Album · The Decemberists
Picaresque by The Decemberists
Picaresque is an album by The Decemberists, released in 2005. 3 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 21 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “16 Military Wives”, on 18 lists with a best position of #15.
Picaresque, the Decemberists' third album, came out on Kill Rock Stars in 2005, and the Portland band named it after the old Spanish style of satirical storytelling that follows a low-born rogue scraping by on his wits in a crooked world. It's a fitting banner for a band whose songs lean on history and folklore, with Colin Meloy out front playing the bookish ringmaster.
"16 Military Wives" is the one radio held onto, a bouncing, sardonic singalong, while "The Mariner's Revenge Song" and "The Sporting Life" show just how far this crew will stretch a story. Coming between Her Majesty the Decemberists and The Crane Wife, and from a band known for staging whimsical reenactments with its crowds, Picaresque is the sound of the Decemberists leaning all the way into their theatrical side.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Picaresque on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 Military Wives | 18 | #15 | – | 2005–2025 | |
| 2 | The Mariner's Revenge Song | 1 | #309 | – | 2024 | |
| 3 | The Sporting Life | 2 | #839 | – | 2022–2025 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.