Wales Arts Review has brought together its editors and contributors to compile a list of the 100 greatest Welsh albums of all time.
Wales, throughout its history, has always been a land of song. Welsh tradition places a high value on music, and it is a major part of Wales’ national culture. As far back as the twelfth century, there is historical record of distinct, unique music coming from Wales and that continues to this day.
Over the past few decades, major music publications have compiled lists of what their editors and contributors feel to be the greatest albums and songs of all time, but Wales Arts Review’s editors and contributors strived to create a list that celebrates Welsh musical output.
Wales Arts Review has put together a list of what we feel to be the 100 greatest albums to come from Wales. The entries range from the 1950s all the way to the present day, with well-known international icons such as Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey, rising stars such as Cate Le Bon and Meilyr Jones, and everyone in between. Modern Welsh music encompasses everything from folk, rap and electronic. Join us as we celebrate the wonder and uniqueness of Welsh music.
Here is our list of the 100 greatest Welsh albums:
100: Los Campesinos!
We Are Doomed, We Are Beautiful
(2008, Wichita Recordings)
99: KEYS
Ring the Changes
(2014, Libertino Recordings)
98: Tom Jones
A-Tom-ic Jones
(1966, Decca)
97: Manic Street Preachers
Gold Against the Soul
(1993, Sony Music)
96: Anchoress
The Art of Losing
(2021, Kscope)
95: Catatonia
International Velvet
(1998, Warner Music)
94: Gwenifer Raymond
Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain
(2021, Tompkins Square)
93: Rollo
Ethereal
(2021, Bard Picasso)
92: Jon Langford
Skull Orchard Revisited
(2012, Verse Chorus Press)
91: Koreless
Agor
(2021, Young)
90: Euros Childs
Miracle Inn
(2007, Wichita Recordings)
89: Skamma
The Wishing Chair
(2019)
88: Zarelli
Soft Rains
(2015, Bronzerat)
87: H. Hawkline
In the Pink Condition
(2015, Heavenly Recordings)
86: Shirley Bassey
Something
(1970, Parlophone)
85: Manic Street Preachers
Everything Must Go
(1996, Sony Music)
84: Islet
Illuminated People
(2012, Shape Records)
83: Dub War
Pain
(1995, Earache Records)
82: The Joy Formidable
Into the Blue
(2021, Hassle Records)
81: Llio Rhydderch
Enlli
(2003, Welsh Fflach Tradd)
80: Pretty Vicious
Beauty of Youth
(2019, Big Machine Records)
79: Bitw
Bitw
(2019, Klep Dim Trep)
78: Jack Da Trippa
Kim Chong Hon
(2020)
77: Carwyn Elis & Rio 18
Mas
(2021, Recordaui Agati)
76: The Joy Formidable
The Hitch
(2016, C’mon Let’s Do It)
75: Joanna Gruesome
Peanut Butter
(2015, Fortuna POP!)
74: Sweet Baboo
Ships
(2013, Moshi Moshi Records)
73: Dylan Fowler and Julie Murphy
Ffawd
(2001, Fflach Tradd)
72: Colorama
Chaos Wonderland
(2020, Recordaui Agati)
71: The Darling Buds
Pop Said
(1988, Sony Music)
70: Hippies Vs Ghosts
Droogs
(2015, Ghosts Vs Hippies)
69: Blue Rondo à la Turk
Chewing the Fat
(1982, Cherry Red Records)
68: Super Furry Animals
Rings Around the World
(2001, Epic)
67: Ogun
Flight Mode
(2021, No Sleep Records)
66: R.Seiliog
In Hz
(2014, Turnstile Music)
65: Drinks
Hermits on Holiday
(2015, Heavenly Recordings)
64: Gwenno
Y Dydd Olaf
(2015, Heavenly Recordings)
63: Catatonia
Way Beyond Blue
(1996, Warner Bros)
62: Villaelvin
Headroof
(2020, Hakuna Kulala)
61: Baby Queens
Baby Queens
(2016, Strangetown Records)
60: Underworld
Second Toughest in the Infants
(1996, Smith Hyde)
59: Cate Le Bon
Crab Day
(2016, Amplify Music)
58: Cotton Wolf
Life in Analogue
(2017, Bubblewrap)
57: Scritti Politti
Anomie Bonhomie
(1999, Rough Trade)
56: Boy Azooga
1,2 Kung Fu!
