1001 Albums Summary

Not my favorite band from this era. But the talent is undeniable

Meh

Would’ve been a 5/5 if it was cover album

Favorite album so far

This is something I would expect to see on a Spotify discover weekly, not on a list of the most important albums ever made

Turns out all of the Rolling Stones songs I like were on different albums

Meh

Just another album in the continued trend of everything post 1990 being mediocre at best. Except OutKast… that album slapped

Definitely some bangers. But not every song needs to be 6 and a half minutes long

Pretty samey in the first half but felt it picked up after drive (which slaps)

Pretty solid album

Very Sheryl Crow-esque. Nothing particularly bad about this album, but no standouts either

Not Bowie’s most iconic, but definitely important. Maybe there’s a bit of bias considering the circumstances of this album, but it was excellent with Lazarus being a standout. Essential listening for any Bowie fans

After listening to home of the body bag, I definitely felt like this album was gonna turn into a slog to listen. But pretty much right after first impression I was hooked. This album was catchy as hell.

Not many individual songs that I would revisit, but as an album it’s excellent. It only gets better as the album goes on. Favorite songs: River, the last time I saw Richard

Trash

U2 2 electric boogaloo. I do genuinely like yellow as a song, but it just doesn’t make up for how boring the rest of the album is. If this is the best Coldplay has to offer, I don’t want to hear the rest. 2/5 stars- this better not mess up my Spotify algorithm

Honestly pretty fun! I think this was the first album by an artist I hadn’t heard before where I genuinely enjoyed what I was listening to. Not perfect, but solid hair metal. Favorite song was tooting bec wreck.

War pigs, paranoid, and iron man alone set the ceiling pretty high on this one. Great album front to back. Favorite song: hand of doom

I obviously know mgmt from the 3 singles on this album, but knew surprisingly little outside of that. I was pleasantly surprised with how good the other tracks were too. This is probably the first album on this that I could see myself adding to my day to day listening. Favorite songs: time to pretend, kids, of moons, birds, and monsters

Not for me. The style of singing was super grating and didn’t help that every single song sounded the same. The last song on the album actually did something different, but was the shortest. Favorite song: bull session (didn’t have to listen to them sing anymore, and then it was over)

If this was only about Eric Claptons skill as a guitarist, I’d have to give it a 5. If it was about how good of a person he was, it’d be a 1. But ultimately it’s somewhere in the middle. Layla is truly an incredible song, but the album title couldn’t be more true. The rest of the album just feels like filler to get to the title track. The guitar riffs are genuinely incredible, but doesn’t make up for the other parts of the songs for me. Also little wing doesn’t hold a candle to Hendrix’s version. Favorite song: it’s pretty obvious here

I’ve had a couple of divisive opinions on some of the more iconic bands, but this isn’t going to be one of them. Front to back, this album was great. Honestly, the most surprising thing about this album was how little of it I knew. No notes on this one. Favorite songs: Eleanor rigby, love you to

I don’t think I had actually listened to full queen album before. It’s usually just been the greatest hits. Overall, I thought the album was solid, with some enjoyable songs scattered throughout. Transitions from song to song were immaculate, which helped heighten the album as well. Favorite song: Killer Queen

The Wikipedia article said this was one of the most influential albums of the post punk genre. The only way I can see this being influential is if it was an example of what not to do. The first song starts with rambling garbage and I figure it can’t get worse. Then it goes it slam poetry and I realize it can. At no point does it getter better. This album is bad and should have been nowhere near a list like this. One final point. Stop 👏 making 👏 8 👏 minute 👏 songs 👏 Favorite song: absolutely not

I had never heard of nick drake before, but this album caught me off guard with how good it was. It was definitely a moving album and I enjoyed every minute of it, even if it did get a little samey at parts. Would listen again. Favorite songs: ‘cello song, thoughts of Mary Jane, Saturday sun

Not a perfect album, but still pretty great. Favorite songs: someday, last nite, take it or leave it

Fun album! Nice to hear something outside of the UK/US.

