"World on Fire" is a song by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, featured on their sixth studio album It's the End of the World but It's a Beautiful Day (2023).
| "World on Fire" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Thirty Seconds to Mars | ||||
| from the album It's the End of the World but It's a Beautiful Day | ||||
| Released | April 26, 2024 | |||
| Recorded | International Centre for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences of Sound, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Length | 3:17 | |||
| Label | Concord | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| Thirty Seconds to Mars singles chronology | ||||
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It was released on April 26, 2024 through Concord Records, as the third single from the album.
Background
edit"World on Fire" was written by Jared and Shannon Leto, with additional contributions from Steve McCutcheon, Johnny McDaid, and Ed Sheeran, of whom the first four produced the song alongside Oscar Neidhardt. It was recorded at the International Centre for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences of Sound in Los Angeles, California. Frontman Jared Leto described the song as a reflection on the turbulent nature of the world, both environmentally and socially. With its introspective lyrics, the track continues the band's tradition of blending personal and global themes.[1]
Musically, "World on Fire" reinforces the heavily layered production that defined much of the band's later works. It features a minimalist instrumentation, with clean guitars, subtle electronic elements, and a prominent vocal performance from Jared Leto. The lyrics of the song deal with themes of uncertainty, resistance, and hope in a world facing numerous crises.[2]
Reception
editCritics have praised "World on Fire" for its emotional impact and its resonance with contemporary global issues. Nick Ruskell from Kerrang! magazine praised the song for its soaring electronic chorus, noting that it blends well with the album's broader sonic palette, which includes electronic beats and subtle guitars. The review highlights that this track, alongside others, showcases the band's evolution, moving away from the bombastic arena rock of This Is War (2009) while still maintaining a grand feel.[3]
Chart performance
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[4] | 16 |
| Germany (Offizielle Deutsche Airplay)[5] | 66 |
| Italy (Radio Top 40)[6] | 52 |
| Latvia (TopHit)[7] | 6 |
| San Marino (SMRRTV Top 50)[8] | 45 |
References
edit- ^ Kennedy, Mark (September 14, 2023). "Thirty Seconds to Mars returns with a new album that Jared Leto says will 'surprise' a lot of people". Associated Press. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ Allvey, Kate (September 15, 2023). "Thirty Seconds To Mars – 'It's The End Of The World But It's A Beautiful Day'". Punktastic. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ Ruskell, Nick (September 12, 2023). "Album review: Thirty Seconds To Mars – It's The End Of The World But It's A Beautiful Day". Kerrang!.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 39. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Airplay – Chartwoche 12/2024" (in German). Music Trace. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "World on Fire – Thirty Seconds to Mars" (in Italian). EarOne. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "World on Fire – Thirty Seconds to Mars" (Select Latvia). TopHit. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ "Top 50 – Radio San Marino RTV – 19/09/2024" (in Italian). San Marino RTV. 5 November 2023. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved September 30, 2024.