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Upon receiving the news, Lauryn Hill told Apple Music: “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.”

To celebrate, Apple Music’s Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden sat down with legendary record producer, writer, and performer Nile Rodgers and Grammy-nominated artist and producer Maggie Rogers to reflect on the list during a special roundtable broadcasting globally today on Apple Music. Watch the full roundtable at music.apple.com *live from 1pm BST.

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 full 100 albums can be found here: 100 Best

Explore the top 10 albums here: 

1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), Lauryn Hill
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. 

2. Thriller (1982), Michael Jackson
There are few pop albums, or even works of art, that denote a wholesale shift in time and space the way Michael Jackson’s Thriller did in 1982. It did nothing less than define the modern pop blockbuster and redefine the scope and reach of music. Seven of its nine original cuts were top 10 singles, and it became one of the bestselling albums ever made. 

3. Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles
The Beatles’ Abbey Road is an ageless, unmatched collection of songs by a world-changing band at their creative peak. The band’s 11th and penultimate album sounds like nothing more or less than four extremely gifted humans playing one indelible song after another in the same room together.

4. Purple Rain (1984), Prince & The Revolution
With half its track list comprising top 10 singles, this soundtrack is what truly turned Prince Rogers Nelson into one of the most instantly recognisable and distinctive pop artists ever. Prince often drew comparisons to Jimi Hendrix for the way he mixed music that felt Black and white, sacred and profane. The reality is that he had no precedent then and no comparison now. 

5. Blonde (2016), Frank Ocean
Though Blonde packs 17 tracks into one quick hour, it’s a sprawling palette of ideas, a testament to the intelligence of flying one’s own artistic freak flag and trusting that audiences will meet them where they’re at. They did. And Ocean established himself as a generational artist uniquely suited to the complexities and convulsive changes of the second decade of the 21st century. 

6. Songs in the Key of Life (1976), Stevie Wonder
In 1974, Stevie Wonder was the most critically revered pop star in the world; he was also considering leaving the music industry altogether. So when Songs in the Key of Life was released two years later, demand was so high that it became, at the time, the fastest-selling album in history. The album, which runs nearly 90 minutes, is effortlessly melodic, broad in scope, and deeply personal. Sonically, culturally, and emotionally, Songs in the Key of Life is much more than a gigantic collection of songs — it forms an entire worldview.

7. good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album good kid, m.A.A.d city is one of the defining hip-hop records of the 21st century. West Coast hip-hop elders like Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre anointed Lamar to carry on the legacy of gangsta rap, and the legacy of this album is a crucial example of American storytelling that established the future Pulitzer Prize winner as perhaps his generation’s most accomplished writer. 

8. Back to Black (2006), Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse’s presentation and otherworldly, timeless vocals make her music feel different — not so much an attempt to re-create the past as to honour the music she loved while still being true to the trash-talking, self-effacing millennial she was. The sound of Back to Black might appeal to retro-soul fans and jazz classicists, but the attitude is closer to rap. Yes, she was funny. But she wasn’t kidding. 

9. Nevermind (1991), Nirvana 
Nevermind and its opening salvo “Smells Like Teen Spirit” didn’t just mark an unlikely breakthrough for the Seattle trio, it upended popular culture in ways never before and never since. Punk became pop, grunge became global vernacular, industry walls broke into rubble, and lead vocalist Kurt Cobain was anointed the reluctant voice of a generation in need of catharsis — all seemingly overnight.

10. Lemonade (2016), Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s genre-obliterating blockbuster sixth album is furious, defiant, anguished, vulnerable, experimental, muscular, triumphant, humorous, and brave — a vivid personal statement, released without warning in a time of public scrutiny and private suffering. Every second of Lemonade deserves to be studied and celebrated.

Watch the full roundtable conversation with Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden, Nile Rodgers and Maggie Rogers at music.apple.com.

As an additional gift to music fans, Apple Music created 100 audio vignettes telling the story of each album and contextualising 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

Music lovers can also access 100 Best Albums special content across the Apple ecosystem on the App Store, Apple News, Apple Retail, apple.com, and more. Additionally, they can explore a 100 Best Albums dedicated space on Apple Books, which celebrates titles by and about artists from the list.

Quotes on the top 3 from the roundtable:

1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), Lauryn Hill
Zane Lowe: "This album doesn’t just resonate with the people who were around when it came out and who hold it dear. It has not dated, not even a fraction. In fact, it feels more fresh and more relevant the more you listen to it… There are a lot of young artists hearing it, and it’s becoming part of their artistic DNA. It’s inspiring and influencing them… It’s timeless."

2. Thriller (1982), Michael Jackson
Zane Lowe: "Not only did it outsell everything in its opening year, it outsold everything in its second year. It changed the way people approached making music, releasing music, distributing, marketing music, and no one ever caught up to it. It set the bar so high."

Nile Rodgers: "When Michael dropped this record, to me, the world changed. It was a seismic shift. Having a Black artist do a music video on the level of “Thriller” just changed the world.

3. Abbey Road (1969), The Beatles

Nile Rodgers: "There’s something about the Beatles that’s always really magical to me. Believe it or not, the first song I ever actually learned to play on guitar was a Beatles song. I knew at that moment that I was going to be a guitar player. Prior to that, I played the clarinet."

Zane Lowe: "The amount of songs that have stayed with people as they’ve lived their lives to a point… played at anniversaries, weddings, funerals, fall in love to, broken up to. There are lots of songbooks that speak to many times in life. I think The Beatles have the songbook of life."

 
Apple Music 100 Best Albums - Full List 
  • 100: Body Talk - Robyn
  • 99: Hotel California - The Eagles
  • 98: ASTROWORLD - Travis Scott
  • 97: Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
  • 96: Pure Heroine - Lorde
  • 95: Confessions - USHER
  • 94: Untrue - Burial
  • 93: A Seat at the Table - Solange
  • 92: Flower Boy - Tyler, The Creator
  • 91: Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 - George Michael
  • 90: Back in Black - AC/DC
  • 89: The Fame Monster (Deluxe Edition) - Lady Gaga
  • 88: I Put a Spell on You - Nina Simone
  • 87: Blue Lines - Massive Attack
  • 86: My Life - Mary J Blige
  • 85: Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves
  • 84: Doggystyle - Snoop Dogg
  • 83: Horses - Patti Smith
  • 82: Get Rich or Die Tryin’ - 50 Cent
  • 81: After the Gold Rush - Neil Young
  • 80: The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem
  • 79: Norman F****** Rockwell! - Lana Del Rey
  • 78: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
  • 77: Like A Prayer - Madonna
  • 76: Un Verano Sin Ti - Bad Bunny
  • 75: Supa Dupa Fly - Missy Eliott
  • 74: Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails
  • 73: Aja - Steely Dan
  • 72: SOS - SZA
  • 71: Trans-Europe Express - Kraftwerk
  • 70: Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A
  • 69: Master of Puppets (Remastered) - Metallica
  • 68: Is this It - The Strokes
  • 67: Dummy - Portishead
  • 66: The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
  • 65: 3 Feet High and Rising - De La Soul
  • 64: Baduizm - Erykah Badu
  • 63: Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
  • 62: All Eyez on Me - 2Pac
  • 61: Love Deluxe - Sade
  • 60: The Velvet Underground and Nico (45th Anniversary Edition) - Velvet Underground & Nico
  • 59: AM - Arctic Monkeys
  • 58: (What's The Story) Morning Glory - Oasis
  • 57: Voodoo - D’Angelo
  • 56: Disintegration (Remastered) - The Cure
  • 55: ANTI - Rihanna
  • 54: A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
  • 53: Exile on Main Street (2010 Remaster) - Rolling Stones
  • 52: Appetite for Destruction - Guns 'N Roses
  • 51: Sign O’The Times - Prince
  • 50. Hounds of Love (2018 Remaster) - Kate Bush
  • 49. The Joshua Tree - U2
  • 48. Paul’s Boutique - Beastie Boys
  • 47. Take Care (Deluxe Version) - Drake
  • 46. Exodus ((2013 Remaster) - Bob Marley & The Wailers
  • 45. Homogenic - Björk
  • 44. Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
  • 43. Remain in Light - Talking Heads
  • 42. Control - Janet Jackson
  • 41. Aquemini - Outkast
  • 40. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
  • 39. Illmatic - Nas
  • 38. Tapestry - Carole King
  • 37. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) [Expanded Edition] - Wu-Tang Clan
  • 36. BEYONCÉ - Beyoncé
  • 35. London Calling - The Clash 
  • 34. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy
  • 33. Kid A - Radiohead
  • 32. Ready to Die (The Remaster) - Notorious B.I.G.
  • 31. Jagged Little Pill (Remastered) - Alanis Morisette 
  • 30. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? - Billie Eilish
  • 29. The Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest
  • 28. The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd 
  • 27. Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin
  • 26. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West
  • 25. Kind of Blue - Miles Davis 
  • 24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (2012 Remaster) - David Bowie
  • 23. Discovery - Daft Punk 
  • 22. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
  • 21. Revolver - The Beatles
  • 20: Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
  • 19: The Chronic - Dr. Dre
  • 18: 1989 (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift
  • 17: What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
  • 16: Blue - Joni Mitchell
  • 15: 21 - Adele
  • 14: Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
  • 13: The Blueprint - JAY-Z
  • 12: OK Computer - Radiohead
  • 11: Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
  • 10. Lemonade - Beyoncé
  • 9. Nevermind - Nirvana 
  • 8. Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
  • 7. good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick Lamar
  • 6. Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
  • 5. Blonde, Frank Ocean
  • 4. Purple Rain, Prince & The Revolution
  • 3. Abbey Road , The Beatles
  • 2. Thriller, Michael Jackson
  • 1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill

26 Jul 2024 | Press release

Downtown Neighbouring Rights sign international deal with Lady Blackbird

Lady Blackbird joins the company’s existing global roster which includes Jon Batiste, Justin Bieber, One Republic and the Estate of Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis and Meat Loaf. Downtown Neighbouring Rights (DNR) has announced a global deal with American Psychedelic Soul singer-songwriter, Lady...more

26 Jul 2024 | Press release

Global Music Leaders Cohort Announced

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25 Jul 2024 | Press release

Armada Music Partners with Warner Music Africa to bring Amapiano to Ibiza

An EP of classic "Ibiza" house amapiano reinterpretations will roll out from today, culminating in a release event in Ibiza Armada Music, the biggest independent dance music label in the world, has partnered with Warner Music Africa and Africori, the #1...more

25 Jul 2024 | Press release

Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) Announces Newly Appointed Equalities, Diversity, Inclusion and Access (EDIA) Advisory Group

The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) – the membership organisation and innovation agency which exists to strengthen, empower and unite Scotland’s music industry –  today announces the appointment of seven members to its inaugural Equalities, Diversity, Inclusion and Access (EDIA) Advisory Group. The...more

25 Jul 2024 | Press release

Taking sustainability action is good for business: First survey by Impala on the business case for implementing sustainable practices in the European independent music sector

  IMPALA is releasing the results of a first qualitative survey in the independent music sector looking at the economic benefits of taking sustainability action. The business case provides an overview of the impact this work has on European independent music...more

25 Jul 2024 | Press release

New round of ‘committed partners’ announced for ‘LIVE Talks’

Royal Albert Hall, OVO Hydro, See Tickets, Skiddle and The O2 Join Previously Announced Supporters Latest Events Revealed for 2024LIVE Talks, a series of free online workshops and conversations supporting EDI, wellbeing and sustainability issues affecting the live music industry...more

25 Jul 2024 | Press release

Tim & Danny Music and Warner Chappell Music UK announce global publishing deal with rising soul singer-songwriter Elmiene

  Tim & Danny Music and Warner Chappell Music UK have signed an exclusive publishing agreement with Elmiene, a 22-year-old emerging British R&B/soul star. He’s had a range of acclaimed releases and high-profile collaborations followed, including two EP releases and co-writing projects...more

25 Jul 2024 | Press release

Pulse Music Group promotes Steven Gringer to Senior Vice President of A&R

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25 Jul 2024 | Press release

2024 Mercury Prize 'Albums of the Year' revealed...

The 2024 Mercury Prize 12 'Albums of the Year' were announced on Thursday 25 July on BBC Radio 6 Music from 11am by Tom Ravenscroft (standing in for Mary Anne Hobbs).   The 2024 Mercury Prize 12 'Albums of the Year' are: Barry Can't Swim 'When Will We...more

25 Jul 2024 | Press release

BMG announces Maximilian Kolb's departure

Maximilian Kolb has decided to step down as EVP of Repertoire & Marketing Continental Europe after over a decade with BMG.  Kolb said, "The music industry is undergoing one of its most revolutionary periods, and after 12 years at BMG, it's...more

24 Jul 2024 | Press release

Eminem receives BRIT Billion Award

The four-times BRIT Award winner picks up the accolade, with seven billion UK career streams achieved Eminem has been announced as the latest artist to receive a BRIT Billion Award by the BPI, the representative voice for the UK's world-leading...more

24 Jul 2024 | Press release

Amazon Music announces livestreaming line up for Fuji Rock Festival '24

Music fans will be able to enjoy livestreamed performances from artists including; NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS, THE KILLERS, ANGIE McMAHON, Awich, CHIP WICKHAM, ERIKA DE CASIER, ESNE BELTZA, FLOATING POINTS, FONTAINES D.C., girl in red, Hiromi Uehara Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, KID FRESINO,...more

24 Jul 2024 | Press release

Wise Music Group signs publishing agreement with The Staves

Campbell Connelly, part of Wise Music Group, announces an exclusive worldwide songwriter agreement with The Staves. Fresh from playing at Glastonbury The Staves are an English indie folk duo of sisters Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor from Watford, Hertfordshire, England. Their most recent LP, “All Now”, was...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Beyonce and Blur Attract 19.2 Million Music Tourists To UK Events

UK Music, the collective voice of the UK music industry, today unveils new research into the value of gigs, concerts and festivals to local economies. A total of 19.2 million music fans travelled from UK towns and cities and overseas in...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Orfium signs global UGC monetization deal with Japanese label Pony Canyon

Fourth deal in six months for Orfium in Asia as it continues to expand its international client base    Orfium (the ‘Company’), the global technology leader solving the entertainment industry’s biggest challenges around digital music and broadcast rights management, announces that it has partnered...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

UK electronic-pop trio London Grammar signs with PPL for international royalties collections

PPL reveals band’s most played songs in the run up to headline Latitude set    London Grammar, the UK electronic-pop trio, has agreed a deal with PPL for the collection of their international neighbouring rights royalties. The addition to PPL’s prestigious roster...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

MUSEXPO 2025 celebrates 25th global edition in Burbank, CA: Uniting music worldwide in "the media capital of the world"

  MUSEXPO “The United Nations of Music” (www.musexpo.net), the pioneering global music business conference renowned for its transformative impact on the industry, has unveiled its landmark 25th edition will take place March 16 - 19, 2025, in Burbank, California. Marking almost a...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Music Tech Audio Platform Submix Secures $1M in Funding

Launches worldwide - now available to download on macOS   Pioneering audio technology company Submix has closed a $1 million funding round. This investment will drive Submix's mission to enhance remote collaboration for musicians, producers, and audio professionals, fundamentally reshaping their workflow...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

WIN Launches Supporters Program with First Wave of Partners

Bandcamp, Marauder and Random Sounds join new initiative Program offers a unique connection with the global independent music community  Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), the organization that brings together independent music trade associations representing over 8000 independent music businesses in 43 territories around...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Youth Music today announces the judges and sponsors for the Youth Music Awards 2024

Youth Music, the UK’s leading young people’s music charity, has announced the judges and sponsors for its annual Youth Music Awards in association with Hal Leonard Europe, which will take place at iconic London venue Troxy on Wednesday 16th October.  This...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Natasha Bedingfield and Cat Burns to perform at exclusive Team GB x TikTok House Party LIVE from Paris 2024

