Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by subtleman22

I admire those who can limit their charts to one or two albums per band. But this is a list of the best albums according to me, so naturally the bands that influenced me most will turn up most often.

I do listen to other music besides Floyd, Zeppelin and The Stones, and I like other eras besides the sixties and seventies. My music library is pretty diverse, and I love to discover new (or old and unfamiliar) sounds. I'm also fascinated by the forces that come into play when a band comes together to produce a masterwork. Some bands did it repeatedly; others occasionally; many achieved it only once. But ultimately this is a list of my very favorite albums--the ones that hold the most significance for me, so it's impossible to be objective. Hey, why would I want to be?

I hope you enjoy the chart. I always try to leave ratings and/or comments for those who rate and comment on my charts. Music is important, and I'm curious about the music that inspires others.

There are 31 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 85 out of 100 (from 47 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

View the complete list of 53,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.

Share this chart
Share | |
Collector's summaryLog in or register to discover the great albums that are missing from your music collection!
Sort by
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Their first is a much stronger record than it gets credit for. [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,039
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
When the Beatles were good, nobody was more innovative or influential. Abbey Road, while not their most innovative or influential, has fewer down moments than their other, more celebrated releases, and thus stands up better for me. [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
65,326
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
They fought their way out of the shadow of Pink Floyd with great records like this one. [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
829
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Cream’s most incisive record—the psychedelic one in which they set aside their long, bluesy jams and focused on the songs. [First added to this chart: 06/03/2012]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,813
Rank in 1967:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
If every album he did were as good as this one, he'd be a household name. [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
74
Rank in 1994:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
36. (=)
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Side Two is every bit as good as or better than Disraeli Gears. [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
263
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
It’s easy to forget how good they were when they shot out of the gate. Once the closest thing to Zeppelin . . . [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
799
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
38. (=)
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
You can choose any of their first five albums as your favorite and you won’t get much argument from me. Their first, mystifyingly undervalued by most, narrowly edges out Sheer Heart Attack, because I simply can’t find a disappointing moment on this record. [First added to this chart: 06/05/2012]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
742
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Before they became overly concerned with keeping up with the changing fashions of the music industry, they put out great records like this one. [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,084
Rank in 1974:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Nearly as good as their first. [First added to this chart: 05/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
235
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 4 of 10

Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade Albums %


1930s 0 0%
1940s 0 0%
1950s 3 3%
1960s 29 29%
1970s 46 46%
1980s 10 10%
1990s 10 10%
2000s 2 2%
2010s 0 0%
2020s 0 0%
Country Albums %


United Kingdom 57 57%
United States 37 37%
Mixed Nationality 4 4%
Ireland 2 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 99 99%
Yes 1 1%

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)


Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!


Why register?


Register now - it only takes a moment!

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
85/100 (from 47 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 47 ratings for this chart.

Sort ratings
RatingDate updatedMemberChart ratingsAvg. chart rating
 
90/100
 Report rating
02/05/2018 18:21 LedZep  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,07984/100
 
90/100
 Report rating
07/18/2017 20:59 authorunknown  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 6483/100
 
70/100
 Report rating
05/25/2017 11:56 TheHolyKiwi  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 10368/100
 
95/100
 Report rating
01/24/2017 02:40 Seab  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 2,01793/100
 
90/100
 Report rating
12/05/2016 10:08 Leonard  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 32088/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some charts can have several thousand ratings)

This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 85.1/100, a mean average of 84.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 85.0/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.0.

Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites

Showing all 4 members who have added this chart as a favourite

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 31 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
90/100
From 07/18/2017 21:00
Love this list. A New World record, Argybargy, I robot. Brilliant choices. Good work.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/08/2016 01:57
Just listened to Renaissance. Thanks for the introduction!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/08/2016 01:49
Diverse ears. I'll have to give Heart a "non-radio" listen!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
60/100
From 04/16/2016 18:38
Lots of solid stuff here. I especially appreciate the inclusion of Exile on Main St. and Who's Next.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 04/10/2016 21:20
Great albums and even better comments, I feel like you chose some of these albums just so you could put them next to other albums for a punchline! The lack of modern music knocks it down 5 points, but we all know 60's-70's music is better anyway!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 12/07/2015 21:23
Very interesting choices and not always the most obvious choices of great bands. I also liked your comments.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 11/22/2015 14:30
Due to the albums we have in common on our charts, I will give the ones I've never heard a listen. Classic chart.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 11/21/2015 15:33
Classic chart. I'm not as great a lover of Floyd as you are, but love Zep and the Who. You're heavy on the 70's but that was the era of classic albums. In some ways our tastes differ significantly and in some ways we are soul bros. Much respect.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 11/21/2015 12:29
Great, love to see you appreciate "those 23 minute songs". Just loveable chart
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 10/27/2015 06:28
A lot of classics. But would love to see you add more modern albums or the ones released like past 3 years.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment

Your feedback for Top 100 Greatest Music Albums

Anonymous
Let us know what you think of this chart by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
Log in or register to assign a rating or leave a comment for this chart.
Best Albums of the 1950s
1. Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis
2. Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus
3. Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4. Blue Train by John Coltrane
5. Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
6. In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra
7. Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
8. The Shape Of Jazz To Come by Ornette Coleman
9. Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
10. Berry Is On Top by Chuck Berry
11. Lady In Satin by Billie Holiday
12. Songs For Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra
13. Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
14. Somethin' Else by Cannonball Adderley
15. Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
16. Chet Baker Sings by Chet Baker
17. The "Chirping" Crickets by The Crickets
18. Buddy Holly by Buddy Holly
19. Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis
20. Moanin' In The Moonlight by Howlin' Wolf
Back to Top