Some real high points and a lot of blah. In general the highs outweigh the lows.
Like listening to the classic rock station.
Awesome awesome awesome. Ended up buying it. I don’t know why I don’t listen to more big band when I always end up enjoying it so much.
Not my cup of tea but I can appreciate that its influential.
Classic. Feels like I’ve heard it a million times because we all have.
I see the appeal just not for me.
Nice, not something I would listen to often but I definitey wouldnt turn it off when it comes on
About as "eh" as can be. Its not bad, its just not good.
I should like this, it sounds so 90's. Unfortunately its the worst parts of the era with horrible vocals.
Its clear why this group and this album are considered groundbreakers in the alternative genre. This music is fun, heartbreaking, silly and morose all at any given moment and there are truly gifted, skilled musicians in this group and some interesting song writing ideas and thought provoking lyrics.
And then there is Perry Farrell's voice. Sheesh. It reminds me of why I only put this on when I want to stroll down memory lane or listen to the instruments while hoping there is a vocal-less mix out there that will drop someday.
Its crazy that with how much I love New Order I feel the opposite way for Joy Division.
If I were to throw an 80s themed party this would definitely make the list as nice synthy forgettable background music for when the motorcycle gang inexplicably shows up and ruin the party.
I wish half stars were possible, this is as 2.5 as it gets. We are going with 3 because 2 would imply its bad.
Once the childlike worship of the makeup wears off this music is terrible.
The good news is that I had never heard this before. I always enjoy the opportunity to broaden my horizons and have been pleasantly surprised and added things into my musical realm.
The bad news is this is not good. I like industrial, I like weird. This is just bad.
These songs are classics for a reason.
ugh.
I understand that all musical taste is subjective but this is trash. Great news though, this is a poorly recorded version of trash. Wish I could zero star some of these. One star is REALLY being generous.
This feels like something someone listens to so they can mention in casual conversation to an acquaintance or someone they've just met in an effort to be cool. Granted, some of the songs have appeal, but you're really ACTIVELY listening to this front to back repeatedly? Nice fucking fedora, goes well with your suspenders.
Nice. Perhaps not the best album by them, but its good.
'As ugly as I seem' is fantastic.
I should love this, I don’t.
I understand the influence, and honestly a great lyricist and intersting song structures..... but that voice.
For all the absolute slop this list has suggested, every now and again it recommends something great. This is regarded as a classic masterpiece and rightfully so.
Of all the slop I have subjected myself to by committing to actually listen to what this list has suggested (granted there have been some good albums) THIS is an actual masterpiece.
While far from my favorite album by The Cure any record featuring a song as haunting as "A Forest" is magical.
I see why people like this. Its not bad by any means, Im not going to get up and turn it off as soon as it comes on. That being said I wont ever get up and put it on either.
Its the very definition of "well this exists".
UP THE IRONS!!!
Classic album with only a couple of ho hum songs in the heap of metal goodness.
That being said I can think of 3 other Maiden albums that should be on a list like this before The Number of the Beast.
nope
i get that its influential and that there are a couple of songs that are recognizable.
nope
I understand their impact, I just happen to think they blow.
Tightly crafted songs, intricate melody sections both vocally and instrumentally. CLEARLY some of the best studio musicians ever were brought in to lend their incredible gifts to what could only be described as emotionally flaccid wanna be cool.
Critical darling of the 90's! Not sure why.
Interesting that this comes up the day after Ozzy died.
I think this is their most complete album and has my favorite song by them on it (War Pigs). The influence this had on the hard rock/metal genre cannot be understated.
Of the 100+ albums I've listened to on this list this is one of a handful that deserves to be on a list like this.
A classic album that displays all the traits of overdoing everything in the 70's.
The high points of this album are amazing, the rest... well it could have been left out entirely. A LOT of skippers on here. Had clear heads won out over cocaine confidence this would be a single album and not a double.
All of that being said I own this on vinyl, cassette, cd and even 8 track.
Its not changing the world, its fun. Fun is good. Do people need to hear this album before they die? Absolutely not.
Is it a bad album? Not by any means. Is it unbelievably overrated? Absolutely.
Some absolutely classic songs on this album! A lot of songs I could do with never hearing again. VERY uneven quality wise.
Then again, what do I know? I prefer Big Boi over Andre 3000.
I like off the wall, weird music. This sucks ass though.
How in the hell is the Beck album on this list NOT Sea Change?
