Rancid: All Albums Ranked
Rancid have stayed true to their punk and hardcore roots for more than 30 years, embracing elements of ska, reggae and dub while always maintaining their own unique identity. We have undertaken the tricky task of ranking every Rancid album and picking out some key (and lesser-known) tracks. What you do you think? Check out the Spotify playlist, submit your own ranking, have your say in the comments below, and check out some of our other rankings!
Let us start by saying that we LOVE Rancid, and we would happily listen to any songs from any record, which makes ranking their albums a challenge. Unlike some of their peers (*cough cough NOFX, Green Day, Rise Against, Offspring*) who have made some questionable songwriting choices at times during their careers, Rancid have never made a bad record; but the 3-album run from 2009 to 2017 was undoubtedly the period where the quality of their output dipped.
Having 17 or more tracks on a record is fine when the tunes are top-drawer (see any of the top 6 albums in this list for reference) - but ‘Honor Is All We Know’ is a prime example of quantity over quality. Nothing is awful (Rancid are arguably unable to write a bad song), but there is little that leaves much of an impression, and this record is one that you may be less likely to revisit. Work began on the record in 2011 but it took around 3 years to finally see the light of day, due to touring commitments and the band members devoting time to other projects (Tim with The Transplants and his Tim Timebomb solo project, Lars with The Old Firm Casuals, and Matt with Devils Brigade). There is no public evidence of fractures within the band during this period, but clearly Rancid wasn’t anyone’s sole focus at this point, which may explain why some of the songs feel a little directionless.
Opener ‘Back Where I Belong’ is a great start, with Tim and Lars trading lines, and Lars in particular sounding fantastic. ‘Everybody’s Sufferin', a cover of a Laurel Aitken song, has a fun reggae-infused bounce. ‘Malfunction’ sounds, bizarrely, like The Boo Radleys, a UK pop-punk band from the late 80s / early 90s, and offers a refreshing change of pace. ‘Diabolical’ is an underrated gem that is slightly reminiscent of ‘Fall Back Down’ from 2003’s ‘Indestructible’. But ultimately there are too many lacklustre or unmemorable moments for ‘Honor is All We Know’ to leave a lasting impression as an entire record.
Standout Tracks: ‘In The Streets’, ‘Back Where I Belong’, ‘Now We’re Through With You’
Sometimes, the very opening of a record tells you everything you need to know about what is going to follow. Within the first few seconds of ‘East Bay Night’, Tim Armstrong sounds weary and gruff, with a dip in energy from the normal Rancid we know and love. It’s a great song, with some of Rancid’s usual anthemic quality - but it is tinged with something slightly subdued, more nostalgic, and less upbeat.
It is quite telling that the special edition of ‘Let The Dominoes Fall’ featured acoustic versions of most of the tracks. Compared to previous releases, this 2009 album feels like ‘Campfire Rancid’, with visions of the band sitting around drinking bourbon and contemplating the futility and inevitability of life. There is even a mid-album cut, ‘Civilian Ways’, which is entirely acoustic, adding a very different dimension to what we had ever experienced in a Rancid record. As such, this album can be a comfort during tricky times, like an old friend putting their arm around your shoulder, though it doesn’t provide the ska-punk knees-up of Rancid in their prime.
It is interesting to look at the songwriting credits and see that Tim Armstrong wrote almost all the songs here, with Lars Frederikson and Matt Freeman contributing a smaller number this time. The highlights of ‘Let The Dominoes Fall’ tend to be where the songwriting is more collaborative, and the vocals are more shared between all three singers, such as the brilliant one-two of ‘Disconnected’ and the expansive ‘I Ain’t Worried’.
‘Let The Dominoes Fall’ was the first record to feature Branden Steineckert, Rancid’s new drummer following the departure of Brent Reed after the ‘Indestructible’ record. Branden does a solid job here, with a very similar style to his predecessor, and he excels in the mid-paced tracks like ‘New Orleans’ and the joyful ‘Dominoes Fall’, and the propulsion he brings to the reggae-flavoured ‘Liberty and Freedom’.
There is a lot of depth to this album and it rewards multiple listens, even if it can be somewhat impenetrable initially, with a slightly over-compressed and in-your-face mix and less upbeat overall tone.
Standout Tracks: ‘Disconnected’, ‘Damnation’, ‘New Orleans (acoustic version)’
Ok, so this isn’t an original album in its own right, and is instead a compilation - but ‘All The Moon Stompers’ does a fantastic job of bringing a range of songs from different eras of Rancid’s history and making the collection feel like a cohesive whole, presenting these tracks in a new light.
The concept of ‘All The Moon Stompers’ is simple. It is a gathering of (mostly) all of Rancid’s more ska-infused side. Not that they have ever fully been ‘ska’ in the sense of Bad Manners or the Specials, nor The Mighty Mighty Bosstones or Less Than Jake, complete with a horn section or snazzy outfits. When Rancid play ska, it is arguably a more aggressive, urgent and loud form of reggae, often based on their normal instrumental setup with the addition of some organ sounds. Rancid’s form of ska is messy and grimy - and one hell of a lot of fun.
One of the highlights here is ‘I Wanna Riot’ which never made it onto the ‘…And Out Come The Wolves’ record and was instead a b-side on the ‘Roots Radicals’ single, as well as being featured on ‘Punk-O-Rama Vol. 1’ compilation. It is a classic that still makes it into the setlist 30 years on.
What this record also does in particular is highlight just how important Matt Freeman’s bass playing is, in giving Rancid’s less punky songs a sense of momentum and energy, walking around the fretboard with carefree, nimble abandon.
Standout Tracks: ‘Time Bomb’, ‘I Wanna Riot’, ‘Corazon De Oro’
Like their partners in crime Bad Religion and NOFX, Rancid are incredibly prolific, and particularly through the 90s and early 2000s they didn’t just release 19+ songs per album, but they also recorded a shedload of other tunes that either didn’t make it onto the records or were written for Fat Wreck compilations and movie soundtracks.
It was a treat when, in 2007, Rancid compiled some of their best lesser-known tracks as ‘B Sides and C Sides’ - an album which stands shoulder to shoulder with the other studio records and, like the ‘All The Moon Stompers’ comp, flows surprisingly well as an album in its own right, with a wide range of styles from rockabilly '(‘Devil’s Dance’) to turbo-speed punk (‘Dead and Gone’, ‘Sick Sick World’), to sun-drenched reggae with doo-wop backing vocals (‘Things to Come’). These tracks come from a range of sources, including outtakes from the sessions for ‘Indestructible’ (‘Killing Zone’, ‘Stranded’), ‘Life Won’t Wait’ (‘Devil’s Dance’, ‘100 Years’, ‘Things to Come’, ‘Endrina’, ‘Clockwork Orange’) and ‘Rancid 2000’ (‘Ben Zanotto’, ‘Sick Sick World’) and more. It isn’t an exhaustive compilation, as Rancid have several other b-sides and songs that can be found on YouTube but have never been officially released, but this album was definitely a welcome addition to their catalogue when the label put it out.
Unlike a lot of other punk bands, Rancid have never gone overly ‘polished’ with their sound, and have also retained an air of gruffness and mess without succumbing to a Pro Tools-led digital sheen - so one of the great things about this is that songs from any era of Rancid (90s, 00s, 10s and 20s) all sit comfortably alongside each other. Even though it is evident why a lot of these songs didn’t make the final cut for their respective records, there is plenty to enjoy here, including Matt Freeman’s wildest ever bass solos (‘White Knuckle Ride’), some of Lars Frederikson’s most impassioned singing ever (‘Tattoo’), and the absolute gem that is ‘The Brothels’ from the 1997 ‘Give ‘Em The Boot’ compilation.
Standout tracks: ‘The Brothels’, ‘Things to Come’, ‘Just a Feeling’, ‘White Knuckle Ride’
What a concept! Two of the greatest punk bands ever, Rancid and NOFX, each covered 6 of the other band’s songs. There have been some other records in the ‘BYO’ series (Bouncing Souls / Anti-Flag, Leatherface / Hot Water Music, Swingin’ Utters / Youth Brigade, and Alkaline Trio / One Man Army), but the Rancid / NOFX one was by far the most high-profile.
As massive fans of both bands, this record is an absolute joy, and it is so interesting hearing NOFX’s more polished punk rock take on Rancid’s gruffer, messier originals. Fat Mike does a great job of singing ‘I’m The One’, ‘Tenderloin’, ‘Olympia WA’, ‘Antennas’ and ‘Corazon De Oro’, sometimes changing the melodies, and sometimes simply sounding more melodic (i.e. in tune) than Tim Armstrong, especially on ‘Corazon De Oro’. The originals may still be better, and sometimes the NOFX recordings are a little too polished, but at the very least these new recordings show the sheer quality of Rancid’s songwriting. Most fun of all is hearing El Hefe’s vocals on the excellent reggae re-imagining of ‘Radio’, which actually became a staple of NOFX’s own live set, even in their very last shows in 2024.
Then we have Rancid’s versions of NOFX’s ‘Moron Bros’, ‘Stickin in my Eye’, ‘Bob’, ‘Don’t Call Me White’, ‘The Brews’ and ‘Vanilla Sex’. In some ways, Rancid do the opposite of NOFX, making the songs sound rougher and more urgent, rather than polished. The highlight is hearing Lars’ take on the excellent ‘Stickin in my Eye’. ‘Don’t Call Me White’ sounds strange with the drums being played at half time, but it is carried by Matt Freeman’s growled vocals. ‘The Brews’ is sped up, and ‘Vanilla Sex’ is turned into an empowering stadium rock song. It is a shame that this record isn’t on streaming services, but it can be found on YouTube here - and it is a gem in both Rancid and NOFX’s catalogues.
Standout Tracks: ‘Stickin in My Eye’, ‘Corazon De Oro’, ‘Antennas’
Fast. Frantic. Chaotic, yet purposeful. Rancid’s self-titled debut album is a hugely enjoyable burst of punk rock energy. Yes. it is one-dimensional, and there is next to no deviation from breakneck speed, but ‘Rancid’ is a blast. Lars hadn’t joined the band officially yet, so Tim and Matt share vocal duties, sometimes alternating lines such as in the excellent mid-album track ‘Rejected’.
The core ingredients of Rancid’s sound were all present and correct here, including Matt Freeman’s nimble-fingered bass, Brett Reed’s tight, high-velocity drums and Tim Armstrong’s razor-sharp power chords and distinctive, snarled vocals (building on his experience in the Operation Ivy album, ‘Energy’). Lars Frederiksen is credited in the album because he had joined the band as a live guitarist / vocalist before it was released, but he didn’t actually write or perform anything for the debut album itself. His vocal contributions are notable in their absence, and ‘Rancid’ is the sound of a band establishing themselves, still developing their songwriting skills while making an urgent, immediate impact.
Standout Tracks: ‘Holiday Sunrise’, ‘Rats in the Hallway’, ‘Rejected’
For the album artwork of ‘Trouble Maker’, Rancid reverted to their original band logo for the first time since their debut record in 1993. Perhaps this was a symbol of their attempt to recapture the spirit and energy of their early, post-Operation Ivy years.
‘Trouble Maker’ certainly gets off to a strong start, with the breakneck ‘Track Fast’ and ‘Ghost of a Chance’, followed by the street-smart storytelling of ‘Telegraph Avenue’. Some of their very best songwriting appears in the first half of this record, including the anthemic ‘Farewell Lola Blue’, the moon-stomping ska of ‘Where I’m Going’ (which holds up against ‘Time Bomb'‘) and the classic-sounding ‘An Intimate Close Up of a Street Punk Trouble Maker’.
Unfortunately, the quality dips after this blistering opening, and the second half is less engaging. Where 2023’s follow-up ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ did a great job of trimming the fat and condensing every idea into short bursts, some parts of ‘Trouble Maker’ can be skippable and less essential. ‘I Kept a Promise’, ‘Say Goodbye to Our Heroes’ and ‘We Arrived Right on Time’ all sound a little half-baked and not as vital as Rancid so often are. If you were to take the best tracks from ‘Trouble Maker’ and add the highlights from ‘Let The Dominoes Fall’ and ‘Honor is All We Know’, you would have a knock-out Rancid record.
Standout tracks: ‘Where I’m Going’, ‘Farewell Lola Blue’, ‘An Intimate Close Up of a Street Punk Trouble Maker’
In the review of ‘B Sides and C Sides’ above we made the point about Rancid’s sound never being overly produced or polished. The closest they have ever come to a more ‘commercial’ polish was arguably ‘Indestructible’, with songs like ‘Red Hot Moon’ and ‘Fall Back Down’ perhaps sounding more radio-friendly than anything else they have ever produced. They received some ‘sell-out’ accusations at the time, especially as they were now signed to Warner Bros, though there is still enough of the Rancid rawness that we know and love so much that even these singles retain their credibility.
The predecessor of ‘Indestructible’ was 2000’s self-titled record, which had been a direct blast of hardcore punk. The energy of that record re-emerges occasionally here, such as the wild ‘Out of Control’, the urgent ‘Travis Bickle’ and the absolute riot-starter that is ‘Spirit of ‘87’. But ‘Indestructible’, for better or worse, is a much more varied affair, sometimes bringing the multicultural elements of ‘Life Won’t Wait’ (‘Memphis’, ‘Arrested in Shanghai’), the big choruses of ‘Let’s Go’ (‘Start Now’, ‘Ghost Band’), and the pop rock of ‘Red Hot Moon’, ‘Fall Back Down’ and ‘Stand Your Ground’.
‘Indestructible’ is one of Rancid’s most varied records and, like ‘Let The Dominoes Fall’, it rewards multiple listens. However, at 53 minutes it does outstay its welcome by the time you get to ‘Roadblock’ and ‘Ivory Coast’, which are serviceable but unspectacular.
For context, ‘Indestructible’ was recorded in the aftermath of Tim Armstrong’s public divorce from The Distillers’ Brody Dalle, as well as Lars Frederikson tragically losing his brother. In the liner notes, Rancid also paid tribute to Joe Strummer and Joey Ramone, two of their biggest influences, who had recently passed away. As such, ‘Indestructible’ covers themes of managing grief and loss through the support of friends (hence “If I fall back down, you’re gonna help me back up again”, and “Hold your head up high, cos tomorrow you may die”), and it is a great record to listen to when you are going through tough times.
Standout tracks: ‘Spirit of ‘87’, ‘Otherside’, ‘Arrested in Shanghai’, ‘Travis Bickle’
By 2023, Rancid had nothing left to prove. Already considered as legends within the American punk rock scene, and consistently praised for staying true to their punk and hardcore roots, they had navigated a line-up age and various breaks and side projects without damaging their reputation. As such, unless they ever decide to create a prog opera or go electronic, any new Rancid record is a victory lap, and an unexpected bonus.
It was therefore a real treat to hear that ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ was the best Rancid album in over 20 years. ‘Troublemaker’ was decent, but a bit patchy towards the end, whereas ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ is, from top to bottom, full of excellent songs and raw energy - and it is a record that is easily worthy of a Top 5 place in their discography. There may no dalliances with ska, reggae or dub here, and there is little variety in sound or tempo throughout, but as a razor-sharp statement of intent it is a triumph.
Right out of the gate, the listener is thrown straight into the pit with the title track, which is arguably one of the best Rancid songs ever. It contains all of the elements that we love about them, including Tim, Lars and Matt all taking turns with the vocals, lightning-fast drums (bordering on blast beats before each chorus) and arguably the most pure guitar tone of any Rancid record. The pace rarely lets up throughout the album’s breathless 29 minutes, making ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ sounding like something of a hybrid of a more melodic version of their 2000 self-titled album and Bad Religion’s ‘Suffer’. No song is longer than 2.5 minutes. ‘Mud, Blood & Gold’ is the only mis-step, never really getting going, and is a strange choice for track 2, but it is so short that it largely goes by un-noticed and doesn’t do any harm. Otherwise, the record is full of modern-day classics, including the singalong ‘The Bloody & Violent History’, the triumphant ‘New American’, the hardcore ‘Don’t Make Me Do It’ and the cheeky ‘Eddie the Butcher’ (complete with a ‘Maxwell Murder’-esque bass solo intro). If you are less familiar with Rancid’s more recent albums, you are in for a treat here.
Standout tracks: ‘Hear Us Out’, ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’, ‘New American’
Considering how soon “Let’s Go’ was recorded after the release of Rancid’s promising, yet one-paced self-titled album the year before, it was an impressive evolution of their sound. Yes, the relentless frantic tempo of the debut featured a lot here too (‘Ghetto Box’, ‘St. Mary’, ‘Dope Sick Girl’ etc), but ‘Let’s Go’ featured a greater sense of dynamics, alongside more memorable melodies and incredibly catchy songwriting. Perhaps some of this was due to enlisting Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz as producer (he has since produced the majority of Rancid’s records), but an even more significant element was Lars Frederikson now fully established as a permanent member, adding another voice and melodic sensibility. Musically-speaking, Lars almost sounds like Noel Gallagher to Tim’s Liam.
‘Let’s Go’ is front-loaded with singles such as ‘Radio’ and ‘Salvation’, alongside tracks like ‘Side Kick’, ‘Nihilism’ and ‘Tenderloin’ which have been regular setlist fixtures for over 30 years since. The ska / reggae elements that peppered ‘…And Out Come The Wolves’ and ‘Life Won’t Wait’ didn’t play a part here, but singalong choruses, gang vocals and self-referential lyrics (“My name is Tim / I’m a lesser-known character'“ - ‘Side Kick’) were the order of the day - and it sounded fantastic.
There isn’t a bad song here, though the final 5 tracks (‘Solidarity’, ‘Midnight’, ‘Motorcycle Ride’, ‘Name’ and ‘7 Years Down’) are less essential. Each is enjoyable and keeps the party going, but 23 songs is arguably overkill and ‘Let’s Go’ wouldn’t have been depleted by keeping these tracks for a separate release.
Rancid have always been known for their life-affirming spirit, and one listen to ‘Radio’ sums this mentality up perfectly. Is there a better way to summarise punk rock music than “If you wanna get the feelin' an' you wanna get it right / Then the music's gotta be loud / For when the music hits I feel no pain at all / When I got the music I got a place to go”)?
Standout tracks: ‘Salvation’, ‘Side Kick’, ‘Gave It Away’
The promotional campaign for ‘Rancid’ (confusingly, their second self-titled record, hence it often being referred to as either ‘Rancid 2000’ or ‘Rancid 5’) stated “If music ever need Rancid, it is now”. This was a sentence that made Rancid out to be both vital and desperate - a good indication of how their 5th album sounded too.
Rancid absolutely had the potential to be huge if they had bowed to commercial temptations and followed the likes of Offspring and Green Day in a more polished, radio-friendly direction. ‘Life Won’t Wait’ had already shown that their ambitions were less about having ‘hits’ and instead about writing the kind of music that they wanted to play, staying true to their punk roots while embracing multi-cultural influences. Their next step was to eschew any kind of commercial aspirations whatsoever, making a 22-song, 38-minute hardcore record. Gone were the deviations into ska, soul and reggae. Gone were the songalong choruses (there are still some fleeting catchy, melodic moments, such as ‘Radio Havana’, ‘Let Me Go’, ‘Rwanda’, ‘Antennas’ and ‘Black Derby Jacket’, but even these are a long way from ‘Ruby Soho’, ‘Radio’, ‘Salvation’ and the like), and instead we were treated to short, sharp, lightning-fast bursts of abrasive punk such as ‘Don Giovanni’, ‘I Am Forever’, ‘Poison’, ‘Corruption’, ‘Loki’ and ‘Rattlesnake’. There is violence and danger throughout the record, with a pissed-off sense of urgency that is strangely addictive. A great record to drive through traffic to.
Standout Tracks: ‘Disgruntled’, ‘Antennas’, ‘Blackhawk Down’
Rather than repeating the formula of the hugely successful ‘…And Out Come The Wolves’, Rancid added a range of elements to their sound for its highly-anticipated follow-up. As is evidenced by songs like ‘Bloodclot’, ‘Warsaw’, ‘The Wolf’, ‘Black Lung’ and ‘1998’, Rancid had it in them to make another ska-punk knees-up if they wanted. Instead, 'Life Won’t Wait’ expands in a range of other directions too, embracing elements of reggae, soul, motown, and early 60s rock ‘n’ roll. It is important to remember that 1998 was a funny time in the rock world. The American punk rock explosion of 1994 was now in the rear view mirror, Korn’s ‘Follow The Leader’ was signposting a move into more polished metal, rap was taking over the mainstream, and Rancid made a brave decision to carve their own path, not giving in to commercial demands.
Given how much variety there is on display here, in terms of instrumentation, songwriting, guest appearances and variations in song production, it is quite an achievement for ‘Life Won’t Wait’ to sound so cohesive as a record. ‘Lady Liberty’, for example, wouldn’t sound out of place on a late 50s / early 60s radio station, with stand-up bass, Buddy Holly guitars and clicky drums; while ‘Life Won’t Wait’ and ‘Hooligans’ sound like they were written and recorded on a busy street in the Jamaican sunshine'; while ‘1998’ and ‘Warsaw’ would be a great soundtrack to brylcreem-quiffed Teddy Boys in a street fight.
It isn’t all amazing. ‘Crane Fist’, with its meandering rap sections, gets off to a great start but begins to drag. ‘New Dress’, ‘Cocktails’ and ‘Wrongful Suspicion’ all have some interesting ideas but are a little more throwaway and self-indulgent when compared to the blistering ‘Cash, Culture and Violence’ (featuring Dicky Barrett from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones'), the timeless, dynamic ‘Hoover Street’ and empowering closer ‘Coppers’. But these are minor quibbles, because ‘Life Won’t Wait’ is a masterpiece that could have made it to Number 1 in this list if it wasn’t for one record that is even better.
Standout tracks: ‘Leicester Square’, ‘Life Won’t Wait’, ‘The Wolf’, ‘Hoover Street’
…And Out Come The Songs!!!!
1994 was the year that changed everything. Green Day’s ‘Dookie’, The Offspring’s ‘Smash’, Korn’s self-titled debut, and countless others. Suddenly, punk rock and metal were front and centre in the mainstream, and everyone was trying to figure out what would come next, especially in the aftermath of Kurt Cobain’s tragic suicide.
This environment, in August 1995, was arguably perfect for Rancid to unleash ‘…And Out Come The Wolves’, their life-affirming 3rd record. Having experienced some minor success with ‘Let’s Go’, they already had a decent following in the US. ‘…Wolves’ blew the doors to the rest of the world wide open, with a masterful combination of Southern Californian punk rock and a gritty, street-smart sound that was part New York hardcore and part old-school British punk (with a respectful nod to The Clash).
19 tracks could be too lengthy if it was most other bands, but Rancid have a knack of making songs that cram in loads of ideas, each leaving a strong impression, yet none outstaying their welcome. So we have not only the classics (‘Roots Radical’, ‘Ruby Soho’, ‘Time Bomb’ and ‘Olympia WA’) but also lesser-known, yet equally potent cuts like ‘She’s Automatic’, ‘Listed MIA’ and ‘Avenues & Alleyways’.
There isn’t a dull moment to be found here. From the glorious bass solo in ‘Maxwell Murder’ to the iconic opening of ‘Roots Radical’, to the life-affirming ‘Nah Nah Nah’s of closer ‘The Way I Feel’, to the singalong choruses in basically every song, ‘…And Out Come The Wolves’ is an album to dance to, sing to, learn guitar to, fall in love to, and rediscover to joy of life to. It is utterly timeless, and utterly brilliant.
Standout tracks: ‘The Way I Feel’, ‘Ruby Soho’, ‘The War’s End’, ‘Roots Radical’
