Top 50 Stoner Albums to Give You a Contact High
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Like ketchup and french fries, like peanut butter and jelly, weed and music are always a welcome combination. The pairing fits almost any occasion, from quiet moments of soul-searching to uproarious house parties, private epiphanies to the largest social movements of the last hundred years. Whenever great albums are being spun, marijuana finds a place, and wherever a skunky smell hangs over coughs and giggles, music has a way of making things that much better.
In celebration of this unbeatable combination we put together the 50 greatest stoner albums from the worlds of pop, hip-hop, electronic, rock, and heavy metal. We present this list not to have the final say, but in the long tradition of, “Yo dude, did you ever think about…?” that has sparked such great conversations in smoke-outs from the beginning of time.
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Whether you grind it, roll it, vape it, swallow it, spark up a J, light a bowl, or are just looking for a little contact high to get you through the day, here are 50 classic LPs that will boost you into outer space.
— Wren Graves
Features Editor
Editor’s Note: To help elevate your listening experience to the albums on this list, check out the 4/20 sale on the Consequence Shop, where all CBD, Delta-8, and THC-O products and accessories are buy one, get one 25% off through April 30th, 2023.
50. Tame Impala – Lonerism
Lonerism is the pinnacle of Tame Impala’s fine-tuned psych rock fantasia. While their debut album, Innerspeaker, contains plenty of spacey sounds, Lonerism doubles down with an expansive collection of songs oriented around Kevin Parker’s love of pop music. The layered harmonies and throbbing drums on “Mind Mischief” strike the balance between sedative and energizing, the euphoric rise and fall of “Apocalypse Dreams” is as dreamy as it is epic, and standout hits “Elephant” and “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” are undeniable anthems suitable for many smoke sessions. — Paolo Ragusa
49. Warren G – Regulate… G Funk Era
Snoop Dogg was the undeniable breakout star of Dr. Dre’s 1992 album The Chronic, but the Chronic collaborator with the best no-skips solo album is Warren G. Regulate… G Funk Era is a sun-soaked odyssey, one of the defining artifacts of the west cost ’90s sound that was made almost entirely without the good Dr.’s orders. Even sans Dre, Warren G ripped off a stone-cold hit with Nate Dogg, “Regulate,” and the 12 guest-heavy tracks feel like sharing a smoke with an ever-changing circle of friends. — W. Graves
48. Ween – Quebec
Lose yourself to the 15 tracks of this 2003 album from psychedelic rockers Ween. The band’s eighth studio album makes it pretty clear what kind of atmosphere it’s hoping to create; the second track is titled “Zoloft.” There’s a colorful nature to the record overall, and tracks like “Happy Colored Marbles” evoke almost a childlike sound with its cheerful vocals and xylophone backing. The project is the perfect length for some cannabis-inspired activities — spend an hour with Ween and Quebec is guaranteed to take you on some kind of journey. — Mary Siroky
47. DIIV – Oshin
Oshin is a guitar record. And not just any guitar record, it’s specifically designed to offer as many satisfying, dreamy guitar melodies as possible. Though both the band’s name and the album title are intentionally misspelled, they appropriately evoke the rolling waves of the sea, cerulean waters, soft sand, and sun-soaked bliss. It’s appropriate for a daytime or evening high, and each chord change — like the wonder hidden in “How Long Have You Known,” the dreamy “Earthboy,” or the groovy “Air Conditioning” — is dazzling and emotional. — P. Ragusa
46. Circulatory System – Circulatory System
Hailing from the famed Elephant 6 collective, Circulatory System’s self-titled debut is as Beatles-loving, forward-thinking, and wonderfully fun as one would expect. It’s ear candy for anyone obsessed with “Tomorrow Never Knows,” fusing sonic worlds and splitting atoms to uncover new universes of psychedelic pop. There are tight harmonies, unconventional instrumentation, and just about every effect that’s ever been invented. It’s a perfect trip. — Jonah Krueger
45. Monster Magnet – Powertrip
Alongside Kyuss and Sleep, Monster Magnet would help pioneer the stoner rock sound and burgeon the ’70s-obsessed scene surrounding the genre — one that still thrives to this day. The influence of the records Dave Wyndorf and company put out in the ’90s can’t be understated, particularly 1998’s Powertrip. Without completely abandoning the more spaced-out, proggier compositions of their early albums, Monster Magnet looked toward the touchstone hard rock of Led Zeppelin and Motörhead for this lean ’n mean collection of songs based on the excesses of Las Vegas living. — Jon Hadusek
44. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s Nonagon Infinity is, simply, an immaculate album to listen to while high. It’s psychedelic, unrelenting, and features strange imagery sprinkled throughout its lyrics. This recommendation does come with a warning, though, as each track seamlessly flows into the next, with the last song, in turn, transitioning back into the first. It’s an endless loop, and once you enter the Gizzverse, you might find yourself stuck there forever. — J.Krueger
43. Khruangbin – The Universe Smiles Upon You
Khruangbin’s debut album introduced the world to their unique blend of funk, psychedelic rock, and dreamy soul. As a trio, each member of Khruangbin is in their own paradise: Laura Lee’s classic and soothing bass parts, drummer DJ Johnson’s tight, controlled grooves, and Mark Speer’s kaleidoscopic guitar lines all converge in irresistible hues. For the ultimate moment of stoner majesty, look no further than Universe‘s stand out single, “White Gloves,” a love letter to a dog with white-colored paws. — P. Ragusa
42. Boris – Pink
It takes just one look at Boris’ stage plot to understand why the Japanese metal act has crafted one of the best stoner sounds in modern rock. With Pink, they offer up everything a stoned music fan could want: mystic soundscapes, massive guitar tones, headbanging-worthy ragers, and enough feedback to deafen an army of men. It’s loud, adventurous, and an essential spin for anyone looking to marry marijuana and music. — J. Krueger
41. Jamie xx – In Colour
After producing two The xx albums so austere they could have been in black and white, Jamie xx put the intentions for his solo debut right there in the title. “Stranger in a Room” with Oliver Sim and “SeeSaw” and “Loud Places” with Romy pointed to new directions for The xx, Young Thug’s “I’mma ride in that pussy like a stroller” launched him to stardom, and “Gosh” permanently warped how a generation of listeners say that word. In Colour is a 43-minute kaleidoscopic groove, the perfect soundtrack for driving along the beach at night or dropping shells down Rainbow Road. — W. Graves
40. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill’s one and only studio album was a game-changer on so many levels: a record-breaking, genre-transcending project packed with bangers. Individually, singles like “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Everything Is Everything” remain unforgettable, but the album as a whole is so aurally lush, with a steady rhythmic flow that moves you from track to track like you’re floating on a cloud. The combination of the music and charming interstitials, featuring poet/politician Ras Baraka playing teacher for a group of children, endure as great listening in its entirety — a stellar album to put on on a lazy sunny afternoon, with or without your herbal refreshment of choice. — Liz Shannon Miller
39. Dave Matthews Band – Crash
Is Crash the sexiest stoner album? No. Is it the most creative, inspired, transcendental stoner album? Also no. But is it the best representation of what it’s like to smoke weed? Not that either. But there is something to be said for lighting up a doobie and dancing in a field to “Two Step” or “#41.” If you’ve only ever made fun of Dave Matthews Band, never meeting them at their level and submitting to the ‘90s jam fusion fan that lives within you, try it and get back to us. It might just awaken something. — J. Krueger
38. Bongripper – Satan Worshipping Doom
Of all the bands with pot references in their name, Bongripper are perhaps the most curious. It’s as if the Chicago band is taking the piss, going full on with the weed imagery to distract from the truly magnificent long-form sludge metal it creates. Bongripper’s masterpiece is titled Satan Worshipping Doom and it comprises four side-long instrumental tracks: “Hail,” “Satan,” “Worship,” “Doom.” This sets up an album that’s quite a bit proggier and artsier than implied, but with plenty of stoner-ish drone/doom trappings to keep your average hesher locked in. — J. Hadusek
37. Slowdive – Souvlaki
Souvlaki helped solidify the blueprint of shoegaze, a genre that goes hand-in-hand with cannabis. Neil Halstead’s rich guitar embraces all ends of the spectrum, from fierce, cathartic tones to the softest, dreamiest riffs. His intertwined vocals with Rachel Goswell, whose featherlight crooning brings a rush of brightness, helps make these songs feel like a conversation frozen in time, with emotions rising to the surface like water droplets. It may be a solemn listen during a smoke session, but it’s got just enough drive and lightness to take you intriguing places. — P. Ragusa
36. Outkast – STANKONIA
On top of an album name already hinting at that “good good,” Outkast’s Stankonia parlayed the duo’s creative tendencies into the new millennium. Blending their Dirty South style of hip-hop with psychedelia, funk, and R&B, Stankonia provided the perfect soundtrack for Y2K survival stoniness. The frenetic “B.O.B” offers much for brain and heartbeat to process (in a good way), while one of their biggest hits,“So Fresh, So Clean,” boasts slick and silky sounds that make a great pairing for puffing out those smoke rings. — Cervanté Pope
35. Deftones – Around the Fur
Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter is known to consume copious amounts of marijuana and say some strange stuff. Even frontman Chino Moreno has suggested that Carpenter’s eccentricities are a result of “weed” and “paranoia.” Whatever the guitarist’s beliefs, he is also one of modern metal’s best riff writers. He established his sound on 1997’s Around the Fur, melding the tonal weight of alt-rock band’s like Hum with the inventive nu-metal guitar theatrics of the time. And people have been blowing Cali space weed and kicking it by the pool listening to Deftones ever since. — J. Hadusek
34. Pond – Man It Feels Like Space Again
Australian psych rock group Pond, who share members in Tame Impala, helmed an underrated stoner masterpiece on Man, It Feels Like Space Again. Just as its title suggests, the album is as cosmic as it gets; the synths bubble up and roar, the guitars jangle and drive, and frontman Nick Allbrook channels Bowie in a free-wheeling, occasionally silly vocal performance. Though Pond have a similar penchant for classic ’60s pop and psychedelia as Tame Impala, they take a lot more structural risks, and present themselves thoroughly as a band. Perhaps no song is more stoner-friendly than the bewildering “Medicine Hat,” a slow-burning gem that cracks open in the back half when a tidal wave of blissful sonics come flooding in. When you hear it — especially when high — you’ll never forget the first time. — P. Ragusa
33. Neil Young – Harvest
Harvest came at a time when Neil Young was doing something a lot of stoners do: reflecting. In 1971, fresh off the first stint of Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, a then-25-year-old Canadian songwriter retreated to his ranch in the California countryside. Recovering from the stressors of CSN&Y’s infamously tumultuous dynamic, Young gathered some new friends and old collaborators to chug out one of the greatest singer-songwriter records in history. From the perfectly folksy poeticism of the title track to the odd orchestral interpolations of its deeper cuts to the resonant themes and melodies that have made songs like “Heart of Gold” and “Old Man” enduring classics, Harvest is a warm, insightful portrait of North American life, and one hell of a vibe. — Jo Vito
32. J Dilla – Donuts
With soulful samples and an approach to beats that Daru Jones recently hailed as “drunken, un-quantized drum patterns,” J Dilla’s music sounded simultaneously grand and bespoke, like a renaissance sculpture, with the rare flaws only serving as a reminder that an actual person made this with their own two hands. Welcome 2 Detroit was perhaps more important in music history, but for sheer sparkable listenability, nothing can touch the mellow grooves of Donuts. Some producers spend their whole lives chasing a perfect drum sound, and then Dilla went and packed about 50 of them into a single album. — W. Graves
31. Beach House – Depression Cherry
The reigning dream pop champs have never been shy of embracing spacey, stoner-friendly sonics. In fact, any of their dazzling eight studio albums can be classified as “essential stoner records.” But our pick goes to Depression Cherry, a mid-career highlight from the Baltimore duo and one of their most memorable albums to date. Masterfully constructed and melody-forward, Depression Cherry is a record to get lost in; the title suggests a solemn tone, but there’s also a great deal of joy and wonder hidden in each track. “Space Song” is one great example of the album’s longevity (it had a viral TikTok moment last year), but it’s the hypnotic “PPP” that serves as the album’s stoner-friendly thesis. — P. Ragusa
30. Kyuss – Blues for the Red Sun
Kyuss are often credited with pioneering stoner rock on 1992’s Blues for the Red Sun. That genre has become a bit hazier to define over the years (pun intended), encompassing more drone and doom-type bands. But Kyuss — led by a young guitarist named Josh Homme — locked down many of the stoner-rock linchpins on that LP: the desert psych imagery, the weed references (“Green Machine”), and the knack for repetitive blues-inflected riffs played with the heavy might of Physical Graffiti-era Led Zeppelin. After the disbandment of the Kyuss in 1995, Homme would go on to form Queens of the Stone Age with bassist Nick Oliveri, the latter of whom has remained active in the scene with fellow Kyuss member Brant Bjork in the appropriately named band Stöner. — J. Hadusek
29. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
Some stoner albums are great for staring at the night sky and contemplating infinities, while others are more about giggling like a nincompoop with your buddies. Paul’s Boutique is the latter, a hilarious good time full of wily pranks (“Egg Man”), odes to some smokin’ and drinkin’ (“Shadrach”), and the “B-Boy Bouillabaisse,” a thrilling mix of experimental and sophomoric. Paul’s Boutique is for the smoke-outs that end with climbing the water tower or skinny-dipping at midnight in the municipal pool. — W. Graves
28. Spiritualized – Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space
Jason Pearce’s space rock masterpiece is certainly what its title suggests: One song (and joint) into this album, you may find yourself floating. Spiritualized’s influences are wide-ranging, but there’s a great emphasis on the majesty of American folk and gospel music imbued into Ladies and gentlemen. There’s a considerate effort throughout the album to elevate simple songs and melodies to larger-than-life dimensions and a widescreen focus. It’s an album that takes the endearing qualities of classic ’60s pop and blows them up like balloons — and all the while, Pearce is asking equally humongous questions about love and life in general. — P. Ragusa
27. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
Shoegaze’s fuzzy walls of sound will almost always pair well with weed. So, it only stands to reason that perhaps the defining document of shoegaze is a hell of a lot of fun to listen to while high. The gargantuan guitar tones and ethereal vocals sound like they were specifically designed to help a stoner ascend to a greater plane. Loveless rides the line between chaos and order, making it the perfect guide for when you’re high enough to unlock the secrets of the universe, only to realize none of it makes any sense. — J. Krueger
26. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Merriweather Post Pavilion opens with a sound like being sucked through a wormhole, and opener “In the Flowers” slowly coalesces like matter forming the first atoms. After Deakin and his guitar went on hiatus, Animal Collective’s Panda Bear, Avey Tare, and Geologist set about making a multi-layered, synth forward album, and the results reward good headphones. “My Girls” shimmers like sunlight off a babbling brook, “Summertime Clothes” crackles like just a little bit of sunburn after a day at the beach, and the punny energy of “Lion in a Coma” will peel you off the couch just in time to roll another dub. — W. Graves
25. Björk – Post
If there’s a Björk album to spin during a smoke sesh, it would definitely have to be Post. The Icelandic avant-gardist’s sophomore album showcases some of her boldest work, alternating between genres including industrial, ambient, electro, and jazz. The iconic scream on the opening track, “Army of Me,” sets the tone for its pleasantly chaotic vibes, and Björk’s surrealist lyrics are conveyed with plenty of emotion. Post is eerie, but in the best way possible. You never really know where the journey will take you. — Sun Noor
24. Dr. Dre – The Chronic
According to Snoop Dogg, he coined the slang “chronic” after mishearing someone talk about hydroponic bud, and when he collaborated with Dr. Dre on the latter’s album of the same name in 1992, it became an immortal entry in the stoner dictionary. Packed with 16 tracks epitomizing the G-funk sound, The Chronic not only grew to be synonymous with weed, but brought Dre’s signature production style into the mainstream. Highlights like “Nothin’ But a ‘G’ Thang,” “Let Me Ride,” and “Bitches Ain’t Shit” demonstrate the magic that happens at the intersection of funk, innovative beats, and unparalleled flow. Add in bonus points for the Zig-Zag-inspired artwork and for launching the careers of Snoop, Warren G, Nate Dogg, and more, and The Chronic easily earns a spot in your rotation. — J. Vito
23. Eyehategod – Take as Needed for Pain
The southern sludge of Eyehategod is at its tightest and riffiest on their seminal 1993 record Take as Needed for Pain. This is doom to the core, projecting images of rural poverty, drug abuse, and human depravity — harsh music inspired by the NOLA swamps and the region’s more despicable inhabitants. The longer songs that push six or seven minutes — album opener “Blank” and the excellent title track — are the most stoner friendly with their repetitious grooves and low-and-slow swing, balanced in the tracklist by crustier stompers and pit churners such as “Shop Lift” and “30$ Bag.” Sabbathian riffs have rarely sounded more sinister and extreme. — J. Hadusek
