241
Albums Rated
3.39
Average Rating
22%
Complete
848 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1980
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
30
5-Star Albums
11
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Calenture
The Triffids
|
5 | 2.55 | +2.45 |
|
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
|
5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
|
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
|
5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
|
Achtung Baby
U2
|
5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
|
Urban Hymns
The Verve
|
5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
|
Garbage
Garbage
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
Different Class
Pulp
|
5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
|
Murmur
R.E.M.
|
5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
|
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
|
5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Stooges
The Stooges
|
1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
|
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
|
1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
|
Superfuzz Bigmuff
Mudhoney
|
1 | 2.93 | -1.93 |
|
Live / Dead
Grateful Dead
|
1 | 2.82 | -1.82 |
|
Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
|
1 | 2.71 | -1.71 |
|
Orbital 2
Orbital
|
1 | 2.69 | -1.69 |
|
Follow The Leader
Korn
|
1 | 2.65 | -1.65 |
|
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
|
2 | 3.64 | -1.64 |
|
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
|
2 | 3.6 | -1.6 |
|
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
|
2 | 3.47 | -1.47 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| R.E.M. | 3 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 4.67 |
| Van Halen | 2 | 5 |
| U2 | 2 | 5 |
| Oasis | 2 | 5 |
5-Star Albums (30)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Beck · 1 likes
4/5
A pretty good album, especially if you're a Beck fan. Worth noting that this was (and kinda still is) the Beck album for a lot of people. The three big singles are all great and the album tracks are pretty good too.
Pink Floyd · 1 likes
5/5
Probably the greatest Prog rock album ever. Always a great listen.
U2 · 1 likes
5/5
I know that I'm biased as a U2 fan, but this is the easiest 5 stars out there. I might prefer Achtung Baby for its guitar oriented alternative rock, but this is a more complete album. All four members at their bests, the best production work on possibly any album, and yeah, it's easy to give it well-earned praise. There isn't a bad song on it either. "Where The Streets Have No Name" is easily in my top 5 songs ever, and its even better live. Same goes for the other 10 tracks. "Bullet The Blue Sky" is such a raw political piece and it goes HARD. The B-side is softer, but has some really well done guitar parts and lyrics. The rhythm section is awesome the entire way through as well. I'd argue its the best American album, despite being written by Irish.
1987 was a stacked year for music, between this, Depeche Mode, INXS, GnR, Michael Jackson, R.E.M, and so many more, but this is easily the best album of that year, along with the decade.
Having seen this album performed in its entirety twice live, I feel it would be remiss to not mention how much better it is live. U2, despite being masters in the studio, take it up to another level live.
A perfect album: 5/5 stars
1-Star Albums (11)
All Ratings
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Very good album. "Grace" and "Eternal Life" were my favorite tracks, but there was a lot to like. I can see why so many people were into this one.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Have you listened to Lynyrd Skynyrd before? If so, yep this sounds like them. The highlight is obviously Free Bird to close out the album. Overall, it pretty good, just what you expected it to sound like.
The Who
3/5
The first live album, and the first Who album so far. Decent, but short (only 5 songs? really?). It's right before their peak, so a lot of their really great songs aren't included.
Nirvana
4/5
A very good live album. Some songs I knew, but most I didn't know. Really liked their Bowie and Vaselines covers. Much better live album than Live at Leeds.
The Zombies
4/5
Surprisingly good album, sorta reminds me of OKGo? Anyways, liked it.
Funkadelic
2/5
Weird, and I don't care for it
Donald Fagen
4/5
Great album especially if you like Fagen's work with Steely Dan. Standout tracks were I.G.Y and New Frontier.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Solid, but probably not their best
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Pretty solid album, but I prefer Cash's cover of Hurt.
The Prodigy
2/5
I like some electronic music...but I can't stand this. Some parts aren't bad (No Good was decent). It gets a star for being mentioned in Gunnerkrigg Court however (even if Fat of the Land is better)
The Crusaders
3/5
Solid jazz funk album, but not quite up to Steely Dan's standards.
Van Halen
5/5
Great album, obviously a fantastic first half. Defined hard rock for the rest of the century. Great debut and just crazy to listen to.
Paul Simon
3/5
It's fine I guess. Kind of a fun Bob Dylan-esque album.
Coldcut
4/5
Very good electronic album. Best song is People Hold On, but definitely has some other good tracks. Kinda reminds me of a combination of the Avalanche and Enigma.
R.E.M.
5/5
The album that made R.E.M great. Probably one of the best political rock albums of all time. Often overshadowed by the other albums of '87, but it's hard to compete with great albums like The Joshua Tree, Diesel and Dust, Kick, Appetite for Destruction, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, Hysteria, and Music for the Masses. Even so, this is probably my second favorite of the year (after Joshua Tree) and gets a well deserved 5 stars.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Very good album. I'm Glad and Where There's Women are standout tracks. Can hear the Ry Cooder influence on this one.
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
Maybe this would be more exciting if I had paid attention in French class, but it's just a guy talking over music.
Arrested Development
1/5
Ehhh. It's an album I guess. I liked Fishin' For Religion but the rest of the album kinda sucks. A real shame, I thought this would be pretty good.
David Bowie
4/5
It sounds like Bowie and thats not a bad thing. A lot of fun songs on this one. Easily some of his most fun work. A lot of good songs on this one but my favorite might be How Does The Grass Grow.
The Go-Betweens
5/5
Very reminiscent of Midnight Oil, which is certainly not a bad thing. Great album and would recommend to any rock fan.
Sonic Youth
2/5
I thought I would like this one. I like the Cure, Depeche Mode, and a lot of the bands that are usually considered in the same conversation as the Sonic Youth. But this album was just loud and annoying for an hour. Great if that's your thing but I just don't enjoy it.
Garbage
5/5
Excellent album. Easily one of the best rock albums of the 90's.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Not bad. I'm not the biggest fan of world music, but I can enjoy it every so often. A lot of fun guitar parts in this one, and you can defintely hear the Ry Cooder input. My standout song is Lasidan.
Korn
1/5
Every song has pretty decent guitars. I even started to like some of them. But every time they ruin it with either the worst beatboxing or a goofy sound effect solo. Fun fact, this album features Cheech of Cheech and Chong just so you can know it's a joke before you make the mistake of listening to it.
Madonna
3/5
It's Madonna! So it sounds pretty much exactly how you would expect, and that's not really a bad thing. Standouts are the title track, Cherish, and Till Death Do Us Part. A pretty good album, especially compared to Madonna's previous albums. Worth a listen at least.
Nick Drake
3/5
It was a pretty solid album. Good and calm. No standout tracks, just a bunch of solid ones.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
There's something just so happy about the way Sinatra sings, and I've always enjoyed it. My first college roomate sang and played a lot of Sinatra and so I've got a soft spot for this music. A lot of great songs, including a great cover of I've Got You Under My Skin. Excellent album and totally worth a listen.
Eagles
4/5
Pretty solid outing by Eagles. My standouts were Tryin', Take It Easy, and my favorite, Witchy Woman. Overall, a much better album than I expected.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Another jazz album. Definetly pretty good, just not as good as other jazz stuff I've heard. Great music to just sit and relax and listen to, but probably wouldn't listen to it in any other circumstance.
Beatles
3/5
The Beatles might be the greatest band of all time. This does not account for their early albums, which pretty much sounded like 50's/60's rock. This was before they were an interesting band. Not a bad listen, but boring compared to their later works.
Stephen Stills
3/5
A very good folk rock album. I enjoyed Stephen Stills 1 and 2 and this follows them pretty well. Highlights were 'The Treasure Take One', 'Right Now', and 'Both of Us'. Overall a good but not quite great album. Definetely worth the listen though.
The Black Keys
4/5
It's a pretty solid album. Really ushered in the era of Midwestern blues rock bands being popular for a bit (looking at you Greta Van Fleet). But also only could have been big during the early 2010's. The hits are good, and the filler tracks aren't half bad either. On the plus side, this is a very unique sounding album, and there aren't a lot of blues rock bands that made it big.
Worth a listen, but know that it kinda blends together by the end.
Snoop Dogg
2/5
Not much to say on this one. Don't really like it, but definitely not the worst I've heard. My standout was "Gz and Hustlas", but that was kinda it. A lot of cussing and sex, but not much else. Probably great if you're into it, but was not able to convert me.
Pantera
2/5
It's loud.
I'm not particulary a fan of metal and this didn't change with this album. Some of the guitar parts were cool, reminescent of Nirvana or Alice in Chains, but it was mostly just loud screaming and guitar.
Pere Ubu
1/5
What was that?
Maybe it makes sense when you're high. Listening to it sober makes it sound awful.
The Doors
3/5
A decent album. The obvious highlight is "Riders on the Storm" which happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time. "L.A. Woman" is also a pretty good song. The rest of the album is just decent.
I'm a little disappointed, I had higher hopes for this album, but it ended up being pretty middle of the road, since 2 great songs don't really make up for the other 8.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
I didn't know there were more Damon Albarn projects. This is definitely a weird one but I really liked it. Best songs for me were "History Song", "Northern Whale", and the title track.
Worth a listen, especially if you like Damon's other stuff. This is a really fun and interesting album.
Pink Floyd
4/5
A great double album. Not guite up to Dark Side of The Moon. "Comfortably Numb" is the obvious highlight, but there are a lot of other great songs on this one.
Pulp
5/5
Great album, one of the pinnacles of Britpop. Standout songs are Common People, Disco 2000, and Mis-Shapes. Overall, a fun listen and has a lot of great moments.
Rush
4/5
A great prog rock album. Still holds up as a weird album too. Rush was always a weird band to me, I didn't love Geddy's voice, but the instrumentals are top tier.
This album has "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight" which are probably the two most well known Rush songs. "Witch Hunt" is another great one.
Solid album, worth at least 4 stars.
The Stone Roses
5/5
This is the most British sounding album I've heard. You can hear where Britpop came from on this album, and since I'm a sucker for Britpop, this is getting a high rating.
I like just about every song on this one, except "Don't Stop" which is just a little to out there for me. Otherwise, a lot of fun music to listen to. The guitar on "Fool's Gold" is fantastic, "Waterfall" is just a fun song, and the bluesy "Shoot You Down" is a great song to put in the middle.
I'd never really listened to this one before, but it is another easy 5. A lot of British alt rock was inspired by this one, and for good reason.
Rocket From The Crypt
4/5
I came into this one with no idea what to expect, but boy was I not expecting that. Based on the name I figured it was probably a goth college rock band, in the same vein as Ministry or the Cure. This is not like either of those.
Just a fun album, kinda like a mix between Oingo Boingo and The Presidents Of The United States Of America. A lot of punk influence with a little ska horns added for good measure.
My standouts are "Come See, Come Saw" and "Drop Out" but most of the album is good.
Worth a listen, and definitely a fun album too listen to.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
It's not my favorite record of all time but it certainly is an important one. I like "Chameleon" partially because of Beck's "Cellphones Dead" which used the bass line.
Worth a listen for sure, and makes for some great background music.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
A very odd album but pretty good. My favorite track was "Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel." Overall, it kinda felt middle of the road, so it's getting a three. Worth at least a listen though.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
I listened to a lot of Echo and the Bunnymen growing up, so I knew a lot of what to expect from this one. It's a solid album, and came from the same scene as U2, Simple Minds, The Alarm, and Big Country, which are all bands that I enjoy.
This is on the more depressing side though, closer to the Cure. The best song is "The Killing Moon" but "Seven Seas" comes in a solid second. Overall worth a listen.
The Triffids
5/5
Gourgeous album. A lot to like, especially in the instrumentals and lyrics.
It's got a lot of great songs, but the standouts were "Unmade Love," "Holy Water," and "Blinder By the Hour." "Jerdacuttup Man" is a really interesting one.
This album sounds like a cross between Midnight Oil, The Church, U2, and R.E.M, and frankly that's a great sound to have.
Totally surprised by this one, just like I was by the Go-Betweens 16 Lover's Lane. Maybe Australia really does know what they're doing in the late 80's alt-rock sphere!
U2
5/5
My favorite album of all time, and probably the greatest U2 album. A great guitar album, every track sounds different but never boring. This album launched a new era for U2, which I personally enjoy more than the 80's. It's also worth noting that I believe this was the best album of it's year, even when facing the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Guns n Roses, Michael Jackson and others.
Eels
3/5
A perfectly fine album. Not great but not terrible either. My favorites were "Mental" and "Your Lucky Day In Hell." This one sounds a lot like Beck meets Radiohead, but just ended up as an average album.
Deerhunter
3/5
Very much middle of the road for this list. Not a bad listen but I didn't really like any of the individual songs. Some songs had a good instrumental but that's about all that's worth talking about on this album.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Story wise, there is no competition to Bob Dylan's writing. He may not be much of a singer (especially live usually), but the man has a way of weaving a story. That said, it's a solid album, but definitely not my absolute favorite.
Influence wise, this is probably a top 5 album ever. But as an actual album it just pretty good.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
I like it. The lyrics are serviceable, but the instruments are pretty good. A lot of fun to listen to and worth listening to.
Ryan Adams
2/5
Meh. Certainly not the worst I've heard but just boring to listen to. No idea why this is considered for this list.
The Jam
3/5
Not bad, not great. Just an okay rock album. I thought I would enjoy it more, but oh well.
Miles Davis
5/5
Ya like jazz? I do.
In all seriousness this is a fantastic album. Like most great jazz albums, no standout tracks, just a great album. So easy to listen to but also just manages to sit perfectly in the background.
Grateful Dead
1/5
It's just...so long.
I don't understand who is out here listening to this on the regular. Hardly any lyrics, pretty middle of the road instrumentals, and just doesn't really sound like a live album either.
Not worth a listen.
Big Star
3/5
Not bad, not great. You can hear some influence for 90's rock, but apart from that it's just another solid rock album.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Again, another not bad not great album. I enjoyed "I'm Waiting for the Man," but most of the album was just noise. Overall, another middle of the road tier, for an all-timer.
The Kinks
2/5
I know the Kinks have better. You know the Kinks have better. We all know the Kinks have better. Which begs the question, how many Kinks albums are on this thing?
Frank Ocean
3/5
Solid but not my top tier. "Sweet Life" and "Pyramids" are excellent songs, and the rest of the album ranges from decent to good.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I'd never heard of this one. It's a very well designed album. Good to listen to, like a prog album. Highly recommend with headphones.
Willie Nelson
4/5
Willie has a great voice. Add on the fact that he's singing covers of some of the greatest songs ever written and you've got a terrific album. It's just soothing to listen to.
Worth at least a listen.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
This was just bad. I have heard of Throbbing Gristle before (from 2 sock puppets online oddly enough), and they mentioned that it would be weird. It was weird, but also awful.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
It's a pretty decent, inoffensive album. But why is it in the book? It's not that influential (I presume) and isn't a fantastic album that feels like a masterpiece. It's just kinda there.
Sade
4/5
Very smooth. "Smooth Operator" is a classic and deserves to be one. "Sally" flys under the radar but was my 2nd favorite. Overall a great album, but not quite perfect.
5/5
Definitely the most famous Britpop album, and maybe the best. I've rated every other Britpop album pretty highly, and well, this is no exception. "Wonderwall" is the most famous song from the album, but it's easily one of the worst on it despite being a great song. "She's Electric" is a great rocker along with "Don't Look Back in Anger." "Champagne Supernova" is the best song, and is easily a top tier Britpop song, only behind the likes of The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" and Pulp's "Common People.
This is a must listen, and is up there with the best of Britain with OK Computer, Abbey Road, Dark Side of The Moon, and Led Zeppelin 4.
The Jam
4/5
Better than the other Jam album so far. However, still not the top tier of album. But good nonetheless.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Another middle of the road album. Not bad, but it takes a certain mindset for it to be great.
Public Enemy
3/5
Pretty decent, though I prefer LL Cool J. Some of the sample were a bit annoying, but not enough to drop it below average.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Kraftwerk albums are going to be tough to grade. Super influential but also a little tricky to listen to. This is probably the best Kraftwerk album, having listened to it and Computer World. The last two songs are excellent, but "Neon Lights" might be because I enjoyed the U2 cover. The title track is an excellent closer.
Overall, worth listening to once, but I'm not sure I'd listen again. But without this one, new wave probably wouldn't have happened, so I can appreciate it for that.
Steve Earle
4/5
I normally don't like country. This however, I did. A little bit like Jackson Browne, Steve Earle has a pretty good voice. And the storytelling was good as well.
Talking Heads
3/5
Talking Heads debut feels like a debut. Not their best work, but an important album. "Psycho Killer" is the big hit and is probably the most interesting song on the album. Overall, not the best, but certainly not the worst.
The Young Rascals
3/5
Another perfectly fine 60's rock album. Sounds like the Beatles, but maybe just a bit more interesting. I enjoyed it, especially the closing track. Overall, I can't say that it totally wowed me, but it was better than I expected.
The Pharcyde
3/5
Interesting, but not fantastic. I do like the Will Smith sound that they have. Not sure how much more 90's rap I can take though.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
A silly record. But considering that it was essentially part of the Talking Heads it makes sense. Not a bad album, just not particulary exciting. "Genius of Love" is a classic though, and most of the songs are enjoyable.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Bruce is always a fun listen. This album has 2 stunning tracks in "Born to Run" and "Jungleland", which I both love. The rest of the album is pretty good. It doesn't contain many huge hits, but still a great heartland rocker.
The Byrds
2/5
An okay country-folk rock album. It wins no points for being cool, but is a pleasant listen.
CHIC
4/5
A great disco record. A lot of fun to listen to, and probably even better to dance to. Niles Rodgers is a very talented guy. " Le Freak" is the big hit, but "Happy Man" and "I Want Your Love" are excellent as well.
On a side note, why did we ever let a bunch of White Sox fans decide that this wasn't cool? If you ever need a reason to hate the White Sox, disco demolition night is a great reason.
R.E.M.
5/5
I had somehow never heard this one before, despite listening to a lot of R.E.M., but it lived up to the hype. This is an easy must listen.
Ray Charles
4/5
Seems a bit pretentious to call something The Genius of Ray Charles, but I guess it worked out. Another great album, and just a nice listen.
The Stooges
1/5
I'm not high enough to appreciate this.
It just sounds like if the the Rolling Stones were high(er) and worse.
Genesis
4/5
I was sure I would hate this. I like Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins' solo careers plus Mike and the Mechanics, and Post-Gabriel Genesis (yes even the Ray Wilson album). I had never really taken the time to listen to the earlier stuff though, just because it was different. And despite what Richard Hammond thinks, I actually really liked this.
Meat Loaf
3/5
It's fun, but definitely not something I would go back and listen to.
Fairport Convention
3/5
British folk music just sounds pretty decent. If it were Irish though...
Solid album I guess.
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
Started very good, but kinda droned on as the album continued.
Queen
4/5
Another pretty good album. Certainly not my favorite band of all time, but I do enjoy some Queen. That said, the hits sorta carry this one hard.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Meh. I thought I would love it, but I came out disappointed. It's not bad, but I thought it would be a great Stones album.
It's not
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Not bad, just not really into it. Like all the recognizable 70's samples though.
James Taylor
3/5
Another classic folk rock album that sounds like John Denver.
Not very exciting, but a nice listen I guess.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Classy, but not super exciting. Still, not a bad listen, and was fairly enjoyable.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Considering the Yardbirds had half of the top ten guitarists of all time on the band, you would think this would have some awesome guitar.
It doesn't.
Tim Buckley
2/5
I guess his son took all the exciting music. It is such a boring album. I thought I was almost done and was only on the second song.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Maybe the greatest pop album ever. So many great songs (and one dud, looking at you McCartney)
Aerosmith
3/5
Besides the 2 hits, just not all that interesting. Plus it's not even the best version of "Walk This Way" so take what you will from that.
Napalm Death
1/5
33 minutes, 0 words understood. I'm no metalhead but this is just sorta boring, but at least the guitar was kinda cool.
Still better than Korn though.
Donovan
3/5
Classic 60's psycadelic. "Sunshine Superman" and "Season of the Witch" are both good, but otherwise its just not all that interesting.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Well its interesting, I'll give it that. Would not listen, once is more than enough, but not an awful listen either.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Another pretty standard 60's album. Only standout was "Good Time Boy" but the rest of the album is pretty average.
The Temptations
4/5
Classic Motown is always fun, and this was no exception. A good listen to boot.
Duke Ellington
4/5
A great jazz album, not my favorite jazz artist but still great.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
If sex were music, it would be Marvin Gaye. This is probably him at his sexiest. Also the title track is like a jumpscare if you forget that it's on this album.
Solid album, definitely worth a listen.
Black Sabbath
5/5
A super important album to heavy rock. Without it, there's no AC/DC, no Metallica, no Korn (okay maybe I'd be okay with that), and no Iron Maiden.
A lot of classic songs on this one too.
The Darkness
3/5
It's a fun album. However it gets a little old as the album goes on. Still, not all that bad.
Linkin Park
3/5
A couple of great songs and then some average Linkin Park.
Gary Numan
3/5
The beginnings of new wave, and boy does it sound like it. Most songs were pretty similar, but interesting in the same way that Kraftwerk is. Solid album, but can't say I'll be listening again anytime soon.
Steely Dan
5/5
Great album, and a must listen
The White Stripes
4/5
A fun album. Very enjoyable to listen to. Blue Orchid was probably my favorite song off this one. Maybe not the White Stripes best, but certainly still worth a listen.
Kanye West
3/5
This has some good songs on it, but the second half is just kinda boring. And apart from the obvious hits, there wasn't much to look forward to. This definitely isn't Kanye's best.
Dusty Springfield
5/5
I knew of Dusty Springfield, from both "Son of a Preacher Man" and the Pet Shop Boys collab, but wow!
This is an amazing album. A lot of great songs, with a great voice, and pretty good instrumentals. A must listen. My standouts were "Breakfast in Bed" and "Don't Forget About Me" but there were other great songs too.
Saint Etienne
3/5
Pretty interesting, but not my favorite. Still, a solid album, and a pretty important one in the electronic scene.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Not quite Rumours but still good, even the Buckingham songs
LL Cool J
4/5
This is a solid rap album. I've always liked LL Cool J, and this is just another great one by him.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Certainly not a bad album, but not my favorite of Willies. A nice calming listen though, and one that I think would be great on a road trip.
Janis Joplin
4/5
I like it. A bit folky, a bit funky, and a good bit of rock make for an excellent listen.
3/5
Fun, but probably wouldn't listen to again.
Tom Waits
2/5
I....don't like it? It has some interesting stuff, but is overall not great. It's like an annoying Willie Nelson. Cannot recommend.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
I like it in the same way I like Tom Waits. That is, I don't
Oasis
5/5
Another all time great album. And a great Britpop album to boot. Not Oasis's best, but far from their worst.
Taylor Swift
3/5
I don't hate it, but it's not all that interesting either. Definitely weird to get a 2020's jumpscare though
Elvis Costello
2/5
It's just fine. Not worth 2 listens though
Hugh Masekela
3/5
It's too long for my tastes, but it's not a bad jazz album. Definitely not my favorite though.
George Harrison
4/5
Damn it's long. And while I did enjoy it, it was also a slog to get through. However, it is definitely worth 4 stars.
2/5
Better than I expected. However, still needs only one listen.
Solange
3/5
Nothing groundbreaking, but a nice listen. I liked "Weary" a lot, and most of the songs were decent.
Stan Getz
3/5
A nice short jazz album. "Girl From Impanema" is a classic (though I think the single version is superior). However, nothing special from the jazz world on this one, so it ends up middle of the road.
Portishead
4/5
I like it. Nothing crazy, but an interesting listen.
King Crimson
3/5
I don't mind prog, but this is just ok. Nothing really stands out, and it's instrumental, so no cool lyrics.
The Stooges
3/5
Much better than the other Stooges album. The A-side is great, but the B-side holds it back a bit. However, still an easy 3 stars.
The Verve
4/5
Fantastic album. Not quite Urban Hymns level but still a solid entry in Britpop.
It's fine. Nothing special though. Has Rod Stewart too, that's cool I guess
Khaled
3/5
It's fun. I like fun. However, a cover of "Imagine" automatically drops this album a bit. Would buy on CD though
Nirvana
5/5
Great album. Obviously probably Nirvana's best and for good reason. 90's alternative would have been totally different without grunge and this album is really the best of that.
The Thrills
2/5
Something something California twang twang California twang twang (depressed piano or guitar) twang twang twang California.
Sing about Ireland next time, we've got enough California albums.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
The majority of Fatboy Slim's most popular songs are on this album (apart from Weapon of Choice). And they are all bangers. They work better as singles, but it's still a really fun album. Overall, might be worth a listen.
DJ Shadow
4/5
This just sounds cool like it was meant for something else. Feels like it comes straight out of a 90's sci-fi has since become a cult classic (looking at either Ghost in the Shell or Strange Days). I kinda wanna relisten to it now. Maybe not 5 stars but it's probably the coolest album I've ever heard.
Roxy Music
4/5
The first half is a great album. The second is weird but still likable.
2/5
Basic classic country. It's fine. Her best song isn't on it, and she wasn't as good as Dolly or most of her male counterparts (at least in my opinion)
Scissor Sisters
4/5
What an interesting album. I expected an 80's pop thing like the Pointer Sisters, but I am pleasantly surprised by this. "Laura" is a great song. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot.
Bob Dylan
3/5
It's fine. It's Dylan. We'll see him a lot on this
Magazine
3/5
Nothing special. Not offensive, not particulary interesting.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I don't know man it's like fine I guess.
The Verve
5/5
The last great Britpop album. Obviously Bittersweet Symphony is the highlight but it has a lot of great songs besides that.
Klaxons
3/5
It started off really strong with "Two Receivers" then kinda went downhill from there. Still cool, but no longer in that 4-5 star tier.
Metallica
3/5
Cool I guess, but I don't really like metal.
Mudhoney
3/5
It all sorta blended together but I like it. Beat Nevermind by a couple months so you know it's gotta be at least interesting. But otherwise, it's just an okay grunge album. There are better, there are probably a lot worse.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Fantastic album, can't believe I never heard any of it before. This must have been huge when I was a kid, but I don't remember it at all. "Suburban War" is probably my favorite song off of this one, but "The Suburbs" "Sprawl II" and "Modern Man" are all up there. A lot of filler tracks on it too, so the nice sounding stuff is even better. Add a star for being from my favorite city, subtract one for SA allegations, and you end up with a solid 4 stars.
Dr. John
2/5
This ain't for me. I just don't like it. It's interesting, but in the same way that Throbbing Gristle is.
The Shamen
2/5
At first I thought it was great. After the 4th song it gets really old though. "Move Any Mountain" was great though, so glad they put that first.
Elton John
4/5
Great album. "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" are both classics, and the rest of the album is pretty good too.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
I dunno, 2 great songs and a whole lotta meh.
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favorite Bowie album. But still cool. Plus a really cool album cover.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
"Suite Judy Blue Eyes" is a classic. "Wooden Ship" though? Lowkey might be the best song on the album. The rest was decent folk rock.
Queen
2/5
What do you wnat me to say? I like "Killer Queen" and that's about it. Nothing else stood out as particularly memorable or exciting, and it's certainly nothing groundbreaking. Is one song good enough to carry this to 3 or 4 stars? I think not
The Strokes
4/5
Solid album. But it went by fast. Definetly worth a listen. My standout was Soma.
Orbital
1/5
I think the title "Halcyon + ON + ON" describes this album perfectly. You're happy for about 20 seconds then the song manages to drag on for another 5 minutes. Orbital is a sick band name. Too bad this is terrible. The music isn't even really all that danceable so why is it considered a great dance album?
Boston
5/5
Great debut. One of the best 70's albums and really just works. Just about every song is great, but my favorites are Rock and Roll Band and Peace of Mind
Raekwon
3/5
How many people died in the background of this?
Solid album, good backgrounds. Best song is the bonus track.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I like the title track and "Big Deal" but everything else was just fine. Very good vocals though.
Kraftwerk
4/5
I enjoy it more than Man Machine. An important album, but not my absolute favorite.
Sister Sledge
4/5
I love disco. This is good disco. Good disco gets 4 stars.
Morrissey
3/5
Hey what if we took the Smiths, made them happier, and replaced the best member of the band with a generic rock guitarist?
Not awful, but not great either. Just sorta generic rock without the punch of good lyrics.
Plus Morrissey is a twat
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Another classic. "Respect" obviously a classic, but "Save Me" is nearly as good.
Neil Young
4/5
Pretty good folk rock album. I grow more convinced that most of CSNY was better than Dylan.
Solomon Burke
3/5
This sounds like the 60's. Not necessarily bad, but definitely not my thing.
The Damned
3/5
Good but nothing crazy.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Oh boy another Elvis Costello album. This one at least was a little better. I still don't understand why he shows up so often on this list though. I'd much rather listen to literally any other new wave album than this.
I feel like I'm listening to a Monty Python skit the entire time though. Do with that what you will.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
The more I listen, the more I dislike all these 60's albums. It's obviously a fine album, but nothing really spectacular besides, you know, "California Dreaming" so just listen to that and your favorite Beatles album and call it good.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Funky
Big Black
2/5
I hated it up until the last three songs which are all bangers. Still, if you want industrial, listen to Nine Inch Nails or Ministry.
The first half could've been instrumentals since you can't understand the words anyway.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Just a great album. 6 fantastic songs and 4 more great ones. The Chain and Dreams are the obvious highlights, and Gold Dust Woman is the more lowkey but still great song. Add on Don't Stop, You Make Loving Fun, and Go Your Own Way, and you have a damn near perfect album.
I still don't really like Oh Daddy though.
As stereotypical as it is to say, this is a 5/5 album for me. Not quite the peak of music, but damn close to it.
Prefab Sprout
5/5
It's been a while since I was totally blindsided by how good an album was, so this is a nice surprise. 9 great songs, and 2 good ones make this an easy 5 stars.
This is probably the first album I've listened to where the backing vocals are the best part of the album. Without Wendy, this is maybe 3 or 4 stars, but she adds great depth to the whole album.
Sebadoh
3/5
The pieces are there but it wasn't cooked enough. Some good stuff, some annoying stuff.
The White Stripes
4/5
Solid stuff. I knew a lot more songs than I thought I would. However, sometimes it gets a litle old, but still a great album.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Better than Bookends but not by much. Some solid hits, but really not much beyond that
Dr. Octagon
3/5
You know the beats are fire, and honestly carry this album. The lyrics are weird and abrasive, and yet... it kinda works. Just a weird album, but manages to be good at times. I enjoyed more as it went on.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Solid album, not exactly my thing though. "Be Easy" is a banger , can't believe I never heard it before. That said, this is easily a 4 star album, it's heat.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Very jazzy. I like it, even knowing what comes later. Frankly, no pun intended, this is probably one of the best British pop albums out there. 4 solid stars.
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
Short, sweet, and get right to the point. It sounds like outakes from I Dream of Jeanie, which was a show I enjoyed watching. Therefore, 4 stars for you.
This is actually a really fun album though. Maybe it didn't need to be on this list, but I am very glad it was.
The War On Drugs
4/5
This album probably isn't everyones cup of tea but I liked it a lot. Sorta the Killers meet Bruce Springsteen vibes. It's not perfect, but it makes a good argument for 5 stars.
4 stars, but maybe almost a 5.
Ray Charles
4/5
It says its country but its not really. Anyhow, I liked it.
Coldplay
4/5
This is a good album. Not my favorite Coldplay album, but it's certainly up there. "Yellow" and "Trouble" are probably my favorite songs, but there are a lot to like on this one.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
It this Tom Petty's best work? No. Is it his best work with the Heartbreakers? No. But its still a solid debut from one of the all time great American bands.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Pretty good stuff. I know a bit about him, mostly thanks to Peter Gabriel, and he's a pretty good artist. Not my absolute favorite album but still a solid 4.
That also means its 1 star per song which is probably gonna be the highest on this list. Neat!
Soundgarden
4/5
Great album. One of grunges heavy hitters, and for good reason. That said, It's not my absolute favorite, especially when compared to albums by Pearl Jam or Nirvana.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
It is a solid album. But nothing really stands out, especially compared to What's Going On.
The Doors
3/5
I know they have better. This is short, but just ok.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
It's a good album for sure, especially for a debut, but it just feels overhyped. Arctic Monkeys was such a big deal when I was a kid (made some of you feel old huh?) but I never really got into them. Is it good? Absolutely. But it's not five stars.
Otis Redding
4/5
Heck of a singer. Good comfort music.
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
A lot of fun and good dance music. Apart from "Disco II Disco", I enjoyed the album. It's not groundbreaking or very important and probably shouldn't be on this list, but it's still good.
Doing this 1001 albums thing has made me appreciate electronic music a lot more than I thought I would.
Also, sick album cover.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Is it good? Absolutely. But I don't think its five stars. The instrumentals are all great, as is the singing, but it's just not quite there. Too many of the songs just drag on, like they don't know how to end properly. This is especially evident on the second half of the album.
However, it is still worthy of this list, but I'll give it 4 stars.
David Bowie
4/5
It's probably not Bowie's best album. But it is still great. The title track alone is probably worth 3 stars, and the rest of the album features some great instrumentals and production work from Brian Eno.
Neil Young
4/5
Another solid outing from Young. It's a great folk album, and easily 4 star material.
MC Solaar
4/5
I wish I remembered any of the 3 years of French I took in high school. But this was heat. Easy 4 stars.
Beck
4/5
A pretty good album, especially if you're a Beck fan. Worth noting that this was (and kinda still is) the Beck album for a lot of people. The three big singles are all great and the album tracks are pretty good too.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Now this a solid alt rock album. Maybe not groundbreaking, but still a great listen.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Disappointing. I hoped I could like it at least a bit. Instead I got a headache.
Note: When a man says that Western Man may not enjoy it due to it not having rhythm, he's not lying.
2 stars, mostly for the excellent sitar work, because that is literally the only thing going for the album.
David Bowie
3/5
It's pretty good, yes, but frankly I like Bowie's words. He doesn't use them here. It sounds more Brian Eno than Bowie, which I don't mind, but I wanted Bowie from this. If I wanted Eno I would've listened to Eno or Passengers.
Pink Floyd
5/5
A really enjoyable album. I like the non-"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" songs best but its all great. That being said, I don't like it near as much as Dark Side of The Moon. It's still gotta be a 5 though.
As a bonus, here's a disco cover of "Have A Cigar" that was the first version of it I ever listened to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PKHYDqxEAE
Robert Wyatt
1/5
What if Pink Floyd was actually an awful prog band? It would be this album.
At least the title tells you how bad it's gonna be.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
The last song does some neat tricks with headphones, so listen to that one with headphones.
It has good instrumentals. However, literally any person good have written better lyrics. There is no reason anyone should listen to this, let alone should be on this list.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
It's hard to hate on this music. It's basic, sure, but there's comfort in that. But it's nothing I haven't heard before. Still, middle of the road, so it gets a 3.
Prince
3/5
It's fine I guess. Nothing blows me away, like some of Prince's hits. Really kinda feels like a last hurrah, but it just doesn't work for me.
R.E.M.
5/5
This list has made me realize just how much I love R.E.M. I knew I liked this one, Document, and some of their other stuff, but going back through their discography has been a great experience. This, though not quite as good as Document, is still a masterpiece. "Drive", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", "Everybody Hurts", "Man On The Moon", "Nightswimming", and my personal favorite, "Ignoreland". I mean, what a lineup.
Easy 5.
Skepta
3/5
I don't know if it's worthy of this list, but it was fun. I didn't think it was the greatest thing ever, especially compared to all the other rap I've listened too. However, "Numbers" is the goofiest song I've ever heard, but in the best possible way. This album is worth listening to just for that song alone.
Marty Robbins
3/5
It's a nice simple album. Not bad by any means. But also nothing unexpected or mindblowing.
The Who
3/5
It sounds like The Who. Most of The Who's stuff never excited me, and this is a pretty big offender. Not awful, but not worth writing home about.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I liked most of it, but it's just not my thing. That said, couple of great tracks on here, though I do prefer the RHCP version of "Higher Ground".
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I have no problem with Fatboy's big album being on this list. I enjoyed that one.
This one though? It's not great. Very repetitive, but none of the famous hits that make me like Fatboy. It has some interesting stuff, sure, but not enough to get this to 3 stars.
Funkadelic
4/5
Now this is a solid album. Much better than the other Funkadelic album I've listened to (Maggot Brain). An interesting mix of rock and funk, that turns out really well. Plus, it's got some awesome guitar work.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
I liked it more than I thought I would. That said, I thought I would would completely hate it, and I only mostly hated it. 2 stars, but toeing that 1 star line.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Its got some interesting moments. Sometimes it sounds like Pink Floyd, sometimes like the Doors, but overall it's a decent album.
I like the one song where they go after LBJ for some reason, that was a funny break in the middle.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Its a fine rap album. But I'm not wowed.
Mudhoney
1/5
Me no likey.
Rod Stewart
2/5
Nothing says excitement like Rod Stewart playing a bunch of covers.
Weather Report
4/5
Another classic jazz album. My brother really likes them, and I'm starting to agree. Plus this has "Birdland" which is always a good listen.
ZZ Top
4/5
ZZ Top has some solid hits, and a good chunk of them came from this album. The first half of the album is great, but the second brings it down a bit. However, "I Need You Tonight" is my favorite ZZ Top song, and it's a great driving song, so that kinda brings it up.
AC/DC
4/5
If you are expecting anything more than classic AC/DC, then you will be disappointed. Fortunately, I knew what I was getting into. It sounds great, and has some great songs. Is it my favorite? Probably not, but I liked it anyways.
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
I thought it was fine. But I can't figure out why it's on this list. Did someone have dirt on the author or something?!
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Very good stuff. Nothing really stands out, but there's some great guitar and vocals on every song.
William Orbit
3/5
I'm not going to say this is an absolutely nescessary album to listen to. However, it was good, especially if you like C418's Minecraft soundtracks.
Julian Cope
3/5
Again it's not bad, just not great either. I like the variety of styles, sometimes it sounds like Alan Parsons Project, Pulp, David Bowie, or any other big British band.
The Clash
5/5
Such an important album. Thank god it's good. The songs individually probably aren't that great, but the sum is greater than the individual parts.
The Police
4/5
It's insane to me that there are only 2 Police albums on this list. They had one of the greatest 5 albums runs ever, and this list refuses to reflect that. That said, this is a solid outing by the Police. Both of the singles are fantastic, and the filler tracks manage to be good. However, I prefer later Police to early, so I can't give this a 5.
A well deserved 4 stars.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Sounds like the French answer to Sinatra. Not bad at all, but not something I 'd listen to again. Probably worth a listen though.
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
Coming in I had low expectations. It exceeded them, by a mile. I enjoyed it, she has a great voice.
The Smiths
3/5
It sounds like pretty much every other Smith's song I've heard. Not bad, but nothing great either. Just typical depressed Morrissey while Marr makes good music.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Led Zeppelin is always a good listen. This isn't my favorite of their albums, but it is still great.
Beck
5/5
So many great songs on this. Might be my favorite Beck album if Colors didn't exist. Maybe not influencial, but still a great listen.
Van Morrison
3/5
This just sounds like what you'd think a Van Morrison album sounds like. I know he's supposed to be the big great Irish artist, but frankly I don't really get it.
The Clash
4/5
Great album, but I don't think it's as good as London Calling. For a debut though, absolutely fantastic.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Country music at it's finest. Hard to hate on Dolly, as she makes some great music.
Randy Newman
3/5
I grew up with Toy Story, so until today, the Disney stuff was the only thing I had listened to by him. This is not bad. I wouldn't listen to it again, but it was enjoyable. However, it's funny to hear the same guy who sang "You've Got a Friend in Me" sing about dropping nukes on Europe.
Eminem
2/5
I'm just not wowed. All I learned about Eminem is that he hates everyone except his wife and daughter (and I'm not even sure about them). Too long, and most of it isn't that great.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Besides the songs I already knew I wasn't too impressed. However, that's like half the album, so it's pretty good. Southern rock has never been my favorite, but CCR was probably the best of them.
Talking Heads
3/5
It's better than Talking Heads 77, but not by enough to warrant 4 stars. This isn't bad, but it just doesn't quite work for me.
Van Halen
5/5
Another great Van Halen album. "Panama" is always a banger, and there is a lot of other great songs on this one. A bit more synth driven than other Van Halen albums, but I've always liked this one.
Peter Frampton
4/5
This is another great live album. "Baby, I Love Your Way" and "Show Me The Way" are both pretty good versions, same with the rest of the album. However, "Do You Feel Like We Do" is just perfection. Maybe one of the best live songs ever, at least up there with "Free Bird," "Where The Streets Have No Name," and "Kashmir."
Pink Floyd
5/5
Probably the greatest Prog rock album ever. Always a great listen.
Radiohead
4/5
This is a great album. My dad would say it's Radiohead's best, but I still think it's OK Computer.
Coldplay
5/5
I absolutely love this album. To me, this is Coldplay's best work. There's not a bad song on it, and some really great ones including "Clocks". An easy and well deserved 5 stars.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
5/5
Such a great album. The first 2 sides are all excellent songs, and the last 2 are pretty good. Out of all of Trevor Horn's production work, this might be my favorite.
5/5
I know that I'm biased as a U2 fan, but this is the easiest 5 stars out there. I might prefer Achtung Baby for its guitar oriented alternative rock, but this is a more complete album. All four members at their bests, the best production work on possibly any album, and yeah, it's easy to give it well-earned praise. There isn't a bad song on it either. "Where The Streets Have No Name" is easily in my top 5 songs ever, and its even better live. Same goes for the other 10 tracks. "Bullet The Blue Sky" is such a raw political piece and it goes HARD. The B-side is softer, but has some really well done guitar parts and lyrics. The rhythm section is awesome the entire way through as well. I'd argue its the best American album, despite being written by Irish.
1987 was a stacked year for music, between this, Depeche Mode, INXS, GnR, Michael Jackson, R.E.M, and so many more, but this is easily the best album of that year, along with the decade.
Having seen this album performed in its entirety twice live, I feel it would be remiss to not mention how much better it is live. U2, despite being masters in the studio, take it up to another level live.
A perfect album: 5/5 stars