The 10 Best Blink 182 Songs of All-Time
Blink 182 is a fantastic band that has been plagued with sad news throughout its career. Founded in 1992, the band went on “indefinite hiatus” in 2005. The band got back together four years later, but DJ Adam (Adam Goldstein) died of a drug overdose that same year. Then in June of this year, singer and bassist Mark Hoppus announced he’d been diagnosed with cancer. Whatever happens in the future, this group has brought us a lot of joy with its music. Here are the top ten best Blink 182 songs of all time.
10. Sober
Sober is a song of sorrow, love, breaking up, and feeling lost in the world. It is not a happy love song. According to Songfacts, Mark Hoppus sings the second verse, which he told NME, “is about a Sid and Nancy romance – two lost souls who only have one another and are lost in the world.”
9. No Future
The incredibly pessimistic No Future is all about wasting your life. The singer talks about a woman who went away and his confusion over what she was looking for. However, the whole piece implies that ultimately the choices we make don’t matter because there’s nothing to look forward to. Blink 182 is not known for good cheer, which makes sense given band members’ frequent tragedies.
8. Cynical
Cynical is another hopeless anthem from Blink 182. The singer in this song discusses having done something wrong but also says there’s no point in saying sorry. The sense of ‘too little, too late’ permeates the mournful lyrics. Alternately, the song could also be about losing a band member. Lyrics about ‘losing my voice’ and ‘sorry, not sorry’ imply that this tune is less about romantic love and more likely a personal event for the band.
7. After Midnight
Every great band has a love song or two in its repertoire, and Blink 182 is no exception. After Midnight is about an unhealthy, codependent relationship. Passion brings people together and gives us the sense that we might do anything to feel that bright burning emotion, even when the person we love is not healthy for us and vice versa.
6. She’s Out Of Her Mind
She’s Out Of Her Mind was intended to be about a generic California girl, but it changed as the group wrote it. According to iHeart Radio, the band said, “The track was originally written as a love song to an Orange County girl, and the girl had, literally like Travis said, you walk in and you kind of sing the first thing that comes to your head. ‘She had red lips, blue hair on the top of her head’ or something like that, and we really focused it down to the girls that we dated growing up that were awesome, and a little bit crazy and a little bit dark.”
5. Blame It On My Youth
Blame It On My Youth is about as upbeat a song as you can find from Blink 182. This classic early song embodies the spirit of the band members and their unique music as it contemplates childhood. Who we were and how we grew up help determine who we become as adults.
4. Darkside
Mental health issues and unhealthy relationships abound in Blink 182 music. Darkside is another superb example of this. The concept behind Darkside is about falling in love with someone who suffers from depression and following them wherever their brain chemistry takes you. Supporting another person’s struggles, especially when it’s difficult, is a beautiful idea and this song helped shine a light on the struggles of people who have mental health issues.
3. Bored To Death
Love is rough. The first blush of passion can be wild and enticing, but things tend to settle down over time. The original pull fades, and something deeper develops, or it doesn’t. Bored to Death is about the in-between stage of a relationship. Things are not as intense, and the singer struggles to find meaning in the connection but has trouble coping with the way things are. This is a pre-breakup song.
2. Up All Night
Up All Night is a slice of life as seen through the lens of Blink 182. There are good and bad parts to everything. People are a complex dichotomy, but most are seeking the same things. We grow and change from our carefree and wild youth, maturing into the person we’ll be for the rest of our lives. This song is about finding a connection in human love and understanding rather than a fit of youthful vigor.
1. I Really Wish I Hated You
Nine came out in 2019, and the outstanding breakup track I Really Wish I Hated You, the fifth single, resonated with fans, becoming an instant favorite. The woman in the song seems to have moved on while the heartbroken singer copes with the reality of his loss. If he could hate her, it would help him get past the relationship, but he clearly still feels something for her.
Final Thoughts
Despite the many challenges over the years, or perhaps because of them, Blink 182 has created decades of superb, relatable music. If you’re looking for songs for an angry, sad, cynical, or mournful playlist, most of Blink 182’s discography will suit your listening needs. Yet despite the content, the tunes themselves are always thoroughly enjoyable. For those who want the live experience, there’s at least one tour date scheduled for 2022. In the meantime, enjoy Blink 182’s top ten best songs of all time, or check out the rest of this prolific band’s catalog.