Whether you listen to mumble rap, bubblegum pop, dad rock or something else (or all of them!)—it seems that secretly, we all like to think that we have the best taste in music.
Music is undeniably subjective and there is realistically no such thing as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ taste. However, there is always a rush of validation that comes when your favourite artist picks up a Grammy, or your top track takes home Song Of The Year. It’s almost like a pat on the back which reassures you that, ‘yes, your taste is that little bit superior, thank you very much.’
If there was ever going to be a measuring stick for what makes a piece of music top tier, we’d trust the team over at Apple Music to have found it. For over a week now, Apple Music has been counting down its top 100 albums of all time and today, the final 10 have been unveiled.
With entries from modern pop titans, 90s superstars and revolutionary bands, the top 100 roundup is a fascinating capsule of the records and artists that have shaped culture over the past century. Notably for the pop girls; Pure Heroine by Lorde just made the cut in spot 96, preceding Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster at 89, SZA’s SOS at 72, and Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which scored 30th place. Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) came in 18th, pipped by Adele’s 21 in the 15th slot. Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours just missed out on the top 10, coming in at number 11.
Read on to see if your faves made the cut (and if they did, congratulations—we’d trust you with the aux).
The 10 Best Albums Of All Time
According to Apple Music, the 10 best albums of all time are:
- 10. Lemonade by Beyoncé
- 9. Nevermind by Nirvana
- 8. Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
- 7. good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar
- 6. Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder
- 5. Blonde by Frank Ocean
- 4. Purple Rain by Prince & The Revolution
- 3. Abbey Road by The Beatles
- 2. Thriller by Michael Jackson
- 1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill
Notably, the number one album was a breakout record for Hill, who became the first rap artist to take home Album Of The Year at the Grammys, when Miseducation won in 1999. That year, Hill also one four other Grammy Awards including Best R&B Album, Best New Artist, Best R&B Song, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
See the full list of Apple Music’s 100 best albums of all time here.
