Frank Zappa albums ranked
1. I am only including albums released in Frank’s lifetime, plus Civilisation Phaze 3 as that was meant to be released before his death anyway
2. I am including live albums
3. I am not including compilation records or box sets so that means no Mothermania and no Beat The Boots
4. I’m including the Mystery Disk as it was included on the album box sets before being released separately
5. I’ve not counted purely spoken word tracks as “worst” songs as that would be a cheap shot. I have included songs that feature spoken word dialogue but also have musical backing (So for example, a track like ‘Telephone Conversation’ would not be counted but something off of Thing Fish could be) |
| 57 |  | Frank Zappa
The Man from Utopia
Best: We Are Not Alone
Worst: fucking hell |
| 56 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Fillmore East – June 1971
Best: Willie The Pimp - Part 1
Worst: What Kind of Girl Do You Think We Are? |
| 55 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Just Another Band from L.A.
Best: Dog Breath
Worst: Eddie, Are You Serious? |
| 54 |  | Frank Zappa
London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. II
Best: Strictly Genteel
Worst: Bogus Pomp |
| 53 |  | Frank Zappa
London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1
Best: Sad Jane
Worst: Envelopes |
| 52 |  | Frank zappa
Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger
Best: Outside Now, Again
Worst: Love Story |
| 51 |  | Frank Zappa
Thing-Fish
Best: Wistful Wit A’ Fist Full
Worst: The Crab Grass Baby |
| 50 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Playground Psychotics
Best: Scumbag
Worst: Super Grease |
| 49 |  | Frank Zappa
Jazz From Hell
Best: St. Etienne
Worst: The Beltway Brothers |
| 48 |  | Frank Zappa
The Yellow Shark
Best: G Spot Tornado
Worst: Welcome to the United States |
| 47 |  | Frank Zappa
The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life
Best: Zoot Allures
Worst: Sunshine of Your Love |
| 46 |  | Frank Zappa
Tinsel Town Rebellion
Best: Easy Meat
Worst: The Blue Light |
| 45 |  | Frank Zappa
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Vol 3
Best: King Kong
Worst: Bobby Brown Goes Down |
| 44 |  | Frank Zappa
Broadway the Hard Way
Best: Murder by Numbers
Worst: The Untouchables |
| 43 |  | Frank Zappa
Make a Jazz Noise Here
Best: Sinister Footwear Phase 2
Worst: When Yuppies Go to Hell |
| 42 |  | Frank Zappa
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
Best: No, Not Now
Worst: I Come From Nowhere |
| 41 |  | Frank Zappa
Mystery Disc
Best: Black Beauty
Worst: Skweezit Skweezit Skweezit |
| 40 |  | Frank Zappa
Chunga's Revenge
Best: The Nancy and Mary Music
Worst: The Clap |
| 39 |  | Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
Best: What’s New In Baltimore?
Worst: Yo Cats |
| 38 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Ahead of Their Time
Best: King Kong
Worst: Transylvania Boogie |
| 37 |  | Frank Zappa
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Vol 6
Best: Thirteen
Worst: Emperor of Ohio |
| 36 |  | Frank Zappa
Guitar
Best: For Duane
Worst: That's Not Really A Shuffle |
| 35 |  | Frank Zappa
Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar
Best song: Ship Ahoy
Worst: Canard Du Jour |
| 34 |  | Frank Zappa
Baby Snakes
Best: Punky’s Whips
Worst: Baby Snakes |
| 33 |  | Frank Zappa
Them or Us
Best song: Sharleena
Worst: Stevie’s Spanking |
| 32 |  | Frank Zappa
Does Humor Belong in Music?
Best: Let’s Go to Cleveland
Worst: WPLJ |
| 31 |  | Frank Zappa
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Vol 4
Best song: Little Girl Of Mine
Worst: Take Me Out to the Ball Game |
| 30 |  | Frank Zappa
200 Motels
Best: What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning?
Worst: The Girl Wants to Fix Him Some Broth |
| 29 |  | Frank Zappa
Francesco Zappa
Best: Opus I: No. 2 2nd Movement: Minuetto Grazioso
Worst: Opus I: No. 6 2nd Movement: Minuet |
| 28 | | Frank Zappa
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1
Best: Big Swifty
Worst: The Groupie Routine |
| 27 |  | Frank Zappa
Civilization, Phaze III
Best song: Amnerika
Worst: Why Not? |
| 26 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Absolutely Free
Best song: Call Any Vegetable
Worst: Amnesia Vivace |
| 25 |  | Frank Zappa
Waka/Jawaka
Best song: Waka/Jawaka
Worst: Big Swifty |
| 24 |  | Frank Zappa
Studio Tan
Best song: RNDZL
Worst: The Adventures of Gregory Peccary |
| 23 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Cruising with Ruben & the Jets
Best song: You Didn’t Try to Call Me
Worst: Love of My Life |
| 22 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Roxy & Elsewhere
Best song: Echnida’s Arf (of You)
Worst: Dummy Up |
| 21 | | Frank Zappa
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2
Best song: Pygmy Twylyte
Worst: Tush Tush Tush |
| 20 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Best song: My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama
Worst: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask |
| 19 |  | Frank Zappa
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Vol 5
Best song: Underground Freak Out Musik
Worst: Chocolate Halvah |
| 18 |  | Frank Zappa
The Grand Wazoo
Best song: Eat That Question
Worst: For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers) |
| 17 |  | Frank Zappa
Bongo Fury
Best song: Muffin Man
Worst: Sam with the Showing Scalp Flat Top |
| 16 |  | Frank Zappa
Lumpy Gravy
Best song: Part. 1
Worst song: Part. 2 |
| 15 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Uncle Meat
Best song: Dog Breath, in the Year of the Plague
Worst: We Can Shoot You |
| 14 |  | Frank Zappa
You Are What You Is
Best song: Doreen
Worst: Jumbo, Go Away |
| 13 |  | The Mothers of Invention
One Size Fits All
Best song: San Ber’dino
Worst: Evelyn, A Modified Dog |
| 12 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Over-Nite Sensation
Best song: Montana
Worst: Dinah-Moe-Humm |
| 11 |  | Frank Zappa
Orchestral Favorites
Best song: Strictly Genteel
Worst: Pedro’s Dowry |
| 10 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Best song: The Little House I Used to Live In
Worst: Igor’s Boogie Phase 2 |
| 9 |  | Frank Zappa
Sleep Dirt
Best song: Regyptian Strut
Worst: Spider of Destiny |
| 8 |  | Frank Zappa
Joe's Garage
Best song: Watermelon in Easter Hay
Worst: The Central Scrutiniser |
| 7 |  | Frank Zappa
Apostrophe
Best song: Uncle Remus
Worst: Excentrifugal Forz |
| 6 |  | The Mothers of Invention
Freak Out!
Best song: Help, I’m A Rock
Worst: How Could I Be Such A Fool? |
| 5 |  | Frank Zappa
Zoot Allures
Best: The Torture Never Stops
Worst: Friendly Little Finger |
| 4 |  | Frank Zappa
Sheik Yerbouti
Best song: Jewish Princess
Worst: Rubber Shirt |
| 3 |  | Frank Zappa
Zappa In New York
Best song: The Torture Never Stops
Worst: Manx Needs Women |
| 2 |  | Frank Zappa
Hot Rats
Best song: Willie the Pimp
Worst: Little Umbrellas |
| 1 |  | The Mothers of Invention
We're Only in It for the Money
Best song: Take Your Clothes off When You Dance
Worst: None |
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