The List of Violent Femmes Albums in Order of Release Date

Violent Femmes Albums in Order: The iconic American folk punk band hails from Milwaukee, WI, and originally formed in 1980. With a raw energy and highly unconventional sound, the Violent Femmes have gone on to place a key role in the shaping of alternative rock and folk punk throughout the ’80s and beyond.

They have managed to perform with their 10 studio albums for so many years, and their hit streak started long ago, which included the legendary track “Blister in the Sun” from their platinum-certified debut album Violent Femmes dating back in 1983. From the darkly introspective Hallowed Ground in 1984 to Freak Magnet in 2000, the band’s discography is explored through “Violent Femmes Albums in Order” and the grittier aspects of that evolution into their more recent offerings: We Can Do Anything in 2016 and Hotel Last Resort in 2019. A throughline of their albums shows that Violent Femmes keep being a source of influence and resilience, inspiring old and new fans alike.

All Violent Femmes Albums Available on:  Apple Music 

Also see: Nirvana Albums in Order

How many albums does Violent Femmes have?

The discography of Violent Femmes, consists of 10 studio albums, 19 singles, five live albums and four compilation albums, in addition to a number of miscellaneous appearances on soundtracks and compilations featuring various artists.

Check Out The List of  Violent Femmes Albums in Order of Release Here!

Here is the list of Violent Femmes Album in Order of Release Date:

1. Violent Femmes — April 13, 1983
2. Hallowed Ground — May 14, 1984
3. The Blind Leading the Naked — March 1986
4. 3 — January 1989
5. Why Do Birds Sing? — April 30, 1991
6. New Times — May 17, 1994
7. Rock!!!!! — 1995
8. Freak Magnet — February 22, 2000
9. We Can Do Anything — March 4, 2016
10. Hotel Last Resort — July 26, 2019

All Violent Femmes Studio Albums in Order

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1. Violent Femmes (1983)

Tracklist

Side one

1. Blister in the Sun
2. Kiss Off
3. Please Do Not Go
4. Add It Up
5. Confessions
6. Prove My Love
7. Promise
8. To the Kill
9. Gone Daddy Gone
10. Good Feeling

The self-named first album of Violent Femmes came out in April 1983, one of the classics of alternative rock, which always originates from raw folk-punk but emotes lyrically. The lion’s share of the recording took place almost entirely in July 1982, with the project unfolding as a testament to adolescent aggravation and rebellion, all through its composer, Gordon Gano, who had written most songs while still in high school. Even if the album did not progress in the Billboard 200, it started slowly and by 1991 gained platinum. It remains a culture classic with staple tracks like “Blister in the Sun” and “Add it Up” influencing generations of musicians and fans with its pure, raw, unpretentious sound.

2. Hallowed Ground (1984)

Tracklist

1. Country Death Song
2. I Hear the Rain
3. Never Tell
4. Jesus Walking on the Water
5. I Know It’s True but I’m Sorry to Say
6. Hallowed Ground
7. Sweet Misery Blues
8. Black Girls
9. It’s Gonna Rain

Released in June 1984, “Hallowed Ground” was Violent Femmes’ second studio album, considerably departing from the straightforward rock sound in their first album. Experimental in nature, it burrows into difficult subject matter and unusually influences Violent Femmes. Mostly written by Gordon Gano while he attended high school, it includes songs such as “Country Death Song,” which was influenced by dark folk traditions. It was an album bold in experiment, though—if Gano’s overtly Christian-themed lyricism was missed or mistaken for irony by the most posturing. Working with avant-gardists like John Zorn, what “Hallowed Ground” really ended up doing was documenting the band’s willingness to move forward and challenge their listeners.

3. The Blind Leading the Naked (1986)

Tracklist

1. Old Mother Reagan
2. No Killing
3. Faith
4. Breakin’ Hearts
5. Special
6. Love & Me Make Three
7. Candlelight Song
8. I Held Her in My Arms
9. Children of the Revolution
10. Good Friend
11. Heartache
12. Cold Canyon
13. Two People

Their third studio album, The Blind Leading the Naked, was released in 1986, produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads. It was their first entry into the Billboard 200 charts, with an interesting title, playing off the idiom “the blind leading the blind.” This effort provided an overlap between the characteristic punk-folk sound of the band with a little bit of a commercial sound. Though internally the band was quite dissatisfied with the production choices Harrison imposed—mostly because of his radically different ideas about what their music should be—a very interesting guest list includes Leo Kottke and Fred Frith. The critics praised its energetic rock and enduring humor; some reviews, however, dismissed it as too commercial.

4. 3 (1989)

Tracklist

1. Nightmares
2. Just Like My Father
3. Dating Days
4. Fat
5. Fool in the Full Moon
6. Nothing Worth Living For
7. World We’re Living In
8. Outside the Palace
9. Telephone Book
10. Mother of a Girl
11. Lies
12. See My Ships

3 is the fourth studio album by Violent Femmes, pushing further their signature blend of punk-folk into a more stripped-back acoustic approach. Released in January 1989 and produced by the band with Warren Bruleigh, it features a mix of quirky tracks like “Nightmares” and “Fool in the Full Moon,” yet received mixed reviews. However, critics voiced that even though the idiosyncratic songwriting of Gordon Gano remained intact, it just failed to make any potent points like their previous works. Trouser Press called it “unprogressive”; to The Rolling Stone Album Guide, the album was a “stylistic jumble.” Still, the raw sound is pretty appealing to fans who wanted to hear more from this acoustic beginning of the band.

5. Why Do Birds Sing? (1991)

Tracklist

1. American Music
2. Out the Window
3. Look Like That
4. Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?
5. Hey Nonny Nonny
6. Used to Be
7. Girl Trouble
8. He Likes Me
9. Life is a Scream
10. Flamingo Baby
11. Lack of Knowledge
12. More Money Tonight
13. I’m Free

“Why Do Birds Sing?” was the date of release: April 30, 1991, became another one of the works important in the history of Violent Femmes; this would be the last record to feature original drummer Victor DeLorenzo. Produced by Michael Beinhorn, who collaborates with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, this folk-rock album shows the band using flowing and jagged acoustic-based alternative rock. The key track, “American Music,” is a smash, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, quickly becoming an audience favorite and certainly a live set favorite for the band. The level-headed mix of introverted and frenetic songs is trademark Violent Femmes, but with a brand new perspective.

6. New Times (1994)

Tracklist

1. Don’t Start Me on the Liquor
2. New Times
3. Breakin’ Up
4. Key of 2
5. 4 Seasons
6. Machine
7. I’m Nothing
8. When Everybody’s Happy
9. Agamemnon
10. This Island Life
11. I Saw You in the Crowd
12. Mirror Mirror (I See a Damsel)
13. Jesus of Rio

Released on May 17, 1994, New Times was a landmark of change for Violent Femmes, with Guy Hoffman making his debut as the band’s new drummer, replacing the founding member Victor DeLorenzo. This sixth studio album, produced by Brian Ritchie and Gordon Gano, broke away from the sound the band was famous for in previous albums with complex compositions and ingenious lyrics. The lead single, “Breakin’ Up,” although not very commercially successful, featured Gano at his best and received some airtime on MTV. Though a bit of a non-seller, New Times did boast some great songs: “4 Seasons” and “I’m Nothing,” the latter of which appeared in the film Bickford Shmeckler’s Cool Ideas. The album would prove today to be a real hallmark for their maturing craft.

