I think I thought I used to like them but frankly this album is as musak-ally stale as a 1 wk old loaf of bread. Bored out of my mind. Can’t really find anything redeeming here.

Why does every song sound the same? Sort of a sad, melodic journey. Blech.

it’s not the best Sonic Youth album, but damn are these guys good. Why can’t Moore band sound like this? See what I did there????

Typically listen to exit… Stage left when I listen to this music from Rush. This album has a very pure musical quality to it. Each instrument is played to the upmost. And even with the other virtuosos, it’s hard to overstate how amazing Neil Peart is.

Absolute force of nature. Imagine writing this at 19??? Just love her voice and talent.

Such a fabulous and ambient album. It is emotional even in its repetitiveness. I like to put it on in the background and never get tired of it.

I have been down this rabbit hole once in the past going in with an open mind. I’m not going to listen to this album today. Once was enough.

Not my cup of tea. Kind of the worst of 2000 with no memorable melodies, lacking any infectious hooks, grating drum machines, and a feeling of smugness that is not deserved. Compare Madonna for instance with St Vincent who can actually write and perform emotive music.

David Bowie is one of the three most important musicians EVER in my life. I named my dog Bowie for god sakes. I remember the excitement of new music coming from him, a beautiful surprise in early January, only to be crushed that he was dead two days later. How could that possibly be, and yet of course he had given us a masterpiece final gift. I have spent many hours with this album. The musicians are superb, including the amazing drummer Mark Guiliana. All pulled together in NYC in secret to hear demos put together by the then reclusive Bowie and to work with him full force, full of creative energy, and always reinventing to some new place. The man is a fucking genius smarter than all of us put together the way he weaves art, history, metaphysical/ spiritual/ magical/ darkness/ light into one. I grieve. But I love going back to learn what was top of mind inspiring him and driving him throughout the years. It is impossible to separate the quality of the music from the totality of being the art he created while dying of cancer. It certainly colors how I feel about it, but goddammit the music, lyrics, and creativity are as good as anything he ever did. You can learn a lot more about the backstories here: https://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/category/blackstar-2016/

Never had listened to this whole album before. I really liked Warning Sign. Cool chord changes in the chorus. The Good Thing also catchy. But not enough consistency overall. Wish I could rate 2.5. Half the songs are good. But musicianship is there and nobody sounds like Byrne.

Not offensive. Stevie is a talented dude but I don’t ever think I would just put this on and be excited about all the songs. Literally nothing got stuck in my head or make me want to come back for a second helping. That said last song was the best. Very strong.

I liked this album more than I expected. First time listen for me and Willie really interpreted these songs brilliantly. I can see why it was such a hit.

It’s fine as background rock music. Hard for me to say this fits on a best ever list though. 70’s hard rock jamming like a lot of 70’s hard rock jamming out there. Must be a time and place thing for many who seem to love it.

This is a well conceived and catchy album. Cohesive throughout with a number of songs that you likely know but don’t know that well. They own a unique sound and groove.

I think I thought I used to like them but frankly this album is as musak-ally stale as a 1 wk old loaf of bread. Bored out of my mind. Can’t really find anything redeeming here.

This is a thoroughly entertaining listen. Creative and unique for certain. Strong 4.

Ridiculously awful. Each song worse than the last. I now know what a 1 sounds like. Wish I could rate 0 though.

I know people who love this album. I couldn’t really find anything to latch onto though. Not creative enough to hold me. Guess just not my cup of tea.

I like it.

I was surely listening to Duran Duran and Simple Minds and Def Leppard at this time. But also a lot of Beastie Boys and Easy E. Depeche Mode just wasn’t part of my rotation. At first I thought maybe that was a miss, but this album is just boring.

The final song (Come On) is a 5 in my book. The first song (Bitter Sweet Symphony) endures as a time and place thing and gets a 4 from me. Everything else sounds the same, which is to say BORING AS FUCK.

Poor man’s Pet Shop Boys but way less musical talent? Most songs started and I thought they were going to be OK, and then just shallow musically and trite lyrics. I won’t ever dial this one up again but it wasn’t offensive either. Would love to see a more clever approach to telling the world they are horny guys.

So much promise. Each song had something interesting. None were amazing. I kept wishing to hear some old school rap over these beats.

Great expectations. I generally like music like this. It was only average though.

Mix of weird and wonderful. The musical abilities here are off the charts. I’ll take Long Distance Runaround any day over Roundabout.

I had never listened to the whole thing in the past. One of the first albums like that on this list where I was more than pleasantly surprised. Really great as background music and also great if you dig in and really listen.

I found some really interesting and beautiful chord changes at times. I wanted to hear those evolve like free form jazz but they never did. Just a glimpse and back to something more mundane. And the songs were just too damn long. I fast forwarded one a few times and where I landed it sounded exactly like where I had come from. Ironically a John Coltrane song came on on Spotify right after this song ended. The contrast was profound. Keith Jarrett is no master. Still, interesting background story on this one and not saying he can’t play.

I don’t have time to get all my thoughts in here, but suffice it to say, I rate this album very highly. musicianship, concept, and the overall time and place it takes me to as a child of the 70s. Solid five from me.

Felt like I was being gaslighted. No.

Fine pop music for a Pandora playlist with outdoor BBQ seed. Not memorable. Heard all the hits and don't care. A few of the deep cuts were better.

I liked it. Fun listen even if silly bravado at times. I like these beats from the late 80s / early 90s

I was borderline going to go with a 4 here just because my standards for Radiohead are astronomically high. But that's bullshit because it's all relative. I gave Ice-T a 4 yesterday which by definition means Radiohead is a 5. Here's the thing. You may be a "musician" - some of us are. But you can't play Pyramid Song. Yet I've seen these guys do it live and they are brilliant. Thom is up there with Prince as a multi instrumentalist. Radiohead's talent is epic.

First few songs were 4's and 5's. Others were 1's and 2's. Where does that leave us? Avg 2.4. Around down to 2.

Very solid. Ms Lauryn Hill creates her own vibe and unique sound for sure.

Ella Fitzgerald is fantastic but I just don't really dig this type / age of music - or 3 hours. I guess if I have to listen to 1959 she's as good as any who was doing it then. I was reading reviews and saw this one which I've now cut and pasted. Perfect review. --- With all due respect to the legendary Ella Fitzgerald, I don’t have the time or patience to listen to a three and a half hour box set of Gershwin songs. I’m not gonna sit here and say, “oh my god, this is so amazing. What a landmark record”, just because Ella Fitzgerald is a legend. I hated this record. This type of music bores the ever-loving shit out of me. The truth is, I’ve got about 40 minutes of tolerance for most music that was recorded before 1965. I know, I’m a horrible close minded human being; the poster boy for everything that’s wrong with modern society. I see the value in it, I can appreciate Fitzgerald’s talent…she has an absolutely beautiful voice and the arrangements are wonderful. In short bursts, it’s kind of enjoyable to me. After about 10 songs, though, it becomes torturous. Is it a bad record because of that? No, certainly not. I’m not anywhere near that narcissistic. This just isn’t for me. I wish I could like music like this, I wish I could see what other people see in it. I wish I could put this on, have a cup of coffee and do the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle, without my skeleton attempting to separate from my flesh. I did learn one thing listening to this record, though. The “po-tay-to / po-tah-to” song was written by Gershwin…Saving that in the old memory bank for trivia night. Because I made no attempt to finish this collection, I’m defaulting to site consensus on this. The site ranks it a 3.62, so I’ll give it a 3.

There were mere snippets of enjoyment. And a lot of other things that were not well tied together. Didn't hate it but won't repeat listen either.

Velvet Underground is an easy listen but never stirs me.

Some of the time the music was a 4. Most of the time singing was a 1.

This isn't my style. I see some talent. I liked the very first song a lot. Just background music for me though.

If you love folk / Americana this is a 5. If you don't then give it a 4 because it is the gold standard.

I fancy myself a prog rock fan. I love Genesis and a lot of Yes. This album was stupidly annoying, a clamoring of nonsense that failed to advance my esteem for prog rock and in fact made me more than a little irritated.

