"Powerless" | ||||
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Single by Linkin Park | ||||
from the album Living Things and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter | ||||
Released | October 31, 2012 | |||
Format | Digital download | |||
Recorded | 2011–2012 at NRG Recording Studios (North Hollywood, California) |
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Genre | Electronic rock, alternative rock | |||
Length | 3:44 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | Linkin Park | |||
Producer(s) |
Mike Shinoda Rick Rubin Tim Burton Timur Bekmambetov Jim Lemley |
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Linkin Park singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Promotional video on YouTube |
"Powerless" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. The song was written by the band and produced by co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin. Its working title was "Tinfoil", which instead ended up serving as the intro to the song. It was released on iTunes as a digital single from the soundtrack of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter on October 31, 2012, in Japan. The song was also released as a single worldwide through the official website of the band. The song was released as the third single from the album Living Things. The release included the "Powerless" artwork and featured just the one track.
"Powerless" is a mid-tempo song that features a lock-step breaks, soaring harmonies and synthesizer whispers. The song has a piano-based production and is described by Spin as having a "electro-goth atmosphere like Bruno Mars on the most recent Twilight soundtrack". The Silver Tongue Online described the song as "a foundation of busy percussion and electronica, a sweeping chorus and Coldplay-worthy bridge". It's also been described as a "surging, slow-burning, classically Linkin Park anthem". Lyrically, the song is about a self-destructive friend or lover.
"Powerless", the twelfth and closing track of the album, is featured in the closing credits to the film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. A performance music video of "Powerless" featuring scenes from the film was released on Yahoo!, serving as the film's music trailer. The music video was directed by Timur Bekmambetov, director of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The video was filmed in Berlin, Germany. Bekmambetov screened the film for the band, who reacted positively to the film, and believed that the band had a song that would fit into the film; hence, "Powerless" was chosen.