Best Albums of All Time

An album is a collection of music or songs on a disc or tape. They may include compilation, soundtrack, or remix albums. This list includes the best albums of all time.
The Top Ten
1 Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd

Easily my favorite album.of all time no matter how clique it is. It has such a simple theme about life, death, war, time, and money but it's surprisingly effective in it's simple lyrics. Life may look long on paper but goes by fast when you experience it. That same rule definitely applies when you listen to this masterpiece. Every track feels unique and distinct for each other. 50 years and this album still stands the test of the time. My top tracks would be 1. Us and Them 2. Time 3. Money 4. Brain Damage 5. Eclipse

Always my all-time favourite album. The atmospheric music background and philosophical lyrics make it a true masterpiece. The solo guitar in "Time" is one of the best ever.

This is simply the greatest album ever made. It's a 45 minute trip through life, with few breaks in the music that make this feel like one huge symphony of perfection. If you haven't listened to it, I urge you to stop everything and play it right now. Seriously life-changing. I would even say this album is the greatest piece of music ever written.

Although I prefer "Wish You Were Here" mainly for the beauty of Shine on you Crazy Diamond, "Dark Side of the Moon" is definitely the most influential album I have ever heard. The themes it covers; life, death, money, time, war, mental illness etc are the soundtrack to people's lives. I bought the album second hand on cassette in 1974, took it home, played it and realised that I'd heard most of it before, so widely had it been played. As a 13 year old boy, I was blown away by the lyrics which still work today. I have tried to always remember the lines "Then one day you find ten years have gone behind you. No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun". How did Roger Waters have such foresight at his young age? Strangely, I rarely listen to the whole album anymore but there are always snippets to be heard on the radio etc. Maybe I just know it too well.

2 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles

Song for song "Revolver" is my favourite but Sgt Pepper's was the most impactful at the time and still the most iconic Beatles album and the best "album experience" together with "Abbey Road". Besides it has the Beatles greatest artistic achievement - "A Day In The Life"

One of the most iconic albums ever. It's really hard to rank the best Beatles albums but Pepper's is up there with Revolver, Abbey Road and The Beatles

Sgt. Pepper made an artistic statement in a music that was NEVER considered art before. Language, fashion, artistic awareness and MUSIC ITSELF changed dramatically after it's release! Sgt. Pepper was a McCartney concept where by The Beatles took on an alter persona... This, in McCartney's mind, would "free" them from any / all "molds" created by the band prior... Lending a unique objectivity and experimentation to their process. The result WAS and REMAINS a landmark MASTERPIECE! The FIRST true "concept" album for sure! Of course the production, performances and COMPOSITIONS were WAY BEYOND "state of the art"! Beautiful, creative, melodic, defiant, edgy and GROUND BREAKING! How The Beatles "love to turn you on"!... Funny side note: did you know that Meter Maids were NEVER called Meter Maids until "Lovely Rita"?... Did you know on "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" recording tape was actually CUT and randomly put back together to create the beautifully chaotic organ sweeps? (no ...more

It is plain to see why this is the most revolutionary album ever. There are sounds and musical structures that had never been heard before. Lyrics were mysterious and at times, intricate in their innuendos. Anyone listening to this album at the time would easily have be blown away by the incredible complexity of emotions and exquisite melodies. It has nostalgic sounds, innovative rock licks, psychedelic revelry, spiritual musings, Indian music, circus dreamy sonority and so much more. There's a world within Sgt Pepper's and only those that have no notion of the musical evolution can think this was just another album. Pet sounds is great, for sure, but this is the album that defied musical canons forever.

3 Abbey Road - The Beatles

This is the greatest album I have ever heard. The Beatles are the greatest band of all time, and this is the perfect way to close their career. There are so many great songs on this album. The opening, Come Together, is one of the greatest album openers of all time. Something is easily one of the Beatles' best songs. I Want You (She's So Heavy) is the most underrated Beatles song, and is one of the most underrated songs of all time. Here Comes The Sun is one of George Harrison's best songs. The abbey road medley is so iconic. Golden Slumbers has one of Paul's best vocal performances. The final song on the album, The End, ends the album perfectly with a great guitar riff, and one of the greatest lyrics of all time (And, in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make). The Beatles couldn't have ended their career more perfectly. This album beats Revolver, an Sgt. Peppers as my favorite album of all time.

One of the Beatles's best (and so one the absolute best) albums of all time. The medley is one of the greatest ever achievements in popular music.

I cannot begin to describe how perfect this album is. The second half is one of the most brilliantly conceived pieces of art ever recorded, ending with Harrison's gorgeous Here Comes the Sun and (ignoring Her Majesty), finishes with one of the greatest album closers ever, The End, which manages to feel like an entire live show compressed into two minutes. It even features Ringo's only drum solo. On the first half, other iconic Beatles tunes like Come Together and Something are featured, along with perhaps the first progressive metal song ever, I Want You (She's So Heavy). Oh and then there's the only Beatles song Ringo ever fully wrote, the delightfully hummable Octopus' Garden. Whilst The Beatles touring days were long behind them at this point, this album really has a somewhat live album feel in terms of it being a musical journey across the types of genres the band were capable of, and having that excitement you get at the start of a live show and that feeling of closure at the ...more

I personally think Dark Side, Sgt Pepper, Thriller and Zep IV deserve to be higher from cultural significance alone but apart from those this album is absolutely breathtaking. The songs Come Together, Something, I Want You (She's So Heavy) and Here Comes The Sun could all be ranked in the Beatles very best, the comedy/not serious tracks Maxwell's Silver Hammer and Octopus's Garden have perfect arrangements and guitar playing and the Medley is a continuous passage that competes with Dark Side in genius, ambition, scope and execution. When the 'You Never Give' theme comes back on those horns before a guitar solo in Golden Slumbers it's pure bliss. Not to mention the members are at the top of their game instrumentally with stellar guitar work on the medley, Something and Octopus's Garden in particular, great vocals especially from Paul on Golden Slumbers and Oh! Darling and Ringo even turns in his only Beatles drum solo. It's a pretty much perfect album and I would take it over Sgt ...more

4 Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO) - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin IV was, is and always will be a timeless masterpiece. It set a standard for rock music which still has never been equaled or surpassed. It had a genius marketing campaign: the album has no official pronounceable title, the band or label name was not printed on the cover, only the song listing, mysterious pictures of an old hermit and the lyrics for "Stairway to Heaven", signifying that names don't matter, only the music. The production quality is crystal clear and even Led Zeppelin themselves couldn't replicate this sound afterwards and every song is a masterpiece although the side 2 of the album is often overlooked. It's one of the best selling albums of all time and is the 3rd best-selling album in the USA. If this album doesn't rank as the best, or at least one of the top ten, I seriously question the musical taste of the people here.

Even though my favorite Led Zeppelin album is Houses Of The Holy, this one is certainly their best. Black Dog is the sexiest riff ever, and Robert Plant's vocals on it are insane. It's the perfect opening to an album. Rock And Roll is a catchy song as well. Stairway To Heaven... well it's something else. It's the most beautiful song I've ever listened to. The riff on Misty Mountain Top is really catchy, and Going To California is great as well.

Forget the other albums on the list... these guys were the only musicians in the list with an album with so much detail and so much innovation and originality. Dark side of the moon doesn't even come close hello! This one album had the song that beat even the singles out there to become the number one radio hit. Zeppelin are the mascots of rock music, and every 70s rock fan should feel proud of how big this album made it

To say anything less about this album other than it being amazing would be an understatement. It is a real challenge to say one album is the greatest of all time. However, if I had to select one, then this would be it. The entire album is amazing with multiple songs that could be argued as being one of, if not, the greatest of all time. To have that on a single album that is not a greatest hits for an artitst is amazing.

5 Revolver - The Beatles

Song for song it's the strongest Beatles album - "Eleanor Rigby" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" are revolutionary.
"Here, There and Everywhere" is one of the best and the most underrated Beatles song.

Definitely better than Sgt Peppers, its 3 great songs and 3 good songs against 6 great songs and 8 good songs. Abbey road/Led Zeppelin IV/Dark Side of the Moon are all good but they all are less consitently good. Nevermind/OK Computer are very good but again have some weak songs. Thriller has lots of great pop songs but it's a bit generic and overrated. Rubber soul and Rumours should be higher as they are also amazing just not quite as good. London calling, who's next, paranoid, the wall and pet sounds are also very good too. In my opinion doolittle, ziggy stardust, in rainbows, plastic ono band and bringing it all back home should be top 20, all far better than sgt peppers and thriller. But Revolver and Rubber soul should be top 2 definitely.

I consider this album far superior to sgt peppers and abbey road. Sure, they both have some amazing songs on them, but never before have I seen an album so consistant and amazingly well done. Meanwhile, sgt peppers has some pretty bad songs, (For the benefit, Fixing a Hole, Sgt Pepper Reprise) and sounds partially dated. Abbey Road has some good songs too, and has some of the most underrated songs of all time, (Golden Slumbers, anyone? ) but the length ruins it. Songs like sun king are just plain bad, and polathem pam (can't spell it lol) are ruined by how far away John's voice sounds. He had so many throw-away songs that ended up on this album. Octopus is in my opinion one of Ringo's worst songs, and Her Majesty leaves the last album on a pathetic trombone instead of on a great note. Most of the songwriting on those albums are lazy, as seen on Oh, Darling, where they couldn't think of more lyrics so they just repeated an already used line... IN A VERSE. Revolver was the last album ...more

This happened in 66' when bands were still into the old pop rock that the Beatles also set a standard for! In the revolutionary 60's things changed in months. This set a goal to surpass. And yet no one can beat it but the beatles themselves. This wasn't commercialized like sgt. Peppers. This was crazy stuff in 66'. The album is meant to be cool. I mean for once they are wearing sunglasses indoors. They are using SG's. They aren't being cute with pop rock. They are now physcedelic!

6 The Wall - Pink Floyd

Besides Dark Side of the Moon, this may be one of the best albums of all time and a good movie. There were so many Pink Floyd albums that should be higher in the rating. Even Ummagumma was a major breakthrough.

You can never really treat this album as a series of songs, that you can skip through and listen to at ease. You have to start from the beginning, and then work your way through the whole thing. It tells such a shocking, sad tale, about a descent into pure madness. I've never heard anything so emotionally involved or so incredible in my life. They took music, and they turned it into a real work of art. It's timeless and ageless; and if you haven't heard it before, if ever you have a couple of hours on your hands, just pop it in, shut your eyes, and listen to its story.

Why is this album the best album ever released? As a musician myself, it has taught me that music isn't just lyrics that's pieced together with a guitar or keyboard, it's something that can be shaped and shifted into so many different ways. The Wall is not just an album, it's a story, or perhaps an autobiography that was shifted to make the plot more desirable. Roger Waters wrote this when he was struggling with his fame, so it was HIM who built the wall inside of his head, not Pink. The only difference is that Roger didn't go insane, it was Syd. Roger said in an interview that The Wall was 75% him, 15% Syd, and 5% any other artist. The ONLY album that can be compared to The Wall is The Dark Side of the Moon, and Wish You Were Here. Enough said.

It may not have the best songs of Pink Floyd (Except Comfortably Numb), nor the best sound, but the concept of this album is brilliant. Hidden Messages. The whole point of this album. If you listen to the whole album in one go, you'll probably say it's ok, but not that good. You have to think. Listen to every song, and at the end of each of them, think. Each song has a different meaning, and togheter, they tell a story. A wonderful story. An event that most people, including myself, are stuck into in today's life. The Wall is a wonderful album, as well as the movie. It's not just "stupid stoner music", as some ignorant people might say, but it is art. Art in its purest form.

7 A Night at the Opera - Queen

This album is truly one of the greats, not just the best Queen album but one of the best albums of the 20th century. The album starts with 'Death on two legs (dedicated to... ) the song written by Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury and is believed to shown the band's hatred to their first producers Trident. Next was the short but sweet lazing on a Sunday afternoon also written by Mercury. Also on the album was Taylor's I'm in love with my car, Deacon's You're my best friend, May's '39, sweet lady, the stunning The prophet's song and Good Company. As well as Death on two legs and lazing on a Sunday afternoon Mercury also wrote Seaside rendezvous, love of my life and their first UK number 1 single Bohemian Rhapsody. This album truly set their careers off with probably the most famous album covers next to the Beatle's Abby Road. Amazing album.

I listened many times to Pink Floyd and Beatles albums (of course they are great). But ANATO is putting them in its little pocket. This album is so huge that everything is pale compared to it. All song are so diverse and so unique that the best of PF and Beatles and LZ also can be only second to it. I had great difficulties when listening to ANATO the first two times - I found it a mess of sound, but the third time I discovered so much beauty that this is hardly to be beared. This album is extraordinary and not for a single hearing. But its extraterrestrial and if we meet extraterrestrial we should show it to them so they understand the pride of humanity and not destroy us.

This album is simply the best. It is just parfectly balanced, unique, bombastic, deeply personal and technically brilliant. Fron the outset, this album speaks differently - Death on Two Legs is devastatingly poignant, sharp in tone and voice and underpinned by May's needle-pointed guitar riffs. From there the album moves between lightly jovial in Lazing and Seaside and bubblingly joyful in Best Friend to emotionally strung in the beautiful melodies of Love of My Life; from the crazy rock of Sweet Lady to the Prog rock part acapella Prophet; and at its heart, a brilliantly clever, sad and astrophysical epic in 39, which predates such movies as Interstellar by some 40 years.

And then, once all that is done, once the last chord of Good Company rings out and where most albums fail in giving a sense of finality and instead leave you with a wishful disappointment, you hear the iconic voices. Quietly, almost whispering, you hear That first line and no matter how many times you've ...more

Queen's best album by far, and my favourite album of all time. Sheer Heart Attack another great album(deserves top 15 too)was the start of the classic Queen sound. Than this creative kick ass album blew everything out of the water..Bohemian Rhapsody, 39, Prophet's Song, I'm in Love With My Car, Death on Two Legs, and who could forget Love of My Life? Another hit You're My Best Friend was actually written by John Deacon the bassist and is one of the best love songs in my opinion. This album should be top 5.

8 Thriller - Michael Jackson

Without doubt, the greatest contributor to music, fashion and dance of all time. Unlike many other artists, his songs have a true meaning, E.G. 'They don't care about us', 'Black and White', 'The Earth song', and many others. I have been checking many 'greatest artists' lasts, and have been very disappointed to see that on many lists, MJ was not even mentioned. His Thriller album still remains the greatest album of all time- I believe that should and will never change.
Michael Jackson was and is a great man, a genius and a true LEGEND. This is real music. The King of music- always.

I've been searching for "best songs ever made" lately, and I was terribly disappointed to see that on so many lists there is no Michael Jackson! This is outrageous! One of the best pop singers in the world deserves more than that. This is the man that made a dancing and singing revolution, a man who was years ahead of his time, a man who amazed the world with his voice, performance, songs... This man was and always will be a GENIUS! He deserves to be number 1

This is maybe better than the album Bad, Thriller is unreal something that no one can reach except Michael Jackson simple the God of Music in the top 10 list of the best albums of all time I honestly put c mylassification in this way : 1Bad 2Thriller 3Dangerous 4History 5Invincible 6Off the Wall 7Blood on the dance Floor and finally 8Michael which is also a great album believe in me (I didn't include Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson, King of Pop Wich are also Amazing!

It's the worst list I've ever seen... We're talking about thriller.. Seriously... The best selling album of all time... 33x platinum album. The only album with 3 platinum stars... The best album from the best musical artist Michael Jackson... It must be on the number 1. The best pop song ever Billie Jean and one of the best rock songs ever beat it.. Along with the best music video thriller... This album made history... And the bar on the Music Industry.. It is insane

9 Nevermind - Nirvana

In Utero is way superior. But JESUS. Nevermind is generation-defining. It is an album that just echoes "what? " "what's up with that baby? " "what the hell did I just listen to? it was so good" And personally that's fine. Here's a number from Nirvana's Nevermind, by the numbers: 253: Total number of weeks Nevermind spent on the Billboard Top 200. 253 weeks! That is practically 5 years! Even after Kurt Cobain died it was still on there-for 2 years! Nevermind is resounding. Nevermind broke all rules. Nevermind is legendary.

In Utero is my preference though

Second album I ever bought myself (first being Ugly Kid Joe, America's Least Wanted) but this album changed how and why I listened to music. Yes the Beatles inspired a generation and that will never be forgotten, but Nirvana and this album specifically took that to the next step. There has not been an album since that has come close to the impact on a generation that Nevermind had.

Don't think it should be in the top 10.
Only influential by the majority of people at the time due to "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Come As You Are".
There are some really good songs that might fit the best songs of all time, such as "Come As You Are" and the underrated "Lounge Act", otherwise there's not much else to offer.
I'd put it in the top 25 or top 30 and call it a bit overrated.

Come on, really? Only #5? This album is legendary and is one of the greatest turning points in music history. The album has a really strong start with perhaps one of the greatest songs ever, Smells Like Teen Spirit, and continues to add onto the awesomeness throughout the album. This should be nudged up at least 2 or 3 spots. This is by far my favorite album ever!

10 American Idiot - Green Day

Nothing comes close to this. I am sorry but it just doesn't. People buy into the hype of a lot of the albums above because they get told it is great. But actually sit down and listen to this album a few times. All the songs tell a story like a book it is sheer genius. This is also a band who was about to split up and wrote this about America. What normal people will not admit to seeing about the world Green Day was not scared to show people the world they was living in away from what the media tells you Green Day tells it straight. This may not sound like complete punk but trust me this is as punk as it gets.

Alright, time to make some people mad and some people happy: this is not number one.

American Idiot is my favorite album of all time. It is perfect all the way through and I've probably listened to it about 5000 times. Green Day is my favorite band ever and always will be.

NEVERTHELESS

You cannot compare this to Revolver and DSOTM. I aknowledge that this album is amazing in every way, but it is not better than most of the classics. Ok Computer or The Wall should be number one.

American Idiot came out at a time when people where afraid to speak out due to 9/11. Green Day didn't care about what people where and wheren't supposed to say, they released the album filled with rage and disappointment about America and it's politics anyway.
The storyline throughout the whole album is appealing to the youth as everybody can find something to identify with. And with a mix of angry rock songs like "American Idiot" to emotional ballads like "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" I don't see how this can't be considered the greatest album of all time.
Even if it's almost 6 years since it first came out it is still current with a now on going Broadway play.
That, for me, makes American Idiot the obvious choice on this list.

Track list:
American Idiot: Expressing what nobody has said before, but what everyone has thought
Jesus Of Suburbia: 9 minutes of consistent rock n roll!
Holiday: So rebellious that it's fun
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams: Truly Amazing
Are We The Waiting: Deep, really good use of Billie Joe's voice
St. Jimmy: Thought-Provoking
Give Me Novocaine: Perfect placement of dramatic addiction
She's A Rebel: Adds some romance to the mix
Extraordinary Girl: A good continuation of the previous song
Letterbomb: Great bass line
Wake Me Up When September Ends: Billie Joe's voice made me faint. It's crazy good.
Homecoming: This song makes it all come together, and become the rock opera that it is.
Whatsername: The finale to the world's best album combines every theme seen throughout the entire album. And it ROCKS

The Newcomers

? Midnights - Taylor Swift
? Born Pink - Blackpink
The Contenders
11 Ok Computer - Radiohead

This album is too good for words. The themes are complex and really perceptive about modern society, and the entire album fits together to convey a greater meaning. It has been praised by many critics to be the best album of all time. The fact that it is not even in the top ten is just shocking. Unfortunately Radiohead is not very mainstream, therefore ending up getting underrated on a list called 'Best Albums of All Time', but critics clearly think otherwise, and the band receives the credit they deserve. Naturally, Pink Floyd and The Beatles were always going to dominate this list, with OK Computer being a more modern take among them, but I still believe it should be higher up, at least within the top ten.

PS: Kid A should also be higher up, but OK Computer is still superior.

Easily the most influential album and band in ALL of Alternative-Rock (Technically behind Nirvana, but they're overrated). You are able to hear a hint of every single one of these songs in a majority of Alternative-Rock songs that were released after this album.

That part in "Let Down" where Thom sings "you'll know where you are, you'll know where you are" is the something you'll never hear ever again, it's the most aesthetically pleasing piece of music of all time. Combined with some of the most phenomenal tracks ever like Paranoid Android and Karma Police. This album is orgasmic. OK Computer is to my ears, mind and soul what a blowjob is to my penis. How can something so depressing be so beautiful? It's like the band is planting pretty flowers on the graves of my happiness and idealism and embracing my depression, misery and mental illnesses. This album is God's gift to us poor souls. It actually helped me through my hardest times and prevented me from ending it all.

Gotta love the ignorance of all these pop-culture-cozy blockheads who think that Lady Gaga or Justin Timberlake are "OMGosh the greatest thing ever to grace music. " Every list on this site is just a bunch of modern-day junkies with sheltered music tastes chalking out their favorite new pop album. I'm not one to be so pessimistic, but lists like these just make me lose faith in humanity.
Now, to my point. OK Computer, even from the most objective of standpoints, is THE definitive art-rock treatise, and on any short list of the greatest albums ever made, a must-inclusion (and not at #93, please). I don't think people actually understand how revolutionary this album was to the face of music. All the sounds harvested in this album, the spacey, high-strung, compact electronics, set the tone for the future of rock. The album garnered tremendous underground success, and although it didn't go over as well with the mainstream industry, it's still the standard by which all alternative rock ...more

12 Ride the Lightning - Metallica

Nirvana has the fakest fans ever. Nevermind has ONE song that people know and you already know it, Smells Like Teen spirit. This album has classics and good music, many songs are familiar in this album like "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Ride The Lightning", and "Fade To Black" All masterpieces. I'm not saying nirvana and smells like teen spirit is bad, they're just overrated and known for ONE song. Metallica is overrated I must admit, but they are known for many songs and albums. And there are also fake Metallica fans as well, but if you're a real fan you'd see Metallica has written so many good pieces.

There isn't a song with a more epic ending than Call of Ktulu.

And this is coming from a lover of Octavarium, 6DoIT, The Odyssey, Divine Wing of Tragedy, Echoes, Atom Heart Mother, Karn Evil 9, Tarkus, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Close to The Edge, Fly From Here, Awaken, TRSoG, Topographic Oceans, Dance of The Dead, Hallowed be Thy Name, Fear of The Dark, Glass Prison, Rime of The Ancient Mariner, Creeping Death, One, Fade to Black, Blinding Light Show/Moonchild, etc.

Also, my favorite Metallica album

Arguably the greatest Heavy Metal album ever created, followed closely by Master of Puppets. I put this album above MOP purely off the maturation and stylistic change in their arrangements and song writing abilities from Kill 'Em All. A true master piece from start to finish. Fade to Black, Creeping Death, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and Call of Ktulu stand out above the rest.

From Fight Fire With Fire, a blazing fast, thrashing, neck-breaker of a song, to Fade to Black, a melancholic but heavy story of one's loss in the battle with depression, this album signifies Metallica's change from thrash metal kings to musical geniuses. Also, the late, great Cliff Burton is heavily prominent on this record, which is always a plus.

13 Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys

Please, please explain to me how Nirvana is in front of the Beach Boys. "Pet Sounds" remains as the greatest album of all time; while other works like the Beatles' "Seargent Pepper" and Led Zeppelin IV have become somewhat cliche, Pet Sounds stands as something different. I don't like the argument that just because an album was the "foundation" for other albums that followed means that album was greater. Pet Sounds is special because, not only was it never replicated, nobody even tried to replicate it! Brian Wilson's genius will not be matched and has not been matched by anyone, and those who try soon figure out why it is an impossible task to complete.

This album is timeless. Even while a bunch of music from the era become incredibly dated with all the flower power and peace love and acid nonsense, this album is so pure on honest and beautiful. The lyrics are so relatable, you'd have to be a damn robot to not understand where Brian and Tony Asher were coming from. The harmonies are almost too perfect. I can, and have listened to this recording in a capella so many times because it literally feels as if this was recorded in heaven by angels and every time I listen to it, it's as I an getting a little sneak peak of heaven. Otherworldly. And I haven't even mentioned the brilliant arrangements Brian and the wrecking crew. Honestly if you can make it past track 2 with your head intact, mouth closed and eyes dried, then you simply haven't been listening.

Ah. Well, this just shows the intelligence and wit of the people that vote on this list; I don't really know what I was expecting though. Without this album, you wouldn't have ANY of the albums listed above it, including Sgt.Pepper and excluding Revolver by the Beatles. (If I'm correct, Revolver inspired pet sounds). In order to truly comprehend the meaning behind this album, you gotta know music history and the context. I mean, putting "Thriller," Queen, or Radiohead in the top ten is ridiculous. Especially when it's above Pet Sounds. This album changed EVERYTHING. If it was released today, it would still be groundbreaking. As a huge Beatles fan myself, I can say no band/artist holds a candle to the genius and creativity of Brian Wilson.

Out of the wrapper in 1966 this new Beach Boys album was outstanding. It influenced 'Sgt. Peppers', and I think it's better. There's not a bad song on it. The Wrecking Crew does a fabulous job on the instrumentals, and the vocals couldn't be better.
If you don't like this album it's because you're expecting surf and car songs. After the very good Beach Boys Today and Summer Days (and Summer Nights) albums, Pet Sounds was the perfect mature version of Brian Wilson. There's never been anything like it even by the Beach Boys except for Good Vibrations.

14 Master of Puppets - Metallica

Battery - Old school thrash at it's finest.
Master Of Puppets - Best title track of an album ever.
The Thing That Should Not Be - Well worked.
Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - Sanitarium has become one of my favourite words!
Disposable Heroes - Amazing intro, sticks in your head.
Leper Messiah - Only song I actually haven't listened to off Master.
Orion - Two words: Cliff Burton.
Damage Inc. - Nice closing track

Overall - Great album. definitely best metal album.

Master of puppets is an masterpiece. All of songs from master puppets are combine all Metallica great ideas. All of songs from master of puppets got great riffs, solos and most importantly bass riffs and solos by Cliff Burton. In opinion the best from master of puppets is Orion, this song is one of best instrumental in the history.

This album is one of the greatest masterpieces of music. Everything is done right here, especially the title track, which is my second favorite song of all time. This is one of the three albums I have as a CD and I play it in my room constantly (the other two are Ride the Lightning and a Trans-Siberian Orchestra album I got for Christmas).

Metal is still underrated after all this decades with a ton load of classic albums. And MOP is the highest at just 13? You can't put albums like Thriller, they sell well but that doesn't mean it's a masterpiece, if it weren't for Quincy Jones, MJ ain't gonna make that. Pink Floyd? They're great but a little overrated.

