Ranking Every Song by Stone Temple Pilots

Photo Credit: Mick Hutson/Getty Images

Yet another post about Stone Temple Pilots, you ask? I know, I know. I should be working on a follow-up novel or at least trying to make a few bucks writing another short story to sell, but the concert last week is still buzzing in the back of my head. I missed this band! So what did I do? I spent hours listening to every studio track the band has ever released and ranked them 1 – 97. If you’re a fan of Stone Temple Pilots too, I hope you’ll read on. If you’re not... well I’ll try to post something more literary next time.

1. Big Empty (1994) – The most common knock on STP is that they sound like other bands that came before them such as Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam. This bluesy slide guitar anthem sounds like no one else and for me, is the best song they’ve ever recorded.
2. Interstate Love Song (1994) – One of many of STP’s songs to hit Number 1 on the Rock charts, STP introduced a country vibe into this one and it works.
3. Vasoline (1994) – If there’s any complaint to be made about this song it’s that it only clocks in at just under 3 minutes long. This is just about perfect pop rock and one of STP’s lasting anthems.
4. Plush (1992) – STP’s first number 1 hit on the rock charts and still one of their very best songs. Scott has stated his lyrics for this one were based on a kidnapping story he read in a newspaper.
5. Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart (1996) – The best song on the band’s third album, this was the third chart topping single from the disc and features the famous line “I’m not dead and I’m not for sale.”
6. Sex Type Thing (1992) – This blistering track was the band’s first single and Scott Weiland has explained that its oft-misunderstood lyrics were meant to be a commentary on the abuse women face from overly aggressive men.
7. Big Bang Baby (1996) – One of the band’s biggest hits, this pop rock classic announced that STP was back from Scott’s first battle with the law and ready to retake their place atop the charts.
8. Atlanta (1999) – More than any other STP song, this ballad reminds me of Scott. It’s got a Doors kind of sound to it - slow, sad, and powerful. 
9. Hollywood Bitch (2001) – A great track that should have been a bigger hit. It’s based on a riff Robert wrote seven years before the song was released.
10. Days of the Week (2001) – Instantly catchy, this was the first single off the band’s fifth album and the disc’s highest charting hit on rock radio.
11. Wicked Garden (1992) – This rocker was the third single from STP’s debut Core and it remains a concert staple 26 years later.
12. Wonderful (2001) – Trippy, pretty, and a great example of the band’s pop sensibilities.
13. All in the Suit That You Wear (2003) – Originally written for the Spider-Man soundtrack, this song wound up on the band’s Thank You greatest hits album instead.
14. Still Remains (1994) – Although not as well-known as some of Purple’s more popular tracks, this love song is another example of STP at their peak.
15. Dead & Bloated (1992) – The opening track on the band’s debut album is an appropriate warning of what’s to come – a band that can rock as hard as anyone.
16. Unglued (1994) – 100% grunge rock, this is one of those songs you just have to crank up when you hear it.
17. Lounge Fly (1994) – This psychedelic rock track is so iconic it was used as the theme music for MTV News Break for a good portion of the 1990s.
18. Glide (1999) – While not as popular as “Sour Girl” or “Down”, this is the best example of STP’s unique brand of pop rock on their fourth album.
19. Silvergun Superman (1994) – Scott’s soaring vocals over an aggressive rhythm section and some outstanding guitar work from Dean make this song a standout.
20. Piece of Pie (1992) – Another hard rocking tune on the band’s debut album, Core. The lyrics aren’t Scott’s best work, but he sure sings them with conviction.
21. Meatplow (1994) – The hard-driving opening song on Purple sets the tone for what remains the band’s best album to date.
22. Lady Picture Show (1996) – Another rock chart topper from the band’s celebrated third album, this one includes some of the Beatles-esque elements the band would return to later in their career.
23. Out of Time (2013) – The best post-Scott Weiland song the band has produced to date. It’s the first track on their High Rise EP with singer Chester Bennington and it’s a great example of their rocker with a pop melody formula.
24. Crackerman (1992) – Break out the megaphone, Scott! Weiland famously used a megaphone to distort his vocals on multiple songs throughout his career, but this was the first.
25. Dancing Days (1995) – STP covered this 70s classic for the album Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin and it was the highlight of the disc.
26. Sour Girl (1999) – This melodic bit of pop was the biggest hit off the band’s fourth album and a bit of a departure from an otherwise harder edged collection of songs.
27. Break On Through (2000) – STP recorded this cover for Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors.
28. Sin (1992) – This song more than any other in the band’s repertoire sounds like a Pearl Jam knock-off and yet for my money, it's still better than 90% of what Eddie Vedder and Co. ever produced.
29. Revolution (2001) – STP performed this stellar Beatles cover for a 9/11 benefit concert then released it as a single a month later.
30. Down (1999) – The Grammy nominated first track on No. 4 is the band’s opening volley in a return to their rock roots after the foray into pop that was their third album.
31. The Art of Letting Go (2018) – My favorite track from the new album. Guitarist Dean DeLeo has mentioned The Carpenters as an influence in past interviews. That might sound strange, but give this tune a try. You’ll hear it.
32. No Way Out (1999) – This profane blast of hard rock is meant to be played loud. Really loud.
33. Dumb Love (2001) – A throwback to their first album, this hard-rocking song opens up Shangri-La Dee Da in fine fashion.
34. Heaven & Hot Rods (1999) – The hard rocking second song on the band’s fourth album features some cool guitar work from Dean and some ferocious drumming by Eric Kretz.
35. Coma (2001) – Another hard-rocking song off STP’s fifth disc
36. Meadow (2018) – A silly but really catchy lead single from the band’s first disc with lead singer Jeff Gutt
37. Maver (2010) – The prettiest tune on the band’s 2010 swan song with Scott. Robert wrote the music on this one and it features the disc’s best lyrics alongside a great piano part.
38. Hello It’s Late (2001) – Another of the band’s pretty ballads. This one sounds like STP’s take on Sgt. Pepper era Beatles.
39. Creep (1992) – This is the closest STP got to a ballad on their debut album, but it still did well on the Rock charts.
40. A Song For Sleeping (2001) – Maybe it’s just the father in me, but I love this sweet lullaby about Scott’s son, Noah.
41. Naked Sunday (1992) – Scott’s rocket-fueled rant against organized religion and its inherent hypocrisy.
42. Take a Load Off (2010) – The second single from the band’s final album with Scott on vocals. It’s got a great refrain although it didn’t chart very well.
43. Only Dying (2002) – This rare track was meant for The Crow soundtrack but was ultimately replaced by “Big Empty”. You can now find it on the 25^th Anniversary edition of Core.
44. Pruno (1999) – Another hard rocking song from No. 4 and another showcase for Eric Kretz on drums.
45. Never Enough (2018) – This one reminds me of “Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors and is one of my favorites off their new album.
46. Sex & Violence (1999) – This is probably as close as Stone Temple Pilots have ever come to playing punk rock.
47. Wichita Lineman (2003) – The band recorded this cover song with Glen Campbell and while it isn’t on the album, it can be found on the DVD for their greatest hits collection, Thank You.
48. Army Ants (1994) – Fast and loud, but this one doesn’t hold up next to the great songs that make up the majority of the band’s second album.
49. Middle of Nowhere (2018) – The opening track on the band’s self-titled 2018 release is a rocker that proves the band isn’t done just yet.
50. Black Heart (2013) – This one wouldn’t have been out of place on the band’s 4th album and is another solid effort with Bennington on lead vocals.
51. Thought You’d Be Mine (2018) – This country ballad provides a nice showcase for Gutt’s voice.
52. Ride the Cliché (1996) – Another catchy tune that captures the band’s signature pop rock sound.
53. First Kiss on Mars (2010) – Robert contributed some great music to this one and Scott’s affinity for David Bowie is all over the vocals.
54. Between the Lines (2010) – The first single from the band’s 2010 release. It doesn’t stand up to their biggest hits, but it’s still a good tune.
55. Tumble in the Rough (1996) – Credited solely to Scott Weiland, this is the closest thing you’ll find to a traditional rock song on the band’s third disc. 
56. Hickory Dichotomy (2010) – This song is as quirky as its title. It’s got Scott written all over it.
57. About A Fool (2010) – Unreleased in the U.S., this Bossa nova song was a bonus track on some of the foreign versions of the band’s first eponymous album.
58. Wet My Bed (1992) – This strange little interlude toward the end of Core reminds me of Brad Pitt’s stoner character in the film True Romance. One of my favorite things about this band is that they’ve never been afraid of being weird.
59. Pretty Penny (1994) – Not one of my favorites, but an interesting acoustic track that sits in the middle of the band’s best album.
60. Where the River Goes (1992) – Not the most exciting song on the band’s initial offering and at over eight minutes, it’s too long. However it features some of Scott’s more interesting lyrics.
61. And So I Know (1996) – This smooth little sidetrack into Bossa nova is sandwiched between two of STP’s biggest hits on Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop.
62. Kitchenware & Candybars (1994) – This darkly introspective track closes Purple and includes the bizarre parody lounge song “My Second Album” credited to singer Richard Peterson. Don’t ever say the band lacks a sense of humor.
63. Church on Tuesday (1999) – After opening their fourth album with three hard rocking songs in a row, STP took their foot off the gas a bit on this one.
64. I Got You (1999) – This song wouldn’t be out of place on a Beck disc and it gave the DeLeo brothers a chance to show off some of their multi-instrumental skills.
65. You Can’t Drive Me Away (2010) – I believe this song was recorded earlier in their career, but it wasn’t released until 2010 as a bonus track on the True Blood soundtrack.
66. Adhesive (1996) – A fairly routine example of the band’s pop rock tendencies until the jazz trumpet comes in halfway through the song. STP was full of surprises on Tiny Music.
67. Regeneration (2001) – Perhaps not one of the band’s better songs, but it features some of the more interesting lyrics on their 5^th album.
68. Samba Nova (2010) – A bonus track that I think was only available on the Target edition of the band’s 2010 release and a real departure for STP. It wouldn’t sound out of place on a George Michael album. Really.
69. Transmissions from a Lonely Room (2001) – A unique track in that it features Robert on electric sitar.
70. Bi-Polar Bear (2001) – The longest and strangest track on Shangri-La Dee Da. It deals with the struggles of mental illness.
71. Long Way Home (2001) – The closing track on Shangri-La Dee Da has the band’s signature sound, but isn’t anything special.
72. Black Again (2001) – One of the weaker tracks on Shangri-La Dee Da.
73. Bagman (2010) – A fun Beatles-esque pop rock tune
74. Huckleberry Crumble (2010) – You could drop this song onto one of Aerosmith’s records from the 70s and it would fit in just fine.
75. Reds & Blues (2018) – Moody and with a country twang, this song closes the band’s latest album nicely.
76. Pop’s Love Suicide (1996) – Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop was as eclectic an album as you’re likely to find. This tune sounds a bit like the band Veruca Salt to me.
77. Cinnamon (2010) – Written about Scott’s ex-wife, this one has a 90s pop flavor that’s different from anything else in the band’s oeuvre.
78. Art School Girl (1996) – Written about an early girlfriend of Scott’s, the story goes that she set his car on fire after they broke up.
79. No Memory (1992) – This brief instrumental features some somber guitar playing from Dean and serves as a brief respite before the band launches into “Sin” on their debut album.
80. MC5 (1999) – The shortest and weakest track on the otherwise strong No. 4 album.
81. Just a Little Lie (2018) – This bluesy tune might be the biggest departure from the band’s signature sound on their latest disc and the album is better for it.
82. Daisy (1996) – Robert gets the chance to play guitar on this sweet, little instrumental.
83. Too Cool Queenie (2001) – The band’s kiss-off to Courtney Love might be interesting from a gossip perspective, but it’s one of their weaker efforts at song-craft.
84. Fast As I Can (2010) – As the title implies, this one is a fast-paced rocker but the lyrics are a letdown.
85. Hazy Daze (2010) – Hard rocking song with a heavy dose of bitterness in the lyrics.
86. Dare If You Dare (2010) – Although I’ve never read anything about the band stating as much, I hear a John Lennon influence on this track.
87. Peacoat (2010) – A pretty good song by Dean but Scott’s melody and lyrics didn’t do it any favors.
88. Good Shoes (2018) – The vocals and lyrics on this one aren’t particularly memorable, but it features some nice work by the other three members of the band.
89. Roll Me Under (2018) – This Soundgarden knock off is enjoyable enough but Gutt is no Chris Cornell.
90. Seven Caged Tigers (1996) – A relatively weak track on the band’s third disc. If Scott wasn’t high when he wrote the lyrics to this one, he should have been.
91. Press Play (1996) – The opening song on the band’s third album is a brief instrumental that might be described as easy-listening jazz. No doubt about it, this album was unique.
92. Finest Hour (2018) – This sounds like a typical throw-away pop track, but if you listen to the lyrics, it’s something of an elegy to Scott and Chester.
93. Cry Cry (2013) – This one features a grungy riff from Dean that’s a little different from most of his work, but the song isn’t all that interesting otherwise.
94. Six Eight (2018) – This song isn’t anything special but it does feature another Soundgarden-like refrain that’s memorable.
95. Same On the Inside (2013) – Fairly generic mid-tempo song off the High Rise EP
96. Tomorrow (2013) – This is the final and weakest track on the band’s EP with Chester Bennington 
97. Guilty (2018) – A loud, yet mundane offering on the band’s latest disc which features some of the band’s dumber lyrics