Showing posts with label U2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U2. Show all posts

Saturday, March 14, 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 6 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. The Police / Sting
3. U2
4. Velvet Underground / Lou Reed
5. R.E.M.
6. The Smiths / Morrissey
7. Nirvana
8. Radiohead
9. Pearl Jam
10. Elvis Costello

11. The Clash
12. Joy Division / New Order
13. Red Hot Chili Peppers
14. The Cure
15. Oasis
16. Green Day
17. Coldplay
18. Sex Pistols / Public Image Ltd.
19. Roxy Music / Bryan Ferry
20. Talking Heads

21. Beastie Boys
22. Blondie
23. Depeche Mode
24. Ramones
25. Tears for Fears
26. Alanis Morissette
27. Foo Fighters
28. Beck
29. Simple Minds
30. Smashing Pumpkins

31. The White Stripes
32. INXS
33. Pixies
34. Patti Smith
35. Duran Duran
36. The Cars
37. Blur
38. Dave Matthews Band
39. Arctic Monkeys
40. Pretenders

41. Nine Inch Nails
42. Sinéad O’Connor
43. The Jam / Paul Weller
44. Imagine Dragons
45. Alice in Chains
46. Sonic Youth
47. Kate Bush
48. Weezer
49. Arcade Fire
50. Soundgarden

51. The Strokes
52. Nick Cave
53. Kings of Leon
54. Stone Temple Pilots
55. Muse
56. The Replacements
57. PJ Harvey
58. Rage Against the Machine
59. The Stone Roses
60. Björk

61. Live
62. The Black Keys
63. Manic Street Preachers
64. Wilco
65. Violent Femmes
66. Linkin Park
67. The B-52’s
68. Mumford & Sons
69. The Killers
70. Hüsker Dü / Bob Mould

71. Goo Goo Dolls
72. Fall Out Boy
73. Gorillaz
74. Twenty One Pilots
75. Queens of the Stone Age
76. Jane’s Addiction
77. Bush
78. Counting Crows
79. Blink-182
80. XTC

81. The Cranberries
82. The Offspring
83. Franz Ferdinand
84. Tool
85. No Doubt
86. Faith No More
87. Florence + the Machine
88. Echo & the Bunnymen
89. Siouxsie & the Banshees
90. Vampire Weekend

91. The Lumineers
92. Garbage
93. 3 Doors Down
94. Television
95. The Jesus & Mary Chain
96. Death Cab for Cutie
97. Cage the Elephant
98. Panic! At the Disco
99. The Flaming Lips
100. Modest Mouse

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First posted 9/8/2017; last updated 3/14/2026.

 
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Tuesday, August 19, 2025

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

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First posted 10/5/2024; last updated 8/19/2025.

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Monday, June 16, 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:

** Featured in the upcoming book The Top 100 Albums of the 21st Century.

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First posted 11/20/2024; last updated 6/15/2025.
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