Best Albums of 1969

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Explore the best albums of 1969, based on over 2 million album rankings across 60,000 charts. Last updated: 2 hours ago

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1969 year summaryThe best artists of 1969 were The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Nick Drake, Miles Davis, Neil Young and Frank Zappa.

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Abbey Road

The Beatles

"But the main thing for me is this...it's rock & roll. It doesn't matter how many big fancy sentences you can wrap around the medley on side 2 of Abbey Road...what matters is does it move you or not? It's cool either way, but no one wants to hear someone turn it into an incomprehensible scientific..." Reply

Romanelli | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 10

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

3,777 charts

Rank Score:

53,342

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

92 (4,684 votes)

Comments:

479

In The Court Of The Crimson King (An Observation By King Crimson)

King Crimson

"Some days, I just can't stop thinking: "Why do I listen to anything else?". I mean, isn't this near perfect? Can it get much better? At least it's the best I've heard." Reply

antiloopje | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 14

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

2,092 charts

Rank Score:

26,257

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

"This and Led Zeppelin IV are my favorite albums, the bass work on this album is completely revolutionary. John Paul Jones shows why he is one of the greatest bassists in the history of rock bassists." Reply

- Gageham36 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 5

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

1,980 charts

Rank Score:

20,034

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

"Good GOD. If "Gimme Shelter" doesn't give you full on body goosebumps then I can't help you." Reply

rogue | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 8

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

1,804 charts

Rank Score:

16,333

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

85 (2,128 votes)

Comments:

141

Led Zeppelin

"I have owned "Mothership" for a number of years and tried listening to it a few times, but never got into it. So I bought this album in february 2016 due to the position on the overall chart and the amazing reviews of this and the other Zeppelin albums I bought this one first as i thought id star..." Reply

- Bungalowracoon | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 4

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

1,819 charts

Rank Score:

16,233

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

86 (2,616 votes)

Comments:

147

The Velvet Underground

"This album was a real shock for me. Funny how their, I think, most accessible album was the most shocking for me. When I looked into VU's music I started with the first album and went in chronological order. After wearing out VU Nico and White Light/White Heat, I wanted more, so I went on the nex..." Reply

joannajewsom | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 15

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

1,230 charts

Rank Score:

11,974

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

"if only more people could have the chance to listen to nick drake. amazing music. beautiful." Reply

- tallshady42 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 8

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

997 charts

Rank Score:

8,483

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

165

Average Rating:

85 (1,095 votes)

Comments:

