"Self Esteem" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by the Offspring | ||||
from the album Smash | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | December 22, 1994 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:17 | |||
Label | Epitaph | |||
Songwriter(s) | Dexter Holland | |||
Producer(s) | Thom Wilson | |||
The Offspring singles chronology | ||||
|
"Self Esteem" is a song by American punk rock band the Offspring. It is the eighth track and second single from their third studio album, Smash (1994). The song was released on 22 December 1994 by Epitaph and was a worldwide hit, reaching number one in Iceland, Norway, Latvia and Sweden. "Self Esteem" was nominated for the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Song. The song also appears as the third track on their Greatest Hits (2005). Its music video was directed by Darren Lavett.
In his review of the album, Andrew Mueller from Melody Maker wrote, "The clear highlight here is "Self Esteem", a self-abasing, self-pitying slandering of some or other black-hearted wench set to a rocket as inventive as they get." [4] Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Coming out once more to play the role of Nirvana's perfect replacement, Offspring delivers the punky action so sadly missed on rock radio because of Seattlers who take themselves way too seriously." [5] John Harris from NME said, "The male-only dorms of US colleges have surely been throbbing to this for months. Small wonder: "Self-esteem" — to which the phrase "Crap Teen Spirit" barely does justice — is built around a premise that roots it firmly in the odorous world of the knucklehead male adolescent." [6]
In 2012, Loudwire ranked the song number four on their list of the 10 greatest Offspring songs, [7] and in 2021, Kerrang ranked the song number two on their list of the 20 greatest Offspring songs. [8]
The music video for "Self Esteem" was directed by Darren Lavett (who directed the previous video, "Come Out and Play") and was shot in August 1994 after the Offspring had just gone both gold and platinum with Smash. [9] In the music video several people are doing stunts, intercut with shots of the band playing on stage.
In the video, Dexter Holland wears three different band T-shirts. Initially, he wears a Sex Pistols T-shirt. Later he dons a T-shirt of the Germs, and then a Vandals T-shirt when he briefly appears as a human skeleton.
In an interview on the Offspring's Greatest Hits DVD, Noodles claimed that he gave his Fender Stratocaster (which he played in the videos for "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem") to one of the actors who appeared in the video.
"Self Esteem" remains one of the Offspring's popular videos. Its popularity on MTV helped launch the song to success on mainstream radio. According to Nielsen Music's year-end report for 2019, "Self Esteem" was the sixth most-played song of the decade on mainstream rock radio with 131,000 spins. All of the songs in the top 10 were from the 1990s. [10]
The music video also appears on the Complete Music Video Collection DVD. It was released in 2005.
CD single, 7-inch blue and 12-inch black vinyl
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Self Esteem" | 4:17 |
2. | "Burn It Up" | 2:43 |
3. | "Jennifer Lost the War" | 2:35 |
CD maxi
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Self Esteem" | 4:17 |
2. | "Jennifer Lost the War" | 2:35 |
3. | "Burn It Up" | 2:43 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [36] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [48] | Platinum | |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [49] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Sweden (GLF) [50] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [51] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 1994 | Radio | Epitaph | |
Europe | December 22, 1994 | CD |
| [21] |
United Kingdom | February 13, 1995 |
|
| [52] |
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn. The Offspring is often credited for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the 1990s. During their 39-year career, the Offspring has released 10 studio albums and sold more than 40 million records, making them one of the best-selling punk rock bands in history.
Smash is the third studio album by American rock band the Offspring, released on April 8, 1994, by Epitaph Records. After touring in support of their previous album Ignition (1992), the band recorded their next album over two months at Track Record in North Hollywood, California. Smash was the band's final studio album to be produced by Thom Wilson, who had worked with them since their 1989 debut album The Offspring.
"Come Out and Play" is a 1994 song by the American punk rock band the Offspring. It is the seventh track on their third album, Smash (1994), and was released as its first single. Written by frontman Dexter Holland, the song was the second single to be released by the band, after "I'll Be Waiting" (1986). It is considered the Offspring's breakthrough song, as it received widespread radio play, with first attention brought by Jed the Fish of KROQ-FM, and reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, bringing both the band and the punk rock genre to widespread attention.
"Basket Case" is a song by rock band Green Day, released on August 1, 1994 by Reprise Records as the second single from the band's third studio album, Dookie (1994). The song spent five weeks at the top of the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart and garnered a Grammy Award nomination in the category for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Its music video was directed by Mark Kohr and filmed in an abandoned mental institution in California. In 2001, the song appeared on their greatest hits album International Superhits!. In 2021, "Basket Case" was ranked number 150 in Rolling Stone's updated list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". As of March 2024, "Basket Case" is the most streamed song by the band on Spotify, with over 1 billion streams.
Greatest Hits is a 2005 compilation album by the American punk rock band The Offspring, compiling hit singles from five of their first seven studio albums along with the previously unreleased songs "Can't Repeat" and "Next to You", the latter a cover version of The Police song included as a hidden track at the end of the album. Greatest Hits peaked at no. 8 on the Billboard 200, with 70,000 copies sold in its first week of release, and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. It is the fourth track from the band's fifth studio album, Americana (1998), and was released as its first single in November 1998. The song peaked at number 53 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number five on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and number three on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was successful internationally, reaching number one in 10 countries, including Australia, where it stayed at number one for six weeks and was certified quadruple platinum.
"Lovesong" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released as the third single from their eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989), on 21 August 1989. The song saw considerable success in the United States, where it reached the number-two position in October 1989 and became the band's only top-10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, the single charted at number 18, and it peaked within the top 20 in Canada and Ireland.
"Gotta Get Away" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. It is the fourth track and third single from their breakthrough album, Smash (1994). The song was a modest hit in several countries and peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. "Gotta Get Away" was inspired by an early track, "Cogs", written while the band was still named Manic Subsidal. Although the song was a big hit, it did not reach the heights nor achieve the popularity, success, airplay, or sales of the album's previous singles "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem".
"The Kids Aren't Alright" is a song by the Offspring. It is the fifth track from the band's fifth studio album, Americana (1998), and was released as its third single. It became another top 10 hit on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.
"Why Don't You Get a Job?" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. The song is the 11th track on the Offspring's fifth studio album, Americana (1998), and was released as its second single on March 15, 1999. The song also appears as the eighth track on the band's Greatest Hits album (2005). The single peaked within the top 10 of the charts in several countries, including reaching number two in the United Kingdom, Australia, Iceland, and Sweden.
"All I Want" is a song by American punk rock group the Offspring. It is the tenth track on their fourth studio album, Ixnay on the Hombre (1997), and was released as its lead single in January 1997. It reached No. 31 in the United Kingdom and No. 15 in Australia. In the US, it peaked at No. 13 on Modern Rock Tracks. The song also appears as the fifth track on their Greatest Hits (2005). The single was also the shortest single to be released by the band.
"Gone Away" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. Written by the band's singer, Dexter Holland, it is the seventh track on the band's fourth studio album, Ixnay on the Hombre (1997), and was released as its second single. It also appears as the sixth track on Greatest Hits (2005). A piano version of the song features as the eleventh track on the group's tenth studio album Let the Bad Times Roll (2021).
"Original Prankster" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. It is featured as the third track from their sixth studio album, Conspiracy of One, and was released as its first single on October 10, 2000. The song features additional vocals by Redman and is included on the band's 2005 Greatest Hits album.
"Fat Lip" is a song by Canadian rock band Sum 41. It is the fourth track on their debut album, All Killer No Filler (2001), and was released as the lead single in April 2001. It is the band's most successful single to date, topping the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It peaked at number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at number eight on the UK Singles Chart.
"Livin' on a Prayer" is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi, and is the band's second chart-topping single from their third album Slippery When Wet. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, was well received at both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and their second consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit.
"Down" is a song by the band 311. It is the first song on their third album, 311. It was their first #1 single on the Billboard Alternative Songs charts, and along with their self-titled album, was largely responsible for launching them into mainstream success. An accompanying video for the song was in rotation on MTV at the time of its release. Due to its massive popularity it was also included as the first song on their live album, Live, and on their greatest hits album, Greatest Hits '93–'03. Since its release it has also become a staple of their live concerts, and is usually dedicated "to all the old-school 311 fans." However, following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it was placed on the list of post-9/11 inappropriate titles distributed by Clear Channel.
The Offspring, a Southern California-based punk rock band, has released 10 studio albums, four extended plays (EP), two compilation albums, five demos, three video albums, and over 30 singles.
"Million Miles Away" is a song by the American punk rock band The Offspring. It is the fifth track on the band's sixth studio album, Conspiracy of One (2000), and was released as its third single. The song was not included on the band's Greatest Hits (2005) or Complete Music Video Collection (2005), although the song was featured on the trailer for the film Orange County.
"(Can't Get My) Head Around You" is a punk rock song by The Offspring. The song features as the sixth track of the band's seventh studio album, Splinter (2003), and was released as its second single in 2004. "(Can't Get My) Head Around You" was released to radio on February 24, 2004. The song also appears as the 14th and final track on the band's Greatest Hits (2005).
"Days Go By" is a pop punk song by the American punk rock band the Offspring. It is featured as the third track on the band's ninth studio album of the same name and was released as its first single. The song was premiered on the Los Angeles, California rock station KROQ on April 27, 2012. "Days Go By" was released to radio on May 1, 2012; the song was written by frontman/lyricist Dexter Holland. It peaked at No. 2 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.
MTV hits Self Esteem and Come Out And Play remain punk-rock party starters...
'Self Esteem' was pop punk's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' merging two genres – pop-punk and grunge – that would come to define 1990s alternative rock.