"Heat Waves" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Glass Animals | ||||
from the album Dreamland | ||||
Written | May 2018 [1] | |||
Released | 29 June 2020 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
| |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Dave Bayley | |||
Producer(s) | Dave Bayley | |||
Glass Animals singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Heat Waves" on YouTube |
"Heat Waves" is a song by English indie rock band Glass Animals released as a single from their third studio album Dreamland on 29 June 2020. A sleeper hit, it is the band's signature song and biggest hit single to date. In addition to reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart and being a top-five hit in several other European countries, it reached number one in Australia, Canada, Lithuania, Switzerland and the United States, where it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks in early 2022 after a record-breaking 59-week climb to number one. At 91 weeks, it is the longest charting song on the Hot 100 of all time, surpassing "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd. [5] By June 2024, the song had accumulated more than three billion streams on Spotify. [6] At the 2022 Brit Awards, "Heat Waves" was nominated for Best British Single. [7]
Bayley stated that "Heat Waves" "is about loss and longing, and ultimately realising you are unable to save something". [8] He said that "Also, this song is about memories and it's very nostalgic, and sometimes people feel more of that in the winter. Maybe that's part of the reason this song's hung around for so bloody long – everyone's locked inside and trapped in their own thoughts." [9]
"Heat Waves" starts on a high and then drops into despair before rising again for a cheerful, optimistic finale, much like the crests and troughs of a real wave. Bayley came up with the chords one day while playing around on the guitar. He wrote the lyrics in just an hour, prompted by the death of a close friend whose birthday was in June. [9]
In March 2021, the podcast Song Exploder featured an interview with Dave Bayley that specifically discussed the creation of "Heat Waves". He says "weirdly, Johnny Depp was the first person to hear this song." In it, he says that after writing/performing the song late at night alone in the studio, he decided to go home when he realized a stranger was sitting behind him. It was Depp who had been working in another studio. [10]
"Heat Waves" is an example of Dreamland's incorporation of hip hop and electropop elements into Glass Animals' sound. It and "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" rejects the band's acoustic percussion and marimbas in favor of 808 sounds and skittering hi-hats. [11] NME 's Hannah Mylrea categorized the song as "earnest R&B run through the Glass Animals filter", and Pitchfork 's Ian Cohen argued its guitars "could be plucked from any number of 'wavy hip-hop' sample packs meant to emulate Frank Ocean's 'Ivy' on a bedroom producer's budget". [12] [13] A major theme on Dreamland is the pursuit of brief pleasures to cope with the hardships of life, such as lust for others. On "Heat Waves", Bayley sings repeatedly, "Sometimes all I think about is you/Late nights in the middle of June." [11]
The band ran a remix competition for the track, with 19-year-old British producer Shakur Ahmad winning and having his remix issued by the band, alongside a remix by American DJ Diplo in August 2020. [14] Another remix is a collaboration with American rapper Iann Dior. A piano Simlish version was recorded by Bayley for The Sims 4 , and was featured in a limited-time "Sims Sessions" in-game music event in 2021. [15]
Sheet music for this song shows the key of B major (in the C-sharp Dorian mode). [16]
"Heat Waves" was met with positive reviews upon release, with music critics such as Robin Murray, Owen Richards, and Rob Waters praising the song as a "stunningly effective" pop track, "built on a delicious groove and utilising very conventional lyrical structures" while containing enough elements unique to Glass Animals to entice more listeners to them. [17] [18] [19] No Ripcord's Ethan Gordon generally found Dreamland "as momentarily annoying as it is infinitely forgettable" due to its combination of trap percussion and synthesizers being mostly "strained and unpleasant"; however, he considered "Heat Waves" to be the "strongest" mixture of those sounds. [20]
A sleeper hit, "Heat Waves" is the group's most successful single to date. It was voted into first place on the Australian Triple J Hottest 100 of 2020, making Glass Animals the first British act to top the countdown since Mumford & Sons won the 2009 poll with "Little Lion Man". It then spent seven weeks at the top of the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and was later certified as the number one song for 2021 in Australia. It reached No. 1 in March 2021, stayed there until April 2021, and returned to that position in March 2022. [21] It is the first song ever to stay in the Australian top 10 for more than a year, staying there for 85 weeks. It also reached the top 20 in several territories.
In the United States, "Heat Waves" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated 12 March 2022, completing a record-breaking 59-week climb to the position. [22] It dethroned Encanto 's "We Don't Talk About Bruno" after five consecutive weeks at number one. "Heat Waves" previously reached number 10 on the Hot 100 in its 42nd week on the chart, breaking the record for the longest climb to the top 10, surpassing Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" (2007). [23] The song also reached the top five in its 51st week on the chart, breaking the record previously set by Gabby Barrett's "I Hope" (2020). [24] The song was in the top 10 up to its 80th week on the chart. No other song in the chart's history has reached such longevity. [25] [26] This longevity has been attributed to, among other things, a popular fan fiction [27] which shipped Dream and GeorgeNotFound, two internet personalities best known for playing Minecraft . [26] [28]
On the UK Singles Chart the single originally peaked at number 19 in the first half of 2021. After its inclusion in the EA Sports video game FIFA 21 and wide usage as backing music in various TikTok videos, the song re-entered at number 18 in September 2021 and continued to climb into the top 5. [29] [30] [31] The viral video also helped the song climb back up 31 places to number 14 on the Irish Singles Chart in its 41st week on the chart, before peaking at number 5. The track has spent a total of 22 weeks in the top 10 to date, the most among tracks in 2021. [32] The song reached number one on the Billboard Global 200 in the issue dated 5 March 2022, [33] and also reached the same peak on the Global Excl. US chart. [34]
A lyric video heavily based on vaporwave imagery was released through Glass Animals official YouTube account on 30 July 2020. The video was produced by designer Notnarcs. It gained almost 30 million views during its first year on YouTube. As of May 2024, the lyric video on YouTube has amassed over 130 million views.
The official music video for the song, directed by Colin Read, premiered on 29 June 2020. It shows frontman Dave Bayley walking through the streets of East London [35] pulling a wagon stacked with several TVs, filmed by his neighbours using their phones during the COVID-19 lockdowns, before arriving at a venue, setting the TVs up on a stage that then display his bandmates playing their instruments, and singing the rest of the song. Bayley called it "a love letter to live music and the culture and togetherness surrounding it". [36] As of June 2024, the music video has amassed over 700 million views on YouTube.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Heat Waves" | 3:58 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Heat Waves" (with iann dior) | 2:55 |
2. | "Heat Waves" | 3:58 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Heat Waves" (Sonny Fodera remix) | 3:11 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Heat Waves" (Oliver Heldens remix) | 4:03 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Heat Waves" | 3:58 |
2. | "Heat Waves" (Oliver Heldens remix) | 4:03 |
3. | "Heat Waves" (Riton remix) | 2:40 |
4. | "Heat Waves" (Sonny Fodera remix) | 3:11 |
Glass Animals
Technical personnel
Weekly charts | Monthly charts
Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [184] | 18× Platinum | 1,260,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [185] | 5× Platinum | 150,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [186] | 3× Diamond | 480,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [187] | Diamond | 800,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [188] | 2× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [189] | Diamond | 333,333‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [190] | Diamond | 1,000,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [191] | 4× Platinum | 400,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [192] | 8× Platinum | 240,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [193] | Diamond | 250,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [194] | 6× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [195] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [196] | 6× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [197] | 5× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [198] | Diamond | 10,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Central America (CFC) [199] | 2× Platinum | 14,000,000† |
Greece (IFPI Greece) [200] | 3× Platinum | 6,000,000† |
Sweden (GLF) [201] | 3× Platinum | 24,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 9 February 2021 | Contemporary hit radio | Republic | [202] |
"Beggin'" is a song composed by Bob Gaudio and Peggy Farina and first released as a single by American band the Four Seasons in 1967. Initially charting at number 16 in the US Billboard Chart, the song became popular in the Northern soul scene in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. It has been covered multiple times, with versions by Norwegian hip-hop duo Madcon and Italian rock band Måneskin topping music charts in Europe and beyond. The Four Seasons' version was remixed in 2007 by French DJ Pilooski and re-released as a single, reaching number 32 in the UK Singles Chart, commercially outperforming the band's original release in the UK.
"I'm Yours" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, released in 2008 as the first single from his third studio album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.. The song was originally released on a limited edition EP called Extra Credit as a demo in 2005 to promote his second studio album Mr. A–Z. It was performed in his 2004 and 2005 gigs and already became a crowd favorite before its release. "I'm Yours" was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 51st Grammy Awards.
"Raise Your Glass" is a song recorded by American singer Pink for her first greatest hits album Greatest Hits... So Far!!! (2010). It was written by Pink along with frequent collaborators Max Martin and Karl "Shellback" Schuster. The song celebrates the first decade since Pink's debut in 2000, and is dedicated to her fans who have been supporting her over the years. It was released as the lead single from Greatest Hits... So Far!!! on October 5, 2010, by LaFace Records.
"Animals" is a big room house instrumental by Dutch DJ and record producer Martin Garrix, released as a digital download on 17 June 2013 on iTunes. The song quickly became popular within the EDM culture, leading to Garrix becoming the youngest producer to ever have a song reach number one on the electronic music store Beatport. The track was a commercial success, reaching the top ten or topping on a number of electronic music charts and even some mainstream ones. It became number 1 on singles charts in the United Kingdom, French-speaking Switzerland and Belgium. In the United States it reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Dance chart.
"Waves" is a song by Dutch singer and rapper Mr. Probz. Originally released through Left Lane Productions on 26 April 2013, the song became an international hit upon being remixed in a more up-tempo fashion by German DJ and record producer Robin Schulz, with Schulz's remix topping the charts in multiple countries, including Austria, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. "Waves" was sent to US dance radio by Ultra Music on 14 April 2014. The remix was the fourth best-selling song of 2014 in the UK, selling over 800,000 copies.
Glass Animals are an English indie rock band formed in Oxford in 2010. The band's line-up consists of Dave Bayley, Drew MacFarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer, and Joe Seaward (drums).
"Goosebumps" is a song by American rapper Travis Scott featuring fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was sent to rhythmic radio on December 13, 2016, by Grand Hustle Records and Epic Records as the third single from Scott's second studio album, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.
"Gooey" is a song by British experimental rock band Glass Animals, released on 14 February 2014 as the lead single from their debut studio album Zaba (2014).
"Cover Me in Sunshine" is a song by American singer and songwriter Pink and her daughter Willow Sage Hart. It was written by Amy Allen and Mozella with production by A Strut. The song debuted via video-sharing social media platform TikTok on February 8, while the full version was released on February 12, 2021, as a single through RCA Records.
"Dance Monkey" is a song by Australian singer Tones and I, released on 10 May 2019 as the second single from Tones and I's debut EP, The Kids Are Coming. The song was produced and mixed by Konstantin Kersting.
"Cruel Summer" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). Swift and Jack Antonoff produced the song, and they wrote it with St. Vincent. "Cruel Summer" is a synth-pop, industrial pop, and electropop song composed of synths, wobbling beats, and vocoder-manipulated vocals. The lyrics are about an intense romance during a painful summer.
Dreamland is the third studio album by English indie rock band Glass Animals. It was released on 7 August 2020, having been pushed back from its initial release date of 10 July 2020.
"Ghost" is a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. It was sent to French radio stations through Universal Music Group on September 10, 2021, as the sixth and final single from his sixth studio album, Justice. Jon Bellion wrote the song with Bieber and produced it with the Monsters & Strangerz, alongside Michael Pollack. It is an uptempo pop rock and synth-pop ballad with influences from grime, EDM, and drum and bass. The song combines folky acoustic guitar, intricate programmed drums, and shimmering EDM synthesizers, producing a sound that leans into adult contemporary. Lyrically, it explores the grief and longing from the absence of a loved one.
"Stay" is a song by Australian rapper and singer the Kid Laroi and Canadian singer Justin Bieber. It was released through Grade A Productions and Columbia Records on 9 July 2021, as the lead single from Laroi's reloaded mixtape, F*ck Love 3: Over You. Laroi and Bieber wrote the song with Haan, FnZ members Finatik & Zac, and producers Cashmere Cat, Charlie Puth, Omer Fedi, and Blake Slatkin. The song marks the second collaboration between the two artists, following Bieber's song, "Unstable", a track from his sixth studio album, Justice (2021).
"Thats What I Want" is a song by American rapper Lil Nas X, released through Columbia Records on September 17, 2021, as the fourth single from his debut studio album Montero (2021). It is a pop rock song with elements of power pop, while the artist is singing about wanting love. It was written by Lil Nas X and the song's producers, Omer Fedi, Blake Slatkin, Ryan Tedder, and KBeaZy.
"Enemy" is a song by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons and American rapper JID. It was released through Interscope Records and Kidinakorner on October 28, 2021, as the lead single of the soundtrack to the Netflix animated series Arcane, to which it also serves as the opening theme. The song was written by the artists alongside Justin Tranter and the producers Mattman & Robin. The song was also included on the band's fifth studio album Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 (2022). The song became JID's first song to reach the top 5 in the US, and became the band's first song to reach the top 5 since the 2017 song "Thunder". In 2023, for the 35th anniversary of Alternative Airplay – where "Enemy" charted for 54 weeks, of which 9 were spent at the top spot – Billboard ranked the song as the 14th-most successful in the chart's history.
"ABCDEFU" (also known by its radio-edited title "ABC (Nicer)"; stylized in all lowercase) is the major-label debut single by American singer Gayle, released on August 13, 2021, through Atlantic and Arthouse Records. It was co-written by Gayle with Sara Davis and David Pittenger, and produced by Pete Nappi. The song is the lead single from Gayle's debut EP A Study of the Human Experience Volume One.
"As It Was" is a song by English singer-songwriter Harry Styles, released through Erskine and Columbia on 1 April 2022 as the lead single from his third studio album, Harry's House (2022). The song was written by Styles alongside his producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson.
"Creepin'" is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin, Canadian singer the Weeknd, and British-American rapper 21 Savage. It was sent to Italian contemporary hit radio through Republic Records and Boominati Worldwide as the lead and only single from Metro's second studio album, Heroes & Villains, on January 27, 2023. It is a remake of "I Don't Wanna Know" (2004) by Mario Winans featuring Enya and P. Diddy, which is based on a sample of the Fugees' song "Ready or Not" (1996), and itself samples Enya's "Boadicea" (1987). Winans himself returned to contribute to the song as a backing vocalist along with Travis Scott. Diddy himself would also join the artists on a remix of the song on March 17, 2023.
"Heat Waves" is the sound of them interacting with right now. Trap drum programming, woozy electronic bass and keyboards, pitched-down vocals, a guitar loop that blurs into the digital morass: Rarely has this band leaned so hard into the pop side of that "psych-pop" descriptor
...while 'Heat Waves' sees earnest R&B run through the Glass Animals filter.