HMV's Poll of Polls was an annual list of albums compiled by British music retailer HMV from 1998 to 2012. The listing was created each December by collating year-end polls from approximately 30 music magazines, newspapers and guides to determine the most critically acclaimed albums of the year. An album's placing in the list was determined by the number of different polls in which it was included. In the event of two records featuring in the same number of polls, the album with the highest combined placings was given the higher position on the Poll of Polls. In 2011, Let England Shake by PJ Harvey was named the best album of the year after receiving 21 nominations – the following year, Channel Orange by Frank Ocean topped the poll with 22 nominations.
Canadian band Arcade Fire are the only act to have topped the Poll of Polls more than once.
American hip hop group Beastie Boys were the inaugural winners of HMV's Poll of Polls in 1998.
British duo Basement Jaxx topped the poll in 1999 with Remedy, and came third with Rooty in 2001.
Queens of the Stone Age were number one in 2002 with Songs for the Deaf, and number five in 2000 with Rated R.
HMV is a music and entertainment retailer, founded in the United Kingdom in 1921. As of February 2024, it is currently operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan and Belgium, as well as having concessions at Toys "R" Us locations in Canada.
The HMV Shop at Trinity Walk in Wakefield
A record featuring the "His Master's Voice" title and Nipper
HMV's former flagship branch at 150–154 Oxford Street, London. It was later converted into a Sports Direct shop in 2015.
A large HMV branch in Leeds incorporating an Orange shop
