Top 98 Greatest Music Albums by 
DriftingOrpheus 
Subject to change (often). These are my personal favorite records...not necessarily a reflection of an objective musical hierarchy. (Wow. These write-ups have grown like weeds, particularly as you descend through the list. Only the slightest bit proud. ?)
- Chart updated: 07/04/2025 00:15
- (Created: 04/25/2020 20:18).
- Chart size: 98 albums.
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In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is often a simple album, filled with simple chord progressions and hooks. It's fuzzed out production creates the illusion that it was recorded in a damp basement, waterlogged after a thunderstorm and packed to the brim with insulation subbing for soundproofing. These are all misconceptions, most of all the simplicity. Jeff Mangum subverts the idea of simplicity with his rollicking, depressing, life-affirming piece of indie rock. His lyricism cuts through the haze of intentionally wooly production illustrating an observation of both the beauty of ordinary life and the daunting nature of philosophical thought.
The album's crown jewel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, layers striking metaphorical proclamations in rapid succession, partnering that with dizzying singing saw, creating an indie masterpiece confined within an alien biodome. Communist Daughter eases down the tempo but not the whimsy, as it oozes beauty almost in a whisper as it flutters into Oh Comely. The album closes with the hauntingly reflective Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2 as it whirrs into Mangum’s words. He declares, "God is a place where some holy spectacle lies", endlessly waiting for divine intervention, even if he questions its existence in a world that can be so cold.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, is partly a horror story of the Nazi Regime, a love letter to the courage of Anne Frank, but mostly its an examination of life's smallest moments and whether it's worth going forward or not. Whatever it is to you, however, is likely the most fitting description. Mangum’s poetry on the LP is indicative of a higher consciousness and it's partnered with a cornucopia of musical ingenuity to form one of the finest, most earnest albums ever pressed.
"Now how I remember you,
How I would push my fingers through,
Your mouth to make those muscles move,
That made your voice so smooth and sweet."
-In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Standout Tracks:
1. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
2. Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2
3. Oh Comely
100.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
The album's crown jewel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, layers striking metaphorical proclamations in rapid succession, partnering that with dizzying singing saw, creating an indie masterpiece confined within an alien biodome. Communist Daughter eases down the tempo but not the whimsy, as it oozes beauty almost in a whisper as it flutters into Oh Comely. The album closes with the hauntingly reflective Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2 as it whirrs into Mangum’s words. He declares, "God is a place where some holy spectacle lies", endlessly waiting for divine intervention, even if he questions its existence in a world that can be so cold.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, is partly a horror story of the Nazi Regime, a love letter to the courage of Anne Frank, but mostly its an examination of life's smallest moments and whether it's worth going forward or not. Whatever it is to you, however, is likely the most fitting description. Mangum’s poetry on the LP is indicative of a higher consciousness and it's partnered with a cornucopia of musical ingenuity to form one of the finest, most earnest albums ever pressed.
"Now how I remember you,
How I would push my fingers through,
Your mouth to make those muscles move,
That made your voice so smooth and sweet."
-In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Standout Tracks:
1. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
2. Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2
3. Oh Comely
100.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
34,649
Rank in 1998:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
430
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Throughout their extensive history, alternative rock pioneers Swans have made a habit of metamorphosing, trading in bone-crushing no-wave anthems for folk-inspired, religiously-tinged ballads. In 2010, Swans emerged once more with My Father will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, another drastic change in form and direction, prioritizing prolonged excursions drenched in post-rock fueled repetition. This formula was the basis for 2014's To Be Kind, an album that championed the creative advantages of welding moments of ear-splitting fortissimo and hair-raising delicacy. Take A Little God in My Hands for example. Even the most well-traveled listeners have to be taken back by the atomic force of the horn-powered flurry that kicks off the middle of the track. To Be Kind showcases Swans not merely dabbling in a musical style unseen in their discography, but perfecting it.
The centerpiece is the 34 minute odyssey, Bring the Sun/Toussaint L'Ouverture. A track detailing a Haitian slave revolt with all the ferocity one could imagine. It carries guitar hits that resemble facial punches that only cease once the skull has caved in. Incorporating horse whinnies and tribal chanting, the track dares one to ponder the music's inspiration, or even the headspace of the men crafting it. The most "straight-forward" rocker on the album is Oxygen, a song detailing an asthma attack with inertia that never ceases until the horn-soaked climax.
Rarely has an album embodied both a densely visceral and well-realized existence. The frightening aspect behind it all is that it seems to flow through the band so effortlessly, almost as vessels for transcendent music powered by an unseen force. While it's not a record for the conventional listener, you'd be hard-pressed to find an audiophile not displaced by To Be Kind's translucent beauty, or not horrified by its unfettered explicitness.
"May planets crash, may god rain ash, to sear our skin, to fold us in
Kneeling close, seeking hands, our blood is warm, but what comes next?"
-Kirsten Supine
Standout Tracks:
1. Oxygen
2. She Loves Us!
3. Bring the Sun/Toussaint L’Ouverture
100.4 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
The centerpiece is the 34 minute odyssey, Bring the Sun/Toussaint L'Ouverture. A track detailing a Haitian slave revolt with all the ferocity one could imagine. It carries guitar hits that resemble facial punches that only cease once the skull has caved in. Incorporating horse whinnies and tribal chanting, the track dares one to ponder the music's inspiration, or even the headspace of the men crafting it. The most "straight-forward" rocker on the album is Oxygen, a song detailing an asthma attack with inertia that never ceases until the horn-soaked climax.
Rarely has an album embodied both a densely visceral and well-realized existence. The frightening aspect behind it all is that it seems to flow through the band so effortlessly, almost as vessels for transcendent music powered by an unseen force. While it's not a record for the conventional listener, you'd be hard-pressed to find an audiophile not displaced by To Be Kind's translucent beauty, or not horrified by its unfettered explicitness.
"May planets crash, may god rain ash, to sear our skin, to fold us in
Kneeling close, seeking hands, our blood is warm, but what comes next?"
