401
Albums Rated
3.37
Average Rating
37%
Complete
688 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Reggae
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Curator
Rater Style ?
25
5-Star Albums
2
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Apple Venus Volume 1
XTC
|
5 | 2.83 | +2.17 |
|
The Sounds Of India
Ravi Shankar
|
5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
|
Skylarking
XTC
|
5 | 3.03 | +1.97 |
|
The Specials
The Specials
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Murmur
R.E.M.
|
5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
|
War
U2
|
5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
|
Aja
Steely Dan
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
|
5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
|
1999
Prince
|
5 | 3.59 | +1.41 |
|
Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche
Koffi Olomide
|
4 | 2.61 | +1.39 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Disintegration
The Cure
|
2 | 3.86 | -1.86 |
|
São Paulo Confessions
Suba
|
1 | 2.85 | -1.85 |
|
Destroyer
KISS
|
1 | 2.85 | -1.85 |
|
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
|
2 | 3.43 | -1.43 |
|
Amnesiac
Radiohead
|
2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
|
Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
|
2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
|
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
|
3 | 4.34 | -1.34 |
|
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
|
2 | 3.34 | -1.34 |
|
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
|
2 | 3.24 | -1.24 |
|
Melody A.M.
Röyksopp
|
2 | 3.21 | -1.21 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 3 | 4.67 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| XTC | 2 | 5 |
| Dire Straits | 2 | 5 |
| Steely Dan | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (25)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Harry Nilsson · 1 likes
3/5
There are some wildly obvious quotations of Sergeant Pepper’s here, but I see that he was doing his own thing also. I don’t love his style and the big hit has always struck me as wimpy, but I can respect what he was doing for his time. Plus, great freaking album title!
The Smashing Pumpkins · 1 likes
3/5
Reading the notes on this album I was really interested to listen to it, and I thought the music was good. But the screechy lead singer’s voice is a no.
1-Star Albums (2)
All Ratings
Bob Dylan
3/5
Iggy Pop
3/5
Passenger and Tonight were good but the rest kind of boring
Aretha Franklin
5/5
I mean, they don’t call her the queen of soul for nothin’.
Prince
4/5
I don’t totally love this, but it’s Prince.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Solidly good songwriting, but her voice! Very sweet. Will listen to more of her stuff. Mother, Slow Burn, Velvet Elvis, and Rainbow were faves.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Nirvana
4/5
Great. Forgot how sexy Kurt Cobain‘s growl was.
The Cure
2/5
What can I say, I just don’t like the cure. The guy’s voice has always annoyed me, even when I was a teenager and they were huge. Which is weird, because other whiny Brits’ voices don’t annoy me.
TLC
3/5
Kinda cheesy. Waterfall is a great song; gotta love Red Light for its frank request for eating out. Can I get a Witness is cringe.
Maxwell
3/5
In general kind of boring, “till the cops come knocking” really has not aged well on a couple of fronts. A song about locking a woman up? This seems like it was questionable even in the mid 90s.
Radiohead
2/5
There’s no law that says I have to like Radiohead.
The The
2/5
Kind of boring
Pixies
3/5
Not my thing, but I can appreciate what they’re doing. Don’t like the screaming, but the jangly guitar hits right.
Lorde
3/5
Passable sexy girl pop. I feel like Lorde could’ve done more interesting things with her voice.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
my first five star. What can you say? It’s incredible! I can only imagine what it must’ve been like when it was first released.
Le Tigre
3/5
Cute funny not very relevant to me riot grrl stuff.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Fleet Foxes
3/5
It was nice
Eminem
3/5
Undeniably skilled and clever, but misogyny is a deal breaker.
Metallica
4/5
Apparently they just simply do it the best.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
Beautiful
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Another interesting, pleasing album and the anti-robot sentiment is hitting just right these days
The Pharcyde
3/5
Not in the mood
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Her voice has a great timbre. Not crazy about the songs with the exception of the hits. There is of course the strange aspect of taking American black girl groups and covering their songs well, but not as good as the originals. Kind of strange.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
So. Incredibly. Dated.
The Cure
2/5
Ug. It’s the Cure.
Miles Davis
3/5
TV On The Radio
3/5
Interesting. I don’t know that I will be seeking them out, but I would listen to them some more.
Travis
3/5
Nice mellow style. Lead has beautiful voice
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Steely Dan
4/5
Great album. Love this band.
Meat Puppets
3/5
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
What can you say? Absolutely packed with great songs.
Fugees
3/5
Sepultura
3/5
Can’t do the voice
T. Rex
3/5
Not my jam, but I suppose they served a purpose.
The White Stripes
3/5
Tight and cute
Kraftwerk
4/5
This is not the best new wave, but I have to give it four stars because of the awesomeness of we are the robots and the accents in models. This is good stuff.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Love me some Beastie Boys
M.I.A.
3/5
Good not great. But Paper Planes is a jam.
Röyksopp
2/5
Good not great. But Paper Planes is a jam.
Pearl Jam
4/5
I don’t super love Pearl Jam or even this album, but Eddie Vedder does have a great voice.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
Very of its time but otherwise unremarkable.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Some songs are a little silly, but God the hits were important to me.
Ramones
3/5
I can see how this must have been liberating at the time. Now it’s kind of boring.
Pavement
3/5
King Crimson
4/5
One of my husband’s favorite albums. His Mom painted the back of a denim jacket with the cover image. For that I’m giving it a four. Some of the songs haven’t aged well. Moonchild sort of unlistenable. Also, reminds me disconcertingly of Spinal Tap.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
American girl is about the only song I got excited about, but Jesus he has an iconic voice.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
They’re great. Love the mixture of funk, guitar rock, and rap.
Brian Eno
3/5
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Fun and accessible
Giant Sand
2/5
Kind of boring, and I just really need more music in my music. Too much Lou Reed-esque talking for me.
Sade
4/5
Great voice in her way.
Beck
3/5
I like the distinctive sound and judicious use of samples.
Eminem
3/5
Jack White
3/5
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Packed with hits, otherwise interesting, and come on —in your eyes is on this.
The Kinks
3/5
Elvis Costello
3/5
Grateful Dead
3/5
I was surprised at how many songs I knew. Still, it’s the dead and I only really enjoyed them that one time I heard them live.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Fantastic Voice. Looking forward to learning more.
Pavement
3/5
The Clash
3/5
Obviously important, but I don’t love it.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Arcade Fire
3/5
Fine
The Stone Roses
4/5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Packed with classics and fantastic voices.
Dion
3/5
Blondie
4/5
Woman lead. Catchy tunes. Great album cover.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Noisy
Elvis Presley
3/5
The Avalanches
3/5
Eh. Electronic.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
A little dated but good
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Nick Drake
3/5
Neil Young
3/5
Sam Cooke
4/5
David Bowie
3/5
Maybe I don’t like early David Bowie?
Orbital
3/5
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Beautiful. I appreciate the jazziness without it being in penetrable.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Unqualified triumph. Every song.
Madonna
3/5
Simple Minds
3/5
Meh
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Too rocky for me today. Good lyrics, a little dated.
Def Leppard
3/5
Ah, junior high. What good memories! Def Leppard is fine, but it is tough to get through the ubiquitous “whoosh “sound of the overproduction.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Pretty good: good lyrics and I’m liking it better than Neon Bible.
Afrika Bambaataa
4/5
Planet Rock will always be one of my all time favorite jams. Renegade is interesting. Of course everything is of its time, but this is a solid album. Just came across the lyric “what the heck” in They Made A Mistake. It was a more innocent time.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
I mean, it’s of its time. Pretty good, though. One song was cringe, but You Don’t Know (How young you are) was pretty good.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
White guy makes album co-opting other people’s music, with singers from different cultures? Sure. Who am I to judge? One of my favorite albums is Graceland.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Wild horses and moonlight mile are just plain beautiful. Brown sugar, though canceled, is an undeniable classic. Finally, though I’ve known it for years, upon close listening it has been gratifying to see what a complete rock ‘n’ roll jam can’t you hear me knocking is.
The Saints
3/5
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
C’mon
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Fun!
Portishead
3/5
My first trip hop album? Kinda like! Moody.
Beatles
4/5
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Don’t totally love this, but of course son of a preacher man is great. Nice frank treatment of a girl’s sexuality without being lascivious. And windmills of your mind is surprisingly interesting.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
I love run DMC with all my heart but to me there are no standout tracks on this album. I understand that it made them crossover stars, but it is not my favorite.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I don’t think this holds together quite as well as bridge over troubled Waters, but still of course giving it a four.
Patti Smith
3/5
Even today sounds like a fresh voice. I would listen to this again.
XTC
5/5
In my top 10. If not top 5.
The Smiths
4/5
I have to admit this is pretty solid. I still don’t love his voice, but this holds together well.
OutKast
4/5
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Very moving. Surprisingly, the gravelly voice works for me. I will listen to more.
Machito
4/5
This must’ve been thrilling at the time. A very fun listen.
The Byrds
3/5
Some interesting songs here: drums, droning melodies, lyrics.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Never listened to more than a song before. Great, straight ahead blues.
John Martyn
3/5
Interesting, don’t love.
Nas
3/5
Black Sabbath
3/5
Interesting and at times good, but I also tired of the dude vibe loudness sometimes
Pink Floyd
4/5
Interesting and at times good, but I also tired of the dude vibe loudness sometimes
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
No stand out songs here, but vocalist Ian McCulloch has long been one of my favorite new wave singers. Plaintive without being whiny.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Of course genius of love is one of the all-time jams, but most of the other songs struck me as kind of silly.
Björk
4/5
What the hell is wrong with me? Why didn’t I listen to Björk from the beginning? This is great! Different, engaging, interesting. Plus her otherworldly voice and interesting (ESL?) take on lyrics. She pronounces ghetto blaster Jetto blaster. 😂
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Not my kind of music, but of course interesting.
Sepultura
4/5
This is incredible. The energy, the tightness, the rhythms are fantastic. Will definitely listen to more from this band.
Blur
3/5
With the strong British accents and the liberal quoting of the Beatles’ calliope and horns, I would’ve loved this in my 20s. Now I think it’s just OK but I’m happy I listened to it.
Tito Puente
4/5
Great rhythms, hot horns.
Sparks
3/5
I’m sure it’s very clever but I just did not have the patience for the theatricality today.
Anthrax
3/5
Not as good as Megadeth and Sepultura, but likable enough. Won’t pursue any further, though.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Missy Elliott
3/5
Fine. Not my thing.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
I’m sure important, but not my thing.
Ravi Shankar
5/5
Not only is this album obviously hugely influential and important, it is beautiful, and best of all the first track is “an introduction to Indian music.” What a fabulously practical and illuminating addition to the album.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I don’t love the beach boys as much as I could, but there is something very beautiful and almost chilling about the contrast between Brian Wilson’s Faceto and his brothers deeper tenor. I didn’t love this album, but they do have a few very beautiful songs
John Lennon
3/5
Didn’t love. Except title track, of course
10cc
3/5
I’m sure interesting in its time, but now just mostly annoying.
Brian Eno
3/5
The songs with lyrics were kind of dreamy. I could take or leave the others.
B.B. King
5/5
I don’t know when, but I actually have listened to this album quite a few times. B.B. King is not my favorite, but this is undeniably a magnificent album.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Smooth, not that exciting.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
One of the soundtracks of my youth. Not my favorite, but very pleasing and introduced me to a new genre.
The Stooges
3/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
What a fabulous album. people must’ve gone crazy for this. I’m not a huge Led Zeppelin fan, but they really do have a fantastic sound. I am nerdy enough that my first real introduction to Robert Plant’s voice was sea of love in 1986 or so. Really great to hear him in a Real rock ‘n’ roll setting. And yes yes, I know the cultural appropriation implications of Led Zeppelin singing the blues, but damn they did a good job.
Animal Collective
3/5
Louis Prima
4/5
Very fun. Also, interesting learning about the close ties between New Orleans Italian Americans and African-Americans early in the century.
Beck
3/5
Ultimately, I just don’t think Beck is that exciting I guess.
Supertramp
3/5
Björk
3/5
The Soft Boys
3/5
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
This is a solid four because of all the hits, but I have to give it a five because of girls just wanna have fun. That is a generational tune.
Peter Tosh
4/5
Queen
3/5
R.E.M.
4/5
Neil Young
4/5
Devendra Banhart
3/5
OutKast
3/5
The White Stripes
3/5
Megadeth
4/5
Very fond memories of listening to this album with my college housemate.
Traffic
3/5
The Fall
3/5
Wilco
3/5
I can see that it’s probably interesting, but I don’t really like it. Lead singer’s voice is not endearing. But the album cover is fantastic. God, I love those buildings.
Neil Young
3/5
Listened to this and his first two albums today. In general I like and respect him but don’t love him. But it’s nice to get his to know his music better
Silver Jews
3/5
Listened to this and his first two albums today. In general I like and respect him but don’t love him. But it’s nice to get his to know his music better
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Not my style so much, but I like the pop punk vibe. And the guy has a really good voice.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Of course fantastic. I was unaware of this series. I will check out the other albums.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
DJ Shadow
4/5
Engaging and clever, I might listen some more as background music.
1/5
Really boring. Does not belong on this list. Giving it my first one.
Kings of Leon
2/5
Boring
Funkadelic
3/5
Good not great.
3/5
This strikes me as high school and college stadium rock. I see the appeal, but don’t need to pursue further.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Less hard than I thought it would be. Interesting. I can see how the harder subgenres flowed out of this.
Tom Waits
3/5
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
Nope
Judas Priest
3/5
Solid
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Fun, fresh, accessible
3/5
Solomon Burke
4/5
Wikipedia says he’s the fourth best soul singer, though they don’t mention Sam Cooke. Still – I’m surprised I’ve never heard of him. He has a fantastic range, and a good voice when he goes more bluesy. I can do without the Nat King Cole adjacent songs. But the other stuff is really good.
The Cars
4/5
My God, this is packed with hits for a first album. Five!
The Auteurs
3/5
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
I guess I must’ve had this album because I knew every song. It is a winner. Beautiful voice, great lyrics. Nick of Time has got to be the best song of all time about early middle age.
3/5
Dagmar Krause
3/5
George Harrison
4/5
Nice to the post Beatles vibe from a different perspective. My sweet Lord is such a great song
Stan Getz
4/5
First time I ever thought of downgrading an album because of the hit. I’ve never really liked the girl from Ipanema, but this album is a vibe.
Brian Eno
3/5
There is a lot of interesting stuff here, and a lot of good snippets. It definitely has the prominent base and jammin percussion of the Talking Heads, but I found myself mostly wishing that I were listening to the funkier and more danceable Talking Heads. Additionally, I’m not so sure about three songs sampling Black preachers. Doesn’t work super great coming from two white guys post 2020 etc.
Throwing Muses
3/5
I couldn’t get the content on this album on Spotify. I listened to their first album. The singers voice is definitely beautiful and the instrumentation is nice straightahead rock ‘n’ roll. But for music on the artier side I need to be able to hear the lyrics and I can’t with her enunciation.
Dire Straits
5/5
This is exactly why I’m doing this project: to listen to stuff I should have been all along. Guitar, voice, lyrics. Got it ALL! This music makes me happy to be alive.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I mean, it’s Bob Marley.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
Pulp
3/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Fun to listen to the whole album. Had no idea all of those hits came from just one record.
Aimee Mann
4/5
She’s got a great voice. I will seek her out again.
Pantera
3/5
I like music but vocals too yelly
Talking Heads
4/5
k.d. lang
4/5
What a voice
Adele
4/5
Duke Ellington
4/5
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Whatever. It’s EDM. Boring.
Nico
2/5
Can’t do the voice. Cannot do the voice
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
On balance, annoying.
Rush
4/5
So tight. Incredible drums.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Koffi Olomide
4/5
Soundgarden
3/5
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
Dire Straits
5/5
The band! The hits!
Norah Jones
3/5
One great song, the rest serviceable.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Liking it so far
Crowded House
4/5
Radiohead
3/5
Miles Davis
3/5
Proud I got all the way through. Didn’t entirely feel like taking my vitamins. I would listen to this again in the background.
The Specials
4/5
I guess I didn’t listen to this back when I loved Ska so much because I couldn’t afford it. Say what you want about Spotify, it sure beats working three hours to buy one album.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Common
3/5
The Beach Boys
3/5
Dated
Pink Floyd
4/5
I’m not a huge fan, but this is obviously a solid album. Plus, shine on you crazy diamond is one of the best titles in rock ‘n’ roll history.
Little Richard
4/5
Nick Drake
3/5
Don’t see what’s so special
Public Enemy
4/5
Such a great album. Really took me back. Definitely one of the soundtracks to my sophomore year of college. 😊
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
David Bowie
3/5
One good song, the rest kind of annoying
The Who
3/5
The Stooges
3/5
I see how it might be foundational, but with today’s ears it sounds a lot like harder Rolling Stones stuff. Not that exciting I guess.
David Bowie
3/5
Uh oh. David Bowie isn’t doing it for me. Plus, way too many instrumentals.
Kelela
3/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Not my favorite, but of course so incredibly solid. Living for the city and higher ground are just classics.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I almost gave this a five just based on under my thumb. Then I realized I gave Stevie Wonder’s innervision a four, and that just didn’t seem right.
But a word on under my thumb: I think that is one of the best rock ‘n’ roll songs of all time. Top five. I see how these days it would read as sexist, and certainly that scans. However, I see it as a celebration of sexual power that could work either way. I have always loved it and I still do.
Django Django
3/5
I thought I was going to blow it off but it was weirdly fun. The vocals are such a strange direct quote from the beach boys, but I like them.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
There are some wildly obvious quotations of Sergeant Pepper’s here, but I see that he was doing his own thing also. I don’t love his style and the big hit has always struck me as wimpy, but I can respect what he was doing for his time. Plus, great freaking album title!
Green Day
4/5
Weirdly, “clean” is the word that comes to mind here. They are so tight and bright. Songs a bit same same, but a great album.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Amy Winehouse
3/5
I mean, she’s got a great voice: soulful, wonderful timber. But do you get a lot of credit for essentially being a mimic of previous styles? I don’t know.
Van Halen
4/5
Boy! I wish I hadn’t written these guys off as “Stoner music“ in the seventh grade. Of course, they rock so hard! And Eddie Van Halen‘s guitar work, while now strangely sounding like a parody of itself, at the time must’ve just blown people‘s minds. they are incredibly skilled and very fun to listen to.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Public Enemy
3/5
The Young Gods
2/5
Am I prejudiced against singing in French? Yes. Do I dislike industrial? Yes. This is a hard pass.
4/5
Radiohead
3/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
The Doors
3/5
The Police
4/5
Only a four cause I have to save some fives for some of their other albums
The Undertones
3/5
I like their sound, but the lyrics are insipid
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Billy Joel
5/5
What an album! At least five great songs and the whole thing is solid. One of my favorites by him. And the lyrics!
The Replacements
3/5
Beatles
5/5
I don’t think I’ve ever actually listened to this all the way through as an album. It is really gratifying to hear the transition between bubblegum pop and their edgier, artier stuff. Plus, so many amazing songs. In my life, and Norwegian wood. I have fond memories of starting to figure out the intricacies and complications of adult sex and romance in that song.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Respect, but not my thing.
Joy Division
3/5
I thought I would know at least some of the songs given how many times I have seen stickers etc. for this band. Didn’t know anything, and weirdly didn’t really like anything either. Just sort of generic sounding new wave to me
Al Green
3/5
Prince
5/5
Hole
3/5
The Hives
3/5
I don’t know. Kinda boring. If I were an 18 y o boy I’d really like this. If I didn’t know about punk already.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Morrissey
3/5
I mean, it’s Morrissey, so I don’t like it much. I actually liked the music quite a bit but the lyrics and his voice are not my thing.
Bob Dylan
4/5
The Byrds
3/5
Wire
3/5
Violent Femmes
4/5
I am surprised at how much I like this album. I’ve known the hits since they came out, but there is something about the economy of the music and the immediacy of the vocals that is really pleasing. It sounds like you are in a small room with the band. And the singers nasally high voice somehow absolutely works.
MGMT
3/5
Not my thing, but not annoying either.
Big Star
3/5
I was going to give this a two out of spite because I think it is so completely not a great album, when I saw how influential it was. So it gets a three, but this is a big nothing burger to me.
The Band
3/5
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Mariah Carey
3/5
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
Too arty for me. More like modern classical than what I would think of as tango. Do people dance to this? Do you have to be able to dance to a tango?
Steely Dan
5/5
Great album as a whole, but Peg, oh my god: the forward motion, Michael Macdonald as backup singer! Fantastic!
Cat Stevens
4/5
CHIC
3/5
This has all the crucial disco tropes: bad synthesized strings, funk guitar, insipid lyrics. Pretty great!
Skepta
3/5
Not terribly interesting lyrics, not terribly interesting beats.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
2Pac
3/5
What a waste of a talented human being. I mean his death, not the album, but I’m not crazy about the album.
Richard Hawley
4/5
This is solid. In the earlier songs his voice sounds like an appealingly unstrangled Morissey. It is rich and smooth. The later more country songs are great, and I usually reject Brit’s singling country. Will def listen again.
The Pretty Things
2/5
I couldn’t get past the beginning of the third song. The lyrics are so cheesy, the quoting of the Beatles is so shameless and low quality. I would give this a one but I didn’t listen to it all the way through.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Very talented, and obviously I appreciate his impact on the industry. However, I just can’t relate to the lyrics and many of them are distasteful.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Spotify doesn’t have this. Giving it a four for his poetry.
Coldplay
2/5
Hot take: they are boring
Adele
4/5
Man, she can sing. No standout songs on this album to me, though.
Nirvana
5/5
How did I skip this? Kurt cobain is sexy as hell. The music is great. And I’m sorry he got sick of it, but SLTS is one of the best rock songs in history.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Beautiful voice and music but some of the lyrics are a little silly. Would like to hear other stuff from him.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Spotify doesn’t have it. I’m not sad.
Paul Simon
5/5
ZZ Top
3/5
Some smoking guitars, and some solidly good songs, but ultimately a lot of same same. Although sharp dressed man is a classic
Eurythmics
3/5
There’s the one timeless classic, but a surprising number of songs are pretty annoying.
The Strokes
3/5
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Buck Owens
3/5
The Who
4/5
Amazingly, I am giving this album four. I have always hated the who, and I just really cannot stand Roger Daltry‘s voice for whatever reason. But the reality is that this is a great album and I can acknowledge that.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Work a day white boy blues
The White Stripes
3/5
I kind of don’t get it. I like the stripped down aspect but don’t love it.
Various Artists
4/5
This gets a four because of all the classics. The Ronettes absolutely kill sleigh ride. Fantastic!
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
Fantastic guitar
The Cardigans
3/5
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
The Crusaders
3/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Happy Mondays
3/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
I have made a playlist of all four of the American albums. I just listened to one and it was fantastic. I am giving this a 4 in anticipation.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Not gonna lie, I like this album. Not her best, but solid.
Foo Fighters
3/5
This seems like neither good angry grunge nor catchy pop. Neither fish nor foul, kind of boring.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Good not great?
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
I know from my husband that this was important at the time, but for now I have to say that it sounds awfully tinkly toonkly.
Fred Neil
4/5
To me the songs are good not great, but he’s got a beautiful baritone and I’m giving him a four for helping welcome Bob Dylan into the folk scene. I will seek out more from him.
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
Great baritone voice, clever lyrics. I’m about a third of the way through but will listen to this a few times. Fun!
Ray Charles
3/5
I love his voice but all in all there were too many strings and corny backup singers for me on this.
KISS
1/5
I can see how teenage boys in the 70s ate this up. Now it just seems kind of cheesy.
Queen
3/5
Dolly Parton
4/5
No songs knock my socks off, but she just has the sweetest voice in pop music.
Bee Gees
3/5
Interesting. I find it fascinating how so many big British groups in the 60s and 70s did odes to England. They obviously had a lot of post war stuff to work through.
Erykah Badu
3/5
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
This one did not pass the three songs smell test. Annoying production, screamy vocals.
Steely Dan
4/5
Metallica
4/5
Um, they totally rock.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
She has a tremendous voice, but I just don’t really love this style of music. I also get tired of the enslutification of former child stars. I think it’s bad for young girls.
Moby
3/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
Fairport Convention
3/5
Someone I respected said that this was the best folk album of all time. I will give it another listen. I tried to think it was amazing but mostly I just liked it.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Rod Stewart
3/5
I mean, it’s an album. Kind of fake country.
Don McLean
4/5
I like the other songs, but with American pie and Vincent this is a shoe in for a four.
T. Rex
3/5
Surprisingly fresh sounding. Interesting how avoiding overly time-specific instrument instruments (Hammond organs, saxophones, etc.) can keep rock ‘n’ roll more timeless.
3/5
Great vocals (lyrics not so much); great funk guitar; great (fake?) horns. But overall not great album.
Little Simz
3/5
Great voice
Mercury Rev
3/5
This does not pass the wimpyness smell test.
Eagles
4/5
Billy Bragg
3/5
Madonna
4/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Reading the notes on this album I was really interested to listen to it, and I thought the music was good. But the screechy lead singer’s voice is a no.
Brian Eno
3/5
Femi Kuti
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Fela Kuti
3/5
Bauhaus
4/5
Small Faces
3/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Tangerine Dream
3/5
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
Neil Young
2/5
This gets a two because it has what has got to be the most boring first song on an album by a great artist.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Of course this is a great album. It is impossible to listen to it with the ears of 1976 but I can definitely imagine that it was world changing.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Moby Grape
3/5
3/5
Interesting take on a character
PJ Harvey
3/5
Will listen to more by her.
