Top 40 Greatest Music Albums
by Chickenbiscuit 
So yeah its hard to compare 40 albums that can be completely different to each other but here is an attempt. I'm leaning more into the metal since that's the genre I listen to the biggest variety of. I'm keeping it just 1 album per band to avoid redundancy.
- Chart updated: 02/29/2020 00:45
- (Created: 02/28/2020 20:51).
- Chart size: 40 albums.
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Watching the Unplugged concert is one of my earliest memories, and since then Alice In Chains has always been a part of my music identity. Raw subject material with polished and visceral performances, to me this is the pinnacle of grunge right here. (Also possibly my favorite guitar tone ever.)
[First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Year of Release:
1992
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,324
Rank in 1992:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Hands down my favorite rock album. I'm not sure I have anything new and interesting that hasn't been said about this album except its never been out of rotation for me and it was the gateway to Kyuss, Them Crooked Vultures, Desert Sessions, Fu Manchu, Brant Bjork, Iggy, and more.
Standouts:
Its a start to finish kind of album but-
Song for the Dead
Song for the Deaf
Millionaire
Go With The Flow [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Standouts:
Its a start to finish kind of album but-
Song for the Dead
Song for the Deaf
Millionaire
Go With The Flow [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Year of Release:
2002
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,268
Rank in 2002:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Hard to pick a single album, Serenity Painted Death, Demon of the Fall, Deliverance, and The Baying of the Hounds are some of my favorite songs and they are all on different albums, but Blackwater Park is the best complete package. Probably the teen angstiest album here, I was fully into Opeth for a few year stretch in high school and I still come back to them often for bottomless amazing riffs. They have a way of writing some brutal riffs without the dropped tune and chugs over-use of power chords. Mikael Akerfeltd is generally singled out as the star of the show but the whole band is great. The latin influenced beats are huge part of what makes Opeth sound like Opeth imo.
Standouts:
Insert spongebob the most fun things are written in red meme.
Blackwater Park
The Drapery Falls
Funeral Portrait
The Leper Affinity [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Standouts:
Insert spongebob the most fun things are written in red meme.
Blackwater Park
The Drapery Falls
Funeral Portrait
The Leper Affinity [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Year of Release:
2001
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,350
Rank in 2001:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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I got introduced to Opeth and Mastodon around the same time and both will always make up a big part of my musical tastes. There is just nothing out there quite like Crack The Skye and probably never will be. Strangest thing all of my least favorite songs when I was younger are now my favorite and vice versa (except Quintessence, that one is still weird af but I like it). Beautifully layered, I can't imagine an album like this better executed. Leviathan, Blood Mountain, and Emperor of Sand also could make this list.
Standouts:
The Czar
Crack the Skye
The Last Baron (8:18 for some funky fresh riffage). [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Standouts:
The Czar
Crack the Skye
The Last Baron (8:18 for some funky fresh riffage). [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Year of Release:
2009
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,643
Rank in 2009:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Lateralus is a very close second but I think this one is just more groundbreaking considering when it came out.
[First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Year of Release:
1996
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,759
Rank in 1996:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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????????????????
Standouts:
The Heaviest Whale in the Universe
Into the Whalederness
wHEre WHAles Dwell
Whaling Whales [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Standouts:
The Heaviest Whale in the Universe
Into the Whalederness
wHEre WHAles Dwell
Whaling Whales [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
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So there's like 20 albums to choose from here so I picked the one with the most Devin Townsend in it (Or I can cheese it and pick one from each iteration of his solo name bands). Deconstruction is almost like Ziltoid, a Strapping album, and Transcendence playing in multiple youtube windows at the same time. Its a lot to digest but wow there's some nutty moments where everything comes together full force. He probably ranks higher as an artist for me but his whole career is so consistently good there's nothing I can point to as the high point. I nearly put Ziltoid up here instead.
Standouts:
Planet of the Apes
Pandemic
Ho Krll (How is this only a bonus track?)
Sumeria [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Standouts:
Planet of the Apes
Pandemic
Ho Krll (How is this only a bonus track?)
Sumeria [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
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This is the perfect metal album when you just need to jam. Its unrelenting, groovy, and amazingly well produced for 2004 when metal mainly sounded like a bad limewire mp3 download (ok maybe a clips a bit but still). I like me some LoG but the only other album that comes close is the Remastered version of As the Palaces Burn.
Standouts:
The Faded Line
Break You
Remorse is for the Dead
Blood of the Scribe (3:25 \m/ ) [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Standouts:
The Faded Line
Break You
Remorse is for the Dead
Blood of the Scribe (3:25 \m/ ) [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
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WOOOOO!!!! EEEEYYYEP!! HOOOOOO!! ʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴛʀᴀɪɴ
I can't believe I got into these guys 4 years ago and they've released 7 albums + 2 live albums since.
Standouts:
Road Train
Robot Stop
Evil Death Roll
People Vultures [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
I can't believe I got into these guys 4 years ago and they've released 7 albums + 2 live albums since.
Standouts:
Road Train
Robot Stop
Evil Death Roll
People Vultures [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Year of Release:
2016
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,687
Rank in 2016:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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This is my childhood right here. Thanks to Nitrous Oxide for the PSone it wasn't all alternative and grunge for me when I was little. I didn't realize it at the time but I think what makes this album stick with me more than all the other techno I listened to is the way the songs are written sort of bridge rock and techno. Its less ravey and more of a journey with each song. Not to mention the heavy big beats.
Standouts:
Another World
Another Time
In the Age of Wonder
Bad Stone
She's My Pusher [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Standouts:
Another World
Another Time
In the Age of Wonder
Bad Stone
She's My Pusher [First added to this chart: 02/28/2020]
Total albums: 40. Page 1 of 4
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Top 40 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1970s | 3 | 8% | |
| 1980s | 3 | 8% | |
| 1990s | 13 | 33% | |
| 2000s | 12 | 30% | |
| 2010s | 9 | 23% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Gojira | 1 | 3% | |
| Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti | 1 | 3% | |
| Ben Folds Five | 1 | 3% | |
| A Perfect Circle | 1 | 3% | |
| The Devin Townsend Project | 1 | 3% | |
| Melvins | 1 | 3% | |
| Beastie Boys | 1 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 40 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 2 from 23rd to 21st Far Beyond Driven by Pantera |
| Up 2 from 22nd to 20th South Of Heaven by Slayer |
| Up 2 from 21st to 19th The Battle Of Yaldabaoth by Infant Annihilator |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 4 from 20th to 24th The Elephant Riders by Clutch |
| Down 3 from 19th to 22nd Hypnotize by System Of A Down |
| Down 1 from 33rd to 34th Aqualung by Jethro Tull |
| New entries |
|---|
| Koi No Yokan by Deftones |
| Leavers |
|---|
| Welcome To Sky Valley by Kyuss |
Top 40 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Top 36 Greatest Music Albums | coryc213 | Overall chart | 2019 | |
| Top 25 Greatest Music Albums | seven | Overall chart | 2010 | |
| Top 40 Greatest Music Albums | Obolus | Overall chart | 2017 | |
| Top 40 Greatest Music Albums | joelasso | Overall chart | 2022 | |
| Top 21 Greatest Music Albums | Khaoz | Overall chart | 2013 | |
| Top 37 Greatest Music Albums | Sebleb01 | Overall chart | 2015 | |
| Top 40 Greatest Music Albums | Dass | Overall chart | 2016 | |
| Top 40 Greatest Music Albums | ruffoster | Overall chart | 2012 | |
| Top 40 Greatest Music Albums | etluc75 | Overall chart | 2012 | |
Top 40 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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Top 40 Greatest Music Albums ratings
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Showing all 4 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 11/25/2020 22:31 |  an-outlaw | 6 | 89/100 |
| ! | 11/25/2020 21:24 | mrmcrook | 756 | 92/100 |
| ! | 11/13/2020 17:03 | vruslov | 582 | 89/100 |
| ! | 02/29/2020 02:14 | DJENNY | 4,365 | 100/100 |
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Top 40 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From mrmcrook 11/25/2020 21:34 | #261414
Love the list. Lot of great bands. Your comments give good direction to what albums to explore from a few bands I listen to but are still a bit unfamiliar with.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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| Best Artists of the 1980s | |
|---|---|
| 1. The Smiths | |
| 2. Prince | |
| 3. Pixies | |
| 4. The Cure | |
| 5. Talking Heads | |
| 6. U2 | |
| 7. Metallica | |
| 8. Kate Bush | |
| 9. R.E.M. | |
| 10. The Stone Roses | |
| 11. Sonic Youth | |
| 12. Michael Jackson | |
| 13. Bruce Springsteen | |
| 14. Iron Maiden | |
| 15. Prince And The Revolution | |
| 16. Tom Waits | |
| 17. Joy Division | |
| 18. New Order | |
| 19. Talk Talk | |
| 20. Rush |
