"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single from their commercially successful third studio album Infinity on High (2007).

[2] The music was composed by vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump and the lyrics were penned by bassist Pete Wentz, following the band's songwriting approach which first began with some songs on their 2003 album Take This to Your Grave.

Commenting on the band's decision to pick the track as the first single, Wentz said "There may be other songs on the record that would be bigger radio hits, but this one had the right message."

2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with 162,000 first week sales and broke various records, along with being the band’s highest charting single to date.

It is the group's first single to chart worldwide in countries including Australia, New Zealand and most of the European nations, where it reached the top five in many.

After its Platinum RIAA and ARIA certifications in 2007, in 2013 it was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for 200,000 sales.

[8][9] Bassist Pete Wentz described the song "a bit of '70s funk mixed with [the band’s 2003 album] Take This to Your Grave with tight verses and big, fat choruses".

[11] On "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", Wentz uses wartime-inspired metaphors to discuss the band's newfound popularity; he called the song "kind of a tongue-in-cheek look at the way we are so addicted and obsessed with new arts, cultures and loves — to the point where it just becomes oversaturated.

"[10] Slant Magazine called it "an unexpectedly funky battle cry that likens the quest for respect and fame to a combat situation.

Fall Out Boy tried to rush the remix for the song featuring Kanye West onto Infinity on High, but it was not ready in time.

While partying, a heavy set man jumps onto the other side of the bed that Pete is on, causing him to fall through a closed window to his death.

Andy (who was sitting next to Pete) then realizes that they are late for a performance at a bingo hall and as they make their way on stage, they continue playing the rest of the song from the last chorus.

In its opening week, it sold 162,000 digital downloads, setting a new record for the highest bow for a band since radio only titles joined the chart in 1998.

"[14] In addition, its download totals are the largest opening-week tally for a group since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital sales in 2003.

[18] Prior to its digital release, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" spent several weeks doing well on Pop radio airplay.

It marked Fall Out Boy's first number one hit song[19] and was certified three-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of three million units.

[20] It is Fall Out Boy's highest-charting song to date (albeit not their best-selling), and on the strength of 162,000 opening week downloads earned the band their first No.