King for a Day (Pierce the Veil song)

Last updated
"King for a Day"
KingForADay2019Vinyl.jpg
Cover of the 2019 re-release specially for the 25th anniversary of Fearless Records
Single by Pierce the Veil featuring Kellin Quinn
from the album Collide with the Sky
ReleasedJune 5, 2012
Recorded2012
Genre Post-hardcore [ citation needed ]
Length
  • 3:56
  • (4:53 music video version)
Label Fearless
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pierce the Veil singles chronology
"Bulletproof Love"
(2010)
"King for a Day"
(2012)
"Bulls in the Bronx"
(2012)
Music video
"King for a Day" on YouTube

King for a Day is a song by American rock band Pierce the Veil, released on June 5, 2012, by Fearless Records. It features guest vocals by Kellin Quinn of Sleeping with Sirens. It was the first single released from their third album Collide with the Sky (2012).

Contents

On August 6, 2012, an official music video was released. The song charted on Hot Rock Songs and the Digital Rock Songs charts, both published by Billboard . "King for a Day" was nominated for both Best Single and Best Video at the 2013 Kerrang! Awards.

As of May 2023, the music video has accumulated over 159.1 million views on YouTube. [1]

Background and recording

The title of the song came from drummer Mike Fuentes. [2] In an interview with Revolver, lead vocalist Vic Fuentes said he was impressed by the title. [2] Together with Curtis Peoples and Steve Miller, Fuentes started to write the song lyrics in a small cabin in Big Bear Lake, California which became later a small recording studio. [2]

Because of the fans, the band contacted Kellin Quinn of Sleeping with Sirens asking if he was interested in being featured on the song. [2] They never met before but Fuentes decided to write to him on Twitter. Quinn decided to collaborate with Pierce the Veil. [2] His vocal parts were recorded in a second studio. While producing the song, Pierce the Veil and Kellin Quinn wrote together via email. [3]

Meaning

This song is about getting pushed past the breaking point. In an interview, Fuentes stated he sometimes has too many things around his mind at once so he isn't able to control his mind or his body at times. [2]

Music video

An official music video was directed by Drew Russ who would get involved later in their music video for "Bulls in the Bronx". [4] On June 25, 2012 Alternative Press announced Pierce the Veil started working on a new music video. [5] On August 2, 2012, the band published an official trailer for the music video. [6] Four days later the video officially was premiered on Vevo. [7]

The video portrays Vic Fuentes and Kellin Quinn as bankers. The bank manager Mr. Smalls asks both to stay in the bank overnight to correct the sales values for an IRS audit. In doing this they discover that Mr. Smalls transferred more than $2,500,000 to an offshore bank in Switzerland (although it is written as "Switerland" in the music video), which was most likely the reason for the forced pay cut the employees had taken a week before.

At the beginning of the second verse, Quinn and Fuentes meet with other people (played by the other band members of Pierce the Veil) who plan to rob the bank. In the chorus, Fuentes and Quinn enter the building in black suits. In the bridge, the gang arrive and get into the bank. Mr. Smalls is caught by a robber while all the bankers hide. The robbers get into the safe-deposit and start collecting the money in bags, which they later give to the employees. While he is tied up Mr. Smalls pees all over himself. When they're ready to flee, one of the robbers shoots Mr. Smalls with a water gun at which point he realizes they have cheated him.

At the end of the video, the robbers celebrate their victory while Mr. Smalls is arrested due to tax evasion and embezzlement and sentenced to 25 years in prison, which was released on the news station the robbers watch during their celebration.

A behind-the-scenes-video was published on October 3, 2012, on YouTube. [8]

Equipment

Reception

Commercial

"King for a Day" was released as the first single of Collide with the Sky on June 5, 2012. [9] On the same day a lyric-video was published on YouTube which got nearly 30 million views. [9] On August 6, 2012, the official music video was released and has garnered 137 million views as of October 17, 2021. [6]

The single charted on the U.S. Billboard Digital Rock Songs where it peaked at 29, and on the Hot Rock Songs chart with a peak of 37. [10] The song also peaked at 28 in the UK Rock & Metal Singles Charts. [10] In November 2014, the song was certified Gold by the RIAA for having sold more than 500,000 units in the U.S. [11] On October 29, 2019, it was announced the single went Platinum, selling more than one million units digitally.

On May 12, 2015, it was revealed that "King for a Day" will be one of the playable songs in the video game Guitar Hero Live . [12] It was also announced that King for a Day will be available for downloadable content for Rock Band 4 when pre-ordered digitally on Xbox One. [13]

On August 17, 2022, "King for a Day" reached 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hard Rock Streaming Songs Chart, 7 on the Rock Streaming Songs Chart, 6 on Alternative Streaming Songs Chart, and 21 on Alternative Digital Song Sales Chart thanks to a surge in usage of the song on Tik-Tok. [14]

Awards

Charts

Chart performance for "King for a Day"
Chart (2012)Peak
position
UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [16] 28
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [17] 37

Certifications

Certifications for "King for a Day"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [18] Platinum80,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [19] Silver200,000
United States (RIAA) [20] Platinum1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierce the Veil</span> American rock band

Pierce the Veil is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 2006. Founded by brothers Vic and Mike Fuentes after the disbanding of Before Today, which formed out of the San Diego punk rock scene. Jaime Preciado and Tony Perry joined the group in 2007, on bass and lead guitar respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic Fuentes</span> American singer-songwriter and musician (born 1983)

Victor Vincent Fuentes is an American musician. He is the co-founder, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil, which he founded with his brother Mike Fuentes in 2006.

<i>Selfish Machines</i> 2010 studio album by Pierce the Veil

Selfish Machines is the second album by American rock band Pierce the Veil, released by Equal Vision Records on June 22, 2010. Produced by Vic Fuentes and Mike Green, it was recorded in late 2009 and early 2010. Fuentes wrote most of the songs himself, and co-wrote three songs with ex–A Day to Remember guitarist Tom Denney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleeping with Sirens</span> American rock band

Sleeping with Sirens is an American rock band from Orlando, Florida, currently residing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The band currently consists of Kellin Quinn, touring lead guitarist Tony Pizzuti, Nick Martin, Justin Hills and Matty Best. The band was formed in 2009 by members of For All We Know and Paddock Park. The group is currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released six full-length albums and an acoustic EP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kellin Quinn</span> American musician (born 1986)

Kellin Quinn Bostwick is an American singer and musician. He is the lead vocalist and keyboardist of the post-hardcore band Sleeping with Sirens. He is known for his distinctive vocals and for collaborating with other artists, as well as the SEGA Sound Team on the game Sonic Frontiers (2022). Some of his best known collaborations are on the tracks "King for a Day" with Pierce the Veil, and "Love Race" with Machine Gun Kelly.

<i>Lets Cheers to This</i> 2011 studio album by Sleeping with Sirens

Let's Cheers to This is the second studio album by American rock band Sleeping with Sirens. The album is the first to feature guitarists Jesse Lawson and Jack Fowler.

<i>Collide with the Sky</i> 2012 studio album by Pierce the Veil

Collide with the Sky is the third studio album by American post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil, released on July 17, 2012, by Fearless Records. The album spawned the hit songs "King for a Day", "A Match into Water", "Bulls in the Bronx" and "Hell Above", all of which remain staples of the group's discography.

<i>Feel</i> (Sleeping with Sirens album) 2013 studio album by Sleeping with Sirens

Feel is the third studio album by American rock band Sleeping with Sirens was released by June 4, 2013. This is the last album released on Rise. The entire album was produced by Cameron Mizell who had produced their debut album. It is the final album to feature rhythm guitarist Jesse Lawson who left the band later in 2013. The album also features guest appearances by Fronz (Attila), Matty Mullins and Shayley Bourget.

<i>Hollow Bodies</i> 2013 studio album by Blessthefall

Hollow Bodies is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. It was released on August 20, 2013, through Fearless Records and produced by Joey Sturgis. It is the third album to include lead singer Beau Bokan, second album to include rhythm guitarist, Elliott Gruenberg and the first to include the same members in consecutive albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Love Like War</span> 2013 single by All Time Low featuring Vic Fuentes

"A Love Like War" is a song by American rock band All Time Low for the reissue of their fifth studio album Don't Panic: It's Longer Now! (2013). Written and produced by the band's lead vocalist/guitarist Alex Gaskarth and Mike Green, and featuring the input of Pierce The Veil's lead vocalist Vic Fuentes, the song was released through Hopeless Records on September 2, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kick Me (song)</span> 2014 single by Sleeping With Sirens

"Kick Me" is a song performed by American post-hardcore band Sleeping With Sirens released on November 10, 2014 on Epitaph Records. The song was produced by John Feldmann and is the lead single off of the band's fourth studio album Madness, released on March 17, 2015. The song marks the band's first release on Epitaph Records following their departure from their former label Rise Records. "Kick Me" won Song of the Year award by Alternative Press.

<i>Madness</i> (Sleeping with Sirens album) 2015 studio album by Sleeping with Sirens

Madness is the fourth studio album by American rock band Sleeping with Sirens. The album was released on March 17, 2015 through Epitaph Records. The album was self-produced by the band and John Feldmann. The album is the band's first release following their departure from Rise Records in 2014. It is their first album record to feature guitarist Nick Martin of D.R.U.G.S. and Underminded who replace former guitarist Jesse Lawson. Madness was preceded by lead single "Kick Me" as well as a string of digital singles. The album continues the band's progression to a more pop rock–style sound, but retains some post-hardcore influences on tracks.

"The Divine Zero" is a song by American rock band Pierce the Veil. It was released as the lead single off of their fourth studio album, Misadventures, on June 18, 2015, via digital download. The song was written by vocalist Vic Fuentes and produced by Dan Korneff. "The Divine Zero" was nominated for Song Of The Year at the 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards.

<i>Misadventures</i> (Pierce the Veil album) 2016 studio album by Pierce the Veil

Misadventures is the fourth studio album by American rock band Pierce the Veil released by Fearless Records on May 13, 2016. Initially expected to be released during the summer of 2015, the album was postponed several times before its subsequent release. The album serves as a follow-up to the group's third studio album, Collide with the Sky (2012). It was produced by Dan Korneff and was recorded throughout 2014 and 2015 on Long Island, New York.

<i>Live and Unplugged</i> 2016 live album by Sleeping with Sirens

Live and Unplugged is the debut live album and second acoustic release by American rock band Sleeping with Sirens. It was released on April 8, 2016 worldwide by Epitaph. The lead single, a different version of "Gold", a track from the band's previous album, Madness (2015), was released on February 12, 2016.

"The Best of Me" is a song by American rock band the Starting Line from their debut studio album Say It Like You Mean It (2002). The song was released as the album's lead single on June 16, 2003 through Drive-Thru Records. It was written by vocalist/bassist Kenny Vasoli, guitarist Matt Watts, drummer Tom Gryskiewicz, and guitarist Mike Golla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circles (Pierce the Veil song)</span> 2016 single by Pierce the Veil

"Circles" is a song by American rock band Pierce the Veil. It was released as the third streaming single from the group's fourth full-length studio album, Misadventures, on April 27, 2016. It was co-written by frontman Vic Fuentes and Curtis Peoples and was produced by Dan Korneff.

<i>How It Feels to Be Lost</i> 2019 studio album by Sleeping with Sirens

How It Feels to Be Lost is the sixth studio album by American rock band Sleeping with Sirens, released through Sumerian Records on September 6, 2019. It serves as a follow-up to the group's 2017 album Gossip, and is their first release on Sumerian since departing with Warner Bros. Records and marks a return to the band's post-hardcore roots. It is also their final album to feature longtime drummer Gabe Barham, who departed from the band a week before the album's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Race</span> 2021 single by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Kellin Quinn

"Love Race" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly featuring fellow American musician Kellin Quinn of the band Sleeping with Sirens, released through Bad Boy and Interscope on April 29, 2021. In collaboration with frequent collaborator Travis Barker, "Love Race" was later included on the European and Japanese editions of Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022).

The Jaws of Life is the fifth studio album by American rock band Pierce the Veil, released on February 10, 2023. This is the band's first album not to feature drummer Mike Fuentes, with Brad Hargreaves of Third Eye Blind filling in. The band parted ways with Fuentes in 2017, following allegations of sexual misconduct. It is their first album to have a title track. The first single, "Pass the Nirvana", was released on September 1, 2022, marking the first piece of new material from the band since their 2016 album Misadventures. The album was announced November 11, 2022, along with the release of a second single, "Emergency Contact". The third single, "Even When I'm Not with You", was released January 12, 2023.

References

  1. Pierce The Veil - King for a Day ft. Kellin Quinn , retrieved 2023-05-12
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Revolver : Pierce the Veil Frontman Vic Fuentes Discusses New Song, “King for a Day,” Featuring Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens
  3. Sebastian Berning: Powermetal.de : PIERCE THE VEIL: INTERVIEW MIT VIC FUENTES (German)
  4. Michael Depland: MTV Buzzworthy : Go Behind The Scenes Of Pierce The Veil's ‘Bulls In The Bronx’ Video Shoot! (PHOTOS) Archived 2013-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Michele Bird: Alternative Press : Pierce The Veil shooting “King For A Day” video
  6. 1 2 Michele Bird: Alternative Press: Pierce The Veil release “King For A Day” video preview
  7. Cassie Whitt: Alternative Press: Pierce The Veil post “King For A Day” video featuring Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens)
  8. Michele Bird: Alternative Press: Pierce The Veil release behind-the-scenes look at “King For A Day” video shoot
  9. 1 2 Tyler Common: Alternative Press : Pierce The Veil release “King For A Day” lyric video featuring Kellin Quinn Archived 2013-10-22 at the Wayback Machine
  10. 1 2 Charts: US Digital Rock Songs, US Hot Rock Songs, UK Rock & Metal Singles
  11. Tyler Sharp: Alternative Press: Pierce The Veil's “King For A Day” certified Gold Archived 2014-11-13 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Daniel Kreps: Rolling Stone : Exclusive: Rolling Stones, Green Day Lead 'Guitar Hero Live' Set List
  13. Evan Campbell: IGN : PRE-ORDER ROCK BAND 4 DIGITALLY, GET A BUNCH OF FREE SONGS
  14. Rogers, Jack (2022-08-17). "Pierce The Veil's 'King For a Day' Is No.01 On The Billboard Hard Rock Streaming Songs Chart". Rock Sound. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  15. Rhian Jones: Musicweek : Kerrang! Awards 2013 - all the winners
  16. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  17. "Pierce the Veil Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  18. "Canadian single certifications – Pierce the Veil – King for a Day". Music Canada . Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  19. "British single certifications – Pierce the Veil/Kellin Quinn – King for a Day". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  20. "American single certifications – Pierce the Veil – King for a Day". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved October 19, 2019.