Best Song Ever (song)

For the song by The Ready Set, see Give Me Your Hand (Best Song Ever).
"Best Song Ever"
Single by One Direction
from the album Midnight Memories
B-side
Released 22 July 2013
Format
Recorded December 2012
Length
  • 3:22 (album version)
  • 6:12 (video version)
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
One Direction singles chronology
"One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)"
(2013)		 "Best Song Ever"
(2013)		 "Story of My Life"
(2013)

"Best Song Ever" is a song recorded by English-Irish boy band One Direction. It was released on 22 March 2013 by Syco and as the lead single from the group's third studio album, Midnight Memories. Written by Wayne Hector, John Ryan, Ed Drewett, Julian Bunetta and produced by Bunetta, Matt Rad and Ryan, the song was recorded in 2012 and runs for 3 minutes and 21 seconds.[1] It was announced by One Direction in a video uploaded to their YouTube channel on 25 June 2013.[2]

The trailer for This Is Us was released thirty minutes after the video was uploaded, and included a short preview of the song.[3] The song became available for pre-order on iTunes on 26 June 2013. The song was included in the box set of the Brit Awards, 2014 BRIT Awards.[4]

The song debuted and peaked at number two on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.

Music video

The music video was filmed over two days at The Temple House in Miami Beach, Florida.[5] The video was directed by Ben Winston and written by Winston and comedian James Corden. It was released on the band's Vevo channel on 22 July 2013.

The video, which is over six minutes long, features the band going into an office in Hollywood and talking to two executives named Harvey and less Grossman (Tom Cruise) (Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, respectively) after being led in by Veronica, the sexy assistant (Zayn Malik). Marcel, the nerdy marketing guy (Harry Styles), shows them photoshopped pictures of the band in ridiculous outfits and even has a choreographer named Leeroy (Liam Payne) demonstrate his ideas for new dance moves. Insulted by this attempt to box them into the boy band stereotype, the band erupts into the song and starts wreaking havoc by throwing things around the office. Interspersed with clips from their film, This Is Us, the band continues to destroy the office and even shows off a "dance routine," poking fun at their perceived lack of dancing prowess. The video ends as they nail a poster of themselves to the wall and Zayn spray paints the words "this is us" on it, presumably to let people know that they will continue to be themselves despite their growing success and popularity.

The video broke the Vevo 24-hour record with 12.3 million views, although the record was later broken by Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball", which garnered 19.3 million views.[6]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
About.com [7]
Click Music [8]
Common Sense Media [9]
Digital Spy [10]
PopCrush [11]
Rolling Stone [12]

"Best Song Ever" received mixed to positive reviews from contemporary music critics. Amy Sciaretto of PopCrush awarded the song 3 and a half out of 5 stars, stating that "the first 20 seconds and intro of the song" were likely an "intentional homage" to The Who's "Baba O'Riley", however that the rest of the song was "signature 1D". Sciaretto went on to call the song "flirty, fluffy, and fun", dubbing the track "anthemic" and "cute", however stated that the song was not as catchy as their previous singles "Live While We're Young" and "Kiss You" and that it wasn't their best work.[11] Click Music reacted negatively to the song, giving it 1 and a half stars out of 5, describing it as "tiresome" and called the song's writers "creatively barren", accusing them of plagiarism of The Who's "Baba O'Riley". It also called the song a representation of "the laziest, most mind-numbing trends in modern pop".[8]

Giving the song 4 and a half stars, Bill Lamb of About.com wrote: "It is not THE "Best Song Ever," but this is arguably One Direction's best song ever, and that is a very good thing." He called the song loose, playful, and all in good fun; a great intro to their new album, and the best of past One Direction concentrated in one song. He noted the beefed-up production giving it a pleasing rock feel. "Pros: Upbeat, playful energy, Charm that induces smiles, Classic rock references. Cons: No mistakes here."[7] Popdust's Samantha Martin stated that the song did not "live up to its titular goal", and that some of the song's lyrics were contradicting. Martin described the song as a youthful "celebration", stating it was "definitely for the kids" and stated it wasn't their best work, however nonetheless described the song as "fantastically catchy" and praised Zayn Malik's "falsetto shriek" at the end of the song and compared the song's use of the name Georgia Rose to The Beatles.[13]

Live performances

The group performed the song live for the first time on 30 July 2013 at the SAP center in San Jose, California during their Take Me Home Tour concert. The song was added to the setlist of the concert to all proceeding shows of the American leg. The groups first televised performance of the single was at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards on 11 August. The group also performed the song, along with some of their other hits, on The Today Show on 23 August and on America's Got Talent on 28 August, and again on the The X Factor Australia on 27 October. On 1 November, they performed the song again on the Japanese music show Music Station. They performed it for the first time on British television on 15 November at Children in Need 2013. Since its release, the song has closed out all shows for the 2014 Where We Are Tour and the 2015 On the Road Again Tour.

In popular culture

"Weird Al" Yankovic covered the song as part of his polka medley "NOW That's What I Call Polka!" for his 2014 album Mandatory Fun.[14] The song is featured in the video game series Just Dance 2015.

