1001 Albums Summary

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Had never of this album, pleasantly surprised - good straight ahead rock. Nothing earth shattering but def high quality.

Basic decent rap album. Nothing overly consequential.

Such good music but limited variety

Hmmm. Well, it’s certainly an attempt to try different things. But for me it was mostly unlistenable.

Just wasn’t digging it

Really? Why is this special? Seems pretty pedestrian to me.

Undeniable punk energy. But never gives way to anything melodically or lyrically compelling.

A hellbent rush of storytelling steeped in attitude and atmosphere. Brilliant.

Really? I have to listen this before I die? Why?

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.

Easy to see why she’s an American icon.

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.

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.

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.

Nice harmonies, melodic flourishes, but lacking in the kind of consistent creativity and sophistication that would make it consistently compelling listening.

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.

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.

Top-shelf writing and musicianship

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.

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.

Intense but oddly soothing at the same time. Lyrically literate.

Loud. Raucous. Unintelligible. Probably important in the history of metal and mosh pits but that doesn’t make for compelling listening.

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.

Good ole straight ahead rock w an attitude

Well, has a few nice melodies but overly earnest and simply overblown.

Arrives on a powerfully dark burst of guitar noise and unrelenting drumbeats, heralding a whole new genre of menacing rock that still thrives today.

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.

Musically interesting, as one would expect from Bowie. Yet don’t feel as if it reaches the heights of his best work.

More evidence of how REM turned puck toward alternative rock. Good high quality throughout.

A bit mournful yet an interesting combination of styles and still full of hooks.

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.

Solid outing from his days as a punk troubadour

Huh? This is…music?

Mildly interesting

Being so sleek, tight, and bluesy makes it enjoyable, but too slick and banal for it to rise to the level of something meaningful.

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.

Real punk and also musical. Never heard of them before but ready to hear more.

Rollicking, bluesy, full-throated roll ‘n roll with bass lines that don’t quit. A great time but never gets too deep.

Don’t get why this is so lauded. Obnoxious sloppy punk.

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.

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.

Marginally better than much the metal recommended on this list

Good reminder of how important Ry Cooder was in expanding our musical boundaries

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.

How did I not know this album previously? Such good musicianship.

Some iconic tunes here that are now part of the American songbook, but a couple of bland clunkers drags the album down a bit.

Raw, jangling, repetitive. Unfortunately too much of this white heat lack musicality.

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

Its complicated structures are not easy and require your active attention, but its depths pull you in and reward repeated listening.

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.

It’s Bob Marley, so it’s quality stuff. It’s also reggae, so it’s all pretty much the same.

Consistent catchiness and the kind of insights you’d expect of The Smiths, but nothing sticks w you once it’s all done.

Beyond torch - the best of these hit serious highs

Just not enough variation for me

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.

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.

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’.

A coherent album that is consistently full of surprises (and which took me by surprise).

Good solid rock but gotta admit I don’t hear anything earth shattering here - kind of a poor man’s Bruce Springsteenish vibe

Nothing to grab me in the least

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.

This is among the most melodic hip hop I’ve encountered

Operatic and otherworldly, this is as cohesive as an album gets

Leisurely, groovy, sensuous, almost luxurious - the musicality is so high and the consistency unbeatable.

Had not listened closely before - brooding rock that hits far more than it misses

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.

Hip California punk - who’da thunk it

A lot of loud guitars, a lot of passion and energy, a lot of driving beats. Not a lot of music.

The pleasures were indeed unknown, at least by me.

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.

Carefully constructed and other-worldly

This is soulful musicianship for sure, but the vocals are reedy and the lyrics schlocky.

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”…

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.

Mildly interesting

Interesting in places - it’s REM after all - but in my estimation not at the top of their list.

Interesting music even if the vocals were sometimes ragged and some of it started to repeat itself

Mingus and his crew swing hard w complicated rhythms, extended solos, and some cacophony. It’s righteous - but sometimes hard to listen to.

Solid outing from one of the iconic voices of her generation but not at the level of her earlier efforts.

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.

Announces an inimitable style from the very note - sultry, smooth, with enough swing and groove to keep you afloat throughout

Solid pop rock if unfocused and a bit excessive at times

Intense interesting storytelling

A consistent pleasure: kinetic energy with sweeping vistas and melodic turns of techno

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.

Bowie trying his best to push the boundaries and create a new type of sophistication w structures and layers. Not working for me.

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.

Filled w the beats of Brazil - its cacaphony and its beauty - but not as consistently compelling as I expected

Lots of attitude, full of punk but honestly a bit boring

Smooth and soulful if skimpy on the type of songwriting and storytelling that makes it a must listen

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.

