Apple released its 100 Best Albums list and the world reacted. Thousands of music lovers responded on social media, blogs, and podcasts with their thoughts on Apple’s picks and rankings. The list did exactly what was intended: generate debate. You can’t deny that the pedigree of the inner circle that created the list is impressive. Apple engaged its team of experts as well as a group of industry professionals including songwriters, producers, and artists. Apple had intended this list to be an ode to the albums that have shaped the music world as we know it today, but the notes fell flat with the average music lover.
PureSpectrum saw this as an opportunity to collaborate with discrete choice technique expert, Numerious and ask “the people” how they would rank Apple’s 100 Best Albums, creating a “People’s Playlist”. Both PureSpectrum and Numerious entered this project with the same question “How in sync are music experts with music lovers?”. PureSpectrum gathered interviews from 1,500 U.S. respondents aged 18 and above. To ensure a balanced representation, age, gender, region, and income were accounted for in the sampling process so as to not artificially skew to a specific sub-group of music listeners. Participants were asked if they listened to music and had to answer “yes” to move onto the survey, 93% qualified. The survey explored general music preferences before delving into the recognition of artists featured on Apple’s Top 100 list.
The goal of screening for music listening specifically was to ensure that the common denominator of all participants was a love for music, not an advanced degree or career in it. Respondents then participated in a MaxDiff exercise designed by Numerious to determine which albums they felt most significantly influenced the music world. The “People’s Playlist” re-ranked Apple’s Top 100 Albums. Finally, they shared their thoughts on which other artists or albums deserved a spot on Apple’s prestigious list.
The overwhelming contrast in rankings revealed through this study tell us Apple’s Ranking is out of touch with “the people”. The first and most obvious was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill that Apple touted as the #1 album to shape music as we know it today. Ms. Lauryn Hill’s title dropped to #60 in the judgment by the masses. This was one of the greatest re-ranks seen in the “People’s Playlist” and the one that has caused the greatest online debates. The highest drop in ranking was Frank Ocean’s Blonde. Blonde sat at #5 with Apple but fell to #74 with music lovers. Good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe) by Kendrick Lamar also made Apple’s Top 10 at #7 but was pick #53 of the crowds. The clear disparity with these three albums alone making it to the top 10 displays the disconnect between the Apple circle and reality.
One of the few unquestionable favorites was Thriller by Michael Jackson ranked #2 on Apple’s List and #1 on the “People’s Playlist”, resonating with experts and enthusiasts alike. Abbey Road by the Beatles stayed at #3 for both playlists as well as Purple Rain by Prince at #4. But the consensus stopped here. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Remastered) by Elton John ranked #2 on “People’s Playlist” and #78 on Apple’s. Exile on Main Street (2010 Re-Mastered) by The Rolling Stones sits at #6 while Apple placed it at #53. Madonna’s Like a Prayer made the “People’s” top 10 at #7 but raced down the list to #77 on Apple’s. Classic album Back in Black by AC/DC ranked #16 for the “People” and #90 for Apple. It’s obvious the “People” believe that “classics” have left a bigger mark on the music world than today’s up-and-comers. All in all, the wildly different rankings show that Apple’s lineup might have struck a chord with critics but not with the majority of music listeners.
Here are the top 10 albums with a higher Apple list ranking:
Check out the top 25 from both lists below. Other than a mere comparison of music expert versus music lover, the data file shows interesting audiophile segmentation data. Fill out the form and you’ll get a full look at this study.
About Numerious
Numerious specializes in transforming complex research methodologies into actionable, strategic insights for Fortune brands and innovative startups alike. A certified woman-owned business founded in 2019, Numerous excels in advanced quantitative methods tailored to each client’s unique challenges. Their expertise spans tech, CPG, retail, health, pharma, and B2B sectors, offering solutions that range from hourly consulting to comprehensive marketing research.
At Numerious, they pride themselves on staying at the forefront of industry innovations, ensuring our diverse client base receives cutting-edge analysis communicated with clarity and precision. Numerious’ ability to turn intricate data into compelling narratives sets them apart, making them the preferred partner for organizations seeking to drive meaningful results through sophisticated research techniques.