November 5, 2024 | Jesse Singer

Are These Really The 50 Best Rock Albums Of All Time?


We Love Rock & Roll

The question "What is the best rock album ever?" has led to many heated arguments—and, we can only assume, the breakup of some friendships. Well, at the risk of losing a few friends, we thought we would pose the question and see what kind of answers we got back.

To get the conversation started, we will provide the top 50 rock albums according to Metacritic (with both the Metascore and the User Score being taken into account). So, check them out, then let us know where you fall on their selections—did they get it right?

50: Hypermagic Mountain (Lightning Bolt)

Metascore: 88

User Score: 6.7

Lightning Bolt band in recording studioJason Carlisle, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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49: Yours, Mine & Ours (Pernice Brothers)

Metascore: 88

User Score: 7.4

Pernice Bros. join John Cunninghambradalmanac, Flickr

48: 69 Love Songs (Magnetic Fields)

Metascore: 88

User Score: 7.9

magnetic fields  69 love songs albumerin, Flickr

47: Return To Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)

Metascore: 88

User Score: 8.1 

TV On The Radio band performingDerek Dumais, Flickr

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46: Ta Det Lugnt (Dungen)

Metascore: 88

User Score: 8.6

Swedish rockband Dungen performingKnuckles, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

45: Dear Science (TV On The Radio)

Metascore: 88

User Score: 8.7

Tv On The Radio performing at  Harvest FestivalWayne, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

44: The Sound Of The Smiths (The Smiths)

Metascore: 88

User Score: 8.8

The Smiths in a promotional photo for their self titled debut album The SmithsPaul Cox, Wikimedia Commons

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43: I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone (Crime In Stereo)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 7.4

Crime In Stereo band performing@englishinvader, Flickr

42: Fed (Plush)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 7.5

Composer Liam Hayes at a premiere in brown suit and pink shirtPaul A. Hebert, Getty Images

41: Bachelor No. 2 (Or, The Last Remains Of The Dodo) (Aimee Mann)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 7.9

Aimee Mann performing in Manchester6tee-zeven, Flickr

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40: HoboSapiens (John Cale)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.2

John Cale performingPaul Hudson, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

39: Merriweather Post Pavilion (Animal Collective)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.5

Animal Collective Indie Rock Group performingdaniel arnold, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

38: Modern Times (Bob Dylan)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.5

Bob Dylan  performing June 23 1978Chris Hakkens, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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37: Push Barman To Open Old Wounds (Belle And Sebastian)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.7

Belle And Sebastian PerformingAwiseman, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

36: Complete B-Sides (The Pixies)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.7

The Pixies performingChris Devers, Flickr

35: Neon Golden (The Notwist)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.7

The Notwist performing on stageLivePict.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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34: Superunknown [Deluxe Edition] (Soundgarden)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.8

Chris Cornell and Soundgarden PerformingBrian Patterson Photos, Shutterstock

33: Songs For The Deaf (Queens Of The Stone Age)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 8.9

Queens of the Stone Age (American rock band) performingChristian Bertrand, Shutterstock

32: Nevermind [20th Anniversary Edition] (Nirvana)

Metascore: 89

User Score: 9.0

Nevermind album from the band NirvanaKraft74, Shutterstock

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31: The Live Anthology (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)

Metascore: 90

User Score: 8.3

The Live Anthology  album from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakersmike fabio, Flickr

30: Z (My Morning Jacket)

Metascore: 90

User Score: 8.4

My Morning Jacket performingRyankindelan, Wikimedia Commons

29: XTRMNTR (Primal Scream)

Metascore: 90

User Score: 8.6

Primal Scream performingPhil Guest, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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28: Alice (Tom Waits)

Metascore: 90

User Score: 8.6

Tom Waits performingAnna Wittenberg, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

27: Funeral (Arcade Fire)

Metascore: 90

User Score: 8.9

Arcade Fire's album  FuneralSaburoChaos, Flickr

26: Illinois (Sufjan Stevens)

Metascore: 90

User Score: 8.9

Sufjan Stevens performing at  Metro, Chicagoswimfinfan, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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25: In Utero [20th Anniversary Edition] (Nirvana)

