I've been thinking of doing this for awhile, as I've never seen anyone create a thread where they attempt to rank Motorhead's studio releases. I've seen top 5 lists and such, but never someone's rankings of all the albums. This is likely because it is a futile task, as one's opinions on the matter may change from day to day, but I'm up for the challenge! (keeping in mind, of course, that this could change from day to day.

I will rank from 20 to 1, with some (hopefully limited) commentary. I have omitted On Parole, as it wasn't "officially" released by the band, and isn't listed as one of their albums on this site. Here it is:

20. Hammered--I've just never been able to get into this one, and I've kept trying, including recently; too many borrowed riffs from other bands, not enough fast stuff, I guess. Faves: "Brave New World", "Red Raw"; least faves: several, would have to listen to it again...probably "Dr. Love."

19. March or Die--Used to be least favorite, but has grown on me a bit. Too mainstream-sounding for my tastes, but it's kind of a fun album overall. Faves: "Stand", "March or Die", "Name in Vain"; least: "Cat Scratch Fever"--seems uninspired.

18. Kiss of Death--Odd, since I originally had this ranked at # 6 until I really started listening to the albums closely! Simply not many songs that I'm nuts about. Fave: "Sucker"; least: mmm...depends on mood...sometimes "One Night Stand", "Under the Gun"...nothing I really hate, just sorta meh.

17. Motorhead--I like pretty much everything on here, but there is not much that gets me ecstatic. Good punky feel, though. Faves: title track, "Lost Johnny", "Vibrator"; least: maybe "Iron Horse" (?), which is pretty darn good!

16. Bastards--much more uneven (and long) than the first album, but the highs are higher. Faves: first four songs; least: most everything else. Do like Liar, too. Yes, I realize that this is a favorite of most MH fans, but it's my list, then, isn't it?

15. Bomber--On a good day, this could be a few slots higher. I had this on cassette only for years, and never listened to it much; I finally got it on CD a couple of years ago, and am still catching up to it. A little slow tempo-wise for me, but some good material and a nice feel to it. Faves: "Stone Dead Forever", "Poison", "Talking Head," "Bomber"; least, "Lawman."

14. Another Perfect Day--Very well done, full of good material, obviously lots of good lead guitar. Lousy production/mix, at least on my vinyl copy. Despite a couple good fast ones, this is mostly a case of Motorhead "not being Motorhead." Nice to hear them try something different, but I'm glad that they didn't pursue this direction any further. Faves: "I Got Mine", "Die You Bastard", "Back at the Funny Farm"; least: all good, maybe "One Track Mind", due to length.

13. Motorizer--I'm really surprised that this made it so high, but it has grown on me a ridiculous amount over the past several months. Just some good, straight, hard Motorhead, with no diddling around. Faves: "Rock Out", "Teach You How to Sing the Blues", "Buried Alive", "One Short Life"; least: "Heroes", again, due to length.

12. Sacrifice--Another straight-up, hard, no monkey business kind of album. No ballads, and not many solos, just straight to the gut metal/punk/rock n roll. Faves: title cut, "Sex and Death", "Don't Waste Your Time"; least: "Make 'em Blind".

11. Rock 'n' Roll--Yes, I know this is supposed to be mediocre, and at least a couple songs, though solid, sound like filler ("Stone Deaf..." and "Boogeyman", perhaps?), but this album has its own feel to it, and, for the most part, flows nicely. Faves: title track (one of my top all-time MH tunes, and the only one that got played at my wedding reception), "The Wolf", "Traitor"; least: "Eat the Rich."

10. Orgasmatron--Ok, so the production is a little odd, but this album is still pretty classic. Plenty of good fast tunes, but a couple of their better mid-tempo numbers in "Deaf Forever" and "Built for Speed." Faves: "Deaf...", "The Claw", "Ridin' with the Driver", "Mean Machine"; least: "Ain't my Crime"

9. Iron Fist--It may not be the classic that AOS and Overkill are, but this is still classic MH, with plenty of speed. Faves: title track, "Heart of Stone", "Loser", "Speedfreak", "Don't Need Religion"; least: dunno, maybe "America"?

8. The World is Yours--This one just keeps growing on me. It amazes me that the band can still put out rock music of this high a caliber at their ages. Hard to get tired of this one. Faves: "Outlaw", "I Know What You Need", "Brotherhood of Man"...pretty much the whole thing except for my least fave: "Rock 'n' Roll Music"--just comes off a little flat to me.

7. 1916--Have always loved this one. Great diversity here, with a power ballad, a non-power ballad, some poppier rock, straight up rock-n-roll, an experimental/psychedelic piece, a novelty/tribute song that still rocks like hell, and several kick-ass MH rockers! Faves: "Make My Day", "I'm So Bad...", "1916", "Ramones"; least: "Angel City", though it continues to grow on me.

6. Overnight Sensation--I took awhile to fully warm up to this, but now it rocks my world. Again, some good diversity here, with some faster ones, but with some more melodic stuff too. Faves: "I Don't Believe a Word", the 3 fast ones, "Broken"; least: "Love Can't Buy you Money" (MH doing funk metal doesn't necessarily work), title track (though very much growing on me).

5. Snakebite Love--My favorite songs on here just blow me away. This is something of a "fun" album, which isn't a bad thing. A few so-so tunes, but the top ones make up for it. Faves: "Take the Blame", "Dead and Gone" (maybe not fun, but emotionally powerful), title track, "Don't Lie to Me", "Better Off Dead", "Night Side" (take that, Mikkey Dee!); least: "Joy of Labour"

4. Ace of Spades--Not one of my currently most listened-to MH albums, this has to be considered for its all-time greatness; it's sheer timelessness. Faves: title track (still not really sick of it!); "The Hammer", "We Are the Road Crew" (yes, the obvious ones!); least, mmm...maybe "Fast and Loose."

3. Overkill--Song for song, such a great album; no weak cuts, really. Another album that has its own feel to it. Faves: title cut, "Limb From Limb", "(I Won't) Pay Your Price"; least: maybe "Metropolis", despite its "classic" status.

2. We Are Motorhead--I have read many reviews of this album, and I've read that it lacks fast songs, lacks strong material, and that it is not that memorable; to which I respond, "Are we listening to the same album?!" This album is just balls-out rock. Lots of good riffy rockers, some speedy stuff, nearly all of it memorable. Faves: "Wake the Dead", "One More...", "Stagefright...", title track, "See Me Burning"; least: "God Save the Queen"--not a bad cover, but is it really necessary?

1. Inferno--Insanely stuffed with instant MH classics...wow! I can't imagine any MH fan not loving this album. Faves: "...Tragedy", "Killers", "...Wolf", "Fight", "Smiling...", "Whorehouse...", "Terminal...", "Down on Me"; least: "Suicide"

So there you have it! I'd like to challenge anyone to post their complete rankings too, though I know most will say that it's impossible, and that it constantly changes! Give it a try though, and you may find that you liked some albums better than you had realized (and some, not so much). Enjoy!

looks like a lot of work you did there, mate

However, wouldn't be able to create such a list. I listen to Motörhead, not to albums. Sometimes I like this, sometimes I like that. Easy these days where you can have all music on one storage device and just jump around in shuffle mode...

I prefer the old fashioned 'listen to an album' method still. Must be my age.

Very hard to call, for the middle section. I reckon I could give you an (almost) definitive top and bottom 5 if that helps

Nice going tragedy.

I've been sitting here for a while and i cant list them really.So i've done it in groups of 5

My top 5
Orgasmatron,Inferno,Bastards,Overkill and the world is yours (which has just about pushed 1916 out)

6-10 1916,Ace of spades,motorhead,rock'n'roll,kiss of death

11-15 bomber,another perfect day,motorizer,march or die,iron fist

16-20 sarifice,hammered,overnight sensation,we are motorhead,snakebite love

anyway nowhere near as deatailed as yours i know for 2 reasons-
1-i'm a lazy bastard
2--i've found it difficult enough trying to seperate them in groups of 5

Like you said above,as with all sorts of listings they change often,but i think i can safely say none of my top 5 ever find their way into the bottom 5 and vice versa.
And even after all that not 1 shit album in 20 either-something no other band can say that about their careers i'm sure.

