Top 10 Best Run-D.M.C. Songs

Run-D.M.C. didn't just change hip-hop, they redefined it. Before they came along, rap was mostly about party anthems and funky grooves. But then came three guys from Hollis, Queens, Joseph Run Simmons, Darryl D.M.C. McDaniels, and Jason Jam Master Jay Mizell, who kicked the doors wide open with their raw beats, booming voices, and no-nonsense attitude. Suddenly, rap wasn't just something you danced to. It was something you felt. Their songs had harder drums, sharper rhymes, and an energy that hit like a sledgehammer. They stripped away disco's influence and brought in rock guitars, paving the way for hip-hop to take over the mainstream.

Their self-titled debut in 1984 introduced the world to their signature style. Heavy, aggressive, and confident. With just two MCs and a DJ, they proved you didn't need flashy production to grab people's attention. Then came King of Rock, where they took things even further and called themselves the kings of the genre. And if there was any doubt, their third album, Raising Hell, shattered it completely. With songs that broke barriers, topped charts, and even got airplay on MTV, which was rare for rap at the time, Run-D.M.C. became the first hip-hop group to truly go global.

Their influence stretched far beyond music. They made Adidas shell-toe sneakers and black fedoras part of hip-hop culture. They were the first rap group to get a platinum album, the first to get a major sneaker endorsement, and one of the first to prove that hip-hop wasn't a passing trend. It was here to stay. And even decades later, their songs still hit just as hard.

Now it's your turn to decide which of their tracks stand above the rest. Vote for the songs you think deserve the top spots.

The Top Ten

  1. It's Tricky

  2. Walk This Way

    The original is better, but this cover is pretty cool.

    Shows that rap and rock can go well together.

    One of my favorite Aerosmith songs.

  3. King of Rock

  4. Rock Box

    Coolest song they did, followed by King of Rock. I loved the rap/rock stuff.

  5. Down with the King

  6. Mary Mary

    The greatest rap song ever made! Run DMC are the greatest rappers of all time. They are the pioneers of hip hop!

  7. Sucker M.C.'s

    Great song. It tells the story of how to get to the top and what fame brings.

  8. It's Like That

    This is one of Run-DMC's most socially conscious songs, much better than Walk This Way, which I consider overplayed.

    Run DMC rules.

    I think the top six should be:

    It's Like That

    Tricky

    King of Rock

    Walk This Way

    Mary Mary

    My Adidas

  9. Christmas in Hollis

  10. Peter Piper

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Crown Royal

  12. ?

    Miss Elaine

    13. The Contenders

  13. My Adidas

    How is this song not first? It's the best hip hop track ever.

  14. Jam-Master Jay

  15. You Be Illin'

  16. You Talk Too Much

    I'm gonna play this song for all my teachers in school one of these days.

    Yes, this is a song for all the annoying blabbermouths out there.

  17. Run's House

  18. Queens Day

  19. Raising Hell

  20. Hard Times

  21. Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do

  22. Ragtime

  23. Ghostbusters

  24. Big Willie

  25. The School of Old

  26. In the House

  27. 3 In the Head

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