The best 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. 3Merriweather Post PavilionAnimal Collective · 4.5 from 3 scores
  1. 4Carrie & LowellSufjan Stevens4.5 from 3 scores
  2. 5The Moon & AntarcticaModest Mouse4.8 from 2 scores
  3. 6Be the CowboyMitski4.8 from 2 scores
  4. 7Turn On the Bright LightsInterpol4.8 from 2 scores
  5. 8Puberty 2Mitski4.3 from 3 scores
  6. 9White Blood CellsThe White Stripes4.5 from 2 scores
  7. 10Yankee Hotel FoxtrotWilco4.5 from 2 scores
  8. 11You Forgot It in PeopleBroken Social Scene4.5 from 2 scores
  9. 12Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club BandThe Beatles5 from 1 score
  10. 13Pretty Hate MachineNine Inch Nails5 from 1 score
  11. 14Hounds of LoveKate Bush5 from 1 score
  12. 15RumoursFleetwood Mac5 from 1 score
  13. 16Appetite for DestructionGuns N’ Roses5 from 1 score
  14. 17Abbey RoadThe Beatles5 from 1 score
  15. 18In the Aeroplane Over the SeaNeutral Milk Hotel5 from 1 score
  16. 19The Queen Is DeadThe Smiths5 from 1 score
  17. 20The BeatlesThe Beatles5 from 1 score
  18. 21SettleDisclosure4.1 from 4 scores
  19. 22CurrentsTame Impala4.2 from 3 scores
  20. 23The SuburbsArcade Fire4.2 from 3 scores
  21. 24AnticsInterpol4.2 from 3 scores
  22. 25Neon BibleArcade Fire4.2 from 3 scores
  23. 26VeckatimestGrizzly Bear4.2 from 3 scores
  24. 27The Devil and God Are Raging Inside MeBrand New4.2 from 3 scores
  25. 28The Best Damn ThingAvril Lavigne4.3 from 2 scores
  26. 29Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous KilljoysMy Chemical Romance4.3 from 2 scores
  27. 30ContinuumJohn Mayer4.5 from 1 score
  28. 31DangerousMichael Jackson4.5 from 1 score
  29. 32Tango in the NightFleetwood Mac4.5 from 1 score
  30. 33ArrivalABBA4.5 from 1 score
  31. 34All Things Must PassGeorge Harrison4.5 from 1 score
  32. 35Thirteenth StepA Perfect Circle4.5 from 1 score
  33. 36Tenacious DTenacious D4.5 from 1 score
  34. 37ImperaGhost4.5 from 1 score
  35. 38Let It BeThe Beatles4.5 from 1 score
  36. 39Mellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessThe Smashing Pumpkins4.5 from 1 score
  37. 40Glow OnTurnstile4.5 from 1 score
  38. 41Different ClassPulp4.5 from 1 score
  39. 42Bridge Over Troubled WaterSimon & Garfunkel4.5 from 1 score
  40. 43The Velvet Underground & NicoThe Velvet Underground4.5 from 1 score
  41. 44AMArctic Monkeys4 from 3 scores
  42. 45Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m NotArctic Monkeys4 from 3 scores
  43. 46Favourite Worst NightmareArctic Monkeys4 from 3 scores
  44. 47High VioletThe National4 from 3 scores
  45. 48It’s Blitz!Yeah Yeah Yeahs4 from 3 scores
  46. 49MannersPassion Pit4 from 3 scores
  47. 50Good News for People Who Love Bad NewsModest Mouse4 from 3 scores