Beastie Boys Songs Ranked
BeastieBoys were an American hip hop group from New York City formed in 1978. The group was composed of Michael “Mike D” Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam “MCA” Yauch (vocals, bass), and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz (vocals, guitar, programming).
Beastie Boys were formed out of members of experimental hardcore punk band the Young Aborigines in 1978, with Diamond as a vocalist, Jeremy Shatan on bass guitar, guitarist John Berry and Kate Schellenbach on drums. When Shatan left in 1981, Yauch replaced him on bass and the band changed their name to Beastie Boys. Berry left shortly thereafter and was replaced by Horovitz.
After achieving local success with the 1983 experimental hip hop single “Cooky Puss”, Beastie Boys made a full transition to hip hop, and Schellenbach left. They toured with Madonna in 1985 and a year later released their debut album, Licensed to Ill, the first rap record to top the Billboard 200 chart. Their second album, Paul’s Boutique (1989), was a commercial failure, but later received critical acclaim. Check Your Head (1992) and Ill Communication (1994) found mainstream success, followed by Hello Nasty (1998), To the 5 Boroughs (2004), The Mix-Up (2007), and Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011). Beastie Boys have sold 20 million records in the United States, making them the biggest-selling rap group since Billboard began recording sales in 1991. With seven platinum-selling albums from 1986 to 2004, Beastie Boys were one of the longest-lived hip hop acts worldwide. Here are all of the Beastie Boys’ songs ranked.
Don’t miss out on the music of the Beastie Boys below! Click to enjoy the songs of this biggest-selling rap group!
20. The New Style (Licensed to Ill, 1986)
“To be honest I am stunned at how good the beat is. I always forget, I just remember it being this raw rap and then it actually hits you with a dope beat. Sounds like Run DMC doing Mantronix and no way is that a bad thing. Must have been Rick Rubin.”
19. Get It Together (Ill Communication, 1994)
“What is there to say about the Beastie Boys except, GENIUS! This album was a great combination of a hip hop background combined with the sound of the day. More grungy and metal than earlier albums, it defined the Beasties for a new generation.”
18. High Plains Drifter (Paul’s Boutique, 1989)
“I’ve always liked how well the beastie boys can flow in and out of rhythm yet carry an idea no matter how insane that idea may be. High plains drifter pulls you in for a few minutes into the minds of these boys who beast from coast to coast much like the characters they play or are in the song I don’t know which! None the less its enjoyable chaotic bliss of the mind numbing senses these boys posses. Just kick it and don’t search for sanity..that would be insanity! The riffs and beats put together like a puzzle should be enjoyment enough.”
17. Rhymin’ and Stealin’ (Licensed to Ill, 1986)
“This song helped found the modern rap-rock/metal tone. Great rhythm, catchy drums, and a talented guitarist. They are indeed talented”
See more: Beastie Boys Albums Ranked
16. Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun (Paul’s Boutique, 1989)
“One of the most rock out and pure badass b-boys songs with tons of memorable lines. I first heard this song on the Beavis and Butthead Experience. This version is a bit different. Not worse, it just sounds different.
“Expressing my aggressions through my schizophrenic verse words“
15. Right Right Now Now (To the 5 Boroughs, 2004)
“It’s so nice to be able to listen to great Beastie boy music on the go. This tune is as catchy as all their other stuff, and I really love listening to Right Right Now Now. It really makes you want to jump up and start rapping along.”
14. Shake Your Rump (Paul’s Boutique, 1989)
“Shake Your Rump is one of the greatest things ever to blast out of the car speakers as you cruise through the city. Actually fuck that, its just one of the greatest things ever.”
13. Gratitude (Check Your Head, 1992)
“The great bass riff is just so catchy. This song is just everything that’s good about the Beastie Boys. Come on! The riff in it is just so sexy! Well, “Gratitude” feels quite a bit like “Sabotage” v0.5 (or “Days Before Sabotage” maybe?), but the Beasties are boxing on a pretty similar level here, and consider that the level of “Sabotage” is a straight five stars.”
