264
Albums Rated
3.33
Average Rating
24%
Complete
825 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
23
5-Star Albums
1
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
|
5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
|
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
|
5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
|
Debut
Björk
|
5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
|
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
|
5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
|
Blue Lines
Massive Attack
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Third
Soft Machine
|
4 | 2.44 | +1.56 |
|
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
|
5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
|
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Aja
Steely Dan
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
Logical Progression
LTJ Bukem
|
4 | 2.52 | +1.48 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Back In Black
AC/DC
|
2 | 3.85 | -1.85 |
|
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
|
2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
|
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
|
2 | 3.64 | -1.64 |
|
Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
|
1 | 2.56 | -1.56 |
|
Low
David Bowie
|
2 | 3.55 | -1.55 |
|
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
|
2 | 3.44 | -1.44 |
|
Parklife
Blur
|
2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
|
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
|
2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
|
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
|
2 | 3.34 | -1.34 |
|
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
|
2 | 3.33 | -1.33 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 4 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 5 |
5-Star Albums (23)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Elis Regina · 1 likes
3/5
Jazz with a beautiful Portuguese voice on top. Nothing to not like. Doubt I seek it out on my own, but glad it was assigned.
Stevie Wonder · 1 likes
5/5
Easily his best album. Not a single bad song and tons of classics.
Marvin Gaye · 1 likes
4/5
Fantastic album, like everything Marvin put out. I like the previous album “What’s Going On” a bit more for the funk it brings. “Let’s Get it On” is more reliant on soul and sexual energy. Still, an absolute classic.
Jane Weaver · 1 likes
4/5
Fantastic album! It’s like the female version of Beck’s “Sea Change”!
American Music Club · 1 likes
2/5
Meh. Pretty boring album, honestly. Sounds like a 90’s pop rock band who desperately wants to sound like The Smiths but doesn’t have the talent to do so.
1-Star Albums (1)
All Ratings
Meat Loaf
2/5
Familiar with these songs but never sat and listened to the entire album. Classic rock with an opera/stageshow feel. Impressed but not something I’d revisit.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Classic album. Familiar with all the songs. Brilliant writing and production but you get tired of hearing Bob’s voice after a while and this album is 14 songs!
Radiohead
5/5
Amazing album from start to finish. The soundscape and production combined with Thom Yorker’s lyrics and voice create a bleak but hauntingly beautiful outlook on the world.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Beautiful music and harmonized singing but, frankly, a bit boring.
Adele
3/5
Good album. Melancholy but well written. Not something I’d seek out on my own but not mad about having to listen to it.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
I was only familiar with one song but it was a good album. Crisp, well composed 70s rock with a clean recording. Surprised to hear Huey Lewis introduced as the harmonica player!
Soft Machine
4/5
The third track, the one with vocals, was hard to get through. The other 3 tracks were fantastic jazz-rock fusion instrumentals.
Travis
4/5
I had never heard of this band or album. Surprisingly good! Quintessential 90s rock sound with clever lyrics. Will listen again.
Björk
5/5
I’ve always loved Bjork. Her first album is a real gem. Beautiful music and lyrics.
Buck Owens
2/5
I despise country music but, in the spirit of the program, decided to listen to this all the way through. It wasn’t terrible, mainly due to all the songs being under 3 minutes long. Not something I’d listen to again, but not mad about having heard it.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
Very familiar with this album and while I love electronic music, this gets a little tedious. Fat Boy Slim uses the same trick over and over throughout the album. Very formulaic.
U2
4/5
I was familiar with several of their albums and a few of the songs off this one but had never listened to the whole album. It’s fantastic! Great mix of styles and moods with edgier music than what I’m used to from them.
Mudhoney
2/5
Wasn’t familiar with them. Somehow missed them in the 90s and since I have no nostalgia for this band and album, it was hard to get through. Very pre-grunge alt rock sound but not what I would call quality music.
George Michael
4/5
I would never say “I’m going to put on a George Michael album” but maybe I should! This album was surprisingly good. Not a single bad song and a nice variety of style and pace.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Heard of Sonic Youth but never listened to them. This album was a good place to start. I give it three stars because half of the album came across as brilliant and the other half came across as a little rough around the edges. Still left me with the impression that it is a band worth exploring further.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Jazz meets rock meets Afro-works beats. Definitely worth a listen!
Funkadelic
4/5
Great album! I listened to it twice. Much deeper and varied than I was expecting.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Classic album. This came out when I was 13 and it has been in my life ever since. Only a few songs on it that I don’t cherish, and those few are full of hyper sexualized lyrics. It’s the only reason it doesn’t get five stars.
Cat Stevens
3/5
Same review I had for Simon and Garfunkel: great songwriting, beautiful songs just boring. I will never say “I really want to hear some Cat Stevens right now.”
The Byrds
2/5
I despise country but this is country rock, so I managed to slog through it. Not something I’d seek out on my own but I also wouldn’t hate it playing in the background somewhere (like I would hate country).
Sebadoh
2/5
Like most albums from this time period: some good songs, some rough around the edges songs. This album had more of the latter.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Not what was expecting! Lots of 80s classics but lots of good, fun tracks and some deep cuts too!
Fats Domino
3/5
Classic old school rock and roll. Crisp, piano driven bluesy tracks that are all under 3 minutes. How can you hate it?
ABBA
4/5
Beautiful album. Amazing production and songwriting. I’m never going to seek out ABBA but I was perfectly happy to listen to this album in its entirety.
Django Django
3/5
Lots of potential. Interesting soundscape, good production, good mix of rock and electronic but a few songs got very repetitive and tedious.
Common
3/5
Clean beats, good production, good rhymes. A classic.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Amazing album that I grew up listening to but I have a hard time putting myself in that headspace now. Trent is a brilliant musician and this album is his opus but by the end you just want to say “come on, man, just slit your wrist and get it over with.”
Butthole Surfers
3/5
I was only familiar with the first song but the rest of the album was very similar to that song. It’s wild, purposely rough around the edges and crass. The guitar work is amazing, but some of the lyrics are unlistenable.
Jane Weaver
4/5
Fantastic album! It’s like the female version of Beck’s “Sea Change”!
Pink Floyd
5/5
I have known this album backwards and forwards for more than 30 years. It’s a masterpiece but it’s not even one of Pink Floyd’s top three albums.
Elastica
3/5
Fun, energetic female lead 90s alt rock with punk roots. I enjoyed it!
Os Mutantes
3/5
Brazilian Beatles. A wild ride!
James Brown
3/5
A fun and energetic recording but I’d still prefer a studio album. Exactly what I’d expect from James Brown live.
Janelle Monáe
5/5
FANTASTIC! Wasn’t familiar with the artist or album but was blown away. Fun, energetic, polished, incredibly well written and produced with an impressive amount of variety and pace and instruments. It’s like Outkast and Mary J. Blige got together and did a Disney soundtrack!
Van Morrison
4/5
While I put this in the same category as I do Cat Stevens and Simon and Garfunkel - safe, easy listening rock - I can’t describe Van Morrison as boring. He uses a variety of instruments and backing vocals that keeps this album interesting
Brian Wilson
3/5
Same as Cat Stevens and Simon and Garfunkel: beautiful production, perfectly composed songs but not something I’m going to seek out on my own. Cool that the generator assigned it the day after his death, though.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Good, fun, energetic mix of electronic music and rock.
Pentangle
3/5
Similar to Simon and Garfunkel but with lots of Christian undertones and clearly influenced by church hymns. Good music but not something I would seek out on my own.
Sam Cooke
3/5
An energetic, fun performance with good recording quality.
Van Halen
3/5
80’s crotch rock. Never was a Van Halen fan but it’s worth listening to for the guitar work.
5/5
My favorite Beatles album. ‘Nuff said.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
Brilliant song writing. Not a destination album for me, but not something I’m ever gonna be mad about being played I compare it to Beck’s “Sea Change” but cleaner and not as heavy.
Depeche Mode
4/5
I’ve never heard a Depeche Mode song I didn’t like and this album is no different.
Radiohead
5/5
I’m disappointed reading other reviews of this album. I’m a huge Radiohead fan but I understand why people wouldn’t like them. However, I feel like anyone should be able to recognize the genius of this album. It was such an important, impactful and brave album for it’s time.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Same as Simon and Garfunkel: brilliant songwriting but not a destination album.
Throwing Muses
4/5
Female lead pink but with a ton of attention paid to the music. Not just loud guitars, an actual punk soundscape. Top notch.
The Smiths
4/5
Great soundscape - lots of musical variety and different moods from Morrissey. Probably my favorite album by them.
Queen
4/5
I was surprised to find a Queen album where I wasn’t familiar with a single song. It was obvious they were still finding their signature sound, but that is part of the brilliance of this album. Hell, Freddy doesn’t even sing the lead on several of the songs. I think the fact that I wasn’t familiar with it made it that much better.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Nice variety but a bit bland. Reminded me of a 90s version of Vampire Weekend, but just wished they had more energy.
Björk
3/5
I am a huge Björk fan (one of the five best concerts I’ve ever attended) but this is her least approachable album. I feel like it’s an album meant for musicians because the brilliance is lost on the casual listener. While I find the production brilliant, it’s not a destination album for me. I will never pluck it off the shelf specifically to listen to it. I would pull all of her other albums first.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I feel the same way about Kendrick as I do Jay-Z: brilliant production and lyrics, but I’m not a fan of his voice. I like Kendrick’s voice when he’s doing a more laid-back song, but when he gets aggressive his voice hits my ears all wrong. I would love to hear this entire album with Nas in his place!
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Same as her other work: brilliant songwriting but I find the album boring. It’s just not something I’m ever going to seek out to listen to.
Crowded House
3/5
A pleasant surprise of an album. A fun ride!
