Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by CA Dreamin

If BEA allowed unofficial releases, Songs From the Black Hole by Weezer would be on here.

Currently adding personal feedback on select albums. Always a work in progress.

Suggestions welcome.

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Buy album United States
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"Immerse your soul in love"

The lyric that concludes The Bends haunting closer...and also my namesake if you haven't already noticed. As soon as I finished listening to The Bends for the first time, I immediately recognized that I had just heard an album that was gonna change my life. I felt compelled to re-listen right away, and I did. And I played it the next day, and the day after that, and so on for about a month. I didn't believe it was possible but it somehow still got better with each listen. At one point or another, every single track had me under its spell. Even on most albums you see in my Top 25, there was one or two tracks that never quite captured me. But The Bends, every one did. Very few albums I've ever listened to wielded that kind of power. But what separates The Bends from the others is that, to date, none of these tracks have worn off after all these years. I don't listen to The Bends on daily basis anymore, but whenever I occasionally pop in the CD or casually listen to a single track, none of the appeal has been lost. That is why The Bends sits atop my chart.

My Top 3 tracks:

1. Street Spirit (Fade Out)
2. (Nice Dream)
3. High and Dry

Narrowing it to 3 is tough though because I love them all.
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1995
Appears in:
Rank Score:
33,283
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Buy album United States
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"The ringwraiths arrive in black"

Hell yeah, Lord of the Rings reference.

Led Zeppelin IV truly captured the band at their creative peak. Here we get a taste of good hard old-fashioned rock (Black Dog), blues (When the Levee Breaks), and folk (Going to California). All of LZ's albums are eclectic, containing several song structures, sounds, and genres. But here on Zoso every one works perfectly and cohesively. I rarely want to listen to a single track, and not the entire album...with the exception of Rock and Roll. I sometimes blast that song on repeat while driving 80.

My Top 3 Tracks:

1. Rock and Roll
2. Stairway to Heaven
3. The Battle of Evermore
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
44,394
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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"I've got dungeon master's guide. I've got 12-sided die. I've got Kitty Pryde. And Nightcrawler too."

As a bit of nerd in high school, I found this lyric particularly touching. But that was only the tip of the iceberg. Like The Bends above, Weezer's self-titled debut pretty much took over my life when I first got into it. Over a decade later, The Blue Album still rocks my world. I even sometimes blast Only in Dreams at full volume while driving. Speaking of Only in Dreams, is not simply one the greatest closing tracks of all time? The 2-3 minute instrumental segment of that song is one of those rare moments in music that feels so absolutely perfect, like travelling between dimensions.

My Top 3 tracks:

1. Only in Dreams
2. No One Else
3. Susanne

Yes I know Susanne is only on The Deluxe Edition, but it is quite wonderful, don't you think? If they had put Susanne on the non-Deluxe Blue Album, it may be sitting at #1.
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
16,905
Rank in 1994:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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"I keep looking for a place to fit in, where I can speak my mind,
And I've been trying hard to find the people that I won't leave behind...
They say I got brains, but they ain't doing me no good, I wish they could...
Every time I get the inspiration to go change things around,
No one wants to help me look for places where new things might be found,
Where can I turn when my fair weather friends cop out?
Sometimes I feel very sad, (Can't find nothin' I can put my heart and soul into)
I guess I just wasn't made for these times."

The lyrics from this song felt like Brian Wilson was speaking directly to me, almost summarizing my life, even though I first experienced Pet Sounds 40+ years after its release. For me this song is about the lack of individualism in modern society, which sometimes makes me wish I lived in a different era.

But anyway, Pet Sounds is truly remarkable, the crowning achievement of the '60s album production race.

My Top 3 Tracks:

1. God Only Knows
2. You Still Believe in Me
3. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
45,145
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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"I'll tip my hat to the new constitution, take a bow for the revolution, smile and grin at the change all around..."

I grew up with this song. My parents loved The Who and I heard this song long before I listened to all of Who's Next. I used to think this song praised and inspired protest, then I listened more closely...

"There's nothing in the streets, looks any different to me...I'll move myself and family aside, if we happen to be left half alive...Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

I didn't want to believe the message behind it's epic closer when I first listened to it as a teen. But now that I'm older and have learned a few history lessons, I hate to admit the message is kind of true.

Nevertheless, Who's Next is about as perfect as an album can get. It has one of the all-time greatest openers and closers. In between is full of delight, too. Not a mediocre song in the bunch. They're all between good and perfect.

My Top 3 Tracks:

1. Baba O'Riley
2. Won't Get Fooled Again
3. The Song is Over

If you check out The Deluxe Edition, there's a few good bonus tracks. 'I Don't Even Know Myself' is excellent.
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
24,153
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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"Maybe we can even get together. Maybe you can break my heart next summer. Why bother? It's gonna hurt me. It's gonna kill when you desert me."

Did you know that song was originally written for an album called Songs From the Black Hole? If you don't what I'm talking about, Songs From the Black Hole was the planned follow-up to the Blue Album, a rock opera. However, Rivers scrapped the idea, and they made Pinkerton instead. But the first four tracks off Pinkerton were all written for Songs From the Black Hole. You can find the other recordings for it on the Deluxe Edition of Pinkerton, and the three Alone: Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo albums. If you're really dedicated like I was, you can put together Songs From the Black Hole yourself by making a playlist. It's really fantastic. Why have 2 great '90s Weezer albums when you can have 3?

But anyway, we never got a fully produced Songs From the Black Hole. We got Pinkerton instead. I didn't know about SFTBH until years after I first experienced Pinkerton. But now I can really hear the album take off and become its own thing after Why Bother. I'd even say the second half of Pinkerton was Weezer's finest hour. The overall songwriting for all 10 tracks may not be as good The Blue Album, but it's pretty damn close. And the raw nature, expression, and attitude of Pinkerton draw me to re-listen to it more often than The Blue Album. It's possible one day Pinkerton may be higher than The Blue Album on this chart.

My Top 3 tracks:

1. Pink Triangle
2. The Good Life
3. Falling For You
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,822
Rank in 1996:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 09/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
25,901
Rank in 1989:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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"Come on baby, light my fire."

If the fire was my music taste and collection, Jim Morrison was the match that started it. The Doors was the first band I ever loved. And their self-titled debut was the first CD I ever owned. So you can tell The Doors mean a lot to me. Everyone's music taste has to start somewhere. And who can forget the first album of their collection? 13 years and hundreds of CDs in my collection later, this album is still awesome. And that isn't nostalgia speaking. I re-listened The Doors recently and I still love it. I'll always love it. The swapping of a bass for a synthesizer was perhaps against rock tradition. But it worked for them thanks to Jim Morrison's deep tenor voice, which in my mind kind of acted like a bass because it was so low. And who else captured the sex/drugs/rock spirit of the late '60s like The Doors? Very few, if any bands I can think of. And this debut collection of songs is indeed their finest.

My Top 3 tracks:

1. Light My Fire
2. The End
3. I Looked at You

Confession: It was the movie Forrest Gump that compelled me to listen to The Doors.
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
29,161
Rank in 1967:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9. (8) Down1
Buy album United States
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The Cars was an important album in the evolution of my taste. This was my first New Wave album. But that isn't the only reason I have it so high on my list. It's also plain awesome. The tracks flow so naturally, and the average quality of track is one the best I've ever heard. Don't Cha Stop is the weakest song but even that is a 60/100 or 70/100. A filler track on The Cars self-titled album is better than most artist's best song ever.

My Top 3 Tracks:

1. You're All I've Got Tonight
2. Just What I Needed
3. My Best Friend's Girl
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,104
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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"She can kill with a smile
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child
But she's always a woman to me"

Beautiful song and lyrics. So thoughtful. Everyone who's ever met a woman like the one Billy Joel sings of can relate. Just one of the many great tracks on The Stranger. In fact the only song that feels somewhat weak is the closer 'Everybody Has a Dream.' The first eight tracks literally could be a Greatest Hits album. But they can't cause they're all from this masterpiece of piano rock.

My Top 3 Tracks:

1. She's Always A Woman
2. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
3. Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,250
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade Albums %


1930s 0 0%
1940s 0 0%
1950s 0 0%
1960s 17 17%
1970s 17 17%
1980s 20 20%
1990s 30 30%
2000s 14 14%
2010s 2 2%
2020s 0 0%
Artist Albums %


Led Zeppelin 3 3%
The Beach Boys 3 3%
Simon & Garfunkel 3 3%
The Who 3 3%
The Cure 3 3%
The Police 3 3%
Radiohead 3 3%
Show all
Country Albums %


United States 50 50%
United Kingdom 42 42%
Mixed Nationality 4 4%
Ireland 2 2%
Canada 1 1%
Iceland 1 1%
Compilation? Albums %
No 99 99%
Yes 1 1%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 99 99%
Yes 1 1%

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest climbers
Climber Up 5 from 12th to 7th
The Stone Roses
by The Stone Roses
Biggest fallers
Faller Down 1 from 7th to 8th
The Doors
by The Doors
Faller Down 1 from 8th to 9th
The Cars
by The Cars
Faller Down 1 from 9th to 10th
The Stranger
by Billy Joel

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
89/100 (from 79 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
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This chart is rated in the top 5% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.0/100, a mean average of 88.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 89.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.8.

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

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Rating:  
100/100
From 08/31/2023 02:48
Great list and love the included commentary!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 08/24/2022 16:21
Given your taste in music I’m surprise that there is no Hendrix in the start, or maybe I missed it. Despite that, great chart
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 12/24/2019 06:03
Really dig the comments on this chart, and the selections.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 12/23/2019 14:03
The way you've constructed your chart now has made it all unique. One Hundred%
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/23/2019 10:47
Wow, previously had 70/100 for this chart but that was far too harsh a score. The effort you've gone into making this chart is hugely commendable - well done! That said, despite your great variety when it comes to time periods, it's a shame that (as far as I can tell) not a single person of colour managed to make it into your picks (and nothing outside of English speaking countries!). I wonder if maybe you gave some jazz/hip hop/electronic releases a try you might be pleasantly surprised, only time will tell xx
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (2 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 01/26/2019 14:31
Great chart, nice to see a guy who likes to keep in the rock realm. I hope that I can develop my chart to this point someday. I still have a long way to go.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 12/01/2018 00:00
very nice.... so glad to see i’m not the only one to remember how
awesome the cars were and are.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 10/12/2018 13:05
Like Who's Next in the top 10
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 09/01/2018 22:48
Great chart, wow I just think about Billy Joel, he's legendary and popular musician in every country of this f*ckin world and so underrated...
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 08/03/2018 23:01
I can't believe I haven't commented on your chart before! I thought I had. It makes excellent reading - your notes are warm, human and lively. I like your stories man. Its an honest chart too, just your favourite albums. No hipster posturing and I dig that. I haven't read it all yet but I will (its late). Definitely one of my favourite charts I've seen on BEA. It's right up there. Loving your work. Great to see someone else has the same 3 favourite Cure albums as me.
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