Maren Morris Names Her ‘Perfect Album’ as Apple Music Lists the 100 All-Time Best

• Apple Music teamed up with artists including Maren Morris as well as music industry experts to craft its 100 Best Albums of all time list
• The first 10 albums, including works by Robyn and Solange, were unveiled on May 13
• In PEOPLE exclusive quotes, Morris opened up about some of her favorite albums and why full-length projects remain important

Albums are very important to Maren Morris as an art form.

The “My Church” singer-songwriter joined a team of fellow musicians including Pharrell, J Balvin, Charli XCX and more to help Apple Music vote on its 100 Best Albums of all time list.

On May 13, Apple Music unveiled the first 10 albums on the list, while Morris opened up to the streaming service about her favorite full-length bodies of work and why they’re still important to release, PEOPLE can exclusively share.

According to the Grammy winner, an album marks “a temporary moment in time that is archived for the artist but eternalized for the listener.”

“EPs and single-to-single releases have their purpose as a free stream of consciousness for an artist (and fans love it because they get to hear their favorite artist’s thought process), but an album is putting a period at the end of a sentence, which can be daunting but so powerful,” explained Morris, 34.

Countless albums have been released into the world, but few have made an impact that stood the test of time — and Morris comes back to one in particular.

“That is so subjective,” she said, “but I always go back to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The poetry, her blend of genres, the cultural impact it still has to this day… it’s a perfect album.”

Other albums, however, have stuck a more personal chord with the “Bones” singer, such as Patty Griffin’s Flaming Red.

“Flaming Red has had the most impact on me as a songwriter and producer. The crazy sonics on that album, the fact that it sounds like it could have been made this year when it’s almost 30 years old,” said Morris. “And god, Patty’s words. I have the lyrics of ‘Christina’ on my shoulder blade. What that chorus meant to me in my teenage years it does even more so now; holding onto reality through fame.”

It’s impressive for an artist to make even one album that sticks with listeners long after its release, but it’s rare for them to continuously release projects that connect with audiences on a deeper level.

Morris thinks two artists have mastered the art of making albums: “I’m so split between Beyoncé and Radiohead.”

“Each of their albums is a cultural moment that shaped millions of people’s lives at the time of their release,” she explains of the superstar acts, before zeroing in on Radiohead. “The first album I was stoned to was OK Computer, and I remember being in the passenger seat of a friend’s car as we drove over the bridge of our hometown lake, windows and sunroof down. ‘Airbag’ takes me right back.”

“Every Beyoncé album is a thoughtful, soulful gift from her to us,” adds Morris of the Destiny’s Child alum. “Lemonade and Homecoming and now Cowboy Carter. I’m just honored to be a witness during her time.”

Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list was voted on by a committee of experts at the streaming platform as well as artists including Morris, Pharrell, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon and Nia Archives, plus various songwriters, producers and industry professionals.

“Putting this list together was a true labor of love, both in that it was incredibly difficult to do and in that we are all so passionate about it,” said Apple Music’s Zane Lowe in a statement.

“We were tasked with selecting the 100 best — that’s practically mission impossible,” continued Lowe, 50. “But as music fans, it was also amazing to really take a minute and sit and think about the music and albums and artists that we love so much in this context. If this list sparks more debate among fans outside of Apple Music and gets people talking passionately about the music they love, then we’ve done what we set out to do.”

Apple Music will unveil the full 100 Best Albums list in groups of 10 over the next 10 days. See the first 10 below.

100. Body Talk, Robyn

99. Hotel California, Eagles

98. ASTROWORLD, Travis Scott

97. Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine

96. Pure Heroine, Lorde

95. Confessions, USHER

94. Untrue, Burial

93. A Seat at the Table, Solange

92. Flower Boy, Tyler, The Creator

91. Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, George Michael