Ranking All 9 Foo Fighters Studio Albums From Worst To Best
Two decades and nine albums for one of the biggest bands on the planet - which is best?
Global rock sensation (and all-round great guys) the Foo Fighters have a storied career of creating mainstay rock music since 1995, and like any band with a lifespan of two decades, they have created a back catalogue of albums ranging in sound and quality.
Dave Grohl and his troupe of merry rockers have shown a diversity in their music since the early days - which is understandable given their first album was recorded almost entirely by Grohl on every instrument, and the fact the band has had many lineup changes over it's history. But no matter what has faced them, the Foo Fighters have long served as a staple of modern rock music, hence their numerous Grammy wins and nominations, even when recording their "worst" material.
With their latest release 'Concrete And Gold' now firmly cemented in the Foo's back catalogue - and fully integrated into many a fan's conversation - it begs the question: Of all their nine albums and with so much learnt in between each release, which is their best?
9. One By One (2002)
One by One suffers due to the strained relationships of the band at the time. In 2001, drummer Taylor Hawkins suffered a heroin overdose and was left comatose, leaving the band to take some time off and freeing frontman Dave Grohl up to perform as drummer for Queens of the Stone Age, with the Foos reuniting in October of that year.
After initial recordings for the album were disliked they took a break from the recording process, as members of the band moved onto different projects. They reunited at Coachella in April, 2002, a performance that would be pivotal in the rebuilding the band's internal relationships.
In rehearsals huge fights between Grohl and Hawkins would break out, but after the performance itself - and given that the band really enjoyed this gig - they decided to return and re-record the album.
This context of uncertainty is recognised by the band themselves, who have since grown to dislike One by One, although some songs have withstood the negativity and still feature on tours. The electrifying 'All My Life' is a set regular, and serves to do what the album as a whole was intended to do: Convey the energy of a Foo Fighter's live performance.