I LOVE Sam Cooke, and he’s great live, but this certainly isn’t a great listen. The recording quality is quite poor and I think you really had to be there for this one. Don’t know why it’s made this list at all? 3 stars because he’s amazing whatever he does. If he has any actual records on here, they’ll be getting 5 from me.

I really gave this a proper go - wouldn’t it be nice to like Pink Floyd? They’ve got loads of material to enjoy etc… but fuck me it is so boring. There’s so many bits where if I was in the room I’d say ‘hey guys… maybe let’s take this bit out. no one wants to hear alarms ringing. this other bit is repetitive and pointless’ etc. Boomers were so easily impressed. Was hoping for some sweet guitar solos but nope, there’s like half a one. Boring shit. Probably deserves a 2 from me but deserves more to have its average brought down.

Oof, dreadful. I hate rap, only managed a track and a half then tapped OUT (motherfucker)

Look, I can fuck with music like this. But this has been done a LOT better since, and before. Even when I heard this as an angsty 13 year old I remember thinking ‘eughhh…. no’. There was this girl called Claire who I became friendly with - she turned out to be a compulsive liar - who I thought was cool because she introduced me to rock music pretty much. But even then, when it would have been cool to like Korn… I didn’t. Some really juvenile / misogynistic / homophobic / horrible stuff in here. It’s all the same. It’s too long and boring. NO THANKS. I looked up Claire recently and all I could find was that she started a computer company that folded within 2 years, otherwise nothing.

I’ve always hated this band’s music. This sounds like someone dancing in your face when you’re in a bad mood, saying ‘come and daaaaance’ when your face is clearly telling them to fuck off. Annoying.

Tried to hear what everyone loves about it but didn’t really get it. Nice but a bit forgettable!

A really accomplished version of ‘this sort of thing’ so great if you love that. I liked it.

One good song on here and it’s the first one. The rest is drivel and every one is too long.

Good, but wouldn’t bother listening to it again.

I can see why people like him so much. Some great stuff but every song is too long like all 70s albums. Just wondering, is he American?

I bet Rod doesn’t play that opening track live anymore! Maggie May obviously slaps but reminds me of respected nonce John Peel. The rest is… whatever. Wonder if the Stereophonics have ever heard this.

First track is a classic. Can’t remember the rest even immediately after listening. Nice sound but not much more to it. Can see how it’d have been quite new sounding at the time. Liked it way more than I thought, still.

I mean yeh, whatever. Very good if you’re in to this sort of thing, certainly accomplished. I’ve yet to hear a 70s album where the songs aren’t too long. I saw someone say it’s a good dinner party album - bang on. Great background music.

Lovely because it’s Ella Fitzgerald!

I’m just never gonna like hip hop but I’m sure this is a great example of it.

When this came up I immediately thought of that video of her shushing the crowd!! This album’s fucking dreadful. Sounds like someone who got famous through TikTok and made a record with their parents money.

Couldn’t finish it. I’m sure it was great at the time but just a bit annoying innit?

Very nice. If someone had asked me when Nick Drake was about I’d have said… I dunno, 90s? He fucking died in 1974!! Two years after this album. And he’d already retired! Turns out I was thinking of Nick Cave. Some lovely stuff, but also one track that is barely even a demo. Like, babe… just leave it off. Will appeal, I imagine, to fans of Dylan. (Bob Dylan).

Free Bird is not as much of a banger as I remember, the rest of the album is utterly forgettable and I found out they’re racist?? No thanks!!! Getting really sick of the 70s tbh.

At first I was like…This is a bit more like it!! Would have absolutely blown my head off in 1987. Then after the first track it’s just a bit boring. One song sounds like soundtrack to GoldenEye for N64. Otherwise… nah.

There is very little hip hop I enjoy - not none, but this doesn’t qualify. Just sounds like noise to me and is actually really stressful to listen to. Can’t understand a word, no tune… though I am aware he is highly respected in the field.

Didn’t have time to listen to all of this, but what I did hear was lovely. Good old George. The fifth beatle!

Oh fuck yeh. Coldplay at their purest and occasionally best. They’re a different band now but that doesn’t take away from this, masterpiece. People like to say they’re imitating Radiohead but every band is like others and I don’t think this is close enough. Deal with it!!!

I’ve always hated this band’s music. This sounds like someone dancing in your face when you’re in a bad mood, saying ‘come and daaaaance’ when your face is clearly telling them to fuck off. Annoying.

Fucking hell. Some of this sounds like it’s been written with irritating me specifically in mind. I’m sure this is ‘great’ but I tried every track and I just absolutely hate it. Best of luck to Kendrick.

I didn’t love all of this but there’s enough real classics to get 4 stars. Always loved Dusty. Very culturally American though eh? Whatever, she’s great.

On paper I should love Bowie but he always leaves me cold. This one especially boring. Unwise to do a Beatles cover if it’ll end up being the best track on the record. Sorry David!!! I’ll try the other EIGHT albums you have on here…

I’ve heard much better versions of this sort of thing. Whatever.

Couldn’t get through this one. Dreadful. Some things need to stay in the 80s.

The singer sounds like Elvis Costello! I think I enjoyed some of it but wouldn’t ever put it on again. I think I could die without hearing this one.

Not annoying but utterly unremarkable.

Not sure if I’ve ever sat down and appreciated this as an album. Can’t believe so many good tracks are on one record. A masterpiece, really. Imagine what she’d have done next.

This has always been my favourite Beatles album. Amazing that all these songs are on one record?! And they broke up pretty soon after this! IMAGINE being around when this came out. I’d have had to stay home for a few days I reckon. I love how they’re not making it to please anyone at all, just doing whatever the fuck they want. So many experimental elements here, from recording to songwriting, to structure… absolutely fucking mind blowing.

The definition of original punk to me is ‘purposefully shit’, but then post-punk and emo came along with ‘what if we took the good bits of punk but could actually sing in tune and play our instruments’ - this is late enough that they should have taken a bit more of a cue from that movement. A bit too early punk for me - some bands need to have the guts to tell their singer they shouldn’t be the singer of the band anymore but they can stay and play guitar. I can imagine seeing them at this old venue in Croydon that I can’t remember the name of, and then never hearing from them again. But here they are? Total fluke. HOWEVER good on them for being women in this scene at that time, can’t have been easy.

I would never choose R&B but I can enjoy the musicianship and there’s some particular nice bass playing here. The main problem with this record is it’s just a bit boring. Also ‘Shit, Damn, Motherfucker’ sounds exactly like an R&B song this kid I used to sit next to in year 9 would make up as a joke! Best of luck, D’Angelo.

Oof, dreadful. Managed two and a half tracks and had to bail. Glad it’s out of the way.

Absolutely amazing really. Although ‘The Girl Is Mine’ is a perfect example of two people so successful they can’t tell each other an idea is a bit shit, so they have to commit to it, both thinking ‘eeeesh, wish we hadn’t gone with this’, both partly trying to sabotage it out of existence by adding more bad bits, but ultimately not having the conversation, so you get left with that. And SO many of the lyrics are totally nonsensical, made up words, ridiculous… I don’t really listen to MJ anymore because… ya know. Somehow… a 5 star album anyway.

Utterly uninspiring with a healthy dose of childish misogyny. Was going to get a 2 for the fun guitar playing but, nah.

Keyboards will NEVER be cool.

I don’t like Bowie and I don’t like this. Really lazy stuff.

Listened to this whole thing and couldn’t whistle you a single tune from it. If you’re writing when the Beatles are putting out Sgt Peppers a year before… you’d just give up wouldn’t you? Boring, but not annoying.

I am not a Bowie fan but… this is cool. Detailed, deep, interesting. I think people who really love him didn’t like this so much - makes sense I suppose. It’s the most I’ve ever enjoyed old DB. I didn’t enjoy every track but enough to listen again, I think.

I don’t remember liking Bob Marley this much, but this record is lovely. A relaxing, soulful listen. Pleasantly surprised twice in a row after some absolute shockers. 3 stars because I can’t imagine choosing to listen to it again, really.

Look, I can fuck with music like this. But this has been done a LOT better since, and before. Even when I heard this as an angsty 13 year old I remember thinking ‘eughhh…. no’. There was this girl called Claire who I became friendly with - she turned out to be a compulsive liar - who I thought was cool because she introduced me to rock music pretty much. But even then, when it would have been cool to like Korn… I didn’t. Some really juvenile / misogynistic / homophobic / horrible stuff in here. It’s all the same. It’s too long and boring. NO THANKS. I looked up Claire recently and all I could find was that she started a computer company that folded within 2 years, otherwise nothing.

The sound of two old white men tuggin’ each other off.

Small town bar house band takes requests and invites locals up to sing

I really gave this a proper go - wouldn’t it be nice to like Pink Floyd? They’ve got loads of material to enjoy etc… but fuck me it is so boring. There’s so many bits where if I was in the room I’d say ‘hey guys… maybe let’s take this bit out. no one wants to hear alarms ringing. this other bit is repetitive and pointless’ etc. Boomers were so easily impressed. Was hoping for some sweet guitar solos but nope, there’s like half a one. Boring shit. Probably deserves a 2 from me but deserves more to have its average brought down.

Thought I’d like this a lot more, just a bit boring.

I don’t know Beck very well, but I like a lot of what I’ve heard. So when this came up I was very excited! But, I dunno. It really didn’t do anything for me. Disappointed!!! (Like that guy from that film)

Don’t know what the fucking point of this is

If a 16yr old kid played me this I’d be like ‘wow, great first album, really well done. you got all your ideas you’ve been hanging on to for years out, you can probably hear now how on the nose those lyrics are, and you’ve probably learnt a lot in the process. now don’t ever play it to anyone again’. This leaves a door open for an actually good second album, which I’m not gonna look up but I know he went on to write some bangers. Thing is, Kravitz was 25 when he made this. He was old enough to do better. And you know, playing all those instruments isn’t as impressive as it seems. Sorry Lenny, throw this out with your big stupid scarf.

REM’s greatest hits album absolutely blew my head off when I was about 13, so I’ll always have affection for them and I like their sound enough to enjoy this. However, there are no songs here that aren’t on the hits album that would deserve to be. A bit too much of Stipe’s inner child for me, and ‘Stand’ has always sounded to me like it’s written to teach children something, not sure what, standing? Points on a compass? I just looked it up and this is their SIXTH album?!! Mad that they took over ten years to get in to their stride - they really had a good few years at the beginning of the 90s.

Best thing: it’s only 30 mins Worst thing: VERY boring

Yeh, really boring stuff. Top tip- listen to track 1, and you’ve heard it all.

Neil Hannon is a genius. Unfortunately most people are too stupid to appreciate his music, which is why he’s not more successful. You actually have to use your brain for this, and your heart will thank you. Love it!

I think we studied this at school. Didn’t like it then either!

I was in a pub once and I heard these two Irish voices behind me saying ‘I’ll have a pint of Guinness’, I turned round and it was Bono and his mate The Edge. Bono looked at me and said ‘Alright mate?’ and I said ‘Oh no, not YOU TWO again!’. Anyway we all laughed and I told that while I’m no U2 super fan, this is a perfect album. I asked him why he was wearing sunglasses indoors but I don’t think he heard me because he started talking about something else.

I just don’t like rap and I can’t get any enjoyment from this. Wonder if that’s a Common opinion?

I was not aware of how racist and stupid Clapton is! Lolllll. Sorry Eric your music is boring.

Not for me. Also probably not aimed at me. They were good in the Simpsons.

I really like some Nirvana songs but I don’t think I enjoyed any of this. I’ll say it - not the drummer’s best work.

I LOVE Sam Cooke, and he’s great live, but this certainly isn’t a great listen. The recording quality is quite poor and I think you really had to be there for this one. Don’t know why it’s made this list at all? 3 stars because he’s amazing whatever he does. If he has any actual records on here, they’ll be getting 5 from me.

Thought this was going to be boring but it was rather pleasant!

