The albums that define
noise music.
Our picks for where to start with noise music — with a one-line read on why each one matters.
Top noise music artists
Start with one of these.
The noise music essentials
Twenty-four picks. Press play on any of them.
Merzbow
Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets
A dense tapestry of harsh noise collides with experimental textures, creating an immersive auditory experience.
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Merzbow
Venereology
A relentless barrage of harsh noise intertwines with unsettling ambient textures, creating a disorienting sonic landscape.
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The Velvet Underground
VU
A collection of haunting melodies and raw emotion woven through the band's signature avant-garde style.
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The Velvet Underground
Live MCMXCIII
The Velvet Underground's raw energy meets introspective lyricism, capturing the essence of their avant-garde rock sound.
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Gnaw Their Tongues
The Genocidal Deliverance
A harrowing descent into chaos, blending oppressive noise with unsettling atmospheres and haunting textures.
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Gnaw Their Tongues
Dimlit Hate Cellar
A harrowing blend of industrial noise and haunting atmospheres that evokes a sense of dread and despair.
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Thurston Moore
The Best Day
A sprawling blend of avant-garde rock and introspective melodies that captures a reflective journey through sound.
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Thurston Moore
Root
A cacophony of avant-garde remixes fusing noise, rock, and electronic textures into a surreal soundscape.
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Masami Akita
Satanstornade
A cacophonous exploration of chaos and sound, merging harsh noise with meditative stretches of sonic experimentation.
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Muslimgauze
Hussein Mahmood Jeeb Tehar Gass
A mesmerizing blend of ambient textures and tribal rhythms evoking a sense of both conflict and beauty.
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Muslimgauze
Deceiver
Ethereal soundscapes merge with intricate rhythms, evoking a sense of cultural and political urgency throughout the album.
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Otomo Yoshihide
Soup
An experimental soundscape where free jazz improvisation collides with avant-garde noise textures.
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Otomo Yoshihide
Episome
A challenging blend of improvisational chaos and structured noise that defies conventional musical boundaries.
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Full of Hell
Trumpeting Ecstasy
A chaotic blend of grindcore and noise that pushes the boundaries of heaviness and intensity.
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Full of Hell
Weeping Choir
A chaotic blend of grindcore and noise that feels both aggressive and hauntingly introspective.
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Fuck Buttons
Tarot Sport
A pulsating exploration of sonic textures blending hypnotic rhythms with expansive soundscapes.
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Fuck Buttons
Street Horrrsing
Pulsating electronic textures blend with chaotic noise, creating an immersive soundscape that challenges and captivates.
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Dominick Fernow
Frozen Niagara Falls
An expansive soundscape woven from dissonant textures and haunting melodies that evoke emotional turmoil.
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Dominick Fernow
Rainbow Mirror
A sprawling exploration of harsh noise and ambient textures that evokes an immersive, surreal landscape.
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Wolf Eyes
Human Animal
A harrowing journey through dissonant textures and primal screams that defy conventional noise boundaries.
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Wolf Eyes
No Answer: Lower Floors
A disorienting blend of abrasive textures and unsettling rhythms that challenge conventional listening experiences.
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aTelecine
The Falcon and the Pod
A surreal blend of industrial textures and abstract soundscapes envelops listeners in a haunting auditory experience.
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Glenn Branca
Lesson No. 1
A chaotic symphony of electric guitars that redefines the boundaries of minimalist and avant-garde music.
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Glenn Branca
The Ascension
A sonic exploration of dissonance and harmony, merging minimalist principles with avant-garde experimentation.
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