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Top No Wave albums of all time

Separate: live, archival, soundtracks and scores
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Updated: 21 May
Average Ratings Reviews
Glenn Branca - The Ascension, Cover art
The Ascension
Glenn Branca
3.96 14k 14,088 157 157
November 1981 Album
No Wave Noise Rock Totalism
Post-Rock Drone
instrumental dissonant noisy suspenseful avant-garde repetitive rhythmic complex
14k Ratings 157 Reviews 3.96 Average
Contortions / Teenage Jesus and The Jerks / Mars / D.N.A. - No New York, Cover art
No New York
James Chance & The Contortions / Teenage Jesus & The Jerks / Mars / DNA
3.76 5k 5,060 60 60
November 1978 Album
No Wave Noise Rock
Noise Rock
raw noisy rhythmic aggressive misanthropic avant-garde dissonant urban
5k Ratings 60 Reviews 3.76 Average
Swans - Filth, Cover art
Filth
Swans
3.63 21k 20,749 245 245
27 May 1983 Album
Noise Rock No Wave Industrial Rock
Industrial Sludge Metal
misanthropic heavy dark noisy aggressive hateful raw atonal
21k Ratings 245 Reviews 3.63 Average
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Contortions
3.68 6k 6,461 57 57
March 1979 Album
No Wave Dance-Punk Art Punk
Funk Dance-Punk Jazz-Rock Mutant Disco
dissonant rhythmic manic anxious energetic avant-garde raw sarcastic
6k Ratings 57 Reviews 3.68 Average
The Lounge Lizards - The Lounge Lizards, Cover art
The Lounge Lizards
The Lounge Lizards
3.70 3k 2,953 24 24
1981 Album
Avant-Garde Jazz Post-Bop No Wave
No Wave
urban instrumental dissonant anxious avant-garde technical manic nocturnal
3k Ratings 24 Reviews 3.70 Average
Alfonia Tims and His Flying Tigers - Future Funk / Uncut!, Cover art
Future Funk / Uncut!
Alfonia Tims and His Flying Tigers
3.65 172 172 3 3
1982 Album
Jazz-Funk No Wave Dance-Punk
Art Punk Jazz-Rock
rhythmic playful technical energetic quirky chaotic passionate anxious
172 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.65 Average
Sonic-Youth - Bad Moon Rising, Cover art
Bad Moon Rising
Sonic-Youth
3.55 11k 10,603 124 124
March 1985 Album
Noise Rock No Wave Experimental Rock
Drone Gothic Rock
ominous noisy dark raw dissonant atonal misanthropic atmospheric
11k Ratings 124 Reviews 3.55 Average
James 'Blood' Ulmer - Are You Glad to Be in America?, Cover art
Are You Glad to Be in America?
James 'Blood' Ulmer
3.62 253 253 3 3
November 1980 Album
Jazz-Funk Avant-Garde Jazz No Wave
Free Jazz
rhythmic avant-garde
253 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.62 Average
Rat at Rat R - Amer$ide - Rock & Roll Is Dead Long Live - Rat at Rat R, Cover art
Amer$ide - Rock & Roll Is Dead Long Live - Rat at Rat R
Rat at Rat R
3.56 736 736 7 7
1985 Album
Noise Rock Post-Punk No Wave
Deathrock Post-Hardcore
dissonant noisy political rhythmic energetic nocturnal dark aggressive
736 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.56 Average
Fred Frith - Speechless, Cover art
Speechless
Fred Frith
3.54 540 540 12 12
1981 Album
Avant-Prog No Wave Experimental Rock
Zolo Sound Collage Free Improvisation Tape Music
complex avant-garde instrumental waltz progressive improvisation noisy uncommon time signatures
540 Ratings 12 Reviews 3.54 Average
Massacre - Killing Time, Cover art
Killing Time
Massacre
3.50 2k 2,276 18 18
September 1981 Album
No Wave Experimental Rock Noise Rock
Avant-Prog Math Rock Zolo Post-Punk
dissonant complex raw instrumental noisy uncommon time signatures avant-garde manic
2k Ratings 18 Reviews 3.50 Average
Sonic-Youth - Confusion Is Sex, Cover art
Confusion Is Sex
Sonic-Youth
3.46 10k 9,522 118 118
April 1983 Album
No Wave Noise Rock
Experimental Rock Post-Rock
dissonant disturbing noisy ominous lo-fi raw dark scary
10k Ratings 118 Reviews 3.46 Average
Material - Memory Serves, Cover art
Memory Serves
Material
3.46 892 892 11 11
1981 Album
Jazz-Funk Jazz-Rock No Wave
No Wave Mutant Disco Dance-Punk Funk Rock
manic anxious dark technical eclectic passionate rhythmic energetic
892 Ratings 11 Reviews 3.46 Average
Ike Yard - Ike Yard, Cover art
Ike Yard
Ike Yard
3.46 885 885 12 12
1982 Album
Minimal Synth No Wave
Industrial
deadpan nocturnal dark minimalistic mysterious sparse repetitive rhythmic
885 Ratings 12 Reviews 3.46 Average
Коммунизм [Kommunizm] - Веселящий газ, Cover art
Веселящий газ
Kommunizm Коммунизм
3.47 255 255 2 2
1989 Album
Noise Rock Experimental Rock No Wave
Post-Punk Spoken Word Dance-Punk
raw atonal chaotic cryptic noisy anxious abstract energetic
255 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.47 Average
UT - Conviction, Cover art
Conviction
UT
3.44 296 296
1986 Album
No Wave Post-Punk Art Punk
Noise Rock Psychobilly
raw dissonant chaotic noisy
296 Ratings 3.44 Average
Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Press Color, Cover art
Press Color
Lizzy Mercier Descloux
3.41 3k 3,125 25 25
1979 Album
Dance-Punk No Wave Mutant Disco
Disco No Wave Funk Experimental Rock
rhythmic quirky playful urban repetitive energetic avant-garde warm
3k Ratings 25 Reviews 3.41 Average
Swans - Cop, Cover art
Cop
Swans
3.36 11k 10,962 116 116
1984 Album
Noise Rock No Wave
Industrial Industrial Metal Sludge Metal
heavy misanthropic nihilistic hateful disturbing dissonant dark political
11k Ratings 116 Reviews 3.36 Average
UT - In Gut's House, Cover art
In Gut's House
UT
3.42 563 563 9 9
1987 Album
No Wave Post-Punk Experimental Rock
Noise Rock Experimental Rock
avant-garde cryptic anxious raw dark disturbing urban sarcastic
563 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.42 Average
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Cloud One
