in rock that I enjoy. Memberberry-evoking and sing/rap-a-long as it might be, the content is objectively hackneyed, of a time, and not infinitely listenable, especially some of the latter songs.
Various Artists
4/5
Turbonegro
2/5
Beck
3/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Lambchop
3/5
Roni Size
2/5
Dire Straits
3/5
Frank Ocean
4/5
I downloaded this album in 2012 due to it's critical acclaim and its' topping of many year-end lists. I previously wouldn't have looked much into such an "underground" album, but I had recently graduated college and was looking to broaden my musical horizons based on tastemakers' recommendations. I'm sure my familiarity with the content boosts my enjoyment a bit, but this album also had a decent impact on the 2010s alternative R&B sound that I've taken for granted.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Despite not knowing about its existence, this specific album is what I had in mind when I signed up for the project. Psychadelic rock is a relative blind spot of which I am tangentially aware of in greater culture (60s montages) but never really deep dived or learned the context. This album seems to be considered the prototypical example of the genre. Unfortunately, I threw out my blacklight posters from college just last week, so the experience wasn't all it could have been.
Air
4/5
Wikipedia describes the genre as "Bachelor Pad Music" which is appropriate. Had deja vu at first as I could have sworn we had this before and recall the album art. Songs from this must have come up in album radio after similar downtempo / electronica albums (Moby, Everything But the Girl, Boards of Canada, William Orbit). I also hear a little chilled-out Daft Punk, but maybe that's just the French in them. As is often the case, shout out to Girl Talk for initial exposure to this (Sexy Boy).
This is a genre I wasn't too familiar with prior to this project but am consistently liking.
Lucinda Williams
2/5
Sheryl Crow but more boring
MC Solaar
3/5
liked the beats, couldn't understand a word
Van Halen
3/5
On one hand I don't like 80s hair metal. On the other hand it's not a bad version of hair metal, if I'm going to listen to it.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I have no previous connection to this album but it really impressed me how catchy I found the songs. Loved the funky, electronic, new wave sound. It reminded me of the Killers and Talking Heads. There was even a little krautrock mixed in. I want to re-listen with headphones.
Us v Them sounds like the home depot theme.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
more "Hate" than "Love"
so feckin boring
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
I don't stan Lupe as much as some of the "enlightened" hip-hop aficionados out there, but I've always been a fan. As an impressionable teen, I got drawn into the mid-2000s alternative hip-hop / backpack rap popularized by Kanye West, They had a lot of musical similarities, especially early in their careers.
Shoutout to Lupe addressing Penn State as "University of Pennsylvania" at Movin On 2011. Shoutout to skipping the 12 minute outro
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Gloomy indie folk.
u/diskosimpa set me up with a Spotify playlist that automatically updates with today's album, to which I set up my morning alarm to automatically play. I was disappointed when the alarm failed this morning, but it turns out it only failed because this album isn't on Spotify. Pranked yet again.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Great album for Carly to give birth to.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
This must have been what Sia meant when she said “I love cheap thrills”
Noticed “summertime” sounded like “rock bottom” by Eminem and lo and behold it was sampled.
X-Ray Spex
2/5
Sax so shitty it was almost enjoyable
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Fun vibe
Queen Latifah
2/5
Not terrible but probably won't revisit. Dated and repetitive rapping, although perfectly playable as filler/background. I guess inclusion to acknowledge her being a trailblazer in a male dominated industry.
Meat Loaf
4/5
My enjoyment pales in comparison to Carly's, as this seems to be her most anticipated album of the list.
Still, a fun, cheesy, bombastic rock opera. We had just listened to this in the past month when we were doing "DIY Album Generator" on the weekends using the "Best Selling Albums" book.
A good rundown of the entire Jim Steinman sound on the Hit Parade podcast:
https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2020/10/jim-steinman-made-plethora-of-pompous-pop
Duran Duran
4/5
never noticed how good the bass playing is on this until I read the album reviews pointing it out.
Beth Orton
3/5
folktronica
hard to hate, hard to love. Very Beige
Gene Clark
2/5
Syd Barrett
2/5
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
luckily we got this on a friday so we could listen to it over the course of the weekend. showtunes are not my cup of tea. interesting to mix up our background soundtrack but nothing i would seek out.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Take Me Out is one of the best songs of the 00's. I love the tempo change after the intro. the rest of the album was ok but didn't do much for me.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
we want the funk
Muddy Waters
4/5
R.E.M.
3/5
Kanye West
5/5
“I miss the old Kanye” -Kanye
Probably on my Mount Rushmore of favorite albums.
Cat Stevens
3/5
Justin Timberlake
4/5
smells like axe body spray and the Neptunes. 4 really strong singles, the rest falls off. I'll be generous since we just saw him in December and had fun re-listening.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
three great hits that I've been sick to death of for over a decade. I'm sure I would have rated this much higher when I was 17. Similar to my feelings on AC/DC and Ben Jobi
The Doors
3/5
Good
Santana
4/5
Latin psychedelic
Queen
4/5
Theatrical
System Of A Down
3/5
to carly's point, reminds me of middle school. kinda fun
Motörhead
2/5
didn't hate it but didn't love it
Talking Heads
4/5
I never fully got the Talking Heads, but something clicked for me when listening to this album. Weird, funky, groovy, and catchy. Interesting to see Brian Eno produced it and it draws from that Nigerian artist Fela Kuti that we liked earlier in the project.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Funky and soulful. Good for chilling and vibing.
Public Enemy
3/5
for some reason I enjoyed this more than "It Takes a Nation of Millions". I'll chalk it up to the mood I must have been in. The high energy beats and Chuck D's rapping were good, very early 90s. I'm realizing I'm really bad at deciphering lyrics, which results in me being lower on these kind of albums than I could be given the opportunity to read through line by line on Genius.
Still cant stand that useless barnacle Flava Flav.
Femi Kuti
4/5
had a fun energy
The Who
4/5
First listen in the car and while working was decent but boilerplate classic rock. However, listening during a run where I could concentrate to the riffs and little flourishes showed why this is so highly regarded. Best enjoyed by pretending you were there. We saw them a couple years ago but it was more like the corpses of pete townsend and roger daltry with a backing cover band. I can only imagine what Leeds was like.
It's really apples and oranges to have live albums rated on the same scale as studio albums and they should be on separate lists.
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
certainly ain't nothing to fuck with
Fairport Convention
4/5
I was going to describe them as Joni Mitchell/ Jefferson Airplane-sounding. Then I read the wikipedia page, which confirms:
"they started out influenced by American folk rock, with a set list dominated by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs and a sound that earned them the nickname "the British Jefferson Airplane".
Björk
2/5
Squawking
Nirvana
4/5
Everyone is gay
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Wanted to rate this a 4 but actual enjoyment dictated a 3. A great example of an album that would benefit from a deeper dive and relisten. So much so that I reached out to u/SidledsGunnar to see if they can add a "tagging" feature similar to Letterboxd to create sublists of albums like this.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Jazz. idk
SZA
3/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Folksy
The Byrds
3/5
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Marvin's not handling the divorce very well
Songhoy Blues
3/5
nothing more "world music" than being from Timbuktu
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
Great to just throw on for a blues rock vibe, The Jamming enhances it even more
Bob Dylan
3/5
I really wish I found Dylan's music catchier. I don't hate putting his albums on but very little sticks with me outside of the hits. More of a musical appreciation, especially since watching "A Complete Unknown" and getting some other Dylan albums in this project
The Young Rascals
2/5
Unmemorable Beatles knockoffs
The Cure
3/5
Listened a couple times, nothing really stood out either way. Back-to back Cure albums do run together for music i don't particularly recognize.
The Cure
3/5
Listened a couple times, nothing really stood out either way. Back-to back Cure albums do run together for music i don't particularly recognize.
I do like Lovesong
Marvin Gaye
4/5
5 for importance
3 for enjoyability
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Fun and influential, but doesn't exactly hold up to modern listening outside of the novelty
Billie Holiday
2/5
higher rating for appreciation but lower for actual enjoyment. kinda boring
The Clash
3/5
Never really gravitated to punk. My theory is that since it is less mainstream, I don't have as many cultural touchpoints to reference back to like other genres. I'm just not as familiar with the intricacies beyond some of the band names and the general sound.
