Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
298
Albums Rated
3.16
Avg Rating
28
5-Star Albums
27%
Complete
791 albums remaining
Rating Speed
4.7
Per Week
441
Days Active
Reviews
284
Written
95%
Review Rate
vs Global
-0.11
Avg Diff
3.16
Avg Rating
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How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
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When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
other
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Balanced
Rater Style
12
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Trinity Session | 5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
| Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert) | 5 | 3.15 | +1.85 |
| Achtung Baby | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Court And Spark | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
| Pretenders | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
| Tommy | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
| The Köln Concert | 5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
| The Village Green Preservation Society | 5 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
| Odelay | 5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
| Blue | 5 | 3.49 | +1.51 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Downward Spiral | 1 | 3.34 | -2.34 |
| Ace of Spades | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| Liquid Swords | 1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
| Paranoid | 2 | 4.2 | -2.2 |
| Back To Black | 2 | 4.02 | -2.02 |
| Reign In Blood | 1 | 2.96 | -1.96 |
| Bone Machine | 1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
| (What's The Story) Morning Glory | 2 | 3.84 | -1.84 |
| Bad | 2 | 3.81 | -1.81 |
| Off The Wall | 2 | 3.78 | -1.78 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Dylan | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Joni Mitchell | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Wyatt | 2 | 1 | 2.2 |
| Tom Waits | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
5-Star Albums (28)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I love LCD Soundsystem but I always have to curate the song selection to get a true 5/5 from them.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (12)
All Ratings
Nirvana
5/5
I was happy to see this album pop up as my first selection because it takes me right back to college. Nowadays, as an ol’ man, I like Nirvana Unplugged a little more but damn this is still a great album. Had forgotten parts of it, so it was great to listen the whole thing again. Definitely a great album, one of the best from the early 90s.
Neil Young
3/5
I was happy to see this album pop up as my first selection because it takes me right back to college. Nowadays, as an ol’ man, I like Nirvana Unplugged a little more but damn this is still a great album. Had forgotten parts of it, so it was great to listen the whole thing again. Definitely a great album, one of the best from the early 90s.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
I am only a little familiar with Joni Mitchell. Wow, she really is remarkable.
King Crimson
2/5
I’d say this album is not for me. Didn’t enjoy listening to it, but I can appreciate that it’s innovative.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Jazz isn’t really my thing but I found this very enjoyable.
Deep Purple
2/5
Bored now.
Incubus
2/5
Pixies
3/5
GZA
1/5
Carpenters
2/5
Wow that’s a weird time capsule. Too saccharine. And I definitely didn’t need to hear Carpenters sap the energy from a Beatles song. Conversely, I can see why “cooler” artists would enjoy covering some of these songs b/c there are some decent melodies.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
Super fun
The Kinks
5/5
I’ve loved this album since I discovered it in 1990. Playful; great melodies.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Meh. A little interesting but it wore out its welcome, especially the “electronic jug” sound which was cool as hell at first then just got straight up annoying. I definitely respect the way the artists were exploring new territory, but I doubt I’ll ever choose to go back to it.
OutKast
2/5
Not my genre. There are some great things here but a lot that bores me, and the interludes really dragged me down.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
It’s growing on me. I’m the kind of listener who doesn’t hear the lyrics right away, but I know I’ll appreciate this album more when I’ve really heard them. My score might be a little bit harsh.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Joni Mitchell is remarkable
Kings of Leon
3/5
Liked this more than I expected. They’ll get a little more attention from me going forward.
Madonna
2/5
Not for me
Air
4/5
This was a good discovery for me. I preferred the instrumental pieces more than vocal pieces, but it was overall really pleasing. Never expected to like it from the description.
3/5
Very mid. Liked that I could feel the Kinks coming through.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I love CCR, but this album isn’t my fave of theirs.
Blur
2/5
It didn’t help that this is my 2nd Blur album in 4 days. I feel like I’m listening to the Kinks if the Kinks sounded a little less pleasant.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
I tried. I honestly gave it a shot.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
Turn between 3 and 4? Quirky, charming, at times frustrating, and at other times beautiful.
The Birthday Party
1/5
Not for me
Michael Jackson
2/5
I’ve never been a Michael Jackson fan, even though he was exceptionally popular through middle and high school. And over time, I’ve grown to like it even less because I still hear it too much. Not sure I bag tell you why his music bugs me, but generally Iv would turn the dial of he’s on the radio.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Ooh boy, that’s some twang. It grated on me after a while so I couldn’t finish the album in the first sitting. In small bursts, it’s charming. My dad would have loved it.
Paul Simon
3/5
I do like Paul Simon but this isn't my favorite -- though there are a few songs here that I love, the album as a whole is just mediocre.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
For its historical significance, I get it. And it was cool to hear some of these classic pieces performed in this old school, classic and simple way. But overall? This was kind of boring for me.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
Not really my favorite style of music but I can't deny thee talent here!
Mike Ladd
2/5
So many thoughts: 1) in general, I don't like rap. Since if this was a lurks tolerable. 2) The juxtaposition of high culture and low culture references... I honestly don't know if I liked it or wanted to roll my eyes at it. I mostly land on: that didn't work for me. 3) I askari didn't like the ethereal moodiness although it made it more lustrnable than a lot of rap or hip hop is for me.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
If I were a passenger on a road trip and the driver said they need this album to help them stay awake, I'd say, "OK, but not too loud or it'll give me a headache, alright?" Other than that, I'll never voluntarily listen to this again.
Sigur Rós
2/5
Welp, I guess I get it. A couple songs were intolerable.
Van Morrison
3/5
This is a tough one for me, because I used to love Van Morrison, then I kind of got over it, and then I cashew to learn more (distasteful stuff) about him as a person so I just let him fall away into history. Listening to a full double album was probably too much just like he is a probably too much. Can't deny he had talent.
Baaba Maal
4/5
I liked this a lot. Good find for me. Would I like it more or less if I knew what the lyrics mean?
Depeche Mode
3/5
Another tough one for me -- it certainly takes me to a specific time. And Depeche Mode really owns their distinctive sound, and I kind of like that sound. But their melodies are discordant just enough to bug me.
Def Leppard
2/5
This music came out when I was in college. I was pretty indifferent, but I thought I’ll give this a genuine listen today. I’m still pretty indifferent. Even the song I remember liking was boring. Other than a few catchy refrains, I couldn’t get into this. Not my style.
Fever Ray
3/5
It's been a while since you've thrown an album at me that I could get excited about -- and this is still not it! Kind of forgettable for me... I might give it another shot sometime in the future to see if it grows on me, but for now, kind of meh.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Liked it more than I thought I would. Still not my style but I enjoyed the energy.
Radiohead
4/5
I remember liking this album more. I still liked it but it wasn't the 5 I remember it bring.
Heaven 17
2/5
OK, I genuinely enjoy a little synthpop now and then, but one "little" is fairly important there, and these songs were often too long and too repetitive.
The United States Of America
3/5
This was a wild ride. At times, I almost quit, and at other times I thought I'll definitely come back to this a few more times. Was it a 2 or a 4?? I guess I'll split the difference.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Mostly love it
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Um... Ok
T. Rex
4/5
Pixies
4/5
Beatles
4/5
Nice
Elvis Presley
4/5
Elvis has never really been my thing, but this album gave me a new appreciation for his talent. And frankly, it's sexy!
Robert Wyatt
1/5
I could not stand to finish any one of the songs on this album.
Nine Inch Nails
1/5
Not for me. Some of the atmospheric stuff works at times, but mostly it's just too sonically ugly.
Taylor Swift
4/5
I think Taylor's a good songwriter but a very mediocre singer. I feel like she sounds tuned and/or she's half-singing/half-talking. I find it difficult to listen to too much of her at once, even though I usually like her music in smaller doses.
Slayer
1/5
Gotan Project
4/5
Another surprise: a jazzy album that I liked!
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Love the vibe
PJ Harvey
4/5
I can't deny this is a masterpiece. I wish I just liked it a *little* bit more.
LTJ Bukem
3/5
Totally inoffensive but not sorting to get excited about. I can understand how it might be just the thing for people who focus with music playing but don't want the music to actually pull their attention.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Cat Stevens
5/5
God I love this album. A little tougher to listen to do many years later because of the bittersweet nostalgia it makes me feel.
The Black Crowes
3/5
Crazy that this is one of the first CDs I ever bought, so I was expecting to be taken down memory lane, but instead it was all pretty forgettable.
Big Star
4/5
Great discovery. I suspect it's going to grow in me.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
Not even a little interesting. The jazzy, bluesy sound grates, her voice grates, the lyrics grate.
Pere Ubu
3/5
I did not know Pere Ubu. I liked the punk every. There were a handful of songs that I loved, but offset by a few things that were irritating. I'll come back to some of the good stuff, but I won't listen to the full album again.
Kate Bush
2/5
I did not listen to much Kate Bush when I was young. I knew she was an object of some ridicule but I my never knew much about why. Then she had a renaissance recently, and I thought I had probably had missed something worthwhile. But now I'm thinking it was this album that my friends were reacting to -- it's just too strange. Too overproduced and too 80s.
Muddy Waters
4/5
It's hard not to appreciate this album -- classic and pure blues! Amazing! The only reason I can't give this a 5 is I don't tend to want to listen to blues; it's not really my thing. But this was still a great album.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I'm all over the map on this one. I've never listened to this album in full, and I knew it was iconic so I had high expectations. At times, it met them.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Oh boy, another challenge. What do I do when my respect is a 4 but my enjoyment is a 2?!
David Bowie
3/5
I don't really understand the praise that Bowie gets in general, and this album was especially mid
Black Sabbath
3/5
This is not my genre so I expected I'd hate this, but it wasn't so bad.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Funk/soul is not in my wheelhouse, but this impressed me.
Cowboy Junkies
5/5
My affection for this album is high. I don't know if there's anything objective shot my rating. I love it for too many reasons.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
I've barely been aware of ELO. It's... whatever, but I don't think I need more of it.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
This is an example of the great surprises that this web experience can give me. I think I would have otherwise never crossed paths with this artist.
Pavement
2/5
*sigh* I'm not much of a fan
George Michael
3/5
I don't get the appeal. It's just kind of boring.
Pearl Jam
3/5
Hm hm hm. I wish I could give this album a 3.5 -- there's probably more here that I would skip than enjoy, but it's hard to fight the nostalgia factor.
The National
4/5
There is some truly beautiful music here. I can't give it a 5 because it fits feel repetitive at times.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I can't stand his voice. It makes me actively uncomfortable
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Nostalgia: 4
Qualify: 3?
I'm going to let Nostalgia have the win.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
I was excited to see another global music entry. I enjoyed but week only cover back for a couple of these pieces.
Death In Vegas
4/5
Unknown to me. I found it a little weird but mostly quite enjoyable
The Crusaders
2/5
I've never liked jazz. This 1001 musical experiment has shown me that sometimes I do like jazz, but this isn't one of those times. This is exactly the jazz that I don't have patience for.
Blur
4/5
Very enjoyable. Wish I'd paid more attention to them. I can't say it's a 5-star classic, but it's highly listened and I enjoy their vibe.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I don't tend to like rap. Somehow the old school ridiculousness of the Beastie Boys works for me *in small doses*
Paul Weller
4/5
This was a new artist for me. I enjoyed it quite a bit and will return. There ate ways that this echoes many other artists with whom I'm slightly more familiar -- and I don't know who's influencing whom.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
I'm such a sucker for The Velvet Underground. (I could do without the last two songs, so I always cut this album off early.)
Black Flag
2/5
I wish I could give this a 2.5. It's too harsh for my taste, but there are interesting ideas.
The Young Gods
1/5
This got increasingly unpleasant. I feel like the curator of this list is drawn to make singers with aggressively raspy, harsh voices -- or maybe I've just been unlucky and had several of these in a row this week.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
I have never really understood the appeal of this album. A friend gave me this album on CD because she loved it, but I've always been pretty indifferent.
There are a ton of songs that start off great, with a good beat or fun disco vibes, but then the vocals start and just don't match the energy. The Music is the Victim is the exception for me -- fun from start to finish.
I don't require all music to be fun, but the disconnect between the minor melodies and lame vocals with the more energetic rhythms of the backing track lead to a disjointed and displeasing experience.
The Cars
5/5
I'm embarrassed to admit how much I love this album. The Cars was the first love concert I ever attended so there's a lot of nostalgia here. After all these years, I knew I'd like it but didn't know I'd want to listen to it straight through 3 times in a row!
Does that mean I'm about to give this a 5??
Yep, I guess it does.
Pentangle
3/5
I like folk music, but this is so folk it's almost a parody at times. The female vocalist seems to come right out of a tavern in a D&D game.
Finley Quaye
4/5
This is one of the fun new discoveries for me. Good vibe, didn't love his voice but it works overall.
Portishead
3/5
I can remember my friend Doug telling me I had to get this album. He loved it. I didn't. I do respect it: interesting sound, cohesive throughout. Ethereal. Moody. But not to my taste.
Rush
2/5
Well, sure, fun throwback. But 3-5 minutes is more than enough time for the nostalgia. After that, it gets tedious.
2Pac
4/5
I'm not a rap guy. At all. I'm certainly aware of Tupac, but wouldn't have been able to bane a song or album by him. I've given pretty low scores to every radio or hip hop album that's vibe my way -- merely because I cannot get into the genre. I did not redirect to like this, but I liked it quite a bit.
To be chear, I fully believe good rap artists are true poets. But I just don't gebretatose enjoy the style enough to give it the attention it deserves.
This album has a mellowness and clarity that made it easy to listen to abd easy to follow. I do cover back to it a few more tires so I can more fully appreciate Tupac's poetry.
The Temptations
4/5
Here's the roller coaster ride I just went on:
Track 1: what the?? This is the Temptations? I guess I've never properly given them a chance, cuz this is crazy interesting!
Track 2: a decent cover of a great song. Works for me.
Track 3: this is blowing my mind! I guess I totally had the wrong idea about this band. This might be heading toward 5 stars. I need to go read the Wikipedia page...
Then as I read while still listening, the music reverted to the more typical Temptationd stuff, just as the Wikipedia page said it would. I'm disappointed that it became so much less daring.
Elliott Smith
4/5
I kind of forgot about this artist. I need to revisit his work because I do like this album.
Motörhead
1/5
These songs all sound interchangeable to me, and it's all unpleasant.
The Zutons
4/5
I did not know this group or album.
I definitely liked their quirky style, both musically and lyrically. I also thought there was enough variety that it kept my interest. The thing I most disliked was that some of the instrumentation was so overly simplistic that I thought I was listening to a mediocre high school band at times.
Dire Straits
4/5
Better than I expected.
Sugar
3/5
I'm not that into the fast guitar, and I don't love the way Bob Mould sings. It makes me a bad Minnesotan b/c I'm not a huge fan of Husker Du either.
Billy Bragg
3/5
I always feel like Billy Bragg is yell-singing.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
Boring, self-indulgent, tedious.
Rush
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
The lyrics might be a little dramatic for my taste. But overall this was a pretty compelling album. I'll need to come back to it. One listen was definitely not sufficient.
Beastie Boys
2/5
I respect that they were hugely successful and influential, but they never did anything for me.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Tom Waits
1/5
I cannot stand listening to this man's voice.
Various Artists
3/5
Meh
Goldie
2/5
Nothing about this is interesting to me
The Go-Go's
3/5
Other than the nostalgia factor, there's not much here.
Beatles
4/5
I do love the early Beatles. I’m not as much of a fan of some of the covers here. I prefer to hear their sound with their own songs.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Definitely not my vibe but it kind of grew on me.
Radiohead
4/5
I’m up and down on this album, but I come back to it a lot, so I guess the ups win.
The Auteurs
3/5
There were a few songs I had to jump forward because they went in too long without being interesting. Otherwise, it was kind of meh.
The Fall
2/5
Too weird
Os Mutantes
4/5
Fun and weird
Supertramp
3/5
Nas
2/5
I don't like rap or hiphop so I'm not a fair critic here. There are a few rap artists or albums that with for me; this wasn't one of them.
Tom Waits
2/5
Really, this guy again? At least this time it was listenable.
Lorde
4/5
Much more interesting than I expected.
Louis Prima
5/5
I think I've heard every song here before. I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed going through this collection. Every song a classic.
Coldplay
2/5
I can barely stand to listen to Coldplay. I feel like each song is so ploddingly repetitive -- not of each other, but within each song. Each song sets up some rhythm or motif -- and not generally one that I find appealing -- and then just pounds that into my skull for several minutes straight, without any real variety or progression.
Ive never been a fan of Coldplay and never understood their wide appeal, but generally I just thought of their music as dull. But today, listening to an entire album all at once, I almost feel rage.
Sonic Youth
3/5
It's definitely more noise than I like but there are some high moments.
AC/DC
4/5
Hard rock is not my genre, but this is a classic. So many hooks that work. I'm surprised how high I'm going to rate this.
Portishead
2/5
OK, let's start with the fact that I cannot stand Portishead. But this time I tried to really listen to the album to figure out what was it that kmahes it so off-putting -- because I don't like atonal stuff to much, I don't think this is atonal. It's not exactly pretty but there are definitely interesting sounds in here.
So after really immersing myself for a full album, I realize my dislike is entirely about the vocalist. And the morr ethereal she gets, the more I hate it. Her consonants tick like a person chewing in my ear; her melodies are fine but her delivery is affected and pretentious and, to my ears, ugly. At times when she is louder or more forceful (while still hardly ever singing with any real force at all), I find her singing more tolerable but still the worst part of everything in listening to. And finally, at times when she's not singing at all, I actually really like this music. I dig the electronic soundscapes, but just cannot get owe how much I dislike listening to the woman's voice on top of it.
The Stranglers
4/5
Is it weird that I often think early punk is playful and delightful?
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Definitely for me. Not my genre. Pretty boring.
The Stone Roses
3/5
My first response was, "Well, this is kind of dull." I had just finished with Portishead which I did not enjoy but it was challenging and forced me to pay attention. This seemed so uninteresting by comparison.
It grew on me though. A few songs pulled me in a lot, and now I'm going to have to give it another listen.
Alas, after listen #2, this is overall meh.
Joan Baez
4/5
+ I like folk music
- but I like it when the lyrics seem a little more universal. This album is just too much middle-aged for my taste.
+ I like Joan's dynamic singing
- but I don't love her vibrato; at this point it's been parodied enough that it's a lurks hard to take it.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I'm so white.
Muddy Waters
3/5
I wish I liked this more. I respect the hell out of it, and I get why people would love it, but it's a music style that doesn't hold my attention.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
Pretty much unlistenable.
The Byrds
3/5
I once loved The Byrds. There's a lot of beautiful stuff here, but it's kinda boring too.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I knew I had a gap in knowledge when it comes to Led Zeppelin. I really only knew their big hits. But listening to this album straight through kind of blew my mind. Such diversity while always being obviously Zeppelin. Truly wonderful.
Red Snapper
2/5
Tolerable, not my style at all, not something I would ever choose to play
Stereolab
3/5
This was fun but I'm not sure I will come back to it l. Not super compelling but fun.
The Zombies
4/5
Fun, Kinksy
Pretenders
5/5
My god I love the Pretenders. I'd forgotten how much. Chrissie Hynde's voice is killer, but the band behind her is great too -- distinctive, engaging. This was a long album abd I loved (almost) every second of it.
Thelonious Monk
2/5
I feel like a terrible person for not enjoying this, but jazz is usually not something I enjoy. After a while, the constantly changing syncopation starts to drive me nuts, almost like nails on a chalkboard. It's not you; it's me. It's definitely me.
Guided By Voices
2/5
How is this an album? It feels like fucking around to get some ideas that might some day get on an album. Worse, I had zero interest in most of these ideas. The ones that were a little interesting were too few and too insubstantial.
David Bowie
4/5
I don't like Bowie as much as the author of 1001... does, but this was pretty good Bowie
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I was not familiar with this. It was up and down, and the last 3 songs were decidedly down, resulting in my dropping the score from a 4 to a 3.
David Bowie
2/5
I just had a Bowie album a couple days ago. I generally don't like David Bowie. And two in such short order did him no favors. Why did the author of 1001... think everything Bowie is awesome. I did not like this album.
New York Dolls
4/5
Fun. Sometimes I think I loved at the wrong time.
The Smiths
4/5
Only passingly familiar but I really enjoyed this. A 4 might be too low.
10cc
3/5
Eeeehhhhhhhhh. Fun at times. Annoying at times.
MC Solaar
3/5
I'm not really sure why I'm listening to hiphop that I can't understand. Plus I don't like hiphop all that much... On the upside, the rhythms are fun.
Miles Davis
3/5
I feel terrible because obviously these are talented musicians, but it's just not my music.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I love LCD Soundsystem but I always have to curate the song selection to get a true 5/5 from them.
Blue Cheer
2/5
I straight up like the rock'n'roll versions of these songs way more than what's in this album.
Kanye West
2/5
1) Hiphop is typically not a genre I like
2) but I can appreciate there were some interesting moments, both musically and lyrically
3) but for the most part, the messages or tens of the lyrics aren't especially compelling to me
4) and finally, going back to point 1: hiphop ain't my thing. Quite a few songs I slipped out of a little past halfway because the setting was getting boring.
Cream
3/5
It's really hard to rate an album where I mostly like the music but I don't want to listen to this much if it at one time.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Amazing voice. Groovy.
Cornershop
4/5
I always liked Brimful of Asha even though it was overplayed, but I never checked out the rest of this album. My loss. I suspect it would have been on repeat for a while -- if I weren't already trying to plow through 1001 albums!
The Pogues
3/5
I love that the Pogues exist. It's a cool album but not really something I can return to with much frequency.
3/5
Definitely some cool and fun stuff here, but there were several songs I didn't enjoy at all -- to the point that I skipped out of them. The good stuff is 4/5 but the overall average is only 3.
Boards of Canada
3/5
This is the kind of thing I could put on in the background while I'm working so that I'm not distracted.
Miles Davis
2/5
Jazz just bores me, man. I'm sorry.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Steve Earle
2/5
Far too country. The lyrics are just too hokey.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Sometimes boring. Often irritating. Occasionally funny. Only sometimes interesting. I hate when an album feels like a collection of experiments.
The Clash
5/5
I just love this band's sound. It's that simple.
The Doors
5/5
God how I love this album. Iconic.
The Cure
3/5
I have some affection for The Cure but I'll never need a full album of The Cure at one time.
Laura Nyro
2/5
Beautiful voice. Can't stand the musical style.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Didn't really grab me, I guess. Quite a few songs felt interchangeable.
Frank Zappa
2/5
I thought I would hate this because of my own preconceptions about who Frank Zappa is. My preconceptions were inaccurate, but I still didn't like it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
There are a handful of songs by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds that I like a lot, but most of it is too moody for its own good. I'm disappointed that there isn't more to value in the lyrics given that I generally like a lot of their sound.
U2
5/5
I probably like this more than most people. Since if it is nostalgia, but there are also since great songs here.
Here's a question: How do I love U2 but hate Coldplay?
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
Have never listened to this album in full. Great rock. I might be scoring it too low.
The Replacements
3/5
OK, I can hear the 90s grunge right around the corner from here, but this is basically boring.
Carole King
4/5
It's a challenge to rate something with so many iconic songs when those songs really can't hold my interest today. My enjoyment level is like a 2 or 3, but my redirect level is a clear 5. I guess I'm split the difference.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
I don't need a full album of this all at one time but most of these songs bop.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
This is a fine album. There was a time I had it in heavy rotation, although it has often felt just a little longer than I wanted it to be.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
This was a lot of fun for me. Somehow I missed this group back in the day but I like their sound (for its time).
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Sometimes this experiment blindsides me in the best way. I have generally liked the Stones over the years, but only somewhat. Some of their biggest songs are true classics, but I've never been overly hyped about any of it.
This album changed my view. There was style and musicianship that I was simply not expecting. The album oozes talent -- and not Jagger swagger.
Great find for me.
Kelela
2/5
This was so insanely boring to me.
I'll admit that R&B is almost never my thing, but on top of that, the lyrics were mind-numbing. I get tired of listening to people speak the words she is singing; adding music doesn't magically make the words interesting.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
Their music is so beautiful. The only thing that knocks it down a bit for me is that the songs start to blur together for me after awhile.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Not very interesting. Not an album I truly needed to hear before I died.
The Strokes
3/5
I kinda like their sound but I don't tend to want a lot of it at once.
Prince
5/5
I don't know if it's nostalgia or if this is peak Prince, but this is the one Prince album I can come back to without getting bored.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Once again, I have really underestimated Elvis. This album is not as sexy as the one I reviewed earlier, and for that I'm knocking it down one star, but damn this man really can sing!
ZZ Top
2/5
Super boring, never been a fan
Destiny's Child
3/5
Yeah, OK. They sound great, and some of it is really fun to move to, but overall it's not a genre that I enjoy.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Holy shit. I knew old Dylan vegetal apealed to me but I never took the time to sit with a full album. I loved this and have spent days relistening!
I respect anyone who can't get past his voice, but it works for me.and the melodies and poetry are terrific.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
Aw jeez. No.
2/5
For the life of me, I do not understand the appeal of this band. Everything sounds the same to me. Half-screaming vocals (the lead's voice is neither pleasant nor interesting); lyrics are mostly dumb, and the instrumentation is noisy, repetitive guitar shit.