I reeeeeally don’t like constant repetition so this album is quite annoying for me. Every song could be about 30 seconds and I would get the picture. There are some bangers but they ALL go on too long and are one idea again and again. I can imagine someone who thinks they ‘know about music’ absolutely insisting that this is an amazing album at a party but… nah.

Like the Pet Shop Boys but somehow worse

Really, desperately boring, feels like on purpose most of the time. I was 14 and into indie music in 2004 and had no awareness of this band, so they didn’t have a cultural impact either. Should have done ‘beta’.

Dull purple, Deep shit, Deep beige, Shit purple, creep purple, deep boring, dumple bumple, smoke on your mum, ma-shit head

I don’t think I’ve listened to this all the way through since the first time. So many classics, and some stuff which is them fucking about but would be other bands absolute best work. Such trailblazers but try not to think how briefly they were even a band because it’s freakish levels of productivity. Album of the year and then Abbey Road was the next fucking year?!!! Madness. Also McCartney invented heavy metal on this album!

It’s very cool to like this sort of thing isn’t it. Was a bit worried by the first track but after that it took no convincing. Some really powerful, beautiful stuff on here. Thanks Nina!

Beautiful, haunting record. I did not know Billie Holiday didn’t make it to the 60s!

A pretty lazy entry to the list I think. I bet there’s thousands of other albums like this that are way better. Ah well. Not annoying but not for me

Don’t know why anyone would need to listen to this dead or alive

I’ve always loved Do You Realize, the rest is fine. Perfectly enjoyable in the background but I wouldn’t put it on deliberately.

Ash have three good songs, and none of them are on this album. If this was a local band when I was a teenager, they’d probably have been one of the best on the scene, but this album cannot compete on any higher level than that. Thinking about it, loads of my friends’ bands were better than this. If we’re all honest with each other Tim Wheeler’s no singer is he. Ah well.

When I met U2 again I did make a point of asking Bono why he wore sunglasses indoors. He winked (I think) and said ‘Achtung, Baby’ so he may not have known what that actually means. He kept talking about ‘Edge’ and I said ‘Don’t you mean THE Edge?’ and he just sort of chuckled and didn’t say anything. Adam Clayton was writhing around - turns out he doesn’t just do that on stage - and it was all a bit fucking weird to be honest. Good album though.

Destiny’s other child

A really enjoyable listen, especially if it’s the version that had How Soon Is Now? on it. But… their stuff has such a high bar and I think this dodges all their best songs, of which there are LOADS. Would be 5 for anyone else but for The Smiths, a 4. Though as vegetarian I do agree that Meat Is Murder.

God damn… Marvin. One of my favourite singers ever and this steaming album is excellent all the way through.

So this has a few of the hits, but arguably not the best ones, and there is a big gap between their hits and album tracks. Still, enjoyable and of course some interesting ideas. Would be a 5 for a lot of other artists but they can do better.

Really great but I think needs the film, which I haven’t seen. I’m sure it’s a brilliant soundtrack, and would be a better album if I’d seen it. Solid work as always from Air.

Not worth reviewing x

Really takes me back to playing Crazy Taxi and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater on the Dreamcast. Should have waited for the PS2 to come out!! I had an Offspring hoodie despite only having heard their music on those games and not knowing it was them! Quite boring music really, 2 stars coming straight from nostalgia!

One of my three favourite albums from my favourite band so… it’s gonna be a 5.

Two stars because it wasn’t unbearable, no more because it wasn’t interesting

I know it’s cool to like this so I’m giving it three stars and not listening to it again

Stopped after 4 or 5 songs sounded exactly the same. Very dull.

I love them, but I didn’t love this. Only really 2 amazing tracks and the rest of some of it feels a bit lazy or silly.

Very exciting start but is followed by much the same thing over, and over…

Life’s too short to bother with music like this. I gave it 3 tracks, no thanks!

I enjoyed this a LOT more than I thought I would. Very accomplished version of this sort of thing and better than many copies of it.

Don’t have time to listen to a double album so skimmed this. It’s fine, a bit repetitive but some pleasant bits. Could not have told you what Nick Cave sounded like before this. 3 because it was good but I won’t play it again.