David Bowie
3/5
I like Bowie soul. The darker, funkier version of Bowie is my style.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Classic, non offensive hip hop. A fun album.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Fun live jazz. Great album.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Classic album that I grew up with. The soundtrack to my pre teen years.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Classic rock at its best! Fantastic album!
Pantera
4/5
Classic, pure metal. Impossible not to head bang.
Tangerine Dream
3/5
Early German electronic music. Interesting but, being sequencer driven, a little boring.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Easy listening, approachable classic rock.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Familiar with Sonic Youth but never really listened to them. Pleasant surprise. Double album, so a few songs I didn’t like but the ones I didn’t like were more about the vocals. Both singers can come across a little harsh sometimes. Otherwise, impressive album!
The Human League
4/5
A fantastic representative of 80’s music! Not a bad song on the album.
The Pogues
2/5
Ugh. Irish folk punk? I have lived this long without knowing this existed and could have lived the remainder of my life without knowing that this existed. Why is it over an hour long?!!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I had heard of them but never listen to any of their stuff. Solid album but I wish my first exposure was not a double album. I was ready for it to be over by the end, but the last song in particular is fantastic.
The Who
3/5
I love the Who but have never loved Tommy. It’s similar to Pink Floyd’s The Wall in that it’s a rock opera that could benefit from dropping a few songs (both are too long) but it’s not as well though out as The Wall so it suffers from consistency issues as well.
Talvin Singh
3/5
Talvin Singh “Ok”
I’ve always liked this album. When I was a club DJ, I loved dropping the opening track, “Traveller” as a wild journey midway through a set. The back half of the album is much better than I remember. This is a classic example of why we need a half star system because this is a 3.5 to me. I think I’ll round down and give it a 3.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
It’s classic Aretha. ‘Nuff said.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
Classic and clean early rock and roll. Nothing to dislike.
Billy Joel
4/5
Much better than I was expecting. Soulful with complex music. A very pleasant surprise!
The Byrds
3/5
Classic early rock and roll. Similar to The Beach Boys but without all the complex harmonies. 27 songs but all under 4 minutes with most under 3, so a quick and easy listen.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The birth of heavy metal! Classic album.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Started strong. Unique sound and approach but it got a bit repetitive and…honestly…creepy by the end.
Missy Elliott
4/5
Almost a five star album. The song “Izzy Izzy Ahh” prevents it from getting that extra star. Perfect album aside from that awful song.
Kanye West
3/5
Brilliant production and lyrics but….its Kanye. Can he Nazi why someone wouldn’t like his music? It’s hard to separate the art and the artist sometimes.
Gary Numan
4/5
Pleasant surprise! New wave from 1979? I’m in! Not a bad song on the album.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Not my favorite Black Sabbath album but still great.
Beastie Boys
3/5
my favorite album by the Beastie Boys, but I’m not a fan of the Beastie Boys. I like this album because it’s got so much music variety but their voices start to great on my nerves after a while and this is their longest album, so…
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Every song has deep and soulful lyrics paired with top notch production. Fantastic album!
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
Surprised I’ve never heard of this band. Fantastic classic rock with deep, blues oriented guitar work. Reminiscent of the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers.
M.I.A.
2/5
Not for me. Sounds like a low effort knock off of Santagold. A few neat production tricks but otherwise just annoying. Meaningless hip-hop lyrics over repetitive electronic beats
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Fantastic album, like everything Marvin put out. I like the previous album “What’s Going On” a bit more for the funk it brings. “Let’s Get it On” is more reliant on soul and sexual energy. Still, an absolute classic.
The Who
4/5
Definitely the best The Who album. A concept album where you are not beaten over the head with the concept. Focused, clean classic rock
Ryan Adams
3/5
Never heard of this artist or album before. Not a bad album. The upbeat tracks are really good. There’s just not enough of them. The sadder, slower songs, while good, begin to get a little tedious by the time you’re done with the album.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Familiar with the title song, as I’ve heard it 1 million times throughout my life. Aside from that song, a fairly boring album. The rest of the tracks are somewhat forgettable and, honestly, sounds like they were copying the sound of The Doors, whose debut album was released the previous year.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
very familiar with the hits but never listened to the album. What a fun ride! Every song is worth listening to and several of them could’ve been additional singles. Fun, energetic, well produced and unique.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I have loved this album since it was released. I was 17 when it came out so I literally have grown up with this album. As much as I love it, I can only give it four stars. It’s common knowledge the album could have used some editing. There are some throwaway tracks and, had they been removed, and the album reduced to one disc, it could have been the greatest album ever!
Cocteau Twins
4/5
A very pleasant surprise! Dream pop at its finest, not a bad song in the album!
Arcade Fire
4/5
Another pleasant surprise. What little I had heard from them, I wasn’t a big fan of. This album was quite good. The songs were low slung, well produced hipster vibe alternative tracks. Definitely worth another listen
John Grant
3/5
Bitingly sarcastic and sometimes funny lyrics over soft rock and strings. What’s not to like?
Megadeth
3/5
Not my favorite Megadeth album but still a good one. Relentless thrash metal. Your neck will hurt when you’re done listening to it.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
One of the best debut albums ever. And one of the best hard rock albums ever. No criticism.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Great blues driven jam band classic rock but I always prefer studio albums to live recordings.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
I tried. I got through half the album, 30 songs to be exact. I just can’t give it another hour and a half. It’s great music. It’s all the same - Ella’s beautiful voice over jazz. Great to put on while making breakfast on a Sunday morning. Not a destination album.
The Verve
4/5
Fantastic album! The opening track, the big single off the album, is probably the worst song on the album. 90’s Brit pop-rock at its finest!
Pink Floyd
5/5
The greatest album ever made. Period. The end. Want to fight about it?
Michael Jackson
4/5
Not my favorite album of his but still a classic. A few throw away songs but the bulk of the album is bangers.
Miles Davis
4/5
I’ve enjoyed all of the fusion albums by Miles Davis but somehow I had never heard this one. Considering it is his first journey into the fusion world, I loved it! I’m a fan of cool jazz, but most other jazz can get a little repetitive if not seen live. I’ve never felt that way about fusion jazz, especially the way Miles uses such a wide variety of instruments and electronic elements.
Kraftwerk
2/5
I love electronic music. And was excited to listen to its early roots. This album did nothing for me. They were on the cutting edge of sequencing in the 70s and really paved the way for future electronic music but this album is so monotonous and the lyrics and vocals just really take me out of being able to even try to get into the music. After reading the Wikipedia article, I’m even more amazed that the LA times considered this one of the top pop albums ever made. How is this even classified as pop?!
The Clash
3/5
The birth of punk. You have to respect it for its impact but there is nothing overly impressive from a musical standpoint. Not a destination album for me, but one to listen to and reflect on its cultural impact.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I have never been a Bruce Springsteen fan in this album is a perfect example of why. The music is fantastic. The lyrics and the singing are terrible. Bruce cannot make up his mind whether he is a New Jersey rockstar or a Texas cowboy and keeps alternating between the two, half the time not even pronouncing words intelligently.
Beck
4/5
I always forget how good this album is. When I think of Beck‘s best albums, this one never manages to pop in my mind but it is fantastic, especially through headphones.
Cream
4/5
Great album! My expectations were low because I’m not an Eric Clapton fan and the only Cream songs I was familiar with where the hits. Not a bad song on the album and they are all really well composed.
Animal Collective
3/5
Meh. Lots of potential but the singer doesn’t seem to be able to get out of the rest of the bands way. Melodic, somewhat dreamy music but some of the vocals really take me out of it.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I am a sucker for 80s new wave so I went into this optimistic but it is the Pet Shop Boys in 1993. Half of the album is reminiscent of their 80s new wave style and the other half sounds like it was remixed for an early 90s dance club.
The Doors
4/5
I’ve always been a big fan of the band but I don’t know if any of their albums would be five stars. They all have at least one throw away track on it, and this one has a few. It also has some of my all-time favorite songs but the throw away tracks hold the album back.
Nas
5/5
One of, if not THE, best rap albums of all time. Aside from the minute and a half long intro, not a skippable song on the album. No interludes, no skits, just track after track of awesome lyricism and rhymes combine with early 90s New York beats.
King Crimson
4/5
King Crimson is Prog rock for people who enjoy going to Renaissance fairs. Fantastic album with a surprising variety of instruments.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Fascinating album. I was not familiar with the artist, the album or the story. There are a few very skippable tracks, but the majority are well produced and well written.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Fantastic album! Lots of Stevie’s signature funk sound with some soul and slow jams thrown in. My favorite album I’ve heard by him.
The Birthday Party
2/5
Probably my least favorite album I’ve been assigned so far. Through this project I have discovered that I am not a fan of early punk. While I appreciate it, it is just not a genre that I would seek out on my own. Australian punk? No thank you
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Essentially a Classic rock version of The Beach Boys. Good, easy listen. Nothing to complain about but nothing to get excited about either.
Ramones
3/5
A worthwhile listen given it’s a classic, era defining album. I was familiar with several of the songs but they all start to sound the same about halfway through the album.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Never been a huge fan of the band but this is a good album. Good, clean classic rock with a blues background
2/5
Beautiful voice but I hate country music. At least every song was under 3 minutes.
Miles Davis
3/5
I enjoy all the fusion projects that Miles did. While this one is considered his most famous and the entry point for a lot of people, it’s not my favorite. The name is appropriate because it is a strange brew of somewhat unfocused jams.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Classic album that has been a mainstay since my teenage years. The soundtrack of the late 90s and early 2900’s. First concert I took my wife to and we got great seats for the 25th anniversary tour. Not a single skippable song on the album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Pleasantly surprised by this album as I am not a big CCR fan. This album, however, is them the best. Good, clean southern rock with a bit of an edge to it and not a lot of instances of Fogerty blatantly mispronouncing words.
Public Enemy
3/5
I love 90s hip-hop. I grew up with it but I have never been a big fan of Public Enemy, more specifically this album. I understand why it gets the praise it does but it’s too musically scattered to click for me. Too much background noise and not enough clean production for the style of hip-hop I like.
Kelela
3/5
Seemed like it would be right up my alley. A beautiful voice blended with electronic music. Not enough variety for my taste, though. Songs started to blend together by the end.
Massive Attack
5/5
I have to give it a five star ranking because of it basically being trip-hop royalty, but I like their second album better. I prefer tricky as a solo artist and he is heavily featured as the lead on Blue Lines. Still, not a bad song on the album and it was a groundbreaking release that ushered in a new genre that is still going strong more than 30 years later.
Cornershop
4/5
I didn’t know what to expect but it certainly wasn’t this! A wild variety of songs on the album, including lots of instrumentals that lean towards electronic loops. I was pleasantly surprised and happily listen again
Raekwon
4/5
Would be a five star album if it weren’t for all the unnecessary filler. Hip-hop royalty
Eminem
3/5
Loved it when it was released. Listening to it now as an old man? It’s cringey. There are a lot of problematic lyrics that make me wince. Still a lyrical genius, but not the content I want to be listening to.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
I’ve never been a big fan. Too folksy for me. I will say, however, that the songs that I wasn’t familiar with our way better than the singles that I was familiar with. Brilliant song writing, just not an artist I’m going to seek out.
Gang Starr
5/5
This came out in 91. I started really listening to hip-hop in 93, so I missed this. What a shame, as this is probably the best album I’ve heard from the genre. It’s a true representation of what the genre started out trying to be: ghetto poetry that tells a story. I think I heard one curse word and ZERO N-words, which was a pleasant surprise. I paused and rewound several times to go “did he just say that?!” Brilliant lyricism over fresh, clean beats. A fantastic album!
Cypress Hill
3/5
Very familiar with their second and third albums but didn’t know this one very well. Crazy to think that this and Gang Starr’s “Step Into the Arena” were released the same year because of how wildly different they are. No bad tracks on the album but no real memorable ones either.
Blur
2/5
Meh. Back half of the album is much better than the front half but I only liked about half the songs on the album anyway. I don’t get the hype.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Not sure how you could criticize this album. World music with interesting rhythms.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Not a bad album but I like their later work much better.
Radiohead
5/5
not my favorite Radiohead album but if anyone wants to claim it is their best I will not argue with them.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Shoegaze at its finest. Layers of different guitar textures, ethereal vocals both a male and female singer. Fantastic album.
Gotan Project
4/5
A surprisingly good album! I had to Google it to make sure they didn’t do the soundtrack for the movie “12 monkeys.” Smooth, down tempo electronic with French infused vibes. Will definitely listen again
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
A nice surprise. Not a bad song on the album and the non-hits were all surprisingly good.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Certainly not their best album but an amazing debut.
Morrissey
3/5
Typical Morrisey. Depressed crooning over moody rock.
k.d. lang
3/5
Another singer – songwriter style album. Fine to listen to but not something I would ever seek out on my own.
Neil Young
3/5
More singer-songwriter stuff. This time with extra classic rock. My opinion on this genre will never change. It’s fine to listen to but it’s not something I will ever seek out
Japan
3/5
It seemed to alternate between new wave and pop, but a good album I was unfamiliar with. Would listen again.
Supergrass
3/5
Starts as pretty typical 90s British grunge/punk but gets pretty deep and melodic near the end. Would listen again.
The Prodigy
2/5
I love electronic music but this isn’t their best album and sounds quite dated now.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Classic rock with Janis singing. Not really a fan of them making a studio album sound like a live album but otherwise worth a listen
American Music Club
2/5
Meh. Pretty boring album, honestly. Sounds like a 90’s pop rock band who desperately wants to sound like The Smiths but doesn’t have the talent to do so.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Never really given the band a chance so this was a great album to start with. Lots of variety, lots of depth and an overall fun ride! I originally scored this as a three star album but I just keep going back to it. I’ve listened to it at least five times through now and it is clearly a five star album. The depth and creativity just continues to grow the more you listen to it.
ZZ Top
3/5
Not their best album but definitely worth a listen. Several throw away tracks but was the beginning of them finding the groove that would really define their sound.
Carole King
4/5
Finally, a singer-songwriter album that wasn’t painfully boring! Great album.
2/5
That was a tough listen. Jazz with a heavy metal backbone? Glad I’ve heard it once, but I promise that will be the only time.
The Bees
3/5
A surprisingly good album. Didn’t know what to expect but quite enjoyed it. The reggae undertones were very well done.
