Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the band, while Steve Shelley (drums) followed a series of short-term drummers in 1985, rounding out the core line-up. Jim O'Rourke (guitar) was a member of the band from 1999 to 2005.
Sonic Youth emerged from the experimental no wave art and music scene in New York before evolving into a more conventional rock band and becoming a prominent member of the American noise rock scene. Sonic Youth have been praised for having "redefined what rock guitar could do" using a wide variety of unorthodox guitar tunings and preparing guitars with objects like drum sticks and screwdrivers to alter the instruments' timbre. The band was a pivotal influence on the alternative and indie rock movements.
After gaining a large underground following and critical praise through releases with SST Records in the late 1980s, the band experienced mainstream success throughout the 1990s and 2000s after signing to major label DGC in 1990 and headlining the 1995 Lollapalooza festival. In 2011, Ranaldo announced that the band was "ending for a while" following the separation of married couple Gordon and Moore. Thurston Moore updated and clarified the position in May 2014: "Sonic Youth is on hiatus. The band is a democracy of sorts, and as long as Kim and I are working out our situation, the band can't really function reasonably." Gordon refers several times in her 2015 autobiography Girl in a Band to the band having "split up".
Albums
Confusion Is Sex (1983) |
Released | February 1983 |
---|---|
Recorded | 1982–1983 |
Genre | |
Length | 35:40 |
Label | Neutral |
Producer |
|
No. | Title | Lyrics | Vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "(She's in A) Bad Mood" | Moore | Moore | 5:36 |
2. | "Protect Me You" | Gordon | Gordon | 5:28 |
3. | "Freezer Burn/I Wanna Be Your Dog" (The Stooges cover) | Gordon | 3:39 | |
4. | "Shaking Hell" | Gordon | Gordon | 4:06 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
5. | "Inhuman" | Moore | Moore | 4:03 |
6. | "The World Looks Red" | Gira | Moore | 2:43 |
7. | "Confusion Is Next" | Moore | Moore | 3:28 |
8. | "Making the Nature Scene" | Gordon | Gordon | 3:01 |
9. | "Lee Is Free" | 3:37 |
- Kim Gordon – vocals, bass guitar
- Thurston Moore – vocals, guitar
- Lee Ranaldo – guitar
- Jim Sclavunos – drums
- Bob Bert – drums
Score:
Bad Moon Rising (1985) |
Released | March 1985 |
---|---|
Recorded | September–December 1984 |
Studio | Before Christ Studios, Brooklyn, New York |
Genre | |
Length | 37:33 |
Label | |
Producer |
|
No. | Title | Lyrics/vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" | Instrumental | 1:10 |
2. | "Brave Men Run (In My Family)" | Gordon | 3:37 |
3. | "Society Is a Hole" | Moore | 5:57 |
4. | "I Love Her All the Time" | Moore | 7:27 |
No. | Title | Lyrics/vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Ghost Bitch" | Gordon | 5:20 |
2. | "I'm Insane" | Moore | 4:07 |
3. | "Justice Is Might" | Moore | 4:21 |
4. | "Death Valley '69" (featuring Lydia Lunch) | Lunch and Moore | 5:10 |
- Thurston Moore – guitars, lead vocals
- Kim Gordon – bass guitar, lead vocals
- Lee Ranaldo – guitars
- Bob Bert – drums
Score:
EVOL (1986) |
Released | May 1986 |
---|---|
Recorded | March 1986 |
Studio | BC Studio, Brooklyn, New York, United States |
Genre | |
Length | 36:08 |
Label | SST (059) |
Producer |
|
No. | Title | Lyrics | Vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Tom Violence" | Moore | Moore | 3:05 |
2. | "Shadow of a Doubt" | Gordon | Gordon | 3:32 |
3. | "Starpower" | Moore | Gordon | 4:48 |
4. | "In the Kingdom #19" | Ranaldo | Ranaldo | 3:24 |
5. | "Green Light" | Moore | Moore | 3:46 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Death to Our Friends" | 3:16 | ||
