1001 Albums Summary

Listening statistics & highlights

202
Albums Rated
2.44
Average Rating
19%
Complete
887 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

2010
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
Other
Top Origin ?
Critic
Rater Style ?
16
5-Star Albums
57
1-Star Albums

Breakdown

By Genre

Tap a bar to see the albums behind it

Top Styles

Tap a bar to see the albums behind it

By Decade

By Origin

Albums

You Love More Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Sincere
Mj Cole
5 2.38 +2.62
New Forms
Roni Size
5 2.52 +2.48
Ingenue
k.d. lang
5 2.95 +2.05
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
5 3.3 +1.7
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
5 3.31 +1.69
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
5 3.44 +1.56
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
5 3.49 +1.51
Shleep
Robert Wyatt
4 2.51 +1.49
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
5 3.57 +1.43
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
5 3.63 +1.37

You Love Less Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
1 4.09 -3.09
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
1 3.65 -2.65
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
1 3.6 -2.6
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
1 3.6 -2.6
Low
David Bowie
1 3.54 -2.54
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
1 3.53 -2.53
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
1 3.53 -2.53
Arrival
ABBA
1 3.53 -2.53
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
1 3.5 -2.5
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
1 3.48 -2.48

Artists

Favorites

Tap an artist to see their albums

ArtistAlbumsAverage
Stevie Wonder 3 5
Michael Jackson 3 5

Least Favorites

Tap an artist to see their albums

ArtistAlbumsAverage
David Bowie 3 1
The Mothers Of Invention 2 1
T. Rex 2 1
Prince 3 2

Controversial

Tap an artist to see their albums

ArtistRatings
Robert Wyatt 1, 4

5-Star Albums (16)

View Album Wall

Popular Reviews

Mildly pleasant to listen to, but a bit boring overall. I have a hunch that the genre has more possibilities, but Eno's capabilities might be the limiting factor here.

Talking Book by Stevie Wonder

Not even my favorite Stevie Womder album, but that's why it only gets 5 stars.

Hot Rats by Frank Zappa

Anyone complaining about today's pop music will have to explain to me how people in the 60s voluntarily listened to 45 minutes of annoying guitar wanking. Edit: and now also saxophone wanking, for fuck's sake.

1-Star Albums (57)

All Ratings (202)

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
Feb 04 2026

some great songs, but also lots of filler

At Mister Kelly's by Sarah Vaughan
Feb 05 2026

probably important at its time, but feels incredibly schmalzy/kitsch and outdated now

Highway to Hell by AC/DC
Feb 06 2026

better than i had remembered ... stripped-down, bluesy, raw. singer actually sounds good (in contrast to the other guy that came later)

So by Peter Gabriel
Feb 07 2026

Immaculate pop music

The Specials by The Specials
Feb 08 2026

Influential, but too raw and unpolished for my taste .... rather listen to Madness

Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix
Feb 10 2026

some okay-ish songs, but everything gets ruined by the neverending noodling and jamming. also he can't sing for shit.

Feb 11 2026

solid album, but hip hop from that era feels more outdated than from any other era. case in point: all the tracks with eminem. cringeworthy.

The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers
Feb 12 2026

uu roduchelig und keine wirklichen hits

Pretenders by Pretenders
Feb 13 2026

very charming, definitely more raw & unpolished than later albums ... but also a bit all over the place with many "skip" songs

Frank by Amy Winehouse
Feb 14 2026

Great voice and great talent, but all the songs are lacking in direction and focus.

Beyond Skin by Nitin Sawhney
Feb 15 2026

Weird, but fascinating

Cloud Nine by The Temptations
Feb 16 2026

Really wanted to like this, but the songs are just "ok"

Jazz Samba by Stan Getz
Feb 17 2026

Beautiful album

Go Girl Crazy by The Dictators
Feb 18 2026

Really solid, raw Rock'N'Roll

Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Feb 19 2026

If it weren't for the bluesy and the 50s sounding Rock'n'Roll songs, this would have gotten 4 stars. I really like the "southern" vibe with the heavy grooves, but also the Rockabilly-tinged faster songs.

Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg
Feb 20 2026

Not unlistenable, but pretty boring and forgettable.

Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix
Feb 26 2026

Not my type of music, but this is a near perfect album: a barrage of hit after hit, guitar playing is on point without excessive noodling.

Talking Book by Stevie Wonder
Feb 27 2026

Not even my favorite Stevie Womder album, but that's why it only gets 5 stars.

Celebrity Skin by Hole
Mar 01 2026

A solid 3-stars alternative rock album. There were better bands during that time, but I am giving it 4 stars because I had ignored it back then (bias towards Courtney Love) and was very surprised (in a good way) when I heard it for the first time today.

Mar 02 2026

I get the impression thar 1001 albums does not choose a band's best albums but has a preference towards early/imfluential albums. So instead of TNT or standards, we get Millions Now Living ...

Blunderbuss by Jack White
Mar 03 2026

Nice surprise. Catchy, banging song with incredibly juicy and crunchy sounding guitars.

Fuzzy Logic by Super Furry Animals
Mar 04 2026

Forgettable and annoying at the same time

Mar 05 2026

Some ok somgs, but incredibly shallow and cringe. If I remember correctly, the whiny and over-dramatic vocals were not as much in the foreground on other albums as on this one which makes it an especially unpleasant listening experience.

The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe
Mar 08 2026

Great potential and incredible voice, but the songs don't hold up.

Lost Souls by Doves
Mar 09 2026

Surprisingly enjoyable. Meandering, melancholic ... would serve as great background music in a Japanese bar or something

Mar 10 2026

Probably my least favorite Smiths album ... but that's why it only gets 5 stars.

Our Aim Is To Satisfy by Red Snapper
Mar 11 2026

Is there any other genre that has aged as poorly as Acid Jazz? Maybe Trip Hop. Unbearable.

Sincere by Mj Cole
Mar 12 2026

Wonderfully eccentric and eclectic, but always full of dancefloor energy. Moody, vibey while effortlessly moving between garage and 2 step, gospel harmonies and classical movements, dry synth sounds and acoustic instrumentation, sparse/stripped-down beats and lush arrangements. Sounds fresh and relevant though being almost a quarter of a century old.

Hot Rats by Frank Zappa
Mar 13 2026

Anyone complaining about today's pop music will have to explain to me how people in the 60s voluntarily listened to 45 minutes of annoying guitar wanking. Edit: and now also saxophone wanking, for fuck's sake.

Home Is Where The Music Is by Hugh Masekela
Mar 14 2026

Really like how funky the songs are. Really enjoyed the moments when all the instrumentation comes together ... drums + (electric) piano + horn section is such a powerful combo. Could do without the endless amounts of screeching sax soloing, but somehow that seems to be an Afrobeat staple.

Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
Mar 15 2026

I like Monk's playing and his solo albums, but in a band conext that kind if 50s Jazz is super annoying. Cheesy melodies + endless soloing from instruments that NOBODY wants to hear a solo from ... like bass or drums.

Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt
Mar 16 2026

I'm sorry I complained about 50s Jazz yesterday. I'rather listen to hours of saxophone solos than having to sit through this pretentious crap.

Live At The Regal by B.B. King
Mar 17 2026

I was ready to give this 1 star cause it's Blues ... but as it turns out, it just cannot be hated. It's basicay the same song played 10 times, but the song is pretty good

The Doors by The Doors
Mar 18 2026

Bettter than expected, with some songs being actually enjoyable. The theatralics ruin it for me, though.

Viva Hate by Morrissey
Mar 19 2026

Relistening to this album, I am very much relieved that the knowledge of Morrissey's later trajectory hasn't ruined it the slightest bit. Quite the opposite, it is a shockingly great album, sounding carefree and tongue-in-cheek even in its most insidious moments (Bengali On Platform). Production is great, with lush arrangements that never lose clarity and punch (the splash cymbal deserves its own Grammy). Any hint of too much musical theatrics is immediately countered by Morrissey's trademark scathing humor. Lastly, the cadence of Alsatian Cousin (slow burning intro jam) and Little Man, What Now? (pensive interlude) into Everyday Is Like Sunday (climactic banger) might be the best album opening of all times.

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg by Jerry Lee Lewis
Mar 20 2026

Feels outdated in such a stark way that I am asking myself if it was even still relevant at the time of its release. Formulaic songs with the same 3 blues chords and progressions. One bonus point for the raw and unpolished production and the fact that the songs (and the whole album) are actually quite short.

Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake
Mar 21 2026

I always thought Nick Drake was an emo artist from the 80s/90s who killes himself with a knife, but I guess I was mixing things up. Pleasantly surprised by the songs, although they sometimes have that 60s "kitsch folk" vibe where you could picture him singing about fairytales amd stuff. Plus a bit boring.

Wild Gift by X
Mar 22 2026

Wikipedia writes: "Wild Gift showcases the band's unique punk rock style, which infuses roots rock, country, blues, R&B, and rockabilly." Which translates to: It's a huge pile of crap. On top of that, it also sounds like crap. For an album desperately trying to be "punk", the complete lack of punch and abrasiveness is DISGUSTING. Seriously, the drums sound like someone is beating on cardboard ... with chopsticks.

Porcupine by Echo And The Bunnymen
Mar 23 2026

Imagine having written The Cutter and realizing that no song you write from that point on will ever be half as good as that one. Consequently, Echo & The Bunnymen went on to male an utterly mediocre album. 3 stars nonetheless cause The Cutter is on it.

Urban Hymns by The Verve
Mar 24 2026

Bittersweet Symphony seems to have been a really happy accident ... if you listen to the rest of this album full of whiny low-energy music that is endlessly dragging on without going anwhere. The singer looks kinda cool on the album cover though.

Want Two by Rufus Wainwright
Mar 25 2026

Self-important and pompous yet cringeworthyly amateurish sounding circus shit. Having to suffer through him whinily declaiming his ill-fitting lyrics makes me newly appreciate how well-crafted chart pop music actually is. Edit: And it speaks to his narcissism to have his voice mixed so loud when he can't sing for shit.

The Yes Album by Yes
Mar 26 2026

These songs have no business hitting that hard. I was expecting some unbearable self-indulgent prog fest, but even the length and the guitar noodling is not bothering me.

Shaft by Isaac Hayes
Mar 27 2026

I really wanted to like this, but it just isn't thaz good. A lot of filler, and even the few songs that are famous (like Theme From Shaft) are more lilke soundbytes than songs.

Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins
Mar 28 2026

Not entirely uninteresting. I like the meandering, vibey character of the music. The vocals are not my cup of tea, thoigh I have to admit that they are fitting perfectly. It reminds me of a shoegazey version of The Smiths, Strangeways era ... and Morrissey's vocals are not for everyone either. Edit: By the 5th song I have warmed up to the vocals and gotta say, it's a pretty great album.

Debut by Björk
Mar 30 2026

Some interesting music that could have greatly benefitted from a better singer. A lot of it sounds really outdated though. Vocals are super annoying of course, and what I can understand of the lyrics is incredibly cringe. Edit: I really wanted to give a 1-star review, but I just couldn't: It's remarkable how many of the songs I remembered even 30 years later without ever having had any interest in Bjork. The cultural impact (puke-emoji / pile-of-shit-emoji) can't be denied.

Nilsson Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson
Mar 31 2026

3 stars for a really charming album, and one extra star for the sheer brilliance of Without You and that coconut song.

Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs
Apr 01 2026

I just knew The War On Drugs by name and had always assumed it would be sort of lo-fi singer/songwritery indie. Did absolutely not expect it to be straightforward rock. I am hearing some Petty and lots of Springsteen ... very pleasantly surprised!

Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis
Apr 02 2026

Meandering, aimless and ultimately random sounding. You can tell this is a solo effort: With a band, you are forced to get to the point instead of indulging your own idiosyncracies. On a positive note, I like the sound and vibe of those 70s drum machines.

Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan
Apr 04 2026

The harmonica can be a cool instrument if you use it sparsely to create a mood or if you can actually play it (think Stevie Wonder) ... but not if you just randomly blow into it at max volume. Some potential on this album that could have been developed into songs, but it all sounds like a band jamming on an idea in the practice room with some guy reciting ill-fitting poetry to it. And when the lyrics are finished, cue a fade-out. The mix sounds awful and unbalanced too.

Apr 05 2026

Deliberately didn't listen to them when they were hyped, for contrarian reasons. Feels very satisfying to be completely vindicated about my ignorance. There are loads of great noisy, dissonant, arty albums out there, but this is not one of them.

Moss Side Story by Barry Adamson
Apr 06 2026

This must be the dumbest "concept" album of all times. Very few soundtrack albums, and even less scores, can stand on their own. You listen to an OST cause it is inextricably linked with the memories of a movie scene and your own memories when you watched it. This one has nothing to draw from, and it doesn't help that the music is a completely random mess that can't decide what time period or mood it is trying to reference/recreate.

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen
Apr 07 2026

Not much to say ... a perfect album.

Freak Out! by The Mothers Of Invention
Apr 08 2026

Come on man. There's SO much great music out there, and this is already the second Zappa album I had to endure? That kind of "humor" (and also the music) has aged so poorly that it is almost painful to listen to.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
Apr 09 2026

If you can get past the initial quirk factor, there are actually some interesting sketches, but they could have greatly benefitted from some editing and arranging ... and developing them into actual good songs, which never happens. Oh, they left a barking dog in the song that the mic picked up accidently ... WHAAA, SO ARTSY AND EXPERIMENTAL. The kick drum sounds really nice, though. Great amount of low end "oomph", but sharp and punchy at the same time, the tail being short enough not too muddy up everything else.

Garbage by Garbage
Apr 10 2026

Garbage.

Crosby, Stills & Nash by Crosby, Stills & Nash
Apr 11 2026

A little disappointing ... the vocal harmonies are really nice, but the songs fall a bit flat. You can really feel the potential, but at least on this album, it's not there yet.

Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman
Apr 12 2026

Hauntingly beautiful.

Miriam Makeba by Miriam Makeba
Apr 13 2026

The afropop vibe is really cool, but 1. it sometimes has an uncanny "made for tourists" exotism feel 2. it is too steeped in 50s kitsch jazz for me to enjoy it 3. it too often drifts into happy children song territory which is the most aggravating kind of music.

