"Drive" is a song by American rock band Incubus,released on November 14,2000,as the third single from their third album,Make Yourself (1999). It is the band's biggest hit and breakthrough single,eventually reaching the top of the US BillboardModern Rock Tracks chart on March 3,2001,and number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 28,2001. It also reached number four in Portugal,number 13 in New Zealand,number 34 in Australia,and number 40 in the United Kingdom. In 2001,"Drive" won Modern Rock Single of the Year at the 2001 Billboard Music Awards.[3] Director Bill Draheim documented the making of "Drive" in Save Me from My Half-Life Drive.
According to Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd,"The lyric is basically about fear,about being driven all your life by it and making decisions from fear. It's about imagining what life would be like if you didn't live it that way."[4][5]
Reception and legacy
Sean Adams of Drowned in Sound gave the song an 8 out of 10 in his 2001 review. He wrote that "maybe it can be called a rock ballad,I mean it does have the odd harmony,drum smack and a guitar or two. What makes this different is the lil’samples and scratches and the voice of Brandon." Adams also added,"by stereotypical definition Brandon Boyd is a heartthrob,but to thousands (at the moment),rather than millions and that is because for some reason Incubus haven't had the kick from the media they deserve."[6]
In 2023,for the 35th anniversary of the Alternative Airplay chart (which was called Modern Rock Tracks at the time of the song's release),Billboard ranked "Drive" as the 15th-most successful song in the chart's history.[7][8] That same year,"Drive" and Hoobastank's "The Reason" both experienced surges in streaming numbers after being featured on an episode of Netflix's series Beef. Billboard described the two songs as a "pair of alt-metal ballads."[9] The publication also placed it 82nd on a 2021 list of "The 100 Greatest Car Songs of All Time".[10] In 2024,Consequence of Sound placed it 37th on their list of the "50 best post-grunge songs",stating that "Incubus' Brandon Boyd has garnered many comparisons to Faith No More's Mike Patton,who bore his own influence on the post-grunge scene —but on 'Drive,' the band combined their smartest impulses to form their signature hit,with a sound only Incubus could boast."[11]
In 2024,the staff of Consequence included the song in their list of "50 Kick-Butt Post-Grunge Songs We Can Get Behind".[12]
↑"Song Facts – Drive by Incubus". Facts about songs. Tone Fuse Music. Retrieved October 8, 2011. The lyric is basically about fear, about being driven all your life by it and making decisions from fear. It's about imagining what life would be like if you didn't live it that way.
↑Drive (UK CD single liner notes). Incubus. Epic Records. 2001. 671378 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑Drive (UK 7-inch EP liner notes). Incubus. Epic Records. 2001. 671378 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑Drive (European CD1 liner notes). Incubus. Epic Records. 2001. EPC 6710401.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12Drive (European CD2 liner notes). Incubus. Epic Records. 2001. EPC 671040 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑"מדיה פורסט – המצעד הבינלאומי השבועי – Week 7 – 09/02 – 15/02/2025"[Media Forest – International Weekly Chart – Week 7 – 09/02 – 15/02/2025] (Select the year 2025 and the option "07 09-02-25 15-02-25" from the stretched lists, then click "שירים מובילים - רדיו - בינלאומי" to see the chart.) (in Hebrew). Media Forest. February 16, 2025. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
Website of the animated short film 'I move so I am' (The Netherlands, 1997) of animator Gerrit van Dijk on which the official music video "Drive" was based.
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