A little over a week ago Apple Music released its official “Top 100 Albums of All Time” list, and honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. Sure there were a few questionable picks here and there but there’s bound to be when any major streaming platform or anyone for that matter releases a list of this scale. The recency bias on the list in certain places irritated me, especially since there are better contemporary albums than some of them. There were a few albums that I was surprised not to find on the list, as each their influence and quality on the music scene is profound. Here are my 6 snubs from Apple Music’s Top 100 Albums of All Time list:
To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
There’s not much I can say about this work of art that hasn’t already been stated. The inclusion of good kid, M.A.A.d city over TPAB certainly had many eyebrows raised and I think if each artist was only confined to one album selection this pick wouldn’t be that outrageous. GKMC, in my eyes, is slightly below or on par with To Pimp a Butterfly, as they are both extraordinary pieces of Hip Hop. But TBAP is more often than not heralded as a superior work to good kid, m.A.A.d city which is why this selection had me confused. Not to mention it is widely regarded by critics and listeners alike as the best Hip Hop album of the modern era, if not the best of all time. Dr. Dre, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Radiohead, and The Beatles were the artists that got 2 selections each, and if Kendrick Lamar’s 2nd best album was placed 7th out of 100, how does he not get two mentions?
Plastic Beach – Gorillaz
Plastic Beach by Gorillaz is one of my favorite albums ever. To me, it serves as the embodiment of musical versatility in an album format. Having artists like Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, and The Syrian National Orchestra For Arabic Music all featured on the same project is certainly bold. It comes together so perfectly though, and the bubbly production throughout the LP makes it such a fun listening experience. While it has minor flaws, Plastic Beach deserved a spot somewhere on the list, as it is truly one of a kind.
Madvillainy – Madvillain, Madlib & MF DOOM
Similar to TPAB, Madvillainy’s exclusion from the list caused many Hip Hop listeners to be in an irate state. MF DOOM’s influence on the rap game can only be matched by legends alike and Madvillainy is objectively his best album. Matching one of the best lyricists ever with one of the best producers in Madlib is a recipe for brilliance. The sampling across the record mashed with DOOM’s witty bars has cemented Madvillainy as a top Hip Hop album. The album served as one of the original Experimental Rap albums, a subgenre that didn’t garner even one selection on the list. Madvillainy is a legendary LP made by two of the most notorious legends within Hip Hop, and I’m truly confused about how Apple Music overlooked it.
In an Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
Another genre that didn’t receive many picks on the list was Indie Folk. There is a share of Indie Folk staples that would have easily felt appropriate to be included on the list. In an Aeroplane Over the Sea is my favorite album within the genre. Jeff Mangum cooked on this record through a storytelling and sonic lens. The emotions induced during the album experience are truly beautiful whether it’s the harrowing Oh Comely, the upbeat yet disturbing Holland, 1945, or the love story within the title track In an Aeroplane Over the Sea. The Folk exclusion from the list veers away from the representation within a top album list, and In an Aeroplane Over the Sea would have been a great pick.
Songs for the Deaf – Queens of the Stone Age
There weren’t a whole lot of newer rock albums placed on the list, probably due to the recent dip in quality within the genre as of recent. Songs for the Deaf though, is not a weak album in any aspect. The album contains blends of Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, and Stoner Rock, and is probably the best pure rock album of the 21st Century. The album provides a bunch of bangers along with featuring David Grohl as the drummer throughout the LP. Songs for the Deaf gives the listener the experience of listening to the radio on a hot sticky road trip through Nevada, but with a hint of Mad Max. Queens of the Stone Age have provided many quality albums and I was thoroughly disappointed that this album didn’t get a spot on the list.
Rodeo – Travis Scott
Travis Scott out of all the other artists on this snub list is probably the least deserving of a place on Apple Music’s Top 100 Albums, but the inclusion of Astroworld (placed 98th) on their list was just the wrong Travis pick. While critics heralded Astroworld as a better album than Rodeo the general public will say otherwise. To many experienced music listeners, Rodeo is regarded as the best trap album of all time, and when placed next to Astroworld I don’t see how it’s close. Rodeo doesn’t have a bad song and the bangers just keep coming at you throughout the album. Scott is by no means a phenomenal lyricist, yet moments on Rodeo display instances with some really good substance. Songs like 90210, Apple Pie, and Pray 4 Love showcase some of Travis’ best verses in his catalog. Not to mention, Oh My Dis Side, 3500, and Nightcrawler which are absolute heaters. Yeah, Rodeo should have been on the list.
