301
Albums Rated
2.97
Average Rating
28%
Complete
788 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Blues
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
16
5-Star Albums
9
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Forever Changes
Love
|
5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
|
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
|
5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
|
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
Third
Soft Machine
|
4 | 2.45 | +1.55 |
|
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
|
5 | 3.53 | +1.47 |
|
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
|
5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
|
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
|
5 | 3.63 | +1.37 |
|
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
|
5 | 3.66 | +1.34 |
|
Strange Cargo III
William Orbit
|
4 | 2.77 | +1.23 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
|
1 | 3.53 | -2.53 |
|
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
|
1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
|
I Against I
Bad Brains
|
1 | 2.93 | -1.93 |
|
Kala
M.I.A.
|
1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
|
Is This It
The Strokes
|
2 | 3.81 | -1.81 |
|
Dookie
Green Day
|
2 | 3.79 | -1.79 |
|
Kid A
Radiohead
|
2 | 3.71 | -1.71 |
|
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
|
2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
|
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
|
2 | 3.65 | -1.65 |
|
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
|
2 | 3.62 | -1.62 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Dylan | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Queen | 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (16)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Hole · 1 likes
4/5
Violent, aggressive, raw yet melodic and emotional. The purists might think it a sellout, too watered down for a larger audience. I think it was just right - retaining the power but making it accessible enough to be heard.
Peter Gabriel · 1 likes
3/5
I love Peter Gabriel but didn’t necessarily love this album (note to critics - not every album of every great musician needs to be on the 1001 list). It’s a bit all over place as he experiments but gotta admit it has some iconic bangers.
Kate Bush · 1 likes
4/5
The wildly inventive doyenne of airy pop scores w a few iconic bangers on this set, which also suffers from a few wrong turns that make the album just short of a masterpiece
1-Star Albums (9)
All Ratings
Elvis Presley
3/5
Good soulful musicianship from the backing band but many of the songs are bit schlocky. This is later, more commercialized and less energetic Elvis; few of these songs rise to the level of Suspicious Minds.
Metallica
3/5
I appreciate the attempt to craft songs that defy the typical thrash metal formula, adding musical flourishes and rhythmic changes to build a soundscape that adds drama. Yet there are still few melodic lines and the lyrics are often less than compelling. The Unforgiven, Don’t Tread on Me, and Nothing Else Matters were the highlights for me.
Paul Simon
4/5
A groundbreaking album that has aged well from my perspective. Also demonstrates the ability of music to integrate across cultures into something new and compelling, esp when undertaken with authenticity and humility, which is an important lesson in today’s world where simplistic arguments over “cultural appropriation” might have stopped this creativity in its tracks.
The Pogues
4/5
First full album of the Pogues that I’ve listened to, and it was so worth it. Saturated with an unflinchingly Irish energy towards all of life’s vicissitudes and soaked in whiskey, it’s worth it for Fairytale in New York alone, the best Christmas song of the late 20th century. But others like Thousands are Sailing, Lullaby of London, and If I Should Fall from Grace provide more than enough to make it all a wild ride.
The Strokes
2/5
This felt like basic radio rock: nothing overly groundbreaking, but also quality craft. But personally I just wasn’t feeling it - not something I would choose to play much again.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Though I know all the songs, probably the very first time I’ve listened to the whole thing front to back. To think that he recorded all this when he was 21 years old. It’s a masterpiece.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Had never of this album, pleasantly surprised - good straight ahead rock. Nothing earth shattering but def high quality.
Common
2/5
Basic decent rap album. Nothing overly consequential.
Fats Domino
3/5
Such good music but limited variety
The Residents
1/5
Hmmm. Well, it’s certainly an attempt to try different things. But for me it was mostly unlistenable.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Just wasn’t digging it
Bad Brains
1/5
Really? Why is this special? Seems pretty pedestrian to me.
Pixies
2/5
Undeniable punk energy. But never gives way to anything melodically or lyrically compelling.
Patti Smith
4/5
A hellbent rush of storytelling steeped in attitude and atmosphere. Brilliant.
Gorillaz
1/5
Really? I have to listen this before I die? Why?
Bob Dylan
5/5
Minimal instrumentation, monumental writing. Tangled Up in Blue and Idiot Wind alone make this an achievement. The quality remains consistent throughout and makes this one of the finest albums of its time.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Easy to see why she’s an American icon.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Was likely a revelation for its time, but hearing it now, does not reach the heights of some of Emmylou’s other work. Standouts like Boulder to Birmingham and Before Believing give a hint of what’s to come.
Dagmar Krause
2/5
Sure, politically astute and she’s quite the performer. But little attempt to make the heady and heavily Brechtian influenced music and presentation more accessible to a general listening public. So it’s like being told that castor oil is good for you and then being forced to drink it.
R.E.M.
4/5
These guys mean business from the very first pulsating riff and beats, and they don’t let up - the quality stays consistent and high throughout. “The One I Love” might be the weakest link on the whole album. A kick-ass achievement.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Nice harmonies, melodic flourishes, but lacking in the kind of consistent creativity and sophistication that would make it consistently compelling listening.
Aphex Twin
2/5
It’s like a movie score playing on the background as you go about living. And as such it’s a much about being white noise rather than music, w its emotion and story and melody.
Ramones
3/5
I know it’s groundbreaking and all, being among the first punk records, and there’s no denying the energy. But boy do three chords go a long way - skip from song to song after thirty seconds, and it all just sounds like one long extended riff. Too much of the same for me.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Top-shelf writing and musicianship
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Alternately awash in self-pity, desperation, pain, joy, cynicism, love, and even aggression towards his former beloved, it can be a difficult album to listen to front to back. But it’s also an artistic achievement.
Hole
4/5
Violent, aggressive, raw yet melodic and emotional. The purists might think it a sellout, too watered down for a larger audience. I think it was just right - retaining the power but making it accessible enough to be heard.
Nick Drake
3/5
Intense but oddly soothing at the same time. Lyrically literate.
Pantera
1/5
Loud. Raucous. Unintelligible. Probably important in the history of metal and mosh pits but that doesn’t make for compelling listening.
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
It’s like the soundtrack to a bunch of 80’s & 90’s TV shows and movies. Fun, inventive, catchy but ultimately more kitschy than compelling.
Garbage
3/5
Good ole straight ahead rock w an attitude
SAULT
2/5
Well, has a few nice melodies but overly earnest and simply overblown.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Arrives on a powerfully dark burst of guitar noise and unrelenting drumbeats, heralding a whole new genre of menacing rock that still thrives today.
Love
5/5
Somehow I had no knowledge of this album, but even on first listen w zero background, it was easy to recognize it’s a masterpiece. Sophisticated, prescient, sometimes dark, sometimes light, it captures its era so completely.
David Bowie
3/5
Musically interesting, as one would expect from Bowie. Yet don’t feel as if it reaches the heights of his best work.
R.E.M.
3/5
More evidence of how REM turned puck toward alternative rock. Good high quality throughout.
Beck
4/5
A bit mournful yet an interesting combination of styles and still full of hooks.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Had never heard of this, but made the mistake of reading about it before listening. What I heard was enjoyable but did not live up to the raves.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Solid outing from his days as a punk troubadour
Laibach
1/5
Huh?
This is…music?
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
Mildly interesting
ZZ Top
3/5
Being so sleek, tight, and bluesy makes it enjoyable, but too slick and banal for it to rise to the level of something meaningful.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
I appreciate being introduced to this band, and the music is raw, aggressive, and full of justice. But not anything I’d look forward to repeated playings of.
Wire
3/5
Real punk and also musical. Never heard of them before but ready to hear more.
The Black Keys
3/5
Rollicking, bluesy, full-throated roll ‘n roll with bass lines that don’t quit. A great time but never gets too deep.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Don’t get why this is so lauded. Obnoxious sloppy punk.
David Crosby
2/5
Meh. Some glimpses here and there of what was to come via Crosby Stills Nash & Young. But on the whole I found it rather insipid.
Soft Machine
4/5
Experimental, complex, alternately melodic and dissonant, and searching. One’s patience is rewarded, often unexpectedly - but you must actively listen and BE patient! No doubt this was a revelation in its day.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Marginally better than much the metal recommended on this list
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Good reminder of how important Ry Cooder was in expanding our musical boundaries
Leftfield
2/5
Techno dance - lots of beats, lots of creative noises, some lyrics thrown in but I’m honestly reaching for why it would be so lauded. Nothing of consequence.
T. Rex
5/5
How did I not know this album previously? Such good musicianship.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Some iconic tunes here that are now part of the American songbook, but a couple of bland clunkers drags the album down a bit.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Raw, jangling, repetitive. Unfortunately too much of this white heat lack musicality.
