359
Albums Rated
3.4
Average Rating
33%
Complete
730 albums remaining
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1960s
Favorite Decade
Folk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
33
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Life | 5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
| No Other | 5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
| The Blueprint | 5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
| Since I Left You | 5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
| Songs Of Leonard Cohen | 5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
| Heaven Or Las Vegas | 5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
| Locust Abortion Technician | 4 | 2.38 | +1.62 |
| Either Or | 5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
| Crime Of The Century | 5 | 3.41 | +1.59 |
| Different Class | 5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pump | 1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
| Destroyer | 1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
| Brutal Youth | 1 | 2.82 | -1.82 |
| Maverick A Strike | 1 | 2.75 | -1.75 |
| Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers | 2 | 3.39 | -1.39 |
| Lost In The Dream | 2 | 3.39 | -1.39 |
| My Aim Is True | 2 | 3.35 | -1.35 |
| This Year's Model | 2 | 3.33 | -1.33 |
| Slippery When Wet | 2 | 3.29 | -1.29 |
| Bongo Rock | 2 | 3.26 | -1.26 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 4 | 4.5 |
| Beatles | 4 | 4.25 |
| David Bowie | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Elvis Costello | 2 | 1.5 |
5-Star Albums (33)
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Popular Reviews
Metallica
5/5
Hell yea 😎
I remember listening to this for the first time and giving it a 3/5. What the hell was I on?? It's still not my favorite Metallica album, but its a damn close second. There are no skips on this album. Seriously one of the most consistent albums I've ver heard, every song is as good as the last. Makes it really difficult to pick a favorite from this album.
Favorite track: Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
4.5/5
1 likes
Pixies
4/5
The Pixies had an insane run of albums from 1987-1991. It's possibly one of the greatest album runs in the history of music. Even though I prefer the two albums that followed (Doolittle and Bossanova) this is the album that really cemented the band as one of the greats.
While its not as consistent as Doolittle, there are still plenty of fun and memorable tracks here. Some of the stand outs are "Bone Machine" and "Gigantic". Of course then there's the elephant in the room.. This album contains one of the greatest songs of all time. "Where Is My Mind?" is one of those defining songs that really changed the game. The second half of the album just cannot compete with it or even some of the other songs from the first half, but there are still a few notable tracks. Overall Surfer Rosa is a very punchy, fun album that I have a lot of appreciation for. I just love the Pixies so much man so any excuse to listen to them is a treat.
Favorite track: Where Is My Mind? (I mean what else could it be?)
4.5/5
1 likes
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Jimi's best album in my opinion. Lot of classic songs here. "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe", "The Wind Cries Mary", and "Are You Experienced?" are all bangers. Similar to Jimi's other albums I wish this was a little shorter but otherwise this is an all timer.
Favorite track: The Wind Cries Mary
1 likes
Magazine
5/5
This is an album that has been on my radar for a couple months but until now I hadn't heard any of it. I wasn't aware of this album's connection to the Buzzcocks which is a band I really love so this was right up my alley! This album is incredibly energetic and catchy. The synths here are to die for. The highlights are "Shot By Both Sides", "Burst" and "Parade". This is my favorite first time listen from this challenge so far. I'll definitely be returning back to this album within the coming months.
Favorite track: Burst
4.5/5
1 likes
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
First Album! I'm excited to try this out.
This is a banger for sure, one of Young's best. I'm pretty sure this was my 3rd time listening to it.
"My My, Hey Hey" is a fantastic intro. This is like the ideal Neil Young song. "Thrasher" is a nice acoustic song with some beautiful lyrics. "Powderfinger" kicks ass, definitely one of Young's best rock songs.
An overall epic album. its soft and warm at times but packs a punch when it needs too. Also kinda grungey at times? Amazing album to kick off this challenge.
Favorite track: My My, Hey Hey
R.E.M.
4/5
While I've never been the biggest R.E.M. fan, I always viewed this album as the band's best. Unfortunately it's Stipe's vocals that steer me away from the band. They aren't bad, just kinda unappealing to me which is a shame because otherwise the band sounds really great especially on this album.
I think I would give AFTP 3.5 stars but since that's not a possible rating on this site I'll round up to 4 stars because I do believe this is a cut above the rest of their albums which I will probably give 3 stars or less.
Favorite track: Drive
R.E.M.
4/5
Bro two R.E.M. albums in a row, seriously?
This is a real solid debut, better than I remember even. Similar to AFTP I would give this 3 and a half stars if I could except this time I think I'm gonna round down. At first I wanted to give this a higher rating but by the second half I was definitely over it.
unrelated but I really like this album cover for some reason. The imagery and type look really cozy. It's the kind of album cover that's so good it makes me wish I enjoyed the music attached to it more ya know?
Favorite track: Radio Free Europe
The Killers
3/5
Oh boy, it's been awhile since I listened to anything by the Killers. Definitely a band I've outgrown but a lot of their hits still hit for me. "Mr. Brightside" will always be a white people anthem, "Somebody Told Me" is pretty nostalgic to me, and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" goes harder than I remember. Unfortunately the rest of the album is just kinda ok. "Smile Like You Mean It" makes me cringe... Overall it's good for what it is but I wouldn't say its one of the best of all time or anything.
Favorite track: Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
3.5/5 *rounding down
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Finally something I haven't listened to yet!
Don't really have much to about this one. To me CCR kinda just does one thing but they do it damn well. Hard to dislike this band.
Favorite track: Bad Moon Rising (obviously)
3.5/5
Van Morrison
4/5
Moondance (the song) is so good dude why aren't there more songs on this album that sound like it.
Favorite track: MOONDANCE!!!
3.5/5
Leonard Cohen
4/5
First time listen!
It's so jarring listening to the title track of this album for the first time and immediately realizing that this is not the same Leonard Cohen I know from the 60s/70s. This Cohen has a much raspier, haunting voice. However, one thing that hadn't changed was Cohen's songwriting ability. Such a beautiful album, I'm glad I was given an excuse to listen to it.
Favorite track(s): You Want it Darker + Steer Your Way
Rush
4/5
Not always a huge fan of prog but there's something about this album I find kinda charming. I would describe it as wacky maybe? "Tom Sawyer" is banger and so is "Limelight" but in my opinion "Witch Hunt" is the true star here. Also I've always rally enjoyed this album cover :)
Favorite track: Witch Hunt
Rod Stewart
3/5
I listened to this album a couple years ago when I was listening to the Rolling Stones top 500 albums list. It was one of those albums I enjoyed at the time but didn't think I would ever listen to it again... but now its 2024 and here I am listening to Rod Stewart again. This will probably happen a lot since that list has a lot of overlap with this one...
Anyways I still enjoy this album quite a bit. "Maggie May" is a undoubtably a winner and the mandolin on "Mandolin Wind" kicks ass. Rod has a sort of energy that makes this album a real easy listen even though its not something I love all that much.
Rod Stewart is so weird looking. If I saw him in real life I think I would probably laugh at him or something.
Favorite track: Mandolin Wind
Nanci Griffith
2/5
This is the third new album overall but the first new artist.
I had never heard of Nanci Griffith before now and unfortunately I can't say I'm much of fan. This is a passable country album, I'd even go as far as to say that this is an above-average country album. But even then it's still just kinda ok.
Favorite track: More Than A Whisper
Aerosmith
1/5
You know your'e in for some horny bullshit when even the trucks on the album cover are fucking.
I'm surprised by how many songs I recognized on this album. This album haunted me at my high school job without me even realizing it. But yea, this thing is ass. Aerosmith in general is kinda ass, but this album is really ass.
Favorite track: Janie's Got a Gun (I guess..)
1.5/5
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Objectively speaking this probably the best album I've received so far, though personally I prefer Are You Experience just slightly more. Still though Hendrix is a beast on this album. Do I even have to say how good All Along the Watchtower is? Its one of those rare covers that completely transcends the greatness of the original.
Favorite track: All Along the Watchtower (duh)
Classic/5
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
???
Apparently this guy was a member of Jefferson Airplane or something? They really just let anyone onto this list.
I can't hate this too much though because some of the psychedelic stuff here is pretty cool plus the story behind the album makes me appreciate it more, but otherwise a lot of this album is annoying or repetitive unfortunately. I think this could've been something really great if it was like half as long..
Favorite track: War in Peace
The Police
3/5
The Police will always be a fun band with fun songs. This album opens very strongly with "Message In A Bottle" (one of the band's best imo) and then afterwards "Bring On The Night" is pretty good too I guess. Yea it's mostly nothing that exciting but an easy listen nonetheless.
Favorite track: Message In A Bottle
Wilco
4/5
Fuck it. This gets to be my first 5 star album.
I received this album the day I left for Florida so I got to listen to it on the airplane ride which was perfect because I have always associated this album with travel.
In the past I've rated this one lower but I enjoy it more and more every time I listen to it. Theres so many amazing songs on here such as "Heavy Metal Drummer", "War on War", and of course "Jesus, Etc." which is by far my favorite Wilco song. Its just a pleasant listen from start to finish!
Favorite track: Jesus, Etc.
4.5/5
Finley Quaye
1/5
I had never heard of this guy before and I probably could have gone on without knowing about him. Scottish reggae is definitely not a vibe.
Favorite track: Your Love Gets Sweeter (this one is fine I guess.)
1.5/5
Various Artists
3/5
Listening to this a week after Christmas because I'm playing album catch up at the moment...
What a delight. This album is exactly how a Christmas album should sound. Every time the Ronettes or Darlene Love show up you know your'e gonna get something good!
You gotta be a real Scrooge to not like this album..
Favorite track: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
KISS
1/5
Kiss is one of the most overrated bands on the planet. Nothing these guys do is in anyway exceptional, they just trick stupid old people into thinking that they're good because of the way they present themselves with all the makeup and flashy costumes. This band is the definition of style over substance.
As for the album itself... This is nothing more than another generic classic rock album. Its not the worst thing I've ever heard but its certainly no masterpiece.
Favorite track: None lol
1.5/5
Sex Pistols
3/5
I've never really cared much for the Sex Pistols but I can at least appreciate how influential this album is. It has a few highlights but it can also be very annoying at some points. Overall its just kind of average in my opinion. I think its valid to hate or love this album. What isn't valid is calling this the greatest, or even one of the greatest, punk albums of all time. There are so many better punk albums from this era, I'm so sick of seeing this mediocre album top so many lists. Just because something is influential doesn't necessarily mean it is good..
Favorite track: Anarchy in the U.K.
Mylo
2/5
First time listening to Mylo. The album cover and title made me expect something a little more exciting, but that's not what I got. If this is your thing I can respect it but to me this is just one step up from copyright-free YouTube music..
Favorite track: Drop the Pressure
2.5/5
The Doors
4/5
Another absolute classic! Don't have much to say about this one. If you don't like this album you're probably a pretty boring person.
Favorite track: Soul Kitchen
4.5/5
Orbital
3/5
First time listening to Orbital and honestly they're really chill. This makes me want to listen to more techno music. I could see myself recommending this album to people who are interested in the genre. Its nothing exceptional of course but I don't really have anything negative to say about it.
Favorite track: Planet of Shapes
Blur
4/5
LET'S GOOOOO!! "Girls & Boys" is like one of my top 20 favorite songs ever! I never get tired of it!
The rest of the album is comparably not as good, but its still a fantastic album overall. I love how quirky/whimsical a lot of these songs are. This is definitely another album that just gets better upon each revisit. Why can't modern pop music sound like this?
"To the End" should be the closing track right???
Favorite track: Girls & Boys
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Hell yea, this is just some good ass music right here.
"Go for your Guns" is my favorite Isley Brothers album, but this is a very close second place. The highlights on this album include "That Lady, Pts. 1 & 2" and "Listen to the Music" as well as the "Summer Breeze" cover which I think I prefer over the Seals and Crofts version. This is a 10/10 perfect cover.
Favorite track: Summer Breeze, Pts. 1 & 2
3/5
I've only ever listened to "Los Angeles" by X and I'm kinda surprised this album is on the list instead of that one. I much prefer that album but this one is still pretty decent. It's not quite as punk as its predecessor. It has some nice tunes but nothing too crazy. I didn't mind this one :)
Favorite track: Adult Books
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
"And sus me out"
Pretty much any album by Bob Marley from 1973-1980 is gonna be good and this one is no exception, though I do prefer other albums from this era such as "Catch a Fire" and "Exodus". Listening to this album just feels like you're going through the motions of a Bob Marley album which isn't a bad thing, it's just not as memorable as those other records. "No Woman No Cry" is definitely the highlight here but there's plenty of other tracks that make this worth checking out. If this is an "average" Bob Marley album than it just goes to show how good the guy is at making music.
Favorite track: No Woman No Cry
3.5/5
The Gun Club
3/5
I was happy to receive this album because I had tried to listen to it awhile ago but didn't finish it because I wasn't in the mood for it at the time, so it was about time I revisited it... Turns out I likely never will be in the mood for this. It's got a decent bluesy sound with some nice moments here and there but otherwise it's pretty unremarkable.
Favorite track: Sex Beat
2.5/5
Amy Winehouse
4/5
While not as strong as its predecessor, "Frank" is still an incredible debut album which proved to be even better revisiting it for a second time. "Stronger Than Me" is my favorite song here. Not only is it a great intro to this album, it's also a great intro to Amy Winehouse in general. The Frank Sinatra and Bossa nova influences really make this album feel special.
Favorite track: Stronger Than Me
3.5/5
JAY Z
5/5
Nice! I've been waiting for a hip hop album :)
For a long time I considered this to be a perfect 10/10 album. Since then I think its dropped to maybe just a 9/10 but its still phenomenal in my opinion. The production and samples are top notch and Jay's bars here are so damn good. "Heart of The City" and "Never Change" are some of my favorite Jay-Z tracks. The song with Eminem makes me cringe a bit but so does everything else Eminem is involved with. Overall though this is the best Jay-Z album as well as one of the best hip hop albums of this era.
Officially beats "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" as the best album I've received so far.
Favorite track: Heart of The City (Ain't No Love)
Tortoise
3/5
For a while I've been meaning to listen to "TNT" which was the album Tortoise released after this one so this was a nice introduction to the band. This is just a nice chill album. Perfect for a snowy day like today. kind of reminded me of Fishmans which is a favorite of mine. This album didn't knock my socks off but I could see myself revisiting it.
Favorite track: Djed
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Jimi's best album in my opinion. Lot of classic songs here. "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe", "The Wind Cries Mary", and "Are You Experienced?" are all bangers. Similar to Jimi's other albums I wish this was a little shorter but otherwise this is an all timer.
Favorite track: The Wind Cries Mary
The Avalanches
5/5
This has been on my list for a long time so I'm glad I finally had an excuse to listen to it.
This did not disappoint at all. The hype surrounding this album is completely valid. This album has moments where it is fun and dancy then other moments where it is genuinely very beautiful. This album really is a journey. I can't believe it took me this long to this... better late than never I guess.
Favorite track: Since I Left You
4.5/5
The Roots
3/5
I like the Roots quite a bit but this album has never really impressed me that much. There are plenty of solid tracks here but overall its nothing special when compared to many of their albums that came before and after this one. "Undun" deserved this spot on the list.
Favorite track: Sacrifice
Elvis Costello
2/5
I respect Elvis Costello as an artist and I respect anyone who enjoys his music however I personally do not like his stuff. His vocals just kinda annoy me I don't know. Upon relistening to this album my opinion on it remained consistent. I think it's easy enough to sit through thanks to how short it is and some of the songs like "Alison" are alright. This is about as positive as I can feel for an Elvis Costello album.
I just realized that Costello has 6 albums on this list which is just wild to me... I feel like 2 or 3 would've been fine but 6?? I better mentally prepare myself for listening to that much Elvis Costello music.
Favorite track: Alison
The Prodigy
4/5
🦀!!
I was so happy to see that crab show up. Not only because this is one of my favorite album covers ever, but also because this album kicks ass. This album is pure adrenaline.
Favorite track: Breathe, Smack My Bitch Up
Barry Adamson
3/5
Another album I went into not knowing anything about.
The concept of creating a soundtrack for a nonexistent film is kinda neat and I think Adamson pulls it off here because I can kinda see this being a real soundtrack. Jarvis Crocker of Pulp on the opening track was a pleasant surprise. There are a couple other decent songs but overall its not terribly interesting.
Also the album generator classifying this as a rock album is kinda silly.
Favorite track: The Sweetest Embrace
2.5/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
It's the king of dad rock, the boss himself Mr. Springsteen.
Admittedly I've never really been that into Springsteen's stuff but I'm hoping that after relistening to his albums I will begin to appreciate the guy. Especially since this album because to my understanding this is generally considered his masterpiece.
So that didn't happen. I think I enjoyed it a little more this time but i definitely didn't blow me away or anything. I enjoyed the singles though.
Favorite track: Thunder Road
3.5/5
The xx
3/5
Never listened to this band apart from a few random songs here and there.
This album is pretty chill. I probably would've really enjoyed it back in high school but its not something I would choose to listen to now.
Favorite track: Crystalised
Brian Eno
4/5
Brian Emo.
Favorite track: On Some Faraway Beach
3.5/5
Kid Rock
1/5
Very likely the worst record on this list, like I seriously can't imagine anything else on this list being worse. It's insulting, annoying, and way too long. I never want to hear Kid Rock's stupid voice ever again.
Favorite track: ...
0.5/5
Arcade Fire
4/5
Even though I'm not as into indie rock as I once was, I still think this is a great album. The first four songs on this album are fantastic. After that it kinda slows down but its still consistently good. The perfect coming-of-age album imo.
Second best Arcade Fire album after "Funeral".
Favorite track: Modern Man
King Crimson
5/5
"I talk tuah wind"
Such a monumental record, like this is THE prog rock album. I can't imagine what it was like listening to this in 1969, it would've blown my mind. Hell, it still blows my mind 56 years later.
Right from the opening track you know you're in for a ride. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is absolutely electric, one of the best songs that the prog rock genre has to offer. Then you got "I Talk To The Wind" and "Epitaph" which are both fantastic. "Moonchild" is where it loses me for a bit. Not that its bad or anything I just can only take so much experimental prog bullshit before tuning out. Fortunately The album finishes on a high note with that incredible title track.
The whole album as a package is very satisfying even down to the legendary album cover. As someone who has never been huge about King Crimson I can safely say "I get it now". I think this is the first true 5 star album I've received so far. It's just that good.
Favorite track: 21st Century Schizoid Man
Pixies
4/5
The Pixies had an insane run of albums from 1987-1991. It's possibly one of the greatest album runs in the history of music. Even though I prefer the two albums that followed (Doolittle and Bossanova) this is the album that really cemented the band as one of the greats.
While its not as consistent as Doolittle, there are still plenty of fun and memorable tracks here. Some of the stand outs are "Bone Machine" and "Gigantic". Of course then there's the elephant in the room.. This album contains one of the greatest songs of all time. "Where Is My Mind?" is one of those defining songs that really changed the game. The second half of the album just cannot compete with it or even some of the other songs from the first half, but there are still a few notable tracks. Overall Surfer Rosa is a very punchy, fun album that I have a lot of appreciation for. I just love the Pixies so much man so any excuse to listen to them is a treat.
Favorite track: Where Is My Mind? (I mean what else could it be?)
4.5/5
The Triffids
2/5
Believe it or not, but there are so many actually good albums from the 80's. I don't understand inclusions like this on this list.
I've never heard of this band before and I never would have if not for this album generator. They're really nothing special imo. The lyrics are very cringe at times and David McComb's vocals are kind of annoying. It's not terrible, but its certainly not worthy of being on this list.
Favorite track: Unmade love
Radiohead
4/5
I <3 Radiohead.
I like "Pablo Honey", but this is where Radiohead locked in. There are a lot of great tracks on here "Planet Telex", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", "My Iron Lung", "Street Spirit", etc. I'm really burnt out of "High and Dry" from listening to it all the time in high school but it stills hits. Album cover is fantastic, probably my favorite Radiohead album cover. This album is tight.
Close to a 4.5/5 but there is definitely some filler here so I'll just say its a 4.
Favorite track: Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
This was my first Pet Shop Boys album. It made me fall in love their music.
I still think it holds up as one of their better albums. Dusty Springfield's feature on "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" works surprisingly well, its one of the highlights from this album. I also really enjoy "Rent", "It's a Sin", and "Heart". A lot of the lyrics on this album are kinda corny but I think that adds to the charm of it. To me this is synth pop gold. Overall I prefer "Behavior" and maybe even their debut, but I'll always like this album and I think it deserves to be on this list.
Favorite track: Rent
New York Dolls
3/5
I recall not really liking this album the first time around so I'm happy that it clicked more this time.
I have a lot more appreciation for this group, they were really ahead of their time in many ways. Their blend of punk and glam rock is really cool. Also the drag is cool as shit. Unlike bands like Kiss, I wouldn't say these guys are completely style over substance but their appearance is definitely a large part of their appeal. Regardless this is a solid album with a good share of quality songs. Its still not really something I'm crazy about but I salute the New York Dolls for their service. 🫡
Favorite track: Frankenstein
2/5
The term "so bad it's good" isn't usually used to describe music, but this is an exception. This is objectively a very bad album. Its raunchy, its juvenile, Fred Durst's vocals are pretty annoying, but god damnit its fun. I don't know man, I don't mind it. Its sort of a guilty pleasure of mine I guess. It's certainly not a very good album but compared to that Kid Rock album this might as well be nu metal gold. I mean what other band has dedicated a song to Ben Stiller? Only the brilliant Mr. Durst would do that.
Favorite track: My Way
Ray Charles
3/5
I love soul music but I've always thought that Ray Charles was kinda overrated. Don't get me wrong me was very talented and he had a nice voice but most of music is just so dull compared to other artists that came after like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. That's how I would describe this album, DULL. Charles plays it safe, he makes quality music but doesn't do anything interesting in my opinion. I appreciate and respect Ray Charles but there are so many other soul musicians that I would rather listen to.
Favorite track: Just for a Thrill
Muddy Waters
3/5
50th Album!!
Muddy Waters is the real deal. I don't always love blues music but Muddy has such a distinct vocal and guitar style that makes his music really enjoyable.
Favorite track: Mannish Boy
3.5/5
John Lennon
3/5
Oh John,
John Lennon is a difficult figure for me. I think that without him the Beatles wouldn't be nearly as good as they are, yet he's not that great without the rest of the Beatles. I much prefer Paul and George's post-Beatles work. A lot of John's solo music is uninteresting to me or even obnoxious.
My feelings on this album are overall positive. The title track is by far the biggest song from this album as well as Lennon's solo career as a whole. Most people either think its one of the greatest songs ever made or they think its overrated whiny crap. Personally I'm somewhere in the middle though I would agree that its probably the best song on the album. I think if you separate "Imagine" from John as a person its a really nice song. The other notable song is the bizarre Paul McCartney slander on "How Do You Sleep?". Why does this song exist? Like it sounds fine but the concept of a Beatles diss track makes me roll my eyes. The rest of the album is made up of hits and misses. It never becomes unlistenable or anything but it also never blows me away. Until I relisten to "Plastic Ono Band", this is still my favorite post-Beatles Lennon album.
"Merry Christmas Yoko"
Favorite track: Imagine 💩
3.5/5
ABBA
3/5
Abba is one of those artists that make great songs but not necessarily great albums. This isn't an exception to that but it seems like one since the biggest song on this album is so legendary. I am of course referring to "Dancing Queen". Easily the most popular Abba song but also one of the most iconic pop songs ever. Few songs have left as much of an impact on popular culture. My 16 year old sister who doesn't listen to any music from before she was born, likes Dancing Queen, because how can you not? It's that timeless. You throw that song on an album with "Money, Money, Money" and boom you got a classic on your hands. It doesn't even matter if the rest of the songs are good (most of them are pretty good anyways though).
Favorite track: Dancing Queen, Money, Money, Money
3.5/5
Beatles
4/5
This is the first GREAT Beatles album in my opinion.
Like the rest of the planet, I prefer the later Beatles albums more than the early albums but I still think there is a place for their more poppy music. Its more simple than the later stuff but I find it charming in a way similar to other music from the early 60s. This album is loaded with classic tunes and on top of that its nice and short. A real easy listen!
Also the film that accompanies this album is really fun!
Favorite track: And I Love Her
Don McLean
4/5
🇺🇸🥧!
"American Pie" is another one of those larger than life songs that has really solidified itself into American culture. I wanna say it's overrated, but I'd be full of shit. It's a great song. It deserves its status as the go-to campfire song. I was expecting this album to be nothing more than "the album with American Pie on it", but I was pleasantly surprised. Why did nobody tell me how good "Vincent" is?? There's a handful of other quality songs here too. The singles obviously steal the show but overall this is nice little folk album. I'd even go as far to say that if this a Neil Young album it would be one of his more average releases.
This has been the most difficult album to rate so far. For now I feel confident its a 3.5/5 but I can't decide if I should round up or down. I think I'm gonna go with a 4 but it's definitely not as good as the other 4 star albums. I wish I could give half stars grrrrrrrr.
Favorite track: Vincent
3.5/5
The Adverts
3/5
This is the kind of thing I wanna get more of from this generator!
Unlike other punk bands, the Adverts are are more light and catchy. It's something I would recommend so someone who wants to get into classic punk music but is intimidated by the heavier stuff. The wikipedia description calling them equal to the Sex Pistols and the Clash is pretty funny.
Favorite track: One Chord Wonders
Dire Straits
4/5
This is an essential 80s rock album. Its got everything you could need. You got the MTV mega hit "Money for Nothing". You got ballads like "Your Latest Trick". "Walk of Life" is a perfect roadtrip song. Then topping it all off with the fantastic title track as the closer. Dad's everywhere triumph!
Favorite track: Walk of Life
4/5
...and here's another essential 80's rock album.
This album starts out with one of the greatest 3 song runs of any album ever. "Where The Streets Have No Name", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With Or Without You" are all some of U2's biggest singles. I wish these songs were spaced out more because the album definitely loses some momentum after "With Or Without You". Other than this one pacing problem this is still a fantastic album. The rest of the songs can't really compare to those hits but they are still quite good sometimes great. I especially enjoy the last two songs on this album "Exit" and "Mothers Of The Disappeared". At the moment this is my favorite U2 album.
Favorite track: Exit
The Specials
3/5
Usually this doesn't matter but I really feel like I should have listened to the first Specials album before listening to this.
I don't think this is bad. There are a lot of good moments on this album but equally as many annoying moments unfortunately. Maybe I'll revisit it after listening to their first album but I doubt I'll really change my opinion on it.
Favorite track: Hey Little Rich Girl
2.5/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
>Thriller
Michael's best album in my opinion. Also one of the best, if not the best, disco album ever made. "Rock With You" is infectious, easily is my favorite MJ song. Then there's "Off The Wall" and "It's the Falling in Love" which are top 10 for me. Plenty of other great songs too. There are a few low points but for the most part its pretty consistent. This album makes me wanna hit the dance floor! 🕺🏻
Favorite track: Rock with You
4.5/5
Magazine
5/5
This is an album that has been on my radar for a couple months but until now I hadn't heard any of it. I wasn't aware of this album's connection to the Buzzcocks which is a band I really love so this was right up my alley! This album is incredibly energetic and catchy. The synths here are to die for. The highlights are "Shot By Both Sides", "Burst" and "Parade". This is my favorite first time listen from this challenge so far. I'll definitely be returning back to this album within the coming months.
Favorite track: Burst
4.5/5
Doves
2/5
I can see where the Coldplay comparisons come from but in my opinion this is not nearly as good as anything Coldplay was releasing around the same time. I listened to this twice and I don't know its fine. Not particularly interesting in any way and certainly no Coldplay.
Favorite track: There Goes the Fear
2.5/5
Orange Juice
3/5
This album is great I just wish there were some cool-ass dolphins on the album cover idk.
Favorite track: Mud in Your Eyes
3.5/5
Metallica
5/5
Hell yea 😎
I remember listening to this for the first time and giving it a 3/5. What the hell was I on?? It's still not my favorite Metallica album, but its a damn close second. There are no skips on this album. Seriously one of the most consistent albums I've ver heard, every song is as good as the last. Makes it really difficult to pick a favorite from this album.
Favorite track: Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
4.5/5
OutKast
5/5
BREAK!
I feel like I've been giving out 5s like its nothing but I just love music and THIS right here is music.
Stankonia is one of the defining hip hop albums of the 2000s, this thing has classic written all over it. It's got legendary singles such as "B.O.B.", "So Fresh, So Clean" and most of all "Ms. Jackson". These are all amazing and a lot of the B-sides are really great too. Outkast has a handful of great albums, but this is definitely my favorite. If you don't like this album I can't imagine you're that fun to be around.
Favorite track: B.O.B.
4.5/5
Sparks
3/5
This one is slowly growing on me.
Favorite track: Thank God It's Not Christmas
3.5/5
Iggy Pop
4/5
The title track is kinda overrated in my opinion but afterwards the album gets really good. "The Passenger" has always been the stand-out to me. That song and others are absolutely dripping with David Bowie magic.
Favorite track: The Passenger
Hüsker Dü
3/5
One of the many cases on this list of "right artist, wrong album" (also see Gorillaz, System of a Down, Queens of the Stone Age, etc). I'm not sure why this album was chosen over "Zen Arcade" or "New Day Rising" but I'm just glad Hüsker Dü is represented at all. A W for Minnesota as far as I'm concerned.
Favorite track: Ice Cold Ice
Love
3/5
I've only ever listened to Forever Changes by Love. This album seems worse than it really is when compared to that classic but on its own its still not great. There are some interesting sounds here and there but nothing really groundbreaking. This album is only 36 minutes long but it feels longer due to half the album being a single improvised track.
Favorite track: Orange Skies
Björk
4/5
I've been waiting three weeks for another 90s album...
While not the best Björk album, I do feel that this is the best introduction to her music. It's more accessible than a lot of her other album's, I can definitely see how this would be her most successful album.
Favorite track: Like Someone in Love
3.5/5
Sister Sledge
3/5
First time listening to the Sledge Sisters. "We Are Family" is one of those songs that's insanely popular yet I've never consciously listened to it. It's fine. I'll probably continue to tune it out whenever I hear it on the radio or in a movie.
Favorite track: He's the Greatest Dancer
Nirvana
5/5
Oh boy, here we go
Everything that could be said about this album has already been said a million time so instead I'm gonna rank every song on this album from best to weakest. Every song on this is pretty classic which makes it a difficult list to rank, but I've listened to this album enough times so I'm pretty confident in my ranking.
1. Come As You Are
2. Lithium
3. Something In The Way
4. Territorial Pissings
5. On A Plain
6. Lounge Act
7. Drain You
8. Polly
9. Smells Like Teen Spirit
10. Breed
11. In Bloom
12. Stay Away
13. Endless, Nameless
4.5/5
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
SEXY.
Favorite track: Lucretia My Reflection
3.5/5
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
On a technical level this is very good but I'm just not that into the jam band stuff. Feels like a "you had to be there" sort of thing.
Favorite track: Done Somebody Wrong
Public Enemy
4/5
Nice! I've been waiting for a 90s hip hop album.
Public Enemy rocks. Their music is so punchy and angry, but still fun and humorous at times.
This album is the perfect transition from the hip hop of the 80s to the 90s. In that regard, this sound is definitely a product of its time, yet it still feels fresh and holds up well in my opinion. Even the political commentary, which is at the heart of the album, has aged well for the most part. The beats and samples are phenomenal, the rapping is killer, there are some great features here.. This album is TIGHT. As of right now this is tied with "It Takes a Nation-" because I seriously can't decide which album I like better. I'll update once I relisten to it.
Favorite track: Burn Hollywood Burn
Talvin Singh
2/5
The title and the album cover made me expect something similar to OK Computer. Would've made sense considering this was released the the year after... That however is not the case. How I wish this sounded ANYTHING like Radiohead.
Its not the worst thing ever. It sounds kinda interesting at times but mostly its just boring and occasionally annoying. This album is certainly OK.
Favorite track: Mombasstic (lol)
Elvis Costello
1/5
Brutal indeed.
Another fucking Elvis Costello album. Whatever, might as well get them over with. I don't really have anything to say about this one. His music was annoying in the 70s and its annoying in the 90s.
Favorite track: Kinder Murder
1.5/5
Nirvana
4/5
2 Nirvana albums this week? I'll take it.
I've always gone back and forth on which I prefer- Nevermind or In Utero. I think Nevermind is overall more consistent but the highs on In Utero are higher in my opinion. Some of the highlights are "Heart-Shaped Box", "Dumb", "All Apologies" and "Pennyroyal Tea" My favorite from this album, and also my favorite Nirvana album in general, is "R*pe Me". I always hate telling people that its my favorite Nirvana song but I can't help it. It's sorta like a better "Teen Spirit" to me. Anyways this album is an absolute classic. You really cannot go wrong with Nirvana.
Favorite track: R*pe Me
4.5/5
4/5
Mega classic. One of the easiest albums to pick a favorite track from on this list so far.
Favorite track: Champagne Supernova
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Over 1000 albums but this is the only album on this list with a Nintendo DS on the album cover.
I love Lupe. He's one of my favorite rappers of the 00s. I think I prefer the album that followed this one "The Cool", but this album is almost just as good. Even though I didn't grow up listening to his music, listening to Lupe Fiasco always makes me feel nostalgic for the mid-2000s.
Favorite track: Daydreamin'
Deep Purple
3/5
I think this album was considered "classic rock" the day it was released.
Favorite track: Smoke on the Water
3.5/5
Primal Scream
3/5
I've only ever listened to Screamadelica so I was looking forward to listening to more Primal Scream.
Yea I feel like they should've stuck with what they were doing before. The electronic stuff isn't bad or annoying or anything just nothing special. Sounds like every other mediocre electronic album from this era.
Favorite track: Medication
Method Man
3/5
As a massive Wu Tang Clan fan, I'm surprised that this is my first time listening to a Method Man solo album.
I like Method Man on Wu Tang albums but I don't think he's able to carry his own albums as much as other members of the clan. Overall a good album with good songs.
Favorite track: Meth Vs. Chef
10cc
3/5
Until now the only thing I have ever heard from 10cc was "I'm Not In Love" which isn't on this album unfortunately. I now realize that as good as that song is it's not a great representation of this band's sound.
These guys are wacky and I love it. I'm surprised by the relatively low rating. This album is fun! 10cc is very humorous especially on songs like the self deprecating "The Worst Band In The World" and my personal favorite "Clockwork Creep". I could see this rating go up in the future.
Favorite track: Clockwork Creep
7cc/10cc
Radiohead
5/5
Sorry King Crimson, this is now the best album I've received so far.
My favorite Radiohead album easily. This album is perfect not a second of it is wasted.
Favorite song: Paranoid Android
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I've been meaning to get into Nick Cave so I don't mind that there are 5 of his albums on this list. This album was really enjoyable. Its hard for me to rate this any higher due to its length but I could see myself increasing my rating upon a relisten in the future.
Favorite track: O Children
3.5/5
Bad Brains
3/5
Another example of "right band, wrong album" except even more so than Hüsker Dü. Like seriously the self titled album is right there. I relistened to it after listening to this and yea its so much better. That being said this is still a solid album its just so obviously the wrong album.
Favorite track: I Against I
Marvin Gaye
5/5
SAVE THE BABIES‼️
Literally perfect. Musical intercourse.
This is an all timer if there ever was one. This album is overflowing with soul and beauty its impossible not to be swept up in its grandeur. All of the songs here are great on their own but together they create one of the finest album listening experiences of all time. The title track is a top 5 song of all time. I MEAN IT. That song and the album as a whole never get old no matter how many times I hear it.
Favorite track: What's Going On
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Another live album where it was probably better in person. Still, its not bad. Huey Lewis on the harmonica was definitely a surprise. I felt like the album ended in an unsatisfying way. C'mon Lizzy give those nice people an encore!
Favorite track: The Boys Are Back in Town
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
🐇!
I realize that this is a pretty common opinion but:
Grace Slick vocals > Marty Balin vocals
It's a bit frustrating because this album had the potential to be another 60s psychedelic masterpiece, akin to something by Hendrix or the Doors, if only she had been the lead vocalist on more than just two tracks. Its still a great album as it is but man do those 2 Grace Slick songs REALLY overshadow the rest of the album.
Favorite track: White Rabbit
3.5/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I feel like 3 Bunnymen albums is kinda unnecessary. I mean I like them and all but I would've been happy with just "Ocean Rain". This album is pretty average I'd say. "The Cutter" is a great opening track but after that the album does little to get your attention.
Favorite track: The Cutter
T. Rex
4/5
What a coincidence! I literally just had "Jeepster" stuck in my head like 30 minutes ago.. wack.
Such a great record. Its so groovy and sexy. "Mambo Sun", "Cosmic Dancer", and "Jeepster" is an insane run of songs especially at the very beginning of the album. Then later you get "Get It On"?? Absolutely timeless.
Favorite track: Mambo Sun, Cosmic Dancer
Black Sabbath
4/5
A monumental album, like this album essentially invented a genre. Pretty much all of Black Sabbath's massive hits are on this album. I can. totally see why so many would say this is one of the greatest of all time. While I definitely think this is an incredible album its just not something I think to listen to that often. Still though, this album kicks ass
Favorite track: Paranoid
4.5/5
American Music Club
3/5
A real deep-cut here. I've never heard of this album or this band. Honestly not that bad. It's a shame that this album isn't more accessible because I think it could really find an audience.
Favorite track: Highway 5
Pink Floyd
5/5
"Why should I be frightened of dying?
There's no reason for it
You've gotta go sometime"
Seeing that black triangle made me smile like I would upon seeing an old friend. This is one of my most listened albums ever. I could listen to it one million times and it never gets old. Everything about this album is timeless even down to the album cover which might be the most iconic album cover of all time. All the songs on this album flow together so perfectly its really one of the greatest album listening experiences the medium has to offer. This isn't even my favorite Pink Floyd album, I just love this band so damn much that I can rave about them nonstop.
Similar to Nevermind, I'm gonna rank every song on this album from best to least best..
1. Time
2. Brain Damage/Eclipse - Lumping these two together..
3. The Great Gig in the Sky
4. Breathe (In the Air)
5. Us and Them
6. Money
7. Any Colour You Like
8. On the run
9. Speak to Me - kind of an unfair placement but I had to include it..
Simple Minds
3/5
Pretty average new wave album. I like new wave so I enjoyed this album but if don't there's nothing here for you. Certainly better than the one with "Don't You Forget About Me" on it.
Favorite track: Promised You a Miracle
A very high 3/5
Bon Jovi
2/5
lol what are we doing?
Favorite track: Livin' On A Prayer
2.5/5
Radiohead
4/5
The most average Radiohead album in my opinion, but if this is the average it really goes to show how great this band is. This is a very good album it just feels less remarkable than the albums that came before and after it. Plenty of great songs here including "2+2=5" and "A Wolf At the Door" which have always been favorites of mine. At the very least this album is better than "Pablo Honey" and "King of Limbs".
Favorite track: A Wolf At the Door
3.5/5
Herbie Hancock
4/5
The first true jazz album I've received so far and its one of the best the genre has to offer. Seriously this album is a delight. Its wacky and wonderful and like nothing else I've listened to. "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man" are both perfect jazz songs. I'm tempted to round up on this one unfortunately "Sly" and "Vein Melter" aren't as amazing as those first two songs. Overall this is still a fantastic album. Definitely would recommend this to anyone trying to get into jazz.
Favorite track: Watermelon Man
4.5/5
Kate Bush
3/5
Far from her best but this is still a solid album. The highlights are the title track and "Rocket's Tail".
Favorite track: The Sensual World
PJ Harvey
3/5
Kinda on par with Pj's other albums in my opinion.
I love the rawness and angst on this album though. Hard to believe this is her debut. A few of the highlights are "Dress" and "Plants and Rags". One day I hope I fall in love PJ Harvey but until I do I'll still enjoy her stuff.
Favorite track: Plants and Rags
3.5/5
George Jones
2/5
Once again this is an above average country album but even at just 28 minutes long I get bored of this sound so quickly. I can respect it if this is your jam but for me country music will just never really blow me away no matter what decade you take it from.
Favorite track: The Grand Tour
2.5/5
k.d. lang
2/5
Yay another country album.. Admittedly this is very different from the George Jones album that I received yesterday, but I enjoyed it about the same as I did that album.
*Favorite track: Season of Hollow Soul
2.5/5
Muddy Waters
3/5
Pretty good as far as live albums go. "Tiger In Your Tank" makes me bounce.
Favorite track: Tiger In Your Tank
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Peter Gabriel goes full on Phil Collins here (this is much better than anything involving Phil Collins).
Favorite track: Red Rain
3.5/5
Burning Spear
3/5
I really need to listen to more reggae that isn't just Bob Marley..
Favorite track: Tradition
3.5/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
I'm gonna stop trying to like Sonic Youth. They'll never be for me I'm afraid.
Favorite track: Youth Against Fascism
Talking Heads
4/5
"THIS IS NOT MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE!!"
An absolute classic. This is the most celebrated Talking Heads album and it certainly is great though I do prefer their follow-up "Speaking in Tongues" (which isn't on this list somehow). This album starts out incredibly strong with banger after banger but unfortunately the second half is not as solid whereas "Speaking in Tongues" is more consistent in my opinion. Nonetheless, this is at least my second favorite Talking Heads album and I completely understand why so many consider this to be their masterpiece. This album is just as good "as it ever was".
Favorite track: Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
Mariah Carey
3/5
Yea I kinda agree with the other reviews on this one. Mariah has an undeniably incredible voice but she doesn't really have many interesting songs to utilize it. Anyways this is a solid pop album.
Favorite track: Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise)
Pixies
4/5
Yo I used to love this album, I think at one point it was even my favorite Pixies album. Now that I've relistened to it I can definitively say that it isn't as good as "Doolittle" or "Surfer Rosa" but its still pretty damn good. "Velouria" is one of my favorite Pixies songs and has been since I first discovered the band back in high school. "Is She Weird" is another personal favorite. This is simply good music. As much as I enjoy "Trompe le monde" , this was the last great Pixies album which is too bad, but man what an insane run they had...
Favorite track: Velouria
Iggy Pop
3/5
Amazing album cover and title combo.
I've been meaning to watch this so I'm glad I got it. It's pretty good. Not as great as "Lust For Life" but it has its moments.
Favorite track: China Girl
3.5/5
Paul Simon
4/5
A real chillers album. Probably my favorite Paul Simon solo album but I do need to relisten to "Graceland" before I can say for sure.
Favorite track: Run That Body Down
The Beach Boys
3/5
Somehow much worse than I remember. Sure, the harmonies are great and overall it sounds nice but man the songwriting is just awful. This whole album is nothing but cringey, often creepy love songs. I don't think that this album has aged particularly well. Its pretty insane when you compare this to what the Beach Boys would go on to release the following year..
Favorite track: Please Let Me Wonder
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
The first 15 seconds of this album is funny as shit.
I've never heard of this band before and I definitely wasn't missing out. It's mostly annoying. I can't think of any reason why I would need to hear this before dying.
The chicken song was certainly a choice..
Favorite track: Rocketship
Nas
5/5
5 stars immediately. The greatest hip hop album of all time in my opinion. I've listened to this album so many times and it always sounds so fresh to me. I don't trust anyone who doesn't give this album at least 4 stars.
*New favorite album so far
Favorite track: The World Is Yours
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I've been wanting to revisit this one for awhile.
"Come On Eileen" is obviously a classic, definitely a white people anthem. The rest of the songs are good too but they don't quite compare to the mega-hit. Good vibes all around.
The hobo image that the band was going for during this era is really funny to me. All I can think about while listening is scrawny British dudes wearing baggy overalls with bandanas around their necks.
Favorite track: Come On Eileen
3.5/5
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Once again people on here are overreacting to a totally passable album. Not everything can be a big epic Led Zeppelin or Beatles album. This is a perfectly good album. Its light and airy and Tracey Thorn's vocals are quite beautiful. What's there to dislike about this?
Favorite track: Love Is Here Where I Live
The Auteurs
2/5
Thought I was into it at first because there are a few good songs but vocalist Luke Haines' voice got annoying really quickly. It sounds like something I would enjoy but the vocals just ruin it for me. Maybe someday I'll get over them and really like this album but I doubt that I'll give it another chance anytime soon.
Favorite track: Bailed Out
2.5/5
Green Day
4/5
Man it's been awhile since I've listened to this. Back in high school I was more into Green Day's 2000s stuff but I think its time for me to admit that this is better than "American Idiot". It really captures that 90s sleaze!
Favorite track: Longview
Queen Latifah
2/5
Pretty average 80s hip hop album but I guess this one stands out because its got a female rapper. Respect to the queen.
Favorite track: Latifah's Law
2.5/5
The Clash
4/5
1977 was a monumental year for punk music and this is one of the best albums the year has to offer. This is a classic. I think most would agree that this is the Clash's second best album after "London Calling". This thing has its good share of bangers. "I'm so Bored with the U.S.A." is such an ear worm, its always been a favorite from the Clash. Same with "Police & Thieves" which is a close honorable mention for favorite from this album.
If someone was interested in getting into punk music this is the album I would recommend to them. Its very accessible but also high-quality and a good representation of punk music.
Favorite track: I'm so Bored with the U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
A very iconic album with multiple of the boss's biggest hits. That being said, I've never been much of a fan of Springsteen's classic stuff and his more pop-orientated doesn't do much more for me either. I appreciate the anti-war sentiments and "Dancing in the Dark" is pretty catchy but otherwise I'm not really into it.
Favorite track: Dancing in the Dark
3/5
Starts out strong but the momentum slows down after the first couple tracks. I like the concept of this album and I adore the album cover but I've heard better of this sort.
Favorite track: The Cisco Kid
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
ANOTHER GODDAMN ELVIS COSTELLO ALBUM.
To be fair, even though I don't really like this album I would consider it an album to "hear before you die". Definitely Costello's most essential work. But still I really don't like this guy's music and I won't pretend that I do.
Favorite track: Hand in Hand
The Beta Band
3/5
Its nice to see that this band has more than just "Dry the Rain" but nothing on here is quite as good as that song. Betas indeed.
Favorite track: Human Being
The White Stripes
3/5
Yo this is the perfect album for a rainy day like today. Some bluesy, moody, 00s garage rock. The White Stripes are exactly what I wanna hear right now.
I haven't heard this album or The White Stripes in general in such a long time. Its definitely not as good as their previous two albums but I think its the next best thing from them. Nothing could make me hate this album.
Favorite track: Take, Take, Take
3.5/5
Crowded House
3/5
Favorite track: Fall At Your Feet
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Just gonna say this now. I don't think I'll give any Led Zeppelin album 5 stars. They have a lot of fantastic albums (this one included) but personally I'm not as into them as much as most people are. That being said its impossible to deny the greatness of Zeppelin II. There's a whole lot to love about this album and I could just keep rambling on about it but you already know how good it is. 🤡
Favorite track: Whole Lotta Love
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Terrific album cover.
Favorite track: Pannonica
3.5/5
Prince
4/5
Crazy how Prince made one of the best rock albums of the 80s AND one of the best soul albums of the 80s. This album along with Purple Rain are Prince's best projects in my opinion. Might even be better than Purple Rain honestly. I will say disc two isn't as strong as disc one, but it has its moments most notably "Adore".
Favorite track: Adore
4.5/5
TV On The Radio
2/5
There are two TV On The Radio albums on this list and neither of them are "Return To Cookie Mountain" which is arguably their most significant work. If there needs to be a TV On The Radio album here it should be that one in my opinion. Doesn't really sense to me but it certainly isn't the only choice that confuses me on this list.
Anyways this album is fine. Extremely average indie bullshit that was being mass-produced during this era. NEXT!
Favorite track: Dancing Choose
2.5/5
Sonic Youth
4/5
I think this is my favorite Sonic Youth album. I'm not really sure why this one works for me while other albums like "Dirty" don't as much. Idk.
Favorite track: Dirty Boots
Boston
3/5
An average dad rock album. "More Than a Feeling" is massively overrated in my opinion. "Foreplay / Long Time" is my favorite song from this album. the intro almost sounds like a prog song. It's really dope.
Favorite track: Foreplay / Long Time
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Probably the most average new wave band of the 80s.
Favorite track: Pretty In Pink
2.5/5
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
This is the most recent album I've received so far.
Even though I usually hate country music (especially modern country) I've always had a fondness for Kacey Musgraves. Her music is so sweet and more poppy like early Taylor Swift music. I don't think Golden Hour is Kacey's best album but I understand why its included on this list.
Favorite track: Rainbow
3.5/5
Jack White
3/5
Two albums from the 2010s in a row after getting none for months.
Jack's solo stuff doesn't usually do very much for me but this was a pleasant surprise. I don't know why but Jack White/The White stripes have been hitting harder than usual.
Favorite track: Sixteen Saltines
3.5/5
Miriam Makeba
3/5
It has its flaws but one thing I appreciate about this list is the inclusion of so many albums from non-English speaking countries. Its nice to leave my little bubble every now and then :)
Favorite track: The Click Song
3.5/5
Aphex Twin
4/5
You're supposed to zone out.
Favorite track: Xtal
3.5/5
Scott Walker
3/5
Listening to the Scotts out of order :/
Favorite track: Jackie
The Who
3/5
Favorite track: My Generation
Tom Waits
3/5
Here's a Tom Waits album I've never listened too.
All of Waits' 80s albums are pretty good and this is no exception. Its not quite as good as Rain Dogs or some of his other more classic albums but it has its own melancholic beauty.
Favorite track: 'Til The Money Runs Out
3.5/5
Wild Beasts
2/5
Gee I sure am glad that I listened to "Two Dancers" by Wild Beasts. Now I can finally die without regrets!
Favorite track: Hooting and Howling
Eminem
3/5
This is the Eminem album I feel the most positive about but I still find it really corny. He's obviously very talented but his lyrics are so cringe to me. Anyone who thinks Eminem is a top 10 rapper is either 14 years old or racist white guy who "usually doesn't like rap music"
Favorite track: Stan (Em's masterpiece in my opinion)
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Frank is legend but this album is kind of a snooze fest.. All the songs sound almost identical. The music is good its just not all that interesting.
Favorite track: In The Wee Small Hours of The Morning
3.5/5
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Really surprised by this one. It's just beautiful piano music. I'll definitely be coming back.
Favorite track: Part I
Steely Dan
4/5
How perfect! I've been in a Steely Dan mood recently and have been wanting to relisten to Aja.
Once again this is a classic for a reason. Hard to say if this is my favorite Steely album but I can see why it is their most popular. Very jazzy.
Favorite track: Peg
Common
4/5
Better than I remember and I could see my rating increasing even more in the future. Kanye's contribution to this album makes it irresistible.
Favorite track: Go!
Donald Fagen
4/5
Another album to feed into my little Steely Dan phase.
Favorite track: The Nightfly
3.5/5
Elliott Smith
4/5
Probably the most accessible Elliot Smith album because its much more rock-orientated than his other more folk-orientated albums. Definitely works for me.
Favorite track: Son of Sam
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
Of all the Tom Petty albums I've been forced to endure this might be the most bearable. He still kinda annoys me here but at least he isn't "Free-Fallin" levels of annoying.
Favorite track: Breakdown
2.5/5
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
I've never been as into this album as I am for TPAB so I was hoping it would click for me this time around and it definitely did. This album is loaded for bangers. I still don't think its as good as TPAB but its a close second.
Favorite track: Peer Pressure
4.5/5
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
I was expecting a reggae or ska album but thats not at all what this is. Its chill but agree with some of the other reviews that say its essentially just background music.
Favorite track: Nights Introlude (because it sounds like a better song by the Pharcyde)
2.5/5
Ramones
3/5
A very influential punk album though more interesting bands have come out since. Still though the Ramones are a pillar for early punk music so I think they deserve their flowers.
Favorite track: Blitzkrieg Bop
3.5/5
The Doors
3/5
Unlike other Doors albums there isn't really any notable songs on this album. The whole thing sounds good just nothing that really stands out. I think I'd like to check out of the Morrison Hotel please.
Favorite track: Queen of the Highway
Beastie Boys
4/5
Rip Biz Markie
Favorite track: Sabotage
3.5/5
The Temptations
3/5
The Temptations aren't really an album artist but they're still classic.
Favorite track: Cloud Nine
Janis Joplin
3/5
Janis rocks. She has a extremely unique voice and was undoubtably a talent its such a shame her career was tragically cut short. Personally I'm just not that into her music but I respect the hell out of her and acknowledge her as legend.
The La's
2/5
"There She Goes" makes me think of the Mike Myers movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer" whenever I hear it and that is not a good thing.
Favorite track: Timeless Melody
2.5/5
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Obviously we've gotten much better hip hop albums since but this is still a very fun album. "It's Tricky" is a classic and "Walk This Way" honestly slaps, an improvement over the original in my opinion. This album feels dated and timeless at the same time somehow.
Favorite track: Walk This Way
3.5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I seriously got 4 fucking Elvis Costello albums before getting a single album by David Bowie, Bob Dylan or Stevie Wonder. You gotta be kidding me. I'm so sick of this guy, I can't take it anymore!!
At least this one's got a cool album cover I guess.
Favorite track: Oliver's Army
1.5/5
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
LET'S GO!! It's been a while since I've given a 5 star rating.
Nearly perfect. The title track is a top 5 song of all time for me. It makes me want to belt the lyrics as loud as I can every time I hear it. Followed by "El Condor Pasa" and then "Cecilia" which are both fantastic. An insane 3 song opening. Then you get to "The Boxer"!! This is only scratching the surface, there are plenty of other amazing tracks on this album. This is just so peak. Probably my favorite folk album of all time.
Favorite track: Bridge Over Troubled Water
Elton John
3/5
With one exception, I feel like Elton is more of a singles artist than a album artist however I was decently surprised by this. Nothing groundbreaking but still very enjoyable.
Favorite track: Tiny Dancer
3.5/5
R.E.M.
3/5
There's definitely an argument to be made for "Murmur" and "Automatic for the People" being on this list but this album not as much. Its a perfectly acceptable album but come on.
Favorite track: You Are The Everything
The White Stripes
4/5
This album was released on the exact day that I was born, so I might be a bit bias when I say that this is my favorite White Stripes album. "Black Math" is my favorite song from the band it kicks so much ass. Also I gotta mention "Seven Nation Army" which is undoubtably an anthem though I think its a tad bit overrated.. The rest of the songs are pretty great too! Easily one of the most iconic rock albums of this century so far.
Favorite track: Black Math
fIREHOSE
3/5
I really enjoying getting these deep cut 80's albums even if they aren't always that great.
Favorite track: Riddle Of The Eighties
2.5/5
Harry Nilsson
4/5
One thing I've always enjoyed about this album is the amount of different tones captured in its songs. Its a pretty diverse sounding album and still manages to work. "Without You" is obviously a banger but I also really like "Gotta Get Up", "The Moonbeam Song", and "Coconut". A lovely album through and through.
Favorite track: Without You
MGMT
5/5
Now this is an album that never gets old for me. I own this on vinyl and it has one of the strongest "A sides" of any album ever. "Time to Pretend", "Weekend Wars", "The Youth", "Electric Feel", and "Kids" is an INSANE run of songs!! Unfortunately the B side isn't as great but I do like "The Handshake". Overall this is one of the best indie albums of the 00s and the perfect coming of age album. Definitely a challenge to pick a favorite song here..
Favorite track: Time to Pretend
4.5/5
Sigur Rós
4/5
This is another classic album I've been wanting to listen too for a while now. I don't know how often I will be revisiting this one but I know at some point the perfect occasion will occur and this album will hit incredibly hard. The vibes are other worldly.
Favorite track: Ný batterí
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
This early on and I've already gotten all three Hendrix albums.
I remember thinking this was the weakest of the three, and I still feel that way, but this is still a quality album.
Favorite track: Little Wing
3.5/5
Morrissey
2/5
Lesbian Morrissey
This is my first time listening to a Morrissey solo album and I think I'll stick to his stuff with the Smiths. I could not stop cringing at the lyrics of these songs. Even just the song titles are cringe. Initially I was ready to give this album a lower rating but to my surprise the second half of this album was actually pretty good. Not good enough to save it but "First of the Gang to Die" is half way decent and "I Like You" is actually really catchy. In conclusion, I am cautiously curious about the rest of Morrissey's discography.
Favorite track: I Like You
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
This is a perfectly fine album but unfortunately a bit dull. I'm still trying to get into Nick Cave and I don't think that this will be the album to get me hooked but still I'm glad I checked it out.
Favorite track: Idiot Prayer
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Perhaps I'm just an ignorant American but it can be difficult to rate some of these "world" albums. There's nothing wrong with this album, at least I don't think there is, I just don't really feel anything willing listening to it. It's cool that this generator put it on my radar but it won't be on there for very long.
Favorite track: Ai Du
2.5/5
The Police
4/5
The guy who "roasted" this album in his review made me cringe so hard.
Favorite track: Wrapped Around Your Finger
3.5/5
Adele
3/5
I don't remember there being a Cure cover on this.
This shit had a chokehold on retail radio stations for over a decade. It might as well be the official soundtrack of Target stores.
Favorite track: Set Fire to the Rain
Eels
3/5
Shrek
Favorite track: Beautiful Freak
The Band
3/5
I liked it a little more this time but still not totally impressed.
Favorite track: The Weight
3.5/5
The Zutons
3/5
A better question would be "who are the Zutons?" Like seriously, were these guys even relevant in 2004?
Favorite Track: Railroad
2.5/5
Björk
4/5
How perfect! I've been in a huge Björk mood recently and for the longest time this has been my favorite record of hers. I'm not sure if it's still my favorite since I've been really into Homogenic recently (which somehow isn't on this list) but this is at least a close second. Vespertine is a beautiful record with a sound that feels like it doesn't belong to Earth. "It's Not up to You" is a contender for best Björk song.
Favorite track: It's Not up to You
4.5/5
The Beach Boys
4/5
R.I.P Brian Wilson
Crazy coincidence to get this album the week of his passing though maybe the generator did that on purpose and it isn't a coincidence at all. Idk. Either way I'm happy to honor the legendary Brian Wilson by listening to this absolute classic. "Til I Die" hit extra hard...
Love & Mercy 🌊🌴🍹🌺🏖️
Favorite track: Disney Girls
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Keeping with the beachy/summer theme..
This is a genre defining album. Anyone who doesn't like reggae music must listen to it. "Natural Mystic", "Exodus", "Jamming", "Three Little Birds" and "One Love" are some of the highlights for me. This album will always put me in a summery mood.
Favorite track: Jamming
4.5/5
The White Stripes
4/5
Honestly this is pretty on-par with Elephant for me. Both albums have their highlights and I don't really feel like one is much better than the other. If I had to pick I think I would go with Elephant but they are very close.
Favorite track: Fell in Love with a Girl
Elton John
4/5
Elton's best album though it's not without it's skips (cough "Jamaica Jerk-Off" cough cough).
Favorite track: Bennie And The Jets
3.5/5
Dr. Dre
4/5
BEEEYOTCH!
Lot of babies whining about this album in the reviews. This is a CLASSIC I don't care. This album is what California sounds like in my head. It's got plenty of bangers and Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are both in their prime here. It's just too good.
Favorite track: Let Me Ride
4.5/5
2/5
It should have been an actual Ornette Coleman album instead.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Finally! A niche 2000s British indie album that isn't completely worthless! There's a lot of those on this list and so far this is one of the best. I can see myself revisiting this one..
Favorite track: Another Pearl
Robbie Williams
2/5
"FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS YOUR ASS IS MINE" 🐵!!
Favorite track: Angels
2.5/5
Michael Jackson
3/5
Bad is good, but not great.
The hits are there but they don't hit as hard as the ones on Thriller and neither do the B-sides. "Bad" (the song) is just a poor man's "Beat It". "Smooth Criminal" is fantastic and so is "Dirty Diana". "Man in the Mirror" I have mixed feelings about but overall its a good addition. This is still probably the last solid MJ album but it will never compare to his previous two records.
Favorite track: Smooth Criminal
3.5/5
Ian Dury
3/5
God his voice sounds so familiar but could not put my finger on it.
Honestly a fun album. Would never be a favorite of mine or anything but I'm glad I was exposed to it. Could've done with fewer shit noises though..
Favorite track: Wake up and make Love with Me
OutKast
4/5
It's hard to call this a perfect album due to how long it is, but it still kinda feels perfect to me. Its so ambitious in a way I can't really explain. It's almost like a hip hop version of "The Wall" (eh maybe not, idk). Like many, I definitely prefer "The Love Below" over "Speakerboxxx" though Big Boi's stuff is still really great even as a stand alone album. But yea, Andre is the real star of the show. "Hey Ya" is a generational pop song, easily one of the greatest of the decade. "Roses" is my personal favorite Outkast song and "Happy Valentine's Day" is also fantastic. Now that I've listened to the full album again I can say for sure that I think "Stankonia" is their best album but this is still an incredible record that is deserving of all of the praise its received.
Forget Idlewild. This was Outkast's final album.
Favorite track: Roses
The Verve
3/5
A very average britpop album that happens to have one of my favorite songs ever on it (not the one you think it is). "The Drugs Don't Work" is absolutely devastating, its like a knife to the chest. A masterpiece surrounded by mid.
Favorite track: The Drugs Don't Work
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Just beautiful.
Favorite track: So Long, Marianne
4.5/5
Isaac Hayes
4/5
"Hello there children!"
"Walk on By" absolutely carries this album. The other songs are good but DAMN.
Favorite track: Walk on By
3.5/5
Frank Black
3/5
Always been a big fan of the Pixies but this was my first time listening to Frank's solo music. It's not too bad but it definitely doesn't compare to his stuff with the band.
It's funny to me that this album cover was released the same year as that one Hole album..
Favorite track: Calistan
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Yay more Springsteen 😐
I can appreciate this album for departing from Springsteen's usual sound (I mean just look at what he released 2 years later), but unfortunately its still kinda dull.
Favorite track: Atlantic City
Morrissey
3/5
Honestly not that bad. Sounds like it could be just a weaker Smiths album which makes sense since this was his first album after leaving the group.
Favorite track: Suedehead
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Should've been "Curtis!" (1970).
Favorite track: Love to the people
DJ Shadow
4/5
One of my most slept on albums ever. Absolute classic.
Favorite track: Midnight In A Perfect World
Giant Sand
2/5
Another niche 2000s indie album. yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Favorite track: No Reply
2.5/5
Roxy Music
3/5
Good album. I can't wait for my favorite Roxy Music album "Avalon" to show up!
Favorite track: Beauty Queen
3.5/5
Ice Cube
3/5
Of all the hip hop artists to get multiple albums on this list, why Ice Cube?
