In picking what they consider the essential pop albums, Slant magazine chose to exclude hip-hop and rock in favor of what they called “pure, post-rock-n’-roll-era pop genres” including “pop/rock, pop-soul, synth-pop, dance-pop, electronic-pop, folk-pop, dream-pop, vocal-pop, Euro-pop, jangle-pop, alt-pop—basically anything with the word “pop” attached to it.”
They also opted to exclude live albums and compilations, although they made an exception for Donna Summer’s On the Radio, explaining that disco was a singles-driven genre.
There are some very deserving, if not painfully obvious, picks here (Rumours, Thriller) but some are head scratchers. I’m not sure how some of their more obscure choices really qualify as “pop.” I mean, who the hell is Vanessa Daou? Shouldn’t part of the definition of “pop” be that an album achieved a measured amount of commercial success?
I also question the decision to choose less successful albums over more obvious juggernauts. Prince’s 1999 over Purple Rain? George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice instead of Faith? U2’s Pop over The Joshua Tree? Alanis Morissette’s Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie instead of Jagged Little Pill? No Doubt’s Rock Steady favored over Tragic Kingdom? Oh well. This is their list. Here it is – as presented by them in chronological order.
Check out other publications and organizations’ best-of album lists here.
- The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966)
- The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968)
- Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (1971)
- David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
- Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973)
- Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
- Joni Mitchell Court and Spark (1974)
- Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977)
- Billy Joel The Stranger (1977)
- Blondie Parallel Lines (1978)
- The B-52s The B-52s (1979)
- Donna Summer On the Radio: Greatest Hits – Volumes I & II (compilation, 1979)
- Talking Heads Remain in Light (1980)
- Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
- Prince 1999 (1982)
- R.E.M. Murmur (1983)
- Culture Club Colour by Numbers (1983)
- Cyndi Lauper She’s So Unusual (1983)
- Chaka Khan I Feel for You (1984)
- Bangles Different Light (1986)
- Janet Jackson Control (1986)
- The Cure Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987)
- Madonna Like a Prayer (1989)
- Depeche Mode Violator (1990)
- Sinéad O'Connor I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990)
- Deee-Lite World Clique (1990)
- George Michael Listen without Prejudice (1990)
- Paula Abdul Spellbound (1991)
- Matthew Sweet Girlfriend (1991)
- Tori Amos Little Earthquakes (1992)
- Sophie B. Hawkins Tongues and Tails (1992)
- Annie Lennox Diva (1992)
- 10,000 Maniacs Our Time in Eden (1992)
- The Cranberries Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993)
- Sarah McLachlan Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1993)
- Milla Jovovich The Divine Comedy (1994)
- Erasure I Say, I Say, I Say (1994)
- Jeff Buckley Grace (1994)
- Belly King (1995)
- Björk Post (1995)
- Vanessa Daou Zipless (1995)
- Beck Odelay (1996)
- Sheryl Crow Sheryl Crow (1996)
- U2 Pop (1997)
- Mariah Carey Butterfly (1997)
- Kylie Minogue Impossible Princess (1997)
- Heather Nova Siren (1998)
- Alanis Morissette Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998)
- Nelly Furtado Whoa, Nelly! (2000)
- No Doubt Rock Steady (2001)
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First posted 11/21/2024. |
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