Top 10 Alabama Shakes Songs

Photo: Fred Rockwood from Simi Valley, CA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list takes a look at a band from Athens, Alabama who arrived on the music scene early in the 2010s winning multiple Grammy Awards and debuting with a phenomenal first album. In similar fashion to the way Sheryl Crow first came onto the scene in the mid-90s, Alabama Shakes just blew everybody away with their first record. However, to the band themselves they were not an overnight sensation. They spent years in the bars in the South working on their music and their skills as musicians and performers. They paid their dues and were one of the lucky ones to make it big. Pretty much as big as it gets winning multiple Grammy Awards. Our Top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list takes a listen to 10 of the most enjoyable and most popular Alabama Shakes songs.

# 10 – Heavy Chevy

We open up our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list with this great song entitled “Heavy Chevy.” This one explodes right out of the gate. With a 50s rockabilly vibe echoing a cross between Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and some fine country picking in between, this is just so much fun to listen too. The song was released on the EP entitled Heavy Chevy. The EP was released in 2011. The song did not chart but it does stand as the band’s first single release.

# 9 – Gimme All Your Love

Continuing with our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list we turn to the outstanding song entitled “Gimme All Your Love.” You have to love the stunning vocals by Brittany Howard on this one as she is surrounded by slamming guitar riffs going off like thunder all around her. The song was released on the album entitled Sound & Color. The album was released in 2015. It was the second single released from the album. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay charts peaking at number 15.

# 8 – Future People

In the number eight spot on our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list we present this grooving meaningful song titled “Future People.” You have to really dig how the song grooves along underneath the incredible falsetto vocals of Brittany Howard and then just explodes all over the place and then is quickly reigned back in. The song was released on the 2015 album entitled Sound & Color. It was the third single released from the Sound & Color album.The song was a hit on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay charts peaking at number twenty four.

# 7 – Always Alright

Alabama Shakes made a fantastic appearance on Saturday Night Live once and we would love to present one of the performances here in the number seven spot on our top 10 songs Alabama Shakes list The song was originally recorded for the Silver Linings Playbook: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The album was released in 2012. That was a great film that starred Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and a great comeback performance by Robert De Niro.

# 6 – I Ain’t the Same

In the number six spot on our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list is the very cool tune ” I Ain’t The Same.” This song sounds like it could have been released in 1971. The song was released on the album entitled Boys & Girls. The album was released in 2012. It was the first single released from the album.The song was a hit on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay charts peaking at number 15.

# 5 – Killer Diller Blues

At the halfway point on our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list is a song with a title we love called “Killer Diller Blues.” It’s an old song from the early to mid part of the 20th century originally recorded by Memphis Minnie. The song won a Grammy Award for Alabama Shakes and the album it was released on entitled Music from The American Epic Sessions: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. This is a not-to-miss television special that featured so many legendary artists including Jack White, Taj Mahal, Elton John, Stephen Stills and so many more.

# 4 – Hang Loose

On our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list we couldn’t forget the great song “Hang Loose.” The song was released on the album entitled Boys & Girls. The album was released in 2012. It was the second single released from the album. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay charts peaking at number 11.

# 3 – Sound & Color

In the number three spot our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list we present the title track to the groups’ fabulous album entitled Sound & Color. Was this a play on David Bowie’s title Sound & Vision? Not sure. However, we love the 2001 Space Odyssey themed video to this song. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay charts peaking at number twelve.

# 2 – Don’t Wanna Fight

As we begin to wind down our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list we turn to the song “Don’t Wanna Fight.” We Just love the guitar opening of this great rock and roll tune. Yet, that was just the beginning of this incredible piece of music. The song “Don’t Wanna Fight,” would become one of the biggest songs the band ever released as it won two Grammy Awards for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. The song was released on the album entitled Sound & Color. It was the first single released from the album. The song was also a huge a hit on the US Billboard Rock Tracks peaking at number 14 and the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay charts reaching all the way up to number two. It also remains the biggest selling single of their career and their only platinum selling record.

# 1 – Hold On

We close out our top 10 Alabama Shakes songs list with the super song “Hold On.” It was a tough choice between the top 2 songs on this Alabama Shakes songs list. The song was released on the album entitled Boys & Girls. The album was released in 2012. The song was the band’s only release to break into the US Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number 93. It also became their only number one single of their career as it hit number one on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay charts.