| "Anthem for the Year 2000" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebySilverchair | ||||
| from the album Neon Ballroom | ||||
| Released | February 1999 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Murmur | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Daniel Johns | |||
| Producer(s) | Nick Launay | |||
| Silverchair singles chronology | ||||
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"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".[2]
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.[3]
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.[3] 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.[3]
AllMusic critic Jason Anderson thought that "Anthem for the Year 2000" was one of the three highlights from Neon Ballroom.[4]
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.[5]
Australian (MATTCD080)/European (6668362) CD single/Cassette single (MATTC080)
Australian 7-inch vinyl (MATTVO80)
Limited numbered UK CD single (6670882)
UK limited 7-inch numbered picture disc
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[18] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | February 1999 |
|
Murmur | |
| United States | 22 February 1999 | Active rock radio |
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