New additions to the 2026 list are in bold.

So far, I have only found one edition that has been removed from the 2026 list that was present on the 2025 list: the 33 RPM Analogue Productions edition of Holly Cole’s Temptation. Whereas on the 2025 list both the 33 RPM edition and the 45 RPM box set by Analogue Productions each made the cut, the 33 RPM edition appears to have been dropped for 2026.

Use the bulleted list below to “jump” down to specific portions of the page.

Best of the Bunch: Classical

Best of the Bunch: Popular

Special Merit: Classical

Special Merit: Operas and Oratorios

  • Peter Phillips / The Tallis Scholars – Allegri: Miserere; Mundy: Vox Patris Caelestis; Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli [Stereo] (1980 Original Pressing)
  • Bach: St. Matthew Passion/Pears, Fischer-Dieskau, Schwarzkopf/Klemperer. EMI/Columbia SAXS 2446 (4LP)+
  • Bartók: Bluebeard’s Castle/Ludwig, Kertesz. Decca SET 311
  • Beethoven: Fidelio/Ludwig, Vickers, Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra. Columbia SAX 2451-2453 (3LP)+
  • Bellini: Norma/Callas, Serafin, La Scala Orchestra. Angel SCL-3615 (3LP)+
  • Berg: Lulu/Dohnányi, Vienna Phil. London OSA 13120 (4LP)
  • Berg: Lulu/Stratas, Boulez, Orchestre de l’Opéra de Paris. DG 2711 024 (4LP)
  • Berg: Wozzeck/Abbado, Vienna Phil. DG 423587-1 (2LP)
  • Berg: Wozzeck/Boulez, Paris National Opera. Columbia 32 21 0002
  • Bizet: Carmen/Bernstein. Deutsche Grammophon/Speakers Corner 2709 043‡
  • Brecht/Weill: Threepenny Opera/New York Shakespeare Festival. Columbia 34326
  • Britten: Billy Budd/Britten, Pears. London OSA-1390
  • Britten: Noye’s Fludde. Argo ZK-1
  • Britten: Peter Grimes/Britten, Pears, ROHO. Decca SXL 2150-2
  • Dallapiccolo: Il Prigioniero/Dorati, Salonen. Decca Headline 10
  • Debussy: Pelleas et Melisande/Boulez. Columbia M3 30119
  • French & Italian Opera Arias/Freni, Votto. EMI/Angel 34045
  • Christopher Hogwood / Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford / The Academy of Ancient Music / Judith Nelson / Emma Kirkby / David Thomas – Handel: Messiah, A Sacred Oratorio (1980 Original Pressing)
  • Henze: The Young Lord/Dohnányi. DG 138 257
  • Janácek: From the House of the Dead/Neumann. Supraphon 10 2941
  • Sir Charles Mackerras / Wiener Philharmoniker / Elisabeth Söderström / Wieslav Ochman / Petr Dvorský / Eva Randová / Lucia Popp – Janáček: Jenůfa [Stereo] (Original UK Edition)
  • Sir Charles Mackerras / Wiener Philharmoniker / Elisabeth Söderström / Petr Dvorský / Naděžda Kniplová – Janáček: Katya Kabanova [Stereo] (Original UK Edition)
  • Janácek: The Makropoulos Case/Mackerras. London OSA 12116
  • Janácek: Slavonic Mass/Lear, Kubelik, Symphonie-Orchester der Bayerischen Rundfunks. DG 138 954
  • Menotti: Amahl & the Night Visitors. RCA LSC-2762‡
  • Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro/Siepi, Gueden, E. Kleiber, Vienna Phil. London OSA 1402 (4LP)
  • Mozart: The Magic Flute/Solti. London OSA 1397
  • Mozart: The Magic Flute/Klemperer, Gedda, Janowitz, Popp, et al. His Master’s Voice SLS 912-3/Angel SCL-3651 (3LP)
  • Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov/Ghiaurov, Karajan. Decca SET-514/7
  • Poulenc: The Dialogues of the Carmelites/Duclos, Crespin. HMV 2C 153-12801-3+
  • Puccini: La Bohème/Pavarotti, Freni, Karajan. Decca SET-565/6
  • Puccini: Madame Butterfly/De Los Angeles, Santini. Angel S 3604
  • Puccini: Tosca/Callas, Di Stefano, De Sabata. Testament (180g, 2LP, mono)‡+
  • Puccini: Tosca/Price, Karajan. RCA LDS-7022
  • Puccini: Turandot/Sutherland, Pavarotti, Mehta. Decca SET 561-3
  • Schoenberg: Moses und Aaron/Boulez. Columbia M233594
  • Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of Minsk/Rostropovich EMI 49955
  • R. Strauss: Die Frau Ohne Schatten/Solti. Deutsche Grammophon 136911/14
  • R. Strauss: Elektra/Nilsson, Solti. Decca/Speakers Corner 354/5‡
  • R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier/Schwarzkopf, Karajan, Philharmonia Orchestra. Angel Records 3563 D/L (4LP, mono)+
  • R. Strauss: Salome/Nilsson, Solti. Decca 228/9
  • Verdi: Aida/Tebaldi, Karajan. London OSA-1313
  • Verdi: Macbeth/Abbado, Verrett, Domingo. Deutsche Gramm 2709 062
  • Verdi: Otello/McCracken, Barbirolli. HMV SLS940/3
  • Verdi: Requiem/Gedda, Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, Giulini, Philharmonia Orchestra, et al. His Masters Voice SAN 133-34†+
  • Wagner: Parsifal/Knappertsbusch. Philips/Speakers Corner 835 220/24 AY (5LP)‡
  • Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen. London Records RING S-1 (19LP)
  • Wilhelm Furtwängler / Kirsten Flagstad / Ludwig Suthaus – Wagner: Tristan und Isolde [Mono] (Original UK Edition)
  • Weill: The Threepenny Opera Suite/Chicago Pro Musica. Reference Recordings RR-29

Special Merit: Collections

Special Merit: Informal

Special Merit: Singles & EPs

  • A-ha: Take On Me. British Warner Brothers W-9006
  • Greg Allman: Midnight RiderThese Days. Mercury/Analogue Productions AAPP 123-45-P (45rpm)‡
  • Andrew Bird: Useless Creatures. Fat Possum Records FP1219-1‡
  • David Bowie: Let’s Dance. EMI-America SQ-17093
  • China Crisis: In a Catholic Style. British Virgin VS-765112
  • Death Cab For Cutie: The Georgia E.P. (Death Cab For Cutie Self-released, pink vinyl)‡
  • Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Relax. British Virgin/ZTT-1ZZTAS1
  • Freeez: I.O.U. Streetwise SWRL-2210
  • Bill Henderson: Send in the Clowns. Classic Records/Jazz Planet 0779-33/45C (45rpm)‡
  • Human League: Don’t You Want Me. British Virgin 466-12B
  • Greg Kihn Band: Jeopardy. Beserkley 0-67932
  • Sofia Kourtesis: Fresia Magdalena. Technicolour TCLR0137
  • New Order: Blue Monday. Qwest Records 20332-0
  • Propaganda: Machinery. British Virgin/ZTT 12xZ TAS 12
  • Lionel Richie: All Night Long. Motown 4514-MG
  • Satchmo Plays King Oliver. Audio Fidelity/Analogue Productions AAPJ 5930-45-P (45rpm)‡
  • DJ Shadow: The Mountain Has Fallen. Mass Appeal. MSAP0046EP‡
  • Sonar: The Bill Laswell Mix Translations. 7d Media 7d 1911‡
  • Sylvan Esso: Kick Jump Twist. Loma Vista 88072 01438 (45rpm)‡
  • Jeff Tweedy: Love Is The King. dBpm DBPM-005-20-7 (45rpm)‡
  • Gerry Woo: Help Yourself. Polydor 887-529-1
  • Yaz: Don’t Go. Mute Yaz-001
  • Yello: Lost Again. Elektra 966790
  • Yello & Shirley Bassey: The Rhythm Divine. Mercury 888-746-1