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Apr 14 2026

Nick Cave seems to be a really nice dude, but the music is just insufferable. Boring blues rock with the theatrical / circus shit meter cranked up to the max ... aka the worst of all possible worlds. This is the first time I stopped an album of the day prematurely. How anyone can willingly suffer to 1 hour and 20 minutes of this is beyond me.

Pacific Ocean Blue by Dennis Wilson
Apr 15 2026

A completely forgettable album. I had this running in the background, and not a single song grabbed my attention. The songs are all well-crafted and produced, but lack any quality that would make them catchy or interesting.

Apr 16 2026

Not as bad as expected. The songs could be fine, but the whiny vocals with each syllable drawn out for 10 seconds with maximum melodrama ruins it for me.

1977 by Ash
Apr 17 2026

Only 50 albums in or so, but I feel at this point I already know every crappy "alternative" rock album from the 90s

Play by Moby
Apr 18 2026

He seems to be a nice guy and has been vegan for a long time, but I really wish he would make better music.

Tanto Tempo by Bebel Gilberto
Apr 19 2026

This one sounds exactly how I would expect a Brazilian Bossa album to sound. Unforrunately, it doesn't add anything new to the genre, and there are no real hit ... so I'd rather listen to the classics.

Roots by Sepultura
Apr 20 2026

In the mid 90s, Death and Thrash metal had gotten increasingly popular with a lot of bands entering the mainstream with a crossover sound. This wasn't simply a matter of selling out though: Sometimes, pushing the narrow confines of the Death/Thrash/Grind genres could be a liberation and help bands to realize their full potential to create true masterpieces (think: Carcass - Heartwork). With Sepultura, it is even more complicated. Along the way from Arise over Beneath The Remains and Chaos AD to Roots, the became a better band, wrote better songs and produced better sounding albums. At the same time, the songs got groovier and somewhat simpler and crossed over into cringe territory with the inclusion of more and more tribal elements. It is a matter of discussion when they were at their peak, but on Roots they were definitely past their peak. The album sounds incredible: thick, juicy and precise at the same time. Some of the slower grooves are mesmerizing, but all in all, this is not a good album.

Synchronicity by The Police
Apr 21 2026

Still not loving Police. ... (One extra star for the flawless and crispy drumming, though.)

Sign 'O' The Times by Prince
Apr 22 2026

Sign O The Times is an absolute banger. The rest: not so much. A mess different genres that never gets to the point. And the album is way too long. Drums sound fantastic though ... at the time of release, the LM-1 was already a thing of the past and nobody aside from Prince was still using it. This has really become a staple sound of his, and the lo-fi yet full-bodoes crunchiness sounds lovingly retro.

Junkyard by The Birthday Party
Apr 23 2026

I had never heard of this band until today, and I'll happily ignore it again for the rest of my life.

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
Apr 24 2026

Simon & Garfunkel always walk a fine line between beauty and kitsch: the album's opener is an example of masterfully sensitive songwriting, slowly building into a sublime, angelic finale ... only to be ruined by the horrendous and cringeworthy "El Condor Pasa". The rest of the album follows a similar pattern ... all in all though, it is a rather pleasant listen.

Deep Purple In Rock by Deep Purple
Apr 25 2026

Thick, succulent, dense rock music. Heavier than I remembered. Great riffing, but the songs are way too long. This would have easily been a 4 star album if they had only shown a bit of restraint from the self-indulgent noodling.

Street Life by The Crusaders
Apr 26 2026

I mever knew there was a totally different version of Street Life than the one that was popular, and most of alll, I was totally unaware how epic it is. More Jazz-Funk than Disco, with lush arrangement and tasteful soloing thhroughout (Joe Sample's Rhodes sounds phenomenal). With all the harmonic variation and a lot of II-Vs thrown in, you get the feeling that the song comstantly takes you to a new place, when it's just a one-chord groove played over more than 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is pretty forgettable Smooth Jazz / Jazz Funk ... like so much Jazz Funk of those times.

Psychocandy by The Jesus And Mary Chain
Apr 27 2026

Interesting, but I'll probably never listen to it again.

This Year's Model by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Apr 28 2026

Solid power pop album with plenty of hits. Loses a bit of steam towards the middle, but finds back to old form in the second half. Oh, and I accidentally found out what They Might Be Giants must have listened to when they wrote "They'll need a crane" ... spoiler: It's "Hand In Hand".

Rattus Norvegicus by The Stranglers
Apr 29 2026

I would have given it 4 stars if I hadn't known that they went on to record some WAY better albums. On this one, they have already found their unique sound (with the dominant organ and the wonderfully distorted bass taking over the role of a lead instrument), but the concise songwriting and the abundance of hits of their later years are sorely lacking.

Good Old Boys by Randy Newman
Apr 30 2026

It's not bad by any means, but I just don't vibe with that storytelling / circus-y kind of music.

I Should Coco by Supergrass
May 01 2026

Airtight method to be featured in the 1001 albums: be a crappy irrelevant Brit Pop band. I have always hated that band, but I have to admit, it's actually not that bad. The music is a lot faster and louder than I remembered, and it has a youthful irreverence that's quite charming ... more Punk / Power Pop than Brit Pop. if it only weren't for the annoying voice of the singer ...

Bryter Layter by Nick Drake
May 02 2026

I don't totally vibe with his way of singing, but the music is very pleasant to listen to, cannot hate.

Truth And Soul by Fishbone
May 03 2026

I appreciate the effort and what they are trying to do, but it's just a mess. However, I thought I would hate it much more ... the Curtis Mayfield cover is actually quite interesting. As for the rest, well ...

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly
May 04 2026

Pretty much exactly the kind of music I would NEVER listen to.

May 05 2026

3 hits and some long, drawn-out jams. The jams are not that exciting, but the hits at the start of the album slap so hard that it launches the whole album into banger territory.

Savane by Ali Farka Touré
May 06 2026

I appreciate that 1.001 albums is branching out from their usual "white UK guys playing guitar in the 90s" approach, but of course they had to choose Ali Farka Touré's most mainstream album. It's not a bad album by any means, but it feels like it is overly catering to Western ears, and imho it pales in comparison to the raw and sublime spirituality of The River.

May 07 2026

This is the kind of Hip Hop that white record collector / record store people who hate Hip Hop will tell you they like. Turns out it is not as bad as I had thought based on those experiences.

The Wildest! by Louis Prima
May 08 2026

Not only is the music outdated and annoying, but it oozes a kind of "novelty / dad humour" quality that was very prevalent in 50s music and that I absolutely detest. This is the mindset that later generated kitsch / Schlager music: music deliberately produced for uncool, old normies and successfully purged from any transgressive elements the aesthetic form (e. g. Rock'n'Roll) might have had.

New Forms by Roni Size
May 10 2026

I completely missed out on this due to being part of a subculture at the opposite musical spectrrum back then ... but this gives me the rare opportunity to discover gems like this 30 years after the fact. Slaps incredibly hard even by today's standards .... raw, minimalistic, sparse, punchy, dry, abstract, dark, moody, organic, brooding, meditative. The importance of the album is crystal clear right from the opening bars of "Railing" which is no plain intro but more of a "State Of The Union" meta-reflection on the movement and the genre. The cheekiness of the raps and the lyric matter immediately reminded me of Diamond D's "Stunts Blunts and Hip Hop" which is very comparable in its meta-reflective character. I'd argue that both tracks subconsciously reference the greatest meta song of all times, Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" ... with slight differences in emphasis: Stevie Wonder and Diamond D put the most stress on heritage and music's universalism, while Railing's main theme is innovation, being quite bold and self-confident that way - deservedly so!

Younger Than Yesterday by The Byrds
May 11 2026

This would have been way better if they had just trusted themselves amd their songs instead of trying to be all modern and experimental with all that studio trickery that just sounds forced and lame from today's perspective.

Thriller by Michael Jackson
May 12 2026

Flawless.

Come Find Yourself by Fun Lovin' Criminals
May 13 2026

These guys make Vanilla Ice sound like a legit artist by comparison.

May 14 2026

Mildly pleasant to listen to, but a bit boring overall. I have a hunch that the genre has more possibilities, but Eno's capabilities might be the limiting factor here.

May 16 2026

Thos is far brom being the best West Coast album, and imo it isn't even the best N.W.A album, but it is an undeniable classic anyway.

Triangle by The Beau Brummels
May 18 2026

I had braced for the worst, but could actually listen to it without casualties.

Moments of sparkling greatness like the opening track, but buried under just too many songs that sound like filler, meandering about and going nowhere. I understand that the album is supposed to be about New York, but too much of the lyrical matter sounds like the romanticizations of a newcomer from the suburbs.

American Beauty by Grateful Dead
May 20 2026

I like both folk and country, but it doesn't really work on this album. Most songs are lame, and the vocal harmonies don't seem to fit too well. The singer's thin voice doesn't help either. Notable exception: Sugar Magnolia.

Central Reservation by Beth Orton
May 21 2026

Mildly pleasant to listen to, but pretty forgettable.

Wild Wood by Paul Weller
May 22 2026

Pretty good. A lot of Soul and R&B thrown in which makes it much more listenable than other Brit Pop/Rock.

Be by Common
May 23 2026

I listen to a lot of current Hip Hop, but if we are being honest, Hip Hop had its most innovative and stromg period from around 1985 to 1995, with tons of legendary albums being released each year. However, 1001 albums seems to focus entirely on early 2000s Hip Hop which can be considered as Hip Hop's Dark Ages. While this is a pretty good album, there are literally hundreds that are way better and more relevant.

Pornography by The Cure
May 24 2026

I have an extensive The Cure playlist, but nome of the songs is from this album.

May 25 2026

As much as it pains me to admit it: This is not only a classic, but undeniably a great album: lots of songs that are instantly recognizable, perfect production and arrangement.

Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones
May 26 2026

Never thought I'd like the Stones, but this is actually a good album. I appreciate the bluesy feel, although it is a bit too bluesy for my taste. They could have benefitted from a better singer, but all in all it's quite enjoyable.

Back to Mystery City by Hanoi Rocks
May 27 2026

I am not opposed to the type of Glam Rock they are playing, but their predecessors and role models were much better.

The Slider by T. Rex
May 28 2026

Already the band's second album on this list, which adds up to two too many.

Fromohio by fIREHOSE
May 29 2026

Some nice moments of lo fi charme, but all in all too inaccessible.

Moondance by Van Morrison
May 30 2026

Singer/Songwriter Folk and Soul go really well together, and the occasional horn section does womders to elevate the tracks. The singer doesn't have the most pleasant voice though, especially when he is dialing up the intensity.

3 + 3 by The Isley Brothers
May 31 2026

Some welcome change from the usual "white guys noodling on the guitar" rotation ... unfortunately, "black guys noodling on the guitar" isn't that big an improvement.

1999 by Prince
Jun 02 2026

Every time that I think I discovered a Primce album I actually like, he decides 2 bangers is enough and proceeds to fill the rest of the album with horrendeous 10-minute experimental jams.

Let's Get Killed by David Holmes
Jun 03 2026

Instrumental Hip Hop = one of history's worst mistakes.

The Contino Sessions by Death In Vegas
Jun 04 2026

My initial adverse gut reaction to the 90s Trip Hop / Big Beat influences was nullified and slowly turned into fascination the longer I kept listening amd gave the album a proper chance to reveal its charme. It's a weirdly addictive album!

Endtroducing..... by DJ Shadow
Jun 06 2026

This is hard to judge. It was immensely popular among my friends back in the day, and I can kind of see why. In its good moments, it has a lot of groove and vibe ... ultimately though, it sounds very 90s and outdated.

Jun 07 2026

Oh, a mediocre Brit Pop album ... it's not like we already had 900 of those on here.

Permission to Land by The Darkness
Jun 08 2026

I was prepared to hate on this cause I detest those ironic rediscoveries / embraces of a genre ... but I have to admit these guys are doing their thing bery well and with love. The songs rock, the guitars sound tastefully crunchy ... but the singer's falsetto is just zoo over the top.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen
Jun 09 2026

No real songs but mostly just a guitar riff dragged on for an excruciatingly long time with monotonous low-energy "vocals" on top of it.

Leftism by Leftfield
Jun 10 2026

I like proper house, and I like proper Techno. What I don't like is this inoffensive, middle-of-the-road electronica coffeeshop background music.

Jun 11 2026

One of those albums on the tail end of the Golden Era that broke into the mainstream. It's a great album, but there are better (and more influential / groundbreaking / legendary) albums from that era.

Bad by Michael Jackson
Jun 12 2026

Might be a tiny bit less legendary than Thriller, but an imcredible banger of an album nometheless.

Power In Numbers by Jurassic 5
Jun 13 2026

It's an alrigjt album that I somehow knew would appear on this list ... exactly the kind of Hip Hop that appeals to white rock listeners.

Two Dancers by Wild Beasts
Jun 14 2026

The singer is trying so hard to be annoying, but he cannot even top the boring music.

Gorillaz by Gorillaz
Jun 15 2026

I was inspired by this to listen to Del's solo album again, and it still sounds great after all these years. Thick and crunchy Lench Mob beats, has that unmistakeable SP1200 vibe written all over it. Unfortunately, the album of the day wasn't this album but Gorillaz which is a huhe pile of crap.

Bayou Country by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Jun 18 2026

I don't vibe with their music 100 %, but I have to respect that the totally nailed that swampy bluesy vibe.

Ingenue by k.d. lang
Jun 19 2026

Like: the laid-back vibe, her voice, the ethereal vocal harmonies, the accordion. Just read on her Wikipedia that she is also an animal rights activist, so that's one extra point for being an activist and NOT making the most terrible music (looking at you, Moby).

Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
Jun 20 2026

Self-imdulgent cock rock. The singer's voice is truly unbearable, and all of the songs could have been edited down to half their length. It really is that bad. Edit: And now they're even doing a drum solo ... it's a shame that I cannot give less than 1 star.

Shleep by Robert Wyatt
Jun 21 2026

Weirdly charming, but a bit too "weirdly" for my taste. Still, I enjoyed it far more than I would have thought.

At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash
Jun 24 2026

A rather enjoyable album, and in this case I like the storytelling nature of the lyrics (which I usually hate). However, the songs are overly simple and get repetitive over the course of an album. After the album, Spotify played a Glen Campbell song which was immediately leagues above in terms of quality. Edit: next up Willie Nelson, also a completely different league ... I'm recognizing a pattern here.

Done By The Forces Of Nature by Jungle Brothers
Jun 25 2026

I wanted to hate on this cause it's another one of those Hip Hop albums that are universally adored by white Rock critics but less relevant among real Hip Hop fans ... but it legitimately is a really great album.

Idlewild by Everything But The Girl
Jun 26 2026

A pleasant, but overall uneventful listen with nothing grabbing my attention.

Low by David Bowie
Jun 28 2026

WTF is dis shit

Elephant by The White Stripes
Jun 29 2026

Fairly enjoyable and raw Rock music if it weren't for Seven Nation Army. If a song can be so corrupted by the wrong people and overplayed to the point of getting a visceral reaction anytime it comes on, that must say something about the song itself.

Fragile by Yes
Jun 30 2026

Unquestionable technical skills and impeccably sounding production, but it is only a show-off with no musical / emotional substance.

Next by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Jul 01 2026

Boring, repetitive, simplistic and overly drawn out Rock'n'Roll songs with the most annoying singer I have ever heard in my life. Each and every one of his countless mannerisms makes me want to pour boiling lava into my ears.

G. Love And Special Sauce by G. Love & Special Sauce
Jul 02 2026

I get the feeling that whoever wrote this book is about my age. I remeber these guys from the 90s where they had one hit, but honestly they are pretty irrelevant (and weren't even relevant back then). It has some charme (especially their hit Cold Beverage), but the white boy raps are just too much for me.

21 by Adele
Jul 03 2026

Have never cared for Adele and always thought of her as the industry's whitewashed answer to Amy Winehouse ... but I'm gonna have to eat my words; this is a legitimately great album.

Harvest by Neil Young
Jul 04 2026

It's not horribly bad, but his voice, the lyrics and the music all sound so incredibly clumsy and cringe, I just cannot listen to it.

Blood And Chocolate by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Jul 05 2026

Already the second Costello album on this list. Not as good as the other one, in fact: definitely not one of the 1000 greatest albums of all time.

Planet Rock: The Album by Afrika Bambaataa
Jul 06 2026

Planet Rock is undeniably one of the most influential tracks of all time, but it was never meant to be an album.

The Message by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Jul 08 2026

Even though The Message is the standout track here, and even though some of the material borders on the cornimess of the usual Sylvia Robinson productions, it nevertheless works as an album. Helped greatly by the fantastic music amd production of Duke Bootee, the Furious Five's raps still sound fresh and relevamt today.

Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
Jul 09 2026

I always thought Sufjan Stevens would be doing retro indie rock'n'roll, and I had always pictures him to look like a young Elvis, or at least Mark Ronson ... so I was completely unprepared for whatever this is. It has its charme, and I really like the 3rd song, but overall it is too much of an abstract mess (read: "concept work") to be enjoyed as an album.

Rocks by Aerosmith
Jul 10 2026

I feel like every one of their comebacks in later years is better than what they did here.

The Cars by The Cars
Jul 11 2026

Somehow I had hoped for an even better album. Apart from "Just What I Needed", it is "just" a solid effort.

Chris by Christine and the Queens
Jul 12 2026

Could never get into them, but with this album it totally clicked. Very much Prince-influenced in the sense that there is this thick and abstract electronic funk foundation with a peculiar sense of melody on top that is different from Anglo-Saxon pop and has a somewhat unmistakeable French 80s pop vibe.

Purple Rain by Prince
Jul 13 2026

I am a sucker for that tastefully bitcrunched sound of a downtuned LinnDrum ... but that alone can't save this album from being quite vanilla and boring. The single hit for me isn't even Purple Rain but When Doves Cry.

Grace by Jeff Buckley
Jul 14 2026

I remember this album being very revered in the 90s, and I listened to it a lot trying to get into it. Didn't work then, didn't work now.

The Sounds Of India by Ravi Shankar
Jul 15 2026

The random and aimless pentatonic noodling doesn't get any better if it is played on such a godawful instrument as the sitar.

She's So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper
Jul 16 2026

I only knew the big hits, but there are a couple more great songs on this album.

Aha Shake Heartbreak by Kings of Leon
Jul 17 2026

This is hard for me to judge. It is not a bad album, and they seem to be doing their very own thing, but there is nothing on here that grabs me in any way.

What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
Jul 18 2026

The title track is the obvious hit, but I also like that the whole album is playing like a continuous song. All in all though, the rest of the tracks are falling a bit short.

The Rising by Bruce Springsteen
Jul 19 2026

I was tempted to give it 4 stars because it was a surprisingly solid album an great to listen all through, but in comparison to the Boss's earlier albums, it is just lacking the hits.

Wild Is The Wind by Nina Simone
Jul 21 2026

Absolutely not my cup of tea. I just cannot listen to that kind if bluesy, old-timey, schmaltzy Jazz. And I don't vibe with her voice.

Talking Heads 77 by Talking Heads
Jul 22 2026

There are 2 Talking Head songs that I really like and a whole lot that I find too stressfull and nerve-grating. This album is sitting somewhere in the middle: It's a pleasant listen, but nothing more than that.

Rising Above Bedlam by Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
Jul 23 2026

Some of the albums on here are quite challenging, so that I have to take several listens before I can dare to make a judgement. So it's quite refreshing for a change to find utter crap like this and have an easy 1-star rating. While the default category for the 1001 albums is "white guys in the 90s playing guitar", a strong second contender is "pasty Brits failing miserably at appropriating black music".

Slayed? by Slade
Jul 24 2026

70s cock rock with an annoying singer. If I really wanted to torture myself with that kind of music, I'd listen to Led Zeppelin who at least are better musicians.

Aladdin Sane by David Bowie
Jul 25 2026

A collection of the worst musical genres, performed in a theatrical and pompous style with songs that are way too long.

Teenage Head by Flamin' Groovies
Jul 26 2026

Wouldn't listen to it again, but this seriously rocks.

Nick Of Time by Bonnie Raitt
Jul 27 2026

Some okay-ish songs, but the overall sound (polished, overproduced blues rock) was one of the worst historical errors.

The Next Day by David Bowie
Jul 29 2026

Somehow, every David Bowie album I listen to is worse than all the others.

White Ladder by David Gray
Jul 30 2026

If Coldplay sucked even more.

Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
Jul 31 2026

Maybe lacking the raw and unpolished nature of their debut, but still full of bangers. Probably their most diverse and polished album, transitioning from their earlier drum machine based days into the sample era and fully embracing the rock crossover.

Dookie by Green Day
Aug 01 2026

Easily the greatest pop punk record of all times. Sorry, Jawbreaker ...

Greetings From L.A. by Tim Buckley
Aug 02 2026

The only good thing I can say about this album: It's music.

Black Monk Time by The Monks
Aug 03 2026

Probably well-intentioned, but unlistenable.

Achtung Baby by U2
Aug 04 2026

Absolute trainwreck of a record. This marked U2's transition from a band with great songs and a recognizable style to a cringe and trend-chasing mainstream monster that only normies listened to.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Aug 05 2026

I think I'd prefer a Greatest Hits album, but I really like how light, open and sparkly the songs sound, especially for a guitar rock band.

British Steel by Judas Priest
Aug 06 2026

Legendary, I guess, but not my kind of metal.

The College Dropout by Kanye West
Aug 08 2026

I don't get the hype ... the beats are cookie-cuttter, and the raps are nothing to write home about.

Eagles by Eagles
Aug 10 2026

Not as developed as zheir later stuff.

In A Silent Way by Miles Davis
Aug 11 2026

Pretty accessible for a Jazz album. The noodling is mostly tasteful and restrained, the songs have groove and structure

Being There by Wilco
Aug 12 2026

Reminded me of Richmond Fontaine, although it should probably be the other way round.

Make Yourself by Incubus
Aug 13 2026

Everything about this record is distasteful: the ugly cover artwork, the boorish guitar riffs, the pseudo-masculine whiny vocals, the steak rock vocal harmonies (always and only in fifths, the least appropriate interval for vocal harmonies).

The Sensual World by Kate Bush
Aug 14 2026

Interesting, but it does not really catch my attention.

The Clash by The Clash
Aug 15 2026

I wouldn't listen to this today, but I can totally see the appeal in 1977. Great album!

Remedy by Basement Jaxx
Aug 16 2026

Boring, middle-of-zhe-road electronica. No groove, no dancefloor energy.

Superunknown by Soundgarden
Aug 18 2026

Is there a better record from the grunge era than Superunknown? Of course: it's Badmotorfinger. While Pearl Jam have always been a cringe rock band and Nirvama were struggling with their superstardom, Soundgarden were pumping out one legendary album after another.

Elephant Mountain by The Youngbloods
Aug 19 2026

The cover artwork is interesting. The music, well ... there are violins, constantly noodling guitars mixed way too loud and titles like "On Sir Francis Drake".

A Date With The Everly Brothers by The Everly Brothers
Aug 20 2026

I really like the vocal hatmonizing on the ballads. I could do without the blues / rock'n'roll songs though.

Penance Soiree by The Icarus Line
Aug 21 2026

Noise rock like this which is designed to cross over into the mainstream always has a pretentiousness problem. Musicallly, this one's a solid album though, even if a bit boring.

The Chronic by Dr. Dre
Aug 22 2026

I had always been partial to Above The Law, but in retrospect I have to admit that Dre nailed that sound even better.

The Rise & Fall by Madness
Aug 23 2026

Not my favorite Madness record, but still it is a Madness record.

Arrival by ABBA
Aug 24 2026

Cringe on a whiole notha leval.

Critic

Average rating: 2.44 (0.82 below global average).

Other

Album origins are grouped into three buckets: US, UK, and everything else. “Other” means the artists you rate highest are from outside the US and UK.