PopMatters’s album reviews that count toward B-Side Breakdowns: 1,088 reviews of 1,088 albums, going back to 2004, each next to the album’s Breakdown. 466 of them come from Wikipedia ratings boxes, mostly for older albums.
Top critics
- Dave Heaton 14 reviews
- Matthew Dwyer 3 reviews
- Anthony Easton 3 reviews
- Steve Leftridge 3 reviews
- Steve Horowitz 3 reviews
1,013 reviews with no named critic yet.
What it reviews
- Rock 21%
- Pop 17%
- Indie & Alternative 17%
- Metal & Punk 14%
- Hip-Hop & Rap 14%
Find PopMatters
By the numbers
66average score it gives, on the 0 to 100 scale (1,088 reviews)
32%of its reviews score an album 75 or higher
16points: how far a typical review lands from its own average score
7albums given a perfect score (0.6% of its reviews)
20A-Sides reviewed, the albums the critics rate highest
51different critics with a byline on its reviews here
55%of its scores landed within 10 points of the other critics’ average for the same album (1087 albums)
12points, on average, between its release-week reviews and where the other critics ended up (59 reviews)
How its scores spread
- 0–49126
- 50s130
- 60s187
- 70s294
- 80s244
- 90+107
Its top scores
Donald Glover3.15.20 100 
Jethro TullAqualung 100 
MastodonBlood Mountain 100 
Albert KingBorn Under a Bad Sign 100 
Serge GainsbourgHistoire de Melody Nelson 100 
Tom PettyWildflowers 100 
Pink FloydWish You Were Here 100 
HalseyThe Great Impersonator 90 Rachel R. Carroll
Its newest 200 reviews
| Critic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Queens of the Stone AgePerfecth“On their ninth release, Perfecth, Queens of the Stone Age display the full array of their sound to pinpoint distinct emotions.” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 78 | Oct 27, 2026 |
 5 Seconds of Summer5 Seconds of Summer“5 Seconds of Summer add a new dimension to their reliable pop-punk formula by analyzing their own fame on Everyone's a Star.” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 68 | Nov 20, 2025 |
 Demi LovatoIt’s Not That Deep | Matthew Dwyer Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 77 | Oct 29, 2025 |
 Ava MaxDon’t Click Play“Ava Max's third album, Don't Click Play, is a predictable disco-pop rehash, but comes with an intriguing media narrative” | Matthew Dwyer Read the review via Wikipedia | 50 5/10 | 60 | Sep 11, 2025 |
| HalseyThe Great Impersonator“Halsey's The Great Impersonator reimagines her career throughout the decades, displaying a conceptual artist at the top of her game. A masterclass in honesty.” | Rachel R. Carroll Read the review via Wikipedia | 90 9/10 | 80 | 2024 |
 Kacey MusgravesDeeper Well“Kacey Musgraves, like all of us, is just trying to learn how to sway in the face of life's challenges, and she chooses to gift them to us in the…” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 76 | 2024 |
 Chris StapletonHigher“Chris Stapleton's Higher is required listening for fans of high-quality, contemporary country. He's gifted with the most gorgeous male voice in country today.” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 70 | 2023 |
 The ShinsChutes Too Narrow“The Shins' Chutes Too Narrow remains one of the essential indie rock records, especially if one wants to understand the moment the genre had in the 2000s.” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 86 | 2023 |
 Blink-182California“Tom DeLonge's sci-fi film Monsters of California is the cinematic manifestation of a Blink-182 song crossed with a paint-by-numbers tour of paranormal activity.” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 62 | 2023 |
 Miranda LambertPalomino“Miranda Lambert’s Palomino is a damn fine record with 15 tales of love and the American Dream in her trademark powerful, declarative yet tender voice.” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 81 | 2022 |
 Robert PlantRaise the Roof | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 70 7/10 | 77 | 2021 |
 Barry GibbGreenfields | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 76 | 2021 |
 L7Smell the Magic“Abortion is under threat again, there's a sex offender in the Oval Office, and countless studies reveal the glaring underrepresentation of women in the North” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 78 | 2020 |
 Willie NelsonFirst Rose of Spring“Willie Nelson completed a trio of mortality-focused albums with last year's Grammy-winning Ride Me Back Home. These records focused on Nelson's collaborative” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 70 | 2020 |
 Ashley McBrydeNever Will“Ashley McBryde's latest album, Never Will, begins with a guitar riff borrowed from the Rolling Stones "Tumbling Dice" before launching into a Bruce” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 78 | 2020 |
 WaxahatcheeSaint Cloud“Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield took the stage just after dark at last year's Woodsist Festival, barefoot in a flowing black gown. With an acoustic guitar” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 83 | 2020 |
 ToolFear Inoculum“Tool's Fear Inoculum meets nearly every expectation admirers could have and ranks as a worthwhile extension of the band's legacy.” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 82 | 2019 |
 The Smashing PumpkinsShiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.“Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. arrives with the distinction as the first Smashing Pumpkins album since 2000 to reunite” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 45 | 2018 |
 NasNasir“Kids See Ghosts, the self-titled collaboration between Kanye West and Kid Cudi, was the peak of West's five-installment Ye Season, both chronologically and in” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 58 | 2018 |
