In April 2011, Foo Fighters released their seventh studio album, Wasting Light. The album went on to win Rock Album of the Year, debuted #1 on album charts in 12 countries, and was the band's first album to hit the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
At the 54th GRAMMY Awards (in 2012) the album and its songs (plus the documentary Back and Forth) were nominated for six awards, winning five including Best Rock Album, Best Rock Performance ( Walk), Best Rock Song ( Walk), Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance ( White Limo), and Best Long Form Music Video (Back and Forth). The only award they didn't win was Album of the Year (Adele won for 21) Not bad at all.
We so often concentrate on brand new music here, which means that we sometimes forget to really celebrate the music that we love once it's been out for a few years and still holds strong in our hearts. Anniversaries make for a great opportunity to do that celebrating, so here we are.
Foo Fighters Hot 25 Anniversary Playlist
One of the things that can happen to all of us over time with albums is how we feel about the songs or which songs we love most. Sometimes there's a track that comes at you hot out of the gate but doesn't catch you the same way a decade later. Sometimes we remember the #1 singles and move on. And sometimes, there's a song or two that isn't celebrated the way some of the big hits are. But, in your head ten years later when you're singing to yourself in the shower, it comes first.
That second thing, that's what has happened for me with this album. I loved Rope when it was released, got all-in in Walk too. And then I heard the whole album and was happy and satisfied with what Dave, Taylor, Chris, Nate, and the returning Pat Smear (along with all of the guests) had created with Butch Vig.
But, 10 years later my Top 5 songs from Wasting Light has evolved, and as of now, it looks like this...
Note: In 2012, a year after the album's release I wrote that my Top 5 (in no particular order) included Rope, White Limo, Arlandria, Dear Rosemary & Walk. Like I said, things change.
And because it's tops on my chart, here's Arlandria!
Foo Fighters - Arlandria
To go along with the release of Wasting Light, Foo Fighters played the entire album live from Grohl's 606 Studios. With no audience and no-frills, just rock and roll from the band. Ten years later, the video, the performance, and the vibe are oddly contemporary during the COVID-19 era of music and performances.
In 2012, when I wrote about the video performance, I said, "It sounds great. It looks great. It makes me a happy fanboy." There's nothing profound about that statement, but all of it remains true in 2021 when I hit play and watch it now.
Note: My son is nearing his third birthday and is a big fan of Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters. I've watched the 606 live performance of Wasting Light with him, and he digs it too. That's a win for everyone involved.
So, if you're missing live music, or you love Wasting Light or Foo Fighters in general, I highly recommend hitting play and watching the whole thing from front-to-back for a little rock and roll happiness.
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light Live from 606
Since Wasting Light, Foo Fighters have released Sonic Highways (2014), Concrete and Gold (2017), and (2021). They've celebrated their 25th anniversary. And they are nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here's hoping they aren't done yet.
Check out the full tracklist for Wasting Light now. And if you're not watching the 606 video, hit play on the stream now!
Foo Fighters, Wasting Light Tracklist