Friendly Fire (song)

This article is about the song by Linkin Park. For the song by Pet Shop Boys, see I Get Along (Pet Shop Boys song).

"Friendly Fire"
Single by Linkin Park
from the album Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000–2023)
Released	February 23, 2024 (2024-02-23)
Recorded	April 2016 December 2023
Genre	Electropop
Length	2:57
Label	Warner
Songwriter(s)	Brad Delson Jonathan Green Mike Shinoda
Producer(s)	Brad Delson Mike Shinoda
Linkin Park singles chronology
"Fighting Myself" (2023) "Friendly Fire" (2024) "Qwerty" (2024)
Music video
"Friendly Fire" on YouTube

"Friendly Fire" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. Originally recorded during sessions for their seventh studio album, One More Light (2017), it was later officially released on February 23, 2024, as the lead single from the greatest hits album Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000–2023) and features vocals from Chester Bennington that were recorded before his death in 2017. It appears as the 20th and final track on the album itself. The song was included in the setlist for the band's From Zero World Tour in 2024.

Background

In June 2020, Linkin Park member and co-founder Mike Shinoda revealed the existence of a song that contained Chester Bennington's vocals made during the recording sessions for the band's seventh studio album, One More Light (2017). The song, titled "Friendly Fire", was composed by Shinoda, the band's guitarist Brad Delson, and musician Jon Green,[1] the latter who also served as co-writer of two other songs on the album, "Nobody Can Save Me" and "Battle Symphony". Shinoda, however, mentioned that it would be "years" before it would be released.[2] Shinoda and Delson did additional recording in December 2023 to finish the song for release, having been inspired to revisit the song while they were putting together the album.[3]

Composition

Eli Enis of Revolver described "Friendly Fire" as "[fitting] right in" with the electropop sound of One More Light.[4]

Release

On February 19, 2024, Linkin Park released a series of images and videos on their social media channels revealing a 30-second audio clip of "Friendly Fire";[5] they also made a preview of the song available on their SoundCloud page the next day.[6] "Friendly Fire" was then released digitally on February 23, 2024, as well as in CD single format in Germany.[4][7] The song is featured as the 20th and final track of Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000–2023), a greatest hits album of the band's career that was released on April 12, 2024.[8]

Following Linkin Park's announced reformation in 2024 with new members Emily Armstrong and Colin Brittain, "Friendly Fire" was performed live for the first time at the band's first concert of the From Zero World Tour at the Kia Forum on September 11, 2024, with Armstrong taking up lead vocals.[9]

Music video

The music video for the song was released simultaneously with the song itself. It is made up of footage of the band during the One More Light recording sessions, particularly Bennington singing his parts for the song, backstage footage, as well as live performance clips from the One More Light tour.[10] It was nominated for Best Alternative Video at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.[11]

Track listing

Digital download, CD single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Friendly Fire"	2:56

Digital download (A Capella + Instrumental)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Friendly Fire" (a capella)	2:58
2.	"Friendly Fire" (instrumental)	2:56
Total length:		5:54

Personnel

Linkin Park

• Chester Bennington – vocals
• Rob Bourdon – drums
• Brad Delson – guitar
• Phoenix – bass guitar
• Joe Hahn – DJ
• Mike Shinoda – vocals, keyboards

Additional musicians

• Jon Green – additional guitar

Technical

• Brad Delson – producer
• Mike Shinoda – producer, engineer
• Corin Roddick – additional production, additional programming
• Jon Green – additional production
• Andrew Dawson – additional programming, co-producer
• Alejandro Baima – assistant engineer
• Warren Willis – assistant engineer
• Jerry Johnson – drum technician
• Ethan Mates – engineer
• Josh Newell – engineer
• Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – masterer
• Manny Marroquin – mixer
• Andrew Bolooki – vocal producer

