In 1999, music biographer David Buckley described "Station to Station" as a "masterpiece of invention" that "some critics would argue, perhaps unfashionably, is his finest record". The same year, Eno called it "one of the great records of all time". The album was ranked No. 323 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, 324 on the 2012 revised list, and 52 on the 2020 revised list. In 2004, "The Observer" ranked the album No. 80 on its list of the 100 greatest British albums. "Vibe" magazine placed the album in its list of 100 Essential Albums of the 20th century.