15 Appetite for Destruction - Guns N' Roses

The best album of all time with no bad or even mediocre songs. Brilliant singing and music throughout, the debut album that sold the most copies in history! Had Guns N' Roses stayed together in the original lineup, they would undoubtedly be the greatest band of all time. Still they are to me. NIrvan in No. 10? Don't make me laugh!

Pretty much my top 5 favorite songs of all time are all off this album! Not a single filler song, I could listen to it over and over all day long. Greatest debut album of all time and it contains at least 3 songs which belong on a list of the top 10 rock songs of all time. Oh, and slash is a god

Why this not in top 5?
Are you never listen welcome to the jungle?
Are you never listen paradise city?
Are you never listen sweet child o mine?
This is the best rock album in the world and planet!

! This should be number one! At least in the top ten! This is the best thing that could have happened to rock and roll. I still remember each and every song in it! They all keep playing in my head!

16 Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

Sandwiched between 1973's timeless classic "Dark Side of the Moon" and '79 "The Wall" are two wildly under-appreciated albums; 1975's "Wish You Were Here" and '77 "Animals", each of which stand on their own and deserve critical listens.

Do yourself a sonic favor and listen to the SACD of WYWH in high-resolution multi-channel surround, or thru a quality headphone / preamp rig.

The audiophile experience is nothing short of magical,... imagine your first sexual or chemical experience and you're almost there.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond 1-5
Welcome to the Machine
Have a Cigar
Wish You Were Here
Shine On You Crazy Diamond 6-9

There's absolutely nothing like it!

Wish You Were Here this low? It has Pink Floyd's second best song in my opinion (Shine On You Crazy Diamond pts. 1-9). Great synthesizers and guitar playing on Shine on You Crazy Diamond. Welcome to the Machine also has amazing synthesizers. Have a Cigar is one of their best songs lyrically in my opinion and Wish You Were Here is my 3rd favourite PF song. The emotion in Wish You Were Here (song) and that simple but memorable guitar riff from Gilmour is tear jerking stuff.

I like Dark Side but it's gonna take more than a few sound effects, chiming clocks and an annoying woman to amaze me. Wish You Were Here is a much more fulfilling album song wise. One if the few albums like Boston where you have heard every single song on the radio at some time. Dark Side was PFs make or break album where they weren't really sure where they were going and WYWH was where they had the confidence musically and lyrically to know what they were giving the world.

MY personal all time favourite album.This album is absolutely mind-blowing. I prefer this over Dark Side of the moon (that concept album is still amazing). This album is about Syd Barrett and it captures him perfectly (especially the songs, Welcome To The Machine, Shine on You crazy Diamond and Have A Cigar). And Wish You Were Here is just WOW. All songs from this album are perfect.

My top 10 favourite albums:

1) Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
2) The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - Pink Floyd
3) Revolver - The Beatles
4) The Madcap Laughs - Syd Barrett
5) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
6) The Doors - The Doors
7) The Division Bell - Pink Floyd
8) The Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd
9) Rubber Soul - The Beatles
10) Nevermind - Nirvana

17 Meteora - Linkin Park

Meteora is legendary. I'm not a fan of Linkin Park but some people say "old music is better and the classics are the best" they're wrong. In my personal opinion Meteora is a lot better than a lot of the stuff in front of it. Linkin Park itself needs as much attention as nirvana (who were completely garbage). Every song in this album is great but in Nevermind the only reason they could sell out of it was smells like teen spirit

I have no idea why people like though band so much. It isn't good at all. People think that it brought a new era to music and they're for some reason ranked in the top ten of best bands of all time when none of their albums are in the top 500 on Rolling Stones top 500 albums, and not in the top 100 on best bands of all time in the many lists I have looked at. Linkin Park is probably the most overrated album of all time.

While this album may have the fan favorites, it is far from the most musically well-made album by LP. The Hunting Party, A Thousand Suns and Minutes to Midnight have much better lyrics, riffs, structures, themes and vocals. Just my opinion, don't destroy me.

This album is the best achievement in psychology, in my opinion. It helped me to get rid of depression originating in the very beginning of my life. I also love the set of songs from it that became popular.

18 Rubber Soul - The Beatles

Honestly I think Revolver is overrated. This album is more consistent. All the way through, it's brilliant. Drive My Car is a great opening song with a groovy bassline. Norwegian Wood has some great finger picking from John Lennon. Nowhere Man is my favorite song in the whole album. The harmonies are great, and so are the lyrics. In My Life is an absolute classic. It's so beautiful. It particularly love the piano solo in the middle. I'm Looking Through You is another great song. There's even more to this album, but you get the point.

I definitely think it belongs in the top 10, in fact it is my favorite Beatles album after Abbey Road. There are no huge hits on it, but that's kind of why I like it. Each song stands on its own more so than any other Beatles album. It is also the beginning of them changing their musical style, it's kind of a mixture of old Beatles and more progressive Beatles. Incredible album.

This album is certainly superior to Sgt.Peppers (which is basically an early wings album with a couple Lennon songs thrown in). The album has a very Dylanesque sound to it when it comes to lyrics, especially with the Lennon compositions, which are leaps and bounds better than McCartney's. This album also features one of my favorite Beatles songs: Nowhere Man, which is lyrically and musically brilliant.

Rubber soul is such an amazing album every song is sone perfectly constructed making you want to listen to this albums over and over again, not to mention awesome songs like Drive My Car, Nowhere Man, Norwegian Wood, In My life and Think For Yourself!

19 Kid A - Radiohead

Obviously behind Ok Computer, the most influential band in all of Alternative-Rock, and in my opinion (and many others), the greatest band of all time.

I hate to be "that guy", but this seriously deserves a higher spot than it is at. I personally believe this deserves a higher spot than OK Computer. This album is both accessible and complex at the same time; giving it a perfect edge to it. OK Computer is a bit too much on the accessible side, which is it's only downfall. On this album, we see Radiohead using electronics to their advantage, and somehow creates an abrasive yet polished sounding album. Yes, it may be quite funny that the opener sounds as if Thom is chanting "Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon", but when it comes down to it, this album is an iconic album that will be forever remembered.

I grew up with the Beatles as a kid & now measure every band's work to see if it's up to the standards set by the greatest band ever. This band Radiohead has so far come very close to the superior talent level that it takes to be one of the best ever.
It took me some time to truly understand how complex & special Kid A is & now is one of my favorite albums in all my collection of music. I have all the albums in your top ten except for Thriller.
By the way, their new album, "Moon Shaped Pool" is amazing.
This band seems to be getting better as they age.

A masterpiece of experimental rock, and a brilliant concept album. At first I only liked a couple songs on the album. But a couple months later, I gave it another shot, and I couldn't believe the songs didn't stand out to me before. Now it's my favorite album of all time. There's the weird, cult-like opener "Everything in it's Right Place", the alien lullaby "Kid A", the frantic, out-of-control "National Anthem", and the transcendental and extremely beautiful "How to Disappear Completely" (Which contains some of my favorite lyrics: "That there / That's not me / I go where I please / I walk through walls / I float down the Liffey"). Followed by this is the ambient soundtrack "Treefingers", then the rockier "Optimistic", the surreal "In Limbo", the chilling, robotic "Idioteque", the weird, experimental "Morning Bell", and finally, as the perfect album closer, the solemn "Motion Picture Soundtrack" which tears your heart out by the ending with the lyrics "I will see you in the next ...more

20 Paranoid - Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath will Always be my number one. From their first album throughout their performances in concert until their first breakup, their stack of records were always playing on the turntable at home after school. There is no other sound like Tony Iommi has that will ever be reproduced. I still from time to time go back through each song in order on each album. This album was special with the Iron Man song, Paranoid and War Pigs. Its funny how certain songs find their way into Movies and other Sound tracks of movies. Even though they have more or less retired from working or producing, their work will live in infamy forever.

Tony Iommi is the master of riffs, with only 2 whole fingers he carved out an entire genre that was heavier and harder than anything else up to that time. Every song on Paranoid is legendary and each has several memorable riffs. Iron man is possibly the most famous riff ever and I don't even think it compares to war pigs or paranoid. Gosh every song is great, fairies wear boots, rat salad, electric funeral, planet caravan, and hand of doom. All great songs.

There are so many great albums. It makes me very happy to see let Zeppelin IV at the top, but come on! Not only is there not a single song on here that is less than amazing, but so many of these songs have shaped music history. The songs on this album are as follows ' war pigs, paranoid, planet caravan, iron Man, electric funeral, eat salad, and fairies wear boots'. These first five are some of the most recognized songs ever. Essentially, this is the best black Sabbath álbum, and If that's true, than this can easily be viewed as if not then eat album then top 3.

No matter what other bands out there do, none of them will equal Black Sabbath. The lyrics are tormented, sure, but no matter the topic there are no swear words. Because both War Pigs (on this album) and Children of the Grave (Master of Reality album) are both anti-war songs.

21 The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance

This album brings back such bittersweet memories. While I can't say I'm too proud of some of its fans, My Chemical Romance is my favorite band, and I'm typing this in 2015, two years after their break-up. This album is a masterpiece. The lyrics, the instrumentation, just the feeling you get from listening to it - it's beautiful. There's one song in the whole album that I ain't crazy about (House of Wolves). Pretty much all the songs are packed with raw, real emotion, and that's not something that can be said of the vast majority of albums above. I am Yucca Sherbert (sorry if that doesn't make sense), and this is my favorite album of all time.

This album is nothing short of beautiful. The raw energy of some songs like "Dead! " and "Welcome to the Black Parade" is polar opposite to the held-down and somewhat brooding sounds of "Disenchanted" and "Sleep". This album has stood the test of time, with a deep storyline following a cancer patient as he recollects on his life as he is nearing the end of it. Even though it's original listeners are grown now, everyone still gets those times when they feel they want to look back on their own pasts, and this album is inspiring the next generation as well. The lyrics are deep, introspective, and tells a dark and beautiful tale none will ever forget.

Despite the fact that the top ten glorifies the older material, I think that, objectively, every album with such a concept and a deeper lyrical meaning should be superior to everything else. Every song could be a single, every song has depth and power, and most of all, a massive contribution to the general concept of knowing your own death. The whole Beatles discography is some innocent songs that talk about whatever the songwriter feels like at the moment. This and American Idiot outshine everything else just by their impact on real-life aspects. Those albums form opinions and give hope to everyone in a difficult spot

This album really takes you through a journey and makes you think of life and death. Even now I still blast this in my room and act like it's the old days. This album brings me back to a time when stress was not a thing and I could just wake up to watch my favourite cartoons. I think this album is probably the best for all the 2000s kids like myself, when times were awesome. My parents love to tell me about classics like Queen, Led Zeppelin or AC/DC but musicians like My chemical romance or Outkast were the Led Zeppelin of our day. They touched us in a way well never feel again.

22 Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park

I grew up listening to this album. I know linkin park gets associated with the angsty teenager phase all the time, but that joke is getting old. Listen to the songs again, and you'll realize almost every song has incredible depth. The they play their music with heart and soul. Hybrid theory may not be any dark side of the moon, sure. But it is one of the last albums to have had that much soul put into it before this new era of generally terrible music.

I don't know why this website seems to have so much Linkin Park praise but honestly do they really belong on a top albums list OF ALL TIME? I understand the appeal I suppose, but to me this whole nu metal thing is just kinda a mix of angsty metal-like rock and angsty rap. It's fun maybe on first listen but I feel like it gets really old really quick.

This is actually the best linkin park album ever. It was also my first album. This album contains loads of unforgettable songs. Who could forget In the end, crawling, points of authority, by myself, and paper cut? This should be number 1!

Comparing Thriller and Hybrid Theory... I can say that Thriller has nice songs... But it can't change one's opinion towards life... While Hybrid Theory has inspired many lives... But yeah both Michael and Linkin Park are great!

23 Back in Black - AC/DC

"Hell's Bells" gets the album off to a flying start with a slow, ominous build up before descending into a true rock classic. It is followed by the swashbuckling tracks "Shoot to Thrill" and the highly underrated "Honey what do you do for money." 'Givin the dog a bone,' and 'Let me put my love into you' don't stand out as much but are still fun and fast rock songs, whilst 'Back in Black' is rightfully one of AC/DC's most famous songs. 'You shook me all night long' has become a rock anthem, and the last 3 songs are all killer, especially 'Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution' which captures your interest with a great riff and catchy chorus.

Best Album ever and second best selling album worldwide. There's no bad song on it. On the contrary. Hits like "Shoot To Thrill", "Back In Black", "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" and the greatest song of all time "Hell's Bells". New singer Brian Johnson made a really good job. Back In Black is a real tribute for the death singer Bon Scott.
Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution, Rock And Roll will survive!

Ain't my favorite AC/DC album, but I love all AC/DC albums. My favorite album is their Flick of the Switch, and/or Fly on the Wall albums. Most AC/DC fans love Back in Black, but I voted for this album, because it is AC/DC. I love Givin' the Dog a Bone, which is probably my favorite song on this album. Listen to it! You'll love it!

I am in complete utter shock that this is only at number 35. This should be in top 3, along with Pink Floyd and the Beatles. It is the second best selling album in HISTORY from the WORLD'S most badass rock n roll band! With great songs like hells bells, shoot to thrill, you shook me all night long, and of course, back in black, it is a sin that this is below sarah geronimo and gackt, whoever they are. Vote this please!

24 To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is one of the best lyricists of our time, and this album proves it. He brings up a lot interesting perspectives in this album in a non-preachy way that's enjoyable from start to finish. I'm talking themes such as, but not limited to, racism from outside of and within the black community, depression, society's glorification of fame, celebrities, money, and sex, and much more. Not to mention the near perfect production of this entire album. The many talented producers for this album, some that are famous and some that are hidden gems, really went all out with making this album sound unbelievably original, creative, complex, and enjoyable to listen to. It's easily one of the best hip-hop albums of all time.

A very deep, rich and sharp album. A cohesive reflection on black identity with amazing lyricisim and impressive experimentation. I listened to it for 16 days, one song every day, to savour the concept. When I finished Mortal Man, it was the final blow. I was completely awestruck. Brilliance. Perfect album. The think that probably nailed it for me was the spoken word, such an original idea.
What I never get is that it rarely shows up on "best concept albums" lists. It is a concept album. It has precise themes, lyrical motifs, and a storyline.

Obviously. Greatest album post-2000. Top quality on every parameter: It's got Bangers, greatest jazz musicians of this decade, lyrical masterpieces. Amazing productions. Great societal impact. Identity shaping and generation-defining.

This is a very vivid and dense collection of truthful and intelligent Hip Hop songs rooted in funk, jazz, soul, psychedelia, and poetry. From top to bottom, its truly a masterpiece of instrumentals and lyricism intertwined to create an incredible and gorgeous concept album for the ages. Personally, I think it is the realest hip hop album ever made.

25 Fallen - Evanescence

My favourite is The Wall but I had to vote this one cause even if it has sold more copies than many classics, It's still underrated.
Honestly, I don't understand young people who don't get to know monsters like Bowie or Dylan, but at the same time I hate old elitists (like Rolling Stone magazine journalists, to say some) that act like real music, and real rock in particular, died 50 years ago.
Albums like Fallen, Hybrid Theory, Ok Computer, Absolution, Nightmare, Freak on a Leash, Californication, show us that talented people keep doing rock masterpieces, no matter how much time old elitist will need to notice it.
This album has great lyrics, great mood, great voice.

As I look back on the beginnings of this group, this is an album that I wish that I could experience again...for the first time. For my ears it was so unique and moving. I can still feel the buzz that was alive when this group first hit big. An exciting moment frozen in time when the founders, Amy Lee and Ben Moody made for a powerful duo that went south so suddenly.

I think it is the album of Evanescence and it consists of all of my favourite songs like Bring me To Life, My Immortal and Tourniquet. The Open Door and Evanescence are also too good. Please vote it to take a better position. It can go to the top

Evanescence are an amazing band with a gorgeous singer, but this have to be their best album!

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