Exactly the kind of album to start off the 1001 with. I was really getting into music in 2006 but I was only ever vaguely aware of this band until now. I definitely recognize their singles; the kind of thing that would appear in the same playlists as the Killers or Radiohead. The stylistic range of the album is certainly impressive, though I wouldn’t put it in the top thousand of all time. Probably top thousand of the year it was released. I’ll be sure to check out more of Muse’s back catalog.
This has always struck me as a quintessential follow-up album. It doesn’t hit as hard What’s Going On but it’s not supposed to.
Someone in a bar once asked me which band I thought was better: Radiohead or the Beatles. Easy, I said, the Beatles released multiple albums per year and revolutionized rock. We waited years for a new Radiohead album and all we got was In Rainbows. OK, that was a bit harsh, but in retrospect it really was a sign that the band had peaked. There are some solid tracks. “Weird Fishes / Arpeggi” is the big stand-out. It still feels like a gut punch all these years later. I’m adding a star just for that one.
I’m now 4-for-4 with albums that would not have occurred to me to put on a 1001 must-listen list. They’ve all been good, just not what I’d consider representative of their respective bands. Unlike previous albums this is my first time hearing any of these tracks. If I were to listen to an instrumental version of this album, without Ozzy’s distinctive voice to guide me, I doubt I’d be able to guess it’s Sabbath. It’s probably just my ignorance and my relatively young ears, but it sounds more like something I’d expect to hear at Woodstock than a civic auditorium. Nevertheless you can certainly hear the beginnings of metal’s defining sound forming here. Interesting little time capsule.
…did Zappa invent prog rock? Why didn’t I know this? Why is no one talking about this?
Now we’re talking. This is an album I would absolutely consider a must-hear.
Every single track on here is an anthem. “North American Scum” is perennially relevant to my life. This album felt like a revelation when it came out and I can’t even say it makes me feel nostalgic only because I still listen to many of its songs pretty often. The tone of each track varies widely, but there’s always driving beat tying it all together. Just enough cowbell. Bold to have a dirge dedicated to NYC as the closing track instead of the title song. Definitely a top 100 album, maybe even top 25.
Sex Pistols is one of those bands that was hugely influential but I don’t really find myself coming back to often. It’s been a looong time since I heard some of these tracks. Apparently they had a recent reunion.
I was kind of hesitant when I saw a live album by a band I was vaguely aware of but wow WOW. This rocks. How has Deep Purple never crossed my path before (except for Smoke on the Water — I have heard that before)? It wasn’t in my dad’s record collection. My friends didn’t talk about them. The music blogs and podcasts I have followed — nary a mention. Even classic rock stations don’t seem to have them in regular rotation. There is so much going on stylistically. They bring in the bluesy roots rock sound, but are also clearly pioneers of prog and metal and all the other directions rock has gone in. And man, these sick shreds were just what I needed today.
Another surprising inclusion on the 1001 list. There are some really good tracks and some really forgettable ones all sandwiched together. It’s at its best when it moves in new directions like incorporating EDM elements.
I have mixed feelings about pop punk, and Offspring in particular. Like, you’re from Orange County, what are you doing here? The 90’s and 00’s were over saturated with this stuff. But now in the fullness of time I can appreciate it more. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find myself nodding while listening to this.
I listened to this on the train ride home. Perfect vibe for watching the nighttime cityscape pass by. Not the kind of thing I would have sought out on my own.
People have been telling me I should listen to Fela Kuti. Those people were right.
Listening to an album that’s basically synonymous with depression and all I can think of is how carefree a tine the 90’s were.
You call yourself an indie head and you’ve never listened to Daydream Nation all the way thru? Pft, poseur.
Wow. Never heard nor heard of and haven’t even heard anything quite like it. Predominately what I guess you could call “guitar jazz” but with a lot of other elements and unique vocal style. Interesting discovery, thank you, 1001.
The garage rock revival at the turn of the millennium was one of my in-roads to getting into music in general. But by the time the Black Keys came onto my radar around the release of *Magic Potion* my interest had shifted toward bands that were pioneering new sounds. Now 2 decades on I can really listen to Black Keys on their own terms. Excellent album. It rocks.
Some of the greatest songs of all time along with some forgotten/forgettable ones.
Another band I’ve never heard of, another curious selection for the 1001. Not much stands out from others of the same genre. I’m sure some of these tracks will end up on my 80’s rock playlist eventually.
I’m much more familiar with the Cure’s later work, so this was a good opportunity to catch up on their older material. But as with other bands on here I’m surprised this album made the cut for the 1001 as it basically sounds like them still trying to find their sound. In particular I was surprised how instrumentally-focused this one was, since I usually associate the Cure with catchy lyrics.
Lounge jazz is not really something I seek out but it’s pleasant. I’m more interested in punchier jazz that makes liberal use of the brass section. But I listen to plenty of chill stuff so I get it.
I was wondering while listening why I was as familiar with Minor Threat as much as other major punk bands. To my surprise they didn’t stay together for very long and this was their only full album. Went out with a bang.
I’m not a metal guy. The typical vocal style just isn’t something I want to listen to. After finishing this album *my* throat feels sore. But there is a lot in the instrumental side of the genre I enjoy. “Fucking Hostile” and “Rise” have that hardcore punk type of fast tempo that I love. Some bits of other tracks remind me of other iconic metal tracks from the 90’s.
I never really paid much attention to Beck. I suppose because he was just such a staple of 90’s-00’s radio rock. This is a decent record but I don’t know if I’d placed it in the top 1001. But I’m not really in the mood for something like this today so it’s worth a relisten.
One of the most revolutionary albums ever. What more can I say?
There was a time when I was listening to a lot of classic soul. Should be more familiar with this one by now.
Crooner stuff is fun once in a while. A whole album of it puts me to sleep.
My first impression is mixed. There’s a lot here that comes off as cheesy and dated. There is quite a mix of different elements on several tracks that don’t seem to gel. Towards the end the album are a few tracks that drop the grandiosity and switch to a quiet acoustic folk sound which just works so much better. This is one of those albums that bears repeated listens. Those earlier tracks may grow on me.
Springsteen isn’t really my thing. I get the appeal, tho.
This album really calls into question how the criteria for inclusion are weighted on this list. As a synthpop fan so much of the music I love simply wouldn’t exist without Oxygene to pave the way. But it’s experimental and quite dated. All of the theremin and bloops and buzzes make it sound like 50’s scifi.
I’m so glad this one came up. It’s one of those classic albums I knew I ought to listen to and it set the mood for a rainy Friday Spring evening perfectly.
There was a lot of hype when this came out, being White’s debut solo album. Now that a significant amount of time has passed I don’t think it has quite hit classic status. Like a lot of first albums on the list, this one seems to be testing the waters. More of a sampler pack of styles and instrumentation but without anything really hooky to latch onto. At least, nothing that comes close to White Stripes in that regard.
Hell yeah. Another band I haven’t heard of before. Can’t go wrong with bluesy electric guitar.
It’s been a really long time since I last listened to this. Something I appreciate now is that it must have been pretty pioneering in really putting stereo to good use, sampled audio, and interstitial speaking segments.
I was wondering why I never listened to this album and now I see why. This is one of the most out of left field albums from any artists. Ambitious, and I’ll have to listen to it a few times before I can really form an opinion about it. Just not any time soon.
Here’s another artist I’ve never even heard of before. I was a bit skeptical at first. It can be overly earnest, especially the single from this album. But it won me over in the end. There’s a sort of classic sound about it. If I hadn’t seen the release date I would have just as easily believed it came out last year as 50 years ago.
Another 1001 revelation. Despite how much I listen to new wave and synthpop I never really looked into Simple Minds. I just knew them from their one US hit and left it at that. I will definitely be digging into their discography.
Honestly I can understand if this is perceived as a “you had to be there” album. For me it will always be a classic. Now a quarter century later it feels like the last hurrah of 90’s optimism before the cynicism of the 00’s took over. And “Do You Realize??” is one of the most beautiful songs ever.
Here’s another band that I definitely should have known about when they were active, but they never really made it across the pond like Radiohead, Coldplay and Oasis. Compared to other bands from that scene they have a pronounced psychedelic sound. Kind of a bridge between Britpop and later stuff like Tame Impala. Seriously, why did the algorithm never recommend this to me?
I have to apologize to Manu Chao. I was not aware of his game. Bongo Bong was still charting when I visited Europe so that was my only exposure to him. I assumed he just did goofy joke songs. Turns out he’s actually a pretty serious musician.
Blondie - more synonymous with MTV than MTV itself. The singles from this album are classics. Most of the other tracks aren’t half as catchy, though “Sunday Girl” stood out.
Why does Scott Walker’s music always feel like deep cuts? I was blown away by this, but like nobody except people who are REALLY into music ever talk about him. A musician’s musician, I guess.
Was pretty interesting to hear an artist I usually associate with the neo-folk movement took a more electric and lounge direction. But after the first few tracks the novelty wore off and totally tuned out. Might feel differently about this one if I didn’t listen to it while staying late at work.
PJ Harvey is another one of those artists that seems to only be discussed among critics and other people who are really into music. I don’t think I ever heard anything by her before the late 00’s. Seems like she was too big for the indie circuit, but not quite mainstream enough to crack the charts in the US. Similar story to a lot of musicians on this list. Anyway, I’ve been in the mood for 90’s “alternative rock” the last few days, especially new-to-me tracks, so this was good timing.
One of the classic, defining albums of rock and roll is the perfect way to end the work week.
Karen has one of the most beautiful voices ever. I’m less crazy about a lot of the instrumentation on this album.
I think this is another one of those albums that must have been influential but isn’t really a “must hear.” If I had to guess it was probably pioneering in terms of sampling. A lot of the tracks were pretty flat and repetitive (even by electronic standards).
Another of those artists I’ve heard of but mostly never heard before, except one song which used to play often at an old job of mine. I tried to not let my antipathy toward country music influence this listen-thru. But this album lost me very quickly and couldn’t get me back.
The title track, the SECOND track, is written so poorly it actually made me angry. Just a lists of a bunch of things that are supposed to evoke nostalgia, sung over repetitive, basic riffs. And to top it all off, the phrase that is the title of the track and album is repeated 18 times! And mostly in pseudo-chorus at the end of each verse. It’s like “if I keep pushing this button the emotions will come out.”
There is some good guitar on a lot of these tracks and that zydeco-influenced accordion that was kind of popular in the 90’s. That’s all I can really say it has going for it. The good will I had going into this was thrown out almost immediately. I had no more patience left for simplistic song structure, repetitive lyrics, or twang. BTW, the word you’re looking for is “tires.”
I can’t believe this is already over ten years old.
Pretty nice. Not the kind of thing I regularly listen to.
This is nearly something I’ve been looking for: country with the bad parts removed. I love the traditional instrumental styles in country but hate the usual affected vocal style. A lot of the tropes of lyrics can get kind of old, too. On that scale I rate this a 3, maybe 3.5. But for having the guts to take a hard turn from pop rock to this, in ‘68 no less, I have to rate it to a 1001 4.
Very interesting, sounds somewhat familiar. On first listening I’d say 7/10 but I’m pretty sure after repeated listening I’d get more into this.
I think of most post-30’s jazz as something just meant to be put on as background music. This is the opposite of that. It demands and rewards your attention.
1001 really puts the Spotify algorithm to shame. An apparently influential early punk band I’ve never heard of is exactly the kind of thing it should be recommending to me.
I have yet to fully plumb the depth of Nick Cave’s discography, but if I had to choose one of his albums for the top 1001, I don’t think it would be this one. As with many double LPs, it’s hard to avoid some tracks feeling like filler. A compilation of just the best tracks could have made a very solid regular LP. But the main reason I would wouldn’t select this album is that he has put out so much phenomenal stuff, especially the albums that came out after this list was made.
I always thought of UB40 as a two hit wonder. I never really looked into their other songs. I also had no idea they’re an ensemble band. For some reason I just thought it was a duo. Overall the reggae supplemented by jazzy horns and R&B vocals works really well.
One thing rubbed me the wrong way. If you’re a mostly white English band making music from a Jamaican genre most people associate with getting stoned and chilling out, maybe don’t do a cover about the horrors of Jim Crow?
Easily the most interesting jazz album I’ve heard on here so far. Funk basslines really are the special sauce that makes almost any music better.
Expected this to be dated house music. It was anything but.
Interesting little snapshot of the time it came out. It incorporates 90’s alternative and 00’s garage rock revival. I was only vaguely aware of this band but “Get Free” sounds familiar.
I would listen to a lot more metal if it sounded more like this.
“Now that I’m older my heart’s grown colder.”
This is the first album I looked forward to being released. The Arcade Fire EP hit me like a revelation and when Funeral came out I became a confirmed indie rock kid. What a perfect soundtrack for turning 18. The world seemed so big and full of possibilities. And even though it’s a lot more twee than most stuff I listen to these days it still holds up.
I’ve always thought about R&B as innocuous background music. This doesn’t change that view. Some interesting beats but that’s about the only notable feature to me.
I need to listen to these guys more.
Disappointed. I thought I would like this a lot more than I did. No surprise the listen counts for on Spotify: the singles are in the eight digits but the rest are mostly low 6 digits.
I’m putting together a playlist of 90’s songs that I don’t know well, yet have a certain nostalgic feel. Definitely a few from this album going on there.
The kind of good music I will never listen to again.
This album was a roller coaster. I’m somewhat familiar with Eno, Gabriel, and Collins’ solo careers, so I had high expectations going in. And I was immediately disappointed. What the hell happened on side 1? It’s a mess. The mixing is all screwed up. Gabriel’s voice sounds muddy, and he and the instruments are working against each other half the time.
Eventually it picks up with the solid run of Hairless Heart, Counting Out Time, and the Carpet Crawlers. After that it’s a mix of tracks from mildly interesting, to random and out of place, to solid, to boring. Now I truly understand how prog rock has earned some of its stereotypes. Well, I still have hopes for Genesis’ other albums. I noticed that of their most played tracks on Spotify, none of the top 10 are from this album.
Haven’t even thought about this album in probably 20 years but it still holds up.
Turns out Lauper is one of my “fine in small doses” artists. I like her take on synthpop but found her vocals a bit trying for a whole album.
Interesting to revisit this one after such a long time. The Gorillaz project has gone in so many directions, especially recently with the Mountain, that it’s easy to forget they started from a pretty basic marriage of Britpop vocals and hiphop beats.
I rate this a 3.5 but since this website doesn’t do half stars I’m going to be a bit unfair and round down. The highlights from this album are all pretty good but in between there are a lot of times where the beats do all the heavy lifting on a track, but they’re usually not very engrossing beats. I mean, this was an experimental album and they had no idea when making it that the Gorillaz concept would pop off. But the more I go through this list the more I’m realizing it’s less about the *best* albums of all time than the *most important* albums of all time. That’s great, too, but it’s still a bait and switch.
Another album that is undeniably influential but I wouldn’t quite place in the top 1001. This is kind of a “you had to be there” album.
One of the few so far that indisputably is a top 1001.
Wow, talk about a hidden gem! Only 4 tracks on here even crack 200,000 listens on Spotify. I guess these guys have been largely forgotten. But this album anticipates so much of the indie and psychedelic rock of subsequent decades. I already want to listen to this again, but I see they have released some new albums this decade after a hiatus of 20+ years. I’ll be checking all of them out!
Another band I should be much more familiar with. Nice one.
Some surprises with this one. First I’d assumed it came out a decade more later than its actual release date. Partly because it anticipates that smooth jazz sheen that so much music had in the 90’s, but also because Stevie was so ubiquitous back then.
Second, there are several songs that are basically rip-offs from this album. I don’t care about the Wild West theme, but I’m so disillusioned about Gangsta’s Paradise.
Anyway, obviously fantastic album. Unlike a lot of double albums, even ones on this list, it doesn’t feel bloated at all, and the track order flows perfectly.
I would always reach for the radio dial whenever this band came on. Time has not improved my opinion. If anything I have less patience. Sitting through this was a chore. How was this even in the running let alone made the final cut for this list?
Been meaning to familiarize myself with Kraftwerk for a while. The first half was very spare and repetitive. Wasn’t sure I was going to like the album. Then the title track hit and for the rest of the album it sounded a lot more like what I expected, much more like the electronic music I’m familiar with.
I know this must not be an uncommon experience: I remember when someone first recommended I listen to Pet Sounds. I was taken aback. The Beach Boys? Really? That unserious surf pop band from oldies radio? And I listened to it once or twice and didn’t think much of it. But then it really started to dawn on me. Every time I revisit I appreciate it more. I can finally see how this album floored the Beatles when they first heard it. There’s not only more depth than you’d expect, but its influence is inescapable. Psychedelic and progressive rock as we know them just wouldn’t exist without Pet Sounds.
Never heard of this guy before. Pretty generic folkie, but that’s fine by me.
When they came right out of the gate with a bass line I got excited. But it didn’t turn out to be quite the funk/ Latin big band fusion I expected. Really just one track “María Lionza” had a significant funk element to it. Oh well. Decent album anyway.
Time traveling, indeed. Can’t believe this is a quarter of a century old. I guess it would be considered old school at this point.
Man, I forgot all about this band. I used to put on Aw, C’mon for a relaxing evening. Seriously underrated band. Their listen counts on Spotify make me sad. Definitely bring them back into rotation.
Why do the kids these days make fun of us millennials for stomp-clap-hey when nu metal is right there? I can’t believe I actually kept a space in my big CD binder for this album.
I guess I’ve never heard Fats before. Nice to check out some early rock and roll. What stood out most was that most tracks were quite short, under 3 minutes, and didn’t use the chorus-verse structure which has become the norm.
Every iteration of the 1001 list suffers from recency bias, and this is a perfect example. This album was heaped with praise when it came out, but does it really hold up almost a decade later?
I like the synth/electronic elements, but the other side of that coin is that it’s a bit over produced. Such a different style it scarcely sounds like the same musician who did Pure Heroine. So much of the compositions sound samey, relative to all the other pop music that hits the charts.
There’s a reason for that. It’s produced by Jack Antonoff. Might as well be listening to a Taylor Swift album. I’m so over this guy’s chokehold on the music industry.
I know Hot Chip isn’t for everyone. I think you could make strong arguments that they don’t belong on the 1001 list at all.
But what I don’t understand is why this album is on the list instead of The Warning. The only really notable thing about this one is it incorporates more house into their usual style.
The website just ate my review. Suffice to say, another fantastic 1001 discovery.
Another band I only knew from their singles. Didn’t realize they are borderline proto-punk/ska
Some folks realized this was an instant classic as soon as it came out. It’s taken me some time but its timelessness is undeniable.
Seems like everyone had a copy of this album lying around in their car back in the 90’s. And like the smell of hot upholstery, it’s almost nostalgia-inducing, but not quite. This may be the most middling band in history. I can’t bring myself to hate them, but I don’t like them either. They’re just kinda there, sitting between an almost empty lighter and a dog-eared road map.
