Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by 
frey 
Slowly redoing my chart. I'm adding some descriptions, containing my thoughts and some further exploring if you enjoy the album.
Lately I've been exploring some more current albums and lots of jazz and hip-hop. If you have some suggestions for what I should listen to (really, I'll accept pretty much anything), feel free to pm me or comment below. :)
- Chart updated: 04/19/2016 02:45
- (Created: 07/23/2015 05:09).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 14 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 90 out of 100 (from 27 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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This album is crazy. It's like a Japanese man running around town, diving into love affairs and writing satire. The melodies are supremely catchy and the song meanings are super weird and enjoyable. Maybe it's the crazed vocals or the precisely played keyboards, but I've never grown tired of this album. It never gets tired, either- all the songs are upbeat, quirky, and fun until the very end. It cheers me up when I feel down, and when I feel happy this album only makes me happier- there's never a bad time to listen to this album.
Sparks never made anything this up to par, but if any album is close, I'd say Propaganda- though their debut (aka Halfnelson) has some surprisingly good pop gems as well. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Sparks never made anything this up to par, but if any album is close, I'd say Propaganda- though their debut (aka Halfnelson) has some surprisingly good pop gems as well. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,882
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17
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This album puts Pet Sounds to shame for me. Where Pet Sounds is the complications of falling in love, Surf's Up is the complications of falling out of love. This album visits sorrow and moving on in such beautiful ways. There is the dreadful Student Demonstration Time that holds this from the top spot, but literally every other song on here is perfect, especially if you replace SDT with any of the album's amazing outtakes (ex. the Carl Wilson-sung beauty Fourth of July or Dennis Wilson's raw and lovely Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again). All the songs have their own personality and quirkiness to them that only shows more as you listen to it.
Besides the vastly different Pet Sounds, I can't think of any other Beach Boys albums even close to this. The beautiful Sunflower is similar, but isn't nearly as bittersweet. If anything, check out some of the outtakes from these sessions I mentioned earlier. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Besides the vastly different Pet Sounds, I can't think of any other Beach Boys albums even close to this. The beautiful Sunflower is similar, but isn't nearly as bittersweet. If anything, check out some of the outtakes from these sessions I mentioned earlier. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1971
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,224
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While their debut is probably their strongest album, I really love this one the best. The guitar work on this album is second to none, and their songwriting really comes to life on songs like Fallen Angel and Starless. All moods are covered on this album, from furious (Red) to soft and beautiful (Starless).
(To be honest, the album version of Starless is not my favorite version. I liked it more when they would play it live with David Cross on violin.)
The incredibly focused Larks' Tongues in Aspic and the wild and experimental Starless and Bible Black are also major contenders for a spot on this list. The vast amount of amazing live shows from this era of Crimson are fantastic as well. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
(To be honest, the album version of Starless is not my favorite version. I liked it more when they would play it live with David Cross on violin.)
The incredibly focused Larks' Tongues in Aspic and the wild and experimental Starless and Bible Black are also major contenders for a spot on this list. The vast amount of amazing live shows from this era of Crimson are fantastic as well. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1974
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,579
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The album title and cover art are absolutely define this album. This is an album to play when stranded out at sea, thinking of where you've gone wrong in your life and feeling cold raindrops on your head...
Unbelievably, this is the only Echo and the Bunnymen album I like. I've never heard anything else from them that comes even remotely close to this. Perhaps it's the strings, or perhaps I just love the production on this one so much more, but only this one takes away my breath every time I hear it. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Unbelievably, this is the only Echo and the Bunnymen album I like. I've never heard anything else from them that comes even remotely close to this. Perhaps it's the strings, or perhaps I just love the production on this one so much more, but only this one takes away my breath every time I hear it. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,855
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You can probably tell from my top ten that I like quieter albums (except Kimono My House and maybe Red...). I always thought it was because of the fact they say so much once you really listen to them, and this one is no exception. There's so many good Floyd albums, but the carefully crafted structure and emotion on this one puts it on top for me.
Again, Floyd made so many good albums. DSOTM, Animals, and Meddle were also major contenders for this list. DSOTM is a very similar album to this, as they're both incredibly emotional once you get to know them. Animals is a more cynical turn for Floyd, but has fantastic songwriting. Meddle is a weird album, but has the best Floyd songs you could ask for in Fearless and Echoes. [First added to this chart: 04/16/2016]
Again, Floyd made so many good albums. DSOTM, Animals, and Meddle were also major contenders for this list. DSOTM is a very similar album to this, as they're both incredibly emotional once you get to know them. Animals is a more cynical turn for Floyd, but has fantastic songwriting. Meddle is a weird album, but has the best Floyd songs you could ask for in Fearless and Echoes. [First added to this chart: 04/16/2016]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
50,823
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This one is where I feel Talk Talk reached their absolute peak, and considering how amazing I think they are, this is saying a lot. It's an incredibly free album that does whatever it wants, however it wants, and not because it's a showoff- it's because it's the complete opposite of that. It's like a lonely free spirit.
Talk Talk is a fantastic band. If you haven't heard all five of their amazing albums, go find them right now and listen to all of them. They're all beautiful in their own unique way. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Talk Talk is a fantastic band. If you haven't heard all five of their amazing albums, go find them right now and listen to all of them. They're all beautiful in their own unique way. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,374
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As pretentious as this may sound, this album transcends barriers. Musical barriers, spiritual barriers, mind barriers, and time barriers. This beauty of an album seems so short- even if there are only two tracks and one is 30 minutes long. But in that piece and the fantastic and vibrant Colors, all restrictions upon music are taken away, and it seems like it's coming from a place that's not quite heaven but not quite Earth.
This album made me a huge Pharoah Sanders fan. I recommend any album of his from the late 60's through all of the 70's, though my favorite, besides this one, is Tauhid. Quite an underrated gem full of free, spiritual jazz. [First added to this chart: 08/15/2015]
This album made me a huge Pharoah Sanders fan. I recommend any album of his from the late 60's through all of the 70's, though my favorite, besides this one, is Tauhid. Quite an underrated gem full of free, spiritual jazz. [First added to this chart: 08/15/2015]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,744
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A perfect pop album. Has a perfect mix of bittersweet and psychedelia, not to mention catchy choruses.
This is practically the only Zombies album, but they had many "groovy" singles from the mid-60's to check out. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
This is practically the only Zombies album, but they had many "groovy" singles from the mid-60's to check out. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1968
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,360
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I distinctly remember the first time I heard this. I couldn't discern a single lyric, but I still fell in love with it. An album with a beautiful and flowing voice and gorgeous melodies.
The only Cocteau album (or any dream pop album for that matter) I feel that can compete with this is Treasure, though that one feels a lot more mystical than HOLV. [First added to this chart: 11/24/2015]
The only Cocteau album (or any dream pop album for that matter) I feel that can compete with this is Treasure, though that one feels a lot more mystical than HOLV. [First added to this chart: 11/24/2015]
Year of Release:
1990
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,807
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This is truly a relaxing and smooth album. Sometimes it's hard to believe this is the same man who also did A Kind of Blue and Dark Magus. Everything here almost seems to just emit a kind of coolness and beauty through the flawless jazz fusion instrumentation, which is something that Davis never really visited again within his jazz fusion releases.
Davis' other jazz fusion stuff wasn't really as peaceful as this, most of it much more experimental in the vein of Bitches Brew, but still worth checking out if you adore fusion. If you're as huge of a fan of this album as I am, you won't be disappointed in the box set In a Silent Way Sessions. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Davis' other jazz fusion stuff wasn't really as peaceful as this, most of it much more experimental in the vein of Bitches Brew, but still worth checking out if you adore fusion. If you're as huge of a fan of this album as I am, you won't be disappointed in the box set In a Silent Way Sessions. [First added to this chart: 07/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,920
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Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 2 | 2% | |
| 1960s | 23 | 23% | |
| 1970s | 45 | 45% | |
| 1980s | 14 | 14% | |
| 1990s | 8 | 8% | |
| 2000s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2010s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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 |
|
|
| Yes | 1 | 1% | |
| a-ha | 1 | 1% | |
| Renaissance | 1 | 1% | |
| Marillion | 1 | 1% | |
| David Bowie | 1 | 1% | |
| Paul McCartney & Wings | 1 | 1% | |
| Nirvana | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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45 | 45% | |
| |
40 | 40% | |
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3 | 3% | |
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3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
90/100 (from 27 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 27 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
90/100  | 07/01/2017 13:07 | quadrophenia17 | | 82/100 |
95/100 | 07/01/2017 06:25 |  sssvnnn | | 83/100 |
90/100 | 04/12/2017 01:46 | DrewHamster | | 75/100 |
85/100 | 04/12/2017 00:36 | xXhermitXx | | 86/100 |
90/100 | 04/11/2017 22:16 | vancevisuals | | 85/100 |
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 90.0/100, a mean average of 91.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 91.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 6.7.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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90/100
From quadrophenia17 07/01/2017 13:08
Love these descriptions! :)
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From sssvnnn 07/01/2017 06:25
sssvnnn 07/01/2017 06:25
close to perfection.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Grimaticus 04/12/2017 03:14
Wow, nice selections. Close To The Edge higher on the list please!!!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From xXhermitXx 04/12/2017 00:36
Lots of diversity, very interesting chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From vancevisuals 04/11/2017 22:16
John Barletcorn Must Die may be the underated album of all time
like your chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From platus 04/11/2017 17:16
A really excellent chart! Some gems onside.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
Liedzeit 11/07/2016 11:42
Liedzeit 11/07/2016 11:42
Very good one. I do not care for Ramones but you get extra credit for including Sweet.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From crimson 09/13/2016 06:12
For me, the best chart on the site. It has something that makes a chart great: it's intresting and unique. I love your prog choises, and if I update my chart, they would be fairly similar. Keep going!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
LedZep 09/12/2016 17:17
LedZep 09/12/2016 17:17
Love the choices!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
WildHorses 09/12/2016 10:10
WildHorses 09/12/2016 10:10
Great great Chart! This could be my next top 100 of all time. Full of favorites of mine. Just one top 100 is not enough.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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