Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
buzzdainer 
There are so many ways to make a "100 Greatest Albums" list. What do we mean, after all, by "greatest"? Do we mean most important? Most popular? Most influential? I'd end up with very different lists for each of those questions. What I've done is select the albums that are most meaningful to me personally, the ones I keep wanting to hear time and time again. These are the albums that have fed my soul in some way, often riding in the car or spacing out on my bed. My tastes lean toward Americana, but you'll see multiple genres represented here. In general, I prefer sincerity over sarcasm, earnestness over cynicism, sentiment over cleverness, and subtlety over bombast (though I'm sure you'll see exceptions). I've included no more than one album by any primary artist, which is an accurate reflection of my tastes: I like to listen to many different artists as opposed to concentrating on only a few. That's the college DJ in me coming out, I suppose. I invite your feedback and (especially) your music recommendations. Enjoy!
As difficult as it is to rank albums, it's probably even more difficult to rate other people's charts. Really, it all comes down to taste, which is subjective, or at least a product of our own individual listening experiences, preferences, biases, phobias, and desires. If you like the Cramps and I don't, who's to say who's correct? As Public Image Ltd. put it so many years ago, "I could be right; I could be wrong." Originally I tried to evaluate the quality of the albums on user charts, but I have learned that doing so was basically impossible. Now it seems to me that charts that are lovingly created, and with a sense of some depth and breadth of knowledge, are, by definition, good. I don't use my ratings and comments to try to police other people's tastes, but instead to seek common ground and spark conversation.
- Chart updated: 01/01/2025 18:45
- (Created: 09/24/2013 01:36).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 127 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 92 out of 100 (from 119 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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In the spring of 1994, a group of friends and I followed Uncle Tupelo around New England on what turned out to be their final tour, in support of this outstanding album. They were playing small venues then; one friend from that tour recently reminded me, for instance, of Club Babyhead, a bizarre venue in Providence, Rhode Island, that had on its men's room wall a mural of some sort of pseudo-psychedelic imagery involving all manner of demonic, disturbing, devilish-looking eyes. But I suppose that's part of the fun of the small venue circuit. By the second show, the band recognized us, gave us comp tickets, and invited us to join them on their tour bus to play Sega hockey with them after the shows. We were treated like family. Every time I hear this terrific album, the crowning achievement of the alt-country genre, I'm grateful to have shared a few moments of the great musical odyssey that was Uncle Tupelo, before Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar went their separate ways to form Wilco and Son Volt, respectively. "Chickamauga" is a searing rocker that showcases Jay Farrar's talents as songwriter and lead guitarist, and is probably the most thoroughly self-aware band breakup song that I've ever heard.
[First added to this chart: 09/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
789
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Recently I was part of a conversation with some friends about the career trajectory of Buffalo Tom. Among my friends in college, it was undisputed conventional wisdom at the time that Buffalo Tom's first two albums, their self-titled debut and Birdbrain, are alternative-rock classics. The album where we began to split is Let Me Come Over. Some missed the raw, imperfect production of the first two albums, whereas others liked the slicker production of the new album. By the time Big Red Letter Day came out, most of my friends had moved on, rolling their eyes at the band's "selling out." I have always been in the camp that thinks Let Me Come Over is the band's high point: a loud, guitar-driven, three-chord rock album with some surprisingly tender moments layered into the album's overall arc. For me the clean production is a sign of the band's increasing maturity and development, and I for one welcome the change from the band's fuzzier early sound. Any discussion about this album has to begin with the driving rocker "Velvet Roof," which was about as close to a hit single Buffalo Tom ever came. A great, emotional statement from one of the best bands of the Northampton scene of the early nineties.
[First added to this chart: 12/14/2018]
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My favorite album by Josh Ritter, the artist I've listened to more than any other over the past fifteen years or so, who writes meticulously crafted lyrics within his relatively traditional, organ- and guitar-centric, Dylan-inspired folk Americana. These songs evoke beautifully the rolling agricultural landscapes of Ritter's native western Idaho, a place I first visited in 1997 when I helped my sister move from Boulder, Colorado, to Moscow, Idaho (Ritter's hometown), to start graduate school. Hello Starling is chock full of stories and mythologies unique to Ritter's tunnel-blasting, lentil-growing, West-winning oeuvre. The romantic "Kathleen" is the highlight here, with one of the all-time greatest musical pickup lines: "All the other girls here are stars; you are the Northern Lights."
