Some people have this as their favourite Arctic Monkeys album, and while I don’t agree with that sentiment “Favourite Worst Nightmare” is easily one of their best.
It has all the same energy as their debut, with some more nuanced and mature songwriting on top. How would I rank every track?
Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:
OK
12 – This House is a Circus
I’m not a fan of the central riff, and the rest of the song does nothing to win me over.
11 – If You Were There, Beware
The band tries to recapture the energy of their debut album, but something gets lost along the way. Very filler.
10 – The Bad Thing
Fairly upbeat and catchy, but “The Bad Thing” doesn’t develop on the musical ideas enough for my liking.
Good
9 – Balaclava
“Balaclava” sounds like a track straight off of their debut, which is a good thing. But I would have liked something different.
8 – Only Ones Who Know
Arctic Monkeys are usually pretty good at the slower ballads, but “Only Ones Who Know” feels a little too slow to be truly great.
7 – Do Me a Favour
Just as filler as some of the other tracks lower down the ranking, but I have a soft spot for the riffs and melodies.
Great
6 – Old Yellow Bricks
Despite the fact that I never consider “Favourite Worst Nightmare” to be my absolute favourite Arctic Monkeys album, half of the tracks are still “Great” in my eyes.
I love the choppy riffs of “Old Yellow Bricks”, as well as the slower, more mellow sections.
5 – D is for Dangerous
“D is for Dangerous” has a really energetic Alex Turner vocal performance, with some great lyrics as well.
4 – Brianstorm
One of Arctic Monkeys’ most furious songs, there aren’t many more emphatic album openers than “Brianstorm”.
It’s a little too chaotic to make the upper tiers, but the boyish energy is unparalleled.
Amazing
3 – Fluorescent Adolescent
Definitely one of the more upbeat Arctic Monkeys songs, “Fluorescent Adolescent” is unabashedly fun.
The lyrics are raunchy, the riffs are catchy, and the vocals are surprisingly tender.
2 – Teddy Picker
A recent climber in my rankings, the more I listen to “Teddy Picker” the more I absolutely love it.
It’s my favourite riff on the album, and the choruses are unbelievably catchy. What makes this such an amazing track, however, is the guitar solo and outro that really bring the musical ideas home.
1 – 505
The most famous song from the album, and the track that everyone loves singing along to.
Alex Turner’s lyrics and vocals are the most tender and real he’s ever done, and that sudden explosion of sound is legendary. “505” is easily one of the best album closers I’ve ever heard.
Aaaand that’s my list. You can check out some of my latest blog posts below:
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