 Pusha TDaytona“Not even a week has elapsed between the release of Pusha T's highly anticipated DAYTONA and the writing of this review. And yet so much has taken place” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 83 | 2018 |
 Robert PlantCarry Fire“Can I just begin by saying how thrilled I am that Robert Plant continues to make wonderfully unique music well into the 21st century? This is a man who once” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 79 | 2017 |
 Steven WilsonTo the Bone | Brice Ezell Read the review via Wikipedia | 70 7/10 | 74 | 2017 |
 MobyMore Fast Songs About the Apocalypse“We must give Moby credit for not rewriting his biggest seller, Play, over and over again. Moby has always been a bit like Bowie in his mercurial shifts in” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 65 | 2017 |
 Garth BrooksGunslinger“It's hard to believe it’s been nearly a quarter century since Garth Brooks served as the reigning king of country music. In the intervening decades, much has” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 65 | 2016 |
 Tove LoLady Wood“Sometimes the best way to get over something is to feel it and just be in that shitty place for a bit. That's what I realized.” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2016 |
 Avenged SevenfoldThe Stage“was like, ‘Why would you ever tune your vocals? You can sing!” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 71 | 2016 |
 NOFXFirst Ditch Effort“First Ditch Effort is NOFX’s first record in four years, technically the longest they’ve ever gone between albums. Except 2014-15 saw the entire band working” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 74 | 2016 |
 BastilleWild World“The world is not enough.” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 73 | 2016 |
 Lil Uzi VertThe Perfect Luv Tape“There are a few ways to mark an artist’s evolution, especially in rap. One of the clearest signifiers of progression is their ability to get meta — to refer” | Sheldon Duricy Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 6/10 | 62 | 2016 |
 Lil Uzi VertLil Uzi Vert vs. the World“Before the age of social media, gauging an artist’s success was pretty simple: checking the Billboard charts was the equivalent of “Scoreboard!”, and the” | Brian Duricy Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 6/10 | 67 | 2016 |
 FutureEvol | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 6/10 | 71 | 2016 |
 The Beach BoysBeach Boys’ Party! | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 53 | 2015 |
 Janet JacksonUnbreakable“Hello. It's been awhile. Lots to talk about. I'm glad you're still here. I hope you enjoy.” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 78 | 2015 |
 David GilmourRattle That Lock“David Gilmour’s first solo album in nine years, Rattle That Lock is a musical journey of love, sorrow and hope. The album follows a loosely structured” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2015 |
 The WeekndBeauty Behind the Madness“I'm that nigga with the hair” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 73 | 2015 |
 Dr. DreCompton | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 80 | 2015 |
 Ashley MonroeThe Blade“If it feels like Ashley Monroe had two debut albums, it’s because it’s sort of true. Or perhaps even three debuts. It started nine years ago, when her debut” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 81 | 2015 |
 Kacey MusgravesPageant Material“One myth that persists in music listening is the idea that artists arrive fully formed, that from their debut album we can learn and understand everything we” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 78 | 2015 |
 Snoop DoggBush“Love him or hate him, over the past two decades of his innocuous career, Snoop Dogg has become an undeniable icon of the urban scene. Since his start 23 years” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2015 |
 Florence + the MachineHow Big, How Blue, How Beautiful“The moon, the stars, the sky, the earth, the ocean. These are the things that Florence Welch calls into battle with her — and it’s always a battle. From” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 76 | 2015 |
 Kylie MinogueEnjoy Yourself“When "Can't Get You Out of My Head" broke into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2002 — its spartan, subterranean groove fulfilling the promise of its” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 42 | 2015 |
 Marilyn MansonThe Pale Emperor“Little Brian Warner, better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson, made his career over 20 years ago with imitative schlocky imagery and tongue-in-cheek” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 68 | 2015 |
 Rick RossHood Billionaire“In the age of microwavable big budget hip-hop albums, disc-bulging products that have every hope of being chopped apart by an iPod owner's Genius playlists or” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 60 | 2015 |
 J. Cole2014 Forest Hills Drive“If the Truly Yours mixtapes are any indication, J. Cole is at his best when he’s not trying to be the best. On those EPs, there was no falling back…” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 67 | 2014 |
 Jessie JSweet Talker“I'mma do it like it ain't been done!" Get it Jess! In proclamatory fashion, Jessie J confidently utters those swag-laden words from the jump of her latest” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 57 | 2014 |
 Kanye WestMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy“The 33 1/3 series doesn't explicitly declare that any album in its series is a masterpiece. On its official website, it modestly states that "33 1/3 is a” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 91 | 2014 |
 Lady GagaCheek to Cheek“Opposites attract, or at least that’s the old saying. Pairing an oft-restrained jazz veteran in Tony Bennett with an over-the-top dance-pop star in Lady Gaga” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 64 | 2014 |
 U2Songs of Innocence“Some of the music out there now that people call pop, it's not pop — it's just truly great. And we wanted to have the discipline of the Beatles or…” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 61 | 2014 |
 Brad PaisleyMoonshine in the Trunk“Brad Paisley’s 10th studio album begins with the sound of a beer can opening and ends with a song about Jesus. In between are songs about float trips,” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 60 | 2014 |
 Jennifer LopezA.K.A.“You don’t know me now / oh you don’t know me now" is the last line you hear in the chorus of the title track for Jennifer Lopez’s album A.K.A.…” | not named Read the review | 30 3/10 | 52 | 2014 |
 Judas PriestRedeemer of Souls | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 90 9/10 | 73 | 2014 |
 Linkin ParkThe Hunting Party“Considering that they formed nearly 20 years ago, it's fair to say that the sustained longevity, mystique, and status of Californian sextet Linkin Park is” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 60 | 2014 |
 The JayhawksSmile“The mid-'90s was a tumultuous time for the Jayhawks. On one hand, they were riding the wave of critical success after releasing Hollywood Town Hall and” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 71 | 2014 |
 Iggy AzaleaThe New Classic“Remember Gucci Gucci? Kreayshawn? Something About Kreay? I thought not. She wasn’t even a flash in the pan. I didn’t pay attention to anything she released” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 53 | 2014 |
 Dawn LandesBluebird“The allusion is too obvious, so no doubt this will seem trite, but Dawn Landes really does sound like a bluebird. Most amateur ornithologists know the males” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 70 | 2014 |
 LambchopNixon“For its 25th anniversary, Merge Records is reissuing a number of albums from its catalog that have earned classic status. The first of these is Nixon, the” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 84 | 2014 |
 James BluntMoon Landing | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 50 | 2013 |
 Kelly ClarksonWrapped in Red“For someone who owes her career to a starmaking TV show, Kelly Clarkson has earned an awful lot of goodwill.” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 65 | 2013 |
 Panic! at the DiscoToo Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!“Ever since its inception roughly ten years ago, Panic! At The Disco has continuously reinvented itself. Debut effort A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out was an” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 40 4/10 | 66 | 2013 |
 Katy PerryPrism“No matter what you think of her personally, even the most jaded of cynics have to acknowledge that Katy Perry is one hell of a performer — and that's exactly” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 63 | 2013 |
 Manic Street PreachersRewind the Film“There's a bad old adage that goes "The Welsh don't die, they just DRAG ON!" (Look up a picture of the Welsh flag, allow yourself a groan, then proceed to…” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 83 | 2013 |
 Sheryl CrowFeels Like Home“Well, it happened. Sheryl Crow finally (and fully) embraced the nu-country direction that she was nose-diving towards since 2005’s Wallflower. It’s a somewhat” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 68 | 2013 |
 PlaceboLoud Like Love“Placebo is the type of band you enjoy more for their consistency than their adaptability. The problem being, Placebo themselves don't seem to realize the” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 55 | 2013 |
 John FogertyWrote a Song For Everyone“Wrote a Song for Everyone — the title seems a little quaint at first glance, but when you really stop and think about it, its audacity becomes apparent. For” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 63 | 2013 |
 Beady EyeBE“This one's Rock N' Roll but flying out in space. If you're into drugs, you'll like it.” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 61 | 2013 |
 Kacey MusgravesSame Trailer Different Park“I've always loved Lurleen Lumpkin's country music, so I was happily surprised to hear her voice come out of my speakers with a whole new batch of mobile home” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 82 | 2013 |
 Brad PaisleyWheelhouse“2009’s American Saturday Night, as personal and domestic-focused as much of it was, contained in its Obama-referencing single and elsewhere some indication” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 70 | 2013 |
 Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsPush the Sky Away“After a three-album rock ‘n’ roll rampage – 2008’s Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! and two albums by the Bad Seeds offshoot Grinderman (one in 2007, one in 2010) – which” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 81 | 2013 |
 Dropkick MurphysSigned and Sealed in Blood“You're not likely to be surprised by much of what's on Signed and Sealed in Blood, the eighth record from Celtic-punkers Dropkick Murphys. It's got Irish-folk” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 71 | 2013 |
 Green Day¡Dos!“So much for a celebratory record launch. In the aftermath of Billie Joe Armstrong’s much-publicized tirade in the middle of his band’s performance at the” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2012 |
 AerosmithMusic from Another Dimension!“The Plan 9 from Outer Space-inspired sleeve art for Aerosmith's 15th studio effort Music from Another Dimension! is a great pictorial representation of two” | not named Read the review | 20 2/10 | 51 | 2012 |
 The SwordApocryphon“The guys that comprise Austin, Texas' warp riders', The Sword, have journeyed over criticism during their six year existence despite their notable success.” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 72 | 2012 |
 Green Day¡Uno!“¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tre! — Green Day’s rapid-fire release of three albums over the next few months — is simultaneously a bold artistic and commercial” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 68 | 2012 |
 Pet Shop BoysElysium“In 1987, Pet Shop Boys released their sophomore album, Actually. Its cover featured keyboardist Chris Lowe looking nonplussed, while vocalist/keyboardist Neil” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 63 | 2012 |
 Carly Rae JepsenKiss“Be glad that Carly Rae Jepsen isn't reinterpreting the Great American Songbook, because for a while there, it seemed like she was going to do just that.” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 64 | 2012 |
 Carrie UnderwoodBlown Away“Look at her there on the cover. She's poised, her skin aglow, dress billowing, hair blowing, but not the way most people's hair blows — so messy and pitiful” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 57 | 2012 |
 Alanis MorissetteHavoc and Bright Lights“As much as you may want to deny it, Alanis Morissette, with all of her gusto and theatre-driven fellatio, ushered in a mainstream wave of vocal and” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 50 | 2012 |
 Emeli SandéOur Version of Events“More than a few U.S. viewers who watched Danny Boyle's opening ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympics may have come away with some misconceptions about the” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 70 | 2012 |
 Tenacious DRize of the Fenix“Comedy rock duo Tenacious D has always succeeded as a result of self-perpetuated myths. On “Tribute", from their self-titled debut in 2001, Jack Black and” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 2/10 | 64 | 2012 |
 GotyeMaking Mirrors“While Making Mirrors marked Gotye's stateside debut this January, it's worth noting that the Belgium-born, Australia-bred Wally de Becker has been doing this” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 70 | 2012 |
 Van HalenA Different Kind of Truth“If Van Halen had never made an album again, the last album to the band's name would have been the universally derided Van Halen III, which was the band's” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 73 | 2012 |
 Die AntwoordTen$Ion“I have to confess that until recently, I had no idea what a Die Antwoord was. But I learned. Oh, how I learned. I learned about them via YouTube, and…” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 56 | 2012 |
 Paul McCartneyOcean’s Kingdom“Paul McCartney's Ocean's Kingdom shot to the top of the classical charts when it was released in early October, and anyone with half a brain knows why. Even” | John Garratt Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 6/10 | 61 | 2011 |
 Blink-182Neighborhoods“Tense. A word that describes the mood of any number of interviews with the members of Blink-182 over the past year during the writing and recording process of” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 68 | 2011 |
 Ryan AdamsAshes & Fire“Ryan Adams is the genius critics love to hate: too prolific, too much of a chameleon, too facile, too tortured, too sensitive, too strident, too” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 79 | 2011 |
 David GuettaNothing but the Beat“It would be a safe bet to say the David Guetta is one of the commercial pop world’s most sought after producers, perhaps even overtaking the success of the” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 60 | 2011 |
 Selena Gomez & the SceneWhen the Sun Goes Down“This song would be perfect to do the robot dance to", mused my eight-year-old son, referring to a track from When the Sun Goes Down. Out of the mouths of” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 56 | 2011 |
 Gillian WelchThe Harrow & The Harvest“The gospel according to Gillian Welch and David Rawlings embraces darkness and light, pain and joy, the briar as one with the rose, clear-eyed truth and hazy obfuscation.” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 90 | 2011 |
 Elvis PresleyElvis Is Back!“When reporters asked John Lennon about his thoughts on the death of Elvis Presley, the former Beatle wryly commented that he thought the King died when he” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 82 | 2011 |
 CalexicoFeast of Wire“The world is full of great rock bands, but many of them sound like they could be from anywhere. Move them halfway across the globe and it won't matter;” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 82 | 2011 |
 Avril LavigneGoodbye Lullaby“Avril Lavigne’s new album Goodbye Lullaby lacks the roller-skating euphoria of her last one, 2007’s The Best Damn Thing. Lullaby only has two rabid” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 54 | 2011 |
 R.E.M.Collapse into Now“After a decade of increasingly underwhelming albums following the departure of drummer/founding member Bill Berry in 1997, R.E.M. forcibly pulled itself out” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 72 | 2011 |
 MotörheadThe Wörld Is Yours“The great, indomitable Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister turned 65 mere weeks before the North American release of Motörhead's 20th album. And bless him, not a single” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 72 | 2011 |
 The JayhawksTomorrow the Green Grass“Where have all my friends gone? / They’ve all disappeared.” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 81 | 2011 |
 Lloyd BanksThe Hunger for More“Of all the New York sequels lined up in the wake of Only Built for Cuban Linx… 2, I'm fairly certain Hunger for More 2 ranks near the bottom of…” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 67 | 2010 |
