Top 500 Albums of All Time
According to Rolling Stone Magazine, the
following are the top 500 Albums of all time.
Many genres of music is listed here.
Do you see your favorite?
1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles
2. Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys
3. Revolver, The Beatles
4. Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan
5. Rubber Soul, The Beatles
6. What’s Going On, Marvin Gaye
7. Exile on Main Street, The Rolling Stones
8. London Calling, The Clash
9. Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan
10. The Beatles (“The White Album”), The Beatles
11. The Sun Sessions, Elvis Presley
12. Kind of Blue, Miles Davis
13. Velvet Underground and Nico, The Velvet Underground
14. Abbey Road, The Beatles
15. Are You Experienced?, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
16. Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan
17. Nevermind, Nirvana
18. Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen
19. Astral Weeks, Van Morrison
20. Thriller, Michael Jackson
21. The Great Twenty-Eight, Chuck Berry
22. Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon
23. Innervisions, Stevie Wonder
24. Live at the Apollo (1963), James Brown
25. Rumours, Fleetwood Mac
26. The Joshua Tree, U2
27. King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 1, Robert Johnson
28. Who’s Next, The Who
29. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin
30. Blue, Joni Mitchell
31. Bringing It All Back Home, Bob Dylan
32. Let It Bleed, The Rolling Stones
33. Ramones, Ramones
34. Music From Big Pink, The Band
35. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, David Bowie
36. Tapestry, Carole King
37. Hotel California, The Eagles
38. The Anthology, 1947 – 1972, Muddy Waters
39. Please Please Me, The Beatles
40. Forever Changes, Love
41. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, The Sex Pistols
42. The Doors, The Doors
43. The Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd
44. Horses, Patti Smith
45. The Band, The Band
46. Legend, Bob Marley and the Wailers
47. A Love Supreme, John Coltrane
48. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy
49. At Fillmore East, The Allman Brothers Band
50. Here’s Little Richard, Little Richard
51. Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel
52. Greatest Hits, Al Green
53. The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm and Blues Recordings, 1952 – 1959, Ray Charles
54. Electric Ladyland, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
55. Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley
56. Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
57. Beggars Banquet, The Rolling Stones
58. Trout Mask Replica, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band
59. Meet the Beatles, The Beatles
60. Greatest Hits, Sly and the Family Stone
61. Appetite for Destruction, Guns n’ Roses
62. Achtung Baby, U2
63. Sticky Fingers, The Rolling Stones
64. Phil Spector, Back to Mono (1958 – 1969), Various Artists
65. Moondance, Van Morrison
66. Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin
67. The Stranger, Billy Joel
68. Off the Wall, Michael Jackson
69. Superfly, Curtis Mayfield
70. Physical Graffiti, Led Zeppelin
71. After the Gold Rush, Neil Young
72. Purple Rain, Prince
73. Back in Black, AC/DC
74. Otis Blue, Otis Redding
75. Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin
76. Imagine, John Lennon
77. The Clash, The Clash
78. Harvest, Neil Young
79. Star Time, James Brown
80. Odessey and Oracle, The Zombies
81. Graceland, Paul Simon
82. Axis: Bold as Love, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
83. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha Franklin
84. Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin
85. Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen
86. Let It Be, The Beatles
87. The Wall, Pink Floyd
88. At Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash
89. Dusty in Memphis, Dusty Springfield
90. Talking Book, Stevie Wonder
91. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John
92. 20 Golden Greats, Buddy Holly
93. Sign ‘o’ the Times, Prince
94. Bitches Brew, Miles Davis
95. Green River, Creedence Clearwater Revival
96. Tommy, The Who
97. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan
98. This Year’s Model, Elvis Costello
99. There’s a Riot Goin’ On, Sly and the Family Stone
100. In the Wee Small Hours, Frank Sinatra
101. Fresh Cream, Cream
102. Giant Steps, John Coltrane
103. Sweet Baby James, James Taylor
104. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Ray Charles
105. Rocket to Russia, Ramones
106. Portrait of a Legend 1951 – 1964, Sam Cooke
107. Hunky Dory, David Bowie
108. Aftermath, The Rolling Stones
109. Loaded, The Velvet Underground
110. The Bends, Radiohead
111. Court and Spark, Joni Mitchell
112. Disraeli Gears, Cream
113. The Who Sell Out, The Who
114. Out of Our Heads, The Rolling Stones
115. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Derek and the Dominos
116. At Last, Etta James
117. Sweetheart of the Rodeo , The Byrds
118. Stand!, Sly and the Family Stone
119. The Harder They Come Original Soundtrack, Various Artists
120. Raising Hell, Run-DMC
121. Moby Grape, Moby Grape
122. Pearl, Janis Joplin
123. Catch a Fire, Bob Marley and the Wailers
124. Younger Than Yesterday, The Byrds
125. Raw Power, The Stooges
126. Remain in Light, Talking Heads
127. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, The Mamas and the Papas