[First added to this chart: 04/28/2015]
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The Silver Gymnasium is a criminally underrated record, one that gets overshadowed when we talk about Okkervil River because they're recorded so many great albums in such a short time. I understand, though, that not all listeners will identify with it as much as I do. These are Will Sheff's stories of growing up in a small New England town, an experience that resonates for me, having grown up in the next state over. The stories are unsettling, with hints of violence and darkness always lurking just around the corner, as in these lyrics from "Down Down the Deep River": "We lie awake at night in a tent and I say / Tell me about your uncle and his friend / Because they seem like very bad men / Well we'll want to keep away from them." Haunting. This feels like a thematic step toward a Will Sheff solo album, although the sound of the band as a whole has never sounded more full.
[First added to this chart: 09/25/2013]
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This album is the loud, swampy, in-your-face high-water mark for great Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. Unlike their spiritual forebears Lynyrd Skynyrd, who have at times been naïve and reactionary in their uncritical depiction of white Southern pride, Drive-By Truckers have always understood the underlying irony of Faulknerian Southernness, which principal songwriter Patterson Hood has elsewhere called "the duality of the Southern thing." I'm not even sure that the best track here is one of Hood's, though; that honor has to go to Jason Isbell's brutal, whiskey-drenched ballad "Goddamn Lonely Love," with its achingly desperate chorus: "I'll take two of what you're having / And I'll take all of what you've got / To kill this goddamn lonely, goddamn lonely love."
[First added to this chart: 03/14/2015]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
761
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I have approached few albums in my lifetime with as much anticipation as I did this one when it was first released in 1995. At the time I was fully convinced that Jay Farrar was the real talent behind Uncle Tupelo, so when they broke up it was Farrar's work, rather than Jeff Tweedy's, that I most wanted to hear. This was Farrar's first album with Son Volt coming off the last, and greatest, Uncle Tupelo album, Anodyne. So when it came out I persuaded the woman I was seeing at the time to drive with me into Portland, Maine, to my favorite independent record store to buy it, and we listened to it in the car on the way back to Ferry Beach. I loved it immediately, of course. "Windfall" is one of those songs that, upon first listening, sounded to me like something I'd known and loved all my life, with its timeworn, world-weary wisdom: "May wind take your troubles away / Both feet on the floor, two hands on the wheel / May the wind take your troubles away."
[First added to this chart: 03/14/2015]
Year of Release:
1995
Appears in:
Rank Score:
846
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This album brings together rock and dance music in a way that's more successful than any other album I can think of. I love the club freakouts in "Get Innocuous" and "North American Scum," but then there's also the incredible tenderness of "All My Friends" and "Someone Great." James Murphy brings these disparate styles together better than anyone, perhaps because he seems oblivious of, or indifference to, distinctions between what constitutes "pop" and "indie," respectively. All that matters to him are sounds that work beautifully, and he brings it all together with real instrumentation and analog production that feel fresh, immediate, and spacious.
[First added to this chart: 02/10/2016]
Year of Release:
2007
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,931
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When I was living in Korea back in 1997, my sister mailed me a cassette tape of this album. It was one of three tapes I had with me at the time (for some reason I didn't have the presence of mind to bring more music with me), and I wore the thing out. The title track is one of the sweetest love songs I've ever heard, and while it's probably overplayed, it still moves me every time. It reminds me sense of kinship that I always experience when I'm in the wilderness, and the profound longing I feel when I hear the words, "You belong with your love on your arm."
