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Top Standards albums of all time

Separate: live, archival, soundtracks and scores
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Updated: 21 May
Average Ratings Reviews
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings, Cover art
Chet Baker Sings
Chet Baker
3.83 7k 6,921 48 48
April 1954 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards Cool Jazz
love romantic lonely mellow melancholic soft bittersweet breakup
7k Ratings 48 Reviews 3.83 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.86 579 579 9 9
1958 Album
Vocal Jazz Big Band Standards
Swing Tin Pan Alley
playful lush romantic love orchestral soothing
579 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.86 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.82 2k 1,978 46 46
15 May 1956 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Swing Tin Pan Alley
love soft romantic melodic lush lonely sentimental mellow
2k Ratings 46 Reviews 3.82 Average
Frank Sinatra - Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely, Cover art
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely
Frank Sinatra
3.77 3k 2,653 45 45
8 September 1958 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
lonely breakup melancholic depressive nocturnal concept album atmospheric sentimental
3k Ratings 45 Reviews 3.77 Average
Billie Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues, Cover art
Lady Sings the Blues
Billie Holiday
3.78 2k 2,129 17 17
December 1956 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Blues
acoustic love melancholic longing passionate sentimental soft romantic
2k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.78 Average
Billie Holiday - Songs for Distingué Lovers, Cover art
Songs for Distingué Lovers
Billie Holiday
3.79 1k 1,127 16 16
1958 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Cool Jazz Swing
mellow nocturnal romantic lush sentimental melancholic melodic love
1k Ratings 16 Reviews 3.79 Average
Billie Holiday - Body and Soul, Cover art
Body and Soul
Billie Holiday
3.78 683 683 3 3
1957 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Cool Jazz
love mellow soft sentimental sensual melodic passionate poetic
683 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.78 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.80 296 296 4 4
1961 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Big Band Traditional Pop
romantic passionate
296 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.80 Average
Sarah Vaughan - Sarah Vaughan, Cover art
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
3.76 2k 2,344 36 36
April 1955 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Cool Jazz Bebop
acoustic love melancholic romantic soft mellow melodic bittersweet
2k Ratings 36 Reviews 3.76 Average
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Ella and Louis Again, Cover art
Ella and Louis Again
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
3.76 704 704 8 8
November 1957 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Swing
love melodic calm passionate soft nocturnal romantic peaceful
704 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.76 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.76 626 626 14 14
1956 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Traditional Pop Swing
calm romantic soft
626 Ratings 14 Reviews 3.76 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings Songs From "Let No Man Write My Epitaph", Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings Songs From "Let No Man Write My Epitaph"
Ella Fitzgerald
3.78 204 204 5 5
1960 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards Film Soundtrack
acoustic sparse nocturnal soft melodic love sensual soothing
204 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.78 Average
Frank Sinatra - No One Cares, Cover art
No One Cares
Frank Sinatra
3.74 1k 1,002 16 16
20 July 1959 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
lonely melancholic depressive introspective suicide sad breakup alcohol
1k Ratings 16 Reviews 3.74 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!, Cover art
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
Ella Fitzgerald
3.76 250 250 6 6
November 1961 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Bebop Swing
250 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.76 Average
Helen Merrill - Helen Merrill, Cover art
Helen Merrill
Helen Merrill
3.72 1k 1,180 17 17
1955 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Cool Jazz
nocturnal calm longing melancholic love soothing soft mellow
1k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.72 Average
Billie Holiday - Billie Holiday, Cover art
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
3.71 1k 1,021 5 5
June 1947 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards Traditional Pop
Blues Swing
sentimental melancholic love romantic melodic bittersweet longing lonely
1k Ratings 5 Reviews 3.71 Average
Willie Nelson - Stardust, Cover art
Stardust
Willie Nelson
3.69 2k 2,114 41 41
April 1978 Album
Standards Country Pop
Country Soul Vocal Jazz Country
nocturnal soft peaceful mellow longing soothing melodic passionate
2k Ratings 41 Reviews 3.69 Average
Julie London - Julie Is Her Name, Cover art
Julie Is Her Name
Julie London
3.69 2k 1,933 29 29
December 1955 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
soft melancholic nocturnal sensual minimalistic love lonely sparse
2k Ratings 29 Reviews 3.69 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.67 1k 1,018 28 28
1959 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Swing Big Band
romantic playful mellow orchestral lush
1k Ratings 28 Reviews 3.67 Average
Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers!, Cover art
Songs for Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
3.65 3k 3,405 82 82
5 March 1956 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
Swing
happy romantic love sentimental playful uplifting optimistic lush
3k Ratings 82 Reviews 3.65 Average
Billie Holiday - Billie Holiday Sings, Cover art
Billie Holiday Sings
