Presenting: HIP’s Year in Review for 2004

Reviewing some of the notable HIP campaigns from 2004 has taken us on quite the rabbit hole of talent and significant cultural affairs. Do you remember the Superbowl wardrobe mishap with Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson, causing widespread controversy about the perceived indecency and concern around increased broadcast censorship? Can you think of a day and time when Mark Zuckerberg and fellow Harvard students had just launched Facebook as the newest, hottest social media website? And it’s hard not to look back fondly on paying only $2.10 for a gallon of gas!

Without further ado, here are ten remarkable artists and music videos we got to work with at the ground level in 2004:

Motion City Soundtrack – “The Future Freaks Me Out” – 964,317 views – When looking ahead to the future, it has been said that anxiety can be alleviated by taking things day by day. However, that is much easier said than done for some; take the lyrical muse, Betty, in Motion City’s Soundtrack’s “The Future Freaks Me Out.” The band captures the struggle to keep up with up-and-coming developments and embrace the changes that come with acclimating the new into everyday life. Sounds like a theme that holds true in 2022, right? Visually, the video is extremely theatrical with dramatic props and set pieces. The moment lead singer/songwriter Justin Pierre comes back to life, sitting straight up in his coffin to go for one more grandiose round of the single’s chorus, continues to stand out when thinking back to this Motion City Soundtrack hit. 

Eagles Of Death Metal – “Speaking In Tongues”  – 3,051,568 views – Who would have thought that indecipherable speech-like sounds mixed in with looping comprehensible lyrics would make for such a memorable song? Eagles of Death Metal had that vision. Backed by electric guitars and lively drum patterns, the lyrics cover the mental rush and physical high of sex. The music video, accordingly, is packed with pure sex appeal: women in sultry two-piece sets, lusciously painted lips, and fishnet tights or high socks latching onto the rock band on stage. Viewers can not miss drummer ​​Josh Homme’s intensity and singer Jesse “J. Devil Huge” Hughes’ passion when performing in this visual. To this day, the Eagles of Death Metal play “Speaking in Tongues” at live shows, even the ones that just wrapped as of April and May this year!   

Morrissey – “First Of The Gang To Die” – 65,346 views – Released as a single part of You Are the Quarry, Morrissey told the tale of the character Hector in “First Of The Gang To Die.” Most of the song portrays him as a tough L.A. gangster on the streets, but as the lyrics say, his charming, mischievous nature “stole all hearts away.” Although, the real heart thief here is none other than Morrissey himself, who captivates the crowd’s attention while giving an outstanding live performance. This was only the beginning of our musical journey with Morrissey. Around the same time, we promoted “Irish Blood, English Heart,” which was also from the 2004 album, and then in 2009, we had the pleasure of partnering with him to promote “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris.” Up to now, his unique voice, vivid songwriting, and distinctive entertainment style paved the way for him to maintain a successful solo career. 

Papa Roach – “Getting Away With Murder” – 43,895,209 views – It all started with a high school talent show in 1993. Young Jacoby Shaddix, lead singer of Papa Roach, and his original band members played “Fire” by Jimi Hendrix, taking the audience by storm. Despite not winning the whole competition, the renowned group won much more. Fast forward to 2004, “Getting Away With Murder” was the title track of Papa Roach’s first album not to feature rapping, further honing in on the metal rock sound that initially made heads turn in their direction. Getting Away With Murder went on to sell over one million copies and be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The video for the leading song takes place in a busy stock exchange, but there is no work going on here. The floor is in a state of complete pandemonium. Papers fly everywhere and all over the floor, and brokers strip and get raunchy, as ushered by Papa Roach’s recklessness that fans know and love. April 2022 brought the loyal following their 11th album, Ego Trip, proving Papa Roach is still triumphing onward. 

The Faint – “I Disappear” – 878,929 views – The Faint’s striking incandescence is audibly and optically observable in the smashing 2004 hit, “I Disappear.” The instrumental is infectiously upbeat and groovy, and the lyrics project this loss of control with the spirit of rock and roll, fueling the body perfectly. Anyone watching this clip will see crazed, over-the-top energetic musicians entertaining through a view much like that through a spectroscope. With its psychedelic explosion of color, each shot could pass as a stand-alone product of abstract art, with the high contrast white lighting washing out the detailed features of the performers on top of vibrant backdrops. The Faint can’t sing about disappearing without eventually fading out of distinguishable sight, so that’s precisely what they did. However, the musical stylings of The Faint did not disappear, as they’ve released more albums over a decade after working with HIP. 

The Streets – “Fit But You Know It” – 2,545,275 views – We ended up championing The Streets’ “Fit But You Know It” while many music fans were still mesmerized by the band’s full-length debut, Original Pirate Material. The storytelling on this track reveals Mike Skinner’s unresting magnetism toward a good-looking woman. His vacation photo prints come alive as he recollects the events when her allure had him entranced. Part of the reason people adore The Streets is that they have a humorous flair that makes each story they share even better. This song and video anticipated A Grand Don’t Come For Free, along with our other 2004 The Streets campaign for “Dry Your Eyes.” From there, the “Blinded By The Lights,” “When You Wasn’t Famous,” and “Never Went To Church” videos also flourished and were met with unanimous acclaim. Taking this stroll down memory lane and continuously seeing their growth with each new production serves as a great reminder of why we do what we do here at HIP.  

Blind Boys Of Alabama – “Last Month Of The Year” – 94,429 views – Those of you staying tuned to our HIP Year in Review series may recall these unmatched gospel singers who graced listeners with their cover of “Higher Ground” in 2002. Two years later, we reunited with the Blind Boys of Alabama to promote their original single to ring in the holiday season, “Last Month Of The Year.” The song celebrates Jesus’ birthday on the “25th day of December.” It especially stood out from the rest of the covers on their Christmas album, Go Tell It On The Mountain, which was filled with the boys’ interpretations of holy seasonal favorites, including “The Little Drummer Boy,” “In The Bleak Midwinter,” “Joy To The World,” and others. The jazzy swing rhythms and their wholesome harmonies can not be beat, and we are happy to report that the Blind Boys of Alabama are still fighting the good fight with another EP they just released in May 2022, From Bamako to Birmingham. 

Brian Jonestown Massacre – “When Jokers Attack” – 303,182 views – Fresh from the underground, the legendary Anton Newcombe has always fed off the presence of a crowd when performing with his band. In the same year as “When Jokers Attack,” Newcombe was actually the focus of a documentary about the Brian Jonestown Massacre, spotlighting his experimental, out-of-the-ordinary behavior and musical creations. Their 2004 music video incorporates images from East Indian art, and the song itself is about how merely questioning if one’s love is still strong is enough to tarnish it; the same uncertainty can affect dreams not coming to fruition. Recently, Newcombe did an interview with Top Shelf Music sharing details about the set list for the group’s upcoming 2022-2023 tour. Staying true to the unconventional, Newcombe said there would be a majority emphasis on new music, with two songs never heard before being premiered at these shows. If you want to be one of the first to hear Newcombe and the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s latest works, you should start investigating dates, locations, and ticket purchases now. 

Death From Above 1979 – “Romantic Rights” – 605,461 views –  This blog post would not be complete if we did not mention “Romantic Rights.” Death From Above 1979 put it best themselves: “We wanted our band to be like an elephant in your living room,” and their erratic rock tracks can not be ignored. By strictly relying on the bass and drums on their own for the instrumental, the duo had a particularly dark sound that made them special. In essence, the 2004 single involves our capacity to choose who we want to love and how to go about it. Sebastien Grainger sings, “We could do it, it’s right romantically,” so there is no wrong in seizing every precious moment together. As with the rest of these 2004 highlights, you definitely want to look back at this song and video to relive the glory days of this period for music. 

Written by HIP Marketing Coordinator, Julia Block.