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

"Sometimes I forget How HEAVY this album is, then I play it and then my ears are destroyed by the first 10 seconds of Cinnamon Girl and I remember: this thing is a freaking bloodbath of fuzzy, scuzzy, grungey, rock at its most fierce and furious! Okay, how's that for a random way to start this rev...""Sometimes I forget How HEAVY this album is, then I play it and then my ears are destroyed by the first 10 seconds of Cinnamon Girl and I remember: this thing is a freaking bloodbath of fuzzy, scuzzy, grungey, rock at its most fierce and furious! Okay, how's that for a random way to start this review of Neil's first of many Great albums? Cool. This album is of 2 minds, the heavy, frustrated, somehow fascinating and minimalist at the same time side is where its at its best. But there is the also great Folk/Country/Poetic/Sensitive singer-songwriter side (which is fuckind great here, but taken to its zenith on the next 2 Neil records). I love the fact that this album doesn't split the jekyll and Hyde between night and day or side 1 and 2, which is what happens on albums like Remian In Light, Low and even Neil's Rust Never Sleeps to name a very few that do this excellently. Instead, these 2 sides of Neil are there back and forth, Once you get lulled into a chill and peaceful place with say "Round and Round" you are rudely reminded of the ugly, angry side of Young's mind with "Down By The River". There is a weird rhythm to this album. It doesn't seem like this kind of loud quiet loud sequence would make for a totally satisfying experience, but it does. Lyrically, Neil is great throughout. He just paints vivid scenarios with few words like almost no one else in his time could do. And his voice, all quivery and lovable and classic, while not yet in peak form (again, just wait a year) is alrady just hypnotically brittle and inviting. But really, if I'm being honest, the strangth of the album is the HEAVY parts. Specifically the far and away best song of the album (and maybe of the year) "Down By The River". Don't get me wrong "Cinnamon Girl" is crunchy excellence and a great opner. And "Cowgirl In The Sand" would be the highlight of 99.9% of all albums, with its fierce, screaming leads from Neil and its rock solid bass grooves which rattle me brain. But, BUT, Come on, "Down By The River". Down By The River! From the first strutting, menacing, scowling strums, with the cascading slack lines from guitar two and then that bass, which leads straight into the most stunning melody on the album, from that start to the end of this 9 minute piece of art, the song has you by the throat. And its a Jam tarck. But its weirdest, most illogical jam track I've maybe ever heard. The guitar is at times right on the cusp of being laughable in its frustrated "WHY CAN'T I MAKE THIS PIECE OF SHIT SING?!? COME ON! WEEP, YOU MOTHER%$#@er!!!", but it never makes you laugh. Not me anyway. Instead I sit stunned, and yet my head bobs along with the band and the bass in particular. I am stunned because I hear something. I hear Neil in there, I hear what he is implying and what he is feeling, I am right there. I am in awe for some reason at these hypnotically ugly, ferocious at times 1 note "solos". And then it just builds and builds. And then the solo, counter-intuitively cuts off right when it may be about to soar, and then Neil sings again with the voice of a cooler than cool, nonchalant Hero. Later on he croons and really starts to emote those words. And so on and so on. The track is 9 minutes of miraculous music. How is this song so freaking good? Like, perfect? Songs, The Losing End, and The title Track, are great folk country songs too. Anyway, I like the whole album. It features maybe the best song of the 1960s, and only one song I'm not big on - "Running Dry". Its anchored by 2 classics and it has the greatest classic in the middle, with some delicious bread filling in the gaps. This album is like a delicious inverted sandwich! There ya go. I coulda said that and that would have summed up the excellence of this album in a few words and I could have avoided the weird impossibility of describing with words the most physical of songs. Grade: 9.3/10" Reply

Mercury | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

957 charts

Rank Score:

7,894

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

"My favourite ever album. Complex, and simple, assured but experimental. Done in one session! with the best jazz musicians assembled, they were all on form. You cannot "get" this music, it seems to change and surprise and delight at every playing. Mature, confident, engaging and rewarding. The mor..." Reply

- TadtheMod | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 12

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

809 charts

Rank Score:

7,534

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

197

Average Rating:

86 (911 votes)

Comments:

10.

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

"Great music from Zappa, whatever genre of jazz or experimental rock it fall under. For a guy so well known for his comedic personality later in his career, he sure does make a good instrumental album with only one track of singing from Captain Beefheart. The guitar parts are spectacular, especial..." Reply

Cojo7 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 3

Year of Release:

1969

Appears in:

885 charts

Rank Score:

6,564

Rank in 1969:

Rank in 1960s:

Overall Rank:

239

Average Rating:

83 (1,009 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 1 of 100

Best Albums of 1969 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	14	1%
Aretha Franklin	4	0%
Fairport Convention	3	0%
Don Cherry	3	0%
The Isley Brothers	3	0%
The Byrds	3	0%
Creedence Clearwater Revival	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	517	52%
	214	21%
	49	5%
	33	3%
	28	3%
	21	2%
	19	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	950	95%
Yes	50	5%

Live?	Albums	%
No	983	98%
Yes	17	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	985	99%
Yes	15	2%

Best Albums of 1969 chart changes

Biggest climbers Biggest climbers in top 100 since last month
Up 2 from 81st to 79th First Take by Roberta Flack
Up 2 from 48th to 46th Clouds by Joni Mitchell
Up 1 from 87th to 86th Gal by Gal Costa

Biggest fallers Biggest fallers in top 100 since last month
Down 3 from 52nd to 55th To Our Children's Children's Children by The Moody Blues
Down 1 from 24th to 25th Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes
Down 1 from 31st to 32nd Chicago Transit Authority by Chicago Transit Authority

« View best albums of 1968View best albums of 1970 »

Best Ever Artists

1. The Beatles

2. Radiohead

3. Pink Floyd

4. David Bowie

5. Bob Dylan

6. Led Zeppelin

7. The Rolling Stones

8. Arcade Fire

9. Neil Young

10. Nirvana