 Linkin ParkA Thousand Suns“Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon is revered as one of the greatest albums of all time because it was one of the most ambitious albums released in that…” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 71 | 2010 |
 Old 97'sThe Grand Theatre, Volume One“On their eight studio album, beloved Texas rock ’n’ rollers the Old 97's continue to produce some really great music, but also some really forgettable stuff” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 70 | 2010 |
 David GilmourMetallic Spheres | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 6/10 | 71 | 2010 |
 DisturbedAsylum“There is no bigger band in hard rock right now than Disturbed. Over the past decade, they have helped to revolutionize the popularity of aggressive music,” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 69 | 2010 |
 Iron MaidenThe Final Frontier“When you follow a band for a long time, there comes a point where you know their “classic era” has long since passed, and even though you still eagerly buy” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 74 | 2010 |
 The UndertonesHypnotised“The name the Undertones is likely to strike recognition in even the most casual rock music fan. For most, they are the band that made "Teenage Kicks", a” | not named Read the review | 90 9/10 | 81 | 2010 |
 Miley CyrusCan’t Be Tamed“Amidst a storming array of percolating synths and stomping dance beats, Miley Cyrus' third album under her own name opens with a declarative mantra: "Don't” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 2/10 | 50 | 2010 |
 Bullet for My ValentineFever“Bullet for My Valentine lives and dies by Matt Tuck. The young lead vocalist and guitarist is capable of driving the band to massive success or dragging them” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 70 | 2010 |
 RattInfestation“We all remember how the grunge explosion of 1992 so swiftly put a dagger through the heart of hair metal, but although it instantly rendered the sound and” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 67 | 2010 |
 Ellie GouldingLights“With a BBC Music Choice award slung ever so conspicuously around her neck for 2010, one heartily expects to be disappointed by folk/electropop crossover” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 63 | 2010 |
 Drive-By TruckersThe Big To-Do“The good news for Drive-By Truckers fans is that their new album The Big To-Do rarely strays from what the band does best. The bad news is the band’s lyrics” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 77 | 2010 |
 Serj TankianElect the Dead“The most impressive thing about Serj Tankian's 2007 solo debut Elect the Dead was just how controlled it was. How many times have we seen a lead singer from a” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 62 | 2010 |
 Peter GabrielScratch My Back“Those awaiting a proper follow-up to Peter Gabriel’s last studio album Up (2002) will have to hold out a bit longer. Instead, Gabriel’s new full-length” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 62 | 2010 |
 Susan BoyleI Dreamed a Dream“It's not so bad, really. Her voice is fairly pretty. The songs are mostly classics. The arrangements don’t drown everything in Splenda. It's not much — it's” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 52 | 2010 |
 Norah JonesThe Fall“The transformation is complete. Norah Jones, the golden girl of Blue Note records and queen of the adult pop-jazz crossover field, after selling millions of” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 50 5/10 | 69 | 2009 |
 John MayerBattle Studies“As a self-professed John Mayer fan who's followed the man's career throughout the many swerving, twisting paths it's taken, I've come to place quite a bit of” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 61 | 2009 |
 Carrie UnderwoodPlay On“From the first few slicked-up yet grungy electric guitar chords, we know we’re in for more of the same: angry bad-boyfriend songs and gelatinous ballads, a” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 2/10 | 51 | 2009 |
 Them Crooked VulturesThem Crooked Vultures“The fruition of a long anticipated gathering between Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters and Nirvana), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and John Paul Jones (Led” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 75 | 2009 |
 Alice in ChainsBlack Gives Way to Blue“On the cover of the new Alice in Chains album, their first in 14 long years, sits a heart. Not a beating heart, nor a particularly healthy-looking one,” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 79 | 2009 |
 WilcoWilco (The Album)“Wilco’s success is largely due to their ability to continually surprise, if not outright confound, their audience. Their first five albums saw the band” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 74 | 2009 |
 PlaceboBattle for the Sun“Rarely does a band release an album over a decade into its career that has so much pressure with it. Placebo's Battle for the Sun faces a triple threat: It…” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 59 | 2009 |
 RancidLet the Dominoes Fall“Perhaps the best indication of what constitutes a great punk band is its members’ abilities to think beyond the scope of their three-chord impetus.” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 68 | 2009 |
 Beastie BoysCheck Your Head | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 90 9/10 | 88 | 2009 |
 Keith UrbanDefying Gravity“Keith Urban trafficks in the promise of love. In song after song he looks you in the eye and beckons, "Baby come here and be mine. Give me your heart…” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 65 | 2009 |
