"Papercuts"
Single by Machine Gun Kelly
from the album Mainstream Sellout
ReleasedAugust 11, 2021 (2021-08-11)
Recorded2021
Genre
Length3:01
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Travis Barker
  • Nick Long
Machine Gun Kelly singles chronology
"Love Race"
(2021) 		"Papercuts"
(2021) 		"Thought It Was"
(2022)

"Papercuts" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly, released on August 11, 2021, as the first single from his sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022). The song features drumming and production from collaborator Travis Barker.

Background

"Papercuts" is the lead single for Machine Gun Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout, originally planned to be named Born With Horns at the time of the single's release.[1][2][3] Much like Kelly's prior album, Tickets to My Downfall, the song features Travis Barker on drums and as a music producer. The song was first released on August 11, 2021, though Kelly had released a small teaser of the track in the week prior to the song and album's reveal.[4]

A music video, directed by Cole Bennett, was released concurrently with the full track.[5] The video was the first Bennett has ever directed for a rock music video, and was the culmination of himself and Kelly planning on working together over the course of a three-year period.[6] Both Kelly and Bennett were very happy with the process and end product, despite that fact the shooting had initially been shut down by the police due the bizarre imagery catching the attention of the police, who in turn shut it down due to the traffic violations involved, including driving a motorcycle without a helmet, and driving cars without seatbelts.[6] The video contains alternating shots of Kelly and Barker performing the song, and surrealist imagery such as Kelly walking around in a bald cap and revealing outfit, having black-dyed eggs thrown at him, and playing an oversized guitar.[6]

During a live televised performance at the 2021 VMA awards, Kelly including a rap verse towards the end of the song, the alternate rendition became a favorite amongst fans, as of July 2022, the performance has over 2.6 million views and 69k likes.[7] A studio recorded version including the alternate rap verse was included in the main release of the Mainstream Sellout album, under the name "papercuts - album edit".

A live version of the song was featured in the Life in Pink deluxe version of the Mainstream Sellout album, titled "papercuts - live from redrocks". The song was recorded live throughout the duration of the songs performance at the Mainstream Sellout Tour in the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Themes and composition

Multiple publications noted that "Papercuts" sounded to move even further into the rock sound than the material from his 2020 pop punk album Tickets to My Downfall.[8][9] Loudwire noted that the song had more of a grunge sound to it, mixed with the material that Green Day and Weezer released in the 1990s.[9] Vulture described it as "straight up rock" with "90's inspired guitar riffs".[8] Guitar World likened the sound of the track to emo.[10]

The song opens with an acoustic guitar intro, before intensifying into distorted power chords into the chorus.[10] The track also ends with a guitar solo using a Digitech Whammy pedal as well.[10] Lyrically, publications interpreted it to be about Kelly exploring his personal struggles with fame[2][11] and bad habits such as drug use.[11]

"Papercuts" has been described as rock,[6][8][11][12] punk rock,[13][14] alternative rock,[15][16] grunge-pop,[15][17] pop punk[11] and grunge.[9]

Reception

Music website Stereogum praised the track for being "pretty good", concluding that while they were surprised by Baker's move into alt-rock, that ultimately "a good song is a good song".[15] Wall of Sound called it Baker's most mature song to date.[18] Other publications were more critical of the track; BrooklynVegan felt it ripped off "Where Is My Mind?" by Pixies,[19] while both Pitchfork and Sputnikmusic felt it was too similar to Green Day, specifically their song "Brain Stew".[20][21]

Personnel

Charts

References

  1. ^ "Watch Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker team up in video for new single 'Papercuts'". NME. August 12, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Legaspi, Althea (August 12, 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly Previews Album With New 'Papercuts' Video". Rolling Stone.
  3. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Shares New Single "Emo Girl" ft. Willow; Reveals Mainstream Sellout Release Date". HipHopNMore. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  4. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Announces New Album 'Born With Horns'". Loudwire.
  5. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly teases new single 'Papercuts', arriving tonight". NME. August 11, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "Machine Gun Kelly gets pulled over by police in making-of papercuts video". Kerrang!.
  7. ^ Machine Gun Kelly - papercuts (VMAs), retrieved 2022-07-25
  8. ^ a b c Curto, Justin (August 12, 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly Rocks Even Harder on New Single 'papercuts'". Vulture.
  9. ^ a b c "Machine Gun Kelly Shows Off His New Look in 'Papercuts' Video". Loudwire.
  10. ^ a b c August 2021, Sam Roche 12 (August 12, 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly reunites with Travis Barker for angsty, Whammy-heavy new single, Papercuts". guitarworld.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b c d Brown, Paul 'Browny' (August 12, 2021). "MGK & Travis Barker Drop Latest Collab Hit 'Papercuts'". Wall Of Sound.
  12. ^ Hill, Madi (17 August 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly Releases 'Papercuts,' The First Single From Sixth Album!". The Honey Pop. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  13. ^ Harris, Emily (13 August 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly, 'Papercuts' – Single Review ★★★★". Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  14. ^ Willis, Collin (16 August 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly Shows Us His Papercuts With New Single". Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  15. ^ a b c Breihan, Tom. "We're Sorry To Report That Machine Gun Kelly's New Song "papercuts" Is Pretty Good". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Goes Full Rock On New Single 'Papercuts'". Spin. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  17. ^ Sacher, Andrew (12 August 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly shares "papercuts" off new album with Travis Barker, 'born with horns'". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  18. ^ May, Tamara (March 25, 2022). "MAchine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout (Album Review)". Wall of Sound. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  19. ^ Sacher, Aaron (March 28, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly review – pop punk's 'Mainstream Sellout' doubles down on new LP". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  20. ^ Gordon, Arielle (April 2, 2022). "Machine Gun Kelly: Mainstream Sellout Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  21. ^ L, Jesper (March 26, 2022). "Review: Machine Gun Kelly - Mainstream Sellout". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  22. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 23 August 2021". The ARIA Report. No. 1642. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 23, 2021. p. 4.
  23. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  24. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  25. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  26. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  27. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  28. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  29. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  30. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  31. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  32. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  33. ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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