Run (Foo Fighters song)

2017 single by Foo Fighters

"Run"

Single by Foo Fighters
from the album  Concrete and Gold
Released| June 1, 2017 (2017-06-01)
Genre|

* Hard rock[1][2][3]
* heavy metal[4]

Length| 5:23
Label| RCA
Songwriter(s)|

* Dave Grohl
* Taylor Hawkins
* Nate Mendel
* Pat Smear
* Chris Shiflett
* Rami Jaffee

Producer(s)| Greg Kurstin
Foo Fighters singles chronology
| "Saint Cecilia"
(2015)  | "Run"
(2017)  | "The Sky Is a Neighborhood"
(2017)

|
|

Music video
"Run" on YouTube

"Run" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters. It was released as a single on June 1, 2017,[5] and is off their ninth studio album, Concrete and Gold.[6] The song performed well commercially and critically, topping the Billboard US Mainstream Rock Songs chart. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song and was nominated for Best Rock Performance at the 2018 Grammys.

## Background

[edit]

The song had first been played live in February 2017.[5] The studio version of the song was released as a single on June 1, 2017,[7][5][8] making it the band's first single since "Saint Cecilia" in 2015.[9][10] Many music journalists noted the song was expected, but not confirmed, to be off of the band's then-upcoming ninth studio album, Concrete and Gold.[11][12] The single was a surprise release, without any prior indication being made of its existence, other than the band's vague allusions to working on music over the course of 2017.[13][14] Seven weeks after its initial release, the song topped the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart,[15] the seventh song from the band to do so.[16]

## Music video

[edit]

A music video for the song was released on the same day.[12] The video features the band performing the song in a nursing home (abandoned St Luke's Hospital in Pasadena, CA), in make-up making them appear as elderly versions of themselves, and end up inciting a riot amongst other patients and orderlies.[12][8] The nurse in the video is played by Missi Pyle. Multiple outlets, including Billboard and People magazines, felt the music video was an homage to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,[5][11] while Team Rock noted its additional similarity to the film Cocoon.[17] The video ends with a brief choreographed dance routine,[18] noted by Variety and ABC News as being similar to the routine done in Michael Jackson's video for the song "Thriller".[19][2] The video was directed by band frontman Dave Grohl.[10] The old age makeups were designed by Tony Gardner, and created by Alterian, Inc. The video was inspired by drummer Taylor Hawkins lamenting having to do promotional work for the song and album cycle while the band was beginning to look older; when Grohl told him that "it doesn't really matter", Hawkins proposed taking it in the opposite direction, and purposefully making themselves look older, inspiring Grohl to write up a treatment for the video.[20]

## Composition and themes

[edit]

The song is approximately five-and-a-half minutes long, and features a 40-second intro with just soft guitar notes and mellow vocals by Grohl.[21] After the intro, the song erupts into a hard rock sound, featuring heavy, distorted guitar riffs, thunderous drums, and alternating melodically sung and screamed vocals by Grohl.[5][1][11] The song features breakdowns similar to that found in heavy metal and noise rock music.[21][19] A number of outlets described the song as one of the heaviest rock songs the band has ever released.[5][22] Lyrically, the line "Wake up/run for your life with me" is urgently repeated through the song by Grohl.[2]

## Reception

[edit]

The song was generally well-received upon release, with many journalists praising the band for maintaining their high-energy rock sound with the song, while being over twenty years into their career.[23][12] People praised the song for being "a return to full-speed-ahead rock. Like the best of Foo Fighters, it's hard and occasionally hilarious."[11] Similarly, NPR praised the song for being "an enjoyably ludicrous bit of viral silliness" and concluded "'Run' itself is no joke: Eight (and perhaps soon to be nine) albums into his Foo Fighters career, Grohl still wails with the infectiously unhinged force of a kid a third his age."[12] Loudwire named the song the eighth best hard rock song of 2017.[3] The single had the highest first day sales of any prior singles for the band.[24]

SPIN Magazine proclaimed "Run" a "thunderous lead single" and a "a galloping game of heavy-metal Red Light, Green Light".[4]

The song received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance.[25]

## Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Concrete and Gold liner notes.[26]

Foo Fighters

* Dave Grohl – vocals, guitar, percussion
* Chris Shiflett – guitar, percussion
* Pat Smear – guitar, percussion
* Nate Mendel – bass, percussion
* Taylor Hawkins – drums, percussion
* Rami Jaffee – Mellotron, Casio SK1, organ, percussion

Other musicians

* Greg Kurstin – piano

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (2017)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[27] | 53
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[28] | 9
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[29] | 76
Canada Rock (Billboard)[30] | 2
Czech Republic Modern Rock (IFPI)[31] | 3
Finland Download (Latauslista)[32] | 11
Finland Airplay (Radiosoittolista)[33] | 60
France (SNEP)[34] | 106
Hungary (Single Top 40)[35] | 10
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[36] | 28
Netherlands Single Tip (MegaCharts)[37] | 23
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[38] | 2
Portugal (AFP)[39] | 85
Scotland (OCC)[40] | 34
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41] | 41
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[42] | 19
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[43] | 79
UK Singles (OCC)[44] | 64
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[45] | 1
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[46] | 43
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[47] | 6
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[48] | 7
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[49] | 3

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (2017)  | Position

|

US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[50] | 29
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[51] | 15

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[52] | Gold  | 35,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[53] | Gold  | 40,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[54] | Gold  | 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[55] | Silver  | 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Awards

[edit]

Year  | Award  | Results

|
|

2018  | Grammy Award for Best Rock Song | Won
2018  | Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance | Nominated

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Foo Fighters Release Heavy New Song 'Run' with Funny Video radio.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
2. ^ a b c Watch now: Foo Fighters stage a literal "Oldchella" in new "Run" video abcnewsradioonline.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
3. ^ a b Loudwire Staff. "25 Best Hard Rock Songs of 2017". Loudwire.com. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
4. ^ a b Camp, Zoe (19 September 2019). "Foo Fighters - Concrete and Gold Review". SPIN Magazine. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
5. ^ a b c d e f Foo Fighters Crank Up the Heavy on New Song 'Run' billboard.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
6. ^ Young, Alex (June 20, 2017). "Foo Fighters announce new album, Concrete and Gold, due out in September". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
7. ^ Foo Fighters Prove You're Never Too Old to Rock With 'Run' Video Loudwire.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
8. ^ a b Watch Foo Fighters Perform as Retirees in Crazy New "Run" Video pitchfork.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
9. ^ Foo Fighters surprise fans with rowdy new song, 'Run' ew.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
10. ^ a b Foo Fighters – "Run" spin.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
11. ^ a b c d Foo Fighters Are Back! Elderly Dave Grohl Leads a Nursing Home Revolt in Video for New Song, 'Run' people.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
12. ^ a b c d e Foo Fighters' New Song, 'Run,' Sparks A Nursing-Home Uprising npr.org. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
13. ^ Foo Fighters Return with "Run" Video exclaim.ca. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
14. ^ Foo Fighters' New 'Run' Single and Video Stages a Nursing Home Riot diffuser.fm. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
15. ^ "Foo Fighters - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-26.
16. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (20 July 2017). "Foo Fighters 'Run' All the Way to No. 1 on Mainstream Rock Songs Chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
17. ^ Watch the Foo Fighters mind-warping new video, Run teamrock.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
18. ^ Watch Foo Fighters Rage With Retirees in Surprise 'Run' Video rollingstone.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
19. ^ a b Foo Fighters Return With the Bruising 'Run' Single and Video (Watch) variety.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
20. ^ "Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl: 'The guy who did our make-up in 'Run' was in the 'Thriller' video'". Nme.com. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
21. ^ a b Foo Fighters return with glorious new single "Run" and video — watch consequence.net. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
22. ^ Foo Fighters Release New Song and Video, "Run" metalsucks.net. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
23. ^ Listen to "Run," the first new Foo Fighters single since 2015 avclub.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
24. ^ Foo Fighters Lay Out 'Concrete and Gold': Listen billboard.com. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
25. ^ Lynch, Joe (28 November 2017). "Grammys 2018: See the Complete List of Nominees". Billboard.com. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
26. ^ Concrete and Gold (booklet). RCA Roswell. 2017.
27. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #424". auspOp. June 10, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
28. ^ "Foo Fighters – Run" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
29. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
30. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
31. ^ "CZ - Radio - Top 20 Modern Rock - Foo Fighters - Rescued" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
32. ^ "Foo Fighters: Run" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
33. ^ "Foo Fighters: Run" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
34. ^ "Foo Fighters – Run" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
35. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
36. ^ "Foo Fighters - Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
37. ^ "Netherlands Single Tip Chart - June 17, 2017". Mega Charts. June 25, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
38. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 12, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
39. ^ "Foo Fighters – Run". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
40. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
41. ^ "Foo Fighters – Run" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
42. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 23, 2017" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
43. ^ "Foo Fighters – Run". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
44. ^ "Foo Fighters: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
45. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
46. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
47. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
48. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
49. ^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
50. ^ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
51. ^ "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. 13 December 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
52. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
53. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Foo Fighters – Run". Music Canada. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
54. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Foo Fighters – Run". Radioscope. Retrieved December 17, 2024. Type Run  in the "Search:" field.
55. ^ "British single certifications – Foo Fighters – Run". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 29, 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Foo Fighters

* Dave Grohl
* Nate Mendel
* Pat Smear
* Chris Shiflett
* Rami Jaffee
* Josh Freese

* William Goldsmith
* Franz Stahl
* Taylor Hawkins

Studio albums|

* Foo Fighters
* The Colour and the Shape
* There Is Nothing Left to Lose
* One by One
* In Your Honor
* Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
* Wasting Light
* Sonic Highways
* Concrete and Gold
* Medicine at Midnight
* But Here We Are

EPs|

* Five Songs and a Cover
* Songs from the Laundry Room
* Saint Cecilia
* Foo Files

Live albums|

* Skin and Bones

Compilations|

* Greatest Hits
* Medium Rare
* The Essential Foo Fighters

Videos|

* Everywhere but Home
* Skin and Bones
* Live at Wembley Stadium

Singles|

* "This Is a Call"
* "I'll Stick Around"
* "For All the Cows"
* "Big Me"
* "Alone + Easy Target"
* "Monkey Wrench"
* "Everlong"
* "My Hero"
* "Walking After You"
* "Learn to Fly"
* "Stacked Actors"
* "Generator"
* "Breakout"
* "Next Year"
* "The One"
* "All My Life"
* "Times Like These"
* "Low"
* "Have It All"
* "Best of You"
* "DOA"
* "Resolve"
* "No Way Back"/"Cold Day in the Sun"
* "Miracle"
* "The Pretender"
* "Long Road to Ruin"
* "Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)"
* "Let It Die"
* "Wheels"
* "Rope"
* "White Limo"
* "Walk"
* "Arlandria"
* "These Days"
* "Bridge Burning"
* "Something from Nothing"
* "The Feast and the Famine"
* "Congregation"
* "What Did I Do? / God as My Witness"
* "Outside"
* "Saint Cecilia"
* "Run"
* "The Sky Is a Neighborhood"
* "The Line"
* "Shame Shame"
* "No Son of Mine"
* "Waiting on a War"
* "Making a Fire"
* "Love Dies Young"
* "Rescued"
* "Under You"
* "The Glass"

Other songs|

* "Friend of a Friend"
* "Marigold"

Concert tours|

* Wasting Light Tour
* Sonic Highways World Tour
* Concrete and Gold Tour
* Everything or Nothing at All Tour

Associated acts|

* Nirvana
* Late!
* Tenacious D
* Sunny Day Real Estate
* Germs
* Scream
* Probot
* Killing Joke
* Queens of the Stone Age
* Viva Death
* Nine Inch Nails
* Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders
* The Fire Theft
* Jackson United
* Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
* No Use for a Name
* Them Crooked Vultures
* The Birds of Satan
* The Wallflowers

Films|

* Back and Forth
* Sonic Highways
* Studio 666

Related|

* Discography
* Songs
* Awards and nominations
* Members
* 24 Hours of Foo
* Roswell Records
* Hail Satin

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Award for Best Rock Song

1990s|

* "The Soul Cages" – Sting (songwriter) (1991)
* "Layla" (Unplugged version) – Eric Clapton & Jim Gordon (songwriters) (1992)
* "Runaway Train" – Dave Pirner (songwriter) (1993)
* "Streets of Philadelphia" – Bruce Springsteen (songwriter) (1994)
* "You Oughta Know" – Alanis Morissette & Glen Ballard (songwriters) (1995)
* "Give Me One Reason" – Tracy Chapman (songwriter) (1996)
* "One Headlight" – Jakob Dylan (songwriter) (1997)
* "Uninvited" – Alanis Morissette (songwriter) (1998)
* "Scar Tissue" – Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith (songwriters) (1999)

2000s|

* "With Arms Wide Open" – Scott Stapp & Mark Tremonti (songwriters) (2000)
* "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" – Charlie Colin, Rob Hotchkiss, Pat Monahan, Jimmy Stafford & Scott Underwood (songwriters) (2001)
* "The Rising" – Bruce Springsteen (songwriter) (2002)
* "Seven Nation Army" – Jack White (songwriter) (2003)
* "Vertigo" – Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen & Paul Hewson (songwriters) (2004)
* "City of Blinding Lights" – Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen & Paul Hewson (songwriters) (2005)
* "Dani California" – Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith (songwriters) (2006)
* "Radio Nowhere" – Bruce Springsteen (songwriter) (2007)
* "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" – Bruce Springsteen (songwriter) (2008)
* "Use Somebody" – Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill (songwriters) (2009)

2010s|

* "Angry World" – Neil Young (songwriter) (2010)
* "Walk" – Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett & Pat Smear (songwriters) (2011)
* "Lonely Boy" – Dan Auerbach, Brian Burton & Patrick Carney (songwriters) (2012)
* "Cut Me Some Slack" – Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear (songwriters) (2013)
* "Ain't It Fun" – Hayley Williams & Taylor York (songwriters) (2014)
* "Don't Wanna Fight" – Zac Cockrell, Heath Fogg, Brittany Howard & Steve Johnson (songwriters) (2015)
* "Blackstar" – David Bowie (songwriter) (2016)
* "Run" – Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett & Pat Smear (songwriters) (2017)
* "Masseduction" – Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark (songwriters) (2018)
* "This Land" – Gary Clark Jr. (songwriter) (2019)

2020s|

* "Stay High" – Brittany Howard (songwriter) (2020)
* "Waiting on a War" – Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett & Pat Smear (songwriters) (2021)
* "Broken Horses" – Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth (songwriters) (2022)
* "Not Strong Enough" – Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus (songwriters) (2023)
* "Broken Man" – Annie Clark (songwriter) (2024)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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