Ranking All the Whitesnake Studio Albums
Whitesnake is a hard rock band that was formed in London in 1978. Originally, the band was formed as a backing group for David Coverdale after he left Deep Purple. However, the band soon developed its own entity. The only constant band member in the band’s history is David Coverdale. Whitesnake was active from 1978 to 1990, then briefly reformed in both 1994 and 1997. In 2003, the band reformed again, and they have continued to perform together ever since. Since the band was formed, Whitesnake has released 13 studio albums, nine live albums, 12 compilation albums, nine video albums, two EPs, 30 music videos, five box sets, and 44 singles. Here are all the Whitesnake studio albums ranked.
13. Restless Heart (1997)
‘Restless Heart’ is Whitesnake’s ninth studio album and the band’s first release of the 1990s. It did not achieve the same level of success as the band’s music from the 1980s, reaching only number 34 in the charts in the UK. However, it was a top ten hit in Finland and Norway. Although Adam Vandenberg had been a member of Whitesnake since 1987, ‘Restless Heart’ was the first of the band’s albums to feature him throughout.
12. Forevermore (2011)
‘Forevermore’ was Whitesnake’s eleventh studio album, and it reached number 33 on the charts in the UK. The band started coming up with ideas for this album in 2009, a year after they released the album ‘Good to Be Bad.’ Whitesnake released three singles from this album, including ‘Love Will Set You Free,’ ‘One of These Day,’ and ‘Easier Said Than Done.’
11. Trouble (1978)
‘Trouble’ was Whitesnake’s debut album, and it was recorded when the band’s lineup included John Lord, although Lord only contributed to one track in terms of songwriting. Coverdale claimed that he chose the album’s name as his first child was born while they were recording the album. The three singles released from ‘Trouble’ were ‘Lie Down,’ ‘Day Tripper,’ and ‘The Time Is Right for Love.’ This album only charted in the UK, and it peaked at number 50.
10. Lovehunter (1979)
As the second studio album released by Whitesnake, the sound on ‘Lovehunter’ is very similar to that of Deep Purple. It was the last Whitesnake album to feature drummer Dave Dowle. The album peaked at number 29 on the albums chart in the UK. Its lead single was ‘Long Way from Home,’ which reached number 55 in the UK.
9. The Purple Album (2015)
The penultimate album released by the band was ‘The Purple Album,’ which was most successful in Finland, where it peaked at number two on the charts. The album consisted of 13 tracks, with one additional track on the Japanese edition and two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition. Whitesnake released the singles ‘Stormbringer,’ ‘Burn,’ ‘Lay Down Stay Down,’ ‘Soldier of Fortune,’ and ‘Mistreated.’
8. Slip of the Tongue (1989)
‘Slip of the Tongue’ topped the charts in Finland and reached number ten in the UK and the United States. It was the band’s eighth studio album, and it sold more than one million copies in the United States. The singles released from the album were ‘Now You’re Gone,’ ‘The Deeper the Love,’ and ‘Fool for Your Living ’89.’ The latter was originally recorded for the album ‘Ready an’ Willing.’
7. Slide It In (1984)
It is clear Whitesnake has a strong following in Finland, as ‘Slide It In’ is one of nine out of eleven of the band’s albums to become a top ten hit in that country. It was the band’s sixth studio album, and it peaked at number nine in the UK. This album marked Whitesnake’s change to glam metal, and it has a harder sound than their previous work.
6. Saints & Sinners (1982)
‘Saints & Sinners’ is a solid album from start to finish, with not one bad song on the tracklist. It was Whitesnake’s fifth studio album, and it was a top ten hit in the UK and Finland. In the United States, the album reached number 40. The three singles released from the album were ‘Here I Go Again,’ ‘Bloody Luxury,’ and ‘Victim of Love.’
5. Flesh & Blood (2019)
Despite being founded more than 40 years previously, Whitesnake showed they could still attract fans when they released the album ‘Flesh & Blood’ in 2019. It reached number three in Germany, number four in Finland, and number seven in the UK. The lead single from the album was ‘Shut Up & Kiss Me,’ and the other singles released were ‘Trouble Is Your Middle Name,’ ‘Hey You (You Make Me Rock),’ and ‘Always & Forever.’
4. Good to Be Bad (2008)
Whitesnake was a little more experimental with their sound during the 2000s, and it is evident from the variety of styles on ‘Good to Be Bad.’ While the band was best known for being a hair rock band, this album showcases some blues-rock alongside some excellent ballads. ‘Good to Be Bad’ reached number seven on the album chart in the UK.
3. Ready an’ Willing (1980)
Whitesnake’s third studio album was ‘Ready an’ Willing.’ The band had grown a following in the two years since their debut album, so this album reached number six on the charts in the UK. It was the band’s first album to chart in the United States, peaking at number 90. In addition to the title song, the other singles released from this album were ‘Fool for Your Loving’ and ‘Sweet Talker.’
2. Come and Get It (1981)
By 1981, when Whitesnake released ‘Come and Get It,’ the band was becoming a huge success, and this album reached number two on the UK album charts. It was only kept off the top spot by Adam and the Ants’ ‘Kings of the Wild Frontier.’ The singles from this album were ‘Don’t Break My Heart Again’ and ‘Would I Lie to You.’
1. Whitesnake (1987)
According to Return of Rock, the best Whitesnake album is their 1987 self-titled album. In the early days, Whitesnake’s sound was similar to that of Deep Purple, but by the time they released this album, they had begun to develop a sound of their own. One of the album’s stand-out features is Sykes’ guitar-playing. It was this album that broke Whitesnake to a mainstream market and made them a household name.
