First (Cold War Kids song)

"First" is a song by American indie rock band Cold War Kids. The song was written by the band and produced by Lars Stalfors and Dann Gallucci. It was the second and final single off their fifth album Hold My Home (2014) and was released on February 17, 2015. The song garnered a positive reception from music critics.

"First"
Single by Cold War Kids
from the album Hold My Home
ReleasedFebruary 17, 2015 (2015-02-17)[1]
GenreIndie rock
Length3:20
LabelDowntown, V2
Songwriter(s)Cold War Kids
Producer(s)
Cold War Kids singles chronology
"All This Could Be Yours"
(2014)		 "First"
(2015)		 "Love Is Mystical"
(2017)
Music video
"First" on YouTube

"First" peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, becoming the band's highest charting single. A music video was made for the single and was released on January 12, 2015. The song was certified Platinum by the RIAA for selling over 1,000,000 digital copies in the United States.

Critical reception

"First" received positive reviews from music critics. Philip Cosores of Paste called it a "clap-along anthem" and put it together with "All This Could Be Yours" and "Hot Coals" as "the strongest run the band has put together in its career."[2] Heather Phares of AllMusic remarked the song being a highlight of the album due to its "anthemic power."[3]

Music video

The music video was uploaded on the band's VEVO page on January 12, 2015.[4]

Chart performance

The song spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. It remains the band's only song to top that chart. The song stayed on the chart for sixty-four weeks, the fourth-longest run in the chart's history. In late 2023, for the 35th anniversary of the chart,[5] Billboard ranked "First" at number ten on its list of the top 100 alternative hits of all time.[6]

  • The song was featured in the 2015 film Aloha.
  • The song was featured in the season 5 episode "Denial" of the USA series Suits.
  • The song was featured in the pilot episode of the ABC series Quantico.
  • The song was used in a commercial for Coors Banquet.
  • The song was used in a series of commercials for Hyundai promoting its 2019 lineup of electric and hybrid vehicles.[7]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18] Gold 35,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[19] Gold 40,000*
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. "R&R :: Going For Adds :: Alternative". Radio & Records. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  2. Cosores, Philip (October 21, 2014). "Cold War Kids: Hold My Home". Paste. Wolfgang's Vault. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  3. Phares, Heather. "Hold My Home - Cold War Kids". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  4. "Cold War Kids Release New Music Video For "First"". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  5. Rutherford, Kevin (September 7, 2023). "Alternative Airplay Chart's 35th Anniversary: Foo Fighters Remain No. 1 Act, 'Monsters' New Top Song". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  6. "Greatest of All Time Alternative Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  7. "iSpot.tv - Hyundai TV Commercial, 'Better Drives Us: A Greener Future' [T1]". iSpot.tv. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  8. "Cold War Kids – First". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
  9. "Cold War Kids Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  10. "Cold War Kids Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  11. "Cold War Kids Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  12. "Cold War Kids Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  13. "Cold War Kids Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  14. "Cold War Kids Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  15. "Hot Rock Songs - Year-End 2015". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  16. "Rock & Alternative Airplay Songs - Year-End 2015". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  17. "Rock & Alternative Airplay Songs - Year-End 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  18. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  19. "Canadian single certifications – Cold War Kids – First". Music Canada. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  20. "American single certifications – Cold War Kids – First". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
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