Welcome to the Acclaimed Music Forum Underrated Albums Poll, in which we will highlight those albums that are universally underrated. To make sure we really get a list of only totally underrated albums, we’ve come up with the following rules in this topic. The rules are slightly complicated, and will require some honesty on the part of the voter, but I hope that by comparing our personal rankings to the rankings on both AM and RYM we can get an accurate list. The possible rankings on AM/RYM as related to your personal rankings:

Personal rank / AM/RYM rank:
1-10 / Both worse than 250
11-50 / Both worse than 500
51-100 / Both worse than 750
101-200 / Both worse than 1,000
201-???? / Both worse than 1,500
However, the RYM criteria can be ignored when an album has fewer than 1,000 votes on RYM.

Remember that this poll is about finding the most underrated albums, which means that simply filtering your top 1000 albums for albums matching the criteria above might not be the most accurate course of action. Your #23 album which is outside of the top 3000 on both sites might be more underrated than your #9 album which is at #260 on AM and #280 on RYM, after all.

Due to the changing nature of the RYM list and a seeming inability to easily save a complete top 1,500, there could be some albums that are within a certain limit this week but outside of it in a month. There’s not really anything I can do about that, and I won’t be able to check every album for its ranking anyway. This fact, plus the fact that personal lists are just that, personal, means that I’ll have to take your word for your lists, but I don’t think that should be a problem.

EPs, bootlegs and albums from 2010 and 2011 are excluded from this vote for the obvious reasons that they’re either not eligible or not included in the AM list.

You can submit a list of between 10 and 100 albums, and because personal lists can form suggestions for others I think it’s best if everyone just posts their lists in this topic. You are of course free to change your list if you discover something new from one of the other lists. Because of this the poll will be open at least two months, and possibly even 3 if many people feel they need more time. For now I will set the deadline to June 30th.

Please use the following format for posting, using a simple first name last name format for the artist (i.e. no "Dylan, Bob" but "Bob Dylan"):
x. Artist - Album

I hope that covers everything, but if you are uncertain about something don't hesitate to ask.

Question: By personal rank, do you mean our rank of the album on our all-time list, or our rank of the album on our underrated list? For example, I might have Like a Prayer as my 7th favorite album overall, but it may not calculate to be among my top 10 most underrated albums (I'll use a formula for that). Its AM rank is 364, so can I include it as my 12th most underrated album, or something like that, since it ranks in my all-time top 10?

First of all, great poll, count me in, Stephan!

Here's a top 10 of my less obvious suggestions, also trying to avoid albums I already nominated for the moderately acclaimed game:

1. Cara Dillon - Sweet Liberty
2. Betty Davis - Nasty Gal
3. Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank
4. New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
5. Boudewijn de Groot - Voor de Overlevenden (Fantastic Dutch folk rock)
6. Marc Cohn - Marc Cohn (Such a simple album, but while everyone probably knows "Walking In Memphis" this album is filled with great tracks like that. He doesn't have anything else like it, and neither does anyone else)
7. Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares: Volume 1
8. Band of Horses - Cease To Begin
9. Jacques Brel - Ces Gens-Là
10. Chico Buarque - Construção

They might not be wasted, because even a single high vote could possibly carry an album into the top 50 given the nature of this game. However, 251-500 albums will probably not top this poll, which I think is fair because they are not truly the most underrated albums.

We have a winner already? Ces Gens-Là is in my top 10 for sure!

1. The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
2. The Smiths: Strangeways Here I Come
3. Teenage Fanclub: Grand Prix
4. Damien Rice: 0
5. Teenage Fanclub: Songs from Northern Britain
6. Glasvegas: Glasvegas
7. The Sisters of Mercy: First, Last and Always
8. Morrissey: You are the Quarry
9. Aztec Camera: High Land, Hard Rain
10. Belle and Sebastian: Tigermilk
11. Lemonheads: It's a Shame About Ray
12. Okkervil River: The Stage Names
13. Eels: Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
14. The Colourfield: Virgins and Phillistines
15. Eels: Beautiful Freak
16. The Housemartins: London 0 - Hull 4
17. Iron & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days

I had fun with this exercise! I came up with a formula for my list based on my personal rank, AM rank, RYM rank, RYM rating and number of RYM votes. In the end, I wanted to highlight albums that are both underrated and relatively unknown.

It also was interesting to see how my rankings compared to AM and RYM:

Correlation between my ranking and AM's rankings: 0.292
Correlation between my ranking and RYM's rankings: 0.269
Correlation between my rating and RYM's star ratings: 0.444
Correlation between AM's rankings and RYM's rankings for my albums: 0.711

I assigned AM's bubbling under albums a rank of 4000, and unlisted albums as 5000. I assigned albums unranked on RYM a rank of 6000.

Anyway, here's my list!

1. Prince - Lovesexy (1988) #2 all-time
2. Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989) #3
3. Eurythmics - 1984: For the Love of Big Brother (1984) #12
4. Kylie Minogue - Body Language (2003) #15
5. Prince - The Gold Experience (1995) #11
6. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983) #5
7. Eurythmics - Peace (1999) #37
8. Annie Lennox - Bare (2003) #30
9. Annie - Anniemal (2004) #10
10. Prince - Crystal Ball (1998) #39
11. Bagarre - Circus (1982) #128
12. Kano - New York Cake (1981) #159
13. George Winston - December (1982) #29
14. Dannii Minogue - Neon Nights (2003) #79
15. Janet Jackson - All for You (2001) #52
16. Annie Lennox - Diva (1992) #25
17. Eurythmics - Touch (1983) #16
18. Kylie Minogue - Impossible Princess (1997) #43
19. Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (2007) #46
20. Janet Jackson - The Velvet Rope (1997) #42
21. Mtume - Juicy Fruit (1983) #143
22. Annie - Don't Stop (2009) #59
23. Blondie - The Curse of Blondie (2003) #85
24. Prince - Symbol (1992) #22
25. Mtume - In Search of the Rainbow Seekers (1980) #201
26. Comateens - Comateens (1981) #129
27. Prince - Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999) #96
28. Kylie Minogue - Fever (2001) #19
29. The Cure - BloodFlowers (2000) #14
30. Indeep - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (1983) #341
31. Gap Band - IV (1982) #137
32. Prince - Controversy (1981) #28
33. Technotronic - Pump Up the Jam (1989) #122
34. Eurythmics - In the Garden (1981) #60
35. Salt 'n Pepa - Black's Magic (1990) #267
36. RES - How I Do (2001) #119
37. Roxette - Look Sharp! (1988) #62
38. Madonna - Like a Prayer (1989) #7
39. Roxette - Have a Nice Day (1999) #125
40. Aaliyah - One in a Million (1996) #91
41. Madonna - Madonna (1983) #18
42. Prince - One Nite Alone (2002) #147
43. Kim Wilde - Select (1982) #104
44. Kylie Minogue - Rhythm of Love (1990) #167
45. The Cure - Japanese Whispers (1983) #44
46. Debbie Harry - Koo Koo (1981) #166
47. The Time - The Time (1981) #135
48. Eurythmics - Savage (1987) #99
49. Prince - LotusFlow3r (2009) #233
50. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kaleidoscope (1980) #33
51. Madonna - Ray of Light (1998) #9
52. Blondie - The Hunter (1982) #183
53. Eurythmics - Revenge (1986) #101
54. Zapp - Zapp (1980) #165
55. Robert Gorl - Night Full of Tension (1984) #325
56. Kylie Minogue - Light Years (2000) #120
57. Prince - 3121 (2006) #89
58. M - New York-London-Paris-Munich (1979) #222
59. Kano - Kano (1980) #289
60. Blondie - Eat to the Beat (1979) #36
61. The Associates - The Affectionate Punch (1980) #98
62. Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O. (2006) #265
63. Kim Wilde - Kim Wilde (1981) #158
64. Eurythmics - We Too Are One (1989) #194
65. M - The Official Secrets Act (1980) #327
66. Grace Jones - Warm Leatherette (1980) #131
67. Berlin - Pleasure Victim (1982) #154
68. Kim Wilde - Catch As Catch Can (1983) #252
69. Prince - The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale (1999) #219
70. Patrice Rushen - Straight from the Heart (1982) #298
71. Zapp - Zapp III (1983) #368
72. Clor - Clor (2005) #182
73. Roger - The Many Facets of Roger (1981) #356
74. Zapp - Zapp II (1982) #299
75. Busta Rhymes - Genesis (2001) #208
76. Sheila E. - The Glamorous Life (1984) #249
77. Romeo Void - Benefactor (1982) #291
78. Madonna - Erotica (1992) #105
79. Mary Jane Girls - Mary Jane Girls (1983) #367
80. George Winston - The Music of Vince Guaraldi (1996) #293
81. Janet Jackson - Discipline (2008) #256
82. Debbie Harry - Necessary Evil (2007) #387
83. David Bowie - Earthling (1997) #88
84. Grace Jones - Living My Life (1982) #207
85. Donna Summer - She Works Hard for the Money (1983) #297
86. Gap Band - III (1980) #390
87. Siouxsie and the Banshees - A Kiss in the Dreamhouse (1982) #83
88. Kylie Minogue - Kylie Minogue (1994) #280
89. Sade - Lovers Rock (2000) #127
90. Prince - Come (1994) #212
91. Joan Jett - Bad Reputation (1980) #136
92. Prince - Batman (1989) #163
93. !!! - Myth Takes (2007) #92
94. Vive la Fête - Nuit Blanche (2003) #239
95. Vanity 6 - Vanity 6 (1982) #336
96. Salt 'n Pepa - Very Necessary (1993) #381
97. The Sugarcubes - Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! (1989) #213
98. Aaliyah - Aaliyah (2001) #106
99. Busta Rhymes - When Disaster Strikes (1997) #205
100. Tantra - Double Album (1980) #370

Moonbeam, I'd be very interested in your formula! I am working on something similar myself. What were the highest albums that didn't make the eligibility criteria?

These lists will more than anything we have ever posted show our personal tastes. I like that.

Now I'm going to need even more time to get my underrated list finished. Cool formula!

Moonbeam, will or did Prince and Eurythmics / Annie Lennox ever actually perform together in some form or fashion? Or will it be predestined to stay in your dreams?

Great formula, Moonbeam! I tweaked it a bit and came up with this top 50. These are just albums from my all-time top 300. I will add more obscure albums later and many of them will probably make the top 50 so this list is just to make other voters aware of what's truly underrated.

1. Julee Cruise - Floating Into the Night (1989) #8
2. Studio - West Coast (2006) #17
3. James & Karin - Djurens brevlåda (1976) #70
4. Sade - Love Deluxe (1992) #29
5. Stina Nordenstam - And She Closed Her Eyes (1994) #38
6. Thomas Newman - American Beauty (2000) #45
7. Jacques Brel - Ces gens-là (1965) #56
8. Anouar Brahem - Le Voyage de Sahar (2006) #91
9. Jan Johansson - Jazz på svenska (1964) #71
10. The Cardigans - Emmerdale (1994) #156
11. Scott Walker - Scott (1967) #40
12. Terry Callier - What Color Is Love (1973) #84
13. Hank Williams - Moanin' the Blues (1952) #119
14. bob hund - Omslag: Martin Kann (1996) #113
15. Jorge Ben - Samba Esquema Novo (1963) #54
16. Steely Dan - Aja (1977) #1
17. Saint Etienne - So Tough (1993) #105
18. Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982) #19
19. Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue (1958) #98
20. Kraftwerk - Computer World (1981) #4
21. Mary Margaret O'Hara - Miss America (1988) #66
22. Scott Walker - Scott 3 (1969) #33
23. Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame (1982) #233
24. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) #50 *** not eligible ***
25. Nina Simone - Wild Is the Wind (1966) #152
26. Nitin Sawhney - Beyond Skin (1999) #252
27. Bohren & der Club of Gore - Black Earth (2002) #100
28. Kraftwerk - Electric Café (1986) #241
29. Kings of Convenience - Quiet Is the New Loud (2001) #150
30. The Cure - The Top (1984) #240
31. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour / Nuevo Tango: Hora Zero (1986) #53
32. Low - I Could Live in Hope (1994) #51 *** not eligible ***
33. The Cure - Seventeen Seconds (1980) #9
34. Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today (1975) #177
35. Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward (1984) #103
36. The Blue Nile - Hats (1989) #52
37. Ennio Morricone - C'era una volta il West (1968) #94
38. Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966) #24
39. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983) #112
40. Sinéad O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (1990) #30 *** not eligible ***
41. Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank (1965) #124
42. Massive Attack - Protection (1994) #21
43. Pugh Rogefeldt - Ja dä ä dä (1969) #288
44. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye (2006) #77
45. Moby - Play (1999) #16 *** not eligible ***
46. Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell (1981) #228
47. Chris Isaak - Chris Isaak (1987) #226
48. Depeche Mode - Construction Time Again (1983) #254
49. The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland (1987) #102
50. Pet Shop Boys - Please (1986) #127

My formula: =LN(AM rank/(personal rank+3))+2.5*LN((personal 100-rating/(20*RYM rating))^3)-0.8*LN(MAX(#RYM ratings,300))

I left out the RYM rank term as I thought it was covered by the last two terms. This formula doesn't highlight the unknown records so much. If it idid, I would just end up with every Swedish album I've listened to.

Hi Henrik

Interesting formula... Is it easy to enter it into a spreadsheet ?

Tentative top 10:

1. Jacques Brel - Ces gens-là (1965)
2. Exuma - Exuma (1970)
3. Oscar Brown Jr. - Sin & Soul (1960)
4. Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue (1958)
5. Zélia Duncan - Eu me Transformo em Outras (2004)
6. Hank Williams - Moanin' the Blues (1952)
7. The Left Banke - Walk Away Renée / Pretty Ballerina (1967)
8. The Divine Comedy - A Short Album About Love (1997)
9. Ananda Shankar - Ananda Shankar and His Music (1975)
10. Junior Wells - Hoodoo Man Blues (1965)

Nicolas, I shouldn't take credit for this formula, I just adjusted it so that it suited me better. Here is your answer from Moonbeam from one of the posts above.

I personally used 3100 and 3200, but I also changed the formula around a little bit to make the list look better, heh.

Here's my current list of top 41:

1 The Verlaines - Bird Dog - 1987
2 The Chills - Kaleidoscope World - 1990
3 The Geraldine Fibbers - Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home - 1995
4 The Verlaines - Hallelujah All the Way Home - 1985
5 Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy - 2009
6 Lilys - The 3 Way - 1999
7 Built To Spill - You In Reverse - 2006
8 Belle and Sebastian - Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant - 2000
9 Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Pig Lib - 2003
10 The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request - 1967
11 Terry Riley - In C - 1968
12 Soul Asylum - Made To Be Broken - 1986
13 Chris Bell - I Am The Cosmos - 1992
14 Serge Gainsbourg - Anna - 1967
15 Superdrag - Head Trip In Every Key - 1998
16 Dr. Dog - We All Belong - 2007
17 Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder - 2007
18 The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City - 2007
19 Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Mountain - 2007
20 Acid Mothers Temple - The Day Before the Sky Fell In - 2006
21 My Morning Jacket - At Dawn - 2001
22 Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkmus - 2001
23 Bright Eyes - Cassadaga - 2007
24 The Germs - (GI) - 1979
25 David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World - 1970
26 Pavement - Terror Twilight - 1999
27 Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Yanqui U.X.O. - 2002
28 The Mekons - Mekons Rock 'n' Roll - 1989
29 Pavement - Brighten The Corners - 1997
30 The Velvet Undergound - VU - 1985
31 Pavement - Wowee Zowee - 1995
32 Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World - 2001
33 Supergrass - In It For The Money - 1997
34 Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk - 1996
35 Elliott Smith - From A Basement On The Hill - 2004
36 Ennio Morricone - A Fistful Of Dollars - Soundtrack - 1964
37 Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Blood and Chocolate - 1986
38 Bruce Springsteen - The Wild, The Innocent & the E-Street Shuffle - 1973
39 Ella Fitzgerald - Sings the Cole Porter Song Book - 1956
40 Ennio Morricone - C'era una volta il West - 1968
41 The Chills - Brave Words - 1987

Thanks!

Expect a lot of French/Francophone stuff in my list

Me again. I've got my list. I used Stephan's eligibility standards and used the Moonbeam/Henrik formula, giving an AM rank of 4000 for bubbling under albums and 5000 for non acclaimed.
As one could expect, lots of French stuff (Brassens and Brel) but I love those singers and they made a lot of great albums. I took out a few "minor" Brel and Brassens albums so others could feature.
Now maybe I'll summit another list by june if I discover new unacclaimed or under-acclaimed gems.



1 ) Jacques Brel | Olympia 1964 1964
2 ) The Divine Comedy | Promenade 1994
3 ) Georges Brassens | n° 7 (Les Funérailles d'antan) 1960
4 ) Doc & Merle Watson | Ballads from Deep Gap 1971
5 ) Georges Brassens | n°4 (Je me suis fait tout petit) 1956
6 ) Georges Brassens | n°1 (La Mauvaise réputation) 1953
7 ) Fabulous Trobadors | Duels de tchatche et autres trucs du folklore toulousain 2003
8 ) Dick Annegarn | Adieu Verdure 1999
9 ) Boris Vian | Chansons possibles et impossibles 1956
10 ) The Divine Comedy | Liberation 1993
11 ) Jacques Brel | Brel 1977
12 ) Toumani Diabaté | The Mandé Variations 2008
13 ) Robert Wyatt | Shleep 1997
14 ) Jacques Brel | Jacques Brel (Les Bourgeois) 1962
15 ) Rufus Wainwright | Rufus Wainwright 1998
16 ) Roy Orbison | A Black And White Night Live 1989
17 ) Georges Brassens | n°5 (Oncle Archibald) 1957
18 ) Rev. Gary Davis | Harlem Street Singer 1961
19 ) Chet Baker | Chet Baker Sings 1954
20 ) Alvin Youngblood Hart | Big Mama's Door 1996
21 ) J.J. Cale | Really 1973
22 ) Tony Joe White | Home Made Ice Cream 1973
23 ) Tim Buckley | Tim Buckley 1966
24 ) Georges Brassens | n°3 (Les Sabots d'Hélène) 1955
25 ) Various Artists | American Folk Blues Festival 1962 1962
26 ) Compay Segundo | Yo Vengo Aqui 1996
27 ) Steve Earle | The Mountain 1999
28 ) Henri Salvador | Dans mon île 1959
29 ) Eliades Ochoa | Sublime Illusion 1999
30 ) Bad Livers | Delusions of Banjer 1992
31 ) Philip Glass | Glassworks 1982
32 ) Dick Annegarn | Dick Annegarn (Sacré géranium) 1973
33 ) Ray Charles | What'd I Say 1959
34 ) Fredo Viola | The Turn 2009
35 ) Marie Knight & Larry Campbell | Let Us Get Together : A Tribute To Reverend Gary Davis 2007
36 ) Anthony Joseph & the Spasm Band | Bird Head Son 2009
37 ) Georges Brassens | n°2 (Le Vent) 1954
38 ) Roy Orbison | Mystery Girl 1989
39 ) Levon Helm | Electric Dirt 2009
40 ) Henri Salvador | Chambre avec vue 2000
41 ) Jacques Brel | Jef 1964
42 ) Drive-By Truckers | Brighter Than Creation's Dark 2008
43 ) Ron Sexsmith | Other Songs 1997
44 ) The Divine Comedy | Casanova 1996
45 ) Hank Williams | Moanin' The Blues 1952
46 ) Growling Tiger | Knock Down Calypsos 1979
47 ) Tom Waits | Blue Valentine 1978
48 ) Chuck Berry | Chuck Berry Is On Top 1959
49 ) Leadbelly | Negro Sinful Songs 1939
50 ) Various Artists / Alan Lomax | Sounds Of The South (Southern Folk Heritage) 1960
51 ) Matching Mole | Matching Mole 1972
52 ) Gavin Bryars | Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet 1993
53 ) Robert Wyatt | Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard 1975
54 ) Professor Longhair | Rock'n Roll Gumbo 1974
55 ) Ron Sexsmith | Exit Strategy For the Soul 2008
56 ) Roy Orbison | In Dreams 1963
57 ) Terry Callier | Occasional Rain 1972
58 ) Wilco | Sky Blue Sky 2007
59 ) Téléphone | Un autre monde 1984
60 ) Femi Kuti | Day By Day 2008
61 ) Richard Hawley | Lady's Bridge 2007
62 ) Serge Gainsbourg | Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg 1969
63 ) Jacques Brel | Ces gens-là 1965
64 ) Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté | In The Heart Of the Moon 2005
65 ) Hank Williams | Memorial Album 1953
66 ) Dominique A | Auguri 2001
67 ) Dick Annegarn | Soleil du soir 2008
68 ) Ry Cooder | Paris, Texas 1984
69 ) Willis Alan Ramsey | Willis Alan Ramsey 1972
70 ) The Coral | Magic and Medicine 2003
71 ) Gérard Manset | Y'a une route 1975
72 ) Hank Williams | Hank Williams Sings 1951
73 ) Josh Ritter | The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter 2007
74 ) Jacques Dutronc | Et moi, et moi, et moi 1966
75 ) Martin Stephenson & the Daintees | Boat to Bolivia 1986
76 ) Ron Sexsmith | Ron Sexsmith 1995
77 ) Linton Kwesi Johnson | Bass Culture 1980
78 ) Demon Fuzz | Afreaka! 1970
79 ) The Tallest Man On Earth | Shallow Grave 2008
80 ) The Flatlanders | Jimmy Dale and The Flatlanders (More A Legend Than A Band) 1972
81 ) John Prine | Sweet Revenge 1973
82 ) Steve Young | Seven Bridges Road 1972
83 ) The Jayhawks | Hollywood Town Hall 1992
84 ) Steve Earle | Transcendental Blues 2000
85 ) William Sheller | En Solitaire 1991
86 ) Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash With His Hot & Blue Guitar 1957
87 ) Townes Van Zandt | The Late Great Townes Van Zandt 1972
88 ) Bruce Springsteen | The Wild, The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle 1973
89 ) Lord Kitchener | King of Calypso 1954
90 ) Paul McCartney | McCartney 1970
91 ) Antony & The Johnsons | The Crying Light 2009
92 ) The Specials | More Specials 1980
93 ) A Tribe Called Quest | People's Instinctive Travels and The Paths of Rhythm 1990
94 ) Orchestra Baobab | Specialist In All Styles 2002
95 ) Supergrass | I Should Coco 1995
96 ) Beck | Mutations 1998
97 ) Raekwon | Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Part II 2009
98 ) Bert Jansch | Bert Jansch 1965
99 ) Tom Waits | Small Change 1976
100 ) Creedence Clearwater Revival | Bayou Country 1969

Don't forget about this one. If you feel it's too much trouble to check for eligibility simply submit a list of albums you think are underrated and I can check for eligibility. I would really appreciate it if you do it yourself though!

If you ask really nice I might even be convinced to apply one of the above formulas, but only for lists up to 25 items.

Wow i just noticed this. Will try to get a list to you in the next couple of days

1. Allman Brothers - Brothers and Sisters
2. Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority
3. Yes - Fragile
4. Todd Rundgren - Hermit of Mink Hollow
5. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivors
6. Tom Petty - Damn the Torpedoes
7. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication
8. Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
9. Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac
10. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
11. Billy Joel - The Stranger
12. James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
13. Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman
14. Allman Brothers - Eat a Peach
15. Pretenders - Learning to Crawl
16. Beatles - Let It Be
17. Eagles - Eagles
18. Who Quadrophenia
19. Pink Floyd Animals
20. Santana - Supernatural
21. Elton John - Honky Chateau
22. Jackson Browne - The Pretender
23. The Cars - The Cars
24. Police - Ghost in the Machine
25. English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
26. Blind Faith - Blind Faith
27. Blink 182 - Enema of State
28. Doobie Brothers - The Captain and Me
29. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
30. Genesis - Duke
31. Don Henley - The End of the Innocence
32. Joe Jackson - Look Sharp
33. Journey - Infinity
34. Elton John - Madman Across the Water
35. Sarah McLachlan - Surfacing
36. Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star
37. Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees
38. Simon & Garfunkel - Sounds of Silence
39. Joe Jackson - I'm the Man
40. Squeeze - East Side Story
41. Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat
42. Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
43. Yes - The Yes Album
44. Stevie Wonder - Music of My Mind
45. Steely Dan - Gaucho
46. Eagles - One of These Nights
47. Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel
48. Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
49. Linkin Park - Meteora
50. Style Council - Our Favourite Shop

