Love 'em or hate 'em, Limp Bizkit are an iconic band who played a large part in defining nu-metal's cheeky, pissed-off character in the late Nineties. Over the years, their reputation has ebbed between being an easy punching bag for one of metal's most polarizing genres to their current reputation as un-ironic auteurs who've mastered the balance of absurdist performance art — insane costumes, over-the-top music videos and self-aware humor — and universally relatable expulsions of anger.
When we asked our readers to pick the best song Fred Durst and his crew have ever released, the comments were a pretty even split between honest answers and snide trolling, but these are the five tracks that earned the most votes, ranked accordingly below.
5. "Counterfeit"
Limp Bizkit's 1997 debut is one of the more underrated albums in their discography, given it showcases a rawer version of the band who hadn't quite perfected the explosive swagger that'd take them to soaring heights on 1999's Significant Other. That said, there're a ton of great songs on this record including "Counterfeit," which places Durst's raps over a ringing organ line that gets crushed by a clamorous breakdown during the chorus.
4. "Re-Arranged"
Limp Bizkit get pigeonholed as a group who deal exclusively in bullish rage, but that's not a fair assessment of their emotional range. "Re-Arranged" never boils over into a full-on assault during its near-five-minute runtime, as Durst holds in his wrath and intones patiently over scritch-scratchy turntables and a dusty bassline. It's got a lot more in common with Linkin Park's approach than you might expect.
3. "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)"
"Rollin'" is populist nu-metal. Ladies, fellas, lovers, haters, rockers, hip-hoppers, hot mamas, pimp daddies and all the people rollin' up in caddies — everyone is welcome in Limp Bizkit's "Air Raid Vehicle," an anthem that sees Durst's voice-cracking mew at the height of its melodic powers, and his bandmates at their most effectively catchy. Keep rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'.
2. "Nookie"
Fred Durst did it all for the nookie, so you can take that cookie and stick it up your goddamn yeah. If there was ever a better nu-metal song for strutting down the street in a puffy jacket with your whole posse behind you, then please let us know. We'll keep using "Nookie" for that express purpose in the meantime.
1. "Break Stuff"
No, it's not a surprising winner, but it's the right one. "Break Stuff," with its seething build-up and fist-swinging knockout of a breakdown, is the essence of Limp Bizkit — and nu-metal as a genre — boiled down to one song. It's a track that's been single-handedly blamed for an entire riot at Woodstock '99, a generation-defining fight song, and a track that even nu-metal cynics can undeniably get down with. Whom among us hasn't had "one of those days?"