22. Pavement – Slanted and Enchanted
Calling Pavement “pioneers of Gen X slacker rock” is just a nice way of saying that these guys must’ve been stoned as hell when they made Slanted and Enchanted. In one fell swoop, their debut record’s opening lines use surreal imagery and a possible reference to one of history’s corniest pop-rap crossovers – “Ice, baby, I saw your girlfriend/ And she’s eating her fingers like they’re just another meal” – and things only get wackier from there. With Pavement’s sky’s-the-limit attitude working in tandem with their trademark lo-fi warmth, you don’t need to be high to appreciate the subtle brilliance and jilted humor of Slanted and Enchanted… but a puff or two wouldn’t hurt. — Abby Jones
21. D’Angelo – Voodoo
Just reading the credits for D’Angelo’s landmark 2000 neo-soul opus Voodoo might give you a contact high. One of the most celebrated works to emerge via the Soulquarians — a collective that counted Erykah Badu, Questlove, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, J Dilla, Bilal, James Poyser, Pino Palladino, Q-Tip, Common, and Roy Hargrove as members — Voodoo is a devilishly funky record hearkening back the genre-hopping ethos of Prince while simultaneously laying out a roadmap for the future of R&B and hip-hop. The LP unfolds less as a collection of songs and more as a free-flowing jam session, placing you on the couch to bear witness to those now-legendary sessions at Electric Lady Studios, which overlapped with the recording of Badu’s Mama’s Gun and Common’s Like Water for Chocolate. It’s simply bop after bop, with tracks like “Send It On” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love” presenting a mellow groove accented by horns, a meticulously tight rhythm section, and D’Angelo’s resonant baritone climbing up to his signature falsetto with profound abandon. Crank up the bass, sit back, and let the good vibes wash over you. — Spencer Dukoff
20. Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas
Elizabeth Fraser was never as concerned with being understood as she was with building a universe of her own, and as the voice of Cocteau Twins, she found power in blurring the lines between the tangibly perceivable and the imagined. The title of the Scottish dream-pop band’s masterpiece Heaven or Las Vegas seems like a stark contrast, until similarities between those locations start coming into view: bright lights, suspended time, the promise that everything will go your way if you play your cards right, the much more grisly fate awaiting you when you play them wrong. When life feels like a fever dream, Heaven or Las Vegas posits: What’s the rush in waking up? — A. Jones
19. Grateful Dead – Live/Dead
The Grateful Dead didn’t invent stoner music, but they did elevate it to a new height with their 1969 release, Live/Dead. Recorded at a series of shows played around San Francisco that year, the album captures the legendary psychedelic outfit’s ability to stir Americana, blues, rock ’n roll, jazz, music theory, and sheer noise into a dank stew of jammy goodness. From the cosmic melodic noodlings of a 23-minute “Dark Star,” to the irresistibly dancy grooves of “The Eleven” and “Turn On Your Love Light,” through the postmodern proclamation of “Feedback,” it makes sense why generations of stoners have light up to this moment in countercultural history. — J. Vito
18.Erykah Badu – Baduizm
Erykah Badu’s seminal debut album, Baduizm, is an essential 4/20 spin, even though the music alone is intoxicating enough to get you high. The record serves as an immersive listening experience. Badu’s effortless vocal performance over subtle jazz and R&B instrumentals creates a comforting experience, and the smooth transitions on this record connect thoughts and vibes. Baduizm will undoubtedly transport you to another dimension. — S. Noor
17. Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
Maggot Brain is an enthralling, psychedelic journey which feels like a trip alone. The iconic, 10-minute opening track sets the tone for the best dream blunt rotation, easing into an eclectic selection of sounds that pull from funk, soul, acid rock, and R&B. Funkadelic builds from each song, creating a vast soundscape with smooth transitions, most exquisitely between “Can You Get to That,” and “Hit It and Quit It.” Maggot Brain is a groovy, almost overwhelming explosion of sound. — S. Noor
16. Sublime – 40oz. to Freedom
The debut album from Bradley Nowell, Bud Gaugh, and Eric Wilson was far from a lightning bolt upon its release. But for a certain Southern California-dwelling audience, it became an undeniable expression of a classic stoner attitude. Its scrappy presentation of ska and reggae rock was meant to be played in stoner circles, Long Beach backyards, and surf sessions; the album’s endearing covers, particularly The Toyes’ “Two Joints,” were meant to be silly, stoned-out versions of songs they loved. — P. Ragusa
