Albums must be listened to as one full entity. Listening to each track and averaging the track ratings does not give a proper rating of an album. An album must flow properly, must have proper balance from beginning to middle to end. 3 singles do not make an album great, 12 solid tracks that work together make an album great. The first and last tracks are very important to my listening however. I need to be drawn in right away, and I need to be left wanting more. Without further ado, my rating system:

5 stars - Masterpiece. A perfectly crafted piece of music. Not a wasted moment. Ageless.

4.5 stars - Excellent. Really grabs my attention. A must have for my collection and a must listen for any avid music fan.

4 stars - Great. Solid top to bottom, void of filler material. Will go out of my way to recommend to people.

3.5 stars - Enjoyable. Worthy of some praise but far from perfect. No objections to another listen.

3 stars - Listenable. Has it's moments but not much replay value. One time spin with all the better music out there.

2.5 stars - Mediocre. Nothing really grabbed my attention. It's quickly forgettable.

2 stars - Letdown. Had a tough time making it through these.

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1 star - Terrible. No one should be forced to listen to this.