Not many bands straddle multiple genres, sounds, and decades quite like Biffy Clyro. The Ayrshire-born power trio have stormed pop, prog, and rock unlike any band before them, and it’s not likely that they’ll face serious competition anytime soon. This is why we wanted to find the best Biffy Clyro songs ever!
Here’s ten of their greatest songs, running the whole gamut from jagged, spasmodic riffage to honey-sweet pop songcraft. We’ve tried to cover all eras of the band, but we know we must have missed a couple of bangers. What Biffy songs do you believe belong in the top 10?
Best Biffy Clyro Songs – The List
10. There’s No Such Thing as a Jaggy Snake
Is there any song that better epitomises the Biff’s early work? With a jagged, staccato opening riff to Simon’s frenzied shrieking, the bizarre timing changes and the characteristic three-part harmonies of the bridge, this opus from 2004’s Infinity Land is a no-holds-barred rollercoaster ride. Not for the faint of heart, but then what great rock song ever was?
9. 57
Early comparisons to Nirvana seem somewhat justified when you listen to this dissonant, grungy rocker from Biffy Clyro’s debut album, Blackened Sky. Simon’s voice, as yet not fully developed, adopts a few Cobain-esque gravelly overtones. There is also the drop tuning and octave chords made popular in the post-grunge era carbon date this precisely to the early 2000s. One particular highlight of this track is a rare lead vocal from drummer Ben Johnston, who brings early-aughts angst that Puddle of Mudd or the Foo Fighters could only dream of.
8. Living is A Problem Because Everything Dies
2007’s Puzzle marked a significant change in direction for Biffy Clyro, who adopted more conventional song structures and melodies, eschewing the brain-splattering weirdness of their early work for a more radio-friendly approach.
However, this was not the case on the opening track from Puzzle. It opens with aggressive orchestral stabs and a slow crescendo reminiscent of the Who’s finest rock bombast. This song and, indeed, the entire album, written in memory of singer Simon Neil’s recently departed mother, examines grief with rare aggression and candour. Who else but Biffy Clyro could pull off a chorus like “everywhere I look someone dies/wonder when it’s my turn”, even in the MySpace emo days of 2007?
7. Machines
For every balls-out rocker Biffy Clyro has composed, Simon Neil sure knows his way around a ballad. “Machines”, from Puzzle, is the yin to “Living is a Problem”s yang. Every bit as sweet and mournful as the other track is dissonant and violent. Minimalist acoustic guitar and untreated vocals. One of the band’s finest ballads, and an audience singalong concert staple to this day.
6. Bubbles
One of Biffy Clyro’s earliest crossover hits (boasting more weeks in the top 100 than any other single), the effervescent, immediately recognisable opening riff signals unleashes a far brighter, more accessible single than 2010’s unsuspecting audiences would have dreamed of. Featuring jangly Britpop chords, a typically anthemic chorus, and possibly the most epic outro ever to grace BBC Radio, this track also features a guitar cameo from Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme. “Bubbles” is archetypal radio rock Biffy, alternating between saccharine melody, thundering drums and the songwriting prowess that took these Scottish lads out of clubs and into stadiums around the world.
5. Biblical
Long before Liam Gallagher started labelling everything he liked more than his brother (which at this point is virtually everything) “biblical”, Simon Neil and the Johnston twins unleashed this monstrous ode to love lost. The sparseness of the verse gives way to a chorus that truly earns its title, with squealing feedback and crushing power chords to make Kurt Cobain himself green with envy. Borrowing an old 70s power pop trick (where an initial singalong chorus giving way to another, bigger, more anthemic chorus) drives home just how well bombast suits Biffy Clyro. There’s also a couple of “whoah”s thrown in near the end for good measure. Tailor-made to be screamed by mud-drenched audiences at summer festivals.
4. Stingin’ Belle
Who else could pull off, in this day and age of streaming and two-minute hits, a double album dripping with distorted baritone guitars, three-part harmony, mariachi horns and, on this opening track from disc two of Opposites, bagpipes? With more hooks than your average fishing fleet and the aforementioned highlander-worthy bagpipes (not to mention tolling bells, which have yet to make any rock song worse), this tune effortlessly combines Biffy Clyro’s pop sensibility with their prog-punk beginnings..
3. In The Name of the Wee Man
You can’t write about a songwriter as prolific as Simon Neil and not include a B-side. While this tune featured heavily in the setlist when Biffy were touring Ellipsis, it was only available on the deluxe edition of the CD. Or on Spotify.
While Ellipsis often saw Biffy Clyro experiment with as many genres as they possibly could, citing A$AP Rocky as a driving influence on the album, the lads seemingly couldn’t resist throwing in a few all-out rockers for old times’ sake. Weird off-beat time signature? Check. Crushing power chords in Drop D? Check. Simon screaming bloody murder over it all? Check.
2. Instant History
From Biffy Clyro’s most recent studio effort, an even more genre-mashing experiment than Ellipsis, this hit single opens with luscious synth strings that rapidly give way to a stabbing, pulsing verse and a half-time chorus with the kind of synth hook that dominated rock radio in the early 2000s. Linkin Park, eat your heart out.
1. Many of Horror
Never let it be said that tattooed Scottish wild men can’t have a soft side. “Many of Horror”, may have been made (more) famous by a saccharine X factor cover retitled “When We Collide”. It may open with radio-ready clean guitars and feature mandolins, strings, and Simon Neil’s sappiest lyrics (“I still believe/it’s you and me to the end of time”). But I challenge you not to sing along next time you hear this one on the radio. Or when the “whoah” section comes in next time they’re headlining a festival near you. The fact is this power ballad is exactly the sort of stuff that propels weird little rock bands like Biffy Clyro to superstardom, and the lads will never have to work again for writing it.
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed our look back as the best Biffy Clyro songs! I’m sure your list may be slightly different, but let’s just enjoy how special this band is. If you enjoyed this top 10, why not check out our others such as the top 10 Razorlight songs. Have a great day!