American Dad’s Best Songs, Ranked

American Dad’s Best Songs, RankedAmerican Dad’s Best Songs, Ranked

As a longtime fan of animated sitcoms and a music enthusiast, I must say that the musical numbers from “American Dad!” have always been a delightful surprise. The way they blend humor, pop culture references, and catchy tunes is simply remarkable.


The popular series, “American Dad!”, is gearing up for a fresh season on TBS and commemorating the occasion by unveiling a soundtrack showcasing some of its top tunes for the first time ever. This new soundtrack spans from the show’s inception, making it an ideal moment to revisit and determine which songs truly stand out among the best. Much like other franchises born from Seth MacFarlane’s expansive universe, “American Dad!” boasts a knack for grand musical performances. What sets it apart, though, is the diverse range of styles in which its musical numbers can be presented.

Instead of concentrating on large Broadway performances or favoring a specific genre, American Dad! uses an array of various styles to create a unique and diverse sounding soundtrack. For clarity’s purpose, this list will rank all the songs in the soundtrack, as they are considered the finest by the American Dad! team. Not every song is included, but the best of the best are certainly here. Read on for the top songs from American Dad‘s Greatest Hits ranked.

19. Good Morning U.S.A. (Main Theme)

Typically, the opening theme song for “American Dad” is found at the bottom of the list. This isn’t because it’s a poor theme song – quite the contrary! In fact, its appeal increased significantly when it started featuring a weekly scene with Roger. However, as the default theme for the series, it doesn’t fully capture the depth and variety that the show’s soundtrack encompasses. It’s unlikely to have much repeat value for fans who are listening to the album.

18. Stelio Kontos Theme

In a standout episode titled “Bully for Steve,” the Stelio Kontos Theme is prominently featured in one of the most impactful scenes across the entire series. This theme particularly shines when observed within the scene itself, as it marks a significant moment where Stan receives harsh retribution from his former tormentor, Stelio Kontos. However, this scene, filled with karmic retribution and physical confrontation, may not translate effectively in audio format alone. The theme allows for ample dialogue within the scene to be heard clearly, making it less likely to become a frequently listened-to song.

17. Top of the Steve Theme

In the meta-episode titled “Top of the Steve,” Steve and Roger leave their original show and find themselves in a cheesy sitcom spinoff. The theme song for this show, “Top of the Steve,” is one that appears on the soundtrack, but it’s not a tune you’d want to listen to repeatedly. It’s amusing within the context of the episode, but compared to the stronger songs in the album, it lacks the longevity. Essentially, it’s a clever inside joke in the show, but as a standalone song, it doesn’t have the same lasting appeal.

16. Zooka Sharks Rap

Among the selections available, the sole Jeff production is the “Zooka Sharks Rap” from Season 18’s episode titled “The Professor and the Coach.” This rap serves as a resolution to a recurring joke in later seasons about the town of Langley Falls being passionate about their semi-professional football team, the Bazooka Sharks. In an effort to prevent the team from relocating (and revive Francine) and show some love to Lisa Jenkis, Jeff creates this rap that is more amusing for its lack of substance than its content. It may not be as popular as other offerings in repeated play, but it’s certainly enjoyable.

15. El Perro (Cilantro’s Song)

In simpler terms, this song from the Season 4 episode “Roy Rogers McFreely” is one of the most absurd tracks on the soundtrack, according to many fans who consider it among the best of the early seasons. The song takes things a step further by accompanying a high-speed chase with laughably nonsensical Spanish lyrics sung by Cilantro, who simply rambles about praising himself. It’s a fun track that can brighten your mood when you randomly play it in a shuffled playlist from time to time.

14. Mail Song

Among all tracks in the soundtrack, “Mail Song,” despite being the shortest one, manages to secure a high position due to its unexpected and fiery entrance. The song first appeared in Season 17’s episode “Dressed Down.” Interestingly enough, it doesn’t have any connection with the rest of the episode but follows quickly after Stan prepares for his mail delivery. It’s essentially a comical skit that showcases Scott Grimes’ impressive vocal abilities as Steve Smith’s voice actor, who had already gained significant attention and recognition for his singing talents alongside Steve by this point in the series. Essentially, it’s an exceptionally well-crafted and hilarious joke.

13. We’re Red and We’re Gay

The song ‘We’re Red and We’re Gay’ from American Dad, introduced in the second season episode ‘Lincoln Lover,’ is one that hasn’t held up as well as others over time. This number plays when Greg introduces Stan Smith to the LGBTQ+ individuals within the Republican party at the time. The song is definitely a product of its era, but it makes this list due to its Broadway-like style and melodious quality. It’s the first complete song on our list and certainly not the last.

12. I Want a Wife

In the Season 1 finale two-part episode titled “Stan of Arabia,” the song “I Want a Wife” may have aged more than “We’re Red and We’re Gay.” While not the weakest track in the pair, “I Want a Wife” appears to have aged the most due to its context within the episode. The lyrics, which portray a very conservative side of Stan, were less prevalent in later seasons, reducing the comedic impact compared to other songs. However, the performance is still strong and well-executed as one would expect.

11. Ollie North

In the third season’s episode “Stanny Slickers 2: The Legend of Ollie’s Gold,” the character Ollie North straddles a contentious line that is often open to interpretation as to whether or not it holds up over time. Similar to the song “I Want a Wife,” it heavily reflects Stan’s conservative personality, which was central to his character in earlier seasons. However, unlike that song, it pushes these views to such an extreme degree that it serves to highlight some of the quirkier aspects of his radical perspectives. Despite its over-the-top portrayal reminiscent of classic “Schoolhouse Rock!” songs, it remains high on our list.

10. When I Dress My Body

Making its appearance in Season 12’s “Fight and Flight” episode, “When I Dress My Body” is the initial Klaus performance you’ll encounter on this list. This song showcases American Dad’s strengths as it features Klaus singing an intensely emotional tune, but with a twist – it’s about wearing the most unfortunate outfits. It might not be a song you’d want to listen to repeatedly compared to others in the list, but it stands out as one of the stronger ones due to its overall production quality. We’re now ready to delve into the true gems of the collection.

9. Good, No Great Job

In Season 11’s episode “The Devil Wears a Lapel Pin,” the song titled “No Good Job, Good, No Great” is introduced, marking Haley’s only musical moment to make it onto the American Dad! compilation album. Despite not having high replay value due to its lower ranking, the song is highlighted for its exceptional performance. Additionally, the second half featuring Klaus adds a comedic touch, contributing to an overall satisfying experience of American Dad!

8. Guppy Love

Among the tunes that have earned a spot in the iconic playlist of American Dad!, none stand out more to me than “Guppy Love” from Season 13’s “The Never-Ending Stories.” Initially penned by Klaus as a prank on Steve, this rap number took things up a notch when it made him appear even more ludicrous by transforming him into famous rappers. The memorable “Nutra-Grain and Mountain Dew” line from the song has since been revisited in later episodes, demonstrating its enduring appeal due to its infectious catchiness. In a nutshell, it embodies the quirky, entertaining, and just plain fun spirit of American Dad!’s musical moments.

7. Hungunder

Although “Hungunder” might not be Francine Smith’s finest tune in the series (as her best song has become rather outdated), the Season 18 episode titled “Stan Fixes a Shingle” presents a significant and memorable scene for Francine in later seasons. This episode also reintroduces Haley’s talent for rapping, blending it with Haley, Roger, and Gallagher’s narratives, and when it’s unveiled that the song was simply Francine’s strategy to persuade Steve to continue producing his non-alcoholic beer, it’s an utterly fitting moment for her character.

6. When I Was His Alien

“When I Was His Alien” from the Season 2 episode, “A.T. The Abusive Terrestrial,” was one of those early American Dad breakout hits that really helped to cement the unique perspective that this animated series could offer in comparison to Family Guy. While it’s one of the more Broadway solos, it was also the first real time that fans got to see another side of Roger. This was before he became much more exaggerated later, and thus is more emotionally resonant while still being funny without compromising either.

5. Bad, Bad Boy

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but sing praises for “American Dad!” when it comes to their Christmas episodes, and “Minstrel Krampus” from Season 9 was no exception. While the Krampus and Steve duet undeniably stole the show musically, the song “Bad, Bad Boy” has transcended the “American Dad!” universe to resonate with a wider audience. Interestingly, you’ll notice that the most memorable tunes in this series often belong to Steve, and this one is included due to its challenge of measuring up against some of Steve’s finest vocal moments. There are other songs that have managed to make an even bigger impact.

4. Hot Enough

Similar to ‘Bad, Bad Boy,’ ‘Hot Enough’ isn’t the top track from Season 9’s ‘Rubberneckers’ episode of American Dad!, but it has gained a life beyond the series. The unusual theme of Steve singing about his mother’s attractiveness, a parody of D’Angelo’s ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel)’ music video, and Scott Grimes’ impressive vocal skills, have significantly boosted American Dad!’s popularity within the animation industry. During this period, fans were developing a fondness for Steve’s songs, and American Dad! provided a hit with ‘Hot Enough.’

3. The Weeknd’s Dark Secret

Season 15’s episode titled “A Starboy is Born” features an exhilarating partnership between the crew of American Dad! and the musician known as The Weeknd. Remarkably, both contributed to the script and even graced the screen as a guest star. This unique team-up resulted in an outstanding musical performance by The Weeknd himself, which stands among the best songs ever produced for American Dad! Although the underlying rhythm isn’t particularly noteworthy, it is structured like a full song from The Weeknd. What makes this even more hilarious is that the song’s context reveals a “dark secret” as hinted in its title. Without this collaboration, Steve would have undoubtedly dominated all top spots without question.

2. Daddy’s Gone

Yet again, one of the standout songs in the entire American Dad! series is Steve’s musical number from a special episode. The song “Daddy’s Gone,” introduced in Season 8’s “Hot Water” episode, held its own against some of the strongest musical performances in the show. Every track in that episode was impressive, but “Daddy’s Gone” truly eclipsed them all. Although this wasn’t the first time we heard Grimes sing, it was the first time the series gained recognition for its musical numbers, particularly with songs like “Daddy’s Gone.” This marked a turning point for the creative team, who began to focus more on Steve as a means of delivering such memorable tunes. Eventually, “Daddy’s Gone” became the best song in American Dad! to date.

1. Girl You Need a Shot (of B12 [Boyz 12])

It’s amazing to reflect on how during the same season, Steve had another massive success with his music. In the episode “Can I Be Frank (With You)” from Season 8, Steve and his friends embarked on a subplot where they formed a boy band called Boyz 12. This musical performance was a significant milestone for American Dad! , as it received an overwhelming response from fans that its impact was still being felt years later. In fact, the members of Boyz 12 were eventually written off the show in a series of murders.

As a gaming enthusiast (or any fan, for that matter), let me tell you, this tune from American Dad! is simply one of those masterpieces that only they can pull off. The humor in its endless roll calls is unparalleled, and the boy band hook has got me hooked – it’s insanely catchy! I bet fans will be quoting lines from this song for ages, considering it among their favorites. All things considered, it truly stands out as the best of the bunch – it’s that good!

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2024-10-28 01:10