Keep in mind that this is my 30 favorite songs of all time. Not songs I claim are the best ever. Art is subjective, and many of the songs that I have on this list are tied to fond or powerful memories that give them meaning to me. Miss me with any pretentious comments.

I’m going to go ahead and get this out of the way. If you’re looking for a good indicator of whether or not my reviews and content are going to align with your general tastes, I think that nothing is a better litmus test than my favorite songs of all time.

Why do this?

• Because I think it helps y’all connect to my reviews and content as coming from a person, not an institution, or a company that needs to maintain some sort of homogenous platform
• Because one of the best parts about music is sharing it with people you care about, whether in person, or virtually

Without further ado, we’ll start from the top

30- See You Again – Tyler, The Creator (ft. Kali Uchis)

This is the best song Tyler has created, but I hope that it’s not the best he’ll ever create. This really solidified his artistic growth to me, and the production style speaks to me. The track has this great mix of fat, bass driven, verses, with some really light and airy choruses that pair so well with Kali Uchis’ voice. I associate this song with some of my happiest car rides, and it makes me feel love whenever I listen to it.

29- Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones

This is the best song the Stones have ever written, or will ever write. The ethereal intro to this song with that really pared back riff sets such a great setting, and you can feel the storm brewing as the intensity of the vocals and drums amp up throughout the song. I would argue that the rawest moment of all 70’s rock comes from the 2:45-3:05 mark of this song, where Merry Clayton, co-vocalist, sings so powerfully and willfully that you can feel the strain in her voice as she hits the final shriek in “BABY”. She suffered a miscarriage after recording this song, and there’s every indication it was from the strain she put on her body in the recording for this song.

28- Freedom – Rage Against the Machine

Choosing a Rage song was so hard for me, because there are so many good ones to choose from. But Freedom is the most diverse track they’ve got in their catalogue, and one that I think has it’s most powerful moment. If you haven’t already gathered, I love when songs build into an “oh, shit” moment, and the bridge leading into Zac’s blood curdling scream gets me every time. “Freedom? Yeah, right”.

27- Television/So Far So Good – Rex Orange County

Nothing captures Rex better than this song. It’s got his jazzy touches, his quirky, sincere, and endearing lyricisim, and some nice breakdowns. The transition from upbeat, driving, pseudo-rapping to the somber ballad at the end of the song feels so good. The vocalizing at the end of “Be the only one to make me smile” is impossible not to sing along to.

26- Dead! – My Chemical Romance

Welcome to the Black Parade is a masterpiece of an album, and this song not only sets up the story of the album beautifully, but it’s everything you want in an emo rock song. Distorted power chords, a sick solo, grimy, angry vocals, and an unrelenting fast tempo. Oh, and an added bonus of a great outro chorus. I only wish I lived to see this performed live.

25- Cuddle Fuddle – Passion Pit

This has an argument for my favorite love song ever. Something about the simplicity of the synth and kick pairing together with simple, unapologetically shrill vocals feel so right. The lyrics are what I love though. They really strike a chord to the way you rationalize romantic thoughts when you aren’t feeling your most eloquent or articulate, and the imagery that this song puts on display never fail to make me smile.

24- a few words for the firing squad (radiation) – Run the Jewels

I can’t forget about RTJ. I know it’s been only a short while since this song was released, but I still haven’t stopped listening to it. I think RTJ are one of the most underrated hip-hop groups on the scene right now, and this song showed them bust out some artistry to go with their violent, jarring, and gripping beats and bars. The sax in the back builds as the tension grows between Killer Mike and El’s verses, and the breakdown just decomposes this fiery album into ash.

23- La Vie En Rose – Louis Armstrong

Beauty. Simplicity. In a word, affection. You listen to this song, you want to hug someone, tell them you love them, or just remember someone in your life fondly. Louis’ deep, scratchy, voice adds such a wonderful texture to this song, and the blaring trumpet creates this conviction that closes the track satisfyingly.

22- Heroes – David Bowie

Bowie was another artist that made it hard for me to choose a song. But Heroes has such a deliberate resolve, a calm sense of strength that it instills with you. I think that silly lines like “I wish I could swim/ like dolphins can swim” endear me to the song, and the emotional, gut wrenching vocals at the end of the song build into a triumph, making me really feel ready to be a hero by the time the track is over.

21- Ribs – Lorde

Audre had no business popping off like this. The deep, mysterious bass and synth make you feel like you’re out on a desolate night drive, just contemplating life. The backup vocals in the chorus circle around your ears in a brilliant use of stereo, and the lyrics just really hit home about the fears and tribulations of growing up, moving up and on to new things. Lorde is a genius, and if you don’t think so after listening to this song, well… I don’t know what to say.

20- Naive – The Kooks

What an iconic riff. I’d be surprised if there’s a single self-declared alt rock or indie fan that can’t identify this song just by the first three seconds of the song. Not too much depth to my analysis of this song, it just has perfect pacing, amazing guitar, and the ideal build. It just won’t let me down, if you will.

19 This Velvet Glove – Red Hot Chili Peppers

RCHP are a mainstay for me, and while I’ve matured into appreciating a wide array of genres, they’ll always be a band whose work feels comfortable, accessible, and sincere. This song is my favorite of theirs because it highlights my favorite things about them. Anthony Keidas’ vocals that sound like he’s singing with a smirk, FAT slaps on the bass from Flea, and the patented RCHP silly-ass lyrics. “Long to be with someone to tell, ‘I love your smell'”.

18- Thunder Clatter – Wild Cub

Probably the only one hit wonder on this list, but it had to be done. This is the happiest song ever created, hands down, no argument. This song is so happy and pure that I can completely overlook the fact that the mastered recording features a bass beat that’s noticeably behind the rest of the song for the first 30 seconds. This song sounds like sunshine, and listening to it feels like you’re frolicking in a field.

17- Mi Amigo – Kings of Leon

I have no idea why, but this song, a weird ballad about a dysfunctional couple really pulled me out of a rut period of my life. The main guitar riff feels clean and hopeful compared to the cynical lyricism and vocals of the track. The little quirks of “you know son!” really hit on with Kings of Leon do best, which is give you something rough around the edges that still feels sweet to the taste.

16- Gibraltar – Beirut

Another song that is up here because it’s inextricably tied to a memory. This was the song that always played on our automated mix tape at the radio station I worked at before I went on air. It came to be a mainstay for me, and my dad would always tell me how much he loved it. There were days he would be my only listener, but I would know that this song was a feeling that we could share together. The bongos are so whimsical and Beirut’s voice is to die for.

15- Plush (Acoustic Cut) – Stone Temple Pilots

Yes, I like this version better. Something about it feels more sincere, more opportunistic. I get infatuated with small, seemingly negligible pieces to music’s production, like the high pitched ringing that persists faintly in the background through most of this track. It creates an effect of intimacy through the song, and I feel like the great Scott Weilan is sitting in a chair across the room from me, plugged into a box amp, just enjoying the moment. This was a childhood favorite, and a go-to when I need to feel some solace.

14- Pacifier – Catfish and the Bottlemen

Catfish and the Bottlemen are my favorite “true” rock act of the 2010’s, and I this song perfectly captures what they do best. Driving guitar riffs, passionate, cutting vocals, and crashing drums. Whenever I hear this song, I’m astral projected into the mosh pit that formed during this song when I saw them live, wherein everyone in the pit would hug each other and smile as they slammed into one another. In a way, this song feels that wholesome in its own rocking way, and it never fails to get me hype.

13- J’OUVERT – BROCKHAMPTON

Speaking of hype. This song, in a word, is visceral. By far the most emotional, gut wrenching verse Joba has ever delivered, and even Merlyn and Matt’s verses get slept on. When I think of this song, I also think of mosh pits. Much, much, more aggressive mosh pits. This song succeeds in creating a backdrop of anger and self righteousness, and I need a place for that in my life. One of the most sonically diverse songs they’ve ever put out, and one that always riles me up.

12- Title and Registration – Death Cab for Cutie

If you don’t think that this is the best Death Cab for Cutie song, you’re clearly not my brand of sadboy. The lyrics give a sense that the singer is coping with this deep pain in their chest via a thin shroud of irony and humor. I think we can all relate to covering up sadness with the façade that we’re all alright until it just crumbles. Just as Ben Gibbard sings in the song, this is one to lay awake at night to.

11- Man Who Sold the World – Nirvana

The entire unplugged performance that Nirvana put on was once-in-a-lifetime level immaculate, but this song endears me for how it roughs the edges of an acoustic performance. Cobain adds grit to a song Bowie made glossy, and every time I hear the amp screech as he enters the final bridge, I get goosebumps. This is definitely my favorite cover of all time, and it’s my favorite Nirvana song to boot. The vocals are haunting, and the bass thuds my heart strings.

10- Say It Ain’t So- Weezer

Hello son, have ya ever heard of power chords? What an absolute classic. Takes you back to Rock Band sessions with your friend group, portable CD players, and your coming of age. But what gives this song the staying power is the breakdown. The slow build creates such a heightened suspense, and just when you think they’re just gonna end the song without dropping the thunder, the guitar comes shredding in with crashing drums into a hyper-emotional, belt it out with all your heart final 55 seconds of sheer catharsis and bliss. YEAH YEAHUHHHHH.

9- Everlong – Foo Fighters

Another song that just fits the prototype. A mysterious, brooding intro that features Dave Grohl’s killer voice, and the signature Foo Fighters rock charm. This used to be my favorite song of all time, but as I’ve grown, it’s taken the backseat to some of the more powerfully influential songs to me, but it’ll always be a song that you can crank in the car or in the empty apartment and just jam out the whole time, elated and energized.

8- Dreams – Fleetwood Mac

See, I could claim I loved this song long before TikTok made it huge again, but I was really maybe in the 10th or so generation of music fans that’s caught onto just how good this song is. There’s no better way to describe this song than “a whole vibe”, and I love it. It suits any laid back mood, and its subdued soulfulness and sassiness make it infectious beyond belief.

7- Lazy Eye – Silversun Pickups

As you likely could guess at this point, this song just does better what Say It Ain’t So did so well earlier on in the list. An early, sultry and ethereal intro build steadily into an absolute thrasher that never fails to give me goosebumps when I listen. The moments where you hear Brian Aubert’s voice shriek in pure effort and emotion, and the guitar ever so slightly squeal as it navigates through the intense bridges and solos cut into you like a knife. I love a song that can make you feel vulnerable without needing to say anything.

6- Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place) – The Lumineers

A bonus track for a top hit? Also, I lied, this is my favorite cover of all time. Stripping back this song to a kick drum and an acoustic guitar opens up the rest of the song to give room for the lyrics, and the emotion behind them, to really shine through. This song feels like love and heartbreak at the same time, and there’s something deeply moving about that juxtaposition that just dominates my soul every time I give this track a spin.

5- Blood Bank – Bon Iver

Please don’t sleep on this track. Justin Vernon puts his full chest into this song, and the crashing breakdown at the end is something I love that the Bon Iver outfit rarely sneaks into their songs. There’s a smattering of goofy, yet so, so, loving lyrics in this song that speak to me for reasons I don’t quite understand. Ain’t it just like the present/ to be showing up like this? . I’m in love with your honor/ I’m in love with your cheeks. Tears have been shed numerous times to this song, and always in a welcome way.

4- I’m With You – Grouplove

Just when you thought that Grouplove had perfected the alt-beach-rock-pop hybrid, they throw something at you that feels so much deeper and powerful. The keys in the lead up to this song are beautiful, and make me feel almost jittery as I’m waiting for it to get to the verses. There’s such intensity, intent, and passion behind each chorus and every breakdown, and feeling how much this band loves each other makes you love the ones around you a little more.

3- Nights – Frank Ocean

Sometimes, artists’ popular songs are popular because they’re just that good. As most millennials that take a likening to Frank, his music helped me stave off some tough times, and this song in particular formed a natural connection. The dreamy, yet snappy guitar riff paired with Frank’s otherwordly voice make you feel like you’re floating through a dream. While I’ll still hold that Pyramids holds the spot for the best Frank transition, this one is certainly most iconic, and leads to a stark shift in mood that wakes you up and nearly experience the song all over again.

2- Gimme All Your Love – Alabama Shakes

One of the most criminally underrated songs off of one of the most criminally underrated albums of all time. Brittany Howard has one of the most powerful voices since the soul and blues queens of old, possessing what I hear as a mix of Mama Thornton and Aretha Franklin-esque timbres. The band does a perfect job of elevating her voice all through the grimy, gripping verses, and she returns the favor by allowing the band to cut into one of the best bridges of all time. Cue the air drums, cue the air guitar, and cue absolutely BELTING GIMME ALL YOUR LOVEEEEEEE/ GIMME ALL YOU GOT BABE, WOOOOOOO.

1- Runaway – Kanye West

There’s simply nothing better. This song was already one of my favorites of all time, and then along the way I learned about the almost mythical story of its inception, of Kanye’s sheer emotion and genius culminating in an outpouring of some of the most brilliantly composed music of all time. This song singlehandedly broke the mold for what a modern hip-hop song could be, and all who know it are drawn all the way in when they hear it. What Kanye manages to create with the heavily distorted voice guitar creates a sonic experience that cuts to your core, seemingly chemically. Not to mention introspective, thoughtfully crafted verses, and the best use of Pusha T of all time. Every time I listen to this song I get goosebumps the whole way through, and it will always be a testament to how much music making you feel is important.