The Best Pop Music Albums of All Time

A list of the best pop music albums of all time according to critics and fans.

The Beatles – Abbey Road

The Beatles – Abbey Road: The Beatles’ final album, released in September 1969, was also their most diverse – featuring hard rockers like “Come Together” and “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” as well as the beautiful ballad “Here Comes the Sun.” It’s also home to one of the most iconic album covers of all time, showing the Fab Four crossing a London street.

Michael Jackson – Thriller

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is not only the best pop album of all time, it’s one of the greatest albums ever made, period. Released in late 1982, “Thriller” featured seven of the nine tracks that would eventually become Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also spawned two No. 1 singles, “Billie Jean” and “Beat It.” “Thriller” became the best-selling album of all time in 2009, when it was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales and shipments of more than 33 million copies in the U.S.

Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon

Released in 1973, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is often cited as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time. The album debuted at number one in the UK and went on to spend 741 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart in the US, making it the longest-charting album of all time. The Dark Side of the Moon is renowned for its innovative use of multi-layered sound effects, sonic experimentation, and its thematic focus on sanity and mental illness.

Nirvana – Nevermind

Nirvana’s second album, Nevermind (1991), became a surprise success in early 1992 due to the popularity of its first single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. The album went on to top the Billboard 200 chart for eight weeks and ultimately became one of the most influential and acclaimed albums of all time. The success of Nevermind heralded a new era for alternative music and pop culture in general.

The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds is the best pop music album of all time. It was released on May 16th, 1966 and is often cited as one of the most influential albums ever recorded. The album was an instant success, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling over two million copies in the United States. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Pet Sounds is often considered to be one of the first concept albums, as each track was written to reflect a specific mood or theme. The album features some of The Beach Boys’ most iconic songs, including “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “Sloop John B”, and “God Only Knows”. The Beach Boys were at the top of their game when they recorded Pet Sounds, and the result is a timeless classic that has influenced generations of musicians.

Led Zeppelin – IV

There are few albums in popular music history that are as important and influential as Led Zeppelin’s fourth album, often referred to simply as IV. Released in late 1971, the album featured some of the band’s most popular and well-known songs, including “Stairway to Heaven,” “Black Dog,” and “ Misty Mountain Hop.” With its mix of hard rock, folk, and blues, Led Zeppelin IV is a perfect example of the band’s unique and masterful blend of styles. It is also one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 37 million copies sold worldwide.

Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited is one of the most influential and important albums in the history of rock and roll. Released in 1965, Highway 61 Revisited marked a departure from Dylan’s folk roots and introduced a more electric sound that would come to define rock music. The album features some of Dylan’s most iconic songs, including “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Desolation Row.” Highway 61 Revisited is widely considered to be one of the greatest pop music albums of all time.

The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St.

Exile on Main St. is a double album by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 12 May 1972 by Rolling Stones Records. It was their tenth studio album released internationally and the band’s recuperation after the disastrous 1971 South American tour where they were nearly captured by customs officials over an alleged smuggling operation. Consequently, it features only minimal participation from lead guitarist Brian Jones, whose deteriorating condition had forced his lengthy absence from most recording sessions during this period; Jones appears on only three of the album’s tracks with no lead guitar work.

Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On

Released in 1971, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On is often cited as one of the best pop albums of all time. The album was a marked departure from Gaye’s earlier Motown sound, and explored themes of drug use, poverty, and social unrest.Despite its dark subject matter, the album was a commercial success, topping the charts and selling over two million copies. In 2003, the album was ranked number six on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (often shortened to Ziggy Stardust) is the fifth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 16 June 1972 by RCA Records. It is Bowie’s first concept album, principally concerning the rise and fall of an extraterrestrial rock star named Ziggy Stardust.

Ziggy Stardust was recorded in two distinct stages; the first session, which took place in early 1971 at Trident Studios, produced Bowie’s breakthrough single “Changes” and “Andy Warhol”, while the second session was conducted later that year at Haddon Hall and produced songs such as “Starman” and “Suffragette City”. The album’s cover artwork – a homage to a 1946 sales poster for a Hollywood film called The Duke of Lancaster – features a striking red-and-blue image of Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, one of several personas he adopted for his music.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was met with widespread critical acclaim upon its release; in 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the 33rd greatest album of all time. In 2004, NME placed it at number 13 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums; while in 2012, it was voted the second best album of all time in a poll conducted by Q magazine. It has been certified Platinum by both the Recording Industry Association of America and Music Canada.