Garbage Albums Ranked

Garbage is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Madison, Wisconsin. The band’s lineup—consisting of Scottish singer Shirley Manson (vocals) and American musicians Duke Erikson (guitar, bass, keyboards), Steve Marker (guitar, keyboards), and Butch Vig (drums, production)—has remained unchanged since its inception. All four members are involved in the songwriting and production process. Garbage has sold over 17 million albums worldwide. Garbage’s third album Beautiful Garbage was also critically acclaimed, but failed to match the commercial success of its predecessors. Garbage quietly disbanded amidst the troubled production of their fourth album Bleed Like Me, but regrouped to complete the album, which was released in 2005 and peaked at a career-high number four in the U.S. The band cut short their Bleed Like Me concert tour and announced an indefinite hiatus, emphasizing that they had not broken up but rather wished to pursue separate interests. The hiatus was briefly interrupted in 2007, when the band recorded new tracks for their greatest hits album Absolute Garbage. The band reunited in 2011, and self-released their 2012 album Not Your Kind of People on their own label Stun volume to positive reviews. Their next album, Strange Little Birds, followed in 2016. Their seventh studio album, No Gods No Masters, was released in 2021. Here are all of Garbage albums ranked .

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8. No Gods No Masters  

“The 19-track version. Not quite as good as Strange Little Birds, maybe, but I find most of the songs very much to my liking. Almost too early to mention any particular songs, but No Horses, The Chemicals and Girls Talk from CD 2. Many others really. I´m still hypnotized by their energy. The two covers may seem unnecessary, but once again they did it for me.”

7. Absolute Garbage 

“If you didn’t have the guts to buy any of their albums, this is the right compilation to own. Garbage were awesome in the 90s and they had a lot of amazing songs. Shirley Manson had this rough, but still playful attitude that made the tracks really appealing, and she had good vocals, of course. “Absolute Garbage” comprises their best singles and it’s a pleasure to listen to from start to finish”

6. Bleed Like Me 

“After being panned for the dutiful commercialism of Beautifulgarbage the band produce possibly their best album since their debut by cranking up the ‘power’ part of power pop. The opening duo of tracks ably assist the albums true standout, Bleed Like Me in an album that effectively turned the recent form book upside down”

5. Not Your Kind Of People 

“Prior to purchasing this album, I was worried. I loved Garbage’s other four efforts, and a lot of people complained this one was overproduced and incredibly disappointing. So, when I first listened to ‘Not Your Kind Of People’ all the way through, I was delighted! Full of Shirley’s biting vocals and definitely NOT overproduced, atmospheric sounds, it was a treat to hear.”

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4. Strange Little Birds 

“After a break, Shirley Manson and the lads return to form – darker and more forbidding than some of their earlier, more pop-oriented releases, i.e. more ‘my thing’. Not everyone will appreciate it. A few lighter, more melodic moments break the mood and a bit more electronic than guitar-based but that’s OK; it shows they’re not in a rut and just repeating a formula.”

3. Beautiful Garbage 

“I just had a very good time with Beautiful Garbage. Maybe I’ve never realized how amazing this album is because the album gets off on the wrong foot with the first two tracks (they’re not bad, but not great), but this album killed it for me this listen.”

2. Version 2.0 

“The album just oozes class from both a songwriting and production point of view. In my opinion it was a definite ‘step-up’ in class from the promising self-titled debut album, and Version 2.0 really showcases the power and sound of Garbage at their very best.”

1. Garbage 

“Dark, seductive, slick. It’s expertly mixed, densely layered 90s altrock with more than a bit of electronic twisting. Could call it techno-grunge. Vocals range between spitfire come-ons, succubus swagger, and occasionally even vulnerability.”