This is one of my all-time faves. This album reminds me of early covid because that's when I first got into it. I remember listening to it on the drive to pick up my hamster in Oakbank (RIP Sid). I love how weird and creative it is. There are so many unique musical elements. The lyrics are strange and cool and so are the melodies. The themes of this albums revolve around breaking out of chains and refusing to be silenced, which is very powerful. Favorite tracks are I Want You to Love Me, Shameika, Under the Table and Cosmonauts. 9.5/10.

The album opens with a line from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, so that got me intrigued at the start. I'm not a big enough rap fan to be able to appreciate the nuances of this album so I don't have a ton to say it. It's cool and has a nice flow throughout. I have never listened to the Wu-Tang clan before, so it's nice to get an idea of their style through one of the members. My favourite tracks are Release Yo' Delf, Mr. Sandman, and Stimulation. I'll say 6.5/10.

I don't think I really get why people love The Beach Boys so much, but I can definitely appreciate their unique sound and overall musicality. They were certainly ahead of their time. The harmonies in many of their songs are quite elegant and precise. God Only Knows is a great song and I like that it has french horn. Wouldn't It Be Nice is a classic too. It's a pleasant album, but not groundbreaking for me. 7.5/10.

Aretha is amazing! Her voice is powerful and she has so much control over it. Every song has soul (so the album title is apt) and the backup singers enhance the musicality even more with their harmonies. Natural Woman 🙌 🙌 Other bangers include Chain of Fools and Ain't No Way. 9/10.

What a great album! Before now, I only knew Mr. Blue Sky because I sang it in high school choir. I don't know what it is about ELO's sound, but the vibes are excellent. They've got "orchestral" elements like strings and piano, cool electronic elements and sound effects, lovely harmonies and falsettos, and a je ne sais quoi. The album is a journey and has a good amount of variety. I have heard good things about this album and now I can see why. 9/10.

The Beatles were my favourite band in middle school but this wasn't one of the albums I owned so I only know about half of the songs really well. The Beatles are always a nostalgic listen for me. This is an eclectic album for sure. Some of the songs are silly/theatrical, some are reminiscent of their earlier albums, and some are more experimental like Within You Without You. The title track is a great tune. My favourite song that I don't know well is Lovely Rita. A Day in the Life is by far my favourite from this album though. 8/10.

Nina Simone's voice is so emotive. She brings so much subtlety and elegance and heart to each song and really tells a story. I love that she's a contralto too. Four Women is such a cool song that I've never heard before. That last line, "My name is Peaches!" is fucking great. I love Lilac Wine, but had only heard a Miley Cyrus cover of it (also great). Nina's version is lovely. It reminds me of my favourite Nina Simone song called Stars. 9.5/10.

Lol I actually didn't mind this album, though it is quite grating overall. I have to say, the micro songs are fun and provide lots of variety. Plus they give the opportunity for so many more edgy song names. I got a kick out of the spooky, unintelligible vocals and some of the more consonant instrumentals. A lot of the songs actually made me laugh because of the grunting and higher-pitched, goblin-like screeching. I'll give this 4/10.

My first review! I enjoyed this album. I liked the talk-singing style of the vocals. Bill's voice reminded me of the band Friendship. The album had a quirky, eccentric quality that made it a fun listen. 7/10.

I didn't have strong feelings about this album. I liked all of the songs but none of them stood out to me. Solomon has a nice, soulful voice. Lyrics were pretty generic. 6/10

This album made me laugh at first because it is a bit cheesy. I got into it though as I listened further and some of the songs really got me groovin'. There were lots of cool instrumental moments, like sweet brass lines and some jazzy flute. 7/10.

