Hole Albums Ranked

Hole was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1989. It was founded by singer Courtney Love and guitarist Eric Erlandson. It had several different bassists and drummers, the most prolific being drummer Patty Schemel, and bassists Kristen Pfaff (d. 1994), and Melissa Auf der Maur. Hole released a total of four studio albums between two incarnations spanning the 1990s and early-2010s and became one of the most commercially successful rock bands in history fronted by a woman. Hole received several accolades, including four Grammy Award nominations. They were also commercially successful, selling over three million records in the United States alone, and had a far-reaching influence on contemporary female artists. Music and feminist scholars have also recognized the band as the most high-profile musical group of the 1990s to discuss gender issues in their songs, due to Love’s aggressive and violent lyrical content, which often addressed themes of body image, abuse, and sexual exploitation. Here are all of the Hole albums ranked.

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6. Ask For It (1995)

“If you’ve ever doubted Courtney Love’s vocals, LISTEN TO THIS. I believe she was in her prime during this era, and these songs are all very evident of that. The live versions of “Pale Blue Eyes” and “Drown Soda” absolutely blew me away. Very awesome album to own. Plus the cover art is very intense and provocative. Very nice album altogether.”

5. My Body, The Hand Grenade (1997)

“I’ll admit I ignored Hole in the 90s. Now I hear what I missed. They were incredible, but surely it must be said their greatest asset was Courtneys voice and lyrics, tho the band provide excellent support. This is terrific stuff. I had to smile at Season of the “Wetch” as Courtney picks up every “stetch”. Bet Donovan loved it… a nice little earner for him….and it’s better than his version! Brilliant album. Shame she decided to become a pop star instead.”

4. Nobody’s Daughter (2010)

“After a decade, Courtney Love has proven what fans have known all along, that she truly is a talented musician who understands her craft, understands herself,who knows that there is no room for ego where art is concerned–that good art, good music must speak for itself. Nobody’s Daughter isn’t a 90’s sound. It’s anger, love, pain and longing immortalized by great songs.”

3. Pretty On The Inside (1991)

“”Pretty On The Inside” is the best Hole record–hands down, no question. I wish the band and Courtney had stayed with this purposely crude, in-your-face sound that is not for the faint of heart–as other Amazon reviewers have noted, POTI is “loud”, “frightening”, “seething with rage” “love it or hate it”–and fabulous as a result. This is a violent, uncompromising CD, and that is its genius!”

2. Celebrity Skin (1998)

“Although this album didn’t have the angst or aggression that Live Through This does, it certainly doesn’t mean you should shy away from this either. Make no mistake, this band made a pop rock record but I guess that’s what happens when you make it big. You change up your sound – and at the time, it wasn’t a bad thing because Grunge was already done by this point so they moved in a different direction with less distortion but certainly more pop hooks and appeal to the masses.”

1. Live Through This (1994)

“This album rocks. Really – it rocks from front to end. With Courtney’s howling vocals of someone who has nothing left to lose. Of course we all know how this album played out with the freshly news of her husband and Nirvana front-man, Kurt Cobain, the title is just eerie coincidental but make no mistake, people didn’t buy this album because they felt bad for her, they bought this album because she wrote a really good record..”