206
Albums Rated
3.34
Average Rating
19%
Complete
883 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2000
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
25
5-Star Albums
12
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
|
5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
|
American Pie
Don McLean
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
|
5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
|
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
|
5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
|
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
|
5 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
|
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
|
5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
|
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
|
5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
|
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Stardust
Willie Nelson
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
|
1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
|
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
|
1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
|
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
|
1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
|
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
|
1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
|
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
|
1 | 2.82 | -1.82 |
|
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
|
2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
|
Station To Station
David Bowie
|
2 | 3.69 | -1.69 |
|
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
|
2 | 3.64 | -1.64 |
|
Scott 2
Scott Walker
|
1 | 2.63 | -1.63 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 3 | 4.33 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.33 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Bruce Springsteen | 2, 1, 4 |
| Prince | 3, 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (25)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Tom Tom Club · 1 likes
3/5
An interesting concept but I don’t think it was executed as well as it could be. The good, the bass work of Tina is amazing really groovy, on some of the songs the vocals are quite entrancing and some genuinely very good very influential songs. Now the bad, a lot of the songs are very much products of the time, they sound of the 80s and not in the good way, I did find myself having to skips song because of it. I also found some of the songs went for too long with no development of musical ideas so I found they started quite good but became a bit boring
Derek & The Dominos · 1 likes
4/5
Interesting album, both lore and music wise. Written by Clapton to profess his wife to Pattie Boyd who was then George Harrison’s wife, and as you would expect she said no and Clapton got so depressed he stopped performing music for like 5 years which Is objectively very funny.
The music aspect of this album is very good, it is musically very fun to listen to but I did find the majority of blues numbers to be very similar and I could predict the chord changes that was going to happen, which at times did take away some of the enjoyment. A good album but could’ve been much better if it was shorter and a bit more varied
Marvin Gaye · 1 likes
4/5
Really good album with one of the best songs of all time, I did find at times it could drag on a bit, but still a great album
Joy Division · 1 likes
4/5
Such an easy album to listen to, and the first that I could listen to on vinyl instead of streaming. One of the best debut albums of all time and really set the tone of the dark post punk sound, production is great and this album has a great atmosphere especially when you feel dark and broody, not a 5 to me because I don’t listen to it regularly enough but I have no qualms about people who think this is a top tier album
Led Zeppelin · 1 likes
5/5
My First Zeppelin on the list and I freaking love this record, such a jump from the first. Better production, actually self written songs (ignore the plagiarism accusations “cough cough”), and some of the best riffs in rock history. Have this on vinyl and one I listen to very frequently. Only downside is that in heartbreaker the solo is very weird before the other instruments jump back in, but that’s part of an already great song and can be forgiven. Best deep cut from the album imo is lemon song (one of the best bass riffs every set to tape)
1-Star Albums (12)
All Ratings
Killing Joke
4/5
What happens when you mix joy division with RATM’s attitude, and I’m all here for it
Pere Ubu
3/5
Some good points throughout the album however you have songs like laughing which I’m hoping they put in to make me laugh that kinda drag down the experience
Deep Purple
4/5
In the car going fast vibes, very enjoyable
The Clash
3/5
Classic punk which you’d really enjoy if you were super into it, not much deviation from the formula so imo a bit generic but can’t lie I was bopping my head a bit. Good for my clash lore but they did much better later
The Strokes
5/5
Very enjoyable album, a new favourite, does not feel out of place in this day and can hear how a lot of modern indie rock artists are influenced by this album. Definitely one I’ll be revisiting quite often.
Brian Wilson
2/5
I like the idea of returning to an unfinished project, and the music by no means is bad and I didn’t mind listening at times, I think the bigger question is was this needed? To me it’s trying so hard to be another pet sounds and because of that it can sound dated especially with all the musical moments that are call backs to it. If I wanted pet sounds I’ll listen to it. I can tell this is especially for the really big beach boys/Brian Wilson fans but probably not for me
Eminem
4/5
Why can’t shady just go back to this!!! All jokes aside a great album, great flows and Dre’s production is awesome. Only thing that holds this album back for me is that some bars are definitely products of the time and in a way stop it being as timeless as other rap albums
David Bowie
2/5
Boring is the biggest criticism I can throw at this album, I can listen to it but it’s just background music honestly. Bowie has many more better albums than this and this is the first album where I’ve thought should it honestly be on this list
Joy Division
4/5
Such an easy album to listen to, and the first that I could listen to on vinyl instead of streaming. One of the best debut albums of all time and really set the tone of the dark post punk sound, production is great and this album has a great atmosphere especially when you feel dark and broody, not a 5 to me because I don’t listen to it regularly enough but I have no qualms about people who think this is a top tier album
Marvin Gaye
3/5
It’s Marvin Gaye so it’s going to sound great. In saying that I don’t think it’s as ground breaking as his other big albums, it feels very samesy throughout and knowing the backstory feels like should I be listening to it
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Good flow and the production is very nice, good for my rap lore, but don’t feel the need to go right back to it like some other records
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
The hits are undeniable, in saying that some of the deep cuts on the album are quite a chore to get through and really break up the enjoyment of the album and make it hard to listen to as a whole project and had to use the weekend to listen to it. Again the hits are what save this album from being rated lower, I might come back to this later in life and enjoy it more but right now not so much
T. Rex
4/5
Really enjoyed listening to this, held back by some production and musical choices that date the album but in other instances those choices really enhance and make some songs timeless. Some quite good deep cuts on this album that make this an overall fun listen and didn’t feel the need to skip songs
American Music Club
2/5
Started off interesting then it kinda became generic, probably won’t revisit anytime soon
The Police
3/5
Quite an interesting record, obviously has some big hits on it, and there is no denying that the trio are incredible musicians, but to me I don’t get as much enjoyment out of it as other bands of the period.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Strange but super interesting to listen to, after hearing about this band and a certain album that was made I thought all of it would be unlistenable, however this was actually quite fun
Bob Dylan
5/5
Quite a few songs on this that I come back too regularly, Twist of fate is one of my favourite dylan songs, another record I get the chance to listen to on vinyl, looking at the backstory and realising this was heavily inspired by the breakdown of his marriage makes this quite an emotional masterpiece.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
I guess I’m not a Bruce Springsteen fan, it’s just a boring album to me, nothing much going on second half of the album I just started skipping songs hoping something would pique my interest. Nothing did unfortunately
3/5
Not a bad album, interesting to listen to and see how this is very much the progenitor of punk, quite ballsy to have your debut album be a live album which definitely helps with the raw aesthetic they were obviously going for
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Pretty easy to listen to, but didn’t really blow me away
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Not really memorable in my opinion, song writing not as captivating as blue, maybe a little insulting to say but kinda feels like background music
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Didn’t realise this was the album that had under my thumb on it, definitely the highlight of the album. The rest wasn’t too bad nothing to right home about, still a fun listening experience
Sex Pistols
3/5
One of the OG punk albums and it’s quite good, has 2 of the most quintessential punk songs of all time with anarchy and good save the queen, the other songs are also very fun, production definitely suits the songs making this a very fun listening experience.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Very funky soulful record, no real standouts however but quite nice to listen to
Guided By Voices
3/5
Some skips, but overall a fun sounding album with some really good songs on it
Ray Charles
5/5
Amazing vocals from the man himself, starts off more uptempo and slows down as the album progresses but that doesn’t diminish it at all, it’s a very satisfying listening experience
Little Richard
3/5
Very good album, little Richard has an amazing voice, what holds this album back though is how similar a lot of the records sound to each other, some have the same opening piano riffs and most have a very similar musical formula
ZZ Top
3/5
Very solid rock album, good riffs, but probably won’t be returning too soon
Goldie
1/5
I swear to god this is trolling, it’s the same drum track looped over whimsical tunes that would not be out of place in a nature doco, this would fit perfectly as hold music for a big corporation. I skipped basically all the tracks and couldn’t finish it
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Lyrics didn’t understand, music was Latin with some bite, quite enjoyable
Green Day
4/5
Very well produced album and highly political considering where the USA was at that time, an album more known for the hits I do go back to it every now again but Jesus of suburbia I need to be in a mood to listen through all of it and the album feels a bit long
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Let’s get the good stuff outta the way, the hits are some of the greatest rock songs ever written and axl has one of the greatest voices in rock and slash is one of the greats. However besides that this album is 80’s power rock, better than bon jovi but the album cuts other than filler were impediments to hearing the great songs that are worth listening to.
Paul Simon
5/5
Really lovely album, great songwriting and was fun to listen to while chilling in bed, had a great song I’ve heard but didn’t know it was this album
Dolly Parton
5/5
Lovely album, dolly does not get enough credit as a singer/songwriter, this album doesn’t overstay its welcome fun to listen and chill out to
Black Sabbath
5/5
Rip to a legend, what can I say that hasn’t already been said about this album, easiest 5 I’ve given so far and another I can listen to on vinyl, some of the greatest songs written and has one of the best sabbath deep cuts with planet caravan which you would not expect on a metal album. Awesome riffs and great production, just gets me so pumped listening to this album
Jack White
4/5
Really good rock album and fun to listen to
Willie Nelson
1/5
This is a weird one for me, I like Willie Nelson generally, I like his songwriting and his voice, but this album just didn’t do it for me, I think maybe knowing they aren’t his songs kinda brought it down a bit, but one I don’t feel like I’ll be revisiting
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Really nice funky album, quite fun to listen to
Tim Buckley
3/5
Really good voice and quite a good songwriter, one song I listen to quite regularly but the others I probably won’t return to that often
OutKast
5/5
Really good album, Andre and bigboi are 2 of the best to do it, flows that are still really fresh and some of the biggest songs in rap are from this album
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Really good album with one of the best songs of all time, I did find at times it could drag on a bit, but still a great album
Fela Kuti
2/5
Tried listening, not my thing
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Very good jazz album, would’ve been perfect if it was organised as in the songs leading into each other matched the same energy but it did feel disjointed in some places
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Not the biggest fan, a bit too long of an album
Taylor Swift
2/5
Not a swiftie, better girl boss albums exist, if you enjoy good for you I guess
Barry Adamson
1/5
No, just no. All over the place with not much cohesion. Couldn’t finish it
Beatles
3/5
I love the Beatles, they’re one of my favourite bands, and I understand the importance of this album being all songs they wrote themselves, in saying that I don’t think it’s that strong of an album, the highs are good with hard days and can’t buy me love, but the other cuts unlike other albums are not that great
Sister Sledge
4/5
Quite a fun funky album, interestingly the title track is the weakest of the album.
John Lennon
3/5
Honestly it’s ok, a couple songs I really like such as hold on but overall not as good as imagine in my opinion and a step down in the songwriting shown in the Beatles, unfortunately I think this was the case of get all the material out that I couldn’t use for the Beatles. It’s not a bad album just underwhelming
Marvin Gaye
5/5
What an album, the perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, a very cohesive and well put together album that is super easy to listen to and super chill and doesn’t overstay its welcome, the vocal performances are amazing and the groves are super awesome.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Not a bad Dylan album, quite easy to listen to, doesn’t have the same emotional appeals as some of his other records
The Flaming Lips
2/5
Tried listening to it and I’m generally a fan of this type of music but this album just wasn’t doing it for me
The Temptations
3/5
Not a bad album but weirdly produced in some areas, had some songs I enjoyed but overall ok
Rush
4/5
Quite a good album, I liked the 20 minute prog epic more than the more radio friendly side. Good to see Rush showing what they’re capable of
The Slits
3/5
It’s an ok album not as good as some of the other punk albums of the time, under produced and a very raw sound which I guess is what they were going for, but could’ve been done better imo
Kanye West
4/5
A lot of mixed feelings because ye is now a Nazi, and I’m usually a fan of death of the artist but it’s hard when the person is alive and still doing what they’re doing. In saying that, objectively this is a very good album, very well produced with great features and songs, the main thing that drags it down are the skits which I’m not the biggest fan of on rap albums
Billy Joel
4/5
Fun album, quite a few hits, some songs were a bit boring
Jurassic 5
5/5
What a pleasant surprise, a really fun listening experience, great production and great flows, the members interplaying with each other is great. Definitely a new favourite
Spiritualized
3/5
Interesting album, I like the mix of genres and what they were trying to achieve however I found the album dragged in some areas, the long songs were a bit tedious to get through. If they tightened the track listing I think it would’ve been a higher rated album for me
Dead Kennedys
3/5
A more refined never mind the bollocks, again I do like this album but I think there are too many songs where some start to feel the same
The Electric Prunes
4/5
Really quite an unexpected listening experience in a good way, quite fun and some really great tunes, the main thing holding it back is that it can sound quite dated at times, but overall really good
Joni Mitchell
4/5
A really good album that I can see many people giving a 5, for me some songs are a bit flat but overall a good listening experience
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Look it’s a good live album, but in saying that is it really worthy to be on this list, I don’t think so, unlike an earlier album I reviewed where the debut was a live performance, this is not that, and honestly should’ve been parked to allow other albums where people debuted original songs
Bob Dylan
5/5
Such a great album, funny how in its time it garnered controversy from the folk crowd for being electric, but in doing so Dylan created the first great folk rock album (the byrds are not better than Dylan fight me), great writing and music, best song on the album imo is ballad of a thin man
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
Surprisingly good album to listen to, quite fun and very poignant. One I will revisit but not all that often
Bauhaus
3/5
Quite an interesting album, the production is really good, very strong post punk feel
Tito Puente
2/5
Tried listening, wasn’t for me, it didn’t sound bad or anything but didn’t really capture me like other albums have
Minutemen
3/5
A very interesting experience listening to this album, firstly didn’t realise this is where jackass got their theme song, secondly I thought I was going to hate this album when it started but it got more fun, but I feel that is the biggest downside of the album, there are more than enough really good song to have a short really strong album, but this album had so many moments of songs that I wanted to skip
The Police
2/5
Honestly I think there is one memorable song on the record and the rest are forgettable, after listening to a couple of their albums I do not get the hype behind the police
Coldplay
4/5
I went into this not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised, good songs, well written, highlight is the scientist. Did feel some songs sounded the same
Prince
3/5
I feel this album is a bit pretentious, it’s way longer than it needs to be, the songs finish and then seem to fade out for 4 minutes, musically it’s great it’s prince what do you expect, but I feel like he tried to hard with this album
The Blue Nile
3/5
Pretty good album, thought I was going to be walking into something pretty meh with that first song (in all honesty the instrumentation on a walk across… actually spiked my anxiety levels which is hard for a song to do), but then after that the album mellowed out and was quite fun to listen to, I did find myself thinking this does sound eerily familiar to another singer and then looking at the reviews some said David Byrne and I agree and at times the songs can sound a bit too similar to talking heads.
Kate Bush
3/5
Pretty good pop album, again some songs were a bit hit or miss for me
David Bowie
3/5
Look, a very good side 1, side 2 with those instrumentals was so uninteresting to me, I ended up skipping to the secret life of Arabia to finish it off. Again side 1 saves this album from being rated any worse
Sade
4/5
A very good album that I will return to later, the first side I thought was a perfect recipe on how to write pop, the second half while still good I found did drag in some areas,
Yes
4/5
Right off the bat, if you don’t like prog you will not like this album.
Now that’s out of the way, I thoroughly enjoy this album, the excessiveness that people don’t like about prog I really like because people who are skilled musicians can show us how skilled they are and this album has this in buckets, fun grooves provided by squire and bruford and great guitar work by howe. The one thing stopping this album being a top contender is that some of the longer songs with multiple sections I found were a bit abrupt changing into them and not as smooth as they could be
Pulp
4/5
A really very good album, I loved the mixture of indie, theatrics and a lead singer who sounds similar to Bowie. The one major downside of this album and maybe because it’s Spotify is that stupid final song which is 14minutes but more than half is an outro, aside from that a great listening experience
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Tried listening, wasn’t for me
Prince
2/5
Was prince a good musician, yes he was. Just see some of his guitar performances. In saying that this album is so stuck in the 80’s I was expecting an appearance from Reagan. The synths and drum machines date this album so much and not in the fun way and it’s such a chore to listen to. There was a sporadic good song here and there but it’s surrounded by so much filler, the fact that this is album goes for an hour is so baffling and no one had the grace to tell prince that he should maybe cut some of the weaker tracks, then I see this is also his other most appreciated album which also perplexes me.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Very solid pop album, a couple very famous very catchy songs, didn’t overstay its welcome and drag on, some songs are ones I won’t actively seek out but if I run into them I won’t be mad.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
My First Zeppelin on the list and I freaking love this record, such a jump from the first. Better production, actually self written songs (ignore the plagiarism accusations “cough cough”), and some of the best riffs in rock history. Have this on vinyl and one I listen to very frequently. Only downside is that in heartbreaker the solo is very weird before the other instruments jump back in, but that’s part of an already great song and can be forgiven. Best deep cut from the album imo is lemon song (one of the best bass riffs every set to tape)
The Replacements
3/5
Solid post punk album, some songs were good, others were ok, not essential imo to get a feel for the genre as a whole
Joe Ely
2/5
Just a regular country album, don’t know why it’s so revered, if you’re really into country you’ll like this album
Roxy Music
4/5
Very interesting album, I liked a lot of the songs, did start off slow and I thought it was going to be a mid album but found myself enjoying it quite a bit
Pixies
4/5
This was a really good album, I was familiar with the hits but never took the time to listen to it fully, vocals are really captivating and musically really interesting, I did find the second half of the album was a bit of a challenge to go through, but that could just be me. No qualms of anyone giving this a 5 but for me listening to it it’s a very high 4
The White Stripes
3/5
A perfectly ok album, some classic songs but others were just ok, not a chore to get through and didn’t find myself constantly skipping songs, but won’t actively go seeking out this album
Yes
2/5
I was duped, I thought this was a continuation of the yes album, oh how wrong I was, besides roundabout this album was a real challenge to get through, not much to write home about, the only other positive I can really give is that they’re great musicians
Stan Getz
4/5
Really quite a fun listening experience, quite solid throughout but the second half was a bit slower then the first
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Fun album coming from the swamp rockers of San Francisco, easy to listen to and some very famous songs, however it is held back by some songs that sound exactly like another on the same album
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Very easy and fun album to listen to, best way to describe is a vibe, definitely more accessible then the banana album (not saying that’s bad, just that this is a very easy way to get into the velvet underground) a few songs as well that are some of my favourite from the group too, maybe not as iconic but should not be slept on
Sonic Youth
3/5
A very interesting album, musically quite complex, I can see why it’s rated so highly, for me however I found it quite a challenging listen, I wouldn’t put this on to relax to, I’d need to be in a certain mood to listen. Also, this album is quite long, that wouldn’t be a challenge for some albums but for this one I did find myself having to take breaks listening to it to come back to it, there were quite a few songs that could’ve either been cut or shortened
Aretha Franklin
3/5
I feel very conflicted with this album, Aretha has arguably the greatest voice in the business and here it definitely shines, however I found a lot of the songs sounding the same, also a lot of the songs are covers which for me always drags down the legacy of an album. I’m not saying covers can’t be better than the original, but I find a whole or majority of songs on an album to be covers in a way making it easier for a recording artist vs originals or almost all originals which in my opinion makes them not as great
Hookworms
3/5
A bit of a weird one, I think this album is quite good, sounds nice has some good songs but also some skippable stuff. I do however echo a lot of the other people as I had no idea this band existed and do question the inclusion of them on this list, I feel this list is for bands who have pushed the art of music forward, and I’m not saying modern artists shouldn’t be on this list but more so I feel this band is just another group that made good music in a genre but didn’t adapt or progress it forward
Hot Chip
3/5
Interesting album, liked the mixture of electronic and instruments, some quite good songs some songs were a bit boring. I liked the idea they were going for though
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
As someone already said on the reviews, this is not a throw on casual album, you need to be in the mood and willing to spend some time dissecting this experience and that will not be for everyone. With that out of the way, I was caught in that lucky mood over the weekend and what an album, super complex, amazing rapping skills from Kendrick and crew, and the content of the songs is super deep. Definitely one of the greatest rap albums ever created, but the one downside is that unlike other great rap albums which you can throw on at anytime, this is not one of them imo.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Look I really like Johnny Cash, I think he’s one of the most underrated song writers, and there is a very famous cover of hurt on this album, but in saying that there are only 2 originals and one of them was originally recorded 50 years previous to this album. My usual feelings are that albums featuring mainly covers are not as groundbreaking as majority original material. I do like most of the renditions though to be fair.
The La's
3/5
Perfectly ok album, some good songs and some ok songs, won’t actively seek it out
Syd Barrett
3/5
Interesting album, would’ve been interesting to see the direction of pink Floyd if he stayed with them. Very psychedelic, a bit over the place which makes sense considering Sid’s mental state during this time.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
This album is such a vibe, it’s like the Beatles and pet sounds had a baby and this is the result, almost pure perfection and I could listen to it almost anywhere, the one downside that is keeping me from giving it the perfect score is the last song, imo it doesn’t fit into the album, but besides that a great album
AC/DC
2/5
Have to be honest and it pains me as an Aussie, imo its got one good song on it with highway to hell and that’s about it, Bon Scott is also a great vocalist, very generic sounding otherwise, high voltage I think is a much better album with better songs and a more consistent sound
Cocteau Twins
5/5
A really pleasant surprise, I can see where a lot of the distortion that made shoegaze a thing in this album but I like this a lot more, a total vibe that I can throw on any times, a lot of people complaining about the lyrics being indecipherable are a bit overblown but if you consider lyrics an instrument then to me they add to the overall product. A great overall atmosphere with every song deserving a spot on the album. Definitely a new regular of mine with a lot of songs going onto my playlists
Jungle Brothers
5/5
Had no idea this group existed which sucks cause they are awesome, really smooth catchy bars, great beats and great interplay between the members, such a cohesive album too, accidentally on first listen clicked on a song later on in the track list and I was super confused why I was so far down. Definitely one I’ll be playing more often
Raekwon
4/5
Basically a wutang album primarily featuring the chef, great production and sampling from RZA and great features from the other wutang members. I don’t mind an album being long but if it is I have less patience for filler and I did find some songs were either too long with the intros or outros.
1/5
Look I knew what I signed up for when I started 1001 albums, I was going to get weird stuff, and I wanted to widen my musical palette. That being said, this is a no for me, this is not fun to listen to in any capacity. This is what people refer to when they jazz is pretentious and then they make fun of you for ‘not getting it’. I’m sorry no, there are better jazz albums on this list that don’t and I’m quoting family guy insist upon itself.
The Doors
3/5
It was ok, when people say they don’t get the point behind the Beatles I scoff and go how can you think that, but I kinda feel that way about the doors, I don’t get the significance behind them
Radiohead
4/5
A very very very good album. Although it’s a bit maligned now because it’s one of the go to answer when discussing great albums, I can see why people have it in the discussion. It’s not a perfect score from me however because fitter happier is not a good song and should’ve been left on the track list. Everything else about it is great
The Rolling Stones
3/5
The age old question, are you a stones or Beatles fan and I’m firmly in the latter. This album does have some classics on it with some other good songs but besides that the rest is perfectly average
Laura Nyro
3/5
Interesting album, Laura Nyro has some very good vocals and her ability to quickly change in a song is very impressive, in saying that this album didn’t catch me as I was hoping it would
Tom Tom Club
3/5
An interesting concept but I don’t think it was executed as well as it could be. The good, the bass work of Tina is amazing really groovy, on some of the songs the vocals are quite entrancing and some genuinely very good very influential songs. Now the bad, a lot of the songs are very much products of the time, they sound of the 80s and not in the good way, I did find myself having to skips song because of it. I also found some of the songs went for too long with no development of musical ideas so I found they started quite good but became a bit boring
Public Enemy
3/5
Coming during a time where the ability of rapping was improving and songs were reflecting the life of crime especially seen in groups such as NWA, this album sits an interesting space, very politically charged but reflecting the rap style of the 80s with it being very much on beat and the emphasis of the rhyme being the last word. The sampling is very fun and suits the songs. The main downside is as I already mentioned that it’s very stuck in its time, you can tell that this is an 80s group while if you look at someone like Rakim or ice cube their flows sound very fresh and don’t feel out of place in modern rap. Still fun to listen to and great to see where rap came from, but definitely not as timeless as other artists
Parliament
4/5
What a funktastic experience, a very accessible album for anyone trying to get into the genre, I did enjoy it quite a lot but the age old of problem of songs overstaying their welcome by being a little too long at times when the main song development was over, still a very good album
The Stooges
3/5
Very fundamental to the sound that would become punk rock, very concise and doesn’t overstay its welcome too much except for the last song which did not need to be as long as it was whilst being a punk song. Some riffs also were quite heavy and I can see how it may influenced some of the metal riffs after this. Solid album but not one where I would seek out to listen again
Scritti Politti
2/5
Pretty bland 80s pop, I think many artists did it better like wham/George Michael or Madonna. Not much to talk about imo
Black Flag
3/5
Pretty solid punk album, doesn’t blow me away but didn’t overstay its welcome, again another good album for the lore but not one I’ll actively seek out
Arcade Fire
4/5
Dark brooding feeling, good production, very fun to listen to
Radiohead
4/5
Very solid album, I think as a unit it is more consistent then ok computer but the highs of ok computer outshine this album, not to take anything away from this album as it was a very fin listening experience
U2
3/5
Some good songs but honestly besides the messaging kind of a generic rock album
R.E.M.
4/5
Very good album with some of their most recognisable songs, good vibes listening to it. One I’ll come back to every now and again
The Prodigy
4/5
A quintessential edm album with some very famous songs of the genre. Found myself bopping away whilst listening.
Otis Redding
4/5
A really great performance and great vocals, unfortunately many of the songs are covers which does bring the album down in my opinion and the cover of satisfaction was a weird choice and I don’t think it suits the genre all that well. That being said still a very fun listen
Pulp
3/5
Second album of theirs I’ve listened to on the list, there are a couple songs here that I really like such as I Spy and underwear, and if more of the songs were like that I would like this album more. Overall I think this album drags a bit in places, the performances are good but at times it was a struggle to get through and truly enjoy the music.
The Doors
3/5
Some good songs that I think should be given more airtime compared to other doors songs, but again really started to drag on the second half of the album. Also riders of the storm does not need to be as long as it does
Cornershop
3/5
The major downside of this album was that it was too long, I think to be over 45minutes you need to have a flawless album with no fat, if they had a tight album I would rate this much higher as some of the instrumentals fell a bit flat for me. In saying that the combination of indie with hindi was a really inspired choice. Brimful of Asha is a song that most people know but they do have some other bangers on this album. I will definitely becoming back for certain tracks
Hole
3/5
Solid but nothing really blew me away about it
Prince
5/5
Ok this was the prince I was promised, an immaculate songwriter with a keen sense of musicianship. This album is immaculate in its production and song selection being a tight 40 minutes and every song fits the theme and does not feel out of place with a perfect song to close out the album. No dragging at all in the album and not a challenge to listen to at all.
