Background and writing
Keith discussed the inspiration for the song on his website in 2000. "Initially, I said, 'Here's my title: "You Never Loved Me Before, So How Do You Like Me Now?'" It's one of my catch-phrases. A lot of people become successful after they've been told they won't ever be, so people can relate to this. It can be about an old flame or a boss or a teacher -whatever it means to each individual. It was a fun song to write. [1] "
Keith had originally recorded the song near the end of his contract with Mercury Records Nashville in the late 1990s. According to a 2005 interview with Billboard , Keith had the album How Do You Like Me Now?! completed, but label executives rejected the entire album except for two songs: "Getcha Some" and "If a Man Answers", both of which were put on his 1998 Greatest Hits album. After he recorded two more songs which were also rejected, he asked to terminate his contract with Mercury, and purchased the rights to the rest of the album. Upon the album's release in late 1999, both the album and its lead single, "When Love Fades", were performing poorly on the charts; as a result, Keith asked that "When Love Fades" be withdrawn as a single in favor of "How Do You Like Me Now?!" Keith stated that DreamWorks executives were "scared to put it out", but within five days of Keith's request, "When Love Fades" was withdrawn and "How Do You Like Me Now?!" was released. [2]
At the 2001 Academy of Country Music awards, the song was nominated for Single of the Year and Song of the Year. [3] The song remains one of Keith's signature songs.
Chart positions
"How Do You Like Me Now?!" debuted at number 57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of November 20, 1999. The song spent five weeks at Number One on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Songs chart beginning in March 2000. [7] The song also became the fourth number one hit of his career, his first since "Me Too" in 1997, and was the first number-one single for the now defunct DreamWorks Nashville label. In December 2000, Billboard declared "How Do You Like Me Now?!" to be the number one country single of 2000. Following Keith's death on February 5, 2024, the single would re-enter the Hot Country Songs chart at number 23 on the chart week dated February 17, 2024, being one of five Toby Keith songs to re-enter the chart that week.
It was his first major crossover hit, peaking at number 31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
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