"Love Me Harder" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Ariana Grande and the Weeknd | ||||
from the album My Everything | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | September 30, 2014 | |||
Recorded | 2014 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:56 | |||
Label | Republic | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Ariana Grande singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Weeknd singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Love Me Harder" on YouTube |
"Love Me Harder" is a song by the American singer Ariana Grande and the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released by Republic Records on September 30,2014,as the fourth single from Grande's second studio album,My Everything (2014). It was written by the Weeknd,Max Martin,Savan Kotecha,Peter Svensson,Ali Payami and Belly. The song was produced by Payami and Peter Carlsson,with Svensson serving as a vocal producer. Sonically,"Love Me Harder" is a pop,synthwave,synth-pop,R&B ballad with a "throbbing,electro-heavy chorus",a guitar riff and "big vacuum-esque synths". Lyrically,the song features double entendres about rough sex.
In the United States,the song peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100,becoming Grande's fourth consecutive top-ten single off the album and making her the artist with the most top-ten singles in 2014. The song also became the Weeknd's first top ten entry in the US. The Hannah Lux Davis-directed video finds Grande writhing on a sandy floor and the Weeknd walking through a rainstorm. As of 2020,the song had sold 1.3 million copies in the United States,and has since been certified quintiple platinum by the RIAA.
The collaboration between Grande and the Weeknd was pushed by their mutual label,Republic Records. [1] Grande and the Weeknd were up-and-coming artists in 2013,with both releasing their debut albums that year. In an interview with Billboard ,Republic Records executive vice president Charlie Walk stated,"The Weeknd is positioned to be best new artist of 2014. He is that guy." [2] Producer Max Martin sent the Weeknd an unfinished version of the track. According to the Weeknd,"It was a great song,but it was a little generic. I couldn't hear myself on it. So I changed it and made it dark." Martin liked the Weeknd's revised lyrics. The Weeknd later recalled that "It was kind of like the label giving me an alley-oop. I think that's where the stars aligned for me. When I see an opening I penetrate it." [3] In June 2014,Walk posted a photo on his Instagram with the caption,"When you talk about artist development and pure talent,the Weeknd comes to mind. I just heard a duet with a female friend of ours that’s a global smash. Can’t wait for the fall!." Later,it was revealed that the collaborator was Ariana Grande. [1] [ dead link ]
Later,Walk admitted that the collaboration was part of a strategy to promote the Weeknd,saying,"It's no accident that the new Ariana track features The Weeknd. That's strategic,because he's about to blow up with his own record." [4] On June 30,2014,it was revealed the track list for Grande's second studio album and the collaboration with The Weeknd was called "Love Me Harder". [5] The song was first teased during a post on Grande's Instagram account,where she shared a 15-second snippet of the track on August 4,2014, [6] and later during a preview of four tracks on MTV's website on August 20,2014. [7] Chris Martins of Spin thought the preview has Grande getting "downright nasty" on the track. [8] Later,"Love Me Harder" was announced to be the album's fourth single, [9] being serviced to US rhythmic-crossover radio on September 30,2014. [10]
"Love Me Harder" was written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Peter Svensson, Ali Payami, Abel Tesfaye and the rapper Belly. It was produced by Payami and Peter Carlsson, while Svensson provided vocal production. The song is a duet sung between Grande and The Weeknd. Sheet music for this song shows four sharps with a suggested tempo of "moderately" in common time. Grande's vocals range from the note of E3 to F♯5. [11] It is a midtempo synthwave, pop, synth-pop and R&B ballad, [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] which starts small and mellow, before having "a 'throbbing', electro-heavy chorus", [18] with a guitar riff, [19] while "big vacuum-esque synths zip" are heard throughout the track. [18] Meanwhile, Richard S. He from Billboard described the song as "A sparkling synthwave-R&B track that teeters on the edge of explicit—and is all the more seductive for it". [20] Rob Copsey wrote for The Official Charts Company that "Love Me Harder" is reminiscent of Drake's "most emotional" songs like "Find Your Love" (2010) and "Hold On, We're Going Home" (2013), [21] while Nick Levine of Time Out called the song a "cross between Robyn and Mariah Carey". [22]
Lyrically, the song has Grande demanding for romantic satisfaction, [19] filled with double entendres about rough sex. [16] In the beginning, Grande wants a man to "utterly satisfy her in moments of breath taking, space invading, pleasure, pain, lip biting and bliss," singing: "Baby, in that moment, you'll know this is/Something bigger than us and beyond bliss." [23] In the chorus, she lets her potential mate know that if he is really serious about keeping her, he has to up his game, [15] warning: "'Cause if you want to keep me, you gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, got to love me harder/And if you really need me, you gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, got to love me harder." [23] Later, The Weeknd plays a role of a shady love interest with skeletons in his closet, [24] with lines about "how it feels for a woman to have intercourse," followed by carnal promises, [23] singing: "Can you feel the pressure between your hips/ I’ll make you feel like the first time." [21] In the bridge, "Grande and Weeknd trade provocative 'oohs'." [15]
The song received critical acclaim upon its release. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted that Grande allowed the Weeknd to "suck up" the spotlight on the track. [25] Jason Lipshut of Billboard noted that "the pairing somehow makes sense," praising the Weeknd's "ultra-sincere crooning" and the "driving guitar riff" for being "delicious 80's cheese". [19] Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times called it a "darker (and more fully realized) R&B jam than anyone probably expected from a 21-year-old singer once known for her endless supply of pastel princess dresses." [16] Kitty Empire of The Guardian wrote that the song's "saturated, mid-tempo atmospherics" stand out, noting that Weeknd's "own sleaze quotient is radically toned down here, but this remains sophisticated stuff, where Grande surprisingly holds her own." [26] Michelle Geslani of Consequence of Sound labelled it "yearning and infectious," calling the pairing "a match made in vocal heaven — Grande’s feathery vox and The Weeknd’s slick croon complement one another rather perfectly." [27] Bradley Stern wrote for Idolator that the track is "an irresistibly smooth synth-pop production," [28] while Carolyn Menyes of Music Times was very receptive with the duo, writing that "they meld really well together." [29]
Writing for The Official Charts Company, Rob Copsey named it the sexiest song on the album, also calling it a "sultry number." [21] Lindsay Zoladz of Vulture.com claimed the song "is not only one of her strongest tracks to date, but it’s also the least bad thing The Weeknd has done in recent memory." [30] Adam Workman of The National wrote Grande is "effective" on the track and that The Weeknd "worryingly hits higher-pitched peaks than Grande." [31] Aimee Cliff of Fact picked it as the album's highlight, saying that the song "is actually improved by The Weeknd’s presence, [...] his sleaze is turned down several notches as his clean-cut falsetto battles Ariana’s octave-juggling over an irresistible thump." [24] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy praised Grande for "successfully drag[ging] The Weeknd out of his Pitchfork mixtape mindset to sound like an upbeat popstar over subtle grooves and disco claps on [the] captivating serenade [track]." [32] Nick Levine of Time Out called the song "gorgeous", [22] while Rory Cashin of entertainment.ie found that the song has "Grande at her most obviously sexy without being overly explicit, and it works fantastically." [33] Evan Sawdey of PopMatters went out to describe it as "the best song Grande has put out to date," declaring: "The dark, sensual throb of The Weeknd collaboration 'Love Me Harder' actually showcases Grande's voice in its most effective setting, the slow-motion strobelight jam allowing her to come off as teasing, assertive, and knowing all at once." [34] Edwin Ortiz of Complex placed the song at number 8 on "The 50 Best Songs of 2014" list, declaring:
"The unlikely pairing of Ariana Grande and The Weeknd proved to be a stroke of genius on 'Love Me Harder', a seductive synth-pop duet that manages to push both artists out of their comfort zones, while also remaining appealing to each of their core values. [...] "'Love Me Harder' is earmarked as a defining musical moment of 2014. Stroke of genius, indeed." [15]
In the United States, after spending a couple of weeks on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, "Love Me Harder" made its official debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 79. [35] The following week, it jumped to number 57 before ascending to number 37 in its third week, becoming the Weeknd's first top-40 single on the chart. [36] In its fifth week, after the music video's official release, "Love Me Harder" soared to its peak of number seven, becoming Grande's fourth consecutive top-ten single from My Everything, and fifth overall. [37] By becoming her fourth top ten single, Grande became the singer with most top ten entries of 2014, along with her past top ten singles "Problem", "Break Free", and "Bang Bang". In addition, "Love Me Harder" became the Weeknd's first top ten entry on the Billboard Hot 100. [37] As of June 2020, the song had sold 1.3 million copies in the United States and has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [38]
In Canada, the single reached the top ten, [39] and entered the top twenty in many other countries such as Australia, Finland, Italy and the Netherlands. [40] [41] [42] [43] In many countries, the song became the Weeknd's first chart appearance. [40] [42] [44] [45] [46]
