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Cover of Dirt by Alice In Chains
Cover: Dirt

Song · Alice In Chains

“Rooster” by Alice In Chains

From the album Dirt (1992)

“Rooster” by Alice In Chains appears on 115 radio countdowns from 42 stations between 1993 and 2026. It was first released in 1992 on the album Dirt. Its best result is #6 on the WBCN Grunge Top 104 (2004). In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #40 alternative song of 1993, #228 alternative song of all time and #256 of the '90s.

115countdowns
42stations
#6best position
0#1 finishes
1top 10 finishes
1993–2026years charted

Watch

Alice In Chains - Rooster (Official HD Video)

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

"Rooster" is the heaviest heart on Alice in Chains' second album, Dirt, released by Columbia in 1992, and it's Jerry Cantrell's song for his father. Jerry Cantrell Sr. had carried the nickname "Rooster" since childhood and served with the US Army in Vietnam, and his son wrote the song for him. Cantrell later named his publishing company Rooster's Son Publishing.

The band recorded it with Dave Jerden, who co-produced and mixed, and it's a slow, coiled march: Sean Kinney's drums and Mike Starr's bass trudge through the mud, Cantrell's guitar builds from a hushed, eerie verse into a crushing chorus, and Layne Staley sings the lead with Cantrell harmonizing behind him, their voices fused into one haunted wail.

Columbia sent it to radio on February 22, 1993 as the album's fourth single, and it spent 20 weeks on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, peaking at seven. An acoustic version from MTV Unplugged appeared on the 1996 live album, and in 2018 Metal Hammer ranked it 12th among the best metal songs of the '90s.

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
1993 28 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1993 107
1993 80 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105 Songs of 1993 105
1993 25 Q101 Chicago, IL Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1993 101
1993 80 Triple J Australia (national) Triple J Hottest 100 of 1993 100

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1994 154 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1994 300 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1994 209 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1994) 1000
1995 138 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1995 69 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995) 300
1995 154 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995) 1000
1996 142 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 456 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1996 187 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1996) 1000
1998 240 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1998) 1000
1999 259 KROQ KROQ Top 300 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 1999) 300
1999 161 WHFS WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999) 500
1999 239 Q101 Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1017
1999 279 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 37 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 1506 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 241 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
1999 240 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1999) 998
2000 1506 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2000 39 The Edge KEDJ Countdown 2000 (106 songs) 106
2001 1498 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 76 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 20 WFNX WFNX Top 50 Grunge Songs of All-Time (June 2002) 50
2002 309 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 1496 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 92 KISW KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002) 999
2002 416 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 95 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 1475 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 66 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 1475 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 143 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 6 WBCN WBCN Grunge Top 104 (2004) 104
2005 20 96.5 The Buzz 96.5 The Buzz Top 96 of the 90s 96
2005 1475 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 59 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2006 31 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Songs of the '90s (December 2006) 107
2006 260 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 341 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2007 117 KROQ KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007) 500
2008 180 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 2008 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 102 CFNY 102.1 The Edge The Top 200 Songs of the 90's According to 102.1 The Edge 200
2009 81 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 183 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of All-Time (2009) 200
2010 136 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of the 90's (September 2010) 200
2010 2010 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2010 155 97.9 The Loop The Loop USO Rock 'N' Roll 500 (2010) 500
2012 86 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 102 New Rock Songs of All-Time 102
2013 139 KBPI KBPI Top 200 Songs of All Time 200
2013 48 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR CT 500 (2013) 500
2013 100 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2014 18 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 400 (2014) 400
2014 162 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2014) 500
2014 45 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2015 155 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2015) 500
2015 36 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2015) 499
2015 100 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2016 35 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2016 298 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2016) 500
2017 406 97.9 The Loop 97.9 The Loop Top 540 Countdown (2017) 540
2019 99 X96 X96's Top 100 Songs of the 90's 100
2019 480 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2019) 500
2019 159 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2019) 500
2019 131 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2019) 500
2019 921 102.5 KZOK KZOK Top 1025 of 2019 1025
2019 481 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2019) 500
2020 68 DC101 Top DC101 of the 90's 101
2020 48 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2020) 500
2020 686 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2020) 1025
2020 221 Q105.7 Q105.7 Memorial Day 500 (2020) 499
2020 34 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2020) 420
2020 131 DC101 The DC101 Top 500 500
2021 35 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s 908
2021 94 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2021) 500
2021 67 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2021) 500
2021 554 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2021 41 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2021) 420
2022 292 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s 900
2022 72 X96 X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time 500
2022 342 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2022) 500
2022 342 94.1 KRNA KRNA Memorial Day 500 (2022) 500
2022 181 101X 101X 500 (2022) 498
2022 710 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2022 392 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2022) 500
2022 45 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2022) 420
2023 135 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s 893
2023 22 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2023) 420
2023 479 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2023 347 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2023) 500
2023 139 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2023) 500
2023 456 Qfm96 Qfm96 Memorial Day 500 (2023) 500
2023 258 KSHE 95 KSHE 95 Rock N' Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 26 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 342 101.5 WPDH WPDH Top 1015 (2023) 1015
2023 335 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2024 228 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 51 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2024) 400
2024 421 Qfm96 Qfm96 Memorial Day 500 (2024) 498
2024 488 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2024) 500
2024 229 KSHE 95 KSHE 95 Rock N' Roll 500 (2024) 500
2024 90 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2024) 500
2025 59 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2025) 500
2025 332 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2025 53 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2025) 400
2025 456 Qfm96 Qfm96 Memorial Day 500 (2025) 498
2025 86 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2025) 500
2026 54 100.7 KSLX KSLX Arizona 500 (2026) 500
2026 244 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2026) 500
2026 36 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2026) 500
2026 200 101X 101X 500 (2026) 500

Charting alongside it in 1993

Best songs of 1993 →
  1. 1CannonballThe Breeders
  2. 2CreepRadiohead
  3. 3LingerThe Cranberries
  4. 4PlushStone Temple Pilots
  5. 5No RainBlind Melon
  6. 6Soul to SqueezeRed Hot Chili Peppers

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