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200 Greatest Albums Of All Time
The Warped Vinyl Aficionado offers its opinion about the "200 Greatest Albums of All Time" with the understanding that music is very personal and subjective to the listener. Our opinion is based on many factors, and we'd be lying if we did not admit that bias plays a role. Bias plays a role in every list compiled anywhere. However, we balanced our bias through the consideration of other factors such as commercial success, influence on the industry, creative breakthroughs, the social and political era in which the music was recorded, quality of the performance, song writing, others’ opinions (i.e., Rolling Stone, Acclaimed Music, AllMusic, Billboard, Spin, Wikipedia, etc.), the ability to withstand the test of time, and more.
We ask that you consider the list below and if anything piques your interest, give it a listen. You just may find a gem that you overlooked or did not give the time of day because your own biases got in the way. Release your biases, no matter how they were created, as you ponder the list and stretch yourself to explore something new and quite possibly amazing. Want a more detailed understanding of the greatest albums by Genre? Visit our "Greatest of All Time" jazz, blues, and country lists. Interested in reviews about vinyl record pressings? We have a list for that as well!
1. What's Going On: Marvin Gaye
Soul/R&B
1971 Tamla Records.
What's Going On is a without a doubt a masterpiece. It's vocally smooth, musically diverse, and documents the era as well as any record of its time. This record is solid in every sense of the word. As Rolling Stone put's it, "What's Going On was soul music’s first concept album, and one of the most important and influential LPs ever made. It forever changed how Motown artists pushed musical and political boundaries."
2. Abbey Road: The Beatles
Rock
1969 Apple Records
Recorded in just two months during the summer of 1969, this classic and important album almost never saw the light of day. Prior to hitting the studio to record Abbey Road the Beatles were about to pack up and hit the road, a road that would lead them as far away from each other as possible. However, expecting that this could be their last effort together, the prideful quartet was determined to make this project one of their best. As it turns out, that is exactly what it ended up being.
3. Exile on Main Street: Rolling Stones
Rock
1972 Rolling Stones Records
The stones brought it all on Exile On Main Street. Dirty blues, rock, punk, a little country, and soul. According to Keith Richards, Exile On Main Street “maybe the best thing we did.” Besides Richards' screaming guitar riffs, Jagger and Richards’ gritty songwriting made this album an instant classic. Exile is the defining album in the Stones 10 year run of chart topping releases that began with Let It Bleed and ended with Tattoo You. However, this is by no means implying that releases prior to this stretch were slouches. It simply underscores how good the Stones were during that period.
4. Rumours: Fleetwood Mac
Rock
1977 Warner Bothers Records
Prior to Nicks and Buckingham's addition to the band, Fleetwood Mac was quite possibly one of the strongest blues bands of the 60s. Nicks and Buckingham not only added a level creativity and pop inspiration to the band, they also brought a level of drama that had not been present previously. Thankfully, the drama brought a fresh creative energy that ultimately led to the creation of one of the greatest albums of all time. Credit is given to Nicks and Buckingham, as well as McVie and McVie for not letting their personal breakup break up the band. This is a true test of time album and one that will live on for many years to come.
5. Kind of Blue: Miles Davis
Jazz
1959 Columbia Records
Rock bands will come and Rock bands will go, but jazz will live on forever through every genre of music. Jazz, has been the driving force behind some of the greatest recordings ever made. Bands such as Steely Dan, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, and The Rolling Stones, as well artists such as John Legend, Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and John Mayer have been influenced by the likes of Miles Davis. Kind of Blue is his masterpiece, period. Not only is it one of the most popular jazz albums of all time, it is also one of the most important and, as demonstrated above, influential.
6. Highway 61 Revisited: Bob Dylan
Folk/Rock
1965 Columbia
As Dylan has done on so many albums, he opens Highway 61 Revisited with a song that would make you wonder how the hell he could even come close to having anything as good left to share on the record. “Like a Rolling Stone,” the opening song on Highway 61 Revisited, was instrumental in changing the landscape of popular music. Besides the lyrical and musical genius, the record pushed limits, lasting over 6 minutes in a world that had come to believe that 3 minutes was as long as anyone was willing to give a song, especially on the radio. Birthed was the era of Album Oriented Rock radio. Dylan is a legend. Dylan is one of the most important lyricists and musicians, ever.
7. Nevermind: Nirvana
Rock
1991 Geffen Records
Nirvana's second album put the band solidly on the map and their lead singer solidly in turmoil as he struggled with seemingly overnight success. “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” shot up from the charts for many reasons. Slashing riffs, aggressive singing, and edgy lyrics brought authenticity back to rock & roll. As has unfortunately been the case with so many artists, and given the age he was at the time of his passing, we never realized Cobain's full potential.
8. Thriller: Michael Jackson
1982
Epic Records
Michael Jackson was, and arguably still is, the King of pop. He ruled the airwaves and clubs in the Eighties like no other. He was the quintessential entertainer; a singer, songwriter, dancer, and character that was at times larger than life and, unfortunately, shocking at times. However, Thriller is undoubtedly one of the most influential and successful albums of all time. Jackson's incorporation of a variety of sonic pulses which perfectly captured the diversity, fusion and velocity of a new era in music. Thriller has often been criticized as a collection of hits, rather than a coherent album with a unified theme. However, the theme may be held within hidden in the music's sound waves, resonance and energy. Regardless of the criticism, the album has sold over 33 million copies in the U.S. alone (70 million worldwide) and spent nearly a year in the top spot on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Maybe that's where the theme lies.
9. Born to Run: Bruce Springsteen
Rock
1975 Columbia Records
Born to Run is the consummate classic rock album. Springsteen's third album was and still is a rock n' roll classic and masterpiece. Stories abound about the trials and tribulations Springsteen and his band endured in the making of Born to Run. However, it is through trials that bonds are created. None is more evident than that of the cover photo showing Springsteen leaning onto sax-man Clarence Clemons. Greatness is earned not given. Springsteen and the E Street Band earned their place with Born to Run.
10. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: The Beatles
Rock/Psychedelic Rock
1967 Parlophone Records
The Beatles were superstars prior to Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. However, they were pop superstars at risk of being labeled as such. The safe thing to do would have been to keep making pop records. The hard thing to do was change direction and experiment. The hard thing is in most cases the path one must take to achieve greatness. By doing such the Beatles went from superstars to legends. They also forever changed the musical landscape and are responsible for influencing many of the artists we enjoy today.
11. Pet Sounds: The Beach Boys
Pop/Rock
1966 Capital Records
It has been said that Pet Sounds was the inspiration for the Beatles’ masterpiece, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Pet Sounds has been described as inventive, lyrically ambitious, elegant, and thematic. What many do not know is that, due to the personal nature of the songs, Brian Wilson considered putting the album out as a solo project. In fact, he wrote the vast majority of the songs on the album without the band. Vocalist Mike Love has been said to have asked Eno who he thought would hear this record, farm animals? Hence the album's title.
12. Blood on the Tracks: Bob Dylan
Folk/Rock
1975 Columbia
When an album opens with a song like "Tangled Up in Blue", you know you are going to experience something great. Blood on the Tracks is certainly one of those records that can help you relate to an artist you struggled to connect with. The lyrics, the emotion, the vocals all come together to create a wonderful music experience. Without a doubt, Blood is one of Dylan's best works and a true classic in every sense of the word.
13. London Calling: The Clash
Punk/Rock
1979 CBS
London Calling is the album that brought punk rock to the masses. Not quite the violent energy of the Sex Pistols, The Clash brings forth punk's attitude and blends it with rock's energy to create a great record that anyone who appreciates hard edged rock would love. The Clash, down on their luck financially, was living the music at the time of the writing and making of this record. It was the album's last song, "Train in Vain," that became The Clash’s first Top 30 single in the U.S. Ironically, "Train in Vain," was a hidden track and not listed on the first release of the album.
14. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill: Lauryn Hill
R&B/Soul
1998 Columbia/Ruffhouse
Following her desire to step out from the Fugees to try her hand at a solo project, Lauryn Hill stepped out and leaped over anything her former band ever achieved. Writing songs that "lyrically move me and have the integrity of reggae and the knock of hip-hop and the instrumentation of classic soul,” Hill delivered with a masterpiece of her own and one that has and will continue to withstand the test of time.
15. Purple Rain: Prince and the Revolution
Pop
1984 Warner Bros.
Imagine the bold and courageous move that Prince made when he created Purple Rain. He was young, had not proven himself as an artist, and had few resources to pull off such a grandiose vision. However, risk taking and bold action is what people who achieve great things do. When Purple Rain the album and movie were released in 1984, Prince became the first artist to have the number one song, album, and movie in North America. Purple Rain is a combination of funk, psychedelia, heavy-metal, ballads, and pornographic experimentation. Its songs are contradicting, innocent, brokenhearted, and brash. His greatest work, "Purple Rain," was inspired by none other than Detroit rocker Bob Seger. It has been said by Rolling Stone Magazine that "Prince didn’t understand the Midwestern rocker’s appeal, but decided to try a ballad in the Seger mode. The result may be the greatest rock ballads of all time."
16. Blue: Joni Mitchell
Folk
1971 Reprise
Many view Joni Mitchell as "the feminine ideal". Robert Plant even referred to her in the song "Goin' to California" as “a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair”. However, that was not a status that Mitchell was looking for. So, as she put it, “Oh, my God, a lot of people are listening to me. ’They better find out who they’re worshiping. Let’s see if they can take it. Let’s get real.’ So I wrote Blue.” On Blue, Mitchell reflects on past relationships and intimate encounters. The songs have a stark and emotional intensity that leaves no one guessing as to her thoughts, feelings, and state of mind at the time of the recording.
17. Revolver: The Beatles
Rock
1966 Apple
Revolver marks the beginning of the the moment when the Beatles fully allow their creative genius to lead them as they sought to make music that made a real impact on the industry. As a result, they would go on to create some of the most influential music of our time. Maybe it was a combination of Lennon's LSD experimentation, Harrison's interest in Eastern mysticism, or McCartney's pursuit of avant-garde compositions that led to such a great record. No matter the influences on the Fab Four, the influences they have had on music are forever etched in the annals of time.
18. Legend: Bob Marley and the Wailers
Reggae
1984 Island
There is not a bad song on this album, something that cannot be said for most greatest hits compilations. The music, the lyrics, and the vocals all make a clear statement about how great Bob Marley truly was. Legend captures all that made Marley everything we have come to know and love about the man. Every song tells a story. Stories of struggle and oppression, love and hope, heartache and joy. Marley not only brings difficult stories to life, but does it in the most uplifting, inspiring, honest, and real manner possible. Legend is a label reserved for few. Marley is one of the few.
19. Led Zeppelin IV: Led Zeppelin
Rock
1971 Atlantic
“Stairway to Heaven” is a rock anthem with a guitar riff by Jimmy Page that every budding guitar player has visions of playing in front of a crowd one day. The album was not only a commercial success, but received critical acclaim that led to it becoming Led Zeppelin's best-selling album. The album has been credited with defining the band, as well as the sound and style of '70s hard rock. The album is special because it embraces what made Rock n' Roll by encompassing Heavy Metal, Folk, and Blues throughout. Led Zeppelin IV remains a cornerstone album for the genre that is Rock n' Roll.
20. Songs In The Key of Life: Stevie Wonder
Soul/R&B
1976 Tamla/Motown
It took Stevie Wonder almost two years to release a followup to his early 70s chart topping albums, Talking Book, Innervisions, and Fulfillingness’ First Finale. Not too dissimilar to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, Songs In The Key of Life is a statement about the times and a celebration of life. It is Wonder's masterpiece and most certainly a record that will continue to endure the test of time as it has so clearly done for almost a half a century.
21. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy: Kanye West
Hip Hop/Rap/Dance
2010 Roc-A-Fella
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy could be one of the most musically inspiring Hip-Hop records created. It is as chaotic and random as Kanye himself. Elton John plays on “All of the Lights” and King Crimson jumps in on “Power”. Layered with influences from every genre of music, West pulled together what could possibly be the most complete Hip-Hop/Rap record to date.
22. Blonde on Blonde: Bob Dylan
Folk/Rock
1966 Columbia Records
Dylan recorded Blonde on Blonde, the first double album in rock history, primarily in Nashville with session professionals, which at the time was uncommon. As a result, Dylan delivered some of the best work of his career. Songs like "Rainy Day Woman" and "Just Like A Woman" were penned in the moment and recorded in just as short order. Said Dylan about the sessions, "The musicians played cards, I wrote out a song, we'd do it, they'd go back to their game and I'd write out another song". That underscores his talent as a song writer.
23. Are You Experienced: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Rock
1967 Track
On fire with Blues riffs, guitar feedback, and cosmic psychodelia, Jimi Hendrix’s guitar playing skills are well documented on Are You Experienced. However, it is the heat he brings with his guitar playing expertise that separates him from the rest. His influence on guitar greats such as Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, and Gary Clark Jr. is undeniable. The album is full of imagination and experimentation. However, and contrary to popular belief, experimentation that led to “Purple Haze” had “nothing to do with drugs,” as Hendrix has said. “‘Purple Haze’ was all about a dream I had that I was walking under the sea.”
24. Kid A: Radiohead
Alternative Rock
2000 Parlophone
As Rolling Stone accurately stated, Radiohead’s Kid A "remains one of the more stunning sonic makeovers in music history". Influenced by electronica, ambient, Krautrock, Jazz, and Classical music, Radiohead created one of the most influential musics of the decade. Kid A became Radiohead's first number-one album on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
25. Rubber Soul: The Beatles
Rock
1965 Parlophone
Rubber Soul was the Beatles sixth studio album and the one that represents the beginning of their transition from a pop band to a supergroup destined to forever change the popular music landscape. With influences from song writing geniuses such as Bob Dylan, the Beatles incorporated a mix of pop, rock, folk and soul sounds to create music unlike anything they had previously recorded. The title intended to acknowledge the lack of authenticity in their soulful music, as compared to the African-American soul artists they admired. Rubber Soul was the second Beatles album to contain only original material, which demonstrates how much they matured as artists in such a short period of time.
26. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars: David Bowie
Rock
1972 RCA
Glam rock was birthed in the early 70s in Great Britain, with David Bowie serving as the genre's most notable front man. Glitter, makeup, elaborate dress, and alter-egos led the movement. As Rolling Stone puts it, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars documents one of the most elaborate self-mythologizing schemes in rock". David Bowie not only created the glittery, messianic alter ego Ziggy Stardust, but lived it for much of his career. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars is a blend of sexy pop and blues power. The telling sign of great artists is their ability create and recreate themselves again and again, which Bowie did his entire career.
27. The Velvet Underground and Nico: The Velvet Underground and Nico
Rock
1967 Verve
As Rolling Stone has stated, and is true, "Much of what we take for granted in rock would not exist without this New York band or its seminal debut: the androgynous sexuality of glitter, punk’s raw noir, the blackened-riff howl of grunge and noise rock". That is a strong statement, especially for a debut album. Described as the "original art rock album", The Velvet Underground and Nico has become one of the most controversial, yet prophetic rock albums ever made. The album was produced by Andy Warhol, with most of the songs recorded in four days. Most noted for its overt descriptions of topics such as drug abuse, prostitution, sadism and masochism, and sexual deviancy. Upon initial release, The Velvet Underground and Nico was largely unsuccessful and a financial failure, selling only 30,000 copies in its first five years.
Such an album does not sound like it should be highly ranked or critically acclaimed, but as Brian Eno famously stated, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band!"
28. Let It Bleed: The Rolling Stones
Rock
1969 ABKCO
The Stones kick Let It Bleed off with “Gimme Shelter”, a song written to be synonymous with the end of the blisssful spirit of the 60s. The momentum that “Gimme Shelter” launched the album with continued throughout with songs like “Midnight Rambler”, “Monkey Man”, and“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. Minus a couple songs, for most bands Let It Bleed would be a greatest hits collection. For the Stones it was simply another incredible rock n' roll masterpiece that has withstood the test of time like so many other albums in their library.
29. Tapestry: Carole King
Folk/Rock
1971 Sony
Many of the songs of the 60s that we have come to know and love have been written by Carole King. Those songs include “The Loco-Motion", “Go Away Little Girl”, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”, "Up On The Roof", “Don’t Bring Me Down”, and “Pleasant Valley Sunday”. James Taylor has been credited with influencing King to step out and sing her own songs. King admitted at the time that she, “wasn’t in the same league vocally with Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, and Barbara Streisand". However, it was her ability to convey the mood and emotion of a song that resulted in Tapestry becoming one of the biggest-selling albums of the 70s and most revered critically. Not only was her recording success important for her as a songwriter, but for females everywhere who were trying to come out from under the shadow of a male dominated singer-songwriter industry.
30. Innervisions: Stevie Wonder
R&B/Soul
1973 Tamla/Motown
Stevie Wonder was a torch bearer for the social issues engulfing the country in the 70s. Innervisions brought to life in song all that social equality and civil rights leaders, such as Martin Luther King, had worked hard to bring to the surface for all to see. Like King, Wonder approached the issues by painting a picture of the reality of the time, while also offering hope for a better future. Innvervisions was considered a landmark recording, documenting his transition from an artist known for romantic ballads into a more musically mature and socially conscious artist. Innervisions won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and Best Engineered Non-Classical Recording, while "Living for the City" won Best R&B Song.
31. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back: Public Enemy
Rap
1988 Def Jam
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back resided on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart for 47 weeks, peaking at number forty-two. It received widespread acclaim for its production techniques, as well as its socially and politically charged lyrics. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back has been regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time. Some critics going as far as calling it "a landmark and classic" and "the greatest Hip-Hop album ever". It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is funky, obnoxious, political, humorous, high energy, and unapologetic.
32. Back to Black: Amy Winehouse
Adult Contemporary/Pop
2006 Island
Amy Winehouse was an artist that never truly exposed us to her full potential. Her voice, her creative talent, and her ability to blend genres of music to create music with a beautiful edge was unique. She documented her life in song, offering the world a window into her troubled relationships and struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. Winehouse shared all the painful and tumultuous aspects of what is was to be her through her songs. Her vocals transmit the emotion and the struggles of her life with clarity and conviction. Like so many other great artists, she lived out her songs and past away in 2011.
33. The Dark Side of the Moon: Pink Floyd
Rock
1973 EMI
Cinematic, progressive, psychedelic, and lustrous. The Dark Side of the Moon is without question one of the best-produced albums ever made. Dark Side was engineered by Alan Parsons. He was also responsible for many of the sonic aspects of the record. The Dark Side of the Moon stands as one of the most critically acclaimed records in history. It is considered a blockbuster release of the album era, with sales upward of over 45 million copies and spent more time on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart than any album in history. In 2012, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
34. Astral Weeks: Van Morrison
Folk/Rock
1968 Warner Bros.
Van Morrison made Astral Weeks in the summer of 1968. He had just signed with Warner Bros. and used the opportunity to work with a more open label to explore the physical and dramatic range of his voice. His wandering melodies connect with his heritage and the poetic Celtic folk and American R&B that led to him becoming one of the greatest singers and songwriters of our time. Astral Weeks was not received well when released and it did not achieve the initial commercial success that Morrison had hoped. However, over time it has come to be known as one one of the greatest albums of all time and Morrison's most enduring effort.
35. Horses: Patti Smith
Rock
1975 Arista
Horses was the studio album that launched Patti Smith's career. Produced by former Velvet Underground member John Cale, the record gained critical acclaim for its minimalist punk rock approach and simple chord progressions. Horses realized modest commercial success, making its way to the top 50 of the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The album is raw, defiant, aggressive, and lives on the edge of social mutiny. As is the case for any artist who has made a difference and a lasting impact, revolution against the norm is what drove Smith and her debut album. Horses has been recognized as a seminal recording in Punk Rock and Rock movements. In 2009, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation into the National Recording Registry as a "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" work.
36. Remain In The Light: Talking Heads
Rock/New Wave
1990 Sire
Remain In Light was a New Wave masterpiece that combined the elevated energy and influence from Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, as well as African polyrhythms, Funk, and electronics. Remain In Light was acclaimed by critics because of its sonic experimentation, rhythmic innovations, and cohesive merging of disparate genres. The album peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and is considered Talking Heads' best work. In 2017, the Library of Congress deemed the album "culturally, historically, or artistically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry.
37. White Album: The Beatles
Rock
1968 Apple
When a great artists are given time to slow life down and connect with their inner-self, creativity is elevated and the resulting work can be astonishing, as was the case for the Beatles. The White Album is a product of one of those moments and has been instrumental in shaping popular music. Each song was written while on retreat with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India. The experimentation and spiritual connections led the Beatles to create some of their best work.
38. OK Computer: Radiohead
Rock
1997 Parlophone
OK Computer was Radiohead's third and most artistically creative album to date. A social and political statement, OK Computer has been said to have "prescient insight into the mood of 21st-century life". Using unconventional production techniques, Radiohead created one of the greatest albums of all time. It was nominated for the Album of the Year and won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. OK Computer initiated a stylistic shift toward melancholic, atmospheric alternative rock that has become "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", as stated in the National Recording Registry by the United States Library of Congress.
39. Graceland: Paul Simon
Rock
1986 Columbia
During the making of Graceland, Paul Simon traveled to South Africa, then under apartheid, and worked with the best musicians he could find from the primarily Black townships. Artistic expression and creativity must be nurtured and developed and sometimes it takes removing yourself from the creature comforts of home. For it is in suffering that we find what we are truly capable. By connecting with ourselves at the deepest level, we allow the creative mind to go to work. Graceland is such an album. Focusing on isolation and redemption, Graceland could be Simon's best work in a library of work that is quite extensive and impressive.
40. The Sun Sessions: Elvis Presley
Rock/Country
1976 RCA
The Sun Sessions is a compilation of songs that Elvis Presley recorded at Sun Studios in 1954 and 1955. The album features tracks produced by Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records, where Elvis began his recording and singing career. In 2002, The Sun Sessions were chosen by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress to be included in its archives given their importance to the development of American popular music. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included "Mystery Train" and "That's All Right" in their list of the 500 Songs that Shaped rock n' roll. There is no argument that Elvis opened the door for other performer's to creatively express themselves through their music, vocals, and live performances.
41. The Blueprint: Jay-Z
Hip Hop
2001 Roc-a-Fella
Jay-Z made Blueprint his "draw a line in the sand" album, challenging rising stars and established artists who desired to steal his position as the top rapper in the game. Jay-Z spares no one, taking shots at record execs, law enforcement, critics, haters, biters, and his absentee father. “Song Cry” shows a softer and emotional side of Jay-Z, while “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” provided him with a chart topping single. As has been the case with everyone of Jay-Z's latter albums, clever rhymes and innovations, paired with his confidence and swagger, create an unwavering sense that he is in control of his destiny.
42. Off The Wall: Michael Jackson
Pop
1979 Epic
Off the Wall was Michael Jackson's solo debut that generated four Top 10 hits and surpassed anything his sibling supergroup, the Jackson 5, had been able to achieve. Having a desire to incorporate more ballads into his repertoire, Jackson made this a focus on his first solo effort. Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney contributed songs, as did Jackson himself. Off the Wall is one of the best-selling albums of all time with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. It was certified nine times Platinum and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".
43. A Love Supreme: John Coltrane
Jazz
1965 Impulse!
The making of A Love Supreme came as a result of John Coltrane shutting himself in an upstairs spare bedroom in his house on Long Island in an attempt to connect deeply with his inner-self and spiritual side. A Love Supreme was Coltrane's attempt to "Thank God" through a suite of devotional music.
The album became one of the most critically acclaimed jazz records of all time. The album's hymn-like quality permeated modern jazz and rock music. Artists such as Joshua Redman, U2, and Santana have acknowledged the albums influence on them.
44. Aja: Steely Dan
Jazz/Pop
1977 ABC
It is shocking that Aja did not win a Grammy Award for Best Album. However, when you consider the competition in 1977, one can see why. Fleetwood Mac released Rumors, winner of the Grammy for Best Album and The Eagles released Hotel California, winner of the Grammy Award for Best Record. However, Aja did win a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album Non Classical. If you are an audiophile, you own Aja. It is musically tight, well produced and engineered, and quite simply a jazz/pop masterpiece. There are only seven songs the album, which leaves you wanting for more.
45. Hotel California: The Eagles, ‘
Rock
1976 Asylum
Hotel California is not only the Eagles greatest recording achievement, it has become one of the biggest selling records of all time, topped only by their Greatest Hits album which has sold over 40 million copies. The Eagles spent eight months in the studio recording the record. On Hotel California, the band added Joe Walsh as a member, taking full advantage of his masterful guitar playing to help them move from Country-rock to full blown Rock band. The song "Hotel California" is the Eagles most enduring song, which says a lot for a band that has a library that includes many incredible songs.
46. Metallica: Metallica
Heavy Metal/Rock
1991 Elektra
Metallica (aka: The Black Album) marked a change in the band's music from thrash metal to a slower, rock based, and more refined sound. Metallica was critically acclaimed and stands as the band's best-selling album. It spent four consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Metallica has gone on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time, selling more than 125 million albums worldwide, with over 65 million records sold in the United States alone. Metallica is one of only two albums to reach the 550 week milestone on the Billboard 200 album chart, second only to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.
47. Electric Ladyland: Jimi Hendrix
Rock
1968 Reprise
Electric Ladyland was the first album Hendrix produced himself and the last he would record in a studio. A masterpiece of electric soul, psychedelic rock, and blues exploration. Supported by Steve Winwood on organ and Jack Cassidy on bass, it was the band's only number one album. Hendrix version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower", became Hendrix' best-selling single. It has been viewed by critics as Hendrix's best work and one of the greatest rock records of all time.
48. I Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You: Aretha Franklin
R&B/Soul
1967 Atlantic
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You was Aretha Franklin's first album with Atlantic and one that many consider to be the greatest R&B/soul album of all time. After nine unsuccessful jazz standard albums with Columbia, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You was a commercial breakthrough, reaching number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. "Respect" topped the Billboard Hot 100 Single Chart. For I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha brought a new style to the industry by successfully blending Gospel music with R&B and rock n' roll. The Detroit native followed I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You with a series of classic soul albums, earning her the title Queen of Soul.
49. Harvest: Neil Young
Rock
1972 Reprise
Harvest contained Neil Young's only number one hit, “Heart of Gold.” However, the record includes some of Young's most notable and enduring tracks, such as “Old Man” and “The Needle and the Damage Done.” The album featured supporting vocals from David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills, and James Taylor. It topped the Billboard 200 Albums Chart for two weeks. It was the best-selling album of 1972. In 2015, Harvest was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
50. Lemonade: Beyoncé
R&B/Pop
2016 Columbia/Parkwood
Lemonade, Beyoncé's sixth studio album, was accompanied by a 65-minute film of the same title. The songs take listeners on an emotional journey detailing her husband's infidelity in a generational and racial context. Lemonade crosses over between reggae, blues, rock, hip-hop, soul, funk, Americana, country, gospel, electronic, and trap. Guest vocalist include James Blake, Kendrick Lamar, the Weeknd, and Jack White. Lemonade was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Lemonade reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.
51. To Pimp a Butterfly: Kendrick Lamar
Rap/Hip-Hop
2015 TDE
To Pimp a Butterfly paints a picture of what it is to be Kendrick Lamar and a Black American. It incorporates African American musical styles, such as jazz, funk, and soul, and celebrates the Black music tradition. Through the music Lamar addresses concerns with the African American culture, racial inequality, depression, and institutional discrimination. To Pimp a Butterfly debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The album has received critical acclaim for its musical scope and social relevance. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
52. The Joshua Tree: U2
Rock
1987 Rock
The Joshua Tree sits in great contrast to the The Unforgettable Fire. The music was influenced by American and Irish roots music, and incorporated more aggressive sounds than heard on previous records. Driven by their fascination with the "mythical America", the Joshua Tree received critical acclaim and became the fastest-selling album in British history. The album won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It is referred to as one of the greatest albums of all time and stands as one of the best-selling albums, with over 25 million copies sold. The Joshua Tree was selected for preservation in the US National Recording Registry, having been deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress.
53. Back In Black: AC/DC
Rock
1980 Atlantic
Back In Black is one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time. When you consider how this record came to be, it makes you appreciate how difficult it must have been for the band to pull this album together. However, as is the case for many of the greatest records ever recorded, adversity, turmoil, and suffering can be harnessed to drive the creation of something great. It is well documented that lead singer Bon Scott past away during the making of Back In Black, having drunk himself to his death. After two days of mourning, guitarist Malcolm Young called his brother and guitarist, Angus Young back to work with replacement vocalist Brian Johnson. The resulting album is historic.
54. Who's Next: The Who
Rock
1971 Track/Decca
Who's Next was an innovative leap for the Who, making prominent use of synthesizers, particularly on "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley". It has been said that Pete Townshend suffered a nervous breakdown when his overly zealous theatrical project, Lifehouse, did not come to fruition. However, what was left was an extraordinary collection of songs that the Who developed into one of their best studio albums. “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Bargain,” and “Baba O’Riley” have become rock anthems and mainstays on classic rock stations everywhere. The album was an immediate success and has come to be viewed as the Who's best album and one of the greatest albums of all time.
55. Jagged Little Pill: Alanis Morissette
Rock/Pop
1995 Maverick
More 21 year olds than one might imagine have released incredible albums. Adele being the most notable in recent memory. However, one of the very best releases by a 21 year old is Alanis Morisette's Jagged Little Pill. Having performed on Nickelodeon and released two previous records, Morissette knew what kind of music she wanted to make. The record is an alternative rock album with influences from post-grunge and pop rock. The lyrics are mildly aggressive expressions of her life and her unsuccessful relationships. Jagged Little Pill has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and has become one of the best-selling albums of all time. Jagged Little Pill won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
56. Voodoo: D'Angelo
Rap/Hip-Hop
2000 EMI
As D'Angelo looked to rethink R&B, he sought to bring it back to its roots and away from the tendency to be more Pop oriented. He pulled in vibes from soul masters such as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, as well as contemporary innovators like Lauryn Hill. Voodoo became the outcome of his vision, an inventive and passionate masterpiece that has the components necessary to withstand the test of time. Voodoo features groove-based funk and cosmic jams mixed with a little erotica. Themes of spirituality, love, sexuality, maturation, and fatherhood are the focus of this second effort. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, spending 33 weeks on the chart.
57. Sticky Finger: Rolling Stones
Rock
1971 Rolling Stones
Sticky Fingers was the first studio album without Brian Jones who died two years earlier. The original cover artwork was conceived by Andy Warhol. The album featured a return to basics for the Stones. Sticky Fingers is considered one of the Rolling Stones' best albums. The music on the album is a mix of hard rock, county rock, and rock and roll. It was the band's first album to reach number one on both the UK albums and US albums charts. The album was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Songs such as “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” “Brown Sugar”, and “Wild Horses” have become classic rock mainstays.
58. Talking Book: Stevie Wonder
R&B/Soul
1972 Tamla/Motown
Talking Book marked the beginning of a change in how Motown approached the music business. Introspection, social commentary, and activism became a focal point of songwriting, with artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Diana Ross singing about complex political issues, controversial social issues, and issues related to the treatment of Black America. “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Talking Book earned Stevie Wonder his first Grammy Award, with "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" winning Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and "Superstition" winning Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.
59. Illmatic: Nas
Rap/Jop-Hop
1995 Columbia
Few rappers have detailed life on the streets of New York better than Nas. His debut album chronicles what it is to live as a Black American. The album debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and received critical acclaim for its production and Nas' lyricism and subsequent influence on Hip-Hop artists. The album is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential Hip-Hop albums of all time. In 2021, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
60. Ready to Die: The Notorious B.I.G.
Rap/Hip Hop
1994 Bad Boy
Biggie Smalls shared his big personality through his words and music on The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die. The album opens with visions of what it was to live on the mean streets of Fort Greene. From the birth of a child to release from prison with "big plans" in his head, the record offers a little insight into what life may have been like for Biggie Smalls. Ready to Die was his debut and only studio album during his short lifetime, as he was murdered in 1997, just sixteen days before the release of his second album Life After Death. "Big Poppa" was a hit on multiple charts, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The storytelling ability of Biggie Smalls set the bar for Hip-Hop and serves as the standard for the industry.
61. The Doors: The Doors
Rock
1967 Elektra
The Doors self titled album was their debut studio album and their best selling. The Doors were the embodiment of 1960s Southern California. Recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, California, the Doors organ-driven rock became an inspiration for other psychedelic rockers. The Doors album and "Light My Fire" have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2015 the Library of Congress selected The Doors for inclusion in the National Recording Registry based on its cultural, artistic or historical significance.
62. Appetite for Destruction: Guns N’ Roses
Rock
1987 Geffen
Appetite for Destruction was the biggest-selling debut album of the Eighties. The energy behind Slash's guitar playing and Axl Rose's intense emotion driven vocals gave 70s rock fans more than they bargained for. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and became one of the best-selling albums of all time, as well as the best-selling debut album ever. The album spent 147 weeks on the Billboard 200 album chart, and produced seven singles, with four of those reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Appetite for Destruction is Guns N' Roses most critically acclaimed album.
63. The Band: The Band
Rock
1969 Capital
The Band spent much of its time together on the road. Subsequently, many of the songs they wrote came from their experiences traveling from gig to gig. While the vast majority of the band was Canadian, their songs focused on the people, places and traditions associated with an older version of Americana. The album includes many of the Band's best-known and critically acclaimed songs, such as "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." The Band peaked at number nine on Billboard's 200 Albums Chart and number two on the Canadian Albums Chart.
64. Ramones: Ramones
Rock/Punk
1976 Sire
The Ramones debut album is a hair over 29 minutes in length. However, the Ramones accomplishes its goal of communicating an anti-social message with thrashing electric chords and raw emotion. Lyrical themes included violence, drug use, relationships, humor, and Nazism. Even though it received critical acclaim, Ramones only made it to number 111 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It has since been deemed by many as a highly influential record, and recognized as one of "50 Most Essential Punk Records".
65. Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers): Wu-Tang Clan
Rap/Hip-Hop
Loud 1993
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is the debut studio album by rap artists Wu-Tang Clan. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) created a roadmap for hardcore hip-hop and was instrumental in returning New York City hip-hop to national prominence. Its production techniques greatly influenced modern hip-hop, while the group's free flowing lyrics have served as a template for rappers to follow, including Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., and Jay-Z. The album peaked at number 41 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
66. Moondance: Van Morrison
Folk/Rock
1970 Warner Bros.
Moondance was Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison's third studio album and followed Astral Weeks, Morrison's most critically claimed record. Morrison pursued more formally composed songs than he had in the past, which he wrote and produced himself. The record incorporates a rhythm and blues and rock style that would become his primary musical style for the remainder of his career. Unlike Astral Weeks, Moondance was a critical and commercial success. Moondance remains among the most acclaimed records in history and one of Morrison's most notable.
67. There's a Riot Going On: Sly And The Family Stone
R&B/Funk/Soul
1971 Epic
There's a Riot Going On is a statement of unfulfilled promises, the hope for more substantial progress as a result of the civil rights movement, and the rise of the Black Power movement. Sly and the Family Stone departed from the optimistic sound of their previous records for something darker and more aggressive. Edgy funk rhythms, primitive drum machines, and extensive overdubbing were the hallmarks of There's a Riot Going On. The album embraced apathy, pessimism, and disillusionment amid a turbulent political climate of the 1970s. There's a Riot Goin' On topped the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, with "Family Affair" reaching number one on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart. The album is viewed as one of the greatest and most influential recordings of all time.
68. Reasonable Doubt: Jay-Z
Rap/Hip-Hop
1996 Roc-A-Fella
Reasonable Doubt was the debut studio album by rapper Jay-Z. His charismatic personality comes through strong, as does his comedic whit and intense nature. Confident, driven, and determined are attributes that have come to describe Jay-Z's approach to life and no album paints a picture of those descriptors of who he is better than Reasonable Doubt. The album features mafioso rap themes and raw lyrics. The album debuted at number 23 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, and remained in the 200 for 18 weeks. It was a commercial success and is often referred to as one of the best albums of all time by music critics.
69. The College Dropout: Kanye West
Rap/Hip-Hop
2004 Roc-A-Fella
Kanye West produced some records for Jay-Z, but wanted to produce and record his own. So, he convinced the powers to be, Jay-Z being one of them, that he was worth the chance. As a result, he created one of the best hip-hop albums of the 2000s and quite possibly of all time. The College Dropout's songs were developed over four years and feature themes of family, self-consciousness, materialism, religion, racism, and higher education. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and was a large-scale commercial success. "Slow Jamz" and "All Falls Down" reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Slow Jamz" peaking at number-one. The College Dropout won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
70. Automatic for the People: R.E.M.
Rock/Pop
1992 Warner Bros.
Automatic for the People was a departure from R.E.M.'s previous records. Focusing on a largely acoustic style, Automatic for the People was their most complete and enduring album. Soft, sweet, beautiful, and meaningful, Automatic for the People challenged a world in chaos to stop and think, even if only for a moment. It received widespread critical acclaim and reached number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Selling almost 20 million copies, Automatic for the People has proven to be worthy of it place as one of the best records of the 90s.
71. Axis: Bold As Love: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Rock
1967 Track
On his first album, Jimi Hendrix showed the world how to wreak havoc on an electric guitar. Never before had such an instrument been twisted in so many ways and made to do what Hendrix did. On his second album, Axis, the music was even more magical, as Hendrix invented new ways to make the electric guitar sing and scream. As a result, the album reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. "Spanish Castle Magic" and "Little Wing" were two Hendrix compositions that drew upon his rhythm and blues roots. Hendrix received undeserved criticism for the album's cover, which drew on Hindu religious iconography. However, he never approved the cover and was ultimately not responsible.
72. Dusty In Memphis: Dusty Springfield
R&B/Soul/Pop
1969 Atlantic
Dusty Springfield was a soul singer in a British pop singer's body and led a life as dramatic as the songs she sang. The album launched with little commercial success, but has since been recognized as her best work and one of the greatest albums of all time. As stated in the Library of Congress press release, "Despite its modest sales when first released, "over time, Dusty in Memphis grew in stature to become widely recognized as an important album by a woman in the rock era." In 2020, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In 2001, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
73. Exodus: Bob Marley And The Wailers
Reggae
1977 Island
Exodus was exactly what Marley did after he took a bullet in a 1976 assassination attempt. He and his band, The Wailers, relocated to London. Even though he was living in London at the time the album was recorded, tracks such as “Jamming” and “Three Little Birds,” had been penned in his hometown of Kingston. Marley's spiritual intent and desire for a better world had never been more prominent on a record than on Exodus. It focuses on themes of change, religion, and sexuality. The album was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, with "Jamming", "Waiting in Vain", "One Love/People Get Ready", and "Three Little Birds" achieving international hit status. Exodus peaked at number twenty on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Exodus is one of the 20th century's greatest albums.
74. Sign O' The Times: Prince
Pop
1987 Paisley Park/Warner Bros
Frustrated with the artistic and commercial success of his previous efforts, Prince relieved his band, the Revolution, from their duties and focused on making a comeback. The result was one of the best albums of the Eighties and arguably one of his best albums and quite possibly one of the greatest albums of all time. Sign o' the Times was Prince's first solo album, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The album re-entered the Billboard 200 Albums Chart at number twenty following his death. Sign o' the Times became Prince's most acclaimed album and often regarded as the most complete example of his artistic breadth. In 2017, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
75. Led Zeppelin II: Led Zeppelin
Rock
1969 Atlantic
When an album opens with the electricity that Jimmy Page brings on “Whole Lotta Love”, you can't help but hang on with great anticipation for what is yet to come. The songs that followed do not disappoint. “Thank You”, “The Lemon Song,” “Heartbreaker,” and “Ramble On” have become rock classics and endeared by every hard rocker young and not so young. Three of the nine songs were reinterpretations of Chicago blues songs by Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf, who were influential on the band's musical development.
Led Zeppelin II reached number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Music critics regularly reference Led Zeppelin II as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time.
76. After The Gold Rush: Neil Young
Rock
1970 Reprise
Neil Young and Crazy Horse recorded After The Gold Rush in the cellar of his Topanga Canyon home, near Los Angeles. While not received well by music reviewers at initial release, After The Gold Rush has since been referred to by critics as one of the greatest albums of all time and a masterpiece by many. The most well known and controversial song, "Southern Man" is one that Young penned in response to racism towards Blacks in the South. After the Gold Rush peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. In 2014, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
77. Darkness On The Edge Of Town: Bruce Springsteen
Rock
1978 Columbia
Like many of Springsteen's records, Darkness on the Edge of Town chronicles the working-class man's despair, political betrayal, and lost dreams. Initial critical reception was positive, primarily for the album's mature nature and lyrics. Highly regarded by fans and critics, songs such as "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "Prove It All Night" remain concert favorites. Darkness on the Edge of Town reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, remaining on the charts for 97 weeks.
78. Paid In Full: Eric B. and Rakim
Rap/Hip-Hop
1987 4th & B’way
Known as one of the Eighties’ best rap albums, Rakim launched his career and cemented his status as a lyricist with Paid In Full. Paid In Full embraced Seventies funk the found Rakim moving hip-hop from stories about life in the hood to an exploration of the mind. Paid in Full is viewed as the standard of golden age hip-hop. Rakim's use of internal rhymes set a higher standard of lyricism in the genre. Subsequent rappers, including the Wu-Tang Clan, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and Nas, followed the template to realize great success.
79. At Fillmore East: The Allman Brothers
Rock
1971 Capricorn
At Filmore East is an improvisational masterpiece and one of the best live albums ever recorded. It was also the last for Duane Allman. Recorded over the course of three nights, the record features the band performing extended jam versions of "Whipping Post", "You Don't Love Me" and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed". As uncharacteristic as it was for a live and double album at the time, At Fillmore East was the band's commercial breakthrough. It has been ranked among the best albums by artists. In 2004, the album was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress, deemed to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" by the National Recording Registry.
80. The Downward Spiral: Nine Inch Nails
Rock
1994 Nothing/Interscope
The Downward Spiral was recorded in the one time home of Manson-family victim Sharon Tate. Despite “a million electrical disturbances,” as Reznor has stated, he was able to put together the best work of his career. Inspired by David Bowie’s Low, Reznor incorporated his trademark industrial rock, techno, metal and ambient soundscapes with aggressive and sometimes corrosive sounds to create what is arguably his most successful and complete album. Identified as a concept album detailing the self-destruction of a man from the beginning of his misanthropic "downward spiral" to his death by suicide. The Downward Spiral has been regarded as one of the most important albums of the 1990s.
81. Bitches Brew: Miles Davis
Jazz
1970 Columbia
Bitches Brew is Miles Davis' attempt to incorporate a different sound, adding ambient funk and electric futurism to his growing musical repertoire. Viewed at the time as the elder statesman of jazz fusion, Davis was able to create one of the most inspired musical works of the time. To accomplish this goal, Davis departed from traditional jazz rhythms in favor of loose, rock-influenced arrangements based on improvisation. For this record he incorporated non traditional jazz instruments, such as the electric piano and guitar. Initially, the album received mixed critical acclaim. The commercial response was similar to the critical reception. However, the album eventually became Davis' highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, peaking at number thirty-five. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.
82. Lady Soul: Aretha Franklin
R&B/Soul
1968 Atlantic
It would take a greatest hits album for some of the most talented artists to compete with the lineup on Lady Soul. Aretha Franklin songs that Lady Soul that one after another climbed the charts. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (number eight on the Billboard Pop chart), (Sweet Sweet Baby) "Since You've Been Gone" (number 5 on the Billboard Pop chart), “Chain of Fools” (number two on the Billboard Pop charts), “Ain’t No Way,” and “People Get Ready” are standout reasons why Aretha Franklin is the Lady of Soul. Lady Soul was an R&B success, reaching number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It was also a cross genre success, peaking at number one on Billboard's Black Albums chart, number two on Billboard's Pop Albums chart, and number three on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.
83. Take Care: Drake
Hip Hop/Rap
2011 Cash Money
Drake's commercial breakthrough came with Take Care. His music has been described as seductive R&B finesse with a little hip-hop swagger. Take Care presents Drake to the world as not simply a rapper, but a crooner with range and a melodic flow. The album features a mixture of ego driven lyrics and exploration of themes that focus on fame, romance, wealth, relationships with friends and family, sex, and narcissism. Take Care debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and won Drake a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
84. Straight Outta Compton: NWA
Rap/Hip Hop
1988 Ruthless
Straight Outta Compton forever changed rap and hip-hop music with its raw lyrics, aggressive attitude, explosive energy, and honesty. N.W.A brought Reality Rap, later to be coined Gangsta Rap, to the masses, but more importantly they shined a bright light on the issues facing Black and urban America. Straight Outta Compton catapulted up the Billboard charts and launched the careers of Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre. Straight Outta Compton is not a record for the faint of heart. The album peaked at number nine on Billboard's Top R&B/hip-hop Albums chart, and at number thirty-seven on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. In 2016, it became the first Rap album inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2017, the Library of Congress added Straight Outta Compton to the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
85. The Clash: The Clash
Punk Rock
1977 CBS
The Clash’s debut album is an aggressive statement about the state of affairs in the world. Songs like , “Career Opportunities,” “White Riot," "London's Burning," and “Clash City Rockers,” bring to the surface issues with race, employment, politics, and the band itself. The album was released in the U.S. two years after its release in the UK. The US version included a significantly different track listing, changing the track order and swapping out several songs for non-album tracks recorded in the interim. Record company actions such as these are what led to the Clash creating the song “Complete Control".
86. Beyoncé: ‘Beyoncé
R&B/Pop
2013 Columbia/Parkwood
Beyoncé released her self-titled album without a word of warning. On Beyoncé, she shows off her musical breadth and her artistic capabilities by also including a video for each song shot from all around the world. The album includes collaborations with Frank Ocean, Drake, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Jay-Z. The record is dark, intimate, sexual, and relationship focused. Beyoncé debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, earning Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album on the chart. Beyoncé received widespread critical acclaim for its production, exploration of sexuality, and vocal performance.
87. Achtung Baby: U2
Rock
1991 Island
Achtung Baby was in many ways U2's coming out party. On this album, they began to show their maturity and a realization that they may not have all the answers. The album was one of "the heaviest records we’ve ever made” Bono told Rolling Stone. U2 sought to show their human side by seeking inspiration from the German reunification. As such, U2 began recording Achtung Baby at Berlin's Hansa Studios, but moved subsequent recording sessions to Dublin after the band nearly disbanded due to artistic differences and slow progress. Achtung Baby quickly became one of U2's most successful records, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
88. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin
Rock
1969 Atlantic
On Led Zeppelin's first album they were searching for their sound, experimenting with heavy guitar driven riffs, power ballads, and "acid-flavored" folk blues. Cited as one of the forefathers of hard rock and heavy metal, Led Zeppelin significantly influenced the nature of the music industry, especially in the development of Album-Oriented Rock. Featured tracks included "Good Times Bad Times", "Dazed and Confused" and "Communication Breakdown". Described by Rolling Stone magazine as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the Seventies", and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history", they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
89. Superfly: Curtis Mayfield
R&B/Soul
1972 Curtom
Curtis Mayfield made Superfly a soundtrack album filled with emotion and drama that rivaled the movie it showcased. Superfly is an impressive musical masterpiece, incorporating symphonic booms, deep bass grooves, and singing guitars. The album shares the truth about drug trade and Black life of the 70s. Widely considered a 70s soul and funk classic, Superfly was a pioneering Soul concept album. With it's socially aware lyrics. the album was a near immediate commercial success, generating more revenue from sales than the movie itself.
90. Aquemini: Outcast
R&B/Hip-Hop/Rap
1998 Laface
Aquemini = The Zodiac sign of Big Boi (Aquarius) and André 3000 (Gemini), which appropriately represents Big Boi and Anrdré's divergent personalities. Aquemini incorporates live instrumentation and draws upon 70s funk, Southern soul, gospel, country, and psychedelic rock, among other influences. Because of the success of their previous album, ATLiens, Outcast was afforded a greater level of creative freedom, which led to a self-produced record and the inclusion of a large number of session musicians. Aquemini peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.
91. The Black Album: Jay-Z
Rapp/Hip-Hop
2003 Roc-A-Fella
Jay-Z lifted The Black Album off with the intent to make a clear statement that he was "The Rapper" in the industry and his recording label Roc-A-Fella was set to become a dynasty given its lineup of artists. Advertised as his final album, which has become a recurring theme with artists these days, he accompanied the release with an extensive tour. Like so many other artists that have gone on a farewell tour, Jay-z resumed his recording career in 2006. The Black Album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and became Jay-Z's top selling record of the 2000s. Over time, The Black Album could rival Jay-Z's previous releases and be viewed as his best work.
92. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: Elton John
Rock
1973 MCA
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road contains the hits "Candle in the Wind", "Bennie and the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" plus fan favorites "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" and "Harmony". Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was initially released as a double album. Because of its elaborate musical style, which is driven by the supersonic and opera-like nature of “Funeral for a Friend” and “Love Lies Bleeding," the rock anthem force of “Bennie and the Jets," and the fantastical imagery of the melodic "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", John has compared the record to the Beatles White Album. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003.
93. Control: Janet Jackson
R&B/Pop
1986 A&M
Janet Jackson is the youngest member of the famous Jackson family. Looking to make a name for herself and come out from under the shadow of her siblings, at 20 years old Jackson released Control. Comprised of Electro-pop dance songs, Jackson became an instant superstar with songs like "What Have You Done for Me Lately", "Nasty", "Control", "When I Think of You", and "Let's Wait Awhile" all peaking within the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Control became Jackson's first album to top the Billboard 200 albums chart. Jackson also became the first female artist to have five top five hits from one album. Singles from Control spent 65 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 Single Chart, setting a record for the longest continuous run of charting singles on the Hot 100. The album remained on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart for over two years.
94. Hunky Dory: David Bowie
Rock/Glam Rock
1971 RCA
David Bowie was 24 when he recorded Hunky Dory. The album is a blend of exaggerated fashion, glam rock guitar, and piano balladry. The cover photo was inspired by Marlene Dietrich, whom Bowie viewed as the perfect metaphor for the album. “Changes”, one of Bowie's most popular songs off the album, introduced the world to a new style of Rock & Roll and a change in musical style for Bowie. A style which came to be known as glamour (Glam) rock. Hunky Dory was a certain departure from the guitar-driven Hard Rock sound of The Man Who Sold the World, Bowie's previous release. Hunky Dory featured a warmer, more melodic piano-based pop rock and art pop style. The album initially sold poorly and was deemed a commercial failure. However, after Bowie's follow-up album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Hunky Dory received the commercial recognition it deserved and became a major success. It has since been recognized critically as one of Bowie's best works.
95. Never Mind The Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols
Punk Rock
1977 Warner Bros.
When Never Mind The Bullocks was released and "God Save the Queen" hit the airways, it was immediately banned by the BBC and just about every independent radio station in the UK. That was just the beginning and had Johnny Rotten had his way, "God Save The Queen" would have been the least offensive song on the album. The Sex Pistols were only together for two and a half years, but stand as one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They not only launched the punk movement in the UK and set the standard for the punk rock look, but they served as an inspiration to future Punk and Alternative rock musicians. The influence and far reaching impact of the Sex Pistols first and only studio album is immeasurable. Kurt Cobain was so influenced that he named Nirvana's second album Nevermind.
96. Plastic Ono Band: John Lennon
Rock/Pop
1970 Apple
Sometimes referred to as the “primal scream” album, which references the painful therapy Lennon endured and gave rise to its songs. Plastic Ono Band was John Lennon’s first solo album. Lennon attacks and denies idols and icons, including his former band. Plastic Ono Band is a self-revelatory record that confronts the childhood loss of his mother, psychological suffering, and his feelings toward the Beatles. At the time of its release, Plastic Ono Band received mixed reviews, but later came to be regarded as Lennon's best solo album. Plastic Ono Band peaked at number number six on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.
97. A Night At The Opera: Queen
Rock/Glam Rock
1974 Electra
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” is the most well-known song on A Night at the Opera and the band's first number one single. The band utilized complex production techniques in the making of the album, incorporating a wide range of musical styles and instruments. A Night at the Opera peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 album chart. Initial reviews were mixed, with praise focused mostly on its production techniques and diverse musical themes. However, the recognition that came as the album matured led to Queen becoming worldwide superstars. It is known as Queen's best album, and one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2018, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
98. Marquee Moon: Television
Punk Rock/Rock
1977 Elektra
Marquee Moon was Television's debut album. Having been a prominent act on the New York music scene, they eventually signed a recording contract with Elektra. The music is predominantly hook-driven with complex instrumentals. The lyrics concern themes of adolescence, discovery, and transcendence. Influenced by Bohemian and French poetry, Verlaine's lyrics also feature puns and double entendres intended to give the songs an impressionistic quality. Met with widespread critical acclaim, Marquee Moon was hailed as an original musical development in Rock music. Due to the record's musical style, it has since proved to be a foundational record of Alternative Rock.
