Cover Lauryn Hill, along with Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and more have made it to Apple Music’s list (Photo: Getty Images).
Lauryn Hill, along with Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and more have made it to Apple Music’s list (Photo: Getty Images).
1 / 1
According to Apple Music, these are the 100 albums that have shaped, inspired and fundamentally changed music in modern times
Apple Music has released its 100 Best Albums list in May, covering the top 100 records that have influenced the course of modern music.
The list has been crafted by Apple Music’s team of experts, alongside a select group of artists, songwriters, producers and industry professionals such as American rapper Pharrell Williams, Colombian singer J Balvin, American musician Maren Morris and English singer Charli XCX.
Apple has said on its website that the list has been curated “fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music” and should be regarded as a love letter to the music industry.
Tatler highlights the top 10 songs below; scroll down to see the full list.
Read more: 10 best Hong Kong songs of 2023 that you’ll be playing throughout 2024 as well
‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ (1998) by Lauryn Hill
Following her success with hip-hop band Fugees, Lauryn Hill’s debut—and only—solo studio album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) was a major creative breakthrough for the artist at a time when her personal life was in turmoil. The album’s rawness, depth and spirituality still inspires new generation of artists and has been called a “genre-bender” by critics.
‘Thriller’ (1982) by Michael Jackson
Few pop albums have transformed the industry as much as Michael Jackson’s Thriller did when it was introduced in 1982. It completely redefined what a modern pop blockbuster could be by mixing elements from rock, funk, post-disco and R&B.
The album became both critically acclaimed and raked in the numbers, becoming the best-selling album in the US in 1983 and 1984. It also spent a record 37 weeks at number one position on the Billboard 200 in those two years.
‘Abbey Road’ (1969) by The Beatles
Apple Music describes The Beatles’ Abbey Road as an “ageless, unmatched collection of songs by a world-changing band at their creative peak”. This is the band’s 11th album and contains songs that have become iconic, such as Here Comes The Sun, and Come Together.
‘Purple Rain’ (1984), Prince & The Revolution
Purple Rain is what truly turned Prince Rogers Nelson—better known as Prince—into one of the most instantly recognisable and distinctive pop artists ever. The album and its iconic song, named after the eponymous movie released the same year, won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for a Film. Only Prince could make his acting debut so musically iconic.
‘Blonde’ (2016), Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean’s Blonde, which is the first album from the 21st century to be included in the list, established the American singer as a generational artist. It includes 17 tracks with guest vocals by André 3000, Beyoncé, Kim Burrell and others. The album’s introspective lyrics and innovative music earned praises from fans and critics alike.
‘Songs in the Key of Life’ (1976) by Stevie Wonder
When one of the most revered pop stars of the ’70s, Stevie Wonder, announced to the world that he was considering leaving the music industry in 1974, it felt like a severe blow to fans all around the world.
So when Wonder released Songs in the Key of Life two years later, it became the fastest-selling album in history at the time. The 90-minute long album is “effortlessly melodic, broad in scope and deeply personal,” writes Apple Music.
‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ (2012) by Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar’s second album good kid, m.A.A.d city is one of the defining hip-hop records of the 21st century and has left a legacy that not many rappers can equal. The album earned Lamar four Grammy Award nominations at the 2014 Grammy Awards.
‘Back to Black’ (2006), Amy Winehouse
Back to Black is a 35-minute-long ode to heartbreak which marked the second and last album that Amy Winehouse ever produced. It is based on her tumultuous relationship with her then-ex-boyfriend, and received the 2008 Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album, as well as four other awards. And it’s easy to understand why: it satisfied retro-soul fans, pop enthusiasts and jazz classicists alike.
You might also like: From Britney Spears to Pamela Anderson: 2000s female stars who are reclaiming their own narratives
‘Nevermind’ (1991) by Nirvana
Nirvana’s Nevermind and its lead song Smells Like Teen Spirit changed popular culture forever. The second studio album of the American rock band, which marked their breakthrough, helped punk become pop and transformed Kurt Cobain into a reluctant idol.
‘Lemonade’ (2016) by Beyoncé
Lemonade is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on April 23, 2016, accompanied by a 65-minute film of the same title. It marked a real turn in her career, and Apple Music describes it as “a vivid personal statement, released without warning in a time of public scrutiny and private suffering”.
Read more: Beyoncé wears futuristic fashion by a Hong Kong designer on ‘Renaissance’ tour
The rest of the Apple Music’s top 100 albums list
11. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
12. OK Computer by Radiohead
13. The Blueprint by Jay-Z
14. Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan
15. 21 by Adele
16. Blue by Joni Mitchell
17. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
18. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift
19. The Chronic by Dr Dre
20. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
21. Revolver by The Beatles
22. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
23. Discovery by Daft Punk
24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
25. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
26. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
27. Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
28. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
29. The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest
30. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish
31 Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
32. Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G.
33. Kid A by Radiohead
34. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy
35. London Calling by The Clash
36. Beyoncé by Beyoncé
37. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan
38. Tapestry by Carole King
39. Illmatic by Nas
40. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You by Aretha Franklin
41. Aquemini by Outkast
42. Control by Janet Jackson
43. Remain in Light by Talking Heads
44. Innervisions by Stevie Wonder
45. Homogenic by Björk
46. Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers
47. Take Care by Drake
48. Paul’s Boutique by Beastie Boys
49. The Joshua Tree by U2
50. Hounds of Love by Kate Bush
51. Sign o’ the Times by Prince
52. Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses
53. Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones
54. A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
55. Anti by Rihanna
56. Disintegration by The Cure
57. Voodoo by D’Angelo
58. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis
59. AM by Arctic Monkeys
60. The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico
61. Love Deluxe by Sade
62. All Eyez on Me by 2Pac
63. Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
64. Baduizm by Erykah Badu
65. 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul
66. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
67. Dummy by Portishead
68. Is This It by The Strokes
69. Master of Puppets by Metallica
70. Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A
71. Trans-Europe Express by Kraftwerk
72. SOS by SZA
73. Aja by Steely Dan
74. The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails
75. Supa Dupa Fly by Missy Eliott
76. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny
77. Like a Prayer by Madonna
78. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John
79. Norman Fucking Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey
80. The Marshall Mathers LP by Eminem
81. After the Gold Rush by Neil Young
82. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ by 50 Cent
83. Horses by Patti Smith
84. Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg
85. Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves
86. My Life by Mary J. Blige
87. Blue Lines by Massive Attack
88. I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone
89. The Fame Monster (Deluxe Edition) by Lady Gaga
90. Back in Black by AC/DC
91. Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 by George Michael
92. Flower Boy by Tyler, the Creator
93. A Seat at the Table by Solange
94. Untrue by Burial
95. Confessions by Usher
96. Pure Heroine by Lorde
97. Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against the Machine
98. Astroworld by Travis Scott
99. Hotel California by Eagles
100. Body Talk by Robyn
Topics
Salomé Grouard was Digital Editor and Front & Female Content Lead at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on managing Tatler Hong Kong’s digital platform and content, she also covers gender equality, the music scene and sports through interviews with industry leaders, experts and trendsetters.
Interview highlights include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Korean actor Park Seo Jun, singer Jorja Smith, Chinese TV host Yue-Sai Kan, YouTuber Kimono Mom, Japanese rapper Awich, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mikey Musumeci.
She has also produced stories on revolutionising sexual wellness in Asia, activism within the surfing community, Asian trans musicians reclaiming their narratives through music and looked at the toxicity of gym culture through the lens of the plus-size community. She also covers music festivals, such as Hong Kong’s Clockenflap and Bali’s Suara.
