Shot at the Night

2013 single by The Killers

"Shot at the Night"

Single by The Killers
from the album  Direct Hits
Released| September 17, 2013
Recorded| 2013
Genre|

* Synth-pop
* pop rock

Length| 4:02
Label| Island
Songwriter(s)| Brandon Flowers
Producer(s)| Anthony Gonzalez
The Killers singles chronology
| "Here with Me"
(2012)  | "Shot at the Night"
(2013)  | "Just Another Girl"
(2013)

|
|

Music video
Shot At The Night on YouTube

"Shot at the Night" is a song by American rock band The Killers. The song serves as the lead single from the band's second compilation album, Direct Hits. The track was unveiled on September 16, 2013, the tenth anniversary of the band's first London show, and sent immediately to mainstream radio.[1]

## Recording and production

[edit]

The song was produced by M83's Anthony Gonzalez, who had supported the band on their Day & Age World Tour. Island Records subsequently suggested Gonzalez as a possible producer for the band, following the success of M83's sixth studio album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (2011). Guitarist Dave Keuning noted, "There was a mutual thing like, 'Yeah we think he's good. We'll try him out.' It's something we finally agreed with our label on."[2]

Regarding the band's collaboration with Gonzalez, vocalist Brandon Flowers stated, "He's one of these new school producers. He's a technical wizard, but you can't discount his musicality. A lot of people do, because of the involvement of computers, but he's a real musician, too. He and Stuart Price may be known for working on the digital side of things, but they're also two of the most musical guys I've ever met."[3]

## Critical reception

[edit]

The song has received positive reviews from music critics. NME listed it top of their "10 tracks you have to hear this week 18/09/13", noting "it's a fittingly triumphant mix of Gonzalez's glittering synth-pop and The Killers' own huge-hearted bombast", adding "it has a euphoric chorus that's as reminiscent of '80s power-pop as the anthemic indie that Nevada's finest have become renowned for."[4]

Spin found the track to be a "space-age jewel — with its sparkling electronics, chest-thumping chorus, and Midnight City-reared percussion".[5]

Rolling Stone believed the song ventures into "the fantasia of Eighties pop-rock soundtracks, dripping with hair spray, swaddled in the fog of dry ice", and concluded the song was "solid",[6] and later listed "Shot at the Night" as the hundredth best song of the year.[7]

## Music video

[edit]

The music video for the song was unveiled on September 26, 2013, and was directed by Roboshobo, who had previously worked with the band on Christmas charity singles 'The Cowboy's Christmas Ball' and 'I Feel It In My Bones'. Regarding the choice of director, lead singer Brandon Flowers noted "We always get a ton of treatments for videos where raunchiness and debauchery are at the forefront, regardless of what fire the song is stoking. We liked that Robert's treatment was different and classy, and he pulled it off."[8]

The video features Dark Shadows actress Bella Heathcote, and The Social Network star Max Minghella.[8] Heathcote portrays a working class hotel maid at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, clearly unsatisfied with her mundane lifestyle, matching the song's melancholic lyrical yearning "Give me a shot at the night...". She accidentally encounters a handsome hotel guest, portrayed by Minghella, and his friends. The two form an instant connection, leading Heathcote's character to abandon her shift and explore Vegas by night with her new found love interest, thus getting her very own "shot at the night".

According to the Nevada Film Commission, the young woman is shown working at the Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino. The video features famous Las Vegas landmarks such as Treasure Island, The Stratosphere, The Cosmopolitan, Luxor, Caesars, and Downtown Las Vegas."[9] Other locations include A Little White Wedding Chapel and Flamingo Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Review Journal ranked it as the #2 Best Music Video Filmed in Las Vegas."[10]

## Live performances

[edit]

The Killers performed the song live for the first time at the Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Killers performed the song live on Later... with Jools Holland on November 5, 2013, Jimmy Kimmel Live on November 12, and Ellen on November 15. They also performed the song live at the MTV Europe Music Awards on November 11, and on BBC Maida Vale Studio 4 on November 7. In total, Shot at the Night has been performed live 314 times as of July 2025.[11]

## In popular culture

[edit]

* In 2014, the song was chosen as the 'musical backdrop' for CBS Sports and Turner Sports' TV coverage of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. A special video was shot by the band at the Skywalk overlooking the Grand Canyon, with the video being shown in various lengths throughout the tournament.[12]
* The song has been used frequently by the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League since the team's establishment in 2017. After the Golden Knights won the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, a commemorative video was released by the team that used the song, with the video titled "A Shot at the Knight".[13]

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (2013)  | Peak
position

|

Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[14] | 11
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[15] | 36
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] | 90
Canada Rock (Billboard)[17] | 34
Ireland (IRMA)[18] | 33
Scotland (OCC)[19] | 19
UK Singles (OCC)[20] | 23
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[21] | 22
US Rock & Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[22] | 25
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[23] | 22
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[24] | 20

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[25] | Gold  | 35,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[26] | Gold  | 30,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[27] | Gold  | 40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] | Silver  | 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[29] | Gold  | 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Accolades

[edit]

Publication  | Country  | Accolade  | Year  | Rank

|
|
|
|

Rolling Stone | United States | 100 Best Songs of 2013[30] | 2013  |

100

BBC Radio 1 | United Kingdom | 100 Hottest Records of 2013[31] | 2013  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Killers premiere new single 'Shot At The Night'". Gigwise. 2013-09-16. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
2. ^ "The Killers Talk Collaborating With M83's Anthony Gonzalez | News". Pitchfork. 2013-08-07. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
3. ^ "The Killers to release hits compilation featuring two new songs - listen | News". Nme.Com. 2013-09-16. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
4. ^ "NME Onrepeat Reviews - 10 Tracks You Have To Hear This Week (18/09/13)". Nme.Com. 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
5. ^ "The Killers Team With M83 for One Glistening 'Shot At the Night' | SPIN | SPIN Mix | Songs". SPIN. 2013-09-16. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
6. ^ "The Killers, Shot at the Night | Song Reviews". Rolling Stone. 2013-09-24. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
7. ^ "100 Best Songs of 2013: The Killers, "Shot at the Night"". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. 2013-12-05. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
8. ^ a b "The Killers unveil Las Vegas set 'Shot At The Night' video - watch | News". Nme.Com. 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
9. ^ "Scene in Nevada:The Killers". nevadafilm.com. 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
10. ^ "The 10 best music videos filmed in Las Vegas". reviewjournal.com. 2015-06-11. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
11. ^ "The Killers Tour Statistics | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
12. ^ "The Killers Take 'Shot at the Night' in NCAA March Madness Video: Watch". Billboard.
13. ^ Vegas Golden Knights (2023-06-19). A Shot At The Knight – Your 2023 Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights. Retrieved 2025-07-01 - via YouTube.
14. ^ "The Killers – Shot At The Night" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
15. ^ "The Killers – Shot At The Night" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
16. ^ "The Killers Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
17. ^ "The Killers Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
18. ^ "Chart Track: Week 46, 2013". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
19. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
20. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
21. ^ "The Killers Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
22. ^ "The Killers Chart History (Rock & Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
23. ^ "The Killers Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
24. ^ "The Killers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
25. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
26. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – The Killers – Shot at the Night" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
27. ^ "Canadian single certifications – The Killers – Shot at the Night". Music Canada. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
28. ^ "British single certifications – The Killers – Shot at the Night". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
29. ^ "American single certifications – The Killers – Shot at the Night". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
30. ^ "100 Best Songs of 2013". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
31. ^ "BBC Radio 1". www.facebook.com.

* v
* t
* e

The Killers

* Brandon Flowers
* Dave Keuning
* Ronnie Vannucci Jr.
* Mark Stoermer

List of the Killers band members

Studio albums|

* Hot Fuss
* Sam's Town
* Day & Age
* Battle Born
* Wonderful Wonderful
* Imploding the Mirage
* Pressure Machine

Compilation albums|

* Sawdust
* Direct Hits
* Don't Waste Your Wishes
* Rebel Diamonds

Live albums|

* Live from the Royal Albert Hall

Extended plays|

* (Red) Christmas EP

Singles|

* "Mr. Brightside"
* "Somebody Told Me"
* "All These Things That I've Done"
* "Smile Like You Mean It"
* "When You Were Young"
* "Bones"
* "Read My Mind"
* "For Reasons Unknown"
* "Shadowplay"
* "Tranquilize"
* "Human"
* "Spaceman"
* "The World We Live In"
* "A Dustland Fairytale"
* "Runaways"
* "Miss Atomic Bomb"
* "Here with Me"
* "Shot at the Night"
* "Just Another Girl"
* "The Man"
* "Run for Cover"
* "Rut"
* "Caution"
* "My Own Soul's Warning"
* "Dying Breed"
* "Dustland"

Other songs|

* "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine"
* "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll"
* "The Way It Was"
* "Wonderful Wonderful"
* "Some Kind of Love"

Christmas songs|

* "A Great Big Sled"
* "Don't Shoot Me Santa"
* "Joseph, Better You than Me"
* "¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!"
* "Boots"
* "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball"
* "I Feel It in My Bones"
* "Christmas in L.A."
* "Joel the Lump of Coal"
* "Dirt Sledding"

Concert tours|

* Hot Fuss Tour
* Battle Born World Tour
* Wonderful Wonderful World Tour
* Imploding the Mirage Tour
* Rebel Diamonds Tour
* 20 Years of Hot Fuss

Related articles|

* Discography
* Songs
* Awards and nominations
* The Heavy Entertainment Show
* Ray Suen
* Tommy Marth
* Ted Sablay
* Ryan Pardey
* Big Talk
* Big Talk
* Straight In No Kissin'
* Izabella Miko
* Flamingo
* Another Life
* The Desired Effect
* Dark Arts
* Prismism

Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

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