Television Albums Ranked

Television is an American rock band from New York City, most notably active in the 1970s. The group was founded by Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Billy Ficca, and Richard Hell. An early fixture of CBGB and the 1970s New York rock scene, the band is considered influential in the development of punk and alternative music. Although they recorded in a stripped-down, guitar-based manner similar to their punk contemporaries, Television’s music was by comparison clean, improvisational, and technically proficient, drawing influence from avant-garde jazz and 1960s rock. The group’s debut album, Marquee Moon, is often considered one of the defining releases of the post-punk era. Here are all of the Television albums ranked.

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4. The Blow-Up (1982)

“Stunning, powerful rock from one of the best bands ever. These versions are raw and thunderous, so play it loud and relish the guitar interplay and song-writing of the incomparable Verlaine/Lloyd duo. Although their career was all too short, Television left us some of the best rock music you could hear. This collection showcases how good they were live. Other reviewers who have complained of the quality must be hearing something else.”

3. Television (1992)

“Television” shows the New York quartet’s ‘maturity’ which is not a back-handed compliment, for the musical intelligence, clarity of purpose, and self-awareness is evident throughout its ten tracks. Sometimes they seem to be evolving material out of loose jams (“Rhyme”), but the overall impression is of an organic and rigorous musical conception. And the songs, all of them memorable, give us Tom Verlaine in varied narrative personae, frequently exploring eroticism in a witty, appealing manner. The music is mostly made by guitars, bass, and drums (keyboards are less evident than on the Elektra albums), both stark and lush. Tom Verlaine’s songs, in which darkness, compassion, and playfulness all co-exist in a world that seems hermetic at first, but prove to be Verlaine at his more accessible and communicative.”

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2. Adventure (1978)

“Television’s “Adventure” is an interesting and surprising second, and final effort. This album is prettier, and less confrontational than “Marquee Moon”. That album screamed to be either loved or hated, but this cries for approval. Tom Verlaine keeps the songs a little shorter and even allows a co-write (guitarist Richard Lloyd on “Days”). Also, many of the jagged rhythmic figures and precision syncopation is lost in favor of seventies rock approved power-chords, pentatonic rhythm guitar and country flourishes.”

1. Marquee Moon (1977)

“There a ton of classics here – “See No Evil”, “Venus” and “Friction” are but a few. Tom Verlaine does an excellent job with the vocals, he’s punkish yet still likable and accessible. He verges on being unlikable, but he somehow manages never to cross that line. The songs themselves have great qualities – the lyrics, musicianship and overall appeal is just fantastic.”