Listened in May 2021. Jazz funk instrumentals aren't really my cup of tea but it's good for what it is. 3/5
Listened in June 2020. Two absolute classic pop songs, don't listen to the rest often.
Would never have guessed she'd go onto make an album as classic as Back to Black four years later. I appreciate why this is beloved, but this kind of 90s inspired neo-soul isn't really my thing.
Listened in November 2020. Not my favourite Bob Marley album, but you can't really go wrong with any of his albums. One I've grown to appreciate more with age.
Listened May 2021. What a voice.
Listened May 2021. Her voice is unlike anything else in music.
Pretty perfect classic rock album. Every song is a winner.
Gorgeous, Beatles-influenced anthemic rock from the 90s. Should have been bigger.
Nice gentle melodies but a little bit boring.
Listened in August 2021. I'm not a Dad so this isn't really aimed at me, but it's got some great tunes.
Fantastic, lively live jazz album. Very enjoyable.
Fresh, exciting, bass heavy funk. A little overlong but so much fun.
Listened Feb 2021. One of the best Britpop albums.
So much raw energy and fuzz. Mildred Pierce is a bit of a dirge, but Tunic is a stunner.
One of the best rock albums of the 21st century. Jack White would write more iconic songs but I don't think he was ever better than this, where each song is a short, sharp blast of innovative guitar playing and yelped lyrics. Makes you want to form a band.
One of the most raucous, alive live albums ever recorded. Johnny was never more of a rockstar here, and you'll rarely hear a happier audience. More punk rock than punk rock.
Rococo Zephyr is one of my favourite tracks. The rest doesn’t quite match it, but the first half in particular is excellent.
Listened in July 2021. For some reason, I've never gotten into The Kinks as much as I have many of their 60s contemporaries. This is a great album, but not one I feel hugely compelled to return to.
Very interesting, often abrasive electro indie experimentations. Some tracks really worked, others felt overly long and extremely repetitive.
The bridge between the Beatles and Big Star. Beautiful power pop melodies, interesting organ and keyboard lines, amazing harmonies. Gets a little proggy but not enough to spoil things.
Listened in October 2023. Just a fantastic, loose, groovy vibe. I will always prefer the more raw energy of the live recordings, but these songs are an amazing mix of new wave pop melodies and world music. Not my favourite Talking Heads album, but clearly essential.
Listened to July 2020. Still sounds unlike any other punk band from that era. Sometimes a bit noisy and frenetic for me, but I get that it's part of the appeal.
Sunny, upbeat folk rock that you can tell was made by a Dylan contributor.
Makes you proud to be British. Fantastic blend of punk, pub rock and ska held together by fantastic melodies.
One of the most gorgeous final albums. Bowie’s may have been more forward looking, but Cohen made something so poignant and moving.
Badly dated, with a genuinely unpleasant organ ruining a lot of songs. The two classics are the only songs worth listening to, and even they soundd a bit creaky.
Wanted to love this because the production is lush but found it just a bit too samey and lacking killer hooks. Vapour Trail is still a banger.
Spiky electro pop with absolutely gorgeous vocals. Wish they did more outright pop songs like This is the Day.
I can understand why this was so forward thinking and revolutionary in 1990, even if it’s not my favourite hip hop album by any stretch.
Fantastic, agitated soul music. Some truly top level pop songwriting here. Glad it’s kept short and tight, as there is a slight lull between Higher Ground and Don't You Worry...
Listened July 2021. I find it hard to rate this kind of ambient music because I find it perfectly pleasant and would happily put it on in the background anytime, but I can't say I really love it or would choose to listen to it often. I respect the craft and what people enjoy about it, even though it isn't really for me.
Very good country rock that occasionally sounds like Jack White. Slightly too long considering a lot of the songs sound very similar. Never properly moves me.
Listened in March 2020. Iconic 90s pop rock. Not something I listen to often but it has at least 3 classic singles.
A little bit too long and could lose Jamaica Jerk-Off, but it’s hard to argue against this as the absolute peak of Elton’s pop songwriting powers.
Really fun, vibrant late 80s hip hop, even if some of it is has dated.
Didn’t think this would be my cup of tea, and the 20 minute long title track is so juvenile that I have to basically ignore the lyrics. Luckily, the vocals and music are so strong that they more than make up for it.
Liked this a lot more on a 2nd listen. Fun, vibrant, lots of variation and energy throughout. Not my favourite Beck album but I can see why it’s the definitive Beck album.
A truly remarkable album. If it’s not as perfect as Rumours, it’s a messier, more interesting and unpredictable album. It’s maybe a little too long and a few tracks could be removed, but the sprawl and chaos is also what I love about it. I could see myself loving this more than Rumours after a few listens.
All killer, no filler. Sounds like a greatest hits compilation, though the only downside is that it is so eclectic that it lacks the cohesion of my favourite albums.
Good for what it is but 90s R&B really isn't my sort of thing.
A bit too slick and shiny to really excite me. Her second album is much better.
It’s like the definition of loose, groovy classic rock n’ roll. I still think Sticky Fingers is their best album but this defines everything that makes the Stones great.
Probably the definitive 80s rock album? This is still so cool, so dangerous, so sexy. Even though you've heard most of these songs a thousand times, they are still exciting.
Undeniably iconic and one of the definitive 00s rock album. Through a mixture of overfamiliarity and marking the start of Green Day's big decline, I don't think this is an unqualified masterpiece. It's very bloated and a little bit pretentious (as all rock operas are), working much better when it offers banger singles than 9 minute long prog punk (except Jesus of Suburbia).
Took me a second listen to appreciate this oppressive, upsetting nihilistic post-punk album.
Some undeniable bangers even if it’s about 20 minutes too long. Don't think we needed two versions of Rollin' or a 7 minute long track.
Lovely pop music, but it feels like listening to early Beatles – you know better was coming soon.
Not my favourite era but it’s a great example of psychedelic rock.
Not my favourite Dylan album, but I wouldn’t argue against those who put it first. So many classics, one after the other. If I had a complaint, it’s quite a top heavy album. The first half is absolutely stacked.
I think the Talking Heads really come alive in their live recordings, and this isn't their best studio album, but there are a handful of classics.
Really dark, mysterious alt-country that sounds a lot like Will Oldham or Vic Chesnutt. I got on its eerie vibe.
If I had heard 50s Latin jazz earlier, I probably would have found it easier to become a jazz fan. Reeally vibrant and fun, especially for nearly 70 years old.
Wish there were a few more uptempo tracks and a few less ballads, but even if this isn’t a personal favourite, historically it’s a vital album.
A great album in a genre I really don’t care for. I’m not a neo soul fan at all so the fact I really like this says a lot about its quality.
Really groovy, enjoyable and just breezy Southern rock album. Even at 90 minutes, it’s a very easy listen and the scratchy vocals compliment the slide guitars and heavy riffs beautifully. A surprising entry into the 1000 albums list but not an unwelcome one.
Really great, upbeat, endlessly enjoyable political funk. I just wish they removed Africa Talks to You because it is so dull.
Listened in October 2022. I'm not quite as big as some on Bob's late 90s period, so I wouldn't even put this in my top 10 Dylan records, but it's got some lovely tracks on it.
Still a remarkable blend of the best 90s hip hop with the best 00s pop. In the great list of 'classic albums with one bad track', God I'd love to cut the worthless instrumental cover of My Favorite Things.
No doubt it influenced a certain sound in early 2010s British music but I find this a little boring and one note. Some great tunes that would score dramatic scenes in teen dramas for years, but the overall experience is only okay.
Listened in Jan 2022. Great, wordy, poetic early 90s hip-hop. Should have been bigger.
The definition of a greatest hits band. Some nice singles but the piano sounds like a novelty band and a lot of it just fades out of memory immediately.
Some excellent synth pop hampered by overlong, draggy songs.
I’m not a massive fan of James Brown’s howling brand of soul music, but I can recognise and appreciate how talented he is as a singer and frontman. Not one I want to listen to endlessly, but I understand all the love.
I remain a Beastie Boys sceptic. For every classic, there’s an instrumental that just leaves me a bit cold. Sabotage is one of the best songs ever made, but nothing else compares unfortunately.
Quirky and entertaining without being too twee. Great mix of drolly amusing songs, nice melody, and all-out rockers. Only All My Friends Were There tips things into sounding like a novelty record. I probably prefer this to Sgt Pepper.
Much more epic and defiant than I appreciated on a first listen. It really does feel like a classic Bowie album for the 90s. Insane to release this at the same time as Definitely Maybe and Parklife.
Listened Jan 2021. One of Jay-Z's best albums. He's never been my favourite rapper, but it's easy to understand why he became such a star.