This sounds like something you would hear in the background of a smoked out room where people use the word "ganja" unironically.
As with any Police record its very uneven. A couple of fantastic songs and then a mixed bag of "eh".
I have to question, AGAIN, who is making this list? Of all the Police albums this is the one you picked?
I get that music is subjective and tastes vary, this list feels like someone trying to squeeze in some radio friendly groups chosen at random to legitimize some of the absolute try hard trash someone thinks makes them cool.
A nice, country tinged bunch of cover songs, guest writers and songs written for or by other artists. Country really isn't my thing but older country western is more akin to my liking than the 80s soft rock being peddled as country these days.
Overall a good record that I would never purchase but wouldn't be mad if someone else was playing it.
Its David Bowie, of course its good. GOOD, its not the absolute masterpiece revisionist history has bestowed upon it. Like a lot of 70s albums this has cocaine written all over it, some great bits and pieces and some things that someone should have talked someone else out of.
I am clearly not hip enough to love Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds as much as the critics from Pitchfork or the people that made this list that are trying to cram Nick Cave down my throat 6 (6! fucking 6!) times.
The music is ho hum modern gothic blues done better by other artists. The lyrics float willy nilly between 'almost great, where is this going' to 'did 7th grader write this for his poetry class'.
This feels like the kind of group its fans would hate if they sold 8 million copies of an album.
I wouldn't leave the room if it was playing but I am most certainly never going to purposely play any of it.
Absolutely classic album by a group at the height of their powers!
This is another album that over the course of time has somehow inexplicably built steam in the critics eyes. Its easy to see how this influenced other groups and blended genres of music later on, it doesnt mean this is A. good or B. something someone NEEDS to hear before they die. I suppose you NEED to hear this if you want to hear the last gasp of a once great pop group.
This is nice, gave me something to add to my collection.
Why its on this list is anyones guess, but it is nice.
Nothing of any specific critique other than I think The Who are overrated and I don’t like them.
I'll side with the original assessment of this album when it came out, its uneven, song quality is all over the place...mostly meh.
This is yet another album that revisionists are trying to make a masterpiece, its not.
Its fun hip hop from an era when it was ok to have a message, be funny and experiment with samples. Its a shame hip hop has moved so far away from creative mixing and actual lyrical content.
FANTASTIC! One of the few albums on this list that you really should listen to before you die.
Its easy to see how this influenced popular music as well as why it was so popular during its day. Great, short (though formulaic) little dance tunes.
IF you can get past the part that its Marilyn Manson this is fitting music for its time and place. Well produced and a couple of really good songs in there.
If you cant get past the fact that its Marilyn Manson this is sophomoric edge lord try hard crap that was biting the industrial sound that was becoming more popular at the time.
I wish I could give it 2.5 stars as its neither a 2 or a 3.
I am not a country fan, I am however a fan of Dwight Yoakam. 'What I don't know' is fantastic.
Its too bad country and western music these days is just 80's butt rock cosplaying as cowboys.
I get it, they are influential.
I think the who blows.
Not my favorite album by Bowie. Its good, its not great.
I will never understand why music critics fellate PJ Harvey albums the way they do.
If some British dude put this out he would be labeled a wanker.
Good thing this list is insisting on shoving PJ Harvey down your ear holes 4 times with 4 albums.
YAY!
Solid lyricist with actual story line, theme and thought. This is the opposite of the random phrase mumbling that is nothing more than boasting like a brain dead rooster just strutting around. Solid 3 stars.
There are some good songs on this. I cannot fathom any scenario that ones musical journey of discovery dictates this NEEDS to be heard before death.
I get it, shes got a great voice. I dont actively dislike it but I dont fall at the altar of her being the greatest singer of all time.
Good album!
Cool background music. Its good, no need to purchase physical media of this, nor do I feel the need to add the artist or album to my streaming platforms. Dont get me wrong, its good. I wish there were half star options, this is a solid 2.5 stars. All of that being said this is another in the "you dont need to listen to this album before you die" pile.
This has always been a strange album for me. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Beatles.
This album has some absolute highs and some skippers for sure. Overall its OK. I own it on both vinyl and cd though it rarely gets played.
I see that its a precursor to thrash. I see why people would like it, I dont. Those lyrics....
Not particularly my cup of tea, but classic Santana is classic for a reason. Worlds above the later collaborations that make me want to stab myself in the ear when they come on.
An unbelievably overrated artist and album. A couple of decent songs and headlines that wanted everyone to believe this is the second coming of Aretha Franklin (you know, a white brittish woman). I just dont get the hype.
But thats just like, my opinion, man.
2 stars all day and twice a day on Sundays.
A lot of interesting ideas, a lot of swings and a lot of misses. Those moments that do hit though.... damn. Unfortunately they are usually moments that hit within songs not entire songs.
Worth a listen simply for the lyric:
"Do you realize
That everyone you know someday will die?"
An absolute classic actually deserving of the praise it has received over the years and it deserves more. I wish todays hip hop had half the thoughtful lyrical content this does.
Im honestly stunned this made it on this list, its not trying too hard to be cool bullshit like the majority of this catalogue. THIS is an actual album you should hear before you die be you a fan of hip hop or not.
Easily Metallicas most complex, progressive album. If not for the poor thin sounding production this would be a perfect album. This is in my opinion their best album.
Eh, not particularly my thing but I get why people like it.
Ugh. Seriously? One of the albums everyone NEEDS to hear before they die?
Thats an hour and fourteen minutes of my life I will never get back. If I wanted to listen to listen to show tunes I would go to a show, a good one. Not this one.
Nice! Fun throwback music performed by truly talented musicians and fronted by an exceptional arrangement.
I mean..... heres the thing. The lead single "Bad" is absolute dogshit. That said some of ol Mikeys best work is on this.
Today I learned that this exists.
First half is INCREDIBLE. You could be a successful touring band just based on these songs for the rest of your music career, and they have.
Second half is much like the rest of The Killers discography...meh.
Maybe one needs to be from the UK or super into mid 90s britpop to want to throat this as deeply as the British press and rags like Pitchfork have.
Im not and this is as far on the low end of mediocre as can be.
Seriously?
No one NEEDED to hear this in 1992 when it came out let alone pretend like its got something that makes it a legacy album that should be passed over as a must listen.
1 star is being generous, lets go with 0.38.
Like quite a few albums on this list I think I need to be from the UK to really appreciate it.
Don't get me wrong its ok, its not bad... I just don't live in a world where this is essential listening.
Why the UK version of this album? The US version has Paint it Black which is the difference between a good album(3 stars) and a VERY good album(4 stars).
This is one of the few Stones records I own. This is before they became a parody of themselves.
I love Dusty... this isnt the album that you NEED to hear from her. This on its best day is the 3rd best album in her catalog.
I LOVE David Bowie.
That doesn't mean I'm not honest with myself when it comes to his albums. Just like most of his catalogue there are 1 or 2 GREAT songs on here and a couple of fantastic sections in other songs that are otherwise good to poor. Very uneven throughout. The great vastly outweighs the bad though because when Bowie is on he's genius.
Fantastic. Simply fantastic.
Another on this list that I think you have to be from the UK to truly appreciate. This is about as mediocre as can be.
As with any Elton John album there are SPECTACULAR high points on this album. There is also more than a fair share of "meh". The good far outweighs the bad.
The entirety of the Beatles catalogue is worthy of this list. This isn't their best album, far from it... which still makes it better than 90% of everything else by everyone else.
Surprisingly good. While I might not be a fan of her voice it fits the narrative and melody within the songs.
Oh my, what a voice. Its insane that this is recorded live. This is fantastic.
I am a HUGE Bowie fan. As a fan I can recognize that while this is in fact a classic album it is much like a lot of his albums and that's a roller coaster ride of quality. This is with David Bowie the highs are SOOOOO high you can here pieces of it and its influence in music for decades after. We rarely talk about the swing and misses. More hits than misses on this.
I see the appeal. I actually like all the noisy experimental dirges that lose their way from the original song structure and dont feature vocals. The vocals are very take it or leave it, not bad. Its cool. I dont know anyone that NEEDS to hear this before they die.
Its good, surprisingly good. Life changing? No.
I will never understand the mass appeal of Motorhead. As a fan of the NWBHM I still think Motorhead is ass.
As with most OutKast albums there are some spectacular highs and some unbelievable lows.
Fantastic! Power Pop at its best. Most bands dream of having this many classic songs over the course of a career let alone a single album.
90s critic darling PJ Harvey!
For the 4th(?) time on this list.
Ugh.
I dont get the media obsession with this. Its on the lower end of mid tier as can be. To be fair this may be the best of her albums.
Its good, not great. What sets it apart is that it very clearly laid the groundwork for other groups and a "sound" that would permeate and influence a generation of rock musicians. This isnt their best album but its good.
I should love this more than I do. Interesting melodies, sweet instrumentation and wonderful echo to the production. It also sounds like all of the other "retro folk" groups that came out around this time.
Great background music while cleaning the house.
Not a lot to say other than in this particular genre of music EW&F stand amongst the giants. Wonderful album.
Sometimes things that influence great art blows. Here’s proof.
I get it I get it, influential... shes your favorite singers favorite singer songwriter.
Her voice makes me unreasonably angry. It sounds like the used tin cans and strings to record this.
I understand why shes on this list, but these are my rankings and I think shes ass.
Of all the late 60s San Fran groups this is the one picked for this list.
I think at this point I continue on with this just to see how much more dumbfounded this list makes me.
Moby fuckin Grape...
STELLAR
Not many people have the ability to convey emotion on the level that Otis Redding could. While not his best record in my opinion as this is maybe his 3rd or 4th best..... wait. This is the only album on this list by Otis Redding.
Of all the crap I have had to listen to including 6 albums by Nick Cave, 4 by PJ Harvey and yet one, ONE by Otis Redding. 3 albums by Dexys Midnight fucking Runners.
I think I only continue to go through this list just to piss myself off. Today the mission was accomplished.
I wish there was a 2.5 star ranking as that is exactly what the doors were, a 2.5 star band that the death contributing mythos of the lead singer somehow made them legends. Had Jim lived into his 50s they would have faded into the background of the good but not great bands of their era, yet here we are.
Apparently I am in the minority here, but Iron Butterfly blows.
Listen, I love a good long epic song, but the one song anyone can name on this album is 17 minutes of ass.
An argument could be made that this isn't even within the top 20 albums of 1968 let alone making the cut of albums you MUST hear before you die.
2 stars just for what could be considered its influence on heavy music.
If you like good ol classic rock its hard to go wrong with AC/DC.
The great thing about AC/DC is if you have one of their albums you pretty much have all of their albums. There is a formula there and they are sticking to it.
Is this an album you must listen to before you die? God no, you've already heard it a million times or one of their other songs that for better or for worse are pretty much the same. Im clicking 3 stars but honestly its a formulaic 2.67.
Just like every other late 80s early 90s dance club groups only not as good as the stand outs like Black Box, CeCe Peniston, Robin S., Everything but the girl, Crystal Waters, La Bouche.... you get the idea.
In 2002, Freewheelin' was one of the first 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The best part about music is that its subjective to the listener. This listener gave this record a shot for the first time in a long time. I took into consideration just how important Bob Dylan to music and culture not just during his heyday but how much he has inspired generations of musicians. I often admire the songs he has written that have been reworked and performed by other artists so yes, maybe my now more mature 50 year old ears will appreciate his music performed by the man himself.
Here are my thoughts upon relistening: This guys voice sucks and this blows.
While I am thrilled to see that Curtis Mayfield is on this list I can't believe either his eponymous debut album Curtis or even SuperFly isn't the go to choice here.
This album is a solid 3 where the two previously mentioned are 4-5 starts easily.
Heres the thing, this has all the elements of music that I truly love. Its melodic where it needs to be, gutteral where it needs to be, ever changing progressive structures and yet..... Ill just say it, the vocals kill this for me.
2.75 just because I wouldnt ever jump up to turn it off but I also would never play it purposely, its good just not something that makes me really WANT to listen to it.
I'm not a jazz guy, lets start with that caveat.
This is good, I appreciate the idea of fleshing out a musical theme/thought/feeling for as long as it needs to be born, live and breathe and then die. I like music on the more progressive side so maybe that is what I found appealing about this. Much how I appreciate Mozart I prefer Beethoven, I can truly see the appeal of all the delicate twinkly beauty but I prefer a little meat and potatos mixed in.
For ME this isn't something earth shattering but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I can see why this has been and will continue to be fawned over for a long time.
I am continually shocked at how praised the Pretenders are, especially by the media.
Over the course of decades there are a small spattering of decent songs that other than the take it or leave it voice of Ms. Hynde (I'll leave it) sounds just like everything else in its time frame from this genre. If it was a dude singing these songs you wouldn't remember the band name when the song you recognize comes on.
