"Headstrong" is the first single released by the American rock band Trapt from their 2002 debut album, Trapt. It reached 1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts and No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. It crossed over to mainstream pop radio, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40. The song also won two Billboard Music Awards in 2003 for "Best Modern Rock Track" and "Best Rock Track".
Billboard rated "Headstrong" the No. 1 modern rock and mainstream rock song of 2003. In September 2023, for the 35th anniversary of Modern Rock Tracks (which had been renamed to Alternative Airplay), Billboard ranked the song at No. 60 on its list of the 100 most successful songs in the chart's history. In 2018, an official poll by Ultimate Guitar saw the site's users rate "Headstrong" as having the fourth-worst riff of all-time. Graham Hartmann of Metal Injection referred to the track as "Trapt's one song" and "essential divorced dad rock".
Music video A music video was produced for "Headstrong" which shows the band performing in front of a crowd. Paper and other debris are seen flying past in furious winds as the group plays in an urban nighttime setting, as well as a couple of teenagers arguing with the people they know, such as one teen getting into an argument with his father while they are in a car and the kid becomes fed up with his father's attitude and storms off as well as another teen quitting his job at a restaurant after getting pushed around by his boss; the two teens then join Trapt in the crowd. A third teen is seen walking through the crowd and eventually graffitis Trapt's logo on a wall. The video found considerable airplay on MTV2 and MMUSA upon release. The video was directed by Brian Scott Weber.
Awards and nominations Billboard Music Awards
| 2003 || "Headstrong" || Top Rock Song || |- | 2003 || "Headstrong" || Modern Rock Track of the Year || |- | 2003 || Trapt || Top Rock Artist ||
Larry Awards
| 2003 || "Headstrong" || Best Hard Rock Song ||
Teen Choice Awards
| 2003 || "Headstrong" || Choice – Rock Track ||
Track listings and formats US 7-inch vinyl "Headstrong" – 4:45 "Still Frame" – 4:31
Australian CD single "Headstrong" – 4:45 "Promise" – 3:36 "Hollowman" – 5:03
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2003) Peakposition UK Singles (OCC) 106
Year-end charts Chart (2003)PositionUS Billboard Hot 10049US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)1US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)56US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)1
Chart (2004)PositionUS Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)50
Decade-end charts Chart (2000–2009)PositionUS Alternative Songs (Billboard)1US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)7
Certifications
Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United StatesSeptember 23, 2002Warner Bros.AustraliaMay 12, 2003CDUnited StatesJune 9, 2003Contemporary hit radioUnited KingdomSeptember 1, 2003CD
In popular culture "Headstrong" was included in the motocross video game MX Unleashed, and rhythm games Donkey Konga 2 and Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. "Headstrong" was used as the theme song for the WWE pay-per-view Bad Blood in 2003.
References