99. Live At The Apollo: James Brown
R&B/Soul
1963 King
Live at the Apollo was James Brown's first live album. Recorded at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, the album captures the energy and vocal talent that "the hardest working man in show business" brought to the stage every night. Live at the Apollo sold rapidly and spent 66 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Albums Chart, peaking at number two. In 2004, it was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. In 1998, Live at the Apollo was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
100. Late Registration: Kanye West
Hip-Hop/Rap
2005 Roc-A-Fella
Late Registration is the Album where Kanye West really started strutting his stuff. He created a formidable album that helped reshape the hip-hop and pop landscape with the inclusion of a more elaborate and orchestral style. As such, West attempted to write authentic yet relatable lyrics and engaged in storytelling that showcased his Christian heritage. On the album he is critical of institutional racism, higher education, health care, and the blood diamond trade. The album was received well and realized commercial success that rivaled The College Dropout. West received eight Grammy nominations, which included a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
101. Channel Orange: Frank Ocean
2012 Def Jam
R&B/Hip-Hop
Channel Orange is R&B artist Frank Ocean's debut album. The album draws on Electro-funk, Pop, Soul, Jazz, Funk, and Psychedelic styles, as well as spoken words, such as film dialogue and ambient noise to serve as interludes. His songwriting themes include unrequited love, decadence, social class issues, and drug abuse. Channel Orange has been characterized as surrealistic and dark. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It received positive critical review and was one of the highest rated records of 2012. Channel Orange was nominated for Album of the Year and won a Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album.
102. Is This It: The Strokes
Alternative Rock
2001 RCA
Is This It is the Strokes debut studio album. The album was released in sync with their world tour, gradually making it to the US by the end of August 2001, nearly 6 months after its initial release. The album's original cover photograph was changed for the US market because of the controversy it caused for being too sexually explicit. After the September 11 attack on NYC, the song "New York City Cops" was removed and replaced with "When It Started". Seemingly an overnight success, the Strokes popularity shot through the roof with the release of their debut album. Is This It peaked at number thirty-three on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It received critical acclaim, with many praising it for its charisma and rhythm.
103. The Chronic: Dr. Dre
Hip-Hop/Rap
1992 Death Row
The Chronic was Dr. Dre's debut album. It came shortly after he departed enormously successful N.W.A.. A departure that was spawned by a financial dispute. As a result of how Dre and Ruthless parted ways, as many artists tend to with tumultuous breakups, he includes insults towards Ruthless and its owner, former N.W.A member Eazy-E on the album. The record includes an appearance by Snoop Dogg, who used the album to springboard the launch of his solo career. The Chronic reached number three on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, spending nearly eight months in the Top 10. In 2019, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
104. Loveless: My Bloody Valentine
Advent Rock
1991 Sire/Creation
Since Loveless release it has been widely cited by critics as one of the greatest albums of all time. Viewed as a landmark work having a significant influence on various subsequent artists such as the Clash, who called the album "the magnum opus of the shoegazing genre ... it raised the bar so high that it subsequently collapsed under its own weight," leading to the dissipation of the style. Authors Paul Hegarty and Martin Halliwell wrote that the album "might be so progressive that nothing else will ever match it."
105. Greatest Hits: Al Green
Soul
1975 Hi/EMI
Greatest Hits is a compilation of Al Green's very best work. The "Reverend" pulls together some of the era's most soulful and sexiest songs. Green's greatest hits collection is consistently ranked as one of the best 'greatest hits' albums of all time. The album peaked at number seventeen on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It has been reissued many times, including in high fidelity audiophile versions.
106. 21: Adele
Soul/Pop/R&B
2012 Columbia
21 is Adele's second studio album and became the world's best-selling album in both 2011 and 2012. By holding the top position on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart for twenty-four weeks, 21 became the best performing record of all time. It held the top position longer than any other album since 1985 and the held the position the longest by a female solo artist in Billboard 200 Albums Chart history. Three of the album's singles, "Rolling in the Deep", "Someone like You" and "Set Fire to the Rain" achieved the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart. 21 won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
107. The Wall: Pink Floyd
Rock
1979 Columbia
The Wall is a progressive rock opera that is the Soundtrack to the namesake movie. The record and movie explore Pink, a jaded rock star whose eventual self-imposed isolation from society forms a figurative wall. A commercial success, The Wall topped the charts for 15 weeks. Conceived by Roger Waters, Pink was modeled after Waters himself and former bandmate Syd Barrett. The album featured three successful singles, "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2", "Run Like Hell", and "Comfortably Numb". The Wall has sold over 30 million copies and remains as Floyd's second best-selling album one of the best-selling albums of all time overall.
108. Physical Graffiti: Led Zeppelin
Rock
1975 Swan Song
Physical Graffiti was released as a double album and included eight new songs and unreleased tracks from sessions for the earlier albums Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV and Houses of the Holy. Physical Graffiti was a commercial success and critically acclaimed upon its release. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Physical Graffiti represented Zeppelin at its creative peak, and has since said been identified by lead singer Robert Plant as his favorite Led Zeppelin album.
109. Stankonia: Outcast
Hip-Hop
2000 LaFace/Arista
Stankonia was hip-hop duo OutKast's fourth release and one of their most successful. On Stankonia, the band moved beyond their traditional Rap style in favor of a more melodic vocal style. Lyrically, they covered a wide range of themes, including sexuality, politics, African-American culture, and parenthood. Stankonia received critical acclaim upon its release, and has since been regarded by many as one of the greatest Hip-Hop albums of all time. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. "Ms. Jackson" became the group's first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. Stankonia won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and Outcast won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ms. Jackson".
110. Greatest Hits 1971-1975: Eagles
Country/Rock
1976 Asylum
The Eagles Greatest Hits 1971–1975 was the band's first greatest hits compilation, covering the songs from the band's first four albums. The record was a great indicator of what was yet to come from the band, as it followed Greatest Hits up with Hotel California in 1977. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart at number one and remained there for five weeks. It has since become one of the biggest selling albums of all time, with sales of 38 million copies in America alone, making the Eagles Greatest Hits 1971–1975 the best-selling album of all time in the United States. In 2017, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".
111. The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground
Rock/Folk Rock
1969 MGM
The Velvet Underground was The Velvet Underground's third studio album and their first with Doug Yule. Musically, this album marked a notable shift for The Velvet Underground, as it consisted largely of ballads and straightforward rock songs. The Velvet Underground failed to chart, as seemed to be the case for many of their albums. This was primarily because this album, as well as their others, suffered from a lack of promotion by the band's record label. Retrospective critical reviews have identified The Velvet Underground's self-titled album as one of the greatest albums of the 1960s and of all time. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it at number 143 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
112. Beggars Banquet: Rolling Stones
Rock
1968 Decca
The Rolling Stones released Beggars Banquet was the last Rolling Stones album to be released during The Stones founder and guitarist, Brian Jones, lifetime. Keith Richards played nearly all lead and rhythm guitar, and served as the primary songwriting partner with Mick Jagger. Beggars Banquet marked a change from the psychedelic pop of their previous two records. Roots and blues rock dominated the album, as did experimental instrumentation that incorporated Latin beats and African influenced conga rhythms. "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man" became classic staples, leading Beggars Banquet to become one of the band's most acclaimed albums. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
113. The Immaculate Collection: Madonna
Pop
1980 Warner Bros./Sire
The Immaculate Collection was Madonna's first greatest hits album, containing fifteen hit singles recorded throughout the 1980s. The album's first release, "Justify My Love", included a controversial music video featuring overtly sexual imagery. The video was released on VHS, after being banned by MTV, and became the best-selling video single of all time. "Justify My Love" became Madonna's ninth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. Madonna's second single from the album, "Rescue Me", achieved the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart since the Beatles' "Let It Be", peaking at number nine. Deemed as a defining retrospective of 1980s music, The Immaculate Collection received critical acclaim from across the globe. The album reached number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Selling over 30 million copies worldwide, The Immaculate Collection has has become the best-selling compilation by a solo artist ever and one of the best-selling albums of all time.
114. College Dropout: Kanye West
Hip-Hop/Rap
2003 Rock-A-Fella
The College Dropout was Kanye West's debut album and one that required a lot of convincing the of powers that be to become reality. Having previously worked with the likes of Jay-Z, West pulled he, Mos Def, Jamie Foxx, Syleena Johnson, and Ludacris into the record as contributors to help lift his first effort off the ground. The College Dropout took a different direction from the then-dominant gangster rap/hip-hop style. West's lyrics focused on family, self-consciousness, materialism, religion, racism, and higher education. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The song "Slow Jamz" peaked at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. The Album was a critical success and has been credited for popularizing chipmunk soul.
115. Different Class: Pulp
Pop/Art Rock
1995 Island
Different Class was British band Pulp's most critically acclaimed and commercially successful album. It entered the UK Albums Chart at number one. The album was ranked at number 35 on Spin's "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)" list. Pulp is often referred to as the defining album for the Britpop era and is considered one of the greatest British pop albums by natives.
116. Stand!: Sly And The Family Stone
Funk/R&B
1969 Epic
Stand! is considered Sly and the Family Stone's most artistic album. Containing several hit singles, Stand! stands as Sly's most commercially successful record. Released just before Woodstock, singles, such as "Sing a Simple Song", "I Want to Take You Higher", "Stand!", and "Everyday People" made their performance at the festival electric and one of the more memorable ones. It peaked at number thirteen on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and remained on the chart for almost two years. In 2015, the album was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for inclusion in the National Recording Registry.
117. The Queen Is Dead: The Smiths
Alternative Rock
1986 Rough Trade
The Queen Is Dead was the Smiths' most successful release, reaching number seventy on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. Frontman Morrissey has been recognized for his vocals and charismatic live performances. Guitarist Johnny Marr wrote the majority of songs, admitting he was heavily influenced by the Stooges, the Velvet Underground, and the Detroit garage rock scene. The album’s title track was based on a song Marr began writing as a teenager. Known for its humorous lyrics, The Queen Is Dead has been recognized as one of the funniest albums ever recorded.
118. The Low End Theory: A Tribe Called Quest
Hip-Hop/Jazz Rap
1991 Jive
The Low End Theory was A Tribe Called Quest's most successful album, debuting at number 45 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It has also become one of their most critically acclaimed, receiving favorable reviews post initial release. It has also been recognized by music critics and writers as a milestone record in Alternative hip-hop. The album is credited for helping launch rapper Busta Rhymes's solo career. In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
119. Hounds Of Love: Kate Bush
Art Pop/Progressive Rock
1985 EMI
Hounds of Love was English singer Kate Bush's most critically acclaimed and commercially successful album. "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" became one of her biggest hits, giving Bush her second top 40 single. Upon its initial release in 1985, the album reached the top 40 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Due to "Running Up That Hill" appearing in the Netflix series Stranger Things, the album re-entered the Billboard Top Alternative Albums Chart in 2022, giving Bush her first number one position on an albums chart. In 2022, 'Running Up That Hill' reached number eight in the Billboard Top 100 Singles Chart.
120. In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson
Progressive Rock
1969 Island
In the Court of the Crimson King was King Crimson's debut studio album, most critically acclaimed, and the one that experienced the greatest commercial successful. The album and the band were early influencers of the progressive rock genre, combining rock musical influences with elements of jazz, classical, and symphonic music. The album reached number 28 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The Who's Pete Townshend has been said to have referred to the album as "an uncanny masterpiece". Rolling Stone named In the Court of the Crimson King the second greatest progressive rock album of all time, second only to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon.
121. Funhouse: The Stooges
Punk Rock
1970 Elektra
The second studio album by American band the Stooges, Fun House, is generally considered to have played an integral role in the development of punk rock in America. Often referred to as a much more sophisticated album than they debut, Fun House has been cited by numerous musical artists as one of their favorite albums. This list is said to includes the likes of Joey Ramone, Mark E. Smith, Jack White, Nick Cave, Michael Gira, Buzz Osborne, Aaron North, Henry Rollins and Steve Albini.
122. American Beauty: Grateful Dead
Rock/Folk Rock
1970 Warner Bros.
The Grateful Dead released American Beauty as a follow up to their mildly successful album Workingman's Dead. Upon its release, American Beauty experienced significant commercial success, peaking at number 30 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. During its nineteen-week stint on the charts, the single "Truckin'," which was a different version than the one on the album, received significant airplay, reaching number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. "Truckin'" was subsequently recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure.
123. Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music: Ray Charles
Country/Western/R&B/Soul
1962 ABC-Paramount
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music was one of Ray Charles most critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums. The album produced four hit singles that received airplay on R&B, pop, and country music radio stations. The single "I Can't Stop Loving You" became the highest ranking single among the group. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music was released during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. By creating a record with a mix of soul and country music, Charles challenged as well as crossed racial barriers. Many critics consider it to be his best studio record and a landmark recording in American music.
124. Bring It All Back Home: Bob Dylan
Folk Rock
1965 Columbia
Bob Dylan's album Bringing It All Back Home was released in 1965. On this record, Dylan took his music in a different direction from past recordings, abandoning songs about social change for music that was more surreal and lyrically complex. Backed by a fully electric rock band on side one of the album, Dylan distances himself from his folk music roots. Bringing It All Back Home reached number six on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, making it the first of Dylan's albums to break into the top 10. The single "Subterranean Homesick Blues" became Dylan's first single to reach the top 40 on the singles chart. Bringing It All Back Home was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006.
125. Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley
Rock/Rockabilly
1956 RCA/Victor
Elvis Presley was Elvis Presley's debut studio album. Released by RCA Victor, it also included material from Sun Studio sessions. Within a year of its release, RCA would sell ten million Elvis Presley singles. Elvis Presley was the first rock n' roll album to ever reach the top spot on the Billboard Top Pop Albums Chart and became the first million-selling album of the rock n' roll genre. Elvis is considered by many to be a leader in the rock and pop movement, eventually becoming known as the "King of Rock and Roll". His music was driven by his electrified interpretations of songs and sexually provocative and entertaining performance style, which also made him a target among older generations, as did his ability to cross color barriers with his music during an era of transformation in race relations. At the time, he was a much loved and hated figure that was said to drive a wedge between the young and the old because of his musical style and "outlandish" stage behavior. However, because of his courage in an era when courage and open mindedness was most needed, especially in race relations, he was later regarded as one of the most significant and influential figures of the 20th century.
126. The Score: Fugees
Alternative Hip-Hop/Progressive Rap
1996 Ruffhouse/Columbia
The Score was the Fugees' second release and their most critically acclaimed album. The record features guest performances by Rah Digga, Young Zee, and Pacewon, John Forté, and Diamond D. The Score experienced significant commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. "Killing Me Softly", "Fu-Gee-La", and "Ready or Not" reached the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, helping the Fugees to establish themselves as influential Alternative hip-hop/progressive rap artists. This notion was underscored when the trio won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Killing Me Softly".
127. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs: Derek and the Dominoes
Rock/Blues Rock
1970 Polydor/Atco
Eric Clapton has been a member of multiple bands and an influential leader in each. Derek and the Dominoes was no exception. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs was the band's only studio album and is best known for its title track, Layla. The album was initially viewed as a disappointment by critics and fans. However, it eventually reached number sixteen on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. As the "Layla" and the album grew in popularity, it made multiple appearances on the albums chart, showing up in 1972, 1974 and again in 1977. In 2000, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2012, the Super Deluxe Edition of Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs won a Grammy Award for "Best Surround Sound Album."
128. Deja Vu: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Folk Rock
1970 Atlantic
Déjà Vu was Crosby, Stills & Nash second album and their first with Neil Young. It reached number on on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and produced three top 40 singles, "Woodstock", "Teach Your Children", and "Our House". By year end 1970 the album finished at number eleven on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. In 1971 the album finished the year at number fifty on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The album was the band's most commercially successful album and the highest selling for any one of the members individually.
129. Catch Fire: Bob Marley And The Wailers
Reggae
1973 Tuff Gong/Island
Bob Marley passed away eight years after the release of his first studio album with The Wailers, which was also his most critically acclaimed. Two of the nine songs on the album were written and composed by Peter Tosh. The original release of the album was under the name The Wailers and depicted a different cover artwork than later releases. The original 1973 release depicted a 'Zippo lighter' with a hinged album sleeve. Subsequent releases featured a portrait of Marley smoking a "spliff", and was retitled as Bob Marley and The Wailers. Catch a Fire peaked at number 171 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. It has been regarded by critics as one of the greatest Reggae albums of all time.
130. Low: David Bowie
Rock/Glam Rock/Art Rock
1977 RCA
In and attempt to overcome drug addiction, in 1976 David Bowie moved to France with Iggy Pop. While in Europe, he was influenced by the work of German bands Tangerine Dream, Neu!, Harmonia and Kraftwerk. As a result, he created Low, which is an experimental album that incorporates many of the progressive musical styles of those influential bands. The cover artwork features a profile of Bowie from the film The Man Who Fell to Earth. For fear of commercial failure, record label RCA initially refused to release the album. Even with the minimal support the album received from Bowie and RCA, it reached number 11 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.
131. Bridge Over Troubled Water: Simon And Garfunkel
Folk Rock
1970 Columbia
Bridge Over Troubled Water was the final studio album for Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Artistic disagreements led to a very troubled relationship for the duo who met in elementary school and ultimately resulted in their breakup. At the time of its release, Bridge Over Troubled Water became one of the best-selling albums of the year and decade. The duo incorporates elements of Rock, R&B, Gospel, Jazz, World Music, and Pop on the Album, which includes two of the their most critically acclaimed and commercially successful songs, "Bridge over Troubled Water" and "The Boxer". Bridge Over Troubled Water won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Engineered Recording. The song, "Bridge Over Troubled Water", won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Contemporary Song, and Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).
132. Siamese Dreams: Smashing Pumpkins
Alternative rock/Grunge
1993 Virgin
The Smashing Pumpkins released Siamese Dream on Virgin Records in 1993. The album debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. While the Smashing Pumpkins are viewed as one of the most influential and progressive bands of the era and in the Alternative and Rock Genre, their recording sessions were frequently filled with infighting among band members. "Cherub Rock" and "Today" were two of the more commercially successful songs from the Album, leading to it becoming recognized by critics for its influence on the genre and consumers for its musical content. The Smashing Pumpkins received Grammy Award nominations for Best Alternative Music Performance for Siamese Dreams and Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal.
133. Doolittle: Pixies
Alternative Rock/Punk Rock
1989 Elektra/4AD
The American alternative rock band Pixies released Doolittle as their second studio album and first international release. Singles "Here Comes Your Man" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven" realized chart success.
The album's musical content focuses on surrealism, Biblical violence, torture, environmental catastrophe, and death, making it a dark and fairly aggressive album. The album entered the Billboard 200 Albums Chart at number 171 and did not see much movement from there. As is the case for most artistic works, Doolittle has come to be viewed as one of the quintessential alternative rock albums of the 1980s. Some critics, such as Rolling Stone, have gone as far as saying that it laid the "groundwork for Nineties rock".
134. Elephant: White Stripes
Alternative Rock/Garage Rock
2003 Third Man
Elephant is one of the White Stripes most critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums. Elephant won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album and peaked at number six in the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Cited by many as one of the White Stripes' best records, Elephant has continued to grow in popularity and receive airplay on alternative rock stations. The Grammy Award winning song "Seven Nation Army" has become a staple at college football games across the country, fueling the fire needed for defensive stands for schools such as The Ohio State University.
135. Ten: Pearl Jam
Alternative Rock/Grunge
1991 Epic
Ten has become one of the most commercially successful debut albums by a rock band. Despite Pearl Jam's reputation as the quintessential grunge rock band, Ten is frequently referenced as having classic rock influences from artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Ten reached number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Three singles from the album, "Alive", "Even Flow", and "Jeremy", realized top 40 success, the latter becoming one of Pearl Jam's best-known songs. In December 2020, the album was announced as one of many inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as part of the 2021 class.
136. Murmur: R.E.M.
Alternative Rock/Garage Rock
1983 I.R.S.
Murmur was the debut album from R.E.M., the alternative rock band from Athens, Georgia. While being received well critically, Murmur was mildly successful commercially. The album reached number 36 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, and produced a Billboard Hot 100 single with "Radio Free Europe". Characterized by a less aggressive and more restrained side of the alternative rock movement, R.E.M.'s sound was different in a way that separated it from grunge, while keeping in sync with the constructs of traditional rock music. Frequently referenced as one of the top albums of all time, Murmur has proven over time that it is well deserving of such accolades.
137. What's The Story Morning Glory: Oasis
Rock/Pop
1995 Creation
Considered a seminal record of the 90s, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? was Oasis second studio album and the record that launched the band from indie standout to super stardom. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? stood as a significant deviation from their first studio album, Definitely Maybe. Seeking to be bigger than the Beatles, the band's musical compositions focused more on balladry and orchestral arrangements and less on the Rock centric nature of the group's debut album. The album reached number four on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and produced the hit singles "Champagne Supernova" and "Wonderwall", which reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? has sold over 22 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
138. Dummy: Portishead
Trip Hop
1994 Go! Beat
Dummy was the debut studio album by the English band Portishead. Released in the summer of 1994, the album received universal critical acclaim. It is often credited with popularizing the trip hop genre of music. Dummy has sold nearly 4 million copies worldwide, having sold over 1 million in the US. Q, a popular music magazine at the time, described Dummy as "perhaps the year's most stunning debut album". In 2015, a BBC Music review referenced Dummy as "quite simply one of the greatest debut albums of the 1990s”
139. Pretenders: The Pretenders
New Wave/Punk
1979 Real Records
Pretenders was the debut studio album by American led British-American band The Pretenders. Released in 1979, it included an array of rock and roll, punk and new wave music. The album features the commercially successful single "Brass in Pocket” and served as the launching pad for the band’s enormous success worldwide. It has been reported that Nick Lowe, producer of the Pretenders' first single, "Stop Your Sobbing", quit post production of the song because he thought the band was "not going anywhere". Subsequently, Pretenders debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart in the first week of its release and stayed there for four consecutive weeks. It also made the top 10 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and was certified platinum. In 2020, Rolling Stone included the band's debut album in their "80 Greatest albums of 1980" list.
140. In Utero: Nirvana
Grunge/Alternative Rock
1993 DCG
In Utero was the third and final studio album by the Seattle, Washington based grunge rock band Nirvana. It was released on September 21, 1993, by DGC Records. After their breakthrough mainstream success of their second album, Nevermind, Nirvana sought a more complex, abrasive sound that was reminiscent of their debut album, Bleach. Many of In Utero’s songs are said to contain heavy insights into frontman and lyricist Kurt Cobain’s personal life and struggles, expressing similar feelings of angst that were common on Nevermind. In Utero was a major commercial and critical success. It reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart; "Heart-Shaped Box" and "All Apologies" reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
141. Disintegration: The Cure
Gothic Rock
1989 Fiction
Disintegration was English rock band the Cure's eighth studio album. It marked a return for the band to a more introspective gothic rock style that they had built their legacy upon early 80s. Disintegration was the Cure's highest charting album, reaching number 3 in the UK and at number 12 in the US. The album spawned several charing singles including "Lovesong", which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Disintegration was the band's most commercially successful album, selling more than 4 million copies. worldwide. Disintegration was received well by critics, reaching number 116 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
142. Born In The USA: Bruce Springsteen
Rock
1984 Columbia
Written around the same time when Springsteen wrote songs for his distressing album Nebraska, Born In The USA shares a similar writing style and theme. However, backed by the E Street Band, the songs took on a very different feel, which led to a misguided understanding of the real meaning behind each song. For example, "Born In The USA" is not the expression of patriotism that some think it is as it is a question about allegiance. Born In The USA was Springsteens most successful album, having sold 30 million copies. Cited as one of the greatest albums of all time, it produced seven 40 singles.
143. Paranoid: Black Sabbath
Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
1970 Vertigo
Paranoid was Black Sabbath's second studio album and includes several of the band's most popular songs. Songs such as "Iron Man", "War Pigs" and "Paranoid", which was the bands only top 40 hit. Regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, heavy metal albums of all time, Paranoid is often referred to as one of the most influential albums for the development of the heavy metal music genre.
144. 1999: Prince
Pop/Rock
1982 Warner Bros.
1999 is a combination of Pop, Rock, Fusion Rock, and Funk styles, as well as sexually explicit dance music. His first album with the Revolution, 1999 became an immediate commercial and critical success, launching Prince's career and positioning him for superstardom that was about to come with the release of his follow up album, Purple Rain. 1999 peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, with "1999" reaching number twelve, "Delirious" reaching number eight, and "Little Red Corvette" reaching number six on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart. In 2008, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
145. This Year's Model: Elvis Costello
New Wave/Punk
1978 Radar Records
This Year's Model is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. Released in 1978 on Radar Records, the album received critical acclaim for Costello’s songwriting and performances. The singles "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" and "Pump It Up" were commercially successful and the album reached number four on the UK Albums Chart. The American album was released on Columbia Records and substituted "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" and "Night Rally" for "Radio Radio". The album reached number 30 on Billboard's Top LPs & Tape chart.
146. The Marshall Mathers LP: Eminem
Rap/Hip-Hop
2000 Interscope
Eminem has been accused of many things, such as corrupting the nation’s youth. However, the criticism that seems to matter most is him being one of the greatest rappers of all time. He may also be one of the funniest. Eminem's third studio album showcases his lyrical skills and emotional depth, while taking on critics who try to push responsibility upon him for societal behaviors. Marshal Mathers debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and remained there for eight consecutive weeks. the album has sold 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.
147. Transformer: Lou Reed
Rock/Glam Rock
1972 RCA
Transformer was Lou Reed's second solo studio album. Produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, who's musical style was greatly influenced by Reed. The album was controversial and became an influential landmark of the Glam Rock genre. Like Bowie has done on some many records, Reed explores themes sexual orientation, gender identity, prostitution, and drug use. The album includes Reed's most successful single, "Walk on the Wild Side". "Satellite of Love", "Vicious", "Walk on the Wild Side" and "Hangin' 'Round" are highlights on the record, each receiving acclaim for their lyrical achievement.
148. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City: Kendrick Lamar
Hip-Hop/Rap
2012 TDE/Aftermath/Interscope
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is known as Kendrick Lamar’s Hip-Hop autobiography. Compared to his previous work, it is musically downbeat. Detailing life on the streets of Compton, Lamar documents his life as gang warfare, police brutality, drugs, liquor, and dead friends pepper his life's story. Lamar admits to taking a very pain filled life and changing it into a humorous exploration. The album features guest appearances from Drake, Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, Anna Wise, and MC Eiht. The album earned Lamar a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was well received critically, receiving praise for its thematic scope and lyrics. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.
149. Soul On Top: James Brown
R&B/Soul
1970 King
Arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson, Soul on Top was a combination big band, funk and jazz vocal album. It features jazz standards, show tunes, and middle of the road hits, as well as a new arrangement of Brown's funk hit "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag". Louie Bellson's 18-piece jazz orchestra accompany James Brown.
