Several modern rock radio stations existed in the 1980s. 1988 marked the formal establishment of modern rock as a radio format with Billboard's creation of the Modern Rock Tracks chart. This chart relied on inputs from college and commercial stations. The format gained prominence after grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam's success in 1991, prompting many American stations to switch to this format. Some consider modern rock a specific subset of alternative rock.
The format's evolution can be divided into classic modern rock and the contemporary alternative rock format. Pre-grunge, the format embraced danceable music from various artists with ties to new wave and the Second British Invasion. Initially, few American artists ranked on the modern rock chart. Between 1992 and 1994, female, foreign, and dance music diminished, leaving mostly American male-created guitar rock. By 1996, the modern rock chart mirrored mainstream rock, surveying prevalent rock music.
During the 2000s, modern rock stations predominantly featured songs from the active rock format, notably post-grunge and nu metal, stemming from the 1990s grunge and alternative metal movements. Early 2000s modern rock included diverse artists like Jack Johnson, Muse, Coheed and Cambria, The Postal Service, The Mars Volta, Junior Senior, Snow Patrol, Story of the Year, The Black Keys, and Kings of Leon. Mid-2000s witnessed post-punk, garage rock, noise rock, and dance-punk revival alongside enduring post-grunge and nu metal success.
Presently, modern rock revolves around an indie-driven radio format spotlighting emerging and recent indie rock bands. A wide range of genres like reggae, folk, hip hop, and EDM is incorporated, with prominent indie rock artists such as Young the Giant, Of Monsters and Men, Atlas Genius, The Neighbourhood, Arcade Fire, Weezer, Twenty One Pilots, The 1975, Arctic Monkeys, and Bastille. As of February 2014, indie rock remains a staple on modern rock radio.
Black Out Days
Phantogram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will leave your face out of my mind
You should save your eyes
A thousand voices howling in my head
Speak in tongues
I don't even recognize your face
Mirror on the wall
Tell me all the ways to stay away
Ay ay ay ya
Away-ay ya
Away-ay ya
And stay
Away-ay ya
Away-ay ya
Away-ay ya
Dig a hole
Fireworks exploding in my hands
If I could paint the sky
Would all the stars be shining bloody red?
Stay
Ay ay ay ya
Away-ay ya
Away-ay ya
And stay
Ay ay ay ya
Away-ay ya
Away-ay ya
And stay (I'm hearing voices all the time up in my mind)
Away-ay ya
Away-ay ya
Away-ay ya (I'm hearing voices and they're haunting my mind
And stay (I'm hearing voices all the time up in my mind)
Away-ay ya
Ay ay ay ya
Ay ay ay ya (I'm hearing voices and they're haunting my mind)
Black out days
I don't recognize you anymore
The lyrics of Phantogram's song Black Out Days convey a sense of desperation and detachment. The opening lines, "Hide the sun, I will leave your face out of my mind" suggest a desire to avoid the light of day and any reminders of a person or situation that is difficult to face. The next lines, "A thousand voices howling in my head, Speak in tongues, I don't even recognize your face" suggest a sense of overload and disorientation in which the singer is unable to make sense of the world around her.
The use of the phrase "black out days" in the chorus further emphasizes this sense of disconnection and inability to engage with reality. The chorus repeats the phrase "stay away" which adds to the feeling of separation and the inability to connect with those around us. The song describes the feeling of being lost and directionless, as if the world is exploding and one person is powerless to stop it.
Phantogram's use of electronic instrumentation emphasizes the sense of detachment and disorder in the lyrics, and the overall effect is haunting and captivating. The chanted repetitions of the chorus contribute to a sense of urgency and desperation which makes the song even more compelling.
Line by Line Meaning
Hide the sun
To avoid the light, possibly to hide from something or someone.
I will leave your face out of my mind
I am trying to forget about you and move on, so I won't think about your face.
You should save your eyes
Don't look at me, as it will only hurt you.
A thousand voices howling in my head
I am overwhelmed with thoughts or emotions, possibly due to a difficult situation.
Speak in tongues
You are speaking a language I cannot understand or relate to, possibly because of a difference in perspective or experience.
I don't even recognize your face
You have changed so much, I can't even recognize you anymore or relate to who you are.
Mirror on the wall
Looking at myself in the mirror, I am questioning my own identity and existence.
Tell me all the ways to stay away-ay ay ay ya
I am asking for guidance on how to stay away from something or someone that may be causing me harm or negativity.
Dig a hole
I am creating a space or barrier to protect myself from something or someone.
Fireworks exploding in my hands
I am trying to control or contain something that is chaotic, possibly causing harm or destruction.
If I could paint the sky
I am imagining a world where I have the power to change or control my surroundings.
Would all the stars be shining bloody red?
I am questioning the nature of reality and the possibility of a world that is not as beautiful or hopeful as it seems.
Black out days
A period of time where everything seems dark, negative or hopeless.
I don't recognize you anymore
I have lost touch with who you are and cannot relate to you anymore.
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Sarah Barthel, Joshua Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@abcdefg24638
LYRICS
Hide the sun
I will leave your face out of my mind
You should save your eyes
A thousand voices howling in my head
Speak in tongues
I don't even recognize your face
Mirror on the wall
Tell me all the ways to stay away, away, away
And stay away, away, away
Dig a hole
Fireworks exploding in my hands
If I could paint the sky
Well all the stars would shine a bloody red
Stay away, away, away
And stay away, away, away
And stay away (I'm hearing voices all the time up in my mind)
(I'm hearing voices and they're haunting my mind)
And stay away (I'm hearing voices all the time in my mind)
(I'm hearing voices and they're haunting my mind)
Black out days
I don't recognize you anymore
@gabiruures
___LYRICS___
Stay away, away, away
Hide the sun
I will leave your face out of my mind
You should save your eyes
A thousand voices howling in my head
Speak in tongues
I don't even recognize your face
Mirror on the wall
Tell me all the ways to stay away, away, away
And stay away, away, away
Dig a hole
Fireworks exploding in my hands
If I could paint the sky
Well all the stars would shine a bloody red
Stay away, away, away
And stay away, away, away
And stay away (I'm hearing voices all the time up in my mind)
(I'm hearing voices and they're haunting my mind)
And stay away (I'm hearing voices all the time in my mind)
(I'm hearing voices and they're haunting my mind)
Black out days
I don't recognize you anymore
@no-ht8hv
I have a crush on this song-
@mariajosecada8367
same fr
@anadobre5504
Me too
@marbre3247
Samee
@ohheyiseeyourstillhere1035
literally makes me cream
@doomguy4321
I have a crush on the lady 👩😍
@ChrisPBacon-bm6ld
When you find a song and can’t believe it’s from 2013 and not from 2021. Boy, it sounds so fresh.
@vincentvega6932
Phantogram has always been next level
@lara-mariepfeifer4977
fr
@j.c.1349
DC101 lead me to them years ago and I'm still loving her tracks!