Ryan Adams
3/5
Bad Brains
3/5
Garbage
3/5
I like this. Good female vocalist. I’ll listen again.
The Blue Nile
3/5
At times is interesting, at times boring
Stephen Stills
4/5
Great voice, solid album.
Miles Davis
4/5
Moody. I like it!
Richard Thompson
4/5
Total sucker for English folk music and they both have good voices. I will be listening to this again.
Beatles
5/5
Was going to give it a four because it’s not a desert island album for me, but my God even the lesser songs are good. And of course the better songs are classics.
The Only Ones
3/5
Beck
4/5
Good music, interesting, hangs together very well as an album.
Joy Division
3/5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Pretty
Rush
3/5
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Some lyrics are flat out abhorrent, but for pure rock n roll and some catchy tunes it’s a four. Slash and Axl Tose individually kick ass.
U2
5/5
A solidly great album; this has it all: interesting instrumentation, good lyrics, beautiful melodies. One of my favorites back in the day and it has aged well. Personal note: New Year’s Day, along with heard it through the grapevine, is one of the songs that I was willing to damage my hearing for. I’m glad I did not actually damage my hearing too badly, but it almost would have been worth it.
Solange
3/5
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Pretenders
4/5
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
They are who they are. Very of their time, but what an iconic sound. Interesting to hear another song so focused on money, “rent”. What have I done to deserve this is just pure bubble pop jam. And “it’s a sin” is an incredible alchemy of sexiness and poignancy. I can’t think of another song that does that at all, let alone as well.
George Michael
3/5
He had such a beautiful voice (when not in falsetto). This is a pretty solid album with a few good songs.
Black Flag
3/5
I can respect it, but it’s not for me. Too hard.
Haircut 100
4/5
First two are jams, rest of album is clever music w sort of asanine lyrics. I was pleasantly reminded of all of the horns in the 80s and the use of funk guitar in some new wave. Very nice.
The Temptations
3/5
Past their prime?
The Specials
5/5
Dirty Projectors
3/5
I’m afraid ultimately the music is too kooky for me.
Daft Punk
3/5
Fun
Slipknot
3/5
Prefab Sprout
3/5
It seems like I should like this more than I do, given my proclivities, but to me it comes across as a cheap ABC
Iron Maiden
3/5
Hot take: they rock hard
American Music Club
3/5
Circle Jerks
3/5
Eh
The Young Rascals
3/5
Hole
4/5
Giving a 4 cause women.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
The Darkness
3/5
Ambitious, but not my thing. Also kind of weirdly 70s derivative?
Living Colour
4/5
Had pretty much forgotten, but I guess I had this album because I knew every song. Very solid. And ground breaking for its time.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Jazz isn’t my thing, but this is very nice. I will be listening to more of him. Yes, my introduction to him was Rockit in 1984. What can I say?
Tears For Fears
4/5
I don’t love the album, but the hits make this a solid four. Everybody wants to rule the world it’s just a fantastic song, and for me it will always be washing dishes in the back of my first job at an ice cream shop the early summer after 10th grade.
Frank Black
3/5
It is totally fine, but his voice doesn’t do it for me.
Jethro Tull
3/5
The The
4/5
This is a keeper, good music, good voice.
Culture Club
4/5
Solid old favorite.
Randy Newman
3/5
Great songwriting, ok voice- now associated w famous movie soundtracks.
k.d. lang
4/5
Eels
3/5
Turbonegro
3/5
The Go-Betweens
3/5
I might like this a lot. I’m going to listen to it at least two times through
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Bon Jovi
3/5
I want to give it a four because the hits are so awesome, but the rest are too cheesy. Still, you give love a bad name!
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Madonna
3/5
Solid
Bad Company
4/5
Excellent rock and roll. The real deal with a purity and a heartfelt soul to it. Props.
Ray Charles
3/5
R.E.M.
5/5
Dr. John
3/5
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Solid
Goldfrapp
3/5
Can music be mumblecore? I don’t know what it is, but for the life of me I can barely understand the lyrics. The music is fine, but I find this annoying and in some songs maddening.
The Pogues
4/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
No hits?
King Crimson
3/5
Like it!
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Dated but respectable
5/5
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Dated and cheesy even for the time
Spacemen 3
3/5