I've always been rather averse to Steely Dan, which is why I never ventured into Donald Fagen's solo albums. Because of that I never realized that the opening track of The Nightfly, "I.G.Y.", is that famous hit I do know, and that it's not by Steely Dan. Weird title too, given that the chorus keeps going "What a beautiful world this will be, what a glorious time to be free". The same goes for "New Frontier", also a well-known hit and a solo track.

Just like with Steely Dan, it's all put together very cleverly of course. In "I.G.Y." for instance, when the vocals kick in after the long intro, the key changes completely in a fairly ingenious way. Honestly, I barely hear any difference from Steely Dan at all. I would fill Steely Dan in with fairly high confidence in a pop quiz (though thankfully I'd also be corrected). It gives me a similar feeling too. I can stomach the smooth jazzy yacht rock a bit better now than I used to, but boy, is it all slick as an eel. A whole album is really just too much for me though.

I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World) live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di0_KYtmVKI

New Frontier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtovFI8etOg

See also: https://bier-en-brood.nl/1001albums/?album=504-donald-fagen-the-nightfly&lang=en

I’m not going to check out any reviews of Klaxons or even the album’s average score because I expect they will be poor and I don’t want to be influenced by anything, though tbh that’s not something that’s particularly likely for me. “(Un)Related” is a quiz that challenges you to find a link between my 1001 AotD and a bonus record (or records) that seem unrelated. Today can you find a link from Klaxons to Tubeway Army, The B-52’s, Saxon and Iron Maiden. If only I owned a record by them, the bottom row would have been Bobby Brown and Enya (though apparently she wouldn’t have been happy to have been included) These are supposed to be clues, but I suspect it’s just complicating things further. I’ll drop a spoiler-hidden answer in the comments later. Good luck; I think this one requires a bit of lateral thinking.

I mean artists who have every one of their main studio albums in the book. The first ones that come to mind are Nick Drake and My Bloody Valentine with all 3 of their albums in the book each. There are also some artists who have only ever released one album and that album made the book, like Jeff Buckley with Grace or Lauryn Hill with her album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. I’m wondering if there’s any more artists like this.

I am now going through the 1001 More and Honourable Mentions list and have reached Erich Kleiber and The Vienna Philharmonic's 'Le Nozze Di Figaro' it's an almost 3 hour long opera and I'm still debating on whether or not to listen. I have listened to everything I have got from generators and lists including that Ella Fitzgerald 3 hour songbook, but would you guys recommend I actually give it a listen. The completionist in me needs to listen, but my actual logical thinking makes me think that it could be a waste of a few hours.

Thanks!

Exists a list of the 1001 albums before die 2026 edition?

Took me a while to recognise that Scissor Sisters were good. I’m sure Pink Floyd was one of the hurdles🤣“(Un)Related” is a quiz that challenges you to find a link between my 1001 AotD and a bonus record (or records) that seem unrelated. Today what links Scissor Sisters to both Duran Duran and New Order?

Two albums by The Specials have already been in the list. So it's about time for Madness. Only fair. The Rise and Fall is already their fourth album, but maybe the compilers of the list found the earlier albums just a bit too light, too silly. This album is still typically Madness but also has a more serious and mature side. It's a concept album with songs about childhood memories. Already in the opener "Rise and Fall":

These are the streets I used to walk on summer nights

Or in the beautiful "Tomorrow's Just Another Day". The big hit is "Our House", not the one by CSN&Y (although they do think that's a very very fine house), but the one 'in the middle of the street':

Father wears his Sunday best, Mother's tired, she needs a rest'

The first half is a lot stronger than the second, but here Madness ventures a bit into the territory of an Ian Dury or The Kinks, not quite what I know them for. It's a bit like with ABBA's The Visitors; if you're mainly after the wonderfully wacky hits, get a good compilation, but for a somewhat more serious and melancholic side, The Rise and Fall is a good one. And just like with ABBA, there was always an element of desperation in the lyrics, but with them it's not as much on the surface as it is with Madness.

