Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by ShadowColossi

Ok so I rate albums as follows:
I basically just write down all the songs, rank them from 1-5*, and then add up all the *s, / the max number of stars. For example:
Pink Floyd Animals
Pigs on the Wing pt. 1 - *****
Dogs- *****
Pigs- *****
Sheep- *****
Pigs on the Wing pt. 2- *****
25/25=10.0

This chart is a constant work in process- it's very possible it may change multiple times a day. I'm always listening to new music and my opinions on certain albums are also due to change over time- So I apologize if you liked my chart a way it was before, but they're all there anyways. I just like to keep it up to date for my tastes at the moment.

I judge music by complexity and creativity in songwriting, as well as uniqueness. So when something strikes me as well written, complex music with a unique sound, it's bound to one of my favorites. I also believe emotion is a huge thing for music, some songs portray it so well it can make you feel the same way. Anyways, enjoy my chart! Recommendations are ALWAYS welcome :)
Also, I make music and would love if you checked it out!
https://padomine.bandcamp.com/album/imperfection

There are 43 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 93 out of 100 (from 69 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 1990s. (Remove this filter)

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Indie Pop / Chamber Rock

For sure the magnum opus for the flaming lips for me, and that says a lot with their huge and varied catalog. But nowhere else does Wayne Coyne's frail voice sound better than backed with pounding drums, swooning synths, and guitar parts that come in and out only to play off of the melodies he is singing. In my opinion, this is the most important record in the neo-psychedelic movement. It paved the ways for bands such as Animal Collective, Tame Impala, and many more, combining a slightly schizo songwriting, with many elements popping in and out, dreamy textures, and a little bit of playfulness. The traces of this record can be found in countless today.

9.7 / 10

Favorite Song: "Suddenly Everything Has Changed"

"Will the fight
For our sanity,
Be the fight
Of our lives?"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,221
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Shoegaze

My first introduction to shoe-gazing, and at first I had no clue what to think of it. How could I? It gives you that 2 second drum roll and then it all hits you, full force, all at once. That screeching bending guitar notes and those distortion-drowned power chords just have ridiculous power in them. And all that comes after it is just as good- infinitely powerful while also infinitely sweet.

9.6 / 10

Favorite Song: Tie between literally every track except "Touched"

"When I look at you
Oh, I don't know what's real
Once in a while
And you make me laugh

And I'll see you tomorrow
And it won't be long
Once in a while
Then you take me down
Then you walk away"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
29,908
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Post-Rock / Post-Classical

*Shudders*
Sorry, I got goosebumps. Every time that just sheer noise that comes in during "Sven-g-englar", I get them. This record is truly beautiful, a must for anyone who loves atmospheric music. I don't know what compelled him to start playing his guitar with his bow, but man am I glad he did. All tracks on here are beautiful in their own respect. The beautiful violin "Staralfur", the power in those drums that kick in during "Ny Batteri", and just the atmospheric beauty of it all.

9.6 / 10

Favorite Track: "Sven-v-englar"

"*insert playing guitar with violin bow & lots of distortion here*"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,514
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Shoegaze / Dream Pop

Slowdive are one of those bands that were irresistable to me from the first listen. I first heard them on youtube going through some shoegaze, and it was "Souvlaki Space Station" with images of planets and space. It fit the song so well, and all of that delay sparked my initial interest and eveentual obsession with guitar effects. "Alison" is the best ambient love song I've ever heard, "40 Days" and "Dagger" are tragic, and "When the Sun Hits" is just shoegaze served on a delicious platter of reverb and distortion. Great record, love almost every track.

9.6 / 10

Favorite Track: "When the Sun Hits"

"The sunshine girl is sleeping
She falls and dreams alone
And me I am her dagger
Too numb to feel her pain"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,223
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Indie Rock

I don't quite understand why this one had to grow on me, but it did. It just didn't click as quickly as even Kid A did. But now I can understand why it's the top album on this site. "Paranoid Android", "Climbing Up the Walls", "Lucky", and "Let Down" are highlights, but the whole thing is gold (excluding fitter happier, sorry guys).

9.5 / 10

Favorite Track: "Lucky"

"Please could you stop the noise I'm tryin' to get some rest
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head
What's this?
When I am king, you will be first against the wall
With your opinion which is of no consequence at all"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1997
Appears in:
Rank Score:
66,676
Rank in 1997:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
21. (=)
Buy album United States
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Post-Rock

If you're looking for catchy melodies, this album is not the place to look. If you're looking for a haunting experience that genuinely could terrify you- You've found it! Look no further than Slint's "Spiderland". Very nice post-rock riffs laid overtop of a narrator instead of a singer- telling you creepy tales that you'll barely hear over the downbeat guitars- but the mood of the album itself is enough to give you shivers. "Good Morning, Captain" is a perfect closer- the lead singer screamed so hard he was hospitalized afterwards. A haunting album.

9.3 / 10

Favorite Track: "Good Morning, Captain"

"I'm sorry....
... And I miss you..."
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,702
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Post-Rock / Ambient Rock

It starts off quiet, slowly easing you into the dark tone of the album with "Myrrham", some soft chords and Mark Hollis's voice quietly singing over them. Absolutely necessary to ease you into the mood of this record. "Ascension Day" is what kicks it all off- a perfect name as you ascend into the album- a balance between serence soundscapes and ear-shattering chords that sound messily played but somehow still sound just so perfectly played, like someone was in a haze and started to mindlessly strum their guitar and accidentally created something beautiful. "After the Flood" is a perfect title, a comedown from the raging flood of emotions from Ascension Day. It's quieter, and less noisy than it's predecesor, but just as emotional. Would fit just as well in "Spirit of Eden". "Taphead" is the most jazzy of all the tracks, and "New Grass" is the most beautiful. God what a track- I can't even say anything that would do it justice. "Runeii" is like the reverse of the open track- slowly gets quieter and lets descend from the high of this album, slowly trickling out. This album is a journey if there ever was one.

