Albums That Changed Me

2025-08-24

Honestly, growing up with the internet meant I never really listened to albums properly. I'd just pick random tracks, download dodgy MP3s, throw them into a playlist, and call it a day. The first song I actually remember loving was 'Spanish Train' by Chris de Burgh. Weird choice, I know. It used to scare me so much as a kid that it basically knocked me out to sleep.

I've never felt like albums (or any art really) got me. They're not about me, they're about how the artist felt. But sometimes I get little bits of myself in songs. Like Someday by The Strokes. It makes me think about the tiny bit of nostalgia I actually have, even though I haven't really grown up much.

If I had to pick a timeless album, it's Is This It. No debate and DEFINITELY no bias. Every track feels connected but still has its own thing going on. It's one of those albums that just… doesn't age, unlike the nu-metal that came out around the same time (yuck icl).

The first album that actually made me listen differently was The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. That was the first time I properly sat down and listened to an album as a whole, instead of just skipping around tracks. Totally changed how I thought about music and what I listened to after.

Will Wood's music isn't really tied to one album for me — it's more about the person I listened to it with. Because of that, it'll always hold a special spot, even if it's less about the songs themselves and more about the moments and people around them.

Right now, the album that probably represents me best is First Impressions of Earth by The Strokes. It's got that monotone, detached delivery, but underneath there's all this chaos and detail. Pretty much how my brain works.

And yeah my guilty pleasure for music. French Exit by TV Girl. Love it, but wouldn't admit it casually because of the whole male manipulator music thing. Not a great look. But hey, music is music.

So yeah, that's a few albums that changed how I listen. They didn't exactly change my life, but they shaped it in small ways. That's enough for me.