The Crusaders
3/5
From the first notes it’s clear that this will be a smooth melodic ride but insipid lyrics and some kitschiness ultimately did it in for me
Radiohead
4/5
Its complicated structures are not easy and require your active attention, but its depths pull you in and reward repeated listening.
Magazine
2/5
Perhaps this represented something groundbreaking in its day, but except for one or two gems, most of it sounds fairly pedestrian to today’s ears.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
It’s Bob Marley, so it’s quality stuff. It’s also reggae, so it’s all pretty much the same.
The Smiths
3/5
Consistent catchiness and the kind of insights you’d expect of The Smiths, but nothing sticks w you once it’s all done.
k.d. lang
3/5
Beyond torch - the best of these hit serious highs
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Just not enough variation for me
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Inventive and energetic: 1001 ways to make distortion sound interesting. But the pervasive devil-may-care attitude ultimately makes this a meal lacking in any shred of nutrition.
Van Halen
3/5
There’s a reason why these guys hit it big -
These are real songs, not just bravado and raw energy for its own sake.
And oh my God can Eddie wield that axe.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Monk and Rollins know how to swing and groove in sync, though many of the extended improv journeys seem more for their own benefit than the listeners’.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
A coherent album that is consistently full of surprises (and which took me by surprise).
Oasis
3/5
Good solid rock but gotta admit I don’t hear anything earth shattering here - kind of a poor man’s Bruce Springsteenish vibe
Sugar
2/5
Nothing to grab me in the least
Jack White
4/5
Wow never thought too much of Jack White but this album is impressive. Such musicality, such variety - all so sharp and loud and melodic. This is a damn good record.
Method Man
3/5
This is among the most melodic hip hop I’ve encountered
Pink Floyd
5/5
Operatic and otherworldly, this is as cohesive as an album gets
Norah Jones
5/5
Leisurely, groovy, sensuous, almost luxurious - the musicality is so high and the consistency unbeatable.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Had not listened closely before - brooding rock that hits far more than it misses
David Bowie
3/5
Well, it’s Bowie, so it’s inventive, sophisticated, often surprising, and still sounds fresh almost 50 years later. But - nothing really sends it into the heights that would make it indispensable.
The Offspring
3/5
Hip California punk - who’da thunk it
2/5
A lot of loud guitars, a lot of passion and energy, a lot of driving beats. Not a lot of music.
Joy Division
2/5
The pleasures were indeed unknown, at least by me.
Radiohead
2/5
Great band. Mediocre album.
Total failing of this list is that critics think the majority of every great band’s oeuvre needs to be on the list rather than the albums that are truly special.
Boards of Canada
3/5
Carefully constructed and other-worldly
Shuggie Otis
2/5
This is soulful musicianship for sure, but the vocals are reedy and the lyrics schlocky.
The Cars
4/5
Still fresh today…
An album of such consistency it’s hard to remember which were hits and which weren’t.
And what band is better named? Let the good times “roll”…
Aerosmith
4/5
When these guys are feeling it, they are raucous, loose, bluesy and groovy, even w their sharper edge - hard not to enjoy the middle of this album w cuts like Walk this Way, Sweet Emotion, and No More No More.
Alice In Chains
3/5
Mildly interesting
R.E.M.
3/5
Interesting in places - it’s REM after all - but in my estimation not at the top of their list.
Pavement
3/5
Interesting music even if the vocals were sometimes ragged and some of it started to repeat itself
Charles Mingus
3/5
Mingus and his crew swing hard w complicated rhythms, extended solos, and some cacophony. It’s righteous - but sometimes hard to listen to.
Adele
3/5
Solid outing from one of the iconic voices of her generation but not at the level of her earlier efforts.
Scott Walker
2/5
Hmm. Mildly interesting groove and he’s definitely got style. But at the end of the day it’s a confection, like eating some cotton candy.
Sade
4/5
Announces an inimitable style from the very note - sultry, smooth, with enough swing and groove to keep you afloat throughout
The Verve
2/5
Solid pop rock if unfocused and a bit excessive at times
The Smiths
3/5
Intense interesting storytelling
Röyksopp
3/5
A consistent pleasure: kinetic energy with sweeping vistas and melodic turns of techno
Massive Attack
2/5
Anything w Tracey Thorn is certainly worth listening to and I’m a huge Everything But the Girl fan. But this lands a bit like milquetoast for me.
David Bowie
2/5
Bowie trying his best to push the boundaries and create a new type of sophistication w structures and layers. Not working for me.
The Beta Band
2/5
Some of this is somewhat interesting and I certainly respect their creativity. At the end of the day, however, there is too little here that is compellingly melodic or lyrical.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Filled w the beats of Brazil - its cacaphony and its beauty - but not as consistently compelling as I expected
Iggy Pop
2/5
Lots of attitude, full of punk but honestly a bit boring
Isaac Hayes
2/5
Smooth and soulful if skimpy on the type of songwriting and storytelling that makes it a must listen
Slint
2/5
I get that they have their own interesting identity and style, and are up for pushing the boundaries of rock and punk. But unlistenable to me.
Nirvana
3/5
Solid effort that mixes sharp edged guitars and urgency but short of their very best
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Such musicianship, clarity, and rhythmic joy
Queen Latifah
3/5
The Queen’s rule is firm, soulful, edgy
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Incentive indeed - these mothers surprised me
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Wow did not know this album and glad I do now - consistent quality throughout with their own musical style that draws you in
Talking Heads
3/5
A sophisticated stylistic arty collection that was likely groundbreaking in its day
Jane's Addiction
3/5
From heavy rockets that border on metal to lighter fare that edges up to pop, this is surprisingly consistently enjoyable
Slipknot
2/5
Yeah it’s inventive and a level above mere metal and thrash, but that doesn’t mean it’s enjoyable for the non metal among us
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
There’s a reason why all the songs on this album are so well known that they are almost like comfort food - they are just filled w great musicianship and hooks.
Japan
3/5
Moody, atmospheric, arty - w a touch of 70s TV show theme music thrown in
The Darkness
2/5
These guys seriously know how to rock but man I can’t get past that voice - annoying as h*ll
Sex Pistols
4/5
I expected the furious unleashing of raw energy and attitude, since this album helped launch punk. I didn’t expect the consistency of quality and how musically adept these guys would be - not only do they rip things to shreds, but they know how to be catchy while doing it.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Classic after classic
Beastie Boys
3/5
Not my favorite type of music but it holds up
Buck Owens
2/5
This is kinda hokey country, w pretty much zero gravitas that makes it stand for something.
The Clash
2/5
Hmm. Furious energy, sharp-edged commentary. But man, it’s three chords over and over.
Madness
2/5
One outstanding song does not an album make
Ministry
3/5
Not my typical type of music, but you have to admire the artistry and the listenability
The La's
4/5
Tightly crafted and hook-laden w a distinctive style. Not just one song, it’s a consistently good album.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Musically and sonically this album is close to a masterpiece, a demonstration of mastery of various styles that is might impressive. Lyrically however it sometimes soars but too often falls short of the poetry that would make it totally indispensable. Would’ve liked 4.5 option ;-)
Suzanne Vega
3/5
The flat delivery and storytelling are still a winning combination, but while its solid listening, it never soars
Lana Del Rey
3/5
She’s dreamy but sharp-edged with a style that softly pulls you in and then bludgeons you
Linkin Park
2/5
Nothing makes it jump out as special
Public Enemy
3/5
Yeah it might be political, hard-edged and full of mad beats, but it’s also surprisingly melodic
Spiritualized
3/5
Jaunty, catchy, surprisingly engaging
The War On Drugs
2/5
Their meandering style has never really worked for me, and it will take a lot to convince me that I urgently needed to listen to this before I died
Yes
4/5
An album that’s coherent, creative, and a consistently compelling mash up of classical and modern styles - you keep hearing it long after you’ve stopped listening
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Janis Joplin has soul enough for ten people and love to hear this live blues
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Warhol’s visual art is much more compelling than this
Muddy Waters
4/5
Muddy doing his thing live and in fine form. The blues at their best.
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Passionate, earnest - affecting.
Green Day
2/5
Probably the album that put Green Day on the map, so it has a bit of the shock of the new, but as an album it’s far from consistent - more pockets of bright flashes.
The Police
3/5
Pulsing w Copland’s insistent beats and accompanied by complicated yet throbbing bass lines - yet there are a few clunkers that fall flat
Joan Armatrading
5/5
Seriously creative - none of these songs follow the typical verse-chorus-verse pattern, and they all have melodies that swirl with different instrumentation and real musicality amid the compelling stories they tell. Still astonishing.
