1001 Albums Summary

One of THE classic 2000s indie rock albums. Its reputation precedes it and for good reason. A strong start with some of their most iconic work right out the gate.

I’m ashamed to say that I had never listened to any of Janis Joplin’s work before I listened to this album, despite knowing how much of a highly regarded name she is in the music world. Upon listening, I see exactly why. A true legend lost too soon.

The Cure's magnum opus. A masterpiece of an album, and easily my favorite work from one of my long time favorite bands.

A true classic from one of hip hop's most legendary trios. Sunny energy, a good sense of humor, and just overall good vibes all around.

I genuinely don’t know if I’m being too generous or too harsh at two stars. There were SOME parts of this album I enjoyed, such as the production, but the subject matter and lyricism made it a rather unenjoyable listen for me. I’m all for exploring dark/heavy themes in art - it’s expression, after all - but there is a difference between that and just being blatantly upsetting and offensive on an immature level, which is what this felt like to me. While there were some high points, I don’t think I’d ever willingly listen again.

I knew this was a highly influential album for rap as a whole, and listening to it I can see why! Some of the lyricism didn't age well, but overall, I very much enjoyed the production and flow! Even if it's not something I'd usually listen to, I very much had a good time listening to it!

Really liked this one! Been familiar with some of Rod Stewart's work for ages but this was a great listen and definitely makes me want to check out more!

I had never heard of the artist or album before this, but I REALLY enjoyed this album! It's got such a unique, dark, chill, futuristic vibe going on, and I had a great time listening through it! Definitely will be revisiting.

Good funky vibes! Some songs are a bit more hit or miss, but this album has some ABSOLLUTE classics on it that never get old.

I can see why it was influential but it just helped reinforce that I do not care for a LOT of country music.

I liked the vibes of this one! Would definitely love to check out more of their work, knew of their influence but had not heard any, so this was a good ride.

I know it’s been said by so many people by now but this album is a genuine masterpiece. A fantastic collection of the Beatles’ classics and some of their most incredible soundscapes.

A FAVORITE OF MINE! Been a huge Pere Ubu fan even before starting this, so was absolutely THRILLED to see their debut pop up here! One of my favorite underappreciated “weird” bands of all time, and their debut is still one of their best to this day. Noisy punk crossed with abstract experimentation all rolled up into an album of absolute perfection. Long live Pere Ubu!!

While more familiar with her yearly seasonal hit, it was nice hearing a different side of her music! Maybe not everyday listening for me, but it was a chill vibe.

Not my usual vibe but still can appreciate it! Maybe not regular listening and I know that’s been the case with quite a few albums, but I can still appreciate it.

Easy to see how much he influenced a lot of my favorite modern folk artists. Amazing album! Loved some songs more than others but I can't say there was a single one I disliked.

Fun vibes, some good beats - not my favorite kind of music but I still liked it.

Some of these songs are absolute classics that I grew up with. Others I didn't find until years later but ended up becoming recent favorites. The album has some strong points and some weaker points, but overall it's just a solid classic.

It had the song from The Suicide Squad but not the one from Elf. Real talk though, pretty good for what it was! Just not sure what it is would be something I'd listen to a lot.

I liked this way more than I expected to. I'm a sucker for any type of 80s synthpop and to hear them building on their old sound and in turn bringing a more developed feel to it was actually pretty cool!

Chill production, great flow, some real classics. Good album all around!

I very much enjoyed the overall vibe, guitar work, and melodies on this album! Even if I didn't understand the language, it was an enjoyable listen, and it was a very pleasant surprise to hear Nick Zinner and Damon Albarn show up!

LEGENDARY punk classic right here. A fusion of styles that boils together into absolute iconic perfection.

Good flow and lyrics, great production! Liked this one a lot.

Solid live jazz album! I love how raw and imperfect it is at times, while still being smooth, chill, and overall incredible.

I loved this one! You can hear how much they influenced so many hard rock/metal bands that came after. Aside from the obvious hit, it was nice finding some new faves and really diving into their music more! Definitely plan on revisiting.

