Since its release in October 2003, The Killers‘ ‘Mr Brightside’ has become so ingrained into British culture that it’s almost taken on a life of its own. You’ll hear it at weddings, football matches, on nights out, down the local supermarket…absolutely everywhere.
What brings out an initial sigh upon hearing that infamous Dave Keuning riff, usually ends up with a boisterous singalong. You can’t help but belt out those now famous words, “open up my eager eyes, ‘cause I’m Mr Brightsiiiiiide!” at the top of your voice, pretending you’re the jealous protagonist in the story Brandon Flowers sings so eloquently about.
18 years later the band are now on their seventh record and seemingly still a favourite of so many around the world.
After I wrote a blog about their latest record Pressure Machine on my Blinded by the Floodlights website, I was given the thankless challenge of ranking The Killers albums in order of greatness.
Here’s my ranking of albums by The Killers from numbers seven to one.
7. Wonderful Wonderful (2017)
After a five year gap, The Killers returned with their weakest album to date in September 2017. Despite it not being on the same level as their previous, it was their fifth consecutive album to top the UK albums chart and their first number one on the US Billboard 2000.
The reason for the numbers is easily the radio-friendly early singles that promised so much. First preview single ‘The Man’ was a slick, rock ‘n’ roll banger and screamed irony, whilst ‘Run For Cover’ was a decent second, even if a little overproduced.
Aside from one or two acceptable others, you can’t help but feel what a shame it is about the rest being so unmemorable. It’s not necessarily bad, it’s just not worth revisiting.
6. Battle Born (2012)
In 2012, the band released their longest record to date after a four year absence. The soundscapes were larger and, for the first time, their biggest songs on the album (‘Miss Atomic Bomb’ and ‘Runaways’) were no longer considered hard-hitting enough for mainstream radio play.
The bangers were gone and they’d moved into heartland rock category. Some fans stuck around, others weren’t sure whether it was worth the effort. The Killers seemed content with that. Still, the songs felt bolder and had you thinking of desert, Nevada skylines.
Lacking the punch of earlier albums, it just didn’t have the edge of their previous and was a mixed bag of work. They couldn’t be further removed from Hot Fuss if they tried.
5. Day & Age (2008)
The Killers released their third studio album on November 2008 and with over 200,000 copies sold in its first week it was their third successive number 1 album in the UK Album Chart. Some achievement indeed!
Lead single ‘Human’ was definitely the most pop track they’d done to date, as warm as it is addictive. It was supported brilliantly by the toe-tapping, synth pop of ‘Spaceman’ and the sweet, heart-pounding ballad ‘A Dustland Fairytale’. Mid-way track ‘This Is Your Life’ sounds massive, the band with their sight’s thoroughly set on those arena stages.
Despite carrying on the work of their previous two records, tracks like ‘Joy Ride’, ‘I Can’t Stay’, ‘Goodnight, Travel Well’ ‘A Crippling Blow’ struggle to leave much of an impact and you depart the record forgetting the elation of the first half.
4. Sams Town (2006)
Having The Killers’ second album only in fourth place does feel a bit of a betrayal, but I thought back to how underwhelmed I was after first hearing it. Which may feel a little unfair, it’s a solid enough rock record that just suffers from following on from the brilliant Hot Fuss.
From being everyone’s favourite British non-British band, they evolved their style to fit the American market and the tunes just didn’t have the same instant impact. Named after a Las Vegas casino, the songs have you feeling more south west America than 1980s London. It felt too much of a departure.
Having said that, ‘When You Were Young’ and ‘Read Your Mind’ are two of the best songs the band have ever written, both, of course, inspired in different ways by Springsteen. There’s a lot to like on Sam’s Town, though my main criticism is the final third being very skip-worthy and hook-less.
Despite the critical criticisms, it would still be a massive success in the UK. It marched straight into number 1 in the Official Albums Chart and less than a year after its release, they’d headline Glastonbury for the first time.
3. Pressure Machine (2021)
During the lockdown, Brandon Flowers went through a period of reflection, contemplating on his formative years in the small Utah town of Nephi. As a result, their latest record features a collection of stories and characters based in small-town Americana.
Inspired by Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 country record Nebraska, it opens with ‘West Hills’, an epic tale of a man arrested for drug possession before later seeking salvation. The strings, harmonicas and mandolins bring a new dimension to The Killers character.
What follows thereafter are warm and heartbreaking stories from small town tragedies to drug problems and domestic abuse. It will quite possibly force a new found appreciation for Brandon Flowers as lyricist. Here’s a record I never anticipated The Killers releasing and bravo to them for stepping out their comfort zone.
2. Imploding the Mirage (2020)
So disillusioned had I become with The Killers in the 2010s that admitting I was enjoying 2020’s Imploding the Mirage felt like a confession! It may have been corny and over the top in parts, but the synth pop anthems and arena-sized choruses proved to be amongst their best ever work.
Whilst earlier records Sam’s Town and Day & Age had their moments of brilliance, they had more than their share of forgettable filler. Their sixth album was the first since Hot Fuss that was consistently impressive from start to finish.
Tracks like ‘My Own Soul’s Warning’, ‘Caution’ and ‘Running Towards A Place’ possessed plenty of punch and 80s synth pop charm, whilst ‘Fire In Bone’ was a funky, Talking Heads inspired tale of redemption. It finishes on the infectious and quirky ‘Imploding the Mirage’.
Imploding the Mirage proved there was still life left in The Killers after being written off so many times.
- Hot Fuss (2004)
It was always going to be top wasn’t it?! Between Autumn 2004 and Spring 2005, The Killers were, by far, the coolest band the UK. Their brand of new wave meets indie rock was fresh, hip and different to what was around at the time. It also felt uniquely British that many felt a sense of betrayal when they changed up their sound and declared their following record would be inspired by Bruce Springsteen.
In the abovementioned ‘Mr Brightside’, ‘Somebody Told Me’, ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ and ‘All These Things That I’ve done’, you had tracks that were grand, stylish and festival anthem ready. Meanwhile, album opener ‘Jenny Was a Friend of Mine’ and ‘Midnight Show’ are two parts of an epic murder trilogy storyline providing the album some depth above its pop appeal.
Some of the tracks may feel dated today, whilst others may feel too familiar now to appreciate, but you can’t underestimate just how important a record Hot Fuss was in the mid-noughties to young people growing up in the UK.
Written by Matthew M of Blinded By The Floodlights