My favourite songs
List is ranked. Tried to keep the writeups concise, as I think most of these are already well-known. Enjoy reading! (or just quickly scroll through the list and check whatâs on number 1) |
| 39 |  | BAP
Vun drinne noh drusse
Kristallnaach
Kristallnaach is characterized by a careful build-up and a great guitar solo in the end. Superb lyrics as well, though theyâre hard to decipher since theyâre in Kölsch, a German-Dutch dialect.
Arctic Monkeysâ 505 has always reminded me a lot of this song, as they share the same structure and mysterious atmosphere. |
| 38 |  | Supertramp
Paris
Fool's Overture
Supertramp show their progressive side on ten-minute Foolâs Overture. I think their strength is that they never reside to overly complex structures or soloâs but keep it simple, which applies to this song as well, despite of its length.
Iâve grown accustomed to the live version of Foolâs Overture, because Live in Paris is one of the albums my parents always put up in the car. Besides, this versionâs ending is better than the anticlimactic open end of the studio version. |
| 37 |  | U2
The Joshua Tree
Where the Streets Have No Name
The slowly growing intro is the best part of one of U2âs best known songs. Also, great performance from Bono. |
| 36 |  | The War on Drugs
A Deeper Understanding
You Don't Have to Go
This song didnât impress me at first, but after a while I began to appreciate the beauty of it. Such a comforting track. |
| 35 | | The War On Drugs
A Deeper Understanding
Pain
Yes, another song from A Deeper Understanding. Despite of its title, Pain is one of the few songs on this list that Iâd describe as uplifting. The last two minutes, kicking off with a triumphant guitar solo, are absolutely wonderful. |
| 34 |  | Radiohead
OK Computer
Exit Music (For a Film)
That climax⊠|
| 33 |  | Muse
Black Holes & Revelations
Map of the Problematique
Muse used to be my favourite band, but theyâve grown off me a lot. This song still rules though. |
| 32 |  | Snow Patrol
Eyes Open
Chasing Cars
A simple song, but it just works. |
| 31 |  | Elbow
Asleep In The Back
asleep in the back
A cute lullaby, and the perfect encapsulation of everything that makes Elbow great in barely four minutes. A piano tune, Garveyâs warm vocals and some horns create a comforting track that youâd want to listen to all day when youâre feeling sad. |
| 30 |  | Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV
Stairway to Heaven
A monumental piece of music. |
| 29 |  | The National
Trouble Will Find Me
Pink Rabbits
I tend to not care about lyrics. Of course, awful lyrics can prevent me from enjoying a track, but ultimately I listen to music because of melody, interplay of instruments etc.. Therefore it surprises me that Iâm so moved by the way Berninger describes a breakup on Pink Rabbits with genuinely touching verses and some clever oneliners. The song ends brilliantly, with gorgeous vocal harmonies. |
| 28 |  | Sigur Ros
( )
Untitled #3
I only know this song for two months know, but it definitely earns its spot on this list because of that beautiful yet simple piano melody. Untitled #3 is basically one big crescendo, culminating in a breathtaking piano coda. |
| 27 |  | dEUS
The Ideal Crash
The Magic Hour
A delicate, somewhat mysterious song with an intimate atmosphere. When you think The Magic Hour is finished, a cello starts to play, after which the whole band return for a gorgeous outro. |
| 26 | | The National
Trouble Will Find Me
Humiliation
In the outro of Humiliation, the National do something unusual: they seem to let go of the steering wheel and let the song drift off into wherever it goes, instead of slowly moving towards a clear ending as they tend to do. But thatâs not what makes this my favourite song of theirs; that must be the slow rising of the instruments in the first thirty seconds of the song and the wonderful verses from Berninger. Oh well, and the bridge is amazing too. |
| 25 |  | Mastodon
Emperor of Sand
Jaguar God
Iâm not really into metal, but this song is amazing. Love the progression from soft melodies to straightforward metal. Cool guitar solo in the end. |
| 24 |  | Manchester Orchestra
A Black Mile to the Surface
The Silence
The last part is breathtaking, both musically and lyrically. Thanks for introducing me to this song and album Sputnik! |
| 23 |  | The Cure
Disintegration
Plainsong
An epic beginning to an epic album. Echoed vocals are laid over an immense symphonic wall of sound. Truly magnificent. |
| 22 |  | Slowdive
Slowdive
Slomo
Every note in Slomo is perfectly placed; it all just fits. Beautiful interplay of the male and female vocals. |
| 21 |  | Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
You Won't Know
Fun fact: I had never even heard of Brand New before I read about them on this site. The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me has become my favourite album of all time, so thanks a lot!
I feel like a description of You Wonât Know is unnecessary, since You Probably Already Know what this sounds like. |
| 20 |  | Opeth
Damnation
Windowpane
A progressive rock track in which Opeth display some of the best guitar work I know. The eight minutes are over before you realize it. |
| 19 |  | Arcade Fire
Funeral
In the Backseat
A unique song, characterized by bittersweet symphonies. Chassagne steals the show with a fantastic performance. |
| 18 |  | Kauan
Kaiho
Siiville Nouse
Post-rock perfection. Somehow, each chord progression and every direction change feels natural. A perfect song to listen to before going to sleep.
I would have never discovered this song and album without this site, thanks for introducing me to Kauan! |
| 17 |  | Deep Purple
Deep Purple In Rock
Child in Time
A true classic. Intense vocals, incredible guitar work and a terrifying climax; itâs all there. |
| 16 |  | Porcupine Tree
Deadwing
Deadwing
Porcupine Tree effortlessly combine melody and heaviness on the energetic, ever-changing ten-minute opener to one of their most popular albums. |
| 15 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
1979
1979âs bridge is its highlight, such a wonderful moment. |
| 14 |  | Earthside
A Dream In Static
Skyline
An instrumental masterpiece of progressive and symphonic metal. The constantly changing first part consists of complex rhythms and riffs. After four minutes, the symphonic side takes over: starting with just a piano, one by one other instruments join in and add different layers, leading to a fantastic ending. |
| 13 |  | Radiohead
Kid A
How to Disappear Completely
:( |
| 12 |  | Pearl Jam
Ten
Alive
Itâs all about the fabulous guitar work in the second part of the song. One of the best moments in music ever. |
| 11 |  | Porcupine Tree
Signify
Dark Matter
A slowly building epic in 7/4 with some gorgeous harmonies, and my favourite guitar solo of all time. |
| 10 | | Earthside
A Dream In Static
Contemplation of the Beautiful
A 12 minute epic that keeps amazing me. Consisting of melodic, symphonic passages and explosive choruses marked by intense screams that I would have never thought Iâd be able to stomach, let alone love. |
| 9 |  | Coldplay
A Rush of Blood to the Head
Politik
The thundering opener to one of my favourite albums, starting aggressive (well, for Coldplay standards) but ending with a calmer coda/outro which is in fact the best coda/outro ever. |
| 8 | | Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Degausser
Degausser is my favourite song from my favourite album. |
| 7 |  | Radiohead
The Bends
Fake Plastic Trees
Of all songs on this list, Fake Plastic Trees makes me [i]feel[/i] the most. Feel miserable, mostly, but thereâs something about this song that also makes meâŠhappy? Really hard to describe.
Strangely enough, Iâve known this song for three of four years and didnât care about it that much. Only last year I suddenly recognized the beauty of its raw emotion. |
| 6 |  | Protomartyr
Relatives In Descent
Night-Blooming Cereus
The youngest addition to my favourites. Caseyâs vocals and lyrics, the slow building of the song and the way the vocals become almost buried under growing guitars all make Night-Blooming Cereus a brilliant song. |
| 5 | | Radiohead
The Bends
Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Depressing. Also beautiful. |
| 4 | | Pearl Jam
Ten
Black
What a stunning ballad this is. Also, these lyrics are fantastic:
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life/
I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky, but why/
Why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine? |
| 3 | | Coldplay
A Rush of Blood to the Head
Clocks
Clocks is one of the first songs I remember loving. Coldplay are basically the band that introduced me to music, and Clocks has always been my favourite song until a couple of years ago. But regardless of nostalgia, I genuinely think this is a fantastic song. That heavenly piano melody will always get me. |
| 2 |  | Daughter
Not to Disappear
Fossa
I have become obsessed with Fossa in the last two years: it gives me comfort like no other song does â even though it is a mournful song. The dreamlike first minutes of the song are carried forward by lovely vocals from Tonra. After the second chorus however, Tonra takes a step back and the band create a stunning instrumental section that I wish lasted forever. |
| 1 |  | Interpol
Turn on the Bright Lights
Leif Erikson
And here it is: my favourite song of all time. Thereâs just something about Leif Erikson that makes it magicalâŠthe keyboards, the guitars and the cryptic lyrics create such an otherworldly atmosphere. The break after two minutes feels like a short moment of rest before the finale; desperate vocals from Banks and a smooth guitar solo end this perfect song in a perfect way.
Ugh, this description is too vague to get a clear idea of what Leif Erikson sounds likeâŠjust reserve four minutes of your time for this song, itâs really worth it :) |
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