1001 Albums Summary

Fantastic album with a few songs that didn't grab me as much. Elton John can write a hell of a hook. 3.5-4 stars

Absolute banger after banger! The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is so I can give In Utero a higher score.

The opening track of this album is perfect. From it's groovy bassline to the jazzy keyboard it sets the bar for the record enormously high. Unfortunately the rest of the album then fails to reach that bar. While the closing track is strong is well, most of the middle of the album felt like it was trying to put me to sleep. There were moments that stood out, but overall I found the repetitive vocals weak and most of the instrumentation just became background noise. Overall 3, maybe 3.5. There was enough there I may have to give it a relisten though.

Definitely one of those albums that I can imagine was absolutely mind-blowing at the time. Janis definitely has a unique and impressive voice. 3.5/5

I can see why this album made the list, I can really hear the influence it had on singer/songwriter and indie music, especially among the Jack Johnson's of the world. The most striking thing about the album was how modern it sounded, it wouldn't sound out of place if I stumbled upon it on a random Tiny Desk concert or heard it on modern college radio. I found the instrumentation on the album really pleasant. The way the piano, strings, flute, etc. play off the guitar is really cool, and Nick Drake is an impressive guitar player. Unfortunately, that vocal style is nails-on-a-chalkboard to me. It sounds like he invented the "indie accent" so many artists today copy, and those whispery soft-spoken vocals drive me insane (in a bad way). I also found the "cute" lyrics grating. I really wanted to like this album, but unfortunately the vocals bring it down to a 2-2.5/5 for me.

I thought the hits on this album were decent (Sunday, New Year's), but the rest were forgettable to downright bad. I must say, The Refugee was impressively bad, the worst song I've heard in a while. I busted out laughing when Bono starting doing his "Uh, HUAHs". I actually relistened to this song after I finished the album to see if it was as bad as my initial impression, and it was even more hilariously awful the second time. 1.5/5.

Aerosmith is just simply not for me. While I can recognize the talent of the bandmembers and see that this is a very competently made record, to my ears it's just vapid lyrics interspersed with impressive guitar solos. The album lacks any substance underneath the surface (that I can detect at least). It's not actively bad, so I can't give it a 1/5, but after the first couple songs it just became a chore to get through. 1.5/5 ->2/5.

While Moby may overuse his gimmick of finding old samples of soulful vocals, I do think this album holds up quite well. I really enjoy the classic hits from the album like Honey and South Side, while also finding joy in some of the softer passages. I thought most of the songs had a good amount of depth to them and liked the layered instrumentation throughout. That said, there were a number of forgettable tracks in the mix as well. I'm not big into the electronic music scene, but it does seem this album continues to have a large influence on this style of music. Also, I somehow didn't realize (or forgot) that South Side is a Moby track! 3.5 -> 4

Definitely my least favorite of the major Hendrix records. While still full of some great tracks and amazing guitar playing, I never felt it reaches the soring heights his first and last records do. 3.5 -> 3/5

I don't have a whole lot to say about this album, it is clearly very competently made and full of talent. That said, it's just not really my thing. I did like some of the more atmospheric instrumentals. 3.5 -> 3/5

I really wasn't excited to listen an out-of-context soundtrack to a movie I've never seen, especially given how underwhelming I found Moon Safari, but I was pleasantly surprised! I really liked this album. It creates a really nice, often disconcerting atmosophere, and I found that it went to some more interesting places than Moon Safari did. I especially liked the track Dirty Trip. Definitely one I'll be throwing on again while working or studying. I just listed in my car, so I'm excited to revisit it with a solid pair of headphones. 4/5.

Contemporary country definitely isn't my thing. I actually recognized one of the songs from the album though! It wasn't absolutely terrible, but definitely won't be revisiting. Did a couple of interesting things musically here and there. Lyrics were generic and god-awful throughout -> "I'm not wonder woman, I can't lasso the truth out of you". 2/5

When I was in high school, I had a few friends who were way into Ska. They would try and convert me, often playing records by bands like Streetlight Manifesto and Reel Big Fish. To me, these songs were always a bit too much, featuring constant aggressive use of horns over upbeat raggae-inspired rhythms that I would find exhuasting to listen to. It always just sounded like punk with a gimmick to me. Because of that, I wasn't at all excited when I looked this album up and saw it was classified as "ska". To make it worse, I couldn't find it on streaming so had to rely on a fairly low-quality Youtube playlist to listen to it. I quickly found myself pleasantly surprised. I found this record to be an interesting blend of many genres and influences, and I found the horns and other less conventional instrumentation was used in a way that complemented the music as opposed to overpowered it like on the previously mentioned ska albums. This made it so when they did take centerstage, like at the end of "Primrose Hill," it made for interesting and powerful moments. I didn't expect to recognize any tracks, so was surprised to hear "Our House," a track that I've heard probably thousands of times before but never knew the origin of. There were still a few misses on the album. I found Blue Skinned Beast kind of irritating, and New Delhi, while an interesting idea, felt a bit out of place. Overall, definitely an interesting and ambitious record that I'll likely return to. I'd say a 3.5 or 4/5.

While I can see how this album could have been absolutely life-changing hearing it for the first time in the 60s, to my modern ears I found it to be a small handful of amazing tracks interspersed between a lot of very forgettable ones. I find Venus in Furs and Heroin brilliant tracks that still hold up very well. I thought European Son was a unique and ambitious closing track as well. I otherwise found the album to be fairly dull and forgettable, and I've never really been able to get too into Lou Reed or Nico's vocals. 3/5.

The only thing I knew about Rufus going into this album is that he sings my least favorite cover of Hallelujah. With that, I really didn't have high expectations. That said, there are some great tracks on here, especially early on in the album! He creates some great, layered music, and although his vocals took some getting used to, they really grew on me by the end. Still, a couple low points on here (looking at you, Vibrate).

I understand it's unfair to judge artists from the 50s with modern sensitivities, but to me this album sounds like shallow hits about love all just engineered to be commercial hit with very little under the surface. While I realize Buddy Holly had a massive influence on rock music, I feel like other artists were doing much more interesting things during this time period. 2/5

It's actually a pretty bold move to essentially open the album with a 13-minute, genre-spanning Opus like "Welcome to the Pleasuredome," and I think they mostly pulled it off with that song. I was then surprised to hear a number of familiar tracks on the record such as "Relax" and "War." Unfortunately, the remainder of the album threw away the good will it had earned as it slowly descended into mediocrity. Songs like "San Jose" sounded lackluster and out-of-place, and I found the random Springsteen cover completely pointless and inferior to the original. The rest of the tracks were completely forgettable as well. After the first quarter of the album I wanted to like it, but unfortunately the remainder fell flat. 2.5->2/5.

Decent enough parody of the music at the time, but far from Zappa's best in my opinion. Still some decent tracks though.

I've never been able to get into the Beastie Boys. I find their voices annoying, and they always seem to use the same basic rhyme scheme with the exact same flow in every song. I definitely feel there is much better early hip hop out there. 2/5

Very good album full of beautiful soundscapes and soaring heights. My only complaint is the last two songs are the weakest in my opinion, so it doesn't quite stick the landing. Still breathtaking though. 4.5 -> 5

A solid album with a few stand-out tracks.

Growing up, my parents would regularly play this album as we took long rides. I probably heard every song on it a hundred times by the time I turned 10, so notalgia undeniably plays a role in my love for this album. That said, I believe it still completely holds up. The only low point on the album is Electioneering, and that that is far from a bad song. It just happens to be the only song that isn't nearly perfect (not counting Fitter Happier). Even after all these years, I never tire of playing it all the way through. Easy 5/5.

A very listenable album that didn't have a lot of stand-out tracks, but also didn't have any bad tracks. I did like the dense instrumentation throughout. 3.5/5

I liked the first instrumental song on the album, but found the rest of the album disappointing. I couldn't stand the vocals, and found even the other instrumental tracks grating. Not a great introduction to Kraut Rock.

I'm not a big Simon and Garfunkel fan, I can only take so much whisper-singing over soft guitar. This is probably my least-favorite of their albums I've heard as well. That said, I realize they are undeniably influencial. 2.5 -> 2

Southern rock isn't my favorite subgenre, but I can't deny "Tuesday's Gone," "Simple Man," and "Free Bird" are classics. I generally found the rest to be failry forgettable though, and don't care for the ever-present southern twang. 3/5

I was nervous when I saw the label "Celtic," because I'm really not a fan of modern "Celtic rock." This ended up being an interesting enough blending of genres though. Also anyone who's not moving at least a little to "Come on Eileen" is made of stone.

It's amazing how an album with such a spectrum of impressive contributors can somehow sound so stale and lacking in variety. About two songs in I was already counting down the tracks waiting for it end. 1.5 -> 2/5

Jeff Beck is undeniably a talented guitarist, but the songs on this record just felt like they were full of uninspired blues riffs and incredibly generic lyrics and vocals.

So many familiar voices on this record, even coming from someone who isn't particularly well-versed in hip-hop. Sure, not all of it aged perfectly, but still full of memorable lines and beats througout.

Every soft song on this album sounded the same to me, granted it was a pretty good song. "The Way Young Lovers Do" was solid, I wish there were more like that on here.

Not my favorite jazz album, was a little soft for my tastes. Still not bad though. And Abdullah definitely has an interesting story!

To me this just feels like a horny 90lb man with emphysema rasping out vocals about how badass he is over power chords.

One of the better 60s rock albums I've heard on here so far, but definitely prefer later The Who records.

A decent enough chill modern hip-hop record, but didn't feel like anything groundbreaking to me. I generally enjoyed the lyrics and vocals, felt very personal. 3.5/5

This is a really haunting and atmospheric album. I read up on the backstory while listening, then was having a really hard time holding tears back while I was trying to lift weights. These songs just ooze with loss and mourning, while also remaining hopeful. That said, the songs do kind of run together and the album really lacks variety. Even still I feel it deserves a 4 with how much it affected me.

A solid jammy rock album, but I think I prefer Joplin's solo albums. 3.5 ->3

Not sure we need multiple live Johnny Cash recordings on the list, but it's a solid album none-the-less. The banter on it is fun as well. 3/5

Not really my type of music, but this album is undeniably fun and well-crafted with a few stand-out moments. 3.5 -> 3

The very definition of mid in my opinion. A few stand out moments, but mostly average tracks, most of which I found pretty forgettable. Was ready for it to be over by the end. 2.5 ->2

I somehow ended up with two Blur albums in a row (the nature of randomness). I wasn't a big fan of Parklife, but this was a step down in every way. Just generally bland and forgettable, I genuinely don't understand why this album would be considered an all-time top 1000. It's also crazy to me that Damon would go on to write such interesting music with the Gorillaz!

