1001 Albums Summary

It's embarrassing to admit, but I've never listened to this album in its entirety. After just coming off the ending of Stranger Things, this album scratched the nostalgic itch I have been craving throughout my newfound existential crisis of middle-age-hood. God damn if this story isn't the most perfect representation of suburb life, and had it been made in between 1991-1995, it would have been my teen anthem. I can't believe I slept on this before, perhaps it wasn't the right time for me, but I'm obsessed. The only thing I can see being a problem, because it is my first album, it sets the bar really high.

Fantastic! I listened to this one in my high school classroom today, and while there's usually arguments over who picks the songs for the day, this one played in its entirety without any skips or complaints. It transcends generations. If I had to choose a favorite song, I'd go with "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", but "Living For The City" had the whole class dancing.

Not for me, but I can see how people would connect to this album. The lyrics are nice to read. I prefer his music from the 2000's.

Separate art from artist and this album is great.

One of my absolute favorites of all time. Favorite songs are "Pump it Up" and "This Year's Girl".

I rated it a 3 for nostalgic purposes, Biggie's flow, and I understand it's cultural significance, but it hasn't aged well and the skits are too much now that I'm a lot older and shock value is less appreciated in my music. Favorite song is "Gimme the Loot".

Favorite songs are "Veinte Años", "Amor de Loca Juventud", and "La Bayamesa". As a New Orleanian, I'm tickled to hear how Cuban music has inspired some of the great jazz I grew up on; the song "Orgullecida" could be something I'd hear in a club by my house. I'm so glad I got this album on a Saturday so I can give it multiple listens in a day!

Favorite songs are "Ain't the Devil Happy" and "Come Clean". In the 90's, my high school friends were obsessed with Wu Tang and Nas, and we would drive around the southern suburbs on our way to the country club bumping east coast rap in the new cars our parents bought us. There was something alluring and provocative in this transgression; it was defiant, it was cool, and it was culturally necessary. I'm so surprised I've never heard of Jeru the Damaja before, or maybe I did at a catered pool party and just don't remember, but this is so freaking good I already know I'm bumping this in the school pick up line or on my way to hot yoga and day drinking margaritas tomorrow. Also, the album is short, not weighed down with unnecessary skits and collaborator shout outs, so it gets right to the point and I appreciate that.

I have to be in the right mood to listen to this all the way through, but it's a great album.

This album was easy to listen to, but it was also a bit boring in some parts. I can't think of a stand out song, but it wasn't bad overall, so that's why I give it a 3.

Wow. I skipped this one last week because I've always chalked up Hendrix to Boomer nostalgia...like, how great is this guy, really? So, today, Sunday, I caught up on the albums I skipped because it's a spring cleaning day. Got MJ and Yeezus, both 3s, ugh, need something great... move on to Hendrix...holy freaking shit! Mind blown. 5/5 Favorite songs "Little Wing" and "If 6 was 9", but really the whole album is added to my catalog now. What a freaking delight! I love this project!

Nice to revisit a classic album from my teenage years. Hearing it open with "Freak Scene" still gives me goosebumps. 5 stars in 1990, and 5 stars today.

I don't remember ever listening to this album before, but it reminds me of childhood. Summer BBQ, my dad and uncles playing basketball, my mom and aunts tanning, all us kids riding our big wheels in the street and this album playing out a car in the neighbor's driveway. Even though this album is not usually what I listen to, it captures a moment in time for me and Im glad I can hear it and appreciate it now. It's really good music and I will be adding this to my collection.

Nice background music. Very chill. I can understand why some people would rate this a 5, because it evokes a period in the 90s when this kind of music was peeking into mainstream territory. I think there are better Massive Attack albums, though, so I'll give it a 3.

I feel fortunate to get this album on a lazy Sunday morning. What a great start to my day, and one of those unexpected surprises from something Ive never heard before. Lots of great songs, but "Courting Blues" is my favorite.

Relistening to this since the 90's was a treat. Kicked off that whole pop punk thing. Clean harmonies, angsty lyrics, fun time all around, what's not to love?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN CHA! It was exciting until I remembered I can't stand Axel Rose's voice and I don't want this in any of my personal playlists. Still, it's got some great songs and it made quite the impression on 10-year-old me back in the day so I'll give it a 4. Mr. Brownstone is my favorite song on this album.

This dance music can be fun, but I'm more into interesting lyrics in my music and this is just repetitive. It's not bad at all, but not my cup of tea.

Not his best. Crafty, for sure, but College Dropout remains his best. Yeezus is mixed beautifully, but it's lacking anything mind blowing, which is what I expect. "Blood on the Leaves" is exquisite.

There's no doubt this album was a banger in 1987, but the bar was set soooo high with Thriller, in today's world, it's mid to me. Tons of MJ music better than Bad, like pre-Thriller jams, and I think this is the moment he started to lose relevance. Favorite songs are "Dirty Diana" and "Smooth Criminal", but they're not great enough to pull my rate from a 3 to a 4.

I don't understand jazz. There's just too much going on at once, it really amps up my ADHD and I shutdown. I tried but I just can't. Also, Miles Davis abused women. I'll give it a 2 because it's not the worst thing I've ever heard, but I know I don't ever want to listen to this again. Perhaps if it wasn't 90 minutes long, it would be more accommodating.

Grateful Dead always makes me smile. I do prefer the studio albums to the live ones, though.

Wow, that's a lot of WAHHHHHHHHHH screaming. It's perfect if that's your jam. I was gifted my mom's old record collection years ago, and this was in the pile. I don't remember ever hearing it, but as a child I drew crayon mustaches and eyeglasses on the faces and my mom got mad. So, I guess that was my first experience with Deep Purple. There's no doubt it rocks and it was very influential for the musicians I would end up loving in the 90's. Also, it is unrelenting, like seriously, it just starts off like a cannon and keeps going to the end. Solos and fast drums and WAHHHHHH! It's not my cup of tea, but I appreciate the talent.

I bet if I was a teen in 1976, I would've loved to see this show with a boyfriend. It's not a bad live performance at all; Frampton is consistent for the hour and 17 minutes and the sound is awesome. It is hovering between a 3 and 4 for me, technically, but I will choose 3 because I'd only ever listen to these songs in bars, and I don't go to bars anymore.

I've never listened to Led Zepplin before aside from background jukebox music in bars. Everyone told me this would be the album I would like best because I like a lot of indie rock. I dunno. I just can't get into it. It gets a 3 from me because it's still great background jukebox bar music.

Oh boy something incredibly awesome to break up all the classic rock I've been given lately! I wasn't allowed to listen to this back in the 80's, not because of the language or subject matter, but because the "N" stood for the "N" word, and my parents hated that word. So you best believe I bumped this album in my car all day today and enjoyed every second of it. Sorry Mom and Dad, but not sorry and I promise I didn't say the "N" word when singing along but substituted "brother" and "neighbor" instead. Some of the tracks sound like that great house party music we loved to dance to back then and "Fuck Tha Police" just goes as hard now as it did then. I can't love this enough.

Couldn't give this one a 5 because it felt a little too preachy about God at times, but it's a whole-ass vibe. I loved this era of hip hop in the 90's.

Absolutely lovely voice! I am surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did.

I think these ratings boil down to generational gaps. I hear "Scorpio" and immediately want to put on my roller skates or imagine Ozone breaking it down. Does it sound dated? Absolutely. And I am here for it.

I wish I was there to see this live at the Apollo. The screams! The big band! The energy! How amazing would that be?

I love how campy the lyrics are! Fun stuff! I wish I could hear this in 1973 and watch the old folks' heads explode.

It's not bad at all, but not anything I would purposely feel like listening to. I appreciate Mr. John's talent, but maybe this album dragged on a little too long, or maybe I just liked Madman better, I dunno, but I gotta give it a 3. That rating feels wrong. My heart says 3. But I think I've been conditioned for years and years to believe this is album is a masterpiece, so I feel guilty I don't love it more. I guess it's just like that sometimes.

Africano is a whole ass vibe and I am here for it.

Sarah Vaughan's voice is amazing, the live recording is perfect, and the vibe is great. There is nothing wrong with this album, but I'm only giving this a 3 because I just really gotta be in the mood to listen to jazz standards. Surely if I were around back then, in a smokey bar with a drink in my hand, sitting at a table next to a dapper fellow, it would be a phenomenal experience to see this live.

Amazing album. It's just me and Willie sitting by a campfire, sharing a whiskey bottle as he sings me a story. It's so comfortable.

I've never heard this before and I think this is the best Springsteen I've heard so far. Sooooo dark and bare. Other Springsteen albums are so-so, but this is really great. So glad to experience this side of Bruce.

I needed this today.

Fast and bulbous. I didn't really get it. It gets a 2 just for the album cover art.

This album is strange and sexy rock and roll. I'm instantly transported to the 60s while listening, but I wasn't born until the late 70s, so I have nostalgia for a time I never experienced. It's wild.

Wow, this album really surprised me.

Ugh. I enjoy some Lou Reed/Velvet Underground hits and other albums in small doses. This one is grating and insufferable, and I'm just not in the mood today.

I remember seeing Public Enemy on Yo! MTV Raps when I was a kid, but I was much too young to really understand any of the lyrics, except I knew Chuck D was a little mad about something. I love that I can listen to this now with fresh ears and more empathy towards black American struggles in the 80s, because now it makes more sense. Also, the beats and samples are just fun stuff.

I don't know much about The Band except for Fanny and her loads, so I had this idea the album would be some quasi hippy dippy southern rock knockoff bullshit. I mean, they're Canadian and Canadians are usually a couple years behind. Imagine my surprise when I realized this isn't the knockoff, this is the real deal that influenced my guilty pleasure crows from the 90's, like Counting Crows and Black Crowes...as well as all those classic rock gods my parents listened to on the radio. It's a solid album and it's why I adore this 1001 project.

#49 on the randomizer for me, but #1 in my heart.

I've not listened to much Rolling Stones in my life because my introduction to them was their 80s and 90s music, which I did not really care for as a young person. I sort of dismissed them as old people rock n roll. This album is definitely something I could get into, though. It's really bluesy, which is what I was in the mood for today, so I thoroughly enjoyed the Stones. I can't wait to tell my mom, she'll be so proud. "Dear Doctor" and "Factory Girl" are my favs.

Make out music from senior year. Good times.

While I'm not the biggest R.E.M. fan, my favorite song of theirs, "Radio Free Europe", opens up this album and it made me excited to listen. I do recognize their impact on all of the college rock I would come to love.

