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: 10 hours ago
(Created: 08/06/2016 19:37).
Chart size: 100 albums.

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11. (=)

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

Just an exceptional album from one of the Kings of Motown. I first heard this album when volunteering on a 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:

1,567 charts

Rank Score:

19,730

Rank in 1971:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

85 (1,884 votes)

Comments:

143

12. (=)

Aretha Now

Aretha Franklin

Terrific album! For me the best of hers that I have heard so far and I have only heard a few. This album is alive. She sings with passion and joy. It's just a delight. I play it regularly. [First added to this chart: 12/13/2021]

Year of Release:

1968

Appears in:

167 charts

Rank Score:

875

Rank in 1968:

Rank in 1960s:

184

Overall Rank:

1,914

Average Rating:

79 (167 votes)

Comments:

13. (=)

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

Must just say that I love Pink Floyd but some of the things Roger Waters has been saying in recent years has been making me question Pink Floyd's inclusion in my charts. Anyway I will watch carefully to see how he conducts himself in future. That said, I first heard this as a young teen and it is the first Pink Floyd album I heard. I loved The Great Gig in the Sky. It was used to great effect in a UK advert for a famous brand of paracetamol. So I checked out the album. It didn't disappoint. So many good tracks and it works so well as a complete album. Still, it's not my favourite Floyd album, as you can see. However I can see why it scores so highly on so many Greatest albums lists and why it is one of the world's bestselling albums of all time. It rocks. And when I heard the whole album played through in concert by the Australian Pink Floyd Show, in 2017 my love for this album just grew deeper. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

4,041 charts

Rank Score:

71,264

Rank in 1973:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

14. (=)

Awesome album from Mr Dylan and now my favourite album of his, replacing Blonde on Blonde. It is a real barnstormer of an album. The music has a dynamic quality, it's sublime and the lyrics are pure poetry. A truly fantastic album. [First added to this chart: 10/31/2016]

Year of Release:

1965

Appears in:

2,310 charts

Rank Score:

31,106

Rank in 1965:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

89 (2,735 votes)

Comments:

226

15. (=)

The Beatles (The White Album)

The Beatles

Just a fantastic schizophrenic record to play no matter what mood you're in. It has happy songs, sad songs, crazy songs, celebratory songs and fun songs. It doesn't take itself too seriously even though it can be a serious record at times.
Too many favourites to pick out songs. It's best played from start to finish. And I rarely skip Revolution 9, I love that one it's definitely different and it's fun. Interesting note: this is Slash from Guns n Roses' favourite Beatles album. I saw him say it on a documentary. You can see why, it totally rocks and it casts a goofy spell over you.
Terrific album. I play it quite a lot. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1968

Appears in:

2,866 charts

Rank Score:

43,275

Rank in 1968:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

89 (3,731 votes)

Comments:

337

16. (=)

Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Bruce Springsteen

Some days I think this is my favourite Springsteen album. For the moment, it is.

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, Nebraska, Born In The USA, Born To Run 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:

867 charts

Rank Score:

8,171

Rank in 1978:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

202

Average Rating:

82 (1,132 votes)

Comments:

17. (=)

The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

David Bowie

Definitely a firm favourite and I see why it's rated so highly. Wall to wall great songs. Still never tire of it although I have heard it many times. Moonage Daydream is my favourite track but I like them all. To be played at maximum volume. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

2,933 charts

Rank Score:

50,096

Rank in 1972:

Rank in 1970s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

90 (3,444 votes)

Comments:

298

18. (=)

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

I thought Out of Time was good but when this one came out it was just on another level. I remember playing it all summer and it was always playing in my friends' cars. Every song is a winner. It just flows so well as an album. And its themes of: getting older (# "readying to bury your Father and your Mother" - Sweetness Follows); facing death (Man On The Moon); defeating suicidal impulses (Everybody Hurts); nostalgia for youth(Nightswimming); and spirituality and a longing for home (Find The River) made for a mature, reflective but also very melodic work. That's how I see it anyway. It gave me pause for thought when I first heard it aged 17, and it still does now. I love it. A special album. [First added to this chart: 08/06/2016]

Year of Release:

1992

Appears in:

1,767 charts

Rank Score:

20,439

Rank in 1992:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

84 (2,157 votes)

Comments:

174

19. (=)

My 21st Century Blues

Raye

What can you say about Raye? Talented. Brave. Likeable. Breath of fresh air this album is,and it tackles 21st Century anxiety and also hopes for the future. It challenges wrong behaviours. Has some absolute anthems on there. I first knew of Raye from the Jax Jones song she did a while back called You Don't Know Me. I loved that one. Banger of a tune. But I didn't follow her career too closely. But I think that's cos she was stuck in career limbo cos her label wouldn't release her album for years. It was also brilliant to watch her win 6 Brit Awards at the Brits in 2024. Recently. She seems like a very down to earth girl. With a voice and musical talent to rival the late Amy Winehouse. I look forward to hearing more albums from this incredibly talented young British artist. [First added to this chart: 03/11/2024]

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

44 charts

Rank Score:

205

Rank in 2023:

Rank in 2020s:

270

Overall Rank:

6,317

Average Rating:

74 (30 votes)

Comments:

20. (=)

Out Of Time

R.E.M.

The album that got me into R.E.M. The year before I'd heard the song 'Stand' on Belgian radio, on a school trip. And I loved that. But then, when Losing My Religion broke in 1991, I fell in love with this album. I remember buying the cassette. Later on I got it on CD. It came out just at the start of the summer. And me and my friends played it all summer long. I never thought they could better this album, until the following year they released Automatic For The People, and knocked it out the park. But Out Of Time will always be a special album for me. [First added to this chart: 10/18/2016]

Year of Release:

1991

Appears in:

648 charts

Rank Score:

4,126

Rank in 1991:

Rank in 1990s:

Overall Rank:

435

Average Rating:

78 (1,039 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	%

David Bowie	3	3%
U2	3	3%
Stevie Wonder	2	2%
Radiohead	2	2%
Bob Dylan	2	2%
Various Artists	2	2%
Bruce Springsteen	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

There have been no changes to this chart.

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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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Date updated
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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
100/100	01/31/2024 20:26	Moondance	454	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	2,013	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.