Apple Music is releasing a $450 hardcover book dedicated to its 100 best albums

Apple Music chose its 100 greatest albums earlier this year. But it looks like the digital celebration was only part of the story. Apple Music has announced a new hardcover book to commemorate the album list. Here's the kicker: It'll cost you $450.

The New Book Has a Limited Print Run of 1,500 Copies

Apple Music has teamed up with Assouline to release a new limited edition book.

The new book will be a limited edition of 1,500 copies, and it's available for pre-order now. It's expected to ship November 29.

Celebrating the first list of the best Apple Music records ever made, Apple Music: 100 Greatest Albums is a lasting addition to the digital initiative that launched on the streaming service in 2024. Limited to 1,500 copies, the books are housed in sleek, clear acrylic cases, each individually engraved with the edition number. Inside, readers will find select albums hand-picked by Apple Music’s team of experts alongside an exclusive group of artists, including Maren Morris, Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon, and Nia Archives, as well as songwriters, producers, and industry professionals. The list is an entirely editorial statement that does not adhere to any clearly defined criteria and is completely independent of any streaming numbers. At its core, it's a love letter to the records that shaped the world of music lovers who live and listen to it.

The $450 price tag may seem steep, but the very small print run makes this book more of a collector's item than a standard coffee table book.

Top comment from Hazen

Liked by 2 people

Most of Apple's top music is only top music because they have a paid marketing partnership with the artist, usually at the peak of their career, to drive interest in Apple Music. There's nothing special about any Apple Music list. Might as well squeeze a vendor list into a fancy coffee table book while you're at it.

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In its announcement on X, Apple Music posted a video showing a quick preview of the book.

Details About Apple Music: The 100 Best Albums Book

Here are some more interesting facts about the book:

Weights 8 pounds
Foreword by Zane Lowe
The book comes in an acrylic slipcase, but the book itself is a hardcover made of linen
The back of the slipcase has the edition number, and inside is a hand-numbered bookplate
The edges of the pages sparkle in gold, as does the spine on the title
Interestingly, the book includes 97 illustrations, so the 3 albums will not have accompanying artwork

In 2016, Apple released a similar book for collectors: Designed by Apple in California. It came in two sizes: $199 and $299. The prices were met with much criticism at the time, so expect the same reception as the new Apple Music book.

Want to order the new 100 Best Albums book? Let us know in the comments.