Listened Jan 2021. Some undeniable classics and more fun than your usual rock opera. It's not one I would revisit it often but at its best, it's peak Who.
I like some of the beats and it has a fun Tribe feel, but it’s a bit repetitive after a while and the instrumentation didn’t grab me enough. I don't really see how it made the 1000 albums list.
Listened May 2024. Really fun, accessible, chaotic riot grrl pop. Deceptacon is the obvious classic but the whole album is a blast.
Not for me. The 20 minute, organ-led title track is absolutely tedious, while the 2nd half is a little better but still bounces around between prog rock and honky tonk.
One of the best alt rock albums of the 90s. Still full of energy and raw musicianship. I was more aware on this listen that it’s a very top heavy album, with a near perfect first half and a slightly more forgettable second half.
I only wish this were longer. I never think of this as one of my favourites, but it’s hard to argue that it is one of the best folk albums of all time.
Just mind-numbingly boring. Like emotional music with the soul removed. I can imagine why millions of unhappily-married women bought this record, but it is so bland and uninspiring.
Listened Sept 2020. One of those classics I totally appreciate and occasionally love, but rarely have the urge to listen to.
The classic status of this one depends solely on what you think of Changes. Personally, I find it very moving, especially in the wake of Ozzy’s death. It isn’t their greatest, but it’s one of the all time great cocaine albums.
It’s Abbey Road. What more do you need to say? I don’t think it’s their top-to-bottom strongest album, but there’s a gleeful ‘throw everything at the wall’ energy I really love. I’ve even grown to appreciate Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.
Other than The Queen is Dead, I generally think of the Smiths as a singles band. I’ve come around to this album though, despite the OTT title track. At least four excellent tracks here.
Very enjoyable and forward thinking jazz album, though the final, vocal-led track really isn’t my thing.
Perhaps an album I ultimately respect and recognise as brilliant rather than truly loving like my favourite albums. I feel like you had to be a Beach Boys fan at the time to properly understand how much Wilson recreated and found that sound again decades. One of the most challenging and surprising pop albums you’ll hear.
Shades of Kate Bush but in a minimalist electronic style. It’s not massively exciting but it’s pleasant enough.
Some of the best and grooviest metal you’ll ever hear, though I think you could easily trim 4 or 5 tracks without sacrificing the quality of the album.
Listened Oct 2024. I understand this one a lot more now. I’m still not the biggest Cure fan, but I’ve come to appreciate their slow, sad gothic melodramas now that I know they aren’t just a goth pop band. Great album that I will keep returning to.
Just good old straight fashioned rock n’ roll. I’m not a major Led Zep fan by any means, but I imagine hearing this in 1969 would have blown my mind.
Listened April 2021. I have a complicated relationship with this one. It has a couple of all time classics, and I think Stan really is one of the best rap songs of all time. But there's a teenage edgelord streak that runs through most of Eminem's work, and a song like Kim is just so genuinely repellent that it stops being pleasant to listen to. Clearly a phenomenon in the early 2000s, but it's not an album I ever choose to re-listen to.
Listened December 2021. Pleasant, jazzy neo-soul influenced songwriting. Good album, surprised to see it on this list.
A mixture of tedious and annoying. An album made up of organ solos and the shrill, harpsichord-led closer. This type of music just isn’t for me.
Very chilled, unhurried vibes that you have to let wash over you. I prefer TWOD at their more anthemic and pacey, so Red Eyes is the clear standout, but I generally just enjoy soaking in the atmosphere.
Much better than I remembered. Pretty close to the sound they perfected on Violator, with the first half being particularly consistent on catchy gothic pop.
I don’t get this album at all. I didn’t particularly enjoy the constant electronic barrage, the vocals weren’t anything special, and there’s a distinct lack of memorable hooks and melodies. Mostly sounds like the worst tracks on a Tame Impala album. Couple of good tracks, but bafflingly overrated.
Even with overfamiliarity, this is undeniably one of the great rock albums. So good it has allowed AC/DC to remain popular despite decades of mediocrity.
Some of the short instrumentals are meh, but when this rocks out, there’s some fantastic riffing and I don’t even hate the keyboard solos.
Elvis Costello seems curiously untrendy among modern bands and listeners to the point where he’s almost underrated in the British rock canon. This is an excellent debut that has touches of rock n’ roll, ska and punk, though it feels more traditional and digestible than other punk of the era.
I never think of this as one of the all time great rock albums but it’s pretty much all killer no filler. Contains three classics and the rest are pretty great too.
Baffling that this is included on the 1000 albums list. Mostly just unmemorable instrumental muzak, though it has a very irritating middle section before the genuinely good Sound of Someone…
Mostly just unmemorable, soft indie with bleeps and bloops. A bit dull.
I assumed this would be straightforward jangle pop, so it’s interesting to hear African influences, disco rhythms and sounds you wouldn’t expect from an 80s Scottish indie band. Nice little album.
Undeniably a classic landmark album, but personally, I’m so familiar with so many of these tracks that they don’t really excite me anymore. I also think it has such an incredibly strong middle but the ending is a bit damp.
Definitely a grower. It's not one of their classics, and can feel like a decline following Kid A, but there are a lot of underrated tracks. Not sure if it should be on this list, but it's well worth a listen.
Some nice sleazy rock n’ roll, even if I sometimes think I’d rather just be listening to Exile on Main Street again.
Listened in October 2024. Much better than I remembered. I would cut out a few songs from the second half, but this is much more vital and energised than I recognised on a first listen. One of the peaks of grunge.
It’s fascinating hearing absolutely revolutionary rock occasionally interrupted by completely ordinary R&B covers. You can really hear the changing tides here.
Separating art from artist, this is one of the greatest albums of all time, and certainly one of the best of the 10s, if not the best. Incredible production, lyrics that serve as a strong summation of the artist, massive choruses, great guest spots, multiple iconic songs that would define soundtracks for the next decade. There's a reason Kanye's ego spiralled so out of control, because for a brief moment, he was one of the greatest in the world.
Listened March 2021. I appreciate the incredible musicianship, but 20 minute jams aren't really my thing.
Listened July 2021. Many of these songs are so overplayed that I don't get any pleasure from hearing them anymore. Nevertheless, this is a strong contender for most iconic album of the last 15-20 years with an insane collection of hit singles.
Classic pop rock. Polish production, great hooks, the only thing that stops this being a favourite is that it has such straightforward approach that it doesn’t thrill me.
I find blues a little repetitive and a little goes a long way. The live energy adds quite a bit and the atmosphere is enjoyably woozy, but not massively for me.
3 modern indie classics and not a lot else to recommend. I can see why they never repeated this success again.
I can't be objective about an album I would definitely stick in my top 30 of all time. It's too long to achieve the perfection of Either/Or, but I think at its best, it might be the peak of his abilities as a songwriter. He's playing with a much bigger canvas here, and the lush production lets songs like Son of Sam and Wouldn't Mama Be Proud really soar. Unlike XO, I think they nailed the sound here, letting Elliott pay tribute to the Beatles but still keeping a bit more grit and emotion (I love XO but the production can be a bit soft). At 16 songs, I will concede that it's too long though - I love every song, but you could trim LA, Colorbars and Better Be Quiet Now without losing too much.
Pleasant folk songs ruined by shrill flutes and horrible buzzing. I didn’t really enjoy this on any level other than the nice vocals.
I quite liked this on a first listen a few years ago. Maybe my tolerance for experimental has gone down, but I found this quite dull and repetitive. I remembered it as sounding like a proto-Tom Waits, but it lacks interesting instrumentation or any kind of memorable hook.
This kind of turntable electronic music couldn’t be further from my sort of thing, but I’ve grown to respect it as an album more. I wouldn’t chuck this on regularly, and I’d say it’s closer to background music for me, but there’s a certain hazy ambient charm to it.
Listened April 2021. I appreciate it historically, and if a song comes on I always enjoy it, but a little goes a long way and it's a fairly repetitive album.
The classic opener is such a misdirect because nothing else here comes even close to its loud hard rock groove. I’m not a prog fan so my love is limited, though there are some lovely vocals and melodies.
Possibly the weakest album from his golden period, which is to say it’s not one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Still excellent, even if it lacks a truly classic single.
One of the strangest listening experiences I’ve had in a while. After releasing a classic power pop album, I didn’t expect his follow-up to be so experimental and anti-commercial. Not in love with it on a first listen, but it feels like it could be a GBV situation where its difficult moments are secretly its strengths.
I like jazz, I can handle rocking soul, but the two together here did almost nothing to me. Can’t say there’s anything I would want to revisit, though it has the odd good jazz breakdown or shouty chorus.
The Doors might be my pick for most overrated band in rock history. Some okay songs but a lot of this is overlong, basic blues that I find quit boring.
It’s taken me a long time to understand Beastie Boys having only liked the singles previously, but I feel like I’m finally getting them. Sample-based music is an art form I’m still not fully onboard with, but I get how amazing and playful the production is here. Glad to finally join the hype train.
Pretty irresistible pop ballads.
Really not my cup of tea. I find this sort of electronic music fairly samey and boring, especially when songs are up to 9 minutes. I doubt the ideal listening experience is a full album listen on headphones. Not terrible, but not for me.
Listened September 2023. Eerie, melodic, chugging alt rock. I'm a sucker for this genre and specific time period so I love it, but I don't know if I would have included it in 1000 albums to hear before you die.
I really like R.E.M., especially during their golden period, yet I never think of them as a favourite band or revisit much of their music. This is a great album, yet I generally have an emotional disconnect that stops them from getting to that next level. Love the addition of mandolins and ballads here.
Perfectly good doo wop style pop music but I’m a bit bored of the 60s bias towards ‘classics’. A lot of this is forgettable and if it wasn’t for the one big single, I don’t think we’d listen to them much at all.
Enjoyably dark and aggressive hip-hop, especially in the first half. Definite shades of Enter the Wu-Tang, even if I don’t find the songs quite as standout. This has a vibe and energy I really enjoy spending time with.
Despite finding Queen overplayed and never really revisiting the now, and the fact they are the ultimate singles band, this remains a classic album. It might be the only time they wrote a genuinely brilliant, cohesive album that doesn’t feel like a collection of great songs. One of the great British rock albums.
At its best, it’s pleasant background noise, but I’m afraid I found a lot of this quite boring and it gets pretty grating towards the end. Not for me.
Listened May 2025. I enjoy the original incarnation of Coldplay where they take the angsty piano-based alt rock of Radiohead but smooth it down into mainstream, stadium-filling pop. Strong songwriting.
A top 10 album of all time for me, but one that took me a while to fully get on board with. Some of the tracks (Debaser, Wave of Mutilation, Here Comes Your Man) are obvious first hit masterpieces, but there are weirder, trickier songs that took me much longer to appreciate. But those short, sharp shocks are crucial to breaking up the classics, acting as wild little interludes that make sure you are never close to bored. It's possibly the most influential rock album for the next decade, perfecting a sound that wouldn't reach mainstream popularity for 3 or 4 more years. And while the album is incredibly cohesive, needing to be listened in one, there's an incredible variety within, from frenetic punk to bass-driven grooves to catchy commercial radio rock to strange rock n' roll pastiche.
It took a decade but I finally love this album. I always struggled with its reputation as the greatest album of all time when it always sounded a bit novelty to me, as if the forward thinking production was the only reason people loved it. Once I got over that, I can see this as just a really fun, vibrant album. It’s not their best and I prefer them much rockier, but it was nice to finally get it.
Heartening to see a modern artist release an album with the ambition of the legends. Feels like a cohesive experience and the opening few tracks in particular have an energy and instantly iconic feel. Just lacks that killer classic to tip it over the edge.
Enjoyable if slightly samey soul album. As someone who isn’t massively into 70s funk and soul, this doesn’t have the speed and energy it takes for me to really love this kind of music.
Like a disco at the end of the world. Dark, moody, spiky electronics and fierce vocals. Heads Will Roll is a classic.
Genuinely fantastic album that for whatever reason doesn’t quite hit my all-time favourites. Undeniably great and contains at least three classics, but maybe the more classic rock-oriented tracks just don’t hit me like my favourites do.
The sound of the end of the 60s. Nothing hits like the title track but I appreciate the surprising mix of hippy jam band and furious punk rock.
I can recognise the skill in a chin stroking sort of way, but other than the surprisingly enjoyable opening tracks, I didn’t find this to be a pleasant or hugely rewarding listening experience.
I don’t get the love for this one at all, other than that some of the production sounds impressively retro. Other than the nice Mutants cover, nothing really stood out and I was bored before the end. Maybe you had to be there?
Very beautiful, haunting and surprisingly guitar-driven shoegaze that just lacks that killer edge to tip over into a favourite.
It’s not as transcendent as Pink Moon, but it’s such a beautiful album. The guitar playing is gorgeous, the strings add so much emotion, and the way it flows through to the final, gentle song takes you on a lovely journey.
