My hot take is that White Rabbit is the least engaging part of this record. Classic piece of 60's psychedelia, Somebody to Love and Plastic Fantastic Lover are bangers.
Pleasantly surprised to see this as the highest rated album on this site. This hit machine has been discussed to death but is rightfully known as a masterpiece, in my opinion it's nearly perfect. Go Your Own Way was my introduction to 70s rock many years ago and has aged like a fine wine.
*Record Collection
Really love the unique atmosphere that this album creates, it’s enough to make up for the songs blending together. A solid listen filled with bold artistic choices.
Undoubtedly influential to so much of the punk music that I do enjoy, however Iggy Pop's vocals have just never appealed to me. Points for influence but I'll likely never return.
My favorite Bowie album, the right amount of fascinating and interesting songwriting mixed with the funk rock feeling makes for an exhilarating listen. I struggle to get into most of the rest of his discography, but this is the record I come back to most often.
Simple, compelling, one-of-a-kind folk rock. This supergroup is taken for granted over 50 years after its creation, but this was a big deal! Amazing time capsule of the hippie movement at its peak. The blend of their voices together is otherworldly.
Mike’s flows are occasionally interesting, but the beats throughout the album are either forgettable or annoying, with nothing in between. The style hasn’t aged the best, and ultimately this album has very little to say and way too many points where it absolutely drags along.
The sample work is obviously impressive, but the songs just aren't as much fun to listen to as they should be given the amount of work that went into everything. Lots of repetition. Frontier Psychiatrist is always fun though.
Janelle Monáe is one of a kind. This will never be my style, personally, but I can’t deny how great the production and the songwriting is. Makes for an especially fun listen even if I probably won’t be back, there are some serious earworms here that have aged like a fine wine.
Snoozer. I don’t want to be too hard on this because the lyricism is at least intriguing, but when the singer himself doesn’t sound interested in what’s being discussed it is difficult for me to care. Won't remember this in a couple of days.
Classic psych rock that feels so effortless despite being some of the catchiest and most interesting music to come out of its decade. Jimi Hendrix is a wizard, of course, but repeated listens will show just how tight the entire band is on this one. Electric Ladyland is his personal masterpiece, this one is the full Experience.
The type of alt rock that works for me exactly once, within the confines of this album, and then somehow never again. Great tunes on here though. You Oughta Know has a special kind of fire to it.
Title track is fantastic, unfortunately the rest of the album completely blended together and just wasn't anywhere near as interesting. Points for influence but forgettable as a full project.
A little too goofy and over the top for me. I can see the crumbs of influence of so many better bands from the years since this was released, but I’m not hearing anything worth listening to regularly here.
Gotta say that this is terrible. I really wanted to like this, but his voice is so, so, annoying and none of the songs are remotely engaging. There’s an air of pretentiousness to the entire experience that turned me off of the album entirely. I went in with high hopes and was seriously disappointed.
One of the greatest hip hop albums ever recorded. Years before I ever visited New York and realized how true to life the descriptors in here actually were, this album dropped me in and showed the good, the bad and the ugly through the lens of one of the greatest lyricists in the history of rap music. Nas has spent his career chasing this high, but inspired so many great rappers and musicians with this awesome debut. A milestone for the genre and a gold standard for rap. The World Is Yours is peak.
I’ve always appreciated the idea of Sleater-Kinney more than any of their music. They serve up some serviceable indie rock with a pretty consistent edge, but everything blends together and nothing really grips me.
Insane that this exists at all, especially from 1966, such a frantic and unique experience. Sounds like some sort of psychotic break soundtracked with punk rock, which isn’t what I’d necessarily consider to be "good music" but is still an entertaining listen regardless.
I love the Beatles so much. This is by far the most forgettable album of their career, it has the most duds by far and way too many covers, but the band is so unbelievably talented that it still stands out as some of the best music created in the early 60's. All My Loving is the obvious highlight here, but honorable mention to one of my favorite Ringo vocals in I Wanna Be Your Man. Great start, but the best is yet to come.
Nina Simone's voice has some ridiculous power to it that has never been replicated. Not my personal genre of choice but I'll never downplay her greatness, I can completely see why so many people connect with her.
Chill and smooth cool jazz to relax to, as expected. It's probably the least individually remarkable out of the Miles Davis albums I've listened to, but the vibes are still great. Nice in the background but not a whole lot to unpack.
My favorite album from one of my favorite bands, what else is there to say? This is an album packed with my favorite songs, the reasons why I fell in love with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the first place, and the reasons that I keep coming back. Signature songs like Around the World, Otherside and Californication were and are absolutely everywhere, for good reason. The explosion of Around the World is immediately followed by the slow burn of Parallel Universe leading up to another big bang of its own. Easily and This Velvet Glove and Savior and Purple Stain all have the makings of massive hits without ever seeing the success of the other hits on here. Road Trippin' is right up there with my favorite album closers. The album moves through dynamics like a breezy wave on the California coast, it manages to be fun, funky, thought-provoking and awe-inspiring. I find it hard to describe how perfect the album is for me, but the feeling that it gives me is beyond description.
And Scar Tissue, damn. Put my life on the line and ask me to pick a favorite song of all time, and it's Scar Tissue. The song that first made me realize the massive impact that great music can have. Hits every time.
*Record Collection
Can't go wrong with Zeppelin, each of their albums are a blueprint for the future of rock music. II hits like a sledgehammer, it's fun from front to back and heavier than anything else that was coming out at this point. Definitive classic rock, and still nowhere close to the heights that the band would reach later on.
Yeehaw. This is standard, inoffensive 80’s country. It gets the job done but it’s seriously lacking in standout moments.
Whole lot of Nick Cave on this list. I’ve always considered his music to be interesting, but nowhere near as amazing as it’s hyped up to be. This album was no different, I enjoyed a few moments but it’s nothing that I would ever return to. I wish that his vocals clicked a bit more for me.
Pleasant enough in the background, but does nothing to stand out from other artists who were creating the exact same type of music at this time. I can see the vision, but it’s just not compelling enough to stick.
Absolute classic, one of the most unique and entertaining rap albums of all time. The sample work on here is ridiculous, the group is perpetually underrated and the genre fusions, scope of influence and sheer audacity of this record is unbelievable. Always puts a smile on my face.
Glorified elevator music, unfortunately. I’m sure that this would be relaxing and chill to the right audience, but I am not that audience.
Not necessarily bad, but wholly unimpressive. The production is nice and the album doesn’t do much of anything wrong, but only because it isn’t doing all that much in the first place.
Straight forward, no frills, balls to the wall rock and roll. My love of songs with great riffs began with AC/DC and I’ll never tire of their sound. The title track is one of the best rock songs ever written and the rest of the album isn't far behind. Sometimes the simplest setup can lead to the most memorable experience.
*Record Collection
A stunning work of art. Hits every emotional high and low and somehow finds a new way to blow my mind with each listen. This record holds a special place in my heart, and it's reassuring to know that I'm not alone in that feeling.
Not to mention that this is possibly my favorite album of the decade. It has a prog epic on each end, a proto-electronic soundscape and a straight rocker between, and one of the most touching and personal songs ever written in the title track. Means more than words could ever describe to me and so many others. There will never be another album quite like this one.
I’m not the biggest fan of the Beach Boys outside of a select number of their singles so I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this, but as a separate solo offering this was a very pleasant experience. Surprisingly funky for such a laid-back performance.
Certainly one of the albums of all time, left zero impression. Britpop wouldn’t be remembered all that fondly if it only ever sounded like this.
Very sweet vibes on this one. I hadn't thought about this album at all since the first time I heard it, but I immediately remembered how spaced-out and relaxed the experience is. Probably not going out of my way to listen again, but I certainly won't complain if it comes on.
I remember being blown away by this on my very first listen, but every time that I've tried to return to it since then I have been less impressed. Live albums don't end up in my rotation too often unless the specific performances are changing the structure of the music. Definitely an awesome performance here, but I'll probably stick to the studio versions of the band's best tracks.
The album that serves as the most accessible form of Kate Bush's music. Not too slow, not too artsy, just banger after banger. Good dogs too.
Why Don't We Do It In The Road? is the greatest piece of writing that Paul McCartney has ever set to music. Plenty of amazing stuff on here, but nothing comes close to the best song ever written.
Lots of fun. Not really my thing personally, but it would be difficult not to have a good time listening to this music.
Not for me. I would’ve appreciated a song or two in this style, but for the duration of an entire album it all begins to blend together.
One of the albums of all time. It sure sounds like the 60’s, but there aren’t any standout moments to be found.
Very fun listen. The Who weren’t the most innovative band in the world, especially in early stages like this, but they knew how to write a banger.
Love The White Stripes. This is the biggest curveball album of their career and certainly takes a lot of risks, but the sauce is still there and the tracks slap. The Denial Twist and My Doorbell have been on most of my playlists since the first time I heard them, and the rest of this isn’t too far behind. Just a great performance from one of the tightest bands in rock music.
Can't go wrong with Zeppelin, the blues rock is blues rockin' here. Probably their most varied album out of their big legendary run, enough folk mixed in to keep things interesting. Immigrant Song is obviously the highlight, but everything that follows is super underrated.
The vibes are great and the music is addictive. Jazzy, smooth and laid back. Black Magic Woman is the obvious highlight but the entire experience is so sweet.
At a runtime of nearly two hours and with very little deviance or new ideas to be found, this album is an endurance test in the worst way. Probably the worst possible way to introduce someone to drum and bass is with this long of a project. Time wasted.
Whole lotta Zeppelin to start out this list for me, not that I’m complaining, but the odds of hitting three of their albums within my first fifty are pretty ridiculous. I used to think that this album was overrated, but ultimately I just connect with some of the other Zeppelin albums more and this is still peak regardless. Stairway to Heaven deserves all of the hype surrounding it, and Levee is maybe the best blues track of the band’s career. The performances are on point.
