One By One
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One By One Image
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 79 Ratings

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  • Summary: Former Nirvana drummer (and sometime Queens of the Stone Age drummer) Dave Grohl returns to the front of the stage for his role as vocalist, guitarist, and bandleader of the Foo Fighters on this, their fourth studio recording.

Top Track

All My Life
All my life I've been searching for something Something never comes never leads to nothing Nothing satisfies but I'm getting close Closer to the... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. E! Online
    91
    Here, Grohl consistently puts forth straightforward, stripped-down rock that is neither ironic nor pandering--a fine line between Cheap Trick and cheap tricks.
  2. Austin Chronicle
    89
    Let's just hope it doesn't take another near-death experience for their next album to be this good.
  3. Mojo
    80
    They may have just failed to make a Great Rock Album--though it has many moments of greatness--but they have unquestionably become a Great Rock Band. [Album of the Month, Nov 2002, p.90]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. Billboard
    80
    One by One, in all its thunderous angst and desperate expressions of hope, represents a full-on exploration of the Foos '70s influences.
  5. Playlouder
    70
    Quite simply, only the Chili Peppers are even in this class now, and it took them a lot more than four albums to get there.
  6. Blender
    60
    Grohl's every intense metal rave-up quickly passes into a sweet, breezy melody that makes it hard to take most of the songs all that seriously. [#11, p.137]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Pitchfork
    54
    With every album, the Foos get slicker than before; the passion behind their songs waxed off by an ever-thickening veneer of overproduction. Right now, the Foos are so polished you can see right through them.

See all 19 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Charlyrockstar
    Apr 8, 2014
    10
    the second best foo fighters album since All My Life till Come Back, real rock, & a great album that have the worth listening & why not, havethe second best foo fighters album since All My Life till Come Back, real rock, & a great album that have the worth listening & why not, have it in the private collection, a great album of a great band… Expand
  2. Mr.Foo
    Aug 12, 2003
    10
    well let me be honest and try not to hurt any feelings. I'm not a fan of Nirvana...I really like Foo Fighters. I have listened to maybe well let me be honest and try not to hurt any feelings. I'm not a fan of Nirvana...I really like Foo Fighters. I have listened to maybe a couple of Nirvana songs but I just don't like them. I think Foo Fighters just have this thing that I can't explain and it makes them, in my opinion, ONE OF THE BEST BANDS OF ALL TIME!! Ok well I also don't like that other group Good Charlotte. I'm really not a fan of there's either. I think all that crap sounds the same. Well that's about it. And If any of all are Nirvana fans, well yall may like that but It just don't work for me. FOO FIGHTERS RULE!!!!!! THEY ARE THE BEST!!! NIRVANA DOES SUCK AHHHHHHHH THEY STINK THEY ARE WORSE THAN GOOD CHARLOTTE!!! me and my friend are at an argument if you have anything to say about this matter please complain at the guestbook www.geocities.com/jd242007 thank you for your time...… Expand
  4. HectorG
    Feb 28, 2008
    10
    The Foos are the ONLY real rock band out there today... and that isn't just a situational statement. They could hold their own against The Foos are the ONLY real rock band out there today... and that isn't just a situational statement. They could hold their own against ALL the great bands. Anyone who tries to deny the brilliance of Dave Grohl is just being foolish. This is our modern-day LedZep, folks. As close as we'll ever get to "all original sound rock-and-roll".… Expand
  5. foofan
    Sep 21, 2003
    9
    One by one is a great cd! Even though it's a bit slick, it still rules! (though not as much as "The colour and the shape") From the One by one is a great cd! Even though it's a bit slick, it still rules! (though not as much as "The colour and the shape") From the crushing opening of "All my life" to the more well known foo-sound on "times like these" ending with the Killer, almost 8 min. long "Come back" Took a while to adjust to some of the songs, but eventually it stuck like glue. Not a disappointment!… Expand
  6. BenH
    Sep 3, 2004
    9
    Stephen Thomas Erlewine is an idiot. He doesn't actually listen to albums - he just reads other reviews writes composites so that AMG Stephen Thomas Erlewine is an idiot. He doesn't actually listen to albums - he just reads other reviews writes composites so that AMG doesn't have to publish out-of-house reviews. He doesn't know what he's talkng about. This is one great album. Production and musicianship are excellent and don't let a reviewer hunting for mistakes tell you otherwise. The best indication is whether or not you enjoy listening...… Expand
  7. ricco94
    Mar 8, 2013
    8
    Good album, but I like it less than There Is Nothing Left To Lose. This sounds like Queens Of The Stone Age's Songs For The Deaf, but I thinkGood album, but I like it less than There Is Nothing Left To Lose. This sounds like Queens Of The Stone Age's Songs For The Deaf, but I think One By One is better. All My Life is a great song, Times Like These and Come Back are very good, too.… Expand
  8. SteveBackMeta
    Nov 9, 2013
    4
    Sorry I don't mind the Foo Fighters but I found this to be a very sterile and uninspired album. For a band of this type hard-rockingSorry I don't mind the Foo Fighters but I found this to be a very sterile and uninspired album. For a band of this type hard-rocking crowd-pleasers these songs try their best to tear town walls but just sound stilted thanks to the smooth, slippery-slick production and formulaic songwriting. Even "One By One" doesn't do as much as penetrate the eardrum. These melodies just don't amplify. "Low" in particular is just horrible.

    Ironically, it's where the Foos sit back and run on autopilot that the best track on this album comes about. "Time Like These" is by far the catchiest song on here and doesn't actually TRY to shatter the room. It is just a well-constructed power-ballad that hits the mark. The rest, though, is so polished you can't keep hold of it.    … Expand

See all 22 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Most Discussed Album of 2002
51
#51 Most Shared Album of 2002

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