The 225 Best Noise Rock Albums Of All Time
What is noise rock? Noise rock is music that doesn't like
you. It doesn't care to be liked. It is ugly. It is loud. It is dirty. The
lyrics are usually disturbing, focusing on the dark aspects of life. The
artwork is usually equally as messed up. When the artwork isn't dark and
disturbing it's usually ironically cute. This music is warped and has a very
narrow yet dedicated audience. This is what happened when musicians focused on
the ugly side of punk rock, did away with most of it's politics and focused on
the evil in life. This stuff isn't pretty at all. It's closer to metal and even
jazz at some points than it is to traditional rock, yet most of these bands
still had a firm hand in the dirtiest of rock n roll. These bands weren't
afraid to get their hands dirty. They weren't afraid to destroy eardrums
either. This is some of the most physical and cathartic music you will ever
hear. This was rock music that was not afraid to get outside it's comfort zone
to embrace all manner of musical techniques from across the musical landscape.
By doing so, this alienated them, usually, from wider audiences. They did not
care. You were either on board or nowhere near this stuff. This is not for
background listening. Not for the casual fan. You either love noise rock or you
most likely hate it. For those that are curious enough and for those that
already are part of the club, this list is for you!
Special help with this list was provided by Mark Taylor,
quite a few albums on here were his picks, but I won't tell you which!
The 1960s
The Velvet Underground-White Light/White Heat(Verve-1968)
The 1970s
Debris'-Static Disposal(Static Disposal-1976)
Chrome-Alien Soundtracks(Siren-1977)
Suicide-Self Titled(Red Star-1977)
Chrome-Half Machine Lip Moves(Siren-1979)
The Contortions-Buy(ZE-1979)
Swell Maps-A Trip To Marineville(Rather/Rough Trade-1979)
The 1980s
1/2 Japanese-1/2 Gentlmen 1/2 Beasts(Armageddon-1980)
Swell Maps-In "Jane From Occupied
Europe"(Rather/Rough Trade-1980)
The Birthday Party-Prayers On Fire(Missing Link-1981)
Glenn Branca-The Ascension(99 Records-1981)
Massacre-Killing Time(Celluloid-1981)
Wipers-Youth Of America(Park Avenue-1981)
The Birthday Party-Junkyard(Missing Link-1982)
Chrome-3rd From The Sun(Siren-1982)
Flipper-Generic(Subterranean-1982)
Mission Of Burma-Vs.(Ace Of Hearts-1982)
No Trend-Too Many Humans.....(No Trend-1983)
Sonic Youth-Confusion Is Sex(Neutral-1983)
Swans-Filth(Neutral-1983)
Butthole Surfers-Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's
Sac(Touch And Go-1984)
Flipper-Gone Fishin'(Subterranean-1984)
High Rise-Psychedelic Speed Freaks(P.S.F.-1984)
Husker Du-Zen Arcade(SST-1984)
Feedtime-Self Titled(Self Released-1985)
Sonic Youth-Bad Moon Rising(Blast First/Homestead-1985)
Big Black-Atomizer(Homestead-1986)
Butthole Surfers-Rembrandt Pussyhorse(Touch And Go-1986)
High Rise-II(P.S.F.-1986)
Last Exit-Self Titled(Enemy-1986)
Pussy Galore-Exile On Main Street(Shove-1986)
Sonic Youth-Evol(SST-1986)
Big Black-Songs About Fucking(Touch And Go-1987)
Blind Idiot God-Self Titled(SST-1987)
Butthole Surfers-Locust Abortion Technician(Touch And
Go-1987)
Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me(SST-1987)
Drunks With Guns-Self Titled(Chopper-1987)
Killdozer-Little Baby Buntin'(Touch And Go-1987)
No Trend-Tritonian Nash Vegas Polyester Complex(Touch And
Go-1987)
Pussy Galore-Right Now!(Caroline-1987)
Ramleh-Hole In The Heart(Broken Flag-1987)
Skeptics-III(Flying Nun-1987)
Sonic Youth-Sister(SST-1987)
White Zombie-Soulcrusher(Silent Explosion-1987)
Bailter Space-Tanker(Flying Nun-1988)
Boredoms-Onanie Bomb Meets The Sex Pistols(Selfish-1988)
Butthole Surfers-Hairway To Steven(Touch And Go-1988)
Dinosaur Jr.-Bug(SST-1988)
Pixies-Surfer Rosa(4AD-1988)
Rapeman-Two Nuns And A Pack Mule(Touch And Go-1988)
Sonic Youth-Daydream Nation(Enimgma/Blast First-1988)
Axemen-Scary! Pt. III(Siltbreeze-1989)
Bastro-Diablo Guapo(Homestead-1989)
Boredoms-Soul Discharge(Selfish-1989)
Feedtime-Suction(Rough Trade-1989)
Fushitsusha-1(P.S.F.-1989)
God Bullies-Mama Womb Womb(Amphetamine Reptile-1989)
Helios Creed-Superior Catholic Finger(Subterranean-1989)
Killdozer-Twelve Point Buck(Touch And Go-1989)
Nirvana-Bleach(Sub Pop-1989)
Pussy Galore-Dial M For Motherfucker(Product Inc.-1989)
Slint-Tweez(Jennifer Hartman-1989)
White Zombie-Make Them Die Slowly(Caroline-1989)
The 1990s
Bastro-Sing The Troubled Beast(Homestead-1990)
Cop Shoot Cop-Consumer Revolt(Circuit-1990)
The Dead C-Trapdoor Fucking Exit(Precious Metal-1990)
Drunks With Guns-Second Versus(Intellectual Convulsion-1990)
God Bullies-Dog Show(Amphetamine Reptile-1990)
Naked City-Torture Garden(Shimmy Disc-1990)
Royal Trux-Twin Infinitives(Drag City-1990)
Sonic Youth-Goo(DGC-1990)
Starfuckers-Metallic Diseases(Electric Eye-1990)
Ween-God Ween Satan: The Oneness(Twin/Tone-1990)
Fushitsusha-2(P.S.F.-1991)
The Jesus Lizard-Goat(Touch And Go-1991)
Melvins-Bullhead(Boner-1991)
Mercury Rev-Yerself Is Steam(Mint Films-1991)
Ween-The Pod(Shimmy Disc-1991)
Bikini Kill-Pussy Whipped(Kill Rock Stars-1992)
Boredoms-Pop Tatari(WEA Japan-1992)
Cows-Cunning Stunts(Amphetamine Reptile-1992)
The Dead C-Harsh 70s Reality(Siltbreeze-1992)
Distorted Pony-Punishment Room(BOMP!-1992)
Drive Like Jehu-Self Titled(Headhunter-1992)
Helios Creed-Kiss To The Brain(Amphetamine Reptile-1992)
The Jesus Lizard-Liar(Touch And Go-1992)
Liquorball-Fucks The Sky(Blackjack-1992)
Pavement-Slanted And Enchanted(Matador-1992)
Skullflower-IIIrd Gatekeeper(hEADdIRT/Permis De Construire
Deutschland-1992)
Sonic Youth-Dirty(DGC-1992)
The Terminals-Touch(Raffmond/Sound & Fury-1992)
Cop Shoot Cop-Ask Questions Later(Interscope-1993)
Cows-Sexy Pee Story(Amphetamine Reptile-1993)
Craw-Self Titled(Choke-1993)
Th'Faith Healers-Imaginary Friend(Too Pure-1993)
Fugazi-In On The Kill Taker(Dischord-1993)
Harry Pussy-S/T(Siltbreeze-1993)
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion-Extra Width(Matador-1993)
Lubricated Goat-Psychedelicatessan(Amphetamine Reptile-1993)
Melvins-Houdini(Amphetamine Reptile-1993)
Nirvana-In Utero(DGC/Sub Pop-1993)
Pain Teens-Destroy Me, Lover(Trance Syndicate-1993)
Truman's Water-Spasm Smash XXXOXoX Ox &
Ass(Elemental-1993)
Unsane-Total Destruction(City Slang-1993)
Boredoms-Chocolate Synthesizer(WEA Japan-1994)
Brainiac-Bonsai Superstar(Grass-1994)
Cherubs-Heroin Man(Trance Syndicate-1994)
Circle-Meronia(Bad Vugum-1994)
Craw-Lost Nation Road(Choke-1994)
Dazzling Killmen-Face Of Collapse(Skin Graft-1994)
Drive Like Jehu-Yank Crime(Interscope-1994)
Hammerhead-Into The Vortex(Amphetamine Reptile-1994)
Melvins-Stoner Witch(Atlantic-1994)
Shellac-At Action Park(Touch And Go-1994)
Today Is The Day-Willpower(Amphetamine Reptile-1994)
Unwound-New Plastic Ideas(Kill Rock Stars-1994)
Bardo Pond-Bufo Alvarius(Drunken Fish-1995)