The 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time
The term “Indie Rock” is undeniably tricky. We challenge anyone to
definitively define what is and what is not indie rock--you will fail.
For the purposes of compiling this list we’ve decided to use a
combination of hard and fast rules and gut instinct. Our hard and fast
rules are listed below, but as for gut instinct—you just kind of have
to know. For example: John Oates put out a rock record called Phunk Shui on an indie label, however, in no way should Phunk Shui
be mistaken for indie rock. Likewise, Black Flag put out many seminal
punk albums on SST, but we’re not talking about punk or grunge or
classic post-kraut-rock, we’re talking about indie rock. Are Black Flag
really indie rock? Not to our ears.
With that in mind, we squeezed the minds of our music editors (who fought and screamed at each other over omissions, inclusions, and rankings) to deliver you this, our list. If you’ve got complaints (and we know you will), bring it to our comments below. You can argue about whether Sub Pop is really an indie label, about why we should make an exception for Weezer, or about why we chose Unrest’s Imperial f.f.r.r. instead of Perfect Teeth—whatever you want. We’d love to hear what you think.
Here are the hard and fast rules:
• One album per artist.
• No EPs or singles, this list is about albums.
• No greatest hits collections or compilations of previously released tracks.
• Nominations must have been originally released on an independent
label. Albums released on indies which were later acquired and/or
re-released by majors are allowed (like Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation, originally released by a pre-1989 major label merger Enigma Records).
1. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
2. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over The Sea
3. Slint - Spiderland
4. Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville
5. Unrest - Imperial f.f.r.r.
6. Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted
7. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
8. Pixies - Surfer Rosa
9. Elliott Smith - Either/Or
10. Sebadoh - Bakesale
11. the Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
12. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
13. Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan
14. Death Cab For Cutie - We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
15. Bonnie Prince Billie - See A Darkness
16. Superchunk - No Pocky for Kitty
17. Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out
18. Postal Service - Give Up
19. Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
20. Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One
21. Bright Eyes - Lifted
22. Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary
23. Cat Power - Moon Pix
24. Arcade Fire - Funeral
25. Beat Happening - Black Candy
26. The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2
27. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
28. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
29. Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy
30. Husker Du - Zen Arcade
31. Fugazi - Repeater
32. Replacements - Let it Be
33. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
34. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
35. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
36. Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
37. Beulah - When Your Hearstrings Break
38. Antony and the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
39. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People
40. Fall - Our Nation's Saving Grace
41. Beirut - Gualag Orkestar
42. The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
43. Imperial Teen - On
44. Galaxie 500 - On Fire
45. Joan of Arc - How Memory Works
46. Mirah - Advisory Committee
47. Red House Painters - Red House Painters (rollercoaster album)
48. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
49. Smog - Wild Love
50. Television Personalities - And Don't The Kids Just Love It
51. Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
52. Go Betweens - Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express
53. Half Japanese - Sing No Evil
54. Bikini Kill - Pussy Whipped
55. Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs
56. Heavenly - The Decline and Fall of Heavenly
57. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes
58. Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles
59. Stars - Set Yourself on Fire
60. The Bats - Daddy's Highway
61. The Notwist - Neon Golden
62. Tortoise - TNT
63. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
64. Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands
65. Of Montreal - Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies
66. Deerhoof - Milk Man
67. Ida - Will You Find Me
68. The Shins - Oh Inverted World
69. Calexico - Feast of Wire
70. The Sea and Cake - The Fawn
71. Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
72. Camper Van Beethoven - II & III
73. The Delta 72 - The R&B of Membership
74. Low - The Curtain Hits the Cast
75. Neko Case - Furnace Room Lullaby
76. Swell Maps - Jane From Occupied Europe
77. The Hidden Cameras - The Smell Of Our Own
78. Promise Ring - Nothing Feels Good
79. White Stripes - De Stijl
80. Cursive - The Ugly Organ
81. Rachels - The Sea and The Bells
82. The Aislers Set - The Last Match
83. The Make-Up - Save Yourself
84. Ted Leo/Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak
85. Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
86. Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti - Worn Copy
87. Morphine - Cure for Pain
88. Electrelane - The Power Out
89. Joanna Newsom - The Milk Eyed Mender
90. !!! - Louden Up Now
91. Fiery Furnaces - Gallowsbird's Park
92. A Silver Mt. Zion - Horses In The Sky
93. The National - Alligator
94. Portugal. The Man - Waiter: "You Vultures!"
95. The Apples In Stereo - The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone
96. Trans Am - Trans Am
97. Built To Spill - Ultimate Alternative Wavers
98. Joan as Policewoman - To Survive
99. Black Angels - Passover
100. The Dirtbombs - Dangerous Magical Noise
This list links to the MP3 versions. If you prefer CDs, you can find the list on shiny disc here.
--Alan Wiley
LittleJohnyPancreas on November 22, 2009 at 03:32 PM
I cant believe I forgot this.
BJM, the Brian Jonestown Massacre.
At least one CD of theirs you gotta love.
If not, then you sir, smell.
You smell bad.
There, I know it was harsh but it had to be said.
Chloe on November 16, 2009 at 09:24 PM
This list has a lot of what I would consider classics, but I feel as though there were many bands that were disregarded which I would've included, primarily Dinosaur Jr. I'm glad to see Pavement taken down a notch- granted they're brilliant, whenever I read one of these lists I always see Slanted & Enchanted as number 1 or 2. There are some albums that I don't feel belong, but should be replaced by other works of the band. I think Beat Happening's Jamboree takes the cake for their best album. And I definitely don't see all the rage over Zen Arcade. Warehouse Songs and Stories anyone?? I also think that there's major neglect in part of hardcore and punk in general. No black flag, no bad religion, no rites of spring, no descendents, no minutemen, no minor threat- really important bands in my opinion. Modest Mouse definitely deserved a place, too. I know that no one will ever find the list perfect, but this is just my opinion.
mikeb on November 10, 2009 at 07:44 AM
not bad.
Where are the feelies!!?!?
69 love songs...id have put it higher.
nice to see aisler set on the list
Ryan on October 28, 2009 at 01:05 PM
Uh...The Decemberists are a joke of a band. Bands with fake accents=lame. I agree that The Flaming Lips and Dinosaur Jr. should be on here. Also...Sunny Day Real Estate and I'm going to take a lot crap for this, but Mates of State.
Javispa on August 17, 2009 at 03:43 PM
Wait... Seriously no Decemberists? I would think that Picaresque would've made it there.
Thanks for Belle and Sebastian though!
But really no Decemberists? I guess why is probably because the album that launched their popularity with O Valencia! was the Crane Wife... and that was on Capitol Records...
Baz on June 29, 2009 at 09:28 AM
if your going to include of montreal AT LEAST make it hissing fauna or skeletal lamping.
come on now
dudeballs on June 01, 2009 at 06:52 AM
Dude, go to your downloading software and dowload the whitest boy alive, its 70's/indie. Gooood fuckin shit! Not joking!
But it might not bring them up because they aren't allowed in america.
dude balls on June 01, 2009 at 05:08 AM
I just deleted all the old shit off my computer, what are some good indie bands?
LittleJohnyPancreas on May 31, 2009 at 06:59 PM
Um....no Flaming Lips? Really? I mean I personally believe Soft Bulletin gets unjust higher presidence over their other stuff(though it is amazing) but not even Transmissions From the Satellite Heart made it? Or Clouds Taste Metallic?
Come on, not even "Hey at least it's creative" points for Zaireeka?
And really, Neutral Milk Hotel at number 2? Everyone thinks they are indie gods, yes it's a great album, asuredly top ten but number 2?
My Good Sir, the day you put Postal Service over Animal Collective and Husker Du(not to mention it should be Feels or Strawberry Jam for AC) is the day I contest you.
