Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time

BlitZBlaZe 3 years ago

The only song I kinda liked from rolling stones was "paint it black" not really anything else though.

Orthodox Caveman 3 years ago

Rolling Stone is one of the most tedious and dull publications there is. When I see a list like this I just want to throw out any album of mine that appears on it. There are too many music lists compilled by middle class, 50+ white music bores. All the same, totally predictable. At least Mr Funktual has passion.

Arabic music 3 years ago

great listTOTALLY apperciated

gjk 3 years ago

im sorry but the beatles aint that good til the late 60s people try to make them out to be the best n music no true there r stronger n better albums from others then them i see there whole antology on here wtf be serious mary j blige my life why only that one and why so low that defind another genre of music whats the 411 shoulda charted to some of these albums i have n dont think there all that special this list is dum n not good to see i agree that the greatest singer list 20 percent that is

tonymac04 3 years ago

Great list of albums. My late brother played on No. 242 - Bryter Later by Nick Drake. My brother played piano on Poor Boy!

Love and peace

Tony

german 2 years ago

INXS is not in the list!!! WTF

redwriterbb 2 years ago

Many people forget Duane Allman and Berry Oakley were the innovators of the Allman Brothers Band, founders of the jam band and inspirational to Southern rock. ( No. 49 "At Fillmore East" ) They played for the last act at the Fillmore East before it closed and this double album was captured. There was more left over for "Eat a Peach."

TODAY

is the anniversary of Berry Oakley Sr's untimely death. RIP 11-11-72

I have an article about him over on my blog for classic rock fans.

Chris 2 years ago

Where is Bob Seger and John Melencamp?

Once you get past the typical "lips on the backside" stance RS takes in regards to The Beatles,Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen this list isn't that bad. Except for Nirvana, Madonna, No Doubt, U2 and Radiohead.

Van Halen - Van Halen at 410? I just have no words for that!

OBTW - DJ Funktual you have balls of steel to rip on Hysteria when your fourth 'snub' is College Dropout , which came out a couple of months after the RL book, but I digress, not to mention your inclusion of O-"we're not the Beatles"-asis- and Lenny "don't call me Jimmy" Kravitz... Balls of steel my friend!

lock 2 years ago

i think pet sounds from beach boys it should be number 1 (one)

joshua caine 2 years ago

the reason that pet sounds is not number one cause the title is 500 greatest albums of all time, if the title that change to 500 best albums of all time obviously pet sounds is number one, no comparison. do you agree with me...

um.... 2 years ago

If you would take out erik b and rakim and replace it with kanye west you need to stop DJing...never go near any DJing equipment ever again, and start working at mcdonalds or something.

Gregg 2 years ago

I've come across some decent albums who's success was not measured by album sales or billboard hits - but instead the subtle impact they had on us. The albums that were made from the bottom up that hit us hard in the heart and mind and we felt something and learned something. Humans.

d luck 2 years ago

# Appetite for Destruction GUNS N' ROSES , this is the real great...

D Mills 2 years ago

This list was not compiled by the white middle class editors of Rolling Stone. Over 300 respectable musicians were given 50 votes and from those lists RS hired an accounting firm to do a number crunch and pick the top 500 from those lists. Essentially the people that decided this list are either part of the Rock n Roll hall of fame, own record companys, are famous musicians or are noteable in the music industry in some way. So stop bashing RS for doing the work that millions will benefit from. Maybe now people will see this list and notice that the 21rst century is poorly represented. Maybe now people will stop listening to this garbage music that monopolizes today's industry and relish in the "good stuff". Maybe THEN people will be inspiredto create truly great music once again.

katie 2 years ago

That's an awesome list. Really, you have to respect it. And I'm happy to see the Beatles so far up there; they are for sure deserving of that. I like looking at lists like this so that I can appreciate more music, and this one is inspiring me to get more into bob dylan, elvis costello, etc.

and gjk: seriously? *sigh*

Richard 2 years ago

no iron maiden, seriously, come on. This is a biased list of albums i've got to say

Dave 2 years ago

No Rush?!?!

2112 should be in the top half of the list. I agree...no moody blues...you must be kidding.

Who the hell is Kanye west????

redorange 2 years ago

I have to say I'm pretty pissed off at this list.

I don't live in the States so I'm not really familiar with how RS favoures certain musicians, but this is ridiculous. I don't know how any "claims-to-be" serious, music knowing magazine can come up with such a list. I didn't expect I would agree with all their choices, because that's improbable, but moments like Cure 10 spots after No Doubt!? Is this a joke? Or you just invented a new meaning for the word great?

I love all sorts of music, so this has nothing to do with me preferring one artist over another. Because I'm, for instance (and contrary to whoever allowed this list to be published), able to say I don't personally like Radiohead, but I'm aware that they are a great band who are very deserving of a position on this list, at least because they inspired so many people and other musicians. But here I did find Madonna's Music (!!!!), while looking in vein for artists like Tool, Jamiroquai, E.Badu, Alice in Chains, Tori Amos or, as you mentioned Sublime.

Not to mention that styles like R&B, indie pop/rock and trip-hop/electronic are barely represented and I guess they would rather commit harakiri than admit Destiny's Child's Writings on the Wall is one of the best modern R&B albums, or that Nelly Furtado's Whoa Nelly is one of the best examples of how good and innovative pop should sound. I think artists like Lauryn Hill got a spot somewhere thanks to the following logic "Ummm, she did get get 5 Grammys for it, maybe it's not such a good idea to skip that one".

I'm just glad the mentioned Prince and Joni Mitchell otherwise I might have been overtaken with the desire to send them a letter with a certain white powder expressing my deepest regrets. :)

p.s. I'm sorry I wrote so much, I'm stupid for getting so obsessed with these kind of things - it's like watching the oscars. ;)

Martin 2 years ago

Michael Jackson's BAD album is featured but not his Dangerous album?! That makes no sense, Bad was a Thriller to a new level, but Dangerous was the creation of popular New Jack Swing...

nick  2 years ago

i would like to know how money played into this list

vinassefranche 2 years ago

What about Deep Purple?? I mean, Machinehead or In Rock should have figured in this list.... I can't understand why 3 albums of black sabbath and 5 of Led zep are in this list and none of Deep Purple.... Apart from that, this list is somehow great!

Suffo-Ben 2 years ago

On The Beatles. I like them, I really do. But seriously, Rolling Stone? 4 out of 10 albums in the top ten were Beatles albums. I call bullshite. One, yes, I do fully acknowledge the "impact" they had on certain artists and on the music industry as a whole. Two, um, I just wish people would actually talk about their "Studio Years" when talking about their later stuff, which is, coincidentally, what makes up almost half of the top ten (Sgt. Peppers, White Album, etc.). Is it really fair to say that they stopped touring, became an all studio band, and released a "masterpiece"? OF COURSE IT'S A MASTERPIECE. YOU ONLY HAD A FREAKIN' YEAR TO MAKE IT. While they're sittin' in the studio, other groups like The Rolling Stones and The Who are out touring and promoting. That's why I don't agree with this list. In my opinion, The Beatles had a ton of credibility, up until their studio years. All-studio bands have NO RESPECT from me. That's not rock n' roll. Rock n' roll is making and album, get your ass out their and touring to promote it. Not taking your precious time to create a "masterpiece".

/rant.

Oh, and I wish they would stop with The Beatles / Bob Dylan / U2 / Bruce Springsteen / Nirvana love thing going on. Beatles = No credibility. Dylan = Can't sing worth a crap, but oh wait, he talks about rebellion and shit so the RS hippies would love that. U2 = Haven't put out any good music in the past 10 years. Springsteen = No good music in almost the past 30 years. Nirvana = One good album, so that makes them God.

All crap-ola.

Michael 2 years ago

hey suffo ben, nobody likes a negative nancy

Aaron 2 years ago

Ummm if you would actually listen to No Doubt's albums you would see that there is a lot more to it than "Spiderwebs." Sit back and listen to them both a few times. That's what this list is about; If you haven't heard these albums yet, they are the 500 you must hear before you die.

Skippy 2 years ago

Lynyrd Skynyrd~ Street Survivors ?

Allman Brothers Band ~ Eat A Peach ?

JJ Cale ~ Naturally ?

Warren Zevon ~ Excitable Boy ?

Traffic ~ John Barleycorn Must Die ?

Stevie Ray Vaughan ~ Texas Flood ?

Freddie King ~ Burglar ?

I could make another list of 500....I'm just sayin'....

DK 2 years ago

KISS is on this list? Is this a joke, seriously?

Matt 2 years ago

To the dumbass who said there is no R&B, maybe you should research what R&B actually is.

papachops 2 years ago

No Chicago!? Really? How is this missed? Also BS&T 2 Volume the best. Not up there.

oscar 2 years ago

WTF... Theres nothing about DREAM THEATER... and they are two albums of outkast... WTF... This is stupid... and Straight Outta Compton of N.W.A. is upper than Master of puppets!!!!!!!

DeFrank 2 years ago

Dear DJ Funktual, I just wrote to tell you that Green Day's American Idiot came out over a year after this list came out. If only the voters could have seen the future. Thank for being a moron.

Sincerely,

Proper Research

Jon 2 years ago

sea change is my fav Beck album, i have them all

best song - lost cause

don't be a hater

phil 2 years ago

ur an idiot. this list was made in 2003. American Idiot was released 2004

Jon 2 years ago

Airoplane under the sea by neutral milk hotel didn't make it to the list, it seems to make every other list top 10, not that i'm suggesting it should be top 10 but its a good album

Jimmy 2 years ago

I don't realy know what everyone sees in The Beatles. For me their music sucks very much

TYMAR 2 years ago

LOLZ at all the bitching from people about what albums did or didn't make it. It's just a list. If RS conducted the same process, it would turn out differently. This list is a result of the people involved and their opinions on "greatness". We can all find something to complain about. I guess the point is that the majority of the albums included can be considered "acceptably great".

TYMAR 2 years ago

All right, I'll do it. The obligatory bitching: WHAT? NO OFFSPRING? And how does Randy Newman get three albums on this list? On ANY list? Now you all know where I'm coming from... :)

Josh 2 years ago

Glad to see The Flying Burrito Brothers and Joy Division on the list.

No At the Drive-in?????

Completely agree about the Fugazi.

poop69 2 years ago

DeFrank, you are hilarious, i love you

Chris 2 years ago

Just gonna add mine that didn't make the list.

Plans- Death Cab for Cutie

Transatlanticism- Death Cab for Cutie

Elephant Shell- Tokyo Police Club

The Crane Wife- The Decemberists

Picaresque - The Decemberists

Amnesiac- Radiohead

In the Aeroplane over the Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel

Machina/the Machines of God- Smashing Pumpkins

The Best of Simon and Garfunkel

Union- The Boxer Rebellion

Merriwether Post Pavilion- Animal Collective

Fate- Dr. Dog

One by One- Foo Fighters

Veckatimest- Grizzly Bear

A Larum- Johnny Flynn

Good News for People Who Love Bad News - Modest Mouse

The Moon and Antarctica- Modest Mouse

We were Dead before the Ship even Sank- Modest mouse

Clumsy - Our Lady Peace

In Time- REM

Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes

Chutes too narrow - the shins

Wincing the night away - the shins

At Mount Zoomer - Wolf Parade

Out of Exile - Audioslave

Built to Spill also has some great albums

Chris 2 years ago

Though, I admit, these came after the list was made

Lex  2 years ago

Umm.....Where's Paul McCartney??? Band On The Run?? Hello? Great Album!!!! Oh and good for you George Harrison! Plus im surprised they didnt have any John Lennon. God they give anything to him because he's dead.

Marin 2 years ago

This list is terrible.totally favoring 60s and 70s artists.

freddyvanmac 2 years ago

Love the list-but baffled by how high some are ranked or that they are ranked at all and by what is missing. Some fun exploring to do as a result of this list. I'm not so sure 'best of's' should be on here and if they should a whole ton of those are missing. I also believe an album should be at least 10 years old before it should be considered. Critically acclaimed and best seller are usually not one and the same. Should lists be done according to 'it's influence, number of grammy's? A list of albums by artists or muscioans vs entertainers and performers? Why so little country? I like some rap, but cheap lyrics that puff themsleves up with vulgarity and lack of respect for women that are a magnet for young minds seems like musical porn. Should that be included? How about gospel? Although the list was the result of an apparent crosssection in media and entertainment, it has some serious problems, but it is fun and creates in some cases meaningful dialog. Just like there is no such thing as the best pizza in the world...we all have different tastes, the same is certainly true in music. Two albums I listned to time and again today are Steve Miller's Brave New World and Greatful Dead's Amercian Beauty. I don't think they are on the list. No biggie. The Beatles need not apolgize for anything. Dylan is a singer/sonwriter that trascends generations. Yes, I think there should be room on the list for the Moodies, BS&T, CTA and a Mellencamp and a Seeger. I loved the Beach Boys but Pet Sounds did nothing for me...that's whats great about music, it can bring us together or have us arguing and maybe poiting a sex pistol or throwing a rock lobster at one another. God save the queen, we mean it man! Music touches us all in a different way emotionally dude and that's cool man...dig it.

english don 2 years ago

some great, some ain't, can't call greatest hits albums great albums, some omitted, some weird choices,eg: post but not debut by bjork etc.Some "albums of the week"some for americans only and some that would never get in my top 1,000,000! But if you ask 100 people thier opinion on sport, politics or music you'll get 100 answers so overall not bad.

Music Lovin' Dude 2 years ago

Wow, what a weird list. A lot of greats on here, but it's missing a lot of music...

I love music, all types, but was very disappointed with this list. What can you expect from RS though? Albums that should have been on there:

Genesis - Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

Genesis - Duke

Genesis - Invisible Touch

Paul McCartney - Ram

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery

Yes - The Yes Album

Yes - Fragile

Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese

Tori Amos - Boys for Pele

Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstacy

E.L.O. - Face the Music

Jethro Tull - Stand Up

Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five

System of a Down - Toxicity

Slayer - Reign in Blood

Iron Maiden - Powerslave

Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast

Bee Gees - Main Course

Journey - Escape

Styx - The Grand Illusion

Dream Theater - Images and Words

The Moody Blues - In Search of the Lost Chord

Joe Walsh - But Seriously, Folks..

Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

Pantera - Cowboys From Hell

Rush - 2112

Rush - Moving Pictures

Rush - Permanent Waves

Queensryche - Empire

Sade - Promise

Asia - Asia

Boston - Boston

Deep Purple - Machine Head

Of course this is just my opinion, but come on, some of these are a no brainer and belong up at the top!!

JOhn 2 years ago

I find it funny how much you people cry over one list jeez

Well you know... 2 years ago

Your glaring omissions list is an absolute FAIL. did u just list all the albums you own?

Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell is a true omission

THE BOOOSSSSS 2 years ago

Someone said Bruce Springsteen has not made good music for over 30 years? Shut up. Idiot. One of the greatest Musicians of all time. Not to mention most of his 8 albums shown on this were from around 30 years ago. The River, Tunnel of Love, Born to Run, Born in the USA, Darkness on the Edge of Town, The Wild The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, Nebraska..

xyz 2 years ago

Bon jovi? not a one? SLIPPERY WHEN WET! COME ON!

jon ryan 2 years ago

And justice for all by metallica should be on here for sure and ride the lightning

shawn 24 months ago

ZZ Top only has two albums? None by the Black Crowes but Coldplay has at least one? None by Joe Satriani? Ever heard of The Presidents of the United States of America? Gimme a break.

CLEARLY 24 months ago

Ok, you guys have to accept what this list is. I agree that there are some serious omissions and snubs, but there will be with any list. Rolling Stone clearly chose the most successful, or influential albums by influential artists, but damn there must be a billion albums by now, and they were narrowing it down to 500

CLEARLY 24 months ago

.... This list is also great for music fans looking to discover great music they haven't heard before, they can check out the best work of the greatest to ever do it, regardless of the overall ranking. it's still cool

Theallmikey 24 months ago

Well I love the Beatles so I loved the top ten.

But this list, especially between number 500 and 200 is all over the place! The debut Smiths album behind madonna or no doubt? What?? And Rock Steady higher on the list then Tragic Kingdom; that's just insane.

Definately maybe by Oasis should have been there, as well, above Morning Glory, but only slightly, really :P

I'd Also Add Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos\Under the Pink somewhere, And actually exchange the original Smiths with Hateful of Hollow, which I think is better.

Maybe 500 albums was too much for them and they ran out of steam halfway through the selection process...

Seppe 24 months ago

Rolling stone was a great ROCKpublishment. Now they're giving an album from the Jonas Brothers 4 out of 5. Lame..

Rob 24 months ago

Sea Change is my favorite Beck. The album has zero filler and is artistically. I prefer rolling stone going with that rather than some album with a bunch of radio friendly tracks.

Mister Sunshine 23 months ago

Wish You Were Here is DEFINITELY the best Floyd album, better than Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. It would be my #1 without a doubt, rather than #207 for fucks sake!

Also I would put Moondance higher than Astral Weeks.

john 23 months ago

Not that I'm a huge country fan at all. In fact, the only county I can respect is from the 50's-early 80's. However, I CAN NOT believe that NOT ONE ALBUM from Townes Van Zandt is on this list.....That is disappointing. Considering he is known as the "songwriters songwriter".

marjan 23 months ago

497. The Stone Roses THE STONE ROSES ???

473. The Smiths THE SMITHS ????

234. Like a Prayer MADONNA ?????

253. The Velvet Rope JANET JACKSON ?????

IS IT A JOKE???

Rockie 23 months ago

OZZY- THE OZZMAN COMETH Ozzy is one of the premier artists of our time. I would have figured this would have been in the top 100.

Jamaicamusic  23 months ago

It's disappointing to see that Sublime and it's albums "40 oz to Freedom" along with eponymic "Sublime" could not be found. Sublime was band ahead of its time and that's now being recognized with an upsurge of new young fans who never got to see Brad Nowell. Hopefully Sublime with Rome can continue to make the music great and add to it with their own album upcoming.

Also, I don't know when this list was published, but KiD CuDi's Man on the Moon is pretty awesome in its successful experimentation (that is, before the radio could pervert it with techno remixes). Last thing, look up the "Mos Dub" project; hopefully you tighten your belt to keep that album from blowing your pants off.

Jared 23 months ago

Um, I think Black Sabbath's Paranoid should have been WAY higher on the list, as in TOP 10. IV should have been higher as well. This is also being extremely picky, but I would put London Calling by the Clash at Number Two. Number One I HIGHLY agree with, though :)

Praxis 23 months ago

The list is to focused on mainsteam 60's, even if I love that. The best hardrock/prog is not there, like Dio's Holy Diver, Panteras Vulgar display.., Reign in blood by Slayer, Some Gong and so on. Rush - moving pictures belong in the list I guess. In the court of the Crimson King and Yes - Fragile.

I think there were two janet jackson albums. That's disturbing. Betty Davis "Nasty Gal" is more relevant.

Anyway, the main point is that some major releases are missing - the RS list is narrowminded.

Josh Brooks 23 months ago

This is a very inspired list with some odd choices but too each his own. Rolling Stone has been the forefront for music journalism for so long I find it weird to see angry narrow minded 35 year olds sitting there wearing their woman beaters, drinking a latte listening to god knows what contemplating how their music tastes are supreme to all. I'm 17 and I'm the only person I know that listens to the Pixies, Alice in Chains and Radiohead. I dont wave my altern/grunge flag everywhere and yell at people to Nickleback! I just think those thoughts. So unless your absoluetly sure the builder of your pedastal was a 100% certified builder, please remove yourself and love music for the next 20/30/40/50 or 60 years you have left on Planet Earth.

Josh Brooks 23 months ago

*I dont yell at people for listening to Nickleback

tiben14 23 months ago

why is kate bush not on this list? :(

Abbey R. 23 months ago

I honestly don't think Pet Sounds is that great, honestly. I agree with Sgt. Pepper's at the top, and Bob Dylan in fourth, but as much as I like The Beach Boys, Highway 61 Revisited should not be below it. I guess two Beatles albums in a row couldn't have happened. Oh well. At least Bob is at the top of the 500 Greatest Songs of all time.

Thank GOD they had the mindset to not put Nickelback anywhere near this list. Though I don't understand why Van Halen is so far down the list. I mean, Zep and The Who are in the top fifty, why not Van Halen? And I really don't think No Doubt belongs anywhere near this list because, really, they definitely don't have anything to do with being the greatest anything. Just a mild observation on my part.

I'm glad they have Marvin Gaye on there; and Exile on Main Street is good to have up there. Perhaps Nirvana could stand to be a couple of slots up the list, but I am VERY disappointed to not see any Paul McCartney. His solo career is much more definitive than John's and Plastic Ono Band isn't even one of John's best album.

Oh well, I'm not a musical expert obviously. I just think this could have used a different sort of touch.

T Palese 23 months ago

Probably the biggest Glaring Omission is Boston/Boston. For a dozen reasons it should be in there- the biggest thing that year it came out. Also Sade Diamond Life absolutely, Rush Moving Pictures, and The Yes album- a classic innovative record. Def Lep Hysteria deserves to be in there with 5 huge singles from that album- an excellent record.

ArnaldoBaptista84 23 months ago

Well, this list is fine and all albums are great (is hard when I see some Beyoncé stuff listed), but I think there're some flaws:

1- Too many Beatles' albums in the top 10! They're great, The White Album is my favorite album ever, but 4 is too much. Two would be understandable.

2- British bands (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Radiohead...) are underrated.

3- Too few jazz albums! Kinf of Blue is top 10, A Love Supreme and The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady should be higher

4- Compilation's albums should be excluded. It's possible to argue "1" is a better listen than any Beatles' album, but comparing the best accomplishments of any entire career to some moths of recording sessions, is unfair.

5- Modern stuff could be higher. The Smiths' "The Queen is Dead", Pearl Jam's "Ten", Radiohead's Ok "Computer" and "The Bends", "Franz Ferdinand" (critics hate them and they're awsome), The White Stripes' "White Blood Cells", Amy Wineshouse... Many could be top 100.

Josh Brooks 23 months ago

I messed up my writing I meant to say that I dont yell at people who listen to Nickleback but they deserve a yelling at

JoHN RaY 23 months ago

the list of GREATEST ALBUM is always battles of PEPPERS VS PET SOUNDS the others albums even is not on the same level

note : honestly the album or song come out on late 00's / early 10's realy sucks make my stomach sick everyday???...

Ricky Hood 23 months ago

WHERE THE HELL IS "FUNERAL" BY ARCADE FIRE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

shawn 23 months ago

I purchased this magazine when it came out and it got me to listen to a lot of albums I had never listened to before, like a lot of albums from the Stones, Dylan, Radiohead, and Miles Davis. So for me, this list really served its purpose. I agree with most of the top 50 in terms of quality, originality, and historical significance. There are a few things I would change, though. I would remove all greatest hits album, although artists like Hank Williams and Muddy Waters were around before long play albums existed. I don’t understand why albums form The Band are ranked so high. I couldn’t find a single song from them that I liked. I can’t believe Boston’s first album isn’t in the top 500. Over 30 years later, radio stations are still playing 3 or 4 songs from that album. I think if this list came out now, there would be a lot more respect for Sublime and a lot less respect for No Doubt. My two least favorite albums from the Beatles are Sgt. Peppers and the White Album. Great progressive bands like Rush, Genesis, and Yes get no respect from Rolling Stone magazine or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which makes sense since they are controlled by the same person. And finally, Queensryche’s Operation Mindcrime is the best and most cohesive concept album I’ve ever listened to. And every song is great. It’s not like the Wall, where there are 3 or 4 really good songs and the rest isn’t worth listening to. Or Sgt. Peppers, where only 3 of the songs are actually connected with each other. To not even be in the top 500 when Cyndi Lauper and the Eurythmics are on the list just Ain’t right.

Oakes 23 months ago

Funeral would definitly be there except it did come out after the list was created. And while it is missing some great albums ( neutral milk hotel, in the aeroplane over the sea anyone?), it does have some good ones. Butthere is no way they were gonna get this list right. People just have to many different opinions

Mason 23 months ago

AC/DC's Highway to Hell is #97....wow

Buzzy 23 months ago

Quite hilarious that The Real Thing by Faith No More is listed as an omission and Angel Dust doesnt even get a mention.

They are one of the most influential rock bands of all, with one of the most versatile and talented vocalists of all time, produced arguably the most complex and complete rock album of all time (Angel Dust) and they are left out why? Because of a lack record sales? Because of instead of going mainstream after having commercial success they went totally uncommercial and versatile?

Just mind boggling some of the stuff in this list, how shallow can you be?

Josh Brooks 23 months ago

Buzzy I do agree with you. Faith No More are an awesome band and I own both the albums you mentioned. I do like The Real Thing a bit more then Angel Dust but to each his own eh.

James 23 months ago

Madonna?! Jay-Z?! Are you kidding me?!

James 23 months ago

Well its nice to see Nirvana, Ramones, The Clash, & Sex Pistols on this list.

lemmoth 23 months ago

Ditto the below comment, plus Vitalogy is Pearl Jam's best album, sorry dude

This list was not compiled by the white middle class editors of Rolling Stone. Over 300 respectable musicians were given 50 votes and from those lists RS hired an accounting firm to do a number crunch and pick the top 500 from those lists. Essentially the people that decided this list are either part of the Rock n Roll hall of fame, own record companys, are famous musicians or are noteable in the music industry in some way. So stop bashing RS for doing the work that millions will benefit from. Maybe now people will see this list and notice that the 21rst century is poorly represented. Maybe now people will stop listening to this garbage music that monopolizes today's industry and relish in the "good stuff". Maybe THEN people will be inspiredto create truly great music once again

Joe 22 months ago

I think Paul McCartney's stuff was left out because John had more influential and meaningful music, in terms of his subjects... McCartney wrote pop songs. I'm not saying they weren't incredible, I'm saying in history, things like Imagine will be remembered for many years.

Shane 22 months ago

I really think that many Beatles albums at the top is a joke. Top 3 in any order are Peppers, Pet Sounds, and Born to Run (WAY TOO FAR DOWN ON THE LIST)

Sven Jolly 22 months ago

GLARING OMISSIONS:

* Definitely Maybe - Oasis (1994)

* The Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips (1999)

* Summerteeth - Wilco (1999)

* Scary Monsters - David Bowie (1980)

* Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles (1968)

* XO - Elliott Smith (1998)

* White Blood Cells - The White Stripes (2001)

* Arthur - The Kinks (1969)

* Up The Bracket - The Libertines (2002)

* The Moon & Antarctica - Modest Mouse (2000)

* Mass Romantic - The New Pornographers (2000)

* In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel

* The Masterplan - Oasis (1998)

* Ram - Paul McCartney (1971)

* Reckoning - R.E.M. (1984)

* Fables of the Reconstruction - R.E.M. (1985)

* In It For The Money - Supergrass (1997)

* Anodyne - Uncle Tupelo (1993)

* Skylarking - XTC (1986)

* Veedon Fleece - Van Morrison (1974)

OVERRATED!:

* Destroyer - Kiss

* Full Moon Fever - Tom Petty

* Live Through This - Hole

* ChangesOne - David Bowie

* Band On The Run - Paul McCartney & Wings

* Van Halen - Van Halen

* Out of our Heads - The Rolling Stones

* L.A. Woman - The Doors

All in all, an ALMOST perfect list that I admit is pretty crowd-pleasing, but c'mon rollingstone... where are the shockers?? The odd-balls?? I will thank you guys for praising nick drake's contributions on this list though.

RandomChick .  22 months ago

The list is so out of order.

The list is mainly composed of 60's and 70's albums meaning it doesn't include modern stuff (which to be honest is okay cause there isn't an modern stuff that we can be proud of) but come on there were alot of good 90's albums. Pixies Higher. Smashing pumpkins higher. The whole top 10 is a mystery to me. Sure the beatles are good but not that good. If I was to rate them on a scale of 1-10 they would only get an 8. Sure there good but there also crap. Sure they were ahead of "their time" but now their crap Literally. The beatles in comparison to the rolling stones well.... ermm not hard definitely rolling stones. Bob dylan.. god that dudes so freakin old that he may even be dead (i'm not sure) Again in this day you can't look at they were ahead of their time you have to look at is there music better then music today. Of course the music today is the beatles, bob dylan, rolling stones, beach boys... but better. You get what I'm getting at. That's why this list causes so much controversy it's called of all time. Big no no. Anyways the other reason for the controversy is the difference in age which leads to different opinions. Seeing sgt. pepper's is the biggest insult to music. To say that that's the best album we have to offer well than we would be done for. You have to acknowledge the fact that there are/were (by were I mean between 1985 - 2000) that were ahead of there time. This list is flawed in so many ways. It's like one of those annual radio top 100 list where people vote for there favourite song. Most of all it has to sound good sure the lyrics can be deep and the riffs are cool and what not and we whail on the drums like no other human being and we can play that guitar like jimi hendrix and eric clapton you can have all that seriously you can have all that but still have a song that's bullshit.

tom akkermans 22 months ago

Nice list! Oasis should be better represented imho.

tors tion 22 months ago

i dont understand, but read this full list and the comment too was much much more better than watching THE HURT LOCKER (2009) in the theatre, i dont know i dont get it...

some guy 22 months ago

the list is narrow minded, over 50% is 60s&70s. the beatles were big for there time, but they have way too many in the top ten. it does seem like they give credit to some artist more than others. some people say they give nirvana a little extra credit, wrong. nirvana earned there spots on these and other lists.

the list should include a little more modern stuff, but they need to be earned.

Izzy 22 months ago

I saw some awesome choices, but i noticed there was nothing by Bryan Adams. I mean, c'mon, Cuts Like a Knife, Reckless and Waking Up The Neighbors are some of his best and important albums. But still, i like the pressence of Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen, whom i've been really getting into in the last couple of years. I agree with Full Moon Fever being totally "missed" by Rolling Stones magazine.

BUTTPLUG 22 months ago

King Crimson - In the Court of The Crimson King

Such a mountain of artistic, conceptual and utterly mind bending music. Not on the list? Dont make me sick

I have to say this list should dive into all genre's of music. For example, Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries, is without doubt the greatest acoustic guitar album of all time, which combines Hedges' untouchable guitar playing and astounding composing talents. If anyone is reading this, i would seriously recommend you take a listen, or even better, own it! Honestly, to say the music in this album is "beautiful", is an understatement. I'll stop piping on, and just listen yourself, you will then understand : )

KK 22 months ago

Where's Rust In Peace by Megadeth?

alessio 22 months ago

There's nothing about Genesis,Deep Purple and Leonard Cohen (Songs Of Leonard Cohen is great...such incredible...And Alice In Chains (Layne Staley R.I.P.)??? Also musical soundtracks are missin',Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar above all...And Definitely Maybe by Oasis,if you like them or not,is one of the most important albums of 90's...

CT 22 months ago

This list is missing so much amazing music, and while The Beatles were influential, I don't think they deserve 40% of the top 10. So many amazing albums aren't represented here. Even albums like Physical Graffiti should have been much higher on the list.

Just going through my collection...

Toxicity - System of a Down

Relationship of Command - At the Drive-In

In Loving Memory Of... - Big Wreck

Chamber Music - Coal Chamber

Around the Fur - Deftones

Digimortal - Fear Factory

Greyest of Blue Skies - Finger Eleven

A Funk Odyssey - Jamiroquai

Freak on a Leash - Korn

De-loused in the Comatorium - The Mars Volta

Silver - Moist

Origin of Symmetry - Muse

The Fragile - Nine Inch Nails

Clumsy - Our Lady Peace

Spiritual Machines - Our Lady Peace

Aenema - Tool

Lateralus - Tool

Futureperfect - VNV Nation

There is Nothing Left to Lose - Foo Fighters

If the list was updated, I'd throw these on there:

Act II - The Protomen

Troubadour - K'Naan

The Bedlam in Goliath - The Mars Volta

Porcelain - Sparta

Fantasies - Metric

Armistice - Mutemath

The Alchemy Index - Thrice(Esp. Vol III and IV)

A City by the Light Divided - Thursday

Carnival of Rust - Poets of the Fall

The Armada - The Armada

Godsmaidenpriest 22 months ago

What happened to British Steel by Judas Priest???

The Beatles 22 months ago

Rolling stone magazine is stupid for thinking Sgt.Peppers is the best Beatles album. The Beatles are the greatest of all time but I dont agree with any rap albums on here cuz rap is crap!

A Riutort 21 months ago

You must be kidding. Jimi Hendrix is far superior to all of the musical groups in the past 60 years put together. I'm a Beatles FAN and they were s mediocre group of musicians at best. They had great admiration for Jime. They even said the his Sgt Pep version was the best they had heard..Have you ever listened to Electris Lady. I have for the past 40 years in addition to hundreds of sessions with the Beatles anbums in momo and stereo.

The CD music is a far cry from any album.

Bronze Boy 21 months ago

i agree with you the best BEATLES album is MEET/WITH THE BEATLES (1964) cause the album changes the music forever. SGT PEPPERS (1967) is like a boring beatles albums, mediocre hits and, stranges concept album theme...

Spiritofthe70s 21 months ago

Its an awful list. No complaints with albums that made top ten but to leave out albums like Funeral and Definitely Maybe just beggars belief.

proslambanomenos 21 months ago

where is IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING?!?!?!?!?

Jurrecane 21 months ago

Pink Floyd should be higher imo and to many beatles albums in the top 10. Led Zeppelin should be higher to..

SPJ 21 months ago

A lot of the albums you guys are listing as left off are only left off because Rolling Stone issued this list in November 2003. Well before many of the albums you're upset about were released

Mad_For_Music 21 months ago

Rolling stone has always been and will remain a magazine with an inadequate taste. Sgt. Pepper is ok, but what the hell is with Pink Floyd??? Dark Side 44 and The Wall 88!!! This is insane!

Mad_For_Music 21 months ago

And also, not a single album from Deep Purple! This magazine is fully consisted of tossers. That's sad.

Eric in Louisville 21 months ago

Grievous omission: The J. Geils Band. "Full House" one of greatest live albums. "Bloodshot" also wonderful. Also, "The Buffalo Springfield, Again." Listen to some cuts from that on YouTube--"Broken Arrow," etc. Way ahead of its time. Finally, "greatest hits" albums should be banned from any "best album" list--except "best greatest hits" albums. It's a separate vategory!

Ben 21 months ago

I totally agree with the Beatles choices, no album is as consistently amazing song per song as Sgt Pepper and certainly Rubber Soul. It's not out dated if you just listen to it. I would have like to have seen Def Maybe and Be Here Now.

Mmm... 21 months ago

Although I agree that The Beatles, Bob Dylan and co. made some great albums worthy of top ten status, I can't help but feel that the person or persons that made this list are over biased towards them and have no time for for many modern artists. Personally I would rather listen to an album by Muse, Radiohead or Coldplay or something like that than the Beatles and I think many people today would feel the same. People who think that good music is a rarity these days and live in the past are very wrong. Of course we are all going to favour our own generation of music, but a greatest albums list should be made to appeal to all age groups, not just those who were young in the 60s and 70s and suchlike. Of course those bands would still be among the best on the list, it would be nice to see the list more varied, rather than a 60s and 70s centric list with other scattered here and there.

The Don53 21 months ago

What the fuck? Why is def leppard on this list?

DR999 21 months ago

Crap List! Is this a joke?!?! I used to respect Rolling Stone.

Johno 21 months ago

Can't believe that TISM - Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance is not on this list !

Lucky Strike 21 months ago

Come on ! No Funeral by Arcade Fire, The Doors' rated after U2, Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles it must be a joke... How commercial music wins over good music.

DaveG 21 months ago

I think the list was very well put together for the most part, it seemed to give every main genre some credit. The only issue I have is that I truly don't understand how you can leave out Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet and Boston- Boston. Those both could be in the top 100.

TinyDancer123 21 months ago

The reason that it's so hard to comprise a list of what one group of people think are the 500 best albums of all time are is because everyone has a different taste. if everyone in the world made that list they would all be different. not everyone is going to agree, in fact I don't expect anyone to agree with anyone.

okay now to the music part. the Doors I feel could be more represented. the White Album i'm not all that fond of, personally even though I love the Beatles. Pull that out and move everything up one and then you have 3 Beatles albums in the top 10, that's a little more reasonable. INXS australian band, nobody knows them, they are amazing. Rolling stone get your international boots on, Kick, Listen Like Thieves and X could all be on the list.

Bobc 21 months ago

What a joke of a list. FIVE beatles records, the clash and the stones AHEAD of Hendrix? Really? You must really want to blow john paul george and ringo...

this 5th grade retoric of a "list" is right where it should be..in Rolling Stone magazine... a silly cartoon extreme-leftist rag not worth the paper its printed on. Not so dfferent than MTV, your readers are 12 yearolds..

Will M 21 months ago

The difference between Rolling Stone magazine and MTV is that MTV ruined rock music and Rolling Stone magazine has reintroduced a lot of great music to the world. MTV, as far as I can tell, is only interested in showcasing a bunch of self indulgent, self serving celebrities who are more interested in red carpets than in creating good music. MTV sucks!

As far as the list goes, it's a list of greatest albums, not greatest artists. So I don't mind Madonna and The Go-Go's and Def Leppard being included. I have some problems with the list. But I think that any list that includes Michael Jackson's Thriller, Van Morrison's Atral Weeks,and Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced all the top 20 as well as Captain Beefheart and Buddy Holly in the top 100 is at least coming close to getting it right. And it introduced me to MC5's Kick Out The Jams album... Damn, I wish I'd had that album in high school!

Parody's Bard 21 months ago

All this rage over a seven-year-old list? No, seriously? :?

When I saw this my thoughts went along the following lines:

1. But this is Rolling Stone! What did you expect?

2. Well, having released only the list and nothing else - the criteria for pinning up those albums wasn't made public, after all - kinda vitiates the naysayers' criticisms.

3. OMG, they included greatest-hits albums? WTF?

Ben 21 months ago

I'm tired of everyone bitching about the list. This is just what one magazine thinks, if you disagree, make your own damn list so we can stop listening to your griping. And everyone who's bitching at the Beatles, they are almost universally accepted as the greatest musical act of all time in the music industry.

Pedro 21 months ago

Only one Bjork album? And in 369? What a joke

ummm 21 months ago

radiohead is way too low

dd 21 months ago

Theres only 500 albums, they can't include everyone.

No The The albums, even though theyre a critics favourite.

Tewdrowos  21 months ago

I can tell that this list was done by all white people this is the worst piece of bull shit I ever saw Sgt. peppers lonely heart club band is not the greatest album of all time (what bull shit it's not even the Beatles best work.I also can not believe Michael Jackson's Thriller is listed at #20 ha ha ha this is crap.on top of that you have the beach boy's in the top five but no prince albums.RACISM DOES LIVE YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK....

W. Rabbit 21 months ago

suggested addition to the second list: Phish- Story of the ghost

Mike 21 months ago

needs more rush, more Yes, more king crimson, more metallica and higher ranked hendrix and jefferson airplane, come one, the Beatles were a pop group, they don't come close to having an inkling of the talent people like Neal Peart have

Bob 20 months ago

As a hardcore Beatles fan its hard to believe that a Hard Day's night beats our Magical Mystery Tour. Please Please is wayyy over rated although I can see how the first album ever realeased by The Beatles is so iconic. Oh and Dookie is wayyyyyyyyyyy too low on this list as well

D w moffet 20 months ago

Over all ok, but no iron maiden,pantera...i mean no of the beast deserves a place in ny list of grtest album evr made

Baby B 20 months ago

I really don't see what this thing is about The Beatles being the greatest of all time. Really? I think that Green Day's American Idiot has completely re-invented punk rock music and therefore, Green Day should be at least number 2 or fucking 3, sorry but I don't think that the people now a days are seriously still into The Beatles. Green Day and Nirvana has made the biggest impact on rock music and in my eyes I think that Green Day and Nirvana are much, much, much more talented and real than little goody-two-shoes The Beatles. You might wanna consider making a few changes on this shit list.

Baby B 20 months ago

Green Day: Dookie and American Idiot are number one. End of discussion...

Who Knows? 20 months ago

Idk This I feel like this list some albums that shouldn I like literally every type of music but rap and rock are my faves however i feel like they were favoring rock much than rap and that they didn't know much about rap. here some things i thing about this list as far rap albums on it go.

1.) Jay-Z's reasonalbe doubt is on here but not his "Vol.2...Hard Knock Life" which is his best selling album and the one that made him to a superstar i felt like this should have definatley been on the list and reasonable doubt might not even fit on here.

2.) There is no 2Pac on this list! He was on icon All Eyez on Me should deff be on here. Biggie deff deserves to be on his this list and i belive he was better than 2Pac b/c he single handly put the east coast back on the map and in my opion had a better flow. but to have no 2Pac on this list at all is ridicolous.

3.)I think both of Eminem's The Eminem Show and The Marshall Mather's LP should have been ranked higher, and I also think the Eminem Show should have been ranked higher than The Masharall Mather's LP. The Marshall Mather's LP was his fast selling album and broke the recored for fastest selling rap album but in overall sales they both sold about the same (around 25 million). The Marshall Mather's LP also had Stan on it which is considered to be one if (if not his best song. However I feel like The Eminem Show was first album that should he really matured mostly about his life, I feel like The Marshall Mather's LP (even though there was few songs about his life) was mostly just about killing people, drugs, and how big he got. Also on The Eminem Show I can listen to the whole thing form start to finish and skip only maybe 1 song where as on The Marshall Mathers LP I probally skip about 2-3 song on it depending on the mood I'm on in.

Elwood 20 months ago

There's a lot I like about the RS list though I do have some qualms about the order. So rather than decide what to remove from the list, I'd just like to add about 25 or 50 albums. Off the top of my head, this is what I'm coming up with in no particular order:

Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions (1988)

Paco de Lucia - Entre Dos Aguas (1986)

Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die(1970)

Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson (1971)

Yes - Close to the Edge (1972)

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)

The Animals - The Best of Eric Burdon & the Animals, 1966-1968 (1991)

Emerson, Lake, & Palmer - Emerson, Lake, & Palmer (1970)

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (1963)

Joan Baez - Diamonds and Rust (1974)

Randy Newman - Sail Away (1972)

Ten Years After - Cricklewood Green (1970)

Heart - Greatest Hits

10,000 Maniacs - In My Tribe

Deep Purple - Very Best of Deep Purple (double CD 28 track version)

Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed (1967)

Emerson, Lake, & Palmer - Pictures at an Exhibition (1971)

Yes - Yessongs (1973)

Traffic - The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

SomeGuy64 20 months ago

I don't know what RS have against Oasis, but placing only 1 of their albums on the list, and so low is a disgrace.

It also seems like they placed WSTMG on here over Definitely Maybe because of its successfulness.

leshunt 20 months ago

No Sheet One?

richie deserves to be on this list...

;-)

toby 20 months ago

where is The Prodigy´s Fat of the Land

Ace 20 months ago

BRUUUUCE!

Ian 20 months ago

They put the stupidest albums on that list. Okay, Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi might not be everybodys favorite album, but it is the 30th best selling album of all time and it is the first hard rock album to have 3 top ten singles on the pop charts. And they put only Rocks and Toys In The Attic by Aerosmith. What about Permenant Vacation and Pump. And then they only have one Queen album on there, and its not their best one. Queen is the second most popular band in England to the Beatles. And whats their obsession with Bob Dylan, they have 8 of his albums in the top 10. The only thing I agree with is putting Sgt. Peppers at #1, because it is a really popular album. Other than that its a really bad list

The Pooh 20 months ago

It is a good list. It is a place to start looking and thinking about music albums. How many people actually listen to an ENTIRE ALBUM anymore? Try it. Try asking someone under the age of 20 what an album is? My one regret is that there are only a few token Jazz albums in there, (i.e.: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Stan Goetz). What about Jaco, Monk, Chick, Paul Winters, Pat Metheny? How about some Classical music? The list did not say "500 Greatest ROCK albums", but "500 Greatest Albums". Strange, but both Rolling Stone Magazine and Spin have had articles, in the recent past, about the "death of the album".

Hal 20 months ago

Some big misses

Fat of the Land - Prodigy

Travelling Without Moving - Jamiroquai

Stars - Simply Red

More Than You Think You Are - Matchbox Twenty

Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles

Parachutes - Coldplay

Rio - Duran Duran

The Traveling Wilburys Vol.1 - The Traveling Wilburys

Michael G 20 months ago

I severely doubt that any of you have listened intuitively to all 500 of these albums, so stop desperately criticizing artists and a magazine that is not the end all be all of musical criticism in order to justify your own interests. Sometimes I just laugh at how Rolling Stone actually has the arrogance to authoritatively state the 500 best albums of all time.

All time!? THAT'S a joke.

Yo! 19 months ago

WHERE THE FUCK IS LOUIS ARMSTRONG, and why is there like three eminem albums....but not any tupac? what is with the greatest hits albums(cheating) and why is the top of the list dominated by bands like the beatles and bob dylan.

LouderThanABomb 19 months ago

I just dont understand how they forgot Endtroducing...

Olivier Goessens 19 months ago

I agree with the albums included in the RS list, but i'd change the order of things. Question: did they search the BEST album in history or the album that was the most INFLUENTAL of all? I guess the latter, 'cause in that case i completely agree with the top 20. But for example: Abbey Road is a way better album than Sgt. Pepper's.

Darrell 19 months ago

where's Manic street Preachers 'The Holy Bible' and Queens of the Stone Age 'Song's for the Deaf'? These are excellent albums that have been missed out.:/

A crazy Rush Fan 19 months ago

I would like to point out Rush's absence on this list. I mean what the Heck! Im sorry to all you fans of "Joni Mithcell" Or some other no name band that no ones ever heard of but God! Rush hasnt even appeared in any of these lists! How the bleep could you not put Alex Lifeson on the top 100 hundred guitar players? I mean seriously Kurt Cobains like number 11 and Alex isnt even on there! God! I think that rolling stones must have like a personal vendetta or something because you cant just say that its because there to weird because they had people like king crimson and frank zappa on there. I want them to make A top one hundred drummers list or top one hundred bassists list and try and get away without Geddy lee or neil peart on there! Personally i am pissed because Rush has also sold the third most consecutive gold and platnium albums in the world. To name few great albums there was... Rush, Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, 2112, A farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanant Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals, Grace under Pressure, Power Windows, Hold your fire, Presto, Roll the Bones, Counterparts, Test for Echo, Vapor trails, Feedback, and Snakes and Arrows... whoops thats all of them! see yah

Craig 19 months ago

Social Distortion's self titled album is one of the biggest misses that the panel made. "Story of my Life", "Ball and Chain", "So Far Away", "Sick Boys" and of course a classic cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire".

TheDude 19 months ago

are you shittin' me? your fucking add-ons to the list are horrible! what the hell are you talking about dude? some retarded soundtracks, franz ferdinand, gnarls barkley, green day etc. -.- I don't completely agree with the rolling stone list (but it has its moments - when will you fuckers understand that there will never be a list that will satisfy everyone and their bizzare tastes; and if there weren't any list you would be complaining and/or making your own. the rolling stone did a good job and it wasn't some fucking guy who did it, it was an ensemble of people from the music industry, including critics and just various enthusiasts etc. the list is good when viewed from the "greatest" albums of all time perspective. you gotta define greatest, and they were obviously going by cultural impact, artistic value, influence on later artists, inovation, originality etc.)but I digress (in fact I didn't even finish the last sentence). -.- anyway, I don't completely agree with the rolling stone list but your smartass inclusions are atrocious. go do some dj-ing and listen to techno/house noise pollution. Hooah suckers...

marcus22 19 months ago

To TheDude. Dudes like you make it impossible to have a half way intelligent on line discussion. This would have been a great forum to be able to voice opinions without having uncalled outbursts from what appears to be a very disturbed individual. I enjoyed the list and have opinions on some left off and some that shouldn't have been, but i will make sure I disclose those to an audience that can give a response that won't waste my time.

Hooah???

Marcus22

Arizona Charlie 19 months ago

Rolling Stone Magazine has always been petty and pedestrian. I agree with many of the examples of glaring omissions, such has The Moody Blues, as well as Foriegner Four. Not surprised that they left Robin Trower's "Bridge Of Sighs" off, they also left Robin off the 100 greatest guitarists, yet found room for Joan Jett!!! I guess they took umbarge to Robin's "Too Rolling Stoned" which had nothing to do with their rag! Glaring absence is Blue Oyster Cult's "Secret Treaties", as well as any Bon Scott era AC/DC. "Black in Black" was a solid album but pales to "Let There Be Rock", and "Powerage"! Also thought that The Eagles greatest album "Desperado" was snubbed, and maybe I missed it, but I didn't see Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty"! Weezer???worst name for a band since The Jaggers!!!

Peace,

Charlie

lovelyrita 19 months ago

i'm a die hard beatles fan. i love the sgt.pepper is on the top. but other than that, this is a really cruddy list. i mean what the heck?! madonna?! how is she one of the best? there needs to be more john lennon, ramones, and the who needs to be moved up higher. rs is correct in focusing on the 60's and 70's. that is the era when music really started developing.

Gustavo de Moraes Roehe 19 months ago

hey guys so i was workin on my list and here it is

01.ABBEY ROAD of The Beatles

02.HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED of Bob Dylan

03.SGT.PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND of The Beatles

04.EXILE ON MAIN ST. of The Rolling Stones

05.ELECTRIC LADYLAND of Jimi Hendrix

06.STICKY FINGERS of The Rolling Stones

07.LED ZEPPELIN IV of Led Zeppelin

08.REVOLVER of The Beatles

09.DARK SIDE OF THE MOON of Pink Floyd

10.TOMMY of The Who

11.ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? of Jimi Hendrix

12.WHO'S NEXT of The Who

13.AT FILLMORE EAST of The Allman Brothers Band

14.LONDON CALLING of The Clash

15.RAMONES of Ramones

16.2112 of Rush

17.THRILLER of Michael Jackson

18.RUBBER SOUL of The Beatles

19.ASTRAL WEEKS of Van Morrison

20.LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS of Derek And The Dominos

21.PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD-SKIN-NERD of Lynyrd Skynyrd

22.TOYS IN THE ATTIC of Aerosmith

23.OK COMPUTER of Radiohead

24.NEVERMIND of Nirvana

25.HARVEST of Neil Young

26.STRANGE DAYS of The Doors

27.BLOOD ON THE TRACKS of Bob Dylan

28.BACK IN BLACK of AC/DC

29.THE WALL of Pink Floyd

30.MUSIC FROM BIG PINK of The Band

31.HOTEL CALIFORNIA of The Eagles

32.ALL THINGS MUST PASS of George Harrison

33.WHITE ALBUM of The Beatles

34.LED ZEPPELIN I of Led Zeppelin

35.GREEN RIVER of Creedence Clearwater Revival

36.BROTHERS IN ARMS of Dire Straits

37.MACHINE HEAD of Deep Purple

38.PARANOID of Black Sabbath

39.RUMOURS of Fleetwood Mac

40.FRAGILE of Yes

41.JAZZ of Queen

42.THE JOSHUA TREE of U2

43.THE WALL of Pink Floyd

44.THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS OF MARS of David Bowie

45.SLOWHAND of Eric Clapton

46.THEY ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT of The Edgar Winter Group

47.WHEELS OF FIRE of Cream

48.BROTHERS AND SISTERS of The Allman Brothers Band

49.BOSTON of Boston

50.BLOW BY BLOW of Jeff Beck

51.BAT OUT OF HELL of Meat Loaf

52.ELIMINATOR of ZZ Top

53.SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER of The Bee Gees

54.PENDULUM of Creedence Clearwater Revival

55.GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD of Elton John

56.THE BENDS of Radiohead

57.LET IT BE of The Beatles

58.BORN TO RUN of Bruce Springsteen

59.DISRAELI GEARS of Cream

60.QUADROPHENIA of The Who

61.LOVE GUN of KISS

62.WILLY AND THE POOR BOYS of Creedence Clearwater Revival

63.EAT A PEACH of The Allman Brothers Band

64.WHAT'S GOING ON of Marvin Gaye

65.BLUE of Joni Mitchell

66.MOVING PICTURES of Rush

67.SUNRISE of Elvis Presley

68.SOME KIND OF BLUE of The Moody Blues

69.BLONDE ON BLONDE of Bob Dylan

70.RAW POWER of The Stooges

71.PEARL of Janis Joplin

72.DAMN THE TORPEDOES of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

73.ACHTUNG BABY of U2

74.VAN HALEN I of Van Halen

75.KICK OUT THE JAMS of MC5

76.HIGHWAY TO HELL of AC/DC

77.PET SOUNDS of Beach Boys

78.L.A. Woman of The Doors

79.ROCKS of Aerosmith

80.SPACE ODDITY of David Bowie

81.FRESH CREAM of Cream

82.ROGER THE ENGINEER of The Yardbirds

83.HELLO IT'S ME of Todd Rundgren

84.LET IT BLEED of The Rolling Stones

85.PHYSICAL GRAFFITI of Led Zeppelin

86.DEJA VU of Crosby,Stills,Nash and Young

87.OUT OF TIME of R.E.M.

88.WISH YOU WERE HERE of Pink Floyd

89.NATTY DREAD of Bob Marley and The Wailers

90.ANIMALS of Pink Floyd

91.SOMETHING/ANYTHING? of Todd Rundgren

92.LED ZEPPELIN II of Led Zeppelin

93.QUEEN II of Queen

94.IDLEWILD SOUTH of The Allman Brothers Band

95.BEGGAR'S BANQUET of The Rolling Stones

96.LIVE AT LEEDS of The Who

97.APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION of Guns N'Roses

98.UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY of U2

99.IN ROCK of Deep Purple

100.TEN of Pearl Jam

of course i made only 100, i mean come on :p

Mauricio T 19 months ago

Gustavo de Moraes Roehe, man your list is AWESOME...really liked it, mine would be pretty much in that line...your name seams brazilian, like me! hahaha cheers

cubbiefan119 19 months ago

Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon spent 14 years on the Billboard Top 200. Dark Side of the Moon should be Top 10 not #43.

TheDude2 19 months ago

great list dude ^^

Will M 19 months ago

Great list Gustavo. I won't offer such an exhaustive list, but here are my personal top 10:

1- Astral Weeks by Van Morrison (if you get this album, there's nothing better.)

2- London Calling by The Clash

3- Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (Not my favorite band, but I listen to this album over and over)

4- Band of Gypsy's Live at Filmore East (That's 45 minutes of pure Jimi Hendrix.)

5- Third Stage by Boston (Yes, I love Boston)

6- Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival

7- Howlin' Wolf by Howlin' Wolf (Never fails to get my friends into blues)

8- Electric Warrior by T. Rex (I really try to not over listen to it)

9- Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band (Love it, so weird, my girlfriend can't stand it)

10- Highlights from the Phantom of the Opera (Uh... what? It's good music.)

Would like to throw in some Parilament but this is a list of albums not artists. Some contenders for my top 10 are Kick Out the Jams by MC5, Who's Next by The Who, Are you Experienced by Jimi Hendrix, Exile in Guyville by Liz Phair (something about this one), Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan, most Led Zepplin (I do love Thriller by MJ... Comes with being a child of the 80's I guess).

Craig 19 months ago

Agree with the list or not... but people need to stop suggesting albums that came out after this list was compiled. American Idiot, St. Elsewhere, Franz Ferdiand, Fleet Foxes and Wolfmother, HA! Just because the album is fresh on your IPOD doesn't make it great And the reason the 60's and 70's appear to be favored is because the music was new and fresh. Bands in the 80's, 90's and now are very unoriginal with the obvious exceptions. Example, for someone to suggest there be no Ramones albums should also suggest Nirvana, Elvis, Beatles and anyone else who revolutionized a genre be taken off. Also, just because an album sells alot doesnt mean it should be on the list. Should Cracked Rear View by Hootie be on the list? It sold a trillion copies but c'mon.

Dom 19 months ago

my additional omissions

Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape

Say Anything - ....is a real boy

Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

Incubus - Morning View

Third Eye Blind - Self-Titled

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory

ANY MUSE ALBUM!!!!!

Sundried Tomato 19 months ago

A Ghost is Born. Junst more Wilco in General.

Dennis 19 months ago

No Alice in Chains or Tool. This list is "Dirt"

Dangerousjak 19 months ago

i am so mad i looked through the list like 5 times and they dont have one of the greatest bands i cant believe they dont have any scorpion albums on there i personly think they should be on there i am so mad!!!

IceToad 19 months ago

Same here

Guy 19 months ago

You fools who are blaming this on Rolling Stones don't realize that this list was formed by 273 musicians, famous critics, and legends of the music industry.

This was not 100% done by the writers of rolling stones magazine, they may have had a small percentage of influence but this was decided by the 273 figures still living.

Guy 19 months ago

Also, This is a "greatest" list not a "technically the best" list. Which means you have to consider the context of each album when created and what kind of influence it created on modern music. So to people who say they are bias towards the 60s are clearly idiots. Because a lot of the greatest bands lived in the times where music was still primitive so it allowed them to create music that revolutionized the industry. And had the chance to influence which therefore made them the greatest.

Karl Marx 18 months ago

Geez, 500 crappy albums with *no* worth of all - 500 "important" albums? Important how? For whom? For musical illiterates maybe...

Fridays 18 months ago

people need to understand, this isnt the list of your favorite albums, it's a list of the most influential, which " i know its suprising" happened in the 60's and 70's before todays shit music- some exceptions-

--- if any linkin park or jay z or madona albums were on here i would kill myself, and whoever said green days albums should be #1 dont realize this is greatest of all time, not most likely to be found in a trash can after release

NicThe Sheep 18 months ago

No Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast or Powerslave?

Ross 18 months ago

LA Woman is the greatest album ever recorded, but the list seems fine to me. Nothing major to worry about.

Tim 18 months ago

Van Halen's 1984

Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard of Ozz and No More Tears

and for the most part, the rest of you are right for what should be included.

Eli 18 months ago

I love all classic rock (especially The Beatles), but one glaring omission would be the The Car's debut album (titled The Cars). It is possibly the best debut album ever manufactured and definitely merits incluion in this list.

Will M 18 months ago

Eli,

The Cars debut album WAS included in the list. Rolling Stone ranked it at #279. Great album. Most of the songs on it were hits.

Brad 18 months ago

You cannot be serious

geppetto mcnasty 18 months ago

um, sir? vitalogy on your homemade blooper reel? no, no sir, not at all. it is easily one of the BEST albums on that list, along with ten and OK computer. pearl jam, easily the most talented group of musicians ever, very misrepresented here, tisk tisk, child, tisk tisk i say.

Johnny 18 months ago

Where is DEEP PURPLE??

Tyrone... 18 months ago

Mobys - play, and prodigy- fat of the land ! I don't think they are in there but I maybe mistaken.

frank jacques 18 months ago

interesting reading all the comments. some guy mentioned an album by j.geils called full house. if your party is waning and nobody is even dancing put this sucker on and anybody who just sits there give them last rights as they passed on a long time ago. as far as your list goes i would have to read it a few more times. i'm always surprised that the allmans fillmore east album is not rated higher. it is an absolute work of genius. a wonderful singer backed by n unbelievable musicians who collectively were the greatest ensemble i have ever heard in 50 yrs. they structure their songs in such a way that you have be be patient for the payoff. i get chills every time i listen. easy top ten.

Tom G 18 months ago

I also think The Beat (or the English Beat as known in the US) for Special Beat Service. First album I heard of that era blending jazz reggae, and ska in a cohesive amalgam of musical flavors

Zedell 17 months ago

No Fairport Convention? Liege and Lief? One of the most acclaimed albums of all time? No? Alright then.

Harry 17 months ago

Slippery When Wet?Bon Jovi?

Sean 17 months ago

Totally appreciate somebody giving recognition to Erykah Badu. She is totally undervalued! Especially because she and two other artist (Maxwell and D'Angelo) basically started there own GENRE!! Another artist who gets more press for her personal life and not for her talent is Amy Winehouse. Both her albums were AMAZING! Plus her vocals are luscious! She is sooo musically talented, she should get some more dues.

Jeff 17 months ago

No Stevie Ray, Judas Priest or Rush. For Shame.

I also didn't see any Jimmy Buffett. He often doesn't get the credit he deserves for writing some of the best songs of the century. He's a true entertainer, pure and simple.

(I am happy the Beatles got NO. 1, though)

Grandad 17 months ago

I understand that Rolling Stone hate prog rock, but it doesn't mean they should exclude it off their "balanced" greatest albums list. Has anyone ever thought that the reason why the old music is taking up the list, is because it's a thousand times better than the majority of music made today. The sad thing is that the greater bands of the last twenty years are under-rated, such as Oasis and the Verve.

Less Eminem more Rush!

List of omissions for those who care:

Deep Purple - They're all good

Genesis - Peter Gabriel era album (preferably Selling England by the Pound)

Genesis - Phil Collins era album to balance it

Boston - Boston

Yes - Fragile or Close To The Edge

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

Queen - A Day At The Races

David Bowie - one or two more (Ziggy should be higher)

Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet

...and many more

Fat Boy 17 months ago

The flying Burito Brothers over U2's War Album? Ha... what a laugh. Who are the flying burito brothers?

Snappy 17 months ago

Hey Fat Boy, if you don't know who the Flying Burrito Brothers are you seriously need a rock and roll history lesson.

Lucca Fernandes Albuquerque 17 months ago

Where's Oasis? Definitely Maybe is better and more important than a lot of albums on the list.

specialhayz 17 months ago

Someone somewhere please explain to me how Sandinista! by The Clash is only number 400? Disc 2 is one of the best albums I have ever heard.. ever.

mattb 17 months ago

air - moon safari

sigur ros - agaetis byrjun

sublime - 40 oz. to freedom

neutral milk hotel - in the aeroplane over the sea

jeff buckley - sketches for my sweetheart the drunk

many more that.... i wish they would redue this list and make it 1000 albums. there has been a few good albums since 2003

Hudson Hawk 17 months ago

No MUSE at all??? Radiohead's "OK Computer" #161??? 4 Beatles albums in the top 10??? No Joy Division in top 100???? 3 RATM albums in the list(they're great, but that is just too much, same with Green Day and White Stripes). The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd only #43??? And again - no MUSE at all, why the hell does RS ignore them? WAY BETTER than most of the list, a band in the same league with Queen, Nirvana, Radiohead, Pink Floyd and Beatles? I'm not even talking about U2, Coldplay or Rolling Stones

Here, look it up:

MUSE

1999 Showbiz

2001 Origin Of Symmetry

2006 Black Holes & Revelations

But as people already noticed above, this is Rolling Stone Magazine, what would you expect? I would like to see a more PROFESSIONAL list though.

P.S. Rolling Stone magazine is way too overrated, with no professional opinion at all, these guys just have no idea of what Music is. And it's all about money, not talent or class anymore. I don't want to write examples, but we all know that a good half of the artists on the list have made no influence on the development of music culture. No MUSE? Fuck you, Rolling Stone.

Malik Raymond 17 months ago

I'm a hip-hop head, and I'm saying:

Where the fuck is In the Court in the Crimson King?

I didn't see that in there, and this is why I don't like Rolling Stone. They have 3 Eminem Albums (the only one that should be on there is MM LP), and no King Crimson? GTFOH...

Cristoflanga 17 months ago

Yes, In The Court of The Crimson King should absolutely be here. And many others. Dude, John Fahey???? Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt??? Even Inspiration Information by Shuggie Ottis deserves a spot and some Jazz Classics like Brilliant Corners, les Stances a Sophie by The Art Ensemble of Chicago and Escalator Over The Hill by Carla Bley. But the most important record that's missing is the black saint and the sinner lady at fucking number 1!!!

Also, I wanted to say that by the logic displayed on some of the comments regarding old music...

""Studio Years" when talking about their later stuff, which is, coincidentally, what makes up almost half of the top ten (Sgt. Peppers, White Album, etc.). Is it really fair to say that they stopped touring, became an all studio band, and released a "masterpiece"? OF COURSE IT'S A MASTERPIECE. YOU ONLY HAD A FREAKIN' YEAR TO MAKE I".

So I take it you will disregard a masterpiece because the band dedicated to it full time? Something sounds wrong... Also, the Beatles is not a "Rock n' Roll band", whatever that means. It's a pop band with varied influences.

"Again in this day you can't look at they were ahead of their time you have to look at is there music better then music today. Of course the music today is the beatles, bob dylan, rolling stones, beach boys... but better. You get what I'm getting at. That's why this list causes so much controversy it's called of all time. Big no no."

My God. So, classical music now is like Beethoven but better. Philosophy, like Socrates but better. To you, David Sanborn is better than John Coltrane, Richard Bona is better than Jaco Pastorius and you are better than your Dad. Time to learn some things about music: Number one, it doesn't get better over time. A masterpiece is a masterpiece now, in 1790 and in 200 years from now.

Cheers.

thumbs up 17 months ago

The wall should've been higher. Other than that pretty good.

Jordan 17 months ago

Baby b, Obviously you are a emo, for you know nothing about music. If you think Nirvanas never mind is important i laugh at you. listen to Hey Hey my my by neil young, without that you wouldn't have nirvana. And Greenday..... there not punk, there just gay, not talented. You call the beatles goody two shoes and that nirvana and greenday are more talented than them. look up to the lyrics of "basket case" by greenday and then the lyrics of "Happiness is a warm gun" by the beatles. Whats more goody twoshoes? John lennon was had more talent in his fingernail than the whole band greenday. And the fact you think They should be like 2 or 3 makes me laugh. There so shit its funny. True nirvana are great, but radiohead are better. The beatles could write happy songs, sad songs, fun songs, serious songs, dark songs, trippy songs. Helter skelter was a blueprint for heavy metal. People who think the beatles are overrated tend to be the ones who dont know the beatles. The fact greenday got so far is insulting to brilliant bands Like the grateful dead and the smiths. American idiot is a terrible album. You need to learn about good music/

jim h 17 months ago

How can they leave Bad Company off the list? Unbelievable!

Music Lover 16 months ago

This is an okay list, definitely favors oldie stuff

But I do like seeing the beatles way up there

Here are a few modern bands that I can't believe they missed:

Muse - Such great Innovators

Franz Ferdinand - My Favorite modern day band

The Killers - I'm not a huge fan, but I know their music is great when I listen to it

Sum 41

Linkin Park - same as Muse, but a different Genre, Hybrid Theory should be top 20

Red Hod Chili Peppers - they were there, but not enough albums made the list

The Offspring - great modern rock

Jet - Even greater modern rock

Gorillaz

Yellowcard

Tenacious D - lol, maybe

The Music - you've probably never heard of them, look them up (youtube), and you won't be sorry

Steriogram

MGMT - Time to Pretend - who can't fist bump to all of their songs?

Classics they missed:

Iron Maiden

Journey?!

Boston

Genre they really missed: Emo Rock

Taking Back Sunday

Rise Against

Brand New

Foreign Rock: I'm not foreign, but I know there are some great French, Japanese, and Spanish Bands out there.

Juanes

Mana

and many more that I don't know, but know exist, Rolling Stones could have done a much better diversity check on this stuff

Jazz: They mentioned some John Coltrane, Stan Getz, and even Ornette Coleman, but not nearly enough

Count Basie

Benny Goodman

PAT METHENY

DUKE ELLINGTON?!

Louis Armstrong

And, this is random, but videogame soundtracks by all means should be accounted for, I could listen to all the Halo Soundtracks and never be bored of how beautiful and intense some of the music is

Matt 16 months ago

u know everyone saying that the beatles didn't have talent and all that fuck say that greenday, eminem, Justin bieber , and out of all, lady gaga? Who wears clothes made of meat? And as stated earlier, the beatles could make whatever the fuck kind of music they wanted to. And they did perform. They stopped because they became sick of it. Try going out on stage for millions of fans deafeningly screaming and crying over you, your family and friends watching and millions upon millions more watching on tv and not go into stage shock or mess up. Do that for four years and then try not to be sick of it. They retracted back to the studio and made AMAZING albums like rubber soul, revolver, beatles for sale, Sgt peppers lonely hearts club band, magical mystery tour, the white album, and finally, the amazing abbey road. And I think they're rightfully ranked in the list

Grandad 16 months ago

Right you are, Matt, but I don't agree with rubber soul... boring as hell

. 16 months ago

Rubber Soul is great man, it's not as artistic or innovative as their later albums, but it was just solid and beautiful

bunson 16 months ago

I like what Music Lover 3 posts above said about the shallow inclusion of JAZZ but seriously, dude:

"And, this is random, but videogame soundtracks by all means should be accounted for, I could listen to all the Halo Soundtracks and never be bored of how beautiful and intense some of the music is"

Halo soundtracks do not belong on greatest albums of all time lists

kfjoekfhj 16 months ago

somewhat agree with the list, the beatles' places are well deserved, definatley think some of the nirvana albums should be higher, for example 'in utero' should be higher than 'nevermind' if it was based on pure music, the other way around if based on influence. definatley missing some great solo albums, john lennon's double fantasy? paul mccartney's band on the run? also some great indie albums left out like 'in the aeroplane over the sea' by neutral milk hotel. I might just be a beatles and nirvana freak, but you can't say that they weren't great, and didn't revolutionize music...and also, michael jackson was O.K i'll give him that, but to place thriller at #20 is like trying to say that shit smells great. definatley agree with #1 though, sgt. pepper was/still is a beast.

Sree killuminati!!!!! 16 months ago

Fk u n all d selectors in d motha fking rolling stone...

wHere d Hell is TUPAC?????

Not a single track!!!! fk.....

Marcin 16 months ago

What about Alice in Chains, Tool, King Crimson..?

Coogs 16 months ago

How has Definitely Maybe not made it on that list. Your talking this is an album that represents an entire generation of people, how can an album that does this not even make it on the list? Rolling Stone have it in for the Gallaghers

Josh 16 months ago

While I agree that no Doubt's Rocksteady shouldn't have made the list, I think that Tragic Kingdom should have been placed higher up. And what's with Exile In Guyville only making it to #324?! That album should be at least #2! Most of the music on this list is so old. There are some classics to cherish, like Bob Marley and The Beatles, but this list should definitely be revised to accomodate more modern artists, like Sublime, Nellie McKay, Amy Winehouse, and (whether you like her or not) Lady Gaga.

BigGuy 16 months ago

It should come as no surprise that this list seems biased because it would naturally be if it was put together the way previous comments indicate. Reportedly, RS picked a group of 300 "respectable" musicians who were each given 50 votes (note - 50 equally weighted votes and not their personal top 50 lists). Imagine if each of these 300 voters were Jann Wenner clones and they all cast 50 votes for the same 50 albums. In that case RS would not be able to make a top 500 list because there would only be 50 albums represented - worse yet, there would be a 50-way tie for first place. Of course the reality was not that extreme. More likely the 300 artists were probably all on the RS approved list (i.e. "respectable") and thus their votes were very similar. And then there are the issues of what they were asked to do: 50 votes for great albums (what is "great"?). If the list was in fact put together this way, it is likely that while Sgt. Pepper at #1 was a nearly unanimous choice, Aquemini at #500 may have slipped in with just 2 or 3 votes. No wonder the list starts looking a bit random towards the end.

Why the long explanation? Because too many people seem to be getting worked up over it. While the list reveals a lot about who put the list together and how it was done, it is also a good conversation starter. Note the over long BS-filled comment I just wrote.

Flava 16 months ago

Until the End of time - Tupac

Vivid- living Colour

Times Up - Living colour

Throwing Copper - live

Secret Samadhi - Live

mental Jewelry - Live

Clutching At Straws - Marillion

Louis Armstrong?????????? (is he too "old" or something?)

Greatest hits should not be on this list

Purple - Stone temple Pilots

Core - Stone temple Pilots

Sister Sweetly - Big Head Todd and the monsters

Fear of music- Talking Heads

Escape - whodini

Matt 16 months ago

nothing by Kansas? You've got to be kidding me.

Tom 16 months ago

WHERE THE BLOODY HELL IS OASIS? THE BAND THAT WON THE AWARD FOR BEST ALBUM OF THE LAST 30 YEARS, DOESNT EVEN MAKE THE TOP 500? ROLLING STONE YOU ARE A JOKE

Fab1303 16 months ago

How about Kate Bush's "Hounds of love" and/or "The Dreaming"?

Nippur de Lagash 16 months ago

Sorry, but this list sucks. Only commercial pop rock, some very good, but very partial. And progressive rock, fusion?. Genesis, Yes, Mahavishnu, Weather Report, Miles Davis, Return to Forever, Happy the Man, Echolyn........................??????????

Patrick 16 months ago

Reasonable Doubt is ranked higher than Illmatic?????

Reasonable Doubt is Jay-Z essentially trying to make a new Illmatic, because that style was so successful at that time.

Nick 16 months ago

I've never really seen the amazement in Rubber Soul or Revolver. I think Sgt. Pepper deserves to be up there, but Let it Be shouldn't have been on. Although it was revolutionary cause it was their last album, three quarters of the music on it sucked. So yeah, people that say there is too much stuff from the 60s and 70s on here, it is because most of the more current music sucks!

Jacob 16 months ago

This list is a sad, sad thing. Very few albums of actual artistic or musical worth. Also this list contradicts itself in purpose. It is not a list of the 500 best albums of all time, that is certain, but it also not a list of the 500 most important or influential albums. This is proved by the inclusion of numerous "Best Of" albums, which are usually released when a band is more less "over".

Also, to everyone who says we can't blame Rolling Stone for the poor quality and blandness of this list because musician and producers chose the ablums is forgetting that Rolling Stone chose those "experts". And it's pretty clear why. Another annoying thing about this list is that metal is more or less entirely absent. I'm very much not a metalhead but there are five Led Zeppelin albums and only Master of Puppets out of Metallica's three incredible classics? Also the lack of Iron Maiden and Dio is stunning.

And I have a few issues with the top ten:

No Astral Weeks (Not until 19? Really)

If there should be any Beatles albums in the top ten (which there should be, just not four of them) it should without a doubt (in my mind) be Revolver.

No Pink Floyd. I won't stir the hornet's nest of which album is best, but honestly, The Wall, Dark Side, Wish You Were Here, and Animals all have a place ahead of 30 and any one of them could be in the top ten.

However, my biggest problem with the list is probably it's placement of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by the Smashing Pumpkins. One of the best albums of the 90's and it ends up in 479th? Behind Kiss? Behind Radiohead's unlistenable Kid A? Behind not one, not two, but THREE Nirvana albums? Really?

I'd like to see something like this list done again, but with a more diverse group of musically knowledgeable people selected. And of course not produced by Rolling Stone.

John Panama 15 months ago

Pearl Jam's Ten is unequivocally one of the greatest rock albums of all time, and Rolling Stone has it as #205. Nirvana's Nevermind is also one of the greatest rock albums of all time and it's ranked #17, and rightfully so. Ten should be ranked somewhere in the 20's or 30's. Maybe if Rolling Stone wasn't so biased towards The f-ing Beatles then this list could gain some credibility. Just saying, this list reflects their overall biases. I could give two shits about The Beatles. Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin were all far superior. The Beatles are not even considered a rock band. Name one song that really rocks. Yeah, none of them. The Beatles may have been talented musicians but they don't rock even the slightest. Yeah, I Hate the Beatles. LOL

louis 15 months ago

WISHBONE ASH - DEBUT AND ARGUS. how have these skipped the list.

Calzone 15 months ago

I despise this stupid arguement that what "rocks" harder should be a basis for judging the musical brilliance of albums or bands. That just shows how utterly stupid the human race has gotten. The Beatles did so much more for rock music then is even comprehensible. They deserve all the recognition they got, get, and will continue to get.

David 15 months ago

Morning Glory at 372? F*ck off.

Jack 15 months ago

You want a rocking Beatles song? Helter Skelter. Hope that shuts you up.

Alex 14 months ago

Kid A should be ranked higher.

Anonymous 14 months ago

No. It shouldn't. That's the opposite of true.

King 14 months ago

how about The Scorpions, i'm so curious why there are no Scorpions album in this list.

Shanice 14 months ago

the fact that tupac wasnt even on the list is really a slap in the face or was i reading it too fast

doogie 14 months ago

i don't think that Nirvana's Nevermind or Michael Jackson's Thriller should be way up in the top 20. Nevermind was a good album, but i don't think people would be calling it legendary or amazing if Cobain hadn't killed himself. and people still seem to think it's the sole album that killed off the hair bands and made alternative rock commercial friendly. but listening to it, it doesn't sound as revolutionary as people claim it to be. Thriller shouldn't be that high because it really hasn't aged well. most of the songs sound pretty cheesy and dated today, and the only ones that have aged well are, of course, the mega-hits Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller. i may be alone in this, but i also kinda find Sgt. Pepper to be a little overrated and somewhat uninteresting. there are better Beatles albums in my opinion.

Secondary Martyr 14 months ago

Hmm...Seeing as how everyone's thoroughly wasted RS on its bullshit kiss-ass of the Beatles (great band, but I'd Zeppelin or Hendrix beat them, I'll skip over that...

But really now, this list if fucked up...I say Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queen, IRON FUCKING MAIDEN, Ausioslave/Soundgarden/Chris Cornell, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, etc etc deserve higher placings (Queen above 200? They'd rip the Clash any day, no offense, or at least a bloody mention

Look, i know you can't appease everyone, but Christ damnit, this list doesn't give credit where its due whatsoever!

And well...'kay I will rag on the Beatles a little bit by saying they do NOT deserve the top album. Simple as that.

Fabworld 14 months ago

Altought many people dont agree with thist list.

We all most admit, that its a good referent.

I discover great albums in this list. And great songs in the other.

I think no other media has been bold to make a similar list.

And the no. 1 "Sgt. Pepper..."

Its definitely my favorite album.

Great reference when you are looking for good music.

Jam Masta Jay 14 months ago

Great list but i'd have liked to have seen 'Spiderland' by Slint and 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' by Neutral Milk Hotel in there

caz 13 months ago

wheres eminem and tupac???

mike 13 months ago

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a great album. I think it should be much higher. Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper should be near each other at the top.

Mark 13 months ago

Pleasantly surprised to see My Bloody Valentine on the list and very pleased to see Pixies and PJ Harvey (twice) there too.

Some great suggestions in the comments too.

Ayo-Radio 13 months ago

List didn't even include The Verve - "Urban Hymns" SMH.....

KayM 13 months ago

I think it's stupid that someone dares to try to list the 500 greatest albums of all time, because ... Seriously, someone has heard them all? This is simply based on popularity, not quality.

Howdy 13 months ago

People. These are the greatest albums, not the best. Greatest as in they had the most influence in rock and roll.

I'd put Queens of the Stone Age: Songs for the Deaf in my top 20, but guess what, they are not "great."

AcademicWarHawk 12 months ago

If the Beatles don't really play rock music, why are they the only group to have a dedicated edition of RockBand made for them?

P.S. "Birthday"'s guitar riff is about as famous as you can get.

Bella Donna 12 months ago

You know there's something wrong with a list that claims to be a defintive list of greatest albums ever, yet there's no TuPac ShaKur (All Eyes on Me), Kate Bush (The Hounds of Love/The Ninth Wave is awesome! Where the hell is it?!), Tori Amos (Little Earthquakes), Leonard Cohen (The Songs of Leonard Cohen). . .There are literally hundreds of albums and artists who are conspicious by their absence.

There are two books out there , "1001 Albums You Must Listen to Before You Die" (from the people who brought us". . .Movies to See. . .") and "1000 Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die" (from the people who brought us ". . .Places to See. . ."). If *two* (!) different book publishers could come up with such extenive lists, surely one of America's top music magazines should do the same, right?

MIke 12 months ago

janes addiction but no Red Hot Chili Peppers? Come on

onestep2farclown 12 months ago

Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf (2002)

Alice in Chains - Dirt (1992)

Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)

Why they are not on this list, is a damn mystery.

Fabain Zaldivar S 11 months ago

MIke 3 weeks ago

"janes addiction but no Red Hot Chili Peppers? Come on"

What the heck are you talking about? Are you blind?

Californication (Which I like a lot) at 195 is there and also

BloodSugarSexMagik 106 its right after 105 Janes Addiction

I guess you dont have to have a mind to comment.

Most of all comments are quite lame.

"These is a terribel list" BLA BLA BLA

I think the first(Sgt.Pepper lonley Hearts Club Band) and the second(Pet Sounds) are where they belong to.

Many people might not agree whit the list. Especially if you think that Keane or Kings of Leon are of the Greatest bands of all time, altough they are good.

I think is a great list.

Those who dont think as me is probalby becouse they are only into one type of music like Rap or Heavy Metal. These list was made with the opinion of music reviewers and important artists. So dont think this was made by the man who works on the corner store.

I love this list, as well as the other "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"

And for those who hate Rolling Stone Magazine, they probably don´t know that their reviews are very similar to All Music(and others music reviewers), so if they are not good either who si then?

THESE LIST ROCKS !!!!!!

Fabian Zaldivar S 11 months ago

AcademicWarHawk 5 weeks ago

"If the Beatles don't really play rock music, why are they the only group to have a dedicated edition of RockBand made for them?"

Totally agree.

Piano Tuners Pitttsburgh 11 months ago

Great list. I have seen this before and thanks for putting it up so others can find it.

kas 11 months ago

It's more like "the 500 greatest rock albums of all-time"

Lorna 10 months ago

people, stop bashing Madonna. She has made a bigger contribution to music and pop culture than most of the macho bands in the top 50. None of these macho bands get played on clubs while she has been ripping the dancefloor for decades. get over it!

AgesMGMT 10 months ago

I'm not to big of a fan of this list, granted the list is provided by rolling stone so you can assume it is going to be a little biased towards the rock genre, this list is WAAAYYY biased. Should definitely take Pet Sounds down from number 2 and move up the Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley

Romuald C. 10 months ago

Shame on you: why didn't you include the MOODY BLUES and the PROCOL HARUM???????

DP 10 months ago

Hi! Where are Deep Purple?? 100 million recording were sold of!!!

Lets e.g. listen to Burn or Machine Head!!

On list are really odd music there: THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, TELEVISION, ELTON JOHN, LINDA RONSTADT, KISS, THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS...

Why someone can´t say that all Beatles. Led Z. or Jimi´s music are not so good...

By the way; whre is HURRIGANES ROADRUNNER!!??

JesusChrist 9 months ago

I can agree with you all that the list isn't the best, but what are we going to do about it. I am so sick of all these people bashing Rolling Stone, because they didn't make the list...the PUBLISHED it! (In no way am I defending RS) Also there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Led Zeppelin was the greatest rock band of all time, if not the greatest band of all time period. Beatles are good, but that display that got in the top ten is absolutely disgusting. The last thing that I would like to say is Greenday is TRASH! You children in the comments saying they should be number one!?!? Y'all should be shot! For fucks sake!

amcoho4 9 months ago

beatles are the most overrated band of all time, seriously. sure they're one of the founders of rock, but that doesn't mean all their songs and albums are the greatest of all time. increase iron maiden and metallica, metal is underrated. no 2pac?? matisyahu's "youth"should be on there now.stupid list of self-publicity

Boxer Rebellion 9 months ago

I want to rate the 500 greatest shits I've ever taken.

G $ 9 months ago

I think it's time to do a revised List, and correct all the Mistakes the Commenters have pointed out.

Thanks for trying though. There are a # of albums on this list that I will have to check out. I've been listening to albums since @ 1975, so I was suprised to see how many albums I thought were great not even make it, and how many I had never even heard of that did make it. Thats the beauty of lists though ;)

phelan193 9 months ago

Nice

Mike 9 months ago

The Grateful Dead was a band of the century but none of the albums (they put out) were.

Nick 9 months ago

I'm pretty sure Californiacation - Red Hot Chili Peppers deserves higher than #395.

ron lafreniere 8 months ago

what cheap trick so low someones on acid

the brazzers guy 8 months ago

no Tool? aenima or lateralus should definitly be on there even a perfect circle the 13th step should be on here. Give maynard some respect god dammit!

Dexter 8 months ago

Where the hell is number of the beast??

James Lo 8 months ago

This is a joke, ive listened to every Beatles album and the only one that's good is the White Album, whats the story morning glory by oasis should be high up.

Hilarious comment was hilarious. 8 months ago

The guy who said this was supporting Rush, which is great and all, but: "I mean what the Heck! Im sorry to all you fans of "Joni Mithcell" Or some other no name band that no ones ever heard of but God!"

Facepalm.

Try again - No, actually, don't 8 months ago

Sorry, but this list is horseshit. I'm not saying those are bad albums at all, but as many others have pointed out here, a huge amount of very great and influential albums are missing. I'm not blaming you for not knowing or liking every single artist and album out there. But then don't go around making lists of "greatest albums".

No, not really 8 months ago

RS is too narrow-minded, seriously. How about including krautrock for example? Maybe Can? And yes they were also very influential, Steven Malkmus of Pavement and Sonic Youth members have all claimed their love for the band. Also, no Can, no Kid A. And there's so much more missing.

Obviously missing:

Can - Ege Bamyasi

Can - Tago Mago

Can - Future Days

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.....

The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin

Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun

Björk - Homogenic

It's also way too rock-oriented, and way too american (I know Jackson Browne's Running On Empty and it's VERY mediocre, for example)

Stephen438 7 months ago

Who agrees with me that list is very biased? It is only a list of the "greatest albums" and not the "best albums" of all time. I would like to see the revised list from Rolling Stone of the "best" albums and not the "Greatest" albums. The "best" list could include more Greenday, INXS (an Australian band), the Eagles (why only two Eagles albums in the "greatest" list?), Leonard Cohen. Why isn't there more Queen albums? By the way with Bob Dylan I don't like always listening to him and just because he is a legend in time doesn't mean he has to be so overrated or over-represented. To all you people who wanted the Moody Blues to be there on this "greatest" albums list I AGREE with you. Bryan Adams, Phil Collins, Deep Purple should also be there.

Catresse 7 months ago

I just want to say this list is very accurate. I can't stand all of the complaining! What makes me mad is when people say The Beatles are overrated. Excuse me? They are not! They are great musicians. It is not like they sat around and just sang, they actually composed music. I don't want to sound mean or anything but I believe people just don't understand The Beatles' music like others do. It is not meant for everyone to like but atleast respect that they had the highest selling album ever with Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

I honestly wish people would stop being so rude on the internet about petty things such as this. You can have an opinion but don't let it come out your a**.

;)

steve 7 months ago

metallica to low and beatles one of the greatest bans but not best album i would say zeppelins to low

runaway 7 months ago

Some said The Beatles were not that good. Really? in their late years they were a studio only band . true. But in 10 years they did more than some bands in 40. But well, 4 or 5 albums on the top 10 it may be too much. however beatles are without a doubt the best band ever.

ABHISHEK 7 months ago

few peoples are driving me nuts by saying crap words for the Beatles who are "the GREATEST fckn band ever walked on the face of the earth" (ozzy osbourne once said), some people say they make their studio album and didnt go touring to promote their music...well actually THEY DID work Their ass of touring till the rubber soul album came out ...wen Millions of fans shouting at u and u cant hear wat u are even singing anyone cud be annoyed, they were true artist they want their music to be Accepted as well as they mst have fun too...thts y they decided to quit touring and .. concentrated to INNovate new Music styles. rock n roll isnt about touring always...Its about ATTITUDE ...they did wat they wanted and people loved them..IF the World Accept them as the Greatest Artist of all time then why gettin nuts on this lists which is filled with their albums their albums are great thts why they are Greatest ...!!!

KARL 7 months ago

ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE SUCKS!!! IT NEVER HAS BEEN COOL WITH WRITING MUSIC LISTS!! EVER!!! The only time it has been cool is when the ACTUAL REAL READERS (NOT CELEBRITIES!) GET A CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE (WHICH IS NOT OFTEN!) To A Best Of Or Greatest Albums Of All Time List!

