Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
by The Byrds

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo by The Byrds
Year: 1968
Release date: 1968-08-30
Overall rank: 877th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
77/100 (from 440 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 20 albums of 1968 (19th)
Award Top 100 albums of of the 1960s (97th)
Award Top 1,000 albums of all time (877th)

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The Byrds bestography

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo is ranked 2nd best out of 27 albums by The Byrds on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by The Byrds is The Notorious Byrd Brothers which is ranked number 741 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 2,332.

The Byrds album bestography « Higher ranked (741st)
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
This album (877th)
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
Lower ranked (886th) »
Younger Than Yesterday

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

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Sweetheart Of The Rodeo rankings

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo rankings summary
Overall rank: 877th | 1960s rank: 97th | 1968 rank: 19th  Overall chart history
Calculated from aggregate positions across 60,000 charts (2 million album rankings).Help Click to see how the rankings are calculated (Last updated: 2 hours ago)

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo collection

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo ratings

Average Rating: 
77/100 (from 440 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help 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 album.  | Show all 440 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
95/100
 !
07/23/2026 01:57 stryker700  Ratings distribution  29590/100
 
70/100
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06/20/2026 09:35 Springsteen  Ratings distribution  40681/100
 
60/100
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06/03/2026 13:36 Fritz  Ratings distribution  1,36177/100
 
80/100
 !
05/06/2026 16:31 Jakor  Ratings distribution  5,50670/100
 
75/100
 !
02/28/2026 22:04 DaveH68  Ratings distribution  1,36376/100

Rating metrics: Help 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 albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 4% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 76.6/100, a mean average of 75.8/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 76.7/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.9.


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Sweetheart Of The Rodeo comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 30 comments |
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Rating:  
80/100
From 02/20/2026 20:07 | #313232
Not really any standouts, but every song is so beautiful that, as a whole, I enjoy this immensely. (Edited)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 08/30/2024 19:17 | #305048
Depending on your personal taste, if you like country music this album is four you. (Edited)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/28/2023 22:36 | #293347
Grande homenagem, de muita competência. (Edited)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
A couple of slower and average tracks keep this fantastic record from being the truly incredible album it should be. With that being said it is still a great listen with its short and sweet run time and catchy country hooks. It did take me quite a few listens to get into this record as it really is a grower but once you allow those choruses, instrumentation and vocal to infect you then there is no coming back and you soon fall in love with this album. Instrumentally, it is classic country with a Byrds twist that makes it more of an enjoyable listen for me and then you add the fantastic vocal performances on top making a deadly fusion that is like bliss. The atmosphere and style are well maintained as well with the whole record feeling extremely cohesive due to the great song writing, instrumental performances and clever cover song selections. Musically, it obviously isn't that complex and there is more experimental Byrds albums which are a lot more intelligent and in depth but this is just so much fun to listen to and so it makes it one of my favourites. Overall, if given time this could be one of your favourite records to spin as I didn't rate it very highly at first but I kept putting it on time and time again as it just makes me happy and I couldn't resist it. (Edited)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 06/13/2022 16:11 | #286344
I was not a fan of this turn from psychedelic Rickenbacker guitar driven repertoire to a more straight ahead country feel. Just not my style, and to me they missed Crosby.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/27/2021 10:27 | #278044
Con la entrada de Gram Parsons en el grupo y un mayor protagonismo de Hillman, los Byrds crean la piedra angular del country rock. (Edited)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 07/21/2021 01:02 | #271787
Even though the US's soft power has made country instantly recognizable by cityfolk in Europe, this is bound to scare off everyone who's not from the wild west, unless the US propaganda has been very succesful on you. Call me close-minded all you want, but I don't see you listening to "smartlappen" or "λαικά". Huh, what? Exactly. Anyway, this band's career has consisted of almost only ballsy moves, and even though I couldn't care less about this one, I respect them still. Plus there are some gems, "The Christian Life" is hilarious. And even though it's not about who did it first but who did it right, being first should earn you some honor.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
30/100
From 02/18/2021 17:13 | #266454
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Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -5 votes (0 helpful | 5 unhelpful)
Rating:  
65/100
From 12/22/2020 04:40 | #263047
My perception of this album is hurt by my long familiarity with (and vast preference for) Dylan's '71 version of the opening track. And, tepid as the rest is, that's pretty much still the highlight.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
While I like the "jangle pop" version of The Byrds much better than later incarnations, I have to admit that this is the definition of a "grower" album. It pretty much creates the genre of alt-country that would be replicated by so many bands in the 90s through the present. If you are a fan of alt-country, this is the origin album for your travels. (Edited)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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