1001 Albums Summary

Listening statistics & highlights

782
Albums Rated
3.09
Average Rating
72%
Complete
307 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

1970
Favorite Decade
Punk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
50
5-Star Albums
7
1-Star Albums

Breakdown

By Genre

Tap a bar to see the albums behind it

Top Styles

Tap a bar to see the albums behind it

By Decade

By Origin

Albums

You Love More Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Tank Battles
Dagmar Krause
4 2.14 +1.86
Hejira
Joni Mitchell
5 3.14 +1.86
Le Tigre
Le Tigre
5 3.15 +1.85
School's Out
Alice Cooper
5 3.2 +1.8
The Idiot
Iggy Pop
5 3.22 +1.78
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
5 3.23 +1.77
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
5 3.24 +1.76
Dry
PJ Harvey
5 3.24 +1.76
The Stooges
The Stooges
5 3.26 +1.74
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Dead Kennedys
5 3.27 +1.73

You Love Less Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Legalize It
Peter Tosh
1 3.08 -2.08
The Bends
Radiohead
2 4.02 -2.02
Better Living Through Chemistry
Fatboy Slim
1 2.98 -1.98
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
2 3.94 -1.94
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2 3.94 -1.94
In Rainbows
Radiohead
2 3.87 -1.87
The Grand Tour
George Jones
1 2.79 -1.79
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
2 3.78 -1.78
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
1 2.71 -1.71
G. Love And Special Sauce
G. Love & Special Sauce
1 2.71 -1.71

Artists

Favorites

Tap an artist to see their albums

ArtistAlbumsAverage
David Bowie 6 5
Led Zeppelin 4 4.5
Joni Mitchell 4 4.5
R.E.M. 3 4.67
Yeah Yeah Yeahs 2 5
Green Day 2 5
Bob Dylan 6 4
Nirvana 3 4.33
Jimi Hendrix 3 4.33
Talking Heads 3 4.33
Johnny Cash 3 4.33
The White Stripes 3 4.33

Least Favorites

Tap an artist to see their albums

ArtistAlbumsAverage
Fatboy Slim 2 1.5
The Byrds 4 2
Morrissey 4 2.25

Controversial

Tap an artist to see their albums

ArtistRatings
PJ Harvey 4, 2, 5

5-Star Albums (50)

View Album Wall

Popular Reviews

Lazer Guided Melodies by Spiritualized

Mostly harmless, but very forgettable. I didn't dislike it but it very quickly turned into background music. it could have easily been shorter.

Natty Dread by Bob Marley & The Wailers

Better than the Peter Tosh album I had awhile back, but 40 minutes of reggae is still just too much for me. I'm not chill or laid back enough for this.

1977 by Ash

I didn't hate it but I also have already forgotten every song on it and will likely forget the album even exists in a week of so.

Frank by Amy Winehouse

Love Amy Winehouse, but this is not her strongest album. I think you can tell it's her debut, the sound is there but it isn't as refined and polished as it will be in future albums. There also aren't really any hits on this one. All of the songs are perfectly fine and nice to listen to, but none of them have stuck with me past that initial listen. A perfectly nice way to spend an hour, but nothing to write home about.

Long and a bit too pretentious. It's not a bad sound, but it definitely started to get tedious about halfway through.

1-Star Albums (7)

All Ratings (782)

Jun 28 2024

Full of absolute classics, but this really tapers off dramatically in the second half. With the exception of "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", pretty much everything after the titular "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is only alright, and I found myself checking my Spotify several times to make sure it hadn't started a new album without me noticing. The first four songs absolutely kick down the door and really solidify the album as a hit though. I really loved the decision to open the album with "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", what a way to kick it off.

Jun 29 2024

Oh, this is not my jam at all. It's not a huge surprise, I rarely listen to soul/funk to begin with, but I was looking forward to trying this one out! I did enjoy the opening track, "Billy Jack", but everything after that was much more soul and much less funk than I expected. Lyrically the songs are very good, and there were bits and pieces here and there that stood out musically to me. It's not one that I think I'll be listening to all the time now, but I would like to revisit it at some point now that I have a better idea what to expect.

Live At The Regal by B.B. King
Jun 30 2024

This is great! So much energy throughout, and I love how the music carries across all of the tracks even while he's speaking/interacting with the crowd. Spotify has a slight pause between each one, but I'm sure on Vinyl it's very smooth and continuous. The backing band is impressively tight, and there wasn't a single song that felt out of place.

Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Jul 01 2024

Guys were just hanging out and harmonizing back in the day. This album was fine, it's Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young who I've listened to before (though not just one album straight through), so there weren't any big surprises. My favorite song was "Woodstock" which was the only one on the album not written by one of CSNY lol

Heroes by David Bowie
Jul 02 2024

It's interesting that this book/project includes both Low and Heroes, but not Lodger even though the three albums together are considered a trilogy and do (I think anyway) speak to one another. It's David Bowie, so obviously this was going to be a hit with me. It's not my favorite Bowie album, but it's not his worst. Possibly unpopular opinion: I actually do like the instrumental tracks on Side 2. As far as the lyrical songs go, he's got three solid hits and obviously the titular "Heroes" steals the show. The overall album feels flimsy in spots, but you gotta respect Bowie and Eno for experimenting and making the art they wanted to make.

Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson
Jul 03 2024

I really liked the instrumentals on this one, so it was funny to see that the studio was nervous about the sparse arrangement before it was released! The piano especially was really lovely! This is a really solid album. I haven't listened to a ton of Willie Nelson, and country doesn't tend to be my genre, but I enjoyed this one. The concept album style worked really well and made for a really cohesive and consistent listen overall. It's one I think I would listen to again!

Shalimar by Rahul Dev Burman
Jul 04 2024

It's nice to get some non-Western music! It's Bollywood, and follows that Bollywood formula effectively. It's an easy access point for people unused to Indian music, but also kind of an odd choice. Are there other movie soundtracks on this list? Overall the album was fine. I wasn't blown away, but I did really enjoy several of the songs. I'm adding the movie to my Watchlist on Letterboxd.

Jul 05 2024

Do I actually like Country and just didn't realize it? This doesn't sound like what I think of as being country, and I really enjoyed it! I will definitely be checking out more of Bill Callahan's work. "Eid Ma Clack Shaw" and "Invocations of Ratiocination" were my top tracks. I feel like this project is making me realize I really do enjoy instrumentals/interludes/soundscape tracks, which I would never have guessed.

Jul 06 2024

For the most part it's very good. But while the highs are high, the lows are very low. I do think the guest vocalists really help elevate this... everyone knows Nicki's verse in "Monster" is fantastic, and Bon Iver was an interesting addition to a few tracks. I think if it had just been an hour of Kanye alone it wouldn't have worked so well, his lyrics are often the weak point here. And the Chris Rock sketch at the end of "Blame Game" felt too long and out of place. The overall production is tight, and the background instrumentals on the tracks are great. I was pleasantly surprised by "All the Lights (Interlude)", which I thought was really lovely. I really liked "Hell of a Life", plus of course "Power", "All of the Lights" and "Monster" are the highlights of the album.

Jul 07 2024

U2 is overrated. I did try to go into this one with an open mind, I don't think I've ever sat down and listened to a full album by them before, but alas I remain underwhelmed.

The Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Jul 08 2024

I like Ella Fitzgerald, and I like the Gershwins... but do I like them enough to listen to their music for 3 hours straight?? This was fine. Ella Fitzgerald's voice is amazing, and her skills really shine here. As a full album though it was just too long. It was too easy to stop really listening and just tune it out as background music. I enjoyed it, but I doubt I would listen to the whole thing again.

Born In The U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
Jul 09 2024

Not the best Springsteen album, but still solid. "Dancing in the Dark" is one of my favorite songs, so I was obviously pleased to have an excuse to listen to that this morning.

The Grand Tour by George Jones
Jul 11 2024

Hmm not for me. Very twangy with lots of slow love ballads.

Can't Buy A Thrill by Steely Dan
Jul 13 2024

Steely Dan is wild because if you asked me to name one of their songs before now I absolutely couldn't do it, but then I somehow knew all of the songs on this album while listening. Perfectly average and unremarkable listening experience. I look forward to once again forgetting about Steely Dan by tomorrow.

Isn't Anything by My Bloody Valentine
Jul 14 2024

I'm so torn on this one! I liked it, but I didn't, but I did...

KIWANUKA by Michael Kiwanuka
Jul 15 2024

Ok!!! This is the type of album that reminds me of why I wanted to start this project in the first place! Totally unexpected sound from an artist I had never heard of before, and I really enjoyed it.

The Bends by Radiohead
Jul 20 2024

Radiohead songs all sound exactly the same to me.

Fire Of Love by The Gun Club
Jul 21 2024

High energy, but the sound is repetitive after awhile. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this (I'd never heard of The Gun Club), and I was pleasantly surprised by the music and the energy. You can definitely hear where this sound influences later bands.

Coat Of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
Jul 22 2024

Dolly! Some of the tracks were a little too Country for me, but the overall album was well-written and well-produced, and not a bad listen for a slow Sunday morning.

The Wall by Pink Floyd
Jul 23 2024

It took me a couple of days to get to this because it's just so long and I knew that as a rock opera/concept album breaking it up into shorter chunks wouldn't be ideal. I've heard it before, so there weren't any surprises. This was my first time listening to it with headphones, which made for a fun new experience. It's long, and it drags in spots, but the overall concept and music are solid. "Comfortably Numb" is obviously the standout.

Trans Europe Express by Kraftwerk
Jul 24 2024

Sounds like both video game music and the soundtrack to a spy film made today but set in the 80s. My first experience with both Kraftwerk and Electronica and it was not what I was expecting (positive).

Larks' Tongues In Aspic by King Crimson
Jul 25 2024

So unexpected and fun! Pink Floyd-esque in spots, which I wasn't expecting. The album as a whole was very cohesive and the tracks flowed nicely. I know a lot of improvisation was happening but it also all felt very intentional. Lark's Tongue in Aspic Part I and Lark's Tongue in Aspic Part II were my favorite, and really book-ended the whole experience really nicely.

1984 by Van Halen
Jul 26 2024
Jul 27 2024

My second Pink Floyd this week! I actually ended up listening to both this and "The Wall" back to back because I hadn't gotten to "The Wall" yet from earlier this week and had already been planning on knocking that one out today. This is the better of the two albums. Much shorter, tighter, and more intentional. I like the prog rock elements a lot. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Skylarking by XTC
Jul 29 2024

Not what I was expecting. I like a good concept album, but this isn't really working for me. I just feel like other bands have done this sound more effectively. The flow between songs was nice though, so it has that going for it.

The Genius Of Ray Charles by Ray Charles
Jul 30 2024

This feels like a very safe pick. Inoffensive and unexciting. I don't think it does a great job of really showcasing Ray Charles' skills and energy, but the arrangement and songs are solid throughout.

Forever Changes by Love
Jul 31 2024

I listened to this twice because I wasn't sure about it the first time. Very 60s, but interesting to listen to.

All Things Must Pass by George Harrison
Aug 03 2024

Me seeing this album: George! 😃 Me seeing the length of this album: George... ☹️

Aug 09 2024

Long and a bit too pretentious. It's not a bad sound, but it definitely started to get tedious about halfway through.

Wild Is The Wind by Nina Simone
Aug 10 2024

Love Nina Simone. This is a pretty solid album overall, with no real duds. Wild is the Wind and Lilac Wine are both iconic.

Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park
Aug 13 2024

I've never been a huge Linkin Park fan (they aren't bad, sound just doesn't do much for me), but my sister owned this album on CD back in the day so I've heard it many times. Listening to it again for the first time in probably close to 20 years brought back a lot of memories! In the End still slaps.

In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra
Aug 14 2024

I was pleasantly surprised by this! I like Frank Sinatra, but I don't think I've ever sat down and just listened to a full album by him (beyond like maybe a "Greatest Hits" my mom has). This was surprisingly cohesive, and each of the songs flowed really nicely into the next to create the full album experience. I would absolutely listen to this one again.

Aug 15 2024

Prog Rock again! I'm into it. 3 songs, 40 minutes long, opens with birdsong and the music of nature so you know you're in for a treat of experimental sounds. This was a fun discovery

The Libertines by The Libertines
Aug 16 2024

Definitely a fan of '00s Indie Rock (/Pop Punk), so I do like this album. It reminds me of a lot of other bands/albums from the same time though, and doesn't especially strike me as a standout of the genre. Overall an enjoyable listen, but there's nothing to write home about here.

Talking Book by Stevie Wonder
Aug 17 2024

This is an album made up of some very good songs, but overall it's having a bit of an identity crisis. It can't quite figure out if it wants to be fun & funky, or slow & romantic. So it tries to be both and the result feels disjointed. The funky songs are the better of the two options. Standout songs include "Big Brother", which is surprisingly modern-sounding, and of course "Superstition", which is probably the best song on the album.

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down by The Dandy Warhols
Aug 18 2024

The Dandy Warhols will always be iconic for giving us "We Used to be Friends", the theme song for Veronica Mars. That song isn't on this album though, so I'm going in blind here (just kidding, I've listened to other Dandy Warhols songs before)! I don't really care for the shoegaze elements, but I like when they get more upbeat and into more indie rock territory. An interesting sound overall, but not something I think I'll listen to often.

