"Sugar"
Standard retail artwork
Single by System of a Down
from the album System of a Down
ReleasedMay 24, 1998 (single)
  • May 26, 1999 (EP)
RecordedNovember 1997 – March 1998, January 19, 1999 (live tracks)
Studio
VenueIrving Plaza, New York City, New York (live tracks)
Genre
Length2:34
LabelAmerican
  • DDEVIL Music
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
System of a Down singles chronology
"Sugar"
(1998)		 "Spiders"
(1999)
Promotional single cover
Music video
"Sugar" (clean version) on YouTube

"Sugar" is a song by American heavy metal band System of a Down. It was released as the band's first ever single on May 24, 1998,[4] and as an EP on May 26, 1999. The song was taken from their debut studio album, System of a Down (1998).

The song propelled the band into the front of the then current metal scene, giving them the opportunity to open for Slayer and Metallica, get second stage at Ozzfest,[5] and getting them their first headlining tour. The video for the song was often played on MTV after release.

Music and lyrics

"Sugar" has been described as "a spazzy, jazz-spattered noise rock freak-out".[6] The song features rapped verses from lead singer Serj Tankian, along with death metal growls and shrieks, the latter two being signatures of the band's early sound.[7] The verses of the song feature guitarist Daron Malakian on backing vocals.[4] Later in the band's career, he would move on to be more of a co-lead vocalist (although he sang on demos of "Roulette" and DAM").[8] The ending of the song features the band speeding up from the original tempo.[9]

"Sugar" is about the world's population's over use and reliance on drugs and other substances, as well as the predatory state of media like the news.[10]

Music video

The music video for "Sugar" shows the band playing on a stage, with an American flag intercut with images of public violence, hangings from the Holocaust, armies, footage of the Upshot-Knothole Grable nuclear test and footage from the German film Metropolis.[11] The video was directed by Nathan Cox.[12]

The video, along with the band's next single, would be an MTV mainstay for a long time to come, much to the surprise of the band.[13]

Reception

The song was well received by critics and fans alike. It is regarded to be the best song from this album,[14][11] and one of the band's best overall.[4][15]

"Sugar" is System of a Down's 7th most streamed song on Spotify, having almost 180 million streams.[16] The music video for the song also has over 128 million views on YouTube.[17]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Serj Tankian

CD single
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Sugar"
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
2:34
2."War?" (live)Malakian2:49
3."Sugar" (live)
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
2:23
4."Suite-Pee" (live)Malakian3:04

All lyrics are written by Serj Tankian

7" single
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Sugar"
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
2:34
2."War?" (live)Malakian2:48

All lyrics are written by Serj Tankian

Sugar E.P.
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Sugar" (album version)
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
2:34
2."Sugar" (clean version)
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
2:34
3."Störagéd"Malakian1:19
4."Sugar" (live version)
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
2:27
5."War?" (live version)Malakian2:48
6."Sugar" (clean live version)
  • Odadjian
  • Malakian
2:27
7."War?" (clean live version)Malakian2:48

Personnel

System of a Down

Production

  • Produced by Rick Rubin with System of a Down
  • Mixed by D. Sardy
  • Engineered by Sylvia Massy
  • Engineer/assistant engineer: Greg Fidelman
  • Additional recording/finishing Touches: D. Sardy
  • Assistant engineers: Sam Storey, Nick Raskulinecz
  • Assistant mixdown engineers: James Saez, Greg Gordon, Andy Haller
  • Second assistant mixdown engineer: Bryan Davis
  • A&R direction: Dino Paredes, Sam Wick
  • Management: Velvet Hammer Management, David Benveniste
  • Recorded at Sound City, Van Nuys, California
  • Vocals and additional recordings at Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research, Hollywood, California
  • Mixed at Record Plant Studios, Hollywood, California & Hollywood Sound, California
  • Mastered by Vlado Meller at Sony Studios, New York City
  • Live Tracks Produced by D. Sardy
  • Live Tracks Mixed by D. Sardy
  • Live Tracks Engineered by Doug Henderson
  • Live Tracks Recorded at Irving Plaza, New York City, New York

Chart positions

Chart (1998–99) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 136
US Active Rock (Billboard)[19] 23
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[20] 31
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[21] 28

Certifications

Certifications for "Sugar"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[22] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Chesler, Josh (May 18, 2015). "10 Nu-metal Songs That Actually Don't Suck". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  2. ↑ Alex Distefano. "The Top 10 Essential Nu Metal Albums". LA Weekly.
  3. ↑ Blum, Jordan (30 June 2022). "10 Facts About System of a Down's Debut Only Superfans Would Know". Loudwire. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Law, Sam (6 November 2020). "The 20 greatest System Of A Down songs – ranked". Kerrang. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "This Day In Music History: June 30th, 1998 – System Of A Down get weird with self-titled debut album". The New Fury. 30 June 2022.
  6. ↑ Wiederhorn, Jon (30 June 2022). "24 Years Ago: System of a Down Release Self-Titled Debut Album". Loudwire. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  7. ↑ Stocks, Matt (15 June 2020). "The top 10 best System Of A Down songs". Louder Sound. Metal Hammer. Retrieved 23 January 2023. ankian's spitfire rap delivery is interspersed with vocal acrobatics ranging all the way from death metal growls to falsetto shrieks, all the while sounding certifiably insane, and in less than three minutes you knew heavy music would never be the same again. 'SUGAR!'
  8. ↑ Wiederhorn, Jon (6 November 2002). "System Of A Down Reveal Motivations For Steal This Album". MTV News. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Paxon, Rob (30 April 2002). "System Of A Down System Of A Down (1998)". Punk News. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "Revisiting System of a Down's chaotic, anti-fascist debut album 20 years after its release". First Post. 30 June 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  11. 1 2 Iluvatar (19 August 2006). "System of a Down System of a Down". Sputnik Music. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "System of a Down: Sugar". IMDb. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "7 things you didn't know about system downs self titled album". Revolver Mag. 30 June 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "System of a Down's Self-Titled Album Songs Ranked". Return of Rock. 4 September 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "TOP X SYSTEM OF A DOWN SONGS". Binghamnton Review. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  16. ↑ "Sugar". Spotify.
  17. ↑ "System Of A Down - Sugar (Official HD Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  18. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  19. ↑ "System of a Down | Biography, Music & News". Billboard.
  20. ↑ "System of a Down Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  21. ↑ "System of a Down Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  22. ↑ "American single certifications – System of a Down – Sugar". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
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