Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by 
meruizh 
I ask myself every now and then why I love music so much? Why has it become some sort of an addiction? To listen to new albums every chance I get, with every minute of my spare time trying to get my hands on my favorite records. I have come to realize that I am submerged in this crazy world of music, in which the last thing I am thinking off before going to bed is: “What album am I going to play tomorrow?”
I once read an article that mentioned that obsessive music listeners tend to be depressive people. At first it had me questioning me if this was really true. Am I just listening to stuff in order to give some sort of meaning to life? But music is not meant to give definition to your life; music is just part of it. When you play a specific album that creates a scenery in your head of a romantic night, or when you play some “depressive” album when you are in a down mood, music will always give you a hand.
In my case, music has something special I cannot find in anything else. I often find myself in the desperate need for it. It is a sort of “click” a song or an album can have in you. It is something I cannot describe with words. This “click” comes in rare occasions, but when it happens, it is like magic. It is an incredible feeling.
Music wakes me up and accompanies me throughout my day. Every single album, song or lyric are part of me. However, at the end, I think nothing gives me more pleasure than to share this passion, this small treasure I get from music, with the people I care about the most.
I am trying to give a comment on each album, not an album review, but a reflection, which tells you a bit of my experience with the album, or why I like it so much.
- Chart updated: 12/12/2018 18:45
- (Created: 12/30/2010 22:51).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 75 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 107 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
View the complete list of 53,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
Buy album 
- #Sponsored
It was in 2008 when I got my crazy adiction to music, which has kept groing non-stop ever since. I bought the whole Beatles discography. After listening to this álbum I asked myself, how many times have I’ve Heard an álbum with 30 songs, which is not weak, or boring from beginning to end. This albums represents the essence of the best band in history. I dont have a personal anecdote for this álbum, but each song, and the álbum as a whole made an impact of the seize of 30 great anthems.
[First added to this chart: 12/30/2010]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
43,138
Rank in 1968:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
337
Buy album
- #Sponsored
I think in general I’m not a fan of the grunge movement or the bands at all. But then there is Nirvana, which is one of my favorites all time bands. Does it make sense? No, it doesn’t do, and I think that is what makes the band and this particular album one of the most brilliant things ever done. Every time I want to jump or scream, if I’m depressed or angry, I feel completed related to the album (in utero is a masterpiece too). Believe it or not, Nirvana helps me with my introspective self, my ideas flow while listening to Nirvana, and feel so calm after the album ends.
[First added to this chart: 09/29/2012]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
41,971
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Radiohead has been my all-time favorite band since I first started listening to “good music”. But I have to say Kings of Limbs was one of their weakest efforts; even the live version of the album was far more superior than the studio version. Still, as “die hard” fan of any band you will always love their music even if it lets you down a bit. Five years later Radiohead announced a new album and my expectation were high again. Radiohead has continuously impressed me for the past 24 years and a new album meant huge hype from the music community.
A Moon Shaped Pool is Radiohead’s return to form, it combines all their best ideas from throughout their career, from powerful 90’s heart breaking ballads to political statements of Hail to the Thief and the sheer beauty of In Rainbows. The eleven songs on the album are musically subtly and quietly varied, creating an arrangement of songs that explore different styles while staying in a single overall mood. I think it's important and warrants revisiting. This album will be considered a masterpiece and one of Radiohead’s most important album.
The album incredibly intimate and personal. To begin with, Thom Yorke and Rachel Owen announced their separation after 23 years in 2015 and in December, 2016 Owen lost her battle with cancer. The album’s second track first embraces this particular aspect. A piano ballad, Daydreaming contains thoughtful and personal lyrics that float above the slower melody, which eventually incorporates sparser orchestral accompaniment as well. The album ends touching this topic once again, with a show-stopper; the 20-year-old widely-popular live piece "True Love Waits" written at the beginning of their relationship.
The first song on the album, the fast-paced Burn the Witch, starts the album off on a deceptive note. The song in question is frantic and lively, the instrumentals almost completely orchestral save for an electronic bass and drum line, while the lyrics delve into very abstract matter that brings back memories of songs from OK Computer and Kid A.
In the song “Decks Dark,”, they retain the alternative elements of conventionality without being alternative at all. Genius. Radiohead are experts at aura. “Desert Island Disk” is one of my favorite off it because of its acoustic sound. “Ful Stop” actually manages to retain the electronic sounds of the early 2000's, but is still so very different; I found myself jumping in hysteria on my first listen of this song. For the first five tracks, this album was in a “perfect album” path. I even thought, “Personally, this is my favorite form of Radiohead.”
