Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by henrygreen0203

100 artists, 100 albums released between the 1950s-2020s. I unashamedly love the music of American "hillbillies" playing rock music (the literal meaning of "rockabilly") but I also like singer-songwriter country-folk, power-pop, alternative rock and alternative R&B.

I include my ratings and my recommendations.

I hope you discover something here that you never dreamed you would enjoy!

• Chart updated: 10/01/2025 02:15
• (Created: 04/26/2013 16:15).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

There are 43 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 69 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

• Summary
• Composition
• Ratings
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1. (=)

Bambi 

 Anxious

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[First added to this chart: 08/18/2025]

Year of Release:

2025

Appears in:

4 charts

Rank Score:

18

Rank in 2025:

178

Rank in 2020s:

3,574

Overall Rank:

40,603

Average Rating:

 74 (5 votes)

Comments:

0

2. (=)

On The Impossible Past 

 The Menzingers

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GENRE: Punk Rock / Heartland Rock

O nostalgia, where art thou? The Menzingers make a perfect blend of pop punk and heartland rock. This is irresistible.

ESSENTIAL

Track: Good Things / Burn After Writing

3 ALBUM RUN:
On the Impossible Past
Rented World
After the Party [First added to this chart: 02/09/2019]

Year of Release:

2012

Appears in:

46 charts

Rank Score:

414

Rank in 2012:

64

Rank in 2010s:

613

Overall Rank:

3,538

Average Rating:

 75 (42 votes)

Comments:

1

3. (=)

Bleed American 

 Jimmy Eat World

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Jimmy Eat World are true trailblazers. So many bands still try to take a page from this blend of alternative rock, emo and punk.

3 ALBUM RUN:
Bleed American
Futures
Chase This Light [First added to this chart: 07/22/2021]

Year of Release:

2001

Appears in:

266 charts

Rank Score:

1,606

Rank in 2001:

17

Rank in 2000s:

164

Overall Rank:

1,088

Average Rating:

 75 (339 votes)

Comments:

24

4. (=)

Something To Write Home About 

 The Get Up Kids

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A really special album from the turn of the century. This record hits deeply with several hard hitting thoughtful songs with a few decent ballads that aren't drawn out too long.

ESSENTIAL

3 ALBUM RUN:
Something to Write Home About
On a Wire
Guilt Show [First added to this chart: 08/06/2021]

Year of Release:

1999

Appears in:

51 charts

Rank Score:

322

Rank in 1999:

60

Rank in 1990s:

732

Overall Rank:

4,380

Average Rating:

 73 (58 votes)

Comments:

2

5. (=)

Tim 

 The Replacements

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GENRE: Alternative Rock

This album is a brilliant mess, but the heart on sleeve approach pays off and the songs will hit you where it hurts the most.

ESSENTIAL

Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side: Bastards of Young
B-Side: Swingin' Party

3 ALBUM RUN:
Let It Be
Tim
Pleased to Meet Me [First added to this chart: 08/12/2021]

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

509 charts

Rank Score:

3,926

Rank in 1985:

8

Rank in 1980s:

64

Overall Rank:

440

Average Rating:

 81 (564 votes)

Comments:

38

6. (=)

#1 Record 

 Big Star

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Well deserving of its cult status and ridiculously ahead of its time. Most indie rock is directly inspired by the jagged guitars and angsty vocals of Velvet Underground and the jangling guitars and melodic sweetness of Big Star.

This album unfolds like a Southern love letter to the British Invasion: Contents include the melodies of The Beatles, the power chords of The Who, the vocals of Led Zeppelin, the energy of The Rolling Stones and the lyrical romanticism of The Beach Boys.

It's easy to see the influence on 80's alternative artists like REM and The Replacements, who were looking to add melody, passion and substance to their music. It definitely influenced Wilco too, especially with its showcasing of the acoustic guitar. Also interesting is the Christian inspiration in some of the lyrics (Ballad of El Goodo).

TRACK: Thirteen [First added to this chart: 03/03/2020]

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

545 charts

Rank Score:

4,063

Rank in 1972:

12

Rank in 1970s:

102

Overall Rank:

422

Average Rating:

 82 (651 votes)

Comments:

43

7. (=)

Pet Sounds 

 The Beach Boys

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GENRE: Baroque Pop

Somewhat similar in sound to Pet Sounds and early Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, a la West Coast 1960s, but this album has some excellent guitar-driving back-tracks that aren't completely washed away in overproduction, making it fresh and enjoyable.

ABOVE AVERAGE

Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side: Walk Away Renee
B-Side: She May Call You Up Tonight

3 ALBUM RUN:
Pet Sounds
Smiley Smile
Wild Honey [First added to this chart: 04/05/2014]

Year of Release:

1966

Appears in:

2,850 charts

Rank Score:

39,924

Rank in 1966:

2

Rank in 1960s:

5

Overall Rank:

11

Average Rating:

 88 (3,276 votes)

Comments:

360

8. (=)

The "Chirping" Crickets 

 The Crickets

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GENRE: Rock 'n Roll

Four hillbillies from the flatlands of Texas combine gritty rock-'n'-roll with bittersweet songs of love and loss.

