Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by zgarrison88

Music ought to serve us. It ought to help us explore ourselves and the world we live in. It ought to express the true excitements of life. It ought to bring clarity to our lives by capturing a moment, an emotion, something beyond ourselves.

These are the Top 100 Albums, in my opinion, that do that best--combining high quality music with the ability to leave the listener better off than when they started.

• Chart updated: 04/26/2021 15:15
• (Created: 01/24/2015 19:20).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

There are 14 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 88 out of 100 (from 30 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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92. (=)

Blue Train 

 John Coltrane

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Genre: Hard Bop
Top Track: Blue Train, Moment's Notice

As music encyclopedist, Colin Larkin, stated, "Coltrane may have made more important albums, but none swung as effectively as this one." [First added to this chart: 04/21/2021]

Year of Release:

1957

Appears in:

571 charts

Rank Score:

5,982

Rank in 1957:

1

Rank in 1950s:

4

Overall Rank:

303

Average Rating:

 84 (648 votes)

Comments:

29

93. (=)

A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band 

 Rich Mullins

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Genre: Contemporary Christian Music
Top Tracks: Hold Me Jesus, Creed, 78 Eatonwood Green

Rich Mullins’ first record with his Ragamuffin Band reverberates with more energy and polish than his previous efforts. A robust sound from a distinctly talented artist.

Best Line: “And the moon is a sliver of silver
Like a shaving that fell on the floor of a Carpenter's shop
And every house must have it's builder
And I awoke in the house of God” [First added to this chart: 12/21/2020]

Year of Release:

1993

Appears in:

13 charts

Rank Score:

84

Rank in 1993:

219

Rank in 1990s:

2,261

Overall Rank:

13,499

Average Rating:

 72 (17 votes)

Comments:

0

94. (=)

Fall And Winter 

 Jon Foreman

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Genre: Acoustic
Top Tracks: The Cure for Pain, Southbound Train, I Am Still Running

Jon Foreman’s gorgeous and diverse Seasons EP project produced this gem. Powerful and poetic.

Best Line: “Build me a home
Inside your scars
Build me a home
Inside your song
Build me a home
Inside your open arms
The only place I ever will belong” [First added to this chart: 02/06/2021]

Year of Release:

2008

Appears in:

5 charts

Rank Score:

16

Rank in 2008:

855

Rank in 2000s:

8,184

Overall Rank:

41,431

Average Rating:

 73 (5 votes)

Comments:

0

95. (96) 1

Where The Light Shines Through 

 Switchfoot

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Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
Top Tracks: Where the Light Shines Through, I Won't Let You Go, If the House Burns Down Tonight, The Day That I Found God

A polished, poppy album full of simple anthems that stands as my "Most Played Album" of all time.

Best Line: “I found strength but it wasn't what I thought
I found peace in the places I forgot
I found riches ain't the things that I had bought
I found out
The day I lost myself was the day that I found God” [First added to this chart: 08/12/2016]

Year of Release:

2016

Appears in:

9 charts

Rank Score:

114

Rank in 2016:

195

Rank in 2010s:

2,125

Overall Rank:

10,318

Average Rating:

 74 (16 votes)

Comments:

2

96. (95) 1

Vice Verses 

 Switchfoot

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Genre: Alternative Rock, Post-grunge
Top Tracks: Dark Horses, Vice Verses, Where I Belong

The drum- and bass-driven eighth album from the San Diego surfers displays their lyricism at its best, infused with a definite Cali-rock sound.

Best Line: “Still looking for a home
In a world where I belong” [First added to this chart: 03/24/2016]

Year of Release:

2011

Appears in:

20 charts

Rank Score:

153

Rank in 2011:

180

Rank in 2010s:

1,615

Overall Rank:

8,061

Average Rating:

 72 (38 votes)

Comments:

4

97. (=)

Christmas 

 Michael Bublé

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Genre: Christmas
Top Tracks: Jingle Bells, Santa Baby, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

'Tis the season. What can you do?

Best Line: "Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on
Our troubles will be out of sight" [First added to this chart: 11/28/2020]

Year of Release:

2011

Appears in:

22 charts

Rank Score:

80

Rank in 2011:

312

Rank in 2010s:

3,023

Overall Rank:

14,100

Average Rating:

 65 (25 votes)

Comments:

2

99. (=)

What's Going On 

 Marvin Gaye

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Genre: Soul
Top Tracks: What's Going On, What's Happening Brother

The album drops in quality after a phenomenal first two tracks, but what with its major impact on the the music and social scene, it is definitely an important album to hear at least once.

Best Line: "What's going on?" [First added to this chart: 12/21/2020]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,569 charts

Rank Score:

19,706

Rank in 1971:

4

Rank in 1970s:

16

Overall Rank:

53

Average Rating:

 85 (1,888 votes)

Comments:

143

100. (=)

Peace To All Who Enter Here 

 Josh Garrels

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Genre: Folk, Worship
Top Tracks: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Fear Thou Not, In the Garden

During quarantine for Covid-19, Josh Garrels started playing some of his favorite songs to the crackle of his wood stove. These song sessions became recording sessions, then collaborations with other artists virtually, and finally this album. Peaceful and sublime.

Best Line: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace” [First added to this chart: 02/15/2021]

Year of Release:

2020

Appears in:

4 charts

Rank Score:

10

Rank in 2020:

1,269

Rank in 2020s:

4,432

Overall Rank:

54,170

Average Rating:

 73 (2 votes)

Comments:

0

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Total albums: 98. Page 10 of 10

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade	Albums	%
1930s	0	0%
1940s	1	1%
1950s	3	3%
1960s	13	13%
1970s	20	20%
1980s	5	5%
1990s	12	12%
2000s	24	24%
2010s	21	21%
2020s	1	1%

Artist	Albums	%
Bob Dylan	5	5%
Radiohead	5	5%
Josh Garrels	4	4%
Switchfoot	4	4%
Sufjan Stevens	3	3%
Pink Floyd	3	3%
U2	3	3%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	60	60%
	27	27%
	4	4%
	3	3%
	3	3%
	2	2%
	1	1%

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest climbers
Up 1 from 96th to 95th Where The Light Shines Through by Switchfoot

Biggest fallers
Down 1 from 95th to 96th Vice Verses by Switchfoot

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 30 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
95/100	12/25/2021 07:00	craab	14	95/100
80/100	11/29/2021 12:42	Cytoma	171	90/100
85/100	11/25/2021 16:40	Tamthebam	554	85/100
100/100	11/25/2021 13:20	desh79	1,281	93/100
90/100	02/25/2021 02:51	RoundTheBend	374	92/100

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 12% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 87.8/100, a mean average of 85.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 17.1.

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 14 comments |
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Rating:  

95/100

From craab 12/25/2021 07:00

I love the values vision of your chart. Thank you! I LOVE Switchfoot, and am glad to see another fan out there on BEA! Based on your chart, I think you should check out the Hold Steady album: Separation Sunday.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

90/100

From Keatownrodriguez 02/24/2021 20:39

Illinois is so deserving of a number 1 spot. Nice chart

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From AMEIER 02/24/2021 17:05

What a beautiful and honest chart! Love it!!
Strong to your beliefs this is good.
Also enjoyed seeing Switchfoot getting the credit they deserve. Cheers

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

65/100

From mrmcrook 01/27/2021 01:24

The joy of music is how varied it is and how different people's tastes are. Fascinating list. I've never seem one before with so many Christmas based albums in it. I liked your notes indicating what genre each album was in. And as you said, 'what makes the best music for each one of us is it's ability to leave us feeling better off than when they started'.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

90/100

From Larcx13 11/19/2020 23:21

You like it epic.
Good list

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

90/100

From leniad 11/12/2020 03:45

what is Switchfoot?
the rest good

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

5/100

From ThuramThugood 04/17/2020 07:03

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -5 votes (0 helpful | 5 unhelpful)

Rating:  

90/100

From martinjaa 04/16/2020 23:59

Pretty good! You cant go wrong with these albums

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From 911Turbo 04/16/2020 19:36

you have alot of great albums and a few surprises.
im definitely going to have to listen to switchfoot- since you give it such high value.
i think all the critics/members will be faced with this observation.
But, thank you, for making me aware of switchfoot. i hope it is as good as you think it is.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

75/100

From LankyLen 10/09/2019 13:02

Love your list. Need to check out Switchfoot, though

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)

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