"Firestarter" was the eleventh single released by the English band The Prodigy on March 18 1996. It was the first single from the album The Fat of the Land. It was also the group's first #1 single on the UK Singles Chart.
The songwriting credits - among Liam Howlett and Keith Flint - mention Kim Deal of The Breeders. The looped wah-wah guitar riff in Firestarter was sampled from The Breeders' track S.O.S. from the album Last Splash.
Furthermore, due to the use of a sample from a 1984 single Close (To the Edit) songwriting credits also list Art of Noise's then-members: Anne Dudley, Trevor Horn, Johnathon J. Jeczalik, Gary Langan and Paul Morley.
It was The Prodigy's first big national and international hit. It featured Flint's punky vocals which showcased him as the group's frontman. The title and lyrics were subject of controversy in the UK due to their violent nature. The music video further boosted these controversies.
