Top 100 Favourite Albums (Fixed)
[List used to be flipped but it's right now]
I've been lurking on Sputnikmusic for a few years. I have yet to write a review or make a comment. As I'm coming up on 2,000 albums rated, I thought I'd make my first list. I really do owe so much of my music taste to this site. Here's a list of my top 100 albums as of April 4th 2021.
I've excluded all live albums and EP's. This list is entirely personal preference and informed a lot by my sentimental connections to them.
Albums 1-55 are 5/5's, the rest are my favourite 4.5's. I tried to rank them in order, but for the most part albums within a few of each other are interchangeable. |
| 100 |  | Fishmans
Long Season
Fishmans has an entire discography worth checking out. If I was including live albums, 98.12.28 would be comfortably in the top 3. |
| 99 |  | The Roots
Game Theory
The way these songs all transition into each other... |
| 98 |  | The Mountain Goats
The Sunset Tree
Thanks to Moral Orel for introducing me |
| 97 |  | Supertramp
Breakfast in America
The Logical Song was my first "favourite song" |
| 96 |  | Boredoms
Vision Creation Newsun
Wild time |
| 95 |  | Chance the Rapper
Acid Rap
Early high-school in a mixtape |
| 94 |  | Ween
Chocolate and Cheese
Buenos Tardes.. |
| 93 |  | Talk Talk
Spirit of Eden
Eden sounds like Velvet Underground's Heroin |
| 92 |  | Nico
The Marble Index
This album is like being locked in a freezer in the dark...I doubt I'll be listening to it for a while but it hits |
| 91 |  | Sigur Ros
Agætis byrjun
I hope aliens sound like this |
| 90 |  | Neil Young
After the Gold Rush
My dad |
| 89 |  | The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
I Am The Resurrection is maybe one of the greatest album closers of all time |
| 88 |  | Lou Reed
Coney Island Baby
Coney Island Baby is also maybe one of the greatest album closers of all time |
| 87 |  | Air
Moon Safari
The vibes on this are ridiculous |
| 86 |  | Ichiko Aoba
0 (Zero)
Like a hug (thanks Sputnik) |
| 85 |  | Bjork
Homogenic
Like an icy hug |
| 84 |  | Santana
Caravanserai
"All the love of the universe" is probably in my top 10 of all time. I will never tire of that solo |
| 83 |  | The Notorious B.I.G.
Life After Death
So much quality. Notorious Thugs is one of the greatest rap songs of all time |
| 82 |  | Joy Division
Closer
I pray I never identify too closely with this album |
| 81 |  | Portishead
Dummy
Sexy, smooth |
| 80 |  | 2Pac
Me Against the World
He just goes so hard |
| 79 |  | Wings
Band on the Run
1985 is underrated as a closer |
| 78 |  | Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Let Love In
Dark swag |
| 77 |  | Yo La Tengo
I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
I'm jealous of my friend who has seen them live |
| 76 |  | The Cure
Disintegration
I've been looking so long at these pictures of you... |
| 75 |  | David Bowie
Blackstar
I remember playing this and ziggy stardust the night he died... |
| 74 |  | Nujabes
Modal Soul
So fucking cool |
| 73 |  | Eminem
The Marshall Mathers LP
So many cringe memories |
| 72 |  | Car Seat Headrest
Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)
I'm feeling these lyrics more and more as I move through my 20's. Also the solo on Cute Thing is mad |
| 71 |  | Gorillaz
Demon Days
The first album I had downloaded on my phone |
| 70 |  | Uyama Hiroto
A Son of the Sun
Play Stratus (or any song) in a room of people and someone will eventually say "whoa, this is so nice, what is this?" |
| 69 |  | OutKast
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
So much talent |
| 68 |  | Cocteau Twins
Heaven or Las Vegas
An unmatched vibe |
| 67 |  | Built to Spill
Perfect from Now On
Velvet Waltz makes me go crazy |
| 66 |  | D'Angelo
Black Messiah
As consistent as it is groovy |
| 65 |  | Sweet Trip
You Will Never Know Why
Sleep on this bed... |
| 64 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
F♯ A♯ ∞
Find me anything else like Dead Flag Blues... |
| 63 |  | Can
Tago Mago
I think Can are a bunch of magicians |
| 62 |  | Coil
The Ape Of Naples
This struck me somewhere deep |
| 61 |  | Slowdive
Souvlaki
I remember not liking it when I first heard it years ago. Then, on a subreddit, someone said you should be listening to shoegaze loud. I put on the headphones, cranked it, and it clicked |
| 60 |  | Ween
The Mollusk
Everyone loves the Ocean Man |
| 59 |  | Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp a Butterfly
Art |
| 58 |  | Carly Rae Jepsen
Emotion
The last year has been really dark, but albums like this have helped me get through it. It's nice to listen to a album that's job is to make you happy |
| 57 |  | Laura Stevenson
The Big Freeze
Thank you Sputnikmusic! Living Room N.Y. has impressed all of my friends. Laura's voice is something special |
| 56 |  | Swans
The Glowing Man
My highest 4.5 because it used to be a 5 for so long...there's something about Swans new trilogy of albums that really clicks with me. About twice a year I make my way through those three albums in a dark room with some of the devil's lettuce. Most recently, I got some friends to join me. Those repetitive hypnotic loud sounds can be so liberating |
| 55 |  | The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Time Out
I guess this is the lowest of my 5/5's...but I obviously love it. Take Five is unmatched in its coolness. I also love Twin Peaks |
| 54 |  | Genesis
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Probably the 5 I'm least comfy with, but maybe that's because it's been so long since I've given it my full attention. I want to listen soon. Maybe it'll drop down, or shoot up, who knows... |
| 53 |  | Shpongle
Nothing Lasts... But Nothing Is Lost
Everything Shpongle does here clicks for me...I'm a sucker for songs transitioning into each other |
| 52 |  | Boards of Canada
Music Has the Right to Children
Is calling this the best study music of all time an insult? It's definitely so much more |
| 51 |  | The Avalanches
Since I Left You
I just realized 4 of my 5 "lowest 5's" are 'instrumentally' oriented...hm...well anyway, I gave this another listen recently since the new album came out, and still think it's fantastic |
| 50 |  | Tim Buckley
Starsailor
A magic ride |
| 49 |  | Billy Joel
The Stranger
This literally sounds like a Greatest Hits album |
| 48 |  | The Who
Quadrophenia
I should give this another listen, but I do know that the first time I heard Love Reign O'er Me, I laid in bed staring at the ceiling for a full minute after it finished |
| 47 |  | David Bowie
Low
My edgy pick as Bowie's second best. I really do love it. And boy, what incredible album art |
| 46 |  | The Chameleons
Strange Times
Speaking of cool album art...I cannot figure out how this isn't one of THE 80's albums |
| 45 |  | Queen
A Night at the Opera
My mom's favourite band. I've been listening to Queen since I could hear. I feel like I'd be unsuccessful if I tried to explain to her that it isn't an insult to put Queen as #45 |
| 44 |  | Van Morrison
Moondance
This also sounds like a Greatest Hits album. You can play this whole thing through any time, any place |
| 43 |  | The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The band that really got me to explore music. This album is such a 5, and to think they have another one I like even more... |
| 42 |  | The Doors
Strange Days
It's not just my love for When the Music's Over, this album just really hits all the right spots for my Doors fix |
| 41 |  | Gong
Angel's Egg
Psychedelics amiright? |
| 40 |  | The Beatles
Abbey Road
I really do think this is their best, but I wouldn't necessarily die on that hill. What this list has made me realize is how much I am a sucker for album's with great finishers and boy: Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End is a masterful trio |
| 39 |  | Kanye West
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Anthony Fantano doesn't know what he's talking about. Defining childhood pick |
| 38 |  | Bob Dylan
Blonde on Blonde
I feel like it's hilarious to have Kanye sandwiched between The Beatles and Bob Dylan...well this album is masterful. I want Visions of Johanna |
| 37 |  | Funkadelic
Maggot Brain
What in the actual funk |
| 36 |  | Fleetwood Mac
Rumours
I agree with what the guy at the record store said when I bought my first record player: this is the record to own. Everyone should own it. It plays like a greatest hits album, literally everyone I know loves it, and yeah...this is such an obvious 5/5. It's only #36 because while The Chain makes me get up and dance...it doesn't make me "feel" the way some of these albums coming up do |
| 35 |  | The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Electric Ladyland
I can't even imagine all the music Jimi could have made if he was still here...my hot take is 1983 is my favourite track. Maybe I was just dumbfounded as a teen when I finished playing Spec Ops: The Line |
| 34 |  | Santana
Abraxas
Santana is so fucking cool. Hope Your Feeling Better is an underrated masterpiece |
| 33 |  | Stevie Wonder
Songs in the Key of Life
I think this is the closest album to what could be considered an "objective 5/5" |
| 32 |  | The Alan Parsons Project
Tales of Mystery and Imagination
NEVERMORE |
| 31 |  | Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
The Boatman's Call
Into My Arms would be a wack wedding song...I think. I really feel Nick here. Far From Me is a tough listen:
"It's good to hear you're doing so well
But really can't you find somebody else
That you can ring and tell" |
| 30 |  | OutKast
ATLiens
In my opinion, it's Outkast's best. The vibe of this album is so slick...so much talent between those two |
| 29 |  | Pink Floyd
The Dark Side of the Moon
In this case, I think the most popular is also the best. Perhaps my sentimental feelings towards this album has something to do with my first "trip" |
| 28 |  | CunninLynguists
A Piece Of Strange
I am so grateful to Sputnik for this one. What an album. I don't know if I will ever tire of this. As I look down my list, I guess this is my second favourite hip-hop album of all time. That makes sense. The Light is a masterpiece of a closer |
| 27 |  | Supertramp
Crime of the Century
It's got the strong as hell opener, it's got the crazy finisher, and it's got everything in between. Wow |
| 26 |  | Nick Drake
Pink Moon
The greatest "man and his guitar" album... |
| 25 |  | Leonard Cohen
Songs of Love and Hate
...if you exclude Leonard Cohen, but Cohen's a little less minimal. So so good. Makes me want to get more into poetry. And, there's still another by him that I love more |
| 24 |  | Gang of Youths
Go Farther in Lightness
Another Sputnik find, and wow, this one really clicked. Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane would be one of the most life affirming songs of all time if Say Yes To Life didn't already exist. Talk about a closer...I wanna play this one from the rooftops |
| 23 |  | Modest Mouse
The Moon & Antarctica
To me, this is peak turn of the century indie rock. I'd take all of Modest Mouse for a drive with me, but this is the one I'd be most excited to listen to |
| 22 |  | Sunhouse
Crazy on the Weekend
I am so grateful that sputnik showed me this gem of an album. I have tried to share this album with as many people as I can |
| 21 |  | Kate Bush
The Dreaming
Despite only two on this list, Kate Bush may be my favourite artist...there is no situation I could be in where hearing her voice wouldn't make things better. This album's just batshit in the best way. Suspended in Gaffa is one of my all time favourite songs |
| 20 |  | Bjork
Vespertine
How does someone make an album that sounds like this...a couple weeks ago I put this on and just ended up staring outside my window. What the hell? |
| 19 |  | Talking Heads
Remain in Light
The coolest of the cool. So much of what I love about music is in this album |
| 18 |  | David Bowie
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
It's amazing to see this at 18. I remember when this was my #1. Well, I still love it. Five Years, Moonage Daydream, and holy shit...Rock 'n' Roll Suicide. Magic from start to finish |
| 17 |  | Prefab Sprout
Steve McQueen
The greatest pop album of all time? Maybe. It's hard for me to articulate why this is so high. It just resonates somewhere in me. It makes me nostalgic for 80's house parties I wasn't even born for |
| 16 |  | Mr. Bungle
California
What an insane album. It's like they compressed the entire kitchen sink of ideas into 3/4 of an hour. A Masterpiece. |
| 15 |  | Swans
To Be Kind
Part of me feels ridiculous for having 3 Swans albums in my top 15, but I'd be lying to myself if this was placed anywhere else. Swans has a formula that just clicks for me. To Be Kind is brutal, unrelenting, and transcendent. Bring The Sun's first climax can go toe to toe with any rollercoaster. Kirsten Supine is gorgeous and terrifying. The laughs in Just a Little Boy make me feel like the title...and for fuck's sake, To Be Kind's ending |
| 14 |  | Love
Forever Changes
This is peak 60's psychedelia disillusionment. There is so much character here, I'm astounded every time I come back to it. Timeless music. And the finale, You Set The Scene, may have some of my favourite lyrics ever |
| 13 |  | George Harrison
All Things Must Pass
Three discs of magic? George Harrison was a real magician |
| 12 |  | Leonard Cohen
Songs of Leonard Cohen
What an incredible debut. Pure poetry. Almost every song here is a classic. My favourite has always been the final track: One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong. Those moans at the end pierce straight through the soul |
| 11 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
The only group that, to me, can give Swans a run for their money when it comes to transcendence through loudness. 4 20ish minute behemoths. I couldn't sleep about a month ago and put this on (it's a rare thing to close your eyes for 80 minutes to music and not fall asleep), and this album took me somewhere. [My favourite GY!BE song is BBF3, but unfortunately I've excluded EP's] |
| 10 |  | Comus
First Utterance
I think this is the highest album on this list that is where it is for the pure visceral experience I get from listening to it. I may have been sober, but this album completely wasted me. I was instantly transported to a forest full of naked witches dancing around a fire and I loved/feared every second of it. I'm scared to put this one on again...it lives so powerfully in my memory, I don't want it to lose any of the magic |
| 9 |  | Julia Holter
Have You In My Wilderness
I think this album is perfect. I think decades from now, critics will look back on Have You In My Wilderness and realize that it exemplifies experimental pop perfection. Put on some headphones, listen to the title track, and listen to the way her voice layers when she says "cascading". The whole album masterfully layers textures on textures with Julia's voice shining all the way through |
| 8 |  | Jeff Buckley
Grace (Legacy Edition)
This album carried me all the way through my first breakup. It is an understatement to say that we lost him too soon. Every single song is a 9+/10. Crying in my car while Lover You Should've Come Over played is a cherished memory. Even the deleted cut, Forget Her, seemed like it was written for me at the time. I may have moved on, but I know what this album meant to me.
And in line with my previous comments about Fishman's Long Season, if I was including Live Albums, Jeff Buckley's Live at Sin-é would be an easy top 5. That and 98.12.28 are my two favourite Live Albums. |
| 7 |  | The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & Nico
Listening to Heroin for the first time with headphones almost single handedly pushed me to explore music. I remember feeling like I was going to have an anxiety attack. I didn't know that music could do that. For a long time, this was my "Favourite." What an incredible masterpiece. Maybe it's only #7 now because as time has gone by, I find myself only returning to the same 5-6 tracks. |
| 6 |  | Ween
Quebec
This album genre-hops and gets all of them right. It makes me bang my head, dance, laugh, cry (I Don't Want It has perhaps the most heartfelt and saddest lyrics about a breakup I've ever heard), and raise my head triumphantly with an explosive finale. Even The Fucked Jam has its place. I love these guys |
| 5 |  | Swans
The Seer
Maybe this is my favourite from the trilogy because it's the least polished of the three. It's raw, primal, dark, scary, and at times incredibly uplifting (Song of the Warrior is gorgeous and A Piece of the Sky defines ethereal). I happen to find its pacing perfect; by the time I get to the Apostate, and Gira is climbing the ladder to God, and those fucking drums kick in at the end, I'm left speechless every time |
| 4 |  | Kendrick Lamar
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Even if I could pretend like I could put down my rose coloured glasses regarding the time in my life where I listened to this album most, and tried my best to look at it objectively, I'd still be convinced that it is one of the greatest albums of all time (or at the very least, the greatest hip-hop album of all time). Everything about this album works. Kendrick packs so much into 12 tracks that are not only incredibly fun to listen to, but tell a story that is practically unmatched in music. My children are listening to this whether they like it or not |
| 3 |  | Talk Talk
Laughing Stock
All of my top 3 have been in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at different times over the last year, but I am pretty confident with where they are now. I think what separates my top 3 from the rest are the relationship I have with them. Each of these albums doesn't feel like they were made by people. I know people made them, that instruments were played, that sounds were mixed, but it still feels like, to me, that these albums came from somewhere else. Listening to Laughing Stock for me is such a divine experience that I can ignore how cringe-inducing that compliment may be. Talk Talk really stumbled on perfection here. Who would've thought a multi-minute guitar solo of a single chord would go over so well... |
| 2 |  | Swans
Soundtracks for the Blind
If Laughing Stock is otherworldly perfection, STFB is the other side. It's dark and gritty and brutally human. The field recordings, the drones, and the interludes contribute to a 2.5 hour behemoth of massive crescendos that are as transcendent as they are disturbing. The rare times I decide to put this on, I am submitting my psyche to a boxing match with an opponent that I am no match for. STFB reminds me of how powerful music can be. It's somehow as cohesive as it is disordered, and I wonder how it could ever be matched. It's been over 4 years since I first listened to this, and I don't think it can... |
| 1 |  | Kate Bush
Hounds of Love
...except by an album that comes from a completely different direction. For me, Hounds of Love is perfect music. Its first side, of perfect singles, leads into a second more experimental suite of more perfection. The level of feeling and honest emotion pouring out of this album is something I have yet to experience elsewhere. Kate's voice is something truly special. Her arrangements are masterful. I cannot sing the praises of this album's production enough. This past fall I had one of the worst nights of my life, and I was at a complete loss. I put on Hounds of Love from start to finish and it quite literally carried me just a little bit higher to a place I could manage. To me, the funniest part about all of this, is that I can recall a couple years ago giving Hounds of Love a '3.5' I had found it unmemorable. How could my favourite album ever have slipped by me so easily? At least I learned the importance of giving album's a second chance. Thank you for reading! |
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