-Kirsten Supine
Standout Tracks:
1. Oxygen
2. She Loves Us!
3. Bring the Sun/Toussaint L’Ouverture
100.4 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Year of Release:
2014
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,637
Rank in 2014:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Film director Todd Haynes once made a wonderful film entitled I'm Not There (2007). In it, a fabled troubadour, storyteller, prophet, father, icon and outlaw all follow an intersecting, snaking path of existence. They all went by the name of Bob Dylan. "A song is something that walks by itself" said the poet. Todd Haynes knew there was no single way to personify music's resident Shakespeare, but this album may be the finest summation of the man himself.
Laying out themes of love, loss, ambition, desolation, desire and drug use, all of which could apply to Dylan during his finest creative years, Blonde on Blonde serves as the magnum opus for one of music's finest artists. He's never been more cheeky than with Rainy Day Women #12 and #35. He's never been more bashfully in love than with I Want You and he's never been more appreciative than with Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. Dylan never more clearly presented his thoughts through music and we have the LP to prove it.
A stunning collection of emotional highs and lows, one can't help but marvel at Dylan's wordplay and pension for lyrical brainstorm. Through all this, Dylan stayed tight-lipped while contemporaries such as the Fab Four themselves gawked at his greatness. The bard stayed playfully humble or ostentatiously coy for the entire duration. I suppose the truth comes down to how you view the man, or maybe more astutely, his music.
"Mona tried to tell me
To stay away from the train line
She said that all the railroad men
Just drink up your blood like wine
An' I said, "Oh, I didn't know that
But then again, there's only one I've met
An' he just smoked my eyelids
An' punched my cigarette"
- Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
Standout Tracks:
1. Just Like a Woman
2. I Want You
3. One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
98.63 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Laying out themes of love, loss, ambition, desolation, desire and drug use, all of which could apply to Dylan during his finest creative years, Blonde on Blonde serves as the magnum opus for one of music's finest artists. He's never been more cheeky than with Rainy Day Women #12 and #35. He's never been more bashfully in love than with I Want You and he's never been more appreciative than with Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. Dylan never more clearly presented his thoughts through music and we have the LP to prove it.
A stunning collection of emotional highs and lows, one can't help but marvel at Dylan's wordplay and pension for lyrical brainstorm. Through all this, Dylan stayed tight-lipped while contemporaries such as the Fab Four themselves gawked at his greatness. The bard stayed playfully humble or ostentatiously coy for the entire duration. I suppose the truth comes down to how you view the man, or maybe more astutely, his music.
"Mona tried to tell me
To stay away from the train line
She said that all the railroad men
Just drink up your blood like wine
An' I said, "Oh, I didn't know that
But then again, there's only one I've met
An' he just smoked my eyelids
An' punched my cigarette"
- Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
Standout Tracks:
1. Just Like a Woman
2. I Want You
3. One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
98.63 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
25,839
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Acid Bath were an outfit from the swamps of Louisiana, likely the only place where music of this ilk could be spawned. The sludge metal group only produced two studio albums with a lifespan abridged by the sudden death of bassist Audie Pitre. The introduction to their brief discography is nothing less than a masterwork in the metal genre, an album of intense hate coupled with stunning musical proficiency that many have overlooked, or more likely, have never experienced. The guitar work is polarizing, often resembling a slithering eel bathing in distortion and feedback. Honestly, what else could suffice for a record that brandishes track titles such as "Cassie Eats Cockroaches", "Dr. Seuss is Dead" and the penultimate "The Bones of Baby Dolls". As horn-rimmed glasses wearing, toffee-nosed onlookers may categorize its content as a slobbering collection of shock rock, the truth is far more personal.
Lead vocalist Dax Riggs likens tracks Tranquilized and Cheap Vodka to drug-triggered, personal anecdotes. The bluesy restraint of Scream of the Butterfly harkens back to the regret of an abortion and the distinctive sound of the woman's grief over said act. Toubabo Koomi is cajun french for Land of the White Cannibals and takes aim at the savagery of the governmental system. Finally, The Bones of Baby Dolls details the unvarnished evil of a child molester. All in all, When the Kite String Pops is not for the faint of heart.
With John Wayne Gacy plastered on the cover, few would gaze upon the album and foresee the intense, brilliant musicianship buried within the catacombs of this striking record. This is partly the appeal. Sometimes it seems like this is something we shouldn't be listening to, like a suicide caught on tape. The dichotomy of the vulgarity and poetry on the album makes it the best kind of rarity. It's a shame that it will likely be restricted to residing in dusty attics, at the bottom of garage sale bins and quiet corners of failing record shops. Listening to When the Kite String Pops is the musical equivalent of watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). A brilliant film no doubt, but one of immense depravity. When the Kite String Pops makes you want to shower once it's over, but you are helpless to the notion of starting it all over again, bathing in its magnificent grime.
"I feel the wetness of her tongue that slides across my skin
The viruses crawl over me and feel for some way in."
-Cassie Eats Cockroaches
Standout Tracks:
1. The Bones of Baby Dolls
2. The Blue
3. Dr. Seuss is Dead
98.4 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Lead vocalist Dax Riggs likens tracks Tranquilized and Cheap Vodka to drug-triggered, personal anecdotes. The bluesy restraint of Scream of the Butterfly harkens back to the regret of an abortion and the distinctive sound of the woman's grief over said act. Toubabo Koomi is cajun french for Land of the White Cannibals and takes aim at the savagery of the governmental system. Finally, The Bones of Baby Dolls details the unvarnished evil of a child molester. All in all, When the Kite String Pops is not for the faint of heart.
With John Wayne Gacy plastered on the cover, few would gaze upon the album and foresee the intense, brilliant musicianship buried within the catacombs of this striking record. This is partly the appeal. Sometimes it seems like this is something we shouldn't be listening to, like a suicide caught on tape. The dichotomy of the vulgarity and poetry on the album makes it the best kind of rarity. It's a shame that it will likely be restricted to residing in dusty attics, at the bottom of garage sale bins and quiet corners of failing record shops. Listening to When the Kite String Pops is the musical equivalent of watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). A brilliant film no doubt, but one of immense depravity. When the Kite String Pops makes you want to shower once it's over, but you are helpless to the notion of starting it all over again, bathing in its magnificent grime.
"I feel the wetness of her tongue that slides across my skin
The viruses crawl over me and feel for some way in."
-Cassie Eats Cockroaches
Standout Tracks:
1. The Bones of Baby Dolls
2. The Blue
3. Dr. Seuss is Dead
98.4 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
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2016's The Glowing Man was intended to be the final stop for post-rock icons Swans. Even though it was not their final record, in many ways it feels like an ending, musically embodying a purifying crescendo. It's no secret that the band played their hand in a few false finishes in the past. 1996's Soundtracks for the Blind was a haunting, alluring attempt to combine Swans' music with a score to a film that did not exist. This also was planned to be the band's final musical epitaph. 2010 brought a new sound and a new Swans lineup and The Glowing Man was seen to be the concluding artistic flourish and what a flourish it turned out to be.
While the previous record, 2014's To Be Kind conveyed a seething, scathing critique of human indecency, The Glowing Man is a far more reflective and anguished experience, almost communicating that the emotional toll of the journey that this era of the band went through was a soul-altering odyssey. Take second track Cloud of Unknowing for instance, a 25 minute, bone-rattling lead up to a midpoint climax that I have yet to see duplicated. After the storm passes, the track slinks back into the bowels of darkness from which it was conceived, hissing chants of "Monster eater" and "Jesus feeler". The second half of the record commences with the towering Frankie M, a 20 minute pulse-pounding journey dedicated to a battle lost to drug addiction. An abridged version was featured in Swans' live sets as early as 2014 but the final form of the song serves as a moment of tempestuous strength and intense catharsis on the album. When Will I Return? details a horrifying rape-attempt that befell Michael Gira's wife Jennifer. Possibly the album's most gentile track, Jennifer claims to "Still kill him in her sleep". The penultimate track here is the title track, The Glowing Man. The most extensive cut on the album, clocking in at nearly 30 minutes, is the most chameleonic, beginning as an avalanche of bruising guitar hits. The track then simmers before swelling again into a furiously paced proclamation of bodily manifestation. Vocalist Michael Gira cries, "Joseph is moving his tongue in my neck, Joseph is riding a vein in my head, Joseph is cutting my arm on his bed, Joseph is making my body fly". After having listened to it, you'd be liable to admit to an out-of-body experience.
The Glowing Man only consists of eight tracks, eight tracks spanning nearly two hours with enough vexation, desperation and despair to rival a lifetime of alcoholic's anonymous meetings. I've stated in earlier write-ups that the band incorporates their music with a staunch focus on the dichotomy of sound decibles. The Glowing Man seems to consummate this idea with the concept of emotional contrast. Moments of exhilaration lap on the shores of severe hysteria and dejection. Additionally, It shines through in practice as well as from the listeners point of view. At times the album ceases to be organized sound, but instead formulates as a raw force of nature. Put simply, it sounds like a human soul crying out for liberation.
"I beat him on his face
And I stab with all my strength
And I scream until he goes
I scream until he's gone
Then I crawl across the road"
-When Will I Return?
Standout Tracks:
1. The Glowing Man
2. Cloud of Unknowing
3. Frankie M
97.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
While the previous record, 2014's To Be Kind conveyed a seething, scathing critique of human indecency, The Glowing Man is a far more reflective and anguished experience, almost communicating that the emotional toll of the journey that this era of the band went through was a soul-altering odyssey. Take second track Cloud of Unknowing for instance, a 25 minute, bone-rattling lead up to a midpoint climax that I have yet to see duplicated. After the storm passes, the track slinks back into the bowels of darkness from which it was conceived, hissing chants of "Monster eater" and "Jesus feeler". The second half of the record commences with the towering Frankie M, a 20 minute pulse-pounding journey dedicated to a battle lost to drug addiction. An abridged version was featured in Swans' live sets as early as 2014 but the final form of the song serves as a moment of tempestuous strength and intense catharsis on the album. When Will I Return? details a horrifying rape-attempt that befell Michael Gira's wife Jennifer. Possibly the album's most gentile track, Jennifer claims to "Still kill him in her sleep". The penultimate track here is the title track, The Glowing Man. The most extensive cut on the album, clocking in at nearly 30 minutes, is the most chameleonic, beginning as an avalanche of bruising guitar hits. The track then simmers before swelling again into a furiously paced proclamation of bodily manifestation. Vocalist Michael Gira cries, "Joseph is moving his tongue in my neck, Joseph is riding a vein in my head, Joseph is cutting my arm on his bed, Joseph is making my body fly". After having listened to it, you'd be liable to admit to an out-of-body experience.
The Glowing Man only consists of eight tracks, eight tracks spanning nearly two hours with enough vexation, desperation and despair to rival a lifetime of alcoholic's anonymous meetings. I've stated in earlier write-ups that the band incorporates their music with a staunch focus on the dichotomy of sound decibles. The Glowing Man seems to consummate this idea with the concept of emotional contrast. Moments of exhilaration lap on the shores of severe hysteria and dejection. Additionally, It shines through in practice as well as from the listeners point of view. At times the album ceases to be organized sound, but instead formulates as a raw force of nature. Put simply, it sounds like a human soul crying out for liberation.
"I beat him on his face
And I stab with all my strength
And I scream until he goes
I scream until he's gone
Then I crawl across the road"
-When Will I Return?
Standout Tracks:
1. The Glowing Man
2. Cloud of Unknowing
3. Frankie M
97.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Year of Release:
2016
Appears in:
Rank Score:
980
Rank in 2016:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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97.3
[First added to this chart: 05/28/2022]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,003
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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The halls of Columbia University birthed Vampire Weekend, a baroque pop outfit with a pension for utilizing world music. They were critically lauded soon after, but in the eyes of those who equate surroundings to people, they were little more than privileged rich boys who gained the favor of those with power in the industry. The band shrugged such ridiculous claims off and just kept on keeping on. In other words, they kept making some of the best pop music of the decade. Nevermore was their genius more validated than with 2013's Modern Vampires of the City. Sporting a crystalline sheen and drastically more sinister tone, Vampire Weekend concocted its best collection of tracks to date.
Seemingly alternating between uptempo, positively-charged romps and sentimental, breezy ballads, Modern Vampires of the City prioritizes balance far more than the band's prior work. The first landmark comes in the form of third track Step, which twinkles triumphantly leaving Rostam Batmanglij's production as the hallmark of the sweepingly gorgeous cut. The album soon receives an adrenaline shot in the form of Diane Young, a full-gear stomper which emphasizes a desire to live life at its fullest, with no regrets about being rebellious or young for that matter. One of the album's most audacious excursions comes in the form of tenth track Ya Hey. Frontman Ezra Koenig's vocal delivery is in stark contrast to the rest of the album, invoking religious fervor at a subdued pace.
As convention would have it, Modern Vampires of the City is indeed a pop record. It's one that takes risks, nudges away stereotypical classification and entrenches Vampire Weekend as a prominent force in modern music. Provocatively written, skillful executed and exquisitely produced, the album is a testament to the blossoming creativity of a young group on the rise, with much success predicted to follow. The album has a warm quality and has effectively become a comfort piece for me, calling back to better times. It's a record for those with youthful flesh and minds with temperaments far beyond their years.
"Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of a past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife"
-Step
Standout Tracks:
1. Step
2. Finger Back
3. Don't Lie
96.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Seemingly alternating between uptempo, positively-charged romps and sentimental, breezy ballads, Modern Vampires of the City prioritizes balance far more than the band's prior work. The first landmark comes in the form of third track Step, which twinkles triumphantly leaving Rostam Batmanglij's production as the hallmark of the sweepingly gorgeous cut. The album soon receives an adrenaline shot in the form of Diane Young, a full-gear stomper which emphasizes a desire to live life at its fullest, with no regrets about being rebellious or young for that matter. One of the album's most audacious excursions comes in the form of tenth track Ya Hey. Frontman Ezra Koenig's vocal delivery is in stark contrast to the rest of the album, invoking religious fervor at a subdued pace.
As convention would have it, Modern Vampires of the City is indeed a pop record. It's one that takes risks, nudges away stereotypical classification and entrenches Vampire Weekend as a prominent force in modern music. Provocatively written, skillful executed and exquisitely produced, the album is a testament to the blossoming creativity of a young group on the rise, with much success predicted to follow. The album has a warm quality and has effectively become a comfort piece for me, calling back to better times. It's a record for those with youthful flesh and minds with temperaments far beyond their years.
"Ancestors told me that their girl was better
She's richer than Croesus, she's tougher than leather
I just ignored all the tales of a past life
Stale conversation deserves but a bread knife"
-Step
Standout Tracks:
1. Step
2. Finger Back
3. Don't Lie
96.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Year of Release:
2013
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,734
Rank in 2013:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
When you think of jazz, what comes to mind? Is it the image of a smokey club amidst the throes of a liquor-soaked evening where men and women who have nothing left to lose congregate bombastically with sullied but exotic instruments that light their path to the night's end? Is it more akin to a visage of a smooth, sagacious individual whose jib is cut in the fashion of someone who's seen and done it all with only the sound of a perfectly crafted note proving enough to catch him off guard? Perhaps your perception of this often misunderstood and under-appreciated genre takes the shape of a dinner party, stiff upper lips or imperceptible elevator music more akin to ambient soundscapes than anything else? However you may frame it, there's one definition that most who have lived and died, scratched and clawed, inhaled and exhaled jazz's rich, fertile terrain can come together on. Jazz, simply put, is religion. In addition to being a way of life, the genre is immaterial, fluid and ever-evolving. Kamasi Washington's approach to jazz is not exactly aligned with your grandfather's retelling of it. That's not to say one is superior to the other. It more plainly proves that this genre, more than any other, reflects the hearts, minds and temperaments of its craftsmen. In the case of Washington, his heart bleeds for a frenetic, emotionally swelling, ancestral tribute version of the eclectic genre, best synthesized on his 2015 aptly-named odyssey, 'The Epic'.
Kamasi Washington has spent his life honing his one-of-a-kind, God-given talent in preparation for a grand statement on the pageantry of jazz, the glory and tribulations of his ancestors and the beauty of music at large. He studied at UCLA, with the focus of his education centered around Ethnomusicology, which would play an integral role in crafting his first, proper label LP in 2015. Additionally, his experiences flanking artists such as Snoop Dogg, Nas, Run the Jewels and most notably, Kendrick Lamar, on his 2015 record 'To Pimp a Butterfly', have allowed the saxophonist to absorb a variety of styles and musical ideas while also contributing to an ocean of outstanding music without most listeners being particularly privy to his contributions. On the mammoth undertaking that is 'The Epic', Washington establishes an unmistakeable, idiosyncratic grandeur and deconstructs and subverts anyone's expectations on what a Jazz record should be. His saxophone glides over the entirety of the nearly three hour journey, shepherding its chapters through frantic bursts of brassy elation and breezy, idyllic, reflectionary traverses. Evidence of the album's supernatural power for vehemence can be found on its introduction. 'Change of the Guard' features a bevy of woodwind fury as Washington's tenor sax sets the stage for a cosmic, interstellar journey of incalculable potency. The record is also distinctive for its use of choral backing, a resource put to glorious effect during 'Askim', which pairs its angelic choir with breakneck but respectful drum passages from Ronald Bruner Jr. and Tony Austin. This is nothing less than hymnal music fit for a final performance at world's end or, perhaps more fittingly, during an ascension into the clouds.
One would be remiss without touting the contributions of bass maestro, Thundercat, whose patient diligence acts as the heartbeat for 'The Rhythm Changes', which comes equipped with a lavish lead vocal from Patrice Quinn. As the track swells her vocals begin to soothe as she states, "Daylight seems bright because of night;
It's shade we need so we can see." Kamasi's exploits return to center stage on the deliciously untamed, comparatively chaotic 'Miss Understanding', which quickly forms into a showcase for Washington's saxophone and Thundercat's bass to continuously dance circles around each other. It's another dizzying height for the 'The Epic' and leaves room for contemplation regarding its ability to exist in the first place. The next monolithic instillation comes in the shape of 'The Magnificent Seven', a stirring, towering work that's propelled like a jazz fireball and remains the most baronial entry on the LP. The track comes into focus on the horizon with Thundercat's swaggering bass tones only to proceed to sweep you into zero gravity on a rising tide of choir voices sent skyward by Washington's billowing sax. The keyboard-piano partnership between Cameron Graves and Brandon Coleman never ceases to lag behind the weighty punctuality of the rhythm section as they provide a healthy injection of sprightly luminescence amidst the quickly forming volcano of sonic aggression. 'The Magnificent 7' brandishes a western sheen (not just in name), as its driving momentum recalls horses galloping into town with riders hell bent on making their conclusive stand. These are the kind of harmonies that comprise the entirety of 'The Epic', notes that resonate far beyond the sheet music and into the collective consciousness of all who listen. Its pension for imagery is undefeated, its brush strokes unclouded and it carries an earthly, human spontaneity. Despite the record's modern sensibilities, Washington still finds time to tip his cap to the artisans of yesteryear. His cover of 'Claire de Lune', made famous by Claude Debussy, is just as romantic but seamlessly repackages the piece in a manner that's languid, yet expressive, like an autumn wind through leaves that are destined to change their shade. The labyrinthian LP ends with 'The Message', a final explosion of intention and a rallying cry which ensures that all that came prior is capped with suitable vigor. The track may represent Washington's finest saxophone exhibition as the pulses cascade over one another with considerably ferocity; a manic addendum on previous endeavors.
Whether honoring those who gave their life for equality on 'Malcolm's Theme' or turning in a jazz Rembrandt inspired by 1960's celluloid on 'The Magnificent 7', it's transpicuous to this listener that Kamasi Washington doesn't believe in presenting his illustrious art without carefully affixed ethos. This ethos stems from a decisive adoration for the beauty of jazz, the African American spirit and the inextinguishable fire that burns within each and every human being with hearts that beat with love. Though 'The Epic' is an undeniable championing of innumerable ideas, there are those who will look upon it with skewed gazes, no doubt viewing its cinematic presentation too far flung from the often purist genre sensitivities. No, this is not an attempt to make a commercial jazz record or appeal to a younger generation categorically. 'The Epic' is, however, an acknowledgment of the perseverance of mortal men and the actions, documents and legacy they leave behind. The instructions are to love all, even in the face of scrutiny and danger. Great men and women have chosen to express this universal truth through countless different vessels. Poems, stories, sacrifices and demonstrations dot the course throughout the history of human kindness. Kamasi Washington chooses to transmit this message from an entirely different cosmos, equipped with his Saxophone at the ready, sonically willing and able to provoke change from within and vibrate the very air you breathe.
"Our love, our beauty, our genius
Our work, our triumph, our glory
Won't worry what happened before me
I'm here."
- The Rhythm Changes
Standout Tracks:
1. The Magnificent 7
2. Change of the Guard
3. The Message
95.6 [First added to this chart: 11/26/2021]
Kamasi Washington has spent his life honing his one-of-a-kind, God-given talent in preparation for a grand statement on the pageantry of jazz, the glory and tribulations of his ancestors and the beauty of music at large. He studied at UCLA, with the focus of his education centered around Ethnomusicology, which would play an integral role in crafting his first, proper label LP in 2015. Additionally, his experiences flanking artists such as Snoop Dogg, Nas, Run the Jewels and most notably, Kendrick Lamar, on his 2015 record 'To Pimp a Butterfly', have allowed the saxophonist to absorb a variety of styles and musical ideas while also contributing to an ocean of outstanding music without most listeners being particularly privy to his contributions. On the mammoth undertaking that is 'The Epic', Washington establishes an unmistakeable, idiosyncratic grandeur and deconstructs and subverts anyone's expectations on what a Jazz record should be. His saxophone glides over the entirety of the nearly three hour journey, shepherding its chapters through frantic bursts of brassy elation and breezy, idyllic, reflectionary traverses. Evidence of the album's supernatural power for vehemence can be found on its introduction. 'Change of the Guard' features a bevy of woodwind fury as Washington's tenor sax sets the stage for a cosmic, interstellar journey of incalculable potency. The record is also distinctive for its use of choral backing, a resource put to glorious effect during 'Askim', which pairs its angelic choir with breakneck but respectful drum passages from Ronald Bruner Jr. and Tony Austin. This is nothing less than hymnal music fit for a final performance at world's end or, perhaps more fittingly, during an ascension into the clouds.
One would be remiss without touting the contributions of bass maestro, Thundercat, whose patient diligence acts as the heartbeat for 'The Rhythm Changes', which comes equipped with a lavish lead vocal from Patrice Quinn. As the track swells her vocals begin to soothe as she states, "Daylight seems bright because of night;
It's shade we need so we can see." Kamasi's exploits return to center stage on the deliciously untamed, comparatively chaotic 'Miss Understanding', which quickly forms into a showcase for Washington's saxophone and Thundercat's bass to continuously dance circles around each other. It's another dizzying height for the 'The Epic' and leaves room for contemplation regarding its ability to exist in the first place. The next monolithic instillation comes in the shape of 'The Magnificent Seven', a stirring, towering work that's propelled like a jazz fireball and remains the most baronial entry on the LP. The track comes into focus on the horizon with Thundercat's swaggering bass tones only to proceed to sweep you into zero gravity on a rising tide of choir voices sent skyward by Washington's billowing sax. The keyboard-piano partnership between Cameron Graves and Brandon Coleman never ceases to lag behind the weighty punctuality of the rhythm section as they provide a healthy injection of sprightly luminescence amidst the quickly forming volcano of sonic aggression. 'The Magnificent 7' brandishes a western sheen (not just in name), as its driving momentum recalls horses galloping into town with riders hell bent on making their conclusive stand. These are the kind of harmonies that comprise the entirety of 'The Epic', notes that resonate far beyond the sheet music and into the collective consciousness of all who listen. Its pension for imagery is undefeated, its brush strokes unclouded and it carries an earthly, human spontaneity. Despite the record's modern sensibilities, Washington still finds time to tip his cap to the artisans of yesteryear. His cover of 'Claire de Lune', made famous by Claude Debussy, is just as romantic but seamlessly repackages the piece in a manner that's languid, yet expressive, like an autumn wind through leaves that are destined to change their shade. The labyrinthian LP ends with 'The Message', a final explosion of intention and a rallying cry which ensures that all that came prior is capped with suitable vigor. The track may represent Washington's finest saxophone exhibition as the pulses cascade over one another with considerably ferocity; a manic addendum on previous endeavors.
Whether honoring those who gave their life for equality on 'Malcolm's Theme' or turning in a jazz Rembrandt inspired by 1960's celluloid on 'The Magnificent 7', it's transpicuous to this listener that Kamasi Washington doesn't believe in presenting his illustrious art without carefully affixed ethos. This ethos stems from a decisive adoration for the beauty of jazz, the African American spirit and the inextinguishable fire that burns within each and every human being with hearts that beat with love. Though 'The Epic' is an undeniable championing of innumerable ideas, there are those who will look upon it with skewed gazes, no doubt viewing its cinematic presentation too far flung from the often purist genre sensitivities. No, this is not an attempt to make a commercial jazz record or appeal to a younger generation categorically. 'The Epic' is, however, an acknowledgment of the perseverance of mortal men and the actions, documents and legacy they leave behind. The instructions are to love all, even in the face of scrutiny and danger. Great men and women have chosen to express this universal truth through countless different vessels. Poems, stories, sacrifices and demonstrations dot the course throughout the history of human kindness. Kamasi Washington chooses to transmit this message from an entirely different cosmos, equipped with his Saxophone at the ready, sonically willing and able to provoke change from within and vibrate the very air you breathe.
"Our love, our beauty, our genius
Our work, our triumph, our glory
Won't worry what happened before me
I'm here."
- The Rhythm Changes
Standout Tracks:
1. The Magnificent 7
2. Change of the Guard
3. The Message
95.6 [First added to this chart: 11/26/2021]
Year of Release:
2015
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,091
Rank in 2015:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Bringing It All Back Home is often the odd one out when discussing Bob Dylan's legendary mid-1960's output. However, in the dead heat that ensues between Dylan's 1965 duo of albums, Bringing It All Back Home rings true most often. Yes, this is the much criticized moment when the folk icon developed a penchant for the electric guitar. Yet, we all know that revisionist history has now championed that decision, allowing Dylan to bloom into a multi-dimensional artist. He always claimed to had never written a protest song, likely to avoid the burden of a crown that would signify him as a social justice figurehead, but the tracks here echo sentiments of transcendentalism that leave behind the creative shackles that topical music left on him. Soon, staunch Dylan devotees refrained from professing, "This is a cause I can get behind". They now asked, with palms upturned, "What the hell is this man talking about?".
The thematic tonal shift is a far more interesting component than the well-publicized musical one. It created a chasm of occupiable space for interpretation, alchemizing Dylan into a philosopher instead of a prognosticator. It's no coincidence that his most lyrically lauded period runs parallel to the release of this record. Passages like, "And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind, down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves, the haunted frightened trees, out to the windy beach, far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow", epitomize the ethereal nature on the treatises found on the album. Dylan, self-effacing as ever, regarded Mr. Tambourine Man as a simple number about a man with a tambourine. I'm inclined to agree with him, to a point. Somber track Love Minus Zero/No Limit touches on the complexion of unshakable true love and how it eludes scientific quantification. The insight and metaphorical precision preserved within the song implore suspicions of Dylan himself having visited Heaven in a past life. Finally, the formless, chorusless Subterranean Homesick Blues rattles on like a railroad car with a cargo full of organized confusion. All the while, Dylan notes that the "Pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles".
The track She Belongs to Me recounts a woman so lovely that she defies the very possibility of diminution. "She never stumbles, she's got no place to fall," he sings. Dylan's stream of consciousness approach to Bringing It All Back Home showcases an artist no longer concerned with those who desire to sociologically dissect his verses, rendering his music immune to debilitation. This is really the highest form of artistic nirvana. Not referring to the elitist worldview that refuses constructive criticism and indigenous thought, but rather the creative freedom to create work not clouded by the trepidation of condemnation. Many may not identify with Dylan's spacey, allegorical forays, which is more than admissible. What can't be rebuked, is the consummate method in which he internalizes his deepest thoughts and rearranges them in a manner so polished, an enviable trade coming from a fellow writer. That particular skill, unlike mastery of an instrument, can't be taught. You simply have to be born with it.
"My love she speaks like silence
Without ideals or violence
She doesn't have to say she's faithful
Yet she's true, like ice, like fire"
-Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Standout Tracks:
1. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
2. Mr. Tambourine Man
3. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
95.3 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
The thematic tonal shift is a far more interesting component than the well-publicized musical one. It created a chasm of occupiable space for interpretation, alchemizing Dylan into a philosopher instead of a prognosticator. It's no coincidence that his most lyrically lauded period runs parallel to the release of this record. Passages like, "And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind, down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves, the haunted frightened trees, out to the windy beach, far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow", epitomize the ethereal nature on the treatises found on the album. Dylan, self-effacing as ever, regarded Mr. Tambourine Man as a simple number about a man with a tambourine. I'm inclined to agree with him, to a point. Somber track Love Minus Zero/No Limit touches on the complexion of unshakable true love and how it eludes scientific quantification. The insight and metaphorical precision preserved within the song implore suspicions of Dylan himself having visited Heaven in a past life. Finally, the formless, chorusless Subterranean Homesick Blues rattles on like a railroad car with a cargo full of organized confusion. All the while, Dylan notes that the "Pump don't work cause the vandals took the handles".
The track She Belongs to Me recounts a woman so lovely that she defies the very possibility of diminution. "She never stumbles, she's got no place to fall," he sings. Dylan's stream of consciousness approach to Bringing It All Back Home showcases an artist no longer concerned with those who desire to sociologically dissect his verses, rendering his music immune to debilitation. This is really the highest form of artistic nirvana. Not referring to the elitist worldview that refuses constructive criticism and indigenous thought, but rather the creative freedom to create work not clouded by the trepidation of condemnation. Many may not identify with Dylan's spacey, allegorical forays, which is more than admissible. What can't be rebuked, is the consummate method in which he internalizes his deepest thoughts and rearranges them in a manner so polished, an enviable trade coming from a fellow writer. That particular skill, unlike mastery of an instrument, can't be taught. You simply have to be born with it.
"My love she speaks like silence
Without ideals or violence
She doesn't have to say she's faithful
Yet she's true, like ice, like fire"
-Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Standout Tracks:
1. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
2. Mr. Tambourine Man
3. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
95.3 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,418
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
Bob Dylan's 1965 output could account for what is possibly the finest calendar year any artist has ever experienced. His catalogue now brandishes two landmark records that elevated him from folk-raconteur royal to undefinable social enigma. Dylan's ability to rhapsodize was already at such an advanced level prior to these releases that advancement to his songwriting would just brand his ability as an embarrassment of riches. An exceptional place to window-shop for those riches would be Highway 61 Revisited. Kicking off the album with a well-documented contender for finest track ever recorded and closing it with one of Dylan's most labyrinthian, heart-rending lyrical voyages, the album boasts one of the most cherished collection of tunes in the discography.
Like a Rolling Stone's jangly electric guitar, amalgamated with Dylan's hypnotizing harmonica, ooze a vivid sensation of perpetual motion, both sonically and thematically. Seemingly quasi-reflectory of Dylan's decision to head in a different auditory direction but also a stern statement on his abnegation at the prospect of staying stagnant in a creative sense as well as a philosophical one. It's clear he didn't want to focus on sociological objection any further, trading in his picket sign for a collection of metaphysical and mythological texts. Now, less Woody Guthrie and more Friedrich Nietzsche, Dylan's work seems somehow more focused but less categorical, as if such a thing was even possible. During Ballad of a Thin Man, the character of 'Mr. Jones' is taken apart piece by piece. Speculation of the persona in question is often believed to be a real-life journalist determined to peel back Dylan's characteristic layers and inspirations. The enigmatic nature of the track and its scathing lyrical dissection have left the truth still uncovered. Lines such as, "Aw, you've been with the professors and they've all liked your looks, With great lawyers you have discussed lepers and crooks, You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books, You are very well read, It's well known" seem to point to a learned individual trying to validate his judgements by flourishing his academic excursions. It's likely the most hazy track on the LP, but it may have the most to say bubbling under the surface.
The album ends with ten minute soul excursion, Desolation Row, a locale reserved for the downtrodden and those down on their luck. Often seen as a reflection of the turbulent state of the nation at the time, however, given Dylan's newfound disposition to avoid current affairs, it's very possible it could just be a fictional tale of woe. Regardless, the song burrows its way into the company of his most impressive artistic statements. The depressionist atmosphere on the track is typified by the line, "Cinderella, she seems so easy, "It takes one to know one, " she smiles, And puts her hands in her back pockets, Bette Davis style, And in comes Romeo, he's moaning. "You Belong to Me I Believe", And someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend, you'd better leave". The exclusively acoustic track conveys that Dylan's poetry is unaltered by the musical manner in which he chooses to propel it, rather, it just provides him with more sonic flexibility.
Highway 61 Revisited is routinely touted as Bob Dylan's crowning achievement. Released at a such chaotic chapter in his career, the record features angst, sorrow and beauty in equal measure. Certainly more musically polished than his previous work but simultaneously less tangible. 1965 was a year of immense evolution for the bard from Minnesota and he left two gargantuan records in his wake. Highway 61 Revisited is repeatedly used as the entry point for listeners to start enjoying Dylan and it's likely the sound that is most identifiable when people think of music's poet laureate.
"The Commander-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
Saying, "Death to all those who would whimper and cry"
And, dropping a barbell, he points to the sky
Saying, "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken"
-Tombstone Blues
Standout Tracks:
1. Like a Rolling Stone
2. Desolation Row
3. Tombstone Blues
94.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Like a Rolling Stone's jangly electric guitar, amalgamated with Dylan's hypnotizing harmonica, ooze a vivid sensation of perpetual motion, both sonically and thematically. Seemingly quasi-reflectory of Dylan's decision to head in a different auditory direction but also a stern statement on his abnegation at the prospect of staying stagnant in a creative sense as well as a philosophical one. It's clear he didn't want to focus on sociological objection any further, trading in his picket sign for a collection of metaphysical and mythological texts. Now, less Woody Guthrie and more Friedrich Nietzsche, Dylan's work seems somehow more focused but less categorical, as if such a thing was even possible. During Ballad of a Thin Man, the character of 'Mr. Jones' is taken apart piece by piece. Speculation of the persona in question is often believed to be a real-life journalist determined to peel back Dylan's characteristic layers and inspirations. The enigmatic nature of the track and its scathing lyrical dissection have left the truth still uncovered. Lines such as, "Aw, you've been with the professors and they've all liked your looks, With great lawyers you have discussed lepers and crooks, You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books, You are very well read, It's well known" seem to point to a learned individual trying to validate his judgements by flourishing his academic excursions. It's likely the most hazy track on the LP, but it may have the most to say bubbling under the surface.