In It For The Money by Supergrass
Aug 19 2024

Feel like I've been giving out a lot of 3s lately, but there have just been a lot of albums that have come up that I'm indifferent to. I don't hate this, but I don't think it's particularly special either. I probably could have died without having heard it, but it wasn't like my morning was miserable because I was listening to it. I'd probably leave it on if it came up again on Spotify.

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Aug 20 2024

Ok, so I'm just going to get 3/4 of the Pink Floyd albums on this list out of the way in one month (and within my first 100 albums). Cool. Anyway, this was better than The Wall but I didn't like it as much as Dark Side of the Moon. Still a solid album, and I do really like the song "Wish You Were Here" just on its own. I think "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" (parts 1-9) is too long, but I generally liked the album as a whole anyway.

Swordfishtrombones by Tom Waits
Aug 21 2024

I like Tom Waits' melodies and instrumentation, but I hate his gravely, mumbly, Cookie Monster voice. So I'm torn on this one. The album as a whole is solid and for the most part enjoyable, but can I get past the vocal stylings? Probably not enough to listen to this with any regularity. So it's likely an average 3-stars.

Bone Machine by Tom Waits
Aug 22 2024

Tom Waits 2 days in a row... Well, I said it yesterday , but I'll say it again: I like Tom Waits' melodies and instrumentation, but I hate his gravely, mumbly, Cookie Monster voice. The worst part is, he doesn't have to do the voice. He has songs on his albums where his voice is still gravely and deep but he doesn't sound like a muppet monster, and those songs are quite nice! I generally like his music and his lyrics and his overall vibe. But he'll probably never be more than 3 stars for me.

Trio by Dolly Parton
Aug 23 2024

The gang's all here! I wish there were fewer slow songs on this album. I enjoyed it but there was no real energy, which is a bummer when you have three really talented and energetic singers working together! It was good, but it could have been so much better!

Document by R.E.M.
Aug 24 2024

It IS the end of the world as we know it, and I DO feel fine. Thanks, R.E.M! Seriously though, R.E.M. is always great. I think "Automatic For The People" is probably the better overall album (or maybe I just have more nostalgia for it), but this one is definitely an enjoyable listen. Good energy, good songs, good listening experience.

Blue by Joni Mitchell
Aug 25 2024

A fun fact about my cat: he loves Joni Mitchell. He will always come and hang out if he hears her. I love Joni Mitchell too, so that works out. This is one of the albums I already own on vinyl, so I was excited when it popped up here and I had an excuse to revisit it!

Legalize It by Peter Tosh
Aug 26 2024

Not really my style. I don't mind this kind of music in smaller doses, but 40 minutes of it got old fast.

Fulfillingness' First Finale by Stevie Wonder
Aug 27 2024

It's fine. As with the last Stevie Wonder album I got, I enjoyed the funk songs better than the slower ballads. I unexpectedly really enjoyed "They Won't Go When I Go"... The instrumentals in it were lovely!

Jack Takes the Floor by Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Aug 28 2024

I wasn't really expecting to like this one, but I mostly did! There were a couple tracks that veered too country for me (I'm not a huge fan of the yodeling), but by and large this was a pretty good album!

Songs The Lord Taught Us by The Cramps
Aug 30 2024

I actually like this way more than I was expecting to. It reminds me of a John Waters movie. Rockabilly punk (punkabilly?) that doesn't take itself too seriously. I like how high-energy it all is!

The White Room by The KLF
Sep 01 2024

Y'know, there's a time and a place for electronica and I'm starting to think that 7am at home while I'm getting ready for work somehow isn't it. I don't dislike this music genre, it's actually pretty fun and creative, but it certainly does get repetitive after a few tracks. Not my favorite electronica album that I've heard so far, but not bad. I'd rate it somewhere between 2 and 3. It's not as good as Kraftwerk but it was less pretentious than David Holmes ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Reggatta De Blanc by The Police
Sep 02 2024

Meh, I'm underwhelmed but The Police. "Message in a Bottle" is fine, but the album as a whole is nothing to write home about.

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
Sep 03 2024

Smooth and polished jazz. The album itself is a full story, really it's one 30-minute song. I wish I had a greater appreciation for jazz, but, alas, I don't and was mostly indifferent to this one. I didn't dislike it, it certainly didn't feel like a chore to listen to it, but it was ultimately just pretty background music as I went about my morning. I would like to listen to this again at some point!

Transformer by Lou Reed
Sep 04 2024

Lou Reed is always a delight. This album has several classics on it, just even the songs that didn't hit it big are fun and fit nicely into the overall album. I was thrilled to start my day with this one!

Destroyer by KISS
Sep 05 2024

This album was so middle-of-the-road, it was almost funny. Not bad but definitely not a standout either.

21 by Adele
Sep 06 2024

I was 21 when this was first released, so obviously it left an indelible mark on my psyche. That being said, I haven't actually listened to the full album in probably close to 10 years and it doesn't really hold up as well as I was going it would. The big hits are still fantastic, "Rolling in the Deep", "Set Fire to the Rain", "Rumour Has It" and "Someone Like You" are all powerhouses. But all the songs in between them just feel lacking anymore. I do still enjoy her cover of "Lovesong". So a 3 rating. It's enjoyable enough that I'll listen to it again, but it didn't overly impress me, even with the nostalgia factor.

Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye
Sep 07 2024

Soul just isn't my thing. I'm sure this album was cutting edge and revolutionary when it came out, but it just feels cheesy today. I didn't dislike the album, but I don't think it's one I'd intentionally listen to again.

Arise by Sepultura
Sep 08 2024

Metal must be so hard on the lead singer's throat. Honestly the way metal bands sing is one of the reasons I'm not really into it. The other is that all the songs sound too similar, I can't tell them apart and an album ends up feeling like one hour-long song that I got bored of back at the beginning.

The New Tango by Astor Piazzolla
Sep 09 2024

An unexpected change of pace. I listened to this as I walked to/from the farmer's market, and it was a nice soundtrack to a lovely false-Fall morning. The instrumentals in this are skillfully done and the album flows between songs well. Not something I would have picked up to listen to on my own, but I'm glad to have heard it.

...And Justice For All by Metallica
Sep 10 2024

I should probably give this one another listen, I wasn't really giving it that much attention for parts of it. It was generally fine, definitely some talented instrument playing happening. The music itself was not really my thing but I didn't dislike it either.

Grace by Jeff Buckley
Sep 12 2024

Listened to this the other day with a raging headache, and not surprisingly couldn't actually remember much of it when I went to rate it the next day. So it gets a do-over, and unsurprisingly my overall reaction is meh. It's fine. He has a nice voice, but the music itself is nothing to write home about, and the covers were better than the original songs.

Lazer Guided Melodies by Spiritualized
Sep 13 2024

Mostly harmless, but very forgettable. I didn't dislike it but it very quickly turned into background music. it could have easily been shorter.

Live And Dangerous by Thin Lizzy
Sep 14 2024

Safe and inoffensive dad rock. The album being live doesn't really add anything to the overall feel or energy. I know parts of it were overdubbed and I wonder how much of that affected the feel (by making it feel less live...). The double album aspect also makes it feel too long, I would have appreciated it more I think if it were a tight 45 minutes instead of 75 (though I think the Spotify version has a coupleof extra tracks if the Wiki is right). I haven't really listened to Thin Lizzy before this and I probably won't listen to them much after this either. I feel like you could replace them with pretty much any 70s rock band and it would sound the exact same. The instrumentals are skillfully executed though, and there was nothing on it that made me actively dislike them.

Risque by CHIC
Sep 15 2024

The first song on this ("Good Times") is definitely the only hit off it for a reason. It's not a terrible album, but there are a lot of slower (not great) songs that really change the feel of the more upbeat numbers. I liked it well enough, but not enough to really listen to it again.

The College Dropout by Kanye West
Sep 16 2024

Kanye can definitely produce an album, much like "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", each part of this is calculated. I think you can tell it's his first album though. He hasn't quite figured out his sound yet, and seems to bounce between different genres in a way that's not as effective as I think he wants it to be. Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I don't particularly like the sketches on Kanye albums.

Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & The Holding Company
Sep 17 2024

A very cool album. An interesting mix of genres and styles, and Janis Joplin absolutely killing it on vocals. Loved it.

The Man Who by Travis
Sep 18 2024

Early-aughts coffee shop easy listening. Back in the day (2006/2007) I read a book series called Twilight... You may have heard of it. Anyway, Stephanie Meyer posted author playlists for the first two books on her author website/blog before the publication of the third book, and on one of those playlists was "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" By Travis. That was the first time I'd ever heard of this band, and now the two are inexorably linked in my brain. Sorry, Travis.

Dog Man Star by Suede
Sep 19 2024

This sounds like they're trying really hard to sound like Bowie, but it's not as good as Bowie and doesn't have the energy. It's not bad, but it's not an interesting or new sound.

Band On The Run by Paul McCartney and Wings
Sep 20 2024

This was fun Pop Rock. The title track was the only one I was familiar with going in, but there weren't any songs on it that were bad.

Superfly by Curtis Mayfield
Sep 21 2024

Still not a fan of Mayfield's falsetto, but this was a fun and funky album.

Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
Sep 22 2024

This is such a fun album. I've always liked Kings of Leon but had never listened to a full album but them before, so this was a treat.

Sep 23 2024

Could have used this 2 days ago when I was in an airport... I did quite like this though. It was nice background music at work!

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears by The Mamas & The Papas
Sep 24 2024

"California Dreaming" is the best song on this album, and the rest are only ok. Beautiful harmonies but meh songs overall.

Murmur by R.E.M.
Sep 25 2024

Not R.E.M.'s strongest album, but still a good one. They've definitely found their sound here, and the energy is there.

Moss Side Story by Barry Adamson
Sep 26 2024

Not bad. Not as good as Goncharov, but not bad. This is a really fun concept but I'm not sure how effective it was overall. I can appreciate what Adamson was going for though, and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" was super fun.

Cypress Hill by Cypress Hill
Sep 27 2024

I don't listen to much hip-hop, but I didn't mind this. It sounds very 90s, and there isn't a lot of variety between songs, but it's a fun sound at least.

Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós
Sep 28 2024

Atmospheric. The songs feel a bit long, but the flow is nice and it's pretty to listen to.

Different Class by Pulp
Sep 29 2024

Catchy songs. I already knew "Common People" and "Disco 2000", but the rest were new to me. Didn't blow me away, but I like their sound.

Bryter Layter by Nick Drake
Sep 30 2024

Music to stare out a bus window like you're in an indie movie to.

Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen
Oct 01 2024

I always really want to love Springsteen, but I'm often underwhelmed by him. Lyrically very good, musically fine, it just doesn't click for me though.

Ill Communication by Beastie Boys
Oct 02 2024

My first ever Beastie Boys and I'm pleasantly surprised! "Eugene's Lament" and "Flute Loop" were my favorite tracks, but I really enjoyed the way they played with sound throughout.

Tonight's The Night by Neil Young
Oct 03 2024

Fine Neil Young, not great but not bad to listen to.

Konnichiwa by Skepta
Oct 04 2024

Interesting in that it made me consider rap in other countries, which I hadn't thought of before. As an album it wasn't really for me, but it wasn't painful to get through.

Oct 06 2024

I didn't realize the Byrds were country? I think of them as being more folk rock but the first half of this album was full on twangy. The latter half had more rock elements, and I did feel like the album got better later on, and I enjoyed their version of "Pretty Polly". Overall I'm not sure that this needed to be included on this list. It's fine but not particularly interesting.

Copper Blue by Sugar
Oct 07 2024

Sounds like any number of rock bands from the 90s/early-00s, but it wasn't bad at all.

Master Of Puppets by Metallica
Oct 08 2024

Pretty solid Metallica. I continue to be impressed with the band's actual skills as musicians, and the songs I wasn't already familiar with were decent. Still not really my genre, but I can appreciate it.

Songs From A Room by Leonard Cohen
Oct 09 2024

We need more poet singer/songwriters in the world today. I always enjoy Leonard Cohen but this was my first full album listening experience for him. It was a solid album.

evermore by Taylor Swift
Oct 11 2024

I'm not a Swiftie, but I do admit to really enjoying folklore and evermore when they were released in 2020. Of the two, evermore is the weaker one. It feels like a lot of b-sides that weren't quite good enough to make it onto folklore. There are some solid songs on here though, "No Body, No Crime", "Champagne Problems", and "Closure" all stood out to me on this listen.

Garbage by Garbage
Oct 12 2024

Fun album, but a bit repetitive by the end.

The Man Machine by Kraftwerk
Oct 13 2024

Kraftwerk really is just a lot of fun, definitely the best as far as electronica goes. I think I liked this one a little more that "Trans Europe Express" but I also knew what to expect going in, which helped.

...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears
Oct 14 2024

I was 9 when this album was released and also very much the target audience, so I'm legally obligated to defend this album to my death. That being said, even knowing that my sister owned this on CD and that we listened to it all the time, I gotta say I don't actually remember a lot of these songs outside of the major hits. Which isn't a great sign when measuring album impact. There are a ton of 90s pop ballads, and not enough of the pure pop that Britney does best.

Oct 15 2024

I don't want to get too ahead of myself here, but these guys just might be able to save Pepperland from the Blue Meanies...

Tank Battles by Dagmar Krause
Oct 16 2024

Found a YouTube playlist that pulled all the tracks together in one place! I gotta say, I 100% was not expecting this when I hit play. Very theatrical/showtunes-y but with a very bleak feel. Makes total sense that it's a bunch of Weimar-era Cabaret songs. I like the tracks in German better than the ones in English. The whole point of this project was to introduce myself to new-to-me music that I wouldn't come across or seek out naturally, and I think this album is a great example of that. It's weird and dramatic, but I'm into it.

The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe
Oct 17 2024

We love a concept album with a cohesive sound and cool vibes. This is the first full Janelle Monáe album I've listened to, but whenever I hear songs by them, even out of context, I'm always pleasantly surprised somehow. So I think I need to just lean into it and admit I'm a fan.

Station To Station by David Bowie
Oct 18 2024

Bowie albums are always like 6-10 songs long and never waste a single track.

25 by Adele
Oct 19 2024

It's an Adele album. Powerhouse vocals, but not a lot of variety. It's enjoyable but not interesting.

Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
Oct 20 2024

I know I listened to this yesterday morning, but I don't remember any of the songs today. Chill, coffee-shop music, not particularly memorable.

Fly Or Die by N.E.R.D
Oct 21 2024

I pretty consistently enjoy these albums more when I listen with headphones as opposed to just from my phone speakers, and it's extra noticable when I end up splitting an album half speakers/half headphones... Which is what happened with this one. I enjoyed the second half (headphones) much more than I was enjoying the first half (speakers). This was better than I was expecting based on the album art and wiki summary! It's an interesting mix on genres, and doesn't sound super 2004 like I was expecting. The two Lenny Kravitz collabs were the best tracks on the album, but the other songs weren't bad. Some of the lyrics definitely had me 🤔😂 though. Pleasantly surprised but not blown away.

Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
Oct 22 2024

I'm going to have Tutti Frutti stuck in my head all day, aren't I... This album was good. High energy, familiar songs, definitely danceable. The length was just about right, it didn't feel like it overstayed its welcome.

Younger Than Yesterday by The Byrds
Oct 23 2024

I always think I should like the Byrds more than I actually do. A little bit goes a long way with them. They've got a couple of good songs here but also a lot of mediocre songs that weren't that interesting.

Oct 24 2024

Lol wtf was "Sex Dwarf"?? Very 80s, "Tainted Love" is really the only standout, but as far as 80s New Wave goes, this was good.

With The Beatles by Beatles
Oct 25 2024

First of all, big fan of this album cover. It looks like they kinda forgot about Ringo and had to quickly add him in after the fact. As far as the music goes, I know this was historically significant in the rise of the Beatles, but it's so bland. It sounds like they're playing at a prom in the 50s. It's very early-Beatles, and it's fine I guess. It's not necessarily one I would listen to straight through again.

Strange Cargo III by William Orbit
Oct 28 2024

I do like a good ambient soundscape, it must be said. I think this would have benefitted from being shorter. Parts of it are quite good, but the overall album drags on to the point where I was bored by the end.

Tommy by The Who
Oct 29 2024

I really love the film adaptation of this album, and I gotta say I think the film soundtrack with the full cast is better. No offense, Townshend, but you're no Ann Margaret. Tina Turner's "Gypsy the Acid Queen" is so high-energy and camp compared to this one, it's not even a competition. The music in this is great though. I love the instrumentals in the different -tures, and the overall concept/story is wild but fun.

My Generation by The Who
Oct 30 2024

Two days in a row of The Who... It's so annoying when you get back to back albums by the same band. It's good stuff though, I always like the Who. They're really solid instrumentally, and they make the covers their own.

Oct 31 2024

I'm actually surprised by how many of these songs i already know. Like if you'd asked me this morning to name a Fatboy Slim song I don't think I could have done it, and yet... These songs are sooo long and sooo repetitive. I'm not really a fan of it. Maybe in smaller doses, but as a full album it got old pretty quickly. My reaction when the last song ended was "thank God that's over".

British Steel by Judas Priest
Nov 01 2024

Pretty standard early-80s metal/hair band sound. Not bad overall as an album, but not a lot to make it stand out from the crowd for me.

Odelay by Beck
Nov 02 2024

Beck is Beck. I do like how he plays with genres, but I never seek out his music and it never really sticks with me. I don't think this will be an exception.

Hard Again by Muddy Waters
Nov 03 2024

Such a vibe.

Oxygène by Jean-Michel Jarre
Nov 04 2024

Soundtrack to either an alien abduction or a day at the aquarium. Either way, Oxygen is an appropriate title for these songs.

Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Nov 05 2024

Better than I expected. More genre range than I thought CCR had, which was surprising.

Nov 06 2024

Despite being a British album, strangely appropriate for today's US Presidential Election. Pretty good overall, but a little long. The songs were starting to sound a bit samesy by the end. I liked the vibe though, and will be checking out more of Billy Bragg's stuff!

The Only Ones by The Only Ones
Nov 07 2024

A bit whiny for me. It sounds much more modern than 1978, so the date was surprising. Some decent songs but it's not really doing it for me.

Greetings From L.A. by Tim Buckley
Nov 08 2024

I'm not the purity police, if Tim Buckley wants to be unapologetically horny & racist on main that's his choice. The problem is that these songs just aren't that good. Disappointing considering I was pleasantly surprised by Buckley's "Goodbye and Hello" and was hoping for something similar here.

Nov 09 2024

This is my favorite REM album. I own it on CD somewhere and listened to it a ton in middle school/early-high school (I never owned any other REM albums, I genuinely don't know why I got this one...). I haven't listened to it in years though, so it was nice to revisit it! I'm pleasantly surprised to still remember all of the songs and lyrics. Nostalgic, but in a way that holds up.

Logical Progression by LTJ Bukem
Nov 10 2024

Ugh I am not in the mood for 3.5 hours of electronica, but here we go I guess. Interesting that this is a mix of artists and not just one artist, the sound is very consistent and flows well between songs even though it's a mix. It's alright, but nothing particularly special.

Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins
Nov 11 2024

I'm a simple girl, I see the word "shoegaze" in the genre list and immediately lower my expectations. These guys weren't bad. They're a little airy and insubstantial for me, but they definitely have a unique sound (very 90s) and the album was easy to listen to in the background of my day.

Frank by Amy Winehouse
Nov 12 2024

Love Amy Winehouse, but this is not her strongest album. I think you can tell it's her debut, the sound is there but it isn't as refined and polished as it will be in future albums. There also aren't really any hits on this one. All of the songs are perfectly fine and nice to listen to, but none of them have stuck with me past that initial listen. A perfectly nice way to spend an hour, but nothing to write home about.

Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev
Nov 13 2024

Ugh more shoegaze. I quite like the weird little instrumental interludes throughout this album, but the lyrical songs are meh.

Close To You by Carpenters
Nov 14 2024

I like the Carpenters fine. Not the most exciting album, but inoffensive and a nice background to my morning.

Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters
Nov 17 2024

Yup, it's the Foo Fighters. Exactly what I expected, no surprises.

Fear and Whiskey by Mekons
Nov 18 2024

Surprising, I'm not sure what I was expecting (probably more mediocre brit-pop), but I enjoyed the pub rock vibes of this. I've already established I'm into instrumentals, and the folkesy vibes are doing it for me. It's not an album full of hits, but it does feel ahead of its time for '85. It loses its momentum in the second half and gets a little too country with "Lost Highway".

Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg
Nov 20 2024

3, but I should really deduct a star for the awful album artwork and the boringly misogynic lyrics. I like Gin and Juice though.

Cross by Justice
Nov 21 2024

D.A.N.C.E is a classic, but it's about all this album has going for it. It's overall not bad, but electronica gets repetitive to me.

Seventh Tree by Goldfrapp
Nov 22 2024

Soft, easy songs to listen to. Not particularly memorable but I do want to listen to it again.

Music From Big Pink by The Band
Nov 23 2024

Pretty standard late-60s rock. Nothing groundbreaking, but not bad..

Nixon by Lambchop
Nov 24 2024

Oh, in a stunning twist I actually liked this less after switching to headphones. Maybe this is just a better morning album than evening one? IDK, this wasn't without it's moments. I liked "Butcher Boy" and "The Old Gold Shoe" but a lot of it was slow and didn't really speak to me.

The Band by The Band
Nov 25 2024

Better than "Music From Big Pink" which i suppose makes sense, since this was their second album. It feels more cohesive as far as sound goes. Folkesy genre-wise, which I enjoyed.

Disintegration by The Cure
Nov 27 2024

I've had a lot of folk rock in the last week (which I do like but gets old), so this was a welcome change of genre. And it was interesting to think about how much music developed between the late 60s and the late 80s to lead to genre shifts like this! I've never listened to a full Cure album before, but it was a familiar and easy sound. "Lovesong" is a classic for a reason, and the overall album was very cohesive.

Another Green World by Brian Eno
Nov 28 2024

Very Brian Eno. Well produced and he's having fun playing with sounds.

Solid Air by John Martyn
Nov 29 2024

More funk than folk, but still not overly compelling. "I'd Rather Be the Devil (Devil Got My Woman)" was a solid track, but the rest were underwhelming.

Disraeli Gears by Cream
Nov 30 2024

A few good songs, but more filled than anything else. This feels like an early album, not as cohesive as it could be. It was fun to listen to though.

The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers
Dec 01 2024

All the reviews that are like "they're trying too hard to sound like Velvet Underground" don't get it, that's a feature not a bug! This album was not what I expected going in (with no knowledge of The Modern Lovers), but I really enjoyed it! It's got good energy and the sound is consistently one I like. I feel like you can hear their various influences, but they do also have their own sound, and they're having fun lyrically.

Tragic Songs of Life by The Louvin Brothers
Dec 02 2024

That's some twangy country! I don't hate it. The sound really isn't my favorite but the songs themselves lyrically are pretty fun.

Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan
Dec 03 2024

Mostly dad/yacht rock and easy listening, but there were a couple of songs where it seemed like they were playing with sound in a fun and interesting way. "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" is kinda a bop. And "Charlie Freak" was unexpectedly fun.

Dec 04 2024

I just don't listen to much hip-hop so I don't really know what I should be listening for when it comes up here. I like the genre fine when I hear it, but i don't tend to seek it out. This wasn't bad, I was familiar with a few of the songs but definitely not all of them. The overall "Wu-Tang" schtick was funny.

To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
Dec 06 2024

I liked the spoken word poetry bits, and the incorporation of other musical styles beyond just Rap. Overall a pretty solid album, with depth to it. I think it's one that probably rewards relistens.

Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
Dec 07 2024

I have definitely heard of LCD Soundsystem before, and I'm sure I've heard some of their music at some point but somehow none of this was familiar. It was good, it didn't blow me away but I mostly enjoyed it. Definitely better with headphones.

Arular by M.I.A.
Dec 08 2024

I like M.I.A. well enough, but as a full album this was underwhelming. Definitely not her best.

Dec 09 2024

Ah ok, my initial impression was that this is music my sister would have been super into in high school and I would have tolerated while she was driving me around but not really enjoyed. Which was pretty accurate. Some of the songs did get more interesting/complex, "M62 Song" and "Friday's Dust" had a cool sound, and the instrumental tracks were solid. Overall though it's just fine, kind of bland indie-pop.

Boston by Boston
Dec 10 2024

I've definitely listened to this album before. Boston's never been my fave dad-rock band, but they are definitely one of the better ones. This is a very cohesive album, the band has a distinct sound but the songs do all sound the same after awhile.

Duck Rock by Malcolm McLaren
Dec 11 2024

I actually do like the World Fusion aspect of this, it makes for some interesting listening. The radio-show framing device for it got old fast though.

American Idiot by Green Day
Dec 12 2024

This one's definitely influenced by nostalgia but I don't even care. Soundtrack to my high school years! I've always really liked Green Day, so even without the nostalgia factor this probably would have gotten a high rating. Solid sound and instrumentals throughout, and the songs are thoroughly entertaining. There isn't really a dud in the bunch.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen
Dec 13 2024

Cohen is always enjoyable. His songs can sound very same-y sometimes, but it's more about the lyrics with him than the tunes.

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg by Jerry Lee Lewis
Dec 14 2024

Not a very long album, but it has energy. The songs are all familiar, and some of them I've heard by other artists during this project (which isn't a surprise for the time period). Clearly the value in this album isn't in the songs themselves, but in the performance and production. Comparing it to other live albums is interesting. The recording quality is very good for a live album, and i think the audience's energy and Lewis's feeding off that definitely help elevate the overall listening experience. Idk this isn't going to be one that I immediately purchase and listen to all the time, but it's a fun listen and is mostly harmless in the grand scheme of things.

Superfuzz Bigmuff by Mudhoney
Dec 15 2024

Pretty solid proto-grunge/punk. I liked it!

Dub Housing by Pere Ubu
Dec 16 2024

I don't know what I was expecting, but I did enjoy this one.

Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins
Dec 17 2024

There were at least two songs on here that made me go "wait, this is Smashing Pumpkins??"

Make Yourself by Incubus
Dec 18 2024

When I was 11 or 12 one of the older dancers at my ballet studio was obsessed with Incubus and did a whole class for us with this album instead of the traditional classical music. It's my top association with the band. It's not really a great album and is very late-90s sounding, but it's not bad. I generally enjoyed listening to it.

Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
Dec 19 2024

Ok, one of the only things I really knew about RunDMC going into this was that they covered Walk This Way, but I was not expecting it to go so hard. I think they just own it now, it's their song. I like the way these guys play with and merge genres. It's fun to listen to.

Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes
Dec 21 2024

Honestly, of you played this for me with no context I would have guessed this was much more recent than 1983 (positive). I like it, the sound is like early pop-punk. It's got energy, but it's tempered by the slower tracks. Some of the lyrics are absolutely deranged and at one point I was like "oh God, imagine if the incels discovered this!" But I still had fun and enjoyed the vibes.

Cloud Nine by The Temptations
Dec 22 2024

It's fine. The funk songs are fun, but the soul ones don't do much for me. The overall album feels uneven.

Punishing Kiss by Ute Lemper
Dec 23 2024

This album is all over the place. Some of the songs I enjoyed, some I think are probably better in German, some were bland and boring. Probably due to how many songwriters were involved in this. I generally like show tunes, so I didn't really have any issues with that part of it, but I wish the songs had been generally better and more consistent.

Dec 24 2024

TIL fried ice cream is a reality! This is a perfectly fine funk album. The first half is better than the second half (which loses momentum), but the opening track "One Nation Under a Groove" is very fun. The band is clearly having a great time grooving together.

Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush
Dec 25 2024

Ah! I love Hounds of Love! It's one I already own on vinyl, and I'm excited to revisit it today. I rarely actually listen to Side B, so that was nice!

Dec 26 2024

Hmmm... Feel like this was maybe not "random" but it did make me smile this morning. Solid album, many of these particular versions of the songs have become Christmas staples over the years, and it's always a delight to hear some Darlene Love. At the end of the day though, it's a Christmas album. And I'm not convinced it's the best Christmas album out there, but it's fine. It gets thrown on for one month of the year and then not thought of again for the other 11 months.

The Modern Dance by Pere Ubu
Dec 27 2024

Dithering between 3 and 4 for this but ultimately I think it's probably a 3. I like this genre though. It's my second Pere Ubu album and I've been pleasantly surprised by both of them.

Odessey And Oracle by The Zombies
Dec 28 2024

What's your name? Who's your daddy? "Butcher's Tale" and "A Rose for Emily" seem like the standouts here to me. This is pretty standard psychedelic rock, but it's done well enough.

Hotel California by Eagles
Dec 30 2024

My mom once told me that this was a great make-out album, and it ruined both the album and the song "Hotel California" for me. Regardless of it's alleged impact on my parents' sex life, this is a fairly underwhelming album. The singles off it ("Hotel California", "Life in the Fast Lane") are definitely the best part. There are a lot more slow songs than I expected on it, and they're mostly unmemorable. I generally think most Eagles songs should be on average at least 2 minutes shorter than they actually are. I don't hate it, I don't love it, it's fine.

1999 by Prince
Dec 31 2024
Closer by Joy Division
Jan 01 2025

Meh.

Jan 02 2025

Unfortunately my high school French was not up to this challenge! But this was still fun despite only catching every few words. I like getting international albums, it's interesting to see how the same music genres evolve differently in different countries. French hip-hop/rap isn't going to be my new top genre, but I enjoyed it.

Parachutes by Coldplay
Jan 05 2025

Coldplay has kind of become a joke within the cultural zeitgeist over the years, but the result of that is that this album is actually better than I was expecting. At the end of the day though it still sounds like early-00s coffee shop music. I actually think Coldplay's best album is "Viva la Vida" which isn't even on the 1001 albums list, so what do I know.

Jan 06 2025

It seems like cheating to include a compilation instead of the original albums these songs were featured on, but it is what it is. I did recognize and enjoy several of these songs (though probably wouldn't have been able to tell you the artist before this). It's definitely my kind of genre, but something about it was just ok. Not really a stand out.

Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
Jan 08 2025

More Country than I was expecting, which I suppose shouldn't be a surprise. It's Elvis so I knew what I was getting into. Blue Suede Shoes was great, a lot of the covers ("I Got a Woman" and "Tutti Frutti" especially) were underwhelming.

Blur by Blur
Jan 09 2025
The Sun Rises In The East by Jeru The Damaja
Jan 10 2025

I like "You Can't Stop the Prophet" and "Ain't the Devil Happy". As with all hip hop, I don't really know enough about it to feel like I can give it a fair rating, but I don't dislike it. I do feel like this got repetitive after awhile though.

White Ladder by David Gray
Jan 12 2025

Coffee shop background music. Nothing super memorable or impactful, but there were at least 2 songs on here that I didn't realize we're David Gray. One of those albums that I know my dad is going to rate higher than I'm rating it.

Medúlla by Björk
Jan 13 2025

This is a headphones album for sure. My first Björk album, and I'm kinda into it? It's weird, but I knew it would be going in. The use of vocalizations instead of instruments is really cool and makes for an interesting but cohesive sound.

Jan 14 2025

Some of the girls in this audience need to chill out before they hurt themselves. Tight instrumentals but none of the songs are particularly memorable.

Since I Left You by The Avalanches
Jan 15 2025

"Frontier Psychiatrist" was great, but overall this album is just a lot of sound bites and samples. It got repetitive fast, although I'm sure it took a lot of skill and time to put together.

Picture Book by Simply Red
Jan 16 2025

Too easy listening for me. Why was the second song inexplicably recorded as if live but no other song on the album was? There there wasn't anything terrible here, but it bored me.

Almost pop-punk! You can certainly see where the groundwork is being laid for later punk bands, but it's almost too clean for me to really feel like it's true punk. Super high-energy and so on-the-nose as far as defying authority goes it almost feels performative. Lots of fun to listen to though!

Melodrama by Lorde
Jan 18 2025

I always want to like Lorde more than I do. I don't dislike her, she's fine, but she rarely wows me. This album was no exception. A couple of solid songs and a lot of perfectly fine filler.

Rattus Norvegicus by The Stranglers
Jan 20 2025

The songs aren't super memorable, but I did have fun listening to it. It probably would have been a 4 star if I hadn't paused halfway through and then accidentally listened to several of the earlier songs without realizing it because I didn't remember having already heard them.

Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
Jan 22 2025

Different sound for Bruce. Not bad, but not what I was expecting.

Rising Above Bedlam by Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
Jan 24 2025

So many of these "World" genre albums just sound like some white guy went on a voluntourism gap year and is convinced he was "enlightened" and discovered something completely new and won't shut up about it. I did listen to the whole thing though so I guess 2.

Hunky Dory by David Bowie
Jan 25 2025

If you don't like "Kooks" we can't be friends. Truly one of Bowie's best. I love the evolution of his sound here, he's still a little folksy/hippy at this point in his career.

Orbital 2 by Orbital
Jan 26 2025

Omg why is this over an hour long? That is excessive!

Fear Of Music by Talking Heads
Jan 27 2025

Wild that there aren't more hits on this album. The sound is cool, but the album as a whole does kind of fizzle out on the B-side. Brian Eno's influence is noticeable, but I like Eno so it wasn't a negative. I love musicians who just do their own thing, and David Byrne definitely falls into that category.

All Hope Is Gone by Slipknot
Jan 29 2025

I just don't really care for Slipknot. They feel like they're trying too hard to be edgy, and this album was way too long for what it was. The sound was also very 2008, I can't decide if it's aged well or not.

Penance Soiree by The Icarus Line
Jan 31 2025

I'm kinda surprised I'd never heard of this band before. It came out around when I was first really paying attention to music and figuring out what I liked, and it's a genre I tend to gravitate towards. All that being said, the music was fine but ultimately unmemorable.

War by U2
Feb 01 2025

This is better than I expected. I didn't like Joshua Tree and I'm usually underwhelmed by U2, but this is a well-produced album with a tight sound. "Seconds" made a lovely bridge between "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day".

Will The Circle Be Unbroken by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Feb 02 2025

This is just so incredibly long. I like the folksy bluegrass instrumental tracks, I'm less interested in the twangy country vocals. I actually really enjoyed the talking in the studio bits between tracks, it added a human element to the album that I found charming.

Histoire De Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg
Feb 03 2025

C'est merde. Incredibly French, and trying embarrassingly hard to be cool and sexy. Maybe groundbreaking and interesting in it's time?

L.A. Woman by The Doors
Feb 04 2025

Doors fans aren't made, they're born! I do like the bluesy rock vibes of this, and obviously Love Her Madly and Riders on the Storm are solid hits. I did end up listening to it twice so that should probably weigh until my overall score.

Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Feb 07 2025

I'm somehow always pleasantly surprised by CCR. I don't know why because they always sound exactly like I expect them to, but for whatever reason I never think I'm going to like them. Anyway, this was a solid album. More country sounding than I expected, but enjoyable. It didn't overstay its welcome or start to sound too same-y to me.

Natty Dread by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Feb 08 2025

Better than the Peter Tosh album I had awhile back, but 40 minutes of reggae is still just too much for me. I'm not chill or laid back enough for this.

S&M by Metallica
Feb 09 2025

I mean, at the end of the day it's a greatest hits album. The live orchestra gimmick is cool but ultimately underutilized. I was actually really excited when the album started with the symphony playing "The Ecstacy of Gold", but by a couple of songs in it was pretty clear that the symphony was just filler and not actually necessary.

Bayou Country by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Feb 10 2025

My favorite of the CCR I've gotten so far. Very bluesy swamp rock that definitely works for me. It's wild that these boys were from California though. You weren't "Born on the Bayou" John!! You're from Berkeley!

Metallica by Metallica
Feb 11 2025

Would probably be more into this if I hadn't just heard all the hits from it two days ago on S&M. It's fine, it's Metallica. I'm always impressed with how technically proficient these guys are on their instruments.

Roots by Sepultura
Feb 12 2025

I'm not a fan of the heavy metal screamo voice, so this isn't really doing it for me. I do like the Brazilian influences and instrumentals (Itsári and Canyon Jam were cool), but not enough for me to get past the singing style.

Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
Feb 14 2025

Not gonna lie, like all my albums this week have been metal, so this was kind of a breath of fresh air and my rating is likely to reflect that. Easy listening. Elevator and hold music. Wholly inoffensive to my ears but not particularly interesting at the end of the day.

Kollaps by Einstürzende Neubauten
Feb 17 2025

This was not actually that bad! I went in knowing it was the lowest rated album on the list, so my expectations were tempered, but I kind of liked it! I wouldn't like go to a live show or something, and I'm definitely not going to be buying this to listen to on the regular, but I thought the sound was an interesting experiment. I like it when people use non-traditional instruments like this. I absolutely did know when the album ended though because the next song that played on my Spotify had a legit guitar and I was like "oh, guess Kollaps is done". This feels more like a performance art piece than music.

California by American Music Club
Feb 20 2025

Sounds like something my dad would have had on a cassette tape when I was a kid (positive). I actually do like this. It's quiet but the instrumental aspect is solid. "Jenny" and "Last Harbor" were really lovely. At the end of the day it didn't blow me away, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Feb 21 2025

Honestly I'm just wildly indifferent to this one. It's not bad, it's not amazing, it's mostly just boring.

The Chronic by Dr. Dre
Feb 22 2025

This album ain't shit but hoes and tricks 😔 Snoop is really carrying this album, his verses are far and away the best on here, which isn't saying much. In the end it's a lot of posturing and somehow every single track is about Dre's dick. The backing music and beats are great though. They've aged well and I think elevate the overall album. Without the beats it would be wholly unremarkable.

Electric Warrior by T. Rex
Feb 23 2025

I went into this being like "I don't think I actually know that many T.Rex songs??" But then I knew like every song on the album. So shows what I know I guess. Clearly this is my kinda music.

In Rainbows by Radiohead
Feb 24 2025

I remember when this album came out and everyone was buzzing about the "pay what you want" thing. I don't love Radiohead, their songs all sound the same to me. It's a fine sound when it's on, but it's not one I ever find myself actively seeking out. Honestly, it's a 2.5. I don't know which way I'll be rounding.

Drunk by Thundercat
Feb 26 2025

I unexpectedly liked this. I wasn't expecting to based on the description, but the songs were nicely paced, and the lyrics were entertaining. Saw a review comparing this to the YouTube video "A Brief History of Japan" and honestly that is spot-on as far as overall vibes go.

Protection by Massive Attack
Feb 27 2025

This is going to sound dumb, but I did not expect there to be lyrics on this album. I actually think the singers detract from the tracks, and it would have been better without them? "Heat Miser" was the best song on here and it's the only one without a vocalist.

2112 by Rush
Mar 01 2025
Mar 02 2025

How did he manage to make "(He's Got) The Whole World In His Hands" bad?? Honestly thought this was probably going to be a 2 for the first half but then it just kept going and getting more painful. "Your Own Backyard" entertained me for a bit at least. Spotify combined two of his albums but I only listened to the songs listed on the Wikipedia track listing. Not my style musically. Boring instrumentals and uninspired vocals. No thanks.

The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses
Mar 04 2025

1989 feels so late for this sound, it feels like these guys belong in 1969.

Dookie by Green Day
Mar 05 2025
Hms Fable by Shack
Mar 07 2025

Hmm it's fine. Unremarkable but inoffensive. Had a couple of songs that made me perk up with interest, but they ultimately fizzled out without really delivering.

Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan
Mar 08 2025

"Tangled Up In Blue" is truly one of Dylan's best.

Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin
Mar 09 2025

I like when Zeppelin goes folksy. Ar one point in college I was chatting with someone and I asked if what he was reading at the time was any good and he shrugged and went "I mean, it's Hemingway" and honestly that's how I feel about Led Zeppelin. You know what you're getting into when you start it, there aren't really any surprises, but it's solid music and not the worst way to spend 45 minutes.

Ingenue by k.d. lang
Mar 10 2025

I think "Constant Craving" is the only k.d. lang song I'd heard before listening to this and I gotta say, it's the only real standout on this album. It's easy listening, lang has a lovely voice, but all the tunes go in one ear and out the other. Her general vibe is too cool for her music to sound this bland.

Mar 12 2025

Why are there so many Byrds albums on this list?? My quick search says there are 5 of them! I don't think The Byrds made enough interesting music to justify taking up that many slots on this list even if they are considered "influential"!

Crazysexycool by TLC
Mar 13 2025

This was fine. I'm not really into R&B, but this felt well-produced (if a little too long). The songs are mid, but I can appreciate the cultural and musical impact the album ultimately had. I don't expect it'll be one I revisit.

Parklife by Blur
Mar 15 2025

Seems that I know a lot more Blur songs than I initially thought I did. I liked this one better than the last Blur album I got (Blur 1997), and as far as 90s brit-pop goes, they aren't bad. They have good energy and it's a fun album to listen to.

Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt
Mar 16 2025

I was into it. The melodies are lovely and meandering, and lend a very cool overall vibe to the sound. The songs all blend into each other in a way that makes this very much an album that rewards listening to it straight through.

Haunted Dancehall by The Sabres Of Paradise
Mar 17 2025

Great album title, wish there were more of a haunted dancehall vibe to these tunes. Let's get some "Carnival of Souls" creepy organ music sampled or something! The songs are interesting but ultimately unsubstantial. It works well as background noise while doing other things, but I wouldn't spend much time with it otherwise.

Mar 18 2025

I'm torn between a 3 and a 4 for this one, but I expect nostalgia will win out to bump it to the higher score. Not my favorite MGMT album but it's hard to deny that the hits in it really hit. It's a fun mix of electronica and pop that hits just right.

Paul's Boutique by Beastie Boys
Mar 19 2025

These Boys seem like they're having fun, I like that they all take turns with the verses. Didn't like it as much as Ill Communication, but still a solid hip hop album. The sampling was really well done, and an unexpected treat.

Mar 20 2025

This is some good Johnny Cash. The songs are primarily covers, but they've all been stripped down, and the combo of simple guitar and Cash's voice is very effective. Obviously "Hurt" is amazing, but Cash really makes each of these songs his own. A high point to end his career.

Queen Of Denmark by John Grant
Mar 21 2025

It's fine. There are some fun lyrics, some high-school emo poetry lyrics, and maybe someone's shopping list? The tunes themselves are quiet and start to sound a bit samey after awhile. I think this one would have benefitted from some additional editing and maybe tightening the whole thing up to a solid 40 minutes.

Arc Of A Diver by Steve Winwood
Mar 23 2025

Nothing much here to inspire. It's fine.

Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Mar 25 2025
Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix
Apr 02 2025

The hype around Hendeix's guitar skills is absolutely earned. The album is a little long and meandered in places, but overall an excellent listen.

Apr 03 2025

I liked this one more than I was expecting! It's got a narrative through-line, and the sketches between songs tied in nicely with that. It's not really my preferred genre, and it did feel long at over an hour, but it never felt like a chore to listen to. Ventures a bit too religious at times.

Group Sex by Circle Jerks
Apr 04 2025

Fast and frantic. After several days in a row of 1+ hour long albums though, the brevity here was refreshing. The sound is unquestionably punk, but I'm into it.

Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
Apr 05 2025

"You Outta Know" is still the angry girl breakup anthem of all time. Was genuinely very excited to get this album this morning. I was too young for Alanis to really make an impression when this was first released, but I can absolutely hear the blueprint here for future Canadian pop rock girls like Avril (who I did love as a tween/teen).

Go Girl Crazy by The Dictators
Apr 06 2025

Oof some parts of this one were rough to get through. The music itself is fine, punk-esque hair band/jock rock vibes.

Apr 09 2025

I liked the opening song quite a bit, and the rest of the album was fine. It didn't wow me but it was alright.

90 by 808 State
Apr 10 2025

Repetitive

The Predator by Ice Cube
Apr 11 2025

One of the better hip hop/rap albums I've gotten so far. The messages are unfortunately still very relevant today. The mysogyny is unfortunately as prevalent as it always is in this genre.

The Next Day by David Bowie
Apr 12 2025

This is an interesting album to include on this list. It was only in one edition of the book (rightfully replaced by Blackstar in the next edition), and it genuinely feels like it was probably only inclided under the assumption that it was going to be Bowie's last. I remember the buzz around the surprise release, and I remember even at the time being generally underwhelmed by it. It's solidly Bowie, so it's good stuff, but it's not his best. I feel like some of the songs were probably ones that weren't quite album-ready but got thrown on here anyway to (unnecessarily) pad it out. The sounds and themes he's playing with here will eventually be refined and perfected in Blackstar, but they aren't there quite yet.

Apr 13 2025

The sound mixing on this album is absolutely atrocious! It's like DRUMS BASS vocals SYNTH. Maybe the reason Simple Minds didn't have more hit singles was because no one could actually hear them singing? It's fine. Incredibly 80s and not super memorable, but not bad either.

New Forms by Roni Size
Apr 14 2025

Generated this album yesterday and was so annoyed at getting another 90s electronica album, especially one over 2 hours long, I skipped it. I followed-up on it today though, and I can't say skipping it was a bad idea. It's long, it's repetitive, it's electronica. It overstayed its welcome by probably and hour and a half.

The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
Apr 15 2025

Y'ever listen to an album and have it immediately transport you back to a previous version of yourself? I've never really listened to the Smiths, but this album started and I was immediately in my senior year of high school/first couple years of uni again. I'm a different person now, I'm exactly the same person as I was then. The Smith's have got me feeling nostalgic, and I'm once again a lonely, uncool, terribly insecure girl. I am a cliche.

Shaka Zulu by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Apr 18 2025
Out Of The Blue by Electric Light Orchestra
Apr 19 2025

Probably a 3 but a high 3. It's enjoyable music but an hour of it does get old. Mr. Blue Sky is a bop though, and I liked the sound through-line from Steppin' Out to that. And Birmingham Blues weirdly didn't sound like ELO, but I did like the sound on that one.

Apr 20 2025

Generic 80s New Wave Pop. Not bad but nothing really stand-out on this album. I did like the opening of "Show Me" quite a bit.

Synchronicity by The Police
Apr 22 2025

I'm not convinced this list needed two Police albums, but whatever. Sting is Sting, the Police are the Police, you know what you're getting into.

Freak Out! by The Mothers Of Invention
Apr 24 2025
Triangle by The Beau Brummels
Apr 25 2025
Rejoicing In The Hands by Devendra Banhart
Apr 28 2025

Feels like this album wouldn't have been out of place around 2010, so 2004 surprised me. High 3 rating. It's fine, but overall meh.

Blunderbuss by Jack White
Apr 29 2025

I mean, it (unsurprisingly) sounds like a White Stripes album, and I like the White Stripes so I am (unsurprisingly) vibing with it.

Snivilisation by Orbital
Apr 30 2025

Waking up this morning to more electronica like 🫩 It's fine. It's electronica. Some cool sampling of sound clips but every song is too long and too repetitive so I start out interested and then lose momentum super fast.

May 01 2025

More hip hop/r&b than I was expecting, which I feel is often the case with rap albums from the 90s. It's fine.

The Yes Album by Yes
May 03 2025

I didn't think I knew this band, but then the album cover looked super familiar and I recognized at least two of the songs on it ("Your Move" and "Starship Trooper: Life Seeker") so I guess Spotify has probably shuffled them into various "recommended for you" playlists in the past. It's not a bad album. I agree with the reviews that say that they sound a lot like Rush but not as good. The two songs I recognized were definitely the best on the album, and I did think it got better as it went. I don't think it was a particularly stand-out album, but I wouldn't turn it off if I heard it again.

Fuzzy Logic by Super Furry Animals
May 05 2025

No bad, but I felt like the band was having an identity crisis. Every song sounded like they were trying to mimic different, better bands.

Licensed To Ill by Beastie Boys
May 06 2025

There are a lot of Beastie Boys on this list. Not a bad thing, they're fun. The generator has given me all three in reverse chronologically order, so this is my last one on this project. Probably middle of the road out of the three. The three song run of "Girls", "Fight for your Right", and "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" was really solid. These guys are so goofy, but the energy really carries them.

Killing Joke by Killing Joke
May 08 2025

I was really expecting this to be a meh 3, but I had a lot more fun with it than I expected, and I ended up listening to part of it again this evening just because, so it deserves more than a 3. Best song was "S.O.36" which weirdly reminded me a lot of Bowie's "Girl Loves Me" from ★, which obviously came much later than this.

Kenya by Machito
May 09 2025
Vol. 4 by Black Sabbath
May 12 2025
You Are The Quarry by Morrissey
May 16 2025

Musically inoffensive, but lyrically insufferable.

Smokers Delight by Nightmares On Wax
May 22 2025

Background music, but better than I was expecting going in.

May 23 2025

Sounds like a lot of music I was listening to circa 2007. I knew "It's Not Over Yet" already, but had honestly forgotten it existed until it started playing. It's fine, not standout or revolutionary, but a decent representation of late-00s UK alt rock

Court And Spark by Joni Mitchell
May 24 2025

Not as good as Blue, but it's Joni Mitchell so it's still miles ahead of a lot of albums on this list. The last few tracks started veering into a kind of swing-y 1940s sound, which was cool.

Leftism by Leftfield
May 25 2025

Completely indifferent to this one. I didn't like or dislike it, it simply was. It did feel too long though, and I doubt I'd actively seek it out again in the future.

Nowhere by Ride
May 26 2025

Ughhhh it's fine, it's 90s shoegaze. Exactly what I expected going in despite some occasional sparks of promise that quickly fizzled out.

The La's by The La's
May 28 2025

Most of the songs are kind of 90s does 60s, which is fun. By and large there isn't much here. It's a fine album, but beyond "There She Goes" (which doesn't really sound like any of the other songs here), there aren't really any stand outs.

Stand! by Sly & The Family Stone
Jun 01 2025

Funk and soul tends to be very hit or miss for me, but this one definitely hit! "Sex Machine" was a weak point, but the rest of the album was a pretty fun, funky time.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels by Dexys Midnight Runners
Jun 02 2025

Wait, there are multiple Dexy's Midnight Runners albums on this list?? Why? This is fine but ultimately nothing to write home about.

Buena Vista Social Club by Buena Vista Social Club
Jun 03 2025

Oh hey, I watched the documentary about this group awhile back, but never actually listened to the album so this is a bit of a treat! I knew what to expect going in and wasn't disappointed, it's just fun, upbeat music.

Elephant by The White Stripes
Jun 07 2025
Urban Hymns by The Verve
Jun 10 2025

90s albums are always too long. Unfortunately, every song on this album sounds the exact same, and none of them are as good as Bittersweet Symphony (which is a good but not a great song).

The Beach Boys Today! by The Beach Boys
Jun 13 2025

"I haven't made a mistake yet in my whole career" "Brian, we keep waitin for ya to make a mistake" RIP Brian Wilson, you were a real one.

Young Americans by David Bowie
Jun 14 2025

Not my favorite Bowie, but I do recognize the significance of it within his career as his transition from glam rock to more funk/soul inspired music. He has some great songs on here (Young Americans, Fame) and some definite flops. The backing vocalalists (including Luther Vandross) on this are especially good, and really contribute to a very different sound for Bowie. It's gonna get a 5 but only because of my personal biases, I totally get why this one isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Tom Tom Club by Tom Tom Club
Jun 16 2025

I really enjoyed the first couple tracks on this (Wordy Rappinghood and Genius of Love) but after about the 4th song everything started to sound the same. Most of the songs were longer than they needed to be, and very repetitive. Overall I didn't dislike the sound but I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected to.

Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
Jun 18 2025

Baby, baby, BABY, baBe, 👶, babY, bAby, Babe, bb

Guero by Beck
Jun 19 2025
Peggy Suicide by Julian Cope
Jun 22 2025

I only listened to the original album, not even the deluxe edition, and I got a say, this album is about 12 songs too long. The music itself is fine, nothing special, very 90s. I think I'd view it more favorably if it hadn't felt so interminable.

Bright Flight by Silver Jews
Jun 27 2025

Every song had at least one lyric that made me go 🤔🤔 but overall this is a pretty bland album.

Jun 28 2025

This really does sound like two albums, and I think the strongest songs on each of them are the ones that sound like they belong on the other one/manage to combine the two sounds more cohesively. I think this would have been 5 stars if they had found a way to make the whole album flow together more. I like the Andre 3000 side slightly more than the Big Boi side, but both made for fun listens.

Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
Jun 29 2025
Faith by George Michael
Jul 03 2025
Jul 04 2025

Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? 🤔⌚

Germfree Adolescents by X-Ray Spex
Jul 06 2025

I feel like on paper this should have checked all my boxes, but in reality I was underwhelmed. Good energy, but didn't leave much of an impression.

Surf's Up by The Beach Boys
Jul 08 2025

This was my third Beach Boys album in a month, but all three were different enough to be interesting. The typical Beach Boys sound is here, but it's generally tempered compared to some of their earlier stuff. The environmental message was occasionally cloying but came from a good place.

Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jul 10 2025

I spent the whole time I was listening to this album doing the jerk off gesture because I was so annoyed by it. This was too long, and every song sounded the exact same, and unfortunately I have had Californication stuck in my head all day which is not helping endear this album to me. If I was listening to this in a vacuum and had never heard any RHCP before I could see where this could be interesting, and I don't mind the occasional RHCP song on the radio, but as a full album this was just self-indulgent frat music.

Too Rye Ay by Dexys Midnight Runners
Jul 11 2025

Still reeling at the fact that there are three (3) Dexy's Midnight Runners albums on this list. This is fine. I'm not sure what version of the album Spotify has though, it doesn't match any of the album track listings on Wikipedia, it's close to the original, but there are some tracks that seem to be missing and some new tracks that aren't listed, so I genuinely don't know. The majority of the tracks seem to be there and in the right order though so I'm just going to go with it.

Aqualung by Jethro Tull
Jul 12 2025

Feeling like a dead duck

So by Peter Gabriel
Jul 13 2025
Ten by Pearl Jam
Jul 19 2025

Pearl Jam songs all kinda sound alike, but I also recognized a lot of these so it wasn't bad.

Truth by Jeff Beck
Jul 21 2025

Solid Blues Rock, and I enjoyed the unexpected Greensleeves.

Low by David Bowie
Jul 22 2025

I enjoy Bowie's ambient experimentation in the Berlin trilogy.

Murder Ballads by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Jul 23 2025

Cool concept, ok execution. I generally enjoy Nick Cave, but this one isn't his best.

Horses by Patti Smith
Aug 02 2025

I love getting albums that I already own! Listened to the vinyl for the full, raw experience. I like Patti Smith quite a bit, but I admit this one isn't my favorite of her albums. "Gloria: In Excelces Deo" absolutely slaps and is a powerhouse start to the album, but none of the songs after it really reach that same peak. Nevertheless, it's clearly influencial and is building on previous rock trends in an interesting (to me) way. Smith's lyrics are always fantastic, she really is a poet and rocker, not the other way around.

If You're Feeling Sinister by Belle & Sebastian
Aug 03 2025

I mean, this was fun. It was about what I expected from a Belle & Sebastian album. Mellow, but not in a bad way. It made for some chill background music while doing other things.

Shleep by Robert Wyatt
Aug 04 2025

This vibes. It didn't blow me away, but I was mostly into it. There were points that I didn't love (lots of discordant ambient sounds that didn't work for me) but there were also plenty of ponits where I was into it. Probably not going to be higher than a 3 though because I do think this is one that would have to catch me in the right mood. Dreamier than Rock Bottom for sure, but not a better overall album.

Elastica by Elastica
Aug 06 2025

Yeah, it's good alt rock.

Aug 07 2025

Not bad, but the songs started getting really religious and preachy about halfway through, which I wasn't expecting. The instrumentation was really cool though, and I had fun.

Chore of Enchantment by Giant Sand
Aug 09 2025

NGL I can't remember this album's name or the band or any of the tunes on it, even though I know when I listened to it yesterday I was like "a little long, but not bad". So I don't even know.

Caetano Veloso by Caetano Veloso
Aug 11 2025

Why does this man look like he wants to kill me?

The Wildest! by Louis Prima
Aug 13 2025

Definitely a jam. And some of the songs are so funny? Wasn't expecting that!

Oh, this has a similar vibe to Einstürzende Neubauten! It only pre-dates Kollaps by like 3 years, but there's definitely a connection between the two. This is cleaner, more polished, and I like it better at the end of the day. There's a bit of electronica to it, and I thought the voice clips were interesting. Not one that I expect i'll listen to regularly, but an interesting 40 minutes!

New Boots And Panties by Ian Dury
Aug 16 2025

Not sure this is really one I needed to hear before I died. It's fine, I guess. I don't hate it, but I feel like a couple of songs was sufficient to get the sound/vibe and I really didn't need 40 minutes of this. I don't mind goofy music, but this didn't feel particularly clever. I will grant that "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" kinda slapped.

The Boatman's Call by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Aug 17 2025

I can never decide if I like Nick Cave or not. The albums of his that hit are really good, but the ones that miss are just slogs to get through. I also didn't love Murder Ballads so I wonder if it's just Nick Cave's ballads that really don't speak to me. Much to ponder.

Dire Straits by Dire Straits
Aug 21 2025

Guitar George who knows all the chords is an outlier adn shouldn't be counted.

Ghosteen by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Aug 23 2025

Honestly thought I'd already gotten all the Nick Cave albums on the list, but apparently not. In a previous review I was like "I generally enjoy Nick Cave" but now I'm questioning that because the last three albums by him that I've gotten (including this one) have been resoundingly meh. This one is not very fun, mostly it's just boring. I'm bored. I get it Nick, but can you make it a little more interesting?

L'Eau Rouge by The Young Gods
Aug 26 2025

French circus metal. The Tidal link actually took me to a different album (by the band Eau Rouge) which sounded like MGMT dance music, so I was confused for a couple of tracks until I figured out what happened. The actual album was much closer to what I expected based on the Wikipedia and reviews. I liked the opening track, but wasn't especially into the album as a whole by the end. I think I would have liked it better if the vocals were less grating.

Kala by M.I.A.
Aug 27 2025

This was a fun listen! I was pleasantly surprised by the opening track ("Bamboo Banga") using the lyrics to "Roadrunner" by the Modern Lovers, I wasn't expecting that! Overall this is a fine album, it sounds like what you'd expect from M.I.A. "Paper Planes" still holds up.

It's Blitz! by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Aug 30 2025

I listened to it twice and really enjoyed it both times!

Penthouse And Pavement by Heaven 17
Aug 31 2025

Between a 2 and a 3. It's not the worst thing I've listened to, but it's not especially interesting either. Like off-brand Devo, it doesn't quite work as well as the good stuff. Very repetitive and by the second half I was ready for it to be done.

Tanto Tempo by Bebel Gilberto
Sep 02 2025

Elevator music. Pretty but insubstantial.

Scott 2 by Scott Walker
Sep 04 2025

I genuinely don't know, so 3 I guess? Definitely a crooner sound but not like any crooner music I've heard before. Some of the songs/lyrics are bizarre, some of them are alright. I can definitely hear bits that clearly influenced later bands/artists. Overall not a bad listen, I didn't hate it, but I don't think Scott Walker is going to be one I listen to regularly.

Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs
Sep 05 2025

The Wallflowers meet Lord Huron. But not actually as good as either of those bands. It's fine, it sounds like indie rock of the 2010s, so exactly like I expected it to going in, but it does have some nice 90s alt vibes on a few songs. I think my younger sister would be into this. A little too long and samey at the end of the day.

Electric by The Cult
Sep 06 2025

Mid. Perfectly fine, but nothing really stands out here.

What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
Sep 07 2025

Really enjoyed how smooth the transition was between each song here, but at the end of the day I still just don't love Soul.

Pump by Aerosmith
Sep 08 2025
Queen II by Queen
Sep 09 2025

I have such a hard time rating albums from major bands. On the one hand, this was pretty mediocre as far as Queen albums go, there weren't any real standouts and it sounded exactly like I expected. On the other, a mediocre Queen album is still better than so so many mediocre albums on this list, so I'm torn.

Remedy by Basement Jaxx
Sep 10 2025
Guitar Town by Steve Earle
Sep 11 2025

Solidly Country. I'm not really a country fan but I've definitely listened to worse than this over the course of this project.

I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen
Sep 13 2025

There's like a three-song stretch in the middle that's really good ("Everybody Knows", "I'm Your Man", "Take this Waltz") but everything else on this album seems weirdly 80s and is a different sound than I usually expect from Leonard Cohen. All of the songs drag on for longer than they really need to.

Don't Stand Me Down by Dexys Midnight Runners
Sep 14 2025

My final Dexy's Midnight Runners album! When I went in I was like "oh, it's only 7 songs, that's not so bad" but then somehow every one of those 7 songs was 10 minutes long, which is honestly so detrimental to the album as a whole. I don't hate this music style, but we've had better examples of it already on this list (and on other DMR albums), so at the end of the day this just feels like unnecessary filler.

Street Signs by Ozomatli
Sep 18 2025

Probably one I should relisten to at some point, I didn't really give it as much attention as some of these other albums. I liked "Doña Isabelle" the best from this, otherwise the songs all kind of blended into each other.

Sep 23 2025

As a Pink Floyd album this kind of sucks, but as a psychedelic rock album by a new up and coming band it's fine. You can hear the sound that they're eventually going to figure out (especially in songs like "Interstellar Overdrive" and the end of "Bike") but a lot of the songs just sound like standard, kind of goofy psychedelic rock of the era. Why did Bowie and Pink Floyd both release weird gnome songs in 1967?

Neon Bible by Arcade Fire
Sep 27 2025

Reminds me of my senior year of high school, and my crush who was super into Arcade Fire and always had one of their songs as his Myspace profile song 😂

Bad by Michael Jackson
Sep 28 2025
Kenza by Khaled
Sep 29 2025
American Gothic by David Ackles
Sep 30 2025

Interesting to see this classed as "Country" as the genre. It's much more show-tuney than country. Lots of big band instruments and storytelling lyrics.

Mott by Mott The Hoople
Oct 01 2025

Mott the Hoople wants to be Bowie so bad it makes them look stupid.

Porcupine by Echo And The Bunnymen
Oct 03 2025
Either Or by Elliott Smith
Oct 05 2025

Coffee shop music. Faux-deep but ultimately insubstantial. Not bad to listen to, but very much background music.

Faust IV by Faust
Oct 13 2025

I like the music, it's a cool vibe. I wish the songs weren't all so long though, they start to drag about halfway through each one.

Rapture by Anita Baker
Oct 18 2025
Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Oct 19 2025
Hot Fuss by The Killers
Oct 21 2025

🚨We are on 24-hour Killers lockdown🚨 Definitely not a perfect album, but I did very much imprint on it when I was 15/16 so I forgive all its flaws.

Aha Shake Heartbreak by Kings of Leon
Oct 24 2025

Wait, are there multiple Kings of Leon albums on this list?? Is that necessary? It sounds exactly like a Kings of Leon album. Which isn't bad, but doesn't blow me away either. I thought Only By The Night was better overall.

Cafe Bleu by The Style Council
Oct 25 2025

A lot of sounds trying to happen here. Not all of them bad, but it makes for a very inconsistent album.

Justified by Justin Timberlake
Oct 28 2025

"Cry Me a River" and "Rock Your Body" are both fine, it's clear why those were the singles from this album. The rest of this one is decidedly meh. Every song is 5 minutes long and super repetitive, which I guess is probably good for dance music in a club, but is tedious to listen to straight through. I was never a Justin Timberlake fan, even though I was smack dab exactly in his target demographic when he was at his peak.

Nov 01 2025

Lana Del Rey albums are summer listens, not autumn listens, but setting the timing aside this is still a fun album. Not my favorite of hers, but I enjoyed listening to it.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins
Nov 04 2025

Ended up having to split this into two days because I didn't have time yesterday to listen to the full album! It was fine, exactly what I expected from Smashing Pumpkins. The sound's not a bad one, but 2+ hours of it did feel like a drag. Some really solid songs on here mixed with some some really unmemorable ones.

Honky Tonk Heroes by Waylon Jennings
Nov 05 2025

Is this project turning me into a country fan? What is happening? This was genuinely just a fun album. It was a good length, and the songs were catchy but not cloying. I enjoyed listening to it.

At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash
Nov 08 2025

Hot Dog those inmates really loved the harmonica!

Aftermath by The Rolling Stones
Nov 09 2025
Something/Anything? by Todd Rundgren
Nov 11 2025

2.5, super hit or miss for me across the album, but not a bad listen.

Live At Leeds by The Who
Nov 12 2025

I'm not sure the Live gimmick was necessary here, but it is always fun to hear bands interacting with an enthusiastic audience.

Darklands by The Jesus And Mary Chain
Nov 16 2025
Liege And Lief by Fairport Convention
Nov 19 2025

Honestly torn between a 4 and a 5 on this one, but I think it'll probably land on a high 4. I love English Folk Rock so this was right up my alley. I really enjoyed the mix of traditional ballads with original pieces.

Oedipus Schmoedipus by Barry Adamson
Nov 21 2025

Not sure what the plot of this fake movie was, the soundtrack was all over the place.

Survivor by Destiny's Child
Nov 24 2025
Peter Gabriel by Peter Gabriel
Nov 25 2025

3.5, this was a lot quirkier and fun than I was expecting it to be!

1977 by Ash
Nov 29 2025

I didn't hate it but I also have already forgotten every song on it and will likely forget the album even exists in a week of so.

Paranoid by Black Sabbath
Nov 30 2025

Rock and Roll 🤘

Viva Hate by Morrissey
Dec 01 2025

2.5, it's fine but it wasn't particularly groundbreaking. It sounded like a Morrissey album of which there are apparently a million on this list.

Tical by Method Man
Dec 02 2025

Still a lot of Wu Tang for a solo album. Very good sampling and production.

Remain In Light by Talking Heads
Dec 04 2025

There is WATER💧 at the bottom of the OCEAN 🌊

The Age Of The Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets
Dec 06 2025

Arctic Monkeys-lite. I liked listening to it but there weren't any memorable songs to make me want to return to it regularly.

