The album is considered a classic of indie and alternative rock. In 2005, it was ranked number 31 in "Spin"s list of the 100 greatest albums from 1985 through to 2005. Pitchfork Media placed the album at number 40 on its Top 100 Albums of the 1980s list. "Alternative Press" ranked it number 5 on its Top 99 Albums of '85 to '95 list. Beats per Minute ranked it number 17 on its Top 100 Albums of the 1980s list. Acclaimed Music ranked it as the 429th-most acclaimed album of all time. In 2011, Nick Attfield wrote a book about the album as part of Continuum's 33⅓ series. The album was also included in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".