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"Four Out of Five"
Promotional CD single cover art
Single by Arctic Monkeys
from the album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Released13 May 2018 (2018-05-13)
Recorded2017–2018
GenreGlam rock
Length5:12
LabelDomino
SongwriterAlex Turner
Producers
Arctic Monkeys singles chronology
"Snap Out of It"
(2014) 		"Four Out of Five"
(2018) 		"Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino"
(2018)
Audio sample
Music video
"Four Out of Five" on YouTube

"Four Out of Five" is a song by English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys. It was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (2018), on 13 May 2018, with an accompanying music video.[1][2]

Composition and lyrics

[edit]

Musically "Four Out of Five" has been described as glam rock,[3] being compared to the works of David Bowie.[4] The song is one of few on the album to feature a traditional chorus,[3] and has been likened to the band's Suck It and See as well as Everything You've Come to Expect by Turner's side-project The Last Shadow Puppets.[5] The track has also been compared to stylistic subversions by King Crimson, Jim O'Rourke and Billy Joel, "stomping with an eerie, psychedelic whimsy that seems to come naturally".[6]

The song's absurdist lyrics describe a taqueria on the roof of the album's titular hotel that has been ironically receiving "rave reviews, four stars out of five".[6][7] In an interview with Zane Lowe for Beats 1, Alex Turner explained the track's ironic jokes are about critics who "never give a perfect 100".[8] Thematically the song alludes to a variety of topics including war, natural disasters, space colonisation, and gentrification. The song's narrator has been described as "the self-aggrandizing narcissist anticipating a big reaction, now tasked with filling up the silence", with the "mocking and self-aware" Turner's vocals "sung in a grizzly, demonic croon that's vaguely unstable, like he's either about to break into tears or hysterical laughter".[6]

Music video

[edit]

The music video was directed by Ben Chappell and Aaron Brown and was released on 13 May 2018 through the band's official YouTube account.[1] The video features Alex Turner taking up the directorial chair and channeling several film influences, producing "video lifestyle packages" seemingly for the Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. Among the packages being filmed, an alternative version of Turner without a beard is seen traversing tunnels, as well as the band playing at a country estate and assistants dressed in red overalls dressing the sets and taming a horse. Many of the scenes and shots were highly inspired by Stanley Kubrick movies. The video was filmed at Castle Howard in the band's native county of Yorkshire[9] with the underground scenes being filmed at Munich Marienplatz station in Munich, Germany.

Critical reception

[edit]

Sam Sodomsky of Pitchfork praised the track, referring to it as "in a peculiar spot as both Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino's most immediate song and one of its oddest". He described the track as one of the album's highlights, in which its "risks build to something extraordinary". He noted that the track was "an escape, an invitation to forget everything you know about this wildly popular band and take them on their own terms", comparing it positively to less successful "rock reinventions" by Arcade Fire and Jack White, with the track instead displaying "a striking, recharged imagination". He concludes that the track "makes the future – as bleak as it may be – seem a lot more fun".[6]

Track listing

[edit]
Promotional CD single (Domino RUG942CDP)[10]
No.TitleLength
1."Four Out of Five" (edit)4:25
2."Four Out of Five" (album version)5:12

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino liner notes.[11]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format Label Catalogue no.
Various 13 May 2018 Contemporary hit radio Domino RUG942CDP[10]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Four Out of Five

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"Four Out of Five" is a song by the English rock band Arctic Monkeys, released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, on 14 May 2018 via Domino Recording Company. The track marks a departure from the band's earlier garage rock style, incorporating psychedelic and lounge elements with lyrics presented as an advertisement for a fictional moon-based hotel and casino. Accompanying the single was an official music video directed by Ben Chappell and Aaron Brown, filmed at Castle Howard in Yorkshire, England, which debuted on 13 May 2018. The song received positive critical reception for its ambitious production and Alex Turner's distinctive vocals, with reviewers noting its cinematic quality and thematic ties to the album's concept of a lunar . On charts, "Four Out of Five" peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart, spending four weeks in the top 100, and reached number 12 on the US Alternative Songs chart. It also earned Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance in 2019. Arctic Monkeys performed "Four Out of Five" live on on 11 May 2018, marking a prominent promotional appearance for the album's release. The track has since become a staple in the band's concerts, appearing in setlists for tours supporting and later albums, and has amassed over 60 million views on its official video as of 2025.

Background and recording

Writing and inspiration

Alex Turner began the solo writing process for the songs on Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, including "Four Out of Five," in 2016 at his home in Los Angeles, marking a departure from the band's collaborative approach on previous albums. Working primarily on a Steinway Vertegrand piano after setting aside the guitar—which he felt had "lost its ability to give me ideas"—Turner developed a series of demos that infused the material with space exploration themes, reflections on gentrification, and absurdist narratives set in a retro-futuristic lunar resort. These elements drew from his fascination with science fiction and societal shifts, as seen in the song's depiction of a colonized moon undergoing commercialization. The initial draft of "Four Out of Five" featured more grounded, personal opening lyrics: "Karaoke and raspberry beret, in imaginative ways, and I get signed right then and there by a hotshot executive / I wasn’t expecting it that easy." Turner later revised them to align with the album's conceptual framework, transforming the narrative into an advertisement for a taqueria on the moon called the Information Action Ratio—a surreal, absurdist establishment amid lunar gentrification around the Clavius crater. This pivot was inspired by the nickname "lunar surface" given to the room in his house where he composed, which naturally evoked space imagery that he "just kept going" with during late-night or early-morning sessions. The phrase "Information Action Ratio" itself stemmed from an improvisation referencing Neil Postman's 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death, highlighting themes of information overload in a futuristic context. Influences from David Bowie's glam rock aesthetics and Stanley Kubrick's cinematic depictions of space, particularly the moon-landing conspiracy theories linking Kubrick to the Apollo missions, further shaped the song's retro-futuristic tone. Turner's adoption of piano-driven arrangements contributed to a lounge-like experimentation, contrasting the guitar-rock energy of the band's 2013 album AM. As the lead single released on May 11, 2018, "Four Out of Five" encapsulated this evolution, introducing listeners to the album's ornate, concept-driven sound through its blend of wry promotion and cosmic absurdity.

Recording and production

The recording of "Four Out of Five" took place primarily during sessions for ' sixth studio album, , spanning late 2017 and early 2018. Initial tracking occurred at La Frette Studios, a converted 19th-century near Paris, , where the band reconvened in September 2017 for a five-week period following preliminary home demos by frontman . Additional work, including overdubs and refinements, was completed at Vox Recording Studios in , , with the full album mixed in early 2018 to prepare for its May 11, 2018 release. The track was produced by and longtime collaborator James Ford, who emphasized a lush, organic sound inspired by vintage recording aesthetics. Turner, who composed the song on piano, centered the arrangement around his piano and layered keyboards, including organ elements contributed by guest musicians, to create a textured, lounge-like foundation. Guitars, played by Jamie Cook and Turner, were incorporated with subtle layering and effects to evoke a influence, blending riff-driven passages with atmospheric swells that complemented the album's leanings. Drummer Matt Helders provided restrained percussion, incorporating minimalist patterns and electronic elements such as programmed beats to maintain a sparse, spacey that avoided the high-energy drive of prior albums. Nick O'Malley handled the low-end with steady, melodic lines that anchored the composition's mid-tempo groove. Vocals by Turner were recorded using a vintage 388 8-track machine at his home studio before being integrated into the sessions, with heavy reverb applied during mixing to produce a dreamy, echoing quality reminiscent of a retro lounge ambiance. The sessions were captured live in the room where possible, minimizing overdubs to preserve a cohesive, immersive feel.

Composition and lyrics

"Four Out of Five" is written in the key of and has a tempo of 129 beats per minute (BPM). The song incorporates , psychedelic, and lounge elements, marking a shift from the band's earlier sound. It features a traditional verse-chorus structure with stomping rhythms and eerie, whimsical production, including strums in the chorus and vintage keyboard influences. The track has been compared to the works of and for its cinematic, retro-futuristic style. Lyrically, the song is presented as an advertisement for the fictional on the , with a sci-fi bent focusing on a taqueria named "." The recurring motif of "four stars out of five" satirizes imperfect ratings and consumer culture. Inspired by Neil Postman's 1985 book , the lyrics explore themes of in the modern age, where abundant knowledge leads to limited action, without overt criticism but as an observational narrative. wrote the lyrics spontaneously, recording them into a before integrating them into the track.

Promotion

Music video

The music video for "Four Out of Five", directed by Ben Chappell and Aaron Brown, premiered on the Arctic Monkeys' official YouTube channel on 13 May 2018 and has garnered over 60 million views as of 2025. Filming took place primarily at the Castle Howard estate in Yorkshire, England, with additional scenes shot at the Marienplatz U-Bahn station in Munich, Germany. In the video, frontman portrays a filmmaker in a setup reminiscent of , directing the band members—dressed in red jumpsuits—through eerie sequences inside the opulent mansion, including nods to conspiracy theories such as a staged . The narrative unfolds with the band performing amid isolated, absurd vignettes that echo the song's themes of and societal critique. The visual style employs a cinematic aesthetic with desaturated tones accented by bold reds, creating a sense of isolation and surrealism that complements the track's lunar motifs. Influences from Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey are evident in the directorial framing and space-age absurdity.

Initial live performances

"Four Out of Five" made its world premiere as a live performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 11, 2018, featuring psychedelic staging that complemented the song's spacey, lounge-inspired atmosphere. The band, joined by members of Mini Mansions, delivered a theatrical rendition emphasizing the track's piano-driven elements, marking their first television appearance in four years and serving as a key promotional moment for the upcoming album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. The song was performed during a full-band session at 1's , recorded on 6 June 2018 and broadcast on 8 June 2018, where performed it alongside other album tracks in a stripped-back yet energetic setup. This intimate studio rendition highlighted the band's cohesive instrumentation, with Alex Turner's vocals taking center stage amid the reverb-heavy production. Festival appearances followed soon after, with "Four Out of Five" opening the band's set at the TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow on July 1, 2018, where it energized the crowd at Glasgow Green as part of their only UK festival show that summer. Early performances on the 2018 Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Tour adopted a piano-centric arrangement, reflecting the album's lounge aesthetic and often featuring extended intros that built tension before the full band joined in. Live versions of the song generally featured a slower compared to the studio recording, allowing for more improvisational flourishes and atmospheric builds that engaged audiences through their hypnotic pacing. By the time of the band's headline set on June 23, 2023, the arrangement had evolved into a more orchestral update, incorporating richer string elements and a deliberate, swaying rhythm that drew widespread acclaim from the Pyramid Stage crowd.

Release

Formats and track listings

"Four Out of Five" was released as a digital download on May 13, 2018, through , featuring both an edited version running 3:42 and the full album version at 5:12. Physical formats included a standard 7-inch vinyl single (catalog number RUG942), with the A-side containing "Four Out of Five" and the B-side featuring an version of ""; a limited edition variant was also produced. The single became available for streaming on platforms such as and . Promotional singles comprised a tailored for play. Regional variations featured a release in select markets, including .

Track listings

Digital download and streaming

No.TitleLength
1."Four Out of Five" (edit)3:42
2."Four Out of Five" (album version)5:12

7-inch vinyl single

No.TitleLength
A."Four Out of Five"5:12
B."Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino" (instrumental)3:34

CD single (promo/regional)

No.TitleLength
1."Four Out of Five" (radio edit)3:42
2."Four Out of Five" (album version)5:12

Release dates and markets

"Four Out of Five" was first made available as a digital single on May 13, 2018, through Domino Recording Company in the United Kingdom, the United States, and select international markets worldwide. Physical editions of the single, including 7-inch vinyl, followed in July 2018, distributed in and by Domino. The rollout extended to additional territories, with Liberation Music handling distribution in and managing the release in . Subsequent reissues featured the track on the live album Live , recorded during performances in 2018 and released in 2020 to support War Child UK, as well as in various streaming compilations maintained through 2025. This release served as a key promotional tie-in for the album launch.

Reception

Critical reception

Upon its release as the lead single from ' sixth studio album , "Four Out of Five" garnered widespread critical acclaim for its bold stylistic pivot toward lounge-infused rock and its witty, self-referential lyrics. Reviewers highlighted the track's immediate appeal and unconventional structure, positioning it as a confident signal of the band's evolving sound. Pitchfork's Sam Sodomsky praised it as "immediate" and "odd," an "escape" that showcased Alex Turner's "striking, recharged imagination," emphasizing how the song's risks culminate in something extraordinary. NME described the single as the most familiar track on the album, blending pop arrangements from Suck It and See with a 70s West Coast vibe. Rolling Stone appreciated its high-concept lounge-lizard style with Bowie-inspired vocals and spacey chords, marking a significant departure from the band's earlier garage rock energy. The Guardian commended its lavish production as one of the album's standout tracks. Overall, critics reached a positive consensus on the track's innovative spirit, with the album's aggregate score of 81 out of 100 on reflecting broad approval for such experimental choices.

Commercial performance

"Four Out of Five" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 18 on 24 May 2018, marking ' eighteenth top 40 single in the country. The track spent four weeks in the top 100 and was later certified Silver by the (BPI) for sales and streaming equivalent to 200,000 units. In the United States, the song debuted at number 12 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in May 2018, becoming one of eight tracks from the album to appear on the ranking. Internationally, "Four Out of Five" achieved its highest peak at number 7 on the Dutch Single Top 100 chart, where it spent four weeks. It also reached number 80 in Australia.

Personnel and legacy

Songwriting and Composition

"Four Out of Five" was written solely by .

Performance

Production

The track was co-produced by Alex Turner and James Ford, who also handled mixing. Engineering occurred at Vox Recording Studios in Hollywood and La Frette Studios in Paris, with Anthony Cazade and Jonathan Ratovoarisoa credited as engineers at the latter. Mastering was done by Matt Colton at Metropolis Mastering.

Additional Credits

These credits reflect the song's role as the lead single from ' sixth studio album, .

Cultural impact and covers

"Four Out of Five" has become emblematic of ' shift toward experimental, space-themed songwriting on , influencing discussions of the band's evolution into a more sound reminiscent of . The track's lyrics, evoking lunar taquerias and promotional jingles, satirize consumerism in a sci-fi context, drawing fan interpretations that tie into , such as Stanley Kubrick's alleged involvement in faking the Apollo missions. The song remains a live staple in ' performances, featured regularly during their 2023 world tour across venues like the in Inglewood and Emirates Old Trafford in . It opened their 2018 concert , where the arrangement incorporated orchestral strings as part of a War Child charity event, later released on the live album Live . Covers of "Four Out of Five" are predominantly by fans and independent artists, with acoustic renditions shared on platforms like and , reflecting the song's enduring appeal among enthusiasts. In media, the track received its first U.S. television exposure through a live performance on Starring in May 2018, marking the band's return to late-night TV after a four-year hiatus. It was also performed during a session at that June. The song earned Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song at the in 2019, highlighting its critical recognition despite the album's polarizing reception.

