Sleater-Kinney's 'Dig Me Out' Ranked Among the Greatest Punk Albums of All Time

Bands like Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Jack Off Jill were pioneers of the riot grrrl movement of the '90s, but Sleater-Kinney helped perfect it. Founded by vocalists and guitarists Corin Tucker (formerly of the trailblazing riot grrrl act Heavens to Betsy) and Carrie Brownstein in 1994, the band released seven studio albums during their active years before disbanding in 2006. They reunited in 2014 and have released four additional records.

Their real breakthrough came with their third studio effort, Dig Me Out. Released on April 8, 1997, the 13-song album had two singles: "One More Hour" and "Little Babies." At the time, it was well-received by critics. The Los Angeles Timeslauded Tucker's singing, observing that "she's obsessed with finding honest emotions within the cold machinery of the human heart." Entertainment Weeklypraised the album as a "fine example of state-of-the-art punk."

In May 2026, Rolling Stone ranked Sleater-Kinney's Dig Me Out at No. 5 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time." It even beat out Nirvana's seminal Nevermind. The outlet applauded the record for how its "tangle of emotions unfold throughout with ferocity and heart."

While Sleater-Kinney didn't shy away from tackling feminist themes, Dig Me Out really transcends gender. Anyone can relate to its lyrical meditation on heartbreak, relationships, and survival. It's an achingly vulnerable work with thrashing, dynamic guitars and visceral vocals to match. The album made its mark on punk then, and it still endures as a jewel of the genre now. Dig Me Out is timeless on the relistening front. It gets better with age.

In addition to ranking it on its punk albums list, Rolling Stone also included the popular Sleater-Kinney record on the 2020 version of its "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list, where it sits at No. 189.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 11:59 AM.