White Light/White Heat
by The Velvet Underground

White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground
Year: 1968
Release date: 1968-01-30
Overall rank: 168th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
84/100 (from 1,425 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 10 albums of 1968 (7th)
Award Top 50 albums of the 1960s (29th)
Award Top 200 albums of all time (168th)

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The Velvet Underground White Light / White Heat (Bonus Tracks) Records & LPs New
Condition: New


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VELVET UNDERGROUND "White Light/White Heat" 45th Super Deluxe 3XCD Box Set Book
Condition: Very Good


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Velvet Underground LP - White Light / White Heat - Verve Records V6 5046 Stereo
Condition: Used

$129.70


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The Velvet Underground bestography

White Light/White Heat is ranked 3rd best out of 18 albums by The Velvet Underground on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by The Velvet Underground is The Velvet Underground & Nico which is ranked number 10 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 38,499.

The Velvet Underground album bestography « Higher ranked (96th)
The Velvet Underground
This album (168th)
White Light/White Heat
Lower ranked (267th) »
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(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

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White Light/White Heat track list

  Track ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 86 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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#
Track
Rating/Comments
1.
Track pick (880 - 423 votes)
Average Rating: 88 (423 votes)Comments: View 2
3.
Track pick (860 - 352 votes)
Average Rating: 86 (352 votes)Comments: View 5
6.
Track pick (890 - 425 votes)
Average Rating: 89 (425 votes)Comments: View 14

Track pick (1000 - 100 votes) Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

White Light/White Heat rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 168th | 1960s rank: 29th | 1968 rank: 7th
Filter Filter
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YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026 NowhereManTop 100 Music Albums of the 1960s34/10013
2026jdizzle123456Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s51/10010
2026brent13Top 96 Music Albums of the 1960s43/9611
2026Cheboygan74Top 14 Music Albums of 196814/140
2026 imacgillTop 28 Music Albums of 19686/284
2026cicadelicTop 100 Music Albums of the 1960s40/10012
2026LittleM1971Top 100 Music Albums of the 1960s42/10012
2026 AfterHoursTop 100 Greatest Music Albums27/10072
2026 swedTop 35 Music Albums of the 1960s33/352
2026 HaydenTop 100 Music Albums of 19683/1005
2026 JoaoMoreiraTop 8 Music Albums of 19687/81
2026adbrack1988Top 29 Music Albums of 196827/291
2026martinthoTop 55 Music Albums of 196845/551
2026OlliTop 84 Music Albums of 19689/845
2026 EyeKanFlyTop 39 Music Albums of 196818/393
2026 JoaoMoreiraTop 61 Music Albums of the 1960s32/6110
2026 PurplepashTop 100 Music Albums of the 1960s5/10019
2026 scwrlwTop 100 Greatest Music Albums95/1006
2026 AleJohnMariTop 100 Greatest Music Albums28/10073
2026 neilgeeTop 100 Music Albums of 196895/1000
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 984
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 8,573
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

White Light/White Heat collection

White Light/White Heat ratings

Average Rating: 
84/100 (from 1,425 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
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 5 ratings for this album.  | Show all 1,425 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
85/100
 
04/29/2026 01:20 oilnoilnoilnoil  Ratings distribution  26977/100
 
85/100
 
04/21/2026 07:47 JoshN125  Ratings distribution  21285/100
 
100/100
 
04/15/2026 19:02 melisandre  Ratings distribution  26184/100
 
90/100
 
03/17/2026 21:32 nextorgd  Ratings distribution  1,19284/100
 
50/100
 
03/06/2026 17:26 stareaterogni0n  Ratings distribution  42571/100

Rating metrics: Help 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 83.6/100, a mean average of 82.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 83.6/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.4.

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White Light/White Heat comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 101 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
70/100
From 08/31/2022 03:49 | #289163
Solid album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (0 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 02/02/2022 16:50 | #280472
84.17

El disco más experimental de los Velvets. Tiene opiniones muy divididas. Para algunos solo es ruido, mientras que otros lo consideran uno de los mejores trabajos de VU. Tiene The Gift, tema que no me termina de fascinar. Y también los mejores temas, White Light/White Heat y Sister Ray. Personalmente no es de mis favoritos. Lo ubico #3 después de TVU&N y TVU.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 01/17/2022 12:25 | #279543
This is peak of the VU creativity, but on there is not their most accesible sound. Song like Sister Ray is good but works only in context of the album.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (1 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 01/14/2022 23:45 | #279398
This is probably the groups least accessible album by a long way but it is also their most experimental and interesting album to explore both sonically and lyrically. The guitars are allowed to pretty much just run free on this album and we are really rewarded for them doing that. We get that classic VU screeching guitar noise all over this record and there are times when they are fighting over which one can play louder which makes for some incredible moments on Sister Ray. The lyrics are amazing and so diverse and every time I listen to this record I am stunned by the genius and engaging lyrics that Reed gave us. They are delivered brilliantly by him as well. Every track is great and has its moments to shine and each cut is completely unique and the variety we are treated to is amazing. Instrumentally, I think they are at the strongest on this record and also on The Velvet Underground And Nico as demonstrated best on Sister Ray which is up there with one of their best ever tracks. Overall, an absolute classic from VU and while on first listen it may seem a little abrasive, once you have given it a few more tries you will fall in love with this album just like I have.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 11/23/2021 18:12 | #276597
Me parece aburrido
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 11/15/2021 18:30 | #276300
I live on a really strange island where I think this album is really underrated. It's SO different than the self titled and eventual masterpiece with Nico, but somehow captures the VU charm.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 03/10/2021 00:55 | #267160
This is the velvet underground a the peak of their avant garde period, and is their least accessible record. I would say it's a step down from the debut, but not by much at all.

Standout tracks: Title track, The gift, Sister ray
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 02/27/2021 16:57 | #266750
Incredibly ambitious noise-rock/indie rock record. Not as much a landmark as their debut, but definitely an album that pushed both genres forward and solidified Lou Reed as one of the best, if not the best, songwriters of his generation.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
5/100
From 02/06/2021 15:34 | #265905
This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -8 votes (5 helpful | 13 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 12/22/2020 12:44 | #263058
O melhor desse álbum é a sua sujeira!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1968
1. The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles
2. Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
3. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
4. Odessey And Oracle by The Zombies
5. The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks
6. Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones
7. White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground
8. Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
9. Music From Big Pink by The Band
10. At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash