1001 Albums Summary

Listening statistics & highlights

141
Albums Rated
2.46
Average Rating
13%
Complete
948 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

1990
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Critic
Rater Style ?
8
5-Star Albums
36
1-Star Albums

Breakdown

By Genre

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Top Styles

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By Decade

By Origin

Albums

You Love More Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
5 3.12 +1.88
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
5 3.4 +1.6
Dirt
Alice In Chains
5 3.46 +1.54
Moving Pictures
Rush
5 3.56 +1.44
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
5 3.76 +1.24
I Against I
Bad Brains
4 2.93 +1.07
The Doors
The Doors
5 3.93 +1.07

You Love Less Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
1 3.72 -2.72
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
1 3.7 -2.7
Arrival
ABBA
1 3.53 -2.53
Blue
Joni Mitchell
1 3.5 -2.5
Aja
Steely Dan
1 3.48 -2.48
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
1 3.47 -2.47
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
1 3.42 -2.42
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
1 3.41 -2.41
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
1 3.35 -2.35
The World is a Ghetto
War
1 3.35 -2.35

5-Star Albums (8)

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Popular Reviews

First track: possibly the worst thing I've ever heard. Second track: It's not getting any better. Fuck this is abysmal. So bad I couldn't listen to it. So sad to live in a world where this album exists. Zero rating

Odessey And Oracle by The Zombies

If I'd made that album I would have been so embarrassed I would no not have let anyone hear it. Absolutely terrible, especially when you think of what else was being produced at this time. And the cover is crap. Is this list a joke and it's really just all the shittiest albums of all time.

Frank by Amy Winehouse

So many others have done this style better. It's like someone impersonating a jazz singer.

1-Star Albums (36)

All Ratings (141)

Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Jun 25 2024

Pretty good all round.

Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
Jun 26 2024

Not really my thing but it wasn't too bad.

Meat Is Murder by The Smiths
Jun 29 2024

Needed a couple of listens. Lyrically it hits and Johnny's jangly guitar is good if not brilliant.

Teen Dream by Beach House
Jun 30 2024

Forgettable

The Sounds Of India by Ravi Shankar
Jul 01 2024

Perfectly fine as a cultural waypoint but not really why I'm here.

Dusty In Memphis by Dusty Springfield
Jul 02 2024

OK for what it is but there was a lot more interesting stuff going on in 1969.

Maggot Brain by Funkadelic
Jul 03 2024

Legendary guitar solo.

Talking Book by Stevie Wonder
Jul 05 2024

Never was a big fan. Not sure it has aged all that well. Two decent song not much else.

KIWANUKA by Michael Kiwanuka
Jul 06 2024

I don't hate it. Nothing of any real interest though.

The White Album by Beatles
Jul 07 2024

Who'd have thought listening to a Beatles album would be a chore. Living in fear of Ob la de ob la da bungalow bill and rocky raccoon. At least maxwells silver hammer isn't on this one.

Dirt by Alice In Chains
Jul 08 2024

More my style. Only recently came to fully appreciate Layne Staley's voice.

London Calling by The Clash
Jul 09 2024

Again too long. Only a couple of decent tunes. A bit over rated, another one that is of it's time. I've owned it for years neve play it. Hear the track London Calling often and that's enough.

Queen Of Denmark by John Grant
Jul 11 2024

Too personal. Don't think I needed to be involved in his therapy session. And a bit show tuney at times.

Ramones by Ramones
Jul 12 2024

Better than I was expecting. Energetic but it's pretty much he same song all the way through.

Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden
Jul 13 2024

Loved it when it came out. Like a lot of metal it seems a bit childish lyrically.

Shaft by Isaac Hayes
Jul 15 2024

It's a soundtrack what did you expect? Irritating, uninteresting, bland, tedious. Can't imagine why anyone would listen to this. Even the cover art is shit.

Liquid Swords by GZA
Jul 16 2024

Wu Tang lite! Still pretty cool.

Hot Rats by Frank Zappa
Jul 20 2024

Fairly self indulgent rock/jazz. Doesn't really say anything just a stream of musical notes, whose order isn't particularly important.

