Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by 
corenfro 
*Not necessarily in order yet beyond the top 10-20 or so*
I'm going to try to do the "one album per artist" as much as it pains me to do so. Shoutout to the many albums by The Who, The Beach Boys, Miles Davis, Radiohead, Marvin Gaye, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, David Bowie, Yes, Genesis, and Kendrick Lamar. Some of them were VERY hard to pick a "only album from X artist" since some have 2 (or more) really important albums w/ vastly different stories that deserve inclusion (smile vs. pet sounds, tommy vs. who's next, kid a vs. ok computer, to pimp a butterfly vs. good kid madd city, lonerism vs. currents, sgt. pepper vs. others, kind of blue vs. bitches brew). But until I can unlock decade charts I must do this to fit a wider variety of music (there are well over 100 great albums that I really want to consider a top 100 album).
On a site littered with contrarians I actually tried to make a "top greatest music albums" list as opposed to a "top obscure albums you've never heard of" list. Because of this, when choosing which album from an artist to include, I generally err on the side of the more euphonic record when in doubt.
Hipsters and snobs: feel free to downvote at how mainstream I am.
- Chart updated: 09/15/2023 13:45
- (Created: 06/07/2015 21:31).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 36 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 72 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 the 1970s. (Remove this filter)
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“In the morning, I’ll be alright my friend, but soon the night will bring the pain. Flying high in the friendly sky”
What do you get when you combine the smoothest voice in the history of music with the greatest bass lines in the history of music, and hotbox a Motown studio full of marijuana? An album that is better than anything in its genre and in its decade - which is saying a lot when you consider all that happened in the 1970’s.
If heroin could sing, it still wouldn’t sound as good as Marvin Gaye. I stand very firmly behind my opinion that Marvin Gaye possessed the greatest voice of all time. There are countless things to love about this album musically. There are entire albums' worth of super tight bass lines in like 8 bars of James Jamerson's mastery of the instrument. The smooth aesthetic is the quintessential soul sound. For 1971, it is a crazy well mixed assortment of wind and stringed instruments, and the variety of percussion. However, it’s Marvin’s show, and it’s his voice that carries the listener through the album. The man clearly had enormous talent, and it is displayed in its entirety on “What’s Going On”.
Listening to Marvin Gaye perform live must have been similar to watching Michael Jordan make the final shot of the 1998 NBA finals, or watching Aaron Rodgers play quarterback except better by several orders of magnitude because music is clearly a domain of excellence far superior to sports. One of his studio assistants was questioned at one point what the most difficult thing was when working with Marvin Gaye. The response was that it was so difficult to select which takes of his voice to keep and which to discard, because they were all so beautiful that it felt wrong to delete anything that he recorded.
“What’s Going On” is about discontent - with culture, with politics, with discrimination, with the imperfect self. It came at a time when the Barry Gordy’s Motown record label was interested only in pumping out radio hits for profit and wasn’t interested in any of this introspective, challenging music. Gaye demanded it be released as he envisioned it and was nearly close to breaking ties with the record label.
Marvin Gaye had a wild and remarkable career, plagued by the internal conflict which is was clear from his art, as well as his ongoing struggle with depression and multiple suicide attempts and drug addiction. It’s this struggle that fuels the beauty that is his music. His angelic voice carries just enough of a painful undertone to send shivers down the listener’s spine. That’s “What’s Going On” [First added to this chart: 06/07/2015]
What do you get when you combine the smoothest voice in the history of music with the greatest bass lines in the history of music, and hotbox a Motown studio full of marijuana? An album that is better than anything in its genre and in its decade - which is saying a lot when you consider all that happened in the 1970’s.
If heroin could sing, it still wouldn’t sound as good as Marvin Gaye. I stand very firmly behind my opinion that Marvin Gaye possessed the greatest voice of all time. There are countless things to love about this album musically. There are entire albums' worth of super tight bass lines in like 8 bars of James Jamerson's mastery of the instrument. The smooth aesthetic is the quintessential soul sound. For 1971, it is a crazy well mixed assortment of wind and stringed instruments, and the variety of percussion. However, it’s Marvin’s show, and it’s his voice that carries the listener through the album. The man clearly had enormous talent, and it is displayed in its entirety on “What’s Going On”.
Listening to Marvin Gaye perform live must have been similar to watching Michael Jordan make the final shot of the 1998 NBA finals, or watching Aaron Rodgers play quarterback except better by several orders of magnitude because music is clearly a domain of excellence far superior to sports. One of his studio assistants was questioned at one point what the most difficult thing was when working with Marvin Gaye. The response was that it was so difficult to select which takes of his voice to keep and which to discard, because they were all so beautiful that it felt wrong to delete anything that he recorded.
“What’s Going On” is about discontent - with culture, with politics, with discrimination, with the imperfect self. It came at a time when the Barry Gordy’s Motown record label was interested only in pumping out radio hits for profit and wasn’t interested in any of this introspective, challenging music. Gaye demanded it be released as he envisioned it and was nearly close to breaking ties with the record label.
Marvin Gaye had a wild and remarkable career, plagued by the internal conflict which is was clear from his art, as well as his ongoing struggle with depression and multiple suicide attempts and drug addiction. It’s this struggle that fuels the beauty that is his music. His angelic voice carries just enough of a painful undertone to send shivers down the listener’s spine. That’s “What’s Going On” [First added to this chart: 06/07/2015]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,704
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
143
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What can I say about DSotM that hasn't been said? Pink Floyd may not have invented the concept album, but they perfected it. Groundbreaking at the time, The Dark side of the moon redefined what it meant to make music listening a truly immersive experience. The songs are often separated by eerie interludes of synths and sound effects painting landscapes of paranoia, escapism, and mental illness. If there’s one word that comes to mind when thinking about Dark Side of the Moon it’s: “Classic”
On one hand, its rock music, all the elements you expect are there: guitars, bass, drums, vocals, etc. And when taken out of context, none of the songs jump out as remarkable. The beauty lies in the experience. One can get lost in the landscape of “Us and Them” and “The Great Gig in the Sky” and feel haunted by the anxiety provoking “On the Run” and relate to the insanity of “Brain Damage”
All great albums are great because of the story, and how well the individual elements of the story transition and build on one another. This is especially true of The Dark Side of the Moon. There’s a narrator in the background occasionally murmuring a sort of choppy, almost disturbing narrative. This compliments the music which has this feel of slight disturbance, a discontent with the status quo. The album is a testament to the temporal nature of things. The anxiety and stress put into work to obtain money, dealing with the insanity of life to build an empire of wealth, running like a madman while struggling to breathe. “And everything under the sun is in tune. But the sun is eclipsed by the moon” the listener is reminded, as the sound of a heart beat fades out to close the album. [First added to this chart: 06/07/2015]
On one hand, its rock music, all the elements you expect are there: guitars, bass, drums, vocals, etc. And when taken out of context, none of the songs jump out as remarkable. The beauty lies in the experience. One can get lost in the landscape of “Us and Them” and “The Great Gig in the Sky” and feel haunted by the anxiety provoking “On the Run” and relate to the insanity of “Brain Damage”
All great albums are great because of the story, and how well the individual elements of the story transition and build on one another. This is especially true of The Dark Side of the Moon. There’s a narrator in the background occasionally murmuring a sort of choppy, almost disturbing narrative. This compliments the music which has this feel of slight disturbance, a discontent with the status quo. The album is a testament to the temporal nature of things. The anxiety and stress put into work to obtain money, dealing with the insanity of life to build an empire of wealth, running like a madman while struggling to breathe. “And everything under the sun is in tune. But the sun is eclipsed by the moon” the listener is reminded, as the sound of a heart beat fades out to close the album. [First added to this chart: 06/07/2015]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
71,217
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Songwriting clinic and incredibly unique voice and tremendous vocal work. Minimalism at it's best. Every song is delicate and precious and Joni's vocal lines are apt to get stuck in your head for weeks at a time.
[First added to this chart: 05/15/2016]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,086
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Could just as easily gone with "Songs in the Key of Life" - Stevie Wonder's colorful soul and stretch of music from 72-76 is absolutely phenomenal.
[First added to this chart: 06/07/2015]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,947
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Could have gone with many other Bowie albums here, even Blackstar really. An elective creative that was uncompromising in pushing the boundaries. He never let the weirdness take over the quality of his music even though he certainly came close from time to time. The Berlin Trilogy is pretty worth listening to and he's got a deep and compelling discography. Hard to put Bowie
[First added to this chart: 05/15/2016]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
50,140
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Pioneered ambient music and produced all of U2's relevant work. Some absolutely dominant bass lines. Seems appropriate Eno sit next to Bowie in my chart.
[First added to this chart: 05/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,169
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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A 70's prog rock classic. Another artist that had so many great works that it was nearly impossible to choose from and I'm not so sure I chose the right one but we'll go with this for now.
[First added to this chart: 01/24/2017]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,427
Rank in 1974:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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The Clash saved punk from being an incredible failure for me. The titular track is one of the best songs I've heard. Great album from a band who usually elicits the response "ew, didn't they do 'rock the casbah' I don't like that"
[First added to this chart: 06/07/2015]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
36,274
Rank in 1979:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 06/09/2016]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,439
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2016]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
13,605
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 24. Page 1 of 3
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 1 | 1% | |
| 1960s | 14 | 14% | |
| 1970s | 24 | 24% | |
| 1980s | 10 | 10% | |
| 1990s | 14 | 14% | |
| 2000s | 18 | 18% | |
| 2010s | 17 | 17% | |
| 2020s | 2 | 2% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Tame Impala | 1 | 1% | |
| Mike Oldfield | 1 | 1% | |
| Beck | 1 | 1% | |
| Fleetwood Mac | 1 | 1% | |
| The Beatles | 1 | 1% | |
| Sigur Rós | 1 | 1% | |
| Bob Dylan | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
57 | 57% | |
 |
28 | 28% | |
 |
5 | 5% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 2 from 8th to 6th To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar |
| Up 1 from 10th to 9th Igor by Tyler, The Creator |
| Up 1 from 6th to 5th Forever Changes by Love |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 3 from 4th to 7th Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys |
| Down 2 from 9th to 11th Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins |
| Down 1 from 7th to 8th The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd |
| New entries |
|---|
 How I'm Feeling Nowby Charli XCX |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
90/100 (from 72 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 72 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 85/100  | 01/01/2024 07:49 | Moondance | | 84/100 |
| 90/100 | 01/26/2023 02:03 | Rm12398 | | 89/100 |
| 85/100 | 01/25/2023 20:56 |  MadhattanJack | | 84/100 |
| 90/100 | 01/25/2023 13:11 |  Tamthebam | | 85/100 |
| 90/100 | 01/25/2023 10:42 | Johnnyo | | 80/100 |
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 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 90.2/100, a mean average of 89.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.8/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 13.8.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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90/100
From Johnnyo 01/25/2023 10:43
Love the note accompanying this entries. Don’t agree with the one album per artist thing but that’s a personal choice. Not going to criticise you for that. Great chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From Moondance 01/25/2023 10:06
Nice chart with a fairly even split across the decades (which is not something you see that often). Overall, a bit too USA focussed ~ and only one album from south of the Equator....
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From roberto71 08/15/2020 13:53
Very good selection of classic rock albums. Particularly Tommy and Moody Blues. I don't know why you never see Tommy too much anymore. I guess it's not as popular as it used to be for some strange reason.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
Goliath 07/25/2020 16:39
Goliath 07/25/2020 16:39
I find it difficult to condone the one album per artist thing, seems arbitrary to me, what's the rational? I agree with you on the 'top obscure albums you've never heard of' comment, this site is full of charts containing albums that make me think, can those albums really be favorites or just 'clever' picks?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (2 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
DommeDamian 07/19/2020 09:54
DommeDamian 07/19/2020 09:54
YOU GET A FAVORITE FROM ME!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
jnfbn 07/19/2020 09:52
jnfbn 07/19/2020 09:52
Remarkable descriptions, great chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
ExTeaSea 03/08/2020 04:24
ExTeaSea 03/08/2020 04:24
27 artists in common! That's a bunch! Great chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
qwert9579 01/02/2020 00:45
qwert9579 01/02/2020 00:45
A lot of work has clearly gone into this. incredible
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Thad 01/02/2020 00:09
I don't really think this is "too mainstream" or anything. Cocteau Twins & Love in the top ten prove that enough on their own. Not sure where you're getting the idea that everyone is having an obscurity contest, this chart is pretty standard -- especially considering the most similar chart to it is "If the BEA chart had a one album per artist rule"
No problems or anything, I just think your hostility towards obscure music seems a bit unwarranted.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
ForegroundNoise 01/01/2020 19:58
ForegroundNoise 01/01/2020 19:58
Brilliant, detailed, and varied. Maybe not my taste but it is exactly the kind of chart this site needs more of. Fantastic!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.