The Killers albums, ranked: where does ‘Pressure Machine’ rank?

The Killers released another album, and it’s basically Utah.
In mid-August, The Killers released their new studio album, “Pressure Machine,” which explores the far side of Utah. In the album, singer Brandon Flowers, who lived in Nephi when he was young, reflects on his childhood in small-town Utah. Throughout the album, we hear clips of small town residents – from Nephi or Spanish Fork, it seems – reflecting on their lives. The album is full of talk about meeting expectations and losing dreams. It’s a deep album, full of reflections and rusty reminiscences.
But is âPressure Machineâ one of the band’s best albums? Or is he reaching the bottom of the ladder because of his sad and depressing nature?
We decided to rank all of The Killers albums from worst to best. This is based only on our opinions and not on an official ranking.
To note: This list will include “Sawdust” and “Don’t Waste Your Wishes” – two of the band’s compilation albums. We will not include “Direct Hits” because it is essentially a top hits album. That said, the album contains two excellent tracks – “Shot at the Night” and “Just Another Girl” – which are worth listening to.
9 – Don’t Waste Your Wishes (2016)
For years, The Killers have released Christmas singles during the holiday season. But in 2016, an album of all songs became available on Apple Music (it was later added to Spotify). The compilation is an excellent summary of Christmas tunes, including the bop “Christmas in LA” and the Utah-themed cover “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”. It’s not the best Killers album overall, but it does have some standard hits that are perfect for the holiday season.
8 – Sawdust (2007)
These early songs from The Killers made their way onto a compilation album. And it’s really not a bad collection of tracks. Some songs have had their moment in the sun – like “Tranquilize” and “Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll”. There are other hits like “Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf”, which would be linked to the songs “Midnight Show” and “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”. Meanwhile, âUnder the Gunâ is another good deep cut. But really, the album has no thread since it’s a compilation job. Nonetheless, it does have some basic Killers music if you are looking for tunes you haven’t heard before.
7 – Implosion of the mirage (2020)
Although âImplosing the Mirageâ was released during the pandemic, it was expected long before the pandemic happened. The album seems a bit compact and tight, losing the epic of “Wonderful Wonderful” and “Battle Born”. But this is The Killers’ first Utah-era album. The album was recorded in Utah and faces the undying love Brandon Flowers feels for his wife. The album contains strong songs – although none of them turned into a hit – that go very well together. “My Own Soul’s Warning”, “Dying Breed” and “Imploding the Mirage” are solid dance-rock hits from Killers. “When the Dreams Run Dry” has the beauty and soul of “Have All Songs Been Written?” It’s a nice album without the large scale songs from previous Killers albums.
6 – Day and age (2008)
When this album first came out, it was a bit risky. There were different musical elements of “Sam’s Town” focused on rock. But it is sparkling with themes of space, humanity and fantasy. This album has aged well. It is full of hit singles like “Human” and “Spaceman”. But even lesser-known songs like âLosing Touchâ and âGoodnight, Travel Wellâ still clatter. The most legendary song on the album is still probably “A Dustland Fairytale”, which was a hit at the time and was remade more recently with Bruce Springsteen involved. While this album may have been a risk, it was a risk that paid off over time. Having said that, it is one of the most forgotten Killers albums.
5 – Pressure machine (2021)
“Pressure Machine” is possibly The Killers’ darkest album since “Hot Fuss”. If “Hot Fuss” is a run in an underground London nightclub, “Pressure Machine” is a walk in a rusty Utah town. Another Utah-era album, “Pressure Machine” is about the dreams of those stuck in small towns and the journey small town dwellers go through in their lives. Some escape, others stay. It’s a reflection album that feels more like personal storytelling. There are no radio hits on this album either. In the years to come, I might see songs from this album, like the haunting hits “Desperate Things” and “Pressure Machine”. This is truly an album of deep tracks (which are songs unpopular for the masses but popular with hardcore fans), which will likely be brought to the road on trivia nights.
4 – Sam’s Town (2006)
“Sam’s Town” takes a different turn as the band’s second album. While the group’s debut album “Hot Fuss” felt like a nighttime walk through a dark, underground world, “Sam’s Town” takes us to the outskirts of Las Vegas. This is our first trip to Nevada with The Killers, which is a recurring theme in future albums. It is essential that the Killers listen to songs such as “When You Were Young” and “Read My Mind”. But there are a few streaks on this album, which don’t click as well as the songs on “Hot Fuss”.
3 – Wonderful Wonderful (2017)
There was a five-year hiatus for The Killers before this album. Once again Flowers embarked on the solo album career before returning for “Wonderful Wonderful”. Rather than a collection of songs, the album felt like a linked story. It has the Nevadan vibes of “Battle Born” but with the basic feel of “Sam’s Town”. The most popular songs include “The Man”, which had a long radio broadcast in 2017, and “Run For Over”. Other songs give off Vegas vibes, like “Tyson vs. Douglas” and “The Calling”. There are some forgettable songs on this album, but the ending song, “Have All the Songs Been Written?” shows the epic last seen in “Battle Born”, giving an indication that The Killers can reach the high levels of beautiful music when needed.
2 – Birth of the Battle (2012)
It took the Killers four years to release their next album (mainly because lead singer Brandon Flowers tried his hand at a solo career). The new album came in the form of “Battle Born” – an ode to the great state of Nevada. The time spent away from the studio booth didn’t hurt the band, as this album was truly an improved version of “Sam’s Town”. Less gritty, âBattle Bornâ was filled with the heart and soul that would define the band’s last albums. The song had some hits like “Runaways” and “Here with Me”. And he has âMiss Atomic Bombâ, which is a prequel song to âMr. Brightsideâ, so that’s a nice touch. It’s an album that embraces the epic and the greatness of the music. stellar listening that shows the reach of the group.
1 – The hot story (2004)
There is no other album that surpasses “Hot Fuss”. Rarely does a band offer a classic the first time. But that’s exactly what The Killers did with an album filled with hits like “Somebody Told Me” and “All These Things That I’ve Done”. And don’t forget the mega classic “Mr. Brightside”, which has stood the test of time, remaining a hit song for over 15 years. Some may forget The Killers or not appreciate their new work. But ” Hot Fuss “can’t be ignored by any Killers fan. And the songs on this album will always resonate with those who heard the band in the early days.