Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by 
sageamagoo 
Hey you—make more time for music in your life! It is a great gift of our universe that we have ready access to all the audio art in history. Take advantage of the internet, it's all out there: leagues of fine specimens just waiting for you to discover.
I spend every day exploring our planet's music. Here, I've boiled down 3500 albums from all corners of the world into 100 perfect records I couldn't live without.
Albums that it killed me to remove from this chart (to bring it down to 2 albums per artist):
Cardiacs - On Land and In The Sea + Guns + Pony (basically a Cardiacs album)
NoMeansNo - Wrong + The Worldhood of the World (As Such)
The Residents - Intermission + Animal Lover
Mr. Bungle - California
Björk - Homogenic
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Follow me on Rate Your Music: https://rateyourmusic.com/~sageamagoo and write something cool for me to listen to in the comments below!
- Chart updated: 01/04/2025 05:45
- (Created: 10/29/2012 20:32).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 103 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 143 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 1980s. (Remove this filter)
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When all the bullion in the world can't transform what's simply second rate, the hurt of lost love carries with it magic and joy once felt. Recognize that it won't go away.
[First added to this chart: 03/31/2018]
3
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Experimental industrial dance rock with attitude, Pretty Hate Machine gleefully parades over all established boundaries to reel in your mind, squish it like putty, and stretch it around in an ever-evolving feat of beautiful madness.
[First added to this chart: 11/05/2024]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,523
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Comments:
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A grand alien vision of pop as the stage for theatrics and art, full of diversions into weirdness that become profound the longer you sit on them. Kate wears her freak on her sleeve and thumbs her nose at all conventions, giving voice to a whole new form of music.
[First added to this chart: 06/10/2016]
Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,464
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Comments:
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Totally wack Brazillian avant-prog. Join the inimatable Arrigo Barnabé and some far-out ladies on their weird and wild adventure. At the crossection of art and insanity with wonky humour and infectious personality. Ridiculous, crazy and fun.
[First added to this chart: 07/20/2023]
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With inspired poetry, Doc at the Radar Station contains many of the Captain's most thought-provoking metaphors, set to a smorgasboard of delightfully irreverent instrumentals. Everyone in this new backing band are Beefheart megafans, infectiously excited to be vessels of the bizarre.
"We don't have to suffer, we're the best batch yet!" [First added to this chart: 03/28/2022]
"We don't have to suffer, we're the best batch yet!" [First added to this chart: 03/28/2022]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
641
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Comments:
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5 hours of generative modular synth brilliance, absolutely astounding work of complex and interesting textures that takes this sort of ambiance as far as it will go. A mammoth album with so much interesting atmospheric variety
[First added to this chart: 01/03/2025]
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[First added to this chart: 03/20/2016]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,525
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Comments:
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After walking for many gruelling hours in the searing Arizona heat you start having abstract hallucinations.
[First added to this chart: 03/18/2022]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,798
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Comments:
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When you were there before my eyes, no one planned it, took it for granted
I count the hours since you slipped away / I count the hours that I lie awake
I count the minutes and the seconds too / All I stole and I took from you
[…] All my silence and my strained respect / Missed chances and the same regrets
Kiss the thief and you save the rest / All my insights from retrospect [First added to this chart: 03/12/2017]
I count the hours since you slipped away / I count the hours that I lie awake
I count the minutes and the seconds too / All I stole and I took from you
[…] All my silence and my strained respect / Missed chances and the same regrets
Kiss the thief and you save the rest / All my insights from retrospect [First added to this chart: 03/12/2017]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,671
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
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Now here's something different. Negativland were the silliest tape splicers around. The long-form sound collage pieces that make up most of the album toe the line between existential horror and comic relief. The short funny tracks at the start of each side clear the air - then you're going on a surreal excursion into A Big 10-8 Place, the weirdest satire of suburban life ever spliced together.
[First added to this chart: 11/18/2022]
Total albums: 13. Page 1 of 2
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 3 | 3% | |
| 1970s | 25 | 25% | |
| 1980s | 13 | 13% | |
| 1990s | 28 | 28% | |
| 2000s | 19 | 19% | |
| 2010s | 5 | 5% | |
| 2020s | 7 | 7% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| The Flaming Lips | 2 | 2% | |
| Radiohead | 2 | 2% | |
| NoMeansNo | 2 | 2% | |
| Gentle Giant | 2 | 2% | |
| Cardiacs | 2 | 2% | |
| Can | 2 | 2% | |
| Ween | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
46 | 46% | |
 |
31 | 31% | |
 |
5 | 5% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
| |
4 | 4% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 10 from 70th to 60th John Zorn's Bagatelles by John Zorn |
| Up 8 from 62nd to 54th The Sea Nymphs by The Sea Nymphs |
| Up 2 from 52nd to 50th Quebec by Ween |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 5 from 47th to 52nd Vespertine by Björk |
| Down 3 from 41st to 44th Clara Crocodilo by Arrigo Barnabé |
| Down 3 from 56th to 59th The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me by Brand New |
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| Top 99 Music Albums of the 2000s | sageamagoo | 2000s decade chart | 2022 | |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
90/100 (from 143 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 143 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
80/100  | 06/06/2025 17:48 |  Tamthebam | | 85/100 |
80/100 | 01/29/2025 12:41 | SomethingSpecial | | 85/100 |
100/100 | 01/15/2025 17:18 | Exist-en-ciel | | 99/100 |
 95/100 | 12/11/2024 14:49 | DrewHamster | | 79/100 |
| 100/100 | 11/06/2024 00:42 |  Repo | | 100/100 |
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 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 89.9/100, a mean average of 90.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 10.7.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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100/100
From Repo 11/06/2024 21:45
Repo 11/06/2024 21:45
Thanks for such a great comment! Really made my day! :)
I've got a bunch of punk & metal charts for different years that I'm always working on. Here's my metal chart for 1982 as an example...
https://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=68314
... if you feel like diving further! \m/
There's also my blog ...
https://www.besteveralbums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=713071#713071
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From Repo 11/06/2024 00:43
Repo 11/06/2024 00:43
Soul Coughing in the top 10! Love it! And yeah Plastic Death is oneof the best albums of the year!!!
Great write-ups & just a fantastic chart!!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
Cargusbralem 11/05/2024 16:21
Cargusbralem 11/05/2024 16:21
Awesome chart, the music passion is so evident.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
80/100
From mianfei 11/21/2023 10:02
This is one of the more impressive charts I have seen, although mostly completely different from my own. The write-ups are quite decent, and the chart is quite diverse although I would say there is — for an overall chart — a little too much focus on a few artists.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From sageamagoo 11/15/2023 00:00
sageamagoo 11/15/2023 00:00
I always appreciate recommendations! They're all fantastic albums :) I have Third & Flying Teapot on vinyl
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
DommeDamian 11/14/2023 09:27
DommeDamian 11/14/2023 09:27
Fantastic chart all around. For a proggy person I recommend to you:
Soft Machine - I, Third
Gong - Flying Teapot
Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From leniad 03/21/2022 06:06
liked this chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From weyesgroove 03/16/2021 17:47
I really like this chart. thoughts on zaireeka ?
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From bonnequestion 06/27/2020 15:00
I rarely rate other's people charts because I think it is kind of weird to judge people's taste. However, I don't hesitate to highly rate a chart such as this one, not because I agree with all of its choices, but because it is perfectly made.
This chart represent everything I'd like all charts to be: it is very personal, full of picks that are more obscure (I hate charts that look just like a reorganisation of the top-100 of this website) and there are tons of interesting comments explaining the choices. Good job!
As for the picks, I really like the inclusion of two Flaming Lips albums that are too often ignored: At War With The Mystics and Clouds Taste Metallic. Two wonderful albums by one of the greatest band of the last 30 years. Also, I'm glad to see Surf's Up here, what an underrated album! Crocodiles by Echo & The Bunnymen is another choice I really like. Not the typical E&TB we see on most chart, but I agree it's one of, if not their best. And what about See You On The Other Side by Mercury Rev! Bold choice, I like that you included this gem in here.
Your chart also convinced me to look into two bands I still haven't listened to enough : Gorillaz and NoMeansNo. Thanks and keep up your good work!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From pctrooper 05/10/2020 01:35
Update: I love Prefab Sprout now
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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