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Apple Music

Apple Music 100 Best Albums

Apple's definitive ranking of the greatest albums ever made — from the expected masterworks to a few picks that raised eyebrows. 100 records. No genre left out.

From Dexx

Apple dropped this list in 2024 and it set the internet on fire. Lauryn Hill at number one over Thriller, Abbey Road, and Purple Rain — that alone is worth arguing about for hours. Stevie at six, Kendrick at seven, Amy Winehouse cracking the top ten. This is not your father's canon.

They leaned into hip-hop and R&B harder than most legacy publications would dare. Good. Those are the records that defined the last three decades of vinyl culture. You'll find first pressings of half this list in any serious crate digger's collection.

Whether you agree with every pick or not, this is a strong starting point for any collection. I've got notes on every album — tap any title for the full story.

— Dexx

100

Albums

95

Artists

10

Genres

1959–2022

Span

By Genre

By Decade

Top Labels

The List

1Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill—The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
19982Michael Jackson — Thriller
Michael Jackson—Thriller
19823The Beatles — Abbey Road
The Beatles—Abbey Road
19694Prince — Purple Rain
Prince—Purple Rain
19845Frank Ocean — Blonde
Frank Ocean—Blonde
20166Stevie Wonder — Songs in the Key of Life
Stevie Wonder—Songs in the Key of Life
19767Kendrick Lamar — good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar—good kid, m.A.A.d city
20128Amy Winehouse — Back to Black
Amy Winehouse—Back to Black
20069Nirvana — Nevermind
Nirvana—Nevermind
199110Beyoncé — Lemonade
Beyoncé—Lemonade
201611Fleetwood Mac — Rumours
Fleetwood Mac—Rumours
197712Radiohead — OK Computer
Radiohead—OK Computer
199713JAY-Z — The Blueprint
JAY-Z—The Blueprint
200114Bob Dylan — Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan—Highway 61 Revisited
196515Adele — 21
Adele—21
201116Joni Mitchell — Blue
Joni Mitchell—Blue
197117Marvin Gaye — What's Going On
Marvin Gaye—What's Going On
197118Taylor Swift — 1989 (Taylor's Version)
Taylor Swift—1989 (Taylor's Version)
201419Dr. Dre — The Chronic
Dr. Dre—The Chronic
199220The Beach Boys — Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys—Pet Sounds
196621The Beatles — Revolver
The Beatles—Revolver
196622Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen—Born to Run
197523Daft Punk — Discovery
Daft Punk—Discovery
200124David Bowie — The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
David Bowie—The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
197225Miles Davis — Kind of Blue
Miles Davis—Kind of Blue
195926Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West—My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
201027Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin—Led Zeppelin II
196928Pink Floyd — The Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd—The Dark Side of the Moon
197329A Tribe Called Quest — The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest—The Low End Theory
199130Billie Eilish — WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?
Billie Eilish—WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?
201931Alanis Morissette — Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette—Jagged Little Pill
199532The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die
The Notorious B.I.G.—Ready to Die
199433Radiohead — Kid A
Radiohead—Kid A
200034Public Enemy — It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Public Enemy—It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
198835The Clash — London Calling
The Clash—London Calling
197936Beyoncé — BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé—BEYONCÉ
201337Wu-Tang Clan — Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan—Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
199338Carole King — Tapestry
Carole King—Tapestry
197139Nas — Illmatic
Nas—Illmatic
199440Aretha Franklin — I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin—I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
196741Outkast — Aquemini
Outkast—Aquemini
199842Janet Jackson — Control
Janet Jackson—Control
198643Talking Heads — Remain in Light
Talking Heads—Remain in Light
198044Stevie Wonder — Innervisions
Stevie Wonder—Innervisions
197345Björk — Homogenic
Björk—Homogenic
199746Bob Marley & The Wailers — Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers—Exodus
197747Drake — Take Care
Drake—Take Care
201148Beastie Boys — Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys—Paul's Boutique
198949U2 — The Joshua Tree
U2—The Joshua Tree
198750Kate Bush — Hounds of Love
Kate Bush—Hounds of Love
198551Prince — Sign O' the Times
Prince—Sign O' the Times
198752Guns N' Roses — Appetite for Destruction
Guns N' Roses—Appetite for Destruction
198753The Rolling Stones — Exile on Main St.
The Rolling Stones—Exile on Main St.
197254John Coltrane — A Love Supreme
John Coltrane—A Love Supreme
196555Rihanna — ANTI
Rihanna—ANTI
201656The Cure — Disintegration
The Cure—Disintegration
198957D'Angelo — Voodoo
D'Angelo—Voodoo
200058Oasis — (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Oasis—(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
199559Arctic Monkeys — AM
Arctic Monkeys—AM
201360The Velvet Underground & Nico — The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground & Nico—The Velvet Underground & Nico
196761Sade — Love Deluxe
Sade—Love Deluxe
1992622Pac — All Eyez on Me
2Pac—All Eyez on Me
199663The Jimi Hendrix Experience — Are You Experienced
The Jimi Hendrix Experience—Are You Experienced
196764Erykah Badu — Baduizm
Erykah Badu—Baduizm
199765De La Soul — 3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul—3 Feet High and Rising
198966The Smiths — The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths—The Queen Is Dead
198667Portishead — Dummy
Portishead—Dummy
199468The Strokes — Is This It
The Strokes—Is This It
200169Metallica — Master of Puppets
Metallica—Master of Puppets
198670N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A—Straight Outta Compton
198871Kraftwerk — Trans-Europe Express
Kraftwerk—Trans-Europe Express
197772SZA — SOS
SZA—SOS
202273Steely Dan — Aja
Steely Dan—Aja
197774Nine Inch Nails — The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails—The Downward Spiral
199475Missy Elliott — Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott—Supa Dupa Fly
199776Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti
Bad Bunny—Un Verano Sin Ti
202277Madonna — Like a Prayer
Madonna—Like a Prayer
198978Elton John — Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John—Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
197379Lana Del Rey — Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Lana Del Rey—Norman Fucking Rockwell!
201980Eminem — The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem—The Marshall Mathers LP
200081Neil Young — After the Gold Rush
Neil Young—After the Gold Rush
19708250 Cent — Get Rich or Die Tryin'
50 Cent—Get Rich or Die Tryin'
200383Patti Smith — Horses
Patti Smith—Horses
197584Snoop Dogg — Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg—Doggystyle
199385Kacey Musgraves — Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves—Golden Hour
201886Mary J. Blige — My Life
Mary J. Blige—My Life
199487Massive Attack — Blue Lines
Massive Attack—Blue Lines
199188Nina Simone — I Put a Spell on You
Nina Simone—I Put a Spell on You
196589Lady Gaga — The Fame Monster
Lady Gaga—The Fame Monster
200990AC/DC — Back in Black
AC/DC—Back in Black
198091George Michael — Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
George Michael—Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
199092Tyler, The Creator — Flower Boy
Tyler, The Creator—Flower Boy
201793Solange — A Seat at the Table
Solange—A Seat at the Table
201694Burial — Untrue
Burial—Untrue
200795USHER — Confessions
USHER—Confessions
200496Lorde — Pure Heroine
Lorde—Pure Heroine
201397Rage Against the Machine — Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine—Rage Against the Machine
199298Travis Scott — ASTROWORLD
Travis Scott—ASTROWORLD
201899Eagles — Hotel California
Eagles—Hotel California
1976100Robyn — Body Talk
Robyn—Body Talk
2010

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