Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Yes, it's finally here! Your collective top 100 favorite albums (that is, as chosen by 188 of our best and brightest forum members). To those of you who participated, a warm and gracious thank-you! I know it's not easy picking even a single favorite album—and I asked you to pick ten of 'em.

As I said with last years Favorite Guitarists project, I'd like to remind everyone that this is a culmination of votes for favorite albums, not best albums. I left "favorite" up to the individual to define. The final list is a representation of the opinions and tastes of a small sample of forum members. I received ranked votes from 188 forum members, with a total of 987 unique albums counted. That's a lot of albums! I did my best to include as many people as possible in a short amount of time.

What follows is a list of the top 100 albums, as favored by the SDUGF. (Technically, it's a top-101 list, as there's a two-way tie for the #100 slot.) I could list more, but as you get further down the list, you get a lot of three-, four- and five-way ties. I wouldn't even be able to give you a top 150 without having to deal with an eight-way tie!

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

The albums are ranked using a weighted scoring system. An album voted #1 in your list received ten points, #2 received nine points, and so on. The Ct. column represents how many votes the album received, and the Wt. column represents the weighted ranking. Just for fun, I put the Rolling Stone ranking from their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" article next to the forum ranking, under the RS column. Note that this column is an adjusted ranking: I removed all the albums from the Rolling Stone article that would not qualify for our list, then re-ranked the Rolling Stone list—that's the ranking you see in the RS column.

For ties, where the Wt. and Ct. scores matched, I used how many #1 votes the albums received as tie-breakers. If it still was a tie, I used the number of #2 votes, and so on. As you can see from the list, there still are a couple of ties toward the bottom, but I'm cool with that.

The list follows in the next four posts, broken into groups of 25. Scroll to the right of each code window to see the additional columns.

I had a lot of fun putting this list together. I hope you get some enjoyment reading through and discussing it.

High five!

- Keith

P.S. If anyone wants a copy of the complete list (minus member names), PM me your email address and I'll send it to you as an Excel spreadsheet.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

[B]
Rank    RS     Name                                      Artist                       Year     Ct.     Wt.[/B]
1       34     The Dark Side of the Moon                 Pink Floyd                   1973      37     277
2       45     Appetite for Destruction                  Guns N' Roses                1987      34     226
3      303     Van Halen                                 Van Halen                    1978      23     147
4       49     Led Zeppelin IV                           Led Zeppelin                 1971      21     131
5       64     The Wall                                  Pink Floyd                   1979      17     123
6       54     Back in Black                             AC/DC                        1980      21     118
7      121     Master of Puppets                         Metallica                    1986      21     117
8      153     Wish You Were Here                        Pink Floyd                   1975      17     117
9       12     Are You Experienced?                      Jimi Hendrix                 1967      19     114
10      21     Led Zeppelin                              Led Zeppelin                 1969      13      88
11      55     Led Zeppelin II                           Led Zeppelin                 1969      16      86
12       1     Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band     The Beatles                  1967      13      81
13      83     Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs       Derek & The Dominoes         1970      11      80
14       -     Fair Warning                              Van Halen                    1981      12      75
15       -     Texas Flood                               Stevie Ray Vaughan           1983      15      73
16       3     Revolver                                  The Beatles                  1966      10      72
17      11     Abbey Road                                The Beatles                  1969      12      71
18      37     At Fillmore East                          The Allman Brothers Band     1971      10      67
19      40     Electric Ladyland                         Jimi Hendrix                 1968      10      65
20       -     Machine Head                              Deep Purple                  1972      10      61
21      51     Physical Graffiti                         Led Zeppelin                 1975      10      61
22     151     Ten                                       Pearl Jam                    1991      10      60
23       -     Animals                                   Pink Floyd                   1977       8      59
24       -     Dirt                                      Alice in Chains              1992      10      57
25      93     Paranoid                                  Black Sabbath                1971      10      57