As a youth in the 80's I liked that era's PSBs although I'd be hard pressed to put them on any top album list. Today I'm confronted with this ridiculous collection of synth pop drivel. I imagine a future civilization encountering this Top 1001 album list and playing Behaviour. At that point I'd be ashamed of our human race. This is NOT good music, song writing, lyrics, production, or entertainment.

I didn't give it a fair and complete listen but have low hopes that the later songs were a lot different than the earlier ones. Didn't hate it...

Top notch band. Top notch singer.

When this album came up I thought OK here's a band / album I may have just missed out on. Pixies. Yay! They are great and such big influences in the 90's. But then I listen and I realize that ya I've heard all of this and have intentionally left it out of my rotation. I hear some things I like but can't rate this super high. Doesn't press a nostalgia button for me. Can't just rate it because it influenced.

I listened to a few and was not willing to go on. This album is complete trash.

Very first album on this list where I was really pleasantly surprised. Apparently I didn’t know what krautrock was. Glad I do now. I immediately thought of Miles Davis and In a Silent Way, and on further research saw that Miles was a big influencer of these German artists. I also found myself thinking of King Gizzard. Great album. I’ll put this one on in the background again and again.

Solid classic rock. No more, no less.

Just kinda boring

This is a superb album. I’d give it a 5 easy just for Can’t You Hear Me Knockin, Sister Morphine and Moonlight Mile. No filler on this one.

Good to get to know this album. They helped start grunge. But were nowhere as good as some of the others.

Excited to see this one come up. I don’t have to listen because I’ve been listening to it for 40 years. One of the single most influential albums in my life with Prince at the peak of his creative and live performance powers. Name me a better all around musician. You can’t.

Kendrick is like no other and has created a space that he and only he can occupy.

Hated first two songs and gave up.

I have nothing nice to say.

Fine fine but got kinda boring.

The most talented group of musicians putting out the least great music I could ever think of. Way too much filler on this one.

Epically good and sounds so fresh. Charted the way for many I hear so much in here.

Excellent song writing. Bowie is incomparable.

The sounds of my youth. Nobody was as cool as Simon Le Bon, as eclectic as Nick Rhodes, and everybody knew the videos. So what about the music? I think you have to put DD in the pioneer category for blending punk, new wave, post-disco, real musical chops (John Taylor and his base lines) and packaging it up virally before that was a thing. Many hits. New Religion is my hidden gem.

I always want to like Bob Dylan more than I actually do when I listen. I appreciate the songwriting and historical significance, but these usually aren’t tunes that I would just throw on when I’m picking my own music.

Grew up in mostly rural Colorado where you’d walk into a barbershop or a restaurant and hear music like this on in the background. Didn’t like it then and don’t like it now.

Masterpiece.

I mean, not offensive, tap your foot, etc. Do not rate in the top ever though.

This album was a pleasant surprise. Probably just in my late 90's wheelhouse. Sounded like a poor man's Everlast. I would listen again.

Really didn't dig this. Hippy dippy in a bad way.

This album and group exceeded expectations by a lot. They have a unique sound and hard to believe this is a debut album. Good find...had never heard of them.

Classic

Really did not care for this album. Strange combo of country and folk which didn't hit any sweet spot for me.

Pretty weak entry by Missy Elliot standards. Very run of the mill. You know she has talent but...

This was dumb and not easy to listen to

Exceeded my expectations. Definitively 80s

Classic funk from 70s but still sounds so fresh

I see the talent. It's just not the type of music I enjoy.

I loved this. What a find. They sound well ahead of their time and fit into that heavy industrial rock vive that I love.

I love Graceland. I hadn't spent a lot of time with this album. As I forced my way thru it I realized, at least for me, I wasn't missing a ton. I just don't really get it.

Listened to this album before, but paid a lot better attention this time. Lots of innovative songwriting here. I don’t love it all, but you gotta give Brian credit.

I liked this. Good beats and music and creative, intentional raps. Hard to believe these were issues 35 years ago and it is objectively even worse today. No progress is sad.

I have a keyboard. I can make lots of percussive sounds and random noise. That makes me convinced that I could land an album on this list because goddammit I can do the same thing. Or...if I ran a hostage interrogation operation I could use this "music" to torture and break tough prisoners. They would beg me to turn it off. Or...simply put I fucking hated this album. It gets a zero from me.