(2018, Heavenly Recordings)
55: 9Bach
Tincian
(2014, Real World Productions)
54: Datblygu
Pyst
(1990, Ankstmusic)
53: The Pride
Magic & Molecules
(2019, DK Records)
52: Lleuwen
Gwn Glân Beibl Budr
(2018, Sain Cyf)
51: Huw Warren
Hundreds of Things a Boy Can Make
(1997, Babel Label)
50: Shirley Bassey
Born to Sing the Blues
(1957, Phillips)
49: Datblygu
Wyau
(1988, Anhrefn Records)
48: Goldie Lookin’ Chain
Kings of Caerleon
(2013, 1983 Records)
47: Super Furry Animals
Mwng
(2000, Domino Recording Co)
46: Audiobooks
Now! (In a Minute)
(2018, Heavenly Recordings)
45: Georgia Ruth
Fossil Scale
(2016, Proper Music Publishing)
44: Cian Ciaran
They Are Nothing Without Us
(2013, Strangetown Records)
43: Gruff Rhys
Candylion
(2007, Rough Trade Records)
42: Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci
How I Long To Feel That Summer in My Heart
(2001, Mantra Recordings)
41: Mr Phormula
Tiwns
(2020, Mr Phormula)
40: Visage
Visage
(1980, Universal Recordings)
39: R.Seiliog
Megadoze
(2018, Turnstile Music)
38: Bendith
Bendith
(2016, Banana & Louie Records)
37: Meic Stevens
Outlander
(1970, Warner)
36: Kelly Lee Owens
Kelly Lee Owens
(2017, Smalltown Supersound)
35: Super Furry Animals
Phantom Power
(2003, Sony Music)
34: Gruff Rhys
Seeking New Gods
(2021, Rough Trade)
33: Adwaith
Melyn
(2018, Libertino Records)
32: John Cale
Slow Dazzle
(1975, Island)
31: Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci
Gorky 5
(1998, Mercury)
30: Super Furry Animals
Radiator
(1997, Creation)
29: Scritti Politti
Cupid & Psyche 85
(1985, Universal)
28: John Cale
Fear
(1974, Island)
27: Gruff Rhys
Babelsberg
(2018, Rough Trade)
26: Neon Neon
Stainless Style
(2008, Lex Records)
25: Silent Forum
Everything Solved at Once
(2019, Libertino)
24: Man
2oz of Plastic with a Hole in the Middle
(1969, Sanctuary)
23: Marina and the Diamonds
The Family Jewels
(2010, 679 Recordings)
22: Datblygu
Libertino
(2018, Ankstmusic)
21: Alex Dingley
Beat the Babble
(2018, Libertino)
20: Super Furry Animals
Fuzzy Logic
(1996, Creation)
19: Audiobooks
Astro Tough
(2021, Heavenly Recordings)
18: Gwenno
Le Kov
(2018, Heavenly Recordings)
17: Group Listening
Clarinet & Piano: Selected Works, Vol. 1
(2018, Prah Recordings)
16: Meilyr Jones
2013
(2016, Moshi Moshi)
15: Manic Street Preachers
Generation Terrorists
(1992, Sony Music)
14: Underworld
Dubnobasswithmyheadman
(1994, Junior Boy’s Own)
13: Cate Le Bon
Mug Museum
(2013, Amplify Music)
12: 60ft Dolls
The Big 3
(1996, Sony Music)
11: Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci
Barafundle
(1997, Mercury Records)
10: Gruff Rhys
American Interior
(2014, Turnstile)
9: Cate Le Bon
Reward
(2019, Mexican Summer)
8: Skindred
Roots Rock Riot
(2007, Bieler Bros)
7: Irma Vep
Embarrassed Landscape
(2020, Gringo Records)
6: John Cale
Paris 1919
(1973, Reprise Records)
5: Manic Street Preachers
The Holy Bible
(1994, Epic)
4: Applied Science
We and the Devil
(2021, Mean Business Records)
3: Deyah
Care City
(2020, High Mileage, Low Life)
2: Young Marble Giants
Colossal Youth
(1980, Rough Trade)
1: Scritti Politti
Songs to Remember
(1982, Rough Trade)
Dive into seven hours of the greatest music to ever come out of Wales with our 100 Greatest Welsh Albums of All Time playlist. Click here.
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List compiled by Wales Arts Review and friends of the Review. Words by Cath Holland, Tilly Foulkes, Caragh Medlicott, John Lavin, Gray Taylor, Nerys Williams, Craig Austin, Jude Rogers, David Roche, James Deacon, Jack Boyce, Gareth Smith, Tomos Williams, and Gary Raymond.