Not bad. Little samey from time to time but good vibes Favorite song: sunshine of your love

Not having heard him before, I chose to go down the Wikipedia rabbit hole to learn more. It was there that I learned that this man is truly heinous, with his article capping off with an 18 month prison sentence. Which coincidentally is the average length of one of his songs. 2/5: hints of something there, maybe I’ll learn more about Congolese music from someone that isn’t an absolute scumbag

A couple things: 1) Get out of here with this compilation album shit. If you need a compilation album to be considered important, then you shouldn’t be on the list 2) See point 1. 28 minutes long and no variety in song style. Do better The music itself was solid

Getting through the first couple of minutes of circus music was rough, but it was worth it to get a trippy, psychedelic vibe after that. A little repetitive at times, but didn’t ruin the vibe

Fun album! Didn’t expect to recognize a song on there!

It was a lot, but the music was solid

The music and lyrics for this are on point. I feel like the songs fit his voice better than highway 61 revisited. I still think some of his best songs are done as covers, but I’m starting to see the appeal Favorite song: sad-eyed lady of the lowlands

What happens when you mix a doors cover band, some dude off the street, indie, ska, and polka? You get someone going through a midlife crisis and deciding the coral is one of 1001 albums that must be heard before you die. You’re not special for putting this album on the list. You’re just an asshole who subjected the general public to shitty music

Good background music

Felt like most of these songs could be a title track for a James Bond movie. But like, a 60s bond movie where he’ll say a slur and then harass a woman

Killers already did it

I’ll start writing interesting reviews when Coldplay starts releasing interesting music Favorite songs: clocks, the scientist, green eyes

At least the songs were short

Some albums are so good that you almost forget the genre it’s in… this is not one of them. However, K.D.’s voice makes the album bearable despite how painfully country it is

Vibed

Meh. At least it was short

Imagine an incel talk sang an hour long album about his life experiences. Now imagine someone with a shitty British accent karaoked the entire thing. That’s Ian dury. Fuck any professional critic that actually thought this album was meaningful. Hour of my life I’m never getting back

This is 1001 best albums of all time, and as a full album, this is a great showing. The concept works well and some of the songs are iconic.

All bangers

I like The Who. I’m sure they’re phenomenal live. But this album isn’t it. This has no right being on this list. Might as well just throw a greatest hits on there at that point. Be better

I didn’t realize The Bee Gees did music outside of disco and could have kept it that way

I think nick drake has been one of my favorite artists so far that I hadn’t heard before starting this.

Meh

Solid album

Shitty britpop

I have no idea what to think about this album. I do know that tossing an Oppenheimer quote in there doesn’t make your album deep. Some genuinely interesting songs, but the tonal whiplash can be a bit much at times. Not the worst thing I’ve heard on this list

There’s too much good music in the world for us to continually be subjected to some of this shit. Album should be last on the list because it will bore you to death

The first half of the album is iconic. And while the second half definitely isn’t as well known, it’s definitely still great. One of the only albums on this list that I already own on vinyl Favorite songs: otherside, californication

What did I just listen to?

Mr. Brightside might be the most overplayed song of all time, but that doesn’t change the fact that this album rocks. This is the killers at their best

Enough with the shitty britpop already.

This album could have been an email. There are much better examples of experimental hip hop out there

Whether you’re talking about popularity, quality, or importance to music overall, it doesn’t matter. This album belongs. Probably the easiest 5 I’ll give. Despite never having sit down and knowingly listened to this album front to back before today, I found myself knowing almost every song. And it fucking rocks. Favorite songs: never going back again, dreams, the chain

While this album wasn’t bad, I just don’t see the vision in making this a must listen before you die. The music sounds directly ripped out of a 60’s jam band, with nothing new to bring to the table. Do the creators of this list just pull numbers out of a hat for albums post 2000? It sure seems that way when you look at the Wikipedia intro and see that this album was rated as the 46 best album of that year by Rolling Stones. And you’re telling me that makes it deserving for best ever? Get real. Or maybe the reviews are out of touch boomers and scared of new sounds that they didn’t grow up with 🤷🏻‍♂️

Hell yeah

I’ll give it one extra star for Detroit rock city, but nothing else for whatever I just listened to.

I actually really liked this and would be willing to revisit. It feels like a more toned down version of what R.E.M. would be in later album (which works for me) Favorite song: West of the Fields

Enough britpop

That album was excellent front to back

Not really for me, but not terrible. One slaps though

It’s unbelievable that some of the worst music I’ve heard is coming from a list titled 1001 albums to listen to before you die. A Scottish psychedelic rock band playing the sitar relied seemed like the epitome of music? Really? Really? I hate this album so much. It belongs in the trash with any and all britpop that I know is coming