Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
Paule 
Hello there! Still working on the list... Suggestions welcome!
I mainly evaluate the art of songwriting and composition as I listen to it. I'm less concerned with things like social impact of an album. A completely honest list would contain all Radiohead and all Björk albums, but a slight restriction doesn't hurt, eh?
- Chart updated: 11/08/2024 22:15
- (Created: 08/03/2016 06:28).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 19 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 92 out of 100 (from 36 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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EVERYTHIIIIIIIIING
This thing just passed the test of time, there is nothing like it. I compare every other album to Kid A in terms of sound, song creation, originality, groove and cohesion. Every possible artistic direction of a music album is perfected and every possible emotion from comfort to fear, anger is covered. It is a 40 minute journey that I have been on so many times and still enjoy every second of it. In many ways it is an essential part of my life that defines who I am and how I view and understand art. [First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
This thing just passed the test of time, there is nothing like it. I compare every other album to Kid A in terms of sound, song creation, originality, groove and cohesion. Every possible artistic direction of a music album is perfected and every possible emotion from comfort to fear, anger is covered. It is a 40 minute journey that I have been on so many times and still enjoy every second of it. In many ways it is an essential part of my life that defines who I am and how I view and understand art. [First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
Year of Release:
2000
Appears in:
Rank Score:
38,464
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And now the piano chord, right? Now? No.. now? no.. now? no still not AHH THERE IT IS THAT PIANO CHORD
Mark Hollis was a genius. And he waited to show all the cards up his sleeve until the very last Talk Talk album. To me, this album is in many ways very similar to Kid A except for the sound. While Kid A is trying very hard to make guitars sound like.. well not guitars, every instrument on Laughing Stock is recognizable but used in a groundbreaking fashion. The notes or chords played by individual instruments are so sparse that every single one feels significant. [First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
Mark Hollis was a genius. And he waited to show all the cards up his sleeve until the very last Talk Talk album. To me, this album is in many ways very similar to Kid A except for the sound. While Kid A is trying very hard to make guitars sound like.. well not guitars, every instrument on Laughing Stock is recognizable but used in a groundbreaking fashion. The notes or chords played by individual instruments are so sparse that every single one feels significant. [First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,024
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50 shades of darkness
I know that there are people who want to listen to happy music. Personally I am very happy when I can listen to devastatingly sad music. Maybe I am a weirdo... but anyways, if you like the melancholic stuff, there is no better album than this one to get lost in. Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley decorate Beth Gibbons' fragile voice with rumbling, beeping, and clanging sounds, beats, or beat-like things or weird choirs and all of it is great. WHERE IS THAT NEW ALBUM??? [First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
I know that there are people who want to listen to happy music. Personally I am very happy when I can listen to devastatingly sad music. Maybe I am a weirdo... but anyways, if you like the melancholic stuff, there is no better album than this one to get lost in. Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley decorate Beth Gibbons' fragile voice with rumbling, beeping, and clanging sounds, beats, or beat-like things or weird choirs and all of it is great. WHERE IS THAT NEW ALBUM??? [First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
Year of Release:
2008
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,525
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Darwin told us about weird fishes...
It is just stunning how radiohead were able to create such an interesting, beautiful and cohesive album by using very conventional instrumentation and sound. It is, at first glance, a pop record. But the songwriting is just from a another planet. I interpret this as a darwinian songwriting style. EVOLUTION. In 4-5 minutes, every song evolves from one point to another, every song is its own journey but still, every song maintains its character. Radiohead show, that it is possible to create music that can be listened to and enjoyed in superficial fashion while at the same time, it can be dissected and dove into by music nerds.
[First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
It is just stunning how radiohead were able to create such an interesting, beautiful and cohesive album by using very conventional instrumentation and sound. It is, at first glance, a pop record. But the songwriting is just from a another planet. I interpret this as a darwinian songwriting style. EVOLUTION. In 4-5 minutes, every song evolves from one point to another, every song is its own journey but still, every song maintains its character. Radiohead show, that it is possible to create music that can be listened to and enjoyed in superficial fashion while at the same time, it can be dissected and dove into by music nerds.
[First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
Year of Release:
2007
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,210
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[First added to this chart: 12/18/2018]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,629
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What is this weird thing on the cover?
[First added to this chart: 12/18/2018]
Year of Release:
2012
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,409
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Who doesn't need vitamin C??
Can is probably the most influential band on the type of music that I am interested in, the nondefinable, nonconventional yet emotionally appealing type. On Ege Bamyasi, Can move from sweet to heavy, always maintaining this undeniable groove (s/o Jaki, Can MVP, Drummer GOAT). I think it is their most consistent album and I go back to it the most.
[First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
Can is probably the most influential band on the type of music that I am interested in, the nondefinable, nonconventional yet emotionally appealing type. On Ege Bamyasi, Can move from sweet to heavy, always maintaining this undeniable groove (s/o Jaki, Can MVP, Drummer GOAT). I think it is their most consistent album and I go back to it the most.
