{{short description|2007 single by Arctic Monkeys}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Use British English|date=August 2012}} {{Infobox song | name = Fluorescent Adolescent | cover = Fluorescent Adolescent.JPG | alt = | type = single | artist = Arctic Monkeys | album = Favourite Worst Nightmare | B-side = * "The Bakery" * "Plastic Tramp" * "Too Much to Ask" | released = {{start date|2007|7|9|df=y}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=23|date=7 July 2007}}</ref> | recorded = | studio = Eastcote (London)<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Fluorescent Adolescent |others=Arctic Monkeys |date=2007 |type=Single liner notes}}</ref> | genre = <!--Do not add unsourced genres--> * Garage rock<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.gigwise.com/photos/88493/|title= Arctic Monkeys' singles: Their 20 hits ranked from worst to best|last= Trendell|first= Andrew|date= 12 February 2014|website= Gigwise|access-date= 27 July 2018|quote= Fluorescent Adolescent: Epitomising their choppy garage rock sound from the last decade}}</ref> * pop rock<ref name="paste"/> | length = 2:57 | label = Domino | composer = * Jamie Cook * Matt Helders * Nick O'Malley * Alex Turner<ref name = linernotes>{{cite AV media notes|title=Favourite Worst Nightmare|others=Arctic Monkeys|year=2007|type=booklet|publisher=Domino Recording Company}}</ref> | lyricist = * Alex Turner * Johanna Bennett | producer = * Mike Crossey * James Ford | prev_title = Matador" / "Da Frame 2R | prev_year = 2007 | next_title = Teddy Picker | next_year = 2007 | misc = {{External music video | type = single | header = Music video | 1 = {{YouTube|ma9I9VBKPiw|"Fluorescent Adolescent"}} }} }} "'''Fluorescent Adolescent'''" is a song by the English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys. It was released as the second single from their second studio album ''Favourite Worst Nightmare'' (2007).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=395673|title=Radio X}}</ref> It was released on 9 July 2007 in the United Kingdom. The lyrics were written by Alex Turner and Johanna Bennett, Turner's girlfriend at the time, in a hotel room prior to the recording of ''Favourite Worst Nightmare''.<ref name="meaning">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/jul/15/musicnews.music |title=Ex-girlfriend helps Arctic Monkeys to a hit |last=Hodgson |first=Jaimie |date=15 July 2007 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>
"Fluorescent Adolescent" has been described as a ballad about sex, ageing and nostalgia for youth. It describes a woman who dreams of her youth while her current sex life is unsatisfying and boring. The song peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart, and was the 83rd best-selling song of 2007 in the United Kingdom. "Fluorescent Adolescent" is one of the band's most popular songs, and is frequently performed as a closer to their concerts. Kate Nash performed a cover of the song on 5 October 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvN0O7jkbQI|title=kate nash - fluorescent adolescent|last=casablancasro|publisher=YouTube|date=2007|access-date=27 August 2013}}</ref> It appears on ''Radio 1's Live Lounge – Volume 3''.
The song is often synonymous with the E4 British comedy series ''The Inbetweeners'', frequently being heard during the first series.
==Origin== In an interview with ''The Observer'', Johanna Bennett said about the song: <blockquote>We were on holiday and had cut ourselves off from everything. We were in a really quiet hotel and didn't watch TV or listen to that much music. So as not to drive each other mad we started messing around with these words like a game, singing them to each other. It's great to think that it came from something we did for fun on holiday. It'll always be a good memory for Alex and I. He doesn't usually write lyrics with other people, though I think he enjoyed it.<ref name="meaning"/></blockquote>
==Critical reception== The song has received a 9/10 rating from Planet Sound, becoming Arctic Monkeys' first single to do so since "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor".<ref>[http://www.teletext.co.uk/Entertainment/Planet-Sound/Single-Reviews/default.aspx Planet Sound] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614204005/http://www.teletext.co.uk/Entertainment/Planet-Sound/Single-Reviews/default.aspx |date=14 June 2007}}</ref> In 2023, ''Rolling Stone'' and ''Paste'' ranked the song number twelve and number nine, respectively, on their lists of the greatest Arctic Monkeys songs.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-arctic-monkeys-songs-1234807888/|title=The 30 Best Arctic Monkeys Songs|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=25 August 2023|access-date=1 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="paste">{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/arctic-monkeys/40-greatest-arctic-monkeys-songs|title=The 40 Greatest Arctic Monkeys Songs|first=Matt|last=Mitchell|website=Paste|date=1 September 2023|access-date=1 January 2024}}</ref>
==Music video== thumb|right|200px|The music video showcases a fight between clowns and non-clowns. The music video was filmed in late April 2007 and was directed by ''The IT Crowd'' star Richard Ayoade. It features actor Stephen Graham (who previously appeared on the ''Scummy Man'' DVD and the "When the Sun Goes Down" video) as a clown.<ref name="Domino">{{cite web|url=http://www.dominorecordco.com/site/index.php?page=news&artistID=209|title=Domino - News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arctic-monkeys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1808|title=Arctic Monkeys Forum Fan Site - Arctic-Monkeys.com • View topic - Fluorescent Adolescent Update|website=arctic-monkeys.com|access-date=2 June 2007|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925153352/http://www.arctic-monkeys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1808|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/20032007/exclusive_arctics_reveal_new_tune|title=EXCLUSIVE: Arctics Reveal New Tune|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070328231706/http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/20032007/exclusive_arctics_reveal_new_tune|archive-date= March 28, 2007}}</ref> The music video premiered in the UK on 5 June 2007 on Channel 4, and was available online the next day.<ref name=Arctic-Monkeys>{{cite web|url=http://www.arctic-monkeys.com/fluorescent_adolescent.php|title=Arctic-Monkeys}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
The music video is based around a fight between a group of clowns and a group of non-clowns at an abandoned warehouse. The presumed leaders of the two groups have a flashback showing that they were friends when they were young children. During the flashback, photos of the band as young children are shown. Throughout the fight, each group leader attempts to kill the other. As the music video climaxes, the non-clown leader tries to run over the clown leader. However the clown leader notices that the non-clown leader's car (with the non-clown leader inside) has been leaking fuel and drops his cigarette lighter. The car quickly catches fire and the clown leader looks on as his former friend burns and the music video ends.
Shot in the style of ''The Sweeney'',<ref>{{cite web| last1=Barkham | first1=Patrick | title='I really don't think I'm cool' | work=The Guardian | date=October 2008 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/oct/02/comedy.television#:~:text=Since%20then%2C%20he%20has%20become,the%20style%20of%20The%20Sweeney}}</ref> the video was loosely inspired by the "Out of Control Fairground" by John Cooper Clarke. Turner says he is a fan of Clarke and describes him as a lyrical inspiration; Arctic Monkeys would later adapt Clarke's poem "I Wanna Be Yours" into a song on their 2013 album ''AM''. The poem is also printed inside the CD release of "Fluorescent Adolescent." The lines such as "out of control fairground" and "homicidal clowns" support this. The video was preceded by a warning of violent images.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arctic-monkeys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1821|title=Arctic Monkeys Forum Fan Site - Arctic-Monkeys.com • View topic - Fluorescent Adolescent Video|website=arctic-monkeys.com|access-date=4 June 2007|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925164618/http://www.arctic-monkeys.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1821|url-status=dead}}</ref> In an MTV interview, Turner stated that the music video "is the best thing we've ever done" while Jamie Cook hailed it as "...probably one of the best videos in the last, like, 10 years".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1561723/20070605/arctic_monkeys.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607145547/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1561723/20070605/arctic_monkeys.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 June 2007|title=Arctic Monkeys Say 'Fluorescent' Clip Is Their Favourite Video Yet|website=MTV }}</ref>
During a live performance of the song on ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'', the band played the song dressed as clowns, with Alex Turner dressing with the same make-up and clothing as the main clown in the video.
During a performance of the song on the ''Late Show with David Letterman'', Letterman introduced the band by joking that his vinyl copy of ''Favourite Worst Nightmare'' had been stolen due to its popularity.
==Track listing== {{track listing | headline = CD, 10-inch | title1 = Fluorescent Adolescent | length1 = 3:03 | lyrics1 = {{flatlist| * Alex Turner * Johanna Bennett }} | music1 = Arctic Monkeys | title2 = The Bakery | length2 = 2:56 | lyrics2 = Turner | music2 = {{flatlist| * Arctic Monkeys * Miles Kane }} | title3 = Plastic Tramp | length3 = 2:53 | lyrics3 = Turner | music3 = {{flatlist| * Arctic Monkeys * Kane }} | title4 = Too Much to Ask | length4 = 3:05 | lyrics4 = Turner | music4 = Arctic Monkeys }}
{{track listing | headline = 7-inch | title1 = Fluorescent Adolescent | length1 = 3:03 | lyrics1 = {{flatlist| * Turner * Bennett }} | music1 = Arctic Monkeys | title2 = The Bakery | length2 = 2:56 | lyrics2 = Turner | music2 = {{flatlist| * Arctic Monkeys * Kane }} }}
==Personnel== Personnel taken from ''Favourite Worst Nightmare'' liner notes.<ref name = linernotes>{{cite AV media notes|title=Favourite Worst Nightmare|others=Arctic Monkeys|year=2007|type=booklet|publisher=Domino Recording Company}}</ref>
'''Arctic Monkeys''' * Alex Turner * Jamie Cook * Nick O'Malley * Matt Helders
'''Technical personnel''' * Mike Crossey – production * James Ford – production * Alan Moulder – mixing * George Marino – mastering
==Chart performance== On downloads alone, "Fluorescent Adolescent" charted in the UK Singles Chart at number 55 for the week commencing 25 June 2007. The song charted at number five upon release of the single on CD for the week commencing 16 July 2007. On 27 June 2007, "Fluorescent Adolescent" began receiving significant BBC Radio 1 airplay as the first song on "The A List" Playlist. The song's three B-sides—"Plastic Tramp", "The Bakery" and "Too Much to Ask"—appeared on the UK Singles Chart the week of the single's physical release at number 153, number 161 and number 178, respectively. {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! Chart (2007) ! Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Flanders Tip|7|artist=Arctic Monkeys|song=Fluorescent Adolescent|rowheader=true|access-date=13 August 2014}} |- {{single chart|Denmark|9|artist=Arctic Monkeys|song=Fluorescent Adolescent|rowheader=true|access-date=13 August 2014}} |- ! scope="row"| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue907.pdf|title=The ARIA Report: European Top 20 Charts – Week Commencing 23rd July 2007|publisher=ARIA|page=26|date=23 July 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080222222441/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20070820-0001/issue907.pdf|archive-date=22 February 2008|access-date=20 July 2022}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | 18 |- {{single chart|France|88|artist=Arctic Monkeys|song=Fluorescent Adolescent|rowheader=true|access-date=13 August 2014}} |- {{single chart|Germany|86|artist=Arctic Monkeys|song=Fluorescent Adolescent|songid=310874|rowheader=true|access-date=18 February 2019}} |- {{single chart|Ireland2|12|song=Fluorescent Adolescent|rowheader=true|access-date=17 January 2020}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|4|artist=Arctic Monkeys|song=Fluorescent Adolescent|date=20070721|rowheader=true|access-date=20 July 2022}} |- ! scope="row"| Switzerland Airplay (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/airplay/30-2007|title=Schweizer Airplay Charts 30/2007 |publisher=hitparade.ch |access-date=3 March 2022}}</ref> | 39 |- {{single chart|UK|5|artist=Arctic Monkeys|song=Fluorescent Adolescent|date=20070721|rowheader=true|access-date=13 August 2014}} |- {{single chart|UKindie|1|date=20070715|rowheader=true|access-date=3 April 2025}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! Chart (2007) ! Position |- ! scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-singles-chart/20070107/37501/|title=End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=20 July 2022}}</ref> | 83 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Arctic Monkeys|title=Fluorescent Adolescent|award=Gold|access-date=1 January 2024|relyear=2007|certyear=2023|id=13334}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|artist=Arctic Monkeys|title=Fluorescent Adolescent|award=Gold|access-date=5 December 2018|relyear=2007|certyear=2018|id=6081}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=single|award=Platinum|certyear=2024|artist=Arctic Monkeys|title=Fluorescent Adolescent|accessdate=May 14, 2024}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Arctic Monkeys|title=Fluorescent Adolescent|award=Platinum|number=5|access-date=27 March 2026|relyear=2007|certyear=2026|id=9315-1053-1}} {{Certification Table Separator|title=Streaming}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Greece|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2007|certyear=2023|certweek=29|id=20230728122956|access-date=1 August 2023}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true|streamsonly=true}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9I9VBKPiw "Fluorescent Adolescent" music video] at YouTube<!-- Meets WP:EL as it was uploaded by Domino Records --> * [http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/singles/10-12-07/fluorescent-adolescent "Fluorescent Adolescent" mini-site]
{{Arctic Monkeys singles}}
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Category:Songs about teenagers Category:2007 singles Category:Arctic Monkeys songs Category:Songs written by Jamie Cook Category:Songs written by Matt Helders Category:Songs written by Nick O'Malley Category:Songs written by Alex Turner (musician) Category:Song recordings produced by James Ford (musician) Category:2007 songs Category:Domino Recording Company singles Category:Songs about casual sex Category:Music videos directed by Richard Ayoade Category:British pop rock songs Category:UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles