The track was first released by
Columbia Records on 22 July 2014 as the
lead single promoting the album. The single was released in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 29 August and 31 August 2014, respectively.
Composition
According to the Script
lead vocalistDanny O'Donoghue, "Superheroes" is a song written for "the unsung heroes out in the world".[1] The song, which calls out "people who are going through the hardest of times but can keep their head held high", has drawn comparisons by some
music critics to "
Firework", originally performed by American singer
Katy Perry, in terms of the song's lyrical themes.[2]
Recording
"Superheroes" was the first song written by the band for their fourth studio album, setting a musical template for the production of the new album.[3] The track also features additional guitar played by producer Andrew Frampton, a long-time collaborator with The Script.
Promotion
A snippet of "Superheroes" was first played during a
Google Hangouts session hosted by the band on 18 July 2014, where they unveiled their fourth studio album, No Sound Without Silence. The snippet was one of four to be played during the session, with snippets from No Sound Without Silence album tracks "The Energy Never Dies", "Man On a Wire", and "No Good In Goodbye" also being played during the session.[4] "Superheroes" was the first full track to be lifted from the album, premiering on
BBC Radio 1 during The Radio 1 Breakfast Show on 21 July 2014.[5] The track was also set to be released as a
promotional single for
airplay on United States
Contemporary hit radio on 28 July 2014.[6] "Superheroes" was first released as the sole track on the band's twelfth
single on 22 July 2014, serving as the first single released in promotion of No Sound Without Silence.[7] The track was additionally distributed by
video hosting serviceVevo for streaming media the same day.[8]
Music video
A
music video to accompany the release of "Superheroes" directed by
Vaughan Arnell was released on 4 August 2014.[9] The music video was shot in
Johannesburg,
South Africa over a period of a few days. The location of the video's
principal photography was inspired by the song itself, with Danny O'Donoghue stating that, "We spent a few days there and spent a lot of time with the people in the township, because they are our superheroes".[1]
Reception
Reception to the song upon the release of the "Superheroes" single has been generally positive. National American daily newspaper USA Today named the track as "song of the week" on 22 July 2014, with
music criticBrian Mansfield writing "The Script continues to display its biggest strength: making pop music with heart and power".[2] Rachel Sonis of music website Idolator wrote "Superheroes is a self-proclaimed "ultra-catchy" tune that, after a few spins, definitely lives up to that description".[3] Kevin,
editor-in-chief of
Spin Media website Direct Lyrics commented positively on the song, stating "there is no way The Script aren't reaching #1 with this", further describing it as "epic in every way".[10]
Reactions to the song on
social media was also largely positive, with
Capital reporting that fans had "hailed" the track as "beautiful" upon the track's first play on its radio network.[11] In addition,
4Music stated that the song was an "anthemic" "stomper".[12]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 20155 into search. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201440 into search. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 20152 into search. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
^"
ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201439 into search. Retrieved 30 September 2014.