Like a Wrecking Ball
| "Like a Wrecking Ball" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Eric Church | ||||
| from the album The Outsiders | ||||
| Released | March 9, 2015 | |||
| Format | Digital download | |||
| Recorded | 2013–14 | |||
| Genre | Country rock | |||
| Length | 3:18 | |||
| Label | EMI Nashville | |||
| Writer(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Jay Joyce | |||
| Eric Church singles chronology | ||||
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"Like a Wrecking Ball" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Eric Church. It was released on March 9, 2015 as the fifth and final single from his fourth studio album The Outsiders. The song was written by Church and Casey Beathard.
Background
Church told a crowd during a show that "It's about... it's about sex".[1]
Critical reception
In regards to the "physicality"[2] of the lyrics, Billy Dukes of Taste of Country said "To be certain, this is a non-traditional babymaker from country music's least likely Romeo. And that's why it works. "Like a Wrecking Ball" silences Church's crowd when he includes it between two more guitar-driven numbers at concerts. It's a unified moment of "Whoa!"[2] Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the song an "A" grade, praising the production and comparing the song to Dwight Yoakam's "Nothing", writing that ""Like a Wrecking Ball" sounds like nothing on the radio today. Irregular rhythms, a vocal sung out of the corner of his mouth, and a lyric that makes every other love song out there sound like child's play." and that the song was "An instant contender for the best single of 2015."[3]
Commercial response
The song debuted on Hot Country Songs at No. 44 and Country Airplay at No. 55 for charts dated March 7, 2015. It entered Billboard Hot 100 at No. 100 on April 11, 2015. The song peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the chart dated July 25, 2015. The song has sold 1,026,000 copies in the US as of November 2015.[4]
Music video
The music video, composed of live footage from the 2015 CMT Music Awards, was directed by Joe DeMaio and premiered in June 2015.
Chart performance
| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[5] | 75 |
| Canada Country (Billboard)[6] | 32 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 51 |
| US Country Airplay (Billboard)[8] | 11 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[9] | 6 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2015) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country Airplay (Billboard)[10] | 53 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] | 10 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Platinum | 1,000,000 |
|
*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
References
- ↑ Hannahlee Allers (February 25, 2015). "Eric Church Selects "Like a Wrecking Ball" as the next single". Roughstock. Sales figures given here
- 1 2 Dukes, Billy (February 13, 2015). "ToC Critic's Pick: Eric Church, 'Like a Wrecking Ball' [Listen]". Taste of Country. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
- ↑ Coyne, Kevin John (March 4, 2015). "Single Review: Eric Church, "Like a Wrecking Ball"". Country Universe. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
- ↑ Bjorke, Matt (November 20, 2015). "Top 30 Digital Country Singles Chart: November 23, 2015". Roughstock.
- ↑ "Eric Church – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Eric Church.
- ↑ "Eric Church – Chart history" Billboard Canada Country for Eric Church.
- ↑ "Eric Church – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Eric Church.
- ↑ "Eric Church – Chart history" Billboard Country Airplay for Eric Church.
- ↑ "Eric Church – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Eric Church.
- ↑ "Best of 2015: Country Airplay". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Best of 2015: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ↑ "American single certifications – Eric Church – Like a Wrecking Ball". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH