A revolutionary message set to jazz, funk and afrobeat - what's not to like?

Beautiful vocal range and variability. Simultaneously introspective and joyful.

Surprisingly experimental, varied, poignant.

I prefer James Brown's funkier stuff and find it hard to appreciate a live album. Still, the influence he's had on artists over decades is apparent here.

Missing, Black Trampoline, Earthquake Weather, Hell Yes, Go it Alone were the highlights on a very strong album.

I love Grace Slick's voice but too many of the tracks (the ones she isn't leading) just blur into one another for me in the most uninteresting way.

I had this album, love the nostalgia and enjoyed it as background. Hard to think of it as essential though.

One of my all-time favourite albums. Beautiful melodies and moving vocals; an exciting blend of glam rock, cinema, pop and folk. Clear inspiration for so many of the best indie bands in the decades that followed.

Ah, the album that pits my feminist principles against my love of good beats, poignant storytelling and BIG's mellifluous voice and flow - still an incredible listen 30 years on.

Stylish and sets a mood - but I don't hear what sets it apart from the atmospheric sea of electronic chill-out world music of the late 90s /early 2000s (think Buddha Bar and Cafe del Mar compilations).

Love this album. Ellington really knew how to make use of his musicians' incredible talents. Diminuendo in Blue is just thrilling.

Smooth, feel-good blues album.

Grows on me with multiple listens. Last 3 tracks are the best. Interesting choice for the list.

Enjoyed this way more than expected - so funky! - and props for providing the samples to some great hip hop tracks.

This is 50-50 for me. Half of the songs I really like, the other half, not so much. I miss how many different types of music co-existed in the 90s compared to now.

Having loved the funk jams of BSSM, this album is so very boring. I can't believe I endured the whole thing.

The simplicity of the music is hypnotic and allows the poetry to reach deep into the soul.

80s synth-pop made timeless by Lennox's incredible vocal talents.

Can I have this album without the last 4 tracks, please?

Some good tracks that I appreciate more with subsequent listens (Rich, Date With the Night, Man, No No No), but I would argue the genre is better represented by other bands of the time - or maybe Karen O's 'beautiful mess' schtick just isn't for me.

Tooting Bec Wrecked is the highlight amidst a lot of cheesy schlager-rock party tunes.

Atmospheric, but also twee and monotonous.

This fusion of house, ambient, trip-hop, jazz, bollywood and Björk's iconic vocals has been making me happy since 1993.

I come back to this album less and less as I get older, but I can't deny that it still makes me want to wreck stuff or dance til I puke.

They got skills but mostly, I felt nothing and will remember nothing (exception: In Memory of Elizabeth Reed).

This album has so many hallmarks of what I hated most about 80s pop (cheesy sax and electric guitar filler, plodding pace, repetitive). But, some catchy melodies and hooks, esp. Head Over Heels.

Always down to drink and wallow with Tom Waits, but I'll save some stars for what I know is yet to come.

I could accept this more if it had just focussed on the soundscapes. But the droning, over-long vocals makes this hard to endure.

Just beautiful.

I know all about Little Richard’s role in birthing rock n’ roll, but I was still surprised by how much I enjoyed the entire album - pure energy and fun. Also intrigued by the androgyny of some of the vocals.

I dig the mid-tempo grooves on this album though nothing quite compares to Good Times.

Just a good garage rock album that gets better with each listen. Really like the bass on this album.

Arty, experimental, funky, punky, neurotic and amazing.

An easy-to-listen-to collection of "old time gooders".

Immediately drawn in by his rich, commanding voice, and Otis Span’s piano work.

I like the eerie undertones - Man at C&A, Pearl's Cafe, Stereotype, International Jet Set are the standout tracks.

I like Pulp, but my fave tracks are on other albums. The songs are bright, witty and polished but tracks like Something's Changed and Underwear appeal to me more than the anthems.

I respect what they attempted here with textures and moods but it drags and didn’t grab me, even after repeated listens. April 5th was the standout track.

So McLaren stole pre-existing music from black artists and claimed it as his own, and then went and spoiled it with his annoying bleating and making it sound like parody. I'm sorry that this is how Brits were introduced to 'hip hop' - but that doesn't make this a must listen for anyone.

Such a great vocal style and varied arrangements. Reaches an emotional depth that his contemporaries didn’t.

It's fine. I dig the bass, I like the singles - rest of the album gets repetitive.

My 2 stars is for Killer Queen alone and bc I’d feel like a jerk giving a 1 when so many people seem to love this.

There’s so much here to love musically, lyrically, creatively.

Impressive that these songs were written by a highschooler, and at the same time could only have been written by a highschooler.

With effort, I could find something to enjoy in My Girls, Summertime Clothes and Bluish, but the rest was a chore that left me feeling stressed out.

I love the restraint of MJ’s vocals here compared to later stuff - beautiful. Perfect match for the funky/groovy/soulful brass, bass, guitar & percussion.

Laid back, jazzy, fun, great use of samples.

This is so dumb. What a treat.

Funk with a big dose of strange, yet tamer than expected.

Impressively diverse samples, beats and rhyme styles; minimalist and chaotic at the same time – it’s also harsh and violent, which limits how often I can listen to it.

Angsty.

Indian Electronica Madonna is my favourite Madonna!

There’s Always Tomorrow and Stepping Stone are the 2 decent songs. The rest is forgettable.

Run DMC, er...walked? so that Beastie Boys could run!

The album we played when having friends around for late evening drinks. A bit bland but associated with some good memories.

The last good album before Coldplay started phoning it in. Warm, intimate, melodic.

Another one? Ok, Aha Shake Heartbreak was a pleasant surprise so maybe…uh…oh wow…this is super irritating and monotonous. Made multiple attempts to get through this album and I just can’t.

I only ever appreciated and enjoyed Dylan in small doses, but the story telling and introspection of this one kept me hooked to the end.

More variety and depth than I expected from a band I had written off as yet another grunge outfit.

Warm and easy, with a bite behind the sweetness. Few pull off the cutesy girl voice as successfully as Nina Persson.

Musically enjoyable, yes, but they lean so hard into replicating American roots and blues that, at times, it comes across as caricature.

I had never heard of this band before...and probably didn't need to. Some decent grooves here and there but nothing outstanding compared to other electronica albums released that year.

Cleverly crafted but surpassed by many of the artists and albums it helped spawn.

So good. Amazing vocals, great songwriting, dynamic arrangements, eclectic, rough, sensual.

Yes, their earlier stuff is better - more varied, technically impressive, powerful- but this album introduced me to Metallica and it still rocks.

Simple by today’s metric but the beats and MC chemistry still stand apart. Jam-Master Jay and It’s Like That are the stand-out tracks.

The throwback angle doesn't always do it for me but I love Missy's delivery and charisma so even one of her lesser albums is still pretty good.

Captures a particular place and time yet still sounds current . Fun, great hooks, incredible range, stellar songwriting. This is a Low is 🤌

This one is all about the voice for me. Great early morning or late night listen.

Who knew I liked gangsta rap? Not me. DJ Muggs stellar production and B Real's distinct sound won me over.

Intelligent and wonderfully crafted - the history, poetry, antiwar sentiment, unique take on folk music, the drastic change of her vocal and instrumental style. Truly special.

Good, but not great. I’d add a few tracks to a playlist but would choose Doolittle or Surfa Rosa for a Pixies full album experience.

Infectious energy and joy. Sweaty, soulful and sweet.

The “electronic dance-punk” label guaranteed my attention and the album delivers. Fun and catchy, though some tracks too long.

I think I liked this when it was first released- but now find it rather dull.

Another reviewer expressed my thoughts perfectly: "Listening to this record makes me picture a group of middle-aged white women sitting out on camping chairs, sipping white wine, getting a little rowdy, getting a little sad."

Nothing noteworthy here apart from the horrible forced American accent.

Such a gorgeous voice (and an impressive human to boot).

Starts and ends strong with SV’s rich and melodic voice and charming persona.

Mostly laid back, not terribly exciting. Good background.

I can’t resist a moody baritone. And I can hear the influence of some of my favourite bands…DM, The Smiths, etc

A one of a kind singer-songwriter. This album gets the fivest of fives.

The kind of hypnotic soundscape I can lose myself in. Groovy layered loops and cool vocals make for an upbeat listen.

Not a great fan of the Who but I can’t deny the powerful performance and musicianship on display here.

Unremarkable arrangements and nasal quality of her voice made it hard to get through this album.

Not sure what I expected from this but it’s basically cheesy rock with some laughably silly lyrics.

Some funky tracks that are fun to listen to, but the album mostly feels long and monotonous - probably better appreciated with the visuals.

This album was everywhere and caused a stir back in the day so I see why it’s on the list. But apart from 2 or 3 tracks, it doesn’t move me the way I had expected.

Smooth vocals delivering a genuine and heartfelt message.

I can’t think of another album that musically conveys such powerful emotion and human experience even before the lyrics kick in.

Giving me this album on Dec. 25th guaranteed a good rating. I love Christmas!