Metascore: 90

User Score: 9.0

Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana.Jeff Kravitz, Getty Images

24: Is This It? (The Strokes)

Metascore: 91

User Score: 8.9

The Strokes In ConcertMatt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

23: Lost In The Sound Of Separation (Underoath)

Metascore: 92

User Score: 7.1

Underoath  during Rock am Ring  at NürburgringSven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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22: The Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972 (Neil Young)

Metascore: 92

User Score: 8.3

Neil Young playing in BarcelonaStoned59, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

21: Elephant (The White Stripes)

Metascore: 92

User Score: 8.6

Elephant The White Stripes albumvanontom, Flickr

20: Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (Tom Waits)

Metascore: 92

User Score: 8.7

Tom Waits 1973 Asylum Publicity PhotoAsylum Records, Wikimedia Commons

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19: Raw Power [Reissue] (Iggy & The Stooges)

Metascore: 92

User Score: 8.8

Iggy And The Stooges performingaurélien., CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

18: Brighten The Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition (Pavement)

Metascore: 92

User Score: 8.8

Pavement  Band in  TokyoMasao Nakagami, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

17: Some Girls [Deluxe Edition] (The Rolling Stones)

Metascore: 93

User Score: 7.8

Rolling Stones PortraitMichael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

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16: Achtung Baby [Super Deluxe] (U2)

Metascore: 93

User Score: 8.7

U2 performingMichael Richardson, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

15: Love And Theft (Bob Dylan)

Metascore: 93

User Score: 8.7

Grayscale Portrait Photo of Bob Dylan performing wit his guitar.Rowland Scherman, Wikimedia Commons

14: Live At Reading (Nirvana)

Metascore: 93

User Score: 8.7

Portrait Photo of Kurt Donald Cobain (1967–1994)Dunk, Flickr

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13: The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads [2004 Version] (Talking Heads)

Metascore: 93

User Score: 8.9

Talking Heads performing in 1982Craig Howell, Flickr

12: Led Zeppelin II [Remastered] (Led Zeppelin)

Metascore: 95

User Score: 9.0

Led Zeppelin band performingJim Summaria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

11: Keep An Eye On The Sky (Big Star)

Metascore: 96

User Score: 7.3

Big Star band performingMarcelo Costa, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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10: Histoire De Melody Nelson (Serge Gainsbourg)

Metascore: 96

User Score: 8.0

Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourgdeepskyobject, Flickr

9: SMiLE (Brian Wilson)

Metascore: 97

User Score: 7.9

Brian Wilson - Smile CDSecret Pilgrim, Flickr

8: Electric Ladyland [50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

Metascore: 97

User Score: 8.9

The Jimi Hendrix Experience bandHans Kerrinckx, Flickr

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7: How The West Was Won (Led Zeppelin)

Metascore: 97

User Score: 8.9

Promotional Image of the band Led Zeppelin in 1971Atlantic Records, Wikimedia Commons

6: Led Zeppelin I [Remastered] (Led Zeppelin)

Metascore: 97

User Score: 9.0

led zeppelin, first albumbadgreeb RECORDS, Flickr

5: Houses Of The Holy [Remastered] (Led Zeppelin)

Metascore: 98

User Score: 8.8

Led Zeppelin  performing   Acoustic 1973Heinrich Klaffs, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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4: Led Zeppelin III [Remastered] (Led Zeppelin)

Metascore: 98

User Score: 8.9

Led Zeppelin - Three albumDylanhatfield, Shutterstock

3: Exile On Main Street [Reissue] (The Rolling Stones)

Metascore: 100

User Score: 8.1

The Rolling Stones performingingen uppgift, Wikimedia Commons

2: Led Zeppelin IV [Remastered] (Led Zeppelin)

Metascore: 100

User Score: 8.6

Person holding Led Zeppelin IV albumMontreal Concert Poster Archive, Flickr

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1: London Calling [25th Anniversary Legacy Edition] (The Clash)

Metascore: 100

User Score: 8.9

The Clash - London Calling - 25th Anniversary Legacy Editionlukasutc, Flickr


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