Howlin' for You

"Howlin' for You"
"Howlin' for You"
Single by The Black Keys
from the album Brothers
Released	January 25, 2011
Recorded	Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Genre	Garage rock; blues rock;
Length	3:12
Label	Nonesuch
Songwriters	Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney
Producers	The Black Keys, Mark Neill
The Black Keys singles chronology
Music video
	"Howlin' For You" on YouTube

"Howlin' for You" is a song by The Black Keys from the band's sixth album, Brothers. The song was influenced by Gary Glitter's 1972 song "Rock and Roll".^[1]

Music video

An official video was released for the song.^[2]^[3] The music video—a parody of a sexploitation film trailer—was directed by Chris Marrs Piliero, starring Tricia Helfer, Diora Baird, Sean Patrick Flanery, Christian Serratos, Corbin Bernsen, Todd Bridges, and Shaun White, as well as Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of the band in the role of "Las Teclas de Negro" (translated from Spanish as "The Keys of Black").

A behind-the-scenes interview with Piliero, filmed during production of the video, has tongue-in-cheek commentary and brief clips of the cast members describing their characters.^[4]

The video was one of five nominees for the 2011 MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video.^[5]

Critical reception

"Howlin' for You" is widely regarded as one of the band's best songs. In 2012, Complex ranked the song number ten on their list of the 15 greatest Black Keys songs,^[6] and in 2021, American Songwriter ranked the song number four on their list of the 10 greatest Black Keys songs.^[7]

Appearances in other media

"Howlin' for You" is featured on the soundtrack of the EA Sports video games, NHL 11, NHL Slapshot and Need for Speed Payback, as well as NBA 2K14. The song has been featured in TV commercials and films for The Dilemma, Limitless, The Guilt Trip, Moneyball, Dark Shadows, Citizen Gangster, Deadpool, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and The Bad Guys. It is used as the theme song to the Australian police drama television series, Cops L.A.C., and has been featured in American television series, CSI: Miami, Detroit 1-8-7, Entourage, Once Upon a Time, Prime Suspect, Chuck, Necessary Roughness, Suits, Lucifer, Secret Diary of a Call Girl and The Chicago Code. MLB's Toronto Blue Jays used it as their home run song (except for José Bautista), and the NHL's Arizona Coyotes used it as their goal song.^[8]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[9]	50
Canada Rock (Billboard)^[10]	2
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)^[11]	16
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[12]	5
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[13]	9
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[14]	3
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[15]	39

Year-end charts

Chart (2011)	Position
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)^[16]	11

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[17]	Gold	40,000^*
Italy (FIMI)^[18]	Gold	25,000^‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[19]	Platinum	30,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[20]	Silver	200,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[21]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "The Black Keys: The Fresh Air Interview". NPR. 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
^ "Howlin' for You (Official Music Video)". Warner Bros. Records. February 10, 2011. Archived from the original on April 12, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
^ "Howlin' for You: IMDB page". February 10, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
^ "Howlin' for You Behind-the-Scenes". March 31, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
^ "2011 MTV Video Music Awards: Best Rock Video Nominees". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
^ Diep, Eric (November 20, 2012). "The 15 Best Black Keys Songs". Complex. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
^ Uitti, Jacob (August 21, 2021). "The Black Keys' Top 10 Songs Songs". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
^ Sperounes, Sandra (2012-05-08). "Black Keys are everywhere — including Edmonton". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
^ "The Black Keys Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
^ "The Black Keys Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
^ "The Black Keys Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
^ "The Black Keys Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^ "The Black Keys Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
^ "The Black Keys Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
^ "The Black Keys Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
^ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
^ "Canadian single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin' for You". Music Canada. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
^ "Italian single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin' for You" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
^ "New Zealand single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin' for You". Radioscope. Retrieved July 4, 2025. Type Howlin' for You in the "Search:" field.
^ "British single certifications – Black Keys – Howlin' for You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
^ "American single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin% for You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 25, 2023.

[1] "The Black Keys: The Fresh Air Interview". NPR. 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2025-09-13.

[2] "Howlin' for You (Official Music Video)". Warner Bros. Records. February 10, 2011. Archived from the original on April 12, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2012.

[3] "Howlin' for You: IMDB page". February 10, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.

[4] "Howlin' for You Behind-the-Scenes". March 31, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.

[5] "2011 MTV Video Music Awards: Best Rock Video Nominees". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2012.

[6] Diep, Eric (November 20, 2012). "The 15 Best Black Keys Songs". Complex. Retrieved April 27, 2023.

[7] Uitti, Jacob (August 21, 2021). "The Black Keys' Top 10 Songs Songs". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 27, 2023.

[8] Sperounes, Sandra (2012-05-08). "Black Keys are everywhere — including Edmonton". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2012-05-09.

[sc_Billboardcanadianhot100_The_Black_Keys-9] "The Black Keys Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.

[sc_Billboardcanadarock_The_Black_Keys-10] "The Black Keys Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.

[sc_Billboardbubbling100_The_Black_Keys-11] "The Black Keys Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.

[sc_Billboardrocksongs_The_Black_Keys-12] "The Black Keys Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2015.

[sc_Billboardadultalternativesongs_The_Black_Keys-13] "The Black Keys Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.

[sc_Billboardalternativesongs_The_Black_Keys-14] "The Black Keys Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.

[sc_Billboardmainstreamrock_The_Black_Keys-15] "The Black Keys Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.

[16] "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2020.

[CanadaThe_Black_KeysHowlin'_for_YousingleCertRef-17] "Canadian single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin' for You". Music Canada. Retrieved December 25, 2023.

[ItalyThe_Black_KeysHowlin'_for_YousingleCertRef-18] "Italian single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin' for You" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 25, 2023.

[New_ZealandThe_Black_KeysHowlin'_for_YousingleCertRef-19] "New Zealand single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin' for You". Radioscope. Retrieved July 4, 2025. Type Howlin' for You in the "Search:" field.

[United_KingdomBlack_KeysHowlin'_for_YousingleCertRef-20] "British single certifications – Black Keys – Howlin' for You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 25, 2023.

[United_StatesThe_Black_KeysHowlin%_for_YousingleCertRef-21] "American single certifications – The Black Keys – Howlin% for You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 25, 2023.

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v t e The Black Keys
Dan Auerbach Patrick Carney
Studio albums	The Big Come Up Thickfreakness Rubber Factory Magic Potion Attack & Release Brothers El Camino Turn Blue Let's Rock Delta Kream Dropout Boogie Ohio Players No Rain, No Flowers
EPs and mini-LPs	The Six Parts Seven/The Black Keys EP Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough
Collaborative albums	Blakroc
Singles	"The Moan" "Leavin' Trunk" "She Said, She Said" "Set You Free" "Hard Row" "Have Love Will Travel" "10 A.M. Automatic" "'Till I Get My Way" "Girl Is on My Mind" "Your Touch" "You're the One" "Just Got to Be" "Strange Times" "I Got Mine" "Same Old Thing" "Tighten Up" "Howlin' for You" "Ohio" "Lonely Boy" "Gold on the Ceiling" "Little Black Submarines" "Fever" "Turn Blue" "Bullet in the Brain" "Gotta Get Away" "Weight of Love" "Lo/Hi" "I Forgot to Be Your Lover"
Other releases	Live in Austin, TX Live at the Crystal Ballroom
Related	Discography Drummer Keep It Hid Audio Eagle Records El Camino Tour Danger Mouse The Arcs

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