Top 10 Badflower Songs

Photo: BadflowerFan, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our top 10 Badflower song looks at a relatively a new band to the rock scene who consist of singer and guitarist Josh Katz, guitarist Joey Marrow, bassist Alex Espiritut and drummer Anthony Sonetti. They have so far released two albums in 2019 and 2021. The earliest roots go back to 2008 when Katz and Marrow who were both students at music school formed the Cartunes. They recruited other members who left and they named renamed themselves as Badflower after which they recruited the other members. After a gig opening up for the band Kongos they were signed by independent label Hundred Handed.

They released their debut single “Soap” on this label. After this they gained a momentum and started playing across the world. After Hundred Handed began making deals with Republic Records to make an album, the band became impatient with the wait and set about writing and recording it in their own garage. When Republic finally got back in touch, they revealed that they had a near complete version of the album which they played to them and they loved. They accepted it as the finished product and released “Animal” as the first single from the EP Temper in 2016. It was met with a favourable reception. “Animal” received much radio airplay and got to number twenty-eight on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart.

They continued to play live over the next couple of years and their full length debut OK I’m Sick was released in 2019. Their second album This Is How The World Ends was released in 2021. Badflower are a band who should currently be on any self-respecting rock fan’s current radar. Their music has a unique sound and Josh Kantz has proven to be a brilliant lyric writer who draws a lot from his experiences in life. Despite being new to the scene, they have already built up a dedicated and loyal fanbase and worldwide success is no doubt just around the corner. Although they may only have two albums here at Classic Rock we are confident enough in this band to compile a top ten list of their best songs. Read on to find out what they are.

# 10 – Ghost

Kicking off our top ten Badflower songs list is this track taken from their debut album Ok I’m Sick released in 2019. The album got to 140 on the Billboard 200. This was the lead single to be released from the record. The song has a deep lyrical concept which comes from front Josh Katz’s history of suffering from anxiety and depression.

# 9 – Promise Me

This song is also taken from Ok I’m Sick and is very emotional song. It has very sad lyrics and the chorus is rather reminiscent of My Chemical Romance. It is about nostalgia and feeling reluctant to leave the past behind. The music video produced for it gets this point across and the song is best listened to while watching it.

# 8 – The Jester

This song is the longest song on Ok I’m Sick at over four minutes long, with all of the other songs being generally quite short. It has a good guitar riff and see’s the band going in a heavier direction than the more soft rock kind of thing that they normally do. It is another song that comes from a personal point of view from Josh Kantz, being about bullying that he suffered as a child.

# 7 – Family

This song is the first on this list to be taken from the band’s second album This Is How The World Ends released in 2021. This is by far one of the best tracks on the album. Although it is rather mainstream in its sound, this does mean that Badflower have become watered down by any means. Josh Kantz is proving to be one of the most emotive songwriters currently, as this song also deals with past hardships this time involving family as the title would suggest.

# 6 – Ana X

This next song from the first album is a different sounding song from the band in the sense that is much more dark sounding and heavier than a lot of their material. However, it still has a strong lyrical theme that goes back to the subject of Josh Kantz’s anxiety and the drugs that he has taken over the years to try and cope with it.

# 5 – Tethered

Up next we have another song from the second album is one of the record’s most atmospheric tracks. The lyrical concept of this song looks at society and how we follow rules all the time while at the same time we have lost compassion for each other. It is another track that proves that Badflower are a band who makes good music and also make their listeners think.

# 4 – Heroin

Next we have an absolutely fantastic track from the first album that is another number that is brilliant both lyrically and musically. Despite what the title might suggest, the song is actually about being in an unwanted relationship and uses heroin as a metaphor for it. Musically, the song is a great piece of alternative rock that has something of a nineties feel to it.

# 3 – 30

With this song Badflower prove that angst can go beyond that of our teenage years. The song is clearly about reaching the age of thirty and still not knowing your place in the world. However, rather than being a whiney song that makes Badflower sound like overgrown emo kids, the song has a mature approach to the subject matter that gives a sense of hope in a confused mental state.

# 2 – Die

Just off the top spot Badflower get political with this track that is a scathing attack on the Trump administration. It expresses frustration about when elections take place and there are certainly a fair few harsh words aimed at the former president. With this mind, it has a much angrier feel than a lot of the band’s material.

# 1 – Animal

At the top of our list we have the band’s first hit single. This song has a swagger to it that is reminiscent of bands such as Royal Blood. It is another track with an inspirational lyrical concept- about standing up for what you believe in. The song really shows how Badflower have progressed as a band, from being young upstarts to a fully fledged rock band who are destined for great things. Hopefully with this list anyone who is unfamiliar with this band will immediately go and check them out- I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.