Wonderful Rainbow by Lightning Bolt
Jul 21 2024

Noise rock, does what it says on the can. Just have to wonder why? Beats getting a job I guess.

Jul 23 2024

Back to being thirteen. Good in patches but some of it sounds a bit dated. Probably a lot better than what was available at the time though.

Jul 24 2024

Oasis aren't as good as Noel thinks they are. Without whiney Liam they might have been better. But maybe his voice was the appeal!

Goo by Sonic Youth
Jul 26 2024

Again, not sure why but I like it.

Figure 8 by Elliott Smith
Jul 27 2024

Not a fan of these types of albums. Lacking energy, whiney, watery vocals, uninspiring lyrics. Too many depressed song writers already. Don't feel any desire to ever listen to this again.

Melodrama by Lorde
Jul 28 2024

Surprisingly enjoyable for a pop album.

Do I have the energy for this? Not as bad as I was expecting. A bit monotonous but it is avant guarde jazz after all, not as hardcore as it purports to be. Side two a bit more accessible.

Rubber Soul by Beatles
Jul 30 2024

Not the Beatles again. As usual a few great songs but lots of filler. Still believe their reputation precedes them. Hated Michelle when I was eight still do. Generally find that if it was a McCartney written song I don't like it. Not sure what the honk "What Goes On" was all about. Despite their contribution to the development of modern popular music The Beatles haven't aged well.

Dookie by Green Day
Jul 31 2024

A blast of Punk Pop what's not too like.

Toys In The Attic by Aerosmith
Aug 01 2024

Classic Aerosmith. A rock band gives birth to rap!

The Wildest! by Louis Prima
Aug 02 2024

Fun. Jazz, Rock n Roll and Blues collide.

Aug 03 2024

Another whiney voice. Sounds like a bunch of posh boys got together to make an indie record after hearing someone describe an indie record. There's no energy. NFMJ

Tragic Songs of Life by The Louvin Brothers
Aug 04 2024

It is what it is. Thank god for the rock 'n' roll revolution. Bit sad that their most popular song was a murder ballad.

Paranoid by Black Sabbath
Aug 05 2024

Possibly the worst album cover in music history. Formative album for me, couldn't imagine a word without Sabbath. Like a comfy pair of slippers. Just wish they spent more than 75p on the cover.

Blue Lines by Massive Attack
Aug 06 2024

I don't mind it but it's trip hop so fairly mellow. I'm not going to day lift music but chill out background music maybe.

Aug 07 2024

First track: possibly the worst thing I've ever heard. Second track: It's not getting any better. Fuck this is abysmal. So bad I couldn't listen to it. So sad to live in a world where this album exists. Zero rating

Bayou Country by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Aug 08 2024

Don't think we need two CCR albums on this list. Yeah its OK but how is it any more relevant than Cosmo's Factory? Despite that it's still good.

Aja by Steely Dan
Aug 09 2024

Another one I've been putting off for a thousand years. As I suspected it's not for me. Yacht rock, music for MOR tastes. Bland at best. Thank god it's over. I preferred it when I thought I wouldn't like but had never heard it to now knowing I don't like it having heard it.

Pretenders by Pretenders
Aug 10 2024

Fairly ordinary pop record. It always strikes me that these so called punk albums are so bland. Not that the Pretenders were anything more than a rock 'n' roll/pop band. It was all image no substance. Maybe why I was never that interested in first wave punk apart from the Sex Pistols. Even the singles sound a bit crap after all these years. Didn't realise I disliked so much music until I started listening to this list. I wanted to discover all the good stuff I'd been missing out on. So far it turns out I haven't missed much!

Songs Of Love And Hate by Leonard Cohen
Aug 11 2024

Is there anything here that Dylan didn't do better ten years earlier

Shake Your Money Maker by The Black Crowes
Aug 13 2024

Nothing new to see here. Annoying drumming. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith lite.

OK by Talvin Singh
Aug 15 2024

Not really of any interest to me. Techno traditional Indian.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Aug 16 2024

Fuck me this whole thing is getting worse. A double album of Country and Bluegrass, sorry but I just can't do that. I won't do it. Fifty two in and there's only been about five that I'd be prepared to listen to again. Like one commenter said if nobody has ever mentioned one of theses albums in the last thirty years they shouldn't be on the list. And they can fuck off with that confederate flag.

Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Aug 17 2024

Another CCR that doesn't add anything different. Zero score, they are good but not worth three albums on this list. Thankfully it's short. OK it's good but it's just the same CCR song over and over again just like the other two albums. Like I said before this list is just making me mad.

The Specials by The Specials
Aug 18 2024

Not bad, full of energy. Inevitably it's a bit samey and repetitive but that's ska.

Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair
Aug 19 2024

Not bad. Yet not massively gripping. Wanted to like it more due to it's reputation.

Madman Across The Water by Elton John
Aug 20 2024

Surprisingly good. I guess there's a reason why Elton John is popular.

Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
Aug 21 2024

Can't believe I've never heard this before. Liked the production, isolated and distant.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel
Aug 22 2024

A bit corny in places, not a patch on Bridge Over Troubled Water. Again, do we really need more than one Simon and Garfunkel album on this list.

Vanishing Point by Primal Scream
Aug 23 2024

Quite liked this for some reason. It's a (pseudo) soundtrack album, one of my least favourite genres. And it's electronica!

Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins
Aug 24 2024

After nearly twenty years they produced this, usually a bands best album is at the beginning of their career. They all sound the same anyway. Is she really bad at writing lyrics, remembering them or both. Does a song sound the same each time it's performed live? Can't work out if this inspired or lazy. It just ends up being annoying. Leaning towards the latter. If the nonsense was intelligible would it make the songs worse, possibly, probably. It's a no from me.

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby by Girls Against Boys
Aug 25 2024

Post Hardcore. It is what it is and does what it does pretty well. Never heard of this band before. Not many listens on Spotify or views on YouTube. Possibly a Fugazi album would have been more representative of the genre?

Tanto Tempo by Bebel Gilberto
Aug 26 2024

Thoroughly inoffensive. But not for me.

The Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Aug 27 2024

One of the great voices. I'd have preferred a wider range of her songs not just the Gershwin's. Can't really complain though, any vehicle will do to carry that tone. How to score this? 5 for the voice, 1 for the lyrics.

Odessey And Oracle by The Zombies
Aug 28 2024

If I'd made that album I would have been so embarrassed I would no not have let anyone hear it. Absolutely terrible, especially when you think of what else was being produced at this time. And the cover is crap. Is this list a joke and it's really just all the shittiest albums of all time.

3 + 3 by The Isley Brothers
Aug 29 2024

Better than expected but still not my thing.

Power In Numbers by Jurassic 5
Aug 31 2024

Hip Hop Lite. Another record that one wonders why it's been included on this list. Nothing that Eric B. & Rakim didn't already do years earlier.

L'Eau Rouge by The Young Gods
Sep 01 2024

Quite liked this one. Especially considering it's from 1989, it doesn't sound dated. Most other reviews can't get past it being in French without realising it's Swiss.

Rid Of Me by PJ Harvey
Sep 02 2024

It's Peej what more needs to be said. Sometime I forget how nuts some of her songs are. Possibly her least accessible album but still brilliant. Am I biased?

Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park
Sep 03 2024

At face vale I enjoyed this but I do get some of the criticisms. Will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Catch A Fire by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Sep 04 2024

It's Reggae, it's inoffensive.

Talking Timbuktu by Ali Farka Touré
Sep 05 2024

It's Ali Farka Touré, nothing offensive here. And get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy.

Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan
Sep 07 2024

I'm more a seventies Dylan fan. Some of it is probably a bit dated and hippy lyrically. I've owned this album for decades but haven't really played it or thought about it for a long time. I feel that very few double albums can maintain a consistent standard throughout this one probably makes seventy five percent.

John Prine by John Prine
Sep 08 2024

Should have known when I saw the hay bales. It's pretty bad. Terrible lyrics. Hope his song writing got better cos he has a reputation that this album doesn't justify.

Sep 09 2024

Another one I'm dreading. Yep, justified terror. Abysmal drivel. A bad idea executed badly. This list is ruining my love of music. I'll tolerate any pain or hardship, I listened to this to the end! And the cover is shit too.

Sep 11 2024

Been away for six weeks and this hasn't got any better. Found this one bland, self indulgent, lacking energy and why did these songs need to be so long. The seventies produced some great music but a lot of shit also. Not for me.

Phaedra by Tangerine Dream
Sep 13 2024
Born In The U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
Sep 14 2024

Standard Springsteen. All the hits but not a fan of the drumming.

Arise by Sepultura
Oct 19 2024

Probably would have liked it when I was fourteen but I just can't stand the drumming. And why are the lyrics on metal albums so shit? Get a little joy in your life, fuck me dead they're from Brazil, how can you be so depressed and nihilistic in Brazil? Scandinavia I could understand.

Surfer Rosa by Pixies
Oct 21 2024

Never used to like Pixies much but they've grown on me over the years. Still prefer Doolittle though.

My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello
Oct 22 2024

Still sounds fresh and energetic. Two singles are good but is the rest bordering on filler. I'm undecided and it doesn't interest me enough to work it out.

The Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett
Oct 23 2024

Enjoyed this more than I would have expected. I like that it's improvised essentially around a sub standard piano. Maybe great creativity springs from adversity and spontaneity. Working around several discomforts and problems, a snap shot of what was going through some ones brain there and then.

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen
Oct 24 2024

Again why do we need two Springsteen albums? This is probably better than Born in the USA, a bit more urgency. Last two songs are terrible, was he trying to write a musical? I wonder if my problem is that I've just got out of the habit of listening to albums over the years and hearing too many similar sounding songs is problematic.

Oct 25 2024

A dated Beatle clone and a bit crap. Without Waterloo Sunset this would be quite dire. In fact I'm starting to doubt if WS is actually any good. More disappointment. I would have expected better from The Kinks. The only 1001 lists this should be on is things in the bin.

The Yes Album by Yes
Oct 26 2024

Ohh god not fucking Yes. Can't we just pretend prog rock never happened! One moderately decent track. I'm gonna start skipping albums if this continues. Life's too short. I started this to discover new exciting music, it appears so far that I'd already found it. Cos so far nearly 100 in everything apart from the ones I already knew has been more than underwhelming.

Cafe Bleu by The Style Council
Oct 27 2024

Pretty bad, very forgettable. My new policy means I'm not listening to the end. Life's too short.

Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones
Oct 29 2024

Never really been a big fan of the Stones. Undecided on how to score this. Half the songs are a four but the rest are ones and twos.

Supa Dupa Fly by Missy Elliott
Oct 30 2024

Another rap album that doesn't do anything terrible but doesn't do anything special either. Fairly forgettable, demonstrates the limitations of the rap format. It all ends up being very similar. An hour is too much.

Seventh Tree by Goldfrapp
Oct 31 2024

Not terrible, for a minute I thought it was gonna be a Cocteau Twins clone. Ultimately fairly forgettable though.

Superfly by Curtis Mayfield
Nov 01 2024

Can't be bothered with soundtrack albums. Also not my favourite genre.

Blue by Joni Mitchell
Nov 02 2024

Her voice is almost too high to be listenable. Mercifully short. Was expecting more from this.

The La's by The La's
Nov 03 2024

Who compiled this list? There's a reason The La's only made one album, they are crap. This project could very easily be renamed 1001 albums not to listen to before you die. And it desperately needs a zero star rating/

Beauty And The Beat by The Go-Go's
Nov 05 2024

Eighties pop that does what it does quite well without excelling. Sounds like a group of people working out how to be musicians. Lyrically and musically simple but I guess that's what pop is. It's a two or three

Walking Wounded by Everything But The Girl
Nov 06 2024

Not too bad. I like her voice. But at the end of the day it's electronica with all its limitations.