Sex Pistols
3/5
One of the better punk albums I have heard, but still not a fan of most punk music. The occasional track is great, but listening to an entire album starts to grate on my nerves. This one didn’t do that, but still not an album I’m ever going to seek out on my own.
TLC
4/5
R&B/Pop classic from the 90’s. What’s not like?
Roxy Music
3/5
Epic, at times theatrical glam rock. A little too over the top but worth a listen.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I was dreading getting this. Not a fan of the king. Luckily it’s only 12 songs and none of them are over three minutes long. But somehow he still manages to sing in about six different made up voices.
Steely Dan
5/5
Easy five stars. One of the best engineered albums ever recorded. ‘Nuff said.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Another singer/songwriter album that I actually enjoyed. A few standout tracks that push it out of boring territory.
Elis Regina
3/5
Jazz with a beautiful Portuguese voice on top. Nothing to not like. Doubt I seek it out on my own, but glad it was assigned.
Muddy Waters
3/5
My first real introduction to Muddy Waters. Would have preferred a studio album versus a live album but it was still a good introduction.
Turbonegro
3/5
Norwegian hair metal/glam rock. Surprisingly good!
Missy Elliott
3/5
Good but not as good as her first album.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Thought I hadn’t heard this before but was familiar with more than half the songs. Much better than I thought it would be based on the description and album art.
Liz Phair
3/5
I remember lots of Liz’s stuff in the 90s but I wasn’t familiar with this album. It’s like a singer-songwriter version of angry 90’s chick music. Good but not great.
Love
3/5
Good but random as all hell. One minute they sound like the Doors, the next like a jam band, the next like CCR. That randomness hurt my opinion on the album.
Pixies
3/5
Familiar with the band but was only familiar with one song off this album. Half the album was great the other half bordered on unlistenable. I can totally see why it was so influential at the time, though.
AC/DC
2/5
I don’t expect this to be a popular opinion, but I have always despised the band. It amazes me that their terrible sounding singer died and they managed to replace him with someone that sounded just like him. This would have been my first one star album out of the 163 that I have rated so far if it weren’t for the fact that the album opens with “Hell’s Bells.” Great opening song for the album, especially considering it was the first release after the original singer died.
Two stars. Not a fan of mindless crotch rock.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
One of the 3 best albums to come out of the 90’s (OK Computer, Jagged Little Pill). Easy 5 stars.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
I was optimistic because the album was listed as psychedelic folk music but there was nothing psychedelic about it. It was just a dude and a guitar. Just folk music. Quite boring
Pearl Jam
5/5
One of the best true rock ‘n’ roll albums ever made. Every track is a gem. Another classic album from the 90s!
Otis Redding
3/5
A very pleasant surprise. I don’t usually enjoy this era of music but this album was very well done.
The Beach Boys
5/5
not a beach boys fan but you cannot argue with the production value of this album. Especially considering when it was made, it is just so far ahead of its time that it has to be properly rated.
Maxwell
4/5
fantastic, slow-jam soul. Not a bad song on the album.
Bob Dylan
3/5
A couple of standout songs but, like with most of his albums, they are better to listen to in small bursts instead of one sitting. It just starts to wear on me after a while.
Television
3/5
Never knew this existed. Interesting take on the rock sound of the time. Excellent guitar work.
Simple Minds
4/5
I enjoyed this album a lot! Familiar with the band but not familiar with any of these songs. Incredible bass work on the entire album. Definitely worth listening to again!
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Definitely my favorite of their albums. The minimalist approach to blues/country rock worked really well on this album.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
174 albums in and I get my first one star album!
God. Awful. UK rap from 2003 featuring grimy dubstep inspired beats. He has a terrible habit of using the most annoying vocal loop as part of his beat samples. Could not get through this one fast enough!
Air
4/5
Excellent, moody, atmospheric electronic soundtrack music. The last song was the only one I didn’t enjoy.
Can
4/5
Never heard of them but happy to have gotten this one. What a wild ride! Great jam-bandish style classic rock with an edge and a flare for the dramatic.
Nirvana
3/5
While not a Nirvana hater, I always ranked them at the bottom of the grunge bands. In my (rarely) humble opinion, they were the least talented of the bunch and definitely the most abrasive sounding. Considering they specifically hired a producer for this album to make it sound MORE abrasive, it’s just not for me. Three standout songs and the rest are iffy at best with a couple that are just hard to listen to.
Almost gave it 2 stars but the standout songs are some of their biggest hits and are really good.
Charles Mingus
3/5
I think it’s impossible to dislike Charles Mingus. Another quality album of his.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Several stand out tracks but not as great as an album as advertised. Several weaker songs, especially at the back of the album.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Smooth and groovy hip-hop beats. Nothing to not like
Pulp
3/5
Meh. Probably would have liked this more had I heard it upon release. Good overall but a few tracks just hit my ears wrong.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
I despise country so this album was my worst nightmare. 42 songs that, to me, all sound the same. I can’t give it a one star rating because it’s terrible to me, but it’s not completely terrible. I can only take so much banjo, fiddle and nasal singing. A 42 track double album is about 10 times more than I’m able or willing to consume.
The Fall
3/5
Kind of a punk – grunge sound but nothing really memorable from this album. Worth a listen but nothing to get excited about
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
The standout tracks are amazing, some of the unknown tracks are good, but there’s still some filler on the album. All in all, worth a second listen.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Not a fan of this style of music so this was hard to get through.
Death In Vegas
4/5
Didn’t know what to expect but was impressed. It’s like massive attack meets the cardigans. Moody instrumental music and the tracks that feature vocals are often haunting.
Talking Heads
3/5
I love their music but David’s vocals start to wear on me after a while.
Morrissey
3/5
It’s Morrisey. Solo. You know what to expect: Moody lyrics and 90s style British alternative rock. Not a bad song on the album but no real standouts either
The Cure
4/5
Definitely The Cure’s best album. Moody and dark but somehow still light and fun.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Not a style of music I would seek out on my own but also nothing to be upset about being assigned. Good, easy listening with a Spanish flavor.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Fantastic blend of funk and soul. Great album!
Arcade Fire
3/5
Good album, especially for a debut. Not as polished as some of their other work, but I guess that’s to be expected. Definitely worth another listen.
T. Rex
3/5
Had not heard of them but glad I did it. It’s like a classic rock version of ELO. Definitely worth a listen.
The Specials
2/5
British reggae? I mean, that’s essentially what this was. Not bad but not something I would seek out on my own.
Richard Thompson
2/5
Meh. A little boring, honestly. My husband and wife team were alternating singing duties and her songs were better but still nothing to get excited about
David Bowie
2/5
Might be my least favorite Bowie album. Lots of atmosphere but not a lot of Bowie. I get that it’s him experimenting with electronic music but almost half of it is instrumental. Not exactly what I’m looking for from a Bowie album.
King Crimson
3/5
Not my favorite by them but definitely worth a listen. The violin added some interesting depth to a few of the songs. King Crimson is very hit or miss for me. The songs that hit are amazing and the songs that miss are a little tedious.
Garbage
4/5
Classic 90s alternative pop. Hadn’t listened to the entire album in a long time so it was very nostalgic.
a-ha
4/5
Damn good album! Definitely one of my favorites from that era.
Mike Oldfield
5/5
Amazing album. It’s probably been at least a decade since I’ve listened to it, so it was great to hear it again!
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I have never been a Bruce fan and if this album is considered his best then I know I never will. Not even the E Street band’s best. Only a few good songs on the album and Bruce still manages to sound like someone’s drunk uncle while singing on those.
Guided By Voices
3/5
Stream of consciousness rock ‘n’ roll. No other way to describe it.
Beatles
3/5
Not a huge fan of early Beatles albums. I feel like they became the Beatles we know and love when they started doing drugs. This album is OK. Only one real standout song. Good production, but nothing to get excited about.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
A band I had somehow slept on. Got assigned “The Soft Bulletin” a few months back and loved it. Went down the rabbit hole and listened to a bunch of their albums. I haven’t listened to all of them yet, but Yoshimi is my favorite so far. I’ve listened to it several times and was perfectly happy to get it assigned on a lazy Thanksgiving morning. It’s a beautiful album full of unique texture. Lyrically goofy but somehow poignant at the same time. Fantastic production, so it’s a fun ride through headphones.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Much better than the previous album, “Trans Europe Express.” More variety, more depth and much more attention to melodies.
Jacques Brel
2/5
French/Belgium crooner performing live? Not exactly a must listen to me.
Minutemen
3/5
like flipping channels on a rock ‘n’ roll TV. Was any song longer than 2 1/2 minutes?
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Great alt-rock hipster anthem album.
Kings of Leon
4/5
I had liked the few songs of theirs I had heard but was generally unfamiliar with them. Great album to start with! Not a single bad song. Good clean rock ‘n’ roll
Mj Cole
3/5
Definitely hit or miss. An interesting blend of trip-hop, hip-hop, downtempo and soul. On the surface, that sounds like I would love it but I only liked about half the songs.
Pixies
3/5
Better than their Surfa Rosa album. More focused, better production. Still hit or miss for me.
CHIC
4/5
Disco magic. Only one track on the album I didn’t like.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
I like their music but I’m not a big fan of the albums. Good recording and good variety of stuff represented here though.
Method Man
3/5
As with all Wu-Tang related album, the lyrics are brilliant. I feel like the first third of the album’s production is too grimy, though. The music lightens up the further you get into the album.
The Prodigy
3/5
The best of their albums. Three classic hits and several other good tracks.
Kanye West
3/5
I want to hate this album because of who the artist has become but I can’t. It’s a good album. Great production. My knock on Kanye was always his voice. He comes across as whiny some times.
FKA twigs
4/5
The new generation’s Bjork. Down tempo electronic meets trip-hop meets pop. Good vocals, lots of texture. Fun through headphones.
