Lauryn Hill’s transcendent masterpiece, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, was named the greatest album of all time by Apple Music on May 22.
Hill’s 1998 tour de force creation — her first and only solo album — topped the “100 Best Albums” list over the bestselling of all time, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Prince and the Revolution’s Purple Rain.
MJ’s coup de maître album, which sold north of 100 million units worldwide, was picked as the second-best of all time, though many felt Thriller should have taken the top spot. The “Billie Jean” songwriter was followed closely by his 80s rival Prince, whose 1984 Purple Rain came in at No. 4.
Other musical icons represented high on the list included: Beyoncé’s Lemonade (No. 10); Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe) (No. 7); and Frank Ocean’s Blonde (No. 5); and Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life (No. 6).
Nas, Elvis, The Beatles, The Notorious B.I.G., De La Soul, Travis Scott, Tyler, The Creator, and Dr. Dre occupy spots on the list.
Jermaine Dupri snickered at the Apple Music list
Predictably, the list ignited a vociferous outcry from industry professionals such as legendary producer Jermaine Dupri and fans alike.
JD, who churned out classic cuts like an assembly line, called the Apple Music list “sad,” while some music lovers were so revolted they threatened to cancel their subscription to the streaming service.
Even those who made the list took umbrage at where they appeared on the list. For example, some fans folded their faces when Nas’ Illmatic clocked in at No. 39. SZA was flummoxed over her seminal SOS LP being placed in the 70 range.
“Lmao. 72nd is so disrespectful,” SZA penned on IG.
Many fans also voiced their disapproval of the ‘100 Greatest Albums’ list
The X platform quickly became a cacophony of fan discontent as some of their beloved musical acts were either allegedly overlooked or placed further down the list than they supposedly deserved.
