When Alanis Morissette’s groundbreaking album Jagged Little Pill was released in the summer of 1995, I was a child on the cusp of sentient awakening. Still the people-pleaser, I was the child who always said “yes” even when I didn’t want to, even when I knew I shouldn’t. Then I heard the opening to “All I Really Want,” and my adolescence was transformed. 

There was something about Morisette’s voice. It was poppy and pure, but at the same time, there was a weight to it, a seriousness and strength that gave me the permission I needed to take control of my emotions, my thoughts, and my body. I learned that songs could be more than just candy-coated sugar highs. They could be deep, emotional, and, most importantly, healing. 

With over 33 million copies sold worldwide, Jagged Little Pill topped the charts in thirteen countries and is one of the best-selling albums of all time. Double Diamond, the album spawned six critically and commercially successful singles. 

Closing in on the 30th anniversary, Rhino Records has reissued the album on Dolby Atmos  Blu-ray WITH PCM 48/24 High Resolution Stereo mixes.  

From that first strum of All I Really Want, I was transported. Memories of the first time I heard this incredible—and culturally shifting—album came flooding back to me. Struck by the clarity, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be swallowed whole by music. 

The sensations of this exploration of sound were intricate and intoxicating. I’ve listened to this album thousands of times, but this time, it was like I was hearing it for the very first time. Elements I didn’t even know existed revealed themselves in unchained sonic splendor.  Most notably in Morissette’s voice.

While there’s not a single skippable track on the album, highlights for me (beyond All I Really Want) include Head Over Feet, You Learn, Ironic, Not the Doctor, and Wake Up.

Atmos is reinventing how the world of entertainment is crafted and experienced. It’s creating a more realistic and immersive atmosphere in which we—as listeners—intake our media. With the proper setup, it’s a 360° experience. 

Seriously. It’s incredible.

You can purchase Jagged Little Pill and others in the Dolby ATMOS series directly from RHINO Records. Other albums in the series include Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, The Best of the Doors, and DAVID BOWIE’s THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS.

More music reviews soon so…

Stay Tuned!