RECOMMENDED

Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side: That'll Be the Day
B-Side: Not Fade Away

3 ALBUM RUN:
The Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly
In Style with the Crickets [First added to this chart: 01/20/2020]

Year of Release:

1957

Appears in:

318 charts

Rank Score:

2,794

Rank in 1957:

3

Rank in 1950s:

15

Overall Rank:

617

Average Rating:

 78 (335 votes)

Comments:

28

9. (=)

To Pimp A Butterfly 

 Kendrick Lamar

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GENRE: Hip Hop

I think I prefer Good Kid MAAD City and its powerful conclusion, but there is no denying the staying power of this LP and Kendrick Lamar in general.

ESSENTIAL

FURTHER LISTENING: Good Kid MAAD City

Track: King Kunta [First added to this chart: 02/13/2023]

Year of Release:

2015

Appears in:

1,837 charts

Rank Score:

32,272

Rank in 2015:

1

Rank in 2010s:

1

Overall Rank:

19

Average Rating:

 89 (2,298 votes)

Comments:

372

10. (=)

Igor 

 Tyler, The Creator

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GENRE: Hip Hop

A bright shining beacon for sunny alternative hip-hop, brimming with talented guest stars.

ESSENTIAL

Condensed to a 7” Single:
A-Side Earfquake
B-Side: New Magic Wand [First added to this chart: 08/18/2025]

Year of Release:

2019

Appears in:

667 charts

Rank Score:

7,045

Rank in 2019:

2

Rank in 2010s:

28

Overall Rank:

230

Average Rating:

 83 (813 votes)

Comments:

62

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Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade	Albums	%
1930s	0	0%
1940s	0	0%
1950s	5	5%
1960s	14	14%
1970s	14	14%
1980s	14	14%
1990s	14	14%
2000s	13	13%
2010s	13	13%
2020s	13	13%

Artist	Albums	%
Nas	1	1%
Silk Sonic	1	1%
Dusty Springfield	1	1%
Zach Top	1	1%
Amy Winehouse	1	1%
Run-D.M.C.	1	1%
Stevie Wonder	1	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	64	64%
	19	19%
	4	4%
	4	4%
	2	2%
	1	1%
	1	1%
Show all

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest climbers
Up 5 from 69th to 64th An Evening With Silk Sonic by Silk Sonic
Up 4 from 72nd to 68th The Execution Of All Things by Rilo Kiley
Up 4 from 70th to 66th Tennessee by Lucero

Biggest fallers
Down 7 from 68th to 75th Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
Down 6 from 67th to 73rd Meat Puppets II by Meat Puppets
Down 5 from 66th to 71st Flip Your Wig by Hüsker Dü

New entries
Much Love by Microwave

Leavers
Somewhere City by Origami Angel

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 69 ratings for this chart.

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• Member

Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
85/100	03/31/2025 12:55	SomethingSpecial	1,108	85/100
100/100	12/24/2024 21:47	Exist-en-ciel	125	99/100
90/100	06/09/2023 15:56	Applerill	974	75/100
100/100	11/16/2022 00:40	Arthurknight	383	89/100
75/100	11/15/2022 04:32	Mmorrison22	3	77/100

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 is rated in the top 17% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 87.2/100, a mean average of 86.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 87.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 14.2.

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

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Rating:  

85/100

From Johnnyo 12/24/2023 14:42

Like the chart a lot. Just out of interest, was the 12 or 13 per decade deliberate or a happy coincidence?

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From Arthurknight 11/16/2022 00:40

really nice unapologetic taste; nice to be reminded about nanci griffith too

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Rating:  

75/100

From Mmorrison22 11/15/2022 04:32

lot's of stuff I haven't heard of - love the inclusion of Meat Puppets & Rina Sawayama!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

90/100

From leniad 07/18/2022 04:41

changing my opinion, interesting chart !!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From Goliath 07/04/2021 14:52

There are non-US artists as well, just saying.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

70/100

From Jbalbinolr 05/02/2021 23:11

Don't know many of the albums in here, this'be a tough one to visit, pretty eclectic indeed.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

85/100

From Johnnyo 03/28/2020 09:52

Excellent chart

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

90/100

From salahshoori 01/24/2020 10:47

Great chart! There's lots of albums that I have to check from your chart, and isn't that the goal of sharing our taste?

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Rating:  

90/100

From pctrooper 09/24/2019 00:52

Certainly quite an original chart. Nice stuff.

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Rating:  

75/100

From Paule 05/03/2019 20:54

Good chart idea! Even though I am personally not that into americana, some solid albums can be found here.

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