The Hives were one of the many retro-themed groups produced by 1990s Scandinavia, and soon the undisputed heroes of garage rock. Cartoonish, fashionable, and bucket loads of fun, these Swedes earned a reputation through outstanding live shows and sturdy albums. The Hives are one of the greatest bands in alternative rock.
Here’s a look and listen at the songs that The Hives still use to rule over live crowds. These are some of the catchiest tunes that modern garage rock has to offer. These are the 10 best songs by The Hives.
The Greatest 10 Songs by The Hives
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10. “A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T”
If the Swedish can respect anything, that’s stability. Why is the country rich and its monarchy beloved? Why do trains arrive on time? Because everyone does the same respectable thing every day.
Not The Hives. They had dreams of taking over the world. And they already knew what their friends and relatives were going to think about it.
With enough energy to power Northern Europe for decades, The Hives delivered their mission statement, “Barely Legal”, in 1997. “A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T” was a song about potentially wasting their lives away while chasing rock dreams. It’s one of the best cuts off the album.
9. “Enough is Enough”
Like the Vikings before them, the Hives only take breaks every few years to regroup and plan new campaigns of pillaging. Unlike their predecessors, the world welcomes it.
“Enough is Enough” is the new single. It precedes a new 2025 album. And it’s one more song that can be added to the setlist of what’s often been described as the best live band in the world.
8. “Bogus Operandi”
Something had to give. Someone had to die. The Hives knew they could go on the same way any longer. Randy Fitzsimmons, founding and fictitious band member and would-be Svengali, was sacrificed for the band’s 2023 album.
The story is detailed in “Bogus Operandi,” the great comeback single. A blend of spooky alt-rock sounds, fans were quick to laud Nicholaus Arson and Vigilante Carlstroem’s addition to their sensational collection of guitar riffs.
7. “Go Right Ahead”
The Hives have never exactly covered songs. The band just absorbs them and reinterprets them. From The Stooges to Ramones, you can easily trace back the band members’ favourite records.
Thus, “Go Right Ahead” is a rewrite of Electric Light Orchestra‘s “Don’t Bring Me Down.” The song was an earworm to begin with, and the gusto that The Hives possess only amplifies its memorable groove.
6. “B is for Brutus”
They were thought guys from the streets. They were a gang dressed in matching outfits and looking for trouble. The Hives were a rock n’ roll cartoon show that was always entertaining.
And the band members show that they are unafraid to take vengeance on those who have wronged them. “B is for Brutus” is a one-two punch in the face of a “little man” who does only what is expected of him.
5. “Tick Tick Boom”
From the Timbaland collab “Throw It On Me” to the manic stomp of “Die, All Right!” The Hives have always been able to provide a rock hook while kicking and screaming the whole way through.
Nobody was doing more dust raising and being more charming about it than The Hives. “Tick Tick Boom” proved that the band had not outlived the garage-rock-revival scene, but that they were prospering. An excellent single!
4. “Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones”
Early 2000s The Hives was one of the trendiest rock bands in the world. The band’s first two albums were so good, simple and to the point, in fact, that many doubted they could ever match them.
To everyone’s surprise, the band’s sound easily adapted to modern trends. “Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones” contained the trademark aggressive vocals and powerful riffs. But it was a sound dipped in the lustre of contemporary sounds. The Hives were never going to be a two-album wonder.
3. “Won’t Be Long”
You have to miss The Hives whenever the band goes away for a while. By 2007, they were older and had faced a few hardships. Thankfully, the songs remained just as fun and memorable.
“Won’t Be Long” was a song that, uncharacteristically, talked about the need for escape, for some fresh air, for new surroundings. But the energy of the chorus meant that, deep down inside, this was the same band with which rock fans had fallen in love.
2. “Main Offender”
Singles were getting shorter, and attention spans were decreasing by the early 2000s. The Hives knew just how to act. They make you fall in love with the band with just one guitar riff!
The Hives sounded like a riot, looked like they’d been drawn by a cartoon artist, and rocked as hard as anyone ever did. “Main Offender” is a delight, and nothing short of a perfect single.
1. “Hate To Say I Told You So”
Can rock riffs change the world? Well, they can change the fortunes of rock bands who have the right stuff. And they can instantly change the mood of those who hear them. That ought to be enough!
Nobody got to the heart of rock n’ roll quicker than The Hives with “Hate To Say I Told You So.” With a riff that audiences still beg to hear, and Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist’s snottiness that instantly charmed audiences, this is one of the best rock songs of the 2000s.
“Hate To Say I Told You So” is a fantastic garage-rock tune, the shining moment for The Hives, and one of the most essential songs in alternative rock
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