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 create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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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:
40,221
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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:
5,751
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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:
36,196
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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:
53,467
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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:
46,016
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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:
571
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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:
1,041
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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]
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2012]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
24,835
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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:
55,665
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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:
1,262
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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 |
Up 1 from 69th to 68th |
Up 1 from 49th to 48th |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
Down 2 from 68th to 70th |
Down 1 from 17th to 18th |
Down 1 from 48th to 49th |
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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 3 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 | 1,088 | 86/100 |
| ! | 01/27/2025 16:47 | DrewHamster | 314 | 79/100 |
| ! | 03/20/2022 09:45 | zsolti | 17 | 91/100 |
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 favourites
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums forum mentions
This chart has been referenced 3 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
From Mother Nature's Son 08/26/2013 20:24 in Most informative user charts on BEA
Mother Nature's Son 08/26/2013 20:24 in Most informative user charts on BEA“You're fighting a lost cause, MNS. Also, why don't you post some of the charts that you find informative instead? I'd be interested to see that! :) Just to make it clear. I wasn't criticizing the charts or anything. I just wanted to "get rid" of the OK Computers and Dark Side of the Moons, so we…”
View post →From 
BestEverAlbums 08/08/2013 08:00 in Chart of the day (#664): By ~SMiLE~
BestEverAlbums 08/08/2013 08:00 in Chart of the day (#664): By ~SMiLE~“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by ~SMiLE~ () 1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) 2. The Smile Sessions by The Beach Boys (2011) 3. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys (1966) 4. Abbey Road by The Beatles (1969) 5. Revolver by The Beatles (1966) 6. Mama…”
(2 mentions across Chart of the Day topics)View latest topic →
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From
Button001 03/31/2013 08:26 | #70765
Button001 03/31/2013 08:26 | #70765
A really well done chart - love the comments.
Stadium Arcadium, Foster the People and Only by The Night are a joke right?
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From
ButterThumbz TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/26/2013 19:39 | #66235
ButterThumbz TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/26/2013 19:39 | #66235
At first glance this chart seemed a bit run of the mill but closer inspection revealed some interesting choices scattered throughout. Bonus points for great descriptions.
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From
tbakeman 05/17/2013 03:19 | #76343
tbakeman 05/17/2013 03:19 | #76343
One of the best charts I've seen! Love that Olivia Tremor Control made its way in the top 10, and its packed with the magical E6 material!
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From
willabeejones60 03/08/2013 20:48 | #67445
Love the comments a lot, clearly put a lot of care into this.
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From
jhuik TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/15/2012 15:24 | #38372
jhuik TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/15/2012 15:24 | #38372
An honest list, without doubt. 25 albums in common with my list and about 25 that I really disagree with... yet that's how musical taste works. I like the overall mix of different eras and different genres, and how you mix classics with some genuine headscratchers and other stubbornly eccentric choices.
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