Interesting list, Henry

Here are 34 albums, 50% from the 80's, for you:

1. The Triffids - Treeless Plain (1983)
2. Jason & The Scorchers - Lost & Found (1985)
3. The Triffids - Calenture (1987)
4. Johan - Pergola (2001)
5. The Fixx - Reach The Beach (1983)
6. The Sound - From The Lion's Mouth (1981)
7. The Rifles - No Love Lost (2006)
8. Josh Rouse - Nashville (2005)
9. 10,000 Maniacs - In My Tribe (1987)
10. Los Lobos - By The Light Of The Moon (1987)
11. Bettie Serveert - Palomine (1992)
12. Lucinda Williams - Essence (2001)
13. Midnight Oil - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1982)
14. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog (2007)
15. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues (1998)
16. The Fixx - Shuttered Room (1981)
17. Freedy Johnston - The Trouble Tree (1990)
18. The Be Good Tanyas - Blue Horse (2000)
19. Marti Jones - Unsophisticated Time (1985)
20. The Serenes - Barefoot and Pregnant (1990)
21. Julie Miller - Broken Things (1999)
22. Clem Snide - Your Favorite Music (2000)
23. Fine Young Cannibals - Fine Young Cannibals (1985)
24. New Model Army - The Ghost Of Cain (1986)
25. Magnapop - Magnapop (1992)
26. Luka Bloom - Riverside (1990)
27. Cocteau Twins - Garlands (1982)
28. Los Lobos - La Pistola Y El Corazon (1988)
29. Dead Can Dance - Dead Can Dance (1984)
30. K's Choice - Paradise In Me (1995)
31. China Crisis - Working With Fire And Steel (1983)
32. The Blue Aeroplanes - Swagger (1990)
33. Masters Of Reality - Masters Of Reality (1988)
34. Ibrahim Ferrer - Buena Vista Social CLub Presents Ibrahim Ferrer (1999)

1. Tim Buckley - Starsailor (#4 AT)
2. Pere Ubu - Dub Housing (#35 AT)
3. Mike and Lal Waterson - Bright Phoebus (#134)
4. White Denim - Fits (#64 AT)
5. This Heat - Deceit (#104)
6. Tom Waits - Real Gone (#102)
7. Laura Nyro - New York Tendaberry*
8. Marquis de Sade - Rue De Siam*
9. BLK JKS - After Robots (#139)
10. Miossec - Boire (#142)
11. Neil Young - Time Fades Away (#160)
12. Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch (#175)
13. Tangerine Dream - Phaedra (#152) (Okay, so it's #982 on AM, technically it's supposed to be >1000, but I think it's an exception because nobody seems to have heard it.)
14. Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick (#164)
15. Bridgitte Fontaine - Comme a la Radio (#166)
16. Joanna Newsom - The Milk Eyed Mender (#144)
17. Tangerine Dream - Rubycon (#165)
18. Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle (#174)
19. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (#109)
20. Lucinda Williams - Sweet Old World
21. Rodrigo & Gabriela - 11:11 (#176)
22. Tim Buckley - Tim Buckley (#199)
23. Laika - Sounds of the Satellites
24. Brygada Kryzys - Brygada Kryzys
25. Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
26. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex Girlfriend
27. Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85
28. Romona Falls - Intuit
29. Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue
30. Midnight Oil - 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
31. Tim Buckley - Lorca
32. XTC - Oranges And Lemons
33. Fennesz - Black Sea
34. Tim Buckley - Blue Afternoon
35. Boredoms - Super AE
36. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Flight
37. Bruce Peninsula - A Mountain Is A Mouth
38. Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
39. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
40. Nico - Chelsea Girl
41. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
42. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
43. The Bellrays - Hard, Sweet and Sticky
44. Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
45. Tim Buckley - Lorca
46. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
47. Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor
48. Betty Davis - They Say I'm Different
49. St Etienne - So Tough
50. dEUS - The Ideal Crash
50**) Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna

*Treat this album like it's top 100. It just hasn't been added to my program yet.
**Make this my #50 if you decide not to count Phaedra.

I'm not seeing a lot of repeat nominations so far here. Hopefully we get a lot more ballots, or else we're going to have a whole lot of ties.

great lists, great thread :)

1.Robert Hood-Minimal Nation (1994)
2.Uncle Tupelo-March 16-20,1992 (1992)
3.The Thorns-The Thorns (2003)
4.Rockers Hi-Fi-DJ Kicks: The Black Album (1997)
5.The United States of America-The United States of America (1968)
6.Weezer-Pinkerton (1996)
7.Ada-Blondie (2004)
8.Nightmares on Wax-Car Boot Soul (1999)
9.Jewel-Spirit (1999)
10.Miles Davis-On the Corner (1972)
11.Scritti Politti-Anomie & Bonhomie (1999)
12.The Slits-Cut (1979)
13.Angie Stone-Mahagony Soul (2001)
14.Anna Maria Jopek & Pat Metheny-Upojenie (2002)
15.The magic Numbers-Those the Brokes (2006)
16.Joan as Police Woman-To survive (2008)
17.Black Box Recorder-England made me (1998)
18.Frank Zappa-200 Motels (1971)
19.Lori Carson-Everything I touch runs wild (1996)
20.Fleur Earth Experiment-Soul des Cabots (2009)
21.Common-Electric Circus (2003)
22.Slum Village-Trinity (2002)
23.Carl Craig-Landcruising (1995)
24.Niagara-Niagara (1971)
25.Thievery Corporation-DJ Kicks (1999)
26.Swell-41 (1994)
27.Dexys Midnight Runners-Searching for the young Soul Rebels (1980)
28.Bohren & der Club of Gore-Gore Motel (1995)
29.L.U.C.-38/89 Zrozumiec Polskie (2009)
30.Lampchop-Thriller (1997)
31.Abolute Beginner-Bambule (1998)
32.R.E.M.-New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
33.Cannonball Adderley-Somethin' Else (1958)
34.Karen O and the Kids-Where the Wild Things are (2009)
35.Blu & Exile-Below the Heavens (2007)
36.De La Soul-Buhlone Mindstate (1993)
37.Terrorvision-Regular Urban Survivors (1996)
38.Bob Marley & the Wailers-Soul Rebels (1970)
39.Granfaloon Bus-Sleeping Car [Schlafwagen] (1997)
40.K-Os-Atlantis - Hyms for Disco (2007)
41.Flowerpornoes-…red nicht von Straßen, nicht von Zügen (1994)
42.Bran Van 3000-Discosis (2001)
43.Ween-12 Golden Country Greats (1996)
44.Mark Hollis-Mark Hollis (1998)
45.David Bowie-Heathen (2002)
46.Ceslaw Niemen-Enigmatic (1969)
47.Fugazi-Red Medicine (1995)
48.Plaid-Not for Threes (1997)
49.Deltron 3030-Deltron 3030 (2000)
50.Peter Gabriel-US (1992)
51.God help the Girl-God help the Girl (2009)
52.Adventures in Stereo-Adventures in Stereo (1996)
53.Me'Shell Ndegeocello-Plantation Lullabies (1993)
54.Can-Sacrilege (1997)
55.Jack-Pioneer Soundtracks (1996)
56.Rahsaan Patterson-Rahsaan Patterson (1997)
57.Patrice-How do you call it? (2002)
58.James Brown-There it is - U.S.A. (1972)
59.The Postmarks-Memoirs at the End of the World (2009)
60.Girls-Album (2009)
61.The Herbaliser-Blow your Headphones (1997)
62.Prefab Sprout-Andromeda Heights (1997)
63.Nearly God-Nearly God (1996)
64.Krazy Baldhead-The B-Suite (2009)
65.The Minus 5-Down with Wilco (2003)
66.The Abyssinans-Satta Massagana (1976)
67.Pornorama-Bon Voyage (2002)
68.Dubstar-Disgraceful (1996)
69.Anthrax-Stomp 441 (1995)
70.Michael Franks-Abandoned Garden (1995)
71.A Girl called Eddy-A Girl called Eddy (2004)
72.Dhafer Youssef-Electric Sufi (2001)
73.J-Live-All of the Above (2002)
74.Propellerheads-Deckanddrumsandrockandroll (1998)
75.Mugison-Mugiboogie (2008)
76.Cassius-1999 (1999)
77.Miss Platnum-Chefa (2007)
78.Neil Young-Dead Man (1996)
79.Supergrass-In it for the Money (1997)
80.Low-The Curtain hits the Cast (1996)

The good thing about this game is everyone has totally different lists.

