Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by bonnequestion 
A few things to know about my charts:
1. My choices are based on my personal taste first. I'm not trying to make an objective list of the best albums of all-time, but rather a list of the best albums I've ever heard.
2. If I rate an album and/or add it to my charts, it means I've listened to it more than once. I don't rate an album based on only one listen on Spotify. I own my albums and I listen to them many times before judging them.
3. For me, an album isn't just a collection of songs. It isn't just the sum of its individual tracks. There's something more than that in an album, there's the flow, the concept, the cohesiveness, the general feel, the magic. My best-rated albums have that, they are not simply the albums in which I like the most individual tracks.
4. There are no live albums and no best-of/compilation in my charts, just studio albums.
5. This list will always change, and that's very important. If it didn't, it would mean that I'm not discovering anything new, and that would be the worst thing that could happen. Not only will there always be new music coming out, but I will always be moved by different music. And I intend to keep it that way. I don't want to be one of those guys that has his musical taste fixed forever.
That's it for now, I hope you enjoy this chart!
- Chart updated: 06/26/2026 18:15
- (Created: 07/24/2018 16:32).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 21 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 35 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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Mutemath is my favorite band right now and "Odd Soul" represents the epitome of what this band is. A succession of amazing songs, a level of energy almost unmatched, a drummer out of this world and a very creative and amazing production. On top of that, you can add a very talented bassist and a singer-songwriter in Paul Meany that has a once-in-a-generation talent. Then you get "Odd Soul", my favorite and most influential album of all-time.
[First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
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This album screams perfection. From the artwork to the lyrics and of course the brilliant production, it is just flawless.
I love every Radiohead album, but "In Rainbows" is just from another world. The songs are all great and they flow together so easily, I'm always in pure awe when I listen to this album. [First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
I love every Radiohead album, but "In Rainbows" is just from another world. The songs are all great and they flow together so easily, I'm always in pure awe when I listen to this album. [First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
Year of Release:
2007
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,199
Rank in 2007:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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I know this a very obscure album to be no.4 on my all-time list, but I can't help it, it's just too good. I really hope they make another record soon, because right now, Kiev only has one album and it's the freaking bomb! Great music, great production, awesome piece of art.
[First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
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Every time I listen to this album, I can't help but feel completely overwhelmed by the quality of the musicianship. As an upright bassist myself, I just can't believe how good Edgar Meyer is. And you can say the same thing about any of these 4 masters of their instruments. I'm still having a hard time believing that these 4 geniuses have made an album together.
As for the album, it is a pure delight. 11 songs of pure composition skills and incredible musicianship, including 2 songs with amazing vocals by Chris Thile and Aoife O'Donovan. The pacing is tasty and well-balanced, each and every song has a purpose and a distinct quality, which is really hard to achieve in an instrumental album.
The highlights for me are "Here And Heaven", "Franz And The Eagle" (with Edgar Meyer on the piano!) and "Goat Rodeo". [First added to this chart: 05/19/2019]
As for the album, it is a pure delight. 11 songs of pure composition skills and incredible musicianship, including 2 songs with amazing vocals by Chris Thile and Aoife O'Donovan. The pacing is tasty and well-balanced, each and every song has a purpose and a distinct quality, which is really hard to achieve in an instrumental album.
The highlights for me are "Here And Heaven", "Franz And The Eagle" (with Edgar Meyer on the piano!) and "Goat Rodeo". [First added to this chart: 05/19/2019]
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What can I say about "Pet Sounds"? This album is just so ridiculously out-of-this-world. Especially considering where music was at in 1966, it is very hard to believe that a guy could create this music almost single handedly. Composition and production-wise, this album is a complete masterpiece and showcases the genius of Brian Wilson like never before, or after.
I think the Beatles were a better band than the Beach Boys, but for me, "Pet Sounds" is better than any Beatle album. There is absolutely no flaws in it and, in my perception, it is the very first album that really felt like an album. "Rubber Soul" was close, then "Pet Sounds" was it. And the rest is history. [First added to this chart: 08/15/2018]
I think the Beatles were a better band than the Beach Boys, but for me, "Pet Sounds" is better than any Beatle album. There is absolutely no flaws in it and, in my perception, it is the very first album that really felt like an album. "Rubber Soul" was close, then "Pet Sounds" was it. And the rest is history. [First added to this chart: 08/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
36,335
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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I was seeing this album on top of so many charts and I was like "Come on guys, can't you be a little bit original?"...
And then, I listened to it. And I understood. And now it's in my chart, near the top. Sometimes an album is just universally good, I think this one is.
I'm not a big Pink Floyd fan, I don't like everything they've done. But I sure like The Dark Side Of The Moon! [First added to this chart: 11/07/2018]
And then, I listened to it. And I understood. And now it's in my chart, near the top. Sometimes an album is just universally good, I think this one is.
I'm not a big Pink Floyd fan, I don't like everything they've done. But I sure like The Dark Side Of The Moon! [First added to this chart: 11/07/2018]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
55,759
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
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Led Zeppelin IV is the ultimate Led Zeppelin album in my mind. It is just massive. I can't imagine how it would have felt to hear this back in 1971. I mean, each song is better than the last. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, here comes "When The Levee Breaks" and you realize that these guys were really at their peak at this moment. Amazing album.
[First added to this chart: 08/27/2018]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
36,158
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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It's hard to pick my favorite Sloan album, but "Never Hear The End Of It" is the one that really got me into the band. It's a very special album, with 30 songs that flow seamlessly from one to another.
Sloan is an amazing band that never had the level of recognition they deserve. To this day, they've made 12 great albums, all with the same lineup consisting of 4 songwriters that can all sing their own songs. But more than that, they are all fucking great at it. They all have their own strength, but they are all very strong melodists. And it clearly shows on this near-perfect album. [First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
Sloan is an amazing band that never had the level of recognition they deserve. To this day, they've made 12 great albums, all with the same lineup consisting of 4 songwriters that can all sing their own songs. But more than that, they are all fucking great at it. They all have their own strength, but they are all very strong melodists. And it clearly shows on this near-perfect album. [First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
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I don't know why, but I've always loved that album more than I should have. I can't put my finger on what it is that makes it my favorite Our Lady Peace album and one of the few albums I have rated 10/10. But there is definitely something good going on in this album. It's full of awesome songs like "Blister", "Potato Girl", "Happiness & The Fish" and the list goes on. But more than that, it works really well as an album. At least, for me.
[First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
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I might be the only one to think that, but for me, "Three Friends" is Gentle Giant's masterpiece. This is their best album conceptually, lyrically and musically. Some of their albums may have bigger hits (Octopus, Free Hand) but this album has the perfect pacing, great themes and is very well-crafted. It is also the only album featuring Malcolm Mortimore on drums, and I really enjoy his playing.
Each song is great in its own way and complements the others. The concept is simple, yet very effective. Three school friends grow up to become three very different people. This is quite basic, but combine this idea with the genius of the Schulmans and Kerry Minnear, and you get this wonderful album, full of amazing moments and great musicianship. Gentle Giant might be my favorite band ever, and this is my favorite album from them. [First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
Each song is great in its own way and complements the others. The concept is simple, yet very effective. Three school friends grow up to become three very different people. This is quite basic, but combine this idea with the genius of the Schulmans and Kerry Minnear, and you get this wonderful album, full of amazing moments and great musicianship. Gentle Giant might be my favorite band ever, and this is my favorite album from them. [First added to this chart: 07/25/2018]
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 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 8 | 8% | |
| 1970s | 29 | 29% | |
| 1980s | 3 | 3% | |
| 1990s | 11 | 11% | |
| 2000s | 20 | 20% | |
| 2010s | 18 | 18% | |
| 2020s | 11 | 11% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Gentle Giant | 6 | 6% | |
| Spoon | 4 | 4% | |
| Mutemath | 4 | 4% | |
| Radiohead | 4 | 4% | |
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 3% | |
| Sloan | 3 | 3% | |
| Our Lady Peace | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
41 | 41% | |
| |
27 | 27% | |
| |
19 | 19% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
Down 1 from 77th to 78th |
Down 1 from 78th to 79th |
Down 1 from 79th to 80th |
| New entries |
|---|
| Leavers |
|---|
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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 35 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 07/22/2026 03:32 | Olli | 30 | 73/100 |
| ! | 05/06/2025 06:52 |  LedZep | 1,099 | 84/100 |
| ! | 05/06/2025 02:21 |  MadhattanJack | 358 | 86/100 |
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 5% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.7/100, a mean average of 88.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 89.6/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.3.
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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 7 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
From 
BestEverAlbums 07/17/2026 08:00 in Chart of the day (#5376): By bonnequestion
BestEverAlbums 07/17/2026 08:00 in Chart of the day (#5376): By bonnequestion“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by ) 1. by by by by (2011) 5. by (1966) 6. by (1973) 7. by (1971) 8. by by (1999) 10. by (1972) 11. by by (2008) 14. by (1991) 15. by (2010) 16. by (2008) 17. by (2012) 18. (1975) 19. by (2020) 20. by (2021) 22. by (1972) 23. by by (2002) 25.…”
View forum post →From BestEverAlbums 11/11/2025 09:00 in Chart of the day (#5128): By bonnequestion
BestEverAlbums 11/11/2025 09:00 in Chart of the day (#5128): By bonnequestion“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by ) 1. Odd Soul by Mutemath (2011) 2. In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007) 3. Falling Bough Wisdom Teeth by Kiev (2013) 4. The Goat Rodeo Sessions by Yo-Yo Ma / Stuart Duncan / Edgar Meyer / Chris Thile (2011) 5. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys (1966)…”
View forum post →From BestEverAlbums 05/05/2025 08:00 in Chart of the day (#4940): By bonnequestion
BestEverAlbums 05/05/2025 08:00 in Chart of the day (#4940): By bonnequestion“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by bonnequestion () 1. Odd Soul by Mutemath (2011) 2. In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007) 3. Falling Bough Wisdom Teeth by Kiev (2013) 4. The Goat Rodeo Sessions by Yo-Yo Ma / Stuart Duncan / Edgar Meyer / Chris Thile (2011) 5. Pet Sounds by The…”
View forum post →Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From
corenfro TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/06/2019 16:06 | #245413
corenfro TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/06/2019 16:06 | #245413
I dig the love for mutemath. Underrated and under recognized. They got the "christian band" stigma from being formerly earthsuit which was essentially career suicide... but the music is fantastic. I'll have to check out gentle giant.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
pctrooper 11/14/2019 19:46 | #244825
Nice to see someone so big on The Giant. I agree with your third point. Not listening to albums in proper context is weird and unsatisfying.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
Moondance 01/24/2023 01:52 | #293211
Apart from having too many albums from a handful of artists and only 1 album from south of the Equator, I did find this chart quite enjoyable. With only 4 albums in common, there were a good number of albums for me to check out ~ and a few that I have penciled in for a deeper listen and possible addition to my year chart.
The comments were also appreciated ~ always a good thing to know why albums resonate with BEA members, especially the less well known albums.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
From
KineticEchoes02 02/02/2022 02:23 | #280445
This is a great chart! A lot of similarities to my tastes. I love the prog rock choices - I admittedly need to get more into Gentle Giant. What I've heard from them so far is impressive. At least you have Dark Side in your top 10, so I forgive you for dismissing Floyd's other amazing albums :). Stoked to see Led Zep, Beatles and RHCP well represented here. Love your album descriptions and intro too. Great work!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
From
bobbyb5 09/09/2018 04:41 | #220793
bobbyb5 09/09/2018 04:41 | #220793
I never heard of any of those ones you named except Neil Young. There's other Canadian bands I loved when I was young like Triumph, The Pursuit of Happiness, Rough Trade, Loverboy, Jane siberry, the Kings. And I like Steppenwolf who are kind of Canadian. And I'm still a fan of Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell. I even like Buffy sainte-marie.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
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