Wasn't my favorite Tom Waits album, but not bad by any means. Had a few stand-out tracks like Jersey Girl, but also a handful of forgettable ones.

This album makes me want to change my other 1-star reviews, because this is so much worse. Just full of gross lyrics and uninteresting music. The only good thing I have to say about it is it's fairly short.

Usually when I don't like a really popular artist or album, I assume I'm right and there's something wrong with everyone else. Prince is an exception to this. I recognize his insane talent and artistic prowess, but for some inexplicable reason his music just doesn't click with me.

There are some songs I really enjoy on here, mostly the well known ones like Lust for Life and The Passenger. Also the influence that this record continues to have on modern music is absolutely undeniable. That said, I found probably half the tracks to be pretty forgettable with uninspired lyrics. 3/5

Although it does have a pretty big handful of forgettable tracks, The White Album also has the highest concentration of great Beatles' songs in my opinion. More than any other, it seems to really explore a wide range of sounds and genres with each song being unique. It's really close between this and Sgt. Pepper for my favorite Beatles' records, although I'm definitely not the biggest fan.

Not a bad kind of spacy, psychedelic record, but most of the songs ultimately didn't really go anywhere except Revolution that I thought had a good build-up. I've heard Spiritualized before, so was kind of cool to hear their origin.

Solid album, but a little rough around the edges. You can really hear MBV laying the foundation for future albums like Loveless, which I consider to be an easy 5/5.

Bruce definitely has his formula that he sticks to to make hits, but it undeniably works. I appreciate the working-class themes present on the album, and still get a thrill whenever his songs are used in "patriotic" rallies. The lyrics aren't exactly subtle. Still, I find this album sounds a bit repetitive and gets pretty stale near the end. On an unrelated note, artists need to stop using ass-in-jeans album covers, it's very overplayed at this point.

Probably my all-time favorite live recording. There's not a song on here that I could listen to daily and get sick of. Kurt delivers his best vocal performance during the tracks, ending with his all-time great cover of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". Between songs, his personality really shines through as he banters and cracks jokes with the audience. Overall just an incredible performance that has stood the test of time.

An all around solid early hip-hop record full of memorable tracks.

Joy Division is one of those bands that countless of my favorite artists have cited as an influence. Listening to this album I can tell why, it's very interesting and unique, I imagine that was especially true when it came out. At the end of the day, however, it just really isn't my thing, not one I'll be revisiting much. Gets points for originality though! 3.5 -> 3/5

Wilco was the first band I ever saw live when they opened for REM when I was around 10 years old. Unfortunately they still sound as boring as I remember. Some decent lyrics though! 2.5 -> 2/5

Not normally my thing, but a pretty solid and fun album overall. Also Waterfalls is an unqualified banger. 3/5

Overall a pretty solid album, but I think it suffers a bit from being released after the more ambitious Sgt. Pepper and the White Album, as I feel it's a pretty big step back. The songs are generally more straightforward in my opinion, and it seems to have less variation overall, playing it more safe and familiar instead of exploring different genres. Still, a well put-together record though. 3/5.

I liked this one! It really stood out among the neverending sea of Classic Rock and Britpop as something unique. It wasn't perfect, the vocals were a bit underwhelming and some of the songs didn't really go anywhere, but there were a lot of interesting soundscapes on this one.

Just an all-around really solid album from start to finish, really not a bad song in here. Carole King has an incredible voice.

Although not as groundbreaking as the top-tier Radiohead albums, this is still a very solid record with some amazing songs on it (2+2=5, There, There, etc). That said, it does also have a couple uncharacteristic duds IMO like We Suck Young Blood and The Gloaming.

Given all the mediocre British alt-rock bands the author likes to throw on here, I expected this album to be the same. I only know The Verve for Bittersweet Symphony and The Drugs Don't Work. This album actually surprised me though, as I found the more psychedelic elements to be really interesting and enjoyable. Still, there were a handful of forgettable tracks on here, and they largely started to sound the same by the end. 3.5 -> 3/5

This has some interesting songs and soundscapes on it. I particularly liked "Bloodsport" and "The Wake". That said, overall I wasn't blown away by it, and there were a number of tracks that didn't do much for me. 3/5

This has some interesting songs and soundscapes on it. I particularly liked "Bloodsport" and "The Wake". That said, overall I wasn't blown away by it, and there were a number of tracks that didn't do much for me. 3/5

Whenever I listen to the Strokes I feel like I'm listening to the same song over and over again. To be fair it is a pretty good song. 2.5 -> 3/5

An extremely well crafted hip-hop record front-to-back full of memorable lines and beats. Definitely a classic for a reason.

This was really good! I just got Sea Change the other day which I thought was solid. This one has more variety to it though, and overall thought it was more interesting artistically. 4/5

I really like Jack White, but have always found The White Stripes fairly underwhelming. Still, this record does have some interesting moments on it, and I like the heavy blues vibe that a lot of the songs have. 3/5.

A solid album overall, but older Beatles just doesn't do a whole lot for me. 3/5

A decent enough standard alt-rock album overall. Given the bands name and that album cover I was expecting something a lot weirder, so was a bit disappointed, but was still worth a listen. 3/5

This is a really solid album overall! A few duds, but also many great tracks on here like Supermassive Black Hole and Knight of Cydonia. This is not only Muse's peak in my opinion, but also the last good album they ever made.

I do like Gimme Shelter and You Can't Always Get What You Want, but other than Monkey Man I really thought the other tracks were weak and forgettable. 2.5 -> 2/5

I was ready to hate this album because I can't stand "Heads Will Roll" and the band name is easily one of their worst in all of music. That said, I begrudgingly admit there were some solid songs on here, particularly "Zero" and "Runaway". 3/5

I really liked the first song, which got my hopes up for the rest of the album, but otherwise I found it to be a pretty typical albeit solid punk record.

Undeniably an all-time great pop record with so many memorable hits. It's not really my type of music, but even I can't help but find myself getting way into most of the tracks on here. The only thing keeping it from being a 5 are some of the slower tracks, particularly "The Girl is Mine" which I found pretty bad. 4/5

This is a generally solid album with a lot of great songs on it, however it ultimately overstays its welcome and could have really used some trimming down. The highs are on par with Siamese Dream, but I feel that album is much more cohesive and complete. Still an enjoyable listen overall though.

I don't know why, but I have a built-in aversion to New Wave. It has just never done anything for me. That said, this is undeniably a well put-together record, and the production really elevates it especially when played through a good set of headphones. 3/5.

Amazing album front-to-back. Alice in Chains was one of the first bands I really got into as a young teenager, so I'm definitely biased, but I really feel this album holds up well. There's not a bad song on here and I feel Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell are both at the tops of their crafts. I also really enjoy the exploration of addiction, from Junkhead's self-assured confidence to the low points like Down in a Hold. 4.5 -> 5/5

This album really wasn't for me, just found it to be boring alt-rock without a ton of variety. I respect Michael Stipe, but I guess even he can be wrong!

Probably my least favorite Zeppelin album, but of course the worst Zep album is better than the vast majority of albums out there. I feel it opens really strong with Immigrant Song, but then never quite reaches those highs again. Also doesn't include any of my personal all-time favorite Zeppelin songs.

This album was really interesting! The only Arcade Fire record I've previously listened all the way through is The Suburbs, and I honestly found this to be far superior. "Black Mirror" was a really strong opening track. I thought the organs and strings throughout the record almost gave it a "dark gospel" feel, and I found many of the lyrics really compelling. It is then closed with "My Body is a Cage," which is a phenomonal closing track. Unfortunately it did have a small handful of weak tracks on it as well like "Black Wave" and Windowsill," preventing it from being a 5/5.

It's not a terrible record, but I find the whole Raggae thing gets tiring really quickly, and I don't think there was a ton of variety on the record. Overall just really not for me.

This is easily the best pre-1960s rock album I've listened to from the list so far (~115 in). This album is a really interesting blend of early rock, blues, and jazz and personally I feel it sounds miles ahead of some of Fats' rock contemporaries like Buddy Holly.

Competently made record, but just really not my thing. Don't have much else to say about it. 2/5

Although it may not have the hits that Queen is known for, I think Queen II is their most interesting album, musically. There's a lot of interesting and complex instrumental work on this album, and Freddie's vocals sound fantastic on it. 4/5

Overall this seems like pretty by-the-books, inoffensive classic rock, but I really don't have a bad thing to say about the record. Just nice, easy listening with very few faults. 4/5

Adele undeniably has an incredible voice, but it takes more than that to produce a great album, and I just don't think this gets there. It has couple good songs, particularly Set Fire to the Rain, but overall I feel it follows to close to its influences and sounds pretty cookie-cutter overall. Also Rumor Has It was easily one of the most annoying songs of its time, being beaten only by Moves Like Jagger. 2.5 -> 2/5

This is a tough one for me. The opening track of this album is incredible, and there are a few killer tracks sprinkled throughout like The Spark That Bled, but for every great track there's 1 or 2 medicore to bad tracks as well (Waiting for Superman, etc.) I'm right between a 3 and a 4 on this one, so need to decide if I'm going to round up or down.

I thought this album started really strong, but I found myself checking in toward the middle and end of the album. I really enjoyed the guitar work, the solos almost sound Gilmore-esque to me. I wasn't crazy about the vocals though. Not bad overall. CERTAINLY shouldn't be in contention for 1991 AOTY over Nevermind, but I won't hold it against the band.

I've never listened to ELO before apart from their radio hits, but was actually really impressed. I enjoyed the wide variety of instrumentation and also enjoyed the unconventional song structures they used. 4/5

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Usually when bands try to blend this many genres together, I feel it often sounds disjointed. I think EW&F pull it off nicely though and create an enjoyable listen all the way through.

I really feel like if this album didn't have Lennon's name attached to it, it really wouldn't have gotten any attention. It wasn't terrible, but just really wasn't memorable. The only track that stuck out to me was Well Well Well. 2/5

Like most supergroups, this album is ultimately less than the sum of its parts. It does have a lot of dense, layered instrumentation, and the production is fantastic. That said, most of the songs are pretty forgettable and don't really go anywhere in my opinion. Was hard to keep my attention after the first few. Still, is a pleasure to listen to on good headphones with that production! 2.5 -> 3/5 Also, crazy that I'm not even 1/5 of the way through the list and have already had 3 Damon albums (and zero Neil Young, amazingly).

This album both opens and closes incredibly strongly, with Death on Two Legs and Bohemian Rhapsody. I would stay the album generally stays strong throughout the middle as well, but not quite to the same level. I listened to the remastered version and it sounded amazing through good heaphones! Overall I would say I prefer Queen II by a hair, but I do think Freddie sounds at his absolute best here. 4/5.

My thoughts are pretty much the same as "More Songs About Buildings and Food" which I listened to before this. The album sounds way ahead of its time and its influence is still felt today. That said, their music just really doesn't connect with me on a personal level.

It blows my mind that this album came out of 1978, it really sounds like it could be directly from the 90s or 00s. Like many other records on this list, it clearly had an immense impact on music, especially indie. That said, their music just really doesn't connect with me on a personal level for whatever reason. 3.5 -> 3

I used to LOVE The Offspring, then I turned 15.

One of those albums where the influence on future records can definitely be heard, but I just don't think it stands the test of time, and just isn't that enjoyable of a listen personally.

I'm really not into 80s new-wavey, synth heavy albums, but this has gotta be the best of the bunch.

The Pixies are one of those bands that all of my favorite bands cite as a major influence. Listening through this album, I can definitely understand why. They may not be a personal favorite of mine, but their influence on 90s and 00s rock is undeniable.

Humanity hasn't learned a damn thing since this record came out.

Really the only other Kraut rock record I've heard is Faust IV, which I really wasn't a fan of. This one, however, I found much more interesting and enjoyable. I thought this had much more interesting soundscapes on it and a really cool atmosphere. 4/5.

This was a cool and unique album! Not something I'll throw on every day, but it created a really interesting sound. I also thought it was cool that you would occasionally recognize a familiar song amid the chaos.

What starts as a triumphant working-class anthem quickly devolves into more generic (and sex obsessed) brit pop.

This album sounds very derivitive of 60s music. Listening through it was almost like "alright now here's the Beatles song, here's the Beach Boys song, here's the standard Blues song etc." Just not that groundbreaking or interesting overall.

I was really ready to dislike this record, mostly because of what I know about Morissey. Unfortunately, I just can't do it. The opening track is fantastic, and the album as a whole just feels so far ahead of its time.

While I love jazz, I'm not quite as big on the more big-band and swing stuff. Still not bad by any means.

Really fantastic jazz record, definitely one I can throwing on regularly!

Kind of a fun and unique album. The vocals almost reminded me of Animal Collective in spots. Not blown away by it, but it was different.

This was kind of an interesting record, almost an early alt-rock record but that still has a toe dipped in the big stadium rock sound of the 70s. Still, not many super memorable songs.

Miles creates some incredible soundscapes on this album. It's unique and chaotic but still maintains a strong sense of identity throughout and really doesn't have a weak moment. Easy 5/5. Also one of the greatest album covers of all time.

My eyes rolled when I saw this was another 90s European alt-rock album, but it was a very pleasant surprise! A really solid atmospheric, shoegazey indie record. 4/5

I used to love this album back in high school! While I don't think it holds up perfectly, it is still a generally well put together record. While the rage and angst are definitely a bit excessive at times, Trent still manages to create some incredible sounds on this album, and the industrial instrumentation is absolutely filled with emotion. Still, I feel The Fragile was an all-around better execution of this type of album.

I've always generally liked The Doors, but having now listened to many other albums from this time period does deepen my appreciation for them. I can see why they really would have stood out at the time, they really had their own unique sound and style right out the gate. The songs do start to blend together a bit as they really have their gimmick, but still a very solid record overall.

I was ready to dislike this as soon as I saw it was a rock opera, but it really pleasantly suprised me. There's a ton of musical diversity on this record, and the production was very interesting for an album from the 60s. Sure, it was a bit self-indulgent and full of itself, but overall it landed pretty well with me. Easily one of the more interesting records from this time period I've come across on this list. 4/5.

A generally solid electronic album. No major stand-out tracks, but also no outright bad tracks, just generally average. 2.5 -> 3/5

While this album does go down easy, I found it to be an entirely forgettable experience. Upon finishing my listen, no songs or hooks have really stuck with me. It's not terrible by any means, but I really can't fathom how it makes this list, it doesn't seem particularly bold or influential. Surely there are more deserving indie rock albums from the early 2000s.

Just an all-around solid, heavy classic rock record. Don't have too much else to say. 3.5 -> 4/5

A really cool heavy bluesy record, way ahead of its time.

Lots of great grooves on this record, and although it's largely full of long jams, I thought it maintained a strong sense of identity. 3.5 -> 4/5

I didn't have high hopes for a band just called "The United States of America" but I ended up really enjoying this one. This record feels way ahead of its time with its interesting production and very clever use of insterest and often abrupt transitions. I also really liked the contrast of the overly patriotic-sounding horn passages that were interspersed among songs critical of American culture at the time. The only weak point I can think of was I often found the vocals a bit lackluster. Overall very ambition, and one of the better albums from this time period that I've heard! 4.5 -> 5/5

It's Miles Davis, the man is incapable of making bad music.

Between this record, "The United States of America," and "Vincebus Eruptum," this is the week of surprisingly good experiemental albums of the 60s for me. While this wasn't quite as inventive as "United States" in my opinion, I still thought the music was interesting and often beautiful. There were a few duds here and there, but overall quite interesting and enjoyable. 4/5.

Just an all-around well cracted and incredibly fun pop-rock album. May not be anything revolutionary, but the album maintains a great energy all-throughout and really doesn't have a weak point. 4/5.

I can hear how Revolver was a critical album in forming the sound that would be embodied by "Sgt Pepper" and "The White Album," but I still think the former has some of their worst songwriting (the obvious example being "Yellow Submarine"). It does have some good songs on it and does end strong, but I don't think it ever reaches anywhere near the heights that their later albums would.

While I greatly enjoyed much of the guitar work on the record, I just could not get into the vocals at all. To me it sounded like someone doing an intentionally bad impression of an indie vocalist, weird inflections and all. I realize this type of singing wasn't has cliche at the time, but unfortunately it just kept me from getting into the record. Also, while there were some decent lyrics on here, I really wasn't impressed with them overall. 2.5 -> 2/5.

I remember my brother bought this album for me as a teenager. While the guitar work is undeniably impressive, the overly macho, "tough guy" vibe just doesn't do it for me. 2.5 -> 2/5

This was an incredibly interesting record. The contrast between the almost baroque art-pop and industrial elements really created a unique sound and atmosphere, I've never heard anything quite like it. My only complaint is the vocals were hard to get into at times. Still very solid overalls. 4/5. Man, people on this site really are allergic to anything remotely experimental.

A very solid ambient, atmospheric jazz record. Miles never misses. 5/5

Just an all around boring album that doesn't feel particularly ambitious or interesting.

Just an all around boring album that doesn't feel particularly ambitious or interesting.

This was a great record. While I often find Blues repetitive, this performance had enough variety and layers to it to really hold my attention. Plus Muddy Waters just has an amazing voice and vibe.

This was a really interesting, densely layered record full of really interesting sounds. It's hard to imagine how this was even put together in 1989, and the influence on many future acts is very apparent.

I normally find myself much warmer on the more experimental and avant-garde records than the typical 1001 albums listener, but here I find myself generally agreeing with the consensus. There were a few interesting ideas hear and there, but to me it sounded less "boundary-pushing" and more just weird for weirdness sake.

This was an incredible performance made only more impressive by reading the backstory. Keith has a really unique way of playing, with him often using a repeating lower note as almost percussion while playing a gorgeous rhythm and melody over the top. I really have no complaints with this one.

This wasn't a bad record by any means, but I found it pretty repetitive (which is kind of the nature of blues), and I didn't find it nearly as interesting as Hard Again, which I felt was much more layered and intricate.

Jack White is pretty hit or miss for me, and I found this album pretty boring overall without many standout tracks.

I really, truly do not understand what would place this album above any other generic country record. I guess this was made before a lot of them?

This wasn't terrible, but I thought it really lacked the authenticity of the other early punk bands. I realize that's totally subjective and unquantifiable, but to me the rebeliousness sounds forced, and the lyrics make me think "baby's first rebellious album." According to some of the other reviews, Sex Pistols were essentially "built" by a manager, and whether or not that's actually true it does seem to come through in the music.

Not bad by any means, but definitely not my favorite classic hip-hop record. I really don't find it reaches anywhere near the highs of Wu-Tang or Cypress Hill. Also I find flava flav kind of annoying to be honest.

Great album. I haven't listened to much Salsa music, but this really seemed to blend many different styles with more "traditional" Salsa music. Great listen overall!

I feel like this album takes "industrial metal" to a new level, in that they are literally banging industrail machinary against scrap metal. Still, I think there is intention to the noise, I don't think it is just random noise like many other reviewers suggest. It is ambitious if nothing else!

This was more interesting than Bookends for sure, I feel it had more layers and generally much more going on. Still, it had a hard time holding my attention. The music is very pretty for sure, but just doesn't hook me.

Not bad by any means, but I found Deep Purple In Rock to be a much more intersting album and superior in pretty much every way. Still, some good songs on here! My god, I cannot imagine being that in love with a car though.

Found this album generally dull and forgettable. Maybe you had to be there at the time, but it just doesn't stand out to me as particularly interesting. Not to mention that Morrissey is a raging asshole.

Probably my all-time favorite punk record (to be fair, I don't listen to a ton of punk). It does have a bit of nostalgia working for it, as my parents would often play this album when I was young, but I absolutely think it has withstood the test of time. London Calling is an incredible opening track that, like many other songs on the album, has aged phenomenally well. There's not a bad song on the album, and it has many stand-out tracks like Jimmy Jazz, Clampdown, and my favorite Spanish Bombs.

Aimee does have a really good voice, and I remember enjoying her songs from the movie "Magnolia." That said, this album just didn't hold my interest. Just simple, not very catchy soft-rock songs.

This sounds like hip-hop made for an after school special. Like this is what a boy scout troop leader thinks good hip-hop is.

Overall pretty solid album. I like the dark production and think Eminem has a great flow. That said, I do think it overstays its welcome, and some of the songs begin to sound very samey by the end. Also, some of the lyrics definintely aged HORRIBLY (some were pretty awful at the time really), but that has already been discussed to death.

Great music with a great singer, but on principle I don't think an album of this length really needs to be on this list. Surely there must be a more concise record to show off Ella Fitzgerald talent!

5/5 person, 3/5 album

Some interesting things going on here, I especially liked the strings that were present on many tracks, but I found most of the album to be fairly forgettable, and there were a couple major duds (Cars Are Cars being the obvious example). An average album overall.

I feel like I should like this album more than I do. I generally really enjoy more complex, jazzy arrangements in rock music, but for whatever reason this just didn't click with me. I'll have to give a relisten sometime for sure.

The first half of this record is nearly a masterpiece. Really interesting soundscapes that I feel were massively influential on some of my favorite artists, with echoes of bands like Radiohead and Godspeed. I didn't hate the second half by any means, but certainly not songs I'll put on regularly.

I thought this album started really strong. It was solid, interesting heavy pop. The album overstays its welcome, however, and ends on a low note with a few really slow songs right in a row to close it out which was an odd choice. Overall the lyrics, while addressing real issues, were very surface-level, like they were touching on current events, but in a way that was pretty uninteresting and inoffensive. Still, it was decent overall. 3.5 -> 3/5

This album is CRIMINALLY boring. The beats and music sound incredibly generic. The female vocals are decent enough, but the lyrics for the male vocalist sound like your "hip" uncle trying to sound cool to the young people. C'mon, there was way more interesting electronic music at the time this was released!

I expected "Violent Femmes" to be an all-female thrash metal or hardcore band, so was a bit disappointed right off the bat. All kidding aside, this record has undeniably impressive acoustic work all throughout. At the end of the day, this style and the vocals just aren't really for me. Still a decent album.

I generally prefer my jazz instrumental, but Billie is undeniably talented.

I know it's cliche to say at this point, but it is insane how after releasing one of the greatest albums of the 90s, they then completely changed their sound and released another phenominal record. This has a couple slow spots when compared to OK Computer, but is still just an overall incredible sounding record with an incomparable atmosphere. An easy 5/5.

Really great album overall. Many 5/5 songs, but there's just a few toward the middle that lose me a little, bringing the total down to 4/5. In theory, flute on a prog-rock record sounds like typical prog wankery, but in practive Ian's playing just feels so natural, it really doesn't come across an excessive or out of place in my opinion. I do wish Thick as a Brick was on the list as well, as it is my 5/5 Jethro record, and I think the concept of it being 1 long (absolutely bangin') song makes it so much more interesting than many of the other albums that made this list.

This was a surprisingly great album! I really don't like the band name, but I really enjoyed the psychedelic twist on what almost sounds like a brit-pop album, despite being from Portland.

This album is... fine. It has some solid jams on it, but my god does this album really deserve to be on the list above so many other deserving records? I really like Neil Young, but he is already clearly over-represented in the book. Then to put on a late-career jam record without any major hits? Completely insane. I could see this as a must-listen specifically for Neil Young fans, it certainly represents and interesting return to form in his career, but it is absolutely NOT a must-listen for everyone. Musically this album is a 3/5, but in the context of being a "must hear before you die" it's a 1/5.

For every fantastic Rolling Stones single, there are like 8 or 9 completely bland and forgettable tracks. Sympathy for the Devil is an amazing song, and there are one or two other standouts on here, but that doesn't make a complete album.

Bob Dylan is an undeniably phenomenol lyricist and I can really see why his songs resonated with so many at the time. That said, musically I'm not sure they've withstood the test of time as strongly. I'm sure it sounded groundbreaking at the time, but now it's hard for me to get really into the songs. Still not a bad album overall.

This is an incredibly pleasant sounding record. Norah Jones has a very impressive and soothing voice, and the music is very warm and easy to listen to. Ultimately the album lacks variety though and I found myself counting down the songs by about the half way point. Honestly this album felt much longer than it's ~45 minute run time.

This album is full of undeniably impressive vocals and incredible guitarwork, but it does sound "cheapened" in a way to me by the synthetic drums and synthesizer, almost like those are just inserted to try to appeal to a wider audience. Maybe that's unfair, but it did affect my enjoyment overall.

This is my third Talking Heads album I've gotten on the list and is actually my favorite by quite a bit. Definitely the most interesting both musically and lyrically.

Supergroups almost always end up being less than the sum of their parts, but I do feel this record is an exception. The musicians all mesh really well together and produce an album with some incredible performances and memorable tunes.

There are things I really love about this album. Bookending the album with "My My, Hey Hey" and "Hey Hey, My My" is genius, Powderfinger has always been one of my favorite Neil Young songs. On the slip side, many other songs are forgettable, and I rarely enjoy records that feature a mix of live performances and studio songs. It just makes the record sound unfocused and disjointed.

Really, really good jazzy hip-hop album. Definitely an album and group I'll be revisiting pretty regularly.

I used to listen to this album a ton when I was a teenager. When I think back on it I remember the major hits, but there were a surprising number of misses for me as well. Of course songs like "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City" are undeniably great, but then I find "Nightrain," "Out Ta Get Me", "You're Crazy," etc. to be pretty big misses. Still, it is crazy how many hits they packed onto this debut.

One of those albums that's not really for me, but I can completely understand why it's on the list. The influence of this album is immediately obvious, and it absolutely oozes atmosphere.

After a strong opener in "Walk On," the remaining first half of the album is very middling in my opinion. Fortunately, the album really redeems itself with "On the Beach,", "Motion Pictures," and "Ambulance Blues" which are absolute perfection, the final being one of my all-time favorite folk songs.

I've heard some hits of course, but have never listened to a Zombies album before. Honestly, it holds up pretty well! One of the better 60s albums I've heard.

A decent album overall, but far from Nick's best in my opinion.

If I had heard this album in my early 20s when I did a lot more club drugs this album probably would have hit hard. As it stands in my boring, more sober mid-30s it just comes across as generic and forgettable.

I understand there is almost definitely some "Seinfeld isn't funny" going on here, but I just don't think this album holds up well at all. The songs are incredibly bland and forgettable, and this band sounds like every other alt rock band from the early 90s.

One hell of a debut. I remember the first time I heard "Dazed and Confused" and it absolutely blew my mind. I wish Robert Plan wrote better lyrics.

Just incredible all the way through. Shine On You Crazy Diamond is one of my all-time favorite songs ever, and the way it bookends the front and back of the record is just genius. Welcome to the Machine is a good song, but is a bit of a low point in my opinion. Still, it's strong enough to not drag the album down overall. Have a Cigar and Wish You Were Here are straightforward hits, but my god are they good! Overall 5/5.

I honestly can't think of a flaw with this album, just incredible vocals and music from front-to-back.

I'm really not a raggae fan, it has always sounding a bit too repetitive to me, but this is probably the best reggae album I've heard. Bob Marley definitely hits on some heavy topics here, and although the rhythm is repititive I do enjoy the layered instrumentation on the tracks.

Sounds like generic pop-punk to me, and not even particularly good generic pop-punk.

This was great! Not something I'll be jamming to in my car regularly, but excellent music for lounging around or to have on while studying. I really enjoyed the long, slow-building jazz rock.

Decent pop record with a handful of fun tracks, will probably forget it ever existed in a month.

I really don't find this album to be particularly interesting or inspired. The instrumentation is fine, but not particularly noteworthy in my opinion. I really dislike Costello's lyrics and vocal delivery however. Ultimately I'm not the biggest punk or New Wave fan, so combining the two just generally misses for me.

I really enjoyed the opening track of this record, and it set my exepectations high. Unfortunately I didn't feel the rest of the record lived up to it unfortunately. There's some good tracks on here, but also many forgettable ones. Still, some decent layered folk instrumentation.

The White Stripes are... fine in my opinion. Jack White is a phenomenal guitar player, but I honestly generally prefer his solo and side projects. Still, there are a handful of solid, memorable tunes on here.

I do like that this was a more versatile album than the other Simon & Garfunkel albums I've gotten, but I think ultimately this duo is one that I acknowledge their massive impact and influence on the musical landscape while also ackowledging that it just isn't really for me.

I don't know what it is with Prince. I understand and respect how talented he is, and I feel like I should really like how he fuses genres together, but for whatever reason I just can't get into his music. I acknowledge it may be personal failing.

I really like Tom Waits, but this album just didn't really hit for me. There were a small handful of great songs, but most felt kind of "empty" to me and lacked the emotional punch his songs typically have.

I really liked this one. I thought it was a really fun mix of hip-hop, rock, funk, and even a little psychedelic. The lyrics weren't mind-blowing by any means, but were a lot of fun. Can definitely see myself throwing this one back on in the future.

I just listened to this album 3 days ago and have already pretty much forgotten it. Still, don't remember hating it while listening.

I was a very angsty teenager when Linkin Park was at their height, and even still they were too angsty for me. The combination of incredibly underwhelming rap-rock coupled with WAY to angsty lyrics and vocals just creates a sound that is nails on a chalkboard to me.

Just an absolute bore of an album filled with generic hard rock of the time. Other than the singles really nothing stands out to me.

Very interesting combination of jazz and African percussion. Made for an enjoyable listen!

This had some interesting stuff going on, but a little too 80s for my taste.

Given the type of music I was into at the time this album was released, I can't beleive this escaped my notice! This sounds like early 2010s indie rock made by virtuosos. Very proggy and interesting with a lot of variety. My only compaint is I wasn't big into the vocals, but certainly not enough to kill my enjoyment of the album. This is the type of thing I want more of on the list!

There's some good songs on here, but overall a pretty boring record. I believe deep in my soul that this album would not have been a big hit if it weren't for Paul's name recognition.

One of those albums where the hits really stand out and have easily stood the test of time, but the rest of the album is pretty lackluster. Still, Baba O'Reilly, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't Get Fooled Again carry the rest of the album kicking and screaming up to a 4/5.

Not quite up to the level of Loveless, but not too far off either. Overall very engaging shoegaze record by the best to ever do it.

REALLY solid hip-hop record that I've never heard before. Definitely one I want to revisit.

I don't have a lot to say about this album, just a solid bluesy southern rock album.

I thought this was a little better than "War" personally, but still not my cup of tea. I found this album generally boring.