Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by JulianR

Hey!
I am quite excited to discuss literally anything about music ("literal" used in the literal, not figurative sense). I don't really know anyone that listens to the breadth and depth of music that I do. So if you disagree with something I say, or just want to talk about music, totally message me. Also if you want recommendations, or have some for me, totally message me or comment. Thank you!

Just as a heads up, the descriptions for these albums could have been written yesterday, or 18 months ago. They may not be totally reflective of my opinions on them now, though they were at one point at least.

Chart of the Day: 2/21/18, 4/23/19

Questions, comments, concerns, and especially recommendations are all heavily encouraged
Thanks
- Julian

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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 1960s. (Remove this filter)

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Buy album United States
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Psychedelic Pop • Baroque Pop
95/100
CA: 3/10

IYLT: The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle; The Beach Boys - The Smile Sessions

"And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through"

We have the benefits of hindsight now. We can see what music affected what, and where it has led to now. We know that this album was the first truly great album (of rock/pop). But it also gives us perspective. It's easy to think of music as a winding path, with many innovations and great masterpieces, that leads here to the present day, and kind of ends. This might be human nature; through a historical lens, I think we tend to see the past is long and eventful, and the future short and obscure. This must have been thought at every point in history. Yet, still, it is hard to imagine living in the time of this album, when (rock) music was just flourishing, and to have this album come out. Even to be living in the 1980's, and think that this form of music, as an art form, was essentially born after you were. And yet I can imagine people a hundred years from now marveling at how little removed we are from the very roots of this art.

I've always liked this album. But just recently I've become quite addicted to it. It's on of a handful of albums that just keeps getting better even listening to it over and over, day and day again. At the time of this writing, I've listened to the album multiple times a day for the past week or more. Doing that with any other album would almost surely make me very bored with it. But this one keeps getting better.
[First added to this chart: 06/16/2017]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,626
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Blues Rock • Folk-Rock
95/100
CA: 7/10

"He built a fire on main street
And shot it full of holes"

One of the more emotional albums I've ever heard, in that Dylan is able to create such a wide variety of feelings, each executed perfectly. Overall, I would probably describe the album as melancholy, or maybe heartbroken, but as I write this I'm listening to Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, so I may be biased by that.

Musically, it represents the best Dylan has ever done. To be frank, Dylan's straight blues of Highway 61 Revisited just wasn't that great. It had some good songs, but he's just not really a blues man in that way. The songs I enjoy on that album most (excluding Like a Rolling Stone, of course) are Ballad of a Thin Man and Desolation Row. Ballad of a Thin Man seems to be the song most similar to the feel of Blonde on Blonde. It is more complex, less derivative of basic blues. The balladry of Desolation Row also has a similar feel to parts of this album. Basically I think what I'm saying is that Dylan sounds his best when he sounds like Blonde on Blonde. The organ gives the album a much softer and more beautiful feel throughout, making tracks like I Want You, Just like a Woman, and the closer feel like beautiful folk songs but with more behind them than your average folk song. This allows the lyrics to really dominate, and agian, I think they are Dylan at his best. He drops most of the absurd surrealism of previous releases and sings quite a few much more personal songs. You can tell he's not just making words, he's telling us about himself. And he does it gorgeously.

BM:
The intro of "Fourth Time Around", where the gorgeous classical guitars come in
[First added to this chart: 09/19/2017]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
25,865
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Rock • The Beatles (if beatlesque is a genre, so are the beatles)
90/100
CA: 5/10

"Love is old, love is new"

A great album, one of those records that is always better than I remember it. Side 1 is a collection of some of the best material the Beatles have released; Come Together, Something, Oh Darling, etc. It's just a collection of great tunes.

But Side 2 is the real winner. It has some great individual songs itself - Here Comes the Sun is beautiful, Because is a brilliant harmony - but the medley is the true highlight of the album. It really is ingenious how all the tracks flow together so nicely. Every track in it is so wonderful and upbeat and it creates such a great mood (aside from sun king, which is kinda eh). And then it closes with the perfect little ditty Her Majesty, which doesn't get enough love.
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2016]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
59,769
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Overall Rank:
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Comments:
Buy album United States
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Spiritual Jazz • Free Jazz
90/100
CA: 8/10

IYLT: Bennie Maupin - The Jewel in the Lotus

This album amazed me the first time I heard it. It had so many layers. I can almost see waves of strings and shakers and multitudes of other instruments. It's the closest thing I've found to Jazz-gaze. (and yes after typing that I went down a google hole for you, and have discovered that actual jazz-gaze probably doesn't exist). But this is as close as it gets. The first half is superb jazz, some of the best I've ever heard. The second half gets a little intense. The music dissociates into waves of noise, sometimes beautiful and sometimes grating. But it all brings it back around to the beautiful beginning motif. And then the one other track, the closing Colors, is just gorgeous.
[First added to this chart: 10/22/2017]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,909
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Art Rock • Avant-garde
90/100
CA: 5/10

IYLT: Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation

"I...
Wish that
I was born a thousand years ago"

A truly groundbreaking album. Even 50 years later, there is still nothing quite like it; something so explosive and radical. It takes a bit to get used to, but it really is quite amazing when it does.

BM:
The crescendo on Heroin
[First added to this chart: 08/26/2017]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
41,643
Rank in 1967:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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90/100 [First added to this chart: 10/22/2017]
Year of Release:
1963
Appears in:
Rank Score:
13,306
Rank in 1963:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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90/100 [First added to this chart: 10/28/2018]
Year of Release:
1964
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,016
Rank in 1964:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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60's Psychedelic Pop • Baroque Pop
90/100
CA: 8/10

"Maybe after he's gone
She'll come back, love me again"

Some great psychedelic. Some really genius chord progressions. Even more appreciable when you try to play them on guitar in real time, lemme tell ya. The songwriting is some of the best of not only the 60's, but all of time. The album is brilliant, upbeat, and fun, for every second.
[First added to this chart: 05/29/2017]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
14,336
Rank in 1968:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Noise Rock • Art Rock
90/100
CA: 6/10

"Ohhh but I haven't got the time time
She was a suckin on my ding-dong"

Embrace the distortion, and you will find one of your favorite records buried inside "White Light/White Heat." But this record also begs the question of what makes an album great; Sure the title track is amazing, Here she comes is beautiful, and Sister Ray is some of the best music ever recorded, but there is 8+ minutes of art-house storytelling in the middle of Side 1. How much does it detract from the album? I personally don't really like the track, and Lady Godiva is mediocre (...SWEETLY), but the rest is basically all my favorite VU songs. (Edit: It has been brought to my attention that some people think those two aforementioned tracks are the best on the album. I can't fathom how though).

And then weighing the blemishes against Sister Ray. The way I like to think about it is: everyone has their favorite songs right? And you could listen to all of them and totally love them. But if your favorite song is Sister Ray, you don't get 3 and a half minutes of awesome, you get 18 minutes of awesome. That's gotta be work something. It's like having 5 of your favorite songs back to back on an album. Framed like that, how is this not a masterpiece? And the answer to that rhetorical question is that it is, in fact, a masterpiece.
[First added to this chart: 09/03/2017]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,375
Rank in 1968:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Blues Rock • Hard Rock
90/100
CA: 8/10

"I can hear it callin' me the way it used to do
I can hear it callin' me back home"

Blues rock at its finest. This album, their first and greatest work, actually rocks, and rolls. Some of these songs are just so fun to listen to, especially 'good times bad times'. Don't like the blatant sexism of this band, but they make such amazing music.

BM:
Good Times Bad Times, when it just starts out so strong
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2016]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,540
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 13. Page 1 of 2

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade Albums %


1930s 0 0%
1940s 0 0%
1950s 0 0%
1960s 13 13%
1970s 12 12%
1980s 8 8%
1990s 25 25%
2000s 21 21%
2010s 21 21%
2020s 0 0%
Artist Albums %


The Flaming Lips 5 5%
Pink Floyd 4 4%
Kendrick Lamar 3 3%
Kanye West 3 3%
Talk Talk 3 3%
Radiohead 3 3%
Bob Dylan 3 3%
Show all
Country Albums %


United States 58 58%
United Kingdom 26 26%
Canada 5 5%
Mixed Nationality 5 5%
Australia 2 2%
Brazil 1 1%
Germany 1 1%
Show all
Live? Albums %
No 99 99%
Yes 1 1%

