The Music Canon · No. 26 of 250Methodology
The Velvet Underground cover

The Velvet Underground (1969)

0.5086Canon Score · ranked #26 all time

Aggregated from 7 of 9 authoritative lists, weighted by authority and adjusted for each list's scope and age. How scoring works →

About the album

The Velvet Underground is the third studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Released in March 1969 by MGM Records, it was their first record with multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule, who replaced previous member John Cale. Recorded in 1968 at TTG Studios in Los Angeles, California, the album's sound—consisting largely of ballads and straightforward rock songs—marked a notable shift in style from th

Why it ranks #26

Every list on which The Velvet Underground appears, with its position as published.

ListAuthorityPosition
NME 500 Greatest Albums (2013)Critics' canon#5 / 500
VH1 100 Greatest Albums (2001)Critics' canon#19 / 100
Apple Music 100 Best Albums (2024)Critics' canon#60 / 100
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2020)Major international poll#143 / 500
Rolling Stone 500 (2003 edition)Editorial list#316 / 500
1001 Albums You Must Hear (union)Critics' canonSelected
TIME All-TIME 100 Albums (2006)Editorial listSelected