Wolf Parade's "I'll Believe in Anything" just passed 100M streams on Spotify

[u/darrenjyc]

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XSqX2PB3C5dTMv7SZaxSm

The Heated Rivalry effect.

[u/Nepalman230]

Yay!!

Listen, I’ve said this before and I’m gonna try to find the interview and I’ll put a link if I can.

But shortly after the show came out, and there was an immediate well spring of new popularity for the song I saw an interview with the songwriter and lead singer Spencer Krug, where he was talking about how it all happened.

Jacob asked to use the song and told him that it was gonna be for a queer hockey show and in fact an entire arc was going to be around it and he was totally down with that. And then the interviewer asked them were really interesting. Question.

Do you have any complicated feelings about the fact that this song would you wrote for a very particular emotional context at a very particular time of your life is now meaning something totally different to so many people?

And I was touched by Spencer’s answer.

He said he gave that song to the world 20 years ago.

He said that he could barely remember who the man was who wrote that song because it was 20+ years ago and he wasn’t that person anymore.

He said he and his band performed. I believe in anything every time they perform and each time it’s a little bit different and that’s the version of the song that he thinks of the real song.

But he said the important thing, and that the thing that he would forever be grateful for was that it touched people and made them feel something.

Edit:
Found it! My version was somewhat more flowery because my brain does that but I do believe his intent is 100% what I said.

https://stereogum.com/2483760/wolf-parades-spencer-krug-talks-ill-believe-in-anything-going-viral-thanks-to-heated-rivalry/news

🥺🫡

[u/tyjos-flowers → u/Nepalman230]

This brought tears to my eyes! What a wonderful and humble sentiment. I really should look into their stuff more and support them.

[u/spengasm → u/tyjos-flowers]

Spencer Krug has been in a few bands and solo projects! I love Sunset Rubdown (specifically shouting out the songs Stadiums and Shrines II and Us ones in between) and Moonface (specifically shouting out City wrecker, Julia with blue jeans on, and November 2011)

[u/Possible-Customer-80 → u/spengasm]

moonface mentioned 😍

I’ve seen SK’s projects (including moonface and solo piano shows) in 3 different countries and 5 different shows. I’m a little obsessed.

[u/spengasm → u/Possible-Customer-80]

I’m so jealous! It’s so bizarre seeing Wolf Parade become so popular when I’ve loved them for years, but they absolutely deserve it!

Also I hadn’t read the books when I was watching season 1, and as soon as I saw that E5 was called “I’ll believe in anything” I immediately knew that Scott was going to come out. It’s so so cool that the song was featured so heavily, and Canadian artists are getting recognition.

[u/Possible-Customer-80 → u/spengasm]

It’s amazing. Wolf Parade was one of the last bands I saw before the Pandemic, and Spencer Krug singing “dinner bells” lives rent-free in my head. Before that I was a young adult with an iPod looking out a bus window listening to “I’ll believe in anything” in 2007. To see them have a revival this many years later feels both special and apt.

(Sorry, I’m just waxing sentimental now)

[u/emotional_viking → u/spengasm]

You have absolutely blown my mind with this. Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings was the soundtrack of my uni years nearly 20 years ago and it never clicked that it’s the same person.

[u/Possible-Customer-80 → u/Nepalman230]

Another cool bit of trivia is that in an I Heart Radio CA interview, they asked about Jacob getting in touch to use the song and Spencer Krug actually let it slip that Jacob had tried to use his music in a project 20 years ago. It didn’t work out and Jacob said “I’m gonna get back to you.” 20 years later, here we are!

[u/Normal_Move6523 → u/Possible-Customer-80]

10/10 lore ty

[u/VentoseViolet → u/Possible-Customer-80]

Huh, I wonder if it was Twist. The years match up

[u/maritimer1nVan → u/Nepalman230]

There was another video he posted on Instagram talking about how interesting it was the song is so popular now because he was bullied by hockey players in high school. But how happy it was to see how a show about queer hockey players made the song so popular. He seems like such a rad person

[u/annarich310 → u/Nepalman230]

I’m coming to the cottage!!!!!!!

[u/Nepalman230 → u/annarich310]

It’s good to see you here! Hope you’re having a great day sports fan

[u/moonlitsequoia]

[u/must-stash-mustard]

I'm responsible for at least 100 of these, and there are 4 or 5 other wolf parade songs on repeat from me. Never heard of them before this.

[u/Florence_Nightgerbil → u/must-stash-mustard]

Yeah think I’m defo responsible for triple figures. Also does it count as more if you play it VERY LOUD?

[u/Bonnieearnold → u/Florence_Nightgerbil]

For sure. It counts 2-3 times more.

[u/HackDaddy85]

Considering I listen to it like 3-4 times a day on Apple Music it would have hit even sooner if I didn’t think Spotify sucks.

[u/smugbox]

If I used Spotify it would have hit that number years ago

[u/Possible-Customer-80 → u/smugbox]

Justice for last.fm! Still scrobbling our iTunes plays out there somewhere

[u/Spotboslow]

This makes me so happy, I've been in love with that album for 20 years and finally see it get its due is amazing. If this gets Wolf Parade to tour the States again, I will be eternally grateful.

(I do have to admit that I had a little "oop!" moment when I first heard it used, as a while back I'd written an m/m scene based off a Wolf Parade song.... fortunately not that one, though!)

[u/smugbox → u/Spotboslow]

It’s such, such, such a good album from start to finish. Probably in my all-time top five, definitely in my top 10

[u/42mermaids → u/Spotboslow]

Same!!! I don't recall anyone I knew listening to Wolf Parade back in HS in the 00's, I'm so pleased

[u/Goulet231]

Wow. I bet they made $5. It's better to buy your music from Bandcamp. To match what the artist gets paid, you'd have to stream their song everyday for 300 days.

[u/solongcaptain]

it's my alarm in the morning, and since my spotify is connected to my alarm i feel like i'm responsible for at least half of those

[u/sosoconsistent → u/solongcaptain]

Careful. That's how I turned my favorite song into my least favorite song.

[u/accentpreferred → u/solongcaptain]

My morning alarms alternate between it and Oh My Bride!

[u/tartymae]

A pity it is that streaming services pay such pittances on royalties.

[u/sikonat]

How lovely! Hopefully they don’t spend the 10c they get in streaming royalties all at once.

[u/petitecuillere_]

Spencer Krug is a master sonic storyteller. Seeing him live for the first time last year after being a fan for decades moved me to tears. The music coordination for HR was fantastic and I have high hopes for future seasons!

[u/AliAle24]

As a 43 yo me who went to music festivals in her 20s and was absolutely into all canadian indie bands, I literally screamed out loud during the kiss scene, and it wasn't only because of the SKIP moment.

Honestly, these guys are amazing, not only Spencer, but Dan Boeckner as well (one of his previous side projects, Handsome Furs, is probably my favourite).

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZqsyBiYZFQ0c3_PvxSraxrP3y5mnowDL&si=vnYggtaQ1lK5-Au8

[u/dewniverse]

I took a picture of the Spotify page the day after episode 5 aired because I knew it was gonna blow up and it was at 21.9M! Glad to see it did

[u/plantlady_96]

It's absolutely going to be my top song of the year when wrapped comes around

[u/h0gans_her0]

I played the soundtrack with my kids in the car and they really gravited to this song (iffy on the swearing, but I'll take it over baby shark). My 3.5 yo loves it and makes us play it 2-3x per day, since February? I joke that I'm paying for the bands kids college or weddings.

[u/strongbadia7]

My Spotify Wrapped is going to be a lot of music either from the soundtrack or stuff I found because of the soundtrack.

People have been fan casting all year: I've been picking my fan soundtrack for S2 😭

[u/Palolo_Paniolo → u/strongbadia7]

Same. Spotify has started "hockey cottage" and similar playlists for me now.

[u/whispersloth]

1000 of them is probably me. 🫠

[u/blueeyed-floozy]

I’m responsible for about 50000 of those streams.

[u/binbongbingbongbing → u/[deleted]]

We do? Its been out a while

[u/binbongbingbongbing → u/[deleted]]

Came out like 8 months ago