References

  1. https://www.dominomusic.com/news/us/arctic-monkeys-share-video-for-new-single-four-out-of-five
  2. https://genius.com/Arctic-monkeys-four-out-of-five-lyrics
  3. https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/arctic-monkeys-lost-in-creepy-mansion-four-out-of-five-video-8455781/
  4. https://stereogum.com/1996092/arctic-monkeys-four-out-of-five-video/news
  5. https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/arctic-monkeys-four-out-of-five/
  6. https://www.billboard.com/charts/alternative-songs/2018-07-28
  7. https://www.grammy.com/news/2019-grammy-nominations-complete-list
  8. https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/tonight-show-arctic-monkeys-four-out-of-five-8455553/
  9. https://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/arctic-monkeys-3d6bdbf.html?songid=73f2ba25
  10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Es-8FfATo
  11. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/arctic-monkeys-start-over-628863/
  12. https://www.nme.com/news/music/alex-turner-explains-swap-guitar-to-piano-arctic-monkeys-new-album-2311877
  13. https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/inside-arctic-monkeys-tranquility-base-hotel-casino-alex-turner-interview-8357304/
  14. https://pitchfork.com/features/song-by-song/arctic-monkeys-alex-turner-decodes-every-song-on-tranquility-base-hotel-and-casino/
  15. https://www.vulture.com/2018/08/how-to-write-a-great-rock-lyric.html
  16. https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/arctic-monkeys-tranquility-base-hotel-casino-feature-alex-turner/9747272
  17. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/arctic-monkeys-tranquility-base-hotel-and-casino/
  18. https://www.tumblr.com/strangedaysindeed9/173095506060/arctic-monkeys-tranquility-base-hotel-casino
  19. https://www.iheart.com/content/2018-05-11-arctic-monkeys-alex-turner-details-tranquility-base-hotel-casino/
  20. https://www.nme.com/big-reads/big-read-arctic-monkeys-science-fiction-allows-explore-real-world-2311629
  21. https://www.kexp.org/read/2018/10/23/arctic-monkeys-drummer-matt-helders-tranquility-base-hotel-and-casino-and-drumming-restraint/
  22. https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/arctic-monkeys/four-out-of-five
  23. https://getsongbpm.com/song/four-out-of-five/zEBPq/6
  24. https://arcticmonkeys.fandom.com/wiki/Four_Out_of_Five
  25. https://northerntransmissions.com/arctic-monkeys-debut-four-five-video/
  26. https://www.castlehoward.co.uk/DB/news-archive/castle-howard-takes-centre-stage-for-the-arctic-monkeys-new-video
  27. http://www.itsallindie.com/2018/05/arctic-monkeys-unveil-video-for-four.html
  28. https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/spot-arctic-monkeys-easter-eggs-four-five-video-2332991
  29. https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/news/arctic-monkeys-four-out-of-five-stanley-kubrick-music-video-tranqulity-base-hotel-casino-a8350421.html
  30. https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/arctic-monkeys/14357
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifFJ84F4N6I
  32. https://www.spin.com/2018/06/arctic-monkeys-tranquility-base-hotel-casino-bbc-radio-1-performance-watch/
  33. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2018/glasgow-green-glasgow-scotland-bea0582.html
  34. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAPWgJhov6w
  35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zklhm2PibcI
  36. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66005948
  37. https://www.discogs.com/release/13223840-Arctic-Monkeys-Four-Out-Of-Five
  38. https://open.spotify.com/track/5Z5nbOXhsSbySVC7WUc6y9
  39. https://www.discogs.com/release/12033445-Arctic-Monkeys-Four-Out-Of-Five
  40. https://www.discogs.com/master/1505275-Arctic-Monkeys-Four-Out-Of-Five
  41. https://pitchfork.com/news/arctic-monkeys-share-surreal-new-four-out-of-five-video-watch/
  42. https://www.dominomusic.com/news/us/arctic-monkeys-live-at-the-royal-albert-hall
  43. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/arctic-monkeys-four-out-of-five/
  44. https://www.nme.com/reviews/arctic-monkeys-tranquility-base-hotel-casino-review-2306655
  45. https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/30-best-arctic-monkeys-songs-49677/four-out-of-five-49693/
  46. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/may/10/arctic-monkeys-tranquility-hotel-base-casino-review
  47. https://www.metacritic.com/music/tranquility-base-hotel-%2B-casino/arctic-monkeys
  48. https://hellorayo.co.uk/absolute-radio/music/news/arctic-monkeys-songs
  49. https://www.billboard.com/pro/arctic-monkeys-no-1-top-rock-albums-chart/
  50. https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Arctic+Monkeys&titel=Four+Out+Of+Five&cat=s
  51. https://www.discogs.com/release/11977353-Arctic-Monkeys-Tranquility-Base-Hotel-Casino
  52. https://www.discogs.com/master/1360573-Arctic-Monkeys-Tranquility-Base-Hotel-Casino
  53. https://genius.com/albums/Arctic-monkeys/Tranquility-base-hotel-casino
  54. https://www.chaoticrhythm.com/artists/the-influential-discography-of-arctic-monkeys%253A-sheffield%27s-finest
  55. https://medium.com/%40Basal/four-out-of-five-how-the-arctic-monkeys-lifted-up-the-2010s-a-semitone-7a3210c02b50
  56. https://medium.com/no-wrong-notes/four-out-of-five-arctic-monkeys-1be3aa20d25d
  57. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2023/kia-forum-inglewood-ca-1ba3dd80.html
  58. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2023/emirates-old-trafford-manchester-england-5ba6bf64.html
  59. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2018/royal-albert-hall-london-england-63ed46ef.html
  60. https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/arctic-monkeys-release-live-at-royal-albert-hall-2018/
  61. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4R5nsRrlKI
  62. https://soundcloud.com/charlotte-774002535/four-out-of-five-arctic-monkeys-raw-cover-by-charlotte
  63. https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/grammy-nominations-ella-mai-arctic-monkeys-dua-lipa-jorja-smith-carry-british-hopes/074713
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