Nostalgia has become a massive part of today’s culture, and themusicindustry is no exception. It’s the albums released during the pinnacle points of our lives that we continue to revisit time and time again, boosting their appearances on various charts - but especially the reveredBillboard200.
The following albums have held a place on theBillboard200 many years after their release. Their melodies never got old, and their messages to the world are just as clear as the day fans received them. For many listeners, these albums are just as timeless as they are nostalgic.
13The Fame - Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s Debut Has Spent 420 Weeks On The Chart
Gaga’s boldly titled debut made her exactly what she always felt she was: famous.The Fameremainsone of Gaga’s greatest albums. The singer spent just over two years perfecting the sound and persona that accompanied her studio debut.
This album contains many ofGaga’s most recognizable hits seven studio albumslater. If you grew up in the early 2000s, you likely have fond memories of your family gathering around the Wii to dance to Lady Gaga’s hit, “Just Dance,” which the game was named for.
Gaga’s storytelling shone through the dark tale of obsession and fame that plays out on “Paparazzi.“The album’s largest success is the ever iconic “Poker Face,“which topped theBillboardHot 100despite not being released as a single beforeThe Fame’s release.
12Blonde - Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean’s Second Album Is Perhaps His Most Iconic With 438 Weeks On The Charts
Lonny Breaux is responsible for some of the greatest R&B hits of the 2000s, buthis impact as the solo artist, Frank Ocean, is his most prodigious contribution to the genre. Ocean’s deep knowledge of music across all genres is what makes his concept album so strong.
This album is best experienced as a package, listening to every track top to bottom, rather than as a collection of hits.
His ties to hip-hop come through in his flow.Each song is a complete vision that is meticulously arranged. Fans connected with Ocean’s vulnerability to open up about his sexuality and masculinity. This album is best experienced as a package, listening to every track top to bottom, rather than as a collection of hits.
111989 - Taylor Swift
Swift’s Fifth Studio Album Has Spent 521 Weeks On The Chart
1989marks Taylor Swift’s golden era. This album predates her bad-girl turn withreputation, and directly follows her iconic Instagram hipster era withRed. Her previous album marked her steer towards pop, but1989is Taylor’s first album that is a full departure from the influences of her country rootsto unadulterated pop.
The album is not only full of hits, butit also captures the essence of the Taylor Swift persona we know today: her love affair with New York City, her ability to profit from public perception, and her flippant forget-the-haters attitude.
The album’s biggest song is the inescapable “Shake It Off,” but other tracks contain some of Swift’s greatest moments as a writer. “Style” remains one ofSwift’s best songs, over a decade after the release of1989.
10Born To Die - Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey’s Break-Out Album Has Spent 592 Weeks On The Chart
Lana Del Rey made her mark on the world withBorn To Die.Her broody vocals have an almost transatlantic accent that makeseach song feel as though it is veiled behind the grain of a film picture. To this day, Lana Del Rey’sBorn To DieAmericana aesthetic is prevalent in fashion and pop culture.
“Video Games” blew up on the internet, particularly Tumblr, ahead of the release of her album. The full album showed fans that she is more than capable of just a hit, but capable of an incredibly cohesive and impressive album.
In my opinion, the dark yet cutesy “Off To The Races” is the most impressive song on this album. The arrangement is rich, and Del Rey’s expressive vocals take the listener on a journey.
9Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac Hit The Sweet Spot And Earned 637 Weeks On The Chart
What is there to say aboutRumoursthat hasn’t already been said for decades? This album isone of the most enduring successes in all of rock music. In theBuckingham-Nicks period, every member of Fleetwood Mac contributed to the writing of the album equally, giving the album the variety and relatability necessary to capture a wide audience.
Passionate emotion is ingrained in every track on this album. The band was composed of couples when they worked on their last album, and by this time, it was largely exes. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham broke up and Chrsitine McVie and John McVie were undergoing a divorce.
There is not a single bad song on this album.
Not only did they write about it, but the subject of their devastating breakup songs had to contribute to them and perform them. The emotions on this album are so tangible, making it endlessly relatable.
There is not a single bad song on this album. The song that reflects each musician in the band is “The Chain.” This isthe only song that has a writing credit for each member of Fleetwood Macand is emblematic of their ability to persevere through personal strife.
8Take Care - Drake
The Album That Defined Drake Has Spent 641 Weeks On The Chart
It is endlessly debatableif Drake is really making hip-hop or if the majority of his work is pop, but withoutTake Care,we would never have started having the conversation.
Drake was able to gather an all-star cast of features for this album: Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, André 3000, and more. EvenKendrick Lamar featured on this Drake recordtwo years before their long-standing venomous beef.
Young people rallied behind “The Motto,” identifying with the ego and grind that Drake displayed on the track. Drake did more than flaunt his money and status on this record;he tapped into his pain and sense of romancewith songs like “Marvin’s Room.”
7Back In Black - AC/DC
Brian Johnson’s First Album With The Band Has Spent 641 Weeks On The Chart
AC/DC’s powerhouse vocalist, Bon Scott, tragically passed away in 1980.The young singer’s passing devastated the band, and their path forward was unclear. The audition of Brian Johnson brought the band back from the brink.
Johnson not only had an intense vocal quality that matched Scott’s, before his passing,Scott was incredibly impressed with Brian Johnson’s performances with the band Geordie. When the Young brothers and Brian Johnson came together, it became clear the band could not only move forward, but continue to grow.
AC/DC produced some of their biggest hits on this album. “Back In Black” is the band’s first hit to define the new iteration of the line-up featuring Johnson.The song celebrated the legacy of Bon Scottand showcased the talents of the original members, particularly Angus Young’s instantly recognizable opening riff.
6good kid, m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar
Lamar’s Concept Album Has Spent 659 Weeks On The Charts
Kendrick Lamar’s second studio album took him from a young artist to watch tothe voice of a generation.Good kid, m.A.A.d citymade Kendrick Lamar the top of his XXL class and, to some, the greatest rapper of the time.
Lamar’s lyricism is undoubtedly the greatest of the 2010s.
The album speaks tothe struggle of Lamar’s community in Compton through the eyes of his persona, K.Dot. Lamar’s lyricism is undoubtedly the greatest of the 2010s. He went on to win a much-deserved Pulitzer prize for poetry in 2018.
Lamar embeds the story of the lives of young men in Compton told in reverse on the album’s tracks. He and his friends find themselves wrapped up in a toxic environment of violent crime that eventually leads to Lamar’s exit from his home. The albumspoke to the heart of the culturefor hip-hop artists and fans.
5Thriller - Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson is one of the best-selling artists of all time, selling over half a billion records worldwide.Thrilleris the album thatproved that Michael Jackson had in him the versatility and edge to be one of the greatest performersin history.
On this album, Michael Jackson leaned into many different genres while also perfecting the ’80s pop sound. You can hear the influences of funk, rock, and even the fading trend of disco on this album. Every track on this album is so strong thatthe record produced seven singles.
The songs on this album are just as vivid as their sensational music videos. Of course, “The Girl Is Mine,” “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and every other single from this album is an intergenerational pleasure, but even the album’s deep cuts are phenomenal. My favorite track fromThrilleris “Baby Be Mine.”
4Nevermind - Nirvana
The Album That Defined Grunge Has Spent 726 Weeks On The Charts
Nevermindis a once in a lifetime feat of musical achievement. In the great expanse of bands trying to make it in the industry, very few create an album that makes it on the charts, even fewer release an album that is remembered decades after its release, andthe lucky minority create a sound so singular and inspired that it changes the course of music forever.
Nirvana cut through the noise of punk rock’s transition into grunge and set the mainstream standard for what the subgenre could be. The genius of Kurt Cobain was not only the foundation of this album, but also the band’s success. Cobain filled the album withthe most poignant and pleasing lines he could findin his years' worth of poetry scrawled in journals.
Cobain’s writing can jump from humor to venom in just a few words. The range of sounds and themes are fundamental to the album’s success. Nirvana was not afraid to infuse pop into their gritty punk, creating a listening experience that is as pleasing as it is filthy.
