Apple Music has released its 100 Best Albums list, crowning The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as the number one.
Released in 1998, the R&B classic is Hill’s only album which has spent 87 weeks inside the UK album chart top 100.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller was number two on Apple’s list, with Abbey Road by The Beatles third, and Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution fourth. Frank Ocean was fifth, interestingly, with the 2016 album Blonde and not his acclaimed 2012 debut Channel Orange.
Apple Music staff and artists compiled the list, including Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Marem Morris, and Charli XCX. It was not based on sales or streams.
Of course, it is very subjective and there are some surprises. Fleetwood Mac fans might be miffed that Rumours missed the top 10. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd was good enough for only number 28, while U2’s Achtung Baby missed the top 100.
There was no room for any album by renowned artists such as Blur / Gorillaz, The Killers, The White Stripes, Arcade Fire, Katy Perry, and even Coldplay. Taylor Swift’s 1989 made it to number 18.
Hill, 48, an enigmatic presence in the music industry these days, collected the award on Tuesday (May 21).
“This is my award, but it’s a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love.” she said.
The top 10 albums were announced in a countdown show hosted by radio presenters Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden alongside musicians Maggie Rogers and Nile Rogers.
Apple Music’s 100 best albums of all time
100. Body Talk by Robyn
99. Hotel California by Eagles
98. Astroworld by Travis Scott
97. Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against the Machine
96. Pure Heroine by Lorde
95. Confessions by Usher
94. Untrue by Burial
93. A Seat at the Table by Solange
92. Flower Boy by Tyler, the Creator
91. Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 by George Michael
90. Back in Black by AC/DC
89. The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga
88. I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone
87. Blue Lines by Massive Attack
86. My Life by Mary J. Blige
85. Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves
84. Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg
83. Horses by Patti Smith
82. Get Rich or Die Tryin' by 50 Cent
81. After the Gold Rush by Neil Young
80. The Marshall Mathers LP by Eminem
79. Norman F***ing Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey
78. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John
77. Like a Prayer by Madonna
76. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
75. Supa Dupa Fly by Missy Eliott
74. The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails
73. Aja by Steely Dan
72. SOS by SZA
71. Trans-Europe Express by Kraftwerk
70. Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A
69. Master of Puppets by Metallica
68. Is This It by The Strokes
67. Dummy by Portishead
66. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
65. 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul
64. Baduizm by Erykah Badu
63. Are You Experienced? by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
62. All Eyez on Me by 2Pac
61. Love Deluxe by Sade
60. The Velvet Underground and Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico
59. AM by Arctic Monkeys
58. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis
57. Voodoo by D'Angelo
56. Disintegration by The Cure
55. Anti by Rihanna
54. A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
53. Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones
52. Appetite for Destruction by Guns 'N Roses
51. Sign o' the Times by Prince
50. Hounds of Love by Kate Bush
49. The Joshua Tree by U2
48. Paul's Boutique by Beastie Boys
47. Take Care by Drake
46. Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers
45. Homogenic by Björk
44. Innervisions by Stevie Wonder
43. Remain in Light by Talking Heads
42. Control by Janet Jackson
41. Aquemini by OutKast
40. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You by Aretha Franklin
39. Illmatic by Nas
38. Tapestry by Carole King
37. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan
36. Beyoncé by Beyoncé
35. London Calling by The Clash
34. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy
33. Kid A by Radiohead
32. Ready to Die by Notorious B.I.G.
31. Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
30. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish
29. The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest
28. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
27. Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
26. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
25. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
23. Discovery by Daft Punk
22. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
21. Revolver by The Beatles
20. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
19. The Chronic by Dr. Dre
18. 1989 (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift
17. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
16. Blue by Joni Mitchell
15. 21 by Adele
14. Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan
13. The Blueprint by Jay-Z
12. OK Computer by Radiohead
11. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
10. Lemonade by Beyoncé
9. Nevermind by NirvanaBest
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
