May 19 2024
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Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
Hits a tricky sweet spot between almost ambient synth atmospherics, and singalong anthems.
4
May 19 2024
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With The Beatles
Beatles
It’s not a good thing when the best songs on an album are the covers.
2
May 20 2024
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Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
I saw Franz Ferdinand live in Paris, 2005, and met the band afterwards. The bassist’s parents took a photo of me with their son, so I’m in their family photo album somewhere!
3
May 21 2024
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The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
Big band isn’t my favourite style of Jazz, but the way Mingus subverts the genre on this record to create an atmospheric and nightmarish soundscape, with interpolations of blues and flamenco, is astonishing.
5
May 22 2024
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This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
It’s fine, I guess, but can’t say I’m looking forward to listening to the 5 other Elvis Costello records on this list.
2
May 23 2024
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London Calling
The Clash
You can really visualise the London they depict in these songs!
4
May 24 2024
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The Idiot
Iggy Pop
Spooky, groovy post-punk. The hand of Bowie evident on every track but overall the vibe is more gothic than on his own records.
3
May 25 2024
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A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
My initiation into spiritual jazz as a teenager, never looked back since.
5
May 26 2024
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The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
I’m not sure this record has aged well, it’s gratingly twee. Everybody’s Stalking and Once Around the Block are great tunes but Pissing in the Wind is so irritating I’m docking a star for that track alone.
2
May 27 2024
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The Stranger
Billy Joel
Almost offensively inoffensive, slick, safe and edge-free throughout, but there are some undeniable hits.
2
May 28 2024
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Heroes
David Bowie
This album has the peculiar handicap of containing one of the greatest songs of all time, so the others tracks tend to fade into the background. Still, a great, if uneven, record.
4
May 29 2024
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Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
The concept of a “live” recording in an imaginary dive is clever, but couldn’t listen to it regularly without tiring of this conceit.
3
May 30 2024
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Madman Across The Water
Elton John
Definitely a record of two halves, the first side is pretty good, not least the title track, which was new to me. Flip the record for some hot garbage.
2
May 31 2024
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Damaged
Black Flag
Is it weird that I found this easier to listen to than the Elton John record I had yesterday?
3
Jun 01 2024
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The World is a Ghetto
War
Laidback, spacious grooves, with plenty of improvisation. Good album, but maybe not in my pantheon of funk and soul.
3
Jun 02 2024
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Shalimar
Rahul Dev Burman
Nice soundtrack, but I’m aggrieved that this is on the list but there’s no Morricone.
3
Jun 03 2024
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In Rainbows
Radiohead
I loved this album when it came out, and I saw Radiohead play it at Victoria Park. It’s interesting that this has become the preferred Radiohead record for Gen Z (Austin Butler referred to it as his old faithful - cringe) as when it came out it was considered their most accessible and therefore un-Radiohead album yet. My tastes have shifted away from Radiohead in the intervening years but this album still brings back happy memories of a great band coming back with a great record.
4
Jun 04 2024
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The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
Eminem was writing songs about beating his wife for an audience of twelve year old boys.
2
Jun 05 2024
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Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
One continuous anthemic blast, not much variation but does what it does well.
3
Jun 06 2024
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Scream, Dracula, Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
One of albums on this list that will make you say “Really? One of the best albums of all time?!”
2
Jun 07 2024
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Psychocandy
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Total classic. I’m seeing shoegaze getting lots of hate on this site, just let it wash over you… 🌊
4
Jun 08 2024
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The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
Fantastic concept album and semi-ironic paean to an England that only exists in nostalgic fantasies.
4
Jun 09 2024
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In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Iron Butterfly
The title track is a classic of course, but Ingle’s quavering vocal style doesn’t do it for me.
2
Jun 10 2024
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Fly Or Die
N.E.R.D
NERD’s first album, In Search Of…, deserves to be on this list, it’s excellent. At a push, The Neptunes’ album Clones could make it on the list too, if only because it signifies a time when their productions dominated pop and rap music. This album, on the other hand, is woefully bad. I actually get irritated listening to it - my first one star.
1
Jun 11 2024
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The Wall
Pink Floyd
Interminable, ponderous prog rock operas are not my jam.
2
Jun 12 2024
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Pretenders
Pretenders
Chrissie Hynde is a badass and incredible singer. This is their more punk record, before they went pop, though songs like Brass in my Pocket give a taste of things to come.
3
Jun 13 2024
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Chris
Christine and the Queens
Sounds like every other electro-pop Robyn-lite hotel lobby-friendly record released in the 2010s.
1
Jun 14 2024
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Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney
One of the few proper punk bands still going strong. Sleater-Kinney are cool as fuck, I feel I need to be cooler to listen to them. I struggle a bit with the vibrato-style vocals, but that’s just my personal taste.
3
Jun 15 2024
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Dookie
Green Day
I’ve never purposefully listened to Green Day in my life.
1
Jun 16 2024
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Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
I’m rating this higher than The Wall, take that haters!
3
Jun 17 2024
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The Libertines
The Libertines
The record that spawned a hundred indie landfill imitations. This band is pretty iconic if you’re a British millennial, though more for legal misadventures and tabloid fodder than quality music. The US had the effortless cool of The Strokes, and we were lumbered with The Liabilities, sorry, Libertines. Still, they were marginally better than the deluge of dross that followed.
2
Jun 18 2024
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Illmatic
Nas
1994: A vintage year for Hip Hop, and this is arguably the best Hip Hop record of that (or any) year. Also one of the greatest NYC records, from the opening sample of the subway, you’re transported to Queensbridge. Masterpiece.
5
Jun 19 2024
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Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine
The debut LP from my favourite facemelters. The perfect balance between experimentation and headnodding catchiness, what’s not to love?
5
Jun 20 2024
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Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Lyrically unsurpassed.
4
Jun 21 2024
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Planet Rock: The Album
Afrika Bambaataa
Iconic record but I cant listen to it in the same way now. There’s separating the art from the artist, and then there’s child sex trafficking allegations…
3
Jun 22 2024
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American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
An album of covers by the great Johnny Cash, some fantastic, some a little corny.
3
Jun 23 2024
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Queen II
Queen
Early Queen - more heavy, less pop. Not a record I’d choose to put on. The Loser in the End took me by surprise, Zeppelinesque vocals and breaks!
2
Jun 24 2024
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Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
Perhaps harsh to give this 3* but it isn’t in my pantheon of the (many) great Stevie records. Still a great listen.
3
Jun 25 2024
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Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Prefer Stevens’ later, more mature work. This can be a bit twee and repetitive.
3
Jun 26 2024
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Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
Surely one of the most iconic albums of the 90s. Not a record I would listen to much myself but you can’t ignore how jampacked it is with hits. It’s amazing that Morissette was pretty much unknown before this album came out. That said, I’m still bitter about how she single-handedly obfuscated the meaning of irony for generations. 2.5, but I’ll round it up.
3
Jun 27 2024
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Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
I listened to this album so much when it came out. I love how their music conjures this mythical quasi-medieval Americana, melding English folk and chamber music, Beach Boys style vocal harmonies, and classic country music depictions of the US landscape.
4
Jun 28 2024
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A Seat at the Table
Solange
Touchstone record of the 2010s, made a big splash on release and brought Solange out from her sister’s shadow. Understated, minimalist soul, reminds me of Badu’s Worldwide Underground or Goapele’s Even Closer.
4
Jun 29 2024
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My Generation
The Who
Apparently this was as heavy as it got in 1965. Makes me want to don a duffel coat, ride a Vespa and fight some rockers.
3
Jun 30 2024
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Trio
Dolly Parton
Country supergroup isn’t the sum of their individual powers.
3
Jul 01 2024
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Reign In Blood
Slayer
Can appreciate this as Reagan era rage bait but it’s pretty insubstantial and lyrically cringe, even if it is meant to be tongue in cheek.
2
Jul 02 2024
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Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Undoubtedly foundational but I wouldn’t listen to it ordinarily.
2
Jul 03 2024
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Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
Listen up, Pod People!
3
Jul 04 2024
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Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
Inventive for its time, but not so exciting to listen to today.
3
Jul 05 2024
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Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon
A cinematic, expansive epic of narrative Hip Hop. I prefer Wu Tang’s Shaolin side (Liquid Swords) to its Mafiosi side (OB4CL) but the influence of this record is undeniable. An undisputed classic.
4
Jul 06 2024
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Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
Would never intentionally listen to this, but don’t hate it when I hear Sweet Child O Mine at a bar.
2
Jul 07 2024
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Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
Another record that I can see has great historical significance, pioneering a proto-Grunge sound, but which I personally think is terrible.
1
Jul 08 2024
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Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
Psych-era-Beatles meets Country played by Dylan-fanboys.
3
Jul 09 2024
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Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
A formative album from my teenage years that I’ve not listened to much recently. River man is an eternal favourite of mine.
5
Jul 10 2024
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Disintegration
The Cure
Potentially my favourite Cure record, lush and indulgent misery music.
4
Jul 11 2024
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The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
My first electronic record from the generator. “Big Beat” acts like Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and to a lesser extent, Chemical Bros, were the unsubtle maximalists of the 90s. Hugely exciting to my teenage ears but much less so when listening to them now. With that said, I still remember the thrill of seeing Poison and Firestarter on Top of the Pops!
3
Jul 12 2024
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Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
Overrated! The Kinks nailed the Little England concept album a year later, with The Village Green Preservation Society. With that said, A Day in the Life is one of the greatest songs ever written, and must have sounded like a bolt from the blue in ‘67.
3
Jul 13 2024
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Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
Perhaps the biggest band I couldn’t give a flying fig about. Maybe the generator will change my mind… not on the basis of this album.
2
Jul 14 2024
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Penthouse And Pavement
Heaven 17
This is fine but A Certain Ratio are the Brit Funk/ Post Punk crossover band that should feature on this list.
3
Jul 15 2024
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Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
These are some of the prettiest songs about murdering people I’ve ever heard.
3
Jul 16 2024
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Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
No need to separate the art from the artist here, they both suck!
1
Jul 17 2024
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Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Beyond Sultans of Swing, there are surprisingly few hooks. The songs on this album are basically platforms for Knopfler’s guitar noodling. Dull listening.
2
Jul 18 2024
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Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
Half-baked.
2
Jul 19 2024
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Aha Shake Heartbreak
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon before they sold out and went stadium rock. Good ratio of catchy tunes here.
3
Jul 20 2024
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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
Insipid and twee folk-lite.
2
Jul 21 2024
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Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
A hodgepodge of unvarnished tracks but some great stuff.
3
Jul 22 2024
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I Should Coco
Supergrass
I used to think Supergrass were one of the better Britpop bands, but this album has aged poorly, not least the song “she’s so loose” which reeks of 90’s lad culture.
2
Jul 23 2024
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Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
3
Jul 24 2024
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It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
1
Jul 25 2024
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Jack Takes the Floor
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2
Jul 26 2024
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Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
The worst part of this album is Malcolm McLaren.
2
Jul 27 2024
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Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
This list only scratches the surface of the brilliance of Brazilian music, but it’s great to see Jorge Ben featured here. One of the greatest songwriters of all time!
5
Jul 28 2024
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A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
But I’d rather be listening to Dionne Warwick.
3
Jul 29 2024
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At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
Seems even more radical now to release a series of live albums recorded in prisons.
3
Jul 30 2024
View Album
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
Coldplay just headlined Glastonbury for a record fifth time, with one reviewer saying that it would be churlish not to enjoy their performance. Well, I’m that cold-hearted churl. I hate Coldplay. I hate their mind-numbing, faux-earnest, emotionally-manipulative songs. I hate that they normalised eschewing innovation and making unchallenging edge-free pop rock for the 21st Century. These days, they’ve realised that bands are no longer the moneymakers so they’ve switched to making “EDM” with emojis for song titles, which seems like the logical conclusion to their race to the bottom. Fuck Coldplay.
1
Jul 31 2024
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Pieces Of The Sky
Emmylou Harris
3
Aug 01 2024
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GREY Area
Little Simz
3
Aug 02 2024
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Revolver
Beatles
Yellow Submarine is a banger.
3
Aug 03 2024
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The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
2
Aug 04 2024
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Shadowland
k.d. lang
2
Aug 05 2024
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Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
4
Aug 06 2024
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Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
3
Aug 07 2024
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Homework
Daft Punk
4
Aug 08 2024
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Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
3
Aug 09 2024
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S.F. Sorrow
The Pretty Things
Wow, what a discovery. I’d never heard of this band or album before. It’s so good, like the Beatles’ psych era but rougher and darker.
4
Aug 10 2024
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Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
Steely fucking Dan.
4
Aug 11 2024
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Pearl
Janis Joplin
3
Aug 12 2024
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Blackstar
David Bowie
3
Aug 13 2024
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Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
Iconic album from my youth. Still feel pretty much the same as I did then: Speakerboxxx is a 3* - solid pop rap record, dating quickly as southern rap turned crunk (though album closer Last Call is in that vein.) The Love Below is a 5* - probably one of the greatest avant pop records ever made. Still sounds incredible and fresh, and paved the way for the alt soul of Frank Ocean, Steve Lacy, etc. Andre 3000’s sophisticated, poetic, and witty lyrics on love and sex were kind of revolutionary to this teenager! 4* overall, and a great nostalgia trip.
4
Aug 14 2024
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A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
2
Aug 15 2024
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Music
Madonna
2
Aug 16 2024
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Konnichiwa
Skepta
3
Aug 17 2024
View Album
Odelay
Beck
I was once Beck-obsessed, now I hardly ever listen to him. I potentially overplayed this record as a teenager, because it’s lost some of its freshness but still a great headnodder, with Beck’s surrealistic lyrics and the dust brothers at the height of their powers.
4
Aug 18 2024
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Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
I was a teenager in clubs when this came out and I thought it was a bit immature and cheesy even then.
2
Aug 19 2024
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Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3
Aug 20 2024
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Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
3
Aug 21 2024
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Eternally Yours
The Saints
3
Aug 22 2024
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Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
We don’t need this fascist groove thang.
1
Aug 23 2024
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1977
Ash
2
Aug 24 2024
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Stardust
Willie Nelson
2
Aug 25 2024
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Hotel California
Eagles
2
Aug 26 2024
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Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
2
Aug 27 2024
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At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
3
Aug 28 2024
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Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
3
Aug 29 2024
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Group Sex
Circle Jerks
3
Aug 30 2024
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Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
3
Aug 31 2024
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Either Or
Elliott Smith
3
Sep 01 2024
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Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
2
Sep 02 2024
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The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
3
Sep 03 2024
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Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
4
Sep 04 2024
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Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
2
Sep 05 2024
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Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2
Sep 06 2024
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Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
5
Sep 07 2024
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Frank
Amy Winehouse
4
Sep 08 2024
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Welcome to the Afterfuture
Mike Ladd
4
Sep 09 2024
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Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
2
Sep 10 2024
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Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
3
Sep 11 2024
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So Much For The City
The Thrills
1
Sep 12 2024
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After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
3
Sep 13 2024
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Don't Stand Me Down
Dexys Midnight Runners
1
Sep 14 2024
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The Doors
The Doors
4
Sep 15 2024
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Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
3
Sep 16 2024
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The Band
The Band
2
Sep 17 2024
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So
Peter Gabriel
3
Sep 18 2024
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Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
2
Sep 19 2024
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The Grand Tour
George Jones
2
Sep 20 2024
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Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
3
Sep 21 2024
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A Night At The Opera
Queen
3
Sep 22 2024
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High Violet
The National
3
Sep 23 2024
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Live / Dead
Grateful Dead
2
Sep 24 2024
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There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
3
Sep 25 2024
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Live At The Regal
B.B. King
3
Sep 26 2024
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Gris Gris
Dr. John
I love Dr John, I got see him live a few years before he died and he was still on great form. Like the Mingus album on this list, the album is better enjoyed as an atmospheric experience rather than a collection of songs.
4
Sep 27 2024
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good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick turned the rap game on its head with this record, no exaggeration.
5
Sep 28 2024
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KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
4
Sep 29 2024
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Country Life
Roxy Music
3
Sep 30 2024
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Metallica
Metallica
2
Oct 01 2024
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Aja
Steely Dan
3
Oct 02 2024
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Timeless
Goldie
5
Oct 03 2024
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Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
3
Oct 04 2024
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The Next Day
David Bowie
3
Oct 05 2024
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The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
4
Oct 06 2024
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m b v
My Bloody Valentine
5
Oct 07 2024
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Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
3
Oct 08 2024
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Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
2
Oct 09 2024
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Screamadelica
Primal Scream
4
Oct 10 2024
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Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
2
Oct 11 2024
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Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
3
Oct 12 2024
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Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2
Oct 13 2024
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Unhalfbricking
Fairport Convention
2