Alkaline Trio is a supremely undersung band in rock music. Too melodic for punk, too bouncy for emo, and too workaholic to be slackers, Matt Skiba’s group has carved out an incredible discography. Alkaline Trio is one of the finest bands in alternative music, one of the greatest punk rock bands of all time.

Rarely have I had a harder time picking only 10 songs to represent a band. But that’s because Alkaline Trio has been tremendously present and consistent. And the band’s done it even when the rewards were fewer than deserved.

It’s time to celebrate an excellent punk band. These are the 10 best songs by Alkaline Trio.

The Greatest 10 Songs by Alkaline Trio

10. “Hell Yes”

Matt Skiba’s a workaholic’s workaholic. The signs were there from the beginning. He’d already been in punk bands by the time he quit college to form Alkaline Trio. He’s seemingly never stopped touring since.

The band quickly learned the live circuit and started releasing EPs and albums at a consistent pace. The group’s pleasant melodic punk sound was, however, fully formed from the very first releases.

Many early shows began with the song “Hell Yes,” an ode to all things dark and twisted. It was a promise to walk a road less travelled. That promise has never been broken.

9. “Break”

Alkaline Trio is still touring, putting out albums, and, if you ask me, still holding itself to a very high standard.

If anything, Skiba’s experience of having been in the mega-successful Blink-182 has only sharpened his self-confidence.

There are plenty of reasons to enjoy 2024’s “Blood, Hair and Eyeballs.” The single, “Break,” might be the biggest one.

8. “Stupid Kid”

In fairness, “From Here to Infirmary” isn’t Alkaline Trio’s finest album. It is the album, however, that broke the band. It was a well-warranted success.

It was also a collection of songs that could co-exist with the success enjoyed by mall-punk groups like Sum 41 or Blink-182.

And, in 2001, the dark humour of the band, the poppy melodies, coupled with Matt Wilson’s production, helped turn “Stupid Kid” into the success the band needed.

7. “All on Black”

There was always plenty of darkness in Alkaline Trio’s lyrics. Perhaps this is why goths and emos have always adopted the band as one of their own.

With “All on Black,” Skiba finds the ideal way to blend that pessimism with Alkaline’s penchant for fist-pumping sing-alongs. It’s one of the best, most underrated songs by the band, I think.

6. “Mercy Me”

Alkaline Trio’s musicians never presented themselves as heroes. Quite the opposite. The band’s lyrics often describe a myriad of unfortunate events through which they manage to survive somehow.

That pop-punk gallows humour made 2005’s “Crimson” album a success. It turned “Mercy Me” into one of the song’s most popular songs. It’s currently AT’s most-streamed song on Spotify.

5. “Calling All Skeletons”

Skiba’s always possessed a perfect ear for pop melodies. On this front, only Mark Hoppus/Tom DeLonge and Billy Joe and Tim Armstrong can compete. It’s no wonder that the singer ended up being recruited by Blink-182.

“Calling All Skeletons” was one of the poppiest songs ever recorded by the band. But Alkaline Trio kept the power of its sound and dark humour on this song, helping it become a fan favourite.

4. “We’ve Had Enough”

“Good Mourning” was a supremely confident affair. It was the album that Alkaline Trio had been waiting to make since the band’s inception.

Jerry Finn’s trademark production (along with Joe McGrath) can be heard throughout this. But it’s a powerful collection of songs, along with macabre subject matter that gives the record its identity.

“We’ve Had Enough” is an anthem about feeling hatred for everything coming out of a radio speaker. The message resonated with many fans. It remains one of the band’s best.

3. “Armageddon”

Alkaline Trio is a band that learned and adapted. And it did it quickly.

“Armageddon” takes on board the love for Misfits, 90s punk and pop melodies. It’s played at breakneck speed with aggression, yet remains melodically pleasing throughout.

There’s no other pop-punk band that makes darker songs in a prettier way. “Armageddon” is a fantastic tune.

2. “Radio”

Alkaline Trio doesn’t need to play fast. Matt Skiba doesn’t feel compelled to shout all the time. Sure, it’s a contrast to the band’s usual sound, with songs that are slow and soulful.

But all of the rest of the band’s qualities can be found on “Radio,” one of the group’s most enduring songs. The lyrics are tortured, painful and funny once again. It’s the kind of love song you could only expect from this band. And it’s damn near perfect.

1. “This Could Be Love”

Alkaline Trio seems to function by the age-old idea that you only get one chance to make a first impression and only a few minutes to earn new fans. That’s why their best songs are the ones that you remember from the first moment you hear them.

You may remember a lyric, a melody or a chord riff. In the case of “Is This Love,” you’ll likely recall them all.

An earworm about a perverse love affair where torture is not just included, but encouraged, “Is This Love” is Alkaline Trio’s shining moment and one of the best songs ever recorded.