Listed below are the overall rankings for the best albums in history as determined by their aggregate positions in over 59,000 different greatest album charts on BestEverAlbums.com! (Chart last updated: 32 minutes ago).
"I think making such a big deal about OK Computer only takes away from the great music they made after. This is a great album but unlike a lot of 90s bands Radiohead didn't try to ride this any further. From here on out they became a genre all their own."Reply
"Novices to the world of acclaimed rock music looking to cut their teeth wouldn't have to dig very deep to find evidence of The Dark Side of the Moon's legacy and societal imprint. After all, this is a record that is arguably the most universally celebrated and globally popular in modern history. ...""Novices to the world of acclaimed rock music looking to cut their teeth wouldn't have to dig very deep to find evidence of The Dark Side of the Moon's legacy and societal imprint. After all, this is a record that is arguably the most universally celebrated and globally popular in modern history. Unfortunately, nowadays it's characterized, more often than not, by hyperbole. This is a shame really because it's pinpoint nuance that makes The Dark Side of the Moon one of the finest albums to grace humanity's collective eardrums. The record radiates a sound of a group that knows exactly what it wants to achieve sonically and signals the completion of a maturation that has occurred over the course of a handful of prior outings. Take 1971's Meddle for example. It's one of Floyd's finest without reservation, boasting immense successes such as Fearless and San Tropez, but there is a rather hefty outlier laden within the tracklist. To be clear, I'm using the term outlier in its most complimentary form. The 23 minute behemoth, Echoes, ended the record and served as a roadmap for where the band would venture next. The destination was a cosmic, ethereal, metaphysical realm that they dubbed The Dark Side of the Moon.
The album commences with Speak to Me, a transport that can loosely be described as a track, however, its importance is critical to the LP's DNA. The track is fronted by a literal heartbeat and incorporates various samples (faintly heard) that coordinate with future expositions, elapsing to lay out the coming journey that remains ahead. They say that your life flashes before you on your deathbed, but here the band have presented those nanoseconds at birth. It's an intriguing concept put lightly. After a short (breath) of cognizance, third track, On the Run, epitomizes the frantic rigors that life will bestow upon its participants. Synths and a Hammond organ spark throughout the frenetic, instrumental piece that help craft one of Floyd's most satisfying short-burst affirmations. A cacophony of alarm bells greet you when fourth track Time, one of Floyd's most cherished works, emerges. The song, unsurprisingly, deals with the passage of its namesake and how it is futile to protest against the all-devouring pull of its black hole. The horology driven track is arguably the album's spaciest statement, as it glides wonderfully across an unblemished, unsullied terrain. David Gilmour's lead vocals are hoisted by the serene backing of a myriad of singers before he himself uncorks a guitar solo of unflinching allure. Gilmour warns, "Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain; you are young and life is long and there is time to kill today, and then one day you find ten years have got behind you; no one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun." The Dark Side of the Moon has just revealed its first treasure. The final track of the A side is a bit of a deviation, but not in quality. The stunning, non-lexical vocal stylings of Clare Torry caress The Great Gig in the Sky, which stands in as a figurative grim reaper. If only dying could be this inviting. Her yowls seep into every crevice and cranny of the instrumentation, fusing into an intense moment of catharsis as side one fades out.
The tranquility subsides with an exchange of currency but this particular quid is of the funky variety. Money benefits substantially from drummer Nick Mason and session saxophonist Dick Parry. Mason excels against a tricky 7/4 time signature which is later converted to 4/4 for Gilmour's punctual guitar solo. Parry's sax shepherds the track through that very transition with all the eccentricities of a free jazz maestro. Thematically, the track mocks the pursuit of monetary wealth in the grand scheme of life's expansive possibility. "Money, it's a gas; grab that cash with both hands and make a stash; New car, caviar, four-star daydream, think I'll buy me a football team," elicits Gilmour. Money is, without opposition, the wittiest voyage on the album. Seventh track, Us and Them, shreds any remaining inklings of snarky banter. The nearly eight-minute cut is an expedition through the nucleus of human interaction and conflict. It's also the highpoint for melodic elegance on the record. For instance, the vocal harmony shared between Gilmour and Richard Wright, supported by the returning vocal quintet from Time, dishes out multiple crescendos which never fail to produce goosebumps. Dick Parry also returns, once again armed with his tenor saxophone. He contributes healthy doses of chaos alongside the angelic climaxes. Gilmour and Wright cry, "Haven't you heard it's a battle of words, the poster bearer cried, listen, son, said the man with the gun, There's room for you inside." Incredible is too tame a word for Us and Them. Any Colour You Like bridges the gap between Us and Them and the final two tracks of the record. Brain Damage, previously known as "Lunatic", is an uncompromising examination of the deterioration of one's mental health. It's a notably subdued moment on the LP, treading lightly in the manner in which one would approach a loved one battling cognitive disarray. Roger Waters tries his hand here, chanting, "And if the dam breaks open many years too soon, and if there is no room upon the hill, and if your head explodes with dark forebodings too; I'll see you on the dark side of the moon." These lyrics seem to metaphorically chronicle the spiraling psychological state of former Floyd compatriot, Syd Barrett. More details on that in 1975. The album comes to a stirring, reflective ending on Eclipse. It unfurls almost as a warning to its audience to take life seriously and thoroughly taste every precious drop of elixir it grants. Waters bestows, "And all that is now and all that is gone, and all that's to come and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon." The track departs with the heartbeat that introduced the record's arrival. It's the symbolic ending of a journey, or is it a rebirth?
The Dark Side of the Moon continues to induce innumerable headlines, but it's the subtext which serves as a finer asseveration of its invincibility. Its chart topping run isn't the catalyst for the album's cultural staying power, nor is it typified by its pieces. It was constructed with the intention to be consumed wholly in the same fashion in which humans cannot pick and choose select instances within a lifetime. Yes, the performances are marvelous, but it's the uncolored edges of ruminative headspace between the sonic apexes that truly hold the jewels. It's not Pink Floyd's most personal outing (Wish You Were Here) or even their most technically proficient (Animals), but it remains their most essential due to its kinship with the human condition. The truth is, yes, it really is that good. Look within life's tiniest moments for validation.
"Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time,
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines,
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way,
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say."
-Time
Standout Tracks:
1. Us and Them
2. Time
3. Brain Damage
93.6"[+]Reply
"Most great bands have at most one or two great songwriters, the Beatles had three! And I think no other album represents the Moptop Lyricist Trinity better than their seminal 1969 album 'Abbey Road', where the Fab Four for once put their differences aside to record a farewell worthy of their lega...""Most great bands have at most one or two great songwriters, the Beatles had three! And I think no other album represents the Moptop Lyricist Trinity better than their seminal 1969 album 'Abbey Road', where the Fab Four for once put their differences aside to record a farewell worthy of their legacy —even though they later decided to complete and release 'Let It Be', a not-so-great but still decent farewell. And what better way to culminate the story of one of the most influential and iconic artists of all time than with this little rock number aptly titled 'The End', which works as a little epitaph for the band.
And it's in that song, when Paul, George and John begin to jam, that you can see how brilliant they were. Not because of their technical skills, because the Beatles were never about virtuosity. But it's rather because of their ability to complement each other that they were so great. Even though each solo showcased how fundamentally different their personalities are, the whole thing flowed so beautifully. They saw each other's ideas and took it to the next level.
John's last solo gives way to a last sentence sung in their trademark vocal harmony fashion, 'And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make', a final statement that perfectly captures their message and essence. And with George Harrison's final solo, the Fab Four announce their end, and with them, the end of an entire decade."[+]Reply
"This is my pick for the best ever album. Everything you'd want in an album is here: The perfect ballads ("Here, There And Everywhere" and "For No One"), the perfect rockers ("Taxman", "She Said She Said" and "And Your Bird Can Sing"), brilliant psychedelia ("I'm Only Sleeping", "She Said She Said...""This is my pick for the best ever album. Everything you'd want in an album is here: The perfect ballads ("Here, There And Everywhere" and "For No One"), the perfect rockers ("Taxman", "She Said She Said" and "And Your Bird Can Sing"), brilliant psychedelia ("I'm Only Sleeping", "She Said She Said" (again) and "Tomorrow Never Knows") and even a pinch of world music ("Love You To"). It's got a it's fair share of serious tracks ("Eleanor Rigby" and "For No One") and it's fair share of fun tracks to counter the serious tracks ("Yellow Submarine", "Good Day Sunshine" and "Got To Get You Into My Life"). The album shows the Beatles at their creative peak, constantly trying to find new things never done in pop and rock. New production tricks and new genres, styles and instruments to blend in to popular music. The album also shows every single Beatle at their best, before the feuding began and slowly tore to group apart. The album changed popular music forever, and is one of the most groundbreaking albums of all time. That's why I think it's the greatest album ever. Oh, and it's also got the coolest fucking album cover ever."[+]Reply
"The first time I heard this album was a bootleged copy off cassete when I was 14, laying on a hillside at night beside the girl who I thought at the time was the most beautiful and sexy in the world. You may like to add your own imagery to the setting, but it left a permanant mark on my psychie t...""The first time I heard this album was a bootleged copy off cassete when I was 14, laying on a hillside at night beside the girl who I thought at the time was the most beautiful and sexy in the world. You may like to add your own imagery to the setting, but it left a permanant mark on my psychie that will remain for the rest of my life. It is my number one album despite the fact she married someone else."[+]Reply
"I had already liked this record, but I thought it wasn't as good as people perceived it out to be. That was until I listened to it in a car journey. The night sky looked so pretty and the sonic waves around me complemented the scenery. I was in a state of awe throughout it. And that's when I unde...""I had already liked this record, but I thought it wasn't as good as people perceived it out to be. That was until I listened to it in a car journey. The night sky looked so pretty and the sonic waves around me complemented the scenery. I was in a state of awe throughout it. And that's when I understood its significance; it's an album full of passionate and emotional alt-rock tunes. Screw everything I said about it being overrated, it deserves its acclaim. A modern masterpiece. "[+]Reply
"The influence of this album on the trajectory of popular music cannot be overstated. The Beatles experimentation with the recording process was something that hit a definite high point on this album. This process was something no bands had the rescourses to do at the time(with the exception of th...""The influence of this album on the trajectory of popular music cannot be overstated.
The Beatles experimentation with the recording process was something that hit a definite high point on this album. This process was something no bands had the rescourses to do at the time(with the exception of the beach boys). They had money, time away from touring, and a long track record of success that made an experiment like this viable financially.
That being said, an understanding of ANY work of popular music since is informed by a thorough listen to this album. Everything from the big breaks in the norm that punk brought in the 70s, to the dedication to experimentation that electronic music brought in the 90s, the Beatles Sgt. Pepper album has had a hand in every major change in the scene of popular music since its creation.
This album can be hard to appreciate, The Beatles have a reputation and track record that is universally easy to understand and fall in love with. This album is IMHO the only exception. They werent going for chart topper (although it was the best selling album of the 60s i believe) they were going for world changing. So while Revolver might be easier to digest, or abbey road may have more hits, Sgt. Pepper stands as The Beatles Largest contribution to popular music
What makes this album great is it sounds hyper-contemporary. It sounds not only new but truly outside of the sounds, composition styles, production and themes that we expect from popular music.
10/10"[+]Reply
"This is my favourite album ever. 1st listen: What the fuck is going on? This is nothing like OK Computer 3rd listen: I don't know what is bringing me back to this, I don't really like it but I can still somehow tell it's well made regardless 5th listen: OK, I like Everything In It's Right Place, ...""This is my favourite album ever.
1st listen: What the fuck is going on? This is nothing like OK Computer
3rd listen: I don't know what is bringing me back to this, I don't really like it but I can still somehow tell it's well made regardless
5th listen: OK, I like Everything In It's Right Place, and the ending jam on Optimistic is exceptionally funky
8th listen: Fine then, I like most tracks, Morning Bell took a while to win me over but I eventually really liked the guitars in the "release me" bit. Still don't really get Motion Picture Soundtrack though, it's a weird ending...
10th listen: FUCK...
And that's the story of how I decided I wanted to become a professional musician when I was 17 :) Stunning album. It made me transcend whatever level of appreciation I had for music at the time and I now wish everybody could experience the same."[+]Reply
"One of the finest compliments I can pay this album is that despite the fact it's a product of the "classic rock" era, it still gets virtually no radio airplay on classic rock FM radio. You are still far more likely to hear it on college radio. More than 45 years later, it's still too "out there" ...""One of the finest compliments I can pay this album is that despite the fact it's a product of the "classic rock" era, it still gets virtually no radio airplay on classic rock FM radio. You are still far more likely to hear it on college radio. More than 45 years later, it's still too "out there" for mainstream audiences."[+]Reply
ProfessorSquid | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +44 votes (45 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
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DriftingOrpheus | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (10 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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HazeyTwilight | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +24 votes (25 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
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Decurso | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +22 votes (22 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.