150. Nebraska: Bruce Springsteen
Rock
1982 Columbia
Springsteen recorded each song for Nebraska on a 4-track recorder, intending to rerecord them with the E Street Band. However, he decided to release them as they were. As a result, Nebraska has become one of Springsteen's most critically acclaimed albums in his extensive library. Like much of Springsteen's music, Nebraska addresses concerns for the lives of blue-collar Americans. Unlike previous releases, Springsteen sings songs that paint a picture of little hope for a better future. Regarded by critics as "one of the most challenging albums ever released by a major star on a major record label", it was Springsteen's first major release that he did not support with a tour.
151. Meet The Beatles: The Beatles
Pop/Rock
1964 Capital/EMI
Meet the Beatles! Was the second US studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was the group's first American album to be released by Capitol Records in both mono and stereo formats. It topped the popular album charts and remained at number one for eleven weeks before being replaced by The Beatles' Second Album. In the U.S., the album debuted at No. 92 on the album chart. Two weeks later, it peaked at #1 where it remained for eleven consecutive weeks. The album was eventually replaced by The Beatles' Second Album. The album sold over 4 million copies by the end of 1964.
152. No Fences: Garth Brooks
Country
1990 Capital Nashville
No Fences was the second studio album by the American country music artist Garth Brooks. Released in August, 1990, it reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200. It stayed in the top 40 of the Billboard 200 for 126 weeks, making it one of the most successful charting county music albums of all time. No Fences remains Garth Brooks' best-selling studio album with over 18 million copies sold in the US. No Fences includes some of Brooks' most famous songs, including: "The Thunder Rolls", "Friends in Low Places", "Unanswered Prayers" and "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House". The album was named Album of the Year by the ACM in 1990. It reached Number 1 on the British country music charts (earning Brooks his first gold album in that country) and remained charted for over five years.
153. Disraeli Gears: Cream
Psychodelic Rock/Blues Rock
1967 Atco/Reaction
Disraeli Gears was the second studio album by the British rock band Cream, which included band members Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce. Released in November 1967, it and reached No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart, and was listed as the No. 1 album of by Cash Box in the year-end U.S. album chart. The album features the popular singles "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love". AllMusic describes the album as "a quintessential heavy rock album of the '60s" and is referred by many as a Rock masterpiece. In 1999, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2020 the album was ranked number 170 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
154. Slanted And Enchanted: Pavement
Indie Rock/lo-fi
1992 Matador
Slanted and Enchanted was the debut studio album by American rock band Pavement. The album received critical acclaim and is seen as a landmark for indie rock. Rolling Stone Ranked the album at 199 on its 2020 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. While the album has only sold nearly 200,000 copies worldwide, It is viewed among the most influential indie rock albums of the 1990s. AllMusic cited the album as "a left-field classic" and "one of the most influential records of the '90s". In 2002, Pitchfork awarded the album their maximum grade of 10/10 in a review of the album's reissue and ranked it as the fifth greatest album of the 1990s in 2003. Rolling Stone called Slanted and Enchanted "the quintessential indie rock album". In 2017, Billboard called it a "slacker masterpiece" and "the definitive indie rock album".
155. Greatest Hits: James Taylor
Soft Rock
1976 Warner Bros.
Greatest Hits was the first of two greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor. Released in it remains Taylor's best-selling album, with over 12 million units being sold in the United States. The album includes a compilation of songs written and recorded by James from 1969 through 1976. The album was motivated by the end of Taylor's recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. It features rerecorded versions of "Carolina in My Mind" and "Something in the Way She Moves", both of which had been previously included on Taylor's self-titled debut album in 1968. It also includes a previously unavailable live version of "Steamroller". The album reached No. 23 on the Billboard albums chart upon its initial release. However, it sold steadily for many years, reentering the Billboard 200 albums chart, at number 15, which gave the album a new peak.
156. Exile In Guyville: Liz Phair
Indie Rock
1993 Matador
Exile in Guyville was the debut album by American singer-songwriter Liz Phair. Released in 1993, the album received critical acclaim and in 2020, it was ranked No. 56 by Rolling Stone in its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Exile was certified gold in 1998 and has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Realizing moderate commercial success, Exile in Guyville Exile received critical acclaim and was the No. 1 album in the year-end critics poll in Spin and the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll.
157. To Bring You My Love: P. J. Harvey
Alternative Rock/Blues Rock
1995 Island
To Bring You My Love was the third studio album by English alternative rock musician PJ Harvey. Released in 1995, the album stands as Harvey’s first solo album. Heavily influenced by American blues music To Bring You My Love would is considered PJ Harvey's breakthrough record, garnering massive critical acclaim worldwide and became her best-selling album. The album was placed on Rolling Stone magazine's original list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
158. Odelay: Beck
Alternative Rock
1996 DCG
Odelay was the fifth studio album by American musician Beck. Released in 1996, the album included several commercially successful singles, including "Where It's At", "Devils Haircut", and "The New Pollution". Odelay peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard 200 and has sold nearly 3 million copies in the U.S. Upon its release, Odelay received seemingly unanimous critical acclaim. Odelay was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 1997, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for "Where It's At". The album was ranked number 424 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2020.
159. Homework: Daft Punk
House Music/Electronic/Techno
1997 Virgin
Homework was the debut studio album by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. Released in 1997 the album charted in 14 countries, peaking at number 3 on the French Albums Chart, number 150 on the United States Billboard 200 and at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart. "Da Funk" and "Around the World" became U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play number-one singles, the latter of which reached number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album had sold more than two million copies worldwide. The album is hailed as a classic of French house and a significant influence on dance music.
160. Surrealistic Pillow: Jefferson Airplane
Psychedelic Rock/Folk Rock
1967 RCA/Victor
Surrealistic Pillow was the second studio album by the American psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane. Released in 1967, it was the band’s first album with vocalist Grace Slick. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart. The album is considered one of the quintessential works of the early psychedelic rock era. The singles "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" peaked respectively at number five and number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remain the band's only Top 40 hits on that chart.
161. Court And Spark: Joni Mitchell
Folk Rock/Soft Rock
1974 Asylum
Court and Spark was the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in 1974, it infuses the Mitchell’s trademark folk rock style with jazz elements. Court and Spark was an immediate commercial and critical success, remaining as one of her most successful albums. The album peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. album charts, No. 1 in Canada, and No. 20 in the UK. In 2020, it was ranked at number 110 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Mitchell remains one of the most influential female songwriters of all time, helping to influence the folk rock genre with her musical style and songwriting.
162. Can't Buy A Thrill: Steely Dan
Rock/Jazz Rock/Soft Rock
1972 ABC
Can't Buy a Thrill was the debut studio album by American jazz fusion rock band Steely Dan. Released in 1972, Can’t Buy a Thrill is widely considered as one of the band’s most stylistically eclectic albums, encompassing the sounds of soft rock, folk rock, jazz-rock and pop, alongside philosophical, elliptical lyrics. The album was an immediate commercial success in the United States peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard albums chart. The album spawned a number of popular singles,, such as "Do It Again" and "Reelin' In the Years". Can’t Buy a Thrill has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and is ranked in Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
163. Forever Changes: Love
Rock/Folk Rock
1967 Elektra
Forever Changes was Love's third release. The album explores dark themes that question mortality and a creeping disillusionment with the 60s counterculture. Forever Changes had moderate commercial success peaking at number 154 on the the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Forever Changes became an influential in the 1960s psychedelic movement and has recently been identified as one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2008, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
164. Imagine: John Lennon
Rock
1971 Apple
Imagine was the second studio album by British musician and former band member of the Beatles, John Lennon. Released in 1971 Imagine was co-produced by Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono. The album features lush sounds, which contrasts the basic, small-group arrangements of his first album. Imagine’s opening song and title track is widely considered to be Lennon’s signature song. Imagine was a critical and commercial success, peaking at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and US Billboard 200. In 2020, Imagine was ranked No. 80 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
165. Unplugged: Eric Clapton
Rock/Soft Rock/Acoustic
1992 Reprise
Unplugged is one of many live albums made by singer/song writer Eric Clapton. Unlike Clapton’s other live albums, Unplugged was unique because it was included as a part of the MTV Unplugged television series. Recorded at Bray Studios, England in front of an audience for the MTV Unplugged television series. it includes acoustic versions of some of Clapton’s most successful songs, such as "Tears in Heaven" and "Layla". The album won three Gramm awards at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in 1993 and has since become the bestselling live album of all time and Clapton's bestselling album. The album has sold over 26 million copies worldwide.
166. My Life: Mary J. Blige
R&B
1994 Uptown/MCA
My Life was the second album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige. Released in 1994, many of the subjects of My Life Blige’s struggle with clinical depression, drugs, and alcohol, as well as domestic abuse. Blige contributed lyrics to fourteen of the album's tracks, making it her most introspective and personal album at the time. Considered to be her breakthrough album, My Life became Mary J. Blige's second album to reach the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at No. 7, and debuting at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it stayed for eight weeks. The album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 38th Grammy Awards. It also won the 1995 Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Album.
167. Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack: Various Artists
Disco
1977 RSO
Saturday Night Fever is the soundtrack album from the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta. Released in 1977, Saturday Night Fever was the best-selling album in music history until Michael Jackson's Thriller album. It still ranks among the best-selling soundtrack albums worldwide, with sales figures of over 40 million copies. Three singles from the album contributed by the Bee Gees, "How Deep Is Your Love", "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever", as well as Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You", all reached No. 1 in the U.S. The album spent 18 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the UK. The album epitomized the disco phenomenon across the globe. The album has been added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress in 2014 for being culturally significant.
168. Rust Never Sleeps: Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Rock/Folk Rock/Hard Rock
1979 Reprise
Rust Never Sleeps was the seventh album by Canadian American singer-songwriter Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse. Released in 1979, the album features studio and live tracks. The album peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart and spawned the hit single "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" that peaked at No. 79 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. This album, along with Ragged Glory, has widely been considered by critics as a precursor of grunge music with the bands Nirvana and Pearl Jam having cited Young's heavily distorted and abrasive guitar style on the B side to this album as an inspiration.
169. Greatest Hits: Buddy Holly
Rock and Roll
1996 MCA
Greatest Hits is a compilation album of songs taken from Buddy Holly's three original albums, recorded between 1957 and 1959. Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of the mid-1950s rock and roll movement. Much like Elvis, his style was influenced by gospel music, country music, and rhythm and blues acts. He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums. He was a major influence on later popular music artists, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, The Hollies, Elvis Costello, Dave Edmunds, Marshall Crenshaw, and Elton John. He was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1986.
170. Bat Out of Hell: Meat Loaf
Rock/Progressive Rock
1977 Cleveland International/Epic
Bat Out of Hell was the debut album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman. It is one of the best-selling albums of all time, selling over 43 million copies worldwide. Rolling Stone ranked it as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Michael Lee Aday, known professionally as Meat Loaf, was known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. Bat Out of Hell stayed on the charts for over nine years.
171. Willie And The Poor Boys: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Rock and Roll
1969 Fantasy
Willy and the Poor Boys was the fourth studio album by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. Released in 1969, it was the last of three studio albums released by the band that year. By 1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival was one of the most popular rock bands in the world, having scored three consecutive #2 singles and the #1 album Green River. Featuring the vocals of John Fogerty, the band experienced continued success with Willie, spawning the top 100 charting single "Down on the Corner" b/w "Fortunate Son".
172. The Stranger: Billy Joel
Rock
1977 Columbia
The Stranger was the fifth studio album by American singer Billy Joel. Released in 1977, it was the first of Joel's albums to be produced by Phil Ramone. Up until The Stranger, Joel had experienced limited commercial success. the album spent six weeks at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200. The Stranger is considered Joel's critical and commercial breakthrough, charting four singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart: "Just the Way You Are" (No. 3), "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", "She's Always a Woman" (both No. 17), and "Only the Good Die Young" (No. 24). Other songs, such as "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Vienna", have become staples of his career and are frequently performed in his live shows. The album won two awards at the 1978 Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Just the Way You Are". It remains his best-selling non-compilation album to date, and surpassed Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water to become Columbia's best-selling album release, with more than 10 million units sold worldwide. Rolling Stone named it one of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
173. Blond: Frank Ocean
Rap/Hip-Hop
2016 Boys Don't Cry
Frank Ocean self-released Blond one day after he fulfilled his Def Jam contract with release of Endless, a visual project. Blonde continued Ocean's experimental approach toward his music. It became his first number-one album, ranking at the top of the Billboard 200 album chart. Unlike his Grammy Award winning album Channel Orange, Ocean chose not to submit Blond for consideration at the Grammy Awards, stating "that institution certainly has nostalgic importance; it just doesn't seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down." Recognized as one of the most influential albums of 2016, Blond continues to influence artists in all genres.
174. Master Of Puppets: Metallica
Thrash Metal/Heavy Metal
1986 Elektra
Master of Puppets was the third studio album by Los Angeles based American heavy metal band Metallica. Released in 1986 it was the band's last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton. Master of Puppets peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its music and political lyrics. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time, and is credited with consolidating the American thrash metal scene. Master of Puppets has sold over six million copies in the United States In 2015, Master of Puppets became the first metal recording to be selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
175. Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Funk Rock/Alternative
1991 Waner Bros.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik was the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Released in 1991, the album's subject matter incorporates sexual innuendos and references to drugs and death, as well as themes of lust and exuberance. Blood Sugar Sex Magik peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard 200, and produced five charting singles: "Under the Bridge," "Give It Away," "Suck My Kiss," "Breaking the Girl" and "If You Have to Ask." The album launched the band into worldwide popularity and critical acclaim. Blood Sugar Sex Magik is widely recognized as one of the most influential and seminal alternative rock releases and viewed as the ignition that led to the explosion of the alternative rock movement in the 1990s. It is the band's second best selling album behind Californication.
