Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by CharlieBarley

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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 15-20, 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: 04/07/2024 18:45
(Created: 08/06/2016 19:37).
Chart size: 100 albums.

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1. (=)

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

What can I say about 'After The Gold Rush'? Apart from that I love it. I first played this at a very traumatic time in my life aged 17. It was my parents' vinyl. Anyway this album spoke to me at that time like no other album. I played it incessantly. I'm surprised I didn't wear it out. It is emotional, sensitive, world-weary and easily my favourite Neil Young album, although I haven't heard them all yet. Harvest, Tonight's The Night, and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere are my next favourites. I've been playing it ever since. Mr Young's music, like the old Carlsberg Lager adverts, reaches parts of me other music artists can't reach. Well, I don't drink anymore but I still listen to Neil Young. [First added to this chart: 10/18/2016]

Year of Release:

1970

Appears in:

1,519 charts

Rank Score:

16,299

Rank in 1970:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

86 (1,738 votes)

Comments:

129

2. (=)

The Joshua Tree

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:

1,813 charts

Rank Score:

19,917

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

3. (=)

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. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

2,911 charts

Rank Score:

50,817

Rank in 1975:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

4. (=)

You can't beat Kate Bush! This is easily my favourite album of hers. It is so quintessentially Kate Bush. And a very mature album for such a young person. It is bold, playful and eccentric. It has some lovely songs. Plus it has funny moments like Hammer Horror. My favourite track is the opener, Symphony In Blue, but every track is a winner. All her albums are great. She is a pioneering artist. And very talented. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

152 charts

Rank Score:

614

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

478

Overall Rank:

2,546

Average Rating:

74 (250 votes)

Comments:

5. (=)

Disintegration

The Cure

Words can't express how much this album meant to me when I was a confused, depressed teenager, living in the suburbs, in the early 90's. I quickly bought up all The Cure's albums upon hearing this. The opening track, Plainsong, is my favourite song of theirs and whenever I get the chance I play this very loud. I find it an emotional album. And deep and ethereal in tone. It has an elegiac quality which charms the listener and lifts it out of being simply depressing. Smith is a genius. And this is a perfect album. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

1,760 charts

Rank Score:

27,828

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

86 (1,963 votes)

Comments:

150

6. (=)

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Beatles

An early favourite - a fabulous Beatles album. I love it and I play it all the time. I know it's popular with the critics and fans (it's their highest selling album in UK. I think Abbey Road's their biggest seller in America). However its massive popularity doesn't spoil the overall effect of what is a sublime album. The quality of tracks like Lucy in the Sky, A Day in the Life and She's Leaving Home make it stick as a favourite. Plus, like Revolver I love to play it in the Summertime. It's a really sunny album. Well it did come out in the Summer of Love - 1967. It is hard to ignore and I do feel it's an essential album. Sometimes I wish the double a-side of Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane were included on the album as I believe George Martin originally planned. That would have made a near perfect album. As it is though it is definitely one of my all-time favourites. And it flows so well as a record. It has a huge legend and reputation to live up to but I feel it does. I used to like Revolver better. I love that perky, sunny album but Pepper just eclipses it. It's a more mature album yet it's still loads of fun yet it balances the joy with melancholy tones. I just think it's incredibly good.p [First added to this chart: 10/01/2016]

Year of Release:

1967

Appears in:

3,415 charts

Rank Score:

50,897

Rank in 1967:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

90 (4,483 votes)

Comments:

480

7. (=)

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

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, 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:

1,223 charts

Rank Score:

15,519

Rank in 1976:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

85 (1,306 votes)

Comments:

8. (=)

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

My favourite Bowie album, and the first one of his that I heard as a teenager. I had it on vinyl. I mean, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and Diamond Dogs impressed me too. And I love to rock out to those three albums. But Hunky Dory remains my clear favourite. It's both a jolly album yet it also has some more low-key songs on there, as well as anthems like Life On Mars. Changes is one of my favourite ever opening tracks to any album. And I love all the tracks on this one. Other tracks I love are Queen Bitch, Kooks and his cover version of Fill Your Heart. Also, The Bewlay Brothers is a good closer. My favourite decade for Bowie is the 70's. I also like a lot of his 80's output, and some of his 90s stuff. He lost me a little during the 2000's decade. But then with the release of the albums The Next Day and the mighty Blackstar, I feel he was right back on form. What a shame we had to lose him so young. But his music and films carry on his legend. I love The Man Who Fell To Earth and his bizarre cameo in the Twin Peaks film. He had a lot of interesting things to say about humanity and being a human, did Mr Bowie. His music enriches my life. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

1,798 charts

Rank Score:

22,110

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

87 (2,373 votes)

Comments:

159

9. (=)

Parallel Lines

Blondie

Pure childhood nostalgia. I was a child of the late 70s/early 80s and what a great time to be alive. Star Wars, E.T. and Indiana Jones were on at the Pictures and music was awesome and there was plenty of cheese to boot. Parallel Lines was never cheesy though, just perfect. A favourite of my Dad's, who had a serious crush on Deborah Harry, he used to play it in the car when I was very small. Right from the angry, vibrant opening of Hanging On The Telephone you are in for a real treat of an album. And I didn't even have to buy it. I got a free copy given away with a newspaper. [First added to this chart: 10/18/2016]

Year of Release:

1978

Appears in:

803 charts

Rank Score:

6,279

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

282

Average Rating:

81 (938 votes)

Comments:

10. (=)

Chet Baker Sings

Chet Baker

Superb album. Cool jazz. So atmospheric. So 50's. Creates a terrific mood. Shame his life story was so tragic, but what an album. [First added to this chart: 08/05/2021]

Year of Release:

1954

Appears in:

252 charts

Rank Score:

2,670

Rank in 1954:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

674

Average Rating:

79 (241 votes)

Comments:

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade	Albums	%

1930s	0	0%
1940s	0	0%
1950s	3	3%
1960s	13	13%
1970s	29	29%
1980s	18	18%
1990s	25	25%
2000s	5	5%
2010s	3	3%
2020s	4	4%

Artist	Albums	%

U2	3	3%
David Bowie	3	3%
Bob Dylan	2	2%
Pink Floyd	2	2%
Bruce Springsteen	2	2%
Kate Bush	2	2%
R.E.M.	2	2%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	43	43%
	41	41%
	5	5%
	5	5%
	1	1%
	1	1%
	1	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	99	99%
Yes	1	1%

Live?	Albums	%
No	98	98%
Yes	2	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	97	97%
Yes	3	3%

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest climbers
Up 20 from 69th to 49th The Man Who by Travis
Up 17 from 34th to 17th The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
Up 11 from 44th to 33rd OK Computer by Radiohead

Biggest fallers
Down 2 from 32nd to 34th If I Could Only Remember My Name by David Crosby
Down 2 from 33rd to 35th Parklife by Blur
Down 2 from 42nd to 44th Back To Black by Amy Winehouse

Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (2000)
Top 100 Albums (Online Amalgam) by musicologist97 (2019)
BEA Top 100 Reorganized According To My Taste by bonnequestion (2024)
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Channel 4 (2005)
Objectively Ranking BEA’s Top 100 by AAL2014 (2023)
100 Greatest Albums Ever by Q (2006)
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by RFNAPLES (2013)
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by tim0505 (2024)
Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (1998)
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Narcan (2011)

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 117 votes)

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 117 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
100/100	01/31/2024 20:26	Moondance	453	84/100
95/100	01/19/2024 20:48	dihansse	308	84/100
95/100	06/21/2023 09:05	KineticEchoes02	111	88/100
95/100	06/18/2023 00:57	StreakyNuno	76	85/100
90/100	06/17/2023 19:43	Johnnyo	2,012	80/100

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 93.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 93.5/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 7.7.

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

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From

CharlieBarley 01/31/2024 21:00

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.