Top 20 Greatest Music Albums
by TheMusicClub 
- Chart updated: 08/17/2016 16:45
- (Created: 07/12/2016 15:05).
- Chart size: 20 albums.
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Darklands lives up to its name as a dark, brooding piece of work; walls of distorted guitars rumble throughout as clean-picked solos dance through the rain providing relief from half-sung stanzas of slacker poetry. “April Skies” was a good choice for lead single with its up-tempo beat and bright sound. As on the much of the album the guitars here are so loud they almost drown out the drums however this aesthetic works for them.
The opening title track comes across as a low-key take on Bowie’s “Heroes” while refusing to acknowledge that song’s payoff. Instead the listener is treated some wonderful, minimal “do do do’s”. This could have been a huge song but they exercise the restraint to keep it coiled and tense- a pop song for the other crowd. The homages to other artists don’t end there: “Cherry Came Too” recalls vintage Beach Boys melodies with Jesus and Mary Chain’s trademark guitar replacing Brian Wilson’s muti-instrumental orchestration. And mid-album highlight and rhythmic sludge of a song “Nine Million Rainy Days” churns along crushing hope in its path until “wo woo” reminiscent of “Sympathy for the Devil” let you know it’s all going to be ok.
Elsewhere “Fall” rocks out while “Deep One Perfect Morning” evokes its title ‘perfectly’ when those chiming guitars come in on the kick. Darklands winds itself tighter as it progresses until it finally exhales on its final track, “About You” where acoustic guitars replace the crushing electric rhythm tracks of the earlier songs. This has the effect closing this intense album with not a whimper, but a whisper.
The opening title track comes across as a low-key take on Bowie’s “Heroes” while refusing to acknowledge that song’s payoff. Instead the listener is treated some wonderful, minimal “do do do’s”. This could have been a huge song but they exercise the restraint to keep it coiled and tense- a pop song for the other crowd. The homages to other artists don’t end there: “Cherry Came Too” recalls vintage Beach Boys melodies with Jesus and Mary Chain’s trademark guitar replacing Brian Wilson’s muti-instrumental orchestration. And mid-album highlight and rhythmic sludge of a song “Nine Million Rainy Days” churns along crushing hope in its path until “wo woo” reminiscent of “Sympathy for the Devil” let you know it’s all going to be ok.
Elsewhere “Fall” rocks out while “Deep One Perfect Morning” evokes its title ‘perfectly’ when those chiming guitars come in on the kick. Darklands winds itself tighter as it progresses until it finally exhales on its final track, “About You” where acoustic guitars replace the crushing electric rhythm tracks of the earlier songs. This has the effect closing this intense album with not a whimper, but a whisper.
Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,118
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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This album tells me so many times that it’ll be alright, everything is just fine, and that it’ll be ok that I have to believe that it won’t be any of those things. The lie begins with the opening track, People Say, where a fucking groovy guitar riff promising to lift my tired spirits greets me. What follows musically is exactly that. Lyrically, People Say tells a different story. The soldiers may say that everything will be ok because though they may not survive the war, they’ve lived through the night. They have won the war and may have lost a million men, but they’ve got a million more. I can’t tell if this is psychotically optimistic or the most cynical of satire.
What follows is maybe my favorite track, Work All Day, and definitely the most honest. The never changing beat is reminiscent of Working on a Coal Mine, or Dragging the Line. The lead guitar is often staccato hitting the notes and cutting them off like a machine press. This song was made for a depressing montage centered around a day, or rather a soul-crushing lifetime, in the greyest most depressing factory or florescent lit office you’ve ever seen. The Sun later shows me exactly what I like about the album’s vocals and melodies. It gives me exactly what I want exactly when I want it. The steel pick strumming behind the howl, “where, where are we now” refrain in the second verse screams Where is My Mind that is much more natural than derivative.
Dogs and Guns, Do You, and Everyone is Golden is my favorite stretch of the album. Dogs and Guns plays like an homage to Tom Petty, it was hard for me not to sing the opening of Mary Jane’s Last Dance every time I hear it. Do You has hints of old grunge peaking through the fuzzed up guitars kicking in heavy in the chorus, knocking the shit out of those three chords. The outro of Do You, leading into the intro of Everyone is Golden is Beatles-esque. That Beatles sounds continues throughout Everyone is Golden through the lead guitar and violins. It’s really a beautiful sound that is kept mostly in the background of the song.
I hate Let You Down. I don’t hate the song, I hate the lyrics… no I hate the man who wrote them, or the character that sings them. Whoever, or whatever is behind it, I fucking hate it. “Just go, please don’t go, ‘cause I’ll only let you down.” Fuck you. I’ll Let You Down laments the fact that the singer cannot have his cake and eat it too. He cuts loose his lover because he will let her down, but wait, he doesn’t want her to go. It’s defeatist in the least sympathetic way, a man who knows he isn’t good enough who instead of becoming worthy, quits and whines about it. It throws an indelible taint over the entire perspective of the album.
Mornings. Mornings go best with the sunrise, but a sunrise that he’ll never see again, but he’s gonna be just fine. Somehow I doubt that he’ll be just fine, but goddamn do I love his voice on this track.
