Ceilings (song)

Last updated

"Ceilings"
Single by Lizzy McAlpine
from the album Five Seconds Flat
ReleasedMarch 14, 2023
Genre Folk-pop
Length3:02
Label AWAL
Songwriter(s) Lizzy McAlpine
Producer(s)
  • Philip Etherington
  • Ehren Ebbage
Lizzy McAlpine singles chronology
"Hate to Be Lame"
(2022)		"Ceilings"
(2023)		"Call Your Mom"
(2023)

"Ceilings" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine. It appeared on her second studio album, Five Seconds Flat , which was released on April 8, 2022. The folk-pop ballad, which has prominent strings in its instrumentation, describes the end of a night with McAlpine's partner that turns out to be a daydream about a relationship that already ended.

Contents

"Ceilings" became McAlpine's breakthrough song after becoming popular on TikTok, where a trend of young women running through the rain and snow to the plot twist in the song's final verse soundtracked hundreds of thousands of videos. "Ceilings" peaked at number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Ceilings" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The song was later released to mainstream radio in the United States on March 14, 2023. [1]

Background, music video, and TikTok success

McAlpine in 2022 Lizzy McAlpine Maroquinerie.jpg
McAlpine in 2022

"Ceilings" was included on Lizzy McAlpine's second studio album Five Seconds Flat , a folk-pop [2] record released on April 8, 2022, on AWAL. [3] [4] A music video starring Michael Hanano, McAlpine's boyfriend at the time, was released on February 14, 2023. [4] [5]

In early 2023, a sped-up version of the song's final verse became popular on TikTok, where it was used in over 200,000 videos, mostly of young women lip-syncing to the song while running through the rain or snow. [6] Its online success led to the song being McAlpine's breakthrough song. [2] She performed the song during her Tiny Desk Concert for NPR Music in November 2022 and on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in March 2023. [7] [6]

Composition and reception

"Ceilings" is a ballad with prominently featured strings. [8] The lyrics of "Ceilings" detail the end of a night with McAlpine's partner that she does not want to end and they end with a plot twist that the night was actually a daydream about a relationship that already ended, as McAlpine sings, "But it's not real/And you don't exist/And I can't recall the last time I was kissed" in the song's final verse. She based the song on a relationship she ended in college, as well as her going to London for three months to forget about it. [3] [5]

"Ceilings" was called "doleful" and "a plot-twisty ballad of heart-stomping hallucinations" by Bobby Olivier of Billboard , while Maggie Mancini of PhillyVoice similarly called it a "heartfelt" and "wistful, sometimes hallucinogenic ballad". [2] [6] Dork 's Neive McCarthy praised "Ceilings" as "a particular standout" from the songs on Five Seconds Flat. [8]

Chart performance

"Ceilings" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated March 4, 2023, becoming McAlpine's first song to enter the chart. It also peaked at number eight on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. [4]

In the United Kingdom, "Ceilings" peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart on March 24, 2023 – for the week ending March 30, 2023 – becoming her first top ten song in Britain. [9]

Cover versions

On April 18, 2023, Niall Horan performed a cover of the song whilst appearing on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. [10]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Ceilings"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [37] Gold35,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [38] Gold45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [39] Gold15,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [40] Gold30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [41] Platinum600,000‡
United States (RIAA) [42] Platinum1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How We Do (song)</span> Song by the Game, featuring 50 Cent

"How We Do" is a song by American rapper and West Coast hip hop artist the Game, featuring rapper 50 Cent from his debut album, The Documentary. Produced by Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo, it was released as the album's second official single in late 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper song)</span> 1984 single by Cyndi Lauper

"Time After Time" is a song by American singer Cyndi Lauper from her debut studio album, She's So Unusual (1983). It was released as the album's second single in March 1984, by Epic and Portrait Records. Written by Lauper and Rob Hyman, who also provided backing vocals, the song was produced by Rick Chertoff. It was written in the album's final stages, after "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "She Bop" and "All Through the Night" had been written or recorded. The writing began with the title, which Lauper had seen in TV Guide, referring to the 1979 film Time After Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can You Feel the Love Tonight</span> 1994 song from Disneys The Lion King

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King composed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. Released as a single in May 1994, the song was a hit in the UK, peaking at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, and achieved success in the United States, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was a number-one hit in Canada and France. At the 67th Academy Awards in March 1995, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The same year, the song also won John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Completing a trifecta, the song also won a Golden Globe at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards held in 1995 for Best Song - Motion Picture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Put Your Records On</span> 2006 single by Corinne Bailey Rae

"Put Your Records On" is a song by the English singer Corinne Bailey Rae from her self-titled debut studio album (2006). Written by Bailey Rae, John Beck, and Steve Chrisanthou, it was released as the album's second single in February and early March 2006 throughout Europe and as the lead single in North America. The song spent several weeks on the UK Singles Chart and became her signature tune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Best of My Love (The Emotions song)</span> 1977 single by The Emotions

"Best of My Love" is a song by American band the Emotions from their fourth studio album Rejoice (1977). It was composed by Maurice White and Al McKay of Earth, Wind & Fire, and produced by White and Clarence McDonald.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">With You (Chris Brown song)</span> 2007 single by Chris Brown

"With You" is a song by American singer Chris Brown for his second studio album, Exclusive (2007). The song was written by Johntá Austin, Espionage, and Stargate, the latter of which produced the song. The song was released as the album's third single on December 4, 2007, in the United States. It was later released internationally on March 21, 2008. "With You" is composed as a midtempo R&B ballad that features an acoustic guitar as the base of the arrangement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say (John Mayer song)</span> 2007 single by John Mayer

"Say" is a song by John Mayer written for the Rob Reiner film The Bucket List in 2007. The ballad was released as a single on November 20, 2007, and was the first commercial single in Mayer's career that was not originally released on one of his albums but added to the special edition re-release of his album Continuum. The song earned Mayer his record-tying fourth and final Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Air</span> 2008 song by Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown

"No Air" is a song by American singer Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown. The song was written by James Fauntleroy II, Harvey Mason Jr., Steve Russell, Erik Griggs and Damon Thomas. It was released in the United States on February 11, 2008, and serves as the second single from Jordin Sparks, her first album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Use Somebody</span> 2008 single by Kings of Leon

"Use Somebody" is a song recorded by the American rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night, and it entered American and British charts in December 8, 2008, three weeks after the album release. The single was augmented with a music video released a month later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Climb (song)</span> 2009 single by Miley Cyrus

"The Climb" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus, for the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie. The song was written by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe, and produced by John Shanks. It was released on March 5, 2009, as the lead single from the film's soundtrack by Walt Disney Records, and is also included as a bonus track on the international release of The Time of Our Lives. The song is a power ballad with lyrics that describe life as a difficult but rewarding journey. It is styled as a country pop ballad, and was Cyrus' first solo song to be released to country radio. The instrumentation includes piano, guitar, and violins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ridin' Solo</span> 2010 single by Jason Derulo

"Ridin' Solo" is a song by American singer Jason Derulo, released as the third single from his self-titled debut album and produced by J.R. Rotem. The demo originally sampled "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by the Verve, but the sample was not cleared and was subsequently replaced with electronic motifs, which are featured throughout the entire song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Close (Alex Clare song)</span> 2011 single by Alex Clare

"Too Close" is a song by British singer Alex Clare. The track was first released in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2011 as the second single from Clare's debut studio album, The Lateness of the Hour (2011). The track was written by Clare, Jim Duguid and produced by Major Lazer, with co-production from Ariel Rechtshaid and Mike Spencer. Lyrically, the song describes the protagonist who is not ready for a committed relationship and he must end things with his love interest in good terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When I Was Your Man</span> 2013 single by Bruno Mars

"When I Was Your Man" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012). Atlantic Records released the song as the third promotional single and as the second official single, taken from the album, to mainstream radio in the United States on January 15, 2013. "When I Was Your Man" was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt. The former three produced the track under the name the Smeezingtons. The track was inspired by the time Mars was worried about losing his girlfriend, Jessica Caban.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She Looks So Perfect</span> 2014 single by 5 Seconds of Summer

"She Looks So Perfect" is a song and extended play by Australian pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer, taken from their self-titled debut album, 5 Seconds of Summer (2014). The song was digitally released in Australia on 23 February 2014 and in Europe on 23 March 2014 through Capitol Records and Hi or Hey Records, as their debut single with a major record label. The accompanying music video was released on 24 February 2014. The song peaked at number one in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for selling 210,000 copies. The song also won "Song of the Year" at the ARIA Music Awards in 2014. Ed Sheeran covered the song on Capital FM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5 Seconds of Summer discography</span>

Australian pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer have released five studio albums, three live albums, eight extended plays, 26 singles, four promotional singles, and 31 music videos. All four of their studio albums debuted at number one in Australia and all have debuted at number one, within the top three, and within top 10 on a multitude of charts in many other countries. According to Billboard, since 2014, 5 Seconds of Summer have sold more than ten million albums, sold over two million concert tickets worldwide, and the band's songs streams surpass seven billion, making them one of Australia's most successful musical exports in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Your Time (Sam Hunt song)</span> 2014 single by Sam Hunt

"Take Your Time" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Sam Hunt. It was released to country radio, by MCA Nashville on November 24, 2014, as the second single from his debut studio album Montevallo (2014). Capitol Records headed the song's further promotion to pop and adult pop radio stations in the spring of 2015. The song became Hunt's second consecutive single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in February 2015. The song was written by Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FourFiveSeconds</span> 2015 single by Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney

"FourFiveSeconds" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, American rapper Kanye West, and English musician Paul McCartney. It was written and produced by McCartney, West, Mike Dean, Dave Longstreth and Noah Goldstein with additional writing from Kirby Lauryen, Ty Dolla Sign, Dallas Austin, Elon Rutberg and Rihanna. Previewed by West at the iHeartMedia Music Summit on January 21, 2015, it was digitally released on January 24. "FourFiveSeconds" is a folk-pop and soul song with an instrumentation consisting of an acoustic guitar, organ and bass guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Youngblood (5 Seconds of Summer song)</span> 2018 single by 5 Seconds of Summer

"Youngblood" is a song recorded by Australian pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. It was written by Calum Hood, Ali Tamposi, Andrew Watt, Ashton Irwin and Luke Hemmings with production handled by Andrew Watt and Louis Bell. The song was released via Capitol Records on 12 April 2018, as the second single from their third studio album of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lizzy McAlpine</span> American singer-songwriter and record producer (born 1999)

Elizabeth Catherine McAlpine is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, McAlpine began gaining recognition by posting original songs and covers online on the platforms SoundCloud and YouTube.

<i>Older</i> (Lizzy McAlpine album) 2024 studio album by Lizzy McAlpine

Older is the third studio album and major-label debut by American singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine, released on April 5, 2024, by RCA Records. It serves as the follow-up to her previous album, Five Seconds Flat (2022). McAlpine wrote and produced Older in Los Angeles with Mason Stoops, Ryan Lerman, Jeremy Most, Tony Berg, Taylor Mackall, and Ethan Gruska.

References

  1. ↑ "Top 40/M Future Releases". AllAccess. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Olivier, Bobby (February 15, 2023). "No 'Ceilings': Lizzy McAlpine Is Folk-Pop's Rising Dealer of Devastation". Billboard . Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Ahlgrim, Callie (November 23, 2022). "Lizzy McAlpine isn't paying attention to all the attention she's getting lately". Insider . Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Zellner, Xander (February 28, 2023). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Lizzy McAlpine Reaches New Heights With 'Ceilings'". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Moore, Julia (February 14, 2023). "Lizzy McAlpine Watched 'Ceilings' Go Viral in Real-Time — Even Though She 'Wasn't Expecting' It to Be a Hit". People . Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Mancini, Maggie (March 3, 2023). "Lizzy McAlpine performs her single 'Ceilings' on 'The Tonight Show'". PhillyVoice. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  7. ↑ Boilen, Bob (November 8, 2022). "Lizzy McAlpine: Tiny Desk Concert" . Retrieved March 4, 2023– via NPR.
  8. 1 2 McCarthy, Neive (April 6, 2022). "Lizzy McAlpine – five seconds flat". Dork . Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  9. ↑ Griffiths, George (March 3, 2023). "Miley gains longest female UK Number 1 single since Adele". Official Charts Company . Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  10. ↑ Aniftos, Rania (April 19, 2023). "Niall Horan's Soothing Rendition of Lizzy McAlpine's 'Ceilings' Will Ease All Your Troubles". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  11. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of March 25, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Billboard Global 200: Week of March 25, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  18. ↑ "2023 11-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 13, 2023" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  21. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Singel 2023 uke 12". VG-lista . Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  24. ↑ "RIAS Top Charts Week 10 (3 - 9 Mar 2023)". RIAS. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 12". Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100: Week of March 25, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Adult Pop Airplay – May 27, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart – March 18, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Pop Airplay – May 27, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  33. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart for 2023". Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  35. ↑ Griffiths, George (December 29, 2023). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Songs of 2023". Official Charts Company . Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  37. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  39. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  41. ↑ "British single certifications – Lizzy Mcalpine – Ceilings". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  42. ↑ "American single certifications – Lizzy McAlpine – Ceilings". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved July 25, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.