1000 albums in a year - I want your suggestions!

[1000Albums]

I'm challenging myself to listen to 1000 new-to-me albums in 2025. I will listen to anything, of any genre (if it's available on Spotify or Apple Music) with the exception of death metal or Bradley Walsh's latest Christmas album😆

I love music but have got stuck in a bit of a rut over the last few years so would like to expand my horizons. What album would you like to recommend to a total stranger?

Great idea! Has anyone been compiling a list they could post here?

The Epic by Kamasi Washington.

Ludivico Einaudi - In A Time Lapse.

Fairly sure this is not what you meant by world music but genre a little different so I'll put it here anyway. 'Experience' is definitely worth a listen.

Bryan Ferry - Boys and Girls
David Sylvian - Secrets of the Beehive
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
Hozier - Hozier
Sia - 1000 Forms of Fear

Brightest Blue - Ellie Goulding

@1000Albums I know it’s not what you’re asking, but if you’re into festivals there’s a great world music one in Portugal every year.

Carla Bruni - quelq’un m’a dit
GNR - Concentrado
Madredeus - Antologia

Shpongle are amazing. Psychedelic/dancy, a bit world music. But accessible. The album that got me into them was Tales of the Inexpressible.

Ella Fitzgerald
Sam Cooke

Would you consider Irish / Irish folk World music? 😁

Christy Moore
Clannad
The Dubliners
The Chieftans

Would be the more well- known ones.

I like lesser known N. Irish artist Lilla Vargan. Beautiful voice.

Thank you to whoever recommended Jazmine Sullivan. I'm listening to Reality Show right now (I've started two days early because I've got the house to myself for the afternoon) and it's absolutely fantastic. Not my usual listening at all but I LOVE IT. I may follow up immediately with Heaux Tales - thank you!

Dead Can Dance: Dionysus
Propaganda: A Secret Wish
Cocteau Twins: Heaven Or Las Vegas
Sparks: Number One Song In Heaven

You asked for world music @1000Albums , so here are some names that I have enjoyed over the years... I can't recall the titles (probably because I deliberately chose languages I couldn't understand as a sound barrier to a busy design studio).

From Brazil, Milton Nasciemento and Gilberto Gil
From Mali, Ali Farka Toure
From Nigeria, King Sunny Ade
Canciones di mi Padre, Linda Ronstadt
Youssou N'Dour
Ruben Gonzalez
Ruben Blades
Orchestra Baobab
Amadou & Maryam

You probably know Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Allison Kraus if you enjoy Americana.
John Martyn, Solid Air et al.

love this album
Pan Pipes of the Andes-The very best of INCANTATION

Don't forget a bit of classical stuff, some of the great pieces of opera and so on.

Also
Tokio Myers My Generation
Reg Meuross leaves and feathers

If you want world music and like Jeff Buckley, may I suggest Musst Musst by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan?

Jeff Buckley was a big fan of his and cited him as a big influence.

A couple more from the obvious end...

The Warning, Hot Chip
Maxinquaye, Tricky
Let England Shake PJ Harvey

You might have noticed in my earlier post my taste is slightly more metal / rock (although I chose things that were either story telling or pretty last time!) but here are some world options with that slant!

The Hu - Mongolian folk metal, includes throat singing and traditional instruments pick any album really, maybe the live album

Heilung- Drif - industrial type folk based on old germanic / roman languages- i think they're mostly from Norway / Denmark

Gogol Bordello- are technically an American group but play Roma influenced "gypsy punk" I'd probably go with transcontinental hustle

Electric Callboy- just listed to the MMXX EP, or Tekno if you want an album. They're German and electronicore so still very much in that genre but throwing it in because they should be on the list!

Or for something completely different:

Die Antwoord- Donker Mag - electronic / hip hop from South Africa- got weirdly popular about 10 years ago.

God I loved Die Antwoord back then. Afrikaans was made for rap.

Time ( The Revelator) - Gillian Welch
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams

LOVE The Hu 😍

I cannot believe I have never listened to Korn. It sounds like my youth in London. This is THE standout album for me. Thank you!

Citizen of Glass by Agnes Obel

Lonely City by Laura Misch (although you might like Sample the Sky better)

and if you feel like going outside your comfort zone.... Airdrawndagger by Sasha

You are very welcome @sandrapinchedmysandwich

im very pleased I have been able to help you discover new music to enjoy.

My top 5 albums for 2024 were
Fontaines DC - Romance
English Teacher- this could be Texas
Kneecap - Fine Art
The Last Dinner Party- Prelude to ecstasy
Charly Bliss- Forever

I try and listen to as much be music as possible. The album I am much excited about in 2025 is Sports Team.

Wow, so many varied suggestions. I'll be listening along to them too, I've been stuck in the same musical rut for way too long.

I’m sure you’ll have heard of some of these but:

Lemon jelly - lemonjelly.ky
Marvin Gaye - what’s going on
Stevie wonder - songs in the key of life
Daft punk - discovery
Avalanches - since I left you
Carole king - tapestry

Great project!!! I’ve also been planning to widen my musical experience this year..,, nothing so ambitious, but enjoying this thread