1001 Albums Summary

The first album to kick off this list. I feel like all my notes throughout this journey are going to be "very chill" or "good jam," so I'll try to write something more haha. This album reminds me of the kind of music I would drive around late at night listening to. I particularly liked the songs "Shelter" and "Night Time."

LOVE me a good harmonica solo

PANAMA!!!! That song makes me want to do a sick jump off a ramp in my car.

Started out thinking it reminds me of Ok Go, ended thinking it reminds me of Cage The Elephant. Fun album.

I don't think I've ever listened to The Rolling Stones before this, but I wasn't too impressed with this album.

I have a lot of respect for bands like The Monks, for experimenting and trying to create a new alternative sound. We wouldn't have many different styles of music today if there weren't pioneers out there trying new stuff. That being said, I did not care for any of this lol.

I thought it was a bit odd that a live album was on this list, but this actually ruled. Great performance.

I once again was not impressed with this Rolling Stones album. Am I missing something? These guys have a magazine named after them.

I enjoyed this so much that when the album was over, I just let Spotify keep playing similar music all day lol

I actually just recently got into Bruce Springsteen, so I listened to this a while ago.

Man, I love the blues, and I'm so glad this album list has had so many bluesy artists.

Listening to this felt like I was missing out on part of the experience. Seems like the kind of thing you had to be there for.

Synth-pop is truly something special.

A classic

I really enjoyed this. Reminded me a lot of Imogen Heap. I went and listened to the rest of their discography as well. I think I might have found a new favorite artist.

So three stars for me means I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either. I started out not caring for this album, but as it went on, it started to grow on me. Gives me Pixies vibes, a band I love. I think I would be a hippopotacrite if I hated on this and then went and listened to "Doolittle."

Dad rock. This is neither a positive nor a negative, just a general purpose statement.

I wondered if there was ever gonna be an album on this list that I knew really well. I listened to the shit out of this when I was in college. Love Curtis Mayfield.

I enjoyed a few songs on this album. Although, while I appreciate their impact on hip hop, Run DMC has never been one of my favorites.

I used to sing in a voice similar to this to annoy my girlfriend. Never realized I was doing a Tom Waits impression. I didn't hate it entirely. Overall, I'm a blues fan, but for some of the songs, his voice was just too much, like someone getting plastered and doing Louis Armstrong karaoke.

Groovy

Guess I like U2

If this was released today, it would 100% be recommended to me by Spotify in the release radar.

Now this is EXACTLY the kind of thing I expect from a "1000 albums to listen to" list

The fact that I knew nearly every song on this album just proves that it's a classic

Punk rock is my favorite genre, and while I'm not Offspring's biggest fan by any measure, this still ruled.

Five stars, don't even have to listen, ELO is just a five star band.

Bluesy easy listening

I must admit, I've never actually listened to Bob Marley, at least not on my own. This was really great, I can understand why he's legendary status.

This was so incredibly boring. I think even when I listened to EDM back in the day, I would not have liked this album.

RIP Ozzy.

I've always been fairly indifferent to Bowie, cherry picking some songs here and there. I was pretty indifferent to this album too.

Caught myself going "hell yeah" multiple times while listening.

I mean starting with a rock and roll cover of Curtis Mayfield is just cheating. This album was funky as hell and tons of fun.

This was mostly on in the background for me, but I got good vibes.

I can't shake the feeling that I maybe should have gotten high before listening to this.

I'm finding more and more that I'm really into this style of rock.

Old school punk

Another one of my favorite albums from my college days. I freaking love RATM.

Yes

So rock and roll. Just like Black Sabbath, it's really funny to me that this is the kind of music people would clutch pearls at back when this came out. Maybe it's the spooky album art.

This album was a rollercoaster, man

I feel like I might like this if I was in a certain mood, but it did not fit the vibe for the day.

Ended up enjoying this more than I expected. I didn't really have high hopes after the intro speech. Oh god, am I an old man?

Ray Charles is one of my favorites, this was an instant 5 for me. He's got some serious pipes, sings like a beautiful bluesy angel. I mean c'mon, his last name is even my first name!

Radical

I had a girlfriend who was really into ABBA and at that time, I couldn't get into it. But I enjoyed this, my music tastes are so different these days.

Another album that I think I would really enjoy if I was in the right mood for it.

Today I learned Minor Threat's "Steppin' Stone" is a cover.

The music is fine but I lost a lot of respect for Blur when I watched them bully Nardwuar during one of his interviews.

The Mars Volta is a band I've been meaning to listen to more of, they have been recommended to me by two different people. I like this style a lot.

"Tainted Love" is my top song on Spotify with over 500 listens. Long story short, a D&D character I played had an item that would play a song that only they could hear on repeat, so I would play it every session for the joke. Now Spotify thinks its my all time favorite. It is a good song though, which is a shame because the rest of the album didn't really do it for me.

Okay, I must admit, I ended up enjoying this album more than I initially thought I would. It's pretty fun.

I understand why a live album can be considered a "must listen," I really do. But even if the performance was legendary, there is still something missing from just listening to the live recording. Actually physically being there for the show is a big part of the experience that no live album will ever capture. Any time one of these comes up, I feel like I am missing out.

Thoroughly enjoyed this.

I started out liking it ,but as the album went on, it kind of went down to just meh for me.

Seems like something that would be good as music to an action or racing scene, maybe. Unfortunately, my commute to work was not nearly eventful enough to warrant such an accompaniment.

The first few saxophone notes of the first song won me over immediately. The world music on this list always hits.

I'm not super into showtunes and this was very showtune-y

Music to enjoy while drinking whiskey alone at a dive bar

I was wondering when we'd get to this one. I've listened to this one more times than I can count already.

I think this album is a good example of how much my music tastes have changed over the years. I think a decade ago I would really dislike this, but nowadays it hit just right for me. Funny.

Man, this was just not any good. This album is just noise, and not even enjoyable noise. Every once and a while, an album appears that is clearly only on the list because it was experimental for its time and maybe influential to it's subgenre. I understand why that is considered a must-listen; this isn't a "1001 BEST albums" list, after all. But holy moly was this album a slog.

I don't care what anyone says, ska music is FUN as hell, I will always enjoy a funky ska album.

I thought, "this reminds me of the Beach Boys." I go to read about the artist and it's one of the Beach Boys. Overall, I thought it was nice enough, though I think it didn't fit the vibe for me today.

I think this is the most neutral I have ever been to one of these albums. Curtis said it perfectly, I sort of felt like I was in a Boy Meets World episode for the entire album. Didn't hate it, but I don't think I'll ever listen to this again.

Speakerboxxx > The Love Below, but both are really great

I like this, I think it would be awesome to see live.

It's Sinatra

I've heard the name of this artist before, but I would've never guessed that this is the kind of music they make. But I enjoyed it! Very chill listen.

Pretty fun

Not for me

I actually thought this would be a live album that I really enjoyed, but once again, I feel like I was missing out while listening.

Went to check how many songs I had left in the album only to find that I was in the middle of the first song again. Decent as background music, but it is all just the same thing.

YOUR BONES GOT A LITTLE MACHINE. Man, I love the Pixies, they are like the exact perfect level of chaotic noisy rock. Not my favorite of theirs, but definitely still a great album in my personal onion.

Again, just decent background music, but otherwise pretty dull.

"Die All Right" was recommended to me a long time ago by Spotify, back when I was still doing my music show with my friend. It was (and still is) in the playlist of songs I was gonna play on the show. This isnt the album that I heard it on though, I first listened to it on Veni Vidi Vicious! That album and this one share some songs, but they are both great in any case!

I liked it mostly but the end of the album sort of devolved into noise and I'm not sure I liked it.

Why do I feel like I've heard every song on this album? I've never listened to Sheryl Crow in my life. Is she just that prevalent that I recognize her voice immediately?

I am a sucker for a good harmonica solo

A prime example of how my music tastes have changed, or rather, how more accepting I am of different music. I think when this album came out, I would have been vehemently against it solely because it was popular (even though the songs are good). Music is so much more enjoyable when you let dumb ideas like that go. I enjoyed this album pretty well, but it also made me realize that I haven't really heard Adele in a long time as well, unless it was one of her older songs.

This is the first "world music" album that didn't really do it for me.

I listened to this last week lol

Hot take but I mostly liked season 4. Besides the obvious complaint of introducing new characters just to kill them off (which they keep doing), the season was interesting and scary and provided an neat backstory for the mindflayer, even if I was disappointed that the interdimensional monster was just a human the whole time. I do still think the first two seasons are the best, but the fourth was better than the third. Maybe it's just because I like the demogorgons and their design so much, we need more of those in the final season. The Hawkins Lab episode with all of them overrunning the facility was the best episode of the show. Oh this album was okay too I guess.

Rock and roll, baby

I have always been fairly neutral towards Beyoncé but I've also never really listened to any of her music voluntarily. I liked it well enough.

Chicago is one of the all-time greats. I must admit, I have never heard THIS album before, but I really enjoyed it. Poem 58 leading into Free Form Guitar was pretty interesting. A part of me really loved Free Form Guitar and another part of me was like "what the hell is going on." But it was awesome all the way through regardless.

Another album where I seem to know all the songs but I don't think I've ever chosen to listen to Alanis Morissette??? Just like Sheryl Crow, I am mostly indifferent to this one as well.

N.E.R.D. was on my radar back when I was in high school. Unfortunately, music was harder for me to get access to, so only ever heard one album by them and it was not this one. I've since forgotten about it honestly, but I liked this one a lot. Glad to have finally gotten to listen to more of them.

Not super into gothic rock, but maybe I would have enjoyed this more if it was up BEFORE Halloween.

Like many other albums, I think I might like this more if I was in the right mood for it.

Very nostalgic

I had a friend a long time ago who LOVED REM and would always tell me to check out their discography. I feel bad that I never did until today, especially since I really enjoyed this one.

I think I have been pretty bored with the Stones albums on this list so far, but I really liked this one!

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHH BOIIIIIIIIIIIIII

I also listened to this one more than once, only because the first time I listened, I got kind of bored halfway through. I decided to give it a second play with a bit more active listening and sadly I just wasn't into it.

Jazz is great

MORE JAZZ

Springsteen has become one of my favorite artists recently and this list has been great at making me listen to more of his music.

I've never listened to Prince on purpose before, and I actually thought I would enjoy this because I like the dance style music of this era. But this album was pretty boring.

This was quite pleasant

Might be fun to dance to but largely forgettable to be honest.

I've always been pretty indifferent to Taylor Swift. This album was pleasant enough, but what shocked me was the fact that I've never heard any of these songs. I feel like Taylor Swift is popular enough that I would hear her everywhere, and yet all of these were new to me. It's got me wondering why this album in particular is on this list.

I started the album and was really digging it but like what the hell was that weird third song that was over ten minutes long lol. Psychedelic.

Now this album has some songs I recognized, but honestly it all sounded like pretty generic pop music to me, to the point where I didn't realize they were Taylor Swift songs. Still pretty indifferent to most of it, though. The only song I didn't like at all was the first song, "Welcome to New York." I caught myself thinking, "ok this song can't be real," lol. It sounds like something you would hear in a Disney channel show. Otherwise, the album was just fine, didn't hate it, didn't love it. I will agree however that "Shake It Off" is a certified BANGER, and I'm happy to listen to that one anytime.

I loved this album when it came out lol. Re-listening to it nowadays feels a bit odd considering how Kanye is now.

Might seem wild to some but I've never listened to the Beatles. I know all the hits but that's about it. But I really loved this album.

Nice beats but I get pretty bored of the electronic music albums on this list. As always, pleasant enough as background noise while I work, but not extraordinary.

Listened to it twice but couldn't get into it

A bit slow, but overall good. Good enough as background music on a chill work day.

Very soulful

My favorite Pixies album

I liked it a lot. I went and listened to more of his discography as well for the whole day.

Pretty fun

Eric Clapton is one of my favorites, so I'm happy to see this album on here. I prefer his more rockin' albums, but this one is good too.

Listened to it on repeat SEVERAL times because I got a bit distracted lol. Kind of preachy but I liked it.

🐐

Leonard Cohen has always been "drinking alone in a smokey bar" kind of music and this is no different. Very niche, but I enjoyed it.

I liked it at first but all the songs started to just sound the same to me.

Kind of bored with this one, KISS is a hit or miss with me. Some of their songs really rock but this album was just meh.

Solid album. "Stand" is forever stuck in my head. Ever since I first heard the song years ago, I sing it whenever I stand after sitting for a long time at my desk lol.

Classic punk, never heard of these guys but I dig it.

Don't usually care for live albums, but everyone in this seemed like they were having a great time and it put me in a good mood.

This is the kind of music I mean when I say that I like some country music. Bluesy and catchy old-school stuff like this is great.

Pretty chill

This artist's name seemed familiar to me, but I didn't recognize any of the songs on this album. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it, it was calming and pleasant.

Alright, GZA is not my favorite of the group, probably not even top 5, but this album was solid.

Elliott Smith is one of my favorite artists (it's always nice when one of those shows up on the list). This isn't my favorite album of his, but I still really love it.

I wonder what my tastes would be like if I didn't grow up with relatives that enjoyed this kind of music.

I didn't know who this artist was, but I had a song of theirs already in my liked songs, which is interesting. I have no idea when I liked that song, but I liked this album a lot so I've added a few more the list.

I won't lie, with a name like The Zombies, I thought this was gonna be a punk album for sure. It turned out to be the exact opposite haha.

So this is one of those really famous albums that I've never actually listened to until this list. I can understand why it is lauded, it was great.

So fun fact: I actually listened to Amy Winehouse's entire discography a few years ago because Lupe Fiasco released a concept album about her. I never really listened to her before that, beyond the hits, but this album is very good and I'm happy to listen to it again.

A rare 2 from Charlie. Maybe it's just the day I'm having, but I didn't enjoy this even a little bit.

Who doesn't love some chill piano music?

I thought I'd like this more than I actually did. Guess I'm not really a Britney fan.

I did not like this one. Maybe I just don't get it, but it sort of feels like a "you had to be there" kind of album, if that makes sense.

I'm enjoying all the Leonard Cohen we get on this list, having never listened before this.

I was thinking, "huh this band name sounds familiar, I wonder if I know any of their songs." Then Take Me Out started playing.

Rock AND roll? Don't mind if I do.

I really liked the other Kinks albums we've heard, but this one seemed to just drag on.

Pretty fun

Pleasant

Didn't know I was a Pearl Jam fan, but I've heard a lot of these before. Pretty good!

I kinda liked it, pretty bluesy

Normally I would rate these kinds of "melodic beats" albums a 3, but this one was actually pretty interesting to me. It felt different from the other ones I've heard on the list, I really enjoyed it.

I've been meaning to listen to Sonic Youth some more. I really liked this one.

Jeff Beck is one of the greatest.

I only know one other Megadeth album, and I liked that one better than this one. Still solid though.

I dig the hair, but not the music.

I've never listened to U2 on purpose and yet I knew most of these songs. It was just alright.

Classic

Great example of don't judge an album by its cover. I did not think I would enjoy this as much as I did, but it was fantastic.

Grateful for this list for introducing me to Bob Dylan, but this album was the weakest of the ones we've heard so far. Still liked it a good bit.

Everyone needs a healthy amount of funk in their life

Sittin' on the porch music. Yeehaw.

I am a notorious Killers hater, or rather, un-enjoyer. The first time I gave them a try many many years ago, it was this album and I didn't think it was that special, with one or two songs as an exception. Sadly, this time around wasn't any different, I was mostly bored. Also Mr. Brightside has been so overplayed that I've grown to actively dislike it, which is a bummer since objectively not a bad tune. I'm so weird about music idk man.

Enjoyed some song, disliked others. The definition of a solid 3.

Perhaps it was the influence of older sisters, but I've always enjoyed Nsync and Justin Timberlake since I was a kid.

I don't know man, I got like halfway through it and was already over it. Just not for me, I guess

Meh, I've explained my position these kinds of albums plenty of time, I don't need to do it again. But what intrigued me was seeing they had live albums. I wonder how that works.

Live albums will almost always be a 'meh' for me.

This is the first time I think I would add half points to a rating. I know Radiohead is a big deal and I think I like this, it's chill, but also I don't like it? So 3.5, for the first time ever, because I am torn.

I learned today that "Son Of A Preacher Man" was not originally Aretha Franklin's song, this artist is actually the first recording of it. But according to the Wikipedia article, it actually was written with the intention of having Aretha record it, and it was given to Dusty Springfield to record instead. While I am a big Aretha Franklin fan and prefer her version, I really liked this version as well, and also this whole album! I've heard of Dusty Springfield before, but this was my first time checking out her music.

Sometimes this list throws real duds at you... But then they throw in Miles Davis, who is in a complete other league. Funny how it works.

Ray Charles my GOAT

I'm a blues enjoyer, what can I say. Muddy Waters is iconic.

MY QUEEN

I'm guessing this was experimental and "revolutionary" at the time. Doesn't make it good though.

Excited to see this on the list. This is my favorite album of his.

I imagine this is a very divisive album, but I like it, its edgy and fun.

Love the Cardigans

A staple hip hop album that everyone who has any interest in the genre should listen to

The rock and roll was nice, but the vocals were a bit unpolished in my personal onion.

Always fun hearing the classic songs that became memes.

Relaxing

It's rad

In 2022, I made it a goal to listen to a lot of new artists and styles of music, in hopes to broaden my musical horizons. Randy Newman was a curveball in that year, because I really only knew his music from Pixar movies. I stumbled upon his album "Sail Away" and really enjoyed the hell out of it. It was bluesy and clever and it got me interested in listening to the rest of his music. This album was among the list and its nice to revisit it. I genuinely think he is underrated and that more of his discography should be listened to, if you enjoyed this album.