[First added to this chart: 08/03/2016]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,077
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Available from
Do I need to buy it with some Bargeld?
Einstürzende Neubauten really struggle with commercialism, but have at that point in some way, become commercially successful. On this album, instead of just screaming against capitalist establishments, it seems like they try to deal with their conflict of identities and it suits them very well. I don't know why but I just love Blixas sharp lyrics more than usual on this thing. Sonically, the album has a unique flow to it and not every song is noisy, some of them are shockingly quiet and beautiful. It is by far the Neubauten album that I go back to the most and it owns a very firm place in my top 10. [First added to this chart: 03/08/2019]
Einstürzende Neubauten really struggle with commercialism, but have at that point in some way, become commercially successful. On this album, instead of just screaming against capitalist establishments, it seems like they try to deal with their conflict of identities and it suits them very well. I don't know why but I just love Blixas sharp lyrics more than usual on this thing. Sonically, the album has a unique flow to it and not every song is noisy, some of them are shockingly quiet and beautiful. It is by far the Neubauten album that I go back to the most and it owns a very firm place in my top 10. [First added to this chart: 03/08/2019]
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Is it his free will or IGORs?
I mean, it is very early I know. But I have not enjoyed a record like this in a long time. It is like a more cohesive version of Yeezus. The flow between all the tracks is immaculate. The production is from another planet. I am your PUPPET, Tyler, you control me.
And now I shall stop with the writing and go listen to IGOR again.. see ya. [First added to this chart: 05/19/2019]
I mean, it is very early I know. But I have not enjoyed a record like this in a long time. It is like a more cohesive version of Yeezus. The flow between all the tracks is immaculate. The production is from another planet. I am your PUPPET, Tyler, you control me.
And now I shall stop with the writing and go listen to IGOR again.. see ya. [First added to this chart: 05/19/2019]
Year of Release:
2019
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,503
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Available from
Best arrangements and snare sound (yes really!) in the game.
The sexy voice of Serge Gainsbourg did not change drastically over the years. The sexy voices of crying, laughing, or groaning women are representing another classical recurring element of his music. However, he did always change up the underlying sound. And let's be honest, this mixture of psychedelic rock, string arrangements and chanson just fit best to his voice and the voice of crying/laughing/groaning women. Even though I'm not a smoker, I feel the need to light a cigarette and flush it with a bottle of red wine when listening to this thing. [First added to this chart: 12/18/2018]
The sexy voice of Serge Gainsbourg did not change drastically over the years. The sexy voices of crying, laughing, or groaning women are representing another classical recurring element of his music. However, he did always change up the underlying sound. And let's be honest, this mixture of psychedelic rock, string arrangements and chanson just fit best to his voice and the voice of crying/laughing/groaning women. Even though I'm not a smoker, I feel the need to light a cigarette and flush it with a bottle of red wine when listening to this thing. [First added to this chart: 12/18/2018]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,776
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Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 1 | 1% | |
| 1960s | 9 | 9% | |
| 1970s | 15 | 15% | |
| 1980s | 16 | 16% | |
| 1990s | 15 | 15% | |
| 2000s | 16 | 16% | |
| 2010s | 20 | 20% | |
| 2020s | 8 | 8% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Radiohead | 4 | 4% | |
| Swans | 2 | 2% | |
| Can | 2 | 2% | |
| Björk | 2 | 2% | |
| Scott Walker | 2 | 2% | |
| Nick Cave | 2 | 2% | |
| Talk Talk | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| |
22 | 22% | |
 |
22 | 22% | |
 |
8 | 8% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Leavers |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | Paule | 2000s decade chart | 2023 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Thad | Overall chart | 2020 | |
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| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | gravityrider999 | Overall chart | 2019 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | JamesMowbray | Overall chart | 2022 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums |  Onater | Overall chart | 2019 | |
| My Personal Ranking of Rate Your Music's Top 100 |  Xxnu99etxX | Custom chart | 2020 | |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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Top 100 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).
