Celebrity Skin

Hole

1998

3.29

Rating

18222

Votes

Distribution

Rock Grunge

Album Summary

Celebrity Skin is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Hole, released on September 8, 1998, in the United States on DGC Records and internationally on Geffen Records. It was the last album released by the band before their dissolution in 2002. Hole intended for the record to diverge significantly from their previous noise and grunge-influenced sound as featured on Pretty on the Inside (1991) and Live Through This (1994). The band hired producer Michael Beinhorn to record Celebrity Skin over a nine-month period that included sessions in Los Angeles, New York City, and London. It was the band's only studio release to feature bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. Drummer Patty Schemel played the demos for the album, but was replaced by session drummer Deen Castronovo at the suggestion of producer Beinhorn. This issue created a rift between Schemel and the band, resulting in her dropping out of the tour and parting ways with the group, though she received the drumming credit on the album. The band sought to use Los Angeles and the state of California as a unifying theme, and began writing what they conceived as a "California album" in 1997. Unlike Hole's previous releases, the final songs on Celebrity Skin featured instrumental contributions from several musicians outside the band, primarily Billy Corgan, who co-wrote the musical arrangements on five songs. Auf der Maur's former bandmate Jordon Zadorozny, as well as Go-Go's guitarist Charlotte Caffey, also contributed to the composition of one track. Frontwoman Courtney Love, who wrote all of the lyrics, named the album and its title track after a poem she had written that was influenced by T. S. Eliot's "The Waste Land". Motifs of water and drowning are also prominent throughout the album. Celebrity Skin is Hole's most commercially successful album. It peaked at number nine on the US Billboard 200, number four on the Australian Albums Chart, and number 11 on the UK Albums Chart. To date, it has sold over 1.4 million copies in the United States alone, has been certified as double-platinum in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and platinum in Canada by Music Canada (MC) and the United States by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It garnered Hole a number-one hit single on the Modern Rock Tracks chart with the title track, "Celebrity Skin". Critical reaction to the album was very positive and it was listed on a number of publications' year-end lists in 1998, including those by Time and The Village Voice. The album was named the 265th greatest album of all time by a 2013 poll by NME magazine and was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Keywords from Reviews

Reviews

Sort by: Top Date

May 24 2023 Author

I didn’t Courtney Love it, but I did Courtney Like it 👍🏾

Sep 19 2022 Author

Beavis: Check it out, Butt-Head…our 69th album just got generated. Butt-Head: uh-huh-huh, you said “69”. Beavis: oh, yeah, I guess did….heh-heh… Butt-Head: so, uh…what is it? Beavis: Uhh…69 is the sex number, Butt-Head…Jeez Butt-Head: I know what 69 is, dill-weed. What record are we, like, supposed to listen to? Beavis: oh…yeah, cool…I knew that…uh, it says we’re supposed to listen to Celebrity Skin by Hole. Butt-Head: uh-huh-huh…Hole. Beavis: yeah! and it’s, like, our 69th record, Butt-Head…Heh-heh…69…heh-heh-heh…Hole…Get it? Butt-Head: Whoa…that’s cool. This generator must know we’re, like, super cool badasses who like to score. Beavis: uhh…Butt-Head? We, like, don’t score very much at all. Butt-Head: Uh…speak for yourself, butt-munch. Ladies love the Butt-Head…Now go put on that Hole record, you wuss. Beavis: oh, yeah…sure thing, Butt-Head. [they listen to the record] Beavis: Hey, Butt-Head? Butt-Head: Uhh….yeah, Beavis? Beavis: Is it just me or does this record kind of suck? Butt-Head: yeah, Beavis…it sucks. She’s, like, singing about seeing God and stuff. Beavis: Yeah…singing about God sucks. This is lame. Butt-Head: We should, like, leave a bad review and demand the Generator give us a new album that’s, like, cool to listen to for number 69. Beavis: Yeah! This sucks! I want a refund or I’m gonna find the Generator and, like, smash it with a baseball bat…and then, I’m going to take all the pieces, gather them up and set them on fire! Yeah, fire! FIRE! Heh-heh…that’ll teach them to make us listen to things that suck. Butt-Head: uh-huh-huh…Breaking things is cool. Beavis: It sure is, Butt-Head…It sure is.

Jul 21 2023 Author

Courtney Love called out Harvey Weinstein before most people said a word.

Feb 11 2023 Author

I'd like to publicly apologize to Courtney Love for just dismissing her as a tabloid time waster. I hadn't listen to any Hole music on principle until now. My loss. I'm sorry. This was really excellent.

Jun 19 2021 Author

I had no idea Courtney Love’s music was actually good! I’d grown up just knowing she had a band and was married to Kurt Cobain but had wrongly assumed the band was trash. This whole thing sounds so full and the melodies are as catchy as they come while remaining powerfully aggressive. Love it!

May 28 2021 Author

I've been waiting for this generator to give me more stuff like this. This is my groove, my era. I want to live inside the 90's and never leave. This album hits every level of alt-rock greatness and just demolishes.

Nov 11 2020 Author

Easily Hole's biggest release (and their last), Celebrity Skin is a powerhouse alt-rock album. It's got everything you could want from a rock album in '98. It has bad-ass female power vocals, chunky riffs, meaningful lyrics, and all the attitude you can eat. It's a great album.

Sep 22 2021 Author

Great grunge album. Not every song is a winner, but the ones that are bop.

Sep 29 2021 Author

Solid but middle of the road, probably unnecessary for me to listen to prior to my ultimate demise.

Dec 18 2021 Author

A perfect distillation of that nineties sound, Hole were kind of alt / kind of pop, tabloid fodder lead singer / artist with integrity, cynical / sell out - holding all these contradictions together in the one hole. And accordingly, it’s one of the best albums of the nineties. It captures that mood so perfectly - disaffected rich kids, LA is so shallow but means the world.

Feb 01 2022 Author

Someday soon (possibly even while I'm still going through all of these albums), there are going to be serious arguments about either Courtney Love or Hole should be elected to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. I'm not saying her or the band will make it, but the two albums deservedly on this list sure make a good case for election. Both "Live Through This" and "Celebrity Skin" come close to being perfect for their genres and time. I find myself preferring this one, and not because it's more accessible. Courtney leans more into a polished pop sound (similar to what Liz Phair did post Guyville) that seems to suit her more. Some dissed her for that, suggesting she sold out. Courtney could never do right in her critic's eyes. As far as "California Albums" are concerned, I'll put this up with the Beach Boys, Eagles Byrds and Doors similar conceptual albums. Maybe by the time she and Hole are eligible for the Rock Hall, voters will judge Courtney on her musical contributions and forget that she had anything to do with killing Kurt Cobain (allegedly, don't @ me).

Jul 30 2024 Author

Courtney Love is a genuine rock star. Intense, angry, articulate, unpredictable, controversial, ambitious, unfiltered, strong, damaged, impulsive, charismatic. She has copped a lot of flack over the years, some self-inflicted damage, but a lot of grief for being crime of being a woman. This album came at an interesting time when a major label would drop significant coin on a very abrasive band from the punk tradition to record like they were Fleetwood Mac (a comparison that they would acknowledge themselves, following their cover of Gold Dust Woman on the Crow soundtrack). This has all the hallmarks of a major label blockbuster production; big name producer, 9 months of sessions in various expensive studios across multiple continents, high profile songwriting collaborations, replacing the drummer's tracks with a session guy, drama, drugs, balancing an acting career, etc etc. If you had asked me five years earlier if Courtney Love and colleagues had a big shiny major label rock album in them, I would have scoffed. They were an angry, shouty punk band, with a controversial point of view, and I was chuffed that they had been given enough money and support to make 'Live Through This', which I regard as their artistic peak. A great sounding record, but still true to who they were and what they did best (energetic, noisy, uncompromising). While Celebrity Skin is still, I believe, true to Courtney's vision and voice, although I think it is a bit uncomfortable and a stretch of her abilities to try and make a mainstream hard rock record. But try and succeed they did, and this was a substantial success. The singles are pretty listenable, but, to my own tastes, I prefer it when Courtney gets a chance to really cut loose. For me, Live Through This was the perfect balance between decent production and wild abandon. This record, by way of contrast, aims for the radio play (which they achieved) and mainstream sales (which they achieved). It's just not as much to my taste, but a successful effort at what they were aiming for. As a coda, I think you can really see that this was the beginning of the end for the band. The process of recording the record effectively forced Patty Schemel out of the band, and interviews with Melissa auf der Maur and Eric Erlandson suggest that maybe this approach wasn't quite their preference. While Courtney achieved her ambition of producing a mainstream success, I don't think this satisfied her (in retrospect), and the band (in this form) never made another album. Be careful what you wish for, Courtney, you might get it.

Apr 06 2021 Author

Awful, Northern Star, Reasons to Be Beautiful are all excellent. Northern Star is the masterpiece I can’t believe I haven’t heard before.

Feb 11 2021 Author

Meh. I prefer "Live Through This". To me, it has a more raw feel and grunge was about "raw".

Mar 04 2022 Author

Celebrity Skin is a great power pop album and an interesting way to depart from the grunge style from previous albums produced by Courtney Love's Hole. The changes in the line up and production style resulted in a album about California that works very well as a single theme record. Love's lyrics are at her peak, exploring themes of superficiality and sexism that fits very well with the California motif. "Celebrity Skin" and "Malibu" are alt rock classics and great late 1990s songs.

May 17 2021 Author

Kicks off very strongly with "Celebrity Skin", but gets a bit lost in the middle of the album. A good album and screams 'the 90s'

Jun 17 2021 Author

A somewhat uneven album, that doesn't quite contain the passion/angst of live through this and adds a layer of polish that dilutes the predecessors energy. Awful and Celebrity Skin are highlights.

Jul 30 2022 Author

This follow-up to Hole's best album 'Live Through This" is warmer, shinier and has what I imagine to be a Los Angeles feel. Every track is great. I don't understand the hate for Courtney Love but I suspect it has something to do with latent misogyny.

Jan 28 2021 Author

Surprisingly good but nothing special

Aug 28 2024 Author

Energetic, heartfelt, and rock and roll to its core. I listen to so much music like this nowadays that I can't help but wonder how much Hole has influenced this generation's indie rockers. I don't know if they largely invented this sound or not, but regardless, they know what how to make it strong and moving.

May 10 2023 Author

I'm a bit biased, because this album came out when I was 16 and I was crazy for it. I bought it on release. I was *there* for it. But 25 years on, I still think this album is fantastic. There's some elements of it that feel a little "filler" ("Playing Your Song"), but for the most part, this is a wonderfully melodic, brutally personal album from Courtney and Eric (and Billy Corgan).

Mar 14 2023 Author

Just a classic for women who wanna fight the patriarchy

Feb 03 2023 Author

I was honestly blown away by this album. Song for song, just a ton of great rock songs. Courtney is such a great front woman, and every hook hits for me. No lulls, no filler, just great track after great track. I will 100% come back to this.

Jan 14 2021 Author

1/13 Great album with a real seedy, shady, Hollywood vibe to it. Standout Tracks: Awful, Dying, Use Once & Destroy, Northern Star, Playing Your Song

Jul 11 2022 Author

One of the staples of the "alt music with lead woman who sounds like she doesn't care"

Jan 25 2024 Author

Not a fan.

Oct 28 2022 Author

When I got this album I said to my listening buddy, “I can sing you this entire album start to finish, without accompaniment” I loved it then and I love it now.

Nov 02 2021 Author

My second favourite album by my favourite band. I have loved Hole since I was a teenager and now in my late 30s I still listen to them several times a week. This album reminds me of being a teenager in the 90s and trying to pretend I didn’t like this album because Courtney Love had “sold out” and made a pop album but secretly I loved it. Listening to this album now still makes me dream about moving to California.

Jan 23 2021 Author

Holes outstanding legacy in my opinion. Courtney Love kinda sucks but damn can she write some good music.

