Missing U (song)

Last updated

"Missing U"
Robyn MissingU.jpg
Single by Robyn
from the album Honey
Released1 August 2018 (2018-08-01)
Genre
Length4:57
Label Konichiwa
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Robyn
  • Klas Åhlund
  • Joseph Mount
Robyn singles chronology
"Hang Me Out to Dry"
(2016)		"Missing U"
(2018)		"Honey"
(2018)
Lyric video
"Missing U" on YouTube

"Missing U" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, released on 1 August 2018 as the lead single from her eighth studio album, Honey (2018). [2] It serves as her first solo single in eight years. [3] The song premiered on Annie Mac's show on BBC Radio 1. [4] The single was preceded by a seven-minute short video used to promote the single. [5]

Contents

Background

"Missing U" is Robyn's first solo release since her triple album Body Talk (2010). [6] Robyn released several collaborative EPs including Do It Again (2014) and Love Is Free (2015). [6] Robyn also had an appearance on the HBO series Girls soundtrack with the song "Honey" before work on her eighth studio album began. [7]

The demo for the song was created by Robyn in mid-2014 on her laptop along with a LinnDrum machine and a software synth. [8] She noted that the lyrics for the song took two years to complete before finishing them with producers Joseph Mount and Klas Åhlund. [8]

Composition

"Missing U" is a synth-pop [9] and disco [3] song about when people disappear as well as the singer's relationship with her fans. [10] [11] The chorus is backed by bubbling synths, [12] while the rest of the song contains a minimal drum beat and grandiose synth loops. [13] The song is considered a departure from Robyn's previous work, lacking the climax that her previous songs had, instead taking on a more demo-like quality. [10] The song was written and produced by Robyn, Klas Åhlund, and Joseph Mount. [14]

Critical reception

Amanda Arnold, writing for The Cut , called the song "characteristically dance-y and synth-based and impossible to get out of your head once it's there." She also compared the song favourably to Robyn's previous singles "Dancing on My Own" and "Call Your Girlfriend". [15] Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic wrote that "Robyn holds back just enough to describe something too difficult, or too ephemeral, to deal with otherwise." [16]

Track listings

Digital download [17]
No.TitleLength
1."Missing U"4:51
Digital download [18]
No.TitleLength
1."Missing U" (Weiss Remix Edit)4:02
2."Missing U" (Weiss Remix)7:13
3."Missing U" (Weiss Dub)5:25
Digital download [19]
No.TitleLength
1."Missing U" (Silk City & Picard Brothers Remix Edit)3:32
2."Missing U" (Silk City & Picard Brothers Remix)5:27

Credits and personnel

Adapted from Tidal. [20]

Charts

Chart (2018)Peak
position
Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA) [21] 36
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [22] 2
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [23] 29
Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders) [24] 3
Belgium Dance (Ultratop Wallonia) [25] 20
Iceland (RÚV) [26] 4
Ireland (IRMA) [27] 77
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [28] 21
Norwegian Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [29] 6
Scotland (OCC) [30] 35
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [31] 13
UK Singles (OCC) [32] 87
UK Dance (OCC) [33] 15
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs ( Billboard ) [34] 18

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References

  1. ↑ Ahlgrim, Carrie (13 December 2019). "The 113 best songs of the past decade, ranked". Insider . Retrieved 30 December 2022. As a dance anthem about heartbreak, the song bears similarities to her beloved sad girl bop "Dancing On My Own"...
  2. ↑ Nolfi, Joey (1 August 2018). "Robyn roars back with beautifully somber dance anthem 'Missing U'". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 O'Connor, Roisin (2 August 2018). "Robyn releases new single 'Missing U', her first official release in eight years" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  4. ↑ Blais-Billie, Braudie; Phillips, Amy (1 August 2018). "Listen to Robyn's New Song "Missing U"". Pitchfork . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  5. ↑ Read, Bridget (1 August 2018). "Robyn Releases a New Song, "Missing U"". Vogue . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  6. 1 2 Kreps, Daniel (1 August 2018). "Robyn Returns After Eight Years With Upbeat New Song 'Missing U'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Daramola, Israel (1 August 2018). "Robyn "Missing U": Listen". Spin . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  8. 1 2 King, Jason (24 October 2018). "Robyn Breaks Down Every Song on Her New Album, Honey". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  9. ↑ Brandle, Lars (7 August 2018). "Robyn Performed 'Missing U' In Ibiza: Watch". Billboard . Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 Feeney, Nolan (1 August 2018). "Robyn's 'Missing U' Is Classic Robyn With a Defiant Twist". Billboard. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  11. ↑ Renshaw, David (30 July 2018). "Listen to Robyn's new song "Missing U"". The Fader . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  12. ↑ Gotrich, Lars (1 August 2018). "Stream Robyn's New Song, 'Missing U'". NPR . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  13. ↑ Willman, Chris (1 August 2018). "Single Review: Robyn's 'Missing U'". Variety . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  14. ↑ Russo, Carmen (1 August 2018). "Robyn Releases "Missing U," Her First Solo Single in Eight Years". Slate . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  15. ↑ Arnold, Amanda (1 August 2018). "Everyone Needs to Listen to Robyn's New Single Immediately". The Cut . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  16. ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (1 August 2018). "The Heaviness of Robyn's 'Missing U'". The Atlantic . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  17. ↑ "Missing U - Single by Robyn". iTunes Store.
  18. ↑ "Missing U (Weiss Remix) - Single by Robyn". iTunes Store.
  19. ↑ "Missing U (Silk City & Picard Brothers Remix) - Single by Robyn". iTunes Store.
  20. ↑ "Try the TIDAL Web Player". Tidal . Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  21. ↑ "ARIA Digital Tracks Chart". ARIA. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  22. ↑ "Robyn – Missing U" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  23. ↑ "Robyn – Missing U" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  24. ↑ "Robyn – Missing U" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  25. ↑ "Robyn – Missing U" (in French). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  26. ↑ "Topplistinn 15. September 2018". RÚV. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  27. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Robyn". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  28. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  29. ↑ "Norway Digital Song Sales". Billboard. 18 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  30. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  31. ↑ "Robyn – Missing U". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  32. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  33. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  34. ↑ "Robyn Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
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