Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by 
samistake2ice 
ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm currently starting with my year charts working through my decades and finishing with an updated version of my overall. Probably sometime in November, when my 2015 chart is a little more solid, will I be done with this chart. Thank you.
This is my "100 Favorite Albums List"
I think it's pretty hard to definitively rank your favorite albums so lets just say each one of these albums is accurate give or take 5 spots.
I grew up in the 90s, but was raised on a lot of 60s and 70s blues rock. I love Americana/Country/Folk having grown up in Texas, but I think my tastes are pretty broad. If there are albums on my list that you've never heard of (& there are) I recommend having a listen.
Enjoy
- Chart updated: 07/12/2016 15:45
- (Created: 12/27/2012 03:00).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 37 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 51 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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As a long time fan of his former band, The Drive-by Truckers, I thought the group really struggled after his bloody departure. I also think that the pain from that transition allowed for growth in both. 10 years ago, Isbell was an exiting young songwriter/guitar player. Now, after exceeding past multiple hurdles and finally finding solid ground. Jason Isbell is the force and voice by which every hopeful artist in the genre should try to compare. Southeastern is a testament to "the fight", be it addiction, disease, heartache, or station in life. You can overcome.
"You been strippin' in Prtland since the day you turned 16, you got one thing to sell in Benzodiazepine" - Different Days
Favorite Tracks: Elephant, Different Days, Relatively Easy [First added to this chart: 01/26/2014]
"You been strippin' in Prtland since the day you turned 16, you got one thing to sell in Benzodiazepine" - Different Days
Favorite Tracks: Elephant, Different Days, Relatively Easy [First added to this chart: 01/26/2014]
Year of Release:
2013
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,519
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What a musical genius Brian Wilson is. This album is so ambitious and odd, and yet at the same time catchy and beautiful. The instrumentation and the harmonies are amazing. I wonder what the trajectory and legacy of the beach boys would have been if they had continued down this path.
Favorite Tracks: God Only Knows, Sloop John B, I just Wasn't Made For These Times [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Favorite Tracks: God Only Knows, Sloop John B, I just Wasn't Made For These Times [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
36,209
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Best Beatles Album?? It certainly is worthy of consideration. It's incredibly personal to me because it was one of the album that frequented my folks record player when i was growing up. Probably is the Beatles album I have listen to the most.
"And of course, Henry the Horse dances the Waltz" - Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite
Favorite Tracks: With a Little Help From My Friends, Getting Better, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
"And of course, Henry the Horse dances the Waltz" - Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite
Favorite Tracks: With a Little Help From My Friends, Getting Better, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1967
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,240
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I just love Bob Dylan, that's about it. I'm inexplicably drawn to this album, more than the rest, however. The narratives in the songs and even the cover art just pique my interest.
"You're an idiot, babe. It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe." - Idiot Wind
Favorite Tracks: Idiot Wind, Tangled Up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
"You're an idiot, babe. It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe." - Idiot Wind
Favorite Tracks: Idiot Wind, Tangled Up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,341
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Favorite Tracks: Kettering, Bear, Wake
[First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Year of Release:
2009
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,027
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Favorite Tracks: Skinny Love, re: Stacks, Creature Fear
[First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Year of Release:
2007
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,268
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If you have followed my charts you would know that Todd is one of my favorite songwriting personalities of all time. He combines Randy Newman's wit, with John Prine's settings and completely makes it his own brand of folk music that Woody Guthrie would be proud to play. He is in many ways partly responsible for Jason Isbell's ascent, as Isbell would surely tell you. But after much deliberation on which Snider album was my favorite, settled on ENS because its his seemingly most personal. Named for where he calls home, the songs range from the death of friend (Play a train song) to societal commentary (ballad of the kingsman) and finishes with a message that we can all strive to follow (enjoy yourself). In my opinion Snider belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of folk music. If i were to tell you to listen to one Snider song it would be "Ballad of the Kingsmen".
"Now, Brothers and Sisters, I am only one guy, and I don't even know the words to that song Louie, Louie" - Ballad of the Kingsmen
Favorite Tracks: Ballad of the Kingsmen, Age Like Wine, Play a Train Song [First added to this chart: 05/14/2013]
"Now, Brothers and Sisters, I am only one guy, and I don't even know the words to that song Louie, Louie" - Ballad of the Kingsmen
Favorite Tracks: Ballad of the Kingsmen, Age Like Wine, Play a Train Song [First added to this chart: 05/14/2013]
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I know it may seem a bit premature to rank an album this current so high, but it has been stuck in my head since the day I bought it. In contrast to Magical Mystery Tour above, this album is filled with longing and failure, and empty emotion stemming from real life feelings of trying to gain a fathers respect. In this album every thing is cloudy and grey, yet there is just enough optimism to push forward.
"I tell her I been gettin' sick again, and we both pretend we don't know why" - Movin' On
Favorite Tracks: Movin' On, Unfortunately Anna, Memphis in the Rain [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
"I tell her I been gettin' sick again, and we both pretend we don't know why" - Movin' On
Favorite Tracks: Movin' On, Unfortunately Anna, Memphis in the Rain [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
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It's possible in this last update Transformer got a huge bump because of Lou Reed's passing. But, I have been listening to this album almost non stop since his death and I hear something new, or gain a different appreciation of a song, every time. RIP Lou Reed, you will be missed.