David Holmes
2/5
Not for me. I could enjoy some of the grooves, but then all good will was repeatedly lost at the spoken dislogue segments.
Ute Lemper
2/5
A little too outre for my taste, but I can see how it might appeal to some. I respect the vision; I just don't like it.
Kraftwerk
2/5
So dull
Radiohead
3/5
This one's tough. I guess I want to like it more than I do.
New Order
3/5
So 80s. Kinda dull.
Underworld
2/5
I gave up on this halfway through. I was feeling bored and a little irritated listening to this, so I checked to see how much was left. When I raised I'd only heard 4 of 8 tracks, I just couldn't continue. To me, this music is boring to the point of tedious.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Janis has a killer voice. The overall vibe is a little too gritty for me.
Mariah Carey
2/5
I will never understand the appeal of music like this. I was incredibly bored.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I guess I never really checked out this band. I thought I'd hate it. I'll be back.
The Smiths
4/5
In the decades-old The Smiths vs The Cure debate, I land just slightly in favor of The Smiths. But, wow, how this band takes me to a time and place.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
I've never been a big Smashing Pumpkins fan because I don't like their sound. Hearing them in album form actually elevated then a little bit because it helped me appreciate some of the depth in what they're doing. But I still don't enjoy their sound.
The Monkees
4/5
This was a lot more interesting than I expected. The songs that still get the most attention from this band are the poppy singalong tunes, but this album shows The Monkees had more than that. Good discovery for me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Not sure I understand what this album wants to be.
The Who
5/5
I may just be a simp but I do love this album.
Britney Spears
3/5
She's too moany-whiny. The talent here is the song-writing and pop-production and sex-appeal. Britney herself is overrated.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Interesting. Nick Cave's stuff is sometimes on the edge of unlistenable for me. This was not that. This is lovely but also bleak, which makes for a great juxtaposition, but you definitely need to be in the right head space for it.
Fela Kuti
2/5
Most jazz is unpleasant to me.
Brian Wilson
4/5
I do recognize how this is something of a masterpiece... But I can't say I enjoy listening to it at a 5-level.
Japan
3/5
Somewhat pleasant, totally forgettable
Prince
4/5
Come on, it's Prince.
Pixies
2/5
Way too sonically ugly.
Lou Reed
4/5
This was a wow for me. I found it quite compelling but the darkness holds me back from giving it a 5. By the end, it was unrelenting.
Roxy Music
2/5
This was highly unexpected. I loved Avalon when I discovered it a few years after everyone else in the 80s. I thought I would love this too. Nope.
Arcade Fire
5/5
I've loved this album since it came out. I'm almost embarrassed to give it a 5 because I tend to want to reserve that for masterpieces that will stand the test of time. I don't know that this will. But I don't know I listened to it on repeat for the last 24 hours because I love it.
Michael Jackson
2/5
It's difficult to convey how much I hate Michael Jackson's music. This has nothing to do with alleegations of bad behavior.
First, I was in high school in the 80s. MJ was everywhere and I didn't understand it then. But his music was forced down my throat over and over; there was no escaping it. So the fact that I didn't like it much to begin with just got amplified by the constant airplay. I suspect if I hadn't been bombarded with MJ for so many years, my dislike might not be so intense
But let's go over what I can't stand: (1) repetitive 80s synth beats. (2) Dance music will never be my thing. (3) His breathy interjections and high-pitched "ehs" have always seemed totally ridiculous. (4) His effeminate manner and voice is totally wrong for his love songs. It's bizarre and laughable; how did women love these songs so much? How did women swoon for him? [Every freakin' MJ lyric that references love or sex is and has always been ridiculous to me. He is not believable.]
In fairness, I do recognize his talent as a live performer, both singing and dancing. But that doesn't change the fact that I don't like his music, and I would be happy to never hear any of his music again.
Norah Jones
4/5
I love Norah Jones's voice. The winners here are huge; some of the others are a little more "meh."
Beatles
4/5
So many classics.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I think Neil Youngs voice works with this heavier rock sound than it did on the previous album of his that I rated (Harvest Moon -- a classic, I know).
I also love the expression of Native American themes here.
Burning Spear
3/5
Willie Nelson
2/5
I'm not sure I could be any more bored.
Elton John
3/5
I'm not a huge Elton John fan. I like the orchestration.
The Fall
4/5
Interesting vibe. It grew on me as I listened, which says a lot. Not sure I really took in the lyrics on a first run-through but I definitely plan to come back.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This is weird. The Stones have a great sound here, but from a half-century distance (more than that), I can't tell if they're stealing from mid-century Black American culture or if they're honoring it. In many cases, this made me want to hunt down the Black artists who made some of these songs come truly alive.
I actually felt that I had to go research how this album is viewed through a historical lens. And I learned that the Stones always acknowledged when they were covering someone else's music. And in many cases, they helped draw greater attention to the original artists. If that's true, then I guess everyone wins...? But today, in 2025, this album frequently made me want to listen to someone else sing it better.
The Byrds
4/5
I've always loved their sound. This was one of the first albums I ever bought.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
Classic, but not really my thing.
Moby
4/5
I feel like an idiot that I've avoided Moby as much as I have. I really enjoyed this album. Not sure if it's a full-blown masterpiece, but I was surpassed and impressed by the diversity of experiences here. I'm not much of a fan of short pieces that don't become anything, but there are plenty of pieces here that are wonderful to listen to.
Solomon Burke
4/5
I can't deny there's greatness in here. I'd be happy to hear any of these songs pop up in a music mix. But I don't know if I needed to listen through an entire album; as a whole, it didn't particularly transport me.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Another one of these situations where I respect the talent but I find the style of music boring.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
This was fairly forgettable for me. Language barrier can be a problem except when the music really grabs me.
Björk
2/5
Has Bjork gotten bjorker over time? Because I usually find her unlistenable, but this wasn't quite that bad for me. I still definitely didn't like it, but I've got sure heard worse from her.
50 Cent
3/5
Rhythm and sound: A+
The actual content of the lyrics is where rap and hiphop usually lose me; it's just not for me.
Black Sabbath
2/5
Less irritating than I expected this to be based on my preconceived idea of Black Saabath. I respect what they're doing but I don't enjoy it.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
This comment is surely going to be too meta. This album-a-day exercise is challenging me in unexpected ways. For starters, I'm now only getting to about 2 albums a week. But more importantly, when an artist or album doesn't resonate with me -- as is the case here -- I feel completely lost on how to rate it.
I know Christina Aguilera has a great voice. I don't care.
I know there are interesting Latin rhythms here. I don't care.
I am not the audience for this album. But it might still be a great album. I will never choose to listen to it again -- like, *ever* -- and it took effort for me to sit through it all. But I'll also not react negatively if someone else is playing it in their home. It's just not something I enjoy.
What score is this?! Should it be based solely on my preferences? Should I be trying to score it based on some objective qualities that somehow reach beyond my personal preferences?? Does my paralysis in making this decision mean I need to take a step back from this whole endeavor?
My apologies to the Christina fans out there.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Listening to Fatboy Slim is like eating chips: taste great at first, and you kind of binge for a little while. But then you start to feel like you've had too much. And if you try to finish the whole bag, well... you might not want to come back for a while when it's over.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
This album blew my mind. Working in its favor: Piano is one of my favorite instruments. Working against it: I am finicky about jazz; there's a lot of jazz I don't like. But I loved this, and I feel like an idiot for not knowing this artist.
I'm still on the fence about his vocalizations. I thought it was audience members at first, but eventually I Googled it to learn it was the artist himself. After that, I was able to get used to it.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Sometimes, the struggle is real. How do you rate something when every aspect -- from composer to singer to band -- is top-notch but it's just not your thing??
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Boring to the point of tedium for me. It might be fine if I were just looking for some ambient background music, but giving the full album my attention grew difficult.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I like the sound of The Velvet Underground a lot. I even here, where I don't really like these particular songs of theirs, I still like their sound.
The Cure
2/5
Yeah, this is a boring as I remember it. I could never get into The Cure; never liked their sound. But I feel like I'm betraying my generation.
Suede
3/5
Back in the day, I tried really hard to enjoy this album. I had a friend who just loved it. I never quite understood the appeal. It's fine but...
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
Not my genre.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Hm, love Springsteen's voice but these songs are pretty repetitive. Actually, I anyways think his songs are repetitive. This did grow in me, however, and I enjoy a lot of what he's doing here.
Yes
2/5
Whatever.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
This web game has way too many mediocre English artists. I can't believe anybody would argue that I *needed* to listen to this before I die. Bored.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Honestly, I've never listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin. I actually thought I might like it more just because of how huge they are, but it really wasn't for me. Some great moments, but as a whole, it didn't pull me in.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Nostalgia: 4.5
Enjoying the music: 3, sometimes 3.5
If I could, I'd give this a 3.6.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
I tried but couldn't get into this.
Public Enemy
4/5
Wow. Not a genre I like very much but hard to argue with the sigificance of what these guys had to say.
Pulp
3/5
Musically, definitely some interesting sound that I enjoy coming back to, although I maybe don't need a full album.
My real problem is the lyrics and themes are trying to be edgy but come off more creepy.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I remember being introduced to Billy Bragg through some album that got a lot of attention in, maybe, the 90s. I hated that album and didnt understand the hype. I stayed away from Billy Bragg ever since.
Therefore, I expected to hate this album, but I definitely liked it. It really didn't sound anything like I remember the other one being. The other felt like a lot of yelling. This was enjoyable.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
Dull
Deep Purple
2/5
Did not enjoy this at all.
The White Stripes
3/5
I love The White Stripes' vibe and energy, but I'm rarely in the mindset where I want to stay with them for the duration of a full album.
The White Stripes
4/5
I do like the White Stripes. They're very much outside of my wheelhouse, but for some reason, they work.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
My rule is I only give a 1 to albums I cannot bring myself to finish.
Beastie Boys
2/5
This is of my era but not a genre I've ever enjoyed. I thought the nostalgia factor might carry me through but this wasn't much fun to sit through.
5/5
Love it
Don McLean
4/5
Dated. But still beautiful.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
First thought before listening: I don't really think about this band any more. Should it really be on the just?
While listening: this is richer and fuller than I remembered, a fine example of 90s alt-rock. They deserve to be here.
Van Halen
2/5
Maybe I suck, but I can barely tolerate the guitar solos -- not because they're bad but because it's just something I don't like.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
I usually reserve a 1 to an album I was unable to sit through. I sat through this. I hated it, but I sat through it. There were 2 tracks that I didn't hate.
Yes
2/5
I've heard only a couple of these songs before. I do appreciate some of the juxtapositions, but overall, this isn't an able I'm come back to.
Nirvana
4/5
The Young Rascals
4/5
I didn't like the start of this album but it grew on me. I don't know if it's a strength or weakness that the album is tapping into to so many *different* 60's vibes -- from seemingly squeaky-clean crooning to rough guitar rock to hints of early psychedelic. As a whole, it's a fascinating time capsule.
Neu!
4/5
Moody, mostly interesting though each track runs a longer than I need it to. The fact that I wanted to listen to it again right away is always a good sign.
Wilco
3/5
Honestly, just boring
Beck
5/5
I love Beck. This album is in the running for my favorite Beck album -- probably depends on my mood but I was definitely in the right mood when it showed up.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Kind of boring for me but I do believe it belongs in this list.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
I have mixed feelings about albums that feel closer to slam poetry than music. The lyrics were engaging, requiring that I come back and listen at least one more time. And at first, I really liked the driving rock beats of most of the songs, but eventually the music sort of disappeared because it was so mundane, unnecessary even. It became little more than spoken word poetry after a while...
The Beach Boys
4/5
They're iconic.
Wu-Tang Clan
2/5
This genre is not for me.
Beth Orton
3/5
I was expecting to like this more.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
This isn't my taste.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
I'm not sure if this album really deserves a 4, but given how many times I looped through it when it was new, I feel like anything less would be disingenuous.
Nico
3/5
I generally like folk AND 60s weird shit so I was predisposed to like this -- and I did, at first. But it overstayed its welcome. Jesus, Nico's sustained notes in Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams almost drive this down to a 2. I simply do not think she's good singer, but her ideas are interesting.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Not very familiar with this artist. A few moments really grooved, but mostly it disappeared into the background. It didn't hold my attention.
808 State
2/5
Naaah
Bob Dylan
5/5
This album doesn't quite grab me the way Bringing it All Back Home did, but it's still great. 9/10
The The
2/5
I don't know what to do with this. I think I understand why this didn't really break through in the U.S. But I don't know if I have the words for it. It's quintessential 80s but not quite catchy enough nor substantive enough to make me want to come back to it. Like mediocre chips.
The La's
3/5
Felt fresh at first. Then familiar when I reached their big radio hit. And then it started to wear out its welcome. Not enough going on here to sustain my interest.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
This is definitely not for me, but jeez I think they do what they exceptionally well.
Tim Buckley
4/5
This is an artist I'm aware of but haven't govern much attention. This album grabbed my attention right away. I really enjoy three melodies and his overall vibe.
Beyoncé
3/5
On average, I prefer those Beyonce songs that have a strong hook or compelling melody. I don't especially like the songs that move into hiphop.
Beyonce's music always has a vibe, but it's not really *my* vibe. (I do think she's kind of amazing even if a lot of her music isn't for me.)
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
R&B is definitely not my thing but this album impressive.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
4/5
Somewhat conventional and even a little bland but somehow I like it. It's like comfort food.
Roxy Music
4/5
I'm surprised I haven't spent time with this album before given how many listens I gave Avalon. I think I could have obsessed on this one, too, had I been paying attention back in the day.
Nina Simone
5/5
Every once in a while, this experience brings me an album that I didn't previously know and that fully and aggressively grabs hold of me. There's so much life here.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Talk Talk
3/5
Too emo
Mercury Rev
3/5
Exemplar of mid
Talking Heads
5/5
I love Talking Heads. This is not my favorite album of theirs, but I think my blinding love for them distorts my objectivity.
The B-52's
3/5
I feel like there's a reason that a small number of B-52's songs break through into pop culture. A sustained listening experience withe the B-52's isn't a particularly worthwhile activity for me.
Paul Simon
5/5
Still a favorite for me. I haven't listed to it in a while so I had forgotten that there are no skips here for me (although I would tire first of You Can Call Me Al if I relistened a few more times).
There are some accusations that Simon didn't always give credit where credit was due, and I find those accusations credible. Nevertheless, I think the album is a masterpiece.
I have a strange, find memory of walking across my empty college campus late when night when another guy came walking the other way playing Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes on a boombox. It was charming, ethereal, and fleeting. Any time I hear this song now, that delicate memory rises up.
Eminem
3/5
Not my genre. But My Name Is rocks.
Eagles
4/5
Some absolute classics, and I find a lot of the songs here to be quite beautiful.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Nostalgia: 4+
Actual Enjoyment: 2.5
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
Couldn't get into this one. The rhythms weren't interesting enough, and each song overstayed its welcome.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Not my genre but it seems really good for what it is.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Not my genre, but I can't deny the appeal. Some of these just kick ass.
D'Angelo
3/5
Not for me. Deeply boring to me, but I guess a 2 is unnecessarily critical.
B.B. King
3/5
Hmmm. Interesting as a time capsule.