Powerless (song)
| "Powerless" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Promotional single by Linkin Park from the album Living Things | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Released | October 31, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Format | Digital download | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Recorded |
2011–2012 at NRG Recording Studios (North Hollywood, California) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Alternative rock, electronic rock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 3:44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Label | Warner Bros., Machine Shop Recordings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Writer | Linkin Park | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Producer | Mike Shinoda, Rick Rubin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Powerless" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. The song was written by the band and produced by co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin. Its working title was "Tinfoil", which also served as the intro to the song. It was released on iTunes as a digital single from their fifth studio album Living Things on October 31, 2012, in Japan. The release included the "Powerless" artwork and featured just the one track.
Composition
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"Powerless"
 A 59 second sample of the chorus and the outro of the song.
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"Powerless" is a mid-tempo song[1] that features a lock-step breaks, soaring harmonies and synthesizer whispers.[2] The song has a piano-based production and is described by Spin as having a "electro-goth atmosphere like Bruno Mars on the most recent Twilight soundtrack".[3] The Silver Tongue Online described the song as "a foundation of busy percussion and electronica, a sweeping chorus and Coldplay-worthy bridge".[4] It's also been described as a "surging, slow-burning, classically Linkin Park anthem".[5] Lyrically, the song is about a self-destructive friend or lover.[6]
Promotion
"Powerless", the twelfth and closing track of the album, is featured in the closing credits to the film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.[7] A performance music video of "Powerless" featuring scenes from the film was released on Yahoo!, serving as the film's music trailer.[8] The music video was directed by Timur Bekmambetov, director of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.[9] The video was filmed in Berlin, Germany.[9] Bekmambetov screened the film for the band, who reacted positively to the film, and believed that the band had a song that would fit into the film; hence, "Powerless" was chosen.[9]
It was used in a commercial promoting the second season of the NBC show Revolution, following the usage of "Roads Untraveled" in a commercial promoting the first season.
Reception
Billboard lists "Powerless" as an example "of why Linkin Park remains vital while its nu-metal compatriots have more or less fallen by the wayside".[2] AltSounds.com says the song is "certainly bigger and bolder than the majority of the album's songs, but it still doesn't shake you to your core like I wish it would".[10]
Music video
Chester Bennington has confirmed in an interview that a music video will be shot for "Powerless".[11] Music for Relief premiered the promotion video of "Powerless" on November 27, 2012.[12] The two-minute video was a compilation between the "Powerless" footage filmed for the trailer of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and clips of the Music for Relief's Power the World campaign.[12]
Tracklist
| Digital single | ||||||||||
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| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Powerless" | 3:44 | ||||||||
Charts
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Rock (Official Charts Company) | 40[13] |
References
- ↑ "Linkin Park News - Linkin Park - Living Things Review". Artists.letssingit.com. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "New Music Releases, Music Reviews, Album Releases & Song Releases". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ↑ Wood, Mikael. "Linkin Park, 'Living Things' (Warner Bros./WEA) | SPIN | Albums | Critical Mass". SPIN. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ↑ Wesley, Justin (2012-06-21). "Linkin Park – Living Things". Thesilvertongueonline.com. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
- ↑ Grimmie, Destiny (2012-06-19). "Album Review: Linkin Park – 'Living Things’". Ology. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ↑ "Linkin Park - Living Things Review". Rock.about.com. 2012-06-26. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ↑ Gallo, Phil (2012-06-13). "Linkin Park Score 'Abe Lincoln' End Credits". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
- ↑ "Linkin Park & Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Exclusive". Yahoo!. 2012-06-16. Retrieved 2012-06-16.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Linkin Park song featured in end credits of 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily. 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ↑ "Review: Linkin Park – Living Things [Album] | Altsounds.com Reviews". Hangout.altsounds.com. 2012-07-03. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ↑ "VMusic - Music News - Latest local and international music news". [V] Music. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Music For Relief premiered the new POWERLESS Video 11/27". Lpassociation.com. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
- ↑ "2012-07-07 Top 40 Rock & Metal Singles Archive". Official Charts. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
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