The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Check out the full 100 Collection countdown
Last updated 6th Feb 2021
Since the start of 2021 on The Dave Berry Breakfast Show, our astute Absolute Radio listeners have been helping us cherry-pick the greatest records of all time in The 100 Collection.
With Dave Berry’s sprawling record collection getting seriously out of the hand, the burning question we put to you is ‘what 100 records are worthy of keeping for eternity?!’
In association with our friends at Wickes and Banquet Records, Dave and the team have been asking listeners and some experts to help pick 10 records to keep for posterity from each respective decade from the 1960s to the 2010s, alongside four specialist categories.
We haven't allowed the same artist more than once in any particular category, but come do appear more than once across categories. For example, The Beatles are only allowed to appear once in the 60s, David Bowie once in the 70s, The Smiths once in the 80s, Oasis once in the 90s, and so on….
What are the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time?
Below are the 100 greatest albums of all time divided into 10 separate categories, which are as follows:
The 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, Classic Rock, Movie Soundtracks, The Best Difficult Second Album and The Best of the Best Of. Check out the full list below:
The 100 Collection - The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time:
The Velvet Underground – ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ (1967)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Beatles – ‘Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (1967)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Beach Boys – ‘Pet Sounds’ (1966)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Aretha Franklin – ‘I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You’ (1967)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Jimi Hendrix – ‘Electric Ladyland’ (1968)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Johnny Cash – ‘At Folsom Prison’ (1968)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Rolling Stones – ‘Let It Bleed’ (1969)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Doors – ‘The Doors’ (1967)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Bob Dylan – ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ (1965)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Van Morrison – ‘Astral Weeks’ (1968)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Marvin Gaye – ‘What’s Going On’ (1971)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Stevie Wonder – ‘Songs In The Key of Life’ (1976)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Clash – ‘London Calling’ (1979)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Eagles – ‘Hotel California’ (1976)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Pink Floyd – ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ (1973)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Fleetwood Mac – ‘Rumours’ (1977)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Joy Division – ‘Unknown Pleasures’ (1979)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Blondie – ‘Parallel Lines’ (1978)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
David Bowie – ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ (1972)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Sex Pistols – ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols’ (1977)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Human League – ‘Dare!’ (1981)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Paul Simon – ‘Graceland’ (1986)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Tracy Chapman – ‘Tracy Chapman’ (1988)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Kate Bush – ‘Hounds of Love’ (1985)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Smiths – ‘The Queen is Dead’ (1986)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
U2 – ‘The Joshua Tree’ (1987)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Prince – ‘1999’ (1982)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Stone Roses – ‘The Stone Roses’ (1989)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Bruce Springsteen – ‘Born in the USA’ (1984)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Duran Duran – ‘Rio’ (1982)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Blur – ‘Parklife’ (1994)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Lauryn Hill – ‘The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’ (1998)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Massive Attack – ‘Blue Lines’ (1991)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Nirvana – ‘Nevermind’ (1991)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Oasis – ‘Definitely Maybe’ (1994)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Paul Weller – ‘Stanley Road’ (1995)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Primal Scream – ‘Screamadelica’ (1991)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Pulp – ‘A Different Class’ (1995)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Radiohead – ‘OK Computer’ (1997)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Verve – ‘Urban Hymns’ (1997)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Arctic Monkeys – ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ (2006)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Franz Ferdinand – ‘Franz Ferdinand’ (2004)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Strokes – ‘Is This It’ (2001)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Amy Winehouse – ‘Back to Black’ (2006)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The White Stripes – ‘Elephant’ (2003)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Beyoncé – ‘Dangerously in Love’ (2003)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Coldplay – ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’ (2002)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Libertines – ‘Up the Bracket’ (2002)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Killers – ‘Hot Fuss’ (2004)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Kings of Leon – ‘Aha Shake Heartbreak’ (2004)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Adele – ‘21’ (2011)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Drake – ‘Take Care’ (2011)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Lana Del Rey – ‘Born to Die’ (2012)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Royal Blood – ‘Royal Blood’ (2014)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Wolf Alice – ‘Visions of a Life’ (2017)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Arctic Monkeys – ‘AM’ (2013)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Liam Gallagher – ‘As You Were’ (2017)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – ‘Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds’ (2011)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
BIffy Clyro – ‘Opposites’ (2013)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
David Bowie – ‘Blackstar’ (2016)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Guns N’ Roses – ‘Appetite For Destruction’ (1987)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Muse – ‘Absolution’ (2003)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Thin Lizzy – ‘Jailbreak’ (1976)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Metallica – ‘Metallica’ (‘The Black Album’) (1991)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ (1977)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Queen – ‘A Night At The Opera’ (1975)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Dire Straits – ‘Brothers In Arms’ (1985)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
AC/DC – ‘Back In Black’ (1980)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Bon Jovi – ‘Slippery When Wet’ (1986)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Led Zeppelin – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Prince and The Revolution – ‘Purple Rain’ (1984)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (1980)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Music from the Motion Picture Pulp Fiction (1994)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Trainspotting: Music from the Motion Picture (1996)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Who – ‘Quadrophenia’ (1979)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Star Wars (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1977)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Goodfellas Music from the Motion Picture (1990)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Drive – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2011)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Beatles – ‘Help!’ (1965)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Black Sabbath – ‘Paranoid’ (1970)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Foo Fighters – ‘The Colour and the Shape’ (1997)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Arctic Monkeys – ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’ (2007)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Oasis – ‘(What’s the Story?) Morning glory’ (1995)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Radiohead – ‘The Bends’ (1995)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Dr. Dre – ‘2001’ (1999)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Daft Punk – ‘Discovery’ (2001)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Led Zeppelin – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Muse – ‘Origin of Symmetry’ (2001)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Pixies – ‘Doolittle’ (1989)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Beatles – ‘1967-1970’ (The Blue Album) (1973)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Blur – ‘The Best Of’ (2000)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Bob Marley & The Wailers – ‘Legend’ (1984)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
David Bowie – ‘The Best of David Bowie 1969/1974’ (1997)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Green Day – ‘International Superhits!’ (2001)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Madonna – ‘The Immaculate Collection’ (1990)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Pulp – ‘Hits’ (2002)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Queen – ‘Greatest Hits II’ (1991)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
The Rolling Stones – ‘Hot Rocks 1964-1971’ (1971)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
Stereophonics – ‘Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics’ (2002)
The 100 Collection on Absolute Radio: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
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