Christgau has named Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Chuck Berry, the Beatles, and the New York Dolls as his top five artists of all time. In a 1998 obituary, he called Frank Sinatra "the greatest singer of the 20th century". He considers Billie Holiday "probably favorite singer". In his 2000 "Consumer Guide" book, Christgau said his favorite rock album was either "The Clash" (1977) or "New York Dolls" (1973), while his favorite record in general was Monk's 1958 "Misterioso". In July 2013, during an interview with "Esquire" magazine's Peter Gerstenzang, Christgau criticized the voters at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, saying "they're pretty stupid" for not voting in the New York Dolls. When asked about Beatles albums, he said he most often listens to "The Beatles' Second Album" – which he purchased in 1965 – and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".