...The bad thing about this game is everyone has totally different lists, and it looks like everybody's first place pick is currently tied for first place.

I've added more albums to my former list and also reshuffled them in order to better rank according to how underrated they are (AM rank+RYM rank/my rank).

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/dr_Robert/17_under_acclaimed_albums

Other observations:
Calenture is #32 (and #3 on Andre's list)
The Stage Names is #8 (and #39 on BillAdama's list)
Album (by Girls) is #34 (and #60 on schaefer.tk's)

OK, here is my final list (my all-time top 200 position at the end of the rows):

1. Julee Cruise - Floating Into the Night (1989) #7
2. Studio - West Coast (2006) #18
3. James & Karin - Djurens brevlåda (1976) #68
4. Stina Nordenstam - And She Closed Her Eyes (1994) #39
5. Sade - Love Deluxe (1992) #32
6. Thomas Newman - American Beauty (2000) #43
7. Jacques Brel - Ces gens-là (1965) #63
8. Anouar Brahem - Le Voyage de Sahar (2006) #88
9. Jan Johansson - Jazz på svenska (1964) #67
10. Scott Walker - Scott (1967) #37
11. The Cardigans - Emmerdale (1994) #152
12. Terry Callier - What Color Is Love (1973) #80
13. bob hund - Omslag: Martin Kann (1996) #112
14. Hank Williams - Moanin' the Blues (1952) #129
15. Jorge Ben - Samba Esquema Novo (1963) #52
16. Steely Dan - Aja (1977) #1
17. Saint Etienne - So Tough (1993) #108
18. Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982) #19
19. Nina Simone - Wild Is the Wind (1966) #119
20. Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue (1958) #101
21. Kraftwerk - Computer World (1981) #4
22. Mary Margaret O'Hara - Miss America (1988) #66
23. Scott Walker - Scott 3 (1969) #33
24. Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame (1982)
25. Bohren & der Club of Gore - Black Earth (2002) #94
26. Kings of Convenience - Quiet Is the New Loud (2001) #137
27. Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour / Nuevo Tango: Hora Zero (1986) #49
28. Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today (1975) #161
29. The Cure - Seventeen Seconds (1980) #9
30. Ennio Morricone - C'era una volta il West (1968) #92
31. The Blue Nile - Hats (1989) #51
32. Cornelis Vreeswijk - Tio vackra visor och personliga Person (1968) #184
33. Kraftwerk - Electric Café (1986)
34. Nitin Sawhney - Beyond Skin (1999)
35. The Cure - The Top (1984)
36. Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward (1984) #117
37. A-ha - Hunting High and Low (1985) #199
38. Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank (1965) #124
39. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983) #128
40. Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966) #28
41. Ebba Forsberg - Ebba Forsberg (2006)
42. Rokia Traoré - Tchamantché (2008)
43. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye (2006) #76
44. Massive Attack - Protection (1994) #23
45. Chris Isaak - Chris Isaak (1987)
46. Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell (1981)
47. The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland (1987) #104
48. Les Baxter - Le sacre du sauvage (1951)
49. Pet Shop Boys - Please (1986) #136
50. Depeche Mode - Construction Time Again (1983)
51. Bryan Ferry - Boys and Girls (1985)
52. Pugh Rogefeldt - Ja dä ä dä (1969)
53. Eric Gadd - On Display (1993)
54. Judas Priest - Rocka Rolla (1974)
55. Pet Shop Boys - Introspective (1988) #171
56. Ennio Morricone - Per un pugno di dollari (1964)
57. Fat Freddy's Drop - Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW (2009)
58. The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
59. Ojos de Brujo - Techarí (2006)
60. Fleetwood Mac - Tusk (1979) #145
61. Francoise Hardy - Tous les garçons et les filles (1962)
62. Bill Conti - Rocky (1976)
63. The Cure - Faith (1981) #105
64. Low - Long Division (1995)
65. Rhythm & Sound - W/ the Artists (2003)
66. Paul Simon - The Paul Simon Songbook (1965)
67. Looptroop - Modern Day City Symphony (2000)
68. Minnie Riperton - Come to My Garden (1970)
69. Lucio Battisti - Anima latina (1974)
70. The Cure - The Head on the Door (1985) #41
71. Neil Young - Harvest Moon (1992) #147
72. Lisa Ekdahl - Lisa Ekdahl (1994)
73. Bill Evans - Conversations with Myself (1963)
74. Jane Birkin et Serge Gainsbourg - Jane Birkin et Serge Gainsbourg (1969)
75. Kraftwerk - Radio-Activity (1975)
76. Violeta Parra - Las últimas composiciones de Violeta Parra (1966)
77. This Mortal Coil - It'll End in Tears (1984) #180
78. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987) #151
79. Carbon Based Lifeforms - Hydroponic Garden (2003)
80. The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always (1985) #197
81. Röyksopp - Melody A.M. (2001) #157
82. Dadawah - Peace and Love (1974)
83. Nina Simone - Pastel Blues (1965)
84. Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces of a Man (1971)
85. Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings (1954)
86. The Temptations - All Directions (1972)
87. Bob Marley - Rastaman Vibration (1976)
88. Everything But the Girl - Walking Wounded (1996)
89. Baden Powell & Vinícius de Moraes - Os Afro-Sambas de Baden e Vinícius (1966)
90. Mazzy Star - She Hangs Brightly (1990)
91. Air - 10 000 Hz Legend (2001)
92. Nat 'King' Cole - Love Is the Thing (1957)
93. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Now I Got Worry (1996)
94. Bill Withers - Still Bill (1972)
95. The Knife - Deep Cuts (2003)
96. Sufjan Stevens - Michigan (2003) #165
97. Fairport Convention - What We Did on Our Holidays (1969)
98. Philip Glass - Glassworks (1982)
99. Brian Eno - Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks (1983)
100. J.J. Cale - Naturally (1971)

Anyone still working on a list or considering making one? Like I mentioned, the deadline is not set in stone, and I would love to see a few more lists. If Dan M finishes his list we'll have 11, and I know we have more posters with extensive lists including many underrated albums. nj? sonfosamiam? Mindrocker? Paul? Michel? Midaso? Charlie Driggs? Miguel?

A good selection, henrik!


I'm very sorry Stephan, but I'm going to skip this poll. Due to shortage of time, but also because in the last few years I've posted dozens of long, long lists on this forum. At least half of the titles on them is little known/unacclaimed music. For the interested, you can still find those lists in the History Of AM Polls archive.

Stephan, just tell me when you want to close the poll, because I'll post my updated list then

1. Jacques Brel: Ne me quite pass (1972)
2. Neil Young: Neil Young (1969)
3. Joe Jackson: Jumpin´ Jive (1981)
4. Simon & Garfunkel: Wednesdey Morning 3. A.M. (1964)
5. Various Artists: Red, Hot & Blue. A Tribute to Cole Porter (1990)
6. Yes: 90125 (1983)
7. Joni Mitchell: Clouds (1969)
8. Liz Phair: Whitechocolatespaceegg (1998)
9. The Beach Boys: The Beach Boys (1985)
10. Leonard Cohen: Various Positions (1984)
11. Mojave 3: Out of Tune (1998)
12. Acid House Kings: Sing Along With the Acid House Kings (2005)
13. The High Llamas: Hawaii (1996)
14. Ivy: Realistic (1995)
15. Mojave 3: Puzzles Like You (2006)
16. Wes Montgomery: California Dreaming (1966)
17. Joe Jackson: Blaze of Glory (1989)
18. The Beach Boys: Friends (1968)
19. Van Morrison: A Period of Transition (1977)
20. The Kinks: To the Bone (1996)
21. The Beach Boys: M.I.U. Album (1978)
22. Van Morrison : Too Long in Exile (1993)
23. Mojave 3: Spoon and Rafter (2003)
24. Aimee Mann: @#%&*! Smilers (2008)
25. David Byrne: Rei Momo (1989)
26. The Beach Boys: Surfer Girl (1963)
27. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci: Gorky 5 (1998)
28. Red House Painters: Real Ramon (2001)
29. Townes Van Zandt: Delta Momma Blues (1971)
30. Super Furry Animals: Love Kraft (2005)
31. Talking Heads: Naked (1988)
32. Franco Battiato: Fisiognomica (1988)
33. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci: How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Head (2001)
34. Paolo Conte: Una faccia in prestito (1995)
35. Coralie Clement: Bye, bye, beauté (2005)
36. Neil Halstead: Oh!, Mighty Engine (2008)
37. Marah: Angels of Destruction (2008)
38. Jacques Brel: Marieke (1961)
39. The High Llamas: Can Cladders (2007)
40. Red House Painters: Songs for a Blue Guitar (1996)
41. Booker T.: Potato Hole (2009)
42. Red House Painters: Ocean Beach (1995)
43. Oscar Peterson: Oscar Peterson Plays the Cole Porter Songbook (1959)
44. Chris Isaak: San Francisco Days (1993)
45. The Organ: Grab that Gun (2004)
46. Ry Cooder: Boomer´s Story (1972)
47. The Simpsons : The Simpsons Sing the Blues (1990)
48. Sodastream: The Hill for the Company (2001)
49. Van Morrison: Days Like This (1995)
50. Sam & Dave: I Thank You (1968)
51. The Monkees: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (1967)
52. Sam Cooke: Ain't That Good News (1964)
53. Neil Diamond: Just For You (1967)
54. The Beach Boys: 20/20 (1969)
55. Benjamin Biolay: Négatif (2003)
56. Joe Jackson: Rain (2008)
57. The Hidden Cameras: Awoo (2006)
58. The Barracudas: Drop Out with the Barracudas (1981)
59. Madness: Wonderful (1999)
60. Leonard Cohen: Recent Songs (1979)

aaahhh
Encore Jacques Brel but each time with a different album...
which means that all his albums are good (except maybe the first ones)
At least Grand Jacques deserves the Underrated artist Award

I’m only listing the 16 albums in my overall top 200 that meet the criteria for this poll. These are the only ones I can comfortably call truly underrated IMsillyO at the moment...

1. Jacques Brel - Ces gens-là (1965)
2. Exuma - Exuma (1970)
3. Jacques Brel - Ne me quitte pas (1972)
4. Oscar Brown Jr. - Sin & Soul (1960)
5. The Bonzo Dog Band - The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse (1968)
6. Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue (1958)
7. Nina Simone - Wild Is the Wind (1966)
8. Zélia Duncan - Eu me Transformo em Outras (2004)
9. The Neon Philharmonic - The Moth Confesses (1969)
10. Hank Williams - Moanin' the Blues (1952)
11. The Beau Brummels - Triangle (1967)
12. The Left Banke - Walk Away Renée / Pretty Ballerina (1967)
13. The Divine Comedy - A Short Album About Love (1997)
14. a-ha – Hunting High and Low (1985)
15. Ananda Shankar - Ananda Shankar and His Music (1975)
16. Junior Wells - Hoodoo Man Blues (1965)

Wow Dan, from your sweet 16 I've got no less than 5 in my list! I'll definitely check out the ones I haven't heard.

I'm gonna start collating (which will take some time), so nicolas please post your final list and if anyone still feels like posting theirs: you're welcome to do so until I officially close the voting (which will be when I'm done collating).

ok, just the time to re-calculate and I send it to you

I was planning to update my all-time albums list (and expand it to 200, it's currently a Top 100) for the Jackson poll on mid-September, so I will post the Top 20 that fit the criteria from my "old" all-time list.
I mean:

1. ELVIS COSTELLO “King of America” (1986).
2. SIMON & GARFUNKEL “Bookends” (1968).
3. MAGNETIC FIELDS “69 Love Songs” (1999).
4. CAMARÓN “La leyenda del tiempo” (1979).
5. AZTEC CAMERA “High Land Hard Rain” (1983).
6. JAPAN “Tin Drum” (1981).
7. TODD RUNDGREN “Something/Anything?” (1972).
8. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN “The River” (1980).
9. FRANK SINATRA “In the Wee Small Hours” (1955).
10. JOHN CALE “Paris 1919” (1973).
11. BOB DYLAN “The Times They Are A-Changin’” (1964).
12. JACQUES BREL “Olympia 64” (1964).
13. THE CURE “The Head on the Door” (1985)
14. DONOVAN “Sunshine Superman” (1966).
15. VINICIUS DE MORAES “Grabado en Buenos Aires con Maria Creuza y Toquinho” (1970).
16. GORAN BREGOVIC “Music Inspired and Taken from Underground” (1995).
17. PATA NEGRA “Blues de la frontera” (1988).
18. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS “Rings Around the World” (2001).
19. STEVIE WONDER “Music of My Mind” (1972).
20. WILLIE COLON & RUBEN BLADES “Siembra” (1978).

1 . Jacques Brel | Olympia 1964 | 1964
2 . The Divine Comedy | Promenade | 1994
3 . Georges Brassens | n° 7 (Les Funérailles d'antan) | 1960
4 . Georges Brassens | n°4 (Je me suis fait tout petit) | 1956
5 . Georges Brassens | n°1 (La Mauvaise réputation) | 1953
6 . Doc & Merle Watson | Ballads from Deep Gap | 1971
7 . Fabulous Trobadors | Duels de tchatche et autres trucs du folklore toulousain | 2003
8 . Dick Annegarn | Adieu Verdure | 1999
9 . Boris Vian | Chansons possibles et impossibles | 1956
10 . The Divine Comedy | Liberation | 1993
11 . Jacques Brel | Brel | 1977
12 . Toumani Diabaté | The Mandé Variations | 2008
13 . Rufus Wainwright | Rufus Wainwright | 1998
14 . Roy Orbison | A Black And White Night Live | 1989
15 . Robert Wyatt | Shleep | 1997
16 . Jacques Brel | Jacques Brel (Les Bourgeois) | 1962
17 . Georges Brassens | n°5 (Oncle Archibald) | 1957
18 . Rev. Gary Davis | Harlem Street Singer | 1961
19 . Chet Baker | Chet Baker Sings | 1954
20 . J.J. Cale | Really | 1973
21 . Alvin Youngblood Hart | Big Mama's Door | 1996
22 . Georges Brassens | n°3 (Les Sabots d'Hélène) | 1955
23 . Tony Joe White | Home Made Ice Cream | 1973
24 . Tim Buckley | Tim Buckley | 1966
25 . Various Artists | American Folk Blues Festival 1962 | 1962
26 . Steve Earle | The Mountain | 1999
27 . Henri Salvador | Dans mon île | 1959
28 . Compay Segundo | Yo Vengo Aqui | 1996
29 . Eliades Ochoa | Sublime Illusion | 1999
30 . Ray Charles | What'd I Say | 1959
31 . Philip Glass | Glassworks | 1982
32 . Bad Livers | Delusions of Banjer | 1992
33 . Dick Annegarn | Dick Annegarn (Sacré géranium) | 1973
34 . Marie Knight & Larry Campbell | Let Us Get Together : A Tribute To Reverend Gary Davis | 2007
35 . Anthony Joseph & the Spasm Band | Bird Head Son | 2009
36 . Georges Brassens | n°2 (Le Vent) | 1954
37 . Fredo Viola | The Turn | 2009
38 . Jacques Brel | Jef | 1964
39 . Roy Orbison | Mystery Girl | 1989
40 . Levon Helm | Electric Dirt | 2009
41 . The Divine Comedy | Casanova | 1996
42 . Drive-By Truckers | Brighter Than Creation's Dark | 2008
43 . Henri Salvador | Chambre avec vue | 2000
44 . Hank Williams | Moanin' The Blues | 1952
45 . Ron Sexsmith | Other Songs | 1997
46 . Growling Tiger | Knock Down Calypsos | 1979
47 . Various Artists / Alan Lomax | Sounds Of The South (Southern Folk Heritage) | 1960
48 . Tom Waits | Blue Valentine | 1978
49 . Chuck Berry | Chuck Berry Is On Top | 1959
50 . Leadbelly | Negro Sinful Songs | 1939
51 . Matching Mole | Matching Mole | 1972
52 . Ron Sexsmith | Exit Strategy Of the Soul | 2008
53 . Gavin Bryars | Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet | 1993
54 . Robert Wyatt | Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard | 1975
55 . Professor Longhair | Rock'n Roll Gumbo | 1974
56 . Terry Callier | Occasional Rain | 1972
57 . Roy Orbison | In Dreams | 1963
58 . Wilco | Sky Blue Sky | 2007
59 . Femi Kuti | Day By Day | 2008
60 . Richard Hawley | Lady's Bridge | 2007
61 . Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg | Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg | 1969
62 . The Coral | Magic and Medicine | 2003
63 . Jacques Brel | Ces gens-là | 1965
64 . Old Crow Medicine Show | O.C.M.S. | 2004
65 . Téléphone | Un autre monde | 1984
66 . Dick Annegarn | Soleil du soir | 2008
67 . Hank Williams | Memorial Album | 1953
68 . Dominique A | Auguri | 2001
69 . Ry Cooder | Paris, Texas | 1984
70 . Willis Alan Ramsey | Willis Alan Ramsey | 1972
71 . Hank Williams | Hank Williams Sings | 1951
72 . Gérard Manset | Y'a une route | 1975
73 . Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté | In The Heart Of the Moon | 2005
74 . Jacques Dutronc | Et moi, et moi, et moi | 1966
75 . Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings | Naturally | 2005
76 . Josh Ritter | The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter | 2007
77 . Martin Stephenson & the Daintees | Boat to Bolivia | 1986
78 . Ron Sexsmith | Ron Sexsmith | 1995
79 . Demon Fuzz | Afreaka! | 1970
80 . Linton Kwesi Johnson | Bass Culture | 1980
81 . The Tallest Man On Earth | Shallow Grave | 2008
82 . The Flatlanders | Jimmy Dale and The Flatlanders (More A Legend Than A Band) | 1972
83 . John Prine | Sweet Revenge | 1973
84 . Steve Young | Seven Bridges Road | 1972
85 . The Jayhawks | Hollywood Town Hall | 1992
86 . Steve Earle | Transcendental Blues | 2000
87 . Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash With His Hot & Blue Guitar | 1957
88 . William Sheller | En Solitaire | 1991
89 . Townes Van Zandt | The Late Great Townes Van Zandt | 1972
90 . Bruce Springsteen | The Wild, The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle | 1973
91 . A Tribe Called Quest | People's Instinctive Travels and The Paths of Rhythm | 1990
92 . Antony & The Johnsons | The Crying Light | 2009
93 . Paul McCartney | McCartney | 1970
94 . The Specials | More Specials | 1980
95 . Lord Kitchener | King of Calypso | 1954
96 . Orchestra Baobab | Specialist In All Styles | 2002
97 . Black Keys | Thickfreakness | 2003
98 . Supergrass | I Should Coco | 1995
99 . Richard Hawley | Coles Corner | 2005
100 . Beck | Mutations | 1998

dr_robert, would you be so kind as to post your full top 40 (as available on RYM) on here in a format I can work with? Thanks!

My personal list:

1. Marc Cohn - Marc Cohn
2. The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky
3. New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
4. Cara Dillon - Sweet Liberty
5. Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequence
6. Kim Carnes - Mistaken Identity
7. K's Choice - Almost Happy
8. Betty Davis - Nasty Gal
9. The Tallest Man On Earth - Shallow Grave
10. Cara Dillon - Cara Dillon
11. Boudewijn de Groot - Voor de Overlevenden
12. James Carr - A Man Needs A Woman
13. Jacques Brel - Ces Gens-Là
14. Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank
15. Betty Davis - They Say I'm Different
16. Men At Work - Business As Usual
17. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
18. Oscar Brown Jr. - Sin & Soul ...And Then Some
19. Guy Clark - Old No. 1
20. Pearls Before Swine - The Use Of Ashes
21. Townes van Zandt - Live at The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
22. Georges Brassens - Vol. 4 - Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit
23. Exuma - Exuma
24. Georges Brassens - Chante Les Chansons Poétiques (…Et Souvent Gaillardes)
25. The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn Of A Friendly Card
26. Michelle Shocked - Short Sharp Shocked
27. Alphaville - Forever Young
28. Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus
29. Enya - Watermark
30. Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares: Volume 1
31. Jacques Brel - Olympia 64
32. Eddie Hinton - Very Extremely Dangerous
33. Leon Russell - Leon Russell
34. Band of Horses - Cease To Begin
35. Betty Davis - Betty Davis
36. Buffy Sainte-Marie - It's My Way!
37. Fela Kuti - Roforofo Fight
38. Dan Penn - Nobody's Fool
39. Eels - Blinking Lights And Other Revelations
40. Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
41. Suzanne Vega - Solitude Standing
42. James Carr - You Got My Mind Messed Up
43. Chuck Berry - Chuck Berry Is On Top
44. Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
45. Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around
46. Gene Clark - No Other
47. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon A Time In America
48. The Antlers - Hospice
49. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
50. The National - Boxer
51. Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade
52. Serge Gainsbourg - Initials B.B.
53. The Millennium - Begin
54. Chico Buarque - Construção
55. Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue
56. Jorge Ben - África Brasil
57. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon A Time In The West

BillAdama, you've listed Tim Buckley's Lorca twice, which one is correct?

Having some difficulties deciding on the scoring method. The formula doesn't seem to make a terribly big impact, but the number I'm using for albums that didn't make a list does. When I go for the standard (n+1)/2, voters with a top 100 become very important and albums with multiple (relatively low) votes don't show up until the 200s. I've also tried it with a very high number, which means a lot of draws, but it does put most of the albums with multiple votes near the top as I reckon it should be. Finally, a middle ground gives a bit of a mix of the two previous scenarios, obviously. It seems a bit arbitrary to just go for 200 though, for example.

Ideas? Suggestions?

Are Dan M and I really the only ones who find Nina Simone underrated?

Pastel Blues is #83 in my list

Go with the higher Lorca.

You're right henrik !! Pastel blues is on YOUR list not mine. My mistake
I really thought I had a Nina album in my list, but apparently none made it.
First Nina entry in my all-time list is Jazz As played/Little Girl Blue at #309. As it is #644 or something like that on RYM, it didn't fit the criteria.
But by believing there was a Nina album in my underrated list proves that I find Nina underrated (maybe even underrated by me )

Glad you also found Little Girl Blue underrated, nicolas. Yes, it is #646 on RYM, but to be technical there was an additional rule that said you could ignore the RYM rank if the album in question hadn't received at least 1000 ratings on the RYM website. Little Girl Blue currently only has 442 ratings on RYM and is "bubbling under" on AM, so it would have been eligible for inclusion in your list (don't make me post that horrid Connie Francis song about "Too Many Rules" again. I wouldn't want to post that again, because this poll has not had enough voters and has lived up to its title of being truly UNDERRATED. Anyway, it might be worth re-checking your list for eligibility (if Stephan is still willing to accept new inclusions).

Edit: That Connie Francis song isn't actually that horrid.

Yeah, changes are still welcome.

I'm actually not sure what to do with the results, which are far more idiosyncratic than I had expected, which makes the results a little boring. I'm considering using this as a first round of sorts, giving us all the same list of final albums to vote for, but that seems unfair to the people who spent a lot of time following my—admittedly and perhaps overly—complicated rules to come up with an eligible list.

allright, I'm gonna post a third list including albums that were in other people's lists and that fit the <1000 RYM votes criterium

Allright, this is my 3rd list (last, last, I swear !!)
with a few corrections. I took the <1000 RYM votes rule into account, and Nina Simone was #100 and #101, I had mercy and I chetaed a bit to include 2 NS albums and the Bert Jansch, which also shows in the BillAdama list. Even if they get something like 1 point each.
Ravi Shankar, Max Romeo and Willie Colon can thank me !

1 . Jacques Brel | Olympia 1964 1964
2 . The Divine Comedy | Promenade 1994
3 . Georges Brassens | n° 7 (Les Funérailles d'antan) 1960
4 . Georges Brassens | n°4 (Je me suis fait tout petit) 1956
5 . Georges Brassens | n°1 (La Mauvaise réputation) 1953
6 . Doc & Merle Watson | Ballads from Deep Gap 1971
7 . Fabulous Trobadors | Duels de tchatche et autres trucs du folklore toulousain 2003
8 . Dick Annegarn | Adieu Verdure 1999
9 . Boris Vian | Chansons possibles et impossibles 1956
10 . The Divine Comedy | Liberation 1993
11 . Jacques Brel | Brel 1977
12 . Toumani Diabaté | The Mandé Variations 2008
13 . Rufus Wainwright | Rufus Wainwright 1998
14 . Roy Orbison | A Black And White Night Live 1989
15 . Robert Wyatt | Shleep 1997
16 . Jacques Brel | Jacques Brel (Les Bourgeois) 1962
17 . Georges Brassens | n°5 (Oncle Archibald) 1957
18 . Rev. Gary Davis | Harlem Street Singer 1961
19 . Chet Baker | Chet Baker Sings 1954
20 . J.J. Cale | Really 1973
21 . Alvin Youngblood Hart | Big Mama's Door 1996
22 . Georges Brassens | n°3 (Les Sabots d'Hélène) 1955
23 . Tony Joe White | Home Made Ice Cream 1973
24 . Tim Buckley | Tim Buckley 1966
25 . Various Artists | American Folk Blues Festival 1962 1962
26 . Steve Earle | The Mountain 1999
27 . Henri Salvador | Dans mon île 1959
28 . Compay Segundo | Yo Vengo Aqui 1996
29 . Eliades Ochoa | Sublime Illusion 1999
30 . Ray Charles | What'd I Say 1959
31 . Philip Glass | Glassworks 1982
32 . Bad Livers | Delusions of Banjer 1992
33 . Dick Annegarn | Dick Annegarn (Sacré géranium) 1973
34 . Marie Knight & Larry Campbell | Let Us Get Together : A Tribute To Reverend Gary Davis 2007
35 . Anthony Joseph & the Spasm Band | Bird Head Son 2009
36 . Georges Brassens | n°2 (Le Vent) 1954
37 . Fredo Viola | The Turn 2009
38 . Jacques Brel | Jef 1964
39 . Roy Orbison | Mystery Girl 1989
40 . Levon Helm | Electric Dirt 2009
41 . The Divine Comedy | Casanova 1996
42 . Drive-By Truckers | Brighter Than Creation's Dark 2008
43 . Henri Salvador | Chambre avec vue 2000
44 . Hank Williams | Moanin' The Blues 1952
45 . Ron Sexsmith | Other Songs 1997
46 . Ravi Shankar | Three Ragas 1956
47 . Growling Tiger | Knock Down Calypsos 1979
48 . Various Artists / Alan Lomax | Sounds Of The South (Southern Folk Heritage) 1960
49 . Tom Waits | Blue Valentine 1978
50 . Chuck Berry | Chuck Berry Is On Top 1959
51 . Leadbelly | Negro Sinful Songs 1939
52 . Matching Mole | Matching Mole 1972
53 . Ron Sexsmith | Exit Strategy Of the Soul 2008
54 . Gavin Bryars | Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet 1993
55 . Robert Wyatt | Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard 1975
56 . Professor Longhair | Rock'n Roll Gumbo 1974
57 . Terry Callier | Occasional Rain 1972
58 . Roy Orbison | In Dreams 1963
59 . Wilco | Sky Blue Sky 2007
60 . Femi Kuti | Day By Day 2008
61 . Max Romeo & the Upsetters | War Inna Babylon 1976
62 . Richard Hawley | Lady's Bridge 2007
63 . Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg | Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg 1969
64 . The Coral | Magic and Medicine 2003
65 . Jacques Brel | Ces gens-là 1965
66 . Old Crow Medicine Show | O.C.M.S. 2004
67 . Téléphone | Un autre monde 1984
68 . Dick Annegarn | Soleil du soir 2008
69 . Hank Williams | Memorial Album 1953
70 . Dominique A | Auguri 2001
71 . Ry Cooder | Paris, Texas 1984
72 . Willis Alan Ramsey | Willis Alan Ramsey 1972
73 . Hank Williams | Hank Williams Sings 1951
74 . Gérard Manset | Y'a une route 1975
75 . Jacques Dutronc | Et moi, et moi, et moi 1966
76 . Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings | Naturally 2005
77 . Josh Ritter | The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter 2007
78 . Martin Stephenson & the Daintees | Boat to Bolivia 1986
79 . Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté | In The Heart Of the Moon 2005
80 . Ron Sexsmith | Ron Sexsmith 1995
81 . Demon Fuzz | Afreaka! 1970
82 . Linton Kwesi Johnson | Bass Culture 1980
83 . The Tallest Man On Earth | Shallow Grave 2008
84 . The Flatlanders | Jimmy Dale and The Flatlanders (More A Legend Than A Band) 1972
85 . John Prine | Sweet Revenge 1973
86 . Willie Colón & Rubén Bladés | Siembra 1978
87 . Steve Young | Seven Bridges Road 1972
88 . The Jayhawks | Hollywood Town Hall 1992
89 . Steve Earle | Transcendental Blues 2000
90 . Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash With His Hot & Blue Guitar 1957
91 . William Sheller | En Solitaire 1991
92 . Townes Van Zandt | The Late Great Townes Van Zandt 1972
93 . Bruce Springsteen | The Wild, The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle 1973
94 . A Tribe Called Quest | People's Instinctive Travels and The Paths of Rhythm 1990
95 . Antony & The Johnsons | The Crying Light 2009
96 . Paul McCartney | McCartney 1970
97 . Orchestra Baobab | Specialist In All Styles 2002
98 . Nina Simone | Little Girl Blue 1958
99 . Nina Simone | Pastel Blues 1965
100 . Bert Jansch | Bert Jansch 1965

Dammit, I think Perfect From Now On and Vision Creation Newsun are vastly underrated but because of their RYM rating I can not vote for them.
On the other hand, Songs for the Deaf and Silent Shout do not seem that much underrated, but are both eligible, so I'll keep them at the bottom of my list.

1. Puppetmastaz - Creature Funk
2. Architecture in Helsinki - In case we die
3. IAM - L'école du micro d'argent
4. Animal Collective - Feels
5. The Dodos - Visitor
6. Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty
7. Millencolin - Pennybridge pioneers
8. Thrice - Illusion of Safety
9. Hot Chip - The Warning
10. Spank Rock - Yoyoyoyo
11. Lost Prophets - The fake sound of progress
12. The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
13. The Rakes - Capture Release
14. Ben Harper - Welcome to the Cruel World
15. Gorillaz - Gorillaz
16. Vitalic - OK Cowboy
17. The Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
18. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
19. Rancid - Rancid
20. Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R
21. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
22. Gorillaz - Demon Days
23. Incubus - S.C.I.E.N.C.E
24. The Subways - Young for Eternity
25. Puppetmastaz - The Takeover
26. Blink-182 - Dude Ranch
27. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings
28. Sparklehorse - Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
29. Akhénaton - Métèque et mat
30. !!! - Myths Takes
31. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
32. Mogwai - Young Team
33. Supergrass - I Should Coco
34. Pierre Lapointe - La forêt des mal-aimés
35. Robyn - Robyn
36. Wu Tang Clan - The W
37. Camille - Le fil
38. N.E.R.D - In search of…
39. Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English
40. Los Campesinos - Hold On Now, Youngster
41. The Strokes - First Impression of Earth
42. The Books - The Lemon of Pink
43. Boris - Pink
44. Electrelane - The Power Out
45. Souls of Mischief - 93 'til Infinity
46. Horse the Band - R. Borlax
47. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
48. Built to Spill - There is No Enemy
49. The Knife - Silent Shout
50. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf

Hope that's not too late for you Stephan !

I just finished my all-time albums list and was going to start working on my underrated albums list. Oh well, I guess my list will not count in the results, but I will post it here in a couple of weeks when I get it finished.