Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by 
Strangel 
These albums are my favourites. This is not meant to be a 'Greatest Album's' chart, although I would strongly argue for each of my chosen albums in being considered for a greatest albums list. My interest is more toward the alternative/indie and electronic genres with a tendency toward experimentation in the music. I also need to be able to comfortably immerse myself in the music. So while I appreciate, and want to explore the work of Autechre (for example), I get far more pleasure from listening to Burial which has more reverie to the sound rather than almost pure math and tech. Aphex Twin, in fact, manages to bridge these aspects perfectly.
It might be noted that Radiohead dominates the list which simply expresses my belief that they have the uncanny ability to release album after album of near perfect alternative music, shifting the landscape of what's possible whilst always remaining relevant. I don't apologise for this. They are that good.
- Chart updated: 09/27/2024 14:15
- (Created: 07/04/2016 14:26).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 34 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 53 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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This is a truly beautifully poetic album. It is like a more polished version of The Creek Drank The Cradle and is only ranked slightly lower due to the esteem in which I hold his debut album's stripped back lo-fi intimacy.
Rating: 94/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Naked as we Came [First added to this chart: 08/05/2016]
Rating: 94/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Naked as we Came [First added to this chart: 08/05/2016]
Year of Release:
2004
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,481
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12
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More raw than Master of Puppets yet more fulfilled as an album than Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightening was my favourite Metallica album for much of my teenage years. It had epic frenetic guitar hooks that blew my mind and one of the most moving metal ballads of all time that dared to broach the topic of suicidal thoughts and thus suffered the consequence of being blamed for every teenage suicide involving Metallica fans thereafter. I also enjoyed the biblical imagery in Creeping Death, the referencing of Lovecraft in Call of Ktulu, and the brilliant take on the futility of war in For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Rating: 94/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Cliff Burton was an amazing and unique bass player and his intro to For Whom the Bell Tolls will always be a favourite, nostalgic riff for me. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 94/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Cliff Burton was an amazing and unique bass player and his intro to For Whom the Bell Tolls will always be a favourite, nostalgic riff for me. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,473
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There is a lot to appreciate in the electronic mastery of Sweden's Axel Willner. I'm a big fan of most of his LP releases but this one stands out as a truly exceptional piece of work. His use of loops can easily repel the casual listener who doesn't appreciate the intricacies of electronic music. From a distance it is repetitive and cold but the genius of The Field's art is that the reality is the complete opposite of the distant, casual listener. Once you accept the invitation to enter this world that Willner has created then the subtle overlayering and texture begin to present themselves with real warmth. It is packed full of intricate shifts/changes whilst maintaining the hypnotic, repetitive, looping structure that holds it all together.
The best way to describe the experience for me is stepping into an expansive soundscape with a colourful undulating terrain heading toward a distant pixelated horizon.
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: I absolutely love the sparkling, glittery intro to Everyday which then develops into a 'sublime' 7 minutes of electronic bliss with intermittent sweeping digital breezes and a soothing female voice looping through. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
The best way to describe the experience for me is stepping into an expansive soundscape with a colourful undulating terrain heading toward a distant pixelated horizon.
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: I absolutely love the sparkling, glittery intro to Everyday which then develops into a 'sublime' 7 minutes of electronic bliss with intermittent sweeping digital breezes and a soothing female voice looping through. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
2007
Appears in:
Rank Score:
769
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This was perhaps the period in which Radiohead were at their most elusive and playful. This was the era of The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time video clip DVD and they had come out of the internalized contemplations of the previous 2 albums with an attitude of head-fuckery and musical freedom. The album suffers a little for being inconsistent as there are a lot of directional changes as the album progresses but each track is still brilliant in their own right.
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: There There is an obvious highlight as it is a very tight composition that progresses in a very fulfilling way. The underappreciated gem for mine is Where I End and You Begin. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: There There is an obvious highlight as it is a very tight composition that progresses in a very fulfilling way. The underappreciated gem for mine is Where I End and You Begin. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
2003
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,290
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The thing that makes this a great album as opposed to just another unplugged best-of jam is that it demonstrated Nirvana's talent once they were out from behind their mask of noise. It is also an endearing insight into Kurt's own self-consciousness, and how it could be subdued by his ability to immerse himself within the essence of the song he performs.
