Very interesting. The 03 list only had 1 album from the 90s (Nevermind) in the top 50. 2012 had 3: Sunrise by Elvis (Not even on the new list), Nevermind, and the Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson (also not on the new list, lol) 2020 has 9: Nevermind, Miseducation, Ready to Die, Enter the Wu Tang, The Chronic, OK Computer, The Low End Theory, Illmatic, Aquemini
Never heard the U2 album, but I'd definitely keep the others. I'd also keep an Eminem tape if only for legacy/influence. Maybe Is This It too
The first hip hop album to rank in 03 was Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions... at 48. Same place in 2012. Then: Raising Hell at 120, Ready to Die at 133, The Chronic at 137, Straight Outta Compton at 144, The Low End Theory at 154, Paul's Boutique at 156. 7 hip hop tapes in the top 200 (I did that fast, I could have missed 1-2) Other hip hop to make the list: 217. Licensed To Ill (1986) by Beastie Boys 227. Paid In Full (1987) by Eric B. And Rakim 240. Run-DMC (1984) by Run-DMC 248. Reasonable Doubt (1996) by Jay-Z 273. The Slim Shady LP (1999) by Eminem 300. Fear Of A Black Planet (1990) by Public Enemy 302. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) by Eminem 312. The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (1998) by Lauryn Hill 317. The Eminem Show (2002) by Eminem 346. 3 Feet High And Rising (1989) by De La Soul 359. Stankonia (2000) by OutKast 377. CrazySexyCool (1994) by TLC 386. Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (1993) by Wu-Tang Clan 400. Illmatic (1994) by Nas 459. Strictly Business (1988) by EPMD 464. The Blueprint (2001) by Jay-Z 477. The Score (1996) by Fugees 478. Radio (1985) by LL Cool J By my count, 24/500 were hip hop albums
Briefly looking at the 2012 list, Public Enemy is the only hip hop tape in the top 100, which is so wild! Late Registration is next at 118. The rest: 123. Raising Hell (1986) by Run-D.M.C 134. Ready To Die (1994) by The Notorious B.I.G 138. The Chronic (1992) by Dr. Dre 144. Straight Outta Compton (1988) by N.W.A 153. The Low End Theory (1991) by A Tribe Called Quest 156. Paul's Boutique (1989) by Beastie Boys 219. Licensed To Ill (1986) by Beastie Boys 228. Paid In Full (1987) by Eric B. And Rakim 242. Run-DMC (1984) by Run-DMC 244. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) by Eminem 250. Reasonable Doubt (1996) by Jay-Z 252. The Blueprint (2001) by Jay-Z 275. The Slim Shady LP (1999) by Eminem 298. The College Dropout (2004) by Kanye West 302. Fear Of A Black Planet (1990) by Public Enemy 314. The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (1998) by Lauryn Hill 346. 3 Feet High And Rising (1989) by De La Soul 349. The Black Album (2003) by Jay-Z 353. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) by Kanye West 361. Stankonia (2000) by OutKast 379. CrazySexyCool (1994) by TLC 387. Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (1993) by Wu-Tang Clan 393. Kala (2007) by M.I.A 402. Illmatic (1994) by Nas 437. Tha Carter III (2008) by Lil Wayne 453. Strictly Business (1988) by EPMD 469. The Score (1996) by Fugees 470. Radio (1985) by LL Cool J 476. Life After Death (1997) by The Notorious B.I.G 480. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1995) by Raekwon 500. Aquemini (1998) by Outkast 33/500
2020 has 11 hip hop tapes in the top 50, a huuuge jump. Raising Hell, previously the #1 and #2 hip hop album, dropped to #209, a place behind Tha Carter III
This overall changing of the guard has been super interesting to me to observe A local poll a few years back had BOTT over H61R and I figured it was just MN bias with that being his most "Minnesotan" album but it seems to be the prevailing wisdom as of recent I'd imagine younger critics connect with it more maybe? Or maybe H61R's rep has just fallen? Super interesting regardless
I always find these types of lists to be very interesting. On any “best all time” list I’m definitely not a fan of recency bias though and that’s where my eyes roll on this list a bit. I love TPAB For example, but having a 5 year old album in the top 20 is crazy to me.
I feel like there used to be this "old guard" mentality where we have to lionize the classics while discounting newer record, and seemingly the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction
I'm the exact opposite. Pretending there is some arbitrary timeline before you can consider art worthy of looking at its legacy is ridiculous. I think about that with film a lot and how many times I see only one or two films from the last decade on people's lists.
Funny, Revolver - The Beatles is of the records I’m trying to sell. It’s my least favorite of the Beatles records I have.
I will say I personally gravitate more toward BOTT. It’s more personal and more emotionally engaging, versus Highway 61 which is more influential and more historically important.
I need to listen to The Band apparently. Illmatic is way too low. Pink Moon is WAY too low. 808s below Graduation is basically a war crime. In Rainbows is laughably low. One Bon Iver and it's For Emma and it's at the end of the list smh Greatest Hits albums shouldn't count. One REM and it's Automatic for the People. hmmmmmmmmmm. no. Some of these are too high but most shouldn't be on the list.
Indeed! Easily one of my favourite albums of all time. Surprised to see it on there over other hip hop albums, though
Acknowledges For Emma as massively influential on mainstream artists higher on the list - #461 Billie Eilish's album that came out last year - #397 OK Also, its undeniably fantastic and influential, but I'm hardpressed to believe that To Pimp A Butterfly launched itself into the top 20 albums of all time inside of 5 years lol
that’s fair, I guess my thought is just that It just makes more sense in my brain for a piece of art to grow in importance over time then to have potential to come in hot and then drop dramatically down the road.
Yeah the ones that came out only two years ago were a little silly, especially because they weren't close to the best stuff from that year. But like, I'll see lists like this that will only include a couple since 2000 and that's just flat out silly.
Fair enough, honestly! I know not everybody preferred Red the way I do (I say as someone who adores 1989 and realizes it's probably the better album in terms of cohesiveness).
It's solidly a top three TSwift album for me. Most people I know actually say Red is their favorite. Sometimes it's mine. Usually 1989 or, more recently, Folklore though.
Folklore actually unseated Red as my fave, but I assumed they weren't putting 2020 albums on their list. They better not have been.