Ranked · Culture
Best albums of all time
The ten best albums of all time, from What's Going On and Pet Sounds to Thriller and OK Computer, with why each one still matters and where to start.
Bitezine Editorial TeamRankings, reviews & guides 10 min read
AI generatedThe best albums of all time are the records that still sound alive decades after release, whether they changed how music was made, captured a moment in history or simply hold together from the first track to the last. The ten below are the greatest albums ever made according to a broad consensus of critics and listeners, and each is worth hearing in full.
We compared the major critics' lists, including Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums and long-running reader polls, and picked records that rank highly again and again. We spread the picks across soul, rock, pop, folk and hip-hop, and across five decades, so this is a list of classic albums everyone should hear rather than a list of one genre's favourites.
At a glance
#1 · Best for Soul and R&B fans
What's Going On
Soul's most moving statement
Marvin Gaye wrote and produced this song cycle about war, poverty and the environment, told partly through the eyes of a returning Vietnam veteran. The songs flow into one another, and the lush arrangements carry a message that still feels current. It topped Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the greatest albums.
- Continuous song cycle
- Themes of war, faith and ecology
- Title track and "Mercy Mercy Me"
- Landmark Motown release
- Artist
- Marvin Gaye
- Released
- 1971
- Genre
- Soul
#2 · Best for Headphone listening
Pet Sounds
Pop's great studio masterpiece
Brian Wilson built Pet Sounds around layered arrangements that used bicycle bells, harpsichord and strings alongside the band's harmonies. Songs like "God Only Knows" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" mix sweetness with real longing. The album pushed the Beatles and many others to treat the studio as an instrument.
- Innovative studio production
- Rich vocal harmonies
- Includes "God Only Knows"
- Hugely influential on 60s pop
- Artist
- The Beach Boys
- Released
- 1966
- Genre
- Pop, baroque pop
#3 · Best for First Beatles album
Abbey Road
The Beatles' polished farewell
Abbey Road was the last album the Beatles recorded together, and it shows the band at its most polished. Side one holds "Come Together" and George Harrison's "Something", while side two ends with a long medley of short songs. Its cover photo on a London zebra crossing is one of the most copied in music.
- Side-two medley
- "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something"
- Last album the band recorded
- Rich, modern-sounding production
- Artist
- The Beatles
- Released
- 1969
- Genre
- Rock, pop
#4 · Best for Quiet evenings
Blue
The benchmark for confessional songwriting
Joni Mitchell's Blue is a spare, intimate record built on her voice, guitar, piano and Appalachian dulcimer. Songs such as "A Case of You", "River" and "California" are open about love and loss without ever feeling self-pitying. Generations of singer-songwriters point to it as a model.
- Stripped-back arrangements
- Deeply personal lyrics
- Includes "A Case of You"
- Short and easy to replay
- Artist
- Joni Mitchell
- Released
- 1971
- Genre
- Folk, singer-songwriter
#5 · Best for Long, joyful listens
Songs in the Key of Life
Stevie Wonder at full stretch
This sprawling double album, released with a bonus EP, covers joy, faith, social injustice and childhood memories. It includes "Sir Duke", "I Wish" and "Isn't She Lovely", and Wonder plays many of the instruments himself. It won the Grammy for Album of the Year.
- Double album plus bonus EP
- "Sir Duke" and "I Wish"
- Blend of soul, funk, jazz and pop
- Grammy Album of the Year
- Artist
- Stevie Wonder
- Released
- 1976
- Genre
- Soul, funk
#6 · Best for Parties and pop fans
Thriller
The biggest pop album ever
Produced with Quincy Jones, Thriller turned Michael Jackson into the world's biggest star. Seven of its nine songs became US top-ten singles, including "Billie Jean" and "Beat It", and its music videos helped define the MTV era. It is widely cited as the best-selling album of all time.
- "Billie Jean" and "Beat It"
- Seven US top-ten singles
- Produced by Quincy Jones
- Eight Grammys in one night
- Artist
- Michael Jackson
- Released
- 1982
- Genre
- Pop, R&B
#7 · Best for Soft rock fans
Rumours
Heartbreak turned into hits
Fleetwood Mac recorded Rumours while two couples in the band were breaking up, and the tension runs through every song. "Go Your Own Way", "Dreams" and "The Chain" are catchy, clean and emotionally raw at once. The album won Album of the Year and is one of the best-selling records ever.
- "Dreams" and "Go Your Own Way"
- Three distinct songwriters
- Warm, clear 70s production
- Grammy Album of the Year
- Artist
- Fleetwood Mac
- Released
- 1977
- Genre
- Rock, pop
#8 · Best for Alternative rock fans
OK Computer
The 90s album that saw the future
Radiohead's third album turned anxiety about technology, travel and modern life into atmospheric, ambitious rock. "Paranoid Android" shifts through several sections, while "No Surprises" and "Karma Police" are quieter and haunting. It won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.
- "Paranoid Android" and "Karma Police"
- Themes of technology and alienation
- Layered, atmospheric sound
- Influenced a generation of bands
- Artist
- Radiohead
- Released
- 1997
- Genre
- Alternative rock
#9 · Best for Guitar music fans
Nevermind
The record that broke grunge
Nevermind took Seattle's underground sound into the mainstream, led by the single "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Kurt Cobain's songs pair quiet verses with explosive choruses, and Butch Vig's production made them radio-ready. In January 1992 it replaced Michael Jackson's Dangerous at number one in the US.
- "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
- Quiet-loud song structure
- Short, punchy tracks
- Defined early-90s rock
- Artist
- Nirvana
- Released
- 1991
- Genre
- Grunge, rock
#10 · Best for Hip-hop and neo-soul fans
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
A hip-hop and soul landmark
Lauryn Hill's only solo studio album mixes rap, soul and reggae in songs about love, faith, motherhood and the music business. "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and "Ex-Factor" are standouts, and classroom interludes tie the record together. It became the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.
- "Doo Wop (That Thing)"
- Blend of rap, soul and reggae
- Personal, spiritual lyrics
- Grammy Album of the Year
- Artist
- Lauryn Hill
- Released
- 1998
- Genre
- Hip-hop, R&B
How to choose
Start with the album closest to what you already like. If you listen mostly to pop, Thriller and Rumours are easy ways in. If you like guitar music, Nevermind and OK Computer are among the most influential albums of the 90s, while fans of soul and R&B should go straight to What's Going On and Songs in the Key of Life.
Listen to each record from start to finish, ideally without shuffle. Many of these albums were sequenced as a whole: Abbey Road ends with a long medley, What's Going On flows as one song cycle, and Pet Sounds rewards headphones. A good pair of headphones or a vinyl copy makes the detail in these best albums of the 70s and 60s much easier to hear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the greatest album of all time?
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There is no single agreed answer, but Marvin Gaye's What's Going On topped Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the 500 greatest albums. The Beatles' Abbey Road and Revolver, the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and Joni Mitchell's Blue also regularly appear near the top of critics' rankings.
What is the best-selling album of all time?
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Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982) is widely reported as the best-selling album of all time, with worldwide sales estimates of around 70 million copies. Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is also among the best-selling albums ever.
Which Beatles album is the best?
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Critics usually argue between Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road. Abbey Road is a good first choice because it combines strong individual songs with the famous medley on side two.
What are the best albums of the 90s?
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Nirvana's Nevermind, Radiohead's OK Computer and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill are three of the most celebrated albums of the 1990s. Other frequent picks include Massive Attack's Blue Lines, Oasis's (What's the Story) Morning Glory? and the Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die.
Which album has won the most Grammys?
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Thriller won eight Grammy Awards in 1984, including Album of the Year, which was a record for a single year at the time. Several albums on this list, such as Rumours, Songs in the Key of Life and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, also won Album of the Year.
Should I listen to albums in order?
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Yes, at least the first time. Classic albums were usually sequenced so the songs build on each other, and records like What's Going On and Abbey Road make most sense heard from start to finish.
Where can I listen to classic albums?
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All ten albums on this list are widely available on the major music streaming services, and most are easy to find on vinyl and CD, including remastered and anniversary editions.
What's Going On is our pick for the greatest album of all time because its music and its message have aged so well, but there is no wrong place to start. Work through this list at your own pace, then follow the artists and producers you like best, and you will soon have your own list of albums to listen to before you die.
How we research: We compare each product on the same criteria, using makers’ documentation, independent reviews and owner feedback, and re-check the list when products change.
Written by
Bitezine Editorial Team
Rankings, reviews & guides
Our editors research every piece from makers’ documentation, independent tests and owner reports, and update it when products change.
