Swordfishtrombones
by Tom Waits
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Tom Waits bestography
Swordfishtrombones is ranked 2nd best out of 27 albums by Tom Waits on BestEverAlbums.com.
The best album by Tom Waits is Rain Dogs which is ranked number 113 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 11,201.
(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).
Listen to Swordfishtrombones on YouTube
Swordfishtrombones track list
The tracks on this album have an average rating of 82 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).
Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.
Swordfishtrombones rankings
Calculated from aggregate positions across 60,000 charts (2 million album rankings). Click to see how the rankings are calculated (Last updated: 2 hours ago)
| Year | Source | Chart | Rank | Rank Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |  covecove | Favorite Albums 500-401 | 23/100 | - |
| 2026 |  Rhyner | Top 19 Music Albums of 1983 | 14/19 | 2 |
| 2026 |  meccalecca | Top 49 Music Albums of 1983 | 13/49 | 4 |
| 2026 | Hyggevinyl | Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | 19/100 | 16 |
| 2026 | covecove | Top 50 Music Albums of 1983 | 2/50 | 5 |
| 2026 | Exist-en-ciel | Top 68 Music Albums of 1983 | 22/68 | 3 |
| 2026 |  Romanelli | My Overall Chart: 2201-2300 | 39/100 | - |
| 2026 | fabm0 | List 1983 | 54/100 | - |
| 2026 |  arthurbittencourt | Top 99 Music Albums of the 1980s | 59/99 | 8 |
| 2026 |  btener11 | Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | 72/100 | 28 |
| Total Charts: The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. | 629 | |||
| Total Rank Score: The total rank score. | 4,470 | |||
Swordfishtrombones collection
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Swordfishtrombones ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 3 ratings for this album. | Show all 761 ratings for this album.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Album ratings | Avg. album rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 09/01/2026 15:23 | AndyLish79 | 505 | 81/100 |
| ! | 09/01/2026 01:51 | xhitmanx | 1,573 | 76/100 |
| ! | 04/11/2026 22:13 | Rhyner | 1,734 | 59/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)
This album is rated in the top 1% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 81.4/100, a mean average of 80.1/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 81.5/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.9.
Swordfishtrombones favourites
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Forum mentions
BestEverAlbums 08/22/2026 08:00 in Chart of the day (#5412): By BraddlesHendo BestEverAlbums 08/17/2026 08:00 in Chart of the day (#5407): By CharadeSwordfishtrombones comments
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HoldenM 02/06/2026 19:48 | #313032
The exact album I've been waiting for from Waits. There have been flashes here and there. Murmurs of the underbelly that he'd peek in on from time to time without embracing it wholesale. And now, here we are. The Tom Waits we know and love, in all his maniacal glory. A major reinvention with glimpses of his softer side. But it's all there. All of the sinister humor and observation finally realized with songs and stories that draw you into the middle of them. Chaotic, electrifying, and singular in its voice. (Edited)
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This is the first I've heard of Tom Waits, and I'm wondering where this has been my entire life. This is daring music, and Waits attacks it with such infectious confidence, as if he's been singing these songs his whole life. There is so much variety in these 15 tracks--every new song feels like a curveball, and the album somehow seems to get better the longer it goes on. Among other things, Swordfishtrombones deftly explores humor, beauty, loneliness, and small-town nostalgia. As others have mentioned, I feel like I'm at a smoke-filled bar listening to various characters animatedly telling stories about their lives. This album sparkles with genius, straddling traditionalism and the avant-garde simultaneously. Americana at its finest. (Edited)
Brad1770 03/05/2023 07:15 | #294723
A loose concept album of sorts around titular main protagonist Frank, ‘swordfishtrombones’ is the perfect entry point for anyone looking to explore the Waits catalogue.
This album is so unique and good at the same time. It has a vibe of a drunken guy telling you stories in a bar over some jazz and blues instrumentals. I prefer his weird singing than spoken word, but I don't mind it very much. My favorite tracks are Underground and Swordfishtrombone, they are just magnificent. I would also like to highlight 16 Shells From A 30.6, In The Neighborhood (which sounds like weird Springsteen) and Down, Down, Down. Some instrumentals like Dave The Butcher are eerie, but it only adds to the atmosphere of a record.
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