| Mayday | |
| Cover: | Mayday 3DG song.jpeg |
| Border: | yes |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Three Days Grace |
| Recorded: | 2024 |
| Genre: | Alternative rock[1] |
| Length: | 3:23 |
| Label: | RCA |
| Producer: |
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| Prev Title: | I Am the Weapon |
| Prev Year: | 2022 |
"Mayday" is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on November 22, 2024, via RCA Records as the lead single from their upcoming eighth studio album. It is the band's first recording since Transit of Venus (2012) to feature Adam Gontier, who returned to the group in October 2024 after leaving 11 years prior, on vocals, with Gontier now sharing lead vocal duties with Matt Walst.
On October 2, 2024, the band revealed via social media that they were in the studio with founding frontman Adam Gontier teasing a possibility of new music in the works.[2] Gontier had left the band in January of 2013. The following day, they officially announced that Gontier had returned to the band full-time, with Matt Walst remaining a lead vocalist as well, making them a quintet for the first time since their 90s genesis as Groundswell.[3] On November 18, the group teased a new single posting a clip on social media with the caption "Our time of arrival is Friday, November 22nd."[4] On November 20, the band announced the release of a new single, titled "Mayday", which was released on November 22, 2024.[5]
The song is about "the current state of the world" of disillusionment, exhaustion, and denial, and refusing to accept defeat by keeping on moving forward.[6] Matt Walst said of the song's inspiration, "Sometimes life is turbulent, but beyond the clouds is blue skies. So, just keep going."[7]
"Mayday" was written by Adam Gontier, Matt Walst, Brad Walst, Barry Stock, Neil Sanderson, Ted Bruner and Zakk Cervini. The track was produced by Sanderson, Cervini, Dan Lancaster and Howard Benson.[8] The opening bass line is reminiscent of their 2006 single "Animal I Have Become" from their second studio album One-X, with screamed vocals from Walst in the beginning of the song.[1] The track is described as alternative rock with a melodic chorus, before leading into a heavier breakdown during the bridge.[1]
Gregory Adams of Revolver stated, "Sonically, Three Days Grace's latest single lean into a melodically-bruising modern rock aesthetic, with both singers on high alert as they take stock of the waking world."[9] Chad Childers of Loudwire remarked, "The new song 'Mayday' kicks off with a killer bass line before Matt Walst's screams and some more electronic backing blow up the intensity."[10]
The music video for "Mayday" premiered on November 22, 2024.[11] It was directed by Circus Head,[12] and the video's premise is the group in an airplane and mid-way through the video, chaos erupts after they fly through a lightning storm, causing heavy turbulence and panic.[13] In an interview with WRIF, drummer Neil Sanderson spoke about the concept of the video stating, "so, yeah, complete melee goes on on the plane. And it's kind of an analogy to just feeling like we're hurling through life at warp speed, and sometimes it doesn't feel like there is a pilot that's in control of things. But it's also a bit of a celebration, like, 'Hey, if we're going down, we're all going down together.'"[14]
Credits for "Mayday" adapted from digital liner notes.[8]
Three Days Grace
Production
| Peak position | |
| Canada Active Rock (Mediabase)[15] | 4 |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[16] | 36 |
| US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[17] | 25 |
| Date | Format | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | November 21, 2024 | Contemporary hit radio | Sony | [18] |
| Various | November 22, 2024 | Digital download | RCA | [19] |
| United States | Rock radio |