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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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 2010s. (Remove this filter)
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Art rap
[First added to this chart: 03/09/2019]
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Twangy Indie Rock
"Do you want to die? Fine, you're right, but I wonder what it feels like to stop feeling so alive."
I wasn't a huge fan of this album, or this band, when I first encountered them. Several people, including Rocky, had suggested them to me, and I'd listened to some but was whelmed. It was only when they came to my school for a free show that I went with a friend and really got into the music. I'd decided I liked "Recycling" and "Size of the Moon" before the show, and came out liking their whole set.
[This lifechanging experience docummented in Pinegrove's live album, all 11/29/16 dates https://pinegrove.bandcamp.com/album/elsewhere]
I still don't fully know where this will settle on my list, but it's brought me immense comfort in a variety of contexts at a variety of times. [First added to this chart: 11/17/2017]
"Do you want to die? Fine, you're right, but I wonder what it feels like to stop feeling so alive."
I wasn't a huge fan of this album, or this band, when I first encountered them. Several people, including Rocky, had suggested them to me, and I'd listened to some but was whelmed. It was only when they came to my school for a free show that I went with a friend and really got into the music. I'd decided I liked "Recycling" and "Size of the Moon" before the show, and came out liking their whole set.
[This lifechanging experience docummented in Pinegrove's live album, all 11/29/16 dates https://pinegrove.bandcamp.com/album/elsewhere]
I still don't fully know where this will settle on my list, but it's brought me immense comfort in a variety of contexts at a variety of times. [First added to this chart: 11/17/2017]
Year of Release:
2016
Appears in:
Rank Score:
826
Rank in 2016:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Post-Rock, Emo
"I've been wasting,
I've been away,
it's not that bad, most days."
So obviously this album/band jumped just a little bit up in my ratings, from "Pensive is a cool song" to having an album at #10 on my overall chart. So why?
It all starts with me trying to go to Gilman. It's a historic place and before I went to college, seeing *a* show there was important to me. It just so happened that a band I'd heard of (seriously really just heard of basically) was playing there. Dug into them a little, thought they were alright, shelled out the $10 and went.
This was my first *real* show. Yeah, I'd been to Lumineers, I'd been to David Grisman, I'd been to a lot of you sit there and watch some folk music shows, but this was something new. Gilman is a hellhole. The walls are lined in stickers and graffiti, the only thing that looks vaguely official is the "NO STAGEDIVING" sign that everyone ignores. And the moshing was strange and out of place for a band that has softened their sound as much as PBTT has. But there was a certain moment when the band was playing April that everyone pushed close to the stage as they could, and we all, in unison, just screamed the "7/31/76" line, and it was part of a community then. This was something special. This is the reason I've gone to shows, the reason I've gone down the emo rabbithole. These were people who got *it*.
I've seen them again since, and it's just as magical and experience live. I know all the words to everything on this record and that's honestly not something I can say for many records. It hits hard when it needs to, it's nostalgic, it's clean, it's well produced (this was my first Will Yip, as well), it's just a beautiful album.
Favorite song: "Lesions", actually. "April" and "Repine" are both great, but the intensity at the start of Lesions and then that bass, I think it's the best song musically on here. [First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
"I've been wasting,
I've been away,
it's not that bad, most days."
So obviously this album/band jumped just a little bit up in my ratings, from "Pensive is a cool song" to having an album at #10 on my overall chart. So why?
It all starts with me trying to go to Gilman. It's a historic place and before I went to college, seeing *a* show there was important to me. It just so happened that a band I'd heard of (seriously really just heard of basically) was playing there. Dug into them a little, thought they were alright, shelled out the $10 and went.
This was my first *real* show. Yeah, I'd been to Lumineers, I'd been to David Grisman, I'd been to a lot of you sit there and watch some folk music shows, but this was something new. Gilman is a hellhole. The walls are lined in stickers and graffiti, the only thing that looks vaguely official is the "NO STAGEDIVING" sign that everyone ignores. And the moshing was strange and out of place for a band that has softened their sound as much as PBTT has. But there was a certain moment when the band was playing April that everyone pushed close to the stage as they could, and we all, in unison, just screamed the "7/31/76" line, and it was part of a community then. This was something special. This is the reason I've gone to shows, the reason I've gone down the emo rabbithole. These were people who got *it*.
I've seen them again since, and it's just as magical and experience live. I know all the words to everything on this record and that's honestly not something I can say for many records. It hits hard when it needs to, it's nostalgic, it's clean, it's well produced (this was my first Will Yip, as well), it's just a beautiful album.
Favorite song: "Lesions", actually. "April" and "Repine" are both great, but the intensity at the start of Lesions and then that bass, I think it's the best song musically on here. [First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
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Bedroom Pop
[First added to this chart: 02/22/2019]
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Post-Punk Revival
"I defend my family with my orange umbrella
I'm afraid of everyone, I'm afraid of everyone"
An album made beautiful primarily by the vocals, though the instrumentals help with the atmosphere a little. Berninger's probably at his best lyrically here, and his baritone is one of my favorite voices ever. [First added to this chart: 08/01/2013]
"I defend my family with my orange umbrella
I'm afraid of everyone, I'm afraid of everyone"
An album made beautiful primarily by the vocals, though the instrumentals help with the atmosphere a little. Berninger's probably at his best lyrically here, and his baritone is one of my favorite voices ever. [First added to this chart: 08/01/2013]
Year of Release:
2010
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,600
Rank in 2010:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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[First added to this chart: 11/17/2017]
Year of Release:
2014
Appears in:
Rank Score:
899
Rank in 2014:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 03/09/2019]
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Hip-Hop
A really cool idea for an album that introduced me to a whole school of these sorts of things in hip hop. Very fun but still somewhat mature album. (Thank you kks/purple/ppnw/whatever you're called at the time people are reading this for this one. This was a great rec.)
Favorite song: "Bulk Protein". This and "Pistols" both have incredible beats, but I think I prefer the lyrical flow on this one better. [First added to this chart: 03/29/2014]
A really cool idea for an album that introduced me to a whole school of these sorts of things in hip hop. Very fun but still somewhat mature album. (Thank you kks/purple/ppnw/whatever you're called at the time people are reading this for this one. This was a great rec.)
Favorite song: "Bulk Protein". This and "Pistols" both have incredible beats, but I think I prefer the lyrical flow on this one better. [First added to this chart: 03/29/2014]
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Emo/Post-Rock
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
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Jazz Rap
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
2015
Appears in:
Rank Score:
31,575
Rank in 2015:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 32. Page 1 of 4
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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% | |
| The Smiths | 3 | 3% | |
| Bon Iver | 3 | 3% | |
| Milo | 2 | 2% | |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 2% | |
| Hightide Hotel | 2 | 2% | |
| Joy Division | 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 |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 74 Music Albums of the 2000s | benpaco | 2000s decade chart | 2016 | |
| My Top 100 Greatest Albums of All Time (One Album Per Artist) | Rm12398 | Custom chart | 2023 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | FlapJackJoey | Overall chart | 2025 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | tim0505 | Overall chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | elton229 | Overall chart | 2023 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Mannyb | Overall chart | 2021 | |
| BEA's Top 100 re-ranked |  EyeKanFly | Custom chart | 2020 | |
| Overall for yours truly |  RoundTheBend | Custom chart | 2020 | |
| Rearrange Top 100 |  Larcx13 | Custom chart | 2020 |  |
| BEA's Top 100 - The Correct Order |  babyBlueSedan | Custom chart | 2020 | |
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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.
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 65 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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