User:ModernDayTrilobite/List of albums considered the best
For now, I'm using this as a dumping ground of possible source lists for a "List of albums considered the best" article. My current thinking is to make it analogous to List of video games considered the best, i.e., listed on a certain number of best-of-all-time lists. Ideally only by professionals or editorial staff; no user-generated lists. Single editors/compilers okay (or perhaps inevitable), but let's try to avoid lists where it's just one critic. Only pulling from lists that claim to pull from all of music (no "best of decade X" or "best of genre X").
Thought for myself: where there are multiple editions of a work (Rolling Stone, Gambaccini, etc.), the newest one should supersede others. On further reflection, I've refined this stance to "the newest one to be compiled from scratch should supersede others". I'd feel weird reappraising things based on the Rolling Stone 2023 update, since that didn't really change the ranking at large; it just tossed out 8 specific albums and slotted 8 new albums into their exact slots. Slide the new ones in, sure, but Olivia Rodrigo releasing Sour doesn't suddenly make Sonic Youth's Goo worse than the other 142 albums below it on the list. Anyway that's enough soapboxing for now :b
I wonder if the different ages of the lists is going to irreparably bias this thing – older albums will simply have more opportunities to appear here. Certainly from my observation thus far, it seems like a lot of these lists were compiled around the 1990s (likely due to turn-of-the-century reminiscing), so influential albums from the 90s will probably be underrepresented (due to not enough time to appraise their legacy) whereas 21st-century albums will be omitted (simply due to the vagaries of linear chronology).
Lists
[edit]- Rolling Stone USA's 2020 list of Greatest Albums of All Time (500 entries)
- NME's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (AM mirror) (500 entries)
- Apple Music's 100 Best Albums ([1]) (100 entries)
- Consequence of Sound's Greatest Albums of All Time (100 entries)
- Paste's The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time (300 entries)
- VH1's All Time Top 100 Albums (100 entries)
- Kerrang!'s 100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (100 entries)
- Melody Maker's All-Time Top 100 Albums (100 entries)
- Mojo's 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made (100 entries)
- MusikExpress's The 100 Masterpieces (100 entries)
- Oor's 100 Best Albums of All Time (571 entries) (yeah, i know) <- For the chart I'm only including albums mentioned by at least 2 people, to indicate that there's some level of consensus rather than just one flag-waver. This reduces the list to 174 entries
- Rolling Stone Germany's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (500 entries)
- Sounds' All-Time Top 100 Albums (100 entries)
- Spin's 25 Greatest Albums of All Time (25 entries)
- The Times (UK)'s The 100 Best Albums of All Time (100 entries)
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 Albums of All Time (200 entries)
- Entertainment Weekly's The 100 All-Time Greatest Albums (AM mirror) (100 entries)
- Hot Press (Ireland)'s 100 Best Albums Ever (AM mirror) (100 entries)
- Rolling Stone Mexico's 100 Greatest Albums of All Time (AM mirror) (100 entries)
- Telerama's The Best Albums of All Time (100 entries)
- Time magazine's Top 100 Albums of All Time (AM mirror) (100 entries)
- Uncut magazine's 200 Greatest Albums of All Time (AM mirror) (200 entries)
- Yedioth Ahronoth's Top 99 Albums of All Time (99 entries)
- Paul Gambaccini's Critic's Choice: Top 200 Albums (physical) (100 entries)
- Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (physical) (1001 entries)
Not on the chart as of now: the two physical books
Omitted
[edit]When I'm omitting a list, it's mainly because I have some skepticism of the methodology and its applicability to my use case. More specific reasons follow each entry in the section.
- Acclaimed Music's Top Albums of All Time (3000 entries) <- Debatable; it's compiled from other lists rather than being its own list per se. Also, 3000 albums is a lot to sort through lol
- Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (physical) (1000 entries) <- Debatable; compiled from public surveys. Less gameable than an online thing, but still iffy.
- Craig Mathieson & Toby Cresswell's The 100 Best Albums of All Time (physical) (100 entries) <- Debatable; only 2 authors. Need to look into criteria.
- The Guardian's 1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die (1000 entries); per their own definition, "what [this list is] not is the best 1000 albums of all time"
- The Wire's 100 Most Important Records Ever Made (100 entries) <- Omitted because it mixes albums and individual songs in a seemingly arbitrary fashion
- Blender's 500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die (500 entries) <- why are there so many compilations on this thing
- Pop (Swedish magazine)'s 1994 100 Best Albums in the World (AM mirror) (100 entries) <- I'm concerned about how the "complements" thing affects their selection
Albums that are #1 on one list or another
[edit](To be expanded as I work my way through the chart.)
- Abbey Road (Consequence 2010)[a]
- Blonde on Blonde (RS Germany 2004)
- Electric Ladyland (MusikExpress 1993)
- In Utero (Kerrang! 1998)
- Pet Sounds (Mojo 1995, The Times 1993, Uncut 2016)
- Purple Rain (Consequence 2022)
- Revolver (EW 2013, Hot Press 2006, RS Mexico 2004, VH1 2001)
- Sex Machine (Spin 1989)
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (RS 2003[b], RRHOF 2007)
- Songs in the Key of Life (Paste 2024)
- The Clash (Sounds 1985)
- The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Apple Music 2024)
- The Queen Is Dead (Melody Maker 2000, NME 2013)
- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (Yed. Ahr. 1999)
- The Velvet Underground and Nico (Oor 2007)
- There's a Riot Goin' On (Pop 1994)
- What's Going On (RS 2020)
- Non-numbered lists: Time 2006, Telerama 1993
Table of albums with 10+ mentions
[edit]At the time of assembly (26 September 2024), the chart contains 23 lists. In (basically) chronological order of release, the lists are: Sounds, Spin, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Kerrang, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, and Apple Music.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Naturally we wouldn't include this list on the chart – it's been superseded by Consequence 2022 – but if the criterion becomes "named #1 on a notable list somewhere", this becomes valid imo.
- ^ Like with Consequence 2010, this list has since been superseded.
- ^ Abbey Road: Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Achtung Baby: MusikExpress, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone
- ^ After the Gold Rush: The Times, MusikExpress, Yedioth Ahronoth, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Appetite for Destruction: MusikExpress, Kerrang, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Are You Experienced: Sounds, The Times, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Astral Weeks: Sounds, The Times, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ At Folsom Prison: RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Automatic for the People: Telerama, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, RS Mexico, RS Germany, RRHOF, NME, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Back in Black: Kerrang, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Apple Music
- ^ The Beatles: Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Beggars Banquet: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, RRHOF, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone
- ^ Blonde on Blonde: Sounds, Spin, Telerama, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Blood on the Tracks: MusikExpress, Mojo, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Blue: The Times, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Blue Lines: Telerama, Mojo, Melody Maker, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Born to Run: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Bridge Over Troubled Water: The Times, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, NME, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Bringing It All Back Home: MusikExpress, Mojo, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone
- ^ Closer: Sounds, Telerama, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone
- ^ The Dark Side of the Moon: The Times, MusikExpress, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Doolittle: Melody Maker, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ The Doors: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, RRHOF, NME, Rolling Stone
- ^ Electric Ladyland: Sounds, The Times, MusikExpress, Mojo, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Exile on Main Street: Sounds, Spin, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, Oor, RRHOF, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Forever Changes: Sounds, The Times, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, RS Germany, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone
- ^ Graceland: The Times, Telerama, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, NME, EW, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Highway 61 Revisited: Sounds, The Times, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Horses: Sounds, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Hounds of Love: Telerama, Mojo, RS Germany, Hot Press, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Hunky Dory: Mojo, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence
- ^ Innervisions: MusikExpress, Mojo, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, Hot Press, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back: MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ The Joshua Tree: The Times, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, NME, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Kind of Blue: VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Lady Soul: Spin, The Times, VH1, RS Germany, Time, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Led Zeppelin IV: The Times, Mojo, Kerrang, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Live at the Apollo: The Times, Telerama, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Let It Bleed: Sounds, Mojo, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, RRHOF, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence
- ^ London Calling: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Loveless: Melody Maker, RS Germany, Hot Press, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Marquee Moon: Sounds, Spin, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Master of Puppets: Kerrang, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Kerrang, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Nevermind: The Times, Telerama, Mojo, Kerrang, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ OK Computer: Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Otis Blue: Sounds, The Times, Mojo, VH1, RS Germany, Time, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Paul's Boutique: Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, Time, Oor, NME, EW, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Pet Sounds: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Physical Graffiti: Sounds, Mojo, Kerrang, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, RRHOF, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Purple Rain: The Times, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ The Queen is Dead: Spin, The Times, Telerama, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Rain Dogs: Sounds, MusikExpress, RS Germany, Hot Press, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Ramones: Sounds, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Raw Power: Sounds, The Times, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Oor, NME, EW, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Remain in Light: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Revolver: The Times, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Rubber Soul: MusikExpress, Mojo, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ Rumours: The Times, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: Sounds, The Times, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Sign o' the Times: The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Songs in the Key of Life: The Times, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Sticky Fingers: The Times, Mojo, VH1, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ The Stone Roses: The Times, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone
- ^ Tapestry: The Times, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Ten: MusikExpress, Kerrang, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, Rolling Stone, Consequence
- ^ There's a Riot Goin' On: The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Oor, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste
- ^ Thriller: The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Yedioth Ahronoth, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Trans-Europe Express: Sounds, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, VH1, RS Germany, Oor, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Apple Music
- ^ Transformer: Sounds, The Times, MusikExpress, Mojo, Melody Maker, RS Mexico, RS Germany, NME, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Paste
- ^ The Velvet Underground & Nico: Sounds, Spin, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ What's Going On: Sounds, The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, Mojo, Yedioth Ahronoth, Melody Maker, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, Hot Press, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence, Paste, Apple Music
- ^ Who's Next: The Times, Telerama, MusikExpress, VH1, RS Mexico, RS Germany, Time, RRHOF, Oor, NME, EW, Uncut, Rolling Stone, Consequence