B-Side Guys

Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s album reviews that count toward B-Side Breakdowns: 140 reviews, going back to 2005, each next to the album’s Breakdown.

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Writes for

What they review

  • Indie & Alternative 34%
  • Rock 29%
  • Pop 25%
  • Metal & Punk 3%

Find Stephen Thomas Erlewine

By the numbers

5A-Sides reviewed, the albums the critics rate highest
13albums given a perfect score
13years of their reviews we track, 2005 to 2017
How their scores spread
  • 0–494
  • 50s3
  • 60s17
  • 70s47
  • 80s34
  • 90+35

Their favorites

  1. Queens of the Stone Age…Like Clockwork 100 AllMusic
  2. Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction 100 AllMusic
  3. Britney SpearsBlackout 100 AllMusic
  4. Lady GagaBorn This Way 100 AllMusic
  5. GorillazDemon Days 100 AllMusic

Artists they keep coming back to

Their scores for each artist, in release order.

A-Sides they reviewed

5 albums that earned an A-Side, the critics’ top tier; they scored 5 of them 75 or higher.

Every review

Outlet
"Weird Al" YankovicStraight Outta Lynwood“The 15-disc box set of puns and polka is a monument to pop music’s once symbiotic relationship with parody—a linkage that has dissolved in the wake of the monoculture’s demise.”Pitchfork via Wikipedia73 7.3/10662017
Manic Street PreachersPostcards from a Young ManAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/5742010
Peter GabrielScratch My BackAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/5622009
Pearl JamBackspacerAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/5762009
Kelly ClarksonAll I Ever WantedAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/5682009
DidoSafe Trip HomeAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/5692008
EminemRelapseAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/5592007
Sheryl CrowWildflowerAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/5592005
Queens of the Stone Age…Like ClockworkAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/582
The Cure4:13 DreamAllMusic via Wikipedia40 2/564
Metallica72 SeasonsAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/574
RadioheadA Moon Shaped PoolAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/588
Thom YorkeANIMAAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/582
R.E.M.AccelerateAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/577
AerosmithAerosmithAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/562
RadioheadAmnesiacAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/580
Scarlett JohanssonAnywhere I Lay My HeadAllMusic via Wikipedia50 2.5/559
Guns N' RosesAppetite for DestructionAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/591
Lady GagaArtpopAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/562
Liam GallagherAs You WereAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/575
Christina AguileraBack to BasicsAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/573
Britney SpearsBlackoutAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/577
Jack WhiteBlunderbussAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/583
Lady GagaBorn This WayAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/580
The RaconteursBroken Boy SoldiersAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/572
Foo FightersBut Here We AreAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/584
Paul McCartneyChaos and Creation in the BackyardAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/573
Noel Gallagher's High Flying BirdsChasing YesterdayAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/569
Lady GagaChromaticaAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/578
Britney SpearsCircusAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/560
R.E.M.Collapse into NowAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/572
Foo FightersConcrete and GoldAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/572
GorillazCracker IslandAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/572
Janet JacksonDamita JoAllMusic via Wikipedia40 2/564
My Chemical RomanceDanger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous KilljoysAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/573
GorillazDemon DaysAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/581
Beady EyeDifferent Gear, Still SpeedingAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/565
MuseDronesAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/568
Paul McCartneyEgypt StationAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/575
The Black KeysEl CaminoAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/582
Taylor SwiftEvermoreAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/583
WeezerEverything Will Be Alright in the EndAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/572
Arctic MonkeysFavourite Worst NightmareAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/582
Taylor SwiftFearlessAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/571
Taylor SwiftFearless (Taylor’s Version)AllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/583
Britney SpearsFemme FataleAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/565
Fiona AppleFetch the Bolt CuttersAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/594
Taylor SwiftFolkloreAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/588
PinkFunhouseAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/568
Manic Street PreachersFuturologyAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/584
GenesisGenesisAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/563
ColdplayGhost StoriesAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/561
Pearl JamGigatonAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/577
The Rolling StonesHackney DiamondsAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/578
Nine Inch NailsHesitation MarksAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/578
Bruce SpringsteenHigh HopesAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/569
KeshaHigh RoadAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/571
Lana Del ReyHoneymoonAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/575
HalseyHopeless Fountain KingdomAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/569
U2How to Dismantle an Atomic BombAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/578
GorillazHumanzAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/575
Arctic MonkeysHumbugAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/576
WeezerHurleyAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/568
Red Hot Chili PeppersI’m with YouAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/568
Roger WatersIs This the Life We Really Want?AllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/577
Lady GagaJoanneAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/568
Manic Street PreachersJournal for Plague LoversAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/577
Justin TimberlakeJustifiedAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/567
EminemKamikazeAllMusic via Wikipedia40 2/564
SoundgardenKing AnimalAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/570
Paul McCartneyKisses on the BottomAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/560
Jack WhiteLazarettoAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/579
The OffspringLet the Bad Times RollAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/556
Bruce SpringsteenLetter to YouAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/583
Pearl JamLightning BoltAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/572
Norah JonesLittle Broken HeartsAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/576
Lady GagaLove for SaleAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/570
Queens of the Stone AgeLullabies to ParalyzeAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/575
Lana Del ReyLust for LifeAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/577
MadonnaMDNAAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/565
MadonnaMadame XAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/573
Paul McCartneyMcCartney IIIAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/579
Foo FightersMedicine at MidnightAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/573
LordeMelodramaAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/591
Taylor SwiftMidnightsAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/584
ColdplayMylo XylotoAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/566
Shania TwainNowAllMusic via Wikipedia50 2.5/567
Bruce SpringsteenOnly the Strong SurviveAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/571
Duran DuranPaper GodsAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/570
GorillazPlastic BeachAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/584
Ariana GrandePositionsAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/566
AC/DCPower UpAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/578
LordePure HeroineAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/574
Alice in ChainsRainier FogAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/575
Taylor SwiftReputationAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/574
EminemRevivalAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/560
Green DayRevolution RadioAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/572
MorrisseyRingleader of the TormentorsAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/570
AC/DCRock or BustAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/569
Green DaySaviorsAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/574
Manic Street PreachersSend Away the TigersAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/573
Bob DylanShadows in the NightAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/585
PavementSlanted and EnchantedAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/585
LordeSolar PowerAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/570
U2Songs of ExperienceAllMusic via Wikipedia50 2.5/566
Red Hot Chili PeppersStadium ArcadiumAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/573
Arctic MonkeysSuck It and SeeAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/578
Ariana GrandeSweetenerAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/577
Katy PerryTeenage DreamAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/560
Ariana GrandeThank U, NextAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/583
BlurThe Ballad of DarrenAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/583
Avril LavigneThe Best Damn ThingAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/568
My Chemical RomanceThe Black ParadeAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/583
Arctic MonkeysThe CarAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/577
Elton JohnThe Diving BoardAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/578
Alicia KeysThe Element of FreedomAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/563
GorillazThe FallAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/568
GorillazThe Now NowAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/573
David BowieThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from MarsAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/597
Gwen StefaniThe Sweet EscapeAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/557
Them Crooked VulturesThem Crooked VulturesAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/575
Jennifer LopezThis Is Me… NowAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/558
Thom YorkeTomorrow’s Modern BoxesAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/574
Mark KnopflerTrackerAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/566
Arctic MonkeysTranquility Base Hotel & CasinoAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/573
Queens of the Stone AgeVillainsAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/577
ColdplayViva la Vida or Death and All His FriendsAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/576
ABBAVoyageAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/569
Foo FightersWasting LightAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/579
WeezerWeezerAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/567
Noel Gallagher's High Flying BirdsWho Built the Moon?AllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/578
Liam GallagherWhy Me? Why Not.AllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/574
Tom PettyWildflowersAllMusic via Wikipedia90 4.5/583
Pink FloydWish You Were HereAllMusic via Wikipedia100 5/599
Katy PerryWitnessAllMusic via Wikipedia40 2/561
Elton JohnWonderful Crazy NightAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/570
The KillersWonderful WonderfulAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/573
Bruce SpringsteenWrecking BallAllMusic via Wikipedia60 3/574
MorrisseyYears of RefusalAllMusic via Wikipedia80 4/570
Miley CyrusYounger NowAllMusic via Wikipedia70 3.5/567

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