Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
benpaco 
Order good words bad but all WIPs are WIPs forever when it comes to me so I might as well not wait to publish this. Hoping to actually write descriptions instead of relying on the ones I wrote in literally high school someday but *shrug*
- Chart updated: 08/03/2019 20:45
- (Created: 07/27/2013 05:01).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 65 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 91 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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Rock, Folk Rock
"I've loved you more"
When I was born, I'm told that the ride home from the hospital was soundtracked with this album on cassette. I do hope that's a true story, as it's certainly one that makes my life make more sense.
This album was about all I had until 6th grade. I'd heard other Beatles albums but this was always, always my favorite. I knew all the words by heart by kindergarten, and sang them so often (and so poorly) that my friends pooled together about $5 to pay for me to get singing lessons.
This album's matured with me though. It isn't here for nostalgia. This is part of what pulled me out from depression. This, coupled with and soundtracking a number of other minor developments, was what it took to remind me of the happiness that exists in life, and that maybe I just needed to be more actively searching for it.
I think it's because I've been able to find some more stability in my life that this has come back to number one. Deja will always have my back, but this has me in the right mood, you know?
Favorite song: In My Life. My favorite song, frankly. [First added to this chart: 08/01/2013]
"I've loved you more"
When I was born, I'm told that the ride home from the hospital was soundtracked with this album on cassette. I do hope that's a true story, as it's certainly one that makes my life make more sense.
This album was about all I had until 6th grade. I'd heard other Beatles albums but this was always, always my favorite. I knew all the words by heart by kindergarten, and sang them so often (and so poorly) that my friends pooled together about $5 to pay for me to get singing lessons.
This album's matured with me though. It isn't here for nostalgia. This is part of what pulled me out from depression. This, coupled with and soundtracking a number of other minor developments, was what it took to remind me of the happiness that exists in life, and that maybe I just needed to be more actively searching for it.
I think it's because I've been able to find some more stability in my life that this has come back to number one. Deja will always have my back, but this has me in the right mood, you know?
Favorite song: In My Life. My favorite song, frankly. [First added to this chart: 08/01/2013]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
26,838
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Post Punk
"I'm not afraid anymore"
For an album filled with what many would think of as an overwhelming negativity, that lines always been the one that sticks with me. Unknown Pleasures is raw in the most pure sense. Every emotion, every mood, everything appears over the course of this album.
I first found this album in 6th grade, after receiving my first ever iTunes gift card. I logged onto iTunes to buy a Beatles album, as that's all I listened to, and was shocked to see that they weren't on there. I pulled up the previews for this, as I knew it was a favorite of my dad's. It was alright, but the previews can be deceiving, so I ended up buying a "Best of ELO" instead.
Then, in 7th grade, we bought a record player that converts to MP3. For my dad's birthday, I went to record this and put it on his iPod. From the first drum strike on Disorder, I was taken by the rhythm. By the emotion. By the distortion, by the pain, by the energy.
This album is one of a select few that have, at some point in my existence, stopped me from doing anything exceedingly stupid while I was depressed. I sat down at my computer, in tears from something dumb, a fight with my mom, a breakup, a fight with a friend, etc, and wanted nothing more than to die. This album was the outlet, the release. This let all the pain I felt in my flow from my head through my earbuds into the speakers and back out as Ian's voice, as Hooky's bass, as the whole cacophony of chaos Hannett placed overtop all of it. This album is why my heart still beats.
Favorite song: Disorder. First song I learned to play on bass, and still one of my favorite bass lines to play or listen to. I've shared this story here before, but one of my closest friends and I were hanging out pretty early in our friendship, still getting to know each other, and I threw on "Disorder" on her spotify. She dropped her clothes she'd been pulling out to pack and just started dancing to the bass. That was the moment I knew I'd met a lifelong friend. Chaos should be celebrated. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
"I'm not afraid anymore"
For an album filled with what many would think of as an overwhelming negativity, that lines always been the one that sticks with me. Unknown Pleasures is raw in the most pure sense. Every emotion, every mood, everything appears over the course of this album.
I first found this album in 6th grade, after receiving my first ever iTunes gift card. I logged onto iTunes to buy a Beatles album, as that's all I listened to, and was shocked to see that they weren't on there. I pulled up the previews for this, as I knew it was a favorite of my dad's. It was alright, but the previews can be deceiving, so I ended up buying a "Best of ELO" instead.
Then, in 7th grade, we bought a record player that converts to MP3. For my dad's birthday, I went to record this and put it on his iPod. From the first drum strike on Disorder, I was taken by the rhythm. By the emotion. By the distortion, by the pain, by the energy.
This album is one of a select few that have, at some point in my existence, stopped me from doing anything exceedingly stupid while I was depressed. I sat down at my computer, in tears from something dumb, a fight with my mom, a breakup, a fight with a friend, etc, and wanted nothing more than to die. This album was the outlet, the release. This let all the pain I felt in my flow from my head through my earbuds into the speakers and back out as Ian's voice, as Hooky's bass, as the whole cacophony of chaos Hannett placed overtop all of it. This album is why my heart still beats.
Favorite song: Disorder. First song I learned to play on bass, and still one of my favorite bass lines to play or listen to. I've shared this story here before, but one of my closest friends and I were hanging out pretty early in our friendship, still getting to know each other, and I threw on "Disorder" on her spotify. She dropped her clothes she'd been pulling out to pack and just started dancing to the bass. That was the moment I knew I'd met a lifelong friend. Chaos should be celebrated. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
21,875
Rank in 1979:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Pop Folk
"Make tiny changes to Earth"
What am I supposed to say now that Scott is gone that hasn't been said? I got to see this album's 10th anniversary tour, which breathed fresh life into an album I already loved. This feels so wrong to listen to at times, and so encouraging at others, and so crushing at other times still. It's a morbid beauty, and one that has brought me such comfort and strength in hard times. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2013]
"Make tiny changes to Earth"
What am I supposed to say now that Scott is gone that hasn't been said? I got to see this album's 10th anniversary tour, which breathed fresh life into an album I already loved. This feels so wrong to listen to at times, and so encouraging at others, and so crushing at other times still. It's a morbid beauty, and one that has brought me such comfort and strength in hard times. [First added to this chart: 11/21/2013]
Year of Release:
2008
Appears in:
Rank Score:
889
Rank in 2008:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Baroque Pop
"What sticks in my mind
Is the dew drop hanging off your nose
Shriveled up and blue
And I'm getting older too
But I don't want to die like you"
Oh Skylarking. Took me much too long to listen to this, my dad's cassette version died when I tried for the first time. I was in the shower, listening on my little cassette player to the album, a random choice, but my choice nonetheless, and it just exploded. Tape had gone bad.
When I eventually did find this album at Rasputin's, I bought it for my dad as I felt bad for the tape. This is the album that makes it the highest on my list without having any kind of nostalgia. This album is here due to its art. The chord changes have never been equaled, the time signature on "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" is still rarely used. This is math rock, maybe, by the definition I've heard round here, but more than anything it's beauty.
Favorite song: Dear God. If you have a problem with the message behind this song, poo on you. This is what made me question ... everything. And I found my own answers as a result.
EDIT: lostcontrol pointed out correctly that Dear God wasn't on the original version. So Another Satellite. Sillier song, but dark and strangely floaty. Floaty? Floaty. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
"What sticks in my mind
Is the dew drop hanging off your nose
Shriveled up and blue
And I'm getting older too
But I don't want to die like you"
Oh Skylarking. Took me much too long to listen to this, my dad's cassette version died when I tried for the first time. I was in the shower, listening on my little cassette player to the album, a random choice, but my choice nonetheless, and it just exploded. Tape had gone bad.
When I eventually did find this album at Rasputin's, I bought it for my dad as I felt bad for the tape. This is the album that makes it the highest on my list without having any kind of nostalgia. This album is here due to its art. The chord changes have never been equaled, the time signature on "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" is still rarely used. This is math rock, maybe, by the definition I've heard round here, but more than anything it's beauty.
Favorite song: Dear God. If you have a problem with the message behind this song, poo on you. This is what made me question ... everything. And I found my own answers as a result.
EDIT: lostcontrol pointed out correctly that Dear God wasn't on the original version. So Another Satellite. Sillier song, but dark and strangely floaty. Floaty? Floaty. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,431
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Rock
"I don't want to leave her now
You know I believe and how."
This was the other cassette I had growing up, eventually we dug this out and it was added to the loop in the guitar and hey, it was pretty great too. Just never quite been as good as Sgt Peppers or Rubber Soul ... or the White Album ...
Favorite song: Because. Why? Because. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
"I don't want to leave her now
You know I believe and how."
This was the other cassette I had growing up, eventually we dug this out and it was added to the loop in the guitar and hey, it was pretty great too. Just never quite been as good as Sgt Peppers or Rubber Soul ... or the White Album ...
Favorite song: Because. Why? Because. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
57,292
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Experimental Art Rock maybe?
"I'm taking the time for a number of things
That weren't important yesterday
And I still go"
The first rock album to win album [thank you Frogger] of the year. Really a game changer in music.
On a more personal level, this album was one of my first 2 CDs, alongside "1". As a result, I have great memories chewing on Spearmint Mentos bites, singing along to this, and trying to learn cursive. Good times. Still write in cursive. That personal enough for you? Eh, I'll say it is.
Favorite song: Fixing a Hole. I love plays on words and things so this is wonderful for me. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
"I'm taking the time for a number of things
That weren't important yesterday
And I still go"
The first rock album to win album [thank you Frogger] of the year. Really a game changer in music.
On a more personal level, this album was one of my first 2 CDs, alongside "1". As a result, I have great memories chewing on Spearmint Mentos bites, singing along to this, and trying to learn cursive. Good times. Still write in cursive. That personal enough for you? Eh, I'll say it is.
Favorite song: Fixing a Hole. I love plays on words and things so this is wonderful for me. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
43,310
Rank in 1967:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Post-punk-ish Shoegaze
"Don't frown, don't frown
'Cause everybody's wearing black clothes
And I'm wearing white"
A bizarre little live album with additional demo tracks, only 1000 copies out there and I'd really like one some day, if I can find it. Features 4 tracks from Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters performed live with far more energy than on the album, 2 demos that would come out on their next album, 1 demo never released, a Joy Division cover, a Smiths cover, a YYY cover, and a rare cut from a short film. Truly, truly a gorgeous experience that is equally haunting and exhilarating.
Favorite song: "Walking for Two Hours". That introductory chord, that absolute monster of distortion, I was just instantly blown away. One of the best starts to an album I've ever heard. [First added to this chart: 12/11/2014]
"Don't frown, don't frown
'Cause everybody's wearing black clothes
And I'm wearing white"
A bizarre little live album with additional demo tracks, only 1000 copies out there and I'd really like one some day, if I can find it. Features 4 tracks from Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters performed live with far more energy than on the album, 2 demos that would come out on their next album, 1 demo never released, a Joy Division cover, a Smiths cover, a YYY cover, and a rare cut from a short film. Truly, truly a gorgeous experience that is equally haunting and exhilarating.
Favorite song: "Walking for Two Hours". That introductory chord, that absolute monster of distortion, I was just instantly blown away. One of the best starts to an album I've ever heard. [First added to this chart: 12/11/2014]
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Dark Wave
[First added to this chart: 08/13/2013]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
26,092
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Post-Punk Revival
"And you didn't even notice
When the sky turned blue
And you couldn't tell the difference
Between me and you
And I nearly didn't notice
The gentlest feeling"
This album goes back and forth between really loud out of control punk to some really nice ballads and then right back to the energy without batting an eyelid. Has a huge variety to it, and while it's clearly derivative of a lot of things, it sounds like they're still doing their own thing.
Favorite song: "She's Hearing Voices". Feels like they really tried to capture scizophrenia in a special way, and as someone with family and friends who struggle from that, I'd say they did well. [First added to this chart: 08/13/2013]
"And you didn't even notice
When the sky turned blue
And you couldn't tell the difference
Between me and you
And I nearly didn't notice
The gentlest feeling"
This album goes back and forth between really loud out of control punk to some really nice ballads and then right back to the energy without batting an eyelid. Has a huge variety to it, and while it's clearly derivative of a lot of things, it sounds like they're still doing their own thing.
Favorite song: "She's Hearing Voices". Feels like they really tried to capture scizophrenia in a special way, and as someone with family and friends who struggle from that, I'd say they did well. [First added to this chart: 08/13/2013]
Year of Release:
2005
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,509
Rank in 2005:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Psychedelic Rock
"And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years"
Probably the Beatles' album most similar to Rubber Soul, but maybe that's why it's down here for me compared to the rest. Still incredible, but all feels just *almost* as good as Rubber Soul, so I rarely listen to it.
