Ranking All the Phish Studio Albums

Phish is one of the more interesting rock bands to come along in some time. Formed in the early 1980s (1983 to be exact), the band is best known for its uncanny ability to combine different genres of music in order to create something that is completely unique. There is virtually no sound that they aren’t willing to incorporate into their music and they have a tendency to do a lot of musical improvisation as well. That means that they are typically not considered a mainstream band because they cater to a relatively small group of people when compared to other major rock bands that have millions of people following them. That said, they’ve also got a very dedicated fan base who support their work. Over the years, they’ve released a number of studio albums. As a matter of fact, there are fifteen of them. If you have never heard their work before, you should do yourself a favor and check it out. You can do that by looking over this list that ranks their studio albums from number 15 to number one, including a YouTube link for each of them.

15. The Siket Disc (1999)

This marks the band’s eighth studio album. It was released in June of 1999, albeit in a rather unconventional manner. At the time, it was only available through the band’s own website and through their mail order service. Anyone that wanted to get their hands on it outside of these two avenues would have to wait until the 7th of November of that same year when it was released commercially through Elektra Records. Interestingly enough, the album was produced by the band themselves. True to form, it incorporates several different genres of music, including instrumental rock, post-rock, jam band and instrumental. It was recorded at Bearsville in Woodstock, New York.

14. Sigma Oasis (2020)

This album, released on the 2nd of April, 2020, marked the band’s 15th studio album. It was released on their own record label, JEMP Records. As a matter of fact, the entire album was recorded at the band’s own studio called The Barn. It was produced by the band members themselves, in conjunction with Vance Powell. The album is fairly long, coming in at more than an hour in length. It also includes several different genres of music such as jam, psychedelic rock, progressive rock and traditional rock. Surprisingly, there are only nine songs on the album. Considering its overall length, that’s something that shocked a lot of people. However, much of that length is attributed to two songs which are both more than 11 minutes long. This was an album that was largely loved by critics and fans alike. One critic even went as far as saying that the band sounded almost exactly the way that they sounded during a live performance, something that was perceived as a positive comment, as they had previously been accused of sounding somewhat different on their studio albums than they did during a live performance.

13. Round Room (2002)

This album, released on the 10th of December, 2002 is an astonishing 77 minutes and 51 seconds in length. It marks their 10th studio album, produced by Bryce Goggin and released on Elektra Records. Shockingly, the entire album was recorded over a four day time span during the Autumn of 2002. The album was released only a couple of months later. Prior to the release of this album, the band had not produced any new music or been on tour for roughly two years. As such, this album was designed to serve as a vehicle for the band’s comeback. It features 12 songs and was originally meant to be a live album. However, the band ultimately decided to perform a traditional recording session and released the album that way instead.

12. Big Boat (2016)

This is the band’s 14th studio album and was released on the 7th of October, 2016. It was produced by Bob Ezrin and is 66 minutes in length. The album was released through the band’s recording label, JEMP Records. Furthermore, the band actually recorded it at their own recording studio, The Barn, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Similarly, some of the songs were also recorded at a studio owned by the band’s guitarist, Trey Anastasio. Those songs were recorded in Burlington, Vermont. There are 13 songs on the album, with the two singles being “Blaze On” and “Breath and Burning.” By all accounts, the band largely received critical acclaim for the work that they did on this album, although some people were more fond of it than others. It’s also worth noting that this is one of their more recent works, proving that they have more than enough staying power to remain relevant in an industry that changes so fast it will make your head spin. Many critics have noticed the band’s ability to continue to turn out solid music throughout the course of several decades, something that very few artists are capable of doing successfully.

11. Joy (2009)

The band’s 12th studio album was released on the 8th of September, 2009. It was released through the band’s own label, JEMP Records and produced by Steve Lillywhite. The songs were recorded at Chung King Studios in New York City. This particular album marks the band’s first studio album since they recorded “Undermind” in 2004, five years earlier. It was also their first album since they returned from a touring hiatus in March of that same year. As such, the album was meant to celebrate the band’s return in rather spectacular fashion. All in all, there were 10 songs on the album itself which produced two singles, “Backwards Down the Number Line” and “Time Turns Elastic.”

10. Undermind (2004)

This marked the 11th studio album for the band. It incorporated rock music and was released on Elektra Records. The producer for the record was Chad Blake. It is interesting to note that the group was having some issues when this particular record was being recorded. Eventually, those issues became so significant that many of the band members felt that they simply couldn’t be handled effectively and they made the decision to disband in August of the same year, only two months after this album was released to the public. The band would not come together again for five years, for either touring or recording purposes.

9. The Story of the Ghost (1998)

The band’s seventh studio album was released on Elektra records on the 27th of October, 1998. It was produced by Andy Wallace. Prior to releasing this album, the band had been experimenting with a particular style of music that they were using during their live performances called cow funk style. It’s something of a collaboration between jazz and funk music. The band had been using this style of music for a couple of years before releasing this album and eventually decided to include the genre on their album almost exclusively. While there are a few other songs that don’t necessarily adhere to this particular genre, the overwhelming majority of the track listings on this album do indeed follow the genre of music. It’s definitely not something for everyone, but the overwhelming majority of fans of the band seem to love it.

8. Fuego (2014)

Released on the 24th of June, 2014 on the band’s own JEMP Records and produced by Bob Ezrin, this was the 13th studio album for the band. It was the band’s first album in five years. Most of the material that is on the record was actually debuted when the band performed a special Halloween concert on the 31st of October the previous year in Atlantic City, New Jersey. There were a total of 10 songs on the album, from which three singles were released. Those singles include “555,” “The Line” “Waiting All Night.” By and large, the album was given a great deal of praise from critics and eventually, became an album that fans also grew to love.

7. Junta (1989)

This marked the band’s very first studio album that was ever released. It’s interesting because it was released by the band members themselves without a record label. Eventually, Elektra Records reissued it, but that wouldn’t occur for another three years. As such, the initial release date stands at the 8th of May, 1989. The album features the genres of progressive rock and traditional rock and is over 122 minutes in length. It was recorded at Euphoria Sound Studios in Revere, Massachusetts and features a number of concept songs on the original cassette. When Elektra Records re-released the album in 1992, they released it on CD. They also released a special deluxe version in 2012 that includes songs which were not included on the original release or the initial CD release.

6. Lawn Boy (1990)

This album, released on the 21st of September, 1990, is only the second album released by the band. It was released on Absolute A Go-Go Records for its initial release and then was reissued on the 30th of June, 1992 by Elektra Records. It’s much shorter in length than many of the band’s other albums, at just over 47 minutes. It encompasses the genres of jazz fusion, jam and rock. Overall, there are nine songs on the album.

5. A Picture of Nectar (1992)

This album encompasses several different genres such as jam, jazz fusion and experimental rock. It was released on the 18th of February, 1992 by Elektra Records and is just over 60 minutes in length. It is the band’s third studio album, but it was their first release on a major label. The songs were recorded at White Crow Studios in Burlington, Vermont. There are a total of 16 songs on the track listing, making it one of their more involved endeavors throughout their entire career. However, it’s interesting to note that the album is considerably shorter than many of their other works which feature roughly half as many songs. That is largely because some of the songs on this particular album are barely over two minutes in length. One is scarcely over 30 seconds long.

4. Rift (1993)

This marked the band’s fourth studio album. It was produced by Barry Beckett and was released on Elektra Records. The album is largely considered a concept album. According to band members, it is all about recounting the experiences of a man who is dreaming about issues in his relationship with his girlfriend that are causing a rift between the two of them. It was released on the 2nd of February, 1993 and incorporates the genres of jazz fusion and progressive rock. The album is just over 67 minutes in length and was recorded at a couple of different studios, White Crow Studios in Burlington, Vermont and The Castle in Nashville, Tennessee.

3. Hoist (1994)

Released through Elektra Records on the 29th of March, 1994 and produced by Paul Fox, this was the band’s fifth studio album. When it was released, it was the band’s best selling album ever. It eventually peaked at number 34 on the Billboard 200 chart, allowing the band to achieve a level of success that they had never before experienced. This particular album was composed exclusively of rock music and was recorded at American Recording Company in Woodland Hills, California.

2. Farmhouse (2000)

This album, the band’s ninth studio album, has quickly become a fan favorite. It was released on the 16th of May, 2000 through Elektra Records with producers Bryce Goggin and Trey Anastasio, one of the band members. It incorporates the genres of folk rock and traditional rock and it’s just over 49 minutes in length. The album was recorded at the Oswego County Airport in Volney, New York and at the band’s recording studio, The Barn, relocated to Chittenden County, Vermont. This particular album marked the last one that the band would be involved with before they took a two-year hiatus between the autumn of 2000 and the end of 2002.

1. Billy Breathes (1996)

This was the sixth studio album released by the band. It was essentially produced to create a more mainstream sound for the band, something that clearly worked. It was recorded in Bearsville at Woodstock, New York and produced by Steve Lillywhite. The album includes several different genres including roots rock, psychedelic pop and folk rock. Despite being released in the late 1990s, it has steadfastly become one of the most popular albums the band ever produced.