Burning in the Skies

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"Burning in the Skies"
Single by Linkin Park
from the album A Thousand Suns
B-side
  • "Blackout" (Live)
  • "When They Come for Me" (Live)
ReleasedMarch 21, 2011 (2011-03-21)
Recorded2008–2010
GenreAlternative rock[1]
Length
  • 4:13 (album version)
  • 4:01 (radio edit)
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Linkin Park
Producer(s)
Linkin Park singles chronology
"Waiting for the End"
(2010) 		"Burning in the Skies"
(2011) 		"Iridescent"
(2011)
Music video
"Burning in the Skies" on YouTube

"Burning in the Skies" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. It was announced as the band's third single from their fourth studio album, A Thousand Suns, on January 20, 2011, and it was released on March 21.[2] A music video for the single was directed by Joe Hahn, Linkin Park's turntablist. It was released in the United States to the Nielsen BDS adult contemporary indicator chart by February 2011, although it was clarified by vocalist Mike Shinoda that it is an international-only single,[3] hence not charting in any Billboard charts.

"Burning in the Skies" (along with five other songs from A Thousand Suns) is featured in the "Linkin Park Track Pack" as downloadable content for the rhythm video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. The track pack was released on October 19, 2010.

Music video[edit]

Filming for the music video occurred from January 17 through 19, 2011, with Joe Hahn and lead vocalist Mike Shinoda tweeting about filming the video.[4][5]

The international music video was directed by Joe Hahn. The video premiered on kerrang.com on February 22.[6] The video was also uploaded on YouTube by Linkin Park on their official YouTube channel linkinparktv. The entire video is in slow motion. It shows the final activities of random people (a teen party; a couple in a car; a girl in her bathroom; another girl studying with her computer; an old man dining alone; and a kid running with pajamas and a lion mask) before being caught in a blast radius of what seems to be a nuclear explosion in downtown Los Angeles. The explosion happens when the guitar solo starts. Then the band members are seen in darkness with effects similar to the ones used in the "Waiting for the End" music video, although they do not sing or perform their instruments in accordance to the song.

As of November 2023, the music video for "Burning in the Skies" has over 60 million views on YouTube.[7]

The behind-the-scenes video for "Burning in the Skies" was released on March 29, 2011.[8]

Live performances[edit]

The song made its debut full live performance at their Melbourne, Australia show on December 13, 2010 during their A Thousand Suns World Tour as the chorus had been sung by Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington after the bridge of "Bleed It Out" in several shows of the tour.

Reception[edit]

Jean Dean Wells of AOL Radio praised the song, saying that the band "delivered an upbeat track that could play just as easily on any pop radio station."[9]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Linkin Park

CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Burning in the Skies"4:13
2."Blackout" (Live)4:36

All tracks are written by Linkin Park

iTunes EP
No.TitleLength
1."Burning in the Skies"4:13
2."Blackout" (Live)4:36
3."When They Come for Me" (Live)5:21

All tracks are written by Linkin Park

Promotional radio CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Burning in the Skies" (Edit)4:01

Personnel[edit]

Commercial performance[edit]

Since Shinoda confirmed that it is an international-only single,[3] the single did not chart on any Billboard charts aside from debuting on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart for a solitary week at 37 solely on the strength of digital downloads of the song following the release of A Thousand Suns. The single received moderate success on the charts where it charted. It peaked within the Top 40 on the Austrian, German Airplay, and Portuguese charts, while it was a Top 20 hit on the UK Rock & Metal Chart peaking at number 16 and staying on the UK Rock & Metal charts for two weeks.

Charts[edit]

Chart (2010−11) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 35
Germany (Official German Charts)[11] 43
Germany Airplay (Official German Charts)[12] 26
Portugal (AFP)[13] 35
Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade)[10] 41
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[14] 16
US Rock Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[15] 37

References[edit]

  1. ^ Yadav, Dylan (May 18, 2017). "The End Of Humanity Is Foretold In Linkin Park's "A Thousand Suns"". Immortal Reviews. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  2. ^ "Linkin Park Announce Their New Single 'Burning In The Skies'". Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Burning In The Skies Video Premiere". Archived from the original on January 1, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  4. ^ Joe Hahn Tweet
  5. ^ Mike Shinoda Tweet
  6. ^ "Watch Linkin Park's new video!". Kerrang!.
  7. ^ Linkin Park (February 22, 2011). "Burning In The Skies (Official International Video) - Linkin Park". YouTube. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  8. ^ LPTV - Making of the "Burning in the Skies" Music Video on YouTube
  9. ^ James Dean Wells (February 1, 2011). "Linkin Park, 'Burning in the Skies' -- New Song". AOL Radio. aolradioblog.com. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Linkin Park - Burning In The Skies - Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  11. ^ Musikwoche
  12. ^ German Airplay Chart Archived April 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on June 3, 2011
  13. ^ "PORTUGAL SINGLES TOP 50". Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. April 3, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. September 19, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  15. ^ "Linkin Park Chart History (Rock Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. October 2, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
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