1001 Albums Summary

2.5* Very average bar 2-3 songs. Almost like lift music.

Enjoyable as a background noise album outside of title track.

A decent album, but nonsense lyrics, overlong and a few songs that are a bit too close to influences e.g. T. Rex on Cigarettes and Alcohol

El Paso is a good track

Great album, not as good as Songs in the Key of Life, but consistent

Very good album, behind Rust Never Sleeps and After the Gold Rush. A Man Needs a Maid isn't great, though

A lot of covers, but done decently.

Much better than Can't Buy a Thrill, but Jazz Rock is not my thing

A couple of interesting things, but ultimately boring like the club

Interesting use of sampling

Solid from start to finish, excellent bass

Fantastic voice, good lyrics. A bit too folky for me overall, though

Some good tracks, but overlong. Some lyrics quite obnoxious

Some great tracks, but doesn't reach the heights of Screamadelica

Enjoyable (particularly the second and third tracks) , but I don't know enough about jazz to fully appreciate it

A subtle album, relaxing but dynamic. Could do without the fanboy cries of one member of the audience, though

Strong start, decent mix of tracks. The whisper of "cocaine" on Snowblind is comical - Spinal Tap had to base their act on something. Still a solid and enjoyable album

A good album, but samey in places. Before U2 went too commercial

Never heard of this band before - really enjoyed it. They didn't cling too closely to the hippy sound of the day

Not a bad album, but nothing standout.Turn! Turn! Turn is much better

The lead singer has a great voice, but just left me a bit cold

Great storytelling and range of songs

Strong singles and harmonisation, excellent for its time

Have on vinyl - a fun record which is long but varied enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome. Peak glam

Have on vinyl - really interesting album, not like the music I usually like but very consistent and enjoyable

Never heard this before, but great fun - covers and sampling of Queen songs, ironic takes on extreme nationalism which during the time period and country of origin would have been incredibly important. Very camp and a big influence on Rammstein. Did not listen past the initial LP release

Didn't enjoy as much as other Fugazi albums (e.g. 13 Songs), but a few interesting tracks and good percussion.

I can see how this would have been an important album culturally, but it's not for me. Karma Chameleon is a banger, though

Really enjoyed this, and did not expect to out of the singles. Not standard skin deep rap, lots going on here

A real mix in here - lounge singining, blues, Country, rock and roll. Somehow it works, but doesn't reach the heights of Rust Never Sleeps or After the Gold Rush

Excellent album, consistent and stands out from the standard grunge acts of the time

Solid blues music performed well, but no guitar-driven song should be 19 minutes long, even if it is at a concert. Self-indulgent

Such a different voice from what was typically popular of this type of music. Some decent covers and Maggie May is always a stand out

Similar to Tyrannosaurus Rex before they went electric, but with worse lyrics, a less interesting voice, more samey and not released in the 60s. Not great, just background noise

Not particularly standout, but not awful either. Background noise, not as dynamic as others of the same time period

2-3 standout tracks, decent for its time and very influential, but a lot of very samey songs

Great album for the time, varied. Not the best Kinks album. Sunday Afternoon is a classic

Decent enough, good bass and drums.

Another self-indulgent wankfest like Allman Brothers. Not my sort of music

Enjoyable music, influential on a lot of imitators since

Not bad, Aqualung is a solid track. A bit rambling and proggy in parts. The record isn't too long which means it doesn't overstay its welcome

Solid throughout, distinct voice and great guitar. Good sense of humour

One track stretched into a double album. Good to hear something different but way too long. Half of this would have been twice too long

Some standout tracks on the album, but would be interested to hear some of her later albums to get more of an appreciation

Excellent, fantastic talent as expected. Enjoyable as someone without an insight into jazz

Enjoyable, tongue in cheek. Some great singles too

Great album - not my favourite of theirs but solid throughout

Very enjoyable, didn't know what to expect. A decent length too

Great artist, great voice but a 3-hour compilation is beyond nonsense. She also sings better songs that aren't in this compilation

Good album, sounds like a slightly more anti-authority INXS

Great album, excellent lyrics and emotive vocals. One I will be sure to listen to again

An enjoyable album with catchy pop songs

Not great, not terrible. Some tracks very samey and overlong, but some good parts

