Top 99 Greatest Music Albums
by 
DeusExMackia 
Yo! Thanks for checking out my list of my favourite albums ever. Like most people on BEA, I listen to an absolute ton of music, a lot of which isn't on here. This then is a list of what I consider to be give or take the best music ever made (in my humble opinion).
As of 28th November 2022, this is the rough outline:
- Positions 1 to 20 are as good as it gets. Ordered based on what I'd choose with a gun to my head, so the ones nearer the top are 'better', but it's all relative.
- 20 to ~60 are the albums I'd consider "runner-up best albums ever", a.k.a. "there's not enough room to fit everything into the top 10" and really might as well just be one big joint position.
- Everything below is structured to reflect how highly I regard it, but all can be considered "albums to listen to before you die (in my humble opinion)".
Also, the comments I have made about each album; for some records I could wax lyrical about them for days, and for others I can barely say a word. This, however, in no way determines whether I like a record more than another. And for quite a few of them, I can't even properly articulate why I love them.
For something extra, here are my favorite artists of all time. It's not properly reflected in my choice of albums.
In a rough-but-no-particular order:
David Bowie, Lady Gaga, The Smiths, Kate Bush, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Prince, R.E.M., Lana Del Rey, Slowdive, FKA twigs, Kylie Minogue, New Order, The Doors, Suede, Beyoncé/Destiny's Child, The Prodigy, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Joy Division, Fontaines DC, Charli XCX, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Nina Simone, Diana Ross/The Supremes, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, The Clash, Gorillaz, Pet Shop Boys, The Rolling Stones, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson, George Michael, The KLF, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Idles, Lou Reed, Talking Heads, Madonna, Squid, Little Simz, Kendrick Lamar, The Notorious B.I.G., Girls Aloud, Bruce Springsteen, Paramore, Pavement, SOPHIE, System Of A Down, Grace Jones, Kraftwerk, MBV, Missy Elliott
----
Update 10/01/25: WOAH, Nelly!!! This is a real time of change. Lots of movers and shakers. Plenty of stalwarts of the 30-50 positions making way for new stuff. This list must reflect how I'm feeling about music and this is how I feel right now!
Update 06/01/25: Woah, Nelly! So 2024 was casually one of the best years for music in a hot minute, good grief. Five albums of which I couldn't get enough of, and all of which have earned a place in my heart. Some loved ones had to be chucked out for them to make room on this list, but I long since let go of historical weighting. This is about what I want at the end of the day, and the music I'm living with right now is the music that matters to me most.
Update 23/04/24: Welcome Hounds Of Love to the top 10. It's been a long time coming. Kate Bush is never far from my rotation at any given point, but something about my recent listening to her has hit harder than before. 'The Big Sky' is genuinely insane, and that alone might be why I've finally decided the album deserves to be here. I love it so much.
Update 12/11/23: Some big ol' changes in the midfield. With the leaves falling off the trees I've conveniently remembered how obsessed with Slowdive I've always been, so welcome Souvlaki to the top 20 at last. A few other big moves.
Update 21/09/23: Welcome back Wish You Were Here, gone for 2.5 years, and now back on here because I don't think life is quite right without it. Far lower than before, but that's okay. A recent spur of 60s and 70s listening for me has led to the Stones gaining a new entry, and OK Computer making a return too. Two 2010s EPs from some of the most exciting artists living today - Miss Azealia and Miss Twigs - join the mid-pack in the form of 1991 and M3LL155X respectively.
Update 28/11/22: A great purge has occurred. Wholesale reorder. New entries from across the universe. Shock and Awe in the top 20 - I've finally let go of DSOTM's number 2 spot. It better reflects who I am now and what I love. The beautiful thing with a having a list like this is the work it takes to cultivate it and keep it in tune with who you are. See the previous versions of this chart for my older notes :)
- Chart updated: 06/21/2025 01:15
- (Created: 10/20/2014 19:43).
- Chart size: 99 albums.
There are 23 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 99 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 58 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
View the complete list of 57,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 1970s. (Remove this filter)
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Best Songs: Oh! You Pretty Things, Life On Mars?, The Bewlay Brothers...and maybe Quicksand? Queen B*tch? There's far too many here to choose from.