Meh

Good but won’t listen again

Fuckin hell, Nick Cave again? Almost exactly the same as the last album. No fuckin way they both need to be on this list. Boring.

Jesus, imagine being around in 1966. There wasn’t much new music, maybe you take a chance on this to try something new, and then you get home and get fucking BORED out of your goddam MIND. Bullshit.

This had absolutely no effect on me whatsoever

Liked it more than I thought but certainly won’t listen to it again

These guys couldn’t be bothered to think of a name, or album name, or write any interesting music, or get a good album cover design, so I didn’t bother listening beyond the first few boring tracks.

I think I will take the lift to heaven, might be more interesting music x

REM if the R stood for Rock. Fine, absolutely never listening to this on purpose again but it didn’t irritate me and I tried every track.

I’ve heard enough of these songs before to know that I hate it so gonna skip this one.

The epitome of ‘you had to be there’

Lovely stuff. Windmills Of Your Mind is one of the most impressive songs ever written I think. A well deserved 4 stars.

RESPEGC!

This is great! I didn’t think I’d enjoy it nearly as much. Well done JA!

This really needs the film with it. Or something else ;) - would have been higher if it had either.

This is better than the other one I had by them, but still, Plant always sounds like he’s about to go ‘ohhh mama’ which must be appropriated from somewhere, and sometimes he actually does it, and it’s just kind of embarrassing. I listened to more of each track than I thought but there’s no way I’d put it on again. Really hope there’s not loads more LZ on the list. 3 stars is GENEROUS. Actually fuck it, 2.

Actually really enjoyed that. Queen know how to write a memorable tune and are never lazy, despite being terminally uncool somehow.

The beauty of ‘Moving’ still makes me disappointed in everything else by Supergrass, including the second half of the song, but this is fine. It’s quite abrasive so a whole album is a bit much, but there’s some good tunes.

Really disliked this

Oof, dreadful. I hate rap, only managed a track and a half then tapped OUT (motherfucker)

This went right through me, totally average. Nice voice, nice songs, but done better by a lot of others.

Not as good as many of their contemporaries. Terrible cover of Grapevine. But still a nice sound, a comfortable 3.

Nice to hear some melodies on a rap (?) album but definitely not my thing

No thank you not listening to this

This album might have had a chance at being good if his voice wasn’t so fucking irritating. Get someone else to sing for you Gary.

Quite stressful

I’ve never managed to get in to Bowie, but turns out I really like his later work. This is great, Blackstar was too!

Not really for me. There’s one idea per song, repeated for a few minutes til it’s over. I’m sure some people love this.

Heard one, heard ‘em all

Another couple of rejected tracks from the N64 Goldeneye soundtrack

Jesus stop SHRIEKING!

Whoever is ‘the poor man’s Beatles’, the Kinks are the poor man’s version of that. Insipid rubbish, don’t know how they’re possibly popular. Even their best song (don’t need to name it) is sort of shit? Imagine making this at the same time that the Beatles and Beach Boys were releasing those records…. Embarrassing.

Whoops, accidentally died without listening to this oh don’t worry it’s fine

Complex - needs another listen or two for a full judgement but I will predict 5

Enjoyed rhyming of ‘peaches’ and ‘Jesus’ but that’s about it

If I could only listen to one album, this would be it.

Boy am I glad it’s not the 70s anymore

Sort of like Terars for Fears / Duran Duran but not nearly as good

Not that entertaining, quite pleasant at times. I’ll take this over Pink Floyd any fuckin day of the week

Whatever

Rolling Stones always sound like a sort of embarrassing impression of American blues to me. No change here, very very boring. A very generous 2 stars.

Holy shit, what a year for music 1997 was! I’ve loved this album since I heard it in maybe… 2004. So - happy 20 years, Urban Hymns. An easy 5 stars.

Wow, that was great. Haven’t dived in to Blur’s back catalogue but I was excited to see this come up and very much enjoyed it. Quite ‘early work’ but I think I’d have loved it when it came out. Lots of people on here comparing it to the Kinks, who are shit, and those people are wrong.

Hadn’t heard this - very much in my wheelhouse but didn’t do a huge amount for me. A VERY generous three.

I understand what they’re trying to do here but it’s not nearly interesting enough to be good. It could be! But it’s not.

I don’t usually like Bowie’s main work but this was fun. Probs won’t listen to it again though.

Can’t be bothered with this one, punk sucks. 2 stars because the title track is good but didn’t bother listening to the rest.

All three of these stars are for The Power Of Love, which is a five star song, but the rest of the album just pales in comparison.

No thanks

Nice but wouldn’t put it on

Very much in my wheelhouse but did absolutely nothing for me

I’ll watch Walk The Line again one day and that’ll be enough Johnny Cash for me. Bet it was great in priz.

Sorry Taylor… I just really really don’t like your music. Best of luck though.

There are two good songs on this album. From memory I thought they’d be enough to give it a good rating but, no. God funk sucks doesn’t it? So glad none of my friends got that RHCP tattoo they were talking about.

Sounds like and about as good as the band I was in when I was 13

I don’t love all of Beck’s music, but this is so lovely. Some all-timers on there for me. I was gonna give it 4 but nothing really matters so here we are.

Oh fuck yeh. Fever dream masterpiece. Yehhhh what’s happeniiiiiin

The melodic stuff is quite nice, the rest very boring.

Boring

Standard Rolling Stones….. SHIT!

Hits just as hard as it did in 2006. This was life changing for me. They’re weird now but this was incredible.

Nice tunes, nice voice, nice sound… won’t play it again though.

Listened to the first few tracks and they were just noise, don’t like Eno anyway so just listened to Hail To The Thief instead

Really enjoyed this but fuck that guy

Some good / iconic tunes but ultimately not for me

Hip hop can be quite enjoyable when it’s got a melody mixed in there!

Very much a ‘back in my day’ album that doesn’t hold up now

Oh fuck off Pink Floyd. Most overrated band of all time. Gave it a track and a half and then listened to something good. Trash!

Very pleasant, and TDCWCT is one of my all time faves. Thanks kd!

Whatever. Boring.

She’s Shouting

Fine just a bit boring

This guy heard The Cure and thought ‘I could do that voice’ but didn’t quite manage it. Fine but I would never ever play it again.

I would have much preferred Perfect Day ten times in a row. And not the Lou Reed version, that celebrity one from the 90s.

If you’ve heard any blues song ever, you don’t need to listen to this. Verrrrry boring.

Entertaining but a bit tiresome after a while. Couldn’t listen to it all in one go but did enjoy a lot of it.

Someone has been in my room and drunk all of my beers

Hard to believe this was ever cool

I don’t even remember listening to this and it was yesterday. 2 stars because it wasn’t annoying, just boring.

I usually quite like ‘dreary’ music but this is a bit too far. He sounds half asleep!

Not Banksy’s best work and not to my taste at all - bearable at best.

Some nice stuff here, some quite annoying sounds, some really lovely songs.

Thought this would be dreadful like all punk but it was just quite boring

Sounds like the bits in the Batman series with Adam West when they’d punch people and the cartoon words would come up

Have you heard any country album, ever? Then you’ve heard this

Listened to the whole thing to check it was still 5 stars and fuck yes it is.

Hard to be in the mood for this at the moment but still quality and a perfect example of what it is.

Sounds like the drummer from Genesis

Made me wanna commit… fraud

Really stupid lyrics. Nice at first but his voice got very wearing by the end. Honestly, Alex Turner did it better.

Just listen to ‘Get It On’ and you’ve heard it. Every other song is about the same but not as good.

Always like the REM sound but this went straight through me. Fine, I guess? None of the hits.

Totally unremarkable

Veers a bit too much in to quite annoying noise too often for me. Even people I know personally have done this better so… medium grass.

Post good more like!!

Boring again

That one guitar lick isn’t enough to carry this album, and the fact that you know which bit I’m talking about proves my point. Drivel!

Probs would have been fine dying without hearing an album with none of Queens hits on it

Chilled, some nice tunes, wouldn’t put it on