128. Marquee Moon, Television
129. 40 Greatest Hits, Hank Williams
130. Paranoid, Black Sabbath
131. Saturday Night Fever, Various Artists
132. The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, Bruce Springsteen
133. Ready to Die, The Notorious B.I.G.
134. Slanted and Enchanted, Pavement
135. Greatest Hits, Elton John
136. Tim, The Replacements
137. The Chronic, Dr. Dre
138. Rejuvenation, The Meters
139. All That You Can’t Leave Behind, U2
140. Parallel Lines, Blondie
141. Live at the Regal, B.B. King
142. Phil Spector, A Christmas Gift for You, Various Artists
143. Gris-Gris, Dr. John
144. Straight Outta Compton, N.W.A
145. Aja, Steely Dan
146. Surrealistic Pillow, Jefferson Airplane
147. Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology, Otis Redding
148. Deja Vu, Crosby Stills Nash and Young
149. Houses of the Holy, Led Zeppelin
150. Santana, Santana
151. Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bruce Springsteen
152. The B-52’s, The B-52’s
153. Moanin’ in the Moonlight, Howlin’ Wolf
154. The Low End Theory, A Tribe Called Quest
155. Pretenders, The Pretenders
156. Paul’s Boutique, Beastie Boys
157. Closer, Joy Division
158. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Elton John
159. Alive, Kiss
160. Electric Warrior, T. Rex
161. The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
162. OK Computer, Radiohead
163. 1999, Prince
164. Heart Like a Wheel, Linda Ronstadt
165. Let’s Get It On, Marvin Gaye
166. Imperial Bedroom , Elvis Costello
167. Master of Puppets, Metallica
168. My Aim Is True, Elvis Costello
169. Exodus, Bob Marley
170. Live at Leeds, The Who
171. The Notorious Byrd Brothers, The Byrds
172. Every Picture Tells a Story, Rod Stewart
173. Something/Anything?, Todd Rundgren
174. Desire, Bob Dylan
175. Close to You, The Carpenters
176. Rocks, Aerosmith
177. One Nation Under a Groove, Parliament/Funkadelic
178. Greatest Hits, The Byrds
179. The Anthology 1961 – 1977, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions
180. The Definitive Collection, Abba
181. The Rolling Stones, Now!, The Rolling Stones
182. Natty Dread, Bob Marley and the Wailers
183. Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac
184. Red Headed Stranger, Willie Nelson
185. The Stooges, The Stooges
186. Fresh, Sly and the Family Stone
187. So, Peter Gabriel
188. Buffalo Springfield Again, Buffalo Springfield
189. Happy Trails, Quicksilver Messenger Service
190. From Elvis in Memphis, Elvis Presley
191. Funhouse, The Stooges
192. The Gilded Palace of Sin, The Flying Burrito Brothers
193. Dookie, Green Day
194. Transformer, Lou Reed
195. Bluesbreakers, John Mayall With Eric Clapton
196. Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965 – 1968, Various Artists
