Ranking All 23 John Denver Studio Albums
Get ready for a wild ride
When I first read Amber Walters’ article “Ranking All 20 Bruce Springsteen Studio Albums,” I immediately knew I would partake in the same challenge but for John Denver albums.
John Denver has more than 23 albums. However, I decided not to include posthumously released albums, live albums, holiday albums, or compilation albums.
One album I really love is Earth Songs and though it’s often included in the list of his studio albums, it mostly has re-recorded versions of previously released tracks, so I left it off this list.
My ranking is entirely subjective and feel free to disagree with my choices (respectfully of course).
23. Dreamland Express (1985)
I wouldn’t hesitate to put this dead last because John doesn’t even sound like himself. Some songs strike me as elevator music, while others seem like a bad attempt at cruise ship dining hall music. The love songs seem more cringe than sweet (sorry for being brutal).
Top three tracks (not a fan of any, but these three are better than the rest on the album)
- “If Ever”
- “A Wild Heart Looking For Home”
- “The Harder They Fall”
22. John Denver (1979)
This is quite a bland album to be honest. In some tracks, he attempts cheesy cruise ship dining hall music, which is a style that really doesn’t suit him. I would expect a self-titled album to be much better than this. “Garden Song” is amazing though.
Top three tracks
- “Garden Song”
- “Downhill Stuff”
- “Johnny B. Goode”
21. All Aboard! (1997)
All Aboard! has track titles such as “Jessie Dreamed of Trains,” “Jenny Dreamed of Trains,” “Daddy, What’s a Train?” Seems more of a child’s album — it isn’t a bad one per se and he does sing them quite well, but I am not personally interested in an album in which every song is about trains. A few good tracks save this from being dead last.
Top three tracks
- “Steel Rails”
- “Waiting For a Train”
- “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”
20. One World (1986)
I did not think too much of this album. I understand that it is lyrically important — “Flying For Me” was written to honor those who died in the Challenger explosion and at least half of these songs are about world peace and building a better world. However, there are also the most random cheesy love songs thrown in the mix that disrupt the flow. Overall, the melodies fall flat for me and prevent the songs from being enjoyable.
Top three tracks
- “Flying For Me”
- “It’s a Possibility”
- “Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For)”
19. Whose Garden Was This (1970)
This album is mostly full of covers that don’t relate to each other at all. There’s even a random “Jingle Bells” cover at the end. It doesn’t make sense why it’d be added since it’s not a Christmas album. The album had the potential to be better, especially with a poetic title like Whose Garden Was This.
Top three tracks
- “Whose Garden Was This”
- “Eleanor Rigby”
- “The Game Is Over”
18. John Denver Sings (1966)
It’s interesting to see where John Denver started, but I wasn’t quite impressed by his debut album. However, I do like how it’s a raw acoustic album.
Top three tracks
- “Babe, I Hate To Go” (the older version of “Leaving on a Jet Plane”)
- “When I Was a Cowboy”
- “Yesterday”
17. Take Me To Tomorrow (1970)
This is quite a bland album. It is a small improvement from John Denver Sings, but still, only two songs stood out to me when I first listened to it (one of them is a cover of a James Taylor song) and a few others are just average.
Top three tracks
- “Carolina on My Mind”
- “Aspenglow”
- “Follow Me”
16. Different Directions (1991)
This seems like a continuation of One World and he does talk about environmentalism. Which is great, but again, the melodies fall flat and there are only a few good songs here. The rest are just bland and forgettable. One song that impressed me was his rendition of the hymn “Softly and Tenderly,” but he’s written his own verses for it and made it sound like an Australian waltz.
Top three tracks
- “Tenderly Calling”
- “Ponies”
- “The Chosen Ones”
15. It’s About Time (1983)
This album is a jumbled mess. There are environmentalist songs and cheesy love songs that don’t seem very well thought-out. The greatness of “Wild Montana Skies” alone saves it from being ranked lower. I also like “On the Wings of a Dream,” which is a reflective song about life and death.
Top three tracks
- “Wild Montana Skies”
- “On the Wings of a Dream”
- “Flight (The Higher We Fly)”
14. Spirit (1976)
Sprit does have a few of Denver’s finest songs, but half of the album is downright silly (such as “It Makes Me Giggle” and “Baby, You Look Good To Me Tonight”). It’s jarring to find the breathtaking and heavenly “The Wings That Fly Us Home” on the same album as those silly songs.
Top three tracks
- “The Wings That Fly Us Home”
- “Wrangle Mountain Song”
- “Come and Let Me Look in Your Eyes”
13. Farewell Andromeda (1973)
This is an okay country album. It’s not completely terrible, but it isn’t one of his best either. At least it’s soothing for the most part.
Top three tracks
- “Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning)”
- “Rocky Mountain Suite (Cold Nights in Canada)”
- “I’d Rather Be a Cowboy (Lady’s Chains)”
12. Rhymes and Reasons (1969)
Released after his debut John Denver Sings, this album reveals early signs of Denver’s talent. However, most of it consists of cover songs, and I wish he had more songs like “Rhymes and Reasons,” which is a beautiful one he wrote on his own.
Top three tracks
- “Rhymes and Reasons”
- “Leaving on a Jet Plane”
- “Catch Another Butterfly”
11. Aerie (1971)
This album blends in with his other early ’70s albums like Whose Garden Was This, Take Me To Tomorrow, and Farewell Andromeda. There are some covers thrown in that don’t really fit with his original songs, but it is still more cohesive and overall, better than the aforementioned albums.
Top three tracks
- “The Eagle and the Hawk”
- “All of My Memories”
- “Starwood in Aspen”
10. Seasons of the Heart (1982)
Compared to his other ’80s releases with love songs, this one is quite decent. There are some songs on here that I don’t care for, but as a whole, the album is pleasant enough. I will say that “Shanghai Breezes” is an exceptional track that you need to check out.
Top three tracks
- “Shanghai Breezes”
- “Heart to Heart”
- “Perhaps Love”
9. Autograph (1980)
Autograph is not his best, but it’s not his worst. There are some solid tracks here that I frequently play and the instrumentation is consistent. The weaker songs pull this down to a #9.
Top three tracks
- “The Wrangell Mountain Song” (this was previously released on Spirit, but I like this version a lot more)
- “The Ballad of St. Anne’s Reel”
- “Song for the Life”
8. Higher Ground (1988)
Higher Ground was independently recorded and distributed through his own record label Windstar. It still isn’t quite cohesive (there’s one song about Australia, one about Alaska, and one about Paris), but at least the melodies in this one are stronger.
Top three tracks
- “Higher Ground”
- “Alaska and Me”
- “Never a Doubt”
7. Some Days Are Diamonds (1981)
One of his stronger albums, Some Days Are Diamonds is like an open road. I consider it a solid travel album. Even the songs that aren’t particularly well-written have decent melodies and percussion work.
Top three tracks
- “Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone)”
- “Wild Flowers in a Mason Jar (The Farm)”
- “Gravel on the Ground”
6. Poems, Prayers, and Promises (1971)
This one is a staple for John Denver fans, since it has the hits “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders.” It isn’t within the top five for me though, since there are three songs that I often skip. But it’s still a solid ’70s country-folk album as a whole.
Top three tracks
- “Gospel Changes”
- “Poems, Prayers, and Promises”
- “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
5. Back Home Again (1974)
If you want a heavy dose of nostalgia, look no further than this album. This is a solid album that captures what it means to feel at home.
Top three tracks
- “Annie’s Song”
- “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”
- “This Old Guitar”
4. Rocky Mountain High (1972)
This is one of Denver’s most cohesive albums. I absolutely love how it captures the essence of nature and the changing of seasons. It’s hard to feel sad when listening to this one.
Top three tracks
- “Rocky Mountain High”
- “Paradise”
- “Prisoners”
3. Windsong (1975)
I can’t really think of a bad track on Windsong. Some of Denver’s most beautiful and poetic songs are here. Lyrically and musically, this is one of his strongest albums. There are also great uptempo country songs for road trips (looking at you “Late Nite Radio”).
Top three tracks
- “Looking For Space”
- “Calypso”
- “Song of Wyoming”
2. The Flower That Shattered the Stone (1990)
Though Denver’s ’90s albums aren’t all that great, this one is shockingly good. Like the level of good that caused me to rank it higher than Windsong. It’s sonically different from his ’70s albums and in this case, it’s a good thing, since he tried something new that worked well. I love the prophetic lyrics in songs like “Eagles and Horses,” “Stonehaven Sunset,” and “Raven’s Child.” The melodies are fantastic and you can just tell he put a lot more thought into this one.
Top three tracks
- “Eagles and Horses”
- “Stonehaven Sunset”
- “The Flower That Shattered the Stone”
1. I Want To Live (1977)
Finally we are here — my favorite John Denver of all time. It is a musical wonder and has one of the most unique-sounding arrangements that are unlike any other album of his (for instance, the oboe and the strings on “To the Wild Country” make that particular track cinematic) and Denver really proves that he’s got an impressive vocal range in the anthemic track “I Want To Live.” “Singing Skies and Dancing Waters” is absolutely breathtaking and divine. He also does a fantastic job with his cover of Eric Andersen’s “Thirsty Boots.” While I love his existential songs the most, there are some light and relaxing songs here too that have great melodies.
Top three tracks
- “To the Wild Country”
- “I Want To Live”
- “Singing Skies and Dancing Waters”
If you are a John Denver fan, which albums are your favorites? Least favorites? Do you agree or disagree with my rankings? Let me know either in the comments or your own article.
