Sonic Youth Songs Ranked
Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the band, while Steve Shelley (drums) followed a series of short-term drummers in 1985, rounding out the core line-up. Jim O’Rourke (guitar) was a member of the band from 1999 to 2005.
Sonic Youth emerged from the experimental no wave art and music scene in New York before evolving into a more conventional rock band and becoming a prominent member of the American noise rock scene. Sonic Youth has been praised for having “redefined what rock guitar could do” using a wide variety of unorthodox guitar tunings and preparing guitars with objects like drum sticks and screwdrivers to alter the instruments’ timbre. The band is considered to be a pivotal influence on the alternative and indie rock movements.
After gaining a large underground following and critical praise through releases with SST Records in the late 1980s, the band experienced mainstream success throughout the 1990s and 2000s after signing to major label DGC in 1990 and headlining the 1995 Lollapalooza festival. In 2011, Ranaldo announced that the band was “ending for a while” following the separation of married couple Gordon and Moore. Thurston Moore updated and clarified the position in May 2014: “Sonic Youth is on hiatus. The band is a democracy of sorts, and as long as Kim and I are working out our situation, the band can’t really function reasonably.” Gordon refers several times in her 2015 autobiography Girl in a Band to the band having “split up”. Here are all of Sonic Youth’s albums ranked.
Don’t miss out the music of this talented American band. Click below and listen to the songs of Sonic Youth.
15. Eric’s Trip (Daydream Nation, 1988)
“Eric’s Trip the band takes punk’s primal energy but adds different elements to put a unique stamp on these songs. Eric’s Trip is another of Lee’s songs with incredibly unique guitars which manage give the sensation of rushing wind.”
14. Expressway to Yr Skull (Evol, 1986)
“This could be their most overrated song if not for “The Diamond Sea” a decade later, both because they’re long – and that’s literally it. (So long that it’s indicated by the infinity symbol on the vinyl version because the final moment features a locked groove repeating endlessly.) “Expressway” is fine, but hardly the greatest guitar song ever as reported by Neil Young (I can name at least a few Neil Young guitar-heavy songs that are better for starters). I don’t know if it’s sacrilegious to say, but the first bit – the song bit – is the most interesting part of “Expressway” to me, particularly for the opening line “We’re gonna kill the California girls…” which I’ll always remember Michael Azerrad describing as a “homicidal twist on a Beach Boys lyric” in Our Band Could Be Your Life, to say nothing of Thurston Moore singing “We’re going to find the meaning of feeling good / And we’re gonna stay there, as long as we think we should” in that laconic way.”
13. Disappearer (Goo, 1990)
“Disappearer”, is an example of why rock ‘n’ roll is, and always will be considered a form of indisputable art. Thurston and co. invent a feeling from a sound that nothing else – not a film, not a painting, not a book, could create. The song takes me to a place in my brain that I never knew existed until Sonic Youth carved it out. The mood of the tune is kind of depressing, but I am not sure why. Actually, I am not even sure what Thurston is singing about, he keeps referring to this “it” that seems to be as mysterious to him as it is to me. But once I’m into this underground world, I want to stay there. I get way into this song, man.”
12. Silver Rocket (Daydream Nation, 1988)
“This single from Sonic Youth features punky vocals, a really catchy and fun hook, and lots of noisy guitars. The guitars are really interesting, since even though they are always buzzing in the background they have a pretty addictive hook as well. Great song.”
See more: Sonic Youth Albums Ranked
11. Total Trash (Daydream Nation, 1988)
“This song is best described as an excellent song that goes on too long and therefore becomes merely very good. For people with short attention spans like me, or those who prefer variation on their noise, the CD era has proved to be a mixed blessing.”
10. Little Trouble Girl (Washing Machine, 1995)
“Very odd song by them, Kim Deal does the hook on the song it is kind of an eerie girl group thing but on lots of acid. Kim Gordan does the singing here and she sounds like she wants to kill you, I am not lying her song is so dark and ominous that you are scared. It is like a Coen Brothers, or Daniel Day Lewis movie just spooky and awkward. I compare this song to Leader of the Pack by The Shangri La’s and What is a girl to do by Bat or Lashes. Awesome riff’s too.”
9. Dirty Boots (Goo, 1990)
“The live tracks are of superb quality; they truly take you to the edge of the stage of one of the most dynamic groups in rock. SY fans must treat themselves to this gem.”
8. 100% (Dirty, 1992)
“The lead off single “100%” captured the band layered but cleanly recorded, and to a point, accessible. It had a quality that was contained within “Dirty Boots”, a straightforward sound, helped by the production work of the then in demand Butch Vig who did Nirvana’s Nevermind, but his work on Dirty was even more of a success. “100%” was an ode to Joe Cole, a roadie who worked for Henry Rollins, and partner of Babes In Toyland bassist Michelle Leon. “
7. Incinerate (Rather Ripped, 2006)
“A pretty little pop song that is for some reason stretched out for five minutes – well this is Sonic Youth after all. Then again if you told me it was any of a number of average indie rock bands that popped up around this time, I would believe you. It’s not exactly distinctive.”
6. Sugar Kane (Dirty, 1992)
“This song contains many of the best elements of Sonic Youth: ominous chord progressions, a titanic struggle between noise and melody and Lou Reed style deadpan vocals. This was the best single from the ‘Dirty’ album.”
See more: Fugazi Albums Ranked
5. Eliminator Jr. (Daydream Nation, 1988)
“Eliminator Jr.” ends the album with an ominous note, a stomping guitar crunch marching towards the inevitable nowhere.”
4. Superstar (If I Were a Carpenter, 1994)
“This a pretty spooky cover of the Carpenters song or something. He seems very creepy with his voice, his voice is so slight and he is very doing any yelling at all. The song is also very good and it is the Youth. Long live the Sonic Youth.”
3. Schizophrenia (Hold That Tiger, 1991)
“Tremendous performance by the Youth in this 1987 live album/bootleg.. Steve Shelley never sounded as loud, and as precise as on this album, particularly on “Schizophrenia”. “
2. Kool Thing (Goo, 1990)
“Great noisy rock song. It has a pretty addicted hook, and apparently Chuck D has a guest performance. Either way he doesn’t really contribute much to the song. The best thing about it is the great noisy guitars which have a fun jangly melody.”
1. Teen Age Riot (Daydream Nation, 1988)
“One of the greatest songs ever from one of the best alternative albums ever. Truly an awesome guitar song, and is just such a great song. I would say one of the greatest rock songs ever written.”