Ian McHugh
@tonemonkey.bsky.social
I’m a blues musician and DJ, host of Blues is the Truth and compère at the Ealing Blues Festival. Currently working my way through listening to Rolling Stone magazine’s top 500 albums of all time and sharing my opinions which are many.
189/500 Sleater Kinney-Dig Me Out. Not a bad record in the slightest. Though it didn’t blow my mind it’s far more human, honest and musical than the likes of Shania Twain. It’s folks making their music and I respect that. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
December 8, 2025 at 10:24 AM
189/500 Sleater Kinney-Dig Me Out. Not a bad record in the slightest. Though it didn’t blow my mind it’s far more human, honest and musical than the likes of Shania Twain. It’s folks making their music and I respect that. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
190/500 The Who-Tommy. This is probably the most successful of the albums where they’re acting on Pete’s pretensions of grandeur and making rock opera. The songs are best when they’re more akin to the punchy attack of early records, that’s why we know them out of context. #BestAlbums #500best2020
December 7, 2025 at 9:39 AM
190/500 The Who-Tommy. This is probably the most successful of the albums where they’re acting on Pete’s pretensions of grandeur and making rock opera. The songs are best when they’re more akin to the punchy attack of early records, that’s why we know them out of context. #BestAlbums #500best2020
191/500 Etta James-At Last. A powerful collection of songs by an undeniably great singer. I do think her contemporaries get overlooked in her shadow, but that isn’t her fault. I’d highly recommend listening! #500best2020 #BestAlbums
December 6, 2025 at 6:16 PM
191/500 Etta James-At Last. A powerful collection of songs by an undeniably great singer. I do think her contemporaries get overlooked in her shadow, but that isn’t her fault. I’d highly recommend listening! #500best2020 #BestAlbums
192/500 Beastie Boys-Licensed to Ill. When I was young I looked at the Beastie Boys as a bit of a novelty act. Now with a little distance I realise they were saying something. Quite often something about White Castle. Worth a go as an intro to the band. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
December 5, 2025 at 8:53 AM
192/500 Beastie Boys-Licensed to Ill. When I was young I looked at the Beastie Boys as a bit of a novelty act. Now with a little distance I realise they were saying something. Quite often something about White Castle. Worth a go as an intro to the band. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
193/500 Creedence Clearwater Revival-Willie and the Poor Boys. More great music from Creedence, songs so steeped in American tradition they sound like they’ve always been there, but fresh enough to sound like they were written yesterday. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
December 4, 2025 at 8:53 AM
193/500 Creedence Clearwater Revival-Willie and the Poor Boys. More great music from Creedence, songs so steeped in American tradition they sound like they’ve always been there, but fresh enough to sound like they were written yesterday. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
194/500 Michael Jackson-Bad. I was young when this was released, and it's still hard to get over the ridiculous posturing of MJ being a bad boy gang member in the video for Bad. While it is still silly it is brilliant, great songs, astounding performances, brilliant production. #BestAlbums
December 3, 2025 at 2:48 PM
194/500 Michael Jackson-Bad. I was young when this was released, and it's still hard to get over the ridiculous posturing of MJ being a bad boy gang member in the video for Bad. While it is still silly it is brilliant, great songs, astounding performances, brilliant production. #BestAlbums
195/500 Leonard Cohen-The Songs of Leonard Cohen. Titled like a compilation it’s actually a debut. One filled with well founded confidence in the brilliance of the writing. Performance wise Leonard is not for everyone, but he’s honest, direct and simple which I like. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
December 2, 2025 at 8:53 AM
195/500 Leonard Cohen-The Songs of Leonard Cohen. Titled like a compilation it’s actually a debut. One filled with well founded confidence in the brilliance of the writing. Performance wise Leonard is not for everyone, but he’s honest, direct and simple which I like. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
196/500 Robyn-Body Talk. Robyn a near perfect pop artist, distinctive voice, great songs, and that uncanny knack of being deep and talking reality in two minute danceable chunks. This is a great example of her at her best. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
December 1, 2025 at 11:24 AM
196/500 Robyn-Body Talk. Robyn a near perfect pop artist, distinctive voice, great songs, and that uncanny knack of being deep and talking reality in two minute danceable chunks. This is a great example of her at her best. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
197/500 The Beatles-Meet the Beatles. An American redo of an early Beatles album, with a couple of tracks removed, a couple of singles shoehorned in and a blue filter on the photo. I’d prefer the original, but whatever songs are on here the early genius is apparent. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 30, 2025 at 9:32 AM
197/500 The Beatles-Meet the Beatles. An American redo of an early Beatles album, with a couple of tracks removed, a couple of singles shoehorned in and a blue filter on the photo. I’d prefer the original, but whatever songs are on here the early genius is apparent. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
198/500 The B52s-The B52s. Musical magpies borrowing a riff here, a lyric there and mixing them with kitschy harmonies and you get something that’s unabashedly fun. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 29, 2025 at 4:08 PM
198/500 The B52s-The B52s. Musical magpies borrowing a riff here, a lyric there and mixing them with kitschy harmonies and you get something that’s unabashedly fun. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
199/500 Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted. Punky indie, that maybe doesn’t sound groundbreaking today, mainly thanks to the folks who’ve borrowed ad hoc to create themselves. For me it didn’t connect like many lower down the list, but that could be a taste thing… #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 28, 2025 at 9:24 AM
199/500 Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted. Punky indie, that maybe doesn’t sound groundbreaking today, mainly thanks to the folks who’ve borrowed ad hoc to create themselves. For me it didn’t connect like many lower down the list, but that could be a taste thing… #500best2020 #BestAlbums
