As a hitmaker of hip-hop and R&B music for over 30 years, Jermaine Dupri’s opinion on music matters.
The So So Def boss was one of many who took to X/Twitter to discuss Apple Music’s recently released list of 100 Best Albums. In his opinion, the genre of R&B was widely ignored, though Apple had yet to reveal its top ten albums when Dupri spoke his mind.
“Looking at this @AppleMusic top 100 albums list is sad, the disrespect to R&B is CRAZY!!!!!,” Dupri wrote on Tuesday, May 21, in reaction to the first ninety albums released on the list. “It’s giving not worthy.”
On Wednesday, May 22, Apple released its top ten best albums to complete the list of 100, with seven of the 10 albums named heavily featuring/influenced by R&B and soul.
While most people can agree on many placements, many albums’ positions have been heavily debated, like Frank Ocean’s Blonde coming in at number five or even Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M. A.A.D City landing at number seven.
Some fans were outraged that R&B luminaries with massive record-breaking albums, such as Bobby Brown, Mariah Carey, TLC, and even Whitney Houston, were not recognized on the list.
Apple Music 1 and Hot 97 host Ebro Darden joined in on the X/Twitter conversation and took time to share with audiences the very specific criteria used to put together the list, writing:
Voters of the #100Best on @AppleMusic were challenged to not vote for our favorites, but…
* Albums that represented a cultural moment for the artist or genre.
* Albums that were complete thoughts, not just collections of hit songs.
* Albums that thoroughly represent culture in production and lyrics.
* Albums that inspired a generation to want to create more music.
* Albums that represent the BEST in storytelling, musicianship, recording and production.
* Albums that are timeless and reached far beyond the genre categorization.
It’s safe to say the list of Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums will be an ongoing debate, as we don’t expect music aficionados to agree on it anytime soon.
Check out Apple Music’s top ten list of best albums of all time:
10. Lemonade – Beyoncé
9. Nevermind – Nirvana
8. Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
7. good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Version) – Kendrick Lamar
6. Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder
5. Blonde – Frank Ocean
4. Purple Rain – Prince & The Revolution
3. Abbey Road – The Beatles
2. Thriller – Michael Jackson
1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill
