Gah, the first album I get on this whole list is Kendrick Lamar??? Ugh. I feel like I’m kind of broken here because man, do people ever love Kendrick Lamar, but I just can’t seem to. Also, I fully recognize that my main reasons (I don’t like his voice or his flow) are pretty dumb. I guess I sort of get why so many people love this album so much, but for me there are just too many things about it that feel like needles under my skin, sonically. I can’t even focus on the lyrics or the story because I’m so distracted by his voice and various sounds and I haaaaaate feeling like I’m listening to a movie without being able to watch it and the whole thing is just making me feel anxious. I…have issues, right? But I did like “Compton” (probably because it’s Dre heavy). My conclusion here? I don’t like it, but I definitely believe that it’s not Kendrick, it’s me. 2/5

I didn’t realize how many songs on this album I was familiar with, or how strongly I would associate Simon and Garfunkel with Wes Anderson movies. I found this a pretty uneven album though. I enjoyed just about every other song, and found the ones inbetween pretty dull (including the title track). “Baby Driver” was my fave, and one that I don’t recall ever hearing before. Over all, this album was fairly enjoyable, but I probably will never go back to it other than for a couple individual songs. 3/5

Wow, this one was hard to find! Once I finally found a way to listen to it (YouTube), I started out enjoying it, but got bored fairly quickly. The songs are so long! I liked them, but was ready for them to be over a long time before they actually ended. Could be somewhat enjoyable as background music, I guess? Nothing really stood out to me though. 3/5

Hey, one I’ve heard before! This is probably one of my least favorite Elliott Smith albums, but it’s not one I’ve actually listened to much, and maybe I should spend some more time with it? I think I just tend more toward his earlier stuff. Still, even with it being one of my least faves, I still liked every song. So that’s saying something! 4/5

Kay, why on earth have I never listened to Public Enemy until now??? They’ve been in my general awareness since like, middle school? But somehow I had never heard this before and it is SO good! Unreserved 5/5!

This…has not aged as well for me as I would have liked. That said, there are still four or five really great songs that don’t just make me say, “ugh, boring old grunge” in my head. That doesn’t really sound very complimentary, but Alice In Chains is pretty much the only grunge band I’ve ever been able to listen to at all, so that’s saying…something, right? 3/5

1. NO. Longest song ever. 2. Eh. 3. …….it lost me. Prog rock is not my jam. I can’t exactly say it’s bad, but…it’s bad for ME.

I didn’t love this, but I think a big part of it was that feeling of listening to the soundtrack to a musical or movie that I haven’t seen, which tends to really frustrate me because I’m constantly wondering, “what’s happening in this part? What are they doing?” I get that this was a really cool thing when it came out in 1969, but it does not work for me. If I ever actually see it performed I might have a better appreciation for it? But for now, it’s a no thank you.

I didn’t love this, but I think a big part of it was that feeling of listening to the soundtrack to a musical or movie that I haven’t seen, which tends to really frustrate me because I’m constantly wondering, “what’s happening in this part? What are they doing?” I get that this was a really cool thing when it came out in 1969, but it does not work for me. If I ever actually see it performed I might have a better appreciation for it? But for now, it’s a no thank you.

This was gonna be 3 stars until the last song. Now it’s a solid 2. That said, the last half of the last song is fine? But not worth dealing with the first half. I might enjoy other albums of his though? 2/5

Enjoyable, but it definitely did not make me think, “boy, I really need to listen to more Gorillaz!” You know? There are two or three songs on this album that I really like, buuuuuut most of them I just feel kind of eh about. Still, I didn’t actively dislike anything, soooo… 3/5

This is one of those albums where I can recognize why people like it, but…I don’t. I guess it’s just not my style? There are some elements that I enjoy, but maybe there’s just something about her voice that doesn’t work for me? Still pondering this one, but for now? 2/5

This has grown on me *some* over the last 24 years (since I married a Pavement fan), but I would say I still only actively like a few songs on this album, and the rest I just feel kind of meh about. But the songs I do like I like quite a bit, so I’m still gonna rate it 3/5.

This will suuuuper surprise my husband, who knows this is one of my most hated bands, but…listening to this was actually okay? I think it helped that I played it on the way to skateboard lessons, so it felt appropriate somehow. Also, maybe listening to all the songs in a row desensitized me to Brian Johnson’s voice? Anyway, I didn’t hate it like I thought I would. I’m still only giving it two stars, but that’s a lot better than the kneejerk one star I wanted to give it this morning!

I like some songs on this album quite a bit, but there are some I’m really not into. I’m gonna go with a three on this one. 3/5

I’m not a fan of Dylan’s voice, but I sort enjoyed the first few minutes of the first song…only then it kept going and going! It’s only like five minutes long, but felt like so much longer somehow. I know people really love Bob Dylan, but I’ve just never quite understood it.

Uh. Is this supposed to be good? I looked up Ute Lemper and apparently she is widely considered to be amazing, but man. It was physically painful for me to listen to this. I guess I can see it working if I was actually watching her perform in a musical or something, but this? Nope. Not at all.

I…just kind of nothing-ed this. I didn’t love his voice, but it wasn’t terrible. I felt like the songs were okay. I dunno. Just not my jam? 2/5

This was fine, I guess. I’ve never been a huge CCR fan, but I can appreciate how different they were at the time and why people liked them so much.

I loved this when it first came out and listened the heck out of it! But…now it feels kind of juvenile? I was a teenager at the time. I guess I’ve just kind of outgrown it. I’m still giving it three stars though.

I liked a couple of these songs, but was not really into others for some reason.

This is interesting! I was really into Ministry and Skinny Puppy back in the day, but never listened to this band. Can definitely see how powerfully they influenced a lot of the industrial music I liked as a teenager. I don’t really want to revisit those days, but this was a fun journey.

I was actually really excited to see this one—I’ve been meaning to listen to Steve Earle for years, ever since I read his book not knowing anything about it or him. Anyway…I liked this? There were a couple of songs I liked a lot, and the rest were fine. I’m gonna rate this a 3/5.

Had somehow never actually listened to a whole Beyoncé album other than the country one, which I thought was kind of meh. This one…I really liked a few songs. But I wouldn’t listen to the whole album again. Felt like too much of a mixed bag to me.