The Best of Me (The Starting Line song)

Last updated
"The Best of Me"
Single by the Starting Line
from the album Say It Like You Mean It
ReleasedJune 16, 2003 (2003-06-16)
Studio
Genre
Length4:18
Label Drive-Thru
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Mark Trombino
The Starting Line singles chronology
"Three's a Charm"
(2002)		"The Best of Me"
(2003)		"Leaving"
(2003)
Music video
"The Best of Me" on YouTube

"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.

Contents

Background

"The Best of Me" was first released as a single on June 16, 2003; [4] it was pushed to modern rock radio stations in the U.S. on July 22 of that year. [5]

Music video

On October 27, 2002, a music video for "The Best of Me" was posted on Launch.com. [6] The video starts with a guy attempting to impress a girl by playing music from a boombox outside of her residence. When the music stops, the band appear and start performing. [7] A second music video was posted online for "The Best of Me" through MTV.com on June 13, 2003. The video received significant rotation on MTV2. [2]

Reception

While "The Best of Me" did not chart well during its original release—only reaching the bottom region of the UK Singles Chart [8] —it became the band's most popular song. [9] Likewise, it has been widely considered an key pop punk track from the 2000s. Kelefa Sanneh, writing for The New York Times , called it "infectious"; [10] NME writers called it an "essential" pop punk track. [1] Billboard ranked it at no. 12 on a ranking of the genre's best love songs, with columnist Hannah Dailey writing, "Love can be complicated. No one knows that better than The Starting Line, whose youthful 2003 hit examines how mature conversations, forgiveness and time spent apart are sometimes needed to make a long-term relationship work." [11] Cleveland.com ranked "The Best of Me" at number 33 on their list of the top 100 pop-punk songs. [12] Alternative Press included the song in the genre's most "influential" tracks, [13] and also ranked it at number 35 on their list of the best 100 singles from the 2000s. [14]

Kellin Quinn, frontman of Sleeping with Sirens, placed the song among the 10 "Songs That Changed My Life" for Kerrang! ; [15] the same publication ranked the Say It Like You Mean It album among the genre's best, singling out "Best of Me" as "one of the genre's most sing-alongable tunes." [16] The song became one of the most-played songs at Emo Nite, [17] the popular traveling event series hosting era-specific performances and karaoke, in the 2010s–20s. [18] In 2020, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Credits and personnel

Personnel per booklet. [19]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "The Best of Me"
Chart (2003)Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC) [8] 79

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "The Best of Me"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [20] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Day</span> American rock band

Green Day is an American rock band formed in Rodeo, California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their major-label debut Dookie, released through Reprise Records, became a breakout success and eventually shipped over 10 million copies in the U.S. Alongside fellow California punk bands Bad Religion, the Offspring, Rancid, NOFX, Pennywise and Social Distortion, Green Day is credited with popularizing mainstream interest in punk rock in the U.S.

Emo is a music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and post-hardcore from the mid-1980s Washington, D.C. hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands Rites of Spring and Embrace, among others, pioneered the genre. In the early-to-mid 1990s, emo was adopted and reinvented by alternative rock, indie rock, punk rock, and pop-punk bands, including Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, Cap'n Jazz, and Jimmy Eat World. By the mid-1990s, Braid, the Promise Ring, and the Get Up Kids emerged from Midwest emo, and several independent record labels began to specialize in the genre. Meanwhile, screamo, a more aggressive style of emo using screamed vocals, also emerged, pioneered by the San Diego bands Heroin and Antioch Arrow. Screamo achieved mainstream success in the 2000s with bands like Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein, Story of the Year, Thursday, the Used, and Underoath.

Pop-punk is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined by its fast-paced, energetic tempos, and emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes. It is distinguished from other punk-variant genres by drawing more heavily from 1960s bands such as the Beatles, the Kinks, and the Beach Boys. The genre has evolved throughout its history, absorbing elements from new wave, college rock, ska, rap, emo, boy band pop and even hardcore punk. It is sometimes considered interchangeable with power pop and skate punk.

<i>Full Collapse</i> 2001 studio album by Thursday

Full Collapse is the second studio album by American post-hardcore band Thursday. It was released on April 10, 2001, through Victory Records, to whom the band signed after leaving Eyeball Records. With the addition of guitarist Steve Pedulla, recording sessions for the album were held in November 2000 at Big Blue Meenie Recording Studios in Jersey City. Sal Villanueva, who served as the producer, the production team and members of different bands contributed additional instrumentation to the recordings. Full Collapse is considered a post-hardcore and screamo album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Chemical Romance</span> American rock band formed in 2001

My Chemical Romance is an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way. They are considered one of the most influential rock groups of the 2000s and a major act in the pop-punk and emo genres, despite the band rejecting the latter label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Used</span> American rock band

The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah, formed in 2000. The group consists of vocalist Bert McCracken, bassist Jeph Howard, drummer Dan Whitesides, and guitarist Joey Bradford. Former members include Quinn Allman, Branden Steineckert, and Justin Shekoski.

<i>Stay What You Are</i> 2001 studio album by Saves the Day

Stay What You Are is the third studio album from American rock band Saves the Day, released in 2001. The album received positive reviews from critics at the time of its release and remains an influential album in the emo and pop punk genres. It has been described as "channel[ling] the thrill of pop punk, the intellect of indie rock, and the raw emotion of emo all at once." Lead single "At Your Funeral" charted in the United Kingdom and Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helena (My Chemical Romance song)</span> 2005 single by My Chemical Romance

"Helena" is a song by American rock band My Chemical Romance from their second studio album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004). It was released to radio stations as the third single from the album on March 8, 2005. The song is featured on the soundtrack for the 2005 film remake entitled House of Wax and played during the full credits. The song was heavily inspired by the Misfits' "Helena", it was named after Gerard and Mikey Way’s grandmother, Elena Lee Rush.

<i>Say It Like You Mean It</i> 2002 studio album by The Starting Line

Say It Like You Mean It is the debut studio album by American rock band the Starting Line, following their debut EP With Hopes of Starting Over.... It was released on July 16, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugar, We're Goin Down</span> 2005 single by Fall Out Boy

"Sugar, We're Goin Down" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy, released to US radio on April 4, 2005, as the lead single from their second album, From Under the Cork Tree. Two different CD singles were released with different B-sides, Part I with a green cover and Part II with a red cover. With music composed by vocalist Patrick Stump and lyrics penned by bassist Pete Wentz, the single reached No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Fall Out Boy's first top-10 hit and exploding the band into the mainstream, exposing them to a new audience. It spent five weeks in the top 10 and 20 weeks in the top 20 out of its 42 chart weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Time Low</span> American rock band

All Time Low is an American rock band from Towson, Maryland, formed in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson, the band took its name from lyrics in the song "Head on Collision" by New Found Glory. The band has consistently done year-long tours, headlined numerous tours, and has appeared at music festivals including Warped Tour, Reading and Leeds, and Soundwave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean Avenue (song)</span> 2003 single by Yellowcard

"Ocean Avenue" is a song written and recorded by American rock band Yellowcard for their fourth studio album of the same name. It was released as the second single from Ocean Avenue on December 15, 2003, through Capitol Records. "Ocean Avenue" shares writing credits between the band's singer Ryan Key, guitarist Ben Harper, bassist Pete Mosely, drummer Longineu W. Parsons III, and violinist Sean Mackin. It was written about the band's teenage years along the Atlantic Coast. Neal Avron, a veteran punk rock producer, engineered and produced the tune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bring Me the Horizon</span> British rock band

Bring Me the Horizon are a British rock band, formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group currently consists of lead vocalist Oli Sykes, drummer Matt Nicholls, guitarist Lee Malia and bassist Matt Kean. They are signed to RCA Records globally and Columbia Records exclusively in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fall Out Boy</span> American rock band

Fall Out Boy is an American rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band originated from Chicago's hardcore punk scene and was formed by Wentz and Trohman as a pop-punk side project; Stump joined shortly thereafter. The group went through a succession of drummers before Hurley joined. Their debut album, Take This to Your Grave (2003), became an underground success and helped the band gain a dedicated fan base through heavy touring.

<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 seven full-length albums and an acoustic EP.

Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commonly found in emo music. Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, and Juice Wrld are some of the most notable musicians in the genre.

<i>Model Citizen</i> 2021 EP by Meet Me at the Altar

Model Citizen is an EP by American pop punk band Meet Me at the Altar. It is their first to be release through major record label Fueled by Ramen, and was released on August 13, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Die4U</span> 2021 single by Bring Me the Horizon

"Die4U" is a song by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. Produced by BloodPop and Evil Twin, it was released as the lead single from the band's seventh studio album Post Human: Nex Gen on 16 September 2021. The song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost (Bring Me the Horizon song)</span> 2023 single by Bring Me the Horizon

"Lost" is a song by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. Produced by Zakk Cervini and Evil Twin, it was released as the third single from the band's seventh studio album Post Human: Nex Gen on 4 May 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loveless (American duo)</span> American rock band

Loveless is an American rock band consisting of Julian Comeau (vocalist/producer) and Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail (multi-instrumentalist). The duo performs with drummer Stephen Haaker during their tours and in multiple music videos. The band formed in 2020 and signed with BMG and Rise Records on February 22, 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 Blog, NME (June 2, 2011). "20 Essential Pop Punk Tracks Everyone Should Know". NME. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Loftus, Johnny. "The Starting Line Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ "The 10 best songs from the 10 worst emo bands". Louder . Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  4. ↑ Edwards, Tom (June 29, 2003). "Single Review: The Starting Line - The Best Of Me / Releases". Drowned in Sound. Silentway. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  5. ↑ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ "The Starting Line / News : TSL Interview on MTV2". The Starting Line. Archived from the original on December 8, 2004. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  7. ↑ Laderer, Ashley (February 23, 2017). "The 10 Best Emo Music Videos". Paste. Wolfgang's Vault. Archived from the original on March 18, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ Lakshmin, Deepa (April 15, 2016). "107 Emo Bands You Knew About Before Anyone Else - News". MTV. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  10. ↑ "MUSIC; Sweet, Sentimental and Punk". The New York Times. August 10, 2003. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  11. ↑ Payne, Chris; Dailey, Hannah (February 13, 2023). "20 Best Pop-Punk Love Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  12. ↑ Smith, Troy L. (March 2, 2022). "The 100 greatest pop punk songs of all time". Cleveland.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  13. ↑ Piers, Ryan (September 23, 2020). "These are the 25 most influential songs of pop punk". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  14. ↑ Paul, Aubin (November 20, 2009). "At The Drive-In's 'One Armed Scissor' tops AP's 'Haircut 100' singles countdown". Punknews.org. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Sleeping With Sirens' Kellin Quinn: The 10 Songs That Changed My Life". Kerrang!. April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  16. ↑ "The 51 greatest pop-punk albums of all time". Kerrang!. September 23, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  17. ↑ Laderer, Ashley (May 4, 2017). "Emo Nite Takes NYC, and Thursday's Geoff Rickly Is 'Looking Forward To Connecting With Old Friends'". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  18. ↑ Yuccas, Jamie; Novak, Analisa (April 12, 2023). "How "Emo Nite" events helped bring back a lost genre". CBS News. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  19. ↑ Say It Like You Mean It (booklet). The Starting Line. Drive-Thru Records. 2002. DTR32CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ↑ "American single certifications – The Starting Line – The Best of Me". Recording Industry Association of America.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.