I should say this up front: being a Sonic Youth fan requires patience. They are difficult and repetitious. At points, it seems like they were purposely trying to repeat the most obnoxious parts of their music, kind of like an in-joke to see how much they could get away with. That out of the way, they're dark, brilliantly ahead of their time and, sometimes, great songwriters.

Their first EP (self-titled, 1982) is a weird, early 80's mish-mash of leftover No Wave ideas and NY post-punk. Sometimes reminiscent of Joy Division's noisiest moments, it's a must for a No Wave fanatic, but only footnote in the bigger picture of Sonic Youth. It was reissued in 2006 with the inconsequential live Sonic Death EP appended. Highlight: 'I Dreamed I Dream' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VQ46a0Mf_k

Confusion is Sex (1983) is abrasive and arty. Total noise. On some days, it feels like the most fuckyouimpunkrockasfuck!!!! thing they ever did. Some of the dark jangle from the first EP is still around, but overall, the guitars are much louder this time around. It's been available on CD forever with the Kill Yr Idols EP (also from '83), so lots of people just consider Kill Yr Idols part of the proper album (it certainly goes right with Confusion). Highlight: 'The World Looks Red' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n32UVI1uPM0

Bad Moon Rising (1985) is the band's first album where the core lineup of Kim, Thurston, Steve and Lee appears for the first time. It's also, consequently, where they start to sound like themselves for the first time. Not a total all out success, but of note for that reason. It is a rather dour affair, as discussed here: http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=2709892&mesg_id=2709892&listing_type=search#2710163 On CD, it also has a great complimentary EP appended (Death Valley '69, also from 1985). Highlight: the opener 'Brave Men Run (In My Family) in which they find their signature sound for the first time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ2fjLD45WQ

EVOL (1986) is the start of what most people consider to be their strongest run. It is a big step forward in terms of songwriting. Everything else is pretty much on the same wavelength as Bad Moon Rising. Some of the songs take on a great dark dream pop slant. Just a really strong rock album that has the band showing off their strange tunings and altered guitars in full force for the first time. Highlight: 'Tom Violence' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC1ToqQ7FYk

—in the interim here, they did a score a movie called Made in the USA. I've never actually seen it, but from what I understand, a lot of the music went unused and the material wasn't actually issued until the mid-90's. It's only of interest to hardcore fans—

Sister (1987) is basically a polishing of the rougher edges on EVOL. They were still just beginning to hit their stride, so it's basically a no-brainer that if you like EVOL, you'll like this one too. It's perhaps a bit faster and noisier overall, but still a good one! Highlight: 'Schizophrenia' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf2qYa8c-cA

—in the interim here, Kim and Thurston did a very silly thing. They recorded a pretty weird album called the Whitey Album under the name Ciccone Youth. It's mostly intentional non-music and ideas that never would have flown in Sonic Youth (Thurston's drum machine and synth dirge 'Platoon II' for example). It's mostly remembered for Kim's hilariously deadpan rendition of 'Addicted to Love' ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-VWACirzUA ) and Thurston's brilliant dismantling of 'Into the Groove' retitled 'Into the Groove(y)' ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIbsS8rEdFI ). An, ahem, *interesting* pre-cursor to Daydream Nation—

Daydream Nation (1988) is arguably the definitive American indie rock album. It is definitely Sonic Youth's most representative album. It's got the noise, it's got the catchy rockers, it's got the dreamy dark ambient atmosphere, it's the whole package. I think I can safely say, if you don't like this album, you probably won't ever like Sonic Youth. Highlights: 'Teen Age Riot' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvDuATZCY8I and 'Total Trash' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QsIKGzqjus

Goo (1990) created a stir because the band has signed to major label Geffen and this was their first to be released not on an indie. Not much change in sound, actually. The sprawling feeling of Daydream Nation is toned down a bit, but if there's a streamlining going on, there's certainly no dumbing down. It is a relentlessly rocking album, perhaps explaining why some of the atmosphere from Daydream is missing. The two disc deluxe edition is a must if you like the proper album, as it contains all of the b-sides and basically all of the proper album tracks in alternate recordings. Highlight: 'Disappearer' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8MFqJ22kSs

Dirty (1992) is arguably where the fairy tales ended for Sonic Youth. It was probably their most popular album up until that point, but it had a divided reception. It's relentlessly noisy — some people would argue that there's only noise and no actual substance. I'm still split on it, even after all these years. There are some good songs, but it does feel a bit like the band is on autopilot here. The two disc deluxe edition has all of the b-sides from the time and an interesting group of (noticeably calmer) rehearsal recordings. Worth it. Highlight: 'Sugar Kane' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2za82wDzcg

Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star (1994) still has its share of noisey moments, but for all intents and purposes, it's pretty much the start of Sonic Youth's third (and longest running) evolution in sound. They still rock, they still get noisey, but there is a sense of melancholy calm that hangs over all the material. It also contains the great closer, 'Sweet Shine' which is the starting point of the dischordant jammy epic that they would explore at least once an album going forward. Highlight: 'Bull in the Heather' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JGBNkLM9_8

Washing Machine (1995) is a good album, just completely ignored. It's a mish mash of noise and calmer moments, but just right now, I'm thinking of three songs that I almost always include in SY mixes. *shrug* It was one of the first albums of theirs that I picked up after becoming a fan in the late 90's, so it's one that has a lot of sentimental value. Overall, I'd say it was probably their strongest album since Goo at that point. Highlight: 'The Diamond Sea' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnOi9Vem4sc (this is just an excerpt; the album version is twenty minutes long and there's a thirty minute version on the Destroyed Room odds and ends collection)

