SV

One record per artist

Best of each artist

Every artist appears only once – with their best record. The list is ranked by the editors’ Still holds up score, then First listen and the readers’ ratings.

All 205Rock 30Pop 23Soul, funk and R&B 19Jazz 15Hip hop 19Electronic 20Folk, country and song 15Reggae and world 16Hard rock and metal 48
  1. 1 Run-DMC Raising Hell 1986 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  2. 2 Eric B. & Rakim Paid in Full 1987 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  3. 3 Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 1988 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  4. 4 Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique 1989 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  5. 5 De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising 1989 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  6. 6 A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory 1991 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  7. 7 Dr. Dre The Chronic 1992 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  8. 8 Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) 1993 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  9. 9 Nas Illmatic 1994 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  10. 10 The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die 1994 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  11. 11 Missy Elliott Supa Dupa Fly 1997 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  12. 12 Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 1998 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  13. 13 OutKast Aquemini 1998 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  14. 14 Petter Mitt sjätte sinne 1998 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  15. 15 Mos Def Black on Both Sides 1999 · Hip hop Timeless classic
  16. 16 Jay-Z The Blueprint 2001 · Hip hop Modern classic
  17. 17 Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 2010 · Hip hop Modern classic
  18. 18 Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly 2015 · Hip hop Modern classic
  19. 19 Tyler, the Creator Igor 2019 · Hip hop Modern classic

205 artists in the collection.