1001 Albums Summary

Extraordinary. Groundbreaking, challenging.

I had this on CD when it was first released. Tried very hard to like it, but it never grabbed me in the same way as Radiohead's earlier albums. Over the years I've listened again a few times, wondering what I've been missing. It's still never clicked with me and, honestly, I can't stand the thought of playing it again today. It's technically very interesting but I can't find any emotional appeal. Thom's singing and lyrics are unrelentingly gloomy, morbid and (dare I say) self-indulgent. Sorry!

I just couldn't enjoy this. I'm sure it was very ground-breaking and influential at the time, but it's not my thing. Superstition is an amazing song but most of the others are too cloyingly sentimental. Musically, there are lots of weird modulations that feel disjointed to me.

I really couldn't enjoy this.

Loved this album when it was first released. I understand the criticisms, it's basically the same song repeated with minor variations.

It's inventive, and it's nice to listen back with hindsight and spot the Afrobeat influences behind this album and those emanating forward from it. 'Once in a Lifetime' is the one standout track to me, extraordinary and stirring. I'd give it a solid 3 stars but Adrian Belew's spellbinding bat-mess-crazy guitar solos take it up to a 5.

This is music for people who don't like music. Just horrible. I made it through two tracks then had to stop.

Peak hippy music. Beautiful harmonies, inventive guitar playing, idealistic sentiment, perfect! Hearing this again, I was surprised by how 'modern' some of the instrumentation was for 1970. A lovely time capsule from another age.

Three great songs but the rest is dull, sentimental filler. The highlight is Eddie Van Halen's absolutely incredible guitar solo on Beat It.

Lost it's lustre over time. The plagiarism and dubious behaviour don't help.

When this was released it changed everything. I remember the first time I heard Smells Like Teen Spirit on the radio, it sounded like nothing before. Listening again over 30 years later it still sounds fresh, original and energetic. I never noticed at the time, but the drumming is incredible. 10/10 a generational record.

The spoken-word passages are powerful and moving. The songs are horribly dull.

Glorious.

At this point they weren't very good.

After 17 albums this is the first I've never heard, and never even heard of! I was absolutely blown away. Inventive, varied, and funky as fuck. I fell in love with this album straight away and will probably play it on repeat for quite a while.

Can't see the appeal.

If I was at the UFO Club in 1967 I might have enjoyed this. Also if I'd taken enough drugs. Listening now, with sound and sober mind, this album achieved the remarkable feat of being simultaneously pretentious, portentously serious, and cringe-makingly whimsical. By the time I reached the last track, Bike, I was actually angry at how stupid it was.

Fabulous, energetic music and expert musicianship. Every track is an upbeat gem that makes you smile and want to dance.

Synthesiser goth-pop.

Eddie Van Halen's guitar technique is amazing. The songs are okay but didn't grab my attention. The Darkness clearly drew inspiration from this album, and for that we should be grateful!

Really enjoyed this.

Great record. More like a piece of 'important art' than something I'd want to play over and over.

I've always loved this album, it's been a friend and comfort for about 40 years. Wise, sad, beautiful, enigmatic.

This was completely new to me, and I was intrigued by the high polarisation of the reviews. They seem to be mainly either 5 stars or 1 so I was prepared to either loathe or love Bonnie Prince Billy. I loved it. Yes the songs have sad themes but the lyrics are complex and beautiful. Glorious, top-quality modern folk music.

Interesting.

My heart sank when this album came up. At first I wasn't going to listen to it, but I'm a few albums on now and didn't want to spoil my streak. It's such a shame Jonny Marr started a band with Morrissey and not... literally anybody else. His guitar playing is sublime. The bass playing is pretty awesome too. But Morrissey's singing is just horribly bad. Why did he ever think it was okay to just sing the SAME THREE NOTES, all the time. Rotten.

This album has a special place in my life and I can't review it objectively.

I was aware of James Taylor but never listened to one of his albums before. Now I agree with all those 1-star reviewers. I especially liked the one who said (to paraphrase) "this is the kind of music you play to old people to keep them quiet". One-word review: Anodyne.

I had no idea this music existed until this morning. When I read the description I thought "oh, a whole album of shouty punk noise and scary lyrics". But I persevered bravely and played it on the Big Hifi while my partner and I enjoyed a chilled Sunday brunch. Oh yeah, it grabbed me from the start and didn't let up until the end. It seemed to fly by in a few minutes. Not only is there a highly agreeable quotient of shouty punk noise and scary lyrics, but it's well put together and really listen-able. Thank you 1001albumsgen for enhancing my Sunday! Will definitely listen again.

Vapid and uninspiring. This is the music Boomers listened to, that turned them into racist old people. Horrible.

Okay, but uninspiring, slick 80s pop. My standout track was New Gold Dream which had a bit of a psychedelic vibe going on. The rest was quite forgettable.

This was a surprise, and a refreshing change of mood. Very interesting, if incongruous, blend of metal and indigenous music. The singing style is challenging to listen to, but overall a great album.

Odd, in a challenging way.

People seem to write extremely long reviews about how great this album is, so I feel a little pressured to like it too. It is good, but as a double album it felt like work. I would feel mean giving it less than 5 stars.

Amazing.

Was prepared to be underwhelmed but actually enjoyed it a lot. 'We're Going Wrong' is an extraordinary song. Listen for the drumming.

Way outside my comfort zone, which is a good thing.

I really tried to find some way to appreciate this. It's just a bit shit. Pub rock.

I've always been aware of The Jesus and Mary Chain through their singles on the radio, and I even saw them live once back in the 80s. But I've never listened to their albums until today. I absolutely loved Darklands. Brooding Scottish Goth-Pop! Perfect. Brothers Jim and William Reid literally invented shoegaze, for which we should be eternally grateful. I enjoyed it so much that I listened to some more of their albums afterwards. 'Honey's Dead' is fantastic. 4 stars for this one, not because it's not great but because I get more out of some of their other albums.

I know this album so well, I played it endlessly when it was released. Eclectic, varied, irrepressibly creative, and utterly deranged. Just wonderful.

Terrible.

Very much of its time. The Stone Roses sounded new and fresh, and promised great things to come. Sadly, as with Oasis, it fizzled out.

"Great" I thought, "something out of the ordinary, that's what the generator is all about". I was coping with Khaled okay until I got to Imagine. Dreadful cover of a dreadful song.

I loved this album when it was first released, and it's been really interesting to listen again now. Absolutely agree with it's inclusion in the list. Recorded by a 17-year old in his bedroom, released by embryonic Virgin Records, used on the soundtrack of a hit movie, sold millions. The music sounds dated to me now, and some parts are naive and silly (caveman grunting?!) but overall it's unique, inventive and a nice listening experience.

A classic. Beautiful protest songs. It's just sad to think that things didn't get better after these songs were released in 1988. The poor didn't rise up. Women are not safer in their own homes.

The album where John Doherty really found his way. Completely inauthentic of course, but that doesn't really matter. Great songs delivered with full-on energy.

I love every second of this album. Amazing.

Classic.

I still listen to this album from time to time, and it always has something to offer.

My ex-wife liked Sparks. I'm really sorry but this means I can't listen to this with any kind of objectivity. She had bad taste in music. 1 star. Couldn't bear to listen.

It's a nice enough album, but I'm not sure why it's on this list.

I suppose I can understand why this album was included on the list, it was ground-breaking in the UK at the time. But McLaren's rapping is awful, the mixing is ragged, it's a dumb mess. Worst was the use of African musicians without giving them due credit. That's basically stealing, isn't it?

I've always been aware of this album and have listened to it from time to time, knowing how great people seem to think it is. After listening again now with fresh ears... yeah this is a truly great album. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and the rest of Led Zeppelin might have learned a lot from this album, I heard a LOT of influences back and forth for the first time when hearing this again for the first time now. Yes he's a whiney narcissistic guy. But he has a beautiful voice, and a tight-as-fuck backing band. Radiohead - take it from here!!!

Please excuse my language.... This album is fucking glorious.

Liked this one a lot.

I tried to imagine what it would have been like to be a teenager in the 1950s and hear this music for the first time. Wow! He's hornier than Robert Plant and I didn't know that could be possible.

I tried to be open-minded about this, but really couldn't stand it at all. Not for me. Sorry Randy!

Q-Tip has amazing flow, he's the best. This album is fine, it has some interesting tracks. I can't give it 5 because it doesn't blow my mind. A solid 3 though.

It's okay, but not as good as their previous album (Pills, Thrills). Still a great thing to put on LOUD on a Saturday afternoon.

Incredible.

Really one of the best albums ever.

It seems like an earnest and worthy project. I couldn't get into the combination of American Folk with Billy's very British accent. It didn't work for me, maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Awful, dreadful rubbish. I've had mixed experiences so far but this is the first album I strongly believe shouldn't be on this list. It's so terrible, it shouldn't have been made.

A joy from start to finish.

Quite good.

Incredible musicianship and solid tunes. I can imagine being in a nightclub in '50s Havana. The bongo player is a magician!

Beautiful, timeless songs. An all-time classic and a worthy entry in the list.

Unpleasant.

Inspiring. Very saxophone-heavy though.

After reading some of the reviews I was prepared to really dislike this. So it was a pleasant surprise to find it quite wonderful. It builds. The first track takes a while to get into its stride. By the end I was loving every minute. The musicianship is so skilled, and the composition flows from one idea to the next until it feels like there's a surprise around every corner. Delightful!

Nice to listen to, but rather dull and uninspiring. I can see no reason why this album is on the list.

Groundbreaking, inspirational, and timeless.

Another gem I've discovered for the first time. So firstly ... what's not to love about a band who named themselves after a steam-powered dildo in a William S Burroughs novel? Ascerbic and multi-layered songwriting. Terrific musicianship. An unusual collection of chords and key progressions. The most incredible guitar solos I've ever heard. Would highly recommend to the uninitiated!

Not quite as terrible as I thought it was going to be. Some variety in the songs. Unnecessary saxophone solos on every track. Derivative. Trite lyrics. But Boy George has a lovely voice.

I really like a lot of Blur and Gorillaz output, so was looking forward to listening to this to fill in a gap in my Damon Albarn knowledge. Unfortunately I didn't find much in it to enjoy. In fact about halfway through I was on the verge of ripping my earbuds out to make it stop. The bass playing is very prominent, which gets tedious after a while. All credit to Damon for his prodigious creativity, but this is one record I can do without.

The inspiration for thousands of bands that came after. Nothing else had ever sounded like this. I played VU endlessly when I was an edgy teenager, and it's great to hear this again now. It's still as exciting, challenging, raw, and frankly batshit crazy. Wonderful.

I'd rather have a nice cup of tea.

The wife liked some of it.

Quite nice but not really my cup of tea.

Amazing. Still sounds fresh and relevant. Total masterpiece.

It all sounds very much like Blue Monday.

Incredible, ground-breaking, energetic. Reduced from 5 to 4 due to Robert Plant singing the word 'baby' so often it's tiresome and corny.

Didn't enjoy. Bryan Ferry's heavy vibrato is horrible to listen to. Ahead of it's time? - maybe. A bridge between glam rock and punk? - maybe but yeah whatever.

Quite like Spiritualised in places. Which is nice.

Music for old people. Cliche after cliche. I don't understand his appeal.

Batshit crazy and wonderful.

The band sound incredible, really at the top of their game. Tight, energetic, and balanced. However... the interminable solos and noodling middle sections get boring very quickly. Cut out the fat guys!

An absolute classic. All the songs sound rather similar, but it's a great song.

A bit tedious. Not sure why it's on the list.

Sounds lovely, but there's not much light and shade.

Really great stoner pop.

Wonderful. This is the kind of unexpected joy I hope to find on this list.

Didn't engage me, and the 'tape hiss' sound effects were annoying. I got through three songs then lost interest.

Absolutely peak disco.

Elegantly crafted, beautiful songs with deep meanings and plangent poetic lyrics. Not for me though. I just don't like it! I have to agree with another reviewer who said this sounds like what Coldplay might have become if they hadn't turned to shit. Subjective personal feelings aside, I'm giving it 5 stars because it's objectively a great record.

Peak jazz from the golden age.

Awful album that shouldn't have been made, and definitely shouldn't be on this list. Overproduced, dull songs, trite lyrics. So bad it makes me angry it exists.

Listened to this album twice, which shows it's got something going for it. Perfectly okay, high quality pop music. JT is channeling Michael Jackson to the very best of his abilities.

Beautiful.

31 tracks, and I do understand why some have said it should have been pared down to a single album. There are a lot of not-so-great tracks on here, but it still somehow works incredibly well. Truly one of the very greatest albums ever made.

Very nice.

'I'm in love with my Car' is such dreadful hot garbage that I can't even review the rest of the album. Is there a great track on it towards the end? I can't stand to make it through.

okay.

Okay.

Glorious girlie pop-rock perfection.

Enjoyed this very much.

I didn't enjoy this at all. All the reverb and effects made it sound claustrophobic and just uncomfortable to listen to. Credit to them for being influential, experimental and inventive though!

Lovely.

I had a copy of this album when it was first released. It's been such a treat to hear it again now. Sinister, enthralling, wonderful.

Just gorgeous. The bass playing is incredible. Peak disco, an all-time classic.

It's okay, but gets a bit repetitive after a while. The slower tracks in 3/4 are embarrassingly corny.

Awful. I couldn't make it past the guitar solo. Ridiculous, indulgent, and horribly un-cool.

Not bad, but I couldn't sustain my interest. The male/female vocals got annoying after a while.

Really enjoyed this. Interesting indie-synth-pop. It reminds me of the sounds of lots of other bands, perhaps because this was so influential?

I used to find this album slightly annoying, didn't like the slow 'nightclub crooner' numbers or her yelping singing style. But listening again today after 30 years I absolutely loved it. Such a singular creative vision!

Beautiful poetry, miserable singing.

An additional star because my Mum used to play this album all the time, and loved it. The most saccharine thing I've ever heard. Uggh.

Glorious.

The first couple of tracks were amazing. Really eclectic and witty homage to 2950s b-movies. Then it goes on and on and on. Horrible. I don't ever want to listen to this again. Two stars for the exuberance and creative pastiche-ery.

A very different type of music for me.

Amazing use of samples. The shouting is a bit one-dimensional.

Absolute classic album. Sounds a bit dated now.

Horrendous. It definitely has a place on this list because it's so... unconventional. But just dreadful to have to listen to.

Beautiful, and the most Frenchly French thing I have ever put in my ears.

I got through four tracks but then couldn't stand any more, had to rip my earbuds out in rage. Horrible.

I've never really been able to 'get' Miles Davis in the past, but this time I think I finally understood why this is such a well-regarded album. Superbly well-crafted. Every single note is perfect.

I didn't enjoy this at all, but it gets two stars because it was a brave attempt to fuse country with jazz.

Can't stand his singing style or arch lyrics. Not funny, not clever.