| Youth Without Youth | |
| Cover: | Metric_Youth_Without_Youth.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Metric |
| Album: | Synthetica |
| Released: | May 1, 2012 |
| Recorded: | 2012 |
| Genre: | Indie rock, electronic rock |
| Length: | 4:17 |
| Label: | Mom+Pop |
| Producer: | Gavin Brown |
| Prev Title: | Stadium Love |
| Prev Year: | 2010 |
| Next Title: | Breathing Underwater |
| Next Year: | 2012 |
"Youth Without Youth" is a song by Canadian indie rock band Metric. It was released as the lead single from their 2012 album, Synthetica.[1] The song debuted at number 1 on the Canadian alternative rock chart and stayed at that spot for a record 16 consecutive weeks.[2] The song tackles the subject of a fraying social state through the eyes of a deprived youth.
The song has received mixed to favorable reviews from critics. Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone gave the song a mixed review, giving it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars and describing the song as "Glam sugar with a bitter core". Dolan further stated that "Perennial indie crush Emily Haines drops a wasted-youth anthem with scarred poetry like "We played blindman's bluff till they stopped the game," over a bleak- bubblegum stomp."[3]
Jillian Mapes of Billboard praised Haines' songwriting, stating "Lyrically, frontwoman Emily Haines toys with powerful imagery, using phrases like "double dutch with a hand grenade" and "rubber soul with a razor blade" to describe a young life full of malaise and even criminality."[4]
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Hot 100[5] | 63 |
| Canadian Alternative Rock Chart | 1 |
| Canada Rock Chart[6] | 12 |
| US Rock Songs (Billboard) | 28 |
| US Alternative Songs (Billboard) | 15 |