The Definitive Albums of All Time . . .
Selected CDs

movie lists

movie recommendations

music lists

AV newsletter

film schedule

performance
calendar

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland released a listing of the definitive 200 albums of all time. These classic albums were selected based on their “enduring popularity”. Here are the top 50 in descending order.

1. Beatles. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 1967. (MR BEAT SPL B42)  
2. Pink Floyd. Dark Side of the Moon. 1973. (MR PINK DSM P01) 
   
3. Jackson, Michael. Thriller. 1982. (MR JACK-M THR J73)
4. Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin IV. 1971. (MM LEDZ LZ-4 L38) 
5. U2. The Joshua Tree. 1987. (MR U2 JT) 
6. The Rolling Stones. Exile on Main St. 1972. (MR ROLL EMS R24) 
7. King, Carole. Tapestry. 1971. (MA KING-C TAP K50)
8. Dylan, Bob. Highway 61 Revisited. 1965. (MR DYLA HSR D99)
9. Beach Boys. Pet Sounds. 1966. (MR BEAC PS B66)
10. Nirvana. Nevermind. 1991. (MR NIRV NEV N25)
11. Pearl Jam. Ten. 1991. (MR PEAR TEN P57)
12. Beatles. Abbey Road. 1969. (MR BEAT AR B46)
13. Santana. Supernatural. 1999. (MR SANT SUP S80)
14. Metallica. Metallica. 1991. (MM META MET M13)
15. Springsteen, Bruce. Born to Run. 1975. (MR SPRI-B BR)
16. Prince. Purple Rain. 1984. (L PURP PR P10)
17. AC/DC. Back in Black. 1980. (MM ACDC BB A07)
18. The Rolling Stones. Let it Bleed. 1969. (MR ROLL LIB R42)
19. Doors. The Doors. 1967. (MR DOOR DOO D07)
20. Grateful Dead. American Beauty. 1970. (MR GRAT AB G97)
21. Twain, Shania. Come On Over. 1997. (MC TWAI CO T03)
22. Who. Who's Next. 1971. (MR WHO WN W69)
23. Wonder, Stevie. Songs in the Key of Life. 1976. (MR WOND SKL M57)
24. Fleetwood Mac. Rumours. 1977. (MR FLEE RUM)
25. Pink Floyd. The Wall. 1979. (MR PINK WALL P43)
26. Morissette, Alanis. Jagged Little Pill. 1995. (MR MORI JLP)
27. Jones, Norah. Come Away With Me. 2002. (MJ JONE-N CAM J88)
28. Eminem. The Marshall Mathers lp. 2000. (MP EMIN MML E29)
29. OutKast. Speakerboxx: The Love Below. 2003. (MP OUTK SLB 033)
30. Dr. Dre. Chronic. 1992. (MP DRDR CHR D00)
31. Beastie Boys. Licensed to Ill. 1986. (MP BEAS LK B51)
32. Guns N’ Roses. Appetite for Destruction. 1987. (MM GUNS AD G48)
33. Dixie Chicks. Wide Open Spaces. 1998. (MC DIXI WOS D95)
34. Davis, Miles. Kind of Blue. 1959. (MJ DAVI KB D35)
35. Eagles. Hotel California. 1976. (MR EAGL HC E51)
36. Def Leppard. Hysteria. 1987. (MM DEFL HYS D47)
37. Grease:  The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture. 1978. (L GREA GRE)
38. Gaye, Marvin. What’s Going On. 1978. (MB GAYE WGO G22)
39. Beatles. White Album. 1968. (MR BEAT BEA B43)
40. Saturday Night Fever: the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. 1977.
    (L SATU SNF B89)
41. Hendrix, Jimi. Are You Experienced? 1967. (MR HEND AYE H02)
42. Beatles. Revolver. 1966. (MR BEAT REV B41)
43. Boston. Boston. 1976. (MR BOST BOS B88)
44. Bon Jovi. Slippery When Wet. 1986. (MR BONJ SW B89)
45. U2. Achtung Baby. 1991. (MR U2 AB U47)
46. Houston, Whitney. Whitney Houston. 1985. (MB HOUS WH H12)
47. Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin II. 1969. (MM LEDZ LZ-2 L33)
48. Dave Matthews Band. Crash. 1996.
49. The Rolling Stones. Sticky Fingers. 1971. (MR ROLL SF R25)
50. Green Day. Dookie. 1994. (MR GREE DOO G29)