I listened to this while inside on a rainy day, and I feel like it fit the vibe perfectly. Calm soothing indie folk is a vibe I enjoy a lot, and I loved this album.

Great songwriting, musical theatre-esque vibes! I would have never known about this album if not for this, but I'm so glad I was able to find it through here.

Not my thing I guess.

Really enjoyed this! So many classics and such variety in style overall, really loved it.

The guy may be an ass with some absolutely abhorrent views, but he's always known how to write a good song.

Honestly, same comment as my previous album (which I did not get to leave a review for due to messing up on the site) - genuine masterpiece, and it's earned its reputation for a reason.

Heard of this band, didn't know if I knew any songs of theirs. Then I heard "This Is the Day" and the memories hit hard.

Nothing revolutionary, but fun music to vibe to!

This one really failed to grasp much attention from me, and I hate to say that given how much of a sucker I am for 80s pop, but it just didn't do it for me.

Definitely can see the impact this band had on so many after.

Nothing outstanding, but had a few songs I really enjoyed. I had heard of the band many times and wanted to enjoy this more than I did, so maybe I just set my hopes too high or had a different expectation.

It’s Elvis, kinda speaks for itself. Not always my vibe but still solid.

I'm not usually big on country, but this album... It's an absolute masterpiece. The stripped back feel, the voice, the pure emotion that elevates these songs, the added context of it being the last album he released while living, it's just a truly incredible experience.

Good chill vibes, maybe not every day listening but it’s good for a specific vibe!

It's live, it's Dylan, it's solid.

I ADORE this album! Revisiting it for this was super nice. An absolute raw, heavy, unpolished alternative rock masterwork. This was the album that truly made me a fan of PJ Harvey's work, and while I've enjoyed everything else I've heard from her since, this will always be my personal favorite.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. It’s beautiful yet tragic given the context behind it. I’ve absolutely loved it ever since the first time I listened to it, and it will always be one of my personal greatest albums of all time.

I can vibe with this kind of rock but this album just didn’t do it for me. I don’t know why but it felt like a bit of a slog.

Really solid garage-y rock with plenty of offbeat subject matter and creative lyrics! Loved this one.

A bit overly long for what it is, but the songwriting is timeless. Full of classics and underrated hits, I adored this overall.

I just didn't enjoy it nearly as much as anything I've heard from them that came later on.

It's so aggressively okay it's kinda boring.

Incredible songwriting and music and lyrics. One of the legends for good reason.

This album is one that holds an incredibly special place to me. It’s been one of my absolute favorites of all time for a while now, I’ve seen it performed in full live, and it was my introduction to the Flaming Lips, who are now one of my all time favorite bands and whose discography I could give you my full detailed thoughts on for hours on end. I very rarely consider any album to be perfect, but this is one of the few that I would say are practically on that level. Right now more than ever, a relisten to this album was what I needed. With how my mind and life has been lately, the message of this album, enjoying the present instead of fearing the future, is one that hit harder than ever. I will always love this album with all my heart.

Kinda reminds me of Father John Misty in vibe, so naturally I enjoy it.

I’d heard of this band and album many times but had never checked them out until now. Upon listening to this album I can see how huge of an influence they were on so many artists after them! Minimal instrumentation, but a solid listen if you want to hear where so many synth-heavy bands who came after got their roots. (And yes, Frankie Teardrop is CHILLING)

Classic stuff. Didn’t realize how much of it I had already heard until listening. EVH was a legend and I’m glad to be able to explore more of his work!

This album just encapsulates that era of indie folk so well. And you know what? I like that era a lot.

Not my favorite work of theirs, but it’s alright.

I LOVED this one. Love me some jazz with a good vibe to it, and this one hit the nail on the head for me. Definitely will be adding to my vinyl collection when possible.

I'd heard good things but this one felt a bit generic - not bad, but not the first album I'd go to from this era for these vibes.

This is an album that once upon a time meant the world to me. In recent years, it's been a bit hard to revisit, in light of events that I won't go into detail about since I feel they're near inescapable with discussion of this band in recent years. But despite this... I still had damn near every word memorized upon relistening. Perhaps some things never lose that level of meaning, even if not quite the same as you used to think of them. Despite it all, this is an important album for me from a band that, even if slightly tainted now, had an impact on me.

Pretty okay folksy album, maybe not my favorite but not bad either.

Love Jane's Addiction, I always tended to like Nothing's Shocking a bit more than this one, but relistening to it really helped me appreciate it more. It takes the best parts of the previous album, builds on them, and incorporates so many more influences. Fantastic album from a fantastic band.

FANTASTIC album! Strong Springsteen influence, with a Bleachers-esque approach to taking on the sound. Knew of them for a while but will definitely be checking out more of them!

SOLID classic rock album, definitely have been enjoying the albums of theirs on this list so far.

French guy sings in French. Pretty okay.

I like punk and this is GOOD punk. Heard of them for a while and will def be listening to more!

One of the best and most innovative artists of our time in my opinion. Even at her first album she was fantastic, and knowing how her work evolved and developed past it is only a testament to how well it holds up.

Stripped-back guitar album in the vein of Nick Drake, etc. A bit same-y in places, but a good listen.

A favorite of mine from this era. Enjoyed revisiting it here for the first time in a while!

With his other albums on the list I’ve been able to enjoy them despite him being a prick. This one is just boring AND he’s a prick.

Really beautiful, ambient vibe-y album. Will definitely be returning to it.

GREAT Celtic punk, I can absolutely see why this band is so legendary.

Yeah... This was fantastic. I loved this and cannot believe I didn't dive deeper into their work WAY sooner.

It's Elvis, dunno if he's always my thing but yeah.

I cannot fucking believe me they gave me my dad's favorite artist on my birthday. There is a reason I gave Purple Rain five stars and this one a single star, so please stop complaining about how everyone "cared more about Prince dying than Merle Haggard dying", dad.

I liked this! Very vibey, kinda reminded me of something Bjork could sing over upon the first few tracks, then I researched the artist and realized he played on and contributed to Debut! Some of that same energy here, and I liked it a lot.

Pretty good. My math teacher back in the day would play their stuff a lot, mostly from a few of their other albums, and I think I liked what I knew from those albums a bit more.

Beautiful. An all time favorite. I would say just about everything Sufjan Stevens does is a masterpiece, and this legendary album may be his absolute biggest one.

NIN if they sucked musically and as people. I love a lot of industrial stuff but god damn this guy SUCKS. Trent Reznor’s skills can’t even save him here - Trent is just the better musician and MUCH better human being.

Pretty solid prog rock, not something I listen to a lot but I like it.

Queens of the Stone Age are one of my favorite bands, as well as being one of the absolute best damn live acts I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in recent years. Even if not as acclaimed as their later work, this was an INCREDIBLY strong debut and already laid the foundations for their signature rocking sound.

Editing this to take back my original rating. I hated this album on my first listen, but over a year later... I finally get it. It's clicking for me now.

It's got some high points (mostly Speakerboxxx) and some low points (mostly The Love Below, but hey, it has Hey Ya on it too!), but overall I think it's a good showcase of both of their skills.

The Velvet Underground at their noisiest, wildest, and most experimental. The first time I listened to this album, I didn't vibe with it at ALL, but by the next day I loved it. Love this band and just about all their work, and this album is no exception - a true classic I'm glad to revisit.

"You either love RATM or you don't understand them." - my friend

Love this band and album. Cookie Mountain may be my all time favorite of theirs, but Dear Science is ALWAYS an absolute delight to revisit and contains some of their absolute best work.

Metallica + orchestra REALLY works, I like this a lot.

A feel good punk rock album! Liked this one a lot!

I like this, 90s alternative but with some really creative influences!

LOVE this band, super proud of my local music scene and this album is easily one of their best. An absolute classic.

Masterpiece, that's been said a million times but it's true.

I'm a sucker for 90s alternative.

Love me some Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I'm of the opinion that they only got better since their debut, and this one is a massive step in that regard.

Solid techno vibes

No idea how I didn’t listen to these legends sooner. This album made me check out more immediately after.

Love this band. Probably their most eclectic album. I managed to get tickets today to see Jack White in a few days so I think this was a good sign.

