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This is a chronological listing of the top 100 Hard Bop albums of all time.
The albums span several decades and represent various styles within the genre.

See our new ongoing list of The Second Hundred albums, the best of the rest.


ArtistAlbumDateLabel
1Wardell GrayLos Angeles All-StarsJan. 21, 1952Prestige
2J.J. JohnsonThe Eminent J.J., Vol. 1June 22, 1953Blue Note
3Miles DavisWalkin'April 29, 1954Prestige
4Elmo HopeElmo Hope QuintetMay 9, 1954Blue Note
5Art FarmerWhen Farmer Met GryceMay 19, 1954Prestige
6Sonny RollinsMovin' OutAug. 18, 1954Prestige
7Horace SilverThe Jazz MessengersDec. 13, 1954Blue Note
8Clifford BrownStudy In BrownFeb. 23, 1955EmArcy
9Kenny DorhamThe Jazz ProphetsApril 4, 1956Chess
10Art BlakeyThe Jazz MessengersApril 6, 1956Columbia
11Johnny GriffinIntroducing Johnny GriffinApril 17, 1956Blue Note
12Max RoachMax Roach Plus FourSept. 17, 1956EmArcy
13The Lighthouse All-StarsMusic For LighthousekeepingOct. 2, 1956Contemporary
14J.R. MonteroseJ.R. MonteroseOct. 21, 1956Blue Note
15Clifford JordanBlowing In From ChicagoMarch 3, 1957Blue Note
16Clark TerrySerenade To A Bus SeatApril 1, 1957Riverside
17Ray BryantRay Bryant TrioApril 5, 1957Prestige
18John ColtraneBlue TrainSept. 15, 1957Blue Note
19Lee MorganThe CookerSept. 29, 1957Blue Note
20Ornette ColemanSomething ElseFeb. 10, 1958Contemporary
21Jimmy SmithThe SermonFeb. 25, 1958Blue Note
22Cannonball AdderleyPortrait of CannonballJuly 1, 1958Riverside
23Lou DonaldsonThe Blues WalkJuly 28, 1958Blue Note
24Thelonious MonkMisteriosoAug. 1, 1958Riverside
25Dizzy ReeceBlues In TrinityAug. 24, 1958Blue Note
26Jerome RichardsonMidnight OilOct. 10, 1958Prestige
27Art BlakeyMoanin'Oct. 30, 1958Blue Note
28Frank RosolinoFree For AllDec. 22, 1958Specialty
29Horace SilverFinger Poppin'Jan. 31, 1959Blue Note
30Art BlakeyAt The Jazz Corner of the WorldApril 15, 1959Blue Note
31John ColtraneGiant StepsMay 4, 1959Atlantic
32Charles MingusMingus Ah UmMay 5, 1959Columbia
33Curtis FullerBlues-etteMay 21, 1959Savoy
34Donald ByrdByrd In HandMay 31, 1959Blue Note
35Harold LandThe FoxAug. 1, 1959Contemporary
36Walter Davis, Jr.Davis CupAug. 2, 1959Blue Note
37Benny GolsonGroovin' With GolsonAug. 28, 1959Prestige
38Jimmy HeathThe ThumperSept. 1, 1959Riverside
39Bobby TimmonsThis Here is Bobby TimmonsJan. 13, 1960Riverside
40The JazztetMeet The JazztetFeb. 6, 1960Chess
41Hank MobleySoul StationFeb. 7, 1960Blue Note
42Art BlakeyThe Big BeatMarch 6, 1960Blue Note
43Barry HarrisAt The Jazz WorkshopMay 15, 1960Riverside
44Freddie ReddThe ConnectionJune 13, 1960Felsted
45Tina BrooksTrue BlueJune 25, 1960Blue Note
46Teddy EdwardsTeddy's ReadyAug. 17, 1960Contemporary
