Top 71 Greatest Music Albums by 
indieshins 
UPDATE 2022: Slowly going through the process of updating this chart - I thought I'd do that rather than create an entirely new one. This new chart will hopefully give a more complete picture of my musical tastes and the development of it since I first made this chart. I hope to have a good variety of eras and genres, and a good mix of objective and subjective picks.
I have two sides to my musical identity: first, left-field, experimental, artsy, alternative, cerebral. Second, accessible, catchy, fun, possibly mainstream (though not necessarily). Often, a favourite album will have elements of both. In any case, I intend to represent both sides amply here.
Notes will be added gradually over time.
- Chart updated: 04/12/2024 07:15
- (Created: 06/08/2017 04:40).
- Chart size: 71 albums.
There are 3 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 71 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 15 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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... Speaking of baroque pop, it doesn't get much better than this. I am absolutely convinced that had this been released in 1967 as intended, history would have turned very differently, with The Beach Boys emerging as the true competitors to The Beatles. To me, it trumps Sgt Pepper's (good as that album is) in nearly every way. The suite like structure of the album, with tracks flowing into one another; the dazzling, kalaidoscopic arrrangements, unlike anything in pop. This is a truly mind-blowing musical experience, even with Brian's voice not being what it was.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,278
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23
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Underrated, underrated, underrated. My favourite hip-hop album, period. I don't know why exactly it speaks to me so deeply, but every time I put this album on, I struggle to find fault with it. Gone are the silly punchlines of Gambino's previous efforts, replaced with pointed social commentary on the numbing effects of the internet in the modern world. A silver-spoon concept, sure, but that's Gambino. The screenplay that accompanied the album really added to my experience, explaining the reason the album felt like one of two halfs - the more hard hitting, party ready first half, and the incredibly abstract, moody second half. In any case, it flows beautifully, and is an absolute treat no matter how many times I hear it. In fact, excuse me while I go give it a spin. It's been a while!
Honourable Mention: Awaken, My Love! [First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Honourable Mention: Awaken, My Love! [First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
2013
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,339
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To me, the tightest and best album of the Dan's initial run (though I haven't heard Aja and Gaucho yet). It features many of my favourite Steely Dan songs, including Razor Boy, My Old School and Your Gold Teeth. As usual, the songwriting and playing are fantastic, but I feel it has a bit more of an overt edge than some of their later work, particularly through "Skunk" Baxter's guitar solos. I enjoy every moment on this album. It's wonderful.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
1973
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Rank Score:
2,128
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The most popular jazz album of all time for a reason. Just absolutely gorgeous. It's so relaxing in it's harmonic simplicity and sense of space, the focus being more on melody and emotion than on technicality. This was one of the core philosophical innovations that Miles was partially responsible for in jazz, along with Coltrane and others, and this is one of the defining examples of it.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
1959
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Rank Score:
23,150
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Just majestic. Every song is interesting and oddly beautiful, backed by that compelling wreck of a voice and some of the most insane guitar work I've ever heard by the fabulous Marc Ribot. Downtown Train does feel a little out of place as the most conventional sounding song here, but that's part the magic of this album - the normal becomes abnormal because of what surrounds it. Amazing!
[First added to this chart: 12/03/2023]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,065
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This album is all a blur - all I remember is that I really enjoyed it. It's messy, spontaneous, but most of all catchy. Maybe it's not Deerhoof's best, but it's the one I've gotten into the most so far. I've yet to check out their other albums, but I've heard good things. Anyway, this is here for being a brilliantly original and fun listening experience.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
11. (=)
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Again, just great fun! Spinal Meningitis is probably one of the most darkly comical songs ever written. There are other examples of Gene and Dean's twisted humour here, but the most stunning moments are often those that forego humour - the elegiac instrumental Tear For Eddie, the gorgeous soul pastiche Freedom of '76, or the melancholic nonsense of What Deaner Was Talking About. Every song is memorable here, and that's why it makes this list.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,246
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Another long double (triple!) album. I fell in love with Joanna after buying Ys on a whim, and quickly decided to complete my collection. While Ys could easily be here instead, I've picked this one because I love the sound, and the songs are able to hold my attention a bit more (not as long!). The first disc is near flawless, featuring Easy, Good Intentions Paving Company (what a title!), '81 and the title track. While I never had a problem with her pre-surgery voice, there's no denying it did her good, as her voice here is stunning in a way it didn't reach on her past efforts. While the album is long, and hard to sit through all at once, taken a disk at a time, it's an incredible experience that reinforces her place as one of the most original musicians working today.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
2010
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Rank Score:
4,876
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One word: Gorgeous. I'd been a fan of Julia Holter before the release of this album, but here, she released her most incredible album to date. The string arrangements are incredible, and add a romantic, cinematic quality to the album. "How Long" sounds like a German art film in sound, Betsy on the Roof builds to one of the most tear-jerking climaxes I've ever heard, and Feel You is one of my pop songs of the decade. Special mention has to be made of the incredible saxophone solo in Sea Calls Me Home, which feels like an injection of liquid gold straight through the centre of the dreamy fog of the song. It, like so many other small details here, elevates the song to a new level. I feel like as the years go by, this will be regarded as a modern classic. Is it her masterpiece? Wait and see.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
2015
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,875
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The Shins started my musical awakening to bands beyond the Beatles. This is still my favourite of theirs, mostly because it's their weirdest, whilst still retaining the fantastic melodies and lyrics that I love them for. It contains one of my favourite Shins songs, Australia, as well as the excellent Sleeping Lessons, and Sea Legs, an easy contender for the weirdest song they ever recorded. James Mercer's Morrissey-esque vocals on the track are just wonderful, as is the hip-hop inspired instrumental. The whole thing rarely flags, and still remains the band's crowning achievement to me, though sadly underrated.
[First added to this chart: 06/09/2017]
Year of Release:
2007
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,329
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Total albums: 45. Page 1 of 5
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Top 71 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 2 | 3% | |
| 1960s | 9 | 13% | |
| 1970s | 14 | 20% | |
| 1980s | 10 | 14% | |
| 1990s | 10 | 14% | |
| 2000s | 16 | 23% | |
| 2010s | 10 | 14% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
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|
|
| The Smiths | 1 | 1% | |
| The Velvet Underground | 1 | 1% | |
| Neutral Milk Hotel | 1 | 1% | |
| Guided By Voices | 1 | 1% | |
| Miles Davis | 1 | 1% | |
| Fleet Foxes | 1 | 1% | |
| Rush | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 71 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
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Top 71 Greatest Music Albums ratings
90/100 (from 15 votes)
where:
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 15 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
100/100  | 01/15/2025 17:38 | Exist-en-ciel | | 99/100 |
 80/100 | 03/18/2023 22:49 | Moondance | | 85/100 |
| 95/100 | 03/18/2023 15:12 |  AAL2014 | | 92/100 |
| 100/100 | 09/11/2022 02:06 |  HoldenM | | 95/100 |
| 95/100 | 10/20/2021 22:19 |  Rhyner | | 99/100 |
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 3% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.5/100, a mean average of 92.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 91.9/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.6.
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Top 71 Greatest Music Albums comments
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80/100
From Moondance 03/18/2023 22:51
Cool chart - cool comments. Continue to enjoy your adventure through the amazing albums of the past 60+ years. Looking forward to seeing you complete a top 100.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Johnnyo 04/15/2018 06:41
This is a very good chart and I particularly like the time that you have dedicated to explaining why each album qualifies.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
ForegroundNoise 10/24/2017 08:19
ForegroundNoise 10/24/2017 08:19
Love the unique picks with the comments to justify them, what I look for in a great chart!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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