{{short description|2012 single by Of Monsters and Men}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox song | name = Mountain Sound | cover = Of Monsters and Men - "Mountain Sound".jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Of Monsters and Men | album = My Head Is an Animal {{noitalic|(international version)}} | released = 2 September 2012 | format = | recorded = 2011 | studio = | venue = | genre = {{flatlist| * Indie folk * indie pop * baroque pop }} | length = 3:31 | label = Republic | writer = {{flatlist| * Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson * Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir * Ragnar Þórhallsson }} | producer = Jacquire King | prev_title = Dirty Paws | prev_year = 2012 | next_title = King and Lionheart | next_year = 2013 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|0gEVaniPOmU|"Mountain Sound"}}}} }}
"'''Mountain Sound'''" is a single by Icelandic indie folk and indie pop band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the second single from the international version of their debut studio album, ''My Head Is an Animal'' (2011). It was written by Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson; and produced by Jacquire King.
The song was commercially successful in North America, peaking at no. 14 on the ''Billboard'' weekly Hot Rock Songs chart and no. 24 on the year-end Hot Rock Songs chart in 2013 in the U.S. and no. 9 on the ''Billboard'' Canada rock chart. Critical reception was also positive.
==Composition== Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson collaboratively composed both the music and lyrics. "Mountain Sound" is in a {{music|time|2|2}} time signature in E major, with a vocal range from C#4 to C#5.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0110550|title=Mountain Sound|publisher=Musicnotes|access-date=5 August 2025}}</ref> Bryndís and Þórhallsson share vocal leads.<ref name="Paste 2012">{{cite web|last=Saunders|first=Hilary|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/04/of-monsters-and-men-my-head-is-an-animal.html|title=Of Monsters and Men: My Head is an Animal|work=Paste Magazine|date=11 April 2012|access-date=5 August 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614002806/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/04/of-monsters-and-men-my-head-is-an-animal.html|archive-date=14 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Music video== The music video for "Mountain Sound" was filmed on location at a festival held at the Hljomskalagardurinn park in Reykjavík, Iceland, on 7 July 2012.<ref name=tr>{{cite news |first=Nels |last=Thoreson |title='Featured Artist,' Of Monsters and Men, "Mountain Sound" |url=http://www.thetroubadoursroad.com/featured-artist-of-monsters-and-men-mountain-sound/ |work=The Troubadours Road |date=27 September 2012 |accessdate=23 February 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411233901/http://www.thetroubadoursroad.com/featured-artist-of-monsters-and-men-mountain-sound/ |archive-date=11 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The band was filmed while performing at the festival. The video was first released onto YouTube on 13 September 2012.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gEVaniPOmU Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound]. YouTube</ref><ref name="Rolling Stone 2012"/>
==Reception== ===Chart performance=== In the UK, "Mountain Sound" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at no. 66 on 10 November 2012, declining to no. 81 the following week and exiting afterwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/56106/of-monsters-and-men/|title=Of Monsters and Men|access-date=5 August 2025|publisher=Official Charts}}</ref> In the US, "Mountain Sound" debuted on the ''Billboard'' magazine Hot Rock Songs chart on 6 October 2012 and charted there for 52 weeks, peaking at no. 13 on 5 January 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/of-monsters-and-men/chart-history/rte/|title=Of Monsters and Men, Hot Rock Songs|publisher=Billboard|access-date=5 August 2025}}</ref>
===Critical reception=== "Mountain Sound" received positive reviews. Matt Collar of allmusic praised "Mountain Sound" as "catchy" and found it similar to Florence and the Machine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-head-is-an-animal-mw0002318622|title=My Head Is an Animal|last=Collar|first=Matt|year=2012|publisher=allmusic|access-date=5 August 2025}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' called the song "upbeat, barreling".<ref name="Rolling Stone 2012">{{cite web|title=Premiere: Of Monsters and Men Show Playful Side on 'Mountain Sound'|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/premiere-of-monsters-and-men-show-playful-side-on-mountain-sound-20120913|work=Rolling Stone|date=13 September 2012|access-date=5 August 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915231738/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/premiere-of-monsters-and-men-show-playful-side-on-mountain-sound-20120913|archive-date=15 September 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Reviewing the ''My Head Is an Animal'' album, Hilary Saunders of ''Paste Magazine'' cited "Mountain Sound" as an example of quality vocal leads by Bryndís and Þórhallsson.<ref name="Paste 2012"/> Oran Mor of ''The Guardian'' commented that the song "crafts a memorable chorus out of the very English-sounding line 'Hold your horses now'."<ref name="Guardian 2012">{{cite web|last=Virtue|first=Graeme|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jul/11/of-monsters-and-men-review|title=Of Monsters and Men – review|work=The Guardian|date=11 July 2012|access-date=5 August 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714022108/http://www.guardian.co.uk:80/music/2012/jul/11/of-monsters-and-men-review|archive-date=14 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Use in media== The song was used in the trailer of ''Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvQZpCuqnGU Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day -- Trailer OFFICIAL | HD]. YouTube</ref> It can be heard in a bar in the fourth episode of the first season of ''Gang Related'', "Perros". It is also included as a playable song in ''Guitar Hero Live'' and as DLC for ''Rock Band 4''.
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" ! Chart (2012–2013) ! Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Australia|29|artist=Of Monsters And Men|song=Mountain Sound|access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Flanders Tip|3|artist=Of Monsters And Men|song=Mountain Sound|access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Canada|69|artist=Of Monsters and Men|song=Mountain Sound|access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadarock|9|artist=Of Monsters and Men|song=Mountain Sound||access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Ireland2|28|song=Mountain Sound|access-date=30 January 2020|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|22|artist=Of Monsters And Men|song=Mountain Sound|access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|49|date=20121104|access-date=23 January 2022|rowheader=true}} |- ! scope="row"| Switzerland Airplay (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/airplay/46-2012|title=Schweizer Airplay Charts 46/2012 - hitparade.ch |publisher=hitparade.ch |access-date=25 February 2022}}</ref> | 90 |- {{single chart|UK|66|date=20121104|access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|3|artist=Of Monsters and Men|access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|25|artist=Of Monsters and Men|song=Mountain Sound||access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|14|artist=Of Monsters and Men|song=Mountain Sound||access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrockairplay|2|artist=Of Monsters and Men|song=Mountain Sound||access-date=22 December 2014|rowheader=true}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! Chart (2013) ! Position |- ! scope="row"| US Hot Rock Songs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2013/hot-rock-songs |title=Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2013 |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=13 December 2013}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"| 24 |- ! scope="row"| US Rock Airplay (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2013/rock-airplay-songs |title=Rock Airplay Songs: Year End 2013 |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=21 December 2014}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"| 5 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|relyear=2012|certyear=2013|title=Mountain Sound|artist=Of Monsters and Men|type=single|award=Platinum}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|relyear=2012|certyear=2024|title=Mountain Sound|artist=Of Monsters and Men|type=single|award=Gold}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2012|access-date=31 October 2015|title=Mountain Sound|artist=Of Monsters and Men|certyear=2013|digital=true}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|type=single|artist=Of Monsters And Men|title=Mountain Sound|relyear=2012|certyear=2015|source=radioscope|access-date=February 1, 2026}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Of Monsters and Men|title=Mountain Sound|award=Silver|id=18967-3398-1|relyear=2012|certyear=2023|access-date=12 May 2023}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|relyear=2012|certyear=2015|title=Mountain Sound|artist=Of Monsters and Men|type=single|award=Platinum}} {{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160315070108/http://www.metrolyrics.com/mountain-sound-lyrics-of-monsters-and-men.html "Mountain Sound" lyrics] on MetroLyrics
{{Of Monsters and Men}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2012 singles Category:2011 songs Category:Of Monsters and Men songs Category:Republic Records singles Category:Song recordings produced by Jacquire King