Top 10 of 2016: #10 Ra Ra Riot - Bad Times 

Ra Ra Riot - Bad Times

This is probably the one I went back and forth on the most. (Makes sense, since it’s at the ten spot. Not the old MTV 10 Spot, but remember those days?)

This song just works for me. The lyrics are goofy, but easily to sing along with, and who doesn’t love singing “Barbasol”. It incorporates enough strings so that you know it’s a Ra Ra Riot song, but it’s got a nice little synth kicking it along.

I really dig the tempo changes too. I don’t think I loved this song when the album first came out[1], but it just grew on me, and now I get a little spring in my step whenever it kicks in when I’m running.


  1. I also think seeing it live helped, as it had a slightly different arrangement and kind of won me over.  ↩