154
by Wire

154 by Wire
Year: 1979
Release date: 1979-09-21
Overall rank: 1,046th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
79/100 (from 315 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 20 albums of 1979 (19th)
Award Top albums of the 1970s (216th)
Award Best albums of all time (1,046th)

Listen on Spotify SPOTIFY
Product Details
Availability

eBay
eBay
WIRE 154 1979 Warner Bros BSK-3398 LP Vinyl Post Punk Promo Inner
Condition: Used


eBay
eBay
WIRE 154 1979 Cabaret Music Inc. BMI Warner Communications Company Very Nice
Condition: Used

$116.00


Go to store

eBay
eBay
Wire - 154 Lp Label Misprint 1979 BSK 3398
Condition: Used


  My favourite store:  

Wire bestography

154 is ranked 3rd best out of 29 albums by Wire on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Wire is Pink Flag which is ranked number 345 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 4,895.

Wire album bestography « Higher ranked (785th)
Chairs Missing
This album (1,046th)
154
Lower ranked (6,841st) »
The Ideal Copy

(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 154 on YouTube

Loading content from YouTube...

154 track list

  Track ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 81 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

Sort Sort by

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

154 rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 1,046th | 1970s rank: 216th | 1979 rank: 19th
Filter Filter
Sort Sort by
YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026Cheboygan74Top 100 Music Albums of the 1970s64/1007
2026 JMGL95Top 35 Music Albums of 197911/354
2026LittleM1971Top 70 Music Albums of 197931/703
2026 MadhattanJackTop 100 Music Albums of 19792/1005
2026 WasinskiTop 100 Music Albums of 197913/1004
2026Exist-en-cielTop 100 Music Albums of 197915/1004
2026 melisandreTop 85 Greatest Music Albums60/8531
2026 RockyRaccoonTop 56 Music Albums of 19797/564
2026leniadTop 101-200 Greatest 1970s Albums37/68 -
2026 flamingyesdeptTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s80/1004
2026 slatsheitMy top 101-201 (not a misprint)54/100 -
2026saltysurpriseTop 47 Music Albums of 197920/473
2026TroutMaskGregTop 32 Music Albums of 197913/323
2026cicadelicTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s87/1003
2026 videoheadcleanerTop 100 Music Albums of the 1970s11/10018
2026 HaydenTop 100 Music Albums of 197970/1002
2026cicadelicTrouser Press Best Albums 197910/10 -
2026 videoheadcleanerTop 100 Music Albums of 19792/1005
2026 Patman360Top 99 Music Albums of 197926/994
2026 DingerbellTop 10 Music Albums of 19796/103
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 273
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 1,663
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

154 collection

154 ratings

Average Rating: 
79/100 (from 315 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 315 ratings for this album.

Sort Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
80/100
 
03/25/2026 10:08 melisandre  Ratings distribution  28379/100
 
80/100
 
03/01/2026 16:33 O.T.  Ratings distribution  88665/100
 
80/100
 
01/18/2026 14:57 Exist-en-ciel  Ratings distribution  8,71770/100
 
100/100
 
01/03/2026 00:56 bkogz  Ratings distribution  91085/100
 
15/100
 
11/23/2025 07:19 NYAndreas  Ratings distribution  1,43344/100

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 2% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 79.3/100, a mean average of 77.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 79.6/100. The standard deviation for this album is 16.9.

Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating

154 comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 12 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:  
65/100
From 06/15/2022 20:40 | #286415
I feel like this is the darkest Wire record with original haunting sound, but I just don't find it appealing. There are some good tracks (I Should Have Known Better, The 15th, Single K.O., Map Ref), but there are some unlistenable ones as well (Indirect Enquirues, 40 Versions).
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 03/18/2022 21:31 | #283011
A very interesting and experimental listen that really captivates me with every listen. It sounds so mysterious and unique in terms of atmosphere and that is created by the distorted instruments and vocal. Mainly, it is the guitar which separates this album from other releases and you can tell that the group got very imaginative with the music on this one as the structure and style is so artistic. They can hop from genre to genre seamlessly especially on this record where you really don't know what is coming next. This keeps us entertained throughout and it is very hard to get bored while listening to this album. However, there are a few weaker tracks and this record does take a dip in quality when compared to their two bigger releases. Overall, there is a lot of fun to be had with this record and this group never fail to surprise me with what they deliver.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 09/08/2021 21:15 | #273567
Pretty much every song on this record contains elements that, up to that point, are wholly unique to them. Map Ref. 41°N 93°W is an important step into shoegaze territory, as is this album in full.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 05/25/2021 08:38 | #270042
It's unnerving, it mixes genres, it's dark but uplifting in parts - fantastic album! You definitely feel part of Wire's world as soon as the album starts and it doesn't let you go until the end. This one may rate even higher the more I listen to it!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 06/24/2020 13:05 | #254412
The final installment in the band’s trilogy of early albums this continues the evolution to almost robotic dream like futuristic music. This is just as strong as first 2 albums way ahead of their time hopefully more people are discovering the band.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 09/11/2019 22:53 | #242485
What an album...gothic rock one minute, stoner rock the next, than they hit you with some warped new wave textures. Brilliant.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 02/29/2016 12:02 | #161004
Map Ref is one of the most beautifull songs of the 70's
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 12/28/2015 17:54 | #155278
Un disco fuera de tiempo
The 15 es algo que muchas bandas de shoegaze en los noventa hubieran deseado componer.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 06/04/2015 20:55 | #143039
Touching Display sounds like something Scott Walker would record.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 12/23/2014 14:59 | #129989
The drawbacks in being blinded by your own arrogance are so high, that you haven't realised that you've made a fatal miscalculation in your proposition. Mass hysteria ensues.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment

Your feedback for 154

Anonymous
Let us know what you think of this album by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
Log in or register to assign a rating or leave a comment for this album.
Best Albums of 1979
1. London Calling by The Clash
2. The Wall by Pink Floyd
3. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
4. Fear Of Music by Talking Heads
5. Off The Wall by Michael Jackson
6. Entertainment! by Gang Of Four
7. Breakfast In America by Supertramp
8. Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
9. Highway To Hell by AC/DC
10. Reggatta De Blanc by The Police
11. Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
12. Damn The Torpedoes by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
13. Ambient 1: Music For Airports by Brian Eno
14. Metal Box by Public Image Ltd.
15. Armed Forces by Elvis Costello And The Attractions
16. The B-52's by The B-52's
17. Specials by The Specials
18. Setting Sons by The Jam
19. 154 by Wire
20. Singles Going Steady by Buzzcocks