Substitution (Silversun Pickups song) explained

Substitution
Cover:Substitution Silversun Pickups.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Silversun Pickups
Album:Swoon
Length:4:41
Label:Dangerbird
Producer:Dave Cooley
Prev Title:Panic Switch
Prev Year:2009
Next Title:The Royal We
Next Year:2010

"Substitution" is a song by American indie rock band Silversun Pickups. It is the second single from the band's second studio album Swoon (2009). The song was released to American modern rock radio on September 15, 2009.[1]

"Substitution" reached numbers 17 and 26 on Billboards Alternative Songs and Rock Songs charts, respectively.

Music video

The music video for "Substitution" was directed by The Malloys and premiered on September 15, 2009.[2] [3] It features models playing a game of musical chairs as the band performs the song.[4]

In an interview prior to the video's release, the band's frontman Brian Aubert claimed: "They were actually playing musical chairs for a real prize. It got pretty ugly. Everybody in the room watching it was like, 'This is the weirdest thing.' All the girls are color-coded. In one way, it's bright and sort of silly, but the way we're looking at it is sort of depressing. In fact, I have to admit: it's by far the darkest video we've ever done."[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alternative. All Access Music Group. September 8, 2009. August 30, 2020.
  2. News: Silversun Pickups Debut New Video for 'Substitution' on MTV. LA Weekly. September 16, 2009. August 30, 2020. Tewksbury. Drew.
  3. Web site: sneak peek at sspu's 'substitution' video shoot. Silversunpickups.com. September 11, 2009. August 30, 2020.
  4. Web site: Watch It: Silversun Pickups 'Substitution'. VideoStatic. September 15, 2009. August 30, 2020. Gottlieb. Steven.
  5. Web site: Silversun Pickups Win Over Metallica Fans, Make Their 'Darkest Video'. https://web.archive.org/web/20240116103608/https://www.mtv.com/news/qvuyk6/silversun-pickups-win-over-metallica-fans-make-their-darkest-video. dead. January 16, 2024. MTV News. July 29, 2009. August 30, 2020. Montgomery. James.
  6. Web site: Silversun Pickups Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay). Billboard. August 30, 2020.