Weightless (All Time Low song)

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"Weightless"
Single by All Time Low
from the album Nothing Personal
ReleasedMarch 24, 2009 (2009-03-24)
Recorded2009
GenrePop punk[1]
Length3:18
LabelHopeless
Songwriter(s)
All Time Low singles chronology
"Poppin' Champagne"
(2008)
"Weightless"
(2009)
"Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)"
(2009)

"Weightless" is a song by American rock band All Time Low and the first and lead single from the group's third studio album Nothing Personal (2009). The single was released through Hopeless Records as a digital download on April 7, 2009, and was released in the UK on August 3, 2009.[2] The song is also available to download on the music video games Rock Band and Guitar Hero 5. It became the first song by the band to receive radio airplay, exposing the band to a new audience, and helping it peak at No. 104 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has become a live staple, and is considered to be one of the band's signature songs along with "Dear Maria, Count Me In". In 2014 the song was certified Gold by the RIAA.[3]

Meaning[edit]

Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth stated in an interview with MTVu that "The whole mentality of the song is like, you feel like you're stuck in this like, negative space and you just want to get out. Summer's rolling up and uh, everybody's finishing up with school and everybody's getting like the exam beatdown".[citation needed]

In the Nothing Personal album trailer, Jack Barakat said that the song is about not wanting to grow up and just wanting to be a kid.[citation needed]

Music video[edit]

The music video for "Weightless" commenced filming on May 20, directed by Matthew Stawski.[4] Fans were invited to go on the set and be a part of the music video. It debuted on MTV, MTV2, mtvU and HITS the day before the album's release, on July 6, 2009.[5][6] The video opens with Alex Gaskarth being spoken to by some groupies backstage, with text representing his inner monologue, saying things over the girls such as "Only wants your money", "Obsessed", and "Get a restraining order on her." The video continues in this manner with the camera tracking through the venue; situations include Gaskarth backstage being pampered by crew members while text says that lead singers are spoiled, and also for people such as the merchandise seller, the roadies and crew, and various crowd members (including one who thinks "I'd rather be watching Fall Out Boy.") The video also features cameo appearances by Pete Wentz, bassist of Fall Out Boy, and Mark Hoppus, bassist and vocalist of Blink-182 with a joke that Wentz tweets to Hoppus via mobile that All Time Low rips off Fall Out Boy. Hoppus then despairingly thinks to himself that both All Time Low and Fall Out Boy rip off Blink-182. The video ends with the slogan Nothing Personal, which is not only a reference to the album, but is also the theme of the video.[4]

Chart and certifications[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pauker, Lance (January 22, 2014). "49 Phenomenally Angsty Pop-Punk Songs From The 2000s You Forgot Existed". Thought Catalog. The Thought & Expression Co. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  2. ^ "All Time Low Confirm UK Release Details for 'Nothing Personal'". Rocklouder. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
  3. ^ "All Time Low's "Weightless" officially certified Gold". Alternative Press. November 15, 2014.
  4. ^ a b "New Video: All Time Low, 'Weightless'". MTV Buzzworthy Blog. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  5. ^ "All Time Low streaming Nothing Personal on MTV.com". Alternative Punk. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
  6. ^ "MTV.Com to Premiere All Time Low's New Album, Nothing Personal". Altsounds. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
  7. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  8. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  9. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  10. ^ "All Time Low Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  11. ^ "British single certifications – All Time Low – Weightless". British Phonographic Industry.
  12. ^ "American single certifications – All Time Low – Weightless". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links[edit]