The Catalyst
Encyclopedia
"The Catalyst" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park
. Released on August 2, 2010, it is the first single from their fourth studio album, A Thousand Suns
, which was released on September 8, 2010. The music video for the song, directed by the band's turntablist
Joe Hahn
, was released on August 26, 2010.
"The Catalyst" is used in the trailer and credits of the video game Medal of Honor
and also the opening song of Namco-Bandai's Arcade game, Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs.
. It was also used in select commercials of the Discovery Channel
series, Surviving the Cut
. The song was also featured in the video game Linkin Park Revenge for the iPhone
, iPad
, and iPod Touch
. "The Catalyst" has also been used in the advertisement for the 2011 movie The Lincoln Lawyer
with Matthew McConaughey
.
"The Catalyst", along with five other songs from A Thousand Suns, are featured in the "Linkin Park Track Pack" as downloadable content
for the rhythm video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
. The track pack was released on October 19, 2010.
and Napster
. The liner notes for A Thousand Suns also credit Sakowski with "Supplemental Programming
" on "When They Come for Me", the album's fifth track.
The top 20 remixes that were selected by the band are being considered for future use as b-sides and online downloads, as seen in the "Linkin Park, featuring YOU Winner" episode of the band's LPTV series. Two of the remixes (by DIGITALOMAT and ill Audio) have since been released as via the band's webpage as free mp3 downloads, while two others have (by Cale Pellick and DJ Endorphin) been released via The Catalyst EP, a German exclusive available via iTunes
.
"The Catalyst" has also been featured in the trailer of the video game Medal of Honor
, which premiered on August 1, 2010 and was directed by Joe Hahn. It will also be included on the game's soundtrack due out October 12, 2010. It was also used during the 16th annual X Games competition
. On September 15, 2010, Warner Music Japan announced that the song will be the official theme song of Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs.
On August 31, 2010, it was announced that the band would perform the single live for the first time at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
on September 12, 2010. The venue of the debut live performance was Griffith Observatory
, an iconic location used in Hollywood Movies. However, the venue was held secret until the performance but was revealed to be a prominent landmark of Los Angeles.
and J. Robert Oppenheimer as well as the Christian
Apocalypse
, which are three themes that are also used in the album. When coming up with the idea for the video, Hahn said he thought about what it would be like if mankind had to accept their fate in a time of despair.
The video premiered on August 26, 2010. The video begins at a foggy town and Mike is seen singing in his hoodie in a rusted car and the scene then shows people running from the town. The entire town is covered in smoke. The band members are shown in remains of buildings, and Chester sings while submerged in water. Numerous people with gas masks are shown. Later in the video, the people clash with the gas masked-men, throwing powder at each other, while the band members throw powder at each other as well. The video ends with Chester, still being submerged in water.
The video was released on their official YouTube
channel last August 25, 2010.
covered the song on September 22, 2010 on BBC Radio 1
as part of the Live Lounge
show.
called the song a "nearly six-minute anthem of aggression", emphasizing on the transition from electronica to a slow dirge midway through the track. He also added that it recalls the vocal chants from Muse
and political commentaries from Green Day
, which the band fuses to create "an original, if a bit awkward, transition from twisty techno to fist-pumping rock". The New York Post
named "The Catalyst" the 139th best song of 2010, saying "An electronic rave transforms into a power ballad."
CD single
Digital single
iTunes exclusive EP
Promotional radio CD single
Best Buy, Napster and HMV Edition bonus track
chart, with 12.2 million audience impressions. It became the first song in the chart's 14-month history to debut at the top spot. This gave the band their second No. 1 single on the chart, tying them with Alice in Chains
and Three Days Grace
for most No. 1 singles on the chart. It also debuted at No. 3 on the US Alternative Songs chart, becoming the band's fourteenth top five single on the chart (placing them behind Green Day for most top five's on the chart). In its third week on the chart, it reached No. 1, becoming the band's ninth No. 1 on the chart, and tied for second most across all artists on the chart. Additionally, it debuted at #35 on the US Billboard Hot 100, selling 60,000 downloads in its first week, and became the band's ninth top forty single on the Hot 100. After its debut, it fell to #89, but "The Catalyst" rebounded to #72 and eventually rose to #27 upon the release of A Thousand Suns. The song debuted at No. 20 on the US Billboard Hot Digital Songs
chart in its first week. It achieved a Gold certification from the RIAA.
