"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is a recurring opinion survey and music ranking of the finest albums in history, compiled by the American magazine Rolling Stone . It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in a special issue of the magazine in 2003 and a related book in 2005. [1]
Critics have accused the lists of lending disproportionate weight to artists of particular races and genders. In the original list, most of the selections were albums by white male rock musicians, with the top position held by the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). In 2012, Rolling Stone published a revised edition, drawing on the original and a later survey of albums released up until the early 2000s. [2]
Another updated edition of the list was published in 2020, with 269 entries not in either of the two previous editions. It was based on a new survey and did not consider the surveys conducted for the 2003 and 2012 lists. The 2020 list featured more artists of color and female artists, topped by Marvin Gaye's What's Going On (1971). [2] It received similar criticisms as the previous lists. [3] Another revision was published in 2023. [4]
Since 2020 Rolling Stone has also produced a weekly podcast called Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums, which, according to magazine, is based on an "updated version of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums list". [5] The podcast is hosted by Brittany Spanos, a staff writer at the magazine. [6] [7]
The first version of the list, published as a magazine in November 2003, was based on the votes of 273 rock musicians, critics, and industry figures, each of whom submitted a ranked list of 50 albums. The accounting firm Ernst & Young devised a point system to weigh votes for 1,600 submitted titles. [8] The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band topped the list, with Rolling Stone's editors describing it as "the most important rock 'n' roll album ever made". [9] The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966) was ranked second in recognition of its influence on Sgt. Pepper. [10] The list also included compilations and "greatest hits" collections. [8]
An amended list was released as a book in 2005, with an introduction by guitarist Steven Van Zandt. Some compilation albums were removed, and Robert Johnson's The Complete Recordings was substituted for both of his King of the Delta Blues Singers volumes, making room for a total of eight new entries on the list.[ full citation needed ] [nb 1]
On May 31, 2012, Rolling Stone published a revised list, drawing on the original and a later survey of albums up until the early 2000s. [11] It was made available in "bookazine" format on newsstands in the US from April 27 to July 25. The new list contained 38 albums not present in the previous one, 16 of them released after 2003. The top listings remained unchanged.[ citation needed ]
Most of the albums on the initial lists were by white male rock musicians. Among the top 50 rankings, only 12 entries were by artists of color, none of whom were female, and only three albums by white women figured in the top 50. [2]
On September 22, 2020, another revision of the list was published. It drew upon a new survey conducted with "more than 300 artists, producers, critics, and music-industry figures", including: [12]
Each voter was asked to submit a ranked list of 50 favorite albums. [13] This time, the list included more musicians who were female and people of color, with many such artists represented at higher rankings than on the previous lists. [2] 86 of the entries were 21st-century releases. One hundred fifty-four new entries were not on either of the two previous editions, and rap albums figured three times as much. [14] Marvin Gaye's What's Going On (1971) was featured at the number one spot. [12]
The 2023 revision was created using the same method as the 2020 list. [4]
The original Rolling Stone 500 was criticized for being male-dominated, outmoded and almost entirely Anglo-American in focus. [15] [16] Writing in USA Today , Edna Gundersen described the list as predictable and "weighted toward testosterone-fueled vintage rock". [8] Following the publicity surrounding the list, rock critic Jim DeRogatis, a former Rolling Stone editor, published Kill Your Idols: A New Generation of Rock Writers Reconsiders the Classics in 2004. The book featured a number of critics arguing against the high evaluation of various "great" albums, many of which had been included in the list. [17]
Jonny Sharp, a contributor to NME's own 500 greatest albums list, described the 2012 Rolling Stone list as a "soulless, canon-centric [list] of the same tired old titles", adding: "looking at their 500, when the only album in their top 10 less than 40 years old is London Calling , I think I prefer the NME's less critically-correct approach." [18]
Responding to the 2020 revision, Consequence of Sound 's Alex Young wrote that the lesser representation of white male rock musicians was "the biggest takeaway". [2] According to CNN's Leah Asmelash, "The change represents a massive shift for the magazine, moving to recognize more contemporary albums and a wider range of tastes." [19] Conversely, Jonathan McNamara of The Japan Times criticized the list for underrepresenting Asian and non-Anglophone artists, stating that "It seems a shame then that Rolling Stone's musical brain trust of writers and industry contributors [...] didn't take the opportunity to hold up albums from the world's non-English-speaking artists and bands." [20]
Decade | Number of albums | Percentage |
---|---|---|
1950s | 11 | 2.2% |
1960s | 126 | 25.2% |
1970s | 183 | 36.6% |
1980s | 88 | 17.6% |
1990s | 61 | 12.2% |
2000s | 13 | 2.6% |
Decade | Number of albums | Percentage |
---|---|---|
1950s | 10 | 2.0% |
1960s | 105 | 21.0% |
1970s | 186 | 37.2% |
1980s | 84 | 16.8% |
1990s | 73 | 14.6% |
2000s | 40 | 8.0% |
2010s | 2 | 0.4% |
Decade | Number of albums | Percentage |
---|---|---|
1950s | 9 | 1.8% |
1960s | 74 | 14.8% |
1970s | 157 | 31.4% |
1980s | 71 | 14.2% |
1990s | 103 | 20.6% |
2000s | 50 | 10.0% |
2010s | 36 | 7.2% |
Decade | Number of albums | Percentage |
---|---|---|
1950s | 9 | 1.8% |
1960s | 71 | 14.2% |
1970s | 155 | 31.0% |
1980s | 71 | 14.2% |
1990s | 101 | 20.2% |
2000s | 51 | 10.2% |
2010s | 36 | 7.2% |
2020s | 6 | 1.2% |
The following table lists the artists who had at least three albums included on at least one edition of the list (71 artists in total).
Artist | Total number of albums by artist | Notes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | 2020 | 2012 | 2003 | ||
The Beatles | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
|
Bob Dylan | 8 | 8 | 11 | 11 |
|
Neil Young | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 2003/2012/2020/2023: Counts include one album credited to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and two credited to Neil Young & Crazy Horse. |
Kanye West | 6 | 6 | 3 | — | |
Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | |
David Bowie | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | |
Led Zeppelin | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
The Rolling Stones | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 2003: One album in the top 10 at no. 7. |
Aretha Franklin | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
Beyoncé | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2020/2023: Count includes one album as a member of Destiny's Child. |
Joni Mitchell | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2020/2023: One album in the top 10, at no. 3. |
Pink Floyd | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
Prince | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
|
Radiohead | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | |
Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2020/2023: One album in the top 10, at no. 4. |
The Velvet Underground | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2003/2012/2020: Count includes one album credited to the Velvet Underground & Nico. |
The Who | 4 | 4 | 7 | 7 | |
Al Green | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Beastie Boys | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Big Star | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Black Sabbath | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
D'Angelo | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2020: Counts include one album as D'Angelo and the Vanguard. |
Elvis Presley | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Fiona Apple | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
George Clinton | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2003/2012/2020: Counts include two albums as a member of Funkadelic, one with Parliament. |
James Brown | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
Janet Jackson | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Jay-Z | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
Kendrick Lamar | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | |
Marvin Gaye | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
|
Michael Jackson | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Madonna | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
Nirvana | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
|
Outkast | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
Pavement | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Sly and the Family Stone | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
Taylor Swift | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | |
The Band | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2003/2012/2020/2023: Count includes one album credited to Bob Dylan & the Band. |
The Clash | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2003/2012: One album in the top 10, at no. 8. |
The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Tom Petty | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2003/2012/2020/2023: Each count include one album as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. |
Bob Marley and the Wailers | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
Creedence Clearwater Revival | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
Miles Davis | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
Eminem | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
Grateful Dead | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
Elton John | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | |
Ray Charles | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
The Byrds | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | |
The Kinks | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
Public Enemy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
R.E.M. | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
Otis Redding | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
Steely Dan | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
The Stooges | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
Talking Heads | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
The Beach Boys | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2003/2012/2020/2023: One album in the top 10, at no. 2. |
U2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | |
Elvis Costello | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2003/2012: Counts include one album as Elvis Costello & the Attractions. |
The Doors | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Tupac Shakur | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2003: His first 5 albums were included in the list. |
Nick Drake | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
Randy Newman | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Roxy Music | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
The Police | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
Simon & Garfunkel | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
The Smiths | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
Tom Waits | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Muddy Waters | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Cream | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Jackson Browne | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Sometimes the term is applied to albums considered to be of "uniform excellence" rather than an LP with an explicit musical or lyrical motif. There is no consensus among music critics as to the specific criteria for what a "concept album" is.
The Doors is the debut studio album by American rock band the Doors, released on January 4, 1967, by Elektra Records. It was recorded in August 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders, in Hollywood, California, under the production of Paul A. Rothchild. The album features the extended version of the band's breakthrough single "Light My Fire" and the lengthy closer "The End" with its Oedipal spoken word section. Various publications, including BBC and Rolling Stone, have ranked The Doors as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Released on 26 May 1967, Sgt. Pepper is regarded by musicologists as an early concept album that advanced the roles of sound composition, extended form, psychedelic imagery, record sleeves, and the producer in popular music. The album had an immediate cross-generational impact and was associated with numerous touchstones of the era's youth culture, such as fashion, drugs, mysticism, and a sense of optimism and empowerment. Critics lauded the album for its innovations in songwriting, production and graphic design, for bridging a cultural divide between popular music and high art, and for reflecting the interests of contemporary youth and the counterculture.
A Hard Day's Night is the third studio album by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 10 July 1964 by Parlophone, with side one containing songs from the soundtrack to their film of the same name. The American version of the album was released two weeks earlier, on 26 June 1964 by United Artists Records, with a different track listing that included selections from George Martin's film score. In contrast to the Beatles' first two albums, all 13 tracks on A Hard Day's Night were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, showcasing the development of their songwriting partnership.
Help! is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the singles "Help!" and "Ticket to Ride", appeared in the film and take up the first side of the vinyl album. The second side includes "Yesterday", the most-covered song ever written. The album was met with favourable critical reviews and topped the Australian, German, British and American charts.
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is the debut solo studio album by English musician John Lennon. Backed by the Plastic Ono Band, it was released by Apple Records on 11 December 1970 in tandem with the similarly titled album by his wife, Yoko Ono. At the time of its issue, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band received mixed reviews overall, but later came to be widely regarded as Lennon's best solo album.
"A Day in the Life" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as the final track of their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the opening and closing sections of the song were mainly written by John Lennon, with Paul McCartney primarily contributing the song's middle section. All four Beatles played a role in shaping the final arrangement of the song.
My Generation is the debut studio album by English rock band the Who, released on 3 December 1965 by Brunswick Records in the United Kingdom, and Festival Records in Australia. In the United States, it was released on 25 April 1966 by Decca Records as The Who Sings My Generation, with a different cover and a slightly altered track listing. Besides the members of the Who, being Roger Daltrey (vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar), John Entwistle (bass) and Keith Moon (drums), the album features contributions by session musician Nicky Hopkins (piano).
What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. It was released on May 21, 1971, by the Motown Records subsidiary label Tamla. Recorded between 1970 and 1971 in sessions at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, and United Sound Studios in Detroit, and at The Sound Factory in West Hollywood, California, it was Gaye's first album to credit him as producer and to credit Motown's in-house session musicians, known as the Funk Brothers.
The Stone Roses is the debut studio album by English rock band the Stone Roses. It was recorded mostly at Battery Studios in London with producer John Leckie from June 1988 to February 1989 and released later that year on 2 May by Silvertone Records.
Out of Our Heads is a 1965 album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released in two editions with different covers and track listings. In the US, London Records released it on 30 July 1965 as the band's fourth American album, while Decca Records released its UK edition on 24 September 1965 as the third British album.
"Within You Without You" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Written by lead guitarist George Harrison, it was his second composition in the Indian classical style, after "Love You To", and inspired by his stay in India in late 1966 with his mentor and sitar teacher Ravi Shankar. Recorded in London without the other Beatles, it features Indian instrumentation such as sitar, tambura, dilruba and tabla, and was performed by Harrison and members of the Asian Music Circle. The recording marked a significant departure from the Beatles' previous work; musically, it evokes the Indian devotional tradition, while the overtly spiritual quality of the lyrics reflects Harrison's absorption in Hindu philosophy and the teachings of the Vedas.
"She's Leaving Home" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and released on their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Paul McCartney wrote and sang the verse and John Lennon wrote the chorus, which they sang together. Neither George Harrison nor Ringo Starr were involved in the recording. The song's instrumental background was performed entirely by a small string orchestra arranged by Mike Leander, and is one of only a handful of Beatles recordings in which none of the members played a musical instrument.
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring song ranking compiled by the American magazine Rolling Stone. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in a special issue of the magazine, issue number 963, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In 2010, Rolling Stone published a revised edition, drawing on the original and a later survey of songs released up until the early 2000s.
"We Love You" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones that was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Their first new release of the summer of 1967, it was first released as a single on 18 August in the United Kingdom, with "Dandelion" as the B-side. The song peaked at number eight in Britain and number 50 in the United States, where "Dandelion" was promoted as the A-side and peaked at number 14.
"The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" is a special issue published by Rolling Stone in two parts in 2004 and 2005, and later updated in 2011. The list presented was compiled based on input from musicians, writers, and industry figures and is focused on the rock & roll era.
The Jaded Hearts Club is an English rock supergroup and covers band consisting of Miles Kane, Nic Cester, Matt Bellamy, Graham Coxon, Jamie Davis and Sean Payne.
Critic's Choice: Top 200 Albums is a musical reference book compiled by American-British journalist and broadcaster Paul Gambaccini. It was first published in the United Kingdom by Omnibus Press in January 1978, and then by Quick Fox in the US. The book comprises an annotated and illustrated list of the best albums in popular music, as selected from top-ten lists provided by its 47 contributors. As a multi-contributor work seeking to critique rock and pop albums, Critic's Choice preceded The Rolling Stone Record Guide and the Greil Marcus-edited Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island, both published in 1979. It was followed by several other books that classified the best pop recordings.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: 50th Anniversary Edition is an expanded reissue of the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on 26 May 2017, the album's 50th anniversary. It includes a new stereo remix of the album by Giles Martin, the son of Beatles producer George Martin.
Music of the Millennium was a nation-wide public survey conducted in the United Kingdom in 1999 by HMV music stores, in partnership with the Channel 4 television network and Classic FM radio. One of many culture-related surveys leading up to the new millennium, it polled listeners to decide the best music of the previous 1000 years. Around 600,000 people participated in the poll, making it the largest survey on popular music up to that time.