Hot Fuss

I think this is a really good, emblematic album for the time. What I’ve learned about doing this project is that rock from the 2000s was just so much fun. After listening to so much morose 90s grunge where everything is emo as shit and just pure angst fuel, 2000s rock gives a shit about being fun and listenable music. It’s not perfect, but it’s very very fun.

Ну это твердая 4

Despite the fact that there is some filler on this album, there are 3 certifiable classics that have lasted decades as culturally relevant. The style of the album is indie but leaning more towards traditional comercial pop. Overall a good album, probably wouldn’t revisit it in it’s entirety, but it’s still solid.

classic indie rock, some serious all time bangers

Love the big hits. The deeper cuts didn't do as much for me.

Kinda loses steam after "All These Things That I've Done". Deserves a 3 but it's getting a 4 from me dawg.

As master class in early 00's indie rock/pop. I haven't listened this album for years and the one two punch of those opening tracks is something else. The album continues to be great, but it struggles occasionally to keep up the quality for the whole thing - but then again, most bands would. Best Tracks: Jenny Was A Friend of Mine; Mr Brightside; Somebody Told Me

Solid album. Catchy hooks. Defining sound of 2000’s indie rock.

The back half of this album couldn't hope to compete with the first half. But wow, what a first half.

It’s funny how you hear an album at the time and don’t think a whole lot of it. Then you give it 20 years and go back and listen to it and you realize you know almost every song off that album. That’s the way Hot Fuss was for me. Mr. Brightside is still a radio favorite and you hear it frequently, but so many other songs on here are ones that continually pop up or I realized I’ve heard in rotations from playlist to radio. What I enjoyed was the deep cuts like the song On Top and the postpunk inspired Change Your Mind. But I think the song that really caught my attention was All These Things That I’ve Done, with it’s almost gospel-style of singing over the pop rock. It’s strange to think about this album being a classic, but it just might be one.

Random thoughts: * I remember when this one came out in the early 2000s. I remember really liking the song "Somebody Told Me", then eventually I became a fan on "Mr. Brightside", and now my favorite song from this album is "All These Things That I've Done". Is this what maturing looks like? * I love the "I got soul, but I'm not a soldier" line * It is weird that "Mr Brightside" is kind of an anthem for the people 10 years younger than me. That song isn't really "anthem" material. Pop culture hits in weird ways. * The top half of this album is quite loaded. The bottom half isn't bad, it's just not as good as the first half. * "Andy, You're a Star" stood out to me on this listen as one of the less known songs. Just a cool vibe. Kind of sounded like a super glammed up version of Iggy Pop. * This is a great representation of 2000s indie pop. Nice album but the Killers really never reached these heights again.

Such a peach of an album, and such a formative band in their genre and i think they nail the post-punk vibe. Ridiculously nostalgic and perfect for the 2000s. I'm in two minds over whether its become slightly outdated but i think the pure iconic-ness of some of the songs (somebody told me, mr brightside etc) make this a timeless album. Rare occasion that i can tolerate an american accent in what i associate with a mainly english dominated genre. It avoids the risk of sounding too emo rock which i'm very happy about. I think they also blend heavy songs with more mellowish ones perfectly. Kinda album that i wouldn't necessarily put on but i'll enjoy it in passing, it's not offensive but not ground-breaking for me RIGHT NOW, though i think it was definitely ground-breaking when it came out. Also for a debut album this is pretty impressive! Overall for it's genre its an outstanding album which ticks so many boxes. Also the undeniable bangers in this album definitley elevate its overall status. i'd also say this album is one that shouldn't be listened to just on spotify, it lends itself to a muddy overcrowded festival and i think if i was listening to it in that context, i would rate this album SO HIGHLY.

First half of the album is amazing. All bangers, but the album quickly falls off. Still, this has some of the most recognized songs and brings back good memories for me and many people

i knew a lot of these tracks, very commercially successful, good vibes tho i did enjoy it

More like a 3.5 but it's a good listen so it gets a 4

favourite teenage

These guys were so overplayed when they first came out. It got to the point where I would change radio stations when they came on. I still feel a little that way. Having said that it is a really solid debut album - especially the first half.

This album was definitely fun and enjoyable, but it had a double edged sword to it. When it first came out, I was completely turned off by it. It took the underground indie garage rock and post punk revival movement that was happening at the time and put it in the spotlight, commercializing and capitalizing on it. It was so sleek and polished that it broke the rules of what made the original movement so unique and appealing. But, as time passed, the songs slowly grew on me, and I eventually ended up with a copy. Before I knew it, the album pulled me in. More and more bands started to follow in their footsteps, and I accepted that the scene was bound to evolve. If it wasn’t The Killers, someone else would have done the same thing.

A stunning blend of euphoria, melancholy and emotion, transporting me back to earlier days. The Killers.. Catchy, pop-rock brilliance with gorgeous vocals and unforgettable hooks.

Millennial alert! Fantastic album, indie rock staple. Like myself, it's a real product of its time. Sweaty sticky dancefloor, £1 bottles of beer, stinky people, what more do you want?

this really is an album that will continue to stand the test of time i think. Smile Like You Mean it still my favorite

these lyrics are kind of stupoid but it sounds good. "everything will be alright" sounds different than the rest of the album in a good way

Outstanding debut album

This is an essential 2000s banger of a record. Although hearing a lot of the songs, I hadn’t listened to it front to back before and it’s like if interpol got a bit more poppy and focused.

Yesterday I was talking to a friend who said they didn’t know why Mr Brightside is so overplayed when The Killers have better songs and I was bit like “do they, though?” And then today I got Hot Fuss. (Coincidence? Yes, 100%.) So now I can say Mr Brightside is overplayed for a reason, but The Killers do have other good songs.

Ja conhecia a banda e uma música desse álbum, gostei bastante.

Love the energy on this thing. So many great hits, and the deep cuts don’t disappoint either. Great album.

139/1001 :: The Killers - Hot Fuss Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ➖ Rating: 7 Listen before you die: Yes The Killers could be your favorite band. I’ve never been a huge Killers fan but I’ve streamed their live performances and I’ve always been like “wow”. Big songs, catchy hooks and a talented frontman. Having only heard the hits here I was interested to hear the deep cuts and as I suspected there was a lot to like and also a couple of duds. All in all though this was pretty damn good and I hope that one day I do get to see them live.

I was swept away in the zeitgeist when this came out in 2004. Always thought the first half of the album was far better than the second half. Never bought any more of their albums after that and jumped off the bandwagon. This, overall though, is a good record.

Had a bunch of bangers

Instant classic in the indie rock world. Mr. Brightside will always be a staple in the karaoke world

First half of this album is great. Very nostalgic listening for people of a certain age. Second half of the album is mediocre but still listenable.

This is one of those powerhouse albums you hear about all the time but (in my case) never get around to hearing. I was definitely missing out. Hot Fuss is great, and surprisingly British-sounding for an all-American rock band. Mr. Brightside is obviously the anthem of the bunch, transcending cultural boundaries (or at least the Atlantic) with its lyrics of social isolation and being romantically sidelined. (Darn straight.) If you pay attention, you'll notice that the melody is kind of bad – seriously, the entire verse+prechorus is two notes – and it's a little surprising why people adore it as much as they do, myself included. The melody and singability of Somebody Told Me are excellent, though, and it's probably my favourite track on the record. There's so much energy, passion, vocal talent... it's all there. All These Things That I've Done is excellent. Very climactic with its rising texture that culminates in a sort of stadium singalong in the last couple minutes. The drumming is simple yet passionate, the singing is solid, the guitars are exactly what you'd expect from 2000s emo-ish, post-gaze, poppy stuff. It's a sound that I think is underappreciated these days. The Killers try to surprise us with synths thrown in here and there, and I think they have a mostly negative impact on the sound. Very cheesy and 80s-esque in an ensemble that's otherwise pretty serious. (See: the songs On Top and Everything Will Be Alright.) The album pacing slows down considerably at around the halfway point, with Midnight Show being the strongest in the latter half. Great fast pacing and bassline. 4/5 Key tracks: Mr. Brightside, Somebody Told Me, All These Things That I've Done

The great songs are great, the rest is still really good but hit nearly as hard.

I've never sat and listened through this whole album. What a delicious exercise in nostalgia. I love the Killers, and the hits on this album still hit! I did find myself skipping through the tracks I didn't know already. Brandon Flowers has a habit of monotone singing. Great drumming and guitar licks. As a thirty-something, I do think I've listened to Mr. Brightside enough times at weddings. Made it laughable to listen to it in this capacity.

How come I never like the hits of the albums? Mr. Brightside, Smile like you mean it, both meh. Andy you're a star is cool. I'd wish they put more synths. In the end the most British ever sounding US album. Good, but not great.

Some great tracks in the first half of this album but it feels like they ran out of ideas halfway through.

Conver 6.5 Very pop. Some catchy songs. I loved this album when this first came out. No current (2025) equivalents that I can think of (TortureTwins?), but they are inspired by The Cure, Erasure, etc. Synth Pop of the 80s and 90s.

Tipo de rock que me agrada

I was about to give this three but screw it - let’s go with what might be an unpopular opinion. Kind of remembered it as being Mr Brightside and 10 others but to be fair they know how to write a tune and stuck plenty on here. Nothing deep and meaningful of course, and significant points off for the “I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier” refrain, but if you’re out to write an art-rock/new wave influenced indie pop album you’d be hard pressed to do it better than this. Fair play.

I'm not a big fan of post-punk or new wave, but the mix that The Killers present on “Hot Fuss” is really easy on the ears. The first thing I noticed was the extremely tasteful bass sound, which is very present but not intrusive. Next, I'd like to mention the very New Wave-esque vocals, which are never annoying. Throughout the album, The Killers find a good mix of their own style and variety in the mood of the songs. In addition to the opener “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine,” I particularly remember the double pack “On Top” and “Change Your Mind.” Nice one!

Enjoyable. Would listen again, though not a favorite. 4/5

I love this album. Takes me back to being a bachelor.

i love

I like pretty much all of this, bar the closing track, "Everything Will Be Alright", which never really did it for me. Some of it has suffered a little from overexposure, but it's still pretty damn good.

Because of the overexposure of Mr Brightside i thought this album would be meh. Its a really good album. They write good hooks. Some very catchy tunes on here. Not sure why but they remind me of The Who. Maybe its the kind of grand rock operatic feel of the songs. Anyways. Like this surprisingly.

I heard many of these tracks before and they are all bangers. So it wasn't that hard for me to just grade this a 4/5. When the songs are that good, you barely notice that 40 minutes are over. Thanks to this challenge I found out which band made those songs.

**In-Depth Review: *Hot Fuss* by The Killers (2004)** Released in June 2004, *Hot Fuss* is the debut studio album by American rock band The Killers. It became a defining record of the 2000s indie-rock and post-punk revival scene, blending new wave synths with guitar-driven anthems. The album was both a commercial and cultural success, spawning multiple hit singles and establishing The Killers as global stars. --- ### 🎤 **Lyrics** The lyrical content of *Hot Fuss* is a mix of heartbreak, paranoia, and small-town melancholy wrapped in glamorous, often cryptic storytelling. Brandon Flowers, the band’s frontman, writes with a flair for dramatic, cinematic imagery. Songs like **“Mr. Brightside”** and **“Somebody Told Me”** explore jealousy, confusion, and romantic betrayal, often with ambiguous gender roles and emotional volatility. - **“Mr. Brightside”** is a masterclass in anxious storytelling, capturing the spiraling thoughts of someone consumed by jealousy. The repetition of “It’s all in my head” underscores the paranoia and emotional instability. - **“All These Things That I’ve Done”** introduces a more redemptive tone, with the now-iconic refrain “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” acting as a moment of self-affirmation amid existential doubt. - However, some lyrics are criticized for being **nonsensical or overly stylized**, such as the infamous line in “Somebody Told Me”: *“Somebody told me you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year.”* > While the lyrics may not always be profound, they are **evocative and memorable**, often prioritizing mood and rhythm over narrative clarity. --- ### 🎸 **Music & Composition** Musically, *Hot Fuss* is a **synth-rock hybrid**, drawing heavily from 1980s new wave and post-punk influences like Duran Duran, The Cure, and New Order. The album is **hook-driven**, with infectious basslines, shimmering synths, and anthemic choruses. - **“Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”** opens the album with a driving bassline and dramatic synth swells, setting the tone for the record’s noir-ish atmosphere. - **“Smile Like You Mean It”** introduces a more melancholic, reflective tone with its dreamy synth layers and nostalgic lyrics. - **“On Top”** and **“Midnight Show”** showcase the band’s ability to blend danceable rhythms with rock instrumentation. > The Killers excel at **crafting songs that feel both urgent and polished**, with a strong sense of dynamics and melody. --- ### 🎧 **Production** Produced by **Jeff Saltzman** (with additional production on some tracks by **Flood** and **Alan Moulder**), *Hot Fuss* is **sleek, glossy, and radio-ready**. The production emphasizes **clarity and punch**, with crisp drums, prominent basslines, and layered synths that never feel overcrowded. - The **vocal production** often uses reverb and delay to create a sense of space and drama, enhancing Flowers’ theatrical delivery. - However, some critics argue that the **vocals are occasionally over-processed**, particularly on tracks like **“Everything Will Be Alright”**, where heavy effects detract from emotional clarity. > Overall, the production is **slick and commercial**, but not soulless—it gives the album its signature **neon-lit, cinematic sheen**. --- ### 🎭 **Themes** Thematically, *Hot Fuss* revolves around **urban alienation, romantic turmoil, and identity confusion**. There’s a **noir-like quality** to the album, with characters navigating betrayal, longing, and self-doubt in a world that feels both glamorous and hollow. - **Jealousy and paranoia** are central to tracks like “Mr. Brightside” and “Somebody Told Me.” - **Nostalgia and regret** permeate “Smile Like You Mean It” and “All These Things That I’ve Done.” - The album also flirts with **gender ambiguity and sexual confusion**, especially in “Somebody Told Me,” adding a layer of modern anxiety to the retro sound. > The Killers manage to **balance darkness with danceability**, creating a record that feels emotionally raw yet irresistibly fun. --- ### 🌍 **Influence & Legacy** *Hot Fuss* was **a cultural moment**. It helped define the sound of mid-2000s indie rock and brought **new wave revivalism** into the mainstream. Alongside The Strokes’ *Is This It*, it’s considered one of the most important debut albums of the decade. - Songs like **“Mr. Brightside”** have become **generational anthems**, still dominating party playlists and karaoke bars nearly two decades later. - The album’s **fusion of rock and electronic elements** paved the way for bands like **Walk the Moon**, **The 1975**, and **Foster the People**. - However, some argue that The Killers **never fully recaptured the magic** of *Hot Fuss*, with later albums leaning more toward **arena rock and Americana**, losing the **intimate urgency** of their debut. --- ### ✅ **Pros** - **Iconic singles**: “Mr. Brightside,” “Somebody Told Me,” “All These Things That I’ve Done” are timeless. - **Strong melodies and hooks**: Nearly every track is memorable. - **Cinematic production**: Sleek, atmospheric, and immersive. - **Emotional resonance**: Captures youthful anxiety and heartbreak with style. - **Cultural impact**: Defined a generation of indie rock. --- ### ❌ **Cons** - **Inconsistent deep cuts**: Tracks like “Andy, You’re a Star” and “Everything Will Be Alright” feel underdeveloped or overly stylized. - **Lyrics can be shallow**: Some lines are more about sounding cool than saying something meaningful. - **Front-loaded tracklist**: The first half is significantly stronger than the second. - **Overexposure**: Years of radio play have dulled the impact of some songs for certain listeners. --- ### 🏁 **Final Verdict** *Hot Fuss* is a **flawed but brilliant debut**. It’s not a perfect album, but it’s a **perfect snapshot** of a band channeling their influences into something **fresh, urgent, and undeniably catchy**. Its **cultural staying power** speaks to its quality, and even its weaker moments are elevated by **style and ambition**. A neon-soaked, heartbreak-fueled ride that still sparkles two decades on.

MMFFF YEAHHH an indie essential. Just good vibes. Realistically more of a 3 for maybe being a bit too samey, but an album I’ve enjoyed far too much in my real life to rate it as such.

Solid album of great songs .

It’s rock, it’s glamour, it’s crying in the club at 2am. This is an album of anthems and is one of the best debut albums out there. Favorite song(s): Mr. Brightside, Somebody Told Me, All These Things That I’ve Done, On Top, Everything Will Be Alright

very cool. it kinda reminds me of the strokes + the cure. its a 3.5 but for some reason i cant give half a star

Album 38/1001 This is the Killers before they turned all Springsteeny, when their main influences mostly consisted of UK bands from the 80s. There's nothing sad bastardy about this music though. I guess growing up under the eternal sunshine and neon lights of Las Vegas as opposed to the rain soaked streets of some grim northern town in England will do that. This is British melancholy fused with American optimism and showmanship. More cathartic and epic than reflective and understated. More Caesars Palace than Ladbrokes. More The Office US than The Office UK. But like this last example, it still works. It shouldn't, but it really does. Favourite song: Mr Brightside🎩🌞 (perhaps the song of the noughties?) Honourable mention: Somebody Told Me 🗣👨🏻‍🦱 Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine 👩💔 All These Things That I've Done 💖✅️🪖❌️ Change Your Mind ↪️🧠

Fav: All These Things That I’ve Done Least Fav: Believe Me Natalie I love this album and it was important in my younger years, but that second half just doesn’t hit nearly as hard as the first half does…

You have your whole lifetime to write your first record. As debut records go it is hard to argue with just how catchy the first 6 songs in this record are they were hits for a reason. The vocal effects are pitch perfect in a key that just encourages the listener enough to believe that they can sing along. The lyrics are actually really well crafted and when an attempt is made to have rhyming lines they actually do rhyme. Later albums dispose of intelligent lyrics and words that actually rhyme. This is a good time to remind everyone that on the song Human, this was the worst possible choice to try to rhyme with the word answer: Looking for the answer/Are we human/ Or are we dancer? Honestly, this is terrible as a lyric goes and it was still a huge fucking hit. But back to Hot Fuss. The first 6 are the show here: 1. "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" 2. "Mr. Brightside"3."Smile Like You Mean It" 4."Somebody Told Me" 5."All These Things That I've Done" and 6."Andy, You're a Star" are gems. Then there is the cliff. The rest of the album is serviceable but none of the rest rise to the quality of the first six. “Change Your Mind” is the best of the rest and “Everything Will Be Alright” easily the worst as it is both incredibly repetitive and boring. This is not to knock the Killers. It’s a terrific pop record with incredible lasting appeal. Not perfect no. But pretty darn good.

Not as solid as their Sam’s Town but come on, what an amazing album. Great sound, characteristic voice, interesting songwriting and good production. Love it

It’s a great album includes some absolute classics

Much better than expected. Skipped the hits though. I think we're all sick of them at this point

vou concordar com o bonde que a primeira metade é recheada de clássicos e a segunda dá só preguicinha mas po, mr. brightside é pedrada max né pqp

tinha anos que não escutava esse, hein eu com 12 anos pirava mto. acho a primeira metade boa DEMAIS, a segunda nem tanto. mas eh bem decente, pô.

It was so good! first half is like a “greatest hits” sort of, lots of bangers to get white people excited. although some of the later songs did surprise me; I was a big fan of ‘Andy, you’re a star’

Bom

Really cool aesthetic to the sound. Liked it a lot. 4 stars

This one is hard to rate because I loved it pre-mr brightside blow up and now I can't stand that song. I also dont really care for this sound anymore but still influential

Heard before. Forgotten how good it was. Noticed the similarities with we are scientists

When this came out, I liked the songs but never enough to buy the album. Listening to it now, it honestly sounds great. I liked it way more than I thought I would.

Great debut. Will listen to it again to see if my initial impression is correct.

4.0

This brings me back to high school

The first half of the album is stellar. Favorite track: mr.brightside other picks: somebody told me, all things i’ve done, jenny was a friend of mine,

A certified classic full of bangers. One of the most important and well loved albums of the first quarter of this century

This really pleasantly surprised me! As a child I loved those opening 5 tracks up to All These Things I’ve Done. After those 5 I was expecting a bit of a drop off with some lower quality versions of the same type of song, as I hadn’t heard of many of them before. I was definitely wrong, the album kept delivering and throwing in different shades and flavours, whilst keeping a cohesive sound and identity; certainly enough to justify the rather dramatic ending of ‘Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll’ that could potentially be considered cheesy (though I personally wouldn’t say it is) if taken in isolation.

Really solid but a few lows that bring it down to a 4

This album is so good and so iconic! The run of the first 4 or 5 songs are TOP TIER! SO much fun. This album isn't anything fancy or ground breaking for me, but it surely is fun! I think this album is a 3.5 leaning 4. Liked Songs: "Jenny Was a Friend Of Mine" , "Mr. Brightside" , "Smile Like You Mean It" , "Somebody Told Me" , "All These Things That I've Done" , "Change Your Mind" , "Belive Me Natalie" , "Midnight Show" , "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll"

Good 3.75

Eu gostei do disco, mas notei algo preocupante enquanto o ouvia: Eu senti vontade de ouvir outras bandas do mesmo período, como Interpol, Strokes, Arctic Monkeys… Isso não deve acontecer, eu acho. É equivalente a ficar com uma garota enquanto pensa na ex! Uma grande feiura. Os pontos positivos desse álbum são verdadeiramente ótimos. As canções antológicas te pegam e grudam na cabeça, é o tipo de faixa que você aprende cantando por estar completamente envolto em seus ritmos e refrões. A banda é bem boa nessas composições, e eu gostei especialmente do baixo. Nada aqui é datado. Gostei também dos temas explorados, e na experimentação instrumental, com alguns synths bem temperados e umas percussões inusitadas. Mas a realidade exposta é que The Killers não dá conta de sustentar um trabalho de 50 minutos. O disco se torna enjoativo em alguns momentos, causa fadiga, especialmente em sua segunda metade. Algumas das decisões feitas aqui também levantam sobrancelhas, como alguns acordes pretensiosos, passagens orquestrais desnecessárias, e cantos corais vergonhosos. Mas, ao todo, é um disco bom, que deixa uma forte impressão, e não me surpreende seu imenso sucesso comercial e crítico na época. Apreciei bastante boa parte de suas canções, e suponho que se eu tivesse crescido com este álbum em minha rotação prematura, eu teria um apreço grande por ele. Poderia ser bem pior, certamente, mas ainda assim eu coloco muitos outros discos dos anos 2000 acima dele. 4/5

Y'know, there's a crop of albums existing out there where you've just gotta feel bad for the songs on one side of the record. There are songs that just... Dang, don't get any respect 'coz their flipside just soaks up all the attention. Normally when I talk about this sort of thing, it's in regards to those progressive-leaning sort of albums where a side is taken up **entirely** by a single song. You've probably come across one before: Rush's '2112', Iron Butterfly's 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida', ELP's 'Tarkus', Pink Floyd's 'Meddle' (as an example where it's **not** a title track)... Heck, even if the side **does** happen to contain other songs, like Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain' or Don McLean's 'American Pie' — it's **still** the side with **that song**, right? It can be hard for the other one to stand out. So imagine you're Side B on The Killer's 'Hot Fuzz', and you're looking over Side A and you are just **green** with envy. That side of the record has "Mr. Brightside" **and** "Smile Like You Mean It" **and** "Somebody Told Me" **and** (of 'Southland Tales' fame) "All These Things That I've Done". Heck, it even has "Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine" if you remember **that** being a single (it **does** have its own Wikipedia page). This is a stupidly front-stacked album, presenting the listener with hit after hit after hit after **hit**. Being Side B, how could you **not** end up feeling like you should be listed under "and six other songs!" in comparison? Like... Seriously, I don't mean to demean you any further, being Side B and all, but let's not mince words here. Side A is absolutely **incredible**. These are all amazing songs: anthemic and maximalist and... Ahhh, just so good. There's a reason why "Mr. Brightside" has stuck around as a song that gets white people turnt. And I really do love "All These Things That I've Done" — quite frankly, after "Mr. Brightside", it's my favorite tune on the album. When I get to that refrain of "I got soul but I'm not a soldier," I can't help but sing along. I can't think of another band from the early 2000's who's got an album with a run of hit tracks like this. This run is the band's claim to fame, if you ask me. But let's not forget Side B of the album. I mean, it **is** an **album**, after all; not an EP. These songs are important, too! And they're... Y'know... I mean, look: at the end of the day, on an album like this, all I ask of the songs on the flipside is that they don't bring the product as a whole down — at least not **too much**. Just prove to me that you have some merit standing there, even if you're completely in the shadows. And these songs **do** stand up; I wouldn't call any of them bad. The problem is simply just that they are not as big as the songs on Side A. And I don't mean in the sense that they're hits; I mean they just don't feel as big. Side A, to me, feels like an exercise on maximalism. These are huge songs that sound huge with huge choruses and everything. They're larger than dang life itself; they **demand** to be gawked at with a dumbstruck sense of awe. All that jazz! And they live up to that demand! Meanwhile, the songs on Side B feel a lot more restrained. They're not aiming for that same kind of bigness, and, y'know, fair enough. If everything on this album was big, well, everything would look about the same size. You **need** those smaller songs to catch a break on. Now if they just weren't all contained on Side B. Like, yeah, when I say this album is front-loaded it's both its greatest strength **and** its greatest weakness. Side A is exhilarating with its string of hits, but it just leaves Side B feeling so much lesser in comparison. If the tracklisting was shuffled up a bit and the Side B tracks were a bit more sprinkled throughout... Well, you could argue they'd just get lost as the valleys between these peaks, but at least they wouldn't feel **as** separated as they do. Even if you don't listen by record side, there is **such** a noticeable delineation between "the hit section" and "the other shit," and I feel like that could've been dealt with a bit better. I wanna be fairer to Side B. If you take it on its own, it's not bad stuff, I'll say it again. Heck, it's **good stuff**. I can see the argument based on Side A that The Killers are a singles band, but listening to Side B, I wouldn't entirely say so. I **do** enjoy these songs. But I can't just take Side B in isolation; I hafta judge it as one half of a whole. As one half... Again, it does what I want it to do: it doesn't bring Side A down too much. And it sort of feels like I'm being mean, but, hey, that's just how it is. If you wanna throw out a "some killer, some filler" joke, you can — me, I'm just gonna say that while Side A is hot, Side B... Is kinda fuzzy, I guess. It gets my approval either way.

Another one that lives in a particular time and space for me. Great memories around this album. For that alone, in my life, we’re going. 4.

Brilliant first half. Second half is very forgettable. Why do so many songs involve people's names?

This triggered many advertising agency flashbacks. Songs from this album were mined by us agency creatives for dozens of video rips for client presentations and pitches. I remember being at the Cannes award festival and hearing "Mr. Brightside" played as the walk-up music for an agency that won over and over and over. It became a joke amongst the assembled crowd. It was brand new and most in the audience hadn't heard it yet. I remember that moment to this day. Also the song, "All these things that I've Done," is featured in one of my all-time favorite Nike commercials. Used to give me chills. I just googled it and it gave me chills again... even though it now features an imprisoned murderer and an athlete who had one of the most spectacular falls from grace in sports history (whom I worked with just after this commercial and right before his epic fail). All that to say, it's hard for me not to like this album. Even though some songs are not up to snuff. Hadn't heard in a minute and it took me back.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH Comienzo: Casi seguro que toda la gente de aqui tiene prejuicios acerca de The Killers. Si bien porque realmente no los ubican muy bien, o porque únicamente conocen la canción de Mr. Brightside la cual ha sido rayada hasta la saciedad, o si bien estan convencidos de que es una banda de pop o algo así. Hoy vengo a desmentir todo eso. A pesar de que a mi parecer, su mejor disco es Sam's Town de 2006, este álbum está prácticamente al mismo nivel. Es un pedazo de álbum debut que sin duda estuvo a la altura en su momento. Hay una anécdota muy graciosa en la cual en el año 2001, The Killers ya tenian listas una serie de canciones para lo que sería su primer disco. Sin embargo, un día el cantante y el guitarrista fueron a una tienda de discos y ojeando en la sección de novedades, encontraron el "Is This It" de The Strokes, el debut de la banda que acababa de salir. Lo compraron y lo escucharon en el coche... y se deprimieron asf. Habian dicho algo asi como que era de los mejores albums debuts de la época y pensaron que el material que ellos tenían hasta el momento no valía nada, y gracias a esto descartaron todas las canciones que tenian, salvo una: Mr. Brightside. Asi que se pusieron a componer más cosas. Este disco no es perfecto ni mucho menos, pero es un buen disco. Las canciones son muy interesantes y tienen una vibra muy distinta y a la vez cercana. No se como explicarlo. Canciones como "Somebody Told Me" son super enérgicas y canciones como "Andy You're A Star" son raritas. Mi favorita es "Change Your Mind" la cual es bonita y tal. Pero como producto final, opino que es un muy buen trabajo. Ellos junto a The Strokes fueron los encargados de este Indie Rock revival de los 2000s, asi que con esto creo que se han ganado un puesto en los anales de la música alternativa. A ver, si, son mucho más escuchables y pop de lo que otros grupos, pero solo a momentos. Luego tienen canciones que son bastante curiosas y bastante interesantes. El álbum mola, no creo que a nadie le incomode escucharlo y al fin y al cabo tiene momentos memorables. 4/5

Great polished pop record. A shame Mr Brightside was so overexposed as to make it unenjoyable now, but the rest of the album is very strong.

This is #day422 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I must've been around 18 when I first saw "Mr. Brightside" on TV and fell in love with it right away. It's safe to say this record, along with Sam's Town, the Sawdust compilation, and most of Day & Age, I guess, was an essential part of my youth and early music explorations, back when you were just starting to have access to the Internet (yeah, I remember those days) and the world was your oyster. Anyway, I felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me listening to this one. But otherwise, it's a great record on its own. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day423.

Love this album, aside from the obvious hits, a few other great songs in here.

I liked this album the music is upbeat. Mr. Brightside is a catchy tune. The energy ebbs and flows from sing to song.

I remember this album release. All good songs. Great listen

Was surprised how much I enjoyed this. Catchy song writing. Only fault was the over reliance on electronic tones that didnt really add anything.

Had it.

I didn’t appreciate these guys enough when they were biggest, and have come to really like them. The opener is a banger, great bass line driving the song. Always thought of the Killers of like a millennial take on U2 (but better?), or the Smiths (one of my favorites) but also maintain their own sound. Brandon Flowers has the front man charisma/aura. Good tunes, good mix of sounds, good singles. Knocking a star off because I hate “Mr Brightside” and have heard it too much, but would go 4.5 if i could. Great album

Fucken Mr. Brightside is a cuckolding song. What the fuck.

Solid bangers, second half is weaker. Nearly every millenial knows this stuff but besides its post-punk revival sound I can't quite put my finger on why it has resonated so much. Oh well, on to the next one.

Sleeper album. So many bangers it was an awesome nostalgia listen. Only song overdone is mr brightside

i get the hype! i get the interest! this was so fun!

Nice!

Had never listened beyond the hits on this record—pretty solid rock and roll, if a little bit same-y.

a star for every hit on the album, lots of filler to be found otherwise. the other tracks aren't bad, they're just a touch forgettable. little did they know that this record would infect weddings for centuries to come...

OK

No notes 10/10

Contains a whole bunch of absolute bangers. Nothing super special though.

Great, fun album. Got a little monotonous toward the end, otherwise it would have gotten 4 stars.

That run of songs that opens the album is a series of classics, but the B-Side falls so flat in comparison that it didn’t even feel like the same band. Still, those good tracks were good, and dominated the airwaves upon release for a reason.

Love this album. I had this on repeat during my college days and it still holds up 20 years later. The synth-y production helped open me up to bands beyond my typical punk and emo picks.

jenny war ein fründin ja das goht jo voll id fresse. haha hää de synth am schluss checki nuuuull. aber s macht sache mit nostalgie irgendwie? bass mega cool. mr brightside isch halt ein vode fucking songs. glaub de song funktioniert au well sich de text ide strophe zum teil wiederholt. und halt wells e rieeese wand isch. d hihats schletzed eim is gsicht d gitarre verschmelzed und er schreit de song fast. schono hits zf dem album hobbla. all these things that ive done tönt au wie eine woni chhönt kenne. somebody told me vorher au. find immerno de bass am coolste fast. es verlürt sich mit de ziit scho. krass dases es debüt isch. sound isch mega eige. aber ich finds chli zu la la la zum teil. es isch scho sehr sehr guet aber. aso sie chömed mitere wand a sound und höred nöd demit uuf. glamorous indie rock n roll isch mitem autotune au seehr cool.

It was quite good it’s like a good mix of strokes and rock. First half of album was best.

The first half of this album slaps, the second half less so.

Levyn isot hitit on tulleet väkisinkin tutuksi, ja ovat aina menneet kategoriaan "ihan hyvältähän tämä kuulostaa, mutta en jaksa omatoimisesti tutustua paremmin", joten tätä kautta sai hyvän syyn kuunnella koko lätyn. Omaan korvaan oikein toimivaa, joskaan ei mitään tajuntaaräjäyttävää. Saatan antaa tälle joskus toisen tai kolmannenkin kuuntelun.

Hyvää ja melankolista settiä. Hittiraita jää melkein levyn heikoimmaksi.

Ai että, muistoja. The killers iskee edelleen enkä ollu pitkään aikaan kuunnellu koko levyä.

SEEEEE 8.5/10

Some really good tracks here. When this landed it was everywhere and kind of annoyed me. Now that we're past the hype I can say, it's not bad.

Bob Dylan is now a distant memory. Maybe Mr Brightside is the friends we made along the way.

