The Maine has been a staple in emo, indie, and rock playlists since their 2007 inception, cutting their teeth on the Vans Warped Tour. In fact, if you remember their debut EP The Way We Talk… you now qualify for a senior discount.
With nine studio albums under their belts, their most recent being 2023’s self-titled, The Maine has a vast discography for listeners to explore. So whether you’re a brand new listener or a certified stan of the Arizona emo band, we’ve ranked their discography with best, worst, saddest, and most underrated tracks.
P.S. We also ranked Mayday Parade and Pierce The Veil songs, too.
Best Song:
“Ice Cave”
Surprise, surprise, right? A fan of The Maine is obsessed with Forever Halloween and its deluxe tracks—classic. In 2013, the group released their haunting, edgy LP that fans still adore to this day. So much so, drummer Pat Kirch joked on April Fools’ Day, “Every show we play from here on out will be Forever Halloween in full.”
“Ice Cave” struck a chord with fans with its gritty, classic rock guitar lines, dark melodies, climactic bridge, and colorful “Oh whoa-oh-oh’s.” It’s everything a rock music fan could want: riffs on riffs, battle cries, and even a few acoustic strums. Frankly, they cooked on this, and if it were up to the fanbase, it would be on every setlist for the rest of the time.
Worst Song:
“Listen To Your Heart”
IMHO, there’s no such thing as a “bad” The Maine song. However, there is one album that isn’t like the others. After successfully launching Can’t Stop Won’t Stop in 2008 with Fearless Records, the band moved onwards and upwards with Warner Bros. for 2010’s Black & White… or so they thought. Naturally, the larger record label overshadowed their creative process and forced co-writes. So, while you may love hits like “Right Girl” and “Fuel To The Fire,” just know that the process to get this album finished and released was a tedious, perhaps inauthentic one for the band.
With all that said, “Listen To Your Heart” showcases John O’Callaghan‘s soaring vocals in the chorus, but the lyrical content is, for lack of a better word…cringe. Whether it was a push from their label or specifically from co-writer Zac Maloy, this song was so on the nose. It didn’t feel like a “The Maine song.” Tracks such as “Don’t Stop Now,” “Every Road,” and “Saving Grace” only have The Maine listed as writers. Across these specific songs, the folk-rock elements are turned up to 100%, and while we will never know all of what happened behind the scenes with Warner Bros., we hope the band got to share their true selves in these offerings.
All in all, this album recording process led them to create 8123 and go all in on themselves. Now, with nine LPs under their belt, going the DIY route was worth it.
Saddest Song:
“I Only Wanna Talk To You”
Sure, sure, “These Four Words” from Forever Halloween and “Misery” from Pioneer are top contenders, but one song sticks out to me as even more of a cry-inducer. “I Only Wanna Talk To You” from 2017’s Lovely Little Lonely is a unique track. For some listeners, it’s a love song. The chorus, which predominantly repeats the song title, reminds them of present friends and family members. Though for others, it’s a song of grief.
Anecdotally, this song made me bawl during a breakup when I had a hard time not chatting daily with my then-ex-boyfriend (and now current fiancé). Of course, other listeners relate this to deceased grandparents and parents, as well as other individuals who aren’t physically here. While these lyrics can highlight the pain of loss, they also remind listeners that tomorrow is never promised and to embrace the day.
Most Underrated Song:
“Tears Won’t Cry”
Given The Maine‘s *massive* discography, I am sure we could argue about an underrated track for hours. However, “Tears Won’t Cry (Shinjū)” on 2019’s You Are OK should have been an instantly iconic song. Within seconds, the track hooks listeners in with a bright, earworm-y guitar line. (We promise, it will get stuck in your head.) This track has everything: sexy lyrics, a hint of darkness (“Shinjū” translates to “double suicide” in Japanese), and an energy that only The Maine can create.
