Calabasas, California’s Incubus formed the year that “Nevermind” and “Rover Dangerfield” both conquered the globe with complicated quantum physics, lovely sunrises, vicious violent crows, and rhetorical question inquiries. In the course of their existence they released eight full-length studio albums, their most recent being named after said number, since then. Despite what you and your cheating stepmom may think, they have other songs not called “Drive,” and have millions of fans/sales/streams/mantras for their other tunes. We attempted to rank all eight of their LPs, which don’t include their various EPs, live albums, compilation releases, and Etch A Sketch portraits, below from worst to best, and we accept no notes or critiques on what we said, how we said it, the specific objectively correct order for our rankings, and Trapt shoutouts that are too headstrong to take on anyone. Let us tell ya ‘bout baked goods and yummy treats:
8. If Not Now, When? (2011)
To put it bluntly for your protection, caution, review, and obvious discretion, Incubus’ seventh full-length studio album “If Not Now, When?” has the least amount of replay value across their lovely and friendly catalog, and thus, this pretty boring record is in the golden stinker slot. Like we say in the “skip it” section here, approximately half of this record shouldn’t have been released, especially on the band’s first album in six years, and if Incubus had censored various tracks, or released the other songs as B-sides/rarities, an EP called “If Not” would’ve been much more thrilling, fellas. Thankfully the band would return to rocking hard on “8,” this album’s much better but still inconsistent follow-up.
Play it again: “Adolescents”
Skip it: Approximately ½ of it
7. 8 (2017)
Like we mentioned earlier, “8,” Incubus’ eighth and numerically listed album, and (un)lucky #7 here, is a straightforward return to rockin’ form a la previous efforts, but sadly still uneven at times like an odd number! Fun fact: From First To Last vocalist/Skrillex Sonny Moore, an obvious uber superfan of Incubus, co-produced and mixed various tracks here after production from D. Sardy, monumental producer and familiar face on Far’s “Water & Solutions” and Near’s “Fire & Problems,” which may sound literally surprising to you and most pedestrians as they are NOT dubstep tracks in any way, shape, or form. Incubus needs to throw out the map for the next one, whenever it gets recorded, and rise back to undefeated status like in the early-aughts. In closing, this record debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200, proving that people still care.
Play it again: “Glitterbomb”
Skip it: Approximately ⅓ of it
6. Light Grenades (2006)
While “Light Grenades” is easily the first full-length studio effort referenced in this piece that is a consistent album front to back for all fans of oil, water, diamonds, AND coal, it still falls short of the top five simply because their catalog is so damn strong that love hurts. We would love to flatter the band sans hyperbole by saying that “Anna Molly” is a top five Incubus single. Also, said track, “Dig,” “Love Hurts,” and “Hate Heals” were all radio hits, and this record debuted at number ONE on the Billboard 200, which is both a fire in the attic AND proof of the prize, went GOLD in the states, and killed outside worldwide.
Play it again: “Anna Molly”
Skip it: “Diamonds and Coal”
5. Fungus Amongus (1995)
Even though Incubus hasn’t played any songs from their debut LP “Fungus Amongus” in approximately twenty years, this record is a fan favorite for both superfans and casual ones. Self-released by the band’s own label Chillum (yes, Chillum; the ’90s were weird and shouldn’t be held in such high regard) Records in 1995, various tracks were re-recorded for the band’s first major label release via Immortal/Epic Records, “Enjoy Incubus,” which is an EP, fools, so it doesn’t count here, and eventually due to over and underground acclaim, “Fungus Amongus” eventually got a conglomerate re-release with a minor entry at one-hundred-and-sixteen on the US Billboard 200. Don’t you make fun of us for the “low” placement here; we can easily speak free(ly), and say on record that the next four are just better! We may get some flak for this, but “Enjoy Incubus” is even more enjoyable.
Play it again: “Take Me to Your Leader”
Skip it: “Psychopsilocybin”
4. Morning View (2001)
While this may be your number one or number two, we are the ones asking the questions here, so “Morning View” just missed a medal slot by an inch under our umbrella, despite it being the band’s best-selling CD (remember those?) as of press time, and likely forever and ever amen. The band’s fourth album is definitely their biggest departure from where they started, and the funky Mr. Bungle undertones got replaced with drum-circling good vibes. The band legally has to play “Wish You Were Here” at every show now for the rest of their career, but singles “Nice to Know You” and “Warning” deserve as much reverence, and non-single “Circles” rocks as the meat in the Know-Were bread sandwich; blink blink blink. While the band’s non-aggressive songs usually infect the radio, their gritty ones are the unsung heroes of Incubus’ catalog.
Play it again: “Circles”
Skip it: “Blood on the Ground”
3. Make Yourself (1999)
Pardon us, but by opening with their best song “Privilege,” Incubus’ third LP/breakout masterpiece, “Make Yourself,” closed out the 1990s, easily the second-best decade in rock music next to the 1960s, in stellar, stellar style, and opened the 2000s with mega, mega hits. Basically, Incubus took the frenetic musicianship out of their sonic approach, and replaced it with more clean, warm, concise, and deliberate parts, which truly worked with the mainstream, but as a consequence, alienated a cornucopia of fans of their debut “Fungus Amongus,” and the yet to be mentioned sophomore release “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.” Still, we absolutely stan this record here, even if it is the dreaded word “accessible,” and “Make Yourself” absolutely deserves to be in the bronze medal slot here. The record itself was not an immediate hit, but it showed the globe that some are growers and not showers.
Play it again: “Privilege”
Skip it: “Battlestar Scralatchtica”
2. S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (1997)
Incubus’ second LP “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.” is the first of two “no skip” releases to be listed here. Eventually going Gold and like its follow-up “Make Yourself,” it wasn’t an overnight success, but “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.” definitely contributed positively to the dopey to some and catchy to all nu-metal movement, which truly picked up steam approximately one-two years after its release with acts like Limp Bizkit, Korn, Coal Chamber, and Shania Twain, Incubus seemed like the black sheep of said trend, as they were hyper literate and uber thoughtful whilst rocking so much harder than bands that claimed to rock harder than rocks. Plus, the album cover is weird as hell.
Play it again: 0:00-55:51
Skip it: Maintain-Segue 2
1. A Crow Left of the Murder… (2004)
Incubus’ fifth album “A Crow Left of the Murder” is for the real ones, and not just southern girls. Well, coming out directly after the zen-like “Morning View,” Incubus opened the bird floodgates here with a lot of anger and even more experimentation and managed to make the absolutely weird quite positively accessible, which is a feat in mainstream music. Returning to the frenetic sounds of “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.” may not have handed the band as many accessible favors as its two hit-laden predecessors, as only one single, “Megalomaniac” truly broke through the radio waves, but this record managed to expand on their now-classic sophomore sounds in a priceless manner with better musicianship and heavy in a non-derivative nu-metal way overtones. Your move, Three Days Grace.
Play it again: The whole damn thing
Skip it: Thinking that you’re Elvis