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Most Acclaimed Soul Albums of All Time Beta

100 of 101

#1 What's Going On (1971)

Marvin Gaye | 19 lists

#2 To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

Kendrick Lamar | 19 lists

#3 Thriller (1982)

Michael Jackson | 19 lists

#4 Innervisions (1973)

Stevie Wonder | 17 lists

#5 Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

Stevie Wonder | 14 lists

#6 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

Lauryn Hill | 22 lists

#7 Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965)

Otis Redding | 13 lists

#8 Live at the Apollo (1963)

James Brown and the Famous Flames | 12 lists

#9 Lemonade (2016)

Beyoncé | 16 lists

#10 Lady Soul (1968)

Aretha Franklin | 12 lists

#11 There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)

Sly and the Family Stone | 13 lists

#12 Back to Black (2006)

Amy Winehouse | 22 lists

#13 Dusty in Memphis (1969)

Dusty Springfield | 12 lists

#14 Channel Orange (2012)

Frank Ocean | 20 lists

#15 I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)

Aretha Franklin | 10 lists

#16 Blonde (2016)

Frank Ocean | 15 lists

#17 Off the Wall (1979)

Michael Jackson | 10 lists

#18 A Seat at the Table (2016)

Solange | 18 lists

#19 Stand! (1969)

Sly and the Family Stone | 9 lists

#20 Voodoo (2000)

D’Angelo | 18 lists

#21 Station to Station (1976)

David Bowie | 7 lists

#22 Moondance (1970)

Van Morrison | 7 lists

#23 Aquemini (1998)

OutKast | 14 lists

#24 The Score (1996)

Fugees | 13 lists

#25 Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)

Ray Charles | 6 lists

#26 Super Fly (1972)

Curtis Mayfield | 6 lists

#27 Baduizm (1997)

Erykah Badu | 10 lists

#28 Black Messiah (2014)

D'Angelo and the Vanguard | 13 lists

#29 Talking Book (1972)

Stevie Wonder | 6 lists

#30 Gris-Gris (1968)

Dr. John | 6 lists

#31 Anti (2016)

Rihanna | 11 lists

#32 Hot Buttered Soul (1969)

Isaac Hayes | 6 lists

#33 From Elvis in Memphis (1969)

Elvis Presley | 6 lists

#34 Faith (1987)

George Michael | 9 lists

#35 Mothership Connection (1975)

Parliament | 6 lists

#36 21 (2011)

Adele | 9 lists

#37 Call Me (1973)

Al Green | 6 lists

#38 One Nation Under a Groove (1978)

Funkadelic | 5 lists

#39 Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)

Sam Cooke | 6 lists

#40 A Wizard, a True Star (1973)

Todd Rundgren | 5 lists

#41 American Recordings (1994)

Johnny Cash | 8 lists

#42 Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Bee Gees & Various Artists | 6 lists

#43 Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (1980)

Dexys Midnight Runners | 5 lists

#44 I Put a Spell on You (1965)

Nina Simone | 4 lists

#45 Bad (1987)

Michael Jackson | 7 lists

#46 Let's Get It On (1973)

Marvin Gaye | 5 lists

#47 Ctrl (2017)

SZA | 11 lists

#48 Curtis (1970)

Curtis Mayfield | 4 lists

#49 Brown Sugar (1995)

D’Angelo | 8 lists

#50 Dirty Computer (2018)

Janelle Monáe | 8 lists

#51 Pearl (1971)

Janis Joplin | 4 lists

#52 Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes (1964)

The Ronettes | 5 lists

#53 Love Deluxe (1992)

Sade | 5 lists

#54 Diamond Life (1984)

Sade | 5 lists

#55 Things Fall Apart (1999)

The Roots | 6 lists

#56 FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006)

Justin Timberlake | 9 lists

#57 Mama's Gun (2000)

Erykah Badu | 7 lists

#58 Here, My Dear (1978)

Marvin Gaye | 4 lists

#59 Going to a Go-Go (1965)

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | 3 lists

#60 Inspiration Information (1974)

Shuggie Otis | 4 lists

#61 The World Is a Ghetto (1972)

War | 3 lists

#62 Young Americans (1975)

David Bowie | 3 lists

#63 James Blake (2011)

James Blake | 9 lists

#64 3 + 3 (1973)

The Isley Brothers | 3 lists

#65 At Last! (1960)

Etta James | 4 lists

#66 Risqué (1979)

Chic | 3 lists

#67 Flower Boy (2017)

Tyler, the Creator | 6 lists

#68 Music of My Mind (1972)

Stevie Wonder | 3 lists

#69 Pastel Blues (1965)

Nina Simone | 3 lists

#70 Back to Mono (1958–1969) (1991)

Various Artists | 4 lists

#71 First Take (1969)

Roberta Flack | 4 lists

#72 Reach Out (1967)

Four Tops | 4 lists

#73 That's the Way of the World (1975)

Earth, Wind & Fire | 3 lists

#74 The Life of Pablo (2016)

Kanye West | 4 lists

#75 A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (1963)

Various Artists | 3 lists

#76 Amazing Grace (1972)

Aretha Franklin | 3 lists

#77 Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)

George Michael | 3 lists

#78 África Brasil (1976)

Jorge Ben | 3 lists

#79 Rapture (1986)

Anita Baker | 5 lists

#80 Where Did Our Love Go (1964)

The Supremes | 3 lists

#81 The ArchAndroid (2010)

Janelle Monáe | 7 lists

#82 Star Time (1991)

James Brown | 3 lists

#83 Don't Stand Me Down (1985)

Dexys Midnight Runners | 3 lists

#84 Rejuvenation (1974)

The Meters | 2 lists

#85 Anthology of American Folk Music (1952)

Various Artists | 2 lists

#86 The Genius of Ray Charles (1959)

Ray Charles | 2 lists

#87 One in a Million (1996)

Aaliyah | 4 lists

#88 Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996)

Maxwell | 4 lists

#89 Get Happy!! (1980)

Elvis Costello and the Attractions | 4 lists

#90 Look-Ka Py Py (1969)

The Meters | 2 lists

#91 Greatest Hits (1970)

Sly and the Family Stone | 2 lists

#92 I'm Still in Love with You (1972)

Al Green | 2 lists

#93 Club Classics Vol. One (1989)

Soul II Soul | 4 lists

#94 Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul (1966)

Otis Redding | 2 lists

#95 Sex Machine (1970)

James Brown | 2 lists

#96 Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 (2003)

Sam Cooke | 3 lists

#97 There's No Place Like America Today (1975)

Curtis Mayfield | 2 lists

#98 Al Green's Greatest Hits (1975)

Al Green | 2 lists

#99 Funky Kingston (1973)

Toots and the Maytals | 2 lists

#100 Anthology (1973)

The Temptations | 2 lists

Marvin Gaye

Soul / R&B

19 lists

What's Going On 1971

#24

Kendrick Lamar

Hip Hop / Soul / Conscious Hip Hop / Gangsta Rap / Jazz Rap / Neo Soul

19 lists

To Pimp a Butterfly 2015

#25

Michael Jackson

Pop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Disco

19 lists

Thriller 1982

#30

Stevie Wonder

Soul / Funk / Psychedelic Soul

17 lists

Innervisions 1973

#35

Stevie Wonder

Pop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Art Pop / Disco / Rhythm & Blues

14 lists

Songs in the Key of Life 1976

#53

Lauryn Hill

Hip Hop / Soul / R&B / Conscious Hip Hop / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

22 lists

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 1998

#68

Otis Redding

Soul / R&B / Southern Soul

13 lists

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul 1965

#69

James Brown and the Famous Flames

Soul / R&B / Funk / Rhythm & Blues / Southern Soul

12 lists

Live at the Apollo 1963

#73

Beyoncé

Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

16 lists

Lemonade 2016

#10

#75

Aretha Franklin

Soul / Southern Soul

12 lists

Lady Soul 1968

#11

#79

Sly and the Family Stone

Soul / R&B / Funk / Psychedelic Soul / Rhythm & Blues

13 lists

There's a Riot Goin' On 1971

#12

#84

Amy Winehouse

Soul / R&B / Rhythm & Blues

22 lists

Back to Black 2006

#13

#88

Dusty Springfield

Rock / Pop / Soul / Blue-Eyed Soul / Pop Rock

12 lists

Dusty in Memphis 1969

#14

#89

Frank Ocean

Pop / Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

20 lists

Channel Orange 2012

#15

#105

Aretha Franklin

Soul / R&B / Rhythm & Blues / Southern Soul

10 lists

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You 1967

#16

#111

Frank Ocean

Rock / Pop / Soul / R&B / Art Pop / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul / Psychedelic Rock

15 lists

Blonde 2016

#17

#115

Michael Jackson

Pop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Disco / Rhythm & Blues

10 lists

Off the Wall 1979

#18

#117

Solange

Hip Hop / Electronic / Soul / R&B / Funk / Neo Soul / Rhythm & Blues

18 lists

A Seat at the Table 2016

#19

#159

Sly and the Family Stone

Rock / Soul / Funk / Psychedelic Rock / Psychedelic Soul

9 lists

Stand! 1969

#20

#166

D’Angelo

Hip Hop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Jazz / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

18 lists

Voodoo 2000

#21

#186

David Bowie

Rock / Soul / R&B / Funk / Art Rock / Blue-Eyed Soul / Pop Rock / Rhythm & Blues

7 lists

Station to Station 1976

#22

#203

Van Morrison

Rock / Pop / Soul / R&B / Jazz / Folk / Blue-Eyed Soul / Pop Rock / Rhythm & Blues / Traditional Folk

7 lists

Moondance 1970

#23

#205

OutKast

Hip Hop / Soul / Reggae / Conscious Hip Hop / Gangsta Rap

14 lists

Aquemini 1998

#24

#215

Fugees

Hip Hop / Soul / Alternative Hip Hop / Boom Bap / Conscious Hip Hop / Neo Soul

13 lists

The Score 1996

#25

#263

Ray Charles

Soul / R&B / Country / Rhythm & Blues

6 lists

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music 1962

#26

#272

Curtis Mayfield

Soul / R&B / Funk

6 lists

Super Fly 1972

#27

#274

Erykah Badu

Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

10 lists

Baduizm 1997

#28

#286

D'Angelo and the Vanguard

Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

13 lists

Black Messiah 2014

#29

#299

Stevie Wonder

Soul / R&B / Funk

6 lists

Talking Book 1972

#30

#309

Dr. John

Rock / Soul / R&B / Funk / Jazz / Blues / Jazz Fusion / Psychedelic Rock / Psychedelic Soul / Rhythm & Blues / Soul-Jazz

6 lists

Gris-Gris 1968

#31

#311

Rihanna

Pop / Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B

11 lists

Anti 2016

#32

#320

Isaac Hayes

Soul / Funk / Disco

6 lists

Hot Buttered Soul 1969

#33

#322

Elvis Presley

Rock / Soul / Country / Blue-Eyed Soul / Rock & Roll

6 lists

From Elvis in Memphis 1969

#34

#324

George Michael

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Soul / Alternative Dance / Blue-Eyed Soul / Dance-pop / Pop Rock / Soft Rock

9 lists

Faith 1987

#35

#328

Parliament

Soul / Funk / P-Funk / Psychedelic Soul

6 lists

Mothership Connection 1975

#36

#346

Adele

Pop / Soul / R&B / Blues / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul / Piano Blues

9 lists

21 2011

#37

#349

Al Green

Soul / R&B / Funk / Rhythm & Blues / Southern Soul

6 lists

Call Me 1973

#38

#359

Funkadelic

Rock / Soul / Funk / P-Funk

5 lists

One Nation Under a Groove 1978

#39

#369

Sam Cooke

Soul

6 lists

Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 1985

#40

#372

Todd Rundgren

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Soul / R&B / Art Pop / Art Rock / Pop Rock / Prog Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Rhythm & Blues / Rock & Roll / Soft Rock

5 lists

A Wizard, a True Star 1973

#41

#380

Johnny Cash

Soul / Folk / Country / Gospel

8 lists

American Recordings 1994

#42

#381

Bee Gees & Various Artists

Pop / Soul / Funk / Disco

6 lists

Saturday Night Fever 1977

#43

#384

Dexys Midnight Runners

Rock / Soul / Blue-Eyed Soul / New Wave

5 lists

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels 1980

#44

#397

Nina Simone

Soul / Jazz / Blues / Piano Blues / Soul-Jazz

4 lists

I Put a Spell on You 1965

#45

#412

Michael Jackson

Rock / Pop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Disco / Pop Rock

7 lists

Bad 1987

#46

#430

Marvin Gaye

Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B

5 lists

Let's Get It On 1973

#47

#440

SZA

Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B

11 lists

Ctrl 2017

#48

#443

Curtis Mayfield

Soul / Funk

4 lists

Curtis 1970

#49

#447

D’Angelo

Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

8 lists

Brown Sugar 1995

#50

#452

Janelle Monáe

Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

8 lists

Dirty Computer 2018

#51

#483

Janis Joplin

Rock / Soul / Blues / Blues Rock

4 lists

Pearl 1971

#52

#484

The Ronettes

Rock / Pop / Soul / Baroque Pop / Rock & Roll

5 lists

Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes 1964

#53

#514

Sade

Pop / Soul / R&B / Jazz / Contemporary R&B / Cool Jazz / Neo Soul / Smooth Jazz

5 lists

Love Deluxe 1992

#54

#515

Sade

Soul

5 lists

Diamond Life 1984

#55

#520

The Roots

Hip Hop / Soul / Alternative Hip Hop / Neo Soul

6 lists

Things Fall Apart 1999

#56

#535

Justin Timberlake

Pop / Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Neo Soul

9 lists

FutureSex/LoveSounds 2006

#57

#539

Erykah Badu

Hip Hop / Soul / R&B / Conscious Hip Hop / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

7 lists

Mama's Gun 2000

#58

#545

Marvin Gaye

Soul / Funk

4 lists

Here, My Dear 1978

#59

#547

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Soul / R&B / Rhythm & Blues

3 lists

Going to a Go-Go 1965

#60

#556

Shuggie Otis

Rock / Soul / Funk / Blues Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Psychedelic Soul

4 lists

Inspiration Information 1974

#61

#557

War

Soul / Funk / Psychedelic Soul

3 lists

The World Is a Ghetto 1972

#62

#563

David Bowie

Rock / Soul / R&B / Blue-Eyed Soul / Pop Rock / Rhythm & Blues

3 lists

Young Americans 1975

#63

#586

James Blake

Pop / Electronic / Soul / Dubstep / Indie Pop / Neo Soul

9 lists

James Blake 2011

#64

#594

The Isley Brothers

Rock / Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B

3 lists

3 + 3 1973

#65

#620

Etta James

Soul / R&B / Blues / Rhythm & Blues / Southern Soul

4 lists

At Last! 1960

#66

#632

Chic

Soul / Funk / Disco

3 lists

Risqué 1979

#67

#639

Tyler, the Creator

Hip Hop / Soul / Alternative Hip Hop / Jazz Rap / Neo Soul / Pop Rap

6 lists

Flower Boy 2017

#68

#652

Stevie Wonder

Soul / R&B / Funk / Jazz / Jazz-Funk / Rhythm & Blues / Soul-Jazz

3 lists

Music of My Mind 1972

#69

#656

Nina Simone

Soul / R&B / Jazz / Blues / Rhythm & Blues / Soul-Jazz

3 lists

Pastel Blues 1965

#70

#659

Various Artists

Rock / Pop / Soul / R&B / Baroque Pop / Blue-Eyed Soul / Pop Rock / Rhythm & Blues

4 lists

Back to Mono (1958–1969) 1991

#71

#667

Roberta Flack

Soul / Jazz / Vocal Jazz

4 lists

First Take 1969

#72

#671

Four Tops

Soul / R&B / Rhythm & Blues

4 lists

Reach Out 1967

#73

#675

Earth, Wind & Fire

Soul / R&B / Funk / Disco / Rhythm & Blues

3 lists

That's the Way of the World 1975

#74

#678

Kanye West

Hip Hop / Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Gospel / Pop Rap / Trap

4 lists

The Life of Pablo 2016

#75

#686

Various Artists

Rock / Pop / Soul / Pop Rock

3 lists

A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector 1963

#76

#690

Aretha Franklin

Soul / Gospel

3 lists

Amazing Grace 1972

#77

#712

George Michael

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Downtempo / Pop Rock

3 lists

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990

#78

#716

Jorge Ben

Soul / Funk / World / Brazilian

3 lists

África Brasil 1976

#79

#729

Anita Baker

Soul / R&B / Funk / Jazz / Disco / Rhythm & Blues / Smooth Jazz

5 lists

Rapture 1986

#80

#732

The Supremes

Pop / Soul / R&B / Rhythm & Blues

3 lists

Where Did Our Love Go 1964

#81

#740

Janelle Monáe

Rock / Pop / Hip Hop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul / New Wave

7 lists

The ArchAndroid 2010

#82

#757

James Brown

Soul / Funk

3 lists

Star Time 1991

#83

#763

Dexys Midnight Runners

Rock / Soul / Blue-Eyed Soul / New Wave

3 lists

Don't Stand Me Down 1985

#84

#767

The Meters

Soul / Funk

2 lists

Rejuvenation 1974

#85

#783

Various Artists

Soul / Blues / Folk / Country / World / Delta Blues / Gospel

2 lists

Anthology of American Folk Music 1952

#86

#805

Ray Charles

Pop / Soul / Jazz / Big Band / Soul-Jazz / Traditional Pop

2 lists

The Genius of Ray Charles 1959

#87

#822

Aaliyah

Hip Hop / Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Pop Rap

4 lists

One in a Million 1996

#88

#884

Maxwell

Soul / R&B / Contemporary R&B / Neo Soul

4 lists

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite 1996

#89

#901

Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Rock / Soul / Punk / New Wave / Post-Punk

4 lists

Get Happy!! 1980

#90

#921

The Meters

Soul / Funk

2 lists

Look-Ka Py Py 1969

#91

#926

Sly and the Family Stone

Rock / Soul / Funk / Psychedelic Soul

2 lists

Greatest Hits 1970

#92

#935

Al Green

Soul / Funk / Southern Soul

2 lists

I'm Still in Love with You 1972

#93

#938

Soul II Soul

Electronic / Soul / Jazz / Downtempo / House

4 lists

Club Classics Vol. One 1989

#94

#942

Otis Redding

Soul / R&B / Rhythm & Blues / Southern Soul

2 lists

Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul 1966

#95

#945

James Brown

Soul / Funk

2 lists

Sex Machine 1970

#96

#951

Sam Cooke

Soul / Gospel

3 lists

Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 2003

#97

#958

Curtis Mayfield

Soul / Funk

2 lists

There's No Place Like America Today 1975

#98

#962

Al Green

Soul / Funk

2 lists

Al Green's Greatest Hits 1975

#99

#965

Toots and the Maytals

Soul / Reggae

2 lists

Funky Kingston 1973

#100

#977

The Temptations

Soul / R&B / Funk / Disco / Rhythm & Blues

2 lists

Anthology 1973

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