Collection of Random Albums by Decade Reviewed

Pre-1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

Where The Light Is - John Mayer Live in Los Angeles

Stand Out Tracks:

1. Slow Dancing In a Burning Room

2. Gravity

3. Stop This Train/In Your Atmosphere

1960s

Kiss Land - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. Adaptation

2. The Town

3. Love In The Sky

House of Balloons - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. Wicked Games

2. The Morning

3. House of Balloons

Thursday - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. The Zone

2. Rolling Stone

3. Thursday

Echoes Of Silence - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. XO/The Host

2. Outside

3. Montreal

Beauty Behind The Madness - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. In The Night

2. Shameless

3. As You Are

Starboy - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. Starboy

2. Die For You

3. Sidewalks

My Dear Melancholy EP - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. Privilege

2. Hurt You

3. Call Out My Name

After Hours - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. Faith

2. Until I Bleed Out

3. Snowchild

Dawn FM - The Weeknd

Stand Out Tracks:

1. Less Than Zero

2. Sacrifice

3. Phantom Regret

Execution of Intent: 4.5/5

Does it Sound Good: 9.25/10

Impact on Genre: 4.25/5

Score: 18/20

Note: This is Mayer at his best. His carefully constructed three-piece genre-spanning sets let him display his spectrum of talent. Some things just sound good; this is one of those things. Every artist wishes to have one of these performances in their career before they die.

2010s

Execution of Intent: 4/5

Does it Sound Good: 8/10

Impact on Genre: 4/5

Score: 16/20

Note: The first 4 songs of the album carry the whole album thematically. Another dark sinister album from Abel dragged down by 3 or 4 songs.

Execution of Intent: 4.5/5

Does it Sound Good: 8.5/10

Impact on Genre: 4.5/5

Score: 17.5/20

Note: Neo-Synth-R&B-Pop- It’s hard to describe, but Abel’s opening act of Trilogy describing the ‘degenerate’ party life of youth in Canada hits so hard thematically it’s hard not to appreciate it for what it is.

Execution of Intent: 4/5

Does it Sound Good: 8/10

Impact on Genre: 4/5

Score: 16/20

Note: Thursday feels like an intermission in Abel’s mind. A bit more introspective, the album slows down. It doesn’t quite hit the peak of HOB, but it almost feels intentionally so.

Execution of Intent: 4.5/5

Does it Sound Good: 8.5/10

Impact on Genre: 4.25/5

Score: 17.25/20

Note: Dark Dark Dark. So thematically strong. EOS takes Trilogy exactly where it’s supposed to go. The closing track entitled Echoes of Silence, feels like closing the last page of a really good book.

Execution of Intent: 3.9/5

Does it Sound Good: 7.8/10

Impact on Genre: 3.9/5

Score: 15.6/20

Note: Abel’s first complete departure into mainstream Pop music. It's the first album that feels like it was co-written by Hollywood. Several stand-out tracks that make the album shine, but many songs lack the soul of his original work.

Execution of Intent: 4/5

Does it Sound Good: 7.75/10

Impact on Genre: 3.8/5

Score: 15.55/20

Note: Abel’s complete transformation into the Hollywood Pop-Star, the self titled Starboy. If BBTM was co-written by Hollywood, then this album was completely written by Hollywood. Some decent pop hits, but definitely a different direction for the artist.

Execution of Intent: 4.15/5

Does it Sound Good: 7.9/10

Impact on Genre: 3.8/5

Score: 15.85/20

Note: The 6 track EP released in 2018 is actually closer to Abel’s original work than any thing else. More melodically vulnerable than his heavily produced Hollywood work. Does decent fan service to his original work.

Execution of Intent: 4.3/5

Does it Sound Good: 8.1/10

Impact on Genre: 4/5

Score: 16.4/20

Note: This album might as well be a movie. The entire album runs together like a movie script. Fairly thematically strong. Production on many of the tracks is next level. Heavily produced, but still some of his best work in many years.

Execution of Intent: 4.1/5

Does it Sound Good: 8.0/10

Impact on Genre: 3.9/5

Score: 16.0/20

Note: A weird concept album, but it somehow works. Still no clue what the album is about. Production is similar quality to After Hours. A bit more electro-pop. Features feel out of place.

2020s