In October 2008, Blender Magazine created a list of the 100 Greatest American Albums. I’m sure Canada will be surprised to learn that two of their favorite singers – Neil Young and Joni Mitchell – have been declared American by Blender. The magazine is now defunct, but here’s the original list, flaws and all.
Check out other publications and organizations’ best-of album lists here.
1. Madonna The Immaculate Collection (1990)
2. Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (1986)
3. Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
4. Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973)
5. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987)
6. Ramones Ramones (1976)
7. Blondie Parallel Lines (1978)
8. Chuck Berry The Great Twenty-Eight (compilation: 1955-64, released 1982)
9. Nirvana Nevermind (1991)
10. Joni Mitchell Blue (1971)
11. Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
12. Metallica Metallica (1991)
13. Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979)
14. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966)
15. Marvin Gaye Let’s Get It On (1973)
16. Ray Charles Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)
17. The Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
18. Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (soundtrack, 1984)
19. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
20. James Brown Sex Machine (live, 1970)
21. Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde (1966)
22. Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues Singers (archives: 1936-37)
23. R.E.M. Murmur (1983)
24. Parliament Mothership Connection (1976)
25. The Notorious B.I.G. Life after Death (1997)
26. Van Halen Van Halen (1978)
27. Al Green Call Me (1973)
28. Aerosmith Rocks (1976)
29. Beck Odelay (1996)
30. Little Richard Grooviest 17 Original Hits! (compilation: 1955-59)
31. Louis Armstrong The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings (box set, recorded 1925-28, released 2000)
32. Curtis Mayfield Superfly (soundtrack, 1972)
33. Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1947-53, released 1978)
34. Steely Dan Katy Lied (1975)
35. The B-52s The B-52s (1979)
36. Chic Risqué (1979)
37. Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique (1989)
38. Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)
39. Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions (archives, recorded 1954-55, released 1976)
40. Hole Live Through This (1994)
41. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland (1968)
42. Patti Smith Horses (1975)
43. Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971)
44. Dr. Dre The Chronic (1992)
45. Pearl Jam Vs. (1993)
46. Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell (1986)
47. Various Artists produced by Phil Spector Back to Mono (box set: 1958-69, released 1991)
48. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1959)
49. Eminem The Slim Shady LP (1999)
50. Kiss Destroyer (1976)
51. Joni Mitchell Court and Spark (1974)
52. Randy Newman 12 Songs (1970)
53. A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory (1991)
54. Frank Sinatra In the Wee Small Hours (1955)
55. Bob Dylan & The Band The Basement Tapes (recorded 1967)
56. Rage Against the Machine Evil Empire (1996)
57. Mary J. Blige My Life (1994)
58. Grateful Dead American Beauty (1970)
59. Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) (1993)
60. Paul Simon Graceland (1986)
61. The Coasters 50 Coastin’ Classics (compilation: 1954-68)
62. Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
63. Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (live, 1968)
64. Gram Parsons Grievous Angel (1974)
65. Billie Holiday Lady in Satin (1958)
66. The Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers (recorded 1973, released 1976)
67. Pavement Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
68. TLC Crazy Sexy Cool (1994)
69. Lynyrd Skynyrd Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd (1973)
70. Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987)
71. LL Cool J Radio (1985)
72. Carpenters Singles: 1969-1981 (compilation: 1969-81)
73. Pixies Surfer Rosa (1988)
74. Aretha Franklin Lady Soul (1968)
75. Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
76. Muddy Waters At Newport (live: 1960)
77. Jane’s Addiction Nothing’s Shocking (1988)
78. Elvis Presley From Elvis in Memphis (1969)
79. Woody Guthrie Dust Bowl Ballads (1940)
80. Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral (1994)
81. Various Artists Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era (compilation: 1965-68, released 1972)
82. De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
83. Minutemen Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
84. Buddy Holly 20 Golden Greats (compilation: 1955-59)
85. Willie Nelson Red Headed Stranger (1975)
86. Neil Young After the Gold Rush (1970)
87. R.E.M. Automatic for the People (1992)
88. DJ Shadow Endtroducing… (1996)
89. Talking Heads Remain in Light (1980)
90. Weezer Weezer (aka “The Blue Album”) (1994)
91. Eagles Hotel California (1976)
92. Lucinda Williams Lucinda Williams (1988)
93. Tori Amos Under the Pink (1994)
94. Nirvana In Utero (1993)
95. Harry Nilsson Nilsson Schmilsson (1972)
96. Kid Rock Devil Without a Cause (1998)
97. The Doors The Doors (1967)
98. The Replacements Let It Be (1984)
99. Stevie Wonder Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974)
100. Otis Redding Otis Blue (1965)
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First posted 10/18/2008; last updated 2/28/2024. | 
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