The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
Description
“Seven Nation Army” is a song by American rock duo The White Stripes. It is the opening track on their fourth studio album, Elephant (2003). V2 Records released the song to American alternative radio on February 17, 2003, as the lead single from the album. Worldwide, the single was issued through XL Recordings. Written and produced by Jack White, the song consists of distorted vocals, a simple drumbeat, and a bass-like riff created by playing a guitar through a pitch shift effect.
The song charted in multiple countries, and its success contributed to the popularity of the White Stripes and the garage rock revival movement. In addition to praising its riff and drumbeat, critics have ranked “Seven Nation Army” as one of the best songs of the 2000s decade. It won Best Rock Song at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, and a music video for the song directed by Alex and Martin won Best Editing in a Video at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
“Seven Nation Army” has become a sports anthem, commonly appearing in audience chants in which a series of “oh” sounds or the name of an athlete is sung to the tune of the song’s riff. It has also served as a theme song for sports teams, personalities, and events, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The song has grown in popularity due to its usage in sports; its riff has been described as “ubiquitous”, and the song has experienced increased commercial success, charting intermittently in multiple countries and receiving a gold certification from Germany’s Federal Music Industry Association, a platinum certification from the Federation of the Italian Music Industry and a multi-platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry.
The song has appeared in various media and has been used in political events in the United Kingdom, particularly as a chant sung by audiences. Various artists have covered “Seven Nation Army”, including Ben l’Oncle Soul and Marcus Collins, both of whose covers reached charts in multiple countries. Third Man Records issued re-releases of the song in 2014 and 2015.
