Franz Ferdinand was, in many ways, as much an art project as it was a sham, much like Malcolm McLaren turning The Sex Pistols into superstars. But with the band now firmly, and comedically embracing middle age, it’s a fine time for me to recognise them as one of the greatest indie-rock bands of all time, and to think back to their 10 best songs.

Yes, free from hype, it’s easy to appreciate a band like Franz Ferdinand. Stylish, artsy, and generous with big hooks, this is, truly, an important band. Just how important? I hope that this list will clear things up for you.

Greatest 10 Songs by Franz Ferdinand

10. “Eleanor Put Your Boots On”

There was, it seemed, a serious possibility that Franz Ferdinand could turn into an indie-rock band capable of one day filling arenas, an Andy Warhol-inspired version of The Killers.

Songs like the Beatlesque “Eleanor Put Your Boots On” certainly hinted at greater things beyond the dance floor. As it stands, however, it is something of a unique entry into the catalogue of Franz Ferdinand.

9. “Love Illumination”

Most bands aren’t allowed the chance to return. And, to be fair, once Franz Ferdinand came back to writing catchy guitar hooks, the world had moved on.

Regardless, 2013’s “Love Illumination” is one of the band’s finest singles, and a nice addition to their art-pop meets garage-rock discography.

8. “Michael”

This was dance music, certainly. And it was played on guitars by guys who, when they talked in interviews, possessed thick Scottish accents.

But, apart from the disco hooks, “Michael” showed that Franz Ferdinand were playing to the crowds stalking dancefloors after midnight. Seems tame now. But these sorts of songs helped to set them apart.

7. “Night or Day”

It has to happen to everyone. Sooner or later, you’re the old person trying to join the kids on the dance floor.

Rather than make a straightforward guitar-friendly rock record like they’d usually done, the members of Franz Ferdinand embrace the melancholy, as well as the good times, for “Night or Day,” and 2025’s album “The Human Fear.”

6. “Do You Want To”

I personally hate the song! But it deserves inclusion on this list. This might just be the song that most people who don’t care about Franz Ferdinand were forced to hear.

“Do You Want To” was a big hit, largely on the strength of the smaller hits that came before it. Any good? Well, the song’s fine, and the hook is kind of annoying. But it was interesting to see Franz Ferdinand present themselves as would-be Factory-like stars plotting world domination. If anything, it all worked.

5. “No You Girls”

I remember that 2009’s “Tonight” album was big news. That was mainly because, as everyone seemed to point out, Franz Ferdinand had seemingly ditched the group’s famous guitar riffs for synthesisers.

While that’s not entirely false, it’s likely that someone from the record label did ask the band to hedge its bets. “No You Girls” is one of the Scottish band’s coolest indie-rock hang-out songs, complete with a killer groove and great chorus.

4. “The Dark of the Matinee”

Of course, the British press loved them. Franz Ferdinand had a plan, sure. But all of the components fit perfectly.

“The Dark of the Matinee” came equipped with a fantastic music video, a tenderly sung hook and the impression that this band was seamlessly blending the coolest aspects of retro rock lore.

3. “Take Me Out”

At the end of the day, Franz Ferdinand would’ve just been a healthy art-fashion experiment without a few great guitar riffs.

But these weren’t Slash or Randy Rhoads-like riffs. These were to the point, played machine-like and designed for the indie-rock discos.

“Take Me Out” became a global hit, and listening to it today, it’s still hard to resist its charms.

2. “Ulysses”

It’s hard to say if Franz Ferdinand’s attempt to distance itself from its trademark sound did more harm than good. “Ulysses” and many of the songs on “Tonight” proposed a new kind of good time. This was CBGB music played on synths.

Some of the album, simply, wasn’t interesting enough to sustain that concept. But “Ulysses” nailed it. This was music about losing yourself in the big city. And this was music worth turning your back on guitars for.

1. “This Fire”

Like the greatest hitmakers from the British Isles, the moment that you hear Scotland’s Franz Ferdinand, you find it hard to believe that their best songs don’t already exist.

“This Fire” was artsy pop art manufactured as a commercial rock song. That’s all very interesting, of course, in theory. However, in practice, Franz Ferdinand delivered one of the most memorable indie songs of all time and created their most enduring art piece.