Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
planetneutral 
Work still in progress, but starting to take real shape.
- Chart updated: 03/07/2021 20:15
- (Created: 01/02/2018 03:29).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 10 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 22 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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It's hard to explain why this is my favorite album. All of the songs, despite their rootsier Americana underpinnings, have a stateliness and grandeur that contribute to an overall feel which warms my soul. From the second I'm dropped into Across the Great Divide, I'm just happier. And that lasts the entire album.
Two go-to tracks:
Rockin' Chair
Jawbone [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
Rockin' Chair
Jawbone [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,154
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
I grew up with access to the 62-66 red compilation and this. So nostalgia plays a role in my adoration, but it remains so unlike anything else in the canon. Completely expanded my childhood concept of what was possible with recorded music.
Two go-to tracks:
Lovely Rita
A Day in the Life [First added to this chart: 01/07/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
Lovely Rita
A Day in the Life [First added to this chart: 01/07/2018]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,254
Rank in 1967:
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Comments:
Available from
The best album by the best songwriter.
Two go-to tracks:
Tangled Up in Blue
Buckets of Rain [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
Tangled Up in Blue
Buckets of Rain [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,453
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
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Available from
My second-favorite posse album. This would probably be the highest-rated album if I were to go by average score of the songs themselves. But, of course, that's not the only consideration.
Two go-to tracks (this one's tough!!):
The Chain
You Make Loving Fun [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Two go-to tracks (this one's tough!!):
The Chain
You Make Loving Fun [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
29,148
Rank in 1977:
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Available from
If not for a slight dip in its almost-overwhelming greatness toward the end, this would be a strong contender for my favorite album.
Two go-to tracks:
The Stranger
Vienna [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
The Stranger
Vienna [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,620
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
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Comments:
Available from
Probably still the greatest achievement of the single album format. An album that truly lives up to hype that surrounds it.
Two go-to tracks:
Time
Us and Them
[First added to this chart: 01/07/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
Time
Us and Them
[First added to this chart: 01/07/2018]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
55,979
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Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
I remember hearing Black Dog for the first time. It was in a camp counselor's car on the way back from a rare off-camp ice cream run. I wouldn't get to the album itself until many years later, as a teenager. And it looms large in my memories of that time.
Two go-to tracks:
The Battle of Evermore
When the Levee Breaks [First added to this chart: 01/12/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
The Battle of Evermore
When the Levee Breaks [First added to this chart: 01/12/2018]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
36,093
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
In some ways, I have less patience for the overall sprawl of the White Album now. But as a teenager, that was totally a plus. I knew every word of every song when Phish played this live Halloween '94. I was only 19.
Two go-to tracks:
Sexy Sadie
Cry Baby Cry [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
Sexy Sadie
Cry Baby Cry [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
35,089
Rank in 1968:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
One of the most important albums of my college years.
Two go-to tracks:
Oh! You Pretty Things
Quicksand [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
Oh! You Pretty Things
Quicksand [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,338
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
Simply the live album that I listen to the most often. It's just that good. Lowell George at the height of his powers.
Two go-to tracks:
Time Loves a Hero
Willin' [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Two go-to tracks:
Time Loves a Hero
Willin' [First added to this chart: 01/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
440
Rank in 1978:
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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 | 15 | 15% | |
| 1970s | 50 | 50% | |
| 1980s | 19 | 19% | |
| 1990s | 10 | 10% | |
| 2000s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2010s | 2 | 2% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 6% | |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4% | |
| The Beatles | 4 | 4% | |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4% | |
| Steely Dan | 3 | 3% | |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 3% | |
| Nirvana | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
Up 1 from 63rd to 62nd |
Up 1 from 62nd to 61st |
Up 1 from 61st to 60th |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
Down 18 from 45th to 63rd |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | planetneutral | 1970s decade chart | 2021 | |
| THE JOHNNY RADIO TOP 100 | jlsfourth | Custom chart | 2020 | |
| ƵnotMⅡne」Los 100 mejores discos de la historia |  II | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Madrocker | Overall chart | 2019 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | P H Dias | Overall chart | 2012 |  |
| Top 100 Albums (Online Amalgam) | musicologist97 | Custom chart | 2019 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | stryker700 | Overall chart | 2021 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Manso | Overall chart | 2020 | |
| The Top 100 Albums | VH1 | Overall chart | 2001 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | AbsurdCheesecake | Overall chart | 2026 | |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
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 3 ratings for this chart. | Show all 22 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 11/27/2021 22:07 |  Rhyner | 1,463 | 99/100 |
| ! | 11/26/2021 20:31 |  dgold | 1 | 95/100 |
| ! | 11/26/2021 16:32 |  Larcx13 | 1,139 | 86/100 |
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 is rated in the top 4% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.2/100, a mean average of 90.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.7/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.5.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
Showing all 3 members who have added this chart as a favourite
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums forum mentions
This chart has been referenced 2 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
From 
BestEverAlbums 11/26/2021 09:00 in Chart of the day (#3685): By planetneutral
BestEverAlbums 11/26/2021 09:00 in Chart of the day (#3685): By planetneutral“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by planetneutral () 1. The Band by The Band (1969) 2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) 3. Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan (1975) 4. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (1977) 5. The Stranger by Billy Joel (1977) 6. The Dark…”
View forum post →From planetneutral 12/30/2020 19:04 in planetneutral's Master Rating Log 2021-
planetneutral 12/30/2020 19:04 in planetneutral's Master Rating Log 2021-“Sometime in the era of 2009ish, my wife gave me a copy of the original edition of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Like so many foolhardy list-obsessed music enthusiasts, I began an endeavor to listen my way through it. You've heard a similar story in this forum many times before I'm sure.…”
View forum post →Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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Top Comments First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
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From
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 01/30/2021 01:54 | #265281
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 01/30/2021 01:54 | #265281
Somehow I never came and looked at this. The Band at number 1 is just awesome! Love the Dylan, any fellow fan is a kindred musical spirit and gets much respect. Really cool chart, planetneutral.
I know you have a massive queue of albums, but if you have a moment to listen, I recommend The Felice Brothers’ self titled album from 2008 (I think ‘08). It’s clear they modeled their sound after the Band. A lot of groups did try to capture their ‘68-‘70 sound, but I think the Felice Brothers did it as well as anyone that I’ve heard. At the very least listen to “Frankie’s Gun”! Hell of a song!
Okay, peace!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 11/26/2021 19:17 | #276718
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 11/26/2021 19:17 | #276718
Congrats on aotd, my friend! 50(!) 1970s albums is wild! For the longest time I had like 27 1970s albums and that dwarfed everything else. That, for the first time in 9 years on this site, chnaged with most recent update. But yeah... I understand the tendency. The 1970s had the best albums for me when looking at great songwriters and ssinger/songwriter folkie stuff and punk rock and so forth. Anyway, I'm rambling. Great stuff
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
From
Tha1ChiefRocka 12/06/2020 03:34 | #262098
Tha1ChiefRocka 12/06/2020 03:34 | #262098
I'm rating your William Blake avatar a 100 out of 100.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
From
dgold 11/26/2021 20:37 | #276728
dgold 11/26/2021 20:37 | #276728
What's hilarious to me, my Chart will barely crisscross with Planetneutral Top 100, and yet I agree with him almost entirely about music. I deeply respect and study the Albums of his charts. We went to many concerts together from 1993 to the current year. He introduced me specifically to so many albums and eductated me to their depth, memorably Peter Tosh, Talking Heads, Jerry Garcia Band, many more. Absolute legend of taste, trust these rankings with your ears, heart, mind, soul, and life.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 0
From
DommeDamian 02/18/2021 11:09 | #266436
DommeDamian 02/18/2021 11:09 | #266436
Screw it, this is a 10/10 chart.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
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