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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Widely regarded as the best Fall album, but not necessarily the one to try first for anyone curious enough to dive in. It doesn't have the more commercial appeal of the Brix influenced albums which followed. Although the word 'commercial' in Fall terms still vastly differs from most other band's definition of commercial.
The kick off of the Classical is a jolting, intense experience and it doesn't really ease up from there, culminating in the relentless And This Day, this is the one track here which I have never particularly cared for but everything else is well worth a listen.
Best Tracks:
Winter
The Classical
Iceland
Hip Priest
Jawbone And The Air Rifle [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
The kick off of the Classical is a jolting, intense experience and it doesn't really ease up from there, culminating in the relentless And This Day, this is the one track here which I have never particularly cared for but everything else is well worth a listen.
Best Tracks:
Winter
The Classical
Iceland
Hip Priest
Jawbone And The Air Rifle [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,458
Rank in 1982:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
14
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Perhaps Abbey Road shows the genius of the Beatles more than anything else, to be able to produce an album of this quality when the band was falling apart and personalities were clashing is quite remarkable.
For me, it doesn't quite have the songs of Revolver or the White Album, and it doesn't have the flow of Sgt Pepper's but as an album it is still one of the very best.
We have Lennon's brilliant Come Together, McCartney's You Never Give Me Your Money and Golden Slumbers and George Harrison has arguably two of his top three Beatles compositions included here - Something and Here Comes The Sun, not to mention the penultimate track of the medley, Carry That Weight which features harmonies from all four Beatles.
There does appear to be a little something of everything here and it all fits together quite beautifully and marks a fitting end to a wonderful recording career.
Best Tracks:
You Never Give Me Your Money
Come Together
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
Something [First added to this chart: 03/27/2013]
For me, it doesn't quite have the songs of Revolver or the White Album, and it doesn't have the flow of Sgt Pepper's but as an album it is still one of the very best.
We have Lennon's brilliant Come Together, McCartney's You Never Give Me Your Money and Golden Slumbers and George Harrison has arguably two of his top three Beatles compositions included here - Something and Here Comes The Sun, not to mention the penultimate track of the medley, Carry That Weight which features harmonies from all four Beatles.
There does appear to be a little something of everything here and it all fits together quite beautifully and marks a fitting end to a wonderful recording career.
Best Tracks:
You Never Give Me Your Money
Come Together
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
Something [First added to this chart: 03/27/2013]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
65,341
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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A little more gentle on the ear than the fire and brimstone of Hex, Brix's influence can be heard throughout adding a melodic touch to the preceedings. Garden is a particular favourite here, lyrically it baffles and impresses in equal measure like all the great Fall tracks. 'His veiled sex seeps through his management sloth' - there's also some great lines like this delivered in Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot which also gives us two songs for the price of one.
Best Tracks:
Garden
Smile
Eat Y'self Fitter
Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot
Tempo House [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Best Tracks:
Garden
Smile
Eat Y'self Fitter
Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot
Tempo House [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
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Undoubtedly Morrissey’s finest solo effort to date, but there are no surprises here, it is simply a great collection of songs, all in a similar vain to the majority of Morrissey’s work. The only unusual track here is possibly Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning, which sees Morrissey’s delivery taking on a hushed whisper.
The stronger tracks are really strong – Now My Heart Is Full, Speedway, Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself and the two singles, anyone of these would have sat proudly alongside the best of the Smiths.
Although there seems to be no filler here; maybe the b-side I’d Love To could’ve been included at the expense of the Lazy Sunbathers or I Am Hated For Loving, but both those tracks are still enjoyable.
This album gave Morrissey a much needed number 1 in the album charts, his first since Viva Hate, it also gave him a UK top ten hit and what is still his biggest US hit single - The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get.
This is the album against which his every subsequent release is compared and to be fair, he wasn’t a million miles away with You Are The Quarry(2004) or World Peace Is None Of Your Business(2014), but this is still the diamond in his solo discography.
Best Tracks:
Now My Heart Is Full
Speedway
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself
Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning
The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
The stronger tracks are really strong – Now My Heart Is Full, Speedway, Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself and the two singles, anyone of these would have sat proudly alongside the best of the Smiths.
Although there seems to be no filler here; maybe the b-side I’d Love To could’ve been included at the expense of the Lazy Sunbathers or I Am Hated For Loving, but both those tracks are still enjoyable.
This album gave Morrissey a much needed number 1 in the album charts, his first since Viva Hate, it also gave him a UK top ten hit and what is still his biggest US hit single - The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get.
This is the album against which his every subsequent release is compared and to be fair, he wasn’t a million miles away with You Are The Quarry(2004) or World Peace Is None Of Your Business(2014), but this is still the diamond in his solo discography.
Best Tracks:
Now My Heart Is Full
Speedway
Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself
Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning
The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get [First added to this chart: 03/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,245
Rank in 1994:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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I had Bryter Layter in my collection for years before I truly appreciated the genius that is Nick Drake, although I did enjoy a few tracks from it like Fly and Northern Sky, it never really struck me in the way it now does.
Years later I bought Five Leaves Left and was a little bit more impressed and probably more determined to let it get under my skin. It is a more consistent collection, with no pointless instrumentals interrupting proceedings.
Then Pink Moon was different kettle of fish yet again, more open lyrically, musically stark but some brilliant guitar lines and hooks. The title track is irresistable, Which Will and Road both have wonderful acoustic riffs and the list goes on; Things Behind The Sun, From The Morning, Parasite, Place To Be etc. Nick Drake never made a bad album, but this is the pick of the three.
