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Cover of Freedom of Choice by Devo — Cover: Freedom of Choice

Song · Devo

“Freedom of Choice” by Devo

From the album Freedom of Choice (1980)

“Freedom of Choice” by Devo appears on 24 radio countdowns from 7 stations between 1980 and 2023. It was first released in 1980 on the album Freedom of Choice. Its best result is #17 on the KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #17 alternative song of 1980 and #917 alternative song of all time.

24countdowns

7stations

#17best position

0#1 finishes

0top 10 finishes

1980–2023years charted

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Freedom Of Choice (Official Music Video)

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

"Freedom of Choice", the title track of Devo's 1980 album, started with a fast-food commercial: a Carl's Jr. ad crowing about freedom of choice while showing four burgers that were practically identical. Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale turned that into a deadpan sermon on how little people really want to choose, a point Bob Mothersbaugh later boiled down to freedom from choice. There's even a parable about a dog stuck between two bones, a canine twist on the old Buridan's ass puzzle.

The band produced it themselves, with Robert Margouleff as associate producer, and it pounds along on a jerky riff and choruses built like a stadium chant. The single practiced what it preached: no designated A-side, just two empty boxes on the sleeve so buyers could decide whether this or "Snowball" came first.

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

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year	#	Station	Countdown	of
1980	17	KROQ Los Angeles, CA	KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980	106

All-time and decade countdowns

Year	#	Station	Countdown	of
1988	224	KROQ	KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988)	496
1992	448	KROQ	KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992)	500
1994	436	KROQ	KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994)	497
1999	1068	CD101	CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)	2000
2000	1069	CD101	CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)	2001
2001	1071	CD101	CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)	2002
2002	1070	CD101	CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)	2003
2002	1137	Fred (XM 44)	Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)	2002
2003	1055	CD101	CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)	2004
2003	222	Fred (XM 44)	Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)	2044
2004	1055	CD101	CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)	2005
2005	1055	CD101	CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)	1994
2005	909	99X	99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)	1000
2007	668	CD101	CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)	2008
2008	626	CD101	CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)	2009
2009	646	CD101	CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)	2010
2010	661	CD101	CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)	2011
2011	686	CD101	CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)	2011
2013	695	CD101	CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)	2012
2014	706	CD101	CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)	2013
2019	424	KEXP	KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time	627
2021	462	90.9 The Bridge	90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s	909
2023	815	The Colorado Sound	The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s	850

Also listed as: Freedom Of Choice.

Charting alongside it in 1980

Best songs of 1980 →

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