Ash
4/5
Knew absolutely zero about these guys. Where the hell have I’ve been? Man the energy is infectious.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Yeah, it’s wide-ranging and psychedelic - appreciate all it contains, but it does get tiresome after a while
Fleet Foxes
2/5
I appreciate how finely crafted and constructed this is. But it’s like using margarine vs butter. - the ingredients mixed to be healthy but ending up pretty bland.
Pink Floyd
5/5
As coherent and compelling an album as you’ll find in the rock oeuvre. What’s amazing is how well so many of these songs also stand on their own. A true masterpiece.
4/5
One of the few albums that gets better deeper into the album - really takes off in the last third
3/5
The whole half-spoken, half-yelled indy attitude becomes so much less effective the more listening I do, but have to admit there is a bunch of bangers on here
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Loose, bluesy, groovy, and boozy - one of their best.
Cheap Trick
3/5
The energy is infectious and some of the hooks just keep you bopping
Janis Joplin
3/5
Janis is a one of a kind but a studio album has a hard time capturing why. This is a solid effort but the real magic was in person.
Louis Prima
4/5
Man the infectious energy pops on the very first note and doesn’t let up throughout. It’s impossible to listen to this without wanting to dance and sing yourself. So wonderful.
Mekons
2/5
Meh. Indyish mutterings w few musical flourishes or melodic hooks to hold interest.
Barry Adamson
3/5
Creative mashup of sounds and pastiches of familiar melodies
Goldie
2/5
Kinda like its own version of Muzak but w a beat and chants. Waaay too long for what it is.
The Prodigy
2/5
Yah no. Lotsa beats but goes nowhere, really.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
Interesting evolution from classical to something that resonates w a modern listener.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Umm. This is music?
Dire Straits
4/5
Knopfler announces himself w the very first notes and the whole band demonstrates their incredible musicianship from the get-go. Kick ass album.
Ute Lemper
2/5
I appreciate the attempt and the wide-ranging collaborations but in the end I found it all to be rather…boring.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Another banger before the guy is barely older than a teenager. Incredible.
Pere Ubu
1/5
Why do the critics who put this list together think that unlistenable arty crap must-listen before I die? I have a limited amount of time on this earth. Don’t waste it.
Public Enemy
3/5
Angry, tough, poetic
Ride
3/5
Started off slow but really grew on me. But there are definitely a few clunkers here and this could be a lot shorter.
Violent Femmes
3/5
Energetic and earnest
Snoop Dogg
2/5
Not my style
Solange
2/5
Not seeing this as anything special in the least
Fishbone
2/5
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Funky, bluesy, and loose, doing his best to channel the spirit of the Rolling Stones into something more modern
Duke Ellington
4/5
Such a joy to experience these masterful arrangements by the Duke and the incredible musicianship of the band. Just overly long for me.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Soulful w the slide that’s sharp…the production gets a little slick though
The Clash
3/5
It rocks but it’s a lot
Deerhunter
3/5
Sounded horrible at the beginning but grew on me
Wu-Tang Clan
2/5
What makes this more special than much of the rap out there?
Scott Walker
2/5
I’m not against sweeping and swooning velvet, dramatic tones, but in the end this was just all too boring for me
Kid Rock
2/5
The rap + rock combo is not bad but the musicianship is just insipid
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Commanding soulfulness - she tells a story w every song that sucks you in
Jimmy Smith
4/5
I’m not usually a fan of the organ but Jimmy makes it swing so hard - this is infectious stuff
Funkadelic
3/5
Overtones of Hendrix & Parliament - surprisingly raucous guitars, unsurprising funky beats
Lambchop
3/5
Relaxed, laconic, sharp with its own country sensibility that is compelling
David Bowie
3/5
This is solid Bowie
The Slits
2/5
Maybe somewhat interesting…? I get there’s a punk sensibility here and they’re pioneers of a riot grrrl attitude, but that doesn’t make listening any easier or more enjoyable.
Pretenders
3/5
Started out w a few clunkers but built as the album went on and ended w a few bangers
Miles Davis
2/5
High on concept, lots of artistic flourishes, but unfortunately light on compelling melodic lines that ultimately make this an enjoyable listen
A Tribe Called Quest
2/5
The addition of a few jazz stars doesn’t necessarily elevate it
Arcade Fire
3/5
Solid, creative outing if at times it fails to reach the heights that the production imagines for it
Paul Simon
3/5
Creative but a bit too cerebral for its own good
The Who
4/5
Doesn’t quite hang together as well as The Wall nor have as many outstanding songs that are able to stand on their own, but then again, these guys were the first and this had no template they were working from
Christina Aguilera
2/5
It’s as unartistic as her voice is powerful
Fugees
3/5
Sharp and incisive and Killing Me Softly makes valuable in and of itself
Various Artists
2/5
Basic Christmas album. Nothing exceptional so unclear why this is on the list.
King Crimson
3/5
Creative, sophisticated in its way, the epitome of prog rock but less melodic and compelling than some other exemplars of the genre
Missy Elliott
2/5
I like the melodic flourishes the best, but much of the album seems designed just to punish you w the same beat or motif over and over
The Jam
3/5
Did not know these guys - solid outing
Baaba Maal
2/5
At times I feel as if artists such as Baaba Maal are elevated bc they seem exotic to a Western audience, who is not going to understand any of the lyrics and will only be able to guess at the cultural context. And as music, the touch of the “different” has a tendency to be fetishized. All to say, I was not really seeing this as much different from any of the other sounds and music I’ve heard from West Africa.
Morrissey
4/5
Gotta admit, surprised at the high quality here and for me it’s even a cut above much of The Smiths work
U2
3/5
A warning shot, a strong effort that’s an announcement to stay tuned for the greater things to come…
Depeche Mode
2/5
Gothic and dramatic - but oddly less compelling than I would have imagined
Talk Talk
2/5
Moody and with its own sense of style. But there are few hooks, and lyrics w limited pull.
The xx
2/5
Was it supposed to put me to sleep?
Peter Gabriel
3/5
A little Genesis-lite, a little blues and soul, a little of the great Gabriel to come…this album is all over the place and inconsistent but shows flashes of brilliance
808 State
2/5
Ho hum. Nothing here that made this rise above the basics of its genre.
The White Stripes
3/5
Minimalist and diverse at the same time as they announce themselves to the world
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Well, this is at least a more cohesive effort than their others on this list.
Judas Priest
2/5
Pop version of heavy metal - all the bombast seems like a way just to get girls rather than being deeply felt and authentic. Some good grooves and hooks but not experiencing this a must-do listening
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Pretty incredible amalgamation that shows what’s possible in integrating across different cultures and making the sitar into a rock instrument, w a couple of amazing songs of “cultural appropriation” by Shankar that open your ears
Fiona Apple
4/5
Fiercely wields the piano like a sword - announcement of a unique voice and musical sensibility but sometimes takes itself a bit too seriously for its own good.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
It is what it is - dance club music with tons of beats based on snippets of melodies and alliterative chants. It would be fun w a crowd that wants to get wild, but as an album I need to listen to before I die, it doesn’t cut it.
Tom Waits
2/5
Waits at his growliest, playing up the scruffy vagabond. The songs are good as always but it makes the execution not the easiest to listen to
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Well I have a feeling he has better albums but it mystifies me how this one made the list. Drab.
Beatles
4/5
A few weak spots among the several iconic bangers
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
A revelation and such consistently excellent musicianship. Maybe just a touch too lazy and laid back at times for my liking, but it’s borne of the heat, humidity, the sea and rhythms of the island after all. Ry Cooder is a national treasure for being our eyes and ears in the world, uncovering its musical delights and bringing them to us.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Incredible to follow up Blue with another set bordering on masterpiece
4/5
I was familiar w her earlier offerings, which are much more brash and raw - this, however, is a revelation, applying her sharply described observations to something she loves and believes in. It makes for an album that captures the mess and gloriousness of love at the same time, and is accessible without losing its bite.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Mildly pleasant but a few nice moments here or there do not an iconic album make
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
The title song is the weakest by far - top notch stuff
Leonard Cohen
4/5
A poet with music as his backdrop, one unafraid of the big themes: spirituality, meaning, death, and hope.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
The Queen of Soul announces herself
The Adverts
2/5
These guys are one-chord wonders, gotta appreciate how creative they can be within such narrow limitations, and their fierceness is authentic. But damn it gets old quick so an compelling album it does not make.
TV On The Radio
4/5
Wow this is a great album full of different styles and excellent musicianship.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Mannish Boy alone makes this worthwhile listening
Sepultura
3/5
Not a metal fan but had to respect the innovation on this album. But way too long and repetitive.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
This is a fun album w just a few truly memorable moments
New York Dolls
2/5
I mean, there is some decent energy here, and a few of the songs seem serviceable, but this seems like run of the mill stuff
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Funky, edgy, but also (sometimes) catchy - see these guys creating something new in real time
3/5
Bauhaus
2/5
Appropriately gothic. Supposedly these guys have a cult following. Unfortunately I’m not part of it.