 Bill CallahanSometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 83 | 2009 |
 Neko CaseMiddle Cyclone“One of independent music’s most visible pin-up girls, Neko Case has all the right attributes to make the indie boys swoon (pale skin! red hair! sultry voice!” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 81 | 2009 |
 Dierks BentleyFeel That Fire“Dierks Bentley’s fifth album, Feel That Fire, opens with an electric guitar emulating a motorcycle’s roar, hearkening back to… what? Motley Crue’s “Girls” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 58 | 2009 |
 BeyoncéI Am… Sasha Fierce“Has Beyoncé Knowles fallen off the top of the pop diva plateau? No, but has it – at the very least – kind of felt like she has? Yes. After…” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 63 | 2009 |
 The Jackson 5Triumph | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 70 7/10 | 83 | 2009 |
 Fall Out BoyFolie à Deux“Perhaps Fall Out Boy's predicament can best be illustrated by the Alternative Press issue that appeared the month preceding Folie a Deux's release. Though” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 70 | 2008 |
 MetallicaDeath Magnetic“At one point during Sam Dunn's excellent documentary Global Metal, we hear from a Middle Eastern fan who says that his country's entire metal scene owes” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 78 | 2008 |
 Mötley CrüeSaints of Los Angeles“Mötley Crüe fans are a tough lot to satisfy. Give ’em a reunion tour with all four original members, and they want it to go on forever. Serve up a…” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 57 | 2008 |
 ApocalypticaWorlds Collide“When Apocalyptica appeared on the music scene in 1996 with Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, they were busting the lid off a new can. Their unique blend of” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 70 | 2008 |
 DisturbedIndestructible“Two years again, Chicago outfit Disturbed memorably covered Genesis’ "Land of Confusion". I say memorable because this wasn’t a limp tributary imitation” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 58 | 2008 |
 Ashlee SimpsonBittersweet World | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 40 4/10 | 64 | 2008 |
 The KooksKonk“The blokes from Brighton are back with their second album, Konk, the follow up to 2006's Inside In/Inside Out. Their latest effort finds The Kooks picking up” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 62 | 2008 |
 Panic! at the DiscoPretty. Odd.“Panic at the Disco is a four-piece from Las Vegas. They were picked up by Fall Out Boy’s Decaydence imprint and won some popularity with their debut A Fever” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 70 | 2008 |
 Flogging MollyFloat“For a while now, Dropkick Murphys have held the Celtic punk crown. But, at this point, it is hard to figure why. Much of that rests on a long-ago built” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 70 | 2008 |
 WhiskeytownStrangers Almanac“With its fuck-all self-destructive streak, post-cowpunk reformation, and Ryan Adams's elemental yet profound songwriting, Whiskeytown was the Replacements of” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 80 | 2008 |
 Kathleen EdwardsAsking for Flowers“Roots rockers rejoice! After touring the world with everyone from My Morning Jacket to John Mayer, Kathleen Edwards is back with her first album in three” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 78 | 2008 |
 MGMTOracular Spectacular“Oracular Spectacular, the debut album by MGMT, is full of indie rock tropes. It's got a revivalist sound, showing itself here in a love of big '70s sound and” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 74 | 2008 |
 Lupe FiascoLupe Fiasco’s The Cool“For those old-fashioned folks still buying CDs (myself included), Lupe Fiasco’s debut, Food & Liquor, offered more in the way of liner notes than the” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 80 | 2008 |
 Enter ShikariTake to the Skies“As genre-crossing goes, it’s hard to come up with a wilder combination than rave and hardcore. Which is why it’s just as well we’ve got young and energetic” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 63 | 2007 |
 Arch EnemyRise of the Tyrant“Arch Enemy has made enormous strides in the last four or five years, first by revolutionizing extreme metal with the hiring of vocalist Angela Gossow, the” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2007 |
 Annie LennoxSongs of Mass Destruction“When an artist as celebrated and immensely gifted as Annie Lennox delivers an album, it is natural that the project be treated as somewhat of an event. This” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 67 | 2007 |
 ChamillionaireUltimate Victory | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 79 | 2007 |
 Bruce SpringsteenMagic | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 84 | 2007 |
 Steve EarleWashington Square Serenade“If it wasn't evident from the title of his new record, Washington Square Serenade, Steve Earle lives in New York now. And with this new album, he wants you to” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 63 | 2007 |
 Good CharlotteGood Morning Revival“It's not that Good Charlotte is incapable of writing good pop songs, it's that the band's music has never had any authenticity to it. The high-gloss pop rock” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 46 | 2007 |
 Animal CollectiveStrawberry Jam“Animal Collective have always been a group of talented artists. They are aware of how sounds work and how to string them together in interesting, if sometimes” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 80 | 2007 |
 Bad ReligionNew Maps of Hell“Among punk-rock activists calling for world change, Bad Religion have never been the most optimistic. Their music has its hopeful moments: times when the” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 70 7/10 | 74 | 2007 |
 Velvet RevolverLibertad“One of many promises made by Velvet Revolver (three parts Guns N' Roses, one part Stone Temple Pilots, and that guy from the hardcore punk band) regarding” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 70 | 2007 |
 FabolousFrom Nothin’ to Somethin’“After a two-year layoff, Fabolous releases his fourth album, From Nothin' To Somethin'. The Brooklyn native emerged on the hip-hop scene back in 2001 and has” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 60 | 2007 |
 Richard ThompsonSweet Warrior | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 85 | 2007 |
 Queens of the Stone AgeEra Vulgaris“Queens of the Stone Age have always occupied an unusual position in the music industry, a sort of throwback to the days when huge, arena-filling bands could” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 74 | 2007 |
 Ne-YoBecause of You | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 90 9/10 | 76 | 2007 |
 Linkin ParkMinutes to Midnight“It began with Korn. Now Linkin Park is the next to add to a growing list of nu-metal bands with guilty consciences. In fact, where did they even go? Between” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 62 | 2007 |
 Dimmu BorgirIn Sorte Diaboli“The scourge of black metal purists everywhere, Norway's Dimmu Borgir has proven over the last five years that not only can the darker side of extreme metal” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 77 | 2007 |
 Willie NelsonLast of the Breed“Has the news been depressing you lately? Everywhere you look things seem dark. The wars abroad grow deadlier. New political scandals continually emerge.” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 68 | 2007 |
 LordiThe Arockalypse“In one of the most surreal events in pop music history, a bunch of costumed GWAR look-alikes and Manowar sound-alikes calling themselves Lordi won the 2006” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 70 | 2007 |
 Gym Class HeroesAs Cruel as School Children“MTV loves these guys, and why not? They're quirky, energetic and offer an easy-to-swallow version of alternative hip-hop for the kids of today, who don't want” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 60 | 2007 |
 AkonKonvicted“Who knows the veracity of this, but apparently, Akon's "real" name — Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam — contains a little” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 62 | 2007 |
 J.J. CaleThe Road to Escondido“There are certain pairings in music that seem to bring to mind a moment in time when everything for the tandem hit on all cylinders. Often times the tandem do” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2007 |
 Snoop DoggTha Blue Carpet Treatment“Anyone waiting for Snoop Dogg to "mature" would probably do best to, well, stop. Dude's 35 now, he's shilling for XM with David Bowie, he willingly” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 75 | 2006 |
 Killswitch EngageAs Daylight Dies“Massachusetts’ Killswitch Engage may already by four LPs into their career, but, like peers Underoath, the band have had to undergo a new beginning recently” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 84 | 2006 |
 JoJoThe High Road“Having worked in music retail for several years, I've come across multiple people — even during the advent of iTunes — that simply didn't want to buy an” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 2/10 | 63 | 2006 |
 EvanescenceThe Open Door“People say Daredevil was a bad movie, but it did bring us one thing: Little Rock, Arkansas, band Evanescence, who, unlike Lacuna Coil and Theatre of Tragedy” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 68 | 2006 |
 Sean CombsPress Play | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 6/10 | 68 | 2006 |
 Bruce SpringsteenWe Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions“Bruce Springsteen's pre-emptive strike into the land of Pete Seeger-style protest folk, New Orleans-style ragtime and the judicious use of the tuba began” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 84 | 2006 |
 LudacrisRelease Therapy“Does anyone get genuinely excited about new records from artists like Ludacris anymore? Is there still buzz created about what might be contained therein?” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 68 | 2006 |
 Scissor SistersTa-Dah“Despite its title, Ta-Dah offers few surprises. For Scissor Sisters, that's not entirely a demerit. Their debut album proved that Jake Shears and company” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 74 | 2006 |
 FergieThe Dutchess | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 2/10 | 51 | 2006 |
 HatebreedSupremacy“He's only 28 years old, but Jamey Jasta has put together quite a career over the past decade. Not only has his band Hatebreed become the biggest hardcore band” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2006 |
 John MayerContinuum“John Mayer gets a bad rap. After three albums of quality singer/songwriter material, Mayer is still judged by two songs that don’t necessarily represent his” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 67 | 2006 |
 DJ KhaledListennn… the Album“As Houston has blown up, Atlanta continues to churn out new sounds annually and Memphis rap is now Oscar-worthy, Miami has played a disproportionately small” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 68 | 2006 |
 GodsmackIV“Say what you will about Godsmack, but for eight years now they've been one of the most consistently successful bands to come out of the late '90s alt-metal” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 50 | 2006 |
