# What is the best Death Cab for Cutie album?

> Ten studio albums spanning raw lo-fi indie, a No. 1 debut, synth experiments, and reflective late-career work — Death Cab for Cutie's range is vast. Which record is their best?

*By YPB Team · Published April 16, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-death-cab-for-cutie-album*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Something About Airplanes**
   The 1998 lo-fi debut establishing Ben Gibbard's confessional lyric style.
2. **We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes**
   The 2000 album developing the band's melodic intricacy and emotional directness.
3. **The Photo Album**
   The 2001 album that expanded Death Cab's ambition with lush indie rock production.
4. **Transatlanticism**
   The beloved 2003 album often called their masterpiece — exploring love and distance.
5. **Plans**
   The 2005 major-label breakthrough featuring I Will Follow You into the Dark.
6. **Narrow Stairs**
   The 2008 album that debuted at No. 1 on Billboard, featuring the epic I Will Possess Your Heart.
7. **Codes and Keys**
   The synth-driven 2011 album, more atmospheric and textural than its predecessors.
8. **Kintsugi**
   The 2015 album named after the Japanese art of repairing broken things, written during Chris Walla's departure.
9. **Thank You for Today**
   The 2018 first album without founding member Chris Walla — embracing synthesizers and nostalgic longing.
10. **Asphalt Meadows**
   The 2022 twelfth album blending guitar rock with electronics, reflecting on American decline.

Tags: music, indie, death cab for cutie