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"My Best Theory"
Single by Jimmy Eat World
from the album Invented
Released	August 10, 2010
Recorded	2010
Genre	Pop punk, alternative rock
Length	3:23
Label	Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Jim Adkins Rick Burch Zach Lind Tom Linton
Producer(s)	Mark Trombino
Jimmy Eat World singles chronology
"Always Be" (2007) "My Best Theory" (2010) "Coffee and Cigarettes" (2011)

"My Best Theory" is the lead single from Jimmy Eat World's seventh studio album Invented. The song began receiving its first radio airplay on August 10, 2010, and impacted radio on August 17. The UK digital release was September 26, 2010.

The song has peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart and number 2 on the Alternative Songs chart; the band's highest-charting single since "Pain" hit number one in 2004. The song included in soundtrack for Tony Hawk: Shred.

Concept

In an interview, the band's frontman Jim Adkins said:

"The song is about finding your individuality in a world where extremes are more and more presented as your only option. We thought taking a science fiction approach would be a great way to demonstrate breaking free of what may be expected from an individual. We loved director Ron Winter’s work and thought he was the perfect choice to help."

Music video

Near the beginning of the video, a masked person is visible, along with various shapes and textures (probably symbolizing attempted mind control.) That person is then sent to some sort of altar inside a building by a second kind of masked people, this time symbolizing malevolence. They join two others already apparently working at the altar, giving power to the evil people. At the beginning of the second verse, one of the good masked people who were already there before tries to escape, but then is shot down by the evil people. They then use some sort of science fiction lasers to get rid of the body. This distraction allows for the remaining good people to escape, but are then chased by the evil ones. The good people are chased out of the building, and into the deep woods where (they think) they are safe. After recognizing each other's voice, they unmask each other to reveal two girls (possibly having some kind of past connection.) They both fall asleep, and are awoken in the morning by the evil people's lasers. They start panicking, and right as the song ends at this point, the video cuts to black.

No member of Jimmy Eat World appears in the video.

Track listing

7" Vinyl (US version)

1. "My Best Theory"
2. "Stop"

7" Vinyl (UK version)

1. "My Best Theory"
2. "Anais"

Charts

References

1. "World Exclusive: Jimmy Eat World Announce New Album And Single". Rock Sound. July 14, 2010. Archived from the original on August 26, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
2. "AllAccess.com Alternative eWeekly". AllAccess. August 10, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
3. "My Best Theory" - Jimmy Eat World - Song information. Billboard.com.
4. "Jimmy Eat World Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
5. "Jimmy Eat World Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.

External links

• Jimmyeeatworld.com

• 2010 singles
• Jimmy Eat World songs
• Interscope Records singles
• 2010 songs