On the 13th of May 2024, Apple Music announced the release of its 100 Best Albums of all time, a celebratory list of the greatest records ever made, crafted by Apple Music’s team of experts alongside a select group of artists, including Maren Morris, Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon, and Nia Archives, as well as songwriters, producers, and industry professionals. The list is an editorial statement, fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music — a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in.
The countdown ended today with the reveal of Apple Music’s top 10 albums of all time during a broadcast radio special. “100 Best brings together all the things that make Apple Music the ultimate service for music lovers — human curation at its peak, an appreciation for the art of storytelling, and unparalleled knowledge of music and an even deeper love for it,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of content and editorial. “We have been working on this for a very long time, and it’s something we are all incredibly proud of and excited to share with the world.”
“Putting this list together was a true labor of love, both in that it was incredibly difficult to do and in that we are all so passionate about it,” said Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director and lead anchor for Apple Music 1. “We were tasked with selecting the 100 best — that’s practically mission impossible. But as music fans, it was also amazing to really take a minute and sit and think about the music and albums and artists that we love so much in this context. If this list sparks more debate among fans outside of Apple Music and gets people talking passionately about the music they love, then we’ve done what we set out to do.”
Introducing the Top 100 – 91 Albums
The first 10 albums, revealed today, offer a glimpse into Apple Music’s unique approach with 100 Best. With seven of the 10 records hailing from the 21st century, two from the 90s, only one from the 70s, and various genres represented, the list spotlights contemporary artists like Tyler, The Creator; Robyn; Lorde; Travis Scott; Solange; Burial; and more who have helped define this century through their music and its influence on others.
100. Body Talk, Robyn
99. Hotel California, Eagles
98. ASTROWORLD, Travis Scott
97. Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine
96. Pure Heroine,Lorde
95. Confessions, USHER
94. Untrue, Burial
93. A Seat at the Table, Solange
92. Flower Boy, Tyler, The Creator
91.Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1,George Michael
“There are so many fun facts for our listeners to discover about these albums,” said Scott Plagenhoef, Apple Music’s global head of music programming. “For example, two of the records revealed today () were promoted without the image of the artist, but for opposite reasons — Burial’s Untrue because the artist was still operating anonymously at the time, and George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 because the artist was actually retreating from fame.”
Albums 90-81 on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list
- 90: Back in Black – AC/DC
- 89: The Fame Monster (Deluxe Edition) – Lady Gaga
- 88: I Put a Spell on You – Nina Simone
- 87: Blue Lines – Massive Attack
- 86: My Life – Mary J Blige
- 85: Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
- 84: Doggystyle – Snoop Dogg
- 83: Horses – Patti Smith
- 82: Get Rich or Die Tryin’ – 50 Cent
- 81: After the Gold Rush – Neil Young
Albums 80-51 on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list
- 80: The Marshall Mathers LP – Eminem
- 79: Norman F****** Rockwell! – Lana Del Rey
- 78: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John
- 77: Like A Prayer – Madonna
- 76: Un Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny
- 75: Supa Dupa Fly – Missy Eliott
- 74: Downward Spiral – Nine Inch Nails
- 73: Aja – Steely Dan
- 72: SOS – SZA
- 71: Trans-Europe Express – Kraftwerk
- 70: Straight Outta Compton – N.W.A
- 69: Master of Puppets (Remastered) – Metallica
- 68: Is this It – The Strokes
- 67: Dummy – Portishead
- 66: The Queen Is Dead – The Smiths
- 65: 3 Feet High and Rising – De La Soul
- 64: Baduizm – Erykah Badu
- 63: Are You Experienced? – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
- 62: All Eyez on Me – 2Pac
- 61: Love Deluxe – Sade
Albums 60-51 on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list
- 60: The Velvet Underground and Nico (45th Anniversary Edition) – Velvet Underground & Nico
- 59: AM – Artic Monkeys
- 58: (What’s The Story) Morning Glory – Oasis
- 57: Voodoo – D’Angelo
- 56: Disintegration (Remastered) – The Cure
- 55: ANTI – Rihanna
- 54: A Love Supreme – John Coltrane
- 53: Exile on Main Street (2010 Remaster) – Rolling Stones
- 52: Appetite for Destruction – Guns ‘N Roses
- 51: Sign O’The Times – Prince
Albums 50-31 on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list
- 50. Hounds of Love (2018 Remaster) – Kate Bush
- 49. The Joshua Tree – U2
- 48. Paul’s Boutique – Beastie Boys
- 47. Take Care (Deluxe Version) – Drake
- 46. Exodus ((2013 Remaster) – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- 45. Homogenic – Björk
- 44. Innervisions – Stevie Wonder
- 43. Remain in Light – Talking Heads
- 42. Control – Janet Jackson
- 41. Aquemini – Outkast
- 40. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You – Aretha Franklin
- 39. Illmatic – Nas
- 38. Tapestry – Carole King
- 37. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) [Expanded Edition] – Wu-Tang Clan
- 36. BEYONCÉ – Beyoncé
- 35. London Calling – The Clash
- 34. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back – Public Enemy
- 33. Kid A – Radiohead
- 32. Ready to Die (The Remaster) – Notorious B.I.G.
- 31. Jagged Little Pill (Remastered) – Alanis Morisette
Albums 30-21 on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list
- 30. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? – Billie Eilish
- 29. The Low End Theory – A Tribe Called Quest
- 28. The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
- 27. Led Zeppelin II – Led Zeppelin
- 26. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West
- 25. Kind of Blue – Miles Davis
- 24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (2012 Remaster) – David Bowie
- 23. Discovery – Daft Punk
- 22. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
- 21. Revolver – The Beatles
Albums 20-11 on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list
- 20: Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys
- 19: The Chronic – Dr. Dre
- 18: 1989 (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
- 17: What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
- 16: Blue – Joni Mitchell
- 15: 21 – Adele
- 14: Highway 61 Revisited – Bob Dylan
- 13: The Blueprint – JAY-Z
- 12: OK Computer – Radiohead
- 11: Rumours – Fleetwood Mac
Albums 10-1 on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list
- 10: Lemonade (2016), Beyoncé
- 9: Nevermind (1991), Nirvana
- 8: Back to Black (2006), Amy Winehouse
- 7: good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), Kendrick Lamar
- 6: Songs in the Key of Life (1976), Stevie Wonder
- 5: Blonde (2016), Frank Ocean
- 4: Purple Rain (1984), Prince & The Revolution
- 3: Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles
- 2: Thriller (1982), Michael Jackson
- 1: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), Lauryn Hill
Discover, Learn, and Share with Friends
To accompany the list, Apple Music also revealed a dedicated microsite that updated every day of the countdown, making it easy for listeners to follow along. Available now at 100best.music.apple.com, the new 100 Best microsite spotlights in-depth analysis of each album, archival interviews, and more and makes it easy for fans to share their favourite albums with friends and on their social channels.
