Renegades Songs Ranked
Renegades is the fourth and most recent studio album by American rock band Rage Against the Machine (RATM), released on December 5, 2000 by Epic Records, almost two months after their first breakup. The album consists of covers of songs by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Afrika Bambaataa, Minor Threat, Eric B. & Rakim, The Stooges, MC5, The Rolling Stones, Cypress Hill and Devo. Renegades is RATM’s only album to not be accompanied by a supporting tour. Shortly after the release of the album, three of the four band members (minus vocalist Zack de la Rocha) formed a new band, Audioslave, with former Soundgarden vocalist/guitarist Chris Cornell. RATM did, however, release the live album Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in 2003, consisting of their final two concerts before their initial break-up. The album achieved platinum status a little over a month after its initial release. Here are all of Renegades songs ranked.
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12. Down on the Street
“It gets better, it gets worse, but it does not get much more average than this. Average chorus, average beat, and average verses. Odd song…It speaks for itself..you just have to hear it.”
11. Beautiful World
“Interesting is the way to describe this Devo cover. In this one, rage features no drums, no basslines, and no loud, distorted guitar solos. Only a quiet cord progression accompanies Zack de la Rocha’s unsuccessful attempt at singing. However, de la Rocha’s croaky, whispery singing actually fits the mood of the song quite well and, the most important advice here, YOU CANNOT SKIP THIS TRACK! You just cant.”
10. Street Fighting Man
“Outstanding chorus, bad verses, but oustanding beat. This has some of the best guitar work on the album. This beginning is mind-boggling. The words are fantastic. Probably the best song on the album.”
See more: Rage Against the Machine Albums Ranked
9. Pistol Grip Pump
“I have to admit I didn’t listen to this track until about three days into hearing the album. But I have to say that Tom Morello and Zach are at their very best in this song. Definitely one of the best Rage songs.”
8. In My Eyes
“Now this is speed metal. With a fast beat and a furious sound, it still relays an important message. Congrats to Zach for awesome vocals. Awseome drums, fast paced good lyrics.”
7. I’m Housin’
“Might be on the low side considering this is a solid track all-round. The chorus may be a little overdone, but it is very solid. The bass on this song is unbelievable. I love this song. Don’t skip this track either.”
6. Microphone Fiend
“It’s nice to hear a song that has subject matter other than sex and money. This is a top-notch song. The chorus is awesome: it’ll stick in your head for days. This is an excellent start to the album. This fast-paced, hip-hop track executes a catchy corus and strong verses. Coupled with nice guitar work, it is one of the best songs on the album.”
See more: Rage Against the Machine Songs Ranked
5. Kick Out the Jams
“So what if a Rage song isn’t about politics? This is an awesome party song. The live one isn’t bad either. Good song, great rhythm, sure to get your foot tappin.”
4. How I Could Just Kill a Man
“Rage, who credits Cyprus Hill for helping them out in the start, pays much homage to the group. The drum beat is awesome, the vocals are awesome, the guitar is awesome, the bass is awesome. What else is there to say for this magnificent cover.”
3. Maggie’s Farm
“Bob Dylan’s song was good. But Rage always does a better job the second time around. This song, albeit a bit lengthy, is one of those you just can’t take your ears away from. Great job, Rage!”
2. Renegades of Funk
“This track alone turns what would be a three-star, okay, album into a solid, good 4-star album. This is clearly a great song. It has stength in every aspect especially being the most similar lyrically to rage’s previous works, with lyrics such as “We are renegades,… we change the course of history!” This certainly sounds good after kick out the jams.”
1. The Ghost of Tom Joad
“Outstanding verses in this bruse springsteen cover. The rather lackluster chorus brings this work of art down to an 8. However, this piece of music was one of the most inspiring to rage when they were young and they do an excellent job here.”