The 30 Best Alice in Chains Songs, from Facelift to Rainier Fog

What is Alice in Chains' most popular song?

"Man in the Box", "Rooster" and "Would?" are Alice in Chains' most popular songs, along with the acoustic favorites "Nutshell", "Down in a Hole" and "No Excuses", which went to number one on rock radio. Their signature sound comes from the eerie, close harmonies of Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell.

Alice in Chains' most popular songs

1. "Man in the Box", 1991: the grinding breakthrough single from Facelift.
2. "Rooster", 1993: Jerry Cantrell's song about his father's service in Vietnam.
3. "Would?", 1992: a tribute to Andrew Wood, featured in the film Singles.
4. "Nutshell", 1994: a haunting acoustic song from Jar of Flies.
5. "Down in a Hole", 1993: a dark, beautiful ballad from Dirt.
6. "No Excuses", 1994: a breezy, acoustic number one on rock radio.
7. "Them Bones", 1992: a short, ferocious song about mortality.
8. "Heaven Beside You", 1996: a melodic, acoustic-tinged single.
9. "Check My Brain", 2009: the comeback number one with William DuVall.
10. "Your Decision", 2010: a gentle, acoustic number one on rock radio.

Songs from Facelift (1990)

11. "We Die Young", 1990: their first single, a fast, heavy warning.
12. "Bleed the Freak", 1990: a brooding fan favorite.
13. "Sea of Sorrow", 1990: a melodic, driving single.
14. "Love, Hate, Love", 1990: a slow, intense epic.

Songs from Sap (1992) and Dirt (1992)

15. "Brother", 1992: a gentle acoustic song from the Sap EP.
16. "Got Me Wrong", 1992: an acoustic song from Sap later featured in the film Clerks.
17. "Angry Chair", 1992: a dark single written by Layne Staley.
18. "Dam That River", 1992: a heavy, riff-driven Dirt track.
19. "Junkhead", 1992: a raw song about addiction.

Songs from Jar of Flies (1994)

Jar of Flies was recorded in about a week and became the first EP ever to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.

20. "I Stay Away", 1994: a lush, string-backed song.
21. "Don't Follow", 1994: a quiet, bluesy acoustic song sung by Cantrell and Staley.
22. "Rotten Apple", 1994: the hypnotic opening track.

Songs from Alice in Chains (1995) and Unplugged (1996)

23. "Grind", 1995: a heavy single from the self-titled album.
24. "Again", 1996: a lurching, heavy single.
25. "Over Now", 1996: a gentle song made famous by the Unplugged performance.
26. "Get Born Again", 1999: a new song recorded for a box set.

Songs from the reunion years

27. "Black Gives Way to Blue", 2009: a tribute to Layne Staley with piano by Elton John.
28. "Stone", 2013: a heavy number one from The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here.
29. "Hollow", 2012: a pounding number one rock radio single.
30. "Never Fade", 2018: a melodic single from Rainier Fog.

Who are Alice in Chains?

Alice in Chains formed in Seattle in 1987 with singer Layne Staley, guitarist and singer Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney; Mike Inez replaced Starr in 1993; Starr died in 2011. Their sound mixed the heaviness of metal with grunge's raw emotion, and their 1992 album Dirt is considered one of the darkest and greatest rock albums of the decade. After Staley's death in 2002, the band reunited with singer and guitarist William DuVall, and Black Gives Way to Blue, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here and Rainier Fog brought them back to the top of rock radio.

The story behind Rooster

Jerry Cantrell wrote "Rooster" about his father, who served in the Vietnam War and whose childhood nickname was Rooster. Cantrell has said the song was his way of understanding what his father went through, and his father later said it captured his experience. It became one of the band's most loved songs and a tribute often played for veterans.

The story behind Would?

Cantrell wrote "Would?" in memory of Andrew Wood, the singer of Mother Love Bone, who died in 1990. The song first appeared on the soundtrack of Cameron Crowe's 1992 film Singles and then on Dirt, and its brooding bass line and huge chorus made it one of the defining songs of the Seattle scene. For more from that scene, see our Pearl Jam songs.

MTV Unplugged and Layne Staley

In April 1996 Alice in Chains played MTV Unplugged, one of Layne Staley's last major performances. The acoustic versions of "Nutshell", "Down in a Hole", "Rooster" and "Over Now" are among the most moving recordings of the era, and the album reached the top three of the Billboard 200 when it was released that summer. Staley struggled with addiction for many years and died in 2002. If you or someone you love is struggling, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. See also our songs about addiction.

The harmonies that defined their sound

What set Alice in Chains apart from other Seattle bands was the blend of two voices. Cantrell and Staley often sang in close, eerie harmony, a technique Cantrell and DuVall carried on after the reunion, and those stacked vocals over heavy, slow riffs gave songs like "Them Bones", "Down in a Hole" and "Check My Brain" their haunting sound.

Jerry Cantrell's solo work

Jerry Cantrell, who wrote most of the band's music, has also released solo albums, starting with Boggy Depot in 1998 and Degradation Trip in 2002, and returning with Brighten in 2021 and I Want Blood in 2024. His solo records lean on the same heavy riffs and dark melodies that define Alice in Chains, and fans of the band usually love them too.

Alice in Chains songs for a workout or a road trip

For a heavy workout, "Them Bones", "Man in the Box", "Check My Brain", "Hollow" and "Stone" deliver crushing riffs. For a long drive, the acoustic side works better: "No Excuses", "Your Decision", "Heaven Beside You" and "Would?" make a moody, perfect night-drive playlist. For more, see our road trip songs.

Alice in Chains albums to start with

• Facelift (1990): the heavy debut with "Man in the Box".
• Dirt (1992): their masterpiece, with "Rooster", "Would?" and "Down in a Hole".
• Jar of Flies (1994): the acoustic EP with "Nutshell" and "No Excuses".
• Unplugged (1996): the essential live album.
• Black Gives Way to Blue (2009): the powerful comeback.

Alice in Chains songs for a memorial or for veterans

"Nutshell", "Down in a Hole", "Black Gives Way to Blue" and "Brother" are often chosen to remember a rock fan, and "Rooster" is a favorite tribute for Vietnam veterans and the families who waited for them to come home. For more, see our Veterans Day songs and songs about grief.

More 90s rock

If you love Alice in Chains, explore our Soundgarden songs, Nirvana songs and Staind songs.

A heavy song with a heart

Alice in Chains wrote heavy songs about real pain and real love. A personalized rock song can tell the story of someone you love with the same honesty: their name, what they have been through and what they mean to you. It makes a meaningful gift for a birthday, an anniversary or a hard-won milestone like a year of sobriety.

How to create a personalized rock song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: rock, acoustic, folk and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.