The Best Fourth Albums

Forget debuts, forget the difficult second albums… the moment a lot of bands hit their stride is on their FOURTH LP. We look at some of the greatest fourth albums of all time, from David Bowie to Arctic Monkeys and everything in between.

1. 

   1. Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go (1996)

   Having lost lyricist and conscience of the band Richey Edwards, the remaining trio of Bradfield, Moore and Wire reconevned with a brave and reflective selection of songs. A Design For Life was an assured lead single, while Kevin Carter, Australia and the title track mined dark themes while boasting killer tunes.

2. 

   2. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)

   The band’s fourth full-length outing was seen as a somewhat uncommercial departure from their world-beating album OK Computer. It kicks off with Everything In Its Right Place and includes the classics Idioteque, How To Disappear Completely and The National Anthem.

3. 

   3. The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)

   The ‘Miffs’s fourth album was also their final one - and, some may say, their finest complete work. Singles from the LP included the classic Girlfriend In A Coma, I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish and Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me.

4. 

   4. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See (2011)

   The follow-up to Humbug was recorded with producer James Ford in LA and included the tracks Brick By Brick, Don’t Sit Down Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair and the excellently-titled The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala.

5. 

   5. Oasis - Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants (2000)

   Noel Gallagher later claimed that he wasn’t firing on all cylinders for the fourth Oasis album, but there’s much to enjoy here, from the boisterous opener Fuckin’ In The Bushes and the mini-classics Sunday Morning Call, Who Feels Love and Go Let It Out. It even includes a song from Liam - Little James!

7. 

   6. Coldplay – Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends (2008)

   2005’s X&Y had seen Chris Martin and company enter the stadium-sized big leagues, but the follow-up seemed more low-key and experimental, with the band working with producer Brian Eno for the first time. Tracks included the ponderous Violet Hill, Strawberry Swing, Life In Technicolor and the title track.

8. 

   7. Arcade Fire – Reflektor (2013)

   2010’s The Suburbs was a bleakly nostalgic look back at the Butler brothers’ upbringing in Texas, but Reflektor was a different beast altogether. The title track was a disco-influenced workout produced by LCD Soundsystem man James Murphy and even featured a cameo from David bloomin’ Bowie of all people. The rest of the album was influenced by Regine Chassagne’s home of Haiti and saw the band spread their wings in all kinds of musical directions.

9. 

   8. Biffy Clyro - Puzzle (2007)

   The Biff’s fourth album saw them move from the challenging obscurity of their earlier work and into the big league, with huge anthems like Who’s Got A Match, Semi-Mental, Folding Stars and Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies. Dressed in a Storm “Pink Floyd” Thorgerson cover, the record ends on the gentle, optimistic note of the acoustic ballad Machines.

10. 

    9. Pixies - Trompe Le Monde (1991)

    It cowers in the shadow of Doolittle and Surfer Rosa and had the misfortune to come out in the same week as Nevermind by Nirvana, but the fourth full-length instalment from the Boston legends has some scorching moments. There’s the insane single Planet Of Sound, the no-nonsense rock of U-Mass and even a cover of Head On by The Jesus And Mary Chain. It was their final statement until they came back with Indie Cindy in 2014.

11. 

    10. Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts (2003)

    2000’s Black Market Music had something of a lukewarm response from critics, but Brian Molko and co bounced back with this hit-filled album, which includes English Summer Rain, The BItter End and Special Needs.

13. 

    11. Led Zeppelin - IV (1971)

    The most famous fourth album of all, this untitled record saw the British blues revivalists crank up the guitars and slip comfortably into the role of being the biggest rock band in the world. From the opening Black Dog through to the monster closing track When The Levee Breaks, this is a solid, generation-defining record. And it includes one of the biggest songs EVER: Stairway To Heaven.

14. 

    12. The White Stripes - Elephant (2003)

    Jack and Meg had started to make waves with White Blood Cells from 2001, but Elephant saw them move to a major label and mainstream fame. Recorded with Liam Watson at Toerag Studios on eight track tape, it included the monster opener Seven Nation Army, the grungy Black Math and a strident cover of Dusty Springfield’s I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself.

15. 

    13. The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us (2002)

    The duo's fourth album saw their sound mature and featured the killer tracks It Began In Afrika and Star Guitar. The high point is The Verve's Richard Ashcroft guesting on the psychedelic closing track, The Test.

16. 

    14. Blur - The Great Escape (1995)

    The highly-anticipated follow-up to Parklife, the fourth album from Colchester's finest was released at the height of Britpop and included the tracks Stereotypes, Country House, The Universal and Charmless Man.

17. 

    15. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (2008)

    The album that made superstars of the , it was produced by the band themselves for the first time and included the huge hits Grounds For Divorce and One Day Like This, alongside the ever-popular The Bones Of You. It went on to win the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.

19. 

    16. The Cure - Pornography (1982)

    The preceding two albums from Robert Smith’s boys (Seventeen Seconds and Faith) had been relentlessly gloomy and had been panned by the critics despite commercial success. For the next instalment, Smith composed the ultimate “fuck you” record: eight tracks of pounding percussion and impenetrable lyrics concerning the futility of life and death. Despite being intended as the album to end all albums and literally splitting the group, Smith was back the following year with The Love Cats!

20. 

    17. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication (1994)

    1989’s Paul’s Boutique was an unexpected comeback for the trio, who many had written off as a crude novelty act. Their rehabilitation into genuine hip hop artists was completed with this killer album, which includes the classics Sabotage, Sure Shot, Root Down and Get It Together.

21. 

    18. The Rolling Stones - Aftermath (1966)

    For a long time, the Stones were playing catch up with their friendly rivals The Beatles, but this album finally sees the Jagger/Richards songwriting team come into their own. There’s social comment (Lady Jane, Mother’s Little Helper), some morally dubious rockers (Under My Thumb, Stupid Girl) and some impeccable playing.

22. 

    19. David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1971)

    In 1969, Bowie was seen as a washed up actor, mime artist and wannabe pop star who scored a fluke hit with Space Oddity, a single designed to cash in on the then-current moon landings. 1970’s The Man Who Sold The World was an interesting departure for the musician but it was the fourth full-length outing that saw him lay the foundations for the superstar he would become. Opening with the peerless Changes, the album includes Oh! You Pretty Things, Life On Mars, Queen Bitch and a wryly humorous tribute to artist Andy Warhol.

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