"Darkness"
Single by Eminem
from the album Music to Be Murdered By
ReleasedJanuary 17, 2020 (2020-01-17)
GenreHorrorcore
Length5:38
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Eminem singles chronology
"Homicide"
(2019) 		"Darkness"
(2020) 		"Godzilla"
(2020)
Music video
"Darkness" on YouTube

"Darkness" is a song by American rapper Eminem that was included in his eleventh studio album, which has the title Music to Be Murdered By. The track's related music video was the first visual clip released on behalf of the album. "Darkness" came out as a single simultaneously with the rest of the album on January 17, 2020, with no prior announcement having been made. In terms of its lyrics, the song recounts the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas.[1][2][3]

In contrast to multiple previous songs commercially released by the artist during his career, "Darkness" is a explicitly socio-political protest song that condemns gun violence in the United States while additionally invoking the related cultural issues in America of psychological anxiety and substance abuse. Eminem also directly encourages his fans' efforts to register to vote. The song and its related video have been described as "bleak",[1] "chilling",[2] "dark",[3] and "stark",[1] given its emotional tone. Eminem takes on multiple perspectives within the production and prominently includes the point-of-view of the shooter himself in his rapping.[1][2][3]

"Darkness" has received mixed critical responses given its explicit content. U.S. news service The Atlantic stated in an article that it can be alternately assessed as glorifying gun violence and also as fighting against it, with journalist Spencer Kornhaber arguing that Eminiem's deliberate embodying of the mass shooter's point-of-view throughout "Darkness" made it ethically flawed overall.[4] Commentary on Billboard.com described the release as "powerful" and also labeled Eminem with the title of a "Rap God".[3] CNN.com published an article regarding the song as "a poignant call for expanded gun control", noting the broader context of the artist's "outspoken" past ventures into U.S. politics such as criticizing the invasion of Iraq and other violent actions undertaken by then President George W. Bush in the 2000s.[1]

Background and content

Commentator Eddie Fu, a staff writer at the musical publication Genius, wrote: "The track channels the perspective of Stephen Paddock— who killed 60 people in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting— to make a point about gun control."[2] Journalist Spencer Kornhaber noted for The Atlantic: "The song and the video do not simply restage the massacre, though. Eminem is attempting a double entendre, in which most of the lyrics could equally refer to the rapper himself, sitting in a hotel room, nervous before a concert."[4]

Besides being an explicitly socio-political protest song that condemns gun violence in the United States, "Darkness" additionally invokes the related cultural issues in America of psychological anxiety and substance abuse. Eminem added an promotional statement to the music video supporting his fans' efforts to register to vote as well. The song and its related video have been described as "bleak",[1] "chilling",[2] "dark",[3] and "stark",[1] given its emotional tone. In addition, Eminem takes on multiple perspectives within the production. This prominently includes taking the point-of-view of the shooter himself in his rapping, Eminem citing psychological tensions in the murderer's life such as the alienation between father-and-son.[1][3]

The outro explicitly references other violent incidents beyond what happened in Las Vegas, Nevada, particularly noting the headline-making attacks in both Annapolis, Maryland and Dayton, Ohio.[2] As well, the opening section of "Darkness" brings up the history of the city in popular culture. Eminem raps that he "[f]eels like I’m loathing in Las Vegas",[2] with this referring to the countercultural writing Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas and its movie adaptation.

"Darkness" interpolates the song "The Sound of Silence" by American musical duo Simon & Garfunkel, which had appeared on that group's 1964 album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. The prior track's opening line, which goes "Hello, darkness, my old friend", also is prominently emphasized in Eminem's song.[2]

Music video

On January 17, 2020, a music video of the song was released on Eminem's YouTube channel. The video follows the same plot as the lyrics. The first two verses alternate between showing Eminem in a dark room wearing a hoodie and an unidentified person in a hotel room wearing the same hoodie, surrounded by alcohol and ammunition. At the beginning of the third verse, the person takes off the hood and reveals himself to be the Las Vegas shooter, before opening fire on the concert-goers from the hotel window. As police try to break into his room, the shooter, instead of opening fire at the front door, shoots himself in the head.

The video ends with overlapping news feeds regarding gun violence, and the closing message: "When will it end? When enough people care. Register to vote at vote.gov. Make your voice heard and help change the gun laws in America."

As of January 2024, the music video has over 63 million views.

Reactions and responses

"Darkness" has received mixed responses from music critics and other commentators given its explicit content. U.S. news service The Atlantic stated in an article that it can be alternately assessed as glorifying gun violence and also as fighting against it. With journalist Spencer Kornhaber arguing that Eminem's deliberate embodying of the mass shooter's point-of-view throughout "Darkness" made it ethically flawed overall, the publication highlighted a negative social context given that "the internet rewards audiovisual spectacle" and thus reenacting crimes in a dramatic fashion has nuanced effects.[4]

Commentary on Billboard.com described the release as "powerful" and also labeled Eminem with the title of a "Rap God".[3] CNN.com published an article regarding the song as "a poignant call for expanded gun control", noting the broader context of the artist's "outspoken" past ventures into U.S. politics. This has included criticizing the invasion of Iraq and other violent actions undertaken by then President George W. Bush in the 2000s.[1]

Analyzing the music video specifically, its filmmaking style has been described as "realistic" and involving a production that appears "disturbing for some viewers".[1]

Charts

Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 32
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 31
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[7] 8
Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[8] 22
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] 10
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[10] 18
France (SNEP)[11] 91
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 47
Greece International Digital Singles (IFPI)[13] 24
Hungary (Single Top 40)[14] 29
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[15] 22
Ireland (IRMA)[16] 22
Italy (FIMI)[17] 57
Lithuania (AGATA)[18] 36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 52
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 35
Norway (VG-lista)[21] 36
Portugal (AFP)[22] 58
Scotland (OCC)[23] 34
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[24] 19
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 58
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 13
UK Singles (OCC)[27] 17
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[28] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[29] 28
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[30] 15
US Rolling Stone Top 100[31] 8

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[32] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Andrew, Scottie (January 17, 2020). "Eminem's new video for 'Darkness' recreates the 2017 Las Vegas shooting in a stark call for gun control". CNN.com. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Eddie, Fu (January 17, 2020). "Eminem Channels The Perspective Of The 2017 Las Vegas Shooter On "Darkness"". Genius. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Brandle, Lars (January 17, 2020). "Eminem's New 'Darkness' Music Video Is Darker Than It First Appears". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Kornhaber, Spencer (January 17, 2020). "Eminem Slips Into the Mind of the Las Vegas Shooter". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  5. ^ "Eminem – Darkness". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  6. ^ "Eminem – Darkness" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  7. ^ "Eminem – Darkness" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "Eminem – Darkness" (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  9. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  10. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202004 into search. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  11. ^ "Top Singles (Week 4, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  12. ^ "Eminem – Darkness" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  13. ^ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Week: 4/2020". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  14. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  15. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  16. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  17. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 4" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  18. ^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  19. ^ "Eminem – Darkness" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  20. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. January 27, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  21. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single uke 4, 2020". VG-lista. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  22. ^ "Eminem – Darkness". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  23. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  24. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202004 into search. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  25. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 4". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  26. ^ "Eminem – Darkness". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  27. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  28. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  29. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  30. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  31. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. January 23, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  32. ^ "American single certifications – Eminem – Darkness". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
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