It's Rod Stewart, pretty solid but I like his later stuff more.

Adored this! Old sounds and modern sounds blended with a heavy dose of Danger Mouse’s vibe.

I can't believe I never listened to this legend sooner. A true masterpiece. "Fight the real enemy!"

Springsteen at the core of his (darkest) songwriting without all the extra layers on top. Hauntingly beautiful. Love this album.

Knew them vaguely (Firestarter, Invaders Must Die, etc.) but hadn't done an in-depth listen to their work until now. This has started me down a musical rabbit hole that I ABSOLUTELY love.

Good jazzy vibes, I enjoyed this one.

Early 2000s indie classic. While I prefer their later material, this gave us some of their best work. Maps is an all time classic.

1. I love Peter Gabriel and 2. You cannot just put Kate Bush AND Laurie Anderson on the same album and not expect me to love it.

One of Jack White's best, super solid variety of all of the best aspects of his style and sound. Love this album, and if it wasn't clear by now he's just one of my favorite artists hands down so maybe I'm biased but I love pretty much all of his work.

Some absolute classics, some less solid tracks, but a good vibe overall.

Chill jazzy funky late night vibes! Loved diving deeper into their work after only being familiar with the bigger hits.

This feels like if Bjork made a folk album, and I love that.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time by one of my favorite bands of all time. I cannot stress how much this album influenced my current guitar playing. It’s a full no skip for me. A true masterpiece.

I think this is the album that'll finally get me to dive deeper into Neil Young's work.

Darker than their later stuff, but still with those same dreamy vibes I absolutely adore.

A bit rougher than his later two albums, but still an incredibly solid album and the start of a legendary discography from an incredible artist gone too soon.

Country is very hit or miss for me but I like her brand of country a lot.

One of my overall favorite works from Lou Reed, packed with some of his most iconic classics. No skips, plus production by Bowie and Ronson is always a win in my book.

The white bread of music.

The Pumpkins' magnum opus. An absolute favorite album of mine that may be long, but one I will never tire of listening to time after time. This was the album that fully sold me on one of my now favorite bands of all time

Solid all the way through. Big hits as well as deep cuts that deserve more appreciation.

A fantastic album from a legendary band. RIP Mark Lanegan.

It's a masterpiece for a reason.

A solid debut from an incredibly influential yet criminally underrated band.

A classic rock opera for a reason. Some tracks land more than others for me personally, but it does a great job telling its story and cements its place as an iconic album.

Their best work for sure. Full of classics, solid overall. Maybe not 5 stars for me, but a very solid album.

This was the album that got me into Tom Waits, and he subsequently became one of my all time favorite artists. There's truly nothing else like his style of music, and this album captures his unconventional, raw, experimental, yet even at times beautiful, creativity in its fullest. A masterpiece in my eyes.

I didn't realize how many of these tracks I already knew before I listened to this one in full. Solid classics all around.

This is the one. My favorite White Stripes album. The album that introduced me to one of my all time favorite artists/bands beyond just the big hits. I can never get tired of listening to this album. Something about it just hits so perfectly and I’ve been obsessed ever since my first listen. One of my favorite albums of all time.

Gorillaz was my intro to Damon Albarn's work, but I love me some Blur, and this album is no exception.

Loved this, as I do just about all of her work. Perfect balance of her raw rock side and more low key moments.

One of Bowie's best. Legendary for good reason.

A true pop punk classic. Possibly one of my first exposures to the genre, and an absolutely delight to hear live in full this past summer.

I think we need a garage rock revival revival. Re-revival?

One of the most British albums to exist, but charmingly so.

An all time classic. No skips, rock solid all the way through.

An absolute hallmark of grunge and an all time classic from a legendary band.

A uniquely memorable turn from Bowie that's one of my absolute favorites of his.

Even if some tracks aren’t as strong as others, it’s an incredibly solid work overall from a legend of music.

I somehow went this long without realizing Minor Threat's 12XU was a cover. Loved this album though! Hardcore punk format before hardcore punk took off!

I dunno, I think I like jazz a bit maybe.

This album kicks insane amounts of ass.

Modern indie pop classic. My favorite from Lorde since I first heard it.

