Seven Nation Army
| "Seven Nation Army" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by the White Stripes | ||||
| from the album Elephant | ||||
| B-side | "Good to Me" | |||
| Released | February 17, 2003 | |||
| Recorded | April–May 2002 | |||
| Studio | Toe Rag (London, England) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:52 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Composers | ||||
| Lyricist | Jack White | |||
| Producer | Jack White | |||
| The White Stripes singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Seven Nation Army" on YouTube | ||||
"Seven Nation Army" is a song by American rock duo the White Stripes, released by V2 Records and XL Recordings on February 17, 2003. The opening track and lead single from their fourth studio album, Elephant (2003), the song was written by Jack White and composed by the band. It consists of distorted vocals, a minimal drumbeat, and a bass line created by playing a guitar through a pitch shift effect.
"Seven Nation Army" peaked at 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100, which is the band's first entry on the chart; it also charted in multiple countries and received several platinum certifications. The song received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its distinctive riff and drumbeat. It won Best Rock Song at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, and a music video for the song directed by Alex and Martin won Best Editing in a Video at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. Its success contributed to the garage rock revival, and the song has ranked on several professional listicles of the best songs of all time.
"Seven Nation Army" has experienced increased commercial success, largely credited to its "ubiquitous" sound and usage in sports. It commonly appears in audience chants in which a series of "oh" sounds or the name of an athlete is sung to the tune of the song's riff. It has also served as a theme song for sports teams, personalities, and events, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The song has further appeared in various media and has been used in political events in the United Kingdom, particularly as a chant sung by audiences. Various artists have also covered "Seven Nation Army", including Ben l'Oncle Soul and Marcus Collins, both of whose covers reached charts in multiple countries. Third Man Records twice reissued the single in 2014 and 2015.