This is wonderful from start to finish. People who give this 1 star must be fully dead on the inside.

I had a boyfriend when I was 15 who loved Sepultura while I loved the Lemonheads. I remember trying really hard to like this so I could fit into his world. It's really not bad and I can see myself listening to this if I need to hear something intense, but I don't think I'll be adding any songs to my personal playlists so it's a 3.

I've been to many a Texas BBQ and Bike Night to understand the cultural significance of ZZ Top. It's reliable, consistent, and inoffensive background music for gatherings. It was an easy listen on my work commute and kept me entertained.

Back in the 90's, all the cool college kids I looked up to listened to Velvet Underground. I thought there must be something wrong with me because I didn't think it was as great as they said it was. Now 30 years later, I still stand by my original opinions of the music. It's just ok. I'll give it a 3 because some of the songs spark nostalgia.

Shankar's album is one reason I do this project. The only thing I knew about the sitar before hearing this is the Beatles songs that incorporated the instrument or international movies with sitar songs. This album was something new and unexpected, and a true delight. I'll revisit "Dance Indra" and the Stones cover "Jumpin Jack Flash" again, for sure. "Raghupati" is my favorite.

Probably my favorite R.E.M. album of them all. I'm not the biggest fan of the band, at least not as big a fan as most people I grew up with, but this album is a solid 4. So much better than Automatic for the People, which was HUGE during my high school years and one I didn't really care for.

I mean, it's Ray Charles. It's not any of his best songs, but it kept me entertained.

This is good background music. I give it a 3 because it sounds like the perfect music for a 90's movie montage. And I do love the 90s.

Any Olive Garden veteran circa 1996-2005 knows most of these songs by heart. From the first verse, I had a brief moment of PTSD as I was transported to being in the weeds on a Friday afternoon juggling neverending pasta bowls, all you can eat soup and salad, and waters with lemon. After some internal reassurance and deep breathing, I remembered I am no longer working the OG FOH, and I relaxed enough to enjoy some Frank. And to all those old pearl clutchers who were determined to censor our music in the 80s and 90s, shame on you. "Makin Whoopee" is just scandalous you old biddies.

First time T. Rex listener, and this was the cool factor missing from my entire life. I feel so much sluttier listening to this, or happier, or slinkier, whatever I know there's a word for it and I now have to pause my list and go listen to everything T. Rex has. Like right now.

This is my project so I will base my ratings on straight nostalgia if I wanna. Listening to this album 40 years after it was made there is a glaring revelation: yes, it is cheesy. But that does not negate the fact I remembered every word of every song and I felt something in my soul, albeit a bit of embarrassment mixed with the sort of wisdom that only comes with being able to laugh at yourself. Ah, this album on any other occasion would be a 2 now, but there are 3 redeeming factors tied to personal nostalgia that bump it up to a 3. 1. My dad took me to a Bon Jovi/Skid Row concert when I was 11 years old. They played a lot of these songs and it was the coolest thing I ever experienced up to that point in my life. He bought me a concert t shirt, which I still have, and I wore it to school the next day and the other 6th graders were in awe. 2. "Never Say Goodbye" was often used as a couples skate when I was that same age. I remember wanting to be a teenager so badly just so I could experience the good times I would someday reminisce. I would see the teenagers hold hands and skate to this song while I was waiting on the wall for the dumb 6th grade boys to skate around and ask me to skate. It broke my heart in a good way. 3. "Wanted Dead or Alive" is just a great song among the cheese. In fact, Jon Bon Jovi is much better as a cowboy than this spandex mess. I prefer that Young Guns 2 soundtrack to any of his other music. Anyway, this album IS 1986. It is cheesy now, but back then it was really something great.

Let it be known I don't care anymore if I'm not cool enough to get Sonic Youth. I am not angry and 15 years old trying to get the attention of the skaters in the parking lot by blasting "Kissability" or "The Sprawl" from my dad's car. I'm not a freshman art student trying to fit in to the art crowd. I am not that indie darling or that hipster or too cool for school. I am almost 49 years old and I have a shit ton of fucking anxiety and I take Pepcid for my bad stomach and drink Metamucil for regular poops. I have a teenage daughter who sometimes hates me and I work in a public 6-12 school and I live in a world of screaming and complaining and crying and brain rot and constant bullshit so my cortisol levels are always raised, my jaw is permanently clenched, I don't sleep well, I have daily panic attacks, and my heart has palpitations on top of palpitations. Daydream Nation is just too dense, inaccessible, and demanding; like a 7th grade classroom, I just can't deal with this loud shit right now. I don't enjoy being hit with a wall of noise when I turn on a song. No real melody, no singing, just straight noise that makes me feel panicky and old. And while I do enjoy some Sonic Youth hits, like "Dirty Boots", "100%", and the Cypress Hill colab "I Love You Maryjane", I know now most of it is garbage. In fact, a lot of it sounds like the sound that the garbage truck makes outside my house at 6am. Screeching and squeaking and motorized and the monotonous hum of the back of the truck compressing this week's neighborhood trash. And that's ok. Let it be known I don't like Sonic Youth and I turned off Daydream Nation during the second song when this enjoyable project turned into something offensive and meaningless to my ears. I then pressed play on the remaining tracks until the wall of noise happened on each one so I could feel like I didn't give up completely. Just fucking noise. And it's not that I dont appreciate loud music or chaotic music; Sepultura was loud and fast but it was pretty. It's just that damn ZHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHHHHHHHH... I think it was mostly hive mind mentality that convinced a lot of us that this band was the shit back in the 80s and 90s; there's no way I REALLY enjoyed any of this, is there? Maybe it's the fact they're just so New York so they must be cool. Ugh. I'm over it and I'm being honest with myself for the sake of this list of 1001 albums I must hear before I die. Nah. I can die without this one. Now, they get a 2 from me because it's not ALL noise and I understand their significance in shaping the music of my youth. I want to save my 1 star for the worst thing I have ever heard, and this is not it. I just don't particularly like it.

