[1] "Decode" was promoted to American modern rock radio by Fueled by Ramen and impacted on October 21, 2008, serving as the soundtrack's lead single.

"Decode" is an emo inflected alternative and hard rock song written by Hayley Williams, Josh Farro, and Taylor York specifically for the Twilight film.

"[7] Alexandra Cahill of Billboard gave the song a positive review, writing, "vocalist Hayley Williams captures the tension and urgency between Edward and Bella with an impassioned, yet restrained performance".

Cahill also stated, "expertly crafted follow-up Decode promises to stake a claim at modern rock and top 40 radio".

[10] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly said that "Decode" took a step away from Paramore's "bouncier punk-pop sound for a more sprawling, Evanescence-like romanticism".

[11] Heather Phares of AllMusic complimented Williams's "crystalline vocals" on the track, but conceded that it failed to "match the best moments from the band's albums.

[12] "Decode" was nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (2010), but lost to "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire.

[14] "Decode" debuted at number 35 on the Alternative Songs (then called Hot Modern Rock Tracks) chart dated October 25, 2008.

[26] In Australia, "Decode" debuted at number 36 on the ARIA Singles Chart for the week of November 24, 2008, the group's first top fifty effort.

[43] The video premiered in full through MTV and its subsidiaries on November 3, 2008, one day ahead of the release of the soundtrack on which the song is featured.

The music video is included as a bonus feature with an introduction by the film's director, Catherine Hardwicke, on the DVD/Blu-ray release of Twilight.

[45] The video features the band members walking and performing in the woods in Nashville, Tennessee (purporting to be Forks, Washington).