User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 792 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 721 out of 792
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Mixed: 16 out of 792
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Negative: 55 out of 792
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AndreaOSep 29, 2006His artistic vision is so complete. He reflects such an innocent joy and such a deep knowledge of sorrow. Who is this man and how did this happen?
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LizMJan 24, 2007To me, it's one of the most beautiful albums I have ever heard. In the end, it all depends on your taste in music. This is right up my alley. I might not believe in God, but I do believe in Sufjan Stevens.
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RobertCJan 31, 2007Extremely original.
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JohnJJul 17, 2007The only reason this album did not recieve a perfect 10 from Sufjan's fans is because of one low, outlying score. Every other person has given this album a 10. Come on, man. Don't tell me this isn't one of the most beautiful albums ever recorded. Please develop some taste in music before reviewing and rating albums.
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alexfJul 25, 2007I love this album so much! Every single song is great.
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D.MacSep 14, 2007best album I've heard in years!
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JustinB.Sep 25, 2007I will never know how this didn't get all 100s, it is one of the most complete and amazing albums ever created. the brilliance of sufjan stevens is evident the moment you hear this album even if you never heard of him before.
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RyanK.Feb 29, 2008A masterpiece. 'Nuff said.
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ZacC.May 17, 2008The greatest musical work since the turn of the century and I think that it will stay that way for a time...
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MattM.Jun 21, 2008Easily the greatest album I've ever listened to. An bonafide masterpiece and an album that deserves to be put in a time capsule or museum. A true piece of American history.
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ChrisM.Jul 17, 2008An amazing expansive album. You will be impressed by its rich production on first listen, and then a stupid grin on your face while enjoying the beauty on the following listens.
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cgNov 19, 2005love this cd, I can't stop listenening to chicago
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GeoffSNov 22, 2005Easily one of the best albums I've bought this year. It takes two listens to catch on to most songs, yet some songs (i.e. Chicago, Come on Feel the Illinoise!) grab you at first listen. It is fundamentally subtle and mostly brilliant.
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othosNov 24, 2005Note to LF: It may not be your cup of tea, but it is, decidely, NOT crap. If every artist put this much thought and craftsmanship into records, the airwaves would not be filled with such dreck.
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SeanTDec 11, 2005great record! this man deserves some kind of reward immediately
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HarryDec 12, 2005I blindingly brilliant achievement. Ranks among the top 3 albums of the year and is as engrossing as it is ambitious.
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C.B.Dec 13, 2005beautiful...
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jimcuDec 15, 2005fandabadozzi
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RoarkLDec 18, 2005Hands down album of the year.
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marshallsDec 24, 2005the predatory wasp of the palisades is out to get us! amazing album. i keep coming back to it.
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DanielSDec 29, 2005A breath of fresh air by an extremely talented artist.
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AdamP.Dec 21, 2007Easily the best album of 2005, and one of the best of the decade (so far)!
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Feb 7, 2012Obviously a gifted multi instrumentalist who has written some of the most wonderful songs. Soothing and creative this will last a lifetime. Get a good sound system and listen to beauty in sonic form.
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Aug 16, 2010I just listened to this again ... for maybe the 100th time. It just grows in depth and beauty. Steven's voice is haunting, delicate. The lyrics are touching, horrific, lifting. The arrangements are glorious, inspiring. Does it ever become unlistenable?
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Sep 7, 2010Sufjan Stevens finds his stride and then some with his second state-dedicated album. Illinois is fun and sad, catchy and haunting, seemingly simple yet undeniably brilliant. Chicago will be stuck in your head for days, The Predatory Wasp is heartbreaking and beautiful. Phenomenal stuff.
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Nov 18, 2012
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Jan 5, 2011One of my favorite albums at all time - catchy, beautiful and haunting (especially for someone who's actually from Illinois). Many of the tracks stand out on their own, but as an album the whole thing flows perfectly. Lov it.
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Jan 28, 2011
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Jul 1, 2011One of the best albums of all time. This is a work that will be treasured by many for decades and centuries to come. If you disagree with this statement, I recommend listening more closely.
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May 12, 2011i liked this album very much. good music. great music. the lyricism is great and touching. what more can i say....................................................................................................
