Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
eclab 
I try to judge albums in a context-independent way - i.e. I don't intend to take originality/influence into account, otherwise "Revolver" or something would be at the top. The best albums, to me, don't have to be influential, nor even especially original or distinctive. They just have to sound great.
- Chart updated: 01/30/2026 10:45
- (Created: 10/12/2011 15:01).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 65 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 117 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from United States. (Remove this filter)
Pure magic from beginning to end, and easily my favourite album. "Only Skin" and "Emily" are the best two songs I've ever heard, and the other three tracks are amazing.
I can understand if you don't like Joanna's voice; it took me many listens to appreciate it. These days, I would actually contend that she's a superb vocalist, in the same sense as (classic, mid-sixties) Bob Dylan: their vocals are so expressive and genuine, regardless of the harsh timbre.
9.85 [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
I can understand if you don't like Joanna's voice; it took me many listens to appreciate it. These days, I would actually contend that she's a superb vocalist, in the same sense as (classic, mid-sixties) Bob Dylan: their vocals are so expressive and genuine, regardless of the harsh timbre.
9.85 [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
2006
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,400
Rank in 2006:
Rank in 2000s:
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Average Rating:
Comments:
I continually find myself getting halfway through this album and feeling like it must be about to end, because it's already had far more quality material by that point than most band's careers. But nope, it's only been about 20 minutes.
9.7 [First added to this chart: 12/15/2011]
9.7 [First added to this chart: 12/15/2011]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,764
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Comments:
It opens with a track so good it started modern rock music and the quality holds up throughout.
9.6 [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
9.6 [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
26,407
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Average Rating:
Comments:
9. (=)
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9.5
[First added to this chart: 10/15/2011]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,272
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Rank in 1990s:
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Comments:
9.5
[First added to this chart: 04/05/2015]
Year of Release:
2015
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,241
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Rank in 2010s:
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Comments:
9.5
[First added to this chart: 05/23/2012]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,068
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Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.4
[First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,330
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Comments:
9.4
[First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
2010
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,677
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Average Rating:
Comments:
9.4
[First added to this chart: 03/09/2013]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,072
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
18. (19) 1
9.4
[First added to this chart: 09/06/2012]
Year of Release:
2012
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,046
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Comments:
Total albums: 55. Page 1 of 6
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 1 | 1% | |
| 1960s | 17 | 17% | |
| 1970s | 27 | 27% | |
| 1980s | 13 | 13% | |
| 1990s | 11 | 11% | |
| 2000s | 10 | 10% | |
| 2010s | 16 | 16% | |
| 2020s | 5 | 5% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Beatles | 6 | 6% | |
| Joanna Newsom | 4 | 4% | |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 4% | |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 3% | |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 3% | |
| Kendrick Lamar | 3 | 3% | |
| Arcade Fire | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 2 from 35th to 33rdRevolver by The Beatles |
| Up 1 from 19th to 18thThe Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do by Fiona Apple |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 18th to 19thBlonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan |
| Down 1 from 33rd to 34thGraceland by Paul Simon |
| Down 1 from 34th to 35thSurfer Rosa by Pixies |
| New entries |
|---|
| Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins |
| Leavers |
|---|
| Ready To Die by The Notorious B.I.G. |
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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).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 117 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/11/2025 14:49 | DrewHamster | 315 | 79/100 | |
| 01/25/2025 14:12 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,089 | 85/100 | |
| 05/31/2024 14:27 | C0NB9NN | 20 | 85/100 | |
| 08/04/2023 08:54 | Moondance | 476 | 85/100 | |
| 08/04/2023 08:47 |  Tamthebam | 651 | 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 4% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.9/100, a mean average of 88.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 89.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 7.8.
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 65 comments |
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From C0NB9NN 05/31/2024 14:29 | #303791
34 albums in common. Always nice to see Born To Run ranked very high. Very nice chart.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Moondance 12/23/2022 20:25 | #292167
We have a lot in common and a lot not in common - which is a healthy sign of individual taste. I was somewhat surprised to see that your chart has only 2 Australian artists (both from the 2010's) - when Aussie music has been punching way above its weight since the 1970's!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From leniad 04/01/2022 19:25 | #283708
just great selections
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
indieshins 03/04/2021 22:34 | #266975
indieshins 03/04/2021 22:34 | #266975
I have mad respect for any chart that includes Joanna, let alone having Ys as the top album. She's an incredible artist who doesn't always get the love I think she deserves.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Goliath 12/16/2020 18:27 | #262772
Goliath 12/16/2020 18:27 | #262772
20 in common, but top ten very different.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From ssimmonds 09/30/2020 23:14 | #258883
16 in common with mine - one sixth is quite good. My top 10 include Loveless and OK Computer.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Larcx13 07/31/2020 11:05 | #256501
Larcx13 07/31/2020 11:05 | #256501
Good stuff! Love the Dylan appreciation. I don't like that Kendrick is so high but whatever. 29 albums in common.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From microjude 03/18/2020 19:14 | #248850
Nice chart. A special nod to all the great Van Morrison picks - especially liked the Veedon Fleece addition. I don’t think I have come across a chart with a split between albums I love vs. albums I loathe (not a Dylan fan but I am weird that way). I have somehow missed Joanna Newsom, but am eager to give the album a try now.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Ashmark 01/19/2020 23:56 | #247008
Everyone has there own little idiosyncrasies but I wouldn’t argue with anything on this list. Great job, you are definitely someone to hang and listen to music with.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Julelios 12/17/2019 10:24 | #245747
Julelios 12/17/2019 10:24 | #245747
22 albums in common ! Wow !
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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