Apple Music's Best Albums list, visualized (2024)

Apple Music this week released a list of its 100 best albums of all time, sparking debates and discussions among music enthusiasts. Below, Newsweek has tabulated how the list is represented by era, genre and individual artist.

The panel responsible for curating Apple Music's 100 Best Albums list comprised a diverse group of experts, including the streamer's editorial team and a select group of artists, songwriters, producers and industry professionals, including legendary record producer Nile Rodgers, Grammy-nominated artist and producer Maggie Rogers, and Apple Music's Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden.

"The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" by the rapper and singer Lauryn Hill has taken the top spot on the list. Released in 1998, Hill's debut and only solo studio album is celebrated for its profound impact on the spiritual and cultural landscape of its time.

Apple Music's Best Albums list, visualized (1)

"This is my award, but it's a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love," Hill told Apple Music upon receiving the accolade.

Coming in second was Michael Jackson's "Thriller," a record that redefined the popular music industry with its unprecedented success and influence. Seven of its nine tracks became top 10 singles, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Beatles Still on Top, But Sharing the Spotlight

Among the artists with the most entries on this list are The Beatles, Prince and Radiohead and Beyoncé, each with two albums. The Fab Four are represented by "Abbey Road" and "Revolver," while Prince's contributions include "Purple Rain" and "Sign O' the Times." Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" and "Innervisions" also made the list, along with Radiohead's "OK Computer" and "Kid A."

Rock's Dominance Faces Challenge from Hip-Hop

Rock music dominated the rankings, with 31 albums represented including classics like Eagles's "Hotel California" and Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" making the cut, but hip-hop was close behind with 23 albums, reflecting its cultural impact and evolution over the years. Most of the hip hop albums were recorded after the 1990s.

Notable rap artists with one album each include Lauryn Hill, Drake, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, Missy Elliott, The Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest and Kanye West, among others.

Pop records made up 16 of the Top 11, while R&B put up 10 albums. Other genres such as electronic, soul, jazz, folk, new wave, reggae, reggaeton, and country also had notable entries.

The 1990s: A Decade of Musical Prowess

The 1990s were the most productive decade in the Apple Top 100 Albums, with 22 albums featured. The era saw a diverse explosion of genres and innovative sounds, driven by cultural shifts and technological advancements.

Influential artists, from Nirvana to Nas, produced seminal works that defined the decade's music, with the blending of styles, emergence of new voices and impact of MTV contributing to a rich and diverse musical landscape. Notably, 49 albums—almost half of the ranking—were made after 1990, underscoring the lasting influence of this period on contemporary music.

Pop Royalty

Arguably the two biggest pop stars in the world, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are represented with two and one entries a piece, respectively: Beyoncé's "Lemonade" and self-titled fifth album are both recognized, as is Taylor Swift's "1989 (Taylor's Version)."

"Lemonade" blends personal and political themes with a rich visual narrative, exploring Black womanhood and American history and earning acclaim for its depth and creativity. "1989" marked Swift's shift from country to pop, characterized by catchy tunes and smart lyrics, significantly contributing to her status as pop icon.

Here is the complete ranking of Apple Music's Best Albums of all Time:

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

Uncommon Knowledge

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