True Friends (song)
"True Friends" | ||||
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Single by Bring Me the Horizon | ||||
from the album That's the Spirit | ||||
Released | 20 November 2015 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Bring Me the Horizon singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"True Friends" on YouTube |
"True Friends" is a song by British
Promotion and release
"True Friends" was first released on 23 August 2015 in the form of a lyric video on the band's official YouTube channel,[2] after being teased by the band for a number of days.[3] It was reportedly due to be premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show on Apple Music, but this was cancelled.[4] On 20 November, the song was released as a single in the form of a limited edition 7" vinyl.[5]
Composition and lyrics
"True Friends" is a song about disloyalty.
In a track-by-track commentary of That's the Spirit for Spotify, the frontman added that "True Friends" is about "coming to peace with [anger] ... [and] letting those people know that I can forget but never forgive".[8] In his review of That's the Spirit, David Renshaw for the NME claimed that on "True Friends", Sykes "maintains a sense of paranoia and emotional vulnerability amid the cavernous sounds".[9] The song has been noted to "unleashed their [Bring Me the Horizon] inner emo kid".[10]
Music video
The music video for "True Friends" was directed by Bring Me the Horizon frontman Oliver Sykes and released on 5 November 2015.[11] Described as a "murder mystery revolving around a family" by TeamRock's Luke Morton,[7] it features a story which "centers on a detective (Steve Oram) who is being haunted by his own past misdeeds".[11] The video was praised by Loudwire's Chad Childers, who described it as "a powerful storytelling tool" and "one of the more chilling and intense videos of the year".[11] Similarly, DIY magazine's Jamie Milton praised the video's "thriller epic plot" and dramatic nature.[12] In November, the band also released a video of their live performance of the song at Webster Hall in New York City earlier in the year.[13][14]
Critical reception
Writing for Gigwise, Will Butler claimed that "True Friends" was "in keeping with the more accessible sounds of 'Happy Song' and 'Throne'", describing it as "aggressive".[4] Rock Sound writer Andy Biddulph dubbed it an "angsty, fist-pumping arena rock anthem" which he claimed was "ready-made for pyro blasts and sold-out arenas".[15] Emmy Mack of Music Feeds claimed that "True Friends" was "bordering dangerously on emo", as well as describing it as the track which is closest to the post-hardcore genre on the album.[16] On the other hand, AllMusic's James Christopher Monger criticised the main hook of the song, which he described as a "second-hand embarrassment-inducing" lyric.[17]
Commercial performance
"True Friends" entered the
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[23]
Bring Me the Horizon
Additional musicians
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Additional personnel
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Charts
Chart (2015) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgian Singles (Ultratip Flanders)[22] | 74 |
91 | |
2 | |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[26] | 22 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[27] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[28] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV)[29] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Offner, Daniel (14 October 2015). "Bring Me The Horizon Making Major Waves Stateside". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- Bauer Media. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- Bauer Media. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ a b Butler, Will (24 August 2015). "Bring Me The Horizon unveil new track, 'True Friends'". Gigwise. Giant Digital. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ "Bring Me The Horizon - True Friends". Banquet Records. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- Alternative Press. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ a b c Morton, Luke (6 November 2015). "What is Bring Me The Horizon's True Friends actually about?". TeamRock. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- Sykes, Oliver (Narrator) (4 September 2015). That's the Spirit (Track by Track Commentary) by Bring Me the Horizon. Spotify.
- Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ Swanson, Emily (24 August 2015). "Bring Me The Horizon Release Lyric Video For "True Friends"". Blunt Mag. nextmedia. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ a b c Childers, Chad (5 November 2015). "Bring Me the Horizon Offer Murder Mystery in 'True Friends' Video". Loudwire. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ Milton, Jamie (5 November 2015). "Bring Me the Horizon unveil 'True Friends' video". DIY. Sonic Media Group. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- Alternative Press. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ "Bring Me The Horizon: 'True Friends' Performance Clip From New York City". Blabbermouth.net. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ Biddulph, Andy (17 September 2015). "Bring Me The Horizon - That's The Spirit". Rock Sound. Freeway Press Inc. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ Mack, Emmy. "Bring Me The Horizon - That's The Spirit". Music Feeds. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- All Media Network. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ "28 August 2015 - 03 September 2015". Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ "18 September 2015 - 24 September 2015". Official Singles Chart Top 100. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ "27 November 2015 - 03 December 2015". Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ "Hot Rock Songs: Bring Me the Horizon - Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Discografie Bring Me the Horizon". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- ^ "Bring Me the Horizon – True Friends". Tidal. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
- ^ "Bring Me the Horizon Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Bring Me the Horizon – true Friends" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2017 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ "British single certifications – Bring Me the Horizon – True Friends". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
External links
- "True Friends" music video at YouTube