The album ends with ten minute soul excursion, Desolation Row, a locale reserved for the downtrodden and those down on their luck. Often seen as a reflection of the turbulent state of the nation at the time, however, given Dylan's newfound disposition to avoid current affairs, it's very possible it could just be a fictional tale of woe. Regardless, the song burrows its way into the company of his most impressive artistic statements. The depressionist atmosphere on the track is typified by the line, "Cinderella, she seems so easy, "It takes one to know one, " she smiles, And puts her hands in her back pockets, Bette Davis style, And in comes Romeo, he's moaning. "You Belong to Me I Believe", And someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend, you'd better leave". The exclusively acoustic track conveys that Dylan's poetry is unaltered by the musical manner in which he chooses to propel it, rather, it just provides him with more sonic flexibility.
Highway 61 Revisited is routinely touted as Bob Dylan's crowning achievement. Released at a such chaotic chapter in his career, the record features angst, sorrow and beauty in equal measure. Certainly more musically polished than his previous work but simultaneously less tangible. 1965 was a year of immense evolution for the bard from Minnesota and he left two gargantuan records in his wake. Highway 61 Revisited is repeatedly used as the entry point for listeners to start enjoying Dylan and it's likely the sound that is most identifiable when people think of music's poet laureate.
"The Commander-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
Saying, "Death to all those who would whimper and cry"
And, dropping a barbell, he points to the sky
Saying, "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken"
-Tombstone Blues
Standout Tracks:
1. Like a Rolling Stone
2. Desolation Row
3. Tombstone Blues
94.8 [First added to this chart: 04/26/2020]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
28,231
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 57. Page 1 of 6
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Top 98 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 3 | 3% | |
| 1960s | 17 | 17% | |
| 1970s | 9 | 9% | |
| 1980s | 8 | 8% | |
| 1990s | 20 | 20% | |
| 2000s | 19 | 19% | |
| 2010s | 20 | 20% | |
| 2020s | 2 | 2% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| フィッシュマンズ [Fishmans] | 10 | 10% | |
| Radiohead | 7 | 7% | |
| Swans | 5 | 5% | |
| Bob Dylan | 5 | 5% | |
| Vampire Weekend | 4 | 4% | |
| Charles Mingus | 4 | 4% | |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
57 | 58% | |
 |
19 | 19% | |
 |
10 | 10% | |
 |
5 | 5% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 98 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
There have been no changes to this chart.Top 98 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
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| Top 80 Greatest Music Albums | Oid | Overall chart | 2019 |  |
| Top 100 Albums I haven't heard |  21stCenturySchiz | Custom chart | 2020 | |
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Top 98 Greatest Music Albums ratings
89/100 (from 35 votes)
where:
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 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 35 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 90/100  | 03/27/2025 14:41 | DrewHamster | | 79/100 |
| 85/100 | 01/25/2025 14:15 | SomethingSpecial | | 85/100 |
| 90/100 | 08/21/2024 05:59 |  pedro1976 | | 85/100 |
| 70/100 | 06/23/2023 05:13 |  Applerill | | 75/100 |
| 85/100 | 03/27/2023 17:55 | Johnnyo | | 80/100 |
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 4% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.9/100, a mean average of 88.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 89.9/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 11.1.
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Top 98 Greatest Music Albums comments
Showing all 9 comments |
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85/100
From Johnnyo 03/27/2023 17:55
Exceeding chart and a great read.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From Moondance 12/08/2022 00:11
We are 2 generations apart, so no surprise that our musical tastes/album preferences are not going to align. Totally respect your selections and appreciate your commentary - this chart is a definite labour of love. BTW - our one common album ~ Dark Side Of The Moon. BTW2 - thank you for introducing me to Night Beds' Country Sleep album - a future inclusion in my 2013 year chart.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
Larcx13 07/20/2021 15:00
Larcx13 07/20/2021 15:00
I guess youre a fan of radiohead.
Hard work on the descriptions good stuff.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From DriftingOrpheus 04/27/2021 22:55
DriftingOrpheus 04/27/2021 22:55
@StreakyNuno: Your statement is demeaning to every individual who's ever experienced an inkling of an original thought...
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
60/100
From StreakyNuno 04/27/2021 19:23
This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -5 votes (0 helpful | 5 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
DommeDamian 04/27/2021 13:50
DommeDamian 04/27/2021 13:50
*shocked emoji* this is ridiculously great.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From leniad 10/21/2020 23:28
Like your taste
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
Strangel 06/17/2020 10:18
Strangel 06/17/2020 10:18
Saw your comments on Syro which intrigued me enough to wander over here and read a bit more. I’ve always rated charts that offer explanations for each choice. So far you have gone above and beyond, plus I tend to agree with your love for many of these albums (Smiths aside). Look forward to seeing the finished version!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
55/100
From mianfei 05/14/2020 02:18
Even with very many “stereotypical” choices, this is not that bad a list.
Although I have never heard their music, Acid Bath is a wonderful surprise, as is the Misfits. I heard of both bands in the middle 2000s from one writer on Amazon.com called “janitor-x”, whose musical taste I cannot relate to but whose virulent criticism of ‘Rolling Stone’ I have never doubted nor seen refuted.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
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| Best Ever Artists | |
|---|---|
| 1. The Beatles | |
| 2. Radiohead | |
| 3. Pink Floyd | |
| 4. David Bowie | |
| 5. Bob Dylan | |
| 6. Led Zeppelin | |
| 7. The Rolling Stones | |
| 8. Arcade Fire | |
| 9. Nirvana | |
| 10. The Velvet Underground | |
| 11. Kendrick Lamar | |
| 12. Neil Young | |
| 13. Miles Davis | |
| 14. The Smiths | |
| 15. The Beach Boys | |
| 16. Kanye West | |
| 17. R.E.M. | |
| 18. Pixies | |
| 19. Jimi Hendrix | |
| 20. Bruce Springsteen |