Author : Jennifer Stone
Image Source : siachenstudios.com
Along with some of the greatest. Biggest, and best-selling pop albums, the music industry has given its listeners updates, changes, new styles, and whatnot. The reason why pop music is one of the most popular musical genres out there is because it resonates with the general public who find music not only as an escape but also an inspiration, a means to lead life and enjoy the atmosphere. But that is not the only case, pop music is also one of the most versatile genres out there which can be easily merged with almost any other style of music. Does it mean pop music listeners are superior in the race of music lovers? Well, kinds, because this genre will give you a blend of anything and everything out there.
This makes artists run that extra mile, experiment with their sounds, and continue trying to reinvent themselves. History proves, that only these artists survived the evolving taste of music listeners from all over the world and have given the industry some of the biggest, most astounding pop albums of all time. So here is the list of top 10 pop albums of all time.
10. Katy Perry – One of the Boys
There is something about 2000’s and 2010’s pop music that is still considered one of the greatest eras of the genre. Katy Perry is one artist who can take a lot of credit for this and her ‘One of the Boys’ proves the point. She launched herself with such a brilliant album in 2009 that it continued to influence pop music to this date.
9. Taylor Swift – 1989
Taylor Swift is arguably the greatest pop star of this generation and her ‘1989’ album is a living, breathing example of that. From a time when she was being heavily criticized for leaving her country roots for a more mainstream pop star image in ‘Red’, this album is a direct answer to everyone who has ever questioned the artistry of Swift. In singles like “Style“, “Bad Blood“, and “Out of The Woods“, she proved that she has the caliber to become the greatest pop artist. Her move of going full-length pop with ‘1989’ also proved that genres don’t indicate authenticity. So the audience showed their love and this album became the most commercially successful album of Taylor’s life.
8. Justin Bieber – Purpose
The image of pop boys changed ever since Justin Bieber came into the industry and 15 years into his career he has gifted the world with some of the most magical songs they have ever witnessed. His 2015 release ‘Purpose’ is by far the most astounding creation of his discography. This is the album that made Bieber one of the most iconic comebacks of all time, where he left his trouble-making, ladies-girl image and entered a more spiritual, at-peace era. Single like ‘Sorry’, ‘What Do You Mean‘, and ‘Love Yourself‘ went on to become some of the finest, most experimental work Bieber has ever done. With mesmerizing vocals and unique compositions that mixed modern digital music with good old pop music, Bieber not only outdone himself in this album but also solidified his status from just a pop singer to a music legend.
7. Carole King – Tapestry
‘Tapestry’, released in 1971 is believed to be the album where Carole King reinvented herself and put her newfound spirituality into account of her craft. Great albums have a habit of becoming a hit among critics and audiences and this one is a musical piece that is still referred to to this day as one of the greatest records ever made. This is also an album that had gotten 4 Grammys at once and presented Carole as an American melody whose introspection went on to become a phenomenon. One of the greatest traits of ‘Tapestry’ is its lyrics, and how simple, conversational, and almost telepathic. All of the compositions on the album feel like reading the collective minds of the listeners, which is why even the newer audience can’t seem to escape the magic that tracks like “You’ve Got a Friend” and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” created ages before.
6. Lady Gaga – The Fame
Lady Gaga’s entry to the public consciousness was not with a whimper but was more like a loud bang. Everybody knew her striking personality before, but with this album she redefined herself, she placed herself as one of the greatest singers and performers of all time. Armed with a disco ball era, Gaga’s image solidified her craft and made her a household name in the world. With this album, the singer took much of her inspiration from “New York’s 90s Club Kids” putting the themes of drugs, money, and sexuality in ‘Fame’. One of the main singles “Paparazzi” went on to become one of the most popular hits of all time. To this date, her ‘Fame’ themed highly-styled party girl image feels like the most intimate Gaga has ever been with the world.
5. Prince and the Revolution – Purple Rain
Released in 1984, this is the sixth studio album of Price and is considered the most pop-inflected music that he has ever made. Getting a perfect 10 from Pitchfork and being placed at 8 on the Rolling Stone Greatest Albums rank, this album not only is a favorite of the critics but also has gotten a perfect score from the general audience. The artist previously was known for his weird persona and fire music which left the audience wanting something more, something different from him. ‘Purple Rain’ was something that shifted the focus from the made-up persona that Price carried throughout his career, and shares a glimpse of his personal life, his origin story. This is what makes the album and its compositions, rough, yet vulnerable, common, yet funny, and musically rich.
4. Adele – 21
Most regard 21 to be Adele’s best album to date, and we second that. Coming into the 21st industry and placing yourself and your craft in the list of the greatest of all time is something Adele has done with utter perfection. ’21’ is bitter, it is revengeful, and at the same time, it is honest, and places itself as a sonically mature record getting out with its entire personality intact. From the powerful vocals of the singer to the jazzy piano, every composition feels like the perfect combination of gritty and growled vocals stretching into big belting notes and raw emotions. His is also Adele’s first album that got international attention and placed her as a significant artist in the industry.
3. Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
There was a time when the global music world was ruled by Fleetwood Mac and the group’s 1977 release ‘Rumors’ takes the cake of being one of the top pop albums. The reason why people still love and enjoy listening to this masterpiece, even in the era of digital music and EDM is because of the absolute emotional honesty that compositions deliver. It is one of those finest albums that has gotten perfect scores from critics and at the same time has ruled over the hearts of music lovers. All the pent-up emotions, the anger, and the turmoil within the band can be heard on every track of the album, paired beautifully with pop-influenced rock music. Some of the albums are influential, and some of the albums carry the influence through generations, FM’s ‘Emotions’ is one of the latter examples.
2. Britney Spears – Britney
No pop music conversation can be completed without the 21st-century pop revolution and what Britney Spears brought to the table. With her 2001 release of her self-titled album ‘Britney,’ she shifted an entire genre, an entire audience. This album is the artist’s attempt to shift her music in a more mature direction. This album has everything, from her signature coming-out-of-age music to sexy numbers like “I’m a Slave 4 U“, and “Boys“, the singer truly reinvented herself by every means. Her signature vocal fry shined brightly on this album, however, her ability to sing “e” like an “ay” is something that made the entire album step onto a different level.
1. Michael Jackson – Thriller
When it comes to timelessness, and widespread appeal, the King of Pop came through and gave the world its biggest, arguably the best pop album of all time. Released in 1982, ‘Thriller’ is Jackson’s sixth studio album which gave the listeners a taste of what quality pop music should sound like and is yet to be moved, or be challenged! As mentioned earlier about pop music’s ability to become versatile, Michael Jackson did the same where he blended a bunch of other genres like dance, R&B, afro music, rock, and whatnot and gave the audiences what they were missing out on. For starters, every single composition on this album is catchy and can make listeners feel something. The clear, and dynamic vocals of the singer also made the album feel timeless, even almost 42 years since its release.
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