Guinness World Records have recognized The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” for its extraordinary chart success in the United Kingdom. As of July 4, the track has spent a total of 416 weeks on the UK singles chart, making it the longest stay by a group. “Mr. Brightside” has also spent the most cumulative weeks on the UK charts for a single song, amounting to almost eight years.
“It’s infectious still to us, I know some people can’t wrap their head around it but you’ll see the response [when you see it live],” The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers told Guinness World Records. “It’s tough not to be touched by it or be excited by it and there’s going to be people tonight who’ve never seen it live, there’ll be some people who’ve seen it 45 times. And we just don’t get tired of it.”
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The Killers were originally discovered by and signed to the UK independent label Lizard King, and they were quickly embraced across the pond. “Mr. Brightside” was originally released in 2003 with a limited-edition 500 CD run. The song later appeared on the Killers’ 2004 album Hot Fuss and peaked at No. 10 in the US and UK.
Earlier this year, the song became the most successful single to never reach No. 1 in the UK, overtaking Oasis’ “Wonderwall.” After eight years on the national chart, “Mr. Brightside” is acclaimed as one of the UK’s all-time top three singles for combined units (sales and streams) and is among the top five most-streamed songs.
Earlier this month, The Killers received the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award, recognizing their status as one of the most streamed acts in the organization’s 21-year history. The band recently completed a six-night residency at London’s O2 arena as part of a larger tour of the UK and Europe. During a show at the O2 on July 10, The Killers paused their show to air the end of the England vs. Netherlands semifinal game for UEFA Euro 2024. As England won the match, the band launched into “Mr. Brightside,” giving fans an unforgettable moment.
The Killers will return stateside for appearances at Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, and Oceans Calling Festival. In August, The Killers will celebrate 20 years of Hot Fuss with a residency in their hometown of Las Vegas, where they will perform the album in full for the first time. Those shows will run from August 14 to August 30 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
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