Top 50 Greatest Music Albums by Dingerbell

My favourite songs:
1. Gold Soundz by Pavement
2. Citizen Erased by Muse
3. Svefn-g-englar by Sigur Ros
4. Vapour Trail by Ride
5. Ceremony by New Order
6. Move on Up by Curtis Mayfield
7. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
8. Souvlaki Space Station by Slowdive
9. Carry the Zero by Built to Spill
10. Wasted Days by Cloud Nothings
11. Helicopter by Bloc Party
12. Frontier Psychiatrist by The Avalanches
13. Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear
14. Shook Ones Part II by Mobb Deep
15. Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
16. Thirteen by Big Star
17. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space by Spiritualized
18. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
19. Never Catch Me by Flying Lotus
20. Angeles by Elliott Smith
21. Us by Regina Spektor
22. Diamond Day by Vashti Bunyan
23. Tugboat by Galaxie 500
24. Long Season by Fishmans
25. Fancy Clown by Madvillain

There are 62 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 50 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 77 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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[First added to this chart: 01/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,019
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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“I can't get that sound you make out of my head, I can't even figure out what's making it.”

The song structures are incredible as: they’re either sprawling epics with one idea (such as Randy Describes Eternity) or a combination of several ideas in one song (such as Out of Site). It’s weird, as it’s clearly an indie rock album, but features strong references to prog and jazz song structures. Another reason for the comparison is the songs having such prolonged solos. For example, I Would Hurt a Fly features one lead guitar that solos for the whole song, as well as a cello, that similarly solos throughout the song. Then there’s the awesome coda, which again features incredible soloing from the lead guitar. And as the rhythm section keeps in a indie rock style, it allows not only for the long solos to sound so unbelievably natural, but also for the fantastic combination between indie rock sounding songs with jazz song structures and soloing.

Another thing I love about this album is its quirky ideas and innovations that I have not heard being done before. Things like the quiet intro in Made-up Dreams and the fade-out-fade-in outro of Stop the Show are incredible unique, and work fantastically well.

And, I can safely say, this is one of the only albums that I like the fade-outs from; it beautifully adds to the feeling of the songs sprawling on forever.

Best Moments (I’ll only do one per song before this gets out of hand):
The intro of Randy Described Eternity. Coolest intro ever.
The outro of I Would Hurt a Fly. Coolest outro ever.
Outro to Stop the Show, starting from the short solo at 5:20 to the incredible fade-out-fade-in at the very end.
The last 20 seconds of Made-up Dreams.
The guitar solo (so pretty much the whole song!) in Velvet Waltz.
Out of Site is so incredible, but my personal favourite moment is the solo after the first chorus.
4:20 to the end in Kicked It In The Sun.
The repeated moment that first appears during 0:45 to 1:10 in Untrustable/Part 2.
[First added to this chart: 10/01/2013]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,149
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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“When I look at you, oh, I don't know what's real.”

One word to describe this album is stunning. It’s very rare to find an album that is almost universally described as a genre’s masterpiece. And this is shows how good Loveless is. Even though I’ve heard many, many other shoegaze albums, this is still the best I’ve heard. I honestly believe it will never be topped by another album of its type. From the first guitar in Only Shallow to the very end of Soon your ears are drowned (there’s no better verb to describe it) in thick, beautiful noise. However, although the noise is unrelenting, never has an album been so melodic.

And the song structures are so lazy and free- whole songs can be one idea repeated over and over again. Usually I would criticise such repetition, but the album passes by so smoothly that your mind can miss whole songs relatively easily. However, the codas do make up for the lack of imagination. They are really fantastic additions to all the songs they’re in, and wonderfully sustain the noise between songs. And then you have the contrasts in listening experiences; if you have the album on loud it can be one of the most powerful listening experiences, yet if it’s on in the background it’s beautifully soothing and relaxing.

Loveless certainly deserves all the praise it gets, and more.

Best Moments:
The very start of Only Shallow (seriously the finest start to an album ever, it sets the album’s tone so beautifully).
The bass in Loomer.
Coda in To Here Knows When.
Intro of When You Sleep.
The abrupt ending of Come in Alone.
Sometimes. Arguably the prettiest shoegaze song ever written.
Blown a Wish. Sometimes’ competition.
The outro in Soon.
[First added to this chart: 09/27/2013]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
29,921
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 10/01/2013]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,485
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
12. (=)
Buy album United States
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"Like swimming underwater in the darkness; like walking through an empty house speaking to an imaginary audience and being watched from outside by someone without a key."

