Heavy Is the Crown (Linkin Park song)

"Heavy Is the Crown"
Single by Linkin Park
from the album From Zero
ReleasedSeptember 24, 2024 (2024-09-24)
Genre
Length2:47
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mike Shinoda
Linkin Park singles chronology
"The Emptiness Machine"
(2024) 		"Heavy Is the Crown"
(2024) 		"Over Each Other"
(2024)
Music video
"Heavy Is the Crown" on YouTube

"Heavy Is the Crown" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. It was released on September 24, 2024, as the second single from the band's eighth studio album From Zero. The song serves as the main theme for Riot Games' 2024 League of Legends World Championship. A redone version with newly recorded vocals by Armstrong and Shinoda appears in Arcane's season two soundtrack.

Composition

Stylistically, "Heavy is the Crown" is described as a nu metal and rap rock song.[1][2] Emily Armstrong's vocals are compared to the late Chester Bennington's by Emmy Mack of Music Feeds, who stated "It's actually really easy to imagine Chester singing this one", and described the chorus as "gritty".[3]

Release

"Heavy Is the Crown" is the second song released by the band since their return with new vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, following a hiatus that lasted since 2017 due to the death of former vocalist Chester Bennington.[2][4][5] First performed live on September 22, 2024, during a performance at the Barclays Arena in Hamburg, Germany, during the From Zero World Tour,[6] the track was released as the second single from their upcoming eighth studio album, From Zero, on September 24, 2024.[7] It was accompanied by a music video themed after Riot Games' video game League of Legends, serving as the theme song for its 2024 World Championship.[8][9][10][11] Prior to the tournament's grand finals, the song was performed by the band as one of three acts in the opening ceremony, held at The O2 Arena. A redone version of the song also appeared on the soundtrack, as produced by Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda and Alex Seaver of Mako, in the second season of the television (TV) series Arcane, with Shinoda and Armstrong recording new vocals for the this version.[12][13]

Reception

Gregory Adams of Revolver magazine wrote: "Fueled by hungrily melodic guitar hooks and a propulsive and bouncy, Meteora-esque beat, ['Heavy Is the Crown'] bursts out the gate with a classic Mike Shinoda rap. Armstrong recalls late vocalist Chester Bennington’s rasp, while also bringing some big screams of her own."[14]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[15]

Linkin Park

Additional personnel

Charts

References

  1. ^ Rothe, Dominik (September 24, 2024). "Linkin Park zeigen "Heavy Is The Crown"-Video". Metal.de (in German). Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (September 24, 2024). "Linkin Park Drop Epic League of Legends World Championship Anthem 'Heavy Is the Crown': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Mack, Emmy (September 26, 2024). "Linkin Park Unleash Second Single Of Their New Era, 'Heavy Is The Crown'". Music Feeds. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  4. ^ Aswad, Jem (September 24, 2024). "Linkin Park Drop New Song 'Heavy Is the Crown,' Add Tour Dates". Variety. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Schaffner, Lauryn (September 24, 2024). "Linkin Park Debut Animated 'Heavy Is the Crown' Video for Video Game Championship". Loudwire. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Adams, Gregory (September 23, 2024). "See LINKIN PARK debut new song "Heavy Is the Crown" in Germany". Revolver. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  7. ^ Aswad, Jem (September 24, 2024). "Linkin Park Drop New Song 'Heavy Is the Crown,' Add Tour Dates". Variety. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
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  9. ^ Down, Arron (September 29, 2024). "League of Legends Worlds 2024 anthem video is a banger with an identity crisis". PCGamesN. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
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  11. ^ Carter, Emily (September 27, 2024). "Linkin Park unleash new single Heavy Is The Crown, announce more 2024 shows". Kerrang!. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
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  13. ^ Arcane (September 25, 2024). "Heavy is the..." X (Formerly known as Twitter). Retrieved September 27, 2024.
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