Did anyone read their albums of the decade list and songs of the decade list? IT WAS JUST AWFUL! MADE MY SKIN CRAWL!

For example... They had Kelly Clarkson for G_D's-Sake! KELLY FUCKIN'! CLARKSON! NOT COOL RS NOT COOL!

Dominic 7 months ago

I wonder how old the people who cast these votes are because im seeing biasedness towards old bands like the BEATLES.

And was this list based on sells or impact they made on society because i disagree with AC/DC and MADONA being so high

NIRVANA is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay toooo high,just coz CUBAIN killed himsef does'nt mean they need a higher spot.(METALICA and GUNS AND ROSES made rock more maistream in my view)

There also very few albums from the 21st century e.g EVANESENCE,LINKIN PARK,DESTINY'S CHLD,D.M.X,TUAC,......theres also an element of RACISM here coz MICHAEL JACKSONS ALMS DESERVE HIGHER RANKINGS

Rob Clarkson 7 months ago

Wow The sex pistols before "Dark side of the Moon"?!?!

Some band 'Love before" "Pink Floyd"?!?

What morons wrote this ridiculous list???

Must've been compiled by the people from the 'Footloose' town!

tupac 7 months ago

no tupac!

DreDaDon16 7 months ago

2Pac Me Against the World The Don Killunimati

50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin

Reboy 7 months ago

THIS LIST IS SO DATED. 1986??? COME ON!

Nirvana # 17 7 months ago

Nevermind is # 17?. should be higher, in top ten at least!

Jamesfj 7 months ago

Interesting list. More interesting comments. Actually, bloody hilarious comments.

People need to know that it's opinion. It's allll opinion. You're all allowed to keep your own record collections. They won't be taken away from you. Chill out.

I have my own little list of favourites in my head, and I'm fine with that. Stop arguing.

BRIAN 7 months ago

IN MY OPINION , REVOLVER SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE . BETTER THAN PEPPER . TOO ME PEPPER HAS AT LEAST 2 CLUNKERS , REVOLVER IS A MASTERPIECE . ITS ALSO MORE INOVATIVE .

Reboy 6 months ago

THE NEW, UPDATED 500 HAS LISTED TOUCH BY EURYTHMICS AT NO.500.

DON'T TAKE HIS LIST FOR IT, PEOPLE.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN OLD LIST.

Reboy 6 months ago

I DO NOT LIKE THE BEATLES.

MY MOTHER LIKES THEM.

SHE'S 60.

YOU STILL THINK THEY'RE MUSIC'S COOL?

THINK AGAIN.

;-p

ME 6 months ago

AND WHERE IS TUPAC?!!

Fabian 6 months ago

come on, don't confuse: this is NOT a list about the best ROCK albums or the best POP albums, or whatever, this is about best MUSIC albums for the west culture.

I know deep purple, genesis and king crimson should have been here instead "greatest hist" albums, but in general, it's very correct. People who KNOWS about xx century music is gonna agree: Sgt pepper's changed music forever, you like or not beatles. It was innovative and beatles' masterpiece. Critics and musician loved it from the beginning and influenced lot of others band. It was the best album of the best year for music: 1967.

I think criterions include music, CONTENTS, context, impact, success and influence.

sgt peppers, pet sounds and revolver are the greatest MUSIC albums ever made and this has been accepted by most of critics and musician since a long time and maybe forever (I doubt albums like these get to be recorded again).

Fabian 6 months ago

I'm pretty much sure that 40 years later Beatles albums (sgt peppers, revolver, rubber soul, the white album and abbey road) still are gonna be in the top ten, because they got an "universal" level, like bach, mozart and beethoven, you like that or not. You people should watch more music documentaries and read some music history books and you will see.

cupid stunt 6 months ago

Was amazed how few Bob Dylan albums made it anywhere. Obviously he is (or was) head and shoulders above the rest of the losers and should have been given the first 8 places - instead of the desultory two he has been given. There oughta be a law!!!

GODAM 6 months ago

WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT THE BEATLES

IS THIS ROLLING STONE'S BEATLES GREATEST ALBUMS

WHO WOULD PLAY SGNT PEPPER AHEAD OF THE CLASH OR GNR

Nas 6 months ago

how is the greatest hip hop album of all time not on here. Rolling stones is stupid for not having Illmatic by Nas on here

Alex 6 months ago

50 Cent get rich or die tryPr

joe kira 6 months ago

oasis is better than the sh*t band "nirvana" whats the story morning glory is better than never mind.

Ethan 6 months ago

What a jacked up list. Tommy should be higher than 97. And Stone Roses at 497??? If you put Oasis ahead of that you are crazy. Too many Eminem albums too. And what about Elton John - Elton John? With Tiny Dancer? Strange Days at 402 isn't good. Joni Mitchell's Hejira is an amazing album, at least put it in the top 500. Def Leppard should be somewhere between 500-450, Pyromania is a bit cheesy. There is at least one hundred problems with this list, this magazine is dying because of their opinions.

Steve 5 months ago

Back in Black by ACDC is second biggest selling album in history so why the hell is it number 74?????????

And where the hell is Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden?

Jesus Fucking Christ 5 months ago

I agree with most people, this list is extremely biased. I'm not going to go on a rant, but there's no real good metal or hardcore music on here. There's also almost no good modern music.

Here is my top five:

1. Protest The Hero - Fortress

2. Converge - Axe To Fall

3. August Burns Red - Messengers

4. Born Of Osiris - The New Reign

5. Atreyu - The Curse

ANonYMOUS 5 months ago

LOLJAZZ Y U ALL SO MAD

j.a.lindberg 5 months ago

Can't believe the New York Dolls are here, and the Carpenters, but not a single Soundgarden album! What an insult!!

Ethan_D 5 months ago

Guys, the Beatles had a huge impact on music. Of course their album takes up almost half the top 10. Its not really about how good the album is, its about what impact it had on music. Some of these albums don't fit that category even, but its built purely on opinion. Just make your own list if this doesn't satisfy you. Some magazine's opinion shouldn't affect yours. Personally, they could have put some albums higher and replace some with others, but they put most of my favorites on it so I was satisfied. Remember, one's own opinion cannot fit all's.

Boring Beatles 5 months ago

The Beatles; where are they now? BORING - music to shop by!

Tommy 5 months ago

Seriously folks, without This World Owes Me a Buzz, there's nothing to see here.

MetalMonster 5 months ago

I lived through the 80's hell hole of pop music. Metal kicked ass there for most of the decade and... I can't believe this... the best, most important album that could be considered metal is... Appetite for Destruction? Really? Nice album, but surely anybody with any sense of the genre knows that Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and a host of others were far more important to the scene than GnR.

And fine... put the Beatles at #1, they deserve it. But you can't honestly tell met that seven of their albums were better than any metal album ever recorded.

And Tommy, I'll back you up on Spot 1019. Where would junk rock be without them?

antb2112 4 months ago

RS is much like the RRHOF. It's just a bunch of idiots stated their opinions, rather than basing their polls on "real" facts..Funny how they left a bunch of amateurs like RUSH off this list...They're only the best musicians (on the planet) in the respective instruments...

Matthew t 4 months ago

Dark Side shoud be in the top 10...

Big Al 9190 4 months ago

All in All a pretty decent list in my opinion...Depending on who you are and what your tastes are there will obviously be some glaring omissions for anyone who reads this...

I personally agree with all of you who think Dark Side should be higher. I also think 4 Beatles Albums in the top ten is a bit much. Yes they are fantastic and yes their musical influence cannot be understated but I think that message could have been conveyed just as easily with 4 albums in the top 20 rather than the top 10. I also think Sgt. Peppers is the weakest of their 65-69 studio period and I would have liked to see Revolver or Abbey Road take top spot

I also think Rage Against the Machine's first album should be in the top 100...It is phenomenal as is The Low End Theory which in my opinion should also feature higher.

Some glaring omissions for me are:

Stone Roses, Stone Roses,

Entroducing...DJ Shadow,

Liquid Swords, GZA

In an Aeroplane over the Sea, Neutral Milk Hotel

Hot Rats, Frank Zappa

Aquemini, Outkast,

Songs for The Deaf, Queens of the Stone Age

2112 and/or Moving Pictures, Rush

Doggy Style, Snoop Dogg,

Me Against the World, Tupac,

Toxcity, System of a Down

However, like I said, its impossible to please everyone and this is a pretty damn could effort at making a list of the 500 greatest albums of all time

Big Al 9190 4 months ago

Ah I see the book version has been used so Aquemini and Stone Roses are on there...Still, they should be higher

jmj 4 months ago

this RS list is a complete joke..........all you need is one example.....310 for the red hot chilly peppers?????????????

Cam 4 months ago

I think Pleasures Of The Harbor by Phil Ochs should be somewhere on the list.

zappa'smustache 4 months ago

Really? These idiots have no idea who Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson is? NO CANNED HEAT? Pathetic. This magazine isn't worthy of emergency bathroom tissue.

archangel duke 3 months ago

This list and it's emphasis on popularity over substance is why music sucks now; and so does rolling stone magazine

vin 3 months ago

HAH! THey would have the black album on here. Those idiots at rolling stone don't know good rock/metal for shit.

Tony 3 months ago

This list is a pile of crap. What has Madonna got to do with great music? She has 4, I say 4 albums quoted in the list and she gets a higher ranking than historical bands like the Paul Butterfield Blues Band or the Big Star. That's ridiculous. Where are groups like: Canned Heat, Country Joe and the Fish...This list is a pile of crap...that's a statement!!!

Arthur 3 months ago

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

From the time they was not yet known "Os Mutantes"...

Harry 3 months ago

Dark side of the moon is the greatest work of art of the 20th century in my honest opinion, #43 is ludicrousness

maybe it's a british thing but that album just sums up everything about life in general

Bamidele 3 months ago

'Exodus' by Bob Marley is number one for me.

nikky m 3 months ago

Madonna should be way higher on this stupid list, she is an icon and the Queen Of Pop. I find it funny that most of the people who keep saying Madonna should'nt be on the list proberly don't even listen to her albums and just judge from the songs they play of hers on the radio.Listen to Ray Of Light or Like A Prayer, these albums are pure pop classics. Janet Jackson should definetly NOT be on this list.

beatles are beat less 3 months ago

The Beatles are the greatest band of all time because of the many album joined the 500 greatest albums

Spooky 2 months ago

This list annoys me to the Nth degree

Im sorry but no Fugees one of the most era defining bands of the 90s. Im actually furious at the fact neither live at folsom prision or live at san quentin is in the list

where is Ella or tea for the tiller man by cat stevens. They put Dre's the chronic on but no mention of straight out of compton by NWA a far better and more important album. We all have to nod to the ability of the beetles but 10 albums 6 dylan albums the list deserves 3

Surfa rosa by the pixies appertite for destuction guns and roses How you can put The Battle of Los Angeles in when by a country mile the self titled Rage against the machine albums was far and away the best album they penned.

Idiotic token gestures just because they thin that artist should feature rather then actually getting a solid demographic of people and actually bothering to write a decent list. I mean your 100 greatest sings list was bad typicaly putting Lennon and Dylan in the top ten Dylan i mean seriously Dylan in a list of singers. Then you god Awful guitar list which actually didnt have one jazz guitarest in the top 40 and didnt even feautre a single flamenco guitarist you manage to top it off with this tripe.

Hang your head in shame its a travisty

Zakie Kr0w 2 months ago

Where is Ride the Lightning or ...And Justice for All?

Rob 2 months ago

where the f*** is Iron Maiden, Judas Priest or Deep Purple?????

Prisono 2 months ago

I appreciate this list. Helps me realize that there are many great artist which i still need to discover.

And it's nice reading all of this comments and arguments. I'm curious with 'in the aeroplane over the sea' by neutral milk hotel, there are about ten people mention them.

Enigma 2 months ago

--Has Nirvana

--Not best Nirvana album

--Most radio-played Nirvana album

--????

--No Alice in Chains

sanctorial 7 weeks ago

Beatles is the best. Whatever you think, Beatles cannot be matched. Beatles was created masterpieces and changed the music style.

Moirae 6 weeks ago

Kate Bush, people!

msouth 5 weeks ago

Hey,

just wanted to thank you for typing out the list. And the best thing about this page is all the people with their comments about what was left out. I think many comments brought up objections--e.g. no Rush, no Madonna?--that you just can't ignore. Those omissions are just mistakes, plain and simple.

Also it was really fun just to be reminded of all those great albums that commenters brought up. Thanks for your comments everyone!

My entry: "everything by They MIght Be Giants" :).

Seriously, though, Lincoln, Flood, Apollo 18....wow.