Illmatic: HipHops Greatest Album? Or Just Plain Overrated

I have been skeptic to bring this topic up(Just to avoid offending some of you sensitive hiphop enthusiasts) but since I was 10 years old I have wondered why out of all the Hip-Hop albums that ever were in the History of the Game Why is Illmatic considered the greatest album of all time.
Of course we are coming from a time in history when only very few entities dictated what we liked and didn’t like and the biases were clear. With the change in how media as a whole operates (thanks to the Net) we are open to draw our own conclusions and make up our minds without being forced by publications that have their own opinions and biases and whose criteria we needed to question.
Now I was and still am a big Nas supporter but when it comes to Illmatic I just don’t see how it was determined to be the “best Hip-hop album of all time” When I revisit the album and see the climate of Hip-hop in 1994 for what it was I can point out a good 5-6 albums that could have easily been considered.
I am lead to ask a couple of questions

1) Was it based solely on lyrics?
2) The beats (which I have always had a problem with when it comes to Nas)
3) Who exactly voted for or against this notion?
4) Why didn’t the sales match such critical acclaim?
5) Why not the.. The Chronic (1992), Doggystyle (1994), Me against the world (1994-1995), Ready to die (1994), Reasonable Doubt, All eyes on Me (1995-1996), Life after Death(1997)
6) Name a single song from Illmatic that is still played to this day.


Now don’t get it twisted Nas is an impeccable lyricist and definitely a legend in the game but even in his own catalogue I have 3 albums that I can boldly state were/are better than Illmatic. If this album was so great why didn’t it have the appeal that could make it surpass any social barriers (regionally, racially etc)?
I believe a classic need to apply in more than just a few ways to be considered as such. A classic needs to appeal to many people. How many songs out of Illmatic do we here in clubs today? I am sure you will hear “Gin and Juice” “Nuthin but a G Thang” “One More Chance” “Juicy” “Aint no N****a” “Dead presidents” etc which all came from very well received, very well rounded albums of that time.
Now before the Hip-Hop community crucifies me for this I urge you to take a good look and ask yourself how many copies of Illmatic have been sold in the 15 years the album has been out and how diverse was the demographic that purchased a copy. Once you do that compare the album to its other albums I have likened it to wether you agree or not and maybe you will see my point.