B-Side Guys

Iron & Wine

Iron & Wine’s albums, ranked by what the critics we trust thought of each one. 8 have a B-Side Breakdown, averaging 76 (Keeper). See the discography in release order.

What is Iron & Wine’s best album?

By the critics, it’s The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002), with a B-Side Breakdown of 80 (Keeper) from 8 reviews. 88% of them liked it.

Next best: The Shepherd’s Dog (78) and Our Endless Numbered Days (78). Lowest rated: Who Can See Forever Soundtrack (70).

Iron & Wine albums ranked

Best to worst by B-Side Breakdown.

  1. 1. The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002): 80 Keeper
  2. 2. The Shepherd’s Dog (2007): 78 Keeper
  3. 3. Our Endless Numbered Days (2004): 78 Keeper
  4. 4. Love Letter for Fire (2016): 77 Keeper
  5. 5. Ghost on Ghost (2013): 76 Keeper
  6. 6. Hen’s Teeth (2026): 74 Keeper
  7. 7. Beast Epic (2017): 73 Keeper
  8. 8. Who Can See Forever Soundtrack (2023): 70 Keeper

Iron & Wine discography, in release order

The earliest here80The Creek Drank the Cradle, 2002. Still the best reviewed.The latest74Hen’s Teeth, 2026. 6 points below The Creek Drank the Cradle.

The career, by Breakdown

Every Iron & Wine album with a B-Side Breakdown, in release order. Above the dashed line, most critics liked it.

6010070likedThe Creek Drank the Cradle (2002): 80802002Our Endless Numbered Days (2004): 78782004The Shepherd’s Dog (2007): 78782007Ghost on Ghost (2013): 76762013Love Letter for Fire (2016): 77772016Beast Epic (2017): 73732017Who Can See Forever Soundtrack (2023): 70702023Hen’s Teeth (2026): 74742026

Every Iron & Wine studio album, oldest first. 2 don't have a Breakdown yet; each gets one once three critics' reviews turn up.

  1. 2002Album cover for The Creek Drank the Cradle by Iron & WineThe Creek Drank the Cradle80 Keeper
  2. 2004Album cover for Our Endless Numbered Days by Iron & WineOur Endless Numbered Days78 Keeper
  3. 2007Album cover for The Shepherd’s Dog by Iron & WineThe Shepherd’s Dog78 Keeper
  4. 2013Album cover for Ghost on Ghost by Iron & WineGhost on Ghost76 Keeper
  5. 2015Sing into My MouthNo Breakdown yet
  6. 2016Album cover for Love Letter for Fire by Iron & WineLove Letter for Fire77 Keeper
  7. 2017Album cover for Beast Epic by Iron & WineBeast Epic73 Keeper
  8. 2019Years to BurnNo Breakdown yet
  9. 2023Album cover for Who Can See Forever Soundtrack by Iron & WineWho Can See Forever Soundtrack70 Keeper
  10. 2026Album cover for Hen’s Teeth by Iron & WineHen’s Teeth74 Keeper

Which critics love Iron & Wine, and which don’t

Each outlet’s scores set against the other critics on the same albums. Outlets that scored at least 3 Iron & Wine albums.

Warmest on Iron & WineAllMusic10 points above the other critics, on average, across 8 albums.Coolest on Iron & WineConsequence14 points below the other critics, on average, across 3 albums.Cooled off over timePitchfork6 points above the other critics in its reviews from 2002–2007, 1 point below from 2016–2026.

Outlet by outlet

Average points above or below the other critics. Tap an outlet for its scores album by album.

AllMusic8 albums+10
  1. The Creek Drank the Cradle 200290 vs 78 from 7 others +12
  2. Our Endless Numbered Days 200490 vs 77 from 9 others +13
  3. The Shepherd’s Dog 200790 vs 77 from 9 others +13
  4. Ghost on Ghost 201380 vs 76 from 7 others +4
  5. Love Letter for Fire 201680 vs 76 from 7 others +4
  6. Beast Epic 201780 vs 72 from 5 others +8
  7. Who Can See Forever Soundtrack 202380 vs 65 from 2 others +15
  8. Hen’s Teeth 202680 vs 73 from 8 others +7

All AllMusic reviews

Uncut5 albums+2
  1. The Creek Drank the Cradle 200280 vs 79 from 7 others +1
  2. Our Endless Numbered Days 200480 vs 78 from 9 others +2
  3. The Shepherd’s Dog 200780 vs 78 from 9 others +2
  4. Who Can See Forever Soundtrack 202370 vs 70 from 2 others 0
  5. Hen’s Teeth 202680 vs 73 from 8 others +7

All Uncut reviews

Paste3 albums+1
  1. Ghost on Ghost 201385 vs 75 from 7 others +10
  2. Love Letter for Fire 201679 vs 76 from 7 others +3
  3. Hen’s Teeth 202665 vs 75 from 8 others −10

All Paste reviews

Pitchfork7 albums0
  1. The Creek Drank the Cradle 200281 vs 79 from 7 others +2
  2. Our Endless Numbered Days 200486 vs 78 from 9 others +8
  3. The Shepherd’s Dog 200786 vs 77 from 9 others +9
  4. Ghost on Ghost 201361 vs 78 from 7 others −17
  5. Love Letter for Fire 201675 vs 77 from 7 others −2
  6. Beast Epic 201775 vs 73 from 5 others +2
  7. Hen’s Teeth 202670 vs 74 from 8 others −4

All Pitchfork reviews

Mojo4 albums−1
  1. The Creek Drank the Cradle 200280 vs 79 from 7 others +1
  2. Our Endless Numbered Days 200480 vs 78 from 9 others +2
  3. Who Can See Forever Soundtrack 202360 vs 75 from 2 others −15
  4. Hen’s Teeth 202680 vs 73 from 8 others +7

All Mojo reviews

Q3 albums−6
  1. The Creek Drank the Cradle 200260 vs 82 from 7 others −22
  2. Our Endless Numbered Days 200480 vs 78 from 9 others +2
  3. The Shepherd’s Dog 200780 vs 78 from 9 others +2

All Q reviews

The A.V. Club3 albums−8
  1. The Shepherd’s Dog 200759 vs 80 from 9 others −21
  2. Ghost on Ghost 201375 vs 76 from 7 others −1
  3. Love Letter for Fire 201675 vs 77 from 7 others −2

All The A.V. Club reviews

Consequence3 albums−14
  1. Ghost on Ghost 201360 vs 78 from 7 others −18
  2. Love Letter for Fire 201665 vs 78 from 7 others −13
  3. Beast Epic 201765 vs 75 from 5 others −10

All Consequence reviews

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.

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