"Wheels"
Single by Foo Fighters
from the album Greatest Hits
ReleasedSeptember 29, 2009
Recorded2009
Genre
Length4:38
LabelRoswell/RCA
Songwriter(s)Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett
Producer(s)Butch Vig
Foo Fighters singles chronology
"Let It Die"
(2008)		 "Wheels"
(2009)		 "Rope"
(2011)

"Wheels" is a single by American rock band Foo Fighters. The single premiered on radio on September 23, 2009, though it was officially released six days later.

Background

The song had its live premiere at the White House as part of an Independence Day celebration honoring military service members.

The song "Wheels", alongside the song "Word Forward", was recorded for the band's Greatest Hits album with producer Butch Vig. Both songs were written during the Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace tour and had their first versions recorded at Grand Master Studios in Hollywood in 2008,[1] later being recorded at the Foo Fighters's own Studio 606 in Los Angeles. Lead vocalist Dave Grohl invited Vig to work on the songs while at a party, and the successful outcome led Grohl to invite him to produce the band's next album Wasting Light.[2]

Reception

Critical

Benjamin Sheehan from Billboard magazine says: "The song has a Weezer-meets-The Fray vibe, and it flies out of the gate with feedback-laden riffs, well-timed stutter stops and a gentle balance of electric and acoustic guitars. Four-chord loops nicely underscore Grohl's frustration as he mourns life's failure to meet his expectations. Grohl sings during the opening verse, 'I wanted something better, man/I wished for something new'. For an act of this stature and talent, it's hard not to agree just a little".[3] Alternatively, Pitchfork described the song as: "particularly aggravating, sounding something like a half-hearted attempt at a country-rock crossover."[4]

Commercial

The song debuted at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was their highest charting Billboard Hot 100 single since their 2007 hit "The Pretender". The song topped the Hot Rock Songs charts for two consecutive weeks.[5]

Music video

A music video was directed by Sam Brown, featuring the band performing in an old warehouse. The video premiered in the early hours of October 1, 2009 on AMTV.[6]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Wheels"4:38
2."Word Forward"3:49

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] Platinum 70,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Paul Brannigan (December 2010). "Kerrang's 50 albums you need to hear in 2011 - Foo Fighters (Interview)". Kerrang!.
  2. ↑ Dave Grohl Reunites With Krist Novoselic and Butch Vig, Rolling Stone
  3. ↑ "New Music Releases, Music Reviews, Album Releases & Song Releases". Billboard.com. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Foo Fighters: Greatest Hits". Pitchfork.
  5. ↑ "Retrieved on October 8, 2009". Billboard.com. June 4, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Foo Fighters: Wheels" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Foo Fighters - Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Foo Fighters" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  16. ↑ Arens, Bart; Kruize, Edgar; Adams, Ed (2013). Mega Top 50 presenteert: 50 Jaar Hitparade. Netherlands: Spectrum. p. 335. ISBN 9789000331000. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Foo Fighters – Wheels". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  27. ↑ "ARIA October 2023 Single Accreditations" (PDF). dropbox.com. ARIA. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  28. ↑ "British single certifications – Foo Fighters – Wheels". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
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