7. Rock!!!!! (1995)

Tracklist

1. Living a Lie
2. Tonight
3. Bad Dream
4. I Danced
5. Thanksgiving (No Way Out)
6. Dahmer Is Dead
7. Life Is an Adventure
8. She Went to Germany
9. I Wanna See You Again
10. Didgeriblues
11. Death Drugs
12. Sweet Worlds of Angels

Released in 1995 by Violent Femmes, “Rock!!!!!” definitely sounds like a different animal within their discography. This Australian-only release features rough, rather energetic rock, very different from its predecessors. Produced by Brian Ritchie and Gordon Gano, “Rock!!!!! It’s a direction that includes punchy, eclectic tracks such as “Living a Lie” and “Dahmer Is Dead” with the mark of their signature style but exploring new territories. The cover photograph by David LaChapelle also gives the record an extra visual element. Even without the Billboard 200 chart, it is still worth the time to listen to “Rock!!!!!!” for its sound alone.

8. Freak Magnet (2000)

Tracklist

1. Hollywood Is High
2. Freak Magnet
3. Sleepwalkin’
4. All I Want
5. New Generation
6. In the Dark
7. Rejoice and Be Happy
8. Mosh Pit
9. Forbidden
10. When You Died
11. At Your Feet
12. I Danced
13. I’m Bad
14. Happiness Is
15. A Story

Freak Magnet was the group’s 2000 comeback effort, following a turbulent period that saw them part ways with Interscope Records. The inclusion of the single “Sleepwalkin'” on this album finds the band coming to terms with its past and its present. Critics wrote that while the Femmes had set out to regain that punky acoustic edge, it came out decidedly spotty. To The Washington Post, the album read as retro; to Exclaim!, Some felt their punk efforts fell flat except for Gordon Gano’s distinctive vocals. For its part, Trouser Press felt it a “strong return to form,” with the band’s sound evolving into a harder rock sound. A 2005 reissue added live tracks offering a different slant on the album’s raw energy.

9. We Can Do Anything (2016)

Tracklist

1. Memory
2. I Could Be Anything
3. Issues
4. Holy Ghost
5. What You Really Mean
6. Foothills
7. Traveling Solves Everything
8. Big Car
9. Untrue Love
10. I’m Not Done

“We Can Do Anything” marked Violent Femmes’ return after a 16-year break from their last studio album, Freak Magnet, which was released on March 4, 2016. The band reunites once more with a refreshed sound in this ninth studio effort, bolstered by new Boston-based drummer Brian Viglione of The Dresden Dolls. The experimental cover art, created by Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies, fits the new edge of the band. Although the reviews for the album remain split—Consequence of Sound called it uneven but with some merit—it does underline the group’s indomitable spirit in tracks such as “Memory” and “I Could Be Anything.”

10. Hotel Last Resort (2019)

Tracklist

1. Another Chorus
2. I Get What I Want
3. I’m Nothing
4. Adam Was a Man
5. Not OK
6. Hotel Last Resort
7. Everlasting You
8. It’s All or Nothing
9. I’m Not Gonna Cry
10. This Free Ride
11. Paris to Sleep
12. Sleepin’ at the Meetin’
13. God Bless America

Their tenth studio album, Hotel Last Resort, was released on July 26, 2019, marking the return of Violent Femmes. This recording holds up very well with a great mix of punk, folk, and rock influences that stay near enough to the band’s signature sound while treading new thematic ground. The cover art is an eye-catching Eastlink hotel sculpture from Australia that hits visually appropriate for the feel of the introspective and gritty undertones of the album. Notable tracks on the record include “Hotel Last Resort,” featuring Tom Verlaine, and “I’m Nothing,” featuring Stefan Janoski. The record generally got good reviews, where one could feel a continuity of their evolution and creative energy in the modern rock landscape.

Conclusion:

The Violent Femmes discography proves this band to be one of the greatest influences on folk punk and alternative rock, having gone through many different lineups and changes musically. From their groundbreaking, self-titled debut through to their more recent works, like We Can Do Anything and Hotel Last Resort, each album adds to their legacy. With so many lineup changes and periods of hiatus, it is the raw music the band is able to make with relevance to people’s lives that has kept them running for so long. You can go through Violent Femmes albums in order, through which they have traveled in a variety of sounds and themes explaining why it still retains the essence of being an integral force in the music world.

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