TV on the Radio Albums Ranked

TV on the Radio is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2001. The band consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), David Andrew Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and Jaleel Bunton (drums, bass, vocals, loops, guitars). Gerard Smith (bass, keyboards, loops) was a member of the band from 2005 until his death in 2011. To date, the band has released five studio albums: Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (2004), Return to Cookie Mountain (2006), Dear Science (2008), Nine Types of Light (2011), and Seeds (2014), alongside several EPs. Here are all of TV on the Radio albums ranked.

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7. OK Calculator, 2002

“A gangly wolf in woolly sheepskin. At times reminiscent of the Fugs dabbling in Can’s ethnological forgery, _OK Calculator_ is obviously not everyone’s idea of a “good” album but hearing it is essential to understanding this most fascinating band. Here lie the clues to their cryptic and irreverent humor, the roots of their blackness, and the early strains of their unique brand of individual expression. In other words all the things that their adopted indie rock fan base will either downplay or miss entirely.”

6. Young Liars, 2003

“Still probably my favourite release from TVOTR. These five tracks excellently immerse me in a brooding atmosphere. The harmonies, instrumentation, and Sitek’s reinforcement of it all through great production is exceptionally compelling. Any time I’m listening to it on a late-night city walk and spot the cover’s street sign, I feel I’ve been wholly transported to the EP’s world. Young Liars is an encapsulation of grim, grooving urban landscapes. Seedy and soulful in equal measure, this is a must for anyone interested in these folks, and even most who aren’t.”

5. Seeds, 2014

“This album is super close to my heart. It reminds me of college, a friendship that is now (fortunately) ended, and it helps me in moving on with my life. The lyrics aren’t super deep or anything, but I think the focus was more on the music and production this time around. It’s clean and poppy, yes, but at the same time complex and unique. It’s TVOTR’s most consistent-sounding album, without a doubt. The songs get a little less exciting in the middle, but it both starts and ends powerfully. I hope to hear new stuff from Tunde and Kyp and the gang soon. It’s been too long.”

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4. Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, 2004

“By the time TV on the Radio were starting to get big I’d sort of given up on rock so they slipped past my radar, which is a shame because they’ve really got a rather unique sound. I love the fuzz, I love the deceptive simplicity, but most of all I love the vocals, particularly on “Staring at the Sun.” I actually heard “Staring at the Sun” on a DJ mix years ago without knowing who it was by and the song stuck in my mind as one of the highlights of the mix, I’m really glad to finally know where that track came from.”

3. Nine Types Of Light, 2011

“Another superb release from TV on the Radio, continuing to explore the energetic pop-meets-art-rock sound they explosively discovered on Dear Science. Some of their best pop-leaning songs to date can be found here, including the outstanding opening track, the elegant “Killer Crane,” the loud and intense “New Cannonball Blues” and the danceable closing track. A few tracks seem a bit weak and uninspired – “You” and “Will Do” jump out as a bit bland and unoriginal compared to some of their more ambitious works. Regardless this is still one of the best releases of 2011 and another very strong album from this outstanding group.”

2. Return To Cookie Mountain, 2006

“This is one of those rare bands that sounds like nothing else. Granted, you can hear little snippets of familiar noises here and there, but everything is mixed and mashed up to make a beautiful noise from start to finish. The listener is held captive long after the last sound dies away. This is the soundtrack to something great that is still yet to come.”

1. Dear Science, 2008

“It’s not often that albums like Dear Science are released. Bands usually choke at the follow up to their widely acclaimed breakthrough (in this case, Cookie Mountain), but TV On The Radio have done the impossible. They’ve released an album that’s even better, not by honing and sharpening what made that album so great, but by completely reinventing themselves. Dear Science is a peak of its own.”