The best alternative rock albums

Ranked by every score on sleeves, critics' and listeners'. An album with few scores is pulled toward the average until more come in, so one perfect score cannot top the list.

  1. 1In RainbowsRadiohead · 4.7 from 3 scores
  2. 2Fleet FoxesFleet Foxes · 4.5 from 3 scores
  3. 3The Moon & AntarcticaModest Mouse · 4.8 from 2 scores
  1. 4Be the CowboyMitski4.8 from 2 scores
  2. 5Turn On the Bright LightsInterpol4.8 from 2 scores
  3. 6MONTEROLil Nas X4.8 from 2 scores
  4. 7White Blood CellsThe White Stripes4.5 from 2 scores
  5. 8Kid ARadiohead4.5 from 2 scores
  6. 9Yankee Hotel FoxtrotWilco4.5 from 2 scores
  7. 10folkloreTaylor Swift4.5 from 2 scores
  8. 11Pretty Hate MachineNine Inch Nails5 from 1 score
  9. 12Hounds of LoveKate Bush5 from 1 score
  10. 13In the Aeroplane Over the SeaNeutral Milk Hotel5 from 1 score
  11. 14AnticsInterpol4.2 from 3 scores
  12. 15Neon BibleArcade Fire4.2 from 3 scores
  13. 16The Devil and God Are Raging Inside MeBrand New4.2 from 3 scores
  14. 17Happier Than EverBillie Eilish4.3 from 2 scores
  15. 18The Best Damn ThingAvril Lavigne4.3 from 2 scores
  16. 19Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous KilljoysMy Chemical Romance4.3 from 2 scores
  17. 20ContinuumJohn Mayer4.5 from 1 score
  18. 21Thirteenth StepA Perfect Circle4.5 from 1 score
  19. 22Tenacious DTenacious D4.5 from 1 score
  20. 23Mellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessThe Smashing Pumpkins4.5 from 1 score
  21. 24Glow OnTurnstile4.5 from 1 score
  22. 25Different ClassPulp4.5 from 1 score
  23. 26AMArctic Monkeys4 from 3 scores
  24. 27Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m NotArctic Monkeys4 from 3 scores
  25. 28Favourite Worst NightmareArctic Monkeys4 from 3 scores
  26. 29It’s Blitz!Yeah Yeah Yeahs4 from 3 scores
  27. 30Good News for People Who Love Bad NewsModest Mouse4 from 3 scores
  28. 31LungsFlorence + the Machine4 from 2 scores
  29. 32Suck It and SeeArctic Monkeys3.8 from 3 scores
  30. 33I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of itThe 19753.8 from 3 scores
  31. 34Eyes OpenSnow Patrol3.8 from 3 scores
  32. 35GueroBeck3.8 from 3 scores
  33. 36The King of LimbsRadiohead3.8 from 3 scores
  34. 37Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)Slipknot4 from 1 score
  35. 38RenegadesRage Against the Machine4 from 1 score
  36. 39MelophobiaCage the Elephant4 from 1 score
  37. 40CeremonialsFlorence + the Machine3.8 from 2 scores
  38. 41Fever to TellYeah Yeah Yeahs3.8 from 2 scores
  39. 42Out of ExileAudioslave3.8 from 2 scores
  40. 43American Beauty/American PsychoFall Out Boy3.8 from 2 scores
  41. 44AmnesiacRadiohead3.8 from 2 scores
  42. 45Year ZeroNine Inch Nails3.7 from 3 scores
  43. 46Sam’s TownThe Killers3.7 from 3 scores
  44. 47HumbugArctic Monkeys3.7 from 3 scores
  45. 48American IdiotGreen Day3.7 from 3 scores
  46. 49NativeOneRepublic3.5 from 1 score
  47. 50Viva la Vida or Death and All His FriendsColdplay3.5 from 1 score