Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by BorderFreeAndrew

Over the years I've listened to about 20,000 albums. These are the ones that I'm most likely to keep coming back to, i.e. - the 100 that I'd take to a desert island. Sorry for the lack of reviews/descriptions for each listing. For me, music is a visceral experience, so I try not to intellectualize it too much.

Some have asked why I don't have more from the 2010's and 2020's. Well, if BEA allowed a Top 300 list, you would see several from the last 10 years, as I do still enjoy discovering newer music. There just hasn't been anything recent that I love enough to take the place of these 100. When there is, I will edit the list to reflect that.
There are 18 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 32 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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Fave song: Ballerina (my all-time favorite song) [First added to this chart: 06/06/2016]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,282
Rank in 1968:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
2. (=)
3rd 
Fave song: Nighttime [First added to this chart: 06/06/2016]
Year of Release:
1978
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,204
Rank in 1978:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Fave song: Hounds of Love [First added to this chart: 06/08/2016]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,779
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Top rated album (85/100 - 1437 votes)  85 (1,437 votes)
Comments:
Fave song: Love [First added to this chart: 06/08/2016]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,823
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Fave song: Alone Again Or [First added to this chart: 06/08/2016]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
14,820
Rank in 1967:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Top rated album (85/100 - 1648 votes)  85 (1,648 votes)
Comments:
Fave song: Baba O'Riley [First added to this chart: 06/02/2024]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,186
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Top rated album (86/100 - 2605 votes)  86 (2,605 votes)
Comments:
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,255
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Fave song: Fruit Tree [First added to this chart: 06/08/2016]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,496
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Top rated album (85/100 - 1092 votes)  85 (1,092 votes)
Comments:
Fave song: Out of the Blue [First added to this chart: 06/08/2016]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,539
Rank in 1974:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Fave song: Animal Zoo [First added to this chart: 06/08/2016]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
827
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

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TitleSourceTypePublishedCountry
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970sBorderFreeAndrew1970s decade chart2020
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960sBorderFreeAndrew1960s decade chart2025
Top 100 Greatest Artists flamingyesdeptCustom chart2026
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990sBorderFreeAndrew1990s decade chart2025
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s Norman Bates1960s decade chart2025
Greatest Albums of All Time (2000) flamingyesdeptCustom chart2023
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970sbadger1970s decade chart2021Unknown
One Album Per Artist flamingyesdeptCustom chart2022
Top 100 Greatest Music AlbumsdavidhuretOverall chart2017
Best Artists flamingyesdeptCustom chart2024

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
87/100 (from 32 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
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85/100
 !
09/27/2025 12:28 Johnnyo  Ratings distribution  2,68980/100
The chart has been updated since this rating was assigned   
60/100
 !
07/08/2025 18:10 Applerill  Ratings distribution  97075/100
The chart has been updated since this rating was assigned   
85/100
 !
03/05/2025 15:46 slatsheit  Ratings distribution  2888/100

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This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 86.8/100, a mean average of 82.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 87.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 20.8.


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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums forum mentions

This chart has been referenced 6 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by ) 1. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison (1968) 2. 3rd by Big Star (1978) 3. Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush (1985) 4. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon (1970) 5. Forever Changes by Love (1967) 6. Who's Next by The Who (1971) 7. Five Leaves…”
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“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by BorderFreeAndrew () 1. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison (1968) 2. 3rd by Big Star (1978) 3. Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush (1985) 4. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon (1970) 5. Forever Changes by Love (1967) 6. Who's Next by The Who…”
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“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by BorderFreeAndrew () 1. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison (1968) 2. 3rd by Big Star (1978) 3. Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush (1985) 4. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon (1970) 5. Forever Changes by Love (1967) 6. Who's Next by The Who…”
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

Showing latest 5 comments | Show all 18 comments |
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From 05/13/2024 00:21 | #303488
here, I'll give some substantive criticism: this chart is boring. And I wouldn't go this deep but this user here gave my chart, which I've put a lot of effort into over the years, a 20 rating. No comment, no effort to criticize, just a 20. And I will make it political I don't care; Andrew is a conservative, anti-woke old man and old conservative men don't have good taste. There's nothing interesting, experimental or cutting edge here. It's old, boring singer-songwriters. Nothing here is from the last 20 years, a time period I would argue is rich with new ideas and experimentation especially in the last 5 years. Even in the 1970s and 80s there was a vast amount of bands trying new things, who loved and respected music so much that they wanted to make it better and more interesting, but Andrew here doesn't like that because he's uncurious and bland. Stagnant. And this is why this website fails while AOTY and RYM don't, because it's full of Andrews. I give a 15 instead of a 5 solely because of the inclusion of Bowie, Clube De Esquina, Nina Simone, and Exuma, I like all of them

Addendum: This is my final point and I will not press this any further after this message because I honestly can't believe I'm going this far. Your comment on my chart literally proves my point; you had nothing substantial to say about my chart, and actually you yourself were being pretty petty (also I can't tell if you were being racist with the whole "ain't got no taste in music no mo. I takes it back to the old skool" line, really corny btw, but whatever, seems you love Key and Peele so maybe youre not racist). Look I love being petty too, but I'll try to be more sympathetic because I know you don't have many years left. You sound really mad there and I think I struck a chord, but i'm gonna be constructive.

I don't think it's hipster or pretentious to sincerely love certain albums (I don't know what you specifically think is hipster but I'll put Black Country, New Road- Godspeed You!, and Swans as examples). I have comments written in earnest there not because I think it makes me look cool or hip to like these albums, but because I've put a lot of thought into these works and have grown real love for them. I don't know how you can say I'm shallow when I have basically novels written about my favorite albums. I also don't know how some of these fit into a "starter kit" considering I've loved most of these albums for many years now. You sounded really dumb there. See, I already know I'm young and cool, my music taste has nothing to do with that. I just try to engage critically with the music I listen to, whether I love it or not, maybe that's too far-left, soy, hipster of me.

And look, I actually don't care if you don't like my taste, plus your rating did literally nothing to my overall average, people love my shit. Again, I've put a lot of thought into my chart and have a lot written, it's 6 years old at this point and has gone through many iterations. But here you go randomly giving me a 20 when you have nothing written on yours. I say imperatively, if you have the time, put comments on your chart to show you care about the music on your chart, you could prove me wrong by having any interesting analysis on the albums you claim to love. (Edited)
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From 02/08/2025 18:09 | #307492
Your taste is very hard to love, and yet love it I do. This list is so out of character for this site and therefore all the more better. 85/100 is an arbitrary way of saying "I don't agree with you but I support your every decision". Kate Bush forever. (Edited)
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From 02/18/2019 21:16 | #232160
Nice chart, especially love the Brigitte Fontaine and Roy Harper picks!! Some notes would make a great addition
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From 11/13/2023 06:20 | #299951
Although we both favour the 70's & 60's above every other decade - and rightfully so - we have no albums in common & only 6 artists in common. Despite that, I really liked your chart - it just goes to show what a remarkably diverse world we enter when we journey through modern music and how music & lyrics impact on us in mysterious ways! (Edited)
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From 06/19/2016 11:46 | #169133
Keep going to 100 some here i'm not familiar with but ill check out
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