Apple Music starts its first-ever 100 Best Albums countdown
KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Apple Music just announced 10 days of counting down to its first Best Albums list.
Over the next few days the service will reveal its picks curated by not just the team's own experts but songwriters, producers, industry professionals as well as artists themselves including J Balvin, Pharrell Williams, Honey Dijon and Maren Morris.
Dubbing the list “a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in” , Apple Music will reveal 10 albums each day along with a whole slew of content.
Besides a dedicated microsite, there will also be Apple Music Radio episodes and other new content to come.
As for the final day of the countdown, a broadcast radio special will reveal the final top 10 albums of all time.
In a statement, Apple Music's senior director of content and editorial Rachel Newman said that the project had been in the works for a long time.
“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,” she said.
Zane Lowe, Apple Music's global creative director as well as Apple Music 1's lead anchor called picking the best “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,” he said.
Here's the list so far:
100. Body Talk, Robyn
99. Hotel California, Eagles
98. ASTROWORLD, Travis Scott
97. Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine
96. Pure Heroine, Lorde
95. Confessions, Usher
94. Untrue, Burial
93. A Seat at the Table, Solange
92. Flower Boy, Tyler, The Creator
91. Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, George Michael
You can follow the list as it goes live and also learn some album trivia at 100best.music.apple.com.
Apple Music Radio listeners can also tune into the Apple Music Hits show that will feature daily specials at 12am Malaysian time, as well as a full-on 100 Best Albums Radio takeover.
Expect more related content on Apple Podcasts as well as Apple Music.
Mark your listening calendar for May 22 when the final 10 albums will be released and there will be a special roundtable that will have Apple Music's Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden alongside guest artists Nile Rodgers and Maggie Rogers.
The party isn't stopping there as there will be an additional week of the 100 Best Albums Radio takeover on Apple Music Hits.
Apple Music will keep the momentum going after the countdown ends with an additional week of 100 Best Albums Radio takeover on Apple Music Hits.
The recipients of Apple Music's anointment as “best album” will also get a physical award interestingly.
It will be made of blasted anodised aluminium made from recycled Apple products in polished PVD gold, with on the back it will be inscribed with the artists' name, album title, year of release, with a design inspired by a vinyl LP record.
