15 of Fall Out Boy's heaviest songs of all time, ranked

More passive Fall Out Boy fans may love the group for their broad slate of pop-punk hits that have hit the Hot 100, but over the course of their career, the band has shown they can do heavy just as well. 

As any devout Fall Out Boy fan knows, metal and hardcore are an important part of the band’s musical heritage. Each member of Fall Out Boy spent their younger years playing in Chicago area DIY acts like Racetraitor, the Kill Pill, and Public Display of Infection. Even the final lineup of Pete Wentz’s metalcore act Arma Angelus, which he fronted, included every member of Fall Out Boy, aside from Andy Hurley, who did a stint as the group’s first drummer. After Fall Out Boy hit it big, guitarist Joe Trohman and Hurley started playing in the hard-rock act the Damned Things in 2009, which also includes Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, former Every Time I Die frontman Keith Buckley, and Alkaline Trio bassist Dan Andriano. Then, in 2016, Hurley started an all-new straight-edge band called SECT with members of Earth Crisis and Cursed.

Read more: Every Fall Out Boy album ranked

That’s why it’s no surprise that Fall Out Boy has written some heavier songs over the years. And to the excitement of many fans, it’s looking like the band will return to their rock roots on the upcoming album So Much (For) Stardust, which Fueled By Ramen is releasing on March 24. While we shouldn’t necessarily expect a sequel to 2003’s Take This to Your Grave or 2005’s From Under the Cork Tree, distorted guitars were front and center again on the album’s first single “Love From the Other Side.” So, in anticipation of the new record, we’re taking a look at Fall Out Boy’s entire discography to highlight 15 of their heaviest songs ever, from fan-favorites like “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” to deep cuts like “Snitches and Talkers Get Stitches and Walkers.”

15. “West Coast Smoker” – Folie à Deux (2009)

The last track on Folie à Deux is defined by a tight, funky groove that wouldn’t be out of place on a 1970s hard-rock album. That nostalgic vibe makes sense since Blondie’s Debbie Harry contributed guest vocals to the song. But Wentz’s chaotic bout of screams in the outro are what make this track undeniably heavy, even as Fall Out Boy was clearly moving away from their emo-pop roots on this release.

14. “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” – From Under the Cork Tree (2005)

Although this is the track that arguably made Fall Out Boy hit the mainstream, as it became the band’s first single to hit the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, it’s still undeniably heavy. When listening through a pair of quality speakers, it’s hard to not be blown away by the intro’s chugging, high-voltage power chords packed with plenty of low end. Neal Avron’s thunderous production is a big part of the equation here, but so are the understated metallic licks Trohman throws over the verses.

13. “Switchblades and Infidelity” – Project Rocket / Fall Out Boy (2002)

This is one of the first songs Fall Out Boy ever wrote, which is why it’s packed to the brim with exuberant, youthful angst. Most of the track is played at a breakneck speed, but after a spacious interlude the band goes into a slightly slower version of the chorus that almost sounds like a breakdown. Several versions of this track were released, but this one, from the band’s split EP with Chicago area pop-punk group Project Rocket, has the strongest production. 

12. “Superfade” – Lake Effect Kid (2018)

Most of Fall Out Boy’s heavy songs are from early on in their career, but this one is more recent. “Superfade,” off the 2018 Lake Effect Kid EP, features high-pitched, soaring vocals from Stump. They sound almost distorted at times, like he’s straining his voice. The contrast between the intense orchestral string samples and the chaotic dubstep peaks is what makes this track hit hard. For this release, the band recorded with Sean O’Keefe, who also produced Take This to Your Grave. That may have inspired them to return to their heavy roots.

11. “Beat It” – Live in Phoenix (2008)

The original version of this Michael Jackson track featuring an Eddie Van Halen solo is already pretty heavy, but the Fall Out Boy cover brings it to another level. It’s hard to think of a rock singer more equipped to mimic Jackson than Stump, who has a similar affinity for the soul- and R&B-influenced corners of the pop world. Plus, Fall Out Boy wanted to bring in another superstar guitarist for their rendition. John Mayer’s solo shred on the track is unhinged, but it doesn’t overshadow the band’s precise playing.

10. “Thriller” – Infinity on High (2007)

The first track on Infinity on High covers a lot of ground. After an airy spoken-word intro featuring Jay-Z, the band jumps right into a straight-up breakdown. Although most of the song is defined by Stump’s soaring vocals and carefully-crafted pop arrangements, the band uses the breakdown riff as a recurring motif to punctuate the track. This is another song where Avron’s bombastic production is key. Without that meaty guitar tone, the riff just wouldn’t hit as hard.

9. “Calm Before the Storm” – Take This To Your Grave (2003)

Although this track is clearly a summery pop-punk banger, there are many understated metallic elements on it, as well. Under Stump’s vocals in the intro, Trohman plays a chugging metalcore-style lead riff, which concludes with a flashy pick slide. The track remains unquestionably poppy until the very end. After an interlude where Stump softly sings a few lines without any accompanying instrumentation, Wentz unleashes an electrifying fry scream over the outro as the rest of the band rehashes the most iconic bit of the track’s chorus.

