Shot at the Night
Lead single from The Killers' compilation Direct Hits.
"Shot at the Night" is a song by American rock band The Killers, released as the lead single from their second compilation album, *Direct Hits*. The track was unveiled on September 16, 2013, the tenth anniversary of the band's first London show, and was sent immediately to mainstream radio.
The song was produced by Anthony Gonzalez of M83, who had previously supported the band on their Day & Age World Tour. After the success of M83's sixth studio album, *Hurry Up, We're Dreaming* (2011), Island Records suggested Gonzalez as a possible producer. Guitarist Dave Keuning noted that both sides were interested in working together, and the band finally agreed with their label on the choice. Vocalist Brandon Flowers described Gonzalez as a new school producer and a technical wizard, emphasizing that despite his use of computers, he is also a real musician, comparing him to Stuart Price in that regard.
The song received positive reviews from music critics. *NME* listed it at the top of their "10 tracks you have to hear this week 18/09/13," calling it a triumphant mix of Gonzalez's glittering synth-pop and The Killers' bombast, with a euphoric chorus reminiscent of 1980s power-pop and the band's anthemic indie. *Spin* described the track as a "space-age jewel" with sparkling electronics, a chest-thumping chorus, and percussion reminiscent of "Midnight City." *Rolling Stone* found the song ventured into the fantasia of 1980s pop-rock soundtracks, dripping with hair spray and dry ice, concluding it was "solid," and later ranked it the 100th best song of the year.
The music video was released on September 26, 2013, directed by Roboshobo, who had previously worked with the band on Christmas charity singles. Flowers noted that the band often receives treatment proposals focused on raunchiness and debauchery, but they appreciated Roboshobo's different and classy approach. The video features actress Bella Heathcote and actor Max Minghella. Heathcote plays a dissatisfied hotel maid at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, whose mundane life changes when she meets a handsome hotel guest played by Minghella. She abandons her shift to explore Las Vegas with him, getting her "shot at the night." The story is interspersed with scenes of Flowers singing from his hotel balcony and inside his room, visible through the reflection of the balcony door.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- The Killers
- Album
- Direct Hits
- Released
- September 17, 2013
- Recorded
- 2013
- Genre
- Synth-pop / pop rock
- Length
- 4:02
- Label
- Island
- Writer
- Brandon Flowers
- Producer
- Anthony Gonzalez
- Prev Title
- Here with Me
- Prev Year
- 2012
- Next Title
- Just Another Girl
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The song was produced by M83's Anthony Gonzalez, who had supported the band on their Day & Age World Tour. Island Records suggested Gonzalez as a possible producer following the success of M83's sixth studio album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (2011). Guitarist Dave Keuning noted a mutual agreement to try him out, a decision the band finally agreed on with their label. Vocalist Brandon Flowers described Gonzalez as a new school producer and a technical wizard, comparing his musicality to that of Stuart Price.
The music video, directed by Roboshobo, was unveiled on September 26, 2013. It features Dark Shadows actress Bella Heathcote as a dissatisfied hotel maid at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, and The Social Network star Max Minghella as a handsome guest. The story follows Heathcote's character abandoning her shift to explore Las Vegas with Minghella, interspersed with scenes of Flowers singing from a hotel balcony. The video includes landmarks such as Treasure Island, The Stratosphere, Luxor, Caesars, and Downtown Las Vegas, and was ranked #2 Best Music Video Filmed in Las Vegas by the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Reader's Guide
"Shot at the Night" received positive reviews from music critics. NME listed it top of their "10 tracks you have to hear this week 18/09/13", calling it a fittingly triumphant mix of Gonzalez's glittering synth-pop and The Killers' bombast, with a euphoric chorus reminiscent of '80s power-pop. Spin described the track as a "space-age jewel" with sparkling electronics and a chest-thumping chorus. Rolling Stone found it ventured into the fantasia of Eighties pop-rock soundtracks and later listed it as the hundredth best song of the year.
The song was performed live for the first time at the Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas, and subsequently on Later... with Jools Holland, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ellen, the MTV Europe Music Awards, and BBC Maida Vale Studio 4. As of July 2025, it had been performed live 314 times. In 2014, the song was used as the musical backdrop for CBS Sports and Turner Sports' coverage of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, with a special video shot at the Skywalk overlooking the Grand Canyon. The Vegas Golden Knights have used the song frequently since 2017, and after winning the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, released a commemorative video titled "A Shot at the Knight".
Did You Know?
- The song was produced by M83's Anthony Gonzalez, who had previously supported The Killers on their Day & Age World Tour.
- The video features Dark Shadows actress Bella Heathcote and The Social Network star Max Minghella.
More in Songs & Singles
Elsewhere in The Killers
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