Special Merit: Film and Broadway Scores

  • Sonny Rollins – Alfie (Original Music from the Score) [Stereo] (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series Edition)
  • Badalamenti: Lost Highway. Nothing/Polydor 5741133‡
  • The Band: The Last Waltz. Warner Bros. 3146‡
  • The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night. Capitol 3782572 (mono)‡
  • The Beatles: Help! Capitol 3782574 (mono)‡
  • Bennett: Murder on the Orient Express. Capitol Records ST-11361
  • E. Bernstein: The Grifters. Varese Sarabande VS-5290
  • L. Bernstein: West Side Story. Columbia/Analog Spark OS 2001/79301836801-8 2*‡
  • L. Bernstein: Symphonic Suite From On the Waterfront. Columbia MS6251
  • Bliss: Things to Come. EMI ASD-3416*
  • Byrne, et al.: Something Wild. MCA Records MCA-6194
  • Cooder: Paris, Texas. Real Gone Music RLGM 05431PMI‡
  • Miles Davis – Ascenseur pour l’echafaud [Mono] (Sam Records Edition)
  • Desplat and Mothersbaugh: Moonrise Kingdom. ABKCO (45rpm)‡
  • Goldsmith: The Boys from Brazil. A&M Records SP-4731
  • Goldsmith: Chinatown. ABC ABDP-848
  • Herrmann: Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. Soundtrack Factory SF 579421‡
  • Herrmann: Citizen Kane/Gerhardt, LSO. ORG (180g, 45rpm, 2LP)‡
  • Herrmann: The Fantasy Film World. Decca PFS-4309
  • Herrmann: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Filmmusic Collection FMC-4*
  • Herrmann: The Three Worlds of Gulliver. Decca PFS-4337
  • Homrich/Gascoigne: The Emerald Forest. Varese Sarabande STV-81244
  • Horner: Glory. Virgin 1-91329
  • Jarre: The Professionals. Colgems COSO-5001
  • Kander & Ebb: Chicago [The Miramax Motion Picture Soundtrack]. Barnes & Noble Exclusive (red vinyl) 
  • Kern: Show Boat/McGlinn, Von Stade, Stratas. EMI
  • Mancini: Hatari! RCA/Analogue Productions AAPP 2559-45-P (45rpm)‡
  • Mancini: The Pink Panther. RCA/Analogue Productions LSP-2795-45 (45rpm)‡
  • Curtis Mayfield – Super Fly [Stereo] (Mobile Fidelity GAIN 2 Series 45 RPM Edition)
  • Moroder: Cat People. Backstreet BSR-6107
  • Morricone: The Mission. Virgin 90567-1
  • Myrow/Seagrave: Phantasm. Varese VC-81105
  • Nitzsche: The Hot Spot. Antilles/Analogue Productions 8755 (45rpm)‡
  • O Brother, Where Art Thou? Lost Highway 619101‡
  • Porter: Anything Goes (LuPone). RCA Victor 7769-1-RC
  • Prokofiev: Ivan the Terrible. EMI SLS-5110
  • Rota: Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile. Capitol Records SW-11866
  • Rota: The Godfather. Geffen Records B0022409-01‡
  • Rózsa: Ben Hur. Decca PFS-4394
  • Rózsa: Quo Vadis. Decca PFS-4430
  • Sondheim: Pacific Overtures. RCA ARL-1-1367
  • Sondheim: Sweeney Todd. RCA CBL2-3379
  • Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense 2023. Sire 83283 (180g, 2LP)
  • Tiomkin: Lost Horizons. British RCA GL-43445
  • Tiomkin: The Thing. British RCA RL-42005
  • Vangelis: Antarctica. Japanese Polydor 2MM-0290
  • Various: The Darjeeling Limited. ABKCO 0018771830016‡
  • Various: The Flight of the Condor. BBC Records REB-440
  • Various: Goodfellas. Atlantic 670.9313
  • Various: Grease. RSO 2658 125‡
  • Various: Pulp Fiction. Universal 5345461‡
  • Waxman: Sunset Boulevard: The Music of Franz Waxman/Gerhardt, LSO. ORG 0147-45 (180g, 45rpm, 2LP)‡
  • John Williams At The Movies. Reference Mastercuts RR-142 (2LP, 180g)‡
  • Winehouse, et al.: Amy. Republic 65739 (180g, 2LP)‡
  • Zimmer: Dunkirk. Music on Vinyl MOVATM171‡