The 31 Best Screams in Music History
The article ranks 31 standout screams in music, spanning classic rock, punk, funk, emo and metal. It focuses on brief vocal moments rather than whole songs, celebrating how singers use screams to convey rage, fear, heartbreak and exhilaration.
Examples include Black Francis’s sustained shrieking on the Pixies’ “Rock Music”, Joe Strummer’s cackling call in the Clash’s “London Calling”, and Donald Glover’s soulful falsetto on “Redbone”. The selection also highlights Karly Hartzman’s more than two-minute wail on Wednesday’s “Bull Believer” and Serj Tankian’s climactic cry on System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!”
In short
- A ranking celebrates 31 memorable vocal outbursts.
- The selections span genres from punk to funk and metal.
- Some screams are fleeting; one stretches beyond two minutes.
Explained simply
A scream in a song can be a brief burst of shouting, a sustained wail or a high, rough note. Singers use these sounds across styles such as rock, punk, funk, emo and metal to express feelings that ordinary singing may not convey.
The artists mentioned range from established bands such as the Pixies, the Clash and System of a Down to newer acts such as Wednesday. Their vocal styles differ: Black Francis holds a shriek, Joe Strummer gives a cackling call, and Donald Glover reaches a soulful falsetto. These moments show how a single vocal sound can become a memorable part of a song.
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