47Jackie McLeanJackie's BagSept. 1, 1960Blue Note
48Booker ErvinCookin'Nov. 26, 1960Savoy
49Kenny DrewUndercurrentDec. 11, 1960Blue Note
50Stanley TurrentineThe Blue HourDec. 16, 1960Blue Note
51Freddie HubbardHub CapApril 9, 1961Blue Note
52The Jazz CrusadersBest of the Jazz CrusadersMay 1, 1961Pacific Jazz
53Dexter GordonDoin' AllrightMay 6, 1961Blue Note
54Horace SilverDoin' The ThingMay 20, 1961Blue Note
55Gene AmmonsBoss TenorsAug. 27, 1961Verve
56Sonny ClarkLeapin' & Lopin'Nov. 13, 1961Blue Note
57Don ByasTribute To CannonballDec. 15, 1961Columbia
58Herbie HancockTakin' OffMay 28, 1962Blue Note
59Wes MontgomeryFull HouseJune 25, 1962Riverside
60Blue MitchellThe Cup BearersAug. 28, 1962Riverside
61Kenny BurrellMidnight BlueJan. 7, 1963Blue Note
62Joe HendersonPage OneJune 3, 1963Blue Note
63Lee MorganThe SidewinderDec. 21, 1963Blue Note
64Grant GreenSolidJune 12, 1964Blue Note
65Wayne ShorterSpeak No EvilDec. 24, 1964Blue Note
66Hank MobleyDippin'June 18, 1965Blue Note
67Lee MorganCornbreadSept. 18, 1965Blue Note
68Horace SilverCape Verdean BluesOct. 1, 1965Blue Note
69Larry YoungUnityNov. 10, 1965Blue Note
70Joe HendersonMode For JoeJan. 27, 1966Blue Note
71George BensonGeorge Benson CookbookAug. 1, 1966Columbia
72Sonny CrissThis Is Criss!Oct. 21, 1966Prestige
73Lee MorganThe ProcrasitnatorJuly 14, 1967Blue Note
74Duke PearsonThe Right TouchSept. 13, 1967Blue Note
75Lonnie SmithThink!July 23, 1968Blue Note
76Rusty BryantRusty Bryant ReturnsFeb. 17, 1969Prestige
77Les McCannSwiss MovementJune 22, 1969Atlantic
78Houston PersonGoodness!Aug. 25, 1969Prestige
79Louis HayesIchi-BanMay 5, 1976Timeless
80Nick BrignolaL.A. BoundOct. 17, 1979Night Life
81Art BlakeyStraight AheadJune 1, 1981Concord
82David "Fathead" NewmanStill Hard TimesApril 14, 1982Muse
83Joanne BrackeenFi-Fi Goes To HeavenOct. 1, 1986Concord
84Marvin "Smitty" SmithKeeper Of The DrumsMarch 1, 1987Concord
85Bobby HutchersonCruisin' The 'BirdApril 15, 1988Landmark
86Ray BrownBam Bam BamDec. 1, 1988Concord
87Ricky FordHard Groovin'Feb. 24, 1989Muse
88Erica LindsayDreamerMarch 3, 1989Candid
89Roy HargroveDiamond In The RoughDec. 1, 1989Novus
90Benny GreenLineageJan. 30, 1990Blue Note
91Ralph MooreFurthermoreMarch 3, 1990Landmark
92Ray BrownMoore Makes FourMay 22, 1990Concord
93Mike SmithOn A Cool NightJan. 1, 1991Delmark
94T.S. MonkTake OneOct. 16, 1991Blue Note
95Tom ScottBorn AgainMarch 1, 1992GRP
96Travis ShookTravis ShookJan. 1, 1993Columbia
97Kenny BarronOther PlacesFeb. 1, 1993Verve
98Jimmy SmithDamn!Jan. 24, 1995Verve
99Horace SilverThe Hardbop GrandpopFeb. 29, 1996Impulse!
100Jake LangleyDoug's GarageNov. 10, 1999Radioland



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