My Generation Songs Ranked

“My Generation” is a song by the English rock band the Who, which became a hit and one of their most recognizable songs. The song was named the 11th greatest song by Rolling Stone on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It became part of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and are inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for “historical, artistic and significant” value. The song was released as a single on 29 October 1965, reaching No. 2 in the United Kingdom (The Who’s highest-charting single in their home country along with 1966’s I’m a Boy) and No. 74 in the United States. “My Generation” also appeared on The Who’s 1965 debut album, My Generation (The Who Sings My Generation in the United States), and in greatly extended form on their live album Live at Leeds (1970). Although The Who re-recorded the song for the Ready Steady Who EP in 1966, ultimately it was not included and remained unissued until 1995 remaster of A Quick One. The main difference between this version and the original is that it is heavily abridged and instead of the hail of feedback that closes the original, the band plays a chaotic rendition of Edward Elgar’s “Land of Hope and Glory.” In the album’s liner notes the song is thus credited to both Pete Townshend and Elgar. Here are all of My Generation’s songs ranked.

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12. The Ox

“One of the original noise rock songs, along with the Monks and the Velvet Underground, this channels Ornette Coleman and Link Wray into a psychotic feedback frenzy with Keith obliterating his kit and Pete raping his axe.”

11. Out in the Street

“Out In The Street”, the opening track on the “My Generation” album, uses the same introductory riff as the band’s previous single “Anyway Anyhow Anywhere”, although it doesn’t follow through with quite the same force, settling in to a more routine R ‘n’ B stomp, likewise the lyric.”

10. A Legal Matter

“Follows the same breakneck speed and approximate chord sequence of its much bigger brother “My Generation”, but the effect is diluted due to 1. Pete singing it himself and 2. The humour in the lyric. Still good although it was belatedly released as a single without group approval after the band signed to Track Records.”

See more: The Who Albums: Top 5 Ranked

9. I Don’t Mind

“I Don’t Mind,” a James Brown cover has a more bluesy, soulful sound with great backing vocals and fantastic Townshend guitar leads.”

8. I’m a Man

“I’m a Man” is pretty solid though the vocal work at the beginning is less than desirable. This is an amazing album. Though similar to what The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks were doing at the time, there’s a ferocity and recklessness here that seems unlike anything else that had come before.”

7. The Good’s Gone

“The Who were more mature in their music and lyrics than most English pop bands of the 60s, and Pete Townshend was in every aspect a professional songwriter, as much as he was one of the most creative guitar-players of his time, even if not the best technically.”

6. It’s Not True

“‘It’s Not True’, a fantastic typical example of Pete’s witty, sharp songwriting. A more vintage rock from the era that invented it.”

5. La-La-La Lies

“La La La Lies” sounds like a naive pop song with pretty harmonies, but again, Moon’s mad drumming elevates it to a whole different level of intensity. The harmony that became legend when the opera started.

See more: The Who Songs Ranked

4. Please, Please, Please

“Daltrey’s shivering almost tortured vocals strained with soul. Townshend’s fiery guitar licks. Entwistle’s strong bass (and brass). Moon’s thundering licks that put any drummer to this day to shame.”

3. Much Too Much

“Keith Moons drums pulsate and punctuate the lyrics and rhythm. When listening to My Generation, my pulse fluctuates to the beat, the adrenaline rush runs through my veins and summons my feet to dance.”

2. The Kids Are Alright

“Time and time again, I have argued that The Who’s early singles may be the platonic ideal of rock and roll music. No other group better balanced the genre’s predilection for danger with melodic sensibility. While that sense of danger tended to separate The Who from the British Invasion pack – and defined their most iconic recordings – “The Kids Are Alright” is three minutes of glorious pop hooks, with an only-slightly-explosive undercurrent.”

1. My Generation

“Many people are always surprised that “My Generation” was not a big single hit in the United States. It only reached number 74 on the National charts. Historically it was a call to a generation who thought they would never grow old. Just raw and powerful and essential listening for any fan of rock ‘n’ roll.”