The ranking of the 10 greatest goth rock albums of all time according to Far Out and Uncut's top 200

What are the ten greatest goth albums of all time? British magazine Far Out attempts to answer this demanding question with a top ten that certainly includes some essential classics of the genre, but that will just as certainly spark debate, starting with its number 1 (which, in this writer's opinion, isn't goth rock). In any case, it's a useful exercise for revisiting some evergreens of the genre, which OndaRock has already explored through the book "The Art Of Darkness" by John Robb and through our ranking of the greatest dark albums of all time.
"Goth is a genre as complex as it is difficult to define," Far Out writes in its introduction. "From Nick Cave to Siouxsie Sioux, from black jeans to over-the-top hairstyles, trying to confine it within precise boundaries risks being a pointless exercise: its history has developed through different, often overlapping branches. Rather than relying on the imagery and aesthetics that have, over time, become an integral part of goth culture, the best way to understand its identity is to let the music speak for itself. This selection gathers ten albums considered essential to telling the story of the genre, focusing mainly on the first and second waves of goth and avoiding, with a single exception, the many offshoots that developed after the 2000s. Through these ten albums," the magazine concludes, "a movement emerges that is far bigger and more influential than its stereotypes suggest: a scene fueled by hundreds of bands and artists, capable of leaving a deep mark on the music of the decades that followed."

Far Out's top ten

So here is the ranking of the 10 greatest gothic rock albums of all time, according to Far Out (full feature here).

10. Siouxsie and The Banshees – Juju
9. Scott Walker – The Drift
8. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Tender Prey
7. Clan of Xymox – Clan of Xymox
6. Bauhaus – In the Flat Field
5. This Mortal Coil – It’ll End in Tears
4. The Cure – Pornography
3. The Sisters of Mercy – First and Last and Always
2. Joy Division – Closer
1. The Cure – Disintegration

Uncut's top 200

If this top ten doesn't convince you, there's a much richer and more accurate alternative: Uncut's ranking of the 200 greatest dark and gothic albums of all time, featured in a special issue of The Ultimate Record Collection series, dedicated entirely to the goth universe. Inside, you'll find interviews, reviews and in-depth features on the subject, but also (and above all) this substantial ranking titled "The 200 greatest goth albums… ranked!". The feature is introduced by editor John Robinson, who, starting from the recent spat between Paul Weller and Robert Smith of The Cure, points out that what may have caused irritation is "the fact that Smith's band can still fill stadiums around the world today with music that's deeply personal yet, at the same time, surprisingly universal… As the authors of some of the most beloved and successful albums of the goth subculture, The Cure obviously couldn't be left out," Robinson adds. "You'll also find other classics from giants of the genre such as Nick Cave and Siouxsie And The Banshees. But what this collection offers, beyond the most famous names, is a broad panorama of music that helped define the first phase of this movement, in a period roughly between 1981 and 1989."
Below is Uncut's ranking of the 200 greatest goth albums of all time. On OndaRock you can also find our ranking of the greatest dark albums of all time, to which we've also dedicated this podcast.