Satanic Satanists is a fantastic album even if it’s one I can’t relate to personally or emotionally. The music and vocals are tight and boppy and sad and filled with contradiction and I enjoy the shit out of it. I do pity the voice of this album. He’s going to live a sad life and die alone because he refuses to take control of his life… at least the parts he can control.
What follows is maybe my favorite track, Work All Day, and definitely the most honest. The never changing beat is reminiscent of Working on a Coal Mine, or Dragging the Line. The lead guitar is often staccato hitting the notes and cutting them off like a machine press. This song was made for a depressing montage centered around a day, or rather a soul-crushing lifetime, in the greyest most depressing factory or florescent lit office you’ve ever seen. The Sun later shows me exactly what I like about the album’s vocals and melodies. It gives me exactly what I want exactly when I want it. The steel pick strumming behind the howl, “where, where are we now” refrain in the second verse screams Where is My Mind that is much more natural than derivative.
Dogs and Guns, Do You, and Everyone is Golden is my favorite stretch of the album. Dogs and Guns plays like an homage to Tom Petty, it was hard for me not to sing the opening of Mary Jane’s Last Dance every time I hear it. Do You has hints of old grunge peaking through the fuzzed up guitars kicking in heavy in the chorus, knocking the shit out of those three chords. The outro of Do You, leading into the intro of Everyone is Golden is Beatles-esque. That Beatles sounds continues throughout Everyone is Golden through the lead guitar and violins. It’s really a beautiful sound that is kept mostly in the background of the song.
I hate Let You Down. I don’t hate the song, I hate the lyrics… no I hate the man who wrote them, or the character that sings them. Whoever, or whatever is behind it, I fucking hate it. “Just go, please don’t go, ‘cause I’ll only let you down.” Fuck you. I’ll Let You Down laments the fact that the singer cannot have his cake and eat it too. He cuts loose his lover because he will let her down, but wait, he doesn’t want her to go. It’s defeatist in the least sympathetic way, a man who knows he isn’t good enough who instead of becoming worthy, quits and whines about it. It throws an indelible taint over the entire perspective of the album.
Mornings. Mornings go best with the sunrise, but a sunrise that he’ll never see again, but he’s gonna be just fine. Somehow I doubt that he’ll be just fine, but goddamn do I love his voice on this track.
Satanic Satanists is a fantastic album even if it’s one I can’t relate to personally or emotionally. The music and vocals are tight and boppy and sad and filled with contradiction and I enjoy the shit out of it. I do pity the voice of this album. He’s going to live a sad life and die alone because he refuses to take control of his life… at least the parts he can control.
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[First added to this chart: 08/17/2016]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,612
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 08/17/2016]
Year of Release:
2009
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,049
Rank in 2009:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Buy album
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Buy album
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[First added to this chart: 08/17/2016]
Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,400
Rank in 1998:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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[First added to this chart: 08/17/2016]
Year of Release:
2013
Appears in:
Rank Score:
383
Rank in 2013:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,196
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,872
Rank in 1974:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 20. Page 1 of 2
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Top 20 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1970s | 4 | 20% | |
| 1980s | 1 | 5% | |
| 1990s | 8 | 40% | |
| 2000s | 5 | 25% | |
| 2010s | 2 | 10% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Eno | 1 | 5% | |
| Titus Andronicus | 1 | 5% | |
| The Jesus And Mary Chain | 1 | 5% | |
| Stevie Wonder | 1 | 5% | |
| Portugal. The Man | 1 | 5% | |
| Portishead | 1 | 5% | |
| The Breeders | 1 | 5% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 20 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 11 from 1st to 12thInnervisions by Stevie Wonder |
| Down 5 from 3rd to 8thMuchacho by Phosphorescent |
| Down 2 from 5th to 7thElectro-Shock Blues by Eels |
Top 20 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 20 Greatest Music Albums | evilzzz | Overall chart | 2010 | |
| 90s Classics | newjlp | Custom chart | 2015 | |
| Top 20 Music Albums of 1998 |  eclab | 1998 year chart | 2018 |  |
| Elektronik (my best electronic albums) |  Timestarter | Custom chart | 2021 |  |
| BEA/RYM Average 1998 Album Ranks | NickyTBlizzad | Custom chart | 2019 | |
| Top 13 Greatest Music Albums | benedict | Overall chart | 2016 | |
| Top 20 Music Albums of 1998 |  sageamagoo | 1998 year chart | 2016 |  |
| Top 15 Music Albums of 1998 |  benpaco | 1998 year chart | 2013 | |
| Top 16 Greatest Music Albums | Jimi73 | Overall chart | 2013 | |
| Top 20 Music Albums of the 1990s |  ptaylor1989 | 1990s decade chart | 2013 | |
Top 20 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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Top 20 Greatest Music Albums ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
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.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing all 2 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 09/02/2017 21:26 |  LedZep | 1,103 | 84/100 |
| ! | 08/17/2016 16:26 | joesephed | 1 | 100/100 |
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Top 20 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From LedZep 09/02/2017 21:26 | #197130
LedZep 09/02/2017 21:26 | #197130
Really cool, give us 100!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From joesephed 08/17/2016 16:27 | #173008
love what you are doing
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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