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Ranking Pearl Jam's top-151 songs

fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
in The Porch
My day job is writing about sports, which I've been doing since I was 19 years old (I'm 42 now). But I like to mix in some Pearl Jam articles when I can. My favorite example was when I turned the sports section cover to our newspaper in Reno into an ode to Yield. The local team I cover, the Nevada Wolf Pack, started its 2011 season with four straight road games, so I used "Long Road" as the headline and went to Elko to get a picture that looked like the one on Yield's cover. We then got a picture of a Wolf Pack player walking on the field and photoshopped that onto the cover design while adding the distance from Reno to the team's first four games in place of the Yield sign to show how much travel the team had ahead. Anyway, it was the highlight of my sports writing career. Here's that cover.



Over the last couple of months, I've been working on a list of my favorite Pearl Jam songs. Every night when I put my son to sleep, I would write five song reviews on the Notes app on my phone. I then sorted them into a list.

Anyway, here is the list of my 151 favorite Pearl Jam songs: https://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/ranking-pearl-jams-top-151-songs-from-ten-to-dark-matter

P.S.: I vote in the Associated Press Top 25 football and basketball polls, so I routinely get email death threats for having somebody's favorite team a couple of spots below the consensus poll, so feel free to disagree with some of the rankings. I'm used to it!

Comments

  • rummyrummy British Columbia, Canada Posts: 4,450
    I gotta admit that your list was a pretty tough scroll early on but your top 20 is commendable. Of course, you’re obviously a big fan of the band and appreciate the effort. I will give an even-closer read later on today.  👍
  • DM282158DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 558
    Dude this is awesome! Love the album ranking list too. 

    I love Avacado too - so cheers to that! Album rocks. 
    Boston '06
    Mansfield '08
    Hartford '10
    Worcester, Hartford '13
    Global Citizen, NY '15
  • Hawk123Hawk123 Posts: 2,206
    rummy said:
    I gotta admit that your list was a pretty tough scroll early on but your top 20 is commendable. Of course, you’re obviously a big fan of the band and appreciate the effort. I will give an even-closer read later on today.  👍
    Got to give at 150 was a shocker, it’s all opinions though which is cool. Great job! 
  • igotid88igotid88 Posts: 28,044
    I tried to do one. My top 10 changes
    I miss igotid88
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    igotid88 said:
    I tried to do one. My top 10 changes
    My list has definitely changed over the years. I did not get Binaural at all when it was released, and now I think it's an epic. I wish the band made a second album like that. It's amazing how your life experiences evolving can change the impact a song has on you. It was fun to spend the 30 hours it took to write this to reconnect with some of the songs and think about them a little deeper.
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    DM282158 said:
    Dude this is awesome! Love the album ranking list too. 

    I love Avacado too - so cheers to that! Album rocks. 
    No skips on Avocado as far as I'm concerned. Love that album.
  • jlindgren2jlindgren2 Reno Posts: 85
    Howdy from Reno!  Love your sports stuff, Chris, but am always pumped when I see a Pearl Jam article or reference pop up on the site.

    Very solid list and would be relatively close to mine overall...depending on the week/day/hour
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    jlindgren2 said:
    Howdy from Reno!  Love your sports stuff, Chris, but am always pumped when I see a Pearl Jam article or reference pop up on the site.

    Very solid list and would be relatively close to mine overall...depending on the week/day/hour
    Some Biggest Little City love! I do like to sneak in a Pearl Jam article once or twice a year!
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,338
    Setting Sun, Half Full, and Brother that low is blasphemy but appreciate you lol
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,310
    edited November 27
    Cool list!  I could nitpick but I won't haha.  