There is some absolutely frenetic energy to these songs, the album feels like it’s a few riffs away from flying off of the rails entirely. Reminds me of early work from The White Stripes. Too samey for my personal taste, but the band definitely hit the vibe that they were aiming for.
Strong showing from The Doors, this isn't their greatest work but it has a few of my favorite songs in Peace Frog and Roadhouse Blues. Wish that they could have created so much more.
Certainly biased here as Def Leppard has always been my favorite hair metal band and I grew up listening to them constantly, but I don't care. Sometimes a band just writes twelve absolute bangers and turns the fun factor all of the way up. Hysteria is such a great time, perfectly polished with so much cheese and its accessible sound serves as a gateway for prospective metal fans to discover more from the genre. Couldn't hate this if I tried to.
What an album. Obviously a product of the 90's but the best songs on here are absolutely timeless. Mayonaise, Disarm and Rocket especially.
Honestly, a very emotionally overwhelming album. I love Radiohead but I don’t come back to this nearly as often as I could because you need to be in a specific type of funk or dissociative mood for Kid A to really click. It’s probably a good thing that I don’t hit that low all too often, but damn, dude. When it hits you, it hits you hard.
I started getting into Traffic earlier this year and have fallen in love with so much of Steve Winwood’s work with the band. That said, my hopes were high for this album and unfortunately the solo Steve experience is completely disposable. I’ve gained and lost nothing from listening to this.
This is the type of Radiohead that I can't get enough of. For me, The Bends is full of songs to be pleasantly surprised by on shuffle after not hearing them for a while. Not as full and conceptual as what was still to come, but fantastic all the same.
I appreciate Willie Nelson the man far more than I’ll ever love most of his music. Slower country isn’t really for me, but this is still pleasant.
I was so late to Arcade Fire. Instead of listening to them during the 2000s and early 2010s like everyone else, it took until 2023 for me to dive into their discography. But Funeral is perfect. This was actually one of the album discoveries that kept me hooked on exploring new music so that I could find experiences that would click with me just as much as Funeral did. It’s bittersweet, empowering, tragic and just revolutionary for indie music. The Neighborhood tracks are all spectacular, listening to Crown of Love is a surefire way to make me tear up, and songs like Wake Up and Rebellion are just so impressive within the context of the album experience. From start to finish this is a masterpiece. It’s a shame what the band has become in the years since, but we’ll always have those first four amazing records to go back to.
The best moments on here are spectacular, with the title track possibly being the best song of any of the group member’s careers. Maybe not the greatest singular album experience, some parts haven’t aged the best, but undoubtedly influential.
Musically, unbelievable. Focusing on each instrument separately while listening to this band is so rewarding. The songs may not always mesh perfectly, but the pieces are so strong that it results in plenty of awesome moments. It's Alright for You and Walking on the Moon are the highlights for me.
Just a fun and charming album. Nothing too fancy, just entertaining songwriting and a warm atmosphere throughout. Coconut has become a bit of a funny meme song in the years since its release but it's still a banger. Special mention to Jump Into The Fire as well, seven minutes just floats on by.
Expected to enjoy this one a lot more than I did. I’m a big fan of Gang Starr so the production was easily my favorite part, unfortunately Jeru isn’t unique enough of a rapper to stand out amongst his peers from the same era. Still a few fun moments but nowhere near what I had hoped for.
Surprisingly worth going out of my way to track down and listen to the entire album. I don’t know that I’d rather listen to this than Siouxsie and the Banshees if I have that as an option, but the performances on here are still very strong.
A bit of an anomaly for me honestly, as is this the only reggae album that I’ve ever truly loved. But I do love it, there’s a spark here that hits just the right spot for me. Hopefully some more time with this generator will lead me to some reggae that I love just as much.
Technically impressive, although I wish I were more captivated by the music. Jazz is a tough sell for me already so a tight performance alone isn't usually enough.
Feels like a bonus Talking Heads album with some ambient sprinkled throughout, which is nice! Eno hasn’t clicked for me before this album and I think that his voice has been the main barrier, but I enjoyed this album a lot. Fingers crossed for the future.
Possibly my favorite Neil Young record, just depends on the day and my mood. The beautiful folkier start slowly eases into a heavy and thrilling rock ending, with both Out of the Blue and Into the Black giving you goosebumps that don't go away. Would have fit right into the grunge movement but predated it by a decade.
*Record Collection
I feel like I should love this band, they write some solid songs but none of it leaves any impression on me for more than a few minutes after listening. Doesn't do anything wrong but doesn't blow me away either. The artwork is the most memorable part of my experience here, if only the project gripped me as much as that hand was gripping the egg.
Huge if you’re a superfan of congas and bongos. If you enjoy them in moderation, as I do, this is the complete opposite of moderation. An exhausting listen.