Tears For Fears
4/5
Very good pop album, some absolute classics. Although it does happen on some songs the synth work is really lovely and adds to songs without (mostly) making this album sound that it’s from the 80s. Not perfect because sometimes on some songs it does sound dated but overall a very good album
Aerosmith
3/5
Standard rock album, Steve Tyler has a good voice, some good songs some ok songs
JAY Z
4/5
Great samples and great rapping, have not heard this album in full and was pleasantly surprised, I feel again the biggest downside is the length of this album
Julian Cope
3/5
An ok album, too long with some good songs dotted between some ok ones
Van Morrison
5/5
What an album, great listening experience all the way through, another perfect length that doesn’t overstay its welcome, songs were really catchy and I wanted to keep listening to them. A new favourite that will be played quite often
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Jazz is not on my regular listens, but this album was great. Short and too the point but still very musical and really fun. A great showcase of a musicians skills.
Eurythmics
2/5
Besides one very good song, the rest is pretty meh, I thought the songs would be more in line with that or a bit more uptempo but not really
Janis Joplin
3/5
Her performance is great and makes for a great listening experience, Janis unfortunately lost to the 27 club we were robbed of what she could’ve gone on to further deliver, this album also has one of the greatest covers of all time. In saying that this album is hurt by being mostly covers which imo as always hurts its legacy
Miles Davis
3/5
Very nice jazz album, easy to listen to and very skillful musicians
The xx
4/5
A very Indy sounding album and if you don’t like Indy this will not change your mind. I do like Indy and found myself really enjoying this album. Both the music and vocals I found entrancing and found myself really enjoying quite a few songs
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
A very Indy sounding album and if you don’t like Indy this will not change your mind. I do like Indy and found myself really enjoying this album. Both the music and vocals I found entrancing and found myself really enjoying quite a few songs
The Louvin Brothers
1/5
Not for me, songs not written by the artists, pretty meh to be honest and couldn’t finish it
ZZ Top
4/5
Classic dad rock album, great riffs, great energy, fun album to listen to and got me pumped on my way to work
De La Soul
5/5
One of my favourite rap albums and some of my favourite songs it just puts me in such a good mood, the sampling is some of the greatest in rap history and honestly one of the few rap albums where I actually kinda enjoy the skits. One of the albums I recommend to people who think rap is only about promoting crime and to get people into it and appreciate it as an art form
Beck
3/5
Not a bad album, some pretty good songs, but a bunch of others that were nothing to write home about
Air
2/5
I was ready to give this song a 1 all the way up until the song remember, and all the songs following are actually really good and really enjoyable up until new star in the sky with really entrancing music and lovely vibes, but then the vocals come on and ruin the atmosphere it was creating. An album with great potential continually cut down with some not very good production and artistic choices
New Order
4/5
Great album, lovely sound, great vocals, found it did drag towards the end but had fun listening
Various Artists
3/5
It’s famous artist of the time doing standard Christmas covers. The singers are great, and it makes some of the numbers better then what we normally hear but you can only really listen at a certain time of year.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Very easy and listenable album, the quintessential singer/songwriter.
Iggy Pop
4/5
Very good album, 2 very famous songs I knew about. Very good song writing through out, rare for me I preferred the second side to the first
Tom Waits
1/5
Not a fan, the musical choices and the way he uses his voice really put me off the album, some of the ways he sung made me laugh. One I will probably be ok not having to hear again, the last 2 songs were actually interesting but the chore of having to go through such a chaotic album were not worth it.
White Denim
4/5
Some very interesting concepts on this album, and some very solid songs, one I’ll be revisiting a bit I feel
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Very interesting sounding record, reminds me a lot of radio head especially the vocals. But to me it’s not as groundbreaking and the first track is a total write off that I had to skip, but not bad otherwise
CHIC
3/5
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
Interesting album, both lore and music wise. Written by Clapton to profess his wife to Pattie Boyd who was then George Harrison’s wife, and as you would expect she said no and Clapton got so depressed he stopped performing music for like 5 years which Is objectively very funny.
