College Rock: Top 30 Acts

College Rock: Top 30 Acts

College rock emerged in the 1980s as sort of the birth of alternative rock before that term was widely used. It got its name because of the prevalence of radio stations at college universities that would play left-of-mainstream material. Some of the genres most prominent artists (R.E.M., U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers) went on to become some of the biggest mainstream acts of the 1980s and ‘90s while others maintained more of a niche audience (The Replacements, Pixies, Hüsker Dü, Sonic Youth) but have become critically acclaimed bands because of their place in rock and roll history. 11 lists focused on college rock acts were aggegrated to create this list. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. R.E.M. 1. R.E.M. 2. The Smiths 3. The Cure 4. The Replacements 5. U2 6. Pixies 7. Hüsker Dü 8. Red Hot Chili Peppers 9. XTC 10. The Smithereens 11. Sonic Youth 12. 10,000 Maniacs 13. Love & Rockets 14. Camper Van Beethoven 15. Talking Heads 16. The B-52’s 17. Echo & the Bunnymen 18. Midnight Oil 19. Dinosaur Jr. 20. Elvis Costello 21. The Police 22. Tears for Fears 23. INXS 24. Joy Division 25. Pretenders 26. Violent Femmes 27. Siouxsie & the Banshees 28. Psychedelic Furs 29. The Jesus & Mary Chain 30. Big Star Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre Dave’s Music Database: Top 250 New Wave/College Rock Songs First posted 6/29/2026.

Alternative Rock: Top 100 Acts

Alternative Rock: Top 100 Acts

Alternative rock is one of the most difficult genres to define. It emerged most prominently in the 1990s in the wake of the grunge movement and the subsequent embracing of more rock-oriented acts. The alternative rock genre can be traced to the beginnings of experimental rock in the 1960s with the Velvet Underground and the 1970s with David Bowie. By the end of the decade, punk (Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash) created an audience for more left-of-center music. While it was more guitar-driven, the synthesizer-driven new wave (Elvis Costello, The Police, The Cars, Duran Duran) movement also gained attention. By the early ‘80s, college radio (R.E.M., U2, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Simple Minds) launched multiple acts into the mainstream while also embracing an array of British artists who gained little attention otherwise in the U.S. (The Smiths, New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Jesus & Mary Chain). In the ‘90s, the explosion of grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains) gave voice to more guitar-oriented rock that was, at the very least, grunge-adjacent (Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, the Offspring) and fairly mainstream rock (Dave Matthews Band, Weezer, Foo Fighters). The UK responded with Britpop (Oasis, Blur, Manic Street Preachers) and more experimental rock (Radiohead). The 21st century saw emo rock (Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance), garage rock revival (The White Stripes, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys), and more folk-rock/Americana-driven acts (Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers) become successful. In addition, a wave of left-of-mainstream acts (Death Cab for Cutie, Vampire Weekend, Cage the Elephant) arose as well. This list was created by aggregating nearly 50 lists focused on alternative rock. Those acts featured on 4 or more lists were then re-ordered by overall status in Dave’s Music Database. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. 1. David Bowie 2. U2 3. R.E.M. 4. Nirvana 5. Pearl Jam 6. Elvis Costello 7. Radiohead 8. The Clash 9. The Police 10. Lou Reed 11. Red Hot Chili Peppers 12. Velvet Underground 13. The Smiths 14. The Cure 15. Green Day 16. Oasis 17. Talking Heads 18. Coldplay 19. Tears for Fears 20. Blondie 21. Ramones 22. Depeche Mode 23. Foo Fighters 24. INXS 25. Sex Pistols 26. Alanis Morissette 27. Beastie Boys 28. Smashing Pumpkins 29. Simple Minds 30. Beck 31. The White Stripes 32. New Order 33. Duran Duran 34. Pixies 35. Alice in Chains 36. Joy Division 37. Morrissey 38. Patti Smith 39. Blur 40. The Cars 41. Pretenders 42. Dave Matthews Band 43. Stone Temple Pilots 44. Soundgarden 45. The Replacements 46. Manic Street Preachers 47. Nine Inch Nails 48. Kate Bush 49. Arctic Monkeys 50. Roxy Music 51. Sonic Youth 52. The B-52’s 53. Imagine Dragons 54. Sinéad O’Connor 55. Tool 56. The Stooges 57. Arcade Fire 58. Nick Cave 59. PJ Harvey 60. The Stone Roses 61. XTC 62. Muse 63. Weezer 64. Live 65. Siouxsie & the Banshees 66. Violent Femmes 67. Nickelback 68. The Strokes 69. Hüsker Dü 70. Kings of Leon 71. Linkin Park 72. Mumford & Sons 73. Rage Against the Machine 74. Björk 75. Echo & the Bunnymen 76. Wilco 77. Bush 78. The Black Keys 79. Blink-182 80. The Jam 81. Devo 82. Television 83. The Offspring 84. Faith No More 85. The Killers 86. The Lumineers 87. Goo Goo Dolls 88. Counting Crows 89. Gorillaz 90. Jane’s Addiction 91. Korn 92. Franz Ferdinand 93. Fall Out Boy 94. Twenty One Pilots 95. The Cranberries 96. Queens of the Stone Age 97. Hole 98. Psychedelic Furs 99. Vampire Weekend 100. Garbage Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre Dave’s Music Database: The Top 100 Alternative Rock Albums Dave’s Music Database: The Top 100 Alternative Rock Songs First posted 9/8/2017; last updated 6/23/2026.

 

Pop Vortex: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

Pop Vortex: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

PopVortex.com first created a best-of list in 2011, saying, “There have been plenty list available that rank the top 100 greatest albums of all time. What makes this list different is that it compiles and aggregates data from other best of lists, including both critics lists such as Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums books and fan polls such as Q magazine’s 100 Greatest Albums Ever poll. The goal of this list to find not only the greatest albums of all time but also the most influential and culturally significant albums as well, so in addition to just the opinions of critics and fans to compile the list other metrics where used as well such as Billboard chart statistics, RIAA sales figures and several others to help determine the final rankings of the best albums.” “In all 236 different albums were eligible for the list of greatest albums…and they span from the earliest days of rock in the 1950s through today, covering many different genres and styles of music. In the end these are the must have albums that every serious music fan should have in their vinyl, CD or mp3 collection.” The list was updated in 2025. Albums new to the 2025 list are marked with an asterisk (*). Albums bumped from the list are indicated after the top 100 list. Check out other publications and organizations’ best-of album lists here. The Top 100 Albums: The 2025 Version 1. The Beatles Abbey Road (1969) 2. Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) 3. The Beatles Revolver (1966) 4. Nirvana Nevermind (1991) 5. Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977) 6. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966) 7. Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (1971) 8. The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968) 9. Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 10. The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) 11. Joni Mitchell Blue (1971) 12. The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street (1972) 13. The Clash London Calling (1979) 14. Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (1975) 15. Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (1976) 16. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973) 17. Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks (1975) 18. Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (soundtrack, 1984) 19. Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) 20. The Beatles Rubber Soul (1965) 21. U2 The Joshua Tree (1987) 22. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? (1967) 23. David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) 24. Carole King Tapestry (1971) 25. Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde (1966) 26. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1959) 27. Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) 28. Radiohead OK Computer (1997) 29. Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973) 30. The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed (1969) 31. Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) 32. Paul Simon Graceland (1986) 33. Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987) 34. Van Morrison Astral Weeks (1968) 35. The Who Who’s Next (1971) 36. Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977) 37. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987) 38. Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967) 39. Eagles Hotel California (1976) 40. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971) 41. Patti Smith Horses (1975) 42. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland (1968) 43. Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (1995) 44. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1969) 45. Radiohead Kid A (2000) 46. U2 Achtung Baby (1991) 47. Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) 48. The Doors The Doors (1967) 49. Bob Marley & the Wailers Exodus (1977) 50. Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions (archives: 1954-55, released 1976) 51. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I (1969) 52. Oasis (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (1995) 53. Pink Floyd The Wall (1979) 54. Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979) 55. The Band The Band (1969) 56. Beyoncé Lemonade (2016) * 57. Amy Winehouse Back to Black (2006) * 58. Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) * 59. The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (1971) 60. The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die (1994) * 61. David Bowie Hunky Dory (1971) 62. Dr. Dre The Chronic (1992) * 63. Ramones Ramones (1976) 64. AC/DC Back in Black (1980) 65. The Smiths The Queen Is Dead (1986) 66. Jay-Z The Blueprint (2001) * 67. R.E.M. Automatic for the People (1992) 68. Love Forever Changes (1967) 69. Adele 21 (2011) * 70. Van Morrison Moondance (1970) 71. Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) (1993) * 72. A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory (1991) * 73. Talking Heads Remain in Light (1980) * 74. Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (compilation: 1973-83, released 1984) 75. John Coltrane A Love Supreme (1965) * 76. James Brown Live at the Apollo, Volume 1 (live, 1962) 77. Radiohead The Bends (1995) 78. The Stone Roses The Stone Roses (1989) 79. Frank Ocean Blond (2016) * 80. D’Angelo Voodoo (2000) * 81. Nas Illmatic (1994) * 82. Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home (1965) 83. Neil Young After the Gold Rush (1970) 84. OutKast Aquemini (1998) * 85. Taylor Swift 1989 (2014) * 86. Aretha Franklin Lady Soul (1968) 87. N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton (1989) * 88. Kate Bush Hounds of Love (1985) * 89. Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti (1975) 90. John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (1970) 91. Various artists (Bee Gees et al) Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 1977) 92. Chuck Berry The Great Twenty-Eight (compilation: 1955-64, released 1982) * 93. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (1975) 94. Curtis Mayfield Superfly (soundtrack, 1972) 95. Portishead Dummy (1994) 96. Kendrick Lamar Good Kid m.A.A.d. City (2012) * 97. R.E.M. Out of Time (1991) 98. Beyoncé Beyoncé (2013) * 99. The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East (live, 1971) 100. Billie Eilish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) * Albums from the 2011 List Which Didn’t Make the 2025 List The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night (soundtrack, 1964) Pearl Jam Ten (1991) U2 The Unforgettable Fire (1984) Oasis Definitely Maybe (1994) The Police Synchronicity (1983) The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (1968) The Who Tommy (1969) Portishead Dummy (1994) Prince 1999 (1982) David Bowie Low (1977) Beck Odelay (1996) James Brown Sex Machine (live, 1970) Otis Redding Otis Blue (1965) Sly & the Family Stone Stand! (1969) The Band Music from Big Pink (1968) Elvis Presley Elvis Presley (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll) (1956) Little Richard Here’s Little Richard (1957) Al Green Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-73, released 1975) The Beatles Meet the Beatles! (1964) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica (1969) Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (1984) The Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis: Bold As Love (1967) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Best-of Album Lists by Publications/Organizations PopVortex.com: “The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time” First posted 10/5/2024; last updated 8/19/2025.

Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century

Dave’s Music Database: The Top 100 Albums of the 20th Century

In 2014, I published the book The Top 100 Albums of All Time (click to see details on that book). Ten years later, I’ve revisited that book with an updated list. I changed the focus to albums just from the 20th century as the original book only included one post-1999 album (Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP). That album got moved to my in-the-works book The Top 100 Albums of the 21st Century. I aggregated even more best-of lists from all manner of music publications and entities and crunching those figures into a database along with sales figures, chart results, critical ratings, and various awards. (Click links to see detailed sources). While there were relatively few changes, there were ten albums that racked up enough points to make it into the new listing. The book indicates which albums are new to the list as well as the previous rankings of albums already on the list. Albums new to the list are marked with an asterisk (*). Finally, the book still includes those ten titles which were bumped below #100. The new rankings are below. Note: this list is also the basis of the Classic Albums Meetup group. Those albums which have been discussed (or are scheduled to be discussed as of 6/16/2025) by the group are highlighted. Also – check out the sequel to this book, The Top 100 Albums of the 21st Century.

1. The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) 2. Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) 3. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973) 4. Nirvana Nevermind (1991) 5. Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977) 6. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971) 7. The Beatles Abbey Road (1969) 8. U2 The Joshua Tree (1987) 9. David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) 10. Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (1984)

11. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? (1967) 12. The Beatles Revolver (1966) 13. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966) 14. The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968) 15. The Clash London Calling (1979) 16. Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) 17. The Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977) 18. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987) 19. The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street (1972) 20. Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (1971)

21. Radiohead OK Computer (1997) 22. Bee Gees/Various Artists Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 1977) 23. The Doors The Doors (1967) 24. Eagles Hotel California (1976) 25. Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (1975) 26. AC/DC Back in Black (1980) 27. Carole King Tapestry (1971) 28. Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) 29. Various Artists South Pacific (cast album: 1949, soundtrack: 1958) 30. Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

31. The Beatles Rubber Soul (1965) 32. Pink Floyd The Wall (1979) 33. The Who Who’s Next (1971) 34. Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 35. Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde (1966) 36. R.E.M. Automatic for the People (1992) 37. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland (1968) 38. Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (1995) 39. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1969) 40. Pearl Jam Ten (1991)

41. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1959) 42. Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (1984) 43. Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973) 44. The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (1971) 45. Various Artists The Sound of Music (cast album: 1959, soundtrack: 1965) 46. Paul Simon Graceland (1986) 47. The Smiths The Queen Is Dead (1986) 48. Oasis (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (1995) 49. Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks (1975) 50. Various Artists West Side Story (cast album: 1957, soundtrack: 1961)

51. The Police Synchronicity (1983) 52. The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed (1969) 53. Ramones Ramones (1976) 54. Patti Smith Horses (1975) 55. U2 Achtung Baby (1991) 56. Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) 57. Joni Mitchell Blue (1971) 58. Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987) 59. Robert Johnson The Complete Recordings (compilation: 1936-37, released 1990) * 60. Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (1985)

61. Van Morrison Astral Weeks (1968) 62. Television Marquee Moon (1977) 63. The Stone Roses The Stone Roses (1989) 64. Metallica Metallica (aka ‘The Black Album’) (1991) 65. Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here (1975) 66. Neil Young After the Gold Rush (1970) 67. Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (compilation: 1973-83, released 1984) 68. Derek and the Dominos Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) 69. Queen A Night at the Opera (1975) 70. Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973)

71. Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell (1977) 72. Jeff Buckley Grace (1994) 73. Love Forever Changes (1967) 74. Neil Young Harvest (1972) 75. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I (1969) 76. James Brown Live at the Apollo Volume 1 (live, 1962) 77. Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979) * 78. The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (1968) 79. David Bowie Hunky Dory (1971) 80. Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young Déjà Vu (1970)

81. Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti (1975) 82. The Who Tommy (1969) 83. Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) 84. Radiohead The Bends (1995) 85. Talking Heads Remain in Light (1980) 86. Green Day Dookie (1994) * 87. Shania Twain Come on Over (1997) * 88. Various artists (Whitney Houston e al) The Bodyguard (soundtrack, 1992) * 89. Various Artists (including Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta) Grease (soundtrack, 1978) 90. Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet (1986) *

91. The Clash The Clash (1977) 92. Van Halen Van Halen (1978) 93. R.E.M. Murmur (1983) * 94. The Band The Band (1969) 95. Black Sabbath Paranoid (1970) 96. The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night (soundtrack, 1964) * 97. Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) * 98. Beck Odelay (1996) 99. Joy Division Closer (1980) 100. The Pixies Doolittle (1989) *

Albums from the 2014 edition not in the 2024 edition: The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East (live, 1971) Massive Attack Blue Lines (1991) Van Morrison Moondance (1970) John Lennon Imagine (1971) Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison (live, 1968) Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) ** John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (1970) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica (1969) John Coltrane A Love Supreme (1965) Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions (archives, 1955) ** Featured in the upcoming book The Top 100 Albums of the 21st Century.

Resources and Related Links: The Top 100 Albums of All Time book available on Amazon.com DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of the 21st Century DMDB: best-of lists DMDB: sales figures DMDB: chart results DMDB: critical ratings DMDB: awards Classic Albums Meetup group First posted 11/20/2024; last updated 6/15/2025.