O’Neil Thanksgiving debate: best 3 album run of the 90s?

Can’t count live albums, greatest hits, reissues. Our menu so far:

Early lead for Pearl Jam: Ten (91), Vs. (93), Vitalogy (94)

Wilco: AM (95), Summerteeth (96), Being There (99)

REM: Out of Time (91), Automatic for the People (92), Monster (94)

Black Crowes: Shake Your Money Maker (90), Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (92), Amorica (94)

At this point in the debate, we have to note some disqualifiers: Nirvana unplugged can’t count (live, and Bleach was ‘89), Counting Crows live “Across The Wire” f’s them up, Soundgarden’s “Down on the Upside” value is unclear...

Beastie Boys: Check Your Head (92), I’ll Communication (94), Hello Nasty (98)

Was Hello Nasty That Good? If Paul’s Boutique was 90 and not 89 this would be no brainer top 3

Oasis: Definitely Maybe (94), (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (95), Be Here Now (97)

Do you still listen to Be Here Now? Definitely Maybe became the fastest-selling debut album in the UK at the time; it went on to be certified 7× Platinum

Tupac: Me Against the World (95), All Eyez on Me (96), The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (96)

I think All Eyez On Me is a top 3 double album of 90s

Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream
(93), Pisces Iscariot (94), Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
(95)

This one is tough: Pisces is a B sides album, but it is still better than 95% of the albums put out in the 90s. Thoughts? Do we allow it? If we do, the other two are GIANTS

Radiohead: Pablo Honey (93), The Bends (95), OK Computer (97)

I don’t think Pablo holds up, but imagine if Kid A was release in 99 and not 00

Built to Spill: There's Nothing Wrong with Love (94), Perfect from Now On (97), Keep It Like a Secret (99)

Built to Spill might be a sleeper top 5. When we make our list of underrated songs of 90s, Carry the Zero May too it.

Hova: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (97)
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (98)
Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter (99)

Jay’s run into the aughts may only be rivaled by Radiohead?

U2: Achtung Baby’s excellence was undone by pop. This was an O’Neil consensus.

Nas: Illmatic (94), It Was Written (96), I Am... (1999)

Illmatic is on another level. Would love to hear from @realdgray here

Dave Matthews Band: Under the Table and Dreaming (94), Crash (96), Before These Crowded Streets (98)

Look, we can’t count Live at Luther. Crowded Streets is no one’s favorite, but it debuted at #1 & knocked off Titanic soundtrack from top spot after 16 consecutive weeks at #1

Outkast: Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (94), ATLiens (96), Aquemini (1998)

OUTKAST IS CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY ANDRÉ & @BigBoi DON’T HAVE STATUES ALL OVER THE US

Rage Against the Machine: Aelf Titled (1992), Evil Empire (1996), The Battle of Los Angeles (1999)

Another run that’s great - thoughts on Evil Empire? We think it dipped relative to 1 & 3

Wu-Tang: doesn’t technically have a run, but include solo albums and you have yourself a damn good decade of insane talent.

TLC: Ooooooohhh...On the TLC Tip (92), CrazySexyCool (94), FanMail (1999)

We aren’t sure how to rank these, but 90s aren’t 90s without them.

Tribe: The Low End Theory (91), Midnight Marauders (193), Beats, Rhymes and Life (96)

Good call @GlobalNed - where do these three rank vs Beatie, Outkast, Nas, Jay-Z.....

Does anyone know anything about Garth Brooks in the 90s? We are lost. We know he dominated, but I think our 1 Garth cd was free at McDonalds?

Beck: Mellow Gold (94), One Foot in the Grave (94), Odelay (96), Mutations (98), Midnite Vultures (99)

I don’t think we ever listened to Mutations more than once, which would kill the run here.

Green Day: 39/Smooth (90), Kerplunk (91), Dookie (94), Insomniac (95), Nimrod (97)

Green Day keeps running up the ranks, just not sure if the 3 albums start at Kerplunk or Dookie?

Damn, Pixies, you were so close: Doolittle (89), Bossanova (90), Trompe le Monde (91)

Elliot Smith: Roman Candle (94), Elliott Smith (95), Either/Or (97)
XO (98)

This is a RUN of records for the late ES - start with Roman Candle or self titled? Kudos @stocktonprof @alindall @EconCharlie

Stone Temple Pilots: Core (92)
Purple (94), Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (96), No. 4 (99)

STP’s run depends on your opinion of Tiny Music - first two are just fantastic @Krupin great call

Pantera: Cowboys from Hell (90), Vulgar Display of Power (92), Far Beyond Driven (94), The Great Southern Trendkill (96)

Starting w Cowboys, this is damn good. Would love to hear from metalheads where it lands vs other bands

We were chatting 90s Johnny Cash - has there ever been a cooler list of studio locations?

“Rick Rubin's living room, Johnny Cash's cabin, The Viper Room”. Cmon.

Foo Fighters: Foo Fighters (95), The Colour and the Shape (97), There Is Nothing Left to Lose (99)

Hat tip @RonnieCho we didn’t go full Grohl. Grohl wrote & recorded the entire debut album himself - chose "Foo Fighters" to hide his identity, passing cassettes of it to friends

Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (1993), Whip-Smart (1994), Whitechocolatespaceegg (1998)

Exile is a 90s all time great - how do you rank the run @bobbygravitz @alindall

Shania: Shania Twain (93), The Woman in Me (95), Come On Over (97)

Come On Over is the most sold 90s album in America