Favorite Tracks: Hanging Around, Take a Walk On the Wild Side, Perfect Day [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Favorite Tracks: Hanging Around, Take a Walk On the Wild Side, Perfect Day [First added to this chart: 12/26/2012]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,219
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Why The White Buffalo is still so underrepresented is a mystery to me. Shadows, Greys, & Evil Ways follows the life of Joey White from when he is punk kid dealing with young love, through war and trauma, ptsd and the struggle that comes with trying to insert yourself back in to the real world. FInally finishing with his reluctant acceptance of death. The Story is heartbreaking and exhausting, while simultaneously uplifting and funny. Joey White is one of the best characters written in song.
"If My faith isnt Blind, will i be left behind?" - Pray to You Now
Favorite Tracks: This Year, Joe & Jolene, Pray to You Now [First added to this chart: 01/26/2014]
"If My faith isnt Blind, will i be left behind?" - Pray to You Now
Favorite Tracks: This Year, Joe & Jolene, Pray to You Now [First added to this chart: 01/26/2014]
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 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1970s | 26 | 26% | |
| 1980s | 5 | 5% | |
| 1990s | 7 | 7% | |
| 2000s | 29 | 29% | |
| 2010s | 23 | 23% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Tom Waits | 4 | 4% | |
| Todd Snider | 4 | 4% | |
| The Beatles | 3 | 3% | |
| Jackson Browne | 2 | 2% | |
| The Rolling Stones | 2 | 2% | |
| Hayes Carll | 2 | 2% | |
| The National | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
Up 2 from 4th to 2nd |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
Down 1 from 2nd to 3rd |
Down 1 from 3rd to 4th |
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| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s | samistake2ice | 1970s decade chart | 2023 | |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums similarity to your chart(s)
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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 51 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 03/20/2025 14:44 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,088 | 86/100 |
| ! | 06/16/2024 10:41 | Moondance | 476 | 85/100 |
| ! | 02/18/2023 20:23 | Johnnyo | 2,688 | 80/100 |
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 has a Bayesian average rating of 86.5/100, a mean average of 86.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 86.7/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 9.5.
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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 6 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
From 
BestEverAlbums 07/08/2017 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2085): By samistake2ice
BestEverAlbums 07/08/2017 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2085): By samistake2ice“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by samistake2ice () 1. Southeastern by Jason Isbell (2013) 2. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys (1966) 3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) 4. Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan (1975) 5. Hospice by The Antlers (2009) 6. For…”
(4 mentions across Chart of the Day topics)View latest topic →
From Anonymous 01/23/2015 21:26 in Chart talk
“Hahaha yes, yes I do. I just finished an update of my overall chart today. It is very much a chart of what my favorite albums are RIGHT NOW, so unfortunately some of the classic albums that I love did not make the cut. However, that inspired me create an . Please check them both out and listen to…”
View topic (2 mentions) →Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 01/28/2014 04:28 | #101733
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 01/28/2014 04:28 | #101733
I don't know how I haven't stumbled across this yet. It's marvelous. You clearly know and live a great songwriter. You have all the greats here. Literally if I were to take a mountain and make my mout Rushmore of songwriters as of now (I'd add one for the purpose of this blah blah) I'd put Tallest Man on Earth, Dylan, Townes, Waits, and Ritter. The only one that ain't represented here is my main man Tallest Man On Earth. Have you gotten on that? Take a look at my chart, I have more specific recommendations on him there.
As for this chart. It's just marvelous. Prine self titled. You is a straight up G wit dat.
I will definitely check out that Justin Townes Earle album.
I don't like the Avetts. I don't like OAR. But... Whatever, I like that you like them.
One last recommendation before I go... Have you ever heard AA Bondy's album "American Hearts"? You may love that. I'm sure you will.
Okay, peace.
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From
jhuik TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/13/2015 13:38 | #134875
jhuik TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/13/2015 13:38 | #134875
Still a great, out-of-the-ordinary chart. A bit heavy on American music but then again Americana is under-rated by the typical Pitchfork disciples here. Isbell's is a great album.
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From
sssvnnn 01/24/2014 23:00 | #101440
sssvnnn 01/24/2014 23:00 | #101440
you´ve got the Blues, man.
Very good Chart. Good to see lot´s of Tom Waits albums and thanks for introducing me to Todd Snider.
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From
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 01/28/2014 05:26 | #101736
Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 01/28/2014 05:26 | #101736
Thanks for the great comment. I am happy you are loving The Wild Hunt. It's my fave (obviously) and the other 2 releases on my chart I also adore.
I jut listened to about a half dozen JTE songs and he is great! I don't know a good way to listen to the whole album on my phone (I don't have spotify and it ain't in YouTube in full) but you best believe ill get on to that. He has some his father's grit but he is a lot more gentle and honest seeming than his dad. At least that was my conclusion.
Anyway, I'm glad I am able to inspire you to check out other stuff. You've done much the same for me. I put a lot of stock in great songwriters. I think that for whatever reason I just love hearing great solo artist albums. And the songbooks of Dylan, Waits, Neil Young, TVZ, and other greats is some of the most exciting stuff for me to dig into.
Anyway, I raised my 95 to 100 not to brown nose you for a 100, but rather because any time I get a good rec from a chart, especially within 10 minutes, I generally feel it deserves the honor.
Okay, peace.
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From
mightyram 04/16/2014 05:10 | #109352
Only 3 in common, overall not my scene in general but respect.
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