Black Flag Songs Ranked
Black Flag is an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. Initially called Panic, the band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band. They are widely considered to be one of the first hardcore punk bands, as well as one of the pioneers of post-hardcore. Black Flag’s sound mixed the raw simplicity of the Ramones with atonal guitar solos and, in later years, frequent tempo shifts. The lyrics were written mostly by Ginn, and like other punk bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Black Flag voiced an anti-authoritarian and nonconformist message, in songs punctuated with descriptions of social isolation, neurosis, poverty, and paranoia. Here are all of Black Flag’s songs ranked.
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20. Jealous Again (Jealous Again, 1980)
“The music itself is pretty similar to the rest of early Black Flag: short, punchy songs that rail against society and your own brain, with a healthy dose of nihilism mixed in.”
19. Beat My Head Against the Wall (My War, 1984)
“This is the world’s most beautiful piece of music ever made! You’ll fall in love with this song immediately.”
18. Slip It In (Slip It In, 1984)
“The title track has an awesome bassline and main riff, but is ruined by a messy, overlong structure and awful lyrics (though I admit I kinda like the line “you’re not loose, you’re wide open!”). All those stop-starts and tempo shifts make the band sound sloppy.”
17. Wasted (The First Four Years, 1983)
“Such an underrated riff. I also really love the drum beat. And you can’t talk about this song without mentioning the five minutes of instrumentals.”
See more: Black Flag Albums Ranked
16. No More (Damaged, 1981)
“My favourite Black Flag song! Perhaps even one of my favourite songs ever, every time I hear this I start singing along. Love it”
15. I’ve Heard It Before (The First Four Years, 1983)
“While this isn’t one of my favorite Black Flag songs, I still gotta acknowledge that it’s one of their greatest.”
14. Damaged II (Damaged, 1981)
“This is the stones at their very best. The guitars are downright nasty (in the best way possible). And the sax keeps you coming back for more.”
13. Scream (My War, 1984)
“This song lifts my heart so high it is so breath taking in a very great way it always makes me happy and I love it so much”
12. Drinking and Driving (In My Head, 1985)
“There’s something different about this song, I love it so much. It’s really underrated and too many people don’t know it. If you don’t, listen because it’s great!”
11. Annihilate This Week (Annihilate This Week, 1987)
“This song guitar solo practically melts into itself. It’s a nice long solo that keeps getting better and stretches it self as far as possible with out breaking a string.”
10. I Love You (My War, 1984)
“One of their most underrated songs. It’s really catchy and funky. Better than the main ones on the album”
9. T.V. Party (T.V. Party, 1982)
“Perfectly captures the energy of its time, incredible rhythm and individual guitar and vocal solos, one of the best songs ever”
8. Nothing Left Inside (My War, 1984)
“This song is one of the best of all time. The songs above it are all pretty amazing, but this one outdoes them all. The message and tone and everything adds up to a brilliant track.”
7. Six Pack (Six Pack, 1981)
“Total rock, great delivery, awesome music, and the lyrics are pretty good, even though many people don’t grasp the meaning.”
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6. Society’s Tease (In My Head, 1985)
“Such a simple message that means so much. The arrangement with the background chorus always gets me.”
5. Nervous Breakdown (Nervous Breakdown, 1979)
“Not only is this the best Black Flag song, but it’s one of the best punk rock songs of all time. That rhythm guitar chord progression just sounds sooo damn good.”
4. Depression (The Decline of Western Civilization, 1981)
“Rock, choir, what a beautiful mix, by far my favorite. Beautiful song that really rocks! Funkin awesome! The pace of the songs really nice! One of the 1st songs I heard of this band.”
3. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie (Damaged, 1981)
“The greatest rock song ever written. It is dangerous, it is edgy and it is hopeful all at the same time. It is incomparable live.”
2. Rise Above (Damaged, 1981)
“Best riff, best opening line, great pacing…so much to love here. One of the coolest guitar riffs ever. Not to mention some of their best lyrics.”
1. My War (My War, 1984)
“It just grabs you in! I was amazed at how unusual and sympathetic this song was. Something different is projected in each of their songs. I’m baffled with every song I hear from them.”