In shortNumber 1 in our ranking is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, followed by Thriller and The Dark Side of the Moon.
The greatest albums of all time are records you listen to from start to finish and that changed the music that followed. We weighed their quality, innovation, critical consensus and influence.
What’s your favourite album? Vote below or add the one we missed.
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We'll publish the readers' ranking once there are enough votes for it to be representative.
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles · 1967
It turned the album into a complete work and the recording studio into another instrument. It is the symbol of pop's golden age.
2. Thriller
Michael Jackson · 1982
It is the best-selling album in history. With its music videos it broke barriers on MTV and changed the music industry.
3. The Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd · 1973
A concept album about pressure, time and madness, with a sound that defined an era. It spent hundreds of weeks on the US charts.
4. What's Going On
Marvin Gaye · 1971
A soul album about war, poverty and the environment. Rolling Stone named it the greatest album of all time in 2020.
5. Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys · 1966
Its ambitious arrangements directly inspired the Beatles. It is one of the high points of 1960s music production.
6. Nevermind
Nirvana · 1991
It took grunge and alternative rock to the top of the charts. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' became the anthem of a generation.
7. Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan · 1965
Dylan fused the poetry of folk with the electricity of rock. 'Like a Rolling Stone' is among the most influential songs in history.
8. Rumours
Fleetwood Mac · 1977
Recorded while the band was going through several break-ups, it turned that drama into perfect songs. It is one of the best-selling records of its decade.
9. A Night at the Opera
Queen · 1975
It includes 'Bohemian Rhapsody', a song that broke every rule of radio. It is the album that took Queen to the top.
10. OK Computer
Radiohead · 1997
It anticipated the anxiety of the technological age with a new sound. It is one of the most influential albums of the last thirty years.
Frequently asked questions
What is the greatest album of all time?
In our ranking, the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, for its innovation and influence. Thriller and The Dark Side of the Moon complete the podium.
What is the best-selling album of all time?
Thriller, by Michael Jackson, released in 1982.
Would you change the order?
Tell us what's missing, what shouldn't be here or what you'd put at number 1.