RockLists.com
Cover of Facelift by Alice In Chains
Cover: Facelift

Song · Alice In Chains

“Man in the Box” by Alice In Chains

From the album Facelift (1990)

“Man in the Box” by Alice In Chains appears on 129 radio countdowns from 46 stations between 1994 and 2026. It was first released in 1990 on the album Facelift. Its best result is #3 on the WFNX Top 50 Grunge Songs of All-Time (June 2002). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #113 alternative song of all time and #229 of the '90s.

129countdowns
46stations
#3best position
0#1 finishes
7top 10 finishes
1994–2026years charted

Watch

Alice In Chains - Man in the Box (Official Video)

Video from YouTube (AliceInChainsVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Man in the Box" came crawling off Facelift, Alice in Chains' 1990 debut album, and when Columbia put it out as a single in January 1991 it handed the band its calling card. Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley wrote it, and Dave Jerden produced, recorded and mixed it, keeping the sound thick and airless, like a basement with the windows painted shut.

Cantrell's guitar grinds out a riff that lurches more than it swings, Mike Starr's bass and Sean Kinney's drums drag along behind it like a length of chain, and Staley does the rest: a strangled moan in the verses that tears open into a full-throated howl, with Cantrell stacking dark harmonies underneath. It carries the weight of metal and the mood of grunge, and it doesn't sound like it wants to be liked.

It picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1992, and it has never really let go of rock radio: across the 2010s, only one song got more spins on mainstream rock stations.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

Hard Rock & Metal

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1997 26 97.1 The Eagle Dallas-Fort Worth, TX KEGL The Eagle's Top 97 Songs of 1997 97

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
– 22 CRNC 90.1 CRNC Top 90.1 Songs of the '90s 91
1994 70 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 79 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1994) 1000
1995 57 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1995 40 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995) 1000
1996 102 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 29 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1996) 1000
1998 27 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1998) 1000
1999 66 KROQ KROQ Top 300 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 1999) 300
1999 38 WHFS WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999) 500
1999 148 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 92 Q101 Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1017
1999 70 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 11 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 1279 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 435 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
1999 23 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1999) 998
2000 40 DC101 DC101 Top 101 Rock Songs of the 90s 101
2000 1280 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2000 27 103.3 The Edge 103.3 The Edge Top 103 New Rock Songs of the Millennium 103
2000 7 The Edge KEDJ Countdown 2000 (106 songs) 106
2001 1247 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 94 KISW KISW Top 99 Rock Songs (2001) 99
2001 12 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 3 WFNX WFNX Top 50 Grunge Songs of All-Time (June 2002) 50
2002 1246 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 8 KISW KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002) 999
2002 22 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 1231 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 22 Q101 Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 39 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 1231 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 32 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 14 WBCN WBCN Grunge Top 104 (2004) 104
2005 55 Live 105 Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of the '90s (August 2005) 106
2005 43 96.5 The Buzz 96.5 The Buzz Top 96 of the 90s 96
2005 1231 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 93 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2006 12 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Songs of the '90s (December 2006) 107
2006 109 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 240 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2007 34 KROQ KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007) 500
2007 418 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 83 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 411 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 161 CFNY 102.1 The Edge The Top 200 Songs of the 90's According to 102.1 The Edge 200
2009 89 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 408 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2009 71 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of All-Time (2009) 200
2010 87 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of the 90's (September 2010) 200
2010 405 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2010 141 97.9 The Loop The Loop USO Rock 'N' Roll 500 (2010) 500
2011 405 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2012 25 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 102 New Rock Songs of All-Time 102
2012 532 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 407 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2013 535 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2013 309 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR CT 500 (2013) 500
2013 36 KBPI KBPI Top 200 Songs of All Time 200
2014 413 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 365 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2014 229 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 400 (2014) 400
2014 45 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2014) 500
2015 37 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2015) 500
2015 536 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2015 397 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2015) 499
2016 484 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2016 115 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2016) 500
2017 122 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2017) 500
2017 114 97.9 The Loop 97.9 The Loop Top 540 Countdown (2017) 540
2018 121 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2018) 500
2019 82 X96 X96's Top 100 Songs of the 90's 100
2019 91 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2019) 499
2019 36 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2019) 500
2019 463 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2019) 500
2019 366 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2019) 500
2019 48 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2019) 500
2019 472 102.5 KZOK KZOK Top 1025 of 2019 1025
2020 454 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2020) 1025
2020 17 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2020) 420
2020 216 DC101 The DC101 Top 500 500
2020 459 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2020) 500
2020 296 Q105.7 Q105.7 Memorial Day 500 (2020) 499
2020 11 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2020) 500
2021 98 107.7 The End The End Obligatory Top 100 Alternative Songs of All Time (2021) 100
2021 36 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2021) 500
2021 31 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2021) 500
2021 7 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2021) 420
2021 995 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2021 459 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2021) 500
2022 141 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s 900
2022 172 94.1 KRNA KRNA Memorial Day 500 (2022) 500
2022 202 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2022) 500
2022 486 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2022 71 101X 101X 500 (2022) 498
2022 13 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2022) 420
2022 263 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2022) 500
2022 97 X96 X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time 500
2022 832 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2022 409 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2022) 500
2023 157 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s 893
2023 625 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2023 172 101.5 WPDH WPDH Top 1015 (2023) 1015
2023 84 ALT 104.5 ALT 104.5 Top 104 of ALT Time 104
2023 6 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 16 KSHE 95 KSHE 95 Rock N' Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 23 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2023) 500
2023 7 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2023) 420
2023 266 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2023) 500
2023 91 94.1 WJJO WJJO Frequent Rocker Top 100 Songs of 2023 100
2024 659 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 35 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2024) 500
2024 474 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2024) 499
2024 217 KSHE 95 KSHE 95 Rock N' Roll 500 (2024) 500
2024 24 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2024) 400
2024 230 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2024) 500
2025 149 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2025) 500
2025 70 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2025) 500
2025 170 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2025 24 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2025) 500
2025 436 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2025) 500
2025 15 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2025) 400
2026 229 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2026) 500
2026 98 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2026) 500
2026 57 101X 101X 500 (2026) 500
2026 481 KSHE 95 KSHE 95 U-Man 500 (2026) 499
2026 10 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2026) 500
2026 97 100.7 KSLX KSLX Arizona 500 (2026) 500

Also listed as: Man In The Box; Man in The Box.

Charting alongside it in 1997

Best songs of 1997 →
  1. 1Song 2Blur
  2. 2Walkin' On The SunSmash Mouth
  3. 3TubthumpingChumbawamba
  4. 4FlySugar Ray
  5. 5The Impression That I GetThe Mighty Mighty Bosstones
  6. 6Semi-Charmed LifeThird Eye Blind

Comments

Log in or create a free account to join the conversation about "Man in the Box" by Alice In Chains.

Be kind and stay on topic. Guidelines

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.