Billie Holiday
3.70 276 276 4 4
1952 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
mellow melancholic melodic love nocturnal passionate
276 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.70 Average
Frank Sinatra - September of My Years, Cover art
September of My Years
Frank Sinatra
3.67 1k 1,079 32 32
August 1965 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
sentimental existential introspective melancholic lush autumn concept album sombre
1k Ratings 32 Reviews 3.67 Average
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim - Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim, Cover art
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim
3.66 2k 1,967 41 41
March 1967 Album
Bossa nova Standards Vocal Jazz
romantic calm soothing warm melodic love summer ethereal
2k Ratings 41 Reviews 3.66 Average
Frank Sinatra & Count Basie - Sinatra-Basie, Cover art
Sinatra-Basie
Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
3.68 468 468 8 8
1963 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards Swing
Big Band
warm acoustic romantic playful love sentimental happy energetic
468 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.68 Average
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book, Cover art
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald
3.71 199 199 3 3
1963 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards Swing
199 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.71 Average
Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and His Orchestra - It Might as Well Be Swing, Cover art
It Might as Well Be Swing
Frank Sinatra, Count Basie & Count Basie Orchestra
3.68 593 593 6 6
22 August 1964 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Swing Big Band
acoustic romantic melodic love sentimental warm lush orchestral
593 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.68 Average
Frank Sinatra with Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra - Where Are You?, Cover art
Where Are You?
Frank Sinatra & Gordon Jenkins
3.65 731 731 20 20
2 September 1957 Album
Standards Traditional Pop
Vocal Jazz
longing lonely nocturnal melancholic love calm passionate concept album
731 Ratings 20 Reviews 3.65 Average
Sarah Vaughan - After Hours, Cover art
After Hours
Sarah Vaughan
3.70 183 183 5 5
1961 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Cool Jazz
atmospheric uplifting poetic technical love soothing ballad nocturnal
183 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.70 Average
Nat "King" Cole - Love Is the Thing, Cover art
Love Is the Thing
Nat "King" Cole
3.67 390 390 8 8
March 1957 Album
Traditional Pop Vocal Jazz Standards
sentimental romantic lush love atmospheric passionate
390 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.67 Average
Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours, Cover art
In the Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra
3.60 8k 7,537 160 160
25 April 1955 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
lonely nocturnal melancholic concept album introspective sentimental romantic breakup
8k Ratings 160 Reviews 3.60 Average
Frank Sinatra - A Swingin' Affair!, Cover art
A Swingin' Affair!
Frank Sinatra
3.65 879 879 15 15
6 May 1957 Album
Standards Vocal Jazz
Swing
romantic lonely love optimistic energetic spring humorous uplifting
879 Ratings 15 Reviews 3.65 Average
Frank Sinatra - Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!!, Cover art
Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!!
Frank Sinatra
3.66 345 345 7 7
3 January 1961 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Swing
introspective melancholic acoustic uplifting love bittersweet passionate lush
345 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.66 Average
Ahmad Jamal - Happy Moods, Cover art
Happy Moods
Ahmad Jamal
3.66 267 267 1 1
1960 Album
Cool Jazz Standards
playful acoustic improvisation instrumental happy
267 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.66 Average
Dexter Gordon - Gettin' Around, Cover art
Gettin' Around
Dexter Gordon
3.65 370 370 6 6
August 1966 Album
Hard Bop Cool Jazz Standards
Modal Jazz
calm acoustic playful happy summer instrumental soft
370 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.65 Average
Frank Sinatra - Songs for Young Lovers, Cover art
Songs for Young Lovers
Frank Sinatra
3.62 1k 1,224 17 17
4 January 1954 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Traditional Pop
mellow soothing lonely romantic melodic love passionate introspective
1k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.62 Average
Tiny Tim - God Bless Tiny Tim, Cover art
God Bless Tiny Tim
Tiny Tim
3.60 2k 1,886 44 44
April 1968 Album
Standards Psychedelic Pop
Vaudeville Baroque Pop Psychedelic Pop Spoken Word Music Hall
happy playful humorous optimistic pastoral surreal quirky psychedelic
2k Ratings 44 Reviews 3.60 Average
Blossom Dearie - Blossom Dearie, Cover art
Blossom Dearie
Blossom Dearie
3.62 716 716 11 11
April 1957 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
soft melodic romantic warm mellow quirky soothing
716 Ratings 11 Reviews 3.62 Average
Dinah Washington - What a Diff'rence a Day Makes!, Cover art
What a Diff'rence a Day Makes!
Dinah Washington
3.63 292 292 6 6
1959 Album
Standards Traditional Pop
Vocal Jazz
romantic melodic love bittersweet sentimental
292 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.63 Average
Blossom Dearie - Once Upon a Summertime, Cover art
Once Upon a Summertime
Blossom Dearie
3.62 365 365 7 7
1958 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Cool Jazz
calm autumn soft love soothing
365 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.62 Average
Chet Baker - Sings and Plays With Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings, Cover art
Sings and Plays With Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings
Chet Baker
3.63 302 302 2 2
1955 Album
Vocal Jazz Standards
Cool Jazz
love melodic melancholic mellow
302 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.63 Average
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Soundtracks

  • Harry Connick Jr. - When Harry Met Sally..., Cover art
    When Harry Met Sally...
    1989 Album
    174 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.55 Average
    3.55 174 174 2 2
  • Various Artists - Resistance Radio: The Man in the High Castle Album, Cover art
    Resistance Radio: The Man in the High Castle Album
    2017 Album
    62 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.65 Average
    3.65 62 62 2 2
  • Marlene Dietrich - Marlene Dietrich at the Café de Paris, Cover art
    Marlene Dietrich at the Café de Paris
    1954 Album
    53 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.43 Average
    3.43 53 53 2 2
  • Dean Martin - The Dean Martin TV Show, Cover art
    The Dean Martin TV Show
    1966 Album
    35 Ratings 3.45 Average
    3.45 35 35
  • Bette Midler - For the Boys, Cover art
    For the Boys
    1991 Album
    43 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.24 Average
    3.24 43 43 1 1
    • See all 14 Include in main chart

    Live

  • Ella Fitzgerald - Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife, Cover art
    Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife
    1960 Album
    667 Ratings 26 Reviews 3.94 Average
    3.94 667 667 26 26
  • Nina Simone - Nina Simone at Town Hall, Cover art
    Nina Simone at Town Hall
    1959 Album
    598 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.91 Average
    3.91 598 598 10 10
  • Judy Garland - Judy at Carnegie Hall, Cover art
    Judy at Carnegie Hall
    1961 Album
    410 Ratings 15 Reviews 3.82 Average
    3.82 410 410 15 15
  • Dinah Washington - Dinah Jams, Cover art
    Dinah Jams
    1955 Album
    411 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.76 Average
    3.76 411 411 9 9
  • Diana Krall - Live in Paris, Cover art
    Live in Paris
    2002 Album
    322 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.70 Average
    3.70 322 322 8 8
    • See all 88 Include in main chart

    Archival

  • Frank Sinatra with the Red Norvo Quintet - Live in Australia, 1959, Cover art
    Live in Australia, 1959
    1997 Album
    67 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.99 Average
    3.99 67 67 5 5
  • Ella Fitzgerald - Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert, Cover art
    Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert
    1988 Album
    55 Ratings 5 Reviews 4.13 Average
    4.13 55 55 5 5
  • Frank Sinatra and Sextet - Live in Paris, Cover art
    Live in Paris
    1994 Album
    73 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.69 Average
    3.69 73 73 3 3
  • Art Pepper - The Way It Was!, Cover art
    The Way It Was!
    1972 Album
    47 Ratings 3.94 Average
    3.94 47 47
  • Sylvester - Private Recordings, August 1970, Cover art
    Private Recordings, August 1970
    2023 Album
    55 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.51 Average
    3.51 55 55 1 1
    • See all 33 Include in main chart
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