Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by jnmayles 
In terms of the purpose of this chart, I hope it's something somebody who is new to music or grow their taste can read and walk away with over a decade of blood, sweat, and tears of dedication to the art... okay mostly just sweat in my computer chair...
I first started seriously listening to music at age 14 (2008) when I got limited access to the internet. My uncle got me a Beatles album for Christmas each year growing up, so that is all I listened to up until 16 (and a free compilation (Levi's Talent Show) that came free with a pair of jeans my aunt gave me).
I started by listening to a few indie podcasts (Indie Spotlight, now defunct and unavailable, and Indie feed, which is archived on apple but has not been updated in over a decade). From there I couldn't stop consuming and exploring music. I continue to keep my nose to the ground for new music while I continue to concurrently explore new eras, genres, and regions.
I look for a three big things in an album when ranking it...
-Is it a complete/cohesive album end to end? This doesn't mean every song has to be good, rather that the album is treated as an entire project that's cohesive and intentional from track 1 to the end. There are some songs that would likely make it into my top 100 songs but the albums are nowhere near complete enough...
-The instrumental composition of the album. This might be a hot take, but I care very little about the vocals and lyrics when compared to the instrumentals. I still believe lyrics are important, but relative to the instrumentals I'd say it's a 70/30 split for me.
-How innovative is the album? Did it create a genre? Did the artist innovate their own sound? Are there multiple genres within the album?
-Replay-ability. Could I listen to these 100 albums for the rest of my life assuming I had to commit to these and only these.
Bonus points to the album include...
-Album cover art. I believe the album cover art is highly reflective of the pride and effort an artist puts into their work. It's interesting how the concept has evolved from the LP to the digital era. I still think this is very important. One day I hope to do a top 100 list based on album art work!
-Vocal clearness. I think a lot of music listeners are fooling themselves if they can understand the vocals on a lot of albums... I love some albums that are in foreign languages just as much as the only language I understand!
-Demo availability. I love listening to demos to see what was added and goes into polishing off a song.
A few rules about my top 100:
1. I'm keeping it to one album per artists to give people more albums to explore. I'll mark under a given album if one or more albums would have also made my Top 100 all things equal.
2. No compilations. I'll handle that with a custom chart in the future. If you're curious just look at my rated albums and filter for various artists....
3. Don't read too much into the order between bands. I've listened to thousands of albums... so the difference between 1 and 5 is negligible.... I focused on making sure my Top 10 was sorted between the next 10 (Top 20) and so on...
- Chart updated: 09/02/2026 14:15
- (Created: 02/04/2025 03:49).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 5 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 85 out of 100 (from 6 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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Cliché? Sure. Blasé? Probably. As I mentioned in my intro, my uncle gave me one beatles album a year for christmas. I didn't have access to the internet growing up and my parents did not listen to music, so the entirety of my childhood was spent listening to beatles CDs. As you can imagine, my favorite ones growing up were their earlier more digestible albums (however I listened to the White Album every night before bed for years....). There are so many things that have been said and written about the beatles and this album that I won't drone on. I will just drop a quick fact that up until embarrassingly recently I did not realize: the band's name replaces the second 'e' of the bug "beetle"and replaces it with an 'a'... a play on the word 'beat'. Crazy I went through most of my life so far without this realization.
Additional Albums from Artist:
Top 10: Revolver
Top 20: Help!
Top 40: Magical Mystery Tour
Top 40: The White Album
Top 60: Rubber Soul [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Additional Albums from Artist:
Top 10: Revolver
Top 20: Help!
Top 40: Magical Mystery Tour
Top 40: The White Album
Top 60: Rubber Soul [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,512
Rank in 1967:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
One of the few albums I got a lot of exposure to before the internet with the local radio and Need for Speed Underground 2. Such a unique sound that was never really captured again by them or anyone else. This album makes me wonder what it was like living in LA in the late 60s...
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
25,573
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Rank in 1960s:
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Average Rating:
Comments:
In stark contrast to the first two on my list, this album is beautiful. As I mentioned in my scoring, I care less about vocals, but this is an exception to my rule. If not for the vocals, this album would be a bit lower.
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
1993
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,059
Rank in 1993:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Best punk album in my opinion. Not because it's necessarily groundbreaking or genre defining, but because it's good from start to front and has so much variety throughout. The 33 1/3 on this was good as well as it dissects each track. I don't remember much from that book other than they recorded an intro of one song by hitting sticks on a brick wall...
