The first week of my 30-day “Seven Albums, No Playlists” challenge is done. And honestly? It was a wild ride. From metal to mellow, CD to YouTube, I’ve already learned one thing: my ears are dramatic and have trust issues.
Here’s what I listened to—and how it messed with my head (in mostly good ways).
Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion II
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 4/5
Let’s start with a classic. This album is loud, long, and full of drama—and I loved it for that. Songs like Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Estranged, and You Could Be Mine still slap. Some of the deep cuts were a bit much for my current attention span, but it was pure 90s rock energy and I’m here for it. Bonus points for nostalgia and the urge to wear ripped jeans.
Metallica – Master of Puppets
Genre: Thrash/Heavy Metal
Rating: 5/5
Okay. Wow. I always thought Metallica would be too intense for me, but turns out I was just a coward. This album is a monster—in the best way. The drums hit like a freight train, the guitars scream like chainsaws, and Master of Puppets (the song) is basically a workout for the soul. I wasn’t ready, but now I’m obsessed. This one is a definite CD purchase. Also: thanks to Kwesi from YouTube. You were right.
Post Malone – F-1 Trillion
Genre: Country Pop
Rating: 5/5
So… this one surprised me. I wasn’t really planning on listening to Post Malone, but a guy from my class kept hyping it. And honestly? Pour Me A Drink lives rent-free in my head now. It’s chill, catchy, and surprisingly warm. I didn’t expect to like the country-pop mix, but here we are. Will definitely play again—ideally in a car, windows down, no regrets.
The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds
Genre: Art Pop, Psychedelic Pop
Rating: 4/5
This one… confused me. At first, I thought it was all sunshine and fluff—like drinking lemonade while wearing a flower crown. But then I actually paid attention to the lyrics. And wow. Sadness. Intimacy. Quiet heartbreak wrapped in cheerful melodies. Wouldn’t It Be Nice and Sloop John B stood out, but the real kicker was how emotionally complex everything felt under the surface. Still not my favorite style, but I get why people call it a masterpiece.
Little Simz – Lotus
Genre: UK Hip Hop
Rating: 4/5
This one was a pure “I judged the album by its cover” moment—and honestly, solid decision. Lotus is hip hop, but with jazz, soul, and punk influences woven in. It’s sharp, unpredictable, and full of thoughtful lyrics. Definitely not your average playlist filler. I liked that it challenged my usual tastes without completely throwing me off.
Tracks like Thief, Flood, and Young, Free stood out—smart, emotional, and rhythmically clever. Not something I’d play every day, but I’ll return to it when I’m in the right headspace or need to feel cooler than I am.
Alice Cooper – Trash
Genre: Glam Metal, Hard Rock
Rating: 5/5
This album was basically me time-traveling via guitar riffs. I already loved Poison from way back, so listening to the full album felt like raiding the soundtrack of my youth. Trash is classic late-80s glam with just the right amount of drama and eyeliner energy. It’s loud, cheeky, and incredibly fun.
Spark in the Dark and Hell Is Living Without You were also standouts. The whole thing felt like a long-lost mixtape someone handed me at a school disco. Would I listen again? Absolutely. Probably while wearing too much hairspray and pretending I still know the words.
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
Genre: Progressive Soul
Rating: 3/5
This one’s a classic—like, the classic. It’s basically required listening if you care even a little about music history. I picked it from Rolling Stone’s AOTY list, hit play, and let Marvin do his thing.
The vibe? Smooth. Soulful. Definitely easy listening… maybe a bit too easy for my attention span that day. I’ll be honest: I didn’t focus much on the lyrics (shame on me), and the songs kind of blended together at first. But his voice? Incredible. It floats perfectly over the instrumentation.
Would I play it again? Maybe, in a more reflective mood. Right now, I think I just wasn’t quite in the zone for soul—my brain was still recovering from Metallica.
Final Thoughts – Week 1
This first week was a mix of rediscovering old favourites and stumbling into new surprises. Not everything was my cup of tea—but some albums really caught me off guard in a good way. Honestly, this Seven Albums, No Playlists experiment is already teaching me more than I expected. Turns out, skipping less means discovering more.
Your Turn – Throw Your Albums at Me (Gently)
This challenge of Seven Albums, No Playlists is already reshaping how I listen. No skipping, no distractions—just me, a pair of headphones, and the occasional genre crisis.
Got a must-hear album? Something weird, loud, emotional, underrated or way too famous for me to ignore? Drop it in the comments. I’d love your recommendations—bonus points for anything that breaks my brain musically speaking.