Mastodon are one of the most acclaimed and influential metal bands of the 21st century. Formed in Atlanta in 2000, they evolved from crushing sludge metal into something far more expansive — a progressive, melodic and endlessly ambitious sound, often built around elemental concept albums. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest songs.

The short version

If you only hear a few, make them “Blood and Thunder”, “Oblivion”, “The Czar” and “Colony of Birchmen” — their signature anthem, the soaring opener of their masterpiece, a ten-minute suite, and their Grammy-nominated breakthrough. The full ranking is below.

From the swamp to the stars

Few modern metal bands have travelled as far as Mastodon. Formed in Atlanta in 2000, the four-piece began in thick, southern-fried sludge before steadily evolving into one of progressive metal’s most ambitious and beloved acts. Across a run of elemental concept albums — fire, water, earth and aether — they married crushing riffs to intricate arrangements, three-part vocal harmonies and Brann Dailor’s dazzling drumming, culminating in the 2009 prog landmark Crack the Skye. These fifteen songs are the best.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing power, ambition, melody and lasting impact. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the very top sits “Blood and Thunder” (2004), their signature anthem and a Moby-Dick war cry. With it: “Oblivion” (2009), the soaring opener of their prog masterpiece; “The Czar” (2009), a ten-minute, four-part suite and career peak; “Colony of Birchmen” (2006), their Grammy-nominated breakthrough; “Curl of the Burl” (2011), a funky, muscular, irresistible highlight; and “March of the Fire Ants” (2002), the pummelling early classic that started it all.

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Reliably great

The next tier is essential too. “Iron Tusk” (2004) is a crushing, sea-soaked assault; “Divinations” (2009) is a banjo-flecked, propulsive single; “Show Yourself” (2017) is their catchiest, most accessible song; “Sultan’s Curse” (2017) is a Grammy-winning opener; and “Sleeping Giant” (2006) is a slow-building, echoing epic.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Megalodon” (2004) is a galloping, banjo-driven monster; “Black Tongue” (2011) is a trippy, dark opener; “The Motherload” (2014) is an anthemic, melodic standout; and “Teardrinker” (2021) is a soaring highlight of their most recent album.

Every song at a glance

All fifteen songs, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with Leviathan, their Moby-Dick breakthrough and home to “Blood and Thunder,” and the prog masterpiece Crack the Skye, then explore Blood Mountain and the swaggering The Hunter. Every album, from the debut Remission to Hushed and Grim, rewards exploration.

The players

Mastodon are built on the four-way chemistry of bassist Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, guitarist Bill Kelliher and, for their first quarter-century, guitarist Brent Hinds — three of them singing, giving the band its distinctive multi-vocal attack. Dailor’s octopus-armed, melodic drumming is among the most admired in all of metal. Co-founder Brent Hinds, the band’s larger-than-life guitarist and co-vocalist, parted ways with Mastodon in early 2025 and died later that year; Sanders, Dailor and Kelliher carry on.

Why they still matter

Mastodon proved that heavy metal could be as adventurous, melodic and conceptually rich as any progressive rock. Standing alongside American peers like Between the Buried and Me and the wider prog-metal world of Tool, Opeth and Cynic, they have won a Grammy, earned critical adoration and inspired a generation of heavy bands. Decades on, Crack the Skye endures as a modern prog-metal landmark.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Mastodon albums, or place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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