Recorded 2003 Hot Fuss
(2004) Sam's Town
(2006) Release date 7 June 2004 | Length 45:39 Artist The Killers Label Island Records | |
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Released June 7, 2004 (2004-06-07) Studio Cornerstone Recording Studios
(Los Angeles, California)
Dave Keuning's apartment
(Las Vegas, Nevada)
The Hearse
(Berkeley, California) Producer The Killers
Jeff Saltzman Genres Rock music, Indie rock, Pop music, Alternative rock, New wave, Post-punk, Post-punk revival Nominations Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, Brit Award for International Album Similar The Killers albums, Indie rock albums | ||
Hot Fuss is the debut studio album by American rock band The Killers. It was released on June 7, 2004 in the United Kingdom and on June 15, 2004 in the United States. The album is mostly influenced by new wave music and post-punk. Hot Fuss produced several commercially and critically successful singles: "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me", "All These Things That I've Done" and "Smile Like You Mean It".
Contents
The album reached number seven on the Billboard 200 chart and number one on the UK Albums Chart. As of December 2012, Hot Fuss had sold more than seven million copies worldwide, including more than three million in the United States and more than two million in the UK, where it has been certified seven-times platinum. It has also been certified platinum or multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand.
The album and its first three singles went on to garner five Grammy Award nominations. Rolling Stone ranked Hot Fuss the 43rd of its "100 Best Albums of the Decade", and it is one of the five most recent recordings listed among the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Gigwise readers voted it the number-one "Best Debut Album of All Time" in 2013 and Rolling Stone ranked it the 33rd of its list of "The 100 Greatest Debut Albums of All Time".
Background
The album was recorded at various points throughout 2003 with Jeff Saltzman in Berkeley, California, with the exception of "Everything Will Be Alright" which was recorded in guitarist Dave Keuning's apartment and engineered by Corlene Byrd. Many of the tracks were originally recorded as demos, which the band decided to keep for their spontaneity. The album was mixed by Mark Needham at Cornerstone Studios, Los Angeles and Alan Moulder at Eden Studios in London.
Hot Fuss is mainly influenced by new wave and post-punk artists such as New Order, The Cure, Morrissey, Duran Duran, and The Cars. Other influences include David Bowie, U2, Oasis, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Lou Reed.
The album includes the second and third parts of the so-called Murder Trilogy, "Midnight Show" and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine". The first part, "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf", appears on The Killers' B-sides and rarities compilation, Sawdust.
Release and reception
Hot Fuss was released on June 7, 2004 in the United Kingdom and on June 15, 2004 in the United States. In 2005, it was reissued as a box of eleven 7" vinyl discs, with an album track on each A-side and non-album tracks on the B-sides. The album reached number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart. It is estimated to have sold more than seven million copies worldwide, including more than three million in the United States and more than two million in the UK, where it has been certified seven-times platinum. It has also been certified platinum or multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. Hot Fuss produced several commercially and critically successful singles, including "Mr. Brightside". Hot Fuss was The Killers' first number-one album in the UK. It was the 26th best-selling album of the decade in the United Kingdom. It is among the top 25 longest charting albums in the history of the UK Albums Chart, with 247 weeks, more than four-and-a-half years. It is also the longest-charting post-2000 release on the same chart.
Rolling Stone ranked Hot Fuss the 43rd of its "100 Best Albums of the Decade", and it is one of the five most recent recordings listed among the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Gigwise readers voted it the number-one "Best Debut Album of All Time" in 2013. Rolling Stone ranked Hot Fuss the 33rd of its list of "The 100 Greatest Debut Albums of All Time".
Track listing
Each track is found on the B-side of the corresponding track from the album. Also note, "All These Things That I've Done" is edited by fading out about 30 seconds before the track finishes.
- "Somebody Told Me" (video)
- "Mr. Brightside" (original video)
- "Mr. Brightside" (new video)
- "All These Things That I've Done" (video)
- "Smile Like You Mean It"
- "All These Things That I've Done"
- "Somebody Told Me" (Glastonbury 2005)
- "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" (Glastonbury 2005)
- "Mr. Brightside" (Glastonbury 2005)
Personnel
Awards and accolades
Hot Fuss is listed among the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Songs
1Jenny Was a Friend of Mine4:04
2Mr Brightside3:43
3Smile Like You Mean It3:55