A 2010 indie pop single by Foster the People with a whistle-driven hook, addressing a troubled narrator with implied violent thoughts in upbeat sound.
Composition
Pumped Up Kicks was written by Mark Foster of Foster the People, who recorded the song himself before forming the band. Foster has said the lyric was written to give voice to a troubled character.
Reception
The single reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 2011 and topped the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It received heavy radio airplay despite the song’s dark subject matter at odds with its upbeat sound.
Legacy
The song has been the subject of broader cultural discussion about its lyric content. Pumped Up Kicks was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2021 for digital sales over ten million units.