I only knew Madonna the way you know her by growing up during the 90s, ie occasionally listening to her songs on radio. I never made an effort to seek out and listen to full albums of hers, however. So I have to say that this came as quite a surprise, because it‘s *nothing * like I expected. „Music“ is strangely experimental, continuously trying out new things. Not all of them work well (the notorious last track for example), but I really enjoyed the many facets of this album and that it wasn’t ashamed to leave the beaten path. Also: Am I going crazy or was there a Daft Punk influence in there? Anyway, not the best album ever but a surprising and enjoyable one nonetheless. I would give 3.5 stars if I could, so let’s round up.

Well, this is a hard one to rate without any bias - because (like many others here, I suspect), this album has a special place in my heart. When I first listened to it at 16 I thought that this must be the best music ever! Well, relistening to it I can say: it might not be the best music ever, but it's still really good. Every track is a banger in its own right, and I love how it really is a conceptual album telling a story, the individual tracks coming together to form a greater whole. As a German I obviously can't fully relate to the experience of growing up in the American suburbs under the Bush administration, but I think I understand enough. The politics of Green Day might be "undercomplex" or "facile", even but seriously, who cares. This isn't supposed to be a doctoral dissertation about American foreign policy in the early 21st century, but a young person's outcry against the violence and injustice inherent in the world in general and the Bush administration and the Iraq War in particular. As such, it is still current in a way, since the legacy of those days continues to haunt the world over two decades later. And even beyond that, it's still damn good music that makes me feel like I'm 16 again. 5/5

An interesting album, in which Lorde works through the failure of a relationship and the party-laden time as a single afterwards. I'm not super familiar with the rest of the work, but to me this album was solid pop. None of the tracks were really the kind of danceable bangers that might get tons of air time, but they formed a coherent whole together that went on to tell the story Lorde wanted to tell to great effect.

An interesting album. I wasn’t super familiar with Prince‘s work beforehand, so I could approach this with a fresh ear. I liked the sound and the very eightiness of it, although some of the basslines immediately made me think of old sitcoms - obviously not the music’s fault but due to when and how I grew up. I don’t think I’ll specifically seek it out to listen to it again, and I also skipped the dozens of „rediscovered“ songs added to the remaster, but it still was a really nice one to hear. Would give 3.5 if I could.

Relentless fun, and it’s wild to me that it was only published over two decades afterwards. Maybe the best and most energetic live album I’ve ever listened to. Don’t look up what happened to Sam Cooke afterwards if you want to keep a good mood though - what a clusterf*ck

A classic for a reason with every song a world famous banger. I don’t know how Metallica were perceived when they entered the metal scene back in the day, but I’m glad I did. Modern music wouldn’t be the same without their profound influence, and I’d say it was an influence for the better

It's a good album with lots of interesting ideas and a lovely blend of singing and (for lack of a better word) whimsical music. But... it's too much for me personally, as a whole album at least. I would love to listen to the songs individually, but while listening to the entire thing at once I felt overwhelmed. It's too much coming too quickly, and therefore I have to be a bit more critical with my rating than I'd like.

It’s really interesting to listen to this album - not only because it’s good (it is) but also because how profoundly influential it was for the almost six decades of pop music that have followed since.

Short and sweet, although I didn’t really glean the satirical undertone Inexpected from the cover. Maybe I should actually pay attention to the lyrics next time?

Not really my thing, especially the vocals

I had often heard about Grateful Dead before but never really knew what they were about. For some reason I always figured them to be more of a punk band, so I was a bit surprised when this album turned out to be country-infused boomer rock. But that doesn't mean it's bad! It was an eminently listenable album to me, but also nothing too interesting either - which, to be fair, might be mostly because after more than half a century there won't be a lot left that is surprising to modern ears.

What a wild ride. Experimental, whimsical, funny, and then you actually listen to the lyrics and it's about freeing yourself from the crushing yoke of oppression and dealing with the trauma of sexual abuse. And yet it doesn't feel bleak at all, but... well, like the music itself? Good stuff that lends itself to a relisten on various levels.

Nice enough to listen too and great singing, but overall not really my thing

Solid rock and insanely 80s (probably because stalwart in part they defined the 80s sound in the first place?). So ubiquitous it sometimes almost feels cheesy, but that’s not their fault.

Great lyrics and there are moments where I really dig it, but overall it’s just not really my jam

Not my fave by them but still real good

Yeah that's the jam of my teenage years and do I ever love it still

An absolute classic of rock history. I still remember my dad telling me to give it a listen - I probably was 16 or 17 - and I was blown away by how inventive and just plain fun it was. It still is.

Interesting classic rock with a little bit of a punk influence. It suffers a bit from the "trailblazer problem", i.e. that while it might have been really influential back in the day, it sounds a bit "bland" (not the right word, but I can't think of a better one) all those decades later because everything introduced and innovated by that album has been done a thousand times since, sometimes better. But that's not the album's fault at all, which remains a nice listen. It's just not as "gripping" as it maybe used to be back in the day.

Pop rock that’s a lot of fun and that belongs to an era of music that deeply shaped my musical tastes and interests.

While I recognise Harris' great musical talents, her specific brand of balladsy country pop as exhibited on this album just isn't for me, therefore one star. That doesn't mean it's bad, it just means that it's not my thing. I have to acknowledge however the "homey" feel of her music that came up when I listened to it. I dunno what exactly that is, but listening to her somehow managed to conjure up a tiny bit of the feeling of being twelve again and vaguely hearing stuff similar to this from the radio that's playing in the other room, while I presumably read comics or something? Weird stuff.

Listened to this for the first time and yeah, this shit slaps

Pretty cool somewhat old-school rock album, I liked it.

Nice old school rock I guess

That was a lot of fun - bubbly and energetic rock with some interesting and surprising twists.

I love concept albums, and I love history, and I love the idea of the Br*tish declining, so I also love this album