Top 15 Hip Hop Albums 1980 - 1985

1. LL Cool J – Radio (1985)
2. Run DMC – Run DMC (1984)
3. Mantronix – The Album (1985)
4. Run DMC – King Of Rock (1985)
5. Whodini – Escape (1984)
6. Wild Style Soundtrack (1983)
7. Treacherous Three – Treacherous Three (1983)
8. Fat Boys – Fat Boys (1984)
9. UTFO – UTFO (1985)
10. Kurtis Blow – Kurtis Blow (1980)
11. Fat Boys – The Fat Boys Are Back (1985)
12. Whodini – Whodini (1983)
13. West Coast Crew – In The Mix (1985)
14. Kurtis Blow – Ego Trip (1984)
15. The Sequence – Sugar Hill Presents The Sequence (1980)

Top 15 Hip Hop Albums 1986

1. Run DMC – Raising Hell
2. Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill
3. Stetsasonic – On Fire
4. Schoolly D – Schoolly D
5. Just Ice – Back To The Old School
6. Salt N Pepa – Cool & Vicious
7. Doug E Fresh – Oh My God
8. Skinny Boys – Weightless
9. Mantronix – Music Madness
10. 2 Live Crew – 2 Live Is What We Are
11. Afrika Bambaataa – Planet Rock The Album
12. Steady B – Bring The Beat Back
13. Kool Moe Dee – Kool Moe Dee
14. Whodini – Back In Black
15. Fat Boys – Big & Beautiful

Check here for 1986’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 20 Hip Hop Albums 1987

1. Eric B & Rakim – Paid In Full
2. Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded
3. Public Enemy – Yo! Bum Rush The Show
4. LL Cool J – Bigger And Deffer
5. Ice T – Rhyme Pays
6. Schoolly D – Saturday Night The Album
7. Dana Dane – Dana Dane With The Fame
8. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Rock The House
9. Too Short – Born To Mack
10. MC Shan – Down By Law
11. Just Ice – Kool And Deadly
12. Kool Moe Dee – How Ya Like Me Now
13. T La Rock – Lyrical King
14. Skinny Boys – Skinny & Proud
15. N.W.A. & The Posse – N.W.A. & The Posse
16. UTFO – Lethal
17. Kaos – Court’s In Session
18. Heavy D & The Boyz – Livin’ Large
19. Steady B – What’s My Name?
20. Fat Boys – Crushin’

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1987’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1988

1. Public Enemy – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
2. Ultramagnetic MCs – Critical Beatdown
3. Slick Rick – The Great Adventures Of…
4. N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton
5. Eric B & Rakim – Follow The Leader
6. Big Daddy Kane – Long Live The Kane
7. Boogie Down Productions – By All Means Necessary
8. EPMD – Strictly Business
9. Ice T – Power
10. Jungle Brothers – Straight Out The Jungle
11. MC Lyte – Lyte As A Rock
12. Eazy E – Eazy Duz It
13. Marley Marl – In The Control Vol 1
14. Biz Markie – Goin’ Off
15. Too Short – Life Is…
16. Run DMC – Tougher Than Leather
17. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper
18. Superlover Cee & Casanova Rud – Girls I Got Em Locked
19. Stetsasonic – In Full Gear
20. King Tee – Act A Fool
21. MC Shan – Born To Be Wild
22. Lakim Shabazz – Pure Righteousness
23. DJ Cash Money & Marvelous – Where’s The Party At?
24. The 7A3 – Coolin In Cali
25. Rhyme Syndicate – Comin’ Through
26. Tuff Crew – Danger Zone
27. JVC Force – Doin’ Damage
28. Def IV – Nice & Hard
29. Schoolly D – Smoke Some Kill
30. Audio Two – What More Can I Say?
31. Kid N Play – 2 Hype
32. Masters Of Ceremony – Dynamite
33. Mantronix – In Full Effect
34. Doug E Fresh – The World’s Greatest Entertainer
35. Salt N Pepa – A Salt With A Deadly Pepa
36. Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock – It Takes Two
37. 2 Live Crew – Move Somethin’
38. Skinny Boys – They Can’t Get Enough
39. Steady B – Let The Hustlers Play
40. Cold Crush Brothers – Troopers

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1988’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1989

1. De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising
2. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
3. The D.O.C. – No One Can Do It Better
4. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Road To The Riches
5. EPMD – Unfinished Business
6. Boogie Down Productions – Ghetto Music: The Blueprint Of Hip Hop
7. Geto Boys – Grip It! On That Other Level
8. Ice T – The Iceberg
9. Big Daddy Kane – It’s A Big Daddy Thing
10. Jungle Brothers – Done By The Forces Of Nature
11. LL Cool J – Walking With A Panther
12. 3rd Bass – The Cactus Album
13. Gang Starr – No More Mr Nice Guy
14. MC Lyte – Eyes On This
15. Low Profile – We’re In This Together
16. Nice & Smooth – Nice & Smooth
17. Biz Markie – The Biz Never Sleeps
18. Chill Rob G – Ride The Rhythm
19. Young MC – Stone Cold Rhyming
20. Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five – Piano
21. Schoolly D – Am I Black Enough For You?
22. Queen Latifah – All Hail The Queen
23. Special Ed – Youngest In Charge
24. Tuff Crew – Back To Wreck Shop
25. Awesome Dre – You Can’t Hold Me Back
26. Kwame The Boy Genius – Featuring A New Beginning
27. Three Times Dope – Original Stylin’
28. Just Ice – The Desolate One
29. Donald D – Notorious
30. Willie D – Controversy
31. Stezo – Crazy Noise
32. The Jaz – Word To The Jazz
33. Tone Loc – Loc-ed After Dark
34. Cool C – I Gotta Habit
35. Def Jef – Just A Poet With A Soul
36. Vicious Beat Posse – Legalized Dope
37. Black Rock & Ron – Stop The World
38. Kool Moe Dee – Knowledge Is King
39. The New Style – Independent Leaders
40. King Sun – XL

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1989’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 30 Hip Hop Albums 1990

1. Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet
2. Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted
3. Paris – The Devil Made Me Do It
4. A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm
5. LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out
6. Eric B & Rakim – Let The Rhythm Hit Em
7. Lord Finesse – Funky Technician
8. Brand Nubian – All For One
9. Above The Law – Livin’ Like Hustlers
10. Kool G Rap – Wanted Dead Or Alive
11. Boogie Down Productions – Edutainment
12. EPMD – Business As Usual
13. Master Ace – Take A Look Around
14. Poor Righteous Teachers – Holy Intellect
15. Digital Underground – Sex Packets
16. Too Short – Short Dog’s In The House
17. Intelligent Hoodlum – Intelligent Hoodlum
18. D-Nice – Call Me D-Nice
19. K-Solo – Tell The World My Name
20. X-Clan – To The East, Blackwards
21. Compton’s Most Wanted – It’s A Compton Thang
22. Grand Daddy I.U. – Smooth Assassin
23. Big Daddy Kane – Taste of Chocolate
24. The Jaz – To Your Soul
25. Shazzy – Attitude: A Hip Hop Rapsody
26. Special Ed – Legal
27. King Tee – At Your Own Risk
28. CPO – To Hell And Black
29. King Sun – Righteous But Ruthless
30. Boo Yaa Tribe – New Funky Nation

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1990’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1991

1. A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory
2. De La Soul – De La Soul Is Dead
3. Ice T – Original Gangster
4. Gang Starr – Step In The Arena
5. Ice Cube – Death Certificate
6. Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill
7. Main Source – Breaking Atoms
8. Black Sheep – A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
9. Public Enemy – Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black
10. Naughty By Nature – Naughty By Nature
11. Organized Konfusion – Organized Konfusion
12. Scarface – Mr Scarface Is Back
13. Geto Boys – We Can’t Be Stopped
14. DJ Quik – Quik Is The Name
15. Del The Funky Homosapien – I Wish My Brother George Was Here
16. NWA – Efil4zaggin
17. Leaders Of The New School – A Future Without A Past
18. 2Pac – 2Pacalypse Now
19. Ed OG & Da Bulldoggs – Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto
20. Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom It May Concern
21. Compton’s Most Wanted – Straight Checkn’ Em
22. Chubb Rock – The One
23. Godfather Don – Hazardous
24. WC And The MAAD Circle – Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed
25. KMD – Mr Hood
26. UMC’s – Fruits Of Nature
27. 3^rd Bass – Derelicts Of Dialect
28. Digital Underground – Sons Of The P
29. J- Rock – Streetwize
30. Nice & Smooth – Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed
31. MC Lyte – Act Like You Know
32. Tim Dog – Penicillin On Wax
33. Slick Rick – The Ruler’s Back
34. Poor Righteous Teachers – Pure Poverty
35. OG Style – I Know How To Play Em
36. Downtown Science – Downtown Science
37. Schoolly D – How A Black Man Feels
38. Terminator X – Terminator X & The Valley Of Jeep Beets
39. Stetsasonic – Blood, Sweat & No Tears
40. D-Nice – To Tha Rescue

