Apple Music launches a top 100 Best Albums list guaranteed to be controversial

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in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV

Starting Monday, Apple Music is unveiling its countdown of the best 100 albums as selected by its team plus artists and industry professionals.

Apple Music's 100 Best Albums microsite on an iPhone
Apple Music's 100 Best Albums microsite



It's not as if Apple Music's list of the best albums is likely to end with Apple apologizing for them as it has with the "Crush" ad. But it's certain to be heavily criticized for it, in part because all such lists are, and partly because of what it has already revealed about the list.

"100 Best brings together all the things that make Apple Music the ultimate service for music lovers," Rachel Newman, Apple Music's senior director of content and editorial, said in a statement, "human curation at its peak, an appreciation for the art of storytelling, and unparalleled knowledge of music and an even deeper love for it."

"We have been working on this for a very long time, and it's something we are all incredibly proud of and excited to share with the world," she continued.

In revealing the first ten from the list -- numbers 100 down to 91 -- Apple Music has also given an idea of just where its tastes lie. Seven of the this first ten are albums from the 21st century, two from the 1990s, just a single one from the 1970s, and none from the 1980s.

"Putting this list together was a true labor of love, both in that it was incredibly difficult to do and in that we are all so passionate about it," Zane Lowe, Apple Music's global creative director and lead anchor for Apple Music 1 said . "We were tasked with selecting the 100 best -- that's practically mission impossible."

"But as music fans, it was also amazing to really take a minute and sit and think about the music and albums and artists that we love so much in this context," he continued. "If this list sparks more debate among fans outside of Apple Music and gets people talking passionately about the music they love, then we've done what we set out to do."

It's not as if this is uncharted territory. BBC Radio got listeners to vote on a top 100, for instance, and Rolling Stone regularly updates its top 500.

But Apple Music's version is being teased out daily on a dedicated micro site. It's presumably done this so that non-subscribers can see the list and argue about it too.

For now, the rows can start over how number 100 is Robyn's Body Talk. Hotel California by the Eagles just beats it at 999, while George Michael's Listen without Prejudice vol 1 is at 91. For the full list, Apple wants you to check today and daily until May 22, 2024.




Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    Anilu_777Anilu_777 Posts: 578member
    I’m hoping to see lots of GenX favourites there. Queen should be near the top
    magnuskrantz
  • Reply 2 of 14
    I know music taste is subjective, but I’ll just say it right now, if there is not a Queen album on the list it’s not a real “best” list.
    Oferbeowulfschmidt
  • Reply 3 of 14
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,309member
    Is the list the top 1000 or top 100? Article says Eagles Hotel CA was at 999. If you meant 99, that’s a rip against music from the 70’s, one of the best decades ever seen. If it’s weighted to the worthless garbage from the 21-st century, it’s a crime. Music and lyrics meant something in the 60’s-70’s, it doesn’t mean much anymore. 
  • Reply 4 of 14
    jvm156jvm156 Posts: 45member
    This is complete nonsense. I’ve never even heard of a few of these . Something called Burial is above rage against the machine? 
  • Reply 5 of 14
    Like any 'Best' list, it's specific to the group of people that put it together. So instead of getting into a huff about what's on/off the list, just take it as a way to learn something about artists/albums that maybe you didn't know much about previously. Just think of it as a more pompous version of the 'What's in Your Bag?' videos that Amoeba Records does on YouTube. 
    Oferbyronlkiltedgreenlolliverbaconstangmuthuk_vanalingamdanox
  • Reply 6 of 14
    AfarstarAfarstar Posts: 79member
    jvm156 said:
    This is complete nonsense. I’ve never even heard of a few of these . Something called Burial is above rage against the machine? 
    Who is rage against the machine? 
    See, it depends on your musical taste. 
    byronlbaconstang
  • Reply 7 of 14
    byronlbyronl Posts: 377member
    Good to see Solange here!
  • Reply 8 of 14
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,352member
    If this group includes anyone from the group that thought adding U2 to everyone's library was a good idea, I'll pass, thanks.
    edited May 13
  • Reply 9 of 14
    winstoner71winstoner71 Posts: 117member
    Looking forward to this, as well as all of the overreaction and outrage over something as subjective as music. In the end, this is all for engagement. There is no bad engagement, there’s just engagement. Lists like these are great bc usually it introduces me to new music that for whatever reason I missed, and it’s also enjoyable to see where some of my faves land. I’ll be making a huge playlist from all the albums as well. 
    lolliver
  • Reply 10 of 14
    Wow, that diagonal artwork animation is soooo laggy on my original iPad Pro 9.7. Guess they’re trying to steer me towards one of those sharp-edge M-series speed machines…
    lolliver
  • Reply 11 of 14
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,253member
    Like any 'Best' list, it's specific to the group of people that put it together. So instead of getting into a huff about what's on/off the list, just take it as a way to learn something about artists/albums that maybe you didn't know much about previously.
    This is a pretty mature approach to the whole matter. I wish the Internet had more people with this sort of attitude.
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 12 of 14
    bestkeptsecretbestkeptsecret Posts: 4,286member
    If Pink Floyd does not occupy the first 15 spots, this list is a waste of time!!

    Semi-related, I am not too fond of Zane Lowe. I watched his recent interview with Metallica and he does not come across as genuine. It looks like he's trying to desperately be one of the boys as well as one of the fans at the same time and an interviewer who asks questions off the beaten path. 
    edited May 15
  • Reply 13 of 14
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,415member
    If this group includes anyone from the group that thought adding U2 to everyone's library was a good idea, I'll pass, thanks.
    The reaction to the U2 Album was the same as the rage against the new Apple commercial. Out of proportion.....
  • Reply 14 of 14
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,415member
    The list should be broken down by decade (top 20 in each) which would have had more variety

    1. Surprised the Verve made the list great album.

    2.
    Janis Joplin "Cheap Thrills"
    Stephen Sills "Stephen Stills" Can't go wrong with Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton lending a Hand.
    Any one of the Three Albums by Cream (Pick One)
    Jewel "Pieces of You"
    Paul Simon "Graceland"
    Roberta Flack "First Take"
    Beatles "Hard days Night" (top to bottom their best)
    Norah Jones "Come away with Me"
    John Coltrane "Blue Train"
    Miles Davis "Kind of Blue"
    Miles Davis "Bitches Brew"
    Wes Montgomery "Wes Montgomery's Finest Hour"
    Dave Brubeck Quartet "Take Five"
    Neville Brothers "Brothers Keeper"
    Norah Jones "Come Away With Me"
    Tears for Fears "Songs From The Big Chair"
    Ali Farka Toure And Toumani Diabate "In the Heart of the Moon"

    3. There is lots of very good World Music to choose from they still know how to play instruments and sing "Simon hasn't had a chance to ruin it" :smile: 
    edited May 15
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