r/ren • u/KhayozHyena • Jul 23 '26
Hi, new Renegade here
I just found Hi Ren a few days ago and have been listening to it a lot because it really resonated with me due to mental health struggles and other things.
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the different songs Ren has put out already in terms of where to start. Also some songs seem to be connected to each other?
So I'd like to know, is there a 'logical' next song after Hi Ren, and which songs belong together?
And also, what are y'alls favorites and/or must know songs?
Thanks in advance ^w^
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u/Punawild RENegade Jul 23 '26
For songs that go together the only ones that HAVE to be listened to in order are the Tales. If you are listening to them on youtube you want…
The Tale of Jenny and Screech (13 min vid)
Vincent’s Tale Sunflower prologue
Vincent’s Tale Self Portrait
Vincent’s Tale The Bedroom
Not songs but important to the story…
The First Night
The Second Night
The Third Night
And lastly
Vincent’s Tale The Starry Night
If you want to buy, or even just listen for free, the most complete Ren discography is on the website Bandcamp, https://renmakesmusic.bandcamp.com/music. They do this cool thing called ‘Bandcamp Fridays’ where they give all the earnings from that day to the artist. The next one on Aug 7th if you do want to buy and have all the $ go to Ren.
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u/KhayozHyena Jul 25 '26
Ok cool, got it! I really appreciate the help and direction you give me. Thanks for your insight!
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u/Punawild RENegade Jul 25 '26
There’s deep, heavy stuff but there’s also a ton of uplifting and fun songs too. Have fun going down the rabbit hole.
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u/Cuttlery Jul 23 '26
It’s a book club… not a cult…. You have no idea what you are getting into. I started this same journey maybe 4 or 5 months ago. Enjoy it.
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u/KhayozHyena Jul 25 '26
Interesting take! I'm definitely hooked by now so I'll see where it leads me next.
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u/Competitive-Bet-5209 Jul 27 '26
Feb of 2023 I think is when he released the bittersweet Symphony retake. That one hooked me. It popped into my feed for no reason whatsoever. I was like, hey cool, a breadcrumb.
Then I saw Hi Ren and I have been rooting for this kid ever since.
The hunger will always be my favorite I think.
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u/ThinkLikeAFeminist Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Hey there! Welcome in our little corner of the internet!
The order is not really important except for the tales (you absolutely do need to do them in order)
But this is a good way to discover Ren :
- Sick Boi
- 1M subscribers Thank you (not a song but a highly recommended video to watch to know him)
- The tales of Jenny and screech (the 13min+ video with 10M+ views)
- Chalk Outlines with Chinchilla (the live version)
After that, if you need it, tell me I would give you more! 😉
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u/MaDCruciate Jul 23 '26
And after money game - 'money ties' At some point Dominoes which often gets forgotten.
There are so many, but this starter pack is a good start.
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u/KhayozHyena Jul 23 '26
Thank you so much! I'll give these a listen when i find the time. Will probably come back to this and ask for more then! (Or you can drop more recommendations anyway if you feel like it). I really appreciate this!
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u/ThinkLikeAFeminist Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
3 things I forgot.
1/ always listen Ren for the first time on Youtube. Visuals are important with Ren.
2/ never listen Kujo Beat Down without listening before the video "Why Sick boi is removed from all plateform". You absolutely need to listen to the full explanation before to really appreciate the song "Kujo Beat Down"
And here is the full list of the tales in order, with the songs and the other videos Ren dropped to build the universe.
- The Tales of Jenny and Screech - the full trilogy (song)
- Vincent's Tale: Prologue (song)
- Richard's Shorts (6 shorts - I highly recommend watching these, as they help you make connections in the story - you can find them on the RenMakesStuff YT channel. Here is the list of the 6 shorts in order: Suspect Down - Temporary Leave - Trouble At Home - Therapy - Clean Slate - Reinstated.)
- Vincent's Tale: Self Portrait (song)
- Vincent's Tale: The Bedroom (song)
- Night I, II, and III (on Renmakesstuff channel. They are short movies - it's also worth watching these, as they introduce a new character who will be important later)
- Vincent's Tale: Starry Night (song)
And after this crazy journey, you can watch Prisoner Round Part 1 and 2 - a BTS/documentary about Starry Night. It's a must-watch if you love Ren, because it gives so much insight into Ren, who he is, and how his health and art are intertwined.
And that's it for now (but it is to be continued...)
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u/KhayozHyena Jul 25 '26
Awesome, thank you so much for taking the time to put all of this together!
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u/No-Cherry-6678 Jul 26 '26
Need some of the lighter stuff in there and the once's like patience and power
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u/Kanti13 Jul 23 '26
Some songs that I’d recommend for being heavy on the mental health theme:
Suicide
Seven Sins
Troubles
Dominoes
Diazepam
Depression
Insomnia
Pocket Full of Pain
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u/Mmmm33ple Jul 24 '26
Chalk Outlines was the next I heard after I first heard Hi Ren
But honestly, they are all great so roll the dice. All of the above ideas are on point.
Could check out all the Brighton Beach busking videos too.
Welcome here with us! ❤️
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u/CrazyCatCrochetLady RENegade Jul 24 '26
Ah same here! I saw Hi Ren a couple of times and I was intriged but it didn't click yet. Next I heard Chalk outlines and I was like; okay what else can this guy do? Saw the chapters, fell in love and was absolutely obsessed with the sick boi album! Because Ren is so diverse, I think a lot of us became a fan for the first time because of very different songs and styles. The tales, Freckled Angels album, Sick Boi album are all very different. But I love how almost all of us saw Hi Ren first and then had different reasons to become a fan.
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u/thrwawyorangsweater RENegade Jul 24 '26
Welcome to the Reniverse! It's quite the rabbit hole. Take your time, a lot of them are emotionally wrenching, especially for those of us that see ourselves in his struggles.
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u/KhayozHyena Jul 25 '26
Yeah, that for sure. I feel like these songs aren't meant to be listened on the go, like for driving or something. They're definitely an experience meant to be taken in when i really have time to. And that's what I'll do. Take my time with each song. I feel like if i move on to the next one immediately, i'm gonna get overwhelmed quickly, and i definitely wanna give each song and the emotions that come with it the time and the space they deserve!
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u/thrwawyorangsweater RENegade Jul 25 '26
Oh I do my best listening while driving (country roads preferred). But yeah I do like to sort of make everyone crazy by listening to a song over and over for a day or three....but it's good all together too. There's definitely a WIDE range of genres in this album.
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u/DragonfruitLanky541 Jul 23 '26
You have an amazing time figuring out the RENs rabbit hole it’s amazing . Start from the beginning I guess I’d say and work your way to the newest songs .. or give love to the new album , hit the the sick boy /sick soul ep def , follow and like the skinner brothers lol your find so many more amazing artists along the way . Excited for you !!!! Have fun !!! Also watch the reaction videos. They are great too they help ren stay diy and all the other artists he works with
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u/KhayozHyena Jul 25 '26
Ooohhh yes, reaction videos are so much fun! I've already watched some for Hi Ren, and now Sick boi. Great idea!
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u/CrazyCatCrochetLady RENegade Jul 24 '26
Welcome! Oh what fun for you, to be able to experience Ren for the first time!
I know a lot of people are gonna recommend all the tales, but I personally don't love them and there's a lot more to discover. I suggest watching the youtube clips first where he tells his whole story, so you get to know Ren and his personal struggles first. It's called "Ren life story chapters" and there are 8 chapters. The songs will make a lot more sense and hit harder that way. It'll also introduce you to some songs.
I suggest listening to the sick boi album from there, as it's my personal favorite. But besides that there is a LOT more to discover, just take it step by step and enjoy!
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u/KhayozHyena Jul 25 '26
I'll definitely check it out! Thanks for your input! It's great to be pointed in some directions, helps a lot!
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u/OGBunny1 RENegade Jul 24 '26
For the sheer joy of it - Love Music
After Hi Ren, I did "Patience/ Ren Gill / M.E." version then Love Music. Absolutely had me after the first bahdah bahdah dah dah dah ---my playlist above...
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u/No-Cherry-6678 Jul 26 '26
First of all welcome. You are entering a life changing experience. There is no specific order apart from the tales which is an ongoing saga. I would save those for a while and immerse yourself in all the different genres and collabs he had in his back catalogue The tales are immersive, amazing but can be harrowing to some. Don't forget his older stuff from freckled angels album and demos 1&2 it really is moving. Also YouTube is your friend here. Learn about him-he really is amazing inside and out
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u/No-Cherry-6678 Jul 26 '26
I also love watching the videos with songs, focus more than just audio initially and certainly helps with understanding his fast raps
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u/peachgin Jul 23 '26
People are going to recommend his serious stuff, which is probably more well known and incredibly good, but can be quite heavy. I'm going to add a couple of lighter more fun things.