The impossible thing is, some days I will put on say Snakebite Love and think 'nah' and quickly change it. Yet another day I'll crack it on and love it.

What I can say is that I love Overkill and struggle with March or Die. The real beauty of the bands music is whether you like punk or metal or hard rock or rock n roll, there is always something for everyone on all their albums.


Except March or die of course

Keep trying mate I still think its a good un.Saying that if you don't like it now its probably best to forget it

To be fair it ain't that bad, and it's a lot better than the worst offerings of many other bands I love. The trouble is, it ain't that good either

A mate I have been helping to get into Motorhead, with a fair degree of success, asked me to rate their albums and I just dug out the list I made for him.

1 Overkill
2 Ace of Spades
3 Inferno
4 Another Perfect Day
5 Bastards
6 1916
7 Orgasmatron
8 The World Is Yours
9 Motorizer
10 Bomber
11 Kiss of Death
12 We Are Motorhead
13 Iron Fist
14 Overnight Sensation
15 Motorhead
16 Sacrifice
17 Snakebite Love
18 Rock n Roll
19 Hammered
20 March or Die

This was about 4 months ago, and as I look at that now I can see I would move several about. TWIY would be higher, as would Overnight Sensation (really been getting into the title track recently). I would maybe drop Bastards a couple of spots and Kiss of Death would definitely be higher. Truth is, apart from the last 4 or 5, I think they all could pretty much go higher.

Thanks for checking it out and responding, guys.

Iron Fist, no, not as much work as it appears. I've had the idea of doing this in my head for awhile now, and had already been mulling over the details. Typing it went surprisingly quickly.

Lard-o-, I'm obviously an old school, "listen to an album" guy too. My wife gave me her old, hand-me-down ipod awhile back, and I don't even know where it is, but I most certainly know where my record player is!

Leeds-thanks! It's interesting to see your list, and yours too, lardo-o. It's telling about both MH and individual taste that the higher ranked ones in some lists are much lower in others. It would be interesting to get a larger sample size (more fans' lists), but then again, that's me, sort of a stats geek.

Very tough one. All albums are almost equal to me...

Motorhead,Overkill,Bomber,Ace Of Spades and Bastards

As a top 5,but wouldn't be able to put them in order.

But to leave out "No sleep and "Everything Louder" seems like a crime LOL

I'll go with my top 10:

1 Overkill - Cannot be beaten. Perfection
2 Ace Of Spades
3 Another Perfect Day
4 Inferno
5 Bastards
5 Orgasmatron
6 The World Is Yours
7 Bomber
8 Motorizer
9 Kiss Of Death
10 1916

A great piece of work Tragedy.
I particularly love the way in which you critique and categorise each album.
I used to think I was old school, and listen to a whole album, but as years go by, you seem to get less time to do that.
The fast forward button becomes ever more attractive.

The only albums I find 'flawless' are Motorhead / Overkill / Bastards and Orgasmatron.
Bomber is also perfect apart from the forgetable 'Sweet Revenge'

Strangely though, I find that some of very favourite tracks appear on some of the less favourite albums. For example...
We Are Motorhead is a fabulous and great rock anthem.
One more fucking time, I could listen to 20 times a day.
Back at the funny farm is a musical masterpiece.
Asylum Choir and Hellraiser are great tracks on an otherwise poor album.

I could go on... and on ... and on.

Thanks for sharing your top 10, Hammer. It looks like many of us have TWIY in the top ten, if not the top 5. It is a good one, isn't it?

Fester, thanks for the kudos. After spending far too much late-night time reading comments on American sports sites, proving how insanely rude and hateful many Americans can be to each other, it's refreshing to come on this site where nearly everyone is actually respectful and friendly. I think I'm the only American on this thread so far...maybe I should move; it would certainly help my health insurance situation!

As for listening to whole albums--at least with Motorhead, many of them still clock in at less than 40 minutes, and the rest aren't much longer, so at least it doesn't take too much time to listen to one.

On "good songs on less favorite albums"--for me, "Sucker", and cuts 2-4 on Bastards (cut 1 is not bad at all, either); and, I've always been a sucker for "Stand", even though one could argue that it does come off as something of a contrived anthem. Nothing wrong with "Brave New World" and "Red Raw", either. Goes to show that every MH album should have something for every fan.

"No Sleep..." is a classic, indeed! I haven't got "Everything Louder..."; in fact, I don't have any other live MH besides "No Sleep..."--would "EL" be a good next live one to get?

ELTEE is a must. As you have NSTH, that has to be your next live purchase. An amazing setlist, from a time when the band were on fire, with some incredible performances, just check out Capricorn for example.

Bastards flawless? Do you listen to Dont Let Daddy Kiss Me every time you play it? I doubt I've listened to that song more than once to be fair

hahaha! impossible task - would drive me crazy even trying!

and just to set the cat amongst the pigeons - i never listen to nsth! just doesn't o it for me

NSTH is a good one but I do not prioritise it. I listen more to Plugged In, What's Words Worth, ELTEE, Better MTD, Stage Fright and bootlegs.
Regarding flawless studio albums, I'd say On Parole, Motorhead, Overkill, Orgasmatron, Kiss Of Death, TWIY. Maybe AOS, Rock & Roll, Sacrifice.

Then give it another chance!!!... once is NEVER enough.
Don't let Daddy Kiss me was a brave move, its not a rocker, but the solo is a crusher. The whole album is amazing from beginning to end.

Agreed. ELTEE is essential, although i still have a soft spot for 'No Sleep....' the album that introduced me MH.

Cheers tragedy, Yeah, TWIY is a a beauty. Brotherhood Of Man is fast becoming an all time favorite of mine.

Your thoughts on 'Another Perfect Day' are interesting. I remember when i first bought it (way back in 1984!), it left me cold, didn't like it all. Like many at the time, i was mourning the loss of Eddie, and Robbo seemed a very odd replacement.

Many years later, i got the remaster and gave it a go. After not hearing it over 20 years, i was blown away. It now sits comfortably in my top 3, and is regularly on my rotation. Robbo's work is superb. It is different, but i think that's part of it's charm.

5 star albums:
Overkill
Ace of Spades
Orgasmatron
1916
Bastards
Inferno
The World is Yours

4 star albums:
Another Perfect Day
Rock n Roll
Overnight Sensation
Bomber
Snake Bite Love

3 star albums
Motorhead
Iron Fist
March or Die
Sacrifice
We Are Motorhead
Hammered
Motorizer

2 star albums
Kiss of Death

Ah, John Copeland, I was hoping that you'd weigh in on this thread, as I've seen you make allusions to where you would rank certain albums. I'm not surprised at all what your bottom-feeder is! Nice breakdown, thanks for sharing.

Top 5

-ace of spades
-Bastards
-Iron Fist
-Kiss of death
-Sacrifice

Can´t say witch is the best, second and so on...
Just top 5, listen these most

I actually tried playing a few tunes from KoD a couple of weeks back but I still couldn't tolerate most of the songs. I'm genuinely amazed that it is so highly regarded. Anyway, I've been like a broken record when it comes to disliking KoD on this forum so I'll not bore anyone too much with it.

Actually, i kind of think opposite with Iron Fist album.
It`s my favourity albums ever and i can`t understand why so
many people don`t like it and say it`s bad producted and so on...
Go figure

In response to John Copeland and MHB3133, I think this is what is great about Motorhead, and music tastes in general. I think with most MH albums, there are going to be fans who love it, and others who can't see what all the fuss is about. I'm amazed that more people don't hold We Are Motorhead in as high regard as I do, just as an example for myself. I'm also amazed that so many fans rank Bastards so highly--it's a little uneven for my tastes. That's how it goes, though, and that's what makes it all so interesting, and fun to discuss and debate.

I hear you, tragedy!
Have to say i agree with you on that.
Everyone got they own favourity`s.
As long as you like the band
and are loyal to it, it`s allright.

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Any Attempt at Ranking Motorhead Albums is Surely an
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Exercise in Futility.
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There is just such an Over Abundance of Awesomeness
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contained within their Entire Catalog.
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You may as well try to rank the Tracks from Metallicas
-
St Anger in order from 'Who Are These People And What
-
Did They Do With Metallica' to 'I Think I'm Gunna Be Sick'.
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