Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
ffudnebbuh 
I used to be a buyer for one of the largest record chains in the Midwest and had access to every album that one can imagine. So my chart is a strange collection of genres, well known albums and not so well known, from the highly regarded to the disdained..I went through my soul/r&b phase beginning in 1958(which I am still moving through), Beatles, Stones, etc, Simon/Garfunkel phase, Parliament/Funkadelic etc phase, Sex Pistols, Wire,Joy Division,Talking Heads phase, then Cocteau Twins, JMC, Pixies, MBV phase etc, and now my list is just what I am listening to the most at any moment. My interest in popular music is split between jazz, blues, and r/b on one hand and pop/rock on the other. I have an undergrad degree in classical piano. My chart is based partly on being in record retail for so many years(20) and having heard almost every album made and being bored with most of it...but is also informed from a performer's perspective, how I feel that a given artist is successful in communicating the particular ideas in words, music and arrangement and production regardless of genre.
When I left retail for graduate school in 1994, I became relatively out of touch with the music catalogue. I have been using Pandora more, so I feel that I am now caught up with most of the music from all music genres over the past 15 years.
- Chart updated: 05/05/2026 10:15
- (Created: 09/25/2009 19:15).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 265 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 88 out of 100 (from 252 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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[First added to this chart: 11/12/2009]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
38,491
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[First added to this chart: 11/12/2009]
[First added to this chart: 06/25/2010]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,759
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[First added to this chart: 11/12/2009]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,059
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[First added to this chart: 07/17/2023]
Year of Release:
1956
Appears in:
Rank Score:
923
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[First added to this chart: 11/12/2009]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,674
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[First added to this chart: 10/29/2011]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
628
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[First added to this chart: 04/20/2010]
Year of Release:
2000
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,264
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[First added to this chart: 08/21/2010]
[First added to this chart: 08/12/2011]
Year of Release:
2010
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Rank Score:
4,554
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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 | 6 | 6% | |
| 1960s | 17 | 17% | |
| 1970s | 39 | 39% | |
| 1980s | 17 | 17% | |
| 1990s | 8 | 8% | |
| 2000s | 8 | 8% | |
| 2010s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2020s | 1 | 1% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Beatles | 3 | 3% | |
| David Bowie | 2 | 2% | |
| Stevie Wonder | 2 | 2% | |
| Radiohead | 2 | 2% | |
| Bob Dylan | 2 | 2% | |
| Steely Dan | 2 | 2% | |
| Joni Mitchell | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| New entries |
|---|
| Debut Recital by Martha Argerich |
| Leavers |
|---|
| Hate by The Delgados |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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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 252 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/31/2026 15:23 | jnmayles | 24 | 89/100 | |
| 12/28/2025 10:08 | Exist-en-ciel | 156 | 97/100 | |
| 08/18/2025 05:54 |  LadyGodiva | 96 | 97/100 | |
| 03/29/2025 20:25 | mjp11 | 36 | 96/100 | |
| 01/25/2025 14:12 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,089 | 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 is rated in the top 9% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.1/100, a mean average of 87.6/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 10.1.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From ffudnebbuh 12/28/2025 18:41 | #312353
ffudnebbuh 12/28/2025 18:41 | #312353
can anyone recommend some good indie internet radio that plays the music that you guys listen to on this website...I have really missed much of the music of the last 20 years.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From leniad 10/11/2022 05:42 | #290366
updating my score, 95/100
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From ffudnebbuh 07/03/2022 18:37 | #287065
ffudnebbuh 07/03/2022 18:37 | #287065
Peter, first are you from England? there is a big difference in what English and Americans were exposed to since the late 50s. I bought my first record at 4, my first soul record at 6. and Have never stopped listening to all kinds of music and buying it since then. It is an unusual chart. It is difficult to pick only 100 albums over 60 years. I saw the Beatles on TV for the first time when I was 9, so grew up with them throughout their career...The sixties were amazing, so much going on. all of the great music was made by independent labels. As a teenager, I had a real interest in R&B and soul. I received an undergraduate in classical piano and then went to work at the second largest record retail outlet in our midwest..So was exposed to everything.. My taste really changed. It is a long story, but thanks for your comments. I am trying to keep up with indie for the last 20 years, but the station we have is difficult to get here.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From PeterSmith 07/03/2022 17:47 | #287063
I was drawn to your chart when you slated LCD Soundsystem and demanded the 6 minutes of listening back! I thought - who is this not loving LCD? But love your intro and chart - big respect for your journey. Would love to hear your views on your picks and why? - Bet there are some great stories in there....
I know over half of the albums you have in your chart and like them all - and have 11 of your albums in my own top 100 - although funnily enough they are mostly from post 80's when your choices start to dry up - so I kinda feel vindicated that they are great albums if they merit a breach into your predominantly pre-80s list.
As for LCD Soundsystem - it's been a while since I hit a club and I suspect it's a bit longer for you :-)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From craab 11/27/2021 13:44 | #276754
This is a really great chart! I don't like your #1 but apart from that I am really impressed by the depth and breadth. I got some good ideas for listening from this chart.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From leniad 11/03/2020 20:37 | #260145
liked your choices
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From 
sssvnnn 05/07/2019 19:38 | #235968
sssvnnn 05/07/2019 19:38 | #235968
One of the best charts on bEA.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From bkogz 02/22/2019 03:31 | #232331
great chart. we have lots of similar tastes in music.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Kurtco 02/21/2019 16:17 | #232301
This charte is really great... I love Velvet Underground, Pixies. Very interesting picks
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From ffudnebbuh 02/12/2019 14:08 | #231835
ffudnebbuh 02/12/2019 14:08 | #231835
yes I am still here, Love your chart, Thanks for commenting..and you are still here as well.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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