1001 Albums Summary

Listening statistics & highlights

539
Albums Rated
3.35
Average Rating
49%
Complete
550 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

1950
Favorite Decade
Latin
Favorite Genre
Other
Top Origin ?
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
130
5-Star Albums
59
1-Star Albums

Breakdown

By Genre

Top Styles

By Decade

By Origin

Albums

You Love More Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
5 1.95 +3.05
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
5 2.62 +2.38
Shalimar
Rahul Dev Burman
5 2.64 +2.36
Sex Packets
Digital Underground
5 2.66 +2.34
90
808 State
5 2.69 +2.31
Orbital 2
Orbital
5 2.7 +2.3
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
5 2.71 +2.29
Palo Congo
Sabu
5 2.71 +2.29
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
5 2.78 +2.22
The White Room
The KLF
5 2.78 +2.22

You Love Less Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
The White Album
Beatles
1 4.17 -3.17
London Calling
The Clash
1 3.96 -2.96
In Rainbows
Radiohead
1 3.86 -2.86
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
1 3.68 -2.68
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
1 3.62 -2.62
Low
David Bowie
1 3.54 -2.54
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1 3.53 -2.53
The Clash
The Clash
1 3.52 -2.52
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
1 3.46 -2.46
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
1 3.45 -2.45

Artists

Favorites

ArtistAlbumsAverage
Led Zeppelin 5 5
Johnny Cash 3 5
Black Sabbath 3 5
Jimi Hendrix 3 5
The Who 4 4.5
Brian Eno 3 4.67
Miles Davis 2 5
Portishead 2 5
Björk 2 5
The Chemical Brothers 2 5
Kraftwerk 2 5
Dire Straits 2 5
Amy Winehouse 2 5
Stan Getz 2 5
ZZ Top 2 5
Prince 2 5
Simon & Garfunkel 3 4.33
Metallica 3 4.33

Least Favorites

ArtistAlbumsAverage
Elvis Costello & The Attractions 3 1.33
Steely Dan 3 1.33
Bill Evans Trio 2 1
The Clash 2 1
Kings of Leon 2 1.5
The Verve 2 1.5
The Cure 3 2
The Kinks 4 2.25

Controversial

ArtistRatings
Nick Drake 1, 5
XTC 1, 4
R.E.M. 1, 4
Barry Adamson 5, 2
Roxy Music 4, 1

5-Star Albums (130)

View Album Wall

Popular Reviews

Kollaps by Einstürzende Neubauten

The root of Industrial music. While I won't be coming back to this album, it is key to understanding where bands like Nine Inch Nails and Ministry came from. Never did I think I'd enjoy listening to German men scream at me while somewhat rhythmically beating on trashcans. It's not the WORST album on the list, in spite of everyone's hatred of the album. It's definitely not the best either. I don't think there's a traditional instrument played on the entire album. My Rating: 5/5. Only so I can help put Kid Rock where he needs to be. Actually it's a 3. Save the turtles!

Triangle by The Beau Brummels

This was about interesting as listening to paint dry. I need another pseudo psychedelic 60s rock band to listen to like I need a second right pinky finger. Utter pap. Cut it out, the 60s weren't that great for music. Neither were the 70s.

Figure 8 by Elliott Smith

Were I feeling like I was super manic happy and needed something to bring me down to ground me, this might be an appropriate album. Dear God, this album needs to come with a prescription for Prozac. So melancholy, so down, so emo. No thanks. I don't listen to music to bring me down, the world does that enough for me. Great if you're an emo fan, horrible if you're not. No thanks, 1/5

In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra

All you emo kids thought you knew sadness. Frankie wears sorrow like it's his favorite overcoat, and sings all about it. This is, by far, the bluest blues album I have ever heard. "Mood Indigo"? "Can't We Be Friends?" "I'll Be Around"? Come on. Emo kids are writing haiku about rain and Frankie pulls this tearjerker of an album off with grace and panache. The sighs between the lyrics punctuate the sadness over lost love and longing like nothing else. My Rating: 5 tears

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Neil Young. Man, this album started out strong. Cinnamon Girl? Classic. After that, it WAY drops off into 60's singer songwriter guitar noodling. And the violin noodling on Running Dry sounded more like Chinese music. No, Neil. Just no. My Rating: 1/5

4-Star Albums (129)

1-Star Albums (59)

All Ratings (539)

Jan 19 2025

Solid Elton John pop album. Lots of hits. I still don't like the original Saturday Night's Alright, but that's just me.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard by Bill Evans Trio
Jan 19 2025

It's jazz. Piano, Drums, Bass. It's also a live album, and for some reason they decided to add multiple takes of the same song on the album. I already don't like jazz, and it all sounds the same to me, and then you put two takes of each song on the album with no discernable difference? That's just confusing. Sorry man. You're talented, but I hope I never have to listen to you again.

Dusty In Memphis by Dusty Springfield
Jan 20 2025

Not my thing, but it wasn't unlistenable. It was worth it just to listen to "Son of a Preacher Man" and her rendition of "You've Got a Friend".

Africa Brasil by Jorge Ben Jor
Jan 21 2025

Very different than what I was expecting. Brash, loud, smooth, amazing. Hearing Brazilian Portuguese sung like that was a wonderful difference than what I'm used to hearing. It won't go on normal rotation, but I'm glad I heard it.

White Blood Cells by The White Stripes
Jan 22 2025

It's ok. I'm not a big White Stripes/Jack White fan. It was catchy.

Pump by Aerosmith
Jan 23 2025

It's Aerosmith. I didn't realize some of those songs had such interesting intros to them, as I'd only heard them on the radio.

Jan 24 2025

I'm sure that the Avant-garde jazz folks love this album. I can tell the musicians are talented, but.... It sounds like a bunch of folks on stage just noodling away with their instruments. I liked the couple of bits of flamenco guitar in there, but that was an accent on one piece, not even enough to say it made up a song. For me, 1/5. Please, no more jazz.

The Band by The Band
Jan 25 2025

Why is this album on the list? There's isn't a single notable song on the entire album. Nothing that screamed at me "listen to me again". The only song on the album I'd heard before was "Up on Cripple Creek", and that song really isn't that good. It's just '60's roots rock nothingness. Rating: 1/5. Hard pass.

Bat Out Of Hell by Meat Loaf
Jan 26 2025

I hadn't listened to the entire album, but I knew some of the songs. Pretty good in it's entirety, even though it's supposed to be a musical.

The Wall by Pink Floyd
Jan 27 2025

I don't think I'm alone in the idea that you have to be impaired in some way to enjoy Pink Floyd. This album requires the least amount of impairment. There's good songs on here that everyone has heard multiple times on multiple classic rock radio stations. It's not the genius album everyone thinks it is, especially the diehard Floyd fans. It's good, but not that good.

Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake
Jan 28 2025

I'm not impressed. I get that he is a talented musician, but I don't get the point. I'm not turned on by any of it. It sounds like every other '60's era folk/pop. Nothing notable. My rating: 1/5

Leftism by Leftfield
Jan 29 2025

This is more like it! I hear the beginnings of nine inch nails in here, early club techno. Lots of good stuff here. I need to listen to it more, but this is one I can actually listen to again. My rating: 4/5, based on one listen. I also want to check out other albums in their catalog.

Dummy by Portishead
Jan 30 2025

Eye opening! Portishead has a new fan. While I can't point to a single track that grabbed me, I was pulled on through the whole thing. I'll be checking out the rest of their catalog.

More Specials by The Specials
Jan 31 2025

It's ok for a ska album, or pre-third wave. Not something I would have sought out

Highway to Hell by AC/DC
Feb 01 2025

It's AC/DC, and one of their earlier albums. Raucous, loud, awesome.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel
Feb 02 2025

It's Simon and Garfunkel. You know what you're getting into when you put them on. It's a couple of singer songwriters, singing calm songs from the late 60's and early 70's. It might be a little protest, but it's not outrageous. "Scarborough Fair" is a little nod to the past.

Debut by Björk
Feb 04 2025

Bjork. Never boring. She's different, and the music reflects that. Bjork sounds like this huge voice trying to escape from this tiny body. I'm going to have to listen to more of her.

Heartattack And Vine by Tom Waits
Feb 05 2025

It was... Interesting. Tom Waits has an interesting soulful wail to his voice. It's not something I would normally listen to, but I'm more likely to check out his other work now.

Gasoline Alley by Rod Stewart
Feb 06 2025

Ok, good album, but I probably won't listen to it again. It was weird to hear rod Stewart hotel like a wolf in the middle of a song.

Feb 07 2025

It was ok. I'm not a rap guy, but it's LL Cool J, and his stuff is mostly reachable. a couple of hits I remembered from the '90's, the cereal song was funny.

Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan
Feb 08 2025

Interesting. I thought Bob Dylan only sounded like he does in the opening track, and never have it a second thought. He's good. I can see why so many people like him so much. Solid. My rating: 4/5, looking forward to other entries of his on the list.

Feb 09 2025

Meh. I can understand how this was a blueprint for Indie rockers all around, but I didn't really like it much.

Solid Air by John Martyn
Feb 10 2025

Not digging this. I don't like his delivery, the music itself is a little jazzier than I like. It's not folky, it's just weird.

Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Feb 11 2025

I wouldn't say it's banger after banger, but it's a good album. You can definitely see where a lot of other acts took inspiration from CCR and John Fogerty to build their own sound. Got to hear a few of the CCR standbys as well as some other songs that were good. My Rating: 3/5

I See A Darkness by Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Feb 12 2025

Man, this is a different one. Have you ever had someone sing to you? Not at you, like a busker. Not like at a concert, that's for everyone. TO YOU. Like they're sitting with you in your bedroom, and they tell you they had been working on this song for a couple of weeks, and they want to know what you think about it. But, magically, accompanying instruments start playing in the other room. That's what this is. It's incredibly intimate. And you're a little sadder when it's over, and that's okay. It's beautiful and delicate and melancholy and deep, all at once. And I'm a better person for having heard it. My Rating: 5/5

Tical by Method Man
Feb 14 2025

I didn't get it.

Low by David Bowie
Feb 15 2025

This is garbage. There's nothing danceable or poppy on this. It's Avant Garde rock jazz noodling, but then it had like new age/ambient bits to it as well. Not what I expected from David Bowie, and it's no wonder why I had never heard of it. Also, David Bowie has too many entries on the list.

Shaft by Isaac Hayes
Feb 16 2025

It's alright for a soundtrack, but I don't think they should have broken the "No Soundtracks" rule for this. There are much better soundtracks out there that are more historically significant to music than this one. It's not bad music, I just don't think it belongs on the list. That being said....

Meh. It's an 80's pop album. This guy was a one-hit wonder, and I don't know why he's on the list. There wasn't anything special about the album. His straining to hit higher registers got annoying.

Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
Feb 20 2025

I liked this more than I normally like Bruce, which is not at all. It sounded closer to Johnny Cash than his normal work, which sounds like he's recorded everything while he's on the john. I like that it was stripped down to just him and his guitar, instead of a full band. That being said, I won't listen to it again.

You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen
Feb 21 2025

Very dark album. Being his last album, he has something like a five note range. The songs are haunting and chanted, more than sung. It's not bad, just... not my thing.

Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen
Feb 22 2025

I still don't dig on Bruce. It's not as bad as his later hits where he's straining to get the music out. It's just him talking about how hard life is in Jersey, but it's hard everywhere, man.

Casanova by The Divine Comedy
Feb 23 2025

No. Just no. It's over-the-top brit pop, it's silly, and there are references that just aren't relatable outside the isles. And they're not even proper british, they're irish. I just can't any more.

The Sensual World by Kate Bush
Feb 26 2025

This is not for me. It's kinda like a mashup of Enya and Bjork and something else. Maybe Linda Rhondstat? I dunno. I want to like it, but it's just a little too off-putting for me. She has an interesting quaver to her voice, but it's not enough hook me. Sorry Kate. You're cute, and you have an awesome voice, but it's not for me. My Rating: 2/5

Feb 27 2025

Ok, this is weird. It sounds like a more modern version of Sgt. Pepper era Beatles. The instrumentation is interesting, but the vocals just throw me off. I'm not hooked by any of it. Nothing is pulling me in to make me want to listen to it again. "Greenman" and "Your Dictionary" had some decent lyrics, but nothing that made me want to listen to them again. My Rating: 1/5

Goodbye And Hello by Tim Buckley
Feb 28 2025

Nope. Still don't like Tim Buckley. This album is alright, if you like him. The lyrics are interesting.

Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
Mar 01 2025

It's ELVIS! How can you rate down Elvis?!? He's foundational to American musical culture??? Actually, quite easily. It's not banger after banger. It's good. I'd listen to it again. It's memorable. But I don't like it enough to flag the entire album in my favorites. My Rating: 3/5

The Scream by Siouxsie And The Banshees
Mar 02 2025

Umm, I get that this is "post-punk", but it sounds chaotic. Maybe it's controlled chaos, but it's a lot of noise for me.

School's Out by Alice Cooper
Mar 03 2025

Ok, it's a good album. I never really got into Alice Cooper. It's an old heavy metal album. Pretty good, nothing really objectionable.

25 by Adele
Mar 04 2025

I'll admit that I LOVE Adele's voice, even before listening to the album. Something about it... just... mmm. Enough of my soulful songstress crush. Anyway. I won't say this is banger after banger. I don't think I'd heard Remedy before, and it was touching. Like deeply touching. I really liked "Million Years Ago". All in all, a good album. My Rating: 4/5

Metallica by Metallica
Mar 05 2025

A formative album of my childhood!!! Almost every track on this is good, especially for the metalheads. BUT!!! It's very commercial and palatable for the radio audience, which is how this album was marketed at the time. Big departure for Metallica from their previous releases. I don't even need to listen to the album to rate it. My Rating: 4/5

Mar 06 2025

It's ambient. Before ambient was a thing. I mean, for background music, it's GREAT! But to put on rotation, maybe not. You need something to zone out to in order to get something tedious done, it's awesome. But I wouldn't listen to it on the regular for driving down the road or jamming with friends. Because I dig ambient for its purpose, I'm going to rate it high. But I still wouldn't listen to this album on the regular.

Odessey And Oracle by The Zombies
Mar 07 2025

OK, first time listening to this album. Not a horrible album for 60's psychedelic rock, but not notable. I'm glad the song I actually like from the album is all the way at the end, so it's a treat for listening to it. My rating: 2/5. No thanks, guys. But I LOVE the story about the Zombies that another reviewer posted.

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Mar 08 2025

Neil Young. Man, this album started out strong. Cinnamon Girl? Classic. After that, it WAY drops off into 60's singer songwriter guitar noodling. And the violin noodling on Running Dry sounded more like Chinese music. No, Neil. Just no. My Rating: 1/5

Strange Cargo III by William Orbit
Mar 09 2025

Atmospheric ambient electronica. The vocals are added in as another instrument, not really anything to sing along with. Good for vibing out, having a chill evening.

Imperial Bedroom by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Mar 10 2025

Ok, I listened to part of it. I couldn't get through it. I'll admit, I was 9 when this came out, but I can't listen to this. Maybe his later works will hit me better.

Thriller by Michael Jackson
Mar 11 2025

Iconic pop album of the 80's. So many good songs on this album. Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean, PYT. And even the non-hits are good. Michael was the king of pop. When I was a kid, this was THE album to listen to. And it still holds up as good music. My Rating: 5/5

Exit Planet Dust by The Chemical Brothers
Mar 12 2025

CHEMICAL BROTHERS!!! This is my speed. I could listen to this one over and over. Solid 5/5. It's interesting to hear some of the motifs in this album that they reuse in future albums.

Ten by Pearl Jam
Mar 13 2025

5/5. I can rate this without listening. Amazing album.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Mar 14 2025

Ok, for ensemble bluegrass, it's pretty good. It's not something I might intentionally put on, but it's not bad. It DOES go on for a little longer than I expected.

Murmur by R.E.M.
Mar 15 2025

For me, there wasn't a single remarkable track on the entire album. Seems like R.E.M. and Michael Stipe was kinda atonal and semi-punky from the beginning, and this just doesn't do anything for me. Yeah, their hits are poppy, but this album has nothing hit-worthy on it. My Rating: 1/5

The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe
Mar 16 2025

This was an amazing album. Loved the music. Everything felt together, it all flowed from one track to the next.

Playing With Fire by Spacemen 3
Mar 17 2025

I tried. It all sounds the same. The droning was driving me around the bend. Can't do it.

White Blood Cells by The White Stripes
Mar 18 2025

Pretty good album. Some more tracks from this album deserved radio play, and some sound like they would be better off on a movie soundtrack. They're very sound-bitey. But a decent album overall. My Rating: 3/5

Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins
Mar 19 2025

Good rocker of an album, without being tiring.

Future Days by Can
Mar 21 2025

This is, by far, the WORST ALBUM I have ever listened to. This is 41 minutes I will never get back in my life. This is horrible, avant-garde garbage in a music costume. This album and any works by this band belong on the "Never Listen" list, not 1001 albums you must listen to. This album should come with a warning that it has the musical qualities of a pack of cats being run over by a steamroller, accompanied by 1000 toddlers banging on various preschool instruments randomly. If I could rate this a zero, I would. My Rating: 1/5

At San Quentin by Johnny Cash
Mar 22 2025

I don't normally like live albums at all. I wish they hadn't censored him. Compared to the Folsom Prison album, it's pretty similar in vibe. Really fun album, especially if you're a Johnny Cash fan. Man, I wish I could have seen him in concert. My Rating: 5/5. You really do need to listen to the whole album in order, you can't just shuffle it.

The Clash by The Clash
Mar 23 2025

Annunciation would be lost on them. I get they're doing their own thing and trying to be revolutionary, but each song sounds the same, and the lyrics are all muddled.

Floodland by Sisters Of Mercy
Mar 24 2025

They're like a darked version of The Cure, with less pop payoff. If you're into proto-goth synthwave, this is the album for you. I felt like I was lied to, with the name of the band not matching the sound of the band. Very few female voices.

Bad by Michael Jackson
Mar 25 2025

Lots of nostalgia for this album. It's a lot poppier than I remember. Thriller felt like pop-rock, but this feels like super light bubblegum pop. The couple of big hits from album are good, but I could have not listened to the rest of the album and been happy. My rating: 3/5.

New York Dolls by New York Dolls
Mar 26 2025

Why was this on the list? Maybe because they influenced a lot of hair metal bands? The music was not incredible. There's nothing I'm coming back to on this album, but now I can say I've heard New York Dolls. This album was a new York 2. It would have been a three in other cities, but... New York has higher criteria.

Younger Than Yesterday by The Byrds
Mar 27 2025

My Rating: 3/5 It was a decent album for what it was. 60's rock. Nothing special to write home about. I favorited My Back Pages, because it struck a chord with me. Maybe a bit of nostalgia, I don't know.

Headquarters by The Monkees
Mar 28 2025

Can we try again? Basic 60's pop, sounding more like the Beatles than a real band. Just.... no. Sorry. My Rating: 2/5 It was bearable, but barely so.

The Next Day by David Bowie
Mar 29 2025

I had never listened to a Bowie album before. From reading other reviews, this should not have been my first. There was nothing special about this album. The music was good, and I could tell he's very talented, but nothing grabbed me and made me want to listen to it again.

Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens
Mar 30 2025

The songwriting is really good, but I do not like the whole hippy-dippy vibe of all of it. I get that was the thing in the 70's, but it's horribly dated.

Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis
Mar 31 2025

Good album. I'm not a jazz fan, but you can't deny the talent of Miles Davis. I might use it for background or music to unplug to.

Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane
Apr 01 2025

It was interesting. I already had "White Rabbit" from here favorited on Spotify, and I picked up another. It was standard 60's rock. I could listen to it again, but I doubt I will. My Rating: 3/5

My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello
Apr 02 2025

Such a bland album. It was ok, and it was an interesting blend of styles to put on a single album, but nothing jumps out.

Liquid Swords by GZA
Apr 03 2025

I'm not a big hip-hop/gangsta rap fan. The beats are really good, foot tapping head bobbing beats. Lots of usage of old kung-fu movie samples, which is to be expected from a Wu-Tang alum. Interesting exploration of faith and religion in here. I might check out more of GZA. My Rating: 3/5

Permission to Land by The Darkness
Apr 04 2025

This album rocks hard! I wish the vocalist didn't sing in that range, but it works.

Parachutes by Coldplay
Apr 05 2025

So, so bland. There are times that Chris Martin sounds like Dave Matthews, and then he sounds like a 10-year-old whose balls haven't dropped yet. The falsetto in every bloody song is damned annoying. I hope I never have to listen to another full Coldplay album again. So bland.

Soul Mining by The The
Apr 06 2025

I wanted to like it, but towards the end it turned from new wave funkiness to just dark ramblings. And it felt like it wanted to sound like the Talking Heads.

Funeral by Arcade Fire
Apr 07 2025

I liked this one. The mixing of French into a couple of the songs was a good nod to their heritage and origins. The theming between the songs flowed well.

Apr 09 2025

I know this album so well. Johnny Cash's American recordings are all amazing. I could listen to them all over and over, and I don't like doing that normally. 5/5!

New Wave by The Auteurs
Apr 10 2025

Bland. Nothing I want to come back to. They really feel like Sgt peppers Beatles with less acid and less talent. Why is this one in the list?

Natty Dread by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Apr 11 2025

Pre-listening note: I got a feeling I'm not gonna like this. Reggae is not my normal wheelhouse. There are a few Marley tunes I like. Post listening: it's not horrible music, but it's just not my jam. Maybe I come back to it.

Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
Apr 12 2025

So many big hits on this album. This album is actually deserving of being on this list. There's a could of songs you've probably never heard if you're a casual zeppelin listener, or only heard them on the radio. But there's also plenty that you have heard. Solid album, soup to nuts.

Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin
Apr 13 2025

Classic Soul. Aretha never fails to deliver. I think I like her version of "Groovin'" better than the Young Rascals.

Punishing Kiss by Ute Lemper
Apr 14 2025

She's an AMAZING singer, but I can't do the overly-theatric music. Every song sounds like a showtune.

C'est Chic by CHIC
Apr 15 2025

I'm not a big disco fan, but Savoir Faire is an awesome background track! Yeah, it's disco. It's commercially popular, accessible, catchy, danceable... everything you want for record sales. It's fun. Good album all around, but not something I'd want to listen to every day. Yes, this one belongs on the list. My Rating: 4/5

Kollaps by Einstürzende Neubauten
Apr 16 2025

The root of Industrial music. While I won't be coming back to this album, it is key to understanding where bands like Nine Inch Nails and Ministry came from. Never did I think I'd enjoy listening to German men scream at me while somewhat rhythmically beating on trashcans. It's not the WORST album on the list, in spite of everyone's hatred of the album. It's definitely not the best either. I don't think there's a traditional instrument played on the entire album. My Rating: 5/5. Only so I can help put Kid Rock where he needs to be. Actually it's a 3. Save the turtles!

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
Apr 17 2025

Love this album. Solid all the way through. An album made for people cheating on each other by people cheating on each other, as the joke goes. Not really, but it's good music.

The Rising by Bruce Springsteen
Apr 18 2025

Two songs in: It sounds like standard rocky singer-songwriter. Like your dad's singer-songwriter. Springsteen has always sounded like he's singing through being constipated to me. Halfway Thru: (Right after Empty Sky) This is such bland tripe. There's a reason I stopped listening to Bruce. Just because he's Bruce Springsteen doesn't mean we need to worship everything he does. I got to "Let's Be Friends" and I'm tapping out. I can't do it any more. This is mid-tier dad rock at best. My Rating: 1/5.

The Yes Album by Yes
Apr 19 2025

This felt like the prog rock equivalent of a jazz master. Endless noodling on instruments, songs longer than they needed to be, and nothing you can really dance or jam to. Some of it sounded like prog background music. I only recognized one song, and it's not one I'll stick in regular rotation. Sorry guys.

Homework by Daft Punk
Apr 20 2025

I am an electronica junkie, and this album hits on all cylinders for me. "Da Funk" and "Around the World" are big hits that carry the album. "Revolution 909" and "Fresh" are good as well. Towards the end it kind of drops off.

Black Metal by Venom
Apr 21 2025

Schlock. Over the top satanism with bad music. I like metal, and this is kinda just noise around edgy lyrics.

Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
Apr 22 2025

Lots of good hits. Opened up strong with Peter Piper.

The Man Machine by Kraftwerk
Apr 23 2025

This was a wonderful album. Don't take it seriously, though. It's all a joke. It's fun, and it's supposed to be.

Larks' Tongues In Aspic by King Crimson
Apr 24 2025

In between the chaotic bookends of “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic,” there’s some real beauty hiding in this album. The violin work is gorgeous, and tracks like “Book of Saturday” and “Easy Money” show a surprisingly melodic, human side to King Crimson. “Book of Saturday” in particular is lush and intimate, a quiet oasis in the middle of all the metallic clatter. Yes, the opening and closing pieces are rough, noisy, and more than a little unhinged, but once you get through the wrapping, there’s a genuinely beautiful little present inside. You can hear the underpinnings of future prog‑rock all over this thing. My Rating: Solid 3/5

A Date With The Everly Brothers by The Everly Brothers
Apr 25 2025

Nothing complicated here. Simple melodies, sweet songs about love and yearning and heartbreak. Also... because it's nothing complicated, each song sounds very similar. Musically, they're different, but I'd like a little depth in the emotion. Maybe a little about Dad's coming home from Korea and he's not quite the same. Something more. Come on, guys. My Rating: 3/5

Apr 26 2025

There's a dichotomy here, between the Sunday School "skits" of teaching about love and what it should be, and the music, talking about how love really is. It's beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. The music is really good, even though it's not my thing.

We Are Family by Sister Sledge
Apr 27 2025

Besides hearing "We Are Family" in context and the hook for Will Smith's "Gettin' Jifggy Wit It", there's not much here for you if you're not a fan of disco. It's a nice time capsule, and good to hear those two pieces in context, but there's just not much here for me.

Very by Pet Shop Boys
Apr 28 2025

Boring. Everything felt like one long big bright techno-ish track, up until "Go West", which sounded like a rehash of "YMCA". I can't do it.

Apr 29 2025

An album from the 60's I didn't hate! It's pleasant. Nothing major to write home about, but no major hits here. They can't all be bangers.

Honky Tonk Heroes by Waylon Jennings
Apr 30 2025

Memories of barrooms and jukeboxes all the way through. Opens up pretty good and maintains that swagger all the way through. I liked that it ended with a love song.

Third/Sister Lovers by Big Star
May 02 2025

Umm.... why? This album is bland and boring. There was one song that had me tapping my foot for a second, and then nothing. I didn't even bother to look at the name of the song, it was boring. Just more '70's pop. BLAH! My Rating: 1/5

Figure 8 by Elliott Smith
May 03 2025

Were I feeling like I was super manic happy and needed something to bring me down to ground me, this might be an appropriate album. Dear God, this album needs to come with a prescription for Prozac. So melancholy, so down, so emo. No thanks. I don't listen to music to bring me down, the world does that enough for me. Great if you're an emo fan, horrible if you're not. No thanks, 1/5

A Walk Across The Rooftops by The Blue Nile
May 04 2025

Different. They sound like a downshifted Duran Duran, in tone and mood. Nothing jumped out at me as notable, but it's not an album I hate.

What the fuck are you doing here? This album was noisy and boisterous, and not always in a good way. It was ok, but The Kinks are treated on this list like the Beatles. Come on. I don't care if I ever hear The Kinks again.

At Fillmore East by The Allman Brothers Band
May 06 2025

As crucial as this album may be to American Music, being the last Allman Brothers album with Duane Allman, I can't. It's six hours of jazz rock. They're talented, sure, but... sorry. 5/5 for talent 1/5 because it's jazzy rock noodling. overall: 2/5.

If You're Feeling Sinister by Belle & Sebastian
May 07 2025

Had me hooked at the beginning, but then faded off into light, lilty singer-songwriter stuff, and just bored me. It's ok.

Protection by Massive Attack
May 08 2025

I liked this journey into trip-hop, but I can see where people would say it sounds very samey. I did not like the cover they did of "Light My Fire". They made it their own, but it just didn't sound right.

High Violet by The National
May 09 2025

At first, I thought this album should have come with a prescription for Paxil. By the end, I was in the groove. It all felt very depressing, but by the end the lead's deep voice was a droning layer for the melody to play against. Decent vibe.

London Calling by The Clash
May 10 2025

It was ok. It's standard 70's rock. When you grew up with this sound, finding a standout is rare.

May 11 2025

Boring. Dear Lord so boring. I could have watched paint dry and it would have been more musically interesting.

Skylarking by XTC
May 12 2025

The whole album feels very surreal. Like... you're listening along, and it's weird, but it keeps pulling you along like you wanna see the weirdness around the corner, and it answers you with MORE weirdness.

The Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett
May 13 2025

It's clear this guy is talented. VERY talented. For me, this is akin to listening to Joe Satriani or Steve Vai. Very talented musician noodling away on a piano. BUT... piano never did anything for me. Sheer musical talent: 5/5 Good music: 5/5 Would I listen to it again?: Probably not. Should it be on the list?: Maybe not, but I'm glad it was. My rating: 4/5

Elephant Mountain by The Youngbloods
May 14 2025

Bland 60's country rock(?). Roots rock? I dunno. Nothing grabbed me. Just another boring album. Maybe back then it was attention grabbing.

Blue by Joni Mitchell
May 15 2025

She's got a beautiful voice, and a way of weaving a story. Definitely belongs on the list. At least something by her. Nothing on this album grabbed me, but I wasn't bored listening to her. My rating: 5/5

Joan Baez by Joan Baez
May 16 2025

I'll give her proper for keeping it up for an entire album. You know the yodeling music that makes the aliens heads explode in "Mars Attacks!"? Yeah, the whole album made me feel like that. Her high-pitched warble drove me up the wall. But I know it's historical and war-protesty, so I won't bash it entirely. It's just not my favorite thing.

Band On The Run by Paul McCartney and Wings
May 17 2025

It's ok. It's pop, and a member of the Beatles. Not that I have any love for the Beatles. I'm not impressed. I've heard Band on the Run and Jet before, and I think maybe I listened to this whole album before, which tells you how much it stuck with me. I think the version on Spotify is about six songs longer than it needs to be. My rating: 3/5

Kenya by Machito
May 18 2025

This was wonderful. I loved the jazz-afrobeat fusion. Made me feel like I was in Miami again.

Paul Simon by Paul Simon
May 19 2025

Not bad. I knew what to expect from Paul Simon. It's pretty standard singer-songwriter stuff from the 70's. "Congratulations" at the end, like "Hey, good job, you made it through" was kind of funny. My Rating: 3/5

Surfer Rosa by Pixies
May 20 2025

Not really a big fan of punk/punk pop/ whatever this is, but I really enjoyed the album. It was interesting, in a way that I really enjoyed. Never boring. Plus... boobs. My Rating: 5/5

Brutal Youth by Elvis Costello
May 21 2025

Well, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't interesting. Boring. Dear God. But it was better than his first.

May 22 2025

Eh. I wish I could say there was a standout hit, but I can't. They're solid musicians, but I was bored through it. 2/5

From Elvis In Memphis by Elvis Presley
May 23 2025

It's not Rock Rebel Elvis, it's like Lounge Country Elvis. The couple of hits are hits for a reason, but the rest of it just falls flat. I don't really need that much schmaltz in 60 minutes.

Dire Straits by Dire Straits
May 24 2025

You can't have a more quintessential rock album than Dire Straits. Clean guitars, honest song writing, just amazing all the way through.

It's A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads
May 25 2025

College rock at it's semi-finest. Falls just short of punk, but not dirty enough to be grunge. Fun, easy to listen to, quirky.

Fuzzy Logic by Super Furry Animals
May 26 2025

Fuzzy Logic is one of those albums where I kept waiting for something to click: some melodic hook, some emotional contour, some internal logic that would give me a handhold. After three full listens, I can confidently say: nothing stuck. Not in a “this is bad” way, but in a “my brain has nothing to file this under” way. It’s weird, sure. But it’s a kind of weird that evaporates as soon as the track ends. The songs feel like sketches from a very clever band who hadn’t yet decided what they wanted to be. There’s personality here, but not much architecture. Ideas fly past, collide, dissolve, and never resolve into anything with shape or weight. I don’t dislike it. I just can’t remember it. The album has charm, and I can see why it’s historically important for the band’s evolution, but as a listening experience it’s all surface-level eccentricity with no emotional or structural anchor. It’s playful, but not purposeful. Inventive, but not intentional. A collage of moments rather than a set of songs. A solid three: not unpleasant, not compelling, and not something I’ll return to unless someone asks me to explain why it didn’t stick.

Head Hunters by Herbie Hancock
May 27 2025

I can’t say Herbie Hancock isn’t talented. The man clearly has more musical vocabulary in one hand than most people have in their entire bodies. Head Hunters is very much a “musicians having fun” album. It’s jazz-funk built around long grooves and open space, and if you’re wired for improvisation, I’m sure it’s a feast. I’m not wired that way. To me, a lot of this plays like extended jazz noodling with occasional landmarks to remind you you’re still on the same track. That said, I get why this one is historically important. It’s one of the first times synths weren’t just sprinkled into jazz but treated as the main structural material. You can hear the shift happening in real time. The basslines, the textures, the whole rhythmic engine leaning into electronics in a way that would ripple through funk, pop, and eventually hip-hop. I even caught flashes of the rhythmic DNA that later shows up in “Take Me to the Mardi Gras,” which was a fun little lineage surprise. I’m glad I finally listened to it, but I don’t see myself coming back. It’s a landmark, just not one that lines up with how I like music to think. A solid 3.5/5 for influence, innovation, and the occasional groove that pulled me in before wandering off again.

Different Class by Pulp
May 28 2025

Lovely. More britpop. No thank you. It felt like he wanted to expose how alienated he felt having to be in British social strata but not feeling like being part of it, but he also felt like he needed to apologize to the rest of proper British society for exposing the flaws. Just be angry and expose the cracks and tell us how much you think the whole business is bullshit. No. Do Better.

Post Orgasmic Chill by Skunk Anansie
May 29 2025

I did not know what to expect here. I am over the moon happy this album exists and is on the list. This is what the list is about. I likely would not have heard about this band through other discovery systems. Amazing album, soup to nuts. I'll be diving deep into their catalog, face first and full depth. The right amount of anger and soul. Calling them "clit-rock" feels a bit reductionist, though. They're a rock band. Full stop. My rating: 5/5

1989 by Taylor Swift
May 30 2025

I'm not the target demo here. I get that Taylor and the producers massively changed the pop sound for years with this album. After the fact, this album sounds like every single other pop-princess.

Crosby, Stills & Nash by Crosby, Stills & Nash
May 31 2025

The harmony! My god, how these guys harmonize! The music itself is really good, but these three are just amazing to hear together. Too bad they had to let Neil Young hop in later.

Can't Buy A Thrill by Steely Dan
Jun 01 2025

I can only hope there's not another Steely Dan album on the list. There are hits here, but the whole thing sounds horribly dated. Great if you want rock-disco. Horrible if you don't. My rating: 2/5

Melodrama by Lorde
Jun 02 2025

I get how this would have felt revolutionary. I don't need this catharsis telling me how to feel or validating my feelings or helping me purge my feelings so I can move past being alone of heartbreak or whatever, gimme a good bop. This album fails to deliver a single hook or remarkable song.

Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
Jun 03 2025

Lovely jazz/country soulful songs. This feels like a warm bourbon drunk on a rainy night. All y'all haters can stick it.

Jun 04 2025

Generic, overly theatrical 80's crap. I didn't need to hear this.

Abraxas by Santana
Jul 01 2025

For someone who hates jazz, this is an awesome album. Front to back, all the way, I was hooked by every song. Layered, transcendental, wonderful. I got lost in the songs and was left wanting more. My Rating: 5/5

New Boots And Panties by Ian Dury
Jul 02 2025

Interesting album. Fun music, lots of talent, very cheeky. It's like listening to a guy who stumbled out of the bar and got on a mic. Good tunes. My rating: 4/5

Liege And Lief by Fairport Convention
Jul 03 2025

Hauntingly beautiful. I'm not a big folkie person, but this was really good. Opened up strong, kept that vibe going for an hour. Even with the two added tracks for the remaster/Spotift version, it's good. My Rating: 4/5

Shaka Zulu by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Jul 04 2025

Listened through Spotify, so I got a 30th Anniversary version. The music is simply beautiful, but because it's in a foreign language, it's hard to pick out where one song stops and the next one starts. I'm not hooked, but it's good background music. As long as the Xhosa clicks don't throw you off, because you're going to hear them. Does it belong on the list: Maybe not. I could have lived my life not hearing it. Am I glad it's on the list: Absolutely. My Rating: 3/5

Zombie by Fela Kuti
Jul 05 2025

This is an amazing album with wonderful music! You can't really listen to this passively, because the political message gets missed. And the songs go on WAY too long to hold your attention. It is interesting, and very deserving of being on the list.

Live! by Fela Kuti
Jul 06 2025

Good music, easy to listen to, but gets into self-indulgent drum solos and songs that carry on for too long because they're playing for a club and not an album listener. I wouldn't listen to this again without impairment.

The Slider by T. Rex
Jul 07 2025

You know, after hearing "Bang A Gong", you'd expect them to actually rock. This album has as many teeth to it as a West Virginia family reunion. Just... come on. Have a spine and some edge.

Paul's Boutique by Beastie Boys
Jul 08 2025

Awesome use of sampling, and yeah, it's loud. But so is NYC and any other major city. This really is a good album, and groundbreaking for hip-hop.

Behaviour by Pet Shop Boys
Jul 09 2025

Listened to the 2018 Remaster on Spotify. Not a big fan of the Pet Shop Boys, obviously I've heard their hits. This is a really good album. Solid, all the way through. Their hits are fairly representative of what this album sounds like, so strap in for an accent to come through. Simply good music. Loved "Being Boring", "My October Symphony", "Only the Wind" My Rating: 4/5

Teenager Of The Year by Frank Black
Jul 10 2025

This was a weird album. He plays with discord like it's his favorite toy. There were a couple of songs that were boppy for me, but as a whole, I could never listen to this album or any song on it and not miss anything in my life.

Next by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Jul 11 2025

Interesting lyrical choices, but, oh my lord this album will shock you. He's not hiding anything about what he wants. Musically, it's very glam rock.

The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground
Jul 12 2025

Having never knowingly heard Velvet Underground before, if this is what they normally sound like, I don't want to hear another album. The only reason I can think this album would be influential is if every garage band wannabe hears it and thinks "I can do better than this" and they DO. I get pushing boundaries and letting your art be your art and doing your own thing, but that doesn't mean it has to influence everyone. "The Black Angel's Death Song" has that haunting viola in it, but the hissing detracts from the song. "European Son"? Garbage. I feel like I could have gone my entire life without listening to this album and been happy. My Rating: 1/5

Haunted Dancehall by The Sabres Of Paradise
Jul 13 2025

This is the soundtrack to a cyberpunk‑noir film that doesn’t exist, but not the whole soundtrack. In a real movie, you’d get the atmospheric pieces that set mood, and then you’d get the hard-hitting cues for the fights, the club scenes, the chases. Haunted Dancehall gives you only the non-action cues. You’re left in the neon-soaked grime, sitting in rain and sweat, waiting for something to spark movement. The music is interesting, textured, and evocative, but it never delivers the forward momentum techno promises. It’s all atmosphere, no pacing. All background, no scene. It’s good for what it is: a mood piece, a world-builder. But I wanted more. Rating: 3/5

The Number Of The Beast by Iron Maiden
Jul 14 2025

Classic Heavy Metal and required listening. It's a bit dated, though.

Disintegration by The Cure
Jul 15 2025

All the songs sound the same, and he sounds like he's just short of breaking into a crying fit on every song. I know it's proto-goth and all, but... I couldn't get into it.

A Hard Day's Night by Beatles
Jul 16 2025

If you take the Beatles for what they are, this isn't a bad album. The Beatles are NOT a rock band. They are a boy band. For a mid-60's pop album, it's pretty good. Catchy, hooky, boppable. You can sing along. Everyone knows the hits. Even the non-hits are "good". But it's the Beatles. My Rating: 3/5. At least there's no sitar.

Treasure by Cocteau Twins
Jul 17 2025

I don't know what to think of this. It felt like a trancier version of Enya. It would make good background music for brain work, but I don't think I could put it into rotation for much else. It's not bad, just a little weird.

In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra
Jul 18 2025

All you emo kids thought you knew sadness. Frankie wears sorrow like it's his favorite overcoat, and sings all about it. This is, by far, the bluest blues album I have ever heard. "Mood Indigo"? "Can't We Be Friends?" "I'll Be Around"? Come on. Emo kids are writing haiku about rain and Frankie pulls this tearjerker of an album off with grace and panache. The sighs between the lyrics punctuate the sadness over lost love and longing like nothing else. My Rating: 5 tears

L.A. Woman by The Doors
Jul 19 2025

Awesome album. Jim Morrison, lost in his prime, shortly after this album came out. Classic hits on this one. It's a lot more bluesy than I expected.

Clandestino by Manu Chao
Jul 20 2025

Do you remember the backpacking trip through Andorra? No? Neither do I. But I ended up with this CD on my backpack, and every time I listen to it I get glimpses of a sultry curly headed young woman and something about the Madeira a little too strong and the weed a little too smooth. That's what this album is. It's this kind of melting pot that doesn't really exist, in between Spanish and French and reggae and pop. The music in the dive bar. My rating: 5/5

Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush
Jul 21 2025

Interesting. She sounds like a mashup of Cyndi Lauper and Enya. I wish I had known before I popped it on that it was a partial concept album, because then then last seven tracks might have made sense that they were telling a story. Not a bad album, but I won't be putting it on rotation.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins
Jul 22 2025

I didn't realize this was a double CD before popping it on, and then after listening to it felt it carried on for twice as long as it needed to. The concept was lost on me. The songs didn't seem to tell any story, and as others have said, Billy Corgan rhythmically shouts and moans into the mic rather than singing. The hits are hits because they're catchy, but they're far too seldom for a release of this length. I'm glad I didn't buy this one when it was released, because I had disposable income back then. Nope, sorry. 1/5

Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson
Jul 23 2025

Very comfortable album, bringing back memories of my childhood. I probably heard this album numerous times with my dad. For being only 30 minutes, there's a lot of tracks on here, one less than a minute long. Willie sings with a purity of someone who's lived sorrow and loneliness and the range, and the arrangements are so clean they smell of sawdust and beer. Just an honest album, no pretenses. My Rating: 4/5

Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath
Jul 24 2025

Quite an appropriate album given Ozzy's recent passing. Man, the roots of metal are STRONG here. Crunchy bass, killer riffs, occult themes, and non-stop rocking. This is required listening for all metal heads. The Wizard, NIB, Wicked World, Sleeping Village. Awesome tracks. You need this in your life today. My Rating: 5/5

Back At The Chicken Shack by Jimmy Smith
Jul 25 2025

I am NOT a jazz fan. However This is a very good album. Smooth, energetic, foot tapping head bopping jazz. It's only five tracks and runs 43 minutes, so the tracks run a little long. It's wonderful music, great for zoning out. My rating: 4/5

Achtung Baby by U2
Jul 26 2025

Great hits from this album. This was very hooky and catchy. U2 has figured out how to eke every dollar out of the radio here. It's a great rock-pop album. Or is it pop-rock? I still don't get the fervent fandom of U2, but whatever. My Rating: 4/5

No Other by Gene Clark
Jul 27 2025

I love the melodies here, but the songs keep me thinking of country. It's not quite slipping in that groove, though. It's not bad, but it's not slotting in my head.

My Generation by The Who
Jul 28 2025

Classic 70's rock. I think the remaster went on a little long, but solid.

Jul 29 2025

Classic Dylan. There are a few of good more popular songs on here, and most I'd never heard before. His lyrics are amazing. His singing style grates on me. Sometimes singing, sometimes "rapping". Meh. Not a Dylan fan. My rating: 2/5

Fred Neil by Fred Neil
Jul 30 2025

This was a different album for me. I'd never heard of Fred Neil. His cover of Everybody's Talkin' felt thicker and more resonant than Nilsson's original. The whole album seems to dance between folk and country and jazzy blues. The last track "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" is a weird Indian sounding thing that was good but felt like it was just a flex on his talent. It didn't feel like it belonged with the rest of the album, and felt like it was filler to pad out the album. My Rating: 3/5

Jul 31 2025

Common lays down stories and trials and tribulation with a smoothness and vibe that can't be matched. Luring you in with smooth beats and a steady voice, not brash and in your face like other rappers. Jazz and soul influenced, steady gentle backbeats. It works. My Rating: 4/5

Cupid & Psyche 85 by Scritti Politti
Aug 01 2025

It sounded like underproduced Jesus Jones. Light, punchy bass. Lots of 80's synth. Like, I could have dropped any of these songs into an 80's teen movie and it would have felt in place. Nothing stuck, nothing hooked me. I seem to remember "Perfect Way" playing on the radio, or maybe in a movie I saw, but it was just the faintest of memory. The whole thing felt a little like "We wanna be classy jazz players, but we got into a record contract and we have to produce this pop crap." It's all very formulaic, like it's meant to be played on the radio, but //not quite good enough// to hook the kids. My Rating: 2/5. It's listenable, but I'm not coming back voluntarily.

Live At Leeds by The Who
Aug 02 2025

A live album that doesn't sound live. I really like The Who. When I saw "Live" I was expecting a noisy concert album, and this isn't it. "A Quick One, While He's Away" was amazing, but I would never expect that to be played on the radio. It's a wonderful little gem. The different medleys work. My Rating: 4/5

Aug 03 2025

Nope, can't do it. This sounds like two kids who got a copy of "the dummies guide to music production", gave it a scan, said to themselves "cool, we can do proto -industrial jazz ", and then broke all roles in the book. I've heard better lyrics at freshman night at the student union beat poetry reading circle. Why is this shit on the list? This is utter garbage. I finally found an album that makes me WANT to listen to Kid Rock. Dear God. My rating. -10/5.

Bone Machine by Tom Waits
Aug 04 2025

This is like a Borderlands fever dream. You can almost see the midget psychos running around with the more frenzied songs. "All Stripped Down" sounds like something you might hear coming out of a burlesque show. "Jesus Gonna Be Here", shouted from the top of a mountain by a wild preacher in a dust coated robe. "Murder in the Red Barn" sung by three loonies on a hill on an out of tune banjo with three strings, while there's a dilapidated red barn in the valley below which houses Red Barn Randy, the next miniboss in your questline. All in all, a very good album of very cacophonous music, which shouldn't be good but is. My Rating: 5/5

The Cars by The Cars
Aug 05 2025

How did so few tracks from this album make the radio? How does a band make such an awesome album as their DEBUT? The only track I have any issue with is "I'm In Touch With Your World", and only because after the first three tracks of polished rock, they put this weirdness on here and then get back to the polished rock! Come on! These guys deserve more credit. My Rating: 5/5

Manassas by Stephen Stills
Aug 06 2025

70's country rock(?). This isn't grabbing me. It's good, it's just not grabbing me. It's incredibly dated. They're very good musicians, able to play different styles, it just doesn't feel like there's anything to differentiate them from other 70's roots rock acts. My rating: 3/5

Pornography by The Cure
Aug 07 2025

The music is adequately dark and sombre, making the mood all gothy and moody. And then Robert Smith comes in with his non-singing and completely ruins the mood. And through the whole thing there's no poppy relief to let you out of the mood. So it's all dark and gloomy, and now I want to forget I ever listened to this album. No. Don't listen to this album My Rating: 1/5

Foxbase Alpha by Saint Etienne
Aug 08 2025

Layering retro sound clips over modern music is an interesting take. There's not really a notable track on here, but I didn't hate any of it. It's not something I'll put on regular rotation, but I wouldn't fuss if it got played. It's good. My rating: 3/5

Appetite For Destruction by Guns N' Roses
Aug 09 2025

I don't even need to listen to this to rate it. I heard it so many times growing up that it's ingrained. This album comes on like a freight train and speeds you through with all the swagger and rebellion you'd expect. All the hits you remember. I didn't remember Nighttrain being as good as it is. Everyone thinks of this as Dad Rock, but I think, even with the current kids, this should resonate. My Rating: 5/5

Truth by Jeff Beck
Aug 10 2025

This was a sneaky album. I, foolishly, thought I was getting Beck. Oh no. No no no. This is so much better. And... You get Rod Stewart as a bonus! Rod Stewart touches something and it goes mega. The Scot has magic to him. It's not fair. My rating: 5/5

The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers
Aug 11 2025

Sounded a bit like The Doors, if you took out all the things that make The Doors good and left behind the rickety organ. It's supposedly some bridge between garage punk and new-wave punk. They still sound like garbage. Half the songs sound like they're mumbled through cardboard and bad mikes. It's lyrically dense and somewhat atonal and muddled. The lead needs some lessons on annunciation and elocution. Pass My Rating: 2/5

Blur by Blur
Aug 12 2025

Look, I could have gone my entire life without hearing this album. It's alright, just not hooky enough for me to want to listen to it again. Nothing to grab me. Beetlebum was interesting. M.O.R. was good. Song 2 brought back memories. Outside of that, nothing notable. My Rating: 2/5

The White Album by Beatles
Aug 13 2025

Automatically, -1 because it's the Beatles, the most overrated band in the world. -1 for all the stupid animal references that don't make sense, except for Black Bird, which is really a good song that I somehow hadn't heard before. -1 for going for too long. This did not need to be a double LP, especially since y'all went to a TM session and still couldn't get your mess straight. +1 for having SOME non-boy band tunes. -1 for Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. -1 for stupid skiffle songs. Bloody "number 9... number 9... number 9....". Are you kidding me with this "song"? My Rating: 1/5. I hate the Beatles.

Dust by Screaming Trees
Aug 14 2025

This was weird. Grungy, but not too grungy. Rocky, but not too much. The singer's voice is good, but not enough to pull me in to want to pay attention

GI by Germs
Aug 15 2025

This album sounds like a dude was listening to the Ramones or Violent Femmes with his girlfriend after sex, she says "I wanna travel the world, we can do better than these guys" and they tried it and failed. It sounds like he's vomiting the lyrics because they taste bad in his mouth. I didn't think I've heard anything more repulsive. Well... Maybe a couple since starting the project. This is one of the worst. Thank God they only cut one album. My rating: 0/5.

Tapestry by Carole King
Aug 16 2025

This definitely belongs on the list. So many good songs, even though some of them sound dated. Classics that everyone has heard. I'm not a big fan of the disco in some of the songs, but it's good all the way around. My Rating: 5/5

Aug 17 2025

Beautifully funky! It's like Marvin Gaye with a little more anger. I wish he didn't sit in the falsetto so much, but it's a stylistic decision. I think the music actually blunts the emotion a bit, because there are times it gets boppy, and he's pretty upset here. My Rating: 4/5

Aug 18 2025

What an awesome concert! This almost felt like a church service. You can hear the young ladies screaming as they're overcome with the emotion of hearing James. His diction leaves much to be desired, but that's what you get with him. It was an interesting take to hear the MC come out and tell everyone what songs were going to be performed. My Rating: 5/5

Music From Big Pink by The Band
Aug 19 2025

This is the least rocky rock album ever. They use an electric harpsichord.. Whatever, it works for them. The whole album is light and fragile and quavery, which is an attempt to portray vulnerability but comes across as weak and non-commital.

Highly Evolved by The Vines
Aug 20 2025

Different. Post-grunge, but still sounds grungy. Poppy, but not poppy enough for radio play. The whole album feels like what would happen if Nirvana, The Ramones, and The Beatles got together in a music making orgy and had a little record baby together. I don't necessarily like it, but I don't hate it. It's weird. My Rating: 3/5

Drunk by Thundercat
Aug 21 2025

Not what I expected from the album art. It's electronica, but definitely not danceable. This album invites you to sit down on a velvet couch and get comfortable with your existential dread. Just vibe with the songs. It's good and interesting, but I think I could have gone without listening to it. It makes you think. My Rating: 4/5

Fever To Tell by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Aug 22 2025

Lots of drum work and screaming female vocalist. Not enough good guitar work to keep me interested. The songwriting feels repetitive and derivative. There's just not enough to keep me engaged. The styling is good. My Rating: 3/5

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
Aug 23 2025

Classic album. I know the style is a little dated, but you can't deny how central this album is to music. Amazing songs, peaceful sound. My Rating; 5/5

Happy Sad by Tim Buckley
Aug 24 2025

Another sixties singer songwriter. He's good, I just can't do it. My rating: 3/5

american dream by LCD Soundsystem
Aug 25 2025

There's a reason that beat poets are a niche thing. They should stay niche. This was somewhat listenable electronica with garbage lyrics. No

Hunky Dory by David Bowie
Aug 26 2025

Solid pop album, works today even though it was made 50 years ago. I'm not really into pop or David Bowie, but it's good music. My Rating: 3/5

Swordfishtrombones by Tom Waits
Aug 27 2025

Tom Waits... man... this guy always puts out unique music. You may not like it, but it's different. This one opens up with "Underground", which I would guess more than a few people have heard outside this album. It's all good music if you know what Tom Waits sounds like. If you don't, it's rough. My Rating: 4/5

Cut by The Slits
Aug 28 2025

Notes from before listening: oh boy, a girl punk album. I'm gonna hate this. Notes from after listening: ok, so I didn't hate it. It was a little better than expectations, but not much. I wouldn't call any of it catchy. Their cover of "I Heard It From The Grapevine" is an interesting take. I wouldn't listen to this again, but I also wouldn't voluntarily put it on. My rating: 3/5

Nick Of Time by Bonnie Raitt
Aug 29 2025

It's an album of 80's country loves songs. It's exactly what you'd expect from Bonnie. It wasn't my bag when it was new, and it's still not my bag. It's not bad, just not for me. My Rating: 3/5

Back To Black by Amy Winehouse
Aug 30 2025

Amazing jazz/blues album. The world was not ready for Amy, and Amy was too big and bright for the world. Her star burned out far too brightly and quickly. I loved every bit of this for her voice, her song choices, her delivery.

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips
Aug 31 2025

Hazy, lazy, stoner prog rock. "Yoshimi... pt 2" is just a little too much chaos masquerading as a song. It's almost like a bunch of stoners tried to write a pop album but forgot all about hooks or anything resembling catchy. I get they're being artists, but it falls on its face trying to be deep. Or maybe that's what they were going fo all along. My Rating: 3/5

Shalimar by Rahul Dev Burman
Sep 01 2025

Bollywood at it's weirdest! A very unique entry on the list, even though it breaks the "No Soundtracks" guideline. At this point in the list, I refuse to call it a rule since Dimery breaks it whenever he encounters a soundtrack that really should be included. The breadth of styles here is remarkable. There's a little bit of everything on here for anyone. I could listen to some of this forever, because, even though I don't understand it, the emotion comes through. My Rating: 5/5

Stankonia by OutKast
Sep 02 2025

Outkast! Awesome album, good energy. I prefer SpeakerBoxxx to Stankonia, but this is a good album.

At Newport 1960 by Muddy Waters
Sep 03 2025

One of the few instances where I will forgive a live album. This album felt so alive all the way through. Raw, unfiltered. Good blues entry. My Rating: 4/5

Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz
Sep 04 2025

Awesome music, even though it was mostly in Portuguese. You can't get update by bossa nova. It's like a cozy warm blanket in a lounge lizard kinda way.

Let's Stay Together by Al Green
Sep 05 2025

This album is smooth as silk and sweeter than honey. Wonderful soulful love songs, bittersweet blues. My rating: 5/5

Dusty In Memphis by Dusty Springfield
Sep 06 2025

This was a really smooth blue-eyed soul album. So sweet, so soft. Like a warm hug. My Rating: 4/5

Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield
Sep 07 2025

I kinda knew what I was getting into, because almost everyone has heard the opening bit for tubular bells. But dear Lord that first track could have been split up into three maybe, dear Lord it goes on forever. I love electronica, but this is a little much. I need a break, Mike. Come on. My rating: 4/5

Legalize It by Peter Tosh
Sep 08 2025

It's not horrible, but I'm the wrong demo. This album hits like a weed guy decided to cut an album. The whole thing feels like a guy saying "Smoking weed is great, right? Everybody should smoke weed!" The only standout for me was "Till Your Well Runs Dry", which sounds like it could have been a forlorn country lost love track, but then the bouncy reggae riddim kicks in for the chorus and kills the vibe. My Rating: 2/5

Blackstar by David Bowie
Sep 09 2025

Not a Bowie fan. I get that he's grappling with his own death, and that this album was very significant to the body of music at large, but none of it hooks me. To all the Bowie fans, I'm sorry you lost your hero and all, but I don't really like any of it. It's too avant garde and jazzy. RIP David, I'm sure you're jamming with the best. My Rating: 3/5

Rocks by Aerosmith
Sep 10 2025

Aerosmith. Solid rockers. I still can't listen to Aerosmith without mentally seeing Steven Tyler's damned trout mouth, but it's good music. This one comes out strong with "Back In the Saddle" and lets you off easy with "Home Tonight" like it's a last call. Solid all the way through, but through the middle it all sounds the same. My Rating: 4/5

Quiet Life by Japan
Sep 11 2025

Very New Wave, before New Wave was a thing. The front half of the album felt very poppy and proto-Duran Duran, and the back half felt more like The Cure. I wouldn't go looking to play this again, but it's not bad. My Rating: 3/5

Sea Change by Beck
Sep 13 2025

Late night melancholy. It's good, but not what I'd go looking for.

Greetings From L.A. by Tim Buckley
Sep 14 2025

I still don't like Tim Buckley. This one was very raw. No imagery, very cathartic.

Here Are the Sonics by The Sonics
Sep 15 2025

This one need to be listened to at high volume, preferably in a residential area. Fun, punchy party rock from the 60's. Weaponized covers made their own. Distortion used like a sixth member of the band. Influential? maybe not. Fun and boppy? Hells yes! My rating: 5/5

Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
Sep 16 2025

Classic Beach Boys. There's a lot to like about this album. It's not just a pop album. They used a lot of different instruments, which makes the the entire thing feel so much richer and more vibrant. My Rating: 5/5

Sep 17 2025

This was a good album, and I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop. There were times I thought Shaggy 2 Dope or Everlast had collab'd with them to produce the tracks, and it was just the four guys riffin'. Really good, kinda silly. A little dark in spots, but that's ok. My Rating: 4/5

Rio by Duran Duran
Sep 18 2025

80's through and through. I was not interested in the Collector's Edition that Spotify was streaming, with way too many remixes and versions of the same songs. Rio is an amazing album, synth and 80's new wave all the way through. The hits are there, and the tracks that flew under the radar are pretty good. Thanks for the nostalgia. My Rating: 4/5

Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
Sep 19 2025

It's ok. Which is bad for music. It doesn't stand out. The hits are recognizable, but the rest of it is rather bland. Two songs does not an album make. My Rating: 2/5

Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes
Sep 20 2025

Very good album. Solid rocker, couple of weird songs. Lyrically interesting.

Surf's Up by The Beach Boys
Sep 21 2025

This is not your Dad's Beach Boys album. Quirky, socially conscious, punchy, different. Written while Brian Wilson was dipping hard into chemistry and dperession, so the rest of the band is trying to fill in. Nothing hooked me to bring me back to it, but it's weird enough to listen to again. My Rating: 4/5

Sep 22 2025

I could not finish a single track of this album. She's got talent, sure. This album sounded like a high school choral director's album when she failed at producing music and decided to take up teaching to make ends meet. Sorry, Laura, this didn't do it for me. My rating: 2/5

Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin
Sep 23 2025

Amazing album! Solid rocker all the way through. There's a reason so many bands list Led Zeppelin as inspiration. This one opens strong and stays strong all the way through. My rating: 5/5

Porcupine by Echo And The Bunnymen
Sep 24 2025

Interesting. I'm not a big fan of the lead's vocal stylings, but it's good. The lyrics were good an engaging. Specifically liked "The Cutter", "Clay", and "Gods Will Be Gods". I stopped listening after "Fuel", because I didn't think all the alternate versions would add to the album. My Rating; 3/5

Screamadelica by Primal Scream
Sep 25 2025

Opens with a gospel flavor to lure you in and then hits you with the club tunes. And then, and halfway through when the MDMA is wearing off, it lulls you to sleep with a bunch of trippy light stuff. It was ok, sounded a bit like a more chemically enhanced Jesus Jones. If it had kept up the intensity from the beginning, I would have liked it better. But that let down really killed the vibe. My rating: 3/5

Beauty And The Beat by The Go-Go's
Sep 26 2025

Beautiful bouncy 80's pop. I especially liked the big hits, plus "This Town", which I had heard before, but I don't think it got a lot of radio play. My Rating: 4/5

At Mister Kelly's by Sarah Vaughan
Sep 27 2025

Such a lovely album! I normally don't like jazz or live albums, but the audience fully appreciated the performance, only interjecting a couple of times when appropriate. The mistakes she made during the recording made it feel very immersive. My rating: 5/5

Oar by Alexander 'Skip' Spence
Sep 28 2025

Unhinged This album has got to be the weirdest I've listened to yet. The tracks are almost stream of consciousness, like they let a madman loose in a studio with a drumkit and a guitar and an infinite supply of tape and said "Work your magic." And he did. If I didn't know there was an engineer in there with him, I'd have thought he recorded all the parts himself. There are times where the three tracks don't match tempo. He sings atonally at times and barely at others, the lyrics being whispered or murmured or even suggested. Ending the Spotify version the way they did was just perfect. *chef's kiss* Would I listen to it again? Hell no. Is it weird? Abundantly. Am I glad it's on the list? Oh yeah My Rating: 4/5

Third by Portishead
Sep 29 2025

Dark, sludgy. Felt like prog-industrial. The droning on "We Carry On" just about drove me spare. Really good album.

Sep 30 2025

Wonderful Funk album. You can't beat this one. Solid all the way through. The world is alright as long as we have Bootsy Collins. My Rating: 5/5

Want One by Rufus Wainwright
Oct 01 2025

He's a really good singer and composer (at least I hope he's written and composed all these songs), but it all feels very theatric to me, which sets me off. Good music, but not really for me. My Rating: 2.5/5, rounding to 3.

Cypress Hill by Cypress Hill
Oct 02 2025

The birth of a legend. Solid Latin drenched vibes with SoCal hip-hop. I think Black Sunday is more approachable and recognizable, but this sets the foundation for what Cypress Hill delivers. My Rating: 5/5

Tidal by Fiona Apple
Oct 03 2025

Good one. She's got some range. There are a variety of styles here, and I was just expecting more like "Criminal". I LOVED "Slow Like Honey". My rating: 4/5

Tres Hombres by ZZ Top
Oct 04 2025

ZZ top. Can't complain.

Spiderland by Slint
Oct 05 2025

Broody, atonal, muttering. If this is what inspired math-rock and post-rock, I'm glad someone got something out of it. This felt like kids who have some musical talent wasting it under the wings of someone who didn't realize what they could do. This isn't musical. My rating: 2/5

90 by 808 State
Oct 06 2025

This was a good one for me. Trancey, but not like current trance. Felt like what was going to be trance. Not a lot of vocals to get into, but 808 was always good for being light on vocals, and heavy on getting you into the dance vibe.

Guero by Beck
Oct 07 2025

I don't think this is his best work. There are a few good ones, but I think Odelay is a better album.

Immigrés by Youssou N'Dour
Oct 08 2025

Rich, luscious beats with beautiful melodies. Yeah, there's some synths in here, but there's a lot of ethnic instruments. This is one of the weird ones we came to this list for.

Oct 09 2025

Lots of emotionally available stuff here. John's little outbursts in the middle of songs really throw me off. It's still the Beatles, though.

Oct 10 2025

Amazing rock album and lots of little gems that never get any attention.

Oct 11 2025

One hit song does not an album make. I think that they would have done better getting more of this on the radio, because there's genius on here that's undersung. There's a variety of styles and moods, but none of it cohesive. My Rating: 4/5

Oct 12 2025

I really enjoyed this album. It felt like a bar band, and the whole album carried that through. Solid rocking music. They sound a bit like a more approachable, rocky-er version of REM.

Marquee Moon by Television
Oct 13 2025

Influential? Maybe. They're definitely not a HIT band. Some of the songs are boppy, but it's nothing to write home about and they don't sound like anything we haven't heard before. It's pretty predictable. My Rating: 3/5

Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden
Oct 14 2025

It's no wonder Iron Maiden is so influential in heavy metal. This is mind blowing, especially for 1979. This feels like THE ORIGINAL heavy metal band. Sure, Led Zeppelin blazed the trail, but Iron Maiden sets the standard. First time I've heard this album, and just ... Wow. My rating: 5/5

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter by The Incredible String Band
Oct 15 2025

No. I did not need to hear this album before I died. I could have lived a very happy and full life not knowing this album ever existed. It's not bad music, but it sounds like an album that you'd find at a Renaissance Faire. If I wanted to listen to RenFaire music I'd go to a RenFaire. My rating: 2/5 swords.

Made In Japan by Deep Purple
Oct 16 2025

I respect that the Japanese audience didn't make a lot of noise during the songs, she I appreciate that. There were some of the big hits, and some some that is y never heard before, because I'm not a big Deep Purple fan. But the "second" disc was largely unnecessary because it was the same bloody song three times, and I only needed to hear it once. And the lead singer scatting the guitar notes was annoying. My rating:2/5

Djam Leelii by Baaba Maal
Oct 17 2025

Nope. Could not do it. I dig world music and that's the whole reason I got into this project, but this felt like a weird mix of Indian and troubadour music. I couldn't even use it for background music. My rating: 1/5 bongos

Buena Vista Social Club by Buena Vista Social Club
Oct 18 2025

Love this album. Feels like little Havana in Miami.

Music Has The Right To Children by Boards of Canada
Oct 19 2025

Dreamy, floaty electronica. The whole thing uses sampling and echoes to build a feeling of deja vu, but not quite. Like maybe you've experienced this, but you're not quite sure. It's interesting and good, but I don't think I'd put it on to come back to it. There's not a single standout track, because the whole album feels like a single unit you have to listen to.

Oct 20 2025

Sam belts it out here for the Harlem Square Club, but too much of the crowd competes with him and the band, distracting from his performance. Awesome music, but I wish they'd turned down the crowd mic or filtered it out.

Power In Numbers by Jurassic 5
Oct 21 2025

Infectious beats, lyrically precise. I'd never heard anything from this album before. It's good, but nothing hooked me to pull me back in to it or play it again.

Roger the Engineer by The Yardbirds
Oct 22 2025

Not impressed. Just more 60's era rock. I didn't think there was anything groundbreaking here. My rating: 2/5 tabs

It's Blitz! by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Oct 23 2025

Meh. Just another female fronted rock band. Nothing stood out, nothing special. Just more blah, boring music.

I wish I had minded the bollocks because that's all the sex pistols ever amounted to. Yes, they're the original British punk band. That doesn't mean they're good. Not a single song I'd ever want to hear again. Johnny Rotten sounds like the tosspot that would stand in the back of the Christmas pageant and sing off key at the top of his lungs just to ruin the show, and then giggle with his friends afterwards behind the gym whilst smoking a broken cigarette he stole from his dad. Revolutionary, yes. Do they belong on the list, yes. Are they good, no. My rating: 1/5 earplugs.

Oct 25 2025

Committed to the bit!!! It's iconic, sure, but there aren't a lot of hooks to bite onto. The symbolism is deep but obtuse. The centering on that symbolism makes it difficult for outsiders to grab onto.

Face to Face by The Kinks
Oct 26 2025

The Kinks? I thought this was the Beatles. Or the Monkees. Or any one of half a dozen crap British pop bands from the era. This does not belong on the list.

Coat Of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
Oct 27 2025

Wonderful rustic album. Dolly is always a pleasure. She's the most wholesome trashy woman in the world.

Oct 28 2025

Really good rap album, but I think it's before Eminem got really good at chopping. He's still dealing with a lot of demons here.

Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Oct 29 2025

It's CCR, what more do you need to know? You know what you're getting into, it's all right there on the tin. Plenty of Southern Rock hits, and the lesser known trakcs are still good as Southern Rock. "Heard It Through The Grapevine" drags on a bit and feels a little "jammy".

Toys In The Attic by Aerosmith
Oct 30 2025

It's Aerosmith. You know what you're getting. It's not bad them, but it's also not awesome.

Vento De Maio by Elis Regina
Oct 31 2025

Good for background. The Portuguese makes it all blend together, and it sounds more jazzy than anything.

Graceland by Paul Simon
Nov 01 2025

Good album. The only track I'd heard before was "Call Me Al", which anyone learning to pop radio in the 80's heard about a thousand times. Every track has some African influence in it, and some are collaborations with make African performers.

KIWANUKA by Michael Kiwanuka
Nov 03 2025

Soulful. This felt like music from a gentle giant. Nothing is pulling me back in, but I wouldn't complain if someone put it on.

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen
Nov 04 2025

It's not bad music, but it's too theatrical for my taste. Bruce feels like he's trying to fill a Broadway stage by himself with no PA system, and he's going to explode if he doesn't get it out.

New Forms by Roni Size
Nov 05 2025

It's different and interesting, but I didn't really like it. Techno and electronica should make you want to dance, and this does not. It would be ok for a chill game soundtrack, but not much else. It's not atmospheric enough to be ambient, but not bouncy enough to dance to.

Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
Nov 06 2025

Interesting, essential listening. I had forgotten that Simon & Garfunkel performed "Hazy Shade of Winter", and the Bangles only punched it up a little to be honest. This is fairly crucial 70's listening. I can't find any nits to pick, but I wouldn't pull it again unless it's to listen to "Hazy Shade of Winter" or "Mrs. Robinson" again.

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen by The Residents
Nov 07 2025

Oof, this was a weird one! Imagine if you took someone who studied music from Tom Waits, and then took away their lithium. And then they took songwriting cues from a room full of kindergartners. They broke all the rules of music, but it's not together enough to be jazz.

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Nov 08 2025

Probably the only Pink Floyd album you don't need chemical enhancement to appreciate. Wrapping "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" around the album hits is an interesting move. The middle of the album is foundational to every classic rock radio station in the world. My Rating: 4/5

Rage Against The Machine by Rage Against The Machine
Nov 09 2025

I have listened to this album so many times. Released during my sophomore year of college, and shaped so much of my headspace. You can feel the rage of Zach de la Rocha pouring from the speakers. My rating: 10/5 megaphones!

Nov 10 2025

He has a wonderful bass voice. Very soothing. It's just not my thing. It reminds me of 70's singer songwriter stuff, but it was released in 2009. It's not bad, just nothing jumps out at me to listen to it again. My rating: 2/5 eagle feathers

To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
Nov 11 2025

I can't possibly say it's a BAD album, but I can confidently say it's not an album for me. It's DENSE. This album opens up as a firehose of emotion and beats and lyrics. It's too much at once. I feel like I discovered the marble in the oatmeal. And it doesn't let up. There's no room to breathe, Kendrick.

Out of Step by Minor Threat
Nov 12 2025

I know this is straightedge, but it reminds me of skater punk. Not that I mind skater punk, but I have to be in a certain mood to appreciate it. I might give it another listen when I need this style.

The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips
Nov 13 2025

Ah yes, The Flaming Lips. The band that proves to me every time that it's possible to be TOO progressive. Completely incapable of writing a hook. I'm sure their fans love them, but it's just musical masturbation. Cut it out. My rating: 1/5 lips.

Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan
Nov 14 2025

Not impressed. Early prog rock, which means we're gonna try to be jazz folks but we don't have the credentials to actually be jazz folks. It all descends into musical masturbation. Let's cut it out and quit being pretentious. My Rating: 1/5 joints

Frank by Amy Winehouse
Nov 15 2025

I was blown away by this album. Just completely amazing.

Triangle by The Beau Brummels
Nov 16 2025

This was about interesting as listening to paint dry. I need another pseudo psychedelic 60s rock band to listen to like I need a second right pinky finger. Utter pap. Cut it out, the 60s weren't that great for music. Neither were the 70s.

Crocodiles by Echo And The Bunnymen
Nov 17 2025

Not impressed. Actually bored listening to it. I just couldn't get into it.

Crime Of The Century by Supertramp
Nov 18 2025

I hadn't heard anything from this album before, but I was familiar with Supertramp's other work. There are a couple of songs that have that "waka-chicka" sound that we all associate with disco and the 70's. Good album all the way through, but not really notable. There's a reason this one didn't get a lot of radio play. My Rating: 3/5 jail cells

This album does not belong as the worst album in the project. This is not a conventional album. This isn't the band you go to see live, even though they did at least one live album. This is a band for appreciation through headphones. It's not ALL noise. The noise is interesting and thought provoking, sure, but not all of it is noise. Tracks like "AB/7A" are proto-ambient/proto-electronica. These guys laid some of the groundwork for bands like Ministry and Skinny Puppy and early Nine Inch Nails. Let's save the worst slot for the truly bad, like the plethora of 70's pop that the author thinks are "all that". Or every dog-shit album the Beatles did, because they're not all rockers. I might not listen to it again, but I'm glad it's on the list and that I listened to it. My Rating: 3/5

Nov 20 2025

This is a critically underrated hip-hop album. Sure, they had hits come off this album: "People Everyday", "Mr. Wendell", "Tennessee". More of this album deserved radio play and acclaim. "Mama's Always On Stage" is a proper banger. "Children Play With Earth" is so positive. Every track deserves a second listen. My rating: 5/5 daishikis.

Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Nov 21 2025

I have finished Trout Mask Replica and survived with my sanity intact. Critics love this album because it's weird, and it must be weird for a purpose, so they write 2,000 word essays about the weirdness and what it all means and why it MUST be a reflection on drug culture or consumerism or why their great-auntie smelled funny. Well... sometimes the wall simply is green, and sometimes a cigar is simply a cigar, and sometimes an album is weird because someone thinks differently. Critics didn't decode this album or understand it; they projected onto it, thinking that the weird must have purpose instead of Captain Beefheart just being weird for fun and to troll the critics. The music is weird, and that's putting it mildly. It honestly sounds like you threw an improv jazz band on a stage with Fisher-Price instruments intentionally out of tune, and told them to jam. It's rough and edgy and interesting, but it's not a bop. It’s not music you dance to. It’s music you endure, and somehow feel better afterward. You're sitting down and letting it wash over you, and letting it take the chaos of your day with you. When you get through it, you'll feel better, because your day could not possibly have been more chaotic than the music. The lyrics sounds like a beat poet in training, with less rhythm and meter. They make no sense, and do not follow any rules about poetry or lyrics. I've heard more cohesive lyrics on open mic night. But there's magic in there. Just don't make me quote it. The lyrics sound like beat poetry written during a fever dream, but every now and then Beefheart drops a line that hits like accidental genius. Captain Beefheart has a carny barker aspect to his voice that makes it interesting to listen to. One of the wildest parts of this album’s production is that the band played this chaos with military precision, and performed it live. With no chemistry involved. That's the mind blower. There were NO DRUGS involved in the production. In short, you don't need to hear this album. But your life will be richer if you do. My Rating: 4/5

Nov 22 2025

Ok, i can see how this is the start of heavy metal and progressive rock. I can see where bands like Yes and Coheed and Cambria come from. I did not need the expanded version Spotify gave me, as the extra tracks added nothing to the album. It stood just fine without them, like King Crimson intended. This isn't my style, but it wasn't bad. My Rating: 3/5 Crimson Crowns.

Junkyard by The Birthday Party
Nov 23 2025

I did not enjoy this album. I get that it's a punk album, and it's supposed to be discordant and noisy. No redeeming qualities for me, and probably worse than Einsturbende Neubaten. My rating: 1/5 sniper rats

Marcus Garvey by Burning Spear
Nov 24 2025

Reggae. At least this wasn't all "we wanna smoke more pot and not get in trouble for it". But you had to really pay attention to get that. This isn't an album that you can listen to idly. It's good, but if you listen idly, it'll just sound like every other reggae album with the bouncy beat and the weak chord progression. My rating: 2/5 chain links

Nov 25 2025

Ah, yes. Part of the ammunition for the PMRC. It's not a bad album, but at points it sounds like kids trying to look tough and maintain cred. And Easy-E has horrible trigger discipline.

The Rolling Stones by The Rolling Stones
Nov 26 2025

Mostly covers. Not what I expected for a debut album. Young Stones are good, and just trying to showcase their chops here.

Rattus Norvegicus by The Stranglers
Nov 27 2025

Pretty good. Even for a confusing debut album labeled "IV". It felt a little like Billy Idol. My rating: 4/5 stuffed heads

There's A Riot Goin' On by Sly & The Family Stone
Nov 28 2025

This album feels very muddy, very distorted, when funk should feel a little cleaner than this. This is not party forward PFunk. Full of loops and primitive drum machines. It's an alright album, but there's nothing for me to come back to. I was kind of bored listening to it. It's not offiensive or bad, just not sticky.

Music in Exile by Songhoy Blues
Nov 29 2025

This kind of stuff is why we're here. Did I understand a word they said? No, I did not. Is it good music? You're damned skippy it is! These guys rock! It's a 50's meets the new age kinda vibe. Rocky beats, snappy guitar riffs, lots of feeling. I'm so glad this one came up. My rating: 5/5

Odelay by Beck
Nov 30 2025

Decent album. A few hits I remembered from early post graduation. I wouldn't come back for the stuff I didn't recognize, though

I’m a Lonesome Fugitive by Merle Haggard
Dec 01 2025

I could smell the Marlboros and stale beer while listening to this album. It's not so album I would have chosen to listen to, but I'm glad I did.

Fragile by Yes
Dec 02 2025

Interesting album. There are a number of classical feeling pieces mixed in with the couple of hits you've heard from the radio. I might keep this one in regular rotation. My rating: 4/5

Dec 03 2025

There's magic in here between the hit tracks or "Tainted Love" and "Where Did Our Love Go?". The whole album is cheeky and fun and surprising. Poppy and a little dark if you think about what they're saying.

Dec 04 2025

I wasn't particularly enthused by this album. It felt a lot like poncy people noodling. The music was alright, it just didn't grab my attention, and felt like jazzy people trying to play rock music, which is what happens when you have a prog album. My rating: 3/5 umbrellas

At Budokan by Cheap Trick
Dec 05 2025

It's Cheap Trick. If you know the band, you know what you're getting. 70's rockers. The crowd noise was mixed in too much for my liking. Not horrible, but they lose a star for the extra crowd noise. It was interesting that they had a special intro and outro song. I think I enjoyed the outro song more than the rest of the concert. My Rating: 3/5

...And Justice For All by Metallica
Dec 06 2025

Opened up hard and never slowed down. Some of the tracks are a little long, but it's good.

L'Eau Rouge by The Young Gods
Dec 07 2025

A fusion of Theatrical and dark industrial. What might happen if Al Jourgensen of Ministry and Angine de Poitrine got together and had a evil musical love child. It's definitely interesting and dark, but it's not compelling enough for me to come back.

Black Monk Time by The Monks
Dec 08 2025

These guys were SO ahead of their time. This is punk, before punk was a thing, layered over surf rock. It's a bit jangly, a bit loose, but then the lyrics. THE LYRICS! "I hate you! But call me." I mean... wow. It's interesting and provocative, but rough to listen to because it feels like it's produced so cheaply. Give it a chance though, and it might just grow on you. My Rating: 3/5

Dec 09 2025

What an awesome funky album! I have never heard "The Cisco Kid" before, just "War" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?", so this side of the band was really cool to hear. I never knew they were so funky. It was great that they had the avenue to let each performer shine on "City, Country, City" like they did. So much talent. My Rating: 5/5

Stardust by Willie Nelson
Dec 10 2025

Awesome branch out for Willie to sing American standards with his stripped down country styling. Albums like this pave the way for modern country crossovers. I'm glad this was on the list. My rating: 4/5

Moondance by Van Morrison
Dec 11 2025

Well, it's not "Brown Eyed Girl", but it's a wonderful album. I thought the title track was a cover or one of those American Standards, and it is, because he wrote it. "Glad Tidings" was such a wonderful way to end an album.

Life Thru A Lens by Robbie Williams
Dec 12 2025

It's an alright album for brit pop, but... you definitely lose two points for putting 8 minutes of dead silence in the last track to hide a "hidden track" and maintaining that silence in this day and age of streaming. For a spoken word track. Don't be a ponce. My Rating: 2/5 flashbulbs

Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes
Dec 13 2025

Brings back childhood memories. The raw emotion is amazing here, even though they might not sound the best. I could have done without the extra tracks.

Arc Of A Diver by Steve Winwood
Dec 14 2025

This screams 80s so bad I can smell the school bus. So flat and hollow. No real instruments except MAYBE a piano. The drums sound like cheap Casio samples. It's just... no. 2/5

American Pie by Don McLean
Dec 15 2025

I loved this bit of Americana, and appreciated hearing more if his work than just "American Pie".

A Girl Called Dusty by Dusty Springfield
Dec 16 2025

The songs are well done, but most of them are covers. I don't know that this really needed to be on the list. I'm happy to have listened to it, but once you've heard one Dusty album you've heard them all. My Rating: 3/5

Horses by Patti Smith
Dec 17 2025

I was expecting 70's singer songwriter. This is not that. It was interesting. It felt a bit like Björk in the delivery. Not the pixie dreamgirl, but how the music takes turns you didn't expect.

Penance Soiree by The Icarus Line
Dec 18 2025

They're rock, with some industrial influence. They come so close to having a good hook, and stop short, which keeps them from getting too deep into your head. Will definitely look for more from these guys.

Beach Samba by Astrud Gilberto
Dec 19 2025

Lovely album. I didn't think it's possible to be upset listening to samba. The bear bounces along and her voice is lovely.

Bryter Layter by Nick Drake
Dec 20 2025

Wow. This is like a darker, more somber version of James Taylor. His guitar work is amazing. "At the Chime of a City Clock" almost painted a picture of him being in the city waiting for things to happen. I really enjoyed this, and I hope there are more of his albums in the list. My Rating; 5/5 shoes

Oedipus Schmoedipus by Barry Adamson
Dec 21 2025

Such a weird album. Each track felt like the audio track from a David Lynch film. Complete with the actors voices. If artst-fartsy music turns you off, don't bother.

Broken English by Marianne Faithfull
Dec 22 2025

If this album came out today, nobody would notice. Her background does a lot of the heavy lifting for why critics like it, and why it's on the list. The music is good, but fairly dated due to Steve Winwood on keyboards that give it that early 80's sound. The lyrics are edgy enough, giving her teeth. Even the notorious track, "Why'd You Do It?" isn't any more scandalous today than most rap hits. In 1979, this is shocking. Today? This is just another Thursday. My Rating: 3/5

Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits
Dec 23 2025

I obviously remembered the hits. The rest of the album is delightful, but maybe not radio worthy.

Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury by The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Dec 24 2025

Michael Franti raps as a cyberpunk street preacher, decrying the evils of the 90's. If you didn't know better, you might think this was an RATM side project. Lyrically dense, but the backbeats are there to keep you bobbing through it all. This is perfect politically conscious rap. My Rating: 5/5

Dec 25 2025

Interesting. The album felt like melodic chaos. Like a happier, more sober version of Tom Waits. It's very good. No hooks, though. It's music as art, which we need more of, and very approachable. Nothing abrasive, like audio silk with a few wrinkles to grab onto for texture. M y Rating: 5/5

Dec 26 2025

A very appropriate pick for Christmas Day. Well done, festive, and just far enough from the classics to be it's own twist on those songs, while nodding back at the originals. Will definitely keep in mind for Christmas breakfast cooking next year

Axis: Bold As Love by Jimi Hendrix
Dec 27 2025

Pretty good Jimi Hendrix album. It takes a special kind of disconnection from reality to properly appreciate Jimi's lyrics. When he starts singing about flying on a dragonfly as a perfectly acceptable and logical means of conveyance, you know he's HIGH. Like, higher than you've ever been on today's chemical enhancement, and this was in the 70's, when the weed wasn't as good as it is today.

Dec 28 2025

Progish background music. Pretty at times and melodic, and then deconstructed. Not really what I needed today, but knowing this exists might help in the future. That first song, though... man... everyone says it's long, and that's both a warning and a blessing. It's pretty, but LONG and repetitive. My Rating: 4/5

Copper Blue by Sugar
Dec 29 2025

Generic alt-rock. Adequate, but not good. The songs are boring. You'll be better rewarded by just listening to Husker Du. And there's backmasking, how edgy... not. My Rating: 2/5

Master Of Puppets by Metallica
Dec 30 2025

Foundational thrash metal album. Yes, it's good. It's not THAT good. I know the metalheads love it, I know the Metallica fans love it. It's not perfect. Let's not pretend it is. They get full of themselves with the song lengths.

Jazz Samba by Stan Getz
Dec 31 2025

Lovely. Jazz I like. It'll put a sway in your shoulders and a bounce in your head. I wish THIS had been the jazz Stan Getz played at the Village Vanguard. My Rating: 5/5

Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder
Jan 06 2026

Amazing album all the way through. It's missing someone when listening to it streaming, though, because you don't get the divisions of the two LPs and the extended EP that shipped with the original pressing. I was recognizing the origins of hip-hop tracks from Stevie, and I'm glad he got composer credits over there.

Hail To the Thief by Radiohead
Jan 07 2026

It's not a bad album, it's just not good. I was bored. And the falsetto in every bloody song is just annoying. The electronica touches were nice, but it was like... are they a rock band or an electronica band? Make a decision, embrace one or the other, don't try to do both. My Rating: 3/5

Histoire De Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg
Jan 08 2026

DUDE! This is a must listen. Trip-hop before trip-hop was cool. The basslines creep into your spine and force your head to bob. Serge Gainsbourg's voice is DRIPPY. So smooth over the bassline, enhancing it, just slipping in there, delivering the lines. This is an album you'll want to keep in your back pocket. It's all in French, and one day I hope to become fluent enough to understand all of it. My Rating: 5/5. I'd give it 10, but I can't.

The Contino Sessions by Death In Vegas
Jan 09 2026

This is not your comfort album. It's an odd blending of electronica and psychedelia and industrial. Lyrically sparse, and not really hooky. It's not bad, just not something you can settle into and vibe with. I liked it, and I'm glad I heard it, but I don't know if I'll return to it. My Rating: 3/5

Bayou Country by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Jan 10 2026

Rolling in like fog through the swamp, this album wraps around you in a comforting southern‑rock blanket. “Good Golly, Miss Molly” shows up in a deliciously funky swamp‑boy groove, “Proud Mary” finally sits in its proper habitat instead of floating around on the radio or a Greatest Hits disc, and even the deep cuts feel like overlooked gems. Lines like “If I were a politician, I’d prove the monkey talk” land with a strangely prescient bite in today’s climate. After hearing this album, I’ve changed my New Year’s resolution to choogle more and hopefully keep on chooglin’ on… My Rating: 5/5 swamp rats

Want Two by Rufus Wainwright
Jan 11 2026

He's too showtunes for me. It's very theatrical, which I'm not looking for.

Pyromania by Def Leppard
Jan 12 2026

Came on rocking hard and carried that all the way through.

The Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Jan 13 2026

It was good to hear all these standards sung by her, but I did not need ALL of them all at once. Three hours is a little much.

Trafalgar by Bee Gees
Jan 14 2026

Bee Gees before the disco era. I thought I was getting disco, but I got post-Beatles boy band. A couple of the tracks that Robin leads on makes him sound like Jim Nabors. It was alright, but I don't really think this one belongs on the list. There's nothing groundbreaking or spectacular here. My Rating: 3/5 ships

I had no idea Rod Stewart was ever in a band, so this one snuck up on me. It felt like Rod Stewart put together a band and tried to do George Thorogood. I'm not going to say it was a bad album, because I found myself getting into a couple of songs, but there was nothing that made me want to come back to it. My rating: 2/5 blind horses

Faust IV by Faust
Jan 16 2026

Ok, that was a journey! Yes, it's weird. It's interesting, though. It starts out kind of proto-ambient/proto-industrial, lulling you into a sense of comfort, and then it gets really weird. Never boring. The lyrics are very sparse and repetitive. "The Sad Skinhead" is kind of silly. "It's a Bit of a Pain" is more than a bit of a pain. If you listen on Spotify, you can stop at Disc 1, because Disc 2 is just remixes and other additions from the Deluxe set. My Rating: 3/5

Queen II by Queen
Jan 17 2026

An emo/glam album from Queen. I was expecting 80's rock Queen, not 70's glam Queen. It's good enough, the songs are masterfully done, but nothing made me want to listen again. My Rating; 3/5

The Colour Of Spring by Talk Talk
Jan 18 2026

This is like the adult contemporary version of Duran Duran. Strip away the eyeliner and the edgy chorus, and replace it with tasteful chord progressions, and this is what you get. Kinda meh. Nothing really grabbing, it's just there. My rating: 2/5 butterflies

Take Me Apart by Kelela
Jan 19 2026

This was ok. Maybe this was groundbreaking when it came out, but others have done the same thing. It's very soft, sexy R&B over downtempo electronica. It's bedroom techno. You could bump uglies to this. My Rating: 3/5

All Directions by The Temptations
Jan 20 2026

Interesting album. Shocking use of the "hard R" in one song. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" felt like it belonged on the Shack soundtrack, and went on longer than it really needed to. Surprising bird of tenderness in other songs. My rating: 3/5 stones.

Picture Book by Simply Red
Jan 21 2026

I remember when "Holding Back the Years" got radio play. The album isn't bad, but that's the only song that really got me. The whole thing felt like it was trying to figure out where it wanted to be. Blues? Rock? Pop? Pick a lane, buddy. My Rating: 2/5

Kilimanjaro by The Teardrop Explodes
Jan 22 2026

What a weird album. It feels like they're trying to be a little like Duran Duran or The Cars, but just can't quite get there. It's like the album your dad picks up for you at the airport while he's on business in London, because he knows you like British music. There's hooks that almost get into you, but not quite. Weird enough to keep it from getting radio play, except maybe on the college radio set. I liked "Use Me", "Traison", "Kilimanjaro", "Poppies in the Field". The live version of "Sleeping Gas" at the end of the remaster currently streaming on Spotify is blindingly hilarious. My rating: 3/5 mountaintops.

In Rainbows by Radiohead
Jan 24 2026

Hot garbage. If I gotta hear Thom Yorke whine in that crap falsetto one more time I think I'll scream. Gimme the Radiohead that sang "Creep".

Roots by Sepultura
Jan 25 2026

Awesome album. Excellent use of indigenous rhythm and music integrated with the "cookie-monster" metal. I might check out others from their catalog.

Tonight's The Night by Neil Young
Jan 26 2026

Oh Neil.... You spend this entire album being squeaky and quavery in order to posture "vulnerability". The music is awesome. The lyrics are strong. You r delivery is weak. Anybody else could sing this with more conviction and more emotion and it would be more convincing. My Rating: 2/5

Sign 'O' The Times by Prince
Jan 27 2026

You can keep your Michael and Madonna. Prince is the only pop royalty we need. This album is just funky enough to keep it interesting, sexy enough to be alluring, poppy enough to keep it bouncy, rocky enough to groove. This is an actual "you must hear this" album. It deserved more radio play. Come on, radio guys, play more Prince! My Rating: 5/5

Moon Safari by Air
Jan 28 2026

Smooth beats, intricate, easy to lose yourself in. Nothing really stands out, though. It's all feels like one long continuous track, and it's hard to tell where one stops and the next one starts. My Rating: 3/5

B-52's by The B-52's
Jan 29 2026

Good entry to 60's sounding surf rock, even though this album is from '79. I think "Rock Lobster" carried on way longer than needed. Enjoyed the album, wish it was longer. My rating: 4/5

Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt
Jan 30 2026

I can see that someone might have appreciated the art of it, but I think it belongs somewhere between not on the list and Kid Rock. It's very chaotic and the lyrics sound like a mix of English, backmasked Arabic, and nonsense. The artsy-fartsy people who like this can keep it. There are moments where you get a few bars and think "Oh my, a bit of music I can hang onto", and then it gets interrupted with a goose-honking saxophone or a weird turn of phrase and you remember "Oh yeah, I'm listening to Robert Wyatt, not a sensible musician". Ending the album with that laugh sounds like he just pulled the biggest joke on all of us. Like... "I made the worst album I could think of and YOU ALL LISTENED TO IT." This is like the Voynich Manuscript of albums. My Rating: 0/5, but I have to put a 1.

Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix
Jan 31 2026

You can never go wrong with Jimi. I thought that Voodoo Chile went on a little long, and the cheering from the audience didn't add anything, which is why I hate live tracks. Even with the weird lyrics, Jimi is amazing. My Rating: 5/5

Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan
Feb 01 2026

I don't think I like steely Dan much.

Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch
Feb 02 2026

Simply beautiful. Haunting, lilting at times, harmonious. Reminds you that simple music is good and wholesome and sorrowful and beautiful all at once. Yes, it's country. Get over yourself. Not all country is twangy yee-haw Nashville crap. My Rating: 5/5

Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
Feb 03 2026

I normally don't like jazz, but to deny Thelonious would be like denying Satriani or Yo-Yo Ma or Aphex Twin. This is excellent thinking music. His chords feel like they were carved out with a pocketknife. It's not groovy, but it sits there, built on angles and odd rhythms, giving you something to think with, and occasionally jumping up and biting you, giving you friction to think against. My Rating: 4/5

Technique by New Order
Feb 04 2026

It reminded me what Duran Duran might sounds like if they took some Paxil and got out of their funk. And every bloody song sounded the same. Just one long track where it was all one beat, over engineered electronica and bland lyrics. My rating:2/5

Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix
Feb 05 2026

This was the first Jimi album I listened to in college. Jimi, through all the haze, spins picturesque lyrics to his songs. You feel the anger in "Hey Joe" over betrayal. You feel the sadness of a missing love in "The Wind Cries Mary". My Rating: 5/5

Ananda Shankar by Ananda Shankar
Feb 06 2026

From the album art, I expected classical sitar music, NOT THIS! The covers of classic rock tunes and originals are refreshing and interesting. Just like other Indian themed albums on the list, I feel like I should have been handed a mango lassi. It's cool, but I don't think it's essential. I'm glad I heard it, but I wouldn't have been heartbroken if I hadn't. My Rating: 4/5

Feb 07 2026

This album is Southern Rock bedrock. You could walk into any bar with a cover band and play any one of these songs and have the whole bar singing along with you. Distance the art from the people, folks. And stop viewing everything through today's lens. Amazing album, even the weak spots are good. And not written by 15 people, produced by 20. Let's see Beyonce do that. My rating: 5/5

Remain In Light by Talking Heads
Feb 08 2026

This is a thinking man's album. It's good, but it'll make you take pause. Not something you just casually listen to.

Berlin by Lou Reed
Feb 09 2026

Not impressed. I know Lou Reed is this musical heartthrob of the critics, but the lack of hooks and meandering turned me off. And his lack of melody. And the fact that he sounded like he needed therapy. Sorry, this is a skipper for me. My Rating: 3/5

Juju by Siouxsie And The Banshees
Feb 10 2026

This album felt like a female lead, gothy version of Talking Heads "Remain In Light". It's kinda atmospheric with an art-school vibe. The album your older sister would have listened to and said, "you don't get it". Lots of tight grooves. You can dance to it, but it's not comfortable. I got into "Night Shift" and "Halloween". Not bad all the way through. My Rating: 3/5 wooden masks.

The Madcap Laughs by Syd Barrett
Feb 11 2026

Some of the songs are very childlike. It didn't feel like a full album, but more of a musical sketchbook of what was going on in his head at the time. I could hear hints of "The Wall" in here, but there wasn't enough similarity to pull me in. It all felt a bit chaotic. My Rating: 3/5

m b v by My Bloody Valentine
Feb 12 2026

This sounded like someone learned how to play the drone string on a banjo and forgot that they needed melody to go with it in order to ACTUALLY MAKE A GOOD SONG. Drove me spare. Occasionally I'd hear something reminiscent of a lyric, only to wonder if I actually heard anything. No. This is not music. My bloody Valentine? More like my BORING Valentine. I'd rather listen to Kid Rock. At least he can modulate his voice and speak above a whisper. My Rating: 1/5

Smash by The Offspring
Feb 13 2026

Fun pop punk album. Made me feel like I should be paying crazy taxi or Tony hawk.

What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
Feb 14 2026

This is an amazing, lush, sweet album. The love Marvin has for his fellow man and humanity and the world at large is here in BUCKETS. But this is not the ROMANTIC live album everyone thinks it is. There's so much soul and emotion here, Marvin practically weeps for what we're doing to the environment for our children and each other. This is not your sex album, though. You thinking it is. My rating: 5/5

Urban Hymns by The Verve
Feb 15 2026

Opened up with the strongest song, and fell into droney mediocrity. Just not enjoyable. Sorry, maybe I just don't like shoegaze.

Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin
Feb 16 2026

Wow, just wow. It felt like someone handed Jimmy a mandolin and said, "Let's see what trouble you can get into with this.", and he did. I had only heard "Immigrant Song" and "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" before listening to this album, and tracks like "Gallows Pole" and "Tangerine" blew me away. Awesome album all the way through.

Aladdin Sane by David Bowie
Feb 17 2026

Someone take the speed away from him. The title track is very chaotic and grating. It sounds like Bowie doesn't even like the song. I don't get the whole "Ziggy" thing, so any story is lost to me. The other musicians accompanying him seem to competing with him instead of playing alongside him, and it creates a very discordant sound. My Rating: 2/5

Truth And Soul by Fishbone
Feb 18 2026

It's fun, but it's OVER THE TOP. Like... It's just too much ska, too much politics, but not enough funk and not enough hooks. Like... chill out and let's have a little fun with this.

Rust In Peace by Megadeth
Feb 19 2026

Warning: DO NOT DRIVE TO THIS ALBUM! This is a high-octane speedrun of an album. The first track starts off fast and the whole thing does not let up. Even when a song backs off A LITTLE it's just the spring winding up. The songs are interesting, sure, and the lyrics are tight. It's a go-go-go album. My Rating: 5/5

Purple Rain by Prince
Feb 20 2026

I wish we'd seen past all the controversy that is Prince back in the 80's. This album was amazing! Even though this breaks the "no soundtracks" rule, I'm glad it's on the list. The usage of backmasking and environmental sounds is interesting. It's racy enough to be titillating, but not so much that it feels dirty, even with "Darling Nikki". My Rating: 5/5

Feb 21 2026

This album smelled like an 8-track. Literally. Otis deserves more respect than this album gave him. I would have liked it better if Otis had been able to get a couple more original songs. Hearing him get to perform with Booker T and the MG's was amazing. -1 for not enough of his own work. My Rating: 4/5

Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson
Feb 22 2026

It's not bad, but I think this is the type of music we'd have gotten from Trent if he was a little bolder and forward with his sexuality. It feels like a cross between NIN and Lords of Acid. Like an angry incel teenager. I like the musical styling, just not the lyric content. Marilyn, quit being a sex pest.

The Grand Tour by George Jones
Feb 23 2026

Another one where I'm smelling the honky tonk while this is playing on the jukebox. The opening track had me asking "George, what did you DO?" Lovely, soulful, sad country.

Transformer by Lou Reed
Feb 24 2026

Only knowing "Walk on the Wild Side", this was fun. Understated, silly, fun. He doesn't take himself too seriously. It's a short album, good for a commute. It's interesting he put a closer on the album. My Rating: 5/5

Chirping Crickets by Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Feb 25 2026

Lovely little album. Of course, everyone has heard the hits. The songs on this album that didn't make big radio play are still good songs. My only issue is all the songs are love songs. New love, lost love, love love love. Like... Buddy, tell us how lonely you are on the road. Tell us about anything but how much you wanna hug and kiss that girl over there. The whole album feels like it's driven by a greasy dude in a cheap suit chomping on a big Cuban cigar, telling him "Buddy, you can sing about anything as long as it's about a girl." I just want some depth. My Rating: 4/5

Rings Around The World by Super Furry Animals
Feb 26 2026

What a deliciously weird album. Not quite techno, not quite bubblegum pop. They don't know exactly what they want to be, but you'll find yourself tapping your foot and bobbing your head to it. My Rating: 4/5

Eliminator by ZZ Top
Feb 28 2026

I have never heard a bad ZZ Top album. Solid rock/blues album, even the songs that didn't get radio play are good.

A Northern Soul by The Verve
Mar 01 2026

A little more varied than Urban Hymns, but they still get into unstructured music and droney mediocrity. This did not belong on the list.

The Atomic Mr Basie by Count Basie & His Orchestra
Mar 02 2026

TIGHT! ALRIGHT! OUTTA SIGHT! I don't even like jazz, and you can't go wrong with Count Basie. Smooth, dynamic, big band jazz delivering something you can just jam along to and be productive or just listen and tap your feet. The songs never feel overdone or leave you wanting more. I could listen to this about 15 more times and not get tired of it.

Mar 03 2026

David Byrne barking and scatting(?) through this album. The music itself is good, but I don't like a full album of David Byrne. He's just not pleasant to listen to. Liked Songs: Take Me To The River, The Big Country, I'm Not in Love My Rating: 3/5

Caetano Veloso by Caetano Veloso
Mar 04 2026

There's a little bossa nova and a little Caribbean bounciness, but it dips a little too much into psychedelia for my taste. It's not bad music, and I'm glad it's on the list, but there wasn't anything in here I'm dying to show to someone else. If someone were to say "Hey, have you heard of this guy?" I'm thinking "Yeah, but no." My rating: 2/5

1977 by Ash
Mar 05 2026

Opens up with the scream of a TIE Fighter, letting you know this is going to be a fun album. Solid 90's rocking all the way through, but nothing really grabbed me. It just sounded like average radio pop-punk. My Rating: 3/5

The Age Of The Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets
Mar 06 2026

Good album, solid rock tunes. Each track felt like they belonged on different movie soundtracks. Each track is a good bop. My Rating: 4/5

Eagles by Eagles
Mar 07 2026

Interesting to hear the hits in the original context. The Eagles were more country-rock than I'd thought. Good album, nonetheless. My Rating: 4/5

Mar 09 2026

This is the critic's pick for nu-metal, because it's the most palatable. I think there are "better" representations. I don't like the lead singer's idea of "scatting", because it sounds like a meth-head trying to do Cab Calloway. Musically, It's hard and fast and chunky at the right places. The lyrics are crass and big and ego-driven. Not a bad album, but not their best, and not the best of the genre. My Rating: 4/5

Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs
Mar 10 2026

I liked it for sinking in and vibing. The long tracks have a way of puling you in and letting you get settled into a groove without thinking. There are times where he feels a little like Dylan over 80's, sure, but it's not unpleasant. My Rating: 4/5

2112 by Rush
Mar 11 2026

Amazing album, but it felt like they could have cut the first track into it's respective tracks and then stopped there, because that's the story they were trying to tell. After that it's album filler. My rating: 4/5

Blood, Sweat & Tears by Blood, Sweat & Tears
Mar 12 2026

Umm... no. I don't want to spend all this time just to listen to "You've Made Me So Very Happy", which is the only truly good song on the album. The whole thing feels like Tom Jones with a full orchestra, and everyone gets a solo, the songs stretch on too long and don't go anywhere. My rating: 2/5

Mr. Tambourine Man by The Byrds
Mar 13 2026

Essential 60's listening. Everything I would have expected of a 60's album. Not that I liked it all that much, because it's a mid-60's album. Once you get past the opening track, nothing really stands out. There's not a reason to come back. My Rating: 3/5

Sunday At The Village Vanguard by Bill Evans Trio
Mar 14 2026

Jazz noodling. Nope. Why could they have not taken the best of the takes and just said "ok, these are good, put these on the album"? No. They had to put three takes of some songs on here. I don't care how much of a musical genius you are, that's bad planning. Fuck off with this shit. My rating: 1/5

Guitar Town by Steve Earle
Mar 15 2026

It felt like a country version of John Cougar Mellencamp. I don't know why I needed this in my life.

Mar 16 2026

A really high energy live album. I normally hate live albums, but this one felt like you could pick up the crowd feeding off the band, and the band feeding off the crowd. They get very unglued about halfway through, like the speed wore off and they were running of whatever hallucinogenic mix they had cooking in their systems. I couldn't finish the last track. My Rating: 4/5

The Chronic by Dr. Dre
Mar 17 2026

Foundational, unbeatable gangsta rap. I'm not even a heavy rap fan, and this is a good album. Head bobbin' groovin' good time. The skits are mostly funny. And I think this might be the origin of "deez nuts". My Rating: 5/5

Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
Mar 18 2026

Fun rocker. I didn't expect it to be this much fun, and I'd heard "Take Me Out" and "This Fire" before. Solid rock, with a wink and a nod, all the way through. Whoever said this was the worst out of the indie rockers of the turn of the century was an idiot.

Eternally Yours by The Saints
Mar 19 2026

I appreciate the energy here, but it's not for me. This album sounded like the band at the dive bar where everyone gets completed blasted out of your gourd, and everyone has a good time, but NOBODY remembers what happened. And because this was before cellphones, no pictures were taken, so you make up your night. But you KNOW you had a good time. My Rating: 2/5

Tommy by The Who
Mar 20 2026

One iconic classic rock tune, put in at a key moment to give you partial relief from a VERY dark story. IT's not a bad album, just... there's no veiling of the darkness here. And the fact that Tommy starts a cult as an adult doesn't make it any better, because the same adults are still abusing him. Yes, you need to hear this album. Just be forewarned that it's dark. My Rating: 5/5

Hotel California by Eagles
Mar 21 2026

Solid hits. You can't really go wrong with this album. Even the more obscure tracks are solid. I mean, yeah, it's country adjacent rock, but it's good. My Rating: 4/5

Ogden's Nut Gone Flake by Small Faces
Mar 22 2026

This is weird. 60's British humor. Like, let's take all the Monty Python songs and try to make a cohesive story out of them, but still keep it silly. It didn't work. My rating: 1/5. But above Kid Rock.

Darklands by The Jesus And Mary Chain
Mar 23 2026

It was like they took their first take (which was a proper goth album) and gave it to the studio execs, and they said "nope, too dark, won't sell, try again". And this is the second attempt. Just a little broody, but not enough. And half-produced.

Revolver by Beatles
Mar 24 2026

*lesigh* another Beatles Album.... -1 for Eleanor Rigby +1 for Yellow Submarine +1 for general silliness -1 for not being cohesive +1 for not being a boy-band pop album -1 for Too Much Paul -1 for letting George play the sitar Honestly, it's not a bad album. I struggle to not be the asshole Beatles Critic, and this album shows me they grew some from their pop-rock roots. At least there's no skiffle. My rating: 3/5

Brown Sugar by D'Angelo
Mar 25 2026

Brown Sugar is one of those albums where I can clearly hear the lineage and the influence even if I don’t fully feel the magic myself. The Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass DNA is right there in the warmth of the grooves and the analog haze, but D’Angelo leans on his falsetto more than I prefer, floating above the music instead of digging into it. The record’s softness is its strength, but it also makes the sudden pivot into “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker” feel like someone spliced a street‑level murder ballad into a candlelit soul session. I get the betrayal and sorrow he’s aiming for, but the coarseness and tonal whiplash undercut the romance the rest of the album is working so hard to build. Still, I can hear exactly how this opened the door for neo‑soul and reshaped R&B’s trajectory. +1 for influence, even if the album itself doesn’t quite land in my personal rotation. My Rating: 3/5

Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers
Mar 26 2026

Everything Must Go hits like a band rediscovering its own gravity. From the opening moments, the Manics are locked-in and confident, delivering big, melodic Brit-rock that practically demands finger-tapping and air-guitar accompaniment. The title track soars, “Small Black Flowers…” brings a moment of unexpected, fragile beauty, and the closer “No Surface All Feeling” lands with that perfect mix of triumph and ache. It’s a tight, emotionally legible record with no dead air, just a steady, satisfying ride from a band built for bigger rooms than they ever got here. My Rating: 4/5

The College Dropout by Kanye West
Mar 27 2026

First off, let's talk about the album and separate the art from the artist. Because... hoo boy, Kanye is a trainwreck to end all trainwrecks. This is, honestly, a really good album. The beats are tight, the rhymes are inventive, the skits are funny. I wish he hadn't tried to separate the skits from the songs, because it really inflates the track count when an intro skit shouldn't really be separated from the music it's supposed to introduce. The skits don't completely stand alone on their own, they need the song to support the scaffolding. And then, we get to "Last Call". Why? WHY? WHYYYYYY? It's too long, it's self-aggrandizing, it makes no sense, nobody cares, Kanye. We didn't need this track AT ALL. My Rating: 4/5. Let's be honest, we all liked this music BEFORE Kanye lost his mind.

Garbage by Garbage
Mar 28 2026

For the most part, this album is largely forgettable. You've got the three hits: "Queer", "Only Happy When It Rains", and "Stupid Girl". Thank you MTV. Outside of those three, most of it all kinda blends together. Crunchy guitars, electronic mixed in, a little edgy, but not quite enough to bite in. Then you get to "Milk", where Shirley floats in this trip-hop bliss, enticing you to vibe with her. They could have made a whole album of just this and I would have been happy. Butch, you screwed the pooch on this one. My Rating: 3/5

In It For The Money by Supergrass
Mar 29 2026

Sounded like a 70's band transplanted into the 90's. They went through the studio storerooms and found all kinds of old stuff and decided to make it their own. Theremins. All kinda good stuff here. But... No hooks. Nothing is bringing me back.

The Rise & Fall by Madness
Mar 30 2026

Outside of "Our House", I was not expecting the weirdness in this album. It's good, but nothing is hooking be to come back.

Home Is Where The Music Is by Hugh Masekela
Mar 31 2026

He plays beautifully, but I only have space in my heart for one flugelhorn master. This album feels more like jazz for jazz people, not jazz for the audience.

Apr 01 2026

Yet another "We don't allow soundtracks on the list, but here's a soundtrack". It's very airy and ethereal. I don't think this is an album I NEEDED to listen to. I fail to see the historical significance. My rating: 2/5

Survivor by Destiny's Child
Apr 02 2026

We go from "Girls are awesome" to "girls are slutty" to "damn, that man is hot, gimme that" to thanking all these women who helped them get where they are and quoting Bible verses. Pick a lane, girls. My rating: 2/5

Lazer Guided Melodies by Spiritualized
Apr 03 2026

I'm glad someone made something new, but this was missing something because we listened to it through streaming, instead of the original LP release. And it really did just turn into background music instead of being forefront.

Make Yourself by Incubus
Apr 04 2026

I can't say I hated this album, and I can't say I liked it. Incubus has always been nu-metal for the dudes in therapy. The lead singer reminds me of your buddy who'll help you move, but doesn't take gas money. The safe nu-metal. The nu-metal for people who don't like the messiness of nu-metal. While there's space in music for this, it just kind of feels hollow. My Rating: 2/5

Shadowland by k.d. lang
Apr 05 2026

Let's put the lesbian part aside and just talk about the music. Opening up, I thought she was just doing genderbent cowboy country. I was ready to just pass on all of it. Then she started doing Patsy Cline styled country, which was good, and then the title track was beautiful. After that. I could forgive this entire album. It's classic country that's uniquely k.d. lang. Let's let her have this moment to shine, folks. She's an amazing vocalist, and she performs country beautifully. My rating: 4/5.

Repeater by Fugazi
Apr 06 2026

I get that this might be historically important to punk and the band, but it was one big haze of anger all the way through.

Duck Rock by Malcolm McLaren
Apr 07 2026

Dear Lord, where has this been all my life? Coming out like a recording of an FM radio program in the 80's. I could have listened to five hours of this. Including the 4:00 show. Amazing music, the skits made sense and were bolted into the tracks. This cannot be redone. Supremely wonderful. My Rating: 10/5

Apr 08 2026

Good album, but I don't see why it's on the list. It matters for CeeLo's career, but not for music as a whole. The backbeats sound much like all the other "Hot-Lanta" acts of the late '90's and early aughts. The only thing making this different is CeeLo's vocal delivery. My Rating: 4/5

The Healer by John Lee Hooker
Apr 09 2026

This album, while showing how JLH bridges the gap between different genres, is not completely representative of the blues delivery of JLH. The music isn't bad, but the collaborations morph into "This band covering JLH with JLH performing with them". I would have never known this album existed without the list, and I would have been fine with that. JLH works better in **House of the Blues**. My Rating: 4/5

Southern Rock Opera by Drive-By Truckers
Apr 10 2026

Awesome for Sothern Rock. Yes, it goes on a little about Lynyrd Skynyrd. And Neil Young. Mostly Skynyrd. The music was great for southern rock, but if you don't like that, you're not gonna like this. I like this better than their other work. My Rating: 4/5

Apr 11 2026

Man, what a crappy Metallica album... Oh wait, this is Megadeth! It's not bad. It shoves you through each track with the pacing. I wish they'd done a ballad with "Good Mourning", but it melds into "Black Friday", leaving the light guitar work behind. They can do delicate work, but Dave Mustaine must not be held back! He must outdo James Hetfield! For those on Spotify, Spotify does not have the original release. They have Deluxe and Deluxe Remastered. You only need the original album. MY rating: 4/5

Green by R.E.M.
Apr 12 2026

The summer after my younger brother went away to college, the big thing he came back with was "REM sucks because the lead doesn't actually sing". But his musical taste is big on Billy Joel. Yeah, Stipe has a limited range. No big deal. The music here is awesome. Solid craftsmanship here, all the way through. My Rating: 4/5

Apr 13 2026

Nope. I didn't like her vocal delivery, and the whole thing feels like she thinks she's more clever than the rest of us. It's all her whispering and singing at us, like she's trying to elicit an ASMR thing.

Midnight Ride by Paul Revere & The Raiders
Apr 14 2026

A completely unnecessary album on the list. Nothing on here was worthy of listening to, and the whole thing was forgettable. It's a bunch of love songs, a boring instrumental, and a couple of car songs. gimme a break. My Rating: 0/5

The Poet by Bobby Womack
Apr 15 2026

I get that this may have been important for Bobby Womack, but it's just your average 70's R&B/Soul album. It's good music, but nothing to hold it apart from other acts. My Rating: 3/5

Electric by The Cult
Apr 16 2026

Solid, non-stop rocker! Sometimes, a band is born that sets the standard for what a rock band should be. The Cult did that with this album. Just solid energy all the way through. Even their cover of "Born To Be Wild", while different, is impressive. My Rating: 5/5

Apr 17 2026

NO. No, it's not. This is as far from hardcore as you could possibly get. This is the hardcore that someone produces when they're trying not to offend their lovely third grade teacher, Mrs. Silas. She always said you were a good boy with so much potential. This is hardcore made for proper polite British people. Even the song that is titled "This Is Hardcore", about hardcore sex, is as hardcore as a nursery rhyme. It's not offensive music, it's music afraid of being offensive. This is the musical equivalence of walking into a clothing store, finding an awesome leather jacket, finding that it fits perfectly and you look GOOD in it. Stylish. Rakish. Dangerous. Then you hand it back to the salesgirl, apologize, and slink out of the store embarassed because you have NO BUSINESS wearing a cool leather jacket. This isn't an album about someone trying to be dark and hardcore. This is an album about someone pretending to be hardcore while being afraid that someone will think poorly of him. And that dodgy crap with "The Day After The Revolution" where it just goes on and on with the pseudo-digital static? What the hell was up with that? If you're going to "hide" a track, just do it like other people and put dead silence in there. Come on, do better. My rating: 2/5

Palo Congo by Sabu
Apr 18 2026

Loved hearing something other than britpop or 60's hippie rock. Reminded me of being in Miami. I listened to this on the way to work, and I was afraid that they were going to summon an ancient African god into the back seat of my car. Still an awesome experience, glad it's on the list. My Rating: 5/5

Apr 19 2026

C'est très cool! He has a style that most modern performers failed to achieve. You can feel the melancholy in "Caroline", and the beats throughout are head bobbing. It makes me want to push my French education further so I can understand more of what he's saying.

Wild Gift by X
Apr 20 2026

Fun, twangy surf punk rock. It's ok, there's no hooks or anything that's going to pull me back to listen to it again. Utterly forgettable. My Rating: 3/5

Apr 21 2026

Oh boy, a YES album! This is the musical equivalent of a Bob Ross painting that's been fussed with too much. It's an album written for musicians by musicians. "Siberian Khatra" starts off with an amazing groove, and then it gets "Yes-ified" 20 seconds in. It's like they're in the studio patting each other on the back "Did you hear that bit where we switched from 15/17 to 7/9 and then back to 15/17? That was genius, right?' And they put in a harpsichord and what sounded like a theremin. I appreciate these guys are extremely talented musicians, but I didn't need to hear this album at all. AND... Spotify gave me the "Deluxe Editiion", so I got EXTRA Yes which I absolutely didn't need. My Rating: 2/5 Not bad music, but I don't see how this is commercially viable.

Apr 22 2026

A live album that breaks all the rules. Everything feels intimate and close, like they're just playing right in front of you, just for you. Yeah, the crowd is there, but they're out on the sides. Kurt is playing FOR YOU. It's beautiful. The songs feel so warm and personal. My Rating: 5/5

Roxy Music by Roxy Music
Apr 23 2026

Weird, but not bad-weird. You've got this guy that sounds opera trained singing pop(?) music, but leaning HARD into the vibrato on every song. LIke... dud, just a little less. It's like Christopher Lee singing death metal. Very extra. Then you've got a guy just honking away on that sax. And then you've got Brian Eno, doing what he does best with electronic music, but also throwing in random samples and gunfire and all kinds of weird stuff. It all comes together pretty nicely, giving you a few songs to bop along to, but still being very different. It’s messy, theatrical, and occasionally ridiculous, but it’s also strangely compelling. My Rating: 4/5

Peggy Suicide by Julian Cope
Apr 24 2026

I get that this might be influential for somebody, but it's hot garbage. I didn't like the way his voice sounded, I didn't like the topic of the music, I didn't like much about it. The guitar work is decent in spots.

Pearl by Janis Joplin
Apr 25 2026

It's good, solid, classic country-tinged pop-rock from the 70's. She's got a two-pack-a-day rasp to her voice. Everyone likes it. I wouldn't turn the channel if it came on the radio, but I'm not going out of my way to play it. My Rating: 4/5

Maxinquaye by Tricky
Apr 26 2026

Dark, dreamy, drippy trip-hop. Head-bopping grooves, occasionally risque lyrics. Good album all the way through, no complaints.

Hot Fuss by The Killers
Apr 27 2026

Pop rock with club sheen. It's very formulaic, engineered for commercial success and radio play, which costs the album its soul. It's "good music", but there's no meaning to it. Nothing controversial, no bite, just a pleasant hologram. My Rating: 3/5

Smokers Delight by Nightmares On Wax
Apr 28 2026

I like this a lot for smooth, trip-hoppy background music. It's like warm blanket all around you. But it's all samey. You could have gotten the same thing from Suno or some other AI generator with a prompt like "Give me a funky trip-hop background lo-fi vibe for my Rasta themed coffeeshop". I think you'd get something very similar. My Rating: 3/5

Unhalfbricking by Fairport Convention
Apr 29 2026

A nice little romp of Brit folk rock. The album cover screams "Welcome to our little slice of life, you can join our wee lass Sandy in the garden for a bit of song." It opens up very pastoral, and gets a little bop to it on "Autopsy". "A Sailors Life" is a wonderful little dirge about the loss of the sea. In "Percy's Song" you can almost hear the glasses clinking and smell the stout as you get this almost Irish sing along. All in all, a nice album, but not one I'd return to. I wouldn't complain if it came on, though. My rating: 4/5

Ragged Glory by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Apr 30 2026

Not a bad Southern Rock album. Neil works with the band instead of standing out. Each song could be made shorter if they just cut off the tape instead of letting the final chord fade out for A MINUTE while the crowd screams and cheers for the song. Not that this is a live album, but that's what you'd do if you were actually performing. Which works for a concert, but not a studio album. My Rating: 3/5

Seventeen Seconds by The Cure
May 01 2026

Not as moody as other albums by them. It felt like they discovered what a guitar was. Nothing really hooked me. I didn't need to hear this. But I didn't hate it out of the gate.

Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós
May 02 2026

Wow. I saw the artist, and for some reason thought death metal. Boy was I wrong. This it ambient made grand. Music that lets you just float along and be, not demanding that you understand it or try to decipher it. This was such a strange, beautiful journey. My Rating: 5/5

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears by The Mamas & The Papas
May 03 2026

It's a 60's pop act. There's not much more to say. They're good, the harmony is beautiful between the singers. They're not groundbreaking. My rating: 4/5

Nixon by Lambchop
May 04 2026

This feels like lounge revival. Are we channeling Tom Jones into a country/pop album? The vocalist swings wildly from lounge crooner to an affected falsetto and back. It feels like a parody album, but doesn't commit enough to the bit to actually be funny. This is a weird Nashville art‑lounge experiment that got lucky with UK critics. Go away, this is annoying. My Rating: 1/5

May 05 2026

Not a bad album, but not my thing. The front half is electronic and poppy, the back half a little weirder and more interesting, ditching all the electronica and just using normal instruments. If they hadn't done the switch, it would have been boring. My Rating: 3/5

S.F. Sorrow by The Pretty Things
May 06 2026

This is a hot mess of an album. It felt like Sgt. Peppers with about three more sheets of acid and less structure. This is what happens when you try to write the first rock opera on the fly with no money. The story is hard to track through the songs, and if you research the story, it still doesn't make sense. Those of us in this current streaming environment don't have the benefit of having the libretto that was included in the original LP release, so you don't have that to read while you're listening. Dimery, I didn't need to hear this, even though it shaped Tommy and Sgt. Pepper and everything produced by Coheed and Cambria. My Rating: 2/5, mostly because Dimery exposed us to it.

Water From An Ancient Well by Abdullah Ibrahim
May 07 2026

Casablanca Jazz. This feels like a smoky bar with men in tuxedos and women in slinky dresses, smoking French cigarettes and drinking 16-year single malt Scotch. Smooth atmospheric lounge jazz, all the way up until the end with "Sameeda" where the trumpeter loosens his tie and gets a little improvisational. Not bad for a jazz album, and while this may have opened up the artist to the world, I don't think this NEEDED to be heard. My Rating: 4/5

Paranoid by Black Sabbath
May 08 2026

YUS!!!! Everything about this album rocks. The drum work on "Planet Caravan" drives through. The hits ring true, closing out with "Fairies Wear Boots". Even the lesser known tracks are awesome. How can you rate this lower than a 5? It's a crime. Greatest heavy metal foundational album ever. My Rating: 5/5

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek & The Dominos
May 09 2026

Good album, awesome blues and 70's rock. Some of the songs ramble on a LOT longer than necessary. The signature song isn't until almost the end, which at least makes you go through the entire album before hearing the one you know, and by that point, you might as well finish it out. My Rating: 3/5

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg by Jerry Lee Lewis
May 10 2026

Amazing album, but the version they have on Spotify is crap. It contains half the songs in the wrong order.

Vauxhall And I by Morrissey
May 11 2026

He's doing everything on here opposite of what I hate about The Smiths. He's open and honest, like he's just having a conversation with you, he just happens to be singing. He's not reaching for high notes, not whispering or murmuring or singing with some dumb quaver to cosplay intimacy. He's just there. I enjoyed everything, but liked none of it enough to say I wanted to listen to it again. I wouldn't get mad if someone put it on, but I'm not coming back on my own. My Rating: 3/5

Damaged by Black Flag
May 12 2026

I was expecting a 35-minute wall of ANGRY MAN YELLING. There was a fair amount of that, but it was understandable. It's not just a torrent of screaming. The drum work is SOLID. The guitar work is there, but it's rough and choppy and distorted, which is exactly what you expect from a punk album. What you don't expect is the frat-boy brattiness of "Six Pack" and "TV Party". You don't expect the juvenile litany of first-world problems. You DON'T expect how YOUNG Henry Rollins sounds. It's approachable punk and had me nodding my head at times. It's still not my style. My Rating: 4/5

Music for the Masses by Depeche Mode
May 13 2026

Amazing electro-pop from Britain. I don't think there's a single real instrument on the album outside of a piano and a heavily filtered guitar. And I doubt the guitar is there. You've got the hits, sure, but the rest of the album is gold. Ending the album on "Pimpf" will get you the original release. After that you've just got B-sides from single releases. They're not bad but are unnecessary. My rating: 5/5

Seventh Tree by Goldfrapp
May 14 2026

Interesting dream-pop/trippy album. Her voice just floats along, not quite ethereal but approachable. The beats are there, carrying you through the album, but not driving you through. It's not quite head-bobbing, but it keeps you around. If it hadn't been on the list, I'd never go here. I probably won't be back. My Rating; 3/5

Call of the Valley by Shivkumar Sharma
May 15 2026

Lovely example of classical Indian Raga. It might not be for everyone, but this is a prime example of why we're here. There's a slide guitar in there, but it disappears into the fabric of the songs. The whole album feels like it should come with a pot of chai, a basket of naan, and a big bowl of lamb curry. Maybe a mango lassi chaser. My. Rating: 5/5

Be by Common
May 16 2026

I wasn't a fan of Common before, but I am now. Smooth as silk, beats that keep you going, storytelling that grips, Common delivers it all. He's got a wonderful voice that's pleasant to listen to and doesn't lean on tropes other artists cling to in order to keep you entertained. If only he didn't think he needed to hook his wagon to Kanye, because Common stands just fine on his own. My Rating: 5/5 But I don't have a PhD in mathematics, so what do I know?

Sheet Music by 10cc
May 17 2026

Deliciously weird. Poppy, but not quite poppy enough to be bubblegum. Weird and silly, but serious technical musicians here. It's a wink and a nod and let's enough ourselves.

The White Room by The KLF
May 18 2026

FINALLY! I don't even need to listen to this one. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE VERSION STREAMING IT IS SHIT. You want the original 1991 CD version. Go find it at the library, a thrift store, your cousin's CD collection, your neighbors attic, anywhere. Do not trust the platforms. Bonus if you can get the single of "Justified and Ancient" with Tammy Wynette! This is rave classics all in one album. "Justified and Ancient", "3AM Eternal", "Last Train to Transcentral", "Church of the KLF". ALL BANGERS. It kind of tapers off at the end, but it's all worth it. The highs are all there, and make the lows worth it. My rating: 5/5 ONLY for the original mix. The currently streaming version is hot garbage. All bound for Mu-Mu Land!

Rock 'N Soul by Solomon Burke
May 19 2026

This man is smooth! I really like the combination of country and soul, but it really doesn't feel like a cohesive album. It feels like a collection of singles, which tracks for albums of that time. My rating: 3/5

Sex Packets by Digital Underground
May 20 2026

Digital Underground is a re-invention of P-Funk through an 90's lens. Full storytelling, characters, the beats, the samples. You can't open up with a track like that and not sing along. Not a bad moment on the entire album. The world is still looking for a definition of "lupid". My Rating: 5/5

Pretenders by Pretenders
May 21 2026

Wonderful pop album. I wish more of this had been playable on the radio back in the day, but you couldn't have without blunting the edge on the lyrics. She gets a little dirtier that the radio would have allowed. Classic all the way through. My eating: 4/5

xx by The xx
May 22 2026

Everyone’s heard the intro to this album. If you’re wondering whether the rest of the record sounds like that, the answer is: almost. Musically, it stays in the same lane — the electronica touches are tasteful, the guitar work is clean and minimal, and the whole thing feels like it’s drifting through a dimly lit room. The real highlight is the vocals. Romy and Oliver harmonize and blend like a friendship bracelet — simple threads woven into something quietly beautiful. Their voices never overpower the music; they just glide through it. The album is shorter than I expected, and the songs tend to blur together. It’s not always easy to tell where one track ends and the next begins, but that’s part of its charm and part of its limitation. It’s calming, floaty, and pleasant, but it didn’t grab me especially hard. My rating: 4/5

Aha Shake Heartbreak by Kings of Leon
May 23 2026

I hated this. I can't get behind the emotion of the songs of I can't understand what he's singing. It's all mumbly and mushy.

Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters
May 24 2026

Solid rock album, especially seeing that it's a one man show. Plenty to grab you and keep you coming back. It's not riff driven, because Grohl is a drummer and treats the guitar like another rhythm instrument, which makes the guitar stab more than strum. It's good, very good. My Rating: 4/5

Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
May 25 2026

It's a jazz quartet. You know what you're getting. But it's not noodly improv jazz. It's very well done and stays on track. Jazz for the audience that musicians can also appreciate. My Rating: 3/5

Kings Of The Wild Frontier by Adam & The Ants
May 26 2026

Adam Ant. The dude who performs in late 1700 era military uniforms. Man, that's a style, you know? He knows how to write a hook, how to keep a tune moving, and keep it danceable. You may not like every song on the album, but if you listened to it, you know you were grooving in there at some point. Come on, admit it. It's catchy, man. My Rating: 4/5

Dub Housing by Pere Ubu
May 27 2026

What in the fresh hell is this???? Imagine you took Tiny Tim, gave him three singing lessons, backed him with Tom Waits' band with actual instruments, and then armed them with a songwriter who took cues from the Talking Heads, Napolean XIV, 10cc, and Robert Wyatt. I get being an artist, but this is not my thing. It shouldn't be your thing either. You can do better. My Rating: 1/5

Dirt by Alice In Chains
May 28 2026

Sludgy grunge. I wouldn't call myself an Alice In Chains connoisseur, but they get points for what they did. It's popular and commercial enough to get onto the radio, but not so commercial that they feel formulaic. The big hits are here: "Would?", "Rooster", "Them Bones", and "Down In A Hole", but the rest of the album is good as well. Solid album. My Rating: 4/5

Moss Side Story by Barry Adamson
May 29 2026

Definitely does not belong on the list. It's an interesting enough concept that falls apart towards the end, when he starts covering other theme songs. Come on, man. You can do so much better. It's not bad music, it's interesting as background music if you're into that concept thing, but I don't think this is that influential. For a list that says "No Soundtracks", there's a surprising number of soundtracks, so why did we need a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist? My Rating: 2/5

Step In The Arena by Gang Starr
May 30 2026

Good album, but it felt kind of flat. Guru had good flow, but it's all one speed and not a lot of modulation. The beats are awesome.

Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan
May 31 2026

Sex, catharsis, and not enough substance. Heaux Tales feels undercooked for a list that’s supposed to represent the canon. It hasn’t been around long enough to show real influence, and the album itself is slight — 33 minutes with only a handful of actual songs. The tracks we do get are good, but they’re cathartic in a way that feels more like emotional venting than fully formed songwriting. There’s also a reliance on sexual framing that comes off a little gratuitous. Not because sexuality in music is a problem, but because it feels like the album leans on explicitness as a shortcut to intensity. Jazmine Sullivan has the voice, the skill, and the presence to carry an album without needing to foreground “pussy talk” as the main selling point. She doesn’t need that crutch. Overall, it’s a strong snapshot of a moment, but not a fully realized statement and definitely not something that feels ready for canonization. My Rating: 2/5

Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
Jun 01 2026

If, by committing to this project and getting this far in your life that you're listening and writing reviews for albums, you have not heard THIS ALBUM yet, you need to reevaluate your life choices. Everyone who is enthusiastic about music will have heard and know at the very minimum the hits from this album, if not every single track. I played this album almost every day one summer as I found it in my dad's record collection, and probably wore the vinyl out. It's that good. It never ages. It's a classic for a reason. My rating: 5/5

Moby Grape by Moby Grape
Jun 02 2026

This album must be listened to through "alternative means" because their manager SCREWED THEM ROYALLY. The Spotify and Apple Music versions are what Sony could put out legally. They're good. It's decent music. I'm just not into psychedelia. It meanders a bit, but the guitars are nice and fuzzy, the lyrics are there. The lack of length made it difficult to properly rate, though. My Rating: 2/5

A Wizard, A True Star by Todd Rundgren
Jun 03 2026

This album needs to come with a prescription of lithium. It felt like the musical version of those Schuylkill notes people are finding in packages of food. I couldn't deal with it, even though I finished it. I hope that Todd made other music that made sense to people other than him. My rating: 1/5

Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes
Jun 04 2026

Amazing meandering soul album. Much better than Shaft. Yeah, the tracks are long. Let him cook. It's wonderful. That voice is velvety and sweet. My Rating: 5/5

Raw Like Sushi by Neneh Cherry
Jun 05 2026

Horribly dated, overly punchy, over-annunciated. Real Spanish doesn't sound like that and makes me wonder if someone handed her the translated bits of what she wanted to say or if she's just overpronouncing everything like she did through the rest of the album. The music sounds like New Coke tastes. My Rating: 3/5

British Steel by Judas Priest
Jun 07 2026

Highly influential metal album, but dated. This album, and Judas Priest in general, bring what a heavy metal album and band should be to the 80's. The lyrics are a bit shallow, but they lean into what the market needed at the time. The music is timeless. The look is spot on. My rating: 5/5 overall, but it's really a 4 just for the music.

The Stranger by Billy Joel
Jun 09 2026

Iconic, but overplayed. Everyone knows the hits. We've all heard them on so many different commercials and movies and TV shows and the radio and anywhere else music is used and heard. We all know what we're getting with Billy Joel. The songwriting is tight, he's filling a Broadway stage with his voice, it's really good music. Because it's really good, it's used everywhere, so now everyone thinks it's just generic boring Dad Rock. If it had been the first time I heard any Billy Joel without weddings and the radio, I might give it a five. Today, it's a 4. Sorry, Billy. You're a victim of your own success. My Rating: 4/5

Mask by Bauhaus
Jun 10 2026

Imagine taking the theatricality and chaos of Tom Waits and putting a conventional band behind him, and then getting some semi-conventional songwriters in there. That's Bauhaus. It's industrial-adjacent, it's art chaos adjacent, it's weird. I love it. I wish I'd heard this when I was in college, I would have been WAY TOO into it. My Rating: 6/5

Stephen Stills by Stephen Stills
Jun 11 2026

Serviceable enough for some gentle adult contemporary/singer-songwriter. It's so vanilla and bland though. The lyrics are trite, the music just good enough to be commercial. Even with help from Clapton and Hendrix, he manages to bland it out. Come on, man.... My Rating: 3/5

Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
Jun 12 2026

Pleasant Brit-pop. Sounded like what might happen if The Cure were on an established Paxil regimen. The guitar on "Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?" is really pretty. I'm glad I heard this once, but I probably won't be back. I wouldn't yell if someone put it on, though. My Rating: 3/5

The Bends by Radiohead
Jun 13 2026

An acceptable rock album. Nothing spectacular here. The only song on this one that grabbed me was "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", which I had never knowingly heard before. Hopefully I'm done listening to Radiohead. My Rating: 3/5

Disraeli Gears by Cream
Jun 14 2026

Everything felt very samey here. Just... And the same effects on the guitar all the way through, the songs all sounded the same... We all know Eric can wail.

Shake Your Money Maker by The Black Crowes
Jun 15 2026

Amazing Southern Rock album. The right album at the right time for the industry, reminding us that Southern rock can be fun and kicky and hooky. A couple of lulls in the intensity, but good overall. My rating: 5/5

Movies by Holger Czukay
Jun 16 2026

Just because someone does something weird doesn't mean we all need to hear it. I get this was sampling before sampling was mainstream. I get this guy was in Can. It feels like one of those albums that there's something hiding in there, but the world isn't smart enough to figure it out except for some poncy dude in a black turtleneck sipping bad coffee and unironically smoking a stale Gauloise. It's not boring, though. My rating: 2/5

Definitely Maybe by Oasis
Jun 17 2026

This is perfectly pleasant pop rock through a radio friendly filter. The edgiest thing about the entire thing is that full wine glass on the floor in the album art. This is also about as exciting as a McDonald's vanilla shake. You know exactly what you're going to get with each track, and the most dangerous thing about it is maybe a sugar rush and a brain freeze. Oasis is not the new Stones, and they're not the new Beatles. Get off it. My Rating: 2/5

21 by Adele
Jun 18 2026

So I'll admit I have a songstress crush. Let me try to tame that and review this album without acting like a forlorn little boy. Adele belts this out with class and emotion. You've got the hits that were played and overplayed on the radio, on TV, covered by people on the talent shows, everywhere. Then you've got the other songs that weren't played, that have the same emotion, the same pull, the same hit. Having not listened to the radio for quite some time, these songs still have pull. They're timeless. She DEMANDS you listen to her vent her heartache and pain onto you. And ending the album with "Someone Like You"? 🤌Perfection My Rating: 5/5

G. Love And Special Sauce by G. Love & Special Sauce
Jun 19 2026

Fun, but kinda dumb. You know, musically, these guys are pretty good. The jams are there. The drums and guitar are pretty tight. They're good together. G. Love needs to ease off the weed, though, because the whole thing with his delivery feels like you got a guitarist that worked on a groove for three hours, played it once for the guys, and G. Love stands up with a mic and says "Hey, y'all, check this..." with no engineering and freestyles the whole thing. I mean, there's a whole song about basketball that feels like four dudes playing in the driveway. I kept expecting to hear him take a pull off a joint right before starting to "sing" on each track. I'm not opposed to musicians using chemicals, I'm opposed to chemicals writing the entire album. Not really my bag, but it's not horrible. My Rating: 3/5

Modern Kosmology by Jane Weaver
Jun 20 2026

While this might be critically acclaimed for mixing cosmic electronica and pop and krautrock, it does none of them excellently and gives us a mishmash of boring. If you're going to mix genres, be outstanding at it, not bland. Go home, Jane.

Heroes to Zeros by The Beta Band
Jun 21 2026

I've listened to this album twice, and tried to find something redeeming to write about it. It's boring. It is likely the blandest alt-rock album to come out of the 90's. I remember none of it, and hope to never hear anything by the Beta Band again, but I know I will. Zeros is right. If I could only give this album zero stars. But I can't, so.... My Rating: 1/5

Fear Of A Black Planet by Public Enemy
Jun 22 2026

Public Enemy at their finest. Flavor Flav wasn't so much of a chaos monkey as he was a force in here, contrasting Chuck D. Amazing album.

Joan Armatrading by Joan Armatrading
Jun 23 2026

Wonderful listen. For the 70s, I can see how this was pretty groundbreaking. I'd never heard anyone else sound like this. Today though, there's not much special about a female artist defining her own sound. She's a remarkable musician, though.

Blood And Chocolate by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Jun 24 2026

Elvis Costello always sounds like he thinks he’s the cleverest guy in the room, and at this point in the list I’m numb to the act. Blood and Chocolate is more of the same: dense, self‑satisfied, and convinced its wordplay is more profound than it is. The one exception is “I Want You,” where he finally drops the smirk and sounds genuinely raw for once. But then you get “Battered Old Bird,” which plays like he’s trying to do Springsteen without understanding why Springsteen works. Come on, man. You’re not that good. My Rating: 2/5

Autobahn by Kraftwerk
Jun 25 2026

Kraftwerk gets too much grief for being the weird German techno wizards. They were ahead of their time by decades. Without THIS album, we don't have techno and house and Goa and Dubstep. Hell, maybe not even new age. Yes, Autobahn goes on WAY longer than it needs to. Is this a perfect album? No. Does it deserve respect? Hell yes. Just strap in and take the drive. Go down a back country road and get hypnotized by the looping. Let it flow. My Rating: 5/5

Fromohio by fIREHOSE
Jun 26 2026

Not only did I not need to hear from this band, I did not need to hear this album. It's a decent enough rock album. There are no hooks. You're never going to hear this on the radio. This is not commercially viable. I'll bet this album sold like mad in their hometown. Outside of Ohio (I assume that's where they're from), this is obscure and forgettable. Dimery, you suck. This isn't an essential album in any sense of the word. The Minutemen weren't important for music as a whole, and this album even less so. Quit mythologizing people. If I need a music history lesson to understand why an album of band is essential, then IT'S NOT ESSENTIAL. My Rating: 2/5

Cloud Nine by The Temptations
Jun 27 2026

I'm not so big on the psychedelic soul portions of the album. The back half of solid Motown soul is what you expect from the band. Having the kid crying for his mom in the middle of "Runaway Child, Running Wild" was a decision, and made me just wanna scoop him up and hold him. The cover of "Heard It Through the Grapevine" lent a gravity that took it away from the fun Marvin Gaye tune into the department of "why you wanna do that to me?". Not a bad album, but I won't be back. My Rating: 3/5

Apocalypse Dudes by Turbonegro
Jun 28 2026

These boys kick more ass than a donkey! I want them at my next party. This is solid non-stop rocking stem to stern. Definitely going on the repeat list. Maybe not essential, but very fun.

Orbital 2 by Orbital
Jun 29 2026

Solid techno album! Bouncy, steady, no let down on the vibe. Dance or vibe in for some deep technical work.

Hejira by Joni Mitchell
Jun 30 2026

Musically, this is awesome. I could listen to hours of Jaco Pistorius on that fretless bass. It's velvety and wonderful. Joni Mitchell, though.... She sounds like she's trying to sing the entirety of "War and Peace" in three hours, AND not miss any details. You know that tree? That's important. You gotta know all about that tree. And ... here, cook up this excuse that you can't go somewhere and stay with me. Tell them you have German Measles. Specifically. Come on. It's too much. Slow it down, let it breathe. It’s a beautiful record, but it’s like trying to meditate while someone reads their travel diary out loud. My Rating: 3/5

Dog Man Star by Suede
Jul 01 2026

I get that the band was in a transitional state, and that they wer big in the UK, but this is... not good. You can't open up with that sludgy stuff, and then give me an hour of, let's face it, sub-average Britpop. There's a reason this band is relatively unheard of here in the States. The guy sings way above his range half the time, and it's just not remarkable. You can hear the band falling apart in real time, and the album never recovers from that fracture. There are moments where the music is beautiful, but then the singer starts up. And "Still Life"? Get off the stage, you ponces. You're not that good. Dimery, go suck eggs. My Rating: 2/5

Exile On Main Street by The Rolling Stones
Jul 02 2026

Loved the blues/rock here, and how almost pirate or underground the album felt. No hits, just solid fun. I get people wanting the hits from the Stones, but if you want hits, listen to a hits compilation. This is quirky and fun and solid rockin'. My Rating: 5/5

Vespertine by Björk
Jul 03 2026

It's delicate and intricate, which you don't always expect from an electronica album. And Björk has a voice that's much bigger than her body. I always come away from one of her albums a little calmer. This one might not be essential to hear, but I'm glad I did.

Another Green World by Brian Eno
Jul 04 2026

Not a good album to work to, because it needs attention to truly appreciate. The music is beautiful, and it's not all pseudo-poppy. There are a couple of tracks that remind me of Music For Airports. All in all, decent for lo-fi electronica. I don't know if that's what he was going for. My rating: 4/5

Slayed? by Slade
Jul 05 2026

Awesome. If they were still around, I'd go to the bar they're playing at, drink far too much, probably get into a fight, and not remember any of it, and do it again the next night. This is a spiritual ancestor to AC/DC. Solid fun. My rating:5/5

At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash
Jul 06 2026

One of the best country albums ever. Just solid. Listen to it straight through, no shuffle, because the crowd noise is part of the experience. Johnny gets up, plays for people who are living a life he's experienced, banters with them, reminding them that there's hope for outside. There's no better way to close this album than how he did. Everything goes to show that, even under that outlaw costume, there's a heart of gold. Honest, fun, soulful. My rating: 10/5

The Only Ones by The Only Ones
Jul 07 2026

Nope. Couldn't do it. The band? Decent enough. That singer? He cant carry a tune in a five gallon bucket strapped to a skateboard. When you hear other punk and post punk bands that can't sing, like, oh I don't know, The Violent Femmes, they at least have some energy and anger and feeling. This guy sounds like he's singing while hailing a cab. Come on man, at least try! Fuck off with this shite. My rating: 1/5.

Too Rye Ay by Dexys Midnight Runners
Jul 08 2026

Oh yeah, the "Come On Eileen" band! The rest of the album feels like a band trying on the big shoes of a global market and failing to fill them. They might have been local sweethearts in the Midlands, but in the States and worldwide, they're mostly a one-hit wonder. The Celtic Soul thing feels weak and overdone for its impact, and the whole thing is forgettable. Sorry Rowland, this is a swing and a miss. My Rating: 2/5

Oxygène by Jean-Michel Jarre
Jul 09 2026

I needed a cosmic concerto in my life today. My first encounter with Jean‑Michel Jarre wasn’t through these recordings at all — it was a chiptune cover of “Oxygène II” on my Commodore 64 in the late 80s. It came from one of those floppy‑disk music compilations kids traded like contraband. And unlike the usual pop‑song transcriptions, this one was Oxygène II. Hearing Jarre’s cosmic glide rendered through the SID chip’s buzzing waveforms was a revelation. It wasn’t disposable; it was architecture, melody as machinery, space rendered in square waves. Oxygène is weird, floaty, semi‑ambient — but not in the “new age wallpaper” sense. It feels more like chamber music reimagined as electronica, a suite of movements that breathe and expand like a living organism. Jarre’s analog synths wobble and shimmer, giving the whole thing a tactile, human warmth. This isn’t essential listening for everyone, but it’s absolutely key to electronic music. It’s one of the albums that taught the world what synthesizers could feel like, not just what they could imitate. My Rating: 5/5

Who's Next by The Who
Jul 10 2026

Rarely do you find an album where it's more hits than filler. The Who dropped an album that, in itself, is a Greatest Hits album. How many bands can say that they had two songs adapted to TV theme songs, let alone two songs on the same album? This album is just solid. I don't know if there is a more perfect rock album, and I'm sure that it's not entirely on purpose. While you might have heard the individual songs, hearing them all in context matters for something. Yes, it's classic, or "Dad", rock. Get over yourself, kids, this one is important. My Rating: 10/5

Beyond Skin by Nitin Sawhney
Jul 11 2026

Beautiful music but belies the pain that is supposed to be communicated through the music. I love the fusion of the Indian these and stylings of the music with electronica, and the samples included are interesting and thought provoking. I don't know if this is one of those I NEEDED to hear, but I'm glad I heard it. My Rating: 3/5

Chris by Christine and the Queens
Jul 12 2026

This is adequate 80s revival that didn't need to be done. If you're gonna borrow Prince's schtick and do 80's tunes, you better be at least as good as good 80's bands. There's are no hooks here, nothing sticks. It goes in one ear and out the other. If you're gonna borrow k.d. Lang's schtick and do genderbent, be good. This doesn't make me think she's performing as a man. This feels like cosplay layered over average synth-pop. This is not good, no matter what the critics think. My rating: 2/5

Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg
Jul 13 2026

This is a project I respect more than I enjoy. Wilco’s contributions feel like genuine Americana, but Billy Bragg’s attempts at country land as genre cosplay: all hat, no cattle. The accent, phrasing, and emotional tone never quite fit the Guthrie framework. “Walt Whitman’s Niece” is the weakest moment, a self‑aware bit rather than a performance. After a few listens, I appreciated the intent, but the album never fully gels. My Rating: 3/5

Fuzzy by Grant Lee Buffalo
Jul 14 2026

Never have I been more underwhelmed by an album. The music is there, but it's not remarkable. The lyrics are forgettable. There are no hooks, and nothing that brings you back. I've been less enthused with an album, but I've never wondered more why such a boring an album was considered essential for the WORLD TO HEAR. My Rating: 1/5

All Hail the Queen by Queen Latifah
Jul 15 2026

Really good, not just all rap. I was surprised to hear the house tracks and the deep storytelling. The cyphers are a little weird to get around, especially isolated like this. Some tracks felt like homework assignments instead of songs, because in order to figure out what they're talking about I had to do a bunch of research. The grooves are solid. My Rating: 4/5

Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
Jul 16 2026

Pastoral and gentle, beautiful melodies, wonderful production. This album has about as many edges as a ball, though. It's wonderful music, but it's very safe and gentle. It's also very predictable, which makes it forgettable. The biggest surprise was the acapella ending to "Oliver James". And then they ended on it. Good for a debut, I hope they do better. My Rating: 2/5

Paris 1919 by John Cale
Jul 17 2026

Nice try, poor execution. I like Baroque. I kinda like pop. Cale could’ve fused the two into something with teeth or at least something interesting. Instead, he played it safe. This feels like running “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” through Mozart and then sanding it down until it’s radio-friendly. Yngwie Malmsteen does baroque metal, and it works. It's got bite and panache and verve and attitude. This has nothing going for it. It’s cheap vanilla ice cream dressed up as gourmet: no surprises, no meat, no substance. Just airy chamber-pop that evaporates the moment you touch it. It’s culinary foam, and not even the good kind. My Rating: 1/5

Vol. 4 by Black Sabbath
Jul 18 2026

I don't know what to say about this album. Front to back, I'm amazed. It's just a perfect metal album. You can see where Ozzy came from, through Black Sabbath and on his own. Even "Changes", the least metal track on the album, is amazing. If you're going to start your metal journey, this should be one of the first albums you listen to. My Rating: 5/5

Jul 19 2026

Ice T is an angry man who has lived through street culture, and he's gonna tell you how screwed up the world is.  There's a lot of wisdom here, but it's hard to hear it past his anger.  The beats are good.  Thankfully, he avoids the standard gangsta rap trappings of talking about "bitches and hoes". My rating: 4/5

Good Old Boys by Randy Newman
Jul 20 2026

Ok kids, let's realize that Randy Newman did more than "You've Got A Friend In Me". He's more than the "Toy Story" guy. Now that we've gotten that out of the way... This is an interesting project, songs that we need to hear that we would never have heard otherwise. We're hearing and seeing the same problems with racism and intolerance and prejudice today, 52 years after this album was released. This man is dropping shock bombs on y'all, and sounding like Billy Joel in the process. The music is extremely well done, the lyrics provocative and thoughtful and satirical. Not my thing, but the artistry is undeniable. My rating: 4/5

Woodface by Crowded House
Jul 21 2026

It's pretty enough music, but that's all it is. The lyrics. My god. I'm not going to repeat the line, but everyone has heard it. Ranks right up there with Milton. Maybe even Dante. NOT. Come on, I've heard better written, more heartfelt words in middle-school English poetry writing exercises. Every song sounds the same. If you wanted background music for your average teenage girl drama watch marathon, here's your choice. No friction, no hooks, nothing to bite into. It's the audio equivalent of beige wallpaper. It's the perfect background music to "Will Chloe text him back?" Gimme a minor chord, a different tuning, a weird signature. Something! My Rating: 2/5

Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jul 22 2026

Great, forward moving album. There are the big hits on here, "Scar Tissue", "Otherside", and "Californication". The rest of the album is pretty good, but even in 1999 I would have recoiled at the cheap joke of Chinese made in "Around The World". The rest of the album is a marked soulful deviation from the normal funk-hop we hear from RHCP. Maybe they should just stay funky and agressive and not pull the racist stuff. My Rating: 4/5

Armed Forces by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Jul 23 2026

Again, Elvis Costello thinks he's smarter than the room. He can't simply say what he;s feeling, he's got to eat a thesaurus and puke it back up, using EVERY BLOODY word he sees. He's a prat, and the worst kind. He's the one that will tell you how smart he is, and then scoff when you don't get it. He can't write a hook for shit. If you're gonna write a rock album, gimme something to groove to, a riff, a theme, something. ANYTHING! No, we can't have that, Elvis has to give us HOMEWORK. You gotta sit down like it's frickin English class and decipher all the allegory he's dropping, when all we really needed was something to bob our heads to and get into a groove with. He's probably got a girlfriend that reads Plato for fun, and then titters when she makes a joke nobody gets. I hate Elvis Costello, almost as much as I hate the Beatles. My Rating: 1/5

Jul 24 2026

This album stops just short of being really good. It felt like they were doing everything they could to not bring attention to themselves, but still make something that a certain group of people would enjoy and say is good. No hooks, but almost. Nothing catchy enough for the radio, but almost. I can say it's good, almost. I didn't enjoy it, and if it hadn't been for the project I would never have heard of them or listened to them. My rating: 3.5/5 but almost. You get a 3.

The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails
Jul 25 2026

An industrial masterpiece. Trent opens hard and fast, pummeling you with emotion and bass. The vocals swing between whispering and yelling, collapsing in on themselves. The music and samples form a barrage of melody and noise, not chaos, but intentional psychological overload. If you’re new to Nine Inch Nails, I’m sorry: this should not be your entry point. Go listen to Pretty Hate Machine and Broken first. This album assumes you already understand the vocabulary. While the lyrics often sound sexual, they’re really about self‑deprecation, envy, and self‑destruction. Trent uses physical language as metaphor for emotional collapse, not seduction. And yes — Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt eclipses Trent’s original. Cash turns it into something mythic, something final. Trent wrote the wound; Cash performed the scar. Without this record, we don’t get Marilyn Manson, at least not the version that mattered. And thankfully, Trent never lowered himself to using sexuality as a weapon or a marketing gimmick. His darkness is internal, not performative. My Rating: 10/5

Queens of the Stone Age by Queens Of The Stone Age
Jul 26 2026

It's a deliciously sludgy album. It gets a bit robotically repetitive towards the end of the album. I couldn't tell you a single thing any song is about, though. None of it resonated or stuck with me. It's good, and I'd listen to it again, but on the second listen through, nothing has it's hooks in me. My Rating: 3/5

Arise by Sepultura
Jul 27 2026

Hearing Arise made me realize how close Sepultura sits to the sound I connected with in Tourniquet. Same tight riffing, same rhythmic punch, same “why use a short word when a long one will do” energy. If I’d found Sepultura first, I would’ve been all over this. It’s serious, grounded thrash with zero fluff. And the Lovecraftian beast on the cover? Absolutely perfect. Rating: 4/5

Tragic Songs of Life by The Louvin Brothers
Jul 28 2026

"Tragic", that's an understatement! Beautiful harmony singing songs of murder, death, heartbreak and loss. And, if you're listening through Spotify, Jesus! We all need an extra dose of Jesus in our lives. The music all sounds the same, basically. It's just two guys, one on a guitar, one on a mandolin, playing perfectly matched syncopation and harmony, but it ALL SOUNDS THE SAME. The rhythmic structure is all the same, each song feeling much like a Texas Two-Step. Not that you'd actually dance to any of it, because it's all so depressing. Come on guys, sing about getting the girl. My Rating: 3/5

Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers
Jul 29 2026

An electronica masterpiece. Yeah, a lot of the songs have the same beat structure or song structure. Yeah, a lot of the songs can get a bit samey, because they're just laying different samples in there. But you know what? This album invites, no, DEMANDS, that you get up and dance. It completes the mission of electronica to make you want to get up and dance. And they do it in the most infectious, solid grooves. For that one thing, I applaud them all day long. The Chemical Brothers deliver big beat dance music with expertise and aplomb. No stress, no filler, all killer. My Rating: 5/5

Hypnotised by The Undertones
Jul 30 2026

What a fun album! Don't expect anything deep here. It's Irish pop-punk, just a little too poppy and sounding almost like Jello Biafra with that vibrato. Like.. We know you were trained to sing by your primary education. It's all good. The songs are fun and silly, just slice of life stuff. Love and longing. I feel bad for Terry, though. Not essential, but fun. I'm glad it's on the list, but I definitely didn't NEED to hear it. My Rating: 3/5

Celebrity Skin by Hole
Jul 31 2026

Meh. Courtney Love produced this album trying to distance herself from Seattle after Kurt passed, putting an LA sheen on punk/grunge. It works, but then it doesn't. You lose the edge of grunge and get serviceable rock. It's good, but not great. This album is propelled more into culture by it's association with Kurt than being excellent music. This is definitely not essential, and I did not need to hear it before I died. My Rating: 3/5

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Aug 01 2026

This is my first Nick Cave album. Theatrical without being overwrought. The music is wonderful scaffolding for Nick's voice, which is luscious and deep and rich. He's intelligent without being stuffy or overbearing. I mean, it takes serious songwriting to use "constabulary" without being silly about it. "The Lyre of Orpheus" is wonderful and hilarious. I will say I enjoyed the album more than I thought I would, but I'm not coming back to it. Having heard it the first time, I'm not overly worried that this is a Dimery darling. I mean, he is, but he's also got talent. Unlike the Beatles. My Rating: 4/5

Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Aug 02 2026

Take one part Hendrix psychedelia, one part Parliament funk, and a heaping spoonful of LA rock swagger and toss it in a cocktail shaker with some ice, and you get this album. Goes down smooth, tickles your spine, sometimes caresses your heart, and makes you bob your head. The hits are here that everyone knows, and the rest rocks pretty hard. Fun, solid bopper. My rating: 5/5

Two Dancers by Wild Beasts
Aug 03 2026

Decent enough electronica RUINED by hyperactive falsetto. I almost fell for the first track, and the vocals kicked in and I was immediately turned off. The entire album felt like a college performing art project that was weird for the sake of being weird, without doing anything with the weirdness. Made me feel like a plebe for not getting the purpose, when no purpose was attempted. My rating: 1/5

For Your Pleasure by Roxy Music
Aug 04 2026

"For your Pleasure"? More like "For your Pain and Torture"! Brian Eno should divorce himself from this band post-haste. Brian Ferry has the musicality of a three-year old. If I gotta hear that man warble one more time (and I do) I swear I'm gonna go spare. He sounds like Tim Curry reprising Frank-n-furter, complete with the leather bustier, doing way over the top camp just because he can. It's weirdness for the sake of being weird, and doesn't go anywhere. The "melodies" are abrasive. Maybe I just don't like avant garde. I definitely don't like art-school glam. There's no reason for anyone to hear this before they die. You might actually be happier if you don't. My rating: 1/5

E.V.O.L. by Sonic Youth
Aug 05 2026

ehh,... It's very noisy, and doesn't seem to go anywhere. I get they're being arty and whatnot, but it comes off as "we're VERY ANGRY and don't know what to do about it." There are bands that do noise and chaos and it becomes something, and then you have this. I don't really get why this is truly essential. My Rating: 2/5

Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
Aug 06 2026

Classic rock masterpiece. This album is the sound of a band overflowing with ideas and refusing to trim any of them, and somehow that excess becomes the point. Sure, some tracks run longer than they probably should, and yes, it feels like Zeppelin dumped every riff, groove, and experiment into a giant pot and decided nothing could be removed. But taking out even one ingredient would’ve been a travesty. You get the full Zeppelin spectrum here: greasy rock monsters like Trampled Under Foot and the monumental Kashmir; exploratory detours like Bron‑Yr‑Aur; gritty blues workouts; and enough swagger to power a small city. It’s messy, indulgent, and absolutely essential. My Rating: 10/5

Since I Left You by The Avalanches
Aug 07 2026

This was an interesting piece. First time I've heard what people are calling "Plunderphonics". I get it, but it's not lacking artistry. The samples are repetitive, sure, but they move forward. Each track flows into the next, and the tracks can't really be separated from each other. The radio-play put together by "Frontier Psychiatrist" is funny and cohesive as the apex of the album. Give it a shot. It's not essential, but it's fun. My Rating: 4/5

Dear Science by TV On The Radio
Aug 08 2026

This was hot garbage. It was gold plating on top of gold plating, with nothing supporting it. Such a mess, and substandard pop to start with. I'm glad I was just mowing the lawn to it, because when I finished I was done with the album. And it wasn't good for that either. My rating: 2/5

Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves
Aug 09 2026

One of the rare country albums on the list, but it doesn't completely sound country. You've got the country phrasing in the lyrics, sure, but the music behind it is soft and dreamy. You get some pop vibes, a little disco, a little less twang than you'd expect from country. This is almost a stepping stone between traditional country and Taylor. It's alright, but I don't really think it's as essential as they think it is. My rating: 3/5

Colour By Numbers by Culture Club
Aug 10 2026

This album caught a lot of flak in the 80s because Boy George was working out his internal issues on tape. The music is catchy and infectious, the lyrics poppy enough to hide his intentions in a way. I like it, but it's not something that's bringing me back. My rating: 3/5

The Trinity Session by Cowboy Junkies
Aug 11 2026

With the album art and the name of the band, I was expecting some cow-punk or country tinged punk. NOT THIS. This was much more melancholy than I expected. Very cleanly produced and played, but slow and moody. I'm glad this is on the list, but I didn't NEED to hear it, really. That being said, I wouldn't complain if I heard more of them. My Rating: 3/5

Aug 12 2026

Shimmery synth-pop, friendly enough to dance or drive to. Pleasant enough for whatever you need, but ultimately forgettable. The vocals seem engineered to fit the music, rather than standing on their own. This might have been a landmark album for the artists, but I don't think this is essential for music or listeners. I like Ellie Goulding better. My Rating: 3/5

Scott 4 by Scott Walker
Aug 13 2026

This guy has a wonderful, majestic voice, but this album is so cheesy. It was so cheesy I could smell the cheese over Spotify, over Bluetooth. Come on. I get that this might have inspired some people, but it just inspired me to make a grilled cheese sandwich. If these songs were covered by Richard Cheese, they would be LESS cheesy. My rating: 2/5

Scissor Sisters by Scissor Sisters
Aug 14 2026

I went in expecting super‑camp, but this album isn’t nearly as theatrical as its reputation suggests. A few songs start out a little too close to showtunes for comfort, but they always pull out of the dive and settle into something genuinely catchy. Their disco‑falsetto cover of “Comfortably Numb” is definitely their song, not Pink Floyd’s. And if you love the original, you’re probably going to hate this one. It’s bold, but it’s not for me. “Tits on the Radio” was the biggest surprise: cheeky, weird, and way more abrupt than I expected. It’s a fun detour, but it definitely jumps out of the album’s lane. And the legs‑as‑blades logo? A little too on‑the‑nose, even for them. Rating: 4/5

Wordsmith

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Other

Album origins are grouped into three buckets: US, UK, and everything else. “Other” means the artists you rate highest are from outside the US and UK.