The artists I love, I really love. I can listen to their albums over and over again. And while I think my tastes are fairly broad, I am continually reading about noteworthy artists and bands—in Sound on Sound, Classic Rock, and Guitarist—that I’ve previously overlooked or ignored. I’d like to change that.
So: My “1-a-Day Album Project.”
The goal is simple: Listen to one previously unheard album a day, for 30 days, and take notes about my reaction. Albums may be recent/new or 50+ years old, chosen based on either some connection I might have with the artist or the album’s reputation/influence within rock (and, to a lesser extent, pop).
Below are the albums I’ll be exploring. (Click on an individual album title to go directly to that blog post.)
Black Sabbath, Paranoid (1970)
Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
The Dead Deads, Tell Your Girls It’s Alright (2021)
Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
The Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
David Bowie, Hunky Dory (1971)
King Crimson, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Halestorm, Back from the Dead (2022)
Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet (1986)
Talking Heads, Remain in Light (1980)
Suzi Quatro, Suzi Quatro (1973)
The Pretenders, Pretenders (1980)
The White Stripes, Elephant (2003)
Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville (1993)
Iron Maiden, The Number of the Beast (1982)
The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967)
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods (2005)
Kraftwerk, Computer World (1981)
For the most part, I’m coming at these albums with no history—no prior relationship with the artist or their work—and very little context. (The exception: Maybe I’ve heard some radio singles.) I’m not researching anything prior to listening, so I’m going in with no expectations.
So, let’s drop the needle, stick in that 8-track or cassette, slide in that CD, or load up Apple Music (or Spotify, if you have to) and get going…
