Crossfire (Brandon Flowers song)

Last updated

"Crossfire"
Brandon Flowers - Crossfire Single Cover.jpg
Single by Brandon Flowers
from the album Flamingo
B-side "On the Floor 2.0"
Released
  • June 21, 2010 (US)
  • August 23, 2010 (UK)
RecordedApril 3, 2010
Genre Pop rock [1]
Length
  • 4:17 (album version)
  • 3:59 (radio edit)
Label Island
Songwriter(s) Brandon Flowers
Producer(s) Brendan O'Brien
Brandon Flowers singles chronology
"Crossfire"
(2010)		"Only the Young"
(2010)
Music video
Official Music Video on YouTube

"Crossfire" is the debut solo single from singer-songwriter and frontman of The Killers, Brandon Flowers. Written by Flowers himself, and produced by Brendan O'Brien, [2] it is the first single from his debut solo album, Flamingo . A video for the single was released on July 8, 2010, and features actress Charlize Theron.

Contents

Release and promotion

"Crossfire" first appeared when it was leaked online on June 11, 2010. [3] On June 14, it was premiered in the UK on the Zane Lowe Show on BBC Radio 1, where Flowers also gave an interview. [4]

A 10-inch picture disc vinyl was released in the US on August 3, 2010, featuring an acoustic version of "On the Floor" titled "On the Floor 2.0" on the B-side. On the week of the August 23 Brandon Flowers was officially the most played artist on the BBC, despite only having one song available for airplay. Crossfire was on both the A playlist for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. On September 6 "Crossfire" was No. 1 on the NME chart and remained so through September 27 for several weeks. [5] [6]

Critical reception

The song received mixed reviews from critics. Rolling Stone gave the song two-and-a-half stars, saying it "sounds like a Killers B side — standard-issue Boss-meets-Bono dance rock, with Flowers serving up so much meteorological-metaphor fury, you'll want to call FEMA." [7] Of the track, Billboard said "Flowers simply follows the pop direction that his band has taken of late," and that "Flowers may sound a little too eager to assign an epic quality to his first effort as a solo artist, but 'Crossfire' still hints at a promising direction for Flamingo." [8] USA Today said of the song that "The Killers' frontman kicks off solo debut Flamingo with a soaring pop/rock anthem in the band's comfort zone." [9] Flowers said that it is his son Ammon's favorite song on the album. [2]

Music video

The music video premiered on July 8, 2010 on Vevo. It was directed by Australian film director Nash Edgerton and stars actress Charlize Theron. [10] The video features various scenes involving Flowers being tied up as a hostage. Theron kills several ninjas before rescuing him each time. The final scene shows Theron putting her arm around Flowers, while driving away with him in a pick-up truck.

In an interview with Fuse, Flowers revealed that Theron is a fan of The Killers, and that she was interested in being a part of the video. She also led him to Edgerton, who was ultimately chosen to direct the video.

Track listings

iTunes download

  1. "Crossfire" – 4:17

Promo CD

  1. "Crossfire" (radio version) – 3:59
  2. "Crossfire" (album version) – 4:17
  3. "Crossfire" (instrumental) – 4:17

10-inch picture disc

  1. "Crossfire" – 4:17
  2. "On the Floor 2.0" – 3:10

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [34] Silver200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ Gill, Andy (October 23, 2011). "Album: Brandon Flowers, Flamingo (Vertigo)". The Independent.
  2. 1 2 Scaggs, Austin (June 25, 2010). "The Killers' Brandon Flowers: Why I'm Going Solo". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  3. ↑ Lee, Ann (June 15, 2010). "Brandon Flowers debuts solo single Crossfire". Metro . Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  4. ↑ Murray, Robin (June 15, 2010). "The Killers Singer Talks Solo Album". Clash . Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Brandon Flowers tops NME Chart with 'Crossfire' | News". Nme.Com. September 6, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Brandon Flowers beats Mark Ronson to the top of the NME Chart | News". Nme.Com. September 2, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  7. ↑ J.D.. (August 5, 2010), "Brandon's Big Heartache". Rolling Stone. (1110):79
  8. ↑ Clendaniel, Erin (July 24, 2010), "Crossfire". Billboard. 122 (29):49
  9. ↑ Edna Gundersen (June 29, 2010) "Tracks". USA Today.
  10. ↑ "Charlize Theron Saves Brandon Flowers in 'Crossfire' – Viral Videos". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  12. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  13. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  14. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire" (in French). Ultratip.
  15. ↑ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  16. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire". Tracklisten.
  17. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Chart Search" Billboard European Hot 100 Singles for Brandon Flowers. [ dead link ]
  18. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  19. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Crossfire". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Media Forest Week 34, 2010". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest.
  21. ↑ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard.
  22. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Brandon Flowers" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  23. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – {{{song}}}" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire". Top 40 Singles.
  25. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay New . Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  27. ↑ "Brandon Flowers – Crossfire". Swiss Singles Chart.
  28. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  29. ↑ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
  30. ↑ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  31. ↑ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  32. ↑ "Brandon Flowers Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  33. ↑ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  34. ↑ "British single certifications – Brandon Flowers – Crossfire". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved December 11, 2020.
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