Hüsker Dü Albums Ranked
Ranking the albums of a band you love so dearly is a difficult proposition. One reason for this is because oftentimes your tastes for certain albums and songs vary. That’s why I assembled this list based on one main characteristic: Which albums do I just keep coming back to?
So, without further ado, here’s my personal ranking of Hüsker Dü’s magnificent albums.
#8: Land Speed Record
Hey, just because something’s last on a particular list doesn’t mean it’s bad, and Land Speed Record is a perfect example of this. There’s a lot to admire about Hüsker Dü’s first release; the album art is really cool, and the songs reflect Hüsker Dü’s hardcore roots. This album is fast, hence the title, and the tracks are bursting with energy. Key tracks include “All Tensed Up,” “Guns at My School,” “Gilligan’s Island,” and “Data Control.”
#7: Everything Falls Apart
After their slightly harsh, crude, and furiously fast debut, Hüsker Dü released their first studio effort, Everything Falls Apart. Like its predecessor, this album is fast and energetic, but they still manage to slow it down every now and then and show glimpses of their future melodic songwriting prowess. Key tracks include “From the Gut,” “Blah Blah Blah,” “Sunshine Superman,” “Wheels,” and “Target.”
#6: Candy Apple Grey
This was the Hüskers’ first major label record, released in 1986 on Warner Bros. Records. This album is full of some of their best songs, but the overall tone is a bit too bleak and sullen. That being said, this is still a great record. Key tracks include “Crystal,” “Don’t Want to Know if You Are Lonely,” “Sorry Somehow,” and “Hardly Getting Over It.”
#5: Metal Circus
This EP, released in 1983, shows the first signs of Hüsker Dü’s eventual abandonment of straightforward hardcore punk. While the overall tone is still certainly hardcore in nature, there are still glimpses of the melodic sound they would later innovate. This EP strikes a great balance between those styles. Key tracks include “Real World,” “It’s Not Funny Anymore,” “Lifeline,” and “Diane.”
#4: New Day Rising
We’re getting into the legendary stuff now. This’ll probably cause a little bit of controversy amongst die-hard Dü fans who almost unanimously consider this a top 2 album. And yes, while it is an amazing record, I feel that the second half drags it down a little. That being said, this still has some of Hüsker Dü’s greatest songs, with “The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill” and “I Apologize” stealing the show. Other magnificent tracks include “New Day Rising,” “Celebrated Summer,” “Terms of Psychic Warfare,” and “Books About UFOs.”
#3: Flip Your Wig
This album is probably the best place to start if you wanna Do the Dü. Some of Hüsker Dü’s most pop-inspired songs are on this record, and every second of it leaks with brilliance. Bob Mould’s and Grant Hart’s songwriting skills are at an all-time high here. Super highly recommended. Key tracks include “Flip Your Wig,” “Makes No Sense at All,” the beautiful love song “Green Eyes,” “Games,” the whimsical “Flexible Flyer,” and the awesome guitar-driven “Private Plane.”
#2: Warehouse: Songs and Stories
Released in 1987 on Warner Bros., this double album would be Hüsker Dü’s final release before sadly breaking up. This is their poppiest, most melodic, and least hardcore album. Mould and Hart alternate with some of the greatest pop rock songs ever written, and while some critics have noted that their styles clash with one another, making the album a bit confused, I think they compliment each other perfectly. Bob Mould’s vocals on “No Reservations” and “Turn it Around” are some of his finest musical achievements, and Hart’s “She’s A Woman (and Now He is a Man)” is one of the catchiest tunes I’ve ever heard. Check this album out, y’all. It’s a damn masterpiece. Key tracks include “These Important Years,” “Charity, Chastity, Prudence, and Hope,” “Standing in the Rain,” “Ice Cold Ice,” “Could You Be the One?,” “Too Much Spice,” “No Reservations,” “Turn it Around,” and “She’s a Woman.”
#1: Zen Arcade
I’ve already reviewed this album as my first (and, so far, only) review, so I won’t go in too much detail. Suffice it to say that this album is a mindblowing experience. If you want more information about this record, check out my other review. This album is one of the best you’ll ever hear, full of hardcore masterpieces, psychedelic tracks, piano interludes, and perfect rock tunes. Listen to it right now if you haven’t already. If you have listened to it, then go ahead and listen to it again, because I know I will many more times in the future. Key tracks include “Something I Learned Today, “Chartered Trips,” “Indecision Time,” “I’ll Never Forget You,” “Standing by the Sea,” “Somewhere,” “Pink Turns to Blue,” “Whatever,” “Turn on the News.”
If you respectfully disagree with me, feel free to leave a comment, but don’t harass me please! Thanks for reading.