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen by The Residents
Dec 12 2025

Super weird but in an interesting way! It held my attention, and didn't overstay it's welcome. I'm not about to go out and buy it to listen to all the time, but it wasn't a bad way to spend 35 minutes.

Sister by Sonic Youth
Dec 13 2025

3.5. I've listened to this one a couple of times, and I like it, but something just isn't clicking to make me want to round up instead of down. Who knows, maybe that will change.

Happy Trails by Quicksilver Messenger Service
Dec 17 2025

At one point I thought a song (Calvary) was done so I went to check how many tracks were left on the album, but we were only halfway through that specific song.

Savane by Ali Farka Touré
Dec 18 2025
Slipknot by Slipknot
Dec 21 2025

Not sure this list needed multiple Slipknot albums, but sure. It's exactly what I expected going in. I'm always kind of disappointed in Slipknot because Corey Taylor has a nice voice but he insists on doing the heavy metal scream singing that is just grating to my ears.

Bluesbreakers by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Dec 22 2025

White Boy Blues. That Eric Clapton guy sure can play the guitar though.

69 Love Songs by The Magnetic Fields
Dec 23 2025

God, this is just so long. I like the Magnetic Fields but have never listened to a full album of theirs, and this was a doozy of a place to start. 3 hours is so much time to find to sit and listen to music on a Monday. There's a real range of songs here, some good and some not. I would love to hear a tighter version of this with all the filler for the sake of filler cut out. About halfway through the first 10 songs or so I was like "this sounds so much like the Gothic Archie's, I wonder if the lead singer did that project too..." And then I googled it and not only did he do The Gothic Archie's but Daniel Handler plays the accordion on this album 😂 It's a small musical world out there!

Let England Shake by PJ Harvey
Dec 24 2025

I got almost all the way through this album before realizing that I wasn't actually listening to it and at some point it had slipped into background music territory. It's was nice background music, but not a very captivating album.

Violator by Depeche Mode
Dec 27 2025

Very 80s. Sounded exactly like I expected it to. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Post Orgasmic Chill by Skunk Anansie
Dec 28 2025

I'd never heard of this band before and went in with no idea what to expect. They're cool, but this album is wildly inconsistent. None of the songs really hit with me, but pretty much all of the long slow ballads were misses and there were too many of those for me to really enjoy the album as a whole. I'm always excited to get a woman rock band on this list though, they are not well-represented.

Dec 29 2025

Like the last Eminem album I had parts of this were really rough. There are some pretty solid songs on here (Stan, Who Knew, The Real Slim Shady), but there are also plenty of songs that are almost painful to listen to. Despite that, Eminem is somehow always a better rapper and lyricist than I expect him to be. I've yet to hear a rap album where I consistently enjoy the sketch tracks, and this was no exception. Suffering through Ken Kaniff did prompt me to look up the history of sketch tracks in rap and hip hop albums though, so that was fun. 2.5, rounding up.

High Violet by The National
Dec 31 2025

I used to listen to this one a lot in college, so it has a strong nostalgia factor for me.

Junkyard by The Birthday Party
Jan 01 2026
Bug by Dinosaur Jr.
Jan 04 2026
Zombie by Fela Kuti
Jan 05 2026
Rocks by Aerosmith
Jan 07 2026
Suede by Suede
Jan 08 2026
Vauxhall And I by Morrissey
Jan 10 2026

God, why is there so much Morrissey on this list?? He's fine, I don't need to listen to 4 solo albums and 3 Smiths albums to reach that conclusion, they all sound the same anyway. Just listen to "The Queen is Dead" and you've got the gist of it, no need to belabor the point. There are so many actually good and interesting albums that could have had this spot instead!

Thriller by Michael Jackson
Jan 12 2026
Real Life by Magazine
Jan 13 2026

This was a fun surprise, I enjoyed this more than I expected! Kaiser Chiefs-esque (though obviously a few decades before)

New Wave by The Auteurs
Jan 15 2026

Some really fun and clever lyrics, but not really an album I really see my myself coming back to.

Hejira by Joni Mitchell
Jan 26 2026
Diamond Life by Sade
Jan 27 2026

3.5. Very smooth and engaging in the moment, I thought it was going to end up being 4 stars, but it hasn't really stuck with me into the next day. I'd listen to it again though, and definitely see what people like about it.

The Rise & Fall by Madness
Jan 31 2026

Honestly, I went into this one with pretty low expectations and already annoyed because I had to track it down on YouTube since it wasn't streaming on any of my services, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised! It wasn't like the greatest album ever, but it was a pretty fun listen. I can definitely see how this likely influenced later Brit-Pop bands. "Our House" just reminds me of my high school French class where we used to jokingly translate the lyrics into French and sing them at each other. I don't know why we did it with that particular song and never any others, but it's stuck with me! Notre maison, au milieu de la rue!

Rio by Duran Duran
Feb 02 2026
Feb 05 2026

Cee-Lo Green seems like a nice guy with a very healthy ego (which isn't quite justified based on the music he's made here.)

Feb 10 2026

I always feel like, to some degree, live albums are essentially just greatest hits albums, but this one distinguishes itself with some really great covers and a nice mix of original songs. The energy and music are great, it's easy to see how this one became a hit.

Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
Feb 11 2026

Someone tell Sufjan to stop joking and get back to writing about the other 48 states! This is so silly and fun, but there's also some genuinely good music.

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69) by Ministry
Feb 12 2026

I liked this more than I expected to, which I feel like is always my reaction to industrial metal albums.

Music by Madonna
Feb 13 2026

Just gonna put it out there... I don't think that late-90s, early 00s Madonna was really at the peak of her career or putting out can't miss, game changing albums.

Sulk by The Associates
Feb 16 2026

Not available on Tidal so I listened to it on YouTube instead. I like this more than I was expecting to, but likely because they're imitating other bands/artists that I really do like. This doesn't feel particularly original on its own. The songs I liked the best were ones where I was like "This reminds me of Bowie", but that's not enough to make it a must-listen.

I Am a Bird Now by Antony and the Johnsons
Feb 17 2026

Not terrible, but every song sounded the exact same, so even at only 35 minutes it felt long. Not one I'm likely to revisit.

Tellin’ Stories by The Charlatans
Feb 18 2026

Y'all aren't gonna believe it, but this... Sounds like 90s BritPop Rock.

Raw Like Sushi by Neneh Cherry
Feb 21 2026

Bring back disses like "you're so digital, girl" and "you're like one of those cabbage patch creatures"

Suicide by Suicide
Feb 22 2026

You guys are such haters, this is fun! It's not even a weird kind of experimental, but you can absolutely hear where it influenced later new wave/punk sounds. I'm into it.

Cupid & Psyche 85 by Scritti Politti
Feb 24 2026

This is super low-energy for an 80s pop album.

Our Aim Is To Satisfy by Red Snapper
Feb 26 2026

More electronica. Sounds like a movie soundtrack from the 90s

Who doesn't love a 10 minute long outro track, more than 3 minutes of which is just some douche laughing at his own jokes. This was definitely too long, but I don't really mind Limp Bizkit in general.

Southern Rock Opera by Drive-By Truckers
Feb 28 2026

Inconsistent and definitely too long. There were some decent songs but nothing that really stuck with me. There was stretch where they were really starting to dig into the "duality of the Southern Thing" that I thought might have promise, but then it ended up kind of just fizzling out and turning into more generic 00s alt rock country.

Pearl by Janis Joplin
Mar 01 2026
Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons
Mar 02 2026

If you haven't seen it, go watch the Ask a Mortician video about the theft of Graham Parson's body. It's more interesting than this album, which was fine but lacked anything that particularly stood out. https://youtu.be/bYuNKbxnZDc?si=VRq6XIAOxFJ5t4IX

Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers
Mar 04 2026

Ugh two days in a row of the Chemical Brothers?? This is also the fourth electronica album I've gotten in the past 7 days, and I am over it. This is the better of the two Chemical Brothers albums on the list, but they also aren't significantly different enough that I feel like including them both on the list was justified.

The Stranger by Billy Joel
Mar 05 2026

Anyone else have an impromptu dance party to "Only the Good Die Young"? No? Just me? "Vienna" gets me every time.

Sunshine Hit Me by The Bees
Mar 10 2026

Inoffensive but also unmemorable. The music itself was fine, but left little to no impression on me.

Third/Sister Lovers by Big Star
Mar 11 2026

It occasionally vibed, but never actually moved me. I'm dithering between a 2 or 3 for the rating.

Steve McQueen by Prefab Sprout
Mar 12 2026

It's fine pop music. Nothing really stands out but it wasn't painful to listen to.

Mar 14 2026

Where was this when I was about angsty teenage girl in high school?? (It existed, it just wasn't on my radar)

Apocalypse Dudes by Turbonegro
Mar 16 2026

Never heard of this band before, but was honestly expecting either Euro electronica or European death metal based on the band/album name and album cover. Pleasantly surprised to find it's just generic rock. It was fine. I wasn't blown away, and I think I could have died without hearing it though.

London Calling by The Clash
Mar 20 2026

There are so many genres that they were playing with here, which is very fun! The best songs are the opener (London Calling) and the closer (Train in Vain), everything between them was kind of a mixed bag.

The Idiot by Iggy Pop
Mar 22 2026

I liked this one a whole lot! I was vibing with it the whole time it played, and I knew pretty early on that it was going to be 5 stars. I don't listen to much Iggy Pop, but I knew this one was one of his Berlin albums with Bowie, so when it was done I went into the credits to see how involved Bowie was in the project, only to see his name absolutely all over it. He played like every single instrument on this album, and did backup vocals! Almost makes you wonder if this shouldn't be considered a Bowie album ft. Iggy Pop.

The Specials by The Specials
Mar 23 2026

I'm really sorry folks, I just can't get into ska. It feels like white boy reggae, and I have a hard enough time enjoying regular reggae. It just doesn't do it for me. It's not the worst 40 minutes of music I've ever heard, but I could have done like 10 minutes of it and called it a day. 😔

Damaged by Black Flag
Mar 26 2026
Safe As Milk by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Mar 28 2026

3.5

The Rolling Stones by The Rolling Stones
Mar 31 2026

It's a lot of mediocre covers. It's fine, and I'm sure it's interesting in the context of the evolution of The Rolling Stones' sound, but on it's own it's only ok.

Sex Packets by Digital Underground
Apr 02 2026

I like the guy in "The Way We Swing" who sounds like Jimmy Stewart... "The way we schwing" Oh! He comes back as MC Blowfish in "Underwater Rimes" 😂 I'm not sure you can really call this a concept album when the "concept" is only really explored in the last 4 songs.

Gold by Ryan Adams
Apr 05 2026
Berlin by Lou Reed
Apr 06 2026

I didn't realize this was going to be a concept album going into it! Overall I liked it. I don't want to say it was an enjoyable listen because the subject matter was rough, but the overall effect was solid.

Mama's Gun by Erykah Badu
Apr 07 2026

Every song on this should be half the length it is, but the music itself is fine. There's nothing really on here that stood out to me, but it was easy background music while I was driving this evening.

Scissor Sisters by Scissor Sisters
Apr 08 2026

A couple of really pretty good songs, a lot of pretty mid songs, and a couple of pretty bad songs. Overall a meh experience. I honestly would have guessed Scissor Sisters were earlier than 2004, but they also definitely have a 2000s sound to them.

Shaft by Isaac Hayes
Apr 12 2026

Only a week ago I had Hayes's "Hot Buttered Soul" as my album of the day. And then a few days later we watched John Carpenter's "Escape from New York" which features Isaac Hayes as the character The Duke. I was obviously like "oh! It's the Hot Buttered Soul guy!" And my sister was like "wtf is Hot Buttered Soul?". So I was like "He also did the soundtrack to Shaft!" To which she responded "I've never seen Shaft". So I give up. Anyway, I didn't even know that this soundtrack was also on the list! It's an Isaac Hayes April I guess. I've also never seen Shaft but I'll probably add it to my watchlist because I bet it adds some important context to this music.

Third by Portishead
Apr 14 2026
LP1 by FKA twigs
Apr 17 2026

Cool vibes. It's not really my style, but I don't hate it. I do think it's well produced, and it has a dreamy quality to it that I can see appealing to a lot of people. The songs felt repetitive and long to me though, and at the end of the day it's just not really for me.

Fun House by The Stooges
Apr 19 2026

I like Iggy Pop's solo work but haven't really dipped into The Stooges beyond a few singles before now. Very high energy and controlled chaos. I enjoyed it, but I think it'll be one I like better on re-listens now that I know what to expect.

Gris Gris by Dr. John
Apr 20 2026

Never heard of Dr. John before, but based on general reviews this is pretty polarizing. I thought this had a very cool vibe. I enjoyed listening to it, and think I would like re-listening at some point. The music was complex and atmospheric, it felt very New Orleans. As I was listening to it I was thinking I probably shouldn't learn anything about Dr. John as an actual person because I have a feeling he's probably not really all that great.

Coles Corner by Richard Hawley
Apr 21 2026

This is a really gentle album. I was pleasantly surprised by it. At one point I thought of describing it as coffee shop music, but that's definitely not the right description. Also definitely not pop rock. I don't think it's one I'm going to really revisit (and none of the tunes are likely to stick with me), but it was a nice 40 minutes.

Loveless by My Bloody Valentine
Apr 24 2026

A little too airy and insubstantial for me. It wasn't awful but I just don't really like My Bloody Valentine's music. It was alright as a background album while I was doing some work though, not distracting but not a standout either.

Vincebus Eruptum by Blue Cheer
Apr 26 2026

Wikipedia: "this is considered one of the first heavy metal albums" Album: *sounds exactly like every generic rock album from this era* I can appreciate that they were at the forefront of this particular rock sound, but the album itself isn't actually that good. There have been many better covers of Summertime Blues.

Mask by Bauhaus
Apr 28 2026

Somewhere between a 3 and 4. I think I've only ever hear Bela Legosi's Dead before now, which is obviously a great song, but somehow I was still surprised that I liked this album? It's a little long, and some of the later songs I didn't particularly vibe with, but overall I liked it.

3 + 3 by The Isley Brothers
Apr 29 2026

Fun and funky

Wonderful Rainbow by Lightning Bolt
Apr 30 2026

I don't know what I was expecting, but this was fine. Kind of a disappointment. I wanted it to be one I felt strongly about one way or the other but ultimately all I feel is meh.

Vivid by Living Colour
May 01 2026
Darkdancer by Les Rythmes Digitales
May 02 2026

This music does not make me lose control.

Under Construction by Missy Elliott
May 06 2026

I wonder if any of these songs are Missy Elliott exclusives...

Spiderland by Slint
May 07 2026

Debating giving this an extra star because I do like "Good Morning, Captain", but honestly I didn't really like the rest of the album so I don't think I can give it more than a 2. Maybe it improves on re-listens.

I was skeptical of 1.5hrs of live Bob Dylan, but it was more enjoyable than I expected. It's a good mix of songs I know and like, and ones that I don't listen to as often. There were a couple that I'm not sure I'd ever actually heard Bob Dylan's version of, only covers. That being said, this was still long for an album, and I thought it lost momentum in the second half. The live aspect was also weirdly lifeless. Dylan's performance is fine, but the crowd is just not engaged at all.

May 09 2026

Am interesting contrast to Bob Dylan's live album from yesterday. I know this one was staged, but the audience is much more engaging/part of the experience. Unfortunately, Tom Waits tends to annoy me after awhile, and there was just nothing particularly remarkable about this particular album (beyond the live staging).

May 13 2026

I'm contractually obligated to give this one a high score because I share a name with one of the songs

May 14 2026

I spent an hour crying in therapy this morning and then followed that up with this album, which is actually ideally how it's supposed to be listened to I think. I prefer The Smiths to Morrissey's solo work, but at the end of the day 3 albums by them is still too many. Not as good as The Queen is Dead, but definitely better than Meat is Murder.

Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch
May 19 2026

Bland and inoffensive. Kind of folksy coffee shop vibes. The songs are all nice, but I don't think the album is really going to stick with me.

May 21 2026

Got about halfway through and literally said out loud to my cat, "ugh I don't want to listen to any more Fatboy Slim!" And then proceeded to finish listening to the album.

1989 by Taylor Swift
May 23 2026

Remember when Taylor Swift was making fun pop music and wasn't just phoning it in?

The Madcap Laughs by Syd Barrett
May 24 2026

Honestly having a tough time deciding on a score for this one. I think it's probably a 3.5 for me, but which way to round? Obviously sounds closer to Pink Floyd's first album, kind of psychedelic folk more than prog rock. It worked for me better than "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" though. Not sure it's one that I needed to hear before dying, but I don't regret listening to it. I quite liked the droning, repetitive chords of Terrapin. The general vibes of the album are kind of depressing. I do think there's some good music in here, even though it's occasionally rough (Especislly Feel through Late Night). I do think it'll be one I revisit for the earlier songs if nothing else.

Chelsea Girl by Nico
May 25 2026

A little NiCo goes a long way. I found the album inconsistent, but not unenjoyable. Very mellow. I doubt it'll be one I listen to regularly, but I think if I were in the right mood I would be more into it. I wouldn't skip one of the songs if they popped up organically.

Joan Baez by Joan Baez
May 26 2026

It's a nice listen, and you can definitely hear why Joan Baez eventually ended up as big as she was, but it doesn't feel like there's a lot to this one.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel
May 27 2026

It's fine, but there are better Simon & Garfunkel albums on this list. This one just isn't one that I'm especially into.

May 29 2026

Making your debut album a live recording is a bold move, but I do think it works here.

Juju by Siouxsie And The Banshees
May 31 2026

Siouxsie and the Banshees is another band that I wish I had discovered when I was younger. I've listened to them before now, but definitely hadn't known about them until I was in my mid-20s. I think my teenage self would have been really into them.

Very by Pet Shop Boys
Jun 02 2026
At Budokan by Cheap Trick
Jun 03 2026

This is a fun album, there's a lot of energy from both the crowd and the band. As far as live albums go, this one is solid. The production is a little rough though, and I'm disappointed that this is Cheap Trick's only showing on this list.

Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Jun 04 2026

I think this one really benefited from popping up more than 700 albums into this project for me. It's long (too long) but it's certainly not boring, which is more than I can say for a lot of other albums I've listened to lately. It's disjointed and weird but in an intentional and controlled way. This honestly grew on me as I was listening to it. I initially thought it was going to be a 1 or 2 star album, but then it slowly crept up to 3 and I think it could possibly land around 4. We'll see.

Dare! by The Human League
Jun 05 2026
Songs Of Love And Hate by Leonard Cohen
Jun 07 2026

Some really solid songs here and some meh ones. I do think a whole album of Leonard Cohen is too much, but I really enjoy him in smaller doses.

Made In Japan by Deep Purple
Jun 08 2026

I'm sure this album would be great if I cared at all about Deep Purple or had particularly strong feelings about live albums. They are certainly jamming, and the energy is there. The songs feel long (and in the case of Space Truckin' is just long), but I kind of liked the jazzier vibe of Lazy.

Youth And Young Manhood by Kings of Leon
Jun 18 2026

This means there are at least 3 Kings of Leon albums on this list... What on earth? Who decided this? I like Kings of Leon fine, this is a solid debut album. Not sure it's a must listen, but it was a better 40 minutes than a lot of other albums I've listened to lately.

Jun 19 2026

I bet he was so proud of himself when he came up with the lyrics "I'm not Jesus though I have the same initials"

Autobahn by Kraftwerk
Jun 22 2026

I choose to believe this perfectly captures the feeling of driving on the Autobahn, no one tell me otherwise.

Screamadelica by Primal Scream
Jun 28 2026

I didn't particularly enjoy this, but it wasn't terrible. It felt kind of confused. None of the musical styles it was playing with really worked for me.

Jun 29 2026

Technically excellent, there's some very good instrument playing happening here. I don't really know enough about thrash as a genre to say whether or not this was a good representation of the style, but I liked it well enough. It was very similar to Metallica, which I see from the Wikipedia page is because Dave Mustaine was in Metallica.

Aja by Steely Dan
Jun 30 2026

Steely Dan never sounds like I think they're going to. I always immediately forget what type of music they play as soon as I stop listening to them. It's all perfectly fine music, but bland. I want them to be more interesting than they actually are. This was only 40 minutes long, but it felt interminable.

Scum by Napalm Death
Jul 02 2026
Le Tigre by Le Tigre
Jul 04 2026

This really slaps. I listened to it twice and really enjoyed it both times. Can't believe I missed out on the Riot Grrrl movement by being a small child when it was happening.

Woodface by Crowded House
Jul 06 2026

Harmless but boring.

Jul 07 2026

Turns out I'm decidedly indifferent to Korn. They're fine. Most of the songs go on for too long. There are some fun collabs and some that didn't work for me.

White Light / White Heat by The Velvet Underground
Jul 08 2026

Not my fave Velvet Underground album, but it's solid. Sister Ray goes on for too long, but I thought The Gift was unexpectedly really fun.

A Girl Called Dusty by Dusty Springfield
Jul 09 2026

It's a bunch of covers, but Dusty is a powerhouse.

So Much For The City by The Thrills
Jul 10 2026

Sometimes I give a lower rating to an album but I understand why it's on this list because even though I didn't enjoy it, it's an album that did have an impact musically and culturally. This is not one of those albums. This is one that gets a lower rating because it's decidedly mid. Conceptually it's not especially original, and musically it's inoffensive and bland. It's one I'll be looking back on in a week and have no memory of listening to it. I'm sure The Thrills are proud of their work, sorry that it's underwhelmed me to this extent.

White Light by Gene Clark
Jul 13 2026

It was fine, but every song sounded the exact same which got old fast.

Time Out Of Mind by Bob Dylan
Jul 16 2026

Much blusier than I was expecting, generally a pretty solid Dylan album. I was today years old when I found out Bob Dylan wrote "Make You Feel My Love"...

Shadowland by k.d. lang
Jul 20 2026

I liked this better than Ingenue! It's definitely more country, and has a mid-century feel to some of the tunes. Not what I expected going in, but not a bad listen.

Dry by PJ Harvey
Jul 22 2026
Third by Soft Machine
Jul 23 2026
American Pie by Don McLean
Jul 24 2026

"American Pie" and "Vincent" are doing a lot of heavy lifting in this rating, but the overall album is still pretty solid. It's got a good folksy sound to it, and the length is perfect.

Morrison Hotel by The Doors
Jul 25 2026

The most exclusive hotel in town!

Night Life by Ray Price
Jul 28 2026

Low 2, I thought about giving it a 1 but I feel like I've grown over the course of this project and this one didn't annoy me enough to justify a 1. I did't especially like it though.

Fishscale by Ghostface Killah
Jul 29 2026

I've got a soft spot for the former Wu-Tang crew. They're such nerds, but they also make fun music. Generally some of the more enjoyable hip-hop/rap on this list.

Jul 30 2026

Genuinely don't know how I feel about this one. Parts were super cool, but a 20 minute song is always a slog no matter what it sounds like. It'll probably end up being a 3 but I definitely considered both 4 and 2 at various points in this journey.

Fifth Dimension by The Byrds
Jul 31 2026

WTF I thought I'd already gotten all the Byrds albums on this list but apparently I have 2 more (including this one 😔). Why are there so many Byrds albums here?? I don't hate The Byrds, I just think they're overrepresented on this list considering the quality of music they produce.

It's Too Late to Stop Now by Van Morrison
Aug 02 2026

I do think 3 Van Morrison albums is excessive. But as far as music goes, I don't hate it.

Feast of Wire by Calexico
Aug 03 2026

Ok, yeah, this is cool. I've never heard of Calexico, but I do like their sound. The instrumental tracks are the clear standouts, some of the vocal tracks feel a bit dated. Overall a pretty cool discovery.

Stripped by Christina Aguilera
Aug 05 2026

This is for my girls all around the world! Look, this album slaps. My sister owned it when we were in middle/high school and it definitely got played repeatedly (I thought it was too long then, and it's still too long now). I was genuinely surprised to still know all the songs. It's not one I'm going to be listening to all the time, but it was a nice blast from my past today. Unpopular opinion though: I hate the song "Beautiful". I know, I just find it too cliche. I'm not a fan.

Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson
Aug 06 2026

2.5 Too long and ultimately not especially memorable for me. It was cool to have this right after "Stripped" though, similar vibes.

Django Django by Django Django
Aug 07 2026

Pretty cool sound, I hadn't heard of these guys before so that's fun. I think the second half of the album is stronger than the first half, but overall it's not a bad listen. I'd be surprised if it really sticks with me past today though.

Public Image: First Issue by Public Image Ltd.
Aug 09 2026

"Religion I" & "Religion II" are pretty insufferable. Why did no one tell these guys that they don't need to read their bad lyrics like slam poetry before putting it to music? It's punk, which I don't hate, but I can definitely hear the Sex Pistol influence here... Their anti-establishment stance feels performative in the same way the Pistols do to me. And also the music itself is just... Not good.

Trafalgar by Bee Gees
Aug 11 2026

Unmemorable

Pornography by The Cure
Aug 13 2026

This hit this morning, guess I'm in the mood for The Cure.

GREY Area by Little Simz
Aug 14 2026

Pleasantly surprised! Usually when it's a recent album by an artist I don't recognize it ends up being a rough listen, but this was nice. I'm still not a big rap person, but this was smooth and an interesting listen. Lyrically one of the better rap albums on this list.

At San Quentin by Johnny Cash
Aug 15 2026

Very confused at the inclusion of two Johnny Cash prison albums on this list. Surely At Folsom Prison already captured the magic of Cash's live performances in these arenas? This was obviously good because it was Cash singing a bunch of his hits, and I do think that his banter with the inmates on these albums is very charming. It was annoying though because I don't think this one offers us anything that At Folsom Prison didn't. If they wanted 3 Johnny Cash albums on this list it would have been nice if 2/3 of them weren't essentially the same album. I know it was the 1960s, but Let 👏 Johnny 👏Swear 👏!

Aug 16 2026

Not my favorite post-Wu Tang project. It lacks something but I'm not sure what.

In Utero by Nirvana
Aug 17 2026

Will someone please check on Kurt? His poetry is getting concerning.

Aug 18 2026

This was way too long. The good tracks were really solid though, and the less good tracks never fell into the "annoying to listen to" zone. I liked when he started playing with genres towards the end, and thought some of the samples and blending were fun. Still overall not really my thing though.

Wordsmith

Reviews written for 57% of albums. Average review length: 226 characters.

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.