My favourite Mormon indie rock band really cooked... with the first half of this album. It pretty much falls off a cliff after the 5th song. You might not like it, but the bangers cannot be denied. 4/5

En mi adolescencia tuve un celular Nokia que tenía unos 12mb de memoria, lo cual me posobilitaba cargar hasta 4 canciones como mucho (a veces solo una, dependiendo del tamaño del archivo). No tenía otros medios de reproducción multimedia y nisiquiera tenía internet, por lo que conseguía las canciones a través de un amigo que me las pasaba por infrarrojo (no tenía bluetooth siquiera). Más o menos una vez por semana me pasaba un par de canciones que yo escuchaba una y otra vez hasta el cansancio. Solo escuchaba a los Red Hot Chili Peppers en esa época, me fanaticé con ellos. Una vez mi amigo me pasó un tema sin nombre que no sonaba a los Chili Peppers, pero el insistía de que eran ellos, que el cantante tenía un efecto en la voz y por eso sonaba distinto. Yo no me lo terminaba de creer, pero no tenía medios para refutarlo con certeza. El punto es me gusta la energía oscura del tema, y me emocionaba mucho el final que sonaba con la orquesta de cuerdas. Obviamente, para cargar música nueva al celular tenía que eliminar la anterior, por lo que eventualmente esta canción sin nombre fue eliminada, y solo quedó el recuerdo de la música en mi memoria. Pasaron los años, y como me ha pasado con varias otras músicas desconocidas que se impregnaban en mi mente, sentía la necesidad por develar el misterio de la canción sin nombre. Ya con internet me dispuse a escuchar todo el repertorio disponible de RHCP (incluso B-sides o demos descartados), pero nada. Claramente se iba confirmando que no era una canción de ellos. Pero esto no me daba muchas opciones y desistí en la búsqueda. Hace no tantos años volví a recordar la canción y volví a tener la necesidad de revelar su origen. Tuve la lucidez para recordar una palabra de la letra (cabe destacar que en esos momentos de la adolescencia no entendía nada de inglés, así que no comprendía las letras y por ende no les prestaba tanta atención)... "Midnight... " Gritaba el estribillo. Hay un tema de RHCP que se llama "Midnight" pero no era ese. "Midnight... Qué?" Pensé hasta llegar a "Midnight Show" que no solo resultó ser parte de la letra, sino el nombre del tema en sí, de The Killers. Encontrar el tema y escucharlo en su momento sabiendo finalmente de quién era y cómo se llamaba me trajo mucha satisfación y tranquilidad. No conocía a The Killers, pero escuchar el tema me llevó a escuchar el álbum "Hot Fuzz" que hoy se me propuso escuchar nuevamente acá. Simplemente quería compartir(me) esta historia, porque me trae mucha nostalgia. Del álbum pienso que es muy sólido, aunque no me encanta todo lo que hacen, los primeros temas tienen una energía muy intensa, ruidosa, pero luego empiezan a cambiar de atmósferas y a trabajar más matices. La duración del álbum es adecuada, el sonido es interesante, suena como saturado, pero al mismo tiempo todo está claro. Parece una especie de Keane más agresivo. A todo esto considero que el tema "Midnight Show" sigue siendo el que más me gusta, y el que más impregnado quedó en mi memoria.

Probably not essential, but this is another albums that is just etched into the molecular structure of my body.

Please stand for our national anthem….COMIN OUT OF MY CAGE AND IVE BEEN DOING JUST FINE

look they have three absolutely perfect songs on here and most bands on this list don't even have one

I’d give this a 4.5. Just shy of a 5

This album was massive when it was released, and I played the heck out of it. I believe that as time goes on and the band is less oversaturated in the popular culture, appreciation for this album will grow. Best track: Mr. Brightside 4⭐️

When you're able to mainline major festivals 20 years after the release of the only album that mattered for you, it's safe to say you have a good album on your hands. And therein lies the trouble with The Killers. I wouldn't say I'm a fan of this band based on the fact that I could only tell you one song of theirs that's NOT on this album, but Hot Fuss is just too good to not pay attention to.

Hot Fuss opens with five era-defining tracks that scream instant classic, then spends its back half talking me out of a 5-star review.

This album came out when I was in 8th grade and I remember almost every girl in my grade had a copy. Front loaded, but the back half isn’t bad and the front half is borderline incredible.

A home run of a debut album. Unbelievable five song run to start. The back half is a little weaker and keeps it from being a five. Still maintain that Sam's Town is the best Killers album.

я всегда думал это группа одного хита, а оказалось целый альбом сочный. и что самое главное не звучит как базовая индюшатина.

Holy smokes, gonna go ahead and say that the A-side of this album, while packed with super recognizable songs, might be the best A-side in 2000s Alternative. Will be curious to confirm that as well go on, but it was fabulous. Back side of the album has some good tunes but wasn't as strong. Cannot give this a 5 when you hold it next to true 5s, but it is a super strong 4

I’ve never listened to the full album before and only knew the singles. But man, was this a good listen!

A favorite of mine, when i went to school. Mr brightside was just such a big song back then. When you went out this song always came up during the night and everybody went nuts. Very interesting to listen to the entire album again now about two decades later. It brought up a lot of great memories and still holds up. As many debut records, it seems to release a lot of build up energy all at once. While being fairly straight-forward in their indie rock sound, i do enjoy that the killers make their music feel huge, like you can only play it in the vastness of the nevada desert blasting it out full volume. Love how they created rock anthems in this way. The record is unbalanced tho. The back half contains a few songs that are filler and should have gone to a b-side. The only reason for me to take away a star from an lp that begins with a five song stretch not many albums can rival. Jenny was a friend of mine, mr brightside, smile like you mean it, somebody told me, all these things that ive done. Wow, what an insane sequence of indie bangers.

The last cd I bought in the cd era. Vocals get a smidge grating here and there but it's still a banger deluxe. 4.5

The first half of this album is simply amazing. The second half is kind of forgettable, though, bringing it down to four stars.

Powerful melodical rock. Really good! Like it.

Back in 2006 I already loved Somebody Told Me on the then brand-new SingStar Rocks! for the PlayStation 2. My singing skills have pretty much stayed the same over the years – who could’ve seen that coming? The rest of the album is just as enjoyable, especially the first half which is packed with hits. A truly defining record that stands out because even in 2025 it still sounds fresh – not like something stuck in the past

Fun when you realize certain hits all come from the same albums. Enjoyed this more than I thought I would

🗯 Still a stone cold killet album, even if ‘Mr Brightside’ has hit self-parody status from sheer overexposure. I actually met and chatted with the band in a café in Hollywood just as this album was breaking. At the time, I’d only heard ‘Somebody Told Me’ (still a banger) — which I was regularly spinning in my DJ sets — so it was a kick to meet them before the rocket really launched. The singles here remain undeniable: Somebody Told Me, All These Things That I’ve Done, Smile Like You Mean It, and yes, Mr Brightside — the sort of debut run most bands would sell their souls for. I never fully indulged The Killers beyond this debut — the blatant Springsteen mimicry of their second album put me off — but I’ve always dipped back into the singles when they’ve tickled my fancy. Hot Fuss, though, remains a sharp reminder of when they sounded lean, neon-lit, and ready to take on the world. When dancing to guitars reigned again for a bit — what a glorious time!! Verdict: Essential (a modern classic for catching lightning in a bottle) For fans of: Interpol, certain Bowie cues, Franz Ferdinand, Brandon Flowers’ eyeliner

i like

This has the same problem going on as Interpol's "Turn on the bright lights" as in, if the first 5-6 songs were an EP it would be up there with the best ever. Unfortunately the rest just isn't on the same (very high) level. Still a great record though

An amazing indie rock record. Crazy high for a debut

Tons of bangers on this one

This listen clarified for me that The Killers were never really an indie / alt band (despite the title of the last song!). They’re a mainstream pop rock band, and they know what they’re doing when it comes to crafting big pop rock songs. In retrospect, it makes perfect sense that “Mr. Brightside” became a studio anthem.

My millennial senses are tingling.

Really love this album

First half is excellent with killer (pun intended) tracks. Second half is less interesting. I liked this album when it first released and I still think it's good. Typical British indie rock which is surprising as they're from Las Vegas.

All these things that I've done, great song. Bangers from the new millennium, holds up pretty good.

This was a staple during High School for me, it's nostalgic and full of anthems. The later half of the album does slightly fall off imo. Highlights: Mr. Brightside, Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine, Somebody Told Me

A great album, but I have always felt like the last three songs were added as afterthoughts to flesh out the album Fav songs: Jenny is a friend of mine, Smile like you mean it, All these things that I’ve done

An Indie Rock classic. A great mix of heartfelt lyrics and solid music.

mr brightside rightfully iconic but the rest of the album is also extremely good (and it’s probably not just nostalgia talking). i have glamourous indie rock and roll stuck in my head now

Ok but I don't like new waveor pop punk or whatever this isn't

Really enjoyed this album, some songs just remind me of songs that I would hear in a classic tony hawk game to songs that you would hear in a new indie game. Fantastic album

I liked this album, there’s of course one of the anthems of us white people “Mr. Brightside” and look I make fun of this song all the time but I can’t resist it’s catchiness. It’s great, and I of course liked “Somebody Told Me” and I really liked “Smile Like You Mean It”, and “Change Your Mind” and the closer, but really there was only one track (the penultimate track) that I didn’t like. This was good

Quite an enjoyable ride, but its half hits half misses. Can't call myself a "Mr. Brightside Lover" but my white heritage requires it of me. 4/5 for me, it has too many oddities to make it a 5/5, but the hits on this album HIT.

Solid bass mastering. Has one of the biggest pubstomper hits.

Growing on me

I’ve never liked the Killers but this is a solid album.

The hits make up a lot of this one, but the rest is good too. The fact that it tacked on Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll on the end, which is perilously close to being a novelty song, prevents it getting the full 5 stars.

The first 7 songs, or so, are incredible, with Mr. Brightside and Somebody Told Me basically turning into anthems. The rest of the album is mostly throwaway songs, though, which brings down the album as a whole.

such a classic! full of hits and cool sonngs

I never appreciated the Killers when they came out (in 2004 I think I was too deep into thinking the only cool music was hip hop, which I don't regret bc the crunk era of rap was so dumb and good). But listening now, I'm pretty into this! Mr. Brightside is firmly on my list of wedding songs that I am always fucking pumped about. The rest of this album is fun too! Jenny Was a Friend of Mine was fun, I had forgotten about Somebody Told Me. I dig the 80s-style synth on Smile Like You Mean It. Is this GREAT music? No. Is it fun? Hell yeah.

Mr Brightside seems to get more airplay every year, and I’m totally okay with it. All These Things That I’ve Done though is the best song on this album, and one of the best pop rock songs of all time. There are some other great tracks on here that hold up, especially the front half, but the back half kind of drags. Sam’s Town was a nice follow up album, still enjoy that one - have always wanted to see these guys live.

mr brightside ME ENCANTA me gusta que sea así rockero con la batería y la guitarra algunas canciones son súper de película melancólica hay algunas canciones que me sobran pero en si el álbum es top top

Weakens a bit at the end but the first half of this album at least is one good bop after another. Great debut!

Arctic monkeys vibes

1. Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine - 10 Brilliant vocals and an amazing sound with the bass, guitar, and drums. Really strong opening track. Absolute belter of a chorus too. 2. Mr. Brightside - 11 An all time great. The verses are exquisite but the chorus is an absolute masterpiece of song writing. The percussions on the drums as so much to the sound of the track as does an absolutely incredible bass track. Just perfection in a song. 3. Smile Like You Mean It - 10 Another great track with amazing lyrics in the verses. The guitar waning undertone is a brilliant touch. Bass again pins the track down with an amazing sound that it guides through. Guitar solo in the center of the track is solid. Bridge is very good as well but the outro is particularly fantastic. 4. Somebody Told Me - 10 Verses are really solid but the chorus' flow is exquisite and a real break from the opening three tracks on the album. Sound of the instruments is brilliant with the drums building and fading where needed superbly. Great track. 5. All These Things That I've Done - 11 Brilliant opening with a superb introduction by the drums. The guitar buildup is absolutely legendary. The flow of the verses are amazing and the way choruses are insanely good. The middle drop down into the building bridge is absolutely historic. Best track on the album. 6. Andy, You're A Star - 9 Solid sound. Much more repetitive track than anything previously but the guitars are in rhythm perfectly with the lyrics. Chorus is really solid. 7. On Top - 6 It's a good sound but lyrically it's a bit stale. 8. Change Your Mind - 8 Decent track. The guitar leads in very well before the bass is given the spotlight ahead of the drums inclusion. Great bass track leads the whole song and the lyrics are brilliantly flowing from line to line. Solid stuff. 9. Believe Me Natalie - 5 Middle part of the track is very confusing. Flow of the vocals is the weakest it's been on the album so far. Opening two minutes is very very good but it's too many tone changes in the track it just becomes hard to follow. 10. Midnight Show - 9 Good song. Some of the lyrics in it are magnificently written about the art of deception relationships can take on. Overall it's very enjoyable. 11. Everything Will Be Alright - 4 Way too repetitive a track. Musically it's very good and the guitar solo in the outro is enjoyable. Lyrically it's just very dull. 12. Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll - 5 Instrumentally this song is a lot more fun than the last track but lyrically it's just way too repetitive. Song would have been better had it been two minutes instead of four and a quarter. Average Rating: 8.91 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 4.45 Rounded Down: 4 Stars

Not a lot of albums have a solid 5-track run of really great radio hits. Hot Fuss comes in hot and doesn't let up. It's just that the rest of the album is made up of 5 very forgettable and 2 moderately interesting songs. The sound of this band was so fresh at the time -- a sort of garage band edge surrounded by synths -- that it was almost a you-had-to-be-there kinda of musical moment if this record isn't connecting with you. Listening back it sweeps me to a particular time and place and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Too many bangers front loaded that the rest feels worse by comparison

This was such a solid debut album from The Killers with some of their best and most successful songs! I enjoyed this whole album from start to finish. It definitely took me back to the early 2000s. I would definitely jam out to this album again in the future!

Such a nostalgic listen.

It’s decent

love this album, i’ve never listened to it all the way through but hits so hard and this is exactly what i want from this

As others have mentioned the first half of this album is banger after banger. Unfortunately the second half is not so good and runs out of steam a little. Shame really.

All bangers no mash

Sexy

#657. The second half kinda drags, but there is no denying the first half 4/5: fantastic

Classics! Love the guitar

Good album - all tracks decent - Mr Brightside suffers from over exposure, but shouldn’t undermine what a great song it is

Super

7/10

Enjoyed the first half - found a new song (Jenny was a friend of mine) that I jammed out to. Liked this one!

Just on the strength of the three hits alone, this is a 4/5 for me. The album trails off after the first half, but I enjoyed most of the songs, all but two. A seminal albums for Millennials that continues to hold up.

Very good rock album

Actually quite good, I didn't give it a proper go when it first came out, but it's stood the test of time.

Pretty consistent and good album. Mr. Brightside is obviously the big hit, but I was surprised how many felt like songs I've heard around a lot. From my perspective, I haven't really listened to much of the Killers, but either their sound permeates well or I just haven't been paying as much attention

Catchy indie pop earworms.

Not sure how it's taken me 20 odd years to listen to this. I wanted the second half to be more like the first. Still holds up in the latter balf but keeps it from being a 5. Some belting choruses.

Home to the alternative National anthem and other various bangers

I spent a lot of time listening to this as a teenager so pretty much impossible to take an unbiased view. Huge sound, huge hooks. The Killers can be a little annoying but they reach some pop-rock perfection on this album. Best song: Midnight Show

Yes

kind of hard to fully evaluate something so infamously frontloaded, but the frontloading is less about Song Quality (tho that is the end result) and more about actual eccentric and creative Ideas...theres a uniqueness and slightly unhinged vitality to those first five songs that make them feel like the product of creative mavericks. the rest of the tracks are Merely delivery vehicles for what is a pretty cool sound and palate all things considered...i still rly like the melody twists, the band's taste in synth textures and when to deploy them is extremely azzycore, really the whole production is warm and fuzzy and interesting, definitely a different direction for the pollination of post punk and arena rock that also produced u2. yet there is certainly little Rock Star Energy here, even in the sentimental guru bono-ish way...its mostly just cranked up ugly neurosis and feelings that dont make sense and strange moments that are hard to process, brandon flowers always sounds At The Mercy of the surrounding music and even his own words. funnily enough, its a little bit talking heads in that way. for what it is, i like it a lot, limitations and all. im not denying the all-timerness and personal emotional imprinting for mr brightside, what do you think i am, not white???

Such a good album.

Bittersweet alt-rock. Couple famous songs and the rest are close behind.

Good one

The first two songs in this debut album are as great a start as any band or singer can dream off. Mr. Brightside literally became the unofficial national anthem of the UK and Jenny was a friend of Mine still has a very strong following and the bass riff can rival any. Unfortunately despite the entrance being grand the rest of the album slowly fizzles out with a few decent tracks scattered near the end and you get to remember that yep, this was definitely a debut album.

Heard it loads before but still great.

Going in I thought this would be a 5 for sure, but the second half of the album wasn’t worthy.

Hot Fuss is like stepping into a neon-lit teenage dream where eyeliner is heavy, hearts are broken, and everyone’s either dancing or crying in a club bathroom. I still remember the first time I heard “Mr. Brightside” and thought, yeah, this is going to ruin karaoke nights for the next twenty years — and I wasn’t wrong. But it’s more than that one overplayed anthem. There’s a whole emotional soap opera running through this album, and I’m absolutely here for it. Songs like “All These Things That I've Done” hit with unexpected weight, while “Somebody Told Me” is pure chaotic energy in glittery boots. It’s theatrical, dramatic, and never takes itself too seriously, which is part of the charm. There’s something nostalgic about the whole record, like a high school memory you’d kind of forgotten until the first synth line smacks you in the face. Four stars because while not every track is a knockout, the ones that hit really know how to swing.

This CD is buried somewhere in the dashboard of my "champagne"/beige 20021 Honda Civic sedan because I managed to insert the CD between the stereo and the dashboard instead of in the slot where CDs go. Too bad, it's a more than decent album, except for the last song which might be the single worst thing I've ever heard; should have called it a day at 11 tracks.

very good

Brilliant album, great memories. 1 for Jamie definitely.