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1991’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1992

1. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – Mecca & The Soul Brother
2. Dr Dre – The Chronic
3. The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II…
4. Showbiz $ AG – Runaway Slave
5. Diamond D & The Psychotic Neurotics – Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop
6. Compton’s Most Wanted – Music To Driveby
7. Gang Starr – Daily Operation
8. Redman – Whut? Thee Album
9. Eric B & Rakim – Don’t Sweat The Technique
10. Arrested Development – 3 Years. 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of…
11. Hard Knocks – School Of Hard Knocks
12. Boogie Down Productions – Sex And Violence
13. Ice Cube – The Predator
14. Beastie Boys – Check Your Head
15. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Live And Let Die
16. Paris – Sleeping With The Enemy
17. Lord Finesse – Return Of The Funky Man
18. EPMD – Business, Never Personal
19. Das EFX- Dead Serious
20. Positive K – The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills
21. Ultramagnetic MCs – Funk Your Head Up
22. Too Short – Shorty The Pimp
23. Common – Can I Borrow A Dollar?
24. The Goats – Tricks Of The Shade
25. UGK – Too Hard To Swallow
26. Spice 1 – Spice 1
27. X-Clan – Xodus
28. Da Lench Mob – Guerillas In The Mist
29. Grand Puba – Reel To Reel
30. DJ Quik – Way 2 Fonkay
31. House Of Pain – House Of Pain
32. Grandmaster Caz – The Grandest Of Them All
33. Willie D – I’m Going Out Lika Soldier
34. Fu-Schnickens – F.U. Don’t Take it Personal
35. K-Solo – Time’s Up
36. Rough House Survivors – Straight From The Soul
37. The Future Sound – The Whole Shabang, Vol. 1
38. MC Serch – Return Of The Product
39. Roxanne Shante – The B**** Is Back
40. The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy – Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1992’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1993

1. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
2. A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders
3. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggy Style
4. De La Soul – Buhloone Mind State
5. KRS One – Return Of The Boom Bap
6. Black Moon – Enta Da Stage
7. Freestyle Fellowship – Innercity Griots
8. Souls Of Mischief – 93 Til Infinity
9. Ultramagnetic MCs – The Four Horsemen
10. Digable Planets – Reachin’
11. 2Pac – Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
12. Lords Of The Underground – Here Come The Lords
13. Queen Latifah – Black Reign
14. Fat Joe – Represent
15. Del – No Need For Alarm
16. Ice Cube – Lethal Injection
17. The Roots – Organix
18. Masta Ace Inc. – Slaughtahouse
19. Too Short – Get In Where You Fit In
20. Geto Boys – Till Death Do Us Part
21. Ice T – Home Invasion
22. Mac Mall – Illegal Business?
23. Scarface – The World Is Yours
24. The Coup – Kill My Landlord
25. Leaders Of The New School – T.I.M.E.
26. Tha Alkoholiks – 21 & Over
27. King Tee- Tha Triflin Album
28. Intelligent Hoodlum – Tragedy: Saga Of A Hoodlum
29. Cypress Hill – Black Sunday
30. Naughty By Nature – 19 Naughty III
31. Onyx – Bacdafucup
32. Eightball & MJG – Comin’ Out Hard
33. MC Ren – Shock Of The Hour
34. K-Rino – Stories From The Black Book
35. Big Daddy Kane – Looks Like A Job For…
36. E-40 – Federal
37. MC Lyte – Ain’t No Other
38. LL Cool J – 14 Shots To The Dome
39. Poor Righteous Teachers – Black Business
40. Above The Law – Black Mafia Life

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1993’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1994

1. Nas – Illmatic
2. The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
3. Organized Konfusion – Stress: The Extinction Agenda
4. OutKast – Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
5. O.C. – Word… Life
6. Jeru The Damaja – The Sun Rises In The East
7. Common – Resurrection
8. Gang Starr – Hard To Earn
9. Scarface – The Diary
10. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – The Main Ingredient
11. Gravediggaz – 6 Feet Deep
12. Dred Scott – Breakin’ Combs
13. Digable Planets – Blowout Comb
14. UGK – Super Tight
15. The Beatnuts – Street Level
16. Method Man – Tical
17. The Coup – Genocide & Juice
18. Warren G – Regulate… G Funk Era
19. Redman – Dare Iz A Darkside
20. Beastie Boys – Ill Communication
21. KMD – Black Bastards
22. Thug Life – Vol. 1
23. Boogie Monsters – Riders Of The Storm: The Underwater Album
24. Public Enemy – Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age
25. Coolio – It Takes A Thief
26. Artifacts – Between A Rock And A Hard Place
27. Keith Murray – The Most Beautifullest Thing In The World
28. Down South – Lost In Brooklyn
29. Kokane – Funk Upon A Rhyme
30. Above The Law – Uncle Sam’s Curse
31. Fugees – Blunted On Reality
32. M.O.P. – To The Death
33. Big Mike – Somethin’ Serious
34. Slick Rick – Behind Bars
35. Black Sheep – Non-Fiction
36. Da Brat – Funkdafied
37. Eightball & MJG – On The Outside Looking In
38. Casual – Fear Itself
39. Esham – Closed Casket
40. Odd Squad – Fadanuf Fa Erybody

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1994’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1995

1. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…
2. GZA – Liquid Swords
3. The Pharcyde – Lacabincalifornia
4. Mobb Deep – The Infamous
5. 2Pac – Me Against The World
6. Goodie Mob – Soul Food
7. Big L – Lifestyles Ov Da Poor & Dangerous
8. Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Return To The 36 Chambers
9. Bone Thugs N Harmony – E. 1999 Eternal
10. Smif N Wessun – Dah Shinin
11. KRS One – KRS One
12. DJ Quik – Safe + Sound
13. Aceyalone – All Balls Don’t Bounce
14. AZ– Doe Or Die
15. Tha Dogg Pound – Dogg Food
16. The Roots – Do You Want More?!!!??!
17. Show & AG – Goodfellas
18. E-40 – In A Major Way
19. Eightball & MJG – On Top Of The World
20. WC & The MAAD Circle – Curb Servin
21. Kool G Rap – 4,5,6
22. LL Cool J – Mr Smith
23. Cypress Hill – III
24. Tha Alkoholiks – Coast II Coast
25. Brotha Lynch Hung – Season Of Da Siccness
26. Masta Ace – Sittin’ On Chrome
27. King Tee – IV Life
28. Three-6 Mafia – Mystic Stylez
29. K-Rino – Danger Zone
30. Group Home – Livin’ Proof
31. Mic Geronimo – The Natural
32. Count Bass-D – Pre-Life Crisis
33. Too short – Cocktails
34. Fat Joe – Jealous One’s Envy
35. Erick Sermon – Double Or Nothing
36. The Nonce – World Ultimate
37. Onyx – All We Got Iz Us
38. Nine – Nine Livez
39. Channel Live – Station Identification
40. Souls Of Mischief – No Man’s Land

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1995’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1996

1. OutKast – ATLiens
2. The Roots – Illadelph Halflife
3. De La Soul – Stakes Is Higher
4. Dr Octagon – Dr Octagonecologyst
5. The Fugees – The Score
6. Nas- It Was Written
7. Ghostface Killah – Ironman
8. Jay Z – Reasonable Doubt
9. 2Pac – All Eyez On Me
10. Redman – Muddy Waters
11. UGK – Ridin’ Dirty
12. Jeru The Damaja – Wrath Of The Math
13. DJ Shadow – Entroducing
14. Makaveli – The Don Killuminati The Seven Day Theory
15. Ras Kass – Soul On Ice
16. A Tribe Called Quest – Beats, Rhymes & Life
17. Mobb Deep – Hell On Earth
18. Heltah Skeltah – Nocturnal
19. Busta Rhymes – The Coming
20. Keith Murray – Enigma
21. Poor Righteous Teachers – The New World Order
22. Real Live – The Turnaround: A Long-Awaited Drama
23. Chino XL – Here To Save You All
24. Sadat X – Wild Cowboys
25. M.O.P. – Firing Squad
26. Lost Boyz – Legal Drug Money
27. Xzibit – At The Speed Of Life
28. Lord Finesse – The Awaking
29. Bahamadia – Kollage
30. OGC – Da Storm
31. E-40 – Tha Hall Of Fame
32. Geto Boys – The Ressurection
33. Westside Connection – Bow Down
34. Ultra – Big Time
35. Delinquent Habits – Delinquent Habits
36. Master P – Ice Cream Man
37. Chuck D – Autobiography Of Mistachuck
38. Eminem – Infinite
39. Lil Kim – Hardcore
40. Too Short – Gettin’ It

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions, and here for 1996’s Top 40 Hip Hop Songs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1997

1. Company Flow – Funcrusher Plus
2. Camp Lo – Uptown Saturday Night
3. Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever
4. The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death
5. Mood – Doom
6. O.C. – Jewelz
7. Common – One Day It’ll All Make Sense
8. Cru – Da Dirty 30
9. Capone-N-Noreaga – The War Report
10. Jedi Mind Tricks – The Psycho-Social […]
11. Three 6 Mafia – Chapter. 2: World Domination
12. Scarface – The Untouchable
13. Kool Keith – Sex Style
14. Master P – Ghetto D
15. Jay Z – In My Lifetime Vol. 1
16. Frankie Cutlass – Politics & Bullsh**
17. Slum Village – Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1
18. Busta Rymes – When Disaster Strikes
19. Organized Konfusion – Equinox
20. Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly
21. Rakim – The 18th Letter
22. KRS One – I Got Next
23. Suga Free – Street Gospel
24. Psycho Realm – The Psycho Realm
25. The Beatnuts – Stone Crazy
26. Atmosphere – Overcast!
27. Del The Funky Homosapien – Future Development
28. Boogie Monsters – God Sound
29. Jungle Brothers – Raw Deluxe
30. EPMD – Back In Business
31. Tha Alkaholiks – Likwidation
32. Diamond – Hatred, Passions & Infidelity
33. Latryx – The Album
34. Mystikal – Unpredictable
35. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – The Art Of War
36. Artifacts – That’s Them
37. Royal Flush – Ghetto Millionaire
38. Killarmy – Silent Weapons For Quiet Wars
39. The Firm – The Album
40. LL Cool J – Phenomenon

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1998

1. Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
2. OutKast – Aquemini
3. Gang Starr – Moment Of Truth
4. Big Pun – Capital Punishment
5. All Natural – No Additives, No Preservatives
6. Styles Of Beyond – 2000 Fold
7. Aceyalone – A Book Of Human Language
8. People Under The Stairs – The Next Step
9. DMX – It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot
10. Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty
11. Hieroglyphics – 3rd Eye Vision
12. Jurassic 5 – Jurassic 5
13. Goodie Mob – Still Standing
14. Xzibit – 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz
15. The Coup – Steal This Album
16. The Dynospectrum – The Dynospectrum
17. Pete Rock – Soul Survivor
18. Killah Priest – Heavy Mental
19. Jay Z- Vol 2… Hard Knock Life
20. Rasco – Time Waits For No Man
21. A Tribe Called Quest – The Love Movement
22. Kool G Rap – Roots Of Evil
23. Daz Dillinger – Retaliation, Revenge And Get Back
24. Sunz Of Man – The Last Shall Be First
25. RZA – Bobby Digital
26. AZ – Pieces If A Man
27. M.O.P. – First Family 4 Life
28. DJ Quik – Rhythm-al-ism
29. Fat Joe – Don Cartagena
30. Z-Ro – Look What You Did To Me
31. Canibus – Can-I-Bus
32. Ice Cube – War & Peace, Vol 1 (The War Disc)
33. DMX – Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood
34. Cappadonna – The Pillage
35. Busta Rhymes – E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front
36. Eightball – Lost
37. Juvenile – 400 Degreez
38. Big Daddy Kane – Veteranz Day
39. Redman – Doc’s Da Name 2000
40. Method Man – Tical 2000: Judgement Day

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 1999

1. Mos Def – Black On Both Sides
2. The Roots – Things Fall Apart
3. MF DOOM – Operation Doomsday
4. Eminem – The Slim Shady LP
5. Pharoahe Monch – Internal Affairs
6. Dr Dre – 2001
7. Dr. Dooom – First Come, First Served
8. Blackalicious – Nia
9. Prince Paul – A Prince Among Thieves
10. Lootpack – Soundpieces: Da Antidote
11. Method Man & Redman – Blackout!
12. Handsome B-boy Modelling School – So How’s Your Girl
13. Jeru The Damaja – Heroz4Hire
14. Rubberoom – Architechnology
15. Inspectah Deck – Uncontrolled Substance
16. Kurupt – Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha
17. Missy Elliott – Da Real World
18. Nas – I Am…
19. Q-Tip – Amplified
20. Slick Rick – The Art Of Storytelling
21. Deep Puddle Dynamics – The Taste of Rain…Why Kneel
22. DMX – …And Then There Was X
23. Ice T – 7th Deadly Sin
24. The High & The Mighty – Home Field Advantage
25. Peanut Butter Wolf – My Vinyl Weighs A Ton
26. Public Enemy – There’s A Poison Goin’ On
27. Rakim – The Master
28. Mobb Deep – Murda Muzik
29. Jay Z – Vol 3… Life & Times Of S. Carter
30. Kool Keith – Black Elvis / Lost In Space
31. GZA – Beneath The Surface
32. Eightball & M.J.G. – In Our Lifetime
33. Tech N9ne – The Calm Before The Storm
34. EPMD – Out Of Business
35. The Beatnuts – A Musical Massacre
36. Atmosphere – Headshotz Se7en
37. K-Rino – No Mercy
38. Scaramanga – Seven Eyes, Seven Horns
39. Black Moon – War Zone
40. Hot Boys – Guerilla Warfare

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2000

1. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
2. Deltron 3030 – Deltron 3030
3. Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele
4. Common – Like Water For Chocolate
5. OutKast – Stankonia
6. Reflection Eternal – Train Of Thought
7. Jurassic 5 – Quality Control
8. dead prez – Let’s Get Free
9. Slum Village – Fantastic, Vol. 2
10. Binary Star – Masters Of The Universe
11. Zion I – Mind Over Matter
12. Jedi Mind Tricks – Violent By Design
13. Quasimoto – The Unseen
14. Del The Funky Homosapien – Both Sides Of The Brain
15. Masters Of Illusion – Masters Of Illusion
16. Bumpy Knuckles – Industry Shakedown
17. Wu-Tang Clan – The W
18. Aesop Rock – Float
19. Big L – The Big Picture
20. Dilated Peoples – The Platform
21. People Under The Stairs – Question In The Form Of An Answer
22. Foreign Legion – Kidnapper Van: Beats To Rock While Bike-Stealin’
23. De La Soul – Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
24. Beanie Sigel – The Truth
25. Rah Digga – Dirty Harriet
26. M.O.P. – Warriorz
27. Cali Agents – How The West Was One
28. Scarface – The Last Of A Dying Breed
29. D.I.T.C. – D.I.T.C.
30. Antipop Consortium – Tragic Epilogue
31. Snoop Dogg – Tha Last Meal
32. Big Pun – Yeeeah Baby
33. DJ Quik – Balance & Options
34. Jay-Z – The Dynasty
35. Murs – Murs Rules The World
36. The Pharcyde – Plain Rap
37. Analog Brothers – Pimp To Eat
38. Ice Cube – War & Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc)
39. Bone Thugs N Harmony – BTNHResurrection
40. Prodigy – H.N.I.C.

Check here for the full list + honorable mentions.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2001

1. J-Live – The Best Part
2. Jay-Z – The Blueprint
3. Cannibal Ox – The Cold Vein
4. Masta Ace – Disposable Arts
5. Nas – Stillmatic
6. Immortal Technique – Revolutionary Vol. 1
7. Aesop Rock – Labor Days
8. Ugly Duckling – Journey To Anywhere
9. CunninLynguists – Will Rap For Food
10. Asheru & Blue Black – Soon Come
11. Atmosphere – Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EP’s
12. Techno Animal – The Brotherhood Of The Bomb
13. Tech N9ne – Anghellic
14. Killah Priest – Priesthood
15. 7L & Esoteric – The Soul Purpose
16. J. Rawls – The Essence Of J. Rawls
17. Jay Dee aka J Dilla – Welcome 2 Detroit
18. Substantial – To This Union A Sun Was Born
19. Cormega – The Realness
20. Abstract Rude + Tribe Unique – P.A.I.N.T.
21. Sticky Fingaz – [Blacktrash] The Autobiography of Kirk Jones
22. The Lost Children Of Babylon – Where Light Was Created: The Equidivium
23. Ludacris – Word of Mouf
24. All Natural – Second Nature
25. RZA – Digital Bullet
26. Declaime – Andsoitisaid
27. Ghostface Killah – Bulletproof Wallets
28. Lone Catalysts – Hip Hop
29. Eyedea & Abilities – First Born
30. Beanie Sigel – The Reason
31. De La Soul – AOI: Bionix
32. Wu-Tang Clan – Iron Flag
33. KRS-One – The Sneak Attack
34. Dilated Peoples – Expansion Team
35. Typical Cats – Typical Cats
36. Sm*t Peddlers – Porn Again
37. Aceyalone – Accepted Eclectic
38. Cypress Hill – Stoned Raiders
39. D12 – Devil’s Night
40. Mr. Len – Pity The Fool

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2002

1. J-Live – All Of The Above
2. Mr. Lif – I Phantom
3. El-P – Fantastic Damage
4. Nas – The Lost Tapes
5. Eminem – The Eminem Show
6. Scarface – The Fix
7. Jurassic 5 – Power In Numbers
8. Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow
9. Nas – God’s Son
10. Non Phixion – The Future Is Now
11. Sage Francis – Personal Journals
12. Busdriver – Temporary Forever
13. Talib Kweli – Quality
14. Atmosphere – God Loves Ugly
15. The Roots – Phrenology
16. People Under The Stairs – O.S.T.
17. Dälek – From Filthy Tongue Of Gods And Griots
18. Cormega – The True Meaning
19. Large Professor – 1st Class
20. Missy Elliott – Under Construction
21. GZA – Legend Of The Liquid Sword
22. Deepspace5 – The Night We Called It A Day
23. Insight – Updated Software V. 2,5
24. Edan – Primitive Plus
25. Canibus – Mic Club: The Curriculum
26. MF Grimm – The Downfall Of Ibliys: A Ghetto Opera
27. 7L & Esoteric – Dangerous Connection
28. Alias – The Other Side Of The Looking Glass
29. Clipse – Lord Willin’
30. Musab – Respect The Life
31. DJ Quik – Under Tha Influence
32. Nappy Roots – Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz
33. Jean Grae – Attack Of The Attacking Things…
34. Cage – Movies For The Blind
35. Motion Man ft. KutMasta Kurt – Clearing The Field
36. Royce Da 5’9″ – Rock City
37. DJ Jazzy Jeff – The Magnificent
38. Kool G Rap – The Giancana Story
39. Busta Rhymes – It Ain’t Safe No More…
40. Jay-Z – The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2003

1. Brother Ali – Shadows On The Sun
2. Little Brother – The Listening
3. Viktor Vaughn – Vaudeville Villain
4. Canibus – Rip The Jacker
5. Jay Z – The Black Album
6. Immortal Technique – Revolutionary Vol. 2
7. Non Prophets – Hope
8. 50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
9. CunninLynguists – Southernunderground
10. Dizzee Rascal – Boy In Da Corner
11. The Last Emperor – Music, Magic, Myth
12. Aesop Rock – Bazooka Tooth
13. Gang Starr – The Ownerz
14. Louis Logic – Sin-A-Matic
15. King Geedorah – Take Me To Your Leader
16. OutKast – Speakerboxxx / The Love Below
17. Murs – The End Of The Beginning
18. Jaylib – Champion Sound
19. KRS-One – Kristyles
20. Danger Mouse & Jemini – Ghetto Pop Life
21. Soul Position – 8 Million Stories
22. Jedi Mind Tricks – Visions Of Gandhi
23. Monsta Island Czars – Escape from Monsta Island!
24. Paris – Sonic Jihad
25. The Lost Children Of Babylon – Words From The Duat: The Book of Anubis
26. DMX – Grand Champ
27. Ugly Duckling – Taste The Secret
28. T.I. – Trap Muzik
29. Lightheaded – Pure Thoughts
30. Killer Mike – Monster
31. Killah Priest – Black August
32. Lil’ Kim – La Bella Mafia
33. Vakill – The Darkest Cloud
34. Insight – The Maysun Project
35. Soul Supreme – The Saturday Nite Agenda
36. Atmosphere – Seven’s Travels
37. Semi.Official – The Anti-Album
38. billy woods – Camouflage
39. Missy Elliott – This Is Not A Test!
40. Nappy Roots – Wooden Leather

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2004

1. Madvillain – Madvillainy
2. Masta Ace – A Long Hot Summer
3. De La Soul – The Grind Date
4. Kanye West – The College Dropout
5. Eyedea & Abilities – E&A
6. P.O.S – Ipecac Neat
7. Murs & 9th Wonder – Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition
8. MF DOOM – Mm.. Food
9. Foreign Exchange – Connected
10. Jean Grae – This Week
11. The U.N. – UN Or U Out
12. The Roots – The Tipping Point
13. R.A. the Rugged Man – Die, Rugged Man, Die
14. Cryptic One – The Anti-Mobius Strip Theory
15. Illogic – Celestial Clockwork
16. Royce Da 5’9″ – Death Is Certain
17. Ghostface Killah – The Pretty Tony Album
18. Edo. G feat. Pete Rock – My Own Worst Enemy
19. Saul Williams – Saul Williams
20. Gift Of Gab – 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up
21. Nas – Street’s Disciple
22. Beastie Boys – To The 5 Boroughs
23. Haiku D’Etat – Coup De Theatre
24. Time Machine – Slow Your Roll
25. Shock G – Fear Of A Mixed Planet
26. Masta Killa – No Said Date
27. Jedi Mind Tricks – Legacy Of Blood
28. Ill Bill – What’s Wrong With Bill?
29. Leak Bros. – Waterworld
30. Rob Sonic – Telicatessen
31. Braille – Shades Of Grey
32. Blue Scholars – Blue Scholars
33. Insight – The Blast Radius
34. Dizzee Rascal – Showtime
35. Typical Cats – Civil Service
36. billy woods – The Chalice
37. 7L & Esoteric – DC2: Bars of Death
38. Non Phixion – The Green CD
39. Dilated Peoples – Neighborhood Watch
40. Micranots – The Emperor & The Assassin

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2005

1. Common – Be
2. Little Brother – The Minstrel Show
3. Kanye West – Late Registration
4. Atmosphere – You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having
5. Zion I – True & Livin’
6. Beanie Sigel – The B. Coming
7. Ohmega Watts – The Find
8. Danger Doom – The Mouse And The Mask
9. The Game – The Documentary
10. Dälek – Absence
11. Jazz Addixx – Oxygen
12. One Be Lo – S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.
13. Sean Price – Monkey Barz
14. Bun B – Trill
15. Quasimoto – The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
16. Blueprint – 1988
17. Felt – Felt 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet
18. Cage – Hell’s Winter
19. Sage Francis – A Healthy Distrust
20. Nujabes – Modal Soul
21. Edan – Beauty & The Beat
22. Fort Minor – The Rising Tied
23. Pumpkinhead – Orange Moon Over Brooklyn
24. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter II
25. The Crest – Skeptik
26. Blackalicious – The Craft
27. Qwel & Jackson Jones – Dark Day
28. Cyne – Evolution Fight
29. K’naan – The Dusty Foot Philosopher
30. Lone Catalysts – Good Music
31. Busdriver – Fear Of A Black Tangent
32. Sims – Lights Out Paris
33. Geto Boys – The Foundation
34. Reef The Lost Cauze – Feast Or Famine
35. J-Live – The Hear After
36. Young Jeezy – Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101
37. The Circle Of Tyrants – The Circle Of Tyrants
38. Cool Calm Pete – Lost
39. Tonedeff – Archetype
40. Three 6 Mafia – Most Known Unknown

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2006

1. The Roots – Game Theory
2. Jedi Mind Tricks – Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell
3. Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor
4. J Dilla – Donuts
5. CunninLynguists – A Piece Of Strange
6. Ghostface Killah – Fishscale
7. People Under The Stairs – Stepfather
8. Nas – Hip Hop Is Dead
9. Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury
10. Ugly Duckling – Bang For The Buck
11. MF Grimm – American Hunger
12. Apathy – Eastern Philosophy
13. Project Polaroid – Project Polaroid
14. Murs & 9th Wonder – Murray’s Revenge
15. Army Of The Pharaohs – The Torture Papers
16. J Dilla – The Shining
17. Blue Sky Black Death – Blue Sky Black Death Presents The Holocaust
18. P.O.S – Audition
19. 7L & Esoteric – A New Dope
20. Tech N9ne – Everready (The Religion)
21. T.I. – King
22. Mekalek – Live & Learn
23. Kool Keith – Nogatco Rd.
24. Ghostface Killah – More Fish
25. Panacea – Ink Is My Drink
26. OuterSpace – Blood Brothers
27. Tanya Morgan – Moonlighting
28. The Lost Children Of Babylon – The 911 Report: The Ultimate Conspiracy
29. Dilated Peoples – 20/20
30. Mr. Lif – Mo Mega
31. Surreal & The Sound Providers – True Indeed
32. KRS One – Life
33. Rhymefest – Blue Collar
34. Method Man – 4:21… The Day After
35. The Game – Doctor’s Advocate
36. Strange Fruit Project – The Healing
37. J-Zone & Celph Titled Are The Boss Hog Barbarians ‎- Every Hog Has Its Day
38. Jurassic 5 – Feedback
39. Psalm One – The Death Of Frequent Flyer
40. OutKast – Idlewild

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2007

1. Brother Ali – The Undisputed Truth
2. Blu & Exile – Below The Heavens
3. Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
4. Percee P – Perseverance
5. Pharoahe Monch – Desire
6. Lupe Fiasco – The Cool
7. Kanye West – Graduation
8. Cunninlynguists – Dirty Acres
9. Talib Kweli – Eardrum
10. Senim Silla – The Name The Motto The Outcome
11. Y Society – Travel At Your Own Pace
12. El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
13. Common – Finding Forever
14. Evidence – The Weatherman LP
15. UGK – Underground Kingz
16. Jay-Z – American Gangster
17. Sage Francis – Human The Death Dance
18. Polyrhythm Addicts – Break Glass
19. Blue Sky Black Death & Hell Razah – Razah’s Ladder
20. Ghostface Killah – The Big Doe Rehab
21. Blue Scholars – Bayani
22. Shad – The Old Prince
23. Killah Priest – The Offering
24. Black Milk – Popular Demand
25. Little Brother – Getback
26. Wisemen – Wisemen Approaching
27. Ohmega Watts – Watts Happening
28. Sean Price – Jesus Price Supastar
29. Army Of The Pharaohs – Ritual Of Battle
30. Panacea – The Scenic Route
31. One Be Lo – The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.
32. Phat Kat – Carte Blanche
33. Scarface – M.A.D.E.
34. Public Enemy – How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???
35. Redman – Red Gone Wild
36. DJ Jazzy Jeff – The Return Of The Magnificent
37. Super Chron Flight Brothers – Emergency Powers
38. Jeru The Damaja – Still Rising
39. KRS-One & Marley Marl – Hip Hop Lives
40. Wu-Tang Clan – 8 Diagrams

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2008

1. Q-Tip – The Renaissance
2. Grip Grand – Brokelore
3. Prolyphic & Reanimator – The Ugly Truth
4. Elzhi – The Preface
5. The Roots – Rising Down
6. Doomtree – Doomtree
7. Immortal Technique – 3rd World
8. J-Live – Then What Happened?
9. eMC – The Show
10. Nas – Untitled
11. Jake One – White Van Music
12. Johnson & Jonson – Johnson & Jonson
13. Dela – Changes Of Atmosphere
14. Invincible – Shapeshifters
15. NYOIL – Hood Treason
16. Guilty Simpson – Ode To The Ghetto
17. Ill Bill – The Hour Of Reprisal
18. Vordul Mega – Megagraphitti
19. Black Milk – Tronic
20. Cyne – Pretty Dark Things
21. Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak – Hand Over Fist
22. Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Sh** Gold
23. GZA/Genius – Pro Tools
24. Dagha – The Divorce
25. East Coast Avengers – Prison Planet
26. Vast Aire – Dueces Wild
27. People Under the Stairs – Fun DMC
28. Killer Mike – I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind II
29. Sonic Sum – Films
30. Thirsty Fish – Testing The Waters
31. Bun B – II Trill
32. Kool Keith – Dr. Dooom 2
33. Jedi Mind Tricks – A History Of Violence
34. Awon – Beautiful Loser
35. Murs – Murs For President
36. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
37. Del The Funky Homosapien – Eleventh Hour
38. Snowgoons – Black Snow
39. T.I. – Paper Trail
40. KRS-One – Maximum Strength

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2009

1. Mos Def – The Ecstatic
2. Diamond District – In The Ruff
3. P.O.S – Never Better
4. Felt – Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez
5. Fashawn – Boy Meets World
6. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt II
7. Skyzoo – The Salvation
8. J Dilla – Jay Stay Paid
9. Brother Ali – Us
10. Marco Polo & Torae – Double Barrel
11. Finale – A Pipe Dream And A Promise
12. Killah Priest – Elizabeth (Introduction To The Psychic)
13. People Under The Stairs – Carried Away
14. Tech N9ne – K.O.D.
15. Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon: The End Of Day
16. Oddisee – Mental Liberation
17. The Large Professor – The LP
18. Qwel & Maker – So Be It
19. O.C. & A.G. – Oasis
20. Souls Of Mischief – Montezuma’s Revenge
21. Paten Locke – Super Ramen Rocketship
22. Eminem – Relapse
23. Toki Wright – A Different Mirror
24. DOOM – Born Like This
25. Mr. Lif – I Heard It Today
26. Tanya Morgan – Brooklynati
27. Superstar Quamallah – Invisible Man
28. Antipop Consortium – Fluorescent Black
29. Slaughterhouse – Slaughterhouse
30. Illogic – Diabolical Fun
31. Ace & Edo – Arts & Entertainment
32. Ugly Duckling – Audacity
33. La Coka Nostra – A Brand You Can Trust
34. KRS-One & Buckshot – Survival Skills
35. Five O’Clock Shadowboxers – The Slow Twilight
36. Black Noise – The Black Noise LP
37. Curren$y – This Aint No Mixtape
38. Jay Z – The Blueprint 3
39. Blaq Poet – Tha Blaqprint
40. Apathy – Wanna Snuggle?

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2010

1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2. Kno – Death Is Silent
3. Nas & Damien Marley – Distant Relatives
4. Boog Brown & Apollo Brown – Brown Study
5. Celph Titled & Buckwild – Nineteen Ninety-Now
6. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
7. Roc Marciano – Marcberg
8. The Roots – How I Got Over
9. The Left – Gas Mask
10. Skyzoo & !llmind – Live From The Tape Deck
11. Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager
12. Black Milk – Album Of The Year
13. Strong Arm Steady – In Search Of Stoney Jackson
14. Qwel & Maker – Owl
15. Killah Priest – The 3 Day Theory
16. Canibus – Melatonin Magik
17. Dark Time Sunshine – Vessel
18. Curren$y – Pilot Talk
19. Incise – Daily Methods
20. Freeway & Jake One – The Stimulus Package
21. yU – Before Taxes
22. Ghostface Killah – Apollo Kids
23. Curren$y – Pilot Talk II
24. Shad – TSOL
25. Reflection Eternal – Revolutions Per Minute
26. Blacastan – Blac Sabbath
27. Rakaa Iriscience – Crown Of Thorns
28. Guilty Simpson & Madlib – OJ Simpson
29. 7L & Esoteric – 1212
30. Vinnie Paz – Season Of The Assassin
31. Super Chron Flight Brothers – Cape Verde
32. H.I.S.D. – The Weakend
33. Bop Alloy – Substantial & Marcus D Are Bop Alloy
34. Homeboy Sandman – The Good Sun
35. A.G. – Everythings Berrii
36. B. Dolan – Fallen House, Sunken City
37. Waka Flocka Flame – Flockavelli
38. Panacea – 12 Step Program
39. Danny Brown – The Hybrid
40. Brotha Lynch Hung – Dinner & A Movie

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2011

1. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
2. CunninLynguists – Oneirology
3. Rashad & Confidence – The Element Of Surprise
4. The Roots – Undun
5. Danny Brown – X X X
6. Phonte – Charity Starts At Home
7. Doomtree – No Kings
8. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
9. Pharoahe Monch – W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
10. Common – The Dreamer / The Believer
11. Evidence – Cats & Dogs
12. Murs – Love & Rockets Vol. 1: The Transformation
13. Thurz – L.A. Riots
14. Rasheed Chappell – Future Before Nostalgia
15. J-Live – S.P.T.A. (Said Person Of That Ability)
16. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
17. Superstar Quamallah & DeQawn – Talkin’ All That Jazz
18. People Under The Stairs – Highlighter
19. Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Gonna Eat That?
20. Ugly Duckling – Moving At Breakneck Speed
21. Canibus – Lyrical Law
22. Tech N9ne – All 6’s And 7’s
23. Akua Naru – The Journey Aflame
24. DJ Quik – The Book Of David
25. Rebels To The Grain – Harvest Season
26. Hassaan Mackey & Apollo Brown – Daily Bread
27. Apathy – Honkey Kong!
28. Random Axe – Random Axe
29. Has-Lo – In Case I Don’t Make It
30. R.E.K.S. – Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme
31. MarQ Spekt & Kno – Machete Vision
32. Killer Mike  – PL3DGE
33. Action Bronson – Dr. Lecter
34. Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch The Throne
35. Royce Da 5’9″ – Success Is Certain
36. The Doppelgangaz – Lone Sharks
37. 9th Wonder – The Wonder Years
38. Outerspace – My Brother’s Keeper
39. Atmosphere – The Family Sign
40. Thirsty Fish – Watergate

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2012

1. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
2. Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
3. Ab-Soul – Control System
4. O.C. & Apollo Brown – Trophies
5. billy woods – History Will Absolve Me
6. El-P – Cancer 4 Cure
7. Nas – Life Is Good
8. Roc Marciano – Reloaded
9. Rapsody – The Idea Of Beautiful
10. Sean Price – Mic Tyson
11. Aesop Rock – Skelethon
12. Death Grips – The Money Store
13. Brother Ali – Mourning In America And Dreaming In Color
14. Big K.R.I.T. – Live From The Underground
15. Oddisee – People Hear What They Wanna Hear
16. Lil Ugly Mane – Mista Thug Isolation
17. Purpose & Confidence – Purpose Of Confidence
18. ScHoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions
19. Skyzoo – A Dream Deferred
20. Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson – Dice Game
21. Pacewon & Mr. Green – The Only Number That Matters Is Won
22. Oh No – Ohnomite
23. Dark Time Sunshine – ANX
24. Reks – Straight, No Chaser
25. Large Professor – Professor @ Large
26. Constant Deviants – Diamond
27. Evitan – Speed Of Life
28. Murs & 9th Wonder – The Final Adventure
29. Gensu Dean – Lo​-​Fi Fingahz
30. Vinnie Paz – God Of The Serengeti
31. Homeboy Sandman – First Of A Living Breed
32. Styles Of Beyond – Reseda Beach
33. DJ Premier & Bumpy Knuckles – KoleXXXion
34. Substantial – Home Is Where the Art Is
35. Gangrene – Vodka & Ayahuasca
36. Masta Ace & MF DOOM – MA_DOOM: Son of Yvonne
37. Ka – Grief Pedigree
38. Public Enemy – Most Of My Heroes Still Don’t Appear On No Stamp
39. Chino XL – Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary
40. KRS One – The BDP Album

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2013

1. Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels
2. Oddisee – Tangible Dream
3. Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge – Twelve Reasons To Die
4. Awon & Phoniks – Return To The Golden Era
5. Earl Sweatshirt – Doris
6. R.A. The Rugged Man – Legends Never Die
7. Qwel & Maker – Beautiful Raw
8. Demigodz – KILLmatic
9. Armand Hammer – Race Music
10. Yugen Blakrok – Return Of The Astro​-​Goth
11. Killah Priest – The Psychic World Of Walter Reed
12. Danny Brown – Old
13. Ugly Heroes – Ugly Heroes
14. Ka – The Night’s Gambit
15. J-Zone – Peter Pan Syndrome
16. A$ap Rocky – LONG LIVE A$AP
17. Black Milk – No Poison No Paradise
18. Natti – Still Motion
19. Boog Brown – The Late Bloom
20. billy woods – Dour Candy
21. Clear Soul Forces – Gold PP7s
22. Czarface – Czarface
23. Cubbiebear – Force Back To Sleep
24. Deltron 3030 – Event 2
25. Lewis Parker – The Puzzle: Episode Two: The Glass Ceiling
26. Shad – Flying Colours
27. DJ Format & Phill Most Chill – The Foremost
28. L’Orange & Stik Figa – The City Under The City
29. Prodigy & The Alchemist – Albert Einstein
30. Roc Marciano – Marci Beaucoup
31. Blame One & J57 – Walk In The Sun
32. Epidemic – Somethin’ For Tha Listeners
33. Tech N9ne – Something Else
34. Greenhouse – Bend But Don’t Break
35. Curly Castro – FIDEL
36. Boldy James – My 1st Chemistry Set
37. Hieroglyphics – The Kitchen
38. Freddie Gibbs – ESGN
39. Talib Kweli- Gravitas
40. Eminem – Marshall Mathers LP 2

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2014

1. Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 2
2. Freddie Gibs & Madlib – Pinata
3. PRhyme -PRhyme
4. Open Mike Eagle – Dark Comedy
5. Damani Nkosi – Thoughtful King
6. Hail Mary Mallon – Bestiary
7. Dilated Peoples – Directors Of Photography
8. Pharoahe Monch – PTSD
9. Diamond District – March On Washington
10. Sage Francis – Copper Gone
11. Schoolboy Q – Oxymoron
12. People Under The Stairs – 12 Step Program
13. Big K.R.I.T. – Cadillactica
14. Skyzoo & Torae – Barrel Brothers
15. Dag Savage – E&J
16. J Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive
17. Apollo Brown & Ras Kass – Blasphemy
18. Awon & Dephlow – Dephacation
19. Sa-Roc – Nebuchadnezzar
20. clipping. – CLPPNG
21. The 1978ers – People Of Today
22. Shabazz Palaces – Lese Majesty
23. Army Of The Pharaohs – In Death Reborn
24. Busdriver – Perfect Hair
25. Diabolic – Fighting Words
26. Step Brothers – Lord Steppington
27. YG – My Krazy Life
28. Ghostface Killah – 36 Seasons
29. Anti-Lilly & Phoniks – Stories From The Brass Section
30. Black Milk- If There’s A Hell Below
31. Common – Nobody’s Smiling
32. Army Of The Pharaohs – Heavy Lies The Crown
33. Diamond D – The Diam Piece
34. Cormega – Mega Philosophy
35. Atmosphere – Southsiders
36. Souls Of Mischief – There Is Only Now
37. Ces Cru – Codename: Ego Stripper
38. uMaNg – The Black Rose Certificate
39. Jazz Spastiks – The Product
40. Tiff The Gift – Better To Give

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2015

1. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
2. Lupe Fiasco – Tetsuo & Youth
3. Add-2 – Prey For The Poor
4. Oddisee – The Good Fight
5. Vince Staples – Summertime ’06
6. Awon & Phoniks – Knowledge Of Self
7. Earl Sweatshirt – I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside
8. Scarface – Deeply Rooted
9. Czarface – Every Hero Needs A Villain
10. Pusha T – King Push — Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude
11. Joey Bada$$ – B4.DA.$$
12. A$AP Rocky – At.Long.Last.A$AP
13. Apollo Brown – Grandeur
14. Skyzoo – Music For My Friends
15. billy woods – Today I Wrote Nothing
16. The Game – The Documentary 2/2.5
17. Semi Hendrix – Breakfast At Banksy’s
18. Asphate – Closed Doors To An Open Mind
19. Dr. Yen Lo – Days With Dr. Yen Lo
20. Ghostface Killah & BADBADNOTGOOD – Sour Soul
21. Junk Science – And The Hundred Dollar Sandwich
22. L’Orange & Jeremiah Jae – The Night Took Us In Like Family
23. Killah Priest – Planet Of The Gods
24. Jay Rock – 90059
25. Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge – Twelve Reasons To Die II
26. Jazz Spastiks & Rebels To The Grain – Unkut Fresh
27. Gangrene – You Disgust Me
28. Rapper Big Pooh & Nottz – Home Sweet Home
29. First Division – Overworked & Underpaid
30. Fashawn – The Ecology
31. Dephlow – Deph Threats
32. Guilty Simpson – Detroit’s Son
33. B. Dolan – Kill The Wolf
34. The Four Owls – Natural Order
35. Jedi Mind Tricks – The Thief And The Fallen
36. Travis Scott – Rodeo
37. Triple Darkness – Darker Than Black
38. Freddie Gibbs – Shadow Of A Doubt
39. Grand Daddy I.U. – P.I.M.P. (Paper Is My Priority)
40. MED, Blu & Madlib – Bad Neighbor

