1001 Albums Summary

A lot of noise, a lot of congas and random shouting. Some ok bits, track 6 best of the bunch, sounds quite exotic and a lot calmer than most of the album.

Enjoyable listen, quite upbeat and happy. Reminiscent of beach boys, easy to listen to.

The middle section of don't stop, go your own way, songbird and the chain is as good as anything. Some classics mixed in with a few 'fillers'. Solid album.

Quirky lyrics, some songs fairly repetitive, not my kind of music but can appreciate it for what it is.

Enchanting, wondrous harmonies coupled with some beautiful lyrics. First time listening to a S&G album and I look forward to the next entry.

1.5/5. Repetitive, annoying nonsense. Praise You is a banger that saves it from a 1 star review. I struggle to understand how anybody can enjoy listening to this album in its entirety.

2/5. Overall pretty chilled but each track does get boring after a few minutes. Some interesting snippets of music within some of the songs. Not my usual genre of music but not the worst thing I've heard!

Chilled country, easy listen. Bit bland overall with a couple of hits. 2.5/5

First 4 songs are great, album seems to get slower and slower after Islands. Middle of the road, weak 3/5.

2.5/5. A proper slog of an effort. Speakerboxxx starts out so promising, some really cool and experimental sounds. Seems to get worse as it goes on, moulding into quite generic hip-hop. The less said about The Love Below, the better. Roses/Hey Ya aside, it's a load of self-indulgent nonsense.

Fairly middle of the road album. Cloud Nine is the standout track, which is a shame as it's the opener. Overall quite enjoyable, helps that it's nice and short 35 minutes.

If the album ended after Rock Your Body, it would be considered a decent effort. What follows is 7 songs that sound pretty similar and seem to never end. This album is at least 30-35 minutes too long. Unfortunately, JT is not MJ.

So cool, so ahead of it's time. When I saw today's album was by Kraftwerk, knowing they were a German electro-group, I sighed. However, I enjoyed this album a lot more than I was expecting to. Easy to listen to, very futuristic-sounding, which is impressive considering it's 1978 release. I look forward to hearing more from these guys. A solid 3.5/5

Very of it's time. Nice and short, which helps. Some quirky, different songs, but a lot that sounds the same. Hard to judge an album that's approaching 70 years old so a rating of 2.5 seems fair.

Fantastic album. After the first 6 tracks, I was preparing to give my first 5/5, the remainder of the album didn't quite hit the same, but overall really impressive. A welcome change to my listening after a few mediocre days in a row. Will be adding some of these tracks to my library. A strong 4/5

Enjoyed this more than I expected to, given that my initial thoughts were that it was going to be a headache-inducing effort. Musically quite impressive, a bunch of shouty nonsense mixed in with some rather good songs. Standout tracks are Sulfur, Dead Memories and Snuff. Was teetering on 2.5 but I'll give it a low 3/5

Repetitive, noisy but boring. There's a reason this band aren't very well-known. A knock-off White Stripes/Royal Blood.

Easy listen, some great tracks but overall nothing special. Gets quite samey the more it goes on, looking forward to some of the classic Beatles albums.

Pleasantly surprised. Really enjoyed the raspiness of her voice, felt the album got better with each track. Standout tracks Guilt, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan and Why'd Ya Do It. Solid 3.5/5

This is me discovering I'm not all that into prog-rock. Some of the songs drag on too much for my liking, quite a whiny voice but some impressive guitars save it from a 1.

Meh. A couple of hits in amongst an album fill of filler. Meh.

Different to anything I've listened to so far on the list. Very experimental, garage-band style with a variety of sounds. Most of it wasn't for me, but a couple of cool tracks enough to give it a rating of 2.

Difficult one to review, given that Mr Cash was close to his end. Some well-done covers (Hurt, I Hung My Head, In My Life, Personal Jesus) but some that were quite painful to listen to (Bridge Over Troubled Water, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face). Ending on 'We'll Meet Again' very poignant. 3/5.

A rather enjoyable listen, quite funky with some of the most quirky/funny lyrics I've heard in a while. A fair few songs that I'd be happy to listen to again!

A mismatch of genres, sounds and lyrics that doesn't really work for me. A couple of ok-ish songs but overall it doesn't appeal. That being said, I can appreciate the experimental nature of this album.

Meh. Nothing to write home about, one or two songs that stood out but the majority merged into one amalgamation of meh. Most songs follow the same slow, drony style. Meh. 1.5/5

Just noise. I've come to realise punk/grunge just isn't for me. Not the worst thing I've heard but it was a chore to get through.

Enjoyed the lyricism, pretty solid record with some songs that could be written today and the lyrics would still ring very true. 'it's the end of the world as we know it' feels like the anthem of this generation. Look forward to the next REM entry. 3.5/5

Really enjoyable on the whole. Would have benefitted from being cut in half, 1hr 44 is definitely too long and does start to drag on but there were a chunk of fantastic songs along the way. Listening to this also makes me wish I was growing up in this era of music, some proper talent on show. Solid 4/5.

This album feels like floating on a cloud eating candy floss surrounded by pink. The lead singer trying his best MJ impression throughout. Some of the most basic lyrics, but it kind of works. Easy to listen to, inoffensive, a short 38 minutes. Cheesy 80s synth-pop gets a 2.5/5 from me.

Ramblin' by name, Ramblin' by nature. I would never have known what a boll weevil was without this album, so I've learned something new today. Also, bed bugs and cocaine are bad. Therefore, for educational purposes if nothing else, the Ramblin' man gets a 2/5

Solid album with some great songs and mesmerising guitar playing. Felt it did drag on a little in parts but that's a 'me' problem. 3.5/5

If the lyrics weren't so miserable and pretentious, this album would be solid. As it was, there's only so many times you can listen to Mr Morrissey bemoan the fact nobody wants him. Maybe it's because you are a ball of misery? On a positive note, I didn't actually mind the music and found it easy enough to listen to.

5/5 for the intro and outro. Struggle to give the rest of it higher than a 2.5 due to the whiny nature of Mr Youngs voice that seems to get more grating with each song.

Pretty meh, couple of songs that sounded ok but not a fan of the singers voice or style of singing. Opening track is the best of the bunch for me.

This album got worse with every song. Boring and repetitive after song 3/4. I don't know why I needed to listen to this before I die. Meh.

Quite enjoyed this one, reminded me of a bit of a cross between Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel. Lead singer has quite a haunting voice. One or two of the songs do drag on a bit but overall pretty decent.

Awful. Without a doubt the most boring, monotonous rubbish I've listened to so far. Get in the bin.

I've always loved Queen and, like many others, know all the 'hits' but haven't listened to any album on its own before. This is incredible. I, ashamedly, hadn't heard anything off this record before and boy do I regret never listening sooner. The first half is a mix of Freddie and Brian/Roger on vocals, and the second half is an all out Freddiethon. The entire album is just fantastic and quite heavy. I love the fantasy element of the second half, starting with Ogre Battle and ending with Nevermore. The March of the Black Queen is a sort of precursor to BoRap, with the 6:32 runtime and variety of sounds/song parts. Overall, the best album I've had on this list so far and my first 5/5. A masterpiece.

Meh. Boring, background music. Not one memorable song.

Really enjoyed this one. Incredible guitarist, some ridiculously impressive solos and the Kinks cover is brilliant. Very impressive for their first album. Look forward to (hopefully) hearing more by Van Halen.

Second Van Halen album in a row - it's like the algorithm heard my plea for more VH. Not quite as good as their first album, but still an enjoyable listen with significantly more synth than the self-titled record. Jump and Hot For Teacher are absolute bangers, also enjoyed Panama and Girl Gone Bad. Solid 3.5/5 for me.

Mediocre 60s rock. Meh. Nothing stood out except Jeff's Boogie.

Not enjoyable in the slightest. Started out ok but got worse with every song. Just a random bunch of sounds with some terrible singing over the top. Not for me at all. 1.5/5

Absolutely horrific, awful, garbage. The only two songs that are not dreadful, are the two instrumental tracks. The rest is painful, wailing crap. How has this ended up on the list? Absolutely nobody needs to listen to it.

Pretty inoffensive 60s country. No real standout tracks but some decent listens on this album. Overall fairly meh but it gets a 2.5-3/5 for me for being quite listenable.

Really enjoyed this one. Catchy pop/rock with quite a few songs that stood out. Weather with you, four seasons in one day, there goes god are all great. Overall a solid 3.5/5

Smooth, sexy, funky, easy to listen to. Mr Womack's sound is the definition of "cool". Enjoyable album but one I will probably forget about down the line.

Brilliant album, great harmonies and quite a variety of sounds/genres. Marked a 4 due to Youngs whiny tones, especially on Helpless, but it works well on the harmonies so I won't be too harsh. Almost Cut My Hair is one of my favourite songs from the 48 albums to date. Carry On, Teach Your Children, Woodstock and Our House all standout tracks. Impressive stuff.

Enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. Some really catchy songs with great harmonies. 'The Crickets' make the album for me, with some great backing vocals/doo-wop/bop, bop, bop's. Chirpy, cheerful and catchy. A solid 3.5/5.

I didn't really 'get' this one. Nothing offensive to the ears but very bland and boring. Felt like I could have fallen asleep after track 2 and not missed anything. Meh.

Quite enjoyed this one, and it would have scored higher if not for the pretty awful vocals. The actual music was really good and better than I expected, as I'm usually not a fan of post-punk stuff. 2.5/5

This was such a slog. Pretty sure I heard the same song about 9 times. Would be higher rated if it was cut in half, but far too much of the same stuff for me to enjoy it.

This one was cool, loved the music and if not for the language barrier, would have scored higher for me! These are some cool dudes making some nice bluesy music. Pleasantly surprised!

Enjoyed a big chunk of this one. Some really good guitar skills on show, one or two songs did seem to drag on a bit but I was vibing to it overall.

I can't deal with any more Morrissey. What a miserable sounding man he is. Makes every good song worse, and every average song terrible. I don't understand the hype around this album or band, but it's not the worst thing I've listened to so gets a 2.

Quirky, haunting, weird. Really on the fence with whether I enjoyed it or not but it was definitely different. 2.5/5.

Unsure how I'm supposed to score this album. A mixture of great, not so great and very odd songs. One of those I'd possibly have to listen to 5+ times to fully 'understand' but after two listens I'm left a bit confused by the whole thing. Intriguing is the word that comes to mind, and I'll wait until the next Floyd album to make my judgement on them as a band but as a standalone record, this is pretty listenable on the whole so gets a 3 from me.

Mixture of classics with some lesser-played songs but a lovely listen on my Christmas Day drive.

My second REM album and a similar review to the first. Enjoyed it but nothing extraordinary, pretty middle of the road album for me.

Banger after banger after banger. This is a perfect pop album, and a massive guilty pleasure. Contains a bunch of hits and the lesser-known tracks are all great. No bad song. All killer, no filler.

The music was nice, but listening to the voice was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. Like nails on a chalkboard for 55 minutes straight. I can't put into words how annoyed I was listening to this. Really good musician but that voice gives the record an instant 1/5. I hope I never have to listen to her ever again. I'm so glad it's not on Spotify and doesn't touch my algorithm. Phew.

Great album, really enjoyed this one. Only knew the one hit 'Take Me Out so was pleasantly surprised by some of these, especially The Dark of the Matinee, Michael, Tell Her Tonight and Jacqueline. A high 3.5/5

Why another Barry Adamson snooze-fest?! Why?! Soundtrack for a film that, yet again, doesn't exist. Nothing to say about this album other than it's a load of nonsense. Highlight was track 1 with Jarvis Cocker impersonating Austin Powers.

Quite chilled R&B sounds. Nothing exceptional but a fairly easy listen. 2.5/5

Nothing to write home about, very bland and most songs sounded pretty similar. Meh.

Unbelievably boring, getting a bit bored of listening to the same music by different artists. Meh.

Starts off with a great track in Kicks but the album never really lives up to the levels of that track. Quite enjoyed their sound, some good songs and overall a decent enough record.

Mr Kuti seems like a cool Fela. Enjoyed the drum battle and black man's cry. Drags on a bit but a fairly easy listen overall.

Banger of an album. This record is evidence that having an album full of songs that sound the same CAN work. Girls Got Rhythm, Touch Too Much, Shot Down in Flames and Night Prowler all great songs, as well as the title track. Overall a very enjoyable 41 minutes.

Didn't dislike this as much as I thought when seeing the genre BUT it got very repetitive halfway through and the second half of the album was pretty poor. First half saves it from being a 1, quite enjoyed it up until Disco to Disco.

I enjoyed this one, not heard of these guys before so it was a pleasant surprise to listen for the first time. Standout tracks Twice As Hard, Hard To Handle and She Talks To Angels.

Aside from Sunshine of my Life and Superstition, not too much to write home about here. Decent album overall but was a bit bored at the same time. You and I and Big Brother are the other standouts for me.

Hauntingly, depressingly boring. A couple of tracks that, on their own, would be decent enough. However, an album full of miserable songs doesn't do it for me.

This album makes me want to buy a cowboy hat, move to Nashville and go horse-riding. It's almost a parody of country music, to the point I struggled to take it too seriously. Overall a 2.5/5.

Found a lot of this to be a bit self-indulgent. The 'hits' are decent enough but a lot of random crap in amongst them doesn't do it for me. Prefer Beyoncés older stuff to this. 2.5/5.

This is really good, and not at all the kind of stuff I'd usually listen to. The entire album is an experience, I listened to it twice through and enjoyed it just as much second time around. The vocals are crisp, the tension in some of the songs is unnerving but brilliant and the lyrics are fantastic. Colour me impressed.

Feels like I've had this album already, sounds like a lot of other 60s psychedelic rock stuff. Not bad but not great. Meh. 2.5/5

Music for kids angry at their parents. I am so grateful this was only 15 minutes long. Complete and utter headache-inducing, shouty crap.

A bit underwhelmed overall, but that's a me issue as it's clear this album is a "classic". Some good songs and the music is overall fantastic, but I just can't get on with the voice. Best song on the album is Whole Lotta Love, which is a shame as its the opener.

What an absolute joy this was. Between the incredible voice, super impressive guitar playing and stage presence, BB King really shines on this live record. The live aspect really adds something extra, hearing how loved he was by his fans was a nice touch. This is the first time I've ever listened to BB King and I'm hoping for more to come.

Decent enough but nothing stood out with the exception of Moondance, pretty average listen on the whole.

I enjoyed this more than expected when I saw the album. Some funky songs that I didn't hate, and some forgettable ones. Solid 2.5/5.

Pure aggression. Opening track smacks you in the face and it doesn't really slow down from there. Bombtrack, KITN, Take The Power Back and Bullet In The Head are all rammers. Lyrically and musically on point, a fantastic record.

Pretty bland overall. I enjoyed the opening track but the rest seemed to all blend into one big ball of 'meh'.

This is rather good, wasn't a fan of the first few songs but it gets a lot better from Candy's Room onwards. Racing in the Street, The Promised Land and the title track are all great. Very American and a bit melancholic at times, but that's not entirely a bad thing. A pretty cool album.

Uncomfortable listening experience. Just bizarre, mumbled vocals with random chanting and odd noises. How this gets a 5 stars from anybody is a complete mystery.

A lyrically incredible record from start to finish. Having grown up listening to Eminem and specifically Curtain Call on repeat, but having never listened to this album, I absolutely loved it. It includes some of his hits such as Stan, The Way I Am and The Real Slim Shady but I was equally as impressed with the lesser known tracks, especially Kill You. The lyrics are 'offensive', hilarious and extremely hard hitting, especially Kim, which was quite the uncomfortable 6 minute listen. This is an artist at the absolute peak of his powers, with a truly brilliant array of songs.

Utterly depressing garbage.

Not my cup of tea. Didn't enjoy the voice and the songs were a bit all over the place. Disappointing.

Dreadful vocals coupled with jarring harmonicas results in a painful listen. Like a lot of stuff on this list so far, a couple of tracks would sound ok on their own, but 72 minutes of nasal whining isn't enjoyable to me.

Scott loves a scat. I enjoyed the random scatting in some songs halfway through the album, it was almost as if he got bored of the ballads and thought 'fuck it let's show the people what I can do' which you have to respect. Quite a nice voice to listen to overall, first half was a bit bland but I enjoyed the rest, particularly hero of the war, the old man's back again and get behind me.

A throwback to my youth, when indie bands were everywhere. I never was much of a Libertines fan, and this album hasn't changed my stance much. Half of it was decent indie rock, the other half sounded like drunken ramblings. Which is probably an accurate representation of the band. Still, enough to give it a 2.5/5.

Equal parts interesting/quirky and annoying/garbage. A bit of a mixed bag compared to a lot of the punk so far but it's getting a 2.5, the .5 because of the Jackass song.

The singles are great, especially Sonnet, but the rest is one big snoozefest. Why did they insist on every song being a minimum of 5 minutes long? Most of these songs start out ok but soon fall into the same dull, boring style. Meh. 2.5.

Painfully long, dreadful music and woeful vocals. The opening track being 23 minutes long felt like a sick joke, but the rest of the album follows suit with the only exception being St Stephen, which at least tries to resemble a song. Overall a pretty awful 1.5/5.

After seeing Iggy Pop supporting Foo Fighters a number of years ago and shoot straight to number 1 on my list of 'worst support acts ever', I've always had an irrational dislike of him and this album doesn't do anything to change my opinion. Musically quite a good album, but Mr Pops vocals and random screams/shouts ruins the record for me.

This is great fun, and a reason I'm enjoying the journey of these 1001+ albums as I'd never known this existed until now. Didn't understand a word but it makes you want to dance. Taj Mahal is a banger and one I'll be adding to my playlists for a long time.

This is great, really enjoyable with some really good riffs and rock and roll vocals. Having only ever heard Aerosmiths 'hits', I was going in a little blind but I'm left impressed. Title track is awesome and the majority are great tracks. 3.5/5.

Quite a few rather annoying repetitive songs mixed with some that are rather enjoyable and chilled. The Noise of Carpet is definitely the standout song here, overall a bit meh though. 2.5/5

Struggling to think of anything positive to say about this. Jarring guitars that sound like they're being bashed against a wall, coupled with awful vocals and mumblings. The only thing that would be a positive would be if I never have to endure any more Velvet Underground ever again which, given the nature of this list so far, is pretty unlikely.

I absolutely loved this album, so much so I've had it on repeat for most of the day. It feels like this should be a greatest hits album, because there's not one bad song here. John Fogartys voice is raw and raspy throughout, each song is lyrically and musically fantastic. One of the best I've had so far from my 102 albums.

A beautifully stunning collection of songs. Having never listened to Tori Amos before, I didn't know what to expect but I was pretty blown away by this album. Songs like Winter, Mother and Me and a Gun are breathtaking. Vocally and lyrically gorgeous and the piano is very easy on the ears. There's not a bad song here, which is mightily impressive from a debut album. An easy 5/5.

One of those albums where I can't put my finger on 'why', but it just didn't click for me. It's a bit all over the place, both lyrically and musically. No real standout tracks either, a bit of an underwhelming effort for me. 2.5/5

Irish folky punk is so the perfect way to start a Monday morning. This was a blast - a lot of foot-tapping hurdy-gurdy bangers, a few Spanish sounding songs (random but it works), a christmas classic and a song about worms. What is there to dislike? Ok half the lyrics are impossible to understand but it's a lot of fun. Bottle of Smoke, Medley, Sit Down by the Fire and South Australia are all fantastic.

This album starts off well, up until around the 6th song when it really loses its way. The rest is forgettable, but it gets a 2.5/5 given the strong first half, especially Bonny and When Love Breaks Down.

I've always wondered why UB40 are so popular, given that Red Red wine is their main hit when it's a dreadful song. This album is further proof that UB40 is a band I just do not get. Awfully annoying whiny vocals, the music sounds the same on every song and a lot of the lyrics come across as nauseating and preachy. I couldn't wait for it to end after one song. UB1/5

I thought this was going to be quite a fun album after the opening two songs. I was wrong. The majority of this album is rather weird, and not in a good way. The song featuring the female singer was good, and I liked the rap part of Candyman. Other than that, and the first two songs, it's a pretty rubbish album.

After listening to the dreadful White Light/White Heat recently, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the opening track was a lot calmer and slower. 'Oh this could be interesting' I thought. I was wrong. What a snoozefest of an album. It's gone from one extreme (WL/WH) to the other, and neither are any good. Highlight of the album was After Hours - mainly because it doesn't feature Lou Reeds depressing voice.

Pretty unique sound and unlike anything I've heard before. A rather enjoyable, peaceful album without any actual lyrics. This genre of music is something I'd imagine being played while I'm waiting at the pearly gates. 2.5/5.

A tale of two halves. The first half of this sounds impressive given that it's 50+ years old. Second half gets ruined a bit by the vocals, although it wasn't the worst voice I've heard on this list. Overall, I wish the whole thing was just instrumentals. 2.5/5.

This was quite cool, chilled hip hop. A lot of the songs sounded pretty similar, so much so it felt like a continuous loop of music. Not a bad thing, but I didn't feel there were many stand out tracks. Enjoyable but overall a bit forgettable.

Didn't enjoy this at all. Repetitive drum beats with annoying rap over the top. Not for me.

Immediately forgettable. Each song drags on and on with the same repetition until it fades out. A total snoozefest.

Decent enough album. Nothing stood out but some songs that would be good tracks on their own, which I feel is the case for a lot of these albums. If this list was "1001 songs to listen to before you die", I think a lot of bands would score higher for me. As it is, the Flamin' Groovies get a 2.5/5.

Every song sounded the same but it was pretty good fun nonetheless. Foot-tapping, cowboy country can't score lower than a 3 in my eyes.

I enjoyed this more than the previous Nick Cave album in this list. Unpredictable and quite odd with enough good songs to keep it interesting. Intrigued to see what the next one will sound like.

It's a shame the only songs I enjoyed were the instrumental cover versions. Jumpin Jack Flash and Light My Fire are great, and the first half of this album was fairly good. The second half descended into quite annoyingly repetitive sitar noises on a seemingly endless loop. Metamorphosis and Sagar taking up 50% of the album killed it for me. Always nice to have something different nonetheless!

This is really good, funky 80s pop/rock. Aside from the two I knew, this is a pretty strong album. Standout tracks are Hold Back the Rain, New Religion and my favourite on the album, Last Chance On The Stairway. A solid 3.5/5.

I would have preferred this without the singing. Decent enough music but the voice is annoying and not enjoyable to listen to at all. 1.5/5

This was a slog. 2+ hours of jazz isn't for me, especially when a lot of it sounded the same (to my untrained ears). I didn't mind some songs in the second half, but most of it felt like a chore to get through.

Surprised how much I enjoyed this, especially on the second listen. Some really nice chilled, catchy songs. Questionable lyrics at times, and I didn't particularly enjoy the songs with features on, but the majority of this album is an easy listen with nice vocals. Standout tracks Supermodel, Drew Barrymore and Prom.

This is pretty banging. Master of puppets is obviously a classic, but I was equally as impressed by some of the other tracks, particularly Sanitarium (my favourite on the album), Battery and Orion. I've never gotten into Metallica (down to my own ignorance) but I enjoyed this.

Really nice, chilled jazz. Girl from Ipanema is a classic. I think I'd have enjoyed this more if I was on Copacabana beach sipping on a Caipirinha. Pretty smooth album overall.

Quite cool and easy to listen to but, like a few other hip-hop albums on this list, it felt very samey. After the first few songs, I felt like I'd heard all the album had to offer.

Wasn't really into this. Sounded like exactly what it was, a debut album where a band are trying to figure out their sound. Some of the riffs and guitar work were impressive but I didn't feel as though any track stood out. Knowing how much cleaner they sound a few years later, I was a bit disappointed with this one. 2.5/5

Pure sex. Not much more to say, some nice songs on a short album. Easy listen but nothing special.

The one thing this list has taught me, is that I'm not a fan of punk. That being said, this is one of the better efforts so far. Some decent songs here, ropey vocals but that's par for the course in this genre. Particularly enjoyed the cover of River Deep Mountain High, which was very unexpected. Overall a middle of the road 2.5/5

Enjoyed this more than the 'Arthur' album. Sounded more Beatles-like than the last one I listened to. Waterloo Sunset is a classic, also enjoyed Autumn Almanac, Afternoon Tea and Situation Vacant.

This is really good. Putting aside the two I knew (tracks 1 and 3) this is a really strong album. The Working Hour, Mothers Talk, Broken and Head Over Heels are all great tracks. Loved the mixture of styles and synth. Solid 4/5.

Really enjoyed this one, not heard a lot of it previously apart from No Cars Go. First half of the album is really strong, middle isn't as strong but picks back up after a few songs. Black Mirror, Keep the Car Running, Intervention and My Body Is a Cage are all really good. A strong 3.5/5

Gets boring and a bit annoying rather quickly. There's only so much whiny yodelly folk I can listen to before it starts to grate. Gets a 2 because I enjoyed House Of The Rising Sun, which was quite haunting.

Pretty boring. I preferred my previous Springsteen album (Darkness On the Edge of Town). Nebraska is very one-paced in comparison but I didn't hate it. I liked Atlantic City, which is the best song on the album for me. Overall not much to write home about but I'll give it a 2.5/5.

One of the most bland albums I've listened to yet. Nothing exciting about this at all, just felt like the same song on repeat, so mundane it hurt. Mirrorball is the only song that sounded even slightly different to the rest, and even that was average at best. 1.5/5.

Beautiful vocals, gorgeous lyrics and mightily impressive album considering the lead singer is a dog. You can just about make out the emotion in his barks, which adds an extra layer to each track. If I too was a dog, this would be an easy 5/5. Unfortunately I'm a human being, and this dreadful, steaming pile of crap gets a 1.

This is the second JH album I've had and, much like the previous one, I found it pretty decent but nothing special. Some really cool guitar work and funk, but a fair few forgettable tracks too. Clearly an unbelievable talent but I don't think his music is entirely my cup of tea.

This album is one hell of an experience, it throws you from prog rock to classical to beautiful instrumentals and back again. I had to listen to it twice through, and once more a bit later on, just to work it out. Some of the shorter tracks aren't the best and a bit forgettable, but the strong tracks are STRONG. My favourite songs were Roundabout, South Side of the Sky, Long Distance Runaround, Mood for a Day and Heart of the Sunrise. Mood for a Day is a gorgeous instrumental track. Roundabout is a classic and Heart of the Sunrise is just as good. My first experience listening to Yes was a very enjoyable one.

Pretty meh, I'm yet to come across a hip hop album that changes my opinion on the genre. Some decent tracks but a lot of it is instantly forgettable, and some of the experimental stuff didn't do it for me. 2.5/5.

Funky, cool and soulful. Really enjoyed this one, a mixture of great vocals/lyrics and head-bopping funk. 3.5/5.

Aside from the 3 big hitters, this is such a strong album. Think About You, Nightrain, My Michelle and You're Crazy are all bangers. Really enjoyed this, right up my street. Slash is a God.

There's something about Led Zeppelin that doesn't quite hit me. Very good album musically, I'm just not blown away the vocals which are a bit jarring on The Battle of Evermore. Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Stairway to Heaven and When the Levee Breaks are all great, though. 3.5/5.

Love the quirkiness of this record. This town ain't big enough is a hell of an opener, and probably the best song on the album, but I enjoyed a lot of this. A sound that reminded me of a cross between Queen and Bowie (after inhaling helium). The vocal range is impressive and lyrics are brilliant. A very good 3.5/5.

Cool is the Pool is quite fun but the rest of it is pretty crap. Experimental but not enjoyable, quite boring and repetitive.

This is so, so good. Heavy, grungy, raw with the odd bit of calmness thrown in (Changes & Laguna Sunrise). Wheels of Confusion, Tomorrows Dream, Supernaut & Snowblind are the standouts for me, but I enjoyed every track. So many great riffs coupled with Ozzys iconic vocals. A classic.

Really nice album. I liked the blend of soul, jazz and pop with some clever lyrics. No real standout tracks but an enjoyable listen. Amy's voice is as smooth as silk, and the album sounds like someone a lot more experienced than a 19 year old. A pretty great debut album. 3.5/5.

Really not what I expected. I was prepared for an album of glam-rock type stuff but got a bit of that mixed with bluesy jazz. Some really fun songs, including Gutter Cats vs The Jets (and of course Street Fight), Blue Turk (track of the album IMO), Alma Mater and the Grand Finale. I'm all for being surprised, and this album definitely surprised me. 3.5/5.

Really strong opening half, loses its way a bit in the middle but picks up again after Wasted Hours. Some really great tracks, ones I already knew (The Suburbs, Ready to Start and We Used To Wait) and some I didn't (Modern Man, Empty Room and City with No Children). Overall an impressive record, 3.5/5.

Unbearably miserable.

Repetitive retro nonsense.

My 2nd CCR album and it's another cracker. Not *quite* as good as Cosmos Factory for me, but still pretty great. Born On The Bayou, Bootleg and Good Golly Miss Molly are all fantastic but Penthouse Pauper is the best of the 7 songs for me. I could listen to John Fogerty sing anything, what a voice.

An absolute classic and part of the soundtrack of my youth. I listened to this religiously when I was in my teens and it hasn't aged a day in 22 years. I love every song on this album, but Jesus of Suburbia is special. A song I will never get tired of listening to, and an album I will always adore. The fact my least favourite song of the lot is the title track, says it all. A work of art and the easiest 5/5 so far.

Pretty generic sounding, repetitive and not very enjoyable. I've heard worse but this was just meh.

A gorgeous voice singing a beautiful collection of songs. The biggest compliment I can pay this 3hr 14min compilation is that it was perfect background music. Inoffensive and a very easy listen. Just lovely.

My 2nd Elvis album so far and, as with the first one, it's fine. Some songs I enjoyed and some that just passed me by, pretty average overall.

Loud, brash and rather annoying.

Some nice songs, an easy listen but nothing special. Enjoyed it nonetheless, favourite tracks were Duncan, Run Your Body Down and Me & Julio.

One of the most emotional albums I've listened to. Such a powerful, wonderful voice and some really great songs. The last minute or so of Grace is incredible. Not every song was a hit for me but a really strong record nonetheless. A tragedy this was his only album, would have loved to hear more. 3.5/5.

So many bangers on this album. Enjoyed it more than I expected, and the first half is especially strong. Sad but true, holier than thou, the unforgiven and wherever I may roam are brilliant. Last few songs didn't do a lot for me but overall a really strong album.

One of the more bland albums on this list. Started off ok then went on and on, quite repetitive and the monotonous tone was enough to send me to sleep. Very average.

This was a pleasant surprise. Really nice, smooth vocals and some gorgeous songs. One of the coolest albums I've listened to. Standouts for me were You Ain't The Problem, Piano Joint, Hero and Hard To Say Goodbye, which has some great guitar work. A really good 3.5/5.

Perfect background music. I've come to realise jazz isn't a genre that appeals to me, but I don't love it or hate it. I appreciate it for what it is, but it's not something I'd listen to in my own time. However, I can imagine seeing this kind of music live would be a lot more enjoyable than through a speaker. I'll give this a down-the-middle 2.5/5.

Bit of a mixed bag. Started off really well and my foot was tapping it's way through a lot of the songs. Zumm Zumm is quite annoying and a few songs fall a bit flat but overall quite enjoyable.

Pretty forgettable album, no tracks stood out and it dragged on and on towards the end. Had higher expectations based on his later hit 'Fuck You' but this album was more 'Fucks Sake'.

This is such a smooth, cool album full of great songs. Some hits, some lesser known but not a bad song here. He's called the king of pop for a reason.

Enjoyed this more than Moving Pictures. Opening number is very impressive and the guitar work is great throughout.

The opening track was a slog and the rest of the album wasn't too much better. Enjoyed The Man-Machine more than this one.

There are no words to describe how bad this album is. Without any doubt the worst thing I've ever listened to, and the first time I've really struggled to get through an album on this list. Complete and utter shit. I wish there was an option to give 0 stars. Wow.

Another brilliant CCR album. The third one I've had the pleasure of listening to during this list, and I've loved every one. Green River, Tombstone Shadow (my favourite track of the lot), Wrote A Song For Everyone and Bad Moon Rising are all fantastic songs. I could listen to John Fogerty all day, just an overwhelmingly cool sounding guy. This album is so cool.

First couple of songs were ok but it got boring pretty fast. Quite enjoyed the few songs by Lo Borges, though.

One of the better British punk albums on the list so far. Upbeat, quite energetic and a fair few catchy songs. The short runtime is nice. I like a short, snappy album and this was a good 'un.

A truly miserable experience. Slow songs accompanied by pretty woeful vocals. Some potentially good songs but I can't get past the voice.

Undeniably smooth and sexy but I lost interest after a few songs. This genre of music doesn't do much for me and the constant falsetto got boring, fast. Positives are it's nice and short, and easy enough to get through. 2.5/5.

A big bowl of nothingness. Incredibly monotonous to listen to, felt like a bit of a chore. The distorted, not easy to understand vocals throughout the album was grating but some of the music was decent enough. The very definition of the word meh.

Utter garbage. Some of the worst songs I've ever heard on this album. Frankie Teardrop is 10 minutes of hell. Thankfully, it's only 32 minutes long.

Quite a lovely album. I wasn't a fan of the previous Joni album I had but this was a definite improvement. Some really gorgeous songs with River being the standout. Jonis voice really shines on this record, and the highs are really high, but at times the warbling gets a little much. A solid 3.5/5.

Quirky, unnerving at times but intriguing. It kept me wanting more while also thinking 'wtf am I listening to?'. Definitely an album I won't forget.

Some really good instrumentals here, not sure if I like or hate the vocals but it's definitely different. Quite a fun album to listen to, but not one I can see myself coming back to anytime soon.

This is pretty great. Opens with a belter in I Ain't The One, followed by the gorgeous Tuesdays Gone. Gimme Three Steps is a good old toe-tapper and Simple Man is a classic. The next few tracks aren't as strong, but I enjoyed the quirkiness of Things Going On. The album ends with the epic Free Bird, which speaks for itself as an all-timer of a track. It's incredible that this is a debut album. So impressive.

As with the previous ATCQ album, this flows really well but just doesn't do a lot for me. I can appreciate the talent in the rhythm and lyricism. However, nothing stands out and it just passed me by.

This went from a 2 to 3 on my second playthrough. Very questionable lyrics for the most part, but I liked the voice and enjoyed some of the songs. Standouts are Pick Up Your Feelings and Lost One. Another positive is the short runtime, an easy listen.

This didn't stick with me as much as Schools Out, but still a pretty decent album. Quirky but cool.

Full throttle, brash, in your face, unapologetic rock n roll. Wall to wall bangers, so much so I can't decide my favourite song and it changes with each listen. An absolute classic.

5am nightclub music. Shite.

Hilariously dreadful. Fully deserving of a 1/5 but I just can't bring myself to score it so low, given that it really made me laugh at times. The three-track run of USSA/The O-Men/Kuntz is unlike anything I've ever heard. Completely bonkers. So bad, I wanted to keep listening.

A nice, chilled country album. Nothing special and not as good as expected from such a well-known band. But nice nonetheless.

This is pretty great. Strange Brew is such a strong album opener. The three tracks after Sunshine of Your Love are a bit bland for me, but it picks right back up with Tales of Brave Ulysses. SWLABR is brilliant, song of the album IMO. Mothers Lament gave me a chuckle, an unexpected end to the album.

The most 'Frank Sinatra' Frank Sinatra album that you'll ever hear. Every song is just pure Sinatra in all his glory. Charming, crooning, swinging and singing. Which is fine, but gets a bit repetitive halfway in. An overall enjoyable listen, though.

Radiohead are a band I just do not 'get' at all. I try to give every album a fair chance but this was so incredibly dull. The only word I can find to describe this is 'meh'.

Having never listened to Yes before this list, after two albums I'm definitely a Yes fan. Although I preferred Fragile, this is a pretty strong album. Particularly enjoyed Yours Is No Disgrace leading into Clap, as well as I've Seen All Good People. It's a Yes from me. 3 5/5.

I've always been a bit of a Beatles sceptic for reasons unknown to me, and they've been a band I've never properly listened to and used to say were 'overrated' Well, I feel stupid. Abbey Road is absolutely incredible in every sense of the word. A masterpiece. I can't believe how ignorant I've been my whole life. From start to finish, this album blew me away. Come Together is one hell of an album opener, Something is beautiful and Maxwells Silver Hammer quirky. However, Oh! Darling is incredible. Possibly the best song I've heard in the whole 190 albums I've had so far. The vocals are insane and gave me goosebumps. The second half of the album is so so good, the way it all blends into essentially one long song is very clever and very easy to listen to over and over. This album has really made me reconsider all my previous perceptions of bands. Abbey Road is simply flawless and The Beatles were a group of geniuses.

Pretty decent album. A bit slow and drony in parts, not a huge fan of the vocals but some nice music. Emotional haircut the best track IMO. 2.5/5.

Ridiculous that this is a debut album, it's so, so good. My introduction to Kanye was Late Registration and I've somehow never listened to this until now. The production, lyrics and flow of the album are so impressive, the skits are funny and there's a perfect balance of serious and not-so-serious songs. There's no song I didn't enjoy but my standouts are All Falls Down, Spaceship, Jesus Walks, Never Let Me Down, The New Workout Plan and School Spirit. An incredible debut album from an incredibly flawed genius.

Great live album. I love the screaming crowds on these live albums from this era, it places you right there in the room. James Brown is one cool cat, and his band are wonderful. Nothing too memorable here though, but an enjoyable listen nonetheless. A 3.5 rounded down.

Rather enjoyed this one. The title track is a classic, Jet is great too but my favourite track on the album was Mrs Vanderbilt. Some of the slower songs didn't stick with me, with the exception of Bluebird. 3.5/5

Absolutely dreadful. This album lured me until a false sense of security with the first few songs. I quite liked The Minotaur Song, the lyrics are quirky and it's a bit of fun. After Witches Hat the album completely falls to pieces. Some of the most mind-numbingly annoying music I've heard, repetitive and grating. The vocals in Swift as a Wind make me want to headbutt a wall repeatedly, I can't believe how shit this is. 1.5/5 (.5 for the Minotaur Song)

Pretty chilled but nothing special, nice background music. 2.5/5

Tricky one to judge. The good is rather good but the bad is a bit self-indulgent and weird. I enjoyed the three track run of Working Class Hero, Isolation and Remember but tracks like God and Love made me want to vomit. A bit of a mixed bag overall, and a 2.5/5 rounded up.

I've been an admirer of Bruce Dickinson & Maiden since seeing them live 9 years ago, but haven't listened to much of their albums. This is pretty bloody great. A rip-roarer. Banger after banger. I was only familiar with Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills & Hallowed Be Thy Name previous to listening to this album. I was blown away by some of the other tracks here, namely Invaders, Children of the Damned (favourite song of the album) and The Prisoner. The fast-paced guitar solos coupled with Bruce's incredible vocals makes for one epic record. One of my favourites so far.

Bummed is a very apt album name. It's how I felt after spending my morning listening to Bummed. Pretty crap overall. Pissed-up-sounding vocals on some songs, odd lyrics and pretty boring music. Not one I'll remember in a few days time.

Really good fun. I've never wanted to dance as much as I did during this album. Feel-good disco energy, nice vocals and the instrumental Savoir Faire is gorgeous. Just a very cool record. 3.5/5.

Decent enough but forgettable. Looking forward to a more finished article Stones album. 2.5/5.

An absolute classic from the King of Pop. I'd heard over half of this album before, so had high expectations, and they were definitely met. From the songs I didn't know (the tracks 3-7), I really enjoyed Speed Demon, Liberian Girl and Another Part of Me. Just Good Friends is the only potentially forgettable song on the album for me. The rest is banger after banger. Just a superstar at the peak of his powers. Bloody fantastic album.

Quirky. Sometimes quite good, sometimes not so good. Vocals are just odd and a bit off-putting but the music is quite catchy on some tracks. Favourite songs are Cities and Life During Wartime. 2.5/5.

Experimental, weird nonsense. 1.5/5.

A really easy, chilled listen. I've loved his voice since hearing 'Almost Cut My Hair' on a previous CSNY album, so looked forward to an entire album by Crosby. This was a lot more mellow than I'd expected, but enough good songs to keep me interested.

An incredibly cool album from start to finish. Love the bluesy rock and roll sound. Some great guitar riffs, I found my foot tapping and head bopping throughout a lot of this. A solid 3.5/5.

Not a big Bowie fan and this one hasn't really changed my stance. Some decent songs but not very memorable. 2.5/5.

Reggae isn't my kind of music, this is decent enough but nothing to write home about. 2.5/5.

One of the more generic-sounding albums on this list to date. Some decent stuff on here, a very inoffensive album but overall a bit forgettable. 2.5/5.

A blast of nostalgia. I used to love The Killers back in the mid-late noughties and it still stands up as a very good album. The first 6/7 tracks are so so good, and I'm even including 'that' one. Mr Brightside has completely lost any meaning due to being the most overplayed song of all time, but if I take myself back to 14 year old me, it's a banger. All These Things That I've Done is still one of my favourites by The Killers, there's a couple of tracks near the end that are just 'ok' but the album closer Indie Rock and Roll is fantastic. It's not quite Sam's Town, but still a brilliant record.

Big Salsa Energy. Really fun listen, makes you want to go for a dance.

Surprisingly quite good. Flows very well, some rap albums can be a bit repetitive/grating but this one was rather 'listenable'.

Fun hip-hop record. Some of it is pretty basic but tracks like She's Fresh, It's a Shame and The Messenger are the standouts.

Annoying and fun/funny in equal measure. First two tracks are so grating, just constant shouting, but She's Crafty is pretty good fun with humorous lyrics. Rest of the album follows suit, some grating but some entertaining. Girls, Slow and Low and Time To Get Ill are the standouts outside of the two I already knew (brooklyn and fight).

Surprisingly not rubbish. Some nice songs, a bit of bluesy rock with some good guitars mixed in with the crooning songs. Not the most memorable but certainly a pretty solid album.

Utterly miserable. Drony, depressing vocals. Some of the most boring songs I've heard to date. What a waste of time. 1.5/5.

Really good album, haven't really heard much by The Cars except Just What I Needed (banger) but this album impressed me. Each song offers something a little different and unique, enough to keep you entertained for the duration. 3.5/5

Gritty, grungy but not my cup of tea. Feels rather repetitive and a bit miserable. Can appreciate it for what it is but it's not for me. 2.5/5

Pretty much exactly what I expected a Madonna album to sound like. Some hits/bangers, some weird songs and some ballads. The guitars on the last track surprised me. Other than that, nothing to write home about.

A bit silly, a bit funny, a bit annoying in parts. Quite gimmicky with some decent stuff thrown in. 2.5/5.

Pretty decent punk rock. Some interesting lyrics and fast paced songs, vocally not brilliant but I don't think it's intending to be. No real highlights but a fairly good listen overall.

I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this when I saw it was French rap - I was wrong. This was such a pleasant surprise, the opening few tracks especially are super cool with really nice flows. Despite not understanding a word, I was vibing to a lot of the songs here. Albums like this one make me happy I started this challenge.

This is a rather good album from a band I've never heard of. I enjoyed the vocals and some of the guitar work was great. Standout tracks for me are Halo of Ashes, Dying Days and Sworn and Broken. A solid 3.5.

Really nice album, took me a couple of listens but it's a definite yes from me. Soft rock with some lovely vocals and guitar work. Rikki, Night by Night, Major Dude and the last few tracks are all great. 3.5 rounded up.

Extremely stereotypical country album. No real standout tracks, a nice enough country music voice but the songs don't do much for me. Starts to get old rather quickly. 2.5/5.

Super smooth sex songs. I often wonder who actively chooses to listen to music like this, as it's the epitome of 'background' music. That being said, it's a really nice listen and I did enjoy it more as it went on, it's just not something I'll listen to again.

Bit of a mixed bag. Enjoyed Synchronicity, King of Pain and Murder By Numbers. Rest of the album is pretty average (with the exception of Every Breath) but Mother is an absolutely ridiculous song that really has no place on this album.

A brilliant glam-rock concept album. Was a bit unsure of the first two songs but everything that comes after is pretty brilliant. Moonage Daydream, It Ain't Easy, Lady Stardust & Ziggy Stardust the standout songs for me. Lyrically sublime rock and roll.

Really odd. Sounds like a Halloween film soundtrack. Haunting, eerie, strained vocals at times. Unique but not in the best way. 2.5/5

First song is a tease, as the rest of the album sounds nothing like it, which is a real shame. For the majority of the 87 minutes spent listening to this, I couldn't wait for each song to end. Repetitive, psychedelic and largely boring.

Started out ok but got quite samey, quite quickly. Nice enough but really bland overall, and one I'll forget about in no time. 2.5/5

An absolutely gorgeous album. I've loved Wild World for a long time and Father & Son is a classic, but I wasn't expecting to enjoy the majority of this just as much as I did. Really nice vocals and lyrically great. Where do the children play, hard headed woman, but I might die tonight and into white are all fantastic songs.

The third Velvet Underground album I've had on this list, and it's 3/3 in terms if pretty rubbish albums. Some ok parts, some crap parts and some god-awful parts. The end of Heroin is like nails on a chalk board and the last track is just nonsense. Uninspiring, turgid and ultimately forgettable. I hope I don't hear any more Lou Reed.

Pretty decent, chilled country. Similar to some other country albums on this list, nothing special but an easy listen.

Pretty awful vocals, saved from a 1 star rating by the instrumental tracks.

Quite a nice listen. The voice is a bit of an acquired taste but one that's grown on me throughout this list. Enjoyed this more than Rust Never Sleeps, with Heart of Gold being the standout track for me.

Jazz really isn't for me. A bunch of annoying noises mashed together for nearly 40 minutes doesn't make for an enjoyable listen. 1.5/5.

Hip-hop isn't for me generally, and while this album is fine enough, it just does nothing for me. Gets boring really fast.

Really lovely album. Nice voice, chilled songs and a banger in Son Of A Preacher Man.

I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it was 1/3rd of the length. As it was, 2hrs 27 minutes was one long slog. Some decent stuff in amongst the 40 tracks but just way too much filler. 2.5/5

An incredible album from a powerhouse of a woman. Banger after banger. I had only heard a few of these songs before, but loved the ones I wasn't familiar with just as much. Show Some Respect, Steel Claw, I Wrote A Letter and When I Was Young are all really powerful songs full of attitude. Help and Rock n Roll Widow are stunning ballads. Tina's voice lends itself so well to the rock tracks but she really can belt out a good ballad. This album is made all the more impressive by the fact it came from 4/5 years of having no record deal and being in 'last chance saloon in her 40s. What a voice, what a woman.