"Hero"
Single by Skillet
from the album Awake
ReleasedMay 19, 2009 (2009-05-19)
Recorded2009 at Bay7 Studios, Los Angeles, California
Genre
Length3:06
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Howard Benson
Skillet singles chronology
"Comatose"
(2007) 		"Hero"
(2009) 		"Monster"
(2009)

"Hero" is the first single of the 2009 album Awake by the American Christian rock band Skillet and is the first track on the album.[2] The song talks about mankind's need for a hero with the hero being Jesus Christ. It is the fourth single by Skillet to be released to physical media.[3] The single sold 12,000 copies in its first week.

Promotion

It was used in a promo on NBC for the 2009 NFL Kickoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans,[citation needed] as well as the Week 17 Sunday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets[citation needed] and the NFL Wild Card Saturday games, featuring the rematch between the Bengals and the Jets,[citation needed] as well as the rematch from Week 17 between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys.[citation needed] "Hero" was included on the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 video game,[4] and was used as the theme song in WWE's Royal Rumble 2010 pay-per-view event and also used in the trailers of the 20th Century Fox film Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.[5]

Credits

Charts

Chart (2009–10) Peak
position
US Christian Songs (Billboard)[6] 29
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[7] 35

Music video

The music video for "Hero" was directed by the Erwin Brothers. Coming out shortly after the "Monster" video, which was shot by the Erwins at roughly the same time, "Hero" is the album's second music video. Although the site was for fan club members only, pictures of the video shoot could've be viewed on panheads.com.[8]

Awards

The song was nominated for both "Rock Recorded Song of the Year" and "Short Form Video of the Year" at the 41st GMA Dove Awards.[9][10]

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[11] Gold 45,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[13] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ BMI songwriter credits for song
  2. ^ "Skillet, "Awake" Review". Jesusfreakhideout.com. August 25, 2009. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  3. ^ "Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010: Create A Finisher". YouTube. August 25, 2009. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  4. ^ www.wwe.com Archived September 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "SKILLET SLAMS INTO 2010 WITH NO. 4 MAINSTREAM RADIO HIT, SHINEDOWN TOUR, MORE WWE AND MASSIVE SALES". Facebook. January 13, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  6. ^ "Skillet Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  7. ^ "Skillet Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  8. ^ "Skillet | Become a Fanclub Member - skillet.com". Thepanheads.com. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  9. ^ "Part 520". Ardent Records. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  10. ^ 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards nominees announced on The Tennessean (February 18, 2010)
  11. ^ "Danish single certifications – Skillet – Hero". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "British single certifications – Skillet – Hero". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  13. ^ "American single certifications – Skillet – Hero". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 4, 2021.

External links


Skillet
Categories