Hoobastank - The Reason (Mercury) By Steve Rudd

It's been almost impossible to avoid this radio-friendly tune over the past few weeks, as it has literally taken the world by storm. Over in the US it was the Number One airplay record for five weeks, before basking in the glory of being the Number Three most played track in Europe. As if those accolades weren't enough, The Reason is also one of the most legally downloaded songs of all-time.

This single release is actually the title track from the quartet's second album, which is the follow-up to their 2002 debut. The product of the songwriting partnership in band vocalist Doug Robb and guitarist Dan Estrin, The Reason is an unforgettable pop-rock anthem through and through. A mid-paced, romantically rousing beauty that benefits greatly from plush acoustic guitar strums, a soul-stirring string arrangement and perfectly poignant vocals from Doug, there is no wonder Hoobastank are so in demand right now. Ok, so from a musical perspective they might not be breaking much new ground. In this instance that isn't their aim. Their aim here is to get to the heart of matters, which they most definitely do with aplomb. 4/5

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