Downward Is Heavenward
by Hum

Downward Is Heavenward by Hum
Year: 1998
Overall rank: 4,856th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
76/100 (from 65 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 1998 (81st)
Award Top albums of the 1990s (803rd)
Award Best albums of all time (4,856th)

Listen on Spotify SPOTIFY
Product Details
Availability

eBay
eBay
Hum - Downward Is Heavenward Vinyl LP Yellow Reissue
Condition: New


eBay
eBay
Hum Downward is Heavenward CD
Condition: Like New


eBay
eBay
Downward Is Heavenward
Condition: Good


  My favourite store:  

Hum bestography

Downward Is Heavenward is ranked 2nd best out of 5 albums by Hum on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Hum is You'd Prefer An Astronaut which is ranked number 2393 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 661.

Hum album bestography « Higher ranked (2,393rd)
You'd Prefer An Astronaut
This album (4,856th)
Downward Is Heavenward
Lower ranked (5,931st) »
Inlet

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

Listen to Downward Is Heavenward on YouTube

Loading content from YouTube...

Downward Is Heavenward rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 4,856th | 1990s rank: 803rd | 1998 rank: 81st
Filter Filter
Sort Sort by
YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026matterhornriderTop 40 Music Albums of 199828/402
2026Cheboygan74Top 11 Music Albums of 19982/115
2026sunnydhammTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s1/10020
2026Cheboygan74Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s15/10017
2026 cestuneblagueTop 100 Music Albums of 199811/1005
2026sunnydhammTop 27 Music Albums of 19981/275
2026 ExTeaSeaTop 72 Music Albums of 199821/724
2026sunnydhammTop 100 Greatest Music Albums2/10097
2025 cestuneblagueTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s83/1004
2025dougcummingsTop 23 Music Albums of 19984/234
2025dougcummingsTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s53/10010
2025dougcummings201-300 Greatest Music Albums65/100 -
2025 Patman360Top 100 Music Albums of 199844/1003
2024 meccaleccaTop 60 Music Albums of 199854/601
2024sonicdiscourse1997 To-Do List25/79 -
2024asimpkinsTop 34 Music Albums of 19982/345
2024 imacgillTop 100 Music Albums of 199869/1002
2023 GlitterboiiiTop 50 Music Albums of 199849/500
2023 Xxnu99etxXTop 71 Music Albums of 199860/711
2023asimpkinsTop 100 Music Albums of the 1990s16/10017
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 45
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 285
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Downward Is Heavenward collection

Downward Is Heavenward ratings

Average Rating: 
76/100 (from 65 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 65 ratings for this album.

Sort Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
100/100
 
11/27/2025 11:58 sunnydhamm  Ratings distribution  1,60859/100
 
80/100
 
06/17/2025 22:55 idiotican  Ratings distribution  2,80374/100
 
55/100
 
02/18/2025 20:47 Dingerbell  Ratings distribution  4,01462/100
 
85/100
 
06/18/2024 23:03 matterhornrider  Ratings distribution  4,96081/100
 
85/100
 
01/26/2024 16:58 dougcummings  Ratings distribution  2,02772/100

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 76.3/100, a mean average of 76.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 77.0/100. The standard deviation for this album is 18.8.

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

Downward Is Heavenward favourites

Showing all 12 members who have added this album as a favourite

Downward Is Heavenward comments

Showing all 1 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:  
100/100
From 07/21/2015 20:40 | #146188
Layered, intelligent, moving, and textured, this album is not just one of the better albums of the 90's, but of all time. Every track on this gem is solid and wonderful, but if you're short on time, give "Afternoon With the Axolotls" a listen. You won't be sorry.
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 Downward Is Heavenward

Anonymous
Let us know what you think of this album by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
Log in or register to assign a rating or leave a comment for this album.
Best Albums of 1998
1. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
2. Mezzanine by Massive Attack
3. Moon Safari by Air
4. The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill
5. Aquemini by OutKast
6. Music Has The Right To Children by Boards Of Canada
7. XO by Elliott Smith
8. Ray Of Light by Madonna
9. Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev
10. Electro-Shock Blues by Eels
11. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams
12. Without You I'm Nothing by Placebo
13. This Is Hardcore by Pulp
14. Adore by The Smashing Pumpkins
15. The Shape Of Punk To Come (A Chimerical Bombination In 12 Bursts) by Refused
16. The Boy With The Arab Strap by Belle And Sebastian
17. System Of A Down by System Of A Down
18. TNT by Tortoise
19. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star by Black Star
20. Version 2.0 by Garbage