Roots by Sepultura
Nov 07 2024

Second Sepultura album, the first didn't deserve to be on this list so i'm not listening to this one. This is a really bad list.

Definitely Maybe by Oasis
Nov 08 2024

Again do we need more than one Oasis album? what's he difference between this and WTSMG. Same whiney vocals etc. and the songs aren't as good either.

Back In Black by AC/DC
Nov 09 2024

Listened to this heaps when it came out but haven't played it for over forty years. Still good but I've moved on somewhat. Fairly simple musically, it's practically the same song repeated, School boy lyrics and my old nemesis the drumming.

Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
Nov 10 2024

Classic old school rap.

Disintegration by The Cure
Nov 12 2024

Quite enjoyed this one. There is no mistaking The Cure.

I Against I by Bad Brains
Nov 13 2024

I've been aware of Bad Brains influence for years but never got around to listening to them. Was pleasantly surprised by this album, it's the first on this list that I've wanted to listen to twice for a very long time. It still sounds up to date and fresh.

Playing With Fire by Spacemen 3
Nov 15 2024

If you like it, good for you. I don't! It shouldn't be on this list.

Dummy by Portishead
Nov 16 2024

Ethereal.

Rapture by Anita Baker
Nov 17 2024

Sorry, not interested.

Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev
Nov 18 2024

Again I didn't mind this but so like The Flaming Lips. Didn't deserve to be on this list.

Nov 19 2024

Easily my favourite Nirvana album. I always thought they were the most over rated grunge band gut this works.

Live At Leeds by The Who
Nov 22 2024

The drumming is relentless. Not sure if that's a good thing, there's no nuance, no subtlety. Sometimes it's more about what you don't play. I guess I can forgive that cos it's live and certainly full of energy. Not sure if The Who had that many great songs and they aren't on display here. Is this album's reputation deserved, I'd say no. Maybe fifty years ago. It's even got a blue plaque.

Frank by Amy Winehouse
Nov 25 2024

So many others have done this style better. It's like someone impersonating a jazz singer.

Stankonia by OutKast
Nov 27 2024

This is quite good, possibly a it over long but generally enjoyable.

Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers
Nov 28 2024

Probably the best Electronic album I've ever listened to. It still highlights electronic music's limitations, repetitive and mechanical.

En-Tact by The Shamen
Nov 29 2024

Not usually a fan of this genre of music but I quite liked this.

Moving Pictures by Rush
Nov 30 2024

One of my favourites. Still remember the day I bought it.

Master Of Puppets by Metallica
Dec 01 2024

Unmistakably Metallica. Runs out of steam with the last two tracks. Drumming always a weak point with metal though.

Pearl by Janis Joplin
Dec 02 2024

Her reputation precedes her.

In Utero by Nirvana
Dec 06 2024

Solid offering from Nirvana with several good songs. I'll forgive some of the others as Kurt's rebellion against the commercial success of Nevermind. No need for two Nirvana albums though.

Arrival by ABBA
Dec 08 2024

Terrible. Just shows that if this is the best of seventies pop how bad the rest was. Now I understand why all my middle class boring contemporaries on the Lower North Shore loved ABBA. Banal and corny.

The Doors by The Doors
Dec 10 2024

Classic Doors, part of my history.

Music Has The Right To Children by Boards of Canada
Dec 11 2024

What's the point? When would you ever listen to this? Fancy lift music at best. It's so inert I didn't even get annoyed by it. The ultimate background music.

Leftism by Leftfield
Dec 12 2024

Too much electronica lately. I'm not listening to all of this.

Kimono My House by Sparks
Dec 13 2024

Surprised how good this was considering it's fifty years old. I never took Sparks seriously.

Moondance by Van Morrison
Dec 19 2024

Comfy old pair of slippers.

Music by Madonna
Jan 09 2025

Not as bad as I expected but it's still mostly dance pop. Probably two and a half stars.

Critic

Average rating: 2.46 (0.86 below global average).

Other

Album origins are grouped into three buckets: US, UK, and everything else. “Other” means the artists you rate highest are from outside the US and UK.