The 30 Best Slipknot Songs, from Duality to Snuff

What is Slipknot's most famous song?

"Duality" is Slipknot's most famous song, a 2004 single that reached the top five on mainstream rock radio and remains one of their most played tracks. "Psychosocial", "Before I Forget", "Wait and Bleed" and the ballad "Snuff" are their other signature songs.

Slipknot's biggest songs

1. "Duality", 2004: a huge, melodic chorus over crushing riffs.
2. "Psychosocial", 2008: a relentless, Grammy-nominated single from All Hope Is Gone.
3. "Before I Forget", 2005: the song that won them a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
4. "Wait and Bleed", 1999: the breakthrough single from their debut.
5. "Snuff", 2009: a dark acoustic-led ballad and a number two rock radio hit.
6. "The Devil in I", 2014: a heavy, melodic number two rock hit from .5: The Gray Chapter.
7. "Dead Memories", 2008: a melodic number three rock radio hit.
8. "Unsainted", 2019: a choir-backed lead single from We Are Not Your Kind.
9. "Vermilion", 2004: a brooding single from Vol. 3.
10. "Spit It Out", 2000: a frantic early single and a live favorite.

Songs from Slipknot (1999)

11. "Eyeless", 1999: a furious, chaotic debut track.
12. "Surfacing", 1999: a defiant crowd anthem.
13. "(sic)", 1999: the explosive opener after the intro.

Songs from Iowa (2001)

14. "Left Behind", 2001: the lead single from their heaviest album.
15. "My Plague", 2002: a single also used in the film Resident Evil.
16. "Disasterpiece", 2001: a brutal fan favorite.
17. "The Heretic Anthem", 2001: a crowd chant at every show.

Songs from Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004)

18. "Vermilion Pt. 2", 2004: a hushed acoustic companion to "Vermilion".
19. "The Blister Exists", 2006: a hard-hitting single with heavy percussion.
20. "The Nameless", 2005: a single released with their live album 9.0: Live.

Songs from All Hope Is Gone (2008)

21. "All Hope Is Gone", 2008: the blistering title track.
22. "Sulfur", 2009: a single that mixes brutal verses and a melodic chorus.
23. "Gematria (The Killing Name)", 2008: the album's ferocious opener after the intro.

Songs from .5: The Gray Chapter (2014) and later

24. "The Negative One", 2014: the dark comeback single.
25. "Killpop", 2015: an eerie, melodic single.
26. "Goodbye", 2016: a mournful song tied to the loss of Paul Gray.
27. "All Out Life", 2018: a pounding stand-alone single.
28. "Solway Firth", 2019: a heavy, cinematic single.
29. "Nero Forte", 2019: a groove-heavy single from We Are Not Your Kind.
30. "Yen", 2022: a moody, melodic single from The End, So Far.

Who are Slipknot?

Slipknot formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995, and became famous for their nine-member lineup, their matching jumpsuits and the masks each member wears, along with the numbers zero to eight. Singer Corey Taylor, percussionist and founder Shawn "Clown" Crahan, guitarists Mick Thomson and Jim Root, bassist Paul Gray and drummer Joey Jordison shaped their sound in the early years. Their self-titled 1999 debut made them metal stars, and All Hope Is Gone, .5: The Gray Chapter and We Are Not Your Kind all debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Their devoted fans call themselves the Maggots, and the band's do-it-yourself spirit, built in Iowa clubs far from the music industry, still shapes everything they do.

The story behind Duality

"Duality" was the lead single from Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), the 2004 album the band made with producer Rick Rubin. It balanced Slipknot's heaviness with a huge, singable chorus, and its video, filmed in a house in Iowa that hundreds of fans gradually tore apart, became one of the most famous metal videos of the decade. It reached the top five on mainstream rock radio and opened the door to an even bigger audience.

The story behind Psychosocial

"Psychosocial", from All Hope Is Gone, is built on a pounding, stop-start riff and one of Corey Taylor's catchiest choruses. It became one of the band's most popular songs, a fixture of every concert and a Grammy nominee for Best Metal Performance, and it helped All Hope Is Gone become their first number one album.

Slipknot live

Slipknot's concerts are famous for their chaos: two extra percussionists pounding on drums and kegs, towering stage sets, fire and a crowd that knows every cue. During "Spit It Out", Taylor has the whole audience crouch down and then leap up together on his signal, one of the most famous moments in metal concerts.

Losing Paul Gray and Joey Jordison

Bassist Paul Gray died in 2010, and the band channeled their grief into .5: The Gray Chapter in 2014. Founding drummer Joey Jordison, who left the band in 2013, died in 2021. Fans often turn to "Snuff", "Goodbye" and "Vermilion Pt. 2" when they need songs about loss.

The Grammy and the masks

"Before I Forget" won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2006, and "Psychosocial" was nominated a few years later. The band's masks change from album to album, and fans follow every new design. The masks keep the focus on the music and the band as a whole rather than on any one member.

Corey Taylor and Stone Sour

Corey Taylor also fronts the hard rock band Stone Sour, whose melodic hits like "Through Glass" and "Bother" showed a softer side of his voice, and he has released solo albums of his own. For more heavy rock, see our Staind songs, Soundgarden songs and Nirvana songs.

Slipknot albums in order

• Slipknot (1999): the chaotic, groundbreaking debut.
• Iowa (2001): their darkest and heaviest record.
• Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004): more melodic, with "Duality" and "Vermilion".
• All Hope Is Gone (2008): their first number one album, with "Psychosocial" and "Snuff".
• .5: The Gray Chapter (2014): a tribute to Paul Gray.
• We Are Not Your Kind (2019): ambitious and experimental.
• The End, So Far (2022): with "The Dying Song (Time to Sing)" and "Yen".

Knotfest

In 2012 Slipknot launched Knotfest, their own touring festival, which has since been held in the United States, Japan, Mexico, Europe and Australia, bringing together metal and hard rock bands for one-day events built around the band's headline set, and it has become a pilgrimage for fans from around the world.

Slipknot songs for a workout

For a heavy lifting session or a hard run, "Duality", "Psychosocial", "Before I Forget", "The Heretic Anthem", "Unsainted" and "Spit It Out" are pure adrenaline, and "All Out Life" is perfect for the final set. For more, see our motivational songs.

Slipknot songs for a hard day or a memorial

"Snuff", "Vermilion Pt. 2" and "Goodbye" are surprisingly gentle and are often chosen to remember a metal fan who loved the band. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the US. See also our songs about grief.

A heavy song with their name on it

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