Live Skull
3.43 248 248 7 7
1986 Album
Noise Rock No Wave Post-Punk
Deathrock
dark dissonant rhythmic disturbing atmospheric ominous
248 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.43 Average
Judy Nylon & Crucial - Pal Judy, Cover art
Pal Judy
Judy Nylon & Crucial
3.41 296 296 3 3
1982 Album
No Wave Post-Punk
Dub Spoken Word
dark nocturnal mysterious atmospheric melancholic psychedelic rhythmic urban
296 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.41 Average
Daisuck & Prostitute - 死ぬまで踊りつづけて (Shinu Made Odori Tsuzukete), Cover art
死ぬまで踊りつづけて (Shinu Made Odori Tsuzukete)
Daisuck & Prostitute
3.40 484 484 4 4
1981 Album
Post-Punk No Wave
Noise Rock Free Jazz
noisy dissonant aggressive rebellious chaotic raw avant-garde manic
484 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.40 Average
The Raybeats - Guitar Beat, Cover art
Guitar Beat
The Raybeats
3.41 325 325 6 6
1981 Album
Surf Rock No Wave Post-Punk
Jazz-Rock Art Punk New Wave Surf Punk Jangle Pop
playful instrumental
325 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.41 Average
The Golden Palominos - The Golden Palominos, Cover art
The Golden Palominos
The Golden Palominos
3.39 919 919 12 12
1983 Album
No Wave Experimental Rock
Funk Rock Jazz-Rock Art Punk
rhythmic manic surreal chaotic repetitive
919 Ratings 12 Reviews 3.39 Average
James White and The Blacks - Off White, Cover art
Off White
James White and The Blacks
3.38 1k 1,183 16 16
1979 Album
Funk Rock No Wave Dance-Punk
Free Jazz Mutant Disco Art Punk Noise Rock
sexual rhythmic repetitive quirky avant-garde energetic urban playful
1k Ratings 16 Reviews 3.38 Average
Arab on Radar - Queen Hygiene II, Cover art
Queen Hygiene II
Arab on Radar
3.37 770 770 4 4
1997 Album
Noise Rock Sasscore Experimental Rock
Post-Hardcore
sexual manic vulgar atonal humorous noisy disturbing chaotic
770 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.37 Average
Blurt - Blurt, Cover art
Blurt
Blurt
3.37 827 827 11 11
4 June 1982 Album
Post-Punk No Wave Art Punk
Avant-Garde Jazz Krautrock
cryptic dissonant repetitive rhythmic raw noisy quirky hypnotic
827 Ratings 11 Reviews 3.37 Average
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1/2 Gentlemen / Not Beasts
1/2 Japanese
3.32 2k 1,682 48 48
1980 Album
Noise Rock Experimental Rock No Wave
No Wave Art Punk Garage Rock
atonal humorous raw anxious noisy dissonant lo-fi playful
2k Ratings 48 Reviews 3.32 Average
Rhys Chatham - Factor X, Cover art
Factor X
Rhys Chatham
3.39 184 184 2 2
1983 Album
No Wave Totalism
dissonant minimalistic avant-garde instrumental
184 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.39 Average
Swans - Holy Money, Cover art
Holy Money
Swans
3.29 8k 7,520 65 65
27 March 1986 Album
Industrial Rock No Wave Noise Rock
Industrial
repetitive ominous rhythmic angry dark misanthropic hateful dissonant
8k Ratings 65 Reviews 3.29 Average
Social Climbers - Social Climbers, Cover art
Social Climbers
Social Climbers
3.35 354 354 3 3
1981 Album
New Wave No Wave
Minimal Wave Minimal Synth
repetitive minimalistic eclectic quirky playful deadpan anxious romantic
354 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.35 Average
Sonic-Youth - Sonic Youth, Cover art
Sonic Youth
Sonic-Youth
3.30 6k 6,443 89 89
March 1982 Album
No Wave Art Punk
Noise Rock Experimental Rock Art Punk Post-Punk
anxious rhythmic dissonant raw noisy avant-garde repetitive abstract
6k Ratings 89 Reviews 3.30 Average
James White and The Blacks - Sax Maniac, Cover art
Sax Maniac
James White and The Blacks
3.36 210 210 1 1
September 1982 Album
No Wave Funk Rock Jazz-Funk
210 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.36 Average
Gray - Shades Of..., Cover art
Shades Of...
Gray
3.33 340 340 2 2
2010 Album
Downtempo Sound Collage No Wave
Experimental Hip Hop Spoken Word Trip Hop Industrial Instrumental Hip Hop
urban sampling dissonant lo-fi nihilistic avant-garde mysterious sparse
340 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.33 Average
Arab on Radar - Soak the Saddle, Cover art
Soak the Saddle
Arab on Radar
3.30 660 660 11 11
April 2000 Album
Noise Rock No Wave Post-Punk
Sasscore Post-Hardcore Experimental Rock
noisy vulgar dissonant atonal sexual lo-fi anxious repetitive
660 Ratings 11 Reviews 3.30 Average
The Dance - In Lust, Cover art
In Lust
The Dance
3.47 148 148
1981 Album
Dance-Punk No Wave
Mutant Disco Dub New Wave
sexual
148 Ratings 3.47 Average
Y Pants - Beat It Down, Cover art
Beat It Down
Y Pants
3.31 266 266 2 2
1982 Album
No Wave Art Punk
quirky rhythmic anxious minimalistic playful
266 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.31 Average
Glenn Branca - The Ascension: The Sequel, Cover art
The Ascension: The Sequel
Glenn Branca
3.28 669 669 6 6
February 2010 Album
No Wave Totalism
Noise Rock Post-Rock Drone Modern Classical
hypnotic rhythmic repetitive anxious dark epic avant-garde atmospheric
669 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.28 Average
Friction - 軋轢 (Friction), Cover art
軋轢 (Friction)
Friction
3.28 518 518 5 5
25 April 1980 Album
No Wave Punk Rock Art Punk
Post-Punk Garage Punk Noise Rock
noisy rhythmic raw aggressive lo-fi repetitive dissonant chaotic
518 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.28 Average
Arab on Radar - Yahweh or the Highway, Cover art
Yahweh or the Highway
Arab on Radar
3.24 982 982 12 12
21 August 2001 Album
Noise Rock No Wave Post-Punk
Experimental Rock Sasscore
sexual vulgar dissonant atonal humorous disturbing noisy raw
982 Ratings 12 Reviews 3.24 Average
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Soundtracks

  • Various Artists - Vortex, Cover art
    Vortex
    1982 Album
    20 Ratings 3.58 Average
    3.58 20 20
    • See all 1 Include in main chart

    Live

  • Swans - Public Castration Is a Good Idea, Cover art
    Public Castration Is a Good Idea
    1986 Album
    5k Ratings 90 Reviews 3.77 Average
    3.77 5k 5,401 90 90
  • Glenn Branca - The Third Ascension, Cover art
    The Third Ascension
    2019 Album
    917 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.76 Average
    3.76 917 917 5 5
  • Sonic Youth - Smart Bar: Chicago 1985, Cover art
    Smart Bar: Chicago 1985
    2012 Album
    318 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.73 Average
    3.73 318 318 6 6
  • Teenage Jesus and The Jerks - Live 1977-1979, Cover art
    Live 1977-1979
    2015 Album
    552 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.59 Average
    3.59 552 552 3 3
  • Sonic Youth - Walls Have Ears, Cover art
    Walls Have Ears
    2024 Album
    433 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.56 Average
    3.56 433 433 3 3
    • See all 49 Include in main chart

    Archival

  • DNA - DNA on DNA, Cover art
    DNA on DNA
    2004 Album
    3k Ratings 21 Reviews 3.71 Average
    3.71 3k 2,507 21 21
  • The Notekillers - Notekillers (1977-1981), Cover art
    Notekillers (1977-1981)
    2004 Album
    170 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.60 Average
    3.60 170 170 2 2
    • See all 36 Include in main chart
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