Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
Romanelli 
With production credits (because producers are important, too). Also track listings, label info and short reviews written by yours truly. I hope this chart is helpful, entertaining, and at least interesting.
- Chart updated: 11/30/2025 23:45
- (Created: 06/01/2012 04:29).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
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1977-WARNER BROTHERS
Produced By FLEETWOOD MAC, KEN CAILLAT & RICHARD DASHUT
1. Second Hand News
2. Dreams
3. Never Going Back Again
4. Don’t Stop
5. Go Your Own Way
6. Songbird
7. The Chain
8. You Make Loving Fun
9. I Don’t Want To Know
10. Oh Daddy
11. Gold Dust Woman
When guitarist Bob Welch left Fleetwood Mac in 1974, the band was left with just Mick Fleetwood, Christine and John McVie, a legacy of a once proud blues band that had slid into mediocre pop, and a long roster of former guitar players who barely shone inside the group or after they had gone (with the exception of Peter Green). The band was about to end when Lindsey Buckingham was discovered in California, and when he was asked to join the band, he insisted that his girlfriend, Stevie Nicks, be part of the deal. The result was the album Fleetwood Mac, an almost perfect album that was based in newfound energy and the sudden connection that the five members of the band made. Rumours is the absolute peak of the career of Fleetwood Mac. It’s also the beginning of the end of that spark that made them so special for such a short time. Instead of being magical because the players involved were so good together, Rumours is magical because it’s a chronicle of a band publically eroding before our eyes. And what an absolutely good time we all had with that! The songs that came from the drama, the broken relationships of the couples in the band, and the ability they still had to blend together musically made for an album that was simply perfect.
The songwriting is split almost evenly between Christine McVie, Buckingham and Nicks. And there’s not a single track that isn’t perfection, or that doesn’t help make the album what it is. Buckingham’s “Second Hand News”, “Never Going Back Again” and “Go Your Own Way” are the best of his career. Nicks chimes in with “Dreams”, “I Don’t Want To Know” and “Gold Dust Woman”, all of which helped cement her reputation as a songwriter. McVie’s “Don’t Stop”, “Songbird”, “You Make Loving Fun” and “Oh Daddy” are the foundation of the album, and are exceptional. The group effort, “The Chain”, is simply perfect. This calm pop rock album, built around a fleeting cohesion of talents and internal chaos, remains perfect to this day. The cracks started showing musically on the next album, Tusk, and the magic of Rumours was never regained. But, from 1975 through the release of the somewhat disappointing Tusk, this was the biggest band in the world. It was short, but it was also very sweet. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced By FLEETWOOD MAC, KEN CAILLAT & RICHARD DASHUT
1. Second Hand News
2. Dreams
3. Never Going Back Again
4. Don’t Stop
5. Go Your Own Way
6. Songbird
7. The Chain
8. You Make Loving Fun
9. I Don’t Want To Know
10. Oh Daddy
11. Gold Dust Woman
When guitarist Bob Welch left Fleetwood Mac in 1974, the band was left with just Mick Fleetwood, Christine and John McVie, a legacy of a once proud blues band that had slid into mediocre pop, and a long roster of former guitar players who barely shone inside the group or after they had gone (with the exception of Peter Green). The band was about to end when Lindsey Buckingham was discovered in California, and when he was asked to join the band, he insisted that his girlfriend, Stevie Nicks, be part of the deal. The result was the album Fleetwood Mac, an almost perfect album that was based in newfound energy and the sudden connection that the five members of the band made. Rumours is the absolute peak of the career of Fleetwood Mac. It’s also the beginning of the end of that spark that made them so special for such a short time. Instead of being magical because the players involved were so good together, Rumours is magical because it’s a chronicle of a band publically eroding before our eyes. And what an absolutely good time we all had with that! The songs that came from the drama, the broken relationships of the couples in the band, and the ability they still had to blend together musically made for an album that was simply perfect.
The songwriting is split almost evenly between Christine McVie, Buckingham and Nicks. And there’s not a single track that isn’t perfection, or that doesn’t help make the album what it is. Buckingham’s “Second Hand News”, “Never Going Back Again” and “Go Your Own Way” are the best of his career. Nicks chimes in with “Dreams”, “I Don’t Want To Know” and “Gold Dust Woman”, all of which helped cement her reputation as a songwriter. McVie’s “Don’t Stop”, “Songbird”, “You Make Loving Fun” and “Oh Daddy” are the foundation of the album, and are exceptional. The group effort, “The Chain”, is simply perfect. This calm pop rock album, built around a fleeting cohesion of talents and internal chaos, remains perfect to this day. The cracks started showing musically on the next album, Tusk, and the magic of Rumours was never regained. But, from 1975 through the release of the somewhat disappointing Tusk, this was the biggest band in the world. It was short, but it was also very sweet. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,856
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1970-ATLANTIC
Produced By CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG
1. Carry On
2. Teach Your Children
3. Almost Cut My Hair
4. Helpless
5. Woodstock
6. Déjà Vu
7. Our House
8. 4 + 20
9. Country Girl: Whiskey Boot Hill/Down, Down, Down/Country Girl (I Think You’re Pretty)
10. Everybody I Love You
As if having a supergroup with David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash wasn’t unfair enough…they had to go and add in Neil Young for their second album. The CSN (&Y) franchise was so successful that they were able to put together a full greatest hits album after only two records. They had a successful debut album, then played at Woodstock, were already stars in their previous bands, and in 1970, they could do no wrong. Déjà Vu divides the songwriting pretty evenly, with each member contributing two songs each. The remaining two songs consist of a cover (Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock”) and “Everybody I Love You”, co-written by Stills and Young. The inclusion of Young on the album has been often overstated. While “Helpless” is one of his greatest songs, his other contribution, the mini-suite “Country Girl”, may be the album’s weakest track. And he only appears on half of the songs on the album, making Déjà vu really more of a CSN project with Neil as more of a guest than anything else. But even so, his presence definitely adds an edge to the songs he does play on.
But what really makes this work is that the two songs each from the other members are all exceptional. Stills hits big with “Carry On”, a perfect song for all that harmony, but also with the stunning “4 + 20”, which may be his most beautiful track. Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair” is a bluesy rocker buoyed by Young’s stinging guitar, while the title track is proof of his understated genius. And Nash adds his pop sensibility with the charming “Our House” and the neat “Teach Your Children”, which features solid pedal steel work by Jerry Garcia. As an album, Déjà Vu kicks off the 70’s in fine fashion, and showcases not only the strengths of the individual members, but also their ability to sing so strongly and seemingly effortlessly together. This, alongside their debut, is all of the CSN you’ll ever really need…it would be seven years before their next studio effort, by which time Stills had dried up as a writer and the distance between the three made them sound less cohesive. But at the turn of the 70’s, there was no one who did it better than these guys. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced By CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG
1. Carry On
2. Teach Your Children
3. Almost Cut My Hair
4. Helpless
5. Woodstock
6. Déjà Vu
7. Our House
8. 4 + 20
9. Country Girl: Whiskey Boot Hill/Down, Down, Down/Country Girl (I Think You’re Pretty)
10. Everybody I Love You
As if having a supergroup with David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash wasn’t unfair enough…they had to go and add in Neil Young for their second album. The CSN (&Y) franchise was so successful that they were able to put together a full greatest hits album after only two records. They had a successful debut album, then played at Woodstock, were already stars in their previous bands, and in 1970, they could do no wrong. Déjà Vu divides the songwriting pretty evenly, with each member contributing two songs each. The remaining two songs consist of a cover (Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock”) and “Everybody I Love You”, co-written by Stills and Young. The inclusion of Young on the album has been often overstated. While “Helpless” is one of his greatest songs, his other contribution, the mini-suite “Country Girl”, may be the album’s weakest track. And he only appears on half of the songs on the album, making Déjà vu really more of a CSN project with Neil as more of a guest than anything else. But even so, his presence definitely adds an edge to the songs he does play on.
