Ranking All the Blue October Studio Albums

Are you into alternative rock, acoustic rock, or pop-rock? You’re probably familiar with a rock band group called Blue October, no matter your preference. Perhaps you’re hearing about them for the first time and want to know which albums they’ve produced since they joined the music industry in the 90s. According to All Music, Blue October members are Justin Furstenfeld, Ryan Delahoussaye, Jeremy Furstenfeld, Liz Mullaly (1995-98), Matt Noveskey, Brant Coulter (1999-2000), C.B Hudson, Dwayne Casey, Julian Mandrake, Matthew Ostrander, and Will Knaak. Over the years, they’ve released ten studio albums, five live albums, and two video albums. This article will focus on the studio albums alone. Without further ado, here is a ranking of all the Blue October studio albums

10. Consent to Treatment (August 15, 2000)

 

In 2000, Blue October released “Consent to Treatment” under the producer- Blue Miller- and Universal Records. It was recorded in Valley Village at Bay 7 Studios. Upon listening to the first track, “Retarded Disfigured Clown,” you will notice it sounds more like spoken words. It was written by Justin Furstenfeld and spoken by Blue Miller. Other tracks featured in this album include:

• Retarded Disfigured Clown
• James
• Independently Happy

9. The Answers (1998)

 

“The Answers” is a debut album by Blue October produced by Universal/ Listen Up Records. It was recorded in 1997 at Sound Arts Studio in Houston, Texas. Of all Blue October’s albums, this is the only one featuring the founding member, Liz Mullaly, playing the piano. Initially, Blue October had a contract with Universal Records, preventing the band from selling the album at concerts or via their website. It was not until 2005, when both parties reached an agreement, that they stopped selling this album by mail order. The songs featured on this album are 13, but our favorite is:

• The Answer
• Italian Radio
• Weaknesses

8. History for Sale (April 8, 2003)

 

In 2003, Blue October got one of their most significant breakthroughs when it released its third album, “History for Sale” thanks to Brando/ Universal Records. The recording took place at Sound Arts Studios in Houston, Texas, and StompBox Studios in Arlington, Texas. The album has 12 tracks, the best ones being:

• · Ugly Side
• · 3 Weeks, She Sleeps
• · Come in Closer
• · A Quiet Mind
• · Somebody

7. Foiled (April 4, 2006)

 

According to Best Ever Albums, “Foiled” by Blue October ranked number 4,603 in the Overall Greatest Album Chart, garnering 297 points. It was recorded in the fall of 2005 and released by Universal Records in 2006, a producer they had partnered with for years. Considering it’s the fourth album, fans from America and Canada helped it achieve platinum status. Most songs are old, except “Into the Ocean” and “Hate Me.” “Hate Me” is a fantastic song from the album that breaks you down every time you’ll listen to it. You need to listen to the lyrics to get the deep and powerful message that even if you’ve had a hard time, it will soothe you.

6. Approaching Normal (March 24, 2009)

 

“Approaching Normal” is Blue October’s album number 5, released in the spring of 2009 by Universal. Before its release, Justin Furstenfeld revealed its title and track listing on their website in 2008. The recording took place in Pedemales Studios near Austin and was produced by Steve Lillywhite, a Grammy Award-winning producer. Some songs were also recorded in Tokyo, Japan. It contains more than 12 songs, but you might want to start with these:

• · Dirt Room
• · Weight of the World
• · Blue Skies
• · Should Be Loved

5. Any Man in America (August 16, 2011)

 

“Any Man in America,” released in the fall of 2011 by Up/Down Records and RED Distribution, is Blue October’s sixth album. Its recording took place between 2010 and 2011 in Matchbox Studios in Austin, Texas. Once it was released, it ranked number one on Amazon’s album download chart. Did you know that the album sold more than 27,000 copies during the first week? The following songs justify the reason for these massive sales:

• · Everything (AM Limbo)
• · Drama Everything
• · The Flight (Lincoln Minneapolis)

4. Sway (August 20, 2013)

 

Blue October released its seventh album, “Sway,” in the spring of 2013 on Up/ Down Labels. The album’s recording took place at Fire Station Studio in San Marcos, Texas. It ranked second in German Music Magazine called Kulturnews, in a tie with “The Next Day” by David Bowie. Also, it became number 13 on the Billboard Top 200 and number 1 on the Billboard Alternative Albums. Though Furstenfeld wrote around 60 songs, the group squeezed them to 15. Listen to:

• · Breathe, It’s Over
• · Sway
• · Angels in Everything
• · Hard Candy
• · Put It In

3. Home (April 22, 2016)

 

Up/ Down Brando released Blue October’s “Home” album in the late spring of 2016. It’s the eighth album the group brought to the limelight, resulting in sales of more than 22,000 units. It debuted at number one on the Rock Albums Chart and number one on the Billboard Charts. The album has 12 and two bonus songs, the most popular ones being:

• · Coal Makes Diamonds
• · Heart Go Bang
• · We Know Where You Go
• · Home
• 2. I hope You’re Happy (August 17, 2018)

 

“I Hope You’re Happy” is Blue October’s ninth studio album released by Up/ Down Brando Records in the fall of 2018. Unlike other albums which Furstenfeld co-produced among other producers, this is the only one he did independently. It goes to show how Furstenfeld has helped the group grow. The following songs have the exact reasons for making the album successful:

• · Daylight
• · Your Love is Like a Car Crash
• · I Hope You’re Happy

1. This is What I Live for (October 23, 2020)

 

“This is What I Live for” might be Blue October’s tenth album, but we ranked it first because Furstenfeld’s daughter-Blue Reed- appears in the recordings. Her melancholic voice on “Fight for Love” signifies the adage “an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band members couldn’t appear in the “Oh My My” video. We appreciate them for gracing our lockdowns with their songs, despite the stringent measures that the pandemic brought. Listen to:

• · I Laugh at Myself
• · Oh My My
• · Fight for Love
• · Completely
• · Stay with Me

Conclusion

There is no such thing as a bad album as far as Blue October’s releases are concerned. Provided you’re an alternative rock fan; any album will do. So, get your playlist ready and download these songs to determine if their rock music will “rock” your world.