Top Bands, Music, and Songs to Skateboard To

Music has everything to do with skateboarding; every skater has his or her own favorite songs and bands that help get us stoked up to try stuff, help get us stay pumped, and help get us into the mood for skateboarding.

01

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CKY

Bud Light Tailgate Party - Show — Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

CKY is famous for their music and videos and the close link between CKY and Bam Margera (his brother is in the band) and Jackass which then spawned Wild Boys and Viva La Bam! CKY has been around since 1996—the CKY videos and music have been a favorite of skaters for a long time.

02

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MXPX

2005 Vans Warped Tour - Randall's Island — MxPx during 2005 Vans Warped Tour - at Randall's Island in New York City. WireImage / Getty Images

MXPX has been on the scene for what feels like forever. I love these guys and their music is great for skating and doing anything else that might get you hurt. A few favorite songs for me for skateboarding are "Middle Name," "Punk Rawk Show," and "Running Away." A bit of trivia: MXPX stands for "Magnified Plaid."

03

of 10

The Offspring

Heavy Montreal Festival 2014 — Dexter Holland and John Wasserman perform with The Offspring on Day 1 of the Heavy Montreal Festival on August 9, 2014 in Montreal, Canada. Mark Horton / Getty Images

The Offspring has a huge pile of great music to get your blood pumpin'. Some favorites for skateboarding are "All I Want," "One Fine Day," "Come Out Swinging," and "Falling." But there's plenty more. The Offspring is the kind of music that will get your adrenaline going if you're into it.

04

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Dogwood

Dogwood is one of those bands that not everyone's heard of, but for those who have, you see Dogwood patches on their jackets. Dogwood is moderately heavy but fast. It should keep your energy going. Some of my favorite Dogwood songs for skateboarding are "Building a Better Me," "The Good Times," and "Never Die." Dogwood works for me to keep me going once I'm already stoked up a bit.

05

of 10

NoFx

2016 Riot Fest Denver — NOFX performs during Riot Fest at National Western Complex on September 2, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

I have a love-hate relationship with these guys. Sometimes NoFx will get me stoked and I'll want to jump and kick and the works, but other times, I feel kinda gross when listening to them. Either way, they are a favorite band to skate to for many riders; if you haven't heard them, check them out. For something similar, but different, try Rancid.

06

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Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly

Ken Casey performs with Dropkick Murphys on Day 1 of the CityFolk Festival at Lansdowne Park on September 15, 2016 in Ottawa, Canada. Mark Horton / Getty Images

These are two completely separate bands, but both of these bands are Irish punk bands, and they rock to a ridiculous degree. If you are looking for something different to get pumped up to, try these songs. For Dropkick Murphys, try "Captain Kelly's Kitchen." For Flogging Molly, try "Seven Deadly Sins." By the way, if you get a chance to see Flogging Molly in concert, drop everything and get there—they put on a great show.

07

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Fall Out Boy

KAABOO Del Mar: The KAABOO Experience — Patrick Stump (L) and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy perform during the KAABOO Del Mar music festival on September 16, 2016 in Del Mar, California. Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

Bands like Fall Out Boy (Emo bands or bands that play stuff that's a sort of mix of rock and punk) can have good rhythms to get you into the flow of skating. If you want something with a little more punk feel, try Green Day, Goldfinger, Bowling for Soup, Simple Plan, and Blink 182. These all have wildly different sounds but can end up under the "punk" or more likely the "pop-punk" heading.

08

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Slick Shoes

Sum 41 Perform in Milan — Frank Zummo of Canadian punk rock band Sum 41 performs live at CarroPonte in Milan, Italy on August 26, 2016. Corbis via Getty Images / Getty Images

Slick Shoes has fast music, but slower or softer words. The mix makes a great sound for sustained listening and skateboarding. Try the song "Pretend To Be The Same" to get an idea of what they sound like. For heavier music like Slick Shoes, but with harsher vocals, try Sum 41. "My Direction," "The Hell Song," or "No Reason" are all great songs with a good fast beat for skateboarding. There are a pile of bands that would fit into this category.

09

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P.O.D.

10th Annual Rock On The Range - Day 2 — Singer Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D performs at MAPFRE Stadium on May 21, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio. Jason Squires / Getty Images

POD is perfect for heavier, thicker, more soulful riding. Not the best for thrashing—better for late night cruising, chillin, dealing with the weight of the world. Sometimes, when I'm dealing with life, I like to just get out and ride, and POD is a perfect band for skateboarding like this. Try the songs "Anything Right," "Sleeping Awake," "Alive," or "Boom".

10

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Everything Else...

Compiling a list like this is tough - there are so many good bands out there for skateboarding. Here are a few more that either I like or come strongly recommended. Check them out and see what you think: Pennywise, The Adicts, Linkin Park, Dr. Octogon, Thousand Foot Krutch, Deltron 3030, Ace Troubleshooter, 7 Seconds, Sepultra, and Prodigy.