Light On
| "Light On" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Light On" is the first official single to be released from American Idol season 7 winner David Cook's major label debut studio album. [1]
Song information
"Light On" was co-written by Soundgarden and Audioslave front man Chris Cornell, as well as famed producer/songwriter Brian Howes. The song was produced by Grammy winning producer Rob Cavallo, who has produced hits for Green Day and Kid Rock. [2]
Release
The song's lyrics were posted on Cook's official website on September 22, 2008. "Light On" officially debuted on AOL Music's PopEater section on September 23, 2008. It became available for radio airplay later on the 23rd, but will officially go for adds on Mainstream Top 40, AC, and Rock radio on October 13, 2008. It was released iTunes and Amazon on September 30, 2008. [3]
Reception
Reception of "Light On" has been mixed. Todd Martens of the Los Angeles Times gave a decent review, predicting chart success by saying the song was "sure to be inescapable this holiday season." He called it "full-on, cellphone-waving arena rock schmaltz, with husky, slow-moving guitars and a wallop of meaninglessly earnest vocals." [4]
Michael Slezak of Entertainment Weekly also gave a mostly good review, saying Cook "is poised to be part of a balanced, mainstream rock diet alongside artists like 3 Doors Down, Nickelback, and Staind." He also called the song catchy saying, "After two listens, the "Light On" chorus got caught in my head like butter in the crannies of an English muffin." Though unimpressed with the song's lyrics, claiming they "feel more like a logjam of carefully focus-grouped words than anything deeply meaningful", he concluded however that "the bottom line is: "Light On" is probably going to be a major hit." [5]
Ken Barnes of USA Today however was unimpressed with the single, despite being a fervent supporter of Cook on American Idol. Barnes called the song "Daughtry lite" as well as "a paint-by-numbers rock-ballad tune." [6] Los Angeles Times writer Ann Powers also appeared unimpressed with the single, referring to it as a "banger in the worst sense of the word." [7]
Music video
A music video for "Light On" is currently being shot, and will be released by the end of October. [8]
Chart performance
"Light On" sold 109,000 digital downloads in it's first week of availability, leading to a #17 debut on the Billboard Hot 100. It is Cook's second consecutive top twenty hit on the chart. However, runner-up David Archuleta's single "Crush" had a higher debut than "Light On", with a #2 debut on Billboard, selling over 166,000 copies.
Charts
| Chart (2008)[9] | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 17 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs | 8 |
| Canadian Hot 100 | 61 |
References
- ^ "First Single Title Announced - "Light On"". davidcookofficial.com. 2008-09-19.
- ^ ""Light On" is Released to Radio This Week and Will Premiere Exclusively on AOL Music on Wednesday". davidcookoficial.com. 2008-09-23.
- ^ {{cite website|url=http://www.popeater.com/music/article/exclusive-david-cook-turns-the-light-on/185647%7Ctitle=Exclusive: David Cook Turns the 'Light On' His Debut Single|publisher=PopEater|date=2008-09-23}}
- ^ "David Cook's review-proof 'Light On' hits Web in time". The Los Angeles Times. 2008-09-23.
- ^ "David Cook's 'Light On': Resistance is futile!". Entertainment Weekly. 2008-09-25.
- ^ "David Cook's new single: Rock 'Light'?". USA Today. 2008-09-23.
- ^ "Jennifer Hudson, David Cook and the problem of big, empty voices". Los Angeles Times. 2008-09-26.
- ^ "Nashville Rockers and Idol Alum Make the Vibe". Hits Daily Double. 2008-10-02.
- ^ http://acharts.us/song/37243 acharts