View source for Internet Killed the Rockstar

{{use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Internet Killed the Rockstar
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Mod Sun]]
| cover        = Mod Sun - Internet Killed the Rockstar.png
| alt          =
| released     = February 12, 2021
| recorded     =
| studio       = Foxy Studios, [[Los Angeles]], U.S.
| genre        = [[Pop-punk]]<!-- Sourced and discussed below -->
| length       = 30:36
| label        = [[Nick Gross#Big Noise|Big Noise]]
| producer     = [[John Feldmann]]
| prev_title   = BB
| prev_year    = 2017
| next_title   = [[God Save the Teen]]
| next_year    = 2023
| misc         = {{Singles
| name        = Internet Killed the Rockstar
| type        = studio
| single1     = Karma
| single1date = October 30, 2020
| single2     = Bones
| single2date = November 27, 2020
| single3     = [[Flames (Mod Sun song)|Flames]]
| single3date = January 8, 2021
}}
}}
'''''Internet Killed the Rockstar''''' is the fourth studio album by American musician [[Mod Sun]]. It was released on February 12, 2021, by [[Nick Gross#Big Noise|Big Noise Music Group]]. Produced by [[John Feldmann]], the album marks a departure from Mod Sun's [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] sound in favor of [[pop-punk]]. The album was promoted with three singles: "Karma", "Bones" and "[[Flames (Mod Sun song)|Flames]]", the latter of which is a collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter [[Avril Lavigne]].
''Internet Killed the Rockstar'' received generally positive reviews upon its release, with music critics citing the album as a positive contribution to the resurgence of pop punk music in the 2020s. A deluxe edition of the album featuring eight additional songs was released on May 7, 2021. "Heavy", a collaboration with [[Blackbear (musician)|Blackbear]], and an acoustic version of "Flames" were released in the lead up to the deluxe edition's release.
==Background==
Derek Smith began his musical career playing drums in a number of [[pop punk]] and [[post-hardcore]] [[scene (subculture)|scene]] bands, including the Semester, [[Four Letter Lie]] and [[Scary Kids Scaring Kids]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Here's How Mod Sun Ended Up Singing with Fall Out Boy at an Early Gig |url=https://www.altpress.com/mod-sun-singing-fall-out-boy-scene-interview/?fbclid=IwAR3I38kMglX2e59SCdk-fYNOA7qhCH4q-kmNGitkH2svmJYRYDwGY0mUyl0 |website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> After the 2010 breakup of Scary Kids Scaring Kids, he began a solo [[rapping|rap]] career under the name Mod Sun, playing a style of [[hip hop music|hip hop]] that he referred to as "hippie hop". He released five mixtapes and three albums in the genre.<ref name="Nylon">{{cite web |last1=McCarthy |first1=Lauren |title=The Nine Lives of Mod Sun |url=https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/mod-sun-interview-internet-killed-the-rock-star |website=[[Nylon (magazine)|Nylon]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref>
Writing for the album began in 2016, with 1,300 songs being written for the album.<ref name="BWW" /><ref name="Nylon" /> The album was recorded and produced by [[John Feldmann]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dowd |first1=Rachael |title=Watch Mod Sun Let Go of the Past in His MGK-Directed Video for 'Karma' |url=https://www.altpress.com/news/mod-sun-karma-video/ |website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> "Karma" was written in the album's first day recording, based on a chorus that Smith had already written. "Bones" was written and recorded later on in the same day based on a riff that Feldmann had written. "Flames" went through a number of rewrites, which concluded after Smith sent the song to [[Avril Lavigne]], who said that she loved the song and that she wanted to appear on it. "Betterman" was influenced by the instrumentals of [[the Cure]] and the vocals of the [[Foo Fighters]]. "Prayer" sees Smith looking back on his life, drug addiction and history of oversharing with the public, and how he believes beginning to pray improved him. "TwentyNumb" is based around a lead melody that Smith sang and Feldmann pitched up, and was intended to be a "[[New Years]] anthem". "Smith" was written as a tribute to Smith's father, who died in April 2020. "Rollercoaster" is written about Smith's [[sobriety]] and how it bettered his life. "Annoying" was the final song written for the album and added to the tracklist not long before its release. "Pornstar"'s vocals were recorded [[a cappella]], which the song's instrumental was written around. The song "Internet Killed the Rockstar" was influenced by the [[Brand New (band)|Brand New]] album ''[[Your Favorite Weapon]]'''s conclusion and was written about how he believes music changed after the downfall of [[MySpace]].<ref name="RockSound">{{cite web |last1=Wilson-Taylor |first1=James |title=Mod Sun, 'Internet Killed the Rockstar' – Track by Track |url=https://www.rocksound.tv/videos/watch/mod-sun-internet-killed-the-rockstar-album-track-by-track |website=[[Rock Sound]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref>
