The streaming service’s list ranked the singer-rapper’s iconic 1998 album over classic records from Beyoncé, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Prince and more
Apple Music has definitively declared The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill the greatest album of all time.
On Wednesday, May 22, the streaming platform unveiled the top 10 records that ranked on its 100 best albums of all time list, with Ms. Lauryn Hill’s iconic debut taking the top spot. The 1998 Grammy-winning album of the year outpaced classics from Beyoncé (Lemonade), The Beatles (Abbey Road), Michael Jackson (Thriller), Prince (Purple Rain), Nirvana (Nevermind), Stevie Wonder (Songs in the Key of Life), Amy Winehouse (Back to Black), Kendrick Lamar (good kid, m.A.A.d city) and Frank Ocean (Blonde).
In honor of Hill’s No. 1 crowned album, Apple Music surprised the “Doo Wop (That Thing)” artist, now 48, with an intimate dinner on Tuesday, May 21, where they broke the news of her new milestone.
“This is my award,” Hill told the streamer in a statement, “but it’s a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love.”
Apple Music began rolling out its celebratory albums list on May 13, initiating a 10-day countdown that named 10 legendary albums each day as the “greatest records ever made.” Among the list are albums by Madonna (Like a Prayer), The Rolling Stones (Exile on Main St.), Tupac (All Eyez on Me), Lady Gaga (The Fame Monster), Adele (21), Usher (Confessions), Bad Bunny (Un Verano Sin Ti), JAY-Z (The Blueprint), Rihanna (Anti), Drake (Take Care), Billie Eilish (When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?), Taylor Swift (1989 [Taylor’s Version]) and many more.
Per a press release, the list — which has sparked much discourse among music fans online — serves as “an editorial statement, fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music” and “a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in.”
“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,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of content and editorial, in a statement. “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.”
Apple Music’s honor is the latest accolade to crown Hill’s record-breaking debut album. On May 21, The Miseducation was recognized as an inductee into the 2024 Grammy Hall of Fame alongside wide-ranging recordings from Guns N’ Roses, De La Soul, Buena Vista Social Club, Donna Summer, Charley Pride, Wanda Jackson, Kid Ory’s Creole Orchestra, the Doobie Brothers and William Bell.
At the inaugural gala and concert held the same day in Downtown Los Angeles, Andra Day performed a heartwarming rendition of Hill’s famous take on Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” to celebrate her first and only studio album, according to Vibe Magazine.
Earlier this month, Hill performed on The Tonight Show with her son, YG Marley, whom she shares with former football player Rohan Marley. The mother-son duo sang a soulful medley of “Ex-Factor” from The Miseducation, along with YG’s latest singles, 2023’s “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” and “Survival,” which was released the same day as their performance.
