The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

There have been plenty list available that rank the top 100 greatest albums of all time. What makes this list different is that it compiles and aggregates data from other best of lists, including both critics lists such as Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums books and fan polls such as Q magazine’s 100 Greatest Albums Ever poll. The goal of this list to find not only the greatest albums of all time but also the most influential and culturally significant albums as well, so in addition to just the opinions of critics and fans to compile the list other metrics where used as well such as Billboard chart statistics, RIAA sales figures and several others to help determine the final rankings of the best albums.

This chart is not meant to be static and unchanging. It will be updated and recalculated from time-to-time as more data and information is added to the list.

In all 236 different albums were eligible for the list of greatest albums (#236 was Different Class by Pulp), and they span from the earliest days of rock in the 1950s through today, covering many different genres and styles of music. In the end these are the must have albums that every serious music fan should have in their vinyl, CD or mp3 collection.

Below you will find a short list of the top albums by decade and a chart of the entire top 100 list. You can also start at #100 Axis: Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix and work your way through the list.

Top Three Great Albums of the 1950's

  1. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
  2. Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
  3. Here's Little Richard by Little Richard

Top Five Great Albums of the 1960's

  1. The Beatles (White Album) by The Beatles
  2. Revolver by The Beatles
  3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
  4. Abbey Road by The Beatles
  5. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys

Top Five Great Albums of the 1970's

  1. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
  2. Exile on Main St. by the Rolling Stones
  3. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
  4. Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan
  5. Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

Top Five Great Albums of the 1980's

  1. Thriller by Michael Jackson
  2. The Joshua Tree by U2
  3. London Calling by The Clash
  4. Purple Rain by Prince
  5. Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses

Top Five Great Albums of the 1990's

  1. Nevermind by Nirvana
  2. Achtung Baby by U2
  3. OK Computer by Radiohead
  4. Automatic for the People by R.E.M.
  5. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis

Chart Countdown of the 100 Greatest Albums Ever

# Album Artist Year Genre Points Buy
100. Axis: Bold as Love Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968 Rock 484 Axis: Bold As Love - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
99. Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen 1984 Rock 487 Born In the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen
98. Kid A Radiohead 2000 Alternative 488 Kid A - Radiohead
97. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Elton John 1973 Rock 493 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
96. Trout Mask Replica Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band 1969 Rock 497 Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band
95. Meet the Beatles The Beatles 1964 Rock 507
94. Al Green - Greatest Hits Al Green 1975 R&B / Soul 508 Al Green: Greatest Hits - Al Green
93. Here's Little Richard Little Richard 1957 Rock 510 Here's Little Richard - Little Richard
92. Elvis Presley Elvis Presley 1956 Rock 517.5 Elvis Presley (Remastered) - Elvis Presley
91. Music from Big Pink The Band 1968 Rock 517.5 Music From Big Pink (Remastered) - The Band
90. Stand! Sly and the Family Stone 1969 R&B / Soul 528 Stand! (Bonus Version) - Sly & The Family Stone
89. Otis Blue Otis Redding 1965 R&B / Soul 530 Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul [Collector's Edition] - Otis Redding
88. Sex Machine James Brown 1970 R&B / Soul 535 Sex Machine - James Brown
87. Odelay Beck 1996 Alternative 536 Odelay - Beck
86. Low David Bowie 1977 Rock 538 Low - David Bowie
85. 1999 Prince 1982 R&B / Soul 544 1999 - Prince
84. Dummy Portishead 1995 Electronic 547.5 Dummy - Portishead
83. Tommy The Who 1969 Rock 557 Tommy (Remastered) - The Who
82. Superfly Curtis Mayfield 1972 Soundtrack 583 Superfly (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) - Curtis Mayfield
81. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill 1998 R&B / Soul 583 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
80. Beggars Banquet The Rolling Stones 1968 Rock 620 Beggars Banquet - The Rolling Stones
79. Bringing it All Back Home Bob Dylan 1965 Folk 623 Bringing It All Back Home - Bob Dylan
78. After the Gold Rush Neil Young 1970 Rock 627 After the Gold Rush (Remastered) - Neil Young
77. Exodus Bob Marley 1977 Reggae 631.5 Exodus (Remastered) - Bob Marley
76. Synchronicity The Police 1983 Rock 648 Synchronicity (Remastered) - The Police
75. Live at the Apollo (1963) James Brown 1963 R&B / Soul 653 Live at the Apollo (Remastered 1962) - James Brown
74. Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees 1977 Soundtrack 663 Saturday Night Fever (The Original Movie Soundtrack) [Remastered] - Various Artists
73. Definitely Maybe Oasis 1994 Alternative 668 Definitely Maybe - Oasis
72. At Fillmore East The Allman Brothers Band 1971 Rock 680 At Fillmore East (Live) [Deluxe Edition] - The Allman Brothers Band
71. Lady Soul Aretha Franklin 1968 R&B / Soul 680.5 Lady Soul - Aretha Franklin
70. The Unforgettable Fire U2 1984 Rock 684 The Unforgettable Fire (Remastered) - U2
69. Ten Pearl Jam 1991 Rock 692 Ten - Pearl Jam
68. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You Aretha Franklin 1967 R&B / Soul 698.5 I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
67. Out of Time R.E.M. 1991 Rock 705 Out of Time - R.E.M.
66. Plastic Ono Band John Lennon 1970 Rock 710.5 Plastic Ono Band (Remastered) - John Lennon
65. A Hard Day's Night The Beatles 1964 Rock 723 A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles
64. Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette 1995 Alternative 723 Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette
63. The Ramones The Ramones 1976 Punk 734 Ramones (Deluxe Version) - Ramones
62. Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd 1975 Rock 738 Wish You Were Here (Remastered) - Pink Floyd
61. Off the Wall Michael Jackson 1979 Pop 776 Off the Wall - Michael Jackson
60. Legend Bob Marley 1984 Reggae 789 Legend (Remastered) [Bonus Tracks] - Bob Marley
59. Physical Graffiti Led Zeppelin 1975 Rock 791 Physical Graffiti (Remastered) - Led Zeppelin
58. The Queen is Dead The Smiths 1986 Rock 797.5 The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
57. Graceland Paul Simon 1986 Pop 809 Graceland - Paul Simon
56. Back in Black AC/DC 1980 Rock 819
55. The Band The Band 1969 Rock 842 The Band (Remastered) - The Band
54. The Stone Roses The Stone Roses 1989 Alternative 852 The Stone Roses (Remastered) - The Stone Roses
53. The Bends Radiohead 1995 Alternative 858 The Bends - Radiohead
52. Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin 1969 Rock 879 Led Zeppelin II (Remastered) - Led Zeppelin
51. Moondance Van Morrison 1970 Rock 880 Moondance - Van Morrison
50. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Oasis 1995 Alternative 897 (What's the Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
49. Horses Patti Smith 1975 Rock 899 Horses - Patti Smith
48. Automatic for the People R.E.M. 1992 Rock 913 Automatic for the People - R.E.M.
47. Forever Changes Love 1967 Rock 928 Forever Changes - Love
46. Hunky Dory David Bowie 1971 Rock 948 Hunky Dory - David Bowie
45. Innervisions Stevie Wonder 1973 R&B / Soul 958 Innervisions (Reissue) - Stevie Wonder
44. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back Public Enemy 1988 Rap 965 It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy
43. OK Computer Radiohead 1997 Alternative 1017 OK Computer - Radiohead
42. The Sun Sessions Elvis Presley 1976 Rock 1027.5
41. Sticky Fingers The Rolling Stones 1971 Rock 1072 Sticky Fingers (Remastered) - The Rolling Stones
40. Sign 'o' the Times Prince 1987 Rock 1076 Sign 'O' the Times - Prince
39. Appetite for Destruction Guns N' Roses 1987 Rock 1093 Appetite for Destruction - Guns N' Roses
38. Electric Ladyland Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968 Rock 1109 Electric Ladyland - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
37. The Doors The Doors 1967 Rock 1114 The Doors - The Doors
36. The Wall Pink Floyd 1979 Rock 1118 The Wall (Remastered) - Pink Floyd
35. Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon and Garfunkel 1970 Pop 1133 Bridge Over Troubled Water (Remastered) - Simon & Garfunkel
34. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin 1969 Rock 1145 Led Zeppelin (Remastered) - Led Zeppelin
33. Tapestry Carole King 1971 Pop 1164 Tapestry - Carole King
32. Purple Rain Prince 1984 Soundtrack 1173 Purple Rain (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) - Prince & The Revolution
31. Songs in the Key of Life Stevie Wonder 1976 R&B / Soul 1188 Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder
30. Led Zeppelin IV Led Zeppelin 1971 Rock 1191 Led Zeppelin IV (Remastered) - Led Zeppelin
29. Achtung Baby U2 1991 Rock 1233 Achtung Baby - U2
28. Kind of Blue Miles Davis 1959 Jazz 1253 Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
27. Hotel California The Eagles 1976 Rock 1290 Hotel California - Eagles
26. Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust David Bowie 1972 Rock 1314.5 The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - David Bowie
25. Astral Weeks Van Morrison 1968 Rock 1334.5 Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
24. Let it Bleed The Rolling Stones 1969 Rock 1355 Let It Bleed - The Rolling Stones
23. Who's Next The Who 1971 Rock 1396 Who's Next (Remastered) - The Who
22. Never Mind the Bollocks The Sex Pistols 1977 Punk 1413 Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols - The Sex Pistols
21. Blue Joni Mitchell 1971 Pop 1483 Blue - Joni Mitchell
20. Are You Experienced Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967 Rock 1485 Are You Experienced - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
19. Velvet Underground & Nico The Velvet Underground 1967 Rock 1534 The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground
18. Born to Run Bruce Springsteen 1975 Rock 1568 Born to Run (30th Anniversary Edition) [Remastered] - Bruce Springsteen
17. Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd 1973 Rock 1573 Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
16. London Calling The Clash 1980 Punk 1618 London Calling - The Clash
15. Highway 61 Revisited Bob Dylan 1965 Rock 1652 Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
14. Blonde on Blonde Bob Dylan 1966 Rock 1656 Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan
13. Blood on the Tracks Bob Dylan 1975 Rock 1669 Blood On the Tracks - Bob Dylan
12. What's Going On Marvin Gaye 1971 R&B / Soul 1670.5 What's Going On (Remastered) - Marvin Gaye
11. Exile on Main St. The Rolling Stones 1972 Rock 1712 Exile On Main Street (Remastered) - The Rolling Stones
10. Rumours Fleetwood Mac 1977 Rock 1758 Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
9. The Joshua Tree U2 1987 Rock 1785 The Joshua Tree (Remastered) - U2
8. Rubber Soul The Beatles 1965 Rock 1804 Rubber Soul - The Beatles
7. Thriller Michael Jackson 1982 Pop 1835 Thriller - Michael Jackson
6. Pet Sounds The Beach Boys 1966 Rock 1878 Pet Sounds (Mono / Stereo) - The Beach Boys
5. Nevermind Nirvana 1991 Alternative 1890 Nevermind - Nirvana
4. Abbey Road The Beatles 1969 Rock 1974 Abbey Road - The Beatles
3. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles 1967 Rock 2040 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
2. Revolver The Beatles 1966 Rock 2050 Revolver - The Beatles
1. The Beatles (White Album) The Beatles 1968 Rock 2086 The Beatles (White Album) - The Beatles

Comments