Guided by Voices’s albums, ranked by what the critics we trust thought of each one. 14 have a B-Side Breakdown, averaging 71 (Keeper). See the discography in release order.
What is Guided by Voices’ best album?
By the critics, it’s Bee Thousand (1994), with a B-Side Breakdown of 80 (Keeper) from 10 reviews. 90% of them liked it.
Next best: Alien Lanes (76) and Isolation Drills (75). Lowest rated: Universal Truths and Cycles (62).
Guided by Voices albums ranked
Best to worst by B-Side Breakdown.
- 1
Bee Thousand199480 Keeper - 2
Alien Lanes199576 Keeper - 3
Isolation Drills200175 Keeper - 4
Let’s Go Eat the Factory201273 Keeper - 5
Mag Earwhig!199773 Keeper - 6
Class Clown Spots a UFO201272 Keeper - 7
Motivational Jumpsuit201471 Keeper - 8
Earthquake Glue200371 Keeper - 9
Strut of Kings202470 Keeper - 10
English Little League201369 Mixed Bag - 11
Under the Bushes Under the Stars199669 Mixed Bag - 12
Half Smiles of the Decomposed200468 Mixed Bag - 13
Do the Collapse199966 Mixed Bag - 14
Universal Truths and Cycles200262 Mixed Bag
Guided by Voices discography, in release order
The career, by Breakdown
Every Guided by Voices album with a B-Side Breakdown, in release order. Above the dashed line, most critics liked it.
Every Guided by Voices studio album, oldest first. 19 don't have a Breakdown yet; each gets one once three critics' reviews turn up.
- 1987Devil Between My ToesNo Breakdown yet
- 1987SandboxNo Breakdown yet
- 1989Self-Inflicted Aerial NostalgiaNo Breakdown yet
- 1990Same Place the Fly Got SmashedNo Breakdown yet
- 1992PropellerNo Breakdown yet
- 1993Vampire on TitusNo Breakdown yet
- 1994Bee Thousand80 Keeper
- 1995
Alien Lanes76 Keeper - 1996
Under the Bushes Under the Stars69 Mixed Bag - 1996Tonics & Twisted ChasersNo Breakdown yet
- 1997
Mag Earwhig!73 Keeper - 1999
Do the Collapse66 Mixed Bag - 2001
Isolation Drills75 Keeper - 2002
Universal Truths and Cycles62 Mixed Bag - 2003
Earthquake Glue71 Keeper - 2004
Half Smiles of the Decomposed68 Mixed Bag - 2012
Let’s Go Eat the Factory73 Keeper - 2012
Class Clown Spots a UFO72 Keeper - 2012The Bears for LunchNo Breakdown yet
- 2013
English Little League69 Mixed Bag - 2014
Motivational Jumpsuit71 Keeper - 2020Mirrored AztecNo Breakdown yet
- 2020Surrender Your Poppy FieldNo Breakdown yet
- 2021Earth Man BluesNo Breakdown yet
- 2021It's Not Them. It Couldn't Be Them. It Is Them!No Breakdown yet
- 2022Crystal Nuns CathedralNo Breakdown yet
- 2022Tremblers and Goggles by RankNo Breakdown yet
- 2023La La LandNo Breakdown yet
- 2023Nowhere to Go but UpNo Breakdown yet
- 2023Welshpool FrilliesNo Breakdown yet
- 2024
Strut of Kings70 Keeper - 2025Universe RoomNo Breakdown yet
- 2026Crawlspace of the PantheonNo Breakdown yet
Which critics love Guided by Voices, and which don’t
Each outlet’s scores set against the other critics on the same albums. Outlets that scored at least 3 Guided by Voices albums.
Warmest on Guided by VoicesPitchfork4 points above the other critics, on average, across 10 albums.Coolest on Guided by VoicesPopMatters8 points below the other critics, on average, across 3 albums.Warmed up over timeSpin7 points below the other critics in its reviews from 1995–1999, 8 points above from 2001–2006.
Outlet by outlet
Average points above or below the other critics. Tap an outlet for its scores album by album.
Pitchfork10 albums+4
- Alien Lanes 199592 vs 73 from 6 others +19
- Mag Earwhig! 199780 vs 70 from 2 others +10
- Do the Collapse 199947 vs 68 from 9 others −21
- Isolation Drills 200170 vs 76 from 4 others −6
- Universal Truths and Cycles 200276 vs 55 from 2 others +21
- Earthquake Glue 200385 vs 67 from 3 others +18
- Half Smiles of the Decomposed 200470 vs 67 from 3 others +3
- Let’s Go Eat the Factory 201269 vs 75 from 2 others −6
- Class Clown Spots a UFO 201270 vs 73 from 4 others −3
- Motivational Jumpsuit 201473 vs 70 from 3 others +3
Entertainment Weekly4 albums0
- Bee Thousand 199475 vs 81 from 9 others −6
- Alien Lanes 199575 vs 76 from 6 others −1
- Under the Bushes Under the Stars 199675 vs 68 from 5 others +7
- Do the Collapse 199965 vs 66 from 9 others −1
Rolling Stone7 albums−1
- Bee Thousand 199480 vs 80 from 9 others 0
- Alien Lanes 199580 vs 75 from 6 others +5
- Under the Bushes Under the Stars 199660 vs 71 from 5 others −11
- Do the Collapse 199960 vs 67 from 9 others −7
- Isolation Drills 200180 vs 74 from 4 others +6
- Universal Truths and Cycles 200260 vs 63 from 2 others −3
- Half Smiles of the Decomposed 200470 vs 67 from 3 others +3
AllMusic11 albums−1
- Bee Thousand 199490 vs 79 from 9 others +11
- Alien Lanes 199570 vs 77 from 6 others −7
- Under the Bushes Under the Stars 199660 vs 71 from 5 others −11
- Mag Earwhig! 199780 vs 70 from 2 others +10
- Do the Collapse 199940 vs 69 from 9 others −29
- Isolation Drills 200180 vs 74 from 4 others +6
- Universal Truths and Cycles 200250 vs 68 from 2 others −18
- Earthquake Glue 200390 vs 65 from 3 others +25
- Half Smiles of the Decomposed 200470 vs 67 from 3 others +3
- Class Clown Spots a UFO 201270 vs 73 from 4 others −3
- Strut of Kings 202470 vs 70 from 2 others 0
Spin5 albums−2
- Bee Thousand 1994100 vs 78 from 9 others +22
- Alien Lanes 199570 vs 77 from 6 others −7
- Under the Bushes Under the Stars 199660 vs 71 from 5 others −11
- Do the Collapse 199960 vs 67 from 9 others −7
- Isolation Drills 200170 vs 76 from 4 others −6
NME4 albums−4
- Bee Thousand 199470 vs 81 from 9 others −11
- Under the Bushes Under the Stars 199680 vs 67 from 5 others +13
- Mag Earwhig! 199760 vs 80 from 2 others −20
- Do the Collapse 199970 vs 66 from 9 others +4
Consequence4 albums−6
- Let’s Go Eat the Factory 201265 vs 77 from 2 others −12
- Class Clown Spots a UFO 201255 vs 76 from 4 others −21
- English Little League 201380 vs 65 from 3 others +15
- Motivational Jumpsuit 201465 vs 73 from 3 others −8
The A.V. Club3 albums−7
- Class Clown Spots a UFO 201275 vs 71 from 4 others +4
- English Little League 201365 vs 70 from 3 others −5
- Motivational Jumpsuit 201455 vs 76 from 3 others −21
PopMatters3 albums−8
- Earthquake Glue 200350 vs 78 from 3 others −28
- English Little League 201360 vs 72 from 3 others −12
- Strut of Kings 202480 vs 65 from 2 others +15
Missing an album? Our back catalog is still filling in, and every artist’s other studio albums are on the list to be added, so this page should be complete soon.