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