Apple Music has completed its 10-day rollout of their 100 Best Albums list and it only features one metal album. Fortunately, there’s quite a lot of rock on the list to help ease the pain.
As much as we all may be dismayed by the results, heavy metal being snubbed is something we’ve all grown accustomed to. It’s just something we must accept, whether it’s from our own institutions (the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) or mainstream music organizations ranging from the Grammys to tech companies.
The One Metal Album
One silver lining is that Apple Music’s lone metal pick is an irrefutable classic — Metallica’s Master of Puppets.
It’s a bit of a head-scratcher to see Black Sabbath left off the list entirely, but Master of Puppets represents so much. It’s a branch off the metal tree that found a band pioneering a new sound while taking influences from the early traditional metal scene. The 1986 record also proved to be a massive influence on the underground, while lyrically advancing the genre with reflective and thought-provoking themes.
Coming in at No. 69 will likely inspire headbangers to shake their fist at the sky, but it’s better than Apple Music neglecting metal entirely, right?
Overall, rock is rather well-represented. There’s dozens of inclusions, all of which we’ve rounded up below.
What Album Is No. 1?
And as for what album took the coveted No. 1 spot? That honor goes to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the 1998 album by rapper Lauryn Hill.
The Rock + Metal Albums on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums List
Ranked: No. 100 – No. 76 (Six Albums)
No. 99 — The Eagles, Hotel California
No. 97 — Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine
No. 90 — AC/DC, Back in Black
No. 83 — Patti Smith, Horses
No. 81 — Neil Young, After the Gold Rush
No. 78 — Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Ranked: No. 75 – No. 51 (11 Albums)
No. 74 — Nine Inch Nails, The Downward Spiral
No. 69 — Metallica, Master of Puppets
No. 68 — The Strokes, This Is It
No. 66 — The Smith, The Queen Is Dead
No. 63 — The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced?
No. 60 — The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground & Nico
No. 59 — Arctic Monkeys, AM
No. 58 — Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory
No. 56 — The Cure, Disintegration
No. 53 — The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street
No. 52 — Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction
Ranked: No. 50 – No. 26 (Six Albums)
No. 49 — U2, The Joshua Tree
No. 43 — Talking Heads, Remain in Light
No. 35 — The Clash, London Calling
No. 33 — Radiohead, Kid A
No. 28 — Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon
No. 27 — Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II
Ranked: No. 25 – No. 1 (Seven Albums)
No. 24 — David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
No. 22 — Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run
No. 21 — The Beatles, Revolver
No. 12 — Radiohead, OK Computer
No. 11 — Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
No. 9 — Nirvana, Nevermind
No. 3 — The Beatles, Abbey Road
