Substitution (Silversun Pickups song)

"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"
Single by Silversun Pickups
from the album Swoon
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2009 (2009-09-15)
Length4:41
LabelDangerbird
Songwriter(s)
  • Brian Aubert
  • Christopher Guanlao
  • Joe Lester
  • Nikki Monninger
Producer(s)Dave Cooley
Silversun Pickups singles chronology
"Panic Switch"
(2009)
"Substitution"
(2009)
"The Royal We"
(2010)

"Substitution" reached numbers 17 and 26 on Billboard's Alternative Songs and Rock Songs charts, respectively.[2][3]

Music video

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The music video for "Substitution" was directed by The Malloys and premiered on September 15, 2009.[4][5] It features models playing a game of musical chairs as the band performs the song.[6]

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."[7]

Track listing

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Digital EP[8]
No.TitleLength
1."Substitution"4:39
2."Panic Switch" (live)5:54
3."Growing Old Is Getting Old" (live)6:05

Charts

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Chart (2009–10) Peak
position
Canada Rock (Billboard)[9] 29
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[10] 22
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[2] 17
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[3] 26

References

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  1. ^ "Alternative". All Access Music Group. September 8, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Silversun Pickups Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Silversun Pickups Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  4. ^ Tewksbury, Drew (September 16, 2009). "Silversun Pickups Debut New Video for 'Substitution' on MTV". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  5. ^ "sneak peek at sspu's 'substitution' video shoot". Silversunpickups.com. September 11, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  6. ^ Gottlieb, Steven (September 15, 2009). "Watch It: Silversun Pickups 'Substitution'". VideoStatic. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Montgomery, James (July 29, 2009). "Silversun Pickups Win Over Metallica Fans, Make Their 'Darkest Video'". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  8. ^ "Substitution – EP by Silversun Pickups". United Kingdom: Apple Music. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  9. ^ "Silversun Pickups Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "Silversun Pickups Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2020.