One of the top two or three debut albums of all time. An utterly unique format for a band - no bass player, a jazz-obsessed drummer, and a keyboard player with a wacky setup, not to mention a sui generis guitar player AND Jim Morrison - the instantly create a sound and a style that both reflected current LA sounds and broke stunning new ground. And this album has some of their and the rock era’s greatest songs.

Essential album that re-established thinking-person’s rock as a viable form of popular music

A glossy and successful version of of the Pogues, with some great songs though arguably not their best. For those, go to Rum Sodomy and the Lash.

Composed jazz with third stream elements, at its best among the best of 50’s jazz all time. Propelled by its two centrepieces - Blue Rondo and Take Five - and otherwise filled with attractive piano-trio structured songs, elevated by the extrarodinary talent of Paul Desmond on alto sax in mellifluous and tone-perfect (though often-brief) solos.

The best album by the best band in the 90’s alt rock movement

Essential seventies classic that has lived on for almost fifty years due to its sparkling production, technical innovation, and a few brilliant songs.

The song writing is very high quality at times, but the album is ultimately by the mundanity of 1/2 or more of the songs. Absent any noticeable passion, the well-constructed nature of the music is such that it begs you to listen carefully, which for me at least lacks the payoff in the songs themselves.

The gold standard for anthemic full-throated guitar rock. Extraordinary song writing and performance.

A remarkable partnership that cemented a genre in North America and featured 2 or 3 of the greatest songs injure modern pop oeuvre.

A remarkable leap forward from ‘77, groove filled with crisp and trend setting production from Brian Eno, and three or four utterly remarkable songs. Extraordinary record

Overlong but with some extraordinary songs and sounds. My one complaint is the metallic and flangey guitar sound throughout much of the album

Although it was an album recorded together and mostly live, it’s not an in the evolved state that the form took later in the sixties and beyond. For the quality of the songs and moreso the energy of the performances, a clear 4

Among the best debuts in rock history, played in a day and featuring a fully mature voice, rich in subtle harmonics and laced with biting and hilarious lyrics.

Probably the single most important jazz piano recording from the pre-eminent creator of modern jazz piano. Incalculably vital.

Among the very best rock records of all time.

Third stream classic nonet recording, immensely important in its day, somewhat of a timepiece, as Jazz moved in different directions afterwards, largely due to the influence of a number of these participants

Surprisingly strong record written and recorded largely by the band. Mickey Dolenz learned the drums, and Pete and Michael played a lot of the guitars. Chip Douglas was the George Martin for the record, a key collaborator and played the bass guitar. Nesmith’s steel guitar and stork’s keyboards are standouts in an otherwise appealingly garage-sounding band. Most importantly the songs are of a high standard and contain some of their very best : You Just May be the One, For Pete’s Sake, Sunny Girlfriend, You Told Me, and the truly remarkable Randy Scouse Git were never bested by the band. Very much worth a listen for those who think of them only as “the Pre Fab Four”.

This record defined the rock scene in the early 00’s.

Interesting but not essential

Simply one of the greatest albums of the 1960’s. Perhaps a little overlooked among so many “Pantheon” releases from the 1966-1968 period, and even among Byrds’ albums themselves, but for me, doubtlessly their greatest synthesis of psychedelic rock, jazz-rock, folk-rock, early (and better than later) country rock, in pristine 2-4 minute songs. Post Gene Clark, it showcases the surprising emergence of Hillman and Crosby as major songwriters. The sonic landscape on the album is extraordinarily rich, and their guitars and harmonies never sounded better.

Simply iconic and changed the game for female singer songwriter music

Epochal pantheon record of dirty blues rock, backed up with numerous extraordinary songs.

Massive leap towards country rock in one record. Gram Parsons’ impact is inescapable. For those like me who love “the Byrds”, this is not them. Go backwards to the glory of their first five records.

Great songs don’t constitute a great album. But these are great songs

A top 10 album of all time, with extraordinarily rich, complex melodic pop songs, perfumes with muscular simplicity and grace. To my ears, far beyond anything the Beach Boys did, and equivalent to the best of the Beatles from the same era.

Essential album that re-established thinking-person’s rock as a viable form of popular music

Absolute classic CBGB stalwarts create a new sub genre of edgy guitar art pop.

One of the top two or three debut albums of all time. An utterly unique format for a band - no bass player, a jazz-obsessed drummer, and a keyboard player with a wacky setup, not to mention a sui generis guitar player AND Jim Morrison - the instantly create a sound and a style that both reflected current LA sounds and broke stunning new ground. And this album has some of their and the rock era’s greatest songs.

Epochal !

Very good but not classic Costello

Great music at times, but doesn’t belong on this list.

Perhaps the first real rock album with sonic themes and mature lyrics. A major stepping stone for the band and the rock movement as a whole.

Soulful and excellent group of tracks played some of 60’s jazz pantheon, highly valued in any jazz collection. But nothing more than that.

Just love this record and the journey that FP took from folk-rock inspired by the American movement, to leaders of the traditional English folk movement with Liege and Lief (which should be on this list)

A more sophisticated version of themselves, capped with some of the most enduring songs.

Remarkable

Epochal 70’s (or post sixties if you will) singer-songwriter that captured the zeitgeist and made Neil Young a star forever

These early-mid period Sonic Youth records are classics in the guitar-noise art-rock milieu. Their previous albums EVOL is my personal favourite (stacked with remarkable noise pop like Tom Violence, Star Power, Madonna, Sean and Me) but many fans prefer Sister, which is tougher and noisier than EVOL. Highly recommended.

Essential proto punk garage

Ugh

Extraordinary album that bridged the sixties and seventies

A great collection of songs but not a cohesive album

Epochal

Extraordinary record combining social history, outre jazz and remarkable songwriting

Honestly I was surprised how unimpressed I was with this one when I revisited it. The blues songs, played well of course, are nevertheless somewhat desultory, and the folk-based songs - typically talked about as the defining sound of the record - are a bit hit and miss. It certainly pales substantially versus II and IV, perhaps that its biggest problem.

It suffers from overexposure but no matter how you cut it, this is a brilliant album, ahead of its time and yet timeless.

Essential Manchester zeitgeist album, ultimately a one trick pony band, but at the time it was splendid.

Brilliant atmospheric chamber folk

Popularized township jive and brought African music to the fore. The combination with Simon’s voice and poetry works brilliantly at times.

Classic blue eyed soul with strong songs

90’s chamber pop with some outstanding tracks

Essential ! Heavy if simple no holds barred guitar trio with Osborne’s sui generis vocals. Template for much that came after.

A glossy and successful version of of the Pogues, with some great songs though arguably not their best. For those, go to Rum Sodomy and the Lash.

Such an important record for the 80’s alt guitar movement. Filled with noisy crappy and occasionally gorgeous and rocking tunes, it was as good as guitar music got in its day.

Both a template for socially driven psychedelic rock album-ry, and an idiosyncratic and personal look into the drug fuelled mind of a black man living in LA in the sixties. All through the lens of a rare multi racial band.

So many things to like about this album. The mix of pop, folk and psychedelia, all with an oh-so San Franciscan vibe. It could be described as ramshackle if the songs themselves weren't so perfect. The band was packed with major talents, all of whom shine at different times in different ways. Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Cassady and Spencer Dryden, yowza.