Favorite song: "For No One". Doesn't fit with the rest as well, but feels the most serious/mature. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
"And in her eyes you see nothing
No sign of love behind the tears
Cried for no one
A love that should have lasted years"
Probably the Beatles' album most similar to Rubber Soul, but maybe that's why it's down here for me compared to the rest. Still incredible, but all feels just *almost* as good as Rubber Soul, so I rarely listen to it.
Favorite song: "For No One". Doesn't fit with the rest as well, but feels the most serious/mature. [First added to this chart: 07/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
49,700
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 30. Page 1 of 3
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 7 | 7% | |
| 1970s | 5 | 5% | |
| 1980s | 14 | 14% | |
| 1990s | 11 | 11% | |
| 2000s | 31 | 31% | |
| 2010s | 32 | 32% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Beatles | 5 | 5% | |
| Bon Iver | 3 | 3% | |
| The Smiths | 3 | 3% | |
| Joy Division | 2 | 2% | |
| The Twilight Sad | 2 | 2% | |
| The Cure | 2 | 2% | |
| Nirvana | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 48 from 96th to 48th Nothing Was Missing, Except Me by Hightide Hotel |
| Up 44 from 97th to 53rd Naturally by Hightide Hotel |
| Up 36 from 79th to 43rd Electro-Shock Blues by Eels |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 14 from 66th to 80th Meat Is Murder by The Smiths |
| Down 13 from 68th to 81st The Freed Man by Sebadoh |
| Down 13 from 70th to 83rd Eyes Open by Snow Patrol |
| New entries |
|---|
| Going By by Told Slant |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
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 91 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 03/20/2025 14:45 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,105 | 85/100 |
| ! | 02/17/2021 06:03 |  pjohnsongolf | 272 | 89/100 |
| ! | 05/14/2020 16:53 |  Keatownrodriguez | 84 | 95/100 |
| ! | 01/28/2020 08:36 |  Liedzeit | 76 | 85/100 |
| ! | 01/28/2020 08:28 |  DommeDamian | 1,004 | 89/100 |
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 3% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.8/100, a mean average of 90.1/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.3/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 8.4.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From Keatownrodriguez 05/14/2020 16:53 | #251432
Keatownrodriguez 05/14/2020 16:53 | #251432
I knew you had a special chart, but then I saw you but the Kimi No Na Wa soundtrack, major props
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From DommeDamian 01/28/2020 08:29 | #247245
DommeDamian 01/28/2020 08:29 | #247245
Massive respect your way!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
ForegroundNoise 01/27/2020 09:47 | #247211
ForegroundNoise 01/27/2020 09:47 | #247211
Sure, I'd be lying if I said these albums were my kinda thing. And yeah, maybe it'd be nice to see a few less American albums dominating the roster. But goddamn, how can I give a chart anything less than perfect when that 'Disorder' anecdote makes me brim with joy like that?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Antonio-Pedro 01/13/2019 04:03 | #229615
Antonio-Pedro 01/13/2019 04:03 | #229615
Miss you Ben, hope everything is going well with life, wishing you the best <3
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Reppu1976 02/10/2018 00:42 | #207505
Nice chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From lobotheduck21 11/07/2017 03:09 | #200876
Good to see more appreciation of Norwegian Wood
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
JulianR 09/30/2017 08:12 | #198914
JulianR 09/30/2017 08:12 | #198914
I can tell you put effort into it, which is what really counts
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Repo 08/21/2017 04:14 | #196439
Repo 08/21/2017 04:14 | #196439
Hey Ben! How are you doing? It's Repo. Don't know if you found that out yet or not. Anyways, love your chart as always. Great to see Tuxedo Moon still so high. Totally love your write-up for Rubber soul!! Peace, brother! Keep up the good fight.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
craola 08/20/2017 14:03 | #196389
craola 08/20/2017 14:03 | #196389
i love this chart, and i'm sorry i haven't been here before (?) not sure how that's possible?
and for as little overlap as we have, i love most of the albums here (that i've listened to).
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Steppenwolf666 05/18/2017 16:20 | #191013
Very interesting, I must investigate some of this stuff.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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