The Specials was ranked among the top ten "Albums of the Year" for 1979 by NME. In June 2000 Q placed The Specials at number 38 in it's list of the 100 greatest British albums ever. Pitchfork Media featured The Specials at number 42 in their list of the "Top 100 Albums of the 1970s". Rolling Stone listed the album at number 68 in their list "100 Best Albums of the Eighties", as the album was not released in the US until 1980.