There are so many ways in which the album sets it apart from so many other post-rock albums. I mean, on paper its fairly similar, with there being odd time signatures and a lack of song structure, so what makes this album so revolutionary, unique and different? Well, the obvious difference is the vocals. The contrast between the whispered and the shouted vocals is really effective at creating the creepy mood of the album. Combined with the complex guitar riffs- which are incredible- the effect is chilling, and that effect means it’s completely set apart from all other albums of it’s genre. However, as much as I love the guitars, the best part of the whole album, and definitely the most underrated, is the drumming. Without doubt some of the best drumming I’ve ever heard. The fills are superb.

On a personal level, the album is intimidating, and sometimes even scary, but it always seems to relax me. I can feel the intensity, for sure, but I don’t, myself, feel intense when I listen. It’s as if I feel almost the opposite of what Slint intended. So for that reason, it has to go high on my chart, as it’s such a weird feeling of calmness I get, when I listen, that’s unlike anything I’ve experienced. And, as you’ve seen with my comments on the Meadowlands and Doolittle, I like albums that give me unique feelings. Although, it must be said, Good Morning, Captain does scare the crap out of me. :P

Best Moments:
Breadcrumb Trail. The whole song is just amazing.
Chorus of Nosferatu Man.
3:10 to 5:00 of Nosferatu Man. Possibly the best part of the album.
The intro and outro riffs in Don, Aman.
The guitar solo in Washer.
The "I Miss You" section in Good Morning, Captain.
[First added to this chart: 09/27/2013]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,706
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 08/15/2014]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,759
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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“There's a shadow on my wall. It dances like my soul.”

If myself in my dreams would listen to any album, it would be this, because it’s just so dreamy. No, not funny? :P

This album is so beautiful yet noisy, and the guitar tones are just perfection. There are so many stunning melodies but behind that is a sea of hazy, impenetrable noise. This is classic shoegaze, but unlike any other album of the genre that you’ll ever hear. And I love it how, suddenly, the songs just get so loud that they become really intense. For example, having Souvlaki Space Station on loud is like having some kind of religious experience. I mean, with a song that good, there must be a God, right? But the whole album is really an experience. When I close my eyes, when listening, I imagine myself lying on a cloud being completely isolated from the world. I feel completely free from life, stress and worry when I hear this. And I completely adore the album title. Souvlaki. Such a pretty word. It’s some kind of Greek food, I know, but I’m really interested in why Slowdive made that the album’s title. If anyone knows, please tell me.

To sum up, this album is just so smooth and every song is perfect. And who can possibly fault Rachel Goswell’s voice? Second, only to Loveless, in terms of shoegaze. Complete brilliance.

Best Moments:
Outro of Allison.
Machine Gun. <3
The vocals at the start of Sing.
Here She Comes. A perfect short song.
Souvlaki Space Station. Possibly the masterpiece of shoegaze.
The last minute, or so, of When the Sun Hits.
The lyrics in Dagger.
[First added to this chart: 09/27/2013]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,227
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 02/20/2014]
Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,504
Rank in 1996:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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“Indecipherable Icelandic stuff.”

This album is simply from another planet. The combination of Jónsi's crazy “are you sure its not a female singing” falsetto and the lyrics being in Icelandic/Hopelandic gives it such a unique and un-human feel; surely this is something we have intercepted from an alien transmission from another world? When this album is on loud, Jónsi's tone just pierces my soul; it gives me goose bumps.

Then you’ve got Sigur Rós’ wonderful instrumentation, combining classical and modern sounds- such as with Jónsi's signature bowed guitar. There’s not one moment of this album that isn’t filled to the brim with wonderful noise. But the noise isn’t random: it’s brilliantly effective. Part of this comes from the dynamics. They jump up on you in a discreet way, often appearing from nowhere, but whether it being one note or a whole section of a song, the sound hits you like an emotional train.

Whether it being through the dynamics, the vocals or the instrumentation, Sigur Rós really know how to grab your undivided attention. This album makes you lose concentration over your surroundings and makes you completely lose track of time, making this album the shortest double album ever created; it passes over so smoothly and so quickly that it never feels like 70 minutes.

