Sonic Highways

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

This article is about the album. For the companion television series, see Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways.
Sonic Highways
Foo Fighters 8LP Sonic Highways.jpg
Studio album by Foo Fighters
Released November 10, 2014
Recorded September 2013 – July 2014
Studio <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Genre Alternative rock, post-grunge, hard rock[1]
Length 42:03
Label Roswell, RCA
Producer Butch Vig
Foo Fighters chronology
Wasting Light
(2011)Wasting Light2011		 Sonic Highways
(2014)		 Songs from the Laundry Room
(2015)Songs from the Laundry Room2015
Singles from Sonic Highways
  1. "Something from Nothing"
    Released: October 16, 2014
  2. "The Feast and the Famine"
    Released: October 24, 2014
  3. "Congregation"
    Released: October 31, 2014
  4. "What Did I Do? / God As My Witness"
    Released: November 6, 2014
  5. "Outside"
    Released: August 4, 2015[2]

Sonic Highways is the eighth studio album by the American rock band Foo Fighters. It was produced by Butch Vig and was released on November 10, 2014, on RCA Records.[3] In writing the album's eight songs, singer and guitarist Dave Grohl traveled to eight cities across the United States to conduct interviews with musicians, recording engineers, record producers, and other individuals discussing each city's musical history, which he used as inspiration for the songs' lyrics. The band and Vig then traveled to a different recording location in each city to record the songs.[4] Each track features contributions from one or more musicians with ties to that city's musical history. The process was filmed for a companion television series, Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways, which was broadcast on HBO in the months surrounding the album's release.[5][6]

Background and writing

Despite initially announcing a break after supporting Wasting Light, Grohl later stated in January 2013 that the band had started writing material for an eighth studio album.[7] On February 20, 2013, at the Brit Awards, Grohl said he was flying back to America the following day to start work on the next album.[8] In an August 2013 interview with XFM, Grohl announced that their next album has been slated for a 2014 release, saying:

"Well, I’ll tell you, we have been in our studio writing and in the past few weeks we’ve written an album and we are going to make this album in a way that no-one’s ever done before and we’re pretty excited about it... It’s a little ways off – it’s not ready to happen right now – but I think next year is going to be a really big year for the Foo Fighters, without question."[9]

According to lead guitarist Chris Shiflett, Grohl would finish the lyrics just before recording his vocals, the last part of each song. This time the compositions would drift away from "love letters and confused relationships" to deal with the feelings Grohl had regarding each city during production.[10]

Recording

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Further information: Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways

On September 6, 2013, lead guitarist Chris Shiflett posted a photo to his Instagram account that had indicated 13 songs were being recorded for the album.[11] Keyboardist Rami Jaffee has recorded parts for three songs, one of which is entitled "In the Way."[12] Butch Vig, who produced the band's prior album, Wasting Light, confirmed he produced Sonic Highways as well.[13][14] On July 30, 2014, Vig revealed that the band had finished recording and mixing the new album and it is slated to be released a month after the Sonic Highways TV series.[15] In an August 2014 press release Grohl spoke about the album, saying: "This album is instantly recognizable as a Foo Fighters record, but there's something deeper and more musical to it. I think that these cities and these people influenced us to stretch out and explore new territory, without losing our ‘sound’."[3]

Packaging

The artwork done by Stephan Martiniere[16] for the album has a cityscape amalgamating landmarks of every town used for production - Seattle's Space Needle, the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles - and a recurring motif of the number eight, marking both the Foo Fighters' eighth album and infinity (∞).[3] The vinyl pressings of the album are packaged in nine different covers, depicting each of the eight cities and the "Forever" building shaped like the infinity symbol.[4] Most retailers will not guarantee which cover the purchaser receives, and album art is "randomly selected" for orders from the band's official website.[17]

Promotion

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: Sonic Highways World Tour

On January 16, 2014, a picture was posted to the Foo Fighters Facebook page with several master tapes, some labeled "LP 8".[18] On May 15, 2014, it was announced that the band's eighth album would be released in November 2014 and that the Foo Fighters would commemorate the album and their 20th anniversary with an HBO TV series directed by Dave Grohl entitled Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways.[19] On August 11, 2014, it was announced that the album would be titled Sonic Highways and released on November 10, 2014.[20]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 68/100[21]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 3.5/5 stars[22]
The A.V. Club B–[23]
Chicago Tribune 2/4 stars[24]
Consequence of Sound C–[1]
Entertainment Weekly B[25]
The Guardian 2/5 stars[26]
The Observer 3/5 stars[27]
NME 7/10[28]
Pitchfork Media 5.6/10[29]
Rolling Stone 3.5/5 stars[3]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 68, based on 31 reviews indicating "generally favorable reviews".[21] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic says the album "celebrates not the coiled fury of underground rock exploding into the mainstream, the way the '90s-happy Wasting Light did, but rather the classic rock that unites the U.S. from coast to coast."[22] Philip Cosores at Consequence of Sound stated "the album plays out more like a bonus feature, something that can enhance the series’ enjoyment or simply further inform the experience".[1]

