Smash (The Offspring album)
{{short description|1994 studio album by the Offspring}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}{{Infobox album
| name = Smash
| type = studio
| artist = the Offspring
| cover = TheOffspringSmashalbumcover.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|1994|4|8}}
| recorded = January–February 1994
| venue =
| studio = Track Record, North Hollywood, California
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Punk rock{{cite web |last1=Winwood|first1=Ian|title=How The Offspring's Smash album changed American punk forever |url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/how-the-offsprings-smash-album-changed-american-punk-forever/|website=Kerrang! |date=8 April 2021 |accessdate=April 8, 2021}}
- skate punk{{cite web |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/heaven-is-a-half-pipe-the-joys-of-skate-punk/ |title=Heaven Is A Half-Pipe: The Joys Of Skate Punk |publisher=uDiscover |last=Peacock |first=Tim |date=September 12, 2017 |accessdate=September 3, 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ocweekly.com/music/10-best-skate-punk-albums-of-all-time-6605443/2 |title=10 Best Skate Punk Albums of All Time |work=OC Weekly |last=Chesler |first=Josh |date=September 29, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603162731/http://www.ocweekly.com/music/10-best-skate-punk-albums-of-all-time-6605443/2 |archive-date=June 3, 2016 }}
- pop-punk
- melodic hardcore{{cite journal|last1=Horn|first1=Bret Van|title=Record Reviews|journal=Punk Planet|date=July–August 1994|issue=2|page=53|url=https://archive.org/details/punk_planet_02/page/n53/mode/2up}}
}}
| length = {{Duration|m=46|s=47}}
| label = Epitaph
| producer = Thom Wilson
| prev_title = Ignition
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = Club Me
| next_year = 1997
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Smash
| type = studio
| single1 = Come Out and Play
| single1date = March 10, 1994
| single2 = Self Esteem
| single2date = December 22, 1994
| single3 = Gotta Get Away
| single3date = February 2, 1995
}}
}}
Smash is the third studio album by American rock band the Offspring, released on April 8, 1994, through Epitaph Records. After touring in support of their previous album Ignition (1992), the band recorded their next album for nearly two months at Track Record in North Hollywood, California.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocweekly.com/the-offspring-are-still-smashing-6429929/|title=The Offspring Are Still Smashing|work=OC Register|date=April 3, 2014|accessdate=December 30, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-08-25-ca-31148-story.html|title=Helping Make Offspring a Smash|work=Los Angeles|date=August 25, 1994|access-date=December 30, 2018}} Smash was the band's final studio album to be produced by Thom Wilson, who had worked with them since their 1989 debut album The Offspring. Smash was put together on the spot in the studio and there was no systematic work behind the recording of the album.{{Cite web |last=Wiederhorn |first=Jon |date=August 28, 2014 |title=The Offspring Were 'Flying By the Seat of Their Pants' As They Rocketed to Stardom |url=https://ca.music.yahoo.com/blogs/music-news/the-offspring-were--flying-by-the-seat-of-their-pants--as-they-rocketed-to-stardom-222955833.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150127202900/https://ca.music.yahoo.com/blogs/music-news/the-offspring-were--flying-by-the-seat-of-their-pants--as-they-rocketed-to-stardom-222955833.html |archive-date=2015-01-27 |access-date=February 18, 2015 |website=Yahoo! Music}}
The rise of grunge, especially Nirvana's successful release of Nevermind (1991), paved the way for American punk rock to reach a wider audience, with punk rock serving as an important base to the grunge sound. While Ignition had exceeded both the band's and the label's commercial expectations, it did not give the Offspring a major commercial breakthrough; Smash was the Offspring's introduction into worldwide popularity. It produced a number of hit singles, including "Come Out and Play", "Self Esteem", and "Gotta Get Away". Along with Green Day's Dookie, Smash was responsible for bringing punk rock into the mainstream, and helped pave the way for the then-emerging pop punk scene of the 1990s.{{cite magazine |last1=Bienstock |first1=Richard |title=The Offspring's 'Smash': The Little Punk LP That Defeated the Majors |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-offsprings-smash-the-little-punk-lp-that-defeated-the-majors-189742/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=April 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305142356/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-offsprings-smash-the-little-punk-lp-that-defeated-the-majors-189742/ |archive-date=March 5, 2024 |date=April 8, 2014}}{{cite web|author=Joe D'angelo |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1491001/how-green-days-dookie-fertilized-a-punk-rock-revival/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508205918/http://www.mtv.com/news/1491001/how-green-days-dookie-fertilized-a-punk-rock-revival/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 8, 2014 |title=How Green Day's Dookie Fertilized A Punk-Rock Revival |publisher=MTV.com |date=2004-09-15 |accessdate=2014-06-17}}{{cite web|author=Melissa Bobbitt |url=http://90srock.about.com/od/Reviews/fl/The-Offsprings-Smash-Turns-20.htm |title=The Offspring's 'Smash' Turns 20 |publisher=About.com |date=2014-04-08 |accessdate=2014-06-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712100116/http://90srock.about.com/od/Reviews/fl/The-Offsprings-Smash-Turns-20.htm |archive-date=2014-07-12 }}{{cite web|author=Barry Thompson |url=http://www.vanyaland.com/2014/04/08/smash-dead-reflecting-offsprings-punk-breakout-20th-anniversary/ |title='Smash' It Dead: Reflecting on the Offspring's punk breakout, which turns 20 years old today |publisher=vanyaland.com |date=2014-04-08 |accessdate=2014-06-17}}
As a fan favorite, the album received generally positive reviews from critics and garnered attention from major labels, including Columbia Records, with whom the band would sign in 1996. Peaking at number four on the US Billboard 200, Smash has sold over eleven million copies worldwide,[http://epitaph.com/news/article/the-offspring-celebrate-20th-anniversary-of-smash THE OFFSPRING CELEBRATE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SMASH] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204022117/http://epitaph.com/news/article/the-offspring-celebrate-20th-anniversary-of-smash |date=February 4, 2015 }}. Epitaph Records. Retrieved February 18, 2015.[http://offspring.com/thehistory/ THE OFFSPRING HISTORY] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150309014232/http://offspring.com/thehistory/ |date=2015-03-09 }} offspring.com/thehistory. Retrieved February 19, 2015.[http://alarm-magazine.com/2008/epitaph-announces-re-issues-of-smash-and-ignition-by-offspring/ Epitaph Announces Re-issues of Smash and Ignition by Offspring]. Alarm. Retrieved February 18, 2015.[http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/bad_religion_the_offspring_performing_smash_in_full_pennywise_announce_summ Bad Religion, the Offspring (performing 'Smash' in full), Pennywise announce summer tour] Alternative Press. Retrieved January 31, 2015. making it the best-selling album released by an independent record label; it was also the first Epitaph release to obtain gold and platinum status.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=epitaph&perPage=25 |title=RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |accessdate=November 24, 2014}} In the United States, Smash has sold over six million copies[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/488220/the-offspring-still-fly-as-days-go-by-rises-on-rock-charts The Offspring Still Fly as 'Days Go By' Rises on Rock Charts] Billboard and has been certified six times platinum by the RIAA.
Background and recording
In 1991, the Offspring released the Baghdad 7". This EP was the turning point for the band; due to its success the band signed with Epitaph Records. Thom Wilson, who produced the Offspring's first two albums, had been trying to get the Offspring to switch to Epitaph, a label run by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Gurewitz felt that the Offspring was just not quite pronounced enough for his label, but Baghdad convinced him to give the band a shot. Wilson and the Offspring entered the studio again and recorded Ignition. Released in 1992, Ignition exceeded all of the label's and band's expectations.[http://www.thetabworld.com/Offspring_biography.html Offspring Biography] Following the subsequent touring to support Ignition, the Offspring began writing new material for their third album in mid-1993.
Smash was recorded in 20 days between January and February 1994 at Track Record in North Hollywood.{{Cite web |last=Kohn |first=Daniel |date=2024-04-08 |title=The Offspring reflects on 30 years of 'Smash' with plenty of self-esteem |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2024-04-08/the-offspring-30th-anniversary-smash-self-esteem-dexter-holland-noodles-wasserman |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} On the recording process of the album, frontman Dexter Holland told Flux Magazine in 1994, "When we recorded this album, our last one has sold maybe 15,000 copies, so the possibility of us getting played on the radio or anything like that was pretty much nonexistent. Especially because this kind of music is not generally considered acceptable by the mainstream - so, for something like this to happen, it really took us by surprise."{{cite journal |last=Grad |first=David |title=Smashing Punk Kings |journal=Flux Magazine |year=1994}}
Smash had a small budget of $20,000, which frequently restricted the band. According to guitarist Noodles, "[we] were constantly calling our studio to find out when it was empty just so we could sneak in at a discount price". The last four songs recorded for the album were worked on through just two nights.[http://teamrock.com/feature/2017-11-22/the-offspring-their-best-albums-in-their-own-words The Offspring: Their best albums in their own words]
Writing and composition
Punk rock bands like Green Day and Rancid were gaining popularity, and riding on this wave of popularity, Smash's singles became radio rock hits. An example of this was the success of the Offspring's first major single release, "Come Out and Play", which reached No. 1 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The second single released from the album, "Self Esteem", became a radio hit, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The third single, "Gotta Get Away" reached number 6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Being the last song written for the album, the lyrics describe a point in Dexter's life when he was suffering from extreme pressure due to the then-upcoming deadline of the album. "What Happened To You" is driven by a Jamaican ska beat.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/28/arts/pop-review-proof-of-punk-s-currency.html?src=pm|title=POP REVIEW; Proof of Punk's Currency|last=Strauss|first=Neil|date=October 28, 1994|accessdate=June 20, 2011|work=The New York Times}}
The only cover in the album was "Killboy Powerhead", by the Didjits.
Reception
=Professional reviews=
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/smash-mw0000625344 |title=Smash – The Offspring |website=AllMusic |accessdate=April 29, 2004 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}
| rev2 = Chicago Tribune
| rev2score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/06/02/offspringsmash-epitaph-starstarstarsmoking-popesget-fired-johanns-face/ |title=Offspring: Smash (Epitaph) / Smoking Popes: Get Fired (Johann's Face) |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=June 2, 1994 |access-date=August 6, 2016 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot}}
| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3score = B−{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/1994/08/12/smash |title=Smash |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=August 12, 1994 |accessdate=August 6, 2016 |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist)}}
| rev4 = The Great Rock Discography
| rev4score = 7/10{{cite book |chapter=Offspring |title=The Great Rock Discography |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |author-link=Martin C. Strong |publisher=Canongate Books |edition=7th |year=2004 |isbn=1-84195-615-5}}
| rev5 = NME
| rev5score = 6/10{{cite magazine |title=The Offspring: Smash |magazine=NME |date=September 3, 1994 |page=51}}
| rev6 = Rolling Stone
| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theoffspring/albums/album/160074/review/5944641/smash |title=The Offspring: Smash / Bad Religion: Stranger Than Fiction |magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=694 |date=November 3, 1994 |accessdate=August 7, 2007 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot |page=98 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016105728/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theoffspring/albums/album/160074/review/5944641/smash |archive-date=October 16, 2007 |url-status=dead}}
| rev7 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |chapter=The Offspring |last=Harris |first=Keith |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/600 600–01]}}
| rev8 = Select
| rev8score = 3/5{{cite magazine |url=http://selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk/showpage.php?file=wp-content/uploads/2014/06/albums31.jpg |title=Offspring: Smash |magazine=Select |issue=52 |date=October 1994 |accessdate=December 9, 2017 |last=Morris |first=Gina |page=100}}
| rev9 = Spin Alternative Record Guide
| rev9score = 7/10{{cite book |chapter=Offspring |last=Eddy |first=Chuck |author-link=Chuck Eddy |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=279–80}}
| rev10 = Sputnikmusic
}}
Critical reviews of Smash were mostly positive. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it a "solid record, filled with enough heavy riffs to keep most teenagers happy". Erlewine praised the music as "relentlessly heavy". For the album, he claims that the Offspring had "crossed over", because of the success of its single "Come Out and Play", which "stopped and started just like Nirvana." Sputnikmusic reviewer Mike Stagno called it "a fun album to listen to." Robert Christgau was less favorable, giving the album a "neither" rating.{{cite book |chapter=The Offspring: Smash |chapter-url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=9075 |accessdate=January 29, 2009 |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |year=2000 |isbn=0-312-24560-2}}
=Chart performance and sales=
File: The_Offspring_Smash_Worldwide_Sales_Plaque.jpg
Despite obtaining early support from the Los Angeles modern rock radio station KROQ, Smash initially received little attention from radio and television stations. On October 29, 1994, it peaked at number four on the Billboard 200, and since then, was in various places on the chart for 101 weeks.[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the offspring|chart=all}} Smash - The Offspring]. Billboard. Retrieved 2011-02-21. It also peaked at number one on the Heatseeker's Chart.[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r203081/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} Chart information] at AllMusic On June 19, 1999, Smash peaked at number 12 on the Catalog Albums chart for one week.
Smash made history becoming the first album released on Epitaph Records to obtain gold and platinum status, and has been certified multi-platinum in three countries, including the US,{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|title=Smash|artist=Offspring|type=album|certyear=2000}} Australia,{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Australia|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|certyear=1997}} and Canada.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Canada|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|certyear=1996}} Additionally, it has achieved platinum status in Sweden{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Sweden|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|certyear=1995}} and Switzerland{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Switzerland|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album}}, and gold status in Austria{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Austria|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album}} and Norway.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Norway|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album}} Smash had sold over 11 million copies worldwide, with 6.3 million sales in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and reported by Billboard in 2012. In France, it is the best selling album on an independent label, with 650,000 sales and 2× Platinum certification.
On July 30, 1994, "Come Out and Play", the album's first single, topped the Modern Rock Tracks, and stayed on the chart for 26 weeks.[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the offspring|chart=Alternative Songs}} The Offspring Album & Song Chart History]. Billboard. Retrieved 2011-02-21. The song also charted at number 39 on the Pop Songs chart, while it reached number ten on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Self Esteem" reached number four on Modern Rock Tracks and would remain on that chart for 26 weeks, while it hit number seven on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Gotta Get Away", the album's third and last single, peaked at number six on the Modern Rock Tracks chart on January 14, 1995, where it would maintain some lower position on the chart for 20 weeks. Around the same time "Gotta Get Away" was officially chosen as the follow-up to "Self Esteem", "Bad Habit" was thought to be the third or fourth single from Smash when KROQ added it to its playlist and became one of the radio station's most requested songs; nonetheless, no music video nor standard single was released to promote "Bad Habit".{{cite web|title=The KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1995|publisher=radiohitlist.com|url=http://www.radiohitlist.com/KROQ/KROQ-1995.htm|accessdate=September 13, 2019}}
=Legacy=
Smash has inspired a number of musicians. During Trivium's early days, guitarist Matt Heafy performed a cover version of "Self Esteem" at his middle school talent show at Lake Brantley High School, while the British synthpop group Cuban Boys also covered that song on their only full-length album Eastwood. The album's other hit, "Come Out and Play", was covered by Richard Cheese on his 2000 album, Lounge Against the Machine and again released on the 2006 best-of album The Sunny Side of the Moon. Brett Gurewitz, the guitarist of Bad Religion and president of Epitaph, had also mentioned that he liked Smash and described it as "a very good record".{{cite web|url=http://www.thebrpage.net/theanswer/?article=the_offspring|title=The Offspring|accessdate=2008-12-29|publisher=The Bad Religion Page|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213230857/http://www.thebrpage.net/theanswer/?article=the_offspring|archive-date=2012-02-13}}
Along with Green Day's Dookie, Smash was among the most commercially successful punk rock albums released in 1994, a year when the genre reached arguably its greatest popularity. By the end of the year, Dookie and Smash had both sold millions of copies.Bestseller lists and Diamond Certification available at the RIAA website: {{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/diamond.asp |title=Recording Industry Association of America |website=Recording Industry Association of America |accessdate=2009-11-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818085906/http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/diamond.asp |archive-date=2006-08-18 }} The commercial success of these two albums attracted major label interest in punk rock, with bands such as Rancid, NOFX and Pennywise, all of whom had been labelmates with the Offspring at the time, being offered lucrative contracts to leave their independent record labels, though this offer was rejected.
Smash has been listed on several publications' best album lists. In November 2011, the album was ranked number two on Guitar World magazine's top ten list of guitar albums of 1994, between Bad Religion's Stranger than Fiction and Weezer's Weezer.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/readers-poll-results-top-10-guitar-albums-1994 |title=Photo Gallery: The Top 10 Guitar Albums of 1994 |author=Grassi, Tony |magazine=GuitarWorld.com |accessdate=2011-11-08}} Guitar World also ranked Smash at number 31 in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/superunknown-50-iconic-albums-defined-1994 |title=Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994 |date=July 14, 2014 |work=GuitarWorld.com |accessdate=July 14, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715053900/http://www.guitarworld.com/superunknown-50-iconic-albums-defined-1994 |archive-date=July 15, 2014 }} Although the Offspring is a punk rock band, Loudwire placed Smash at No. 4 on its "10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1994" list.{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/best-hard-rock-albums-1994/ |title=10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1994 |date=May 20, 2014 |work=Loudwire |accessdate=May 21, 2014}} The album was included at number 6 on Rock Sound{{'}}s "The 51 Most Essential Pop Punk Albums of All Time" list.Bird, ed. 2014, p. 73 NME listed the album as one of "20 Pop Punk Albums Which Will Make You Nostalgic".{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/photos/20-pop-punk-albums-which-will-make-you-nostalgic/340824|title=20 Pop Punk Albums Which Will Make You Nostalgic|date=June 9, 2014|work=NME.com|accessdate=July 29, 2015}}
Artwork
Image:CDs The Offspring Smash Era.jpg
Smash, as well as the singles "Come Out and Play", "Self Esteem", and "Gotta Get Away" have a common artwork theme: an ominous (and highly distorted) skeleton on the cover, disc, and back of the CD case. The music videos for "Self Esteem" and "Come Out and Play" also have several scenes with a similar skeleton. This symbol is believed to represent the core motifs of the album: death, greed, suicide, violence, addiction, and abuse. The skeleton is used to represent that the continuation of these acts will inevitably lead to death (or alternatively, the end of the human race). The art direction is credited to Kevin Head and Fred Hidalgo, who also designed the artwork for the Bad Religion album Recipe for Hate."Smash" Liner Notes
Touring and promotion
The Offspring toured for more than two years to promote Smash. They began a two-month U.S. tour in May 1994, supporting such bands as SNFU, Battery Club and Pennywise, and then that summer, the band toured North America with Guttermouth and Big Drill Car, and Europe with Desaster Area.{{cite web|url=http://www.offspring.com/tour |title=The Offspring - Tour |publisher=offspring.com |accessdate=2014-06-22}} In the wake of the success of Smash, the Offspring was reportedly offered but turned down opening arena tours with bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Metallica (replacing Alice in Chains on the latter's summer 1994 U.S. tour), due to their desire to continue playing in clubs; Holland has been quoted as saying, "It just really didn't seem like the right thing to do. I still like the club thing, even if it's a big club. I like Stone Temple Pilots—it's not like we're saying we're too punk for that."{{cite book |title=Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal |publisher=Harper Paperbacks |date=2004 |last=Christe |first=Ian |page=[https://archive.org/details/soundofbeastcomp0000chri/page/305 305] |isbn=0-380-81127-8 }} The Offspring's next U.S. tour took place in October–November 1994, and was supported by Rancid, who were promoting their second album Let's Go. The band wrapped up the year with a European tour in November and a series of theater performances in December.
In January 1995, the Offspring embarked on their first tour of Japan and Australia, where they co-headlined Big Day Out with Ministry, Primal Scream, Hole, and the Cult. They toured the U.S. with Quicksand and No Use for a Name in February–March 1995, and then headlined a European tour, which was followed by another U.S. tour with the Vandals and Lunachicks, and another European tour in June–July. The Offspring took the rest of 1995 off before playing three shows in Southern California in December, and a one-off show in Orange, California with Rancid in April 1996. In August 1996, the band played its final dates of the Smash tour in Europe.
The Offspring embarked on a full-scale tour in the summer and fall of 2014 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the release of Smash. On this tour, they played the Smash album in its entirety.{{cite web|title=Smash 20th Anniversary|url=http://offspring.com/news/398/smash-20th-anniversary|publisher=Offspring.com|accessdate=April 8, 2014|date=April 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411070052/http://offspring.com/news/398/smash-20th-anniversary|archive-date=April 11, 2014|url-status=dead}}
Reissues
Smash has been reissued at least twice. Remastered issues of Ignition and Smash were released on June 17, 2008, the same day as the Offspring's eighth studio album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. On April 8, 2014, the 20th anniversary of its original release, the Offspring announced that they would be releasing a special edition of Smash in mid-August on Epitaph. It was released as a special package that contained the remastered album on both CD and vinyl, restyled artwork, and a large format 24-page booklet containing never-before seen photos. The reissue was also released as a box set; it came with an art print (the first 250 of which are signed and on linen), a live photo print, tour pass replica and 20th anniversary items, including a pin, patch and guitar pick. The band toured in support of the reissue.
Track listing
{{tracklist
|
| total_length = 46:47
| all_writing = Dexter Holland, except where noted [http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?fromrow=1&torow=25&keyname=HOLLAND%20BRYAN%20KEITH&querytype=WriterID&keyid=158459&page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&affiliation=BMI&cae=227455957 BMI Entry] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016221230/http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?fromrow=1&torow=25&keyname=HOLLAND%20BRYAN%20KEITH&querytype=WriterID&keyid=158459&page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&affiliation=BMI&cae=227455957 |date=2015-10-16 }}
| title1 = Time to Relax
| length1 = 0:25
| note1 = Intro
| title2 = Nitro (Youth Energy)
| length2 = 2:27
| title3 = Bad Habit
| length3 = 3:43
| title4 = Gotta Get Away
| length4 = 3:52
| title5 = Genocide
| note5 = Followed by spoken word
| length5 = 3:33
| title6 = Something to Believe In
| length6 = 3:17
| title7 = Come Out and Play
| note7 = "Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)" on the remastered edition
| length7 = 3:17
| title8 = Self Esteem
| length8 = 4:17
| title9 = It'll Be a Long Time
| length9 = 2:43
| title10 = Killboy Powerhead
| note10 = written and originally performed by the Didjits
| length10 = 2:02
| title11 = What Happened to You?
| length11 = 2:12
| title12 = So Alone
| length12 = 1:17
| title13 = Not the One
| length13 = 2:54
| title14 = Smash
| note14 = Song ends at 2:52. Immediately followed by spoken word, which is then followed by "Genocide (Reprise)", in which the same riff and drum beat can be heard on "Change the World" from the band's next album. This ends at 4:09, followed by silence until 9:00, where the hidden track "Come Out and Play (Acoustic Reprise)" begins.
| length14 = 10:42
}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Weekly chart performance for Smash !Chart (1994–1995) !Peak |
{{album chart|Australia|1|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
scope="row"| Australian Alternative Albums (ARIA){{cite magazine |date=November 6, 1994 |magazine=ARIA Report |title=ARIA Alternative Charts Top 20 |url=https://i.postimg.cc/cLb4MTgK/ARIA-Alternative-Charts-6th-November-1994.jpg |issue=247 |page=12 |access-date=November 22, 2021}}
|align="center"| 1 |
---|
{{album chart|Austria|2|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Flanders|2|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Wallonia|2|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Canada|5|chartid=7956|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
scope="row"| Danish Albums (Hitlisten){{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-06-13.pdf|title=Top National Sellers: Denmark|work=Music & Media|page=16|date=June 13, 1995|access-date=March 18, 2021}}
|align="center"| 6 |
{{album chart|Netherlands|5|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
scope="row"|Estonia Top CD Albums (Eesti Top 10){{cite web|url=https://dea.digar.ee/?a=d&d=eestipaevaleht19950906.2.16.2&srpos=7&e=-------en-25--1--txt-txIN%7ctxTI%7ctxAU%7ctxTA-offspring+smash------------|title=MUUSIKAEDETABELID: Eesti TOP 10|work=Sõnumileht|date=September 6, 1994|page=11|access-date=February 27, 2025|language=et}}
|align="center"|3 |
scope="row"|European Albums (European Top 100 Albums){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-06-10.pdf|title=Eurochart Top 100 Albums - June 10, 1995|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=23|page=20|date=June 10, 1995|access-date=November 18, 2021}}
|align="center"| 3 |
{{album chart|Finland|2|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-06-10.pdf|title=Top National Sellers - June 10, 1995|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=23|page=20|date=June 10, 1995|access-date=November 18, 2021}}
|align="center"| 4 |
{{album chart|Germany|4|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|id=2000|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Hungary|18|year=1995|week=27|rowheader=true|access-date=November 25, 2021}} |
scope="row"| Icelandic Albums (Tónlist){{cite news |url=https://timarit.is/page/2727992?iabr=on#page/n33/mode/2up/search/(1)%20smash%20offspring |title=Tónlist – Ísland (plötur/diskar) |newspaper=DV |language=is |date=13 May 1995 |page=21 |issn=1021-8254 |via=Timarit.is |access-date=13 July 2021 |archive-date=13 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713001120/https://timarit.is/page/2729795 |url-status=live }}
|align="center"| 1 |
{{album chart|New Zealand|6|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Norway|9|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Scotland|50|date=19950416|rowheader=true|access-date=November 17, 2021}} |
scope="row"|Spanish Albums (AFYVE){{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}
|align="center"|17 |
{{album chart|Sweden|3|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Switzerland|3|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|UK2|21|date=19950827|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|UKRock|1|date=19950209|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|Billboard200|4|artist=The Offspring|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|1|artist=The Offspring|rowheader=true|access-date=May 25, 2022}} |
class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+2001 chart performance for Smash !Chart (2001) !Peak |
{{album chart|France|108|artist=Offspring|album=Smash|rowheader=true|access-date=November 14, 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
= Year-end charts =
=Decade-end charts=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+1990s decade-end chart performance for Smash !Chart (1990–1999) !Position |
scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{Cite magazine | author = Geoff Mayfield | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA4 | title = 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s | magazine=Billboard | date = December 25, 1999 | accessdate = October 15, 2010}}
| style="text-align:center;"|56 |
---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications and sales
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=1997}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1994}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1994|certyear=1995|accessdate=4 February 2019}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Smash|artist=Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|number=6|relyear=1994|certyear=1994}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Finland|title=Smash|artist=Offspring|type=album|nocert=true|salesamount=74,500| relyear=1994|certyear=1995}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|nocert=true|salesamount=650,000|salesref={{cite web |url=http://www.pias.com/fr/about/ |title=%5bPIAS%5d France |publisher=PIAS Entertainment Group |accessdate=February 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224181428/http://www.pias.com/fr/about/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 24, 2015}}|relyear=1994}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|title=スマッシュ|artist=Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum| relyear=1994|certyear=2002|certmonth=12}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|nocert=true|salesamount=50,000|salesref={{cite news|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/90s/95/MM-1995-06-17-OCR-Page-0001.pdf#search=%22offspring%20gold%20status%20in%20holland%20for%20smash%22|title=Indie Label Hits Big|date=June 17, 1995|access-date=29 February 2024|language=es|page=18|newspaper=Music & Media }}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|id=1995-07-07|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=1994}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1994|certyear=1995|refname=NOR2|access-date=29 April 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|certyear=1995|relyear=1994}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1994}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Smash|artist=The Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1994|certyear=2013|certmonth=7|id=11224-2164-2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Smash|artist=Offspring|type=album|award=Platinum|number=6|salesamount=6,000,000^ / 6,300,000|refname="RIAA"|salesref=[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/488220/the-offspring-still-fly-as-days-go-by-rises-on-rock-charts The Offspring Still Fly as 'Days Go By' Rises on Rock Charts]. Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2015.}}
{{Certification Table Summary}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Europe|type=album|title=Smash|artist=Offspring|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=1996|accessdate=February 2, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|salesamount=11,000,000|nocert=true|salesref=}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}
Personnel
= The Offspring =
- Dexter Holland – vocals, guitar
- Noodles – guitar, backing vocals
- Greg K. – bass
- Ron Welty – drums, backing vocals
= Additional musicians =
- Jason "Blackball" McLean – additional vocals on "Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)" (uncredited, but mentioned on Greatest Hits)
- John Mayer – spoken word on "Time to Relax", "Genocide" and "Smash" (uncredited)
= Production =
- Thom Wilson – producer, engineer
- Ken Paulakovich – engineer
- Eddy Schreyer – mastering
- Mike Ainsworth – assistant engineer
- Ulysses Noriega –assistant engineer
- Christopher C. Murphy – assistant engineer/runner
- Fred Hidalgo – art direction
- Lisa Johnson – photography
Release history
class="wikitable" style="font-size:96%; text-align:center; margin: 6px;" | |||||
style="text-align:center;"|Year
! style="text-align:center;"|Type ! style="text-align:center;"|Edition ! style="text-align:center;"|Label ! style="text-align:center;"|Catalog ! style="text-align:center;"|Ref | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1994 | CD | — | Epitaph | rowspan="4"| 86432 | rowspan="3"|{{cite web|last=Birchmeier |first=Jason |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/smash-r203081 |title=Smash - The Offspring |website=AllMusic |accessdate=2011-02-20}} |
1994 | LP | — | Epitaph | ||
1994 | CS | — | Epitaph | ||
1994 | CD | Australian version | Shock Records | ||
1994 | CD | Brazilian version | Epitaph/Paradoxx Music | OXX 1127 | |
1996 | CS | Russian version (Unofficial Release) | Global Music | ? | |
2008 | CD | Remastered version | rowspan="2"| Epitaph | rowspan="2"| 86868 | rowspan="2"| |
2008 | LP | Remastered version (translucent orange vinyl); came with a coupon for a free MP3 download | |||
colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:8pt;"| "—" denotes that it was a standard release. |
See also
References
=Notes=
{{Reflist|30em}}
=Sources=
- {{cite AV media notes| title = Smash| title-link = Smash (The Offspring album)| others = The Offspring| year = 1994| type = CD liner| publisher = Epitaph Records}}
=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite journal|editor1-last=Bird|editor1-first=Ryan|title=The 51 Most Essential Pop Punk Albums of All Time|journal=Rock Sound|date=September 2014|issue=191|publisher=Freeway Press Inc.|location=London|issn=1465-0185}}
{{refend}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4umc8IE6eUNHZydXEZuS2m7mLfyx4z7h Smash] (remastered) at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
{{TheOffspring}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smash (The Offspring Album)}}