The 100 Greatest Romantic Albums of All Time
Do you love gettin' down with your significant other to hot, sensuous, romantic, sexy music? We sure hope so, because hot on the heels of our 100 Greatest Debut Albums of All Time list, and just in time for Valentine's Day, comes the 100 Greatest Romantic Albums of All Time. Does our list of tunes make you swoon, or is the heat you feel coming out your ears with anger? Let us know what you think of our choices in the comments.
1. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get it On
2. Nat King Cole - Sings For Two In Love
3. Al Green - Still in Love with You
4. Portishead - Dummy
5. Barry White - Plays for Someone You Love
6. Sade - Lovers Rock
7. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
8. Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto
9. The Carpenters - Close To You
10. Serge Gainsbourg - L'Historie De Melody Nelson
11. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
12. Joshua Bell - Romance of the Violin
13. Otis Redding - Soul Album
14. Jeff Buckley - Grace
15. Sigur Ros - ()
16. D'Angelo - Voodoo
17. Slowdive - Souvlaki
18. Anita Baker - Rapture
19. Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
20. Andrea Bocelli - Romanza
21. k.d. lang - Ingenue
22. Blossom Dearie - Blossom Dearie
23. Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love
24. John Coltrane - Blue Trane
25. Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers!
26. Billie Holiday - Songs For Distingue Lovers
27. Air - Moon Safari
28. Bread - Lost Without Your Love
29. Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis
30. Josh Groban - Closer
31. Isley Brothers - Between the Sheets
32. Chet Baker - Chet
33. Isaac Hayes - Black Moses
34. Diana Krall - The Look of Love
35. Jimmy Scott - Falling In Love Is Wonderful
36. Dean Martin - Dino! The Italian Love Songs
37. Massive Attack - Mezzanine
38. Roxy Music - Avalon
39. Air Supply - Now and Forever
40. Prince - For You
41. Roberta Flack - First Take
42. Boyz II Men - II
43. Enigma - LSD
44. Depeche Mode - Violator
45. Fiona Apple - Tidal
46. Harry Connick, Jr. - We Are In Love
47. Zero 7 - Simple Things
48. Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See
49. Theivery Corporation - The Mirror Conspiracy
50. George Michael - Faith
51. Paolo Conte - Reveries
52. Lou Donaldson - Lush Life
53. Carla Bruni - Quelqu'un M'a Dit
54. A Touch of Schmilsson in the Night - Harry Nilsson
55. The O'Jays - So Full Of Love
56. The Spinners - Mighty Love
57. Francoise Hardy - Ma Jeunesse Fout L'camp
58. Julee Cruise - Floating Into The Night
59. Nina Simone - Here Comes The Sun
60. The Dramatics - Me & Mrs. Jones
61. Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas
62. Willie Nelson - Stardust
63. The Softies - It's Love
64. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
65. John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy
66. Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amour
67. Billy Ocean - Suddenly
68. Judee Sill - Heart Food
69. Usher - Confessions
70. Red House Painters - Red House Painters I
71. Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl
72. Erykah Badu - Baduism
73. Maxwell - Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
74. John Legend - Save Room
75. Sarah McLachlan - Solace
76. Ray Charles & Milt Jackson - Soul Brothers / Soul Meeting
77. Jean-Yves Thibaudet - Satie: The Magic of Satie
78. Dave Brubeck - Take Five
79. Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World
80. Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust
81. Bjork - Homogenic
82. Patricia Barber - Modern Cool
83. Nicolai Dunger - Tranquil Isolation
84. Michael Buble - Call Me Irresponsible
85. Jill Scott - Who is Jill Scott?
86. Tricky - Maxinquaye
87. Goldfrapp - Black Cherry
88. Keren Ann - Nolita
89. Shirley Horn - Travelin' Light
90. James Moody - Young At Heart
91. Jens Lekman - When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog
92. Bebel Gilberto - Bebel Gilberto
93. The Cure - Disintigration
94. Enya - Watermark
95. The Postal Service - Give Up
96. Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Wainwright
97. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs, Vol. 1
98. Astrud Gilberto - Look to the Rainbow
99. R. Kelly - 12 Play
100. Seu Jorge - The Life Aquatic Exclusive Sessions
[The 100 Greatest Romantic Albums of All Time at Amazon MP3]
--Alan Wiley
magic bullet on August 13, 2011 at 01:07 PM
Do you love gettin' down with your significant other to hot, sensuous, romantic, sexy music
air jordan on December 20, 2010 at 09:40 PM
I find it difficult to subscribe RSS feeds, bookmark this site anyway I have is a very useful and complete information.
guitar speed on November 22, 2010 at 07:03 AM
This is a nice list. I do admit that I like me some Willie Nelson.
Learn and master guitar review on June 02, 2010 at 07:02 AM
what a great list, I know you posted this over a year ago, but this is timeless list of great music. Some of these I have, and others I'm going to take a peek for. I do some DJ'ing on the side and I know a few of these tunes would be good to add to my collection.
Learn and Master Guitar on September 25, 2009 at 07:50 AM
I really love your post. Very informative and well written. Great job.
KristiC on February 02, 2009 at 11:02 AM
I'd add Lori Carson's "Where It Goes" (assuming these don't have to be *happy* romantic albums).
novax on February 01, 2009 at 11:23 AM
what do you commenters expect
pat gigliotti on February 01, 2009 at 09:48 AM
Were you people in a convent in the early sixties? Do you not know that every teenage boy in America used Johnny Mathis Albums the way Bill Clinton uses power and Cohibas? To leave Johnny off the list negates the entire operation.
