Atlanta continues to produce some of the biggest acts in rap these days, and Migos are at the forefront of the latest crop of artists shining. Consisting of Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff, the ATL trio started off feeding the streets, and before long gained traction on the mainstream level while still staying true to their trap roots.
Their smash hit “Bad and Boujee”—and subsequent 2017 album release Culture—took them to another level of notoriety, but don’t get it twisted: though Migos have enjoyed big-time looks over the last 15 months, what got them there was an undeniable grind, a mixtape catalog that rivals their predecessors (like Gucci Mane, T.I., and Jeezy), and an influence that reaches beyond Atlanta.
That formula is ever-present when discussing their standout tracks, which includes chart-topping singles, deep cut bangers, and the occasional collaboration. These are Migos’ 25 best songs, ranked.
25. Carnage f/ Migos, "Bricks" (2014)
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Carnage and Migos fused EDM trap and the ATL trap with “Bricks,” an undeniable banger that highlights both acts’ ability to deliver a high-energy performance. “This is real trap music… not all of that wanna be rap/Trap shit,” Carnage said at the time of its release. That authenticity has made it a staple at festivals, and trust it rings off in any occasion. —Edwin Ortiz
24. "Stir Fry" (2017)
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In 1968, a British musician named Alan Hawkshaw assembled a bunch of session players and recorded a spin on the Lowell Fulson song “Tramp.” Their version, called “The Champ,” was released under the name The Mohawks. The song was repurposed by rappers almost as soon as there was rap, ending up on hundreds of songs. The track’s opening organ melody was a particular favorite of producers everywhere—including, as it turns out, Pharrell, who took it to make a beat in 2008 that ended up in Migos’ hands about a decade later. “Stir Fry” has a lot to recommend it, to be sure: a catchy hook, that weird cooking video. But the real reason it works is because Skateboard P used Hawkshaw’s iconic melody as the key ingredient in one of his best beats in recent years. —Shawn Setaro
23. "Out Yo Way" (2017)
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The Migos dynamic has made it so that each member of the group gets their fair amount of shine when it's due. Obviously, Offset and Quavo have become the front-facing members of the group, but Takeoff has had his moments, and none better than on "Out Yo Way," the final track on Culture. On this song, Takeoff went to a new level that casual fans probably didn't think he could reach. He has always been the unsung member of the group, and songs like this prove how vital he is to the success of Migos. —Chopz
22. "What The Price" (2017)
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"What the Price" is a legitimately wonderful song, for many reasons. Let me tell you what they are. Off top, the production, punctuated by evocative electric guitar and contemplative keys, is the opposite of what we're used to hearing Migos rap over. As such, they don't sound like their usual selves. While they're rapping about the same topics—money, women, and dominance—their approach is pulled back from the typical energy that's vibranium levels of intense. They take their time singing the hook, and they work through their verses with just a hint more care than usual. The result is a track to behold. —Kiana Fitzgerald
21. Travis Scott f/ Migos & Peewee Longway, "Sloppy Toppy" (2014)
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Migos and Travis Scott have proven to be a force whenever they link up, and that all started with Days Before Radio standout “Sloppy Toppy.” Lyrically the song is, well, an ode to what the title suggests, and the Atlanta trio sound more than capable of rapping about their experiences. We’ve had a number of memorable collabs from Migos members and La Flame since—“Oh My Dis Side,” “Ghostface Killers,” and “Pick Up the Phone” to name a few—but “Sloppy Toppy” was an early indication of what they could whip up on wax. —Edwin Ortiz
20. Migos f/ Hoodrich Pablo Juan, "I Can" (2017)
