10 most criminally underrated the All-American Rejects songs

From their 2002 self-titled debut to their 2012 record Kids in the Street, the All-American Rejects became synonymous with pop-punk in the early 2000s. They managed to encapsulate being a chronically sarcastic, often angsty teen perfectly — soundtracking every emo kid’s first love in songs like “Dirty Little Secret” and eventually their first heartbreak in songs like “Gives You Hell.”

Although they have a plethora of commercial hits from their tenure as a band (such as the aforementioned hits, as well as “Move Along,” “Swing, Swing” and “It Ends Tonight”), they have quite a few other songs that are just as good but tragically did not receive the same amount of love — or airplay. As the All-American Rejects gear up to go on their first headlining tour in a decade, we’re here to make a few suggestions for their setlist. Here are 10 criminally underrated the All-American Rejects songs, in no particular order.

Read more: Every All-American Rejects album ranked: From worst to best

“One More Sad Song” – The All-American Rejects (2002)

Lead singer Tyson Ritter was just 18-years-old when he wrote “One More Sad Song,” drawing inspiration from a difficult breakup. He touches on the inner turmoil felt when you have to let go of someone you still love, singing, “My heart is torn for all to see/Alone with you, alone with me.” The most interesting part of the song is that it doesn’t sound like a sad song at all, despite its name. The lyrics are melancholy, but they’re disguised by Ritter’s bright vocals and an upbeat guitar.  

“Your Star” – The All-American Rejects (2002)

“Your Star” is one of the least bitter songs about a cheating girlfriend that has ever been written, along with the aforementioned “One More Sad Song.” Ritter inserts a glimpse of his partner’s perspective in the lyrics, acknowledging that both parties are feeling that post-breakup sting. That sensitiveness is carried throughout the rest of the group’s self-titled album, highlighted by the maturity in Ritter’s vocals. Plus, there’s a pretty good guitar solo about halfway through the track, and who doesn’t love that?

“Dance Inside” – Move Along (2005)

Move Along is full of iconic songs, and “Dance Inside” is one of them — even if it didn’t receive as much attention as “Dirty Little Secret” or “It Ends Tonight.” While love songs are not revolutionary for the All-American Rejects discography by any means, what makes “Dance Inside” special is that they weren’t lamenting over something lost. “It’s about passionate love, on a deeper level than I used to write about before,” Ritter told MTV in 2003. 

“Can’t Take It” – Move Along (2005)

The All-American Rejects close Move Along with the orchestral “Can’t Take It,” taking a jump from the angsty sound they had become known for. The strings that perforate Ritter’s roaring in the song would make the perfect soundtrack to James Bond glaring at someone across a poker table. Ritter also adds a dabble of falsetto in “Can’t Take It,” which sets the song over the top — much like the thin slice of a lemon peel in Bond’s Vesper martini.

“Real World” – When the World Comes Down (2008)

“Real World” comes off of the All-American Rejects’ most introspective album, When the World Comes Down. After focusing heavily on teenage heartbreak for years, the band dove into more existential waters. “Real World” is a track about growing up in the digital age where “you’re fed from the TV screen.” Much like the rest of the album, that’s not the whole story: a desperate sense of hope for the future is sprinkled throughout the song.

“Damn Girl” – When the World Comes Down (2008)

Now it’s time to forget everything we just said about the All-American Rejects switching up their subject matter on When the World Comes Down. Yes, “Damn Girl” is another breakup song about a cheating girlfriend. But where “One More Sad Song” and “Your Star” are fairly cordial responses to a split, Ritter is a bit more bitter on “Damn Girl.” Gone are the days of seeing the other person’s side, which does make the song more cathartic to sing along to.

“Someday’s Gone” – Kids in the Street (2012)

To be fair, “Someday’s Gone” was pretty popular when it was released to promote Kids in the Street in 2012. However, it failed to become an instant alternative rock classic — even though it really should have. “Someday’s Gone” is peak AAR. The lyrics are creative (“I fall like a dead man out of the airplane,” for example), the outrage in Ritter’s voice is palpable, and the instrumentation is dynamic. It’s everything you want in an angsty breakup anthem.

“Beekeeper’s Daughter” – Kids in the Street (2012)

Much like “Someday’s Gone,” this song was also received well when it first came out as the lead single for the same album. But again, it only got as far as becoming a top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard Pop charts, and I believe it deserved so much more. “Beekeeper’s Daughter” represented a shift to a more lighthearted pop sound in the All-American Rejects’ discography. Plus, if you look closely you’ll see both YouTuber Trisha Paytas and the legendary “Mr. Entertainment” Wayne Newton featured in the music video. 

“There’s a Place” (2015)

After a three-year hiatus following the release of Kids in the Street in 2012, the All-American Rejects reemerged to drop the surprisingly soothing single “There’s a Place” in 2015. The track is much more mellow than anything they had previously released, and Ritter’s voice seemed to have developed something of a folksy charm, as compared to his typical sarcasm and angst. Though they’d done it before, “There’s a Place” is the most effective example of the All-American Rejects experimenting with their sound.

“Me Vs. The World” (2020)

When the world needed them the most, the All-American Rejects dropped the energetic “Me Vs. The World” during the COVID-19 pandemic. The song brings back fond memories of the introspective yet lively When the World Comes Down in both the lyrics and instrumentation. As an added perk, the All-American Rejects’ also announced that proceeds from the song would be donated to MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s nonprofit that assists with the health and well-being of those in the industry.