7. | "Secret Girl" | Gordon | Gordon | 2:54 |
8. | "Marilyn Moore" | Lydia Lunch, Moore | Moore | 4:04 |
9. | "Expressway to Yr. Skull" | Moore | Moore | 7:19 |
Score:
Sister (1987) |
Released | June 1987 |
---|---|
Recorded | 1987 |
Studio | Sear Sound, New York City |
Genre | |
Length | 37:32 |
Label | SST |
Producer | Sonic Youth |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lyrics/vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Schizophrenia" | Gordon, Moore | 4:38 | |
2. | "(I Got A) Catholic Block" | Moore | 3:26 | |
3. | "Beauty Lies in the Eye" | Gordon | 2:20 | |
4. | "Stereo Sanctity" | Moore | 3:50 | |
5. | "Pipeline/Kill Time" | Ranaldo | 4:35 | |
6. | "Tuff Gnarl" | Moore | 3:15 | |
7. | "Pacific Coast Highway" | Gordon | 4:18 | |
8. | "Hot Wire My Heart" (Crime cover) | Johnny Strike | Moore, Gordon, Ranaldo | 3:23 |
9. | "Kotton Krown[a]" | Gordon, Moore | 5:08 | |
10. | "White Kross[b]" | Moore | 2:59 |
- Thurston Moore – guitar, vocals
- Kim Gordon – bass guitar, vocals
- Lee Ranaldo – guitar, vocals
- Steve Shelley – drums
Score:
Daydream Nation (1988) |
Released | October 18, 1988 |
---|---|
Recorded | July–August 1988 |
Studio | Greene St. Recording, New York |
Genre | |
Length | 70:47 |
Label | Enigma (US) Blast First (UK) |
Producer | Nick Sansano, Sonic Youth |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Teen Age Riot" | Moore | 6:57 |
2. | "Silver Rocket" | Moore | 3:47 |
3. | "The Sprawl" | Gordon | 7:42 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
---|---|---|---|
4. | "'Cross the Breeze" | Gordon | 7:00 |
5. | "Eric's Trip" | Ranaldo | 3:48 |
6. | "Total Trash" | Moore | 7:33 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "Hey Joni" | Ranaldo | 4:23 |
8. | "Providence" | Mike Watt | 2:41 |
9. | "Candle" | Moore | 4:58 |
10. | "Rain King" | Ranaldo | 4:39 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "Kissability" | Gordon | 3:08 |
12. | "Trilogy"
| Moore, Gordon | 14:02 |
Score:
Goo (1990) |
Released | June 26, 1990 |
---|---|
Recorded | March–April 1990 |
Studio | Sorcerer Sound Recording Studios and Greene St. Recording, New York City |
Genre | Alternative rock |
Length | 49:23 |
Label | DGC |
Producer |
|
No. | Title | Lyrics | Vocalist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Dirty Boots" | Moore | Moore | 5:28 |
2. | "Tunic (Song for Karen)" | Gordon | Gordon | 6:22 |
3. | "Mary-Christ" | Moore | Moore, Gordon | 3:11 |
4. | "Kool Thing" | Gordon | Gordon, Chuck D | 4:06 |
5. | "Mote" | Ranaldo | Ranaldo | 7:37 |
6. | "My Friend Goo" | Gordon | Gordon, Moore | 2:19 |
7. | "Disappearer" | Moore | Moore | 5:08 |
8. | "Mildred Pierce" | Moore | Moore | 2:13 |
9. | "Cinderella's Big Score" | Gordon | Gordon | 5:54 |
10. | "Scooter + Jinx" | — | — | 1:06 |
11. | "Titanium Exposé" | Moore, Gordon | Moore, Gordon | 6:27 |
- Thurston Moore – vocals, guitar
- Lee Ranaldo – guitar, vocals
- Kim Gordon – vocals, bass guitar
- Steve Shelley – drums
Score: 8
Dirty (1992) |
Released | July 21, 1992 |
---|---|
Recorded | 1992 |
Studio | The Magic Shop and Sear Sound, New York City |
Genre | |
Length | 59:06 |
Label | DGC |
Producer |
|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "100%" | Moore | 2:28 | |
2. | "Swimsuit Issue" | Gordon | 2:57 | |
3. | "Theresa's Sound-World" | Moore | 5:27 | |
4. | "Drunken Butterfly" | Gordon | 3:03 | |
5. | "Shoot" | Gordon | 5:16 | |
6. | "Wish Fulfillment" | Ranaldo | 3:24 | |
7. | "Sugar Kane" | Moore | 5:56 | |
8. | "Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit" | Gordon | 4:17 | |
9. | "Youth Against Fascism" | Moore | 3:36 | |
10. | "Nic Fit" (Untouchables cover) | Alec MacKaye | Moore | 0:59 |
11. | "On the Strip" | Gordon | 5:41 | |
12. | "Chapel Hill" | Moore | 4:46 | |
13. | "JC" | Gordon | 4:01 | |
14. | "Purr" | Moore | 4:21 | |
15. | "Crème Brûlée" | Gordon | 2:33 |
- Thurston Moore – vocals, guitar
- Kim Gordon – bass, vocals
- Lee Ranaldo – guitar, vocals
- Steve Shelley – drums
Score: 7
Released | May 10, 1994 |
---|---|
Studio | Sear Sound in New York City |
Genre | Noise rock |
Length | 50:10 |
Label | DGC |
Producer | Butch Vig, Sonic Youth |
No. | Title | Vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Winner's Blues" | Moore | 2:07 |
2. | "Bull in the Heather" | Gordon | 3:04 |
3. | "Starfield Road" | Moore | 2:15 |
4. | "Skink" | Gordon | 4:12 |
5. | "Screaming Skull" (additional lyrics by Dave Markey) | Moore | 2:38 |
6. | "Self-Obsessed and Sexxee" | Moore | 4:30 |
7. | "Bone" | Gordon | 3:57 |
8. | "Androgynous Mind" | Moore | 3:30 |
9. | "Quest for the Cup" | Gordon | 2:30 |
10. | "Waist" | Moore | 2:49 |
11. | "Doctor's Orders" | Gordon | 4:20 |
12. | "Tokyo Eye" | Moore | 3:55 |
13. | "In the Mind of the Bourgeois Reader" | Moore | 2:33 |
14. | "Sweet Shine" | Gordon | 7:50 |
- Thurston Moore - vocals, guitar
- Kim Gordon - vocals, bass
- Lee Ranaldo - guitar
- Steve Shelley - drums
Score:
Made In USA (Feb 1995) |
- "Mackin' for Doober" – 0:51
- "Full Chrome Logic" – 0:59
- "Secret Girl" – 2:55
- "Cork Mountain Incident" – 0:49
- "Moustache Riders" – 1:07
- "Tuck N Dar" – 3:40 *
- "Moon in the Bathroom" – 2:29
- "Thought Bubbles" – 2:25
- "Rim Thrusters" – 1:59
- "Lincoln's Gout" – 2:08
- "Coughing Up Tweed" – 1:17
- "Pre-Poured Wood" – 0:52
- "Hairpiece Lullaby 1 & 2" – 2:08
- "Pocketful of Sen-Sen" – 1:15
- "Smoke Blisters 1 & 2" – 2:33
- "The Velvet Plug" – 2:31
- "Giggles" – 0:53
- "Tulip Fire 2" – 1:56
- "The Dynamics of Bulbing" – 1:17
- "Smoke Blisters 3 & 4" – 3:20
- "O.J.'s Glove or What?" – 1:20
- "Webb of Mud 1, 2 & 3" – 2:51
- "Bachelors in Fur!" – 1:00
Released | September 26, 1995 |
---|---|
Recorded | January – May 1995 |
Studio | Easley Studios, Memphis, Tennessee Mott and Greene Street Studios, New York City |
Genre | |
Length | 68:17 |
Label | DGC |
Producer | Sonic Youth, John Siket |
No. | Title | Vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Becuz" | Gordon | 4:43 |
2. | "Junkie's Promise" | Moore | 4:02 |
3. | "Saucer-Like" | Ranaldo | 4:25 |
4. | "Washing Machine" | Gordon | 9:33 |
5. | "Unwind" | Moore | 6:02 |
6. | "Little Trouble Girl" | Gordon, Kim Deal | 4:29 |
7. | "No Queen Blues" | Moore | 4:35 |
8. | "Panty Lies" | Gordon | 4:15 |
9. | "Becuz Coda" (untitled on the packaging) | 2:49 | |
10. | "Skip Tracer" (additional lyrics by Leah Singer) | Ranaldo | 3:48 |
11. | "The Diamond Sea" | Moore | 19:35 |
Total length: | 68:17 |
- Thurston Moore – vocals, guitar, production
- Kim Gordon – vocals, guitar, bass (8, 10, 11), production
- Lee Ranaldo – vocals, guitar, production
- Steve Shelley – drums, production
- Additional musicians
- Kim Deal – additional vocals on "Little Trouble Girl"
- Lorette Velvette – additional vocals on "Little Trouble Girl"
- Melissa Dunn – additional vocals on "Little Trouble Girl"
Score:
A Thousand Leaves (1998)
Score:
NYC Ghosts & Flowers (2000)
Score:
Murray Street (2002)
Score:
Sonic Nurse (2004)
Score:
Rather Ripped (2006)
Score:
The Eternal (2009)
Score:
Confusion Is Sex (1983)
Bad Moon Rising (1985)
EVOL (1986)
Sister (1987)
Daydream Nation (1988)
Goo (1990)
Dirty (1992)
Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star (1994)
Washing Machine (1995)
A Thousand Leaves (1998)
NYC Ghosts & Flowers (2000)
Murray Street (2002)
Sonic Nurse (2004)
Rather Ripped (2006)
The Eternal (2009)
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