"Toxicity" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by System of a Down | ||||
from the album Toxicity | ||||
B-side | "Störaged" | |||
Released | January 22, 2002 | |||
Recorded | 2001 | |||
Studio | Cello Studios, Hollywood | |||
Genre | Nu metal [1] [2] | |||
Length | 3:39 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
| |||
System of a Down singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Toxicity" on YouTube |
"Toxicity" is a single by American heavy metal band System of a Down, released in 2002. It was originally released on the album of the same name. The writing credits for the song are Malakian, Odadjian, and Tankian. It is known for its dynamic chorus, aggressive vocals, and prominent drum beat. The song is predominantly in triple meter, alternating between 6
4, 12
8 and 4
4 time. The guitar during the verse plays in 6
4 using a 2+2+2 phrasing while the heavy part ("somewhere between the sacred silence and sleep") makes use of a hemiola with the guitar switching to a 3+3+3+3 pattern while the drums remain in compound duple meter until the bridge. The song was ranked number 14 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs, [3] and was called a nu metal classic by Stylus Magazine . [2]
The video was directed by Marcos Siega and Shavo Odadjian. The beginning of the video shows the Hollywood Walk of Fame then cuts to the band. Daron Malakian can be seen wearing a Los Angeles Kings jersey with his last name on the back most of the time in the video. A closeup from behind John Dolmayan's drum kit reveals a double bass pedal attachment even though he doesn't use it during the song. During the verses, a projector shows homeless people lined against the streets. After the second chorus, Daron is seen playing the fast riff in fast motion while the band freezes and a crowd slowly appears. The rest of the band resumes as they all come in. The crowd sings along with the band as well as forming a circle pit both in the light and in the dark with glow-sticks. Similar to a scene in the Chop Suey video where Serj Tankian is seen eating chop suey, the band is shown eating seeds, corresponding with the lyrics "Eating seeds as a pastime activity". The video ends with a shot of the Milky Way.
As of July 2024, the song has 919 million views on YouTube. [4]
All lyrics are written by Serj Tankian
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Toxicity" |
| 3:39 |
2. | "X" (Live) | Daron Malakian | 3:02 |
3. | "Suggestions" (Live) | Daron Malakian | 2:44 |
4. | "Marmalade" | Daron Malakian | 2:59 |
5. | "Toxicity" (Video Version) |
| 3:43 |
All lyrics are written by Serj Tankian
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Toxicity" |
| 3:39 |
2. | "X" (Live) | Daron Malakian | 3:05 |
3. | "Suggestions" (Live) | Daron Malakian | 2:44 |
4. | "Sugar" (Video Version) |
| 3:28 |
All lyrics are written by Serj Tankian
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Toxicity" |
| 3:42 |
2. | "X" (Live) | Daron Malakian | 3:05 |
3. | "Suggestions" (Live) | Daron Malakian | 2:44 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Toxicity" | Serj Tankian |
| 3:41 |
2. | "Marmalade" | Serj Tankian | Daron Malakian | 3:02 |
3. | "Metro" (Explicit Version) | John Crawford | John Crawford | 3:00 |
All lyrics are written by Serj Tankian
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Toxicity" |
| 3:39 |
2. | "Storaged" | Daron Malakian | 1:19 |
Chart (2002) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [5] | 39 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [6] | 10 |
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) [7] | 46 |
Germany (Official German Charts) [8] | 88 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [9] | 75 |
Ireland (IRMA) [10] | 47 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [11] | 90 |
Scotland (OCC) [12] | 25 |
UK Singles (OCC) [13] | 25 |
UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [14] | 4 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [15] | 70 |
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [16] | 3 |
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [17] | 10 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [18] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [19] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [20] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [21] | 2× Platinum | 20,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [22] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [24] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
#14 Toxicity, System of a Down
System of a Down is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of founding members Serj Tankian ; Daron Malakian ; Shavo Odadjian ; along with John Dolmayan (drums), who replaced original drummer Andy Khachaturian in 1997.
Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian is an Armenian-American musician, best known as the bassist of heavy metal band System of a Down. He also plays bass in a trap group called North Kingsley.
John Dolmayan is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American musician, best known as the drummer of System of a Down. He is also the former drummer for Scars on Broadway. Dolmayan ranked number 33 on Loudwire's list of Top 200 Hard Rock + Metal Drummers of All Time.
Toxicity is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on September 4, 2001, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. Expanding on their 1998 eponymous debut album, Toxicity incorporates more melody, harmonies, and singing than the band's first album. Categorized primarily as alternative metal and nu metal, the album features elements of multiple genres, including folk, progressive rock, jazz, and Armenian and Greek music, including prominent use of instruments like the sitar, banjo, keyboards, and piano. It contains a wide array of political and non-political themes, such as mass incarceration, the CIA, the environment, police brutality, drug addiction, scientific reductionism, and groupies.
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System of a Down is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on June 30, 1998, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in February 2000. After the success of the band's following album, Toxicity (2001), System of a Down was certified platinum and has since gone double platinum.
Daron Malakian is an Armenian-American musician. He is the guitarist, songwriter, and second vocalist of the metal band System of a Down, and the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter of Scars on Broadway.
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System of a Down is an American heavy metal band formed by vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayan in the mid-1990s. They have released five studio albums, nineteen singles, and thirteen music videos. By the end of 1997, the group had signed to American Recordings, then distributed as Columbia Records. The following year, they released their eponymous debut album, which peaked at number 124 on the United States' Billboard 200 and number 103 on the United Kingdom's UK Albums Chart; it was later certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and gold by Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA). Their eponymous debut album produced a single for the song "Sugar", which reached the top 30 on the Billboard mainstream rock songs and alternative songs charts. Their follow-up album, Toxicity (2001), topped the US and Canadian charts, and also reached the top 10 in Australia, Finland, and New Zealand. The album was certified triple platinum in its home country, and triple platinum in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), as well as double platinum by Music Canada. Toxicity produced singles for the title track, "Chop Suey!", and "Aerials". The last of these peaked at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs and Alternative Songs charts.
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