This is a very angry album, but amongst that anger is one of the chillest rap songs of the 90s. "It Was A Good Day" is such a gem easily the stand out on this album though I do enjoy the more political stuff as well. Overall a good listen.
Favorite track: It Was A Good Day
3.5/5
Cream
3/5
I respect anyone who enjoys Cream, but to me there are much better 60s psychedelic artists to listen to instead.
Favorite track: Dance The Night Away
Lou Reed
4/5
Oooo I've been wanting to check this one out. I love a good rock opera and this one definitely hits the spot.
Favorite track: Lady Day
Wilco
3/5
I'm a Wilco fan but this was a bit much for me at the moment. On the first listen there seems to be quite a few solid songs on this but its gonna require some extra pruning through.
Favorite track: Someday Soon
3.5/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
total chiller album. Perfect for sitting on a porch or a rainy car ride. I forgot about the Nilsson cover on here. It's not as good as the original (how could it be?) but it's certainly a worthy cover. The original songs are nice too! Those harmonies...
Favorite track: Everybody's Talkin'
Goldfrapp
3/5
Cute album. I feel like the "electronic" label is pretty generous since I didn't get much of that out of this but whatever. I'd be curious to listen to more Goldfrapp at some point.
Favorite track: Happiness
Queen
4/5
Been a long time since I've listened to any Queen records but I remember this one being one of their better ones.
Actually this probably is the best Queen album. I have to relisten to "A Night At The Opera" before I can say for sure but yea this is pretty great.
Favorite track: Killer Queen
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Sounds like a goth fairy tale. Just beautiful. I definitely prefer HOLV but this album has a certain darkness to it that makes it irresistible. A close second no doubt.
Favorite track: Pandora (for Cindy)
The Go-Go's
3/5
I was a little confused by the obsession that music publications have with this album. Not only is it on this list but its also on the Rolling Stones top 500. But after relistening to the album I kinda get it. It's just 80s pop goodness. You gotta be a real prude not to love songs like "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got The Beat". Plenty of other fun songs here as well. This isn't a revolutionary album or anything but its catchy and fun and definitely deserves some level of praise.
Favorite track: We Got The Beat
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Honestly was pretty blown away by this one. This album has it all! Soul, pop, hip hop, funk, rock, jazz, etc. Its also got some terrific features such as Big Boi and Of Montreal. There's just so much going on here that I will definitely be returning to!
Favorite track: Cold War
Beatles
4/5
Not as good as what came after though still a total classic. Almost no skips but that "Run For Your Life" song is really creepy and feels out of place.
Favorite track: In My Life
Elvis Presley
3/5
Inoffensive but pleasant.
Favorite track: Tutti Frutti
The War On Drugs
2/5
I'm joining the "war on drugs" on the side of the drugs.
Favorite track: Under The Pressure
2.5/5
Bad Company
3/5
Sure why not.
Favorite track: Bad Company
Christina Aguilera
3/5
An hour and twenty minutes of Christina trying to sound black (it's not that bad actually).
Favorite track: Save Me from Myself
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Its been a long time since I listened to this album but I used to be a huge Arctic Monkeys fan back in high school so I was looking forward to revisiting it. I think it holds up really well. "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" is still an absolute bop and there's plenty of other bangers here. I don't think its my favorite AM record but I understand why its the one they would go with for this list.
Definitely the greatest album with a Adam Sandler look-a-like on the cover.
Favorite track: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
Julian Cope
2/5
Not a fan.
Favorite track: Safesurfer
Orbital
3/5
Might be my favorite Orbital album. Its incredibly chill. Even the album cover looks chill.
Favorite track: Sad But True
3.5/5
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Never realized how prominent the cow bell is on this album
Credit where credit is due, this is an impressive debut. Its extremely consistent and the hits are undeniable. Unfortunately I simply do not care for Axl's vocals. I can look past them at times but for the most part its whats keeping me from really enjoying this album.
Favorite song: Sweet Child Of Mine
Moby
3/5
I've been getting more into electronic music recently so I figured it was about time I listen to this, it being the best selling album of the genre and all, but I found it pretty underwhelming compared to the other stuff I've listened to. I'm glad I checked it out though.
Favorite track: Machete
Black Sabbath
4/5
I knew I'd be getting a Sabbath album today..
R.I.P. Ozzy Osbourne.
Such a larger than life figure that I was genuinely surprised to hear about his death. His influence can be seen everywhere and his music will continue to inspire so many for years to come. While this isn't my favorite Sabbath album, I'll happily round up my rating in honor of the legend that is Ozzy Osbourne.
Favorite track: Supernaut
3.5/5
Travis
3/5
Watered down Radiohead.
Favorite track: Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
Pulp
5/5
PEAK.
Here's another favorite of mine! Different Class is not only the best album by Pulp, it's also the greatest album of the britpop genre. "Common People" is an anthem that I never get sick of no matter how many times I hear it. "Bar Italia" is another favorite of mine, I love it when he goes "WHERE OTHER BROKEN PEOPLE GOOOOO". Other notable tracks include "Underwear", "Something Changed", and "Disco 2000" to name a few. This is a truly timeless record, one of the best to come out of Britain during that era.
Favorite track: Bar Italia, Common People
XTC
4/5
Definitely one of the better XTC albums. I really like all the themes of nature throughout this album and the religious commentary on "Dear God".
Favorite track: Dear God
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Definitely worth the listen.
Favorite track: Pitche Mi
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
I have this one on vinyl but haven't listened to it until now. So soothing I can't wait to listen to this as I fall asleep sometime. Just lovely.
Favorite track: All Of You
Gene Clark
5/5
One of my favorite country/folk albums ever! The title track is folk perfection, and then followed up with "Strength of Strings"!! Ugh this album deserves much more love.
Favorite track: No Other
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Groovy.
Favorite track: That's The Way Of The World
3.5/5
Miles Davis
3/5
It's been a few years since I last listened to this album and I was hoping to enjoy it more this time around, but unfortunately I didn't.. I like jazz but this just doesn't do anything for me. I'll try again in another couple years..
Favorite track: Feio
3.5/5
Eagles
3/5
"Hotel California" is the PEAK of dad rock and I will never get tired of it no matter how overplayed it is.
Favorite track: Hotel California
3.5/5
Supertramp
5/5
Ok so here's the thing. Breakfast in America by Supertramp is my number one favorite album of all time so naturally I'm a little bummed that it's not on this list... HOWEVER, I still absolutely ADORE this album and am thrilled that it was included. It's easily they're second best album and is just loaded with fantastic songs. There's not a single skip here. Only bangers.
Here's how I would rank the songs:
1. Dreamer
2. School
3. Asylum
4. Rudy
5. Hide In Your Shell
6. Bloody Well Right
7. If Everyone Was Listening
8. Crime Of The Century
Venom
3/5
These guys really love Satan huh?
Favorite track: Teacher's Pet
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
I don't trust anyone who doesn't like this album. This is jazz rap perfection.
Favorite track: Buggin' Out
4.5/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Short and sweet! It doesn't quite compare to the albums that came after it but its still a absolute delight! The harmonization on "Scarborough Fair" makes me melt.
Favorite track: Scarborough Fair/Canticle
Carpenters
2/5
I think I agree with the hippie's on this one. This album is very bland and overly-sappy. The Carpenters have some hits that I enjoy, but other than the title track, they're all on other albums. Instead we have boring love songs and a shitty "Help" cover..
Favorite track: (They Long To Be) Close To You
2.5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue on this??? Yup this is officially my favorite Nick Caves album so far.
Favorite track: Henry Lee
Blondie
4/5
Such a classic. Who doesn't love "Hanging On The Telephone", "One Way Or Another" and of course "Heart Of Glass"! Also that album cover will always kick ass. Good shit.
Favorite track: Heart Of Glass
Neneh Cherry
3/5
This was a surprise honestly. It's very cheesy and dated but man is it a good time. I do wish it was more trip hoppy because the electronic elements were definitely the highlight for me but oh well. I love getting little gems like this from the generator. Makes the whole thing totally worth it!
Favorite track: Buffalo Stance
3.5/5
The Cure
4/5
Might be the darkest album from the Cure. I enjoy it more and more each time I've revisited it.
Favorite track: The Hanging Garden
5/5
Finally a David Bowie album! and it happens to be his very best!
This is just pure perfection. It's been one of my absolute favorites for several years now and it still sounds so fresh to me as if I were hearing it for the first time. I feel pretty confident that this is one of the greatest records ever conceived.
Here's my song ranking (1-3 are pretty much tied).
1. Five Years
2. Moonage Daydream
3. Starman
4. Rock 'n' Roll Suicide
5. Suffragette City
6. Soul Love
7. Ziggy Stardust
8. Star
9. Lady Stardust
10. Hang on to Yourself
11. It Ain't Easy
The Monks
3/5
You know what, hell yea
Favorite track: We Do Wie Du
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
An effortlessly cool album. I really gotta watch the Superfly film that accompanies this album.
Favorite track: Pusherman
The Hives
3/5
Compilation albums have no place on a list like this. As far as I'm aware this is the only one on the list so it's at least better than the Rolling Stones list, but still I don't see why they didn't just put "Veni Vidi Vicious" on here instead.
That being said, I do like the Hives. They're like the Strokes but more punk. I'm fine with them being on this list, I just wish it was an actual studio album.
Favorite track: Hate To Say I Told You So
Coldplay
3/5
Not a huge fan of Coldplay but their first few albums are actually pretty enjoyable. Very easy-going. I personally prefer "Parachutes" but this one is good too.
Favorite track: Clocks
3.5/5
David Bowie
4/5
Yay more David Bowie!
"Low" is my favorite of Bowie's Berlin trilogy. It perfectly blends his signature glam rock sound with Eno-esque ambience. A unique and enjoyable listening experience.
Favorite track: Sound and Vision
John Lee Hooker
3/5
I wish I liked this more because there's nothing inherently wrong with it but unfortunately blues music is just not really my jam so I felt next to nothing while listening to this record (I'm gonna give it a decent rating anyways).
Favorite track: The Healer
2.5/5
Van Halen
3/5
I don't trust anyone who prefers this version of "You Really Got Me" over the original by the Kinks..
Favorite track: Runnin' with the Devil
Rod Stewart
2/5
I do like "Every Picture Tells A Story" and I was expecting just more of that, but for some reason this album really got on my nerves. The repetitiveness of some of these songs really drives me crazy and Rod's voice only makes it worse. Not a good time.
The Young Gods
2/5
Out of all the years, they did 1989 the most dirty. Some of the these picks feel so random. Where's "Floating Into the Night" or "Beneath the Remains" or "Streetcleaner" or "Hats" or "Pretty Hate Machine" or "Energy" by Operation Ivy or "Wrong" by NoMeansNo? All these amazing albums and instead we get stuff from John Zorn, fIREHOSE, the Young Gods and fucking Aerosmith. Nothing against this album specifically just something I've noticed.
Favorite track: Charlotte
Steely Dan
4/5
I'm glad I revisited this because it's a whole lot better than I remember. This is a crazy debut with some of the bands biggest songs on it. Like what do you mean "Do It Again", "Dirty Work", "Only A Fool Would Say That" and "Reelin' In The Years" are all on one album!? That's damn impressive. The deep cuts aren't bad either. I don't know if it's they're best album but there's definitely an argument to be made for it.
Favorite track: Do It Again
3/5
PJ goes full Fiona Apple here.
Favorite track: Big Exit
3.5/5
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
I hate to use the word "gimmicky", since using one specific instrument prominently shouldn't be considered a gimmick, but man does this album feel gimmicky.. The cover of "Apache" at the beginning is pretty great but after that this album becomes very draining. I'm sorry I just don't care about bongos. Also the "Satisfaction" cover is pretty lame.
Favorite track: Apache
The Lemonheads
3/5
I already forgot what this sounded like..
Favorite track: Mrs. Robinson
Cat Stevens
4/5
This is the definition of a comfort album. Its nostalgic, its friendly, its warm. It almost feels like it was made for children which I mean in the best way possible. "Where Do The Children Play?", "Hard Headed Woman", and "Wild World" is a pretty insane three song run. After that it kinda loses some steam but comes back in the end with "Father And Son". Overall a lovely album that was a treat to revisit.
Favorite track: Where Do The Children Play?
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
First time listening to any Captain Beefheart. Kinda underwhelming since I was expecting something much stranger. I'm looking forward to the infamous Trout Mask Replica which should be more satisfying.
Favorite track: Where There's Woman
Meat Loaf
3/5
Before hearing this, the only Meat Loaf song I knew was his track from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (one of the best in the film btw). I was aware of this album and its huge success, but I never understood why it was so big. After finally giving it a listen, I get it a little more now, though it still feels like a bit of an anomaly to me. Doesn't matter though. This album kicks ass. It really does feel like the soundtrack to a theater musical production (I mean it literally was adapted into a musical at one point). Its so over the top in all the right ways! A hell of a good time.
Favorite track: Bat Out Of Hell
3.5/5
Tears For Fears
5/5
Any album with "Shout", "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Head Over Heels" on it is an automatic 5 stars from me. Besides those even the B-sides like "Mother Talk" and "I Believe" are bangers! Simply put, this is one of the greatest new wave albums of all time and one of the greatest of the 80s overall.
Favorite track: Head Over Heels
Supergrass
3/5
This is my first time listening to this album in full. Before I only knew "Alright".
This is a pretty average britpop album. It's full of energy and has a bit of a charm to it. I really liked how "Strange Ones" relates back to "I'd Like to Know" both of which are highlights for me. Moments like this and the aforementioned "Alright" are really great but for the most part it doesn't beat what other britpop bands were doing at the time. I personally prefer Supergrass' 2005 album Road to Rouen. I'd recommend it if you're interested.
Favorite track: Alright
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Recently I've looking for more post-70s jazz albums but this ain't it. Not bad but nothing special
2.5/5
The Everly Brothers
3/5
Go on a date with two brothers? What kind of fucked up shit is this?
Favorite track: Stick With Me Baby
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Zippo album cover > joint album cover
About equal to Exodus for me. Doesn't have as many big hits but damn is it consistent. If Exodus is the best reggae album of all time then this is the second best..
Favorite track: Stir It Up
4.5/5
T. Rex
4/5
I love T. Rex but I've only ever listened to Electric Warrior so I was excited to check this one out. While it doesn't have as many heavy-hitters as Electric Warrior its still a lot of fun! I especially enjoyed those first 3 tracks.
Favorite track: Rock On
Mercury Rev
4/5
What a gem! I've never heard of this band before now and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this record! I can definitely see where the Flaming Lips comparison comes from which is a good thing since I love the Flaming Lips. I will definitely revisit this at some point as well as check out the band's other projects. I could see this becoming a potential favorite after some time..
Favorite track: Holes
Big Star
3/5
Wait.. Big Star is actually good?
I first listened to Big Star when going through the Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums back in 2023. That list had three Big Star albums and at the time I really didn't care for them. But that was a while ago and I haven't listened to any Big Star since. To my surprise, they're not bad. Nothing crazy, but definitely better than I remember. Makes me curious to relisten to the other two Big Star albums that were on that list.
Favorite track: The Ballad Of El Goodo
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I thought that this was my favorite Led Zeppelin album but now I'm not sure. There isn't really one that stands out to me as being better than the rest. I think I have to relisten to Zeppelin 4 and Physical Graffiti again.
Anyways this is an obvious classic with obviously classic songs. 8/10.
Favorite track: Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
Peter Tosh
3/5
Pretty average reggae album.
Favorite track: Legalize It
Television
4/5
This is a post punk essential for sure. I don't love it as much as others do but its growing on me. I feel like every song on here kinda sounds the same but in a good way. Call it consistency I don't know. "See No Evil" is fantastic and so is the title track.
Favorite track: See No Evil
Radiohead
5/5
My second favorite Radiohead album. Its nearly perfect. No skips, plenty of bangers including "15 Steps", "Weird Fishes", "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", "House Of Cards" and many more. Thom and the boys really cooked with this one.
Favorite track: Jigsaw Falling Into Place
4.5/5
Gram Parsons
3/5
Now this is the kind of country that I like! Emmylou Harris carried a lot of it though..
Favorite track: $1000 Wedding
3.5/5
Duke Ellington
4/5
Listened to the 1999 remastered version which I don't think was that necessary since its over 2 hours long, but I didn't mind since the vibes were good. Next time though I'm just gonna listen to the original since its probably better anyways.
Favorite track: Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue
Dagmar Krause
1/5
Yikes. I can see why this is one of the lowest rated albums here. I think personally its the second worst I've heard so far (after Kid Rock of course). One of the most unpleasant album listening experiences I've had in a while.
The Who
4/5
THEY'RE ALL WASTED.
Gotta be the Who's best album.
Favorite track: Baba O'Riley
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
The first song with Sinead O'Connor is genuinely fantastic and the second song is pretty great too, then it all goes to shit after that.
One of the many things I've gotten out of this experience is that "world" is one of the worst ways to classify music.
Favorite track: Visions of You
1.5/5
Weather Report
3/5
Album cover is dope.
Favorite track: A Remark You Made
3.5/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
Not as good as Folsom but still a good time. Cash sure does know how to play an audience. I love all the banter, it really adds to the charm. I do wish the curse words weren't bleeped out in such a disruptive way. I'm not sure if every version of the album is like that but its pretty annoying.
Favorite track: A Boy Named Sue
3.5/5
Tom Tom Club
3/5
This is another one that I've been wanting to check out for awhile. While its definitely not as good as what the Talking Heads were releasing around the same time, its still an enjoyable record. "Genius of Love" is the obvious highlight and unfortunately I don't think the rest of the album really compares.
Favorite track: Genius of Love
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Once again I find it rather difficult to rate these "world" albums. This one was pretty enjoyable though.
Favorite track: Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam
Suede
3/5
I need to listen to more Suede.
Favorite track: So Young
3.5/5
Arcade Fire
4/5
I've never been that into Arcade Fire but this is GOLD. Easily their best record.
Favorite track: Wake Up
4.5/5
The Prodigy
4/5
HELL YEAH.
Favorite track: No Good (Start the Dance)
The Smiths
5/5
Near damn perfect. The Smiths' best album by a long shot. This album has many of their best songs and no real skips. I'm surprised to see all of the negative reviews. I hate Morrissey too, but c'mon this is a masterpiece.
Favorite track: Frankly, Mr. Shankly
4.5/5
Talking Heads
4/5
I don't often revisit the Talking Heads 70s stuff so it was nice to hear this again after so many years. While its still not as good as their 80s stuff in my opinion, this is still a very fun album. I've always enjoyed this album cover for some reason.
Favorite track: The Good Thing
3.5/5
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Based on the name of the band I was expecting some cool riot qirl band or something but that's not what this is. Not even a female vocalist... Oh well still pretty decent alt rock album
Favorite track: Bullet Proof Cupid
The Residents
3/5
I'm not gonna pretend i don't understand why this is so low rated, but I definitely don't think it deserves to be the third lowest rated album (the lowest I've received so far). How could this possibly be worse than "Devil Without a Cause" or "Tank Battles"? I thought it was fun. It's very experimental but in a humorous way which I enjoyed. There were a number of highlights and it was never overly annoying to me. I've been wanting to get into the Residents for awhile now so I'm happy to have had an excuse to finally check them out.
I'd take the Residents over another Elvis Costello or Morrissey album any day.
Favorite track: The Booker Tease
Willie Nelson
4/5
Good Ol' Willie! Incredibly relaxing and sweet. Definitely my type of country!
Favorite track: Blue Skies
3.5/5
Jurassic 5
4/5
I wanted to like this a lot more since I hadn't gotten a hip hop album in over a month but this didn't really blow me away all that much. That being said I still enjoyed this album thoroughly and could see myself coming back and possibly liking it more. The more hip hop on this list the better I feel.
Favorite track: Hey
3.5/5
Lou Reed
5/5
Phenomenal. This is one of those albums that grows on me more and more upon each visit. Bowie's contributions here are what really makes this something special!
Here's my track ranking:
1. Satellite of Love
2. Goodnight Ladies
3. Perfect Day
4. Walk On the Wild Side
5. Make Up
6. Vicious
7. Wagon Wheel
8. Andy's Chest
9. Hangin' Round
10. I'm So Free
11. New York Telephone Conversation
4.5/5
The Undertones
4/5
Was really surprised by this one. I would definitely listen to this again and I'm excited to hear more from the Undertones!
Favorite track: Under The Boardwalk
3.5/5
Patti Smith
4/5
Another album that continues to grow on me. Patti is like the grandmother of punk 🤘
Favorite track: Gloria
Stereo MC's
2/5
Starts out pretty fun, until it's not. I'm not a hater but I really don't see why this has to be here.
Favorite track: Connected
2.5/5
Beastie Boys
4/5
My favorite Beastie Boys album and "Car Thief" is my favorite Beastie Boys song. A sampling fan's paradise.
Favorite track: Car Thief
The Who
4/5
I haven't listened to this since high school. I always knew this was a rock opera but I never knew the story it was trying to tell. I read the Wikipedia synopsis and I seriously didn't realize how INSANE this album is. Tommy gets tortured by his cousin and sexually abused by his uncle and then the next song is about how good he is at pinball?!? Wtf?? Honestly makes me enjoy this album much more than I thought I would after writing it off for so many years. Easily the most interesting album released by the Who.
Favorite track: Pinball Wizard
3.5/5
David Bowie
4/5
This album has slowly grown on me overtime, but I still don't love it as much as I wish I did. Even if it hasn't completely clicked with me yet I still have nothing but respect and appreciation for how triumphant this album is. Bowie really went out with a bang here and in a way that really only he could've. RIP to the goat.
Favorite track: I Can't Give Everything Away
★★★½
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
Where was this last year when I was in my 80s new wave phase?
This album was a treat. Reminded me a lot of the Cure and Depeche Mode but more electric. I want to give this a higher rating but I wasn't into side B as much as side A. Still fantastic. I would definitely listen to this album again and will be checking out more from OMD.
Favorite track: Souvenir
Little Richard
3/5
Classic album. Easy to listen to.
Favorite track: Tutti Frutti
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
"Please turn me over" 🤖
ELO's most popular record thanks to the inclusion of their biggest hit. Personally I prefer "Time" and "A New World Record", but this is still a fantastic album. Very consistent despite its longer length.
Favorite track: Turn to Stone
Blue Cheer
3/5
Pretty average 60s psychedelic rock.
Favorite track: Summertime Blues
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I know these guys have at least one great album, I just haven't received it yet...
Favorite track: Do It Clean
Baaba Maal
2/5
I feel kinda bad about this one but I just don't care unfortunately.
4/5
This has always been a mixed bag for me but overall its pretty fantastic. Many of the Beatles best songs are on here, most notably "A Day In The Life" which is just unbelievably good. One of their very best. On the flipside, I think that "Lovely Rita" might be my least favorite Beatles song. That one actually pisses me off for some reason. Thats the only real stinker though, otherwise its nothing but classics. Not my favorite Beatles album, but always a treat to revisit.
Favorite track: A Day In The Life
Neil Young
5/5
My second favorite Neil Young album after "Harvest". It doesn't have the hits like that album does but it makes up for it in raw emotion. Also probably my favorite Neil Young album cover.
Favorite track: Motion Pictures
4.5/5
Jeff Buckley
5/5
Almost perfect to me. Just timeless.
Favorite track: Forget Her
4.5/5
Adele
3/5
More of the same stuff from Adele. If you like "21" you'll like this.
Apparently this album had the record for first week album sales until just recently being beat by Taylor Swift's "Life of a Showgirl". Even though I wasn't that impressed by this album, it's at least much better than that dog shit. Whatever man.
Favorite track: Million Years Ago
2.5/5
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
A chill and harmless little album you could play in front of your grandmother. Yea, I can't hate this. This is 60s music in its purest form. Also it just casually has one of the greatest songs of the decade on it...
Favorite track: Take a fucking guess...
Bauhaus
3/5
I was a little disappointed by this one. I enjoyed it enough but I expected a little more from Bauhaus.
Favorite track: The Passion of Lovers
Faith No More
4/5
Second time listening. Hit harder this time around though I don't think my rating has changed (for now). I think "Angel Dust" deserves to be here more but this is still a kick-ass album.
Favorite track: Underwater Love
3.5/5
The Clash
5/5
I definitely understand why this is highest rated punk album on here. Its very accessible but also of quality. Almost 20 songs yet it manages to stay fresh throughout. A classic in just about every sense. Even the album cover is fucking legendary. One of my personal top five album covers I think. It was really hard to pick a favorite from this album. Usually I would say "Lost in the Supermarket" but recently I've been more into "Death or Glory". Also the title track is worth mentioning. Overall this is a genre defining album that I always look forward to revisiting.
Favorite track: Death or Glory
4.5/5
Gang Starr
3/5
Another classic example of "right artist, wrong album". In this case it should have been Gang Starr's 1998 album "Moment of Truth". Regardless, this is a solid hip hop album. Makes me wanna listen to more Gang Starr since this is only the second album of their's that I've listened to from start to finish. Good stuff.
Favorite track: Execution Of A Chump
Miles Davis
4/5
I've been getting more into jazz over the last several months so I was excited to revisit this album since last time I wasn't super into it. I definitely enjoyed it a lot more this time around but still not as much as I ought to. Guess I'm not the jazz connoisseur I thought I was... I'll try again later.