One of the greatest 1st halves of an album ever Just banger after banger after banger The 2nd half is not bad but nowhere near as good.

3.5 Favourite Song: Mr Brightside Least Favourite Song: Everything Will Be Alright

Why the hell would you remove this from the list? For what? Django Django? Is that seriously better than this?

Why haven’t you played this for me before?!?!?👍🏻

8/10

Enjoyed most of the album.

Awesome catchy album, full of hits.

Didn't realise The Killers were adjacent to that early to mid 200s post-punk revival, I thought this was going to be fairly bland pop-rock so I'm very pleasantly surprised. I only knew Mr Brightside by name but I already know half of this album by osmosis Of course theres plenty of driving bass, that always appeals to me. The use of synths and keyboards brings a lot to this album, they really add another layer and help tie up songs like On Top. There's also the trumpets on Believe Me Natalie All These Things I've Done is a little Beatlesy too, they were definitely trying a few different styles rather than picking one and sticking to it My attention was maybe slipping a little bit on the last couple songs but overall this is very good Also didnt know they were American, thought they were English for the longest time Highlights: Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine, All These Things That I've Done, Smile Like You Mean It

Tunes.

Aaaah... nostalgia. 2 boring tracks, everything else is awesome

great record

Förstår att folk gillar det här, men kanske inte riktigt min kopp te alla dagar i veckan. Lite The Smiths möter Green Day.

The Killers were the best of the early 2000s pop bands. Mr. brightside is doing a lot of heavy lifting here but this album is solid.

This was definitely a fire album. The hits are huge, and great. Comes out big, stays big, but eventually it sort of levels off.

One of the best 5 track runs of any album ever. Falls off a little bit at the end bringing the overall down.

I don’t love this band, but this album is full of very good synth-rock and some songs that have become pretty timeless radio staples.

Ik begin het steeds meer te begrijpen. Het is nog steeds niet helemaal voor mij, maar het is wel gewoon goeie rock en verdient ergens wel de titel van British Anthem

Album is phenomenal, hard to believe it was their debut. The only issue is that its singles have been played to death everywhere since its release.

Making fun of Brandon Flowers' lyrics ("I've got ham, but I'm not a hamster") is beating a dead horse by now, but the profound stupidity fills me with hope. AI could never write "Are we human / Or are we dancer?" or "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier". Humanity still has a chance.

Bangers on the front half. That first song feels like what 2000s rock could have become if not for imagine dragons. Really solid

Never really listened to 2000s indie rock. Thanks to this project I got to check out this album and it is very good. Nothing groundbreaking but this album is full of well composed and catchy songs. Mixing on the other hand - not so great.

Very nostalgic, this was a big deal when I was in high school. I recognised a lot of singers as ones you would hear often.

It's fun! The first half is easily better than the second, containing all the true hits and memorable cuts of the record, but the second half is not nearly as weak as I expected. I think, though, that the album would have been better if the hits were interspersed throughout the tracklist rather than held all at the beginning. Would feel like a far more balanced tracklist and would, in turn, give the deep cuts more room to breathe and become fan favorites. 7+/10

4.5

:D Oh its been a while!!!! Lez go!!!! Will I realise this is just peak 00s blokey pop? Probably! Gonna enjoy at least half of it though. How does one possibly listen to Mr brightside like I've never heard it before. Bassline. Makes the whole thing what it is actually. There's got to be a million acoustic versions floating around and I bet they're shite to a one. Does. Does it make the whole album. Whole band? He's doing like driving rhythm jumping up and down and sliding occasionally and i think it might be defining their entire sound. Somebody told me is some banger aye. Okay Emily you don't actually know anything about the bass calm down. It's all these things I've done time. Hm. It's not as Big as I remember. Like its decent but would it have been better with like full orchestration. Actually having typed that i suspect it would have been very annoying. Perfect as it is then. Right think we're out of the Big Ones and i can think about the album now. The impeccable homoeroticism of Andy You're A Star hasn't aged a day. Change Your Mind has aged many many days. Used to be one of my favourites I fear it's deeply boring now. Forgot how much I did listen to this admittedly like 6 years after it came out. The hmv 2 for 10 effect. Expected to have forgotten some of the back half but no Midnight Show is like fundamental. Possibly the same song as somebody told me. But better? Maybe better? Its a bookend. A reprise. Its good when two songs sound the same. Takes either balls or incredible self delusion to close your debut album with a song called Glamourous Indie Rock N Roll and pretty much pull it off. Like its a bit cringe. Maybe the key to enjoying The Killers Hot Fuss in 2025 is to be a bit cringe and 100% unironic. Yeah it's easy now to say this is blokey pop annoying coworker pub songs but i need you to forget about what we did to mr brightside and remember how boring indie was in the Blair years and that this album was and remains a nuke actually maybe.

Never heard of the band, the album, or any of the tracks, but I liked it and will listen again. Reminded me a little of Muse.

Such a classic, I'm one of those 90s kid white boy Killer stans and I'll never need an excuse to listen to this album. Despite their popularity I find them exquisitely unique, it's an itch only the Killers can scratch.

Мощная альтернатива с синтами, но немного не мой вайб

Wholesome rock for unsuspecting converts. "Smile like a peanut"

Extra star for Bethany

I think they would have done better to spread the first five songs, which are the strongest, throughout the album. Regardless, this is a fun album that I hadn’t heard other than the hits.

I listened to this on repeat on my first family holiday and never since… nostalgia plays a big part in this rating. I can’t remember it being this dour though.

Noise pop, esa frescura propia e inigualable

Pretty great album. I knew the two hits but that was it. Not sure I'd choose to go back to this again but I enjoyed it.

Rating: 8.5/10 Incredible first half and good second half.

The first half of this album is banger after banger

Loved this when it dropped.

I never really listened to this back in the day other than the radio hits and/or Guitar Hero tracks -- Mr Brightside and Somebody Told Me. But there's some other good stuff on here like Smile Like You Mean It, Everything Will Be Alright, and All These Things That I've Done.

Solid Indie-Rock album that sounded a bit like The Teardrop Explodes having a party with The Automatic. I liked it.

Some great songs, just falls short of a perfect album

In judging an album, it's not just how good are the best songs, but how much filler is in between. The first half of the album is hit after hit and the second half held up ok too Tops track: Somebody Told Me

First half had the hits, then fades after that

Still sounds great. Wears its influences on its sleeve and sounds fantastic.

Their first and best album. Contains the ubiquitous Mr. Brightside (last time I looked 410 weeks on UK chart). Clever sequencing by front loading the album with all the singles to get you hooked in, you can almost forgive Everything Will Be Alright by the end.

mr brightside somebody told me

Pure indie showcase Some really underrated guitar work

An old friend who's stood the test of time

Pretty good album, of course Mr Brightside is the best one

Two noticeable bangers on here, but the last songs were getting quite annoying

Album fits together pretty well. The singles are proper bangers.

7/10… indie rock

They were the future. Then they weren’t. The singles were terrific. But I suppose it was not to be the seismic shift it promised. Nonetheless terrific songs. 3.5 stars.

Iconic electro-pop/rock. Singles are the headliners but album stands on its own. Fades a little near the end.

I listened to this album a lot when it came out and it was one of my favourites,but hadn't listened to it in years. Really enjoyed it, will definltey be back on a playlist or two now - except "Everything Will Be Alright". That's a hard skip from me.

Some familiar good hits. Starts off good, but then gets kinda filler. Classic.

First half of the album is brilliant, it then disappoints after. Nevertheless, four stars.

8.5/10

Dang, really frontloaded with hits, huh? Despite the repetition, All These Things That I've Done is probably my favorite Killers song. Jenny Was A Friend of Mine and Midnight Show were also both pretty good.

Second half kinda blows but the first half is perfection

I will not be including the bonus track “Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll” for this review. The Killers are a band I’m certainly familiar with through various singles, a few of their more recent albums starting with Wonderful Wonderful, and seeing them live twice. They’re one of the more well-known post-punk revival groups to come out of the early 2000s. Funny enough, for being a group out of Las Vegas, they managed to get super popular in the UK. I would not be surprised if their popularity overseas factored into Robert Dimery and company’s decision to include them on this list at one point. With that all said, how does their debut Hot Fuss hold up? Let’s start by addressing the obvious critique this album usually gets - it’s front-loaded. The first half is defined by the run of singles from the swaggering baseline of “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” through the gospel choir complement in “All These Things That I’ve Done”. It’s in these opening tracks that the band established their early identity - Dave Keuning’s bright-toned and percussive guitar play, Mark Stoermer’s melodic bass work, Ronald Vannucci Jr.’s fluid rhythm behind the drum kit. All these elements coalesce behind Brandon Flowers’s echo-coaxed tenor vocals and synthesizer flair, as he sang with reverence for the melodrama he penned out. The one exception was the album’s centerpiece “All These Things That I’ve Done”, which saw Brandon struggle with his faith and come to accept that he’s not perfect in the practice of belief, and won’t try to push his religion onto someone else. I’ve talked a big deal about just the front half, but that’s not to say there weren’t any good songs in the back half. The gears change with the brooding “Andy, You’re a Star”, where Brandon reminisced about a former high school jockey he used to flirt with as the crunchy guitar riffs stomp in time with the slowed down rhythm. “On Top” is a haunting new wave track with the commanding synth melody about a one-night stand and the adrenaline of such a passionate moment. Both “Change Your Mind” and “Midnight Show” are uptempo bops that continue in the relationship drama, with the latter chronicling the murder that preludes the interrogation on “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”. There are intriguing tracks to be found towards the end here. Really, there’s only two tracks I didn’t quite gel with. Unfortunately, one of those tracks happens to be the closer, “Everything Will Be Alright”, which tries again for the big-swinging anthemic message that “All These Things That I’ve Done” accomplished earlier, but can’t because the pace has been slowed down to a grind as there isn’t much punch in the instrumentation while Brandon’s echo-effected vocals become warbly. Also in this tier is “Believe Me Natalie” which shares a similarly irritating vocal delivery as Brandon tries to convince this girl to come out on the dance floor, though at least Ronald switches up the percussion to focus more on the tom-toms in the verses. Overall, this is still a solid debut from The Killers. The group would end up changing around their sound to incorporate more heartland rock that they were inspired by. Nevertheless, they broke into the scene with a style that took elements from decades prior and created a fresh take for the time.

Several bangers, but I'm not sure they have anything to really say artistically.

The first half of this album is amazing. The second half is okay.

Sick drumming

Yeah not bad, I reckon it’s slightly better than a 3 star album but not by much. Plenty of triple M killers songs on here

I already had two songs liked from this album - Mr. Brightside and All These Things That I've Done. The Killers are such a facet of my childhood, the nostalgia that Somebody Told Me unlocks is wild, as well as all the lead singles from this album. It's a nice feeling. I've never really listened to The Killers, though. Not sure why, it's good music. I enjoy that there's a good mix of instruments as well as synth and electronic elements. Compare the last two tracks I listed, for instance. Really different compositions. One distinctive thing about The Killers for me is the vocals always sound hollow and muffled, like you’re listening through a wall. I don’t hate it, it’s a very cool decision even, just very characteristic to me. It also makes it feel very "cinematic", like every song should come with an emotional heavily colour-graded supercut with lots of fog and strobe lights. Good music. Most: Everything Will Be Alright, Somebody Told Me close behind Least: Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll Rating: 3.5, but I’ll round up for this one

Re-listening to this album, I can tell it’s not a 5-star album, but I still love it. The opening of the album and follow-up of those songs is just simply amazing. Banger after banger. The other half of the album can’t keep up with that. It sounds kind of monotonous and there’s nothing particularly unique about it, but it’s just enjoyable to me anyway. I’ve listened to most of this songs live, and they are 100% better than they might sound on the record, specially All These Things I’ve Done. Anyway, I still love this album and I think it’s a GREAT debut album. It’s fun and vibey!

7.5/10 Didn't quite like this as much as I thought it would, given I already knew it front to back. Maybe it's the production which can be quite ugly at times. Not sure. Either way, the first half has too many bangers to give 3 stars. Shame the best Killers song is the first song on the first album and then it all went downward from there. Highlights: Jenny Was a Friend of Mine Mr. Brightside Smile Like You Mean It Change Your Mind Somebody Told Me

First half of this is a banger, as in you know all the hits and have sang along to them eyes to the sky in k2 but then the reality hits that they front loaded it because the rest is Meh. Good but won't listen to it again mainly because I'll hear them when you're in any bar at some point. Mid 4

1st half is all bagels no skips. Love this album.

Nikad mi neće biti jasno zašto ljudi vole ovaj više nego Sam's Town, ludnica koliko ima fillera pri kraju albuma.

Good stuff. Ahead and behind their time. A true Indy poppy album. Front to back was a good listen. Wish they would’ve stuck around a bit longer. Will have to give the other albums a spin.

Amazing album, but arguably the weakest of their first 3 releases. Reminds me of the album arc of Pearl Jam. Their first 3 albums are all amazing in a debatable order of great to greatest. After that, every album is just mediocre to good. Each album could have a great tune here or there but nowhere near the front-to-back greatness that all of the first 3 contain.

It would have been a 5 star a few years ago but registering has taken it down a star. It’s a lot of atmosphere but actually not very inventive. I still love it though. It was uni days for me.

It's indie rock'n'roll for me, it's all I need

(Overplayed nature of mr brightside aside) great from start to finish and it is no wonder they never got bigger hits than these because it’s hard to beat. Some bigger festival anthems interspersed with some variation

Some super bangers on here. Only a couple songs I didn't save. It's a whole experience to listen front to back.

I liked it more than I expected to. It just has that energy that keeps going. Highlights: Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine Somebody Told Me Change Your Mind

Mr brightside innit

Great arrangements with tons of energy. I'm a specially a fan of Mr. Brightside.

Very weird to listen to Mr Brightside at 2pm while looking at spreadsheets. Are the Killers cool? Seymour loves them and I like to take the mick. But maybe that just means my view of the Killers has been tainted by Seymour, and I would take the mick out of anyone he said. Either way this is decent, trails off at bit in the second half without any of the big hitters. Simpsons: I think, although googles new AI is throwing me off. I think it might like to chat shit.

Iconic

I didn't like it in its heyday, but enjoyed it now. It gave us Mr. Brightside, what not to like

Like it

Gode greier. Fortjener 4,5/5 stjerner detta. Flere hits, litt eksperimentering innimellom, men det fungerer det og.

This isn't the type of album I would generally like. Kinda poppy, a good bit of synthesizer. But the songs have a bit of urgency to them- I liked that

Was only familiar with the singles. This is a good album from top to bottom. Surprisingly good.

Excellent rock album start to finish. It's got some classic tracks -- all four of the opening songs but "Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody Told Me" in particular -- and maintains a strong energy throughout. I love the drama of it. The hooks are huge and The Killers know how to amp things up to make the choruses as big as possible. There's also something a little silly about The Killers that I can't quite put my finger on. Like, maybe they take themselves too seriously or something? The music can be pretty melodramatic and over-the-top. And there are a few lyrics that make me think, "Wait, what does that mean?" I think they absolutely get away with it though, and the music totally works (because really, when has being over-the-top ever been a detriment in rock?). For me, the silliness adds to their charm. I would put this on my personal 1001 albums list, partly out of nostalgia (I heard these songs so much in high school and college), but mostly because it rocks.

Epitome av genren, flera bangers, flera stabila låtar. Amerikansk musik blir inte bättre än när den låter brittisk.

Inte lika omvälvande som is this it för egen del men verkligen många bangers

Good.

I was never the biggest fan when this came out, mostly due to Flowers' voice. I just read that it might be a vocal effect to blame, but he hollers a lot, leaning on the echo. But on this listen, the songs are pretty solid and I like the album. Maybe a bit over produced, but it is certainly of the era and the singles have etched their way into my brain since it was released.

A worthy inclusion for this book in representing 21st Century rock/power-pop, Hot Fuss is impressive in how it shows a band in such a forward charge right out of the gate. Not to mention, an identifiable sound and style. This is a good mix of ubiquitous anthems and solid album cuts. 4 stars, 8+/10

Es fing so gut an, dass ich dachte, es werden fünf, aber es flachte gegen Ende ab. 4 1/2.

Banger after banger

Solid. 2 hits, the others were ok

Last 2 tracks sold

First half was awesome but got a bit worse as time went on

does Side B to this even exist? but the front-loaded first half levitates this to an easy 4.

Very good! I will say it falls off a little on side b, but that could just be because I knew half of those songs. This is probably the first one from this project that I feel compelled to get a record of! I can see why it's in so many collections

Pretty darn good

I agree that it would be difficult for any artist to follow the excellent first 5-6 tracks. Each one is lightning in a bottle.

Always a good listen. Had to skip brightside tho. 7/10

Huge nostalgia for this one - I remember my Mum buying the CD. That CD now proudly sits in my cupboard as I went to check soon after listening. The first half of this album is indie classic hit after indie classic hit, it’s quite impressive how many bangers there are in a row. As sick as I am of Mr Brightside, it is popular for a reason. An album very of it’s time, especially production wise, but somehow doesn’t really sound too dated either. Tails off a bit towards the end though the “fillers” are decent enough tracks on their own. Probably musically a 3.5 star album, but rounded up to 4 for the nostalgia factor and happy memories.

Favorite Track: Mr. Brightside