That said, I played this while working out and enjoyed the energy. As another commenter wrote: "This is the music I don't mind listening to between the music I want to listen to."
Black Sabbath
5/5
The amount and quality of riffs this album spawned is insane. War Pigs is goated. Ozzy sings like Jack Black.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Carly had the observation that this sounds like arcade fire doing Bruce Springsteen and I concur. Fine enough to listen to but wouldn’t seek out
Laura Nyro
4/5
Never heard of the artist or any of the songs but found it really catchy.
Album artwork was giving much more modern than the 60s so that was a shock to hear
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
Culture vulture backstory aside it was weird but fun, I kind of liked it?
Shoutout the interpolation of “buffalo girls” by Eminem
Two trailer park girls go round the outside
Boston
4/5
Quintessential dad rock
The Band
3/5
Good folk dad rock.
I might need to go back and re-evaluate my 3s after further listening. It’s become a collection ground for true 3s (stuff that I like but don’t love) and stuff that I like but don’t have enough exposure to know if I love. This is the latter.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Has a very distinct RHCP California 90s sound. The distinct bass and guitar licks. Puts you in a mood. Didn’t know Rick Rubin was involved but it makes sense
Leftfield
3/5
Music to vibe to while in the matrix
Traffic
3/5
Fine enough boomer rock
Aerosmith
3/5
Don’t love the “hard rock cafe” genre of music, but not terrible. My parents really liked this.
Common
4/5
much more enjoyable than his acting in "Silo"
loved the Dropout-era Kanye beats
Miles Davis
3/5
Good morning background jazz
The Kinks
3/5
More enjoyable but unmemorable classic rock
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Boring
Eagles
4/5
I get the criticism of it being a bit bland, but it is a classic for a reason. The culmination of the "California Sound"
John Lennon
3/5
The Beatles are better than the sum of their parts
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Could be fooled into thinking this was a "CCR Greatest Hits" album with the number of bangers on this one.
Wild Beasts
2/5
Boring, reminded me of arcade fire
Sonic Youth
2/5
Didn't do it for me.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Not qualified to rate jazz, but i generally like putting it on in the background. Usually a high floor, low ceiling score of 3
Depeche Mode
3/5
Painfully 80s, but kind of enjoyable. Brooding synths. The singer reminds me of the guy from the Smiths.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Nile Rodgers' production & writing discography is more extensive and impressive than most people realize. IMO he is to credit for the nu-disco revival due to his work with Daft Punk on Random Access Memories.
But I digress, this album itself is quite jiggy.
Love
3/5
got a sense of a little whimsy which i didn't love but overall was fine.
Van Morrison
3/5
Pleasant. nothing stood out but would listen again
Robbie Williams
3/5
Not bad for an artist americans have no connection to. I could see why he was popular. Shows the power of marketing. Vocals sounded a bit like oasis, instrumentals sounded very 90s, maybe a bit smash mouth at points?
Beatles
5/5
Despite drifting in different directions, they really were firing on all cylinders musically. See Peter Jackson's "Get Back" for great behind-the-scenes footage of late-stage Beatles.
AC/DC
2/5
Not something I normally gravitate to, but it does what it sets out to do well.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Folklore B-sides
Initially wanted to give it a 4 because I like half of the songs, but the other half just drags into boring navel-gazing indie pop that makes it a slog to get through.
Otis Redding
4/5
Wait till Otis sees us, he loves us
Robert Wyatt
1/5
I have an addiction to forcing myself to finish things that I don’t like, and this album is my "Rock Bottom"
Beatles
4/5
Turning point in the Beatles' discography, legitimizing pop music albums as art, and kicking off an arms race that became the "album era" lasting until Napster. Brian Wilson was right when he said this was the first album where "Every Track is a Gas"
T. Rex
4/5
You can draw a glam rock line from this to Lady Gaga
John Coltrane
2/5
Eh jazz
Adele
4/5
One of those albums where I'm rating it off of aggregate enjoyment and appreciation over time, rather than how much I enjoy listening to it in this particular moment. Packed with hits, but those have been played to death. I'm trying not to let that affect my score. It's the best selling album of the 21st century for a reason.
