Black Chandelier

Last updated
"Black Chandelier"
Black Chandelier Artwork.jpg
Single by Biffy Clyro
from the album Opposites
B-side
  • "The Rain"
  • "Thundermonster"
  • "Many of Horror"
  • "City of Dreadful Night"
  • "Milky"
Released14 January 2013
Recorded2011–2012
Studio Ocean Way Recording, Los Angeles
Length4:06
Label 14th Floor
Songwriter Simon Neil
Producer Garth "GGGarth" Richardson
Biffy Clyro singles chronology
"God and Satan"
(2010)		"Black Chandelier"
(2013)		"Biblical"
(2013)

"Black Chandelier" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Biffy Clyro, first released in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2013 as the lead single from the band's sixth studio album, Opposites (2013). [1] The track received its first play on 19 November 2012, having been selected as BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World. [2] The music video was directed by Big TV. [3] It was the second song, but first official, to be released following a premiere of the non–album track "Stingin’ Belle". [4]

Contents

Background and release

The song was released as the lead single from Opposites , and debuted on BBC Radio 1 and on YouTube on 19 November 2012. The release of the single was announced to take place on 14 January 2013. [5] Actor Ricki Hall disclosed on his Twitter account that the video for the song was being filmed. [6] The video was released on 11 December. [7] Alex Meehan from the University of Southampton music magazine wrote that the song "encapsulates the morbid, wishful feel of the album Opposites, within an individual, concentrated dose" and is a song "infused with dark humour and malevolent undertones". [8] Lyrically, "Black Chandelier" has been described as exploring the themes of both emotional rejection and self-doubt. [8]

Commercially, the single debuted within the top ten of the Scottish Singles Charts at number 8, [9] whilst in the United Kingdom it debuted at number 14 on the UK Singles Charts and number 1 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Charts. [10] It was subsequently certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it reached number 25 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay charts, whilst in peaked at number 38 on the Canada Rock Singles charts. It reached the Top 100 of the singles charts in both the Czech Republic and Ireland.

Reception

Critically, Dan Martin from NME said that the song was "a proper single to get us excited about next year’s album", describing it as "one of their most understated songs ever". [11]

Track listing

Digital download [12]
No.TitleLength
1."Black Chandelier"4:05
2."The Rain"2:21
3."Thundermonster"3:27
4."Many of Horror" (Live at RockNess 2012)4:27
Vinyl [13]
No.TitleLength
1."Black Chandelier"4:05
2."Milky"3:35
RSD Exclusive Vinyl Release [13]
No.TitleLength
1."Black Chandelier" (Live Zurich, Switzerland 19.01.13)"3:57
2."City of Dreadful Night"4:49

Charts

Chart (2013)Peak
position
Canada Rock ( Billboard ) [14] 38
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100) [15] 50
Ireland (IRMA) [16] 75
Scotland Singles (OCC) [17] 8
UK Singles (OCC) [18] 14
UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [19] 1
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [20] 25

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [21] Silver200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat
United Kingdom19 November 2012 [2] Radio airplay
13 January 2013 [12] Digital Download
14 January 2013 [13] Vinyl

References

  1. ↑ "News - First Play of New Single 'Black Chandelier' Tonight!!". Biffy Clyro. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Hottest Record in the World: Biffy Clyro 'Black Chandelier'". BBC. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  3. ↑ "Biffy Clyro "Black Chandeliers" (BigTV, Dir.)". VideoStatic. January 2, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  4. ↑ Renshaw, David (19 November 2012). "Biffy Clyro premiere new single 'Black Chandelier' - listen". NME. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  5. ↑ Isle Interactive Ltd. "Biffy Clyro News & Updates - The official Biffy Clyro website". Biffy Clyro. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "Ricki Hall on Twitter". Twitter.
  7. ↑ "NME News Biffy Clyro premiere new video 'Black Chandelier' – watch - NME.COM". NME.COM. 11 December 2012.
  8. 1 2 Meehan, Alex (13 February 2013). "Biffy Clyro – 'Black Chandelier'". theedgesusu.co.uk.
  9. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 20/1/2013". Official Charts. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  10. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart on 20/1/2013". Official Charts. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  11. ↑ "Biffy Clyro - 'Black Chandelier'". NME. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Biffy Clyro - 'Black Chandelier' - Digital EP". iTunes . Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 "Biffy Clyro - 'Black Chandelier' - Vinyl". Amazon . Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "Biffy Clyro Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  15. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 8. týden 2013 in the date selector. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  16. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Biffy Clyro". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  17. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  18. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  19. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  20. ↑ "Biffy Clyro Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  21. ↑ "British single certifications – Biffy Clyro – Black Chandelier". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 26 January 2021.
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