9.3 / 10

Favorite Track: "Ascension Day"

"And tread dependence beneath my feet
Step right up, something's happening here"
[First added to this chart: 03/17/2016]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,102
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Chamber Rock / Indie Rock

Jeff Magnum, what will we ever do with you? Your lyrics alone make every single song you write not for radio play. But you melodies sure say otherwise. I'm not in love with Anne Frank, so I don't exactly understand where he's coming from, but I can tell in his voice that it means a lot. And that's what draws me to this record- the sheer emotion behind it. Each song has it's own feel (it's usually a depressing one, but that's not important), and the record demands to be listened in order. I can't listen to it any other way.

9.3 / 10

Favorite Track: "Ghost"

"And one day in New York City, baby
A girl fell from the sky
From the top of a burning apartment building
Fourteen stories high
And when her spirit left her body
How it split the sun
I know that she will live forever
All goes on and on and on"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
34,472
Rank in 1998:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Indie Rock / Indie Pop / Punk

I don't have the emotional connection to this album that makes a lot of the bigger fans of it love it so much. But I do connect with the themes in the lyrics, and I can tell from the singing that there is a lot of emotion behind this record. Emotion about trying to repair your social life after breaking off with you lover ("You Are Invited"), about thinking how everything is possible and how overwhelming it is ("Life of Possibilities"). About being lost and confused about everything ("Spider in the Snow"), anger towards your lover, or just love in general ("What Do You Want Me to Say?"), and wanting all the pain to go away in any way possible so you can be happy ("Memory Machine").
Oh fuck.
I guess I do have a connection with this album.

9.2 / 10

Favorite Track: "Memory Machine"

"Some day, I'm telling you
They'll make a memory machine
To wax our lives to a blinding sheen,
To wash away the grief"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,757
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Indie Rock

Almost a transitional record for Radiohead, especially since there was no transition from the sound of OK Computer to Kid A - they kinda just jumped. But it's that halfway point in between experimentalism and their "Creep" catchy rock tunes, and it works very well. Some tracks are beautiful, others are fast and intense, and they're all good.

9.2 / 10

Favorite Track: "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"

"Two jumps and a week
I bet you think that's pretty clever, don't you boy
Flying on your motorcycle
Watching all the ground beneath you drop"
[First added to this chart: 01/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1995
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,144
Rank in 1995:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 25. Page 1 of 3

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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 11 11%
1980s 4 4%
1990s 25 25%
2000s 27 27%
2010s 28 28%
2020s 0 0%
Artist Albums %


Animal Collective 5 5%
Radiohead 5 5%
Pink Floyd 4 4%
Tame Impala 3 3%
Sigur Rós 3 3%
Nick Drake 2 2%
Elliott Smith 2 2%
Show all
Country Albums %


United States 64 64%
United Kingdom 21 21%
Canada 5 5%
Australia 3 3%
Iceland 3 3%
Mixed Nationality 3 3%
Germany 1 1%

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

TitleSourceTypePublishedCountry
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums sg6Overall chart2017
One Album per Artist ChartImaybeparanoidCustom chart2016Unknown
Top 100 Greatest Music Albumsspace22ifyOverall chart2021Unknown
Top 100 Greatest Music AlbumsbeaOverall chart2021Unknown
BEA Forum Regulars' Top 100 (2015) HigherThanTheSunCustom chart2015
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums15henkleaOverall chart2014Unknown
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums Komorebi-DOverall chart2018
One album per artistbeaCustom chart2021Unknown
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums Ironic KarmaOverall chart2015
Top 100 Greatest Music Albumsjosh333Overall chart2016

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


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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
93/100 (from 69 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
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 69 ratings for this chart.

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90/100
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07/22/2025 17:23 Johnnyo  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 2,48980/100
 
80/100
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06/19/2020 05:45 DriftingOrpheus  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 7891/100
 
90/100
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08/14/2019 02:07 ExTeaSea  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 24489/100
 
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07/07/2019 09:15 bertrandu  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 11088/100
 
95/100
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06/23/2019 03:38 Xxnu99etxX  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 14290/100

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 1% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 92.7/100, a mean average of 92.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 93.7/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 13.4.

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 43 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)

Rating:  
90/100
From 07/22/2025 17:23
Really, really good chart.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 09/12/2019 04:46
@dexme: I don’t understand your comment at all: he only rated a couple of hundreds of albums, he’s chosen some fairly non standard albums albums for this top chart and he wouldn’t go into the trouble to write these long personal comments on his top albums if he was only after the points: for me this chart and the comment that go with it is a winner.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
55/100
From 09/12/2019 03:42
Your chart sucks. It only has popular albums. Stop ratings albums just because you want points. How dare you.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 08/14/2019 02:08
Really cool chart! Animal Collective and The Unicorns, nice!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 06/27/2018 01:44
Great chart!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 09/15/2017 18:56
This has introduced me to so much!!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 09/15/2017 12:24
Nothing new to add. This is really amazing, still.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 09/15/2017 12:18
Nice chart!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 09/15/2017 09:19
Phenomenal chart my friend. Looks similar to mind, in terms of description. :)))
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 09/15/2017 08:38
Great chart, I can see mine looking a bit like this in a year's time. By the way, the track on Blonde on Blonde is "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again", not "the Texas Blues".
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