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Top 10 Songs About Robots

Posted Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:39pm PDT by Robert of the Radish in The Y! Music Playlist Blog

Robots have been used heavily in military and industrial applications for decades, but now they're becoming more  ingrained into our everyday lives. Companies like iRobot are now building and marketing robots directly to the consumer. Science fiction has driven our fascination with robots, and considering the large numbers of musicians who happen to be sci-fi fans, it's no wonder that we have a plethora of great robot songs to choose from. For this playlist I wanted to choose songs whose theme centered around a robot, or were fully inspired by them. Not just a song that mentions a robot in passing, but that really take the subject to heart. After finding about 30 tracks that fit this criteria I set to selecting my top 10 picks based on quality, cultural impact and/or critical acclaim. I then ordered them starting with the very best.

What's your favorite robot song? 

Top 10 Songs About Robots 

   1. Paranoid Android - Radiohead   

   2. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1 - The Flaming Lips   

   3. Jed The Humanoid - Grandaddy   

   4. Mr. Roboto - Styx   

   5. The Body Electric - Rush   

   6. Mechanical Man - The Folk Implosion   

   7. We Are 138 - Misfits      

   8. Monkey Vs. Robot - James Kochalka Superstar

   9. I Robot - Alan Parsons Project   

   10. The Robots - Kraftwerk  

 Follow what Robert is listening to on Twitter

15 Comments

1. D33PPURPLE -
Kool list Robert. I was a bit dissapointed not to find "Death To Los Campesinos!" on the list though.

2. Melissa AnnM -
Dresden Dolls' "Coin-operated Boy" woulda been a good one, i think. :p

3. goldenmalicious -
this list has no credibility whatsoever because it doesn't have flight of the conchords on it. do a little research before you post trash. and the only thing worse than your scarf is that stupid hat.

4. Gina -
Oh God i know that robot @ the top but i cant put my finger on it. another song is joe robot by the Network. oh and supermodel robots also by the Network.

5. Yahoo! Music User -
Malicious, a little touchy because your favorite comedy duo didn't make Robert's list, aren't we? Do you have any sort of life?
The hat and scarf look like Rome futbol colors too me, but the game is probably too hard for you to understand...

6. Karen -
Personally, I would LOVE to see the other 20! Can't you have a "Part II" and "Part III"...please?

7. Yahoo! Music User -
How about The Robots by Kraftwerk?

8. Cathi -
HELLO..."The Humans Are Dead" by Flight Of The Conchords!

9. Kenny -
2. Melissa AnnM - Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:57pm PDT
Dresden Dolls' "Coin-operated Boy" woulda been a good one, i think. :p

LOL. I love that song.

10. Kenny -
7. Yahoo! Music User - Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:52am PDT
How about The Robots by Kraftwerk?

Um, look again. It's there.

11. Yahoo! Music User -
Four words: The Robots by Kraftwerk! Sheeeesh!

12. Yahoo! Music User -
come on people. the #1 song is iron man from black sabbath

13. Yahoo! Music User -
Karen, Here are a bunch I had in the original group.

1. Jed The Humanoid Grandaddy

2. Sex, War & Robots Super Furry Animals

3. Mechanical Man The Folk Implosion

4. Puncture In The Radax Permutation Stereolab

5. Mr. Roboto Styx

6. The Body Electric Rush

7. Machines (Back To Humans) Queen

8. Robot Nada Surf

9. Tropical Robots Guided By Voices

10. Robot Parade They Might Be Giants

11. The Robots Kraftwerk

12. I Robot Alan Parsons Project

13. Monkey Vs. Robot James Kochalka Superstar

14. My Robot Looper

15. We Are 138 Misfits

16. I Love You (Miss Robot) The Buggles

17. Humanoid Dead Red Sea

18. I Am A Machine Meat Puppets

19. Mechanical Man (Booji Boy Version) Devo

20. Become A Robot They Might Be Giants

21. Botro The Robot Jim Campilongo

22. Android Rebellion Black Uhuru

23. Rebel Robot Voivod

24. Paranoid Android Brad Mehldau

25. Robots One, Humans Zero Less Than Jake

26. Save The Robots The Disco Biscuits

27. None Of Them Knew They Were Rob... Mr. Bungle

28. Hip Hop Lyrical Robot UB40

29. Transformers Leaders of the New School

30. Welcome from Bob the Robot 404 Not Found

31. Automaton Sister Machine Gun

32. Machines Modern English

33. I'll Replace You With Machines Guided By Voices

34. Singular Indestructible Droid Papa Roach

35. Oiling the Droid Cortex Bomb

36. Like A Droid To The Slaughter Replikants

37. Robot Portrait Quincy Jones

38. Robot 415 Miles Davis

14. D33PPURPLE -
Hey, Robert, here is an interesting idea for a playlist:

Song titles and band names that make sense together. What do I mean? Check this out:

I'll Replace You With Machines Guided By Voices.

As a sentence, it makes sense, even though technically it is:

I'll Replace You With Machines- Guided By Voices


This happened in your list about 3 times more.

15. Redlem -
#3 Golden, flight of the conchords? Comedy acts with musical instruments that are not funny do not make many lists.
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