List of albums that will still be popular 50 years from now...

czarivey - Take a look at today’s most popular albums that date from 50 years ago and I’m guessing at least 1/2 of those (probably more) will still be popular another 50 years down the road.

Hey Czarivey - Just something to think about.  I was actually focused more on singles than whole albums.  Somewhere there's got to be a list of top 100 recordings of all time.  Go through that and see how many date from 50 years back. That would be interesting.  50 years back does put us in the middle of the 60s...a significant time for popular music.  A transition period I would call it. but I'm no musicologist.

I think Mancini is a good call along with Miles.  A couple more names  that I think have enduring appeal are Sinatra (Summer Wind?  Strangers In The Night? or the albums they were on) and any number of R&B performers:  Ray Charles, Aretha,  Stevie Wonder (! Cherie Amour), Temptations (Papa Was A Rolling Stone).  Soul/R&B alone might fill up a big chunk of your 50.  

bdp might be right about The Beatles Sergeant Pepper's BUT I'm thinking McCartney's "Yesterday" will be around, though I'd put Rubber Soul or Revolver ahead of Help!.  Of course, I'm just talking North America/UK markets.  Somebody with a broader world view might have some other thoughts.

sevs - you make an interesting point.  I hung up my scientist hat a while back but I guess you never stop thinking that way...even if unconsciously.  The other realization is how out of touch I am with today's "popular" music.  Outside of some Radiohead and Wilco (MAYBE) not sure much music I like is getting significant airplay.  This made me realize my frame of reference for contemporary popular music is 30-50 years old!  Not that anybody else cares.  Not sure I do, frankly.