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.

Honorable Mentions (Aka maybe one day):

The Gray Havens – Blue Flower (2021)

John Mark McMillan – Mercury & Lightning (2017)

Chris Renzema – Let the Ground Rest (2020)

Half*alive – Now, Not Yet (2019)

Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile to the Surface (2017)

100. Third Day – Time (1999)

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. Burlap to Cashmere – Anybody Out There? (1998)

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. Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American (2001)

90. Sandra McCracken – The Builder and the Architect (2006)

89. Anberlin – Cities (2007)

88. Ben Shive – Cymbal Crashing Clouds (2011)

87. The Beatles – A Hard Days Night (1964)

86. Young Oceans – Self-Titled (2012)

85. Third Eye Blind – Self Titled (1997)

84. My Epic – Behold (2013)

83. The Kry – You (1994)

82. Michael W. Smith – Go West Young Man (1990)

81. Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)

80. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow (2011)

79. Future of Forestry – Union (2019)

78. Falling Up – A House Full of Caverns (2015)

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. Audio Adrenaline – Underdog (1999)

69. Jon Gibson – Forever Friends (1992)

68. Andrew Peterson – Resurrection Letters, Vol. 1 (2018)

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. Jars of Clay – The Eleventh Hour (2002)

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)

Top 50 albums

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. Michael W Smith – Change Your World (1992)

45. Switchfoot – Nothing is Sound (2005)

44. Sixpence None the Richer – This Beautiful Mess (1995)

43. Falling Up – Self Titled (2015)

42. PFR – Goldie’s Last Day (1993)

41. Newsboys – Step Up to the Microphone (1998)

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

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