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May 25, 2011
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Jul 10, 2011Rich, expansive, deep, just a really really good record through and through.
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Jul 26, 2011
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Aug 6, 2011The perfect record.. and it seemed to come out of nowhere. Michigan was fantastic and so was Seven Swans, but this just wasn't expected. I don't know. Sufjan can be a master at music and this is probably the best example of that.
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Sep 13, 2011
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Jul 31, 2012The arrengements in this album are beautiful. Sufjan's voice blends with the folk/pop he sings. The lyrics honoring the state of Illinois makes justice as compliments. The melodies he created, for example, in a song like "Chicago"- far best of the album- has an orchestra sound that reminds us how good music can be. Sufjan's hardest, but best work.
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Nov 19, 2011A fun playful album. Sufjan has achieved another success. It blends nice melodies and fun subject matter. He even slides his own religion into his music nearly undetected.Sufjan can make everyone and anyone smile.
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Jan 21, 2012
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Mar 20, 2012
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Nov 24, 2012Illinois is Sufjan Steven's best work so far. From the disturbing ballad John Wayne Gacy, Jr to catchy tune of Chicago, Sufjan fully exemplifies his extraordinary musical talent. It contains a multitude of instruments all playing beautifully together. This album exhibits Stevens best traits and is well worth a listen.
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Aug 5, 2021A flawless, captivating, and creative album that sounds simultaneously beautiful and cool at the same time. A must-listen for indie fans.
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Jan 7, 2015Nice acoustic music, well arranged with some good female voice choruses. Doesn't have that "bite" I require from really great music, but it has high musical qualities, nevertheless.
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May 14, 2020years and years of listening to this album and I'm still in love with it. Stands the test of time, stands my ever changing musical taste from when i was in my 20s to now being in my 30s.
guess you can say i'm in love with this entire album -
Aug 26, 2015
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Apr 20, 2017
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Apr 5, 2017This is some of Stevens' best work and a staple for his music career. This would be the first album I would direct someone to if they had never previously listened to his work. The melodies, orchestral elements, and dense lyrics are something you will not find with any other artist in the music world. Sufjan delivers remarkably on an album that will stand the test of time for years.
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Nov 2, 2017
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Oct 31, 2018Disappointing. Those who chose to listen intelligently to Sufjan's music will recognise that failure to deliver a high quality product to his viewers. This has ruined my day.
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Jan 31, 2021
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Apr 20, 2022This album lives on a very special list for me, albums that other folks suggested that made me go "why have I not had this in my life before today".
A remarkable album even 17 years later -
Dec 26, 2019Absolutely incredible folk masterpiece. Sufjan incorporates Illinois history along with personal trials and dark examinations of human nature using brass, acoustic guitar, banjo, choir, brilliant melody writing and some of the most masterful vocal layering of Sufjan's entire discography.
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Mar 1, 2020I tried to write a review for this album, but the sheer majesty of this masterpiece refuses to be put into words. Just know that this is the absolute pinnacle of hundreds of years of musical progression; a sweeping, poetic tapestry of places, people, and things belonging to the titular state, stopped from ever becoming a pointless farce by Sufjan's personal, confessional lyricism.
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Jul 3, 2020I rode a bike on a nature path for a couple of miles while listening to this album and it was one of the best experiences of my life.
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Dec 12, 2020The second best album of all time, has the best production of any album, no doubt. Beautiful orchestration with soaring trumpets and enchanting strings. This album is so good at telling a story. I love it so much.
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Dec 23, 2020This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
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Apr 22, 2022This album blew my mind when I first heard it. It felt like the style of music I had been waiting for my entire life. Definitely one of the best albums of the 2000s and a milestone for alternative folk music.
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Sep 30, 2022An album that is too beautiful, and that treats its sound very well, too harmonic
Awards & Rankings
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There's a distinct community theater vibe to the whole affair... but the majority of Illinois is alarmingly earnest.
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Stevens is simply one of the most talented artists creating music right now, period.
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Exhausting, enthralling, disorientating, celebratory, and contemplative, Sufjan Stevens has delivered another album that will keep us listening and educated till Christmas.