1001 Albums Summary

Can see why it's a classic. Clearly influential. But not my favourite King Crimson.

Some great songs. Very much of it’s time. Some a bit cringe nowadays. But overall still a key album from the era.

Strong album, some great songs on this. Shows a band on their way up who would deliver their masterpiece a few years later.

Absolute classic. Guitar, bass and drums all amazing. Influence on British music is undeniable.

Classic prog. And with a playfulness and lightheartedness. Some amazing songs on this. Couple of average instrumental/interludes. Yes would top this with Close to the Edge.

Enjoyable enough. Songs do tend to blur into each other. Prefer their next two albums.

Quite enjoyed this one. Recognised a fair few songs too.

Pleasant enough but didn’t really grab me. A lot was about to happen in popular music at the time and this does feel like it’s from a previous era.

Definitely one of my favourite albums. The energy in the performances is unmatched and Iggy never disappoints with all the howling and yelping.

Some really good songwriting on this, let down by the generic 90s pop rock production. Reminds me at times of Elliott Smith, Liz Phair and the Beatles.

Not a huge fan of Metallica. And what I knew most about this albums is that there’s no bass in the mix. Gives it an odd, ‘thin’ sound. But I adjusted to it over its runtime.

Didn’t expect to love this so much. Very on the nose but it works. Tracks like Anger and Is That Enough immediately hooked me.

Getting strong Kate Bush vibes from this one. Especially Happy Phantom.

This is probably my least favourite of Nick Drake’s 3 albums but it’s still brilliant and beautiful. The guitar hook on Haney Jane II is etched in my mind.

Great album and hugely important moment with Dylan going electric. Gates of Eden, 115th Dream, Outlaw Blues. Every song is amazing.

Encapsulates the sound of electronic music, specifically acid house, at the time. Similar vibes to The Orb. The albums picks up with Cobra Bora and into Pacific 202. The latter reminded me of Todd Terje.

Huge album at the time but it’s never truly clicked for me. Always ended up going back to their other albums. But Rolling People never gets old.

What a way to go. Dropping one of your best albums then dying a few days later. Bowie was a showman to the very end. Blackstar, Lazarus, Dollar Days. Every song is perfect.

Final Smiths album, rounding off a near perfect discography. You can hear the divide between Morrissey and Marr opening up in both the lyrics and the instrumentation. But it’s still a cohesive, fitting end to one of the defining 80s bands.

An enjoyable, pleasant listen. But not much more than that. Felt quite safe and middle of the road in terms of the soul style it draws on. Still, recognised a few of the songs on it.

Solid debut by Steely Dan where they were still finding their feet as a band (before they would become a two-piece). But the foundations for their brand of lounge pop, which they’d go on to perfect, are clearly there.

For a long time Pet Sounds was all I listened to of The Beach Boys. I think this was the album I listened to next several years later. A very different listen from a wearier sounding band. The title track and Feel Flows rank among their most beautiful songs.

Great album, has a really raw DIY sound which sets it apart from much of Fiona Apple’s earlier work. Possibly only second to When the Pawn… in terms of her best works.

First Neil Young album I ever heard. And I’m still discovering new albums and sounds from him many years later. This is one of his mellower albums, being predominantly acoustic. But the songs still hit hard and deal with heavy themes. Don’t Let it Bring You Down is one of my favourite songs.

Appreciate lots of people love the first two Zep albums but I genuinely think they got better as they went on (until Physical Graffiti). Still a great album but it’s never truly clicked for me or something I get the urge to return to. What Is and What Should Never Be and Ramble On are some of their best though.

One of the best from a man who has arguably never put out a bad album in 40+ year career. This album is one of his darkest, with musings on life and death. But there are glimmers of beauty and hope throughout. The Earth Died Screaming is one of the all time great openers.

Pleasant album. Songs don’t really go anywhere but there’s some nice grooves.

Like a lot of people I imagine, I heard these songs first via Nirvana’s unplugged album. Overall, the songs here are more frenetic and loose sounding, giving them a clear identity outside of those covers. Aurora Borealis might be one of my favourite instrumentals too.

Funnily enough, listened to this the other day for the first time in years. This was the first album I ever bought. Remember being thrown by many of the songs on first listen but coming back to them years later a lot of it clicks. Love Albarn’s falsetto vocals on songs like Gravity and Man Research. Feels like a prototype for Gorillaz as a concept in many respects, but was still the beginning of a great run for the band.

Pretty enjoyable pop rock. Surprised by how ‘epic’ some of the songs are with multiple sections and long runtimes. Songs like Scene from an Italian Restaurant in particular. Others like Vienna give strong Macca vibes.

This all felt a bit shallow and glossy. Could be some good stuff in here but it feels cleaned up and overproduced.

Not a huge fan of The Doors and don’t get why they are so revered. This was more hard rock orientated than others I’ve heard. Some decent tracks but overall kinda blurred into one.

Another Doors album straight after the last. This is definitely stronger than Morrison Hotel. But still sounds a bit flat and one note in places. Standard blues rock. Riders of the Storm deserves sone credit but it’s still failed to convince me about this band.

Not much redeeming about this one. Completely boring bunch of songs with little to make them stand out. And some really obnoxious lyrics and melodies that bordered on cliche. Hard to believe he was so popular after listening to this.

Overall this album is front and backloaded with some amazing songs. The 1-2 punch of SMBU and Breathe is hard to beat. And Narayan though to Fuel my Fire is a strong way to finish. Issue is the songs in the middle are a bit of a step down. However, can’t deny the strength of those other tracks. Huge amounts of energy throughout. RIP Keith.

One of my favourite Smith records. And the last while he was alive. Tied with self titled as his best. Which is fitting as both essentially bookend his career, going from low-fi recordings to a fully realised sound like on here. Incredible melodies and guitar playing as always across some of his most beautiful and haunting songs. A singer-songwriter classic.

Very strong memories from listening to this album when it first released. Had just discovered At the Drive-In prior and their impact on my taste was huge. This was like a more progressive version of their last album. The energy on this never lets up, sometimes making it quite and exhausting listen. But the musicianship and ambition here is clear. Roulette Dares is a standout.

A clearly important album in the melding of country and rock. Everything sounds so distinctly American, with the storytelling of the former on full display in songs like Wheels (one that stood out immediately). While Hot Burrito #1 and #2 have a darker more rock-orientated edge. These guys set out the blueprint for a lot of modern bands like Drive-by Truckers and Jason Isbell.

The most experimental and best Hendrix album. Lots of sonic experimentation mixed with obviously amazing guitar work. 1983 is so hypnotic and a total trip to listen to. When I first heard this many years ago I struggled to appreciate it as so much of it is druggy, hazy and not like Crosstown Traffic or the cover of Watchtower, but listening more over the years it’s clear that this is a classic of the psychedelic rock genre.

The moment Turn to Stone comes on you can’t help but feel invigorated. It sets the tone for the rest of the album, which is full of vibrant, uplifting melodies and arrangements. The album does feel a bit front loaded, with some less memorable songs until Mr Blue Sky hits. Definitely one of ELO’s defining albums and a major release in the pop/prog genre.

Always surprised when I put on Enter the Wu-Tang to see that it was released in 1993. And it helps explain its significance. The album set the blueprint for hip hop for much of the next decade. Songs like CREAM are timeless and Chessboxin’ is a fav. The sonic palate does feel quite thin compared to later releases clearly inspired by this, but it’s influence can’t be denied.

The album that cemented 2Pac as one the greats. Cohesive production, great lyricism and some very honest and vulnerable subject matter. Dear Mama is rightly held up as a highlight.

Overall, pretty average moderate rock. Liked Luna as it felt different to most other tracks which all have a similar tone. American Girl was one of the better songs here. Def not one of their strongest albums.

Surprised I never got round to listening to this. Overall, excellent alt-pop with plenty of hooks, great production and strong vocals. Standouts were The Louvre and Hard Feelings.

Couldn’t put my finger on the reason this pretty standard post-punk sounded off. Then I realised it was all the brass sections. This album is really channeling that 80s production before it became ubiquitous.

Had only ever heard Maggot Brain (which I love) so was good to hear more from Fubkadelic. This is definitely not as essential but still has some fantastic, infectious grooves. The riff to Doo Doo Chasers is so good.

Understand it’s a cult classic, and there’s some good stuff here but it’s also a bit repetitive. Plus it has this odd wobbly sound over the top of several songs. I guess it helped pioneer psychedelic rock, and clearly whatever they were on made them think this sounded good. Enjoyed the song Reverberation the most.

Remember the hype around this when it first came out. Felt like quite a front loaded album, but it didn’t have much sticking power to me. A lot of people liked the real life lyrics but I always found them a bit shallow. View from the Afternoon, Dancing Shoes, When the Sun Goes Down and Certain Romance stick out in my mind as the one I enjoyed the most.

Went in with average expectations given how bad some pop from this era can sound, but ended up really enjoying it. Classic 80s synth in the vein of early Talk Talk or Tears for Fears, both of whom I love. The title track is excellent.

I got into Radiohead just before this album came out, so I have fond memories of the buildup and release. At the time, it felt like a return to the guitar-driven sound the band had previously made, but looking back now, it seems more like a combination of all their styles up to that point. This also makes it longer than most Radiohead albums, and at times, a bit bloated and unfocused. It still includes some of their best songs like There There, but it could definitely have done with some trimming. Back then, I worried the band’s best days were behind them, but luckily In Rainbows arrived a few years later and is rightly considered another classic. As for HTTT, it’s definitely one of their albums I’ve returned to less often.

Only decided to listen to this after the news of Chris Cornell’s death. Should have listened sooner. Amazing riffs and incredible vocals throughout. Soundgarden’s magnum opus and one of the defining albums of the grunge era.

Reminded me of other artists at times, not least Prince on tracks like Wishing Well. But overall left me pretty cold.

For a long time I avoided Pink Floyd. Maybe it’s an age thing but in recent years I’ve realised that yes, they are great and yes, Wish You Were Here is their best album.

Not much about this country pop album stuck with me. Very polished and sanitised in terms of sound. Can imagine it being very popular but overall sounds inoffensive and forgettable.

Never listened to this before but I can definitely hear its influence in a lot of what I have. Stuff like Yuck’s first album was clearly influenced by this. Similarly, songs like December clearly owe a lot to Alex Chilton and Big Star. Overall, really great, fuzzy early 90s indie rock/pop.

Probably my favourite of all the Joni I’ve heard. And there’s a lot of good stuff. One of those albums where the cover perfectly matches with the music itself with themes of travel and wandering. You can hear clearly how the melodies and lyrics influenced others like Joanna Newsom. Not as instant as other work but gives you something new every time.

When I first hear this album I was pretty underwhelmed. Compared to his earlier folk and electric work I didn’t really connect with what is essentially an bunch of love songs. But it’s also probably why it’s held in such high regard. It’s Dylan at his most vulnerable, with less cryptic and more relatable lyrics. The sound overall is clear and rich, and it feels like he’s singing an octave lower which again makes it more accessible. Over time I’ve come round to realising that this is pretty much a set of perfectly constructed songs.

Didn’t really grab me. Though I preferred the second, more psychedelic side.

I get why it’s popular. Every song sounds epic and played/sung like his life depends on it. But beyond a couple of tracks, it doesn’t really do it for me.

The first Dylan record I ever listened to and one I’d still (unsurprisingly) rate among his best. Rolling Stone is one of the true great openers and what follows really shows the range and versatility of the instrumentation he gained from going full band and electric. Ballad of a Thin Man remains one of my favourites and Desolation Row gets better every time - the way it builds both musically and lyrically is why he’s considered one of the great wordsmiths.

Had only previously heard Decoration Day and Dirty South. Was put off by this being a double album but overall was a really good, coherent listen. Particularly enjoyed the monologue and songs around George Wallace at the end of disc 1. Great music on this, only let down slightly by the lack of contributions by Jason Isbell.

Have had a few attempts to get into Genesis without much success. So this double album was a bit daunting. On the third listen some of it started to stick, in part due to Gabriel’s very recognisable vocals (big fan of his solo work). Standouts included In the Cage, Back in NYC and Lilywhite Lilith. So enjoyed this way more than I expected. But no idea what the concept is.

One of those huge, acclaimed albums that just passed me by. Overall, great pop soul and clear why it was a hit. Second track in particular has that recognisable Mark Ronson production. Title track and Tears Dry On Their Own were the standouts for me. Listening to it in retrospect, it’s hard not to wonder if this would have been her opus or the beginning of something greater.

Obviously the vocals are the standout here. Raspy but with great range and power. Album feels unfinished in places which is unsurprising given Joplin died before its completion. Half Moon was a standout.

Feels like one of those albums where its influence is slightly more notable than the music itself. While it helped to establish thrash metal as a genre I was surprised how DIY and punk it sounded at times. Especially the vocals. Decent overall.

Appreciate he’s held up as one of the true guitar greats, but as a writer I’ve never heard anything from Clapton that has piqued my interest. And this albums does little to change that. It all just feels like very standard 70s rock numbers. Overall, not very memorable.

There’s a lot of Bad Seeds records and this is one I’ve only listened to once or twice. Given it’s a double album, it's required more time to digest. As a result, this might become one the of my favourites by Cave. Equally raw and beautiful, with his trademark storytelling over the top of powerful gospel vocals. Not necessarily the best place to start if getting into this group, but arguably one of their best.

I always forget that YCALWB wasn’t Norman Cook’s debut as Fatboy Slim. Instead, this very much sets the blueprint for the big beat sound that would launch him into the stratosphere in the 90s. All the traits are there, but the songs are less defined, have fewer hooks and don’t really stand out from each other. Worth listening to so you can hear how much he developed in just a few years, but feels fairly inessential.

First heard about this album because I was told Beck’s Paper Tiger was inspired by its sound. Which is totally correct. To be honest, I’m not sure anything else quite sounds like this. You don’t need to speak French to get the gist of Gainsbourg’s spoken vocals around love, lust and loss. And the way the first and last tracks bookend the album, building from quiet bass lines to full orchestrated arrangements is near perfect.

DIzzee’s debut marked a critical moment for grime, helping catapult it into the mainstream. I remember this album coming out and the crossover success he achieved with the singles from this album. He’d later go on to have bigger, more pop-pronated hits but this still stands as a classic of the genre and arguably one of the great British rap albums.

One of the big four of grunge, I’d still probably rank Pearl Jam’s debut lowest among the most highly acclaimed albums from each — those being Nirvana’s Nevermind, Alice in Chains’ Dirt, and Soundgarden’s Superunknown. That being said, it’s still a great set of songs, with some incredible singles. Eddie Vedder’s vocals are deep and powerful throughout and add extra weight to some already pretty heavy subject matter like addiction, suicide and survivor’s guilt. But that’s grunge for ya.

Gave this a few spins but didn’t really grab me. Some of the songs felt quite empty and repetitive. Did enjoy 20 Dollar but that might be because it lifts the lyrics at the end from Pixies. Remember her being pretty popular when this first came out, but can’t see myself returning to this one.

Firstly, Adele’s voice is of course the main draw here. The music that supports it can be a weird mix, oddly flipping between piano balladry and something akin to dance beats, with some sweeping orchestration thrown in for good measure, to varying degrees of success. Lyrics are mainly your typical affair of love and heartbreak. Nothing too memorable.

Have had this album for a long time. Always enjoyed it but it’s not an album I ever get much desire to go back to. But whenever I do, it’s a good listen, with some great, catchy and overall essential new wave songs. But other bands from this era - Talking Heads, Television etc. - have always appealed more.

My interest was immediately piqued when the album opened with a disagreement over Morrissey tracks appearing on certain albums. Overall, can hear the influence of artists like Wilco (Why do they Leave, especially) and Neil Young. Amy was an immediate standout for me. The album is very loose, laid back and eclectic. Which means it feels more like a collection of songs than a coherent album. Will likely check out more of his work.

Honestly found this quite hard to get through. Maybe in part because I couldn’t understand the lyrics but also because most song didn’t really change much and push up against the 7 minute mark. Still, can hear how this style of music influenced artists like Paul Simon and Vampire Weekend.

A very messy, badly recorded album which nonetheless has some really good blues rock tracks on it. In all honesty, the most interesting aspect of The Yardbirds more generally is hearing the humble beginnings of three people who would go on to become some of the most revered guitar gods of the century (Page, Beck and Clapton).

Only four tracks but they all justify their length. Some fantastic grooves and vocals from Hayes here, packaged up with some very lush and rich production. And coming out at the tail end of the 60s, it feels like it set the template for a lot of more progressive soul going into the next decade.

One of the classics from the Britpop era. Lots of hit singles on this one, along with some equally great album tracks. Trouble in the Message Centre is my favourite Blur song. And I’d argue that This is a Low is Blur’s best song overall (and maybe Damon’s best vocal). I’ve always been impressed by how unconventional Graham Coxon’s guitar work was throughout all of Blur’s discography, even on their more acclaimed albums like this one. Along with albums from a handful of other bands, this helped define the 90s in Britain.

This started to click around track three. The melody and instrumentation here is pretty hypnotic. At points though it did start to drag, especially when you don’t get hooked into the overall rhythm. Sat listening to this on a rainy day, which seemed to fit the vibe.

Like Thriller, Dark Side of the Moon and Sgt Pepper’s, this is about as close as you can get to a ubiquitous album. And it’s understandable. You don’t really need any other Fleetwood Mac records as this one already sounds like a greatest hits compilation. One of those times where a band just comes together to create something that stands above everything else they did. So many well known songs on this but I’ve always liked You Make Loving Fun the most.

What a great gothic/post-punk album. Dark, hypnotic bass lines and moody, echoey vocals throughout. Monitor really was the song to hook me. Almost sounded like a Gang of Four song with its ultra angular lead guitar. Going to enjoy re-listening to this one.

Pretty decent post-punk influenced album. Vocals and music at points reminded me of Sleater Kinney, so maybe Throwing Muses were an influence on them. Overall, an enjoyable listen that I’ll probably come back too.

This turned out to be a great, short album of outlaw country music from an artist I’d never listened to. Like a lot of this genre it’s incredibly evocative of a time and lifestyle that is now gone. Interestingly, it was the slower numbers that really stuck with me like Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Ride Me Down Easy. Plus Waylon’s deep, weary voice is pretty perfect for these songs.

Unmistakably The White Stripes, but also their least typical sounding album. Overall, there’s far less of Jack White’s typical screeching guitar and far more piano - and very bare bones playing at that. Though I guess it fits their stripped back aesthetic. Probably one of their patchier and less essential records, but it still features a couple of their best songs.

There’s often a lot of talk about which bands had the rest 3/4 album run. Sabbath clears that easily with probably the best 6 album run ever, with Vol.4 obviously sitting around the middle. It’s here where songs get longer with multiple sections, the production gets cleaner and the palette of sounds gets wider. It’s crazy that heavy, proggy songs like Wheels of Confusion and Supernaut can sit comfortably alongside ballads like Changes but Ozzy’s always on-point vocals anchor everything and make it flow. Other albums in this run have more iconic songs, are heavier or darker. But Vol.4 feels like it expands the sound of their first 3 classic albums and sets them up to deliver the further classics that followed.

One of the best New Order albums. The first half is one great song after the next. Moody, angular but also full of warm synths, it finds a common ground between post-punk and dance - and with that New Order’s influence cannot be understated. The second half isn’t as strong as the first. And Sunrise may be the best song The Cure never wrote.

This is such a great album full of soul and warmth. While made up mainly of covers, it means many of the songs are instantly recognisable, but with Redding putting his own take on many to brilliant effect. His cover of Satisfaction may be better than the Stones. But some of the originals penned here by him and Sam Cooke are great too. Plus, I never realised Redding wrote Respect. A classic song nestled amongst many classic covers.

The opening song is of course pretty much ubiquitous at this point. But I have a complicated relationship with long, meandering piano ballads, so this has never done much for me. McLean’s soft spoken, almost boyish vocals also don’t help. Overall, a lot of songs which feel overly affected and trying to be anthems, but apart from The Grave, it all left me feeling pretty cold.

Almost immediately you can hear the distinct New York sound that seems to permeate through any band from the city. Had never heard of these guys and while I can appreciate that, in 1975, this was one of the frontrunners of what would become punk, it also suffers from (for me, at least) a lot of that genre’s faults - namely that much of it seems quite shallow and doesn’t have that much replayability. An enjoyable listen but not sure I’ll be coming back to it much.

As the name suggests, this is a good starting point for anyone wanting to understand and delve into Indian music, namely that played on sitar. The first song literally starts with Shankar explaining the differences to how the music he plays differs to that of Western music theory. In it he talks about changing your mindset to fully appreciate the sounds of India. Which is fair. This is a different type of listen, but is as good a place to start as any for anyone wanting to listen to something from outside the anglosphere.

