System Of A Down Albums Ranked: Fan Favorites (2025)

Few bands in modern metal have a discography as chaotic, inventive, and politically charged as System Of A Down.

Their five studio albums represent a lightning-in-a-bottle moment in music. This makes any attempt to rank them a fascinating and often contentious exercise.

We are exploring the System Of A Down albums ranked, guided first by fan sentiment. This gives us a ground-level view of which records resonate most deeply within the community.

Later, we’ll see how this compares to current popularity data, revealing what many consider the best System Of A Down albums from different perspectives.

Ranking System Of A Down's albums: The fan favorites

Here's how the albums stack up based on fan sentiment, community discussions, and overall buzz.

We're starting with the most beloved.

1. System Of A Down (1998)

System Of A Down's self-titled debut was a ferocious introduction to the world.

The album established their signature sound immediately. It blended aggressive nu-metal riffs with Armenian folk influences and Serj Tankian's distinctive, theatrical vocals.

This record laid the groundwork for everything that followed. It was raw, unpredictable, and unapologetically political from its very first track.

Key tracks:

• Sugar
• Suite-Pee

Taking the top spot among dedicated fans, the debut album holds a special place in the band's history.

Its unfiltered aggression and raw production are often what longtime listeners point to as the purest form of System Of A Down's creative energy.

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2. Toxicity (2001)

`Toxicity` is the album that catapulted System Of A Down to global stardom.

Released in September 2001, it expanded on their debut's sound with greater melody, harmony, and diverse instrumentation, including sitar and banjo.

The album hit number one on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified multi-platinum, cementing its place as a landmark release in 21st-century metal.

Key tracks:

• Chop Suey!
• Toxicity

Its placement on this fan-focused list is perhaps not a suprising outcome. It highlights a fascinating dynamic in music fandom.

`Toxicity` is undoubtedly their most famous and commercially successful album, some dedicated listeners may favor the raw edge of their debut. This ranking showcases a preference for the band's other sides over their mainstream breakthrough.

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3. Hypnotize (2005)

Released just six months after its companion album, `Hypnotize` served as the second half of a massive musical statement.

Like `Mezmerize`, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. This made System Of A Down one of the few bands to achieve two number-one albums in the same year.

To this day, `Hypnotize` remains the band's most recent studio album, closing a uniquely powerful chapter in their discography.

Key tracks:

• Lonely Day
• Hypnotize

As the powerful conclusion to the `Mezmerize`/`Hypnotize` double-album project, this record is highly regarded by fans.

Its blend of soaring melodies, poignant lyrics, and crushing heaviness showcases the band at their most dynamic and mature.

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4. Mezmerize (2005)

`Mezmerize` is the first part of the band's ambitious double album, released in the spring of 2005.

The album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. It topped the Billboard 200 chart with huge first-week sales.

This work marked an evolution in the band's sound, featuring more prominent vocal contributions from guitarist Daron Malakian alongside Serj Tankian.

Key tracks:

• B.Y.O.B.
• Violent Pornography

This album stands as a fan-favorite for its sheer creative audacity and iconic singles.

The interplay between Serj and Daron's vocals created a new dynamic that defined this era of the band, and fans celebrate its frantic energy and memorable hooks.

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5. Steal This Album! (2002)

`Steal This Album!` emerged after a collection of unfinished tracks from the `Toxicity` sessions leaked online.

The band chose to officially release properly recorded versions of the songs, insisting they were not B-sides but material that just didn't fit the flow of their previous record.

Interestingly, both Serj Tankian and drummer John Dolmayan have cited it as their favorite System Of A Down album.

Key tracks:

• I-E-A-I-A-I-O
• Innervision

This album holds a "cult classic" status among the fanbase.

It's seen as a treasure trove of the band's eclectic and experimental side. Its raw, unpolished feel is precisely why many fans cherish it as a uniquely honest and varied collection of songs.

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Picked your top System Of A Down classic? Check out System Of A Down's discography on their Roll The Record Artist hub.

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System Of A Down albums: A look at popularity data

While fan sentiment paints a rich picture, current popularity data can offer another interesting angle.

This looks at an artist's discography through a different lens.

Below is a ranking of System Of A Down's albums based on their popularity scores from available data. This reflects which releases are currently seeing significant engagement.

Popularity Rank	Album Title	Release Year
1	Hypnotize	2005
2	Mezmerize	2005
3	Steal This Album!	2002
4	System Of A Down	1998
5	Toxicity	2001

So there it is, a deep look into the System Of A Down albums ranked by two different measures.

The divide between die-hard fan sentiment and broader popularity data tells a story in itself. It shows how a band's journey is perceived differently by various audiences.

Ultimately, the best System Of A Down album is the one that resonates most with you. Their music has always been about challenging norms, and that includes the very idea of a definitive ranking.

What does your personal list look like?