378
Albums Rated
3.44
Average Rating
35%
Complete
711 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Rock-and-roll
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
39
5-Star Albums
9
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 | 5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
| A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector | 5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
| Achtung Baby | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Surf's Up | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| 2112 | 5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
| The Fat Of The Land | 5 | 3.41 | +1.59 |
| ...And Justice For All | 5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
| So | 5 | 3.55 | +1.45 |
| Moving Pictures | 5 | 3.58 | +1.42 |
| The Stone Roses | 5 | 3.63 | +1.37 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ready To Die | 1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
| The Slim Shady LP | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| White Light / White Heat | 1 | 2.88 | -1.88 |
| Planet Rock: The Album | 1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
| Californication | 2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
| Chelsea Girl | 1 | 2.63 | -1.63 |
| good kid, m.A.A.d city | 2 | 3.61 | -1.61 |
| Stankonia | 2 | 3.55 | -1.55 |
| GI | 1 | 2.54 | -1.54 |
| Blonde On Blonde | 2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Metallica | 4 | 4.5 |
| U2 | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 4.67 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 |
| Rush | 2 | 5 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 2 | 5 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (39)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
Insanely great debut, one of my favourite albums ever… 💥
3 likes
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
30 years later still sounds fresh and unfortunately some of the themes covered are still relevant today.
That said a great album. Love it.
2 likes
Alice In Chains
4/5
Well that took me right back to living in a shared house in Leicester and cranking this right up when getting home from work. Brilliant stuff!
1 likes
Bob Dylan
2/5
I just don’t get it I’m sorry. The voice and harmonica just grates on me. The lyrics are great though.
1 likes
Radiohead
4/5
It’s not a 5 star Radiohead album but it’s definitely a 4 star. Very good I think just not as good as the excellent ones…
1 likes
1-Star Albums (9)
All Ratings
The White Stripes
4/5
Using the Apple Music Star rating for each track. I rated this, on average as a 4.5 out of 5. The stand out tracks for me were Blue Orchid, My doorbell and Take, Take, Take.
Santana
5/5
Didn’t think I was going to enjoy this but turns out I really thought it was great. Using the Apple Music rating system gave this album an average of 4.6 out of 5 for me. Stand out track for me was Mother’s Daughter. Also on a side note the production of the album is top notch. Thanks for introducing me to this great album.
Little Richard
4/5
Again not really something I would listen to but overall enjoyed it. Many of the songs seemed to use the same musical theme if that’s the correct word. Did enjoy the well known ones though.
Metallica
5/5
One of my first introductions to Metallica when I was at school. The album was passed around a group of friends. Absolutely hooked me in and have been listening to them ever since, nearly 40 years.
One of their best albums in my opinion, love it.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Have to admit, I thought that this was better than I expected it to be but still didn’t really enjoy it. Not my bag I guess.
David Bowie
3/5
I thought that is was gonna be a hard listen and boy I was right. Just didn’t really connect with the album as a whole. I know a lot of people love it but I guess it’s just not my bag.
Apple Music Rating was 3.6/5
Beastie Boys
5/5
Wow! Hip Hop/ Rap is really not my thing but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Sprinkling the instrumental sections between the actual raps is brilliant. Will definitely listen to this again.
Apple Music rating system was 4.6/5. I have rounded it up.
Bill Callahan
2/5
I have never heard of this artist and will probably never listen to this album again. Really didn’t enjoy it. The music/ tunes were lovely but I just didn’t like some bloke talking over them.
The Soft Boys
4/5
Have never heard of this band but I was only 9 when this album came out so I guess I can be forgiven. Turns out I really quite enjoyed it and will probably listen to it again in the future.
Supertramp
4/5
Have always enjoyed a bit of Supertramp but from a greatest hits perspective. Have never listened to a studio album. Really enjoyed it. Will definitely be listening to this again in the future.
Nas
3/5
This was actually the 11th album I received and I didn’t listen to it and now that I am on album 350 I thought I’d better catch up. I have not hidden the fact that I am not really into Hip Hop/ Rap and that’s probably why I delayed listening to it and it surprised me I actually quite enjoyed it and found my self tapping along with the beats.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Reminded me of the “Backbeat” soundtrack which is no bad thing.
Röyksopp
4/5
I have recently listened to some of Royksopp ‘s later albums and enjoyed them so when this appeared on my list to listen I was quite excited to listen to the debut to see how far they had come. I listened to this while on a walk first thing in the morning and it suited that activity perfectly. Really enjoyed it.
CHIC
4/5
Classic!
Kelela
3/5
This album was quite enjoyable. Not usually something I would listen too. 5 star’d a couple of tracks so they will be played again at some point but probably won’t listen to the album as a whole again, but you know, not bad by any stretch.
Lou Reed
4/5
Classic album that I have never listened too before in its entirety. Has a very good tracks vicious, perfect day, satellite of love but also has some mediocre ones for example make up and wagon wheel. Overall though enjoyed it.
ZZ Top
4/5
I have only ever been exposed to 80’s ZZ Top, Legs, Sharp Dressed Man etc. This is so much better than that style. Really enjoyed it. La Grange is obviously a classic but Waitin’ for the bus, Jesus just left Chicago, Beer Drinkers and Hellraisers and Precious and Grace are also bonefide Bangers!
Rated it 4.6 stars in Apple Music.
fIREHOSE
3/5
This is why I signed up for this… music discovery! I have never heard of this band and I was in my late teens in 1989. There is some very good tracks on here but also what I would classify as filler. Overall though an enjoyable album
1/5
Only listened to a bit of this on YouTube as it doesn’t seem to be on Apple Music or Qobuz. Had to turn it off as it sounded like all the instruments were being played by different people in different places at different times. Just a cacophony of noises.
The Youngbloods
3/5
I really enjoyed a lot of the tracks on this album but felt it was let down a little by the weird 20-30 sec tracks which personally interrupted the flow of the songs. But for a band I have never listened to I feel it is good and will defo listen again.
The White Stripes
3/5
This was ok. Didn’t enjoy it as much as the other white stripes album I have reviewed so far - Get Behind Me Satan. There are a few good tracks to my ear - Fell in Love with a Girl and We’re Going to be friends to name a couple but there is also a few duffers for me, Aluminium and Expecting… but overall I enjoyed it. 3
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
I have to admit that I have never listened to Sarah Vaughan until today cause I thought “ oh that sort of music isn’t really for me” Boy I was wrong, I loved it. As soon as the MC did his introduction I was hooked in, then she forgets the words and it’s all kept in as a true depiction of what the concert was like. The only mistake I made was listening to this while on a walk. This really should have been listened to late at night, in a wingback chair with a nice glass of whiskey.
Spacemen 3
2/5
A bit boring really. For example the track How does it feel? Takes over 5 minutes to change the notes played for the duration of that 5 mins.
Thought Revolution had potential but no. Enjoyed let me down gently and suicide though.
No real 5/5 tracks for me though.
Not for me really, glad I only listened to the original album and not the 2 hour reissue.
Prince
3/5
Some people see Prince as some sort of musical genius. I however think he is a dude that wrote some good tunes and this album obviously has some of the really good ones.. the title track, little red corvette and Free but then there is others that just don’t click with me, like Automatic. Overall it’s enjoyable but I do think there are more Prince albums with more good tracks on…
Paul Weller
4/5
Brilliant album. Have listened to a lot of The Jam but not really much solo stuff. This is a banger for sure. 54 minutes just flew by.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Bright and breezy album. Listened to this on a sunny morning walk and it was perfect. Obviously stand out tracks are you make me feel so young and I’ve got you under my skin but there were plenty more that put a big smile on my face while I was listening. Will definitely be playing this album again.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
This album is top class. I absolutely get why this is on a list called 1001 Albums to listen to before you die, this album so deserves to be on it. Love it.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I have flirted with various Rufus tracks in the past but have never listened to an album all the way through. After track 1, Oh What A World I thought it was going to be a bit of a slog as I didn’t really enjoy it. After that though the album just got better and on the whole really enjoyed it. Stand out tracks for me were I Don’t Know What it is, Natasha and 11:11.
Good album will definitely listen again.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
This album brings back very fond memories of driving to the golf club in the place I grew up in with my best friend at the time during the late 80’s. Discovered this album based on a recommendation and this cassette was constantly on. An absolute cracker of an album which takes me back to a summer of golf, windows down and carefree living. Love it
Jeff Buckley
5/5
I think this album is lovely and I do like listening to it but it also makes me a bit sad due what played out a few years. Very sad….
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Never been a massive fan of reggae and my exposure to Bob Marley has just been the legends greatest hits album. But I really enjoyed this. Obviously No Woman No Cry is a classic but also Lively Up Yourself, Rebel Music, Natty Dread and Bend Down Low also stood out.
The Notorious B.I.G.
1/5
B.I.G A.I.N.T F.O.R M.E.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
What a great album. Tears Dry On Their Own and Love Is A Losing Game are stand outs for me and a record that is crammed with other great songs.
Such a shame she died so young, definitely an artist that makes you think “ I wonder what she’d be doing now…”
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
Interesting fact, when you use Apple Music Karaoke feature that isolates the music, the RHCP sound amazing, the music is really good. However once you add the vocals it all takes a nose dive.
Don’t like the voice and the lyrics are all too often laughable.
Never really enjoyed the band and don’t ever listen to them, listening to this was tough….
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
To me this album has vibes of “ we’ve had some success so let’s experiment a bit” which I have no problem with.
What I don’t get is why some artists create lovely tunes which they have here and then spend half the album just talking over it.
I am definitely not a fan of this style of album.
The Who
4/5
Enjoyed the rawness of this album. A bit like early Beatles Albums it’s a bit simple but you know awesome things are on the horizon.
I enjoyed it in the same way as earlier Beatles albums, they are good but you know there is better.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
I searched and downloaded this not expecting to know any of the songs on the album. Pressed play and Bang! “Someone to Love” played. Oh these guys did that….
This sounded like a typical Californian 60’s summer of love album and I dig that man!
Really enjoyed it, now where did I put those flowers…
Bob Dylan
4/5
I have always avoided Bob Dylan albums because his voice aggravates me somewhat.
But, somehow, for the most part I was able to see past that and listen to the music which on the whole I found to be beautiful.
I know there is probably other Bob Dylan albums on this list and now I am ok with that as this record has helped me see past the sometimes annoying voice.
ZZ Top
3/5
Well, here we are. In my previous review of Tres Hombres I mentioned I wasn’t a fan of the 80’s ZZ Top and now that this album has come around I stand by that statement. It’s all just a little dated and cringy. Even the songs that are supposed to be the back bone of the album, the singles just sound a little embarrassing.
Not a fan, much preferred Tres Hombres.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
My only dealings with Nick Cave’s music is his collaboration with Kylie. Haha. But I know someone who admires him and his music so when this came up as my review I was intrigued and a bit excited.
And you know what I enjoyed it. I imagined that he was hired by a classy wine bar in a city to sit at a piano and sing while people were enjoying themselves and his goal was to suck their happiness out of them so he could feel a little better about himself.
He was the in bar entertainment and I liked it.
Van Morrison
4/5
Turns out, Van is the Man! Great Album
Jack White
3/5
I enjoyed this album but I think I could have died not having listened to it to be honest. It’s all a bit generic and unremarkable really.
George Michael
5/5
I was by no means a Wham or George Micheal fan growing up in the 80’s but this album is special. Transports me back to my early twenties and being introduced to it by the then girlfriend and thinking, ooh this is not Wham Rap or Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, this is grown up. Beautiful voice, beautiful music and Waiting For The Day will always have a special place.
Jethro Tull
2/5
Overall I didn’t really connect with it. I like rock, I like prog rock, the flute in rock is inspired but ultimately I just didn’t like most of it.
There were some good tracks, Mother Goose, Up To Me and Locomotive Breath.
Maybe it needs a few more listens as for some reason I want to like it.
Germs
1/5
At the least with the Sex Pistols who know what they are talking about. What was this noise?
Poured Demestos all over this. “Kills 99.9% of germs dead!”
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Growing up as a kid in the 70’s and 80’s you had to make important choices - Sega or Nintendo, Spectrum or Commodore and then later in life Take That or East 17! I am guessing that’s what it was like in the 60’s. Beatles or Stones and my parents were definitely in the Beatles camp. So I wasn’t really exposed to them and haven’t really sort to seek them out, choosing myself to listen to the Beatles. So imagine my horror when it is suggested to me I need to listen to a Rolling Stones Album. Well I didn’t have to fear it, they are actually quite good, still not as good as the Beatles though….hehe
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
My Elvis Costello listening has always only been the more famous tracks and then not really many listens of those. So I was intrigued when this popped up as an album to listen too. And… I really enjoyed it… will defo listen to more of this.
David Bowie
4/5
Not his best album I don’t think but it’s up there definitely. Obviously love the 2 better known tracks and really enjoyed the Across The Universe cover with John Lennon, along with Can You Hear Me. Solid!
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
Had never heard of this band. Some of it was ok but most of it was over indulgent noodling. Have not kept it in the library after I listened to it. Enough said.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Started off ok but just deteriorated for me as it went on… and on.
Not for me, shame.
Cat Stevens
4/5
An absolutely brilliant album that has some all time classic songs on it. Listening to the album just fills my heart with joy and puts a smile on my face.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I know this has a reputation of being one of the best live albums ever released. I had never listened to it until today and boy oh boy I enjoyed it a lot.
From the songs, to the commentary, to the audience reactions and the prison announcements. Loved it and highly recommend even if you are not really in to Mr Cash like me.
Björk
4/5
I really liked weird Bjork back in the nineties. I thought Debut was brilliant. Then she started getting weirder.. and I think I made an assumption I wouldn’t like it and it wasn’t for me.
Well how wrong was I. I throughly enjoyed this way more than I thought I would.
Turns out weirder Bjork is good too.
The The
4/5
Well this album surprised me. I thought The The were a completely different genre to what I was presented with and as a result have never listened to them before.
Turns out they are pretty good and this album is very enjoyable.
808 State
3/5
Absolutely not a genre of music I listen. I admit that I don’t really know anything about dance/electronic/ house music but I do know I enjoyed this for what it was.
Depeche Mode
4/5
For me this is one of the 4 best Depeche Mode albums, black celebration, this, violator and songs of faith and devotion.
I think with these 4 albums they became darker and moodier and I like that. I am gonna give it a 4 as I think black celebration and violater are better and would get a 5. Still brill though.
Radiohead
4/5
If The Bends and OK Computer are 5’s then that must mean that this album can only be a 4 for me. It’s very good just not as good as those two albums consistently wise.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Well that was a nice surprise. Never heard of Fela, know who Ginger Baker is. Great pairing. Enjoyed that.
Norah Jones
4/5
This album is a lovely calm listen, the mastering is sublime, it sounds amazing. This was so close to being a 5 but the last song just lets it down a bit. Shame.
Michael Jackson
4/5
This is a good Michael Jackson album but not his best.
Has some bangers on it, but also has its fair share of misses.
Enjoyed it, will listen again for sure.
Funkadelic
4/5
Never heard of this band, really kinda enjoyed it.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Not having heard of this artist I read some of the reviews already up about it and it sounded promising. Listened to the first few tracks and I agreed mainly with the reviews.
Then for whatever reason it just started to sound a bit samey and dare I say it a bit boring.
Nothing to not really like but will probably not go back to it.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Definitely judged this band by the way they looked back in the day.. I was only 10 when this album came out but they did have a creepy look about them. Haha
Turns out I really enjoy them and this album.
Prince
5/5
This album is very close to perfection, just a few tracks fall short for me.
Computer Blue and Darling Nikki. The rest are superb.
Shivkumar Sharma
2/5
Searched this one out on YouTube as was the suggestion and I just couldn’t get into it. Just sounded like an extended Within You Without You but without George and less interesting.
The Smiths
4/5
Love this album but it’s not quite as good as The Queen Is Dead
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Bookended by 2 absolute masterpieces the rest of the album is ok…
Other stand out tracks for me were Midnight Rambler and Country Hook the rest were a bit run of the mill.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Every so often I listen to an album and I think to myself “ Why is this on the list, am I missing something” didn’t enjoy the music or the voice much. Very Forgettable I regret to say.
Lightning Bolt
2/5
A cacophony of noise. Some of which went together but mostly did not.
Not for me sorry.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
I actually thought this was good, didn’t recognise any “hits” from it but I thought there was some good track on here and I would listen again definitely.
David Bowie
3/5
There is some good stuff on this album but I wouldn’t call it a classic Bowie album and certainly not one I needed to listen to before I popped my clogs.
Gorillaz
4/5
First time listening to this as an album in its entirety.
Enjoyed it but I think the 2 singles do a lot of heavy lifting an your sort of waiting for them to come on…
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
Insanely great debut, one of my favourite albums ever… 💥
Merle Haggard
3/5
Country isn’t a genre that I gravitate towards and I guess this album, not really knowing that much about country music is OK. It’s not something that would get another listen, not because it’s bad more so I’d rather listen to something else.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
I am not sure how this made the list of albums you need to listen to before you die. I could have quite easily enjoyed the rest of days without listening to this. Sorry
Johnny Cash
5/5
Loved the music, loved the songs, loved the comedy.
Violent Femmes
3/5
What a strange little album. Either the songs were good, musical and catchy or they were mediocre, with the vocals being a bit grating..
Enjoyed some of it, other bits I can leave.
Suede
4/5
Great album but I think the follow up is better.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Found it quite interesting and pleasant to listen to at the beginning then it just got a bit samey towards the end.
Method Man
3/5
Definitely not a genre I listen to but as always I will give these things a go and it wasn’t half bad. In fact I’d go as far to say that I actually enjoyed bits of it.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Thankfully it’s only 37 minutes then I was able to move on…
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Jazz eh? I found this to be good background music
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
I do like his voice but this album seems a bit more whiney than Want one. Didn’t enjoy it as much
The Police
4/5
This is the very first album that I remember getting. Guess it must have been Christmas 1979 which made me 8 years old and I loved it mainly cause of message in a bottle and walking on the moon.
Listening today it still sounds great but at least I now don’t have to deal with the cassette getting stuck in the player and using a biro to wind it back up 😂
Cypress Hill
3/5
I enjoyed this album way more than I thought I would and even though Hip Hop/Rap is not my thing historically I would listen again.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Jimi Hendrix is well talented, he could go a long way… oh wait, hang on!
Boston
3/5
I was very excited to see this album drop on the list. Of course I know More Than A Feeling! Off to a banging start then I was left a little disappointed. It promises so much and don’t get me wrong it’s by no means bad I just expected a little more.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Thought that this album was pretty good. Not a massive Nick Cave fan but enjoyed the listen
N.E.R.D
3/5
I wasn’t expecting to like this album. Fell into the classic “ don’t judge a record by its cover” but I enjoyed it. Will I listen to it again… maybe!
John Martyn
3/5
When this album started I was like oh no, I really wanted to like some good old folk music but this isn’t great but as the album went on it grew on me, the songs, his voice and all by the end I was glad I persevered with it.
Rush
5/5
I was introduced to Rush by school friends around Hold Your Fire in 1987. I was hooked and have listened to this album countless times. When I saw it on the list I still shrieked with joy. One of their near perfect albums. Love this album so much.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
30 years later still sounds fresh and unfortunately some of the themes covered are still relevant today.
That said a great album. Love it.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
This was pretty bad…
Otis Redding
4/5
Great voice, great album. Highly recommended
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
A very beautiful album, a lovely voice, very personal and brave.
Radiohead
4/5
This is a good Radiohead album but it is not a great Radiohead album. Just think there are better ones but it doesn’t stop me in really enjoying it.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Great voice, great songs, great album.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
Not my usual genre of music to listen to. Found it quite hard going at the start but as the album progressed found my self enjoying certain aspects of it. Out of choice would probably not listen to it again though but that’s just cause it’s not for me really.
The National
4/5
I enjoyed the album that they released this year, 2024 so I was looking forward to listening to something else by them and I wasn’t disappointed. Love his voice and like the whole vibe that the band has. It might sound bad but it makes great background music when working etc.
2/5
Oh my! I know that this man is put right up there by some people but the voice and all the harmonica is just too much for me. That being said thought the 2nd half was better than the first as the instruments masked his voice a bit and the harmonica was not as prominent.
Black Sabbath
5/5
At the time of writing this, the album is nearly 55 years old. How on earth does it sound so fresh and relevant after all this time. Great album. Deserves top marks.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Obviously some absolute bangers on here. The middle of the album is amazing. I would say though it misses out on a 5 as there are a few weaker tracks, a questionable track and then there’s Paul McCartney.
Can
3/5
Never heard of this album or for that matter the band. Saw it was only 4 songs and thought “ uh oh. Here we go” but pleasantly surprised. It’s quite mellow and relaxing. Enjoyed it.
Slipknot
3/5
Pretty decent. First time listening to a SlipKnot album. I do like some metal stuff but this band has always scared me a little. Thought it was gonna be heavier than it is. Overall quite enjoyed it
Neil Young
4/5
What a great album. I really like Neil Young. I like his music, his playing and his voice and this album has all 3 in abundance. Love everything about it but a couple of tracks stop it from being a 5 from me. I would give it 4.5 if I could.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I have had a soft spot for CCR ever since I heard Bad Moon Rising in American Werewolf In London. This is a solid album by my reckoning, with some great songs on it.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
A great album that I really enjoyed. This belongs on this list definitely.
Machito
4/5
I saw jazz and thought of dim lit, smoky bars with someone “jazzing” for hours but boy I was wrong. Fun Jazz. Loved it.
Genesis
4/5
I have always loved solo Peter Gabriel but to my mind Genesis are Phil Collins and the like and not something I really want to listen too…So when I saw a Peter Gabriel Genesis album I was excited and it delivered. I guess I just took it as Peter Gabriel which after reading up about it it might as well have been. Haha. Well I enjoyed all 1.5 hours of it. Very Good. Educated today…
Van Morrison
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Van the Man live!
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
It’s reggae! Not really a fan but this was alright. Will probably never listen again. Not to say it’s bad it isn’t something I gravitate towards.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
This is a very simple album like so many from this time but paves the way for the experimentation to come from numerous artists to I guess arrive at where we are today and for that I love it. Some of the tracks a great and some are a bit weaker but overall I really enjoyed it.
John Cale
4/5
What a great little album. Throughly enjoyed it.
Giant Sand
2/5
Very boring. Didn’t keep it in the library.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
The soundtrack to my O Levels! The perfect album! Has to be a 5 for me.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Funktastic Mate!
The Stone Roses
5/5
I didn’t really get this album when it came out but I have since come to realise what an amazing album it is.
No hesitation in awarding this a most coveted 5
Paul Simon
5/5
I love this album so much. It came out when I was 15. I knew of Simon and Garfunkel cause of my parents and I remember the video of You Can Call Me Al with Chevy Chase.
This album was, I guess my first introduction to any type of world music and what an awesome way to discover it. No hesitation in awarding this a 5 even though there are a few tracks that don’t quite hit that number, it’s the sum of the parts.
4/5
Don’t get me wrong, first 2 albums are great then it goes a bit wrong….
Lucky then that’s this is the 2nd one and there are some belters on here. Unfortunately I find his voice at times a little annoying. Hence the 4 and not 5.
Ps 1st album is better…..
GZA
2/5
Not really into Hip Hop but you know, gotta give these things a go. Listened to it with my son who is in to this type of music and he was quick to point out the repetitive 90’s hip hop hi hat that was in every single song! And because of this we would find that 2 tracks had gone past without us realising
N.W.A.
3/5
Definitely not one to listen to with kids around!
Not usually my cup of tea. Some tracks were good, some not so….
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Absolutely great Neil Young album. Love it.
Foo Fighters
3/5
A pretty ok debut album. Very impressive that Dave pretty much did it all but there is better albums over the horizon…
The Coral
3/5
What a strange little album. It feels like that each track is a different band as there is so many styles of music on here. I knew the single of course but while it didn’t blow me away I quite enjoyed it
Garbage
4/5
I’d say that after not having listened to this for a very long time some of it sounded a bit dated and of its time. However it’s still a great album.
U2
5/5
This album and Joshua Tree. chefs kiss!
The Police
4/5
Nearly a perfect album… so close! Mother lets it down so it has to be a 4 from me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
A great album that reminds me of someone that I used to work with and that makes it a little bit more special.
Various Artists
5/5
Best Christmas album ever… sorry Mariah!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Another solid album from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Enjoyed this a lot.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Absolutely fantastic. A great album that has some of the best CCR songs on. Brilliant
Rush
5/5
Moving Pictures the No 1 Rush album and this the No 2. Whichever way round it is this week they are both magnificent
The Saints
3/5
Not really my bag! Generic late 70’s punk. Quite forgettable unfortunately.
Radiohead
4/5
It’s not a 5 star Radiohead album but it’s definitely a 4 star. Very good I think just not as good as the excellent ones…
4/5
Have listened to quite a bit of PJ Harvey but for whatever reason not this album. Suffice to say it’s another good one!
