What a voice. Definitely her peak. Not my normal style of music to listen to but the quality shines through. Haven’t even listened to the whole of her last album.
One the best rap albums ever. Launched him into top-level fame.
I don’t enjoy the slower songs. I’m more of a Dolly’s greatest hits guy.
Quite slow and atmospheric. Probably needs the listener to be in the right mood.
Lovesong on two suggested albums in 4 days!
Slow songs are boring. Spoken word bits are cringey. PYT is off the scale cringe to the point of feeling uncomfortable listening to it.
The middle three songs are bangers, along with first track.
Enjoyed it but also it kind of washed over me at times. Not sure I would listen again but also wouldn’t mind it being played.
Saw them in 1997 when this came out, amazing live band back in the day.
Still holds up nearly 30 years later.
The two hit singles are great. The rest is listenable but forgettable.
Wow, this takes me back to being a teenager.
Singles are great but maybe there is a bit of filler. They should have put Petrol and Jack Names the Planets on this album.
Generic Rolling Stones music. Sounds a bit dated and basic compared to their peak era albums. Wouldn’t listen again despite a couple of great tracks.
Up on Cripple Creek is missing from the album on Apple Music, despite being available on their greatest hits on the same day platform.
Not a big fan, can take it or leave it
Surprisingly long album - he had a lot to say back then! 30 years later it still sounds quite fresh.
We knew he was an arsehole back then.
The debut album is better.
75 minutes long, it is mostly listenable but unremarkable. The definition of inessential.
Pleasantly surprised with this. Very listenable and unique sounding. Listened repeatedly and the first album I will plan to return to that I didn’t already know.
Decent but inessential.
A proper album rather than some songs recorded at the same time.
They headlined when I went to Reading 1997 and I didn’t watch them.
I like the guitar but the voice grates on me at times.
It’s no Graceland.
Some good songs but a bit meandering.
LP side 2 intros sound weird on streaming.
Music for a sunny beach or a night out
Can understand other people loving this but I don’t
First track is a banger and the rest is listenable but definitely not essential.
A pleasant surprise. Will listen again
Tails off a bit towards the end but a solid album.
So 80s sounding, I can enjoy this but only in small doses
Cheesy but great
Disappointed. Expected more.
Thought I recognised a song but realised it was the Jungle Brothers being interpolated
Doesn’t sound 70s at all
Decent but not something I would go back to
Hard to listen to the whole album as I know the singles so well although I wasn’t a fan at the time.
This is a solid album
Second one by this artist in a short space of time.
Was surprised to hear the Absolutely Fabulous theme tune near the end.
Stunning, what could she have become?
"There's no series of African recordings ever released that's as consistently excellent or historically important as Earthworks!"
Doesn’t make me want to listen to more African music.
Fun but not amazing
Enjoyed it more than I expected
Enjoyed it more than I expected. Took another reviewer’s advice and listened with headphones.
Maybe I’m too familiar with the famous songs but the other songs don’t seem as strong as the hits.
One of the reasons they became huge was because of great albums like this.
Never heard of her before so this was a pleasant surprise.
Tedious. Why is it so long?
I quite like the early stuff but this is inessential and overlong.
Makes me doubt the quality and decision making of the list compiler.
Worst one yet.
Just creepy. That’s a shame as the music is decent but difficult to get past the themes.
I had only heard Criminal before. It’s ok but not amazing.
Stunning. A very enjoyable album.
Boring. I can appreciate she has a nice voice and the music is ok but it sounds like generic country music to me.
Even the album cover is boring.
Very surprising as I didn’t know he recorded music like this. Decent.
Equally amazing and inspirational. Best alternative rock album of the 80s.
Don’t really like new wave in large doses or the singer’s vocal style. Spellbound is a good track.
Fun but not really my cup of tea.
Can safely say I will never listen to this again. Worst one yet.
Why is this on the list ahead of Alt-J’s An Awesome Wave?
I can hear some talent hidden away in there.
Utterly inessential meandering nonsense.
Much better after a couple of duds.
What’s not to like about Malians covering the Clash?!
It’s fun and sounds fresh many years later
Not my style and a bit cringe at times.
Positive messages are great but often quite a simplistic worldview seems to dominate.
Classic.
The original and the best.
Got this two days after What’s Going On
It’s not much better
Not as good as Hunky Dory
Seems a bit meandering at times
Includes three of their best songs but the others aren’t at the same level.
Master of Reality should be on the list as a better album but I suppose this is historically significant.
It has its moments but I’m not sure the quality control was perfect on this as it drags in places, which is a shame as it has some good tracks.
It is so much better than the other LCD album on the list. Much, much better.
This is so good.
Stagger Lee is one of his best tracks.
He manages to make the guest appearances fit in so well (even Kylie)
Not an everyday album, slow and moody. Not sure how to rate.
Nothing ground breaking but a good collection of songs. Lyrics are a bit cringey in places.
Bookended by a couple of classic songs, the middle isn’t as strong.
Not as good as his other albums on the list. Maybe I’m not a fan of soul.
A landmark in 90s alternative but there is something about Billy that holds me back from loving this like Nevermind or Ten. Some great tracks and Jimmy Chamberlain is an awesome drummer.
My favourite album from the 50s
I remember not liking them in the 90s as they were on Subpop but being disappointed they weren’t grunge.
This is decent but not really my style (still!)
Impressed that at artist can reach their peak on their 11th album. It isn’t really my style but I enjoyed it.
I was a bit disappointed in the album as a whole.
I put on their greatest hits after and really enjoyed it.
Saw quite a few negative comments about the list containing too much Elvis Costello and was expecting to struggle through this but it is a good album with memorable tracks and strong songwriting.
68th pick from generator is fourth Bowie album…
Great album but there should be more variety on the list. You don’t need this and Ziggy.
Kinky Afro, Loose Fit and Step On are amazing. The rest is not as good.
Dark, moody and very 80s, I am glad this is on the list.
Strong collection of songs
It’s pleasant and listenable but it kind of washed over me without leaving a big impression
74 albums in and 5th Bowie comes up. It’s too much of a single artist - I like Bowie and gave Hunky Dory a five. This starts strong but tails off.
“Here I am, not quite dying” is a dark lyric
Weirdly this is not available in my region (UK) on Spotify or Apple Music so I had to listen on YouTube with ads.
I enjoyed it but not sure when I would put it on again.
This is the kind of thing I would watch on Glastonbury highlights on TV and really enjoy, then never listen again.
Don’t really see what is so great about this. Did not leave a lasting impression at all.
Genuinely touching in places.
Plus it upsets some of the American reviewers, which is an added bonus.
More proof the 80s were the worst decade for music
It’s alright but is this the best the 80s has to offer?
I love the White Stripes but there’s something missing from his solo stuff. It must be Meg!
Cheesy but entertaining
Too much Bowie!
Good album but drops off too much in second half to be five stars
This is seriously dark and a bit creepy in places. I liked it but not that much.
Enjoyed it but wouldn’t listen again. Some good songs but overall sound is a bit dated
Missed this at the time and only really knew Paper Planes by her. This is surprisingly good
Decent but not brilliant, didn’t really grab me apart from the singles
A bit cheesy but great songs, production and guitar playing.
Always found them a bit boring and never got the comparisons to some of their superior peers.
Not for me.
Another album where the best songs are so famous it’s difficult to measure them against the rest of the album. In this case, sadly I just don’t think the rest of the album is as good
Very summery and light. Thankfully it is sunny, think this would get less in February
A classic
There’s a weird amount of hate towards U2 in the reviews but this is a solid album.
Very enjoyable. Less cheesy than their more famous 80s output.
So much better punk music than this came out of America: Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion, etc
Only on the list because the singer died and the guitarist joined Nirvana
I can see that it would have been quite interesting and different back when it came out but it doesn’t seem that amazing now.
An absolute classic.
Enjoyable. Isn’t as heavy as the album title suggests!
Thank goodness it’s not DJ Khaled
Overly long. Enjoyed it at first but it became a bit of a chore towards the end
Difficult to rate. The misogyny and themes seem very dated now and Snoop is a sell out (his wine is not good!) but the music and raps are enjoyable.
It’s good but not sure I would ever listen again as it isn’t that distinctive from other bands
It’s decent but not essential and a very odd addition to the book.
El Camino is a better album
Another band that gets a lot of hate.
This is a great album but tails off in the second half.
Great musicianship and good tunes. A bit meandering at times but I think that is the point
Didn’t like them when they broke out but grew to like them. There is a bit of filler here but the highs are very high.
Not as consistent as Offspring’s Smash or Rancid’s …And Out Come the Wolves
Some engaging songs but at times it just sounds a mess, leaving me wondering why I am listening.
The first track is really good
Not consistent enough to get a five, which is a shame as the best tracks are stratospherically high points.
Enjoyed this, very smooth
Good but some of it kind of washed over me without making a big impact
I had never heard of this band before but really enjoyed both the music and their story. Glad this is on the list.
Listenable and vaguely enjoyable it passed me by without leaving a great impression. Apart from the Neil Young cover, which is a highlight.
Listening to Fairytale of New York during a heatwave is odd but this is a strong album
I’ve never quite loved the albums as much as I expected I might.
It’s nice as first but gets a bit repetitive. Needs a bit of drums, guitar, keyboard etc to flesh it out and break the monotony
He has over 200 albums available on Apple Music but not this one!
The second half is a lot more listenable and I quite enjoyed it
It’s not really necessary for this to be on the list. It is a clear step below Doolittle in quality and not that different musically
or historically important. Good album though.
Doesn’t belong on the list. Not as good as their later albums.
Seems to be more of an inspirational, historically important work than a great album of music.
I’ll stick to best of / greatest hits for T Rex
Another one where you need to be in the right mood. This is very chilled and atmospheric
There’s just something magical about this that I can’t explain
This album seems like o exist on the shadow of its two predecessors but actually it is at a similar level. Really enjoyed this.
Meh, that last track went on forever
No notes
Doesn’t sound like the Beach Boys!
The first song is great and it is a good album but not essential listening.
Overly long and utterly inessential. Should not be in this list.
Some good tracks but overall not that consistently great.
Another one that doesn’t need to be on the list.