6 times Nick Cave is on this list. I don’t know 6 people that care for his music. His film scores are better than any of these albums.
I get it, the person/people that made this list fangirl over Nick. I don’t.
I'm not a jazz afficionado so my take on this isn't as glowing as I'm sure it could be.
This is nice. Great background music for a get together where conversation is more important than people gigging out.
No one needs to hear this before they die. Solid 3 though, very talented musicians.
Interestingly my favorite bits of this are the saxophones which would explain why I prefer Coltrane over Miles if I am listening to jazz.
Incredible musicianship is what garners this a 3 for me, would be higher if I were a Jazz Guy, but I'm not.
2.5 is more appropriate. Im just not on the Paul Simon is a genius train. Sure, a couple of solid songs here and there. To me they are unremarkable.
Iggy Pop is overrated trash. I would zero star the shit out of this if I could.
Ive never been a fan of Geddy's vocals BUT the musicianship on this is amazeballs. This is fantastically proggy.
Fun if formulaic song structures, talented musicians and back up singers and then James and his scrotum squeeze voice. Yeah, I don't think anyone needs to hear this before they die, I certainly didn't.
You know what? It's a bop. Sure there are really only 4 quality songs on this but they are perfect for their place in time. I would go 3.5 if I could.
Oooof, 1 really good and 2 decent songs. Another on this list of seeing things brighter with revisionist glasses. This was panned when it came out and is as 2.25 as can be today as well.
I get that he was an influential artist for a specific regional style of music and he has been doing this forever, a flag bearer for the combined N.O. sound and tradition.
I wont turn this off if its on and I will nod my head in rhythm if its on. This isnt something I would specifically seek out to listen to.
All of that being said just because I dont view this as a masterpiece that needs to be heard (believe me, unless youre really into this specific style you dont need to hear this before you die). Its good. 2.5 isnt an option so I will go with 3 simply because 2 would imply its bad.
The only people that MIGHT think this is essential listening in the western hemisphere are people that thought it was cool to go down the Beatles influence path. Even those people aren't listening to this on a daily basis.
What are we doing here?
Yet another album I think would resonate with me if I were from the UK.
It is... unremarkable.
I'll be the guy to say it... The Clash is overrated.
Not being familiar with LLoyd Cole and the Commotions I was actually excited to see that I would be treated to "4 extra tracks" of rattlesnakes. Surely if 4 extra tracks could be shoehorned in that means the original 10 tracks were so exemplary that these 4 couldn't even make the cut for the already long running 35 minutes and change of music I was about to treat myself to.
WRONG.
This sounds like the music you hear in the background of a bar in a mediocre 80's movie. I can see Patrick Swayze stone faced turning down the town hottie without saying a word and the bad guy somehow being mad that his woman got turned down by the new bad ass in town. That sounds more entertaining than this album was.
Here is a quick lyrical excerpt: She reads Simone de Beauvoir in her American circumstance.
Oh fuck all the way off for suggesting this is an album anyone MUST hear before they die.
I'm a Def Leppard fan, one of the first albums I bought (my parents bought for me but I got to pick it) was a Def Leppard album. THAT album is superior to this. I dont know that anyone needs to hear a Def Leppard album before they die but if they did its Pyromania. While Pyromania is clearly very polished rock aiming for the charts this is a damn set of antique silver its so polished for the charts in comparison. That being said it is a perfect reflection of its time and its 7 hit singles speaks to how successful this record is/was.
Not their best album by any means. Still better than 99% of anything released by anyone else. It speaks volumes that this group of guys recorded for 7 years together and had the impact in music and culture that they did. All of their accolades are deserved.
Its pretty easy to hear how this was influential to the punk, post punk and new wave scene. One can hear how artists used this as a catalyst to create an evolution of what was laid in the groundworks here.
That being said the vocals make me want to punch someone. This is the type of music that critics and writers gargle all the way to the pubes while most people just think they are Ok. I am neither a critic or a writer, other than the vocals this is OK.
THIS is the type of album that deserves to be on this list. A true stand out amongst its genre peer group, outstanding musicianship and phenomenal vocals.
Perfect time for this when it was released. Surprisingly it holds up well, I had not listened to it in a very long time. The fingerprints of this are all over a generation or two of woman singer/songwriters that were inspired to believe its ok to have raw emotion. Alanis has a very take it or leave it voice and vocal style, Ill take it.
3.67 rounded up to 4.
