What is the best indie album — band or solo artist?

Some of indie music's most revered albums were created by tight-knit bands; others were the singular vision of one artist alone. This ranking pits the greatest indie band albums against the finest solo indie records — which format has produced the ultimate masterpiece? Cast your vote!

Funeral — Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire's 2004 debut band album, a communal orchestral indie rock achievement about loss and community.

1/14

Either/Or — Elliott Smith

Elliott Smith's 1997 solo record, intimate acoustic folk of extraordinary personal depth.

2/14

Boxer — The National

The National's 2007 band album, a collective literary indie rock statement of melancholic brilliance.

3/14

Illinois — Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens' 2005 solo orchestral folk vision, one man's sprawling 50-state concept.

4/14

Is This It — The Strokes

The Strokes' 2001 band debut, five New Yorkers reinventing rock cool for a new century.

5/14

For Emma — Bon Iver

Bon Iver's 2007 solo debut, Justin Vernon alone in a cabin creating something miraculous.

6/14

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot — Wilco

Wilco's 2002 band album, a collaborative experimental rock deconstruction of Americana.

7/14

Punisher — Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers' 2020 solo album, a singular indie folk vision of quiet devastation.

8/14

In the Aeroplane — Neutral Milk Hotel

Neutral Milk Hotel's 1998 album — technically a band but driven entirely by Jeff Mangum's singular vision.

9/14

Merriweather — Animal Collective

Animal Collective's 2009 band album, a collective psychedelic pop experiment yielding euphoric results.

10/14

Carrie & Lowell — Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens' 2015 solo grief album, voice and guitar stripped to their most vulnerable.

11/14

The Record — boygenius

boygenius' 2023 band debut, three indie solo stars becoming greater than the sum of their parts.

12/14

Sound of Silver — LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem's 2007 band album, James Murphy leading a dance-punk collective to a career peak.

13/14

Puberty 2 — Mitski

Mitski's 2016 solo album, one artist's raw and urgent indie rock statement.

14/14