Apple Music 100 Best Albums
Apple Music 100 Best Albums is an opinion survey and curated music ranking created by the streaming service Apple Music. Apple Music's team crafted the list alongside a group of artists including (but not limited to) Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Maren Morris, and Charli XCX.[1] The list is an editorial statement and does not take into account any streaming numbers on Apple Music or any other streaming service.[2][3]
Background
The first 10 placements (91-100) of the list were announced on May 13, 2024, via a press release by Apple. It was revealed that the whole list would be released as a countdown beginning that same day, revealing 10 albums each day for the following 10 days.[4] To accompany the list, Apple Music unveiled a dedicated microsite to analyze and discuss the albums.[2]
Statistics
Genres
The following table lists the genres of the albums included on the list, which are based on Apple Music's assigned genre.
| Genre | Number of albums |
Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hip-Hop/Rap | 9 | |
| Rock | 7 | |
| Pop | 5 | |
| R&B/Soul | 5 | |
| Electronic | 4 | |
| Alternative | 6 | |
| Hard rock | 2 | |
| Jazz | 1 | |
| Country | 1 | |
| Punk | 1 | |
| Latin | 1 | |
| Metal | 1 |
Number of albums from each decade
| Decade | Number of albums |
Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3 | |
| 1970s | 6 | |
| 1980s | 6 | |
| 1990s | 12 | |
| 2000s | 6 | |
| 2010s | 8 | |
| 2020s | 2 |
Number of albums from each year
| Year | Number of albums |
Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1 | |
| 1967 | 2 | |
| 1972 | 1 | |
| 1973 | 1 | |
| 1975 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 2 | |
| 1980 | 1 | % |
| 1986 | 2 | % |
| 1988 | 1 | % |
| 1989 | 2 | % |
| 1990 | 1 | % |
| 1991 | 1 | % |
| 1992 | 2 | % |
| 1993 | 1 | % |
| 1994 | 3 | % |
| 1995 | 1 | % |
| 1996 | 1 | % |
| 1997 | 2 | % |
| 2000 | 1 | % |
| 2001 | 1 | % |
| 2003 | 1 | % |
| 2004 | 1 | % |
| 2007 | 1 | % |
| 2009 | 1 | % |
| 2010 | 1 | % |
| 2013 | 2 | % |
| 2016 | 1 | % |
| 2017 | 1 | % |
| 2018 | 2 | % |
| 2019 | 1 | % |
| 2022 | 2 | % |
Artists
The following table lists the artists who have an album included on the list.
| Artist | Total number of albums by artist |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Robyn | 1 | |
| Eagles | 1 | |
| Travis Scott | 1 | |
| Rage Against The Machine | 1 | |
| Lorde | 1 | |
| Usher | 1 | |
| Burial | 1 | |
| Solange | 1 | |
| Tyler, The Creator | 1 | |
| George Michael | 1 | |
| AC/DC | 1 | |
| Lady Gaga | 1 | |
| Nina Simone | 1 | |
| Massive Attack | 1 | |
| Mary J. Blige | 1 | |
| Kacey Musgraves | 1 | |
| Snoop Dogg | 1 | |
| Patti Smith | 1 | |
| 50 Cent | 1 | |
| Neil Young | 1 | |
| Eminem | 1 | |
| Lana Del Rey | 1 | |
| Elton John | 1 | |
| Madonna | 1 | |
| Bad Bunny | 1 | Based on the revealed list so far (61-100), he is the only artist with a Latin or Spanish album on the list. |
| Missy Elliott | 1 | |
| Nine Inch Nails | 1 | |
| Steely Dan | 1 | |
| SZA | 1 | |
| Kraftwerk | 1 | |
| N.W.A | 1 | |
| Metalica | 1 | |
| the Strokes | 1 | |
| Portishead | 1 | |
| The Smiths | 1 | |
| De La Soul | 1 | |
| Erykah Badu | 1 | |
| The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1 | |
| 2Pac | 1 | |
| Sade | 1 | |
| The Velvet Underground | 1 | |
| Arctic Monkeys | 1 | |
| Oasis | 1 |
Record Labels
The following table lists the record labels under which the albums included on the list were released and distributed, it also includes the parent company of each record label. Some artists have joint agreements to release and distribute their records with more than one label, therefore, their albums will be assigned to more than one label. Most labels are owned or partnered with one of the "Big Three", Universal Music Group (UMG), Warner Music Group (WMG), and Sony Music Entertainment (SME).
| Label | Parent | Number of albums |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Konichiwa Records | UMG | 1 | |
| Asylum Records | WMG | 1 | |
| Epic Records | SME | 4 | |
| Cactus Jack Records | Independent | 1 | Label founded by American rapper and singer Travis Scott. |
| Grand Hustle Records | Independent | 1 | Also known as Hustle Gang Music, founded by American rapper T.I. and his manager Jason Geter. |
| Lava Records | UMG | 1 | Owned by Jason Flom, in partnership with Universal Music Group |
| Republic Records | UMG | 1 | |
| Arista Records | SME | 2 | |
| Hyperdub | Independent | 1 | UK based label founded by Steve Goodman, a.k.a. Kode9. |
| Columbia Records | SME | 3 | |
| Saint Records | Independent | 1 | Founded by Solange Knowles to focus on not-yet mainstream hip-hop and R&B artists. Distributed by Sony Music Entertainment |
| Atlantic Records | WMG | 1 | |
| Albert Productions | Independent | 1 | Distributed by Sony Music Entertaiment. |
| Interscope Records | UMG | 7 | |
| KonLive Distribution | UMG | 1 | Defunct record label founded by R&B singer Akon. The label was created to allow Interscope Records & Akon to manage the career and recording catalogue of singer Lady Gaga. |
| Philips Records | UMG | 1 | |
| Virgin Records | UMG | 1 | |
| Uptown Records | UMG | 1 | |
| MCA Records | UMG | 1 | Defunct American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. |
| MCA Nashville | UMG | 1 | |
| Death Row Records | Independent | 2 | Founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. |
| Shady Records | UMG | 1 | Founded by rapper Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg in 1999, |
| Aftermath Entertainment | UMG | 2 | Founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre in 1996 |
| G-Unit Records | UMG | 1 | Founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent. |
| Reprise Records | WMG | 1 | Founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra |
| Polydor Records | UMG | 2 | |
| DJM Records | Independent | 1 | Defunct British independent record label, set up in the late 1960s by British music publisher Dick James. |
| Sire Records | WMG | 1 | |
| Warner Records | WMG | 1 | |
| Rimas Entertainment | Independent | 1 | Puerto Rican independent record label, mainly focuses on reggaeton and Latin trap |
| The Goldmind Inc. | Independent | 1 | Founded in 1997 by rapper Missy Elliott. |
| East West Records | WMG | 1 | |
| Elektra Records | WMG | 2 | |
| Nothing Records | UMG | 1 | |
| ABC Records | ABC | 1 | Defunct American record label founded in New York City in 1955. |
| Top Dawg Entertainment | Independent | 1 | Founded in 2004 by record producer Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. |
| RCA Records | SME | 2 | |
| Kling Klang Studio | Independent | 1 | Private music studio of the band Kraftwerk. |
| Ruthless Records | Independent | 1 | American Independent record label founded by "Eazy-E" and Jerry Heller in Compton in 1987. |
| Priority Records | UMG | 1 | |
| Rough Trade Records | Independent | 2 | Independen label based in London, England. Formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis. |
| Go! Discs | UMG | 1 | |
| London Recordings | Independent | 1 | Previously owned by UMG. |
| Tommy Boy Records | Independent | 1 | American independent label founded in 1981 by Tom Silverman. |
| Kedar Records | UMG | 1 | |
| Track Records | Independent | 1 | |
| Reprise Records | WMG | 1 | |
| Barclay | UMG | 1 | |
| Verve Records | UMG | 1 | |
| Domino | Independent | 1 | |
| Creation Records | Independent | 1 | Defunct British independent record label founded in 1983 by Alan McGee, Dick Green, and Joe Foster. |
See also
- Album era
- All Time Top 1000 Albums
- Critic's Choice: Top 200 Albums
- NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
- 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
- Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
- Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
- Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time
- Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
References
- ^ "Maren Morris Names Her 'Perfect Album' as She Works with Apple Music to Choose the 100 Best of All Time (Exclusive)". Yahoo. May 13, 2024. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ a b "Apple Music celebrates the greatest records ever made with the launch of inaugural 100 Best Albums list". Apple Newsroom. May 13, 2024. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ "Apple Music 100 Best Albums". Apple. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Powel, James. "Apple Music reveals more albums on its 100 Best Albums of all-time list: See numbers 80-71". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on 2024-05-17. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
External links
- Apple Music 100 Best Albums by Apple Music