100 Greatest Albums of 1969

Criteria: These albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

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

1. Abbey Road
The Beatles
2. Tommy
The Who
3. Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
4. Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
5. Led Zeppelin I
Led Zeppelin
6. The Band
The Band
7. Stand
Sly And The Family Stone
8. In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
9. Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
10. Crosby, Stills and Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
11. Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
12. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young and Crazy Horse
13. Willy And The Poor Boys
Creedence Clearwater Revival
14. Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
15. Kick Out The Jams
The MC5
16. The Stooges
The Stooges
17. From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
18. The Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
19. Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
20. Santana
Santana
21. The Meters
The Meters
22. Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
23. The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Buritto Brothers
24. Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band
25. The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
26. Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
27. The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
28. Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire)
The Kinks
29. Liege & Lief
Fairport Convention
30. On The Threshold Of A Dream
The Moody Blues
31. Stand Up
Jethro Tull
32. The Young Mods' Forgotten Story
The Impressions
33. Blind Faith
Blind Faith
34. Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
35. Live/Dead
The Grateful Dead
36. Happy Trails
Quicksilver Messenger Service
37. Nashville Skyline
Bob Dylan
38. Volunteers
Jefferson Airplane
39. Cloud Nine
The Temptations
40. With A Little Help From My Friends
Joe Cocker
41. Beck-Ola
Jeff Beck Group
42. Then Play On
Fleetwood Mac
43. Ummagumma
Pink Floyd
44. A Salty Dog
Procol Harum
45. Aoxomoxoa
The Grateful Dead
46. It's A Beautiful Day
It's A Beautiful Day
47. Ssssh
Ten Years After
48. Oar
Alexander "Skip" Spence
49. Monster Movie
The Can
50. Volume Two
The Soft Machine

51. Second Winter
Johnny Winter
52. Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
53. Streetnoise
Julie Driscoll with Brian Auger & The Trinity
54. Odessa
The Bee Gees
55. Songs for a Tailor
Jack Bruce
56. I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!
Janis Joplin
57. Testifyin'
Clarence Carter
58. Koko Taylor
Koko Taylor
59. Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
James Brown
60. The Progressive Blues Experiment
Johnny Winter
61. Goodbye
Cream
62. Clouds
Joni Mitchell
63. It's a Mother
James Brown
64. Soul '69
Aretha Franklin
65. Grand Funk
Grand Funk Railroad
66. Tons of Sobs
Free
67. The Brothers: Isley
The Isley Brothers
68. To Our Children's Children's Children
The Moody Blues
69. Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
70. The Israelites
Desmond Dekker & The Aces
71. I'm a Loser
Doris Duke
72. 20/20
The Beach Boys
73. Valentyne Suite
Colosseum
74. Mercator Projected
East of Eden
75. Phallus Dei
Amon Düül II
76. Arzachel
Arzachel
77. Get Ready
Rare Earth
78. Buying A Book
Joe Tex
79. Music Emporium
The Music Emporium
80. Bless Its Pointed Little Head
Jefferson Airplane
81. Deep Purple
Deep Purple
82. Pickin' Up the Pieces
Poco
83. Mendocino
Sir Douglas Quintet
84. Barabajagal
Donovan
85. Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
86. Morgen
Morgen
87. Can I Change My Mind?
Tyrone Davis
88. Sea Shanties
High Tide
89. Four Sail
Love
90. Free
Free
91. It's Our Thing
The Isley Brothers
92. Puzzle People
The Temptations
93. It's My Thing
Marva Whitney
94. Yes
Yes
95. The Spice of Life
Marlena Shaw
96. Heart & Soul
Johnny Adams
97. First Take
Roberta Flack
98. The Age of Aquarius
The 5th Dimension
99. Spooky Two
Spooky Tooth
100. Hollywood Dream
Thunderclap Newman
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1969
Bruce's choice - An unheralded great album from 1969
* In Philadelphia
The O'Jays

Adam's choice:
* Harlan Country
Jim Ford

Brian's choice:
* What We Did on Our Holidays
Fairport Convention

Lew's choice:
* Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde
The Byrds

Brett's choice:
* Hollies Sing Dylan/Words And Music By Bob Dylan
The Hollies
1968   |   1970