Gram Parsons
2/5
found the album boring but the wikipedia dive interesting
3/5
Not as bad as I expected. Interesting to see the ambient/ stadium rock influence on future artists and sounds. Coldplay, Radiohead, Muse, Killers, Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift (All Too Well, Long Live)
Tears For Fears
4/5
Soft 4. Familiarity outside of the hits is low but the sound is unique and interesting
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
forgettable
Gang Of Four
2/5
I wish I appreciated punk music more because I bet this slaps if you are into that kinda thing
Peter Frampton
4/5
Just watched Dazed and Confused last night. The soundtrack's inclusion of "Show me the way" and "Do you feel like we do" encapsulates the 70s chill jam vibe this album brings. Love the distinct sound of the talkbox that immediately evokes this album.
Also ironic that today is our anniversary, as "Baby i love your way" was one of our finalists for first dance songs.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
The version of Bruce that I vibe with the most, because it's the one I'm most familiar with. Loaded with bangers that evoke the sound of heartland rock in the 80s. Gotta love dipshits still misinterpreting the lyrics to "Born in the USA" 40 years later
David Bowie
3/5
Listened to it three times. The first two didn’t do much for me and this was cruising for a 2. But I gave it another shot and paid closer attention and it grew on me a bit. I said to Carly that the one song sounded ambient like Brian eno. Lo and behold it turns out he was a major collaborator. Along with kraftwerk and neu which we had before. Still don’t love Bowie the way the diehards do but this was ok.
PJ Harvey
3/5
"I'm gonna make it so dry for you" - PJ
New York Dolls
2/5
Ugh punk
The White Stripes
3/5
I’m finding I like Jack white and the white stripes more in theory than in practice. Still enjoyed the album but found my mind wandering during some of the lesser known songs or whenever he plays.
Brian Wilson
2/5
Gotta be honest, this was a tough listen. I appreciate his process (watched the "Beautiful Dreamer" doc on the making of this album), but these are sonically not enjoyable. I feel like his reputation of "musical genius" preceeds him and excuses his weird arrangements and music as good.
I think how the Paul and John were able to reign in each other's songwriting to make each other better. I wish Brian was able to take feedback and work with a more pop-oriented co-songwriter in his later stages. I think he needed to be reigned in. In other words, if Mike Love wasn't such a douche, and Brian wasn't so crazy, just imagine what they could have done with this material. see the only enjoyable song on this album: "Good Vibrations" , which was much better performed by the beach boys in the 60s.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Good just to vibe to. Staple in Jazz rap and influenced kendrick and kanye
Black Sabbath
4/5
yeah black sabbath rocks, groundbreaking
1/5
If pop music is a Marvel movie, this is an A24 folk horror short with no dialogue, made on a grainy VHS camera.
Big Star
3/5
liked it, probably need to revisit because i could see my rating increasing with some familiarity outside of the "That 70s Show" theme song. I'm intrigued by the beatles influence that is referenced.
Funkadelic
5/5
I pledge allegiance to the funk
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Probably need to re-listen but i kind of liked it. Singer was featured in "teardrop" by Massive Attack (House theme)
I had put on an "indie" Sonos radio station and the lead single to this album was the first to come up on the shuffle. Kind of a weird coincidence on the day we got this album, especially since it is new to me.
D'Angelo
2/5
Prime example of 90s R&B, which i think i find very boring. This dollar store prince genre almost comes off as a joke nowadays, like corny "mood-making music"
Travis
2/5
Very beige, reminded me of knockoff Oasis and Radiohead. Relentlessly Forgettable.
Pere Ubu
2/5
it was ok to listen to but not really my jam
Amy Winehouse
3/5
good but i was unfamiliar with any of these songs and nothing stood out
Paul Simon
4/5
repeated a couple times out of enjoyment
After reading about the connection and influence on Vampire Weekend's debut album on the wikipedia page that makes total sense.
The White Stripes
3/5
fine but unmemorable
The La's
3/5
nothing stood out besides "there she goes" but a pleasant enough listen. i might need to re-evaluate my rating system because 3s are catching everything from forgettable pleasant music to classics that i don't "Love"
Drive-By Truckers
2/5
The more I listened to this, the less I liked it, but the more I appreciated it. Individually, each song is forgettable but as a package it forms a picture of southern life and rock and roll. Like a required reading.
Ramones
3/5
didn't realize how repetitive and simple the lyrics and riffs were, but not necessarily in a bad way. had only heard blitzkreig bop. The rest was ok, i guess fun to put on if you are in a punk rock mood.
Radiohead
2/5
having amnesia trying to recall any songs or melodies from this album
Metallica
3/5
Enjoyed this and considered giving it a 4 but it 2+ hours made it drag a bit in the middle during the parts that aren't their top hits. We had seen both Nelly and a Led Zeppelin cover band perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and this was better than those.
The Who
5/5
a soft 5 as I'm not super familiar with the non-hits, but i need to stop watering down my ratings toward the center and this has some of the best classic rock songs of all time on it.
The Beta Band
3/5
Never heard of this band but I kind of liked it. Enjoyed the blend of electronic and rock
The Temptations
3/5
"Papa was a rolling stone" sounds like it is used as a musical motif for 70s crime dramas
Björk
3/5
Still don’t like her singing but this dance music was more enjoyable than the whiney other one we had.
Gillian Welch
3/5
Good timing to get this on a slow morning at the beach house. Ideal use case over coffee
The Fall
1/5
Maybe a little harsh but I couldn’t wait for this to end. Didn’t do anything for me.
2/5
Cheap new wave Duran Duran knockoffs. Not terrible but no reason to have had to listen to that before I died.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Never heard of it but was a good listen. Also led to a good album radio on the car ride back from the beach after it completed.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
only after listening multiple times did it dawn on me that the reason I know this album (Paint It Black) isn't on the UK version. A vestige of the early album era is this fuckery labels would do with their album releases, similar to how Rubber Soul is different in the UK vs US.
Stereo MC's
3/5
Got a little repetitive after a bit but not terrible
Black Sabbath
4/5
for not liking metal I'm surprised at how much I'm liking the Black Sabbath albums. RIP Ozzy
Nirvana
5/5
apathy lit on fire
ZZ Top
4/5
Never put together that this was their "blues mixed with 80s electronic" album. Cool that it influenced van halen 1984 and modern bands like the black keys. Too many bops to rate any less
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Jazz
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
1/5
i was promised a blues explosion and all i got was this shit explosion
Happy Mondays
2/5
listened to it on multiple occasions and walked away feeling nothing. not even bummed.
Baaba Maal
2/5
sounded interesting and different, but hard to connect and doubt i will revisit
Dr. Dre
4/5
bitches ≠ shit
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
decently fly
Venom
1/5
More like Wack Metal
Dion
2/5
listening to this album made me realize that the sound I associate with "oldies" isn't necessarily older music, but kind of that Phil Specter sound (derogatory)
Deee-Lite
3/5
fun like the lady with the fingers on the album art
Michael Jackson
3/5
Got a dark skinned friend, look like Michael Jackson.
Honestly thought I'd like this a lot more but there were a lot of songs that would be regarded as saccharine, boring, or corny if they were by someone other than MJ. Closer to a 2 than a 4, but the overall vibe saved it from a dearth of catchy songs.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
Thier soundtrack work (Challengers, The social network, etc) has opened me up to appreciating NIN more than I would have previously
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Music a Zooey Dechenel character would listen to (derogatory)
Tom Waits
2/5
I don't really get people who genuinely like this. hard to listen to his voice. Music grew on me a little but not enough to make me want to listen again.
Talk Talk
2/5
meh new wave
U2
2/5
Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention, as I played this while moving into our new house. But It didn't do anything for me.
The album art looks like a 2010s tryhard instagram grid
Stan Getz
4/5
synonymous with mid-’60s cosmopolitan culture — think smoky lounges, cocktail parties, modernist apartments. Like something out of "Mad Men"
Billy Bragg
2/5
Like a British woody Guthrie or bob dylan. I don’t really like to listen to woody Guthrie or bob Dylan.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Heartbreaking tale of Kendrick’s dad not getting his Dominoes 💔