Why Do They Rock So Hard?
# Why Do They Rock So Hard?

Professional ratings :

| Review scores ||
| - | - |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Punktastic | |

Why Do They Rock So Hard? is the third full-length studio album by the ska punk band Reel Big Fish.

This is the only Reel Big Fish studio album where the band line-up has not changed from the previous album.

Aaron Barrett has said in two interviews that this was his favorite album until the release of Our Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album. The album was mixed at Scream Studios by Tim Palmer.

## Track listing

### Notes

    ^(2a) A cover of the A-ha song "Take On Me" (2:54) appears on some international releases in between "Somebody Hates Me" and "Brand New Song".
    ^(6a) Titled "In the Pit" on subsequent albums.
    ^(10a) On the clean version of this album, "Song #3" is stripped of its vocal track and called "Sleep All Day".
    ^(17a) Hidden track; begins with 5:20 silence. On the Japanese release, a cover of the Duran Duran song "Hungry Like the Wolf" (3:39) appears in place of this track.

## Personnel

Reel Big Fish

* Aaron Barrett – guitar, lead vocals, synthesizer, celesta
* Grant Barry – trombone
* Andrew Gonzales – drums
* Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, keyboards, Celesta
* Dan Regan – trombone, screams
* Tavis Werts – trumpet, flügelhorn
* Matt Wong – bass guitar, vocals

Additional musicians

* Coolie Ranx (Pilfers) – vocals on tracks 6 & 10
* Brandon Werts – percussion
* Sam Avila – organ
* John Avila – piano
* True: 129 – scratching
* Jay Gordon – backing vocals

Production

* Tim Palmer – mixing
* Joe Zook – mixing
* Jay Rifkin – executive producer
* Steve Baughman – engineer
* Jay Gordon – engineer
* Steve Gamberoni – engineer
* Jenny O. – art direction
* Dave Holdredge – digital editing
* David Holdrege – digital editing
* John Avila – producer, mixing
* Donnell Cameron – engineer, mixing
* Kevin Dean – engineer
* Lisa Johnson – photography

## Charts

Chart performance for Why Do They Rock So Hard? :

| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
| - | - |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) | 54 |
| US Billboard 200 | 67 |