197. Murmur, R.E.M.
198. The Best of, Little Walter
199. Highway to Hell, AC/DC
200. The Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails
201. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, Simon and Garfunkel
202. Bad, Michael Jackson
203. Wheels of Fire, Cream
204. Dirty Mind, Prince
205. Abraxas, Santana
206. Tea for the Tillerman, Cat Stevens
207. Ten, Pearl Jam
208. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Neil Young With Crazy Horse
209. Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd
210. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, Pavement
211. Tattoo You, The Rolling Stones
212. Proud Mary: The Best of Ike and Tina Turner, Ike and Tina Turner
213. New York Dolls, New York Dolls
214. Bo Diddley/Go Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley
215. Two Steps From the Blues, Bobby Bland
216. The Queen Is Dead, The Smiths
217. Licensed to Ill, Beastie Boys
218. Look-Ka Py Py, The Meters
219. Loveless, My Bloody Valentine
220. New Orleans Piano, Professor Longhair
221. War, U2
222. The Neil Diamond Collection, Neil Diamond
223. Howlin’ Wolf, Howlin’ Wolf
224. Nebraska, Bruce Springsteen
225. The Complete Hank Williams, Hank Williams
226. Doolittle, Pixies
227. Paid in Full, Eric B. and Rakim
228. Toys in the Attic, Aerosmith
229. Nick of Time, Bonnie Raitt
230. A Night at the Opera, Queen
231. The Kink Kronikles, The Kinks
232. Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds
233. Bookends, Simon and Garfunkel
234. The Ultimate Collection, Patsy Cline
235. Mr. Excitement!, Jackie Wilson
236. The Who Sings My Generation, The Who
237. Like a Prayer, Madonna
238. Can’t Buy a Thrill, Steely Dan
239. Let It Be, The Replacements
240. Run-DMC, Run-DMC
241. Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath
242. The Jerry Lee Lewis Anthology: All Killer No Filler!, Jerry Lee Lewis
243. Freak Out!, The Mothers of Invention
244. Live Dead, Grateful Dead
245. Bryter Layter, Nick Drake
246. The Shape of Jazz to Come, Ornette Coleman
247. Automatic for the People, R.E.M.
248. Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z
249. Low, David Bowie
250. The River, Bruce Springsteen
251. The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul, Otis Redding
252. Metallica, Metallica
253. Trans-Europe Express, Kraftwerk
254. Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston
255. The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, The Kinks
256. The Velvet Rope, Janet Jackson
257. Stardust, Willie Nelson
258. American Beauty, Grateful Dead
259. Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby Stills and Nash
260. Buena Vista Social Club , Buena Vista Social Club
261. Tracy Chapman, Tracy Chapman
262. Workingman’s Dead, Grateful Dead
263. The Genius of Ray Charles, Ray Charles
264. Child Is Father to the Man, Blood, Sweat and Tears
265. Cosmo’s Factory, Creedence Clearwater Revival
266. Quadrophenia, The Who
267. There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, Paul Simon
268. Psycho Candy, The Jesus and Mary Chain
269. Some Girls, The Rolling Stones
270. The Beach Boys Today!, The Beach Boys
271. Going to a Go-Go, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
272. Nightbirds, Labelle
273. The Slim Shady LP, Eminem
274. Mothership Connection, Parliament
275. Rhythm Nation 1814, Janet Jackson
276. Anthology of American Folk Music, Harry Smith, ed.
277. Aladdin Sane, David Bowie
278. The Immaculate Collection, Madonna
279. My Life, Mary J. Blige
280. Folk Singer, Muddy Waters
281. Can’t Get Enough, Barry White
282. The Cars, The Cars
283. Five Leaves Left, Nick Drake
284. Music of My Mind, Stevie Wonder
285. I’m Still in Love With You, Al Green
286. Los Angeles, X
287. Anthem of the Sun, Grateful Dead
288. Something Else by the Kinks, The Kinks
289. Call Me, Al Green
290. Talking Heads: 77, Talking Heads
291. The Basement Tapes, Bob Dylan and the Band
292. White Light / White Heat, The Velvet Underground
293. Greatest Hits, Simon and Garfunkel
294. Kick Out the Jams, MC5
295. Meat Is Murder, The Smiths
296. We’re Only In It For the Money, The Mothers of Invention
297. Weezer (Blue Album), Weezer
298. Master of Reality, Black Sabbath
299. Coat of Many Colors, Dolly Parton