But what really makes this work is that the two songs each from the other members are all exceptional. Stills hits big with “Carry On”, a perfect song for all that harmony, but also with the stunning “4 + 20”, which may be his most beautiful track. Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair” is a bluesy rocker buoyed by Young’s stinging guitar, while the title track is proof of his understated genius. And Nash adds his pop sensibility with the charming “Our House” and the neat “Teach Your Children”, which features solid pedal steel work by Jerry Garcia. As an album, Déjà Vu kicks off the 70’s in fine fashion, and showcases not only the strengths of the individual members, but also their ability to sing so strongly and seemingly effortlessly together. This, alongside their debut, is all of the CSN you’ll ever really need…it would be seven years before their next studio effort, by which time Stills had dried up as a writer and the distance between the three made them sound less cohesive. But at the turn of the 70’s, there was no one who did it better than these guys. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,095
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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2000-LOST HIGHWAY
Produced By T-BONE BURNETT
1. Po’ Lazarus (James Carter & The Prisoners)
2. Big Rock Candy Mountain (Harry McClintock)
3. You Are My Sunshine (Norman Blake)
4. Down To The River To Pray (Alison Krauss)
5. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Radio Station Version) (Soggy Bottom Boys & Dan Tyminski)
6. Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (Chris Thomas King)
7. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) (Norman Blake)
8. Keep On The Sunny Side (The Whites)
9. I’ll Fly Away (Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch)
10. Nobody But The Baby (Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch)
11. In The Highways (Leah, Sarah, & Hannah Peasall)
12. I Am Weary, Let Me Rest (The Cox Family)
13. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) (John Hartford)
14. O Death (Ralph Stanley)
15. In The Jailhouse Now (Soggy Bottom Boys & Tim Blake Nelson)
16. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (With Band) (Soggy Bottom Boys & Dan Tyminski)
17. Indian War Whoop (Instrumental) (John Hartford)
18. Lonesome Valley (The Fairfield Four)
19. Angel Band (The Stanley Brothers)
One of my favorite films of all time. Also, one of the most consistently fine soundtracks you’ll find. The music assembled here by T-Bone Burnett fits perfectly into the depression era 1930’s. Old Timey music. As an album, it’s amazing, and as a soundtrack, it’s flawless. Great performances from the likes of Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Ralph Stanley, and the rest are a perfect match for the film’s retelling of The Odyssey. Even Tim Blake Nelson, one of the film’s starts (he plays the born again Delmar) gives a fine performance on “In The Jailhouse Now”.
The central song is, of course, “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow”, represented here with 4 different versions. Which is okay, as the song plays a big part in the story. This soundtrack got a lot of people to discover this lost music, and brought some great forgotten songs back into public view. And again…a great film. A rarity when both the film and the soundtrack are top notch. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced By T-BONE BURNETT
1. Po’ Lazarus (James Carter & The Prisoners)
2. Big Rock Candy Mountain (Harry McClintock)
3. You Are My Sunshine (Norman Blake)
4. Down To The River To Pray (Alison Krauss)
5. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Radio Station Version) (Soggy Bottom Boys & Dan Tyminski)
6. Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (Chris Thomas King)
7. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) (Norman Blake)
8. Keep On The Sunny Side (The Whites)
9. I’ll Fly Away (Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch)
10. Nobody But The Baby (Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch)
11. In The Highways (Leah, Sarah, & Hannah Peasall)
12. I Am Weary, Let Me Rest (The Cox Family)
13. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) (John Hartford)
14. O Death (Ralph Stanley)
15. In The Jailhouse Now (Soggy Bottom Boys & Tim Blake Nelson)
16. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (With Band) (Soggy Bottom Boys & Dan Tyminski)
17. Indian War Whoop (Instrumental) (John Hartford)
18. Lonesome Valley (The Fairfield Four)
19. Angel Band (The Stanley Brothers)
One of my favorite films of all time. Also, one of the most consistently fine soundtracks you’ll find. The music assembled here by T-Bone Burnett fits perfectly into the depression era 1930’s. Old Timey music. As an album, it’s amazing, and as a soundtrack, it’s flawless. Great performances from the likes of Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Ralph Stanley, and the rest are a perfect match for the film’s retelling of The Odyssey. Even Tim Blake Nelson, one of the film’s starts (he plays the born again Delmar) gives a fine performance on “In The Jailhouse Now”.
The central song is, of course, “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow”, represented here with 4 different versions. Which is okay, as the song plays a big part in the story. This soundtrack got a lot of people to discover this lost music, and brought some great forgotten songs back into public view. And again…a great film. A rarity when both the film and the soundtrack are top notch. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Year of Release:
2000
Appears in:
Rank Score:
468
Rank in 2000:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1988-WILBURY
Produced By OTIS WILBURY & NELSON WILBURY
1. Handle With Care
2. Dirty World
3. Rattled
4. Last Night
5. Not Alone Any More
6. Congratulations
7. Heading For The Light
8. Margarita
9. Tweeter And The Monkey Man
10. End Of The Line
11. Maxine
12. Like A Ship
Without question the greatest lineup for a supergroup ever assembled. The question remains, why is this not the greatest album ever made? The Wilburys, as is well known, was not just a collection of greats, it was a collection of legends. George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne was an unbelievable lineup, and Vol. 1 was going to be superb. So…why isn’t it? The album has moments of absolute glory, but it also has severe lows that defy logic. The easiest explanation is this: supergroups of this caliber simply do not work. How many top grade front men can you have on one stage at the same time? How do you relegate these guys to being backing musicians for each other, no matter how strong their friendships? But there are other reasons why this never rises above a certain level. They approached the project in more of a “let’s have some fun” manner rather than “let’s make some phenomenal music”. The anonymity of the Wilbury name was thin (they put their pictures on the front cover). And no one was going to really bring their “A” material to a project like this one.
The high points are magical. “Handle With Care”, by Harrison, is their best track by far…the perfect vehicle for five lead singers. “The Closer, “End Of The Line”, is almost as strong. The Dylan contributions, “Dirty World” and “Tweeter And The Monkey Man” are excellent, as is “Last Night”. From there, the fall is mighty. The other five tracks (and the two bonus tracks) are poor and forgettable filler, especially given the pedigree of the performers. What we ultimately have here is an uneven album with some truly magical moments and lots of disappointment…but it’s still a lot of fun, especially if you remember that that’s what the Wilbury’s were going for. The liner notes by Michael Palin are also worthwhile…”The original Wilburys were a stationary people, who, realizing that their civilization could not stand still forever, began to go for short walks…”. Not long after this was released, Orbison died, and although there was one more album (Vol. 3), the fun was over. But this is always worth putting on once in a while. Because the Wilburys were ultimately what they set out to accomplish: they were a lot of fun. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced By OTIS WILBURY & NELSON WILBURY
1. Handle With Care
2. Dirty World
3. Rattled
4. Last Night
5. Not Alone Any More
6. Congratulations
7. Heading For The Light
8. Margarita
9. Tweeter And The Monkey Man
10. End Of The Line
11. Maxine
12. Like A Ship
Without question the greatest lineup for a supergroup ever assembled. The question remains, why is this not the greatest album ever made? The Wilburys, as is well known, was not just a collection of greats, it was a collection of legends. George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne was an unbelievable lineup, and Vol. 1 was going to be superb. So…why isn’t it? The album has moments of absolute glory, but it also has severe lows that defy logic. The easiest explanation is this: supergroups of this caliber simply do not work. How many top grade front men can you have on one stage at the same time? How do you relegate these guys to being backing musicians for each other, no matter how strong their friendships? But there are other reasons why this never rises above a certain level. They approached the project in more of a “let’s have some fun” manner rather than “let’s make some phenomenal music”. The anonymity of the Wilbury name was thin (they put their pictures on the front cover). And no one was going to really bring their “A” material to a project like this one.
The high points are magical. “Handle With Care”, by Harrison, is their best track by far…the perfect vehicle for five lead singers. “The Closer, “End Of The Line”, is almost as strong. The Dylan contributions, “Dirty World” and “Tweeter And The Monkey Man” are excellent, as is “Last Night”. From there, the fall is mighty. The other five tracks (and the two bonus tracks) are poor and forgettable filler, especially given the pedigree of the performers. What we ultimately have here is an uneven album with some truly magical moments and lots of disappointment…but it’s still a lot of fun, especially if you remember that that’s what the Wilbury’s were going for. The liner notes by Michael Palin are also worthwhile…”The original Wilburys were a stationary people, who, realizing that their civilization could not stand still forever, began to go for short walks…”. Not long after this was released, Orbison died, and although there was one more album (Vol. 3), the fun was over. But this is always worth putting on once in a while. Because the Wilburys were ultimately what they set out to accomplish: they were a lot of fun. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,171
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1966-ATCO
Produced By CHARLES GREENE & BRIAN STONE
1. For What It’s Worth
2. Go And Say Goodbye
3. Sit Down I Think I Love You
4. Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing
5. Hot Dusty Roads
6. Everybody’s Wrong
7. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong
8. Burned
9. Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It
10. Leave
11. Out Of My Mind
12. Pay The Price
What turned out to be a stepping stone band on a par only with The Yardbirds, Buffalo Springfield existed for only two years. But the band launched the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina, making future acts Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Poco, Manassas and Loggins & Messina possible. The history of the band was tumultuous, and they burned out by 1968 in the midst of multiple drug busts. But they also made three albums, including this one, their first. Messina wasn’t there yet, but the front line of Stills, Young and Furay was pretty potent. Here, they had been together just a few months, and they were ultimately unhappy that the hurried nature of the recordings resulted in not capturing the live sound they were after. There is an uncomfortable and rushed feeling to the album, for sure.
