In the early 2000s a resurgence of interest inone of the UK’s greatest genres, Brit-Pop, gave way to some of the most moody, up-beat, dance-ready indie rock hits of the decade. Bands like Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, andThe Killers were grabbing critical acclaimfor their swagger-filled indie rock and roll. Influenced by the attitude of UK pop in the ’80s these bands followed the sounds of bands like Oasis and Blur.
With lyrics that focus on love, loss, and the life of excess, these groups form the base of one of the aughts most cherished contributions - indie sleaze. Of these groups one band was uniquely their own:Franz Ferdinand.
In 2025 the band released their first new studio album since 2018 and will be embarking on a tour well into the spring. As we look forward to what is next for the one of the world’s favorite dance-pop bands, let’s look back on their releases, all of which have made the band the group they are today. Here areall six Franz Ferdinand albums ranked worst to best.
6The Human Fear (2025)
It has been nearly seven years since Franz Ferdinand put out a proper release. We did see the greatest hits album in 2022, which added to their long list of remixes, one off, and EP releases, butThe Human Fear marks the first batch of new songsfrom the theatrical Scottish pop-rock outfit since their 2018 release Always Ascending.
WithThe Human Fearwe see Franz Ferdinand return to form with bright Brit-Pop guitar riffs and their classic brand of jangly, drama-fueled danceable songwriting whichdelivers a big sound on some relatively stripped-down instrumentation. However, while this album is certainly the most relevant, it is unfortunately not their strongest.
Songs like “The Doctor” and “Bar Lonely” are instant Franz Ferdinand classics. The group’s electronic experimentation on this album may be their biggest pitfall, but the track “Night & Day"shows a good return on investment.
Franz Ferdinand’s newest release evokes the sound we fell in love with without any of the edges. Like Roxy Music and the glam pop bands before them, Franz Ferdinand’s most celebrated work always featured some fuzzed out punk nods. WithThe Human Fear, the band has left their more surprising raw sound in the past for a more clean and trend-minded polish,abandoning the band’s strongest qualitiesin favor of some failed EDM experiments.
Given the gap since the last Franz Ferdinand album, and the gap between the last great Franz Ferdinand album,The Human Fearis a welcomed release, butit is hard not to have expected more.
5Always Ascending (2018)
Similar toThe Human Fear,Always Ascendingwas a feast for Franz Ferdinand fans yearning for a new studio album.Coming almost five years after the band’s previous studio release, and after the band’s celebrated collaboration with the American pop-duo/ brothers Sparks,Always Ascendingsaw the band trading their indie sleaze forgood ol-fashion disco-inspired pop.
Songs like “Lazy Boy” and “Always Ascending” are stand-outs. “Lazy Boy” is certainly an ambitious song with disco-electro footings under big, thick, Brit-Pop reminiscent guitar riffs and advanced time signature changes. “Always Ascending” gives us another lesson in music theory with its use of the mind-blowing Shepard Tone - a trick of modern recording magic where a note appears to gradually rise in pitch on-end, always ascending.
By 2018,Brit-Pop nostalgia was definitely in full bloom. We got our education with Hot Chip, Los Campensinos!, Arctic Monkeys, and others. When Franz Ferdinand announced the release ofAlways Ascending, they promised the same dance sensibility with a more raw, live sound. We have to wonder if that was more of a PR statement to assure long-time listeners that the loss of founding member Nick McCarthy would not drastically change the group’s dynamic.
I Saw Oasis Play Live In 1997, And No Reunion Gig Will Ever Compete
Even with 2025’s exciting Oasis reunion tour on the horizon, and millions spent on tickets, nothing compares to the olden, golden days.
WithAlways Ascending, Franz Ferdinandcontinued their slow exodus from the embrace of their first record. Fans will always reach out for an official studio album, but with their 2018 album finding new fans would prove to be difficult without any fresh new angle to the band’s upbeat flavor of dance rock.
4Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (2013)
I swear this is not just a list following Franz Ferdinand back to the beginning, but their work trends better as we work back towards the start.Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actionwould be the last Franz Ferdinand release with as noticeable a market impact. According toOfficial Charts, the record would peak number 6 on Billboard Album Charts and find success on charts all over the globe.
Right Thoughts…owes its success to a stellar line-up of songswhich includes hits like “Bullet,” “Right Action,” “Evil Eye,” and others. That being said, these hits should thank the band’s four-year hiatus for the catalyst - absence makes the heart grow fonder.
And, whileRight Thoughts…may have charted better than the group’s third album,Tonight, it would be a hollow celebration given the fact that the record was a lateral step at best. In the vein of “no news is good news” a Franz Ferdinand album that sounds like romantic idea of Franz Ferdinand album is surely a welcome release after what would be the band’s first dip from the public eye.
However, watching one of the aughts most hyped-up indie outfits go through the motions is a bit depressing, even if those motions do hit pretty close to home.Nostalgia would beRight Thoughts…strongest ally, but in the war of love and rock and roll, sometimes it takes one ally to turn the tide.
3Tonight (2009)
It took some deliberation to decide how to rankTonightandRight Thoughts…,both albums have their own merit and set of classic Franz Ferdinand hits.WhatTonightholds overRight Thoughts…isits consistency and creative approach.
Tonightis a concept album that soundtracks a night of partying and excess from first sip til morning. Following the highs and lows of living on the edge and out on the town, we can watch Franz Ferdinand focus oncrafting a larger arc vs rapid fire singleslike on their first two releases.
Even thoughTonightlacks the commercial flare of the band’s first two releases, it is not without its hits. “Ulysses,” “No You Girls,” and “Turn it on,” are a few of the hits that helped this album chart number 6 on the Billboard Top 200 and number 2 on the UK Album Chart. Overall, Tonight made a great splash on the market and included a more raw edge, which helped the band set the record apart from their first two releases without losing the Brit-Pop-leaning indie appeal which made the band what it is.
Tonightproved that Franz Ferdinand still had room to grow. Besides the extreme touring schedules and expected quality, Franz Ferdinand was able to do right by their fans and their legacy with their third record.
2You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)
Released less than two years after their debut album,You Could Have It So Much Betteris a flowery, energetic sophomore release. With enough infectious positivity to prove thattheir first record was no random lightning strike,You Could Have it…is full of the fundamental DNA of the frenetic Scottish art-pop kings of indie-dance.
You Could Have It…is definitely the most fun-fused record from Franz Ferdinand. When every other indie-sleaze, Brit-Pop influenced, electro-pop band was reaching for more “respectable” commercial tropes, Franz Ferdinanddoubled down on the energy of their first albumand produced a sugary, in-your-face, dance-floor-ready hit list.
Top tracks include the gleeful “Do You Want To,” and the more swagger-filled slow burners like “Fade Together” and “Walk Away.” While the record delves into slower material, withYou Could Have It…, Franz Ferdinand proves they cankeep a good thing going without getting stale.
The world certainly received the album well. It charted as a number 1 album across Europe and charted in the top 10 in places like America and elsewhere.It would also receive two Grammy nominationsfor Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for “Do You Want To.”
Counter to the wild theatrics ofYou Could Have It…, Franz Ferdinand played it safe, sticking with a winning strategy. Anyone expecting a more “serious” release or would knock the record for its overt playfulness may just as well not enjoy fun. It should go without saying that Franz Ferdinand never claimed to be stoic rock stars, buthave promised to take us on a wild ridewhile they do what they like.
1Franz Ferdinand (2004)
Franz Ferdinand’s debut self-titled release,Franz Ferdinand, stands as one of theoriginal big bangs of the indie-sleazeand synthy-dance-pop music of the new millennium. With their first release, Franz Ferdinand joined bands like The Killers, Hot Chip, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, and others in the newest wave of indie rock, fusing guitars, British eq’ing, and sometimes synths, to craftextremely catchy, dancefloor ready, radio-accessible rock and roll.
With absolute hits like “Take Me Out,” “Michael,” and “The Dark of the Matinee,” Franz Ferdinand earned three grammy nominations for the album and music video. The album also received five nomination for the 2005 Brit Awards, while they did not win best album for their debut, they did place first for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act. Not too shabby.
Franz Ferdinandreally had it all. From non-stop good-time rock and roll to the band’s iconic look, it felt like they invented skinny-chinos and misappropriated sweater vests if only for that year.
The debut record is definitely the mold from which Franz Ferdinand’s entire body of work is formed. And, with such a strong example, it is easy to see how, even at their most formulaic,no Franz Ferdinand album has ever really flopped. We may affectionately refer to the group as a singles band but they are not one hit wonders; rather they are a collection of many hits spread out across six studio releases.
