The 10 Best Dream Pop Albums

Coined in the late 1980s to describe the slow, jazzy psychedelia by the British duo A.R. Kane, the term “dream pop” soon came to describe a genre of its own. Coalescing first around the trendsetting London label 4AD, the new sound discovered whole musical universes inside its gauzy lullabies. Three decades later, dream pop possesses a rich, generation-spanning canon of its own.
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The 10 Best Dream Pop Albums

[@chelseakeepsitreal]

I agree that Heaven or Las Vegas was the best album on the list.

[@shawnjimenez5334]

Chelsea Martinez I was telling my current girlfriend how when that album came out, ever girl that hung out during that time and heard it, ended up stealing it sooner or later... I'm sure I bought over 10 copies that year.

[@recuatico]

tod@s lo esperábamos.

[@chelseakeepsitreal]

shawn jimenez can u blame them lmao😅. Same thing happened to my Banksy graffiti documentary Exit through the gift shop. Men and women both stole it from me lol

[@hu-dp2kx]

I agree that HoLV was one of the best albums ever

[@user-dl9th9dp2p]

Cocteau Twins is still the best music I've ever heard. Deep and dreamy classic.

[@Chris.Treborn]

Heard her sing with Jeff Buckley?

[@coronahess]

Cocteau Twins they're THE Dream-Pop Artists.

[@thecitizenjoan]

Was gonna complain that Beach House is on the list 2 Times but they really are the epitome of "Dream Pop"

[@HeyHeyChey]

J. Montrice I can't get into bloom at all. The woman's voice pushes you out any bliss you might want to experience

[@nathanjs55]

True, but it should have been Cocteau Twins that had 2 albums on here.

[@EclecticoIconoclasta]

Mazzy Star and Hope Sandoval are for me the kings of this genre

[@nathanjs55]

Amen! Second only to Cocteau Twins/Elizabeth Frazier for me.

[@junepassingthrouthegate8810]

nathanjs55 Totally agree.

[@abelcastrejon7759]

Beach House ❤

[@OVXX666]

y e s

[@thesidik168]

Yehhh..!!!

[@Tburna02]

Yeeeeaaaahhh buddy!!!! Depression Cherry is my favorite album by them.

[@treasurem2491]

They are theeeeeee best

[@alternativstar5]

My favorite Band

[@user-gn2zr5to4u]

long season by fishmans deserves a spot on this list

[@rashotcake6945]

I’m waiting for pitchfork to acknowledge them

[@emmityemmity6159]

Honestly they’re so good they deserve a spot

[@Arcticneo_]

soooo overrated

[@moby9268]

The 10 Best Dream Pop Albums 1. Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas 2. Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See 3. Beach House - Teen Dream 4. Galaxie 500 - On Fire 5. Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out 6. Grouper - Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill 7. Broadcast - Tender Buttons 8. This Mortal Coil - It'll End in Tears 9. Beach House - Bloom 10. Juliee Cruise - Floating Into the Night

[@ggthewhale]

Team dream? Lmao bloom is infinitely better

[@Ocinneade345]

Absolutely agree with No. 1

[@nicklagoni7306]

teen dream so overrated reeee

[@lombremic4840]

Treasure is better than HoLV

[@ggthewhale]

@@OkaySoShit lmao yes

[@kylee1434]

Beach House is so dreamy ah 💕

[@Autissm420]

yes i love that broadcast made it on this list, honestly im shocked to see a pitchfork list thats not garbage!

[@fuzzydunlop4513]

honestly their lists about music that isn't contemporary are great.

[@Olhado256]

Why are you here then?

[@Autissm420]

Earl Lemongrab because i can do what i want you lemon headed fuck

[@marcobazan4187]

Hippy69 pitchfork is overhated

[@CrescimoneMatt]

Agreed so hard. Overrated and given too much status? Sure. Bad? Not at all imo. Much, much better than a lot of music sites. The people who hate on P4k for the wrong reasons (or no reason at all) are probably mostly either edgy teens or - ironically - massive hipsters. Also I think they deserve some praise for covering a fairly wide variety of musical genres, which plenty of critical sites of similar stature don't do as much.

[@anhoipolloi8670]

Glad to see Heaven or Las Vegas at n. 1. No contest in my opinion, but it seems a lot of younger guys never heard about them. Pitchfork gave them a huge opportunity.

[@matinajazmine]

The most underrated genre

[@pip6293]

cocteau twins have my heart ❣️

[@jaimesantiago1873]

stoked to see grouper on the list! "Dragging a Dead Deer..." is a masterpiece

[@nathanjs55]

Jaime Santiago that one surprised me, as it’s more ambient/drone than anything else, but is definitely deserving of this list!

[@josephblumenberg6574]

I'm gonna have to check these out! Nice work, Pitchfork!

[@Brytons_Thoughts]

Galaxie 500 was really ahead of their time, Today is such a masterpiece of an album. And their rendition of Ceremony is one of the greatest Joy Division covers I've ever heard.

[@Olhado256]

I'm not into dream pop at all but Galaxie 500 were special. Maybe it's because the vocals tended to be more grounded (and majestic in their imperfection) rather than the more usual dream pop cooing/murmuring?

[@danielb7204]

Earl Lemongrab this is exactly what I have thought for a long time. Really into dreamy music with grounded vocals, the airy female vocals get tired for me real quick

[@andeez4663]

Pretty good cover but I prefer Radiohead's.

[@otterdonnelly9959]

@@andeez4663 New Order's (if we count it) and Galaxie's are both better than Radiohead's imo.

[@boywonders]

Wild Nothing "Nocturne" would have fit nicely on here

[@Darticus42]

Derek January absolutely

[@Anthony-kp7sf]

but that would've been an actual dream pop album and they're listing literally anything except for dream pop. and also its not female fronted so obviously cant be on the list.

[@nursebridgie]

So goood!

[@traviscook3990]

@@Anthony-kp7sf beach house isnt dream pop? ok man.. and galaxie 500 doesnt have female vox either. zzz

[@WorldFungusChamp]

RIP Trish Keenan ;_;

[@ilsuede]

"Reading, Writing and Arithmetic" - The Sundays

[@nathanjs55]

ilsuede 2 that album definitely should have been included, over Yo La Tengo, at least.

[@EclecticoIconoclasta]

it´s number 15 on the list of 30 albums

[@nathanjs55]

I was happy when I saw that.

[@ErikBlankenship]

Don't forget "Blind", another great Sundays album.

[@iutopian9322]

Agreed. I would have replaced it it Yo La Tengo and also replaced Beach House's Bloom with Eccsame the Photon Band by Lillys.

[@johnathanw36]

Still corners is a group that I feel needs more recognition.

[@alterniemand73]

Great to see Broadcast in this list. But for me Haha Sound is their greatest and dream-poppiest album with so unbelievable songs like Valerie, Ominous cloud or Winter now. Rip Trish, a fascinating woman with a voice that brings you to your knees

[@PoorMuttski]

Man... I was sweating, worried that Cocteau Twins wouldn’t get a spot on this list. But, of course they got the No. 1 spot! Not sure that Heaven Or Las Vegas is their best, but it is definitely their most polished, before they started getting boring.

[@dougthealligator]

Beach House had the best hot streak of the decade. Teen Dream Bloom Depression Cherry Thank Your Lucky Stars No one touched it.

[@felixcharles9773]

7 > TYLS

[@Soundofsilver2007]

Yes

[@HectorEPagan-ld8bf]

The Radio Dept. are also really good. Amazing to see Teen Dream on here. Best dream pop record of the century so far. So grand.

[@Keyan28]

Missing Souvlaki by Slowdive

[@christopherhau3974]

Keyan28 Check out their Top 10 Shoegaze albums of all time and you'll find Souvlaki at a staggering number 2, though I agree Souvlaki set the tone of the dream pop in the 21st century.

[@KpopHwaitingvip]

alex g man! wassup

[@OblivionXE]

Dream Pop / Shoegaze

[@emilioo6350]

Essential for summer

[@smarty2985]

mazzy star will forever be my favorite band (edit) that and cocteau twins

[@Spontamar]

We need more of these lists! This one was fantastic.