 DragonForceInhuman Rampage“If you were a teen headbanger during the early to mid-1980s, you probably read the two best-selling metal rags at the time, Circus and Hit Parader. Inside the” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 74 | 2006 |
 Ice CubeLaugh Now, Cry Later“Ice Cube's appeal has always been his ability to play the right role at the right time. In the movies, his timing was perfect as the likable but” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 71 | 2006 |
 RammsteinRosenrot | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 73 | 2006 |
 Snow PatrolEyes Open“Even before Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody drops Sufjan Stevens's name, you get a good idea of what Eyes Open is all about. Lightbody sums it up earlier” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 69 | 2006 |
 EdguyRocket Ride“While many people consider 1985 to be the worst year of heavy metal's salad days in the '80s (Slayer's Hell Awaits, Celtic Frost's To Mega Therion, and Iron” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 67 | 2006 |
 Prince3121“If you believe the official critical record, somewhere in the mid-'90s Prince fell off the pop culture radar, with only die-hard fans left paying attention as” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 71 | 2006 |
 ChamillionaireThe Sound of Revenge“Revenge is a dish best served cold.” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 66 | 2006 |
 BabyshamblesDown in Albion“Oh pretty boy, can't you show me nothing more than surrender? — Patti Smith” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 63 | 2005 |
 ShakiraFijación Oral, Vol. 1“When Shakira had her big breakthrough, Laundry Service, I wrote an extremely corny review in which I said that it was too poppy and too much under the” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 74 | 2005 |
 Backstreet BoysNever Gone | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 2/10 | 51 | 2005 |
 MillencolinKingwood“When you get a lot of discs in the mail each week, publicists often try to get your attention by including press information and background on the band and” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 73 | 2005 |
 Alkaline TrioCrimson“2005 may just be the year that Chicago's Alkaline Trio skyrockets into the mainstream. After all, less talented horror punk acts like My Chemical Romance are” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 80 | 2005 |
 Napalm DeathThe Code Is Red…Long Live the Code“As great as it is to have metal artists challenge their listeners by continuing to develop their sound well into their career, it's also just as good to have” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 63 | 2005 |
 BeckGuero“Looking for my place on assembly lines… — Beck, "Hell Yes” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 78 | 2005 |
 Kaiser ChiefsEmployment“It would be impossible to ignore the Kaiser Chiefs' similarities to Franz Ferdinand, even if you somehow managed to avoid the endless stream of magazine hype” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 74 | 2005 |
 Tori AmosThe Beekeeper | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 6/10 | 69 | 2005 |
 Kings of LeonAha Shake Heartbreak“Ah, the dreaded sophomore album. Sure, bands have their whole life (up to that point) to record and release a debut album and can draw upon a wealth of life” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 75 | 2005 |
 NightwishOnce“NIGHTWISH Over the Hills and Far Away(Century Media)Rating: 6US release date: 30 November 2004UK release date: Available as import” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 80 | 2005 |
 NasStreet’s Disciple“Your favorite rappers are middle-aged. Eminem struggles to make an album radically different than the one he releases over and over, Jay-Z pulled out of the” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 78 | 2005 |
 Avril LavigneUnder My Skin“Can I speak for just a minute on the subject of copy protection? I understand the music industry doesn't want me to pirate their music. I understand that they” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 68 | 2004 |
 will.i.am#willpower“Will.i.am (William Adams) has played a gargantuan role in pop music. As one quarter of genre-bending band The Black Eyed Peas, the producer, rapper, and” | not named Read the review | 40 4/10 | 43 | |
 Queens of the Stone Age…Like Clockwork“It's been six years since Era Vulgaris, the last Queens of the Stone Age album. But it's not like frontman and co-founder Josh Homme has just been sitting” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 82 | |
 Melvins(A) Senile Animal“With considerable confidence, it can be assumed that the following name has never appeared in any review of a Melvins recording: Woody Allen. Perhaps because,” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 74 | |
 The Germs(GI)“The Germs' (GI) is one of those long-revered punk rock albums. The genuine article. A primary text for the West Coast vein of the genre. It's also made by a” | not named Read the review | 70 7/10 | 83 | |
 Richard Thompson13 Rivers | Chris Ingalls Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 82 | |
 Katy Perry143“Katy Perry's 143 sounds out of step with current pop, and there isn't much here that is so eccentric and creative to justify the album's relative mediocrity.” | not named Read the review | 60 6/10 | 40 | |
 Calvin Harris18 Months“All it took was three very simple words: "featuring Calvin Harris".” | not named Read the review | 50 5/10 | 61 | |
 Adele19 | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 66 | |
 Taylor Swift1989 (Taylor’s Version)“While 1989's vault tracks aren't quite as attention-grabbing as those from other LPs, they still pack an emotional punch like only Taylor Swift can deliver.” | not named Read the review | 80 8/10 | 91 |