Solid effort that mixes sharp edged guitars and urgency but short of their very best

Such musicianship, clarity, and rhythmic joy

The Queen’s rule is firm, soulful, edgy

Incentive indeed - these mothers surprised me

Wow did not know this album and glad I do now - consistent quality throughout with their own musical style that draws you in

A sophisticated stylistic arty collection that was likely groundbreaking in its day

From heavy rockets that border on metal to lighter fare that edges up to pop, this is surprisingly consistently enjoyable

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

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.

Moody, atmospheric, arty - w a touch of 70s TV show theme music thrown in

These guys seriously know how to rock but man I can’t get past that voice - annoying as h*ll

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.

Classic after classic

Not my favorite type of music but it holds up

This is kinda hokey country, w pretty much zero gravitas that makes it stand for something.

Hmm. Furious energy, sharp-edged commentary. But man, it’s three chords over and over.

One outstanding song does not an album make

Not my typical type of music, but you have to admire the artistry and the listenability

Tightly crafted and hook-laden w a distinctive style. Not just one song, it’s a consistently good album.

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 ;-)

The flat delivery and storytelling are still a winning combination, but while its solid listening, it never soars

She’s dreamy but sharp-edged with a style that softly pulls you in and then bludgeons you

Nothing makes it jump out as special

Yeah it might be political, hard-edged and full of mad beats, but it’s also surprisingly melodic

Jaunty, catchy, surprisingly engaging

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

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

Janis Joplin has soul enough for ten people and love to hear this live blues

Warhol’s visual art is much more compelling than this

Muddy doing his thing live and in fine form. The blues at their best.

Passionate, earnest - affecting.

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.

Pulsing w Copland’s insistent beats and accompanied by complicated yet throbbing bass lines - yet there are a few clunkers that fall flat

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.

Knew absolutely zero about these guys. Where the hell have I’ve been? Man the energy is infectious.

Yeah, it’s wide-ranging and psychedelic - appreciate all it contains, but it does get tiresome after a while

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.

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.

One of the few albums that gets better deeper into the album - really takes off in the last third

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

Loose, bluesy, groovy, and boozy - one of their best.

The energy is infectious and some of the hooks just keep you bopping

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.

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.

Meh. Indyish mutterings w few musical flourishes or melodic hooks to hold interest.

Creative mashup of sounds and pastiches of familiar melodies

Kinda like its own version of Muzak but w a beat and chants. Waaay too long for what it is.

Yah no. Lotsa beats but goes nowhere, really.

Interesting evolution from classical to something that resonates w a modern listener.

Umm. This is music?

Knopfler announces himself w the very first notes and the whole band demonstrates their incredible musicianship from the get-go. Kick ass album.

I appreciate the attempt and the wide-ranging collaborations but in the end I found it all to be rather…boring.

Another banger before the guy is barely older than a teenager. Incredible.

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.

Angry, tough, poetic

Started off slow but really grew on me. But there are definitely a few clunkers here and this could be a lot shorter.

Energetic and earnest

Not my style

Not seeing this as anything special in the least

Funky, bluesy, and loose, doing his best to channel the spirit of the Rolling Stones into something more modern

Such a joy to experience these masterful arrangements by the Duke and the incredible musicianship of the band. Just overly long for me.

Soulful w the slide that’s sharp…the production gets a little slick though

It rocks but it’s a lot

Sounded horrible at the beginning but grew on me

What makes this more special than much of the rap out there?

I’m not against sweeping and swooning velvet, dramatic tones, but in the end this was just all too boring for me

The rap + rock combo is not bad but the musicianship is just insipid

Commanding soulfulness - she tells a story w every song that sucks you in

I’m not usually a fan of the organ but Jimmy makes it swing so hard - this is infectious stuff

Overtones of Hendrix & Parliament - surprisingly raucous guitars, unsurprising funky beats

Relaxed, laconic, sharp with its own country sensibility that is compelling

This is solid Bowie

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.

Started out w a few clunkers but built as the album went on and ended w a few bangers

High on concept, lots of artistic flourishes, but unfortunately light on compelling melodic lines that ultimately make this an enjoyable listen

The addition of a few jazz stars doesn’t necessarily elevate it

Solid, creative outing if at times it fails to reach the heights that the production imagines for it

Creative but a bit too cerebral for its own good

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

It’s as unartistic as her voice is powerful

Sharp and incisive and Killing Me Softly makes valuable in and of itself

Basic Christmas album. Nothing exceptional so unclear why this is on the list.

Creative, sophisticated in its way, the epitome of prog rock but less melodic and compelling than some other exemplars of the genre

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

Did not know these guys - solid outing

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.

Gotta admit, surprised at the high quality here and for me it’s even a cut above much of The Smiths work

A warning shot, a strong effort that’s an announcement to stay tuned for the greater things to come…

Gothic and dramatic - but oddly less compelling than I would have imagined

Moody and with its own sense of style. But there are few hooks, and lyrics w limited pull.

Was it supposed to put me to sleep?

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

Ho hum. Nothing here that made this rise above the basics of its genre.

Minimalist and diverse at the same time as they announce themselves to the world

Well, this is at least a more cohesive effort than their others on this list.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Well I have a feeling he has better albums but it mystifies me how this one made the list. Drab.

A few weak spots among the several iconic bangers

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.

Incredible to follow up Blue with another set bordering on masterpiece

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.

Mildly pleasant but a few nice moments here or there do not an iconic album make

The title song is the weakest by far - top notch stuff

A poet with music as his backdrop, one unafraid of the big themes: spirituality, meaning, death, and hope.

The Queen of Soul announces herself

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.

Wow this is a great album full of different styles and excellent musicianship.

Mannish Boy alone makes this worthwhile listening

Not a metal fan but had to respect the innovation on this album. But way too long and repetitive.

This is a fun album w just a few truly memorable moments

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

Funky, edgy, but also (sometimes) catchy - see these guys creating something new in real time

Appropriately gothic. Supposedly these guys have a cult following. Unfortunately I’m not part of it.

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.

Stylish pop music that mostly satisfies

Has to be one of the best debut albums ever

People love these guys, and while I can imagine why I’ve never been one of them…

Yeah maybe a little unusual but besides one or two good songs I’m not overly impressed as an album

Wow. Didn’t know these guys and don’t know why - top shelf stuff.

Frenetic energy from the first note and it never lets up

It’s good but truly missing his bandmates to be great

Guys please I’m falling asleep

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.

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

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.

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

He’s a rambling that’s for sure

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

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.

Really? This stuff seems so anodyne.

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.

Gotta hand it to her - every song here grooves and moves in a way that no one else is quite capable of.

Honestly sure this was a different vibe and style but I didn’t hear much that was “special”

Yeah it’s sold hip hop

Gotta appreciate their inventiveness and dedication to style even if it gets old after a while

Pleasing and enjoyable if a bit meandering and lacking the power to make it something truly great

Top notch musicianship with a good deal of variety

May seem deceptively simple, even basic - that’s how incredible the songwriting is: pure, honest, direct with no artifice needed.

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

This is old school country w a heart

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

May not be the greatest album of all time but it’s damn good and the guy plays every instrument himself…

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

Underappreciated album. It’s a coherent musical journey full of this team’s signature blend of evocative storytelling and style.

Good straight ahead hard rock that does not let up

Psychedelic tropes that meander and dissipate without much of an impression

Solid pop rock - singable but not super extraordinary

A coherent masterpiece of soul and musicianship

Soulful, heartfelt, with funkiness and funk

Everything these guys produce is high quality and a musical treat. Having said that, this isn’t among my favorite Led Zep albums.

A sophisticated blend of great songwriting and sultry vocals

Heartfelt outing from an important band and important time

Incredible how what I would consider minor Beatles is of such higher quality and musicianship of most of the other albums on this list

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.

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

The roots of Americana

Wide-ranging, funky, a new musical style

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

Wow what a musical potpourri of funkiness mixed w punk and hard rock sensibilities

He’s such a good songster but as a whole the album is nothing incredibly exceptional

Groovy jam band makes for an enjoyable outing

It’s angry and raw but stylistically unimpressive

Of course everything he does has inventive musical qualities but I was not overwhelmed by this album

Not as coherent as an album as his masterpiece, more a series of killer singles, but still top-shelf stuff

A nonstop set of beats which are unique, sure, but have little variety or emotional impact

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?

There goes my reason for living…

This is a tight, energetic, rockin set

It’s ahead of its time for sure…but that doesn’t mean it wears well as an album outside of its time

This is a rock smorgasbord

I love EBTG but this is something like my fourth favorite album of theirs, surprised to see it on this list

A couple iconic songs and a couple more that should be

A rollicking night at the diner w a true vagabond poet

Somehow I missed out on this album and band - high quality literate pop/rock

Yeah it truly is something new and fresh and a masterpiece

Umm…seemed promising, some unique jams through its own kind of mash-ups, but ultimately proved just to be mish-mash

Straight ahead stuff that mixes an all star line up

Nick’s gothic rock is high quality w this outing

A bluesy, groovy, loose masterpiece full of musical variety and soaring fretwork that remains consistently surprising over its double discs

“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

Bam! Announcing Latin jazz. The rhythms and syncopations just move you…

Bowie is a master but the impulse to push the edge of cacophony makes for some tough listening on this album

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

Much better when they keep their mouths shut but unfortunately that’s not the case for most of these songs ;-)

Funkadelic hip hop

This is moody REM - good but not great

Authentic in their style and approach, serious w their subjects, but do I want to listen over and over? I do not.

Quirky w its own style, some glimmers of interesting composition, but overall a bit too precious for its own good

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

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…

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?

Interesting and unique

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

A powerful siren call from a strong young woman navigating relationships and heartbreaks of young adulthood that is captivating

His own unique style undergirds a quality outing that has a few classics but also has some mundane repetition.

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.

I’m sure it’s meaningful in some avante garde way but man it’s unlistenable

Creative. Surprising. Sometimes nutty.

A one-take “live” album whose slow, relaxed, but sometimes dark Americana (yes I recognize they’re Canadians) remains so compelling even upon repeated listening because of the power compressed in that laconic pace. If feels as if it will explode at any moment.

There’s enough stylistic variety here to impress even the biggest skeptic and yer there’s also a lot of coherence

Offers insight into his musical influences and his ability to mash up styles

Hmmm. A prog rock epic. But honestly it feels rather pedestrian to me - a lot of experimentation a w the same thing over and over. And the rest of the songs? In the end I found this not very compelling.

Soul w a bit of funk, utilizing some musical flourishes that were probably pioneering back in the day but have now become almost cliches of the genre. I can appreciate all this but in the end just was not compelled by any of it.

This album basically creates the Americana genre, no? So much musicality on this, turning bluegrass, folk, and old timey music into something modern and original and retro.

A conceptual mish-mash of sounds and styles generated from the chaotic mind of a cultural revolutionary, so I get its importance in that regard, but as music, it’s more an idea than something tangible

It’s a dizzy onrush of sounds and pastiche that’s for sure but ultimately feels like a torrent of words and emotions that don’t add up to much

I’m sure it was groundbreaking in its day but outside of the historical significance I’m not sure it’s aged very well

Loose, shaggy even, but compelling and enjoyable

Hard not to want to dance or put a smile on your face while listening to this, and honestly it’s a more coherent album than I expected. But there is little in the lyrics to provoke a thought beyond those things…

Um. Really? Who thought it a good idea to put this on the list? I gotta listen to this before I die?

This is a solid rock outing w a band that has its own style - the vocals are low in the mix, which can be frustrating, but interesting musicianship here

Not really creative or varied enough to get me excited about listening

They are the pathfinders of a whole genre and kind of define heavy metal. This is typical fare - honestly I find it so repetitive after a while that it loses any power it might have to jolt or shock…

Peak Bowie - a coherent collection that defines his style

The occult and dark mythology mix w guitars and Ozzy’s haunting vocals

There are flashes of musical creativity that excite me here but overall it’s just too messy chaotic and ends up incoherent

Was honestly surprised by how coherent an album this is. It’s not just a collection of singles that everybody knows - it’s its own musical style, and truly an American one at that.

Jeepers a Brit rapper who’s kinda meh

Fiery, jangly, full of energy… but ultimately felt like be washed over w lots of noise that had little behind it

Red meet for the converted, a bunch of noise for the rest of us

The list would be inordinately better if they traded out a Bill Evans album for each of the so-so albums meted out by minor musicians. The fact that there is only one on this list is a serious crime. This isn’t even his best album but definitely a 5 compared to the body of others on the list.

Piazolla and Burton - while I’m not necessarily fan of Piazolla’s instrument, these two are masterful together

Welsh creativity and a certain sense of style - can’t say it’s exactly for me, but I can appreciate it

This is Elton John’s “Born to Run” magnum opus. Sprawling and eminently musical w all kinds of storytelling, its quality remains consistent throughout its long length. I’d take this to a desert island.

I’m sure it was groundbreaking in its day but to these ears it’s a pastiche that ends up sounding like everything and nothing at all

Man this gets old fast…talk about variations on a single theme, feels very programmed

It’s only teenage wasteland…

An Irish crime coeur

Quality synth pop that provides a bit of candy for the ears but doesn’t quite grab and not let go

Angry, raw, but overblown bc so many wanted to think it was tough

An interesting mash up of musical styles and beats but I’m never emotionally drawn in by Beck

The height of their mastery puts us on the stairway to heaven

Wow what a lot of noise. Drowning in it.

I wanted to love it but it felt incoherent at times and simply didn’t land for me

Tooth, strong, literate, poetic

Jangly, raw, but seemingly and oddly submerged as well

A masterclass in the blues, in composition, in improvisation, and in group dynamics. It simply doesn’t get any better.

Despite a couple of clunkers, overall this is an enjoyable listen of a band w its own sense of style and beats. But it doesn’t transcend beyond enjoyable…