Despite loving some of the Libertines’ output, I found this one quite overrated. It starts and ends well, but there’s a lot of short, nothingy tracks that don’t feel particularly well thought out or performed. Up the Bracket is much stronger.
Instrumental guitar music is rarely for me, and this is no exception. The vocal-led tracks are great and I enjoy some of the noodling, but it’s not one I would return to.
Such an amazingly live and raw album that feels like it was recorded in one take. Gets more enjoyable with every listen. Doolittle is their masterpiece but this has slowly become the one I want to revisit the most.
Undeniably important and influential to all hip-hop that came after it. The funk samples and scratching feels a little bit dated to me, placing it firmly in the late 80s and holding me back from loving it like I do my favourite rap and hip-hop albums, so it’s more of a huge appreciation than a deep love.
Listened October 2020. I'm just not a big fan of rockabilly Elvis. I get it, I see why he's the most famous person ever, I see why he completely changed the face of music, but for me, he doesn't become the genuine sensation into the comeback special. I also don't think Elvis on record is the best way to fully appreciate the King - it's live all the way.
This just isn’t for me no matter how much I try. I can recognise the appeal in certain tracks (Da Funk and Around the World are obvious club bangers), but I find it very long and very repetitive. I’m sure this is a genre landmark, but if you don’t know or particularly like this genre, it doesn’t do that much.
Always dismissed this as flute-led prog rubbish. Turns out it’s a really good hard rock album with crunchy riffs and big melodies.
You have to be in the right mood for this, but I am, so it’s just a brilliant short and nasty hardcore punk blast.
One of the greatest albums ever made. Is it too long? Yes. Would I remove the jams? Probably. But until the final 5 tracks, this is all killer no filler. One of the most underused talents of his era finally getting to show the world what he could do, and it’s astonishingly good. I’m not sure if I like it as much as Plastic Ono Band, but there are a handful of the most gorgeous rock songs ever written.
Quite impressive that she captures the sound of 50s and 60s country and Western so accurately. That said, it feels more like a great pastiche than an actual classic.
Serial killer music. Certainly a challenging listen, and I personally can’t really find the music in this so I find it near impossible to rate. Feels unfair to call this bad because it might be a brilliant example of what it is, but I struggled to get through it.
Was worried it would be more unremarkable 60s rock but it’s pretty decent. Prefer the songs that sound like CSN&Y.
Increasingly thinking that Simon & Garfunkel were top 5 60s artists. The title track and Only Living Boy are two of the loveliest songs you will ever hear. Not quite up there with Bookends but another classic.
It’s a got a nice jamming groove, though this particular brand of Southern rock doesn’t do all that much for me. At least they keep it tight at under 40 minutes.
Listened November 2021. There's no denying it caught fire at the right moment and was probably revolutionary for a lot of angsty teenagers, but I think a lot of it has aged quite badly and there's only a few songs I'd want to hear again.
Listened October 2021. I've never rated The Who quite as highly as their 60s Britrock contemporaries but this is a great chance to hear them at their peak.
Excellent debut album, which is only slightly weaker in the context of what the Heads would go onto do. It’s just a bit more straightforward and conventional compared to what came a few years later.
Irresistibly slick 80s pop. Who doesn’t enjoy this?
If you like big open-hearted pop music, this is as good as it gets. It’s not an all-time favourite but it’s wall-to-wall bangers.
Really enjoyable if slightly cheesy 80s rock. Twin guitar solos and big choruses are fantastic, not as big on the organs.
A couple of really majestic songs don’t make up for the overly quirky feeling I got from this. Just not enough to latch on for me to really love it beyond appreciating the musicianship.
Maybe I have to be in the right mood for this one because I just couldn’t get very into it this time. It’s very chill and pleasant, but very little really grabbed me.
One of the great albums. I go back and forth on this and Nevermind a lot. While Nevermind definitely has the better songs and is arguably top-to-bottom flawless, there's something about this raw, distorted squeal of anger that almost rivals it. A bleak listen, and it's hard to see where they could have gone after this, but a nearly unrivalled masterpiece of hatred.
I always want to love this album, then I listen to it and check out throughout a lot of it. Maybe I’m a heathen, but I like Velvet Underground at their most accessible and poppy, and don’t like the dirges and experiments. I don’t want to call it overrated, because it is valid and important, but I don’t like it all that much.
I’m not really into this kind of dance music so I found this perfectly listenable but it didn’t do a lot for me.
I always appreciate these early Scott Walker solo efforts yet the songs themselves never truly grab me. His voice and experimental tastes are remarkable but there isn’t a lot I’d like to return to here.
Quietly gorgeous and atmospheric experimental music with elements of dub. I miss his gorgeous vocals and melodies, but I still found this dreamy and beautiful.
It’s taken me multiple listens to finally unreservedly love this. More than anything, despite the melancholy throughout, I think this has a healthy sense of fun, the sounds of a band throwing all their ideas out there and seeing what sticks. Endlessly creative and really quite catchy when it wants to be.
Even better than I remembered. Everything after this is downhill, but Back in Black really is a near flawless classic rock album and only slightly less great than Highway. The only time Brian’s voice doesn’t annoy me.
Very solid, catchy Dad rock.
Pleasant background listening. I generally prefer chilled ambient music to much louder electronic.
Maybe it makes me a bad Scott Walker fan but as soon as he drops the experimental/avant-garde stuff and just makes a straightforward pop album, I think it’s one of the best albums of the 60s.
Excellent 80s pop that gets a little too Sting-esque at times.
One of my favourite Britpop albums. Could do with a trim but it's got a solid mix of big melodies and proper guitar rock. Bittersweet Symphony is still a classic.
More Jack White sounding than I imagined. Some nice bluesy rock tracks but nothing hugely memorable.
I was bracing myself for more awful prog, but this is a perfectly acceptable classic rock album that shouldn't be on this list.
At its best, this is phenomenally catchy anthemic synth pop. Shame a couple of very ordinary tracks slightly spoil the mood.
Growing up is realising Paul McCartney was the ace of the Beatles. He doesn't have the raw charisma of John and he isn't as likeable as George, but he is just a powerhouse writer and performer. This is only a small notch below the best Beatles albums, but it's phenomenally written and produced.
If not the best country album, it might be the loveliest. Just a gorgeous and atmospheric acoustic record.
Was worried this would be generic 60s rock but it’s actually very fun, funk and soul tinged blues rock. Only the long guitar jam spoils the mood.
It's Stevie Wonder in the middle of his golden period. Of course it's a classic. The only downside is it isn't Innervisions or Songs in the Key of Life.
Overlong and kinda boring funk and soul album. I don’t think this one has aged particularly well.
One of the best, most joyous and technically sound albums I’ve ever heard. Such a pleasure.
A fantastic collection of power pop gems. Sounds like a greatest hits of the 70s compilation.
Track by track, this might have the most amount of iconic singles on any album ever.
Very ahead of its time, even if I prefer the alternative rock that came towards the end of the decade.
Pretty much perfect punk album. Stripped down, raw, direct.
The interludes are a bit of a drag and I think they were slightly sharper on Aquemini, but at it’s best, some of the most fun hip-hop you’ll hear.
80s hip-hop often sounds very dated to me, but I enjoyed this despite the slightly cheesy production.
Years ahead of their time. Managed to inspire 80s alternative and the garage rock revival. Excellent.
Listened July 2025. Still such a defiantly punky and aggressive album. I prefer this to almost everything else Maiden did.
Peak Billy Corgan, where his ambition and dreaminess collided with grunge to make a beautiful, heavy slab of alt rock.
Overhated by fans at the time. Yes it’s more streamlined and mainstream, but there is so much greatness here. Their last stand as a genuinely world class and as good as mainstream metal gets.
Much better as a world music album than a hip hop album. Fairly fun.
Too experimental for my tastes but I found this more interesting than I expected.
Some of the more repetitive electronic songs aren’t for me, but All My Friends and NY I Love You are proper classics.
Nearly flawless, although Imagine has been pretty much ruined by overplaying. Some gorgeous songwriting.
A very fair and respectable contender for greatest album ever.
Much better live than on record, even if the keyboard is still too much for me.
A bold, gripping debut that still feels a slight step below what Kendrick would go on to do.
The rare double album that is all killer. You could argue it is front loaded but it just makes the second half full of underrated tracks. Top 10 of all time.
Very pretty but it does get slightly dreary.
Nearly flawless open hearted punk rock.
My favourite hip-hop album. A group of young, pissed off wordsmiths with boundless energy and attitude releasing an album full of top-to-bottom bangers.
My first real experience of Bollywood. Very different but mostly pleasant. Nice Morriconne esque instrumentals.
I’m still not lame enough to love Steely Dan but this is the closest I have gotten. Shouldn’t be on this list though.
