Ágætis Byrjun
by Sigur Rós

Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós
Year: 1999
Release date: 1999-06-12
Overall rank: 81st   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
86/100 (from 1,727 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Best album of 1999 (1st)
Award Top 20 albums of the 1990s (14th)
Award Top 100 albums of all time (81st)

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Sigur Rós bestography

Ágætis Byrjun is ranked as the best album by Sigur Rós.

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This album (81st)
Ágætis Byrjun
Lower ranked (377th) »
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Ágætis Byrjun track list

  Track ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 87 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Track
Rating/Comments
2.
Track pick (920 - 534 votes)
Average Rating: 92 (534 votes)Comments: View 6
3.
Track pick (900 - 431 votes)
Average Rating: 90 (431 votes)Comments: View 8
7.
Track pick (900 - 414 votes)
Average Rating: 90 (414 votes)Comments: View 5

Track pick (1000 - 100 votes) Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Ágætis Byrjun rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 81st | 1990s rank: 14th | 1999 rank: 1st
Filter Filter
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YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026Foxforce5Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s92/1002
2026FlapJackJoeyTop 29 Music Albums of the 1990s21/296
2026 PasticheTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s26/10015
2026 imimesisTop 100 Greatest Music Albums66/10034
2026 MilhaudTop 55 Music Albums of 199929/552
2026 timtookyTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s43/10012
2026Cheboygan74Top 14 Music Albums of 19992/145
2026 ExTeaSeaTop 89 Music Albums of 19992/895
2026cicadelicE! Online Best Albums 200116/24 -
2026fabm0List 1999 Pt 261/73 -
2026VanillaBeanTop 66 Music Albums of the 1990s38/669
2026 RockyRaccoonTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s6/10019
2026 NowhereManTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s39/10012
2026JohnnyoIndie albums of the year 1999 by Radio X13/25 -
2026jdizzle123456Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s54/1009
2026leniadTop 201-300 Greatest Music Albums68/100 -
2026Rm12398Top 100 Greatest Music Albums2/10099
2026ornot27Top 37 Music Albums of the 1990s25/377
2026 HaydenTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s7/10019
2026Juneof44Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s9/10018
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 1,425
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 14,646
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Ágætis Byrjun collection

Ágætis Byrjun ratings

Average Rating: 
86/100 (from 1,727 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 1,727 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
95/100
 
05/19/2026 00:35 golrab67  Ratings distribution  17391/100
 
75/100
 
05/15/2026 10:19 Milhaud  Ratings distribution  2,00570/100
 
100/100
 
04/26/2026 04:19 awesomness425  Ratings distribution  1,97477/100
 
100/100
 
04/24/2026 12:19 davidleewrong  Ratings distribution  2,35881/100
 
80/100
 
04/13/2026 11:59 Liks_on_music  Ratings distribution  60081/100

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 1% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 85.8/100, a mean average of 84.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 85.9/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.7.

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Ágætis Byrjun comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 139 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
45/100
From 09/03/2024 20:10 | #305127
Some beautiful moments on this album but too much filler with the rest of it. Best two tracks for me are Ny Batteri and Bamm Bamm Bamm. The last track is pointless.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (2 helpful | 4 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 11/25/2022 00:08 | #291540
This album is ambient and has an ethereal quality to it. Really mind blowing music here. Very atmospheric album that just transcends reality. I don't want to over hype it for people who haven't heard it because what they would expect is different from the delivery but to say the least is I would be shocked if anybody didn't like this album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 09/28/2022 00:06 | #290015
An absolutely beautiful listen from start to finish. This album is one of those unique records that feels like it belongs in a genre/category of its own as it is that unique and special. The musical quality being displayed is just astounding with the diverse instrumentation giving stunning performances all around. There are so many to choose from but one of the performances that always sticks with me and moves me is the piano on the title track. It perfectly encapsulates this album for me with its tender and soft playing that allows for introspection as you slowly glide along with the music. It just sounds like perfection. You can get completely lost in this record so easily as well and the run time just flies by as you are so engrossed in the sound that you're suddenly at the end and you don't want it to stop. The layering on this project is simply phenomenal also with there being so much to look into and there always being something new to discover with every listen. It feels so complex and grand when you listen to it that you feel like you are transcending music at times especially on tracks 2 and 3 which is the peak of the record in my opinion. The whole album just feels like a complete package with it all matching in tone, atmosphere and style but being unique from song to song so the environment you are put into never gets disinteresting or stale. Finally, there is the voice which on first listen can be quite a challenge but after two or three listens you completely fall in love and it becomes one of the most rewarding aspects of the music. Overall, this is a masterpiece of a record that is packed full of stunning and beautiful songs and is a must listen for anyone and everyone.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 08/31/2022 03:37 | #289097
Solid album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 05/11/2022 10:09 | #285217
Album Rating: 84.89
(764/9)

1.Intro [Hidden Track]. (N/A - 55 - N/A)
2.Svefn-G-Englar. 90
3.Starálfur. 87
4.Flugufrelsarinn. 91
5.Ný Batterí. 86
6.Hjartað Hamast (Bamm Bamm Bamm). 93
7. Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása. 84
8.Olsen Olsen. 85
9.Ágætis Byrjun. 76
10.Avalon. 72
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (1 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/28/2022 14:01 | #280223
This album is menacing and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/03/2022 10:50 | #278463
First heard this in 2018 and it was absolutely beautiful and transcending - I think it added to the other-worldliness that it was in Iceland (and some of his own made up gobble-di-gook)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 12/01/2021 03:42 | #276938
It’s beautiful and well constructed. Wish I knew what the heck they were singing about.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 11/03/2021 01:28 | #275693
What on Earth is this? It's amazing and confusing, and feels like I need to spend a day in a bathtub listening to it on repeat to get the entire experience.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 10/21/2021 22:31 | #275250
This masterwork transcends all musical boundaries. It is the essence of life itself. They put everything they had and are into this project. I would recommend this album to everyone on Earth. Listen with a friend!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1999
1. Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós
2. The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips
3. Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. 98.12.28 男達の別れ [98.12.28 Otokotachi No Wakare] by フィッシュマンズ [Fishmans]
5. When The Pawn... by Fiona Apple
6. 13 by Blur
7. Keep It Like A Secret by Built To Spill
8. Summerteeth by Wilco
9. American Football (1999) by American Football
10. 69 Love Songs by The Magnetic Fields