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
. Released on August 2, 2010, it is the first single from their fourth studio album, A Thousand Suns
A Thousand Suns
A Thousand Suns is the fourth studio album by American rock band Linkin Park. It was first released on September 14, 2010. The album was written by the band and co-produced by Linkin Park vocalist Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin, who previously worked together to produce Minutes to Midnight...
, which was released on September 8, 2010. The music video for the song, directed by the band's turntablist
Turntablism
Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer.The word 'turntablist' was coined in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records, and one who performs by touching and moving the records, stylus and mixer...
Joe Hahn
Joe Hahn
Joseph "Joe" Hahn , better known by his stage name, Mr. Hahn, is an American turntablist and director best known as the DJ and sampler for the band Linkin Park.-Personal Biography:...
, was released on August 26, 2010.
"The Catalyst" is used in the trailer and credits of the video game Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor (2010 video game)
Medal of Honor is a first-person shooter video game and remake to the original Medal of Honor. Developed by Danger Close, a team within the EA Los Angeles studio, and DICE, it is the twelfth installment in the Medal of Honor series and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
and also the opening song of Namco-Bandai's Arcade game, Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs.
is a 3D Arcade Fighting game and the newest in the series of Gundam VS video game series developed by Capcom and published by Namco Bandai Games. It's the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam NEXT. The game was first unveiled at the AOU 2010 and confirmed to be released on September 28,...
. It was also used in select commercials of the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
series, Surviving the Cut
Surviving the Cut
Surviving the Cut is a military documentary/reality television series produced by 2 Roosters Media for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the rigorous training programs of various elite forces of the United States armed forces...
. The song was also featured in the video game Linkin Park Revenge for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, and iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
. "The Catalyst" has also been used in the advertisement for the 2011 movie The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer (film)
The Lincoln Lawyer is a 2011 American thriller film adapted from the novel of the same name by Michael Connelly, starring Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy and Marisa Tomei...
with Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
.
"The Catalyst", along with five other songs from A Thousand Suns, are featured in the "Linkin Park Track Pack" as downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
for the rhythm video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
. The track pack was released on October 19, 2010.
Background
From July 9, 2010 until July 25, 2010, Linkin Park (in collaboration with MySpace.com) held the contest "Linkin Park, Featuring You". In this contest, fans could download stems from the album's first single, "The Catalyst", remix the stems and/or write their own parts for the song on any instrument. The winner of this contest was Czesław "NoBraiN" Sakowski from Świdnica, Poland, whose remix will be featured as an additional track on the album, available via Best BuyBest Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
and Napster
Napster
Napster is an online music store and a Best Buy company. It was originally founded as a pioneering peer-to-peer file sharing Internet service that emphasized sharing audio files that were typically digitally encoded music as MP3 format files...
. The liner notes for A Thousand Suns also credit Sakowski with "Supplemental Programming
Programming (music)
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
" on "When They Come for Me", the album's fifth track.
The top 20 remixes that were selected by the band are being considered for future use as b-sides and online downloads, as seen in the "Linkin Park, featuring YOU Winner" episode of the band's LPTV series. Two of the remixes (by DIGITALOMAT and ill Audio) have since been released as via the band's webpage as free mp3 downloads, while two others have (by Cale Pellick and DJ Endorphin) been released via The Catalyst EP, a German exclusive available via iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
"The Catalyst" has also been featured in the trailer of the video game Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor (2010 video game)
Medal of Honor is a first-person shooter video game and remake to the original Medal of Honor. Developed by Danger Close, a team within the EA Los Angeles studio, and DICE, it is the twelfth installment in the Medal of Honor series and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
, which premiered on August 1, 2010 and was directed by Joe Hahn. It will also be included on the game's soundtrack due out October 12, 2010. It was also used during the 16th annual X Games competition
X Games XVI
X Games XVI was an action sporting event which took place from July 29 – August 1, 2010 in Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center, L.A. Live and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum...
. On September 15, 2010, Warner Music Japan announced that the song will be the official theme song of Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs.
is a 3D Arcade Fighting game and the newest in the series of Gundam VS video game series developed by Capcom and published by Namco Bandai Games. It's the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam NEXT. The game was first unveiled at the AOU 2010 and confirmed to be released on September 28,...