15. A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders
Phife Dawg and Q-Tip always had a sativa-indica chemistry, with the former bopping and cracking jokes while the latter charmed us into a groove. Following A Tribe Called Quest’s commercial breakthrough Low-End Theory, Midnight Marauders featured notably funkier samples with more messy sounds from original recordings. Engineer Bob Power recalled being told, “Don’t clean it up, we want this record to be street-style and gritty.” It’s all that and more, with “Electric Relaxation” marking the perfect point to pack a second bowl. — W. Graves
14. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?
The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut album is an essential spin for all weed-related activities. With this one, the Hendrix-led collective produced a near-perfect marriage between psychedelic exploration and hard rock. The record is filled with lots of different textures and characterized by the intricate guitar playing, which will keep you on your toes. A classic for a reason. — S. Noor
13. Radiohead – In Rainbows
At the risk of sounding pretentious (but, come on, it’s Radiohead we’re talking about here), In Rainbows is the thinking stoner’s record. It’s too involved to play well while you are utterly zonked out on the sofa and too emotional for it to pair well with a pleasant, happy-go-lucky high. Its relative warmth and indescribable reserved energy does, however, provide it with a certain relaxed catharsis. Songs like “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” or “Nude” act like a warm blanket perfect for a solitary cannabis experience, one where you’re perhaps a little too in your head – but also okay with that fact. — J. Krueger
12. The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Take It from the Man!
Take It from the Man! turned ‘60s psych and garage into mid-’90s grooves, with inspiration from The Rolling Stones to help listeners kick back and take everything in. Jamming out to BJM while toking was just as fluid as running through the tracks, which, coupled with the glee of the album’s instrumentation, surely led it to being regarded as one of the band’s best albums. Song titles like “(David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six” and “Monkey Puzzle” also give us something to chuckle about. — C. Pope
11. Sigur Rós – Ágætis byrjun
Post-rock as a genre doesn’t typically lend itself to being good stoner music. The eerie samples, jump-scare dynamics, and intense climaxes are, frankly, vibe killers. And yet, Sigur Rós’ Ágætis byrjun bucks the trend. Taking a dreamier, more optimistic approach, the Icelandic act morphs the usual apocalyptic, depressive tone of post-rock into a life-affirming, orgasmic experience. As soon as “Svefn-G-Englar,” the album’s first proper track, introduces its watery soundscape, Ágætis byrjun grasps you in its art-rock clutches and doesn’t let go for over an hour. Add a little weed into the mix, and you’ll swear you’ve been transported to another dimension. — J. Krueger
10. Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
On “Oh, What a World,” Kacey Musgraves marvels at “plants that grow and open your mind.” She lists this detail amidst many wondrous, beautiful things found on our planet — when she gets around to asking why and how it all came to be, she lands on “It doesn’t matter/ ‘Cause you’re here right now and I know what I feel.” Listening to her sweet surrender throughout Golden Hour is a breath of fresh air. These are love songs so radiant that you can’t help but bask in their warmth. Golden Hour finds beauty in space, fulfillment in our natural world, and power in its simplicity. Kacey Musgraves and producers Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian introduce many stoner-friendly elements to a country album; there are loads of dreamy guitars, comforting tones in each track, and a sense of calm that aids a high. It’s perhaps best enjoyed outdoors on a spring day in the late afternoon, with some weed or a refreshing drink on hand and a person you love right next to you. — P. Ragusa
09. Sleep – Dopesmoker
It’s crazy how far marijuana advocacy has come since Sleep recorded their hour-long epic Dopesmoker in 1996. There was still a deviance to it back then, just like when Ozzy sang “Sweat Leaf” in 1971. Signed to London Records at the time, Sleep submitted what would become Dopesmoker only to have it rejected by the label, leading to their unceremonious disbandment. Guitarist Matt Pike turned toward his own band High on Fire, while bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros would eventually form OM.
Yet, the rejection of Dopesmoker would lead to stoner metal’s greatest comeback story. Too good to be shelved, the recording finally surfaced under the name Jerusalem in 1999 on Tee Pee Records and quickly became the stuff of legend. An album that’s more functional as an experience, if you will: Matt Pike’s looping riffage and the sermon-like bellows of Cisneros in a constant torrential flow. After listening to about 20 minutes of this hypnotic repetition, a therapeutic calm sets in. And yes, this effect is enhanced by the use of cannabis.
Sleep would eventually reunite in 2009, due in part to the continuously growing legacy of Dopesmoker. With pot largely de-stigmatized, the subcultural defiance that may have surrounded such an album in the mid ’90s has now become celebratory. — J. Hadusek
08. Madvillain – Madvillainy
Madvillainy was a no-doubter classic even before MF DOOM’s untimely death, and his mysterious passing underscored just how thoroughly this man who wouldn’t even show his face had gone in cutting himself off from the public. DOOM’s collaboration with Madlib is both men’s magnum opus: 46-minutes of myth-making, nerding out, attempting to make sense of the world, and stone-cold weed raps. “America’s Most Blunted” opens with coughing and a massive bong hit before grooving along on fat-bottomed bass line, “Accordion” is a masterclass in sonic texture, and DOOM’s flow on “Meat Grinder” is both soothing and piping hot, like watching brats sizzle on the grill. Madvillany is as crisp as the first kiss of zippo and paper. — W. Graves
07. The Beatles – Revolver
It’s easy to make jokes about how The Beatles’ seventh studio album earns its placement on this list by virtue of being trippy as hell. And, well, there’s some truth to that: As The Beatles began incorporating wild technological experiments in recording with classical and Eastern instruments, the result was a totally new sound, a sonic jumble of ideas that somehow meshes beautifully into transcendence.
A song like “Yellow Submarine” isn’t perhaps as deliberately surreal as later efforts like “Octopus’s Garden,” but it’s in the same tradition. More importantly, it’s only one flavor to be found within this wild aural experience; as famously featured in the Mad Men episode “Lady Lazarus,” there’s “Tomorrow Never Knows,” a bold announcement that The Beatles were now operating on a whole new level musically. “Lay down all thoughts/ Surrender to the void,” John Lennon sings — until Don Draper turns the record off. He doesn’t get it, but the rest of us do. — L. S. Miller
06. Pink Floyd – Darkside of the Moon
Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is the record your paranoid mom warned you about. And you know what? She was right. Take too many trips into its artsy, progressive rock world, and you’re all but guaranteed to start craving the devil’s lettuce. It is its own type of gateway drug, one that’s a bridge to bedroom tapestries, incense, and a new appreciation for laser shows.
But while at times it can get a little intense — looking at you, “On the Run” — the phased-out nature of songs like “Breathe (In the Air)” or “Us and Them” paired with the more aggressive blues of “Time” and the one/two psychedelic punch of “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” make Dark Side an elite front-to-back stoner experience. Just don’t try and sync it up with The Wizard of Oz… totally ruins the high. — J. Krueger
05. Bob Marley & The Wailers – Exodus
We owe so much to Bob Marley. Exodus, his ninth album with The Wailers, contains multiple iconic thesis statements from the Jamaican legend: “Three Little Birds” has the oft-quoted “Don’t worry about a thing/ Every little thing is gonna be alright,” and the community-oriented “One Love” offers the plea, “Let’s get together and feel alright.” These are big, utopian ideas, core to Marley’s message and important in and out of context.
After a traumatic assassination attempt on his life, Marley wrote and recorded Exodus in London — but the bustling energy of 1970s London is nowhere to be found. Instead, Marley dug deeper into his smooth, effortless songwriting, and made his statements clear and exact. Marley’s likeness will perhaps forever be tied to cannabis culture, but so will his message: Let’s get together and feel alright. What more could you ask for? — P. Ragusa
04. Electric Wizard – Dopethrone
Electric Wizard’s masterpiece Dopethrone was recorded under the influence of “copious amounts of weed and booze” according to bassist Tim Bagshaw. Taking drugs to make music to take drugs to, in the words of Spacemen 3.
The captivating haze of riffs “Dopethrone,” “Funeralopolis,” and “We Hate You” is the sound of a band both effortlessly locked in, yet adrift just enough to steer the jams through hidden passages that are perhaps obscured to the sober mind. The Wizard obsessively explore the bizarre on Dopethrone, conjuring an occult atmosphere that’s enhanced by an unconventional, almost deliberately muddy mix (a source of controversy within the band at the time). It’s a stoner metal seance that forgoes some of the genre’s cheesier musical aspects in favor of the doomy elegance of Sabbath or Cathedral. Still, they slapped a Tolkien-esque wizard with a bong on the cover, giving the almighty nug its rightful artistic acknowledgement. — J. Hadusek
03. The Flaming Lips — Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Frankly, any number of The Flaming Lips albums could have made this list. From the scuzzy, whacked-out rock of their early days to the introspective, masterfully crafted Soft Bulletin to the eclecticism of their last few projects, Flaming Lips records might as well come prepackaged with a suggested drug pairing. And yet, if we’re forced to pick just one, it’s hard to beat the wonderfully psychedelic, intensely vibe-y, highly conceptual Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
As a whole, Yoshimi offers everything you could possibly want from a smoke session soundtrack. There are high-energy sing-a-longs, moody tone poems, maximalist studio trickery, and a loose storyline to boot. Not to mention the actual sonics of the record, which boasts timeless synth timbres and perhaps some of the best drum recordings ever put to tape. Not to say that you need some grass to appreciate it, but there is certainly a side to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots that’s better with a little help from your friends. — J. Krueger
02. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
The hazy “Shaolin slums” of Enter the Wu-Tang are hazy for a reason. Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album has almost as many smoke-outs as it does sword fights, often sparked by Method Man or Ol’ Dirty Bastard and helped along by RZA’s rich soundscapes.
The album suits any engagement level — throw it on the background and bop along to the beats, or curl up with headphones and plunge into one of the deepest mythologies in all of music. The skits double as bits of world-building and the sequencing is superb: After a fun opening, 36 Chambers hits its stride in the middle and closes strong, including arguably the greatest five-song run of any album on this list: “Da Mystery of Chessboxin'” into “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing ta F’ Wit,” “C.R.E.A.M.,” “Method Man,” and “Protect Ya Neck.” — W. Graves
01. Black Sabbath – Master of Reality
*cough* *cough* *cough* *cough*
Thus begins the greatest stoner song, “Sweat Leaf,” on the greatest stoner album, Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality. Ozzy Osbourne proceeds to sing a love song to his dearest herb, admitting that it has helped him see the world for what it really is. For 1971, this could have easily skewed toward some hippy Woodstock pastiche, but guitarist Tony Iommi’s snappy riff and the head-nodding rhythms of bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward were downright crushing for the time.
“Sweet Leaf” and the rest of Master of Reality would lay the groundwork for doom metal and stoner rock as we know it. Black Sabbath were close on their self-titled debut album, but once the more overt blues influences were tucked away, the magic happened. The string of songs from “After Forever” through “Lord of This World” is an exhibition of riffs, and the delicate folk ballad “Solitude” approaches a proto-slowcore — opening up a different stoner side entirely. The album ends with the seminal “Into the Void,” which has been covered by numerous bands included on this list — Sleep, Kyuss, Monster Magnet — if that’s any indication of Master of Reality’s universal influence among the Weedian contingent. — J. Hadusek
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Top 50 Stoner Albums to Give You a Contact High
Consequence Staff
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