It’s interesting because there are some albums that I hold in such high regard I am afraid to listen to the artists other works out of fear that it will reduce my respect for the album. This is one of them. I’ll be at a concert and hear a familiar voice in the songs they play between acts, shazam the song to find it’s Wire… I still live in fear of their other albums… [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
It’s interesting because there are some albums that I hold in such high regard I am afraid to listen to the artists other works out of fear that it will reduce my respect for the album. This is one of them. I’ll be at a concert and hear a familiar voice in the songs they play between acts, shazam the song to find it’s Wire… I still live in fear of their other albums… [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,920
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
This is the first album on my list that I found through this website. I'm originally from west virginia and I was forced to listen to country radio on my 45 minute one way bus ride to school every day from kindergarten to 8th grade... no lie i can probably sing ~200 country pop songs from that era from heart unironically if I put my mind to it… I know this isn't pure play country, but it amazes me an album like this gets zero air time.
I’ve found with the most beautiful tracks, they force you to find meaning and be translated into your own circumstances, even if the translation is forced or unique to you (even better, right?). The second track on this did something unique. I was driving back to my home town from Chicago and I was listening to it on repeat to memorize the lyrics and attempt to translate it to my own life. As much as I tried to convince myself this is about shifting attitudes, outlooks, and perception in a relationship I think it’s about substance abuse which I’ve never had issues with. This song, for seconds, not minutes or hours or days, has me wanting to become an addict so it will apply to me more and make it a perfect song.
>side story: my father (who goes by doe) is friends with a farming family who grew up in the area i’m from, one of which he worked as a construction worker with (who goes by cat) who also has a brother (who goes by sheep). Sheep and Cat’s (or Cats’... my father has a not so firm grasp on the english language which was passed down to me…) brother (who isn’t nicknamed after an animal and goes by wheatzy) was our bus driver. He was an outspoken crazy bald man who had the purist heart. He wrote down every kids birthday and would scream and shout about it during the 3 minute window between the last person getting picked up and the first school we stopped at “it’s ’s birthday today! Everybody wish a happy birthday! Happyyyy birthday ... happy birthday…. *15 second pause until we hit the red light at the bottom of cherry hill…. Looks in the mirror right at you with the slyest grin and mutter/whispers “happy birthday . Wheatzy could hold a conversation with a brick wall for 3 hours… so much energy… heard a song from this album for the first time in public on a coffee date at The Brewed of all places. had to keep my cool and not say anything to the person working the counter or my date given we were about 120 seconds into it... but brought me joy! [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
I’ve found with the most beautiful tracks, they force you to find meaning and be translated into your own circumstances, even if the translation is forced or unique to you (even better, right?). The second track on this did something unique. I was driving back to my home town from Chicago and I was listening to it on repeat to memorize the lyrics and attempt to translate it to my own life. As much as I tried to convince myself this is about shifting attitudes, outlooks, and perception in a relationship I think it’s about substance abuse which I’ve never had issues with. This song, for seconds, not minutes or hours or days, has me wanting to become an addict so it will apply to me more and make it a perfect song.
>side story: my father (who goes by doe) is friends with a farming family who grew up in the area i’m from, one of which he worked as a construction worker with (who goes by cat) who also has a brother (who goes by sheep). Sheep and Cat’s (or Cats’... my father has a not so firm grasp on the english language which was passed down to me…) brother (who isn’t nicknamed after an animal and goes by wheatzy) was our bus driver. He was an outspoken crazy bald man who had the purist heart. He wrote down every kids birthday and would scream and shout about it during the 3 minute window between the last person getting picked up and the first school we stopped at “it’s ’s birthday today! Everybody wish a happy birthday! Happyyyy birthday ... happy birthday…. *15 second pause until we hit the red light at the bottom of cherry hill…. Looks in the mirror right at you with the slyest grin and mutter/whispers “happy birthday . Wheatzy could hold a conversation with a brick wall for 3 hours… so much energy… heard a song from this album for the first time in public on a coffee date at The Brewed of all places. had to keep my cool and not say anything to the person working the counter or my date given we were about 120 seconds into it... but brought me joy! [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
2003
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,836
Rank in 2003:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
It's interesting that I don't really like Aphex Twin's other albums. The second ambient works album is mid in my opinion... but this is something else. I don't know much about the background of this one, but it's certainty the best electronic album I've ever heard.
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
1992
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,506
Rank in 1992:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
This is such a tight album. It packs a lot into 37 minutes at 10 songs. Each one gets in and gets out but sound so distinct (yet obviously they have a high degree of harmony).
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
It's hard to explain, but I think Animals is truly my favorite album of theirs; however, I think I've got to acknowledge this for just how groundbreaking this was. I envy people living in the early 70s where this was top of the pops... compared to what the masses listen to these days...
Additional Albums from Artist:
Top 40: Wish You Were Here
Top 50: Animals [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Additional Albums from Artist:
Top 40: Wish You Were Here
Top 50: Animals [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
56,338
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Nothing sounds like this or will ever sound like this again. Connan seems to have gone a little off the deep end since this albums release. Caramel and Jazzbusters I/II were also good, but nothing like this. I think Mac Demarco coined the term jizz jazz and has owned it... however I think he's a hipster jimmy buffet and Connan Mockasin is the sole owner and propriety of the genre that I'd say is truly jizz jazz.
Saw him life in Chicago in a small headcount show and it was pretty nuts. Felt like some of his antics were sexual harassment by the current definition, but I'm not complaining. [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Saw him life in Chicago in a small headcount show and it was pretty nuts. Felt like some of his antics were sexual harassment by the current definition, but I'm not complaining. [First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
The first album to appear that I heard about through the Indie Spotlight podcast. It's difficult to say which track is my favorite... I'm not really a fan of any of Dan's other albums (exception for the Five Spanish Songs EP), but this one strikes a perfect balance in terms of production, vocal mix, and composition. The more I age the more I've got to knock it a little for Kaputt and Song for America sounding so similar... but in the end their both great songs (I think Song for America takes the cake in the head to head).
[First added to this chart: 06/23/2025]
Year of Release:
2011
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,792
Rank in 2011:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 1 | 1% | |
| 1960s | 8 | 8% | |
| 1970s | 11 | 11% | |
| 1980s | 5 | 5% | |
| 1990s | 19 | 19% | |
| 2000s | 19 | 19% | |
| 2010s | 24 | 24% | |
| 2020s | 13 | 13% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Doors | 1 | 1% | |
| Stevie Wonder | 1 | 1% | |
| Galaxie 500 | 1 | 1% | |
| Fontaines D.C. | 1 | 1% | |
| Prefab Sprout | 1 | 1% | |
| Cindy Lee | 1 | 1% | |
| Todd Terje | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| |
52 | 52% | |
 |
23 | 23% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
Up 51 from 96th to 45th |
Up 19 from 99th to 80th |
Up 16 from 58th to 42nd |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
Down 27 from 61st to 88th |
Down 14 from 67th to 81st |
Down 13 from 76th to 89th |
| New entries |
|---|
| Leavers |
|---|
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
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Showing latest 3 ratings for this chart. | Show all 6 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 06/15/2026 01:08 | AvalancheGrips | 136 | 88/100 |
| ! | 06/01/2026 18:41 | Cheddar | 16 | 100/100 |
| ! | 12/23/2025 06:56 |  MadhattanJack | 348 | 86/100 |
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From
AvalancheGrips 06/15/2026 01:08 | #314922
AvalancheGrips 06/15/2026 01:08 | #314922
the Magnolia Electric Co. story put a smile on my face (Edited)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From
Cheddar 06/01/2026 18:42 | #314733
I love the time and care put into this list and I am definitely bookmarking it for future exploration. (Edited)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From
jnmayles 08/19/2025 04:33 | #310562
I didn't realize I published a very early version of this with like 15 albums on it... I think absurdcheesecake took it personally :) it's all good though! much love absurdcheesecake! (Edited)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From
LadyGodiva 08/19/2025 04:19 | #310561
LadyGodiva 08/19/2025 04:19 | #310561
Also.. what did you do to upset absurdcheesecake? What a weird rating! (Edited)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From
LadyGodiva 08/19/2025 04:15 | #310560
LadyGodiva 08/19/2025 04:15 | #310560
Some really interesting picks (always happy to see Heavenly on a chart)… and I like the comments - great chart x (Edited)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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