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Showing latest 3 ratings for this chart. | Show all 36 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 01/15/2025 16:33 | Exist-en-ciel | 166 | 97/100 |
| ! | 11/13/2024 13:51 | DrewHamster | 314 | 79/100 |
| ! | 10/15/2023 14:15 |  Tamthebam | 656 | 85/100 |
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 92.4/100, a mean average of 94.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 94.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 7.4.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
Showing all 5 members who have added this chart as a favourite
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums forum mentions
This chart has been referenced 7 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
From 
BestEverAlbums 05/17/2025 08:00 in Chart of the day (#4952): By Paule
BestEverAlbums 05/17/2025 08:00 in Chart of the day (#4952): By Paule“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Paule () 1. Kid A by Radiohead (2000) 2. Laughing Stock by Talk Talk (1991) 3. Third by Portishead (2008) 4. In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007) 5. Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt (1974) 6. The Seer by Swans (2012) 7. Ege Bamyası by Can (1972) 8.…”
View forum post →From BestEverAlbums 11/13/2024 09:00 in Chart of the day (#4767): By Paule
BestEverAlbums 11/13/2024 09:00 in Chart of the day (#4767): By Paule“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Paule () 1. Kid A by Radiohead (2000) 2. Laughing Stock by Talk Talk (1991) 3. Third by Portishead (2008) 4. In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007) 5. Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt (1974) 6. The Seer by Swans (2012) 7. Ege Bamyası by Can (1972) 8.…”
View forum post →From BestEverAlbums 10/15/2023 08:00 in Chart of the day (#4373): By Paule
BestEverAlbums 10/15/2023 08:00 in Chart of the day (#4373): By Paule“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Paule () 1. Kid A by Radiohead (2000) 2. Laughing Stock by Talk Talk (1991) 3. Third by Portishead (2008) 4. In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007) 5. Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt (1974) 6. The Seer by Swans (2012) 7. Ege Bamyası by Can (1972) 8.…”
View forum post →Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From
ForegroundNoise 05/05/2019 08:17 | #235874
ForegroundNoise 05/05/2019 08:17 | #235874
Thank you so much for your lovely comment!! Nice to see we share a few favourites, though don't let the goodwill of your kind words fool you - my return score is not tit-for-tat.
LOVE your notes, and the little titles attached to them, but also so many great album picks??? This Heat in the top ten?? Machine Gun as the greatest jazz album? I feel like this chart could have easily been my own on a cloudier day, the self-professed 'devastatingly-sad' aesthetic is a really gripping cohesion that all your picks share.
I'm familiar with most of your picks, but given that I trust your taste I'll add the lesser known ones to my to-do list.
Since you ask for suggestions here's a couple you may enjoy that don't appear on my overall chart:
Comus - First Utterance (1971)
The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (1985)
Les Razilles Denudes - '77 Live (1991)
Meredith Monk - Dolmen Music (1981)
The United States Of America - The United States Of America (1968)
Also check out my 2000s chart for more hidden gems from that decade!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 3
From
FelipeBoorkes 04/02/2020 05:28 | #249422
There is so much to be thankful on this list. First, you put so much passion into your comments. Second, there is a lot of variety, from countries to genres. And third, it seems you're still searching for more music to amaze you.
I didn't see any Mexican artists there so let me suggest 3 artists and let's see if they make the cut:
1) Santa Sabina's El mar abierto en la sangre. Great art-rock band that mixes goth aesthetics with jazz and choral sounds.
2) La Barranca's La Rueda de los Tiempos. It is rock, with a twist of Mexican and Latin American folk.
3) Cafe Tacvba's Revés/Yo Soy. They are the biggest Mexican rock band and this album is just insane: the first one (Revés) is just a collection of instrumental pieces, including the participation of the Kronos Quartet; the second (Yo Soy), was a collection of honest pop-rock songs. Warning: This one is not on Spotify but it is available on Youtube.
If you check them out tell me your opinion.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
doubleA 03/23/2020 21:49 | #249046
doubleA 03/23/2020 21:49 | #249046
The writing is nice and all, but the title sentences really steps it up! They're often simple and quirky, but manages to hit the soft and funny spots in the feels, making every pick feel natural and obvious. And I don't usually comment on specifically the picks, but this is brilliant; Julia Holter, Can, Björk, Fishmans, Swans, Dead Can Dance, Tuxedomoon, Fela Kuti, Faust, Exuma, Jenny Hval. This is kinda uncanny. Thanfully this is not completely familiar, so there's tons to discover! An absolutely wonderful chart!
As you asked, some recommendations (a few wild and/or freaky ones to spice things up):
Pom Pom by Ariel Pink
Tricentennial 2076 by Vyto B
Unorthodox Behaviour by Brand X
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
Brad1770 TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/10/2019 11:15 | #233348
Brad1770 TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/10/2019 11:15 | #233348
Nice chart
Daughters at number 4 ! Go you, it was easily one of my favorite albums from 2018 and is set to be a modern classic
Great to see the Sergie Gainsberg album included , it’s one of my all time albums. I saw your Charlotte Gainsberg inclusion as well and have made a mental note to check it out ( can’t wait)
Finally Fiona Apples ‘ Idler Wheel ...’ is a masterpiece and cudos to you for inclusion
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
ExTeaSea TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/10/2019 03:47 | #233342
ExTeaSea TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/10/2019 03:47 | #233342
Cool chart, keep it up! Portishead Third is definitely wonderful, honestly they got better with each album and yet they only had three. Wish they had a few more. Cool seeing Einsturzende on someone's top ten. Love Flaming Lips but I'm still not that crazy about Embryonic after multiple listens, their 90s stuff is the best. Bjork is wonderful. You should check out Animal Collective. Also like that you have Charlotte Gainsborough and The Knife.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
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