Love
3/5
Not bad though somewhat forgettable. No bad songs but no standout songs either.
Adele
4/5
Much better than I was expecting. I was only familiar with hits which are good songs but the rest of the album is just as good. Fantastic production and she has a great voice.
The Soft Boys
3/5
Surprisingly good. This album was either 10 years before or 10 years behind its time. Had it come out in 1970 or 1990 it would have been recognized as a good album. Instead, it came out in 1980 and was lost in the sauce.
Moby
4/5
Classic album for me. Downtempo electronic at its best. Not a bad song on the album and several standouts.
David Bowie
3/5
Considering it was his last album and he knew he was dying, it’s a bit dark and twisted. Taken at face value, however, it’s nowhere near the top of the list for his discography.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
A good, dreamy Shoegaze album. Nothing to get too excited or annoyed by.
LTJ Bukem
4/5
Drum and bass at its finest. I’ve loved this mix for 25+ years and was thrilled to see it on the list.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Glad I heard it once because of how unit is but not something that I would ever seek out on my own.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Not my favorite of their albums but definitely one of their more focused albums. Having John back was great for the guitar sound.
Tom Waits
3/5
This was my intro to Tom Waits and I’m…confused. The music is good. All jazz for this album. The lyrics are ok? Lots of silliness, lots of breakfast food descriptions? Not really sure what to do with this.
Lorde
4/5
A very pleasant surprise! Really good album.
Beatles
4/5
My second favorite Beatles album behind Sgt. Pepper. Just a good, clean style of rock and roll.
Wild Beasts
3/5
Really enjoyed the music. The lyrics are a little problematic on several songs.
Deerhunter
3/5
Another pleasant surprise. Going to listen to it again soon.
Various Artists
3/5
Classic Christmas album.
Talking Heads
3/5
Very funky 80s album. The music is great but I often struggle with David as a singer. While this is the best album from him, he is still the thing I dislike on the album.
Don McLean
3/5
Clean and well written songs but too slow and folksy for me to want to revisit.
Sigur Rós
5/5
An absolute masterpiece. Beautiful, deep, ethereal and full of emotion. Amazing album.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I get why this album is important but it’s not something I would revisit.
N.W.A.
3/5
I get why this album is important but it’s got a little too much “gangsta” to be a regular in my rotation.
Aerosmith
3/5
Definitely their best album. Way more rock than the pop sound they went with later in their career.
Can
3/5
An interesting mix of sounds and textures. I’d never heard of them and this was a good introductory album for them.
Fela Kuti
3/5
I enjoyed this more than the love album. It’s like tribal African jazz. Will totally revisit.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Another good one by Stevie.
Wire
3/5
One of the better punk sounding albums I’ve received.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Lots to like about Jethro Tull. Deep classic rock with impressive musicianship and clever lyrics.
CHVRCHES
4/5
Quite the pleasant surprise! Electronic beats, catchy melodies and clever lyrics. A very fun album!
The Libertines
3/5
Another pleasant surprise. I was not familiar with the Album or band. A good, clean indie rock album with a minimalist approach to music.
Suzanne Vega
2/5
Meh. Boring. Absolutely nothing to get excited about musically or lyrically.
Radiohead
5/5
I’ve always said this album was slept on, even my Radiohead fans. I’m a huge fan of their entire discography and this is in my top 3 albums by them.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Much better than I was expecting. The description calls it Afro beat jazz but that really only applies to the last song. The rest was very down tempo cool jazz. Worth a listen!
Fishbone
4/5
Fantastic! A great mix of rock, ska and funk. Will definitely revisit.
Duran Duran
4/5
A true gem from the 80’s. Fantastic album!
Robbie Williams
2/5
Sounds exactly as I would expect a British former boy band member striking out with his first solo album to sound like. A few decent sounding songs.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
not a bad album but not sure how it made the list.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Low slung, bluesy rock. Not bad but not great.
The Stooges
3/5
First time delving into the Stooges. I really liked about half the songs. No bad tracks on the album.
Miles Davis
4/5
Can’t argue with what is considered the greatest jazz album of all time!
David Bowie
4/5
The best Bowie album I’ve been assigned so far. I really like the piano work on this album.
The xx
4/5
A very pleasant surprise. Minimalist electronic with good guitar work and blended vocals. A good album to chill to.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Easily his best album. Not a single bad song and tons of classics.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Not something I’d ever seek out on my own but glad I listened to it. Kind of what this whole project is about…
50 Cent
3/5
Better than I remember. There are several tracks that are better than the album’s singles.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Another album that fits into the category of not something I would ever seek out on my own but glad it was assigned.
Nina Simone
2/5
I can appreciate the artistry but this is not for me.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Damn good album! A great surprise and a new band discovery. They sound like someone put Tom Petty with The Cure and told them to play the Shoegaze genre.
Iggy Pop
4/5
I was only familiar with the title track. Great, fun album! Just as much Bowie as Iggy.