On August 31, 2010, it was announced that the band would perform the single live for the first time at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
2010 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 12, 2010 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year...
on September 12, 2010. The venue of the debut live performance was Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory is in Los Angeles, California, United States. Sitting on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in L.A.'s Griffith Park, it commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin, including downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest...
, an iconic location used in Hollywood Movies. However, the venue was held secret until the performance but was revealed to be a prominent landmark of Los Angeles.
Music video
The video for the song was filmed in July and was also directed by Joe Hahn. According to bassist Phoenix, the video contains references to the Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
and J. Robert Oppenheimer as well as the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
, which are three themes that are also used in the album. When coming up with the idea for the video, Hahn said he thought about what it would be like if mankind had to accept their fate in a time of despair.
The video premiered on August 26, 2010. The video begins at a foggy town and Mike is seen singing in his hoodie in a rusted car and the scene then shows people running from the town. The entire town is covered in smoke. The band members are shown in remains of buildings, and Chester sings while submerged in water. Numerous people with gas masks are shown. Later in the video, the people clash with the gas masked-men, throwing powder at each other, while the band members throw powder at each other as well. The video ends with Chester, still being submerged in water.
The video was released on their official YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel last August 25, 2010.
Covers
PendulumPendulum (band)
Pendulum is an Australian drum and bass and electronic rock band founded in 2002 in Perth by Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen, and Paul Harding.Swire and McGrillen were members of the rock band known as Xygen. After hearing Konflict's "Messiah" at a club, they were inspired to enter into the drum and...
covered the song on September 22, 2010 on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
as part of the Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
show.
Reception
"The Catalyst" has received generally positive reception from critics. Jason Lipshutz of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
called the song a "nearly six-minute anthem of aggression", emphasizing on the transition from electronica to a slow dirge midway through the track. He also added that it recalls the vocal chants from Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
and political commentaries from Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, which the band fuses to create "an original, if a bit awkward, transition from twisty techno to fist-pumping rock". The New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
named "The Catalyst" the 139th best song of 2010, saying "An electronic rave transforms into a power ballad."
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Linkin Park.CD single
Digital single
iTunes exclusive EP
Promotional radio CD single
Best Buy, Napster and HMV Edition bonus track
Chart performance
"The Catalyst" debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard Rock SongsRock Songs
Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs...
chart, with 12.2 million audience impressions. It became the first song in the chart's 14-month history to debut at the top spot. This gave the band their second No. 1 single on the chart, tying them with Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
and Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band, formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada in 1992, originally under the name Groundswell. After a breakup in late 1997, the band regrouped in the same year under its current name and with a line-up consisting of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer...
for most No. 1 singles on the chart. It also debuted at No. 3 on the US Alternative Songs chart, becoming the band's fourteenth top five single on the chart (placing them behind Green Day for most top five's on the chart). In its third week on the chart, it reached No. 1, becoming the band's ninth No. 1 on the chart, and tied for second most across all artists on the chart. Additionally, it debuted at #35 on the US Billboard Hot 100, selling 60,000 downloads in its first week, and became the band's ninth top forty single on the Hot 100. After its debut, it fell to #89, but "The Catalyst" rebounded to #72 and eventually rose to #27 upon the release of A Thousand Suns. The song debuted at No. 20 on the US Billboard Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
chart in its first week. It achieved a Gold certification from the RIAA.
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
33 |
| Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
18 |
| Belgium Ultratip (Flanders Flanders Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp... ) |
6 |
| Belgium Ultratip (Wallonia) | 9 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
28 |
| Dutch Single Top 100 | 95 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 29 |
| German Top100 Singles Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
11 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... Singles Chart |
27 |
| Swedish Singles Top 60 Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
31 |
| Swiss Singles Top 100 Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
29 |
| UK Rock Chart UK Rock Chart The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the Top 40 Rock Singles and the Top 40 Rock Albums Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company from physical record sales in British retail outlets with larger than average genrespecific sales.... |
1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
27 |
| US Billboard Rock Songs Rock Songs Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs... |
1 |
| US Billboard Alternative Songs | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 12 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Top 100 RIAJ Digital Track Chart The is chart ranks the best selling digital singles in Japan, provided by the Recording Industry Association of Japan since April 2009. The chart measures cellphone downloads .... |
96 |
| Billboard Rock Songs Rock Songs Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs... |
40 |