B.Y.O.B. (song)

Last updated
"B.Y.O.B."
BYOBSystemofaDown.jpg
Single by System of a Down
from the album Mezmerize
ReleasedMarch 28, 2005 (2005-03-28)
Genre
Length4:15
Label
Composer(s) Daron Malakian
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s)
System of a Down singles chronology
"Boom!"
(2003)		"B.Y.O.B."
(2005)		"Question!"
(2005)
Music video
"B.Y.O.B." on YouTube

B.Y.O.B. ("Bring Your Own Bombs") is a song by American heavy metal band System of a Down. It was released in March 2005 as the lead single from their fourth album, Mezmerize . Like their earlier song "Boom!", it was written as a protest against the Iraq War. [2] The song reached number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking the band's only top 40 hit.

Contents

Music video

Directed by Jake Nava, the music video for "B.Y.O.B." depicts an army of soldiers marching through the streets, wearing paintball masks with television screens projecting words like "Die," "Truth," "Obey," and "Buy." The band members perform in the middle of the street. During the chorus, the band is shown playing inside a nightclub. Midway through the video, co-lead vocalist Daron Malakian screams the lyrics as the soldiers storm the nightclub and force everyone to put on the masks, which display images of television shows and war. At the end of the video, the band members are shown wearing the masks, which display static.

Casey Chaos claimed to have helped write the song in 2002, and Malakian offered him a 2% royalties credit. When Chaos asked for more, the offer was rescinded. [3] Chaos subsequently sold a 50% interest in the song to Maxwood Music Ltd. However, in 2010 a Manhattan court ruled Malakian and Tankian to be the sole writers of the song. [4]

Accolades

Track listing

CD single
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."B.Y.O.B." (Explicit Album version)
  • Tankian
  • Malakian
Malakian4:15
2."Forest" (Explicit Live version)
  • Tankian
  • Malakian
Malakian5:12
3."Prison Song" (Explicit Live version)
  • Tankian
  • Malakian
Malakian3:32
4."Sugar" (Explicit Live version)Tankian
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
4:00
Digital download [First version]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."B.Y.O.B."
  • Tankian
  • Malakian
Malakian4:15
7" single • digital download [Second version]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."B.Y.O.B."
  • Tankian
  • Malakian
Malakian4:15
2."Cigaro"
  • Tankian
  • Malakian
Malakian2:11

Personnel

System of a Down

Chart positions

Weekly chart performance for "B.Y.O.B."
Chart (2005)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [8] 42
Canada Rock Top 30 ( Radio & Records ) [9] 28
UK Singles (OCC) [10] 26
US Billboard Hot 100 [11] 27
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [12] 4
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [13] 4

Certifications

Certifications for "B.Y.O.B."
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI) [14] Gold150,000‡
Italy (FIMI) [15] Gold25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [16] Platinum30,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [17] Gold30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [18] Gold400,000‡
United States (RIAA) [19] 3× Platinum3,000,000‡
Ringtone / Mastertone
United States (RIAA) [20] Platinum1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Rolling Stone Australia (January 28, 2025). "System of a Down, 'B.Y.O.B.'". Rolling Stone Australia.
  2. ↑ Morse, Steve (August 26, 2005). "Pounding out a blistering attack: System of a Down lashes out at Hollywood, war, and hypocrisy". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 5, 2009.
  3. ↑ Perlow, Jonathan. "Judge Rules for Rock Band in 'B.Y.O.B.' Royalty Case, May 2010". courthousenews.com. Courthouse News. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "Judge Rules for Rock Band in 'B.Y.O.B.' Royalty Case". Courthouse News. 2010-05-24. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  5. ↑ "System of a Down Awards: BYOB, Question, Mezmerize". AveoftheStars.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
  6. ↑ Alan Di Perna (https://www.guitarworld.com/features/daron-malakian-21st-century-schizoid-man) (September 29, 2008)
  7. ↑ Fabrizio Pedrotti (https://fabriziopedrotti.com/2019/07/18/shavo-odadjian-system-of-a-down-nunca-va-a-morir/) (July 18, 2019)
  8. ↑ "System of a Down – B.Y.O.B.". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  9. ↑ "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). p. 63. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Chart Log UK 1994-2010" . Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  11. ↑ "System of a Down Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  12. ↑ "System of a Down Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  13. ↑ "System of a Down Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (System of a Down; 'B.Y.O.B.')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Italian single certifications – System of a Down – B.Y.O.B." (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  16. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – System of a Down – B.Y.O.B." Radioscope. Retrieved December 30, 2024.Type B.Y.O.B. in the "Search:" field.
  17. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – System of a Down – B.Y.O.B." El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  18. ↑ "British single certifications – System of a Down – Byob". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  19. ↑ "American single certifications – System of a Down – B.Y.O.B." Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  20. ↑ "American single certifications – System of a Down – B.Y.O.B." Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved April 15, 2020.
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