Fan poll: 5 best songs from the All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects embody 2000s pop punk. The band’s rise from a scrappy indie outfit to major-label luminaries was a satisfying one. In part, it’s because they produce enormous, anthemic hooks better than most — the type that soundtracks lighthearted moments in your favorite movies and TV shows. Wherever you are, their songs induce a whole lot of nostalgia when they play.
Earlier this year, AAR made noise when they announced their first headlining run in a decade. The reveal was made all the sweeter by their opening support, which include their friends New Found Glory, Motion City Soundtrack, the Starting Line, and the Get Up Kids. With The Wet Hot All-American Summer Tour — a cheeky reference to the 2001 cult classic film — launching last week, we decided to ask our readers what the band’s best songs are.
Read more: 10 most criminally underrated the All-American Rejects songs
From radio-ready classics to 2000s gems, find the top fan picks ranked below.
5. “Gives You Hell”
Getting even never sounded so good in this classic, late 2000s breakup anthem. Rather than wallow in self-pity, Tyson Ritter picked up a pen and got to work — and the results speak for themselves. The vocalist spits plenty of venom, in both his words and the fact that his former lover was subjected to its endless radio play. Frankly, this list wouldn’t ring true without the Rejects’ most successful song to date.
4. “The Last Song”
This deep cut ends AAR’s self-titled album in the best way — and we’re glad that it wasn’t actually their final song. “This may be the last thing that I write for long,” Ritter sings, suggesting the possibility of a hiatus. But the band returned with the album’s follow-up, Move Along, three years later. To be fair, any track on the All-American Rejects’ self-titled album could’ve landed on this list, but “The Last Song” remains a favorite for a reason.
3. “Dirty Little Secret”
You know the chorus of “Dirty Little Secret” even if you’ve never heard any other AAR song. It’s the eternal homecoming dance classic and the song that blares in supermarkets and bars. This lighthearted, carefree cut proved the band were pros at writing sticky songs, bringing them more mainstream spotlight in the process. Besides, what better way to open their second record than with a total earworm?
2. “Move Along”
All these years later, “Move Along” remains an absolute monster of a song. Just like “Dirty Little Secret” and “Gives You Hell,” it’s a track that was unavoidable upon release — and even now if you run in the right spaces. This underdog anthem is empowering as hell, urging its listeners to power through another day. Though it was released in 2005 — nearly two decades ago if you want to feel old — the song still hits like it’s brand new.
1. “Swing, Swing”
Perhaps “Swing, Swing” defines the All-American Rejects best. The song, which comes from their 2002 debut self-titled record, is jubilant and bouncy while undergirded by a load of teenage angst. The track even appeared on The O.C., soundtracking a moment in the pilot episode where Seth Cohen and Ryan Atwood jam out to it in the back of a Jeep. Naturally, it’s the song that the band kicked off their first headlining tour in a decade with, and for good reason.