    You obviously put a lot of time into it.  Read about 30 entries so far but I'll finish the rest later.  
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
    2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
  • MJ178168MJ178168 Posts: 183
    Very cool list.  Always appreciate seeing how others rate songs.  My list would be completely different, but to each their own.  Thanks for sharing
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    HailHailVitalogy said:
    Setting Sun, Half Full, and Brother that low is blasphemy but appreciate you lol
    My daughter doesn't really listen to the band but told me last week she likes Half Full. That should have moved it up 20 spots!
  • DM282158DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 558
    My list (and album list) wouldn’t even be close probably (aside from 🥑). But 1) That’s the whole point and why this music is so awesome - we can discuss and learn how the songs resonate with other peeps and 2) The work put in here is 10/10. Much respect. 
    Boston '06
    Mansfield '08
    Hartford '10
    Worcester, Hartford '13
    Global Citizen, NY '15
  • MJ178168MJ178168 Posts: 183
    DM282158 said:
    My list (and album list) wouldn’t even be close probably (aside from 🥑). But 1) That’s the whole point and why this music is so awesome - we can discuss and learn how the songs resonate with other peeps and 2) The work put in here is 10/10. Much respect. 
    Truth!  The whole point!  Doesn't matter how different the opinions, it is fun just seeing them
  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,566
    Indifference and WMA way way too high.  Alive and Release have to be Top 10.  Setting Sun too low.  Just a few of my thoughts 
  • Mawky1103Mawky1103 Posts: 311
    Got To Give below Whale Song is definitely a hot take. Fun list. Be easy on my UConn Huskies in next weeks Top 25, just a few bumps in the road. 
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    Mawky1103 said:
    Got To Give below Whale Song is definitely a hot take. Fun list. Be easy on my UConn Huskies in next weeks Top 25, just a few bumps in the road. 
    I’ve never had a team go from No. 1 on my poll one week to unranked the next week but … I do love the Whale Song, so you never know!
  • fl247556fl247556 Posts: 303
    Thanks a lot for that, very good readind. I learn some things after 31 years of Pearl Jam !
    freddie vedder
  • syzygy523syzygy523 Posts: 56
    #1 is spot on! 100% correct  - Well done -10/10 - No notes.
  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,310
    fisher2glue said:
    HailHailVitalogy said:
    Setting Sun, Half Full, and Brother that low is blasphemy but appreciate you lol
    My daughter doesn't really listen to the band but told me last week she likes Half Full. That should have moved it up 20 spots!
    It's always interesting to hear what kids like.  My almost 3 year old thinks React, Respond is the best song ever lol 
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
    2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
  • eddieceddiec Posts: 3,920
    That was fun to read.
    We're all going to disagree on order, but i enjoyed your opinion on why it ranked where it did.

  • MikeDigsMikeDigs Santa Monica, CA Posts: 1,654
    Cool list and fun exercise.  Thanks for taking the time to do this.  As I went thru the list, I wanted to find and co-sign Love Boat Captain.  Checked top 20, then top 50, then top 100, and finally found that Love Boat Captain isn't ranked  :o How could that be?  Such a banger song
    I'm spinning, oh-oh-oh I'm spinning
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    syzygy523 said:
    #1 is spot on! 100% correct  - Well done -10/10 - No notes.
    A rare perfect score — thanks!
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    MikeDigs said:
    Cool list and fun exercise.  Thanks for taking the time to do this.  As I went thru the list, I wanted to find and co-sign Love Boat Captain.  Checked top 20, then top 50, then top 100, and finally found that Love Boat Captain isn't ranked  :o How could that be?  Such a banger song
    I don’t dislike the song, but the vocal delivery seems disjointed to me, which makes it hard to connect to on a personal level. But definitely a fun experimental song, and Boom got some shine!
  • RR258111RR258111 São Paulo, Brazil Posts: 60
    Very cool list and was fun to read  ...... I just miss unthought known and retrograde, in my opinion both are remarkable in live versions.   

    PJ - Irvine,CA (06,03,03) SP, Brazil (12,02,05), SP, Brazil (12,03,05) ,SP, Brazil (11,03,11),  SP, Brazil (11,04,11), SP, Brazil (03,31,13), SP, Brazil (11,14,15), Ft Lauderdale, FL (04,08,16), Miami, FL (04,09,16), SP,Brazil(03,24,18)Chicago, IL(08,18,18), Chicago, IL(08,20,18), San Diego, CA (05,03,22), Los Angeles, CA (05/06/22), Los Angeles, CA (05/07/22) , Oakland, CA(05/12/22), Los Angeles,CA (05/21/24), Los Angeles,CA(05/22/24) - EV - SP, Brazil 2015/2018, 


  • JojoRiceJojoRice Kennesaw, GA Posts: 4,387
    Great article!  Enjoyed reading it!  Feel free to give UGA some love in this next basketball poll.  Go Dawgs!
    "I got memories, I got shit"


    ISO Hollywood & Nashville 2 tickets. PM me to coordinate a drop!
  • fisher2gluefisher2glue Reno, Nevada Posts: 18
    JojoRice said:
    Great article!  Enjoyed reading it!  Feel free to give UGA some love in this next basketball poll.  Go Dawgs!
    The first coach I covered on the Nevada basketball beat was Mark Fox, who left to go to Georgia and did OKish with the Bulldogs. Certainly did better than Tom Crean. Fox still has a house in Reno. I ran into him in town a couple of months ago. He's on Kentucky's staff now under Mark Pope, who broke into coaching at Georgia under Fox as an assistant in 2009. Full circle.
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