100 Greatest Albums of 1998

Criteria: These music albums from the year 1998 were chosen for their immediate and lasting popularity, impact, influence, and acclaim from critics and musicians. This list does not include 'Greatest Hits' albums.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
2. Aquemini
Outkast
3. Ray of Light
Madonna
4. Hello Nasty
Beastie Boys
5. Devil Without a Cause
Kid Rock
6. You've Come a Long Way, Baby
Fatboy Slim
7. Follow the Leader
Korn
8. Mezzanine
Massive Attack
9. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Neutral Milk Hotel
10. Moon Safari
Air
11. The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 - Live 1966: The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert
Bob Dylan
12. Deserter's Songs
Mercury Rev
13. Hard Knock Life, Vol.2
Jay-Z
14. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
Black Star
15. Music Has the Right to Children
Boards of Canada
16. Moment of Truth
Gang Starr
17. White Ladder
David Gray
18. It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
DMX
19. System of a Down
System of a Down
20. XO
Elliott Smith
21. Without You I'm Nothing
Placebo
22. Mutations
Beck
23. My Love Is Your Love
Whitney Houston
24. Americana
Offspring
25. Celebrity Skin
Hole
26. Capital Punishment
Big Punisher
27. The Boy With the Arab Strap
Belle and Sebastian
28. Never Say Never
Brandy
29. Godsmack
Godsmack
30. Mechanical Animals
Marilyn Manson
31. 400 Degreez
Juvenile
32. Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
33. Dizzy Up the Girl
Goo Goo Dolls
34. Version 2.0
Garbage
35. This Is Hardcore
Pulp
36. Adore
Smashing Pumpkins
37. Embrya
Maxwell
38. Yield
Pearl Jam
39. Hellbilly Deluxe
Rob Zombie
40. Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood
DMX
41. From the Choirgirl Hotel
Tori Amos
42. R.
R. Kelly
43. The Shape of Punk to Come
Refused
44. 3rd Eye Vision
Hieroglyphics
45. Stunt
Barenaked Ladies
46. Before These Crowded Streets
Dave Matthews Band
47. Big Calm
Morcheeba
48. Enter the Dru
Dru Hill
49. Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
Alanis Morissette
50. The Boy Is Mine
Monica

51. Believe
Cher
52. City of Angels: Music from the Motion Picture
Various Artists
53. E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front
Busta Rhymes
54. Electro-Shock Blues
Eels
55. Tyrese
Tyrese
56. Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg & Wilco
57. Moon Pix
Cat Power
58. Bobby Digital in Stereo
RZA
59. Garage Inc.
Metallica
60. Is This Desire?
PJ Harvey
61. Psyence Fiction
UNKLE
62. Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
New Radicals
63. Whitey Ford Sings the Blues
Everlast
64. The Black Light
Calexico
65. The K & D Sessions
Kruder & Dorfmeister
66. Powertrip
Monster Magnet
67. The Globe Sessions
Sheryl Crow
68. Soul Survivor
Pete Rock
69. Tamia
Tamia
70. Still Standing
Goodie Mob
71. Up
R.E.M.
72. I've Been Expecting You
Robbie Williams
73. Heavy Mental
Killah Priest
74. Bring It On
Gomez
75. Steal This Album
The Coup
76. This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours
Manic Street Preachers
77. Decksanddrumsandrockandroll
Propellerheads
78. Painted from Memory
Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach
79. 5
Lenny Kravitz
80. The Dude
Devin the Dude
81. TNT
Tortoise
82. 98 Degrees and Rising
98 Degrees
83. Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
84. He Got Game (Soundtrack)
Public Enemy
85. Life Won't Wait
Rancid
86. Shut 'Em Down
Onyx
87. Feeling Strangely Fine
Semisonic
88. American Water
Silver Jews
89. Permutation
Amon Tobin
90. Rhythm-al-ism
DJ Quik
91. Good Morning Spider
Sparklehorse
92. Nightfall in Middle Earth
Blind Guardian
93. Keep the Faith
Faith Evans
94. Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk
Jeff Buckley
95. Mark Hollis
Mark Hollis
96. Ophelia
Natalie Merchant
97. A Book of Human Language
Aceyalone
98. How It Feels to Be Something On
Sunny Day Real Estate
99. Angels with Dirty Faces
Tricky
100. Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1998
Brian's choice - An unheralded great album from 1998
* Through the Trees
Handsome Family

Lew's choice:
* Soul's Core
Shawn Mullins
1997   |   1999