Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by 
Jbalbinolr 
It´s very difficult to rank one tastes in a subjective way, when everyday those tastes change and what it´s my #30 today could be #90 tomorrow, so there isn´t a clear answer that stays the same for more than a week. However what I can say it´s that all these albums have impacted me at least in some way, being by surprise, love or simply that I listen to them all time. All here are at least 100/100 for me subjectively, even if they have mistakes, I can´t stop listening to them. Why? I don´t know.
My biggest loves are Punk and Jazz, I have a lot of respect for some classic rock bands, and my absolute favorites artists are the Beach Boys and Ornette Coleman. The Top 25 albums on this list are reserved for music that impacted me, and showed me things that I didn't know were possible on music when I first heard them.
I am open to receive any sugestions outside of the bands present on this list. Also, this list does not include any classical music, as is completely different to popular music (Both great though!).
One album per artist.
- Chart updated: 04/12/2025 17:15
- (Created: 08/24/2017 14:04).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 9 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 29 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 the 1980s. (Remove this filter)
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This thing has one of the best or worst mixes I’ve heard, depending on the day I’m hearing.
Growing up with hard rock and metal from the 2000s, it’s weird that I didn’t loved punk. The simple three chord nature wouldn’t align too well with my tastes. Now I cannot go back to metal and hard rock, this album help me understand that sometimes a lot of energy, intelligent lyrics, and three chords is really all you need for an amazing song. This is a pretty nostalgic album curiously enough, these are happy songs mixed with pain and regret that lend an emotional outburst about ordinary life.
The songs follow somewhat complex arrangements and don’t satisfy themselves with a Verse-Chorus structure, even if appears that way the first couple of listens. The songs mixed many sections that combine to a greater whole when saw at a distance, and create an indescriptible atmosphere that sucks you in. The roots of all emo, post-hardcore and alternative rock are rooted here, but this is one case where the first one is really the best.
Track Picks: “Celebrated Summer”; “Terms Of Psychic Warfare”; “Books About UFOs”. [First added to this chart: 11/23/2017]
Growing up with hard rock and metal from the 2000s, it’s weird that I didn’t loved punk. The simple three chord nature wouldn’t align too well with my tastes. Now I cannot go back to metal and hard rock, this album help me understand that sometimes a lot of energy, intelligent lyrics, and three chords is really all you need for an amazing song. This is a pretty nostalgic album curiously enough, these are happy songs mixed with pain and regret that lend an emotional outburst about ordinary life.
The songs follow somewhat complex arrangements and don’t satisfy themselves with a Verse-Chorus structure, even if appears that way the first couple of listens. The songs mixed many sections that combine to a greater whole when saw at a distance, and create an indescriptible atmosphere that sucks you in. The roots of all emo, post-hardcore and alternative rock are rooted here, but this is one case where the first one is really the best.
Track Picks: “Celebrated Summer”; “Terms Of Psychic Warfare”; “Books About UFOs”. [First added to this chart: 11/23/2017]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,014
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
19
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You hear a motor of a car running, shortly after “Serious as a heart attack!”. Amazing way to begin a work of art.
The Minutemen were three dudes from California with almost no money but very illustrated, that learned their instruments almost by themselves and became one of the forces of early hardcore music. They went beyond any expectations and release 45 surrealistic songs about anything or nothing. Flamenco, Mexican music, funk, a cover of Steely Dan, improvisational jams, anything goes.
This variety is why I love the scene of hardcore from the early 80s, it wasn’t so mucho of playing fast, but making authentic expression the means of success, and it succeds. Songs range from the beautiful “History Lesson Part II”, pre-Red Hot Chilli Peppers funk-rock freak outs “Vietnam”, political songs directed to Michael Jackson in the obvious titled “Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing”, and blues in “Jesus And Tequila”. The sheer scope is amazing, not two songs sound like each other; every one has interest remarks about race, war, and the fall of the American dream; all maintaining a consistent quality and flying by at 2 or 3 minutes each, being true to the punk spirit.
Track Picks: “History Lesson Part II”; “Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing”; “The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts” [First added to this chart: 11/21/2017]
The Minutemen were three dudes from California with almost no money but very illustrated, that learned their instruments almost by themselves and became one of the forces of early hardcore music. They went beyond any expectations and release 45 surrealistic songs about anything or nothing. Flamenco, Mexican music, funk, a cover of Steely Dan, improvisational jams, anything goes.
This variety is why I love the scene of hardcore from the early 80s, it wasn’t so mucho of playing fast, but making authentic expression the means of success, and it succeds. Songs range from the beautiful “History Lesson Part II”, pre-Red Hot Chilli Peppers funk-rock freak outs “Vietnam”, political songs directed to Michael Jackson in the obvious titled “Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing”, and blues in “Jesus And Tequila”. The sheer scope is amazing, not two songs sound like each other; every one has interest remarks about race, war, and the fall of the American dream; all maintaining a consistent quality and flying by at 2 or 3 minutes each, being true to the punk spirit.
Track Picks: “History Lesson Part II”; “Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing”; “The Roar Of the Masses Could Be Farts” [First added to this chart: 11/21/2017]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,846
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Track Picks: Left Of The Dial, Bastards Of Young, Kiss Me On The Bus
[First added to this chart: 08/24/2017]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,001
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Track Picks: Niigata Snow, Paris, An Echo In Another's Mind
[First added to this chart: 11/23/2017]
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Track Picks: The Spectacular Commodity, Lesson No. 2, Light Field (In Consonance)
[First added to this chart: 02/28/2018]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,559
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Track Picks: Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are, Well You Needn't, Epistrophy
[First added to this chart: 04/03/2019]
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Track Picks: Just Another Sucker on the Vine, In the Neighbourhood, Town with No Cheer
[First added to this chart: 02/28/2018]
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,636
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Track Picks: Burning Down the House, Life During Wartime, Swamp
[First added to this chart: 11/23/2017]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,295
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Track Picks: The Taxi, Salad Days, Searching For Mr Right
[First added to this chart: 09/11/2019]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,337
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Track Picks: Joe Frazier, Gothic 17, Lands End
[First added to this chart: 08/06/2020]
Total albums: 20. Page 1 of 2
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 2 | 2% | |
| 1960s | 14 | 14% | |
| 1970s | 17 | 17% | |
| 1980s | 20 | 20% | |
| 1990s | 21 | 21% | |
| 2000s | 8 | 8% | |
| 2010s | 13 | 13% | |
| 2020s | 5 | 5% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Eric Dolphy | 1 | 1% | |
| Keith Jarrett | 1 | 1% | |
| Built To Spill | 1 | 1% | |
| Unwound | 1 | 1% | |
| The Band | 1 | 1% | |
| Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs | 1 | 1% | |
| The Replacements | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
56 | 56% | |
 |
19 | 19% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
| |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 28 from 68th to 40th Raw Power by Iggy And The Stooges |
| Up 26 from 75th to 49th Angel Dust by Faith No More |
| Up 11 from 57th to 46th Abbey Road by The Beatles |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 22 from 40th to 62nd Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra |
| Down 14 from 56th to 70th Houses Of The Holy by Led Zeppelin |
| Down 3 from 20th to 23rd Bee Thousand by Guided By Voices |
| New entries |
|---|
 Screaming For Vengeanceby Judas Priest |
| Igor by Tyler, The Creator |
| Black Messiah by D'Angelo And The Vanguard |
| Live At Red Rocks '22 by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard |
| Leavers |
|---|
 Closenessby Charlie Haden |
| Dhorimviskha by 高円寺百景 [Kōenji Hyakkei] |
| White Pony by Deftones |
| The Dave Brubeck Quartet At Carnegie Hall by The Dave Brubeck Quartet |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 50 Music Albums of the 1970s | Jbalbinolr | 1970s decade chart | 2021 | |
| Top 50 Music Albums of the 1980s | Jbalbinolr | 1980s decade chart | 2022 | |
| Top 62 Music Albums of the 1990s | Jbalbinolr | 1990s decade chart | 2024 | |
| Top 50 Music Albums of the 1960s | Jbalbinolr | 1960s decade chart | 2021 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Mr.Music | Overall chart | 2017 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums |  Timestarter | Overall chart | 2022 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums |  Kalos | Overall chart | 2020 |  |
| BEA forum regulars top 100 |  HigherThanTheSun | Custom chart | 2014 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums |  Mdemauri | Overall chart | 2014 | |
| BEA 100 (One Album per Artist) |  BozoTyrannus | Custom chart | 2020 |  |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
90/100 (from 29 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 29 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
85/100  | 04/14/2025 12:17 | SomethingSpecial | | 85/100 |
 80/100 | 03/25/2025 20:12 | DrewHamster | | 79/100 |
| 100/100 | 01/15/2025 17:25 | Exist-en-ciel | | 99/100 |
| 90/100 | 10/14/2024 09:30 | Johnnyo | | 80/100 |
| 90/100 | 12/08/2023 19:19 | Moondance | | 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 3% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.6/100, a mean average of 90.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.9/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 6.8.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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90/100
From Johnnyo 10/14/2024 09:31
Stellar chart. Very diverse and I found the notes to be a really interesting read. Excellent stuff
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From Moondance 12/08/2023 19:24
This chart is so full of surprises - I really enjoyed scrolling through the entries & realising how much more music I still have to discover. I was hoping, given the diversity of your musical journey, that you may have stumbled upon something of significance from Australia or New Zealand - but alas, no.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
DommeDamian 01/27/2023 11:08
DommeDamian 01/27/2023 11:08
Cannot believe I underestimated this chart. This is such a superb work dude!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
seb7 11/28/2020 03:53
seb7 11/28/2020 03:53
The trout mask replica at #3 is an interesting pick. Sick list!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
95/100
From RioBravo 08/06/2020 10:18
This list can be called many things but "predictable" isn't one of them. In fact, it may seem a bit all over the place, but this endless variety is actually its main strength.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
sssvnnn 06/01/2020 01:27
sssvnnn 06/01/2020 01:27
!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
NoisyBeast 09/09/2018 16:28
NoisyBeast 09/09/2018 16:28
The Carl Stalling Project pulled me in, but the entire chart was fun to browse. Good diverse cross-section of classic & avant-garde, with some unexpected surprises scattered throughout. Nice job!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
80/100
From 
NowhereMan 11/22/2017 19:23
NowhereMan 11/22/2017 19:23
Extend it! I had the same experience with Pet Sounds.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
LedZep 11/18/2017 00:40
LedZep 11/18/2017 00:40
Very cool, but gotta have a 100 to rate it properly. You’re definitely onto something here!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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