1001 Albums Summary

Would repeat listen Holes, Opus 40, and Goddess on a Hiway. Not an album I need to listen to all the way through again.

Far too long, but a real survey of “everything George.” I love the uptempo songs with the Spector wall of sound and horns, but could have done without the stoner jam band elements towards the end.

4.5 / 5 - Has possibly the best first line on a Song 1, Side 1 of any album, and is also one of the most aptly named albums of all time. The influence of Raw Power is obviously far and wide for the future of punk, but this easily holds up on its own legs with door-blasting energy beyond just being an "influential album." I had never listened to it all the way through, and I listened to it 4 times in a row. Rounding down only because it's early in the reviews and I need to leave space at the top.

3/5 - Imagine bringing this record home in 1970 with this creepy ass album cover and the opening sounds of the rain and bells. This is a demonic, Halloween MOOD. It’s hard to believe a recording this thick with atmosphere is a debut, but the vision of what they wanted to be is clear. Like many, I’d probably listen to the follow-up Paranoid (from the same year) any day before heading back to the debut, but “The Wizard” rocks.

4/5 - Why do you need to hear this album before you die? So that you can hear exactly what 1995 and 1996 sounded like. This is not a timeless classic. This is a time capsule that you dig up, dust off, and feel all the disillusionment, angst, and GenX attitude wash over you in waves. written and sung by a woman who is flat out going for it, because who gives a flick what you think. The lyrics are sometimes brilliant, and frequently bad, while Alanis' voice is sometimes perfect and frequently grating, but this is catharsis on compact disc. There's thousands of singer-songwriter records, but few have this specific of a voice for a particular generation. Just sing along. You know the words.

2.5/5 - Why did I need to hear this album before I die? I suppose to hear what all the fuss was about. I had no connection to this album in 1998, though I've given it several listens over the last few years. I think it's fine. The hallway chatter interludes annoy me, and most of the album fades into the background for me, with a few strong standouts as the exception.

3/5 - Why did I need to hear this album before I die? To get the feel of the ambience in a mid-century jazz club in Chicago from a time well before I was born. Vaughn has a beautiful voice, and the standards are classic material, but this isn't the type of music I really engage with. In terms of musicianship and quality, this is surely higher than a 3, but it doesn't really move me.

3/5 - I’m pretty sure I didn’t need to hear this album before I die. Breakdown and American Girl are obvious standout hits, and Strangered in the Night is pretty good, but this isn’t an album of hidden gems. I love dozens of Tom Petty songs, but the debut is a bit thin for me.

2/5 - I didn't need to hear this album before I die. It's well executed, relaxing, and beautiful, but also really dull if you've never listened all the way through before. Not for me.

3/5 - Why did I need to hear this album before I die? To fill in a gap of what I know about David Bowie. This isn’t a Bowie record I’m going to revisit, but Fascination and Right were both worth discovering. The collaboration with John Lennon was also new to me. I didn’t expect to hear a cover of Across the Universe.

1/5 - I most definitely did not need to hear this before I die. Britney Spears was a cultural phenomenon, but this album nose dives after the first track and hits bottom on “E-mail My Heart.” This album is laugh out loud, wretched pop written and produced by an exploitative factory. I only made it through this because I had 9 hours of driving today, and it made all the other music feel like a savior.

5/5 - This is an example of why I started on this project — to be introduced to worthwhile recordings I would never have listened to on my own. This is way out of my usual listening tastes, but I absolutely enjoyed it. Would listen again.

5/5 - You need to hear this before you die because of the guitar tone of Tom Scholz. This is production perfection joined with great hooks and Brad Delp's voice. I've listened to this album hundreds of times, and it's a cornerstone of 70s classic rock.

4/5 - I needed to hear this because I am unfamiliar with the genre and this was a fun, easy listen. I wouldn’t have guessed this was from the 70s. Taj Mahal and the song after it were standouts for me.

5/5 - You need to hear this because Smith’s influence keeps living on. The whispered melodies and spare production keep the focus on the songwriting here, so I like this even more than XO I think. I’m glad this album came up because it had been a good long while since I sat with some of these songs. Great stuff.

2/5 - I needed to hear this record so I could say I tried. It’s hard to access this album without a guide when it’s so far outside what I typically listen to, especially lyrically. Obviously, this is a landmark hip-hop album, and it will get plenty of high marks. I was fine with several songs, but when you’re not in on the joke on the skits, it’s annoying, and the album doesn’t invite spending more time on it.

4/5 - I needed to hear this because the drums and guitar rip. Lyrics and Cookie Monster growling do zero for me. Obvious major influences from Master of Puppets and Slayer here. Dead Embryonic Cells and Desperate Cry were my favorites.

3/5 - I probably didn’t need to hear this, but I enjoyed the singles, especially Fantastic Day. Their sound was overall pretty tight with the horns, and the songs were light and summery. Enjoyable but really dated. I guess they were bigger in the UK, because I hadn’t heard of them.

4/5 - I needed to hear this so I could hear Randy Newman beyond animated soundtracks and "I Love LA," as well as pay attention to his smart, biting lyrics. You can just see the sideways grin he's giving with songs like "Political Science" and "Burn On.” I don't love his voice, but I'm jealous of his songwriting talent.

5/5 - I needed to hear this because I could put it on repeat all day. Admittedly, on first listen, I wouldn’t be able to tell this apart from any of a thousand other albums in this genre, but this hooked me. “Desafinado” and “Samba Dees Days” were my favorite tracks, but I enjoyed it the whole way through. Guitar playing was fantastic.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this. It has some interesting moments, but doesn’t leave me with any lasting impression other than over-produced rock with a singer who reminds me of Chris Martin. By no means is this a bad record, but it doesn’t belong on a list of albums I need to hear. “One Day Like This” was pretty good, but ought to end 1:30 earlier.

4/5 - I needed to hear this because I didn't know psychedelic voodoo was a thing. I thought it was trouble after the first track, but it got a lot more tuneful after that. The music here has a real "feel" and rhythm that I don't think I have the words to describe; it just kinda makes you move. "Mama Roux" and "I Walk on Guilded Splinters" were the standout tracks for me.

4.5 / 5 - I needed to hear this because I didn't think I could enjoy a 15 minute drum instrumental. This is the sort of album I'm here for. I have no idea of this is a good Fela Kuti live album or how much Ginger Baker is adding to the sound, but I listened all the way through twice, and to a couple tracks 3 times. Great groove. Would listen to more Fela Kuti. Rounding to 5 for the drums.

2/5 - I needed to hear this only if I wanted to revisit the post-9/11 feeling. This feels very dated to me, and not a Bruce album I'd want to spend additional time with. Musically, this just doesn't do much at all, and lyrically, it's hard to engage for the first time with something that is so particular to a moment in time.

3/5 - I guess I needed to hear one of the early outlaw country albums, but nothing here is going to stick with me.

4/5 - I needed to hear this because the harmonies are great and it feels like a landmark supergroup album, since I'm not aware of a woman-led supergroup before this, though there probably was one. I'm not a huge country fan, but "Wildflowers" was a standout track for me.

4/5 - I needed to hear half of this album. There’s a solid 12-15 songs here, but like the production, and everything else, it’s all just so much. As a whole, it doesn’t hold up to repeat listens 30 years later, but the high points here are among my all-time favorites. Muzzle, Porcelina, 1979, BWBW.

1/5 - I did not need to hear this album, and I barely made it through. Just absolutely not my thing, though The One You Love and The Art Teacher were OK.

2.5/5 - I don’t think I needed to hear this, because it’s not going to open any new doors on what I think of Rod Stewart. The country-influenced rock and roll is perfectly listenable, but very little surprises here except the funky ending track. Rod sounds like Rod. Rounding down for lame album art.

4/5 - I needed to hear this, because I’ve never voluntarily listened to a full Yes album before. I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Maybe prog isn’t so bad after all. Lots of great instrumentation here obviously, but I also really liked the opening vocal hook in Starship Trooper. Adding this one to my rotation.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this, because I never got into Pantera, and this album doesn’t change my mind. Maybe on a different day, but probably not.

2.5/5 - I needed to hear this because I didn’t know sophisti-pop was a thing before today. This album starts off pretty strong, but side B is a snore. I listened to the acoustic version of this album, and that was better for me, because it’s a little more focus on the songs without the overly lavish synth production. Everything about this record is really British, including the album art. “Bonny” was probably my favorite track. Rounding up because of the really unusual lyrics that kept surprising me. “Turkey hungry, chicken free. I can breakdance on your knee.” ?!

