The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill beats Thriller to top Apple Music’s Best 100 album list

Determining the best album of all-time is always going to be a subjective task. Michael Jackson’s Thriller, expertly produced by Quincy Jones and released to universal acclaim in 1982, is the best selling album in history with over 110 million copies sold worldwide. The album is a certified masterpiece which marked a landmark moment in popular music.

It spawned seven hit singles (Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, Billie Jean, Thriller, Beat It, Human Nature, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) and The Girl is Mine) - two of which topped the Billboard Hot 100; and three unforgettable videos, which cemented Jackson’s status as the undisputed King of Pop.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller marks a monumental moment in pop music

There was no artist bigger than Michael Jackson in the late 70s/early 80s. His previous album, 1979′s Off The Wall (which was also produced by Q) had been a massive success, selling in excess of 20 million copies but Thriller went to the next level. In 2018, it was certified 33x platinum. Jackson was credited with writing four tracks with the remainder of the songs penned by five different writers: Quincy Jones, James Ingram, Steve Porcaro, John Bettis and Rod Temperton. Eddie Van Halen was enlisted to provide the frenetic, fret-tapping solo on Beat It and was reportedly so honored to be asked, he did it without asking for a fee.

Released in November 1982, Thriller hit No.1 in February 1983 and would spend 37 consecutive weeks at the top of the charts. It won a record-breaking eight Grammys, eight American Music Awards, and and three MTV Video Music Awards. In February 1984, it entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the best selling studio album of all-time.

The big hits of the album still get airplay today but Thriller is now over 40 years old and Jackson tragically passed away in June 2009 aged just 50. That might go some way into explaining why there is a new generation of music fans who might not be familiar with his music and in particular, his seminal 1982 masterpiece.

Apple Music Best album list revealed

Since 13 May, Apple Music have been revealing 10 albums in its Best 100 list every day. Today, the top 10 was announced with Thriller listed at number two, pipped to top spot by The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, by ex-Fugees frontwoman, Lauryn Hill, which was the best performing album for four weeks in the year of its release - 1998. Ms Hill left the ground-breaking Fugees in 1997 and released her debut album in August the following year.

The Miseducation... is considered an R&B, neo soul classic. It was both critically acclaimed and hugely successful commercially, going diamond in the US, 7x platinum in Canada and 4x platinum in the UK. It also picked up five Grammys and three American Music Awards and is reported to have sold over 20 million physical copies worldwide as well as being one of the 20 most streamed albums from the 1990s in the UK.

Three singles: Doo Wop (That Thing), Ex-Factor and Everything is Everything from the album all charted worldwide which was followed by a live unplugged album then Lauryn pretty much stepped out of the spotlight. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill remains her only official solo release and apart from a couple of independently-released, unofficial compilations, we haven’t heard very much from her. Ms Hill put her career on hold to focus on raising her children.

Ms Hill taking care of the family

She has six kids and explained her decision to put her energies into motherhood in an interview with Rock’s Backpages in 1999. “To Zion - that song is about the revelation that my son was to me. I had always made decisions for other people, making everybody else happy, and once I had him that was really the first decision that was unpopular for me. And it was the best decision that I could have ever made because I’m the happiest and healthiest that I have ever been.”

Fans were delighted when the legendary Fugees reformed for the Global Citizen Live event in September 2021. The hip hop trio hit the road in 2023 but apart from a handful of collaborations with other artists there has been no new material from Lauryn in recent years. That’s a real shame for her fans although the Apple Music accolade is recognition for a classic debut album which like Thriller, has stood the test of time and is still relevant and fresh-sounding today as it was went it hit the shelves 26 years ago.

“This is my award but it’s a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people and so much sacrifice and so much time. It’s so much collective love. This is as much mine as it is yours. This is our celebration, Mommy, this is yours. Thank You Apple Music,” Lauryn, surrounded by family members and friends, said at Wednesday’s event.