Boston
4/5
The engineering and musical genius of Tom Scholz, which announces itself w a signature guitar sound, is enough to make this a compelling record. But the songs themselves are also just singable and catchy and are a high point for arena rock.
Tears For Fears
3/5
Stylish pop music that mostly satisfies
Coldplay
4/5
Has to be one of the best debut albums ever
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
People love these guys, and while I can imagine why I’ve never been one of them…
Cyndi Lauper
2/5
Yeah maybe a little unusual but besides one or two good songs I’m not overly impressed as an album
Hüsker Dü
4/5
Wow. Didn’t know these guys and don’t know why - top shelf stuff.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Frenetic energy from the first note and it never lets up
John Lennon
3/5
It’s good but truly missing his bandmates to be great
Spacemen 3
2/5
Guys please I’m falling asleep
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
Gotta love when this list introduces me to an album/band that I’ve no idea existed. Where have I been? This is a helluva album.
Jamiroquai
3/5
Funky, groovy, full of soul and great beats…starts w a couple of bangers and then gets a bit weaker, but still an incredibly enjoyable listen
AC/DC
3/5
Angus and the boys kick out the jams with some iconic snarl. Maybe it’s because I know it so well but it’s kinda like comfort food, even if they want it to be a bit nasty.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Cinnamon Girl and Down by the River are enough to put this high on the list, let alone the languid approach that makes space for serious fretwork and makes each song just build into a mini medicine ball that hits you in the gut
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
He’s a rambling that’s for sure
Elvis Presley
3/5
Full of swagger and the sensuous swing that made him famous but it’s a few good songs here and there rather than a whole album
Peter Gabriel
3/5
I love Peter Gabriel but didn’t necessarily love this album (note to critics - not every album of every great musician needs to be on the 1001 list). It’s a bit all over place as he experiments but gotta admit it has some iconic bangers.
The Stone Roses
2/5
Really? This stuff seems so anodyne.
William Orbit
4/5
Aptly named - Orbit indeed - with a self-assured style that is musical, interesting, and builds into dynamic soundscapes, rather than a bunch of motifs being drilled into your head as if the point is to develop a rut that you can’t escape.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Gotta hand it to her - every song here grooves and moves in a way that no one else is quite capable of.
The Specials
2/5
Honestly sure this was a different vibe and style but I didn’t hear much that was “special”
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Yeah it’s sold hip hop
Kraftwerk
3/5
Gotta appreciate their inventiveness and dedication to style even if it gets old after a while
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Pleasing and enjoyable if a bit meandering and lacking the power to make it something truly great
Paul Weller
3/5
Top notch musicianship with a good deal of variety
Rage Against The Machine
3/5
Carole King
5/5
May seem deceptively simple, even basic - that’s how incredible the songwriting is: pure, honest, direct with no artifice needed.
Frank Zappa
2/5
Lots of extended jam with a few cool riffs here and there, but if you’re not tripping on drugs, lots of it will be lost on you
George Jones
3/5
This is old school country w a heart
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
It’s the dawn of psychedelic rock, sure, and Grace’s entry to the band makes for a couple of classics, but as an album it has its holes
Foo Fighters
4/5
May not be the greatest album of all time but it’s damn good and the guy plays every instrument himself…
Queen
2/5
I absolutely love Queen and they are one of rock history’s finest bands but that doesn’t mean their albums get an automatic entry onto this list
Elton John
4/5
Underappreciated album. It’s a coherent musical journey full of this team’s signature blend of evocative storytelling and style.
Deep Purple
3/5
Good straight ahead hard rock that does not let up
The United States Of America
2/5
Psychedelic tropes that meander and dissipate without much of an impression
The Lemonheads
3/5
Solid pop rock - singable but not super extraordinary
Stevie Wonder
5/5
A coherent masterpiece of soul and musicianship
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Soulful, heartfelt, with funkiness and funk
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Everything these guys produce is high quality and a musical treat. Having said that, this isn’t among my favorite Led Zep albums.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
A sophisticated blend of great songwriting and sultry vocals
Nirvana
4/5
Heartfelt outing from an important band and important time
Beatles
4/5
Incredible how what I would consider minor Beatles is of such higher quality and musicianship of most of the other albums on this list
Minor Threat
2/5
Hell hath no fury like political indignation scorned…Gotta begrudge these guys their principles and commitment to the fury that animates their music, but it quickly becomes monotonous and begs the question of what they have in mind that’s constructive beyond just tearing it all down.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
The storytelling, the humanity, but above all the musical concoction of styles and instruments all add up to an ensuring picture of the American dream in all its promise and failures
Gram Parsons
3/5
The roots of Americana
Prince
3/5
Wide-ranging, funky, a new musical style
Gang Of Four
4/5
Even if it’s not my favorite style of music, it’s easy to see that these guys were way ahead of their time and purveyors of the finest of the genre
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Wow what a musical potpourri of funkiness mixed w punk and hard rock sensibilities
Randy Newman
3/5
He’s such a good songster but as a whole the album is nothing incredibly exceptional
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Groovy jam band makes for an enjoyable outing
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
It’s angry and raw but stylistically unimpressive
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Of course everything he does has inventive musical qualities but I was not overwhelmed by this album
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Not as coherent as an album as his masterpiece, more a series of killer singles, but still top-shelf stuff
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
A nonstop set of beats which are unique, sure, but have little variety or emotional impact
Lou Reed
3/5
The purveyor of rock documenting the seedy side of life again captures its vibe well but what does that mean for the rest of us?
M.I.A.
1/5
3/5
There goes my reason for living…
Supergrass
4/5
This is a tight, energetic, rockin set
The Monks
2/5
It’s ahead of its time for sure…but that doesn’t mean it wears well as an album outside of its time
Turbonegro
3/5
This is a rock smorgasbord
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I love EBTG but this is something like my fourth favorite album of theirs, surprised to see it on this list
Paul Simon
4/5
A couple iconic songs and a couple more that should be
Tom Waits
3/5
A rollicking night at the diner w a true vagabond poet
Travis
3/5
Somehow I missed out on this album and band - high quality literate pop/rock
The Beach Boys
5/5
Yeah it truly is something new and fresh and a masterpiece
Can
2/5
Umm…seemed promising, some unique jams through its own kind of mash-ups, but ultimately proved just to be mish-mash
Dr. Dre
3/5
Straight ahead stuff that mixes an all star line up
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Nick’s gothic rock is high quality w this outing
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
A bluesy, groovy, loose masterpiece full of musical variety and soaring fretwork that remains consistently surprising over its double discs
Alice Cooper
2/5
“School’s Out” is anthemic but at the end of the day most of these songs are cookie cutter rock designed to kind of shock
Machito
3/5
Bam! Announcing Latin jazz. The rhythms and syncopations just move you…
David Bowie
2/5
Bowie is a master but the impulse to push the edge of cacophony makes for some tough listening on this album
Marvin Gaye
4/5
The man just basically creates a whole genre and stylistic feel w his body of work - this one digs into love and all its vagaries
Fugazi
2/5
Much better when they keep their mouths shut but unfortunately that’s not the case for most of these songs ;-)
Digital Underground
3/5
Funkadelic hip hop
R.E.M.
3/5
This is moody REM - good but not great
Primal Scream
2/5
Authentic in their style and approach, serious w their subjects, but do I want to listen over and over? I do not.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
Quirky w its own style, some glimmers of interesting composition, but overall a bit too precious for its own good
AC/DC
3/5
It’s basic AC/DC - anthemic rock, guitar riffs to appeal to the crowd, lyrics that don’t get too deep, hooks that are catchy
Elvis Presley
2/5
This is Elvis seeking to polish and practice his craft, and show a level of sophistication. Controlled, mature, different styles. But that means it’s missing the swagger and unleashed sensuality that makes him Elvis…
Mariah Carey
1/5
Who in God’s name thought it was a good idea for me to spend a portion of my time on this earth trying to listen to this?
Eels
3/5
Interesting and unique
Kate Bush
4/5
The wildly inventive doyenne of airy pop scores w a few iconic bangers on this set, which also suffers from a few wrong turns that make the album just short of a masterpiece
Adele
4/5
A powerful siren call from a strong young woman navigating relationships and heartbreaks of young adulthood that is captivating
George Michael
3/5
His own unique style undergirds a quality outing that has a few classics but also has some mundane repetition.
Queen
5/5
A wildly inventive night of vaudeville, opera, and American song created by a British rock band. Breaks all expectations and achieves something coherent and sublime.