Though I must admit, your knowledge of indie is admirable. Perhaps when I enjoy The Mysterious Production of Eggs then my brain will allow Death Cab getting on the list before Decemberists.
Trevor on May 25, 2009 at 02:58 PM
Where the hell are the decemberists?!
Conor on May 13, 2009 at 09:48 PM
This list is acceptable given the vast scope of the genre, but there are a few albums that really should have made it.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Apologies to the Queen Mary- Wolf Parade
Writer's Block- Peter Bjorn and John
Satanic Panic in the Attic- Of Montreal (or HIssing Fauna, either way)
Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
Fate- Dr. Dog
Ode to Sunshine- Delta Spirit
Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
Microcastle- Deerhunter
and lastly i would have made an argument for Ratatat's self titled, but thats just me, i know its pushing the genre a bit...
also there are a few bands i feel you got wrong, here's what i would have done
Dear Science- T.V. on the Radio
Illinoise- Sufjan Stevens
I'm Wide Awake and It's Morning- Bright Eyes
Chutes to Narrow- The Shins
Strawberry Jam- Animal Collective
Boxer- The National
So yeah otherwise not bad, the fact that you got Neutral Milk right compensates for a lot
Nicole on May 08, 2009 at 01:32 PM
I have to admit, I really like this list, despite everyone else complaining. While I may not agree 100%, we all have different tastes. Very glad neutral milk hotel is number 2. Might have put panda bear a bit higher...but I definitely approve of this list. Thought you all could use some positive feedback after all the negative crap you got back :]
John B. on April 16, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Whoever wrote this list should be stabbed in the face with a soldering iron.
No Modest Mouse ? Easily in the top 20 indie bands. Moon and Antartica ? The Lonesome Crowded West ? All of their albums are fucking amazing.
on April 04, 2009 at 09:17 PM
wheres the shaggs!?!?
fuck the vivian girls!
Morgan on March 30, 2009 at 06:24 PM
This list is a mess. The top ten are sorta good (even then, Bee Thousand is definitely not #1), but everything following is mostly mediocre newer stuff that probably happened to be in the cd changer when they were making this. The Postal Service at #18??? Chk Chk Chk? Vivian Girls?? It looks like your recently played list on your ipod, not the top "classics".
Just like Ben said, this needs Jesus and Mary Chain and Teenage Fanclub
tom on March 30, 2009 at 05:13 PM
Imperial Teen should be in the top ten. Everyone of their albums is perfect from start to finish. On is a pretty good pick, but I wouldn't argue with Seasick or the newer The Hair The TV the Baby and The band.
Jason Parrish on March 29, 2009 at 10:23 PM
No Decemberists? Wow.
Fancy Pants on March 27, 2009 at 04:59 AM
Gratuitous shot at John Oates in the intro. Is it because he wrote better, more memorable songs than three quarters of the nobodies on this list? And if Black Flag doesn't belong, neither does Fugazi. Fugazi is too good for this forgettable company.
rusty on March 26, 2009 at 09:11 PM
Levi - I get your point. Although Bad Brains have just announced they're doing a tour in white face with Tracy Chapman so they can all be included on the next list of 100 Greatest......
Levi on March 26, 2009 at 08:21 PM
I think a lot of people's issues with this list would be solved if the softer, acoustic stuff, like Elliott Smith and Iron & Wine, were in a different list called Indie Folk Rock. Leave the harder stuff as Indie Rock and everyone's happy.
old punk on March 26, 2009 at 09:21 AM
The author of this list obviously came of age in the late 80s or early 90s. So for him the "real classics" of indie rock were mere retro-nuggets ....
Of course to old fogeys the notion of putting "Zen Arcade" or "This Nation's Saving Grace" on the same list as "Funeral" is completely heretical ....
Rawsnacks on March 26, 2009 at 08:07 AM
Rush debut album, "Rush," released by their own label in 1974. Still selling.
