The Best Albums from Music's Most Seasoned Artists

Many musical acts of today are undeniably legends. Artists like Taylor Swift, who is recognized for her musicality, songwriting, and incredible business acumen that has inspired not just artists but entrepreneurs globally, and Lady Gaga, who has a successful entertainment career in music and film that extends beyond that to include philanthropic endeavors. But the musicians of yesteryear are just as impressive and have given us timeless songs and sounds that have left a lasting impression. The best albums from music's most seasoned artists have managed to endure throughout the ages.

The lyrical depth of older music acts can't be argued because it's enriched by the experiences of those who have truly lived—and have stories worth telling. Without many of these legendary seasoned artists, today's pop stars might not be where they are. (For more modern music, check out the Most Popular Albums of 2023.)

To determine the best albums from music's most seasoned artists, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on historical chart performance from the Billboard 200. Albums were ranked based on an inverse scoring system wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 200 points, a week at No. 2 is worth 199 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 200, is worth one point. Only studio albums by musicians who were 65 years or older at the time of their release were considered. Chart data is current through June 1, 2024.

Here are the best albums from music's most seasoned artists:

50. Willie Nelson, "To All The Girls…" (2013)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 9 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 80 years

49. Levon Helm, "Electric Dirt" (2009)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 36 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 9 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years

48. Dolly Parton, "Pure & Simple" (2016)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 11 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 9 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 70 years

47. Willie Nelson, "Band Of Brothers" (2014)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 9 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 81 years

46. Cher, "Dancing Queen" (2018)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 72 years

45. Dolly Parton, "Rockstar" (2023)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 7 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 77 years

44. George Strait, "Honky Tonk Time Machine" (2019)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 66 years

43. Neil Diamond, "Dreams" (2010)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 8 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years

42. Robert Plant, "Lullaby And… The Ceaseless Roar" (2014)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 10 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 7 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 66 years

41. Rod Stewart, "Time" (2013)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 7 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 68 years

40. Bob Dylan, "Shadows In The Night" (2015)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 7 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 73 years

39. Ozzy Osbourne, "Ordinary Man" (2020)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 71 years

38. Frank Sinatra, "L.A. Is My Lady" (1984)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 58 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 68 years

37. Bruce Springsteen, "Letter To You" (2020)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 9 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 71 years

36. Paul McCartney, "Egypt Station" (2018)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 76 years

35. Leonard Cohen, "Old Ideas" (2012)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 8 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 77 years

34. Kenny Rogers, "Water & Bridges" (2006)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 14 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 67 years

33. Tony Bennett, "Viva Duets" (2012)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 86 years

32. John Wayne, "America: Why I Love Her" (1973)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 66 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 16 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 65 years

31. Jimmy Buffett, "Songs From St. Somewhere" (2013)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 66 years

30. David Bowie, "The Next Day" (2013)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 66 years

29. Barbra Streisand, "Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway" (2016)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 74 years

28. Barbra Streisand, "What Matters Most" (2011)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 10 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years

27. Leonard Cohen, "You Want It Darker" (2016)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 7 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 10 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 82 years

26. Bob Dylan, "Tempest" (2012)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 71 years

25. Neil Diamond, "Melody Road" (2014)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 10 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 73 years

24. Frank Sinatra, "She Shot Me Down" (1981)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 52 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 66 years

23. Eric Clapton, "Old Sock" (2013)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 7 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 14 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 68 years

22. Tony Bennett, "Perfectly Frank" (1992)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 102 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 26 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 66 years

21. Leonard Bernstein, "West Side Story" (1985)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 70 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 20 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 66 years

20. Paul McCartney, "New" (2013)

1973: Pop singer and bass player Paul McCartney, formerly of The Beatles, sporting a fantastic mullet. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 14 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 71 years

19. Bette Midler, "It's The Girls!" (2014)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years

18. Paul McCartney, "Kisses On The Bottom" (2012)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years

17. Don Henley, "Cass County" (2015)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 68 years

16. David Bowie, "Blackstar" (2016)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 12 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years

15. Willie Nelson, "The Great Divide" (2002)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 43 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 23 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 68 years

14. Bob Dylan, "Together Through Life" (2009)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 68 years

13. Barbra Streisand, "Love Is The Answer" (2009)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 14 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 67 years

12. Neil Diamond, "Home Before Dark" (2008)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 18 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 67 years

11. Paul Simon, "So Beautiful Or So What" (2011)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 16 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years

10. Paul McCartney, "Memory Almost Full" (2007)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 65 years

9. B.B. King, "Deuces Wild" (1997)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 73 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 30 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 72 years

8. Cher, "Closer To The Truth" (2013)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 24 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 67 years

7. Bob Dylan, "Modern Times" (2006)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 27 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 65 years

6. Barbra Streisand, "Partners" (2014)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 24 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 72 years

5. Tony Bennett, "Duets II" (2011)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 35 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 85 years

4. Tony Bennett, "Duets: An American Classic" (2006)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 57 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 80 years

3. Johnny Cash, "American IV: The Man Comes Around" (2002)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 22 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 62 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 70 years

2. Ray Charles, "Genius Loves Company" (2004)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 61 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 74 years

1. John Anderson, "Seminole Wind" (1992)

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 35 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 75 weeks
Artist age at time of release: 69 years