Placebo Albums Ranked

Why I Love Placebo

How many bands do you know have lasted 25 years?

Placebo are an English rock group that mean a lot to me. Their songs of angst, drug addiction, and melodrama hit me on a personal level. There’s a lot of bands that do indie rock, and there’s plenty of bands that do angst-driven songs. Placebo stand out to me because I think they’re great, they’ve got this star quality about them. The French would call it: Je Ne Sais Quoi.

A lot of it is down to the gorgeously deep vocals of Brian Molko. The rest is a combination between the lyrics and the music itself.

Loud Like Love

It’s a nice album, I just think the others are better. Loud Like Love is their most optimistic record. There are a few brilliant tracks on the record. The only one that truly stands out is Too Many Friends. Too Many Friends opens with: “MY COMPUTER THINKS I’M GAY!” It’s a song that I can relate to because I do have online friends. I think the song has become more poignant during the pandemic.

Battle For The Sun

It’s a good album, but I don’t think it has as much spark as the older albums. It still has that classic sound though thatbsouuds both mature and also sounds like a throwback to their older material. I love how they have a song called Kings of Medicine at the end of the album. The vocals and the music sound a lot clearer and cleaner. Whilst this makes the record accessible, I adore it when they’re raw like they are in Devil in The Details.

Placebo

Where it all began and a great place to start if you’re new to the band. The self-titled debut tells you who they are. They were criticised for their androgynous themes in Nancy Boy, the emo vibes in Teenage Angst, and the drug metaphors. Everything this album was bashed for 25 years ago, is now praised for. Both the band and the album has outlived their other contemporaries.

Black Market Music

Taste In Men is my favourite track on this album because I love the way Brian sings in it. Easilly one of their most heaviest and angriest album. For me, this album feels like a response to the Nu Metal movement that emerged from the early 2000’s which saturated the charts at the time. A song that proves this to me is Spite and Malice. Listening to this album today makes think of all the protests that happened in America.

Meds

Given their band name, I think this album title is appropriate. They stay true to their signature sound and shows the dangers the alcohol, drugs and substance abuse. The title tracks makes me feel like I’m in a psychiatric ward. Then it goes straight into Infra-red which feels grungey acid trip: I’m all up for it. It’s a very consistent album with great lyrics and great guitar riffs and production. I reccomend their beautiful collaboration with Micheal Stripes from R.E.M, a haunting ballad called Broken Promise.

Sleeping With Ghosts

I’ve always found the album cover is beautiful and enchanting. One of the editions of this album came with an extra disc which included some amazing covers that Placebo did, which also eventually to stand alone with it‘s own release. Professional bodies seem to have mixed feelings with this record, but I agree with Q magazine when they say it’s brilliant. English Summer Rain, Sleeping With Ghosts, The Bitter End and Special Needs are the best tracks for me because they take me back to all the road trips I had with my friend.

Without You I’m Nothing

This one has and will probably always be my favourite album from Placebo. It’s fabulous 90‘s rock with that layer of grunge fused with an indie flavour. These layers of sub rock are so well interfused. That to me is what makes this one of the best alternate rock albums of the 90’s. It has three of my favourite songs from the band: Pure Morning, Every You Every Me, and My Sweet Prince. I love the atmosphere. The single version of Without You I’m Nothing features David Bowie, which would have been a huge honour for the band.

Conclusion

If you’re new to Placebo, I personally think it’s best to start at the beginning with their self-titled debut and work your way up. I look forward to their new album which is due to come out this year.