Absolutely incredible lyricism paired with an excellent voice that paints the picture of being on the road, isolation and love as clear as day. I just wish each song was trimmed by a few minutes since they can drag on for quite a while, which overall hampers my impression of this album. Still a great listen nonetheless, Hejira the song is absolutely a standout too!

Politically charged and filled with songs that stick with you like an earworm, Natty Dread really shows how effectively Bob Marley can hook you into themes of revolution and social commentary with both simple yet powerful lyrics that are constantly drilled into you during the length of this album. Bob Marley has always has had incredibly catchy songs, but No Woman No Cry is where I feel he's at his strongest. I first listened to the live version of this song, which is where I feel it's at its best, but the Album version still lives up to this praise and is a song that stands out above the rest. Unfortunately for me, Reggae is always a genre where you need to be in a certain mood to listen to, and while some songs land that perfect length of time, others may drag on a bit too long and can be a bit too repetitive for my taste. Still, that shouldn't take away from how consistently solid this album is all throughout.

When people talk about the classics, this is really what they must be referring to. Each song is perfectly crafted to make you want to move and dance along, and there's just this energy that just naturally brings a smile. The negatives of this album really boils down to two things however: 1. Some of these songs can be a bit repetitive. Given the songs are all relatively short and fast paced however, this feels more of a nitpick compared to how fun they can be. 2. The album itself feels both dated while also not dated at the same time. While every song is great, none of these are songs are ones I necessarily want in something like my everyday playlist. I can't really hold this against the album however, as this is effectively the Ground Zero of what Rock & Roll would become, and laid a solid foundation for countless artists to come. While others have certainly done it better, this is a consistent and monumental album with no real skips to it, and is well deserving of its spot on this list.

I'll start off by saying this album is super damn funky, mixing the best of samba and soul music to create what may be a masterpiece. It's an album that not just made me tap my feet to the beat, but actually made me get up and swing to the rhythm. Being an album in Portuguese, there's naturally a language barrier for those that don't know the language. Still, the instrumentation keeps you hooked the entire way through, and he has such a passionate vocal performance that perfectly compliments nearly every song, to the point where it just leaves you with a smile. Fortunately, there are quite a few English translations to this album you can find online (Special thanks to robert4289 and hakubin from lyricstranslate), which shows that this album is practically his love letter and celebration to Afro-Brazilian culture. When he does tackle themes such as racism in Brazil, he does so in such a positive light, instead focusing on the love for soccer, the children of Brazil, and the history, as if to encourage a sense of solidarity with both Africa and Brazil to show how much they've grown from those darker times. Overall, this is a really fun listen I can't recommend enough. It marks itself above its contemporary by simply being infectiously compassionate and having an incredible ensemble to support this kindness. "Salve, simpatia!" Greetings, Kindness!

This is the first Iggy Pop album I’ve ever heard, and it’s honestly made quite a great impression on me. Coming fresh off of his previous album, The Idiot, this was a a period of time where Iggy was trying to grow more independent from Bowie in his songwriting, pushing his own Punk Rock, rather than sticking with Bowie’s style of art rock. Of course, there’s some elements of these songs that feels like it wears his influence on its sleeves, but overall this album feels heavier than the average Bowie album of the time. After years of addiction for not just him, but also Bowie as well. It feels like a majority of these songs are rehabilitation for Iggy, an acknowledgement of his previous drug addiction, and a way for him to express his frustrations at this previous point in his life so he can move on. Unfortunately, there are a few pacing issues with some of the songs on this album, going on a tad bit too long, and Sixteen isn’t my cup of tea, souring a bit of the experience for me. Plain and simple though, Lust for Life feels like a therapy album for Iggy in the best way possible. An absolutely monumental album for him that made him stand out much more in the industry, proving his potential as a solo artist, rather than making it seem like he’s been riding on the coattails of Bowie’s involvement in the studio.

The Beatles needs no introduction when it comes to their influence on the industry, but Sgt Pepper is one of their magnum opuses to the world. Challenged and inspired by the psychedelic sound of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, this album takes the tight rhythm and lyricism that Rubber Soul and Revolver had and cranks it up to overdrive. Variety is the name of the game here, and it’s what makes this album so relistenable. It’s like the musical manifestation of the feeling you get traveling around the world, in the sense that there’s always something new to hear. Whether it be from the truly psychedelic nature of songs like Within You Without You and Lucy in the Sky, the tender warmth the strings in She’s Leaving Home has, or the live feeling that sets the whole thing up, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the album sets itself as a melting pot of ideas that each song flawlessly executes. There’s really no song that treads the same ground whatsoever (Besides Sgt Pepper Reprise), and there’s always something new and groundbreaking that hooks you in. When it comes to pacing, there’s practically no album that’s as tightly packed as this one. It’s only a 40 minute listen, but it really feels like it’s longer because of how well it makes the most out of its run time. Each song has more than enough room to breathe, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and more importantly, tells the story it wants to tell. For me personally, it’s my 2nd favorite studio Beatles Album, and the album everyone thinks about when you even mention the Beatles. There’s no better sampler platter of what makes these guys special, and deserves all the praise it gets.