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest fallers
Faller Down 1 from 60th to 61st
The Glow Pt. 2
by The Microphones
Faller Down 1 from 61st to 62nd
Souvlaki
by Slowdive
Faller Down 1 from 62nd to 63rd
Yank Crime
by Drive Like Jehu
TitleSourceTypePublishedCountry
My Record Collection JulianRCustom chart2019
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums Chicken4SaleOverall chart2018
My Personal Ranking of Rate Your Music's Top 100 Xxnu99etxXCustom chart2020
BEA Forum Regulars' Top 100 (2015) HigherThanTheSunCustom chart2015
PPV Overall RankingbeaCustom chart2021Unknown
Top 100 Greatest Music AlbumsTheNowhereGuyOverall chart2020
Top 100 Greatest Music AlbumsTidus1997Overall chart2020
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums LAF2Overall chart2018
Best Chart-topping albums guzguzgarbitCustom chart2022
BEA 100 (One Album per Artist) BozoTyrannusCustom chart2020

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
92/100 (from 107 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
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95/100
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04/16/2025 15:35 DrewHamster  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 31779/100
 
100/100
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01/22/2023 22:16 Rm12398  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 9889/100
 
80/100
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07/13/2022 22:08 Applerill  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 97475/100
 
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12/10/2020 00:38 ars2458  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 3178/100
 
100/100
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06/14/2020 12:47 BraddlesHendo  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 49691/100

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).
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This chart is rated in the top 1% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 92.0/100, a mean average of 92.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.6/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 10.3.

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 72 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First | Longest Comments First
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Rating:  
100/100
From 01/22/2023 22:17
What a chart!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 04/29/2021 06:58
I really appreciate your effort, a solid chart and i love the rating to the cover
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 02/05/2021 03:26
Thanks for the hard work. I came to your chart after reading your comments about Rubber Soul and Bringing It All Back Home being ‘transitional’ albums and thought to myself ‘there’s someone with a similar pair of ears’!

Anyhow, your comments inspired me to listen to the ‘transitional’ Bon Iver album, and I’ll give Lorde another go. I mean listening is what it’s all about, right?

In answer to your question on Mezzanine, Pet Sounds is better produced, so now you know.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 12/10/2020 00:38
Wow, I truly love FEFEA and Age of Adz, but I don't have the depth on older stuff. I am going to give those specific albums a chance. I have listened to Bowie and Pink Floyd, but not those albums, so maybe I will hear something different this time.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 02/03/2020 10:16
Great list with wonderful notes and recommendations. Your description of Loveless and Shoegaze is as touching as it is true. You're right about Touched, haha
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 12/16/2019 13:05
Although the list is really an odd mix of soul/hip of and progressive rock/post-rock (if I am not mistaken, I did see a similar combination somewhere else on this site on an earlier browse last autumn), there is not that much of real note in the chart.

However, the lack of really unusual albums and a grouping of genres that is merely on the “eccentric” side is certainly compensated for by some impressive notes, which substantially add to the rating.

Some albums you might not have heard that I could attempt to recommend based on your taste:

— ‘Yeti’ by Amon Düül II
— ‘H to He Who Am the Only One’ and ‘Pawn Hearts’ by Van der Graaf Generator
— ‘A Return to the Inner Experience’, ‘This Timeless Turning’ and ‘Moonbathing on Sleeping Leaves’ by Sky Cries Mary
— ‘Gala’ and ‘Spooky’ by Lush
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/04/2019 12:41
Very nice and unique chart, very inspiring! And also, good job on all those comments.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 12/04/2019 10:20
Really nice chart, maybe you like Gorillaz?
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/04/2019 09:07
the final cut getting some deserved appreciation is nice to see! i will always have respect for users who take the time to write significant blurbs for many of the records in their charts
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 11/12/2019 23:34
Not a huge fan of all these albums, but I really like the chart with its descriptions and stuff.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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Best Ever Artists
1. The Beatles
2. Radiohead
3. Pink Floyd
4. David Bowie
5. Bob Dylan
6. Led Zeppelin
7. The Rolling Stones
8. Arcade Fire
9. Nirvana
10. The Velvet Underground
11. Kendrick Lamar
12. Neil Young
13. Miles Davis
14. The Smiths
15. The Beach Boys
16. Kanye West
17. R.E.M.
18. Pixies
19. Jimi Hendrix
20. Bruce Springsteen
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