3/5 - I needed to hear maybe 5 songs of this album, but certainly not 2 hours. This is like when someone suggests The Count of Monte Cristo for your bookclub. You've got an epic assignment of 1200 pages of classic material to consume, and you've more or less got the gist 1/5 of the way in, because it's all more of the same. There's not going to be any surprises on side B of this monster. This is a documentary-worthy piece of work that is important for all sorts of reasons, I'm sure. It belongs on this list. I'll give it a 3 because if I'm in the unlikely mood for some bluegrass, now I know where to go. That said, it can't go any higher because: a) It's more of a catalog than an artistic statement as an album and b) I hate skits on country/bluegrass albums as much as I do on hip-hop albums. Just play the song; isn't the album already long enough?

5/5 - I needed to hear this in my life because it’s one of the original seeds that influenced so many bands I love. Smith is a complete badass on this recording and sets the tone right from the first line of Gloria. I don’t care if her voice is all over the place, and it’s often just 3-chord rock. It’s about the attitude and the message — still real 50 years later.

3.5/5 - i needed to hear this because Little Simz is a fresh voice that I otherwise wouldn’t have heard. This album surprised me with its musicality. Selfish, Wounds, Flowers, and FM 101 were the better tracks for me. I didn’t love all of it, but definitely plenty here to listen to again.

5/5 - Needed to hear this because I’ve heard all the hits hundreds of times, but never listened all the way through a Bob Marley album. Strong all the way through without a miss, it’s obvious why this is a classic. Marley writes timeless lyrics that were very much grounded in the politics of his home and time. The band is impeccable. This is music that lifts.

3/5 - I needed to hear this because it is a brief window into a particular moment in time that I’d never get from a studio recording. That said, I don’t care much for live albums, and they are almost always “one and done” listens for me. The tracks here are mostly shorter than I expected and feel like they’d be especially flat without the audience. I have a ton of respect for the outsized influence Brown would have for the decades to come, but I doubt I’d revisit this recording.

4/5 - I needed to hear this because I know it’s one of those “soundtrack to people’s lives” albums, and it has a beautiful, smooth sound with darker subject matter than the earlier Motown records. Enjoyable listen for me, but I hadn’t listened all the way through before, and I didn’t really connect with it.

4/5 - You really need to hear Revolver more than you need to hear Sgt. Pepper's, because it's the real masterpiece. A Day in the Life is one of the grandest pop songs of all time. Mr. Kite makes no sense. John opines dreamily about the girl with kaleidoscope eyes. Paul has some charming songs like 64 and Getting Better. Sitar! You've already read and heard everything about this album. It's one of the "important" ones, but it's definitely not the best one.

3/5 - I don't think this is an album of this era you need to hear, but it hits a spot for me. It has several solid tracks with Soul and Fire a clear standout, but Sister, Sacred Attention, and Think (Let Tomorrow Bee) are also really good. This is an album with three separate songwriters, and it really shows, with Barlow easily being the most talented writer of the group. Overall, a good discovery for me, and I'll be back.

4.5/5 - You need to hear this, because it launched hip-hop and rap into a generation of young suburban ears. The first 4 tracks are all-timers. It gets spotty in places after that with weaker songs like Perfection and Dumb Girl, but this is a must-listen classic. Pop culture juggernaut.

5/5 - You need to hear this because Ray Davies doesn’t get enough credit as a songwriter. Other than the leadoff Victoria, I had never heard anything on this album, and I loved every bit of it. Some Mother’s Son, Australia, Shangri-La — all so good, but I was into the whole concept of Arthur and the story of the lyrics. I clearly need to listen to more by The Kinks.

2/5 - I didn't need to hear this, because it made very little impression on me. The band name and album art put me in a skeptical mood from the jump, and the music didn't turn me around. Immediately felt like some 90s take on "world music" and all the generic associations that brings along. There were a few moments when I thought it was alright, but I kept thinking : "Is this anyone's favorite band?"

4/5 - I needed to hear this because discovering a hip-hop album with a positive message and great samples was a helluva good time. Day at the Races was the standout for me, but I had fun listening the whole way through, even if it got a bit long at the end.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this, because I couldn’t recall one hook or anything else after finishing it. I tried again and still nothing. I tend to like this type of sound compared to some other genres on this list, but this was a dud for me. Listenable, so I’ll give it a 2.

3/5 - I needed to hear this so I'd know how to get back to the chicken shack in case I want to visit again. I'm never going to have anything technical to say about listenable jazz like this, but I like this era of music, even if it doesn't really stick with me.

3.5/5 - You need to hear this because a big part of The Who's legend (for better or worse) is based on their live performances. I love this era of The Who and the setlist is great, but I'm just not a fan of live albums. Still, there's worse ways to spend my time than listening to a set of really familiar songs backed by Moon's constantly crashing cymbals.

3/5 - I'm sure I needed to hear this at some point in my life, but I don't need to hear it anymore. The hits were huge, but as a whole album, it's overrated. Deserves a place in pop culture history and on this list, but not in my listening rotation.

3/5 - I needed to hear this because it’s the closest I’ve come to enjoying a 90s gangster rap album. Don’t care for skits, but the samples were really good throughout. New Jack Hustler, Mind Over Matter, Fly By, Escape From the Killing Fields were standout tracks for me.

2.5/5 - I don't think I needed to hear this album. Despite recommendations, I've never thought that much of this debut. The vocals are uninteresting at best, and the music is totally fine. By no means is this a slog to get through, and there's a few tracks I like well enough, but no idea why this is on this list.

5/5 - I needed to hear this album because it is one of my favorite artifacts of the GWB administration. At the time, I had no idea I needed a rock opera from Green Day, but I did. I love this album front to back because it's simply a blast to listen to.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this album because it took the same track being on repeat 3x in a row before I finally noticed something was awry. I could not possibly listen to this as a focused experience, but as background while working on a weekday, it never grabbed my attention once. For that, I’ll give it a 2.

3/5 - I needed to hear this album as a whole once because of its mythology and history. This is an incredibly hard album to rate. It’s like an Old Masters painting presented as modern art depicting a landscape from an imaginary Disney planet. Smile has moments of incredible beauty, jarring transitions, barnyard animals, and then comes back and hits you with heavenly harmonies. It’s a masterpiece I don’t really understand and find hard to access. It also contains Good Vibrations which is about as good as it gets in pop music on par with God Only Knows.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this album, and I almost didn’t make it through. I’d like to either have some groove or some melody with my noise, and this had neither for me. Generally annoying, but I can see how some would find merit in it, so it’s a 2.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this, because the album tracks were fairly repetitive and the misogyny was gross. There’s better Stones albums than this.

3/5 - I don’t that I needed to hear this album today, but I might need to hear it again sometime in the future. The instrumental aspects of this are pretty enjoyable, but his vocal delivery put me off. I could see this growing on me if I let it.

2.5/5 - I didn't need to hear this because this was back-to-back with Bill Callahan yesterday, and I hope this isn't a trend. That said, I was prepared to hate this more than I did, and The Butcher Boy was alright. Still, it's too sedate for me in a way that isn't engaging. Rounding down for the falsetto and 90% of the lyrics which made no sense to me.

5/5 - You need to hear this, because it's a masterpiece. I've listened to it many times and will keep on returning. I think it is The Beatles most representative album, as it has all their styles in one package. Yes, even Yellow Submarine has a role to play in this regard.

4/5 - I needed to hear this because it seems like a good example of what a live album can deliver. I'm not versed on the history of Ellington, but I like this style of jazz when I hear it. I usually don't care for live albums with the crowd chatter and all that, but the Dimuendo and Crescendo in Blue track is a keeper. I give it a 4 for that alone.

5/5 - I needed to hear this because it melted my face. This is beautiful, raw noise. I listened to the whole thing 3 times and played Kerosene and Passing Complexion about 5 more. I’ll probably do the same tomorrow.

3/5 - I needed to hear this once as a strong social statement and to hear how Cash commands and plays to the (literally) captive audience. Solid Cash songs as expected, but unlikely to revisit.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear this. I have no nostalgia for it, and never liked Shout or Head Over Heels on the radio. I do love EWTRTW, but that’s a really easy one to like. I know this album gets a lot of love, but it’s not for me.

3/5 - I don’t know how many Rush albums are on this list, but they are a band that should have exactly one on the list. I enjoy the music more than a 3, but between Lee’s vocal quality and whatever nonsense lyrics he’s singing, I’m often left thinking that their albums would be better as full instrumentals.

2/5 - I didn’t need to hear more than one song about Marvin’s divorce. When “attorney’s fees” is in a lyric, you’re not winning. This album goes on forever.

5/5 - I needed to hear this, because I only know their hits. This was a solid debut album that was a lot of fun to listen to a couple times through. If you’re looking for depth here, you’re not gonna find it, but it’s perfect for what it sets out to be.

4/5 - I needed to hear this because it was delightfully weird, and I never would come across it otherwise. Each track here is pretty different from the others, but they all hit in their own way. I loved the early electronic sampling sounds. I'd definitely check out more by Czukay.

5/5 - I needed to hear this because it’s a genuinely fun album that made me smile. I had heard the hits before, but skits aside, there were no skips here for me. Playful and goofy. I like it.

2/5 - I didn’t really need to hear this album. Other than Eight Miles High, nothing even prompted me to check the song title. It’s an extremely 60s record without much appeal for me. I don’t get why this is on the list.

5/5 - Dearly Beloved, I am here to tell you that you need to hear this because it’s so damn good. I was too young when this came out to really get it, but even now, this is an exciting album. The funk, the sex, the guitar, the pop vision all in one package here.

5/5 - You need to hear this because it’s one of the seminal UK debut punk albums of the time. Absolutely belongs on the list and sets the template for hundreds of bands to follow.

3.5/5 - You need to hear this because it has a couple solid hits, and so you know the music behind the insane back story of the "Fake Zombies." Go look it up on Wikipedia. The album cover and misspelling of Odessey are pretty classic as well. I'd probably have to spend more time with this to really get into the album cuts, but I like it overall. Rounding up to 4 for the Fake Zombies story.

5/5 - Amongst Willie Nelson’s dozens of albums, I never would have found this on my own. This is 34 minutes of simple singing, guitar and some harmonica, and I was enthralled with the storytelling throughout. “Hands on the Wheel” was an immediate favorite.

2/5 - I'd probably have to spend a lot more time engaging with they lyrics to understand why I need to hear this. I think "Freedom! '90" is fantastic, but I listened to the rest of it twice, and nothing stuck with me. Listenable, but I wouldn't return to it.

5/5 - It’s hard to imagine this list without one of the most iconic voices in rock history on it. Janis was a total powerhouse. I love this album. You need to hear it, because you can’t begin to tell the story of women in rock without Janis Joplin.

1/5 - A scrapbook of noise in many formats. I can imagine some have drug-induced nostalgia for this and think back to college days of pondering the universe to the background din of what sounds like a broken piece of machinery. This could only be worse if Rufus Wainwright sang on top of it.

3.5/5 - You need to hear this because it's not every day you hear a poet speaking at death's door. This felt morose, genuine, and somewhat like spending time with someone at their own funeral. Like a really intense movie, I enjoyed it and certainly appreciated the raw feeling, but there's no way I could listen to this regularly. Rounding up to 4 because it's a concept album without being a concept album.

2/5 - The hits are well known and great, but the rest of the album was mostly standard blues tunes, and didn’t do much for me. I didn’t need to hear this, and I’ve heard enough of The Doors to last me.

3/5 - I’m not sure how to rate this style of jazz albums that are way out of my usual listening zone. It’s obviously a classic for the genre, but I’d get a lot more out of it with a knowledgeable guide.

3.5/5 - I listened to this 2, almost 3 times through, and enjoyed the "desert blues" quite a bit -- good guitar sounds. I'd probably put the lead track on a mixtape. I don't think I'd explore more in this sub-genre, but this was worth a few listens for sure. Rounding up because it's not from the 70s or British.

4.5/5 - This is a helluva album from start to finish. The songwriting and melodies are really good, but the lyrics are the star of the show once you tune into them. The silly pretentiousness of invoking Joan of Arc and dead poets in the cemetery is classic, but it's the whole sentiment of Frankly, Mr Shankly that really drives this home for me. Rounding down because Morrissey is a douche.

2/5 - There were moments when I got hints of The Decemberists or The Magnetic Fields, who I like, but the orchestral arrangements and excessive crooning here are just too much. The horse and sheep comparisons in the lyrics were also pretty odd. I didn't entirely hate this, but I didn't need to hear it, and I won't be back.

1/5 - From a lesser talent, this would be a 2, but Simon is too good to make such a lazy snooze of an album. “Cars are Cars” is one of the dumbest songs I’ve ever heard. “Hearts and Bones” was the only thing I needed to hear off this album. Disappointing.

5/5 - I've listened to Murmur countless times in the last 35 years, and I listened twice more yesterday when this came up on the list. It's an all-time classic for me. I wouldn't change a single thing about it. This sets the stage for everything that follows in their amazing early career run of albums.

2/5 - This is a really challenging listen. It gives me the same feeling as going to view modern art — I have no idea what’s happening other than occasionally noticing something cool; I know some people are way into it, and I’d rather just be doing something else with my time.

1/5 - If this gets reissued without the vocal track, I might make it though it. Until then, no.

3.5/5 - The first 3 tracks and "40" drive the album. I tried to imagine listening to this for the first time, beyond the familiarity of the 2 big hits, and I think it's a way above average early 80s rock record and it shows where U2 was headed. Rounding up because naming yourself The Edge and then becoming a superstar is a badass move.

5/5 - I knew a guy in high school who knew all these bands that weren’t on the radio from his older brother in college. This was my favorite of the lot he introduced me to and my first real exposure to this style of power pop. I still regularly come back to it, because it does what it does so well. Obviously, The Concept is great, but What You Do To Me, Pet Rock, Star Sign, and Alcoholiday are other favorites.

3/5 - My ceiling for Depeche Mode is about a 3, so there it is. This band never surprises me, and I find them to be the most over-serious, joyless act of the 80s, but I still understand why people like their music. The production is good, and they know how to create the mood with the synths, but I find their songs something to endure rather than enjoy.

2/5 - Babylon exists outside of time for me. It makes me nostalgic for something even though I associate it with nothing and have no idea when I first heard it. The first track was also pretty good. And that was about it. This is music that makes me feel 15 years older than I am, and I completely tune out after a couple songs because it’s all so milquetoast-y. To be fair, if I could sing and write like this guy, or knew someone personally who could, I’d be thrilled, but I’m not down for a whole album of this. I need more dynamics or something.

4/5 - At one time, this would have been a slam dunk 5, but I've gotten older, and I'm seeing the cracks. Fight Test (electronic Father and Son) and Yoshimi Pt 1 are still favorites, and I do think the whole album is worth hearing, but I think I wore through the novelty years ago. It is maybe the most concept album that is not a concept album, whatever that means. I like to think that our present day pink robots are AI data centers and their need to be omnipresent in our lives. If only a black belt in karate were enough to fend it off.

4/5 - This got me moving on a Saturday morning. Hadn't heard it before and could have been higher, but 10+ minute tracks drive me nuts. Everyday People would be on an all-time top singles list for me. Lots of good early funk here that I'm happy to have heard.

2.5/5 - Listening to this was mostly a surprise to me, since I was unfamiliar except for the title track. There were a couple tracks I skipped after a minute or two because I think I got the point, but I definitely liked some of the others. This isn't quite a 3 based on my own enjoyment, but it feels like something you oughta hear once, so I'll round up.

0/5 - You don't need to hear this before you die. You need to hear it after you die, so that your brain is already dead. This is calculated garbage. I regret that this rating system forces me to give it a star.

4/5 - I enjoyed this quite a bit, and this is the sort of thing I'm here for. I hadn't heard of White Denim, but I'll definitely keep listening. Their style seemed a little more on the jam band side of things than I usually listen to (hints of the Dead here and there for sure in the guitar), but given the overall landscape of what we get on this project, this was solid indie rock.

5/5 - Would easily be on a top 100 albums to hear before you die for me. The arrangements are harmonies here are so lush and beautiful, I don’t know what superlative to use. Asher’s lyrics are up to the task of Brian Wilson’s vision and the musicianship of The Wrecking Crew delivers the goods as always. I’m not the first to say that God Only Knows is a perfect pop song, but it’s true. Hard to believe this was released in 1966 and is still a pillar of orchestral pop/rock. I don’t always love the derivatives of this genre, but Pet Sounds is a masterpiece.

3/5 - This probably deserves another point just for the story behind it and their outfits, but it's about a 3 in terms of my listening enjoyment. This is primitive proto-punk, surf-ish rock, I guess? It's pretty hard to categorize, and a few songs were just straight up WTF? (Cuckoo, anyone?) I could probably find a song or two to add to a mix, but given that it's not streaming anywhere, even that's a tough call. Weird stuff. Glad I heard it, but doubtful I'll ever be in the mood for "I need to hear The Monks."

4/5 - I haven’t listened to Alice In Chains in 25+ years, but this album holds up really well. If this list needed sludge grunge with some fantastic guitar riffs, this is a great choice.

3/5 - I definitely prefer Purple Rain to 1999. The front half of this has the 3 hits, and I love it. I lose the thread in the back half, and the tracks are entirely too aimless and long. I think a 3 feels right, because I have no desire to listen to this front-to-back again.

4/5 - I recommend walking around a leafy neighborhood on a Sunday morning listening to Heresy on earbuds while fresh faced people enter the nearby churches. It's weird. Not an everyday listen, but I love the production and sound on this album. 30 years has allowed me to ignore the goth-shock-shtick that was gaining ground at the time and just tune in to how Reznor is trying to connect to an inner pain that feels intense and authentic to me.

3.5/5 - Enjoyed the listen, but this didn't grab me quite as much as the first Fela Kuti that came up on this list. Probably more my mood than anything. Still this is full of fun grooves, and I'm a fan of the sound.

3/5 - I like Americana-style music, so this gets at least a 3 just for the "must hear it before you die" aspect and influence The Band had on acts to follow. I liked this, and listened to it twice, having never heard it before, but it wasn't a revelation or anything. Solid, laid back American music from the 60s.

4.5/5 - This is really, really good. Shadowboxer is probably my favorite track. Her voice in that lead-in to the chorus is so strong and confident, and it has an edge to it that doesn't sound dated to the time. Lyrics all around are worth paying attention to, and I just like her voice. I'll keep this in my rotation now. Rounding up for saying f*ck you to the music industry in the 90s.

3/5 - This was a fun 90s dance album to listen to -- better than I expected for sure. I had always thought "Groove.." was an oddball hit, and the whole album has some of that vibe, though nothing gets close to its catchy hooks.

5/5 - I've listened to this album many, many times since I first heard it in the early 2000s. There's nothing quite like it. As a long time Built to Spill fan (has Doug ever said Television was an influence??), the guitar work, the hooks, the weird song structure are a perfect mix for my ears.

3/5 - This has some pretty funny lyrics, and I especially liked the tunes that felt like they could slot right into a video game soundtrack like Tokyo. This is really odd album to say the least, and it often feels like there's just ideas of songs that aren't fleshed out enough to really get into. Definitely not something I'll listen to front to back again, but I favorited a few tracks, and I appreciated the screwball soul here.

4/5 - This is one polarizing album; if you're going to plant a flag on your feelings about Radiohead, this is usually the exact spot you plant it. I remember being disappointed at the time it came out, because it wasn't the OK Computer follow-up I wanted, but I like it more now than I did then. The feel of this album just gets into my head, and I'm still humming parts of it the day after. If you hate Kid A, I get it. If you love Kid A, I get it.

3/5 - I don't really get this choice for the list, but sure. I like these songs. I like Dusty's voice, but is this here for the compactness of hearing so many oldies in one shot? That said, I listened to this twice no problem, and had a good time the whole way through.

3/5 - There are 5 or 6 tracks here that are really, really good, and In Da Club is an all-timer for me. Great beats and fun production on the songs I skip around to. Overall, this is way too long and needs cuts. I would give a 4 to Get Rich or Die Tryin’ the EP.

2/5 - Band on the Run and Jet are good singles. I can barely recall anything else on this album except the last song, which was I think was 1985 spelled out the long way.

5/5 - This is an easy 5 for me. I had this on cassette when I started driving, and I played it on endless loop back then. Every song here has its own mood and is so distinct, but I recognize much of that is from familiarity. One of the best albums from the late 80s.

1/5 - I thought this music and their videos were cool when I was 9. I grew out of that by the time I was 11. Eliminator is the definition of lame. TV Dinners is the worst song I’ve heard on this list, and that’s an accomplishment.

2/5 - Snooze-croon adult contemporary. Not for me.

4/5 - The front half of this album is really outstanding. Crosseyed and Painless is one of my favorites. Adrian Belew’s guitar work is really really good. Overall, I just love the soundscape the band explores here and how many bands this influenced in the early 2000s indie scene that I really appreciate.

2/5 - I don't mind listening to Muse as much as some of the other 2s I've rated, but I hardly think this is essential listening. It's overly bombastic arena rock, that I have to admit works really well on the big stage, having seen them in a festival setting ages ago (and enjoyed the spectacle they put on). This album feels like the music equivalent of a cheesy, summer blockbuster movie. You know it's not high art, but if you know what you're in for, you can enjoy the manufactured drama, and then go do something else with your time.

2/5 - I liked the first song a good bit. I lost interest somewhere in what was maybe the third track. I'd need to pay a lot more attention to get anything out of this. It was definitely a sad album with a lot of expression, but I didn't connect.

2.5/5 - Innocuous and twee California songs. I don't have a whole lot to say about this album, other than there's a whole lot of early 2000s indie that I'd put above this on the list. It was fine, but not essential listening.

4/5 - This is at the tail end of the metal era I enjoy, starting in the early 80s. Holy Wars... and Hangar 18 are both pretty awesome, so this rises on those alone for me. I doubt this is going to turn anyone on to thrash if you don't like the style, but Rust In Peace is a solid pick for the list in the genre.

5/5 - Noisy in all the right ways. One of the best leadoff tracks ever. I love Sprawl and Hey Joni. Wandering guitars, far off vocals, punk art. Just a great package that challenges and pleases my eardrums.

4/5 - I honestly could rate this anywhere between a 2 and a 4. I’m going to go on the high end, because despite the backstory, writing credits, etc, it feels like an important album for the time, and I enjoyed at least half the songs, and wouldn’t mind listening again. The whole project makes you think about how much music is borrowed, stolen, imitated, and pasted together to create new art. I’m not gonna untangle that with my insignificant rating here.

2/5 - I'll never listen to this again, but the cinematic sounds were kinda fun for a bit, and I enjoyed a few tracks. The sound is relentless, and like many hip-hop albums of the time, it's just entirely too long. Wu-Tang will never be my thing, and I'm OK with that.

3/5 - I felt like I was listening to a troubadour at a ren faire for 40 minutes. If that's your thing, this is wonderful, and probably a top 10 album for you. I mostly found it beautiful, but unmemorable in any way. Still, it's a better album to listen to than many of the 2s I've handed out, so I'm going with a 3.

3/5 - I liked this well enough. Probably would have been a better listen with headphones to hear all the sounds. Felt like middle of the road british indie music. Essential? Not really.

4/5 - Kinda odd having 2 SY albums in the same week, but there's worse problems to have. Love Schizophrenia, Tuff Gnarl, Pipeline/Kill Time, Hot Wire My Heart, Catholic Block. I think I listened to this 4 times yesterday.

4/5 - Merritt's magnum opus is a giant mixed bag that is a great fit for this list, just not necessarily on an album-per-day pace. It's asking a lot to listen to this all at once, but there's some wonderful gems throughout. Come Back to SF, Book of Love, Kiss Me Like You Mean It, Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side, and several others would have made a killer pop album of 12 songs, but there's also plenty of duds too -- it's 69 songs about love songs after all. This lyric from Acoustic Guitar made me laugh: Acoustic guitar, if you think I play hard Well, you could have belonged to Steve Earle Or Charo or GWAR, I could sell you tomorrow So bring me back my girl You'd better bring me back my girl

4/5 - I don’t listen to salsa music. After this album, I still don’t listen to salsa music, but now I have a go to record for when I start listening to salsa music. I will play this at all my moonlit, backyard pool parties. We will dance the night away and have a fucking great time, until we realize we were laughing and ignorantly enjoying the story of a tragic double murder. Then everyone will go home.

3/5 - Are you telling me we already knew this country was this fucked up in the early 90s, and we just kept driving down the road to doom? Man, we're dumb. If Nostradamus decided to do a solo record in the vocal stylings of Chuck D and used an AI band name generator, he would have made this record. This is some damning earnest shit here. I feel frivolous and shallow by comparison.

3/5 - I’m being extremely generous because this album belongs on the list given how ubiquitous it was in the 90s, and the musicianship is solid. That said, I loathe Anthony Kiedis’ vocals and pretty much everything about his whole persona. I give him a 1, and Point Break is the classic film it is, because he gets shot in the foot, howls in pain, and exits early. Why is this 73 minutes?

3/5 - I guess I'd describe this as prog-lite, which I'm OK with. I like the keyboard sounds and general pop sensibilities of the songs. I'm not going to have a Supertramp ephiphany, but I'll take some "Bloody Well Right" now and again. This choice for the 1,001 betrays the heavy British bias of the list.

4/5 - Definitely not an album I would have listened to on my own, especially after being relatively disappointed with the album cuts on Wings/Band on the Run. Here Paul is noodling around with different song ideas entirely on his own, and while I can't put myself in the place of heartbroken Beatles fans who I'm sure felt let down by the simplicity, I think it's charming and a great listen.

5/5 - This music exists out of time and place for me. I first heard it in high school and have relistened now and then over the years. The whole sound of it is unlike anything else. Sweet Thing, Madame George, Astral Weeks are all great. I’m thankful this exists.

3/5 - if I need bongos and horns, now I know the genre to turn to. Giving the benefit of the doubt that this represents the style well, so I’ll give it a 3. This is background music for me, and I won’t be returning for more.

5/5 - Hell, yes. This is a jam. I should have listened to this years ago.

2/5 - Didn’t care for this at all. Production was monotonous, and the songs were boring. It finally ended.

4/5 - When I think of MBV, I think of Loveless and Kevin Shields doing the score to Lost in Translation. I didn't know this decades-later follow-up existed and was surprised to read that it was entirely self paid for and released. The sound here was what I expected from Shields, and I'm pretty much always up for this type of guitar -- ambient distortion or whatever it is. It's like being in a soft noise cocoon with the mood washing over your ears. Obviously, if this is on the list, Loveless will be too, so I'll reserve my MBV 5 for that.

4/5 - This is the exact mix of overly earnest sweetness and funk that I'd expect from Stevie Wonder. Definitely some filler here, but I enjoyed this, and any album with Superstition on it has to be on the list.

4.5 - This is a good example of something I wouldn't have given 2 minutes to in the early 90s, but 30 years later, I'm here for the relaxed, downtempo sound. The bass lines, the dreamy vocals, the samples -- all of it. I favorited at least 3 or 4 tracks on my way through. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (thanks, Neil Young), Girl VII, People Get Real were standouts for me. Rounding down to 4, because I might change my mind on it.

4/5 - Untitled and You Are the Everything are two of my favorite REM songs. Orange Crush is also great. Green was their first album with a clear intent to be more radio friendly, and yet it's still full of mandolins, accordions, and typically meandering lyrics. That's REM for you. I've listened to this dozens of times and was happy to spend another 45 minutes hearing the whole thing through. It's a mid-tier REM album, so I'll reserve the 5s for my favorites.

4/5 - If I could just make one mixtape, Birthday would be on it. I love that song. Bjork's howling is otherworldly and her range makes my head spin. I could do with far less of the guy singer on this album who sounds like Icelandic Fred Schnieder to me, but the songwriting is different and the rhythms are really cool. I far prefer the post-punk sounds here than the more experimental things Bjork did later. Fun album; definitely worthy of the list.

3/5 - So it turns out that while I'm really averse to the Santana songs that have been played a bazillion times on classic rock radio, I don't mind the ones I'm not familiar with. No surprise to say that the guitar work throughout is top notch. I really liked the instrumental track, Samba Pa Ti.

3/5 - The front half of this album is pretty good, especially when they turn up the volume like on Rolling People. Bittersweet Symphony is a sweeping classic, and I can’t fault it just because I’ve heard hundreds of times. The back half has some boring filler, but all around this is inoffensive, if generally unexciting 90s Britpop/rock.

4/5 - Your Emotions, Holiday in Cambodia, Let's Lynch the Landlord are my favorites on this album. The lyrics are the real statement here; reading along is essential for the full effect, since Biafra's delivery escapes me at times. Not an everyday listen, but a worth inclusion on the list.

5/5 - The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Not enough albums on this list have that quality, so I'll give it high marks for that. This has all the qualities of a PIxies album you'd expect along with a few tracks you can take home with you. It's a big comfy chair of loud-soft-loud and offbeat lyrics. Yes, please.

4/5 - Probably not a truer 4 on this list yet for me. I enjoy it. It belongs on this list. It had a huge cultural impact on radio music for mostly worse, but impact nonetheless. It just lacks any personal connection or emotion where I'm psyched to hear any of these songs anymore. That said, there's hardly a weak spot on the whole album til the very end, and it's 38 minutes. Take notes, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

4/5 - This is a fun britpop album with a genuine sense of humor. It kinda feels like Fountains of Wayne + Bowie to me. Lots of different sound textures, satirical lyrics, and some excellent pop hooks. Singer has a really good voice to boot. Lyrics to Presidential Suite and Run! Christian, Run! are great. Repeat listen for me.

3/5 - If someone does a remix of this that isn't intentionally annoying, I'd probably give it a 4. As it is, it's a pain in the ass to listen to and keep adjusting the volume to actually hear the tracks. I like the noise and attitude here a lot.

4/5 - Springsteen is out of fashion, but fuck the haters; this is a solid album. The title track got popular for all the wrong reasons, but what are you gonna do. I like the songwriting. I like the hits. Sue me.

3/5 - 3 for audaciousness, not accessibility. Paper Planes is obviously great. Enjoyed Boyz and 20 Dollar. Overall, not my thing, but glad to listen through.

5/5 - This was a really exciting release when it came out. The production was so different and a big step away from where they had been headed with Rattle and Hum. I probably hadn't listened to this all the way through in 20 years. Still knew every song, and it's just great. I'll probably listen to it again today.

4/5 - This might be one of those that could be a 5 if I was more familiar with it the whole thing, but given limited time to stew with it, I'll hold back and give it a 4. Young's songwriting generally ranges from really good to amazing, and this is no exception. The whole record sounds beautiful to me, so I'm bookmarking it for more listening.

4/5 - Wasn't familiar with these guys at all. Probably dozens of UK punk bands that I could say the same about, I suppose. Production here was better than expected. Overall, good stuff.

2.5/5 - It's a pretty folk album that I wasn't entirely in the mood for. People seem to like Vincent, so i should spend more time with that one. American Pie is a classic song that I really liked when I was 8, but I probably need to hear it once a decade now. Achievement Unlocked.

3/5 - I admittedly didn't listen that hard to this, because all the 60s psychedelic starts to blur for me after awhile. I generally like the genre, but it rarely stands out.

5/5 - This is a 5 all the way for me. Wore out my cassette in my car in high school. I never thought too hard about the personalities in this band; I just thought they always made fun music -- until they didn't later on. A great debut album.

5/5 - This is the best “new to me” album on this list yet, and it’s not close. This has so many intersections of things I love: bizarre lyrics, jangly guitars, punk, but angular rhythms, harmonies. I can hear what came before it and all the good stuff after (REM, Pixies, etc). How have I never heard I Wanna Destroy You before? (For the original 10 track album. I’ll listen to the bonus tracks later.)

5/5 - On a scale of live albums, this is beyond a 5/5. It has a real purpose for being recorded live, engages with the audience on their terms, and gives a voice to the voiceless. 25 Minutes to Go is about the most unsettling song I've ever heard in any genre. Egg-sucking Dog and Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart are weak, but everything else is right on the mark. Outlaw country isn't my genre, but it's hard to argue this isn't a must listen album. Brass balls to pull it off.

2/5 - I thought this was forgettable at best. I didn’t get into this style of early 2000s band where everybody was “The” something with tons of hype. Maybe The Strokes sucked all the air out of the room. Didn’t need to hear it.

5/5 - Is there a better Christmas album? No, there is not. I don’t want to hear this in July, but this is a perfect pick for the day.

4/5 - A “dance” album by art nerds in 1977. It’s kind of a slight collection of tracks, but it all makes sense (npi) as their debut. You can hear their future with these quirky songs. If you don’t like Byrne’s voice, I get it. If you don’t like Weymouth’s bass lines, then I can’t help you.

2.5/5 - Stay With Me and Debris are good songs. The rest of the album, while short, doesn't do much at all for me. Exile on Main Street was produced the same year and does all the same things here much better.

2/5 - Tiny Dancer is as great as Indian Sunset is bad. The music itself is alright, but nothing new here to discover.

3/5 - Season of the Witch is the really great. Sunshine Superman is an iconic 60s pop tune. I liked most of this, so I'll give it a 3.

2/5 - Steve Winwood and flutes. That’s a big fuckin hole to dig out of.

4/5 - Beautiful album. I only knew Help Me, but Joni usually grabs me with her voice and unusual melodies.

3/5 - I don’t mind the songs that made the radio, but I’ve never been a big enough Beck fan to care about a whole album. Some of this works, but it starts to grate after a while with the a lot sounding like the same beat and effects.

2/5 - I liked the first 5000 miles track. I lost the thread soon after, and didn’t care to pick it up. It was kind of exhausting to listen to, but I bet reading the lyrics would be worth a run through.

4/5 - Moody and atmospheric in all the right ways. A Forest is really good. I wasn’t familiar with the full album, but I’d definitely listen again.

5/5 - Couldn’t ask for much more from a classic folk album. Aside from River, which is one of my all-time favorites, I like All I Want, California, Carey, Blue, A Case of You — yeah, most everything. Joni’s lyric writing is on another level.

4/5 - This could easily be a 5 with a couple more listens. Tons of energy, good lyrics, engaging songs that aren't just entirely repetitive.

5/5 - This music is in my blood. Everyone gets a few of these in their lives that hit them at the right age and the right moment that syncs up with their feelings and moves them to another place. This is unquestionably one of those records for me. An all-timer 5.

2/5 - Theme song is classic, and I enjoy the general funk, but I'm not here for film scores.

4/5 - Compared to Third, this is way more my speed. Dummy has a singular, classic vibe to it that has aged pretty well. Very much a “sum is greater than the parts” style of music for me.

1/5 - No

1/5 - Hard pass

4/5 - Does exactly what it sets out to do and totally belongs on the list with a huge influence on American punk/rock. Just not enough here to be a personal 5, but I appreciate the hell out this debut.

1/5 - This list is really letting me down recently.

1/5 - Literally headache inducing. Turned it off.

3/5 - Metal guitar tone and angry vocals counts for something with me, especially if it's not entirely generic. I have no nostalgic connection with this, but it isn't bad. I won't listen again, but I totally get it if this is your band.

4/5 - This is somewhere between a 4 and a 5 for me. It's a remarkable debut album with a packed front half. I'm probably dinging it just because I've listened to it so much in the past, and some songs didn't hold up as well as I remembered, but still, really good stuff. "Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll" is a truly silly song; would have loved to see that live back then.

3/5 - Aside from a few spots where it sounds like a Casio keyboard sing-along, this was enjoyable. Bright and upbeat.

4/5 - I've heard this one before a few times, and I really enjoy it. I'm not always on board with the live albums for the list, but this one works. Legendary voice of Chicago Blues.

3/5 - I can see this being easy to hate on (that album cover, yikes), but I thought it was soulful and had a good variety of 60s sounds. It didn't piss me off unlike so many albums on this list, so for that I'll give it a 3.

3/5 - New York, New York is a good tune, but the rest of this was pretty flat for me. I may give it another try or maybe not.

4/5 - This album really took me to another place, and I was happy to be along for the ride. I thought her voice was beautiful, and the production really caught my ear. This would take some work to really sink into, because it's not really about hooks, but I'd definitely give a few more listens.

4/5 - With the exception of “Thriller!” which was straight up annoying, I found something in almost every track here. I don’t think anyone is here for the vocals, but I thought the instruments and loops were mesmerizing. Pere Ubu is one of those bands I’ve heard of my whole life, but never checked out. Really weird, but in a good way.

2/5 - Sampling "Suffer" by the Pumpkins on a track called "Pumpkin" was a nice wink. I liked the "Black Steel" cover. On the whole, this was background music for me.

4.5/5 - "Disorder" is absolute genius. I really like "Interzone," "Wilderness," and "Shadowplay" as well. If it's a cloudy day, this is a 5, but I live in Denver, so it's not quite there.

4/5 - This is the best 18th album of a career anyone has ever made. Definitely on the long side, but this is peak Stevie, and a sweet mix of 70s styles.

5/5 - I absolutely wore this CD out in the early 90s. I like it the whole way through, and never skip a track. Sweet, comfort pop for me.

4/5 - This was great. I love when we get albums like this that execute well on some niche that I wouldn't otherwise listen to. I knew Big Iron was familiar, and it was from the video game Fallout: New Vegas, which made me laugh.

3.5/5 - I believe this is just the opening salvo of EC on the 1,001 list, so I'll keep my rating powder dry. I was prepared to dislike this for reasons unknown to me, but once I got past Oliver's Army, which I've heard at least 500 times too many on WXRT Chicago when I lived there, I was pretty happy. We'll see if this holds on the first 2 Elvis records, this being the 3rd, but I liked the album cuts more than the hits here. Oh, and Steve Nieve is great.

4/5 - The trio of Gigantic, River Euphrates, Where is My MInd? plus Bone Machine and Break My Body are great. I'm still gonna take Doolittle over Surfer Rosa.

5/5 - First hip-hop album from this list I played again as soon as it was over. I don't have the critical vocabulary to describe what drew me in, but the wordplay is hypnotic. Favorite track: Swimming Pools

2.5/5 - My ceiling for this style of pop is about 2.5, and this hit it. I'll never listen to this again, but I didn't reach to turn it off either.

4/5 - Pretty damn good 80s sound in a bottle. The hits are great, and the rest isn't far off. Belongs on this list for sure.

4/5 - This is a tough one to rate for me. The production was dated, but fun, and the lyrical topics were a refreshing change, but there just weren't any real hooks to sink into. I gave it a second listen, and I got kinda bored. Album cover is A+ (A Nintendo DS?!) I came back to this and it’s in the rotation. Bumped up to a 4. I just find it a really fun listen.

3/5 - Beautiful dream pop, certainly one of the best early examples, so a spot on the list makes sense. Iceblink Luck and the title track were my favorites, but this genre generally blends into the background too much for me.

3/5 - Ultima I and Wizardry defined the computer role playing game genre in the early 80s. There'd be no Baldur's Gate 3, Skyrim, or Disco Elysium without those works. That doesn't mean I want to go back and play them for more than a quick laugh at how clunky games used to feel. The rating is purely for influence; have no desire to spend time here.

2/5 - One album of this guy was enough

3/5 - Juvenile (to be generous), but genuinely funny in parts. The songs were a good time, and I appreciated the less aggressive style, but, honestly, this isn't getting anywhere near my listening rotation.

3/5 - I like the lead track and generally their synth sound and vocals here. This album feels like it's more one for the dedicated PSB fan, whereas I'd count myself more in for the greatest hits collection.

1/5 - I won't judge the album by its cover, but I'll judge it for having a song titled "Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry." This guy sucks.

3.5/5 - This is a man who says what he means and means what he says. No beating around the bush with metaphor or poetic devices. The backing music doesn't do much for me, but the lyrics are worth the price of admission. Sigourney Weaver, Jesus Hates Faggots, Queen of Denmark, and Marz were all repeat listens. This was much better than I expected. Rounding up for "GMF" from one of his later albums, which I really like.

4/5 - Not much misses here. Solid 90s alternative sound. Awful is probably my favorite track.

4/5 - I know this album well enough that it's a 4. Vocals are obviously amazing; songwriting hooks are there. You should listen to it if you never have.

3/5 - I liked this the more of it I heard, especially when it broke out of the background music vibe, like on A&E. Likely won’t stay with me, but pleasant enough.

2/5 - If all music sounded like this, poetry would be much more popular.

2/5 - If someone compiled 10 good Tom Waits songs for me, I might enjoy it. Unfortunately, Tom Waits is unable to do this himself. A small portion of the time, you get something that is unlike anything else you've heard before and hits just right. For most of the rest, he brings you back to that Thanksgiving dinner when your drunk uncle is banging pots and pans while growling at your dog.

1/5 - Would rate very highly on my list of 1,001 albums to listen to after I die.

4/5 - Nobody is here for the marimba; let's be honest. It's hard to ding any album by The White Stripes, but this wouldn't be in my top 3 by them, so a 4 it is.

3/5 - I prefer Iggy doing the Stooges and Bowie doing Bowie.

2/5 - I got vibes of T. Rex and Meatloaf with super ick-out lyrics. It was occasionally OK, without the Gang Bang and Ding Dong.

5/5 - From here to Exile is the sweet spot of the Rolling Stones for me. Gimme Shelter and the all-time backing vocal by Merry Clayton would be on my lifetime mix. Go find the naked vocal track on YouTube. Monkey Man, Let it Bleed, You Can't Always... -- great songs.

1/5 - Hard pass. Please tell me how I'm not enlightened enough to see the genius here.

3/5 - This was better than I expected, despite being obviously self-indulgent and overly long. The second half finally started to move me with more rock, and the whole thing felt like a tour of early 70s music across multiple styles with some solid production skill by Rundgren. Aside: I'll bet Tom Scholz listened to "Couldn't I Just Tell You" more than few times.

2/5 - I would have rated this much differently in 2004, but this hasn't aged well for me at all. I've listened to it plenty in the past, but really couldn't make it through this time. Funny how time changes your perspective on what's worth the bother and the hype. The observational lyrics are still solid, but the total lack of flow on this record just kills me now.

4/5 - I listened to this twice and I'll play it again. Shouldn't have taken me this long to listen to the whole thing, as I have no prejudice against talk-singing in rock, and Reed is one of the originals. Bowie's production works for me here, and I didn't even mind the tuba.

2/5 - Not for me

4/5 - I tend to land on a 4 for albums that are clearly a big deal, but I'm not personally going to listen to a ton, so here it is. I like Elton John, but I definitely don't love Elton John. Great listen. Magnum opus. Belongs on the list.

3/5 - I like the first two songs, and then I'm good. It's all competent stuff, but nothing I'd call great. Lacks a dynamic range for me.

4/5 - I probably could have listened to this all day. I sorta did. Chan Chan is a newly discovered favorite.

3/5 - How do you not give a point just for the cover art alone? The variety of sounds here is pretty cool, but I'd need several more spins to really have it stick.

4/5 - If everything here was as good as Vapour Trail, then this would be The Stone Roses' 1st album. :D Still, this is a solid record, and I'll listen to it anytime.

5/5 - No notes

2/5 - Punk-a-billy is fine in small doses. I kept the dose small, and this was fine.

3/5 - Great vocals, but the constant big band sound wore me down after awhile

4/5 - I like Kate's voice a lot, so that drives this rating, but I also think the production here is pretty great for the era. You can really hear the influence she had on other experimental women musicians in the coming decades. Not an album I'm going to listen to frequently, but I enjoy it, and it belongs on this list.

2/5 - This is more for the real Morrissey fans. I like a couple tracks, but that's about it.

3/5 - Not my usual style, but I was into this. Maybe because the thumping corresponded with all the sinus pressure in my head. Of all the rave-y albums we've had here, I'd pick this one so far.

5/5 - I would not change a single track. Have listened to this dozens of times. Lyrics are absolutely brilliant. If you can’t engage because you’re hung up on Dylan’s voice, I feel bad for you. You’re missing out.

3/5 - This had a good variety of sounds and samples and was pretty listenable. I had heard their name before, but was not at all familiar. I don't mind a band that doesn't take itself too seriously, even if it strays into silly at times; better than the other way around. Fun music.

4/5 - My 15yo self demands this be a 5, but it does have a few weak spots, so I'm knocking it down a point. The title track and You Shook Me are classic staples, but the lead off duo of Hells Bells and Shoot to Thrill are my favorites here. Angus is one of the best riff writers of all time. Dumb, macho rock, but I love it.

2/5 - I'm just not into soundtracks where I feel like I'm missing the action of the film. This seems like an odd choice overall, and I couldn't get through it.

3/5 - So, if I didn't know this was The Monkees, I'd say "what is this obvious Beatles rip-off trash?" Now, because the group was conceived as such, and it's clearly intentional, does that give it a pass? Sort of, I guess?? I didn't entirely hate this, but I also know that I didn't like it either.

3/5 - At times I forgot this was playing, but I was never annoyed. No idea The Bees existed before. I mostly got along with their relaxing vibe.

3/5 - Word Salad: The Musical. The modern prog rock here is alright, but the lyrics are like actual output of and infinite monkey theorem experiment.

5/5 - Solid as hell front to back. So 90s. So riff heavy. So great. Only nit I have is that the song structures can get samey when you listen to the whole thing, but it's a minor nit.

5/5 - A wonderful 80s pop record; one of the best of its kind. The album title says it all with Time After Time ending the A side and She Bop leading off the flip side. Lots of joy here, and it gets genuinely weird towards the end. Iconic album cover.

4/5 - I wasn't cool enough for this in 91, and I'm not cool enough for it now. I need to listen to more Massive Attack.

4/5 - When I see an album title like "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus," my finger is already moving towards the "2" on my keyboard. This was surprisingly good for the genre and era. Clear production and solid guitar. I'm not sure I'm gonna return a lot to this, but I think the classic rock station of my youth missed out on this one.

1/5 - Did you know CDs can be used as frisbees?

4/5 - I like this era of the Stones a lot. I could skip some of the album tracks, but I'll take far more of the songs here than I'll leave. Street Fightin Man is my favorite. Sympathy for the Devil is a great song, but I've heard a few dozen times too many already.

3/5 - This was all over the place for me. Some incredible guitar jam segments, as expected, but I also got really bored with some sections. Best appreciated as a highlight reel, imo.

5/5 - Hadn't really listened to this one as a whole before, which was a mistake.

5/5 - I like the whole damn thing.

1/5 - No thanks

4/5 - This was a revelation for me. Definitely need to listen to more of it. I knew Tightrope, which is a really fun song, but the whole concept and package sounded great.

5/5 - Big Star fanboi here ever since I saw Nothing Can Hurt Me -- almost 15 years ago, wow. If you're familiar with REM, you can't help but hear constant echoes from the Big Star albums. I think Jeff Tweedy may have listened to Kanga Roo maybe more than a few times. The melancholy mood here is absolutely my jam.

2/5 - Layla is a great song. I have limited patience for Clapton in general, and the rest of this album didn't change that.

4/5 - Jazz for non-jazzheads, which means this is for me. Should everyone hear this at some point in their life? I'd say absolutely. Blue Rondo a la Turk and Take Five are just classic.

4/5 - If nothing else, this list has gotten me into Kendrick Lamar. I definitely prefer _good kid_ to the follow-up, but not surprising, since it's a more accessible listen. Lots of layers to explore here. Production is really, really good.

3/5 - Listening to Love and Anger really brings back a 1990 nostalgia rush to a very particular time for me, but that's about the extent of my connection here. I think that's probably what Kate Bush does best though. Very particular music that can either make a strong connection or else just leave you wondering what the hell?

4/5 - Seems a middle-age right of passage to come to the conclusion that you like Steely Dan more than you thought you did -- or at least this album anyway. Of all the radio friendly 70s rock we've had on this list, I'd put this near the top.

4/5 - Pretty rare that I'm going to go high on the rating just for vocal quality, but this deserves it.

5/5 - The ultimate rainy day album. It's a masterpiece. The opening chimes of Plainsong and then that beginning 20 seconds later gets me every time. I'd hardly change a thing on this album, and I certainly wouldn't touch the bass on Fascination Street because it's A+.

4/5 - The epitome of joyful 2000s era indie, which I'm a total sucker for. My Girls is classic. Summertime Clothes is a great time. Also love Lion in a Coma.

4/5 - It must have been something else to be in the orbit of Dylan and his music at this time. I'd be scared I'd end up a target in one of his songs. Look at him stare at you out of focus, unamused. I've probably listened to this album too many times at this point, so the shine has worn slightly. This time, I really listened closely to the backing band, and I just love the arrangements -- the stomping blue, the ragtime-y sound.

3/5 - This is some country-ass country. Seems utterly indistinguishable from the hundreds of other country-ass country songs from this time, but I was pleasantly surprised that an album named as grandiosely as "The Grand Tour" clocked in around 30 minutes, which is a fine amount of time for this.

4/5 - I knew a few of these songs, especially "Sexy Boy," so I had an idea about this going in. Smooth, chill-out album with a really specific mood. I'm here for it.

