This is the first album I get to listen to? What an opener! There is a lot to be said here but, yes, 5 stars.
Obviously a classic
An album I didn't get anywhere near during the 90s because I *HATED* bittersweet symphony. But this album was actually good! This is drug music, don't get it twisted, but its a solid album.
If you actually like music, not just pop/rock/hip-hop you will love this album.
I'm stunned by the number of non-5 star reviews this gets. But then again, it's their first "transition" album, moving from Cliff's pounding bass, to 90s alternative soaked Load. There are two people that don't give this 5 stars: non-metallica fans, and the purity testers of Metallica's original fan base. Stop the virtue signally, and embrace their best work.
Their first of 4 perfect albums. There is a reason why they sold a BILLION records. This is one of them.
Not everyone likes country, I get it. But Dwight doing a concept album should be celebrated. But then again.... it's Dwight doing a concept album. Mid artist, Mid album idea.
What a snoozer. This album sounded like John Denver had a concert, but he had to cancel so his roadie tried to play for the crowd.
Not his best work but ground breaking.
Fantastic classic R&B album
"Dad what were the 70s"
I get why it's on here. It's just not my style white girl Soul is an oxymoron.
Idk. I think EDM is good, and sure this is a pioneering album...but "must listen to?" Maybe I missed something. It's not Orbitals best work. It's not the best EDM for the time. It's not the first EDM record ever. It's simply not something I can figure out why it was invited.
Fun album, not all his songs. He is problematic.
THIS IS HOLD MUSIC
Awww baby stones
This one time in the 90s I was at a gay club. This album was heavily featured. It's not their best album but if you were wanting to get the vibe of what 80s/90s gays were like...listen to this
EXCELLENT Jazz album
Crosby stills Nash and Young did not invent the four-part Harmony
They just did it correctly. Every band who is attempted to do four part harmony ever since has to compare themselves to CSNY.
And no, folk music isn't for everyone, but this music is consumable by almost everyone. It's approachable and completely belongs on this list because it's iconic.
"Mom, where did Black Sabbath come from?"
Well, son... one day Daddy Blues met Mother Metal. One time they felt like they were made for one another. And when two musical genres really like one another enough they can make a beautiful album. They called it Black Sabbath.
"But Mom, *why* did they think they were made for one another."
Well, son, they did drugs. Lots and lots of drugs.
"Wow, so we all should do lots of drugs"
Now you are reading directly from the gospel. Osborn 3:33: Doeth all the drugs and don't let anyone stop you.
"Is Ozzy a messenger angel from God?"
Oh honey, he isn't from that direction.....
THIS ALBUM is what i came here for. I never ever listened to a full Pretenders album. I only knew like 4 songs. This album absolutely rocked the socks. Why is it here? Because *you* probably skipped over it thinking the pretenders only have 4 good songs. Wrong. So underrated.
Ok, listen so the Beatles and the whole story of Yoko Ono aside lets talk about the reason why this could be on this list: John Lennon's skill set. The fact is, his best work (and Paul's best work) were with one another. It's simply a fact, except for "Imagine". This is a mediocre album that has a supernova as an opening song. It really is one the greatest songs ever written. Take that song off this album and...well.... John Lennon is clowned for leaving Paul. There are other decent John Lennon songs without Paul or the other Beatles, they just aren't on this album. If he was alive today, and this album was considered- they would never ever put the album out. It would be a digital single, with maybe a digital EP of some of the better moments on here (which no one would listen to). It gets 3 starts strictly because Imagine is one of the greatest songs ever written. Without it, it's two stars at best. Even then if John Lennon's name wasn't on this album, and Imagine wasn't on it, it's not on this list and would get a 1 star for even being suggested. Now, you put all of John's best solo work together... that is probably a 5 star album. But that could be said about George and Paul.
TL:DR this album is on here for the first song, totally MEH after.
What a fun album!!! All it is missing is....quality songs. I think they have it in here for its novelty quality, but really this isn't great.
So like you listen to this album and you'll find yourself muttering things like wait a minute that sounds like the cranberries hold on that part Sounds like it's from a Foo Fighters song play that again. That sounds like sublime. It's almost as if AI created some generic 90s band and then sent it back in time and here we are. It's a fun ride. It really is but definitely no hits on this. It's just like you're living the 90s through some tribute band that only plays deep cuts. For a band that I can't name a single song from this was a decent album. I probably will never listen to it again, but it wasn't a miserable experience.
You can smell the stale Schiltz beer that's been spilled on the floor when you listen to this album closely.
This is Black excellence
What a fantastic album
Anything less than five stars for this album is absolute heresy. It has high replayability, the quality of music, the writing, the talent everything about this is fantastic unless you hate funk you're going to like this album.
It could be good driving music it could be doing drugs music. It could be hangout music it could be homework music this album can fit all of those things if there's any knock against this album, I'd say that it only has seven songs.
This sounds like katatonia meets arcade fire meets new order. It's better than you may think. Chvrches is VERY underrated. They aren't EDM enough for the Dead Maus crowd, but they are too dancy for the Billie Ellish fans. Almost REM-esq in the "what ARE they" classification discussion.
Have you heard of oasis
Have you listened to everything oasis has ever put out?
Have you listened to so much oasis that you think yourself I need more oasis?
Look no further than this album
The charlatans sound exactly like an oasis cover band. They sound like a band that was inspired directly by oasis... and if you go to iTunes and you look up oasis and click on their inspired by playlist, sure enough there is a song from this album on that playlist
But to be clear, this is not oasis
This is the charlatans and I can hear Liam Gallagher saying dryly "charlatans, that's a fitting name"
Shut up and listen to this.
Kermit the Frog had a duet with Willie Nelson back in 2024. Prior to that they never have met. Despite knowing this, you will believe that both Kermit and Willie appear on this album. They do not. This is a knock off Bob Dylan.... I guess? It's on here because he is supposively a good writer. Didn't hear that. You can listen to it twice without throwing yourself into traffic. Thus, 2 stars.
Hey, do you like the Sex Pistols? Do you think the Sex Pistols would sound better if they tried to be a little more pop?
This album is for you. Its good. It's only great if you *love* 2nd wave punk.
Lemonheads *are* underrated. Toad the wet sprocket absolutely took their sound from them. Coil doesn't happen without this album. But it's known for its cover of Mrs. Robinson even though it doesn't sound like the rest of the album. It's weird. Good 90s album coming in with the same vibe as the Gin Blossoms and Tonic.
It's not everyone's cup of tea but it's vintage. Perhaps the first concept album ever. Johnny Cash and Elvis vibes here. If you hate proto country music then you will hate this. Quality of music though, is high. Writing is higher.
Pulp is the band I miss most often on song quiz. Simply put it's just good 90s alternative. I'm sure it's huge overseas but here in the United States they definitely went under the radar. I don't know. I feel like it's almost as if somebody decided to take with the pixies were doing but apply to late 90s pulp fiction/fear and loathing vibes. You should listen to it. It's good. I may actually check out more of what they did.
Computers. Music. Now they are intertwined like lines of code. Back when this album came out, this was cutting edge and futuristic. This is NOT EDM, there is no "Dancing" here. It's electronic music with the focus on electronic.
One of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time? Yes please.
It's hard to say the black crowes are underrated. Considering they had a significant drop off after this album, and an even further drop after their sophomore jinx, this album still makes them superstars all by itself.
This album is so big, so powerful, that if they dropped the today, 6/17/26, it would win a Grammy. It's timeless. Rock that never dies? Here it is. On the album they said they were trying to sound like the stones and Dylan. Instead they ended up sounding like the black crowes.
The Wall may be the last great concept album. It was the end of band and era. Perfect album.
It's not his first. It's not his best. It's not his most innovative. Honestly it's mundane.
It's hard to judge a nirvana album against any other album that's not a nirvana album. As such, this is simply their 3rd best effort. Peak grunge, but not peak nirvana. First 5 songs- a masterpiece. The rest of the album gets as bipolar as a gen xer on lithium.
Sooo that was a thing. He's like Meatloaf but instead of rock opera it's rock porn.
Damn this album was bad. Some rich dude had kids, and let those kids think everything they did was good art. This album took 9 songs to get anything that would earn more than 1 star. And really it had 2 songs i didn't want to forget. I bet those kids paid a membership fee to get their album on this list.
It's their "break through" album. It's not night at the opera. Queen isn't some monolithic band that could do no wrong, this album was ok. Killer Queen is a supernova for sure, but take that away and its operatic rock. Freddy's lyrics and vocals still hadn't found their way yet, even if the rest of the band was well underway. He would, of course, overtake them to be one of the most iconic front men ever.... it just didn't happen here.
If you're gonna listen to one kiss album...this is it
Listening to this album, you understand who Justin Timberlake wanted to be, in part (MJ, we will see you later). It's a relatively easy listen. With 4 absolute nukes to open the album you realize why folks were ushering in the 90s with this man's music. It does cool off, and the second half is pretty pedestrian. I can't give it 4 stars on quality but it would be a crime to give it 3 stars with 3 iconic songs opening.
This album is AGGRESSIVE.
Neil young is apparently prominent on here with good reason- this great album is an example. It's complex enough for the musicologist and audiophile but simple enough to cover in your garage... or where this album was made, a basement
The Smiths are one of those bands that everyone seems to know of, but don't know a lot about. This album definitely points me directly into the evolution of public affection, which would later become live. So I understand firmly why this album is on here. I wanna love it, but I don't. I know I like some Smith songs just none of these.
She has a wonderful voice and i never thought I would listen to a whole album.... but 3 hours later I am totally burned out
A vintage classic album definitely demonstrates their sound and produce to the most recognizable songs of all time
It's filth, but i love it. A classier version of WAP.