Nick Drake at his most fleshed out and massive in terms of sound. Knew Northern Sky for years when I was younger before rediscovering his music as an adult. Pink Moon is still my favorite overall, but this album is an easy second.

An absolute classic. Another album I never tire of listening to.

I love Massive Attack so maybe it's no surprise I ended up loving Tricky's work outside of the group too.

I didn't know what to expect going in, but it definitely wasn't this - I enjoyed it though! Definitely worth looking further into the group and their background to get a full sense of context behind their vibe and arrangements.

I've loved this album for years. Still one of my go-tos for the spring vibe. I dunno why but it's always been an album I tend to listen to around this time of year.

This was the album that sparked my love for Beck after knowing scattered songs of his. Ever since, he's been one of my favorite musicians.

Truly beautiful album from an incredibly underappreciated band. Saw them live just a week or two ago - what an incredible night.

Possibly my favorite Bjork album.

Love The Mars Volta, love this album. Artsy post hardcore just scratches a very specific itch for me.

I know this one’s divisive among fans, but I like how much they experimented with new sounds here while also keeping their classic vibe.

I had been meaning to listen to them for ages despite loving a bunch of adjacent artist, and what an introduction. Fucking AWESOME stuff.

Oh FUCK no

This is one of those albums that I can never tire of no matter the length. Stephin Merritt is one of my all time favorite songwriters, and this album is him and the other band members at their finest. I’ve seen them live in a small, intimate venue, and it was genuinely one of the best live music experiences I’ve ever had.

CHVRCHES are just one of those bands who instantly captivated me since the first time I heard/saw them. I never knew how much my love for them would grow in the years to come, but I absolutely adore them to this day.

What can I say? Love his solo work, love the Pixies, without him my taste in music might not have developed to where it is now. This album is always a classic and I'll never shy away from giving it a good relisten.

Another from one of my favorite bands of all time! While it may not be my #1 album from them, it's got some of their most interesting, almost jazzy melodic structures and such a unique vibe. Saw them perform it (and Trompe Le Monde) about a month back at night one of their two night residency I attended, incredible show.

Seeing that this album has so many low ratings is honestly upsetting. It’s definitely not something everyone will vibe with, and I totally get that, but given how much I love stuff like early Sonic Youth and Model/Actriz, this album just CLICKS for me. It’s noisy, rhythmic, controlled chaos, and that’s what makes me love it.

I knew of the Residents and their impact, Primus's covers, etc. but I hadn't heard an album of theirs until now. Safe to say, I've been sold. Big fan of weird abstract music, and this hits perfectly.

I'm not one to bash on what others enjoy, but she's the embodiment of just about every problem the modern music industry has, the upper class it benefits while other hardworking artists struggle to ever be heard. Just go listen to Bon Iver or The National, it'll blow your mind.

One of the most underrated bands of their style and era. Caught them live this year and glad that I could before their indefinite hiatus from touring.

Discovered this album as a whole a few years ago and realized I had known Bongo Bong since I was very young. Delighted to see it on this list! I absolutely adore the overall style and atmosphere, and I'm always down for a chance to revisit this favorite.

Ah, Fishbone. One of the most influential yet often overlooked bands out there. I’ve loved this album (and them as a band!) since I first heard it in recent years. Caught them at a festival, the rain was coming down during their set, but the whole crowd was dancing even as we were getting soaked. Snagged a rain-soaked setlist from them, one of the coolest concert collectibles I own.

An all time classic. My intro to Patti Smith years back, who has now become one of my all time favorite artists and greatest inspirations. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her live multiple times, including this year performing the album in full.

Something about the earlier Slipknot albums always hits different. This one especially is aggressive and heavy but has such good rhythms that are hard to stay still listening to. A classic of the era and still a fave.

One of my favorite bands of the time, and this one is a classic.

This album doesn't deserve to be rated so low. Is it everyone's vibe? DEFINITELY not. Not my favorite "industrial" album by a longshot even as a fan of the genre, but I can ABSOLUTELY admire its influence on many artists I love and still would throw it on if the mood strikes. I can't give it five stars, but I at least want to do my part.