Jun 18 2025 Author

The stuff I can remember people saying and writing about Courtney Love is just unhinged misogyny. Any male punk/alt artist with bad behavior is glorified, but I've seen her name dragged through the mud way too often. Hole is a great band, and this is a great, pop-tinged grungy rock album. Some songs are kinda samey, but plenty of cool stuff. Liked Malibu and Boys on the radio especially, pure 90s alternative

May 30 2025 Author

Kind of just sounds like indie pop of the 90s. I would probably have been really into them if I heard this in middle school.

Jan 01 2025 Author

this blew out my HOLE so fiercely. i was so pleasantly surprised with how much i enjoyed this. not perfect but absolutely wonderful.

Oct 04 2024 Author

Finally listened to the Hole album haha! Kick ass lead vocals and grungy tunes. Nothing to dislike here.

Jul 06 2023 Author

i bet Kat Stratford loved this album

Sep 30 2021 Author

Le chat persan ci-présenté a une jolie tête ronde et des joues bien développées. On notera cependant que le front paraît trop large et les yeux trop proches du nez, ce qui est un défaut que l'on trouve souvent chez les persans trop racés. Note générale : 3/5

Sep 30 2021 Author

Aujourd'hui je remarquais avec satisfaction que le generateur faisait peau neuve, en offrant un classement des reviewers les plus populaires. Or, stupeur, ni mon camarade roblumière, ni moi, ne figuront dans ce top 10. Si il est évident de comprendre pourquoi rob ne figure pas dans ce top, étant donné la qualité minable de ses commentaires, ma non présence a fait l'effet d'une bombe dans le petit monde du générateur. Des émeutes ont été recensées à New York, Sidney et Bangkok, pour protester devant ce traitement infâme imposé par le Diktat de Robert. J'appelle tout le monde à garder son calme, nous allons tenter de trouver une solution pour palier à ce coup de trafalgar infligé par Robert.

Aug 31 2021 Author

Not awful. But pretty generic stuff

Mar 04 2021 Author

Songs are good enough, but this album was made in 98 and grunge was already dead and this sound played out. It's all generic and been done already. It was fun to revisit/reevaluate the Courtney Love drama as an adult, I feel a bit more empathy for her in hindsight.

Jun 03 2021 Author

I love "live through this". I always had to defend the album to my male friends. It's shrouded in some controversy, but it holds up. I remember being deflated when this came out. I could not have been any less into power-pop at the time. The singles just screamed "sell out". I never listened to the album. I'm shocked by it's inclusion and glowing reviews. It's not as bad as I was expecting, but there is no way a younger me would have like this. Way too polished.

Jan 13 2022 Author

It’s 50 minutes long. I could only hack 40. It sounds like kurt in drag but saccharine sweet and over produced. Maybe Kurt sounded like her though. It reminded me of when I used to think Latoya Jackson was Michael in drag.

Nov 22 2021 Author

Fuck Courtney Love. Billy Corgan wrote all the good songs on this album, and when I say all, I mean just the one.

Nov 01 2021 Author

Boring, flat. A lesser album than the other hole album on the list, no idea why it's on here.

Nov 12 2025 Author

I didn’t listen to Hole in the 90’s because I don’t like Courtney Love. Boy did I miss out! This band is amazing!

Nov 08 2025 Author

This one is even better than Live Through This. Fantastic songwriting and arrangement throughout. Corgan’s influence is apparent, especially concerning the latter. I wish he and Love had collaborated more. It dips a bit in the middle, but it’s excellent overall.

Nov 07 2025 Author

One of those albums I put on and before I even really notice, it's over, because I enjoyed it and it all slid into each other really well.

Nov 02 2025 Author

When this popped up my first thought was, if I never have to see the words 90s, American and alternative-rock together again I would die a happy man. But I was wrong. This record is fantastic. It has the same wild frenetic, raw, angry spark of a young P J Harvey or Liz Phair. Really, really enjoyed this one, so much more than i thought.

Oct 20 2025 Author

Celebrity Skin is an absolutely fantastic album that i enjoyed the whole way through. I was already sure i was going to like it but this album still kept taking me by surprise with all the things it tried. The album could show many different styles from hard and rebellious like the title track or epic and melodic like Northern Star. And of course it is all backed up by some absolutely sublime music with some awesome guitar riffs and great vocals from Courtney Love. There was also never a song which went anywhere close to being bad as it was just banger after banger for this whole album. This is easily one of the best albums on this project. Best Song: Playing Your Song Worst Song: Malibu

Oct 20 2025 Author

Man, I missed out on so much by having my head up my ass in the 90s.

Oct 10 2025 Author

classic. Never listened before and totally loved it.

Sep 29 2025 Author

Really like this, and I can't believe I slept on Hole for so long. I prefer the more raw sound of Live Through This, but there are still many great songs on here. 9/10

Sep 29 2025 Author

10/10

Sep 26 2025 Author

so much heart in grunge or should i say hole. so much hole in grunge. classic. excellent excellent album. Hole just makes really fuckin good music.

Sep 19 2025 Author

Love this

Sep 19 2025 Author

Really good album.

Sep 19 2025 Author

One of my faves

Sep 10 2025 Author

Ok, i owe an apology to Courtney. I have completely dismissed her work and thats my bad. Damn, what an album.

Sep 04 2025 Author

peak I love hole!!

Sep 02 2025 Author

Me ha gustado un montón. Había escuchado antes la primera canción del disco. Le doy un 8,5 sobre 10.

Aug 27 2025 Author

Learned Courtney Love was founder of hole. Good 90s alt and grunge vibes. For when Alanis just won’t do and you’ve heard every Nirvana song ever lol Knew the songs and had no idea I did lol

Aug 07 2025 Author

An exceptional cup of tea ☕

Jul 28 2025 Author

Я очень сильно пресильно люблю Риту!!! После этих слов скажу, ЧТО МНЕ ОЧЕНЬ ПОНРАВИЛСЯ ЭТОТ АЛЬБОМ!!! Я слушал первые два альбома до этого и для меня Celebrity Skin стал самым любимым альбомом Hole!

Jul 25 2025 Author

Oooof

Jul 18 2025 Author

I remember really enjoying this one. I’ll have to return to confirm.

Jul 15 2025 Author

Good vibes, not really my thing though

Jul 02 2025 Author

Not a grunge gal but this album is peak grunge and should receive way more attention. Exceptional.

Jun 25 2025 Author

Liked that way more than expected - Celebrity Skin, Boys on the Radio, Awful, Hit So Hard, Malibu all bangers. 4.5

Jun 19 2025 Author

Great

Jun 08 2025 Author

What an interesting album. I must say, Hole has been slandered by me because of Kurt and Courtney. But this album is an alt rock masterpiece.

May 31 2025 Author

Enjoyed the whole thing

May 31 2025 Author

Billy corgan having a writing credit on this makes sense. Liked it more than the other hole album; high 4 or low 5

May 23 2025 Author

Przyjemnie sie slucha, zapisuje. (ale nie jest idealne ale nie daje czworek, a to rzeczywiscie bede jeszcze sluchalaxd)

May 19 2025 Author

This album is so good. It’s 90s pop rock at its best. “Celebrity Skin,” “Awful,” “Malibu,” “Dying,” “Northern Star,” and “Petals” are the best songs, but there’s really no low points on this album. Courtney Love hasn’t sounded better than she does here. Maybe I’m just a moody girl, but this album speaks to me on many different levels. Definitely the best Hole has ever done.

May 18 2025 Author

Don't think I've ever listened to the whole album before (maybe when my wife has played it), so didn't realize all the Hole songs I know are on it. Great stuff.

May 11 2025 Author

Brilliant

May 11 2025 Author

This was fun! I was familiar with the Title song but wow, the instrumentals and vocal work really work for me here. Definitely want to go back for another listen and an artist deep dive. 'Malibu' was my fave.

May 05 2025 Author

I've given a lot of 5* recently and this is gonna be another. Not quite as hard hitting and angry as "Live Through This" but more melodic. The title track is obviously a belter but it's full of rocking songs with strong hooks. And Courtney Love is just a force of nature - what a singer and personality

Apr 27 2025 Author

I'm sorry I slept on this band in the 90s. Clearly my loss.

Apr 03 2025 Author

I’ll be damned… shit’s good!

Mar 30 2025 Author

Great sound, great songs, great album.

Mar 14 2025 Author

Kinda jangle pop-y, reminds me of smashing pumpkins too. Both of those are good things to be reminded of

Mar 13 2025 Author

love courtney love

Mar 08 2025 Author

This album is perfection. It’s a 6. I will fight you on this. This is the hill I will absolutely unalive myself on.

Mar 08 2025 Author

could i write poetry to this? Y

Mar 08 2025 Author

Can we all just agree that Courtney Love is a genius who deserves much more credit than she ever got for her work? Despite her being perceived as a drug-addled wackadoo widow, Love proves here that she is a shrewd, literate, and tuneful songwriter. This ode to California should have shamed the Red Hot Chili Peppers into giving up and writing songs about Nebraska or Utah or Kyrgyzstan. I'll tag this as a five-star album, with the caveat that I still like "Live Through This" just a tiny bit more.

Mar 08 2025 Author

This is peak late-90s music right here. Nearly every song could have been a radio hit.

Feb 25 2025 Author

okay i love hole but i vehemently disagree about including a second hole album and picking this over pretty on the inside. still rules though

Feb 06 2025 Author

God I fucking love Hole. All certified bangers here and that's all I got to say about that

Feb 04 2025 Author

Album 675 of 1001 Hole - Celebrity Skin (1998) Rating : 4.5 / 5 Hole with a polished, radio-friendly sound. I've always liked this album. Not changing that now. A good listen that deserves at least a few plays a year.

Feb 03 2025 Author

Didn’t listen because it’s really no my thing

Jan 28 2025 Author

Love this LP

Jan 27 2025 Author

Solid

Jan 14 2025 Author

I really liked this album. Kind of punk, kind of grunge, but definitely something I enjoyed. 5/5

Dec 20 2024 Author

One of my favorite albums. Must have listened to this thousands of times back in my youth. Love it so much! 5/5

Dec 16 2024 Author

This rocked, her voice is so good, powerful when it needs to be, soulful when it needs to be. Yeah I loved this

Dec 12 2024 Author

Pazzesco "Celebrity Skin" è famosissima e non avevo mai sentito né il nome della canzone, né del gruppo. azz lei è Courtney Love e la canzone è scritta insieme al fidanzato! Billy Corgan!! Anche "Awful" è molto interessante. Ma va che è un gran bel disco.

Dec 11 2024 Author

The single Celebrity Skin always slammed for me. But this first listen to the album was revelatory. Especially Nothern Star. What an incredible amount of talent Vobain surrounded himself with, not the least being his wife. Mad respect, Courtney.

Nov 13 2024 Author

5/5

Oct 28 2024 Author

Reviewing as I listen along. Have only heard "Celebrity Skin" before. Track three now. It's going well. Poppy post grunge alt rock has circa never managed to excite me and I thought this'd be my review, "and it doesn't today", but this is cool. Tracks seven to nine (there's the timpani roll from "Disarm", no?), I zoned out a bit, but whatever. Attitude, melodies, nice. Quality stuff. A great slice of that time in music. Will I return to it? Not so sure, but I enjoyed this. By the way. ★★★★★: Music I've always loved and still do at the time of my review. Albums I truly had fun with, also at the time of my review. ★★★★☆: Albums I very much respect but which do not really manage to be quite my cup of tea. ★★★☆☆: When I'm mostly bored but not yet annoyed. Also, sometimes: I should like this, but it rubs me the wrong way. Or I do not like this at all but totally appreciate its existence. ★★☆☆☆: I'm very bored and kind of irritated. While I don't fully hate this, make it stop. Or: shit that I respect, begrudgingly ★☆☆☆☆: This is just shit or aggravates me for whatever reason. And always at the tip of the scale: Is this an AYMHBYD? Glad I could clear this up.

Oct 27 2024 Author

this is PEAK also guy from the cover kinda looks like Ryan Gosling from the movie Stay, so bonus points for that

Oct 10 2024 Author

Monet kerrat tämäkin levy tullut entuudestaan kuunneltua eikä vieläkään kyllästyttänyt. Vaikka Courtneyn Hole ehkä hieman ratsastanut Cobainin maineella, niin hyvä, koska maailma ansaitsi saada ko. levyn tuntemakseen.