# Massive Attack — Every Record We Rank

Massive Attack appears 7 times in our Trip-Hop, The Waxonia Desk — A Way In, The Waxonia Desk — Sounds Like a Single, and The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred lists, placing as high as No. 1. Hand-curated, with a reason for every pick.

- **Ranked entries:** 7
- **Appears on:** Trip-Hop, The Waxonia Desk — A Way In, The Waxonia Desk — Sounds Like a Single, and The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred
- **Years:** 1991–1998
- **Highest placing:** No. 1 in Trip-Hop
- **Updated:** 2026-08-29
- **Canonical page:** https://waxonia.com/artist/massive-attack/

## Appears on

### [Unfinished Sympathy](https://waxonia.com/track/massive-attack--unfinished-sympathy/)

*1991 · Wild Bunch / Circa · No. 1 in [Trip-Hop](https://waxonia.com/genre/trip-hop/)*

A full string section over a hip-hop break and Shara Nelson singing for her life. Routinely named one of the best singles ever made, and the claim is not obviously wrong.

Also on: [The Waxonia Desk — A Way In](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/), [The Waxonia Desk — Sounds Like a Single](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-sounds-like-a-single/), [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Massive%20Attack%20Unfinished%20Sympathy) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWmrfgj0MZI)

### [Angel](https://waxonia.com/track/massive-attack--angel/)

*1998 · Virgin · No. 5 in [Trip-Hop](https://waxonia.com/genre/trip-hop/)*

Horace Andy over a bassline that builds for five minutes and then detonates. The moment trip-hop stopped being mellow and started being genuinely frightening.

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Massive%20Attack%20Angel) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=hbe3CQamF8k)

### [Teardrop](https://waxonia.com/track/massive-attack--teardrop/)

*1998 · Virgin · No. 9 in [Trip-Hop](https://waxonia.com/genre/trip-hop/)*

A harpsichord, a heartbeat and Elizabeth Fraser singing about grief. The group's third and most fragile masterpiece, and the one that proved the formula was a language rather than a trick.

Also on: [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Massive%20Attack%20Teardrop) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K72X4eo_s)

### [Unfinished Sympathy](https://waxonia.com/track/massive-attack--unfinished-sympathy/)

*1991 · Wild Bunch / Circa · Picked by [The Waxonia Desk — A Way In](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/)*

Strings, a slow breakbeat and a vocal that refuses to resolve. It sounds like a pop single until you notice nothing in it behaves the way a pop single does.

Also on: [Trip-Hop](https://waxonia.com/genre/trip-hop/), [The Waxonia Desk — Sounds Like a Single](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-sounds-like-a-single/), [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Massive%20Attack%20Unfinished%20Sympathy) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWmrfgj0MZI)

### [Unfinished Sympathy](https://waxonia.com/track/massive-attack--unfinished-sympathy/)

*1991 · Wild Bunch / Circa · Picked by [The Waxonia Desk — Sounds Like a Single](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-sounds-like-a-single/)*

Strings, a slow breakbeat, and a vocal that refuses to resolve. It sounds like a pop single until you notice that nothing in it behaves the way a pop single is supposed to.

Also on: [Trip-Hop](https://waxonia.com/genre/trip-hop/), [The Waxonia Desk — A Way In](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/), [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Massive%20Attack%20Unfinished%20Sympathy) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWmrfgj0MZI)

### [Unfinished Sympathy](https://waxonia.com/track/massive-attack--unfinished-sympathy/)

*1991 · Wild Bunch / Circa · Picked by [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/)*

A full string section over a hip-hop break, in 1991, made by people from Bristol with no permission to attempt it. Still sounds like it cost a fortune and meant it.

Also on: [Trip-Hop](https://waxonia.com/genre/trip-hop/), [The Waxonia Desk — A Way In](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/), [The Waxonia Desk — Sounds Like a Single](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-sounds-like-a-single/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Massive%20Attack%20Unfinished%20Sympathy) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWmrfgj0MZI)

### [Teardrop](https://waxonia.com/track/massive-attack--teardrop/)

*1998 · Virgin · Picked by [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/)*

A harpsichord, a heartbeat and Elizabeth Fraser singing about grief. Proof the Bristol formula was a language rather than a trick.

Also on: [Trip-Hop](https://waxonia.com/genre/trip-hop/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Massive%20Attack%20Teardrop) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K72X4eo_s)

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Hand-curated by Waxonia. We host no audio; all links point to streaming platforms.