Ben Lapidus
January 25, 2026

Top 100 Albums, Re-Ranked By Me

I look forward to upsetting everyone with my high-quality, well-thought-out opinions on the "best" music of all time. This list is from the Rolling Stone 500, but re-ranked by me. Shout out to my friend Rachel for the inspiration to do this.

#100 — Music from Big Pink, The Band

Arbitrary Emoji Rating: 👴🏼👴🏼👴🏼

I knew "The Weight" but the rest of the album was new to me. It's giving "Dad Music." Would listen again. But probably won't.

#99 — Red, Taylor Swift

Arbitrary Emoji Rating: 🔴🔴

Sorry Swifties, but I'm not really a fan of hers. It took me 3 days to get through this album. I generally don't listen to words, but rather focus on instrumentation and rhythm. With that in mind, it's not for me.

#98 — Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams

Arbitrary Emoji Rating: 🌾🌾🌾

I continued listening to this one again after the first run-through. I didn't recognize any of these songs, but I bopped along to "Can't Let Go."

#97 — Master of Puppets, Metallica

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Was excited to listen to this one. Played Master of Puppets on the tuba in pep band. Very loud.

#96 — Automatic for the People, R.E.M.

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"Nightswimming" kind of reminds me of Bo Burnham. I recognized "Everybody Hurts" and that's about it. It was okay -- I think the surprising stand out was "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1"

#95 — Take Care, Drake

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Whoa now. First one that I liked. Not a great time to be a Drake fan

#94 — Fun House, The Stooges

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I'm genuinely irritated after listening to this. I have a liberal definition of music, but "L.A. Blues" is pushing the limits. If I wanted to hear people on drugs screaming, I could just go watch the Raiders lose with my dad. I stopped the album midway to make sure that this was the correct artist. I am fully doubting this list.

Ben here. After Fun House, it took me TWO MONTHS to get back to this list. I'm blaming this album for ruining this activity for me. // Ben, 4/11/2026

#93 — Supa Dupa Fly, Missy Elliott

Arbitrary Emoji Rating: 👑👑👑🔸

I dug this album. I'm biased because I read a little more about the history instead of just raw-listening, but I enjoyed this one. I'm giving it 3 crowns, but also a bonus shape. I feel like the songs were laden with a bunch of sounds, so this is my best way to represent that. Hip-hop, rap, nice vocals. May listen again.

#92 — Axis: Bold as Love, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

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Another fine album. Not really my thing, but I can appreciate the talent here. I think it's music to listen to live while under the influence of some substance(s). I don't think that sitting in the office coding while incredibly sober is the right vibe for listening to this album.

#91 — Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bruce Springsteen

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I wrote no notes on this album except just "edgy teen" so I guess that's it. I am nostolgic and awaiting a new Male Pop Star icon. With peace and love, Benson Boone or Jelly Roll or the other Men of 2026 just don't seem to have the notoriety or influence as stars from the 70s/80s/90s/00s.

#90 — After the Gold Rush, Neil Young

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#89 — Baduizm, Erykah Badu

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#88 — Hunky Dory, David Bowie

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#87 — Bitches Brew, Miles Davis

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#86 — The Doors, The Doors

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#85 — John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon

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#84 — Back in Black, AC/DC

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#83 — Dusty in Memphis, Dusty Springfield

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#82 — There's a Riot Goin' On, Sly and the Family Stone

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#81 — Beyoncé, Beyoncé

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#80 — Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, The Sex Pistols

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#79 — Blonde, Frank Ocean

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#78 — The Sun Sessions, Elvis Presley

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#77 — Who's Next, The Who

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#76 — Super Fly, Curtis Mayfield

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#75 — Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin

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#74 — The College Dropout, Kanye West

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#73 — Loveless, My Bloody Valentine

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#72 — Harvest, Neil Young

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#71 — Renaissance, Beyoncé

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#70 — Straight Outta Compton, N.W.A

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#69 — Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette

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#68 — Hounds of Love, Kate Bush

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#67 — Reasonable Doubt, JAY-Z

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#66 — A Love Supreme, John Coltrane

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#65 — Live at the Apollo, James Brown

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#64 — Stankonia, Outkast

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#63 — Aja, Steely Dan

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#62 — Appetite for Destruction, Guns N' Roses

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#61 — Paid in Full, Eric B. & Rakim

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#60 — Astral Weeks, Van Morrison

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#59 — Talking Book, Stevie Wonder

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#58 — Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin

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#57 — The Band, The Band

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#56 — Exile in Guyville, Liz Phair

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#55 — The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd

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#54 — Star Time, James Brown

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#53 — Electric Ladyland, Jimi Hendrix

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#52 — Station to Station, David Bowie

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#51 — The Great Twenty-Eight, Chuck Berry

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#50 — The Blueprint, Jay-Z

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#49 — Aquemini, Outkast

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#48 — Exodus, Bob Marley and the Wailers

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#47 — Ramones, Ramones

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#46 — Graceland, Paul Simon

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#45 — Sign o' the Times, Prince

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#44 — Illmatic, Nas

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#43 — The Low End Theory, A Tribe Called Quest

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#42 — OK Computer, Radiohead

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#41 — Let It Bleed, The Rolling Stones

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#40 — The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, David Bowie

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#39 — Remain in Light, Talking Heads

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#38 — Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan

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#37 — The Chronic, Dr. Dre

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#36 — Off the Wall, Michael Jackson

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#35 — Rubber Soul, The Beatles

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#34 — Innervisions, Stevie Wonder

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#33 — Back to Black, Amy Winehouse

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#32 — Lemonade, Beyoncé

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#31 — Kind of Blue, Miles Davis

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#30 — Are You Experienced, Jimi Hendrix

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#29 — The Beatles, The Beatles

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#28 — Voodoo, D'Angelo

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#27 — Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang Clan

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#26 — Horses, Patti Smith

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#25 — Tapestry, Carole King

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#24 — Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles

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#23 — The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground

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#22 — Ready to Die, The Notorious B.I.G.

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#21 — Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen

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#20 — Kid A, Radiohead

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#19 — To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar

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#18 — Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan

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#17 — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West

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#16 — London Calling, The Clash

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#15 — It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy

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#14 — Exile on Main St., The Rolling Stones

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#13 — I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha Franklin

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#12 — Thriller, Michael Jackson

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#11 — Revolver, The Beatles

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#10 — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill

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#9 — Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan

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#8 — Purple Rain, Prince and the Revolution

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#7 — Rumours, Fleetwood Mac

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#6 — Nevermind, Nirvana

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#5 — Abbey Road, The Beatles

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#4 — Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder

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#3 — Blue, Joni Mitchell

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#2 — Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys

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#1 — What's Going On, Marvin Gaye

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