Top 50 Gorillaz Songs

Gorillaz are one of my favourite active bands, with a plethora of songs that I really enjoy. With the release of Cracker Island, I can highlight my top 50 favourites!

As a point of reference, I’m making the finishing touches to this list on the day that their new album came out – so most of the songs haven’t had enough time to settle in my top 50. Maybe in a year’s time this list will be completely different!

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

50 – Don’t Get Lost in Heaven

The song that sets up the finale, “Don’t Let Lost in Heaven” is a delightful number that leads to a much better gospel track.

49 – Slow Country

“Slow Country” perfectly encapsulates those long stretches of travelling tedium, whilst still being engaging.

48 – The Pink Phantom

A fun Elton John collaboration, and 6lack does a decent job too.

47 – To Binge

Quite low-key, but a fun addition to Plastic Beach.

46 – White Flag

It’s a little rough around the edges, but “White Flag” is ambitious and catchy once you get used to it.

45 – Lake Zurich

One of the better songs from the otherwise passable The Now Now.

44 – Glitter Freeze

One of the weirdest songs Gorillaz have ever done, but I dig it.

43 – Sorcererz

Another fun one from The Now Now.

42 – 5/4

The five-beat gimmick leads to some interesting musical phrases.

41 – Momentary Bliss

A fan favourite from Song Machine: Volume One, “Momentary Bliss” has a cool vibe and some great production.

40 – Fire Coming out of the Monkey’s Head

I never thought a spoken-word song could slap so hard.

39 – Cloud of Unknowing

Bobby Womack’s vocals are excellent, as always.

38 – Pac-Man

Another fan-favourite from Song Machine, “Pac-Man” has a fantastic groove and ScHoolboy Q feature.

37 – M1 A1

An underrated effort from their first album, “M1 A1” is a banger to close the record.

36 – Demon Days

Another excellent closer, “Demon Days” continues the gospel vibe and builds on it in brilliant ways.

35 – Tomorrow Comes Today

A recent discovery on my part, “Tomorrow Comes Today” has a fantastic drum part and chorus.

34 – Plastic Beach

The title track from their 2010 album, and it’s a great one.

33 – Broken

Quite underrated.

32 – All Alone

Some of the energy is lost on Demon Days’ second half, but I can still really get behind tracks like “All Alone”.

31 – New Gold

The most recent entry on this list, “New Gold” is more than capable of breaching the top 20 if I listened to it a few more times. As harsh as it is to say, I think it’s the only track from Cracker Island I’m likely to listen to again.

30 – Some Kind of Nature

Lou Reed is always a joy, and his voice works well on this whimsical track.

29 – Pirate Jet

“Pirate Jet” gets overshadowed as a closing track – I think it’s a brilliant way to end Plastic Beach.

28 – Rock the House

I love when Gorillaz blend styles together, and they were most adventurous on their first album. The woodwind in “Rock the House” is fantastic.

27 – White Light

“White Light” used to be one of my least favourite tracks on Demon Days, but now I love it for its raw energy.

26 – Kansas

One of the few tracks from The Now Now that I really like.

25 – Strange Timez

A great introductory track to Song Machine.

24 – Strobelite

People point to “Andromeda” as Humanz’s outstanding track, but I’ve always thought “Strobelite” was just as catchy and memorable.

23 – Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach

Some people say Plastic Beach’s opener is weaker, but some people are crazy. I love the slow, plodding bassline that erupts into huge synths.

22 – The Lost Chord

Not one of the more famous tracks from Song Machine, but definitely one of its better ones.

21 – November Has Come

The start of Demon Days’ second half, “November Has Come” has the perfect blend of Gorillaz groove and rap.

20 – 19-2000

The Soulchild remix is worth a shout-out, but the original “19-2000” is one of the best early Gorillaz bops.

19 – Aries

The more I listen to “Aries”, getting lost in its waves and melodies, the more I love it.

18 – Andromeda

The best song on Humanz, “Andromeda” has a club beat that I could dance to for hours.

17 – On Melancholy Hill

Everyone’s favourite low-key Gorillaz track, “On Melancholy Hill” is simple and painfully nostalgic.

16 – Every Planet We Reach Is Dead

One of the most underrated Gorillaz songs, “Every Planet We Reach Is Dead” has an amazing groove and set of lyrics. Those last few minutes are extraordinary.

15 – Last Living Souls

The true opening track on Demon Days, “Last Living Souls” propelled Gorillaz into a new era of superstardom.

14 – DARE

Shaun Ryder was the perfect feature for “DARE”, with his lazy delivery working wonders alongside the groovy electronic textures.

13 – Superfast Jellyfish

The most underrated song on Plastic Beach, “Superfast Jellyfish” is a brilliant and funky critique of commercialism.

12 – Clint Eastwood

The song that put Gorillaz on the map. “Clint Eastwood” is slower than most of their other songs, but it’s some of the catchiest songwriting they’ve ever done.

11 – Désolé

Song Machine is unlike any of the other Gorillaz albums, mainly due to their willingness to experiment on tracks like “Désolé”. It’s exotic and vibrant, teeming with catchy musicality.

10 – O Green World

Maybe not one of the famous ones from Demon Days, but “O Green World” has always stuck out to me.

It sounds like a vintage FIFA track, and that can only be a good thing.

9 – The Valley of The Pagans

A slept-on track from Song Machine, “The Valley of The Pagans” may be simple but it’s really effective.

The Beck feature is great, and the thumping bass / drum groove propels the track along.

8 – Rhinestone Eyes

There aren’t many other songs like “Rhinestone Eyes” in Gorillaz’s discography, or in music in general.

It’s a dark kind of electronica, the one that tells a sombre story whilst boasting some really melodramatic synth hooks.

7 – Humility

One of the most feelgood summer bops I’ve ever heard, “Humility” is the clear MVP from The Now Now.

It’s so bubbly and fresh, with some melodies and synth hooks that stick in your head for years.

6 – El Manana

“El Manana” translates as “tomorrow”, and that wistful regret bleeds through every spoken word and played note.

It has one of the best lyrics Gorillaz have ever done, with some stellar production and songwriting to boot.

5 – Kids with Guns

Demon days has some incredible grooves across its tracklist, and “Kids with Guns” is one of my favourites.

It’s a bassline that gets under your skin, and the choruses open up into some wonderful melodies and rhythms.

4 – Stylo

Bobby Womack makes his glorious return in “Stylo”, and I’m tempted to say he’s the best Gorillaz feature of them all.

The song itself is packed with so much power and energy, and you can’t help but sing along to both Womack’s verses and Albarn’s refrains.

3 – Feel Good Inc.

“Feel Good Inc.”, A.K.A. the only Gorillaz song that everyone on planet earth knows and loves.

The bassline is what makes this track stand out so much, and the rap verses are some of the most iconic in the Gorillaz discography.

2 – Empire Ants

The more I listen to “Empire Ants”, the more I fall in love with it.

Little Dragon provides such a beautiful feature, and that shift from slow ballad to all-encompassing bop is one of the best transitions in music history.

1 – Dirty Harry

“Empire Ants” may have the best Gorillaz transition, but “Dirty Harry” has one of the nastiest drops I’ve ever heard in any song.

It’s a brilliant critique of war, with the contrast of children’s choir to funky beats hammering the dystopian point home. Their best song, and I doubt it’ll ever be topped.

Aaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: