Best albums of all time revealed
After plenty of hype, Apple Music has finally unveiled its coveted list of best albums of all time – and number one may surprise you.
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The 100 best albums of all time have officially been named.
Apple Music has closed out its ultimate album list, which was chosen by a committee made up of its employees, artists, and industry insiders, with “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in the number one spot.
The 1998 solo project beat Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, which landed in second place, and The Beatles’ “Abbey Road.”
“Purple Rain” by Prince landed in fourth spot, followed by Frank Ocean’s “Blonde”, “Songs in the Key of Life” by Stevie Wonder, “good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Version)” by Kendrick Lamar, Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black”, “Nevermind” by Nirvana, with “Lemonade” by Beyoncé rounding out the top 10.
Among the top 20 was also Taylor Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” Jay-Z’s “The Blueprint” and Adele’s “21”.
Meanwhile, following the big reveal, Apple Music’s global creative director, Zane Lowe, described Hill’s album as one that “has not dated, not even a fraction”.
“In fact, it feels more fresh and more relevant the more you listen to it … There are a lot of young artists hearing it, and it’s becoming part of their artistic DNA,” he said.
“It’s inspiring and influencing them … It’s timeless.”
While “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is certainly popular – it sold over 20 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time – not everyone was so sure it deserved top spot on the coveted list.
“Album is fire but no way this gets #1 of all albums,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, while another account declared simply: “BLASPHEMY.”
“The most overrated album in history. I’m not saying it’s not good but come on,” a user wrote.
Many people also insisted Jackson’s “Thriller” deserved to be number one.
“That album had no miss, but Michael Jackson thriller is no 1,” an X user said.
“I feel like Michael got snubbed,” another agreed.
“U gave her just because MJ isn’t alive. It’s all about show to y’all!!” one account posted.
In a statement prior to the big reveal, Apple described its Album compilation as “a love letter to the records that have shaped the world we live and listen in.”
Hip-hop was the biggest winner of the music genres, with 22 albums in its category making the list. R&B and Soul was second with 19, and Rock and Alternative tied with 15.
Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums
100. Body Talk – Robyn
99. Hotel California – The Eagles
98. ASTROWORLD – Travis Scott
97. Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine
96. Pure Heroine – Lorde
95. Confessions – USHER
94. Untrue – Burial
93. A Seat at the Table – Solange
92. Flower Boy – Tyler, The Creator
91. Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 – George Michael
90. Back in Black – AC/DC
89. The Fame Monster (Deluxe Edition) – Lady Gaga
88. I Put a Spell on You – Nina Simone
87. Blue Lines – Massive Attack
86. My Life – Mary J Blige
85. Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
84. Doggystyle – Snoop Dogg
83. Horses – Patti Smith
82. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ – 50 Cent
81. After the Gold Rush – Neil Young
80. The Marshall Mathers LP – Eminem
79. Norman F****** Rockwell! – Lana Del Rey
78. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John
77. Like A Prayer – Madonna
76. Un Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny
75. Supa Dupa Fly – Missy Eliott
74. Downward Spiral – Nine Inch Nails
73. Aja – Steely Dan
72. SOS – SZA
71. Trans-Europe Express – Kraftwerk
70. Straight Outta Compton – N.W.A
69. Master of Puppets (Remastered) – Metallica
68. Is this It – The Strokes
67. Dummy – Portishead
66. The Queen Is Dead – The Smiths
65. 3 Feet High and Rising – De La Soul
64. Baduizm – Erykah Badu
63. Are You Experienced? – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
62. All Eyez on Me – 2Pac
61. Love Deluxe – Sade
60. The Velvet Underground and Nico (45th Anniversary Edition) – Velvet Underground & Nico
59. AM – Arctic Monkeys
58. (What’s The Story) Morning Glory – Oasis
57. Voodoo – D’Angelo
56. Disintegration (Remastered) – The Cure
55. ANTI – Rihanna
54. A Love Supreme – John Coltrane
53. Exile on Main Street (2010 Remaster) – The Rolling Stones
52. Appetite for Destruction – Guns ‘N Roses
51. Sign O’The Times – Prince
50. Hounds of Love (2018 Remaster) – Kate Bush
49. The Joshua Tree – U2
48. Paul’s Boutique – Beastie Boys
47. Take Care (Deluxe Version) – Drake
46. Exodus ((2013 Remaster) – Bob Marley & The Wailers
45. Homogenic – Björk
44. Innervisions – Stevie Wonder
43. Remain in Light – Talking Heads
42. Control – Janet Jackson
41. Aquemini – OutKast
40. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You – Aretha Franklin
39. Illmatic – Nas
38. Tapestry – Carole King
37. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) [Expanded Edition] – Wu-Tang Clan
36. BEYONCÉ – Beyoncé
35. London Calling – The Clash
34. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back – Public Enemy
33. Kid A – Radiohead
32. Ready to Die (The Remaster) – Notorious B.I.G.
31. Jagged Little Pill (Remastered) – Alanis Morissette
30. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? – Billie Eilish
29. The Low End Theory – A Tribe Called Quest
28. The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
27. Led Zeppelin II – Led Zeppelin
26. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West
25. Kind of Blue – Miles Davis
24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars – David Bowie
23. Discovery – Daft Punk
22. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
21. Revolver – The Beatles
20. Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys
19. The Chronic – Dr. Dre
18. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
17. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
16. Blue – Joni Mitchell
15. 21 – Adele
14. Highway 61 Revisited – Bob Dylan
13. The Blueprint – Jay-Z
12. OK Computer – Radiohead
11. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac
10. Lemonade – Beyoncé
09. Nevermind – Nirvana
08. Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
07. good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Version) – Kendrick Lamar
06. Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder
05. Blonde – Frank Ocean
04. Purple Rain – Prince & The Revolution
03. Abbey Road – The Beatles
02. Thriller – Michael Jackson
01. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill
Originally published as Best albums of all time revealed
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