Sometimes a song just really tickles the old noggin. When I’m listening to music and one of these songs come on, I get genuinely excited. In no particular order (and I will definitely come back and add to this list through the years):

Stinkfist - Tool

This happens to be my most played track, and it never gets old. My favourite part is the buildup throughout the middle of the song, and I usually make sure it’s the final song of any running race playlist I make. Just so satisfying to run to that guitar passage in the last minute or two.

Closet - Fleshwater

This song is only like 1-2 minutes, but that’s kind of what makes it such a treat. It manages to pack a lot in such a short time frame in a way that doesn’t feel rushed or anything. It’s heavy, catchy, short, and sweet. Somehow feels nostalgic too, even though I only discovered this song a couple years ago.

Sugar - System of a Down

This song is just so stupid. It’s fun, heavy, dumb, meme-able, I dunno… bouncy?

ATWA - System of a Down

A bit of a more substantial System of a Down song, but still really fun. I really like the simple guitar riff and the way Serj and Daron’s voices work together. It’s also pretty heavy in parts, which scratches my brain!

Bartzabel - Behemoth

Another song that feels… bouncy. I don’t know how else to describe it. Also the lyrics are just a verbatim reciting of some ancient spell which I think is pretty metal 🤘

My Name is Mud - Primus

This is another really, really stupid song. But something about the way Les Claypool plays the bass, particularly in this song, just really scratches my brain. It’s also kind of metal.

Negative Creep - Nirvana

Nirvana is probably my first “band”. Or at least the first one I got obsessed with in High School. And after listening to every album of theirs countless times, I always come back to Bleach–their first one. It’s almost more metal, definitely sludgier, doomier, and I’m obsessed with Kurt’s vocals and how downtuned and distorted the guitars are. This is the perfect track to hear this side of Nirvana on, in my opinion. Also just really enjoy how half the song is just blood-curdling screaming for some reason.

State of Love and Trust - Pearl Jam

A lot of songs on this list are stupid, but this one isn’t. This song just makes me feel a certain type of way, I think Eddie’s delivery of the lyrics just hit. Also, the MTV unplugged performance is just a masterclass on aura farming. That’s all I really have to say about that.

Stranger by the Minute - Porcupine Tree

A bit of a deeper Porcupine Tree song, but I just really enjoy the harmonies on the guitars, the vocals, and the kind of wall-of-sound feeling. It is just a really pleasant song, no notes.

Suffocate - Knocked Loose

Coming back to the DUMB songs, this one is DUMB. But in such a fucking awesome way. This song really really gets me pumped. The Jimmy Kimmel performance is also just hilariously heavy, over the top, and DUMB. I think Bryan and Poppy’s voices work really well together: they are both good at screaming.

Elephant - bôa

I just wanted to say I LOVE this album, it is just a perfect 10/10 album, but this track always makes me happy, but kind of in a bittersweet way. I saw this song live last year too, and the band played a really nice extended version, asking the crowd to help vocalise making for a really special moment. So this one is pretty close to my heart, and I will always love bôa ❤️

Bullet in the Head - Rage Against the Machine

This is a little bit of a deeper track, but I don’t think it’s fair to say RATM have any deep tracks especially considering they only have a small handful of albums. But compared to their other really popular songs, this one I feel is just stronger, better, funkier, bappier, cooler. A classic.

Arriving Somewhere But Not Here - Porcupine Tree

The first time I heard this song, I instantly fell in love. This was my first ever Porcupine Tree, and now they are probably my favourite band. I’ve never looked back. I love the way the every instrument punches in after the initial intro, playing the same riff but bringing an entire wall of sound along with it that just goes straight into your soul. The song has some really mindblowing guitar solos too, and the soundscape is just masterful. Everything about this song is 10/10.

A history of Bad Men - Melvins

This song really scratches my brain. Similar to Bleach by Nirvana, this album is just insanely heavy and sludgy, and the hypermasculine vocals are really appealing to me. Listening to this song makes me feel like a total badass.

Demon of the Fall - Opeth

This is not the flashiest or most popular Opeth song, but it still has all the elements. The scary death vocals, the dreamy clean melodies at the end too. I love how many Opeth recordings are concept albums and this one is no different. I like to imagine a ghost hunting someone down in an autumn forest while this song is playing, it really intensifies the spook factor.

Gone Away - The Offspring

I admittedly don’t listen to The Offspring as much as I should. I’m not super familiar with their game–but I know all the popular ones. This song sticks out to me though as maybe something more personal (well, okay most of their songs are pretty deep, but I can’t explain really how this one sticks out to me). I really enjoy the singer’s singing voice in this song, I wasn’t immediately aware from their other works but this guy has some serious pipes.

Buying New Soul (Live) - Porcupine Tree

Particularly from their Arriving Somewhere Live album, this is such a great song. You gotta have John Wesley and Steven Wilson on vocals together, they just make for such a magical sound. Combined with Richard Barbieri masterful sound design and everything else coming together, this song just makes me transcend. The acoustic guitar is so nice too, and the way Steven belts it at the hard-hitting moments, and refrains in other moments, it’s just such a dynamic song.

Sweet Charity - Mr. Bungle

Mr. Bungle is just plain old weird. This album reels it in a little bit, but at times I just don’t really know what I’m listening to any more. I can’t really figure out what it is I like about listening to these guys, particularly when their music just goes in all sorts of different directions, but I like it! This one just has a really fun sound to it, I’m just obsessed with Mike Patton’s voice on this album. It almost has an old-timey quality to it… if something was just kinda off. I love singing along to this one, especially the BUM BADUM bits. Well, it’s hard to describe this one so I’ll just leave it that.

The Flood - Leprous

It’s tough to pick between this song and “The Price” off the same album. But this one just has a really rich soundscape to it, and the lyrics are really moody–just the way I like my Leprous. But I really can’t get past the beautifully picked sound of the guitars, keyboard, everything happening in the background just makes this song. Especially the passage leading up to the little intermission in the middle of the song, it just builds up beautifully. But the real winner is the way the instrument breakdown toward the end of the song switches tempo and turns into something you can really bang your head to. You could even dance to it if you wanted to.

Born in Winter - Gojira

This one is moody as hell. I can sit in my brooding corner, throw my hood up, and close my eyes. The guitar melody throughout the song is really addicting (i.e. brain scratching) and Joe’s voice is low and intimate before the song switches gears and goes into a more traditional Gojira style. It’s short, simple, but dynamic and very satisfying to listen to.

Reign Me In - Sam Fender & Olivia Dean

I know this is a really obvious pick considering how insanely popular this song is at the time of writing. But I would be extremely remiss if I didn’t add it to the list because god-damn does it fit the bill. I don’t really need to say much more, you get it.

Silver Springs - Fleetwood Mac

Another obvious pick probably, but there is something very, very, enchanting about Stevie Nicks and her voice. And this song in particular stands out as… enchanting. Welp, there you go, the most basic statement in human history 🫡