The Zombies
3/5
Have to admit that when I started this album, after what I had heard about it, I was expecting a bit more. I enjoyed it and it is definitely psychedelic rock.
4/5
The best Muse album?
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Well, this was a surprise! I definitely judged the album by the cover and it wasn’t what I thought it was gonna be. Really enjoyed it.
DJ Shadow
3/5
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to. Who knew that bunging loads of samples together could be pretty good.
Instrumental Hip Hop? liked it!
Miriam Makeba
4/5
Love this album. There is something very satisfying about singing along to songs that you have no idea what the words are but you know your nailing it….in your head. Haha
5/5
It doesn’t really matter what you think of U2 as a band, this album is perfection!
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
A little bit of big band on a cold winters evening in the UK is just what the doctor ordered. This was great!
Billy Bragg
2/5
I wanted to like this but over 1 hour of the voice has done me in.
Maybe short short bursts are better…
Megadeth
3/5
The music, the guitars, bass and drums are great! Unfortunately Dave Mustaine’s voice just doesn’t hit the right spot. Comparing this to Master of Puppets which also came out in 1986 I know which I’d rather listen to.
Mercury Rev
2/5
For me this album is one of those ones that I don’t really understand why it’s on the list.
You know you are not particularly enjoying an album when you keep looking to see how many tracks are left to play, and I did that a lot!
Beatles
4/5
Let me start this off by saying that I love the Beatles, my parents bought me up on them but this unfortunately is not my favourite Beatles album cause it seems to me like it’s a solo Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr album, all trying to out experiment each other like they were all doing their own thing with little collaboration. Is it controversial to say this could have been a single album and not a double? There are some brilliant tracks on here but also some that I feel just fill out the 2 discs.
The Cure
3/5
Enjoyed this and it’s great to hear an earlier album knowing that great things are on the horizon
Pavement
3/5
This was OK I guess. Not enough on here to listen to it again but I am glad that I have listened to a Pavement album.
Joy Division
4/5
Melancholy? A bit!
Tortured? Maybe!
Brilliant? Undoubtedly!
Taylor Swift
4/5
Went with Taylor’s Version so there’s more tracks to rate…
And it’s “ Poptastic Mate, not half!”
Muddy Waters
4/5
The Blues Genre is not really something that I know a lot about but I know that I throughly enjoyed this album.
Yes
2/5
My only experience of Yes up until today is Owner Of A Lonely Heart.
Wow! This album is nothing like that is it.
Roundabout was good, the rest was a lot of noise and noodling and what the hell was the cover of America!
No thanks, not “Yes” please.
Deep Purple
4/5
Dad Rock at its finest!
Kanye West
3/5
Not my normal genre of choice. My son loves him and has tried to get me to listen so I was always dreading the day a Kanye West album came up. But you know it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Haha
The Chris Rock bit at the end of Blame Game made me laugh out loud and some of the language I found a bit harsh.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
I love a lot of music and albums from the 60’s. Unfortunately this is not one of them, found it a little bit boring…
Keith Jarrett
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot and an interesting back story.
Not sure I would classify it as Jazz though, more just piano music.
Talking Heads
4/5
I have only recently discovered the joys of Talking Heads thanks to a work colleague.
While this isn’t their best album in my opinion it’s still great. Love it.
The Who
4/5
I listen to The Who on occasion but have never listened to this, even though it is held in high regard, until today and like I thought it would be its brilliant. They sound so good live and I do like it when bands talk to the audience on a live album.
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
Teenage “ Not Really Part Of The “ Fanclub.
Didn’t really do anything for me.
Talking Heads
4/5
Teenage me did not appreciate Talking Heads at all, fifties me does!
Another great album, so glad I was introduced to them by a work colleague.
The Kinks
4/5
What a wonderful, eccentric and very English album. Found it very whimsical and charming.
Turns out that there is more to The Kinks that just Lola and You’ve really got me!
Loved it.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
If we live in a world where creative artists only have a finite amount of Awesome to pour into their creations then I think the Rolling Stones used all of it in just 2 tracks. Sympathy of the Devil and Street Fighting Man are both great…. The rest no so much.
Cream
3/5
Eric Clapton views aside, I thought that this was mediocre with a couple of gems sprinkled in here and there. Listen again to the whole thing? Probably not!
Django Django
2/5
The music was very interesting but unfortunately the voice and lyrics didn’t do much for me. It isn’t bad just a little mediocre and predictable with the odd flourish of interesting musicality.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Not for me thanks, and I had to go hunting for it…
Alice In Chains
4/5
Well that took me right back to living in a shared house in Leicester and cranking this right up when getting home from work. Brilliant stuff!
Aretha Franklin
5/5
What a voice! Magical!
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Who would have thought that there was more to this album than Come On Eileen and Jocky Wilson says - if you know, you know #TOTP Seriously though, quite enjoyed it.
Death In Vegas
3/5
Who would have thought that there was more to this album than Come On Eileen and Jocky Wilson says - if you know, you know #TOTP
Seriously though, quite enjoyed it.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Started off very strongly, unfortunately I think it is let down by the last couple of tracks, the black angels death song and European Son.
Will definitely listen again after only ever listened to the well known tracks before.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Sublime and majestic! Perfect!
4/5
Yeah, I really enjoyed this album. I think the only song on the album that I have heard previously was Victoria but there are plenty of others that come close to that track. Definitely worth more listens in the future.
Van Halen
4/5
This has probably dated a bit for the worse but there is no denying that this album has some absolute classic 80’s metal/ rock tracks on it and you have to judge it on that right….?
Blondie
5/5
Absolutely fantastic album from the start to the finish. Watched Blondie on TOTP back in the day and was instantly in love with Debbie Harry!
The Doors
4/5
Went through a bit of a Doors phase when the film came out in the 90s and then sort of forgot about them. So I was pleased to see it appear on my list and I love this albums bluesy tone. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to more Doors coming up..
Black Sabbath
4/5
Don’t think that it hits the heights of Paranoid which I rated a 5 but this comes very close to it. Great album, loved it.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Don’t really listen to Jazz ever. Heard of Dave Brubeck at least. I was enjoying it immensely and then Take Five came on, “ I know this “ I said to myself! Banging!
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
I have to be honest and say I had never heard of this band or its music and when the album started I thought oo this is pretty interesting! Unfortunately by the end that enthusiasm had worn off a little but for the most part I enjoyed it. A particular highlight was Blue Moon Revisited.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Not so much Never Mind The Bollocks, this is bollocks!
John Coltrane
3/5
I know that this is a very important and revered album which is why I feel like I should love it, but unfortunately I didn’t. It’s a bit “proper grown up” jazz for me and I just don’t really get it…
However, saying that I did enjoy it just not as much as the world expects me to.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Nearly a perfect album. No hesitation in a solid 5/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
I guess to like Sonic Youth you must be one of the cool kids. I have never really been one of those. I feel like it started well enough and maybe my cool level had increased with my age but by the end of the album I knew I was still uncool.
Daft Punk
2/5
Oh my! I really like the last album they did together - Random Access Memories but jeez this one is a struggle, it’s so repetitive! At one point I had to tell the person with me why I was listening to it and I was sorry they had to endure it. Again? No thanks.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
This was ok. I think there are better Belle and Sebastian albums available. Maybe another listen would bump it up a bit.
The Clash
4/5
Absolutely brilliant album. My experience of the clash has always just been the well known ones really. So I was interested to experience a whole album and it didn’t disappoint.
Will definitely listen again.
Fats Domino
4/5
What a great bright, breezy and fun album. Pioneering stuff, Thanks Fats.
David Gray
4/5
This album/ songs were massively overplayed back when it came out and for the most part I enjoyed it then and after a break of not listening to it for 27 years! I quite enjoyed it again. Maybe in another 27 years I’ll listen to it again… if I remember!
David Bowie
3/5
I have to admit that I am a little sad about this album. It’s one of those that I know I should have listened to already but I never have. So I was quite excited when it came up. The reason I am a bit sad about the album? I just didn’t click with it and therefore I didn’t really enjoy it and I feel a bit bad about that cause it’s held in such high regard.
Massive Attack
3/5
This was an OK album for me. Halfway through it just sort of became background music really. Will definitely give it another go in the future.
The Smiths
5/5
Magnificent! I love this album at aged 53 as much as I did when I was 18. Perfect!
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Have never listened to an Issac Hayes album before. The track times intimidated me some what before I started listening but wow! This was really good from start to finish. The only “problem “ I had was all I could see visually was Chef singing the songs. 😂
Alice Cooper
4/5
I was expecting an album full of hard rock, thrills and shocks and what I got was an amazing mix of blues, soul and funk to go along side some great rock tracks. Bravo Mr Cooper. Really enjoyed it.
Stereo MC's
4/5
I remember back in 1993? I went to see U2 at Wembley Stadium and I was a bit annoyed at the Stereo MC’s were supporting as I had no interest in “ this type of music “. Turns out it’s actually pretty good when you give it a chance! Haha. Enjoyed this album way more than I thought I would. One of 1001 albums…. Not so sure!
XTC
3/5
My knowledge of XTC stops at Senses working overtime. So I was interested when this album came up on the list. And you know what I quite enjoyed it. Wouldn’t say it was mind blowing but it was definitely steady with some great, good and a few bland tracks on there… now what album is Senses working overtime on cause that’s a banger….
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Funktastic!
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
I loved the chilled mellow cuban vibes, and also singing along to lyrics you can’t pronounce and have no idea what you are saying… brilliant!
Talvin Singh
3/5
I made the mistake of reading the reviews before I listened so I thought I was gonna not enjoy it, and to my surprise I actually did.
Hint: never read the reviews before hand
Sonic Youth
3/5
Yep, still not cool enough to enjoy Sonic Youth. Some tracks were good, some were just a bit ‘ noisy’. Maybe I am just too old…
Bee Gees
2/5
Well, I braced myself for the “voice” and weirdly that did really materialise. What I didn’t didn’t brace myself for is a pretty boring album which at some points the vocals were not great. Not sure if the disco era are seen to revive the Bee Gees but this was not that great.
The Temptations
4/5
Funkier than funk from FunkTown. Loved it!
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. At first the number of tracks was a bit off putting but I am now a Sufjan Stevens convert
2/5
No thanks, not for me!
Sepultura
3/5
I like metal, but I have always steered away from Sepultura as I thought they were too heavy but I was wrong. I enjoyed it, the music was great but the voice was a bit grating but on the whole I am now not scared of the band… Win!
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Good in places, fun at times but there are a few tracks that were like, oh dear. Not bad and Buffalo Stance is a banger!
Beck
4/5
I listened to this album for the first time ever yesterday. And I really enjoyed it. I feel it was stronger at the beginning than at the end but overall a solid record. Will definitely listen again.
Deep Purple
4/5
Great Album. Throughly enjoyed it. Classic Rock!
Dr. John
2/5
At times interesting and spooky, but also just a bit of a slog and a noise!
It is interesting enough for another listen but wow! Weird!
Tori Amos
4/5
Absolutely loved this. I have only ever heard Cornflake girl and her Nirvana cover. This was great! Definitely will be listening again and exploring the back catalog.
Beck
4/5
Two Beck albums in the space of a week and boy oh boy they couldn’t have been any more different from each other. Which is great thing. This one was much more calm, stripped down and sincere. I enjoyed it a lot.
R.E.M.
4/5
So close to a perfect album for me. Just a couple of tracks that are a bit of a miss, wrong child being the stand out one.
Overall though great, but not in the same league as AFTP
Hot Chip
4/5
What a breath of fresh air. I have never listened to a Hot Chip album before and once I listened to this once I put it straight back on again. Feels very vibrant, playful and like a celebration. Brilliant
The Yardbirds
3/5
I enjoyed this album. Having never really listened to the Yardbirds I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was some psychedelic blues mixed with some straight forward blues.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
This is definitely not usually my sort of thing, but I enjoyed it more than I thought. I also put it on in work and the person with me who does like this genre thought I was cool for like 30 minutes.
The Strokes
4/5
First time listening to the album, yeah I know.
I really like the raw, energetic and stripped down sound. Love the lofi production and the gritty feel.
Will definitely listen again.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Sounds good. Definitely good background music for doing other things. Maybe I should listen harder…
Loved the “live” little noises like the glasses clinking and the golf claps are adorable. Other than that it’s Jazz.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
While it never quite reaches the heights of Rumours there is still a lot like about this album. Lots going on, some great, some good and unfortunately some mediocre.
First time listening to this particular album will definitely listen again in the future
The Electric Prunes
2/5
For me each song was instantly forgettable… unfortunately!
Michael Jackson
3/5
Can’t lie felt a bit icky listening to this in 2025 but I tried to put all that too one side when I listened.
This album is not as good as I remember it and some of it is bad… Librarian Girl.
Some of it is still great… Smooth Criminal.
Queen
5/5
Queen’s best album and I love it Darling! And you know what I really love the car song. Haha
OutKast
2/5
Nope, this one is not for me. Didn’t make it half way through. I am sure other people will love it though.
Ms Jackson is good though. 🤪
Elvis Presley
4/5
I enjoyed this album, I liked listening to Elvis songs I hadn’t heard before as, for whatever reason I have never listened to a proper album only compilations.
Very good I thought.
Big Star
2/5
I do sometimes wonder how some records end up on this list. This is definitely one of them…
I just wanted it to be over.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Good album. Haven’t listened to it before but have heard of Badly Drawn Boy.
I rather enjoyed it.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
There are some absolute belters on this album, the title track, Jet and Let me Roll It. All classics! The songs that form the later half of the album don’t do it for me as much as the first half but don’t get me wrong this is a very good post Beatles record. Highly recommended!
Stevie Wonder
4/5
A bit controversial maybe, it’s good and all but is it a bit on the long side?
I have listened to Stevie in a hits capacity so it was nice to hear an actual album and when Pastime Paradise came on it blew my mind, I thought Gangstas Paradise was an original thing!
Thundercat
3/5
I totally judged this one by the cover before I listened but was pleasantly surprised. What a fun, quirky laid back album that was. And to have a track with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins! Bonus Star…
David Bowie
3/5
Interesting album that while it didn’t grab me by the David Bowie’s straight away I feel like it is definitely a grower. Maybe a bit too much instrumental for me but it was definitely different!
Beth Orton
3/5
Well, I thought I was in for a treat. A female vocalist with a folksy vibe… sign me up.
I started off well enough but by the end her voice was annoying me a little. Shame!
It was ok I guess
Bob Dylan
2/5
I just don’t get it I’m sorry. The voice and harmonica just grates on me. The lyrics are great though.
Nick Drake
4/5
Really enjoyed this melancholy folk music album. Great talent. Beautiful album.
Kings of Leon
3/5
It’s been a long time since I have heard this (2025) and it’s as I remember it…OK.
Nothing special but it was nice to revisit it after so long. Molly’s Chambers is still a banger!
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Absolute Classic album.
“What’s Going On” is a soulful masterpiece that’s both a snapshot of early 1970s America and a timeless cry for compassion and justice. It’s emotional, beautiful, and deeply human, with just a touch too much God
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Against all the odds I enjoyed this quite a bit.
Liked the mix of Blues, gospel and rock.
Standout tracks were Rocks Off and Tumbling Dice but there were also some mediocre tracks too.
It’s the Stones I don’t really see the appeal but it was better than I thought it would be
The Band
2/5
I can’t think of many highlights to this album. It was a bit bland if I am being honest. For me not even worth keeping in the library as I will probably not listen to this again before I die..
Joan Armatrading
4/5
What a beautiful album. I have heard of Joan Armatrading and do know some of her songs but have never listened to a full album before until today. I will definitely be listening again and also to more of her albums. And good on her, she is still making music and putting out albums over 50 years after her first one.
Randy Newman
2/5
This album made me feel a bit awkward. Didn’t envision Randy Newman using the N word in numerous songs! In the rest of the songs I was just waiting for him to break into “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” haha
I will probably never listen to this again.
Neil Young
4/5
Throughly enjoyed this album but then it’s Neil Young!
The album blends acoustic folk, country, and rock, showcasing his distinctive voice and introspective songwriting.
The album has a melancholic and reflective tone, addressing themes like environmentalism, disillusionment, love, and loss and I think is still very relevant today.
The La's
3/5
First time listening to the album but have heard There she goes numerous times.
Turns out that they can write a few good songs but none of them quite hit the high of the aforementioned song.
Eagles
4/5
Dad Rock at its most Dad Rockiest! Being a Dad I enjoyed it.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Beautiful album. I do think, however it starts off stronger than it finishes. Really enjoyed listening to it though and will definitely listen again.
Magazine
2/5
Unfortunately, nothing of real interest on this album. Didn’t do anything for me. Didn’t keep it in the library.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Absolutely brilliant. Love it, and will continue to love it for all of time. Brings back so many memories for me.
The Doors
4/5
I “discovered” the Doors around the same time as the film came out back in the day and I found some songs were brilliant and others not so much. Don’t really listen to them that often anymore. I really enjoyed listening to this album again as it has some absolute bangers and the rest are still pretty good.
Very bluesy I would say and not to much poetry guff!
Pixies
4/5
I have always steered away from the band as I have deemed myself not cool enough to like them but I have to listen to them now because of this experiment.
Yes, I have heard Where Is My Mind? Before and I do enjoy it.
Luckily I think that after all these years I have finally discovered the Pixies as I enjoyed this album a lot. Very good.
Nirvana
5/5
A massive part of my early 20’s for many reasons.
Absolutely fantastic, for me there are some of the greatest songs ever on this album. Endless, nameless does let it down a tad though.
Japan
3/5
Just found it a little, dare I say, boring! But I can see how much it would have influenced the bands of the early 80s like Duran Duran and Spandu Ballet etc
Supergrass
4/5
I listened to this album a bunch when it first came out so much so that I have become a bit sick of ‘Alright’ so I was a bit hesitant when I saw this come up today. But I needn’t have worried, it’s still a great album 30! Years later and I actually enjoyed ‘Alright’ when it came out on. 😂
The Beach Boys
5/5
I am sure I got this album today because of the sad passing of Brian. My exposure to the Beach Boys has only ever been the well known surfy songs that everyone has heard so this album took me by surprise. I thought it was great and while there were some beach boyisms in there on the whole it was a completely new and dare I say mature sound. Loved it.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Phenomenal album. Haven’t listened to this album in a very long time. I throughly enjoyed revisiting it and maybe I won’t leave it so long before listening to it again.
U2
4/5
I would say that this is the first of the brilliant run of U2 albums. Ones that follow this I think are better but this one definitely starts the ball rolling and it doesn’t let up till Zooropa. Then unfortunately, in my opinion the quality starts to dwindle. Anyway, this is a fantastic album and I just love 40 at the end.
Supergrass
3/5
I was a little surprised to see this album pop up on the list. I had I should coco come up last week, and I guess I can see why that one would have been on there, but this one? It’s just not as good really. A few stand out tracks, sun hits the sky being one of them but the rest are just OK.
Red Snapper
3/5
I had no idea who this was and have never heard any of the tracks but I enjoyed it. Will I listen again? …. Maybe, yeah.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Smoother than a new born babies skin…
Nick Drake
4/5
Beautiful voice, Beautiful voice…..
Just lovely!
Queen
4/5
The first “Great” Queen albums I think but better ones followed…
Eminem
1/5
Not my sort of thing, I gave it a try but not for me.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Wow! I have only, maybe like a few people only heard Without You through Mariah Carey. So I didn’t really know what to expect when this popped up. As it goes, it’s pretty brilliant. It’s a shame the last track falls a bit flat as it could have been a 5
Blue Cheer
2/5
Did they invent metal before Sabbath? I don’t think so, I found it to be a dull bluesy album that hasn’t got much production value.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Rust Never Sleeps is a great album and I thoroughly recommend giving it a listen.
Al Green
4/5
What a great opening to an album. Never quite reaches the same level through the rest of the album but it’s still great.
Pantera
3/5
I like metal but have never listened to a Pantera album before. I was OK I feel but nothing ground breaking or anything interesting enough to make me listen again or try an another album. Quite sort of generic really…
Nico
1/5
DogShit!
Metallica
5/5
Masterpiece! My favourite Metallica album. Easy 5 stars.
The Black Keys
3/5
I’d say that I enjoyed this album quite a bit but I had to listen to some sort of deluxe anniversary edition so it felt a bit bloated and I would have preferred to listen to the original but eh ho!
Louis Prima
4/5
Loved this very upbeat record from a Jungle Book legend!
Kanye West
3/5
Definitely not my genre of choice, and the guy is a massive prick but some of it I quite enjoyed other parts I didn’t. Will probably never listen to it again just because of him and what he says and does.
Raekwon
2/5
I am not really a fan of this genre but I always give whatever comes up a good go and a fair chance. However, with album I struggled to connect with this at all and just didn’t enjoy it.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
White boys Blues, with Eric Clapton leaves a sour taste…
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
What a great album. Love the mix of rock and folk and the voices are just sublime. A very relaxed album perfect for listening too in the garden on a sunny day, which it is..
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
I haven’t listened to this album in a very long time and surprisingly it still sounded really fresh and like it could have been released this year. Very good, some brilliant songs on here and even the ones that don’t quite cut it are good.
The Beach Boys
4/5
This was good but I think with all the hype around it I was maybe expecting something better! Personally I would take “Revolver” instead.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
I have to admit that I was very surprised to see a Christina Aguilera album on the list and after listening to it I am baffled as to why it is on here. Some of it was mediocre, some of it bad and some of it just cringy! Not for me.
The Offspring
3/5
I expected a little bit more really. First time listening to this album but know of it and I was a little disappointed…
Bob Dylan
4/5
This must be the 3rd or 4th Bob Dylan album I have had and I haven’t particularly enjoyed any of them. Then this one turns up and I think “ oh Christ here we go again” but! I don’t know if it that his voice isn’t as annoying or there is less harmonica, I am not sure but I actually enjoyed it.
Frank Ocean
3/5
This came up, I thought oh wow, this is supposed to be great. I on the other hand think it was ok.
The Blue Nile
3/5
I thought heatwave was interesting, the rest just meh.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I got this album the day after Ozzy passed away. It is a Black Sabbath album that I not listened to before. I knew Changes and Snowblind but the rest were new and it was good. Not amazing like some of the previous ones but good non the less.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Pretty much perfect
Carole King
5/5
Just stunning! A beautiful and brilliant album.
Moby
4/5
I really enjoyed this and this isn’t usually my genre of choice. Well done Moby.
Ramones
3/5
This album turns out to be ok. A bit samey maybe but there are a few stand out tracks.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
This was Ok. Very safe and middle of the road. Have no desire to listen again or seek out further Bonnie Raitt albums!
The Killers
4/5
As others have mentioned the first half of this album is banger after banger. Unfortunately the second half is not so good and runs out of steam a little. Shame really.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Loved this album, thought it was great. I do like some me some good world music and this fits the bill. I listened while stuck in traffic on the way home and I didn’t care it took ages to get to where I was going to!
Common
3/5
As already stated I am not really a fan of this genre, but you know what I quite enjoyed this album and I would listen again!
The Specials
4/5
Wasn’t really into Ska when I was younger, lots of people in school were but in my latter years I have come to appreciate it and this album is a complete corker. Each track is like a massive burst of energy and supposedly even more so live. Love it!
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
I really didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. When the first track stared I was like, oh no here we go an hour and a half of this! I listened to the anniversary edition. By the time I got to Ham and Eggs I was hooked. The instrumental versions on the end of the anniversary edition are gold!
This is the very reason for signing up to do this, I would have never listened to this otherwise and I am so glad I did.
Buzzcocks
3/5
This was ok I guess. Not really a punk fan but I enjoyed aspects of this album. Very fast paced and not too angry, in fact joyous in parts.
Will definitely listen again, oh and What do I get? Is a certified banger!
Pulp
4/5
This is in a different class…… an exceptional class.
Brilliant album that forms a soundtrack to my twenties so long ago!
Wilco
3/5
Just found this a little boring if I am being honest.
Nothing really of note stood out.
Paul McCartney
4/5
I really enjoyed this. Laid back, dare I say simple Paul McCartney.
The only song I’ve heard from this album is maybe I’m amazed and that seems like the most produced song on the record…. Very nice and simple from someone who was really into complex and complicated writing and production around the same time with ‘the band’
Fishbone
3/5
I enjoyed the rock, ska, reggae mix but I did the whole looking at the reviews before I listened and I thought it was going to be better than it was.
Enjoyable though, heard a band I hadn’t heard before but maybe will not revisit.
Madonna
4/5
So this is Madonna’s trip hop, trance, electronic album and I enjoyed it quite a bit. There are some absolute bangers on here but it is also let down by a few weaker tracks but in the whole it’s very good.
The Cure
3/5
A good album that paves the way for the absolute greatness that is on the horizon.
