I disagree OK Computer was way better to me. Nevermind is solid but overrated to me.
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Originally posted by madonnas
OK Computer is literally the perfection of mixing faux-avant sounds with accessible rock without sounding forced or campy. Radiohead always wins.
Hahaha. The album pretty much sounds like a rock version of a Bjork album. It hardly has any impact and only gets praised because it was out of the norm of that time.
Nevermind is a triple threat: Acclaim, Sales & Impact. ( You can throw in 'Longevity' as an added bonus).
Nevermind is generation defining that STILL gets praised today.
Hahaha. The album pretty much sounds like a rock version of a Bjork album. It hardly has any impact and only gets praised because it was out of the norm of that time.
Nevermind is a triple threat: Acclaim, Sales & Impact. ( You can throw in 'Longevity' as an added bonus).
Nevermind is generation defining that STILL gets praised today.
OK Computer and Radiohead in the 90s are incredibly influential. Where do you think we got Muse and Coldplay from? Surely NOT from Nirvana, I tell you that.
OK Computer and Radiohead in the 90s are incredibly influential. Where do you think we got Muse and Coldplay from? Surely NOT from Nirvana, I tell you that.
You know darn well snobby British rock bands were anti-grunge. Just another attempt at being biased against the decade's best rock album.
290 Points
Number of Voters: 21
Highest Voters: Brando, Dale, Pink Panther, & supaspaz (#1); Honey & TheGeoKing (#2)
Billboard 200 Peak: #2
RIAA Certification: 4x Platinum
March 3, 1998
Techno/Dance-pop
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I never got around to writing a review for this album. Sorry guys!! It’s a great album, go listen to it if you haven’t.
Drowned World/Substitute for Love – Lyrically, this song represents a changing point in the protagonists life. She’s willing to give all that she has away in exchange for something much more valuable (her daughter I’m assuming). The music builds continuously throughout the song and I love it when the guitars kick in. – 10
Swim – I think some of the sound effects in this song are too much, but I like it still. The music goes perfectly with the lyrics. – 8.5
Ray of Light – Perfection!! I don’t know what it is about this song, but I always get this rush of euphoria when I listen to it. Moreso than almost any other song I’ve ever heard, it creates a perfect mood and place with the combination of the lyrics, the wildly free vocals and the frantic instrumentation (which explains why no cover or live performance of this song ever does it justice). – 10
Candy Perfume Girl
Skin – This song never fails to give me feelings of euphoria. It’s frenzied, wild, free!!! And are those f***ing BAGPIPES at the end? Only Madonna could get away with that. – 10
Nothing Really Matters -
Sky Fits Heaven – Sh***y lyrics but amazing music. Tune out the lyrics and you’ve got a little slice of pop music ecstasy. – 8
Shanti/Ashtangi – Amazingly catchy. Listen to this song enough and you’ll find yourself chanting right along as if Madonna is speaking your native language in this song. – 9
Frozen – Overrated by critics and Madonna stans. The melody is bland and by this point it almost feels like Orbit and Madonna got bored in the studio. – 7
The Power of Good-Bye –
To Have and Not to Hold – See “The Power of Good-Bye”
Little Star – This dedication to her daughter is sweet. For some reason, this song reminds me of Sky Fits Heaven. – 8.5
Mer Girl – This song is eerie. She sings of her internal struggles (adjusting to motherhood, failed relationships, dealing with the death of her mother) with such a calculated and determined poignancy. It truly sets a mood (an odd mood, but a mood nonetheless). – 10
307 Points
Number of Voters: 23
Highest Voters: Lasers (#1); ECNEICSNOC (#2)
Billboard 200 Peak: #1
RIAA Certification: 3x Platinum
October 7, 1997
R&B/Dance-pop
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Janet Jackson digs deep into her psyche on her sixth full-length bible The Velvet Rope. After realizing that an entire lifetime in the spotlight had affected her self-esteem and driven her into depression, Janet didn’t go and have a public breakdown a la Mariah Carey or Britney Spears. Instead, she took solace in her music and delivered her best album, one full of beauty and grace and honesty. Janet’s use of sexuality as a means of both escapism and as a way of discovering things about herself is fascinating.
Velvet Rope – After a brief spoken intro, this album’s title track starts. It pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album, with lyrics speaking about how we all desire to feel accepted. There is a tangible sadness on this song (and on every song on the album besides Together Again). – 8
You – On You, Janet faces her own demons of self hatred and forces herself to realize that wallowing in despair and lying to herself and putting on a false image of herself will only hinder her in life. But she doesn’t sound weepy in the slightest. She sounds downright pissed on this funky War-sampling track. Janet was reportedly very emotional during the recording of this song to the point where she had to walk away from it for a few days before being able to tackle it again. – 10
Fun Fact: I got my username from this song.
Got ‘Til It’s Gone – You know you’re doing something right when Joni Mitchell allows you to sample her. The focus isn’t too much on Janet on this track about a lost love. Joni’s sample, Q-Tip’s amazing verse, and the warm, hip hop influenced music. – 9
My Need – The first of the sexy songs on Velvet reminds fans of Janet who have become tired of her boring nympho manic act just how great she can make a sex jam sound when she doesn’t sound like a submissive **** star. This song describes a need for sex that’s all-encompassing. The Diana Ross sample goes perfectly with this song. – 10
Go Deep – If there’s one song on the album that doesn’t fit the central theme of wanting to feel special and connected with others, it’s Go Deep. It’s a cute midtempo party track with some trip hop influences. Very enjoyable. – 8.5
Free Xone – Lady GaGa who?! Years before Born This Way had every gay on the planet coming out and daring people to try and stop them, Janet had a gay anthem with Free Xone. But it differs from Born This Way in that Free Xone preaches tolerance of all sexual orientations, not just pride in one’s own sexual orientation. Musically, it’s all over the place, drawing influences from both lounge music and acid jazz. Yes, Janet. Just yes. – 9
Together Again – While the happiness may come off a bit contrived, you can’t help but get a little bubbly (and maybe even a bit emotional) when listening to this song. – 8
Empty – Janhovah prophesizes the rise of Internet relationships and cybersex on this delicious drum n bass song. Somehow she managed to perfectly capture the thrill, angst, and pain that accompany having a continued relationship with a total stranger. More so than on any other song she’s ever made, the vocals truly help convey true emotional vulnerability of the protagonist. And the way the music continues to layer throughout the song until the end? Pure aural heaven. – 10
What About - Never has a pop girl channeled the emotion of ANGER as purely as Janet does in What About. Janet speaking about against domestic violence on this funky track is downright powerful. The fact that she was able to open an awards show with a (showstopping) performance of a song with such a heavy message speaks volumes to her power and her ability to take risks and stand up for what she feels is right. – 10
Every Time – This song is like an upgraded version of Again from the janet. album. It’s vulnerable, with Janet singing of being afraid of putting her heart on the line. This piano driven ballad is beautiful. – 8
Tonight’s the Night – Janet tries to get us to believe that she’s bisexual. I believe it tbh, as she sound thoroughly convincing while seducing a young virginal woman on this Rod Stewart cover. – 8
I Get Lonely – R&B perfection. This song may be forgotten by non-fans but it ranks among her best songs. She sounds downright SOULFUL, which is part of what saves the song. Every nuance of this songs screams of hurt, and it’s Janet’s power of interpretation that push it to another level. – 10
Rope Burn – This is freaky Janet. With lines like “Lying here wearing just my imagination for you” this song is designed to tickle your erotic fancies. The production is great, it sounds like gentle audio bondage. – 9
Anything – See My Need – 9
Special – This song is soooooo cheesy! I mean “I have the need to feel real special” is cheesy enough but did you really need a children’s choir to help you with this one Janet? With that being said, the song is still sincere, and it goes back to the theme of the album – that we all have the need to feel special. – 7.5
Can’t Be Stopped – This quote is from a YouTube poster, and I think its an interesting take on the instrumental of this song. This piece speaks to Janet's long ranging experience. If you listen closely, you can hear the electric guitar arrangement from the 70's, a psychedelic accompaniment from the 70's, a bass riff straight out of the 80's, a wind accompaniment from the late 70's and an overlaid melody from the 90's. I wish she would do more of this kind of composite music that showcases ALL of her experience. She really does set herself apart when she's in this mode. Perfection. – 10
Number of Voters: 21
Highest Voters: Mariah4Life, Flashing Lights & HazelEyes (#1); lovesong, I Am Music, Siya, Pecinta Mariah, BLaCKPoWeR & AndresVanDeKamp (#2)
Billboard 200 Peak: #1
RIAA Certification: 10x Platinum (Diamond)
October 5, 1995
AC/R&B
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This album shows all the potential Mariah had to make a great album and Butterfly is the realization of that potential. You can tell Mariah was beginning to break away from Tommy’s influence as she made a few slow strides on this album towards the R&B that she claims is her first musical love (Fantasy, Long Ago, Melt Away). The big AC ballads that were her staple during the 90s were also here in full effect (When I Saw You, Forever). Mariah also gives us her first (in a series of many over the next four albums) ultra personal ballad in the form of Looking In. Overall, it’s a solid record, but the aforementioned Butterfly should’ve won this if a Mariah album was going to.
Fantasy – One of Mariah’s signature songs. The intro is epic, the melody is fantastic, the sample is brilliant, and the remix is among the most influential songs of the 90s for bringing rap music to the doorsteps of pop music lover and vice versa. – 10
Underneath the Stars – This beautiful track has old school vibes. I absolutely LOVE the whistles in the last minute or so of the song. They contribute to the imagery of the song perfectly. – 10
One Sweet Day – I don’t get why this is her biggest song in the US. Maybe it’s just a testament as to how huge she was during the mid 90s. But this track is solid. It’s sung phenomenally, but I just am not the biggest fan of the sound. If it wasn’t Mariah I’d probably hate this song. But it is. Hence my rating. – 8
Open Arms – The original is better. – 4
Always Be My Baby – I’ve always found this song to be a BIT overrated by Mariah fans and non-fans alike. It’s great, no doubt, but it get’s tiresome eventually. Still, that melody is great. – 8
I Am Free – A wonderful song. It all comes together perfectly. – 10
When I Saw You – Ehh, it’s not bad, but it’s nothing special. Mariah’s stellar vocals save this song from mediocrity. – 6.5
Long Ago – This is like a cooled off version of The Roof from the Butterfly album. It’s a bit heartbreaking lyrically, and I love way she sings the verses in a slightly rhythmic manner. – 8
Melt Away – What kind of Babyface bop?! From the smoky vocals in the verses to the whistles at the end to the xylophone? throughout, this song truly feels like a sweet Daydream. – 10
Forever – An upgraded When I Saw You. – 7.5
Daydream Interlude – A dance remix to Fantasy with Latin influences. It sounds ethereal at times. A good song, but I prefer the Def Club Mix of Fantasy (that mix actually features a portion of this mix). – 8
Looking In – Mariah would go on to do the ultra personal album cut much better on subsequent albums. I love how the last line is a huge f**k you to all of her naysayers. – 7
Recommended To: Fans of R&B or of big voiced divas
or, at least, the most likable of the lot... 
I'll forgive you for know not what you say, madonnas. 
OK Computer and Radiohead in the 90s are incredibly influential. Where do you think we got Muse and Coldplay from? Surely NOT from Nirvana, I tell you that.
#3
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