Outside of Paint it Black this is pretty shit. The Stones have much better albums

Overlong and juvenile but also funny and creative, catchy and influential. There is definitely a lot worse on this list

Way too long, but generally really good. Some complete bangers on the track list

Excellent album, different for its time, heavy and great finishing track. Still prefer Electric Ladyland

Short and doesn't overstay its welcome. Good sense of humour, but there are stronger punk bands that came earlier

Good album, but could have been stripped back. Can see the influence in the likes of Hozier today

Good album, but there are better Nick Cave albums. Strong start and finish and moody throughout

Solid album, can see the brilliance shining through to be carried forward to future albums

Very middle-of-the-road album. Nothing too interesting

Very enjoyable the whole way through, plenty of energy and great voice

Have on vinyl. Excellent storytelling, funny, witty and dark. Nick Cave takes risks and ensures that his albums are always interesting.

A good album, but could have been tighter and lost a couple of tracks. One of the better Britpop bands

This is a OK album, some good tracks but nothing stand out. I don't understand how they became a global phenomenon, even with some singles like Yellow and In My Place

A fun party album with some good singles and polished production, but not as interesting or dynamic as other glam metal contemporaries

A nice relaxing album for a Sunday evening. Enjoyable

Fantastic album with some flaws that put it just short of 5 stars. In places more interesting that Nevermind, but not as distinctive in others

Directionless soft jazz odyssey. Pretty shit

More like a 3.5 - great music, strong socio-political message without being hamfisted and some excellent singles (Stir it Up). Exodus and some other albums are better and more cohesive, though

4 good singles and the rest is cringe tat. The Paul McCartney track is particularly awful

Very strange album, 3 or 4 distinct sounds that do not mesh well. Some good tracks lift it. The rapping is unforgivable

Good lyrics, groundbreaking for the time but too much harmonica for one album

Too long and quite twee. Nothing outstanding here

Some good stuff here - better than the previous album generated (outside of Orange Crush)

Fantastic album, great singles and deep cuts. Enjoyable throughout and varied despite being over an hour long

A strange album, mixed with some good tracks. Not what I expected

Much better than I remember. Even weaker tracks are good, this, is a groundbreaking album and still sounds fresh now. Essential

Ruined by too much proggy guitar noodling

I don't understand the cult obsession of this band. Nothing too interesting here that hasn't been done better by their contemporaries

Could have been pared back a bit as it became a bit repetitive, but sounds great. Ethereal and sweeping

Great album, well paced and tracks that sound as fresh today as when released. There is some guitar noodling, but it isn't excessive

Decent, but a bit samey

Sounds vital today, quick pop numbers demonstrating the greatness to come

A good album, but outshone by other Neil Young albums on this list

This feels like a meme, something in a late 90s / early 2000s show would use to demonstrate "dangerous youth" at a bus-stop

I'm sure they had fun making this. Nothing very interesting in here that Young MC didn't do with better rhymes and without a concept

Really good album, would ha R been great with shorter tracks and more focus. One to listen to again

Varied and interesting. An excellent album

John Grant did it better

Good album throughout, excellent guitar

Have on vinyl. Great songs done live in a prison - there's a real rapport with the audience. One of the best live albums ever released

The soundtrack to an inoffensive Sunday matinee. Grand as background music

Really enjoyed this despite the intensity. Good mix of tracks

Have on vinyl. Fantastic album, great lyrics and fresh sound across 4 sides. Can hear the influence in lots of successive artists

Classic - some excellent tracks. At points over-indulgent lyrics but not enough to spoil the album

Enjoyable, good harmonising

Probably paved the way for glam metal and were the basis for Spinal Tap, so 3 stars alone for that

Good melodies but a bit samey in places

Great album, ahead of its time. Mixes up the sound among tracks to ensure it is not just a samey mix. Good lyrics

Really tight set of tracks, the blueprint in terms of tone for a lot of the late 70s and 80s bands. Sweet Emotion is strong

Prog nonsense

This is an important album for David Bowie (in terms of moving from glam to other styles, developing his voice, working with artists from alternate musical styles) and it produced some excellent singles (Fame) and deep cuts (Win). It sounds decent altogether, but doesn't stand out particularly well from other soul albums. A strong 3

Fairly unexceptional compared to their peers

Not for me, but I can appreciate the skill involved

Some good tracks, but also pretty self-indulgent with the prog-funk elements

If I was on class As in Ibiza I'm sure I would love it

Have on vinyl. Just the right amount of oddness, still sounds fresh today. Tom Waits' voice is great

Very of its time, but good songs performed well with enough variety to ensure the album doesn't seem bloated

Really enjoyed this, solid the whole way through

Freak on a Leash is decent but this is such an edgy album that it could only appeal to a teenager

Have on vinyl. A good live album, but nothing especially standout. Solid guitar with some weak tracks

Great melodies and emotive lyrics

Enjoyed this - atypical of 1997 with interesting lyrics

A seminal album, when punk expanded to incorporate reggae. Excellent tracks and pacing for a double album

I kept trying to listen to this for 2 weeks while listening to the other albums on the list, thinking I was the problem. No, it's just not that interesting or good

Varied and bombastic, and a real departure from his previous album

Have on vinyl. This is strong from start to finish with an excellent voice. Essential

Enjoyable album with some samey songs, but Maps stands head and shoulders above the rest

I feel like I should really like this, and there are some classic tracks, but it just doesn't really hang together as much more than background music with some excellent singles

Enjoyable album, some very good tracks and guitar work on a rap album which sets it apart

Have on vinyl. No skipped tracks, never gets old.

I don't see how this distinguishes itself from standard 80s synth pop. Doesn't feel essential, but Poison Arrow is good

A couple of good singles and a cohesive sound, but nothing too interesting here

Really interesting album, very different from Dummy which is also excellent. Definitely an album to revisit

This is almost a 2 but some positives push it up. Sounds like it would have been a good gig, excellent opener and another couple of great tracks. Over 12 minutes for Child in Time is inexcusable. Child no more after that

Great songs sung well, enjoyable for a Sunday evening

Unforgettable tracks, no skips. Years ago this was my first exposure to Sparks and I loved it - the bombast and catchy hooks got me at first, but I also like the tongue and cheek lyrics, incessant weirdness and willingness to try something new that comes with each song. This is why they outlasted the trappings of glam in the 70s

An aggressive statement of intent which is still as fierce today as on release

Have on vinyl. Outside of a couple of strong singles, I don't understand how this is one of the albums you must hear before your die. There were better songs in the chart then and now

Too long, self-indulgent and repetitive

Great production and timeless tracks despite being released in the 90s. This isn't a genre that I typically like, but this is a well put together album. Something also tells me that the Prodigy don't intend to Smack their Bitches Up, and they aren't, encouraging you to either

Music for people who wear patchouli. Dreadful

Some OK songs with shit lyrics

The highs are tempered by some objectively mediocre to bad songs (even in the context of the time). Still a great album, but needed a brutal cut to 3 sides at the very most

I know it's their thing, but there is too much prog-folk nonsense on this. 3 solid songs, but not an album I'd return to

Illegal or not, this man will find a way to smoke the devil's lettuce. Good album, but there are better contemporary reggae albums

I still think Coldplay is the equivalent of painting your entire house beige, but this was more palatable than their debut

Yeah it's pretty bad

Pretty aimless and uninteresting. Too folky too. Only exception is Everybody's Talkin', which is excellent

Pleasant enough, but nothing to write home about. Background noise

There are flashes of brilliance here that would inspire multiple singers throughout the 70s, but the album doesn't really hang together. Sometimes the Broadway side takes over too much and it becomes overwrought and melodramatic

Tiresome prog nonsense for people who wank to pictures of themselves

Some interesting tracks here - Ever Since the World Began starts as a proto Black Sabbath song. Over, Under, Sideways, Down is grear too. There is great guitar work as expected, but a lot of the songs are a bit too "pleasant" without much of interest

Some great tracks and guitar, worth revisiting

A lot of good stuff and a lot of wank too

That is some debut

Have on vinyl. As a Queen fan, this is a good album but inconsistent. Some of the tracks should not have made it onto the album - I'm in Love with my Car etc. But there are great highs in the singles and other album tracks like Death on Two Legs

Really great album - atmospheric, strong lyrics and well structured

Music for people who wear cilice belts

Good singles and some decent album tracks, but I don't see how this is an album anyone must hear

You can tell the band are enjoying themselves, and not every album has to be deep. Even though it is more explicit in it's darkness, Black Sabbath still have more teeth

Parts of this are good but overall I hate it

I like Elvis Costello, but he is over represented on this list and there are better albums by him (My Aim is True, Armed Forces, This Year's Model). Those should be the only ones on this list

Have on vinyl. This and Sheet Heart attack are tied for their best work for me. Bombastic, interesting and fun

I enjoyed this - a lot of good songs. Just on the right side of a whiny voice, with good lyrics

A higher rate of good songs than I expected even outside the hits. If I remove Bono's self love from my perception, this is a 4

This was good - country is a genre with massive peaks and crushing troughs. This is peak, great lyrics and melodies, some haunting lyrics

Have on vinyl. Revolutionary sound, great singles, but some weak tracks. Very influential, but it doesn't warrant 5 stars

A lot it the songs blurred together, the sound is quite muted on the album and the tracks aren't distinct enough. Some of Mudhoney's other tracks are great, so I was disappointed

You can hear the influences clearly and how it influenced the next generation (Franz Ferdinand). I think this is a decent album, would come back to it.

It's "epic" in scope, but just don't think it's for me overall

With the exception of a few great singles (Message in a Bottle) the Police for me are the 70s answer to Red Hot Chilli Peppers with slightly better lyrics and bass

I didn't find this too interesting, very monotone and rambling compared to contemporaries

Had potential to be pretentious tripe. Some really emotive songs, Downtown Train and Time. Some strange songs, but never boring

Relaxing in the background and there is a lot of talent here, but a Christ it's long and can get boring

Not to be listened to on a wet October night in Ireland

I'm, conflicted on this one. It would have been genuinely groundbreaking at the time, inspiring ultimately better artists (Goldfrapp), but it also popularised the shit trend of autotune

This is how you do a 4 track album. Varied, interesting, catchy and fun

Not convinced on this album, think it needed a bit of an edit. The placement of Beetlebum and Song 2 right at the start is strange too. You go from pop singles into indie navel gazing. Who is the album written for?

The second half of this album is much more interesting than the first half. Much better than I expected

So of its time that it doesn't hold up. Likely revolutionary on release, but has been exceeded in every way. Other groundbreaking albums in other genres haven't dated this much, it's probably because of the production

I really like this album, it has a good mix of songs that build solidly. The only thing is, some of the singles feel tacked on, as good as they are (i.e. moving from The Prettiest Star to Let's Spend the Night Together to Jean Genie).

I had been listening to this for a while, thinking I must nearly be on another track, but no, I still had 16 minutes left of track 1. They really got what they were going for, I felt like I was on endless, dreary motorway, getting somewhere without joy

Influential, but not really good

Unbelievable live album, great musicianship, talent and charisma

Great double album, enjoyed a lot of this and the runtime didn't feel as long as it was. With some editing, this would have been a 5 star, but just misses out with a couple of weaker tracks

It's a fun album with some good tracks which is influential for it's time

Not bad as background noise, ahead of its time. Overall not for me

A strong opener and a couple of OK songs, I just don't seem to "get" this band

Contrarians will convince themselves of their own superiority by saying they like this

Some of the tracks don't work for me, or are a bit self-indulgent (Hell Yes) but overall this is a really good album that I would listen to again

Pleasant enough, but nothing that really stands out as essential

Trying to be weird and random for attention and also trying to add a veneer of depth but it doesn't work

Competent music, but fades into the background

Gentle background music, some decent tracks

I found this album difficult - overlong with good ideas and a range of styles, but overall too much

I don't think this has aged very well - it has been surpassed multiple times, even by close contemporaries (Big L etc)

Fuck off - Kevin and Perry Go Large without the jokes

Groundbreaking for its time, really enjoyable listen

Not a great direction. Good to see artists try new things, but this just sounds a bit...patronising

I liked this, great singles and album tracks and a fantastic voice that stands out from the standard pop stars of the era

Very good album, can't believe I haven't heard it before. One to listen to again

Have on vinyl. Anarchic pop, better than anything Blur and Oasis ever did

I do have a penchant for country, but this album didn't work as much for me as I hoped

Have on vinyl. Neil Young's second best album, great themes, lyrics, melodies and probably his best voice

