100 Greatest Albums of 1968

1968 record album covers for The Beatles, Electric Ladyland, Astral Weeks, and Beggars Banquet
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.

Edited By:
Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'.
Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.
  1. The Beatles ("The White Album") - The Beatles
  2. Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix Experience
  3. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
  4. Beggars Banquet - The Rolling Stones
  5. Music From Big Pink - The Band
  6. Lady Soul - Aretha Franklin
  7. Odessey & Oracle - The Zombies
  8. The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society - The Kinks
  9. The Ice Man Cometh - Jerry Butler
10. Wheels Of Fire - Cream
11. Bookends - Simon and Garfunkel
12. Cheap Thrills - Big Brother And The Holding Company
13. The Notorious Byrd Brothers - The Byrds
14. Truth - Jeff Beck
15. In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
16. S.F. Sorrow - The Pretty Things
17. We're Only In It For The Money - The Mothers Of Invention
18. The United States Of America - The United States Of America
19. Gris-Gris - Dr. John, The Night Tripper
20. The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
21. Aretha Now - Aretha Franklin
22. Tell Mama - Etta James
23. Vincebus Eruptum - Blue Cheer
24. Wish It Would Rain - Temptations
25. Steppenwolf - Steppenwolf
26. Sweetheart Of The Rodeo - The Byrds
27. White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground
28. Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake - The Small Faces
29. 'Live' at the Apollo, Volume II - James Brown
30. Quicksilver Messenger Service - Quicksilver Messenger Service
31. Traffic - Traffic
32. The Family That Plays Together - Spirit
33. Spirit - Spirit
34. The Soft Machine - The Soft Machine
35. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Creedence Clearwater Revival
36. Elvis: TV Special - Elvis Presley
37. Super Session - Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Steve Stills
38. Begin - The Millennium
39. This Is My Country - The Impressions
40. There Is - The Dells
41. Realization - Johnny Rivers
42. Waiting For The Sun - The Doors
43. In Search Of The Lost Chord - The Moody Blues
44. A Saucerful Of Secrets - Pink Floyd
45. Crown Of Creation - Jefferson Airplane
46. Os Mutantes - Os Mutantes
47. Aerial Ballet - Nilsson
48. The Immortal Otis Redding - Otis Redding
49. Anthem Of The Sun - The Grateful Dead
50. Undead - Ten Years After
51. Child Is Father To The Man - Blood, Sweat & Tears
52. Crimson And Clover - Tommy James & The Shondells
53. This Was - Jethro Tull
54. Silver Apples - Silver Apples
55. In Person At The Whisky a Go Go - Otis Redding
56. Music In A Doll's House - Family
57. Boogie With Canned Heat - Canned Heat
58. Eli and the Thirteenth Confession - Laura Nyro
59. Fairport Convention - Fairport Convention
60. A Beacon From Mars - Kaleidoscope
61. Fleetwood Mac/Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac
62. I Thank You - Sam & Dave
63. This Is Clarence Carter - Clarence Carter
64. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
65. Living The Blues - Canned Heat
66. I'm in Love - Wilson Pickett
67. The Move - The Move
68. Present Tense - Sagittarius
69. Nazz - Nazz
70. Take Time To Know Her - Percy Sledge
71. I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me - James Brown
72. King Solomon - Solomon Burke
73. Life - Sly & The Family Stone
74. Shine On Brightly - Procol Harum
75. The Twain Shall Meet - Eric Burdon & The Animals
76. The Inner Mystique - The Chocolate Watchband
77. Would You Believe -  Billy Nicholls
78. Bradley's Barn - The Beau Brummels
79. July - July
80. Tomorrow - Tomorrow
81. The Hurdy Gurdy Man - Donovan
82. Sailor - Steve Miller Band
83. Journey To The Center Of The Mind - Amboy Dukes
84. The Turtles Present The Battle of the Bands - The Turtles
85. Dance to the Music - Sly & The Family Stone
86. Introspect - Joe South
87. Head - The Monkees
88. The Savage Resurrection - The Savage Resurrection
89. Who's Making Love... - Johnnie Taylor
90. Randy Newman - Randy Newman
91. Soul Folk in Action - The Staple Singers
92. La La Means I Love You - The Delfonics
93. Blues From Laurel Canyon - John Mayall
94. CQ - The Outsiders
95. Mad River - Mad River
96. Shades Of Deep Purple - Deep Purple
97. Safe at Home - International Submarine Band
98. The Sweet Inspirations - The Sweet Inspirations
99. No Sad Songs - Joe Simon
100. Outsideinside - Blue Cheer


The Beatles white album cover
Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland album cover
Van Morrison Astral Weeks album cover
Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet album cover
The Band Music From Big Pink album cover
Aretha Franklin Lady Soul album cover
 DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1968
  Bruce's choice - An unheralded great album from 1968
 •  Before The War - Bo Grumpus
  Adam's choice:
 •  Penitentiary Blues - David Allan Coe
  Brett's choice:
 •  James Taylor - James Taylor
  Lew's choice:
 •  The Left Banke Too - The Left Banke


Top 100 Albums by Year: