Every now and then some magazine or other sort of publication decides to trot out their “100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums Of All Time.” The last of note we wrote about was Blender (RIP, dudes) in 2007, so it’s ostensibly time for the folks at Amazon to show their own. Before you guffaw, the list has strengths. Like someone finally remembered Jawbreaker and Unrest’s Imperial f.f.r.r. … albeit the “Deluxe Edition.” (It’s clearly a site designed to sell you these very records, so grains of salt, please.) As with all lists, there are head scratchers, i.e. the Postal Service beating Hüsker Dü’s Zen Arcade, the Replacement’s Let It Be, and the Fall, etc., by a landslide. The criteria:
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.
Important to note that there was only one album per artist, Guided By Voices, Sonic Youth, and Sebadoh (Liz Phair is cool with this rule), plus no singles or EPs or comps or greatest hits. Dig in:
100 Dangerous Magical Noise – The Dirtbombs
99 Passover – The Black Angels
98 To Survive – Joan As Police Woman
97 Ultimate Alternative Wavers – Built To Spill
96 Trans Am – Trans Am
95 The Discovery Of A World Inside… – The Apples In Stereo
94 Waiter: ‘You Vultures!’ – Portugal The Man
93 Alligator – The National
92 Horses In The Sky – Silver Mt. Zion
91 Gallowsbird’s Bark – The Fiery Furnaces
90 Louden Up Now – (!!! Chk Chik Chick)
89 The Milk-Eyed Mender – Joanna Newsom
88 The Power Out – Electrelane
87 Cure For Pain – Morphine
86 Worn Copy – Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
85 Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls
84 Hearts Of Oak – Ted Leo/Pharmacists
83 Save Yourself – Make Up
82 The Last Match – The Aislers Set
81 The Sea and the Bells – Rachel’s
80 The Ugly Organ – Cursive
79 De Stijl – The White Stripes
78 Nothing Feels Good – The Promise Ring
77 The Smell Of Our Own – The Hidden Cameras
76 Jane From Occupied Europe – Swell Maps
75 Furnace Room Lullaby – Neko Case
74 The Curtain Hits The Cast – Low
73 The R&B Of Membership – The Delta 72
72 II & III – Camper Van Beethoven
71 Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating… – Spiritualized
70 The Fawn – The Sea And Cake
69 Feast of Wire – Calexico
68 Oh, Inverted World – The Shins
67 Will You Find Me – Ida
66 Milk Man – Deerhoof
65 Coquelicot Asleep In The Poppies… – Of Montreal
64 Rejoicing in The Hands – Devendra Banhart
63 Destroyer’s Rubies – Destroyer
62 TNT – Tortoise
61 Neon Golden – The Notwist
60 Daddy’s Highway – The Bats
59 Set Yourself On Fire – Stars
58 Fabulous Muscles – Xiu Xiu
57 Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes – TV On The Radio
56 The Decline And Fall Of Heavenly – Heavenly
55 The Mysterious Production of Eggs – Andrew Bird
54 Pussy-Whipped – Bikini Kill
53 Sing No Evil – Half Japanese
52 Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express – The Go Betweens
51 Emperor Tomato Ketchup – Stereolab
50 And Don’t The Kids Just Love It – Television Personalities
49 Wild Love – Smog
48 Agaetis Byrjun – Sigur Ros
47 Red House Painters I – Red House Painters
46 Advisory Committee – Mirah
45 How Memory Works – Joan Of Arc
44 On Fire – Galaxie 500
43 On – Imperial Teen
42 Mass Romantic [Remastered] – The New Pornographers
41 Gulag Orkestar – Beirut
40 This Nation’s Saving Grace – The Fall
39 You Forgot It In People – Broken Social Scene
38 I Am A Bird Now – Antony & The Johnsons
37 When Your Heartstrings Break – Beulah
36 Our Endless Numbered Days – Iron & Wine
35 Person Pitch – Panda Bear
34 Let’s Get Out of This Country – Camera Obscura
33 Merriweather Post Pavilion – Animal Collective
32 Let It Be [Expanded Edition] – The Replacements
31 Repeater + 3 Songs – Fugazi
30 Zen Arcade – Hüsker Dü
29 24 Hour Revenge Therapy – Jawbreaker
28 Lift Your Skinny Fists… – godspeed you black emperor!
27 Yellow House – Grizzly Bear
26 The Glow Pt. 2 – The Microphones
25 Black Candy – Beat Happening
24 Funeral – Arcade Fire
23 Moon Pix – Cat Power
22 Diary – Sunny Day Real Estate
21 Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil… – Bright Eyes
20 I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One – Yo La Tengo
19 Kill the Moonlight – Spoon
18 Give Up – The Postal Service
17 Dig Me Out – Sleater-Kinney
16 No Pocky for Kitty – Superchunk
15 I See A Darkness – Bonnie “Prince” Billy
14 We Have The Facts and We’re Voting Yes – Death Cab For Cutie
13 Michigan – Sufjan Stevens
12 Daydream Nation – Sonic Youth
11 69 Love Songs Volume 1 – The Magnetic Fields
10 Bakesale – Sebadoh
09 Either/Or – Elliott Smith
08 Surfer Rosa – Pixies
07 If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle & Sebastian
06 Slanted & Enchanted – Pavement
05 Imperial f.f.r.r. (Deluxe Edition) – Unrest
04 Exile In Guyville – Liz Phair
03 Spiderland – Slint
02 In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
01 Bee Thousand – Guided by Voices
Yellow House > MPP, for those keeping track. You can see it all in context at Amazon.com. (True, some of the records we chose for our Friendly Deals are on this puppy, too. Including #1. What good taste we have.)
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The lack of any strokes album is impossible to justify.
The Strokes have been on RCA since “Is This It?” ….so they can’t really fit this list because RCA is not an independent record label. Although, if this were plainly “greatest rock records of all time” then strokes should have something in the top 20 for sure.
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti!! Better than I expected from Amazon.
FTW: no Archers of Loaf?
But more FTW: why am I worked up over a list from Amazon? I’m such a dolt.
(But nice inclusion of Unrest.)
Icky Mettle! Most definitely. I’d accept VeeVee though. No Polvo either. Superchunk wasn’t the ONLY Chapel Hill band.
On a somewhat related note (and that related note is that I am 34 years old), no Rocket From The Crypt, Shellac, Drive Like Jehu or Nation of Ulysses (I guess the Make Up took their spot).
QFT. Vee Vee is so underrated.
its not perfect, but its way better than the other “best of indie” lists released, they have both older classics and newer albums which is kinda cool. i dunno if i’d agree with the order but the overall list is pretty decent.
all the right bands, all the wrong albums, how is in a aeroplane over the sea not number 1, why is modest mouse not on here?? is REM even on this!?! never mind why michigin is ahead of illinoise, when the hell is he coming out with another album? not as bad as i thought it would be…
So you get voted down for saying Big Black is better than goddamn The Postal Service? You have got to be kidding.
That’s because most of the people who visit this site have awful taste in music; judging by all the luv that Trent Reznor gets from them. Oh well, you and I know that Albini>>>Gibbard.
69 Love Songs should be higher, and where’s Beach House?
I think it’s preposterous to have a list like this with no Mountain Goats on it. I know these kind of posts are completely pointless but whatever.
They should call it the 100 most broke-ass mo fos of all time. 50 cent, kanye, Lil John, fergie and Lady DaDa probably make more money off one single than all these albums made over their lifetime.
wow, only one hater on death cab, i must say that album is really good. Sad to see no Decemberists-Pisq. on there.
what the fuck? american football and the unicorns deserve a spot
Am I the only one that doesn’t get the big deal with If You’re Feeling Sinister?
Yes
Because I would like many many ups, I will also voice my disdain for Vivian Girls’ inclusion on this list: “Vivian Girls? WTFuck?”
Agree that this list loses all validity when Modest Mouse – Lonesome Crowded West is left out. Also Les Savy Fav – Go Forth, Explosions In The Sky – The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place, Wrong Built To Spill album (might be their worst) & Wilco….
Where the fuck is The Moon & Antarctica?!?!?
AGREED!!!!!
side note: i don’t think cursive’s best record is “the ugly organ”….it should have been “domestica”
soooo wilco isn’t considered indie rock then?
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was rejected by a major label. That seems pretty indie rock to me.
YHF was rejected by Warner only to be released on Nonesuch which is OWNED by Warner which means it was distrubuted as well by WARNER. Didn’t quite get the hype with all that bru-ha-ha back in ’02, though I agree that it SHOULD be on here.
in my opinion, return to cookie mountain is better than desperate youth, bloodthirsty babes.
boxer is better than alligator (though i know this is debated by many. fine.)
illinois is better than michigan.
…and i’m glad that stars got some love and they totally got it right with set yourself on fire. great great album.
but, hey, it’s a list. everybody’s going to have their bitching to do.
i try not to pay attention to rank on these things. just a matter of addition or omission.
Wow, what a pleasant surprise to see Joan of Arc on here.
Um, wheres The Walkmen.
To Survive? Really?
this looks like what would happen if you dumped 100 of my CDs on the floor ? I can’t see much logic in these rankings whatsoever.
No Interpol, no Modest Mouse, no Wilco
It’s nice to see the Glow, pt. 2 on there.
Jim O’Rourke’s “Insignificance” deserves to be on a list like this. It doesn’t get enough credit. And does anyone really think that Altnerate Alternative Wavers is Built to Spill’s best album?
Who is Unrest? Am an idiot for not knowing that band?
Postal Service is way too high.
I found a mistake!!!
When they wrote:
01 Bee Thousand – Guided by Voice
They meant to write:
01 Reality Check – The Teenagers
You fuckin morons, that was obviously a joke.
im really surprised to see Ariel Pink on there, his albums are very inconsistent and Worn Copy is no exception. Its not a bad album but I think House Arrest is miles better.
Wow, someone recognition for Coquelicot Asleep In The Poppies.
I’ll celebrate quietly.
this list is damn near impossible to make. but thumbs up for trying. They really missed a lot of shit, pretty annoyed that MPP is on there, think whatever you want about AC but thats not their best record by any measure. no Interpol, no modest mouse, no Akron/family, no Mountain Goats, no Flaming Lips and no Okkervil River… is pretty bad on their part. everyones list would be different but some shit you really can’t leave out.
and at this point Indie isn’t just based on label status, its a sound and a genre.
I became impressed when I saw Michigan, Milk Man, Alligator, Wild Love,
The right choices for these artists.
Illinois, Apple O, Boxer, Knock Knock are all more popular but weaker albums.
Neutral Milk Hotel sucks forever. And Ariel Pink is the one doing the sucking.
+3 points for not blowing this one too hard Amazon.
And yes, Neutral Milk Hotel sucks forever. Fucking crap music.
Word to the Hotel…
Gald to see some people see the
Emperor is Naked!
And sucks sooooo much
ass….
some people might disagree with me on this, but why was MINERAL not included on that list?? either one of their albums would have been better than the postal service! in 1997, “the power of failing” was the only album i listened to…..
mineral is TIGHT YO!
Would prefer the top 100 reasons why 90 percent of the Stereogum commentators are unhappy, rage-filled human waste. Here’s a couple:
1. You’re not even the drummer in that lousy band you ripped on.
2. You never will be.
3. It’s easier to be talk smack when you’re an anonymous coward
4. You think the music you like represents you as person so you can’t be objective about it.
5. You’re insufferable in real life — how the fuck else would you be on the net?
Pot: “Kettle, you’re totally black. (while I’m more of a self-aware-above-all-of-this dark blue) ”
douch.
It’s like this: “douche”
By the way, I’m not being a hypocrite so that’s a fucked up analogy. Douche.
6. Because they hate it when other people make spelling mistakes.
Exactly I agree. All these “kids” need to understand that we all like what we like. All these lists are subjective and its not the end of the world!! There’s more important stuff to worry about. Everyone here acts like they are reading Teenbeat (the magazine not the label)
33 Merriweather Post Pavilion – Animal Collective
32 Let It Be [Expanded Edition] – The Replacements
This is the biggest wind up on the list. A bunch of blip and yips just one spot behind the Replacements Let It Be? 20 years from now Let It Be will still be on these lists while Animal Defective is 18 years into its “massively overrated and soon forgotten” phase. I mean really kids…it’s paper thin on talent, intent and songs.
Yep, I’m going to let Amazon tell me what the best albums are. Really? Amazon? This list sucks.
Cherry Peel should have been the Of Montreal entry.
Apples in Stereo- Fun Trick Noise Maker is superior to Discovery…
Deerhoof- Reveille or Apple O
And Neutral Milk Hotel at # 2 just shows how retarded this list is.
Such an awful recording.
Wan;t good ten years ago when it came out.
Still horrible today…
I can’t take anyone seriously who says they like that album…
Really?
Really?
Please stop.
-Farmer Ted
I don’t even need to read this to know it’s going to make me throw up in my mouth a little.
i guess i just don’t understand the reasoning or purpose of this whole list thing. is it like a game? come up with a very specific set of rules and then complicate your life with another list? even by these standards, “best” according to whom or what standard? sales? i mean its amazon. and with that being said, shouldn’t slanted and enchanted be #1 automatically? aaaaahhh… i just don’t get it. next time lets come up with more weird rules to have some unimportant random ass list pop up somwheresssss whooo cares!
blonde redhead?
commenterz r dumb
there is a brazilian indie band very good…that woxy play sometimes…they call Instiga!
they release a very good album called “I have a band”…a true gold!
their site: http://www.instiga.com …or myspace/instiga
The problem is that you lose all credibility when you say “this list loses all credibility”.
It is a good list, a nice mix of historic and newer bands and some inbetween.
The Smiths? All of their albums were on Rough Trade, an indie label.
indeed, major oversight. joy division belongs on the list too, as well as new order
No R.E.M.???
No, they should call it the “100 most broke-ass Mo Fos of all time that are beloved and worshiped by a handful of nerds”
its weird that every band has only one record on here?
if bee thousand is number one then alien lanes should be on here too.
it seems like 100 greatest indie bands / albums.
But seriously, Transatlanticism is by far and large one of the best, if not the best album dcfc has ever had.
The emphasis on currents bands is way too heavy. The Replacements should be in the top ten and the Vivian Girls should not be on this list.
I LOVA Animal Collective’s MPP, but how can it already be breaking the top 50? The historical considerations on this list are nonsensical.
no complaints here :] wow.. such a rarity on boards like this….
Seriously though, no R.E.M.? Murmur should be Top 10.
this list needs some Big Star.
Wow, I was waiting to see “Ok Computer” at #1, but it wasn’t even on the list. Is this because you don’t consider them “indie”? Ridiculous! WHERE THE FUCK IS “THE SOFT BULLETIN” by Flaming Lips? Also, no Modest Mouse? No Mogwai? This is a fucking stupid list! Also as a personal opinion I think the Pixies, “Doolittle” is by far their best album.
*facepalm*
Wait, where is ” “? And how could you leave out ” ” and include ” “? Also ” ” before ” “? No f’ing way!
wonderful list, especially 27 down.
nice to see the microphones getting some credit.
Perhaps it’s just me…
but Wolf Parade-Apologies to Queen Mary?
Everyone please stop complaining. The Amazon editors who put this together obviously know what they are talking about. Maybe you have never personally asked yourself the question, “What is the only indie rock record that is better than ‘The Last Match’ and yet worse than ‘The Ugly Organ’?” but clearly the only even semi-plausible answer is “The Sea and the Bells.” So get over yourselves.
Interesting that “The Ugly Organ” was chosen over Cursive’s “Domestica”.
In the time it took you to read this list, Bob Pollard wrote thirty-five new songs…..
……and every one of them is better than the Vivian Girls.
How fucking psyched are you for ‘dragonslayer’? I’m calling album of the year.
I remember a couple shows I have seen with line-ups exclusively from this list.
I saw Pavement open up for Sonic Youth back in 1991 or 92 in Houston
I saw Death Cab open uo for the Aislers Set followed by Imperial Teen back in the late 90s.
I saw Electralane open up for Arcade Fire back in 2005 or 06
Then there were other bands from above on the same bill at festivals or street fairs but with other non-top 100 mixed in.
Anyone else?
i hate the american definition of “indie”.
a list of mainstream indie albums will be better than that “true stuff”
Some incredible flaws, but Destroyer made it, so no complaints from me.
I like that they chose a volume for 69 love songs
No Helium?!?! This list can suck it. “The Magic City” and “Dirt of Luck” both deserve recognition & influenced many–especially some of the more recent people on this list
When are people going to realize that Bright Eyes are terrible and Conor Oberst is a chump? Cry me a river, you 25-year-old bitchface.
Tom Waits.
WHERE THE FLIP IS MODEST MOUSE? I probably (ok not probably, but it might have aken longer) wouldnt listen to the genre indie today if it werent for Modest Mouse and I’m sure Im not the only one. I was preparing to show outrage at the lack of a top 10/20 but dood.. WTF.
Bleach didn’t make the list? Overall I’m pretty Impressed with the list but come on…
The amazon.com page says they excluded hardcore punk and grunge, ergo no Nirvana, which is good because let’s face it, Grunge is basically reformulated classic rock and that ain’t indie rock. But Imperial Teen is on the list and they were dubbed bubble grunge when they came out, so evidently grunge like music is OK>
quite a good list when it comes to artists (albums picks are weird sometimes), but no modest mouse, smiths, radiohead (!) and interpol? wtf!
dont quite agree with the nr.1 pick, bee thousand sure is a good album, but i’d definitely prefer pixies or sonic youth (or even nmh) at that spot.
…no My Morning Jacket?
MMJ are awesome, but they arne’t “indie.” They’re signed to RTO which is a division of RCA records.
I like the list because it has bands I like, don’t like and have never heard of…. I’m happy to see Sunny Day Real Estate and Jawbreaker. Where’s Jane’s Addiction (xXx records)?
no menomena? where’s friend and foe?
also, boxer is a thousand times better than alligator. those guys ain’t shit without sufjan.
Again, the Smiths, but also the rest of Manchester contribution Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses? Come on…
Why is there a picture of a black Ku Klux Klan on the Guided By Voices album?
The amazon.com page says they excluded hardcore punk and grunge, ergo no Nirvana, which is good because let’s face it, Grunge is basically reformulated classic rock and that ain’t indie rock. But Imperial Teen is on the list and they were dubbed bubble grunge when they came out, so evidently grunge like music is OK>
Nobody ever gives START HERE by THE GLORIA RECORD love.
It’s my favorite indie rock album.
Also Transatlanticism > We Have The Facts
hmmm, Vol 1 over Vol 2 of 69 Love Songs? eek, no! also, ‘Emporer Tomato Ketchup’ much as I love it, was on a major label. yeah and the only one album per band rule pretty much ruins the list from the outset, because there’s no way it can be the 100 best.
god I haaate Beat Happening.
also also also, hey, Factory Records was an indie label right? if so, there are now major, major holes in the list.
My guess would be that they don’t regard JD, NO, Durutti Column, A certain ration, etc… as indie rock.
Jawbreaker, Magnetic Fields, Fugazi, Sebadoh, Superchunk….
This is a happy list….Especially Diary, SDRE…I am usually mad at these lists…not this time.
yo stereogum, make your own damn list, shut these people up, exclude vivian chicks, and make sure pinback and modest mouse are at least on it. ok? ok.
Elliott Smith should be at least top 3
No Calla?
Also No Brian Jonestown Massacre?
Random Thought: I love Give Up, think it’s a fantastic album, etc. But why does The Postal Service make this list yet nothing by Modest Mouse or Flaming Lips? In 20 years, Good News will still be relevant, and it will still be a staple for almost any self-respecting music geek. Same goes for [insert favorite Lips album here].
Also, much respect for Zach Condon, but Gulag? 41? I dunno…
Hey, I love Modest Mouse too, but really, you think Good News is the record that will still be seen as relevant, over The Lonesome Crowded West or The Moon & Antarctica? Also The Flaming Lips are on Warner Bros. which is obviously not indie.
I totally agree on Guided by voices: Robert Pollart is THE ARTIST!
who gives a flying fuck. amazon sucks
Needs more Loveless
I’d personally like to see Pinback’s “Summer In Abbadon” on this list.
Strawberry Jam should come before Merriweather Post. The first half of Merriweather is excellent but kind of trails off at points ehile strawberry jam is just magical for the entire album
i totally agree with gbv being number one, even though it’s pretty lofi, i probably would have put there album “under the bushes, under the stars” though
i cant believe secret machines is not listed
i agree with the number 1 slot but think “under the bushes under the stars” would have been a better pick even though its a bit commercial.
would have liked to seen elf power/when the red king comes
and secret machines/ten silver drops
Ahhhhhh…Joan of Arc.
So, according to this list Beirut is more “rock” than Black Flag?
GG.
If you’re gonna put the Fiery Furnaces it should’ve been Blueberry Boat
coquelicot for of montreal? for real? The obvious choices are hissing fauna or skeletal lamping. but even sunlandic or satanic panic are stronger albums than “the events leading up to he collapse of detective dullight.”
glaring omissions: The Soft Bulletin, Lonesome Crowded West, Fever to Tell
the fact that radiohead are not even mentioned negates any relativity of this “list”
so glad Portugal. The Man made it on
top ten is mostly American, so yeah i’m going with this, screw rock from foreigners, teehee
A lot of good ones left out, but most glaring for me is Grandaddy’s The Sophtware Slump.
Wow. Um. This list is largely garbage. Since when are Amazon tastemakers?
Wow. Um. Idiot. No one said they were trying to be “tastemakers” You’re garbage.
I think the Vivian Girls “where do you run? Is among the Best songs of the last Five years. I also think you should have positive opinions music should be rated on a scale of 9 – 10 , PLUS how are people hating on MPP laughable . your alll ruining my generation stop it I love modern music
Dinosaur Jr.-You’re Living All Over Me, this list is pathetic
this list had so much going for it Slint at #3 and Neutral Milk Hotel at #2, it could have been a perfect list but… THEY LEFT OFF MODEST MOUSE, HOW DO YOU NOT INCLUDE LONESOME CROWDED WEST ON THIS LIST
also it should have been a different album for built to spill and sufjan, it would have been nice to see the grifters, and i am glad to see ted leo