One of Radiohead's best albums. Better on repeat listens, and great lyrics, but Thom Yorke's voice grates after a while

Not as bad as their other album on the list isn't a good benchmark

Pre-Kim Kanye, so before he lost his mind and started believing his own hype to such a degree that he made shit music. Although this album is long, it is varied and has enough supporting artists to make each track distinct and memorable. Some elements are self indulgent which drops a star

Ahead of its time, some good tracks. Between a 3 and a 4

Nothing particularly standout here apart from the last track. Quite sentimental with some good lyrics

I wasn't a metal fan when I was in my teens, and I'm still not, but this is nearly like popcorn metal. There's something silly about it, but it's still listenable. The singles do stand out as decent

I do like Snoop Dogg generally, but the only way I can describe him across this whole album is a Wayne's World sketch stretched. Gin and Juice is still massive

This isn't my favourite Smiths album, although there are a lot of standout tracks. Some of the songs are fairly mean spirited / the humour is misdirected

Voice warbling comparable to guitar noodling wankery. Carey has a great voice, but the songs need to be good to carry it

I feel like I've gone into a jazz bar on acid

Decent enough songs, but I don't think this is an album you must listen to before you die

This is a good album, but falls short for me of Stevie Wonder's absolute classics on this list of Songs in the Key of Life and Talking Book. This is a high 3, nearly pushing to 4

Not for me. But at least you can hear the lyrics, and there are a few OK tracks

What is the point of prog? This sounds like Spinal Tap without a hint of irony

Have on vinyl. This is just good fun, could be a soundtrack for a film. Big and operatic, cheesy but no need to take it too seriously

An enjoyable listen - nothing revolutionary here, but pleasant

I didn't know what to expect having never heard of the artist. The cover and title put me in mind of the Cure or Sisters of Mercy. Good voice and decent songs

There are some classics in here, but it also feels a bit samey and cringy. You can see why this appeals to 12 year olds

Safe, commercial teenage angst

Some good tracks outside of Them Bones which is fantastic. Surprisingly bluesy which I didn't expect

Not for me

Papa was a rolling stone is great

Really enjoyed this, shades of Neil Young in places

This album gets celebrated routinely - I can understand why and what it did for the rock genre, but it just leaves me cold. In Rainbows and the Bends are better and if that makes me a smooth brain so be it

Funkadelic don't miss

On previous albums, Bob Dylan didn't click for me, but he does here. Excellent lyrics and a music less whiny singing voice. The harmonica is also toned down a bit, which helps the songs

Good as a film score, not good as a cohesive album

Nothing especially notable outside of a couple of tracks

This was a great listen, especially liked the track Heaven. Not my favourite of their albums, but one that I could listen to in different musical moods

Not as it redeemable as the Can albums, but still shit

I like the Beatles too

This came out when I was in my early teens - the songs were massive, and are still everywhere. When listening, the songs have aged well and it's a strong album back-to-back. All These Things That I've Done is a classic

Masterpiece of new wave music. Almost a greatest hits album

When this album came out in my teens, nothing sounded like it - it was different than anything in the charts. The album holds up well, but the singles are definitely standout. Their next 2 albums are better, but this is still great

Have on vinyl. Extremely rare for an album of this length to be so consistent. Endlessly sampled up to the modern day. As is one of the best songs Stevie Wonder ever recorded

The second side of this album is stacked after a slower start

I quite enjoyed this. However I don't see how this is labelled as metal, at most I would say there are forays into hard rock. So many artists in the 90s emulated this sound, really groundbreaking

A good album, but not New Order's best

Solid, some peaks with good tracks but samey. Not Costello's best, and doesn't help the over-representation argument

That would have been some gig to be at. Strong selection of songs

Have on vinyl. Noise rock gets criticised a lot (probably fairly) but I think this is a pretty accessible album with solid tracks. Stands out from other popular 90s albums

Maybe I'm just not a Bruce Springsteen fan. Another decent album but doesn't stir anything in me

Great voice, some OK singles but every song is perpetual heartbreak. A stocking gift for mums

Great punk album, will listen to this again

I don't understand why this album is on the list. Outside of 3 solid singles, there's not much else to see here

This would have been revolutionary when it was first released. A lot of these tracks still hold up, a good collection of songs

The second side of the album really picks up from the first half. Never heard this artist before but would be interested in hearing other albums

This is the perfect album for playing chess, reading or having a glass of wine on a Sunday evening. All Blues and Flamenco Sketches are great

This isn't a bad record, especially not for when it was released. However, it does pale compared to their other output (and Lou Reed and Nico's solo outputs). Pale Blue Eyes is a classic, though

Some OK parts to the album, but not good enough

This is definitely for people who love cabaret and studying drama. Not bad, but overblown on some tracks

This album comes with a Lynx giftset and the packaging smells of brylcreem. But I'm giving it an extra star got the song about Judge Dredd

Solid album, one to listen to again

Fantastic voice, but a lot of the tracks are very of their time

I'm conflicted with this album. Clearly ahead of its time and very influential, but at the same time seemingly deliberately random and annoying

One of Abba's most solid albums. A great listen that doesn't overstay its welcome

Hit after hit with excellent songwriting and backing singers

To be listened to with a group of sweating, gurning ravers in Ibiza

One of Bowie's best and my personal favourite. Essential

Started out promising, but ended up just being OK. Plenty of other 2000s acts blow this out of the water

Acceptable pop music with a country edge. Doesn't belong on this list, though

Ahead of its time, arrives full formed and still holds up. Great album worth multiple listens

Excellent all the way through. Great Sunday album

Really dynamic album that has aged well and is varied

Massively recognisable songs from an album and band I've never heard of

Prog rock, but harder

Another enjoyable Stan Getz album

Neckbeard music. Worse than their later albums

Decent hard rock, We are the Road Crew and Ace of Spades are legitimately good. 3.5, but not strong enough for 4

This is clearly a very personal album, but not an easy listen. Knowing this was his final album, the lyrics are fairly self-explanatory. However, some of these tracks should have been left off the album because they weaken the overall package

A strong album throughout. Almost veers into melodrama but stops in time

Wasn't too gone on this one. A lot of samey tracks, and shouting which was annoying over time. Exhausted is a good track. Foo Fighters improved enormously for the Colour and the Shape

No

Likely the most tolerable prog band for me, but this was still a bit tiresome in parts. Pink Floyd have better records than this

Except for Take it Easy, this is a pretty middle-of-the-road album

Brilliant throughout, although the last track was the weakest. This hasn't dated, and feels like I could listen to this multiple times and not get bored. If I understood jazz more I might be able to speak more knowledgeably about why it is good

Some tracks sound great, and I can see why this was so impactful when released, but this just isn't my genre

Shades of Austin Powers in parts

I didn't dislike this, it passed the time, but didn't really grab me either

Great songs performed well. Timeless. Loses a star becuase some of these songs were performed better by his contemporaries

The album before this is better, but this is still solid. Great tracks, but peters out a bit on the second side

Ponderous and samey

Easy 4 stars, excellent album. I personally prefer Goo, but they have the right balance with noise punctuating the songs here. What an opening track

I can see now why September is the culmination of their output. I can't imagine ever having a need to listen to this again. Sounds like a parody Eddie Murphy would put out

Very open about his experiences and catchy songs

None of the songs on this album convey a "bad" persona. The cover doesn't portray a "bad" persona. But catchy tunes can't stop the album being bad

He has a few issues with women

Did we really need multiple Adele albums? Good voice, but samey music

Inventive, but I just wasn't overly taken with this

Amazing collaborations and great tracks

Great voice, good songs, good performances

Relentless and some good ideas but a bit overblown

Solid singles and an overall great album. One to listen to again

Really enjoyable, good selections in the sampling that make sure this album is consistent but not repetitive across a long runtime

Grand, some good tracks

Far removed from their classic album, this just sounds a bit unfocused for me

A great album throughout, some of the best of the Berlin trilogy

Enjoyable, a mix of styles that works

Offbeat and interesting pop music. Janelle Monae has a great voice too

Punchy, classic tracks that have aged well, particularly the singles

Not as self indulgent as some of his other albums, more vulnerable and raw

Visionary and ahead of its time. An album to be listened to from start to finish, which is rare

Have on vinyl. So short it almost gets away with it, but 3 amazing singles and then filler doesn't cut it

Unbelievable for the time, and a great listen the whole way through

Some interesting ideas, but nothing that sets the album out