Sleater-Kinney Songs Ranked
Sleater-Kinney is an American rock band that formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1994. The band’s current lineup features Corin Tucker (vocals and guitar) and Carrie Brownstein (guitar and vocals), following the departure of longtime member Janet Weiss (vocals, drums, and harmonica) in 2019. Sleater-Kinney originated as part of the riot grrrl movement and has become a key part of the American indie rock scene. The band is also known for its feminist and left-leaning politics. Critics Greil Marcus and Robert Christgau have each praised Sleater-Kinney as one of the essential rock groups of the early 2000s. Marcus named Sleater-Kinney America’s best rock band in 2001. Tom Breihan of Stereogum called them the greatest rock band of the past two decades in 2015. Here are all of Sleater-Kinney’s songs ranked.
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14. Little Babies (Dig Me Out, 1997)
“This sounds like a cheerleader routine on crack and acid. They yell and squeek over a hook that could be given to a kid with influenza, and guitars that could conquer your fear of height. This is a great track”
13. Bury Our Friends (No Cities to Love, 2015)
“I think it’s talking about the excesses celebrities think they have to partake in when they become famous. I noticed that the first line (“Today, I am stitched, I am sewn. Patch me up, I’ve got want in my bones”) vaguely described the process that Desmond Tiny from The Saga of Darren Shan uses to make his Little People after the people they used to be died.”
12. Dig Me Out (Dig Me Out, 1997)
“Simply some of the most electrifying, colorful rock out there. Amazing work from every member and consistently engaging songs.”
11. A New Wave (No Cities to Love, 2015)
“A tight, concise album of fantastically written songs and great power-pop guitars. A fantastic reunion album, much better than most.”
10. No Anthems (No Cities to Love, 2015)
“My personal favorite song on here is “No Anthems,” it’s slow, sultry, ominous, before breaking into a huge anthemic chorus.”
9. One Beat (One Beat, 2002)
“This is a spiky, snarky, angry little album, just as punk is supposed to be, but it’s also all about the love of life and the refusal to settle for mediocrity in romance or politics or anything else. As always, Corin’s voice is not for everyone, though I consider it one of the most spectacular instruments ever to make it onto a CD.”
8. Sympathy (One Beat, 2002)
“This is a beautiful song that Corin wrote when her son, Marshall, was born premature. Once you know that, the meaning is pretty straightforward, but even so, the words and phrases are just so wonderful. “It’s the grammar of skin / Peel it back, let me in.” Anyone could write a song about her child, but how many could do it so graciously and at the same time with such depth and intensity?”
7. Get Up (The Hot Rock 1999)
“By Sleater-Kinney standards, it’s a pretty weird song. Spoken word sections, very abstract lyrics, and a weird-ass music video. But when you combine it with the chiming, twinkly guitars and propulsive drums, it all falls into place.”
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6. You’re No Rock N Roll Fun (All Hands on the Bad One, 2000)
“I’m not familiar with this band at all, so maybe that’s just how they play, but in the video it seems like they’re playing in a stereotypically male way, showing off and all. And that switches with them dancing around and wearing makeup, which is maybe women’s stereotypical place in music. I’m just interpreting it that way because of the comments here though–before that I was just like “oh man, they play awesome!”
5. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone (Call the Doctor, 1996)
“I don’t think this song goes as deep as their other ones do. I mean, it’s ironic to look back on now because they wrote it before they got to be well-known, so it’s kind of funny in that aspect. In general, though, I agree with the other comments but just think that this song needs to be taken with a grain of salt.”
4. Entertain (The Woods 2005)
“It really wasn’t until this CD that Carrie Brownstein proved she could sing just as well as Corin (if not better, in my opinion). This track features a great, unconventional guitar solo, outstanding and obscure drumming, and vocals that complement each other so well, you aren’t even sure if there are two voices. Corin and Carrie know how to put a song together well, and this band has grown together musically over 10 years to create this outstanding new single that really gives a “Fuck You” to new scenester bands around.”
3. One More Hour (Dig Me Out, 1997)
“A painful breakup. It’s a beautiful storm of hate and love jumbled all together. Those guitars scrape against each other combating the tension between the two singers: the vibrato squeals of Tucker juxtaposed by Brownstein’s sarcastic delivery. I will forever wonder how these two remained in the same band for so long.”
2. Modern Girl (The Woods, 2005)
“I always thought this song was about looking like you had great things in life i.e. a baby who loves you, money to buy yourself things with, and still not being satisfied with your life. the lyrics always came off as sarcastic by the way she sang it to me. The best part is when the angry distortion and drums come in to take over the song with so much emotion.”
1. The Fox (The Woods, 2005)
“This song is an entire ordeal, an entire genre, an entire world of it’s own. It’s powerful, raw, visceral, and truly Sleater-Kinney. Corin sounds awesome on this song. She is such a siren, in every sense of the word.”
