"The New Pollution" | ||||
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Single by Beck | ||||
from the album Odelay | ||||
Released | February 28, 1997 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:39 | |||
Label | DGC | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Beck singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The New Pollution" on YouTube |
"The New Pollution" is a song by American musician Beck, released in February 1997 by DGC Records as the third single from his fifth album, Odelay (1996). It was written by Beck with John King and Michael Simpson, and produced by Beck with Dust Brothers. The song samples "Venus" by Joe Thomas. [1] In the US, "The New Pollution" peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number nine on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. In Europe, it was a top-10 hit in Iceland, peaking at number nine. The music video for the song was directed by Beck himself.
Retrospectively, Justin Chadwick from Albumism named "The New Pollution" one of the "unequivocal standouts" of the Odelay album, describing it as "buoyant" and "exhilarating, pop-friendly fare". [2] David Stubbs from Melody Maker felt the song "is as near to anthemic as Beck gets. Nicking the bassline from The Beatles' 'Taxman', it's shot through with a recurring children's TV piccolo motif and wailing sax. Again, interesting and clever, rather than uplifting or inspirational." [3] A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, adding, "Similar to 'Devils Haircut' in execution, this mellow outing from Odelay should follow its predecessor into the Top 30." [4] Music Week editor Alan Jones called it a gem, adding, "Like the hit 'Devils Haircut', it sounds very tongue in cheek and combines the psychedelic swirl of The Beatles' 'Within You, Without You' with the bass line from 'Taxman', although it doesn't really sound like a Beatles record. It does have their freshness and is very commercial and is sure to score." [5] David Sinclair from The Times viewed it as a "sneaky re-working of that old 'Taxman' riff." [6]
The accompanying music video for "The New Pollution" was directed by Beck himself. It features 1960s-style dancing and background. The video contains visual references to Serge Gainsbourg's music videos for "Monsieur William" and "Melody", as well as the bands Mötley Crüe and Kraftwerk. [7] The opening scene references The Lawrence Welk Show.
The video features actress Mary Lynn Rajskub.
The music video received nominations for Video of the Year, Best Alternative Video, Best Direction, Best Choreography and Best Art Direction at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, winning the latter three. [8]
As of January 13, 2019, Beck had performed the song live 374 times. [9]
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Chart (1997) | Peak position |
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Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [10] | 39 |
Canada Rock/Alternative ( RPM ) [11] | 1 |
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [12] | 9 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [13] | 78 |
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [14] | 9 |
Odelay is the fifth studio album by American musician Beck, released on June 18, 1996, by DGC Records. The album featured several successful singles, including "Where It's At", "Devils Haircut", and "The New Pollution", and peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard 200. As of July 2008, the album had sold 2.3 million copies in the United States, making Odelay Beck's most successful album to date. Since its release, the album has appeared in numerous publications' lists of the greatest of the 1990s and of all time.
Mutations is the sixth studio album by the American songwriter Beck, released on November 3, 1998, by DGC Records. Though less commercially successful than the preceding Odelay, it won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
Guero is the ninth studio album by American musician Beck, released on March 29, 2005, by Interscope Records. It was produced with John King and Mike Simpson of the Dust Brothers, who had worked with Beck on his 1996 album Odelay, as well as Tony Hoffer.
"When I Come Around" is a song by American rock band Green Day. It is the 10th track on their third studio album, Dookie (1994), and was shipped to radio in December 1994 before being physically released as the fourth single from that album in January 1995 by Reprise Records. It was played live as early as 1992.
"What I Got" is a song from American band Sublime's self-titled third album (1996). The song's chorus is a lift from "Loving" by reggae artist Half Pint, who is credited as a co-writer. The melody and pacing of the verses is identical to the Beatles' "Lady Madonna".
"Lump" is a song by alternative rock band the Presidents of the United States of America. It was released in August 1995 by Columbia Records and included on their album The Presidents of the United States of America (1995). The song reached number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart same year. Composer Chris Ballew said that the lyrics combined his own history of having a benign tumor in the head with a vision he had of a woman in a swamp, while employing the word "lump" because Ballew was fond of it. The musical part was described by Ballew as him "trying to write a Buzzcocks song". Ballew considers it his favorite composition. The music video for the song was directed by Roman Coppola. "Lump" has been covered or remade by several artists, including the Johnstones and "Weird Al" Yankovic.
