What is this obsession with ranking records?

The best and worst double albums ever. The 50 greatest cover versions of all time. The 100 greatest British albums of all time. The greatest indie anthems ever. The 100 greatest albums you've never heard. The 50 darkest albums of all time. The 101 albums to hear before you die.

Why must we always rank rank rank these records?

Let's have a medium-sized dive on the urge to rank, whether it's helpful or not, the pluses but also the minuses.