Top 40 Greatest Music Albums
by TomC802

My 40 favorite albums considering the following criteria:
- Cohesiveness
- Originality
- Variety
- Consistency
- Energy
- Strength of Singles
- Expectations
- Legacy
- Lyrics
- Sentiment
- Instrumentation
- Vocals
- Album Beginning
- Middle Tracks
- Album End

• Chart updated: 10/02/2024 16:15
• (Created: 11/04/2022 00:58).
• Chart size: 40 albums.

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1. (=)

The Dark Side Of The Moon 

 Pink Floyd

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Dark Side of the Moon stands out as a nearly flawless album with songwriting, musicianship, and production to stand the test of time. Its lyrics highlight the greater struggles of the world in 1973, all of which persist to this day. The songs flow seamlessly into one another to create a cohesive work without sounding the same by using 3 instrumental tracks to break up the bulk of the record, and stitching in conversational interview clips throughout the record, used to their best effect on Us and Them and Brain Damage/Eclipse. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1973

Appears in:

4,125 charts

Rank Score:

60,839

Rank in 1973:

1

Rank in 1970s:

1

Overall Rank:

2

Average Rating:

 92 (5,332 votes)

Comments:

592

3. (2) 1

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 

 The Beatles

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The Beatles' finest album is not only their most innovative, but arguably their most cohesive. The album's start and conclusion stand out in particular, with both Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band into With a Little Help from My Friends melting perfectly into one another to take you on a musical journey, before concluding with arguably The Beatles' best ever song A Day In The Life. Following Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper redefined what an album could be, and we are so lucky to have it. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1967

Appears in:

3,483 charts

Rank Score:

43,651

Rank in 1967:

1

Rank in 1960s:

3

Overall Rank:

8

Average Rating:

 90 (4,590 votes)

Comments:

491

4. (8) 4

OK Computer 

 Radiohead

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OK Computer is 25 years old, but is so timeless it could have been released this year and still sound amazing. The combination of guitar, piano, and synthesizers creates an ominous and innovative soundscape for the digital age. The album's singles Paranoid Android, Karma Police, and No Surprises sound even better within the context of the record, while the supporting tracks help build on the atmosphere to create one of the greatest records of all time. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1997

Appears in:

4,412 charts

Rank Score:

64,477

Rank in 1997:

1

Rank in 1990s:

1

Overall Rank:

1

Average Rating:

 92 (5,633 votes)

Comments:

853

6. (4) 2

Wish You Were Here 

 Pink Floyd

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Pink Floyd follows up Dark Side of the Moon with an equally ambitious, equally cohesive masterpiece Wish You Were Here, an homage to their former frontman Syd Barrett. The lyrics to songs like Welcome to the Machine and Have a Cigar indicate Waters and Gilmour see the industry and its pressures as the main culprit behind Syd's fall from grace, while Wish You Were Here and Shine on You Crazy Diamond offer warmer, more nostalgic instances for the band to lament their lost friend. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1975

Appears in:

3,004 charts

Rank Score:

45,033

Rank in 1975:

1

Rank in 1970s:

2

Overall Rank:

5

Average Rating:

 91 (4,055 votes)

Comments:

312

9. (7) 2

The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars 

 David Bowie

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Bowie's masterpiece delivers hit after hit while forming a cohesive story of stardom and fearing the end of life as we know it. The instrumentals are powerful, the vocals are enthusiastic, and the lyrics provide the ideal backdrop. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1972

Appears in:

3,010 charts

Rank Score:

43,994

Rank in 1972:

1

Rank in 1970s:

3

Overall Rank:

7

Average Rating:

 90 (3,537 votes)

Comments:

304

11. (13) 2

In Rainbows 

 Radiohead

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Better than Kid A? Yes. In Rainbows is Radiohead's most consistent and cohesive work to date, every single song on it is incredible, and the album covers several musical styles from the upbeat 15 Step to the immersive Weird Fishes/Arpeggi to the somber Videotape to conclude the record. While OK Computer and Kid A may be more impactful on the music industry as a whole, In Rainbows serves as the Radiohead record I go back to the most for a re-listen, because it delivers every time. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

2007

Appears in:

2,913 charts

Rank Score:

44,298

Rank in 2007:

1

Rank in 2000s:

1

Overall Rank:

6

Average Rating:

 90 (3,940 votes)

Comments:

395

17. (16) 1

Abbey Road 

 The Beatles

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Abbey Road shines from start to finish, with the first half especially flowing from hit to hit with songs like Come Together, Something, Octopus' Garden, and Here Comes the Sun before its second half builds together into one cohesive conclusion with Carry That Weight + The End. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

3,723 charts

Rank Score:

57,575

Rank in 1969:

1

Rank in 1960s:

1

Overall Rank:

3

Average Rating:

 92 (4,623 votes)

Comments:

476

19. (18) 1

The Wall 

 Pink Floyd

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One of the best concept albums of all time. The structure of the album works to support its themes and story by dividing itself into two discs/records, each ending with escape - first by isolating from society, and the second by escaping his own prison. More haunting is the closing tune at the records' end flowing directly into its start, which reinforces the cycle of trauma. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1979

Appears in:

2,249 charts

Rank Score:

25,382

Rank in 1979:

2

Rank in 1970s:

7

Overall Rank:

31

Average Rating:

 86 (3,496 votes)

Comments:

267

20. (19) 1

(What's The Story) Morning Glory? 

 Oasis

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The album which defines britpop (sorry Parklife, Definitely Maybe, Stone Roses' debut) is wonderfully hopeful, sonically diverse, and fun record highlighted by genuine heartfelt moments. The hits on this record are timeless, yet don't overshadow the other tracks or the record as a whole, even with the memes of "anyway here's Wonderwall" [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1995

Appears in:

1,768 charts

Rank Score:

17,558

Rank in 1995:

2

Rank in 1990s:

11

Overall Rank:

58

Average Rating:

 81 (2,477 votes)

Comments:

235

21. (20) 1

Who's Next 

 The Who

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Each of the 9 songs on Who's Next are some of the legendary band's greatest works. Baba O'Riley & Won't Get Fooled Again in particular serve as one of the best album openers and album enders of any record ever, while Behind Blue Eyes and Getting in Tune offer a more intimate middle of the record complimented by more fun songs like Going Mobile and Bargain. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2024]

Year of Release:

1971

Appears in:

2,189 charts

Rank Score:

21,356

Rank in 1971:

2

Rank in 1970s:

10

Overall Rank:

40

Average Rating:

 86 (2,562 votes)

Comments:

201

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Top 40 Greatest Music Albums composition

Decade	Albums	%
1930s	0	0%
1940s	0	0%
1950s	0	0%
1960s	4	10%
1970s	9	23%
1980s	3	8%
1990s	4	10%
2000s	10	25%
2010s	8	20%
2020s	2	5%

Artist	Albums	%
Bruce Springsteen	3	8%
Pink Floyd	3	8%
The Beatles	3	8%
Radiohead	3	8%
Arcade Fire	2	5%
Vampire Weekend	2	5%
The National	2	5%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	17	43%
	17	43%
	2	5%
	2	5%
	1	3%
	1	3%

Top 40 Greatest Music Albums chart changes

Biggest climbers
Up 14 from 32nd to 18th Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
Up 11 from 24th to 13th Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
Up 4 from 8th to 4th OK Computer by Radiohead

Biggest fallers
Down 10 from 5th to 15th The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
Down 7 from 17th to 24th A Night At The Opera by Queen
Down 2 from 4th to 6th Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd

New entries
Hit Me Hard And Soft by Billie Eilish
Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs
A Rush Of Blood To The Head by Coldplay

Leavers
Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) by Led Zeppelin
Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Damn. by Kendrick Lamar

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