474
Albums Rated
3.44
Average Rating
44%
Complete
615 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
89
5-Star Albums
15
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
|
5 | 2.65 | +2.35 |
|
Sex Packets
Digital Underground
|
5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
|
I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail
Buck Owens
|
5 | 2.81 | +2.19 |
|
Gold
Ryan Adams
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Infected
The The
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
|
Joan Baez
Joan Baez
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Pelican West
Haircut 100
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
|
4 | 2.03 | +1.97 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
|
1 | 3.9 | -2.9 |
|
Play
Moby
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Odelay
Beck
|
1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
|
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
|
1 | 3.33 | -2.33 |
|
Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
|
1 | 3.16 | -2.16 |
|
I'm Your Man
Leonard Cohen
|
1 | 3.1 | -2.1 |
|
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
|
1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
|
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
|
2 | 3.82 | -1.82 |
|
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
|
2 | 3.79 | -1.79 |
|
The Grand Tour
George Jones
|
1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.5 |
| Marvin Gaye | 2 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.33 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 4.33 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 1.5 |
| Barry Adamson | 2 | 1 |
| Pere Ubu | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Johnny Cash | 1, 5 |
| Ray Charles | 2, 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3, 5, 2 |
| U2 | 3, 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (89)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Yes
5/5
I loved this.
“Nerd wizard rock” that I DO want hahaha.
I was unfamiliar with this band + album before this listen, but there were a ton of sound bites I recognized from sampling in modern media.
Altogether very fun.
4 likes
The Temptations
5/5
Loved this. I’ve been hitting a wall lately — not wanting to keep up with this.
But this album basically reinvigorated me haha.
2 likes
Elliott Smith
4/5
Oh yeah, this is the kind of indie sleaze I’m here for. My only qualm is that it’s a little one note. I might not listen to the album in full again, but some songs will definitely make it into my rotation.
1 likes
Fatboy Slim
4/5
This was such a fun listen, and I don’t typically love electronic music.
My booty was movin for sure.
That said, it felt like the heaviest hitters all came right at the front. The back half lagged just a tiny bit.
1 likes
Kanye West
5/5
If we’re separating the art from the artist, this feels like an easy 5 stars. It’s definitely long, but it doesn’t feel long.
This has always been my favorite Kanye album, but it also is the one I have spent the most time with. I anticipate seeing some of his earlier work on this list, so we’ll see if this remains the favorite.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (15)
All Ratings
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
The first two songs were really fun and listenable. They were stuck in my head for a while. Neil Young and Crazy Horse sounded great together. The album took a nose-dive with the slower ballad-y songs.
Also this album isn’t on Spotify. I had to steal my boyfriend’s Apple Music. 😤
The Cars
4/5
Apparently my parents fucking love The Cars. Because I knew most of this album and I didn’t even realize these songs were The Cars. Still, the instrumental-heavy songs toward the back half of the album were boring and repetitive. And for that reason, I’m docking a point.
ABBA
5/5
Had a lil menty b during my second listen of this one. Nothing like crying to “Dancing Queen” as you drive down the 5. Either way, I love this album, so no chance I was gonna give it less than 5 stars.
The title track of this album was actually one of the only ones I hadn’t heard before. And it’s my least favorite song.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
I’m really struggling to rate this album, because I know how successful it was, and how influential Jimi Hendrix is as a musician.
I just really didn’t love this album. It was long and it wasn’t cohesive. Every other song sounded like it was performed by a different band. I can respect the versatility they have as performers, but damn.
I also felt like some of the songs didn’t feel fully finished or thought out. Some of the songs just felt like a collection of random sounds without much melody. I suppose that’s the nature of the genre, but it isn’t for me.
A 2 star album, but I’ll grant it a bonus point for being so influential.
Radiohead
4/5
I get why people like this album. It has very pretty sounds. I think I would have liked it better if I smoked some indica. Or if I could make out anything Thom Yorke was singing about.
Might smoke somethin and give it another listen.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Okay, on my first listen, I was genuinely gonna give this a 2. But I listened to it again, and god I love it so much. The music, the lyrics, the gentle pop that gets stuck in your head. Plus, some of these were among the first songs I would play on guitar and sing at girl scout camp — so there’s some nostalgia.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
This album was okay. It really didn’t do much for me. It sounded a lot like all the other synth-pop from the 80s that I’ve heard before, just this time, not in English. 🥴
This album also felt like a wall of constant sound all at the same volume. It didn’t have any levels, and it was therefore, fatiguing to listen to. Bonus points for being a short ass album though.
Cowboy Junkies
5/5
God, this album felt timeless. Truly, if you asked me to guess what decade this album came from, I wouldn’t be able to.
Simple lyrics sung by a beautiful voice , with comforting music to accompany it.
I listened to it twice, and will likely listen to it again.
The Pogues
3/5
This album was NOT what I was expecting. This sum campy sea shanty Irish jig typa shit.
It was a really fun listen, but probably not something I’d return to often (if ever).
Jacques Brel
2/5
This album was unique — I’m grateful for the experience of listening to it, but it wasn’t for me.
I heard the horns at the beginning of the very first song and got stoked for a big band album. But it was not big band at all. It was mostly a Frenchman singing so fast and garbling his words together. And don’t @ me, but French is an ugly language.
Fela Kuti
3/5
I had listened to this album previously on my other project, and given it 2 stars for being too long (and less compelling than the other albums of a similar genre I had listened to that week).
But this album is really listenable. Some parts, I’ll admit, do sound like my high school marching band. But the funky African beats made for a fun, easy listen.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I LOVE Credence Clearwater Revival. I listened to this album like 3 times through today.
As will Arrival, I cried to it as I drove down the 5. 🥰
It’s not quite a 5-star album to me, but it’s a classic. Tons of nostalgia.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Bro finally. This is my genre. I would have ate this shit up in high school.
I can’t believe I had never heard of this band before, so I did a bunch of research. Fascinating.
I wanted to listen to some music from when Richey Edwards was still in the band, and let me tell you, it’s way better than this one.
Luckily, it’s on the list. 😉
TV On The Radio
2/5
I didn’t like this. I find that I judge albums with a lot more scrutiny when they are from a genre/time period I’m more familiar with. And 2010s alt holds a very special place in my heart. I’m not sure how or why this album is chosen to represent that time and genre.
This album also confuses me, because the first half is full of shrill, screechy sounds. And then the second half of the album sounds completely different (and much more listenable).
David Bowie
4/5
Really fun album, but too instrumental for my taste.
Johnny Cash
1/5
I hate Johnny Cash.
I didn’t like the way this sounded at all. Every song sounded like Cash was singing with cotton mouth through a set of dentures.
The only redeeming thing about this album is the lyrics, and even then, these songs were mostly covers.
David Bowie
5/5
I’m about 40 albums into this journey, and so far, I’ve gotten THREE Bowie albums. That said, this has been my favorite one so far. Hell, I’d give it 5 stars just for “Changes.” That song holds a special place in my heart.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
This is objectively bad music. But it takes itself so unseriously, and I kind of find it intriguing. It’s so bad it makes me want to keep listening.
Donovan
4/5
I don’t totally love the sitar sounds on this album, but the middle 3 songs (Bert’s Blues through The Trip) are soooo good.
Pentangle
3/5
This album was not what I expected from the name of the band and the album art lol.
It wasn’t a terrible listen. But some of the singing is kinda… bad.
Sally Go Round the Roses was by far the best song on the album, but by the third listen, I was kinda tired of it.
Neil Young
3/5
I didn’t listen to this in an optimal environment — I started falling asleep during the back half of it.
The Police
5/5
This was such a fun listen. The middle chunk of the album (Mother through King of Pain) was just 80s alt-pop perfection.
I see a lot of reviews complaining about Mother, but I enjoyed the different sound.
Also King of Pain scratched an itch in my brain I didn’t even know I had. It’s an ear worm that will be on repeat for me for a little while.
Beck
1/5
Okay, I’m biased because I’ve never liked Beck. I saw him live in 2016, and his stage presence was as painful as his music.
At least now I can say I gave him another try, and my opinion still holds.
For me, this album was as objectively terrible as Trout Mask Replica. The difference is, Beck takes himself waaayyyy to seriously about it.
Kraftwerk
2/5
This album opens and closes SO STRONG. I love Europe Endless.
But damn, this album really suffers from how long and repetitive the songs are. Especially the 3 that follow Europe Endless. And since I’m rating the album as whole, it’s unfortunately, a 2 from me.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
I listened to this album 3 times, and I can’t figure out what to rate it, so I guess it’s getting a 3. I knew a lot of songs on this album! And I do tend to have some bias in favor of albums I’m more familiar with. But all in all, this album was too long and not cohesive. The songs didn’t sound like they all belonged on the same album.
Common
4/5
This was a great listen. I did have a breakdown while driving and listening to this one, so you know it’s good.
I’m really shocked I had never heard of this person before. (Both because of his work and also who he’s dated. 🤪) “Be” sounds like the kind of album my Dad would have played for me as a kid.
Great rhythm and flow, great lyrics. A little bit of Christian undertones?
Massive Attack
3/5
My first listen of this album had be like, “boo, dogshit, 1 star.” But then I listened to it the next day, and I was like, “what crack was I smoking yesterday?? Is this even the same album.”
The music is very groovy and listenable. Some of the vocal performances (particularly the female performances) are not my favorite. But it’s certainly not a bad album.
Love
3/5
The first song on this album had me stoked. The intro acoustic guitar was soooo lovely. But the rest of the album kind of fell flat. It didn’t leave a very big impression on me — it kinda sounded like generic 60s pop. I got some hints of The Monkees, but… not as good.
The Residents
4/5
This shit is fucking awesome. Don’t get me wrong, it’s objectively bad music. But it’s SO interesting. It reminded me of the music that would play during a creepy Disneyland ride, and the theme song of American Horror Story. I wanted to keep listening to hear how the album progressed.
If I’m being honest, this is not a good album to work to. I was working on a stressful task during the last 3 songs, and I started to have an anxiety attack.
All that said, super fun listen. Birthday Boy - Version 1 shall be my birthday anthem henceforth.
Goldfrapp
3/5
The album art really threw me with this album. 😅 I was expecting more indie, less synth. It was a weird blend of genres.
It was a nice listen, though, I didn’t love the production. The parts where the singing sounded the best, the synth drowned her out. I also didn’t love that you could hear the mouth noises and static from the vocal recording.
I dug a bit deeper into this band because I was curious, and damn, Supernature is so good. They do electronic dance right. This was a bit more of a miss.
Van Halen
4/5
I keep getting surprised by how repetitive and pop-y 80s rock music is. Even still, I can’t say I don’t like it.
Hot For Teacher will always be a bop.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
I’ve put myself in a bit of a pickle here… because now every time I want to give an album lower than a 4, I have to ask myself, “Is this worse than Duck Stab?” Of course it’s not.
This is a nice listen — some fun yacht rock.
