Metric, Doomscroller | Wacky Wednesday

In the 33^rd edition of Wacky Wednesday (2026), we break down the unique “Doomscroller,” performed by Canadian indie-rock band Metric.

Do you know what day it is? It is Wednesday, folks! Do you know what that means? Why, it is Wacky Wednesday! In the spirited column Wacky Wednesday, we analyze and explore unique, unusual, or wacky songs from different genres.  These songs can be new or old; the only requirement is that they ‘catch the ears’ because of their distinctiveness.  With the background established, in the 33^rd edition of Wacky Wednesday (2026), we break down the unique “Doomscroller”, performed by Metric. Wacky Wednesday vibes commence!

Emily Haines sings in the first chorus of “Doomscroller”, and adds, “I can’t seem to shut it down / Until the worst is over / And it’s never over.” She and her fellow Metric bandmates (James Shaw, Joshua Winstead, and Joules Scott-Key) have a legitimate point. To doomscroll means “to spend excessive time scrolling through online content (especially news) that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.” according to Merriam-Webster. We’ve all been there, folks. “Doomscroller” is the opener from the Canadian 🇨🇦 indie rock band’s eighth studio album, Formentera, released in 2022.  The song was written by Haines, Shaw, and Liam O’Neil. Shaw, O’Neil, and Gus van Go produced it. 

“Doomscroller” is epic. How can a ten-and-a-half-minute song not be? From an instrumental perspective, it’s colorful. Initially, it’s minimalist, never getting too high. Still, it’s hypnotic, sucking you in as it progresses and builds up. Likewise, Emily Haines sings in a poised manner, barely breaking a sweat. While she digs in more at times, Haines keeps it cool, for the most part, doomscroller and all!  Besides striking music and a fine vocal performance, it is the intriguing songwriting that stands out. Each verse features key lyrics. In the first, there is emphasis on “Lining up all the numbers under the names.” Haines references death, asking at the end of the verse, “Was it an act of God or an accident?” In the second verse, the highlight is “Salt of the Earth underpaid to serve you,” not before Haines asks, “Or [is it] a consequence of a lower profile.”

Following the first chorus, excerpted earlier, comes the third verse, which includes the “Scum of the Earth overpaid to rob,” the recurrence of “Trickle piss from champagne glasses” from the second verse, and the assertion “History on repeat relapses.” Oh, there’s more – a lot to take in! In the fourth verse, we get QAnon and “Rabbit in a deep hole keep on dancing.” The bridge repeats “Don’t give up yet” what seems a million times.  The numbers under the names return ahead of the second doomscrolling chorus, in mellower fashion. The bridge also returns, preceding the ultra-smooth fifth verse, which includes the poetic, “Inner echo reflecting solace revived.” The sixth verse is composed similarly, concluding with the thought-provoking “Inner reverberation happens outside.” In the third and final chorus, Emily informs us, “Whatever you do / Either way we’re gonna love you / Never mattered /… You’ve been through.” So, what’s the fitting way to conclude doomscrolling? DISCONNECTION! “Come back to yourself from the battle.” Ambitious and lengthy, “Doomscroller” is a unique and incredibly special listening experience.  What a way to open an album if I do say so myself!    

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Metric » Formentera » Metric Music International, Inc. / Thirty Tigers » 2022

Metric, Doomscroller: Wacky Wednesday No. 33 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Metric Music International, Inc. / Thirty Tigers; Vitaly Gorbachev from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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