Notable Albums That Should’ve Made Apple Music’s Top 100 List
We all have a few we could add or replace.
Like most people, you may have noticed an absence of significant albums from Apple Music’s Top 100 of all time after they released their top 10 last week. The list was curated by Apple’s team, choosing from albums with the best storytelling, significant cultural moments, innovation and more importantly—to get music lovers talking.
What I will say is Apple Music’s Top 100 curation was a diverse list of genres and artists, ranging from Hip-Hop artists like Missy Elliott and a Tribe Called Quest, pop stars like Taylor Swift, rock bands like Nirvana and The Beatles to pioneer artists like Prince and Stevie Wonder.
Sitting at number one on the list of top 100 albums of all time was Lauryn Hill’s ageless debut “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
Where Apple Music’s selection is distinctive in some places it is a head-scratcher in others. Groundbreaking artists who shook the music world like James Brown and Diana Ross are seemingly absent. Progressive producers and songwriters like Pharrell Williams, Raphael Saadiq, George Clinton and Nile Rodgers (to name a few of course) were also left out. Certain genres as a whole, like Country and Funk, weren’t even considered. And the overall placing of albums over others also had fans buzzing.
It is pivotal that Hip-Hop stood out at the forefront of this overall list. Especially when you think of the genre’s origin and how it was once overlooked for decades in the industry. “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is regarded as a classic in its own right, as it should be—but it still beat the number one spot over an album that holds the record of bestselling album of all time (to this day) and one that changed the music industry from what we once knew.1
But that is the point of these lists, to get people debating. Whether created by Rolling Stone, Billboard or an independent publication—they are all different, unpredictable and constantly shifting as pop culture shifts. What one may think should be at the forefront others believe it probably doesn’t belong. And whenever there’s another list of a “top however-many albums of all time” created again, it won’t even be recognizable to this one.
So, with that being said, here is a list of albums I believe deserve to be recognized on Apple Music’s Top 100:
Songs in A Minor – Alicia Keys, 2001
Inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2022—one of the highest honors an album can achieve, Songs in A Minor is a timeless debut by Alicia Keys that spearheaded her outstanding career. A fusion of jazz, pop, classical, blues and R&B, this album has stood the test of time as a masterwork in music.
To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar, 2015
Known for its deep lyrical metaphors, mixed with heavy raps and spoken word over jazz and funk rhythms, “To Pimp a Butterfly” was not only reverend as a commercial success but possibly one that solidified Kendrick Lamar as one of the greatest to ever do it. The album was also nominated for 11 Grammys.
The Emancipation of Mimi – Mariah Carey, 2005
After practically being painted in the industry as a has been, “The Emancipation of Mimi” gave Mariah Carey a newfound liberation and the album is marked as an R&B blueprint. It became the artist’s first album since “Butterfly” (1997) to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200.
Wide Open Spaces – The [Dixie] Chicks, 1998
The fifth bestselling country album of all time, “Wide Open Spaces” is still a classic in the genre nearly 20 years later. Not only did the album reach number one on the country charts but gave the Dixie Chicks (now just called Chicks) the Best Country Album Grammy Award.
Off the Wall – Michael Jackson, 1979
A breakthrough solo album for the already solidified superstar Michael Jackson, “Off the Wall” is a delicious showcase of disco, blues, funk and soul. The album is a collection of feathery vocals that is a glimmery dream of melodies on each track from beginning to end that remains a heavy dose of nostalgia nearly 45 years later. The lead single “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” earned Jackson his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance in 1980.
The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album, 1992
Praised for Whitney “The Voice” Houston’s strong vocal performance and production, the certified Diamond album is one of the bestselling soundtracks of all time. With a soulful, hearty cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You”, funky, upbeat cover of “I’m Every Woman” and the profound harmonious “Run To You” Houston’s vocals reign supreme and incomparable.
The Payback – James Brown, 1973
Number one on the Soul album charts and breaking through to the top 40 on the Pop Charts, “The Payback” album by James Brown is considered a pivotal point in James Brown’s longstanding career. The album slides with funk rhythms and grooves you can’t help but move to. Its reverend title track not only became a hit for the artist but became prolific for samples in Hip-Hop, among many of other songs by the Godfather of Soul.
Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is the bestselling album of all time. Estimated sales worldwide sit between 70-100 million copies.