Brian Eno's 10 Best Pop Songs

Last week, Brian Eno gave the internet a glimpse of his forthcoming album, Small Craft on a Milk Sea (Warp, Nov. 2), via the propulsive, epic track, “2 Forms of Anger.” Wordless and moody, percussive and challenging, it’s pretty great, but also the polar opposite of all the songs below. For the purposes of this list, we’re focusing on early, pop-oriented Eno—the stuff that came just after the break up of Roxy Music but just before he went all-in ambient for the better part of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Also, to keep it civil, none of the four primary albums from this period—Here Come the Warm Jets, Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), Another Green World and Before and After Science—will be allowed more than three songs apiece. Enjoy:

10. “Here He Comes” [Before and After Science, 1977]

9. “St. Elmo’s Fire” [Another Green World, 1975]

8. “Back in Judy’s Jungle” [Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), 1974]

7. “The True Wheel” [Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), 1974]

6. “Needles in the Camel’s Eyes” [Here Come the Warm Jets, 1974]

5. “I’ll Come Running” [Another Green World, 1975]

4. “Burning Airlines Give You So Much More” [Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), 1974]

3. “King’s Lead Hat” [Before and After Science, 1977]

2. “Dead Finks Don’t Talk” [Here Come the Warm Jets, 1974]

1. “Here Come the Warm Jets” [Here Come the Warm Jets, 1974]