ReviewsListsDiscographyArtistsGenresCover ArtAbout

Discography Ranked

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Albums Ranked, Plus Creepin (2026)

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony have released ten studio albums, and this page ranks all ten, from Faces of Death (1993, released as B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e) to New Waves (2017), plus the 1994 EP Creepin on ah Come Up, the record that made them famous. Their compilations (including The Collection volumes, Greatest Hits and T.H.U.G.S.), the Bone 4 Life EP, mixtapes and the members' solo albums are not ranked.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony10 albums + 1 EP13 min readUpdated November 2026Hip-Hop
E. 1999 Eternal album cover
7.9

Quick Take

Consensus PeakE. 1999 EternalTha Crossroads and their defining harmonized soundThe BreakthroughCreepin on ah Come UpThe Eazy-E-backed EP that launched themMost UnderratedBTNHResurrectionA strong platinum return after solo years

The best and worst Bone Thugs-n-Harmony albums

Why it ranks here

E. 1999 Eternal is the purest expression of the Bone Thugs style: DJ U-Neek's dark, smoky beats and five voices weaving fast, melodic flows. "Crossroads", reworked as the single "Tha Crossroads" in tribute to Eazy-E, spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and won a Grammy, and "1st of tha Month" and "East 1999" are classics in their own right. The Los Angeles Times praised how the group raised the stakes in rhyme style, cadence and delivery.

Context

Their second studio album and first full-length for Ruthless, released July 25, 1995. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, stayed there two weeks, was nominated for the Grammy for Best Rap Album and was certified four times platinum.

Highlights

  • Crossroads
  • 1st of tha Month
  • East 1999
  • Eternal
  • Budsmokers Only

Weak Spots

  • Sixty-eight minutes with a few skits
  • Dark mood can feel relentless

Production

DJ U-Neek · Tony C · Kenny McCloud

Read our full E. 1999 Eternal review →

Influence

Established the melodic, rapid-fire style that later Midwest and melodic rappers built on.

Replay Value

Very high.

Why it ranks here

Creepin on ah Come Up is short, but it is where the world first heard Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" and "Foe tha Love of $" with Eazy-E were hits, and "Mr. Ouija" and the title track establish the group's eerie, spiritual atmosphere. Few EPs in rap history did as much.

Context

Their major-label debut EP, released June 21, 1994 by Ruthless. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.

Highlights

  • Thuggish Ruggish Bone
  • Foe tha Love of $
  • Mr. Ouija
  • Creepin on ah Come Up
  • No Surrender

Weak Spots

  • Only eight tracks
  • The intro is slight

Production

DJ U-Neek · DJ Yella · Rhythm D

Influence

Launched the group nationally and set up E. 1999 Eternal.

Replay Value

Very high — short and essential.

Why it ranks here

The Art of War sold 394,000 copies in its first week and debuted at No. 1, and "Look into My Eyes" and "If I Could Teach the World" kept them on the charts. Some critics found it sonically superior to its predecessor; others, including AllMusic, argued that two discs was far more than the group's ideas could sustain. Both are right.

Context

Their third studio album, a double album released July 29, 1997 by Ruthless. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified four times platinum.

Highlights

  • Look into My Eyes
  • If I Could Teach the World
  • Handle the Vibe
  • Ready 4 War
  • Family Tree

Weak Spots

  • Over two hours
  • Repetitive diss tracks

Production

DJ U-Neek

Read our full The Art of War review →

Influence

Their biggest first week and their last No. 1 album.

Replay Value

Moderate to high — best trimmed to a single disc.

Why it ranks here

After a stretch of solo albums, the group regrouped for BTNHResurrection, which debuted at No. 2 with 280,500 copies and went platinum within a month. DJ U-Neek and Jimmy "JT" Thomas give it a cleaner, more muscular sound, and "Resurrection (Paper, Paper)" and "Change the World" keep the harmonies front and center.

Context

Their fourth studio album, released February 29, 2000 by Ruthless. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum.