On October 1, 2014, Grande confirmed she was working on the music video for "Love Me Harder" [47] and Grande's manager Scooter Braun posted a picture on Instagram of the set. [48] In the following days, Grande teased fans by posting photos from the video shoot. [49] [50] [51] The lyric video for "Love Me Harder" was released on October 18, 2014. [52] [53] The music video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis, who also directed the video for Grande's joint single "Bang Bang." [54] A behind-the-scenes video was released on October 28, 2014, [55] where Davis discussed the video's concept, claiming: "Our visuals are really about this tug of war of just loving harder and the compromise of giving in and needing more and wanting more." [56] It premiered on Vevo on November 3, 2014, [57] [58] and surpassed 100 million views on January 11, 2015, making it Grande's fifth Vevo-certified music video, following "The Way", "Problem", "Break Free", as well as her joint single with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj, "Bang Bang". [59] It has received over 827 million views on YouTube, as of September 2024. [60]
The video opens with "dramatic lightning in a sky boiling over with orange clouds." Throughout the music video, Ariana and the Weeknd "withstand earth, wind and water, symbolizing what one would do for love," as MTV's Emilee Lindner claimed. [56] Lindner continued: "Grande writhes around on a sandy floor, the Weeknd walks nonchalantly through an indoor rain storm, and toward the end, we find Ariana in a pool of water with an air of confidence. At one point, they sing back-to-back, ultimately illustrating what the song is about — being unable to face the wants and needs of a relationship." [56] Lidner called it "her most serious video to date." [56] Gabby Bess of Paper called its visuals "a departure from her previous videos and mark a new, sultry era for the mini diva." [61] Ariana Bacle of Entertainment Weekly agreed, snorting that "The video’s vibe, sensual and mysterious, is an obvious departure from Grande’s earlier work [...] but fits the song, a stripped-down ballad that’s meant to showcase the two singers’ voices." [17]
Grande and the Weeknd performed the song together live for the first time on the season 40 premiere of Saturday Night Live on September 27, 2014, and for a second time at the American Music Awards on November 23, 2014. [62] [63] Grande also performed part of the song as part of a medley at the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which aired on December 9, 2014, on CBS, and again at the 2015 NBA All-Star Game on February 15, 2015. [64] [65] She also performed the song during The Honeymoon Tour (2015). The performance started with her alone atop a pedestal that rose at the back of the stage. [66] During the shows in Miami, Florida and Inglewood, California, Justin Bieber performed the track with her. [67] "Love Me Harder" was part of Grande's set list at the Dangerous Woman Tour and One Love Manchester, a benefit concert she headlined on June 4, 2017, for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing. [68] She also performed the song during the Sweetener World Tour on all dates from March 19, 2019, to October 16, 2019, before it got removed. "Love Me Harder" was added to the set list of the Weeknd's After Hours til Dawn Tour, being performed on all dates between October 7, 2023, and October 25, 2023.
Credits adapted from My Everything liner notes. [71]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [124] | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [125] | Gold | 15,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [126] | Diamond | 250,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [127] | 3× Platinum | 240,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [128] | Platinum | 60,000^ |
Germany (BVMI) [129] | Gold | 200,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [130] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [131] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [132] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [133] | Gold | 5,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [134] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
Sweden (GLF) [135] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [136] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [137] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000 [38] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | September 30, 2014 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | Republic | [138] |
October 7, 2014 | Contemporary hit radio | |||
November 10, 2014 | Hot adult contemporary radio | [139] | ||
Australia | November 21, 2014 | Digital download | [69] | |
New Zealand | [140] | |||
Italy | December 5, 2014 | Radio airplay | Universal | [141] |
Various | December 6, 2024 | 7-inch vinyl | Republic | [142] |
Karl Martin Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish record producer and songwriter. He rose to prominence in the late 1990s with songwriting credits on a string of hit singles, such as Britney Spears's "...Baby One More Time" (1998), the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" (1999), Celine Dion's "That's the Way It Is" (1999) and NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me" (2000).
Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon, she is an influential figure in popular music and is known for her four-octave vocal range which extends into the whistle register.
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer-songwriter and actor. Recognized for his unconventional musical production, artistic reinventions, and signature falsetto register, Tesfaye is one of the most innovative and influential artists of his generation.
The American singer, songwriter, and actress Ariana Grande has released seven studio albums, one soundtrack album, one live album, one remix album, one compilation album, two extended plays (EPs), sixty singles, and fourteen promotional singles. Throughout her career thus far, Grande has sold over 90 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she has sold over 131 million units, across albums, singles, and features, and 13 million albums and 95.5 million digital singles units as a lead artist. In the U.S., Grande has moved 22.4 million album units, and garnered over 23.6 billion streams across lead artist credits, according to Luminate. Having amassed over 105 billion consumed streams thus far, Grande is the most streamed female artist ever. She is also the most streamed female artist of the 2010s on Spotify and Apple Music. She has amassed 86 chart entries on the Billboard Hot 100—the third most entries for a female artist—including nine number ones and 22 top-10 hits altogether so far. Grande was named the sixth top female artist of the 2010s decade, and was ranked among Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists, at number 78. Grande is also one of the best selling female artists in the UK, with over 31 million units.
Yours Truly is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande. It was released on August 30, 2013, by Republic Records. The album's songs were recorded over nearly a three-year period, with Harmony Samuels, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Patrick "J. Que" Smith and Grande's Victorious co-star Leon Thomas III, as well as others, handling the album's music production. Featured collaborators include Big Sean, Mika, Mac Miller, and The Wanted's Nathan Sykes.
Christmas Kisses is the debut Christmas record and extended play (EP) by American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande. It was released on December 13, 2013, in most countries, and on December 17, 2013, in the United States, as a collection of two covers of classic Christmas songs, and two original songs. On December 3, 2014, the Japanese special edition was released for CD and two days later for digital download. It peaked at number twenty-five on the Oricon chart. The EP went on to sell 68,871 copies in the US and over 405,000 copies worldwide.
"Problem" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande, featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released by Republic Records on April 28, 2014 as the lead single from Grande's second studio album, My Everything (2014). It was written by both alongside Savan Kotecha, Ilya and Max Martin, being produced by the latter two with Shellback, with Peter Carlsson serving as a vocal producer. "Problem" is an uptempo dance-pop and R&B song with influences of funk music, which comprises a melody based on drums, saxophone loops, and trumpets. The chorus features uncredited background vocals from American hip-hop artist Big Sean. Lyrically, Grande has stated that the song is about "the feeling of being absolutely terrified to re-approach a relationship that's gone sour – but you want to more than anything."
"Break Free" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande, featuring Russian-German music producer Zedd. It was released by Republic Records on July 3, 2014, as the second single from Grande's second studio album, My Everything (2014). It was written by Savan Kotecha and its producers Zedd and Max Martin. Musically, the song explores EDM and electro genres, a musical departure for Grande, whose discography is primarily composed of pop and R&B.
My Everything is the second studio album by American singer Ariana Grande, released on August 22, 2014, by Republic Records. In the album's production, Grande worked with a host of producers and co-writers, including Max Martin, Shellback, Benny Blanco, Ryan Tedder, Darkchild, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Zedd, and David Guetta.
"Bang Bang" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande, and Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released by Lava and Republic Records on 28 July 2014 as the lead single from Jessie J's third studio album, Sweet Talker (2014). The song was written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Rickard Göransson, Grande and Minaj. It was produced by Martin, Göransson, and Ilya, with Kuk Harrell serving as a vocal producer. It is also included on the deluxe version of Grande's second studio album My Everything (2014), serving as the third single from that album.
"Best Mistake" is a song by American recording artist Ariana Grande that features American hip hop recording artist Big Sean. The song served as a promotional single from Grande's second studio album, My Everything (2014), and was released at midnight on August 12, 2014. Written by Grande, Big Sean, and Key Wane with production being done by the latter, the song is a ballad with piano, string, and drum machine instrumentation that lyrically deals with a couple trying to decide on what their future, troubled relationship is going to be like.
"One Last Time" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released digitally by Republic Records on August 22, 2014 as the second promotional single from her second studio album, My Everything (2014). The song was sent to contemporary hit radio as the fifth and final single from the album on February 10, 2015. It was written by David Guetta, Savan Kotecha, Giorgio Tuinfort, Rami Yacoub, and Carl Falk. The song was produced by the latter two, with Tuinfort serving as a co-producer and Ilya serving both as a co-producer and vocal producer. A French version of the song featuring French singer Kendji Girac, alternatively titled "Attends-moi", was released on February 16, 2015, in France, Belgium and Switzerland. It is also included on the deluxe version of Girac's debut studio album Kendji (2015). An Italian version of the song featuring Italian rapper Fedez was released on May 26, 2015, only in Italy.
The Honeymoon Tour was the second concert tour and the first world tour by American singer Ariana Grande, in support of her second studio album, My Everything (2014). It was officially announced on September 10, 2014. It traveled across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. The tour began on February 25, 2015, in Independence, Missouri, and concluded on October 25, 2015, in São Paulo, Brazil.
"Santa Tell Me" is a Christmas song by American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande. It was released by Republic Records on November 24, 2014, and was included on the Japanese exclusive reissue of Grande's first EP Christmas Kisses (2013), as well as a "naughty version" on Grande's second EP Christmas & Chill (2015). The song was written by Grande, Savan Kotecha, and Ilya Salmanzadeh, who also served as its producer.
"Focus" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released on October 30, 2015, by Republic Records. Originally intended to be the lead single off of Grande's third studio album, Dangerous Woman, then named Moonlight, the song was scrapped from the album with its title track serving as the official lead single. The song appears as a bonus track on the Japan deluxe edition of the album. Written by Grande, Savan Kotecha, Peter Svensson and produced by Ilya Salmanzadeh and Max Martin, the song features horns with cowbells and handclaps as percussion.
"Dangerous Woman" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released on March 11, 2016 by Republic Records as the lead single from her third studio album of the same name (2016). It was written by Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan, and Max Martin, produced by Martin and Carlsson. "Dangerous Woman" is a mid-tempo pop, retro-soul and R&B song.
Dangerous Woman is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande. It was released through Republic Records on May 20, 2016. Grande began work on the album shortly after the release of her second studio album My Everything (2014). Grande served as the album's executive producer, alongside Max Martin and Savan Kotecha. Guest vocals on the album are provided by Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Macy Gray and Future.
"Into You" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released on June 28, 2016, by Republic Records as the second single from her third studio album Dangerous Woman (2016). Grande co-wrote the song with Savan Kotecha, Alexander Kronlund, and its producers Max Martin and Ilya. The song was made available for digital download on May 6, 2016, via pre-order of the album, and was later serviced to US contemporary hit and rhythmic radio stations on June 28 as the album's second single. It is a dance-pop, house, electro, and EDM song that features a club beat, synths, and sharp clicks. The song is about Grande's desire for her partner to show more affection in their relationship. The song received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised the production and the lyrics of the song.
"Die for You" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, from his third studio album, Starboy (2016). The song was sent to US rhythmic contemporary radio on September 19, 2017, as the seventh single from the album. It was written by the Weeknd, Doc McKinney, Cirkut, Prince 85, Cashmere Cat, Dylan Wiggins, and Billy Walsh, and produced by the former five.
"Off the Table" is a song by the American singer Ariana Grande and the Canadian singer the Weeknd from Grande's sixth studio album, Positions (2020). The two wrote the song while its composers were Grande, Steven Franks, Travis Sayles, and its producers Tommy Brown and Shintaro. It is a slow emotional R&B ballad about rekindling a romantic relationship, which received generally positive reviews from music critics. A live performance music video of "Off the Table" was released on July 21, 2021.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)