What’s the point in sparking up a joint if you don’t have a good album playing? Well, technically, there are still a lot of good reasons to spark up a joint. Regardless, music sets the atmosphere for the experience you’ll have when your favorite kush starts to hit.
Every stoner is different, and stoner music differs accordingly. People who broadly love music might have an arsenal of tunes for each specific vibe. If you don’t know where to start, start everywhere. Find the albums that speak to you and invite some friends over. Smoke, lounge, repeat.
1. Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
You know Miles Davis by name, even if you’ve never listened to jazz in your life. Davis changed the game with his trumpet and his ability to flow, cementing his place in history as a king of his genre.
Kind of Blue is a shorter album, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in atmosphere. It feels like a jazz lullaby. It’s concurrently sad and happy, enveloped in a wistful and poetic spirit. Even if you aren’t a jazz person, you’ll appreciate Kind of Blue for its artistry alone.
2. The Doors – The Doors
You know that it would be untrue, you know that it would be a lie if you were to say that you didn’t expect at least one The Doors album on this list. Jim Morrison will forever be immortalized as a psychedelic poet.
Morrison’s voice, smooth as leather, melts over the artistry of Raymond Daniel Manzarek, who is playing both the basslines and the keyboard lines simultaneously. The trippy simplicity and slight kick of funk create the perfect nostalgic wave to float on when you’re finding your way to the bottom of a jar of indica.
3. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan were the first group of their time to invite so many untethered collaborators to put their best efforts forward. It was launching pad for nine rappers who would go on to experience their own individual success, as well as the success of the collective.
Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) is stoners making their best stoner music. Every member of Wu-Tang is candid about their weed use, and most of the imagery conjured by the album comes from weekends they spent getting high and watching old Kung Fu movies.
4. Althea & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
This reggae duo had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Althea and Donna were teenagers when they recorded their reggae single, Uptown Top Ranking. It promptly charted at number 1 in the UK in February of 1978. The girls were astounded. They paired with a band to turn their single into a full length album.
While the girls were ultimately written into history as one hit wonders, their one hit is quintessential smoking music.
5. Vince Staples – Summertime ‘06
Summertime ‘06 is Long Beach rapper Vince Staples’ first studio album. Everyone had reservations about the sound Staples was after. Growing up a fan of new wave and darkwave acts like Joy Division, Staples wanted to incorporate darker atmospheres into his work. It resonated with people almost immediately.
This is the album that gave us Senorita. More iconically, it’s also the album that gave us Norf Norf. This eerie and moving soundscape pairs well with a body high.
Find a comfy chair and get some Granddaddy Purp for Summertime ‘06.
6. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective is a group that most people associate with acid and mushrooms, but stoners love them just as much. Their trippy and experimental sounds won’t compare to anything else you haven’t heard before. If you’re looking for a soundtrack for an intense, euphoric high, Merriweather Post Pavilion is the album for you.
Try listening to it in a dark room with some Durban Poison.
7. Massive Attack – Mezzanine
Massive Attack’s Mezzanine is a dark, atmospheric, moody, noir kind of trip-hop that was undoubtedly ahead of its time. The bass lines are sultry and sexy, while the electronic instruments are bright and slightly ominous. This combination of sounds and vibes shouldn’t work well together, but Massive Attack pairs them effortlessly. Make this your couch-lock album.
Don’t be surprised when what you recognize as the theme song from House starts playing. We warned them it was on this album.