"Youth Without Youth" | ||||
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Single by Metric | ||||
from the album Synthetica | ||||
Released | May 1, 2012 | |||
Recorded | 2012 | |||
Genre | Indie rock, electronic rock | |||
Length | 4:17 | |||
Label | Mom+Pop | |||
Songwriter(s) | James Shaw, Emily Haines[1] | |||
Producer(s) | Gavin Brown | |||
Metric singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Youth Without Youth" on YouTube |
"Youth Without Youth" is a song by Canadian indie rock band Metric. It was released as the lead single from their 2012 album, Synthetica.[2] The song debuted at number 1 on the Canadian alternative rock chart and stayed at that spot for a record 16 consecutive weeks.[3] The song tackles the subject of a fraying social state through the eyes of a deprived youth.
The song has received mixed to favorable reviews from critics. Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone gave the song a mixed review, giving it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars and describing the song as "Glam sugar with a bitter core". Dolan further stated that "Perennial indie crush Emily Haines drops a wasted-youth anthem with scarred poetry like "We played blindman's bluff till they stopped the game," over a bleak- bubblegum stomp."[4]
Jillian Mapes of Billboard praised Haines' songwriting, stating "Lyrically, frontwoman Emily Haines toys with powerful imagery, using phrases like "double dutch with a hand grenade" and "rubber soul with a razor blade" to describe a young life full of malaise and even criminality."[5]
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canadian Hot 100[6] | 63 |
Canadian Alternative Rock Chart[3] | 1 |
Canada Rock Chart[7] | 12 |
US Rock Songs (Billboard) | 28 |
US Alternative Songs (Billboard) | 15 |
Chart (2012) | Position |
---|---|
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[8] | 44 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[9] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |