Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by TheSmiths82-87 
A maximum of four albums per artist
- Chart updated: 01/18/2022 22:45
- (Created: 03/25/2013 15:38).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 74 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 86 out of 100 (from 154 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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Objectively speaking, probably the best Beatles album, it has better songs than Sgt Pepper, it is more concise than the White Album and it doesn't have too many novelty tracks like Abbey Road.
It also has a perfect balance of some gentle McCartney ballads, Lennon's more edgier and experimental tracks and also some of Harrison's finest too.
Best Tracks:
Tomorrow Never Knows
I'm Only Sleeping
And Your Bird Can Sing
Eleanor Rigby
For No One [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
It also has a perfect balance of some gentle McCartney ballads, Lennon's more edgier and experimental tracks and also some of Harrison's finest too.
Best Tracks:
Tomorrow Never Knows
I'm Only Sleeping
And Your Bird Can Sing
Eleanor Rigby
For No One [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
56,967
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
477
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For many years my favourite Bowie album was Hunky Dory and it is still neck and neck with Ziggy, but really I could've chosen quite a few; Aladdin Sane is not a million miles behind Ziggy or Hunky for quality, and Station To Station does not have a bad song on it and works as a complete piece brilliantly.
Being a bit of a philistine when it comes to instrumentals, I often feel if Heroes and Low were joined together, both were recorded in Berlin within 8 months of each other, and just the vocal tracks were put together then this would be Bowie's best album, in fact, it would be one of the very best by anyone.
But we have Ziggy, which of course is a fine collection of songs, the title track, the classic single Starman and the energy in every other track here is a wonderful thing, a special mention must go to Mick Ronson for his work here too.
Best Tracks:
Ziggy Stardust
Starman
Rock n Roll Suicide
Five Years
Soul Love [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Being a bit of a philistine when it comes to instrumentals, I often feel if Heroes and Low were joined together, both were recorded in Berlin within 8 months of each other, and just the vocal tracks were put together then this would be Bowie's best album, in fact, it would be one of the very best by anyone.
But we have Ziggy, which of course is a fine collection of songs, the title track, the classic single Starman and the energy in every other track here is a wonderful thing, a special mention must go to Mick Ronson for his work here too.
Best Tracks:
Ziggy Stardust
Starman
Rock n Roll Suicide
Five Years
Soul Love [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
50,118
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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I would say this is rather predictably my favourite Pink Floyd album, for many years it would have been Piper At The Gates Of Dawn as when it came to the Floyd I was at first steeped in the world of Syd Barrett only.
Regardless of how good this album sounds, it still amazes me that an album with such themes as death, greed, madness etc could become one of the greatest selling albums in history, usually the big sellers are the sugar coated ones with absolutely nothing to say.
In all fairness, whatever your persuasion, it must be quite difficult to not even slightly appreciate tracks like Time, Money, Breathe, Us And Them and then the final two classics Brain Damage and Eclipse.
Best Tracks:
Time
Money
Brain Damage
Eclipse
Us And Them [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Regardless of how good this album sounds, it still amazes me that an album with such themes as death, greed, madness etc could become one of the greatest selling albums in history, usually the big sellers are the sugar coated ones with absolutely nothing to say.
In all fairness, whatever your persuasion, it must be quite difficult to not even slightly appreciate tracks like Time, Money, Breathe, Us And Them and then the final two classics Brain Damage and Eclipse.
Best Tracks:
Time
Money
Brain Damage
Eclipse
Us And Them [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
71,188
Rank in 1973:
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Comments:
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Historic and inspiring, but now the dust has settled, it is of course not the best album ever, it is not even the best Beatles album ever.
A Day In The Life is one of the highlights of their career, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds has always been one of my favourites too and the rest are all musically great but sometimes the lyrics can be a little too light.
I started off loving this album almost 30 years ago and then went off it for the best part of a decade and now I am back in love with it, it's funny how our tastes change through time.
Best Tracks:
A Day In The Life
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Fixing A Hole
Getting Better
She's Leaving Home [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
A Day In The Life is one of the highlights of their career, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds has always been one of my favourites too and the rest are all musically great but sometimes the lyrics can be a little too light.
I started off loving this album almost 30 years ago and then went off it for the best part of a decade and now I am back in love with it, it's funny how our tastes change through time.
Best Tracks:
A Day In The Life
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Fixing A Hole
Getting Better
She's Leaving Home [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
50,818
Rank in 1967:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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As debut albums go, this is part of an elite few that can be considered an immediate classic. But this album is fairly underrated and never really receives the credit that the Queen Is Dead gets, but this really holds its own alongside those other great debuts like the Velvet Underground & Nico, The Stone Roses, Unknown Pleasures, Never Mind The Bollocks and The Doors.
Lyrically and melodically, almost everything is irresistible here, the production occasionally lets itself down and these songs arguably found a better home with better production on the Hatful Of Hollow compilation that followed, but this is still a monumental recording.
Best Tracks:
Reel Around The Fountain
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Suffer Little Children
What Difference Does It Make
Still Ill [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Lyrically and melodically, almost everything is irresistible here, the production occasionally lets itself down and these songs arguably found a better home with better production on the Hatful Of Hollow compilation that followed, but this is still a monumental recording.
Best Tracks:
Reel Around The Fountain
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Suffer Little Children
What Difference Does It Make
Still Ill [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,645
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
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How many other recording artists have hit a peak like Dylan did with Blood On The Tracks 13 years after their debut album? This is genius, especially when considering his work in the 60’s was hardly below par. I myself have always considered his best 3 albums to be Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blonde and then Blood On The Tracks but I really wouldn’t argue with anyone saying this album is his best.
Best Tracks:
If You See Her, Say Hello
Idiot Wind
Tangled Up In Blue
Simple Twist Of Fate
You're A Big Girl Now [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Best Tracks:
If You See Her, Say Hello
Idiot Wind
Tangled Up In Blue
Simple Twist Of Fate
You're A Big Girl Now [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
23,575
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
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Average Rating:
Comments:
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There were about 14 or so classic albums released in 1967, this is certainly in the top 2 or 3, but without wishing to sound too cynical, it's hard to imagine people looking back to 2015 in a few decades time and seeing the equivalent to the Velvet Underground, The Beatles, The Doors, Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Kinks, and Leonard Cohen.
But anyway, here we have Leonard Cohen's debut album, his move from published poet to singer-songwriter is seamless, his debut is one of his very best collection of songs. What a piece of work Suzanne is for example, to try and analyse the lyrics would only break the spell of the poetry. Sisters Of Mercy is wonderful as is So Long, Marianne and another favourite of mine would be Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye.
Of course lyrically, Cohen is one of the very best of all time, but where the likes of Dylan have now and again released sub-standard material, Cohen's writing has never diminished throughout his career, you'd be hard pressed to find a throwaway line in his back catalogue. But why not start looking here.
Best Tracks:
Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
Suzanne
Sisters Of Mercy
So Long, Marianne
Stranger Song [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
But anyway, here we have Leonard Cohen's debut album, his move from published poet to singer-songwriter is seamless, his debut is one of his very best collection of songs. What a piece of work Suzanne is for example, to try and analyse the lyrics would only break the spell of the poetry. Sisters Of Mercy is wonderful as is So Long, Marianne and another favourite of mine would be Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye.
Of course lyrically, Cohen is one of the very best of all time, but where the likes of Dylan have now and again released sub-standard material, Cohen's writing has never diminished throughout his career, you'd be hard pressed to find a throwaway line in his back catalogue. But why not start looking here.
Best Tracks:
Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
Suzanne
Sisters Of Mercy
So Long, Marianne
Stranger Song [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,224
Rank in 1967:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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The Rolling Stones’ masterpiece, it may not be as concise as Let It Bleed or Sticky Fingers but it does contain a vast amount of great tracks. Tracks that hardly ever get mentioned and never feature on compilations like Loving Cup, Sweet Virginia, Torn And Frayed and Let It Loose are all classic Stones' tracks.
It has a rough feel to proceedings, unpolished and natural, it sounds like one of the best rock and roll bands of all time playing live in a basement drenched in alcohol and whatever else was floating around at that time. A classic for sure!
Best Tracks:
Tumbling Dice
Rocks Off
Sweet Virginia
Let It Loose
Torn And Frayed [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
It has a rough feel to proceedings, unpolished and natural, it sounds like one of the best rock and roll bands of all time playing live in a basement drenched in alcohol and whatever else was floating around at that time. A classic for sure!
Best Tracks:
Tumbling Dice
Rocks Off
Sweet Virginia
Let It Loose
Torn And Frayed [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
22,608
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Where the debut album was very poetic and reasonably gentle, the follow up here was direct and quite brutal, there seems to be a violent episode in each song, from the tough school regime to a fairground stabbing, from a murdered policeman to someone smoking because they are hoping for an early death, and so on.
Of course the most persistent image of violence is saved for the title track with its battlecry for vegetarians everywhere.
Marr’s writing here was also far removed from his jingly jangly approach previously, whether that be on the complex The Headmaster Ritual or the majestic Well I Wonder.
The production is not as murky as the debut album which would have a lot to do with the onset of Morrissey and Marr’s production credits and this proved to be the perfect bridge between the debut and the Queen Is Dead which would follow later.
‘And if you ever need self-validation, just meet me in the alley by the railway station’
Best Tracks:
Well I Wonder
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
The Headmaster Ritual
I Want The One I Can't Have
Rusholme Ruffians [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Of course the most persistent image of violence is saved for the title track with its battlecry for vegetarians everywhere.
Marr’s writing here was also far removed from his jingly jangly approach previously, whether that be on the complex The Headmaster Ritual or the majestic Well I Wonder.
The production is not as murky as the debut album which would have a lot to do with the onset of Morrissey and Marr’s production credits and this proved to be the perfect bridge between the debut and the Queen Is Dead which would follow later.
‘And if you ever need self-validation, just meet me in the alley by the railway station’
Best Tracks:
Well I Wonder
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
The Headmaster Ritual
I Want The One I Can't Have
Rusholme Ruffians [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,854
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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I somehow let this album pass me by for 14 years and had never heard of it until I joined this very site, on here it is almost regarded as the grail, and I can completely understand why.
It is a glorious, sprawling indie racket, and laced with the imagery of Anne Frank's life, it is a very passionate and touching affair. Often the vocals are reaching beyond their limits in a kind of Syd Barrett way, which I like.
I saw Neutral Milk Hotel live earlier this year and it reinforced the feeling that this record is truly timeless.
Best Tracks:
In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Holland 1945
Ghost
King Of Carrot Flowers Part 1
Two Headed Boy [First added to this chart: 04/06/2013]
It is a glorious, sprawling indie racket, and laced with the imagery of Anne Frank's life, it is a very passionate and touching affair. Often the vocals are reaching beyond their limits in a kind of Syd Barrett way, which I like.
I saw Neutral Milk Hotel live earlier this year and it reinforced the feeling that this record is truly timeless.
Best Tracks:
In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Holland 1945
Ghost
King Of Carrot Flowers Part 1
Two Headed Boy [First added to this chart: 04/06/2013]
Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
39,465
Rank in 1998:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 2 of 10
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 21 | 21% | |
| 1970s | 36 | 36% | |
| 1980s | 22 | 22% | |
| 1990s | 16 | 16% | |
| 2000s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2010s | 1 | 1% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| The Smiths | 4 | 4% | |
| The Rolling Stones | 4 | 4% | |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4% | |
| U2 | 4 | 4% | |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 4% | |
| The Fall | 4 | 4% | |
| Morrissey | 4 | 4% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 9 from 60th to 51st Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young & Crazy Horse |
| Up 7 from 87th to 80th After The Gold Rush by Neil Young |
| Up 2 from 81st to 79th Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M. |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 6 from 90th to 96th I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen |
| Down 3 from 78th to 81st Sweet Baby James by James Taylor |
| Down 3 from 79th to 82nd Funeral by Arcade Fire |
| New entries |
|---|
 Moondanceby Van Morrison |
| Harvest by Neil Young |
| Veedon Fleece by Van Morrison |
| On The Beach by Neil Young |
| Saint Dominic's Preview by Van Morrison |
| Leavers |
|---|
 Is This Itby The Strokes |
| Get Happy!! by Elvis Costello And The Attractions |
| Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon by James Taylor |
| Happy Sad by Tim Buckley |
| Forever Breathes The Lonely Word by Felt |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
86/100 (from 154 votes)
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 chart. | Show all 154 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
90/100  | 08/30/2022 10:53 | Thearei30ee | | 88/100 |
 95/100 | 08/14/2021 00:25 | stangetzaway | | 89/100 |
| 70/100 | 06/14/2021 16:14 |  seb7 | | 91/100 |
| 90/100 | 11/29/2020 10:32 |  Goliath | | 86/100 |
| 90/100 | 11/11/2020 23:16 | leniad | | 85/100 |
Rating metrics:
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 charts can have several thousand ratings)
This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 86.5/100, a mean average of 86.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 86.5/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.0.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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70/100
From seb7 06/11/2021 17:03
seb7 06/11/2021 17:03
wow, a whole 10/10 of the top ten of the overall chart, and your own top ten has nothing under the top 100! so original! And, you feature a whole 88 albums sitting within the top 1000.
It did surprise me that you favor the 70s like I do, but it's the same 70s albums that every basic user puts into their chart.
edit: discovered that it's actually 20/20 of the overall chart. Good job, Morrisey Simp
Honestly, I am just salty that you left the 75/100 and left no explanation or comment.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
90/100
From leniad 11/11/2020 23:16
like
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
90/100
From WillyMac 05/04/2020 17:05
I really like your chart and your commentaries. There are 19 albums the same as my chart. It's not just the usual suspects though but things like King of America and The Life Pursuit. Many of your other albums are bubbling under my top 100. Good to see Leonard Cohen getting some love...
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From Strattonfox 07/31/2019 20:10
A truly excellent chart with some interesting views
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From Globe02 07/05/2019 22:29
I really enjoyed your write ups for your chart, especially Dark Side.
Cheers!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From 
gidgidi 06/11/2019 22:23
gidgidi 06/11/2019 22:23
Nice rock picks, cool chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From hailey 01/28/2019 15:51
Pretty great chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
75/100
From 
Julelios 11/09/2018 13:25
Julelios 11/09/2018 13:25
Nice chart !
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From 
Medelsvensson 10/29/2018 18:41
Medelsvensson 10/29/2018 18:41
Where is the hip hop? And the jazz?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
75/100
From jeffrey-hodgson 10/12/2018 13:06
Don't completely agree but interesting choices
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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