There are many ways to approach live albums, and in my opinion this one does it right. It cranks up the audience so you can hear every clap and whoop, capturing not just the sound but the feeling of being in a James Brown crowd in the early 60s. The energy and adoration for Brown are palpable, and that's the album's real selling point. The songs themselves, while good, fall a bit short of the electric atmosphere the record creates.

Firstly, Lynn’s voice is quite beautiful and carries most of the music here. There’s a couple of standouts like the title track and closer, with most songs dealing with love and loss. It sometimes feels like a record that was built around a single, which by 1966 was a fairly dated approach to the album format. Still, Lynn’s voice and the themes help tie it all together and give it a coherency, even when some songs fail to stick in the mind.

The last of The Cure’s early goth rock/post-punk outings, before they embraced a warmer, more pop-orientated sound. And it’s arguably the best of that period. One Hundred Years is an instantly intense and unsettling opener which sets the dark, unyielding tone for the rest of the record. The Hanging Garden and The Figurehead are standouts, while the closing title track is a repetitive, dissonant end to a bleak but wonderful listen. Pornography stands as one of The Cure’s best and the fact they went on to top it several times over is a testament to their greatness.

A fairly enjoyable listen with some strong single, including the title track. But some of the songs sound like fairly standard sounds from the 80s - though appreciate it helped to usher in that wave of music. So yes, influence is clear, but there are bands like Depeche Mode and Tears for Fears that would go on to top what’s here.

At first I wasn’t convinced and was tempted write this off as more generic punk. But every listen revealed how wrong this was. This is definitely one of the stronger first wave punk albums I’ve heard and it makes me excited to delve deeper into X’s discography. The fast, raw playing pretty perfectly mixes with great vocal performances and harmonies between the singers. We’re Desperate and It’s Who You Know were standouts.

Listening to this album feels like a journey through all the sounds of the 90s. We have angry, open lyrics about love and sex set to grungy guitars, smooth girl pop sensibilities and a drumbeat (Head over Feet) that I swear was on half the songs from the decade. As such, there is plenty here that will work for everyone, which helps explain why it was such a juggernaut album and easily Morissette's most well-known set of songs. There's lots to like but it also often feels disjointed and lacking an overall sound or aesthetic. Can't deny how catchy some of the songs are though.

The album where The Beatles went from being just the biggest band in the world, to the greatest band in the world. There’s plenty to love about what came before but Rubber Soul marks a major shift for the group, as they become a purely studio-based band and push their songwriting into new territory. You can hear elements that would come to the fore in future albums, like Harrison’s sitar work on Norwegian Wood. And here, Lennon and McCartney are entering the peak of their writing partnership with songs like Drive my Car and In My Life. There would arguably be greater, more varied music to come but Rubber Soul stands out from other records because of how cohesive and refined it sounds, giving it its own clear identity. An undisputed classic.

I was always a bit surprised at how incoherent and disjointed Thriller is as an album. We go from the dance pop funk of Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ and Baby Be Mine to the twee balladry of his Macca collab, The Girl is Mine. Then we’re onto the title track with its long spoken word outro about ghosts and ghouls, before Beat It reaches its climax with a solo from Eddie Van Halen. On paper it shouldn’t work, but it does because there’s something for everyone. And Jackson, along with Quincy Jones, probably knew this and consciously designed Thriller this way. In any case, every song sounds impeccable (yes, including The Girl is Mine) and Jackson’s voice never sounded better. Despite its ubiquity, the album still feels like it continues to earn its place as the biggest selling album of all time.

There’s some really decent songs on this. The opener, Back in the Saddle, really sets the tone and feels powerful and triumphant. Other songs like Combination standout. However, a lot of it does merge into one, with some tracks lacking any real definition or their own identity. It ends up making the album feel longer that it’s fairly brisk 35 min runtime.

Eminem’s opus and a huge cultural juggernaut at the time. It’s also part of the reason why some of the songs here are not as enduring as other artists from the era. The pop culture references are too often cemented in its time and other aspects have aged poorly (but still better that the Shady LP). But there are songs here that are just as strong as ever. Stan and The Way I Am, for example, remain some of his best singles. While albums cuts like Criminal and Who Knew are standout album tracks. As always with rap albums from this time, the skits have little replay value. But the impact and quality of a lot of what’s here can’t be denied.

Before and After Science feels like a culmination of everything Eno had done up to this point. Rather than going further into the abstract sonic soundscapes of Another Green World, this album pulls on what came before during his more heavily tinged art and glam rock years. The result is an album that balances upbeat pop (King’s Lead Hat) with more brooding, atmospheric numbers (Julie With…). It’s another great record in a long run of essential albums from Eno in the 70s (more so when you include his output with Roxy Music) and the last time he’d really make music like this before moving fully into pioneering ambient.

Many say this is on of Zeppelin’s weaker albums on their amazing 6 album run. I disagree, I prefer this to I and II simply because of the variety on offer here. Plus, Immigrant Song is their best opener and one of the greatest rock songs ever committed to tape.

While Scott 4 is probably one of my favourite albums, I’ve never gone back further than Scott 3 when delving into Walker’s 60s discography, partly for fear that it wouldn’t live up to that release. But listening to Scott 2 has proven that was shortsighted. While many of the songs here are covers and not penned by Walker, the album is instantly recognisable as part of his style at the time. Everything sounds lush and his vocals are as impeccable as always. Plus, by listening to this album, I have finally realised that Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River was in fact a cover (and covered here too). A near essential Walker record.

If Autobahn was Kraftwerk finding their sound and Trans-Europe Express was them perfecting it, then The Man-Machine is them synthesising (no pun intended) it down into a manageable pop format. This album probably features Kraftwerk’s most recognisable and catchy songs, The Model and The Robots, which both remain as fantastic and pioneering as ever. Much of the rest of the album, like Spacelab and Metropolis, focuses more on texture than melody and the more rhythmic focus of previous albums like TEE. An essential album from Kraftwerk and also in understanding the evolution of electronic music.

Having recently watched Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary, it was crazy to see George Harrison play songs like All Things Must Pass and McCartney to essentially shrug and offer no reaction. It’s amazing insight into how he and likely Lennon viewed his songwriting and his place in the Beatles pecking order. What it did mean was that, after their breakup, Harrison clearly had the richest volume of unreleased songs to pull from. Coupled with Phil Spector’s brick walled production, the album sounds as immense as its runtime. While McCartney’s Ram might be my favourite Beatles solo record, I think empirically this is clearly the best that any member put out on their own.

I was very late discovering Stevie Wonder. I knew he was a talented musician who’d written some big hits but it wasn’t until I listened to Innervisions, followed by everything else in this incredible five album run, that I realised that he is a true genius. Not a single wrong step on this record, which ranges from upbeat Motown and funk to some absolutely beautiful ballads, covering everything from love to inequality and political injustice. Every song - from Too High to Misstra Know-it-All - is essential, making it one of the greatest albums of the 70s, and only second to Songs in the Key of Life, which is one of the greatest albums of all time.

Listening to this always brings back strong memories of being a teenager. Given that Nick Drake grew up near where my family lived, his music always evokes images of driving through the countryside with it playing. Regardless of my personal attachments, this is objectively a classic English folk album, with Drake's gentle, hushed vocals complementing his immaculate finger-picked guitar work. The arrangements that sit atop his playing never feel obtrusive in the way that they sometimes did on Bryter Layter (though the album still falls slightly short of his haunting, bare-bones third and final album). River Man is a case in point - a song genuinely elevated by its orchestration, while Day is Done is a testament to his skill as a musician, with wonderful playing that is never overshadowed by what surrounds it. Lyrically, the album evokes a mystical feeling - never overly cryptic, but focused on mood rather than explicit meaning. It is always saddening that he never lived to see how revered and appreciated this music would become, with this debut standing as a true and essential classic.

A pleasant enough album full of chamber and dream pop-style songs. I’ve always mean to check out Mercury Rev but never got round to it. After listening to Deserter’s Songs, I’m probably in no rush to explore their discography in further detail right now. The song that stayed with me the most was the instrumental, Pick Up If You’re There. Something about the (I assume) wailing guitars reminded me of Godspeed You! Black Emperor (specifically Sleep). A good listen but nothing too memorable.

Growing up, QOTSA were - and still are - one of my favourite bands. I vividly remember seeing the video for No One Knows and being blown away. I subsequently bought Songs for the Deaf and Rated R, and loved both. But their debut took years for me to appreciate. It lacked the catchy, heavy hits of those other albums and was less focused on hooks and more on slow, heavy grooves. Revisiting it now, this is still probably their fourth best album (after Songs for the Deaf, Rated R, and ...Like Clockwork). The contrast between the stoner rock heaviness and Josh Homme's lighter, often higher-register vocals is on full display instantly with opener Regular John, which remains one of their best. Other standouts include Avon, Mexicola, and How to Handle a Rope. The bass-led groove of You Can't Quit Me Baby is also a favourite. Even more impressive is that Homme played nearly every instrument on the album himself. An incredibly strong debut which the band would go on to surpass in almost every way.

If I were asked to choose one album that sounds utterly timeless, this would be my pick. Released in 1977, Marquee Moon is nearly 50 years old yet sounds like it could have been made yesterday - and you can point to specific bands like The Strokes, or scenes like the garage rock revival of the early 2000s, as moments where its influence is undeniable. For me, that influence is clear not only in the sound and style it helped create for generations of punk, indie, and alt-rockers, but also in its impeccable production. The guitars sound crisp and clean, with Tom Verlaine's vocals coming through clear and strong - you'd never think it was recorded decades ago. The songs are delivered with such swagger and confidence that it's hard to believe this was their debut. The epic title track still amazes, with its intertwining guitars and slow, hypnotic build. See No Evil is one of the all-time great openers while Friction is a particular favourite and a standout example of the incredible guitar interplay between Verlaine and Richard Lloyd - a defining feature of the album throughout. I first heard this album over 20 years ago and it still sounds as modern and vital today as it did then. I have no doubt it will remain just as relevant for decades to come.

First thing that struck me about this album is how wonderfully recorded and produced it is. The finger-picked guitars and Nelson’s weathered voice shine as a result, making it all feel very intimate. Sure, this is an album of covers but he makes even well known songs, like Unchained Melody, sound like his own. Again, the arrangements on most songs here really elevate them. It’s clear why what could have been a throwaway release (as many cover albums are, and something his label was restating to as a result) is held up among his best.

I’ve probably listened to this album 8-10 times in one day, simply because of how dense and at times impenetrable it can feel. And I’ll probably continue listening to it more just to fully appreciate what’s on offer here. Four of the eight song pass the eight minute mark with multiple movements. And on balance I probably enjoyed the shorter, more traditionally structured songs like More Fool Me and I Know What I Like. Of all the epics, The Cinema Show was probably my favourite. Really showcases what every member brings to the table. Feel like I’ll continue to discover things about this album for a while to come.

My favourite Kraftwerk album. I remember vividly listening to this while revising for third year uni exams. Its hypnotic and rhythmic sound helped to keep me focused. Listening back, the album is clearly rooted in its time, when electronic music was in its infancy. But Kraftwerk lean into this, creating a purposefully minimalist sound. The album builds to the standout title track, which embodies this style, swelling slowly and steadily over its runtime. As far as albums go that are an ode to the brilliance of the European transport network, it doesn’t get much better.

To be clear, Tom Waits is one of my all-time favourite artists. The man has never put out a bad album in his entire 50 year career. Rain Dogs was my entry point - his most acclaimed album - and as a result I've always gravitated toward his weirder, more avant-garde later work. But I do still love his first few albums. However, Nighthawks was one of the last I ever listened to, in part because it's firmly in his early years but also because it's a live album. And yet, if a live album's purpose is to transport you to a time and place and make you feel like you're in the room, then this absolutely succeeds. Whenever I listen to this, I immediately feel like I'm there in a dark, seedy and smoke-filled club. As an artist, this is a different type of Waits, more humorous and direct, spending almost the same amount of time interacting and joking with the audience as he does singing. As such, it's an amazing snapshot into an artist who would soon be on the road to reinvention, leaving behind this blues and jazz-tinged period and venturing into the weird and wonderful music that I love him for.

Probably my favourite Metallica album. The title track has some incredible riffs and never feels like it’s over 8 minutes long. The influence of this album and much of the bands 80s output is clear on thrash and indeed metal more widely. The heavy, high octane moments are also balanced with some gentler, almost medieval sounding passages in songs too. The main issue I have with this and much of Metallica’s classic era output is that the production renders everything sounding a bit thin and flat. Still, the power of songs like Master of Puppets and the instrumental Orion overcome these shortcomings to create a pretty much essential metal album.