Steely Dan
3/5
I was sort of enjoying this album but also thinking it was a bit mediocre and then, 💥out of nowhere came Peg and I was like I know this and it changed the whole album for me. I still don’t think it’s the best album I have ever heard but I did start enjoying it more.
The Cars
3/5
This is a nice little album, some brilliant tracks here and then some very middle of the road songs. But I think on the whole I enjoyed it enough to listen again in the future.
My previous experience of Cars was from Band/Live Aid using drive over a montage of starving people in Ethiopia back in 1985 so it good to hear what else they did.
All mixed up is a banger!
Mj Cole
2/5
Some of the music in isolation was quite interesting, some of it was repetitive and that goes the same for the vocals. Only lasted a few songs before I had to turn it off. No way I could’ve lasted over 2 hours. Not my thing, probably a 1 from me but gets an extra mark due to some of the interesting musicality.
Portishead
5/5
Overall…absolutely majestic. A special mention must go to Roads, one of the greatest songs ever!
Van Halen
4/5
The first half of this album is great, the second half is average. What there is no denying is that Eddie Van Halen knows how to play a guitar and Diamond Dave knows how to high kick and jump. Now obviously I couldn’t see him do that but I know what he’s up to….
Arcade Fire
3/5
It’s alright I guess. It’s not like it’s bad or anything it just didn’t pull me in as much as I thought it would.
The Prodigy
5/5
I guess if you like this sort of music this is an absolute classic. If you don’t then you probably don’t like it. I fall into the first category so it’s a 5 from me.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
What in the Christ on a bike was that! Just cause you can be experimental doesn’t mean you should or are good at it! I will say one thing though I think they may have invented the Audiobook with the track The Gift…. Poor Waldo!
Led Zeppelin
5/5
So much has been said about this album, so I’ll keep it brief. I love it!
Solomon Burke
3/5
I thought I hadn’t heard of Solomon Burke until the first song Cry to me came on and I was like I know this. Unfortunately even though he has a great voice and there were some good other songs nothing quite hit the high of the opening track. The rest sounded a bit samey but on the whole an enjoyable listen.
David Bowie
4/5
Brilliant Bowie album. First half is maybe stronger than the second in my opinion but Queen Bitch is a banger! It is a great Bowie album but I think that there is better...
Gotan Project
4/5
I really enjoyed the laid back chill lofi vibes of this album. Had never heard of them until today but will definitely be checking more of this band’s work out.
Sepultura
2/5
Musically this was great, vocally I just couldn’t get into it. It’s a shame, I like metal but I just didn’t like this guys vocals.
Beyoncé
3/5
I don’t mind a bit of Beyoncé and I enjoyed this. Not my usual listen but it was good. Have to say though cooking dinner with no clothes on is just an accident waiting to happen….
Coldplay
3/5
Have to admit I have thrown shit talk Coldplays way in the past and maybe they don’t fully deserve it. There are some absolute belters on this album that I would sing along too but unfortunately there is also a few mediocre and a bit boring tracks too.
I will continue to say I am not a fan but when they play Glastonbury next, and they will, I shall be singing along and saying to my wife, I don’t know why they get so much shit, they are quite good. Haha
Public Enemy
3/5
Not my usual genre but I knew a couple of the tracks on here and in general I enjoyed listening to it but probably won’t return to it.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
I am partial to a bit of prog rock but it turns out maybe “lighter” prog! This turned the proginess up to 11 and don’t get me wrong, it is amazing how much sound 3 people can make but on occasions it just wasn’t nice, cohesive sounds.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Not really a country fan, but this album holds a special place in my heart. My wife got well into it during Covid Lockdown so I heard it quite a bit and because she likes it so much and was singing along I have a fondness for it. So this country album bucks the trend for me for those reasons.
David Bowie
4/5
What a great sounding Bowie album. Loved the music, loved his voice and there was only 1 track I had heard before! Brilliant
The War On Drugs
3/5
I have never listened to this band or album before. It is ok I guess, nothing special but I enjoyed listening to it. I think that it will be something that I revisit in the future.
The Stooges
3/5
I have read other people’s reviews of this as I wasn’t really sure how to rate it. Some parts I loved, others I didn’t but generally people love it for its rawness and shoddy production, maybe I like my music a bit more polished….
Lucinda Williams
3/5
I had never heard of this artist and that’s probably because I’d say she is country and not rock like Apple Music classifies the genre as.
Now, me and country don’t normally go well together but this album is a bit different. It hasn’t got the usual over the top twangs that you normally associate with country music. Yes, you can hear it’s country but it’s not over done and her voice is very interesting. All in all I quite enjoyed it, will I listen again? Probably not but it was a little bit country and I didn’t hate it!
Kate Bush
3/5
Wow! This is Kate Bush at her most art house!
I have listened to quite a bit Kate Bush but never this album. This could take a few listens to fully appreciate.
That being said I have rated each album after 1 listen so far so must carry on that system. So it may seem low but I can see it being higher with time as it quite a hard listen the first time around.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I groaned when I saw another Cohen album cause I didn’t really enjoy the last one. I sort of put him in the same category as Bob Dylan. Amazing songwriting and story telling but lousy delivery..
This one was different, I enjoyed the voice and the music. Yeah, pretty good. Would I buy it? No! Would I listen again? Maybe!
Nick Drake
4/5
Absolutely beautiful… lovely lyrics, sublime music. Enjoyed it.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to. Yes, sometimes you could be mistaken that you have put on an audiobook at times but there are a few gems locked away on here, steer your way and on the level to name two.
After listening to 3 of his albums now as part of this process I might be becoming a little bit of a fan. My journey will continue….
Kings of Leon
3/5
Well, that’s an unusual voice! Sometimes I enjoyed it, some of the time it jarred a little. On the whole a solid album that I enjoyed listening too.
Hawkwind
2/5
Some of the music was good but it’s just not for me really. I like me some prog, maybe you’d call it tame prog, Rush, Floyd, Marillion and the like but this was just too proggy and spacey! And long. I suppose if your a fan a 2 hour live album is the nuts, if your not it is 2 hours of enduring it.
Anthrax
3/5
Initially I was excited to see this come out today and I thought I was going to have a blast but unfortunately it’s all a bit tame and predictable. I have had a little experience of Anthrax back when I was in 6th form, introduced to them by friends but only really listened to the State Of Euphoria album. I liked that one so I was maybe expecting a bit more. It’s ok but not really anything special.
Soundgarden
3/5
Chris Cornell has a great voice but once Black Hole Sun and Spoonman have come and gone there isn’t much more to get that excited about. Dare I say, a little boring?
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Almost perfection. My favourite Bruce album, nothing else to say really but brilliant!
Butthole Surfers
1/5
What the hell was that? Why is this on the list?
Gene Clark
4/5
Had never heard of this artist. Had some Neil Young vibes I feel and cause of that I enjoyed it a lot. Will definitely check out his other works.
Jurassic 5
4/5
I have never heard of Jurassic 5 and that is probably because I don’t listen to hip hop/ rap unless it’s part of this process. I saw it come up and thought oh it’s a rap album and it is 1 hour long. Oh dear god! Then it started and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s really good. A hip hop album for non hip hoppers maybe! Haha
R.E.M.
4/5
A great album and I feel it’s probably the one that started the golden age of R.E.M. knowing that there is better to come from later down the line this one gets a 4 from me but it is a brilliant album
The Band
2/5
Who put the L in Band….. B(l)and!
Beatles
4/5
Massive Beatles fan but tend to steer towards the later albums. I think as an early Beatles record this is more interesting than the first couple but still not a patch on Rubber Soul onwards.
Lupe Fiasco
2/5
I solid hip hop album, you can certainly hear a Kanyeness to it and for that reason I wanted to not like it but it was ok really. Probably will never listen to it again though… Sorry.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Interesting, there was bits I liked and bits I didn’t care much for but overall is was pretty good.
Interesting back story to the album with David Bowie being involved etc. The version of China Girl is very good.
Metallica
4/5
While I think this is a good album with some absolute Metallica classics, I believe that RtL,MoP and AJFA are just better overall.
Talking Heads
4/5
When Talking Heads first appeared I was 6 so I had no interest… then in the 80’s I knew of them as they had a few hits but again maybe didn’t really fit in with what I was listening too - I think maybe I wasn’t cool enough. It has taken till I am in my 50’s and a work colleague for me to finally see how damn good they are. There is better to come but this is a damn good start.
Orbital
3/5
I was really enjoying the music on this album and then the last 3 tracks really derailed it for me whereby it became a bit samey, long and dare I say boring. Such a shame as the first 3/4 was pretty good I thought
The White Stripes
4/5
I have always dabbled in the White Stripes but would never call myself a fan. I have listened now and then so I was excited to revisit this album and it didn’t disappoint. Some actual crackers on here which has inspired me to listen to other Stripes stuff again.
SAULT
3/5
I totally misjudged this album by the cover… some sort of metal album? Haha
When it started I was like what the hell…
Anyway, turns out I actually enjoyed it quite a bit and will definitely give it another listen.
The Temptations
4/5
I really enjoyed the laid back funky vibes of this record. The first half seemed stronger than the second if I am being honest. Good though.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Industrial, Brutal, Heavy, Awesome!
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Well, surprisingly I enjoyed this more than I thought as I normally don’t gravitate towards this genre of music. Will I listen again? Probably not, did I hate it? No.
Grateful Dead
2/5
Have to admit I was a little excited to see a Grateful Dead album come up as I have never listened to them before but knew of their impact in music. Unfortunately I am very disappointed it’s all a bit bland and samey really. That’s a real shame.
Wire
3/5
I had never heard of this band before but upon listening came to the conclusion that this is very much of the time it came out.. classic late 70’s and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Tina Turner
2/5
When this was massive back in the 80’s I was in my early teens and didn’t care much for her music at all, but I do remember it…I remember my dad saying that with those legs she couldn’t stop a pig in an alley way and he was probably right!
If the day ever comes and I have Grandchildren and they ask me what the 80’s sounded like I will play them this record.
There is no denying her voice is very strong but it’s not for me and her cover of Help!…. Oh jeez, that’s bad!
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
I throughly enjoyed this. A nice little musical album that required no real investment. It played and I listened to the music for what it was.
John Lennon
4/5
I think Beatles John Lennon is brilliant. Has probably sang most of my favourite songs. Weirdly with the solo stuff I find that I have gravitated towards Paul’s stuff and while I do know a lot of John’s solo work it’s mainly through best ofs and the like and not really through his actual albums. This one as my first listen to any of his solo stuff is great, really enjoyed the vulnerability and at times anger. Very good
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Back in 1986/1987 The Pet Shop Boys were a bit of joke to me. “ it’s not real music, anyone can hit a key on a computer, it just plays itself”
As I have got older and looked back upon my life I have come to appreciate the genius of the two of them.
I now have a new found appreciation of them and their music and good on em for still going in 2025.
The Beau Brummels
2/5
This guys voice is annoying in the same way as Bob Dylan’s is. There is less harmonica though so it gets an extra point for that. Not great I’m afraid.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Some of their absolute classics interspersed with some very quirky songs. Loved it.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Wow! That was long….
There is no denying that her voice is great, the music is lovely but couldn’t a single album have been selected to show off her talents instead of a 3 hour 15 minute box set. Still, I made it through but a point needs to be deducted I think due to length of the “album”
Elton John
3/5
First 2 songs - absolute bangers! Rest of the album - it’s just about ok I think. I am glad I have listened to an Elton John album though and not just a greatest hits compilation.
Os Mutantes
3/5
And this album is the very reason why this project is so worth while.
Had never heard of this band and it is like they have said, “ you know those Beatles boys and all the Sgt Pepper/ Revolver stuff they are doing? What if we did that but with a Brazilian twist!
Well it is great in a very weird way and I enjoyed it.
Queen Latifah
2/5
This couldn’t have sounded more late 80’s into the 90’s.
Is it an album that heralds an age of women rappers along side Nenah Cherry and the like? Well, yes!
Is it good? Well, I didn’t enjoy it.
Pink Floyd
4/5
This album has some Pink Floyd absolute bangers on it, comfortably numb, Another Brick, Run like Hell etc but it’s also quite a chore to get through. I know it’s telling a story and each song makes up a component of that story but it can feel a little bloated.
On the whole it’s still great though, just not brilliant like some other Floyd albums.
David Bowie
3/5
This album seems a bit cluttered and messy and not his best unfortunately. I have to admit I was expecting a bit more given the iconic cover and image of David but it fell a little flat for me. Never mind, I know there is better to come.
Laibach
2/5
In a parallel universe the Cookie Monster now fronts a German Queen tribute rock band!
It was a bit of fun and that’s about it.
Anita Baker
2/5
I imagine that this was played at a lot of dinner parties in the 80’s. Unfortunately it does not do anything for me. While I think Anita has a lovely voice I found it a bit boring and lacking in anything of interest. Shame!
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Overall I enjoyed this album quite a bit but I found I enjoyed the original tracks more than the covers.
I have always liked the sound a sitar makes but have only really heard it in the tracks the Beatles used it in so listening to a whole album was really interesting.
B.B. King
4/5
I have decided that I don’t listen to the blues enough, I enjoyed it a lot and the people there sound like they were having the best time. Brilliant!
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I love this album. The music is beautiful, his voice is warm and captivating. As some people have mentioned it sounds retro but modern. Very good.
Afrika Bambaataa
1/5
It’s hard to listen to an album/ artist when they have been accused of something as awful as sex abuse of children. I was enjoying it a bit until I read that then I was put off it completely and felt bad for listening to it.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Stephen Stills’ self-titled album offers strong musicianship and a few standout moments, but its mix of styles and pacing makes it a solid, if not consistently compelling, listen.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni Mitchell’s Blue is a beautifully intimate album whose raw lyricism and emotional nuance still feel strikingly fresh decades later. Though a few tracks may resonate more strongly than others, the overall artistry easily earns it a solid 4 out of 5.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
There are some brilliant cover versions on here and there are some alright cover versions on here too but overall the good outweighs the mediocre, and Dusty has a great voice.
Public Enemy
3/5
Not my usual (def) Jam as hip hop has never really been a thing for me. I knew some of the tracks and found that on the whole I quite enjoyed it. I think I would give it another listen in the future.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
When this came up I was quite excited to actually listen to a Family Stone album all the way through. Obviously know “ it’s a family affair”.
Turns out that’s the best track and the rest is a little bland and boring, which is a surprise and a shame.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Lovely album. Loved listening to it and also didn’t mind breaking the no Christmas songs before December!
Iron Maiden
4/5
I know that the band now say that they are not happy with the production and sound of this their first album but I think it sounds fantastic. As a lead singer Paul often gets overshadowed by what Bruce did for the band but I think he sounds great and does a great job. As a starting point to their career this is a blinding beginning.
Beastie Boys
4/5
When Fight For Your Right came out in 1986 I was 15 and saw the Beastie Boys as some sort of comic band with their funny video and lyrics to go along with it. But over the years I have come to appreciate just how good they were. First time listening to the debut album as a whole and in general I really liked it. Will definitely be listening to this album again along with others in the catalog.
AC/DC
4/5
Blistering Riffs, screaming vocals, a bit samey musically gotta be AC/DC but it’s just what the Dr ordered!
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
When this came out in 1997 I would never have bought it or listened to it as dance music was something I didn’t do! But because of working with a great mix of people from 2007 onwards I have been introduced to various music types that weren’t on my radar and dance is one of them and as an example of that genre this is brilliant. Throughly enjoyed it
Fleet Foxes
3/5
This is a very ‘ nice’ album. Nice music, nice vocals, just nice!
I think the first half is better than the second as it seems to wane towards the end.
Also I do prefer Birdy’s version of White Winter Hymnal.
Overall it’s quite good, a nice listen. Haha
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Considering I am not into Hip Hop/ Rap I quite enjoyed this much as I did their other album on this list.
Pink Floyd
5/5
So much has been said about this album and my contribution to the discussion… pretty much perfection.
Green Day
4/5
Still holds up to this day, guitar driven rock/pop. Enjoyed it but wouldn’t say it set my world alight.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
I was expecting a bit more from this album having only heard All I Wanna Do previously. Unfortunately I was left a little disappointed, I was hoping for a 90’s Joni Mitchell but what I got was a bit bland really.
Metallica
4/5
I have always like Metallica from as far back as the Master Of Puppets Album and I don’t know why I don’t listen to this more. It is great, not brilliant but great. Some of the tracks work so well with the orchestra like Memory Remains but others don’t so much like the aforementioned MoP. On the whole though it is good and I should listen to it more.
Tears For Fears
4/5
Very familiar with the band and the songs released from the album, but have never listened to the album until today. Really enjoyed it, singles are still great but the tracks around them are also good. I need to listen to this more often. Very Good