THE 1975: EVERY SONG RANKED

Whether you agree with this hierarchy or are ready to crucify me after reading this, we can hopefully agree on one thing: The 1975 have become the biggest, most iconic indie band of their generation. The band’s songwriting talent, transcendence of genre limitations, and sense of aesthetic identity— paired with relatable and thought-provoking motifs persisting within their lyrics— deliver an extremely important discography that ultimately led them to be widely accepted in the mainstream, pioneering in the realms of pop, indie, alternative, and even rock music.

Without including covers, alternate versions, remixes, or admittedly the only live album I ever revisit— here is every song by The 1975, ranked worst to best.

82. “Shiny Collarbone” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
All four instrumentals off the band’s fourth album ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’ felt like an arduous endurance more than anything, but I especially don’t like this one.

81. “The Man Who Married A Robot / Love Theme” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Merging two songs either goes really well or really badly; this one is a robotic monologue that needs the context of the album to stand on its own.

80. “TOOTIMETOOTIME” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
The 1975 went tropical with a song in dire need of a Drake feature– seriously, Drake: cover this. It feels unassumingly out of character in context of the album and otherwise.

79. “Surrounded By Heads and Bodies” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Not gonna lie, I forget this exists.

78. “Streaming” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
It precedes “The Birthday Party”, but not in a way that really feels like it’s really contributing to its atmosphere– and that song outdoes itself.

77. “Yeah I Know” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Extremely minimal and centered around a few words, “Yeah I Know” walks a borderline of unlistenable and enjoyable with sufficient replay.

76.“Having No Head” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
There are instrumentals (and minimalistic tracks that might as well be considered such) that are some of my favorites, but I’ll get to that later.

75. “Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You?” // ‘The 1975’
Somber instrumentation is complemented by a lyrically heart wrenching narrative.

74. “12” // ‘The 1975’
“12” is very brief and lacks the anticipation some of the band’s other instrumentals build.

73. “Mine” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
The pan flute sound is too aurally jarring for me on this one, but I can respect its presence in a jazz track.

72. “HNSCC” // ‘The 1975’
An instrumental alluding to an aggressively debilitating illness with a 50% survival rate.

71. “How To Draw / Petrichor” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Quintessential to ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’, but it was only redeemed in the second half with “Petrichor”.

70. “Playing On My Mind” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Discerning the relationship between head and heart and intimately demonstrates inquisitively figuring things out.

69. “Me And You Together Song” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
“Me And You Together Song” strays away from the polarity between music and lyrics present throughout the band’s repertoire and instead retains an innate innocence.

68. “She Lays Down” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
Here, Matty Healy opens up about his mother’s postpartum depression.

67. “102” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
I also forget this exists, but because it’s a hidden track.

66. “I Think There’s Something You Should Know” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
If you haven’t caught onto the band’s tendency to give nods to past songs, this one puts it right in your face.

65. “Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
The closest The 1975 come to a rap track, this song has a standout vocal cadence.

64. “So Far (It’s Alright)” // ‘The 1975’
A song about reflecting and staying sanguine through turmoil and friendships coming to an end.

63. “The 1975” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
If everyone had a quarter of the passion that environmental activist Greta Thunberg has with making a difference in the world, our foresight on the future condition of life might not be so bleak. The 1975 made their mark incorporating social activism into their music with her spoken-word feature on the band’s first single from Notes On A Conditional Form’.

62. “People” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
The band showcases their musical malleability by going punk.

61. “What Should I Say” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
I didn’t mind the tracks that come before and after, but I never “got” this one.

60. “Don’t Worry” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
The only song in The 1975’s discography Matty Healy isn’t credited with writing; “Don’t Worry” is a song his dad wrote and played for him as a kid.

59. “The End (Music For Cars)” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
The orchestral instrumentation gives this interlude a cinematic feel.

58. “The 1975” // ‘The 1975’ – ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’ – ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Different variations of the same song that introduce the respective self-titled, sophomore, and third albums.

57. “Woman” // ‘The 1975’
A story about unrequited love with a prostitute.

56. “Girls” // ‘The 1975’
“Girls” is written from a perspective that makes you question how seriously you can take it.

55. “Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Phoebe Bridgers features on this collaboration that leans toward the folk and country side of things. Its delicate, minimalistic nature allows it to be something that doesn’t immediately strike you with power and probably takes a few listens to sink in.

54. “Frail State Of Mind” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Speaking of delicate, the character foil of “People” utilizes its trip-hop foundation to subtly yield a concoction of sound on this interlude.

53. “Bagsy Not In Yet” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
The title is utterly ridiculous and probably gets a laugh out of people a-la The 1975’s ode to stand up comedy on ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’, but the lyrics evoke a much more heartfelt reaction.

52. “Sincerity Is Scary” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
A contemplation ridden with desire to traverse purely physical and lustful territory.

51. “Talk!” // ‘The 1975’
Laced in the context of the self-titled album, “Talk!” is arguably important, but it has an odd cacophony about it.

50. “Nana” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
The song frames the grief and subsequent coping process surrounding the death of a family member.

49. “UGH!” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
Has a catchy groove about it, but “you look famous, let’s be friends and portray we possess something important,” always struck me as the most memorable part of the song.

48. “Be My Mistake” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
“I shouldn’t have called because we shouldn’t speak, you make me hard but she makes me weak”; sex is fun, but have you ever been in love? “Be My Mistake” explores a guilty conundrum.

47. “Head.Cars.Bending” // ‘The 1975’
First making its appearance on the ‘Music For Cars’ EP and later on the band’s debut album, the track involves three tropes ringing throughout the band’s early discography: sex, a complicated relationship, and drinking.

46. “Roadkill” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
The 1975 assume a country-folk sound on this song many of us probably didn’t want to admit to liking.

45. “Then Because She Goes” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
When you openly beg someone to stay after a relationship is over, there comes a realization of how love can be heartbreakingly one sided.

44. “Inside Your Mind” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Wanting to know what your significant other is truly thinking about, where their head is, and what thoughts are occupying space.

43. “M.O.N.E.Y.” // ‘The 1975’
A rebellious, naïve song about doing drugs that was a listening staple for anyone part of Tumblr’s soft grunge sphere.

42. “Give Yourself A Try” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Channeling the energy of 80’s post-punk with the help of a catchy guitar lead, “Give Yourself A Try”  breathes new life into a sound reminiscent of Joy Division.

41. “The Ballad Of Me And My Brain” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
Incredibly emotional depiction of the strain put on one’s mental health with fame and life’s relentless pressure.

40. “Undo” // ‘The 1975’
Imagine two people falling for each other in divinely perfect timing. “Undo” imposes the situational antithesis of such, when it’s impossible for the love between two parties to be reciprocated in sync.

39. “Love Me” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
Theatrical in the spirit of David Bowie, “Love Me” strikes listeners by surprise with how it leans all the way into its grandiose character.

38. “Intro / Set3” // ‘The 1975’
Wistful reminiscence on a simpler time.

37. “I Couldn’t Be More In Love” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
A praising and promising admission of how the band’s fanbase remedies overwhelming loneliness and the fear the love shared between artist and supporter will become one-sided.

36. “You / Milk” // ‘The 1975’
“Milk”: a song about cocaine hidden in “You”. The former is catchy, but it’s length makes it hard to keep your attention.

35. “Settle Down” // ‘The 1975’
A song about having an affair.

34. “A Change Of Heart” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
Subtly referencing “Robbers” in the process, “A Change Of Heart” examines Matty Healy’s process of maturity and recounts how relationships fade when an idealized version of someone is stripped away and humanized in favor of seeing them objectively for who they are– the process of falling out of love.

33. “Paris” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
Tropes walk a fine line of being creatively executed and trite, but “Paris” channels the city’s romanticism without descending into cliché territory.

32. “An Encounter” // ‘The 1975’
The atmospheric cornerstone for “Robbers” transitions into the track that stands out amongst all others on the self-titled album.

31. “Anobrain” // ‘The 1975’
A cryptic and undeciphered no brainer.

30. “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Featuring singer FKA Twigs, this track explores the definition of intimacy, online and off.

29. “The City” // ‘The 1975’
A song too catchy to be lower on my list; with a hair more powerful hook or vocal delivery, it would easily be in the top 20.

28. “Loving Someone” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
A response to “Talk!” and a stylistic addendum to “Menswear”.

27. “This Must Be My Dream” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
Romance is resonant with unattainability and illusion on this self-fulfilling prophecy of a connection too good to be true revealing itself as a shallow, unrequited failure.

26. “I Like America & America Likes Me” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Matty Healy’s tribute to Soundcloud Rap makes its debut on a testament to America’s need for gun control.

25. “i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
The colorful predecessor of “The Sound”; no one really knows if this sparked the album’s name or vice versa, but it ties pieces of the album together.

24. “The Birthday Party” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Both a response to themes within ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’ and a continuation of the discourse found in “UGH!” and “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)”, “The Birthday Party” reveals overcoming addiction, callouts of behaviour too commonly swept under the rug, and other ideas delivered in an epically unconventional fashion.

23. “Chocolate” // ‘The 1975’
One of The 1975’s most popular songs that’s stood the test of time. With the help of a cleverly written euphemism for marijuana, the rebellious narrative of “Chocolate” unfolds and promises a partner in crime dynamic’s youthful energy; it’s seemingly perfect how the bass line and bouncy guitar complement each other.

22. “Haunt // Bed” // ‘The 1975’
Sexual and escapist themes reside within intimacy reluctantly being the only tether between two people. With the help of repetition, “Haunt // Bed” provides a fear-ridden confession of being used.

21. “She Way Out” // ‘The 1975’
Underrated, and a fun experience live.

20. “Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Stylistically, this track stands out on its respective album for a few reasons, but the undeniable catchiness paired with psychedelic-feeling instrumentation and R&B vocal flow take center stage. “Funny how it works out, innit?”

19. “Pressure” // ‘The 1975’
An illustration of the vulnerable, constantly visible place anyone famous is inherently thrown into that humbly reassures how the band will remain grounded enough to not let stardom disillusion them, regardless of how drastically their lives have changed.

18. “The Sound” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
One of the band’s most “on brand” songs perfectly demonstrating the essence of the ILIWYS era, “The Sound” is a shimmery, undeniable synthpop hit with a brilliantly written hook.

17. “Menswear” // ‘The 1975’
The 1975 are masterminds when it comes to conveying and sustaining adventurous narratives; this awkward interaction-fueled dilemma that takes place at a wedding reception is no exception.

16. “Antichrist” // ‘The 1975’
Metaphorically comparing unconditional familial love to religion, Matty Healy contemplates how powerfully consuming both concepts can be while simultaneously scrutinizing the excuse of immoral behaviour in the name of faith and the isolating disconnect that occurs between two parties when one fails to understand the other’s endured agony.

15. “Medicine” // ‘DH00278’
Criminally overlooked by many, “Medicine” sweeps listeners up into a dreamy soundscape far more powerful than a love song and explores the harshly indistinguishable codependency promoted by addiction and the power of healing.

14. “Lostmyhead” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
This song has one of the best mixes you will ever hear. It’s just that good, and its presence on the live album is captivating.

13. “If I Believe You” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
The 1975’s most literal song. With appropriate gospel influence, “If I Believe You” contemplates opposition to faith and if religion is capable of providing a relieving escape for anger, frustration, and loneliness.

12. “Guys” // ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’
Sparking the same feeling you’d get from hearing The Cure’s Bloodflowers for the first time, “Guys” is a sentimental open letter to the ways friendship has brought a feeling of purpose and helped shape The 1975 as people.

11. “Love It If We Made It” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
If you’ve ever seen the tunnel scene in The Perks of Being A Wallflower, “Love It If We Made It” would be the perfect soundtrack for it. With visceral intensity, the hopeful-at-heart anthem off ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’ vehemently addresses mass-incarceration, any and all people of color who fall victim to racism deeply ingrained in society on a daily basis, and the fragility of life, ultimately encouraging listeners’ optimism to persevere in times when complacency with collective suffering and everything wrong with the world seems like a better headspace

10. “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Taking a more self-reflective route than “Love It If We Made It”, the final track off ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’ promotes fundamentally positive perseverance despite how exhausting living can be. The song examines internet personas we’re enabled to create in the digital age and how ideas circulating social media enable us to confirm, but not always contemplate our relation to serious topics.

9. “Please Be Naked” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
A god-tier instrumental and nothing else comes close. Enough said.

8. “Sex” // ‘Sex’ EP
“Sex” is another song that translates as an infectious energy in tenfold live— to the extent of feeling like a different song entirely. The studio recording just doesn’t do it justice, but the band’s EP by the respective title and self-titled album wouldn’t be the same without it.

7. “Me” // ‘The 1975’
Ruminating in the process of reconciliation with consequence, separation, guilt, and anguish, Matty Healy opens up about his parent’s divorce and creates a dialogue of admission on the introspective album closer, “Me”.

6. “Heart Out” // ‘The 1975’
The first half of the lyrics in the second verse present a perfectly frank juxtaposition of self-love and self-deprecation. If you never got to see the band play “Heart Out” before they started phasing it out of their setlist, you have my sympathy— it sounds way bigger than it is on the studio recording and constitutes a lively experience.

5. “Somebody Else” // ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
You knew it was coming; anyone who listens to this band has used this song as a soundtrack for heartbreak (see: crying in your room or car) at least once. “Somebody Else” is not The 1975’s best song in my book– in fact, I can agree how some find it overrated– but it comes as close as it can get. Running an experimental course, the iconic ballad “Somebody Else” is soft-spoken, emotionally charged, and evocative, reminiscent of something you might find on the band’s debut album showcased in a different way.

4. “She’s American” // I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’
One of the best songs to come out of the last decade, “She’s American” is a shining ode to 80’s pop and satirically addresses English stereotypes, cultural differences, and the perceived superficiality of American women; it’s incredibly clever and catchy.

3. “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” // ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’
Bright, upbeat, and the epitome of lyrically jarring in The 1975’s discography, “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” sounds convincing enough on the surface to be a love song, but in actuality, is an account of singer Matty Healy opening up about his former relationship with heroin.

2. “Fallingforyou” // ‘The 1975’
Pure and vulnerable, “Fallingforyou” dances with the potential of unrequited love and has never gotten skipped any time it’s come on; doing so would be sacrilegious. The ambience perpetuated within the song’s raw uncertainty is indescribably ethereal and encompassing.

1. “Robbers” // ‘The 1975’
Such a story is intricately fathomed on “Robbers”, the most iconic and viscerally memorable song in The 1975’s entire discography. Inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s True Romance, the ultimately climactic moment of the band’s self-titled album sparks jarring nostalgia and melancholy in listeners, thematically conveying a relationship that persists despite its implied toxicity. The anticipatively evolving delivery renders “Robbers” a performance unlike anything the band has put out, and the acute vagueness within the lyrics make it timelessly relatable, no matter how many motifs of hopelessness and desperation have been reiterated.