"Evolution", directed by Dave Meyers, was filmed on June 15, 2007 in Los Angeles. The music video features Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison, although the actual drum tracks were recorded by Brooks Wackerman. According to the casting call sheet, "Evolution" is "filled with political satire and humor." The production team sought mostly male actors to fill roles such as "hero scientists", religious politicians, doctors, green peace guys, anthropologists, military men, and "government types". Casting interviews were held June 12 and 13, 2007.
The domain www.evolutiondevolution.comArchived 2009-10-14 at the Wayback Machine was set up in promotion of the song. The website is a spoof to promote the "Evolution" music video. It is themed as a documentary publication website and features Korn acting as "experts" who studied evolution in support of a fake documentary titled Devolution: Nature's U-Turn. Vocalist Jonathan Davis explained that the band wanted to try a different kind of promotion, and so created the website and several viral promotion trailers.
In response to the fake trailer for Devolution: Nature's U-Turn, Devo member Gerald Casale wrote on www.clubdevo.com: "We denounce this as imposters [sic] playing with fire." According to Casale, fans of Korn thereafter sent him hate mail. Casale then explained that he would have appreciated if Korn had recognized Devo as pioneers of the concept.[2] Korn vocalist Jonathan Davis responded, "Korn never claimed to be the first to expose De-Evolution, our hats are off to Devo for that."[3]
"Evolution" debuted on May 16, 2007 via Los Angeles radio station KROQ and the KornMyspace page. During the song's debut, bassist Reginald Arvizu and guitarist James Shaffer were present in the radio station's studio. The song premiered live on May 20, 2007 at the KROQ-FM Weenie Roast y Fiesta in Irvine, California.[4]
^"CZ - Radio - Top 20 Modern Rock"(select "Top 20 Modern Rock" into the search box, then select "200732"). hitparada.ifpicr.cz. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
^Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN951-31-2503-3.
^"Latavian Airplay Top 50" (in Latvian). LAIPA. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)