‘We Are Live’ N°126 – 2010s Music Videos

1 . Stereophonics – Indian Summer

“Indian Summer” finds Stereophonics navigating wistful territory with a polished, mid-tempo rock sensibility that has long defined their sound.

As the second single from their eighth album, “Graffiti on the Train,” the track sits at the intersection of narrative lyrical introspection and radio-friendly craftsmanship. Kelly Jones, who penned and co-produced the song alongside Jim Lowe, imbues it with a sense of longing, wrapped neatly in arena-sized guitar riffs and steady percussion.

The accompanying music video, directed by Jones himself, takes a literal approach to its romantic underpinnings. Shot in Leicestershire, it follows a young musician, a fictionalized younger Jones played by Kerr Logan, as he shares a fleeting connection with Caroline Ford during a train journey. The visual’s charm arises from its unvarnished simplicity, though it never quite transcends its role as a narrative complement to the song.

Chart-wise, “Indian Summer” made an unremarkable but respectable case for itself, peaking at number 30 in the UK Singles Chart on 10 March 2013. While it marked the band’s first return to the UK Top 40 since 2007, the song’s reach—number 33 in Ireland, 15 in Scotland, and a modest 48 on Belgium’s Ultratip Bubbling Under chart—suggests the impact was more regional than universal. Its eventual Silver certification by the BPI implies enduring appeal, likely bolstered by Stereophonics’ loyal fan base.

The track showcases Jones’ knack for balancing accessibility with lyrical nuance, though it stops short of breaking new ground. Like its title suggests, “Indian Summer” is warm, fleeting, and pleasant enough, though it may feel a touch formulaic to anyone familiar with the band’s extensive catalog.

Featured on the 2013 album “Graffiti On The Train”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

2 . Foals – My Number

“My Number,” the second single off Foals’ third album, “Holy Fire,” presents itself as a paradox—an indie rock anthem that struts while it shuns, brims with detachment but demands attention.

Debuted live on *Later… with Jools Holland* in late 2012, the song balances sharp melodies with a rhythm section glued together by resolute precision. It’s as if Foals took the clean lines of math rock, infused them with a pulse more human, and wrapped the entire package with a sense of post-punk cool that doesn’t overstate its case. The track’s premiere on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 cemented its arrival, with its simultaneous upload to the band’s YouTube channel underscoring a calculated but unpretentious roll-out.

Chart performance reflected its tersely inviting nature—number 23 in the UK Singles Chart marked the band’s peak to date, while international appearances, from number 45 in Belgium’s Ultratop 50 Flanders to number 20 on US Alternative Airplay, assert the song’s transnational appeal without quite giving it global ubiquity. Platinum certification by the BPI for sales of 600,000 units in the UK suggests subtle staying power, even as it tiptoed further afield into soundtracks for sporting events and TV dramas from *Doctor Foster* to *Grey’s Anatomy.*

Ever pragmatic, the track also found a home in FIFA 14’s remixed playlist like a chameleon slipping into a room where it barely belongs but clearly thrives. Such ubiquity might read as pandering if “My Number” didn’t carry Leif Podhajsky’s artwork and the kind of spartan yet effective construction that sidesteps the overwrought tendencies often found in this genre. It’s a song designed to stay in motion, whether pulsing along beer-drenched festival fields or on ITV’s *UEFA Champions League: Extra Time.*

“My Number” might not swagger like its mainstream chart-topping peers, but it doesn’t stumble either. Yannis Philippakis’ delivery sidesteps outright catharsis, layering the track with a tone of withheld emotion that feels less about connection and more about deflection. If *Holy Fire* tries to ignite, this track glows more than it burns—a flicker more than a flame, yet oddly captivating in its restraint.

Featured on the 2013 album “Holy Fire”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . Cover Drive – Lick Ya Down

“Lick Ya Down” emerges as a breezy yet firmly grounded debut for Cover Drive, a Barbadian quartet that entered the music scene with palpable energy in 2011.

Produced by J.R. Rotem, the track leans on a polished pop-reggae formula, where its rhythm feels sun-soaked without venturing into excess.

The title, rooted in a Bajan idiom meaning “to knock someone down,” repurposes cultural nuances for a UK audience, even as any deeper interpretation remains surface-level.

The band’s appeal seems split between lead vocalist Amanda Reifer’s honeyed delivery, which carries an effortless charm, and the instrumental competence brought by T-Ray Armstrong, Barry “Bar-Man” Hill, and Jamar Harding.

Yet, for all the professionalism, “Lick Ya Down” never fully strays from its chart-friendly ambitions, offering little surprise to more demanding listeners.

The single peaked commendably at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, reflecting its commercial grasp rather than its artistic stakes.

Its inclusion on the album *Bajan Style* (2012) further cemented the band’s carefully constructed identity geared for international appeal.

Cover Drive’s background as YouTube cover artists strings along threads of precursory charm, while accolades like opening for Rihanna’s Loud Tour and accompanying Kelly Clarkson on her Stronger Tour signal broader recognition of their potential, albeit fleeting.

With later appearances on HGTV’s *House Hunters International* (May 2013), the group’s trajectory seemed less about music longevity than cultural cameos.

“Lick Ya Down” toes the pop-reggae line competently, but its calculated sheen ensures it juggles longevity with throwaway escapism in equal measure.

Featured on the 2011 album “Bajan Style”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Instagram

4 . You Me At Six – Underdog

“Underdog” by You Me at Six occupies a curious midpoint between raw energy and polished intent, perhaps a reflection of its creators’ second-album phase on *Hold Me Down* (2009). Recorded under the dual production gaze of Matt O’Grady and John Mitchell, the track carries the urgency of a band in pursuit of wider resonance without quite breaking free of its genre confines.

The melody unfolds like a balance beam act, teetering between punchy hooks and radio-friendly accessibility. Sam Moss’s writing succeeds in creating a song that brims with kinetic tension, though it doesn’t necessarily venture into uncharted territory. Its chart peak at number 49 in the UK Singles Chart on 14 February 2010 suggests modest recognition rather than breakout impact, a footnote rather than a headline moment in the band’s chronology.

Its accompanying music video, directed by Nick Bartlett and shot at Brixton Academy, stitches together performance footage with a subplot featuring a betrayed ballerina. It’s a thematic attempt to interplay vulnerability with defiance, but the narrative’s dramatic arc feels rushed, as though trying to condense an emotional crescendo into limited minutes.

Interestingly, the broader cultural afterlife of “Underdog” included a cameo in *Horrid Henry: The Movie* (2011), where it soundtracks a mischievous water balloon scene. This offbeat association adds a quirky detour to an otherwise conventional rock lineage, though one wonders if the track’s full emotive force gets lost in translation to cinematic lightheartedness.

The single’s digital and physical release formats, arriving in February 2010, also featured an acoustic version and a B-side, “Fact-Tastic.” The stripped-down rendition at least hints at layers not readily apparent in the polished original, though the track maintains its identity as largely by-the-numbers in its construction.

“Underdog” earned a Silver certification from the BPI, reflecting its 200,000-unit sales in the UK. While respectable, this marker of success raises the question of whether the track’s appeal is tied more to timing and loyal fandom than to any singular innovation. You Me at Six’s continued trajectory post-*Hold Me Down*—including two number-one albums—cements their place as consistent performers, but “Underdog” remains less a front-running anthem than a sturdy addition to their setlist arsenal.

Featured on the 2009 album “Hold Me Down”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

5 . The Script – Superheroes

“Superheroes” from The Script’s 2014 album *No Sound Without Silence* is ostensibly an anthem of resilience, but its polished exterior occasionally falters under the weight of its ambition.

The song opens with a soft piano riff, a calculated move to evoke emotional depth, only to be juxtaposed with the crunch of guitar riffs that propel the track towards its soaring pop-rock chorus. This dynamic shift feels almost cinematic, aiming for grandeur but flirting with predictability.

The lyrics, centered on inner strength and transformation amidst adversity, are earnest yet skates dangerously close to platitudes. Phrases like “A heart of steel starts to grow” and “That’s how a superhero learns to fly” are undeniably memorable, albeit teetering on the edge of motivational poster material.

Chart-wise, its number 3 peak on the UK Official Singles Chart over 27 weeks underscores its broad appeal, though its more modest 73 position on the US Billboard charts hints at a limited global resonance. Perhaps the song’s unabashed sincerity struck a chord in the UK, while coming across as overwrought across the Atlantic.

The band’s members—Danny O’Donoghue, Mark Sheehan, and Glen Power—who have sold over 20 million albums globally, channel their live-performance euphoria into the track. This energy gives the song its immediacy but, at times, overshadows subtler elements that might have led to a richer experience.

“Superheroes” thrives best as an arena-ready singalong but leans so heavily into anthemic tropes that it risks losing the nuance that true inspiration demands.

Featured on the 2014 album “No Sound Without Silence”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

6 . Beady Eye – The Roller

“The Roller,” released by Beady Eye in early 2011, carries the weight of expectation that naturally follows a band formed from the remnants of Oasis. Featured on their debut album “Different Gear, Still Speeding,” the track is a collaborative effort by Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer, and Andy Bell, with Steve Lillywhite handling production duties. Its composition, like much of Beady Eye’s output, seems both tethered to and attempting to escape the shadow of the past.

The music video, shot in the icy fields of Wilburton, Cambridgeshire in sub-zero conditions, provides a surreal, almost claustrophobic visual. A motorcyclist circles the band as they perform—a literal manifestation of the song’s cyclical, grounded energy. The visual backdrop mirrors the track’s steady yet unadventurous pacing, suggesting the band is content to remain in familiar territory rather than pushing boundaries.

Chart-wise, “The Roller” made a respectable but modest entry at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart, its highest point being a number 17 peak in Scotland. This makes it the only Beady Eye single to crack the UK’s top 40—a qualified achievement that underscores the challenges of stepping out of Oasis’s long shadow. Internationally, its performance reflects similar limitations, with a lukewarm number 56 position on Japan’s Hot 100 chart.

While “The Roller” lacks the daring reinvention some might hope for, it does exhibit strong craftsmanship. Its modest reception reflects a band still finding its footing rather than an insurmountable misstep. Gallagher’s delivery is predictably assured, and the production feels solid, even if it doesn’t surprise. The track’s B-side, “Two of a Kind,” on its limited 7″ vinyl release, underscores the band’s reliance on retro textures over innovation. Ultimately, “The Roller” provides listeners a bridge between nostalgia and new beginnings, though it leaves little room for reinterpretation.

Featured on the 2011 album “Different Gear, Still Speeding”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Twitter

7 . U2 – Invisible – [Red] Edit

“Invisible,” released by U2 in 2014, occupies a peculiar place in the band’s sprawling four-decade career.

Constructed as part of the (RED) campaign to combat AIDS, the song was not tethered to any particular album, and perhaps that lack of grounding explains its somewhat drifting identity. Its debut during the Super Bowl—a spectacle of American excess—provided stark contrast to its deeper themes: alienation, self-worth, and the cry for acknowledgment in a crowd full of “extraordinary people,” as Bono himself described it.

Musically, “Invisible” finds U2 leaning into sleek production, shedding their more bombastic rock roots for a minimalist, sharp-edged palette. The lyrics offer a series of contradictions: lines like “There is no them, there’s only us” aspire to unity, while “I won’t be my father’s son” hints at personal rebellion and transformation. This dynamic interplay between spiritual conversion and existential grappling is quintessential Bono, though at times his delivery risks veering into self-parody, straining toward profundity.

Commercially, the song’s performance was middling—reaching number 24 in Ireland, 11 in France, but stalling at 79 in Australia and 44 in Canada. These modest placements reflect its in-between nature; neither anthem nor ballad, it struggles to carve out a distinct slot in U2’s canon.

Nevertheless, “Invisible” succeeds in branding itself more as an idea—raising AIDS awareness—than as an unforgettable track. It’s less a standout single and more a fleeting, albeit sincere, whisper in U2’s larger narrative.

Featured on the 2014 album “Songs of Innocence“.Songs+of+Innocence+vinyl+album&tag=radiovideom05-20′ target=’_blank’ rel=’noopener’>

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

8 . Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey – The Middle

“The Middle” by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey emerges from a production assembly line honed to precision, where every element is meticulously calibrated for maximum pop appeal.

Co-written by Sarah Aarons and masterminded by The Monsters & Strangerz songwriting team, the track stems from a voice memo—a casual origin story that belies its polished final form. Aarons’ initial lyric fragment morphed into a danceable anthem after making its rounds through Grey’s production tweaks and Zedd’s hands-on refinement. The process of discovering Maren Morris as the song’s vocalist, after interest from heavyweights like Camila Cabello and Demi Lovato, underscores the track’s calculated crossover aspirations. Morris, known primarily for her country roots, presents a surprisingly adept voice in this electronic pop ecosystem, lending the song both warmth and edge.

