The Unusual World Record Held By Weezer
From time to time rock bands do something so wild, unusual, or over the top that they earn the distinction of making it into the Guinness World Records. KISS, known for its outrageous live shows filled with explosives, earned a spot for having the highest flame projection and most flame projections in a single show. Weezer, on the other hand, made it for something less showy and more in line with the band's persona. Often labeled "geek" or "nerd rock," Weezer is known for clever lyrics, catchy hooks, and the ability to shred. But what really defines the band has been its ability to tap into the various strains of popular culture.
This is especially true with Weezer's videos, from its nostalgic play on the '70s TV show "Happy Days" for its hit "Buddy Holly" (directed by Spike Jonze) to hanging with Playboy founder Hugh Hefner at his mansion for "Beverly Hills." But it's 2008's "Pork and Beans," which drew on early internet culture, that garnered a Guinness record for the most memes in a single video.
A song born of frustration that became a hit
In the summer of 2007, Weezer — Rivers Cuomo, lead singer, guitarist, and the main songwriter; drummer Patrick Wilson; rhythm guitarist Brian Bell; and Scott Shriner on bass (who had replaced Matt Sharp in 1998) — began working on their sixth studio album. Formed in 1992 in Los Angeles, Weezer became one of the most important bands of the 1990s. But now its members were facing middle age amid (erroneous) rumors of a breakup and a record company that wanted more hits. Before the album's release, the band had an acrimonious meeting with Geffen Records management, who took the group to task for making an album that was too slow and needed more commercial songs.
In frustration, Cuomo penned "Pork and Beans," with defiant lyrics and an overtly commercial sound that the band recorded in March 2008. It was released as the first single from the self-titled record known as "The Red Album," and it became a hit. A big part of that success was the music video's embrace of the burgeoning internet culture — especially YouTube, then a still young social media platform, and the early viral videos and memes it spawned. Weezer worked with director Mathew Cullen on the video, which brought together a dozen internet-famous folks and flew them to LA for the four-day shoot.
From the Numa Numa kid to dramatic chipmunk
The band members chose their favorite memes to include in the video. "We really like to do videos and interact with music video directors," guitarist Brian Bell told Billboard in 2009. "We've never worked on the technical side of the videos, but we think it's good to be involved with their creation on some level." The video for "Pork and Beans" — which director Mathew Cullen called a "celebration" of the creativity of internet culture — eventually included references to 55 different memes.
Among the YouTube personalities featured in the video lip-syncing with the band were Tay Zonday, the "Chocolate Rain" singer, and Gary Brolsma, who became famous for his "Numa Numa" dance in 2005 (and leaned into his internet celebrity to cash in and change his life for the better). It also featured Caitlin Upton, the 2007 Miss Teen South Carolina whose rambling answer to a judge's question earned her notoriety. Other references include "sneezing baby panda" and the mislabeled meme "dramatic chipmunk" (that was actually a prairie dog).
"Pork and Beans" became one of the most-watched videos on the internet after its release, racking up millions of views in just a few days. It pushed the song to the top of the charts for 11 weeks and helped to sell the album, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200. The video earned a Grammy — and the Guinness World Record.