176. Diamond Life: Sade
Smooth Soul/R&B
1984 Epic
Diamond Life was the debut studio album by English band Sade, released in the United Kingdom in 1984 and in the United States in 1985. The album contains a variety of musical elements including soul, jazz and sophisti-pop, mostly with love lyrics. The album spawned four singles, including "Your Love Is King" and "Smooth Operator". Diamond Life received widespread acclaim from music critics and it was also a commercial success. The album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and number five on the US Billboard 200. Diamond Life sold over 10 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the top-selling debut recordings of the era and the best-selling debut album by a British female vocalist.
177. Tommy: The Who
Rock
1969 Track
Tommy was the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Who. It is a double album released in 1969. Tommy is a rock opera that tells the story of Tommy Walker, a traumatized young man who witnessed his father murder his mother's lover. Tommy was acclaimed upon its release by critics, who hailed it as The Who's breakthrough album. Many still view it as an important and influential album in the history of rock music. The original album has sold 20 million copies and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
178. Daydream Nation: Sonic Youth
Alternative Rock/Punk
1988 Enigma
Daydream Nation was the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Released in 1988 as a double album, Daydream Nation received widespread acclaim from critics and earned Sonic Youth a major label deal. Daydream Nation has since been widely considered to be Sonic Youth's greatest work, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time, having a profound influence on the alternative and indie rock genres. It was chosen by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Recording Registry in 2005.
179. Parallel Lines: Blondie
Pop Rock
1978 Chrysalis
Parallel Lines was the third studio album by American rock band Blondie. Released in 1978, it experienced immediate international commercial success. The album reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom. It later reached No. 6 in the United States. The album spawned several successful singles, notably the international hit "Heart of Glass". Led by lead singer Debbie Harry, Blondie later went on to release Rapture, which many believe is the first rap song to reach the singles chart.
180. Black Star: David Bowie
Rock/Alternative Rock
2016 Columbia/Sony
Black Star won Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album, Best Engineered Album, and Non-Classical and Best Recording Package, as well Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for "Black Star". Identified as one of Bowie's greatest albums, Black Star underscores Bowie's talent as an artist, as it was also his final studio album. The album was met with critical acclaim and immediate commercial success at its release. Black Star was Bowie's only album to top the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.
181. Crosby, Stills & Nash: Crosby, Stills & Nash
Folk Rock
1969 Atlantic
Crosby, Stills & Nash was the debut studio album by the folk rock group Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN). Released in 1969, it was the only release by the band prior to adding Neil Young to their lineup. The album spawned two Top 40 singles, "Marrakesh Express" and "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", which peaked respectively at No. 28 and at No. 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide and is responsible for the launch of CSN to supergroup status.
182. Synchronicity: The Police
New Wave/Post Punk
1983 A&M
Synchronicity was the fifth and final studio album by English rock band the Police. Released in 1983, Synchronicity became the band's most successful album. ,Synchronicity includes the charting singles "Every Breath You Take", "King of Pain", "Wrapped Around Your Finger", and "Synchronicity II". The album was nominated for a total of five awards at the 1984 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Synchronicity reached number one on both the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200, and sold over eight million copies in the US. The album was widely acclaimed by critics. It has since been included in Rolling Stone magazine's lists of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In 2009, Synchronicity was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2023, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
183. Paul's Boutique: Beastie Boys
Hip Hop
1989 Capital
Paul's Boutique was the second studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys. Released in 1989, the album's composition makes extensive use of styles, drawn from a wide range of genres including funk, soul, rock, and jazz. Paul's Boutique was not commercially successful upon initial release. However, with its innovative lyrical and sonic style, it became the group's breakthrough record. It is sometimes described by critics as the "Sgt. Pepper of hip-hop".
184. Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison: Johnny Cash
Country
1968 Columbia
At Folsom Prison was Johnny Cash's first in a series of live albums recorded in a prison environment. Having recently gained control over his problems with addiction, Cash was looking for opportunities to ignite his career. Supported by June Carter, Carl Perkins, and the Tennessee Three, Cash performed live at Folsom State Prison in California. Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison was a commercial success, with the live version of "Folsom Prison Blues" achieving top 40 hit status.
185. Folklore: Taylor Swift
Pop
2020 Republic Records
Taylor Swift has achieved a level of success that is hard to fathom and even harder to compare. Certainly there were performers before her who have had similar and even greater success than she at her age. Elvis, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones come to mind. Some may argue that she is more popular. However, when you think about the marketing vehicles that are present today to reach a wide audience that were not present 60 years ago, she has a distinct technological advantage that she has leveraged to amass such a following.
That said, she is undeniably a great artist. Given her trajectory and work ethic, she has the ability to surpass every artist of all time. That is, as long as she keeps evolving. Folklore was a continuation of a shift in Swift’s musical approach that rolled into the mega album Midnights. Her maturity as a songwriter, singer, and performed continue to evolve. Most important is that she’s driving that evolution. Not becoming satisfied with fame, fortune, and her previous work.
186. Grace: Jeff Buckley
Alternative Rock
1994 Columbia
Grace was Jeff Buckley's one and only studio album. It leaves one to wonder what could have been had he not passed suddenly in 1997. Grace released with poor sales and mixed critical opinion. However, critical opinion has improved and continues to grow in favor of the album, identifying it as one of the greatest albums of all time. Reissues of the album have realized commercial success. Some of Buckley's greatest influences have shown appreciation for Grace, with the likes of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie offering nothing short of the highest accolades.
187. Greatest Hits: Bill Withers
Soul/R&B
1981 Columbia
Bill Withers has an incredibly smooth and soulful voice. When accompanied with his musical style and mellow grooves, beautiful Soul music is the result. Greatest Hits is exactly that, a compilation of Soul and R&B classics such as "Ain't No Sunshine," "Lean on Me," "Lovely Day," "Use Me," "Just The Two OF Us," and "Grandma's Hands". "Ain't No Sunshine" won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. "Use Me" has been covered by the likes of Fiona Apple, Mick Jagger, Isaac Hayes, Alicia Keys, and many more. ""Lean On Me" has been rerecorded countless times by artists spanning Diana Ross to R. Kelly.
188. Boston: Boston
Hard Rock/Rock
1976 Epic
Boston was the debut studio album by American rock band Boston. Released in 1976, the album broke sales records, becoming the best-selling debut LP in the US at the time, and winning the RIAA Century Award as best selling debut album. The album's singles, "More Than a Feeling", "Peace of Mind" and "Foreplay/Long Time", were major hits, and nearly the entire album received constant airplay on classic rock radio. The album is often referred to as a staple in 1970s rock and has been included on many lists of essential albums. It has sold at least 17 million copies in the United States alone and at least 20 million worldwide making it one of the best-selling debut albums of all time. The album was afforded several accolades, including a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist. The album is the second best-selling debut album of all time in the United States, after Guns N' Roses's Appetite for Destruction.
189. T. Rex: Electric Warrior
Rock/Glam Rock
1971 Reprise
Electric Warrior was T. Rex second studio album. The album was a major achievement for T. Rex, as they changed their sound and style, moving away from the Folk-oriented music to become a pioneer of the glam rock movement. Electric Warrior became one of the best selling albums of 1971. The single "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" reached the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, which was the band's only North American hit.
190. The Stone Roses: The Stone Roses
Alternative Rock
1989 Silvertone
The Stone Roses is the self titled debut studio album by the Stone Roses. The album was not an immediate success. However, it grew in popularity as the band's high-energy concert performances caught fire. The Stone Roses is now considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time, selling over four million copies. Accolades include Acclaimed Music naming it the 67th highest ranked record their critics' all-time lists; Spin magazine ranking it 78th on its list of the "100 greatest albums of the past twenty years; Time naming it one of "The All-TIME 100 Albums"; Inclusion in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die; voted number eleven in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums; and, in 2020, it was ranked third in the BBC Radio 2 "Ultimate 80's Album" poll, beating albums such as "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "Appetite for Destruction" by Guns N' Roses and "Purple Rain" by Prince.
191. Music From The Big Pink: The Band
Folk Rock
1968 Capital
Music from Big Pink was the Band's debut studio album. It incorporates a distinctive blend of styles, including country, rock, folk, R&B, blues, and soul. "Big Pink" was a house in New York where much of the music for the record was composed. The album's initial reception was positive, with "The Weight", gaining popularity from the Band's performance at Woodstock. It peaked at number sixty-eight on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart. The album peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.
192. Pearl: Janis Joplin
Rock
1971 Columbia
Pearl was Janis Joplin's final album before her death and the only album Joplin recorded with the Full Tilt Boogie Band. It peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and remained there for nine weeks. The album is more polished than her previous releases with Big Brother and the Holding Company and the Kozmic Blues Band. This was partially the result of producer Paul A. Rothchild and the musicians chosen for the project. Pearl features the number one hit single "Me and Bobby McGee", on which she plays acoustic guitar.
193. 40 Greatest Hits: Hank Williams
Country
1978 Polydor
Hank Williams passed away on New Year’s Day in 1953 at the age of 29 while in route to a gig in Canton, Ohio. His death came in much the same way he lived most of his adult life, on the road and in the back seat of a Cadillac. When Williams died he was without question the biggest star in country music. There are few who can match Williams' influence on the industry. Artists such as Elvis Presley, Miles Davis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix had all been enormously influenced by Williams' incredible creative genius and talent. Had Hank not lived out his song "The Lost Highway", this album may have been titled "100 Greatest Hits". Without a doubt it is one of the best greatest hits album of all time.
194. The Bends: Radiohead
Alternative Rock
1985 Parlophone
The Bends was the second studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. Released in 1995, the album
featured several singles backed by music videos: "My Iron Lung", the double A-side "Planet Telex / High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", and Radiohead's first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart, "Street Spirit (Fade Out)". " The Bends failed to meet expectations, falling short of the success of "Creep", reaching number 88 on the US Billboard 200. It has been recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.
195. Every Picture Tells A Story: Rod Stewart
Rock
1971 Mercury
Every Picture Tells a Story is one of Rod Stewart's most complete albums, featuring the hit singles "Maggie May", "Reason to Believe", and "I Know I am Losing You". At the time this album was made Stewart was the lead singer for the Faces, of which all five members of that band appear on the album. The album reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, while "Maggie May" hit number one on the Billboard Singles Chart.
196. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul: Otis Redding
R&B/Soul
1965 Volt
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul is mainly a composition of cover songs of contemporary R&B hits. He covers songs with blues and love ballad themes. Redding wrote three of the album's eleven songs, with three others written by soul singer Sam Cooke. Backed by the Stax house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s, a horn section featuring members of the Mar-Keys and the Memphis Horns, and rhythmic Southern soul accompaniment by pianist Isaac Hayes. Otis Blue was one of Redding's best-selling records, being his first to top the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Otis Blue is the definitive soul album of the period.
197. In Wee Small Hours: Frank Sinatra
Standards/Jazz/Traditional Pop
1955 Capital
Known as one of the greatest vocalists of all time, Frank Sinatra released his 9th studio album, In the Wee Small Hours, in 1955. Produced by Voyle Gilmore with arrangements by Nelson Riddle, the album became one of his most acclaimed and commercially successful. As reflected by the cover art, the music was centered upon themes of loneliness, introspection, melancholy, desolation, lost love, failed relationships, depression, and night life. Given its thematic nature, Wee Small Hours is often referred to as one of the first concept albums. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and remained there for 18 weeks. The album was originally released on two 10" records, but shifted to one two sided 12" record in later pressings. As such, the 12-inch record became immensely popular, eventually leading to the end of the 10" record.
198. Definitely Maybe: Oasis
Rock/Brit Pop
1994 Creation
Definitely Maybe is regarded by many as a seminal entry of the Britpop scene. Oasis' debut studio album was an immediate commercial and critical success, with many critics expressing appreciation for the album's optimistic views, which pushed back against the darker sounds of popular American Grunge. Definitely Maybe is viewed by many UK critics as one of the greatest albums in British music, with some placing it ahead of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Hearts Club Band.
199. Rage Against the Machine: Rage Against the Machine
Rock/Rap/Metal/Alternative
1992 Epic Records
Rage Against the Machine was the self-titled debut album by American rock band Rage Against the Machine. Politically themed, the album was received well commercially and critically. The album artwork featured a graphic photograph of Thích Quảng Đức performing self-immolation. Critics praised lead singer Zack de la Rocha's strong vocal delivery. The album peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart and number 45 on the US Billboard 200. The album is ranked at number 24 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".
200. Let's Get It On: Marvin Gaye
Soul/Funk/R&B
1973 Tamla
We opened the 200 Greatest Albums of All Time with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and we close it with Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. Let's Get It On is a smooth slow jam soul record filled with erotic songs about sex, romance, and spiritual healing. The seductive Funk style of Let's Get It On cemented Gaye as a sex icon. The album became Gaye's most commercially successful album while at Motown. Let's Get It On has been regarded as a landmark recording and is viewed among the most acclaimed albums in history. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a historically important recording.
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