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

[B]
Rank    RS     Name                                      Artist                       Year     Ct.     Wt.[/B]
26       9     The Beatles [The White Album]             The Beatles                  1968       9      54
27      80     Disraeli Gears                            Cream                        1967       9      54
28       7     London Calling                            The Clash                    1979       8      54
29     106     Houses of the Holy                        Led Zeppelin                 1973       7      49
30     258     Siamese Dream                             The Smashing Pumpkins        1993       6      48
31     144     Highway to Hell                           AC/DC                        1979       8      46
32     129     Rocks                                     Aerosmith                    1976       6      45
33       -     Van Halen II                              Van Halen                    1979       8      43
34       -     Heaven and Hell                           Black Sabbath                1980       6      40
35      20     Who's Next                                The Who                      1971       7      39
36       -     Ride the Lightning                        Metallica                    1984       7      39
37       -     Blizzard of Ozz                           Ozzy Osbourne                1980       8      38
38      29     Hotel California                          The Eagles                   1976       7      38
39       -     Jar of Flies                              Alice in Chains              1994       5      38
40     169     A Night at the Opera                      Queen                        1975       5      37
41      61     Axis: Bold as Love                        Jimi Hendrix                 1967       7      36
42       -     Bridge of Sighs                           Robin Trower                 1974       5      35
43     212     Master of Reality                         Black Sabbath                1971       7      34
44       -     The Number of the Beast                   Iron Maiden                  1982       6      34
45       -     Led Zeppelin III                          Led Zeppelin                 1970       6      34
46       -     Lateralus                                 Tool                         2001       5      34
47       -     …And Justice for All                      Metallica                    1988       8      33
48       -     1984                                      Van Halen                    1983       8      33
49       -     Boston                                    Boston                       1976       8      33
50     147     Wheels of Fire                            Cream                        1968       6      33

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

[B]
Rank    RS     Name                                      Artist                       Year     Ct.     Wt.[/B]
51       -     Under Lock and Key                        Dokken                       1985       5      33
52       -     Alive II                                  Kiss                         1977       5      32
53       -     Alive!                                    Kiss                         1975       5      32
54      19     The Joshua Tree                           U2                           1987       5      31
55       -     Meddle                                    Pink Floyd                   1971       4      31
55       -     Crystal Planet                            Joe Satriani                 1998       4      31
57       -     Electric                                  The Cult                     1987       4      31
58      47     Sticky Fingers                            The Rolling Stones           1971       5      30
59     222     Surfer Rosa                               Pixies                       1988       6      28
60       -     Rust in Peace                             Megadeth                     1990       6      28
61      18     Rumours                                   Fleetwood Mac                1977       5      28
62     291     Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd             Lynyrd Skynyrd               1973       4      28
63     176     Black Sabbath                             Black Sabbath                1970       4      27
64       -     Images and Words                          Dream Theater                1992       4      27
65      14     Nevermind                                 Nirvana                      1991       6      26
66       -     Facelift                                  Alice in Chains              1990       6      26
67       -     Diary of a Madman                         Ozzy Osbourne                1981       5      26
68       -     Couldn't Stand the Weather                Stevie Ray Vaughan           1984       5      26
69       -     Ænima                                     Tool                         1996       4      26
70       -     Metallica [The Black Album]               Metallica                    1991       5      25
71     103     Aja                                       Steely Dan                   1977       4      25
72       -     Southern Harmony and Musical Companion    The Black Crowes             1992       4      25
73       -     Making Movies                             Dire Straits                 1980       4      25
74       -     Kill 'Em All                              Metallica                    1983       4      25
75       -     Get Your Wings                            Aerosmith                    1974       3      25

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

[B]
Rank    RS     Name                                      Artist                       Year     Ct.     Wt.[/B]
76       -     Blow by Blow                              Jeff Beck                    1975       5      24
77       -     Reign in Blood                            Slayer                       1986       5      24
78       -     Live and Dangerous                        Thin Lizzy                   1978       4      24
79       -     Rainbow Rising                            Rainbow                      2006       4      24
80       -     Irish Tour                                Rory Gallagher               1974       4      24
81       -     All the World's a Stage                   Rush                         1976       3      24
82       -     Band of Gypsys                            Jimi Hendrix                 1970       3      24
83       -     Weezer [Blue Album]                       Weezer                       1994       4      23
84       -     Sad Wings of Destiny                      Judas Priest                 1976       4      23
85       -     Third Eye Blind                           Third Eye Blind              1997       4      23
86       -     Tribute                                   Ozzy Osbourne                1987       3      23
87       -     Made in Japan                             Deep Purple                  1972       3      23
88       -     Out of the Cellar                         Ratt                         1984       3      23
89     362     Tres Hombres                              ZZ Top                       1973       5      22
90       -     Badmotorfinger                            Soundgarden                  1991       4      22
91       -     Rising Force                              Yngwie Malmsteen             1984       4      22
92       -     Songs for the Deaf                        Queens of the Stone Age      2002       4      22
93       -     Burn                                      Deep Purple                  1974       3      22
94       -     Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?             Megadeth                     1986       5      21
95       -     The Division Bell                         Pink Floyd                   1994       4      21
96       -     Dogman                                    King's X                     1994       4      21
97       -     Eat a Peach                               The Allman Brothers Band     1972       3      21
97     338     Love It to Death                          Alice Cooper                 1971       3      21
99      32     Never Mind the Bollocks…                  The Sex Pistols              1977       4      20
100    191     Quadrophenia                              The Who                      1973       3      20
100      -     Continuum                                 John Mayer                   2006       3      20

 

[wixedmords]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Good stuff Keith.

A very special thanks to you for your time investment.

Greatly appreciated.

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

It heartens me to see how well Pink Floyd does on that list. I'm also happy to see many of the albums on my list being on this list as well. I was shocked to see Couldn't Stand the Weather's rank though. I thought it deserved to be higher on the list but that's only my opinion. Am I the only one who think's it is better than Third Eye Blind LOL?

 

[PVFan]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

if none of mine made it in the top 100, I have to leave, right?
I have exactly one that made the list, but at least it's (barely) in the top 40.

it's a better list than RS's, GW's, etc. though. They're all guitar player albums that's for sure.

 

[wixedmords]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

A few things strike me right off to bat.

My personal favorite VH, Fair Warning rated so high. I thought it was lesser known.

Secondly, knowing the forum, I am surprised ZZ Top was so low.

On a personal note, I thought 2112 would be on the list even though I did not vote for it.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Well, this was certainly interesting. I have to say, the one thing this list says to me, besides "Keith has way too much time on his hands and wants a marketing job" is that we have way too many old classic rock farts here!

I don't mean that in a bad way, it just really stuns me at the whole first page of Zepp, VH, Beatles, and Floyd. There is a lot of great music out there besides that (Not that I voted for any of it either!!!!)

Makes me think I need to expand my horizons a bit...There is very little 80's, and even less 90's in in there. I'd think the best albums would be fairly well distributed over the years.

I realize that we will obviously have a guitar bias - which I will say that my list didn't have. But really! Sad Wings of Destiny and Rising Force as "favorite" albums? I am just a little familiar with both of those platters. Only twisted metal/shred freaks would have selected them!!!!! DOn't get me wrong, I love them both - but man, I don't generally dig hearing "Far Beyond the SUn" in my car on the way to work or the store, or chilling out friday evening, or anytime really.

Great work Keith! Again, some fascinating stuff there, good and bad - on with the debate, as all such lists are intended to generate!

PS - Future math tip; Don't use a 1 unit weight count equal to the inversion (i.e.; top ten, number one gets 10 points, number two gets 9) Spread the score/weight a bit - #1 gets 20, #2 18, #3 16, #4 14 #5 10, ect....You'll get a better spread and less ties.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Great stuff, Keith ,,,, very informative! Thanks for your effort in putting this together.

The greatest surprise for me is that there is not one artist listed who is unknown to me. However, I am also amazed that ZZ Top's first album didn't rank in the top 100.

It was great to see Disraeli Gears on the list and if I'd thought of it sooner it would have bumped The Doors off mine.

 

[darnright]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Thanks Keith...looks like an amazing amount of hard work. I appreciate you doing this. This, I feel, represents the "true" musical standards......

-dave

 

[Aceman]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Thanks Keith...looks like an amazing amount of hard work.

Looks like an amazingly slow sex life for a Saturday night to me!

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

But really! Sad Wings of Destiny and Rising Force as "favorite" albums? I am just a little familiar with both of those platters. Only twisted metal/shred freaks would have selected them!!!!!

I like Sad Wings and voted for it and I am not a twisted metal/shred freak. haha. Sad Wings of Destiny in some parts of the album is hardly metal. It's more of a hard rock album.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Thanks for an awesome job awesomely done, Keith !

I simply cannot believe that Trout Mask Replica didn't make the number one spot. (is there something fishy about that ??)

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Good stuff Keith.

A very special thanks to you for your time investment.

Greatly appreciated.

Yeah, Thanks dude.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

If I understood the directions correctly my compatability score is 39.8%. Suddenly I'm feeling the love.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Well, this was certainly interesting. I have to say, the one thing this list says to me, besides "Keith has way too much time on his hands and wants a marketing job" is that we have way too many old classic rock farts here!

I don't mean that in a bad way, it just really stuns me at the whole first page of Zepp, VH, Beatles, and Floyd. There is a lot of great music out there besides that (Not that I voted for any of it either!!!!)

Makes me think I need to expand my horizons a bit...There is very little 80's, and even less 90's in in there. I'd think the best albums would be fairly well distributed over the years.

Classic Rock is a guitar heavy genre and I think the top 100 isn't very surprising.....we are guitar players after all.

If this was a horn player's forum....classic rock wouldn't even be represented.


Kudos to Keith for all the hard work!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Without Further Ado: SDUGF's Top 100 Albums

Excellent, excellent work!

I know what you're saying Aceman, but those classic rock/classic metal albums really shaped my current musical personality. I have 9 of my choices on the list, the only one not on there I knew wouldn't be. I had two albums (AEnima, Jar of Flies) form the 90's and one (Mogwai) from '00's. I'm very pleased to see how well Jar of Flies did too.

Again, great work Keith! (Time to see whaich albums I don't have that I need to get)