Top Experimental Rock Albums





Rank All Time Artist Album Subgenre(s) Other Genre(s) Year
1
4
The Velvet Underground & Nico The Velvet Underground & Nico Art Rock 1967
2
35
Radiohead Kid A Art Rock, Electronic 2000
3
64
Sonic Youth Daydream Nation Alternative Rock, Noise Rock 1988
4
76
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica Art Rock 1969
5
105
Tom Waits Rain Dogs Singer/Songwriter 1985
6
122
David Bowie Low Art Rock 1977
7
144
Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones Singer/Songwriter 1983
8
199
The Velvet Underground White Light / White Heat Art Rock, Noise Rock, Proto-Punk 1968
9
226
Portishead Third Electronic 2008
10
244
Public Image Ltd. Metal Box/Second Edition Post-Punk 1979
11
261
Can Tago Mago Krautrock Psychedelic Rock 1971
12
263
The Mothers of Invention Freak Out! Satire 1966
13
269
David Bowie "Heroes" Art Rock 1977
14
294
The Mothers of Invention We're Only in It for the Money Satire 1968
15
328
Kraftwerk Autobahn Krautrock Progressive Electronic 1974
16
346
Brian Eno - David Byrne My Life in the Bush of Ghosts Art Rock 1981
17
416
Tortoise Millions Now Living Will Never Die Post-Rock 1996
18
432
Eno Here Come the Warm Jets Art Rock 1974
19
508
Radiohead Amnesiac Electronic 2001
20
573
Tom Waits Bone Machine Singer/Songwriter 1992
21
586
Neu! Neu! Krautrock 1972
22
641
Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup Art Pop 1996
23
644
Can Ege Bamyasi Krautrock 1972
24
782
Can Future Days Krautrock 1973
25
807
Todd Rundgren A Wizard, a True Star Art Pop, Pop Rock 1973
26
816
Swans The Seer Post-Rock 2012
27
838
Tim Buckley Starsailor Avant-Folk, Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter 1970
28
839
Sonic Youth EVOL Noise Rock 1986
29
948
The United States of America The United States of America Art Rock, Psychedelic Rock 1968
30
1004
Swans To Be Kind Post-Rock 2014
31
1010
Pere Ubu Dub Housing Art Punk, Post-Punk 1978
32
1033
The Pop Group Y Art Punk, Post-Punk 1979
33
1130
Animal Collective Feels Neo-Psychedelia 2005
34
1166
The Flaming Lips Embryonic Neo-Psychedelia, Noise Pop 2009
35
1223
Liars Drum's Not Dead Art Rock 2006
36
1234
Neu! Neu! 75 Krautrock 1975
37
1242
TV on the Radio Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes Art Rock, Indie Rock 2004
38
1363
Frank Zappa Uncle Meat Avant-Prog 1969
39
1421
Can Monster Movie Krautrock Psychedelic Rock 1969
40
1493
Faust So Far Krautrock 1972
41
1554
Stereolab Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements Noise Pop 1993
42
1683
Tom Waits Real Gone 2004
43
1714
Tortoise TNT Electronic, Post-Rock 1998
44
1718
Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) Art Rock 1978
45
1731
Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band Doc at the Radar Station Art Rock 1980
46
1750
Frank Zappa/The Mothers Over-Nite Sensation Art Rock 1973
47
1767
Amon Düül II Phallus Dei Krautrock Psychedelic Rock 1969
48
1788
The Flaming Lips Zaireeka Neo-Psychedelia 1997
49
1794
Faust The Faust Tapes Krautrock 1973
50
1819
Various Artists No New York No Wave 1978
51
1857
The Mothers of Invention Absolutely Free Jazz-Rock, Psychedelic Rock 1967
52
1913
Swans Children of God Post-Punk 1987
53
1918
Tom Waits Bad As Me Singer/Songwriter 2011
54
1922
Faust Faust Krautrock 1971
55
1951
black midi Schlagenheim Math Rock, Noise Rock 2019
56
2080
This Heat Deceit Post-Punk 1981
57
2106
Radiohead The King of Limbs Electronic 2011
58
2241
The Residents The Third Reich 'n' Roll Musical Parody, Satire 1976
59
2249
Faust IV Krautrock 1973
60
2281
Magma Mëkanïk Dëstruktï? Kömmandöh Zeuhl 1973
61
2344
Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Lick My Decals Off, Baby Art Rock 1970
62
2367
The Soft Machine Volume Two Canterbury Scene, Jazz-Rock, Psychedelic Rock 1969
63
2382
Mercury Rev Yerself Is Steam Neo-Psychedelia 1991
64
2428
Can Soon Over Babaluma Krautrock 1974
65
2441
Popol Vuh In den Gärten Pharaos Krautrock Ambient 1971
66
2473
The Red Krayola The Parable of Arable Land Psychedelic Rock 1967
67
2518
Frank Zappa Apostrophe (') Art Rock, Jazz-Rock 1974
68
2574
Glenn Branca The Ascension No Wave Noise Rock 1981
69
2631
Boredoms Vision Creation Newsun Psychedelic Rock 1999
70
2640
Butthole Surfers Locust Abortion Technician Noise Rock 1987
71
2654
Cluster Zuckerzeit Krautrock Electronic 1974
72
2746
Robert Fripp Exposure Art Rock 1979
73
2762
Amon Düül II Yeti Krautrock Psychedelic Rock 1970
74
2766
Boredoms Super AE Noise Rock, Psychedelic Rock 1998
75
2803
Ash Ra Tempel Schwingungen Krautrock Psychedelic Rock 1972
76
2875
Sonic Youth Bad Moon Rising No Wave Noise Rock 1985
77
2879
Sonic Youth Washing Machine Alternative Rock, Noise Rock 1995
78
2882
Half Japanese 1/2 Gentlemen / Not Beasts Noise Rock, Punk Rock 1980
79
2902
Captain Beefheart The Spotlight Kid Blues Rock 1972
80
2948
The Mars Volta Frances the Mute Art Rock, Progressive Rock 2005
81
2955
Neu! Neu! 2 Krautrock 1973

Albums "bubbling under" the all-time top 3000:
James Chance & The Contortions Buy No Wave 1979
Disco Inferno D. I. Go Pop Post-Rock 1994
Robert Wyatt Cuckooland Avant-Prog Canterbury Scene 2003
Henry Cow Unrest Rock in Opposition 1974
Deerhunter Cryptograms Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia 2007
Royal Trux Twin Infinitives Noise Rock 1990
HEALTH Get Color Noise Rock 2009
Tom Waits Blood Money Singer/Songwriter 2002
This Heat This Heat 1979
Scott Walker & Sunn O))) Soused Drone Metal 2014
Frank Zappa Sheik Yerbouti Art Rock 1979
Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel Nail Industrial 1985
Stereolab Mars Audiac Quintet Art Pop, Indie Pop 1994
Area Arbeit macht frei Avant-Prog 1973
Swans My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky 2010
A.R.Kane 69 Dream Pop 1988
Laurie Anderson Mister Heartbreak Art Pop 1984
Black Dice Beaches and Canyons Neo-Psychedelia 2002
Tuxedomoon Half Mute Post-Punk 1980
Public Image Ltd. The Flowers of Romance Post-Punk 1981
Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Ice Cream for Crow Art Rock, Blues Rock 1982
Sonic Youth A Thousand Leaves Alternative Rock, Noise Rock 1998
Brainiac Hissing Prigs in Static Couture Art Punk, Noise Rock 1996
Tuxedomoon Desire Post-Punk 1981
Frank Zappa Joe's Garage, Act 1 Comedy Rock, Rock Opera 1979
Henry Cow In Praise of Learning Rock in Opposition 1975
Deerhoof The Runners Four 2005
Boredoms Soul Discharge/Soul Discharge 99 Noise Rock 1989
Ween Pure Guava Lo-Fi / Slacker Rock 1992
Holger Czukay Movies Krautrock Art Rock 1979
Moonshake Eva Luna Noise Pop 1992
Animal Collective Here Comes the Indian Experimental, Neo-Psychedelia 2003
Gastr del Sol Camoufleur Chamber Folk, Post-Rock 1998
Liars WIXIW Electronic 2012
Gastr del Sol Upgrade & Afterlife Post-Rock 1996
Liars Liars Art Rock 2007
Xiu Xiu Fabulous Muscles Art Pop 2004
The Young Gods The Young Gods Industrial Rock 1987
Café Tacvba Revés/Yo soy Art Rock 1999
Liars Sisterworld 2010
The Dead C Harsh 70s Reality Noise Rock 1992
Amon Düül II Tanz der Lemminge Krautrock Psychedelic Rock 1971
The Residents Not Available Experimental 1978
Swans The Glowing Man Post-Rock 2016
Chrome Half Machine Lip Moves Post-Punk 1979
Nine Inch Nails Bad Witch Industrial Rock 2018
Swans leaving meaning. Post-Rock 2019
Ash Ra Tempel Ash Ra Tempel Krautrock Psychedelic Rock 1971
Girl Band The Talkies Noise Rock, Post-Punk 2019
Silver Apples Contact Electronic, Psychedelic Rock 1968
The Mothers of Invention Burnt Weeny Sandwich Avant-Prog Jazz-Rock 1970
Beak> >>> Electronic 2018
The Mothers of Invention Weasels Ripped My Flesh Avant-Prog 1970
Half Japanese Charmed Life Alternative Rock 1988
Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band 1970
Swans Soundtracks for the Blind Post-Rock 1996
Dirty Beaches Badlands Lo-Fi / Slacker Rock 2011
Frank Zappa Chunga's Revenge Jazz-Rock 1970
Frank Zappa You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2: The Helsinki Concert Comedy Rock, Jazz-Rock 1988
Ween God Ween Satan - The Oneness Lo-Fi / Slacker Rock 1990
Jack White Boarding House Reach Blues Rock 2018
Deerhoof Breakup Song Indie Rock 2012
Oxbow Thin Black Duke Art Rock 2017
Angels of Light We Are Him Folk Rock 2007
Oneida Secret Wars Neo-Psychedelia 2004
Oren Ambarchi Hubris Krautrock 2016
OOIOO Taiga 2006
Fujiya & Miyagi Transparent Things Krautrock Indietronica 2006
Man Man Six Demon Bag 2006
The Mars Volta The Bedlam in Goliath Progressive Rock 2008
Deerhoof Offend Maggie Art Pop 2008
Dirty Beaches Drifters/Love is the Devil Ambient, Post-Punk 2013