Anthem for the Year 2000
{{Short description|1999 single by Silverchair}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Anthem for the Year 2000
| cover = Anthemfortheyear2000.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Silverchair
| album = Neon Ballroom
| released = February 1999
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
- Heavy metal{{cite magazine|last=Chonin|first=Neva|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/neon-ballroom-250324/amp/|title=Neon Ballroom|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=18 March 1999|access-date=16 May 2021}}
- arena rock{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b12-BkDZdMcC&pg=PA10 |title = Playlisted: Everything You Need to Know about Australian Music Right Now|isbn = 9781459604445|last = Mathieson|first = Craig|page=10|date = October 2010| publisher=ReadHowYouWant.com }}
| length =
- 4:07 (album version)
- 3:45 (edit)
| label = Murmur
| writer = Daniel Johns
| producer = Nick Launay
| prev_title = The Door
| prev_year = 1997
| next_title = Ana's Song (Open Fire)
| next_year = 1999
}}
"Anthem for the Year 2000" is a song by Australian rock band Silverchair, released as the first single from their third album, Neon Ballroom. The song reached number three on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, becoming the band's sixth top-ten single and their first lead single from an album not to reach number one, a feat "Tomorrow" and "Freak" had accomplished. The song reached the top ten in New Zealand, on Canada's RPM Rock Report, and on the UK Rock Chart.
Australian writer Craig Mathieson described the song as "a viciously compressed take on Queen's stadium rock moments that made Y2K into a generational battle".
Origin
Songwriter Daniel Johns said "Anthem for the Year 2000" was inspired by a dream:
The whole thing is about youth rebelling against people who are supposedly more important. It's about youth having total control over their own minds. They do not need overweight people in suits telling them what to do and how to act. It is all about just being yourself. The chorus is very sarcastic. It is not supposed to be taken seriously.{{cite news |date=February 21, 1999 |title=Interview with The Sunday Herald-Sun |work=The Sunday Herald-Sun |url=http://www.chairpage.com/_news/archive/1999/feb07.htm}}
Music video
The music video was directed by Gavin Bowden, who also made some videos for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Australian actress Maggie Kirkpatrick played the robot politician. Kirkpatrick said about being invited for the video:
My first reaction was, 'Why me?' I later found out that the boys were from Newcastle and, being an old Newcastle girl myself, I was more than prepared to help them out. I encourage anyone from my own town. Actually, my niece and nephew went to school with the guys.
Reception
AllMusic critic Jason Anderson thought that "Anthem for the Year 2000" was one of the three highlights from Neon Ballroom.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/neon-ballroom-mw0000048733 |title=Neon Ballroom – Silverchair
Influence
Northlane member Jon Deiley said:
"Anthem for the Year 2000" was the first Silverchair song I ever heard.To me as a young kid, it was intense and heavy and it wasn't til a few years later that I really began to appreciate the impact their music had on me at an early age.{{cite web| url = https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/northlane-the-amity-affliction-silverchair-tribute-album/9042494| title = Northlane, The Amity Affliction and more to cover Silverchair on tribute album - Music News - triple j| website = Australian Broadcasting Corporation| date = 12 October 2017}}
Track listings
Australian (MATTCD080)/European (6668362) CD single/Cassette single (MATTC080)
- "Anthem for the Year 2000"
- "London's Burning" (The Clash cover)
- "Untitled"
- "The Millennium Bug" (The Paul Mac Remix)
Australian 7-inch vinyl (MATTVO80)
- "Anthem for the Year 2000"
- "Trash"
Limited numbered UK CD single (6670882)
- "Anthem for the Year 2000"
- "The Millennium Bug" (The Paul Mac Remix)
UK limited 7-inch numbered picture disc
- "Anthem for the Year 2000"
- "The Millennium Bug" (The Paul Mac Remix)
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1999) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|3|artist=Silverchair|song=Anthem for the Year 2000|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Canadarock|6|chartid=8151|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|8|artist=Silverchair|song=Anthem for the Year 2000|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|32|artist=Silverchair|song=Anthem for the Year 2000|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UK|93|date=19990320|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UKrock|3|date=19990320|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|15|artist=Silverchair|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|12|artist=Silverchair|rowheader=true|access-date=26 March 2019}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1999|certyear=1999|access-date=26 March 2019}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"|Australia
|February 1999 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} | |
|---|
| scope="row"|United States
|22 February 1999 |Active rock radio |{{hlist|Murmur|Epic}} |{{cite magazine|title=Adds for February 22 & 23|magazine=Gavin Report|issue=2243|page=59|date=19 February 1999}} |