This version of Buffalo Springfield is a re-release from 1967 that was done after “For What It’s Worth” (not on the original version) became a hit. It replaces the track “Baby Don’t Scold Me”, and puts the songs in different order. Other highlights include Young’s “Burned” and “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing”, and Stills’ “Sit Down I Think I Love You”. The next album, Buffalo Springfield Again, was much better, but this is still an important part of the American rock resurgence of the late 60’s, and an important start to the recording legacy of the band and its individual members. It’s interesting to hear the genesis of everything that came afterwards here, while the members were still young and not yet famous. All of which makes this somewhat flawed album very worthwhile. [First added to this chart: 08/24/2020]
Produced By CHARLES GREENE & BRIAN STONE
1. For What It’s Worth
2. Go And Say Goodbye
3. Sit Down I Think I Love You
4. Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing
5. Hot Dusty Roads
6. Everybody’s Wrong
7. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong
8. Burned
9. Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It
10. Leave
11. Out Of My Mind
12. Pay The Price
What turned out to be a stepping stone band on a par only with The Yardbirds, Buffalo Springfield existed for only two years. But the band launched the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina, making future acts Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Poco, Manassas and Loggins & Messina possible. The history of the band was tumultuous, and they burned out by 1968 in the midst of multiple drug busts. But they also made three albums, including this one, their first. Messina wasn’t there yet, but the front line of Stills, Young and Furay was pretty potent. Here, they had been together just a few months, and they were ultimately unhappy that the hurried nature of the recordings resulted in not capturing the live sound they were after. There is an uncomfortable and rushed feeling to the album, for sure.
This version of Buffalo Springfield is a re-release from 1967 that was done after “For What It’s Worth” (not on the original version) became a hit. It replaces the track “Baby Don’t Scold Me”, and puts the songs in different order. Other highlights include Young’s “Burned” and “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing”, and Stills’ “Sit Down I Think I Love You”. The next album, Buffalo Springfield Again, was much better, but this is still an important part of the American rock resurgence of the late 60’s, and an important start to the recording legacy of the band and its individual members. It’s interesting to hear the genesis of everything that came afterwards here, while the members were still young and not yet famous. All of which makes this somewhat flawed album very worthwhile. [First added to this chart: 08/24/2020]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
928
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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2000-TVT
Produced By KEVIN SHIRLEY
1. Celebration Day
2. Custard Pie
3. Sick Again
4. What Is And What Should Never Be
5. Woke Up This Morning
6. Shapes Of Things To Come
7. Sloppy Drunk
8. Ten Years Gone
9. In My Time Of Dying
10. Your Time Is Gonna Come
1. The Lemon Song
2. Nobody's Fault But Mine
3. Heartbreaker
4. Hey Hey What Can I Do
5. Mellow Down Easy
6. Oh Well
7. Shake Your Money Maker
8. You Shook Me
9. Out On The Tiles
10. Whole Lotta Love
I'm sure that at some point, this seemed like a really great idea. But this two disc live album is hardly the great show it looks like on paper. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page teaming with a great live band like the Crowes for two nights of Zeppelin? Yeah.
Problems...the Black Crowes were playing without their...better guitar player. A stage with Page & Ford would have been most interesting. There are lots of covers. Chris Robinson meets a lot of songs that don't suit him in the Zeppelin catalog. The Crowes played several originals that would have been interesting with Page, but none of them are on the album because of contractual crap. And there are a lot of moments where everyone seems kind of lost.
On the plus side, it's good to hear Jimmy play live...he does get to tear some shit up. And this sounds pretty much like an ok Zeppelin tribute band...with a really good Jimmy Page. And disc one is enhanced with previously unreleased performance video and photos. So, there's that. And the drumming of Steve Gorman is exceptional. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced By KEVIN SHIRLEY
1. Celebration Day
2. Custard Pie
3. Sick Again
4. What Is And What Should Never Be
5. Woke Up This Morning
6. Shapes Of Things To Come
7. Sloppy Drunk
8. Ten Years Gone
9. In My Time Of Dying
10. Your Time Is Gonna Come
1. The Lemon Song
2. Nobody's Fault But Mine
3. Heartbreaker
4. Hey Hey What Can I Do
5. Mellow Down Easy
6. Oh Well
7. Shake Your Money Maker
8. You Shook Me
9. Out On The Tiles
10. Whole Lotta Love
I'm sure that at some point, this seemed like a really great idea. But this two disc live album is hardly the great show it looks like on paper. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page teaming with a great live band like the Crowes for two nights of Zeppelin? Yeah.
