Hoobastank – The Reason

“The Reason” – Single by Hoobastank from the album The Reason
B-side: “Out of Control” (live)
Released: January 26, 2004
Label: Island Mercury
Composer: Daniel Estrin
Lyricist: Douglas Robb
Producer: Howard Benson
Charted No.2 in US, No.12 in UK, No.1 in Italy, No. 1 in Canada

Hoobastank struck gold with this emotional ballad, which peaked at #2 on the Hot 100, spending 38 weeks on the tally. It also reached the Top 10 on charts worldwide, peaking at #1 in Italy.

The romantic lyric finds lead singer Doug Robb confessing to his shortcomings within a relationship. He regrets upsetting his lover with his failings and vows to change. Robb tells her she is “the reason” he is determined to be a better person.

The music video for the song was directed by Brett Simon. In it, the band members stage a diversion so they can carry out the elaborate theft of “The Chiara Ruby #2” gem from a pawnshop, but those facts are only clear after enough of the action unfolds: nothing is as it seems. At the beginning of the video, a woman (played by Serbian model Nevena Milicevic) gets hit by a car driven by vocalist Doug Robb. After the “accident”, while everyone’s attention is diverted, Chris Hesse and Dan Estrin execute the heist. The viewer then realizes that she was in on the operation, as she gets up and rides off with an accomplice on a motorcycle at the end. The presumed owner of the pawnshop displays a look of realization, and the song ends with the band admiring their new acquisition, holding it up to the light and projecting red light-rays onto the ceiling. The accident’s “victim” is also present. They then hear police sirens from above, and the video fades out.

Their music video “Same Direction” is intended as both a sequel and a prequel to the video for “The Reason” and further details the band members’ roles, as well as showing the trouble they bring down on themselves from law enforcement. On August 21, 2023, the music video reached one billion views on YouTube.

Music video by Hoobastank performing The Reason. (C) 2003 The Island Def Jam Music Group