Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
~SMiLE~ 
Music is Life; a reflection of times, places, people and events. It can communicate when words cannot. It gives wings to the imagination, a voice to emotion. Music is spiritual; It feeds the soul.
- Chart updated: 05/22/2013 17:37
- (Created: 01/13/2012 11:32).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 29 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 85 out of 100 (from 54 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
The entries in this chart have a zero rank score because the chart has not been updated within the last ten years (points from overall charts are decayed over a ten year period).
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Sgt. Pepper's is without doubt is one of the most important albums in the history music. The Beatles pushed boundaries with a variety of musical styles that reached a unheard of level of sophistication and fearless experimentation in songwriting as well as studio production techniques."Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" & "A Day in the Life" are standouts in this masterwork.
A work of genius. [First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
A work of genius. [First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
43,267
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The holy grail of '60s pop, SMiLE was intended as the follow-up to Pet Sounds. Continuing the Beach Boys' evolution from innocent surfers to an artistic force. With increasingly sophisticated ambitions, the anticipated original album was never truly completed. The tragedy that surrounds it, not only marked the loss of a masterpiece that was expected to change the entire musical landscape but also the decline of Brian Wilson. His vision was so epic, it contributed to his mental breakdown and the project was shelved before it was completed. Songs such as “Good Vibrations”, "Surf's Up","Cabinessence" and "Heroes And Villians" are still ahead of their time. The great lost album will always remain so, this sessions album is not SMiLE, but it gives us a glimpse of what might have been.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
2011
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,997
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Following on the heals of inventive radiant textures of "California Girls","Pet Sounds" was an evolutionary masterpiece in which Brian Wilson reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production. This emotionally powerful album contains elaborate layers of lush vocal harmonies with stunning melodies, extravagant orchestration, unorthodox instrumentation (bicycle bells, harpsichords, Electro-Theremin, dog whistles, trains, Coca-Cola cans and barking dogs) , baroque arrangements, and technological advances in recording that heralded the psychedelic era and set a new standard for musical creativity.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
39,183
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"Abbey Road" the last album the group recorded together and is an outstanding imaginative farewell. It features two of George's finest songs "Here Comes The Sun" & "Something"; John's outstanding "Come Together" and the simply economy of language number "I Want You" as well as the stylishly medley of short songs skilfully woven together by Paul. Overall a very tightly constructed album.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
57,362
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This album has more electric guitar-rock, in contrast with their previous the folk rock inspired "Rubber Soul". From the 1-2-3-4 count in of "Taxman" to the climax "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Revolver" is a proclamation that the Beatles had grown well beyond those lovable mop-tops of old. Revolver paved the way for the extensive experimentation yet to to come.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
49,532
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An explosion of hard-edged guitar funk. A pleasure to listen to "Mama Said" has an exceptional sound. Kravitz's songs are tuneful, unapologetically retro and he wears his influences on his sleeve;John Lennon,Curtis Mayfield,Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone are blended into a cohesive whole while making it his own. Kravitz has a chameleon like ability to slide effortless in and out of music styles. Superb arrangements, folksy feel , soulful vibes, fuzzy hard rock, deep dark grooves,sweeping strings, lush harmonies and Psychedelic sounds all add to this outstanding album.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
598
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"Dusk at Cubist Castle" incorporates a bunch of influences and textures, synthesizes them into a distinctly shimmering harmonies, guitar drones, backward tape loops, and inventive effects. This is a remarkable psychedelic tapestry, full of eccentric dreamscapes and curious spaced–out music.An unique and unforgettable album.
[First added to this chart: 03/05/2012]
Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
983
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"Rubber Soul" marks a considerable period of transition. An exploration of fresh sounds and subject matter. George on Sitar, Paul's fuzz bass and tampering with tapes to create an effect. They expanded their sound with influences from the folk-rock. This is the start of the group's self-conscious period and an exceeding artistic achievement.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
26,732
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Magnum opus in every sense. What an achievement. Commercial meets conceptual equinox. "Dark Side of the Moon" builds greatly upon previous experimentation, but this time around the band really took the time to craft some fine songs. Little details like the cash-register chink on "Money" or the alarm-clock clatter on "Time" enhanced atmosphere. It set new standards in attention to detail and production values for the world of studio recording. A quintessential album.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
60,153
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"Sunflower" sounds completely fresh overflowing with hooks and harmonies. The songs are sweet, crisp, warm, melodic, and fun. It's a real group effort; an upbeat cohesive album with each member having their moment in the spotlight. Dennis Wilson particularly shines demonstrating some impressive songwriting. The band sound very naturally and confident. A truly delightful album.
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,272
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Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 1 | 1% | |
| 1960s | 19 | 19% | |
| 1970s | 29 | 29% | |
| 1980s | 16 | 16% | |
| 1990s | 21 | 21% | |
| 2000s | 10 | 10% | |
| 2010s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Beatles | 8 | 8% | |
| The Beach Boys | 4 | 4% | |
| Cheap Trick | 3 | 3% | |
| The Apples In Stereo | 3 | 3% | |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 2% | |
| Neutral Milk Hotel | 2 | 2% | |
| John Lennon | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 1 from 70th to 69th On Avery Island by Neutral Milk Hotel |
| Up 1 from 69th to 68th Stadium Arcadium by Red Hot Chili Peppers |
| Up 1 from 49th to 48th The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 2 from 68th to 70th Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division |
| Down 1 from 17th to 18th Nevermind by Nirvana |
| Down 1 from 48th to 49th Torches by Foster The People |
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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 54 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 02/12/2025 18:18 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,104 | 85/100 |
| ! | 01/27/2025 16:47 | DrewHamster | 317 | 79/100 |
| ! | 03/20/2022 09:45 | zsolti | 17 | 91/100 |
| ! | 05/24/2020 14:15 | WillyMac | 95 | 86/100 |
| ! | 02/20/2018 04:39 |  JulianR | 570 | 75/100 |
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 has a Bayesian average rating of 85.1/100, a mean average of 84.8/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 84.9/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 8.6.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From JulianR 02/20/2018 04:42 | #208910
JulianR 02/20/2018 04:42 | #208910
Nice chart! Cool to see Olivia Tremor Control on there. And more Beach Boys than just Pet Sounds! If you want more 60's psych stuff, which you seem to be in to, you should check out Tim Buckley. "Goodbye and Hello" and "Happysad" are both great places to start
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
LedZep 12/18/2017 18:08 | #203474
LedZep 12/18/2017 18:08 | #203474
Love your chart and comments on it!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
buzzdainer 06/15/2016 15:02 | #168813
buzzdainer 06/15/2016 15:02 | #168813
Interesting and unique chart. I love the inclusion of classics such as Doolittle and Pet Sounds, although it's a bit heavy on Beatles and Cheap Trick for my liking. The quality of the commentary more than makes up for it, though.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
ShadowColossi 02/17/2016 10:26 | #159995
ShadowColossi 02/17/2016 10:26 | #159995
A little Beach Boys and Beatles-heavy, but great selection none the less
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
dihansse 12/04/2015 21:36 | #153909
dihansse 12/04/2015 21:36 | #153909
Great comments
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From bluesbrew82 07/30/2015 21:39 | #146763
Scorpions and Cheap Trick in the top 20! Love Your recognition of some great overlooked 70's rock albums. By the way, I have Kiss Alive! in my top 10. Took a few notes on this list. Articulate commentary.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
Laurence 04/04/2015 21:30 | #138836
Laurence 04/04/2015 21:30 | #138836
Great chart! Love all the Elephant 6
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From BraddlesHendo 10/27/2014 14:20 | #125516
Love this list and your commentary great passion for music
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
qwert9579 08/06/2014 23:40 | #118893
qwert9579 08/06/2014 23:40 | #118893
Love all of these picks, especially The Olivia Tremor Control
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
tgarritsen 12/29/2013 15:06 | #99073
tgarritsen 12/29/2013 15:06 | #99073
Amazing chart that grabs masterpieces of every decade
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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