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2016

1. Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 3
2. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
3. Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid
4. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service
5. Common – Black America Again
6. Westside Gunn – FLYGOD
7. Ryu – Tanks For The Memories
8. Ab-Soul – Do What Thou Wilt
9. Apollo Brown & Skyzoo – The Easy Truth
10. Ka – Honor Killed The Samurai
11. Royce 5’9″ – Layers
12. Isaiah Rashad – The Sun’s Tirade
13. ScHoolboy Q – The Blank Face LP
14. Elzhi – Lead Poison
15. De La Soul – And The Anonymous Nobody
16. Kool Keith – Feature Magnetic
17. J-Zone – Fish-n-Grits
18. Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo
19. Mikey D – Day Of D’struction
20. Ugly Heroes – Everything In Between
21. UG – Portals
22. The Game – 1992
23. Apathy – Handshakes With Snakes
24. Tiff The Gift – It Gets Greater Later
25. Czarface – A Fistful Of Peril
26. The Hue – Aurora
27. Wise Intelligent – Stevie Bonneville Wallace
28. Reks – The Greatest X
29. Saba – Bucket List Project
30. ELUCID – Save Yourself
31. Open Mike Eagle & Paul White – Hella Personal Film Festival
32. Havoc & The Alchemist – The Silent Partner
33. Vinnie Paz – The Cornerstone Of The Corner Store
34. Masta Ace – The Falling Season
35. Willie Green – Doc Savage
36. Sick Jacken – Psychodelic
37. Code Nine & Purpose – Below Sumerian Skies
38. Smoke DZA & Pete Rock – Don’t Smoke Rock
39. Craig G – I Rap And Go Home
40. Atmosphere – Fishing Blues

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2017

1. Rapsody – Laila’s Wisdom
2. billy woods – Known Unknowns
3. Big K.R.I.T. – 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time
4. CunninLynguists – Rose Azura Njano
5. Brother Ali – All The Beauty In This Life
6. Open Mike Eagle – Brick Body Kids Still Daydream
7. Armand Hammer – Rome
8. Quelle Chris – Being You Is Great… I Wish I Could Be You More Often
9. O.C. – Same Moon Same Sun
10. Oddisee – The Iceberg
11. Sean Price – Imperius Rex
12. Jay-Z – 4:44
13. Jonwayne – Rap Album Two
14. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN
15. Hex One Words – Worth A Thousand Pictures
16. P.O.S – Chill, Dummy
17. Joey Bada$$ – All AmeriKKKan Bada$$
18. Blacastan & Stu Bangas – The Uncanny Adventures Of Watson & Holmes
19. Dope KNife – NineteenEightyFour
20. Apathy & O.C. – Perestroika
21. Roc Marciano – Rosebudd’s Revenge
22. Anti-Lilly & Phoniks – It’s Nice Outside
23. MC Eiht – Which Way Iz West
24. Milo – Who Told You to Think​?
25. Your Old Droog – Packs
26. DJ Format & Abdominal – Still Hungry
27. J.I.D – The Never Story
28. Recognize Ali – Allah’s Favorite
29. Dephlow – Most Dephinite
30. lojii & Swarvy – DUE RENT
31. Tyler The Creator – Flower Boy
32. GQ – E14th
33. M-Dot – egO anD The eneMy
34. Ces Cru – Catastrophic Event Specialists
35. Public Enemy – Nothing Is Quick In The Desert
36. King Magnetic – Everything Happens 4 A Reason
37. Kool G Rap – Return Of The Don
38. Pawz One – Pick Your Poison
39. Raekwon – The Wild
40. Snoop Dogg – Neva Left

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2018

1. Saba – Care For Me
2. Noname – Room 25
3. ANKHLEJOHN & Big Ghost Ltd – Van Ghost
4. Lupe Fiasco – DROGAS Wave
5. Armand Hammer – Paraffin
6. B.E.N.N.Y. – Tana Talk 3
7. Royce 5’9″ – The Book Of Ryan
8. Awon & Phoniks – The Actual Proof
9. Masta Ace & Marco Polo – A Breukelen Story
10. Evidence – Weather Or Not
11. O.C. – A New Dawn
12. August Greene – August Greene
13. Phonte – No News Is Good News
14. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris – Everything’s Fine
15. Marlowe – Marlowe
16. Avantdale Bowling Club – Avantdale Bowling Club
17. Skyzoo – In Celebration Of Us
18. Hermit & The Recluse: Orpheus vs. The Sirens
19. CRIMEAPPLE & Big Ghost Ltd. – Aguardiente
20. The Diceman – The Power Of Now
21. Czarface & MF DOOM – Czarface Meets Metal Face
22. Intellect – Out Of Left Field
23. Chuck Strangers – Consumers Park
24. Blueprint – Two-Headed Monster
25. Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz – Mona Lisa
26. Apathy – The Widow’s Son
27. Elzhi & Khrysis are Jericho Jackson – Jericho Jackson
28. Dr. Octagon – Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation
29. Lee Reed – Before & Aftermath
30. Jedi Mind Tricks – The Bridge & The Abyss
31. Denzel Curry – TA13OO
32. Showbiz – A-Room Therapy
33. Westside Gunn – Supreme Blientele
34. Philmore Greene – Chicago: A Third World City
35. Mick Jenkins – Pieces Of A Man
36. Planet Asia – Mansa Musa
37. Vinnie Paz – The Pain Collector
38. PRhyme – PRhyme 2
39. Roc Marciano – RR2: The Bitter Dose
40. Kool G Rap & 38 Spesh – Son Of G Rap

* Excluded are mixtapes, EP’s (like Black Thought’s excellent Stream Of Thought EP’s), and releases billed as albums that are actually EP’s (like Nas’ Nasir, Pusha T’s Daytona, Vince Staples’ FM! and Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist’ Fetti).

Check here for the full list, including honorable mentions

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2019

1. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Bandana
2. Rapsody – Eve
3. Apollo Brown – Sincerely, Detroit
4. Little Brother – May The Lord Watch
5. billy woods & Kenny Segal – Hiding Place
6. Skyzoo & Pete Rock – Retropolitan
7. Add-2 – Jim Crow: The Musical
8. Gang Starr – One Of The Best Yet
9. Bobby J From Rockaway – Summer Classics
10. Epic Beard Men – This Was Supposed To Be Fun
11. Little Simz – Grey Area
12. Tone Spliff – Ardore Melodico
13. Quelle Chris – Guns
14. L’Orange & Jeremiah Jae – Complicate Your Life With Violence
15. billy woods – Terror Management
16. clipping. – There Existed An Addiction To Blood
17. Griselda – WWCD
18. Black Moon – Rise Of Da Moon
19. Brother Ali – Secrets & Escapes
20. Yugen Blakrok – Anima Mysterium
21. Blu & Oh No – A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night
22. Anti-Lilly & Phoniks – That’s The World
23. Neak – Kwesbaar
24. A.J. Munson – Cigarettes & Coffee
25. Czarface & Ghostface Killah – Czarface Meets Ghostface Killah
26. People Under The Stairs – Sincerely, The P
27. NEMS – Gorilla Monsoon
28. Uncommon Nasa – City As School
29. Calig Kontra – Simian Automatic
30. Danny Brown – uknowhatimsayin¿
31. Diamond D – The Diam Piece 2
32. Smif-N-Wessun – The All
33. Common – Let Love
34. The Good People – Good for Nuthin’
35. Murs & 9th Wonder – The Iliad Is Dead And The Odyssey Is Over
36. XP The Marxman & IceRocks – Nomads
37. SOL Development – The SOL Of Black Folk
38. Bronx Slang – Bronx Slang
39. HARRIETT – Damani Nkosi & ill Camille are HARRIETT
40. Learic & Es-K – Thought Instruments

Check The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2019 for the full list + honorable mentions + list with 2019’s best EP’s.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums 2020

1. Run The Jewels – RTJ4
2. Aesop Rock – Spirit World Field Guide
3. Marlowe – Marlowe 2
4. Apollo Brown & Che Noir – As God Intended
5. Ka – Descendants Of Cain
6. Sa-Roc- The Sharecropper’s Daughter
7. Blu & Exile – Miles
8. Elzhi – Seven Times Down Eight Times Up
9. Jorun Bombay & Phil Most Chill – Jorun PMC
10. Moor Mother & billy woods – BRASS
11. R.A. The Rugged Man – All My Heroes Are Dead
12. Boldy James & Sterling Toles – Manger On McNichols
13. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo
14. Arrested Development – Don’t Fight Your Demons
15. Armand Hammer – Shrines
16. Killah Priest – Rocket To Nebula
17. Roc Marciano – Mt. Marci
18. Boldy James & The Alchemist – The Price Of Tea In China
19. Killah Priest & Jordan River Banks – The Third Eye In Technicolor
20. clipping. – Visions Of Bodies Being Burned
21. Quelle Chris & Chris Keys – Innocent Country 2
22. One Be Lo – BABY
23. Third Root – Passion Of The Poets
24. Conway The Machine – From King To A GOD
25. Cambatta – LSD: Lunar Solar Duality
26. Royce Da 5’9″ – The Allegory
27. Jamo Gang – Walking With Lions
28. KRS One – Between Da Protests
29. Serengeti – With Greg From Deerhoof
30. Homeboy Sandman – Don’t Feed The Monster
31. Spillage Village – Spilligion
32. ShrapKnel – ShrapKnel
33. Busta Rhymes – Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God
34. Public Enemy – What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?
35. Cut Beetlez – What Beetlez?
36. Preservation – Eastern Medicine, Western Illness
37. Recognize Ali – Recognition
38. R.A.P. Ferreira – Purple Moonlight Pages
39. Felt – Felt 4 U
40. ANKHLEJOHN – The Face Of Jason

Check The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2020 for the full top 60 list + honorable mentions + list with 2020s best EP’s.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums Of 2021

1. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
2. Armand Hammer & The Alchemist – Haram
3. Ka – A Martyr’s Reward
4. Boldy James & The Alchemist – Bo Jackson
5. McKinley Dixon – For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her
6. Skyzoo – All The Brilliant Things
7. Lewis Parker – Frequency Of Perception
8. JPEGMAFIA – LP!
9. Mach-Hommy – Pray For Haiti
10. Arrested Development – For The FKN Love
11. Solemn Brigham – South Sinner Street
12. Aesop Rock & Blockhead – Garbology
13. Canibus – Kaiju
14. Injury Reserve – By The Time I Get To Phoenix
15. Guilty Simpson & Gensu Dean – EGO
16. Evidence – Unlearning, Vol. 1
17. Awon & Phoniks – Nothing Less
18. Nas – King’s Disease II
19. Wiki – Half God
20. Tyler, The Creator – CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST
21. Curse Ov Dialect – Dark Days Bright Nights
22. Dave – We’re All Alone In This Together
23. Killah Priest – Lord Sun Heavy Mental 1.1
24. HRSMN – The Last Ride
25. Magna Carda – To The Good People
26. Curly Castro – Little Robert Hutton
27. Propo’88 & Wildelux – Certified Craftsmen
28. Necessary People – These Are The Necessary People
29. DJ Muggs & Rome Streetz – Death & The Magician
30. Hus Kingpin – Portishus
31. Krum – Dart
32. Jazz Spastiks – Camera Of Sound
33. Ja’king The Divine – DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR
34. Killah Priest & S.H.R.O.O.M – The Mantra
35. Atmosphere – WORD?
36. Career Crooks – Never At Peace
37. Beneficence & Confidence – Stellar Mind
38. Moor Mother – Black Encyclopedia Of The Air
39. Apathy – Where The River Meets The Sea
40. Vinnie Paz – Burn Everything That Bears Your Name

Check The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2021 for the full top 60 list + honorable mentions + list with 2021’s best EPs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums Of 2022

1. Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes
2. billy woods – Aethiopes
3. Marlowe – Marlowe 3
4. Roc Marciano & The Alchemist – The Elephant Man’s Bones
5. Nas – King’s Disease III
6. Apollo Brown & Philmore Greene – Cost Of Living
7. JID – The Forever Story
8. Ka – Languish Arts / Woeful Studies
9. billy woods – Church
10. Little Simz – NO THANK YOU
11. Benny The Butcher – Tana Talk 4
12. Logic – Vinyl Days
13. ShrapKnel – Metal Lung
14. Avantdale Bowling Club – TREES
15. Sadistik & Kno – Bring Me Back When The World Is Cured
16. Nerves Baddington – Micro/Macro
17. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
18. Nord1kone & DJ MROK – Tower Of Babylon
19. Open Mike Eagle – Component System With The Auto Reverse
20. Conway The Machine – God Don’t Make Mistakes
21. Napoleon Da Legend & Clypto – Maison De Medici
22. ELUCID – I Told Bessie
23. Ardamus – Psychedelic City Cowboy $h!t
24. Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals – King Cobra
25. AKAI SOLO – Spirit Roaming
26. Dälek – Precipice
27. Jesse The Tree – Pigeon Man
28. Lupe Fiasco – Drill Music In Zion
29. Ja’king The Divine – 手​术​: BLACK SUN TZU
30. Bloodmoney Perez & Messiah Musik – Second Hand Accounts
31. Awon & SOUL.DOPE.95- Infinite Wisdom
32. Mopes – Unwound
33. AJ Suede & Televangel – Metatron’s Cube
34. Quelle Chris – DEATHFAME
35. Rome Streetz – Kiss The Ring
36. Boldy James & Real Bad Man – Killing Nothing
37. Ab-Soul – Herbert
38. KRS-One – I M A M C R U 1 2
39. Black Star & Madlib – No Fear Of Time
40. Ghais Guevara -There Will Be No Super-Slave

Check The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2022 for the full top 60 list + honorable mentions + list with 2022’s best EPs.

Top 40 Hip Hop Albums Of 2023

1. Armand Hammer – We Buy Diabetic Test Strips
2. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES
3. billy woods & Kenny Segal – Maps
4. Aesop Rock – Integrated Tech Solutions
5. Blockhead – The Aux
6. Apollo Brown & Planet Asia – Sardines
7. Larry June & The Alchemist – The Great Escape
8. Danny Brown – Quaranta
9. Kool Keith & Real Bad Man – Serpent
10. Beneficence & Jazz Spastiks – Summer Night Sessions
11. Rome Streetz & Big Ghost Ltd – Wasn’t Built In A Day
12. Oddisee – To What End
13. El Michels Affair & Black Thought – Glorious Game
14. AJ Suede & Televangel – Parthian Shots
15. Stik Figa & The Expert – Ritual
16. CZARFACE – Czartificial Intelligence
17. Fatboi Sharif & Steel Tipped Dove – Decay
18. Skyzoo & The Other Guys – The Mind Of A Saint
19. Elzhi & Oh No – Heavy Vibrato
20. Neak – Die Wurzel
21. JustVibez & Negro Justice – Art Of The Craft
22. Four Elements & Beyond – Clock The Chemistry
23. Recognize Ali – Back To Mecca II
24. Navy Blue & Budgie – Ways Of Knowing
25. SKECH185 & Jeff Markey – He Left Nothing For The Swim Back
26. MIKE – Burning Desire
27. Danger Mouse & Jemini – Born Again
28. Nas – Magic 3
29. Killer Mike – MICHAEL
30. Chino XL & Stu Bangas – God’s Carpenter
31. Day Tripper – What A Time To Be DEAD
32. Madlib, Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs – Champagne For Breakfast
33. Jay Royale – Criminal Discourse
34. Boldy James & RichGains – Indiana Jones
35. Talib Kweli & Madlib – Liberation 2
36. Spectacular Diagnostics – RAW LESSONS
37. ICECOLDBISHOP – GENERATIONAL CURSE
38. Vinnie Paz – All Are Guests In The House Of God
39. King Kashmere & Alecs Delarge – The Album To End All Alien Abductions
40. Logic – College Park

Check The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2023 for the full top 60 list + honorable mentions + list with 2023’s best EPs.

Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2024

Work in progress