This is easily the hardest ranking I’ve done so far. All of these albums are so consistent in quality that I just had to split hairs in order to pick which ones go above others. So if you really like The White Stripes combination of blues rock and garage rock, my guess is you will enjoy all six albums! But, who are The White Stripes? The White Stripes are a duo consisting of Jack White on vocals and guitars and Meg White on drums. They told interviewers that they were siblings, but they were actually a married couple when the band started, and ended up divorcing each other in 2000. The whole idea behind that was to minimize the drama around the music. Jack is the more outgoing and wild of the two, while Meg struggles with anxiety and hasn’t been in the public eye for more than a decade. If you want to know more about the band, the first hour of the Bandsplain episode about The White Stripes has much more information on the duo!
Now, before we get into the ranking, I have a quick announcement. This segment is going on hiatus for a few months for a couple reasons. One is that the next discography I’m doing is royally massive, both in quantity and quality. There’s no chance I could listen to all of their albums and actually digest them in a month. Second, this summer is full of fun adventures that will take away time from listening and digesting new music. Even though I couldn’t do this discography in a normal month, these next couple months are too full to even pretend to attempt that. Still, I think all the extra time will be worth it, as it’s one of music’s most iconic figures! Now, let’s actually get into it!
6. Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
Even when you have the consistent discography that The White Stripes have, something has to come in last place. In my opinion, their worst album is the follow up to their gigantic breakthrough, Get Behind Me Satan. The reason it’s here is because they tried to go weirder, and even though they succeeded, it doesn’t feel as weird or boundary pushing as the Jack White solo material that we’ve gotten since then. For example, “The Nurse” is full of marimbas that are the prominent instrument throughout the entire track. And this track comes after another classic blues-rock opener with “Blue Orchid”. There is also “Little Ghost”, which is a full blown country track. It’s not bad by any means, it just makes the album feel like a mish-mash of different things instead of focusing on exploring one particular sound. Still though, even for the worst White Stripes album, it’s worth a listen!
5. Icky Thump (2007)
It really does suck putting this album so low on the list, especially when it opens with the undeniable classic title track! “Icky Thump” combines White’s incredible guitar and keyboard playing with Meg’s anthemic drums. What also makes this track special in my opinion is how Jack goes directly at anti-immigration policies on the last verse, but it can easily go over someone’s head with how catchy the instrumental is. It’s truly like “American Idiot” in that way, a song that can be so political but inescapable and universally loved at the same time. The problem with this one is that the Scottish and Irish sounding instruments don’t always work, particularly on the Patti Page cover, “Conquest”. They just sound redundant by the back half of the album. Besides that addition of bagpipe-sounding keyboards throughout the album, this is yet another fantastic release from the duo!
4. The White Stripes (1999)
At the end of the day, this is still just a debut album. The recording itself sounds pretty low quality and the instrumentals almost entirely consist of guitars and drums, with only a couple exceptions. But, all that said, it would only take one listen here to know that they were destined for great things! Just listen to “Screwdriver”. Those guitar riffs are so timeless and immediate, especially for a band that was nothing at the time. And yes, even though Meg’s drumming isn’t virtuosic, she fits the song perfectly. Also, apparently they made this song the first time they played together, which is an insane fact if true. One thing they do more of here than normal is covers. They cover songs from Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, Son House, and even a blues standard. It’s a good way for them to showcase their influences while introducing themselves to the world as a band to look out for. The White Stripes’s debut album may not be anything special, but it sets up their career nicely.
3. De Stijl (2000)
Similar to the self-titled album, De Stijl is minimalistic and lofi. In fact, it was recorded in Jack’s living room with just an 8-track. It does make this album have this “at home” quality to it that I don’t really love, but I know there are some people out there that do. This is also the first time where the duo got softer and you could start to actually hear the country influence. “I’m Bound to Pack It Up” is the best example of this. It’s still very much Jack’s guitar style, but this time it’s on an acoustic guitar with a violin providing the supplemental melody. Meg also isn’t even playing a drum kit here, she’s just using a tom and a shaker. It still feels very much like a White Stripes song, but everything about it is a new version of them. As with the debut album, they still do a couple covers of blues classics that show they are knowledgeable and capable in this genre. So while the album does have some arguable mixing problems, it’s still another fantastic record from the duo.
2. Elephant (2003)
Elephant feels like it doesn’t actually start until the second song. It’s not because the first song is bad, quite the opposite. “Seven Nation Army” is inescapable. It feels like a song that’s been around for generations. The melody not only transcends age, but transcends language. You can go to any sporting event around the world, and when this song plays, everyone will be chanting along. If you don’t think you know “Seven Nation Army”, take a listen and I bet you actually do. Just like Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, “Seven Nation Army” doesn’t even feel like a White Stripes song. It just spawned out of nowhere and became a classic. As for the rest of the album, there are still many highlights. “In The Cold, Cold Night” is the first time Meg has taken the lead vocals on the song, and her voice fits this tender song nicely. “Ball and Biscuit” is their longest song, but the extended solos work as a nice change of pace! The only reason this album isn’t number one is because even though the length works for “Ball and Biscuit”, some of the songs feel as if they go on for too long. The weird three-singer story on the final track is also a confusing way to end the album. But still, Elephant is essential listening for any White Stripes, or even just blues-rock, fans!
1. White Blood Cells (2001)
This is the most well-rounded White Stripes album! While every album has incredible songs, this one has the most incredible tracks in a diverse array of sounds. “Fell In Love With A Girl” is one of the duo’s best hard-rock anthems, and it doesn’t even last two minutes! “We’re Going To Be Friends” is a beautiful ballad consisting of nothing more than an acoustic guitar, Jack’s voice, and one metronome. Just like “Seven Nation Army”, it’s a song that transcends their fanbase. “Hotel Yorba” is one of their most essential, and most upbeat country tracks they ever made. This also comes directly after the stunning opening track, “Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground”. I haven’t mentioned it yet, but The White Stripes always start out their album with a fantastic track! They know how to set the tone for an album, and that’s no different for this album. White Blood Cells is one of their more varied releases, but they made sure that they excel at every sound they try!
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