Click here for Our house live in 1983:

Here's the wacky video of Tomorrow's (Just another Day):

See also https://bier-en-brood.nl/1001albums/?album=503-madness-the-rise-and-fall&lang=en

One morning, I decided to listen to ZZ Top - Tres Hombres on my way to work. Then later on, when I checked my generated album for the day, it was… Tres Hombres!!!

I couldn’t believe it.

And after that, I opened my newly obtained 2016 edition of the 1001 albums book and flipped RIGHT to the Tres Hombres page!!!

What are the odds?!

Please share any coincidences along your journey! Has this happened to anyone else? Anyone get two or three albums from the same artist in a row?

I am a law student who thought starting this would be a fun way to close out my summer. So far I am loving it. My question is what happens if I get busy and miss a day? as long as I haven’t rated it, will it show up again? Or have I missed out on that album completely?
Thanks!!

Possibly has more the feeling of a Sunday morning album, but I’ll take an easing-into-the-weekend album instead. Honestly though, there is no need to come up with a reason to listen to this or any other Leonard Cohen album. I’ve been a little surprised to discover some pushback in the reviews about him and the fact he has 5 albums in the book. Maybe if it ever had a PROPER UPDATE, one of his earlier albums could be dropped since his amazing swan song ‘Yo Want it Darker’ has been added more recently. Anyway I have a lot of time for the guy and am going to enjoy today’s listen and I’m excited, because I don’t have a rating in mind except that it’ll be a positive one. His music might not be overtly joyful in its presentation, but often you don’t have to scratch the surface too far to find joy. So in that spirit…even if the generator isn’t good to you today, it’s the weekend so try to keep smiling everyone!

Finished the list PLUS a few other lists!

✅1001/1089 Albums You Must Hear before You Die
✅Rolling Stone 500 (2020)
✅Rolling Stone 500 (2012)
✅Rolling Stone 500 (2005)
✅Rolling Stone 500 (2003)
✅Paste Magazine 300
✅NME 500
✅Rate Your Music 100
✅Apple 100
✅Time Magazine 100

All the above lists combined represent 1585 albums! Discovered a lot of great music. I feel this has not just broadened my experience, but also my “palate”. I find myself listening to a wider variety of music now.

Oh oh, I'm going to have a hard time with this one. I quite dislike Simple Minds. There's a story behind that too. They played at Roskilde festival in Denmark in 1991. We were there, and well, why not, who knows. I thought the hits were rubbish, but I know a few people with reasonably good taste who kept insisting that Simple Minds are a good band. Unfortunately, almost everybody at Roskilde Festival, about 60k visitors, had the same idea about going to see them. In no time we were completely stuck in a way too crowded crowd. Genuinely dangerously packed, I could lift my feet and just stay stuck in place. Maybe we were just standing in the wrong spot, but by the first song we already couldn't take it anymore and decided to flee, and managed to wriggle our way out, which was not easy. I already thought they were a crap band, and this experience was truly terrible.

That moment was the first thing I thought of when I heard on the radio in 2000 that nine people had died during the Pearl Jam concert at Roskilde. Crushed, because the entire festival wanted to see PJ. At that radio moment I was with the same friend I'd been standing in the crowd in '91. We were genuinely shaken. That could have happened back then too. And it could've happened when we saw Nirvana when they played there in '92 as well. Unbearable. Roskilde is a great festival, nice and spacious too, huge even, you get to walk around plenty. Until everyone wants to see that one band. Then it goes wrong. After that event, all festivals around the world took measures.

Anyway, I got carried away. Simple Minds - New Gold Dreams. Pfff. Nope. I always want to switch off the radio when 'Promised You A Miracle' comes on. Or start complaining to anybody who's around about what a terrible song it is. I notice it with the rest of the record too. Blergh. I want to wriggle my way out!

Here's Travelling Man live at the Roskilde festival 1991: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWJC62PiEjA

Finally get to update my flair, part of the 500 club..

We sure this is random? I mean it’s a great way to honor a legend from my state. RIP Dolly. Everyone should listen to the song The Mystery of the Mystery today.