# What is the best The Roots album of all time?

> The Roots are hip-hop's preeminent live band, blending organic instrumentation with sharp lyricism across a catalog that spans jazz-rap, experimental rock, and politically charged concept albums. Which of their records is your all-time favorite?

*By YPB Team · Published April 15, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-the-roots-album-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Do You Want More?!!!??!**
   1995 major-label debut praised for its pure live-band hip-hop sound.
2. **Illadelph Halflife**
   1996 album blending aggressive rhymes with jazz-influenced production.
3. **Things Fall Apart**
   1999 Grammy-winning album considered their commercial and critical breakthrough.
4. **Phrenology**
   2002 experimental album blending hip-hop, rock, and electronic music.
5. **The Tipping Point**
   2004 more accessible album with an energetic, sample-heavy sound.
6. **Game Theory**
   2006 politically charged album tackling Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq War.
7. **Rising Down**
   2008 dark, politically engaged album with dense, layered production.
8. **How I Got Over**
   2010 reflective album earning them a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album.
9. **undun**
   2011 concept album about a fictional character's rise and fall, told in reverse.
10. **...and then you shoot your cousin**
   2014 brief, dense concept album tackling nihilism.

Tags: hip-hop, music, rap, the-roots, questlove, black-thought