Apple Music (USA) - 100 Best Albums (2024)

[VacantJoy]

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/05/ ... bums-list/

[VacantJoy]

Apple Music today announced the release of its 100 Best Albums of all time, a celebratory list of the greatest records ever made, crafted by Apple Music’s team of experts alongside a select group of artists, including Maren Morris, Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon, and Nia Archives, as well as songwriters, producers, and industry professionals. The list is an editorial statement, fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music — a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in.

[VacantJoy]

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/05/ ... bums-list/

100. Robyn — Body Talk
99. Eagles — Hotel California
98. Travis Scott — Astroworld
97. Rage Against the Machine — Rage Against the Machine
96. Lorde — Pure Heroine
95. Usher — Confessions
94. Burial — Untrue
93. Solange — A Seat at the Table
92. Tyler, The Creator — Flower Boy
91. George Michael — Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
90. AC/DC — Back in Black
89. Lady Gaga — The Fame Monster
88. Nina Simone — I Put a Spell on You
87. Massive Attack — Blue Lines
86. Mary J. Blige — My Life
85. Kacey Musgraves — Golden Hour
84. Snoop Dogg — Doggystyle
83. Patti Smith — Horses
82. 50 Cent — Get Rich or Die Tryin’
81. Neil Young — After the Gold Rush
80. Eminem — The Marshall Mathers LP
79. Lana Del Rey — Norman Fucking Rockwell
78. Elton John — Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
77. Madonna — Like a Prayer
76. Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti
75. Missy Elliott — Supa Dupa Fly
74. Nine Inch Nails — The Downward Spiral
73. Steely Dan — Aja
72. SZA — SOS
71. Kraftwerk — Trans-Europe Express
70. N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton
69. Metallica — Master of Puppets
68. The Strokes — Is This It
67. Portishead — Dummy
66. The Smiths — The Queen Is Dead
65. De La Soul — 3 Feet High and Rising
64. Erykah Badu — Baduizm
63. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — Are You Experienced
62. 2Pac — All Eyez on Me
61. Sade — Love Deluxe
60. The Velvet Underground & Nico — The Velvet Underground & Nico
59. Arctic Monkeys — AM
58. Oasis — (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
57. D’Angelo — Voodoo
56. The Cure — Disintegration
55. Rihanna — ANTI
54. John Coltrane — A Love Supreme
53. The Rolling Stones — Exile on Main St.
52. Guns N’ Roses — Appetite for Destruction
51. Prince — Sign O’ the Times
50. Kate Bush — Hounds of Love
49. U2 — The Joshua Tree
48. Beastie Boys — Paul’s Boutique
47. Drake — Take Care
46. Bob Marley & The Wailers — Exodus
45. Björk — Homogenic
44. Stevie Wonder — Innervisions
43. Talking Heads — Remain in Light
42. Janet Jackson — Control
41. Outkast — Aquemini
40. Aretha Franklin — I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
39. Nas — Illmatic
38. Carole King — Tapestry
37. Wu-Tang Clan — Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
36. Beyoncé — Beyoncé
35. The Clash — London Calling
34. Public Enemy — It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
33. Radiohead — Kid A
32. The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die
31. Alanis Morissette — Jagged Little Pill
30. Billie Eilish — When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
29. A Tribe Called Quest — The Low End Theory
28. Pink Floyd — The Dark Side of the Moon
27. Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin II
26. Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
25. Miles Davis — Kind of Blue
24. David Bowie — The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
23. Daft Punk — Discovery
22. Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run
21. The Beatles — Revolver
20. The Beach Boys — Pet Sounds
19. Dr. Dre — The Chronic
18. Taylor Swift — 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
17. Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On
16. Joni Mitchell — Blue
15. Adele — 21
14. Bob Dylan — Highway 61 Revisited
13. Jay-Z — The Blueprint
12. Radiohead — OK Computer
11. Fleetwood Mac — Rumours
10. Beyoncé — Lemonade
9. Nirvana — Nevermind
8. Amy Winehouse — Back to Black
7. Kendrick Lamar — good kid, m.A.A.d city
6. Stevie Wonder — Songs in the Key of Life
5. Frank Ocean — Blonde
4. Prince & The Revolution — Purple Rain
3. The Beatles — Abbey Road
2. Michael Jackson — Thriller
1. Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill

[panam]

Lost opportunity for a global company to make a more non English list

[Pauler]

Lost opportunity for a global company to make a more non English list

Be careful what you wish for: they might put a BTS album in the Top 10

[panam]

http://100best.music.apple.com/

[Donchano]

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

[panam]

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

[sam.peeler]

80. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
79. Lana Del Rey - Norman F*****g Rockwell!
78. Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
77. Madonna - Like a Prayer
76. Bad Bunny - Un Verano Sin Ti
75. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly
74. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
73. Steely Dan - Aja
72. SZA - SOS
71. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express

[sam.peeler]

70. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
69. Metallica - Master of Puppets
68. The Strokes - Is This It
67. Portishead - Dummy
66. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
65. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
64. Erykah Badu - Baduizm
63. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced
62. 2Pac - All Eyez on Me
61. Sade - Love Deluxe

[StevieFan13]

Listen Without Prejudice is by George Michael, btw - just says George at the moment

[panam]

Apple Music ‘100 Best Albums’:
100. Body Talk, Robyn
99. Hotel California, 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*****g 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 Elliot
74. The 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, Metallica
68. Is This It, The Strokes
67. Dummy, Portishead
66. The Queens 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 & Nico, The Velvet Underground & Nico
59. AM, Arctic Monkeys
58. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory, Oasis
57. Voodoo, D’Angelo
56. Disintegration, The Cure
55. ANTI, Rihanna
54. A Love Supreme, John Coltrane
53. Exile on Main Street, The Rolling Stones
52. Appetite for Destruction, Guns N’ Roses
51. Sign O’ the Times, Prince
50. Hounds of Love, de Kate Bush.
49. The Joshua Tree, U2.
48. Paul’s Boutique, Beastie Boys.
47. Take Care, Drake.
46. Exodus, de Boy 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, de Aretha Franklin
39. Illmatic, de Nas
38. Tapestry, de Carole King
37. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 chambers), de Wu-Tang Clan
36. Beyoncé, de Beyoncé
35. London Calling, de The Clash
34. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, de Public Enemy
33. Kid A, de Radiohead
32. Ready to Die, de The Notorius B.I.G.
31. Jagged Little Pill, de Alanis Morissette.

[panam]

.

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 (2012 Remaster)” — 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

[Sweepstakes Ron]

Heeyy, why does Radiohead get to have two albums?

[Donchano]

I would switch 1989 with folklore or Red which way better. Same as Pure Heroine, Melodrama is just on another level. Kinda disappointed that there's no Arcade Fire or Fiona Apple.

[Donchano]

AM has teased the Top 10 and it seems GKMC will make it. An all time list without TPAB feels invalid, Kendrick should have two albums.

[panam]

Complete list

#1. Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
#2. Michael Jackson — Thriller
#3. The Beatles — Abbey Road
#4. Prince & The Revolution — Purple Rain
#5. Frank Ocean — Blonde
#6. Stevie Wonder — Songs in the Key of Life
#7. Kendrick Lamar — good kid, m.A.A.d city
#8. Amy Winehouse — Back to Black
#9. Nirvana — Nevermind
#10. Beyoncé — Lemonade
#11. Fleetwood Mac — Rumours
#12. Radiohead — OK Computer
#13. Jay-Z — The Blueprint
#14. Bob Dylan — Highway 61 Revisited
#15. Adele — 21
#16. Joni Mitchell — Blue
#17. Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On
#18. Taylor Swift — 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
#19. Dr. Dre — The Chronic
#20. The Beach Boys — Pet Sounds
#21. The Beatles — Revolver
#22. Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run
#23. Daft Punk — Discovery
#24. David Bowie — The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
#25. Miles Davis — Kind of Blue
#26. Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
#27. Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin II
#28. Pink Floyd — The Dark Side of the Moon
#29. A Tribe Called Quest — The Low End Theory
#30. Billie Eilish — WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?
#31. Alanis Morissette — Jagged Little Pill
#32. The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die
#33. Radiohead — Kid A
#34. Public Enemy — It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
#35. The Clash — London Calling
#36. Beyoncé — BEYONCÉ
#37. Wu-Tang Clan — Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
#38. Carole King — Tapestry
#39. Nas — Illmatic
#40. Aretha Franklin — I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
#41. OutKast — Aquemini
#42. Janet Jackson — Control
#43. Talking Heads — Remain in Light
#44. Stevie Wonder — Innervisions
#45. Björk — Homogenic
#46. Bob Marley & The Wailers — Exodus
#47. Drake — Take Care
#48. Beastie Boys — Paul’s Boutique
#49. U2 — The Joshua Tree
#50. Kate Bush — Hounds of Love
#51. Prince — Sign O’ the Times
#52. Guns N' Roses — Appetite for Destruction
#53. The Rolling Stones — Exile on Main St.
#54. John Coltrane — A Love Supreme
#55. Rihanna — ANTI
#56. The Cure — Disintegration
#57. D’Angelo — Voodoo
#58. Oasis — (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
#59. Arctic Monkeys — AM
#60. The Velvet Underground & Nico — The Velvet Underground and Nico
#61. Sade — Love Deluxe
#62. 2Pac — All Eyez on Me
#63. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — Are You Experienced?
#64. Erykah Badu — Baduizm
#65. De La Soul — 3 Feet High and Rising
#66. The Smiths — The Queen Is Dead
#67. Portishead — Dummy
#68. The Strokes — Is This It
#69. Metallica — Master of Puppets
#70. N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton
#71. Kraftwerk — Trans-Europe Express
#72. SZA — SOS
#73. Steely Dan — Aja
#74. Nine Inch Nails — The Downward Spiral
#75. Missy Elliott — Supa Dupa Fly
#76. Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti
#77. Madonna — Like a Prayer
#78. Elton John — Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
#79. Lana Del Rey — Norman F*****g Rockwell!
#80. Eminem — The Marshall Mathers LP
#81. Neil Young — After the Gold Rush
#82. 50 Cent — Get Rich or Die Tryin'
#83. Patti Smith — Horses
#84. Snoop Dogg — Doggystyle
#85. Kacey Musgraves — Golden Hour
#86. Mary J. Blige — My Life
#87. Massive Attack — Blue Lines
#88. Nina Simone — I Put a Spell on You
#89. Lady Gaga — The Fame Monster
#90. AC/DC — Back in Black
#91. George Michael — Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
#92. Tyler, The Creator — Flower Boy
#93. Solange — A Seat at the Table
#94. Burial — Untrue
#95. Usher — Confessions
#96. Lorde — Pure Heroine
#97. Rage Against the Machine — Rage Against the Machine
#98. Travis Scott — ASTROWORLD
#99. Eagles — Hotel California
#100. Robyn — Body Talk

[Harold]

I would switch 1989 with folklore or Red which way better.

Look closer - it isn't even the right 1989, it's Taylor's Version. I fully understand TS's rationale for re-recording all of her albums because of the masters ownership issue, but that doesn't mean the original versions aren't still better. They should have just included folklore instead, both because it IS her best album and to avoid this issue altogether.

[StevieFan13]

I would switch 1989 with folklore or Red which way better. Same as Pure Heroine, Melodrama is just on another level. Kinda disappointed that there's no Arcade Fire or Fiona Apple.

There’s a pretty good reason there’s no Arcade Fire…(then again, Kanye made it…)

[StevieFan13]

Heeyy, why does Radiohead get to have two albums?

The Beatles as well

[VacantJoy]

Listen Without Prejudice is by George Michael, btw - just says George at the moment

yeap fixed

[VacantJoy]

Heeyy, why does Radiohead get to have two albums?

The Beatles as well

same for Beyoncé and Prince

[VacantJoy]

Heeyy, why did everyone get to post the list multiple times ?

[Sweepstakes Ron]

Supposedly, this list has been getting quite the engagement on social media. I imagine it's many young folks' first exposure to one of these committee-produced lists. I wonder how many are taking the opportunity to expose themselves to Burial or Kraftwerk or Portishead for the first time, and how many are just complaining that they featured a band they don't recognize.

Of course, there's not any real selection of international music... more importantly, this means no K-Pop albums. I suppose K-Pop isn't such an album-centric genre, but... are the K-Pop stans rioting about this? I don't know, I deleted my Twitter account already.

[andyd1010]

It's definitely gotten a lot of engagement. The biggest outrage I've seen is about the exclusion of To Pimp a Butterfly, in a list with a lot of hip-hop that has GKMC in the top 10, and also 1989 (Taylor's Version) in the top 20, just ahead of Pet Sounds and Revolver. There's also practically no indie/underground music, and it's odd that there were no repeat artists for the first 88 albums and then all the sudden there were five repeats in the last 12, which makes the TPAB exclusion more puzzling. Still, despite the glaring flaws, there are a lot of great albums on the list, so I'm glad this should at least introduce a bunch of young people to some great music they might not have otherwise explored.

[StevieFan13]

Is it weird as a Stevie fan (see the name) that I prefer Innervisions and Talking Book to Songs in the Key of Life? I love them all, to be clear, but I think the former two are tighter.

[bootsy]

Is it weird as a Stevie fan (see the name) that I prefer Innervisions and Talking Book to Songs in the Key of Life? I love them all, to be clear, but I think the former two are tighter.

It's not because they are all great albums but we have our preferences. On this list I prefer Faith to Listen Without Prejudice, Rodeo to Astroworld, Ray of Light to Like a Prayer, Ctrl to SOS and so on.

[StevieFan13]

Is it weird as a Stevie fan (see the name) that I prefer Innervisions and Talking Book to Songs in the Key of Life? I love them all, to be clear, but I think the former two are tighter.

It's not because they are all great albums but we have our preferences. On this list I prefer Faith to Listen Without Prejudice, Rodeo to Astroworld, Ray of Light to Like a Prayer, Ctrl to SOS and so on.

Ray of Light vs. Like a Prayer is a serious debate I have with myself as well...