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=PList of albums considered the most important=
The following is a list of '''albums considered the most important''' or influential by reputable publications. It is based on all-time lists, usually involving the opinions of multiple [[music critics]] and authors. All of the published lists cited in this article date to the 2000s—coinciding with the end of the [[album era]]—thus there are no post-2010 albums included on this list.{{Horizontal TOC|nonum=yes|links=* [[#1940s|Before 1950]]
* [[#1950s|1950s]]
* [[#1960s|1960s]]
* [[#1970s|1970s]]
* [[#1980s|1980s]]
* [[#1990s|1990s]]
* [[#2000s|2000s]]
* [[#2010s|2010s]]
* [[#2020s|2020s]]
* [[#References|References]]|align=center}}

{{sticky header}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style="width:100%;"
!Album{{Anchor|Before 1950}}
!Artist
! class="unsortable" |Artist image
! class="unsortable" |Month and year
!Genre
! class="unsortable" |Notes
! class="unsortable" |Cited<br>list(s)
|-
|[[Dust Bowl Ballads|''Dust Bowl Ballads'']]
|[[Woody Guthrie]]
|[[File:Woody_Guthrie_2.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|July 1940
|[[Singer-songwriter]]
|Described as a blueprint for "modern [[folk music]]".<ref name="rolling" /> One of the first [[Concept album|concept albums]].<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
! colspan="7" |1950s{{Anchor|1950s}}
|-
|[[In the Wee Small Hours|''In the Wee Small Hours'']]
| rowspan="2" |[[Frank Sinatra]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Frank_Sinatra_(1957_studio_portrait_close-up).jpg|center|329x329px]]
|April 1955
| rowspan="2" |[[Vocal jazz]]
|Its cohesiveness and popularity helped to establish the [[LP record|12-inch LP]] format.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Songs for Swingin' Lovers!]]''
|March 1956
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Elvis Presley (album)|Elvis Presley]]''
|[[Elvis Presley]]
|[[ File:Elvis Presley promoting Jailhouse Rock.jpg|center|250px]]
|March 1956
|[[Rock and roll]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|[[Something Else!!!!|''Something Else!!!!'']]
|[[Ornette Coleman]]
|[[File:Ornette_Coleman-140911-0002-96WP.jpg|center|375x375px]]
|September 1958
|[[Free jazz]]
|Influential to the start of free jazz.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[Kind of Blue|''Kind of Blue'']]
|[[Miles Davis]]
|[[File:Miles_Davis_by_Palumbo.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|August 1959
|[[Modal jazz]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Time Out (album)|Time Out]]''
|[[The Dave Brubeck Quartet]]
|[[File:Davebrubeckquartet1967a.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|December 1959
|[[Cool jazz]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
! colspan="7" |1960s{{Anchor|1960s}}
|-
|[[Drums of Passion|''Drums of Passion'']]
|[[Babatunde Olatunji]]
|[[File:Tal_Vadya_Utsav-India_AtillaEngin-OkayTemiz-BurhanÖçal.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|February 1960
|[[Music of Africa|African music]]
|Began the American "[[world music]]" movement, and caused jazz musicians to explore African music.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[King of the Delta Blues Singers|''King of the Delta Blues Singers'']]
|[[Robert Johnson]]
|
|September 1961{{Efn|This is a compilation album; the songs it compiles were originally released between 1936 and 1937. This is listed as the date in the ''New York Times'' article.<ref name="nyt" />}}
|[[Blues]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" /><ref name="nyt" />
|-
|''[[Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music]]''
|[[Ray Charles]]
|[[File:Aankomst_Ray_Charles_(kop)_op_Schiphol,_Bestanddeelnr_921-7410.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|April 1962
|[[Country music|Country]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Live at the Apollo (1963 album)|Live at the Apollo]]''
|[[James Brown]] and [[the Famous Flames]]
|[[File:James_Brown_Music_Scene_1969.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|May 1963
|[[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Bringing It All Back Home]]''
|[[Bob Dylan]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:Bob-Dylan-arrived-at-Arlanda-surrounded-by-twenty-bodyguards-and-assistants-391770740297_(cropped).jpg|center|320x320px]]
|March 1965
|[[Folk rock]]<ref group="a">{{cite magazine |last=Hermes |first=Will |date=March 22, 2016 |title=How Bob Dylan's 'Bringing It All Back Home' 'Stunned the World' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-bob-dylans-bringing-it-all-back-home-stunned-the-world-20160322 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529171528/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/how-bob-dylans-bringing-it-all-back-home-stunned-the-world-20160322 |archive-date=May 29, 2016 |access-date=June 4, 2016 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>