It's not a bad album at all, but not better than Innervisions or Key of Life. It's more lovey/"easy listening" than the others, and I prefer something a little more funky.

I like this in small doses. Maybe one or two songs. But an entire album is overwhelming and intense. It felt very long. Nevertheless, I'll return to listen to select songs again. Edit to add: I just went back and watched a video of Ride's, "Unfamiliar", and holy hell these guys are so freaking cute. 15 year old me in the 90s would have definitely been more into this music had I known they were so incredibly good looking. I am a sucker for that side part, undercut, hair-hanging-in-the-face, skater look. We should definitely bring that back. And the longish, shaggy short hair... like so many guys back then in 1990 were growing their hair super long because of metal and grunge, but I was always more fond of the boys who just kept it messy on top. I will bump my rating up from a 3 to a 4 for aesthetic purposes. Edit again: Annnnnd I just watched another video of them circa 2024, and they are still very hot and more age appropriate for me to think so.

I didn't think I'd enjoy this at first, but after a few songs, it kinda grew on me and I noticed I was dancing along in my car on the way to work. Not bad at all. It was fun to really put on my listening ears and take notice of all the different samples used in each song, which is mindblowing when I think of the talent involved in orchestrating this kind of music. I probably won't go out of my way to listen to it again, but I won't skip it if it happens to pop up on a shuffle.

This album did not make it into my huge collection of cds and cassettes back in 91 because I thought it was annoying as fuck. Flash forward to 2026 and I start listening to this album for this project, and I already know every single song on it. Somewhere in 91, I must have heard this in its entirety. Maybe a party. Maybe a bar. Whatever, I knew every single song and I realize this album must have been EVERYWHERE at the time. This skewed my rating up to a 3 because I know it was really popular, so there must be some good in it that I'm missing, right? So I continued my listen and it's kinda fun. In my opinion, I've heard enough about Anthony Keidis' hard weiner to last a lifetime, but musically, it is kinda funky and I like that part of it. So, I guess what I'm saying is, Kiedis is annoying with his wang talk and chicka chicka dee bow wow wow, but I like the funky fun part of it.

This doesn't sound like 1979, it sounds like some indie rock today. Not bad at all.

Somedays you just really need The Temptations! Reading up on this album, it seems this Grammy winner pissed off a lot of their original fan base by funkin it up a little. I say good for them. One of the most annoying things, to me, in music is when "expert" listeners get angry when their artists take their art in another direction. Like, they're personally attacked or something. Switching things up to remain relevant or reach more people is a wonderful thing if done correctly (of course it can backfire). But in this case, it did not backfire, and it was very enjoyable.

Boy do I love me some Bob Marley. Such an easy listen. All the songs are great and they're already featured on my personal playlists.

Leonard Cohen is a storyteller and a poet, but he'd not a great singer and he's not a great musician. This album is something you should read, not something you should listen to. Ive got two of his albums this week and I figured out I don't have to take Ambien, I can just let Leonard put me to sleep with bedtime stories. Im rating this one a 3 and the other one a 2, because this one seems better even though they're pretty much identical. The 3 is for the lyrics alone, but musically it is dull.

Born to Run sounds like longing feels, gas engines smell, and Marlboro Reds taste.

This album sounds like shopping at Contempo Casuals circa 1992. It has a very specific sound that existed for a wonderful, brief moment in time, and while it's not bad to me, I can see how it might sound dated. It's like one of those "you had to be there" vibes.

It's Jimi, so there's no denying how iconic this album is. But it's just not for me. I LOVED Axis (gave it 5 stars), so I had really high hopes for this one, but i can be the outlier and say Ladyland is not as good. It felt really long, too.

2nd album this week by Cohen and I want to die. These songs work much better as covers because Leonard Cohen's lyrics are ok but he is just bland. Perhaps if I just heard 1 or 2 songs, I'd be ok, but 2 albums is too much for me. Now, on to the other 2 albums I put off this week: Jimi Hendrix and Zepplin. What a diverse Sunday!

I know an album is iconic when I recognize every single track even though I've never purposely listened to the album before. I knew every single song, even sang along Beavis and Butthead-style to the guitar riffs, yet I can't remember an exact time in life I've said, "Hey let's listen to Led Zepplin II". It's way before my time and my parents did NOT like Zepplin. Perhaps I've heard it in the bars I've worked in; when in jukebox doubt, play Zepplin, am I right? Anywho, not my thing, but I appreciate how iconic it is and a few of the songs are low key bangers.

Three Zepplin albums in so far, and I like this one the least. It's kinda boring compared to Zepplin II and III, and nothing remarkable.

I'd never listened to The Byrds before. It wasn't bad. I definitely love the music inspired by this, like Grateful Dead, Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, so it was nice to hear where it came from.

I like the instrumentals on this album better than other reggae albums I've heard. The music is pretty chill but some of the lyrics are dark; it's a fascinating juxtaposition.

This morning was my first time hearing FKA twigs. I know I have to give it a 5 when I think about an album all day long, in a good way. It really stuck with me. Not any particular song or moment, but the whole mood. Amazing.

Apparently I'm the outlier who prefers Lou Reed's solo albums to Velvet Underground. Punk card revoked? Whatever, but the solo stuff is just BETTER.

I was only familiar with two songs on this album, the obvious ones, so I didn't know what to expect. Surprisingly, my favorites ended up being the ones not sung by Slick: "In The Morning" and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". There's some really bluesy stuff here and I am thoroughly impressed. Not what I thought it would sound like at all!

As a late Gen Xer, sometimes I feel like if I had been born just a tad earlier in line with my babysitters and cool uncles I'd have a more refined appreciation for early post punk. After all, I do LOVE the genre and all it has to offer. But that being said, because I was only exposed to the latter part of Echo and the Bunnymen's music, I know I appreciate the stuff that came out in the mid to late 80s a little more than this debut. So, because I have a sneaky suspicion there will be later, 5-star albums by this group in this project, I will give this one a 4 because I was just born to late. Still a great album, just not their BEST.

My 74 year old mother loves the Stones, and as I approach my 50s, the thought of turning into my mother is a very real fear. I look in the mirror and see it every day. But as I stand here in my kitchen on this early Memorial Day holiday morning, scrubbing dishes and rocking out to Let It Bleed, I realize I, too, love the Stones. I love this album. Just one more step closer to becoming my mother. Like others have mentioned, quite possibly the best opener and closer in all the history of rock and roll albums. But for me, it's the meat in the middle, y'all. Good stuff indeed.

It's not for me, musically, but just reading how passionate some of the reviewers are about this album's greatness, makes me wonder if maybe I'm just not ready for it. It wasn't bad and I enjoyed a few songs.

When I was 15 and I had my heart truly broken for the first time, I listened to this album on repeat for the entire summer of '93. I don't know why, because I was heavily into college rock and the Boston scene at that time so this was out of character as far as music goes, but I felt soothed by these songs. I don't know if the album is good or still relevant, but I do know when I heard some of these songs today I felt tremendous sadness for my 15 year old self, and I think any album that allows you to really go back in time like that is pretty powerful and it deserves all the stars.

This entire album is amazing start to finish. I've never heard anything like it, yet I hear it in every punk/post punk album I listen to. Stars infinity.

What can I say, its the Godfather of Punk in the Holy Trinity that is Pop, Reed and Bowie. I love this man, goddammit, and I love this album.

Probably the best album to come out of that short-lived Seattle scene. 9 out of 10 ex-boyfriends recommended. Seriously, Dirt was to high school boys what Little Earthquakes was to us high school girls.

I don't know. I felt like a really cool city girl listening to this. Like, one of those girls that I once read about in Cosmo who needs the versatility of a work outfit that can transform into a "night life" outfit so no time is wasted. Not bad background music at all. There's this one singer in one of the songs that sounds like Titus Andromedon from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmit. That's all I got.

I'd listen to this if I drove a really cool car really, really fast. Alas, I am a 48 year old substitute teacher who obeys traffic laws and drives a 12 year old Jetta with a temperamental check engine light and a broken A/C. Still, it gets a 4 because it's just so darn cool.

I am only familiar with Bowie's singles and have never listened to an entire album until today. I think this is good, but pretty underwhelming for my first Bowie experience. Of course I'm basing that opinion off of the fact I've heard nothing less than how brilliant Bowie is for the past 48 years of my life. I know there are more of his albums on this list, so I haven't lost hope yet. I know there's a 5 star out there. The song "Heroes" is phenomenal, though, and gets all the stars.

Henry Rollins can get it. I'm not as angry or as punk rock as I was 30 years ago when I first heard this album. It still stirs all the right emotions, though. I think this project is sending me on another mid life crisis because after listening to Damaged today, I told off one of my professors and I screamed at a wasp by my front door. I've been a nice, suburban substitute teacher for too long and I want to feel that angry fire again. Thanks Black Flag.

I miss these days when rap artists told stories. I don't care if that makes me seem old. The thing about this album, is you can hear Tupac list all of his self destructive tendencies, he even predicted an early death because of them, yet he didn't change. He's like a real human being and I feel sorry for him.

I love The Beatles. I once dated a guitar-playin, aging hipster in Austin Texas who claimed to hate The Beatles and made a point to mansplain Lennon's abusive lyrics towards women, making sure to reference "You Can't Do That" from this album. Yeah, yeah, yeah we know and I don't care. Later on in that same date, he took me to a hipster house party where we celebrated Notorious B.I.G. and he sang along about all the hoes. I know hipsters are "cool" and "ironic", but I don't think he saw any irony in that. Anywho, I have a lot of dating gems from Austin. I love The Beatles.

This album was so much fun! I was a bit young to ever really know a lot of Van Halen besides the Hagar era, so I enjoyed hearing this debut. It was a super easy listen, ya know, didn't have to think to hard about any of the songs and just let them happen. My favorite song was "I'm the One" because of the energy!

I love The Beach Boys. Listening to this album reminds me of riding in the station wagon with my dad going to Sears or Sunday mornings when he would put on a Beach Boys album and make pancakes. It was always playing in the background. These songs are the soundtrack to some of my favorite memories.

Wow! Everyone knows "Smoke on the Water", but holy hell I didn't realize "Space Truckin'" was Deep Purple. What a great song! What a fun album!

Good god I fucking love this album.

Extremely refreshing!

This album was in heavy rotation on the WTUL college station in the early 90's. I was only 13 years old, but I used to listen to WTUL because it was older and cool, and it pretty much shaped my musical tastes for life. Jane's Addiction, Pixies, Descendants, Camper Van Beethoven, Lush...growing up in the deep south suburbs in a time before the internet, I only knew about this music through WTUL and 120 Minutes. I loved Ritual back then, it was 5-worthy, but now I'll give it a 4 because I have a much broader view of music now and Perry's voice is kinda grating about halfway through.

I was in high school when Dookie and Kerplunk were big, but somehow I skipped past American Idiot later on. I think it was probably the fact I didn't care for that September song back then. But wow, listening to this whole album start to finish, I have a new appreciation for that song and I must say, what a freaking masterpiece! Every song is essential and I will add this entire album to my library.

Post punk is kinda my thing. How have I never listened to Magazine??? 105 albums in, and this one is my most amazing discovery so far! I'm so excited to listen to it again. And again and again and again... So, there's a lot of buzz around counterculture punk in 1978, but noone really highlights this "post punk" breakaway phenomenon. It's more user friendly, and significantly more inspiring towards the "alternative" and "college rock" movement in the 80's, while traditional punk is still simply punk today, having not evolved as much as post punk. I love both, but as I participate in this project, I'm starting to really appreciate post punk a tad more for its versatility; it still hits on all those transgressive themes and tones I love in punk rock, but has more variety in instruments and melodies. Magazine truly is inspirational now that I'm scrolling through my music catalog. This is where it all started.

Every single song on this album is amazing.

David Byrne is such a weirdo. I love this guy.

These songs make me feel good. It's uncomplicated and enjoyable for what it is, much like my life in the 80s. My music doesn't always have to have deeper meaning or groundbreaking musicality. Sometimes I can just appreciate songs that take me back to childhood without picking them apart. Now, I get that's the whole point of a "review", to analyze and pick, but I am one to let my feelings and nostalgia seep into every aspect of life, so I'm just gonna let the "music critics" here handle the analysis while I bask in the glory of the 80s. "Miss Me Blind" is probably my favorite song here, but damn I remember the video on MTV for "Karma Chameleon" and it holds a special place in my heart. Also, Boy George is a really good singer!

Turns out I don't need a handful of drugs to enjoy drum and bass. Nice.

I've never heard of Mott the Hoople as it was a little before my time. I was hooked by the first 30 seconds of the first song, "All the Way From Memphis" and now I have to listen to it again and again and again. My favorite song is probably, "Drivin Sister", because it's super fun and so rock and roll, but that might change as I wear this shit out over the next few days. So glad to get this one today!

My opinions of MJ and the bad choices he made have nothing to do with how much I enjoy this particular album. It's fun and easy to listen to, easy 5 stars for me.

Over 100+ albums and I finally get an all female band. And it's one of my absolute favorites! When I was about 4 years old, I was gifted a "We Got The Beat" 7 inch single and I played it on my Sesame Street suitcase record player until it was scratched beyond belief. This was the very beginning of my music journey and would (along with Sassy magazine) influence my music choices into my teen years, as I preferred Juliana Hatfield, Belly, Throwing Muses, and That Dog. Then, later on, my obsession with The Donnas and The Eyeliners. These ladies are so fucking cool. Favorite songs here will always be "Automatic" and "Can't Stop The World".

Badly Drawn Boy must have slipped past me in the early 2000s because I don't think I've ever heard any of these songs but I feel like I should have. Anyway, I really enjoyed this! The only thing keeping me from giving a 5 is some of the songs sound alike to me and I couldn't tell the difference between them. Still good, though.

My first introduction to Pixies' Bossanova was the song, "Velouria", on a mix tape my sophomore crush gave me back in '93. Side A of the tape was Frank Black's first solo album that was just released, and Side B was an assortment of really cool songs by bands like Teenage Fanclub, Belly, and Pixies. He was so cool and he had the best music so I asked him to make me a copy of the entire Bossanova album. And he did because he had a crush on me, too. Mix tapes in the early 90's were a form of love language. Bossanova is not my favorite Pixies album. Reading these reviews, most people seem to think it's like the step child of Pixies' content. The underdog. Thats kinda harsh, so I listened and loved it harder this time around. Also, "Velouria" still makes me happy, too. So, I give it a solid 5.

Ok, so my Dad didn't listen to Steely Dan; he was more into Beach Boys and Eagles.

This was not what I expected, but still a solid 4.

I didn't know what to expect going into Who's Next, but I was thoroughly entertained the whole time. I knew of the first and last infamous songs and figured the middle would be just filler, but the album as a whole is extremely complete. One more surprise album on this list I'm glad to discover!

How is it possible for an album to be annoying and charming at the same time? Whatever it is, it works.

Listened to The Undertones and Green Day's American Idiot in the same day today, and couldn't help but notice the similarities of teen angst, isolation and self destruction throughout both, including both albums featuring a character, "Jimmy". So, I wonder if Green Day pulled a little inspiration from this Undertones album. Anywho, it's fantastic.

I bet I would have thought Rod Stewart was dreamy AF if I was around in the early 70's. My only exposure to Mr. Stewart is watching the older middle-aged ladies go nuts over his 2000's albums of Jazz standards, so I didn't know what to expect with Every Picture Tells A Story. It was very soulful and very enjoyable, and there were a few songs I absolutely recognize. One of them, "Reason To Believe", is one of those songs I know all the words to but I never think of when I think of Rod Stewart, so I just kind if forget it's there. It was nice to finish the album off with such a pretty song, it really made my morning.

I don't know exactly how to describe it, but Dusty In Memphis made me imagine I was a 1960's housewife daydreaming out the kitchen window while drinking a cup of coffee after the husband and kids have left for the day.

This was a fun listen! I didn't give it a higher rating because it's all cover songs and I really prefer The Stones' later originals like Let It Bleed and Beggar's Banquet, but it is nice to see how they got their start in becoming music royalty.

Neon Bible is the privileged, college-educated man's Born To Run. I love it.

Hey Rufus, you wanna know what gets ME going in the morning? Music that doesn't annoy the everloving fuck out of me, that's what.

Of course this mid 90's teen had this cassette tape blasting out the speakers while driving around the suburbs in her dad's Lebaron convertible on the way to pick up girl friends and one gay boy to go publish a zine, dye our hair Crimson Glow, or listen to slam poetry at a coffee shop. Yes, Live Through This is that specific. 1994 was an amazing time to be a young feminist. And hey, anyone else think it's awesome that 2026 has brought back baby doll dresses and maryjanes? I'm so tickled.

I remember the hits off this massive album but I've never fully listened to OutKast before. Not bad at all and, as a whole, it does represent that pocket of time in 2003 when this was the style for a minute. And can we all just agree this album has the best song ever featuring the word "poo poo"?

After I first heard this album 35 years ago, I did this thing where anytime I did something dumb, like stub my toe or drop my pencil, or like if a wasp was flying in my face or I made an F on a test, I'd scream like Black Francis and my friends thought it was hilarious. I just realized I still do this, but the scream is more internal unless I'm in the comfort of my home. Or if, in this case, I'm listening to Pixies and I want to sing along authentically. Depending on the day, Surfer Rosa is better than Doolittle. Like today. What a fun album.

I think Im supposed to love Fleetwood Mac, but really, I just kinda think they're ok. This album was ok. It's the first whole album I've ever listened to by them, and somehow I feel like that's sinful. I could seriously get shamed for that. Just not my thang, though. Makes me think of my time spent in daycare in the early 80s, and the lady in charge of my class would put on Fleetwood Mac or Juice Newton or Bonnie Tyler (RIP today) when we'd have to lay down on those god awful cots and take sweaty naps. Some nice songs here. More forgettable than memorable, though, and it didn't make me change my decision on the band and turn into a massive fan or anything, so I'll give it a 3.

Listening to this made me feel really cool.

Did I just throw up devil horns to flute music? First time for everything, I suppose. Aqualung is not my thang, but I can appreciate it for how creative it is.

I'm so glad this project allowed me an opportunity to really listen to Neil Young. 3 albums of his so far, and I will absolutely return to his music. It's hard to turn away from these songs because they're just so damn raw and emotional. This one struck an extra nerve because I lost my coparent/former partner to a fentanyl overdose 5 years ago and I really get that kind of grief.

Wow, I knew this was something special from the very first song, "Care of Cell 44". You can hear the influence in so many modern indie songs. Also, everything is clear and crisp, lovely harmonies, and relevant lyrics; it aged well! Love it.

I was a wee freshman when this album came out. It was crazy times in rap because Public Enemy was huge for a minute, and people loved this angry, sociopolitical music, but it quickly became overshadowed by the gangsters and hoes and weed and gin and juice rap that exploded in 92. I like both styles, but I think Public Enemy is more gripping and cerebral. It makes me really pay attention to the lyrics.

I didn't ever listen to Neil Young until this project. I will say some of these songs are quite captivating in a very subdued way. I'm focusing on the lyrics, and that seems to be the most enjoyable way to really get the most out of all this. It sounds like something an alt-country group would put out circa 2002, so I guess it's ahead of it's time in that aspect and something I can love. Very nice indeed.

Hot damn I really like all the 90's electronica on this list. Leftism is so much fun, it definitely brings me back to French Quarter raves in 1995. And lots of ecstasy and acid trips, too. Good times.

I was so excited when the first song, "Frontline", started because it is awesome and I prepared myself for something majestic and worthy of my 5 stars. Unfortunately, there's a lot of filler here to follow, and some of the songs sound the same and I can't tell the difference between them, which annoys me, but is not a deal breaker. I could see putting this on as background music which I'm starting to realize I feel about quite a bit of modern electronic infused stuff, but I am old school and I like my RnB to be well defined. I struggled with a rating here because I like her voice and I like RnB, but perhaps it's a bit too long and samey.

So, I feel like I should like this better than I do. I listen to all of the women inspired by Joni, so I should like Joni. I mean, is there something wrong with me? I don't know, but this was just ok. Maybe I just don't vibe well with her singing style. Her lyrics are interesting, but it's not enough for me to love Court and Spark. I did like the song, "Raised On Robbery", but the album as a whole is just ok.

This album is great. It is truly representative of a certain time in the 90's when electronic music started to weave its way into mainstream music and pop culture. It's pretty neat.

Listening to Raw Power makes me feel like the scum of the earth. Like, I'm on day 4 hair with no dry shampoo, my A/C went out so I'm sticking to the car seat, and I just spent my rent money on scratch-offs and Miller High Life. It sounds like doing dishes with freshly peeled cuticles. More, please and thank you.

I remember Stardust from my parents' record collection. I was so young, so it's one of those memories that you're not quite sure is truly authentic or if the memory has been fed enough information over the years that you come to believe it as your own. But I know we had a very brown living room with brown art and tan curtains and all wood furniture and wood paneling and I would sit on the brown carpet and look at the Stardust cover while it was playing on the stereo in its big, brown cabinet. And I know I remember thinking to myself, "this music does not sound very brown". Or maybe my mom told me I said those words to her and she found it amusing and it's not a true memory. I do know I inherited Stardust as part of a record collection my mom got rid of when she downsized after my dad died. She didn't have a record player in her new, bright white living room. The record I have is one year younger than me. It sounds really old, though, because my parents played the hell out of it, and each scratch and pop adds to the ambience of the track list. Like, it sounds like it's from decades before 1978, which is appropriate for the kind of songs featured. I'm so lucky to be able to time travel through Stardust in this most authentic way. It does not sound brown, at all. In fact, it sounds as lovely as a blue night sky with twinkling stars. It's incredibly charming and nostalgic, and my favorite Willie. Favorite song: "Stardust"

I will admit I'm not a huge country fan outside of Willie and alt-country, but I do hold a special place in my heart for country music featuring an accordion. It gives it that Cajun flare that makes it more palatable as I'm in south Louisiana. It's not a bad album at all. My favorite songs here are "West Texas Waltz" and "Honky Tonkin'". Also, it's a fairly short album, so it's perfect for people like me who like their country in small doses.

I'm not a fan of Kim Gordon's dry heave singing. Better than other Sonic Youth albums, I did enjoy a few of these songs when I was in high school, and I recognize it's significance in music so I'll rate it higher than their other noisy bullshit and give it a 3.

"Hot For Teacher" is really great. I'm a teacher so I have to keep my opinion of that song to myself because I don't want to seem pervy and unethical, but it really is a great rock song. The drums, the guitar, Roth's vocals, that iconic video... it's so delightfully 80's, and the juxtaposition of superb musicianship and cheeky, playful lyrical tone is fantastic.

Christina got some pipes. It's not something I would normally listen to on my own, but it's got a good, girl power theme to it and it's just fun pop music.

I've never heard of The Yardbirds before today. I did recognize the song "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" from a commercial, though. It was aight.

I love Johnny Cash but I dont think this is his best prison album. "Boy Named Sue" will always be a classic, though, and I appreciate it on any album.

In 2005, I spontaneously relocated to Austin, Tx after an inconvenient hurricane destroyed my world in New Orleans. Oh my, I didn't know what it was about Arcade Fire in Austin, but this album and this band seemed to have an absolute mental grip on every hipster in my apartment complex. (Austin was hipster central so that's a lot of hipsters) I could hear this album in the parking lot from cars, in the laundry room, coming out of windows on pretty days, etc... but I never quite allowed it to take over my own life because there was too much REALLY good music to explore in 2005. Especially local music in ATX. Now, after listening in its entirety, I get it. I'm about 22 years late to the party, but I understand the obsession. This is my third Arcade Fire album and my third 5 stars for the band. Probably my favorite "new" discovery since starting this project is Arcade Fire. I slept on it years ago, but I'm so glad I gave all of it another chance. Absolutely amazing.

If I was rating this on how much I'm in love with Jack White, it would get 5 stars easy. Seriously, I love him and I wish I could marry him and have his babies. And while I do love Blunderbuss, I just don't have that 5-star love for it. It's a great album I've heard many times, and today the song "On And On And On" is my favorite.

Very nice listen. Just enough weirdness to keep things interesting.

I used to think I really loved Simon and Garfunkle. Turns out I just really love the covers of their songs and solo Paul Simon. Bookends is not bad at all, but not my favorite.

Those horns are pretty awesome. This album was fun.

Holy shit. I've never even heard of this Elbow stuff but I really needed it in my life today. The universe is funny like that.

I think Justin Timberlake will always be my guilty pleasure of sorts. This album is great, but FutureSex/LoveSounds is the best of his, so I'll give it a 4.

I have quite the pile of albums stacking up in the backlog. Why? Because my life is crazy busy and I feel I cant concentrate or connect with any of them lately. Man, I am so glad I took a chance on this one today because it is just what I needed to get me out of my head. It's uncomplicated, light, funky, and a shit ton of fun. Love it and will return to it again.

I'm so jealous of people who got to hear this for the first time in the 50's.

Not bad, but a few of the songs sound the same. In fact, at one point during listening I noticed what I thought was one song was actually two songs later because it just sounded like one long song.

Hip hop in the 90's was a magical thing to experience, and I'm so grateful I have such awesome memories attached to this era. And this album. I just love it so much. "Passing Me By" is in my top 10 hip hop songs of all time.