1. The Cure – Disintegration (1989)
2. The Sisters of Mercy – First and Last and Always (1985)
3. The Birthday Party – Prayers on Fire (1981)
4. Joy Division – Closer (1980)
5. Bauhaus – In the Flat Field (1980)
6. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Juju (1981)
7. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Tender Prey (1988)
8. The Cure – Pornography (1982)
9. Depeche Mode – Black Celebration (1986)
10. Iggy Pop – The Idiot (1977)
11. The Jesus and Mary Chain – Psychocandy (1985)
12. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
13. The Sisters of Mercy – Floodland (1987)
14. Nico – The Marble Index (1968)
15. PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love (1995)
16. The Doors – The Doors (1967)
17. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures (1979)
18. Swans – The Burning World (1989)
19. Cocteau Twins – Garlands (1982)
20. Ministry – Land Of Rape and Honey (1988)
21. Echo & the Bunnymen – Porcupine (1983)
22. The Sisterhood – Gift (1986)
23. Bulgarian State Television Female Choir – Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares (1987)
24. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Kaleidoscope (1980)
25. This Mortal Coil – It'll End in Tears (1984)
26. Various Artists – Batcave: Young Limbs and Numb Hymns (1983)
27. The Cure – Faith (1981)
28. Julee Cruise – Floating Into The Night (1989)
29. The Cramps – Smell of Female (1983)
30. Xmal Deutschland – Tocsin (1982)
31. March Violets – Natural History (1984)
32. Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights (2002)
33. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Your Funeral, My Trial (1986)
34. Matt Johnson – Burning Blue Soul (1986)
35. Killing Joke – Night Time (1985)
36. Sad Lovers and Giants – Epic Garden Music (1982)
37. Siouxsie and the Banshees – The Scream (1978)
38. The Psychedelic Furs – The Psychedelic Furs (1980)
39. Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
40. Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – Talk About the Weather (1985)
41. Sex Gang Children – Song and Legend (1983)
42. Specimen – Batastrophe (1983)
43. Skeletal Family – Futile Combat (1985)
44. The Mission – God's Own Medicine (1986)
45. Dead Can Dance – Dead Can Dance (1984)
46. Fields of the Nephilim – The Nephilim (1988)
47. The Birthday Party – Junkyard (1982)
48. All About Ever – All About Eve (1988)
49. The Damned – The Black Album (1980)
50. The Cult – Love (1985)
51. Alien Sex Fiend – Who's Been Sleeping In My Brain (1983)
52. The Legendary Pink Dots – Curse (1983)
53. Einsturzende Neubauten – Kollaps (1981)
54. Clan of Xymox – Clan of Xymox (1985)
55. Danielle Dax – Jesus Egg That Wept (1984)
56. Coil – Horse Rotorvator (1986)
57. Current 93 – Imperium (1987)
58. Virgin Prunes – Heresie (1982)
59. Lords of the New Church – Lords of the New Church (1982)
60. The Cure – The Top (1984)
61. The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World (2024)
62. Fields of the Nephilim – Dawnrazor (1987)
63. Flesh for Lulu – Big Fun City (1985)
64. Soft Cell – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (1981)
65. Love and Rockets – Express (1986)
66. Nitzer Ebb – That Total Age (1987)
67. The Rose of Avalanche – First Avalanche (1985)
68. Death Cult – Ghost Dance (1994)
69. Tubeway Army – Replicas (1979)
70. Tones of Tail – Pop (1984)
71. Virgin Prunes – …If I Die, I Die (1982)
72. The Chameleons – Script Of The Bridge (1983)
73. The Bolshoi – Giants (1985)
74. In The Nursery – When Cherished Dreams Came True (1983)
75. Crime and the City Solution – Room Of Lights (1986)
76. The Cure – Bloodflowers (2000)
77. Ghost Dance – Gathering Dust (1988)
78. Curve – Doppelgänger (1992)
79. Mazzy Star – She Hangs Brightly (1990)
80. Skinny Puppy – Remission (1984)
81. The Wake – Masked (1993)
82. Asylum Party – Borderline (1989)
83. Savage Republic – Ceremonial (1986)
84. The Creatures – Feast (1983)
85. Death in Vegas – The Contino Sessions (1999)
86. The Glove – Blue Sunshine (1983)
87. Death in June/Current 93 – 1988 (1990)
88. Gene Loves Jezebel – Promise (1983)
89. Jonathan Fire*Eater – Tremble Under Boom Lights (1986)
90. The Associates – Affectionate Punch (1979)
91. Marc and the Mambas – Torment and Toreros (1983)
92. Berlin – Pleasure Victim (1982)
93. Various Artists – Music From The Limited Event Series Twin Peaks (2017)
94. Christian Death – Only Theatre of Pain (1982)
95. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – From Her To Eternity (1984)
96. The Cure – Seventeen Seconds (1980)
97. Cocteau Twins – Head Over Heels (1983)
98. The Gun Club – The Las Vegas Story (1984)
99. Salvation – Clash of Dreams (2014)
100. Dead or Alive – Let Them Drag My Soul Away (2023)
101. Nico – Drama Of Exile (1981)
102. Diamanda Galás – You Must Be Certain Of The Devil (1988)
103. Front 242 – Geography (1982)
104. Danse Society – Heaven Is Waiting (1984)
105. The Cult – Dreamtime (1984)
106. New Order – Movement (1981)
107. Dali's Car – The Waking Hour (1984)
108. Lemon Kittens – We Buy A Hammer for Daddy (1980)
109. Samhain – Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire (1986)
110. Miranda Sex Garden – Suspiria (1993)
111. Bauhaus – Mask (1981)
112. Modern English – Mesh & Lace (1981)
113. Peter Murphy – Love Hysteria (1988)
114. Presence – Inside (1992)
115. Theatre of Hate – Westworld (1982)
116. James Ray's Gangwar – Dios Está De Nuestro Lado (1992)
117. Love and Rockets – Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven (1985)
118. Soft Cell – The Art of Falling Apart (1983)
119. Wasted Youth – Wild And Wandering (1981)
120. Skin – Blood, Women, Roses (1987)
121. The Birthday Party – Hee-Haw (1989)
122. Mogwai – The Hawk is Howling (2008)
123. Nick Cave – Kicking Against the Pricks (1986)
124. The Cure – The Head On The Door (1985)
125. Bauhaus – The Sky's Gone Out (1982)
126. Depeche Mode – Violator (1990)
127. Kali Malone – The Sacrificial Code (2019)
128. Xeno & Oaklander – Sentinelle (2009)
129. Zola Jesus – The Spoils (2009)
130. Bone Orchard – Stuffed to the Gills (1983)
131. Schleimer K – Schleimer K (1981)
132. Inca Babies – Rumble (1985)
133. Anna von Hausswolff – Dead Magic (2018)
134. Marilyn Manson – Mechanical Animals (1998)
135. Dean Hurley – Concrete Feather (2021)
136. Breathless – The Glass Bead Game (1986)
137. Fields of the Nephilim – Elizium (1990)
138. PJ Harvey – Is This Desire? (1998)
139. The Legendary Pink Dots – The Golden Age (1988)
140. Nico – The End (1974)
141. Echo & the Bunnymen – Ocean Rain (1984)
142. The Stranglers – The Gospel According To The Meninblack (1981)
143. Mass – Labour of Love (1981)
144. Front 242 – Front by Front (1988)
145. Into a Circle – Assassins (1988)
146. The Essence – A Monument Of Trust (1987)
147. Danielle Dax – Blast the Human Flower (1990)
148. Cranes – Self-Non-Self (1989)
149. Xymox – Twist Of Shadows (1989)
150. Heavenly Bodies – Celestial (1988)
151. Love Spirals Downwards – Flux (1998)
152. Eyeless in Gaza – Photographs As Memories (1981)
153. 45 Grave – Sleep in Safety (1983)
154. Zero LeCrêche – Last Year's Wife (2008)
155. Depeche Mode – Memento Mori (2023)
156. Cranes – Wings Of Joy (1991)
157. Salem – King Night (2010)
158. Red Temple Spirits – Dancing To Restore An Eclipsed Moon (1988)
159. This Mortal Coil – Blood (1991)
160. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – The Firstborn Is Dead (1985)
161. The Damned – Phantasmagoria (1985)
162. Xiu Xiu – Knife Play (2002)
163. Jarboe – Thirteen Masks (1991)
164. Cindytalk – Camouflage Heart (1984)
165. London After Midnight – Psycho Magnet (1996)
166. Switchblade Symphony – Bread And Jam For Frances (1997)
167. Rowland S Howard/Lydia Lunch – Shotgun Wedding (1991)
168. Chelsea Wolfe – Hiss Spun (2017)
169. Black Tape For A Blue Girl – The Rope (1986)
170. Flesh for Lulu – Flesh For Lulu (1984)
171. Klaus Nomi – Za Bakdaz: The Unfinished Opera (2007)
172. Therion – Gothic Kabbala (2007)
173. Diamanda Galás – Saint Of The Pit (1986)
174. Mortemia – Misere Mortem (2010)
175. Rosetta Stone – An Eye For The Main Chance (1991)
176. Rubella Ballet – At Last, It's Playtime (1985)
177. Corpus Delecti – Sylphes (1994)
178. Front 242 – No Comment (1984)
179. Jarboe – Sacrificial Cake (1995)
180. Corpses as Bedmates – Venus Handcuffs (1986)
181. Princess Tinymeat – Herstory (1987)
182. Clan Of Xymox – Medusa (1986)
183. Tuxedomoon – Desire (1981)
184. HTRK – Marry Me Tonight (2009)
185. Kas Product – Try Out (1982)
186. Lives of Angels – Elevator To Eden (1983)
187. Ilitch – 10 Suicides (1980)
188. The Horrors – Strange House (2007)
189. Of A Mesh – Of A Mesh (1986)
190. Elysion – Silent Scream (2009)
191. Eyeless in Gaza – Drumming The Beating Heart (1982)
192. Sorrow – Under the Yew Possessed (1993)
193. Anne Clark – The Sitting Room (1982)
194. Diamanda Galás – The Litanies Of Satan (1982)
195. Sort Sol – Dagger & Guitar (1983)
196. Last Few Days – Pure Spirit And Saliva Live (1986)
197. Hunting Lodge – Nomad Souls (1984)
198. Phaidia – In The Dark (1985)
199. Fra Lippo Lippi – In Silence (1981)
200. Kirlian Camera – Kirlian Camera (1981)

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