One Decade. 100 Albums. Endless Conversations.

A statistical snapshot of Tuesday Night Record Club.

Compiled by Breanne McCarthy
Illustration by Volga / Adobe Stock

Led by Professor Ken Womack, Monmouth’s “book club for records” brings listeners together to unpack landmark albums and the stories behind them. The series marked its 100th album discussion last year.

Quick Hits

First album featured: Nevermind—Nirvana (September 2016)

“Nevermind felt like a terrific place to start. It wasn’t so old that nostalgia had set in—yet it already enjoyed a kind of classic status.” —Ken Womack

100th album milestone celebration: Off the Wall—Michael Jackson (May 2025)

Album that surprisingly resonated: To Pimp A Butterfly—Kendrick Lamar

“To Pimp a Butterfly is hardly a nostalgia piece, yet our audience gamely gave it a chance.” —Womack

Most requested album to cover: Bat Out of Hell—Meat Loaf (coming on Aug. 4)

Album that sparked the most spirited debate: Rubber Soul—The Beatles

“Songs that haven’t aged well, like ‘Run for Your Life’ from the Beatles’ Rubber Soul, have sparked some of our strongest discussions.” —Womack

Longest album discussed: Live/1975-85—Bruce Springsteen (3.5 hours long)

By the Numbers

The first 100 sessions drew a total of 13,955 attendees

Bruce Springsteen had the most albums in the first 100, with 10 albums

Among the first 100, there were a total of 9 concept albums

Selections spanning multiple LPs in the first 100: 5 albums

Albums by Decade

The 1970s dominate the club’s selections, followed by the 1960s and 1980s.

Genre Breakdown

Rock and classic rock account for just over one-third of the first 100 albums discussed.

The Full Catalog

  1. Nevermind—Nirvana
  2. Blonde on Blonde—Bob Dylan
  3. Parallel Lines—Blondie
  4. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band—The Beatles
  5. Nebraska—Bruce Springsteen
  6. Are You Experienced?—Jimi Hendrix
  7. Rumours — Fleetwood Mac
  8. Kind of Blue — Miles Davis
  9. Purple Rain — Prince
  10. OK Computer — Radiohead
  11. Darkness on the Edge of Town — Bruce Springsteen
  12. The Dark Side of the Moon — Pink Floyd
  13. A Love Supreme — John Coltrane
  14. The White Album — The Beatles
  15. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars—David Bowie
  16. Tracy Chapman — Tracy Chapman
  17. London Calling — The Clash
  18. Aja — Steely Dan
  19. Tunnel of Love — Bruce Springsteen
  20. Abbey Road — The Beatles
  21. Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ — Bruce Springsteen
  22. What’s Going On? — Marvin Gaye
  23. In the Wee Small Hours — Frank Sinatra
  24. Time Out — Dave Brubeck
  25. Let It Bleed — The Rolling Stones
  26. Let It Be — The Beatles
  27. The Joshua Tree — U2
  28. Lemonade — Beyoncé
  29. Tommy — The Who
  30. Revolver — The Beatles
  31. Jagged Little Pill — Alanis Morissette
  32. Girlfriend—Matthew Sweet
  33. Wish You Were Here—PinkFloyd
  34. So—Peter Gabriel
  35. Horses—Patti Smith
  36. Remain in Light—Talking Heads
  37. The River—Bruce Springsteen
  38. Songs in the Key of Life—Stevie Wonder
  39. Celia — Angelique Kidjo
  40. Blue — Joni Mitchell
  41. Double Fantasy — John Lennon & Yoko Ono
  42. Crosby, Stills, & Nash — Crosby, Stills, & Nash
  43. All Things Must Pass — George Harrison
  44. Love Letters — Anoushka Shankar
  45. Zenyatta Mondatta — The Police
  46. Violator — Depeche Mode
  47. Graceland — Paul Simon
  48. Pet Sounds — The Beach Boys
  49. Who’s Next — The Who
  50. Sweet Baby James — James Taylor
  51. Look Sharp! — Joe Jackson
  52. Live/1975–85 — Bruce Springsteen
  53. Bridge over Troubled Water — Simon and Garfunkel
  54. Band on the Run — Paul McCartney & Wings
  55. The Velvet Underground & Nico — The Velvet Underground & Nico
  56. Sign o’ the Times — Prince
  57. Tapestry — Carole King
  58. Low — David Bowie
  59. Physical Graffiti — Led Zeppelin
  60. The Wild, The Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle — Bruce Springsteen
  61. Beauty and the Beat — The Go-Go’s
  62. Pretenders — The Pretenders
  63. The Rising — Bruce Springsteen
  64. Days of Future Passed — The Moody Blues
  65. To Pimp a Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
  66. American Beauty — The Grateful Dead
  67. Young, Gifted, & Black — Aretha Franklin
  68. Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ — Bruce Springsteen (revisited for a 50th anniversary symposium)
  69. Murmur — R.E.M
  70. There’s a Riot Goin’ On — Sly & the Family Stone
  71. Exile in Guyville — Liz Phair
  72. The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society—The Kinks
  73. Close to the Edge—Yes
  74. The Cars—The Cars
  75. Thriller—Michael Jackson
  76. Odyssey and Oracle—The Zombies
  77. The Stranger—BillyJoel
  78. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road — Elton John
  79. Tracks — Bruce Springsteen
  80. Fleetwood Mac — Fleetwood Mac
  81. The Pretender — Jackson Browne
  82. Hotel California — The Eagles
  83. Meet the Beatles! — The Beatles
  84. Ella & Louis — Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
  85. Back to Black — Amy Winehouse
  86. Breakfast in America — Supertramp
  87. A Hard Day’s Night — The Beatles
  88. Surrealistic Pillow — Jefferson Airplane
  89. Ram — Paul and Linda McCartney
  90. Imperial Bedroom — Elvis Costello
  91. Sticky Fingers — The Rolling Stones
  92. Tea for the Tillerman — Cat Stevens
  93. The Ghost of Tom Joad — Bruce Springsteen
  94. A Night at the Opera — Queen
  95. The Doors—The Doors
  96. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill—Lauryn Hill
  97. Dusty in Memphis—Dusty Springfield
  98. IV—Led Zeppelin
  99. Cheap Trick at Budokan—Cheap Trick
  100. Off the Wall—Michael Jackson