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: The fresh take on their own stuff is great but, for me, the covers really stole the show in many ways. They all brought a chilling broodiness to the set. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: The fresh take on their own stuff is great but, for me, the covers really stole the show in many ways. They all brought a chilling broodiness to the set. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
1994
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,548
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Alt J were a real breath of fresh air when they came along with this unique piece of art-folk-indy-a capella-whateverelse. Listened to it daily on my train commute whilst I was reading Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Now, whenever I hear a song off the album it takes me back to a scene from the book. The songs are real ear-worms and it's very easy to return to the album time and again.
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: There's something alluring about the quirky nature of the musicianship. It's unconventional without being messy, cluttered, or distracting, and never loses its catchiness. Fitzpleasure and Breezeblocks capture this best I reckon. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: There's something alluring about the quirky nature of the musicianship. It's unconventional without being messy, cluttered, or distracting, and never loses its catchiness. Fitzpleasure and Breezeblocks capture this best I reckon. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
2012
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,661
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We all know that Dark Side of the Moon is Floyd's magnum opus, the iconic album of the 70s, and one of the great pieces of musical art ever created. But for it's ability to truly transport you to another, mystical place, Wish You Were Here strikes me as the more consistently transcendent work. I especially like the unpretentious tribute to Barrett and unabashed critique of the music industry with both themes being melded into a seamless whole.
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: ‘We’re just two lost souls, Swimming in a fishbowl, Year after year’ has always been a favourite lyric of mine. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 93/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: ‘We’re just two lost souls, Swimming in a fishbowl, Year after year’ has always been a favourite lyric of mine. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
46,367
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A wonderfully ambitious foray into the whimsical nature of music, tapping into the angst of youth and the in-between places where dreams emanate from.
Rating: 92/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: I think the highlight for me is the journey you take within the album itself. The double album concept works here in that you seem to be meeting nebulous characters along a mythical rites of passage, each one very different to the last yet all carrying their own dark issues to contend with. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 92/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: I think the highlight for me is the journey you take within the album itself. The double album concept works here in that you seem to be meeting nebulous characters along a mythical rites of passage, each one very different to the last yet all carrying their own dark issues to contend with. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
1995
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,159
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I think it's unfortunate that Amnesiac hides in the shadow of Kid A's ultra-impressive release. On its own merits it is an incredible progressive achievement. It is murkier and more mysterious even than its predecessor. Each song leaves its own intriguing imprint. I regard Pyramid Song to be in their best handful of songs and it is the standout track. It somehow managed to capture the contemplative atmosphere of the journey of souls. How is that even possible? I like the jazz influences on the album and there is a great mix of styles and genre-influences throughout. My only criticism is that some tracks leave me a little unfulfilled, like they had more to offer.
Rating: 92/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Pyramid Song for reasons already mentioned. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 92/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Pyramid Song for reasons already mentioned. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
2001
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,314
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A gritty masterpiece exploring the depths of the darker aspects of the soul like no other album or band before them. I absolutely love the psychedelic lyrics of Ozzy on this album and I'm not a massive Osbourne fan (although he is far more suited to the essence of Sabbath than Dio ever was). But it's Tommy Iommi and his unique wizardy with the riff that demands a moshing wall of worship with signs of the horn raised before him.
Rating: 91/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Just focus on Iommi's riffage for the entire album at least once. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Rating: 91/100
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT: Just focus on Iommi's riffage for the entire album at least once. [First added to this chart: 07/05/2016]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,904
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Total albums: 100. Page 4 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 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 6 | 6% | |
| 1970s | 7 | 7% | |
| 1980s | 5 | 5% | |
| 1990s | 29 | 29% | |
| 2000s | 34 | 34% | |
| 2010s | 17 | 17% | |
| 2020s | 2 | 2% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Radiohead | 8 | 8% | |
| Metallica | 4 | 4% | |
| Aphex Twin | 4 | 4% | |
| Nirvana | 3 | 3% | |
| Tool | 3 | 3% | |
| The Beatles | 3 | 3% | |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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42 | 42% | |
| |
41 | 41% | |
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6 | 6% | |
| |
5 | 5% | |
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3 | 3% | |
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1 | 1% | |
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1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 5 from 23rd to 18th A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead |
| Up 2 from 79th to 77th The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico |
| Up 2 from 78th to 76th Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 19 from 59th to 78th Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles |
| Down 16 from 69th to 85th Ghosteen by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds |
| Down 12 from 30th to 42nd Absolution by Muse |
| New entries |
|---|
 Wall Of Eyesby The Smile |
| Leavers |
|---|
 The Beatles (The White Album)by The Beatles |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
89/100 (from 53 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 53 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
85/100  | 02/15/2025 09:18 |  DommeDamian | | 89/100 |
 90/100 | 06/12/2024 20:18 | C0NB9NN | | 85/100 |
| 90/100 | 06/10/2024 10:58 |  Tamthebam | | 85/100 |
| 90/100 | 11/19/2023 10:55 |  Bach | | 78/100 |
| 95/100 | 06/17/2020 14:47 |  DriftingOrpheus | | 91/100 |
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 5% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.7/100, a mean average of 86.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 89.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 16.7.
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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85/100
From DommeDamian 02/15/2025 09:18
DommeDamian 02/15/2025 09:18
Yeah, just like a few others, I'd wish the Radioheads could spread out a bit more. But it's forgivable because of some of the descriptions, always a win in my book.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From Strangel 06/11/2024 00:13
Strangel 06/11/2024 00:13
Yeah, as I mentioned in the comments, a lot of bourbon and pot was had while listening to The Doors. It doesn’t detract from the fact that I love the album. Roadhouse Blues got played a lot in the mix around then and I completely forgot it was on Morrison Hotel which, as an album I didn’t take to as much. We probably played the song in addition to LA Woman on a regular basis. Funny what memories do.
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90/100
From C0NB9NN 06/10/2024 15:03
Very well thought out chart. I can start to picture where you go when you listen to these albums. Personally I don’t like Radiohead, but I don’t see that as a problem on your chart, as when you think an artist is good, they’re good.
I’d hate to be that one person, but Roadhouse Blues is on Morrison Hotel, not L.A. Woman.
17 albums in common.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From Timooosterink 08/30/2019 10:38
Love your chart! I agree on amok it is a very underated album.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From Granny-Smith 06/26/2019 12:36
I like your chart. Have a lot Artists and Albums in common.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
Paule 03/06/2019 11:36
Paule 03/06/2019 11:36
Good list! We share the Radiohead "problem". I suggest you to dive into some older Krautrock and Ambient music. You will find a lot of Radioheads work is influenced by that stuff and there are some gems to be found.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From Kurtco 01/29/2019 18:22
We have 31 albums and 21 artists in common... It's very funny!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From Kurtco 01/29/2019 18:18
I find your chart very interesting and complete. You have musical tastes very similar to mine. Radiohead is one of my favorite bands!
I'm glad you like Icelandic music: Sigur Rós and Björk. I agree with you that "Vespertine" is Björk's best album: It's a real masterpiece. You put a lot of recent music in your chart and it's nice to see AMOK of Atoms For Peace in your rankings. This is surely one of Thom Yorke's underrated albums. I'm really happy to see artists not very well known as Burial, Nick Cave or Amon Tobin who are part of my favorite artist. The 90s are really well represented in your chart with great artists like Nirvana, Aphex Twin, Tool or Massive Attack. Really very good job and very good choice!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From 
guzguzgarbit 01/21/2019 20:08
guzguzgarbit 01/21/2019 20:08
Good choices, great descriptions, great diversity (even with 8 Radiohead albums!). I particularly appreciate the presence of some electronic (Four Tet, Jon Hopkins, Burial...) among all the rock picks.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From 
jhuik 11/16/2018 14:00
jhuik 11/16/2018 14:00
I don't agree with your top ten, or some other picks, or (as has been noted by others) the excess of Radiohead, but who gives a shit about my opinion. I love the passion in your descriptions and the personalized responses. Great chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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