Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by AvalancheGrips

Top Songs (somewhat in order):
The Avalanches- Live At Dominoes
Songs: Ohia- Farewell Transmission
Swans- Bring The Sun/Toussaint L'Ouverture
Grizzly Bear- Sleeping Ute
Low- Fly
Viet Cong- Death
Swans- Finally, Peace
Swans- A Piece Of The Sky
Against All Logic- Cityfade
Sudan Archives- Home Maker
Viagra Boys- Baby Criminal
Fleet Foxes- Third Of May
Sonic Youth- Daydream Nation
Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Storm
Denzel Curry- Melt Session #1
Denzel Curry- Walkin
Talking Heads- Born Under Punches
Black Country, New Road- The Place Where He Inserted the Blade
Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Dead Flag Blues
Radiohead- How To Disappear Completely
Komm, Susser Todd- Arianne
Marty Robbins- Big Iron
Kendrick Lamar- These Walls
Kendrick Lamar- Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst
Radiohead- There, There
MGMT- Siberian Breaks
Black Midi- Slow
MGMT- Little Dark Age
Low- White Horses
Kendrick Lamar- Wesley's Theory
Grizzly Bear- Yet Again
Big Thief- Time Escaping
Injury Reserve- Outside
Nina Simone- Sinnerman
Black Country, New Road- Haldern

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Yes, it is probably very early to include this in my top ten of all time, but I don't think this is recency bias at play here. I genuinely think this album is and will be up there with the greats. Black Country, New Road's debut, For the first time" was one of my favorite LPs of 2021, even with just 6 songs. Those 6 tracks were some of the densest in quality I've ever heard. But, I wanted more, and I wanted maybe some maturation in their sound. What we got the next year was exactly what I wanted. More focused, better written, more complex, more emotion, a fuller sound, and more songs, everything I asked for.

Black Country, New Road has a unique lineup in the sense that you don't often see a rock band with a violin and saxophone, and for this they already gain points in my book because they include these instruments so masterfully. They give the band a sense of character that is very rare. They also fill out the sound, making it more lush and pretty. They were smart to go in the chamber pop direction because I think the heavy post-punk mixes really well with it. One problem I had with For the first time was the lack of inclusion of May Kershaw, the keyboardist. I felt that they had a whole member of the group who was very seldom given a chance to show her potential. I mean, if you watch their old live shows, she often sits waiting for her turn to play while everyone else rocks out. This album shows Kershaw's potential because the keyboards and piano on this album are just genius and one of the best elements of each song, especially "Haldern".

The last thing I will compliment is the vocalist, Isaac Wood. He was the highlight of their debut and continues to be a highlight on this album. I don't normally go for 'whiny' and 'emotional' vocals with a lot of pathos. A lot of my top albums have sparse or 'talky' vocals, or none at all for that matter. But Isaac manages to be emotional in a way that I can not just enjoy, but love. It's a shame to see him leave but it's for his health so I understand. I hope to see him come back one day, but only when he feels better.

Favorite Songs: "Chaos Space Marine", "Concorde", "Haldern", "The Place Where He Inserted The Blade", "Basketball Shoes"
[First added to this chart: 02/06/2022]
Year of Release:
2022
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,436
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If there was ever a soundtrack for the decay of late-stage capitalism and endless wars, this would be a serious contender for that spot. In that way, this album has aged wonderfully over the past 15 or so years because things have only gotten worse since 2005. And while Humanz was a pretty abysmal project, it serves as a confirmation of all the predictions and arguments made in Demon Days, just as the Trump presidency was an unveiling of all of the largely unacknowledged failures of the American political system.

The album starts by asking, "Are we the last living souls?". As in, are we the last generation to truly be alive and feel things, like joy and excitement? This is a great foreshadowing of the coming generations that have grown increasingly depressed and anxious. Then, the album goes on to address the issue of violence among our youth, which has also become more relevant as school shootings have become more and more of a problem in this country over the span of the 2010s. Then, the album moves on to the environment with "O Green World". Again, Demon Days hits the mark now that the climate is completely failing and species are dying at unprecedented rates. "Dirty Harry" is a song about war from a soldier's perspective. This was a very relevant topic since the UK and the US were in the midst of two wars in the Middle East at the time of recording this album. Since this album, both of those wars have "ended" though America still occupies much of the Middle East, and Iraq and Afghanistan stand in complete ruin.

Demon Days takes on all of these issues with such prescience, it's almost as if Damon and Jamie had a crystal ball looking into the future. This album stands as a landmark of the 2000s and of the entire century so far. It will be relevant until the death of the planet in 50 or so years or until the inevitable heat death of the universe.

Favorite Songs: "Kids With Guns", "El Mañana", "Every Planet We Reach is Dead", "DARE", "Demon Days"
[First added to this chart: 01/13/2018]
Year of Release:
2005
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,415
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Another very early pick. This one is definitely personal as I don't think many people would rank black midi very high on their charts. This is black midi's greatest showing thus far. They have gone full maximalist on this album, something I thought they had already reached on Cavalcade, how wrong I was. Ever since Schlagenheim, I knew these guys would keep doing crazy shit and keep accelerating. I just didn't know they would be this good this fast. Cavalcade has a lot of good songs on it, but it doesn't really feel like a journey like Hellfire does. The songs on that album don't go along together like these do. I mean Hellfire is kind of a concept album, exploring sin and telling the stories of awful people.

black midi have kind of shed the noisy, post-punk skin that they were born with. Their music is still aggressive and loud sometimes, but they're much more prog than punk nowadays. In many ways, this makes their music even more interesting. Each second of this album sounds different from the one prior. But this does not make it sound cluttered and unfocused, no. Instead, they build and build on this momentum, ever changing and growing. Many of these tracks end with huge, crushing crescendos, some that you can foresee just from the initial notes.

I think that Cavalcade serves as a proof of concept after hearing this album. They were pushing towards this sound in that album but couldn't quite touch it yet. Every track on this album is in some way crazier than "John L", which is quite an accomplishment. Well, here's to LP4. TBE

Fav Tracks: "Sugar/Tzu", "Eat Men Eat", "Welcome to Hell", "The Race Is About To Begin", "The Defence"
[First added to this chart: 07/16/2022]
Year of Release:
2022
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,333
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The most organic and perfect Radiohead album. This album goes back and forth with Kid A, it's so hard to choose between the two.

Favorite Songs: "15 Step", "Bodysnatchers", "Nude", "Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi", "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"
[First added to this chart: 04/29/2018]
Year of Release:
2007
Appears in:
Rank Score:
51,470
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Comments:
13. (=)
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Radiohead took kind of a big risk with this album. They were widely known for their guitar-based rock that had cool effects and soundscapes and harrowing melodies. Well, they all of those elements except for the guitars. The guitar shows up just on four songs, and really only a little on "Morning Bell". Their style also got a lot freakier, more abstract. Of course, they were abstract before, but this was different. What the hell do the lyrics on the song "Kid A" mean? And what's with the vocals? Why did they include a freakish jazz explosion of "The National Anthem"? I can imagine that these were the questions running through the minds of critics because this album got PANNED. However, history has not treated these critics kindly as Kid A is now critically acclaimed and universally loved by fans. Thus, the risk paid off.

The vocal effects on "Everything In Its Right Place" are probably my favorite element of the song. The reversed and manipulated voices fit perfectly with the heavy, but soft, synths. This is a very simple song, instruments wise: a synth, a drum machine probably, and voice manipulator; but I can tell that a lot of work went into crafting this song and it is a perfect opener because it is weird as hell.

"Kid A" is a very satisfying song for me. The synths are just so soft, they feel like they can put you to sleep. There is definitely a lullaby quality to this song. This feeling is added to with the vocals. They are also just and somehow comforting, even if they sound a bit unnerving. This is an unpopular song but I quite like it.

"The National Anthem" pretty much cemented my love for this album. The heavy, fuzzy bass and the Krautrock beat are killer, the jazz freakout is so fucking badass. There really isn't much more to say, this song is killer.

It took me three tries to listen to this album fully because of "How To Disappear Completely". At the time, I was easily bored by acoustic guitar ballads. Even when I listened all the way through the first time, I was unimpressed. It was probably my least favorite song on the record for a while. Now, it is easily my favorite Radiohead song. Walking into my first day of senior year with this song playing in my earbuds really hit, and I liked high school. The chords and the bass create the most heavy feeling of melancholy and Thom's vocals are just so good. There's so much going on in this track that it's really hard to pin down all the right words to describe it. I think that is a great quality for a track to have.

"Treefingers" is good.

"Optimistic" may seem like a really boring, run-of-the-mill Radiohead track, but I really enjoy it. The return to guitars is kinda refreshing on this album and the chord progression is really good. I love the climaxes on this song and the jazzy outro is really satisfying for me.

"In Limbo" is probably my least favorite track, but it's still pretty good. I'd say it's more atmospheric than melody driven. Kinda boring and repetitive, but a good palette cleanser for what's to come.

"Idioteque" is a very jarring song. I think that is why it is so good. It has a very sparse instrumentation and emotional vocals. Of the highest rated tracks on this album it is probably my least favorite, however it's still pretty perfect to me and a staple of Radiohead's discography.

I love the way "Idioteque" phases into "Morning Bell". I think it is one of the best moments on the album. The actual track "Morning Bell" is pretty good, but not too special. I really like the buildup towards the end and the weird high-pitched sounds. Pretty solid.

"Motion Picture Soundtrack" is the song that has taken the longest to grow on me. It still has some growing to do, but I really enjoy it. It is a gorgeous way to send off the album. I like that they went for a more classical approach without rock guitars or synths.

In summary, this album fucking rocks. And it's better than OK Computer.

Favorite Tracks: "Everything In Its Right Place", "The National Anthem", "How To Disappear Completely", "Optimistic", "Idioteque"
[First added to this chart: 03/30/2018]
Year of Release:
2000
Appears in:
Rank Score:
51,651
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Buy album United States
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Favorite Tracks: "Myrrhman", "Ascension Day", "After the Flood", "Taphead", "New Grass" [First added to this chart: 01/12/2018]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,301
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Comments:
Buy album United States
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It is probably a bold leap to put this album so high, so early. But this album is near perfect and a massive improvement over their first album, Schlagenheim, and that album is near perfect as well. There is quite a lot to say about this album, despite only being 8 songs long.

Cavalcade starts with "John L", which is the most insane and unhinged piece of music I have ever heard. The instrumentation is hectic and disjointed and vocals are monotone and calm. This makes sense when you read into the lyrics. They are about the leader of a cult named John L (50), likely an allusion to the John Frum cargo cult. Cult leaders are often charismatic and well-spoken. They can calmly tell groups the most batshit insane things and many will follow them. This is why the calm demeanor of Geordie's vocals backed by hectic, grandiose instrumentation makes complete sense.

"Marlene Dietrich" is a complete departure from the sound of "John L" and from black midi's usual style altogether. It is a beautiful ballad about one of the most influential actresses of the 20th century, Marlene Dietrich. The bossa nova style guitars really took me by surprise and the other instruments came in and plastered a smile on my face. Geordie's vocals are very melodic, a shocking development considering his past performances.

"Chondromalacia Patella" is the perfect combination of the insane instrumentation of "John L" and the gentle crooning of "Marlene Dietrich". The middle jazzy section is another very pleasant moment on the record, with Geordie singing calmly. Then, the tension builds before releasing this amazing, high-pitched climax that ends the song. And the final descending note makes me laugh every time.

"Slow" is one of black midi's most well-written songs. The soft-loud dynamics are just perfect on the song. There's a real sense of urgency, which makes sense given the lyrical themes, that of wanting to die quickly instead of degrading over time. Cameron's vocals also show improvement over those of Schlagenheim.

"Diamond Stuff" is one of the most cerebral songs on the album. It starts out really slow, almost excruciatingly slow. The beginning reminds me of a Tool song from the album Fear Inoculum with its drawn back vocals and oriental sounding instruments, I don't know a better word for it. Then, the second half kicks in with a massive snare hit that echoes loud. And the following two minutes are serene and utterly blissful. The backing vocals are angelic and the guitar and drums sound like something from In Rainbows or A Moon Shaped Pool. "Diamond Stuff" is probably in my top three favorite songs from this album.

The KEXP performance of "Dethroned" had me very hyped for the studio version. However, I was somewhat disappointed with the mix and the sound of the song upon first listening to it. There is no horn section, which is what makes the KEXP version so fucking good. Since then, I have come around on the studio version, mostly because of the final section, which is much more transcendental than the live version. All-in-all, "Dethroned" is a very solid song, with or without horns. And I'm glad both versions exist.

"Hogwash and Balderdash" is my least favorite song on the album, which isn't saying much considering it's still a banger. It's another insane, jazzy song with a more straightforward rock approach. It's fast paced and all over the place. There isn't much more to say.

"Ascending Forth" is an epic prog piece that reminds me of acts such as Genesis and King Crimson. Geordie wanders through the song with more melodic and somber vocals. The song has many crescendos and falls accompanied by a soft acoustic guitar riff that carries on through the whole song. The song has many instruments never before used by black midi. The songs ends with a grand crescendo of horns and strings. This is one of the greatest finales to an album I have listened to.

Black midi shows a true maturation in their sound. With real vocals and genuinely beautiful moments juxtaposed with insane moments, black midi has really honed in on their style, just 4 years into their careers. I hope they keep going in different directions, I have a lot of faith in them. Solid 10/10 for this album.

Favorite Tracks: "John L", "Marlene Dietrich", "Chondromalacia Patella", "Slow", Ascending Forth"
[First added to this chart: 06/01/2021]
Year of Release:
2021
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,243
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Average Rating:
Comments:
28. (=)
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[First added to this chart: 07/09/2018]
Year of Release:
2008
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,501
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[First added to this chart: 11/02/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,570
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Comments:
Buy album United States
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[First added to this chart: 06/14/2018]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,161
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Total albums: 26. Page 1 of 3

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade Albums %


1930s 0 0%
1940s 0 0%
1950s 0 0%
1960s 3 3%
1970s 15 15%
1980s 4 4%
1990s 20 20%
2000s 22 22%
2010s 23 23%
2020s 13 13%
Artist Albums %


Swans 4 4%
Can 3 3%
Godspeed You! Black Emperor 3 3%
Black Midi 3 3%
Radiohead 3 3%
Tyler, The Creator 2 2%
Portishead 2 2%
Show all
Country Albums %


United States 49 49%
United Kingdom 26 26%
Mixed Nationality 5 5%
Canada 4 4%
Australia 3 3%
Germany 3 3%
Japan 3 3%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 99 99%
Yes 1 1%
Live? Albums %
No 99 99%
Yes 1 1%

Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest fallers
Faller Down 1 from 82nd to 83rd
For The First Time
by Black Country, New Road
Faller Down 1 from 83rd to 84th
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
by Big Thief
Faller Down 1 from 84th to 85th
Nymphs
by Nicolas Jaar

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings

Average Rating: 
91/100 (from 66 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
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08/28/2023 10:14 Tamthebam  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 54985/100
  
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02/07/2023 15:47 Weepingguitarman  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 4195/100

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 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 91.3/100, a mean average of 91.6/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.1/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 8.3.

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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments

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Rating:  
85/100
From 08/28/2023 10:15
A young persons chart only 22 albums from the 60's, 70's & 80's but your descriptions are brilliant so that lifts the chart to 85/100
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 02/07/2023 20:04
Great descriptions accompanying the entries. Good chart
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 02/07/2023 17:33
That's a lot of depressing albums. Also, Komm Susser Tod is definitely one of the greatest songs ever!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 10/31/2022 22:52
I was right, this thing DOES increase in quality based on fascinating descriptions.
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From 08/10/2022 20:11
@leniad

I have heard all of those albums actually lol. Bitches Brew by Miles Davis is just outside of my top 100 and was on here for a little bit. Jazz on its own isn't my favorite, I love it when it's incorporated with other genres, à la progressive rock, post-rock, Hip-Hop
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Rating:  
100/100
From 08/10/2022 17:20
you really like swans jajaja, also you already consider ants from up there in top 10, interesting, good chart overall
want to know if you have heard jazz? if not here are 3 albums i recommend you

The black saint and the sinner lady- charles mingus
ins a silent way - miles davis
a love supreme - john coltrane
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 08/10/2022 16:57
Fantastic chart!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 02/09/2022 19:13
cool picks
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Rating:  
100/100
From 02/06/2022 02:30
Very modern chart!
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Rating:  
95/100
From 02/06/2022 01:25
Nice descriptions on your top picks.
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