This is the first part of a series of lists I’ve composed to showcase and recommend to you a myriad of fun albums. I aim to compose five lists in total, meaning that I’ll end up recommending fifty records – if you can’t find an album you like after all that, it might be you.
Browsing top-ten lists online for good music to listen to is an exercise in repetition and droll: the same records recommended again and again. Usually groundbreaking, usually quite obvious. Here is my attempt at providing a set of albums that showcase a decent, if flawed, variety – variety in genre, people, language, etc.
It is also an attempt on my part to create a list that strips back all the layers of music to emphasise that foundational quality of the art: entertainment, dancing, fun. Stripping back, likewise, the ostentatiousness of music criticism and journalism to speak on something more light-hearted.
Who has ever heard of a top-ten list of ‘fun’ music? Look it up, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one – ‘fun albums’ are limited to really only forum discussions. Why? Because the definition of fun is personal, perspectival, not objectifiable: perfect for conversations, abysmal to write about and articulate.
What is fun to me? I don’t know… a mixture of humour, danceability, creativity and replayability. I don’t believe that ranked lists are ever so interesting, and they’re usually written as clickbait or repost-bait for the masses. Here though, I just want to relay my genuine favourite records, so that you might start expanding on your own taste and have fun all the while. Who wants a depressing album to listen to?
So, here’s in no particular order what I consider to be some of the most fun records, for different reasons. Each album will have a score attached, relaying how fun (out of three stars) they are, in my lowly opinion.
Anyway, ’nuff said.
Return to the 36 Chambers: the Dirty Version, by Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Release date – 1995
Genre/s – experimental hip-hop, comedy
ODB is one of the funniest, craziest, dirtiest to ever hold the mic. His appearances on the original 36 Chambers were invariably awe-inspiring, different from the rest, and yet lyrically invigorating. No, not every song on The Dirty Version is great, but nobody can traverse the landscape of this record without laughing a few times. Listen to ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ and ‘Goin’ Down’ for a glimpse of ODB’s indefatigable character. A wild spirit gone too soon, rest in peace.
How fun is it? ★★★
JEFFERY, by Young Thug
Release date – 2016
Genre/s – trap, pop rap
Thugger, likewise, isn’t like the rest (as you can probably gather from the album art). His eccentric cadences and vocal deliveries sit comfortably on summery beats, the majority of which are produced by TM88 and Wheezy. You may’ve heard ‘Wyclef Jean,’ but that song cowers and whimpers in the face of ‘RiRi’ or ‘Harambe.’
How fun is it? ★★
Rhythm Nation 1814, by Janet Jackson
Release date – 1989
Genre/s – new jack swing, dance pop
The title track literally made computers crash. This record from Janet is consistently danceable, even when she decides to step into more sentimental waters. But if you’re not convinced, listen to ‘Black Cat,’ which evidences her blood-relation to Michael, or the hip-hop-adjacent ‘Knowledge.’
How fun is it? ★
The Black Parade, by My Chemical Romance
Release date – 2006
Genre/s – pop punk, rock opera
Maybe this is insensitive… to bring a concept record about a cancer patient… a list like this… but I don’t think it matters here. Don’t let the macabre concept and lyricism overshadow how fun, energetic and corny the songs are. The rock-opera melodramaticism might not be for you, but give it a go anyway.
How fun is it? ★★★
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, by Dead Kennedys
Release date – 1980
Genre/s – hardcore punk
Over-the-top and hilarious lyrics, delivered by a wonderfully charismatic vocal talent. ‘Kill the Poor’ and ‘Too Drunk to Fuck’ in particular highlight the angle from which the band are rushing in from like a wave – by that I mean, they don’t take themselves so seriously. You have to expect more punk rock on a list like this.
How fun is it? ★★
DIE FOR MY BITCH, by Baby Keem
Release date – 2019
Genre/s – trap
Before he revealed his relation to Kendrick, Keem proved his talent with this refreshing selection of trap music. Forget his great performance for a while: the instrumentals undulate softly underneath the metallic drum loops (almost unheard of in the trap scene), as if Keem simply overlayed trap drums on top of an Aphex Twin tune. Listen to ‘STATS’ and ‘INVENTED IT’ to get what I’m talking about.
How fun is it? ★★
AMERICAN GURL, by Kilo Kush
Release date – 2022
Genre/s – electropop, alternative dance
You listen to Charli xcx? FKA twigs? Man, do I have an album for you… Kilo is an underrated artist in the experimental, electronic (how many more adjectives can I add?) pop scene. The music off of this project sounds like how the album art looks: bold, stylish, sugar-addictive. Don’t believe me? Then you haven’t heard ‘DISTRACTIONS III: SPOILED ROTTEN.’
How fun is it? ★★★
Fanclub, by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
Release date – 2006
Genre/s – rock, power pop
But you’ve certainly heard of this J-rock group if you’ve ever decided to look up some of your favourite anime intro songs. The rest of their catalogue is just as funky, just as exciting, and Fanclub is the most accessible entryway into that catalogue. And the best album from their discography, in my opinion.
How fun is it? ★
Songs for the Deaf, by Queens of the Stone Age
Release date – 2002
Genre/s – hard rock, stoner metal
The title isn’t a lie – these songs are loud and drum-heavy. Technically a road-trip concept album, Songs for the Deaf is best served during a long car ride. Experience the highway-rushing, blood-popping energy of songs such as ‘You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar’ and ‘The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret’ before you decide to commit.
How fun is it? ★★
Diaspora Problems, by Soul Glo
Release date – 2022
Genre/s – hardcore punk
How is this even louder? Probably my favourite album that I’ve mentioned so far, probably the least accessible – pretentious, ain’t it? But if you’re inclined to music such as this, if you’re willing to rewire your brain and adjust your ears slightly, you’ll find that this punk masterpiece is nothing less than a thrilling ride worth undertaking.
How fun is it? ★★★
So That’s That
Thank you for reading my piece, I really hope you find something you like. It’s personal, so you may not rock with it, but be sure to check out some of those that fit into the genres and sounds that you’re used to. They’ll be much easier to digest. And if you don’t care for any of them, that’s all right. But if you’re curious enough to see what the remainder of my 50 albums look like, stick around – I’ll hopefully publish them soon.
