Making a Fire

2021 single by Foo Fighters

"Making a Fire"

Single by Foo Fighters

from the album Medicine at Midnight

Released

June 8, 2021

Recorded

October 2019 – February 2020

Studio

Unnamed house in Encino, Los Angeles

Genre

Power pop^[1]

Length

4:15

Label

RCA
Roswell

Songwriter(s)

Dave Grohl
Taylor Hawkins
Rami Jaffee
Nate Mendel
Chris Shiflett
Pat Smear

Producer(s)

Foo Fighters
Greg Kurstin

Foo Fighters singles chronology

"Waiting on a War"
(2021)

"Making a Fire"
(2021)

"Love Dies Young"
(2021)

Alternate cover

Cover art for the Mark Ronson Re-version

"Making a Fire" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters, the opening track on their tenth studio album, Medicine at Midnight (2021). It was released to rock radio stations on June 8, 2021, making it the album's fourth single.

Release

Prior to the release of Medicine at Midnight, Foo Fighters shared a snippet of "Making a Fire", along with "Cloudspotter", on February 1, 2021.^[2] After the album's release, "Making a Fire" was included in the soundtrack for the baseball video game MLB The Show 21, released in April 2021.^[3] The song was released to rock-centric radio stations on June 8, 2021, making it the fourth single released from Medicine at Midnight.^[4] It became Foo Fighters' 11th song to reach number 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.^[5] A re-recorded version of the song produced by Mark Ronson was released on June 25, 2021, featuring musicians from bands such as the Budos Band, Antibalas, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band.^[6]

Composition and themes

According to insider.com, "The album kicks off with the jovial tune "Making a Fire", which boasts a funky 3/4 groove. The chorus is especially catchy thanks to a gospely "na-na-na" refrain with harmonies from some female vocalists including Grohl's daughter Violet."^[7] According to Rolling Stone, the song "Making a Fire" is "brighter and more optimistic than anything they’ve ever done".^[8]

Track listing

Digital download^[9]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Making a Fire" (Mark Ronson Re-version)	4:30

7"^[10]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Making a Fire" (Mark Ronson Re-version)	4:30
2.	"Chasing Birds" (Preservation Hall Jazz Band Re-version)	3:38

Charts

Original version

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Making a Fire"
Chart (2021)	Peak position
Canada All-format Airplay (Billboard)^[11]	50
Canada Rock (Billboard)^[12]	1
Ireland (IRMA)^[13] ^[A]	85
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)^[14]	6
UK Singles (OCC)^[15]	52
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)^[16]	1
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[17]	30
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)^[18]	1

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Making a Fire"
Chart (2021)	Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[19]	94
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)^[20]	11

Mark Ronson Re-version

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Making a Fire" (Mark Ronson Re-version)
Chart (2022)	Peak position
UK Physical Singles (OCC)^[21]	5
UK Vinyl Singles (OCC)^[22]	3

Awards

Year	Award	Results
2022	Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance	Won

Notes

^ irish-charts.com incorrectly shows the charting version as being the Mark Ronson Re-Version. This is because the song charted in Ireland on February 12, 2021, which was the week after the Medicine at Midnight album was released and the Mark Ronson Re-Version was not released until June 25, 2021

References

^ Horton, Ross (February 4, 2021). "Foo Fighters – Medicine At Midnight". musicOMH. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
^ Skinner, Tom (February 1, 2021). "Foo Fighters share snippets of new tracks 'Cloudspotter' and 'Making a Fire'". NME. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
^ Couden, Matt (May 26, 2021). "MLB The Show 21 Soundtrack: Next-Gen Highlight Video Arrives Set to Royal Blood Song". VGR. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
^ "Future releases - June 8, 2021". AllAccess. Archived from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
^ Zellner, Xander (September 15, 2021). "Foo Fighters Set New Personal Record as 'Making a Fire' Tops Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
^ Strauss, Matthew (June 25, 2021). "Foo Fighters and Mark Ronson Share New Version of "Making a Fire": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
^ Kalnitz, Max (February 5, 2021). "Foo Fighters pivot to pop and win big with newest album 'Medicine at Midnight'". insider.com. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
^ Grow, Kory (January 26, 2021). "Foo Fighters throw a Pop Party on 'Medicine at Midnight". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
^ "Making A Fire (Mark Ronson Re-Version) - Single". apple.com. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
^ "FOO FIGHTERS - Making A Fire (Mark Ronson Re-Version) b/w Chasing Birds (Preservation Hall Jazz Band Re-version)". recordstoreday.com. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
^ "Canada All Format (Foo Fighters)". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Foo Fighters". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
^ "Foo Fighters: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
^ "Foo Fighters Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^ "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^ "UK Official Physical Singles Singles Top 40 - 29 April 2022 - 5 May 2022". officialcharts.com. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
^ "UK Official Vinyl Singles Top 40 - 29 April 2022 - 5 May 2022". officialcharts.com. Retrieved April 29, 2022.