Wow. That was fun. The Kinks are a band that fly a little under the radar. In this album, I've heard ideas repeated in System of a Down and of course Blur, to name a few. Why weren't they more popular or why did they not stay in the public eye as the Beatles and the Stones did? I guess a solid 4 for being the source of influences for so many more modern bands. EDIT: this is proto-punk -> 5/5

First time I listened to them by choice. I enjoyed the listen-through, but started checking how many more songs after the 5th one. I appreciate the ingenuity, but not for me.

I'd never listened to this album in its entirety, but have heard most of the songs before. I very much enjoyed it except Goin' Home which goes on a blues odyssey - Spinal Tap would be proud. Other than that, I enjoyed the album and I guess it's a classic Rolling stones release. Songs I've known since my childhood.

Wow! Social injustice, war, police brutality, environmental destruction - I had never heard this album and it's not my typical choice of genre but this album was great from beginning to end.

I had never listened all the way through. I couldn't wait for it to finish. I understand that it politicised a new generation of kids, so that's good but it is so repetitively boring - and this is coming from a hard rock/punk fan. It is also overwhelmingly depressing. I like a couple of songs, but overall - never again.

No time to get bored!

I really enjoyed this album. I've probably heard it before and will happily listen to it again.

First time I listened to Revolution 9 all the way through. Never again. We're they making fun of different genres of music? I'd never thought that before. Enjoyable but I prefer Sgt. Pepper's.

Weirdly familiar country music

Ok. I've listened to it only as I decided to listen to every album. It is truly not what I like. Some of the music was good for me, but his singing was an ordeal as was the experience listening to the album but, hey, I listened through. I hope noone ever invites me to have a smoke and listen to it as I would be stuck in an eternal hell.

I had to read about the significance of this album and the new direction it represented for the Beach Boys. It reminds me of my childhood - not always in a pleasant way. Easy listening of the highest order.

I didn't like the Smiths then and I can only just tolerate them now. I now accept that the music is really pretty good but I can't handle Morrisey's wailing for too long. I did listen to the whole album but it was, for me, as their music always has been, filled with doom and gloom. It's taken me 40 years to listen to a Smiths album from beginning to end. I'll wait another 40 years mimimum before I listen to another one.

Although this isn't the sort of music I listen to regularly, it was truly easy to listen to and JM's stories put to music were pleasant to hear. I wouldn't listen again by choice, but also wouldn't be irritated if someone slapped this album on.

I was too immature to appreciate this album when it came out. Listening to it now, it has a very calming effect. A great collection of songs which, after listening through, I'd happily hear again.

Wow. Prog rock that doesn't get lost up its own fundament. I really enjoyed this album which, embarrassingly, I've never listened to before but which I happily listen to again in the future.

I imagine that in 1981 this would have been revolutionary and new. In the 2020s, it was tiresome for me. Some of it is humorous, but mostly tiresome. 3 out of 5 for being revolutionary and influential on later industrial artists.

That was a very familiar album. For me, it was easy listening and very enjoyable. I think I'd pick up a copy if I saw one. Would listen again. Their singing is flawless and beautiful.

I'd never heard this album before. It's not my cup of tea but it is very good and, for me, a pleasure and very easy to listen to. For sure, I'd happily listen again.

I don't think I'd ever listened to a T Rex album from start to finish. It was fun. Would listen again. EDIT: I've listened again; it's great!

I had never listened to the album all the way through. It's alright but a bit repetitive.

I haven't heard that album for a long time. It's pretty timeless. It rocks. 100%. 5 out of 5.

I had heard of Nick Drake but until now I had not knowingly heard any of his songs. It's not really the sort of music I choose to listen to but it was a truly beautiful album.

I'd not listened to this album in its entirety before. It was an album which, when it came out, some people were saying that I would love it. It started off, however, with a 'this is going to be a long ordeal' on my mind but it somehow transformed into a very cool listen. I enjoyed it.

Never really got into Black Sabbath. I understand their importance in the history of metal and so on but I always preferred other metal. I guess I can say it was heavy before its time and that's cool but it was tedious.

I enjoyed this. It was a fun change from the other albums. I hope there's more of this sort of stuff.

I always wanted to like Beck. I thought it was the cool music that cool me should be listening to. Nope. There are too many random beeps and bells to make it sound deep. It is music that, if you say, 'I don't like it', someone will inevitably reply, 'You just don't get it.' I just got a whole album, thanks. 2 stars instead of 1 because there are one or two good tunes here, but they've been connected together by irritating collections of sounds.

I very much enjoyed this album. 21st century Bob Dylan mumbles a bit too much, 1963 Bob Dylan clearly sang some great stories, which, unfortunately, 60 years later still remain relevant.

Timeless.

That was an ok listen. For me, born in early 1970s, it's old people/parents' music.

I thought this was going to be a struggle for me but once we got to the third song, I was happy to listen to it. The vocals are very minimal and the the music is celebrating every knob and dial available to the composer to twist, but it works. I think they have been done a misservice by having that one song of theirs on loop on the radio. I guess I would happily have this as background music if I had guests and felt the need to have background music.

If they stuck to their heavier tunes, it would be a great album. Someone decided to have some discordant 'deep' numbers and, in my opinion, they drag down the better songs.

Great album. Simple can often be better.

Fantastic.

I prefer protest Marvin Gaye to sexy Marvin Gaye, But this was a relaxing listen. After having sung all of those songs, I really hope that he did get it on and it was worth it.

That was the first album I chose not to listen to on my headphones - it would have been too much. I'm pretty certain, I heard this when I was really small. It becomes almost hypnotic after a couple of tracks. Would 100% listen again as background music.

This album was really popular with the drug crowd back in the day. I'm listening to it on a rainy Sunday morning, which seems suitable. Great music but a little bit too much of a downer for me. 5/5 for the compositions, 1/5 for its influence (negative) on so many people I knew. 3/5 overall.

"Hey Lauryn! We're going to record an album. We've got two or three banging tunes but we don't have material for the rest of the album. We'll just make some rhythmic noise with different time signatures to fill the gaps between the good tunes and no-one will ever notice."

This was fun. Not my cup of tea, but the humour and the unedited errors make for a great listen to a great performance. I would have difficulty understanding how anyone would not like this album.

I never got into The The. I think it's his voice. Anyway, this was a good listen. Apologies to Mark, who spent much of the early 1990s trying to get me to appreciate the band! It was good: the music, the message, but his voice still grates my ears.

As an album, it kind of works. I'd never listened to it all the way through and I was never a fan of Ozzy's singing voice but this album is OK. Bonus drum solo too - something you don't get much of on albums these days!

That was awful. A lot of country and folk music conjures up images of a mythical world of freedom and justice and whatever. To me it sounded like stolen music listened to by white men with red necks and racist thoughts.

This album reminds me of the Blink 182 music video of First Date. The video is supposedly set in 1974, but 1984 very much felt like that vibe too. Rock songs about getting girls and partying. I was a little young for that in 1984 but this album was floating around back then. 4 out of 5 for the, not always great, memories.

I imagine I've listened to this album all the way through in the past. Songs of my youth that I remember. I've added it to my background music list. 5 out of 5.

Yeah, I'm not going to listen to that all the way through. The music was inventive but then the narcissistic, sexist, homophobic ramblings over the top of it somewhat spoilt it.

It's all pretty samey and depressing but it was OK. I'd prefer not to have to hear it all the way through again.

After the first song and a half,I was ready to turn it off but someone found a drumkit and it became less irksome. After listening all the way through, I'd say it was a sometimes very pleasant experience and sometimes it felt like, 'is that weird enough guys?' . I'd rather not have to listen to anything by E.Smith again but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did.

Fantastic.

The Doors were the cool band that split up before we were born of the 80s. It's alright.

Easy listening overload. Not my type of stuff, but I can appreciate it.

Bleh. I missed this band completely throughout their existence. Apart from today's blip, I hope that will continue to be the case for the rest of my existence.

To quote Lard: 70s Rock Must Die. I have always found prog rock/aor/this stuff boring. Unsurprisingly, I find this boring too. The band are great composers and musicians (so they get one additional star) but they should have learnt how to finish songs succinctly, rather than endless fadeouts after the next additional jazz odyssey. Please don't let there be more Supertramp in this list. 45 minutes of my life I won't get back, which felt like 4.5 hours.

