1001 Albums Summary

Loved this when it came out, and still love it now. Narrative, witty lyrics, samples, guest appearances, all excellent. Just hard to separate it from the artist now

Usually not a huge jazz fan, but this was good fun. Clipped along at a nice pace

Haven’t listened to this in years. My memory of it was pretty accurate. The sort of songs you’d listen to while driving along a dusty road in midsummer

Loved this when it came out, and still love it now.

This belongs very firmly in the mists of the early 2000s. It should stay there (apart from the opening track)

Can see how this influenced so many followers in the next decade or so.

Some undoubted high points, but over an hour of west coast gangster rap is a little bit too much for my sensitive European soul

Beautiful voice. This will be getting a few more plays when there’s a long drive to be done

Beautiful voice. This will be getting a few more plays when there’s a long drive to be done

Beautiful voice. This will be getting a few more plays when there’s a long drive to be done

The quintessential Christmas album.

Didn’t expect this to go down so well with two kids under 3 on St Stephen’s Day, but they loved it

Classic 90s U2. Bombastic, with lyrics that border on the cringeworthy

Getting shouted at for more than an hour is not my idea of a good time. At least it reminded of the rumour that had a rib removed….

Scuzzy sound production. The audible bits were decent

A voice like a watermelon in a food processor. Which is actually a good thing

The vibes here are immaculate

Samples and production are great

Completely new artist for me. Enjoyable if not memorable

A grunge classic. A little over-long though

Usually not a fan of live albums, but this works quite well. However, I’m not a major fan of them so this was a little on the long side

A Brit pop classic. I’m sure it was groundbreaking at the time, but hard to find much of note now

Not a big AIC fan, and this isn’t their best

Musicianship is excellent. But these lyrics are reminiscent of a pub singer

A lot of bombast despite the age. Sounds like it was a lot of fun to record

Is a small bit of structure too much to ask for? This meanders endlessly

A perfectly cromulent 80s rock album

Pretty accessible as punk goes. Not exactly a lyrical masterpiece though

Not for me. I don’t want to be guided step by step through the arrangement of traditional Indian music

Morrissey as acerbic as always, even if this isn’t their best

We get it. You’re weird, don’t fit in and are jealous of others. There’s no need for the whole album to be about that

PSYCHO KILLER! Qu'est-ce que c'est??

Has enough star power on show to not make the 2+ hours feel like a drag, but still could have used a bit of editing

Spent the first six songs of this album being that annoying guy at the gig who keeps shouting for them to play the hit. Lovefool is still a banger, but nothing else memorable here

Enjoyable, a pure pop classic.

Generally not a heavy metal fan, but this was quite an enjoyably romp

Had never really explored Billy Bragg before. Pleasantly surprised

Not my cup of tea at all.

A classic, falls just short of five stars for me

What in the honky tonk hell is this

A rollicking good time

Perfect for a bank holiday morning. Meandering jazz

Still sounds like it could have been released yesterday.

Jim Morrison et al absolutely nailing it

I’m glad this sort of glam rock has been left in the past

The passing of time has aged this, but still a fun listen

A modern classic. Smart songwriting, vitriolic and barely contained anger. Equal parts melodic and jarring

Obviously the title song is a classic, but the rest of this is a bit plodding

Some classics intermingled with some meandering filler

Songwriting good, but the production is incredible

I prefer good kid, m.a.a.d. city, but this is still a five star album for me

Punk attitude, some timeless classics, and a really nice pace to the whole album.

Sounds exactly like the title. Scuzzy, distorted guitar, with Jack growling over them. Believe it or not, I mean this as a good thing

Not as good as their self titled album, but production is still great

Just not my cup of tea

Not her finest work, but will still revisit in the future

This could really have done with more work on the production floor. I get that you’re amazing guitarists, but every song doesn’t need two minutes of meandering duelling solos

Not my favourite genre, but this was very good

I’d say these are a lot of fun live, but nothing exciting on this studio album. Feels like they’re almost a parody of themselves

Not my favourite RHCP album. The highs are very high, but there are some very low lows here too

This did not need to be a double album.

Rating probably partially influenced by subsequent events, but this is a stormer

Not my favourite blur album, but probably the best of Britpop

Not a huge fan of this genre, but this is decent. Snappy smart lyrics, great production, and it all flows quite nicely

Not many songs can get me singing aloud while cycling to work in the dark, but Solisbury Hill got me going

I can understand why only releasing this album earned him a rock & roll hall of fame nomination.

No better way to start the day than the title track

I’ve never been a fan of Mark E Smith’s voice. Re listening to this album has only cemented my view.

Cheesy, campy, very 70s. Like a time capsule

Somehow manages to sound simultaneously futuristic and quintessentially 80s. Zips along at a nice pace

I’m a big fan of Nick Cave’s solo work, but this isn’t for me. Some of it sound like it’s the soundtrack to torture porn.

Rating unashamedly influenced by subsequent events. Also hard to believe New Order was born from the ashes of this

I was all set to give this the standard inoffensive 3-star rating. Then Livin’ in a World (They Didn’t Make) came on. Such cringy, over wrought lyrics meant I had to knock another star off

Not a single low point here

Occasional moments of sing-along anthems, otherwise just a pleasant ride

The supporting cast of special guests helps to keep this one fresh

My biggest gripe about Zappa is usually his lyrics and voice. This album was immeasurably improved by him essentially keeping his mouth closed for most of it

A timely reminder that the death of nu-metal should be celebrated, not mourned

36 minute album, last song is 14 minutes long, unexpected Garden of Eden. What a ride

I feel for these punk albums to really resonate you had to actually live through them at the time

Not his greatest, but certainly shows signs of the great things that are yet to come

A jamming session, where the semblance of songs can just about be deciphered

A word to the wise: when you’re trying to convince your wife and children that they need to listen to a random album per day on their holiday, over an hour of jungle music isn’t a great way to make your case

They don’t make super groups like they used to

This took me back. Muse were probably the best stadium rock band at that time

You can really begin to identify Kanye starting to fall apart here. Still some cracking tracks though

Musical parody that doesn’t really have any humour. Not for me

A classic in my eyes. I’m firmly in the pro-Dylan camp when it comes to this list

Never heard of Coldcut before today. Nifty enough.

Guaranteed to have smooth operator stuck in my head for a week now.

Casablancas muffled vocals over zippy instrumentals. Sounds bad on paper, sounds good in reality

Like a peppier Portishead. Feels like half the songs could be on a Bourne soundtrack

A perfectly cromulent album. Neither pulled me in nor pushed me away

What a terrible day to have ears.

Not his best, but certainly not bad

Simple, uncomplicated but damn catchy soft rock. Always have a soft spot for the black keys

Not the worst pop album I’ve been subjected too. The guest appearances keep this ticking over

I’ve never really had a love for punk, but this is one of the better ones

Interesting discovery. A little bit of trip hop, lo fi

Not in my top three Bruce albums, but still excellent.

Arguably more relevant today than when it was released fifty years ago

A classic in my eyes. I’m firmly in the pro-Dylan camp when it comes to this list

Punk verging on post punk. There’s anger, but it’s nicely restrained and songs actually feel structured

Remember getting this for free when it was released with the “set your own price” system. I don’t think I really “got” it then, but it has really grown on me over the intervening years

Peak Bjork Icelandic weirdness

Still as good as when I first heard it at its release. Narrative, beat, production all excellent

Lou Reed at his most monotonous.

Over long with some bubblegum pop filler

Less of the gritty noir of Back to Black, but certainly a portent of things to come

I used to prefer their earlier more guitar-heavy albums, but maybe a sign of maturity is their later works growing on me…

Bemoaning their move away from their old sound while reflexively singing along to Sex on Fire. The duality of man.

The classic album to put on as background music during dinner. Inoffensive, unobtrusive and bland

Their beards are more impressive than their music

Lyrics are absolutely on point here. The best New York rap album for me

Equal parts humour and pathos. One of the best singing voices in the business

Quintessential lounge music…

Enjoyably different

This suited my mood quite well today. Ambient, with slow building crescendos

Not my favourite Elliott, but still damn good

Much like Mark E Smith, I find his voice hard to warm to. Maybe it’ll grow on me over time

One of the Bowie albums that gets lost in the catalogue

Better than expected. Beat is pretty much of its time, but the production stays fresh even now

Showing its age. Hasn’t really stood the test of time but still listenable

My love for this has slowly mellowed over the years. Still a nice early shoegaze album, and the opening track is still a classic

Never been a big listener of Rush previously. Still not a big fan, but can see the appeal with this album

I’m a sucker for anything by Cohen, and this isn’t an exception to that rule

Big element of nostalgia in this rating. Obviously the opening track is a classic, but it keeps that standard throughout.

Forefront of the genre at the time, and has aged beautifully

Maybe a little over-long, but this is how punk is supposed to be sound. Leaves the Sex Pistols in the dust

Not my favourite Silver Jews album, but still a masterpiece of songwriting

Cycling to work on a sunny May morning, this was exactly the soundtrack I needed

Had me rocking around the kitchen on a Saturday morning. Angus Young’s voice can be grating, but I love it on this

This feels like the sort of music that inspired Fred Durst. My rating is generous.

A slice of middle America. Has aged better than i expected.

Was apprehensive when I saw the band name, but pleasantly surprised. Can see the influence on Joy Division, Swans, even some of the darker Interpol stuff

An odd addition to the list. I guess it captured the state of radio soft rock around the millennium.

I generally like Reed’s vocal style, but this album is a bit too chaotic and dark for my taste

A perfectly cromulent album

One of her most accessible albums, although still plenty of quirks and Björkisms to be found

Bubblegum pop with a performative edge. Not for me

High energy feel good music. If it doesn’t get you on your feet, please see a doctor

Like a Temu version of the Beatles

There’s only so much quirky droll Costello I can take, but this is manageable

Not my favourite genre, but this is probably as good as it gets

A pretty good way to start my Friday. Coltrane is just so smooth.

Temu Beatles. Pretty underwhelming

Not usually a big fan of live albums, and this is no different.

This album is the platonic ideal of southern USA living

I can see how this style inspired Paul Simon on Graceland. Soulful, funky

Not my favourite PJ album, but still very good. Her usual vitriolic delivery is as acerbic as ever

I had forgotten how controversial this was amongst some conservative groups when this first came out. Just the right mix of vulgarity and humour for me.

Timeless.

Straight up dad rock. Awesome guitar as always

Arguably his best album; certainly my favourite. Operatic

One of the quintessential grunge albums. A classic

Jangly folk rock. This genre is really of its time

Scuzzy and distorted. A bit too DIY-sounding for my taste

Unexpected gem. Unfamiliar with Beth Orton prior to this. Superb songwriting, powerful vocals. And a new album out this year to boot too.

An all time favourite. Think I was too young to fully appreciate this when it first came out, but over the years it has confirmed its place in my top albums. Pathos and vulnerability in the songwriting, contrasting to the upbeat music.

Hard to beat a hip hop album that has a strong narrative.

Like listening to Air without the breathy vocals.

Nothing says 80s naff rock like Boston does

Distinctive style. Lots of production chops, punchy lyrics

Like a x rated honky tonk cabaret

Early dark wave. Laying the foundations for Joy Division et al to follow

Even though the track isn’t actually on this album, every Moby song is associated with Jason Bourne in my head

Not quite as good as Rum, Sodomy and the Lash, but still a good Pogues romp

This has the distinctive sound of being of its time. Outside of the Killing Moon I wasn’t familiar with any of the rest, but overall a pretty pleasant listen

Unmistakably a genius

Decent. But I cannot agree with anyone that says this is better than Urban Hymns.

Never been a fan of ska, and this is no different. However, if they were on a festival stage on a sunny Sunday afternoon, my opinion would probably change

I always struggle to get my head around the fact the guy that sang “I Believe in Father Christmas” is also a member of King Crimson

Does exactly what it says on the tin

The opening six track run from Where the Streets Have No Name to Red Hill Mining Town is unbeatable

Post hardcore just isn’t my jam

I felt bad streaming this, knowing I was contributing some tiny amount of money to his estate

Dylan at his best for me. Narrative lyrics hook you in, and nothing twee about the folk music

Is there a more distinctive opening 3 seconds to any album?

One of the newer R&B darlings. It’s tolerable

While I don’t think it’s one of the greatest albums of all time, it’s undeniably a classic

Just not for me

Goldfrapp just being effortlessly cool

Just the right side of 80s kitsch for me

Late Bowie that sounds like early Bowie.

Not a fan of him as a person. But this album is a masterpiece. Proper storytelling. Feels like you’re in Belfast with him

The concept of this album is more interesting than the music itself, but still pretty good

Unexpectedly enjoyable. I’ve also heard “Changes” many times before but had no idea it was Sabbath.

Not sure what merited this to be included on the list

Synths turned up to 11

Like pretty much every David Byrne album, this gets better with every re-listen.

King crimson were really on a different planet to their contemporaries. This is like a slightly structured jam session

Sounds like a jaunty cover band. Not my cup of tea

Herbie just being the coolest guy in the building

One of the best debut albums of all time

Has only gone up in my estimation over the passage of time. Incredible voice

I prefer her as part of the Knife, but this still captures the cool Scandi electronic vibe

Not much to add to what has already been extensively written about this classic

Unmistakably of its time. Time capsule of style

Smart lyrics, good production, just over-long

Probably my favourite UK “rapper”. This isn’t my favourite of her albums, but still has snappy lyrics, strong narrative and production is superb

Soaked in pathos

An old favourite. My love for it has faded a little as time has passed, but still a great album

Doesn’t show its age at all.

An absolute classic. No missteps here.

Didn’t have high expectations going in, but this was a pleasant surprise. Amazing voice, with pared back accompaniments letting it shine

A strong bout of nostalgia gets this an extra star. Turn of the millennium nu metal hasn’t aged well

Possible the biggest case of album artwork setting an entirely different expectation for what I actually ended up hearing

This is another very early music memory for me. Listening to this on the way to school in the car with my dad, and him wondering why anyone would sing about a person called Yoshimi with a black belt in karate

Had never heard of the Sugarcubes before listening. When the first song came on, I was like “Ha, that sounds like Bjork”. Then the second song, it was little weird that it also sounded like Bjork. A quick google meant everything made a lot more sense thereafter

I feel like this style of jangly pop music hasn’t really aged well

Unmistakably Zeppelin.

Garage punk, and an absolute speed run through 40 or so songs

This is a psychedelic road trip

A quick half hour jive

Perfectly suited a lazy Saturday morning

Wasn’t helped by this being my album for a lazy Sunday morning

A new artist for me, and went in to this blind. Very pleasant surprise. Uptempo jaunty jazz.

One of my all time favourites. Songwriting, music, track orders. No missteps along the way

I have never really enjoyed Hüsker Dü, I just don’t think they’ve aged particularly well.

Glorious voice. Production really lets it shine

All too scuzzy and distorted for me. Sounds like it was recorded by teenagers in their garage

You just don’t get supergroups any more these days

A little too rough around the edges

For a brief moment, Hawkins made glam rock cool again.