“Space Invader” features an extended instrumental outro of over three minutes with frontman Matt Berninger’s moody baritone mumbling throughout.

With a length of six minutes and 58 seconds, it was the longest recorded track officially released by band at the time of its release as a single on August 17, 2023, beating “Not in Kansas”, the previous record holder at six minutes and 44 seconds. But that didn’t last long: on September 18, 2023, the band released Laugh Track as a surprise album, featuring “Space Invader” and “Smoke Detector”, which became the new record holder at seven minutes and 47 seconds.

“Space Invader” made its debut on July 22, 2022 when The National opened their headlining set with it at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, RI. It did not get played again until May 19, 2023 in Chicago, IL, the second date of the North American Tour for their ninth studio album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. It was formerly known as “Space Invader (Threaded Gold).”