1001 Albums Summary

I don't mind the music, but I would not seek it out. The singer's voice is very grating to me, though. I would not listen to this again.

Excellent guitar work. Some of the songs are better than others. I eventually skipped ahead during "Wars of Armageddon" because it was just unpleasant to the ear with all the screaming.

I know Joni Mitchell is a legend, and I respect her contributions to the musical world, but all of her songs sound vaguely the same to me. The album is no different. If anything, I like this less than the other songs I’ve heard by her. That said, “Raised on Robbery” was a fun surprise that did stand out.

Very “classic” classic rock sound. I could see how this would have been popular. It is not bad, but I wouldn’t see myself reaching for this. But “American Girl” is definitely a classic.

Awesome music, legendary man. I like how he talks between the songs and treats the prisoners with respect. This whole concept of an album and the others like it are great. And the music is excellent.

I always assumed Thriller was one of the best albums of the decade because I was familiar with the singles. Taking time to listen to it entirely, it is a bit weird. There are some of the best pop songs of the 80s, but mixed in between them are terrible, almost unlistenable songs.

This is not my style of music. It is very "background" music and reminds me of bad slow jams. I am really not enjoying this, especially when the singer randomly breaks into falsetto. I was glad when this was over.

Probably not one of her very best, this has a very classic Lana dreamlike feel that developed in her music over the last handful of years. This one feels like each song is kind of the same, flowing into one another. Not bad, but not her best work.

I respect what they did for the genre, but I did not love it. It does hit differently in the current political environment.

His voice is surely an acquired taste, but there is no doubt he’s a lyrical master. Some truly exceptional songs are on here - “Masters of War” in particular. I liked it more than I expected. Would I seek it out? Probably not, but I’d add a few tracks to a general playlist.

The music is great. Stipe’s voice is very much an acquired taste though. But overall, I like this album. The stand outs are the singles.

I respect what Public Enemy is and their impact, but why did I get two albums just days apart? Like the last, they are speaking their mind on important issues. The music is slightly more engaging, but the album feels very long. I almost didn’t finish this one. My rating reflects my respect for what Public Enemy represents, but I can’t see myself revisiting any of this. And maybe I can avoid repeats for a bit?

This is an album I know I like because I listen to without being prompted. The most novel of concepts - playing to prisoners about everything from murder while high on cocaine to being executed for crimes. Cash sounds his best, from his calm opening “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash” that builds right into “Folsom Prison Blues.” He never looks back. This is a classic album. Cash is a true legend.

While contemporaries were rapping about social issues and racism, Biggie goes a very different direction.

Released during the 1990s when there were so many amazing female singer-songwriters, Crow always felt on the weaker side to me. Revisiting this album 30 years later (uh, where does time go?), I still feel the same. Her voice is average, even kind of bad at times, and the songs are fairly forgettable. I will take Tori Amos or Paula Cole any day (or The Chicks if we are leaning country). Overall, an average albeit forgettable album.

I am one of those melodramatic fools that was immediately taken back just looking at the cover. Solid, catchy songs that stand the test of time. I appreciate the musical work (especially the drums) on these songs more than I did back in the 90s.

Solid album all the way through. Where goth and post-punk meet with Siouxsie’s ethereal voice. I was thrilled to see this one pop up!

Driving female energy. While it feels straight out of the 90s, it also holds up just as well today.

Blink and you’ll miss it - this is only 38 minutes long. While Bowie is never bad, this is not a favorite of mine. Still, it is something I decided to listen to twice to get a feel. Bowie is almost always good. “Wild is the Wind” is a nice ending to the album.

This was another album where I expected something more. The bangers are there, and they are great, but some very mediocre songs ride in between those. While not a bad album, I am not aboard the hype train with everyone else.

Waylon is a legend, and I knew that I was going to love this. And I did. This is everything that is great about classic country, especially outlaw country. My only regret is that this album is so short (27 minutes), but there is a lot more Waylon out there to listen to.

So much Bowie is on this list that sometimes it feels like it’s about quantity over quality. This album made no impact on me other than the strangely uninspired cover art.

So much Bowie is on this list that sometimes it feels like it’s about quantity over quality. This album made no impact on me other than the strangely uninspired cover art.

So much Bowie is on this list that sometimes it feels like it’s about quantity over quality. This album made no impact on me other than the strangely uninspired cover art.

There is a lot of talk about coming of age, but there was an entire generation of rappers saying the same things, violence and misogyny. That said, the beats were good. Perhaps not something I’d reach for, but not a bad album by any means.

This album is simply cheesy and does not stand the test of time. Most of the songs sound the same, and I found myself skipping several before they were done. This is another album I can’t quite understand why it is on this list.

Jazz may be polarizing, but I love jazz. This is a classic, and beautifully done.

Melodic and fun, this was a great album that showcases why Queen (and Freddie Mercury) are so iconic!

It was not bad, but not memorable.

I knew I was not a grunge fan, and this did not help. This is one of the rare occasions I didn’t even finish the album.

This is my fourth Bowie album on this list in less than a month, but it’s definitely the best. This is a classic album with familiar tunes and deep creativity. A necessary classic.

This felt surprisingly mediocre to me. I knew the big hits off it (Jump, Panama, Hot for Teacher), but everything else was very unremarkable. I can’t imagine this being an album I’d listen to again.

This album left no impression at all on me. I listened to it and completely forgot what it was. That’s how uninspired and boring it was.

This is just not music for me. I almost didn’t make it though this album.

While I like some Bjork, this was not it. All the songs bled together.

Good enough as background music, but even listening to it twice, nothing stood out to me.

It was nice enough but I don’t see it as something I’d revisit.

I know that Stevie is a legend, and his music isn't bad, but this one just didn't do much for me.

I actually enjoyed this quite a lot. I knew a few songs what made me feel nostalgic, and then the rest was a good listen. It is one I’d revisit again, which is a good sign.

Very late 60s sound that was pleasant to listen to. I knew the song “Time of the Season” before, and it was a good representation of the album.

I liked some of it, but some of it felt so repetitive. At least one song sounded like the same melody as another with new lyrics. I was a little disappointed bechase I had heard so much hype for this album.

To say this was not my thing is an understatement. I almost want to apologize to the other albums that were given a 1 in this journey because this was next level below.

I very much did not enjoy this.

I had to find it on YouTube, but it wasn’t bad. I wouldn’t listen to it regularly, but it was catchy and made for decent background music.

Not great, but not bad. There were some bangers, but it did kind of feel all the same. And his voice is a lot to handle for 45 minutes straight.

I enjoyed this one a lot. I had not listened enough to this band before, so this was a pleasant surprise.

It was ok. Some songs were better than others, and all had a similar feel.

Decent, pleasant album with a distinct late 60s sound. It sounded a lot like The Beatles at times, though.

This was a pleasant surprise for me. I often am not a huge fan of this style of music, but I found this chill and a good album to listen to while starting my day.

This inclusion makes no sense to me. It feels like background music at best, elevator music at worst. While it probably goes well with the visuals of a 70s film, it offers little for the listener. With so many great albums left off the list, I am astonished this made the cut. That said, it wasn’t unlistenable.

I really wanted to like this one, but it just felt like songs for kids. The highlight was hearing “Good Vibrations.” I don’t even know what this album was supposed to be really.

This album is very much a product of its time. It’s weird to me people complain it sounds like Nirvana. Aside from being a principal of that band, it is also grunge of the era. As I am not a big fan of grunge, this album didn’t make me swoon, but it was good enough and I definitely didn’t hate it.

This album doesn’t deserve the basement ranking it has. It is not softly melodic, nor something I would reach for on my own, but it is unique and creative. One can hear how it influenced later artists of the industrial genre. I wouldn’t pass this off as entirely noise, and honestly it had a lot more to contribute than some of the trivial garbage I’ve gotten on this list.

I am not typically a fan of Radiohead, and while I wouldn’t say this album made me one, it wasn’t bad. It was decent background music. I appreciated the chill on a Sunday morning.

Solid indie rock from an influential band.

I do like CSN, but I prefer their later stuff. This album had lovely harmonies, but it was kind of forgettable.

While it feels like every rap album has way too many gunshots, this was catchier than most.

Morrissey is not a likable person, but he is no less talented. This album has some in your face songs from the start, but it is a good album.

This is a terrific album that brings a lot of nostalgia. As a child I thought because it was called The Joshua Tree that referred to a single mystical tree, that there existed only one Joshua tree. It amused me to remember this visiting Joshua Tree National Park as a child. :)

It started out slow, got much better, but the last song “The Creep Out” did not do things for me, at least positive things. This album wasn’t bad. I wouldn’t reach for it most likely, but I also appreciate how much it sounds like a product of its era.

This was one of the few albums I didn’t even finish. It was corny and hard to take seriously. From reading the Wikipedia, I guess it’s unique enough to make the list, but I don’t feel inspired to hear it again.

Ethereal and lovely, this wasn’t the right album for a sunny summer day, but it was still nice. I wish we could do half stars because it’s more 3.5 for me.

It was cute, perhaps a little too cute. I found her voice annoying at a point. Not bad, not great, very middle.

This was a decent album, especially for background tunes.

Solid sounds here. The highlight was “The Seed (2.0).” I liked this overall more than I expected. I wish there were half stars to rate things because I would give a solid 3.5, but it’s not quite a 4 for me.

In addition to being too long, this was just not a good album. Prince has some good songs, but this is the second album I’ve gotten by him that makes me think the majority just are not.

Catchy for sure, I feel like they have such a distinct sound that the songs can run together a little. I really liked when they did songs in Spanish. They’re unique for sure and I respect their place in hip hop.

This has a very 70s sound. It also strangely sounded a bit like The Beatles or Queen, two bands I like a lot, but yet I didn’t really like this very much.

I like new wave, so this album was fun. The clear highlights were “Tainted Love” and “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye,” but it was a decent album overall.

This brought back a lot of memories. I knew a few songs on the album, and the rest of the album as a whole I enjoyed a lot. This is one where some songs ended up on my playlist and I could see myself reaching for it again.

I guess it was kind of catchy, but I couldn’t figure out if it was serious or a drug-fueled project of cultural appropriation. This was truly bizarre. I cannot really understand why it is essential listening, but I am finding 80% of this list to not be particularly essential.

Supremely listenable, this was a great one to have on in the background for a variety of tasks. This is an album I could see myself reaching for again.

It wasn’t terrible, but I didn’t need two parts for sure because everything pretty much all sounded the same.

I had higher hopes for this one, but it just didn’t do it for me. The songs were kind of boring and ran together.

Fabulous and just what I needed for a Monday morning. I often forget how much I enjoy ABBA until I listen to them. No skips, and I even put it on twice.

This was very dull and sounded like a mediocre Bowie album. I like new wave and wanted to like this more, but it just was not it.

This was a very mixed bag. Some songs I kind of liked, but then there would be a song of discordant noise that brought everything back down. I don’t fully understand the inclusion of this one on this list.

Ryan Adams is just not a nice person. From the public stories to even personal interactions from friends who have gone to his shows, he is mentally unstable and unlikeable. But, sadly, he makes really good music. It makes me feel bad to rate this so highly, and maybe it would have been even higher if he wasn’t such a raging douche canoe.

It was easy to listen to, but didn’t do a lot for me. It also did not age well, particularly the misogynist tones throughout. For example on “One Woman,” it is not a second woman making you do wrong. You have autonomy. You are doing wrong. And that rant before “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” had more than a few eyebrow raising lines. It also made me wonder if this song would be over by the time I get out of Phoenix. I just don’t think Chef’s music is for me.

I like their distinctive sound, and the singles on this one were definitely the highlights.

Dusty Springfield has an amazing voice that helped pave the way for artists like Amy Winehouse and Adele. This album is full of her beautiful voice and nostalgic sound. It was a winner for me.

Very much the definition of easy listening. It wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t really my thing.

I felt like I wanted to like this more, but it felt very bland to me.

Billie is a legend with a voice of satin.

The best part of this was when it was over Spotify’s algorithm played Pulp. That’s Britpop I want to hear, but I wonder if it’s even on this list. This was another album I don’t understand why it made the cut. I suppose it sounded like generic late 60s Brit rock and whoever made this list has a massive thing for that.

At times this sounded like low rent Arcade Fire, which is the most generous thing I can think to say.

Not my style, so it is hard to rate it really.

Donovan is the classic 60s hippie sound, and I am mostly here for it. (I just wish he had been a better dad to his kids, but that’s not what we are here for.) There are some ultimate 60s bangers on here, starting with the title track and right through to “Season of the Witch.” There are also a few duds, but even those have a special sauce that feels all entirely Donovan.

I respect the concept and the meaningful lyrics, but I just struggle getting into this style of music.

Fun album

Excellent rock by legends. RIP Ozzy!

Fun, classic hip hop.

Some people love jazz, some people hate jazz. I love jazz, and I loved this album. It was a pleasant surprise to get.

Catchy as hell, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what a horrible person he was.

I am a jazz fan, but this didn’t quite get me there. I am not a huge fan of the Hammond B-3 organ sound. But it wasn’t bad by any means.

One of my least favorite things is falsetto. I also just don’t feel 70s funk. So, this album was a no for me.

This was an album I expected to like quite a bit, but I could not handle her voice after a while. It actually hurt in headphones. I know she is a legend and all, but it was more than I could handle.

Very much meh.

This was fine. It was better than I expected, but not something I’d go back to revisit.

I thought I might like this album, but there was so much straight up noise that I got annoyed. I found this album made me angry after a point, and it is one of the very few albums I did not even finish. Hard pass.

Boring. I can’t even remember if I finished listening. One song sounded exactly like an AC/DC song

Powerful and still relevant.

Very good album. Solid music.

Enjoyable. I’d listen to this again.

Excellent album, especially the title track.

One of the greatest pieces of music ever made. This is 10 out of 5. Best album on this list.

Really dull.

I thought I knew what The Specials were. I was not correct. This had a couple of good tracks, but much was left to be desired.

Pleasant to listen to and I liked her voice.

Decent and listenable. My favorite was “Skies Over Cairo”

I always want to like Kate Bush, but then I listen and I just don’t.

This is just not a genre I like. The music was terrible to me, and this album was way too long.

Ok and catchy at times, but a lot of it sounded the same after a while.

I don’t necessarily dislike JAMC, but they are a band where all of their songs, regardless of which album, sound the same. I guess they have a “sound,” as they are very easily distinguishable, but at the same time, nothing really stands out here.

While I appreciate the message, this was not for me. I am not sure I even finished listening.

This was better than I expected. Maybe not my favorite on this list, but solid.

Great album with some legit bangers. Unfortunately the second half falls a little off the rails, but it is still a solid album.

This was terrible. Aside from being a genre I can’t stand, she sounds like that one chick at karaoke who starts off sounding ok but then tries to hit the big notes and just screeches. Once again, this list has left me wondering WTF.

Classic jazz. I’m a fan!

Not bad. Had a later Beatles feel with that psychedelic rock phase. Was definitely better than I expected. This is another album that makes me wish we could have half stars because it’s probably 3.5 for me but definitely not up to a 4.

Didn’t age well, 90s gangster rap.

Average album of the era

Very solid punk tunes

I didn’t even finish this album. I am sure it’s great for some people, but so not my speed.

Meh.

Same boring Radiohead with one or two decent songs.

This was fun and I liked it more than I expected.

Cute album that made me feel nostalgic, like I was at a classic car show.

Ok. Not my favorite REM but some decent stuff on there.

One decent song (Limelight) and a lot of garbage. Lee's voice makes me want to rip my earlobes off. This album reminds me of being dragged to a Rush concert in high school, and it was just as bad then.

What the absolute fuck is this mess? I am offended this is on the list in light of the albums NOT on it.

I liked this album. It felt nostalgic even though I am pretty sure I never heard of this band before. Still, the sound felt familiar in a good way.

What punk is supposed to be - loud and politically charged. Highlight for me is always “Holiday in Cambodia.”

Definitely definitely not for me. After so much fanfare I expected something different, but this was boring..

At first I found it quirky and interesting, but it got repetitive and boring as it went on. It seems like great music if you’re high, but not something I’d want to regularly listen to. I wish we could do half stars, but I guess I will round up.

Just not very good and SO LONG!

At first I thought I was really going to dig this, but it ended up feeling kind of blah

I want to “get” Kate Bush, understand why everyone loves her genius, but I just cannot. Her screeches and theatrics do little for me. That said, I am one of the millions who really like the song “Running Up That Hill.” This album is better than others I’ve heard by her, but I just can’t board the Bush train..

Incredible album by the best band on Earth. This list needs more Cure records!

Not bad, but felt a lot like others. It reminded me of a less good version of a Lauryn Hill album. Still, not bad.

Decent jazz. Not the best I’ve heard, but far from the worst.

This was one of those albums with fun bangers mixed in between boring tunes. Still a lot of it made me want to move on a Saturday morning, so rounding up from what would probably be 3.5

This was not my thing. I didn’t even finish the first half.

So very much not my thing.

Solid music. I’d listen again.

I felt like I should like this more than I did, but ultimately it kind of all sounded the same. Still, it wasn’t bad.

Ok. Some of it was too much like noise for me, but mostly it was ok.

Fun album. Maybe I’m sentimental because I got it on my anniversary, but I liked it a lot.

Reggae is not my thing so this is hard to rate.

I’ve been a big fan of this album since it came out. This one definitely holds up for me.

The better known songs were the best by The Beach Boys, and the rest was satisfying. I am a little surprised this is considered such a revolutionary album, but it was a pleasant listen all around.

As others said, this wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it wasn’t good either.

Some songs I really liked, but there were others that annoyed me.

Not Elton’s best album, but not bad. “Indian Sunset” felt like a bit much from a white Englishman, though…

Fun and easy to listen to.

It had a classic sound, but the lyrics were nothing but cringe.

Excellent album! I listened to it all the way through more than once.

Really not my style. I don’t like much classic rock of this era, and less so with a flute.

I liked the hit single, but not really anything else.

Melodic and easy to listen to.

Very middle of the road. This wasn’t bad, but I can’t imagine ever listening to it again.

Fun and easy to listen to, although I can’t see myself going back to it regularly.

Very middle of the road. This wasn’t bad, but I can’t imagine ever listening to it again.

This left no impact. Very mediocre.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did, but some of the songs were just goofy and the overall vibe just did not do it for me.

Willie is a legend. Do not even come at him.

Kind of all runs together

It felt like a lot of songs I knew from other performances, all done in a very boring, easy-listening kind of way.

It wasn't bad, but it did all run together at a point. It is very much the classic shoegaze sound.

Nope. Hard pass.

Very not memorable.

Not their best, but still a good album

Not bad, but not anything I would listen to again.