1001 Albums Summary

Fifth Dimension by The Byrds

Groundbreaking early psychedelic record. Sheds the Dylan covers of the early records although the songwriting is lacking on a couple of filler tracks.

Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park

Impressive combination of emo vulnerable lyrics with metal and hiphop inspired music.

Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins

Great songwriting. Solid 90s grunge/glam sound. Vocals a bit grating throughout.

Soul Mining by The The

Interesting synth pop/post punk.

The Number Of The Beast by Iron Maiden

Solid metal album with hints of Black Sabbath and Deep Purple

Disintegration by The Cure

Solid synth-pop songs.

The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd

Perfect album. Great songs and performances. Themes of fear and existential dread. Timeless.

Central Reservation by Beth Orton

Pleasant singer-songwriter album with some interesting production touches.

Talking Timbuktu by Ali Farka Touré

Interesting and evocative hybrid of African desert blues and American blues.

The Beach Boys Today! by The Beach Boys

Increasingly sophisticated production and songwriting. Early hints of where Brian Wilson was heading as a composer. Still retains the exuberance of the early recordings. Transitional.

Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand

Solid indie rock album. A couple of great singles. Lacks variation in sound and tempo as an album.

Fred Neil by Fred Neil

Pleasant folk rock with minimal production. Decent songs.

American Gothic by David Ackles

Meandering musical and vocal arrangements. Vague and impressionistic lyrics. Not particularly compelling.

Paranoid by Black Sabbath

Genre defining early heavy metal. The dark side of the psychedelic dream. Filled with bleak lyrics, great songs and a heavy vibe.

Follow The Leader by Korn

Uninspired nu metal. Gimmicky shouting vocals and monotonous grinding music.

Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones

Timeless collection of some of the finest tracks the Stones recorded. Spans country, blues and their own unique brand of rock. Great performances by the band.

Fuzzy Logic by Super Furry Animals

Catchy yet inconsequential Brit pop

Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis

Genre defining album. Very cool and atmospheric.

Music by Madonna

Auto tuned pop confection.

Black Monk Time by The Monks

Nuggets style garage psych rock.

Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg

Musically reminiscent of Parliament/Funkadelic. Lyrics have not aged well.

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes by TV On The Radio

Complex vocal arrangements. Low key shoegaze type musical arrangements.

Movies by Holger Czukay

Ambient noises and samples. Not compelling.

Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley

The blueprint for rock and roll. Raw and energetic, before Elvis got sanitised.

Abbey Road by Beatles

Stunning final statement. Shows the best elements of the band working together. Timeless songs and performances. Perfect Album.

Elephant by The White Stripes

Blues rock reduced to the fundamental elements.

Wild Is The Wind by Nina Simone

Haunting minimalist arrangements and powerful vocals.

Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem

Derivative electronic sounds. Reminiscent of Bowie’s Berlin years.

The Bones Of What You Believe by CHVRCHES

Indie synth.

In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra

Vintage songs and orchestration.

A Wizard, A True Star by Todd Rundgren

An abundance of ideas, a lack of editing or self control. Sonically ambitious but chaotic and scattered.

You've Come a Long Way Baby by Fatboy Slim

Uneven album with a couple of standout tracks.

Penance Soiree by The Icarus Line

Decent indie post punk.

You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen

Haunting meditations on death. Musically minimal arrangements that support the voice and mood.

Illinois by Sufjan Stevens

Ambitious yet quirky indie album.

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac

Chaotic collection of tracks seemingly without narrative or thematic thread. Impressive range of sounds and emotions.

Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & The Holding Company

Raw blues rock. Exceptional vocals.

Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos

Powerful songs and performances.

Fear Of Music by Talking Heads

Quirky new wave.

Stephen Stills by Stephen Stills

Great album. Amazing guest stars that somehow don’t take over the album. Prolific few years for Stills.

Revolver by Beatles

Huge leap forward. Revolutionary songs and productions. Perhaps the best example of what each member contributed to the overall band. Each song seems to define a genre in the future.

The Atomic Mr Basie by Count Basie & His Orchestra

Classic big band sounds.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted by Ice Cube

Rum Sodomy & The Lash by The Pogues

Great hybrid of punk and traditional instrumentation.

Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones

Eschewing the psychedelic experiments, the Stones get back to the blues and start the classic run of albums of the era.

It's Blitz! by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Indie synth rock

The Joshua Tree by U2

Epic in scale, sound and ambition. A sweeping outsider’s perspective of America.

Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits

Great songs. Sterile 80s production.

We Are Family by Sister Sledge

Disco. Decent songs and great vocals. But still disco.

Purple Rain by Prince

Solid songs with typical 80s sheen.

Vol. 4 by Black Sabbath

Peak sludge metal with some surprising variations.

The Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett

Piano improvisation.

Hot Fuss by The Killers

Catchy indie pop earworms.

Dog Man Star by Suede

Solid Bowie inspired songs.

Tank Battles by Dagmar Krause

Theatrical cabaret.

The Slim Shady LP by Eminem

Musically interesting, lyrically puerile.

Beach Samba by Astrud Gilberto

Inessential world music.

Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson

Soul and rap influences on typical 80s production. Socially conscious content.

Youth And Young Manhood by Kings of Leon

Scrappy garage rock. Sounds a bit thin, vocals grating.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek & The Dominos

Peak Clapton, aided by Duane Allman and a sympathetic band. Clapton never sounded so authentic or engaged with the blues.

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live) by Motörhead

Raw metal. Great intense atmospheric live recording.

Thriller by Michael Jackson

Excellent 80’s pop.

Crime Of The Century by Supertramp

Catchy Floyd-lite.

The Nightfly by Donald Fagen

Bringing It All Back Home by Bob Dylan

Epic, poetic and mischievous. Fantastic transitional record from folk hero to rock star.

White Light by Gene Clark

Gentle country rock. Beautiful songs and spare arrangements.

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus

Two Dancers by Wild Beasts

Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson

Sparse country arrangements in concept narrative.

Dookie by Green Day

Genre defining punk record.

Dig Your Own Hole by The Chemical Brothers

Beat heavy 90s jams.

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got by Sinead O'Connor

Intense. Musically varied, lyrically heavy.

Tigermilk by Belle & Sebastian

Pleasant indie folk rock.

Lust For Life by Iggy Pop

Great record. Full of punk energy. The Passenger is an all time classic.

Before And After Science by Brian Eno

Atmospheric synth heavy studio creations.

Playing With Fire by Spacemen 3

Impressive 60s psychedelic pastiche.

Stankonia by OutKast

Entertaining mix of rap, funk and hip hop.

Off The Wall by Michael Jackson

Disco and funk influenced pop.

Fisherman's Blues by The Waterboys

Great combination of traditional instruments and folk/rock songs. Van Morrison is a clear influence.

1989 by Taylor Swift

Glossy pop.

Horses by Patti Smith

Raw, visceral and poetic. Punk in attitude, literary in scope.

Born In The U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen

Perfect combination of stadium ambition and artistic integrity. Despair has never sounded so good.

The Last Of The True Believers by Nanci Griffith

Pleasant country/folk

The Score by Fugees

Cool, accessible hip-hop

Palo Congo by Sabu

So much percussion.

Smash by The Offspring

Perfect amalgamation of punk and grunge.

Very by Pet Shop Boys

Synth pop. So what.

I Should Coco by Supergrass

Fun garage influenced britpop.

GI by Germs

Snarling hardcore. All attitude, lacking proficiency.

Maverick A Strike by Finley Quaye

Modern dub reggae sounds. Interesting but uneven album.

Africa Brasil by Jorge Ben Jor

World music funk. Kind of fun.

Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle by Bill Callahan

Low key indie. Pleasant.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by OutKast

Eclectic hiphop. Needs editing.

Locust Abortion Technician by Butthole Surfers

Just plain weird.

To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar

I don’t get it. Shrug.

Southern Rock Opera by Drive-By Truckers

Brilliant concept album. Maintains a narrative thread. Excellent collection of songs.

Colour By Numbers by Culture Club

Surprisingly good songs and arrangements. Expectations were low after the first track.

Bayou Country by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Raw, elemental and earthy. Tight songs and performances. No psychedelic excess.

The Man Who by Travis

Pleasant. Faint praise.

Scream, Dracula, Scream by Rocket From The Crypt

Great energy and unique sound. Great horns.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 by George Michael

Pleasant inoffensive pop.

Ramones by Ramones

Perfect punk primitivism.

Odelay by Beck

Beat heavy adaptations of traditional styles.

Snivilisation by Orbital

Electronic sample heavy jams. Meandering.

Disraeli Gears by Cream

Excellent psychedelic blues crossover. Clapton before he started playing safe.

Superunknown by Soundgarden

Perfect blend of grunge, psychedelia and metal.

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche by Koffi Olomide

Pleasant. Faint praise.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Reverent collaboration between contemporary musicians and Nashville legends.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie

Great collection of songs and slightly bonkers concept.

Da Capo by Love

Excellent early psychedelic record. Side 2 doesn’t add much.

Architecture And Morality by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

Pretentious synth.

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel

Some stunning moments but uneven overall.

1977 by Ash

Catchy mix of 90s styles.

Be by Common

Crazysexycool by TLC

She's So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper

Pop confection.

Bug by Dinosaur Jr.

Noisy punk grunge hybrid.

Back to Mystery City by Hanoi Rocks

My Generation by The Who

Pop and R&B collide into something unique.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel

Delicate and tuneful.

Diamond Life by Sade

Smooth.

Document by R.E.M.

Indie jangle with rock edge.

Pornography by The Cure

Noisy post punk.

Low by David Bowie

Strangely compelling icy soundscapes.

Fun House by The Stooges

Primal proto-punk.

Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Tuneful primitivism. Another great collection of originals and covers. Last in an amazing run of albums.

Moving Pictures by Rush

Polished prof. Mildly pretentious.

Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair

Low-fi indie. Interesting but not compelling.

The Modern Dance by Pere Ubu

Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis

Melodrama by Lorde

Buena Vista Social Club by Buena Vista Social Club

Home Is Where The Music Is by Hugh Masekela

The Infotainment Scan by The Fall

I’m a Lonesome Fugitive by Merle Haggard

Guero by Beck

Fulfillingness' First Finale by Stevie Wonder

Blue Lines by Massive Attack

Very smooth hip hop

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco

Superfly by Curtis Mayfield

Iconic soul and funk.

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit

Bonkers but interesting.

Roger the Engineer by The Yardbirds

Blues and psychedelia. So many ideas. Great guitar by Jeff Beck.

Young Americans by David Bowie

Cool soul genre exercise

Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Great collection of songs. So much talent in one group. Shame they didn’t record more.

Your New Favourite Band by The Hives

Raucous garage punk.

Pelican West by Haircut 100

80s cheese. Catchy

Different Class by Pulp

Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch

Sublime album. Perfect songwriting and harmony vocals. Dreamy.

Kimono My House by Sparks

Sound Affects by The Jam

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Virgin Suicides by Air

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips

Live At Leeds by The Who

Rocks by Aerosmith

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys

Deep Purple In Rock by Deep Purple

Rock 'N Soul by Solomon Burke

Classic soul.

G. Love And Special Sauce by G. Love & Special Sauce

Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós

Ethereal

Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes

Guitar Town by Steve Earle

The Rising by Bruce Springsteen

Musically powerful. Profound and sensitive response to tragedy. Both specific and timeless.

Crocodiles by Echo And The Bunnymen

Transformer by Lou Reed

Roxy Music by Roxy Music

Armed Forces by Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Tommy by The Who

Moss Side Story by Barry Adamson

Teen Dream by Beach House

Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes

Under Construction by Missy Elliott

Darklands by The Jesus And Mary Chain

Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk

Metallica by Metallica

One World by John Martyn

Phaedra by Tangerine Dream

Hunky Dory by David Bowie

Liege And Lief by Fairport Convention

Tres Hombres by ZZ Top

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea by PJ Harvey

Tago Mago by Can

Imperial Bedroom by Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Bert Jansch by Bert Jansch

The Wall by Pink Floyd

Trio by Dolly Parton

The Sensual World by Kate Bush

Boston by Boston

Blue by Joni Mitchell

The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest

Kala by M.I.A.

xx by The xx

London Calling by The Clash

My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts by Brian Eno

Violator by Depeche Mode

Infected by The The

The Visitors by ABBA

The Idiot by Iggy Pop

Bitches Brew by Miles Davis

...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears

Skylarking by XTC

Let's Stay Together by Al Green

Orbital 2 by Orbital

good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector by Various Artists

Arrival by ABBA

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd

Your Arsenal by Morrissey

Surf's Up by The Beach Boys

Hypnotised by The Undertones

Rio by Duran Duran

Hearts And Bones by Paul Simon

Here's Little Richard by Little Richard

Country Life by Roxy Music

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black by Public Enemy

Nevermind by Nirvana

...And Justice For All by Metallica

Music for the Masses by Depeche Mode

At Newport 1960 by Muddy Waters

21 by Adele

2112 by Rush

I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail by Buck Owens

Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth

Peter Gabriel by Peter Gabriel

Wonderful Rainbow by Lightning Bolt

Back In Black by AC/DC

Talking Book by Stevie Wonder

Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes

Oar by Alexander 'Skip' Spence

Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens

Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis

My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello

More Songs About Buildings And Food by Talking Heads

Surfer Rosa by Pixies

Queens of the Stone Age by Queens Of The Stone Age

Dusty In Memphis by Dusty Springfield

The Wildest! by Louis Prima

This Is Fats Domino by Fats Domino

A Short Album About Love by The Divine Comedy

Automatic For The People by R.E.M.

Dummy by Portishead

Songs Of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen

The Colour Of Spring by Talk Talk

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Happy Sad by Tim Buckley

Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane

Pearl by Janis Joplin

Signing Off by UB40

Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons

Appetite For Destruction by Guns N' Roses

Done By The Forces Of Nature by Jungle Brothers

Exile On Main Street by The Rolling Stones

Entertainment by Gang Of Four

Ill Communication by Beastie Boys

Graceland by Paul Simon

Harvest by Neil Young

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back by Public Enemy

Devotional Songs by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Parallel Lines by Blondie

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by Eurythmics

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul by Otis Redding

Halcyon Digest by Deerhunter

Buffalo Springfield Again by Buffalo Springfield

Dire Straits by Dire Straits

The Yes Album by Yes

Coat Of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of... by Arrested Development

Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake

Fishscale by Ghostface Killah

Gentlemen by The Afghan Whigs

In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson

Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson

Scott 2 by Scott Walker

Beyond Skin by Nitin Sawhney

Beauty And The Beat by The Go-Go's

Aha Shake Heartbreak by Kings of Leon

The Fat Of The Land by The Prodigy

Songs From The Big Chair by Tears For Fears

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter by The Incredible String Band

The Velvet Underground by The Velvet Underground

Nothing's Shocking by Jane's Addiction

Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette

Fly Or Die by N.E.R.D

Heartattack And Vine by Tom Waits

Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A.

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd) by Lynyrd Skynyrd

A Little Deeper by Ms. Dynamite

Heroes by David Bowie

American IV: The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash

L.A. Woman by The Doors

The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips

Hot Rats by Frank Zappa

So Much For The City by The Thrills

Dry by PJ Harvey

Make Yourself by Incubus

Head Hunters by Herbie Hancock

Destroy Rock & Roll by Mylo

Hot Shots II by The Beta Band

Sheer Heart Attack by Queen

Vento De Maio by Elis Regina

Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes

It's Too Late to Stop Now by Van Morrison

25 by Adele

There's A Riot Goin' On by Sly & The Family Stone

Faith by George Michael

Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin

C'est Chic by CHIC

Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye

Feast of Wire by Calexico

Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan

Metal Box by Public Image Ltd.

Innervisions by Stevie Wonder

Brothers by The Black Keys

Kenza by Khaled

Ghosteen by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground

Aqualung by Jethro Tull

The Band by The Band

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill

Juju by Siouxsie And The Banshees

Alien Lanes by Guided By Voices

E.V.O.L. by Sonic Youth

Can't Buy A Thrill by Steely Dan

Court And Spark by Joni Mitchell

Autobahn by Kraftwerk

The Genius Of Ray Charles by Ray Charles

Funeral by Arcade Fire

Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music by Ray Charles

Beautiful Freak by Eels

Out Of The Blue by Electric Light Orchestra

Rejoicing In The Hands by Devendra Banhart

Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Crosby, Stills & Nash by Crosby, Stills & Nash

Space Ritual by Hawkwind

Endtroducing..... by DJ Shadow

Planet Rock: The Album by Afrika Bambaataa

Moon Safari by Air

Close To The Edge by Yes

Street Signs by Ozomatli

Murmur by R.E.M.

More Specials by The Specials

Clandestino by Manu Chao

All Mod Cons by The Jam

Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters

Dear Science by TV On The Radio

Olympia 64 by Jacques Brel

The Stranger by Billy Joel

Parklife by Blur

Being There by Wilco

Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin

One Nation Under A Groove by Funkadelic

Emergency On Planet Earth by Jamiroquai

Treasure by Cocteau Twins

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins

Eliminator by ZZ Top

John Prine by John Prine

The Doors by The Doors

Songs For Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra

Face to Face by The Kinks

American Beauty by Grateful Dead

Natty Dread by Bob Marley & The Wailers

Germfree Adolescents by X-Ray Spex

#1 Record by Big Star

A Night At The Opera by Queen

Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins

Chelsea Girl by Nico

Sunshine Superman by Donovan

Imagine by John Lennon

Cupid & Psyche 85 by Scritti Politti

Kollaps by Einstürzende Neubauten

New York Dolls by New York Dolls

OK Computer by Radiohead

The Contino Sessions by Death In Vegas

Licensed To Ill by Beastie Boys

Blunderbuss by Jack White

Bad by Michael Jackson

Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

All Things Must Pass by George Harrison

Fear Of A Black Planet by Public Enemy

16 Lovers Lane by The Go-Betweens

Pretenders by Pretenders

Achtung Baby by U2

Who's Next by The Who

Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush

Ray Of Light by Madonna

B-52's by The B-52's

Porcupine by Echo And The Bunnymen

The Renaissance by Q-Tip

Madman Across The Water by Elton John

Microshift by Hookworms

Le Tigre by Le Tigre

The Cars by The Cars

That's The Way Of The World by Earth, Wind & Fire

When I Was Born For The 7th Time by Cornershop

Chore of Enchantment by Giant Sand

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen

Run-D.M.C. by Run-D.M.C.

Nowhere by Ride

Lam Toro by Baaba Maal

Permission to Land by The Darkness

Steve McQueen by Prefab Sprout

In It For The Money by Supergrass

Elephant Mountain by The Youngbloods

Let It Be by The Replacements

Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix

Slanted And Enchanted by Pavement

The Undertones by The Undertones

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry by Billy Bragg

Vivid by Living Colour