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Top instrumental albums of all time

Separate: live, archival, soundtracks and scores
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Updated: 21 May
Average Ratings Reviews
Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Cover art
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Mingus
4.34 31k 30,580 431 431
July 1963 Album
Avant-Garde Jazz Third Stream
Experimental Big Band Flamenco Jazz Ballet
instrumental complex passionate suite avant-garde dense technical suspenseful
31k Ratings 431 Reviews 4.34 Average
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme, Cover art
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
4.30 36k 35,859 484 484
January 1965 Album
Spiritual Jazz Avant-Garde Jazz
Modal Jazz Post-Bop
spiritual improvisation instrumental passionate complex suite acoustic meditative
36k Ratings 484 Reviews 4.30 Average
Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven!, Cover art
Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven!
Godspeed You Black Emperor!
4.23 49k 49,473 737 737
9 October 2000 Album
Post-Rock
Field Recordings Drone Chamber Music Ambient
instrumental epic melancholic atmospheric apocalyptic suspenseful suite sampling
49k Ratings 737 Reviews 4.23 Average
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Cover art
Kind of Blue
Miles Davis
4.23 42k 41,580 597 597
17 August 1959 Album
Modal Jazz Cool Jazz
instrumental mellow nocturnal improvisation soothing calm acoustic progressive
42k Ratings 597 Reviews 4.23 Average
Miles Davis - In a Silent Way, Cover art
In a Silent Way
Miles Davis
4.23 25k 25,052 336 336
30 July 1969 Album
Jazz Fusion Modal Jazz
Avant-Garde Jazz Ambient
instrumental atmospheric nocturnal improvisation mellow mysterious soothing calm
25k Ratings 336 Reviews 4.23 Average
Godspeed You Black Emperor! - F♯A♯∞, Cover art
F♯A♯∞
Godspeed You Black Emperor!
4.15 37k 37,183 444 444
14 August 1997 Album
Post-Rock
Field Recordings Spoken Word Ambient Drone Chamber Music
apocalyptic instrumental atmospheric sombre dark ominous lonely epic
37k Ratings 444 Reviews 4.15 Average
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew, Cover art
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
4.18 27k 26,743 363 363
30 March 1970 Album
Jazz Fusion Avant-Garde Jazz
Jazz-Rock Jazz-Funk
psychedelic instrumental improvisation dense complex mysterious atmospheric avant-garde
27k Ratings 363 Reviews 4.18 Average
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing....., Cover art
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
4.13 38k 37,728 404 404
19 November 1996 Album
Instrumental Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop Plunderphonics
Trip Hop Turntablism
sampling instrumental atmospheric nocturnal urban mysterious rhythmic hypnotic
38k Ratings 404 Reviews 4.13 Average
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92, Cover art
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
4.09 45k 44,576 308 308
9 November 1992 Album
Ambient Techno IDM
Ambient
atmospheric futuristic ethereal instrumental hypnotic soothing rhythmic mellow
45k Ratings 308 Reviews 4.09 Average
J Dilla - Donuts, Cover art
Donuts
J Dilla
4.14 31k 30,779 337 337
7 February 2006 Album
Instrumental Hip Hop
Experimental Hip Hop Soul Plunderphonics
sampling bittersweet instrumental eclectic playful warm rhythmic repetitive
31k Ratings 337 Reviews 4.14 Average
The Avalanches - Since I Left You, Cover art
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
4.05 32k 31,690 355 355
27 November 2000 Album
Plunderphonics Dance Nu-Disco
Instrumental Hip Hop Nu-Disco Exotica Neo-Psychedelia
sampling summer tropical warm eclectic party rhythmic uplifting
32k Ratings 355 Reviews 4.05 Average
Frank Zappa - Hot Rats, Cover art
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
4.08 27k 26,629 391 391
10 October 1969 Album
Jazz-Rock Jazz Fusion
Progressive Rock Jam Band
complex playful technical energetic progressive instrumental quirky dense
27k Ratings 391 Reviews 4.08 Average
John Coltrane - Giant Steps, Cover art
Giant Steps
John Coltrane
4.10 20k 19,575 224 224
27 January 1960 Album
Hard Bop
Modal Jazz Post-Bop
technical instrumental improvisation energetic acoustic complex rhythmic playful
20k Ratings 224 Reviews 4.10 Average
John Coltrane - My Favorite Things, Cover art
My Favorite Things
John Coltrane
4.11 17k 16,625 177 177
March 1961 Album
Modal Jazz Post-Bop
Cool Jazz
instrumental improvisation warm passionate technical acoustic bittersweet uplifting
17k Ratings 177 Reviews 4.11 Average
Steve Reich and Musicians - Music for 18 Musicians, Cover art
Music for 18 Musicians
Steve Reich / Steve Reich and Musicians
4.10 14k 13,877 177 177
April 1978 Album
Minimalism
repetitive hypnotic rhythmic minimalistic ethereal atmospheric soothing polyphonic
14k Ratings 177 Reviews 4.10 Average
Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um, Cover art
Mingus Ah Um
Charles Mingus
4.09 16k 16,211 176 176
14 September 1959 Album
Post-Bop
Hard Bop Cool Jazz
instrumental energetic passionate playful acoustic improvisation complex melodic
16k Ratings 176 Reviews 4.09 Average
Alice Coltrane featuring Pharoah Sanders - Journey in Satchidananda, Cover art
Journey in Satchidananda
Alice Coltrane featuring Pharoah Sanders
4.10 13k 12,565 102 102
February 1971 Album
Spiritual Jazz
Hindustani Classical Music Post-Bop Indo Jazz Avant-Garde Jazz
meditative spiritual instrumental hypnotic psychedelic avant-garde improvisation lush
13k Ratings 102 Reviews 4.10 Average
Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children, Cover art
Music Has the Right to Children
Boards of Canada
4.00 32k 32,413 337 337
20 April 1998 Album
IDM Downtempo
Ambient Downtempo Trip Hop Progressive Electronic
atmospheric hypnotic mellow mysterious instrumental rhythmic psychedelic sampling
32k Ratings 337 Reviews 4.00 Average
Boards of Canada - Geogaddi, Cover art
Geogaddi
Boards of Canada
4.02 24k 24,047 249 249
18 February 2002 Album
IDM
Ambient Downtempo Ambient Techno Illbient Radio Broadcast Recordings
mysterious psychedelic atmospheric surreal ominous hypnotic sampling instrumental
24k Ratings 249 Reviews 4.02 Average
King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Cover art
Larks' Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson
4.02 22k 21,987 318 318
23 March 1973 Album
Progressive Rock Avant-Prog
Experimental Rock Avant-Prog Avant-Garde Metal
uncommon time signatures complex technical avant-garde anxious progressive philosophical dissonant
22k Ratings 318 Reviews 4.02 Average
Boris - Flood, Cover art
Flood
Boris
4.04 16k 16,079 172 172
15 December 2000 Album
Post-Rock Drone
Ambient Drone Metal Minimalism Post-Metal
atmospheric hypnotic repetitive minimalistic aquatic melancholic meditative epic
16k Ratings 172 Reviews 4.04 Average
Miles Davis - Get Up With It, Cover art
Get Up With It
Miles Davis
4.06 9k 8,917 127 127
22 November 1974 Album
Jazz Fusion Jazz-Funk Avant-Garde Jazz
Jazz-Rock Ambient Avant-Garde Jazz Krautrock
instrumental psychedelic surreal hypnotic avant-garde atmospheric repetitive rhythmic
9k Ratings 127 Reviews 4.06 Average
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers - Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers [Moanin'], Cover art
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers [Moanin']
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers
4.06 11k 10,670 117 117
January 1959 Album
Hard Bop
improvisation instrumental acoustic rhythmic passionate warm playful energetic
11k Ratings 117 Reviews 4.06 Average
Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters, Cover art
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
4.01 19k 18,590 184 184
13 October 1973 Album
Jazz-Funk Jazz Fusion
instrumental rhythmic playful energetic happy improvisation uplifting psychedelic
19k Ratings 184 Reviews 4.01 Average
Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan - IX. Symphonie, Cover art
IX. Symphonie
Ludwig van Beethoven / Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan
4.08 3k 3,113 20 20
1963 Album
Romanticism Symphony
Choral Symphony Classical Period Choral
symphony orchestral epic choral acoustic triumphant uplifting melodic
3k Ratings 20 Reviews 4.08 Average
Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music, Cover art
Let My Children Hear Music
Charles Mingus
4.06 7k 7,306 64 64
February 1972 Album
Third Stream Experimental Big Band
instrumental avant-garde energetic complex dense improvisation technical progressive
7k Ratings 64 Reviews 4.06 Average
John Coltrane - Blue Train, Cover art
Blue Train
John Coltrane
4.01 16k 16,432 163 163
January 1958 Album
Hard Bop
instrumental improvisation energetic acoustic technical melodic uplifting nocturnal
16k Ratings 163 Reviews 4.01 Average
Nujabes - Modal Soul, Cover art
Modal Soul
Nujabes
3.99 17k 17,251 87 87
11 November 2005 Album
Jazz Rap Instrumental Hip Hop
Deep House Lo-Fi Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop Boom Bap Psychedelic Soul
peaceful mellow sampling soothing warm atmospheric bittersweet uplifting
17k Ratings 87 Reviews 3.99 Average
Charlie Mingus - Blues & Roots, Cover art
Blues & Roots
Charlie Mingus
4.03 8k 8,394 126 126
March 1960 Album
Post-Bop
Hard Bop Avant-Garde Jazz
improvisation instrumental passionate energetic acoustic warm uplifting playful
8k Ratings 126 Reviews 4.03 Average
John Coltrane - Ascension [Edition I], Cover art
Ascension [Edition I]
John Coltrane
3.98 10k 9,962 133 133
February 1966 Album
Free Jazz Spiritual Jazz
Experimental Big Band Post-Bop
chaotic avant-garde dense instrumental improvisation spiritual passionate complex
10k Ratings 133 Reviews 3.98 Average
New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein - Le sacre du printemps, Cover art
Le sacre du printemps
Igor Stravinsky / New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein
4.02 4k 4,416 38 38
September 1958 Album
Modern Classical Ballet Orchestral Music
orchestral ritualistic dissonant instrumental apocalyptic suspenseful avant-garde spring
4k Ratings 38 Reviews 4.02 Average
Artur Rubinstein - The Nocturnes, Cover art
The Nocturnes
Frédéric Chopin / Artur Rubinstein
4.02 4k 3,716 27 27
October 1967 Album
Romanticism Nocturne
instrumental nocturnal mellow melancholic melodic acoustic soothing soft
4k Ratings 27 Reviews 4.02 Average
Glenn Branca - The Ascension, Cover art
The Ascension
Glenn Branca
3.96 14k 14,088 157 157
November 1981 Album
No Wave Noise Rock Totalism
Post-Rock Drone
instrumental dissonant noisy suspenseful avant-garde repetitive rhythmic complex
14k Ratings 157 Reviews 3.96 Average
Sun Ra - Lanquidity, Cover art
Lanquidity
Sun Ra
3.99 9k 8,982 62 62
1978 Album
Jazz Fusion
Avant-Garde Jazz Jazz-Funk Experimental Big Band
improvisation mysterious instrumental surreal spiritual hypnotic atmospheric nocturnal
9k Ratings 62 Reviews 3.99 Average
Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come, Cover art
The Shape of Jazz to Come
Ornette Coleman
3.97 13k 12,729 124 124
November 1959 Album
Avant-Garde Jazz
Free Jazz Post-Bop
instrumental avant-garde improvisation dissonant acoustic energetic passionate complex
13k Ratings 124 Reviews 3.97 Average
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II, Cover art
Selected Ambient Works Volume II
Aphex Twin
3.92 23k 22,612 253 253
7 March 1994 Album
Ambient Electronic
Dark Ambient Ambient Techno Drone
atmospheric mysterious ominous surreal minimalistic ethereal instrumental sparse
23k Ratings 253 Reviews 3.92 Average
The John Coltrane Quartet - Africa / Brass, Cover art
Africa / Brass
The John Coltrane Quartet
4.00 6k 6,414 60 60
1 September 1961 Album
Modal Jazz Post-Bop
Experimental Big Band
instrumental warm acoustic improvisation complex technical nocturnal mellow
6k Ratings 60 Reviews 4.00 Average
The Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin - The Inner Mounting Flame, Cover art
The Inner Mounting Flame
The Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin
3.97 10k 9,734 163 163
3 November 1971 Album
Jazz Fusion Jazz-Rock
Progressive Rock
instrumental technical energetic complex improvisation passionate spiritual warm
10k Ratings 163 Reviews 3.97 Average
Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch, Cover art
Out to Lunch
Eric Dolphy
3.96 11k 11,286 167 167
August 1964 Album
Avant-Garde Jazz
Post-Bop Free Jazz
instrumental uncommon time signatures avant-garde dissonant complex playful improvisation rhythmic
11k Ratings 167 Reviews 3.96 Average
Wiener Philharmoniker / Carlos Kleiber - Symphonie Nr.5, Cover art
Symphonie Nr.5
Ludwig van Beethoven / Wiener Philharmoniker / Carlos Kleiber
4.01 2k 1,916 8 8
April 1975 Album
Symphony Romanticism Classical Period
Classical Period
instrumental epic acoustic orchestral triumphant symphony lush energetic
2k Ratings 8 Reviews 4.01 Average
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Soundtracks

  • 山岡晃 [Akira Yamaoka] - Silent Hill 2, Cover art
    Silent Hill 2
    2001 Album
    9k Ratings 98 Reviews 4.21 Average
    4.21 9k 9,301 98 98
  • C418 - Minecraft: Volume Alpha, Cover art
    Minecraft: Volume Alpha
    2011 Album
    19k Ratings 156 Reviews 4.14 Average
    4.14 19k 18,841 156 156
  • Angelo Badalamenti - Twin Peaks, Cover art
    Twin Peaks
    1990 Album
    14k Ratings 105 Reviews 4.16 Average
    4.16 14k 13,673 105 105
  • Vangelis - Blade Runner, Cover art
    Blade Runner
    1994 Album
    8k Ratings 97 Reviews 4.15 Average
    4.15 8k 7,946 97 97
  • Shiro Sagisu - The End of Evangelion, Cover art
    The End of Evangelion
    1997 Album
    3k Ratings 13 Reviews 4.13 Average
    4.13 3k 3,370 13 13
    • See all 100 Include in main chart

    Live

  • John Coltrane - The Olatunji Concert: The Last Live Recording, Cover art
    The Olatunji Concert: The Last Live Recording
    2001 Album
    4k Ratings 85 Reviews 4.21 Average
    4.21 4k 4,363 85 85
  • Miles Davis - The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965, Cover art
    The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965
    1995 Album
    367 Ratings 9 Reviews 4.23 Average
    4.23 367 367 9 9
  • Miles Davis - Dark Magus, Cover art
    Dark Magus
    1977 Album
    4k Ratings 69 Reviews 4.17 Average
    4.17 4k 4,118 69 69
  • Electric Masada - At the Mountains of Madness, Cover art
    At the Mountains of Madness
    2005 Album
    3k Ratings 50 Reviews 4.17 Average
    4.17 3k 2,762 50 50
  • Keith Jarrett - Sun Bear Concerts Piano Solo: Recorded in Japan, Cover art
    Sun Bear Concerts Piano Solo: Recorded in Japan
    1978 Album
    753 Ratings 19 Reviews 4.14 Average
    4.14 753 753 19 19
    • See all 100 Include in main chart

    Archival

  • Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions 1970, Cover art
    The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
    2005 Album
    556 Ratings 15 Reviews 4.12 Average
    4.12 556 556 15 15
  • Thelonious Monk - Live at the It Club, Cover art
    Live at the It Club
    1982 Album
    444 Ratings 10 Reviews 4.11 Average
    4.11 444 444 10 10
    • See all 96 Include in main chart
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