Check out Dave’s Music Database books and more at WritbyWhit.com or David L. Whitaker's author page at Amazon.com.

Monday, June 17, 2019

The DMDB Top 1000 Albums of All Time


Below is a list of the top 1000 albums of all time, according to Dave’s Music Database. To see more details about the creation and goals of this list, click on the appropriate link below or just head straight to the list.

  • The List
  • How This List Was Created
  • The Lists That Went into Making This List
  • Representing Multiple Genres
  • What Constitutes an Album
  • Why Chronological and Not Ranked
  • Multiple Versions of the Same Album or Work
  • The DMDB 100 (a ranking of just the top 100)
  • Honorable Mention (former DMDB 1000 albums)

    • Pre-
    1800s

    1800s

    1900
    1929

    1930s

    1940s

    1950
    1955

    1956

    1957

    1958

    1959

    1960

    1961

    1962

    1963

    1964

    1965

    1966

    1967

    1968

    1969

    1970

    1971

    1972

    1973

    1974

    1975

    1976

    1977

    1978

    1979

    1980

    1981

    1982

    1983

    1984

    1985

    1986

    1987

    1988

    1989

    1990

    1991

    1992

    1993

    1994

    1995

    1996

    1997

    1998

    1999

    2000

    2001

    2002

    2003

    2004

    2005

    2006

    2007

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    2016

    2017

    2018

    --



      Pre-1800’s

    1. Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina (composer): Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass) (classical, composed 1562)
    2. Claudio Monteverdi (composer): L’Orfeo (Orpheus) (opera, composed 1607, first performed: 2/24/1607)
    3. Claudio Monteverdi (composer): Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (classical, composed 1610)
    4. Claudio Monteverdi: L’incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppaea) (opera: 1642)
    5. Henry Purcell (composer): Dido and Aeneas (performed 12/1/1687)
    6. George Friedrich Handel (composer): Water Music (classical, composed 1717, performed 7/17/1717)
    7. Johann Sebastian Bach (composer): Brandenburg Concertos (classical, composed 1719-21)
    8. Johann Sebastian Bach (composer): Cello Suites (classical, composed 1717-23)
    9. George Friedrich Händel (composer): Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt) (classical, composed 1724)
    10. Antonio Vivaldi (composer): The Four Seasons (classical, composed 1725)
    11. Johann Sebastian Bach (composer): St. Matthew Passion (classical, composed 1736)
    12. Johann Sebastian Bach (composer): Goldberg Variations (classical, composed 1741)
    13. George Friedrich Händel (composer): Messiah (classical, composed 1741, performed 4/13/1742)
    14. Johann Sebastian Bach (composer): Mass in B Minor (classical, composed 1733-1749)
    15. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (opera, composed 1786)
    16. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Don Giovanni (opera, composed 1787, performed 10/29/1787)
    17. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Eine Kliene Nachtmusik classical, composed 1787)
    18. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Symphony No. 40 in G minor (classical, composed 1788)
    19. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter” (classical, composed 1788)
    20. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Piano Concertos (27) (classical, composed 1773-1791)
    21. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Requiem Mass in D minor (classical, composed 1791)
    22. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Clarinet Concerto in A Major (classical, composed 1791)
    23. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer): Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) (classical, composed 1791)

      1800-1899

    24. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): Symphony No. 3 in E-flat “Sinfonia Eroica” (classical, composed 1804)
    25. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): Violin Concerto in D Major (classical, composed 1806)
    26. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): Symphony No. 5 (classical, composed 1808, performed 12/22/1808)
    27. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): Symphony No. 6 “Pastorale” (classical, composed 1808, performed 12/22/1808)
    28. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” (classical, performed 1/13/1811)
    29. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): Symphony No. 7 (classical, composed 1812, performed 12/8/1813)
    30. Gioacchino Rossini (composer): Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) (opera, composed 1816)
    31. Franz Schubert (composer): Piano Quintet in A Major (“Trout”) (classical, composed 1819)
    32. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): Piano Sonatas (32) (classical, composed 1795-1822)
    33. Franz Schubert (composer): Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished”) (classical, composed 1822, performed 12/17/1865)
    34. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): Symphony No. 9 (classical, composed 1824, performed 5/7/1824)
    35. Ludwig van Beethoven (composer): String Quartets (16) (classical, composed 1798-1826)
    36. Hector Berlioz (composer): Symphonie Fantastique (classical, composed 1830)
    37. Giuseppe Verdi (composer): Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile (composed 1851, performed 3/11/1851)
    38. Giuseppe Verdi (composer): La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) (opera, composed 1853, performed 3/6/1853)
    39. Franz Liszt (composer): Piano Sonata in B Minor (classical, composed 1853)
    40. Richard Wagner (composer): Tristan Und Isolde (opera, composed 1857-59, performed 6/10/1865)
    41. Giuseppe Verdi (composer): Aida (opera, composed 1871, performed 12/1871)
    42. Giuseppe Verdi (composer): Messa Da Requiem (Requiem Mass) (classical, composed 1874)
    43. Richard Wagner (composer): Der Ring Des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle) (opera, composed 1848-1874, performed 8/17/1876)
    44. Modest Mussorgsky (composer): Tableaux d'une Exposition (Pictures at an Exhibition) (classical, composed for piano in 1874, reworked for orchestra in 1922, performed 10/19/1923)
    45. Georges Bizet (composer): Carmen (opera, composed 1873-74, performed 3/3/1875)
    46. Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (composer): Piano Concerto No. 1 (classical, composed 1875, performed 10/15/1875)
    47. Johannes Brahms (composer): Symphony No. 4 (classical, composed 1885)
    48. Giacomo Puccini (composer): La Bohème (The Bohemian Life) (opera, composed 1896, performed 2/1/1896)

      1900-1929

    49. Giacomo Puccini (composer): Tosca (opera, composed 1900, performed 1/14/1900)
    50. Giacomo Puccini (composer): Madame Butterfly (Madama Butterfly) (composed 1904, performed 2/17/1904)
    51. Igor Stravinsky (composer): Pétrouchka (aka “Petrushka”) (ballet, composed 1910-11, premiered 6/13/1911, revised 1947)
    52. Igor Stravinsky (composer): Le Sacre Du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) (ballet, composed 1913, performed 5/29/1913)
    53. Arthur Collins: The King of the Ragtime Singers (compilation: 1902-1916, released 2014)
    54. Giacomo Puccini (composer): Turandot (opera, composed 1926, stage debut: 4/25/1926)
    55. Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers): Show Boat (stage debut: 12/27/27, cast recorded 1933, soundtrack released 1951)
    56. Paul Whiteman: Masterpieces (compilation: 1920-27, released 2015)
    57. Louis Armstrong: The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings (box set, recorded 1925-28, released 8/22/2000)
    58. Henry Burr: Anthology: The Original King of Pop (compilation: 1903-28, released 2005)

      1930-1939

    59. Various Artists compiled by Harry Smith: Anthology of American Folk Music (box set, recorded 1923-32, released 1952)
    60. Bessie Smith: The Essential (compilation, 1923-33, released 9/23/1997)
    61. Charlie Patton: Founder of the Delta Blues (compilation: 1929-34, released 1969)
    62. George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin/Dubose Heyward (composers): Porgy and Bess (opera, composed 1935, stage debut: 9/30/35)
    63. Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings (compilation: 1936-37, released 8/28/90)
    64. Benny Goodman: The Complete Legendary Carnegie Hall Concert (live, recorded 1/16/38)
    65. Béla Bartók (composer): The String Quartets (classical, composed 1908-39)

      1940-1949

    66. Woody Guthrie: Dust Bowl Ballads (7/40)
    67. Billy Murray: Anthology: The Denver Nightingale (compilation: 1903-40, released 2018)
    68. Glenn Miller: Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (compilation: 1939-42, charted 3/24/45)
    69. Duke Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Band (box set, recorded 1939-42, released 10/25/90)
    70. Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers): Oklahoma! (stage debut: 3/31/43, cast recording released 12/4/44, soundtrack released 8/1/55)
    71. Béla Bartók (composer): Concerto for Orchestra (classical, composed 1944, performed 12/1/44)
    72. Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers): Carousel (stage debut: 4/19/45, cast recording released 5/21/45, soundtrack charted 2/25/56)
    73. Bing Crosby: Merry Christmas (aka ‘White Christmas’) (Christmas, released 12/45)
    74. Irving Berlin (composer): Annie Get Your Gun (stage debut: 5/16/46, cast recording released 7/8/46, soundtrack charted 6/10/50)
    75. Cole Porter (composer): Kiss Me, Kate (stage debut: 12/30/48, cast recording released 1949, soundtrack charted 1/23/54)
    76. Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers): South Pacific (stage debut: 4/4/49, cast released 5/9/49, soundtrack released 3/19/58)

      1950-1959

    77. Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (recorded 1/21/49 to 3/9/50)
    78. Frank Loesser (composer): Guys and Dolls (stage debut: 11/24/50, cast recording: 12/3/50, released 1/8/51)
    79. Guy Lombardo: The Band Played On: 25 Number One Hits! (compilation: 1927-50, released 2002)
    80. Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers): The King and I (stage debut: 3/29/51, cast recording charted 5/28/51, soundtrack charted 7/21/56)
    81. George & Ira Gershwin (composers): An American in Paris (classical, soundtrack released 10/4/51)
    82. Jane Froman: With a Song in My Heart (charted 3/29/52)
    83. Jackie Gleason: Music for Lovers Only (charted 1/17/53)
    84. Hank Williams: 40 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1947-53, released 1978)
    85. Mario Lanza: The Student Prince (soundtrack, charted 7/10/54)
    86. Frank Sinatra: In the Wee Small Hours (charted 5/28/55)
    87. Muddy Waters: Best of/His Best 1947-55 (compilations: 1947-55, released 1958 and 1997)
    88. Elvis Presley: The Sun Sessions (aka Sunrise, The Sun Years, or The Sun Collection) (archives, recorded 1954-55, released 3/76)

      1956

    89. Frank Sinatra: Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! (1/16/56)
    90. Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe (composers): My Fair Lady (stage debut: 3/15/56, cast recorded 3/24/56, cast album charted 4/28/56, soundtrack charted 10/10/64)
    91. Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll) (3/23/56)
    92. Ella Fitzgerald: Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (covers, released 3/27/56)
    93. Harry Belafonte: Calypso (charted 6/16/56)
    94. Duke Ellington: At Newport (live, recorded 7/7/56)
    95. Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus (recorded 3/22/56 to 10/5/56)
    96. Elvis Presley: Elvis (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll No. 2) (released 10/19/56)

      1957

    97. Little Richard: Here’s Little Richard (3/57)
    98. Elvis Presley: Loving You (soundtrack, released 7/57)
    99. Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim (composers): West Side Story (stage debut: 9/26/57, cast recording charted 3/17/58, soundtrack charted 10/23/61)
    100. Elvis Presley: Elvis’ Christmas Album (10/57)
    101. Buddy Holly & the Crickets: The Chirping Crickets (11/27/57)
    102. Meredith Willson (composer): The Music Man (stage debut: 12/19/57, cast recording charted 2/24/58, soundtrack charted 8/11/62)
    103. Bing Crosby: The Definitive Collection (compilation, 1931-57, released 1/24/2006)

      1958

    104. Johnny Mathis: Johnny’s Greatest Hits (compilation: 1956-58, 3/58)
    105. Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe (composers): Gigi (soundtrack, charted 6/23/58, cast: 1973)
    106. Frank Sinatra: Only the Lonely (charted 9/29/58)
    107. Buddy Holly & The Crickets: 20 Golden Greats (compilation: 1956-58, released 2/17/78)
    108. Elvis Presley: The King of Rock and Roll: The Complete ‘50s Masters (box set: 1953-58, released 1992)

      1959

    109. Henry Mancini: The Music from Peter Gunn (soundtrack, charted 2/9/59)
    110. Miles Davis: Kind of Blue (recorded 3/2/59 to 4/22/59)
    111. Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah Um (recorded 5/5/59 to 5/12/59)
    112. Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim (composers): Gypsy (stage debut: 5/21/59, cast recording: 5/28/59, soundtrack: 12/15/62)
    113. Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to Come (recorded 5/22/59)
    114. The Kingston Trio: At Large (charted 6/22/59)
    115. Dave Brubeck: Time Out (released 6/59)
    116. Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers): The Sound of Music (stage debut: 11/16/59, cast recording released 11/59, soundtrack released 3/65)
    117. John Coltrane: Giant Steps (recorded 4/1/59 to 12/2/59)

      1960

    118. Miles Davis/Gil Evans: Sketches of Spain (recorded 11/15/59 to 3/10/60)
    119. Muddy Waters: At Newport (live, recorded 7/3/60)
    120. Elvis Presley: G.I. Blues (soundtrack, 10/60)
    121. Bobby “Blue” Bland: Two Steps from the Blues (compilation: 1956-60, released 11/12/60)
    122. Frederick Loewe/Alan Jay Lerner (composers): Camelot (cast recording, stage debut: 12/3/60, soundtrack: 1967)

      1961

    123. Judy Garland: Judy at Carnegie Hall (live, recorded 4/23/61, released 7/10/61)
    124. Elvis Presley: Blue Hawaii (soundtrack, charted 10/1/61)
    125. Henry Mancini: Breakfast at Tiffany’s (soundtrack, charted 10/9/61)

      1962

    126. Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (charted 4/21/62)
    127. James Brown: Live at the Apollo Volume 1 (live, recorded 10/24/62, released 1/63)
    128. Howlin’ Wolf: Moanin’ in the Moonlight/Howlin’ Wolf (aka ‘The Rockin’ Chair Album’) (compilations: 1951-62, released in 1959 and 1962)

      1963

    129. Sam Cooke: Live at the Harlem Square Club (aka “One Night Stand”) (live, recorded 1/12/63)
    130. Stan Getz/João Gilberto: Getz/Gilberto (recorded 3/19/63)
    131. The Beatles: Please Please Me (3/22/63)
    132. Bob Dylan: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (5/27/63)
    133. The Beatles: With the Beatles (11/22/63)
    134. Patsy Cline: 12 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1957-63, released 2/4/73)

      1964

    135. Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch! (recorded 2/25/64)
    136. Jule Styne/Bob Merrill (composers), Barbara Streisand (performer): Funny Girl (stage debut: 3/26/64, cast recording charted 5/2/64, soundtrack charted 9/28/68)
    137. The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones (aka ‘England’s Newest Hitmakers’) (4/16/64)
    138. The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night (7/10/64)
    139. Bob Dylan: Another Side of Bob Dylan (8/8/64)
    140. Richard M. Sherman/Robert B. Sherman (composers): Mary Poppins (soundtrack, released 8/27/64)
    141. Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick (composers): Fiddler on the Roof (stage debut: 9/22/64, cast recording charted 10/31/64, soundtrack charted 10/30/71)
    142. B.B. King: Live at the Regal (live, recorded 11/21/64, released 1965)
    143. The Beatles: Beatles for Sale (12/4/64)
    144. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (recorded 12/9/64, released 2/65)
    145. Chuck Berry: The Great Twenty-Eight (compilation: 1955-65, released 1982)

      1965

    146. Bob Dylan: Bringing It All Back Home (3/22/65)
    147. Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass: Whipped Cream & Other Delights (charted 5/15/65)
    148. The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man (6/21/65)
    149. The Beatles: Help! (8/6/65)
    150. Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited (8/30/65)
    151. Otis Redding: Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (8/65)
    152. Paul Butterfield Blues Band: Paul Butterfield Blues Band (10/65)
    153. Junior Wells with Buddy Guy: Hoodoo Man Blues (11/65)
    154. The Beatles: Rubber Soul (12/3/65)
    155. The Who: The Who Sings My Generation (12/20/65)
    156. Sam Cooke: The Man and His Music (compilation: 1951-65, released 2/86)
    157. Roy Orbison: For the Lonely - 18 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1956-64, released 1/7/89)
    158. Various Artists: Rock Revival Greats (K-Tel compilation: 1954-65, released 1972)

      1966

    159. The Rolling Stones: Aftermath (4/15/66)
    160. The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (5/16/66)
    161. Bob Dylan: The Royal Albert Hall Concert (The Bootleg Series Volume 4) (live, recorded 5/17/66)
    162. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde (6/20/66)
    163. The Mothers of Invention: Freak Out! (6/27/66)
    164. John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers/Eric Clapton: Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (7/22/66)
    165. The Beatles: Revolver (8/5/66)
    166. Simon & Garfunkel: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (9/66)
    167. The Monkees: The Monkees (charted 10/8/66)
    168. Bob Dylan: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1962-66, released 3/27/67)

      1967

    169. The Doors: The Doors (1/4/67)
    170. The Monkees: More of the Monkees (1/10/67)
    171. The Rolling Stones: Between the Buttons (1/20/67)
    172. The Byrds: Younger Than Yesterday (2/6/67)
    173. Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (3/10/67)
    174. The Velvet Underground & Nico: Velvet Underground & Nico (3/12/67)
    175. Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow (charted 3/25/67)
    176. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced? (5/12/67)
    177. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (6/1/67)
    178. Moby Grape: Moby Grape (6/67)
    179. Albert King: Born Under a Bad Sign (7/67)
    180. Pink Floyd: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (8/5/67)
    181. Byrds: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1965-67, released 8/7/67)
    182. The Kinks: Something Else (9/15/67)
    183. The Doors: Strange Days (9/25/67)
    184. Galt MacDermot/Gerome Ragni/James Rado (composers): Hair (stage debut: 10/17/67, cast recording charted 8/3/68, soundtrack: 1979)
    185. Buffalo Springfield: Again (10/30/67)
    186. The Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed (11/11/67)
    187. Cream: Disraeli Gears (charted 11/18/67)
    188. The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour (11/27/67)
    189. The Velvet Underground: White Light/White Heat (11/30/67)
    190. Love: Forever Changes (11/67)
    191. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Axis: Bold As Love (12/1/67)
    192. The Who: Sell Out (12/16/67)
    193. Leonard Cohen: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (12/27/67)
    194. Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding (12/27/67)

      1968

    195. The Byrds: The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1/3/68)
    196. Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison (live, recorded 1/13/68, released 3/1/68)
    197. Simon & Garfunkel/ Dave Grusin: The Graduate (soundtrack, 1/21/68)
    198. Aretha Franklin: Lady Soul (1/22/68)
    199. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Safe As Milk (2/68)
    200. The Mothers of Invention: We’re Only in It for the Money (3/4/68)
    201. Simon & Garfunkel: Bookends (3/68)
    202. The Zombies: Odessey & Oracle (4/68)
    203. Iron Butterfly: In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida (6/14/68)
    204. The Small Faces: Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake (charted 6/23/68)
    205. Cream: Wheels of Fire (studio/live, 6/68)
    206. The Band: Music from Big Pink (7/1/68)
    207. The Byrds: Sweetheart of the Rodeo (7/22/68)
    208. Big Brother & the Holding Company: Cheap Thrills (8/12/68)
    209. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland (9/16/68)
    210. The MC5: Kick Out the Jams (live, recorded 10/30-31/68, charted 3/8/69)
    211. The Beatles: The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (11/22/68)
    212. The Kinks: Village Green Preservation Society (11/22/68)
    213. Van Morrison: Astral Weeks (11/68)
    214. The Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet (12/6/68)
    215. Blood, Sweat & Tears: Blood, Sweat & Tears (12/11/68)
    216. Various Artists: Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (box set: 1964-68, released 9/72)
    217. Bob Dylan & The Band: The Basement Tapes (archives, recorded 1967-68, released 6/26/75)
    218. Ray Charles: Anthology (compilation: 1955-68, charted 10/29/88)

      1969

    219. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin I (1/12/69)
    220. Johnny Cash: At San Quentin (live, recorded 2/24/69, released 6/4/69)
    221. The Grateful Dead: Live/Dead (live, recorded 3/2/69, released 11/10/69)
    222. Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis (charted 3/15/69)
    223. Quicksilver Messenger Service: Happy Trails (live, charted 3/29/69)
    224. The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground (3/31/69)
    225. Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline (4/9/69)
    226. Sly & the Family Stone: Stand! (charted 4/26/69)
    227. Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority (4/69)
    228. The Flying Burrito Brothers: The Gilded Palace of Sin (charted 5/3/69)
    229. Neil Young: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (5/14/69)
    230. The Who: Tommy (5/23/69)
    231. Crosby, Stills & Nash: Crosby, Stills & Nash (5/29/69)
    232. Elvis Presley: From Elvis in Memphis (charted 6/14/69)
    233. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica (6/16/69)
    234. Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul (charted 7/12/69)
    235. Blind Faith: Blind Faith (7/21/69)
    236. Various Artists: Woodstock (live soundtrack, recorded 8/15-18/69, released 8/70)
    237. The Stooges: The Stooges (charted 8/23/69)
    238. Nick Drake: Five Leaves Left (9/1/69)
    239. Miles Davis: In a Silent Way (charted 9/6/69)
    240. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Green River (charted 9/13/69)
    241. The Band: The Band (9/22/69)
    242. The Beatles: Abbey Road (9/26/69)
    243. King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King (10/10/69)
    244. Frank Zappa: Hot Rats (10/10/69)
    245. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin II (10/22/69)
    246. The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed (11/28/69)
    247. The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out (live, recorded 11/28/69, released 9/4/70)
    248. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Willy and the Poor Boys (charted 12/13/69)
    249. Fairport Convention: Liege and Lief (12/69)
    250. Willie Dixon/various artists: The Chess Box (compilation: 1951-69, released 1988)
    251. Various Artists produced by Phil Spector: Back to Mono (box set: 1958-69, released 11/12/91)

      1970

    252. Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys (live, recorded 12/31/69 to 1/1/70, charted 5/2/70)
    253. Simon & Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water (1/26/70)
    254. The Doors: Morrison Hotel/Hard Rock Café (2/9/70)
    255. Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath (2/13/70)
    256. The Who: Live at Leeds (live, recorded 2/14/70, released 5/16/70)
    257. Van Morrison: Moondance (2/28/70)
    258. Crosby, Stills & Nash: Déjà Vu (3/11/70)
    259. James Taylor: Sweet Baby James (charted 3/14/70)
    260. Randy Newman: 12 Songs (4/70)
    261. The Beatles: Let It Be (5/8/70)
    262. Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (charted 5/16/70)
    263. Deep Purple: In Rock (charted 6/3/70)
    264. Grateful Dead: Workingman’s Dead (6/14/70)
    265. The Stooges: Fun House (7/7/70)
    266. Traffic: John Barleycorn Must Die (charted 7/11/70)
    267. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo’s Factory (charted 7/25/70)
    268. Neil Young: After the Gold Rush (8/31/70)
    269. Velvet Underground: Loaded (8/31/70)
    270. Black Sabbath: Paranoid (charted 9/19/70)
    271. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin III (10/5/70)
    272. Santana: Abraxas (charted 10/10/70)
    273. Elton John: Tumbleweed Connection (10/30/70)
    274. Grateful Dead: American Beauty (11/1/70)
    275. Nick Drake: Bryter Layter (11/1/70)
    276. Tim Buckley: Starsailor (11/2/70)
    277. Derek and the Dominos: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (charted 11/21/70)
    278. Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice (composers): Jesus Christ Superstar (studio: 11/21/70, stage debut: 10/12/71, soundtrack: 6/30/73)
    279. Cat Stevens: Tea for the Tillerman (11/23/70)
    280. George Harrison: All Things Must Pass (11/27/70)
    281. John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band (12/11/70)
    282. The Who: Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy (compilation: 1964-70, released 10/30/71)
    283. Simon & Garfunkel: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1964-70, released 6/20/72)
    284. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: The Ultimate Experience (compilation: 1966-70, released 11/92)
    285. The Beatles: 1 (compilation: 1962-70, released 11/14/00)

      1971

    286. Janis Joplin: Pearl (1/11/71)
    287. Carole King: Tapestry (2/10/71)
    288. The Allman Brothers Band: At Fillmore East (live, recorded 3/12/71 to 3/13/71, released 7/71)
    289. Jethro Tull: Aqualung (charted 3/19/71)
    290. Yes: The Yes Album (3/19/71)
    291. The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers (4/23/71)
    292. The Doors: L.A. Woman (4/29/71)
    293. Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On (5/21/71)
    294. Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story (charted 6/19/71)
    295. Joni Mitchell: Blue (6/22/71)
    296. The Who: Who’s Next (8/14/71)
    297. Funkadelic: Maggot Brain (charted 8/14/71)
    298. Black Sabbath: Master of Reality (charted 8/14/71)
    299. The Beach Boys: Surf’s Up (8/30/71)
    300. John Lennon: Imagine (9/9/71)
    301. T-Rex: Electric Warrior (9/24/71)
    302. Pink Floyd: Meddle (10/30/71)
    303. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (11/8/71)
    304. Sly & the Family Stone: There’s a Riot Goin’ On (charted 11/13/72)
    305. Yes: Fragile (11/26/71)
    306. The Rolling Stones: Hot Rocks 1964-71 (compilation: 1964-71, released 12/15/71)
    307. David Bowie: Hunky Dory (12/17/71)
    308. Janis Joplin: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1967-71, charted 7/14/73)
    309. The Doors: The Best of (compilation: 1966-71, charted 8/8/87)
    310. Various Artists: Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 (box set: 1959-71, released 11/13/92)

      1972

    311. The Allman Brothers Band: Eat a Peach (studio/live, 2/12/72)
    312. Neil Young: Harvest (2/14/72)
    313. Nick Drake: Pink Moon (2/25/72)
    314. John Prine: John Prine (charted 2/26/72)
    315. Can: Tago Mago (2/72)
    316. Jethro Tull: Thick As a Brick (3/3/72)
    317. Deep Purple: Machine Head (3/25/72)
    318. Todd Rundgren: Something/Anything? (charted 3/25/72)
    319. Big Star: #1 Record (4/72)
    320. The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street (5/12/72)
    321. David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (6/6/72)
    322. Randy Newman: Sail Away (charted 6/17/72)
    323. Led Zeppelin: How the West Was Won (live box set, recorded 6/25/72 and 6/27/72, released 5/27/03)
    324. Jimmy Cliff et al: The Harder They Come (soundtrack, released 7/7/72)
    325. Roxy Music: Roxy Music (charted 7/29/72)
    326. Curtis Mayfield: Superfly (soundtrack, 7/72)
    327. Deep Purple: Made in Japan (live, recorded 8/15/72 to 8/17/72, charted 4/21/73)
    328. Neil Diamond: Hot August Night (live, recorded 8/24/72, charted 12/9/72)
    329. Yes: Close to the Edge (9/13/72)
    330. Stevie Wonder: Talking Book (10/27/72)
    331. Lou Reed: Transformer (11/8/72)
    332. Steely Dan: Can’t Buy a Thrill (charted 12/2/72)
    333. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Will the Circle Be Unbroken (charted 12/30/72)
    334. The Temptations: Anthology (compilation: 1964-72, released 8/23/73)
    335. John Denver: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1969-72, released 11/15/73)
    336. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Chronicle (compilation: 1968-72, charted 3/6/76)

      1973

    337. Gram Parsons: G.P. (1/73)
    338. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (3/1/73)
    339. Roxy Music: For Your Pleasure (3/23/73)
    340. Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy (3/28/73)
    341. Bob Marley & the Wailers: Catch a Fire (4/13/73)
    342. David Bowie: Aladdin Sane (4/13/73)
    343. Eagles: Desperado (4/17/73)
    344. Iggy & the Stooges: Raw Power (charted 4/28/73)
    345. Al Green: Call Me (charted 5/19/73)
    346. Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells (5/25/73)
    347. Steely Dan: Countdown to Ecstasy (7/6/73)
    348. ZZ Top: Tres Hombres (7/26/73)
    349. Lou Reed: Berlin (7/73)
    350. Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (8/3/73)
    351. Marvin Gaye: Let’s Get It On (8/28/73)
    352. New York Dolls: New York Dolls (charted 9/1/73)
    353. Various Artists: American Graffiti (soundtrack, charted 9/1/73)
    354. Bruce Springsteen: The Wild, the Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle (9/11/73)
    355. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd (charted 9/22/73)
    356. Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (10/5/73)
    357. Genesis: Selling England by the Pound (charted 10/13/73)
    358. The Who: Quadrophenia (10/19/73)
    359. Bob Marley/The Wailers: Burnin’ (10/73)
    360. Paul McCartney & Wings: Band on the Run (12/5/73)
    361. Neil Young: Tonight’s the Night (recorded 1973, released 7/12/75)
    362. Al Green: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-73, charted 3/22/75)
    363. The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers (recorded 1973, released 1976)
    364. Sly & the Family Stone: Anthology (includes all of 1970’s Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1968-73, released 1981)

      1974

    365. Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark (1/17/74)
    366. Brian Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets (1/74)
    367. Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel (charted 2/16/74)
    368. Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic (2/20/74)
    369. Big Star: Radio City (2/74)
    370. Richard & Linda Thompson: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (4/74)
    371. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Second Helping (charted 5/4/74)
    372. David Bowie: Diamond Dogs (5/24/74)
    373. Bad Company: Bad Company (6/26/74)
    374. Neil Young: On the Beach (7/16/74)
    375. Eric Clapton: 461 Ocean Boulevard (charted 7/20/74)
    376. Stevie Wonder: Fulfillingness’ First Finale (7/22/74)
    377. Robert Wyatt: Rock Bottom (7/74)
    378. Jackson Browne: Late for the Sky (9/19/74)
    379. Bob Marley & The Wailers: Natty Dread (10/25/74)
    380. Kraftwerk: Autobahn (11/1/74)
    381. Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (11/18/74)
    382. Supertramp: Crime of the Century (charted 12/7/74)
    383. Various Artists: Atlantic Rhythm & Blues (box set: 1947-74, released 10/15/91)
    384. Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul: The Very Best of (compilation: 1967-74, released 10/17/94)

      1975

    385. Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (1/17/75)
    386. Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (2/24/75)
    387. Earth, Wind & Fire: That’s the Way of the World (soundtrack, charted 3/15/75)
    388. Aerosmith: Toys in the Attic (charted 4/26/75)
    389. Elton John: Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (5/19/75)
    390. Eagles: One of These Nights (6/10/75)
    391. Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac (7/11/75)
    392. Bob Marley & the Wailers: Live! (At the Lyceum) (live, recorded 7/18/75, released 12/19/75)
    393. Willie Nelson: Red Headed Stranger (charted 7/26/75)
    394. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (8/25/75)
    395. Kiss: Alive! (live, 9/10/75)
    396. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (9/15/75)
    397. Brian Eno: Another Green World (9/75)
    398. Patti Smith: Horses (11/8/75)
    399. Queen: A Night at the Opera (11/21/75)
    400. Peter Frampton: Frampton Comes Alive! (live, recorded 3/24/75 to 11/22/75, charted 1/31/76)
    401. Parliament: Mothership Connection (12/15/75)
    402. Big Star: Third/Sister Lovers (recorded 1975, released 7/78)

      1976

    403. Bob Dylan: Desire (1/16/76)
    404. David Bowie: Station to Station (1/23/76)
    405. Boz Scaggs: Silk Degrees (charted 3/20/76)
    406. Rush: 2112 (charted 4/10/76)
    407. Ramones: Ramones (4/23/76)
    408. Aerosmith: Rocks (charted 5/29/76)
    409. Boston: Boston (8/25/76)
    410. Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life (9/28/76)
    411. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band: Night Moves (10/1/76)
    412. Abba: Arrival (10/11/76)
    413. James Taylor: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1968-76, released 11/1/76)
    414. Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice (composers): Evita (studio album: 11/19/76, stage debut: 6/21/78, soundtrack: 11/12/96)
    415. The Doobie Brothers: Best of the Doobies (compilation: 1972-76, released 11/20/76)
    416. Eagles: Hotel California (12/8/76)
    417. Neil Young: Decade (compilation: 1966-76, charted 11/26/77)
    418. The Supremes: Anthology (compilation: 1962-76, released 1986)

      1977

    419. David Bowie: Low (1/14/77)
    420. Pink Floyd: Animals (1/23/77)
    421. Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (2/4/77)
    422. Television: Marquee Moon (2/8/77)
    423. Foreigner: Foreigner (charted 3/26/77)
    424. The Clash: The Clash (4/8/77)
    425. Kraftwerk: Trans-Europa Express (Trans Europe Express) (charted 4/16/77)
    426. Bob Marley & The Wailers: Exodus (6/3/77)
    427. Styx: The Grand Illusion (7/7/77)
    428. Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (7/22/77)
    429. Talking Heads: 77 (9/16/77)
    430. Iggy Pop: Lust for Life (charted 9/17/77)
    431. Billy Joel: The Stranger (9/29/77)
    432. Steely Dan: Aja (10/8/77)
    433. David Bowie: Heroes (10/14/77)
    434. Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell (10/21/77)
    435. The Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (10/28/77)
    436. Ramones: Rocket to Russia (11/4/77)
    437. Various Artists (Bee Gees et al): Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 11/15/77)
    438. Eric Clapton: Slowhand (charted 11/26/77)
    439. Wire: Pink Flag (11/77)
    440. Jackson Browne: Running on Empty (12/6/77)
    441. Suicide: Suicide (12/28/77)

      1978

    442. Pere Ubu: The Modern Dance (1/78)
    443. Van Halen: Van Halen (2/10/78)
    444. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: This Year’s Model (3/17/78)
    445. Various Artists (including Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta): Grease (soundtrack, 4/14/78)
    446. Cheap Trick: At Budokan (live, recorded 4/78, charted 2/24/79)
    447. Kraftwerk: Die Mensch Maschine (The Man-Machine) (charted 5/13/78)
    448. Bruce Springsteen: Darkness on the Edge of Town (6/2/78)
    449. The Cars: The Cars (6/6/78)
    450. The Rolling Stones: Some Girls (6/9/78)
    451. Talking Heads: More Songs about Buildings and Food (7/14/78)
    452. Dire Straits: Dire Straits (charted 7/22/78)
    453. Devo: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo (7/78)
    454. Blondie: Parallel Lines (charted 9/16/78)
    455. Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove (charted 10/7/78)
    456. Billy Joel: 52nd Street (charted 10/28/78)
    457. The Police: Outlandos D’Amour (11/2/78)
    458. The Jam: All Mod Cons (11/3/78)
    459. Steve Miller: Greatest Hits 1974-1978 (compilation: 1974-78, released 11/15/78)
    460. Rod Stewart: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-78, charted 11/24/79)

      1979

    461. Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Armed Forces (1/5/79)
    462. Bee Gees: Spirits Having Flown (charted 2/17/79)
    463. Stephen Sondheim (composer): Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (stage debut: 3/1/79, cast: 1979, soundtrack charted 1/5/08)
    464. Supertramp: Breakfast in America (charted 3/31/79)
    465. Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures (6/14/79)
    466. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps (7/2/79)
    467. AC/DC: Highway to Hell (8/3/79)
    468. Talking Heads: Fear of Music (8/3/79)
    469. The B-52s: The B-52s (charted 8/4/79)
    470. Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (8/10/79)
    471. Led Zeppelin: In Through the Out Door (8/15/79)
    472. Eagles: The Long Run (9/24/79)
    473. Gang of Four: Entertainment! (9/79)
    474. Buzzcocks: Singles Going Steady (compilation: 1977-79, released 9/79)
    475. The Police: Reggatta de Blanc (10/5/79)
    476. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Damn the Torpedoes (10/19/79)
    477. The Specials: The Specials (10/19/79)
    478. Public Image Ltd.: Metal Box (aka “Second Edition”) (11/23/79)
    479. Pink Floyd: The Wall (11/30/79)
    480. The Clash: London Calling (12/14/79)
    481. Aerosmith: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1973-79, charted 11/29/80)
    482. Led Zeppelin: Remasters (1969-79, released 1/1/92)
    483. Eagles: Very Best of (includes all of 1976’s Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975) (compilation: 1971-79, released 7/11/94)

      1980

    484. Pretenders: Pretenders (1/19/80)
    485. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Get Happy!! (2/15/80)
    486. Billy Joel: Glass Houses (3/10/80)
    487. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band: Against the Wind (charted 3/15/80)
    488. Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel (third album) (5/30/80)
    489. Queen: The Game (6/30/80)
    490. X: Los Angeles (6/80)
    491. Joy Division: Closer (7/18/80)
    492. AC/DC: Back in Black (7/25/80)
    493. Dexy’s Midnight Runners: Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (charted 7/26/80)
    494. David Bowie: Scary Monsters (9/12/80)
    495. Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (charted 9/13/80)
    496. Ozzy Osbourne: Blizzard of Ozz (charted 9/20/80)
    497. Claude-Michel Schönberg/ Alain Boublil/ Herbert Kretzmer (composers): Les Misérables (stage debut: 9/22/80, cast: 10/8/85, soundtrack: 12/21/12)
    498. Kenny Rogers: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1969-80, released 9/23/80)
    499. Talking Heads: Remain in Light (10/8/80)
    500. Bruce Springsteen: The River (10/10/80)
    501. The Police: Zenyatta Mondatta (charted 10/11/80)
    502. Dire Straits: Making Movies (10/17/80)
    503. U2: Boy (10/20/80)
    504. Motörhead: Ace of Spades (charted 11/8/80)
    505. John Lennon/Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy (11/17/80)
    506. REO Speedwagon: Hi Infidelity (11/21/80)
    507. Blondie: Best of (compilation: 1976-80, charted 10/30/81)

      1981

    508. Phil Collins: Face Value (2/9/81)
    509. Rush: Moving Pictures (2/12/81)
    510. Motörhead: No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (live, recorded 3/28/80 to 3/30/81, charted 6/27/81)
    511. Foreigner: 4 (7/2/81)
    512. The Go-Go’s: Beauty and the Beat (7/24/81)
    513. Journey: Escape (charted 8/8/81)
    514. The Rolling Stones: Tattoo You (8/30/81)
    515. The Police: Ghost in the Machine (charted 10/10/81)
    516. The Human League: Dare! (10/16/81)
    517. Queen: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1973-81, released 11/3/81)
    518. Men at Work: Business as Usual (11/9/81)
    519. Barbra Streisand: Memories (released as Love Songs in the UK) (compilation: 1974-81, released 11/81)
    520. Black Flag: Damaged (12/5/81)
    521. Eric Clapton: The Cream of Clapton (compilation: 1966-81, released 3/7/95)
    522. Carpenters: The Singles 1969-1981 (includes all of The Singles 1969-1973) (compilation: 1969-81, released 5/23/00)

      1982

    523. Richard & Linda Thompson: Shoot Out the Lights (3/15/82)
    524. Iron Maiden: The Number of the Beast (3/22/82)
    525. Duran Duran: Rio (3/29/82)
    526. Asia: Asia (charted 4/3/82)
    527. Toto: Toto IV (4/8/82)
    528. John Cougar (Mellencamp): American Fool (4/12/82)
    529. Roxy Music: Avalon (charted 6/5/82)
    530. Elvis Costello & The Attractions: Imperial Bedroom (7/2/82)
    531. ABC: Lexicon of Love (charted 7/3/82)
    532. Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska (9/20/82)
    533. Simple Minds: New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (10/2/82)
    534. Prince: 1999 (10/27/82)
    535. Donald Fagen: The Nightfly (charted 10/30/82)
    536. Michael Jackson: Thriller (11/30/82)
    537. Violent Femmes: Violent Femmes (11/30/82)
    538. Abba: Gold – Greatest Hits (compilation: 1974-82, rel. 9/21/92)

      1983

    539. Def Leppard: Pyromania (1/20/83)
    540. U2: War (2/28/83)
    541. R.E.M.: Murmur (4/11/83)
    542. David Bowie: Let’s Dance (4/11/83)
    543. Various Artists: Flashdance (soundtrack, 4/15/83)
    544. ZZ Top: Eliminator (charted 4/23/83)
    545. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble: Texas Flood (6/13/83)
    546. The Police: Synchronicity (charted 6/17/83)
    547. Metallica: Kill ‘Em All (7/25/83)
    548. Madonna: Madonna (7/27/83)
    549. U2: Under a Blood Red Sky (live, recorded 8/20/83)
    550. Billy Joel: An Innocent Man (charted 8/20/83)
    551. Huey Lewis & The News: Sports (9/15/83)
    552. Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones (9/83)
    553. Lionel Richie: Can’t Slow Down (10/11/83)
    554. Cyndi Lauper: She’s So Unusual (10/14/83)
    555. Culture Club: Colour by Numbers (10/22/83)
    556. Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense (live soundtrack, recorded 12/83, charted 9/22/84)
    557. Bob Marley & the Wailers: Legend (compilation: 1973-83, released 5/8/84)

      1984

    558. Van Halen: 1984 (1/9/84)
    559. Various Artists: Footloose (soundtrack, 1/31/84)
    560. The Smiths: The Smiths (2/20/84)
    561. R.E.M.: Reckoning (4/9/84)
    562. Echo & the Bunnymen: Ocean Rain (5/4/84)
    563. Tina Turner: Private Dancer (5/29/84)
    564. Bruce Springsteen: Born in the U.S.A. (6/4/84)
    565. Prince & the Revolution: Purple Rain (soundtrack, 6/25/84)
    566. Sade: Diamond Life (charted 7/28/84)
    567. Minutemen: Double Nickels on the Dime (7/84)
    568. Metallica: Ride the Lightning (charted 9/29/84)
    569. Hüsker Dü: Zen Arcade (9/84)
    570. U2: The Unforgettable Fire (10/1/84)
    571. The Replacements: Let It Be (10/2/84)
    572. Bryan Adams: Reckless (10/29/84)
    573. Madonna: Like a Virgin (11/12/84)
    574. The Smiths: Hatful of Hollow (archives, 11/12/84)
    575. James Brown: Star Time (box set: 1956-84, released 5/7/91)

      1985

    576. The Smiths: Meat is Murder (2/11/85)
    577. Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair (2/17/85)
    578. Phil Collins: No Jacket Required (2/18/85)
    579. Hüsker Dü: New Day Rising (2/85)
    580. Whitney Houston: Whitney Houston (3/14/85)
    581. Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms (5/13/85)
    582. New Order: Low-Life (5/85)
    583. Marillion: Misplaced Childhood (6/17/85)
    584. Prefab Sprout: Steve McQueen (aka Two Wheels Good) (charted 6/22/85)
    585. Sting: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (charted 6/29/85)
    586. Billy Joel: Greatest Hits Volume I & II (compilation: 1973-85, released 7/2/85)
    587. The Pogues: Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash (charted 8/17/85)
    588. The Cure: The Head on the Door (charted 9/7/85)
    589. John Cougar Mellencamp: Scarecrow (charted 9/14/85)
    590. Kate Bush: Hounds of Love (charted 9/28/85)
    591. Tom Waits: Rain Dogs (9/30/85)
    592. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live 1975/1985 (live, recorded from 1975 through 9/30/85, charted 11/22/86)
    593. The Fall: This Nation’s Saving Grace (9/85)
    594. various artists: Miami Vice (soundtrack, charted 10/12/85)
    595. Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy (charted 11/30/85)
    596. The Replacements: Tim (11/30/85)
    597. Dire Straits: Money for Nothing (compilation: 1978-85, released 10/17/88)

      1986

    598. Janet Jackson: Control (2/6/86)
    599. Metallica: Master of Puppets (2/24/86)
    600. Anita Baker: Rapture (charted 4/16/86)
    601. Prince: Parade (3/31/86)
    602. Peter Gabriel: So (5/13/86)
    603. Various Artists: Top Gun (soundtrack, 5/20/86)
    604. Run-D.M.C.: Raising Hell (5/27/86)
    605. Genesis: Invisible Touch (6/9/86)
    606. The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead (6/28/86)
    607. Madonna: True Blue (6/30/86)
    608. R.E.M.: Life’s Rich Pageant (7/28/86)
    609. Paul Simon: Graceland (8/12/86)
    610. Bon Jovi: Slippery When Wet (8/18/86)
    611. Steve Earle: Guitar Town (10/7/86)
    612. Andrew Lloyd Webber/Charles Hart/Richard Stigoe (composers): Phantom of the Opera (cast, opened 10/9/86)
    613. The Police: Every Breath You Take – The Singles (aka The Classics) (compilation: 1978-1986; released 10/27/86)
    614. Slayer: Reign in Blood (10/28/86)
    615. Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill (11/11/86)
    616. Robert Cray: Strong Persuader (charted 11/15/86)

      1987

    617. U2: The Joshua Tree (3/17/87)
    618. Prince: Sign ‘O’ the Times (3/30/87)
    619. Fleetwood Mac: Tango in the Night (4/13/87)
    620. Whitney Houston: Whitney (6/2/87)
    621. Eric B. & Rakim: Paid in Full (7/9/87)
    622. Guns N’ Roses: Appetite for Destruction (7/21/87)
    623. Terence Trent D’Arby: Introducing the Hardline… (charted 7/25/87)
    624. Dinosaur Jr.: You’re Living All Over Me (7/87)
    625. Def Leppard: Hysteria (8/3/87)
    626. New Order: Substance (compilation: 1981-87, released 8/11/87)
    627. Aerosmith: Permanent Vacation (8/18/87)
    628. Michael Jackson: Bad (8/31/87)
    629. Various Artists: Dirty Dancing (soundtrack, 9/1/87)
    630. R.E.M.: Document (9/8/87)
    631. Paul McCartney: All the Best! (compilation: 1970-87, released 9/18/87)
    632. The Smiths: Strangeways, Here We Come (9/22/87)
    633. Bruce Springsteen: Tunnel of Love (10/9/87)
    634. INXS: Kick (10/20/87)
    635. George Michael: Faith (11/3/87)
    636. Journey: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1978-87, released 11/15/88)

      1988

    637. Pixies: Surfer Rosa (3/21/88)
    638. Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman (4/5/88)
    639. Bobby Brown: Don’t Be Cruel (6/20/88)
    640. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (6/28/88)
    641. Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl (charted 7/23/88)
    642. Jane’s Addiction: Nothing’s Shocking (8/23/88)
    643. Metallica: …And Justice for All (8/25/88)
    644. Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden (9/16/88)
    645. Bon Jovi: New Jersey (9/20/88)
    646. U2: Rattle and Hum (studio/live soundtrack, 10/11/88)
    647. Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (10/88)
    648. R.E.M.: Green (11/8/88)
    649. Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-88, released 11/22/88)

      1989

    650. N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton (1/10/89)
    651. New Order: Technique (1/24/89)
    652. Milli Vanilli: Girl You Know It’s True (aka All or Nothing) (3/7/89)
    653. De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (3/14/89)
    654. Madonna: Like a Prayer (3/21/89)
    655. Bonnie Raitt: Nick of Time (3/21/89)
    656. Garth Brooks: Garth Brooks (4/21/89)
    657. The Pixies: Doolittle (4/18/89)
    658. Tom Petty: Full Moon Fever (4/24/89)
    659. The Cure: Disintegration (5/2/89)
    660. The Stone Roses: The Stone Roses (charted 5/13/89)
    661. Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique (7/25/89)
    662. Aerosmith: Pump (9/12/89)
    663. Janet Jackson: Rhythm Nation 1814 (9/19/89)
    664. Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine (10/13/89)
    665. Phil Collins: …But Seriously (11/17/89)
    666. Van Morrison: Best of (compilation: 1965-89, charted 4/7/90)
    667. Eurythmics: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1983-89; released 5/24/91)
    668. U2: Best of 1980-1990 (compilation: 1980-89, released 11/3/98)

      1990

    669. M.C. Hammer: Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em (2/12/90)
    670. Black Crowes: Shake Your Money Maker (2/13/90)
    671. Depeche Mode: Violator (2/22/90)
    672. Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet (3/20/90)
    673. Sinéad O’Connor: I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (3/20/90)
    674. Mariah Carey: Mariah Carey (6/12/90)
    675. Jane’s Addiction: Ritual de lo Habitual (8/21/90)
    676. Garth Brooks: No Fences (8/27/90)
    677. Vanilla Ice: To the Extreme (9/10/90)
    678. Elton John: The Very Best of (includes all of 1974’s Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1970-90, released 11/3/90)
    679. Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (compilation: 1983-90, released 11/13/90)
    680. Happy Mondays: Pills ‘N’ Thrills and Bellyaches (charted 11/17/90)
    681. Enigma: mcmxc a.d. (12/10/90)

      1991

    682. R.E.M.: Out of Time (3/12/91)
    683. Slint: Spiderland (3/27/91)
    684. Boyz II Men: Cooleyhighharmony (4/30/91)
    685. Natalie Cole: Unforgettable: With Love (covers, 6/11/91)
    686. Crowded House: Woodface (7/2/91)
    687. Massive Attack: Blue Lines (8/6/91)
    688. Metallica: Metallica (aka “The Black Album”) (8/12/91)
    689. Pearl Jam: Ten (8/27/91)
    690. Garth Brooks: Ropin’ the Wind (9/2/91)
    691. Guns N’ Roses: Use Your Illusion I (9/17/91)
    692. Guns N’ Roses: Use Your Illusion II (9/17/91)
    693. Nirvana: Nevermind (9/24/91)
    694. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magik (9/24/91)
    695. A Tribe Called Quest: The Low-End Theory (9/24/91)
    696. Simply Red: Stars (9/30/91)
    697. Tina Turner: Simply the Best (compilation: 1973-91, released 10/2/91)
    698. Primal Scream: Screamadelica (10/8/91)
    699. Queen: Greatest Hits II (compilation: 1981-91, released 10/30/91)
    700. My Bloody Valentine: Loveless (11/5/91)
    701. Pet Shop Boys: Discography – The Complete Singles Collection (compilation: 1985-91, released 11/5/91)
    702. Teenage Fanclub: Bandwagonesque (charted 11/16/91)
    703. U2: Achtung Baby (11/19/91)
    704. Michael Jackson: Dangerous (11/26/91)

      1992

    705. Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes (1/13/92)
    706. Eric Clapton: Unplugged (live, recorded 1/16/92; released 8/25/92)
    707. Aphex Twin: Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (compilation: 1985-92, released 2/12/92)
    708. Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted (charted 3/31/92)
    709. Lionel Richie: Back to Front (compilation: 1977-92, released 5/5/92)
    710. Billy Ray Cyrus: Some Gave All (5/19/92)
    711. Garth Brooks: The Chase (9/14/92)
    712. Alice in Chains: Dirt (9/29/92)
    713. Stone Temple Pilots: Core (9/29/92)
    714. R.E.M.: Automatic for the People (10/6/92)
    715. Rage Against the Machine: Rage Against the Machine (11/3/92)
    716. Various artists (Whitney Houston e al): The Bodyguard (soundtrack, 11/17/92)
    717. Dr. Dre: The Chronic (12/15/92)
    718. Prince: Very Best of (compilation: 1979-92, released 7/31/01)

      1993

    719. PJ Harvey: Rid of Me (5/4/93)
    720. Janet Jackson: janet. (5/18/93)
    721. Ace of Base: The Sign (aka “Happy Nation”) (6/1/93)
    722. Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (6/22/93)
    723. U2: Zooropa (7/5/93)
    724. Björk: Debut (7/13/93)
    725. Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream (7/27/93)
    726. Sheryl Crow: Tuesday Night Music Club (8/3/93)
    727. Garth Brooks: In Pieces (8/23/93)
    728. Mariah Carey: Music Box (8/31/93)
    729. Counting Crows: August and Everything After (9/14/93)
    730. Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (9/14/93)
    731. Nirvana: In Utero (9/21/93)
    732. Pearl Jam: Vs. (10/19/93)
    733. Bryan Adams: So Far So Good (compilation: 1982-93, released 11/2/93)
    734. Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) (11/9/93)
    735. Celine Dion: The Colour of My Love (11/9/93)
    736. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1977-93, released 11/16/93)
    737. Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York (recorded live 11/18/93, released 11/1/94)
    738. Snoop Doggy Dogg: Doggystyle (11/23/93)
    739. Sade Best of (compilation: 1984-93, released 10/31/94)
    740. Garth Brooks: The Hits (compilation: 1989-93: released 12/13/94)

      1994

    741. Green Day: Dookie (2/1/94)
    742. Pavement: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (charted 2/26/94)
    743. Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral (3/8/94)
    744. Soundgarden: Superunknown (3/8/94)
    745. Morrissey: Vauxhall and I (3/22/94)
    746. Pink Floyd: The Division Bell (3/30/94)
    747. The Offspring: Smash (4/11/94)
    748. Hole: Live Through This (4/12/94)
    749. Live: Throwing Copper (4/19/94)
    750. Nas: Illmatic (4/19/94)
    751. Blur: Parklife (4/25/94)
    752. Johnny Cash: American Recordings (4/26/94)
    753. Weezer: Weezer (aka “The Blue Album”) (5/10/94)
    754. Beastie Boys: Ill Communication (5/23/94)
    755. Elton John/ Tim Rice/ Hans Zimmer (composers): The Lion King (soundtrack, 6/4/94)
    756. various artists: Forrest Gump (soundtrack, 6/28/94)
    757. Hootie & the Blowfish: Cracked Rear View (7/5/94)
    758. The Prodigy: Music for the Jilted Generation (charted 7/16/94)
    759. Jeff Buckley: Grace (8/23/94)
    760. Manic Street Preachers: The Holy Bible (8/29/94)
    761. Oasis: Definitely Maybe (8/30/94)
    762. Boyz II Men: II (8/30/94)
    763. Portishead: Dummy (charted 9/3/94)
    764. The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die (9/13/94)
    765. Eric Clapton: From the Cradle (covers, 9/13/94)
    766. various artists: Pulp Fiction (soundtrack, 9/27/94)
    767. Suede (aka “London Suede”): Dog Man Star (10/10/94)
    768. Bon Jovi: Cross Road (compilation: 1984-94, released 10/18/94)
    769. Bob Seger: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1972-94, released 10/25/94)
    770. Eagles: Hell Freezes Over (live/studio, 11/8/94)
    771. Sting: Fields of Gold – The Best of (compilation: 1985-94, released 11/8/94)
    772. TLC: CrazySexyCool (11/15/94)
    773. Pearl Jam: Vitalogy (12/6/94)
    774. Pink Floyd: Echoes: The Best of (compilation: 1967-1994, released 11/6/01)
    775. Nirvana: Nirvana (Greatest Hits) (compilation: 1988-94, released 10/29/02)
    776. Guns N’ Roses: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1987-94, released 3/23/04)

      1995

    777. Leftfield: Leftism (1/30/95)
    778. Shania Twain: The Woman in Me (2/7/95)
    779. Tricky: Maxinquaye (2/20/95)
    780. PJ Harvey: To Bring You My Love (2/28/95)
    781. Jewel: Pieces of You (2/28/95)
    782. Bruce Springsteen: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-95, released 2/28/95)
    783. Radiohead: The Bends (3/13/95)
    784. Björk: Post (5/29/95)
    785. Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill (6/13/95)
    786. Emmylou Harris: Wrecking Ball (9/26/95)
    787. Oasis: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (10/3/95)
    788. Mariah Carey: Daydream (10/3/95)
    789. No Doubt: Tragic Kingdom (10/10/95)
    790. Janet Jackson: Design of a Decade 1986/1996 (compilation: 1986-95, released 10/10/95)
    791. Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (10/24/95)
    792. Pulp: Different Class (10/30/95)
    793. Various Artists (Whitney Houston et al): Waiting to Exhale (soundtrack, 11/14/95)

      1996

    794. Fugees: The Score (2/12/96)
    795. Tupac Shakur (2pac): All Eyez on Me (2/13/96)
    796. Celine Dion: Falling into You (3/11/96)
    797. Manic Street Preachers: Everything Must Go (5/20/96)
    798. Beck: Odelay (6/18/96)
    799. Toni Braxton: Secrets (6/18/96)
    800. Tool: Ænima (10/1/96)
    801. Matchbox 20: Yourself or Someone Like You (10/1/96)
    802. Spice Girls: Spice (11/4/96)
    803. Belle & Sebastian: If You’re Feeling Sinister (11/18/96)
    804. DJ Shadow: Endtroducing… (11/19/96)

      1997

    805. Daft Punk: Homework (1/20/97)
    806. The Notorious B.I.G.: Life after Death (3/25/97)
    807. Chemical Brothers: Dig Your Own Hole (4/7/97)
    808. Spiritualized: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (6/14/97)
    809. Radiohead: OK Computer (6/16/97)
    810. Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club (6/21/97)
    811. The Prodigy: Fat of the Land (7/1/97)
    812. Sarah McLachlan: Surfacing (7/15/97)
    813. Backstreet Boys: Backstreet Boys (U.S. Version, 8/12/97)
    814. Oasis: Be Here Now (8/26/97)
    815. The Verve: Urban Hymns (9/30/97)
    816. Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind (9/30/97)
    817. Shania Twain: Come on Over (11/4/97)
    818. Celine Dion: Let’s Talk about Love (11/15/97)
    819. James Horner (composer): Titanic (soundtrack, 11/18/97)
    820. Garth Brooks: Sevens (11/25/97)

      1998

    821. Air: Moon Safari (1/19/98)
    822. Dixie Chicks: Wide Open Spaces (1/27/98)
    823. Madonna: Ray of Light (3/3/98)
    824. Massive Attack: Mezzanine (4/20/98)
    825. Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (6/30/98)
    826. Kid Rock: Devil Without a Cause (8/18/98)
    827. Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (8/25/98)
    828. Phil Collins: Hits (compilation: 1981-98, released 10/5/98)
    829. Fatboy Slim: You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (10/12/98)
    830. George Michael: Ladies and Gentlemen – The Best of (compilation: 1984-98, released 11/10/98)
    831. Mariah Carey: #1’s (compilation: 1990-98, released 11/17/98)
    832. Garth Brooks: Double Live (live, 11/17/98)
    833. The Offspring: Americana (11/17/98)

      1999

    834. Britney Spears: …Baby One More Time (1/12/99)
    835. Eminem: The Slim Shady LP (2/23/99)
    836. Ricky Martin: Ricky Martin (5/11/99)
    837. Moby: Play (5/17/99)
    838. The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin (5/17/99)
    839. Backstreet Boys: Millenium (5/18/99)
    840. Travis: The Man Who (5/24/99)
    841. Dido: No Angel (6/1/99)
    842. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Californication (6/8/99)
    843. Santana: Supernatural (6/15/99)
    844. Destiny’s Child: The Writing’s on the Wall (7/27/99)
    845. Dixie Chicks: Fly (8/31/99)
    846. The Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs (9/7/99)
    847. Creed: Human Clay (9/28/99)
    848. Celine Dion: All the Way…A Decade of Song (compilation: 1991-99, released 11/13/99)

      2000

    849. D’Angelo: Voodoo (1/11/00)
    850. N Sync: No Strings Attached (3/21/00)
    851. David Gray: White Ladder (5/13/00)
    852. Britney Spears: Oops!...I Did It Again (5/16/00)
    853. Whitney Houston The Greatest Hits (compilation: 1984-2000 released 5/16/00)
    854. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP (5/23/00)
    855. Eric Clapton with B.B. King: Riding with the King (6/13/00)
    856. Coldplay: Parachutes (7/10/00)
    857. Madonna: Music (9/19/00)
    858. Radiohead: Kid A (10/3/00)
    859. Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory (10/24/00)
    860. Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus (composer): Mamma Mia! (stage debut: 10/17/2000, cast: 2001, soundtrack: 2008)
    861. U2: All That You Can’t Leave Behind (10/31/00)
    862. OutKast: Stankonia (10/31/00)
    863. PJ Harvey: Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (10/31/00)
    864. Backstreet Boys: Black & Blue (11/21/00)
    865. Enya: A Day without Rain (11/21/00)
    866. Various Artists: O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack, 12/5/00)
    867. Madonna: GHV2 (compilation: 1991-2000, released 11/13/01)

      2001

    868. Destiny’s Child: Survivor (5/1/01)
    869. Tool: Lateralus (5/15/01)
    870. Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor (6/5/01)
    871. Radiohead: Amnesiac (6/5/01)
    872. Muse: Origin of Symmetry (charted 6/30/71)
    873. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells (7/3/01)
    874. The Strokes: Is This It (7/30/01)
    875. System of a Down: Toxicity (9/4/01)
    876. Bob Dylan: Love and Theft (9/11/01)
    877. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (9/18/01)
    878. Jay-Z: The Blueprint (9/18/01)

      2002

    879. Norah Jones: Come Away with Me (2/26/02)
    880. The Streets: Original Pirate Material (3/25/02)
    881. Eminem: The Eminem Show (5/26/02)
    882. Avril Lavigne: Let Go (6/4/02)
    883. Nelly: Nellyville (6/25/02)
    884. Maroon 5: Songs about Jane (6/25/02)
    885. Red Hot Chili Peppers: By the Way (7/9/02)
    886. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (7/16/02)
    887. Bruce Springsteen: The Rising (7/30/02)
    888. Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head (8/27/02)
    889. Dixie Chicks: Home (8/27/02)
    890. Queens of the Stone Age: Songs for the Deaf (8/27/02)
    891. Elvis Presley: 30 #1 Hits (compilation: 1956-2002, released 9/24/02)
    892. Beck: Sea Change (9/24/02)
    893. The Libertines: Up the Bracket (10/21/02)
    894. David Bowie: Best of Bowie (compilation: 1969-2002, released 10/22/02)
    895. Various Artists (Eminem et al): 8 Mile (10/29/02)
    896. Justin Timberlake: Justified (11/5/02)
    897. Shania Twain: Up! (11/19/02)

      2003

    898. 50 Cent: Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (2/6/03)
    899. Evanescence: Fallen (3/4/03)
    900. Linkin Park: Meteora (3/25/03)
    901. The White Stripes: Elephant (4/1/03)
    902. Radiohead: Hail to the Thief (6/10/03)
    903. Beyoncé: Dangerously in Love (6/17/03)
    904. Dizzee Rascal: Boy in Da Corner (7/21/03)
    905. OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (9/23/03)
    906. R.E.M.: In Time – The Best of 1988-2003 (compilation: 1988-2003, released 10/28/03)
    907. Michael Jackson: Number Ones (compilation: 1978-2003, released 11/17/03)
    908. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1989-2003, released 11/17/03)
    909. Alicia Keys: The Diary of… (12/2/03)
    910. Johnny Cash: The Legend of… (compilation: 1955-2003, released 8/2/05)

      2004

    911. Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand (2/9/04)
    912. Kanye West: The College Dropout (2/10/04)
    913. Norah Jones: Feels Like Home (2/10/04)
    914. Scissor Sisters: Scissor Sisters (3/9/04)
    915. Usher: Confessions (3/23/04)
    916. Modest Mouse: Good News for People Who Love Bad News (4/6/04)
    917. Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose (4/27/04)
    918. Keane: Hopes and Fears (5/10/04)
    919. Streets: A Grand Don’t Come for Free (5/10/04)
    920. The Killers: Hot Fuss (6/7/04)
    921. Ray Charles with various artists: Genius Loves Company (8/31/04)
    922. The Arcade Fire: Funeral (9/14/04)
    923. Green Day: American Idiot (9/21/04)
    924. Brian Wilson: Smile (9/28/04)
    925. James Blunt: Back to Bedlam (10/11/04)
    926. Robbie Williams: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1997-2004, released 10/12/04)
    927. Shania Twain: Greatest Hits (compilation: 1994-2004, released 11/8/04)
    928. Eminem: Encore (11/12/04)
    929. U2: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (11/23/04)
    930. Kelly Clarkson: Breakaway (11/30/04)