How did Paul Simon get all this world class song writer cred? This album is boring and lifeless. I want my hour back.

Unbelievably good musicians. Innovative. Can rock out to it or it can be background.

Have not listened to this record in its entirety for a very long time. A few good surprises (Mr Brownstone) in particular. And some duds TBH. The 3 big hits are timeless.

I was surprised by this album. I really hated the first song, and then it started to get better and better. There’s some sort of joyful punk here. I also got glimpses of math rock that reminded me of the movement that came out of the Midwest 15 years later. Really enjoyed it.

Such a strange album. I felt it never found a real groove and stayed there. Lot's of different things going on. I did tap my foot to a few - not all bad. This is one of those you just wonder why is it on this list???

Why does every song sound the same? Sort of a sad, melodic journey. Blech.

Absolute force of nature. Imagine writing this at 19??? Just love her voice and talent.

Didn’t spend much time on this one because a knew going in I wouldn’t like it, and it was confirmed within a few songs. I had made an active choice not to listen to this album back in the day. NY has his moments but this isn’t one of them.

I did the proper thing and listened thru even though I was pretty sure this was an epic 5. It was.

In retrospect this album is more pop than I remember. Sort of a sickly sweet mix of pop. I do like the song Stand. A lot of the others weren’t that great 35+ yrs later.

I like some of the beats and grooves, but nothing really landed as being earth shattering. Pretty run-of-the-mill in my opinion.

Repetitively boring. I really dig Americana but not this. Something is off here.

Absolute heavyweight album in so many ways. I don't really have words. This belongs as one of the greatest musical accomplishments ever.

Excellent album showing a bands definitely in its prime and willing to push into new places. Yes it is 70s but also you can hear so many things influencing others. Radiate was a great deep cut.

I intentionally passed on this and giving it a 2 because I do not like Nick Cave. Promise not to do that too often.

REM was so overplayed and Michael Stipe used to annoy the shit out of me. When I was 15 I was listening to either rap or things like Def Leppard. REM was too alternative for me at that time. So...fresh ears years later and this is actually a damn good album. I hate saying it but it's true. The best songs are NOT the big hits IMHO, but the rest of the album. This album also reminds me a little of the Tragically Hip and I do love the Hip. It was hard to have 2 REM albums in one week but this one is much better than the last.

I listened to four songs and that was three too many. Nothing creative on this album. I don’t understand why it’s on the list.

Wow, what a powerhouse. Each song stands on its own as a tremendous example of the times, the band, and the creativity flowing from Jimi. Heavyweight album.

Jazz standard masterpiece!

Of course I’ve heard the title song. And some of the other hits. But I don’t think I’ve ever sat down to listen to the whole album start from finish. It exceeded my expectations, carried a consistent feel throughout while also feeling a bit timeless.

Mezzanine is such a critical and vital album. So I was curious to go back to the beginning with massive attack and see where it all started. You can definitely hear the inklings of where things would go, but this is no masterpiece like Mezzanine. Still, very solid.

This struck me as a little Zeppelin crossed with the muppets. I did dig in when it got heavy. Guitars excellent. But not a ton cohesive in here. Kinda disappointing despite the immense talent.

Love the hits on this one. Hard to believe it was ‘83. However overall it is an uneven effort with the in between songs feeling weak. No deep cuts.

Here’s the deal. I decided NOT to listen to this. Sure when some of the hits come on in a bar or background they feel good. But I remember this album is also full of nonsense filler. So subtracting one star for the fact I didn’t feel like actually listening to the album.

Such a strong 5. Who sounds like this? Vocal harmonies, menacing sound, dark themes. This is the pinnacle of grunge.

I found it interesting this was such a synth driven album. Few guitars. You can see the direction coming with The Revolution and it sure is tight and funky. Prince has a way of doing amazing things with simple chords and syncopation. Some of this sounds dated but hard not to appreciate the fundamentals.

Boring. Trying to imagine the 70's dude or chick who throws this on the turntable and relaxes on the shag carpet without falling asleep immediately.

this is the music of classic rock stations, poker games, tap your foot and sing-along. Little known fact, my high school graduating class in 1990 chose foreplay/long time as our class song.