—in the interim here, Thurston released Physic Hearts, which is basically a Sonic Youth album, as Steve Shelley and Lee Ranaldo help out on pretty much every song. It's undeniably strong and should probably be heard if you like the surrounding Sonic Youth albums. There's another long, jammy epic in the vein of 'The Diamond Sea' that closes the album (it's called 'Elegy for all the Dead Rock Stars'), but it's not on Youtube, so check out 'Ono Soul' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnOi9Vem4sc —

A Thousand Leaves (1998) is a huge album. Most of the songs clock in at five minutes and they just go up from there. This is really the beginning of Sonic Youth's later hot streak, if you ask me. The idea of jangly jammy, mind-expanding Sonic Youth is really mastered for the first time here. There's less noise than ever (but still some) and the whole thing has an almost meditative feel. One of their most unified albums. Highlight: 'Hits of Sunshine (for Allen Ginsberg)' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCTn7LcpVog

—in the interim here, and running forward, they started releasing more experimental, mostly non-conventional music on their Sonic Youth Records series. They had always done these sort of one-off live noise jam albums, but on small labels in limited runs. The idea was to start releasing their more experimental stuff on a wider scale. I have the first five volumes of this series, but for most people, the only one that really matters is the first one (from 1997), which is usually called Anagrama by fans (that's the title of the first track), because it's the most traditionally Sonic Youth sounding of the entire series. I guess it's pretty representative of the series if even a fan like me has trouble sitting through all of them, but they're still issuing them, as recent as last year—

NYC Ghosts and Flowers (2000) is a confusing and frustrating album. It's not really a step backwards, but it's just tuneless for the most part. There's too many tuneless, meandering, spoken-not-sung songs for an eight track. 'Free City Rhymes' is my favorite song (not on Youtube; click here if you have Spotify to check it out: http://open.spotify.com/track/2ngY5qJiA2iHhrIe2XVeYB ), but otherwise 'Nevermind (What Was it Anyway)' is the only thing here that resembles a song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU0IiziwvAA

Murray Street (2002) was correctly hailed as a return to form after NYC Ghosts and Flowers. Where a lot of people like to talk about the band's 80's noise rock trilogy of EVOL/Sister/Daydream, I have always thought of Murray Street as the beginning of a new millennium trilogy that finds the band making a sort of sophisticated jammy jangle sound (no less than three of the songs end up in passages of slightly discordant layers of melodic buzzing jams — think Television's song 'Marquee Moon' with a bit more noise). Practically every song is better than anything they had done since 'The Diamond Sea' and there's a sense of old masters asserting their dominance in a respectful way. Highlight: 'Rain on Tin' (again, no Youtube; click here to listen on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/5GWlRPSPl2AGDbwi5oRozp )

Sonic Nurse (2004) is my favorite Sonic Youth album. I know, kind of a later album, but I find it has the highest concentration of awesome guitar tones, dreamy atmospheres and catchy tunes for my ears. It does have a kind of dreary overtone, but emotional resonance in the songs is just unmatched in the Sonic Youth catalogue. Again, it's another big album, as eight of the album's ten songs are five minutes in length or longer. Thurston's guitar tone throughout is just ace and it was arguably their most Daydream Nation-sounding album since Daydream Nation. At the time, Lee's 'Paper Cup Exit' was probably his best song on a Sonic Youth album (save for maybe 'Mote' on Goo). Just, yeah. Can't say enough good about it. Still go back to it regularly. Highlights: 'Unmade Bed' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAMhdGQq66g 'I Love You Golden Blue' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaQhEcea10k and 'Peace Attack' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tssIwj908rI

—in the interim here, they released an odds and ends collection called the Destroyed Room. It's good if you liked the band's 90's material, as that's where most of the songs are pulled from. The vinyl has bonus tracks—

Rather Ripped (2006) finishes off the trilogy with shorter song lengths and really catchy tunes. On some days, it sounds so good that it makes you wonder if they were pop song writers all along. The big thing about it, I've noticed over the years, is that it's probably the Sonic Youth album that wears its Velvet Underground influence most apparently. Practically the only dude is 'Sleepin' Around' — every other single song on this thing is just awesome. Kim totally owns the album, too, with uber catchy songs like 'Reena', 'Turquoise Boy', 'The Neutral' and especially 'Jams Run Free.' Thurston's more meditative songs 'Do You Believe in Rapture?' and 'Or' are excellent, but he brought out some big tunes as well with 'Incinerate' and the long jam 'Pink Steam.' Whoo! Highlight: 'Jams Run Free' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrWCAsGQLq8

—in the interim here, Thurston released another solo album called Trees Outside the Academy. It basically sounds like a more acoustic Sonic Youth album. It's really good. Check out 'Fri/end' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg5CJl2v_mA —

The Eternal (2009) is probably going to be their last album. It was their first album on an indie label since Daydream Nation. And, as such, it's a much louder, sludgier kickback against the calmness of their previous two albums. It's a bit like Murray Street with shorter songs. I wasn't at the time, nor am I now, too crazy about it. A lot of the songs end up sounding really similar (which, for Sonic Youth in this case, is a bad thing). Lee's two contributions ('What We Know' and 'Walkin Blue') are surprisingly the catchiest songs here (his are usually the more impenetrable tunes on their albums). There's a handful of good tracks and lot of filler. Still, the good tracks are worthwhile. Highlight: the King Crimson-ripping 'Antenna' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B_NVayA_VI

And then Thurston released Demolished Thoughts last year. It's a really calm, pretty album. Most Sonic Youth fans hated it. I thought it was good. Check out 'Benediction' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wllPXb4lkI

Then Kim and Thurston announced their divorce and the band is probably done, even though nothing official has been announced. Thurston has already formed a new band called Chelsea Light Moving. Their first release is a song called 'Burroughs' and it sounds exactly like Sonic Youth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qmIvFuF8r4

Hope this helps.

~Austin

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