Apple Music's best 100 albums list is done, and it's controversial

Comments

• Reply 1 of 27

  RonnyDaddy Posts: 36member

  May 22, 2024 2:23PM

  It’s a good laugh. 

  
• Reply 2 of 27

  mike1 Posts: 3,442member

  May 22, 2024 2:48PM

  Yeah, because everyone listens to every genre.

  At least it will get people arguing. Just what we need.
  
• Reply 3 of 27

  Japhey Posts: 1,772member

  May 22, 2024 3:05PM

  It’s hard to find controversy in something that was quite obviously meant as comedy. Thanks for the laugh!
• Reply 4 of 27

  charlesn Posts: 1,163member

  May 22, 2024 3:13PM

  Amy Winehouse at #8, but Nina Simone at #88 and Billie Holiday--arguably the greatest jazz vocalist ever--doesn't even make the list?! Was the voting limited to people with frontal lobotomies? Nina and Billie albums will still be selling and still be of consequence long after Amy Winehouse is Amy Who?
  
  It's also stupid to put any album on this list that's less than a decade old -- not enough time has passed to determine how influential and consequential a given album will prove to be. I own both albums that SZA has released, but to rank SOS--released only and exactly one year ago!--as one of the greatest 100 albums ever recorded is just stupid. 
  
  Yeah, these lists are always controversial, and that's fine, but THIS list is the most embarrassingly dumbass one I've ever read. 

  
• Reply 5 of 27

  Japhey Posts: 1,772member

  May 22, 2024 3:38PM

  charlesn said:

  Amy Winehouse at #8, but Nina Simone at #88 and Billie Holiday--arguably the greatest jazz vocalist ever--doesn't even make the list?! Was the voting limited to people with frontal lobotomies? Nina and Billie albums will still be selling and still be of consequence long after Amy Winehouse is Amy Who?
  
  It's also stupid to put any album on this list that's less than a decade old -- not enough time has passed to determine how influential and consequential a given album will prove to be. I own both albums that SZA has released, but to rank SOS--released only and exactly one year ago!--as one of the greatest 100 albums ever recorded is just stupid. 
  
  Yeah, these lists are always controversial, and that's fine, but THIS list is the most embarrassingly dumbass one I've ever read. 

  Couldn’t agree more. Here’s another good comparison…Frank Ocean is at #5, but Bob Marley’s Exodus comes in at #46? For real? That can’t possibly be meant to be taken seriously. 

  I like your 10 year cutoff suggestion…the recency bias of this list seems more aimed at generational inclusion rather than accuracy. 

  
• Reply 6 of 27

  kmarei Posts: 208member

  May 22, 2024 5:20PM

  another list not based on facts, but based on inclusiveness
  gotta check those boxes!
  
  lauryn hill at #1?
  seriously?
  
  

  
• Reply 7 of 27

  jeffharris Posts: 847member

  May 22, 2024 5:48PM

  mike1 said:

  Yeah, because everyone listens to every genre.

  At least it will get people arguing. Just what we need.
  

  That's all pop music, except for a few jazz outliers. 

  
• Reply 8 of 27

  charlesn Posts: 1,163member

  May 22, 2024 5:58PM

  Japhey said:

  charlesn said:

  Amy Winehouse at #8, but Nina Simone at #88 and Billie Holiday--arguably the greatest jazz vocalist ever--doesn't even make the list?! Was the voting limited to people with frontal lobotomies? Nina and Billie albums will still be selling and still be of consequence long after Amy Winehouse is Amy Who?
  
  It's also stupid to put any album on this list that's less than a decade old -- not enough time has passed to determine how influential and consequential a given album will prove to be. I own both albums that SZA has released, but to rank SOS--released only and exactly one year ago!--as one of the greatest 100 albums ever recorded is just stupid. 
  
  Yeah, these lists are always controversial, and that's fine, but THIS list is the most embarrassingly dumbass one I've ever read. 

  Couldn’t agree more. Here’s another good comparison…Frank Ocean is at #5, but Bob Marley’s Exodus comes in at #46? For real? That can’t possibly be meant to be taken seriously. 

  I like your 10 year cutoff suggestion…the recency bias of this list seems more aimed at generational inclusion rather than accuracy. 

  Even the "safe" choices, like the inclusion of a Beatles album, are weird. Who thinks Abbey Road was the best, most influential Beatles' album? How does no jazz album make it onto the list until #25?! And yeah, I totally think of Ziggy Stardust as just a little better than Kind of Blue. What the actual eff? 

  
• Reply 9 of 27

  DAalseth Posts: 3,050member

  May 22, 2024 6:05PM

  I find it interesting that there’s almost no attention being paid to this. One article here at the end. One other Mac site had a daily update, but there has been no comments or engagement. I did a general web search for Apple Top 100 Albums, and got a few hits from one news site and a couple of music sites, but no follow up articles. 
  
  It’s like Apple threw a party and nobody came. 
  
  As far as me though, my taste has always gone in a different direction. I’ve heard of a lot of these albums, and probably know a lot of the songs. But I’ve never owned any of them. I can’t really comment on how any of them would rank.

  edited May 22
• Reply 10 of 27

  mikethemartian Posts: 1,500member

  May 22, 2024 6:36PM

  It would have been funny if U2’s Songs of Innocence would have been listed as number one.

  
• Reply 11 of 27

  mikethemartian Posts: 1,500member

  May 22, 2024 6:39PM

  Apple could make an ad where they crush all 100 albums or toss them into a wood chipper.

  
• Reply 12 of 27

  AppleZulu Posts: 2,181member

  May 22, 2024 6:58PM

  The Listicle has been the fuel for single-copy sales of magazined for decades, and then was the original click-bait rocket fuel when the internet emerged. Doesn't matter what's in the list. People will come out of the woodwork to agree or disagree with whatever it is. The less quantifiable the thing that's being quantified, the better. 
  
  Here, we have a boost to promote Apple Music as a service, and a gift to websites everywhere - like this one! - where simply sharing what's on the list generates the clicks and churn. 

  
• Reply 13 of 27

  AppleZulu Posts: 2,181member

  May 22, 2024 7:04PM

  To give the list its proper due, please enjoy this (Copilot) AI-generated response to it:

  Apple Music’s “100 Best Albums of All Time” list has recently been unveiled, and as with any such compilation, it has sparked both excitement and controversy. The selection process involved input from Apple Music staff, music experts, and even some well-known artists. While the list is subjective, it provides a fascinating glimpse into the diverse musical landscape that has shaped our culture over the years.

  At the top of the list, we find Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Lauryn Hill, all of whom have made significant contributions to the music industry. Their albums are celebrated for their innovation, lyrical prowess, and cultural impact. However, the absence of certain iconic albums or artists might raise eyebrows among music enthusiasts. For instance, legendary acts like The Beatles and Pink Floyd are represented, but their positions might not align with everyone’s personal rankings. Ultimately, the “100 Best Albums” list serves as a conversation starter, prompting discussions about musical taste, nostalgia, and the ever-evolving definition of greatness in music.

  As listeners, we each have our own cherished albums that resonate with us on a profound level. Whether it’s the raw emotion of Adele’s “21”, the genre-defying brilliance of Jay-Z’s “The Blueprint”, or the infectious beats of Robyn’s “Body Talk”, music is deeply personal. While Apple Music’s list provides a snapshot of influential albums, it’s essential to recognize that musical preferences are as diverse as the artists themselves. So, whether you agree or disagree with the rankings, let’s celebrate the rich tapestry of music that has shaped our lives and continue discovering new favorites along the way.

  
• Reply 14 of 27

  Marvin Posts: 15,486moderator

  May 22, 2024 8:00PM

  kmarei said:

  another list not based on facts, but based on inclusiveness
  gotta check those boxes!
  
  lauryn hill at #1?
  seriously?
  

  There are always questionable choices in top lists but Lauryn Hill's album is in the best-selling list:
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums
  
  A lot of the choices in Apple's list are best-selling albums. Some of the artists are popular on streaming services:
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Spotify_streaming_records
  https://kworb.net/charts/apple_s/us.html
  
  A top 100 list could be generated by taking the top selling albums, albums from top streamed artists and shuffling them around.
  

  
• Reply 15 of 27

  Afarstar Posts: 79member

  May 22, 2024 8:56PM

  What a totally pointless exercise. 

  
• Reply 16 of 27

  appleinsideruser Posts: 660member

  May 22, 2024 9:31PM

  I enjoyed the list. 

  I’ve enjoyed many of the albums.
  It’s great to see an emphasis on albums, rather than singles.

  
• Reply 17 of 27

  chasm Posts: 3,598member

  May 22, 2024 10:31PM

  I believe I own eight of the albums on this list, but that doesn’t mean that only the ones I own are “good.” LOTS of really great albums on this list, but a dreadful number of omissions, starting with “the Beatles/Prince/Kate Bush/The Clash (et al) only had one truly great album??”

  
  

  It does seem to me, looking over the list, that the criteria here was primarily guided by albums that sold super well in the fairly recent past AND had fairly recent cultural impact AND are recognised as that artist’s best record thus far AND are popular on mainstream sources from Apple Music to commercial radio currently.

  
  

  I think it is fair to include “cultural impact” as a factor, but again looking over this list it would seem that most of the experts who contributed seem to be under 50, let’s say, so albums older than that score poorly here.

  
  

  Of course, that means that great albums from before 1974 are severely underrepresented. But OTOH, if you’re limiting yourself to 100 albums and you try to weight the cultural impact of, let’s say, artists like Elvis Presley or for that matter Robert Johnson (neither of whom are on this list, of course), you’re going to end up with a list that anyone under 30 is unlikely to recognize or be familiar with many of those included.

  
  

  I’m very happy that Kraftwerk made the list (an acknowledgement as much of their influence on more modern artists as much as their incredibly innovation and quality), and disappointed Weird Al didn’t (huge cultural impact, and Michael Jackson wouldn’t have done nearly as well without Al’s help IMO).

  
• Reply 18 of 27

  byronl Posts: 377member

  May 22, 2024 11:38PM

  The Miseducation is an amazing album. Not sure if it deserves number 1 as I haven’t listened to many of the albums of the list but it’s a great one for sure. 

  
• Reply 19 of 27

  mac daddy zee Posts: 55member

  May 23, 2024 9:20AM

  No Mothers of Invention (Frank Zappa), Alice Cooper, or Captain Beefheart⁉️ Seriously ⁉️🤨

  
• Reply 20 of 27

  csjasona Posts: 1member

  May 23, 2024 1:04PM

  Adding all of these to your library, easily?
  
  Anyone figured out a way to rapidly and easily add all of these albums to your library? Be buggered if I'm scrolling through that website and manually adding every single one...