The Internet’s 100 Favourite Albums By 100 Favourite Artists

This list is not a matter of my opinion. (If it were, there would be a lot less Aphex and a lot more XTC.) It is not a matter of critics’ opinions. It is a matter of the people’s opinion. I’ve taken the top ranked albums from over a dozen online music communities* in four languages and tried to combine them all into a definitive list of the modern music canon.

To cultivate diversity, each artist is only allowed one spot on the list (though it was bloody close for Pink Floyd). I’m fairly happy with how it turned out: the included projects span across eras, genres, races, and countries, from the best-selling album in history to a live album from an obscure Japanese dub group. I would rather there had been a few more women and a few more global artists, but that’s what the auxiliary lists at the bottom are for!

I’ll stop wasting your time now. From Abbey Road and Aphex to Ziggy and Zep, here are 100 great albums by 100 great artists:

1
OK Computer Radiohead, 1997
2
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd, 1975
3
To Pimp a Butterfly Kendrick Lamar, 2015
4
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars David Bowie, 1972
5
Abbey Road The Beatles, 1969
6
The Velvet Underground & Nico The Velvet Underground & Nico, 1967
7
In the Court of the Crimson King King Crimson, 1969
8
Illmatic Nas, 1994
9
Kind of Blue Miles Davis, 1959
10
Pet Sounds The Beach Boys, 1966
11
Madvillainy Madvillain, 2004
12
A Love Supreme John Coltrane, 1965
13
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Wu-Tang Clan, 1993
14
Remain in Light Talking Heads, 1980
15
Untitled fourth album Led Zeppelin, 1971
16
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Charles Mingus, 1963
17
Songs in the Key of Life Stevie Wonder, 1976
18
Loveless My Bloody Valentine, 1991
19
Disintegration The Cure, 1989
20
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Kanye West, 2010
21
Nevermind Nirvana, 1991
22
Highway 61 Revisited Bob Dylan, 1965
23
The Queen is Dead The Smiths, 1986
24
Hounds of Love Kate Bush, 1985
25
London Calling The Clash, 1979
26
What's Going On Marvin Gaye, 1971
27
Electric Ladyland Jimi Hendrix, 1968
28
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven! Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 2000
29
Doolittle Pixies, 1989
30
Illinois Sufjan Stevens, 2005
31
Funeral Arcade Fire, 2004
32
The Doors The Doors, 1967
33
Unknown Pleasures Joy Division, 1979
34
Paranoid Black Sabbath, 1970
35
Grace Jeff Buckley, 1994
36
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Neutral Milk Hotel, 1998
37
Rumours Fleetwood Mac, 1977
38
Vespertine Björk, 2001
39
Thriller Michael Jackson, 1982
40
Pink Moon Nick Drake, 1972
41
Endtroducing… DJ Shadow, 1996
42
Blonde Frank Ocean, 2016
43
Dummy Portishead, 1994
44
Marquee Moon Television, 1977
45
Spiderland Slint, 1991
46
Master of Puppets Metallica, 1986
47
Is This It The Strokes, 2001
48
Blue Joni Mitchell, 1971
49
Ágætis byrjun Sigur Rós, 1999
50
Liquid Swords GZA, 1995
51
The Low End Theory A Tribe Called Quest, 1991
52
Born to Run Bruce Springsteen, 1975
53
Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine, 1992
54
Either/Or Elliot Smith, 1997
55
Purple Rain Prince, 1984
56
Daydream Nation Sonic Youth, 1988
57
Rain Dogs Tom Waits, 1985
58
Turn on the Bright Lights Interpol, 2002
59
Siamese Dream Smashing Pumpkins, 1993
60
The Downward Spiral Nine Inch Nails, 1994
61
Ys Joanna Newsom, 2006
62
Aquemini OutKast, 1998
63
Close to the Edge Yes, 1972
64
Exile on Main St The Rolling Stones, 1972
65
Songs of Leonard Cohen Leonard Cohen, 1967
66
Discovery Daft Punk, 2001
67
The Glow Pt. 2 The Microphones, 2001
68
Mezzanine Massive Attack, 1998
69
After the Gold Rush Neil Young, 1970
70
The Stone Roses The Stone Roses, 1989
71
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Wilco, 2002
72
Astral Weeks Van Morrison, 1968
73
Ready to Die The Notorious BIG, 1994
74
Clube da Esquina Lô Borges & Milton Nascimento, 1972
75
Donuts J. Dilla, 2006
76
Violator Depeche Mode, 1990
77
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill, 1998
78
Laughing Stock Talk Talk, 1991
79
Who’s Next The Who, 1971
80
98.12.28 男達の別れ Otokotachi no wakare Fishmans, 1999
81
Rust in Peace Megadeth, 1990
82
Atrocity Exhibition Danny Brown, 2016
83
Sound of Silver LCD Soundsystem, 2007
84
Automatic for the People REM, 1992
85
All Things Must Pass George Harrison, 1970
86
Heaven or Las Vegas Cocteau Twins, 1990
87
Selected Ambient Works 85–92 Aphex Twin, 1992
88
Soundtracks for the Blind Swans, 1996
89
Souvlaki Slowdive, 1993
90
Deathconsciousness Have a Nice Life, 2008
91
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back Public Enemy, 1988
92
Songs for the Deaf Queens of the Stone Age, 2002
93
The Infamous Mobb Deep, 1995
94
Fun House The Stooges, 1970
95
Since I Left You The Avalanches, 2000
96
Ants from Up There Black Country, New Road, 2022
97
Horses Patti Smith, 1975
98
Untrue Burial, 2007
99
Titanic Rising Weyes Blood, 2019
100
Dirt Alice in Chains, 1992