The album's first single was "Karma", released on October 30, 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stagnitta |first1=Ally |title=Mod Sun Emotionally Reveals ‘PuttingDown Drugs & Alcohol’ Has Shaped HisCareer Upon Release Of ‘Karma’ |url=https://hollywoodlife.com/2020/11/24/mod-sun-sobriety-machine-gun-kelly-karma-interview/ |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> Three weeks after its released a music video was released for the song directed by [[Machine Gun Kelly (musician)|Machine Gun Kelly]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilcox-Adams|first=Deidre|date=November 16, 2020|title= Mod Sun's "Karma" Video is Here & MGK Directed it |url=https://thehoneypop.com/2020/11/16/mod-suns-karma-video-is-here-mgk-directed-it-we-cant-get-enough-of-it/|access-date=2 March 2012|publisher=The Honey Pop}}</ref> The song's gained increased attention in the following months when Smith's ex-girlfriend [[Tana Mongeau]] made a video describing why she believes the song was about her.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Georgina |title=Tana Mongeau accidentally makes diss track about her go viral |url=https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/tana-mongeau-accidentally-makes-diss-track-about-her-go-viral-1478259/ |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> The song "Bones" was released as the album's second single on November 27, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|last=Shamim|first=Aman|date=December 4, 2020|title= We Can Fell It in Our Bones, Mod Sun's Latest Single Really Hits Deep |url=https://thehoneypop.com/2020/12/04/we-can-feel-it-in-our-bones-mod-suns-latest-single-really-hits-deep/|access-date=December 22, 2020|publisher=The Honey Pop}}</ref> The music video for "Bones" was released on December 21, 2020, directed by Charlie Zwick.<ref>{{cite web|date=December 21, 2020|title= Mod Sun Drops Cinematic Visual for Recently Released Single "Bones" |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/MOD-SUN-Drops-Cinematic-Visual-for-Recently-Released-Single-Bones-20201221|access-date=December 22, 2020|publisher=Broadway World}}</ref> The album's third single was "[[Flames (Mod Sun song)|Flames]]", featuring Avril Lavigne was released on January 8, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wass|first=Mike|date=January 1, 2021|title= Avril Lavigne & Mod Sun Team Up For "Flames" |url=https://www.idolator.com/7917360/avril-lavigne-announces-flames-featuring-mod-sun?andro=1 |access-date=January 1, 2021|publisher=Idolator}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dowd |first1=Rachael |title=Avril Lavigne's New Album Is Finished and It May Arrive Sooner Than You Think |url=https://www.altpress.com/news/avril-lavigne-finishes-new-studio-album/ |website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> The song charted at number 8 on the Billboard US Rock Digital Songs chart<ref name="BWW">{{cite web |title=MOD SUN Releases Highly Anticipated Album 'Internet Killed The Rockstar' |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/MOD-SUN-Releases-Highly-Anticipated-Album-Internet-Killed-The-Rockstar-20210212 |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> entered the top 100 charts in New Zealand,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2021-01-15|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]]|date=January 18, 2021|access-date=January 16, 2021}}</ref> Canada<ref name="Billboard Canada">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/mod-sun/chart-history/cns/ |title=Mod Sun Chart History (Hot Canadian Digital Songs Sales) |work=Billboard |access-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref> and the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-downloads-chart/ |access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> The album was officially released February 12, 2021,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novak |first1=Kim |title=Mod Sun on ‘taking over the world’ with Machine Gun Kelly and taking the clothes off his own back for Downfalls High |url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/11/mod-sun-taking-over-world-with-machine-gun-kelly-and-downfalls-high-14067142/ |website=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> through Big Noise music group,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dowd |first1=Rachael |title=Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun Reunite for Fiery New Video for 'Flames'—Watch |url=https://www.altpress.com/news/avril-lavigne-mod-sun-flames-video/ |website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web |title=Chart History Mod Sun |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/mod-sun/chart-history/tln/ |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref>
On March 12, 2021, he released the single "Heavy" featuring [[Blackbear (musician)|Blackbear]].<ref name="musicmayhemmagazine.com">{{cite web |title=Mod Sun And Blackbear Join Forces For New Song "Heavy" — LISTEN |url=https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/mod-sun-and-blackbear-join-forces-for-new-song-heavy-listen/ |access-date=12 March 2021}}</ref> On April 16, 2021, an acoustic version of "Flames" was released.<ref>{{cite web |last1=ROGERS |first1=JACK |title=LISTEN: MOD SUN AND AVRIL LAVIGNE’S BEAUTIFUL STRIPPED-BACK VERSION OF ‘FLAMES’ |url=https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/listen-mod-sun-and-avril-lavignes-beautiful-stripped-back-version-of-flames |website=[[Rock Sound]] |access-date=17 April 2021}}</ref> On April 17, 2020, Smith announced the release of a deluxe version of the album would be released, featuring eight additional original tracks,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gillespie |first1=Katherine |title=Mod Sun Is Gen-Z's Pop Punk Consultant |url=https://www.papermag.com/mod-sun-internet-killed-the-rockstar-2652607387.html?rebelltitem=39#rebelltitem39 |website=[[Paper (magazine)|Paper]] |access-date=17 April 2021}}</ref> including the previously released songs "Heavy" and acoustic version of "Flames", as well as an acoustic version of "Karma" and a piano version of "Bones".<ref>{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Logan |title=Mod Sun And Avril Lavigne Release Acoustic Video For "Flames" |url=https://substreammagazine.com/2021/04/mod-sun-and-avril-lavigne-release-acoustic-video-for-flames/ |access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref> It was released on May 7, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=ROGERS |first1=JACK |title=MOD SUN HAS ANNOUNCED THE DETAILS OF THE DELUXE VERSION OF HIS ALBUM ‘INTERNET KILLED THE ROCKSTAR’ |url=https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/mod-sun-has-announced-the-details-of-the-deluxe-version-of-his-album-intern |website=[[Rock Sound]] |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> On May 21 a music video was released for the deluxe version's track "Amnesia".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baltin |first1=Steve |title=Video Premiere: MOD SUN On ‘Amnesia,’ Machine Gun Kelly, Bob Dylan And Ageism In Music |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2021/05/21/video-premiere-mod-sun-on-amnesia-machine-gun-kelly-bob-dylan-and-ageism-in-music/?sh=3e74c1c21a9d |access-date=21 May 2021}}</ref>
==Composition==
While ''Internet Killed the Rockstar'' has been described by a number of critics as a [[pop punk]] album,<ref name="Nylon" /><ref name="Inked" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bouabdo |first1=Maria |title=QUICKSPINS: MOD SUN – Internet Killed The Rockstar |url=http://theconcordian.com/2021/02/quickspins-mod-sun-internet-killed-the-rockstar/ |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref> DeadPress writer Stevie Blackburn Smith said that "it is to pigeon-hole it into a particular genre", despite noting its elements of pop punk and [[pop music]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blackburn |first1=Stevie |title=ALBUM REVIEW: Mod Sun – Internet Killed The Rockstar |url=https://www.deadpress.co.uk/album-review-mod-sun-internet-killed-the-rockstar/ |access-date=2 March 2021 |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422235259/https://www.deadpress.co.uk/album-review-mod-sun-internet-killed-the-rockstar/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In reference to the sound of the album, in an interview with [[Inked (magazine)|Inked]] that:
{{blockquote|[This album] is a statement to when I was growing up... when I was growing up, I had to have my three best friends in the room to even make music. We were the last era of garage bands and then the internet came along so we started making solo music. But now I’m feeling the desire for camaraderie and the hunger to make music like I did when I was 16 again... Pop-punk is based on pounding music with sad lyrics about breakups, growing up, being an outcast and not fitting in... Bands like [[Dashboard Confessional]] lit the fire inside of me by having a guy with a guitar being able to make you fucking cry. It’s true emotion and I think that’s what music was missing in the last decade.<ref name="Inked">{{cite web |last1=Preston |first1=Devon |title=Underdog |url=https://www.inkedmag.com/original-news/modsun |website=[[Inked (magazine)|Inked]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref>}}
Smith has cited Dashboard Confessional, [[New Found Glory]], [[Brand New (band)|Brand New]], [[the Cure]], [[Foo Fighters]], [[the Smiths]] and [[Fall Out Boy]] as influences for the album.<ref name="RockSound" />
The album led to publications like [[Inked (magazine)|Inked]] referring to Smith as one of the main figures in the 2020s pop punk revival,<ref name="Inked" /> [[GQ]] called him "one of the most revolutionary and original artists of the American record scene".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Uzzo |first1=Cecilia |title="Equatore" di Rancore con Margherita Vicario e le altre nuove canzoni della settimana |url=https://www.gqitalia.it/show/article/equatore-rancore-margherita-vicario-testo-significato-canzoni-settimana |website=[[GQ]] |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref>
==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| headline = ''Internet Killed the Rockstar'' track listing
| title1 = Karma
| writer1 = {{hlist|[[Mod Sun|Derek "Mod Sun" Smith]]|[[John Feldmann]]|JP Clark}}
| length1 = 2:39
| title2 = Bones
| writer2 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length2 = 2:49
| title3 = [[Flames (Mod Sun song)|Flames]]
| note3 = featuring [[Avril Lavigne]]
| writer3 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann|Lavigne}}
| length3 = 2:31
| title4 = Betterman
| writer4 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length4 = 3:00
| title5 = Prayer
| writer5 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length5 = 2:42
| title6 = Twentynumb
| writer6 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length6 = 2:16
| title7 = Smith
| writer7 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length7 = 3:30
| title8 = Rollercoaster
| writer8 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann|[[Gashi (rapper)|Larry Gashi]]}}
| length8 = 2:33
| title9 = Annoying
| writer9 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length9 = 3:19
| title10 = Pornstar
| writer10 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length10 = 2:33
| title11 = Internet Killed the Rockstar
| writer11 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length11 = 2:39
| total_length = 30:36
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Deluxe edition bonus tracks<ref name="musicmayhemmagazine.com">{{cite web |title=Mod Sun And Blackbear Join Forces For New Song "Heavy" — LISTEN |url=https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/mod-sun-and-blackbear-join-forces-for-new-song-heavy-listen/ |access-date=12 March 2021}}</ref>
| title12 = Amnesia
| writer12 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length12 = 2:51
| title13 = Flames
| note13 = featuring Avril Lavigne) (Acoustic
| writer13 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann|Lavigne}}
| length13 = 2:27
| title14 = Painkiller
| writer14 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length14 = 2:15
| title15 = Bones
| note15 = Piano version
| writer15 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length15 = 2:47
| title16 = Edge
| writer16 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann}}
| length16 = 2:58
| title17 = Karma
| writer17 = {{hlist|Smith|Feldmann|Clark}}
| note17 = Acoustic
| length17 = 2:39
| title18 = Breakdowns
| writer18 = {{hlist|Smith|Michael Bono}}
| length18 = 3:01
| title19 = Heavy
| note19 = featuring [[Blackbear (musician)|Blackbear]]
| writer19 = {{hlist|Smith|[[Blackbear (musician)|Matthew Musto]]|Matthew Marino|Clark|Ryan Daly}}
| length19 = 2:47
| total_length = 52:25
}}'''Notes'''
* "Twentynumb" is stylized as "TwentyNUMB".
==Personnel==
<!-- Per Tidal; no citation needed per [[WP:PERSONNEL]] and [[WP:AFFILIATE]] -->
* [[Mod Sun]] – vocals
* [[John Feldmann]] – [[Record producer|production]]
* Dylan McLean – [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]], [[Audio engineer|engineering]], production assistance
* Scot Stewart – mixing, engineering, production assistance (all tracks); electric bass guitar (tracks 2–5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14), electric guitar (2–5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 18), acoustic guitar (4, 13)
* Josh Thornberry – engineering assistance
==Charts==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for ''Internet Killed the Rockstar''
! scope="col"| Chart (2021)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| US [[Top Heatseekers|Heatseekers Albums]] ([[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]])<ref name="Billboard" />
| 21
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:2021 albums]]
[[Category:Mod Sun albums]]
[[Category:Pop punk albums by American artists]]
[[Category:Albums produced by John Feldmann]]