[First added to this chart: 09/25/2013]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,754
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This is the album that lifted Jason Isbell to the summit of Americana's songwriting mountain, the one that established him as the finest craftsman working today at his particular art. It's no coincidence that this was the first album he recorded after quitting drinking. While he wrote a number of terrific songs while still suffering from the ravages of alcoholism--he was a notoriously mean drunk, so much that his bandmates in Drive-By Truckers, no saints themselves, kicked him out of the band for his own good--the songs on this album have an emotional clarity, and raw honesty, that make them unlike anything he'd done previously. These are songs of heartache and addiction, but also profound redemption and gratitude. Isbell's singing has never been stronger, too, as evidenced by the powerful and fantastic opener, "Cover Me Up." I always get a lump in my throat when he sings, "In days when we raged / We flew off the page / Such damage was done / But I made it through / To somebody new / I was meant for someone."
[First added to this chart: 03/07/2015]
Year of Release:
2013
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,461
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Back when I lived in Reno, I played in a folk rock band. We had some original songs, but two-thirds of our set list was covers. Of those, I'd say a third of them were Gillian Welch songs. That was never our intention, but her songs are so good, so jammable, so well crafted and well written, so ready for reinterpretation, that we couldn't resist adding more. Our favorite was the title track from this album--a slow burner, mesmerizing, mysterious. Really, that description fits every song on this wonderful album.
[First added to this chart: 03/17/2016]
Year of Release:
2001
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,271
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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 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 4 | 4% | |
| 1970s | 14 | 14% | |
| 1980s | 16 | 16% | |
| 1990s | 19 | 19% | |
| 2000s | 17 | 17% | |
| 2010s | 22 | 22% | |
| 2020s | 8 | 8% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Gillian Welch | 1 | 1% | |
| Andrew Bird | 1 | 1% | |
| Warren Zevon | 1 | 1% | |
| Hiss Golden Messenger | 1 | 1% | |
| Paul Simon | 1 | 1% | |
| The Cult | 1 | 1% | |
| Nirvana | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| |
77 | 77% | |
 |
10 | 10% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 82nd to 83rd Monoflora by River Whyless |
| Down 1 from 83rd to 84th Indigo Girls by Indigo Girls |
| Down 1 from 84th to 85th Love by The Cult |
| New entries |
|---|
| Diamond Jubilee by Cindy Lee |
| Leavers |
|---|
| Massachusetts by Scud Mountain Boys |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s | buzzdainer | 2010s decade chart | 2024 | |
| If The BEA Overall Chart Had A One Album Per Artist Rule... |  Romanelli | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| Albums To LIsten To for One Peach Martine Pt 1 | smrtboi2120 | Custom chart | 2022 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s | buzzdainer | 1990s decade chart | 2024 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | tim0505 | Overall chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums |  Freddie55 | Overall chart | 2016 | |
| BEA 100 (One Album per Artist) |  BozoTyrannus | Custom chart | 2020 |  |
| My Most Scrobbled Artists |  Rhyner | Custom chart | 2021 | |
| My Ranking of the BEA top 100 |  sszwalbenest | Custom chart | 2021 | |
| Overall for yours truly |  RoundTheBend | 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 119 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 01/25/2025 14:17 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,104 | 85/100 |
| ! | 01/02/2025 00:35 | Exist-en-ciel | 145 | 98/100 |
| ! | 09/19/2024 12:41 |  LedZep | 1,104 | 84/100 |
| ! | 07/20/2024 08:46 | Musyahid | 31 | 92/100 |
| ! | 04/23/2024 11:28 |  Larcx13 | 1,145 | 86/100 |
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 1% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 91.9/100, a mean average of 91.1/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.5/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 12.0.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From buzzdainer 07/21/2024 03:50 | #304445
buzzdainer 07/21/2024 03:50 | #304445
Thank you, Musyahid, for those kind words!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Musyahid 07/20/2024 08:53 | #304428
I like the way you write, my hundred will get lower as I start to listen to your run-down, round and round it might stay, cause I know nothing of those all albums you've been put it through.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From buzzdainer 04/23/2024 16:57 | #303145
buzzdainer 04/23/2024 16:57 | #303145
Larcx13, I hear you on Taylor Swift. What can I say, except that we can't help who we love? I'll check out some music from the countries you suggest. If there are particular artists I should hear, don't hesitate to shout them out!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Larcx13 04/23/2024 11:35 | #303140
Larcx13 04/23/2024 11:35 | #303140
I honestly can't stand Taylor Swift... But this chart is quite original and I appreciate the fact that there was a lot of work put into it too. I love that Digable Planets and Parliament are somewhere in there. Cool stuff!