RW on February 01, 2009 at 07:59 AM
I see Roxy Music "Avalon" at #38, but where is Bryan Ferry "Boys & Girls?
And Portishead is romantic? Well, OK. But #4? Ha. That's funny...
larry on February 01, 2009 at 06:03 AM
Any top romantic album list that has no Johnny Mathis cannot be taken seriously.
Douglas Fletcher on February 01, 2009 at 05:02 AM
What, no Captain Beefheart?
Exactly how drunk do you have to get to want to make up one of these silly lists?
Douglas Fletcher on February 01, 2009 at 05:01 AM
What, no Captain Beefheart?
Exactly how drunk do you have to get to want to make up one of these silly lists?
Ethan Gutmann on February 01, 2009 at 02:36 AM
Typical mainstream safe choices. What about "Rosemary Lane" by Bert Jansch?
Oh sorry, that's English folk, so I guess it doesn't count, but it certainly worked for me one lovely weekend in a bedsit in south-side Chicago.
You want romantic? Try early Johnny Cash, Jean Ritchie, practically anything by the arabic singer Natacha Atlas, Scott Walker's Brel album or the deeply nostalgiac John McCormack.
Not mainstream enough? Fine, what about Kate Bush's "The Sensual World"? I mean, for Pete's sake.
Open up. There is so much more out there than this rather pedestrian list.
Grrr. Fine, I'll make my own. One of these days....
BLBeamer on February 01, 2009 at 12:15 AM
Yes, on Coltrane, but the most romantic one of his albums is clearly "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman" or - just maybe - "Duke Ellington and John Coltrane". And there is no debate on that.
BLBeamer on February 01, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Yes, on Coltrane, but the most romantic one of his albums is clearly "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman" or - just maybe - "Duke Ellington and John Coltrane". And there is no debate on that.
Podito on January 31, 2009 at 11:51 PM
Portishead is romantic?
Pete on January 31, 2009 at 08:53 PM
You left off all those smooth Philly soul albums, like the Stylistics, the Moments, Intruders, or maybe some Teddy P.? That won't do, gotta get some of that in there.
Way to go on the Marvin Gaye, but you missed all of his great stuff that came before "Let's Get It On," such as all the duets with Tami Terrell.
Many other classic Motown acts were heavy-duty romancing music, like the Temptations, or Smokey Robinson (with the Miracles or solo). Put on his "Quiet Storm" sometime or "Crusin'" and you'll see what I mean. Doesn't get any smoother than that.
Curtis Mayfield "Superfly" is a classic of 1970s funk and deep soul. Try that and some Isaac Hayes and you'll be in gooood shape.
Speaking of the 1970s, Miami soul was hot stuff for love, try George McCrae's "Rock your Baby" or Gwen McCrae's "Rockin' Chair." (they were married in real life). If Gwen's song doesn't get you in the mood, nothing will.
Dinah Washington sang beautiful songs of love and heartache, she should be on there, too.
Grover Washington and George Benson - circa late 1970s - would be good, too, in that smooth jazz groove.
On the country side of life, slip in some Patsy Cline. That gal could sing.
baldilocks on January 31, 2009 at 08:47 PM
Touch by John Klemmer
baldilocks on January 31, 2009 at 08:47 PM
Touch by John Klemmer
Pete on January 31, 2009 at 08:37 PM
What, no classical guitar or flamenco on the list? Are you guys nuts?!
EMF on January 31, 2009 at 06:26 PM
I'm sorry - any list without Dire Straits' "Making Movies", let alone without said album being in the top 10, is suspect.
John Coltrane is mildly redeeming, though...
Chasm on January 31, 2009 at 06:15 PM
-add Nathanial Merriweather (Dan the Automator) presents Lovage: Music to Make Love To Your Old Lady By
-pick Gotan Project "La Revancha del Tango" over Thievery Corp by a hair.
-for love, Coltrane's with Johnny Hartman is tough to beat.
walrus on January 31, 2009 at 05:52 PM
No Righteous Brothers? Unchained Melody, etc. you blew it. Big time.
walrus on January 31, 2009 at 05:51 PM
No Righteous Brothers? Unchained Melody, etc. you blew it. Big time.
tisdale on January 31, 2009 at 05:18 PM
Excuuuuuuse me? No Johnny Mathis? You gotta be kidding...
tisdale on January 31, 2009 at 05:17 PM
Excuuuuuuse me? No Johnny Mathis? You gotta be kidding...
dthistle on January 31, 2009 at 05:01 PM
Nat "King" Cole Love is the Thing
Steve D on January 31, 2009 at 04:37 PM
I would have included "Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim" (Reprise Records 1967).
Sonny on the lake on January 31, 2009 at 04:28 PM
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
Derek Arnold on January 31, 2009 at 07:17 AM
Well, you do have a John Coltrane album on the list, but it's the wrong one, in my opinion. "John Coltrane Plays The Blues" is an incredible album that is understated, yet infectious. I believe it was Wynton Marsalis that said it was in his top three albums for, as Marvin would say, gettin it on. Give it one good listen and I promise it will make your top ten for sure!
Vonbane on January 30, 2009 at 09:35 PM
No Lionel Richie or Commodores? Unbelievable.