But it’s a bit boring. It reminds me a lot of Paul Simon’s solo work. But of course, he does it better.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Ever since I started taking antidepressants, I live for pop music. This is quintessential Taylor Swift pop. And god, I love a good breakup song.
As someone who was a young teen when this album came out, some of the songs feel stale/overplayed. But I can’t deny how fun of a listen this is.
Green Day
5/5
I probably like Green Day more than any other band on this entire list, so prepare for a biased take:
This album is so fun. So good. The baselines are iconic and instantly recognizable (She, Longview). It has some of the best opening lyrics (Basket Case).
This album is a mainstay in my angsty ass life.
The Pogues
2/5
I don’t know why on Earth The Pogues were included on this list more than once. It’s fine enough music, but it loses its unique charm after the second album. Unfortunately this one didn’t do it for me.
Norah Jones
3/5
I didn’t love this. And I was trying to figure out why it didn’t strike me as much as Cowboy Junkies — theoretically they have a similar vibe?
But Norah Jones’ voice just doesn’t sound as timelessly beautiful to me. It’s almost as if she’s singing in cursive haha.
Iron Maiden
4/5
A good 80s rock album, but there’s nothing exceptionally unique about this.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
The front half of this album was a 5. The back half of this album gets a 1.
Cyndi has a unique voice, and when it works it works. And when it doesn’t she sounds like a fucking giggle stick. Or a groan tube. Whatever it’s called.
Also minus points because the transition in He’s So Unusual almost made me crash my car.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I’m looking forward to more Bob Dylan on this list. This one was just okay. The harmonica was quite shrill all over this album, making for an unnecessarily difficult listen.
Beatles
3/5
This was a nice listen. But I can’t give an album with this many covers a very high score. Especially when the black artists they’re ripping off do it better.
Linkin Park
5/5
This probably comes as no surprise, but I’m a fan. I appreciate the blend of the harder rock, more pop-rock, and sometimes hip-hop.
It’s a little more overtly angsty than the stuff I listened to in my angsty teen phase, but it still has a special place in my heart.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
I didn’t even know this Stevie Wonder album, but it was great! His voice is amazing. I love the variety of genre he is able to present while still sounding like a cohesive album.
Morrissey
4/5
I’ve always shit on Morrissey for the same reasons I shit on Beck, but this was enjoyable… definitely in my wheelhouse of genres I gravitate toward.
Wild Beasts
4/5
A nice, listenable alt-pop album. It reminds me of Glass Animals a bit. I’ll probably return to this one.
Beatles
3/5
Another Beatles album that I’m just not too crazy about. The songs all kind of blend together. It was enjoyable enough, but I probably won’t return to anything other than the hits. And I am the kind of goober that likes Yellow Submarine.
Kanye West
5/5
If we’re separating the art from the artist, this feels like an easy 5 stars. It’s definitely long, but it doesn’t feel long.
This has always been my favorite Kanye album, but it also is the one I have spent the most time with. I anticipate seeing some of his earlier work on this list, so we’ll see if this remains the favorite.
Dr. Dre
1/5
I feel like this is gonna be a hot take, but the production was actually my least favorite part of the album. I didn’t mind the misogyny and dick jokes.
But the shrill synth all over this album? Absolutely unlistenable: ear blood.
And the jingle bells/tambourine that starts at the top of 4 and doesn’t end until the end of track 5 was so painful. My ears heaved a sigh of relief when it ended.
Holger Czukay
2/5
The first song was fun and interesting, but then I got bored fast. This album somehow made 39 minutes feel never-ending.
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
Lmao the bongos were absolutely the worst part of this album. They reminded me of my high school’s drum line.
The horns were nice and interesting enough, but I am a lyric girly through and through.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
I really expected this to be a bunch of floaty yacht rock songs. Don’t get me wrong, I love yacht rock. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much electric guitar the songs have. It was a good listen that left a really good first impression.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I liked this album well enough. I’m a huge fan of Licensed to Ill and Paul’s Boutique, so I was disappointed by the lack of rap on this album.
I had to keep checking to see if Spotify accidentally started playing something else — I was so confused.
Ray Charles
2/5
The big band was fun, and Ray Charles has a great voice. But this album feels very dated. I really disliked the Disney-sounding female harmonies that backed a lot of the songs.
Digital Underground
5/5
This album was super fun. Full of funny bits and didn’t take itself too seriously.
It was made even better by the clean vocals any groovy beats backing every song. I definitely plan to revisit this album.
Beatles
3/5
This almost for a 4 out of me for being the best Beatles album I’ve heard from this list so far. But I’m docking a point for that creepy ass “Little Girl” song.
Deep Purple
4/5
I usually dislike live albums, but this was fantastic. Some good, pure, rock and roll.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
This was nice enough. It is not as good as some of the other jazz I’ve heard so far from this list, so it’s just a 3 for me.
King Crimson
2/5
This album took me a long time to get through. The first song absolutely goes, but everything after that is a painful, twinkly, snoozefest.
Bert Jansch
4/5
The best of the “just a guy and his guitar” albums so far.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Disappointing. The music was good, but there was too much talking.
No, I don’t want to listen to an English guy talk over “Sweet Home Alabama” for 6 minutes.
Moby Grape
4/5
This was a great listen! I can’t believe these guys only have 67K monthly listeners on Spotify.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Dang, these 4 men are all over this list. But I can’t complain! This was a wonderful listen and I appreciate the different sounds each member brings to the group.
Daft Punk
2/5
I wanted to like this album so bad. “Around the World” is such a fun song. An hour-fifteen is just mind-numbingly long for how little diversity in sound this album provides.
The Streets
3/5
13-15 year old me would have ate this shit up. But now, I recognize how whack the flow is. Still, there were one or two songs on this album I could see myself returning to (Fit but you Know It and Dry Your Eyes).
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
When I first listened to this album, I was kinda meh on it. But man did it grow on me. This is the kinda guy-with-his-guitar shit I like. I was boppin around my kitchen doing chores to this shit at like 10pm last night. 🔥
XTC
3/5
Pretty good stuff! There’s definitely a song or two in here I could see myself returning to. (That’s Really Super, Supergirl and Dear God)
It’s a bit too 80s British cheese for me in some places.
Pixies
5/5
Fuck yes. Where has this been all my life? Awesome sauce front-to-back.
The Who
3/5
All of The Who’s music tends to blend together for me.
It’s easy listening though!
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I can see what this is trying to do, but I feel like it’s trying too hard. Robert Wyatt’s voice sounds very old, which is not appealing. I also feel like the album is not cohesive in terms of sound.
Nirvana
3/5
I’m a fan of most of the songs on here, but not a fan of the live feel.
Soul II Soul
3/5
This is enjoyable, but not my genre of choice. As a result, it didn’t leave much of an impression on me.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Uhm, any album that has an entire Glee episode dedicated to it is an immediate 5.
On a serious note, this album is timeless, easy listening. So excited to have this as my Friday album and listen to it all weekend long.
OutKast
4/5
Super fun listen. My only complaint is that the album is heavily front loaded. The back-half isn’t quite as good.
The Verve
4/5
This is the kinda stuff I like, so it was an easy listen and an easy 4. I’m surprised to see this has such low reviews tbh.
Laibach
3/5
This shit sounds like I’m watching a WWII Disney cartoon and I’m here for it. Very refreshing.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Learning how close to Cohen’s death this album was released certainly makes the lyrics more haunting. But it’s not any easier to listen to.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
A no-skip double album is quite the feat. I was raised with many of these songs and will return to many of these songs again.
Radiohead
3/5
Radiohead feels like a “if you get it you get it and if you don’t you don’t” band.
And I don’t get it.
Talking Heads
4/5
I was on the fence about giving this album a 5. So with my hesitation, I’ll give it a 4.
It was super enjoyable though. I’m definitely taking a few songs away from it.
Of course, this was my genre of choice before starting this project.
Ramones
3/5
When I first saw that this was my album-of-the-day, I thought, “easy 5-stars.”
But after listening closely, I’m surprisingly meh on it. It’s a fun listen, no doubt, but all the songs sound exactly the same. The lyrics are super repetitive (when you can even understand them).
Plus I’m docking a point for the song about dating a little girl.
Joan Baez
5/5
A beautiful voice singing simple, delightful songs.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
A nice listen. This is definitely the oldest one so far (and obviously so).
It was exactly what I needed today, too (I was too stressed for lyrics).
The big-band really lifted my spirits. :)
Black Sabbath
2/5
Tbh if you played me Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Iron Maiden, I wouldn’t be able to tell you which was which.
Unless you played me the song Changes off of this album. Then I was grimace and turn it off.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
This album was just okay. It really feels like they’re trying too hard.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
This was a nice album. I really enjoyed the music itself. Veloso’s voice was kind of grating on the tracks with a lower register.
Public Enemy
5/5
So fucking good. Awesome beats and political commentary.
Tears For Fears
3/5
Idk man. Head Over Heels absolutely fucking goes. After rediscovering it, I’m not surprised if it ends up one of my most played songs of the year. But overall I think this album is rated too highly. I think a lot of the people on this website are rating from a place of nostalgia (of which I am sometimes guilty).
The songs are way too long and incredibly repetitive. The music is generally great — very of-the-time. But the vocalists sound like they could be Muppets.
Pixies
3/5
This one didn’t strike me nearly as much as the other Pixies album I just had (Doolittle). In fact, I think having that one so recently made this one fall a little flatter.
Korn
3/5
I really feel like this album/Korn is over-hated. Yes, the gra-a-a-a and the growling was cringey, but the music itself wasn’t the painful noise I was expecting. This was an interesting and unique listen — something I appreciate from this project, even if I won’t return to the album anytime soon.
Deerhunter
3/5
The first song of this album SUCKS hahaha. I actually listened to it 5 days ago, and immediately turned it off because I wasn’t in the mood for such a snooze of an album.
As such, the middle chunk of this album really surprised me. It was pure indie goodness. I’m really surprised I hadn’t heard some of the middle tracks before, but then again, it came out a few years before my time.
If I were just rating the middle portion, this would be a 4.5 album — pushing 5 even:
But the end is as much for a drag as the beginning, and for that reason, it’s just a 3.
The Stooges
2/5
I listened to this 3 times (the Iggy mix once and the Bowie mix twice — and I still can’t discern a difference between the two).
To be quite honest, I liked it less and less with every listen. This take feels hypocritical having just given Korn a 3, but the grunting and groaning all over this album was kinda… cringe.
That said, I can hear how this album influenced the grunge music of the decade that followed, so, 2 stars.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
LOL I hella has Rage Against the Machine and 30 Seconds to Mars confused in my head for some reason (blasphemous, I know).
This kicked ass. What an album to listen to as I drove to work on Monday morning.
My angsty ass will be returning to this for sure.
Iggy Pop
5/5
This was a pleasant surprise — it has all the sounds of modern alt+pop+rock that I love. Surely Iggy Pop paved the way for much of the music I consume on a regular basis.
Much of this album reminded me of Franz Ferdinand.
Also, Iggy Pop’s vocal intonations reminded me of Tim Curry’s singing in Rocky Horror Picture Show. A weird comparison maybe, but I can’t unhear it.
Regardless, I see myself returning to the first 6 tracks of the album. The whole first 2/3!
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Yes the album is long, but it’s incredibly listenable. In fact, I split up my listening over 2 days. The day after I got this album, I had to listen to Leonard Cohen. Returning to this was a breath of fresh air.
That said, a lot of the songs have similar sounds and themes. There is certainly room to filter some songs out here.
Additionally, I’m docking a point for the song about being a little girl looking for her little boy. Yuck. Why do 50s and 60s albums seem to love the little boy/little girl lyric??
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Fucking bad. I see many reviews praising the lyricism, but I don’t get it. A lot of the lyrics are creepy. I don’t want to hear an old man growling lustfully about naked women over shitty 80s synth.
The silver lining is: I’m only 6 months in, and I’ve already suffered through 3/4 Leonard Cohen albums on this list. I got them out of the way.
William Orbit
2/5
This sum FitnessGram PACER test type music. It was nice enough to listen to while I worked. That said, if I listened to this while I was driving, I’d fall asleep at the wheel.
MGMT
4/5
The 3 hits from this album (Time to Pretend, Electric Feel, and Kids) absolutely eclipse the other songs. But I have to admit, the hits all bang (and hold up). And the other tracks aren’t bad.
All in all, this is a fantastic representation of 2000s alt.
Jethro Tull
4/5
I genuinely procrastinated listening to this album because I was not prepared to slog through the heavy metal I was expecting (based on the looks of the album art and the band name).
I was really, really pleasantly surprised! I even considered giving it a 5, but I don’t think I LOVE it so much as my really, really low expectations were exceeded.
I also appreciate the diversity of sound throughout this album, while still sounding like a cohesive collection of songs.
And God damn I fuckin love a pan flute.
Heaven 17
3/5
I really dug some of the songs on this album — particularly the songs that seem to have been released as singles (Fascist Groove Thang, I’m Your Money, Let’s All Make a Bomb) so the band chose right.
I will definitely be returning to some songs on this album (Fascist Groove Thang has already been on some of my playlists), but there are plenty of songs here I could do without.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
After the first song I RAN to the reviews because wow. Ow my ears.
I stuck it out, and there are some songs here that sound like actual music. But this album mostly just makes me feel like I have tinnitus.
The Pretty Things
3/5
This album didn’t leave a huge impression on me. I was really into it after the first few songs, but as the album went on, it became more psychedelic, and I got bored.
That said, I do appreciate the wide variety of sounds and genres encompassed in this one album. It’s as if all the different eras of The Beatles got condensed into one project.
Black Sabbath
3/5
This is… fine. Idk I really don’t have an ear for discerning between good and bad metal. It’s all just… fine.
Muddy Waters
3/5
I appreciate the blues representation! This was a quick, easy listen, but you could have given me any blues album and I wouldn’t know the difference.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
I really want to like this because, as with Radiohead, it feels “cool” to like this. But I’d be lying to myself if I rated it any higher. Truth be told, I just prefer my music to have more structure. I’m big on drums, baselines, and lyrics, of which this album has none.
Elastica
5/5
Now this is some good shit. I love the female representation in this genre. The baselines all over this album are sick as hell. I will be returning to this album — this is one of my favorite discoveries of this project so far.
Syd Barrett
4/5
This reminds me of when I was 9, and I would sit at my parents’ computer playing Webkinz, just singing any lyrics that rhymed. For hours.
Syd Barett really captures that childlike whimsy here, and I’m super into it. The music was great too — a very fun, very easy listen.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Makes me want to go to a sock hop real bad. I loved the energy of this album. I’m sad to hear Jerry Lee Lewis is so poorly regarded.
Willie Nelson
5/5
Now THIS is how you do harmonica. This was such an enjoyable listen. Normally I’d dock for it being a cover album, but Idc I’ve never heard the originals.
Orbital
3/5
This music would be fun to do drugs and dance to at a strobing night club.
Unfortunately, I listened to this in the morning at my well-lit desk job.
I actually had to split my listening up into two days, because I was super stressed out yesterday, and this album was giving my anxiety.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
I didn’t hate this. It was surprisingly far less scream-y (and therefore, far more listenable) than I expected.
You can’t deny, “I wasn’t born with enough middle fingers” is a bar.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
Every song on this album sounded like the music that would accompany a spooky Mario level.
Van Halen
4/5
Van Halen continues to be my favorite of the late-70s/early 80s rock bands, and this album is no exception.
Jefferson Airplane
5/5
I got some Monkees and some Fleetwood Mac vibes from this band that I had never heard of before, but will definitely be returning to. I really enjoyed it! It holds up super well.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
It was interesting to hear how much Western rock influence this album seems to have. This album put me in a good mood! That said, it felt long. I’m a big lyric lover, so any album where I can’t hear or understand the lyrics is hard to listen to for more than 30 minutes.
Britney Spears
3/5
I LOVE pop music, I love Britney, and …Baby One More Time is an absolute smash of a debut single.
But, this album is dated as hell. The music on it sounds like it came out in the early 90s. I was surprised to see it was 99.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
I made the unfortunate choice of listening to this album for the first time while stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic and Sex Machine gave me an anxiety attack lmao.
So I gave it a week and listened again, and boy am I glad I did. If I’m learning anything about myself through this project, it’s that I LOVE funk music.
Radiohead
4/5
Guys I think I’m starting to get it. Up-tempo Radiohead is much better than whiney ballad Radiohead.
This is definitely my best experience with them so far. Or… maybe I’m just in a good mood today.
Adele
3/5
This album came out during my junior year of high school (probably the worst year of my entire life) so returning to it is interesting. I’m not old enough to be able to associate most of the other albums on this list with a specific time in my life.
I was surprised how “meh” this album is. Adele is an incredible vocalist, but much of the music on this album sounds like royalty free travel vlogger music. I feel like 21 is a much better Adele album, so if this is her only entry on the list, I’m surprised this is the one they went with.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
I don’t typically go for lyric-less music.
This is a really nice, tight representation of jazz music though! I see myself returning to it.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Really awesome album. One of those albums where I come home from work and tell my bf I’m in a good mood because of the album I was listening to today.
The call and response moments made me feel like I was at a party.
Incubus
4/5
The first half of this album really all blurs together. I was going to give it a 3, but the back half really picks it up! Everything starting with Make Yourself bangs.
Fugees
5/5
Easy 5 here. Great music, great lyricism and storytelling, great vocals.
It was fun to hear so many familiar sounds as well — both from the songs this album is sampling and the songs that sample this album.
Depeche Mode
3/5
This is a fantastic representation of 80s synth pop. I just don’t really love 80s synth pop.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
The songwriting is great, but something about Suzanne’s voice + the base guitar gets old after a few songs.
Which is I know is rich coming from a Taylor Swift enjoyer.
Eminem
3/5
I really want to rate this higher. I totally get that the shock factor and offensive nature of Eminem is the point. But having this album generated the WEEK after I first listened to The Death of Slim Shady makes it feel… stale. This album was impressive, and raw, and unique when it came out, sure. But he’s still milking the same schtick damn near a quarter-century later.
Plus, the dick sucking noises were super jarring to listen to at my 9-5 desk job.
AC/DC
4/5
I love so many of the songs on this album that I can’t not rate it highly. But I’ve never listened to AC/DC for 42 minutes straight before, and I gotta say, it came with some ear fatigue.
This project has been teaching me this. I used to think I was the kind of person who could listen to music 24/7, but albums like this make me need an ear break haha.
The Mamas & The Papas
5/5
I made the mistake of reading the reviews (after listening to but before rating this album). But I’m not gonna let it drag my score down — this was a delightful listening experience. It has that late 60s/early 70s pop charm that ages well. And the layered vocals to boot.
I also love when an album from half a century ago has lyrics that are still relatable today.
Prince
5/5
Sex and camp. My favorite combination.
Carpenters
4/5
I’m surprised to see how divisive this album is. It is completely inoffensive and easy listening.
That said, it feels very similar in genre and sound to The Mamas and The Papas album I just had, and by comparison, that one id better.
Teenage Fanclub
5/5
This was right in my wheelhouse and seems very ahead of its time for 1991. I will happily return to this one.
The Doors
2/5
Honestly, the lyrics were dull and repetitive and the vocal performance was not fun to listen to. The music was fine.
3/5
My teenage ass had Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova on LOOP. And while I’ll probably continue listening to those songs for the rest of my life, they have a cheeseball factor about them now. The rest of the album is just okay. Sometimes I love a whiney song, but a whole album gets exhausting.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
The first few songs were all the same and not really my vibe, so I got a bit nervous. The later parts of this album have a nice variety of sound. I’m glad I stuck it out.
Ash
3/5
This album was fine, but all the songs sounded the same and blended together. It just isn’t interesting enough to return to.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Whoever wrote this list has a throbbing boner for Neil Young. His music is nice. It’s easy to listen to. But I don’t feel like I need to listen to ever second of recorded music he ever put out before I die.
The Black Keys
4/5
I appreciate reading the criticism of this album, because my own judgment is a bit clouded by the influence it had on my adolescence. It’s still good music, but I agree that the album could do with a few less songs. It particularly drags in the middle around “The Only One” and “Too Afraid to Love You.”
Paul Simon
3/5
I’m lagging really hard on rating this album. I keep listening to it hoping it’s gonna get better. It’s certainly good. It’s just not hitting for some reason. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard has always been a favorite of mine though.
Joan Armatrading
2/5
The music is fine, but her voice really isn’t my cup of tea. Her low register sounds like Hootie and the Blowfish… and her falsetto is kind of screechy. :(
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I know it’s a double album, but it kind of drags in the middle. It starts and finishes strong as hell though. Great music to play while working or doing chores — really pumps me up.
I’ll admit, I haven’t listened to as much Led Zeppelin as I’d like to. It all sounds the same to me right now. Looking forward to more!
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Lauryn Hill has a lovely voice, but the amount of vocal riffs she packs into a single song is exhausting.
I much prefer her rap songs, and as such, could do without the back half of this album.
Barry Adamson
1/5
This is not music, it’s just noise. 😭
Carole King
5/5
This rating might be inflated by my nostalgia, but fuck it. Tens across the board. I was so excited to see this pop up as my Friday listen.
Parliament
4/5
Funk has quickly become one of my favorite genres via this project. This album is no exception. It predates most of the funk albums I’ve listened to so far this year, and I can hear its influence.
Ozomatli
4/5
After the first song of this album, I was ready to turn it off. But I’m glad I stuck it out! It was so fun and refreshing to have an album with such diversity of sound!
While the lyrics may be repetitive, and not particularly moving, this was a fun 51 minutes. I’d listen again.
Hookworms
2/5
Albums like this, with techno-beats that sound almost like a hum behind the entire length of the song, are incredibly fatiguing. I kind of hated this, but I also made it all the way through.
Deep Purple
5/5
Okay I thought I needed a really long break from 70s rock, but this album was surprisingly awesome. It has some real stank on it compared to some of the more formulaic rock I’ve heard lately. And the baseline fucking goes.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
The backup singers sound like Mickey Mouse and the lead singer (I’m assuming Buddy Holly) squeaks like Goofy.
Neil Young
3/5
Lmao I don’t understand why Neil Young deserves every second of music he’s ever put out on this list. I continue to stand by the fact that he’s fine, but genuinely all of his music sounds the same to me. And his voice gets real old after a while.
D'Angelo
4/5
I see a lot of reviews saying this album suffers from being downtempo and repetitive. While both of those things are true, I don’t think they make the album boring. This shit is some groovy-ass fucking music. That said, I do think this album would benefit from being ~2 songs shorter. I’d personally shed When We Get By.
The Temptations
5/5
Loved this. I’ve been hitting a wall lately — not wanting to keep up with this.
But this album basically reinvigorated me haha.
Tom Waits
4/5
From a technical perspective, Tom Waits is not good. He sounds like a bumbling drunk. But from an entertainment perspective? This is excellent.
The music was outstanding. The comedic timing was brilliant. I really felt like I was in a boozy jazz club in 1970s LA.
Queen
3/5
This is fine. I love Queen’s hits as much as anyone else, but this album kind of dragged for me. I feel like Queen shines with its structured pop hits. Whereas all the songs in this album kind of glob together.
The Kinks
4/5
The lyrics are pretty stupid, but I love it haha. The music is awesome. Super listenable. I was surprised to hear some recognizable melodies in here! Some of my favorite artists seem to have borrowed from The Kinks!
Napalm Death
2/5
I get why people like this kind of music, though clearly I am in the majority when I say I don’t. The singer sounds like he’s throwing up into microphone! Shoutout to the quick runtime though. It was an easy listen — didn’t even feel like 30 minutes.
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
Wow, I don’t speak French, but this album sure sounds horny! *reads other reviews* oh…
Wow En Melody might be the best song on this album! *gets to 1:30 mark*
OH…
The music on this is genuinely great. It creates an atmosphere of great storytelling. Unfortunately, I have a bit of misophonia, and the Gainsbourg’s cotton mouth made this an insufferable listen.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
This was such a pleasant surprise! I actually put this album off by a few days, because I wasn’t in the mood for rock the day this album was generated. But it was right in my genre wheelhouse! Reminds me of Counting Crowe but a little less pop-y.
Ray Charles
5/5
I tend to dislike 50s music because of how dated it sounds. This album, however, felt timeless. Not sure if it’s been remastered, but the audio was incredibly crisp. I love it.
Johnny Cash
5/5
I’ve genuinely lived my whole life thinking I hate Johnny Cash — I’ve only heard American IV so far.
Boy was I wrong. This album is incredibly badass. The fact that it’s a live album allows the listener to get a sense of Cash’s sense of humor as well as his stage presence, and I ate it up.
Dire Straits
2/5
The music of the first few songs was good - great even. The lyrics were generally uninteresting (or offensive), and I didn’t really enjoy the lead vocalist’s voice.
Luckily, the back half of the album is more instrumental heavy! But it is kind of a downtempo slog. I was glad when it was over.
The xx
2/5
This album fell way down in my backlog. I started it probably half-a-dozen times, but could never get past song 4 or 5. It was just so uninteresting. Almost unpleasant even. So I started the album from track 6 today and forced myself to get through it.
Usually I’m able to see why an album was included on this list, but I don’t get this one.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
The music was nice, and Frank Sinatra has a lovely voice, but damn this album is a drag. All these songs about unrequited love and sadness and pining after uninterested women.
Was Sinatra the original “nice guy”?
Stevie Wonder
5/5
One thing about me is Imma give a Stevie Wonder album a 5. And this one is my person favorite. Delightful and groovy from front to back.
Kate Bush
3/5
I genuinely do not understand why all the top commenters are stroking their dicks to this album. It’s fine. It is certainly experimental and progressive for 80s pop, but it doesn’t have enough structure for me to find it interesting. And I don’t personally love Bush’s voice all that much.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
I listened to this a handful of times, just hoping something would jump out at me worthy of a better rating. Alas, this album was tough to get through every time.
Paul Simon
5/5
I can’t not give this album a 5. I may be clouded by nostalgia, but it makes me so happy. In fact, I was listening to it, and I was like “how can anyone hate this?” Then I read the other reviews lmaooo.
Fats Domino
4/5
Nice, classic, delightful. A short listen, but I was sad when it was over! I let Spotify keep playing Fats for a while after.
David Bowie
3/5
Apparently I know very little about David Bowie because I expected this to be a pop vocal album. And I’m disappointed that it’s not. The back half of this album is way too artsy and ethereal for me. Nice enough to listen to, but not to return to.
Adele
4/5
I was surprised to learn that I much prefer the ballads to the songs that were pop hits! Some of the pop mixing already sounds dated, and it’s only a decade old. But you can’t deny, Adele has some pipes.
Miles Davis
3/5
I’m not mentally well rn, so I was excited to have some nice lyric-less jazz to buckle down to. Unfortunately the horns were a bit shrill for me. I feel bad because this is definitely the result of my mental state, but it’s just a 3 for me.
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
This was a really awesome album to have on as background noise while I worked. Super groovy. But I also know this is a live album. Seriously, how did people sit through the 25 minute jam sesh that closes the album without drugs?
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
I know why this album is on the list, but frankly, I can’t even imagine a time when this was considered impressive lyricism. The lyrics sound like playground rhymes we used to sing in elementary school. “Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider” type rhymes. Sorry Dad…
Bob Dylan
4/5
This album was about 3 songs too long. Bob Dylan’s nasally voice is only tolerable for about 30 consecutive minutes. That said, from Subterranean Homesick Blues through On the Road Again, I was ready to give this album a 5. In smaller doses, it really is an incredible listen.
The Doors
4/5
I was pleasantly surprised by this album! I didn’t really enjoy the previous The Doors album I generated, because I didn’t like Jim Morrison’s voice. But his sporadic vocals mixed with the good ol’ rock n roll really sound good here.
Animal Collective
2/5
This band has less than half a million monthly listeners on Spotify right now, and I can kind of understand why.
I can hear how some of the later alt pop artists I enjoy borrowed from these guys, but the wall of sound Animal Collective creates isn’t very pleasant. I wish I could give 2.5, but alas, I’ll be rounding down.
DJ Shadow
3/5
Some Fitnessgram pacer test type shit. Was nice to work to. I may return to it for that reason. I probably won’t relisten otherwise.
Big Star
2/5
My reaction to this album might be negative because of other things going on in my life, bur this guy’s voice really grinds my gears.
Sister Sledge
5/5
Awesome, upbeat, danceable. Just what I needed. I’ll definitely return to this album.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
This was a tough one for me to get through. Took me almost a week. Everything about it is fine. I’m a big lyric person though, and I can’t understand 90% of the shit Billy Corgan is saying. I’ve heard 1979 a dillion times, and I only just not realized that I don’t know the damn words.
Machito
3/5
This was really fun to listen to for a few songs. After the 4th or so song, the horns started to sound really shrill. Then again, I have a migraine lol.
The White Stripes
4/5
I really enjoyed this one! I was pleasantly surprised because I saw The Raconteurs live a few years ago, and they weren’t my cup of tea.
I appreciated the diversity (and sometimes weirdness) of sound on this album.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
The good songs (especially the hits) bang. Heresy is definitely getting added to my playlist. I am also a firm believer that the Nine Inch Nails version of Hurt is superior. But some of the more garbled songs dragged, so I can’t give this album a 5.
Björk
5/5
This is my first exposure to Björk! Omg! I am so pleasantly surprised. Her voice is gorgeous. Add that to the ethereal/electronic dance music throughout the album and I’ll be playing it on repeat.
Funkadelic
4/5
The first track is a little too heavy on the psychedelic, but the rest of the album really brings the funk. I’m a fan. And with a name like Maggot Brain, I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this album before.
Little Richard
3/5
This was a fun listen — very representative of its decade. But I can’t help but feel like I listened to the same song a dozen times with a different generic woman’s name plugged into the chorus.
WooOooOooOoo!
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
The guitar on this album has some stank. The harmonica too. Some of the vocals feel weak comparatively, but all in all this was a good listen.
SAULT
4/5
The takes on this album that top the global reviews list right now are hot…
From a music-enjoyer’s perspective, I really enjoyed this album. It was easy listening and full of diverse sounds and voices.
From a political perspective, I’m grateful I heard this album. I couldn’t find anything online about how quickly it was put together, but I’m curious about when production started.
Radiohead
2/5
I want so desperately to be like the cool hipster kids who like this stuff. But at the end of the day, it just sounds like a British man moaning over a synth track that has no melody (to me).
Miles Davis
3/5
I really feel under-qualified to rate this genre of music. It’s nice, but I don’t appreciate the artistry of it enough. For that reason, I gave to give it 3 stars.
Coldplay
4/5
Maybe Coldplay isn’t so bad after all…
Fela Kuti
4/5
Super vibey. A great backdrop to whatever I’m doing. Except maybe driving. I like to sing in the car.
The Auteurs
3/5
I liked this well enough! It was a fun, spooky Halloween album. Didn’t leave much of an impression though — I probably won’t return to it.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I really hated Red Rain, so my expectations were low. But damn does the back half of this album deliver some classic 80s goodness. The run from Big Time to In Your Eyes is easily 5 stars. The album as a whole, I’ll have to round down to a 4.
The Clash
3/5
This is The Ramones but more poppy and listenable.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
The first 3 songs alone had me ready to give this album a 5. Finally, a moody male vocalist with a smooth, listenable voice!
*cough* Leonard Cohen *cough*
I will admit, he lost me a bit between the slightly pervy Black Hair and Green Eyes. What even is a “twinkling cunt”? Ehh, I guess I’ll excuse it since he’s Australian.
Wilco
2/5
The first song is practically unlistenable, which is a bad way to start an album. If you keep listening it gets better. But it’s trying to be too artsy with all the random noise cluttering the background.
Garbage
4/5
Sounds like a grungier Björk. I dig it.
David Bowie
3/5
A nice listen, but felt more like a movie soundtrack than a David Bowie album.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I’m really surprised I didn’t know anything from this album. This kind of alt is right in my genre wheelhouse. But because of my familiarity with the genre, I’m also more scrutinous. I thought this album was just okay. There were a handful of pretty good songs! I just really hated the vocal mixing. The female voice, especially, sounded really garbled.
Os Mutantes
5/5
This is so quirky and I’m super obsessed with it. Every song brought something delightfully new and interesting. I’m interested to see how much relisten value it maintains. For now though, it’s definitely a 5.
Dirty Projectors
1/5
Honestly ear blood. Any time I wake up to see an album from the 2000s that I’ve never heard of before, my expectations are incredibly low. This managed to fall short of even those. Artsy bullshit.
N.W.A.
5/5
The flow on this album is so sick, and the angst is so palpable, that I honestly see right past the misogyny.
I really enjoyed this. I wish more artists still rapped at the top of their lungs like this.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
*Wait*
They don’t love you like I love you.
God that hook has been stuck in my head for weeks.
That said, the front half of this album is a liiiitle moan-y. It generally fits the genre and doesn’t take me out of it too much, though. I love some female-forward alt rock.
4/5
This album is super groovy. I really enjoyed it. I delayed listening to it, and I really shouldn’t have!
My favorite song was City, Country, City.
John Grant
5/5
I loved this. It feels like 60s and 70s folk pop made modern — even got some musical theater vibes in some parts.
Whatever it is, John Grant’s voice is gorgeously listenable.
This is one of the rare times in this project where the entire album of an artist I’ve never heard before gets added to my circulation.
Gene Clark
4/5
I’m gonna be honest, I’m a sucker for this genre. Some good ol’ 70s American folk pop. Might even classify this as yacht rock today.
That said, I’m only giving it a 4 because the songs on this album are indistinguishable from one another. And the music itself is largely indistinguishable from other 70s music of the same genre.
Deep Purple
3/5
I gave my previously generated Deep Purple album a 5, so I think my expectations were a little let down by this one. It was decent, but I really hated the weird bass-y synths. I can’t get past em.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
One thing my exes have in common: they all love Lynyrd Skynyrd. And I totally get it. Free Bird fucking bangs.
That said, this album drags in the middle a bit. For that, I’m deducting a point.
Eminem
4/5
I don’t know why, but the grossness of this album doesn’t bother me as much as it did during The Marshall Mathers LP. Maybe it’s because this album feels more like he’s playing a character?
Either way, I mostly just think it’s funny. Yes Eminem, I too would make the world suck my dick without a condom on while I’m on the john.
The Waterboys
3/5
This website has been serving me a lot of great music lately, but this album kind of gets lost in the shuffle. It’s good, but not at all memorable.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
My only criticism is that this album is a little one-note. But damn is it a good note.
Dion
4/5
This album surprised me in that it did not sound like 20 songs all by the same artist at the same point in their career. It sounded like a few different artists, or a “best of” album. Each song sounded fresh, for an easy listening experience, despite being 78 minutes long.
This album also sounds very timeless and well produced. If you asked me to guess the year this came out, I don’t think I could.
Lou Reed
5/5
This is awesome and weird and not at all what I expected (in a good way). This is the exact kind of music that keeps me going. It’s not just “another 70s rock album.”
Duran Duran
4/5
This is the best 80s pop album I’ve gotten so far. I never realized how funky the bass all over this album is. I always dismissed it as generic synth music.
CHIC
3/5
I dug it, but it felt a little all over the place. I prefer the pure disco albums.
Frank Black
3/5
Everything about this album feels too pretentious. And I can’t tell if he’s doing it ironically or not.
Elvis Presley
3/5
I understand why this was so popular. The slower songs are a million times better than the upbeat ones though. Elvis squeaks during the fast songs, kinda like Goofy.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Oh yeah, this is the kind of indie sleaze I’m here for. My only qualm is that it’s a little one note. I might not listen to the album in full again, but some songs will definitely make it into my rotation.
Beatles
4/5
I enjoyed listening to this a lot. It’s got some of my personal favorite Beatles songs on it. I appreciate its experimental-weirdness and generally prefer The Beatles’ later albums.
Solomon Burke
3/5
This is fine music. It sounds good. Is it considered some of the best of this genre and time period? Probably, since it’s on this list. But my untrained ear cannot tell.
Koffi Olomide
4/5
This is great music. I’m grateful this project is exposing me to more world music.
Koffi has a delightful voice, and the music has a wonderfully light, almost tropical feel.
Barry Adamson
1/5
This album flip flops between pop-y elevator music and weird, creepy, whisper-moaning. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, a single song has both.
For the first time in over 200 albums, I am choosing not to finish this one before rating it.
ZZ Top
5/5
I really lived my whole life thinking ZZ Top was a 90s butt rock band…
I have a feeling my love for this album is overinflated by just how low my expectations were, but damn this was awesome.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
This was exceptional. I am surprised because I didn’t really enjoy Electric Ladyland (which I think is more critically acclaimed). While this is less experimental, it’s more palatable, allowing me to fully appreciate the incredible guitar playing.
Beyoncé
3/5
I’m indifferent about this. I feel obligated to like it but… I just don’t.
One of the things that turns me off is how horny it is. But I have no problem with horny when a male artist does it? Time to talk to my therapist about my internalized misogyny again I guess.
Dennis Wilson
3/5
This was a nice listen, but really not that different from other 70s rock. Which, in my opinion, this list has too much of.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
This album feels like it’s trying to do two different things, and consequently does neither of them well.
The attempt to be artsy takes away from what would otherwise be inoffensive coffee shop music.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
I can’t figure out if I like this or not. It’s decently interesting, but the singer’s voice isn’t very pleasant.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
God.
Incredible.
Album 226 and it might be my favorite one so far.
The Icarus Line
3/5
This album is perfectly fine. I don’t understand why it’s so poorly rated. Or why The Icarus Line has so few monthly listeners on Spotify?
It reminds me so much of The Black Keys and other similar rock artists of the 2000s.
Various Artists
5/5
Would I listen to it outside the month of December? Prrrooobably not?
But this is a perfect Christmas listen. Classic after classic.
Fuck you Phil Spector.
Gang Of Four
5/5
This album was a really pleasant surprise!! Classic, kooky, angsty punk. They get the message across without screaming lmao. I dig it.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
My personal favorite Led Zeppelin album. I’m a softie for rock ballads.
The Who
4/5
I reeeally delayed listening to this album. I’m writing this at least a month after the generator gave it to me.
But damn, I am super pleasantly surprised. I’d normally complain about a live album, but without it, I never would have known how funny The Who is. (Even if the humor is incredibly British.)
Pere Ubu
1/5
I couldn’t sleep this morning. I was tossing and turning with anxious energy.
“Oh I know! I’ll put on my album of the day. Some good music will chill me out.”
Bruh.
Dude’s voice sounds like a crying dog with cotton mouth.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I wish we had left this sound in the 80s. It’s okay. Some of the quirky lyrics made me giggle.
The Prodigy
2/5
I generally dislike electronic music because it just sounds like a bunch of noises to me. But I especially don’t like it when those noises are unpleasant lol.
Also this album is way too long.
But kudos for catching me way off guard. With the album art and title, I was bracing for metal music.
Jeff Buckley
4/5
A bit moany for how long it is, but truly, hauntingly beautiful. Made me strangely horny.
Beastie Boys
5/5
This album is a time capsule.
I press play and I’m sitting in the back of my dad’s pickup truck. The windows are rolled down because he’s smoking a cigarette. We’re on our way to my brother’s little league game, and the bass is up so high that the whole car vibrates during “Shake Your Rump.”
Of course, when I was 10 I could easily disregard all of the violence and misogyny. And you know what? I still can.
The Kinks
3/5
Sounds just like The Beatles to me. It’s not as interesting as their later album (…the Village Green Preservation Society), so it doesn’t do a lot for me.
Traffic
5/5
I actually loved this. I can’t believe, in all my years of guilty-pleasure yacht rock listening, I have never heard of these guys. Multiple songs will be making it into my rotation.
The Monks
4/5
I put this one off for MONTHS because it was so hard to find.
I finally got around to listening to “The Early Years” on Apple Music.
Why is this music so hard to find? It’s great. It’s fun, it’s angsty, it feels way ahead of its time.
Oasis
3/5
Not bad, but most of the songs sound exactly the same. After a while, it sounds like a wall of sound.
The last song is actually my favorite — it almost redeemed the rating to a 4, but the album as a whole is just a 3 for me.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This has been the best of the Leonard Cohen albums I’ve generated… doesn’t say too much though. After 4 songs or so, his voice becomes grating.
Culture Club
4/5
Okay, this is fun! I’m giggling at how low its global score is. I feel like this website tends to favor the moody/artsy albums.
But this is fun. Even the album art tells you to strap in for some 80s shenanigans. Love it.
Spiritualized
5/5
I’ve had a lot of albums I’ve complained are “just noise,” and I could see how one could say the same about this one.
But this feels like controlled, intentional noise, and it makes for a beautifully pleasant listen. I think this will be my go-to work album for a while.
Jurassic 5
5/5
Outstanding. I can’t believe I had never heard of this group before.
Their witty rhymes, the old-school flow, the fun samples, the fact that not every song is about violence, drugs, and bitches?
Joy Division
3/5
The hipster kids who have been wearing this album cover on their shirts my whole life tricked me into thinking this would be a top-tier album.
It’s okay.
John Lennon
2/5
Oh Yoko? Oh dear.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
…Does all pop music age poorly? The only songs I enjoyed were the ones I have nostalgia for.
George Michael
3/5
An enjoyable listen. I can’t not dance to Freedom! ‘90
That said, I felt like each individual song was ~a minute too long. I prefer pop music when it is snappier and more structured.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Delightfully simple. I loved the acoustic guitar plucking. I strongly disliked the “yodelaiHEEEEEEEEEEE.”
U2
3/5
Feels like a nice blend of 80s pop and rock. I understand it’s mass appeal. Maybe it’s the production style (because I have this problem with a lot of 80s music — particularly the British stuff), but I find Bono’s voice grating.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
This was such a fun listen, and I don’t typically love electronic music.
My booty was movin for sure.
That said, it felt like the heaviest hitters all came right at the front. The back half lagged just a tiny bit.
Blur
3/5
If you shuffled this album and asked me to guess the artist of every song, I’d guess 14 different bands/singers. Which is fun, but you can’t expect me to like all of it.
Mj Cole
3/5
I can’t believe it, but I actually made it through the full 2 hours of this. It’s not unlistenable by any means. I even caught myself grooving at a couple points. It’s just veeerrry dated and waaaaayy too long.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Can I just listen to Sweet Child O’ Mine 12 times in a row? No? Okay, this will have to do.
Steely Dan
4/5
I’m a sucker for this genre.
The Killers
4/5
What a 5-song run the first 5 songs are. The following 3 are damn good too, but then the song quality fades a little bit. Still a great listen with 8/12 songs having a ton of relistenability.
Hole
2/5
This is surprisingly unpleasant. I was pretty irritable during my first listen, and it tweaked me out. So I gave it a second shot, but even then, I was just waiting for it to be over.
Saint Etienne
3/5
I didn’t care for the breathy/echo-y 90s style vocals, but the music was super groovy.
Little Simz
2/5
This feels like a crazy inclusion on this list, especially because it’s such a young album. I appreciate it in that there’s nothing else like it on the list… but it feels like it was only included because there’s nothing else like it on the list.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Super Bri-ish
The hipster kids were right about this one
David Bowie
4/5
This has been one if my favorite Bowie albums so far.
The Go-Go's
3/5
I don’t like the nasally vocals that were so popular in this era. Decently fun, nonetheless.
Roni Size
1/5
Getting this album so soon after listening to Sincere by MJ Cole in full feels like a cruel joke. And that one was better.
The rhythmic drumming here put me to sleep.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
The music may be dated, but the female rage is timeless.
Cat Stevens
5/5
OOOO BABY BABY IT’S A WILD WORLD
Listened to this one twice through and could honestly do a third.
The Offspring
5/5
I’m definitely biased because I love Dexter Holland. You’d think his voice would become grating after a while, but it doesn’t for me.
Angsty lyrics with a touch of wit. Love it.
Spiritualized
4/5
I was pleasantly surprised by this album, though, I shouldn’t have been, because I gave “Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space” a 5.
I must have been in the right headspace for this. I was stressed, and this music soothed me.
Is this how people feel about Radiohead??
Sparks
3/5
Fun, pop-y, interesting music. The garbled vocals take it down in quality for me though.
Slade
3/5
“The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazee” at track 2 is crazee. Easily the worst song on the album — I almost turned it off and gave 1 star right then and there.
I stuck it out though, and the back half of this album is pretty good! It lacks identity though. As other reviewers have pointed out, one song is harder rock, with an AC/DC-like sound, and the next is so pop, you’d think it was The Beatles.
For some reason, finding out they’re British makes the antics more forgivable though? Lol.
Dolly Parton
5/5
Dolly Parton, you can do no wrong.
Elliott Smith
3/5
These songs felt familiar, like I’ve known them my whole life. That said, Smith’s voice didn’t lend itself to this more up-beat music compared to “Either/Or.” And it shows in the streaming numbers.
Sheryl Crow
2/5
It’s a weird blend of pop, country, and rock that doesn’t totally work for me. It doesn’t help that Sheryl’s voice isn’t particularly pleasant. The layered vocals sound like nails on a chalkboard.
On top of all that, the album really sputters out at the end. The last two songs are snoozers.
Red Snapper
2/5
This album lacks consistency. There are a few instrumental songs towards the end that were really fun to dissociate to, but other than that…
Also, the horny song has a repeating yelp sound that sounds exactly like my cat crying for help. I went running to find her when I was listening to it.
Gary Numan
2/5
I prejudged this guy. I took one look at the album cover and thought he was gonna be a crooner (guess I missed the eyeshadow).
At first, I was happy to be wrong. How interesting! But… every song is exactly the same. So this album is at least twice as long as it needs to be.
4/5
Not sure why I thought I was familiar with this artist… or why I thought she was a male British rapper. So I was pleasantly surprised! I got some hints of female grunge and (yes I know PJ predates her) Lana Del Rey. I really, really liked it.
Al Green
5/5
Super blissful listen
The Jam
3/5
A fun listen, but pretty inconsequential. Not something that left a super lasting impression. Plus, I’m kind of over all the moaning 80s Brits.
Richard Hawley
5/5
Omg I thought this album was at least 30 years older than it actually is.
The simplistic beauty of old-school crooning mixed with the crisp production of the 2000s made for an excellent listening experience.
Prince
3/5
80s as hell and longer than I had the tolerance for, but not a bad listen by any means.
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
Okay, I genuinely don’t understand why people are hating this one. Sure, it’s extra as hell and it’s a little long, but it’s SO FUN.
I’m surprised ELO doesn’t have a rock opera. It feels like they’re begging for it. And I would listen to the shit out of it.
Meat Loaf
5/5
Absolute camp. I seriously enjoyed this — which isn’t surprising because I’m a fan of musical theatre, Rocky Horror, and all things extra.
I am surprised to see the average rating of this album is so high. And that this album sold so well globally (and in Australia???) I didn’t think this genre would have such mass appeal.
The Charlatans
3/5
I love the music. And tbh, of the 90s British rock albums, this has been my favorite so far. But damn, dudes voice is whiney. It gets old sooo quickly.
Nirvana
4/5
My familiarity with Nirvana is mostly limited to Nevermind, so I was a bit turned off during the first few songs when I realized how much more abrasive this album is. But once I opened my mind to the more experimental sounds, I really got into it.
I wish the lyrics were easier to understand, but I know that would make it lose its grungy appeal.
Lambchop
3/5
Generally a pleasant album. I liked the staccato cadence of the first song. In fact, the first song was my favorite song. Everything after felt a bit samey, and I didn’t love the falsetto.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Paul coming for his own nachos all over this album.
Certainly the superior Beatle solo work, though.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Enjoyable flow and fun rhymes. I really liked this, but I will admit every song sounds the same.
Talvin Singh
3/5
Interesting and decently enjoyable, albeit a little long. I appreciated the uniqueness of this album — I wouldn’t have otherwise chosen to listen to this genre.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Gorgeous voice; delightful music; feminist icon.
David Crosby
3/5
Pleasant, but kind of meandering and structureless.
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Beautiful melodies and moving storytelling.
Van Morrison
5/5
Definitely biased as Van Morrison has a ton of nostalgia for me.
Puts me in a great mood.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Put me in a great mood. I loved these funky renditions of melodies I was pleasantly surprised to recognize.
k.d. lang
3/5
Gorgeous voice, but didn’t leave a real lasting impression on me.
Scott Walker
2/5
I checked the track-list hoping I was close to the end at song 4.
The music sounds like it belongs in a campy musical, and gets tired very quickly. Which is a shame, because reading through the lyrics, there’s some really good storytelling on this album.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This has been my least favorite Led Zeppelin listen so far. Still decent; listenable. Just not something I’d choose to put on. Stairway to Heaven is easily my favorite song on this album.
The Battle of Evermore was sharp and almost painful. That song alone brings this album down a point for me.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
This album feels ahead of its time for the 1960s (though I’m certainly no music historian).
An incredibly delightful listen. While I didn’t love the 8.5 minute spoken work portion, Isaac Hayes more than made up for it with 37 minutes of pure smooth soul.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
This album was a lot more interesting and pleasant than I had expected.
I really enjoyed the guitar, and how much of the music resembled American folk music.
Nonetheless, it is not something I’ll choose to return to. Grateful to have experienced it once *before I die*.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
This was fun and refreshing in that I love this genre, and we don’t get much of it on this list.
That said, CeeLo’s rhymes are uninspired, his voice can be grating, and the music is dated as hell.
Joy Division
2/5
When I was in college, (and I’m Gen Z, so recently) I knew a classic incel guy who listened to exclusively punk music. I always thought it sounded like the B52s and made fun of him for it. “Haha this punk song sounds like Rock Lobster.”
But then I learned that the B52s were a post-punk band. And Joy Division is a post-punk band. And Joy Division sounds like the B52s. And I still don’t like it.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
I was nervous seeing the title. Another sch—son album after Oedipus Schmoedipus was so awful.
But this was generally inoffensive. It was fine. Pleasant even.
B.B. King
4/5
I didn’t know much about B.B. King before this. The way the women are screaming on this album makes me feel like he’s a sex god. And I’m fully bought in.
Sing it to me B.B.
Pantera
3/5
Great representation of its genre, but I just don’t have the energy for this kind of music these days.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Bruce Springsteen and Rick Springfield being popular during the same era has always fucked me up.
Anyway, this was decent. I think I prefer Born to Run.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Unique, refreshing, and pleasant. While I enjoyed it, the songs were far to repetitive and unnecessarily long.
T. Rex
3/5
Bang a Gong is easily the best song on here. The songs that sound the most similar to it are good too. Everything else fades quickly from my memory.
I really liked the way the album closed though!
Otis Redding
3/5
Most of this album is covers, and while they’re nice listens, none of these versions are the most famous versions of any of these songs. And I can understand why. Nice, but ultimately forgettable.
The Byrds
2/5
Every song on the original track listing felt identical. And after a while, it just started to sound like a wall of noise.
Big Black
3/5
Dug the angst, but the album felt like one long song. Which made a relatively short album (37 minutes) feel a helluva lot longer.
Shack
2/5
This was a lot more generic than I was expecting from the album title+art.
Maybe I should have expected this… idk.
Anyway, it was super easy listening, but not at all interesting. Plus, the lead singer’s voice isn’t very strong.
Yes
5/5
I loved this.
“Nerd wizard rock” that I DO want hahaha.
I was unfamiliar with this band + album before this listen, but there were a ton of sound bites I recognized from sampling in modern media.
Altogether very fun.
The Strokes
4/5
I really, really liked this. I’m not surprised — it’s been a favorite among the guys I’ve dated lol. I just never gave it a chance myself.
Even so, it’s 4 stars for me. It would be a 5 if the vocals were a little farther forward in the mix. As is, they’re too garbled and hidden behind the baseline — bummer.
LL Cool J
3/5
I listened to the first four songs, and they were so campy. They reminded me so much of Hamilton, that I decided to go listen to the entire 2.4 hour Broadway soundtrack before coming back to finish the album.
And let me tell ya, this album felt longer.
Pearl Jam
5/5
I was surprised by how much I loved this.
Feels kind of like harder, grungier Radiohead. Yes.
Ryan Adams
4/5
I don’t know anything about Ryan Adams as a person. Society has essentially erased him. In fact, this is the first time I’m hearing about him, which is a shame, because this album is really good.
It’s got all the folksy goodness of Bob Dylan, but sung by a smooth, sultry voice. The run from Amy to Damn Sam was awesome. At the end it was a bit long and meandering, though.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I love these dudes.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
It’s so interesting to me when albums that are presented as a solo artist vocal album have entire instrumental songs.
Nonetheless, this was groovy easy listening front-to-back.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Popular, easy listening doesn’t mean bad lol. In fact, this was a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of the shit on this list.
The slower songs were kind of a drag, though. RHCP is at their best with the groovy, up-tempo songs.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I understand WHY this is here. It’s cool, it’s interesting. It’s not boring.
But the vocals are god awful. While they certainly add to the “cool” factor, they make for a more difficult listen.
Blur
5/5
I’ve already heard 2 Oasis and 1 other Blur album during this project, and this is easily the best of the bunch. It’s incredibly cohesive compared to “Blur.” It wonderfully blends 80s pop and 90s rock. I love it.
R.E.M.
4/5
A quality album. 5 stars for It’s The End Of The World As We Know It, which brings the album as a whole up to a 4 for me.
As always, male artists of the 80s and 90s rock genre do uptempo way better than slow crooning.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Fuck yeah. Some female-led punk rock I can pop my pussy to.
Fun for a few songs, but this has never been and never will be my genre.
Haircut 100
5/5
Who knew that I only disliked 80s pop because it’s missing a horn section? This rocks.
Tom Waits
4/5
I liked how “weird” this was, and I really liked the storytelling.
Beastie Boys
5/5
NOOOOWWWW HERE’S A LITTLE STORY I GOT TO TELL
10s across the board
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Really groovy, pleasant background music.
Not something I’d ever drive to or anything like that, but good for getting some writing done. I have to keep this in my back pocket.
Pere Ubu
2/5
Listening to this from a punk lens made it a little more listenable, earning it a point over Dub Housing. I honestly liked “Life Stinks” as a punk song hahaha.
The glass shattering, moaning, and other sounds throughout were pretty painful. But at least it was interesting!!
Metallica
3/5
I feel like this would be the best music ever if I were listening to it in a dark venue with a cold beer. But through my headphones at my desk job, it was just okay. Long songs. Great guitar solos.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I was honestly so mesmerized by the vocal performance and lyrics, that I didn’t realize how unconventional the music is. I really enjoyed this. It’s fresh, it’s modern, it’s poetic, it’s female.
That said, I’m deducting one point because there are some moments that are straight-up unpleasant.
The Verve
5/5
I surprisingly loved this.
I was like, “boo, another Britpop album.” But damn this was fun indie bops all the way through.
Maybe I’m coming around on Britpop.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I can’t tell if I love Idiot Wind or absolutely hate it. I think I love it?
The album as a whole is a little one-note, but it feels like something that could grow on me like mold.
Bauhaus
3/5
I genuinely thought I was going to hate this, but it really wasn’t too bad. Enjoyable at some points, even. I feel like the 80s style production actually fits this album, compared to some others on this list.
The Smiths
2/5
Dark and weird, in a good way.
But I can’t get past how Morrissey sounds like he has a sinus infection all album. And every song sounds the same: Unpleasant.
Sonic Youth
2/5
This was very “meh” for me. Not bad, sure. But certainly long and meandering. Not particularly interesting or pleasant.
Moby
1/5
There were a few good songs on here. But as an album? An hour straight of elevator ass music? Don’t piss me off.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
The baseline was cool. The vocal cadence and melody (if you can even call it a melody) were almost exactly the same throughout the whole hour+ album. It was fun for 20 minutes. Maybe 30. This album suffers from being too long in my opinion.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Much more palatable than the previous Captain Beefheart album, but for that same reason, not quite as interesting or unique.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This is good, because of course it is, because it’s Led Zeppelin. This one is a little too psychedelic for me though. I preferred the more structured albums (Led Zeppelin II) and the harder rock and roll (Physical Graffiti).
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
While the circumstances of this album certainly make it more interesting, and it’s impressive that Spence played all the instruments himself, the fact that this album was meant to be a demo shows. It feels very unfinished and doesn’t belong on this list. Which is a shame, because I really liked the Moby Grape album.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Maybe the 8 incredibly tough to get through albums I had preceding this one lowered my expectations, but this was great! Fun, interesting, a breath of fresh air.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Whether you like the lyrical content of this album or not, there’s no denying that it’s sonically delightful.
And while I hate all the white boys who make idolizing Kendrick their whole personality, I really like this.
Steely Dan
4/5
Nice, pleasant, simple.
Rush
3/5
I really like all the nerdy sci-fi imagery. I totally understand why this is here and why people like it, but I can’t get past the shrillness in the vocals.
The Cramps
3/5
This is alright. 80s mixed with Elvis impersonation.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Beautiful voice and a lovely, fun blend of pop and r&b. The front half and the back half of the album felt like two different albums, but maybe that was the point.
Talking Heads
4/5
Fun weirdness. Light, quick, quirky listening.
TLC
3/5
Too horny for Monday at 11am in a cubicle lol.
While it’s fun at times, the production is incredibly dated. The slang is dated too, so much so that I’d sooner use the word “cringe” than “cool.”
Jeff Beck
4/5
Funky, groovy, bluesy, rock n roll. I may have liked it more because of how pleasantly surprised I was. I had never heard of Jeff Beck before.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Damn bro. I know why this album was generated for me, but makin me critique his music when his body isn’t even cold yet is tough.
This music is fun, but I was raised on parodies of it. So I have a hard time taking it seriously. Add in that the lyrics are simple as simple gets. It’s really just okay.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Gorgeous, gorgeous. This taught me I always have 5 stars for female folk music.
CHIC
3/5
My second CHIC album. And honestly, it was exactly the same as the first. There really doesn’t need to be two on this list.
Nevertheless, it’s a 3 for being listenable.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Lmao the other top reviews as of writing this are all 2s and 3s. I have to agree. The whole album was pretty samey.
I don’t particularly like Mick Jagger’s voice either. Which is interesting, because I can’t think of any popular artists today who have unpleasant vocal performances. Maybe in 30-40 years I’ll eat these words.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Simple, classic melodies. But in all honesty, I found this to be kind of boring by 2025 standards. Though, I’m sure it was exciting at the time.
The War On Drugs
4/5
I’m really torn between a 4 and a 5 for this album. It’s got everything I love — the best parts of folk and 80s pop with fresh, crisp, modern production.
I fully expect this band to make it into my regular rotation.
That said, I feel there are better 5-star representatives for this genre. So I’ll be conservative and round down.
Nick Drake
4/5
A beautiful, pleasant, concise album.
Singing in cursive decades before we had a name for it lol.
Paul Simon
3/5
This is just okay by Paul Simon standards. I would argue that Simon is over-represented on this list. And of all the albums I’ve listened to so far, this is the first of his I would cut.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Turkey Lurkey, Tricky Licky, Ducky Lucky
Why are we yelling?
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Snooze.
Standalone, I can see a song or two being good in a playlist with other, more exciting, music.
As a whole 50-minute straight-through listen? America IS snoring.
Queen
4/5
Quintessential Queen
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Having only heard Born in the USA before, this was quite a surprise.
Incredibly beautiful. I loved it.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Not my genre of choice, but I appreciate the representation and experience.
Justice
5/5
Not what I expected at all and incredibly enjoyable. Love some electronic music to get my morning started.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
This is one of the better pre-Beatles rock n roll in my opinion. Sure it’s meaningless, but bonus points for not being as BLATANTLY misogynistic as others.
Beatles
3/5
Having mostly only listened to the Beatles’ later songs, I was so surprised by the lyrical simplicity of this one.
It’s so much more similar to The Everly Brothers’ album I listened to yesterday than I would have guessed!
Metallica
2/5
Now that I’m about 1/3 through these albums, it’s time to stop pretending I like things just because I think I should.
I don’t like this. It’s exhausting.
Madonna
3/5
Pop mommy.
The album came in with a bang and went out with a whimper. If the whole album were like the first 2 songs, it would’ve been 5 stars.
Radiohead
4/5
Okay, I think I get this one.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Not quite as good as Blue for me, but goddamn. What beautiful storytelling.
Charles Mingus
3/5
This stressed me out a bit, but was otherwise a fun listen.
U2
2/5
I really, really just don’t like his voice.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
It’s so hard for me to rate this because the music is fun, danceable, camp. But the vocal performance is so grating. Clearly it’s on this list for a reason, so it must have been well received at its release, but it reminds me of Jojo Siwa… lmao.
Eels
4/5
Damn, I recognized this sound instantly from SHREK hahaha.
I really liked this. Emo, angsty, folksy, and delightful.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
The lyrics are a little on-the-nose, but I dig the message. I like it, just maybe slightly less than Public Enemy.
The Cure
2/5
“Rahhh maaaaa laaa baaa ta ta wahhh”
Fuck the 80s man.
Sade
3/5
I expected to like this more than I did. I suppose if my expectations were lower, I’d consider this a 4. At the end of the day, it’s just a simple, beautiful album.
Weather Report
3/5
Fun, but forgettable. Good background music for working and thinking.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I didn’t dislike this as much as I feel I have disliked my previous goes with Black Sabbath. Nevertheless, not my cup of tea. Rest in peace.
Santana
4/5
Bring back sexy guitar
The Beach Boys
4/5
I much prefer this album to the previous, kitschy “in their sound” Pet Sounds.
This was simple, classic, and delightful.
Nina Simone
3/5
I wasn’t in the best mood, so I found this slow and boring.
In a different headspace, I probably would have found it beautiful and more enjoyable.
Roxy Music
4/5
My first impression was, “huh, this is uninteresting and forgettable.”
But then I got to the sex doll song.
This shit is weeiiiirrrd and I like it!
Mike Ladd
3/5
The album art and low reviews had me nervous, but this was really decent.
I like the genre blending of electronic and hip hop.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I’m ashamed to admit, I pre-judged this album.
It manages to sound fresh and modern, and classic at the same time.
I really, really liked it.
Elvis Presley
4/5
I didn’t like his earlier work, but this was easy listening.
Pure pop, and horny in parts! Those hips don’t lie!
Frank Ocean
4/5
I liked this a lot, but not as much as I expected to with how popular this album is in my generation.
I really like the more up-tempo and rap songs. There were too many interludes for my taste.
Skepta
3/5
This was a really fun surprise. I like the modern British rap representation. That said, a lot of the rhymes feel lazy and unsophisticated.
Aphex Twin
3/5
I JUST saw someone on the 1001 reddit put this album in their top ten, so unfortunately, my expectations were high.
This is just glorified background music. Good background music, enjoyable background music, but background music nonetheless.
Metallica
3/5
I tend to be a harsher critic on live albums. I personally believe they have to bring something fun or unique or interesting to qualify for this list. While this album didn’t do that, it did teach us that Metallica sounds as good live as they do in the studio. The music here is objectively good.
It’s also interesting to hear how clearly male-dominant the audience is.
Prince
5/5
Best. Love. So good.
Let’s Go Crazy and Purple Rain are the best songs. Great way to open and close the album.
The Police
3/5
I really, really liked Synchronicity, but comparatively, this one fell flat for me. The Police’s hits hit. But the songs in between are forgettable, and the vocal performance is weak to the point where it becomes grating.
Mercury Rev
4/5
I thought I was going to hate this. I thought it was one of those pretentious, “weird for the sake of being weird” albums.
But by the end, I was all in. I particularly enjoyed Goddess on a Hiway and The Funny Bird, the former of which happens to be their most streamed song. Time to add to that number some.
The Triffids
2/5
I alllmost want to give this one star. But I won’t, because it’s not completely unlistenable.
But god it’s sooo 80s (derogatory). And not even in the fun pop way. The songs are all one-note, the story-telling is weak, and the singer just sounds bad. Sorry bout it.
Malcolm McLaren
5/5
Feels like Digital Underground’s Sex Packets and Paul Simon’s Graceland wrapped up in one. And I gave both of those albums 5 stars.
I enjoyed this one equally as much, and rating purely on my experience with the album alone, it too gets 5 stars.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
The music was really great here, but Jorge Ben Jor’s voice was shakey and painful in many of the songs.
The Band
5/5
An incredible time capsule of 60s folk rock. I loved this. Every song feels like a classic I had heard before, despite having never heard of “The Band.”
Eagles
3/5
Take it Easy is an all-timer. I was prepared to give this album a bonus point for that song alone. But the rest of the album feels meandering and all over the place.
Guess I should be grateful I broke up with my ex-boyfriend before he got the chance to drag me to an Eagles concert.
George Harrison
2/5
Too much of a slog to give a true, subjective rating. I finished it, but at what cost? Sorry George.
Def Leppard
4/5
I’m so pleasantly surprised by this.
One thing I have learned (now that I’m about 400 albums in) is all the hard rock/metal albums blend together into a “meh” for me.
But throw in some 80s hair band pop-y elements, and this felt fresh and fun.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I SEE THE BAD MOON RISING
Everything else is pretty good, but Bad Moon Rising went quadruple platinum on my Spotify account.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
The double whammy of Voices of Old People and Old Friends is heart wrenching and beautiful. Everything around it feels like it doesn’t fit.
Wish I was a Kellogg’s Cornflake? How deep.
Mudhoney
2/5
I really liked their earlier album (Superfuzz Bigmuff) so I was surprised that I disliked this album. I don’t think this band is good enough to have multiple albums make the list, and unfortunately this is the worse of the two by a lot. Very whiney.
OutKast
3/5
This album feels like everything and the kitchen sink. There’s some really fun hidden gems, an all-time classic, some boring shit, and an interlude that made me take off my headphones at work and go, “oh great heavens!”
It all averages out to a 3.
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
Maybe I’m just havin a bad week, but I really didn’t like this. The echo-y vocals were annoying in parts, and the screeching instrumental at the end of “If 6 Was 9” was unbearable.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Delightfully pleasant. Fancy hotel lobby music.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
Made me dissociate and speed lol.
I liked the music, but I felt like the explanation in song one was unnecessary.
Germs
3/5
God, I’ve been so desperate for anything in my genre wheelhouse, I almost want to give this album a 4. I swear the album generator is punishing me.
I appreciated that this was quick-paced and short, but the last song dragged on just long enough for me to dock it a point.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Boooooooo
50 Cent
4/5
I dug this a lot more than I expected to tbh. Fun listening throughout. It didn’t even feel long.
The Only Ones
2/5
I echo the sentiment of the current top review. I was SO excited hearing the first few chords of this album. And theeeenn, the singing started.
The music all across this album is excellent. Just ruined by some shitty British vocals.
Blondie
4/5
Female Meatloaf.
Not an insult, I like Meatloaf.
I don’t love how wet her voice sounds when she growls though.
The Zombies
3/5
Time of the Season is an all-timer for me. The rest of the album was pretty good, but nothing to write home about.
5/5
This album sounds timeless and classic. I don’t love Bono’s voice, and the last two songs kind of drag on, but I can’t deny that this is an objectively outstanding album.
Miriam Makeba
5/5
I’m a sucker for a woman with a beautiful voice. I also love the sounds of African music.
The laughter in the dead husband song almost took me out of it, but otherwise this was a near-perfect listen.
John Martyn
4/5
This album is understandingly divisive. The first song is, quite honestly, horrible. But if you stick it out (which isn’t that hard, it’s a shorter album) each song is better than the last.
The Style Council
4/5
All the people giving this album 1 and 2 stars must not like fun. It’s certainly not perfect, but this album is fucking fun.
It’s like a movie with a plot twist.
Deee-Lite
3/5
This was enjoyable, but something about it felt a little too manufactured.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
This is my third My Bloody Valentine listen, and I didn’t hate this one as much as the others.
Eric Clapton
4/5
I had mentally pinned this album as a 60s album, not a 70s album.
Either way, I really enjoyed it and I’m trying my best not to be swayed by the top reviews haha.
Ryan Adams
5/5
I, unfortunately, really loved this.
Singer songwriter always does it for me.
Unless it’s Leonard Cohen.
3/5
Listening to this in the hotel room I already suspected was haunted really enhanced the experience.
Ian Dury
1/5
Didn’t expect to have to listen to Bert the chimney sweep sing about how horny he is this morning.
“If I Was was a Woman” convinced me that he’s a horrible person too.
Wish I could give this less than 1 star.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I really enjoyed this, but I feel like it won’t leave a very lasting impression.
John Prine
4/5
Simple, delightful storytelling. An easy, listenable voice.
The Blue Nile
3/5
I had some preconceived notions about what this would be, and as such, was shocked by how “80s” it is. I guess I should have known for 1984.
It definitely has a coolness factor that I wouldn’t attribute to most albums that sound this 80s. I’m torn between a 3 and 4, but I’ll round down this time.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Delightful and easy to get into.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
I was tip-toeing through this listen until about song 4 or 5, but then I decided to just let myself have fun. This was a fun listen. No denyin it.
Violent Femmes
5/5
For some reason, the objectification of women doesn’t bother me when it’s in this genre.
I love this. I wish I had known about this album as a teenager.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
What. The fuck?
Rod Stewart
3/5
All I knew about Rod Stewart before this is there is a character named after him in the show Hannah Montana — a 16 year old character played by a man in his 30s.
Likewise, Rod Stewart was supposedly 26 when this album came out, but he sounds like a 60 year old smoker.
Still liked it though.
Donald Fagen
4/5
Every song on this sounded comfortably familiar, and yet, I’ve never heard of Donald Fagen.
A delightful blend of 70s and 80s styles.
Paul Weller
3/5
The advent of butt rock. Fuck yeah.
Pink Floyd
5/5
For how ubiquitous Pink Floyd seems to be, I surprisingly lack familiarity with their music (even despite being a poser and wearing a Dark Side of the Moon T-shirt all through middle and high school).
That said, this was awesome. Super fun psychedelics rock with some basslines that almost sound grungy. Loved it.
Bon Jovi
4/5
80s glam rock all sounds kinda the same to me. That’s not to say I dislike it though. And Bon Jovi brings the hits.
George Jones
1/5
This lowkey pissed me off. Felt insufferably long and it’s only 28 minutes.
King Crimson
2/5
Not a great listen for an anxious person.
Paul McCartney
3/5
Fun listen. Sounded lot more rock influenced than the pop-py Beatles sound. Also sounded a little all over the place. Lacked identity. 3.5 for me.
The The
5/5
With a band name like “The The,” I was expecting a 2000s indie rock album from some pretentious artists thinking they were funny. Perhaps my rating is over-inflated by how pleasantly surprised I am, but it was not at all what I was expecting. Very fun. Prince-esque.
Roxy Music
3/5
This is generally enjoyable, but really forgettable. I listened to it 3 different times because I forgot to rate it and couldn’t remember how I felt about it.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
A bit emo, Mr. Sinatra.
That said, this is the classic, beautiful crooning I expect from him.
Butthole Surfers
3/5
This album is scary! I think listening to it in a Nyquil-induced stupor was the correct choice lol. I’m able to appreciate what this album is trying to do without it ramping up my anxiety.
Plus it’s Halloween week — fun!
4/5
Fun, easy listen! Lots of ear-wormy melodies.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
My feelings about this album and Amy Winehouse are nuanced. So instead I’ll just say, “I love it,” because I do.
CHVRCHES
4/5
I have a lot of nostalgia for this style of electronic pop. It was the music of my high school and early college days.
The first song feeeels like a coming of age movie to me.
So of course I love it. That said, listening to this same style for 50 minutes straight is fatiguing.
Massive Attack
2/5
My second Massive Attack album and imo not as good as the first (Blue Lines). This just doesn’t do it for me for whatever reason.
Slayer
2/5
At least I can count on metal/punk albums being short.
The Beach Boys
3/5
This just feels more like a satire of itself than an acclaimed album. I guess ya had to be there (1965).
The Rolling Stones
5/5
I love this. No notes. Really surprised to see so many 2 stars in the highest rated albums.
The Clash
4/5
I had listened to this album once in my teens at the recommendation of my dad. It didn’t stick at the time, but I really like it now.
I was really into ska in high school, so I can see why my dad thought I would like this. Most of the reggae and ska influenced songs come in the back half of the album, and I don’t think I had the attention span to make it that far at 17. Even today, my only point dock is for the length of the album. There’s definitely fat to be trimmed here.
Fred Neil
3/5
I liked the bluesy folk songs at the front half of the album. It felt like it derailed at the instrumental songs. As a result of the disjointedness, the album felt much longer than it actually was.
808 State
3/5
This kind of music isn’t for me, personally. But I appreciate the exposure to earlier EDM.
Thin Lizzy
5/5
I feel like a putz giving this album 5 stars, but this album represents everything I want a live album to be.
I didn’t know who Thin Lizzy was before this listen, but his charisma is absolutely dripping through my headphones from start to finish.
Public Enemy
4/5
Yeaaaaa boiiii
Tito Puente
5/5
Delightful and timeless
Gang Starr
2/5
I really want to like this… but many of the rhymes feel forced, making them sound awkward and/or weak.
Kate Bush
3/5
I get why people love Kate Bush, but I don’t get Kate Bush.
It’s a little too woowoo for me, ya know?
Thundercat
5/5
This is another rare instance of an album from an artist I’ve seen live! Super fun music. I’m teetering between 4 and 5 stars because the end of the album drags on a tiny bit, but this is great representation from the 2010s from a list that is otherwise lacking during that newer era.
The Zutons
3/5
This was a fine album, but ultimately forgettable.
Screaming Trees
4/5
I feel like this album, too, is generally nice but forgettable, but somethin about it really gets me. I think I really like the lead singer’s voice. Plus this is a genre I’ve always really liked.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I definitely prefer Sinatra when he’s in his love songs bag, but I can’t possibly give an album with “Makin’ Whoopee” anything higher than a 3.
Buzzcocks
1/5
This album kind of pissed me off.
I think maybe I was just in a bad mood to begin with. But fuck it, 1 star.
This is like the Ramones but 10x worse. And I don’t particularly like the Ramones.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Incredible listening experience. No notes. I can’t believe I’ve never heard this album front-to-back before.
But then again, yes I can.
PJ Harvey
2/5
This really isn’t that bad, but I’m docking an extra point because this woman is on this list too many times.
A pretty nice, easy listen. Rod Stewart’s voice is incredibly recognizable. I personally think the inclusion of Stewart’s solo work is sufficient for the list. The inclusion of this one is a little redundant.
Michael Jackson
4/5
This is a great, tight pop album. And while I know it’s classic, I really hate the “heehees” and the grunting. I feel like it cheapens the music.
Buck Owens
5/5
I’m giving this album 5 stars, not because it’s perfect or because I’ll have it on repeat for the next month, but because I feel like it needs to be on this list and because I’m glad to have heard it before I die. It’s a delightful old-school country album — something this list doesn’t have enough of imo.
The Beta Band
2/5
This is very meh to me. On top of that, I feel like the electronic sounds are going to date this album pretty badly in the coming decades.
The Sugarcubes
4/5
Always happy to have Björk in my ears.
Suede
3/5
This reminded me a lot of early 80s punk. Which is weird because apparently it’s a 90s Britpop album? Fine I guess.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
This was generally inoffensive and I was gonna give it a 3, until I caught a stray with the errant “bitch” in the second to last song.
Sigur Rós
2/5
It’s a no from me dog. 😔✌️
The Kinks
3/5
I was in a bad mood when I listened to this. Mayyybeee on a better day this could have gotten a 4. But nah. 3.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Too boring and too 80s.
Traffic
4/5
Another Traffic album! While I feel like one album is enough to represent Traffic on this list, and I prefer Self Titled, I really enjoyed this.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I didn’t take to this as immediately as I generally have to Stevie Wonder. It felt a little too electronic for my taste, which is funny knowing it came out right after Innervisions.