Highlights

  • Resurrection (Paper, Paper)
  • Change the World
  • Show 'Em
  • The Righteous Ones
  • Battlezone

Weak Spots

  • Seventy-six minutes
  • No major hit single

Production

DJ U-Neek · Jimmy "JT" Thomas · LT Hutton · Darren Vegas

Read our full BTNHResurrection review →

Influence

Proved the group could still sell as a unit in a new decade.

Replay Value

Moderate to high.

Why it ranks here

With Swizz Beatz as executive producer and a trio lineup, Strength & Loyalty is the group's most radio-minded record. "I Tried" with Akon reached No. 6 on the Hot 100, their biggest hit in a decade, and "Lil' Love" brings in Mariah Carey and Bow Wow. AllMusic noted that the missing members show, but praised Krayzie and Layzie as a solid core.

Context

Their seventh studio album, released May 8, 2007 by Full Surface and Interscope. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 119,000 copies and was certified gold.

Highlights

  • I Tried
  • Bump in the Trunk
  • Lil' Love
  • C-Town
  • Flowmotion

Weak Spots

  • Radio-chasing features
  • The group's identity gets diluted

Production

Swizz Beatz · Akon · DJ Toomp · Jermaine Dupri · will.i.am

Influence

Their last major commercial success.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Why it ranks here

Thug World Order has a few fine moments, notably "Home", built around Phil Collins, and the hometown tribute "Cleveland Is the City". But AllMusic described a group that had become little more than a brand name as the members spread across solo projects, and the album sounds like it.

Context

Their fifth studio album and last for Ruthless, released October 29, 2002. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200.

Highlights

  • Home
  • Bone, Bone, Bone
  • Money, Money
  • Cleveland Is the City
  • What About Us?

Weak Spots

  • Feels like a contractual album
  • Few standout verses

Production

DJ U-Neek · Bone Thugs-n-Harmony · Rico Wade · The Platinum Brothers

Influence

Closed their Ruthless era.

Replay Value

Low to moderate.

Why it ranks here

Uni5 reunited all five original members on record for the first time in about a decade, which made it an event for fans. "Rebirth" and "Meet Me in the Sky" show the harmonies still work, but AllMusic noted that it leans toward radio-friendly, grown-up tracks and is not a return to form.

Context

Their eighth studio album, released May 4, 2010 by BTNH Worldwide, Asylum and Reprise. It debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 with 30,000 copies.

Highlights

  • Rebirth
  • Meet Me in the Sky
  • See Me Shine
  • Only God Can Judge Me
  • Universe

Weak Spots

  • Not a return to form
  • Generic radio production

Production

DJ U-Neek · LT Hutton · Krayzie Bone · Pooh Bear · Excel Beats

Influence

A milestone for the lineup rather than for the music.

Replay Value

Low to moderate.

Why it ranks here

Their first full album as a trio leans more on harmony than on street content, and at forty-three minutes it is refreshingly brief. "Fire" is a flow showcase and "Call Me" and "So Sad" show a more grown-up side, but without Bizzy Bone the group sounds lighter.

Context

Their sixth studio album, released September 19, 2006 by Koch. It peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Independent Albums chart.

Highlights

  • Call Me
  • Fire
  • Thug Stories
  • So Sad
  • Still No Surrender

Weak Spots

  • Missing Bizzy's edge
  • Production is uneven

Production

Kush N Kato · The Platinum Brothers · DJ U-Neek · Mally Mall

Influence

Kept the group active between labels.

Replay Value

Moderate — short enough to revisit.

Why it ranks here

Released on a local Cleveland label under the name B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e, Faces of Death is lo-fi and rough, closer to standard early-1990s gangsta rap. But "Flow Motion" and "Everyday Thang" already show the rapid, melodic delivery that would make them famous, and a phone performance of "Flow Motion" helped lead to their Ruthless deal.

Context

Their debut album, released May 28, 1993 by Stoney Burke, the independent label of Cleveland record store owner Kermit Henderson. It peaked at No. 188 on the Billboard 200.

Highlights

  • Flow Motion
  • Everyday Thang
  • Sons of Assassins
  • Hell Sent
  • We Be Fiendin'

Weak Spots

  • Thin production
  • Style not yet fully formed

Production

Diego Blak · Kris Ford · Ralph Rock · Bobby Jones

Influence

A historical document of the group before Ruthless.

Replay Value

Low — mostly for context.

Why it ranks here

Billed as a sequel to their 1997 double album, World War III was made by a trio of Bizzy, Layzie and Flesh while Krayzie and Wish were away from the group, with older unreleased verses filling gaps. "It's a Bone Thang" and "Back in tha Dayz" have nostalgic appeal, but the album lacks direction and missed the Billboard 200 entirely.

Context

Their ninth studio album, released December 10, 2013 by BTNH Worldwide and Seven Arts Music. It peaked at No. 28 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.

Highlights

  • It's a Bone Thang
  • Back in tha Dayz
  • Top Notch
  • Born in the Ghetto
  • In Memory of Eazy

Weak Spots

  • Patchwork lineup
  • Little connection to The Art of War

Production

DJ U-Neek · Wundermine

Influence

Minimal.

Replay Value

Low — a few tracks at most.

Why it ranks here

New Waves is built around Krayzie Bone and Bizzy Bone, billed as "Bone Thugs", with the other members only as guests, over EDM- and pop-tinged beats, with guests from Stephen Marley and Tank to Yelawolf and Jonathan Davis. HipHopDX noted the swap of ominous basslines for thumping, robotic rhythms. The voices are intact, but the sound rarely suits them.

Context

Their tenth studio album, released June 23, 2017 by eOne Music. It peaked at No. 181 on the Billboard 200.

Highlights

  • Coming Home
  • If Heaven Had a Cellphone
  • Waves
  • Gravity
  • Ruthless

Weak Spots

  • Pop production clashes with the style
  • Only two core members

Production

Avedon · Clifford Golio · Scott Storch · Dan Book · Far East Movement

Influence

Minimal.

Replay Value

Low — a few tracks at most.

Scores come from each album’s scorecard review. A score marked ~ is an editorial estimate for an album we have not reviewed in full yet. Albums are ranked by score; ties keep our editorial order.

Essay

The Complete Picture

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's essential run is short and spectacular: Creepin on ah Come Up and E. 1999 Eternal, with The Art of War as an overstuffed but rewarding sequel. BTNHResurrection and Strength & Loyalty hold up well, and the later albums are mostly for devoted fans.

Start with E. 1999 Eternal, go back to Creepin on ah Come Up, then work through the first disc of The Art of War.

Read next
Full artist profile →More discographies →Latest reviews →

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Albums in Order

  1. 1993Faces of DeathRanked #9
  2. 1994Creepin on ah Come UpRanked #2
  3. 1995E. 1999 EternalRanked #1
  4. 1997The Art of WarRanked #3
  5. 2000BTNHResurrectionRanked #4
  6. 2002Thug World OrderRanked #6
  7. 2006Thug StoriesRanked #8
  8. 2007Strength & LoyaltyRanked #5
  9. 2010Uni5: The World's EnemyRanked #7
  10. 2013The Art of War: World War IIIRanked #10
  11. 2017New WavesRanked #11

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Albums: Common Questions

What is the best Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album?
We rank E. 1999 Eternal (1995) as the best Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album, with a score of 7.9/10: A haunting, harmonized classic and their defining album.
How many Bone Thugs-n-Harmony albums are ranked here?
This ranking covers 11 Bone Thugs-n-Harmony projects, released between 1993 and 2017.
What is the earliest Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album in this ranking?
Faces of Death (1993) is the earliest release in this list. We rank it #9.
What is the most recent Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album in this ranking?
New Waves (2017) is the most recent release in this list. We rank it #11.
What is the worst Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album?
By our scorecard, the worst Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album is New Waves (2017), ranked #11 of 11 with an estimated score of 4.4/10: A Krayzie and Bizzy duo album in pop clothing.