Gotye Songs Ranked
Wouter “Wally” De Backer (born 21 May 1980), better known by his stage name Gotye, is a Belgian-born Australian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. The name “Gotye” is a pronunciation respelling of “Gauthier”, the French cognate of his Dutch given name “Wouter” (English “Walter”, hence the nickname “Wally”). Gotye has released three studio albums independently and one album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums. He is a founding member of the Melbourne indie-pop trio The Basics, who have independently released four studio albums and numerous other titles since 2002. His voice has been compared to those of Peter Gabriel and Sting. Gotye’s 2011 single “Somebody That I Used to Know” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the fifth Australian-based artist to do so and the second born in Belgium (after The Singing Nun in 1963). He has won five ARIA Awards and received a nomination for an MTV EMA for Best Asia and Pacific Act. On 10 February 2013, he won three Grammy Awards at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards Show: Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Somebody That I Used to Know” and Best Alternative Music Album for Making Mirrors. Gotye has said he sometimes feels “less of a musician, more of a tinkerer.” Here are all of Gotye songs ranked.
Don’t miss out on the TIMELESS Gotye music below! Click to experience an eclectic mix of blues and pop!
15. The Only Way (Like Drawing Blood, 2006)
“I thought it was about the end of a relationship. It’s a combination of desire, anger and logic. He wants his partner to be happy “all the stars are aligned” but he’s still angry at her, he’s wishing her the best in a way, but there’s still that desirable effect that the end of a relationship brings, like the partner is still clinging on but “the only way” is to let go. It’s the most logical thing to do even though the other person may be fighting it.”
14. Puzzle With a Piece Missing (Like Drawing Blood, 2006)
“I had almost forgotten how awesome this album is. Intricate sound, great voice, amazing attention to details, and the tunes are good, too.”
13. In Your Light (Making Mirrors, 2011)
“The entire song has a simple meaning. It’s about God and how the singer is overjoyed to have God in his life, washing away all the worries and stress of every day life. It could also be about a girlfriend as well, which every way you want to take it, but it was most likely written about God.”
12. The Only Thing I Know (Boardface, 2003)
“All I can say is, Wow! This is such a great song, one of Gotye’s best. There is a background sound that sounds similar to another old song I have heard before, but it works better with this great song.”
See more: Gotye Albums Ranked
11. State of the Art (Making Mirrors, 2011)
“This song needs to be ranked higher- even if you don’t like his other songs, this one is so musically awesome (and funnily clever). Go do yourself a favor and WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO- it’ll make your whole day.”
10. Learnalilgivinanlovin (Like Drawing Blood, 2006)
“I discovered Gotye’s album (Making Mirrors) before Like Drawing Blood and wow! Oh my God this song is so different from most of his songs mostly because its really got a happy and bouncy type of sound to it. This song is such a breath of fresh air; the lyrics are really good, and Wally! Good Lord, his voice so beautiful!!!!”
9. Out Here in the Cold (Boardface, 2003)
“Love the strings in this song, and the film clip evokes a lot of emotion. Great, This is one of the biggest surprises of the album! The sound is so different: Upbeat and downright cheery.”
8. Bronte (Making Mirrors, 2011)
“I love this touching song. I did the first time I heard it. I figured it was about death /dying but didn’t realize it was about a friend of his pet dogs’ passing. I also relate it to losing my dear sweet sister quickly and unexpectedly. That may sound strange to some, but it fits for that as well. It is also a song I was listening to around the time of her passing. I always make song connections to times/events in my life.”
7. Noir Excursion (Boardface, 2003)
“The song tells a story, so it’s rather self-explanatory. In my opinion, there isn’t much to it besides that. I love his voice – it intertwines with the music beautifully! “
6. Coming Back (Like Drawing Blood, 2006)
“Gotye is such an amazing artist. This song makes you feel like you were carried away by a handsome Bedouin into the Arabian desert. A mystical and magical experience.”
See more: Neon Trees Albums Ranked
5. Loath to Refuse (Boardface, 2003)
“This is the kind of ‘music’ I have to listen to at work because some girl keeps putting it on the fucking stereo, usually right before she starts talking about man trouble.”
4. Eyes Wide Open (Making Mirrors, 2011)
“While “Somebody I Used To Know” is at no. 1, this is getting more play on Alt Nation (Sirius XM), probably because it’s a more alternative song. It includes a pretty kickass slide guitar, but it’s a lot faster than your average country song. Gotye’s voice is great, like it usually is, and he really sells the song. Pretty great.”
3. Save Me (Making Mirrors, 2011)
“This song is gorgeous, and sad and hopeful all at the same time. It actually hits close to home for me. My boyfriend went through depression last year and he didn’t know what to do with his life, told me he knew he was an awful boyfriend, hated himself etc. It was awful at the time. He’s recovered from it now, but it was a tough time for the both of us. I definitely supported him through it because I loved him and I wanted him to get better. So yeah, I think of us when I hear this song.”
2. Heart’s a Mess (Like Drawing Blood, 2006)
“Gotye excels at subdued breakup and mourning songs, and this one is no exception. Deep soft beats and strings accentuate the feeling of despair, highlighted by Gotye’s familiar sad singing. Perfect for those who want to wallow in their own self-pity or who are reflecting on a relationship on the rocks.”
1. Somebody that I Used to Know (Making Mirrors, 2011)
“At this stage I can safely say I haven’t heard a better song released in 2011. I have had no reason to be excited about anything so far this year and have all but ignored the entire music industry but upon noticing this song was storming through the Australian singles charts I felt compelled to hear just what Gotye had come up with that had struck such a chord with the public. The answer is simply a beautiful song. A song that everyone can relate to, with harmonies to die for and a guest appearance by the hottest woman in Australian music right now (despite the fact that she’s a Kiwi, since when did that stop us). A perfect storm that looks set to carry both Gotye and Kimbra into the stratosphere.”