I like David Bowie's music. I didn't so much when I was younger but now I'm older.

That was a great album although the feet song is weird.

Listening to this album on a train has a very soporific effect but in a good way. Not fantastic, but not bad at all.

Until last week, I'd never heard more than a couple of their songs. I was at their concert, it was good. This album is fun too.

The MSP's were the first band I saw twice at different festivals. This was when they were still a foursome. The gigs had great energy. Some of the songs on this album hit differently when we learn it's the first album after Richey Manic disappeared. It is, like all of their albums, a great collection of songs.

I can confirm that this is an album by Depeche Mode. It sounds like them. 4/5

I consulted ChatGPT to tell me why this sounds like music for psychopaths and it was an interesting reply - it is so perfectly cut and there is no 'unnecessary' sound anywhere - it is the antithesis of the music that I like. However, I listened to the album all the way through and appreciated - and respected - but did not enjoy and I think would not have enjoyed at any point in my life.

I don't remember listening to this album all the way through but for sure we would have turned off the final track before it had finished. I guess I know a lot of these songs pretty well and the majority of the album is great. I imagine that I'd enjoy the descent from waking up to being completely wasted on heroin, which seems to be how the album tracks, more if was a junkie - but I'm not. Despite that it is still a dangerously beautiful homage to drug addiction. 5/5

This would be awful if it was a recent release but the fact that it is some proto-punk/metal from way back in the day makes it less awful. By the end, I was enjoying it and smiling along to the lyrics. I will probably seek out some more Dictators in the future.

A whole album of this is too much for me. I guess it was cool in its day but now it's rather tedious. 3/5

The songs which are not on greatest hits albums are much more entertaining for me. There are good old freak-out hippy guitars and so on. As a band, they were great.

Only ever heard individual songs and seen impersonators do JBs thing. I listened to this album on a plane and it was difficult to keep still in my seat as the whole performance is infectious 5/5

Never liked the Smiths. Still don't, but I can tolerate it better than in the past. The penultimate song had Mr Morissy singing and gargling in the bath or some sort of profound crap. At least I listened to the whole album through, but as has been my position for the past 40 or so years, I really hope I don't have to in the future.2/5 - the music gets an extra point over the threshold of 1 for absolute tosh.

There's that single which is a great song - the rest of the album seemed to me to be a filler for the one song. We get it, she's got a voice like a delicate flower and it suits certain songs but not all whatsoever. It was irritating after an album's worth of songs. It was going to be a 2 but after all these songs, this last one has managed to demote the album to a 1. Please never again, except for that one song.

This is the only Bob Dylan album I ever bought on CD (one other on cassette and none on vinyl). Actually, I don't know what happened to that CD... Anyway, I like all the electric songs and I guess it would have been mind-blowing to have one side electric and the other acoustic for the folk who bought the album back in the day - they were simpler times. So a Bon Dylan album with only 4 acoustic songs and some banging tracks to start with is perfect.

An enjoyable listen.

I haven't heard this album all the way through since the 1980s. I appreciate it much more now than then and the final tracks totally took me on a trip and brought me back with a boom as I was doing the ironing. Wow! I'll bet you that Kate Bush had listened to our two famous albums in our list here - by Throbbing Gristle and Einstürzende Neubauten - and was able to harness and tame some of the themes that they created, as we can hear some of that in this album. It's great. I like Kate Bush's music.

Not sure why there's an Ian Dury album in this list, but I'm happy there is.

I like The Saints, but I've got to say a whole album of Chris Bailey's singing does get to me. It seems that the sound engineer on this album had a similar thought as I felt that the vocals were being slowly turned down against the other tracks. Anyway, I was going to give it a 3 but the last song swayed it up to a 4 as it was a fun end to a good album.

I think I've owned this on vinyl, cd and cassette. It was incredible when it came out. It's still pretty good. I hadn't heard the whole album for a while but it's a good goth starting point to this day.

I enjoyed how the album started but as it progressed, it seemed that NS was getting less and less trusting of her boyfriend and his fidelity. She also increased her vibrato to 11 and it started affecting my ability to enjoy. I'm writing this subjectively while ironing in 2025, I appreciate the importance of Nina Simone in musical history but, for me, it was a strong start that ended in my relief that the album had finished.

I like Prince's music, and I have done since I first heard the singles from this album when they came out. One of my first mix tapes had When Doves Cry and then Highway to Hell by AC/DC after it. I think this is the first album after about 70 or so where I just started singing along. 5/5

White Stripes are great. This was nothing new or revolutionary - no idea why it's on this list. It wasn't bad but only 2 stars for 'could do much better'

By the time you read this, the album might have finally finished but its certain type of blandness will continue to haunt me for a much longer time. I'd heard the name of this band back in the day - I think it was one of those bands that the cool people had heard and if you hadn't, you weren't as cool as them - I am happy that I wasn't one of the cool people. In a different vein, I have a friend I told the 1001 albums project about. They said that they wouldn't be able to handle the indie rock sort of music that they would inevitably have to hear. This album is the sum of every single one of their fears - it ticks all the boxes and as a result it is flavorless. It is no surprise that this band remained only for the cool kids. Update: it still hasn't finished. Now a profound acoustic intro and some moaning and big rock chords. It's not the Doors, or Echo & the Bunnymen or World Party but sounds like what a crap AI would produce if you lazily prompted it to come up with a mash up of those great bands' most bland moments. This is the second album (out of 74) that I couldn't handle finishing.

Hm. I listened to it all the way through. The music is fine but many of the song lyrics' topics remind me of 80s cock rock - which is not a compliment. When there is a good tune+lyrics, it's pretty good but it's also combined with, in my opinion, too many n-words, which reduces the power of that word.

The first time this album came out, Nirvana had already become parodies of themselves. Grunge & heroin - not my cup of tea. I didn't like this too much then and I don't much like it now.

Well, I really don't like jazz recordings - live jazz I enjoy. Ok, this is a live jazz recording - still don't enjoy listening but I can appreciate its historical significance and it's wonderful that a recording exists. I am also really happy that I listened to only the original track listing and not two hours of this. I'll give it a 3 as I did not enjoy listening to it, but I can get its importance and also the musical skill that resulted in it being here.

This was the fun Elton John I grew up listening to. I really enjoyed the first half of the album but the second half began to drag a bit. It's completely not what I would ever have chosen to listen to in the past, but I think it will go to my 'background music' playlist. For me, not quite a 5 but a strong 4 - a bit too much pathos for me.

In theory, this band should be one of my favourites, but they're not quite there. Maybe if I saw a live show, I'd change my mind. When I'm focusing on the music, I think it's Wayne Coyne's voice that gets to me. I know there's another album in this list and I look forward to listening to it.

1981?! That was incredible and hasn't aged. I'd never knowingly heard any Brian Eno tracks before today and it was great. I'm curious how it is possible that the average for this is below 3.

I never really knew if I like Sonic Youth. I have a hard copy of another album and it just sort of sounds like this one. I have a feeling of emperor's new clothes about their albums - it's the same 'cool' noise.

That wasn't half bad. I had the displeasure of listening to a more recent album by Mr West and just turned it off. This is a good album although it's completely not my thing.

Wow! That was fantastic. I'd only heard greatest hits compilations of Funkadelic before but this album completely took me on a trip away from the grey evening here while I endure another bout of covid. I'll be buying a vinyl copy of the album for myself this week. Magical.

Maybe this was cool and groovy in 1971 - but it isn't now, unlike a lot of other albums on this list from even before that year. It's ok enough to have in the background but I'll be happy never to have to listen to it again.

In an alternate universe where I am a terrorist holed up in Guantanamo Bay, this collection of tunes blasting out would have me confessing to being John Paul II (who I wouldn't actually be in that alternate universe) within seconds. When I started this project, I vowed I'd listen to every album from start to finish. This is number 80-something. I will not listen to it to the end. Maybe some miracle happened before the end? I don't know. They chose those first couple of tracks for the first two on the album and, for me, it was pure torture. Why on earth is this on the list?

This was cool and that when it came out. I made a copy from someone's record. Their voices were, and remain, irritating on this album so 4 out of 5.

Hm. It is a little bit pretentious, especially when you read about the making of it but I have to say I quite like it. Not quite a 5 but a sturdy 4.

Before I started the 1001 journey, I had a couple of songs from this album on a playlist somewhere. It's Run DMC. I'm an ex-teen of the 80s. I like it.

We had this on CD back in the day. I never took time to listen to it properly. It's a good album. I had the displeasure of listening to the Lauryn Hill album on this list. I guess they were trying to recreate the vibe that was on this album and they failed massively in copying a great collection of original and cover songs along with the fillers that work. I'm adding it to my background music playlist and it is good. I think I'm going to give it a 5 as I really don't remember it being this good...

I appreciate the music but it's not my cup of tea. CM's voice is a little too high for me. That's it. A solid 3 and maybe should be a 4 or even a five. If the sound engineers turned up the musicians in the background more, it could have been better for me.

That was fine easy listening. I'm adding it to my background music playlist. A solid 4.

I've owned this album since it came out and saw them on that tour. It was great back then but I don't quite rate it a 5. My side 1 has been overplayed and side 2 not so much. It does get a bit samey after a while although it was really refreshing and that in the early-90s.

That was good. I had a copy of this album on cassette kindly gifted to me by a friend a really long time ago. It's not my normal cup of tea but it was a pleasant listen

This started off good - I'm surprised I'd never heard (of) them before. The album started off with a bang but then deflated to an elongated squeal. One song here and there on a playlist would be ok but a whole album of warbling over, admittedly, good guitar tunes is a bit too much for me. There's a song later in the album where the singer isn't screech-warbling for the first few moments and but give it a bit and we're back there...

I fell asleep. I have no idea why this album is on the list. It wasn't super-irritating so 2 out of 5

Nine years before this album, Masters of Reality released their first album. I'd understand why that album would be on this list but not this one. QotSA are a cool band and have cool songs but a whole album of this music? Meh.

Enjoyable Elvis.

This album is pretty good. I was going to give it 3 stars as I'm sorry to say O.O.'s voice really irritates me but the music is magnificent and not boringly repetitive like the Oz's voice. It's amazing to think that this was released in 1972. It must have been mind-blowing at the time.

I'd never heard knowingly Slipknot. Now I have. Ho-hum. Edgy lyrics, pretty good music. I prefer System of a Down.

That was nice. As most of these albums, not my cup of tea but I'm happy to have heard this album in its entirety. It's interesting how our tastes change with time.

This was a fun album that I'd not heard before and it is a proper fun up-beat guitar band collection of songs. I guess I'll give it a 5 as it was overall a pleasant listen for me.

That was a pleasant listen. It's nowhere as good as the first album but because of its less intrusive nature it goes on my background playlist. A solid 4 out of 5

I'd only heard the Alone Again Or on account of The Damned doing a cover of it in the past and me chasing up the original. A very pleasant album with some nonsense rhymes and some more serious. Added to my playlist.

When this came out, I was in hard rock mode but this album was also cool despite them being baggies or Manchester or whatever. In my opinion, it still remains a great album and stands the test of time.

Deeply unoriginal music which helped a British audience avoid having to buy music made by black American artists. Also features a special appearance by far-right racist Eric Clapton who, once racism had become less popular, claimed he regretted his public racist statements. Maybe later John Mayall is more original, but this sucks.

That was entertaining enough. If heard it again that would be ok, if I didn't; same.

That sounded like I thought it would. It is bad - no. Is it incredible - no. Does it sound like 70s rock with musicians on unknown stimulants going on and on with their musical odysseys - oh yes. Does it sound like Spinal Tap - yes. So a 3 out of 5 for being the genesis of Spinal Tap

I always appreciated the Pet Shop Boys. I think I heard this album in its entirety when it came out. It's pretty good. I'd happily listen to it again. Not quite a 5 but definitely a solid 4.

Ooh. That was a guilty pleasure. I suppose I've all these songs in my lifetime. Yes, it's 70s rock but it's not too pretentious with extended guitar solos and the rest. I've known about this album's existence for decades and some decades back I would have said it's no good because it's not cool. But now, I've got to say it rocks. Sorry, ghosts of cool past, I'm giving it a rockin' 5.

That suited my mood when I listened to it. It was entertaining but a little annoying towards the end.

After listening to this album, I understand that Abba were a singles band, not an album band. 3 1/2 classic Abba hits with some other songs of dubious quality - Dum Dum Diddle wins the prize for the most dubious.

That's really not my type of music but I enjoyed it. I'd be happy if someone put it on in the background, but that person wouldn't be me.

That was a pleasant listen. I'm not enough and expert in North African music to say much more but it was fine.

This.album started off really strong and i was thinking it was going to be an easy 5 for me, but then it got to the more profound, stuff towards the end and I'm not giving it a 5. I totally appreciate PJH, it's just not my cup of tea and that has always been my relationship with her music.

It was fun. I guess it was far out when it came out but nowadays it sounds like early Frank Zappa (and the Mothers) and it is fun.

I liked this. I like Frank Zappa...

It started off promisingly and I thought that it was going to be really good. It was quite good. At least that effing song wasn't here and it's cool to have listened to so many Eagles songs without hearing that one. It's got a groove. 3 or 4? 3, I guess. But a close 4

Wow. That was fun. The Kinks are a band that fly a little under the radar. In this album, I've heard ideas repeated in System of a Down and of course Blur, to name a few. Why weren't they more popular or why did they not stay in the public eye as the Beatles and the Stones did? I guess a solid 4 for being the source of influences for so many more modern bands. EDIT: this is proto-punk -> 5/5

That was really good. It's probably to do with the fact that I was young and cool when it came out and for sure someone put the album on back then. I wasn't a big fan then, but, with time, it has grown on me. 4.5 out of 5, but I'll give it a four.

It's all very nice and that, but I got bored - maybe because I forgot to just listen to the original version and not the collector's remastered bonus bla bla bla...

So that was the first tour I saw Metallica on. We sneaked out of our house and got a train up to London, we missed the last train back to where we needed to go and started walking. A guy picked us up - he was on his way back from Jean Michel Jarre. This was a major transformation for Metallica to more technical (and weird drum sound) music. It rocked then. I haven't heard the album on a really long time, but I still like it - apart from that fxcking song which everyone knows (it was good the first several hundered times)

I guess his first album created great expectations and I imagine at the time, this was well-received, but with hindsight it's not as good as Are You Experienced.

This is the sort of bs they would be able to torture anyone with in one of their secret prisons. He's not a kid and he doesn't rock. Parental advisory is not necessary because any kid in the known universe would cringe and run away from this god-awful fake music.

Pleasant easy listening. I didn't even notice the album had finished and found myself listening to Dionne Warwick. A solid 4 out of 5.

I guess this was an unfinished album. I remember vividly when Blackstar was released and when Bowie died. That song is epic and incredible. This album is great but I'm assuming he needed more time to finish it to his liking. I like it, but it's not quite a 5.

That was fun. On reading about the album, it's cool that someone from the home of the sitar did their thing with anglomusic rather than the other way round. As I write this, I think it's going from a 4 to a 5 - I look forward to owning it on vinyl...

I prefer his first album. It is completely not my 'type' of music. However, it truly is lovely but I'm going to have to give a 4/5 for this one.

That was pleasant enough. That's what my aunt would to listen to in the 70s when she was the age that I am now. I shan't start listening to Carols King but I certainly wouldn't turn it off it was playing.

Yeah. I'll listen to this after the collected works of Rolf Harris, Skrewdriver, Gary Glitter. I appreciate that this guy has talent; Adolf had talent in genocide and we don't celebrate him - unless we're seriously fucking stupid. I suppose I could illegally download it, but that would also appear in some list of popular downloads, so: nope.

That was considerably less annoying than his first album, which I listened to as part of this project. The music is great, but still he hadn't conquered the mumbling!

I started to enjoy 70s+ David Bowie much later in my life - after I'd seen him live on the Sound+Vision tour. This album hacks back to his 60s stuff with the famous songs thrown in too. It gets added to the albums I need on vinyl. 5/5