These are the records that made me. The ones I’ve returned to again and again over the course of my life. The Top 100 Albums of All-Time. The ones that have soundtracked the various stages and seasons, the highs and lows. Each one represents my musical taste as it evolved from middle school to present day. I own every one of these in some physical form, (if it’s possible to be had) be it cd or vinyl, and I revisit them often. In fact, A conservative estimate would be I’ve heard a majority of these Top 100 Albums more than fifty times each with the Top 10 easily garnering more than 100 spins each.
You’ll notice pretty quickly a high volume of what has been marketed as Christian music, and the smaller percentage of mainstream that does make it falls more toward the end of the list. The reason for that is my music listening journey progressed from CCM (contemporary Christian music) toward other genres in late high school and college. I’m still catching up on the vast catalogue of iconic music out there, but I feel I have a handle on what I like and will always lean faith-based music because it’s what I’ve known longest, and still derive great encouragement from. So…without further bloviating , here it is…My Top 100 Favorite Albums of All-Time.
100. John Mark McMillan – Mercury & Lightning (2017)
99. John Van Deusen – I Am Origami: Marathon Daze (2022)
98. Daniela Andrade – Covers, Vol. 1 (2013)
97. Tobymac – Welcome to Diverse City (2004)
96. Jon Foreman – Departures (2021)
95. Falling Up – Midnight on Earthship (2013)
94. Phil Keaggy – Phil Keaggy and Sunday’s Child (1988)
93. The Cranberries – Everyone Else is Doing it Why Can’t We? (1993)
92. Falling Up – Your Sparkling Death Cometh (2011)
91. Michael W Smith – Change Your World (1992)
90. Chris Stapleton – Traveller (2015)
89. Anberlin – Cities (2007)
88. Ben Shive – Cymbal Crashing Clouds (2011)
87. The Beatles – A Hard Days Night (1964)
86. Death Cab For Cutie – Plans (2005)
85. Third Eye Blind – Self Titled (1997)
84. My Epic – Behold (2013)
83. The Kry – You (1994)
82. Amy Grant – Heart in Motion (1991)
81. Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
80. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow (2011)
79. Future of Forestry – Union (2019)
78. Starflyer 59 – Fashion Focus (1998)
77. Kevin Max – Stereotype Be (2001)
76. John Mayer – Continuum (2006)
75. The Gray Havens – She Waits (2018)
74. Lifehouse – No Name Face (2000)
73. House of Heroes – Cold Hard Want (2012)
72. Relient K – Air for Free (2016)
71. Jars of Clay – Good Monsters (2006)
70. Burlap to Cashmere – Anybody Out There? (1998)
69. Jon Gibson – Forever Friends (1992)
68. Electric Light Orchestra – Out of the Blue (1977)
67. O.C. Supertones – Supertones Strike Back (1997)
66. Steven Curtis Chapman – Signs of Life (1996)
65. Relient K – Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right…But Three Do (2003)
64. Blindside – Silence (2002)
63. Jars of Clay – Who We Are Instead (2003)
62. Needtobreathe – The Reckoning (2011)
61. PFR – Them (1996)
60. Andrew Belle – The Ladder (2010)
59. Thrice – Vheissu (2005)
58. Radiohead – Ok Computer (1997)
57. Rich Mullins – Jesus Record (1998)
56. Shane & Shane – Pages (2007)
55. Falling Up – Self Titled (2015)
54. Keith Green – For Him Who Has Ears (1977)
53. Sixpence None the Richer – Divine Discontent (2002)
52. Switchfoot – New Way to Be Human (1999)
51. Twenty One Pilots – Trench (2018)
50. Five Iron Frenzy – Our Newest Album Ever!
49. Mewithoutyou – Brother Sister (2006)
48. The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds (1966)
47. David Crowder Band – Church Music (2009)
46. Billy Joel – The Stranger (1977)
45. Switchfoot – Nothing is Sound (2005)
44. Sixpence None the Richer – This Beautiful Mess (1995)
43. Jars of Clay – Inland (2013)
42. PFR – Goldie’s Last Day (1993)
41. Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American (2001)
40. Andrew Peterson – Carried Along (2000)
39. Smalltown Poets – Self Titled (1997)
38. House of Heroes – Suburba (2010)
37. Attalus – Into the Sea (2015)
36. David Crowder Band – A Collision (2005)
35. Audio Adrenaline – Bloom (1996)
34. Brooke Fraser – Albertine (2006)
33. Downhere – Self Titled (2001)
32. Relient K – Forget and Not Slow Down (2009)
31. Caedmon’s Call – Self Titled (1997)
30. Andrew Peterson – Light for the Lost Boy (2012)
29. Coldplay – Viva La Vida Prospekt March Edition (2008)
28. Dctalk – Free at Last (1992)
27. Caedmon’s Call – Long Line of Leavers (2000)
26. Jars of Clay – Much Afraid (1997)
Top 25
25. Josh Garrels – Love, War, & the Sea In-between (2011)
24. MuteMath – Self Titled (2006)
23. Jon Gibson – Body & Soul (1989)
22. Needtobreathe – The Outsiders (2009)
21. Taylor Leonhardt – Hold Still (2021)
20. Jon Guerra – Keeper of Days (2020)
19. Mae – Everglow (2005)
18. PFR – Great Lengths (1994)
17. Newsboys – Take Me To Your Leader (1996)
16. House of Heroes – The End is Not the End (2008)
15. Susan Ashton – Wakened By the Wind (1991)
14. The Waiting – Blue Belly Sky (1995)
13. Rich Mullins – A Liturgy, A Legacy, A Ragamuffin Band (1992)
12. Various Artists – Glory Revealed (2007)
11. Dctalk – Jesus Freak (1995)
10. Allstar United – Self Titled (1997)
9. Coldplay – Parachutes (2000)
8. Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface (2015)
7. The Beatles – Abbey Road (1969)
6. Sixpence None the Richer – Self Titled (1997)
5. John Van Deusen – I Am Origami Pt. 2: Every Power Wide Awake (2017)
4. Relient K – MmHmm (2004)
3. Caedmon’s Call – 40 Acres (1999)
2. Switchfoot – The Beautiful Letdown (2003)
1. Jars of Clay – Self Titled (1995)
So how many albums do we share? Which ones are you unfamiliar with but your interest is piqued enough to give a shot? Let me know! And if you have a similar list, I’d love to see it, so please share!
Other lists you might enjoy: 100 Greatest Christian Songs of the 90s Full List, 100 Greatest Christian Albums of the 90s, The 90’s, Carpet Walls, & The Illusion of Nostalgia