What is the best pop album by a male solo artist of all time?

From Michael Jackson's record-breaking Thriller to Harry Styles's acclaimed Harry's House, male solo artists have shaped the sound of pop across the decades — vote for the album that stands above all others.

Thriller

Michael Jackson's 1982 cultural monolith — the best-selling album of all time fusing pop, rock, and funk.

1/22

Off the Wall

Michael Jackson's 1979 disco-pop breakthrough that proved he could shine as a fully realized adult solo artist.

2/22

Bad

Michael Jackson's 1987 follow-up that produced a record five number-one singles with polished pop-funk production.

3/22

Purple Rain

Prince's 1984 soundtrack album fusing rock, pop, funk, and R&B into a cinematic pop masterwork.

4/22

Sign o' the Times

Prince's ambitious 1987 double album exploring social themes across a genre-defying mix of pop, funk, and rock.

5/22

Songs in the Key of Life

Stevie Wonder's 1976 double-LP — a sprawling celebration of life, love, and social consciousness from a pop genius at his peak.

6/22

FutureSex/LoveSounds

Justin Timberlake's 2006 genre-blurring album combining electro-funk, new wave, and polished R&B-pop.

7/22

Faith

George Michael's 1987 debut solo album blending blue-eyed soul with effortlessly catchy pop songwriting.

8/22

÷ (Divide)

Ed Sheeran's 2017 chart-dominant album spanning acoustic ballads to stadium-filling dance anthems.

9/22

24K Magic

Bruno Mars's 2016 funk and R&B-pop throwback that swept the Grammy Awards.

10/22

After Hours

The Weeknd's 2020 synth-pop opus about excess and heartbreak set against neon-drenched noir.

11/22

Purpose

Justin Bieber's 2015 comeback album infusing electronic dance music with confessional pop maturity.

12/22

Fine Line

Harry Styles's 2019 rock-inflected pop album hailed as one of the decade's most critically acclaimed solo records.

13/22

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John's 1973 double album blending glam rock, pop, country, and theatrical balladry in a defining career statement.

14/22

Can't Slow Down

Lionel Richie's 1983 mainstream pop powerhouse featuring multiple chart-topping singles.

15/22

Get Lifted

John Legend's 2004 debut merging gospel, soul, and lush pop songwriting into a critically acclaimed introduction.

16/22

× (Multiply)

Ed Sheeran's 2014 breakthrough album blending acoustic folk-pop with hip-hop influences and earworm hooks.

17/22

Harry's House

Harry Styles's 2022 kaleidoscopic pop album infused with 70s warmth, funk-pop energy, and introspective lyricism.

18/22

Justified

Justin Timberlake's 2002 debut album merging neo-soul, R&B, and bubblegum pop in Timbaland-produced style.

19/22

Dawn FM

The Weeknd's 2022 synth-pop concept album styled as a late-night radio broadcast from purgatory.

20/22

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael's 1990 deeply personal album deliberately moving away from commercial pop toward artistic exploration.

21/22

Innervisions

Stevie Wonder's 1973 socially charged album blending funk, soul, and jazz-pop arrangements into a timeless pop statement.

22/22