Arctic Monkeys are the fulfillment of the collective dreams of British rock critics and music fans. They’re a guitar band that writes clever three-minute singles, they dress nice and haven’t ditched their English accents yet. Arctic Monkeys’ albums ranked highly during the band’s whole career.
Arctic Monkeys seemed inevitable. They sounded and looked as good as The Strokes or The Libertines. They wrote smarter songs than Kasabian. And, unlike some of their artsier contemporaries, they could get in the charts and even top them.
That’s why today I’m casting my gaze toward the Sheffield mardy bums, unpacking my rhyming dictionary, and ranking the Arctic Monkeys’ albums from worst to best.
Arctic Monkeys Albums Ranked
7. “The Car” (2022)
Fans still hoping for a follow-up to “AM” or even a new direction were treated to “The Car.” It’s an album that tests the affection of even the band’s most ardent fans.
“The Car” sounds fine. It’s dark lounge music. It’s also, quite clearly, a follow-up to “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino.” Are Arctic Monkeys good still? That depends on your level of patience with futuristic, ambiental indie-pop.
But whereas fans accepted “Tranquility Base Hotel” as an act of rebellion, they faced “The Car” as a genuine prospect of Arctic Monkeys’ future.
The title song and “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” are alright.
But song titles like “Jet Skis on the Moat” or “Sculptures of Anything Goes” sound constructed by an AI aping Turner’s words.
It’s great to witness Alex Turner and the band chasing their muse and turning their back on fame. But listening to “The Car” is a chore. It’s Arctic Monkeys’ worst album, bottom of the tower list. I doubt “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am” will be featured in their arena-show setlists too soon.
6. “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” (2018)
“Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” finds Alex Turner offering his most inner-looking and ambitious tunes but few thrills for casual listeners.
Arctic Monkeys’ willingness to take chances and to experiment is worthy of praise. No one person did not expect 2018’s album to be “AM Part 2.” It had been a smash hit.
But the closest that fans get to a single is “Four Out of Five.”
This is just one of an album of space-themed tunes. Turner imagines living at a resort out in the sky and incorporates the same kind of Scott Walker-like production he’d used for his other band, The Last Shadow Puppets.
Songs like “Batphone” or “Star Treatment” create an interesting atmosphere. But the crooning can get a little old after a while.
5. “Humbug” (2009)
On “Humbug,” Arctic Monkeys take their first step out of their comfort zone but land on an intriguing, hazy rock sound.
Part of that change in direction can be blamed on Josh Homme. The Queens of the Stone Age frontman produced “Humbug.” It assisted in injectoing the songs with a psychedelic edge.
It also helps that Alex Turner has quickly outgrown the songs that had made him famous. His lyrics on “Humbug” are allegorical instead of straightforward as in the past.
The moody, mid-paced “My Propeller” and “Crying Lightning” indicate where the band is looking to move sonically.
On “Cornerstone,” the band isn’t afraid to embrace an almost ABBA-like pop sensibility.
“Dance Little Liar” and “Pretty Visitors” prove there’s still venom to Turner’s words. And “Secret Door” features a surprisingly expansive sound.
4. “Suck It and See” (2011)
Freed from the pressures of writing a hit, on “Suck It and See,” Alex Turner delivers one his finest sets of songs.
Of course, the fact that there’s no obvious single here did not please global fans. In Britain, however, “Suck It and See” cemented Arctic Monkeys’ reputation as a modern institution.
The album’s underrated status is a shame. While both the music and the lyrics are more colorfully psychedelic than previously, most of the songs are great.
Songs like “She’s Thunderstorms” and “The Hellcat Spangled Shalala” show that the Sheffield group had been listening to sweet 60s pop.
“Love is a Laserquest” and “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved the Chair” are cheeky indie-rock tunes.
“Reckless Serenade” and “Suck It and See” may be humorously worded but feature excellent melodies sung by Turner in a crooner style.
Meanwhile, “Library Pictures” is the band’s only concession to the punk-rock sound of their exciting debut album.
3. “Favourite Worst Nightmare” (2007)
Not wishing to get swept in the media hype surrounding their debut, Arctic Monkeys cooked up another energy-filled set for their second album, “Favourite Worst Nightmare.”
“Favourite Worst Nightmare” doesn’t quite capture the zeitgeist as the first album had. Then again, that was nearly impossible.
What it does show, however, is that the band had enough hooky songs to ensure longevity. And catchiness is what the band is going for here.
Songs like “Fluorescent Adolescent” or “Teddy Picker” are just as fun and immediate as their fans would expect.
And while the band is unashamedly wearing its love of guitar bands like The Jam or The Libertines on its sleeve, “Favourite Worst Nightmare” also hints at a desire for growth.
“Brianstorm” sounds like an air-raid siren, “The Bad Thing” echoes 60s-pop, and the melancholy-ridden confession of “505” was destined to become a fan favorite.
2. “AM” (2013)
On “AM,” Arctic Monkeys attempted to make a modern guitar-pop record, and the results exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Casual fans had given up on Arctic Monkeys by 2013. The British press still loved them. And this whole arrangement seemed to suit the band just fine.
But, while touring with The Black Keys, Turner felt inspired. His mission for what became “AM” was to meld simple guitar riffs with modern, programmed drums.
“AM” is the proper follow-up to “Whatever People Say.” The songs are immediate and exciting, and all have the potential to be radio singles.
“R U Mine?” finds the band more animated than they’d been in years. “Do I Wanna Know?” became a global hit on the strength of its excellent, contemporary production.
“Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” and “Snap Out of It” was hooky and made the band sound like American pop stars for a change.
And “Arabella,” “Snap Out of It,” and “No. 1 Party Anthem” are jokey without becoming ridiculous.
Against the odds, “AM” turned Arctic Monkeys into not only the biggest band in The United Kingdom but the world. This is their best selling album.
It was a status that frontman Alex Turner would refuse once more.
1. “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” (2006)
The British press was quick to anoint Arctic Monkeys as the new best band in the world even before their debut album had come out. Fortunately for everyone, “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” lived up to the hype.
Was the Sheffield band the only one to merge The Strokes-like guitar chords with The Streets’ wit? Nope. Were there other bands telling stories of British life? Sure.
However, none of them wrote songs as exciting as the ones on “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.” NME still has it ranked as one of the best albums of all time.
The tunes have a manic urgency about them. All of them have the potential to be singles. All of the lyrics are quotable. And none of this feels effortless.
“I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” “Riot Van,” or “Fake Tales of San Francisco” are built around Alex Turner’s humorous, memorable words. It’s no wonder that Turner proclaimed his love of John Cooper Clarke not long after the release of the record.
“Dancing Shoes” and “Still Take You Home” have a vindictive, punk-rock vibe.
“Mardy Bum” and “When the Sun Goes Down” are perfect, modern kitchen-sink dramas.
It’s obvious why the British press loved them. Alex Turner’s early songs captured a clear snapshot of the Sheffield streets.
The album was an instant success. “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” dethroned Oasis‘ “Definitely Maybe” as the biggest-selling debut ever.
Still, few could have predicted the rise of the quartet, which also included Jamie Cook, Andy Nicholson, and Matt Helders. Certainly, the themes of their songs were too British, right? Well, it turns out that the naysayers ignored the world’s enduring affection for the old Union Jack.
