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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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from Bob Dylan. (Remove this filter)
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Genre: Folk Rock
Top Tracks: Tangled Up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate, You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go, Buckets of Rain
Hands down, the best breakup album there ever was.
Best Line: “I like your smile
And your fingertips
I like the way that you move your hips
I like the cool way you look at me
Everything about you is bringing me misery” [First added to this chart: 03/27/2016]
Top Tracks: Tangled Up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate, You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go, Buckets of Rain
Hands down, the best breakup album there ever was.
Best Line: “I like your smile
And your fingertips
I like the way that you move your hips
I like the cool way you look at me
Everything about you is bringing me misery” [First added to this chart: 03/27/2016]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
23,575
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
165
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Genre: Folk Rock
Top Tracks: Visions Of Johanna, I Want You, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands
Another Dylan classic that merits praise for getting the listener to really think, even if they're not really sure what on earth they're thinking about.
Best Line: “To live outside the law, you must be honest" [First added to this chart: 03/22/2016]
Top Tracks: Visions Of Johanna, I Want You, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands
Another Dylan classic that merits praise for getting the listener to really think, even if they're not really sure what on earth they're thinking about.
Best Line: “To live outside the law, you must be honest" [First added to this chart: 03/22/2016]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
27,790
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Genre: Folk Rock
Top Tracks: Like A Rolling Stone, Ballad of a Thin Man, Desolation Row
Parental Advisory: RELIGIOUS EXCLAMATION - (Ballad of a Thin Man)
The album that "started" the 1960s is so densely poetic that he's either a lyrical genius or talking complete nonsense. Either way, this album has proved itself to be timeless.
Best Line: “They’re selling postcards of the hanging
They’re painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The circus is in town” [First added to this chart: 03/22/2016]
Top Tracks: Like A Rolling Stone, Ballad of a Thin Man, Desolation Row
Parental Advisory: RELIGIOUS EXCLAMATION - (Ballad of a Thin Man)
The album that "started" the 1960s is so densely poetic that he's either a lyrical genius or talking complete nonsense. Either way, this album has proved itself to be timeless.
Best Line: “They’re selling postcards of the hanging
They’re painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The circus is in town” [First added to this chart: 03/22/2016]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
31,063
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Genre: Folk, Blues
Top Tracks: Blowin' In The Wind, Masters Of War, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Parental Advisory: SEXUAL CONTENT - (I Shall Be Free)
Dylan’s first commercially successful venture has several absolute gems to offer. Prominently tackling themes about the Civil Rights Movement and heartbreak, this early record is lyrically much less abstract than his later work and a true folk classic.
Best Line: “The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind” [First added to this chart: 03/27/2016]
Top Tracks: Blowin' In The Wind, Masters Of War, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Parental Advisory: SEXUAL CONTENT - (I Shall Be Free)
Dylan’s first commercially successful venture has several absolute gems to offer. Prominently tackling themes about the Civil Rights Movement and heartbreak, this early record is lyrically much less abstract than his later work and a true folk classic.
Best Line: “The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind” [First added to this chart: 03/27/2016]
Year of Release:
1963
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,546
Rank in 1963:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Genre: Folk
Top Tracks: The Times They Are A-Changin', With God On Our Side, Only A Pawn In Their Game, The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
Parental Advisory: MILDLY EXPLICIT (Restless Farewell)
Before Bob Dylan’s convoluted circus imagery and electric guitar years, he released this gem, his first album containing only original material. Tackling issues like racism, poverty, and social change, it is a master work of American folk that perfectly reflects the upheaval of the 1960s.
Best Line: “The slow one now will later be fast
As the present now will later be past
The order is rapidly fading
And the first one now will later be last
For the times, they are a-changin'” [First added to this chart: 03/27/2016]
Top Tracks: The Times They Are A-Changin', With God On Our Side, Only A Pawn In Their Game, The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
Parental Advisory: MILDLY EXPLICIT (Restless Farewell)
Before Bob Dylan’s convoluted circus imagery and electric guitar years, he released this gem, his first album containing only original material. Tackling issues like racism, poverty, and social change, it is a master work of American folk that perfectly reflects the upheaval of the 1960s.
Best Line: “The slow one now will later be fast
As the present now will later be past
The order is rapidly fading
And the first one now will later be last
For the times, they are a-changin'” [First added to this chart: 03/27/2016]
Year of Release:
1964
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,605
Rank in 1964:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 5. Page 1 of 1
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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% | |
| Switchfoot | 4 | 4% | |
| Josh Garrels | 4 | 4% | |
| Sufjan Stevens | 3 | 3% | |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 3% | |
| U2 | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
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 ratings
88/100 (from 30 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 30 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
95/100  | 12/25/2021 07:00 | craab | | 95/100 |
80/100 | 11/29/2021 12:42 |  Cytoma | | 90/100 |
85/100 | 11/25/2021 16:40 |  Tamthebam | | 85/100 |
 100/100 | 11/25/2021 13:20 |  desh79 | | 93/100 |
| 90/100 | 02/25/2021 02:51 | RoundTheBend | | 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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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)
90/100
From 
Keatownrodriguez 02/24/2021 20:39
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
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)
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)
90/100
From Larcx13 11/19/2020 23:21
Larcx13 11/19/2020 23:21
You like it epic.
Good list
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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)
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)
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)
100/100
From 
911Turbo 04/16/2020 19:36
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)
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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