Top 44 Greatest Music Albums
by 
Crumpet 
I must admit, not very diverse, but I like what I like. (No more than 4 albums per artist, no compilations)
- Chart updated: 12/21/2018 11:15
- (Created: 01/11/2018 21:49).
- Chart size: 44 albums.
There are 5 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 44 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 86 out of 100 (from 6 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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My favourite album of all time is perhaps an odd choice, but Shine on Brightly is so utterly stunning that I couldn't put it any lower. I should probably start off with the one flaw on this perfect album, the blues track "Wish Me Well", not a bad song, but nothing compared to the other 6 tracks. The finale alone is enough to elivate it up to the top ten, it’s lucky the rest of the songs are brilliant as well.
"Skip Softly, My Moonbeams" is a fun, exiting and well constructed track that draws you right in and makes me smile every time with that false ending, "Magdalene My Regal Zonophone" is a beautiful little gem and "Rambling on" is lyrical genius (though I would prefer if the word "film" was used instead of "movie", movie doesn't sound quite right in a London accent, but hey-ho).
The double whammy opener of "Quite Rightly So" and "Shine on Brightly" almost makes you worry that they won't be able to top it but somehow old Gary Brooker and team pull it out of the bag with the album closer, prog-rock masterpiece "In Held Twas In I", a 17 minute long epic that can't be described, it has to be heard. [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
"Skip Softly, My Moonbeams" is a fun, exiting and well constructed track that draws you right in and makes me smile every time with that false ending, "Magdalene My Regal Zonophone" is a beautiful little gem and "Rambling on" is lyrical genius (though I would prefer if the word "film" was used instead of "movie", movie doesn't sound quite right in a London accent, but hey-ho).
The double whammy opener of "Quite Rightly So" and "Shine on Brightly" almost makes you worry that they won't be able to top it but somehow old Gary Brooker and team pull it out of the bag with the album closer, prog-rock masterpiece "In Held Twas In I", a 17 minute long epic that can't be described, it has to be heard. [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
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A poetic masterpiece with no truly weak tracks. The best tracks here are the stunning title track which has genius lyrics and a truly enthralling melody and the opening "A Child's Christmas in Wales" which is a wonderful song. Everything else on here is fantastic as well, the album for me tops even Cale's work with the Velvet Underground and anything done by any of his bandmates. The most intellegent and beautiful album of all time.
[First added to this chart: 03/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,326
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[First added to this chart: 12/21/2018]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,689
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While all 4 of The Smiths' albums are brilliant and could easily be called one of the best albums of all time, Strangeways is and has always been my favourite. While, yes it does contain perhaps thier worst song (that isn't a cover) "Death at One's Elbow" the ups here vastly outweigh the downs, anyway, by most groups standards "Death at One's Elbow" isn't that bad, it's just bad by the standards of the greatest band of all time.
"Why is this the best album in a stellar career?" you may ask, well this album features the band at thier best, Marr is on point with his guitar playing, Morrissey's vocals are the best they had been up to this point and Andy Rourke is, as always, perfect (and Mike Joyce is there as well, I suppose). The songs are also fantastic "Death of a Disco Dancer" and "Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me" are among the bands best, "Girlfriend in a Coma" is a fantastic and hilarious pop song and every other track (besides "Elbow", perhaps) are a joy to listen to.
The best song on here, and my second favourite Smiths song of them all, is the perfect "Paint a Vulgar Picture", a song that I have listended to perhaps more than any of the bands other songs. Brilliant. [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
"Why is this the best album in a stellar career?" you may ask, well this album features the band at thier best, Marr is on point with his guitar playing, Morrissey's vocals are the best they had been up to this point and Andy Rourke is, as always, perfect (and Mike Joyce is there as well, I suppose). The songs are also fantastic "Death of a Disco Dancer" and "Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me" are among the bands best, "Girlfriend in a Coma" is a fantastic and hilarious pop song and every other track (besides "Elbow", perhaps) are a joy to listen to.
The best song on here, and my second favourite Smiths song of them all, is the perfect "Paint a Vulgar Picture", a song that I have listended to perhaps more than any of the bands other songs. Brilliant. [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,715
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Easily the most popular Smiths album, many would call The Queen is Dead the best album of all time and, while it isn't my favourite, I can't really disagree with them. It would be pointless to list all the great songs on here because they are almost all great, the only weak track (in my humble opinion) being "Never Had No One Ever" which isn't actually a bad song, just not as good as the other tracks on this album.
My favourite track (and my favourite Smiths song of them all) is the beautiful "I Know It's Over". [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
My favourite track (and my favourite Smiths song of them all) is the beautiful "I Know It's Over". [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
33,607
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My favourite Bob Dylan album alternates from time to time between this and Highway 61 Revisited, they both have strengths and weaknesses (well...). This album is the more consistent of the two, every single track being great, but the best song is "It's All Right Ma" which should convince anyone that Dylan deserved that Nobel Prize. Other highlights include "Mr. Tambourine Man" and the first three tracks.
[First added to this chart: 03/01/2018]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,659
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As I said, my favourite Dylan album alternates between this and Bringing it All Back Home, I think that when push comes to shove this is the better of the two, but which I prefer I do not know. While, unlike BiABH, this does have weaker tracks, it also has 4 of the Dylan's best, namely "Queen Jane Approximately", "Ballad of a Thin Man", "Like a Rolling Stone" and (his best song) "Desolation Row".
[First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
27,124
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Perhaps the best debut album of all time, Procol Harum's self titled masterpiece is the second best thing they ever did. Every single song on the album is great, the lowlight beng the still quite good "Something Following Me".
The highlights (or some of them, 7 of the tracks on here could be called perfection) are the haunting " Salad Days (Are Here Again)", the instrumental closer "Repent Walpurgis" and my favourite track, the pure poetry that is "She Wandered Through the Garden Fence".
The highlights (or some of them, 7 of the tracks on here could be called perfection) are the haunting " Salad Days (Are Here Again)", the instrumental closer "Repent Walpurgis" and my favourite track, the pure poetry that is "She Wandered Through the Garden Fence".
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
917
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Maybe not quite as strong as some of the other albums in my top ten, but this album showed what A-Ha was really capable of.
This is a dark, moody album that contains some of the groups best songs, side 1 of this album is near perfection, starting off with the title track "Scoundrel Days", a harsh song that may alienate some listeners who enjoyed thier light pop debut album, but is sure to draw in new listeners and prepare them for an unforgettable experience.
The next two tracks "The Swing of Things" and "I've been Losing You" are fantastic songs, powerful lyrics made even more powerful by Morten's brilliant vocals and the perfect musical accompaniment. The next track "October" is also interesting, a nice little mood setter that sets us up for one of the best songs of all time, the phenomenal closer to side 1 "Manhatten Skyline".
Side two is less interesting, starting off with a couple of pop songs that are great, but don't live up to the first side of the album, the next track "Weight of the Wind" is another fantastic song, but the next track "Maybe Maybe" is the only truely weak track on the album, sounding more like it would have fit on thier debut album. The final track is nice, an intersting closer to a great album. [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
This is a dark, moody album that contains some of the groups best songs, side 1 of this album is near perfection, starting off with the title track "Scoundrel Days", a harsh song that may alienate some listeners who enjoyed thier light pop debut album, but is sure to draw in new listeners and prepare them for an unforgettable experience.
The next two tracks "The Swing of Things" and "I've been Losing You" are fantastic songs, powerful lyrics made even more powerful by Morten's brilliant vocals and the perfect musical accompaniment. The next track "October" is also interesting, a nice little mood setter that sets us up for one of the best songs of all time, the phenomenal closer to side 1 "Manhatten Skyline".
Side two is less interesting, starting off with a couple of pop songs that are great, but don't live up to the first side of the album, the next track "Weight of the Wind" is another fantastic song, but the next track "Maybe Maybe" is the only truely weak track on the album, sounding more like it would have fit on thier debut album. The final track is nice, an intersting closer to a great album. [First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
658
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Perhaps the second best debut album of all time, The Smiths is a fantastic album that is only brought down by the production. The audio quality isn't great, but the songs themselves certainly are, the best tracks are the haunting "Suffer Little Children", the poetic "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" and the brillaint opener "Reel Around the Fountain".
[First added to this chart: 01/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,883
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Total albums: 44. Page 1 of 5
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Top 44 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 9 | 20% | |
| 1970s | 18 | 41% | |
| 1980s | 13 | 30% | |
| 1990s | 2 | 5% | |
| 2000s | 2 | 5% | |
| 2010s | 0 | 0% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 9% | |
| The Smiths | 4 | 9% | |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 9% | |
| David Bowie | 4 | 9% | |
| Procol Harum | 4 | 9% | |
| John Cale | 3 | 7% | |
| Morrissey | 3 | 7% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 44 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 41st to 42ndThe Kick Inside by Kate Bush |
| Down 1 from 42nd to 43rdThe Stranger by Billy Joel |
| Down 1 from 43rd to 44thUnknown Pleasures by Joy Division |
| New entries |
|---|
| Procol Harum by Procol Harum |
| Slow Dazzle by John Cale |
Top 44 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 28 Music Albums of the 1970s | Crumpet | 1970s decade chart | 2018 | |
| Best Album Covers | TheSmiths82-87 | Custom chart | 2014 |  |
| Top 25 Music Albums of the 1980s | Crumpet | 1980s decade chart | 2018 | |
| Top 34 Greatest Music Albums | FrancesFarmer | Overall chart | 2014 | |
| Top 35 Greatest Music Albums | flying_porkpie | Overall chart | 2010 | |
| Top 30 Greatest Music Albums | sonnysideup | Overall chart | 2010 | |
| Top 30 Greatest Music Albums | jfrichard56 | Overall chart | 2014 | |
| Top 35 Music Albums of the 1960s |  revolver94 | 1960s decade chart | 2018 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s | ihwar2000 | 1960s decade chart | 2018 |  |
| Top 33 Music Albums of the 1960s |  tbakeman | 1960s decade chart | 2013 | |
Top 44 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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Top 44 Greatest Music Albums ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
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Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 6 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 09/04/2019 19:45 |  sssvnnn | 2,866 | 83/100 |
| ! | 03/01/2018 16:27 |  bobbyb5 | 725 | 90/100 |
| ! | 02/24/2018 18:06 | PeterSmith | 68 | 82/100 |
| ! | 02/18/2018 05:28 |  jlancast1996 | 22 | 93/100 |
| ! | 02/03/2018 15:50 |  LedZep | 1,105 | 84/100 |
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Top 44 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From sssvnnn 09/04/2019 19:47 | #242203
sssvnnn 09/04/2019 19:47 | #242203
Fantastic chart.
If you go on to 100 albums I hope I can give the full 100 points for the chart...
Good to have one more John Cale fan on BEA.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From bobbyb5 03/01/2018 16:32 | #209851
bobbyb5 03/01/2018 16:32 | #209851
I gave you lots of bonus points for having Procol Harum as number one. Is the album that you have the US version which includes Whiter Shade of Pale, or the original UK version without it? The reason I ask is because Whiter Shade of Pale is my number one single of all time. I made a singles chart and put it at number 1. You didn't mention it in your description, so I presume you're rating the album that didn't include it. Still an awesome choice though.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From PeterSmith 02/21/2018 23:48 | #209144
I like the Smiths - Hatfull of Hollow was my first and only album for over 30 years but recently getting into the others although they'll have to go some to push Hatfull (but there's history and emotional attachment there)
How Soon Is Now is one of my favourite tracks of all time - so thanks for making me listen to that as I write this.
Agree with LedZep, look at other charts that feature the Smiths and Morrisey and see what those guys are into, you might find a new favourite band.
One thing though, I've never seen anyone choose The Man Who Sold the World over Ziggy - what's that all about? I'm a big Bowie fan but that order has never entered my mind!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From jlancast1996 02/18/2018 05:29 | #208636
jlancast1996 02/18/2018 05:29 | #208636
I think you'd really enjoy The Cure's album Disintegration if you've not heard it already. Good chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From LedZep 02/03/2018 15:52 | #207076
LedZep 02/03/2018 15:52 | #207076
This is pretty great start, it's not that diverse but you'll discover many new albums through BEA if you're willing to listen. Expecting even better top 100!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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