100 Albums That Make Me Love Music: 57. Weezer

57. Weezer (The Blue Album)

In 1994 I had just discovered music. My cousin Dave had lent me his Offspring and Green Day albums and it changed my life. Green Day immediately became my favorite band so even though I knew Buddy Holly was one of the best music videos I’d ever seen I hated Weezer early on for them beating Basket Case for the best music video award at the 1994 MTV Movie Awards.

It wasn’t until a year or so later when I was watching MTV early one morning and saw the Say it Ain’t So music video. I couldn’t deny how catchy it was. I finally picked up a copy of the album most people agree is one of the greatest rock albums of the 90’s. It’s certainly one of the most successful albums of the decade spawning 3 hit singles and at least 2 radio hits that weren’t official singles. 

The album starts off with a quick acoustic guitar riff before rocking out into the opening song My Name is Jones. The energy contains for 40 straight minutes into the closing 8 minute jam session Only in Dreams. This album shows off Rivers Cuomo’s songwriting and Matt Sharp’s brilliant falsetto and harmonies (which has sadly been missing over the last 11 years).

Cuomo’s songs are sincere and witty. He is unashamed to show off his geekiness in songs like In the Garage. And writes about people he knows in a way that you almost feel like you know them as well (with stuff like My Name is Jones) and also shows his quirkiness on singles Buddy Holly and Undone (The Sweater Song).

Since the release of this album Weezer followed it up with the critical and commercial flop (but now highly praised) Pinkerton before breaking up. While Pinkerton is a more brilliant album in almost every way, the blue album is still the album I prefer, it’s catchier and way more fun. What can I say I love pop music.

After their break up the reunited in 2001 and have been rocking ever since. All their post-Pinkerton albums have been highly criticized and trashed but personally I love them regardless. Because as I said... I love pop music and Weezer still writes some of the best pop songs in rock music.