|The album "showed rock lyrics could be ''anything".<ref name="rolling" />''
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Highway 61 Revisited]]''
|[[Bob Dylan]]
|August 1965
|Folk rock
|
|{{DEFAULTSORT:<ref name="thetimes">{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Mark |date=February 3, 2008 |title=The most influential albums ever |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-most-influential-albums-ever-nl3800pcv2t |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=[[The Times]] |language=en}}</ref>}}
|-
|''[[Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul]]''
|[[Otis Redding]]
|[[File:Otis_Redding_1967.JPG|center|298x298px]]
|September 1965
|Soul
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|[[The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (album)|''The Paul Butterfield Blues Band'']]
|[[The Paul Butterfield Blues Band]]
|[[File:Paul_Butterfield_Blues_Band,_circa_1967.jpg|center|270x270px]]
|October 1965
|Blues
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[Rubber Soul|''Rubber Soul'']]
|[[The Beatles]]
|[[File:Beatles_press_conference_1965.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|December 1965
|[[Rock music|Rock]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Pet Sounds]]''
|[[The Beach Boys]]
|[[File:The_Beach_Boys_(1965).png|center|250x250px]]
|May 1966
|Pop
|Influential through its lush [[Instrumentation (music)|instrumentation]].<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Freak Out!]]''
|[[The Mothers of Invention]]
|[[File:The_Mothers_of_Invention_(1968).jpg|center|250x250px]]
|June 1966
|[[Experimental rock]]<ref group="a">{{cite book |last=Lowe |first=Kelly Fisher |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAYfqgGf4yYC&pg=PA219 |title=The Words and Music of Frank Zappa |publisher=U of Nebraska Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8032-6005-4 |pages=38, 219}}</ref>
|One of the first rock [[Concept album|concept albums]].<ref group="a">{{cite book |last=Riley |first=Tim |author-link=Tim Riley (music critic) |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=JXn8AgAAQBAJ}} |title=Tell Me Why: The Beatles: Album By Album, Song By Song, The Sixties And After |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |year=1988 |isbn=978-0-394-55061-9 |page=11}}</ref>
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Revolver (Beatles album)|Revolver]]''
|The Beatles
|[[File:Beatles_and_George_Martin_in_studio_1966.JPG|center|250x250px]]
|August 1966
|Rock
|
|<ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|[[The in Sound from Way Out! (Perrey and Kingsley album)|''The In Sound From Way Out!'']]
|[[Perrey and Kingsley]]
|
|October 1966
|[[Electronic music|Electronic]]
|First commercial album made of electronic music.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Don't Come Home a Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)]]''
|[[Loretta Lynn]]
|[[File:LorettaLynn1960s.jpg|center|303x303px]]
|February 1967
|[[Country music|Country]] 
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You]]''
|[[Aretha Franklin]]
|[[File:Aretha_Franklin_1968.jpg|center|294x294px]]
|March 1967
|Soul
|
|<ref name="thetimes" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|[[The Velvet Underground & Nico|''The Velvet Underground & Nico'']]
|[[The Velvet Underground]] and [[Nico]]
|[[File:Velvet Underground & Nico publicity photo (retouched).jpg|center|250px]]
|March 1967
|[[Art rock]]
|The first art rock album.<ref name="guardian">{{Cite news |date=2006-07-16 |title=The 50 albums that changed music |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jul/16/popandrock.shopping |access-date=2024-08-07 |work=[[The Observer]] |publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]] |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref>
|<ref name="guardian" /><ref name="spin">{{Cite web |last=Klosterman |first=Chuck |last2=Milner |first2=Greg |last3=Pappademas |first3=Alex |date=April 2003 |title=The 15 Most Influential Albums of All Time |url=https://www.spin.com/2003/07/fifteen-most-influential-albums/ |website=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]}}</ref><ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band|''Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'']]
|The Beatles
|[[File:WCFL Sound 10 survey October 1966 Beatles Jim Stagg (cropped).jpg|center|250px]]
|May 1967
|[[Pop music|Pop]]
|Made the case "for pop music as an art form in itself".<ref name="guardian" />
|<ref name="guardian" /><ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Are You Experienced|Are You Experienced?]]'' 
