Desertshore
by Nico

Desertshore by Nico
Year: 1970
Release date: 1970-12-20
Overall rank: 897th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
77/100 (from 295 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 1970 (25th)
Award Top albums of the 1970s (189th)
Award Top 1,000 albums of all time (897th)

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Availability

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Nico Desertshore 2023 Edition (Remastered from Original Tapes) New CD
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Nico Desertshore (Digital Download Card) Records & LPs New
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Original Vtg 1970 Nico Album Desertshore 1st Press Vinyl Lp Ex V-Rare LP
Condition: Used


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Nico bestography

Desertshore is ranked 2nd best out of 16 albums by Nico on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Nico is Chelsea Girl which is ranked number 619 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 2,761.

Nico album bestography « Higher ranked (619th)
Chelsea Girl
This album (897th)
Desertshore
Lower ranked (1,313th) »
The Marble Index

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

Upcoming concerts

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Apr
09
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An Intimate Evening with JJ Grey & Mofro
Two Dimes, Tuscaloosa, United States. United States
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Desertshore rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 897th | 1970s rank: 189th | 1970 rank: 25th
Filter Filter
Sort Sort by
YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026 bertranduTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s15/10017
2026 RomanelliMy Overall Chart: 1501-160072/100 -
2026saltysurpriseTop 54 Music Albums of 197030/542
2026leniadTop 101-200 Greatest 1970s Albums10/68 -
2026 imacgillTop 48 Music Albums of 197027/482
2026 baystateoftheartTop 92 Music Albums of 197023/924
2026brun027Top 49 Music Albums of 19709/494
2026 DommeDamianFeb 26: 101-20072/100 -
2026boyd94Top 100 Greatest Music Albums66/10035
2026stangetzawayTop 55 Music Albums of 197017/554
2026leniadTop 401-500 Greatest Albums Of All Time58/100 -
2026 ssteveTop 29 Music Albums of 197029/290
2026 ForegroundNoiseAround the World Around the World Around the World Around the Wo15/63 -
2026 AfterHoursTop 100 Greatest Music Albums16/10084
2026fabm04 My Chart Europe Pt 235/97 -
2026 arthurbittencourtTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s78/1005
2026cicadelicTop 75 Music Albums of 197017/754
2026 RhynerTop 100 Greatest Music Albums94/1007
2026 RomanelliTop 45 Music Albums of 197034/451
2026 LedZepTop 99 Music Albums of the 1970s13/9918
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 271
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 1,940
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Desertshore collection

Desertshore ratings

Average Rating: 
77/100 (from 295 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 295 ratings for this album.

Sort Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
85/100
 
02/10/2026 18:59 DommeDamian  Ratings distribution  7,33049/100
 
80/100
 
12/22/2025 13:18 Tamthebam  Ratings distribution  23,00969/100
 
75/100
 
12/05/2025 17:28 Exist-en-ciel  Ratings distribution  7,75670/100
 
25/100
 
11/23/2025 07:18 NYAndreas  Ratings distribution  1,43344/100
 
90/100
 
10/22/2025 00:57 MaxStorm98  Ratings distribution  3,79889/100

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 3% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 77.3/100, a mean average of 76.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 77.5/100. The standard deviation for this album is 17.5.

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Desertshore comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 18 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:  
75/100
From 09/06/2022 15:45 | #289316
Its alright
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 07/22/2022 13:56 | #287726
As others have said... it's a really strange album. Not in a bad way, but didn't expect this. Would I listen to it again? Maybe when it's 1 am and I can't sleep, maybe while drawing at night or just... at night. It's not going to be on my rotation, but I'm glad I got to discover this.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 06/29/2022 13:18 | #286784
Definitely original album with medieval feeling, I actually like it better than Chelsea Girls.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 01/08/2022 17:25 | #278870
It is a very moody and dark album for dark and haunting Corona days. I bet this requires some previous knowledge of Nico's work. A definite medieval feel to it.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 07/26/2021 23:23 | #271958
A very otherworldly sounding album, that feels both haunting and beautiful at the same time. The sound is so cohesive and this atmosphere that Cale and Nico create together is stunning. Every song fits the tone of the album masterfully. The arrangement on this album by Cale is magnificent, my personal highlights being the piano, which sounds so delicate and raw, and the string arrangement. While some songs like My Only Child among others do not reach the same heights as tracks like Afraid, the tempo of the album is never lost which maintains the consistency of the album. Overall, it creates an experience that it will be very difficult to forget.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 05/02/2021 23:50 | #269276
Why isn't this in the top 10 albums of 1970?
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (3 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 01/24/2021 22:28 | #265024
Ended up listening to this because it's one of Björk's favorite records, and I'll do anything she says. And holy cow this is so good. Beautiful, haunting, absolutely captivating in every way imaginable. Nico has never sounded this good, John Cale needs an award for this album alone.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 03/30/2020 21:11 | #249308
A masterpiece, 'nuff said!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 05/21/2019 06:34 | #236492
I first listened to this back-to-back with The Marble Index. It was a worthwhile listen, but it came across as a B-side to other. Some good songs are here, but it isn’t as captivating overall as TMI.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 04/14/2019 15:57 | #234978
Nico's voice matches Cale's arrangements better than his own. At times modern/at times takes you to a medieval time. Something I can call both of theirs fantastic (solo).
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1970
1. Paranoid by Black Sabbath
2. After The Gold Rush by Neil Young
3. All Things Must Pass by George Harrison
4. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
5. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon
6. Bitches Brew by Miles Davis
7. Moondance by Van Morrison
8. Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival
9. Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin
10. Fun House by The Stooges
11. Let It Be by The Beatles
12. Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath
13. Loaded by The Velvet Underground
14. Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek & The Dominos
15. Déjà Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
16. American Beauty by Grateful Dead
17. Deep Purple In Rock by Deep Purple
18. Abraxas by Santana
19. Tea For The Tillerman by Cat Stevens
20. Morrison Hotel by The Doors
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