Scientifically, it is impossible to determine the greatest album of all time. Over the years, music publications and organizations have attempted to identify the greatest albums, with each list varying. The following seven albums are frequently reviewed and revered as some of the greatest of all time:

1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles

Cited as the greatest album by numerous publications and organizations, including Rolling Stone and The National Association of Recording Merchandisers, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band features hits like “With A Little Help From My Friends” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” The album won four Grammy Awards in 1968 and has sold over 32 million copies. It represents The Beatles’ foray into psychedelic rock.

2. Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys

Recognized as one of the most influential albums in popular music, Pet Sounds was released in May 1966. Lead vocalist Brian Wilson quit touring to focus on vocal harmonies, unconventional harmonies, and recording. The album includes hits “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “God Only Knows” and features sounds from an electro-theremin, dog whistles, barking dogs, and Coca-Cola cans. In 2004, the Library of Congress preserved the album in the National Recording Registry.

3. Thriller, Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson wrote four of the nine songs on Thriller, one of the first albums to use a music video as a promotional tool. At its peak in 1982, it sold a million albums per week and still sells 130,000 copies per year.

4. The White Album, The Beatles

Known as The White Album due to its plain white record sleeve and cover, this self-titled Beatles album was recorded following a trip to visit Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India. The album marked the beginning of each member’s solo career.

5. Purple Rain, Prince

Released alongside the film Purple Rain starring Prince, the album is the sixth best-selling soundtrack of all time. It includes “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain” and is celebrated for blending elements of funk, R&B, pop, rock, and heavy metal.

6. What’s Going On, Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye produced “What’s Going On” himself, creating a song cycle album with each song leading into the next. The album tells the story of a Vietnam War veteran returning home to find fighting and suffering in his own country.

7. Nevermind, Nirvana

Nevermind was never expected to be a commercial success, but “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became a surprise hit, surpassing Michael Jackson on the charts in 1992. The album is credited with bringing alternative rock to a mainstream audience.