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"Chalk Outline"
Single by Three Days Grace
from the album Transit of Venus
ReleasedAugust 14, 2012
StudioRevolution Studios, Toronto, Ontario
Length3:02
Label RCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Don Gilmore
Three Days Grace singles chronology
" Lost in You"
(2011) 		"Chalk Outline"
(2012) 		" The High Road"
(2013)

"Chalk Outline" is the lead single from Canadian rock band Three Days Grace's fourth album, Transit of Venus. [1] The band released many "snippets" of the song before August 14 to tease fans. [2] It reached No. 1 on the U.S. Active Rock chart for a total of 10 weeks [3] and won the "Rock Song of the Year" award given by Loudwire. [4] Billboard ranked the song at number 8 on their "Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs" list. [5]

Background

"Chalk Outline" is about being alienated and left behind. Drummer Neil Sanderson stated, "It's about being pushed aside by people close to you. A lot of people can relate. But it's not just about relationships. It's also about society. Society moves quickly, and not everyone is fortunate enough to be active members of society." [6]

Composition

"Chalk Outline" was written by Adam Gontier, Barry Stock and Craig Wiseman while production was handled by Don Gilmore. The song was recorded at Revolution Studios in Toronto, Canada. [7] Bassist Brad Walst spoke with Billboard about recording the track stating, "I remember sitting in the control room with [producer] Don Gilmore for hours and hours and hours, trying to figure out how to get that punchy, heavy sound out of something other than a guitar." [8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Evigshed [9]
Loudwire [10]

The song was mostly met with positive reviews. Chad Childers of Loudwire gave the song a 4/5 rating, saying that "Adam Gontier attacks the track with as much angst and aggression as ever." [10] Billboard calls the song, "a welcome change of pace that certainly piques interest in what else Three Days Grace gets up to on the rest of the album." [11] Sylvie Lesas of Evigshed gave the single 5/5, praising the fact the band took a different direction musically. [9]

Music video

"Chalk Outline" has a lyric video, which shows the lyrics of the song over a clip of a man walking around a city. [12] The band also released an official music video for "Chalk Outline" on October 5. [13] The video shows Adam Gontier walking through a city, singing and gesturing to the camera while passing the other band members on the way, culminating with the four of them meeting in a dark room, performing the song. [14] [13] The video was directed by Shane Drake and was filmed in Brooklyn, New York. [13] It is the band's last music video to feature lead singer Adam Gontier, who departed the band on January 9, 2013. [15]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada ( Music Canada) [23] Gold 40,000‡
United States ( RIAA) [24] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Three Days Grace 'Transit Of Venus' | The Official Three Days Grace Site". Threedaysgrace.com. August 20, 2010. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  2. ^ "Chalk Outline Snippet #1 | The Official Three Days Grace Site". Threedaysgrace.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  3. ^ Entertainment, Core. "Three Days Grace | Core Entertainment". www.coreentertainment.ca. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  4. ^ "Three Days Grace Win Rock Song of the Year in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards". Loudwire. January 16, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  6. ^ Kevin C. Johnson (October 7, 2012). "Three Days Grace nails industrial feel for new album". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Mary Ouellette (July 27, 2012). "Three Days Grace to Unleash Chalk Outline as First Single Off New Album Transit of Venus". Loudwire. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  8. ^ Kevin Rutherford (September 28, 2018). "How Three Days Grace Broke a Two-Decade Old Rock Radio Record". Billboard. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Sylvie Lesas (August 13, 2012). "Three Days Grace Chalk Outline Single Review". Evigshed.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Chad Childers (August 13, 2012). "Three Days Grace, 'Chalk Outline' – Song Review". Loudwire. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  11. ^ "Singles Reviews: Mumford & Sons, Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding & more". Billboard. September 11, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  12. ^ "Chalk Outline Lyric Video | The Official Three Days Grace Site". Threedaysgrace.com. July 25, 2012. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  13. ^ a b c Childers, Chad. "Three Days Grace Take 'Chalk Outline' Video to the Streets". Loudwire. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  14. ^ "Three Days Grace - Chalk Outline". Three Days Grace. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  15. ^ Childers, Chad. "Singer Adam Gontier Leaves Three Days Grace, Replaced by My Darkest Days' Matt Walst". Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  16. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  17. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  18. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  19. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  20. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  21. ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "Rock Airplay Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  23. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Three Days Grace – Chalk Outline". Music Canada. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  24. ^ "American single certifications – Three Days Grace – Chalk Outline". Recording Industry Association of America.
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