Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by 
jhuik 
I am now in my 60's. Music has meant many, many different things to me over the years, but these days it often means 'tinged with pain' as I have hearing loss and tinnitus. But I still love music ... that love just has a new form, some of it based on the memory of PURE LOUD NOISE (no longer possible for me) or just memory, and some of that love still able to thrive and evolve.
As I have said for over ten years on this site: Below are albums that have meant a lot to me, albums I have listened to innumerable times, albums that are duly classic or that I just fuckin like a lot for whatever reason. I have loved music for decades, have followed other lovers, and no one has perfect taste uncorrupted by bias or other limitations. When rating or commenting don't ever forget that any list of 'best ever' is ALWAYS a ridiculous exercise.
- Chart updated: 06/12/2025 23:45
- (Created: 12/24/2010 02:29).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 85 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 133 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 1980s. (Remove this filter)
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"They shot a movie once, in my hometown..." So Gord Downie and a bunch of his best friends initiated their own rock revival with proudly Cancon classic rock storytelling (and some classic rock riffing) that oft-surpassed predecessors. In my era, in my home and native land, this album saved rock and roll. My most-listened-to album of all time. Maybe this did not reinvent rock and roll, but it completely, utterly re-invigorated it... still does, in fact. Damn the restrictions of this silly ranking exercise -- this really is my favourite album of all time. Yes, Gordie baby, I do know exactly what you mean.
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
6
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Bruce's celebratory, unapologetically exuberant leap forward into rock superstardom. A more honest top 100 of mine would have more Bruce for sure.
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,938
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Marvellous poetry and rich orchestration. I rate this album here on its own merits entirely and the decades of pleasure I've derived from it, not just to correct its lack of appreciation on this site. I first bought this when I read a raving review of it and at the time it grew into my favourite album. People thought I was weird because I didn't really care for the latest rock radio stuff but here was a guy who was reaching for the stars and digging deep, not worried about topping the charts or lining his pockets. A gorgeously orchestrated dive into the Pan within and the Sea and world without. Big music achieved.
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,900
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Eno-ized experimentation opened up new brilliance in a band still very wide open to discovery. Entirely lacking the pomp that's nearly ruined their reputation.
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,726
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A handful of the most powerful, beautifully sad songs ever, by a Merry Fool and his band of motherfookin' shitekickers.
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,035
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Shane McGowan and a band of compatriots churn up a bevy of grotesque beauty.
[First added to this chart: 01/03/2012]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,747
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Mike Scott’s first, deepest foray into his Celt roots is brimming with signature pantheistic poetry and jammed with beautiful fiddle jigs.
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,354
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Imperfect, so what? I've come back to this water over and over again. Bruce is the best damn songwriter ever. I love this guy.
[First added to this chart: 01/03/2012]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,871
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The band hits full stride, bridging the eras of college radio heroes to rock radio saviours. This album is a great example of a strong band exploring different sounds and creating, indeed, a rich pageant. That closer, Superman!
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,554
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Righteously angry, red-blooded protest music, striking in theme, musicianship and execution. I've watched Peter Garrett sing songs from this, silhouetted against a blood-red sunset. Things like that are why we listen to rock and roll.
[First added to this chart: 12/24/2010]
Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,941
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Total albums: 12. Page 1 of 2
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 5 | 5% | |
| 1970s | 22 | 22% | |
| 1980s | 12 | 12% | |
| 1990s | 22 | 22% | |
| 2000s | 21 | 21% | |
| 2010s | 17 | 17% | |
| 2020s | 1 | 1% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Bruce Springsteen | 4 | 4% | |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 3 | 3% | |
| The Tragically Hip | 3 | 3% | |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 3% | |
| Porcupine Tree | 3 | 3% | |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 2% | |
| Neil Young | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 30 from 95th to 65th If I Should Fall From Grace With God by The Pogues |
| Up 2 from 77th to 75th Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison |
| Up 2 from 76th to 74th The Joshua Tree by U2 |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 32 from 67th to 99th The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest |
| Down 14 from 63rd to 77th Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience |
| Down 11 from 65th to 76th Bee Thousand by Guided By Voices |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Most Spins | jhuik | Custom chart | 2013 | |
| Best/ Favourite Songs of All Time | jhuik | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | maverick470 | Overall chart | 2015 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | TinyBlueMusic | Overall chart | 2021 |  |
| Overall Top 100 Ranked Correctly |  Mother Nature's Son | Custom chart | 2014 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | tim0505 | Overall chart | 2025 |  |
| TOP 100 IN THE FUTURE |  exileonthehell | Custom chart | 2016 |  |
| An Objective Ranking Of BEA'S Top 100... |  covecove | Custom chart | 2017 |  |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
89/100 (from 133 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 133 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 85/100  | 03/24/2025 22:09 | Moondance | | 85/100 |
| 85/100 | 03/24/2025 08:46 |  NowhereMan | | 82/100 |
| 90/100 | 02/09/2025 10:25 |  SomethingSpecial | | 85/100 |
| 80/100 | 08/11/2024 11:56 |  Tamthebam | | 85/100 |
| 90/100 | 06/22/2024 09:39 |  dihansse | | 84/100 |
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 6% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.6/100, a mean average of 88.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.8/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 11.2.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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80/100
From hailey 12/13/2018 16:52
Really good chart in my opinion, I like all the descriptions you gave each album and i agree with most of the albums you have on there. Well, of the ones that i have listened to.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
CharlieBarley 08/21/2018 23:09
CharlieBarley 08/21/2018 23:09
Refreshingly good. Great notes and some top picks. And some to check out too. Great stuff.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
80/100
From 
JulianR 03/13/2018 04:04
JulianR 03/13/2018 04:04
Haha I've come back to this chart for whatever reason, and that comment was supposed to have an exclamation mark. Anyway, tons of great stuff! Props for Hand Cannot Erase, its such an underappreciated album
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
ForegroundNoise 01/20/2018 09:17
ForegroundNoise 01/20/2018 09:17
It's a shame there's not more emphasis on experimental and electronic music but each to their own I guess! Still, astounding chart - love the bios and the careful picks so can appreciate a good taste when I see one
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From jhuik 11/30/2017 01:47
jhuik 11/30/2017 01:47
@scotsindie lol.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
5/100
From scotsindie 11/22/2017 10:33
This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -9 votes (0 helpful | 9 unhelpful)
80/100
From PaperVinnie 11/08/2017 16:14
The only pick I strongly disagree with is Ten, but nice still.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
80/100
From JulianR 10/07/2017 05:00
JulianR 10/07/2017 05:00
good stuff?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From jhuik 04/23/2017 22:55
jhuik 04/23/2017 22:55
You're right LedZep. I think they are prog-influenced, though, and others see it, too (e.g. http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=94658) but yes, it is a bit obtuse to call them prog. I edited that comment as per yours. (y)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
LedZep 04/23/2017 13:23
LedZep 04/23/2017 13:23
Totally agree with Mellon Collie description, listened to that album for the first time a several days ago, it's fantastic. Love the chart, but what you wrote about Alt-J really upset me, they aren't prog rock at all :/ As a prog fan I had to notice that sorry, it's a great chart all in all
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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