This is it. The one record I'd recommend to absolutely anyone as a must-listen. Bowie's dip into something more gentle and singer-songwriter-esque might be the best thing record music has ever produced.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
This is it. The one record I'd recommend to absolutely anyone as a must-listen. Bowie's dip into something more gentle and singer-songwriter-esque might be the best thing record music has ever produced.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,577
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Comments:
159
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Best Songs: Station to Station, Golden Years, Wild Is The Wind
This is beyond mad. It's an album that turns you into a fanatic. The darkness, despair, the longing and the decrepit insanity of The Thin White Duke, presented in masterful, theatrical style. Keep listening to this, even if you can't quite get into it. Eventually, the penny will drop - and it drops hard - and you will see that this is an absolute masterpiece.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/02/2015]
This is beyond mad. It's an album that turns you into a fanatic. The darkness, despair, the longing and the decrepit insanity of The Thin White Duke, presented in masterful, theatrical style. Keep listening to this, even if you can't quite get into it. Eventually, the penny will drop - and it drops hard - and you will see that this is an absolute masterpiece.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/02/2015]
Year of Release:
1976
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,146
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Best Songs: Walk On The Wild Side, Perfect Day, Hangin' Round
Whatever the mood, whatever the time, Transformer somehow just fits in. Back at No. 10, its mere existence as a peep into the strange world of queer New York in the 70s means more than my words could ever attest. God I miss you Lou.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Whatever the mood, whatever the time, Transformer somehow just fits in. Back at No. 10, its mere existence as a peep into the strange world of queer New York in the 70s means more than my words could ever attest. God I miss you Lou.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,949
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Best Songs: Drive-In Saturday, Time, Jean Genie
If ever there was monument to the beauty of Glam Rock, this was it. The showmanship, the sheer scale of the energy, the swagger of that riff on Jean Genie and - holy mother of god - Bowie's voice on Drive-In Saturday. Few things come even remotely close to Aladdin Sane.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
If ever there was monument to the beauty of Glam Rock, this was it. The showmanship, the sheer scale of the energy, the swagger of that riff on Jean Genie and - holy mother of god - Bowie's voice on Drive-In Saturday. Few things come even remotely close to Aladdin Sane.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,540
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Comments:
17. (=)
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Best pieces: Fantasia On A Theme by Thomas Tallias, The Lark Ascending
Nigh-on impossible to describe the reverie that these four pieces create. Music beyond the confines of language. Utter heartbreak and boundless love far above what my little brain can fathom. Life is better with the knowledge that these recordings exist. [First added to this chart: 02/20/2023]
Nigh-on impossible to describe the reverie that these four pieces create. Music beyond the confines of language. Utter heartbreak and boundless love far above what my little brain can fathom. Life is better with the knowledge that these recordings exist. [First added to this chart: 02/20/2023]
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Best Songs: Disorder, New Dawn Fades, She's Lost Control
It's easy to call this album "depressing" and "dark", but that is far too simple and besides the point. Unknown Pleasures is drenched in a unique aura and sound that can only be attributed to this album, and it far surpasses almost anything else in terms of precision and effect. Nothing before sounded like it, and truth be told, nothing has since.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
It's easy to call this album "depressing" and "dark", but that is far too simple and besides the point. Unknown Pleasures is drenched in a unique aura and sound that can only be attributed to this album, and it far surpasses almost anything else in terms of precision and effect. Nothing before sounded like it, and truth be told, nothing has since.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
22,215
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Best Songs: Heroes, Blackout, The Secret Life of Arabia
Bowie's love for kultur-Germania reaches its absolute pinnacle here. "Heroes" paints a dark, dystopian picture of life, set in the ultra-modern world of 70s Deustchland, winding up being one of the most haunting records in rock history. And also one of the most perplexing; is it art rock? Electro-art? Krautrock as envisioned through Bowie and Eno's eyes? Whatever it is, it at once sits firmly in the avant-garde yet also two steps away from reality, making you want to dance one moment and then digging up your darkest thoughts the next. One of the most formidable statements of Bowie's indelible musical power. Everything and more, and still so fucking far out there. [First added to this chart: 09/08/2015]
Bowie's love for kultur-Germania reaches its absolute pinnacle here. "Heroes" paints a dark, dystopian picture of life, set in the ultra-modern world of 70s Deustchland, winding up being one of the most haunting records in rock history. And also one of the most perplexing; is it art rock? Electro-art? Krautrock as envisioned through Bowie and Eno's eyes? Whatever it is, it at once sits firmly in the avant-garde yet also two steps away from reality, making you want to dance one moment and then digging up your darkest thoughts the next. One of the most formidable statements of Bowie's indelible musical power. Everything and more, and still so fucking far out there. [First added to this chart: 09/08/2015]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,197
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Best Songs: London Calling, Spanish Bombs, Death or Glory
A cultural and creative fixed point in British music history. It's a double album that doesn't lose pace even once. The furthest reach that punk ever extended too. You can't really sum London Calling up; you simply have to listen to it, and then listen to it again, and again, and again.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
A cultural and creative fixed point in British music history. It's a double album that doesn't lose pace even once. The furthest reach that punk ever extended too. You can't really sum London Calling up; you simply have to listen to it, and then listen to it again, and again, and again.
100/100 [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
31,515
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Comments:
Buy album
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Best Songs: Breathe, Time, Money
Timeless is the only way to describe DSOTM; you always end up coming back to it, even after listening to a thousand other songs. The hype and praise are all firmly, firmly deserved, and by god when Brain Damage and Eclipse come in to close the show, the band somehow elevate the whole record even further. A masterpiece, no less. [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Timeless is the only way to describe DSOTM; you always end up coming back to it, even after listening to a thousand other songs. The hype and praise are all firmly, firmly deserved, and by god when Brain Damage and Eclipse come in to close the show, the band somehow elevate the whole record even further. A masterpiece, no less. [First added to this chart: 10/23/2014]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
61,317
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Buy album
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Best Songs: Starman, Lady Stardust, Ziggy Stardust
Shock horror, Ziggy Stardust isn't my favourite Bowie album. But I wholeheartedly agree with anyone who ranks it higher than I do. Ziggy is more than just one of the greatest rock albums ever, it's almost like a friend. Bowie's on your side, he knows how you feel, and he's here to tell you that you that it's completely and utterly fine to just be yourself. Cause it's that kind of thinking that results in music as good as this.