12. Car Thief (Paul’s Boutique, 1989)
“Masterpiece. Dope synth samples create an melancholic view on the late 89s American lifestyle. Car Thief is another really awesome track that shows some really great flows.”
11. Hey Ladies (Paul’s Boutique, 1989)
“Hey Ladies always puts me in a good mode. It’s a good song BUT Shake Your Rump is an amazing song. The raps are ridiculous, funny and intricate. Hey Ladies is a joyful track that samples the Ballroom Blitz by glam rock band Sweet and Jungle Boogie from funk band Kool & the Gang. It is also one of the best and popular songs off this album.”
10. Ch-Check It Out (To the 5 Boroughs, 2004)
“This song is what hip-hop should be. All three drop in and kill their rhyme. This is song bumps in any car. You all should ch-check it out. The most explicit one has a great beat and wonderful rhymes”
9. Sure Shot (Ill Communication, 1994)
” “Sure Shot” is just an all around stellar track. It’s easily one of my favorite Beastie Boys songs. If you don’t include any of the songs on Paul’s Boutique, it might actually be my favorite song of theirs. It’s a classic and it’s one of the rare pieces (along with the entirety of Paul’s Boutique) in their discography that isn’t overrated.”
8. Brass Monkey (Licensed to Ill, 1986)
“Just love it. The lyrics are fun, the vocals amazing, the song will get you bouncing around. Hey, it’s the Beastie Boys. The Beastie Boys are a stellar group. Do you really need to know more?”
7. Paul Revere (Licensed to Ill, 1986)
“Classic hit of the beastie boys. Original hip hop is dead on the radio. Even though I’ve matured over the years and no longer relate to most hip hop this is still a good song”
See more: Madonna Albums Ranked
6. Make Some Noise (Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, 2011)
“. The song, the lead single from their album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is classic Beasties, and still shows that the group still knows how to rap. While they don’t feel like they have anything to prove anymore, they still know how to deliver the classic beats that their raps still shine nicely. If you’re a die hard Beastie Boys fan or new to their classic music, this is a nice song to download. So make some noise for the Beasties.”
5. Intergalactic (Hello Nasty, 1998)
“This has a lot of energy to it and the synthesized hook is weird, but decent. The shouts and flow also carry a lot of impact. I only wish this had something about it that made it as iconic as the Beasties’ 80s hits. Maybe I’m just a brainless metalhead, but those riffs made their songs more fun. Still, this one is fun and quirky in it’s own way.”
4. No Sleep Till Brooklyn (Licensed to Ill, 1986)
“Talk about a fist-pumping banger, This is something that you throw on when it calls for a night of crowd surfing and tossing crushed brewskies everywhere. It’s a similar breed of snotty and wild as the other Beastie singles, but this one adds a little extra by bringing in Slayer’s Kerry King for a solo even more wild than the rest of the song. The chorus is also fun for shouting along to.”
3. So What’cha Want (Check Your Head, 1992)
“The static and fuzz don’t really work in this song’s favor since it softens the song, rather than adding any mass to it. It’s more of the usual bonkers Beasties stuff that’s a lot of fun to listen to anyways with crazy voices, fun demeanors, and good flows. It’s cool.”
2. Fight for Your Right (Licensed to Ill, 1986)
“Loud, goofy, and hedonistic, just as the Beastie Boys should be. The riffs bang and the rapping is bold. This song also does a good job weaving shouts into the lyrics. Sure, it’s big and it’s dumb, but it’s big and dumb in a fun way. It makes you want to wreck shit and shout along.”
1. Sabotage (Ill Communication, 1994)
“There was no band in this era that was as innovative as the Beasties. They put a sasquatchian size footprint on urban culture throughout all of the 90s. ‘Sabotage’ was their debut single off of their 4th studio album and solidified them as the kings!