A 'stunningly raw, profound look into the spiritual landscape' by a 'once-in-a-generation' talent

Over the last 10 days, the music streaming platform has been counting down its 100 Best Albums, a list which has featured artists such as Taylor Swift, Outkast, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Dr Dre, Radiohead and the Beastie Boys.

On Wednesday afternoon, Apple Music announced its top 10, and revealed that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill had claimed top spot.

The record beat the likes of Thriller, Abbey Road and Purple Rain to the top spot.

The full top 10 is as follows:

1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill
2. Thriller, Michael Jackson
3. Abbey Road, The Beatles
4. Purple Rain, Prince & The Revolution
5. Blonde, Frank Ocean
6. Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
7. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, Kendrick Lamar
8. Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
9. Nevermind, Nirvana
10. Lemonade, Beyoncé

Released in 1998, the album was Lauryn Hill's only solo studio album and was released to critical acclaim.

Apple Music described album as a "stunningly raw, profound look into the spiritual landscape" by a "once-in-a-generation" talent.

They said: "Lauryn Hill’s debut — and only — solo studio album was a seismic event in 1998: a stunningly raw, profound look into the spiritual landscape not just of one of the era’s biggest stars, but of the era itself.

"She was, and remains, a once-in-a-generation talent whose inspiration and innovation can be heard through the decades. Artists exhaust long discographies hoping for a cohesive piece of work resonant enough to reshape culture and inscribe its creator into the pantheon; Lauryn Hill did it in one."

Speaking about the album, Apple Music’s Zane Lowe said: "This album doesn’t just resonate with the people who were around when it came out and who hold it dear. It has not dated, not even a fraction. In fact, it feels more fresh and more relevant the more you listen to it… There are a lot of young artists hearing it, and it’s becoming part of their artistic DNA. It’s inspiring and influencing them… It’s timeless."

Nile Rogers described the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as "amazing," whilst Maggie Rogers said it "means a lot" to have "an artist like Lauryn Hill" at number one.

The list was crafted by Apple Music’s team of experts alongside a select group of artists, including Maren Morris, Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon, and Nia Archives, as well as songwriters, producers, and industry professionals. 

Fans were left shocked when the first half of the top 20 was announced on Tuesday, revealing that albums such as Rumours, OK Computer and What's Going On had all missed out on the top 10.

Meanwhile, people were left divided when 1989 by Taylor Swift was named by Apple Music at number 18 in the list.

Spots 20-11 were as follows:

• 11 - Rumours, Fleetwood Mac
• 12 - OK Computer, Radiohead
• 13 - The Blueprint, Jay Z
• 14 - Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan
• 15 - 21, Adele
• 16 - Blue, Joni Mitchell
• 17 - What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
• 18 - 1989 (Taylor's Version), Taylor Swift
• 19 - The Chronic, Dr Dre
• 20 - Pet Sounds - Beach Boys

Speaking about the list, Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of content and editorial, said: “100 Best brings together all the things that make Apple Music the ultimate service for music lovers - human curation at its peak, an appreciation for the art of storytelling, and unparalleled knowledge of music and an even deeper love for it.

“We have been working on this for a very long time, and it’s something we are all incredibly proud of and excited to share with the world.”

“Putting this list together was a true labor of love, both in that it was incredibly difficult to do and in that we are all so passionate about it,” said Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director and lead anchor for Apple Music 1.

“We were tasked with selecting the 100 best - that’s practically mission impossible. But as music fans, it was also amazing to really take a minute and sit and think about the music and albums and artists that we love so much in this context. If this list sparks more debate among fans outside of Apple Music and gets people talking passionately about the music they love, then we’ve done what we set out to do.”

You can find the full list of Apple Music's 100 Best Albums here.

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