At this point I feel I can only recommend one thing: check out more foreign music, if you haven't already. Personally, I got into Ukraine, Brazil, Russia and Japan. Maybe I can push it a little and recommend music from my home province of Quebec.
Peace
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From buzzdainer 10/02/2022 18:32 | #290118
buzzdainer 10/02/2022 18:32 | #290118
Thank you for your kind comment, DiogoSRNunes! I don't consciously avoid the albums that are more popular and conventional, but I just think my tastes gravitate to the things that are less mainstream. That said, a Taylor Swift album just recently cracked my top ten of all time. So maybe I'm becoming more of a pop music fan in my old age.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From buzzdainer 10/02/2021 17:16 | #274592
buzzdainer 10/02/2021 17:16 | #274592
Thank you for that generous and insightful comment, Mercury. Like you, I love March 16, 1992, and there are things about that album that I love even more than Anodyne. Albums that contain a lot of covers tend to get less attention on my charts than albums of mostly originals, which partially explains my preference for Anodyne. On that note, I have Uncle Tupelo, among others, to thank for my love of all things Gram Parsons. They recorded a version of "Blue Eyes," an early Gram Parsons tune, on one of the Gram Parsons tribute albums that came out in the early nineties. That led me on a search to hear more of his stuff, and the rest is history. If you love the Americana and alt-country movements, you can't help but love just about everything Gram Parsons ever did.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Mercury 09/18/2021 18:12 | #273898
Mercury 09/18/2021 18:12 | #273898
Well, jeez, not sure how I have never come by your chart, my friend. Considering how many time while scrolling all 100 albums I was nodding appreciatively I am surprised we *only* have 8 albums in common. This is a downright excellent chart, and especially love the down and gritty americana/alt-country/folk tradition that is so beautifully shown throughout this album. Oh and that tasty tasty Gram Parsons run from 24 to 26 was beautiful to see :). Love this, truly.
And yeah, Anodyne is a great record. I may slightly prefer March 16-20 1992, but they are neck and neck. I consider Tweedy/Farrar royalty in the alt-country kingdom. the last guy who commented is a character lol.
Oh and I meant to leave a comment on your 2020s chart but its not open for such at this time, and I wanted to thank you for the kind and enthusiastic comment on my 2020s chart. Agreed Stapleton and Starting Over are treasures. I need to listen to it a few more times, as I think I am not giving it nearly enough love and attention. A Truly resonant album and indeed a great stable rock in music form for these crazy times we are all experiencing. The album I've gleaned the most comfort and reassurance from in this young and chaotic decade so far is ... hmm, none from the decade lol. My top albums have been pretty damn bleak, harsh or escapist.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From buzzdainer 07/20/2021 00:52 | #271739
buzzdainer 07/20/2021 00:52 | #271739
StreakyNuno, can you show me on the doll where Jeff Tweedy hurt you?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From StreakyNuno 07/18/2021 20:08 | #271707
Anodyne by Uncle tupelo ........best album ever.ahahahahaahaha
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
From buzzdainer 07/11/2021 20:30 | #271546
buzzdainer 07/11/2021 20:30 | #271546
If Okkervil River’s The Silver Gymnasium and Drive-By Truckers’ The Dirty South aren't on your 5 best albums ever, I don't know what you know about music?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
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| Best Artists of the 1980s | |
|---|---|
| 1. The Smiths | |
| 2. Prince | |
| 3. Pixies | |
| 4. The Cure | |
| 5. Talking Heads | |
| 6. U2 | |
| 7. Metallica | |
| 8. Kate Bush | |
| 9. R.E.M. | |
| 10. The Stone Roses | |
| 11. Sonic Youth | |
| 12. Michael Jackson | |
| 13. Bruce Springsteen | |
| 14. Iron Maiden | |
| 15. Prince And The Revolution | |
| 16. Tom Waits | |
| 17. Joy Division | |
| 18. New Order | |
| 19. Talk Talk | |
| 20. Rush |
