10 Best Korn Songs
Korn took everyone by surprise when they released their self-titled debut album back in 1994. The band pioneered a sound dubbed 'nu-metal,' influencing scores of acts to follow. Singer Jonathan Davis' tense, rage-drenched vocals were exactly what millions of kids were looking for in the age of grunge. Since then, they've continued to put out albums and evolve their sound with each one.
Since the band burst onto the scene with their unique sound, they've released a wide swath of studio albums. So when we decided to pick our favorite Korn songs, we knew the task would be difficult. So let's get to it. Below, we present our list of the 10 Best Korn Songs:
- 10
'Get Up'
From: 'The Path of Totality' (2011)We kick off our list of the 10 Best Korn Songs with one of the band's newer tracks. 'Get Up' is the product of a collaboration with dubstep artist Skrillex. While this combination may seem unlikely, the end product shows that the band chose well in teaming up with the electronic dance music superstar. The fuzzed-out dubstep bass pairs well with Korn's down-tuned, heavy sound.
- 9
'Clown'
From: 'Korn' (1994)'Clown' was one of four singles to come off the band's first album. In this song, vocalist Jonathan Davis calls out school bullies, recalling his own terrible past experiences. Compared to their newer, denser productions, this song is Korn stripped down to their barest essentials: freakishly heavy riffs and strange noises played over in-the-groove drums.
- 8
'Love and Meth'
From: 'The Paradigm Shift' (2013)'Love and Meth' marks the return of Brian 'Head' Welch to the band after a long absence. This single from 'The Paradigm Shift' pays homage to the band's original, guitar-heavy sound that drew so many fans in the first place, proving there's nothing quite like that seven-string combination of Head and Munky working in tandem.
- 7
'A.D.I.D.A.S.'
From: 'Life Is Peachy' (1996)Following up on the success of their first album, Korn released their sophomore effort, 'Life Is Peachy,' in 1996. The track 'A.D.I.D.A.S.,' which serves as a clever schoolyard acronym, fits in perfectly with Davis' fondness for track suits. The song's opening, dissonant guitars underscored by tight, heavy drum and bass, is a perfect example of the uniqueness that made this band such a success.
- 6
'Here to Stay'
From: 'Untouchables' (2002)'Here to Stay' was the first single from Korn's fifth album, 'Untouchables.' It also won the band a Grammy. While Korn had already won a Grammy for best music video/short film for 'Freak on a Leash,' 'Here to Stay' got them their first for Best Metal Performance. This song is one of the band's heaviest tracks ever. The intro riff is the sonic equivalent of running for your life through waist-deep quicksand.
- 5
'Shoots and Ladders'
From: 'Korn' (1994)Early on, Korn must have decided that creeping everyone out was a major band goal. How else could anyone explain the kiddy-songs-turned-nightmare theme that is 'Shoots and Ladders?' This single, along with the album's cover art, perfectly set the tone for a band looking to make metal fans uncomfortable while they moshed. The song became iconic for the band, partly due to Jonathan Davis' unconventional inclusion of bagpipes in the intro.
- 4
'Falling Away From Me'
From: 'Issues' (1999)Korn was so excited about their 1999 album, 'Issues,' that they wanted to give it away to the fans for free. The label put its foot down, though. Fans were still able to download the first single, 'Falling Away From Me,' for free. Downloads of the song also spurred monetary contributions to charities dedicated to helping children in need. The impossibly heavy, yet dissonant chorus is countered nicely by the almost quaint guitar sounds of the verse.
- 3
'Got the Life'
From: 'Follow the Leader' (1998)While the band's first two albums were successful endeavors, it's their third album, 'Follow the Leader,' that really launched Korn to mainstream success. 'Got the Life,' the second single off of this album, has the honor of being "retired" from MTV's 'Total Request Live.' The popularity of this song can be chalked up to its disco drum and bass beat. The EDM feel is reinforced by the verse sample telling fans to "Get your boogie on."
- 2
'Blind'
From: 'Korn' (1994)'Blind' is the track that started it all for this California band. With the words 'I can see, I can see, I'm going blind,' singer Jonathan Davis ushered in a whole world of what would come to be called "nu metal." Once everyone heard the monster riffs coming from the band's now-iconic seven-string guitars, the world would never be the same. The verse riff sounds deceptively simple, but then again, most good riffs do.
- 1
'Freak on a Leash'
From: 'Follow the Leader' (1998)And now we have arrived at the end of our list of the 10 Best Korn Songs. 'Freak on a Leash' was the last single from the band's breakthrough album 'Follow The Leader.' The video, which netted Korn their first Grammy, shows the background story behind the album's unsettling cover. The clip also features some cool effects as the point of view follows the trail of an errant bullet mistakenly fired from a cop's gun. This song is pure Korn, complete with creepy verses followed by heavy, groove-centric choruses.