Every Dropkick Murphys Albums Ranked Worst To Best
The good, the bad, the bummers and the best. All ten Dropkick Murphys albums - ranked!
1996 doesn't stand out as a marquee year for the music industry. The Macarena was at the top of the charts. America was still gripped in Hootie & the Blowfish fever. Meanwhile in Quincy, Massachusetts, four young upstarts from the local punk scene banded together as Dropkick Murphys.
The name was a nod to Dr. John Murphy's alcohol rehabilitation facility. The music was an Irish-soaked nod to groups like Swingin' Utters and Stiff Little Fingers. 26 years and a few personnel changes later, Dropkick Murphys have toured nearly continually. They have, however, taken the occasional break to record ten studio albums and a handful of live and B-side releases, as well as compilations with other acts.
While the prolific punksters have made a name for themselves with bigger hits "Tessie" and "Shipping Up To Boston", not every DKM record bangs on the same proverbial drum. With some releases being focused more on straightforward punk and others leaning more deeply into their Celtic roots, Dropkick Murphys are closing in on 30 years of bringing their brand of Kelly green punk to the masses. Since they can't all be the best, we ranked them so you don't have to.
10. The Meanest Of Times
Dropkick Murphy's sixth release, The Meanest of Times, is darker in tone and a more street punk-driven album than its predecessor, The Warrior's Code. The Meanest of Times is a perfectly suitable contribution to the DKM catalogue. The thing is, they have done it better before, and since, this release.
Tracks like The State of Massachusetts and Tomorrow's Industry tackle serious topics such as drug abuse and workers' rights. Several traditional Irish tunes are included as well, but even these are served as harder, more distorted fare than many of their traditional covers were presented on earlier albums. "Fairmont Hill" is the only slow song this time around. Even still, the marching beat of the tune fits perfectly among this slew of darker, harder tunes.
Standout tracks include the traditional "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya" and "Flannigan's Ball", and originals "Famous For Nothing" and "Tomorrow's Industry".
If The Meanest of Times is your first exposure to DKM, you certainly won't go home disappointed. If you want to hear them take plaid-soaked rock n' roll to the next level, move on to some of the higher entries on our list.