“Glass Eyes” is another production heavy tune, messing with piano in the most beautiful way. “Identikit” is far more soft and quiet, low tone and thought-provoking while a choir of Yorke's vocals lead the amazing quality of the song. Still... it fits very well. Obviously, every song is different. Identikit is one of the best on the album. “The Numbers” merges some experimental aspects from Kid A and Amnesiac with a classic acoustic guitar driven song. It all blends so well. And then Thom Yorke's falsetto voice sings low enough for this song to be one of the best on the album. It's an amazing work.
“Present Tense”, a beautiful acoustic guitar drives fantasia through an amalgam of beauty. I pictured myself dancing this song in my weeding and singing “In you I’m Lost” in my wife’s ear.
This album is powerfully gorgeous to listen to. It's powerfully personal. It's powerfully political, and conceptual, and tackles the unspeakably important subject of climate change with unthinkable artfulness. A Moon Shaped Pool is powerful. [First added to this chart: 04/18/2017]
A Moon Shaped Pool is Radiohead’s return to form, it combines all their best ideas from throughout their career, from powerful 90’s heart breaking ballads to political statements of Hail to the Thief and the sheer beauty of In Rainbows. The eleven songs on the album are musically subtly and quietly varied, creating an arrangement of songs that explore different styles while staying in a single overall mood. I think it's important and warrants revisiting. This album will be considered a masterpiece and one of Radiohead’s most important album.
The album incredibly intimate and personal. To begin with, Thom Yorke and Rachel Owen announced their separation after 23 years in 2015 and in December, 2016 Owen lost her battle with cancer. The album’s second track first embraces this particular aspect. A piano ballad, Daydreaming contains thoughtful and personal lyrics that float above the slower melody, which eventually incorporates sparser orchestral accompaniment as well. The album ends touching this topic once again, with a show-stopper; the 20-year-old widely-popular live piece "True Love Waits" written at the beginning of their relationship.
The first song on the album, the fast-paced Burn the Witch, starts the album off on a deceptive note. The song in question is frantic and lively, the instrumentals almost completely orchestral save for an electronic bass and drum line, while the lyrics delve into very abstract matter that brings back memories of songs from OK Computer and Kid A.
In the song “Decks Dark,”, they retain the alternative elements of conventionality without being alternative at all. Genius. Radiohead are experts at aura. “Desert Island Disk” is one of my favorite off it because of its acoustic sound. “Ful Stop” actually manages to retain the electronic sounds of the early 2000's, but is still so very different; I found myself jumping in hysteria on my first listen of this song. For the first five tracks, this album was in a “perfect album” path. I even thought, “Personally, this is my favorite form of Radiohead.”
“Glass Eyes” is another production heavy tune, messing with piano in the most beautiful way. “Identikit” is far more soft and quiet, low tone and thought-provoking while a choir of Yorke's vocals lead the amazing quality of the song. Still... it fits very well. Obviously, every song is different. Identikit is one of the best on the album. “The Numbers” merges some experimental aspects from Kid A and Amnesiac with a classic acoustic guitar driven song. It all blends so well. And then Thom Yorke's falsetto voice sings low enough for this song to be one of the best on the album. It's an amazing work.
“Present Tense”, a beautiful acoustic guitar drives fantasia through an amalgam of beauty. I pictured myself dancing this song in my weeding and singing “In you I’m Lost” in my wife’s ear.
This album is powerfully gorgeous to listen to. It's powerfully personal. It's powerfully political, and conceptual, and tackles the unspeakably important subject of climate change with unthinkable artfulness. A Moon Shaped Pool is powerful. [First added to this chart: 04/18/2017]
Year of Release:
2016
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,135
Rank in 2016:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
I first listened to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in april 2010, during holidays in Canada. The trip consisted in many long paths, with impressive landscaping with no civilization at all. It was in the car admiring those lonely landscapes in my way to Toronto, that just after one listen, I said… what a fuck is this… this is amazing. Right after the álbum ended, I listen to it over and over again. It joy and tranquility merged in ten perfect songs
[First added to this chart: 12/30/2010]
Year of Release:
2002
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,486
Rank in 2002:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
At first I was not certain if I wanted to give this album a try. I don't know why, but I previewed a song, and founded uninteresting. But one night I said, what a hell, let's do this. And what can I say about that... just magnificent experience. While walking through the cold and dark streets of my University's town in Belgium I felt in love. The lyrics, man the lyrics....
"I'll know we're fucked, and not getting un-fucked soon" [First added to this chart: 02/09/2014]
"I'll know we're fucked, and not getting un-fucked soon" [First added to this chart: 02/09/2014]
Year of Release:
2009
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,254
Rank in 2009:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
It was in 2008 in a search of new music, I found Rebellion (lies), I was amazed. The complete album is a musical piece that with just one listen I was in love. The four Neighborhoods, Crown of Love, and well what can you say about Wake up; a masterpiece. Even if you are the most ignorant person in music, if you see this band live, you’ll experience something out of this world
[First added to this chart: 12/30/2010]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
41,716
Rank in 2004:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
This album hasn't even come out officially and I can say this is their 4th masterpiece in a row. I don't know if you've noticed every The National album comes with a pair. "The National-Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers", "Alligator-Boxer", and finally "High Violet-Trouble Will Find Me" make a perfect match. This album is as good as their predecessor, I can't say better, because well High Violet is in my top 5. People were expecting more huge-cliche chorus or endings of the songs, but The National surprised us by looking to their own roots. This is not a album that will hit the mainstream, this a classic The National album, which needs at least 4 or 5 listens to discover the gems its has in it. I feel so identified with the lyrics and the music, it's just crazy I can't stop listening to it. LONG LIVE THE NATIONAL!!! "This Is The Last Time", "Sea of Love", "Graceless", "I Should Live in Salt" and "Pink Rabbit" best tracks
[First added to this chart: 05/17/2013]
Year of Release:
2013
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,046
Rank in 2013:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
I have to thank my cousin for introducing Radiohead to me. Simply talking about music, he mentioned Radiohead as his favorite band. I had no clue who they were, I just kind of knew the famous Creep. He kept insisting to give them a shot, so I said why not.. It’s was The Bends the first album I purchased of Radiohead. It was from Planet Telex, followed by The Bends, High and Dry….. I just thought, FUCK!! These guys are just MONUMENTAL!! I’ve never experience something like that. Radiohead changed my way of perceiving music. Its a completely new world, which few understand, but if you ever get to know it, it is……. don’t know lol
[First added to this chart: 12/30/2010]
Year of Release:
1995
Appears in:
Rank Score:
33,099
Rank in 1995:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
What can I say about my dear friends Oasis. They started like fucking gods, and ended up being simply human beings. But this album has its fucking amazing, seriously y a work of art, better than having watching porn and having sex (well… maybe not that much). It is a disgrace that every single album that came after What’s the Story Morning Glory went so low in every term. I can accept they made great tunes after, but never a great album such as this and their debut.
[First added to this chart: 12/30/2010]
Year of Release:
1995
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,934
Rank in 1995:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
I feel ashamed, just recently I started digging the whole BOWIE EXPERIENCE, and with out a doubt, and as every fucking person in the World will agree, this is Bowie’s best work (still I can understand Hunky Dory for someone could be the best Bowie’s album). It created a complete new World in my head, really hard to imagine. “…. waiting in the sky”
[First added to this chart: 03/02/2013]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
49,957
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 3 of 10
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 11 | 11% | |
| 1970s | 8 | 8% | |
| 1980s | 8 | 8% | |
| 1990s | 23 | 23% | |
| 2000s | 31 | 31% | |
| 2010s | 19 | 19% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Radiohead | 5 | 5% | |
| The Beatles | 4 | 4% | |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 3% | |
| The National | 3 | 3% | |
| Coldplay | 3 | 3% | |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 3% | |
| Blur | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
41 | 41% | |
| |
39 | 39% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
5 | 5% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 14 from 99th to 85th Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 85th to 86th † (Cross) by Justice (FR) |
| Down 1 from 86th to 87th Parachutes by Coldplay |
| Down 1 from 87th to 88th Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
- Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by OurLastBreathe (2018)
- Re-Ranking BEA's Top 100 by sunnydhamm (2020)
- BEA top 100 reranked - 2020 by
LedZep (2023) - BEA's Top 100 - The Correct Order by
babyBlueSedan (2020) - My Ranking of the BEA top 100 by
sszwalbenest (2021) - BEA's Top 100 re-ranked by
EyeKanFly (2020) - Overall for yours truly by
RoundTheBend (2020) - Going With My Gut: The Overall Chart Top 100 Re-ranked by
CharlieBarley (2024) - Rearrange Top 100 by
Larcx13 (2020) - Ya joking? Should've been higher! All Time edition by
Purplepash (2024)
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!
Why register?
Join a passionate community of over 50,000 music fans.- Create & share your own charts.
- Have your say in the overall rankings.
- Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
- Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
- Discover new music & improve your music collection.
- Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
- Create a wishlist of albums.
- Help maintain the BEA database.
- Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- ... And lots more!
Register now - it only takes a moment!
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
90/100 (from 107 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 107 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
90/100  | 03/12/2019 22:17 |  ForegroundNoise | | 87/100 |
95/100 | 03/09/2019 03:39 | bkogz | | 92/100 |
85/100 | 03/08/2019 18:47 |  greatson | | 80/100 |
100/100 | 03/08/2019 16:20 |  Rhyner | | 99/100 |
100/100 | 03/08/2019 15:37 |  DommeDamian | | 90/100 |
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 89.9/100, a mean average of 89.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.3/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 10.1.
Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
Showing latest 20 members who have added this chart as a favourite | Show all 21 members
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 75 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First |
Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)
90/100
From ForegroundNoise 03/12/2019 22:25
ForegroundNoise 03/12/2019 22:25
God I am astounded by your notes, truly something to be proud of. That said you seem to be someone much more comfortable in the modern era, with many of your older pics being slanted towards the classics. The 70s and 80s (the former especially!!) I think could do with a little more love, so here's a couple from those decades I think you might enjoy:
The Stooges - Fun House
Vashti Bunyan - Just Another Diamond Day
Brian Eno - Another Green World
Hiroshi Yoshimura - Music For Nine Postcards
Dinosaur Jr - You're Living All Over Me
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From greatson 03/08/2019 18:47
greatson 03/08/2019 18:47
well done!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
nitomano 04/22/2017 06:31
nitomano 04/22/2017 06:31
Great chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
80/100
From LedZep 04/19/2017 11:54
LedZep 04/19/2017 11:54
I like the descriptions very much, but it's not that diverse (not talking about Radiohead, more about the lack of pre 90s albums). It's a great chart nontheless
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
Strangel 10/19/2016 11:46
Strangel 10/19/2016 11:46
You're obviously still young but you write like you've been a music connoisseur for 30+ years. A shit load of time and effort put into this and I really enjoyed reading your summaries on the impact each album has had on you.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
Davy 05/27/2016 08:06
Davy 05/27/2016 08:06
I normally don't give a 100/100-rating, but your chart deserves every single point. You manage to explain what everyone on this website is feeling about music and the amount of effort you put into this chart and these comments is amazing. Chapeau, señor
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
ShadowColossi 04/02/2016 14:55
ShadowColossi 04/02/2016 14:55
Helllll yeah. Love this. Love the comments- Even longer than mine! Very well constructed list, can tell the music on this chart is very important to you.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
craola 07/28/2015 21:21
craola 07/28/2015 21:21
props on the album comments. really well put together with lots to say.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
awesomness425 06/01/2015 22:47
awesomness425 06/01/2015 22:47
These Notes Are On Point and the album choices are good as well (You Said a lot of Radiohead..pfft...i have the whole discography and thier live album), but also i saw a good amount of post-rock and you're right it's quite an interesting genre. I don't know if i'd put any on my list because as good as i know it is i just don't give the albums much listens...its something i listen to while lying on bed or when looking up at the cloud's or something, but Mogwai's Young Team or Sigur Ros' Agaetus Byrjun...Tied To be my favorite chart on this website...If you haven't already i reccomend Smashing Pumpkins
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (2 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
Laurence 03/31/2015 12:55
Laurence 03/31/2015 12:55
Great chart! Love your notes as well, (though I haven't read them all yet) especially those for Doolittle - they're spot on!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment
Your feedback for Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
Let us know what you think of this chart by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
If you enjoy our site, please consider supporting us by sparing a few seconds to disable your ad blocker.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
| Best Ever Artists | |
|---|---|
| 1. The Beatles | |
| 2. Radiohead | |
| 3. Pink Floyd | |
| 4. David Bowie | |
| 5. Bob Dylan | |
| 6. Led Zeppelin | |
| 7. The Rolling Stones | |
| 8. Arcade Fire | |
| 9. The Velvet Underground | |
| 10. Kendrick Lamar | |
| 11. Nirvana | |
| 12. Neil Young | |
| 13. The Smiths | |
| 14. Miles Davis | |
| 15. The Beach Boys | |
| 16. Kanye West | |
| 17. Pixies | |
| 18. R.E.M. | |
| 19. Jimi Hendrix | |
| 20. Bruce Springsteen |