Track listings

CD single[15]
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Best Song Ever"  
  • Hector
  • Ryan
  • Bunetta
  • Drewett
 3:22
2. "Last First Kiss" (Live Version from the Motion Picture One Direction: This Is Us)
  • Albin Nedler
  • Kristoffer Fogelmark
  • Rami Yacoub
  • Cark Falk
  • Savan Kotecha
  • Zayn Malik
  • Liam Payne
  • Louis Tomlinson
  
Maxi single[16]
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Best Song Ever"  
  • Hector
  • Ryan
  • Bunetta
  • Drewett
 3:22
2. "Best Song Ever" (Jump Smokers Remix)
  • Hector
  • Ryan
  • Bunetta
  • Drewett
 3:08
3. "Best Song Ever" (Westfunk & Steve Smart Remix)
  • Hector
  • Ryan
  • Bunetta
  • Drewett
  
4. "Last First Kiss" (Live Version from the Motion Picture One Direction: This Is Us)   

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
scope="row" Australia (ARIA)[17] 4
scope="row" Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[18] 17
scope="row" Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] 12
scope="row" Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[20] 17
Brazil (Billboard Brasil Hot 100)[21] 59
Brazil Hot Pop Songs[21] 19
scope="row" Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[22] 2
scope="row" Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[23] 19
scope="row" Denmark (Tracklisten)[24] 2
scope="row" Europe (Euro Digital Songs)[25] 4
scope="row" France (SNEP)[26] 12
scope="row" Germany (Official German Charts)[27] 20
Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)[28] 8
scope="row" Hungary (Single Top 40)[29] 4
scope="row" Ireland (IRMA)[30] 2
scope="row" Italy (FIMI)[31] 3
scope="row" Japan (Japan Hot 100)[32] 24
Mexico Inglés Airplay (Monitor Latino)[33] 4
scope="row" Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[34] 16
scope="row" Netherlands (Single Top 100)[35] 5
scope="row" New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[36] 3
scope="row" Norway (VG-lista)[37] 20
scope="row" Scotland (Official Charts Company)[38] 2
scope="row" Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[39] 50
scope="row" South Africa (EMA)[40] 8
South Korea (Gaon Music Chart)[41] 11
scope="row" Spain (PROMUSICAE)[42] 9
scope="row" Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[43] 22
scope="row" Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[44] 11
scope="row" UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[45] 2
scope="row" US Billboard Hot 100[46] 2
scope="row" US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[47] 16
scope="row" US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[48] 40
scope="row" US Digital Songs (Billboard)[49] 1
Venezuela Pop Rock General (Record Report)[50] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
Australia (ARIA)[51] 97
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[52] 96
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[53] 97
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[54] 82
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[55] 50
US Billboard Hot 100[56] 74

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[57] Platinum 70,000^
Italy (FIMI)[58] Gold 15,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[59] Gold 100,000^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[60] Gold 30,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[61] Gold 7,500*
Sweden (GLF)[62] Gold 20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[63] Gold 406,000[64]
United States (RIAA)[65] Platinum 1,000,000[66]
Venezuela (APFV)[67] Gold 5,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country Date Format Label
France[68] 22 July 2013 Digital download Sony
Germany[69]
Italy[70]
United Kingdom[71] Syco
United States[72] Columbia
United States[73] 23 July 2013 Mainstream radio
Germany[74] 16 August 2013 Maxi single Sony
France[75] 19 August 2013
United Kingdom[76] Syco
United States[15] 20 August 2013 CD single Columbia
Japan[77] 21 August 2013 Maxi single Sony
Italy[78] 27 August 2013

Awards

"Best Song Ever" won the award for Best Song of the Summer at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

Year Ceremony Award Result
2013 MTV Video Music Awards Best Song of Summer Won
Rockbjörnen Best International Song Nominated
World Music Awards World's Best Song
World's Best Video

