There was a time in my life when the only band that I listened to was Green Day, but when I wanted to expand my music horizons, I chose Blink-182. I had already listened to a few of their songs when they came on the radio and even went to see them on their reunion tour, so I thought they'd be a good choice. Now they're my second favorite band, and one of the things I like to do with the bands I listen to is rank all of their albums. It's been tricky for most of them, but for Blink, it actually seemed pretty simple, so I thought my first album ranking blog would be for them.
A few ground rules
This list is my own personal opinions. I understand that everyone has their own perspectives, and this list doesn't reflect those.
Only official LPs will be considered. EPs and compilation albums are for another time.
7. California
Out of all of Blink-182's albums, this was the one that I was the least satisfied with. Don't get me wrong; I was able to find enjoyment in California, but there are some big issues I have with it. Most of them I think can either be traced back to the absence of Tom DeLonge, or the inclusion of John Feldman as producer (Matt Skiba was not the problem at all). Overall, it feels like California has a hard time deciding what kind of album to be; either more of a throwback to their early 2000's sound or a darker-toned feel. My biggest issue though is the imbalance between vocals and instrumentals. One of the things that I think Tom excels at is writing great guitar riffs, and it felt like Feldman's input made the guitar and bass lines feel really generic. Instead, the songs are covered with vocals and mostly forgettable instrumentals, but there are a few standouts. While I don't listen to it that much, "Kings of The Weekend" does have some decent instrumentals in the bridge, and the bridge for "No Future" has a pretty good bass line. The band might've gotten off to a rough start after losing a founding member, but even so, I'll still be excited for the next album.
Favorite Songs
No Future
Sober
Los Angeles
6. Neighborhoods
I'm pretty sure that amongst the members of Blink-182, this is their least favorite album, which sucks because it's actually really good. While I think the singles are pretty decent, Neighborhoods shines with its deep-cuts. The album opens with 2 of its strongest songs, the energetic and complex "Ghost on The Dance Floor" and "Natives". There's also the aggressive "Heart's All Gone", the classic sounding "Mh 4.18.2011", and the best song on the album, "Wishing Well". There are some downsides though, such as the more Angels & Airwaves sounding "Snake Charmer". I still like the song, but it just feels like Tom wrote it for AVA instead. On top of that, Tom's voice on "Kaleidoscope" is noticeably auto-tuned. Overall, I think this album gets a bit too much hate, and it only finds itself lower on my list because all of Blink's other albums are so good. I won't tell you how you should feel about this album, but I do recommend it.
Favorite Songs
Wishing Well
Natives
Mh 4.18.2011
Even If She Falls
5. Cheshire Cat
This is where it gets hard to say bad things about each album. I actually think I got into Cheshire Cat a little later than I should've; it was Blink at their most raw, and definitely their dirtiest. The toilet humor can range from the heavy innuendos in "Touchdown Boy" to straight and simple in "Depends". Also, who could forget "Carousel"; it was the song that basically laid the foundation of modern pop punk, and has become the expected opener for the band's encore. Overall, Cheshire Cat is a great throwback for anyone who wants to hear Blink's more naughty side.
Favorite Songs
Peggy Sue
Wasting Time
Touchdown Boy
Toast & Bananas
4. The Untitled Album
I often wonder what it was like making this album since the turmoil that lead to the band's 2004 breakup was building during its recording. To this day, The Untitled Album is Blink's most ambitious. The band traded in their dick jokes for more serious topics, such as dealing with domestic abuse in "Go", and I think the title of "Stockholm Syndrome" speaks for itself. The one thing that stands out about this album among the rest to me is how ridiculously good the singles were compared to the rest of the album. I'm not saying the other songs are bad, but the singles just outshined them so much, especially "I Miss You". I would also say that the other 3 ("Feeling This", "Down", and "Always") stand as some of my all-time favorite Blink songs.
Favorite Songs
Down
Always
Feeling This
Here's Your Letter
3. Take Off Your Pants And Jacket
If you had asked me what my favorite Blink-182 album was when I first started listening to them, I would probably tell you it was this one. For anyone who doesn't know, Take Off actually made some music history. Not only was it the first time Blink hit number 1 on the Billboard 200, but it was the first punk rock identified album to debut at number 1. The band hit their all-time high with an album that revolved heavily around adolescent rebellion, and gave them some of their best deep-cuts, like "Reckless Abandon", "Happy Holidays, You Bastard", and "Story Of A Lonely Guy". One song I like to talk about a lot is "Stay Together For The Kids"; in my opinion, it might be the best constructed song that Blink-182 has ever written. It perfectly captures the feelings of divorce by mixing its soft and sad verses with an angry and aggressive chorus. While it's no longer my favorite Blink album, Take Off is still an amazing ride.
Favorite Songs
Please Take Me Home
Story Of A Lonely Guy
Stay Together For The Kids
Give Me One Good Reason
2. Enema Of The State
So my top 2 choices are both on my list of Essential Albums (albums I love from start to finish), but this one made the list second, so it takes the second spot. Blink's popularity was already growing pretty fast, but Enema Of The State made it shoot through the roof. It was their first album with their classic line-up (Hoppus, DeLonge, and Barker), and boy did they deliver. The explosion of this album's popularity was probably the biggest contributor to the 2000's pop punk boom, and with 3 awesome singles like the infectious "What's My Age Again", the serious "Adam's Song", and possibly the band's biggest hit "All The Small Things", it's clear to see why. Not to mention that "Dumpweed" has one of the best album-opening guitar riffs you will ever hear.
Favorite Songs
Going Away To College
Wendy Clear
Mutt
Aliens Exist
1. Dude Ranch
Whereas Enema was essential, Dude Ranch is a fucking masterpiece. From the absolutely amazing opening of "Pathetic" to one of the best album closing songs I've listened to, "I'm Sorry", this album doesn't have a single point where it feels dull. I still maintain that "Dammit" is Blink-182's greatest song; it's fast, catchy, and was the band's first radio hit. I'm sure for a lot of fans, it was sad that this was the last album to feature founding drummer, Scott Raynor, but boy, did he go out with a bang. Not only does Dude Ranch stand as my favorite Blink-182 album, but it's also my favorite album of the 90's, thanks to literally the whole album. If you only ever listen to one album by this band (and I hope that's not the case), this is the one, trust me.
Favorite Songs
Pathetic
I'm Sorry
Dammit
Waggy
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