The Thundred - The Top 100 Albums of All Time: #100-81
THE THUNDRED: The Top 100 Albums of All Time - Countdown Part one
Hi, I’m Chris Fafalios, host of the One Hit Thunder podcast. For the past five years, we’ve spotlighted a different band or artist each week known for their one big hit, exploring their back catalog and debating whether they deserved more, less, or got exactly what they deserved. While the show has always been fun, our conversations often go way deeper than just one-hit wonders.
A few months ago, I had the idea to survey our listeners, friends, and past guests to compile their picks for the best albums of all time. After crunching the data, we unveiled The Thundred - a listener-curated list of the 100 greatest albums ever made. As someone who loves a good list and has obsessively browsed Rolling Stone and Apple Music rankings, I found our list to be surprising, occasionally outrageous, and, honestly, better than any I’d seen before.
"Going back in Time"
The process was straightforward: each contributor submitted their top 20 albums in order. A #1 ranking earned 20 points, down to #20, which got 1 point. After collecting over 100 lists, we let the stats do the talking. Aside from my co-host/producer Matt Kelly and me submitting our own lists, the results were entirely based on listener input.
We revealed the list over five suspense-filled episodes, and while many people asked us to post it outright, my usual response was, “Go listen to the episodes!” (Seriously, they’re a lot of fun). Now that some time has passed, I’m happy to share the full list here.
For this written version, I initially had AI generate one-sentence summaries of each album. But let’s be honest, those summaries felt generic. So, Matt and I added our own two cents for each one, making the whole thing way more fun.
I hope you enjoy The Thundred. And if you haven’t yet, go check out the episodes - it’s worth it!
The Countdown begins here
100. The Cranberries - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?
Summary: A dreamy debut that blends jangly guitars with Dolores O'Riordan's distinct vocals, featuring standout tracks like "Linger" and "Dreams," capturing the band's signature mix of introspection and ethereal beauty.
Chris: I don’t know that this album would make my personal Top 100, but I’m glad it’s on here for “Linger” alone. I’ll never forget when it was a Buzz Clip on MTV…I was instantly obsessed. It’s crazy to see that song get such a recent resurgence on TikTok. Long live Dolores.
Matt: While I have always had a place in my heart for The Cranberries, I haven’t often thought of them as an "album band." I do love this album, but I’m part of the rare minority that considers their third album, To the Faithful Departed, to be their best overall.
99. Outkast - Speakerboxx / The Love Below
Summary: A groundbreaking double album that showcases Big Boi's sharp, funky hip-hop on one side and André 3000's experimental, genre-blending artistry on the other, redefining the boundaries of rap and pop music.
Chris: I was glad this made the list. Matt argued on the podcast that this was far from Outkast’s best album because it was the least collaborative. I get his point, but I still think it’s a stone-cold classic. Obviously, I’m a little bit partial to The Love Below half of it though!
Matt: To me, Outkast is at their best when Big Boi and André 3000 are trading verses in their distinct styles. While this album is an undeniable juggernaut, I would have preferred to see Stankonia or ATLiens on the list.
98. Ween - Chocolate and Cheese
Summary: A wildly eclectic album that blends absurd humor with masterful genre-hopping, showcasing the duo's unique ability to balance irreverence with genuine musical brilliance.
Chris: I’m a major Ween-head, but this album wasn’t on my personal list. That being said, I’m so happy it’s here. This band is so important to me, and they really shaped my young brain from the first time I listened to Pure Guava. “What Deaner Was Talking About” is a top tier Ween song, as is “Freedom of ‘76”, and “Mister, Would You Please Help My Pony?” hasn’t left my head for decades.
Matt: Chris is definitely the bigger Ween fan between the two of us, but this album is absolutely undeniable. Additionally, if there were a list of albums that teenage boys bought strictly because of the cover, this would be top five material!
97. Piebald - We Are the Only Friends That We Have
Summary: A spirited blend of emo, indie rock, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, delivering heartfelt anthems that celebrate life’s quirks and camaraderie.
Chris: I never would have guessed in a million years that this album would make the list, but it absolutely makes sense. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better opening sequence than the first four songs on this album. “American Hearts” is so much fun and one of those songs I strongly associate with the music world I grew up in.
Matt: I’m so glad this album made it onto the list. My biggest hope is that it might help some people discover a new favorite. I came to this album late, discovering it in college after the band had released their follow-up record, All Ears All Eyes All the Time. Their music resonated with me during that period, and this record fit perfectly alongside a few other anthemic albums that will also appear on this list.
96. Green Day - Insomniac
Summary: A raw, aggressive punk rock album packed with relentless energy and dark, sarcastic lyrics that channel frustration and disillusionment with razor-sharp intensity.
Chris: I’ve heard people argue that this is Green Day’s best album. Although I don’t totally agree, I couldn’t argue that strongly against it either. The album tracks are even better than the singles, and the recording is flawless.
Matt: This is my personal favorite Green Day album, with anger and frustration radiating through every track. I believe the singles are far from the best songs on this record. Go listen to "Stuart and the Ave" or "No Pride" and tell me those aren’t top 10 Green Day material.
"You didn't just listen to these albums, you lived it"
95. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Summary: A fusion of UK garage, hip-hop, and sharp storytelling, with Mike Skinner's witty, everyman lyrics painting vivid snapshots of urban life and youthful recklessness.
Chris: The Streets are one of the most polarizing projects ever. I have friends that adore The Streets, and I have friends who think The Streets are the absolute worst. I’m in the “I love The Streets” camp. This isn’t the album I’d have gone with, but this is the one that started it all. I love thinking about Mike Skinner creating this whole thing on his laptop. I wonder if he knew what an impact it would make.
Matt: From the moment I first heard "Let’s Push Things Forward" on MTV2, I knew I had discovered a new favorite band. I bought this record during my class trip to Disney at the giant Virgin Records store in Downtown Disney, and I’ve basically never stopped listening to it regularly since. It absolutely deserves its place on this list!
94. Jellyfish - Spilt Milk
Summary: A lavishly crafted power-pop masterpiece that blends whimsical storytelling with lush harmonies and intricate arrangements, evoking the grandeur of 70s rock with a modern twist.
Chris: The inclusion of Spilt Milk on our list just reassures me that our list is the very coolest. This band should’ve been the biggest band in the world, but the world had its ears on Seattle at that moment. “New Mistake” is one of my favorite songs ever written, and the outro of that song is my #1 favorite outro ever.
Matt: I had heard of Jellyfish, but I didn’t really know their music until we did an episode about them on One Hit Thunder. This album immediately stood out and quickly became a favorite of mine after we recorded that episode.
93. Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps
Summary: A hauntingly beautiful debut that pairs introspective, heart-wrenching lyrics with ethereal melodies, capturing the quiet complexities of love, loss, and longing.
Chris: I remember when my friend and bandmate Trevor played Phoebe for me for the first time. It was the first track on this album (“Smoke Signals”). I was an instant fan, and I’ve been ever since. So, cool this made the list.
Matt: Phoebe Bridgers was a name I had heard before but never got around to listening to until she made it onto the list. I was truly taken aback by how much I liked this album.
92. Bon Iver - 22, A Million
Summary: A bold, experimental journey through fragmented electronics and soulful introspection, pushing boundaries while maintaining the raw emotional core of Justin Vernon's songwriting.
Chris: This was very high on my personal list. If it were up to me, it would be much higher on this list too. I guess I should be glad that it made it at all. I’ve never heard another album that sounds like 22, A Million. It remains a rare album that I NEVER get sick of.
Matt: I recently started getting into Bon Iver after years of people telling me I’d like them. This was my favorite album I listened to for the first time because of this list, and it’s definitely going to become a regular part of my rotation from now on.
91. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues
Summary: A deeply personal, darkly poetic album that blends melancholy, quirky humor, and lo-fi rock, exploring themes of grief, mental health, and resilience in the face of tragedy.
Chris: I had never heard this album before compiling this list, so I dove into it headfirst while running on the treadmill. While it definitely doesn’t lend itself to cardio, I was taken aback by the raw emotion of this. All I really knew of Eels was “Novocaine for the Soul”, but WOW, this project is so much more than that one song.
Matt: This was my number two album on my personal list because, as Chris said, the raw emotion of recent tragedy oozes through every track. I’m so glad it found a place on this list, as it’s often overlooked on the bigger lists from Apple, Rolling Stone, and Spin.
90. The Weakerthans - Left and Leaving
Summary: An emotionally charged indie rock album that weaves poignant lyrics about loss, change, and nostalgia with jangly guitars and a heartfelt, introspective sound.
Chris: I grew up a Propagandhi fan, so the sound of John K. Samson’s voice was something I was already accustomed to. This particular Weakerthans album became a regular listen in our band van, and we even developed our own parodies of Samson-style lyrics and deliveries. I put him up there with Ben Gibbard as one of the most evocative lyricists of a generation.
Matt: The Weakerthans is a name I’ve heard a million times, but I always assumed they sounded dramatically different from how they actually do. I thought they’d be folk-pop, similar to The Shins, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This was a delightful first-time listen for me!
89. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
Summary: A raw exploration of love, heartbreak, and personal turmoil, blending folk, rock, and lyrical mastery to create one of his most acclaimed albums.
Chris: I think Bob Dylan is a cool person, but I never got into his music. People sure do love this album though. Maybe I need to get into it. I’m just not a folkster.
Matt: This isn’t my personal favorite Bob Dylan record, but how can you deny an album that includes "Tangled Up in Blue" and "Simple Twist of Fate"? That being said, if you’re like Chris and not yet sold on Bob Dylan, I highly recommend The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, particularly the song "Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right."
88. Boyz II Men - II
Summary: Filled with lush harmonies and heartfelt ballads, this classic album captures themes of love, longing, and heartbreak with smooth, timeless elegance.
Chris: I was a Boyz II Men megafan in middle school. I even tried to dress like them. “I’ll Make Love To You”, “On Bended Knee”, and “Water Runs Dry” are all on this album, as well as their insane acapella cover of The Beatles “Yesterday”. I mistakenly thought that “End of the Road” was also on this album, but alas, it was on the Boomerang soundtrack. Had that song also been on here, I could make an argument for this being a Top 10 album ever made.
Matt: As a guy from Philadelphia, of course I’m excited to see the local legends on our list. This album is an absolute powerhouse, packed with nothing but bangers.
87. Bruce Springsteen - Born in the USA
Summary: An anthemic rock album that blends powerful, stadium-ready songs with deeply reflective lyrics, exploring themes of working-class struggles, patriotism, and personal identity.
Chris: There are too many hits on this album. This should’ve been the highest Bruce album on the countdown. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
Matt: I disagree with Chris. While this is a truly great album and the best-selling one, it’s not the most musically superior release, that will appear later on this list.
86. Queen - A Night at the Opera
Summary: This genre-defying album blends opera, hard rock, and pop into an epic, theatrical masterpiece, highlighted by the iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Chris: We didn’t allow greatest hits albums on our list, and Queen is very much a greatest hits album type of band. If you’re going to include a Queen album though, it better be the one with “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Good job to those who submitted lists.
Matt: This is not my personal favorite Queen release- I’m a huge fan of Sheer Heart Attack, but A Night at the Opera is a close second and arguably their most cohesive album.
85. Huey Lewis and the News - Sports
Summary: An infectious blend of pop rock and heartland rock, delivering catchy, upbeat anthems about love, relationships, and the thrill of life with a timeless 80s vibe.
Chris: Once again, our list is the coolest. What’s wrong with fun pop rock songs?
Matt: Some snobs might argue that this album is basically fluff and doesn’t belong on the greatest albums of all-time list. To them, I say: fair point, but this album is flawless, and I’m glad it’s here.
84. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
Summary: The pioneering and controversial rap album that delivered raw, unapologetic commentary on urban life, police brutality, and racial tension, shaping the future of hip-hop with its fierce sound and rebellious spirit.
Chris: There are certain things about this album that age terribly, but the punk rock spirit of it sure doesn’t.
Matt: The sound of this album STILL feels dangerous all these years later. It’s groundbreaking, hard-hitting, and raw. Frankly, this is ranked too low.
83. They Might Be Giants - Lincoln
Summary: An eclectic and witty album that blends quirky, offbeat lyrics with catchy pop and rock melodies, exploring themes of absurdity, human nature, and eccentricity with a playful, intelligent charm.
Chris: One of the most surprising albums on the list. I wouldn’t have guessed that TMBG would make the Top 100 at all, and if they did, I wouldn’t have pictured it being this album. Even so, “Ana Ng” is an all-time favorite song of mine. “I don’t want the world; I just want your half.”
Matt: I do love They Might Be Giants, and I’m excited they have a spot on this list. But if it were up to me, it would be Flood or Apollo 18. Regardless, this is still an incredible release from them.
82. TLC - CrazySexyCool
Summary: Featuring iconic tracks like the feminist anthem "No Scrubs," the heartfelt ballad "Creep," and the seductive "Red Light Special," TLC's CrazySexyCool blends sultry vocals with hip-hop influences, tackling themes of love, empowerment, and self-respect.
Chris: “Creep” and “Red Light Special” are the two best TLC songs, but I’m not sure about this as a whole album. Regardless, this was an album that hit a TON of ears in the ‘90s, which I think is when a lot of the listeners of our show grew up.
Matt: I agree with Chris that while this album has some of the best songs of their career, I don’t think it’s their most cohesive from front to back. Personally, I think FanMail is the better listen all the way through, but CrazySexyCool is still one of the best-selling albums ever, and that’s got to count for something.
"This Album didn't follow trends, it set them"
81. R.E.M. - Automatic For The People
Summary: Highlighted by tracks like "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon," R.E.M.'s Automatic For The People is a melancholic yet expansive album that blends introspective lyrics with lush, orchestral arrangements, exploring themes of loss, mortality, and nostalgia with haunting beauty.
Chris: As a punk teen, I was somewhat annoyed by R.E.M. at the time. In retrospect, they were way punker than my punk ass. Nobody sounds like R.E.M. Michael Stipe is so cool. I love that this made the list.
Matt: I’m glad that R.E.M. has representation on this list, and Automatic for the People is definitely one of their best. Frankly, it’s more disappointing that there isn’t more representation from them. Murmur, Monster, Green, and Out of Time are also top-tier releases that deserve a spot on this list.