Jude Mangus on March 26, 2009 at 07:09 AM
Why no Starcrush Vomit Whores? Or Mud Puddle Voodoo Dolls?
Huck on March 26, 2009 at 06:24 AM
Pretty decent list, though I would have put Arcade Fire's "Funeral" at the top.
Also: the Lowest of the Low's "Shakespeare ... My Butt"
the other Ken on March 26, 2009 at 05:45 AM
I won't pretend to have heard everything on your list but I'd think that if it doesn't include something by Sufjan Stevens it's probably not complete. Also, regarding the National, Alligator is good but doesn't compare to Boxer.
Abe Froman on March 26, 2009 at 02:04 AM
Rusty seems kind of stupid. I thought everyone knew that "indie rock" means music enjoyed by dweeby white beta males who like ironic tee shirts and the homely, bookish girls wearing "mean people suck" shirts who love them. I'm half-kidding. Though not about Rusty.
Pretty good list. A bunch of my favorite albums are in there, even if the list feels - as they always do - like there's a bit of people listing who they think they're supposed to. Most of my additions-subtractions would just be a matter of differing opinion but no Feelies or REM album is just batshit crazy.
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Nor would I expect to see many black artists on a list of greatest bluegrass albums. Problem is with the pretentious term "greatest indie rock." What is rock? Is it four beats broken down into eight eighth-notes to a bar following twelve-bar blues chord progressions with an emphasis on the backbeat? If so, sounds more like R.L. Burnside than Belle & Sebastian to me. Why is Tom Waits not indie enough but the White Stripes with their theme song to a Bond movie are somehow granted "obscure" status? Does Neutral Milk Hotel have that rock 'n roll rhythm you seem to have so clearly defined? No, it's not about indie or music, just some kind of geeky cult based on a certain image (that just so happens to exclude non-caucasians).
Gary on March 25, 2009 at 09:40 PM
1. 3 Random Words--The Useful Idiots
2. Uh Uh Not Her--Screaming Mimis
3. Don't Answer the Phone--Another Band You've Never Heard Of
Dude on March 25, 2009 at 09:38 PM
The list is called, "The 100 Great Indie Rock Albums of All Time". Yet you first came on here complaining that there were no rap artists -- WTF? Is rap now considered a sub-genre of rock?
If some black dude puts together a list of greatest jazz albums, the last thing I'm going to do is run through the list counting crackas. You are obviously race-obsessed and need to get a life.
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 09:28 PM
So why not be honest about it and not call it "The 100 Great Indie Rock Albums of All Time"? Liz Phair rocks? Ted Hawkins isn't indie enough? Maybe it's a question of "it's a white thing, you wouldn't understand," but what is being discussed? Maybe "The 100 Favorite White Groups of Insulated White Pseudo Intellos" would be better.
Shoop shoop sheeesh
Sphinx on March 25, 2009 at 09:02 PM
These comments about race are out of line and more than a bit ridiculous. Technically speaking, there are "indie" records of all genres -- Where are the classical artists? Or the country artists?
Be that as it may, the "indie record culture," if you will, is largely a white rock thing, and when people refer to "indie bands," it is well understood by pretty much everyone what is being discussed.
So please, people, tone down the irritating, self-righteous racial defensiveness and chill out a little.
Sheesh.
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 09:02 PM
the oldest (and cutest) way to cover for one's ignorance..jump on the typo....
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 08:57 PM
sorry 'bout double postings - comments was responding in weird manner. Who cares about rap? Who cares about techno, gospel, Scottish ballads, bluegrass etc.? People who make and listen to music perhaps?
Dude on March 25, 2009 at 08:55 PM
Wow, Rusty, you sure are stuck on the whole race thing. Do you need counseling? And no, I never did "here" of any of those guys. Didn't even know that word could be a verb.
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 08:52 PM
well, since there's no room here for rap or related styles, where's Living Color? I'd hate to see any of these top 100 acts try to follow Model T Ford, never mind R.L. Burnside...But since you're stuck on white, where's Gogol Bordello? Ever here of a guy named Jim Carrol?
Dude on March 25, 2009 at 08:47 PM
O.K., Rusty, I'll bite: Who gives a fuck about rap?
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 08:43 PM
did I mention Gogol Bordello..are they white enough?
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 08:41 PM
Obviously rap & its variations is forbidden here so how 'bout something truly indie, Mr. TED HAWKINS. I'd love to see anyone in the top 100 stand beside him & perform without waddling out with their tails between their legs..course the competition wouldn't even get that far with T MODEL FORD. But if you're stuck on whitey, what about the Black Keys and LACH and some dude named Jim Carrol.
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 08:10 PM
ok since it's apparently a list about independent white dudes (and shedudes) with 'tude, where's Billy Bragg, early cassette player Beck, Pogues, Billy Bonnie Prince and yes to second above comment, Brian Jones Massacre? Is it because they actually backed up their shit with their future albums?
rusty on March 25, 2009 at 07:58 PM
This list reminds me of a few years old "joke":
What did the black guy say when told Elliot Smith was dead?
Who the fuck is Elliot Smith?
Ben on March 25, 2009 at 07:50 PM
I think many of these are VERY VERY good albums. However, many just have a lot of critical acclaim without being truly great (to me) and many other have NOT yet stood the test of time.
rvastar on March 25, 2009 at 05:54 PM
Swervedriver, "Raise"
Honor Role, "The Pretty Song"
Mudhoney, "Mudhoney"
Dinosaur Jr., "Bug"
Versus, "Secret Swingers"
...to name a few.
Regata on March 25, 2009 at 04:23 PM
Good list, but I would have included "Snot-Covered World" by Earwax Sex Convention on here.
Kira Canny on March 25, 2009 at 03:55 PM
Impressive list!
I'm a little disappointed to see some NW omissions. Sure, Ben Gibbard is there twice in the top 20, but no Modest Mouse? I'm really surprised "Lonesome Crowded West" was left out. Also "In Name and Blood" by the Murder City Devils and Built to Spill just barely making the cut at 98? And with "Ultimate Alternative Wavers" over "There's Nothing Wrong With Love"?? Crazy!
Nice to see all the Olympia stuff represented though...
JackDeWalt on March 25, 2009 at 03:50 PM
Why not Bleached Black, Bludgeoning Baby Seals, Bananamobile Batshit, or -- my favorite -- Bloody Virgin Pooh?
Seems like a pretty conventional list to me. Might as well put Hanson on there.
Tom from Omni on March 25, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Nobody seems to remember the Feelies. *sigh* Love the list, though. There's hardly a record in the top 10 I don't adore.
Rex on March 25, 2009 at 02:31 PM
What the ... ? No Weakerthans' "Left and Leaving"? I'm attempting to make sense of this, but I can't seem to do it. Maybe it was originally a list of the *200* best indie bands and you lost the first page? Maybe you put 500 scraps of paper containing the names of 500 indie bands into a big jar and wrote down the names of the first 100 that came out? Maybe ... I don't know. I'm at a loss. I need to lie down.
Wait. Practical joke, right? I knew it. You guys!
Ben on March 25, 2009 at 02:30 PM
My Bloody Valentine?
Brian Jonestown Massacre?
Swervedriver?
Primal Scream?
Jesus and Mary Chain?
Teenage Fanclub?
Ride?
Are you kidding? How can you leave these artists out of a list of 100 greatest indie bands?
Mark on March 25, 2009 at 02:05 PM
How about Pedro the Lion's It's hard to Find a Friend? I wouldn't want to compile such a list and I don't claim to be familiar with 1/4 of the bands on it, so good job.
Jim on March 25, 2009 at 01:52 PM
No Michael Jackson? And where's Clint Black? What kind of operation are you people running here, anyway?