B-Side Guys

Xiu Xiu

Xiu Xiu’s albums, ranked by what the critics we trust thought of each one. 5 have a B-Side Breakdown, averaging 76 (Keeper). See the discography in release order.

What is Xiu Xiu’s best album?

By the critics, it’s Always (2012), with a B-Side Breakdown of 82 (Keeper) from 9 reviews. 100% of them liked it.

Next best: A Promise (78) and Oh No (77). Lowest rated: Fabulous Muscles (72).

Xiu Xiu albums ranked

Best to worst by B-Side Breakdown.

  1. 1. Always (2012): 82 Keeper
  2. 2. A Promise (2003): 78 Keeper
  3. 3. Oh No (2021): 77 Keeper
  4. 4. Knife Play (2002): 73 Keeper
  5. 5. Fabulous Muscles (2004): 72 Keeper

Xiu Xiu discography, in release order

The earliest here73Knife Play, 2002The critics' favorite82Always, 2012The latest77Oh No, 2021. 4 points above Knife Play.

The career, by Breakdown

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

6010070likedKnife Play (2002): 73732002A Promise (2003): 78782003Fabulous Muscles (2004): 72722004Always (2012): 82822012Oh No (2021): 77772021

Every Xiu Xiu studio album, oldest first. One doesn't have a Breakdown yet; it gets one once three critics' reviews turn up.

  1. 2002Album cover for Knife Play by Xiu XiuKnife Play73 Keeper
  2. 2003Album cover for A Promise by Xiu XiuA Promise78 Keeper
  3. 2004Album cover for Fabulous Muscles by Xiu XiuFabulous Muscles72 Keeper
  4. 2012Album cover for Always by Xiu XiuAlways82 Keeper
  5. 2015MerzxiuNo Breakdown yet
  6. 2021Album cover for Oh No by Xiu XiuOh No77 Keeper

Which critics love Xiu Xiu, and which don’t

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

Warmest on Xiu XiuTiny Mix Tapes8 points above the other critics, on average, across 4 albums.Coolest on Xiu XiuStylus Magazine26 points below the other critics, on average, across 3 albums.Cooled off over timePitchfork12 points above the other critics in its reviews from 2002–2003, 9 points below from 2012–2021.

Outlet by outlet

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

Tiny Mix Tapes4 albums+8
  1. Knife Play 200280 vs 72 from 4 others +9
  2. A Promise 200380 vs 77 from 3 others +3
  3. Fabulous Muscles 200480 vs 70 from 6 others +10
  4. Always 201290 vs 81 from 8 others +9

All Tiny Mix Tapes reviews

Pitchfork5 albums+5
  1. Knife Play 200283 vs 71 from 4 others +12
  2. A Promise 200386 vs 75 from 3 others +11
  3. Fabulous Muscles 200490 vs 69 from 6 others +21
  4. Always 201273 vs 83 from 8 others −10
  5. Oh No 202170 vs 78 from 7 others −8

All Pitchfork reviews

AllMusic5 albums−1
  1. Knife Play 200260 vs 77 from 4 others −17
  2. A Promise 200380 vs 77 from 3 others +3
  3. Fabulous Muscles 200480 vs 70 from 6 others +10
  4. Always 201280 vs 82 from 8 others −2
  5. Oh No 202180 vs 77 from 7 others +3

All AllMusic reviews

Stylus Magazine3 albums−26
  1. Knife Play 200243 vs 81 from 4 others −38
  2. A Promise 200365 vs 82 from 3 others −17
  3. Fabulous Muscles 200451 vs 75 from 6 others −24

All Stylus Magazine 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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