There is a lot to love here. Her voice obviously. The writing. Her legacy of being one taken too soon.
Perfect album!
Name two velvet underground songs. Bet you can't. Listen to this album. You still can't. Do some drugs. Now try. Still can't? Ok, but now you're high and listening to the velvet underground, which is the correct way to listen to this.
Juju was the grand Marshall on the parade that ushered in the 80s. So influential. This album impacts so many artists that we would learn to love.
Before Hannah Montana, before otown, before the heights before the partridge family- there were the monkees. A made for tv corporate band. There initial album smelled like a Beatles knock off. Later albums had grittier substance. This was....meh. Nothing outstanding or note worth other than it was their second album.
Obviously the birth of punk is gonna get 5 stars.
Awww silly theatre kid decides he wants to play heavy metal.
Seriously though, he has a song. I get it. But as far as concept albums, this wasn't good. As far as metal albums, this wasn't good. There just isn't much here. It's probably on the list because it is a heavy metal concept album and...well typically they are fun. This isn't.
Hendrix is legend. This album has some highlights but it's also not his best work. Even so, his mediocre work is still better than most artists finest.
The birth of Ska!!! I mean their first album was better...but whatever. Ska is born.
Say what you want about Iggy Pop the fact is this isn't a terrible record. Overall, I think it's a decent album not really my vibe but it's a decent album. One of things I think is happening is that this list is kind of a weird mix between legendary albums, and albums that you may have skipped over because they are inferior to the artist best work. Like for example this is not Iggy Pops nor The Stooges best.. the problem is is that I don't know if the list includes their best compared to... we shall see
I used to think that I hated Led Zeppelin. But then I noticed that outside a stairway to Heaven I seem to like a song or two from them. Then, as I was listening to this album, I realized that I like a few songs on this album. And suddenly now I have a 15 song playlist that's all Led Zeppelin.
I don't know what to make of this. Some of the songs are unremarkable 70s music. Some of the tracks on this album are somebody who has production money, creating an album as if they're in their parents basement with a cassette deck. Some of these songs feel like and sound like they took open Mike songs and somehow crammed them into a workable piece of art. I can't tell you that I will listen to this album again but I also don't regret listening to it. It's just a very strange ride and maybe it's because I just listened to Led Zeppelin IV and expect better but honestly white stripes is up next and I guarantee you that I'm going to like that way more than what I just listened to so three stars it is
This album 100% was produced in an elementary school music classroom
Listen to it and tell me I'm wrong.
The teacher was like class we have a special guest today. This is Jack and Meg from the white stripes and they're gonna play us a song or two.
And they start off with the opening track and then the first graders start grabbing random instruments and bringing them to Meg and Jack and they just go with it. I'm sure the teacher practically tackled the seven-year-old with boogers on his face when he tried to grab the slide whistle and give it to Jack. The one song I'm sure all the girls were asking Meg if she had a singing voice.... and she doesn't. But she tried anyways, which made all the girls feel comfortable and confident and trying themselves.
Then Jack Meg said let's write a song quick give me your favorite
Red
OK now tell me something that you've seen today
It's raining
Red rain! I'm sure that the producers just simply cut the kids singing along out of the final track.
If you can handle, not understanding the language, this album absolutely slaps... but mostly Spanish. There's some French and some hard to understand English as well and some easy to understand English.
Welcome to Tijuana!!!
An album with not only one of the great bass tracks ever, also one of the great drum tracks as well. The Gods Of Prog rock...this isn't even their final form!! Also when you listen to this: go ahead and pick the 40th anniversary expanded edition- you'll thank me.
Again, here's another artist that I can't say that I loved, but then I realized that I love them because of this album. Obviously this is not vintage. This is classic U2. This album aged incredibly well you could listen to it now and wouldn't realize that it's 35 years old. It has one of the most iconic tracks of all time in one it has radio hits that stood the test of time and has some hidden gems that if you've never listened to you have done yourself a disservice... Acrobat probably being the biggest one. If you're doing this whole list, I'm positive that you're not mad at this one.
Not all art is good art. Jerry Harrison can't be questioned on his producing skills. Don't you dare say he's not an artist. David Byrne has done it all, acting writing, producing theater, music, books. Tina and Chris and the Tom Tom club.., and look the fact is the Talking Heads are absolutely a legendary band. But when you're nine-year-old tells you to turn it back to good music when this album starts...it's telling.
It's like watching a movie with your ears and no dialog. While technically sound and enjoyable at the time, completely forgettable for the most part. The song names definitely point to an idea. If you have that idea in your head when you listen...it tracks.
Prime Boss? 5 stars.
I like Simon and Garfunkel. I don't love them. Their good songs are absolutely stellar. Their less than good songs are stinkers. This album was clearly a moment where Paul Simon was doing acid or something. Some good songs on here. Some very strange moments too. Very strange.