Side note: we may never ever be able to fully encapsulate how much Starman has meant to so many people, and continues to do so. It's one of the most important songs in recorded music history, and that's an end of it. [First added to this chart: 11/28/2014]
Shock horror, Ziggy Stardust isn't my favourite Bowie album. But I wholeheartedly agree with anyone who ranks it higher than I do. Ziggy is more than just one of the greatest rock albums ever, it's almost like a friend. Bowie's on your side, he knows how you feel, and he's here to tell you that you that it's completely and utterly fine to just be yourself. Cause it's that kind of thinking that results in music as good as this.
Side note: we may never ever be able to fully encapsulate how much Starman has meant to so many people, and continues to do so. It's one of the most important songs in recorded music history, and that's an end of it. [First added to this chart: 11/28/2014]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
44,244
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Comments:
Total albums: 19. Page 1 of 2
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Top 99 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 3 | 3% | |
| 1970s | 19 | 19% | |
| 1980s | 18 | 18% | |
| 1990s | 15 | 15% | |
| 2000s | 8 | 8% | |
| 2010s | 23 | 23% | |
| 2020s | 13 | 13% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| David Bowie | 7 | 7% | |
| Radiohead | 4 | 4% | |
| Nirvana | 3 | 3% | |
| Lana Del Rey | 3 | 3% | |
| The Smiths | 3 | 3% | |
| Sonic Youth | 3 | 3% | |
| Kendrick Lamar | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 99 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 8 from 51st to 43rd Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey |
| Up 8 from 49th to 41st ★ [Blackstar] by David Bowie |
| Up 5 from 52nd to 47th M3LL155X by FKA Twigs |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 8 from 53rd to 61st In Rainbows by Radiohead |
| Down 6 from 43rd to 49th Kid A by Radiohead |
| Down 6 from 44th to 50th The Bends by Radiohead |
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Top 99 Greatest Music Albums ratings
89/100 (from 58 votes)
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 58 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 35/100  | 01/31/2025 01:58 | BorderFreeAndrew | | 81/100 |
| 90/100 | 01/30/2025 10:40 |  MadhattanJack | | 85/100 |
| 90/100 | 01/25/2025 14:14 |  SomethingSpecial | | 85/100 |
| 90/100 | 11/07/2024 09:39 |  eclab | | 79/100 |
| 50/100 | 07/24/2024 19:58 | bwoodlan | | 70/100 |
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 89.3/100, a mean average of 88.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 89.9/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 11.1.
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Top 99 Greatest Music Albums comments
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90/100
From Johnnyo 03/30/2024 17:17
Great chart. Lovin the accompanying notes
#302762 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
AlvaroIesus 11/02/2023 09:12
AlvaroIesus 11/02/2023 09:12
So no Beatles?
#299751 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From Rm12398 07/26/2022 00:35
Picks are absolutely fantastic and the commentary on how your music taste changes throughout must be great to look back on from a personal perspective. Great list!
#287823 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
Keatownrodriguez 01/05/2021 22:37
Keatownrodriguez 01/05/2021 22:37
Any chart with this much commentary attached to it is an amazing one in my book!
#263881 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From Timooosterink 12/02/2019 12:17
Gorillaz! I love every chart with gorillaz!
#245302 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
90/100
From rnanderson8 06/05/2019 17:15
Nice chart, I like a lot of your picks for best tracks, crazy how you're so into Bowie, only think a couple of his albums are really up there with the best of all time
#237143 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From DeusExMackia 11/13/2018 09:04
DeusExMackia 11/13/2018 09:04
@Sandinistar very good question, they're up there mainly for personal reasons, as in they have personal meaning to myself. They all mean a lot to me in one way or another.
#224866 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Sandinistar 11/13/2018 01:34
Sandinistar 11/13/2018 01:34
I'm intrigued, because almost all of your Top 10 are highly regarded albums that I like okay and think are good but think are overrated because they fail as cohesive albums. Would like to understand why you think they're all great, because I'm not opposed to that view I just don't fully get it.
#224857 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
ramthecowy 10/08/2018 14:42
ramthecowy 10/08/2018 14:42
Ha it's taken me long enough to figure out how this site works, but here I am bby xoxo
Love your music, you're such an inspiration, I can't wait for Saturday Night Alternative to start up again.
#222220 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From ramthecowy 10/08/2018 14:40
ramthecowy 10/08/2018 14:40
Ha it's taken me long enough to figure out how this site works, but here I am bby xoxo
Love your music, you're such an inspiration, I can't wait for Saturday Night Alternative to start up again.
#222218 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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