|[[The Jimi Hendrix Experience]]
|[[File:Jimi_Hendrix_experience_1968.jpg|center|329x329px]]
|May 1967
|
|
|<ref name="thetimes" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|[[Sweetheart of the Rodeo|''Sweetheart of the Rodeo'']]
|[[The Byrds]]
|[[File:The_Byrds_1965.png|center|250x250px]]
|August 1968
|[[Country rock]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''On the Street in Watts''
|[[The Watts Prophets]]
|
|1969
|[[Poetry]]
|Known to be proto-hip hop.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[The Gilded Palace of Sin]]''
|[[The Flying Burrito Brothers]]
|[[File:The_Flying_Burrito_Brothers.png|center|250x250px]]
|February 1969
|Country rock
|
|<ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Hot Buttered Soul]]''
|[[Isaac Hayes]]
|[[File:Issac_Hayes_1971_press_photo.jpg|center|272x272px]]
|June 1969
|[[Soul music|Soul]]
|Described as "soul music's first album-length [[auteur]] statement".<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[In the Court of the Crimson King]]''
|[[King Crimson]]
|[[File:King_crimson_1974_press_photo.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|October 1969
|[[Progressive rock]]
|First progressive rock album.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Live/Dead]]''
|[[Grateful Dead]]
|[[File:Grateful_Dead_(1970).png|center|250x250px]]
|November 1969
|
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
! colspan="7" |1970s{{Anchor|1970s}}
|-
|''[[Black Sabbath (album)|Black Sabbath]]''
|[[Black Sabbath]]
|[[File:Sabs.jpg|center|250px]]
|February 1970
|[[Metal music|Metal]]
|
|<ref name="spin" /><ref name="rolling" />{{r|guardian}}
|-
|''[[Bitches Brew]]''
|[[Miles Davis]]
|[[File:Miles_Davis_(Antibes_Juan-les-Pins_1963).jpg|center|250x250px]]
|March 1970
|[[Jazz-rock]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Fun House (The Stooges album)|Fun House]]''
|[[The Stooges]]
|
|July 1970
|[[Proto-punk]]<ref group="a">{{cite book |last=Hoskyns |first=Barney |author-link=Barney Hoskyns |title=Waiting for the Sun: A Rock 'n' Roll History of Los Angeles |publisher=[[Hal Leonard LLC|Hal Leonard Corporation]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0879309435 |pages=271}}</ref>
|Influential to [[garage rock]].<ref name="spin" />
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
|''[[Idlewild South]]''
|[[The Allman Brothers Band]]
|[[File:Allman_Brothers_Band_1969.jpg|center|353x353px]]
|September 1970
|[[Southern rock]]
|Influential to Southern rock.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[Tapestry (Carole King album)|''Tapestry'']] 
|[[Carole King]]
|[[File:Carole_King_-_Cash_Box_1971.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|February 1971
|
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[What's Going On (album)|''What's Going On'']]
|[[Marvin Gaye]]
|[[File:Marvin Gaye (1973 publicity photo).jpg|center|250px]]
|May 1971
|[[Soul music|Soul]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" /><ref name="spin" /><ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Blue (Joni Mitchell album)|Blue]]''
|[[Joni Mitchell]]
|[[File:Joni_Mitchell_in_1974.jpg|center|285x285px]]
|June 1971
|Singer-songwriter
|
|<ref name="thetimes" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars]]''
|[[David Bowie]]
|[[File:David-Bowie_Early.jpg|center|393x393px]]
|June 1972
|[[Glam rock]]
|
|<ref name="thetimes" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[The Harder They Come (soundtrack)|The Harder They Come]]'' 
|[[Compilation album|Various artists]]
|{{N/a}}
|July 1972
|[[Reggae]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Raw Power]]''
|The Stooges
|[[File:The Stooges & Iggy Pop, Poland, Katowice Off Festval 2012-08-04.JPG|center|250px]]
|February 1973
|[[Proto-punk]]
|Major influence to the [[British punk]] scene.{{r|guardian}}
|{{r|guardian}}
|-
|''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]''
|[[Pink Floyd]]
|[[File:Pink_Floyd,_1971.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|March 1973
|Progressive rock
|
|{{r|guardian}}
|-
|''[[Catch a Fire]]''
|[[Bob Marley and the Wailers|The Wailers]]
|[[File:Bob-marley-wailers-crystal-palace.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|April 1973
|Reggae
|
|{{r|guardian}}
|-
|''[[Head Hunters]]''
|[[Herbie Hancock]]
|[[File:Herbie_Hancock_and_The_Headhunters_1975.JPG|center|289x289px]]
|October 1973
|[[Jazz-funk]]
|
|{{r|guardian}}
|-
|[[Autobahn (album)|''Autobahn'']]
|[[Kraftwerk]]
|[[File:Kraftwerk by Ueli Frey (1976).jpg|center|250px]]
|November 1974
|[[Electronic music|Electronic]]
|Combined pop elements with electronic "experimentalism".<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="spin" /><ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Horses (album)|Horses]]''
|[[Patti Smith]]
|[[File:Patti_Smith,_1978_(cropped).jpg|center|310x310px]]
|November 1975
|[[Punk rock]]<ref group="a">{{Cite web |date=2018-01-08 |title=The 50 Albums That Shaped Punk Rock |url=https://consequence.net/2018/01/the-50-albums-that-shaped-punk-rock/3/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
|
|<ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Discreet Music]]''
|[[Brian Eno]]
|[[File:Brian_Eno_2015.png|center|297x297px]]
|December 1975
|[[Ambient music|Ambient]]<ref name="guardian" />
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Live! (Bob Marley and the Wailers album)|Live!]]''
|[[Bob Marley and the Wailers]]
|[[File:Bob-marley-wailers-crystal-palace.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|December 1975
|[[Reggae]]
|
|<ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown|King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown]]''
|[[Augustus Pablo]] and [[King Tubby]]
|
|1976
|[[Dub music|Dub]]<ref name="guardian" />
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|[[Ramones (album)|''Ramones'']] 
|[[Ramones]] 
|[[File:Ramones rocket to russia photo.jpg|center|250px]]
|April 1976
|
|
|<ref name="spin" /><ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />{{r|guardian}}
|-
|''[[Songs in the Key of Life]]''
|[[Stevie Wonder]]
|[[File:Stevie_Wonder_1973.JPG|center|287x287px]]
|September 1976
|Soul
|Influential to modern soul and R&B.<ref name="guardian" />
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Queens of Noise]]''
|[[The Runaways]]
|
|January 1977
|
|
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
|''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]''
|Kraftwerk
|[[File:Kraftwerk by Ueli Frey (1976).jpg|center|250px]]
|March 1977
|
|
|<ref name="guardian" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols]]''
|[[Sex Pistols]]
|[[File:Sex_Pistols_in_Paradiso.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|October 1977
|
|
|<ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[The Second Annual Report]]''
|[[Throbbing Gristle]]
|[[File:Throbbing_Gristle_portrait_collage.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|November 1977
|[[Industrial music|Industrial]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Unknown Pleasures]]''
|[[Joy Division]]
|
|June 1979
|[[Post-punk]]
|Popularized post-punk.<ref name="spin" />
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
|''[[London Calling]]''
|[[The Clash]]
|[[File:Clash_21051980_12_800.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|December 1979
|[[Punk rock]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
! colspan="7" |1980s{{Anchor|1980s}}
|-
|[[Damaged (Black Flag album)|''Damaged'']]
|[[Black Flag (band)|Black Flag]]
|[[File:Black Flag performing at the Electric Ballroom Camden 2019 (cropped).jpg|center|250px]]
|November 1981
|[[Hardcore punk]]
|
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
|[[Thriller (album)|''Thriller'']]
|[[Michael Jackson]]
|[[File:Michael_Jackson_autographing_'We_Are_The_World'_posters_1985.jpg|center|371x371px]]
|November 1982
|Pop
|Became [[List of best-selling albums|the best-selling album of all time]].<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Now That's What I Call Music (original UK album)|Now That's What I Call Music]]''
|Various artists
|{{N/a}}
|November 1983
|Pop
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Immigrés]]''
|[[Youssou N'Dour]]
|[[File:YoussouNdour20090913.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|1984
|[[Mbalax]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|[[Run-D.M.C. (album)|''Run-D.M.C.'']]
|[[Run-DMC|Run-D.M.C.]]
|[[File:Run DMC (cropped).png|center|250px]]
|March 1984
|[[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]
|
|<ref name="spin" /><ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[Purple Rain (album)|''Purple Rain'']]
|[[Prince (musician)|Prince]]
|[[File:Prince_1981.jpg|center|313x313px]]
|June 1984
|Pop
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Hounds of Love]]''
|[[Kate Bush]]
|[[File:Kate_Bush_Hounds_of_Love_(1985_EMI_publicity_photo)_02_(cropped).jpg|center|281x281px]]
|September 1985
|[[Art pop]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|[[Bristol sessions|''The Bristol Sessions'']]
|Various artists
|{{N/a}}
|1987{{Efn|This is a compilation album of the [[Bristol sessions]], which were originally recorded in 1927. This is listed as the date in the ''New York Times'' article.<ref name="nyt" />}}
|Country
|
|<ref name="nyt" />
|-
|''[[It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back]]''
|[[Public Enemy]]
|[[File:Public_Enemy-01-mika.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|June 1988
|[[Political hip hop]]
|
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[Straight Outta Compton]]''
|[[N.W.A]]
|
|August 1988
|[[Gangsta rap]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" /><ref name="spin" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|''[[The Stone Roses (album)|The Stone Roses]]''
|[[The Stone Roses]]
|[[File:The_Stone_Roses_Fuji_Rock_Festival_2012.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|May 1989
|[[Madchester]]
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Energy (Operation Ivy album)|Energy]]''
|[[Operation Ivy (band)|Operation Ivy]] 
|[[File:Opivy2.jpg|center|250px]]
|May 1989
|[[Ska punk]]<ref group="a">{{Citation |last=Bregman |first=Adam |title=Energy - Operation Ivy |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/energy-mw0001968092 |access-date=2024-08-07 |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |language=en}}</ref>
|
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
! colspan="7" |1990s{{Anchor|1990s}}
|-
|''[[No Depression (album)|No Depression]]''
|[[Uncle Tupelo]]
|
|June 1990
|
|
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
|''[[Nevermind]]''
|[[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]
|[[File:Nirvana_around_1992.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|September 1991
|[[Alternative rock]]
|Known for bringing [[independent music]] sounds to the mainstream.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="thetimes" />
|-
|[[What's the 411?|''What's the 411?'']]
|[[Mary J. Blige]]
|[[File:Mary_J._Blige_1998.jpg|center|375x375px]]
|July 1992
|[[Hip hop soul]]
|Inspired an incorporation of hip-hop elements into pop.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" /><ref name="guardian" />
|-
|''[[Artificial Intelligence (compilation album)|Artificial Intelligence]]''
|Various artists
|{{N/a}}
|July 1992
|[[Intelligent dance music]]
|Important to the creation of intelligent dance music.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[Rage Against the Machine (album)|''Rage Against the Machine'']]
|[[Rage Against the Machine]]
|[[File:Rage Against The Machine (cropped).jpg|center|250px]]
|November 1992
|[[Rap rock]]
|
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
|''[[The Chronic]]''
|[[Dr. Dre]]
|[[File:Dr._Dre.jpg|center|371x371px]]
|December 1992
|
|
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|''[[Diary (Sunny Day Real Estate album)|Diary]]''
|[[Sunny Day Real Estate]]
|[[File:SunnyDayRealEstate2009.jpg|center|250px]]
|May 1994
|[[Emo]]
|Influential to emo music.<ref name="spin" />
|<ref name="spin" />
|-
|''The Greatest Tenor in the World''
|[[Enrico Caruso]]
|[[File:CarusoPostcard.jpg|center|367x367px]]
|1996{{Efn|This is a compilation album; the songs it compiles were originally released between 1902 and 1920. This is listed as the date in the ''New York Times'' article.<ref name="nyt" />}}
|
|
|<ref name="nyt">{{Cite news |last=Pareles |first=Jon |last2=Strauss |first2=Neil |last3=Ratliff |first3=Ben |last4=Powers |first4=Ann |date=2000-01-03 |title=Critics' Choices; Albums as Mileposts In a Musical Century |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/03/arts/critics-choices-albums-as-mileposts-in-a-musical-century.html |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
|-
|''Vol. 3: The Twenties from Broadway to Hollywood''
|[[Al Jolson]]
|[[File:Al_Jolson_-_publicity.JPG|center|312x312px]]
|March 1996{{Efn|This is a compilation album; the songs it compiles were originally released between 1926 and 1936. This is listed as the date in the ''New York Times'' article.<ref name="nyt" />}}
|
|
|<ref name="nyt" />
|-
|''[[Spice (album)|Spice]]''
|[[Spice Girls]]
|[[File:Spice_Girls_in_Toronto,_Ontario.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|September 1996
|Pop
|
|<ref name="guardian" />
|-
! colspan="7" |2000s{{Anchor|2000s}}
|-
|''[[Hot Fives & Sevens]]''
|[[Louis Armstrong]]
|[[File:Louis_Armstrong_restored.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|August 2000{{Efn|This is a compilation album; the songs it compiles were originally released between 1925 and 1928. This is listed as the date in the ''New York Times'' article.<ref name="nyt" />}}
|Jazz
|
|<ref name="nyt" />
|-
|[[In Rainbows|''In Rainbows'']]
|[[Radiohead]]
|[[File:Radiohead_Berkeley,_California_23-6-2006.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|October 2007
|Art rock<ref group="a" "="">{{cite news |last=Malitz, David |date=11 October 2007 |title=Radiohead's 'Rainbows': Is Free Release A Potential Pot of Gold? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/10/AR2007101002442.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118212923/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/10/AR2007101002442.html |archive-date=18 January 2016 |access-date=4 September 2015 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
|Received attention for its "[[Pay what you want|pay-what-you-want]]" business model.<ref name="rolling">{{Cite web |title=40 Most Groundbreaking Albums of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/most-groundbreaking-albums-of-all-time |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
|[[808s & Heartbreak|''808s & Heartbreak'']]
|[[Kanye West]]
|[[File:Kanye_West_in_the_Studio.jpg|center|250x250px]]
|November 2008
|Hip-hop
|Influential to hip hop and R&B.<ref name="rolling" />
|<ref name="rolling" />
|-
! colspan="7" |2010s{{Anchor|2010s}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="7" |2020s{{Anchor|2020s}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}

==References and notes==

=== Explanatory footnotes ===
{{Notelist}}

===Best-of lists===
{{reflist}}

=== Additional references ===
{{reflist|group=a}}