There is no debate: Seattle, Washington’s Foo Fighters are one of the greatest acts in modern rock and roll.
For almost 30 years now, the band has crafted some of the most riveting and memorable songs to come out of the genre.
Following the end of Nirvana, Dave Grohl sought to make a name for himself outside of the legendary grunge band. A year after the band’s conclusion, Grohl’s new band, Foo Fighters, released their self-titled debut. The record received great praise from critics and fans alike, and from there, not only did they continue to grow in popularity, but they also tremendously built upon their creative talents.
Today we take on the task of ranking every Foo Fighters album. While the band has crafted some works that shine brighter than some, we don’t think any of their albums are a dud; each record of theirs has something wonderful to offer, it’s just that some, more than others, really show off the band’s amazing skills.
Without further ado, here is every Foo Fighters album ranked.
11. There Is Nothing Left To Lose
While There Is Nothing Left To Lose is a solid record, it’s also a bit more of the same. Following a stunning debut and a second LP that further elevated the band’s presentation, the third Foo Fighters album doesn’t shift too much from what they provided on The Color and the Shape. Still, a killer rock album, but future releases really show off a lot more variety, style, and technical finesse from the band.
10. In Your Honor
The double album presentation of In Your Honor makes for an intriguing draw to this Foo Fighters record. One half provides more of the band’s rockin’ energy, with the other offering a more gentle and serene sound. Though the songs themselves don’t provide much deviation from what the band had done prior, the presentation as a whole is pretty cool.
9. One By One
2002’s One By One sees Foo Fighters bringing back the aggression heard on their first record but spiced up with the melodic qualities of following albums. It’s a welcoming return to the band’s earlier heaviness, but also a promise of the greater and more vast artistry to come from them.
8. Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
When Foo Fighters released Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace they were 13 years into their career, and the 2007 album made for a refreshing take on their sound. While the band had already proven themselves to be proficient at creating awesome rock, here, they start to incorporate more creative flair into their work. Following this record, the band would continue to expand upon their artistry even more.
7. Medicine at Midnight
Along with featuring a great array of captivating styles and more experimental approaches to their songs, Medicine at Midnight also marks the band’s last album to feature Taylor Hawkins before his passing in 2022. It’s an exhilarating work offering much musical variety; for some though, while there’s still a strong rock component, the record might be too ambitious-sounding with its various funk and pop elements. That said, it’s one hell of a solid listen.
6. Sonic Highways
Coming off of Wasting Light, 2014’s Sonic Highways further shows off the band’s refreshed, extra punchy, and deeply soulful rock. It doesn’t offer much that’s super new compared to that previous LP, but damn does it sound good.
5. Concrete and Gold
Prior to Medicine at Midnight, the band released Concrete and Gold, which involves Foo Fighters blending their rock sound with a variety of other musical presentations. Coming off of Sonic Highways, Concrete and Gold makes for a delightful surprise, the band building upon their revitalized sound featured in Wasting Light, and now taking that grandiose presentation in an exciting and new direction.
4. Foo Fighters
Providing one of the strongest debuts to come out of rock and roll history, Grohl and company came out of the gates flying with their self-titled record. From rock to grunge, and even some melodic hardcore elements thrown in for good measure, the band’s debut LP still stands to this day as a riveting experience.
3. The Color and the Shape
Following that debut album, the Foo Fighters’ second album marks a stunning leap forward for the band. While slightly easing off their grungy alternative grit, the band opts to create a delightfully powering experience of melodic music. Songs like “Everlong” and “Monkey Wrench” would prove to be blueprints for their future material, as they continued to build upon their riveting and heartfelt rock and roll.
2. Wasting Light
While there’s a lot to appreciate from the Foo Fighters’ earlier days, 2011’s Wasting Light marks one of the largest sonic jumps in the band’s career. Let alone that the album involves a much more crisp level of production, it’s also here that the Foo Fighters begin to open up their sense of rock, taking their material into new creative and stylistic directions. There’s a greater sense of heaviness (thanks to tunes like “White Limo”), and technically speaking, there’s a lot more variety in terms of tempo, flow, and structure that makes for a lot of awesome surprises.
1. But Here We Are
Not only is But Here We Are the band’s newest release to date, but it’s also the most emotional and sonically captivating work of the Foo Fighters’ career. Throughout But Here We Are the band invites audiences to take part in a rollercoaster of stunning, heartbreaking, and epic songs. In the midst of great loss and pain, following the death of Hawkins, the Foo Fighters took all they had gone through and crafted a truly beautiful and breathtaking work of art. After nearly three decades of performing and writing music, But Here We Are makes for an astounding encapsulation of the band’s craft.