"Survival of the Sickest" is a song by American rock band

Saliva Saliva (commonly referred to as spit) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth. In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be ...

. It was released in June 2004 as the first single off their fourth album of the same name (2004). The song received positive reviews from critics. "Survival of the Sickest" peaked at numbers 6 and 22 on both the ''Billboard''

Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active rock ...

and

Alternative Songs Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...

charts respectively. The accompanying music video for the song, directed by

Wayne Isham Wayne Isham (born December 2, 1958) is an American film director and music video director who has directed films and music videos of many popular artists. Early life and education Isham was born in December 2, 1958. He attended the University ...

, features two girls going backstage to a Saliva concert. It was featured in the video game '' NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup'' and was the official theme song for

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...

's Unforgiven 2004

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Critical reception

"Survival of the Sickest" garnered positive reviews from

music critic ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of mus ...

s. Johnny Loftus from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

highlighted the song as a "Track Pick" and put it alongside "One Night Only" as tracks that "happily revels in twin guitars and two-girls-for-every-guy rock star debauchery." ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' writer Sean Richardson called the track a "retro party anthem" that pays "rollicking tribute" to '80s hair metal. Bram Teitelman of ''Billboard'' praised the song for being a "high-octane, well-oiled rocker" that continues the band's penchant to craft "solid rock tracks", concluding that "Modern rock is coming to the party as well, ensuring that the song's chances for survival at radio are good."

Music video

The video was shot in

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Grand Olympic Auditorium The Grand Olympic Auditorium is a former sports venue in southern Downtown Los Angeles, California. The venue was built in 1924 at 1801 South Grand Avenue, now just south of the Santa Monica Freeway. The grand opening of the Olympic Auditorium ...

on July 20, 2004. Directed by

, the video follows two girls going to the backstage VIP area of a Saliva concert. After passing the time in the location, Josey Scott arrives to join the girls but the viewers are left to their "own imagination for the seedy details" when Scott "slams the door in the camera's face".

Charts

References

{{Saliva 2004 singles 2004 songs Saliva (band) songs Island Records singles Music videos directed by Wayne Isham Songs written by Josey Scott