In addition to its four studio albums, three featuring original material, Rage Against the Machine's music was used for movie soundtrack purposes. That's the case with "No Shelter," which was part of the Godzilla soundtrack from 1998. In many ways, the soundtrack is better than the movie, and Rage's contribution is an undisputed highlight. While the classic RATM vibe is there, it's obvious the song was made for a mainstream, movie-going audience. Not the band's most substantial effort, but worthy of a mention here.

Rage's most recent studio album, Renegades (2000), is filled with cover songs. Among the highlights is the band's stellar take on this early 1990s Cypress Hill classic. Actually, this might be the perfect song for Rage to cover, since it could very easily can be passed off as one of their own. It has the perfect pace of a RATM track, and it's made for Tom Morello's distorted guitar greatness. Meanwhile, Zack de la Rocha's vocal presence is as good, or maybe better, than the original. 

Three albums in, and Rage was a driving force when it came to the state of hard rock and innovative metal during the late 1990s. The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) was nominated for the Best Hard Rock Grammy thanks to songs like "Ashes in the Fall." It's a bit of a departure from the traditional Rage Against The Machine number. The band still flexes their musical muscles, but with a less frenetic pace while still successfully delivering the intended message. 

Rage's second album, Evil Empire (1996), earned triple-Platinum status and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. "Vietnow" was released as the third single from the record, but it tends to be overshadowed by the album's more mainstream offerings. Still, it's no less powerful than anything else on the record — taking shots at ultra-conservative, right-wing media from back in the day. Though polished from a production standpoint, "Vietnow" is filled with plenty of raw aggression.

The Evil Empire closer, "Year of the Boomerang" was actually first introduced to listeners as part of the Higher Learning (1995) soundtrack — with a "the," instead of "tha" in the title. While obviously heavy and filled with Tom Morello's usual guitar brilliance, this track also offers more of a hip-hop element than many other Rage tunes. Perhaps that's why it has become a favorite among fans of the various genres the band has encapsulated.

Staying with Evil Empire, the creativity of Tom Morello's guitar work is on display from the get-go with "Revolver." When it comes to underrated tracks within Rage Against the Machine's catalog, "Revolver" should be at the top of the list. It's a roller-coaster ride of sound that even offers a somewhat spoken-word lyrical approach from Zack de la Rocha. Mixed with his usual assaulting frontman tactics, it makes for quite the listening experience.

Another brilliant cover from Renegades. Originally done by New York rapper Afrika Bambaataa from the early 1980s, "Renegades of Funk" probably flew below the radar for most hard rock and heavy metal fans of the group. However, Rage's version introduced the song to a new flock of fans, and the cover should be considered the showcase of the Renegades project. It's also a prime example of just how deep it goes when discussing the many artists, of various musical genres, who influenced the band.

Despite never being released as a single or receiving a music video, "Tire Me" won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 1997. This Evil Empire gem also showcases the often underappreciated work of Rage drummer Brad Wilk. The track is very metal and takes the listener back to the fast-paced aggression that fueled the band's self-titled 1992 debut album.

"Down Rodeo" is another Evil Empire track that was never released as an official single. Despite that, it has long been associated with some of Rage's more well-known material. Hitting on America's unbalanced class system, the song is one of the band's more controversial efforts. Notably, for referring to carrying a shotgun through Los Angeles' swanky Rodeo Drive shopping district. Band members have contended the song does not promote gun violence despite the aforementioned scenario.

Another special moment from The Battle of Los Angeles, there's almost a classic rock vibe to "Sleep Now in the Fire." Zack de la Rocha's opening scream harkens back to some classic Roger Daltrey and the rhythm has almost Santana-like feel — on steroids. That is until Tom Morello gives his own brand of alternative metal guitar playing a workout. The song earned some notable success in the United States, reaching No. 6 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart.

Checking in at a tight two-and-a-half minutes, "People of the Sun" was another song from Evil Empire that earned a Grammy nomination. The track talks up the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (a.k.a. the Zapatistas), a political group of militants that operated in southern Mexico. It's subject matter that became personal to lead singer Zack de la Rocha, who delivers one of the best rap performances. The song is a history lesson in less than three minutes, and one of the band's most celebrated offerings.

Among all the acclaimed songs Rage Against the Machine has put out, "Guerrilla Radio" is the only one to find a spot in the Billboard Hot 100. Somewhat surprising? Yes. It peaked at No. 69, but it also won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Aside from being one of the special moments from The Battle of Los Angeles, the track has also appeared on various video game soundtracks. With plenty of mainstream sheen, and a sound that gets the heart beating off the chart, it's understandable how the song found a home with the masses.

"Bullet in the Head" is one of Rage's earliest singles — and a masterful moment from the band's triple-Platinum self-titled debut album that came out in 1992. It was one of the first songs that truly captured the collective intensity of the band's sound. From Zack de la Rocha's lyrical aggression to Tom Morello's creatively alien guitar prowess to Tim Commerford's thundering bass to Brad Wilk's massively underrated drumming ability. This was a band ready to take over the metal world.

"Freedom" concludes Rage's debut album, and does so with plenty of the band's trademark fury. There's an interesting, almost funk/jazz — minus the horn section — vibe during the first half of the song. But it also has a Pink Floyd-meets-Black Flag-meets Pantera kind of feel. "Freedom" showcases more splendid bass work from Tim Commerford and an open invitation for Zack de la Rocha to preach. Together, it leaves a lasting impression of this initial Rage experience on the listener.

When it comes live performances, "Wake Up" is usually the song that brings the crowd to a heightened frenzy. Normally played near the end of Rage's set, "Wake Up" is another special moment from its first album. We're not taking anything away from the studio version, which grained even more mainstream attention for its inclusion in The Matrix (1999), but the live offering captures the magnitude and intensity of the overall RATM experience like perhaps no other song in its arsenal.

There are plenty of critics who believe this is the highlight of Rage's debut record. They might not be wrong. With vocal help from Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan and Jane's Addiction's Stephen Perkins providing some additional drum support, "Know Your Enemy" shows off the band's thrash influence. It might also be their most "alternative-sounding" song. Yes, there is a lot going on in terms of sound, but this is a great example of the immense talent possessed by the outfit.

For most fans of Rage, this was their introduction to the band. The opening song on its debut album, "Bombtrack" drives down a more straight metal path than other prominent RATM tracks. The unique vocal work from Zack de la Rocha and his politically charged lyrics, and the overall power of the song, delivered a product completely fresh for hard rock fans amid the ashes of the hair metal era — or amongst those who thought Metallica had sold out. "Bombtrack" is one of the great album openers in hard rock/metal history.

The lead track from The Battle of Los Angeles, "Testify" is a shot at government control, taking particular aim at politicians in the United States, (nothing new for the band) while offering somewhat of an Orwellian theme overall. Michael Moore directed the music video, which features many high-profile domestic world leaders and military figures. There are plenty of strong musical moments found on The Battle of Los Angeles, but "Testify" arguably stands out the most. Even if its overall popularity hasn't rose to the level of other great Rage tunes.

The first single off Evil Empire, "Bulls on Parade" is the song that truly thrusted the band onto the mainstream hard rock scene. The popular music video also helped bring the group's innovative sound to the masses. Tom Morello's scratch effect remains the musical highlight of the sound, though Tim Commerford's bass performance is quite strong. "Bulls on Parade" was a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom and peaked at No. 11 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart in the U.S.

"Killing in the Name" has long been considered Rage Against the Machine's signature song. The lead single from RATM's debut album demonstrates all the power, passion, and intricate riffs that made Rage one of the biggest bands in the world. While not an anthem, per se, it's definitely a protest song. Slinging rocks at those controlling factors, like the media, who have tremendous influence on the lives of everyday people. Sure, Rage went on to make more acclaimed and celebrated music, but the first might still be the best.