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"Empty" is a song by American-Scottish alternative rock band Garbage. It was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album Strange Little Birds (2016) on April 20, 2016 by their independent label Stunvolume.

Background

"Empty" is an electronic rock song. Drummer Butch Vig said "it sets the tone for the rest of the album" and added it sounds "like classic Garbage," a sentiment which touring bassist Eric Avery also shared. Guitarist Steve Marker echoed that, saying that the song's position as second track on Strange Little Birds following the more eerie and atmospheric "Sometimes" was a deliberate choice due to the band wanting to create a heavy contrast between the tracks and give an idea of what to expect from the rest of the record.

Singer Shirley Manson explained that the song is about "the hole that we all have - I think every human being has it, somewhere, or at least, at some point in their life - where you're so eaten up with an obsession that fills you up so completely there's no room for anything else. And as a result, you just have this sort of psychopathic approach in your life. We've become so obsessed with money, and success, and numbers and we're forgetting about our humanity in the midst of all that." Vig added that despite having "pretty dark lyrics", the song's anthemic sound makes it feel "like a celebration" of vulnerability as Manson acknowledges it singing "I'm so empty" in the chorus.

Release and promotion

"Empty" was released as lead single from Strange Little Birds on April 20, 2016. It was debuted on the Kevin & Bean show on KROQ. The music video followed on May 23 and was uploaded on the band's YouTube channel through VEVO.

Garbage performed the song on the French TV show C à vous on May 25 and on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on June 20 to promote the record. A live performance filmed at East West Studios was uploaded by Amazon UK as part of Amazon Front Row on June 3; it was later uploaded on the band's YouTube channel on June 29.

In 2022, the song was remastered by Heba Kadry and included in Garbage's third greatest hits album Anthology, out October 28.

Music video

The promotional video for "Empty" was helmed by Samuel Bayer, who also directed the first Garbage videos from their debut album. The video shows each member of the band playing in an empty room alone on a platform with various flashing colored light effects as well as confetti occasionally raining down from the ceiling. There are many instances where the camera is spinning in a circle around Manson and occasionally the other band members. Manson claims Bayer borrowed the camera from NASA, and the camera "nearly killed Butch" as it detached from its rotating axis while Vig was playing drums in the room.

An alternate cut of the video was uploaded by video editor Michael Mees on his website.

Charts

References

1. Micallef, Ken (May 24, 2016). "Issue Sneak Peek: Inside Garbage's 'Strange Little Birds' Sessions". Electronic Musician. NewBay Media. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
2. Zaleski, Annie (June 10, 2016). "Garbage gets loose on the superlative Strange Little Birds". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
3. ^ "GARBAGE RELEASE NEW SINGLE "EMPTY"". Murray Chalmers PR. April 20, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
4. ^ "Garbage launch new single 'Empty' - listen". NME. April 21, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
5. "ALBUM BIO: GARBAGE – STRANGE LITTLE BIRDS [LIBERATOR MUSIC/STUNVOLUME] (OUT FRIDAY, 10 JUNE 2016)" (Press release). Liberator Music. April 18, 2016. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016 – via Mushroom Promotions.
6. Garbage - Empty (Track-by-Track Commentary), retrieved 2022-10-12
7. Kellmurray, Beth. "Garbage Unleash Dark and Fiery New Track, 'Empty'". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
8. May 23, Dana Getz Updated; EDT, 2016 at 04:15 PM. "Garbage release dizzying 'Empty' video". EW.com. Retrieved 2022-10-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
9. Carley, Brennan (2016-05-26). "Garbage Ripped Through 'Empty' on France's 'C à vous' Last Night". SPIN. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
10. "NEWS: GARBAGE TO PERFORM TONIGHT ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE – PANDORA RELEASES EXCLUSIVE GARBAGE MIXTAPE". Retrieved 2022-10-12.
11. Roberts, Christopher. "Watch Garbage Perform "Empty" and "Push It" on "Jimmy Kimmel Live"". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
12. "Garbage for Amazon Front Row | To mark the release of the new album #StrangeLittleBirds from Garbage we have three exclusive videos as part of #AmazonFrontRow. Here the group performs... | By Amazon Music UK | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
13. Garbage - Empty (Live at East West Studios), retrieved 2022-10-12
14. Skinner, Tom (2022-09-21). "Garbage announce new 'Anthology' compilation: "It's testimony to almost three decades of creative work"". NME. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
15. Garbage Go Back to Basics (and Samuel Bayer) for the Dizzying ‘Empty’ Video
16. "Garbage Have the Spins in Whirling 'Empty' Video". SPIN Magazine. May 23, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
17. "Life According to Garbage (2017)" (Interview). Garbage. Sydney, Australia: MAX. October 2016.{{cite interview}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
18. Mees, Michael (2019-02-13), Garbage_Empty, retrieved 2022-10-12
19. "Garbage Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 June 2016.

External links

• "Empty" music video at Vevo.

• 2016 singles
• Garbage (band) songs
• Song recordings produced by Butch Vig
• Music videos directed by Samuel Bayer
• Songs written by Shirley Manson
• Songs written by Duke Erikson
• Songs written by Steve Marker
• Songs written by Butch Vig