Paste magazine launched in July 2002 as a print publication after first starting as a website in 1998. In 2010, they went back to being online only. They started with a focus on music, specifically adult alternative, indie rock, and Americana. They have since expanded to include focus on movies, TV, books, and more.
As explained on the Paste website: “For this list, we called on our entire writing cohort—including editors, staff writers, interns and freelancers far and wide—to send in their individual Top 20 lists. We then took those lists, along with editorial oversight, and compiled what we believe is a selection of music that represents what Paste believes is the best to have ever been recorded.”
Check out other publications and organizations’ best-of album lists here.
1. Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
2. The Cure Disintegration (1989)
3. Kate Bush Hounds of Love (1985)
4. Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987)
5. The Beatles Abbey Road (1969)
6. OutKast Stankonia (2000)
7. Fishmans Long Season (1996)
8. Nina Simone Wild Is the Wind (1966)
9. Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges Clube da Esquina (1972)
10. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966)
11. Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
12. Miles Davis Bitches Brew (1970)
13. Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (1971)
14. Joni Mitchell Blue (1971)
15. Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (1975)
16. Janet Jackson The Velvet Rope (1997)
17. Funkadelic Maggot Brain (1971)
18. Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977)
19. Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (soundtrack, 1984)
20. Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2001)
21. Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
22. Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
23. The Clash London Calling (1979)
24. Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club (aka “One Night Stand”) (1963)
25. Talking Heads Remain in Light (1980)
26. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
27. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland (1968)
28. Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
29. Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (2012)
30. Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks (1975)
31. Björk Post (1995)
32. Billie Holiday Lady in Satin (1958)
33. Carole King Tapestry (1971)
34. David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
35. John Coltrane A Love Supreme (1965)
36. Amy Winehouse Back to Black (2006)
37. The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street (1972)
38. Sufjan Stevens Illinois (2005)
39. Neil Young On the Beach (1974)
40. Patti Smith Horses (1975)
41. The Replacements Tim (1985)
42. PJ Harvey To Bring You My Love (1995)
43. Cocteau Twins Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)
44. De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
45. The Beatles Revolver (1966)
46. The Roots Things Fall Apart (1999)
47. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1959)
48. Julee Cruise Floating into the Night (1989)
49. Frank Ocean Blond (2016)
50. Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (live, 1968)
51. Novos Baianos Acabou Chorare (1972)
52. Joni Mitchell Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975)
53. R.E.M. Automatic for the People (1992)
54. Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) (1993)
55. Beyoncé Lemonade (2016)
56. Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973)
57. Pharoah Sanders Karma (1969)
58. Van Morrison Astral Weeks (1968)
59. The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die (1994)
60. Hole Live Through This (1994)
61. Lucinda Williams Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)
62. The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968)
63. Hüsker Dü New Day Rising (1985)
64. Ray Charles Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)
65. Nirvana Nevermind (1991)
66. Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979)
67. A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory (1991)
68. Aretha Franklin Lady Soul (1968)
69. Nas Illmatic (1994)
70. My Bloody Valentine Loveless (1991)
71. Madonna Like a Prayer (1989)
72. Kendrick Lamar Good Kid m.A.A.d. City (2012)
73. The Miracles Going to a Go-Go (1965)
74. Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde (1966)
75. Little Richard Here’s Little Richard (1957)
76. The Replacements Let It Be (1984)
77. Erykah Badu Baduizm (1997)
78. Charles Mingus The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963)
79. Black Sabbath Paranoid (1970)
80. Alice Coltrane Journey in Satchidananda (1971)
81. D’Angelo Voodoo (2000)
82. Radiohead In Rainbows (2007)
83. Pixies Surfer Rosa (1988)
84. Sophie Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides (2018)
85. Nina Simone I Put a Spell on You (1965)
86. Kanye West The Life of Pablo (2016)
87. Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique (1989)
88. Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream (1993)
89. Television Marquee Moon (1977)
90. The Stooges Raw Power (1973)
91. Otis Redding Otis Blue (1965)
92. Deerhunter Halcyon Digest (2010)
93. War The World Is a Ghetto (1972)
94. Sade Love Deluxe (1992)
95. Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2 (1994)
96. Fleetwood Mac Tusk (1979)
97. Death Symbolic (1995)
98. Donna Summer Bad Girls (1979)
99. The Grateful Dead American Beauty (1970)
100. B.B. King Live at the Regal (live, recorded 1964, released 1965)
101. Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
102. Prince 1999 (1982)
103. Sunn O))) Black One (2005)
104. Bruce Springsteen The River (1980)
105. Paul & Linda McCartney Ram (1971)
106. N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton (1989)
107. Dilla, J. Donuts (2006)
108. This Heat Deceit (1981)
109. Sleater-Kinney Dig Me Out (1997)
110. The Smiths The Queen Is Dead (1986)
111. Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennae to Heaven (2000)
112. Mariah Carey Music Box (1993)
113. Madvillain Madvillainy (2004)
114. System of a Down Toxicity (2001)
115. Lou Reed Transformer (1972)
116. Dr. Dre The Chronic (1992)
117. Willie Nelson Red Headed Stranger (1975)
118. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? (1967)
119. Sonic Youth Daydream Nation (1988)
120. Fugees The Score (1996)
121. Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
122. The Breeders Last Splash (1993)
123. Ramones Ramones (1976)
124. R.E.M. Murmur (1983)
125. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
126. Daft Punk Discovery (2001)
127. David Bowie Low (1977)
128. The Beatles Rubber Soul (1965)
129. Minutemen Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
130. Herbie Hancock Head Hunters (1973)
131. George Michael Faith (1987)
132. PJ Harvey Rid of Me (1993)
133. Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti (1975)
134. Ellott Smith Either/Or (1997)
135. Tatsuro Yamashita For You (1982)
136. Metallica Master of Puppets (1986)
137. James Brown Live at the Apollo Volume 1 (live, 1962)
138. Sparks No. 1 in Heaven (1979)
139. Gang of Four Entertainment! (1979)
140. Spiritualized Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (1997)
141. Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch! (1964)
142. Boris Pink (2005)
143. Björk Homogenic (1997)
144. Paul Simon Graceland (1986)
145. Belle & Sebastian If You’re Feeling Sinister (1996)
146. Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt (1996)
147. Madonna Erotica (1992)
148. Boards of Canada Music Has the Right to Children (1998)
149. Frank Ocean Channel Orange (2012)
150. Radiohead OK Computer (1997)
151. Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell! ( (2019)
152. Slowdive Souvlaki (1993)
153. Fishmans Kuuchuu Camp (1996)
154. Jason Isbell Southeastern (2013)
155. The Dismemberment Plan Emergency & I (1999)
156. Dusty Springfield Dusty in Memphis (1969)
157. Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971)
158. Waylon Jennings Dreaming My Dreams (1975)
159. Van Halen Van Halen (1978)
160. Gillian Welch Time (The Revelator) (2001)
161. Oasis Definitely Maybe (1994)
162. Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
163. The Pixies Doolittle (1989)
164. Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)
165. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
166. Death Cab for Cutie Transatlanticism (2003)
167. X-Ray Spex Germ-Free Adolescents (1978)
168. Marvin Gaye I Want You (1976)
169. Talking Heads Fear of Music (1979)
170. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987)
171. Taylor Swift Red (2012)
172. Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
173. Public Image Ltd. Metal Box (aka “Second Edition”) (1979)
174. Genius/GZA Liquid Swords (1995)
175. Swans Soundtracks for the Blind (1996)
176. Nick Drake Pink Moon (1972)
177. Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour (2018)
178. Yo La Tengo And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out (2000)
179. Angelo Badalamenti Twin Peaks (ST) (1990)
180. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott Supa Dupa Fly (1997)
181. John Prine John Prine (1971)
182. The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (1971)
183. The Ronettes Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica (1964)
184. The Strokes Is This It (2001)
185. Beyoncé Beyoncé (2013)
186. Sufjan Stevens Carrie & Lowell (2015)
187. Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
188. Kate Bush The Dreaming (1982)
189. The Microphones The Glow Pt. 2 (2001)
190. Pavement Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
191. TLC Crazy Sexy Cool (1994)
192. Dinosaur Jr. You’re Living All Over Me (1987)
193. Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters (2020)
194. The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground (1969)
195. Vince Staples Big Fish Theory (2017)
196. Rush Moving Pictures (1981)
197. Slayer Reign in Blood (1986)
198. Various Artists Buena Vista Social Club (1997)
199. The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream (2014)
200. Massive Attack Blue Lines (1991)
201. Danger Mouse The Grey Album (2001)
202. Built to Spill Perfect from Now On (1997)
203. Leonard Cohen The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)
204. Janelle Monáe Dirty Computer (2018)
205. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica (1969)
206. American Football American Football (1999)
207. Tom Waits Rain Dogs (1985)
208. Joni Mitchell Court and Spark (1974)
209. The Stooges Fun House (1970)
210. The Blue Nile Hats (1989)
211. Fugazi Repeater (1990)
212. Grace Jones Nightclubbing (1981)
213. Lil Wayne Tha Carter III (2008)
214. Joanna Newsom Ys (2006)
215. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
216. Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs (1999)
217. Liz Phair Exile in Guyville (1993)
218. The Band Music from Big Pink (1968)
219. Jeff Buckley Grace (1994)
220. Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
221. The Supremes Where Did Our Love Go? (1964)
222. The Cure Pornography (1982)
223. Bruce Springsteen Nebraska (1982)
224. U2 The Joshua Tree (1987)
225. Curtis Mayfield Superfly (soundtrack, 1972)
226. Solange A Seat at the Table (2016)
227. The Germs GI (1979)
228. The Avalanches Since I Left You (2000)
229. Beck Odelay (1996)
230. Carly Rae Jepsen Emotion (2015)
231. Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959)
232. Portishead Dummy (1994)
233. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Déjà Vu (1970)
234. D’Angelo & the Vanguard Black Messiah (2014)
235. Aretha Franklin Amazing Grace (1972)
236. Joy Division Unknown Pleasures (1979)
237. Danny Brown Atrocity Exhibition (2016)
238. Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
239. The Mountain Goats The Sunset Tree (2005)
240. Lady Gaga The Fame Monster (2009)
241. Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
242. The Promise Ring Nothing Feels Good (1997)
243. Alice Coltrane Turiya Sings (1982)
244. Four Tet There Is Love in You (2010)
245. Eric B. & Rakim Paid in Full (1987)
246. LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver (2007)
247. The Shangri-La's Leader of the Pack (1965)
248. Steely Dan Aja (1977)
249. Joni Mitchell Hejira (1976)
250. Burial Untrue (2007)
251. Popol Vuh Hosianna Mantra (1972)
252. Lorde Melodrama (2017)
253. George Jones I Am What I Am (1972)
254. Nico The Marble Index (1969)
255. Cyndi Lauper She’s So Unusual (1983)
256. Marty Robbins Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1959)
257. OutKast Aquemini (1998)
258. Janet Jackson Control (1986)
259. The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)
260. PJ Harvey Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000)
261. The Meters Rejuvenation (1974)
262. Silver Jews American Water (1998)
263. Alvvays Blue Rev (2022)
264. Stars of the Lid The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid (2001)
265. Thin Lizzy Jailbreak (1976)
266. Mahmoud Ahmed Éthiopiques Vol 7: Erè Mèla Mèla (1975)
267. Dolly Parton Coat of Many Colors (1971)
268. Tom Petty Wildflowers (1994)
269. Fiona Apple When the Pawn… (1999)
270. Mississippi John Hurt Today! (1966)
271. Wire Chairs Missing (1978)
272. Blondie Parallel Lines (1978)
273. Neil Young After the Gold Rush (1970)
274. Songs: Ohia Magnolia Electric Co. (2003)
275. Kraftwerk Die Mensch Maschine (The Man Machine) (1978)
276. Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City (2013)
277. Pulp Different Class (1995)
278. Hiroshi Yoshimura Music for Nine Post Cards (1982)
279. Robyn Body Talk (2010)
280. Townes Van Zandt The Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972)
281. Shin Joong Hyun & Yup Juns Shin Joong Hyun & Yup Juns (1974)
282. Brian Eno Another Green World (1975)
283. Bob Marley & the Wailers Burnin’ (1973)
284. Talk Talk Laughing Stock (1991)
285. Lil' Kim Hard Core (1996)
286. The KLF Chill Out (1990)
287. Bonnie “Prince” Billy I See a Darkness (1999)
288. The Who Tommy (1969)
289. Britney Spears …Baby One More Time (1999)
290. The Fall Wonderful and Frightening World of... (1984)
291. Camarón La Leyenda del Tiempo (1979)
292. David Bowie Scary Monsters (1980)
293. Ice Cube AmeriKKKas Most Wanted (1990)
294. Deulgukhwa March (1985)
295. Bad Brains Bad Brains (1982)
296. The Raincoats The Raincoats (1979)
297. Terry Riley A Rainbow in Curved Air (1968)
298. Queen Jazz (1978)
299. Rihanna Anti (2016)
300. Modest Mouse The Lonesome Crowded West (1997)
Resources and Related Links:
First posted 6/3/2024; last updated 6/6/2024. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment