Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
Secondsoul 
Edit 31/08/14
OK, I've decided to re-do my main chart as I feel that I had chosen too many albums from the 1980's. So I've decided to give this chart a better balance by not including any more than 25 albums from any one decade. I have also limited it to just one album per artist which was very hard for me to do as out go some of my favourites like Closer, Pornography and The Queen Is Dead but hey, my chart should probably now be more BEA-friendly!
- Chart updated: 05/25/2015 13:45
- (Created: 12/24/2012 21:21).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 42 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 66 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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The entries in this chart have a zero rank score because the chart has not been updated within the last ten years (points from overall charts are decayed over a ten year period).
Available from 
I didn't have to think twice about making this my number one. The only album I have ever rated 100/100 as every track is perfection. I have listened to this album a couple of hundred times and never get tired of it. Flawless!
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,157
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Available from
Sounds like nothing else ever recorded. Ground-breaking and truly special.
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
26,602
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Rank in 1990s:
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Available from
Most people on BEA seem to think that The Queen Is Dead was their best. I disagree. I bought this cassette twice in 1984 as I wore out the original through playing it so much. The first band that I became totally besotted with as a teenager.
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,611
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Available from
Bought this on holiday in Australia after hearing Obstacle 1. This album is very strong from start to finish. Best post-punk revival album ever made.
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Year of Release:
2002
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,681
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Available from
Allmusic described this album as "an earth-shatteringly powerful experience" which pretty much sums it up. Great lyrics, incredible music, anger, emotion. Just a great album!
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Available from
When I left Ireland in 1989 to go live in America, this album was one of the first things I packed to go with me. I had some wonderful happy times in the USA but I played this every other night and the dark, sombre mood of this album made me feel like I was back home again!
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
25,375
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Available from
Best album of the seventies. There isn't much between this and Closer. They are both landmark albums.
[First added to this chart: 10/26/2013]
Year of Release:
1979
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,339
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Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
8. (=)
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The late 90's/early 00's period was pretty quiet musically imo and there was a lot of shit music about. But then The Strokes appeared on the scene and this album felt like a breath of fresh air at the time. Strong album with not a bad track on it.
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Year of Release:
2001
Appears in:
Rank Score:
26,731
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Comments:
Available from
I bought this when it first came out but wasn't blown away by it at the start. But after several listens, I soon realised that this album is one hell of a grower! A work of true genius and certainly one of the greatest ever shoegaze albums.
[First added to this chart: 04/20/2013]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,476
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Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
Side 1 has all the great singles, Side 2 is eclectic and experimental but the tracks on it are all growers. Listen to it 20 times or more and you realise this is a work of pure genius.
[First added to this chart: 10/12/2014]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,746
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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 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 13 | 13% | |
| 1970s | 17 | 17% | |
| 1980s | 25 | 25% | |
| 1990s | 21 | 21% | |
| 2000s | 19 | 19% | |
| 2010s | 5 | 5% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| My Bloody Valentine | 1 | 1% | |
| Depeche Mode | 1 | 1% | |
| Gorillaz | 1 | 1% | |
| Sigur Rós | 1 | 1% | |
| The Jesus And Mary Chain | 1 | 1% | |
| The Zombies | 1 | 1% | |
| Cocteau Twins | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
52 | 52% | |
| |
33 | 33% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| New entries |
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| Leavers |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similar charts
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | NamibiaStarr | Overall chart | 2015 |  |
| One Album per Artist Chart | Imaybeparanoid | Custom chart | 2016 |  |
| If The BEA Overall Chart Had A One Album Per Artist Rule... |  Romanelli | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| The BEA Friendly Chart |  alelsupreme | Custom chart | 2015 | |
| BEA 100 (One Album per Artist) |  BozoTyrannus | Custom chart | 2020 |  |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | steve_o_619 | Overall chart | 2014 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Melody Maker | Overall chart | 2000 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | Imaybeparanoid | Overall chart | 2017 | |
| BEA forum regulars top 100 |  HigherThanTheSun | Custom chart | 2014 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | KILLALLHIPPIES | Overall chart | 2014 | |
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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 3 ratings for this chart. | Show all 66 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 03/20/2025 15:15 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,090 | 86/100 |
| ! | 01/15/2025 17:06 | Exist-en-ciel | 166 | 97/100 |
| ! | 08/25/2021 20:47 |  travelful | 208 | 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 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 90.5/100, a mean average of 90.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 91.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.7.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums favourites
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums forum mentions
This chart has been referenced 2 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
From 
BestEverAlbums 05/22/2016 08:00 in Chart of the day (#1678): By Secondsoul
BestEverAlbums 05/22/2016 08:00 in Chart of the day (#1678): By Secondsoul“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Secondsoul () 1. Script Of The Bridge by The Chameleons (1983) 2. Loveless by My Bloody Valentine (1991) 3. The Smiths by The Smiths (1984) 4. Turn On The Bright Lights by Interpol (2002) 5. Heartworm by Whipping Boy (1995) 6. Disintegration…”
View forum post →From BestEverAlbums 11/07/2014 09:00 in Chart of the day (#1116): By Secondsoul
BestEverAlbums 11/07/2014 09:00 in Chart of the day (#1116): By Secondsoul“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Secondsoul () 1. Script Of The Bridge by The Chameleons (1983) 2. Loveless by My Bloody Valentine (1991) 3. The Smiths by The Smiths (1984) 4. Turn On The Bright Lights by Interpol (2002) 5. Heartworm by Whipping Boy (1995) 6. Disintegration…”
View forum post →Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From
CellarDoor TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/31/2012 17:31 | #59591
CellarDoor TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/31/2012 17:31 | #59591
Finally up :)
Post-punk and shoegaze being my favorite genres, your chart will be my new check list for new and older releases.
Love the Chameleons !!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 3
From
meruizh 05/14/2013 00:49 | #76054
meruizh 05/14/2013 00:49 | #76054
If you compare my chart to yours, my chart is like Justin bieber and yours is like whatever band you want from your chart. Just kiddin, but its truly a unique chart, I dont know many bands you've got in here. New Order, The Cure and The Smiths so high up, good job. I'll definitely get some ideas from your chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
From
drakonium 04/13/2013 22:20 | #72929
drakonium 04/13/2013 22:20 | #72929
Totally unique and amazing chart. I don't know how I ignored it for so long. So many things I've never listened to here... There is that new-wavey feel to it that I love. New Order and Cocteau Twins are so great! This will be a real goldmine in the future. Thanks! :-)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
From
jackeenan 04/04/2015 23:48 | #138850
Its great that youre such a post punk nerd you had to limit yourself to 25 albums per decade. I was so happy to Metal Box on here, Public Image Ltd are one of the most underrated bands ever, its too bad that the Sex Pistols overshadowed them.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
From
btener11 07/23/2013 22:40 | #82234
btener11 07/23/2013 22:40 | #82234
nice chart! major props for doppelganger, frengers, ferment, strange free world (drive that fast is one of my all-time favorite songs, period). lack of 60s/70s music is quite conspicuous and a tad disappointing however.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 1
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