Blender's Top 100 Indie Rock Albums of All Time

[paulisded]

I am officially a geek - I own 84 of these, including the entire Top 41.

100 The Shaggs - Philosophy Of The World
99 Dream Syndicate - The Days Of Wine And Roses
98 Palace Music - Viva Last Blues
97 The Mekons - Rock 'N' Roll
96 TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
95 The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I
94 Half Japanese - Greatest Hits
93 Big Black - Atomizer
92 Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
91 The Chills - Kaleidoscope World
90 Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
89 Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
88 Daniel Johnston - Yip/Jump Music
87 Wolf Parade - Apologies To The Queen Mary
86 Flipper - Album - Generic Flipper
85 The Clean - Anthology
84 Beat Happening - You Turn Me On
83 The Misfits - Walk Among Us
82 The Embarrassment - Heyday 1979-83
81 The Vaselines - The Way Of The Vaselines
80 Feist - The Reminder
79 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
78 The 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th
Floor Elevators
77 Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
76 Le Tigre - Le Tigre
75 Galaxie 500 - Today
74 The Fall - 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong
73 Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun
72 The Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed
71 Stereolab - Refried Ectoplasm
70 Mudhoney - Superfruzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles
69 Nick Drake - Pink Moon
68 Descendents - Milo Goes To College
67 H|sker D| - New Day Rising
66 Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
65 Various Artists - No New York
64 Cat Power - The Greatest
63 Nirvana - Bleach
62 The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
61 LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
60 Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
59 Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
58 Built To Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love
57 Bikini Kill - Pussy Whipped
56 Archers Of Loaf - Icky Mettle
55 Bad Brains - Bad Brains
54 Unrest - Imperial F.F.R.R.
53 Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
52 Bright Eyes - Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear
To The Ground
51 Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
50 Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous

49 Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
48 Mission Of Burma - Vs.
47 Green Day - Kerplunk
46 Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
45 Fugazi - Repeater
44 Various Artists - Wanna Buy A Bridge?
43 Black Flag - Damaged
42 Brian Eno - Another Green World
41 Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
40 New Order - Power Corruption & Lies
39 Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
38 The Strokes - Is This It
37 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
36 Elliott Smith - Either/Or
35 Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
34 Superchunk - On The Mouth
33 The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
32 Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
31 Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
30 Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
29 Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
28 The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
27 M.I.A. - Arular
26 Belle And Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
25 Sebadoh - III
24 The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
23 Yo La Tengo - Painful
22 Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II
21 The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
20 The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
19 Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out
18 Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
17 The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
16 Slint - Spiderland
15 X - Wild Gift
14 De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising
13 H|sker D| - Zen Arcade
12 Dinosaur Jr - You're Living All Over Me
11 Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime
10 The Smiths - The Smiths
09 Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers
08 My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
07 The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
06 Arcade Fire - Funeral
05 Pixies - Surfer Rosa
04 R.E.M. - Murmur
03 The Replacements - Let It Be
02 Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
01 Pavement - Slanted And Enchanted

[lleeder]

what about the top 6?

[underdog]

what about the top 6?

They were all Beatles albums and a The Sensational Alex Harvey Band album.

[epo]

I'm such a loser....I've got 28 of these!

[Don Stugots]

No UNHALLOWED? Bullshit!

[IamFogHat]

I'm such a loser....I've got 28 of these!

Loser? Or 26% better off musically than the general American population.

[patsopinion]

this is totally going to affect my lime wire

[epo]

They were all Beatles albums and a The Sensational Alex Harvey Band album.

The question is: Can you sing along to "Giddy up a Ding-Dong"?

[BMoses]

I am officially a geek - I own 84 of these, including the entire Top 41.

No Brian Eno- Another Green World?

[underdog]

The question is: Can you sing along to "Giddy up a Ding-Dong"?

Holy shit, someone got my reference. :clap:

[epo]

Holy shit, someone got my reference. :clap:

I figured that was a better reference than "Gang Bang". People might get the wrong idea.

[danner1515]

I normally hate Blender, but that list isn't half bad. I have 51 of those. I have some issues with them including albums that are a little early to be labeling among best ever, along with some that simply aren't very good (i.e., the Arctic Monkeys one). Plus, what are they doing including compilations like 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong. The Fall have tons of great albums. Why cheat with a best-of? Also, shame on them for putting stuff by Arcade Fire and Wilco above Bee Thousand. For shame.

