"Venom"
Single by Eminem
from the album Kamikaze
ReleasedSeptember 21, 2018
Recorded2018
StudioEffigy Studios (Detroit, Michigan)
Genre
Length4:29[1]
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Eminem
13 tracks
  1. "The Ringer"
  2. "Greatest"
  3. "Lucky You" (featuring Joyner Lucas)
  4. "Paul (skit)"
  5. "Normal"
  6. "Em Calls Paul"
  7. "Stepping Stone"
  8. "Not Alike" (featuring Royce Da 5'9")
  9. "Kamikaze"
  10. "Fall" (featuring Justin Vernon)
  11. "Nice Guy" (featuring Jessie Reyez)
  12. "Good Guy" (featuring Jessie Reyez)
  13. "Venom (Music from the Motion Picture)"
Music video
"Venom" on YouTube

"Venom (Music from the Motion Picture)", more commonly known as simply "Venom", is a song by American rapper Eminem, written for the soundtrack of the 2018 film of the same name and featured in his album Kamikaze. It was released as a digital single on September 21, 2018. Following the album's release, the track entered the charts in several countries, hitting the top 50 in the United States, Canada, and Australia. A remix to the song was released on October 5, 2021, two days after the release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage, the film's sequel.[2] The remix was featured on a two-track version of Skylar Grey's "Last One Standing", a song that Eminem was also featured in for the sequel's soundtrack.[3]

Background

On August 30, 2018, Eminem posted a 15-seconds teaser showing Venom's title with the "E" turning to the "Ǝ", (used as Eminem's emblem).[4] Seven hours later, on August 31, 2018, Eminem's previously unannounced album Kamikaze was released, and "Venom" appeared as its final track.[5] On September 21, 2018, the track was released as a separate digital single on streaming services.[6]

The song includes multiple references to the Venom film and to its title characters Venom and Eddie Brock.[7]

Music video

On October 3, 2018, Eminem teased on his Twitter account that a music video for the song would be released the following Friday.[8] The music video was released on October 5, 2018.[9] As a continuation to his previous "Fall" music video, its first scene shows a bystander finding the previously crushed Revival CD, opening the case to find a completely black disc. Just as it begins to react, he puts it in his bag and gets on a bus. As the song starts, an Eminem symbiote crawls up the man's neck, causing him to start rapping to the song, before he infects the bus driver by throwing him out the door, who then also starts rapping. The Eminem symbiote spreads around, transferring itself to innocent bystanders (and a dog) and making them cause damage to the town while rapping.[10][11]

During the first part of the video, Eminem, is shown while performing the song inside of a dark room, dressed in all black with only one light shining in the background. In the final scene, after getting possessed by the symbiote, the final victim shown turns into Eminem himself to rap the final chorus, before turning into Sony's Spider-Man Universe/Marvel Comics' character Venom.[12]

Live performances

During the October 15, 2018 episode of the late-night television show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Eminem performed the song at the 103rd floor of the Empire State Building in New York City.[13] The performance was filmed on October 6, 2018, and it was part of an eight-minute video, directed by James Larese and featuring Mexican-American comedian Guillermo Rodriguez.[14][15] The music video was shot on a Google Pixel 3.

Track listing

Digital Download
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Venom"
4:29[1]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[42] Platinum 70,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[43] Gold 45,000‡
France (SNEP)[44] Gold 100,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[45] Gold 200,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[46] Gold 25,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[47] Platinum 20,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[48] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[50] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various September 21, 2018 Digital download
[1]
Italy October 19, 2019 Contemporary hit radio Universal [51]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Venom (Music from the Motion Picture) - Single by Eminem on Apple Music". Apple Music. August 31, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  2. ^ @Eminem (October 5, 2021). "Remix" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "Skylar Grey Taps Eminem for 'Venom' End-Theme 'Last One Standing': Listen". Billboard.com.
  4. ^ "Marshall Mathers – Venom Movie". Twitter, Inc. Eminem. August 30, 2018.
  5. ^ Herrison, Ellie (August 31, 2018). "New Eminem song to feature on Venom soundtrack". Radiotimes.com.
  6. ^ Saponara, Michal (September 21, 2018). "Eminem's 'Venom' Soundtrack Single Arrives On Streaming Services: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  7. ^ Carter, Justin (September 1, 2018). "Eminem's Venom Song Paints an Unfortunate Picture for the Film". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  8. ^ "Eminem teases 'Venom' video and shares first footage". NME. October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  9. ^ Minsker, Evan (October 5, 2018). "Eminem Becomes 'Venom' in New Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  10. ^ "Innocent Civilians Become Possessed in Eminem's New 'Venom' Video: Watch". Billboard. October 5, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  11. ^ Kreps, Daniel (October 5, 2018). "Eminem Infects Masses With Slim Shady Symbiote in 'Venom' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  12. ^ Ensor, Jamie (October 6, 2018). "Eminem becomes comic-book villain Venom in latest music video". Newshub. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  13. ^ Evan Minsker (October 16, 2018). "Watch Eminem perform Venom at the Top of the Empire State Building". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  14. ^ Lars Brandle (October 16, 2018). "Eminem Performs 'Venom' Atop the Empire State Building on 'Kimmel': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  15. ^ Andrew Frisicano (October 15, 2018). "See Eminem perform on top of the Empire State Building tonight". Time Out. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  16. ^ "Eminem – Venom". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  17. ^ "Eminem – Venom" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  18. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  19. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201842 into search. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  20. ^ "Top Singles (téléchargement + streaming) – Semaine du 19 Octobre 2018" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  21. ^ "Eminem – Venom" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  22. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  23. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 41/2018". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  24. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  25. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  26. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Eminem". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  27. ^ "Eminem – Venom". Top Digital Download. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  28. ^ "2018 43-os SAVAITĖS (spalio 19-25 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. October 26, 2018. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  29. ^ "Eminem – Venom" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  30. ^ "Eminem – Venom". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  31. ^ "Eminem – Venom". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  33. ^ "Singapore Top 30 Digital Streaming Chart – Week 42" (PDF). Recording Industry Association (Singapore). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2018.
  34. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201843 into search. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  35. ^ "Gaon Download Chart – Issue date: 2018.10.07 – 2018.10.13". Gaon Chart. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  36. ^ "Eminem – Venom". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  37. ^ "Eminem – Venom". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  38. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  39. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  40. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  41. ^ "Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2018". Mahasz. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  42. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  43. ^ "Danish single certifications – Eminem – Venom". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  44. ^ "French single certifications – Eminem – Venom" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  45. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eminem; 'Venom')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  46. ^ "Italian single certifications – Eminem – Venom" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  47. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2020 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  48. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Eminem – Venom" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  49. ^ "British single certifications – Eminem – Venom". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  50. ^ "American single certifications – Eminem – Venom". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  51. ^ "Eminem - Venom (Radio Date: 19-10-2014)" (in Italian). EarOne. October 19, 2018.
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