I really liked this one. It is very powerful and has lots of emotional depth. And vocal depth! I appreciate the existential quality of this album - a man coming to terms with the end of his life and trying to make sense of it all. I think the title track is my favorite. You can hear the grief in the vocals, but the choral interludes are reverent. It really captures the duality of life and death. 8.5/10

I mean, it's Elvis. He's obviously a very talented singer and was ahead of his time. I enjoyed the album, but it didn't blow my mind. I think Elvis shone as a live performer so recordings don't convey his charm as much. Still a 7.5/10 for me. I have a special appreciation for 'In the Ghetto' because of that one scene in New Girl.

This album was not my fave. It's not bad music, but I think I just don't like whatever genre this is. Every song sounds essentially the same. I kinda just felt like I was being Rick Rolled. Lol. Still objectively fine so 5/10.

Maybe I'm being influenced by my Icelandic roots, but I actually enjoyed this album. I've always been curious about Björk but have been apprehensive to listen because I thought her music would be too weird for me. This album is definitely strange, but I liked the strangeness. The last half of the album didn't capture me as much, but I got a kick out of the first five songs. 8/10.

Cool to see the DR of Congo represented! This was a pleasant listen. Some sweet percussion and a nice groove. I got a kick out of the fact that he was often singing in French. 7/10.

This one was cool. I, too, was stoked to hear Bitter Sweet Symphony - it's a great song! I wasn't blown away by this album but did really enjoy the more ballad-like songs (Sonnet, The Drugs Don't Work). I can appreciate the grungy, 90s sound. 6.5/10

This album is unique and pretty intense. It acts as David Bowie's swan song because he released it two days before he died of cancer. The songs on this album are darker and even more bizarre than his earlier music, though they still have his signature sound. I'm a fan of David Bowie so I actually really enjoyed this one! I like almost all of the songs. My favorite is probably Dollar Days because I love the saxophone. 8/10.

This is an interesting one. Though the songs are about heavier topics, the music feels less emotional and more clean and technical. Musically interesting with lots of complex and precise rhythms and very quick tempos. I like the character of the vocals, and the song titles are definitely entertaining. The funniest song title is Stealing People's Mail. I agree with James that I'd have to be in a very specific mood to want to listen to this album - amped and maybe a little angry. I liked the little waltz interlude in Chemical Warfare. Also the Viva Las Vegas cover was unexpected and funny to me. 7/10.

This album has some really cool percussion, saxophone, and brass. I appreciate the jazz influence on the afrobeat sound. All of the songs feel pretty chill, but it is actually quite a political album (thanks Kerri for referencing the Wikipedia page about the album - the backstory is wild). Fela Kuti seems to have been an important political activist in Nigeria. He also apparently had 27 wives at one point. Knowing the context, I can definitely see why this album is on the list. My favorite song was Mistake. 7/10.

This is a cool one. I like pairing of the sultry, ethereal vocals with rap. Very musically interesting and diverse album. All the songs are pretty vibey and chill. 6.5/10. There are a couple songs that I decidedly didn't really like, but others that I enjoyed. Least favorite: Ponderosa. Favorite: Hell is Around The Corner

A classic folk album with some bluesy influence. This is right up my alley. He's clearly a skilled guitar player and singer. There are some really cool guitar melodies on this album, like in Finches, Alice's Wonderland, Casbah, and Angie. The lyrics are a bit less inspired, so I enjoyed the purely instrumental songs a lot more. 7/10.

I don't have much to say about this one. Most of the songs kinda feel the same to me. Though I can appreciate some of the little details and nuances that make them all a bit different. I can get into In Da Club. And P.I.M.P. lol. Love that steelpan. Not my fave but not my least fave. 6.5/10.

It's the Boss, what more can I say? This is a great album. Born to Run was an anthem for me a couple years ago and I still love it. I hadn't listened through the rest of the album before, but it's great. The saxophone is amazing!! 8.5/10

I was rooting for this album because the album name and art are super cool, but the music is less cool. It's a typical 80s sound. I wasn't enthralled by it, but the songs were kinda soothing actually. Definitely more of an ambient album and a bit experimental too. 6.5/10

Pretty cool, lots of variety. I liked it. 7/10.

I really likes this album!! Apparently I like the Strokes. I knew a couple of these songs already but had never listened to the album before. I like that the music has a grungy quality to it but the melodies and harmonies are pleasing. Idk what I mean by that but they're onto something haha. 9/10.

I liked this whimsical little album. Her vocal tone bordered on being too nasal for me, but it does fit the music really well so I can let it slide. I loved the instrumentation and especially the harp - so ethereal. This felt like a fairy tale. Bonus points because Joanna Newsom is married to Andy Samberg and I love that for them. 8/10.

This was definitely a fun listen and I do like bongos so can't complain. I think it's funny that most of this album is just instrumental bongo covers of other songs. I don't know if I needed to listen to this before I die lol. But I did enjoy it. 7/10.

This is a very bluesy album with a bit of a psychedelic flavour. The Doors are pretty iconic tbh. My favorite songs were Love Her Madly, L.A. Woman and Hyacinth House. Riders on the Storm is a great tune too. There were some really cool musical elements on this album: sweet guitar lines, organ, interesting rhythms, and great vocals and lyrics. 8/10.

A nice, indie album. I was really vibing with He Would Have Laughed today. 7.5/10.

This is one of my all-time faves. This album reminds me of early covid because that's when I first got into it. I remember listening to it on the drive to pick up my hamster in Oakbank (RIP Sid). I love how weird and creative it is. There are so many unique musical elements. The lyrics are strange and cool and so are the melodies. The themes of this albums revolve around breaking out of chains and refusing to be silenced, which is very powerful. Favorite tracks are I Want You to Love Me, Shameika, Under the Table and Cosmonauts. 9.5/10.

All the versions of this album I could find were like 25 songs long, but I could only handle listening to the 10 songs that wikipedia says are from the original album. I dig this album. Very 80s. Tina has a bit of raspiness to her singing voice that I like. My favourite was her cover of Help. 7/10.

I did not enjoy this one much. The singing is more like talking/yelling and the music is very noisy and grating. I struggled to even listen through the entire first song but I did persevere until the end of the album. The weirdness of Fodderstompf somehow ended up being the best part of this album for me. 2/10.

I like this one. I'm a fan of Eric Clapton and I like the mellow, psychedelic vibes. The songs are varied enough to keep it interesting. This album is also nostalgic for me because I grew up listening to Sunshine of Your Love - I apparently bought it on iTunes in 2011. I also had this record at home as a kid and remember listening to it a few times. I like almost all of the songs on the album. 8/10.

Incredible! I don't know what style of jazz this is, but I love it. There's some classical in the mix, but also blues, and some other elements I can't put my finger on. Very improvisatory. Also I'm pretty sure I heard "the lick" at some point in the first song on the album lol (iykyk). IMO this is the best album on the list so far. 10/10

This is a solid album. There are some really great songs on it and some fairly forgettable ones. I got very into the Jacob Collier version of Bridge Over Troubled Water which led me to enjoy the S&G (original) version too. I'm also a fan of El Condor Pasa, Cecilia and The Boxer. 8/10.

This album started off very strong for me because I *love* the first song, Oh What a World. The song interpolates Ravel's Bolero which is super cool. I enjoyed the rest of the album, though none of the other songs stood out to me too much. I like the pleasant, folky vibe though. 8/10 (if the rest of the songs were as good as the first song I would give it 10/10).

This is an interesting one. It has a bit of a David Bowie/Tim Curry vibe that I like. It's a bit creepy and dark and includes scandalous themes throughout. It's musically interesting and I enjoyed it overall. To me the album sounds very 70s/80s though, so I'm surprised this came out in '95. 7/10.

I'm a big fan of this album. Ideal listening while cooking for Thanksgiving. The musical choices all feel very tasteful and clean, while also being expressive and creative. Bill Evans on the piano is lovely, and the bass and drums also shine throughout the set. I love this style of jazz - it feels comforting to me. 9/10.

I really enjoy the instrumental aspects of this album. There are some super cool sounds in the mix. Unfortunately the vocal quality of the singer isn't my favourite and reduced my overall impression of this album. I would probably give it 8 or 9/10 without the vocals, but with them it's a 7/10. A lot of the album reminded me of early Coldplay, which is a plus for me because I'm a big fan. The song I liked the most was probably Sea Song.

This is a cool album. It's pretty grungy and unpolished with really interesting drumming. The themes seem to be a bit dark and twisted. I prefer the slower, more ballad-like songs on the album like Where Is My Mind? That song must be having a moment because I've heard it before and it has like 400x as many plays as the other songs on the album. I also like Brick Is Red. The faster songs are a bit too relentless and noisy for me to want to listen again. 7/10 for this one.

I'm struggling to understand why this album made the list tbh. It sounds like Generic Rock Music. None of the songs are bad, but none of them stand out to me either. I'll give it a 4/10.

I really like David Bowie but this album doesn't stand out to me much. It's a totally fine album, but doesn't seem remarkable enough to belong on this list tbh. 6.5/10.

This album has a cool vibe. Reminds me of the Talking Heads. 7/10.

This is a great album! Dire Straits have such a unique sound as far as rock bands go. You can hear elements of folk and jazz music in the mix, which is very cool. The guitar weaves through the songs in a really mesmerizing way. I have loved Sultans of Swing for many years. There are some epic live versions of the song with amazing extended guitar solos. Another standout song for me is Wild West End. 8.5/10.

No complaints about this album, but there was nothing remarkable about it either. 5.5/10.

Moody and strange with many interesting instruments and sounds included. This reminded me of the Maxinquaye album from a few weeks ago. It's innovative and unique and just has a cool vibe. I'm not in the right mood for this album today, but I still think it's a good one. 7/10.

When I saw that this is a baroque/folk-rock album I was psyched. I'm a big fan of more traditional folk music. Some of the songs on the album are giving renaissance faire, while others feel more folky. I like both. The orchestration is cool and there are some really interesting time signature changes and irregular meters. The vocals fit the music well and there are some sweet harmonies when they sing together. I appreciate this album more because it is quite different from everything else we have listened to so far. It's really in its own lane. 7/10.

This album really reminds me of The Beatles' red compilation album from 1962-66. They're from the same era of early rock music that all kinda sounds the same. I saw one review calling it "mod rock". It's their debut album, so they obviously hadn't found their sound/musical niche yet. It's all decent music, but not captivating or all that interesting. 6/10.

This reminds me of the music from my childhood dance classes. This album is really well done and very cohesive. It has lots of variety and most of the songs are enjoyable. The interludes between songs are a cool touch too. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen again because I'm not a big fan of pop music, but I can respect this album for what it is. 7.5/10.

I knew of Nick Drake from a different album of his, Pink Moon, which is quite good if I remember correctly (apparently it's also one of the 1001 so I guess we'll find out). Five Leaves Left is a hell of a debut album. He has a unique vocal quality that I enjoy. This music is beautiful and conveys lots of emotion for being so simple. I listened to this while driving around in the rain tonight and it was the perfect soundtrack.

This is a fun album. Listened to Crazy Love and Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes a lot last year and had heard several of the other songs from this album too. The fusion of South African and American musical stylings is interesting and innovative. 8/10.

How to make cleaning my oven even worse: put on this album. I wasn't a fan of this one. Too noisy and abrasive for me. 2.5/10.

I was not expecting this style of music based on the album name and art, and it was a pleasant surprise. The vocals occasionally cross into being too bright and theatre-y for me, but for the most part I like her vocal quality. There is a jazzy, folky element that reminds me a bit of Joni Mitchell. Apparently Elton John was a big fan of Laura and he even wrote a tribute song for her with Brandi Carlile called "The Rose of Laura Nyro" - it's a very cool song. My favourite songs were Luckie, Stoned Soul Picnic, and Woman's Blues. 7.5/10.