Problems...the Black Crowes were playing without their...better guitar player. A stage with Page & Ford would have been most interesting. There are lots of covers. Chris Robinson meets a lot of songs that don't suit him in the Zeppelin catalog. The Crowes played several originals that would have been interesting with Page, but none of them are on the album because of contractual crap. And there are a lot of moments where everyone seems kind of lost.
On the plus side, it's good to hear Jimmy play live...he does get to tear some shit up. And this sounds pretty much like an ok Zeppelin tribute band...with a really good Jimmy Page. And disc one is enhanced with previously unreleased performance video and photos. So, there's that. And the drumming of Steve Gorman is exceptional. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
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1970-POLYDOR
Produced by TOM DOWD
1. I Looked Away
2. Bell Bottom Blues
3. Keep On Growing
4. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
5. I Am Yours
6. Anyday
7. Key To The Highway
8. Tell The Truth
9. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad
10. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
11. Little Wing
12. It’s Too Late
13. Layla
14. Thorn Tree In The Garden
Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Gordon and Carl Radle left escaped from the constant fighting of Delaney And Bonnie to form a new band of their own, Derek And The Dominos. Duane Allman was brought in to play slide guitar, and the Layla album was made. A collaborative effort, this may also be Eric Clapton’s finest hour. This band worked for him like no other , and the inclusion of Allman pushed him to new heights. Six of the songs are band efforts, with the rest being originals or cover songs. The highlights are numerous: “Bell Bottom Blues”, a slowed down “Tell The Truth”, an inspired cover of Jimi Hendrix’ “Little Wing”, and of course the famous title track.
The Dominos ended after only one album. Allman never officially joined the band because he wanted to stay in The Allman Brothers Band. Whitlock and Radle went their own ways, and Jim Gordon (who co wrote “Layla”) ended up serving a life sentence in California for killing his mother. Clapton went on to a solo career as a mellow man. But for one album, there was plenty of magic. Layla is a true classic, one of the best of the early 70’s. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced by TOM DOWD
1. I Looked Away
2. Bell Bottom Blues
3. Keep On Growing
4. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
5. I Am Yours
6. Anyday
7. Key To The Highway
8. Tell The Truth
9. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad
10. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
11. Little Wing
12. It’s Too Late
13. Layla
14. Thorn Tree In The Garden
Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Gordon and Carl Radle left escaped from the constant fighting of Delaney And Bonnie to form a new band of their own, Derek And The Dominos. Duane Allman was brought in to play slide guitar, and the Layla album was made. A collaborative effort, this may also be Eric Clapton’s finest hour. This band worked for him like no other , and the inclusion of Allman pushed him to new heights. Six of the songs are band efforts, with the rest being originals or cover songs. The highlights are numerous: “Bell Bottom Blues”, a slowed down “Tell The Truth”, an inspired cover of Jimi Hendrix’ “Little Wing”, and of course the famous title track.
The Dominos ended after only one album. Allman never officially joined the band because he wanted to stay in The Allman Brothers Band. Whitlock and Radle went their own ways, and Jim Gordon (who co wrote “Layla”) ended up serving a life sentence in California for killing his mother. Clapton went on to a solo career as a mellow man. But for one album, there was plenty of magic. Layla is a true classic, one of the best of the early 70’s. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,698
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
1998 – ELEKTRA
Produced By WILCO, BILLY BRAGG & GRANT SHOWBIZ
1. Walt Whitman’s Niece
2. California Stars
3. Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
4. Birds And Ships
5. Hoodoo Voodoo
6. She Came Along To Me
7. At My Window Sad And Lonely
8. Ingrid Bergman
9. Christ For President
10. I Guess I Planted
11. One By One
12. Eisler On The Go
13. Hesitating Beauty
14. Another Man’s Done Gone
15. The Unwelcome Guest
Woody Guthrie was one of the most important songwriters in American history. Because of when his career was active, he recorded just one studio album: 1940’s Dust Bowl Ballads. His performing career was over by the mid 1950’s and he died of Huntington’s Disease in 1967 at the age of 55. But his famous songs have never been forgotten, especially “This Land Is Your Land”. Guthrie was a highly prolific writer: he had a box that contained over 1000 complete sets of lyrics. But because he did not write out the music, and because he had no means of recording himself, the lyrics had no melodies. And so, in 1995, nearly 30 years after his death, Guthrie’s daughter Nora contacted folk singer Billy Bragg to see if he would want to put some of Guthrie’s lyrics to music. He brought in Wilco, and the album Mermaid Avenue was created.
This is the first of three volumes, and it’s the best one. Bragg and Wilco wrote the music in their own styles so that Guthrie’s lyrics would be set to modern music. The results are beautiful. The lyrics here were all written between 1939 and 1950, but Bragg and Wilco make it all new. Wilco’s “California Stars” and “Hesitating Beauty” are perfect tracks, and Bragg’s more serious and folksy work on “Ingrid Bergman” and “Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key” are absolute highlights. There’s also a nice guest vocal from Natalie Merchant on “Birds And Ships”. The music is all beautifully done, but it’s ultimately Guthrie’s lyrics that shine the brightest. And that’s what makes all three volumes of Mermaid Avenue special. His life and his career were ultimately cut short, but it’s a true blessing that we have so many of his writings brought to life here. An absolute classic, and a historical gem. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced By WILCO, BILLY BRAGG & GRANT SHOWBIZ
1. Walt Whitman’s Niece
2. California Stars
3. Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
4. Birds And Ships
5. Hoodoo Voodoo
6. She Came Along To Me
7. At My Window Sad And Lonely
8. Ingrid Bergman
9. Christ For President
10. I Guess I Planted
11. One By One
12. Eisler On The Go
13. Hesitating Beauty
14. Another Man’s Done Gone
15. The Unwelcome Guest
Woody Guthrie was one of the most important songwriters in American history. Because of when his career was active, he recorded just one studio album: 1940’s Dust Bowl Ballads. His performing career was over by the mid 1950’s and he died of Huntington’s Disease in 1967 at the age of 55. But his famous songs have never been forgotten, especially “This Land Is Your Land”. Guthrie was a highly prolific writer: he had a box that contained over 1000 complete sets of lyrics. But because he did not write out the music, and because he had no means of recording himself, the lyrics had no melodies. And so, in 1995, nearly 30 years after his death, Guthrie’s daughter Nora contacted folk singer Billy Bragg to see if he would want to put some of Guthrie’s lyrics to music. He brought in Wilco, and the album Mermaid Avenue was created.
This is the first of three volumes, and it’s the best one. Bragg and Wilco wrote the music in their own styles so that Guthrie’s lyrics would be set to modern music. The results are beautiful. The lyrics here were all written between 1939 and 1950, but Bragg and Wilco make it all new. Wilco’s “California Stars” and “Hesitating Beauty” are perfect tracks, and Bragg’s more serious and folksy work on “Ingrid Bergman” and “Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key” are absolute highlights. There’s also a nice guest vocal from Natalie Merchant on “Birds And Ships”. The music is all beautifully done, but it’s ultimately Guthrie’s lyrics that shine the brightest. And that’s what makes all three volumes of Mermaid Avenue special. His life and his career were ultimately cut short, but it’s a true blessing that we have so many of his writings brought to life here. An absolute classic, and a historical gem. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Year of Release:
1998
Appears in:
Rank Score:
793
Rank in 1998:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
1971-APPLE
Produced By GEORGE HARRISON & PHIL SPECTOR
1. Introduction By George Harrison & Ravi Shankar
2. Bangla Dhun
3. Wah-Wah
4. My Sweet Lord
5. Awaiting On You All
6. That’s The Way God Planned It
7. It Don’t Come Easy
8. Beware Of Darkness
9. Band Introduction
10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
11. Medley: Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Young Blood
12. Here Comes The Sun
13. A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall
14. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
15. Blowin’ In The Wind
16. Mr. Tambourine Man
17. Just Like A Woman
18. Something
19. Bangla Desh
20. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Nobody ever began their new career outside their old band like George Harrison did. After leaving The Beatles, he released the 3 record masterpiece All Things Must Pass, then got together with Ravi Shankar to put together The Concert For Bangladesh. Recorded at Madison Square Garden in August of 1971, the show was a huge success for refugees in need of help from oppression and a huge cyclone that ravaged Bangladesh in 1970. Proceeds from the show (and the album and film) to this day go to the George Harrison UNICEF Foundation. This was the first large scale benefit concert, setting the stage for all future benefit shows.
Harrison had plenty of help from some famous friends: Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, and Badfinger were all there. Phil Spector lends his Wall Of Sound production to the live setting, making for a very advanced sounding album. The show is not without flaws: Ringo had one song to learn (“It Don’t Come Easy”), and he butchers the words. The Dylan set gets a bit long, and at times the lack of rehearsal time shows. But it’s still very worthwhile…the film is obviously better. Great to hear George finally able to play some of his Beatles songs live. An historic album, and a high note in Harrison’s career. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Produced By GEORGE HARRISON & PHIL SPECTOR
1. Introduction By George Harrison & Ravi Shankar
2. Bangla Dhun
3. Wah-Wah
4. My Sweet Lord
5. Awaiting On You All
6. That’s The Way God Planned It
7. It Don’t Come Easy
8. Beware Of Darkness
9. Band Introduction
10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
11. Medley: Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Young Blood
12. Here Comes The Sun
13. A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall
14. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
15. Blowin’ In The Wind
16. Mr. Tambourine Man
17. Just Like A Woman
18. Something
19. Bangla Desh
20. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Nobody ever began their new career outside their old band like George Harrison did. After leaving The Beatles, he released the 3 record masterpiece All Things Must Pass, then got together with Ravi Shankar to put together The Concert For Bangladesh. Recorded at Madison Square Garden in August of 1971, the show was a huge success for refugees in need of help from oppression and a huge cyclone that ravaged Bangladesh in 1970. Proceeds from the show (and the album and film) to this day go to the George Harrison UNICEF Foundation. This was the first large scale benefit concert, setting the stage for all future benefit shows.
Harrison had plenty of help from some famous friends: Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, and Badfinger were all there. Phil Spector lends his Wall Of Sound production to the live setting, making for a very advanced sounding album. The show is not without flaws: Ringo had one song to learn (“It Don’t Come Easy”), and he butchers the words. The Dylan set gets a bit long, and at times the lack of rehearsal time shows. But it’s still very worthwhile…the film is obviously better. Great to hear George finally able to play some of his Beatles songs live. An historic album, and a high note in Harrison’s career. [First added to this chart: 05/31/2012]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
448
Rank in 1971:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 9. Page 1 of 1
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 10 | 10% | |
| 1970s | 21 | 21% | |
| 1980s | 11 | 11% | |
| 1990s | 32 | 32% | |
| 2000s | 22 | 22% | |
| 2010s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Band | 3 | 3% | |
| Drive-By Truckers | 3 | 3% | |
| The Beatles | 3 | 3% | |
| Nirvana | 2 | 2% | |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 2% | |
| Lucero | 2 | 2% | |
| Whiskeytown | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 2 from 39th to 37th Decoration Day by Drive-By Truckers |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 37th to 38th Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 by The Traveling Wilburys |
| Down 1 from 38th to 39th The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd |
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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 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 179 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 05/19/2025 19:46 | StreakyNuno | 131 | 82/100 |
| ! | 05/19/2025 12:26 |  Repo | 559 | 100/100 |
| ! | 03/15/2025 22:29 | BlueNote | 91 | 74/100 |
| ! | 01/29/2025 12:37 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,105 | 85/100 |
| ! | 01/15/2025 18:01 | Exist-en-ciel | 126 | 99/100 |
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 6% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.6/100, a mean average of 87.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.7/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 12.5.
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
Showing latest 20 members who have added this chart as a favourite | Show all 29 members
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 114 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First |
Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)
From StreakyNuno 05/19/2025 19:47 | #309063
I like the Chart but The Black Crowes album, even though it is an excellent album, is an exaggeration to consider it the best ever.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Repo 05/19/2025 12:28 | #309062
Repo 05/19/2025 12:28 | #309062
A wondrous labor of love! GREAT notes!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
CassidyInc 03/29/2024 22:06 | #302746
CassidyInc 03/29/2024 22:06 | #302746
Neat chart, but the write ups and historical perspective you've included for many of these albums make it something special. I had a good chuckle when I finally arrived to Loveless, the album I was most excited to hear your thoughts on, and there was nothing there!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Moondance 03/06/2023 07:40 | #294755
What I found most intriguing is where you actually argue in your comments why an album isn't that great - which is an unusual way to create a greatest 100 chart. A bit too US-orientated for my liking and too many so-so bands. Good to see one album each from Australia & New Zealand.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From samora 10/25/2022 14:15 | #290788
Great chart, with impressive comments; very inspirational!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From leniad 07/12/2022 00:28 | #287280
would appreciate more variety from coutries, genres
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Albumlover6789 02/03/2022 23:20 | #280650
Lots of new music to discover here
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
rockbluesfolkjaz 10/19/2021 18:18 | #275181
rockbluesfolkjaz 10/19/2021 18:18 | #275181
There's a lot of excellent choices here. Many of which I'll be listening to as well. Thanks for this list!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Johnnyo 07/18/2021 16:41 | #271703
Stunning chart. I own 83 of the albums in your chart so it's inevitable that I'm going to love it. Also love the notes. Great addition.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From henrygreen0203 05/04/2021 18:55 | #269359
Nothing but great records here!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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