I turned this album on only to confirm I hate this band. Drivel. No clue why on this list.

Somewhere between not very good and not my type of tunes.

i’m gonna peg this one right down the middle as a solid 3. Reminded me of something you would hear on a hot night in a small bar with cold beer and a lot of people hooping and hollering in the background. Somewhere like Memphis or Nashville, probably.

Simple Minds has one great album. This isn't it. You can hear them working thru and tinkering with things here but clearly not ready for prime time.

I really wasn't in the mood for Nirvana yesterday. A few of these sound more aged than I remembered.

Catchy hooks. They really should get more credit.

Excellent album start to finish

I don't understand why people like the Strokes so much. Seen them live and didn't dig it then either.

not good.

it’s not the best Sonic Youth album, but damn are these guys good. Why can’t Moore band sound like this? See what I did there????

You just assume this is a 5. Take a closer listen. It's pure rock n roll and very VERY talented musicians. Hard to really say who's the best of the 4 because they are all giants and incomparable. I do think there are better, more immersive Zeppelin albums. I do think they play it right down the middle here. I do think based on who they are and what they're capable of you could argue this is a 4. But I'll round up. Favorite song is Four Sticks. By a lot.

I must be missing something

Stupendous album full of surprises and a mystical ending. Loved it and will go into the rotation (can’t believe it wasn’t already there).

I had some nostalgia during the first three songs on this album, but then remembered that it goes perilously downhill from there. I’m still a sucker for this 80s sound, but nothing too amazing here.

Typically listen to exit… Stage left when I listen to this music from Rush. This album has a very pure musical quality to it. Each instrument is played to the upmost. And even with the other virtuosos, it’s hard to overstate how amazing Neil Peart is.

Fucking Lorde is such a narcissistic twat. I liked her hits OK until I went to see her live, and was literally spellbound by the lack of creativity, the lack of showmanship, the absolutely lifeless performance where all the while many of the young concert goers seemed to be in captivated. What spell had she put on them? It’s the first concert I actually walked out of within the first five songs because it was so fucking horrible.

Masterpiece

I read people’s reviews and felt interested in revisiting this album. I’m certain I was not focused on this in 1987. Probably more on rap and what not. Found album very locked in the 80’s and just not particularly catchy or engaging. I don’t see why it’s on this list honestly.

Based on what Jack is capable of I gotta go with a 3 here. Album is fairly incohesive overall. A few absolute rockers.

Heavyweight. Nobody sounds like Beck because he’s carved out his own sound.

These guys are very hit and miss for me overall.

This is a pretty extraordinary album. Cohesive throughout it is filled with minimalist neo soul at times and overflows with social messaging and just the right vibes at other times. I love how understated it all is. Nothing is over the top, but it all feels important.

I continue to hold Jack to a very high standard. There are some scorchers in here and there are some stinkers. Raconteurs continues to be the best version of his work IMHO

Solid addition to this list. High energy.

A very tired and obvious sounding early 90s album. No idea why this is on the list. It isn’t offensive, but there is nothing new or even moderately interesting here.

I appreciate it but not my go to. This is something I think I need to be in the right physical space too enjoy more. Some bar in Miami probably.

Does not suck.

A.D. 3000 is an amazing tune. Lots of jazzy stuff to dig into here. Eryka is one of a kind.

I’m preemptively giving this album a 2 without listening to it knowing full and well that the last Steely Dan album I listen to was a major letdown and a waste of my time.

4 great songs and some filler. But we are much much better in this world for having Tribe!

Exceptional album so full of beats, samples and wild rap imagery. Very nostalgic for me as well. I remember my friends rejecting this album because it wasn’t Licensed to Ill. They missed it is 1000x more nuanced than that first album.

With the feeling that this is a landmark album that requires appreciation I listened to it yet again. Not my first time by any means, but same result. Bored. Conclusion is something is wrong with me.

Ashamed to admit never listened to the whole thing. Some real amazing stuff here. Also a bit repetitive. But holy hell hard to believe they did shit like this back in the day.

Prince is a God. The title track, Hot Thing, and It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night” are top shelf.

Went in with an open mind. Never found a real groove. I do appreciate the blend of eastern drone with southern blues but was left wanting something more.

A little too laid back minimalist for me. Kept waiting for the energy to come but stayed pretty stripped back. There’s some accomplishment in that but sure makes for a boring album overall.

Embarrassed to admit did not know a ton about The Band. Obviously everyone know The Weight. I can see now why they incfluenced so many others - such a great combo of southern rock, blues, 60’s feel, etc. so glad to hear this one!

I listen to two songs to determine this was drivel.

Been a lot of White Stripes coming up last few weeks. I am constantly struck that despite the talent the end product is less than the sum of the parts. Consistently. Not sure why that is with this group because other Jack iterations not so much.

Good to dive back in to this after so many years. Sounds a bit dated and immature and definitely like more experimental U2 better than this. Some hits and misses.

I tried. I think this is generally decent I just didn’t really get into it. Seemed very old times.

Let’s see, what do we do with this one? At times it was so cringe worthy so that’s a -1. Other times it sounded like James Taylor and some supreme songwriting so that’s +1. But bring it back to some of those really cringey lyrics and you gotta do another -1. Wait, that was a really creative chord change and beautiful melody so +1. Wait, I think I heard some really lame flutes and back to -1. Really no clue what to do here. I think a 2 is about right.

This was new to me and a real treat. High energy max of rock and roll and blues with some other elements.

There’s a lot of goodness here, but what really stands out above everything else is the intensity and quality of the drumming. Guess that’s an obvious statement, but Bonzo was a monster. A few weaker tunes too but I’ll round up to 5.

There’re a few things to jump out quickly. Number one the rhythm section is abysmal. Number two sounds purely like the 80s, which isn’t a bad thing. Number three there is a long string of good songs on here which is a tough feat for any album. Number four it’s hard to say that this is a 5, but it’s hard to say that it isn’t.

Man some of these were great and others David Byrne just becomes grating. Pretty solid for a debut though…

I really wonder about reviewers giving this album a 1. I mean do you know anything about music? Are you just an ignorant meathead? Yes it got overplayed and yes they border on whiny at times but song construction and production is top notch. Some great deep cuts too.

Ton of talent

Pretty bland overall.

This is really very middle of the road 70s rock isn’t it? I mean it feels good. These are pretty empty calories.

No idea why this is on the list. It breaks no new ground. It is average by U2’s standards. Very few sons are remarkable or stick out in any way. This is a throwaway for sure.

I like Common in general but found this album pretty generic and lacking any distinctive feel or creativity to push it over the top. Very average, if not slightly below average.

amazingly hot and diverse album. Extraordinary guitar and really captures a time and place.

Massive Attack is my trip hop standard. Portishead doesn’t rise to their level. Like don’t love.

This might be good music, but it was also so freaking cheesy. The horns drove me crazy I did not want to listen to this album

This is an absolutely miserable effort at making music. I read a bunch of 5 reviews and feel like there cannot be any doubt I am being gaslighted. I love music. I am a musician. This is some really bad cringeworthy crap and I shudder at the type of person that finds joy and meaning here.

Could not be anything but a 5. Reading the history of how this came to be, the recording sessions, the creative enlightenment, fueled by drugs, but also the demons. Love it all.

Unique. Always a good vibe too.

So great when you find an album you’ve never listen to that aligns so well with what you find to be interesting in music. Definitely hear his influences across so many other artists over the years.

Unimaginative and shallow

I know two things. One is I could have written all of these songs on my own DX-7 back in 1985. The other is I would sound like shit trying to sing these songs. Just like this singer.

Gave this one an honest go, and there are some interesting things and a real feeling of time and place. It is chaotic at times. I think I would have loved it if I were around back then. Today…it is all over the place.

Southern cookin’

Masterpiece of angst and destruction. Nothing has ever or will ever feel like NIN.

This is a laughable album. Not a serious work. Swear words thrown in why? Not the worst I’ve heard on this list but barely above a 1.

Some amazing tracks and some very average ones. Wish he had just gone full melodic.

Classic songwriting and performances. Interesting to hear some of the deeper cuts.