[TheMojoPin]

along with some that simply aren't very good (i.e., the Arctic Monkeys one)

Horrible band name, massively overrated, doesn't belong on the list...but not a bad band.

Now, MIA...I don't "get" her hype at all. Awful production, really average MC skills. Like the Streets, she seems to be getting propped up because of the "freak show" factor of non-American rapping.

[underdog]

Now, MIA...I don't "get" her hype at all. Awful production, really average MC skills. Like the Streets, she seems to be getting propped up because of the "freak show" factor of non-American rapping.

Are you the only person other than me in this world who doesn't get the Streets? Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but it just doesn't seem special to me.

[TheMojoPin]

Are you the only person other than me in this world who doesn't get the Streets? Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but it just doesn't seem special to me.

I don't think he's awful, but he's really nothing special. And that last album blew hard.

[underdog]

I don't think he's awful, but he's really nothing special. And that last album blew hard.

I'm definitely with you. I can listen to his stuff and enjoy it, but people act like he's a revolutionary or something, and I just don't get it.

[JohnWC]

I have 41 of them.. the ones in red. Not a bad list really. I would add a few though off the top of my head
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
The Wrens - Meadowlands

I am officially a geek - I own 84 of these, including the entire Top 41.

100 The Shaggs - Philosophy Of The World
99 Dream Syndicate - The Days Of Wine And Roses
98 Palace Music - Viva Last Blues
97 The Mekons - Rock 'N' Roll
96 TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
95 The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I
94 Half Japanese - Greatest Hits
93 Big Black - Atomizer
92 Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
91 The Chills - Kaleidoscope World
90 Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
89 Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
88 Daniel Johnston - Yip/Jump Music
87 Wolf Parade - Apologies To The Queen Mary
86 Flipper - Album - Generic Flipper
85 The Clean - Anthology
84 Beat Happening - You Turn Me On
83 The Misfits - Walk Among Us
82 The Embarrassment - Heyday 1979-83
81 The Vaselines - The Way Of The Vaselines
80 Feist - The Reminder
79 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
78 The 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th
Floor Elevators
77 Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
76 Le Tigre - Le Tigre
75 Galaxie 500 - Today
74 The Fall - 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong
73 Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun
72 The Mountain Goats - We Shall All Be Healed
71 Stereolab - Refried Ectoplasm
70 Mudhoney - Superfruzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles
69 Nick Drake - Pink Moon
68 Descendents - Milo Goes To College
67 H|sker D| - New Day Rising
66 Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
65 Various Artists - No New York
64 Cat Power - The Greatest
63 Nirvana - Bleach
62 The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
61 LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
60 Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
59 Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
58 Built To Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love
57 Bikini Kill - Pussy Whipped
56 Archers Of Loaf - Icky Mettle
55 Bad Brains - Bad Brains
54 Unrest - Imperial F.F.R.R.
53 Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
52 Bright Eyes - Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear
To The Ground
51 Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
50 Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous

49 Spoon - Kill The Moonlight
48 Mission Of Burma - Vs.
47 Green Day - Kerplunk
46 Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
45 Fugazi - Repeater
44 Various Artists - Wanna Buy A Bridge?
43 Black Flag - Damaged
42 Brian Eno - Another Green World
41 Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
40 New Order - Power Corruption & Lies
39 Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
38 The Strokes - Is This It
37 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
36 Elliott Smith - Either/Or
35 Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
34 Superchunk - On The Mouth
33 The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
32 Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
31 Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
30 Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
29 Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
28 The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
27 M.I.A. - Arular
26 Belle And Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
25 Sebadoh - III
24 The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
23 Yo La Tengo - Painful
22 Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II
21 The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers
20 The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
19 Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out
18 Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
17 The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
16 Slint - Spiderland
15 X - Wild Gift
14 De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising
13 H|sker D| - Zen Arcade
12 Dinosaur Jr - You're Living All Over Me
11 Minutemen - Double Nickels On The Dime
10 The Smiths - The Smiths
09 Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers
08 My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
07 The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground
06 Arcade Fire - Funeral
05 Pixies - Surfer Rosa
04 R.E.M. - Murmur
03 The Replacements - Let It Be
02 Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
01 Pavement - Slanted And Enchanted

[donnie_darko]

pretty loose with the term "indie"

including art brut, feist, the arcade fire, and the arctic monkeys... might as well throw cold play on the list.

[Bay Ridge Tim]

pretty loose with the term "indie"

including art brut, feist, the arcade fire, and the arctic monkeys... might as well throw cold play on the list.

They're all on independent labels. Well, not Coldplay.

[Bay Ridge Tim]

The list needs "Nothing Feels Good" by The Promise Ring somewhere in the top 25.

[sailor]

i've owned 4 of those. screw being hip.

[PhishHead]

they are missing way too many good bands and albums one being Okkervil River fucking bastards.

I just can't believe some bands they include and some they left off.

[PhishHead]

oh yea I love how they have Rilo Kiley but they have one of the albums that was released on Brute/Beaute records which is freaking warner brothers, it was RK's first album on WB. They should have at least picked one of the ones released on an actual indie label either take-offs or execution of all things fucking idiots.

how is Wilcos YHF on there when its WB as well, did these people do research or just saw hey the label is nonesuch thats indie!

[danner1515]

oh yea I love how they have Rilo Kiley but they have one of the albums that was released on Brute/Beaute records which is freaking warner brothers, it was RK's first album on WB. They should have at least picked one of the ones released on an actual indie label either take-offs or execution of all things fucking idiots.

how is Wilcos YHF on there when its WB as well, did these people do research or just saw hey the label is nonesuch thats indie!

I think the term "indie rock" is becoming more or a genre name than an actual description of the label it's on. If Sebadoh had been on Warner Bros, they'd still probably be called indie rock.

[PhishHead]

I think the term "indie rock" is becoming more or a genre name than an actual description of the label it's on. If Sebadoh had been on Warner Bros, they'd still probably be called indie rock.

but for the most part they did a good job of taking indie bands and labels, i didn't research all of them obviously but those two popped out at me when looking at the list, I am sure there are more.

[sailor]

what does it matter what label the music is on? like who cares about listing albums from certain labels? i could see more if you went by genre, but i seriously don't get the other distinction.

[PhishHead]

what does it matter what label the music is on? like who cares about listing albums from certain labels? i could see more if you went by genre, but i seriously don't get the other distinction.

my point was they are saying here are the 100 best indie rock labels I am pointing out the labels and bands are not indie therefore should not be on the list.

Rilo Kiley's more adventurous is on a warner brothers release, if you want them on the list of indie rock put on one of their 2 albums which are indie.

[danner1515]

my point was they are saying here are the 100 best indie rock labels I am pointing out the labels and bands are not indie therefore should not be on the list.

Rilo Kiley's more adventurous is on a warner brothers release, if you want them on the list of indie rock put on one of their 2 albums which are indie.

I don't think that's nearly as offensive as including compilations. That's a huge no-no when it comes to making album lists. It makes sense for bands like The Vaselines who don't really have any proper albums, but The Fall? Pick an album, you lazy bastards.

Oh, and is anyone else getting a little tired of critics falling over each other to praise the Velvet Underground? They seem to be turning into the quintessential band to namedrop if you want to look cool.

[EliSnow]

I own three albums on the list, and truthfully, I'm suprised it's that many.

[paulisded]

I have 41 of them.. the ones in red. Not a bad list really. I would add a few though off the top of my head
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
The Wrens - Meadowlands

I would agree with both of those choices, along with one of the early Uncle Tupelo albums or the first Whiskeytown.

[badorties]

i own 56 ... i'm such a cliche

[Chris from TX]

I have 17. I'm cool, without overdoing it.

I thought YLT's 'Painful' could have been a little higher, oh well.

[furie]

this is totally going to affect my lime wire

i was just thinking that. although i'm really not into the whole indie rock scene.

[sailor]

my point was they are saying here are the 100 best indie rock labels I am pointing out the labels and bands are not indie therefore should not be on the list.

Rilo Kiley's more adventurous is on a warner brothers release, if you want them on the list of indie rock put on one of their 2 albums which are indie.

i was more saying why have the list at all. why does it matter what type of label they are on? are we next doing the top 10 albums with green covers?

[Stankfoot]

i was more saying why have the list at all. why does it matter what type of label they are on? are we next doing the top 10 albums with green covers?


http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a350/stankfoot/weezer.jpg

[TheMojoPin]

i was more saying why have the list at all. why does it matter what type of label they are on?

Because the label can change wildly the resources available to a band in terms of marketing, production, transportation and the type of venues they can book. A band in an "indie" label typically has to work a lot harder than a band that's with a major label, hence why it's abusrd to put albums that had major label-backing on this list. Ideally, it should be talking about albums put out by small labels that still managed to find a relatively wide audience and establish a reputation as a classic or a "must have" or whatever.