200/500 Sade-Diamond Life. I hadn’t heard much of this for years and I’m now reminded of how really rather good it is. Understated, warm and pretty damn honest. #500best2020 #BestAlbums N.B. I had forgotten about the slightly OTT triangle playing on Smooth Operator. I wouldve done that differently
November 27, 2025 at 8:52 AM
200/500 Sade-Diamond Life. I hadn’t heard much of this for years and I’m now reminded of how really rather good it is. Understated, warm and pretty damn honest. #500best2020 #BestAlbums N.B. I had forgotten about the slightly OTT triangle playing on Smooth Operator. I wouldve done that differently
201/500 A Tribe Called Quest-Midnight Marauders. There’s some groove in these cuts but occasionally it gets lost. It isn’t a self aggrandising waste of time, and when the groove and words hit in combination there’s real power. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 26, 2025 at 9:21 AM
201/500 A Tribe Called Quest-Midnight Marauders. There’s some groove in these cuts but occasionally it gets lost. It isn’t a self aggrandising waste of time, and when the groove and words hit in combination there’s real power. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
202/500 Björk-Homogenic. Bjork is odd in a wonderful way. No one sounds like her, vocally, musically or in any other way, and while this isn’t her best for me, it is great… not what you’d expect, but you shouldn’t expect anything when it comes to Bjork. #500best2020 #bestalbums
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 AM
202/500 Björk-Homogenic. Bjork is odd in a wonderful way. No one sounds like her, vocally, musically or in any other way, and while this isn’t her best for me, it is great… not what you’d expect, but you shouldn’t expect anything when it comes to Bjork. #500best2020 #bestalbums
203/500 Nick Drake-Pink Moon. A totally wonderful compact album of songwriting wonderment. Nick can turn a phrase and a melody and this is a fine example of him at his best. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 24, 2025 at 5:04 PM
203/500 Nick Drake-Pink Moon. A totally wonderful compact album of songwriting wonderment. Nick can turn a phrase and a melody and this is a fine example of him at his best. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
204/500 Kanye West-Graduation. Better than most of its contemporaries on terms of musicality. That isn’t saying a lot. Too much ego, not enough mental health care. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 23, 2025 at 9:31 AM
204/500 Kanye West-Graduation. Better than most of its contemporaries on terms of musicality. That isn’t saying a lot. Too much ego, not enough mental health care. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
205/500 Cat Stevens-Tea For the Tillerman. I love Cat’s songwriting. Father and Son has the power to lay my heart bleeding on the table in a puddle of emotion. A wonder of an album. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 22, 2025 at 8:48 PM
205/500 Cat Stevens-Tea For the Tillerman. I love Cat’s songwriting. Father and Son has the power to lay my heart bleeding on the table in a puddle of emotion. A wonder of an album. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
206/500 David Bowie-Low. An album of two halves one the Bowie you expect, the other an ambient soundscape. It’s compact enjoyable and a perfect example of his Berlin period. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 21, 2025 at 8:57 AM
206/500 David Bowie-Low. An album of two halves one the Bowie you expect, the other an ambient soundscape. It’s compact enjoyable and a perfect example of his Berlin period. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
207/500 Eagles-Eagles. Some iconic songs, a blend of country and rock that had become lessened by its ease of access and ubiquitous presence, but listen again and it’s really quite wonderful. #500best2020 #bestalbums
November 20, 2025 at 9:02 AM
207/500 Eagles-Eagles. Some iconic songs, a blend of country and rock that had become lessened by its ease of access and ubiquitous presence, but listen again and it’s really quite wonderful. #500best2020 #bestalbums
208/500 Lil Wayne-Tha Carter III. On a positive it’s the best of the three tha carter albums in the countdown. It’s not a good record though, still too full of the worst bits of modern hip hop and missing the poetry and fun that marked the early days. Don’t bother. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 19, 2025 at 8:51 AM
208/500 Lil Wayne-Tha Carter III. On a positive it’s the best of the three tha carter albums in the countdown. It’s not a good record though, still too full of the worst bits of modern hip hop and missing the poetry and fun that marked the early days. Don’t bother. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
209/500 Public Enemy-Raising Hell. The early days of self aggrandisement in hip hop were earlier than I remember, but at least this has poetry and humour… obviously the track with Aerosmith is a favourite but Tricky is awesome too! #BestAlbums #500best2020
November 18, 2025 at 10:24 AM
209/500 Public Enemy-Raising Hell. The early days of self aggrandisement in hip hop were earlier than I remember, but at least this has poetry and humour… obviously the track with Aerosmith is a favourite but Tricky is awesome too! #BestAlbums #500best2020
211/500 Joy Division-Unknown Pleasures. Perhaps this is now better known as the source of a T-shirt design. It shouldn’t be… it’s not my favourite, but it’s got something! #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 16, 2025 at 4:01 PM
211/500 Joy Division-Unknown Pleasures. Perhaps this is now better known as the source of a T-shirt design. It shouldn’t be… it’s not my favourite, but it’s got something! #500best2020 #BestAlbums
212/500 Nina Simone-Wild is the Wind. Beautiful, inventive, original and confrontational. All can be applied to this. Deserving of its spot on the list, and maybe higher too. Listen. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 15, 2025 at 8:22 AM
212/500 Nina Simone-Wild is the Wind. Beautiful, inventive, original and confrontational. All can be applied to this. Deserving of its spot on the list, and maybe higher too. Listen. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
213/500 Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel… not an album necessarily meant for middle aged men, however, unlike many others where I’m not the demographic, this bridged the divide. It does that bully being interesting, insightful and clever. #500best2020 #BestAlbums
November 14, 2025 at 8:54 AM
213/500 Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel… not an album necessarily meant for middle aged men, however, unlike many others where I’m not the demographic, this bridged the divide. It does that bully being interesting, insightful and clever. #500best2020 #BestAlbums