Favorite track: Flamenco Sketches
CHIC
3/5
Very chic.
Favorite track: Sometimes You Win
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Probably my favorite VU album. Some of the songs on this album sound like they could've come out this decade. Neat stuff.
Favorite track: Candy Says
4.5/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
LETS FUCKING GO!
Not only is this my favorite Pink Floyd album, its also one of my favorite albums of all time. I honestly believe that this is the closest there is to a PERFECT album. Also the title track is one of my favorite songs of all time, like easily top 5. Ugh, I just love this album so much. Absolutely flawless.
Here's my track ranking:
1. Wish You Were Here
2. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 1-5)
3. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 6-9)
4. Welcome to the Machine
5. Have a Cigar
Butthole Surfers
4/5
Don't see what all the fuss is about, I fuck with this. There needs to be more oddball albums on the list!
Favorite track: Human Cannonball
Beatles
5/5
Numbah nine..
I go back and forth between this and Abbey Road being my favorite Beatles album. It's impossible to pick but the only thing holding this back is its length. Overall I don't mind the length of this album since most of the songs are good, but I do feel like the first half is quite a bit better than the second. The first half alone is a 10/10. Second half is probably an 8/10... Regardless, this album rules. Because of its length, this album has more bangers than any other Beatles record. Picking a favorite is almost impossible if not for "Gently Weeps" being here. Then theres "Dear Prudence", "Happiness Is a Warm Gun", "Rocky Raccoon", "Don't Pass Me By", "Helter Skelter", the list goes on and on. Truly a phenomenal album.
Favorite track: While My Guitar Gently Weeps
4.5/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Where do I even begin? This is probably the most important album in my life. It was the first album that I really fell in love with back when I first heard it in High School. I was so blown away by all the theatrics and the narrative that it literally felt like a movie to me (I later watched the film adaptation which made me love the album even more). At the time I had no idea you could tell a story like this with music. I then discovered the rest of Pink Floyd's discography and became obsessed with the band. Since then I no longer consider it my favorite album (not even my favorite Floyd album) but I still deeply cherish this album and the influence it has had on me. I like to think that my entire taste in music stems from this album in some way. Due to its length I don't revisit this album as often as some of the other Pink Floyd albums so it was a real treat to hear it again in whole. In my heart there will always be a brick wall and that fucking "asshole" judge.
Favorite track: The Trial
The Zombies
4/5
No way. I was literally just talking to my girlfriend about how "Time of the Season" is the most soulful song ever produced by white people lol.
Another one of those albums that gets better each time you listen to it. And yea, "Time of the Season" is one of the greatest songs of all time obviously.
Favorite track: Time of the Season
4.5/5
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Another lovely jazz record that I hadn't listened to before. I'm a big fan of the title track. Cool jazz at its finest.
I haven't given any ratings lower than a 4 in a whole week. I honestly am kinda hoping for something more mediocre next lol.
Favorite track: Time Out
Randy Newman
2/5
I listened to "Sail Away" by Randy Newman a few years back because it was on the Rolling Stones top albums list and I didn't really like it at the time. After listening to this I don't think my opinion has changed at all. I really don't care for his vocals and I have hard time separating his sound from the Toy Story franchise. I like Toy Story and all, but it gets to a point where thats all I can think about when I listen to his music.
There are some stand-out moments on this album, most notably the opening track "Rednecks". This song is controversial due to its numerous uses of the N-word. I acknowledge that its a satirical song and I honestly really enjoy the commentary of it, but man do I wish he didn't use that word so frequently in it. It's a shame because it really is the most interesting (and catchy) song on the album. Other than that this is a pretty average piano rock album.
Favorite song: ...Rednecks
2.5/5
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Very fun! How can you not wanna bust a move to "Praise You", "right Here, Right Now", and "The Rockafeller Shank"?
Favorite track: The Rockafeller Shank
Koffi Olomide
2/5
I don't have much to say about the quality of this guy's music, nor will I comment on his many controversies (it is pretty bad though). What I will talk about how god-awful this album cover is. The horrible composition of it, the random-ass fonts, the stupid fucking photo of Koffi. This is easily one of the worst album covers on this entire list. It's not even charming in a campy 90s way. Truly egregious stuff.
The Who
3/5
This is one of those live albums that I feel like you need to already be massive fan of the band to really enjoy. I like the Who and all but I think I would rather just listen to one of their studio albums from this era.
Favorite track: My Generation / Medley
Cornershop
3/5
The first two songs were nice, but after that it lost me. I prefer the Fatboy Slim version of "Brimful Of Asha". The album version is good but it feels like its missing something. I feel like I could grow to like this more since it reminds me a lot of Primal Scream which is a band that I've really grown to love but we'll see.
Favorite track: Sleep on the Left Side
Ash
3/5
Don't have much to say here. I liked it :)
Favorite track: Girl from Mars
3.5/5
Solomon Burke
3/5
An enjoyable album. I would listen to it again honestly.
Favorite track: If You Need Me
Destiny's Child
2/5
I went into this optimistically because I remember enjoying Destiny's Child in the past, but after the first few songs I began feeling more negatively about this album. Many of the songs felt petty and cringe. I like the title track and a few other songs but nothing I really loved. The whole thing sounds very Y2K which can be charming but it mostly feels pretty dated.
Also, I don't know if this is a hot take or not but pop albums shouldn't be an hour long in my opinion. I don't usually mind longer albums when its a rock or hip hop album but I feel like pop albums tend to feel extra bloated as soon as they're over 45 minutes. Idk.
Favorite track: Survivor
2.5/5
The Offspring
4/5
I used to really love the Offspring back in high school with "Americana" being my favorite album by them. Now they're a little cringe to me but it was nice revisiting this album after all these years. I would give this a 3.5 out of 5 but I'll round up out of nostalgia.
Favorite track: Self Esteem
3.5/5
Elliott Smith
5/5
I don't listen to a lot of Elliot Smith so I had forgotten how great this album is but GODDAMN. Easily his best album.
Favorite track: Pictures of Me
4.5/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
Finally a "world" record that I can confidently say is a banger.
Favorite track: Zombie
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Another album that I haven't heard in full for years.
It's definitely not perfect. Some of it is pretty dated and some of the skits are pretty awful (the sloppy blowjob one especially), but its still a classic. Easily a top 10 most essential hip hop album. The hits are fantastic and so are some of the lesser-known tracks. I've always thought that "Suicidal Thoughts" was a pretty badass song, definitely my favorite of the album. I personally prefer "Life After Death" more as an album, but it's a no-brainer for this to be on the list over that one.
Favorite track: Suicidal Thoughts
Happy Mondays
4/5
I wanna listen to more Madchester music.
Favorite track: Kinky Afro
3.5/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
First Dylan album I've received. Bob Dylan is the quintessential fall artist for me so I'm glad I got one of his albums before the season ended.
Favorite track: Tambourine Man
Thundercat
3/5
I like this album for blending so many genres together to create a really unique sound. It's got elements of soul, funk, rock, hip hop, jazz and more. It's also quirky and nerdy and overall very chill. Some good features here too. Overall it was nice revisiting this album even if its not a favorite of mine.
Favorite track: Them Changes
3.5/5
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
One of the greatest band names of all time
Favorite song: Hot Burrito #1
3.5/5
Willie Nelson
3/5
Another country classic.
Favorite track: Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain
Judas Priest
4/5
I've listened to a hand-full of Judas Priest albums here and there but somehow their most commercially successful album has escaped me. I thought that this was pretty fun. I don't care if its more commercial its still a solid rock album. In the best way possible, it sounds like if Tenacious D tried to be a serious band. I will say that "Painkiller" by JP should've been here instead, but I'm not too upset about this one.
Favorite track: The Rage
3.5/5
William Orbit
4/5
What a surprise! This is the exact type of music I was looking for over the summer. Not sure why it's so low rated on here and on other music rating sites. I understand that not everyone likes electronic music but there are some serious jams on this thing. That opening track is absolutely phenomenal. Admittedly, the second half is a bit slower but I don't mind it that much. Definitely gotta check out more from Mr. Orbit.
Favorite track: Water From A Vine Leaf
Lightning Bolt
2/5
I was initially excited because I've been enjoying a lot of the lower rated albums on this list and thought this might be another underrated gem, but after listening to it I can definitely understand where the hate comes from.
This is just not enjoyable man. Fleeting moments of it are kinda interesting but for the most part its just harsh noise. It didn't help that I listened to this while working on some extremely mundane homework so it made me feel like I was gonna lose my mind. Like I said, I really wanted to like it but I just can't defend this one... that would be unfair to ears and brain.
Favorite track: Assassins
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Sometimes the hipsters are right about things. A perfect album for fall going into winter.
Favorite track: White Winter Hymnal
3.5/5
Korn
2/5
First time listening to a Korn album in full and it's about as I would've expected. At times its kinda fun but a lot of the time its just annoying. Certainly better than Bizkit but that's a pretty low bar isn't it?
Favorite track: Got the Life
2.5/5
The Cardigans
3/5
This is a cute little album. I absolutely love the "Iron Man" cover. It works a lot better than you would think.
Favorite track: Step On Me
3.5/5
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Eh not really my thing. The vocals are kind of annoying and the "Comfortably Numb" cover sucks ass.
Favorite track: It Can't Come Quickly Enough
2.5/5
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Based on the title and album cover I was expecting some Southern hill-billy nonsense but this was actually pretty chill.
Favorite track: Back At The Chicken Shack
Beck
3/5
The heads on the album cover remind me of Spirited Away.
Favorite track: E-Pro
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I was excited to revisit this album since I have underrated it in the past but unfortunately it did not win me over this time around.
I fully acknowledge this album's influence on genre's like punk and noise rock, but I'm just not that into it. Definitely my least favorite Velvet Underground album (excluding you know what).
Favorite track: Here She Comes Now
3.5/5
Alice In Chains
4/5
This album just gets better and better upon each listen, though I don't think it's a five yet. Still very good. Easily one of the best of the grunge era.
Favorite track: Rain When I Die
4.5/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
"Nutrocker" was honestly pretty great.
Favorite track: Nutrocker
The Who
3/5
I've gotten all five Who albums on the list (not including user submissions) all within my first year of the project. That's a lot of Who in one year...
This one was a fun revisit. I honestly enjoy the commercials. They're really fun and blend well with the actual songs. While I'm not super into the music itself, this album has a lot of personality that makes it worth checking out.
Here's how I would rank the five albums:
1. Who's Next
2. Tommy
3. The Who Sell Out
4. My Generation
5. Live At Leeds
Favorite track: Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand
Björk
4/5
Here's a Björk album that I don't listen to much so I was excited to revisit it. I definitely don't understand why they picked this album over "Post" and "Homogenic", but ignoring that this is still really great album.
Favorite track: History of Touches
3.5/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
Second favorite Bob album...
Favorite track: Tangled up in Blue
4.5/5
Carole King
4/5
An effortlessly likable album. This is an album that appeals to every demographic from music nerds to more casual listeners to your grandmother. Absolutely timeless.
Favorite track: It's Too Late
Gotan Project
3/5
The most French album ever.
Favorite track: Queremos paz
Garbage
4/5
This album is so badass. "Queer", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Stupid Girl" and "Milk" are all bangers.
Favorite track: Only Happy When It Rains
3.5/5
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
I don't know what to say. This is chill.
Favorite track: Balade de Melody Nelson
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Solid.
Favorite track: Orgullecida
3.5/5
Skepta
2/5
This is the first hip hop album I've gotten that's pretty bad. I'm not necessarily against British hip hop, but this is not a good case for it.
Favorite track: Numbers
1.5/5
Cocteau Twins
5/5
There are actually people on here that listen to this and say "yeah this is a one star album". Fucked up. It should be physically impossible to give this anything lower than a four. This is an all-time great.
Favorite track: Heaven Or Las Vegas
4.5/5
Frank Zappa
4/5
Perfect blend of rock and jazz. Frank Zappa's best in my opinion.
Favorite track: Peaches En Regalia
Al Green
3/5
Gotta love Al. This isn't my favorite of his albums but it's still very enjoyable.
Favorite track: Let's Stay Together
3.5/5
Otis Redding
4/5
Mostly covers but damn good covers.
Favorite track: A Change Is Gonna Come
George Harrison
4/5
Easily one of the best Beatles solo albums. Yea sure its pretty long, but that just mean its loaded with bangers. I adore songs like "Isn't It a Pity", "Beware of Darkness" and the title track so much. Then there's "My Sweet Lord" which is one of my top 5 songs of all time. That song is unbelievably good. Overall, this album proves that George had just as much (if not more) talent as John and Paul.
Favorite track: My Sweet Lord
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Alright.
Favorite track: You Don't Own Me