Patrick Doyle from Rolling Stone noted that some of the album's songs are among "the band's most ambitious moments yet".[3] Stuart Berman of Pitchfork Media was more critical of the album, stating "Foo Fighters completely demystify their own creative process, effectively turning the Sonic Highways project into a glorified homework assignment—educational, perhaps, but laboriously procedural."[29]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, with sales of 190,000 copies in the United States.[30] As of September 2015, it has sold 490,000 copies there.[31]

Track listing

No. Title Recording location Length
1. "Something from Nothing" (featuring Rick Nielsen) Electrical Audio (Chicago) 4:49
2. "The Feast and the Famine" (featuring Peter Stahl and Skeeter Thompson) Inner Ear Studios (Arlington County, Virginia) 3:50
3. "Congregation" (featuring Zac Brown) Southern Ground Studios (Nashville, Tennessee) 5:12
4. "What Did I Do? / God As My Witness" (featuring Gary Clark, Jr.) Studio 6A (Austin, Texas) 5:44
5. "Outside" (featuring Joe Walsh) Rancho De La Luna (Joshua Tree, California) 5:15
6. "In the Clear" (featuring the Preservation Hall Jazz Band) Preservation Hall (New Orleans) 4:04
7. "Subterranean" (featuring Ben Gibbard) Robert Lang Studios (Seattle) 6:08
8. "I Am a River" (featuring Tony Visconti and Kristeen Young) The Magic Shop (New York City) 7:09
Total length:
 42:03

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[32]

Charts

Singles charts

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Peak chart positions
US
[80]		 US
Alt
[81]		 US
Main
[82]		 US
Rock
[83]		 AUS
[84]		 AUT
[85]		 BEL
[86]		 CAN
[87]		 FIN
[88]		 GER
[89]		 JPN
[90]		 NLD
[91]		 NZ
[92]		 PT
[93]		 SCT
[94]		 UK
[95]		 UK
Rock
[96]
"Something from Nothing" 2014 —[A] 1 1 8 53 75 42 63 22 100 63 57 32 45 56 73 1
"The Feast and the Famine" — — — 37 — — 16[B] — — — — — — 27 93 — 4
"Congregation" — 5 1 21 — 73 12[B] — — 97 — — — 38 68 — 4
"What Did I Do? / God As My Witness" — — — 37 — — — — — — — — — 33 — — 6
"Outside" 2015 — 11 7 39 — — 21[B] — — — — — — — — — 10
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
  • A ^ "Something from Nothing" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart at number 1.[97]
  • B ^ "The Feast and the Famine", "Congregation" and "Outside" did not chart on the Belgian Ultratop chart but charted on the Belgian Ultratip chart.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "RollingStone" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Foo Fighters Announce 'Sonic Highways' Track List, Share Artwork billboard.com. Retrieved 11 August, 2014.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/foo-fighters-sonic-highways-cover-20141119
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  35. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  36. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  37. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Foo Fighters. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  39. ↑ "Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  40. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2014. 46. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  44. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 46, 2014". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  48. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  49. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  51. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  52. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  53. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  54. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  55. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  56. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Foo Fighters. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  57. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Top Alternative Albums for Foo Fighters. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  58. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums for Foo Fighters. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  59. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Foo Fighters. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  60. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  61. ↑ JAAROVERZICHTEN 2014 ultratop.be. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  62. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  63. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  64. ↑ Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Albums of 2014 official charts.com. Retrieved 2 January, 2014.
  65. ↑ Top Billboard 200 Albums - Year End billboard.com. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  66. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.(subscription required)
  67. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  68. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  69. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  70. ↑ Top Billboard 200 Albums - Year End billboard.com. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  71. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  72. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  73. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  74. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  75. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Foo Fighters in the field Interpret. Enter Sonic Highways in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
  76. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  77. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  78. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  79. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Sonic Highways in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  80. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  81. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  82. ↑ Foo Fighters - Mainstream Rock Songs chart history billboard.com. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  83. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  84. ↑
    • For Top 50 positions: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    • "Something from Nothing": Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  85. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  86. ↑ Discography Foo Fighters". Ultratop Belgian Charts. Retrieved 2014-11-15.
  87. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  88. ↑ Suomen virallinen lista (Finland's official list) - Latauslista (download list) - Foo Fighters - Something from Nothing ifpi.fi. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  89. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  90. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  91. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  92. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  93. ↑
    • For "Something from Nothing": Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    • For "The Feast and the Famine": Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    • For "Congregation": Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    • For "What Did I Do? / God As My Witness": Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  94. ↑
    • "Something from Nothing":Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    • "The Feast and the Famine" and "Congregation":Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  95. ↑
    • For Top 75 positions:Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  96. ↑
    • "Something from Nothing" and "The Feast and the Famine" and "What Did I Do? / God As My Witness" and "Outside": Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    • "Congregation": Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  97. ↑ Foo Fighters - Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart history billboard.com. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Sonic_Highways&oldid=717826139"