[@ceiklosv]

Literally crying, amazing the inclusion of Broadcast♥

[@sonial1839]

I miss her too

[@antoniopedropessoa5063]

Lovely Pitchfork, although I expected some _The Radio Dept_ this is undoubtly good

[@isidromartinez5860]

Puro Beach House a la vergaaaa ❤🔥

[@lynchstan9745]

I haven't even finished the list, but I just had to say that it's dope to see Broadcast get some love. Goddamn did they deserve some.

[@SkinnyEMedia]

I often get confused between dream pop and shoegaze due to its airy, electronic, reverb-heavy nature. Something about Cocteau's music reminds me of the melodies of Boards of Canada with the spacey, atmospheric sound? Hope I'm not the only one?

[@wheresmyarm]

Juliee Cruise - Floating Into the Night Beach House - Bloom This Mortal Coil - It'll End in Tears Broadcast - Tender Buttons Grouper - Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill Yo La Tengo - And then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out Galaxie 500 - On Fire Beach House - Teen Dream Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

[@SkinnyEMedia]

Love Broadcast but I don’t quite consider them ‘dream pop’ but more ‘indie electronic’ akin to Add N to X.

[@JasonTopo]

yay grouper

[@pinku708]

Hey heaven or Las Vegas is by far the best.Good job pitchfork.

[@michaelespinosa9168]

How is blind by the Sundays not on this list? It's my #1 for sure. Harriet wheeler's voice is like an angel's dream.

[@twenty3electronics]

Their debut is significantly stronger than Blind

[@michaelespinosa9168]

@@twenty3electronics Blind is their finest hour

[@njb1126]

Cannot upvote this enough

[@njb1126]

@@michaelespinosa9168 I see what you did there

[@tommacari4103]

I agree, where are The Sundays on this list?????

[@yakman94]

A spot-on top 10 list from Pitchfork???? This is it people, the end is here, it’s coming

[@featherycoffee1401]

Well... The end was coming, you were right

[@totepssbm]

Anyone who hasn’t listened to Heaven or Las Vegas and likes any of the other albums on the list PLEASE listen to it

[@nathanjs55]

This is the greatest list you have ever made, but then again, dream pop is my favorite genre, so I’m pretty biased :) Just wished you’d have included Victorialand by Cocteau Twins somehow, as that was the true birth of dream pop, in my opinion.

[@wangdave5574]

I agree I was actually surprised there were only two Cocteau Twins in the top 30 list

[@brainproductions1]

Cocteau Twins deserved more on this list, at least 02 or 03 more albums described!

[@phantommagnolia]

Broadcast ♡♡

[@Gassyyetclassy]

Very informative. Thank you, Pitchfork!

[@casonfikes]

Not having Long Season by Fishmans on this list is a severe oversight on their part.

[@FunnyValentine]

Exactly

[@traderjoes7976]

Cason Fikes Maybe they consider it a song not an album

[@ahahaja1136]

Cason Fikes my fav song ever

[@levi-homer]

dragging a dead deer is definitely an ambient pop record but i’m not complaining liz deserves more love

[@SkinnyEMedia]

Where is The Sundays' "Reading, Writing, Arithmetic"?

[@mmmmmmmmmmmmm1109]

im so glad broadcast earned a spot. tender buttons is a hidden gem, so is Broadcast in general. it’s nice to see them recognized, i was expecting a wild nothing or DIIV to somehow get thrown in. R.I.P Trish Keenan

[@SkinnyEMedia]

R.I.P. Trish Keenan, a beauty within independent music alongside Bilinda Butcher, Miki Berenyi, Bjork, and Beth Gibbons.

[@belzebub6663]

mazzy star will remain the best dream pop act till the end of the world

[@nikokaapa]

I'd argue that "Souvlaki" is dream pop to the CORE. Shoegaze? Sure. But Dream Pop as well. Some clever person (@Haruhi) once wrote a review of Souvlaki at rateyourmusic.com and it went like this: "If Loveless is the noisy side of the coin, Souvlaki is the dreamy side. Yes it is a beautiful coin."

[@rigobertosolorzano8568]

I loved depression cherry better than the other beach house albums

[@50ShadesOfEndo]

On Fire and So Tonight I Might See are so damn good

[@SecretNUTsify]

LISTEN I WAS LOOKING FOR THE GENRE WITH SO MANY SONGS THAT ARE INSPIRED BY IT, AND I FINALLY FOUND IT! "Dream Pop" 💗

[@immersed.in.darkness]

My fav 5 dream pop albums of all time Beach House - Teen Dream Slowdive - Souvlaki Cocteau Twins - Treasure Galaxie 500 - On Fire Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

[@deniseshaharkrivosh]

i think Treasure by Cocteau Twins should have been on the 1 place tbh

[@mateosilvente743]

And Depression Cherry?, Beach House is pure Dream Pop

[@Soundofsilver2007]

Do not taje this personally but, Beach House transcend the lazy “Dream Pop” label.

[@crm114-PoE]

I would easily add Jay Som's "Turn Into" as an honorable mention here.

[@mothsinthecanyon]

I love that all of the musical transitions use high pass filter sweeps

[@IvanPerez-dr6rh]

But y’all posted Heaven Or Las Vegas #90 on best album of the 90s... quit playing with me P4K 😩

[@nicholasromig5506]

I don't think these ideas are opposed. if cocteau twins are the best dream pop band and released the best dream pop album, there may well still be 89 other, better records released in the 90s.

[@andylofgren1026]

I’d add Still Corners Creatures of an Hour

[@WinstonGuitar]

If you're gonna have one band appear twice on such a short list, you should have put put two Cocteau Twins albums. Victorialand is different enough from Las Vegas, and appeared much earlier - that would have been fine. Two Beach House albums? Not so much. However, the list would have been perfect if it had skipped the 2nd Beach House record, and put Slowdive "Just For A Day" where it belonged - a solid #2, just behind the Cocteau's "Heaven Or Las Vegas.""

[@nathanjs55]

Winston Guitar Victorialand is THE original dream pop album. Should have replaced Yo La Tengo on this list. Just For A Day is on their Shoegaze list, I believe.

[@Dangermoose-rv6bb]

Guys, there is no such thing as a definitive list. Just opinions.

[@nathanjs55]

Agreed.

[@EclecticoIconoclasta]

Also one by Hope sandoval and the warm inventions instead of the two beach house

[@nicholasromig5506]

Slowdive are shoegaze, not dream pop.

[@starsandspit]

Minipop - A New Hope. The best in my mind. Criminally unknown and/or forgotten.

[@nathanjs55]

starsandspit thanks for the recommendation! I’m going to look them up!

[@andresvillogas4025]

no Long Seasom by Fishmans or Souvlaki by Slowdive (which is more dream pop than shoegaze)????

[@SEGAClownboss]

Hey yeah, forreal, Fishmans is bonafide dream pop. I wonder if it just slipped by the staff. Slowdive seems more to be put in a pen with MBV as some sort of rival though, and it's why it can't avoid the connotation it is somehow shoegaze...

[@averyisland]

thank you for saying Long Season

[@sourcherry23]

Fantastic list, already heard most of these. 😊

[@andrefick2077]

Broadcast is criminally underrated

[@WibottaZu]

1 second into this, i clicked the video just so i can get mad when they leave out my faves

[@marianasampaioflor9376]

Fiquei super feliz por terem incluído "It I'll End In Tears" do This Mortal Coil

[@screamingtrees9619]

Among my swan doesn’t get enough love

[@rabit818]

I nominate Slow Dive "Souvlaki", Goldfrapp "Felt Mountain"

[@junepassingthrouthegate8810]

Knew that one was #1. Cocteau Twins forever.

[@michaelpyatt831]

How can you leave out Cocteau twins - Victoria land and treasure ?? Treasure was the album the cures Robert smith listened to getting ready for his wedding!!!

[@aeroxonemusic]

max & match - loona odd eye circle has some great songs, especially LOONATIC!!!

[@hectorg188]

No slowdive ?

[@nathanjs55]

hector technically shoegaze, not dream pop, though the music Neil and Rachel made as Mohave 3 would be considered dream pop.

[@nikokaapa]

I'd argue that "Souvlaki" is dream pop to the CORE. Shoegaze? Sure. But Dream Pop as well. Some clever person (@Haruhi) once wrote a review of Souvlaki at rateyourmusic.com and it went like this: "If Loveless is the noisy side of the coin, Souvlaki is the dreamy side. Yes it is a beautiful coin."

[@jesusrios9255]

Uhhhh Just For A Day is better than 99% of the albums on this list and definitely dream pop @nathanjs55

[@hectorg188]

nathanjs55 ahh ok

[@nathanjs55]

Niko Kääpä good point. I think the term was originally coined for shoegazers of the early nineties, and eventually evolved to focus on bands with less distortion. I was just trying to explain why it didn’t meet pitchforks criteria.

[@andyhodge9703]

Heaven or Las Vegas is by far the best on this list . Cocteau Twins should have at least another two on here though , also have you never heard of My Bloody Valentine ? Easily deserve to be on here .

[@sharinfool3825]

Love MBV, but they're shoegaze:)

[@thuccie]

love seeing any broadcast love on any video, and although tender buttons is great and amazing, i do prefer haha sound just a bit more

[@lowlifeisreal]

Where's Melody's Echo Chamber album at this list?

[@manny5372]

Perfect top 3

[@pwnfelix2]

Mazzy

[@The_RedVIII]

Youth Lagoon should be on this list. And maybe Metronomy.

[@dinastiachowfan1401]

I would put at least 2 more Beach House albums on this list. And at least 1 Lush album: Split.

[@pulykamell]

First thing I thought was: "Heaven or Las Vegas" better be on that list!

[@cjrichards4342]

Fuckin' Beach House is on the list twice but you couldn't find room for Mew or Candy Claws? Spot on number one, though.

[@stlfe]

Grouper!!

[@GoldenHairErik]

Here's mine: 10. Ceres & Calypso In The Deep Time - Candy Claws 9. Pygmalion - Slowdive 8. Teen Dream - Beach House 7. Sixty Nine - A.R. Kane 6. Just For A Day - Slowdive 5. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine 4. Treasure - Cocteau Twins 3. Citrus - Asobi Seksu 2. Depression Cherry - Beach house 1. Souvlaki - Slowdive

[@Llucmajorer1]

Never love for Dolores and The Cranberries

[@ryanades9605]

Wait this is actually a good list

[@chemicalcreatures]

We are a new dreampop duo, someday we will make it and be in a pitchfork video, you’ll see ❤️

[@sonial1839]

Cool but weird list. i don't think Broadcast nor Yo la tengo fit here, while they have some cool dreamy passages on these records, most of their sound relies on other directions. Krautpop and Noise rock respectively. In that case, why didn't you include ''Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev,Ladies and Gentlemen by Spiritualized or Disintegration by The Cure?, those are more ''dreamy'' in any case.

[@marcni]

Loved the list, but missed Radio Dept. and maybe even Julia Holter's presence. Anyhow, impressed to see Broadcast here!

[@IanMcCausland]

I actually agree with this list

[@thebugsterthebugster9376]

Where is M83? 😪

[@Dad_of_War]

Los Angeles

[@Soundofsilver2007]

His albums are bloated with too much filler and too many song imo

[@olivia1207]

Thank you for this!!!

[@SaulBadmon]

Y'all did Camp dirty , I'll never forget.

[@ea7490]

I'll recommend Men I trust, if u like dream pop u won't regret it.

[@bmwx3turbo]

Man I love this hypnagogic bliss.

[@Gus-111]

Para mí, Myth de Beach House es la mejor canción del género Dream pop.

[@edusvg7]

I would include Clinging to a Scheme and Nocturne in this list as honorable mentions.

[@murn3229]

I love that most of these bands are women fronted as i've always thought of dream pop as a feminine genre.

[@christianbolt5761]

I would put Cocteau Twins Treasure above all

[@gustavodiaz557]

Supongo que no incluyen a slowdive porque uds lo etiquetan como shoegaze, deberia estar just for a day

[@btrixlestrange6432]

I didn't realize yo la tengo was considered dream pop? Thought they were more indie rock.