VH1’s 100 Greatest Albums

First posted 1/19/2002; updated 10/16/2020.

VH1: 100 Greatest Albums

This list originally aired on cable network television’s VH1. For more details, check out the book VH1: 100 Greatest Albums book, edited by Jacob Hoye and published in 2003. Hoye offers commentaries on all the albums as well as the accurate list. In the introduction, this explanation of the project is offered: “VH1 sent ballots out to over 700 musicians, from Art Garfunkel to Britney Spears; songwriters, disc jockeys, radio programmers, and critics…The votes were calculated and the albums were ranked, producing the following list,” which DMDB is presenting below, including links to DMDB album pages. Also, check out annual picks for album of the year. 1. The Beatles Revolver (1966) 2. Nirvana Nevermind (1991) 3. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966) 4. Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (1971) 5. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? (1967) 6. The Beatles Rubber Soul (1965) 7. Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (1976) 8. The Beatles Abbey Road (1969) 9. Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde (1966) 10. The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) 11. The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968) 12. The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street (1972) 13. The Who Who’s Next (1971) 14. Joni Mitchell Blue (1971) 15. U2 The Joshua Tree (1987) 16. Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977) 17. Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977) 18. Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (soundtrack, 1984) 19. Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) 20. Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) 21. Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions (archives: 1954-55, released 1976) 22. Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 23. Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) 24. The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed (1969) 25. The Clash London Calling (1979) 26. Bob Marley & the Wailers Exodus (1977) 27. Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (1975) 28. Patti Smith Horses (1975) 29. Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks (1975) 30. Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967) 31. Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973) 32. Van Morrison Moondance (1970) 33. Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) 34. James Brown Sex Machine (live, 1970) 35. Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987) 36. Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979) 37. Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) 38. Eagles Hotel California (1976) 39. Carole King Tapestry (1971) 40. Van Morrison Astral Weeks (1968) 41. Aretha Franklin Lady Soul (1968) 42. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987) 43. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I (1969) 44. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1969) 45. Sly & the Family Stone Stand! (1969) 46. The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (1971) 47. David Bowie Hunky Dory (1971) 48. David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) 49. Prince 1999 (1982) 50. The Police Synchronicity (1983) 51. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973) 52. Pretenders Pretenders (1980) 53. Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home (1965) 54. Ramones Ramones (1976) 55. Parliament Mothership Connection (1975) 56. Kraftwerk Trans-Europa Express (Trans Europe Express) (1977) 57. Various artists (Bee Gees et al) Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 1977) 58. Dusty Springfield Dusty in Memphis (1969) 59. The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East (live, 1971) 60. The Doors The Doors (1967) 61. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Déjà Vu (1970) 62. N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton (1989) 63. Curtis Mayfield Superfly (soundtrack, 1972) 64. Miles Davis Bitches Brew (1970) 65. U2 Achtung Baby (1991) 66. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1959) 67. The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (1968) 68. Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) 69. The Stooges Raw Power (1973) 70. Al Green Call Me (1973) 71. Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti (1975) 72. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland (1968) 73. Jeff Buckley Grace (1994) 74. Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique (1989) 75. The Replacements Let It Be (1984) 76. Aretha Franklin Young, Gifted & Black (1972) 77. James Taylor Sweet Baby James (1970) 78. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis: Bold As Love (1967) 79. Pearl Jam Ten (1991) 80. Elvis Costello My Aim Is True (1977) 81. Otis Redding Otis Blue (1965) 82. AC/DC Back in Black (1980) 83. Television Marquee Moon (1977) 84. Paul Simon Graceland (1986) 85. Santana Abraxas (1970) 86. The Who Quadrophenia (1973) 87. Cream Disraeli Gears (1967) 88. Talking Heads Remain in Light (1980) 89. Derek and the Dominos Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) 90. The Who Tommy (1969) 91. Peter Gabriel So (1986) 92. R.E.M. Murmur (1983) 93. Simon & Garfunkel Bookends (1968) 94. Radiohead OK Computer (1997) 95. Tina Turner Private Dancer (1984) 96. Liz Phair Exile in Guyville (1993) 97. Ray Charles Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962) 98. The Jackson 5 ABC (1970) 99. The B-52s The B-52s (1979) 100. Madonna Like a Prayer (1989) Resources and Related Links: VH1 100 Greatest Albums

Ashanti hit the charts with “Foolish”

Foolish Ashanti

Writer(s): 7 Aurelius, Ashanti, M. DeBarge, E. Jordan, Irv Gotti (see lyrics here) Released: January 29, 2002 First Charted: January 19, 2002 Peak: 110 BB, 110 BA, 2 RR, 110 RB, 4 UK, 6 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.65 UK, 7.2 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.4 radio, 223.3 video, 331.28 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “Foolish” was Ashanti Douglas’ debut single as a lead artist. However, it was not the first chart appearance for this R&B singer/songwriter from Long Island, New York. When “Foolish” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of February 16, 2002, it was one of three songs credited or co-credited to Ashanti. That same week, she debuted as a featured artist on Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?” and was one week away from topping the chart as a featured artist on Ja Rule’s 2001 “Always on Time.” For the week ending March 30, 2002, all three were in the top ten, making her the first artist with three simultaneous top-ten hits since the Beatles. She also had a co-writing credit on that week’s #1 song, “Ain’t It Funny,” by Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule. SF She proved herself quite capable as an artist on her own with “Foolish.” Its 10 weeks atop the pop and R&B charts made it one of the biggest hits of the decade. With 7.2 million in sales, it also ranks as the third best-selling physical single of the 21st century. WK The song featured a sample from DeBarge’s 1983 song “Stay with Me” and elements of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “One More Chance.” The basic message of the song is about trying to get over an ex, but struggling when her “heart and her mind force her to love him and hate him at the same time.” WK The video, set in the fashion of Martin Scorsese’s mob film, GoodFellas, nabbed MTV Video Music Award nominations for Best Female Video, Best R&B Video, and Best New Artist. WK Producer Irv Gotti, who also got a co-writing credit on the song, directed the video. WK Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Ashanti DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Ja Rule AMG All Music Guide SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 1/19/2013; last updated 2/20/2024.