Hallucinations by Angels & Airwaves

Album: Love (2010)

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Angels & Airwaves followed the lead of other acts such as Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails in releasing a record free of charge after the band's record company agreed to allow them to self-release their third studio album. Love was released as a free digital download on 2010 Valentine's Day on frontman Tom DeLonge's social networking site, Modlife. DeLonge spent up to $500,000 of his own money to fund the process and admitted it was a financial risk but hoped to recoup the costs. Noting that he owns the masters and publishing rights for Love, he told Billboard magazine: "When you sign with a label early in your career, it's because they have the advantage of investing in your brand. Now it's changed, because the majority of the kids now get their records for free (and) the labels don't have money to invest."
This song is the first single from the album, which was also released free of charge. Fans were given the option of choosing to make a small donation for Love. In return, they got a bonus remix this song done by DeLonge's Blink-182 colleague Mark Hoppus.
DeLonge explained to MTV News the theme of Love, which was inspired by research the frontman had done on the physiological effects positive energy can have on living things. "We were really interested in the one thing that ties everybody together in a very scientific way but a spiritual way," he said. "There's a lot about our planet we don't know - we kind of live on Pandora." Guitarist David Kennedy added: "Love is the connection aspect. And if we can empower people, we can actually distribute more records that way."
DeLonge explained to Spin magazine that the geometric lettering of the Love title is connected with the album's theme. He said: "We loved the idea of esoteric symbolism - geometric shapes hold an energy pattern. When a human looks at a shape, they instantly receive energy from their mind. So we reworked the geometric shape of the symbols in the word 'love,' so when people see that word it instantly provides certain energy."

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