The 70th anniversary is here, which makes it the perfect time to look back on some of the albums students may have listened to during their time here. The best album of each decade was chosen based mainly on sales or streaming numbers, as well as its influence on later artists. Compilations, live albums, and most film soundtracks were not counted. Some were easy to pick out as the best of the decade, such as “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” while others, like Adele’s “21,” barely beat out other albums of their respective decades.
1950s – Elvis Presley, “Elvis Presley,” 1956
In an era when selling half a million copies of an album was a miracle, Elvis Presley’s debut album selling one-million copies in its first year made it an absolute success. The songs definitely show their age and get a little repetitive, but it’s an important album that not only launched Elvis’ career, it inspired many others to pursue theirs.
Honorable mentions – Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue,” 1959; Frank Sinatra, “In the Wee Small Hours,” 1955
1960s – The Beatles, “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band,” 1967
Of all the albums on this list, Sgt. Pepper is probably the most influential of all of them. The age of intricate album covers, orchestras in popular music, and concept albums, all originated here. Selling 32-million copies, every album mentioned later on this list utilized some aspect first heard on Sgt. Pepper. The songs are excellent as well, and “A day in the life” is probably the best song the Beatles ever recorded.
Honorable mentions – The Beatles, “Abbey Road,” 1969; Simon and Garfunkel, “Bookends,” 1968; The Rolling Stones, “Let it Bleed,” 1969; The Beatles, “Revolver,” 1966
1970s – Pink Floyd, “The Dark Side of the Moon,” 1973
After releasing seven relatively low-profile albums, Pink Floyd exploded onto the music landscape with this 45-million selling blockbuster of an album. All of the songs, especially “Time,” “Money,” and “Us and Them,” are incredibly intricate and sound like nothing released prior. Bonus points for having one of the most iconic album covers of all time, too.
Honorable mentions – Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” 1970; Led Zeppelin, “IV,” 1971; Pink Floyd, “Wish You Were Here,” 1975; Pink Floyd, “The Wall,” 1979
1980s – Michael Jackson, “Thriller”, 1982
An album that came out with hits such as “Billie Jean,” “Beat it,” and the title track, “Thriller” has sold over 70 million copies since its release, though some have estimated it to be closer to 120 million. It is one of the quintessential ‘80s albums, and while there are some songs that include every possible ‘80s musical cliché, there are also some more surprisingly interesting ones, such as “Human nature.”
Honorable mentions – U2, “The Joshua Tree,” 1987; Paul Simon, “Graceland,” 1986; Prince and the Revolution, “Purple Rain,” 1984; Michael Jackson, “Bad,” 1987.
1990s – Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill,” 1995
Morissette’s debut album in the United States ended up selling over 32 million copies. The songs carry themes of sadness, heartbreak, and a bit of sarcasm. “Ironic,” “You Oughta Know,” and “Hand in My Pocket” have all racked up hundreds of streams on Spotify. The album has won five Grammys and been turned into a play since its release.
Honorable mentions – Nirvana, “Nevermind,” 1991; Radiohead, “OK Computer,” 1997.
2000s – Coldplay, “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends,” 2008
Unlike most of the albums on this list, “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” was not the best selling or most streamed album of the decade. That title went to the Beatles best-of compilation album “1,” which was released thirty years after they broke up and sold over twelve-million copies. That aside, “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” was released in 2008, at the height of Coldplay’s commercial success and sold over 11 million copies. “Viva La Vida” has become one of the most recognizable songs around since its release, and other songs like “Strawberry Swing” are exciting and enjoyable as well.
Honorable mentions: “The Eminem Show,” 2002, Radiohead, “Kid A,” 2000
2010s – Adele, “21,” 2011
Adele’s second album ended up selling over 30 million during the decade and became one of the most streamed. Like “Jagged Little Pill,” the songs here carry a running concept of heartbreak and sadness. The album earned an impressive seven Grammys.
Honorable mentions – Taylor Swift, “1989,” 2014, Taylor Swift, “Reputation,” 2017, Ed Sheeran, “÷,” 2017, Adele, “25,” 2015, Drake, “Scorpion,” 2018.
2020s – Taylor Swift, “Midnights,” 2022
For better or for worse, “Midnights” was the number one streaming album of the decade thus far until “The Tortured Poets Department” broke it this year. However, it feels too early to call Swift’s latest album, which was only released a month ago, the greatest album of the decade. Either way, “Midnights” can currently be seen as the best album of the decade thus far, with songs like “Anti-Hero.” The album was inspired by “13 sleepless nights” in Swift’s life. There are, of course, six more years left in the decade for any other album to potentially take over as the best of the decade.
Honorable mention – Olivia Rodrigo, “Sour,” 2021.