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Friendly Fire" Chart (2024) Peak position Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA)[12] 39 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 62 Canada Rock (Billboard)[14] 17 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[15] 4 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[16] 43 Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[17] 47 France (SNEP)[18] 197 France Radio (SNEP)[19] 9 Germany (GfK)[20] 40 Italy Airplay (FIMI)[21] 71 Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard)[22] 16 New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[23] 11 Portugal (AFP)[24] 143 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[25] 98 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[26] 77 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 60 UK Physical Singles (OCC)[28] 10 UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[29] 28 UK Singles Sales (OCC)[30] 31 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[31] 2 US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[32] 22 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[33] 13 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[34] 1 Venezuela (Record Report)[35] 42

Monthly charts Monthly chart performance for "Friendly Fire" Chart (2024) Position Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[36] 49 Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Friendly Fire" Chart (2024) Position US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[37] 14

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Friendly Fire"

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Various	February 23, 2024	Digital download streaming	Warner	[38]
Germany		CD single		[7]
Italy		Radio airplay		[39]

References

1. "Linkin Park Have At Least One Unreleased Song With Chester Bennington's Vocals". Kerrang!. June 24, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
2. DiVita, Joe (June 23, 2020). "Linkin Park Have an Unreleased Song With Chester Bennington". Loudwire. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
3. Linkin Park (March 29, 2024). "BEHIND THE SONG: FRIENDLY FIRE - Linkin Park". YouTube. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
4. Enis, Eli (February 23, 2024). "Hear Linkin Park's newly unearthed song "Friendly Fire" featuring Chester Bennington vocals". Revolver. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
5. Trapp, Philip (February 19, 2024). "Linkin Park Share New Teaser With Chester Bennington's Vocals". Loudwire. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
6. "Linkin Park announces "Friendly Fire" with Chester Bennington". WECB. February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
7. "Friendly Fire | Linkin Park CD". EMP. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
8. Lipshutz, Jason (February 23, 2024). "Linkin Park Announces Papercuts Greatest Hits Album, Unveils Never-Before-Released Song 'Friendly Fire': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
9. Willman, Chris (September 11, 2024). "Linkin Park Thrills L.A. Forum Crowd With New Singer in First Full Show Since 2017: See the 27-Song Setlist". Variety. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
10. Ruskell, Nick (February 23, 2024). "Linkin Park have released a previously unheard track, Friendly Fire". Kerrang!. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
11. "Best Alternative - Vote Now – Nominees for 2024 VMAs". vma.votenow.tv. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
12. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 4 March 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1774. Australian Recording Industry Association. March 4, 2024. p. 9.
13. "Linkin Park – Friendly Fire" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
14. "Linkin Park Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
15. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 18. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
16. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 9. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
17. "Top Radio Hits Estonia Weekly Chart: Jul 18, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
18. "Linkin Park – Friendly Fire" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
19. "Top Singles Radio (Week 20, 2024)" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
20. "Linkin Park – Friendly Fire" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
21. "Friendly Fire - Linkin Park" (in Italian). Earone. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
22. "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of March 6, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved March 6, 2024.
23. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
24. "Linkin Park – Friendly Fire". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
25. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 17. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
26. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 9. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
27. "Linkin Park – Friendly Fire". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
28. "Official Physical Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
29. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
30. "Official Singles Sales Chart". Official Charts Company. March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
31. "Linkin Park Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
32. "Linkin Park Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
33. "Linkin Park Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
34. "Linkin Park Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
35. "Top 100 - Record Report". Record Report. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
36. "Top Radio Hits Estonia Monthly Chart: July 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
37. "Year-End Charts: Rock Airplay Songs (2024)". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
38. Tiller, Joe (February 23, 2024). "Linkin Park Announce Singles Collection, Share 'Friendly Fire': Listen". Dig!. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
39. Morandi, Anna Marzia (February 23, 2024). "Linkin Park - Friendly Fire (Radio Date: 23-02-2024)". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved March 1, 2024.