Record number of TikTok creators set to bring the Paris Olympics to fans   TikTok is proud to be an Official Partner to Team GB (@teamgb) and ParalympicsGB (@paralympicsgb) for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, helping the nation get behind our incredible British athletes...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Warner Chappell Music announces new publishing partnership with Analog Metaverse

Founded by Legendary Producer Salaam Remi Two Years Ago, Analog Metaverse Already Represents a Significant Music Catalog Warner Chappell Music (WCM) today announced its new partnership with Analog Metaverse, a boutique rights management company and music publisher, founded by Grammy-Award winning...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Don’t Fake the Funk: Audiomack’s Sponsored Songs boost artists’ streams legitimately

  Streaming fraud is rampant, and often, artists aren’t to blame. Seeking to reach fans, many artists risk using shady websites that sell plays to obtain their payment information. These scams claim to help artists hit a million streams but earn...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Tunespotter acquires Whatsong, the leading music, movie, and TV search engine

Uniting Tunespotter (“The best music you’ve ever seen”) with What-song.com’s search engine will unlock more discovery for fans and more value for the entertainment industry. Tunespotter, the primary destination for “music moment” search and fan engagement at the nexus of film, music,...more

23 Jul 2024 | Press release

Park Avenue Artists and Primary Wave Music Launch Orchestral Concerts for Iconic Legacy Artists, Commencing With “The Voice of Whitney” Houston

  Forward-thinking creative agency Park Avenue Artists has joined forces with innovative independent music publisher Primary Wave Music  to create and tour a radically new approach to amplifying and reveling in the voices of legacy artists.  Their first collaboration is “The Voice of Whitney: A...more

22 Jul 2024 | Press release

2024 Mercury Prize 'Albums of the Year' to be announced Thursday 25 July from 11am

  BBC Music partnership continues, with the 12 'Albums of the Year' revealed live on BBC Radio 6 Music 2024 Judging Panel confirmed Overallwinner to be revealed in September   The Mercury Prize 12 'Albums of the Year' will be revealed on Thursday 25 July,...more

22 Jul 2024 | Press release

Music Venue Trust announce 'Venues Day 2024'

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22 Jul 2024 | Press release

Michael-Dann Joseph Launches Dann MGMT, Signs First Client Simon Webbe of Blue

  Michael-Dann Joseph, a prominent figure in the music industry with over a decade of experience, announces the launch of his new management company, Dann MGMT. The company's inaugural client is Simon Webbe, a member of the British boyband Blue, who...more

22 Jul 2024 | Press release

NTIA Says Escalating Noise Complaints Jeopardise the Future of Night Time Economy

  The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) is raising serious concerns about the increasing number of noise complaints against licensed venues across the UK, which pose a significant threat to the vitality and sustainability of the UK's night-time economy (NTE).  A recent...more

22 Jul 2024 | Press release

Call to increase the composition's value at The Ivors Academy's AGM and Summer Party

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26 Jul 2024

  • 2024 Mercury Prize shortlist revealed (see News)

25 Jul 2024

  • Impala survey shows economic benefits of taking sustainability action (see Reports)

  • How the music charts lost their lustre (see Comment)

24 Jul 2024

  • Should skipped songs be valued less on streaming services? (see Analysis)

  • The rise of the songwriter ‘brand’ (see Comment)

23 Jul 2024

  • The frequency factor – when daily just isn’t enough (see Comment)

  • UK Music research shows value of gigs, concerts and festivals to local economies (see Reports)

22 Jul 2024

  • Why would anyone run a festival? (see Features)

19 Jul 2024

  • The illusion of an idea - a scaled-down music industry (see Comment)

18 Jul 2024

  • 14 independent labels launch ORCA think tank (see Comment)

  • Industry responds to King's Speech (see News)

17 Jul 2024

  • UK Music CEO Tom Kiehl addressed the UK Music Summer Party (see News)

  • Official Charts marks 10 years of streaming in the UK’s Official Singles Chart (see Analysis)

16 Jul 2024

  • ERA: Music outpaces video and games in first half of 2024 with sales revenues up 7.9% (see Reports)

15 Jul 2024

  • Singles chart sees 28 weeks without a British voice at the top (see News)