Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by CharlieBarley

Welcome one, welcome all. These are some of my favourite albums of all time. Each album means something to me, even the relatively new ones. Just over half of them I discovered in the period of the early 1990s when I was aged 16-20, although not all of those albums are 90's albums. That was when I got into music in a big way, as many teenagers do. Then current music and many classic albums. And my personal discovery of music is ongoing. For me, music is a form of connection with something greater, of solace, of self-expression and a way of channelling feelings. There are many memories here. And new ones are still being created. I have tried to make this chart represent periods from many different stages in my life also. It is subject to change as I remember other albums I like or as I discover new, or even older albums. Enjoy!

• Chart updated: 11/24/2025 13:15
• (Created: 08/06/2016 19:37).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

• Summary
• Composition
• Ratings
• Favourites
• Comments
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1. (=)

The Stone Roses 

 The Stone Roses

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I taped this off my friend's older step-brother. I felt like one of the only kids in our school who got the Stone Roses when they debuted in 1989. Most of my friends thought Fools Gold was druggy shite when it entered the Top 40. I used to listen to my tape of this album on my Walkman when out on my bike and I would always play it all the way through. When I found out their influences it made me want to check out 60s music, especially psychedelia.
R.I.P. Mani. One of best bass Players of all time. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

2,021 charts

Rank Score:

23,222

Rank in 1989:

3

Rank in 1980s:

5

Overall Rank:

33

Average Rating:

 86 (2,297 votes)

Comments:

203

2. (=)

Songs In The Key Of Life 

 Stevie Wonder

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Stone cold Seventies classic. Its ambitious and clever and it's just great. It's now my favourite Stevie Wonder album. It's terrific. It's also an album you could put on at a party. So many good tracks and some real classics. They just keep on coming. My favourites are Sir Duke, Isn't She Lovely, Pastime Paradise, Have A Talk With God, As, Love's In Need Of Love Today, and the very danceable Another Star. This is a masterpiece. It's pretty amazing and a real trip to listen to. So many good songs. One double album it is worth taking the time to listen to. Plus it cheers you up instantly. Particularly if you happen to be having a bad day. Having a good day? Put this album on and you'll be on cloud nine. [First added to this chart: 06/19/2018]

Year of Release:

1976

Appears in:

1,300 charts

Rank Score:

15,723

Rank in 1976:

1

Rank in 1970s:

21

Overall Rank:

73

Average Rating:

 85 (1,363 votes)

Comments:

90

3. (=)

The Joshua Tree 

 U2

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A superb album with one of my all-time favourite opening tracks of an album. Very atmospheric. The three opening tracks to this album are awesome. And every track on here is just great. For me it's faultless. They play so well together as a band. And there isn't a duff track on it. It's a legendary album and they have a lot of good albums. Some great albums in fact. This will always be a favourite. The lyrics, the music and Bono singing like he is trying to break out of prison, to paraphrase Andrea Corr. Hard to beat. Will always be a top-tier album for me. One of a kind. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

1,859 charts

Rank Score:

18,306

Rank in 1987:

1

Rank in 1980s:

6

Overall Rank:

52

Average Rating:

 83 (2,456 votes)

Comments:

228

4. (=)

Nebraska 

 Bruce Springsteen

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Awesome [First added to this chart: 05/22/2021]

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

730 charts

Rank Score:

5,843

Rank in 1982:

4

Rank in 1980s:

36

Overall Rank:

284

Average Rating:

 80 (996 votes)

Comments:

54

5. (=)

What's Going On 

 Marvin Gaye

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Just an exceptional album from one of the Kings of Motown. I first heard this album when volunteering on a community radio station, quite a few years ago, and a radio Technician was playing it. I knew it was held in high esteem by the music critics but I had never heard it. I knew What's Going On and Robert Palmer's cover of Mercy Mercy Me but I had no idea how good this album was. Musically its sublime, but it is also very satisfying on a spiritual level. Glad I discovered it. [First added to this chart: 10/18/2016]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,633 charts

Rank Score:

18,991

Rank in 1971:

4

Rank in 1970s:

15

Overall Rank:

49

Average Rating:

 85 (1,950 votes)

Comments:

145

6. (=)

Five Leaves Left 

 Nick Drake

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A total mellow classic. Although he was a depressed guy, this album makes me feel better. A great human being, it seems. [First added to this chart: 08/07/2024]

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

987 charts

Rank Score:

8,916

Rank in 1969:

7

Rank in 1960s:

30

Overall Rank:

165

Average Rating:

 85 (1,075 votes)

Comments:

50

7. (=)

Pet Sounds 

 The Beach Boys

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I knew this was an excellent album straight away. I admired Brian Wilson's genius, versatility and ear for a good tune. But the whole album as a piece didn't grab me straight away, in the same way that Simon & Garfunkel or The Beatles did. It's hard to explain. But over time I've kept coming back to it and now I just love it. I think Mr Wilson was light years ahead of his time. This is an amazing album to play all year round for me, and, as many know, God Only Knows is the one song Paul McCartney wishes he'd written. It's one of those perfect songs and it's a darn near perfect album. Caroline, No and Don't Talk are terrific too. Deserves all the praise it gets. [First added to this chart: 11/11/2016]

Year of Release:

1966

Appears in:

2,848 charts

Rank Score:

39,316

Rank in 1966:

2

Rank in 1960s:

5

Overall Rank:

11

Average Rating:

 88 (3,274 votes)

Comments:

360

8. (=)

Paranoid 

 Black Sabbath

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God, man, rest in peace, Ozzy. You are still a legend, even though you are no longer with us.

And this is my favourite album which Mr Osbourne performed on. But he, and Black Sabbath, have many great albums.

Light years ahead of their peers on this album. Hell, they had no peers, they invented metal!
Heavy, righteous and no B.S.
Love it.
[ I don't listen to their first album all the way through anymore, though. I am not easily scared, but a couple tracks on that eponymous album freak me out even now. Still, nobody rocks harder than these guys!] [First added to this chart: 10/18/2016]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

1,725 charts

Rank Score:

18,832

Rank in 1970:

1

Rank in 1970s:

16

Overall Rank:

50

Average Rating:

 86 (2,099 votes)

Comments:

139

9. (=)

Darkness On The Edge Of Town 

 Bruce Springsteen

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Some days I think this is my favourite Springsteen album. For the moment, it's not.

I like many of his albums especially his 70's and 80's ones. And The Rising from the 2000's.

On this album, the title track is my favourite, and one of my favourite songs of his. But all the tracks on here are good. Badlands. Adam Raised A Cain. Racing In The Street. It's just brilliant.

At the moment my top 5 albums by the Boss would be: Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Born To Run, Nebraska, Born In The USA, and then The Rising. I also really like The Wild, The Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle. That one is just outside the top 5.

Anyway this is an awesome album, I think. It sounds good any time of day and any time of year. I love it. [First added to this chart: 05/24/2017]

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

903 charts

Rank Score:

7,266

Rank in 1978:

1

Rank in 1970s:

52

Overall Rank:

219

Average Rating:

 82 (1,171 votes)

Comments:

80

10. (=)

Wish You Were Here 

 Pink Floyd

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First heard this in the early nineties when lent the album by my friend's older brother. I came home one weekend night, drunk, and played it on repeat whilst I slept. I heard it once through before I fell asleep. When I woke up I played it again. I loved it instantly. Now it is like an old friend. I love the overall sentiment of the album, of missing an absent friend, for them Syd Barrett. It's stirring without being sentimental. I also like the tracks relating to dealing with overnight massive fame from Dark Side of the Moon and dealing with the record company machine. For me, listening to it is like a spiritual experience. It's both mellow yet sad and righteously angry without being aggressive. And, apart from family, what could be more important than friendship? I think this will always be one of my favourite albums. I am very attached to it. And I had the good fortune of seeing it played live, in its entirety by tribute band The Australian Pink Floyd Show in 2015, the 40th anniversary year of the album's release. It was sublime. They have many good albums but this one moves me the most, and almost more than any other album. A special record.

And R.I.P. Mani. Special Guy. In the Top 3 Bass players of all time for me [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

3,005 charts

Rank Score:

45,082

Rank in 1975:

1

Rank in 1970s:

2

Overall Rank:

5

Average Rating:

 91 (4,053 votes)

Comments:

313

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Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Country	Albums	%
	44	44%
	42	42%
	4	4%
	3	3%
	2	2%
	2	2%
	1	1%
Show all

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts

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Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums	Virgin	Overall chart	2000
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 119 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
90/100  !	02/08/2025 07:26	SomethingSpecial	1,106	85/100
95/100  !	08/12/2024 20:20	pedro1976	107	85/100
95/100  !	05/05/2024 02:15	matterhornrider	93	93/100
100/100  !	01/31/2024 20:26	Moondance	476	85/100
95/100  !	01/19/2024 20:48	dihansse	309	84/100

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 92.9/100, a mean average of 92.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 93.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 7.6.

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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 89 comments |
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From CharlieBarley 05/25/2025 14:05 | #309135

Cheers Pedro!
sorry about the late reply
Haven't checked my emails in a week Bro

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

95/100

From pedro1976 05/19/2025 11:50 | #309061

pretty cool list - some treasure here for sure

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From CharlieBarley 05/13/2024 17:05 | #303504

Hey RTB! HOW You doing Bud?!
Good to see you on here.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From RoundTheBend 05/13/2024 05:14 | #303494

Great new chart mate! Good to see you still active.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From CharlieBarley 05/05/2024 06:14 | #303365

Thanks MHR!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

95/100

From matterhornrider 05/05/2024 02:17 | #303362

Nice Top 100, with diversity in Music genres and covering so many decades. I loved your commentary as well. Cheers

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From CharlieBarley 01/31/2024 21:00 | #301633

Thanks Moondance.
Nice comment. I do try and be honest about my tastes.
I will have to check your chart out, see if I have read it.
Have a good day Bud.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From Moondance 01/31/2024 20:27 | #301632

There is so much to like about this chart. The intro is spot on - how music is a connection to something greater in one's life (& that's why certain albums, often dismissed by the masses, can find a home in someone's greatest 100 chart). Your chart speaks honestly (no peer pressure) and it is the kind of chart I like to spend time with and will read from no.1 to no.100. Definitely one of my favourite charts on this site. Nicely put together CB - could very well be my first 100!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From CharlieBarley 01/20/2024 01:41 | #301330

I know! It was a good discovery

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

95/100

From dihansse 01/19/2024 20:48 | #301324

Funny that you discovered Out Of Time on Belgian radio ;)

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