Neo-soul and R&B album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, was announced as the number one album of all time by Apple Music today.

Hill’s debut album landed in first place, followed by an intriguing top-five; Michael Jackson’s Thriller, The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Prince’s Purple Rain, and Frank Ocean’s Blonde.

“This is my award, but it’s a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love,” Hill said after receiving the news.

Sixth to tenth place was claimed by Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city, Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black, Nirvana’s Nevermind, and Beyoncé’s Lemonade.

The music streaming platform explained that the list is an editorial statement, fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music, a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in.

The process started several months ago when Apple Music’s editorial team of editors and music experts — including Zane Lowe (global creative director and lead anchor for Apple Music) and Ebro Darden (global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B) — generated a list of candidates from the past 65 years.

“This list isn’t a popularity contest,” Darden said. “We challenged everyone to not vote based on your favourites. You’re invited into the panel because you have music knowledge beyond what you listen to when you’re on the elliptical machine.”

Members from Apple Music’s internal team voted through submitting their personal lists of albums, which were then weighted according to the album’s placement — the higher the ranking, the more votes assigned.

Lowe expressed that Hill’s album “doesn’t just resonate with the people who were around when it came out and who hold it dear”.

“It has not dated, not even a fraction,” He said. “In fact, it feels more fresh and more relevant the more you listen to it… There are a lot of young artists hearing it, and it’s becoming part of their artistic DNA. It’s inspiring and influencing them… It’s timeless.”

See the entire ranking of Apple Music’s 100 albums here.