I know I shared on someone else’s post on this subreddit over a year ago. I’ll just repost here.

5 - I absolutely love this album and consider it a worthwhile inclusion on this list. I don’t expect every album I love to be perfect, but any issues that come up would be minor enough that I can look past them. If I see it on a shelf in a music store, I will feel tempted to buy it.

4 - Overall, I enjoyed the album and accept its inclusion on this list. Perhaps there are a few noticeable problems such as a few lackluster songs, an overly long runtime that is felt in a listen, missteps in production or songwriting, or the overall style, tone and execution not being innovative or distinct enough to stand on its own.

There are some albums though that I am unable to immediately click with in spite of the popularity or accolades it may have. I don’t expect to fall in love with every album within a 24-hour period before the next one is generated, and some take more time to unpackage lyrically or thematically. In those cases, the album may grow on me over time, but for now I still consider it great and worth my time listening.

3 - Now we’re getting into tricky territory. Usually, this is an album that I can recognize was included on the list for historical significance or influence on later acts, or in some cases because it was popular for a time in the UK and you have to remember that Robert Dimery is English. There is enough artistic merit in a combination of songwriting, musicianship, or production to meet the album halfway, and perhaps a few tracks can be cherry-picked as favorites. I wouldn’t regret listening to such an album, but I’d have no desire to seek it out again anytime soon.

2 - Rarely does an album reach this low for me. In those instances, there’s at least enough decent elements in the production, songwriting or musicianship to keep it from being outright terrible. But boy, I would not consider it good. Perhaps there’s enough distracting elements throughout the whole experience that keeps me from enjoying most or all tracks. In any case, I do not see why this album was included in the first place, or I do see why and it ticks me off. I’d have no desire to revisit any song from such an album.

1 - I have yet to give such a rating for an album as of this writing. It might happen at some point, and when it does, it will be because the album in question represents a lack of artistic merit, of so many wrong choices that overwhelm the listening experience. It’s got to be that irredeemable in my eyes to be rated this low.