After a 32-weeklong slog, Neon Trees‘ “Animal” has ascended to the top spot on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, the longest climb in the list’s 22-year history. Such perserverance is paying off for the Provo, Utah outfit, with “Animal” also moving up on the Billboard Hot 100 at #22 and sitting at #4 on Rock Songs.
“Animal” was featured as an iTunes Free Single of the Week way back in March, but whether you grabbed it then or only heard it recently, it’s not surprising that the song has stuck around this long. Sporting a sing-along chorus and a memorably propellant guitar line, the track keeps you coming back for more. And for fans of two bands currently on hiatus — The Killers (save Brandon Flowers, promoting his solo debut) and Starsailor (Neon Trees’ Tyler Glenn could sub for frontman James Walsh based on this tune), “Animal” is a hooky hit that plays like a crazy chimera of both:
Neon Trees also discovered a different way to make Justin Bieber’s “Baby” not suck. You know, without having to slow the song down 800 percent. Dropping by the Billboard offices, they gave “Baby” a doo-wop feel, swapping Ludacris’ rap for the bridge from Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.”
Purchase Neon Trees – “Animal” via iTunes, Amazon MP3. And for some extended joy, grab a 4-track “Animal” Remix EP via Arjan Writes.