"Where It's At" is a song by American alternative rock musician Beck, released in May 1996 by DGC and Bong Load as the first single from his fifth album, Odelay (1996). Beck wrote the song in 1995 with its co-producers John King and Michael Simpson, and premiered it at Lollapalooza the same year, in a version very similar to its incarnation on Odelay. He has performed the song often since 1995, frequently experimenting with the music and lyrics. Its music video was directed by Steve Hanft.
"What's This Life For" is a song by American rock band Creed. It is the third single and ninth track off their 1997 debut album, My Own Prison. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the U.S., becoming their first number one hit on this chart. It remained on top for six weeks.
"Around the World" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, appearing as the opening track on their seventh studio album Californication (1999). The song was released as the album's second single on August 23, 1999. The single peaked at number seven on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 16 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
"Firestarter" is a song by British electronic dance music band the Prodigy, released on 18 March 1996 by XL Recordings as the first single from their third album, The Fat of the Land (1997). It was co-written and produced by Liam Howlett and features vocals by Keith Flint. It also was the group's first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, staying on top for three weeks, and their first big international hit, topping the charts in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, and Norway. The music video was directed by Walter Stern and filmed in the London Underground, in black-and-white. Melody Maker ranked the song number two in their list of "Singles of the Year" in 1996. 24 years later, The Guardian ranked it number eight in their list of "The 100 Greatest UK No 1 Singles".
"One Headlight" is a song by American rock band the Wallflowers. The song was written by lead singer Jakob Dylan, and produced by T Bone Burnett. It was released in January 1997 as the second single from the band's second studio album, Bringing Down the Horse (1996).
"Devils Haircut" is a song by the American musician Beck, released in December 1996 by DGC Records as the second single from his fifth album, Odelay (1996). Both co-written and co-produced by Beck, the song peaked at number 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 23 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. Its music video was directed by Mark Romanek and filmed in New York City. Melody Maker ranked "Devils Haircut" number six in their list of "Singles of the Year" in 1996, while Q Magazine included it in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever" in 2003.
The discography of Beck, an American rock musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist, consists of 14 studio albums, one compilation album, one remix album, four extended plays (EPs) and 52 singles. With a pop art collage of musical styles, oblique and ironic lyrics, and postmodern arrangements incorporating samples, drum machines, live instrumentation and sound effects, Beck has been hailed by critics and the public throughout his musical career as being amongst the most creative and idiosyncratic musicians of 1990s and 2000s alternative rock.
"Clumsy" is a song by Canadian alternative rock band Our Lady Peace. It was released in 1997 as the second single from their second album, Clumsy. It is one of the band's most successful singles, reaching number one in Canada for three weeks. It also experienced success in the United States, reaching number five on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and staying in the top ten for 15 weeks. The song ranked number one on CILQ-FM's Top 107 songs of 1997.
"Block Rockin' Beats" is a song by British big beat duo the Chemical Brothers. Released in March 1997 by Freestyle Dust and Virgin as the second single and opening track from their second studio album, Dig Your Own Hole (1997), it topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 40 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It received a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
"Sissyneck" is a song by American musician Beck, released as the fourth single from his fifth album, Odelay (1996). For the bass line of the song, the Dust Brothers sampled "A Part of Me" by the band Country Funk. The whistling in the introduction comes from "The Moog and Me" by Dick Hyman. The organ line is from "Life" by Sly & the Family Stone. The song peaked at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Deadweight" is a single by American musician Beck, released as a single from the soundtrack to the 1997 romantic black comedy film A Life Less Ordinary. The song was nominated for Best Song from a Movie at the 1998 MTV Movie Awards but lost to Will Smith's "Men in Black". The song can also be found on the deluxe version of Beck's fifth studio album, Odelay (1996).
"Swallowed" is a song by British rock band Bush, released on 15 October 1996 as the lead single from the band's 1996 album, Razorblade Suitcase. It also appeared on both Bush greatest hits albums, with live versions appearing on Zen X Four (2005) and Live in Tampa (2020), with remixed editions featured on Deconstructed (1997) and Loads of Remixes (2024). The release of "Swallowed" followed the fifth and final single off of the band's 1994 debut album Sixteen Stone, "Machinehead", by only six months.
"Give Me One Reason" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It was included on her fourth studio album, New Beginning (1995), and was released as a single in various territories between November 1995 and March 1997, her first since 1992's "Dreaming on a World". The song is Chapman's biggest US hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also her biggest hit in Australia, where it reached number three as well, and it topped the charts of Canada and Iceland. Elsewhere, the song reached number 16 in New Zealand, but it underperformed in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 95 in March 1997.
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