An Oddly Specific List of the Best 10th Albums

Rolling Stone just dropped what might be the most oddly specific music list ever: The 50 Best 10th Albums of All Time. Not debut albums. Not greatest hits. Specifically, the tenth full-length album in an artist’s discography. And somehow, it kind of works?

Here’s the top 10 from their wildly niche but weirdly compelling countdown:

1. “Exile on Main Street” – The Rolling Stones (1972)
2. “Wildflowers” – Tom Petty (1994)
3. “The White Album” – The Beatles (1968)
4. “Station to Station” – David Bowie (1976)
5. “Rust Never Sleeps” – Neil Young (1979)
6. “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You” – Aretha Franklin (1967)
7. “A Portrait of Merle Haggard” – Merle Haggard (1969)
8. “One Nation Under a Groove” – Funkadelic (1978)
9. “Animals” – Pink Floyd (1977)
10. “Fleetwood Mac” – Fleetwood Mac (1975)

Yep, The White Album is technically The Beatles’ 10th, and Exile on Main Street leads the pack with its gritty, chaotic brilliance. Meanwhile, Tom Petty’s Wildflowers might be the most emotionally gut-punching album on the list — and possibly the most slept-on 10th album of all time until now.

It’s a surprisingly strong lineup when you think about it. By the time artists hit their 10th record, they’ve usually either fallen off completely or hit a stride so confident they’re making magic on autopilot. This list leans heavily on the latter.

So, what’s the best eleventh album of all time? Don’t give them ideas. Actually, do — this was kinda fun.