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Slap anyone who ever tries to float the assertion that trap music can't be a source of positivity. No disrespect to one-time Complex cover star Tony Robbins, but Quavo's hook on this Hoodrich Pablo Juan banger is my definition of self-help motivational empowerment. Whether flipping bricks on the corner or pushing literal weight in the gym (or you know, trying to file copy in on time), it's impossible to feel like you can't accomplish what's in front of you when this is blaring. Or, on the lower stakes side, it's impossible not to turn up to either. As if you needed more proof, Migos serving HPJ with the look, verses and a hook for what would be a damn good song on any of their projects is just further proof of how in their bag the trio is. Giving a fellow ATLien an alley? Light work. —Frazier Tharpe
19. Migos f/ Gucci Mane, "Slippery" (2017)
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Migos are clearly of the Gucci Mane lineage, but the students show out on the same track as their sensei. Each MC skates over OG Parker & DEKO's extra-terrestrial trap beat. It's what you expect from a partnership between Guwop and the Migos gang: flexing wealth, frightening drug combinations, and sex. When their powers combine they deliver an expected banger. —Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins
18. "Big On Big" (2017)
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The Migos had fully arrived by the time Culture dropped. And with mo’ money, comes mo’ problems and mo’ questions. “Big on Big” finds the Atlanta trio in full reflection mode as they weigh the metrics of success instead of just powder. Supported by Zaytoven’s orchestral arrangement, Offset ponders the price of fame and those no longer on his level: “How you gon’ flex on the squad?/When you know the bag is large?/Where were you when times was hard?/It’s pitiful; how you gon’ big when we extra large?/Four car garage, two bad broads/I don’t flex or floss, I’m a rockstar/With no guitar, Lambo avatar.” This is your brain on Migos—any questions? —Anslem Samuel Rocque
17. "Get Right Witcha" (2017)
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“Get Right Witcha” was a sleeper on Culture. At first glance, the album had heaters, but this was a more subdued version of Migos (at least when compared to songs like “T-Shirt” and “Bad & Boujee”). It didn’t take too long, though, before this became the song you jumped straight to when starting the album over. Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff all come correct, each one supremely confident in their ability to craft the platonic ideal of a Migos song. —Brendan Klinkenberg
16. Gucci Mane f/ Migos, "I Get The Bag" (2017)
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Migos hits tend to come out of nowhere. They release so much music and are featured on so many other artists' songs that it's somewhat hard to keep up. But the hits always rise to the top, and that's exactly what happened with Gucci Mane's "I Get the Bag," which featured all three Migos sliding over the Southside and Metro Boomin production. Honestly, this might be one of the best Migos hooks ever, and that's tough competition. "You get the bag and fumble it, I get the bag and flip it and tumble it." What more do you need to know? Quavo was in his bag on this hook, and Offset and Takeoff followed suit with fiery verses that complimented their already strong chemistry with Guwop. —Chopz
15. Calvin Harris f/ Migos & Frank Ocean, "Slide" (2017)
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When first hearing the Migos on early standouts like "Versace," it was hard to believe that they'd be working anywhere near dance music stalwarts like Calvin Harris, especially on chilled Daft Punk-esque yacht-ready funk jams, but 2017 was a wild year. "Slide" capitalized on the refined, in-demand wave Migos were riding high on, and with a gorgeous hook from Frank Ocean, "Slide" is a clear bop that's perfect for any spot that has buckets of beer and a sky full of sun. —khal
14. "Bando" (2013)
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If Breaking Bad took place in Atlanta instead of Albuquerque, “Bando” would be the perfect soundtrack to Walter White’s RV meth cook-a-thons in the desert. Still early in the Migos’ rise in popularity, this 2013 trap anthem reeked of powder, poverty, and poor decisions. But with a simple yet catchy hook that reels listeners in, the track intoxicates you before you can realize how much you’ve inhaled. Never had houses with the boards on the windows seemed so enticing. Enter at your own risk, but once you do you’ll likely stay for a while. —Anslem Samuel Rocque
13. "Look At My Dab" (2015)
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This is, as Complex revealed in our recent cover story, the song that started Migos’ problems with their then-label 300. But more importantly than that, it’s a true pop-culture touchstone. Did Migos invent the dab? That’s an issue best left for dance scholars. But through this song, they most certainly laid claim to owning the trend. “Look at My Dab” moved the dab from regional sensation into the immortal realm of hip-hop-related dances like the Patty Duke, the Nae Nae, the Dougie, and the Kid ’n Play Quick Step. Now all we need is for Migos to star in a House Party reboot. —Shawn Setaro
12. "FEMA" (2013)
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This was early in the Migos era we are now living in. These guys made a song about how flooded their jewelry is and named the track “FEMA.” If that isn’t the stuff of legend, I don’t know what is. The Young Rich Niggas tape not only had “FEMA,” but “China Town,” “Versace,” “Hannah Montana,” and “Bando” as well. This made it hard for the naysayers to hate and the trio continued to be creative in the ways they can say things over and over again until their hooks infect your brain like parasites (I mean this in a good way.) —Angel Diaz
11. "Call Casting" (2017)
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While "Bad and Boujee" and "T-Shirt" are the standouts on Culture, "Call Casting" became a favorite when the album dropped and it still holds up. Buddha Bless and Bron Bron went all Zaytoven with the keys and in return the Migos delivered a catchy tune. This song will make you feel like Tony Montana when he was shopping for the silver Porsche 928, even though you have a regular job like washing dishes or some shit like that. You can feel like Tony on the used car lot when you cop that 2005 Honda Accord you’ve had your eyes on for the last couple weeks. And once you buy it, you can hook it up, drop it, get some rims, and tell that chick that’s been frontin’ on you to call casting! That’s what “Call Casting” sounds like to me. —Angel Diaz
10. "Handsome And Wealthy" (2014)
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Perhaps the most existential of Migos bangers, “Handsome and Wealthy” gives us a hook that has Quavo wondering why he does what he does and why he’s getting attention from women in the club; he reaches the conclusion that it’s all because he is, in fact, handsome and wealthy. The song captures Migos at the beginning of their rise to stardom. At this point, we had already been blessed with four mixtapes, off of which we received “Hannah Montana,” “Versace,” and “Fight Night." The hype was real, and while it helped propel Migos to household-name status, it also clearly had them putting their guards up against people (mostly women) who were only interested in what they could gain from their success. If you didn’t get the message when Offset said, “I know why you came in this club tonight/Looking for a n***a that's gon' change your life,” the video helped clear things up further: “Your assignment tonight is to...intercept any and all thots, bum broads, and mediocre mamis.” —Carolyn Bernucca
9. "Pipe It Up" (2015)
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As soon as Quavo says, "I don't know what y'all doing—but I'm piped up," it becomes immediately apparent that some shit is about to go down. "Pipe It Up" is a top 10 Migos song because it demands action from the jump: Get your energy right. Get this money. Take whatever you're doing to the next level. Quavo whips a significant amount of work during the song's first verse, but Takeoff's verse, punched up by his emphatic delivery, takes the song to another level and gives it a second wind midway through. Even though Offset is MIA, it's still piped all the way up. —Kiana Fitzgerald
8. "Freak No More" (2014)
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2014 was a transition time for Migos, but also a part of their run when they were releasing some of their best music ever. No, they weren't as mainstream as they are now, but the group was still delivering hits, including the strip club anthem "Freak No More." From the infectious melody to the hilarious ad libs from all three members, this is an essential Migos track that laid the groundwork for what they would become with their later commercial success. Throughout the Migos' run, many have doubted if they could sustain success, but bangers like "Freak No More" proved that they weren't going anywhere, even when very few people had real faith in them. —Chopz
7. "YRN" (2013)
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I have no argument for this song's case, because no argument needs to be made. It's beautiful. If you disagree, something is simply broken inside of you. Over a bouncy, tropical-tinged beat that instantly conjures an image of an ice-cold mojito, three of Atlanta's fiercest trappers somehow made quintessential vacation music. If and when I cop a yacht, this might be the first thing I play. Thug, Quavo, and Takeoff smartly go with the flow. Few of their ad libs sound as joyous as they do here ("She diggin my mooooves!") Play this three times in a row every day for all of April for no more snowstorms. —Frazier Tharpe
6. "Fight Night" (2014)
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Remember when a good lot of people assumed the Migos were a flash in the pan after “Versace” dropped and then they gave us “Hannah Montana” and “Chinatown,” and then we got hit with “Fight Night”? Well, that was four years ago and the trio from Atlanta are platinum many times over. When this song comes on at a party, be ready to rumble and mosh and jump and punch until you’re at the bar short of breath. “Fight Night” will hold up until the end of times, when we’re old and gray. We’ll be doing the electric slide to this at our grandkid’s wedding. —Angel Diaz
5. "T-Shirt" (2017)
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If "Bad & Boujee" was the bigger song during the run-up to Culture, "T-Shirt" was the better song, without a doubt. Their subject matter was still drenched in whipping work and how much their expensive taste costs, but the infusion of how their moms tried to keep them on the straight and narrow (which birthed the infectious "MAMA" ad-lib) showed growth from the vanglorious trio. It was pure trap music, through and through, but the hypnotic melody and memorable hook turned this Culture standout into a full-fledged phenomenon. —khal
4. "China Town" (2013)
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When Migos burst onto the scene five years ago, the joke was that they could turn anything into a hook. It was true. Repeating “China Town” was a sign of that prowess, and also as the foundation for one of Migos’ early classics. Over an unforgettable chiming beat that edges its way into frantic paranoia with the addition of screeching synths, Quavo and Takeoff turn in a crack rap two-hander at a level of quality unseen since the Clipse. —Brendan Klinkenberg
3. "Versace" (2013)
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It's been five years since "Versace" dropped, but the song has continued to create ripples in hip-hop. It was Migos' breakthrough, debut single, and man, did they break the fuck through. "Versace" was infectious enough to float on its own, but it was sent skyward by Drake's remix, which popped up shortly after its release. That's not to say it needed a boost—the Migos would have been fine without it. Zaytoven's hella hype production combined with the trio's ostentatious stunting served as a blueprint for their sound, a style that's being passed around rap today. Go listen to Lil Pump's "Gucci Gang" and tell me I'm wrong. —Kiana Fitzgerald
2. Migos f/ Lil Uzi Vert, "Bad and Boujee" (2016)
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Migos needed a hit. Fresh out of a label deal gone bad with 300 Ent., which kept the trio on the sidelines for a couple frustrating years, they (and their label) were hungry to reassert themselves. Their pick for a comeback single was, at first glance, a strange one: “Bad and Boujee” is a hazy, insular song that only the Migos could have made. It doesn’t sound like a hit, favoring rapid-fire, stuttering verses and a long hook that has no melody to speak of. Offset begins his verse by hooting like an owl. But you kept hearing it, over and over again, first at parties, then in memes, then on the radio. Suddenly, it was number one, their most recognizable song to date, and everyone knows that you say “drop top” when someone greets you with “rain drop.” —Brendan Klinkenberg
1. "Hannah Montana" (2013)
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Migos have come a long way since 2013's "Hannah Montana" but the synthetic trap single sits atop the golden throne they've built over the last half decade. Despite Offset's absence, the track had most of what people love about Migos: flamboyant trap talk, an unmistakably Southern delivery, and an unrivaled bank of pop culture references. At this point, Takeoff was the clear front-runner of the group, but it's his flow combined with Quavo's repetitive chants of "Hannah Montana" that make for a fan-favorite sing-a-long be it in the club, at their shows, or just in the crib. Situated amidst a growing catalog of hits, "Hannah Montana's" charm and importance hasn't diminished—it's actually multiplied. —Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins
