1001 Albums Summary

Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Two inordinately long tracks on an otherwise short album. It's an OK listen, but distinctly what I'd expect to get from a random CCR recommendation. Is "My Baby Left Me" just "That's Alright Mama"?

Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin

I didn't need 11 minutes of slide guitar. I can't think of a single song on this album that didn't go on for at least 2 minutes too long. It's a good metaphor for the rest of the album.

My Generation by The Who

This is the easiest listening Who album I've come across yet.

Station To Station by David Bowie

It's a lot better than the major Bowie hits that get played.

Jazz Samba by Stan Getz

Highway to Hell by AC/DC

As middle of the road as rock music comes.

The Chronic by Dr. Dre

Frank by Amy Winehouse

It's the most intelligent pop album of the decade and still demonstrates merit in 2025, but at the same time, it's mired in early 2000 production and musical convention somewhat. It's hard to deny that Winehouse was a brilliant artist though.

Back In Black by AC/DC

Document by R.E.M.

British Steel by Judas Priest

Iconic? Maybe. Painfully generic in 2025? Absolutely.

Kick Out The Jams (Live) by MC5

This was probably an incredible gig.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan

So often albums fail to properly capture and evoke the spirit of the era in which they were recorded. Not the case here.

Imagine by John Lennon

A crime that this album is best known for its incredibly cliche title track, honestly.

Tuesday Night Music Club by Sheryl Crow

This sounds like the mid-90s.

Surfer Rosa by Pixies

The Stooges by The Stooges

The longest 34-minute album I've ever heard. Some tempo would really have changed things up.

In Utero by Nirvana

I always knew I'd grown out of grunge when I was about 15. Hearing the so-called 'cerebral' Nirvana album, I am now totally sure of this.

The Atomic Mr Basie by Count Basie & His Orchestra

Microshift by Hookworms

Ironically, it lacked hooks.

The Poet by Bobby Womack

Meh.

Tommy by The Who

I want to say something about this album, but I have no idea what. It was better than my rating, but I also found it suffered from the overindulgences of 70s rock operas in general, despite being 4+ stars musically.

The Band by The Band

Ten by Pearl Jam

The New Tango by Astor Piazzolla

I sometimes struggle to rate albums based on an objective scale of how good they are vs. how much I like them. I don't particularly care for this album, but I also can't deny the craftsmanship.

You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen

Caetano Veloso by Caetano Veloso

Debut by Björk

Parallel Lines by Blondie

The Wildest! by Louis Prima

Synchronicity by The Police

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators by The 13th Floor Elevators

Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden

Better than I thought it was going to be.

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

Scum by Napalm Death

Heartattack And Vine by Tom Waits

Lazer Guided Melodies by Spiritualized

Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin

Fine.

Licensed To Ill by Beastie Boys

Let's Stay Together by Al Green

Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers

Me Against The World by 2Pac

Black Holes and Revelations by Muse

Brothers by The Black Keys

This could have been 8 tracks shorter.

Run-D.M.C. by Run-D.M.C.

Killing Joke by Killing Joke

Warehouse: Songs And Stories by Hüsker Dü

Endtroducing..... by DJ Shadow

More Songs About Buildings And Food by Talking Heads

You're Living All Over Me by Dinosaur Jr.

Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins

To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar

Rio by Duran Duran

Hail To the Thief by Radiohead

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm by A Tribe Called Quest

The Idiot by Iggy Pop

Oar by Alexander 'Skip' Spence

A Rush Of Blood To The Head by Coldplay

That's The Way Of The World by Earth, Wind & Fire

...And Justice For All by Metallica

This is the worst album I have come across on this list so far, and some of them have been a slog.

...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears

Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis

Surf's Up by The Beach Boys

At Newport 1960 by Muddy Waters

A Night At The Opera by Queen

The Next Day by David Bowie

Elvis Is Back by Elvis Presley

Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin

Dusty In Memphis by Dusty Springfield

Shaka Zulu by Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

Heroes to Zeros by The Beta Band

Transformer by Lou Reed

Nevermind by Nirvana

System Of A Down by System Of A Down

Call of the Valley by Shivkumar Sharma

Clandestino by Manu Chao

The Yes Album by Yes

The White Album by Beatles

After The Gold Rush by Neil Young

Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan

First Band On The Moon by The Cardigans

Power In Numbers by Jurassic 5

Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes

Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

The Grand Tour by George Jones

Paris 1919 by John Cale

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd

Hot Fuss by The Killers

Home Is Where The Music Is by Hugh Masekela

Untitled (Black Is) by SAULT

We Are Family by Sister Sledge

Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis

The Stranger by Billy Joel

16 Lovers Lane by The Go-Betweens

Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector by Various Artists

2112 by Rush

The World is a Ghetto by War

Guero by Beck

Treasure by Cocteau Twins

Dirt by Alice In Chains

Live At The Harlem Square Club by Sam Cooke

London Calling by The Clash

Connected by Stereo MC's

Hotel California by Eagles

Maxinquaye by Tricky

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park

Young Americans by David Bowie

Boston by Boston

Juju by Siouxsie And The Banshees

Beauty And The Beat by The Go-Go's

Maggot Brain by Funkadelic

Jack Takes the Floor by Ramblin' Jack Elliott

Since I Left You by The Avalanches

Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan

Catch A Fire by Bob Marley & The Wailers

I Should Coco by Supergrass

Only By The Night by Kings of Leon

Arular by M.I.A.

Chirping Crickets by Buddy Holly & The Crickets

Funeral by Arcade Fire

Coat Of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

Darkdancer by Les Rythmes Digitales

Too long and almost nothing stood out.

Like A Prayer by Madonna

Architecture And Morality by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

The Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett

Pretenders by Pretenders

Reign In Blood by Slayer

The Slider by T. Rex

S&M by Metallica

Garbage by Garbage

Amnesiac by Radiohead

Live At The Regal by B.B. King

Lust For Life by Iggy Pop

Street Signs by Ozomatli

The Bends by Radiohead

C'est Chic by CHIC

Signing Off by UB40

I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight by Richard Thompson

Fred Neil by Fred Neil

Ready To Die by The Notorious B.I.G.

Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns by Joni Mitchell

The Message by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Kid A by Radiohead

Stand! by Sly & The Family Stone

Pink Moon by Nick Drake

The Cars by The Cars

Emperor Tomato Ketchup by Stereolab

Master Of Puppets by Metallica

Ellington at Newport by Duke Ellington

Aftermath by The Rolling Stones

Beyond Skin by Nitin Sawhney

Tank Battles by Dagmar Krause

25 by Adele

Bitches Brew by Miles Davis

Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A.

All Mod Cons by The Jam

Highly Evolved by The Vines

Bongo Rock by Incredible Bongo Band

Machine Head by Deep Purple

Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake

Here Come The Warm Jets by Brian Eno

I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen

Dance Mania by Tito Puente

The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest

Dookie by Green Day

The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground

Homework by Daft Punk

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry by Billy Bragg

Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters

At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash

Being There by Wilco

A Northern Soul by The Verve

Bright Flight by Silver Jews

The College Dropout by Kanye West

She's So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper

Gasoline Alley by Rod Stewart

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle by Throbbing Gristle

Look, this isn't meant to be an easy listen, and I think the fact it's borderline unlistenable prevents it from being rated any higher, but as a statement of art, rather than a piece of music, it's undeniably effective.

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret by Soft Cell

Doolittle by Pixies

All Things Must Pass by George Harrison

Phaedra by Tangerine Dream

No.

Walking Wounded by Everything But The Girl

The La's by The La's

Rage Against The Machine by Rage Against The Machine

Illinois by Sufjan Stevens

Faith by George Michael

Welcome to the Afterfuture by Mike Ladd

Tanto Tempo by Bebel Gilberto

Murmur by R.E.M.

Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix

Boy In Da Corner by Dizzee Rascal

Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair

Stripped by Christina Aguilera

Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson

Fever To Tell by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water by Limp Bizkit

The Rising by Bruce Springsteen

Tapestry by Carole King

1984 by Van Halen

Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers

I was set to give this a 5 when I first put it on, but it's hard to get past how slow the back half of the album is. A 4 is probably fair.

GI by Germs

Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones

Junkyard by The Birthday Party

Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder

Double albums often suffer from the curse of being overlong with not enough to fill them, and this is no exception. Apart from the two most famous tracks ('Sir Duke' and 'Isn't She Lovely'), a lot of this album felt like overindulgence that wasn't backed up by solid execution. I thought about bumping this up to a 3, but I just don't think that 2 songs in 105 minutes of music justifies a higher rating.

Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs

Joan Armatrading by Joan Armatrading

Post Orgasmic Chill by Skunk Anansie

The Beach Boys Today! by The Beach Boys

Disintegration by The Cure

Green Onions by Booker T. & The MG's

Songs Of Love And Hate by Leonard Cohen

A Walk Across The Rooftops by The Blue Nile

Very by Pet Shop Boys

The Score by Fugees

Morrison Hotel by The Doors

Space Ritual by Hawkwind

Fucking way too long and way too weird.

Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz

Mr. Tambourine Man by The Byrds

Back At The Chicken Shack by Jimmy Smith

Elephant by The White Stripes

Live! by Fela Kuti

Revolver by Beatles

Bayou Country by Creedence Clearwater Revival