Let It Go (James Bay song)

Last updated
"Let It Go"
Let it Go by James Bay.jpg
Single by James Bay
from the album Chaos and the Calm and the EP Let It Go
Released15 September 2014
Recorded2013–2014
Studio Nashville, Tennessee
Genre
Length
  • 4:21(album version)
  • 4:08(international edit)
  • 3:45(radio mix)
Label Republic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Jacquire King
James Bay singles chronology
"Let It Go"
(2014)
"Hold Back the River"
(2014)
Music video
"Let It Go" on YouTube

"Let It Go" is a song by English singer-songwriter James Bay. It was released in Europe on 15 September 2014 through Republic Records as the first single from Bay's second extended play of the same name. It was included on Bay's debut studio album Chaos and the Calm (2014). The song was written by Bay with Paul Barry and produced by Jacquire King. The Let It Go EP was released prior on 3 May 2014.

Contents

The song was re-released in March 2015 after "Hold Back the River" and peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in July 2015, beating its previous peak of 62 on 27 September 2014. [1] In May 2015, "Let It Go" peaked at number 8 in Australia, whilst in New Zealand, the song debuted on June 15, 2015, at number 31, before climbing to number 24 the following week. A week after that, the song entered the top 10 of the chart, peaking at number 10. "Let It Go" is Bay's first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 16. A remix by Jack Steadman was released in 2015.

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Let It Go" was first released onto YouTube on 23 March 2015. [2]

Critical reception

Gregory Robson of AbsolutePunk called "Let It Go" a "rising current of despondency, heartache and powerhouse vocals" and "the clearest example of who exactly Bay is, that is, supple instrumentation, gauzy textures and that ageless croon". [3]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Let It Go"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [42] 3× Platinum210,000
Belgium (BEA) [43] Gold10,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [44] 2× Platinum120,000
Canada (Music Canada) [45] 5× Platinum400,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [46] 3× Platinum270,000
Germany (BVMI) [47] Platinum600,000
Netherlands (NVPI) [48] Platinum30,000
New Zealand (RMNZ) [49] Platinum15,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway) [50] Platinum10,000
Portugal (AFP) [51] 2× Platinum40,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [52] Platinum60,000
Sweden (GLF) [53] 2× Platinum80,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [54] 4× Platinum2,400,000
United States (RIAA) [55] 6× Platinum6,000,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelCatalogue no.
Europe3 May 2014 Download (EP) Republic [56]
15 September 2014Download (single)00602547187154 [57]
United States18 April 2015 CD (EP)DNR22594-02 [58]

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