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: 4 days ago
- (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 67 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 1980s. (Remove this filter)
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My favorite male-fronted American band of the 1980s.
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
FURTHER LISTENING: Pleased to Meet Me, Don’t Tell a Soul, Let It Be [First added to this chart: 08/12/2021]
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
FURTHER LISTENING: Pleased to Meet Me, Don’t Tell a Soul, Let It Be [First added to this chart: 08/12/2021]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,049
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
38
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My favorite female-fronted American band of the 1980s.
GENRE: New Wave
Groundbreaking 80s alternative band that had a hit. Great all-around rock record littered with surf-rock licks and songs with substance.
RECOMMENDED
Track: We Got the Beat [First added to this chart: 04/08/2022]
GENRE: New Wave
Groundbreaking 80s alternative band that had a hit. Great all-around rock record littered with surf-rock licks and songs with substance.
RECOMMENDED
Track: We Got the Beat [First added to this chart: 04/08/2022]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
790
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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GENRE: Country-Folk
Griffith sings with the sweetness of Joan Baez and the grit of Wanda Jackson. Her original songs are sweet and sentimental.
Essential
Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side: Love at the Five and Dime
B-Side: Wing and the Wheel
FURTHER LISTENING: Flyer, Little Love Affairs [First added to this chart: 06/13/2018]
Griffith sings with the sweetness of Joan Baez and the grit of Wanda Jackson. Her original songs are sweet and sentimental.
Essential
Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side: Love at the Five and Dime
B-Side: Wing and the Wheel
FURTHER LISTENING: Flyer, Little Love Affairs [First added to this chart: 06/13/2018]
Buy album
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My favorite English artist of the 1980s.
GENRE: Alternative Rock
When it comes to 80s alternative, it's hard to beat The Replacements in the US and The Smiths in the UK. Maudlin Morrissey strikes again, with self-critical heart-on-sleeve lyrics, infectious jangly Marr guitar, and unforgettable hook. The only thing that goes over my head is some of the British references and humor.
ESSENTIAL
Track: There is a Light That Never Goes Out [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
GENRE: Alternative Rock
When it comes to 80s alternative, it's hard to beat The Replacements in the US and The Smiths in the UK. Maudlin Morrissey strikes again, with self-critical heart-on-sleeve lyrics, infectious jangly Marr guitar, and unforgettable hook. The only thing that goes over my head is some of the British references and humor.
ESSENTIAL
Track: There is a Light That Never Goes Out [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
39,182
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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GENRE: Progressive Pop
Kate Bush is otherworldly, like Bowie and Prince, in a way that just goes over my head. This record, however, sounds like nothing else and it's a work of true genius. I especially like the nods to folk and Celtic music.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Track: Running Up That Hill [First added to this chart: 05/11/2014]
Kate Bush is otherworldly, like Bowie and Prince, in a way that just goes over my head. This record, however, sounds like nothing else and it's a work of true genius. I especially like the nods to folk and Celtic music.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Track: Running Up That Hill [First added to this chart: 05/11/2014]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,317
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Along with The Bluegrass Cardinals' gospel album from the year before, Rock My Soul was and still is a game changer.
In the 1980s, despite constant changes in lineup, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver was unmatched in talent in traditional bluegrass and a capella Gospel singing.
Rock My Soul is a hybrid, combining bluegrass Gospel standards (A Beautiful Life, Angel Band, River of Death) with Southern Gospel.
For a secular outing, I highly recommend Quicksilver Rides Again (Available on The Original Band compilation) and also recommend Once and for Always album.
TRACK: On the Sea of Life [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
In the 1980s, despite constant changes in lineup, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver was unmatched in talent in traditional bluegrass and a capella Gospel singing.
Rock My Soul is a hybrid, combining bluegrass Gospel standards (A Beautiful Life, Angel Band, River of Death) with Southern Gospel.
For a secular outing, I highly recommend Quicksilver Rides Again (Available on The Original Band compilation) and also recommend Once and for Always album.
TRACK: On the Sea of Life [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
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Chapman's debut arrived just in time for a folk revival in corporate America, complete with lyrics that pointed out the stresses and inequalities faced by many Americans who simply remained unrecognized and under the radar.
Track: Fast Car [First added to this chart: 06/20/2018]
Track: Fast Car [First added to this chart: 06/20/2018]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,601
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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[First added to this chart: 01/20/2020]
Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,763
Rank in 1982:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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[First added to this chart: 03/13/2019]
Buy album
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Vinyl
KT Oslin has all my respect. A talented singer and showman that never got the break she was looking for until one last try landed her a deal in country music, a genre she wasn't quite familiar with. She was a writer, and wrote emotional songs, which resonated with women and mature couples than the traditional men target market. Her production was contemporary, with touches of R&B and pop, preceding the crossover appeal of Shania Twain.
Recommended.
Track: Hold Me [First added to this chart: 06/08/2023]
KT Oslin has all my respect. A talented singer and showman that never got the break she was looking for until one last try landed her a deal in country music, a genre she wasn't quite familiar with. She was a writer, and wrote emotional songs, which resonated with women and mature couples than the traditional men target market. Her production was contemporary, with touches of R&B and pop, preceding the crossover appeal of Shania Twain.
Recommended.
Track: Hold Me [First added to this chart: 06/08/2023]
Total albums: 13. Page 1 of 2
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 12 | 12% | |
| 1960s | 13 | 13% | |
| 1970s | 13 | 13% | |
| 1980s | 13 | 13% | |
| 1990s | 13 | 13% | |
| 2000s | 12 | 12% | |
| 2010s | 12 | 12% | |
| 2020s | 12 | 12% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Jimmy Eat World | 1 | 1% | |
| Fleetwood Mac | 1 | 1% | |
| Joyce & Nelson Ângelo | 1 | 1% | |
| Olivia Rodrigo | 1 | 1% | |
| The Muffs | 1 | 1% | |
| Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver | 1 | 1% | |
| Ofra Haza | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
64 | 64% | |
 |
18 | 18% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 25 from 32nd to 7th Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys |
| Up 5 from 44th to 39th Court And Spark by Joni Mitchell |
| Up 4 from 42nd to 38th Flower Boy by Tyler, The Creator |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 8 from 41st to 49th Idlewild South by The Allman Brothers Band |
| New entries |
|---|
 After The Gold Rushby Neil Young |
| Wynn Stewart by Wynn Stewart |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
87/100 (from 67 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 67 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 90/100  | 06/09/2023 15:56 |  Applerill | | 75/100 |
| 100/100 | 11/16/2022 00:40 |  Arthurknight | | 89/100 |
| 75/100 | 11/15/2022 04:32 | Mmorrison22 | | 77/100 |
| 90/100 | 07/18/2022 04:40 | leniad | | 85/100 |
| 85/100 | 10/16/2021 14:54 |  Tamthebam | | 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 87.1/100, a mean average of 86.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 87.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 14.3.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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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)
100/100
From Arthurknight 11/16/2022 00:40
Arthurknight 11/16/2022 00:40
really nice unapologetic taste; nice to be reminded about nanci griffith too
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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)
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
Goliath 07/04/2021 14:52
There are non-US artists as well, just saying.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
70/100
From 
Jbalbinolr 05/02/2021 23:11
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)
85/100
From Johnnyo 03/28/2020 09:52
Excellent chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
salahshoori 01/24/2020 10:47
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?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From pctrooper 09/24/2019 00:52
Certainly quite an original chart. Nice stuff.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
75/100
From 
Paule 05/03/2019 20:54
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.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 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 |