The marketing push behind “The Middle” is as noteworthy as its musical construction. Its inclusion in a Target commercial during the Grammy Awards cemented its entry into the cultural mainstream. Chart placement only solidifies its impact, with a No. 1 spot on several Billboard charts ranging from Hot Dance/Electronic Songs to Adult Contemporary, signaling its reach across multiple demographics. Yet this multidimensional success also exposes its broader intent: a generic universality designed to appeal but not provoke. Its calculated perfection leaves little room for risk or raw emotion, an unavoidable paradox of its streamlined artistry.

As a standalone single, the track avoids the burden of album context, existing purely to own its moment. The production bears Zedd’s hallmark efficiency, articulated through a crisp instrumental build that crescendos into radio-friendly brightness. Grey’s involvement further solidifies it as a smooth yet unchallenging listen, with enough polish to gleam but little friction to linger.

Ultimately, “The Middle” encapsulates a genre-blurring synthesis, a collaboration pieced together with the precision of a puzzle. It’s sleek, functional, and undeniably effective—though its perfection might place it closer to a product than a revelation.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

9 . Bruno Mars – When I Was Your Man

A solitary piano and a flood of regret define “When I Was Your Man,” Bruno Mars’ stark admission of failure in matters of the heart.

Stripping his sound to the essentials, Mars leans solely on his voice and minimal accompaniment, creating a pop ballad that feels closer to a confessional booth than a Billboard chart-topping hit.

The melancholic simplicity of the chord progressions—*Am–C–Dm–G–G7–C* in the verses and *F–G–C* in the chorus—frames the raw emotional core of the track, avoiding the bombast that often underpins mainstream heartbreak anthems.

Lyrically, the song revolves around remorse, with Mars lamenting his inability to provide the devotion his former lover deserved, a sentiment reportedly drawn from his concern about losing his girlfriend, Jessica Caban.

The absence of metaphor or symbolic detours in the lyrics gives the track a basic honesty, but also leaves it teetering dangerously close to sentimental cliché—a “should-have-bought-you-flowers” approach that’s as universal as it is unremarkable.

The vocal performance, however, rescues the song from predictability, as Mars injects each line with palpable anguish, elevating regret into something visceral.

Commercial success came swiftly, with the track claiming the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart, a testament to its capacity to resonate broadly despite its limited musical palette.

While critics have praised its relatability and emotional directness, the song’s unvarnished structure can feel like both its strength and weakness—it connects instantly but offers little to linger over upon closer inspection.

Produced by Mars, Philip Lawrence, and Ari Levine under the Smeezingtons, “When I Was Your Man” reflects their unerring knack for crafting pop that balances vulnerability and accessibility, even though the result occasionally risks feeling overly familiar.

Still, with 509 cumulative weeks on global charts, its staying power underscores Mars’ ability to transform the simplest confessions into a universal refrain of heartbreak.

Featured on the 2012 album “Unorthodox Jukebox”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

10 . Passenger – Let Her Go

“Let Her Go” by Passenger, the alias of Michael Rosenberg, operates as a melancholic tapestry of loss and reflection, set against the stripped-down backdrop of folk-pop simplicity.

Emerging in 2012 as the second single from the album “All the Little Lights,” the track’s production—helmed by Rosenberg and Chris Vallejo at Linear Recording in Sydney—leans heavily on delicate melancholia, brought to life by a cadre of Australian collaborators: Stu Larsen, Georgia Mooney, Stu Hunter, Cameron Undy, and Glenn Wilson.

Lyrically, it trades in oppositional couplets—“Only hate the road when you’re missing home”—that hover somewhere between poetic poignancy and predictable repetition, offering listeners accessible reflections rather than fresh revelations.

Commercially, the song is a juggernaut, topping chart after chart: from Austria to Israel to Sweden, kindling a global resonance that’s hard to overstate. Yet its performance on the UK Singles Chart (peaking at number two) and the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (holding at number five) suggests a slight ceiling to its dominance, despite remarkable streaming figures—including over one billion Spotify streams by 2019.

The track’s understated arrangement—anchored in acoustic guitar and restrained instrumentation—positions it as both timeless and easy fodder for countless coffeehouse playlists. Awards like the Brit nomination for British Single of the Year and the Ivor Novello for Most Performed Work commend its broadcast ubiquity, though such laurels don’t necessarily translate to artistic audacity.

Ultimately, “Let Her Go” embodies Rosenberg’s broader identity: emotive, folk-inspired yet safe. Whether the track’s long-term appeal matches its commercial peak remains an open question, though its 84-week UK chart run hints at remarkable staying power within its era.

Featured on the 2012 album “All the Little Lights”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

11 . Mr. Probz – Waves

“Waves” by Mr. Probz paints a stark, resonant picture of emotional upheaval, using the sea as an evocative metaphor for a crumbling relationship.

Its raw, confessional tone is immediately set by the opening lyric: “My face above the water / My feet can’t touch the ground.” This imagery anchors the song in a place of fragility and survival, articulating the precarious balance between despair and endurance.

The track’s structure follows a straightforward verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus format, with a 12-bar intro introducing soft kick drums, congo rhythms, guitar, and hi-hats. The production deliberately avoids bombast; instead, it allows stereo delay effects and acoustic textures to create an intimate, almost unpolished atmosphere during the verses.

Initially a modest top-ten hit in the Netherlands upon its 2013 release, “Waves” found broader acclaim in 2014 after German DJ Robin Schulz reinterpreted it. Schulz’s remix propelled the song to number one on multiple international charts, including the UK and Germany, and secured peak positions in Austria, Belgium, and beyond. The remix, arguably, is where the song swaps some of its vulnerable rawness for radio-friendly breeziness—a nostalgic haze to complement sun-drenched, carefree playlists.

Mr. Probz, born Dennis Stehr, brings his background in hip-hop and R&B into the track’s DNA. With collaborations alongside artists like 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak, his musical sensibility leans toward storytelling; yet here, the sparse lyricism takes a backseat to mood-setting. That mood, despite its emotional premise, feels adrift; melancholic without fully plunging into heartbreak or resolution.

Ultimately, “Waves” doesn’t redefine what the metaphor of the ocean can do in pop music, nor does it aim to. But its stripped-down arrangement and Mr. Probz’s understated delivery ensure it lingers, if only as a documentation of a moment, endlessly repeating like the tides themselves.

Featured on the 2013 album “The Treatment”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Instagram

12 . James Arthur – Safe Inside

“Safe Inside,” the second single from James Arthur’s 2016 album “Back from the Edge,” quietly positions itself within Arthur’s repertoire as a sentimental ode that narrows its thematic focus to familial ties, particularly inspired by his little sister. Lyrically, the song traverses the terrain of concern and reassurance, albeit without charting any particularly novel ground. Its most poignant moments rest in its modest vulnerability, but one can’t help but wonder if the narrative occasionally dips into overly familiar territory.

Released on 10 February 2017, the track did well to climb from a modest No. 103 to a respectable No. 31 on the UK Singles Chart, a leap driven significantly by streaming and airplay. This marks it as Arthur’s fifth UK top-40 entry—commendable, though not groundbreaking. On the global stage, its performance is less commanding, with positions like No. 54 on the Irish Singles Chart and No. 17 on Belgium’s Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders chart painting a picture of muted international resonance.

The production doesn’t steer far from contemporary ballad conventions, opting for a safe mixture of piano-driven melodies and Arthur’s trademark emotional delivery. While the arrangement aptly complements his earnest and heartfelt vocals, it runs the risk of being too predictable. Capturing visual elements, the music video—released fittingly on Christmas Day 2016—balances seasonal sentimentality with reflective undertones across its brief 3:43 runtime.

“Safe Inside” achieves arguably its greatest success through certifications: Platinum in the UK, alongside Gold certifications in Brazil and Canada. These accolades suggest that while the song might not have left an indelible mark on the charts, it found its footing among devoted listeners who valued its heartfelt simplicity.

Arthur’s rise since his “X Factor” win in 2012 and subsequent career highs, including his multi-platinum single “Impossible,” offers context for “Safe Inside” as a solid, if not particularly ambitious, continuation of his trajectory. The absence of notable collaborations here, a divergence from his work with artists like Anne-Marie and Rudimental, further underscores its singular, largely private focus. The result is a song that feels intimate but rarely risks stepping outside its comfort zone.

Featured on the 2016 album “Back from the Edge”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site