i think a lot of criticisms are inaccurate.
one has to take into consideration how the list was compiled.
it was a collection of critics, musicians, and industry people.
i am sure it was similar to the top 25 football/basketball polls.
each person was probably asked to list their top 10 or 25.
some of the records in the 400+ range might have only received a single vote.
also, people tend to list the records that they return to time and again, and the records that were particularly influential on their tastes/career.
that might explain the hits collections.
also, if some people listed "meet the bealtes" and others listed "with the beatles" both would show up on the list somewhere.
the perspective is a rock perspective, so you won't see lesser known jazz or blues records on this list, but just those records that might have made it to the larger audiences.
i am not a hard rock fan, but i can admit that guns and roses were probably a pretty big influence today's hard rockers.