2/5 - Boring

3/5 - Not as good ad Can’t Buy a Thrill for me, but I’d still listen. If someone asked me what this sounded like, I’d say, “Steely Dan.”

5/5 - I'd listen to this anytime. It's not perfect, but it's damn good.

2/5 - Appreciate the emotion and the feeling she's going for, but this just isn't an album I'm going to spend more time with.

3/5 - The author of this list clearly celebrates the whole catalog of Elvis Costello. I liked the arrangements here, and Beyond Belief and Man Out of Time are pretty good. This isn't gonna change anyone's world, but it was alright.

4/5 - I didn't realize how much I appreciated Willie Nelson's voice before this list. This is a really good cover album, and I could probably listen to him sing just about anything.

4/5 - I'd have James Murphy at my dinner party anytime. He could bring his records. "All My Friends" is an all-time great.

4/5 - This is a great rock album, especially for a lot of the crap that was getting produced at the time. Had been a long time since I listened to it, but happy to revisit. I could care less about these guys' personal drama.

3/5 - This is my ceiling on ska. Belongs on the list.

2/5 - I'd have to be pretty deep into late 60s psychedelic folk to think this was essential listening. Nice vocals.

5/5 - Era-defining live album. You've heard it dozens of times. It's great.

4/5 - This list is helping my previously (and still mostly) toddler-level understanding of hip-hop. I'm getting a better sense of what I like and don't like, and I now have a clue why this is so often cited as a pioneering album. I think it's not a surprise that I liked this given what an impression Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City made on me. I'll revisit here.

3/5 - Now I know where Duran Duran came from.

4/5 - I'm certain this is more worth my time than half the 70s rock and older britpop this list has. Had never heard of Jane Weaver, but this is more than alright by me. I don't even know any of the "similar artists" on Apple Music. I like the folk-tronic sound or whatever this is; it's generally pretty chill, but the vocal hooks make this more than background music.

3/5 - To this album's credit, I can imagine someone picking this up today and saying "this is my jam." While that person is not me, this is mostly alright if not way overwrought at times. This version of Hallelujah is of course a timeless classic.

3/5 - I'm not deep into Bowie's catalog, and this didn't change that. I listened twice, and aside from Heroes, which I've heard a thousand times, only the V-2 song really caught my ear.

4/5 - TVOTR is one of my favorite bands from the 2000s, and oddly enough, this is the album of theirs I've probably listened to the least. I doubt this is essential listening, but I like pretty much everything they do, so I'm happy to give it a 4. I'll probably listen to this all day. Not sure I'll have another chance to plug it, so if you haven't seen the "Wolf Like Me" Letterman performance from 20 years ago (!!!), just watch it: https://youtu.be/MxawVMQ02dc?si=LbWxZxoq1GgA9VXf

3/5 - I'll listen to All the Way from Memphis again, but that's probably it. I learned that they were named after a novel from the 60s and Hooples are squares. Glad I heard it despite some of the clunkers.

3/5 - If ever an album was more of a 3, I have not yet heard it. Competent, post-Beatles era tunes that are mostly decent except for the dreadful Coconut, but I’m never gonna be like, “Yeah, I need to hear some Harry Nilsson right now.” Props for the bath robe on the album cover, though.

4/5 - I Want You is a fine, fine song. I'm never really up for a whole album of EC, but there's almost always at least a few gems.

3/5 - I think it's just his voice that grates on me. I should like this band more than I do, but I don't. The tunes aren't bad, but I've never understood the hype.

2/5 - Sometimes this is catchy. Sometimes it makes me want to put a drill against my head. The latter times outweigh the former.

2/5 - Too much twang for me

2/5 - A few tracks like Speedway are fun, but after awhile, my brain is numb to what's going on here.

2/5 - This one didn't age well for me. Haven't visited this in 20 years, and I think that was the right move.

4/5 - I'm sure some would like to get off the bus about half-way through Sister Ray, but I'm glad Ira Kaplan never did. Did D. Boon and Malkmus first here talk-rock here? This is a pretty essential listen and certainly deserves a strong spot on this list.

5/5 - I've listened to this record more times than I can count since I was 16 or 17. It's perfect. No notes.

5/5 - I’m not at all interested in the “so and so sang it better” takes. King was one of the greatest songwriters in pop/rock all-time. This album is a goldmine.

4/5 - It's like you're scanning radio stations and every station has a GBV song. That's a good thing. So many songs, but Game of Pricks, Motor Away, and My Valuable Hunting Knife have been long-time favorites.

2/5 - Grime will never be my thing. Fix Up, Look Sharp is a fun song, and I like some other samples, but there won't be a time I'm in the mood for this.

5/5 - The most classic of classic rock albums? Probably. My nostalgia for the album is endless, but I'd still listen to it any day. From the opening call of Black Dog to the relentless pounding of When the Levee Breaks, this is great.

4.5/5 - Not quite a 5, but I’ll listen to this more than White Light

5/5 - I practically wore this cassette out in high school and early college. This is a singular album, and nobody has captured the odd mix of angst, hormones, and acoustic punk in the same way that feels honest and not built to sell records. This is from 1983 which is crazy to me.

3/5 - You know exactly what this is going to sound like before you put it on, and it sounds exactly like that. It's pleasant and professional. Yes, you should hear what Frank Sinatra sounds like before you die, if you somehow have no idea.

3/5 - Well, this is a perfect back-to-back with Frank Sinatra. Could anything possibly be farther from Songs For Swingin' Lovers!? This is anything but professional, and it's not traditionally pleasant. You have no idea what the group of trick-or-treaters on the album cover has in store for you. This isn't "good music" in any normal sense, but it has to get points for swinging for the fences with all the instruments and utterly bizarre lyrics. Will I listen to this again? Almost certainly not. Am I glad it exists? Definitely. I'm sure many people heard this album and decided they too could sing of minotaurs, witches, and amoebae. That counts for something.

4/5 - It's hard to get over the amount of hits CCR produced in such a short span of time. I don't feel like they are often mentioned with the greats of this era, but they definitely belong. Fogerty's voice is a like a big bowl of comfort food for me.

5/5 - Reflective of a time in oughts music and sentiments. Those were the days. It has the hits, but the album cuts are almost uniformly great too. Feels like a Flaming Lips album, but taken to the next level. And Time to Pretend is, of course, an all-time banger.

4/5 - Hadn't heard it before and listened a couple times through. Smooth style. The first two tracks were my favorites.

4/5 - This could rise with more listens. I’ve heard the first two songs a ton, but hadn’t heard much of the rest before. Definitely a more grown up sound compared to the debut that I need more time with. Karen O is generally great.

2/5 - Wow, is this hard to rate. On the one hand, Eminem's talent and flow are probably the best I've ever heard, but his misogyny and homophobia are total shit. I listened to this a bunch when it came out, and It's an album I think you need to hear, but I really have no more stomach for the crap he has to say, no matter how good he is at saying at. I would given this a 4 or 5 at a different time.

5/5 - Totally transported to my college dorm room...REM's best mix of production and songwriting. I mistakenly said the other day that this wasn't a masterpiece, but it is. The opening tracks are outstanding, but the last three songs here are as good as any closing three on any album. Try Not to Breathe and Find the River will always be the standouts for me.

4/5 - Deceptacon is an all-timer for me. I also like the extremes of The the Empty and Eau D' Bedroom Dancing quite a bit. I think this has aged pretty well given the 1999 release, though oddly some of this like the instrumentation on My My Metrocard sounds like a 60s TV show theme. (Love the Giuliani dig, btw.) Was quite surprised to see this album on the list, but I'll take it.

2/5 - I could not recall one thing from this. Why is this here?

4/5 - This has the blueprints for lots of music to come. I should listen to this more.

4/5 - Surprised myself how much I enjoyed this one. The whole sound is pretty epic. Would probably be amazing with headphones.

1/5 - I don't want to listen to this 1 more minute than is required.

3/5 - This is what a blank check of coke sounds like. Schizophrenic and overly long, but has its moments.

1/5 - This is a straight up 1-star, because I can't stand this guy. Nothing to honor. Nothing to revere here.

3/5 - I'm rarely excited to hear a song by The Doors. Peace Frog is an exception.

5/5 - I love the whole sweep and theme of this album. Sprawl II is likely my favorite Arcade Fire song among many. Happy to put this album on repeat for the entire morning.