The music aspect of this album is very good, it is musically very fun to listen to but I did find the majority of blues numbers to be very similar and I could predict the chord changes that was going to happen, which at times did take away some of the enjoyment. A good album but could’ve been much better if it was shorter and a bit more varied
Donald Fagen
3/5
Solid album, not remarkable but not offensive to listen to
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
I actually really like this album, though it’s not perfect. People might question the relevance of this album but the sounds developed here went on to consolidate the sound of shoegaze so undoubtedly quite an important album
Elliott Smith
4/5
What a great album, starts off a bit slow but really gets into a groove, 2 great songs on this album surrounded by some very solid bits of song writing. The quintessential singer/songwriter record
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Same thing as usual, cover songs do not rank as highly in my books. However as usual Aretha’s voice is great
The Kinks
4/5
Solid album, very good song in picture book. Can see why the kinks were one of the groups in the British Invasion.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Classic in the rap industry, and I can see why. To many this is a perfect album but it’s not to me, the flows and sample choice are all top notch and has absolute classic songs. However, this album could’ve been a lot tighter and some songs fill a bit of a filler role. While this album doesn’t have many skits they are so cringe that it takes away a lot of enjoyment. The next thing is the content of the songs, Biggie was really trying to promote a mafia boss figure and in that a lot of the lyrics have aged very poorly whether that be the misogyny or the crime boss lyrics which boil down to cross me and you’ll be sorry. Still a great album but held back by some interesting artistic choices
Depeche Mode
3/5
Pretty good album, like the first half a lot more than the second. Reading that this was the first where they started going a bit dark in terms of music and lyrics so interesting to see how they develop if other later and earlier albums are on the list
Paul Weller
3/5
It’s an ok album, inoffensive some good songs and some songs I was indifferent towards
Led Zeppelin
4/5
One of the greatest first albums in history and one of the ones that didn’t lead to a string of albums that were never as good as the first. That’s the only criticism I can give this album is that led zeppelin came out with the second album the same year and just blew this one out of the water. This album still deserves its flowers though, dazed and confused was one of the first metal riffs, babe I’m gonna leave you has entrancing folky verses and a hard rock chorus. In saying that the production is a little hap hazard but was immediately fixed the next album. Not a perfect album but no qualms about anyone putting this as a 5
DJ Shadow
2/5
Expertly produced with many layers, in saying that this album felt like it was missing so much and it goes for way too long, glad I got to listen but one I don’t think I’ll be revisiting in the future
Anthrax
4/5
Hell yeah, I didn’t know what to expect but I guess it’s one of the big 4 of thrash so they must’ve been good. The energy is great and was engaged the whole way through. One thing I find that is just a preference is I think some of the musical ideas didn’t have a great musical pay off to me and was left being a bit unsatisfied but that’s a me thing (I find Metallica scratches the itch better for me). To me it’s 4 stars but again this will probably be 5 to many people
The Byrds
1/5
It’s a stock standard country album where they wrote none of the songs, this song imo is not revolutionary in any way, if I want to listen to a bob Dylan written song, I’ll just listen to bob dylan
Nick Drake
4/5
A very pretty album and a great first album. Very easy to listen to but I did find it dragged in some areas. Definitely not the peak as to me Pink moon was his best but a great listening experience to hear where he came from
Don McLean
5/5
What a beautiful album, 2 very famous songs but I never sat down to listen to this album whole and what a mistake that was. Deep lyrics with beautiful musical compositions it was great and one I will be regularly returning to
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
A case where the streaming service almost ruined the experience for me, but on reflection actually a really good album, the original album only has 8 songs and looking at only them the album is really groovy and a fun listening experience. Spotify adds An extra 5 songs. Try and do the original track listing and it’ll be a much better experience
John Prine
3/5
This album gives me massive whiplash, there are moments of brilliance with great musicianship and brilliant songwriting that had me giggling. On the other hand really boring music that at times had me skipping the song entirely
Elvis Costello
5/5
I’ve been sleeping on mr Costello, this album is great. Perfect length, no dragging everything is tight with great musicianship and clever songwriting and all on his debut album. This will now be included in my regular rotation’s
Radiohead
5/5
A really well paced cohesive album with no skips for me, solid songwriting throughout, great music and some all time great songs that I regularly play, again I feel this album has highs maybe not as high as ok computer which also has amazing songs on it, but I felt this album was more consistent and did not have a song I would actively skip while ok computer does
Sparks
4/5
Very interesting album, reminded me
Very much of queen and supertramp with the vocal harmonies and certain vocal inflections. If you’re not into the glam theatrical rock elements this record will not appeal to you, but I found it quite enjoyable
Portishead
4/5
A very fun album to listen to, I don’t see the trip hop connection but for me I see it more as trip pop with the instruments and the vocal delivery.
The Mars Volta
4/5
Very good album, didn’t think a prog album would be that good in the 2000s but I stand corrected. Each song flows really well into each other, instruments were on point. Again if you’re not a prog fan you will not be a fan of this album
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Pleasantly surprised, was not a big fan of the previous 2 Springsteen albums but this was a change of pace, enjoyed the songs and the songwriting
4/5
Good record, some modern classics like knights of cydonia. Felt like some songs weren’t needed to make it a tighter more exciting album but still good overall
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
A good album to listen to, lovely vibes, good lyricism,
Beth Orton
1/5
I tried but this was a very boring album, her vocals are actually really nice and remind me a bit of dido, but all that does is annoy me because it lets me know that I can listen to a more exciting album with just as good vocals and not have to skip through songs.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
A really well done album, mix of bangers and thoughtful songs, beats all suit the songs and Kendrick is as always a great lyricist. A modern classic in the genre
Depeche Mode
3/5
Ok album, didn’t really knock my socks off, I can see how many modern electronic bands developed their sound as this album does still sound quite modern and a few songs the vocal performance reminded me of the presets
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
One of the greatest rap albums of all time and definitely in my top 10, the interplay between all the members of tribe was top notch, the choice of jazz instrumentals was perfect for the songs and makes for such a easy and fun listen, this is an album that I listen to already on a very regular basis and has some of favourite songs. Definitely made my Monday ride home a fun one This doesn’t knock the album rating down but read into the lore behind the recording of show business because it unfortunately is a big blight on the legacy of tribe called quest
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Australia’s answer to Bob Dylan, really good songwriting, I really like is voice too. Some songs are absolute classics however I did find some bordering on sappy and it was boring at times
Meat Loaf
4/5
I think this is a really good album, the songs are over the top and theatrical and I think this album does a very good job toeing the line of being silly and being a serious piece of art. I do think some of the songs can drag in some areas but overall a very fun listen experience
Kanye West
3/5
I think for me this album would’ve been a lot better if Kanye was not such an egotistical maniac even at the time of recording this album, the over the top nature of this album encapsulates him as a person perfectly and not in a good way. There are some good songs on this album however it’s also undercut by how fragile he is as a person, he literally couldn’t go without referring the fish stick joke made about him South Park. Some of the features have also aged quite poorly with Minaj being one of those people. I think it has its moments but overall a pretty ok album
3/5
It was ok, nothing to write home about but also didn’t feel the need to skip a bunch of songs
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Not for me, artistically it might be brilliant as a man dying is coming to terms with his mortality, musically I don’t find it enjoyable and it’s not something I want to listen to, and enjoyable doesn’t mean oh the atmosphere was sad because I do like sad songs, not enjoyable as in I don’t particularly like spoken word.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Very accessible jazz, I liked it, won’t be a regular but will eventually return
The Go-Go's
5/5
Really fun really tight pop record that is the perfect length, only knew of the first song on the album but this record turned out to be a real surprise. Definite will return to this more often
Scott Walker
1/5
He has a good voice but to me this music feels artificially produced, it’s so overly schmaltzy like it’s deliberately trying to elicit the vibe of sentimentality without doing it naturally. It also feels like a product of the times, I feel someone would guess it’s from the 60’s, but considering in 68 the Beatles had released the white album, Cream were going strong, the Jimi Hendricks experience was still going and then comes along and feels incredibly dated even for late 1960s. I could get through the album but it’s very saccharine to me. I don’t think I’ll be returning
Jethro Tull
4/5
I quite like this album but it does drag in some areas, I’m not the biggest fan of the opening tracks but then we are greeted with the famous flute and it takes you into the whimsical prog world that is Jethro Tull. This album will not be for everyone especially if you’re not a prog fan, but I like the atmosphere this album creates
Charles Mingus
3/5
Not a bad album but a bit harder in my opinion to get into compared to some of the other jazz albums I’ve listened to so far. Does not take away the skill of the musicians involved but it was not as much as sit back and relax listening experience.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
It was ok, I think other groups incorporated or did psychedelic rock better but this wasn’t a bad toe dipper if you’ve never listened to it before
Eagles
3/5
Country rock but more palatable, one very good in take it easy but the rest is kind of generic but inoffensive to listen to.
Shack
3/5
Very interesting album, it’s like if classic rock bands all got together and distilled their essence into one band with modern production, the vocals are very familiar but at the same time I’ve never heard this band before. I think that’s this albums biggest weakness is that it doesn’t really stand out to me with enough of a distinct sound. It’s good but that’s because the form they’re copying off of is good
Frank Zappa
5/5
Avant-Gard in all the right ways, lots of unconventional instruments and sounds but still very musical. Very impressive walking such a fine line between a jumbled mess and an artistic musical mess
3/5
A very good first half of the album that was very fun listening to with 2 very famous songs, however the second half really dragged and was quite a slog to get through and really hurt the listening experience
Duran Duran
2/5
Very generic 80’s synth pop, there is really only 1 song on this album I like which is also the one everyone knows, it’s listenable but very boring
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
I like the idea of this album and at times it’s really good and engaging, the blending of pop and rap with Indian instrumentals was very inspired and it does it quite well. It’s just so long it’s almost an hour and some songs didn’t need to be that long.
Mj Cole
1/5
I tried, I gave it a good shake but couldn’t make it to side 2. It’s incredibly long and repetitive with not much development, if you’re going to make a 2hr album it has to be ground breaking with minimal misses but this isn’t that, it’s repetitive edm.
Beatles
5/5
This is the first truly great Beatles album and the album that made Brian Wilson have to make pet sounds to compete with what the Beatles were doing, great songwriting throughout with great musical choices and melodies. Paul’s bass playing is also super melodic now and adds so much to the listening experience. I listen to this album regularly while early Beatles I just listen to the songs I like vs listening to whole albums. I also recommend if anyone can listen to the mono as it’s the version the Beatles approved and not the stereo (I’m lucky and have a 1966 mono that is very clean)
Blondie
4/5
A pretty good album with some absolute classics, there were a couple songs that I didn’t particularly like. I think the overall issue with this album is that it’s incredibly whiplashy, so many genres so quickly, going from a punk rock song into disco is incredibly weird.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Quite a fun listen, I enjoyed it about as much as blue, I did find myself getting a bit bored by the end but I though it was well produced great musicality and great songwriting
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Quite a fun listen, I enjoyed it about as much as blue, I did find myself getting a bit bored by the end but I though it was well produced great musicality and great songwriting
Cheap Trick
3/5
It’s a good live album, but again it’s most likely a form of compilation of the songs from various albums so hard to make a determination of the significance. It was easy to listen to though
The Beach Boys
4/5
I’m not doubting the significance of this album on the impact on modern music and pop and there are genuinely some beautiful moments on this album and some very good songs that I listen to regularly. In saying that I think a lot of the production choices have made this album sound dated (I think rubber soul which is older than this album sounds clean and modern today), I also think it starts to drag towards the end but I am appreciative that this album is relatively short and feels quick to get through.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Not as much as a fan as I thought I’d be. His voice is amazing but the songs didn’t hit me as well as some other in his catalogue have.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
This was a weird one, if you only do the tracks on the original release it’s not that long of an album and I thought I’d just be able to power through and it wasn’t the most groundbreaking thing in the world but it was ok, heading for 3 stars. But that stupid 9 minute closing song was the most dull boring thing ever, there are so many folk songs that are long but they keep you engaged at least. I’m not knocking it down to 1 but I think 2 stars for what is an ok album ruined by an ending track is a fair score
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
This album is a vibe, I really enjoyed it. Bit of a whiplash with the genre changes that I think could’ve been done better but that’s about the only thing I can say
The Cure
3/5
It was an ok album, wasn’t offensive but didn’t knock my socks off