Though we’re only a few years removed from their equal parts cheeky and clamorous debut album Thoughtless Cruelty, Leeds noise-rockers Thank have already begun firing up the singles machine again with three new tracks released since February 2022—the most recent of which being a diss track in no uncertain terms which amps up the cheekiness and clamor in equal measure. Where the album occasionally warranted comparisons to Gilla Band doing too-online talky-post-punk lyricism, “Writing Out a List of All the Names of God” is a different beast entirely—it sounds like Eddie Argos thrown onstage to front Daughters, with his natural sense of charm ultimately giving way to a certain fury the music very much instigates.
Before the band releases any more new material that may or may not push past this intriguing hater era, we asked Thank to throw together a playlist of some of their favorite diss tracks that helped them shape their rage into their own petty-punk anthem. “Being a hater is an artform, and this is a list of some of our favorite hater anthems—although it’s worth noting that a lot of the very best ones aren’t on streaming services, so aren’t included here,” the band clarifies. “We’d be fools not to mention our latest single, featuring a section in response to another band who shall remain nameless (that would be gauche!).”
Tap into their gaucher-than-Thank picks below.
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Tried to say something insightful about this installment of 2024’s biggest beef, but nothing sums it up better than @localboy3000 on Twitter.
The Jesus Lizard, “Mouth Breather”
Probably noise rock’s most notorious diss, the “mouth breather” in question is allegedly Britt Walford of Slint, and the song was written after he house-sat for Steve Albini and accidentally flooded the basement.
Pavement, “Range Life”
Rumor has it that The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan had Pavement kicked off the Lollapalooza lineup after he heard this song.
Mariah Carey, “Obsessed”
Marshall Mathers—he simply loves to cause a scene! He loves to make a fuss! Unfortunately, it blew up in his face when, after eight years (!) of him publicly goading Mariah Carey, she released this humiliating takedown which goes harder than anything Eminem has ever released.
Screeching Weasel, “I Hate Led Zeppelin”
Sometimes you’ve just gotta go all in—no pussyfooting, no subtlety. They hated Led Zeppelin! What else is there to say?
Crass, “Banned From the Roxy”
You can write a diss track about a rival artist, but that’s smallfry. A song shit-talking a venue is a real power move.
Stitches, “Brick in Yo Face”
This song goes hard, but unfortunately off the back of it Stitches decided to start an ill-advised feud with The Game, ending up with him getting lamped and knocked out by The Game’s manager outside a nightclub. There’s no real coming back from that, is there?
Le Tigre, “Deceptacon”
It boggles the mind how Fat Mike is even able to show his face in public after being put on blast in one of the biggest party bangers of all time.
Sleaford Mods, “DIwhy”
“Shouty Dibnah in an All Saints jacket,” is it?
