Amazing, I just love it. This made me love jazz.

Janis Joplin is one of those artists that everyone will come across one time in their lives, willing or not. This time, I wasn't expecting at all, but it was a delightful surprise. I never knew Joplin had a band before her solo career, so "Big Brother and the Holding Company" was not a familiar name to me. But the moment I saw "Piece of My Heart", I knew this album was going to be special. And so it was. This is an experience full of mixed feelings. On one hand, Joplin's intense and sincere feelings expressed by her unique voice are touching to say the least. To this day, it's still hard to find artists who can replicate what she is able to express - it's not only about vocal power (and yes, it is definitely here. I can suppose a lot of influence on Prince and Axl Rose), but being able to really connect to Joplin in such a way that almost had me in tears. I have to admit, though, that a part of this reaction was because of her young passing, it's really painful to listen to this gem remembering her fate a few years later. On the other hand, I must give credit to the band, especially to the guitarist. Come on, you didn't need to go that hard and experimental - or maybe he did, it was the late 1960's, after all. While this is not a 5-star album for me - some tracks are just indifferent - the high points (no pun intended)... oh, they hit hard.

Michael Jackson is one of the hardest artists to judge solely based on his discography - not only because his albums are very distinct in sound and style, but because it's impossible to not compare them to one another. "Bad" has the unfortunate fate to be released after the best-selling album of all time, so it automatically raises the question: would Michael Jackson be able to surpass Michael Jackson? By my personal analysis, it's a tough call. Thriller is legendary, but I'm inclined to believe that Bad might be the better album as a whole. No, its hits are not stronger, nor are the numbers more expressive, but it all fits together super well and gives the feeling of wholeness better than Thriller did. On the other hand, though, I feel like the low points here are maybe worse than Thriller's? Man, how do I even compare "Speed Demon" to "The Girl is Mine"? Also, Jackson seems bolder here, more experimental both artistically and musically. To me, this is the album that defines Michael Jackson as a more-than-human artist - a mysterious being, with exotic clothing, dancing and behavior and with an increasing ambiguity regarding the concepts of race and gender. So, is "Bad" a five-star album? Not really. "Speed Demon" and "Just Good Friends" stand out as definitely weak that don't measure up to the rest of the record. I would give it 4,5 stars, but since I can't, it's fair to give it a 4. Good work, Mike. 9/10

When I rate an album, a five-star one must check some boxes. One of them is having no truly bad song. Another is an overall harmony between the tracks that creates a sense of cohesion that feels like a unified whole. No, I'm no expert, don't judge my humble criteria! All that was said above can be affirmed about this masterpiece. It's almost impossible not to feel teleported to the late 90's, charged with a youthful energy and frustration, mixed with passion and melancholy. All the tracks here fit one another - no exception. I'm not a big fan of those "Untitled" interludes, but I can live with them. Well, there's not much more to say, incredibly! What we have here is a gem of its time that has aged like fine wine. It's a classic, after all. 10/10

I can't stand this one, I'm sorry. "Mr. Eminem" (as Michael Jackson would call him) has great rap skills and is a very intelligent artist overall, but it's hard to appreciate a piece of art that in its core goes so much against my values. To be fair, if you ignore the lyrics and judge solely based on the musical aspect, it's enjoyable. But that's not how you rate an album, huh? 3/10

Well, what a surprise! It didn't appeal to me at first, I thought I was going to straight up hate it, but I really started enjoying it throughout the tracks. The guitar solos are absolutely interesting and unique, they sound horrible on first listening, but you really get to understand them better as you listen. I still think the lyrics are kind of silly, though. So it's four stars for you, Neil. 7/10

This great album is the proof that a five-star album doesn't need to be full of hits (and that an album full of hits is not necessarily a five-star album, right, Thriller?) Amazingly consistent, one of the most amazing guitar works I've ever listened to. Black Sabbath at its peak!

Certaintly a hard one to rate! Of course it's a dated album - what would you expect? But it's very good at what it does, I really felt telleported to the 1950's. Good songs, they all fit together well, but lacks versatility - and that's what keeps me from giving it a higher rating.

"That's The Way Of The World" is one of those albums that could be classified as a hidden gem - which, I'm starting to feel, it's a pattern between some 1970s works. Not a lot of albums have it all - consistency, innovation and the abillity to connect emotionally - but this one surely does. First of all, there are no trully bad songs! Everything here is well-built and has its uniqueness. Since it's not an overlong album, it's considerably easier to enjoy all of these tracks. They flow naturally to one another and create a masterpiece of cohesion and immersion. I also must give credit to their boldness and creativity (I think I've even spotted some John Coltrane in one of the tracks). It clearly follows a sonic pattern, but that's far from a flaw as long as you are able to create something rich and compelling within that chosen world. Here, that world is a powerful fusion of disco, soul and a bit of jazz. 9/10 - close to a masterpiece

It was very interesting in the first half, but I really started to not enjoy it as much in the second one. Notable, but nothing more than that.

How easy is it to judge the world's top artist of the last... 10 years, maybe? "The bigger the star, the bigger the target", said Michael Jackson. I'll try to be fair in my judgement as I do with all the other artists and not just drop hate on her work for no reason. In a technical aspect, the album is very simple. The songs structure is very repetitive and predictable, almost screaming "2014!". This is not exclusive to Swift, neither to the last decade, since I could say the same thing about, for example, Buddy Holly. The part that really makes me downgrade this album is the lyrical aspect, they can be unbelievably bad sometimes and sound very silly, even for early 2010s standards. What I can't deny, though, is Taylor's authenticity. I don't deny for even a minute that she really lives, believes and feels what she sings. On the other hand, that relates to another negative aspect of this album: its worldview is extremely broken and a general reflex of post-modern society's view on relationships. Everything and everyone is discardable and partners are often seen as just "players". With all of that, this album ends up not being an artistic disaster, but supports values I can't stand to. Its significance to the last decade certainly can't be denied and almost sounds like a soundtrack of that time. 5/10 (I analyse arts through a christian worldview, which, as a christian, I believe is the correct way to interpret the world.)

Absolute masterpice. A collection of amazing tracks that frame the brokeness of modernity in an unique way. Yes, it's pretty melancholic, but the melancholy just lifts the message. Love it or hate it, it's a classic. A five-star classic! 10/10

2014 was a funny year with a lot of weird music. This is a good album with an amazing imersive experience. This is all I can say.

Madonna is undeniably one of the most influent artists of the past decades - and that's not necessarily a good thing, considering the kind of worldview presented in her works. Like a Prayer has some consistency, although some tracks are rather forgettable. What can't be denied, though, is her abillity to communicate through her art, which may be her strongest and most impactful trait as an artist. As I said before, the world view is very problematic, especially for mocking religion and blending it with sensual provocation. This drags down the album's rating considerably from a worldview-based perspective. 5/10 (I analyse arts through a christian worldview, which, as a christian, I believe is the correct way to interpret the world.)

A cool album, but a little too experimental to me. I can't deny their authenticity, though. A hidden gem - not an amazing gem, but still a gem!

Amazing tracks that display why Zeppelin has so much recognition. On the other side, though, the songs are overly sexualized in such a gross way. 8/10

A modern classic. 9/10

Do you remember that guy Rodrick wanted to hire for his band in Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2? Same vibe. Finally some hard rock! Live and Dangerous has quality and consistency, even though mixing live performance and studio recording may be a little controversial. The worldview is completely hedonistic, as expected. Sometimes lyrics are very sexual. 6/10

Masterpiece! It's easily comparable to "What's Going On", but in a funkier way. A hidden gem that deserves to be praised.