And a quick shout out for Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm), one of my favourite song titles ever. I love the (bamm bamm bamm) part; it is really cute!

Best Moments:
Svefn-g-englar. One of the greatest songs mankind has ever written. I don’t know if I just lose myself in its beauty ever time, but it only ever feels like it’s only a couple of minutes long.
The section from 4:09 to 5:32 in Starálfur.
The wonderful bass line and piano in Flugufrelsarinn.
The drums and bass in Ný batterí.
The noisy section at the end of Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm).
The last two minutes of Viðrar vel til loftárása. Another “I can’t believe this is over ten minutes” song.
The drum fill in Olsen Olsen at 4:51.
[First added to this chart: 09/27/2013]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,520
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 08/14/2014]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
48
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 16. Page 1 of 2

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Top 50 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade Albums %


1930s 0 0%
1940s 0 0%
1950s 1 2%
1960s 6 12%
1970s 6 12%
1980s 5 10%
1990s 16 32%
2000s 12 24%
2010s 4 8%
2020s 0 0%
Country Albums %


United States 27 54%
United Kingdom 13 26%
Mixed Nationality 3 6%
Germany 1 2%
Austria 1 2%
Iceland 1 2%
Nigeria 1 2%
Show all
Live? Albums %
No 49 98%
Yes 1 2%

Top 50 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

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Top 40 Greatest Music Albums Matteo92Overall chart2014Unknown
Top 50 Music Albums of the 1990s Dingerbell1990s decade chart2017
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Top 50 Greatest Music AlbumssimlavoieOverall chart2021Unknown
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Top 40 Greatest Music Albumsremco27Overall chart2013
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Top 50 Greatest Music AlbumsaparanoydandroydOverall chart2017Unknown

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Top 50 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
91/100 (from 77 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
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02/10/2025 09:42 SomethingSpecial  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,10985/100
 
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01/15/2025 17:03 Exist-en-ciel  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 12599/100
 
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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).
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This chart is rated in the top 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 90.8/100, a mean average of 91.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 91.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 8.4.

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Top 50 Greatest Music Albums comments

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From 12/21/2022 21:06
Came here because I didn't like some of your album ratings lol.
Nice chart. Good work put in too. I'm sorry you have an easier time disliking albums I tend to find great, but glad we still have a few in Common... Good job on the 1 album per artist too.
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Rating:  
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From 06/18/2020 13:07
Really awesome chart. So much thought put into all your comments, and I love the "top moments" idea rather than top tracks (which doesn't make sense for some albums with only 1-3 tracks). Definite favorite
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Rating:  
90/100
From 06/18/2020 11:18
I find it good there a albums i have and most of them i knew. Really good i give you a high rating for such classic music pieces.
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100/100
From 01/16/2019 01:13
Really nice chart!
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From 01/11/2018 10:55
Unique chart, thanks for the surprise of The Avalanches
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From 08/31/2017 05:19
I've gotta say... this is one of my favorite charts. Even with Muse at #1. The in depth reviews are great. And it's funny, I had the exact same idea for the best moments thing; I got so tired of seeing the "top three tracks:..." thins everywhere
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Rating:  
75/100
From 07/15/2017 03:26
I was getting nervous till I saw Doolittle at 3. Solid and interesting chart.
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95/100
From 07/15/2017 03:12
Much better than I expected for a chart with Muse at #1
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90/100
From 07/14/2017 21:00
Mhm, great top 10 :D
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From 07/14/2017 16:57
Really good chart, not only some of my favorites but also a reminder of some albums I've been meaning to check out. I really like the idea of "favorite moments" as well, and I especially agree with things like Sometimes from Loveless and the crescendo in Epitaph.
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Best Albums of the 2020s
1. Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road
2. The New Abnormal by The Strokes
3. Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
4. Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
5. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz
6. For The First Time by Black Country, New Road
7. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief
8. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar
9. Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra
10. Hellfire by Black Midi
11. Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey
12. Blue Rev by Alvvays
13. Brat by Charli XCX
14. Folklore by Taylor Swift
15. Javelin by Sufjan Stevens
16. Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay
17. After Hours by The Weeknd
18. What's Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware
19. A Light For Attracting Attention by The Smile
20. Shore by Fleet Foxes
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