300. Fear of a Black Planet, Public Enemy
301. John Wesley Harding, Bob Dylan
302. The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem
303. Grace, Jeff Buckley
304. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams
305. Odelay, Beck
306. Songs for Swingin’ Lovers, Frank Sinatra
307. Avalon, Roxy Music
308. The Sun Records Collection, Various Artists
309. Nothing’s Shocking, Jane’s Addiction
310. BloodSugarSexMagik, Red Hot Chili Peppers
311. Unplugged in New York, Nirvana
312. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill
313. Damn the Torpedoes, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
314. The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground
315. Surfer Rosa, Pixies
316. Rock Steady, No Doubt
317. The Eminem Show, Eminem
318. Back Stabbers, The O’Jays
319. Burnin’, Bob Marley and the Wailers
320. Pink Moon, Nick Drake
321. Sail Away, Randy Newman
322. Ghost in the Machine, The Police
323. Station to Station, David Bowie
324. The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt, Linda Ronstadt
325. Slowhand, Eric Clapton
326. Disintegration, The Cure
327. Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette
328. Exile in Guyville, Liz Phair
329. Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth
330. In the Jungle Groove, James Brown
331. Tonight’s the Night, Neil Young
332. Help!, The Beatles
333. Shoot Out the Lights, Richard and Linda Thompson
334. Wild Gift, X
335. Squeezing Out Sparks, Graham Parker
336. Superunknown, Soundgarden
337. Aqualung, Jethro Tull
338. Cheap Thrills, Big Brother and the Holding Company
339. The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits
340. Damaged, Black Flag
341. Play, Moby
342. Violator, Depeche Mode
343. Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf
344. Berlin, Lou Reed
345. Stop Making Sense, Talking Heads
346. 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul
347. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Pink Floyd
348. At Newport 1960, Muddy Waters
349. Roger the Engineer (a.k.a. Over Under Sideways Down), The Yardbirds
350. Rust Never Sleeps, Neil Young and Crazy Horse
351. Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits
352. 52nd Street, Billy Joel
353. Having a Rave Up With the Yardbirds, The Yardbirds
354. 12 Songs, Randy Newman
355. Between the Buttons, The Rolling Stones
356. Sketches of Spain, Miles Davis
357. Honky Chateau, Elton John
358. Singles Going Steady, Buzzcocks
359. Stankonia, Outkast
360. Siamese Dream, The Smashing Pumpkins
361. Substance, New Order
362. L.A. Woman, The Doors
363. Ray of Light, Madonna
364. American Recordings, Johnny Cash
365. Louder Than Bombs, The Smiths
366. Mott, Mott the Hoople
367. Is This It, The Strokes
368. Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine
369. Reggatta de Blanc, The Police
370. Volunteers, Jefferson Airplane
371. Siren, Roxy Music
372. Late for the Sky, Jackson Browne
373. Post, Bjork
374. The Eagles, The Eagles
375. The Ultimate Collection (1948 – 1990), John Lee Hooker
376. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis
377. CrazySexyCool, TLC
378. Funky Kingston, Toots and the Maytals
379. Greetings from Asbury Park, Bruce Springsteen
380. Sunflower, The Beach Boys
381. Modern Lovers, Modern Lovers
382. More Songs About Buildings and Food, Talking Heads
383. A Quick One (Happy Jack), The Who
384. Pyromania, Def Leppard
385. Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan
386. Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, Wu-Tang Clan
387. Country Life, Roxy Music
388. A Hard Day’s Night, The Beatles
389. The End of the Innocence, Don Henley
390. Elephant, The White Stripes
391. The Pretender, Jackson Browne
392. Willy and the Poor Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival
393. Good Old Boys, Randy Newman
394. For Your Pleasure, Roxy Music
395. Blue Lines, Massive Attack
396. Eliminator, ZZ Top
397. Rain Dogs, Tom Waits
398. Anthology, The Temptations
399. Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers
400. Illmatic, Nas
401. (Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd), Lynyrd Skynyrd
402. Dr. John’s Gumbo, Dr. John
403. Radio City, Big Star
404. Sandinista!, The Clash
405. Rid of Me, PJ Harvey
406. I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, Sinead O’ Connor
407. Strange Days, The Doors
408. Time Out of Mind, Bob Dylan
409. 461 Ocean Boulevard, Eric Clapton
410. Pink Flag, Wire
411. Double Nickels on the Dime, Minutemen
412. Mezzanine, Massive Attack
413. Beauty and the Beat, Go-Go’s
414. Greatest Hits, James Brown
415. Van Halen , Van Halen
416. Mule Variations, Tom Waits
417. Boy, U2
418. Band on the Run, Wings
419. Dummy, Portishead
420. With the Beatles, The Beatles
421. The “Chirping” Crickets, Buddy Holly and the Crickets
422. The Best of the Girl Groups, Volumes 1 and 2 , Various Artists
423. Greatest Hits, The Mamas and the Papas
424. King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2, Robert Johnson
425. Changesone, David Bowie
426. The Battle of Los Angeles, Rage Against the Machine
427. Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, The Ronettes
428. Kid A, Radiohead
429. Grievous Angel, Gram Parsons
430. At Budokan, Cheap Trick
431. Anthology, Diana Ross and the Supremes
432. Sleepless, Peter Wolf
433. Another Green World, Brian Eno
434. Outlandos D’Amour, The Police
435. To Bring You My Love, PJ Harvey
436. Here Come the Warm Jets, Brian Eno
437. All Things Must Pass, George Harrison
438. #1 Record, Big Star
439. In Utero, Nirvana
440. Sea Change, Beck
441. Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt
442. Boys Don’t Cry, The Cure
443. Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963, Sam Cooke
444. Criminal Minded, Boogie Down Productions
445. Rum Sodomy and the Lash, The Pogues
446. Suicide, Suicide
447. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, Devo>
448. In Color, Cheap Trick
449. The World Is a Ghetto, War
450. Fly Like an Eagle, Steve Miller Band
451. Back in the USA, MC5
452. Music, Madonna
453. Ritual de lo Habitual, Jane’s Addiction
454. Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto Featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim
455. Synchronicity, The Police
456. Third/Sister Lovers, Big Star
457. For Everyman, Jackson Browne
458. John Prine, John Prine
459. Strictly Business, EPMD
460. Love It to Death, Alice Cooper
461. How Will the Wolf Survive?, Los Lobos
462. Here, My Dear, Marvin Gaye
463. Tumbleweed Connection, Elton John
464. The Blueprint, Jay-Z
465. Golden Hits, The Drifters
466. Live Through This, Hole
467. Love and Theft, Bob Dylan
468. Elton John, Elton John
469. Metal Box, Public Image Ltd.
470. Document, R.E.M.
471. Heaven Up Here, Echo and the Bunnymen
472. Hysteria, Def Leppard
473. A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay
474. Live in Europe, Otis Redding
475. Tunnel of Love, Bruce Springsteen
476. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
477. The Score, Fugees
478. Radio, LL Cool J
479. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, Richard and Linda Thompson
480. Faith, George Michael
481. The Smiths, The Smiths
482. Armed Forces, Elvis Costello and the Attractions
483. Life After Death, The Notorious B.I.G.
484. Branded Man, Merle Haggard
485. All Time Greatest Hits, Loretta Lynn
486. Maggot Brain, Funkadelic
487. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, The Smashing Pumpkins
488. Voodoo, D’Angelo
489. Guitar Town, Steve Earle
490. Entertainment!, Gang of Four
491. All the Young Dudes, Mott the Hoople
492. Vitalogy, Pearl Jam
493. That’s the Way of the World, Earth, Wind and Fire
494. She’s So Unusual, Cyndi Lauper
495. New Day Rising, Husker Du
496. Destroyer, Kiss
497. Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Public Enemy
498. Tres Hombres, ZZ Top
499. Born Under a Bad Sign, Albert King
500. Touch, Eurythmics
And there is the list from Rolling Stone Magazine for the top 500 albums.
I scanned the list, and I’ve got a lot of those CDs! The fact that I have all the Beatles’ CDs gives me a running start.
Hi Barb,
Wow! I have or had 15 of those. What I don’t understand is why nothing by Frank Zappa is listed. No accounting for taste I suppose.
the Grit
There are several favorites on the list. There are also several that I just don’t understand, but they’re rap albums, and I’ll never understand how rap can be considered music.
I got dizzy scrolling….