The 10 best songs by A Perfect Circle (2024)

By Thea de Gallier

published

A Perfect Circle are set to return in 2017, so here's a playlist of 10 essential tracks

The 10 best songs by A Perfect Circle (1)

Despite A Perfect Circle teasing new music as far back as 2008, only one new track, By And Down, has surfaced between now and then. The last album was 16 years ago, and, given how long frontman Maynard Keenan’s main band Tool are taking to conjure up anything new it’s not surprising that A Perfect Circle fans had all but given up on the supergroup ever gracing us with fresh material.

But finally, there’s hope – guitarist Billy Howerdel recently announced that A Perfect Circle will play live again next year, and that new music is on the way. Maynard elaborated that they’ll play the Hollywood Bowl on May 7, 2017, and, according to reports, didn’t seem to dispute that new music is on the way, which is an improvement on his 2010 comments that he “[isn’t] really into albums any more”.

To mark their return, we combed through their back catalogue to pick their 10 best tracks.

10. Magdalena

It takes a while to get going, but the hypnotic drone of Maynard’s voice over the sparse opening section means you’re lulled into Magdalena’s eerie wail quickly. While it may not have as much of a hook as some of its album-mates on Mer De Noms, it’s a worthy inclusion on this list for how seamlessly it blends distinct sections and doesn’t rely on the standard verse-chorus structure.

9. Pet

Is this a reassuring serenade, or a captor whispering threats disguised as soothing phrases to try and lull their prey into some kind of Stockholm Syndrome? Knowing Maynard’s tendency to gravitate to the dark side of life, it’s probably the latter. “I must isolate you” kind of gives it away, really. It’s Billy Howerdel’s guitar lines, that slither through the song like a snake, that really give this one an edge, though.

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8. 3 Libras

The delicate strings and flute embellishments on the verses could almost take 3 Libras into prog territory, if it weren’t for the brooding bassline and acoustic strums kicking in on the chorus. The contrast between the gentle wistfulness of the verses and the impassioned wail of “You don’t see me” captures the turbulence of human emotion; if sadness giving way to frustration made a noise, it might sound a bit like 3 Libras.

7. Weak and Powerless

It might sound bleak, but it’s not as uncomfortably personal as some of the material on Mer De Noms. Instead, it’s an ode to the monotony of being trapped in a miserable state, but the chugging, driving rhythm make listening to it infinitely preferable to being caught in the mindset it rails against.

6. Vanishing

It’s a slow burner, building in ambience and texture as it progresses. The breathy a cappella vocals at the start, and the whispers over the bassline – which, unusually, is the central focus of the song – are enough to raise hairs on the back of your neck or lull you to sleep, depending on what mood you’re in. Conjuring so many moods with minimal instrumentation is an impressive feat.

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5. The Outsider

A pinch of Mer De Noms makes its way in here. While The Outsider couldn’t be called heavy by any stretch, Maynard snarls instead of drawls here, and some of the visceral anger he unleashed on the first record returns, a beacon of rage among Thirteenth’s Step’s comparative calm.

4. Blue

The ominous opening jangle, like a spectre running its fingers over hanging crockery in a horror film kitchen, gives way to a singalong chorus about wilful ignorance, the dark and relentless beat beneath hinting at the tragedy that the song’s protagonist refuses to acknowledge. Listen while half-distracted and you’ve got a pleasant melody that embeds itself in your brain; pay full attention, and it’s full of APC’s trademark creepiness.

3. Passive

One of just two originals on 2004’s eMOTIVE, Passive’s call-and-response structure gives it an almost pop feel, and the lyrics get straight to the point without any embellishment or metaphors. It’s angry and relatable, and, well, just a really good song.

2. The Hollow

Dark lyrics about filling an emotional “hollow” with empty sex are made poetic and almost beautiful when set over a complex 68 rhythm played with such skill that it may as well be 44. That’s Primus’s Tim Alexander on the sticks, underpinning the fluidity that makes this abrasive rock song sound fluid. As an album opener, it’s definitely one that’ll make you want to keep listening.

1. Judith

Musically, Judith follows in the same vein as The Hollow, with riffs sliding effortlessly over complex rhythms and breakdowns. But it’s the deeply personal lyrics and the palpable anger that emanates from them that makes Judith a masterpiece. Written after his mother became wheelchair-bound after a stroke, Maynard’s despairing incredulity that she could still keep her belief in God despite her suffering is painfully, tear-inducingly, present.

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Thea de Gallier

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The 10 best songs by A Perfect Circle (2024)

FAQs

What are the top 10 songs of all time? ›

Top 10 songs
RankArtistSong
1Bob Dylan"Like a Rolling Stone"
2The Rolling Stones"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
3John Lennon"Imagine"
4Marvin Gaye"What's Going On"
6 more rows

What is considered the greatest song of all time? ›

Here's the list's top 10:
  • 1: Aretha Franklin — “Respect”
  • 2: Public Enemy — “Fight The Power”
  • 3: Sam Cooke — “A Change is Gonna Come”
  • 4: Bob Dylan — “Like A Rolling Stone”
  • 5: Nirvana — “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
  • 6: Marvin Gaye — “What's Going On”
  • 7: The Beatles — “Strawberry Fields Forever”
Sep 16, 2021

What songs have a perfect circle covered? ›

Songs covered by A Perfect Circle
SongPlay Count
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie cover)43
Fred's Got Slacks (Will Ferrell cover)40
When the Levee Breaks (Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe McCoy cover)39
Vacant (Tapeworm cover)38
92 more rows

What is the #1 song of all time Rolling Stones? ›

'(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' is the band's stand-out song. It's a truly original pop rock number which took The Rolling Stones to the top of the charts around the world, and has remained their signature song ever since.

What is the #1 most played song? ›

"Blinding Lights" by the Weeknd is the most-streamed song on Spotify, with over 4 billion streams. As of May 2024, "Blinding Lights" (2019) by Canadian singer the Weeknd is the most-streamed song to date.

What is the most played song in history? ›

There's even a dispute over the exact title. Yet “It's a Small World,” also known as “It's a Small, Small World” and “It's a Small World (After All),” is very likely the most played song in music history — nearly 50 million times.

What song was #1 the longest? ›

"Old Town Road" holds the record for the longest stretch at No. 1 with 19 weeks. It also became the fastest song in history to be certified diamond.

What is the most successful song of all time? ›

The Guinness World Records named the holiday single "White Christmas" (1942) by Bing Crosby as the best-selling single worldwide. According to Guinness, "White Christmas" sold over 50 million copies. The single is known as the "best-selling single of all time".

Who is the best singer ever? ›

The 200 greatest singers of all time according to Rolling Stone as of January 2023
SingerRank
Aretha Franklin1
Whitney Houston2
Sam Cooke3
Billie Holiday4
180 more rows
Jan 22, 2024

Who made the most perfect circle? ›

According to legend, the Italian painter Giotto di Bondone was being considered for a commission by the Pope. His messenger asked Giotto to send a sample drawing to demonstrate his skill. Giotto sent a perfect circle and when the messenger explained that it was drawn freehand Giotto got the gig.

How popular is A Perfect Circle? ›

This one had to make the list. A Perfect Circle's 2000 debut, Mer de Noms, was a commercial smash, slinging nearly 200,000 copies its first week and cracking No. 4 on the Billboard 200 — the highest a rock band's first album had ever debuted.

Who writes A Perfect Circle song? ›

The band's music is mostly written by the band's two core members and founders, guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan, the former writing the music, and the latter writing the lyrics and vocal melodies.

What is voted the greatest song of all time? ›

Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is voted the greatest song of all time by Gold listeners. After thousands of votes, we have crowned the winner of Gold's Hall of Fame Top 300 for 2022!

What is the best rated song ever? ›

Rolling Stone updated its list of the 500 greatest songs of all-time – its first update in 17 years. The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, took home the top spot for her version of "Respect," which was originally recorded by Otis Redding.

What is the top 10 most listened to songs? ›

Top Spotify tracks – Results
#SongStreams
1Blinding Lights The Weeknd4,241,631,850
2Shape of You Ed Sheeran3,886,185,477
3Someone You Loved Lewis Capaldi3,389,016,604
4Sunflower Post Malone & Swae Lee3,322,718,804
22 more rows

What are the top 40 songs today? ›

Top 40
  • we can't be friends (wait for your love) ARIANA GRANDE. Republic.
  • Beautiful Things. BENSON BOONE. Night Street/Warner.
  • Lose Control. TEDDY SWIMS. Warner.
  • Saturn. SZA. Top Dawg/RCA.
  • Feather. SABRINA CARPENTER. Island/Republic.
  • Lovin On Me. JACK HARLOW. Generation Now/Atlantic.
  • Fortnight f/Post Malone. TAYLOR SWIFT. ...
  • Too Sweet. HOZIER.

What is the greatest pop song ever? ›

Without further ado, here are the 25 best pop songs of all time, according to Billboard:
  • "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen. ...
  • 7. " ...
  • 6. " ...
  • 5. " ...
  • 4. " I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys. ...
  • 3. " My Girl" by the Temptations. ...
  • 2. " Dancing Queen" by ABBA. ...
  • 1. " I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston.
Nov 3, 2023

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