Top 75 Greatest Music Albums by bigeyedfish Unknown

My favorite albums. I get that there's not a lot of variety and that many artists are heavily represented. I think this is OK, since I'm setting out to actually rank my favorite albums and not to demonstrate how totally impressive and diverse my tastes are.

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Buy album United States
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My favorite album. This may not have changed the course of music like so many of the greatest, but I find it to be the all-time pinnacle of songwriting and musicianship. Not just a perfect album, but THE perfect album. From the welcoming introduction of the title track to the mind-shattering finale of "Bartender," every song is one of my favorites. In years to come, DMB will be praised far more than today. [First added to this chart: 12/01/2013]
Year of Release:
2002
Appears in:
Rank Score:
170
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Buy album United States
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Lou Reed is a genius. That's not a subject for debate anymore. With his Velvet Underground work now universally acclaimed and his legacy being reevaluated in light of his recent, tragic passing, Reed is hailed as one of the most influential and talented artists in the history of rock. In recent days, he has even been called THE most important - yes, in direct comparison to the Beatles.
Transformer is his most commercial, and most commercially successful, record, and probably the best of all his solo efforts. With his barely-singing voice and fuzzy, biting guitars (see: "Vicious," "Hangin' 'Round"), Reed still embraces the Velvet Underground here. Other tracks depart from this formula, such as the hits "Perfect Day" and "Walk on the Wild Side." Transformer is both abrasive and beautiful, with a peak of songwriting from Lou and excellent production from David Bowie to make the most of every note. Amongst it all, my favorite track is the closer, "Goodnight Ladies," a unique and heartfelt farewell song which summarizes the album nicely - "Lonely Saturday night" music, for sure.
[First added to this chart: 12/02/2013]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,249
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Buy album United States
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Aladdin Sane is a rich and compelling album, beautiful and forceful. Its masterful tracks rock and roll and scream and cry, arrangements overflowing with lively saxophones, emotive backing vocals, manic piano, barely-restrained electric guitar (courtesy of the essential Mick Ronson) and the hysterical vocals of Bowie at his best. Gone is the conceptual scope and unified feel of Ziggy Stardust, making way for even better songs. The title track glides over the ears soft as a cloud before pouring down a storm of avante-garde jazz piano. "Drive in Saturday" is as colorful as it is powerful, a sweet apocalyptic beauty. "Cracked Actor" pounds with twice the decadence of "Suffragette City." "TIme" is one of Bowie's most epic and mind-melting freak-outs, again combining pristine melody and a pure rock whirlwind, and "Lady Grinning Soul" is as intoxicating as the femme fatale it depicts. And that's only half of what Aladdin Sane has on offer. [First added to this chart: 03/27/2014]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,962
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Buy album United States
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"The most prophetic rock album ever made." Arguably the most influential as well, in the same conversation as Sgt. Pepper and Highway 61 Revisited. When you hear this incredible debut, you are hearing the next 50 years of music history all wrapped up in one not-so-neat package. Enormous swaths of the music in every decade since the 1967 release would simply cease to exist without its example, and whatever remains would be dramatically different. Nirvana, The Sex Pistols, The Shins, R.E.M., Radiohead - none of them could be without the Velvet Underground and Nico.
This record isn't just important; its really, really, REALLY good. The pseudo-soothing opening of "Sunday Morning," the heart-wrenching melody of "Femme Fatale," the driving, dirty rhythm of "I'm Waiting for the Man," the dramatic build-and-release of "Heroine," and the ultimate feedback jam of "European Son" are all among the greatest moments in the history of music. The vision of the Velvet Underground and Nico is dark, it's disturbed, and it's beautiful.
[First added to this chart: 12/01/2013]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
46,439
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Buy album United States
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A masterwork of songwriting and instrumentation, with profound, often dark lyrics that reflect Matthews' underrated genius. The album, of course, is not only a result of Matthews' brilliance but the capabilities of the entire band. Perhaps the most essential DMB album, and their first real studio effort. The music is intricately complex, yet the complication is never forced. Difficult time signatures and virtuosic solos never get in the way of purely good songs and emotional impact. [First added to this chart: 12/01/2013]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
571
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Buy album United States
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The Beatles crafted several perfect records in their brief career, masterpieces that would dictate the future of music. All were topped with their last (recorded) album, Abbey Road. The first side is a collection of songs which rest atop the peak of the Beatles' songwriting and production accomplishments, from Harrison's (and arguably the group's) greatest and most moving composition, "Something," to Lennon's epic, grating blues-rock avalanche "I Want You (She's so Heavy);" even McCartney's underrated "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is a carefully refined gem of pop songwriting and flawless production.
The album, however, is more than just songs. It is a cohesive journey, climaxing with the medley which fills most of side 2. This is the Beatles greatest achievement, a suite so powerful and perfect it elevates this album head and shoulders above the greatest artistic statements of this great band.
[First added to this chart: 12/01/2013]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
65,784
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Buy album United States
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Perfect songwriting, incredibly potent and emotional vocal delivery, exquisite guitar work, and poetic lyrics that will have you bawling for sorrow and joy at once. Pure music bliss; there's nothing quite so pretty as this album, and nothing so affecting right in the heart. [First added to this chart: 12/01/2013]
Year of Release:
2002
Appears in:
Rank Score:
372
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Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 04/09/2014]
Year of Release:
1976
Appears in:
Rank Score:
13,365
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Buy album United States
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The peak of Hendrix's guitar, and therefore the peak of ALL guitar. The blues-based rock that Hendrix, the Experience, and assorted guests put together here is as good as music gets. Sure, the debut is more influential, but this is just BETTER. It's a shame Hendrix never recorded another album in the studio, but he probably couldn't have surpassed this double LP - no guitarist ever has. [First added to this chart: 12/01/2013]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,807
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Comments:
Buy album United States
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Not placed yet, should be top 15 [First added to this chart: 07/18/2014]
Year of Release:
2001
Appears in:
Rank Score:
33,309
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Total albums: 75. Page 1 of 8

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Top 75 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade Albums %


1930s 0 0%
1940s 0 0%
1950s 0 0%
1960s 20 27%
1970s 27 36%
1980s 4 5%
1990s 5 7%
2000s 15 20%
2010s 4 5%
2020s 0 0%
Artist Albums %


David Bowie 11 15%
Dave Matthews Band 6 8%
The Beatles 5 7%
Pink Floyd 5 7%
Led Zeppelin 4 5%
The Doors 4 5%
Rilo Kiley 3 4%
Show all
Country Albums %


United States 34 45%
United Kingdom 33 44%
Mixed Nationality 6 8%
Canada 2 3%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 74 99%
Yes 1 1%

Top 75 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest climbers
Climber Up 44 from 54th to 10th
Is This It
by The Strokes
Climber Up 4 from 17th to 13th
Scary Monsters... And Super Creeps
by David Bowie
Climber Up 3 from 37th to 34th
Are You Experienced
by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Biggest fallers
Faller Down 52 from 20th to 72nd
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
by Pink Floyd
Faller Down 48 from 26th to 74th
Stadium Arcadium
by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Faller Down 7 from 18th to 25th
Wish You Were Here
by Pink Floyd

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Top 75 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
85/100 (from 13 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
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 13 ratings for this chart.

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RatingDate updatedMemberChart ratingsAvg. chart rating
 
95/100
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02/18/2017 13:28 Seab  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 2,01893/100
  
80/100
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07/17/2014 12:35 Laurence  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 15086/100
  
75/100
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06/03/2014 04:46 Decurso  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 17382/100
  
75/100
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04/24/2014 07:53 pavelthevelvet  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 5385/100
  
90/100
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04/19/2014 03:21 panman36  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 884/100

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 has a Bayesian average rating of 84.8/100, a mean average of 84.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 83.9/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 7.8.

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Top 75 Greatest Music Albums comments

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Rating:  
75/100
From 06/03/2014 04:55
I appreciate the notes, even though I don't necessarily agree with all of them. However, there is not really a lot of variety here. Bowie, Mathews and Floyd alone account for 18 spots altogether. Throw in 5 from The Beatles and 4 from VU and that's 5 artists taking up over half your list.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 04/18/2014 23:53
AHHHHHHH YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 01/27/2014 03:04
4 DMB in the Top 10?? Nice! :)
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 01/05/2014 22:42
Good classical choices, maybe a bit to many Dave Matthews Band Albums.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 12/27/2013 22:03
I like most of the music here and I like to see DMB finally getting some love around here. We have 12 albums in common and almost all of them I've heard. That being said, I think maybe your chart could benefit from a little variety. As big a DMB fan as I am, I don't think 7 (8 really with the Dave solo) of their albums are in the top 50. Maybe you'd like some other jam bands? The Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, Pat McGee Band, The Black Crowes, etc.
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Rating:  
95/100
From 12/07/2013 02:55
Great list, I loved the comments on the album. I do think the charts needs a more variety in artists. I totally agree on the comment you gave about Magical Mystery Tour. It's often overlooked (as far that's possible for a Beatles album), while it's on of their best. I never heard of the dave matthews band or the Pretenders but I checked them out and they sound really good. I'm definitely goin to explore their music more.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 12/02/2013 21:07
You sure put a lot of work in those comments. nice.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 12/02/2013 18:07
Ps amazing comments
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 12/02/2013 18:06
Great chart some variety in bands and some albums that i never saw before great chart
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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