Animal I Have Become

"Animal I Have Become"
Single by Three Days Grace
from the album One-X
ReleasedApril 10, 2006 (2006-04-10)
Genre
Length3:51
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Howard Benson[4]
Three Days Grace singles chronology
"Wake Up"
(2005) 		"Animal I Have Become"
(2006) 		"Pain"
(2006)

"Animal I Have Become" is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on April 10, 2006, as the first single from their second studio album, One-X.[5] The song was released digitally on April 18, 2006.[6] The song spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and two weeks at No. 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song alongside "Riot" are used in the video game, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007. It is the band's first single with their fourth member Barry Stock. Critical reception to the song was generally favorable, with emphasis on the song's catchiness combined with its thick guitars.

Background

Lead singer Adam Gontier has stated that while he was addicted to the painkiller OxyContin, he was abusive and angry and had no idea who he was anymore. He wrote "Animal I Have Become" while in rehab for his addiction.[7][8] Gontier also added, "'Animal I Have Become' is my realization that change had to happen, I had to ask for help."[9] The band wrote a demo version of the song in 2004 while on a bus in Germany.[10] Bassist Brad Walst spoke to Billboard about the song stating, "I remember saying [that] that riff would be great heavy. As soon as we got back to North America, we started jamming it as a heavy song, and it was like, 'Shit, I think we've nailed it.'"[10]

Release

In late 2005, the band performed an alternate version of the song in concerts that featured a different set of lyrics. The song was first released online through the group's MySpace page on April 1, 2006,[11] before it was released as a single for radio airplay on April 10, 2006.[5] Both "Animal I Have Become" and "Pain" have been released in acoustic formats and are available on online music stores such as iTunes.[12]

Music video

The video was directed by Dean Karr and was shot in downtown Toronto.[13] It was released on April 24, 2006.[13] The video reached the top five on Fuse.tv and was the winner of Fuse's Oven Fresh.[14]

Reception

Music critics widely described "Animal I Have Become" as a highlight of One-X. Writing for Melodic, Kaj Roth praised "Animal I Have Become" as "really good" and a "great ... single" from the album.[15] In a review of One-X for The Lewiston Tribune, journalist Nate Gibb named the song as "catchy tune" with thick guitars and "straightforward beats."[16] Similarly to Gibb in his review, AllMusic's Corey Apar singled out "Animal I Have Become" as having "a slight singsongy chorus to complement the track's thick riffing."[17] J. Krueger of Consequence.net remarked, "it's a tune built to get stadiums, festival sites, and biker bars on their feet and moving, and it does so damn near flawlessly," praising the song's chorus and "syncopated guitar riff."[3]

Accolades

In 2006, the song was Canada's most-played rock song and won that year's Mediabase award for the most-played rock song on radio.[18] At the 2006 Billboard Music Awards, the song was nominated for "Modern Rock Single of the Year" and won the "Rock Single of the Year" award.[19][20] The song received a BMI Award in 2006 along with their other single "Pain".[21] The song was ranked at number 45 on Loudwire's "Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs" in 2012.[22] In May 2021, for the 40th anniversary of Mainstream Rock Tracks, Billboard ranked the song at number 41 on its list of the 100 most successful songs in the chart's history;[23][24] in September 2023, the magazine ranked the song at number 95 on a similar retrospective list for the 35th anniversary of Modern Rock Tracks (which by then had been renamed to Alternative Airplay).[25][26]

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Alternative Addiction United States "Song of the Year"[27] 2006 10
Loudwire "Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs"[22] 2012 45

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations for "Animal I Have Become"
Year Organization Award Result Ref(s)
2006 Billboard Music Awards Modern Rock Single of the Year Nominated [19]
Rock Single of the Year Won [20]
2006 BMI Awards — Won [21]
2006 BDS Spin Certified Awards 100,000 spins Won [28]
2006 Mediabase Awards Most-Played Rock Song Won [18]
2007 FMQB Awards Rock Song of the Year Won [21]

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[39] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[40] Gold 45,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[42] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡
Ringtone / Mastertone
Canada (Music Canada)[43] Gold 20,000*
United States (RIAA)[44] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref(s).
United States April 10, 2006 Alternative radio Jive [5]
Mainstream rock [45]
Various April 18, 2006 Digital download [6]

References

  1. ^ Philip Cosores (July 5, 2017). "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit from Worst to Best". Conseqeunce.net. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Ramanand, Liz (June 28, 2012). "No. 45: Three Days Grace, 'Animal I Have Become' - Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs". Loudwire. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "50 Kick-Butt Post-Grunge Songs We Can Get Behind". Consequence.net. May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  4. ^ Steve Rosen. "Three Days Grace Singer: New CD 'Is About Somebody I Don't Want To Be'". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Available for Airplay Archive: 2006 – April". FMQB. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Animal I Have Become - Single by Three Days Grace". Apple Music. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  7. ^ Kennedy, John (May 1, 2014). "Rehab playlist: 10 songs about addiction and recovery". Global News. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  8. ^ Karen Bliss (March 30, 2007). "CANOE - JAM! Music - Karen Bliss's Lowdown: Insider Canadian music news: 3DG doc aims to help addicts". Jam.canoe.ca. Archived from the original on June 23, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "Three Days Grace Have #1 Hit at R&R Active Rock With Animal I Have Become". Sony. June 27, 2006. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Kevin Rutherford (September 28, 2018). "How Three Days Grace Broke a Two-Decade Old Rock Radio Record". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  11. ^ Kaj Roth (April 1, 2006). "New Single Online With Three Days Grace". Melodic. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  12. ^ "Pain (+ Acoustic)". Apple Music. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Three Days Grace - Animal I Have Become". IMVDb. April 24, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  14. ^ "Three Days Grace 'Animal I Have Become' #1 3 Weeks and Growing at R&R Active Rock". Sony Music Entertainment. July 17, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  15. ^ Roth, Kaj. "Three Days Grace - One-X". Melodic. Archived from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  16. ^ Gibb, Nate (August 10, 2007). "Three bands with hit songs but which one has the chops?". The Lewiston Tribune. Lewiston, Idaho.
  17. ^ Apar, Corey. "One-X > Three Days Grace". AllMusic. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  18. ^ a b Lin, Adena (May 31, 2007). "One CD worth buying". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on November 14, 2009. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  19. ^ a b "The 2006 Billboard Music Award Finalists". Billboard. November 29, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  20. ^ a b "The 2006 Billboard Music Award Winners". Billboard. December 4, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  21. ^ a b c "About - Three Days Grace". threedaysgrace.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Ramanand, Liz (June 28, 2012). "Animal I Have Become - Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs". Loudwire. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  23. ^ Rutherford, Kevin. "Shinedown & Days of the New Rule Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  24. ^ "Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  25. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (September 7, 2023). "Alternative Airplay Chart's 35th Anniversary: Foo Fighters Remain No. 1 Act, 'Monsters' New Top Song". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  26. ^ "Greatest of All Time Alternative Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  27. ^ "The Best of Alternative Addiction 2006 - Top 50 Songs". Alternative Addiction. Archived from the original on January 17, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  28. ^ "BB-2006-11-25" (PDF). p. 2. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  29. ^ "The Hits Charts (Airplay) : Top 100 singles". Jam!. Archived from the original on June 2, 2006. Retrieved January 5, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  30. ^ "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). p. 58. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  31. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  32. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  33. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  34. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  35. ^ "Three Days Grace Singles & Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  36. ^ "Top Canada Rock Songs" (PDF). Radio & Records. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  37. ^ "Alternative Airplay Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  38. ^ "Mainstream Rock Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  39. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Three Days Grace – Animal I Have Become". Music Canada.
  40. ^ "Danish single certifications – Three Days Grace – Animal I Have Become". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  41. ^ "British single certifications – Three Days Grace – Animal I Have Become". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  42. ^ "American single certifications – Three Days Grace – Animal I Have Become". Recording Industry Association of America.
  43. ^ "Canadian ringtone certifications – Three Days Grace – Animal I Have Become". Music Canada.
  44. ^ "American ringtone certifications – Three Days Grace – Animal I Have Become". Recording Industry Association of America.
  45. ^ "Available for Airplay Archive: 2006 – April". FMQB. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2024.