References

  1. ↑ "BEST SONG EVER (Legal Title) BMI Work #15857310". BMI. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "One Direction announce new single – "Best Song Ever"". YouTube. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "One Direction Debut 'Best Song Ever' in Official Movie Trailer". Ryan Seacrest Productions. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "BRITs Awards 2014: The Album - Out Now". Brit Awards.
  5. ↑ "One Direction's "Best Song Ever" Video Filmed at World Famous Temple House". Marketwire. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  6. ↑ Alicia Adejobi. "Miley Cyrus Beats One Direction's VEVO Record After 'Wrecking Ball' Becomes Most-Viewed Video In Less Than 24 Hours". EntertainmentWise. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 "One Direction – "Best Song Ever"". about.com.
  8. 1 2 "One Direction: 'Best Song Ever' single review". Click Music. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  9. ↑ Jackson, Kyle. "Best Song Ever" (CD Single). Common Sense Media. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  10. ↑ Corner, Lewis (22 July 2013). One Direction: 'Best Song Ever' – Single review. Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  11. 1 2 "One Direction, 'Best Song Ever' – song review". PopCrush. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  12. ↑ Hermes, Will (1 August 2013). One Direction, Best Song Ever. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  13. ↑ "One Direction's "Best Song Ever": Is it Theirs?". PopDust. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  14. ↑ Mandatory Fun (liner notes). "Weird Al" Yankovic. RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Best Song Ever (Walmart Exclusive)". Walmart.com. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "bol.com - Best Song Ever, One Direction - Muziek". Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – One Direction – Best Song Ever". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  18. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – One Direction – Best Song Ever" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  19. ↑ "Ultratop.be – One Direction – Best Song Ever" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – One Direction – Best Song Ever" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  21. 1 2 BPP, ed. (November–December 2013). "Billboard Brasil Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard Brasil (46): 88.
  22. ↑ "One Direction – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for One Direction.
  23. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201340 into search.
  24. ↑ "One Direction – Best Song Ever Hitlisten.nu" (in Danish). Tracklisten.
  25. ↑ "One Direction – Chart history" Billboard Euro Digital Songs for One Direction.
  26. ↑ "Lescharts.com – One Direction – Best Song Ever" (in French). Les classement single.
  27. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – One Direction – Best Song Ever". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  28. ↑ "Digital Singles Charts – Greece". Billboard.
  29. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  30. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 30, 2013". Irish Singles Chart.
  31. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – One Direction – Best Song Ever". Top Digital Download.
  32. ↑ "One Direction – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for One Direction.
  33. ↑ "Ingles Top 20". Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013.
  34. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – One Direction search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  35. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – One Direction – Best Song Ever" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  36. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – One Direction – Best Song Ever". Top 40 Singles.
  37. ↑ "Topp 20 Single uke 31, 2013 – VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958" (in Norwegian). VG-lista.
  38. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-08-03". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  39. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201339 into search.
  40. ↑ "EMA Top 10 Airplay: Week Ending 2013-09-10". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  41. ↑ 8월 1주차 (2013.07.21~2013.07.27) 해외 디지털 차트 [1st Week of August (21/07/2013 – 27/07/2013) Foreign Digital Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Chart. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  42. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – One Direction – Best Song Ever" Canciones Top 50.
  43. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – One Direction – Best Song Ever". Singles Top 100.
  44. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – One Direction – Best Song Ever". Swiss Singles Chart.
  45. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-08-03" UK Singles Chart.
  46. ↑ "One Direction – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for One Direction.
  47. ↑ "One Direction – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for One Direction.
  48. ↑ "One Direction – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for One Direction.
  49. ↑ "One Direction – Chart history" Billboard Digital Songs for One Direction.
  50. ↑ "Pop Rock General". Record Report (in Spanish). R.R. Digital C.A. 28 September 2013. Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  51. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2013". ARIA. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  52. ↑ "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 2013" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  53. ↑ "Best of 2013: Canadian Hot 100". Prometheus Gobal Media. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  54. ↑ "Year-end 2013: Singles" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  55. ↑ "End of Year 2013" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  56. ↑ "Best of 2013 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-12-13.
  57. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart – 02/09/2013". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  58. ↑ "Italian single certifications – One Direction – Best Song Ever" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 9 January 2015. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter One Direction in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  59. ↑ "Japanese single certifications – One Direction – Best Song Ever" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 27 January 2016. Select 2014年10月 on the drop-down menu
  60. ↑ "Certificaciones – One Direction" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  61. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart – 21 October 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  62. ↑ "Veckolista Singlar – Vecka 40, 4 oktober 2013" (in Swedish). Hitlistan.se. Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  63. ↑ "British single certifications – One Direction – Best Song Ever". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 September 2013. Enter Best Song Ever in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  64. ↑ Myers, Justin (25 August 2015). "One Direction's Official Top 10 Biggest Selling Singles Revealed". Official Charts Company.
  65. ↑ "American single certifications – One Direction – Best Song Ever". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 5 September 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  66. ↑ Grein, Paul (13 November 2013). "Chart Watch: Waiting For Gaga". Chart Watch. Yahoo Music.
  67. ↑ APFV (16 June 2014). "Certificaciones De Venezuela Del 2013" (PDF) (in Spanish). APFV. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  68. ↑ Best Song Ever: One Direction: Amazon.fr: Téléchargements MP3
  69. ↑ Best Song Ever: One Direction: Amazon.de: MP3-Downloads
  70. ↑ Best Song Ever: One Direction: Amazon.it: Musica MP3
  71. ↑ Best Song Ever (From This Is Us): One Direction: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads
  72. ↑ Amazon.com: Best Song Ever: One Direction: MP3 Downloads
  73. ↑ WebCite query result
  74. ↑ Best Song Ever: Amazon.de: Musik
  75. ↑ Best Song Ever: One Direction, Albin Nedler: Amazon.fr: Musique
  76. ↑ Best Song Ever: Amazon.co.uk: Music
  77. ↑ Amazon.co.jp： ベスト・ソング・エヴァー: 音楽
  78. ↑ Best Song Ever: One Direction: Amazon.it: Musica
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