My 10 Favorite Interrupters Songs, Ranked
Aimee Interrupter and her punk-ska band The Interrupters make some of the most joyful, ferocious music going. Here are my favorite songs by the Los Angeles band.
#10: “Family” (The Interrupters, 2014)
Written with longtime collaborator and Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong, this ska delight will make anyone smile. Armstrong’s gravelly vocals are such a fun counterbalance to Aimee’s.
#9: “Alien” (In The Wild, 2023)
Perhaps the most surprising song in The Interrupters’ catalogue, “Alien” is the introspective power ballad you didn’t know the band would write. It’s a lyrically stunning, bare bones tune about feeling foreign in one’s own skin – a feeling that Aimee started sharing in interviews just after In The Wild was released. And although it’s a B side, it’s pretty powerful.
#8: “Anything Was Better” (In The Wild, 2023)
The fiery single “Anything Was Better” tells the story of a girl from Montana who felt invisible, hightailed it for Los Angeles, and found herself. This song is all Aimee Interrupter (nee Allen) reflecting on the past, when “anything was better” than where she came from.
#7: “Title Holder” (Fight the Good Fight, 2018)
This catchy, upbeat tune holds its own as a pump-up sports jam, reminding me to fight like a champion, live like a warrior, and never let ‘em break you down.”
#6: “Gave You Everything” (Fight the Good Fight, 2018)
This vintage punk-rock gem from Fight the Good Fight is one of The Interrupters’ rare relationship heartbreak singles, and it’s just as powerful acoustic as it is electric.
#5: “She Got Arrested” (Say it Out Loud, 2016)
This favorite from The Interrupters’ 2016 album Say it Out Loud turns a serious topic (domestic violence) into a singalong radio tune.
#4: “Bad Guy” (Live in Tokyo, 2021)
This Billie Eilish cover is even better than the original, reimagining Eilish’s intimate, spooky lyrics with a bit of brash gusto. The horns make it extra special, too.
#3: “In The Mirror” (In The Wild, 2023)
The upbeat single “In the Mirror” is my favorite track on In The Wild, with its memorable and relatable refrain of, “no matter how far I run, I always end up back here.” Truth!
#2: “Take Back the Power” (The Interrupters, 2014)
From the moment Aimee belted out, “what’s your plan, for tomorrow?” I was hooked on this anarchist-punk anthem with its searing guitars and raucous, loud rhythm section. Ultimately, it was my gateway to the band’s entire catalogue. It is one of my own band’s favorite songs to cover (and audiences love it).
#1: “She’s Kerosene” (Fight the Good Fight, 2018)
The opening musical riff latches onto the listener’s soul in “She’s Kerosene,” about a woman who’s gonna “burn down everything” if you mess with her. With its catchy ska beat, this 2018 single is true fire – and tops my “top 10” list.
