Top 77 Albums of 1997
| ARTIST | ALBUM | LABEL | ||
| 1 | Papas Fritas | Helioself | Minty Fresh | |
| 2 | Built to Spill | Perfect From Now On | Warner Bros. | |
| 3 | Superchunk | Indoor Living | Merge | |
| 4 | The Hang Ups | So We Go | Restless/Clean | |
| 5 | Yo La Tengo | I Can Hear The Heart Beating as One | Matador | |
| 6 | Radiohead | OK Computer | Capitol | |
| 7 | Ben Folds Five | Whatever and Ever Amen | 550 Music | |
| 8 | Brother Sun Sister Moon | Brother Sun Sister Moon | Hakatak/TRG | |
| 9 | Atari Teenage Riot | Burn, Berlin, Burn! | Grand Royal/DHR | |
| 10 | Bjork | Homogenic/Telegram | Elektra | |
| 11 | Sleater-Kinney | Dig Me Out | Kill Rock Stars | |
| 12 | The Promise Ring | Nothing Feels Good | Jade Tree | |
| 13 | Pavement | Brighten the Corners | Matador/Capitol | |
| 14 | Blur | Blur | Virgin | |
| 15 | Cornershop | When I Was Born For the 7th Time | Luaka Bop/Warner Bros. | |
| 16 | Bis | The New Transistor Heroes | Grand Royal/Capitol | |
| 17 | Teenage Fanclub | Songs from Northern Britain | Columbia/Creation | |
| 18 | The Charlatans | Tellin' Stories | Beggars Banquet | |
| 19 | Stereolab | Dots and Loops | Elektra | |
| 20 | Belle and Sebastian | If You're Feeling Sinister | The Enclave | |
| 21 | Autumn Leaves | Treats and Treasures | Grimsey | |
| 22 | February | Tomorrow is Today | Carrot Top | |
| 23 | Push Kings | Push Kings | Sealed Fate | |
| 24 | The Apples in Stereo | Tone Soul Evolution | SpinArt | |
| 25 | Cinnamon | The Courier | Island | |
| 26 | Takako Minekawa | Roomic Cube | March | |
| 27 | Chisel | Set You Free | Gern Blandsten | |
| 28 | Luna | Pup Tent | Elektra | |
| 29 | The Honeydogs | Seen a Ghost | Mercury | |
| 30 | The Geraldine Fibbers | Butch | Virgin | |
| 31 | Gus Gus | Polydistortion | 4AD | |
| 32 | Future Bible Heroes | Memories of Love | Slow River | |
| 33 | Verbena | Souls for Sale | Merge | |
| 34 | The Verve | Urban Hymns | Virgin | |
| 35 | The Delta '72 | The Soul of a New Machine | Touch and Go | |
| 36 | Portishead | Portishead | London | |
| 37 | Daft Punk | Homework | Virgin | |
| 38 | Fatboy Slim | Better Living Through Chemistry | Astralwerks | |
| 39 | Lifter Puller | Half Dead and Dynamite | No Alternative/TRG | |
| 40 | The Make Up | Sound Verite | K | |
| 41 | That Dog | Retreat From the Sun | Geffen | |
| 42 | Elliot Smith | Either/Or | Kill Rock Stars | |
| 43 | The Orange Peels | Square | Minty Fresh | |
| 44 | Mog Stunt Team | King of the Retards | AmRep | |
| 45 | Siren Six! | The Voice With The Built In Promise | Kingpin | |
| 46 | The Mighty Blue Kings | Meet Me In Uptown | R-Jay | |
| 47 | The Softies | Winter Pageant | K | |
| 48 | Spiritualized | Ladies and Gentlemen Are Floating in Space | Dedicated/Arista | |
| 49 | Doktor Kosmos | Cocktail | Minty Fresh | |
| 50 | Wyclef Jean | The Carnival | Ruffhouse/Columbia | |
| 51 | The Jayhawks | Sound of Lies | American | |
| 52 | Deformo | The Queen Bazaar | Gourmandizer | |
| 53 | Mark Eitzel | West | Warner Bros. | |
| 54 | Broadcast | Work and Non Work | Drag City | |
| 55 | Ween | The Mollusk | Elektra | |
| 56 | Supergrass | In It For The Money | Capitol | |
| 57 | Chemical Brothers | Dig Your Own Hole | Astralwerks | |
| 58 | Animal Chin | All the Kids Agree | Kingpin | |
| 59 | The Superfriendz | Sticktoitiveness | March | |
| 60 | Pizzicato 5 | Happy End of the World | Matador | |
| 61 | Freedom Fighters | My Scientist Friends | AmRep | |
| 62 | Modest Mouse | The Fruit That Ate Itself EP | K | |
| 63 | The Dandy Warhols | Come Down | Capitol | |
| 64 | Mike Watt | Contemplating the Engine Room | Columbia | |
| 65 | The Sensational Joint Chiefs | Mornin' Train | Fire Truck | |
| 66 | Guided by Voices | Mag Earwhig! | Matador | |
| 67 | Dr. Octagon | Dr. Octagonecologyst | Dreamworks | |
| 68 | Accident Clearinghouse | Accident Clearinghouse Vol. 1: Saginaw Sweetheart | OBT | |
| 69 | Karate | In Place of Real Insight | Southern | |
| 70 | The Sandwiches | Hey Cats, We're the Sandwiches! | Edible | |
| 71 | Ninotchka | 7" | Grimsey | |
| 72 | Rank Strangers | Target | Veto/TRG | |
| 73 | Damien Jurado | Water Ave. S. | Sub Pop | |
| 74 | Magnatone | Magnatone | No Alternative/TRG | |
| 75 | Beyond | Comparison 12" | Rhyme Sayers | |
| 76 | G. Love & Special Sauce | Yeah, It's That Easy | Okeh/Epic | |
| 77 | Wally Pleasant | Wallyworld | Miranda |