Best Tracks:
Pink Moon
Which Will
Road
Things Behind The Sun
Place To Be [First added to this chart: 04/15/2013]
Years later I bought Five Leaves Left and was a little bit more impressed and probably more determined to let it get under my skin. It is a more consistent collection, with no pointless instrumentals interrupting proceedings.
Then Pink Moon was different kettle of fish yet again, more open lyrically, musically stark but some brilliant guitar lines and hooks. The title track is irresistable, Which Will and Road both have wonderful acoustic riffs and the list goes on; Things Behind The Sun, From The Morning, Parasite, Place To Be etc. Nick Drake never made a bad album, but this is the pick of the three.
Best Tracks:
Pink Moon
Which Will
Road
Things Behind The Sun
Place To Be [First added to this chart: 04/15/2013]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,135
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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A good proportion of this album is seen as a tribute to Syd Barrett, the title track and in particular the two segments of Shine On You Crazy Diamond have plenty of references to Syd.
Imagine having to produce a follow up to The Dark Side Of The Moon, it must've been quite a daunting task, but in reality Wish You Were Here is just as good, if not better than its predecessor.
Both Gilmour and Wright have stated in the past that this was their favourite Pink Floyd album. The title track would have to be my favourite track in the band's discography.
Best Tracks:
Wish You Were Here
Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts I-V
Have A Cigar
Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts VI-IX
Welcome To The Machine [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
Imagine having to produce a follow up to The Dark Side Of The Moon, it must've been quite a daunting task, but in reality Wish You Were Here is just as good, if not better than its predecessor.
Both Gilmour and Wright have stated in the past that this was their favourite Pink Floyd album. The title track would have to be my favourite track in the band's discography.
Best Tracks:
Wish You Were Here
Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts I-V
Have A Cigar
Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts VI-IX
Welcome To The Machine [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
50,817
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Best Tracks:
Stars Of Track And Field
Seeing Other People
Like Dylan In The Movies
Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
If You're Feeling Sinister [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
Stars Of Track And Field
Seeing Other People
Like Dylan In The Movies
Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
If You're Feeling Sinister [First added to this chart: 03/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,019
Rank in 1996:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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A precurser to Hex from 1980, track for track it more or less equals anything in the Fall's cannon, except for the inevitable token out-there experimental track of WMC Blob 59 which doesn't really serve much purpose. There's wonderful wordplay in English Scheme and New Face In Hell, tales of Hitler on speed in Gramme Friday and very dark subject matter in Impression Of J Temperance which make this...well, just your typical Fall album I suppose, but one of their best.
Best Tracks:
New Face In Hell
The Container Drivers
English Scheme
The NWRA
Impression Of J Temperance [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Best Tracks:
New Face In Hell
The Container Drivers
English Scheme
The NWRA
Impression Of J Temperance [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
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I admit my top 100 albums is desperately lacking when it comes to female recordings. I am quite ashamed of this, and I do love lots of female artists like Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Kate Bush, The Sundays, Blondie, Echobelly, Amy Winehouse and the Slits.
But Blue by Joni Mitchell is my favourite album by any female artist, there isn't a bad track here and particularly my fave three tracks Little Green, A Case Of You and The Last Time I Saw Richard are pretty much genius, every track has wonderful lyrics, and as the album title suggests, a soothing sorrow permeates throughout these lines.
Best Tracks:
Little Green
A Case Of You
The Last Time I Saw Richard
California
Blue [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
But Blue by Joni Mitchell is my favourite album by any female artist, there isn't a bad track here and particularly my fave three tracks Little Green, A Case Of You and The Last Time I Saw Richard are pretty much genius, every track has wonderful lyrics, and as the album title suggests, a soothing sorrow permeates throughout these lines.
Best Tracks:
Little Green
A Case Of You
The Last Time I Saw Richard
California
Blue [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,100
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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For me the Velvet Underground’s albums decreased ever so slightly in quality as they progressed, therefore this follow up to the debut is my second favourite. To be fair, the only classics here are White Light White Heat and Sister Ray, but seeing as there are only 6 tracks anyway, and Sister Ray takes up almost half the album it pretty much makes the album a classic. Here She Comes Now still deserves a mention, very similar to some of the Nico tracks from the debut but sung beautifully by Lou Reed. Then there is I Heard Her Call My Name, which is a blistering piece of noise that deserves some attention and also the Gift, which is an amusingly grim yarn set to music.
Best Tracks:
Sister Ray
White Light White Heat
Here She Comes Now
I Heard Her Call My Name
Lady Godiva's Operation [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Best Tracks:
Sister Ray
White Light White Heat
Here She Comes Now
I Heard Her Call My Name
Lady Godiva's Operation [First added to this chart: 03/30/2013]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,976
Rank in 1968:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 3 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 | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Radiohead | 4 | 4% | |
| The Beatles | 4 | 4% | |
| David Bowie | 4 | 4% | |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4% | |
| The Doors | 4 | 4% | |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 4% | |
| The Smiths | 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
Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 74 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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| Best Ever Artists | |
|---|---|
| 1. The Beatles | |
| 2. Radiohead | |
| 3. Pink Floyd | |
| 4. David Bowie | |
| 5. Bob Dylan | |
| 6. Led Zeppelin | |
| 7. The Rolling Stones | |
| 8. Arcade Fire | |
| 9. The Velvet Underground | |
| 10. Kendrick Lamar | |
| 11. Nirvana | |
| 12. Neil Young | |
| 13. The Smiths | |
| 14. Miles Davis | |
| 15. The Beach Boys | |
| 16. Kanye West | |
| 17. Pixies | |
| 18. R.E.M. | |
| 19. Jimi Hendrix | |
| 20. Bruce Springsteen |