Apple Music’s ‘100 best albums of all time’ ranking kicked off last week, with the company revealing 10 of its choices each day, starting with 91-100.
Apple has today completed its list, revealing its top 10 choices, with the number one album described as “a seismic event” by a “once-in-a-generation talent” …
Apple said that the ranking had nothing to do with popularity on Apple Music, or commercial success, but is a curated list by a panel of experts.
Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums is a modern 21st-century ranking of the greatest records ever made, crafted by Apple Music’s team of experts alongside a select group of artists, 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 top 10 list is:
- 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
Explaining the choice of Lauryn Hill for the top slot, Apple said that it expressed an era.
Lauryn Hill’s debut — and only — solo studio album was a seismic event in 1998: a stunningly raw, profound look into the spiritual landscape not just of one of the era’s biggest stars, but of the era itself. She was, and remains, a once-in-a-generation talent whose inspiration and innovation can be heard through the decades. Artists exhaust long discographies hoping for a cohesive piece of work resonant enough to reshape culture and inscribe its creator into the pantheon; Lauryn Hill did it in one.
You can watch the team discuss their selection here.
Watch the full roundtable conversation with Nile Rodgers, Maggie Rogers, Zane Lowe, and Ebro Darden.
Apple has also put together a radio show to allow listeners to understand the story behind each album.
As an additional gift to music fans, Apple Music created 100 audio vignettes telling the story of each album and contextualizing its significance and position on the list. Written by a team of music experts and edited by award-winning audio editors, these vignettes are sonic companions to Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums. Listen to the stories behind each of the albums and more on Apple Podcasts at apple.co/100BestRadio.
Image: Apple
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