8. “Love, Sex, Death” – PAX AM Days (2013)

This song is one of many fast, punishing cuts on Fall Out Boy’s 2013 release PAX AM Days. The EP doesn’t have the booming production that defines many of the band’s other heaviest tracks, but it does sound straight out of 1979. A ripping guitar solo, Stump’s shouted vocals, and the band’s sheer speed will leave listeners ready for a mosh pit. Still, many of the tracks on this release sound unfinished, since it was recorded in just two days. Just imagine if we could’ve heard Fall Out Boy develop these ideas further.

7. “Saturday” – Take This To Your Grave (2003)

This track is a favorite of the band’s, which is why it’s often the last song on their setlist. With its gritty, pessimistic vibe, “Saturday” leans a bit more toward emo than many of the other songs on Take This to Your Grave. The track is broken up by a chugging interlude that leads into a soaring bridge which Wentz screams over. When playing it live, the bassist usually discards his instrument for that part of the song so he can get more intimate with the crowd.

6. “The Carpal Tunnel of Love” – Infinity on High (2007)

Fans often remember this track for Wentz’s fry screams in the bridge, but that’s not the only way it’s connected to Fall Out Boy’s hardcore roots. “Carpal Tunnel” is one of several tracks on the band’s second and third albums where Wentz’s lyrics were heavily inspired by the poetry of Wesley Eisold, the vocalist of the Boston melodic hardcore band American Nightmare. (He actually had a public dispute with Fall Out Boy over the lyrics and the band eventually settled with him out of court.)

5. “G.I.N.A.S.F.S.” – Infinity on High – Deluxe Edition (2007)

There seems to be a pattern of Fall Out Boy cutting the heaviest tracks from the final versions of their albums. This song, which stands for “gay is not a synonym for shitty,” was released on the deluxe edition of Infinity on High. It’s one of many bonus tracks at the top of this list. The power of the pulsing, buzzsaw guitars keep this song grounded as Stump and Trohman layer on their airy melodic flourishes. Those who enjoy this song should also check out “It’s Hard to Say ‘I Do’ When I Don’t,” a similar bonus track from the extended edition of Infinity on High.

4. “Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes” – Take This To Your Grave (2003)

The chunky riff that’s the backbone of the track could be the heaviest in Fall Out Boy’s entire catalog. Although the alternating drop D chugs may not have been intense enough for an Arma Angelus track, they’re also not that far off the mark. Although it may be subtle enough for some listeners to miss, there’s another Wentz fry scream in this track that kicks off the outro. The ringing chord that hangs over the end of this track ends bellies the heat and intensity of the Take This To Your Grave guitar tone.

3. “My Heart Is the Worst Kind of Weapon” – From Under the Cork Tree – Limited “Black Clouds and Underdogs” edition (2006)

This song is a full-band version of a track originally included on Fall Out Boy’s 2004 acoustic EP My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue. Most of the song is a more patient, spacious take on the band’s emo sound, but it ends with a powerful breakdown that wouldn’t be out of place on an Arma Angelus or Racetraitor track. It may be the single heaviest moment in Fall Out Boy’s entire catalog. Although this didn’t make it onto the final version of From Under the Cork Tree when it was dropped 2005, the track was included in the album’s extended Black Clouds and Underdogs version, which was released a year later.

2. “Snitches and Talkers Get Stitches and Walkers” – From Under the Cork Tree – Limited “Black Clouds and Underdogs” edition (2006)

This is another song only released on the Black Clouds and Underdogs version of From Under the Cork Tree. Throughout, it has a classic old-school punk vibe fed by a fast tempo, the crunchy distorted guitars, and Stump’s almost percussive vocal approach. There’s a lot of tension and release in the song, which is furthered by the chunky palm-muted guitars. “Snitches” is another song where the back half is defined by Wentz’s croaky fry screams, but the growl he ends the track on could almost be described as guttural.

1. “I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me” – From Under the Cork Tree (2005)

With its punchy power chords and sly metalcore licks, this ripper buried in the back half of From Under the Cork Tree is heavy from start to finish. Although Wentz usually handles Fall Out Boy’s unclean vocals, for this track, the band recruited New Found Glory’s guitarist and principal songwriter Chad Gilbert (who also fronted the influential Florida metalcore act Shai Hulud back in the ’90s). Fall Out Boy’s affinity for Avron’s production on New Found Glory albums like 2002’s Sticks and Stones and 2004’s Catalyst  is actually what made them want to work with him. You can tell that the Florida band’s full-throated easycore sound is the basis of much of Fall Out Boy’s early work, particularly when it comes to the band’s heaviest tracks. If this song’s blood-pumping, rabble-rousing climax doesn’t get you ready for the pit, what will?