      2005

    931. Antony & The Johnsons: I Am a Bird Now (2/1/05)
    932. Bloc Party: Silent Alarm (2/2/05)
    933. Jack Johnson: In Between Dreams (3/1/05)
    934. 50 Cent: The Massacre (3/3/05)
    935. Mariah Carey: The Emancipation of Mimi (4/12/05)
    936. Gorillaz: Demon Days (5/24/05)
    937. Coldplay: X&Y (6/6/05)
    938. Black Eyed Peas: Monkey Business (6/7/05)
    939. Sufjan Stevens: Illinois (7/4/05)
    940. Kanye West: Late Registration (8/30/05)
    941. Nickelback: All the Right Reasons (10/4/05)
    942. Carrie Underwood: Some Hearts (11/15/05)
    943. Eminem: Curtain Call: The Hits (compilation: 1999-2005, charted 12/4/05)

      2006

    944. Various Artists: High School Musical (TV soundtrack, 1/10/06)
    945. Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (1/23/06)
    946. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium (5/9/06)
    947. Dixie Chicks: Taking the Long Way (5/23/06)
    948. Muse: Black Holes & Revelations (7/11/06)
    949. Bob Dylan: Modern Times (8/29/06)
    950. Justin Timberlake: FutureSex/LoveSounds (9/12/06)
    951. Amy Winehouse: Back to Black (10/6/06)

      2007

    952. The Arcade Fire: Neon Bible (3/6/07)
    953. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver (3/20/07)
    954. Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare (4/23/07)
    955. Rihanna: Good Girl Gone Bad (6/5/07)
    956. High School Musical 2 (TV soundtrack, 8/14/07)
    957. Kanye West: Graduation (9/11/07)
    958. Bruce Springsteen: Magic (10/2/07)
    959. Radiohead: In Rainbows (10/10/07)
    960. Robert Plant & Allison Krauss: Raising Sand (10/23/07)

      2008

    961. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago (2/19/08)
    962. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes (6/3/08)
    963. Coldplay: Viva La Vida (6/11/08)
    964. Lady Gaga: The Fame (8/19/08)
    965. Kings of Leon: Only by the Night (9/19/08)
    966. Taylor Swift: Fearless (11/11/08)
    967. Beyoncé: I Am…Sasha Fierce (11/11/08)

      2009

    968. Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (1/20/09)
    969. U2: No Line on the Horizon (3/2/09)
    970. Black Eyed Peas: The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (6/3/09)
    971. Mumford & Sons: Sigh No More (10/5/09)

      2010

    972. Eminem: Recovery (6/21/10)
    973. The Arcade Fire: The Suburbs (8/3/10)
    974. Katy Perry: Teenage Dream (8/24/10)
    975. Bruno Mars: Doo-Wops & Hooligans (10/4/10)
    976. Taylor Swift: Speak Now (10/25/10)
    977. Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (11/22/10)

      2011

    978. Adele: 21 (1/19/11)
    979. PJ Harvey: Let England Shake (2/15/11)
    980. Lady Gaga: Born This Way (5/23/11)

      2012

    981. Frank Ocean: Channel Orange (7/10/12)
    982. Imagine Dragons: Night Visions (9/4/12)
    983. Mumford & Sons: Babel (9/21/12)
    984. Taylor Swift: Red (10/22/12)

      2013

    985. Daft Punk: Random Access Memories (5/17/13)
    986. Various Artists: Frozen (soundtrack, 11/25/13)

      2014

    987. Beck: Morning Phase (2/21/14)
    988. Sam Smith: In the Lonely Hour (5/26/14)
    989. Ed Sheeran: X (Multiply) (6/20/14)
    990. U2: Songs of Innocence (9/9/2014)
    991. Taylor Swift: 1989 (10/27/14)

      2015

    992. Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly (3/15/15)
    993. Adele: 25 (11/20/15)

      2016

    994. David Bowie: Blackstar (1/15/16)
    995. Beyoncé: Lemonade (4/23/16)
    996. Drake: Views (4/29/16)

      2017

    997. Ed Sheeran: ÷ (Divide) (3/3/17)
    998. Kendrick Lamar: Damn. (4/14/17)
    999. Various Artists: The Greatest Showman (soundtrack, 12/8/2017)

      2018

    1000. Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour (3/20/18)


    How This List Was Created:

    When I set out to create this list as the 20th century was drawing to a close, my aim was to compile a “best of the best” list; that is, combine all the other “best-of” lists out there into one. The goal in averaging multiple lists together was to weed out the idiocyncrisies of individual lists and create a more objective, definitive best-of list. Here are links to the lists, chart information, and sales data that went into the creation of the DMDB 1000:

    Back to Top



    Representing Multiple Genres:

    One of the huge bonuses in compiling lots of lists is the better representation of multiple genres of music. Most lists are very skewered toward post-‘50s rock and roll. By pooling lists from multiple sources, the DMDB 1000 represents classical, show tunes, jazz, folk, country, R&B, rock and roll, adult contemporary, pop, rap, and more.

    Back to Top



    Multiple Versions of the Same Album or Work:

    Representing multiple genres poses a challenge, however. There are cases where there are multiple versions of the same work. When that occurred, all versions are compiled into one entry. This possibility most likely occurred in one of three situations:

    1. classical works that are recorded multiple times (example: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations is listed as being composed by Bach in 1741 and no specific recordings of that work are noted).

    2. cast album recordings that later surfaced as soundtracks as well (example: 1959’s The Sound of Music cast album and 1965’s soundtrack version are listed as one entry under 1959 and credited to writers Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II).
    3. British rock albums in the mid-‘60s that were slightly altered when they hit American shores (example: The Beatles U.K. album With the Beatles was released in the U.S., with some alterations, as Meet the Beatles!. The first release is generally what is listed).
    Back to Top



    What Constitutes an Album:

    In addition to the aforementioned re-definings of what makes an album an album, the DMDB also wanted to be as inclusive as possible in different formats of albums. Some best-of lists, for example, disregard compilations or live recordings and focus only on studio efforts. As such, the DMDB 1000 list contains standard studio albums alongside “specialty albums,” such as compilations, box sets, live recordings, soundtracks, cast albums, various artist collections, classical works, operas, and Christmas recordings.

    Back to Top



    Why Chronological and Not Ranked:

    The more inclusive approaches described above diminished the merits of presenting this as a ranked list. Any list generates enough heat about what makes the cut and what doesn’t without a debate over why an album is ranked at #999 instead #998. However, a debate over whether Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is a more important work than Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is most likely to keep people firmly entrenched in their genre camps. By not focusing on where an album is on the list, the focus becomes, more appropriately, why it makes the list. Since all the albums link to individual DMDB pages, you can check out those justifications for yourself and see if you think the album is list worthy.

    Another benefit of presenting this list chronologically is how it shows the emergence of new public tastes and the development of the album over the years. Combined with the no-genres-excluded approach, this makes for a fascinating observation of how entire musical genres dominated at different times. In a nutshell, one can see the following trends:

    • the dominance of classical works, which would later fit into an album-length format, from the pre-20th century era through the first quarter of the 20th century (Beethoven, Bach)
    • the rise of cast recordings of hugely successful Broadway productions in roughly the second quarter of the 20th century (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
    • the beginnings of “albums” recorded by single artists with the predominace of jazz recordings in the ‘40s and ‘50s (Miles Davis, John Coltrane)
    • the birth of rock & roll in the mid-‘50s (led by Elvis Presley) through to the early-‘60s British Invasion (led by The Beatles)
    • the explosion of the album as a true force in the ‘60s (The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones)
    • the development of the album rock format in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd)
    • the rise of the superstar mega-selling albums of the late-‘70s and early-‘80s (Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, Prince, Bruce Springsteen)
    • the emergence of critically acclaimed indie and experimental albums in the ‘80s (U2, REM, Talking Heads)
    • the move toward albums that seemed to launch their own genres in the ‘90s (Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day)
    • the attempt to keep the album format alive in the 21st century with music that harkens back to earlier decades (The Strokes, The White Stripes)
    Listing albums chronologically is not as easy as it sounds. Even for conventional studio recordings, release dates aren’t always available so sometimes an album’s first chart appearance was used. Classical works are listed by the date they were composed and/or first performed. Dates for cast recordings and soundtracks may include the date a show opened on stage, the date a cast recording was made, and/or the first chart appearance.

    Compilations and live albums are listed by the date of recording instead of release. For example, The Beatles’ 1 is a greatest hits collection released in 2001, but it covers 1962-1970 so its date notation is (compilation: 1962-70, released 11/14/2000), meaning the album is listed under ‘1970.’

    Back to Top



    Honorable Mention:

    These are albums formerly in the DMDB 1000 which have since been bumped, but are still acknowledged with an honorable mention.

    Posted by at
    Reactions: 
    4 comments: Links to this post
    Labels: , , ,
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)