Need 2

Last updated
"Need 2"
Single by Pinegrove
from the album Mixtape Two
Everything So Far
ReleasedMay 29, 2014 (2014-05-29)
Genre
Length3:11
Label Run for Cover
Songwriter(s) Evan Stephens Hall
Producer(s) Evan Stephens Hall

"Need 2" is a song recorded by the American rock band Pinegrove. The song was first released on May 29, 2014, and later re-released as a single on June 15, 2023. [1]

Contents

Background

"Need 2" was performed, recorded, and co-mixed by Evan Stephens Hall, the chief force behind Pinegrove. In 2014, the band had released one album and several extended plays, including &, which caught the ear of a listener in Canada. This fan contacted Hall to suggest releasing a cassette of the EP, with a brand-new EP encompassing side two. Hall challenged himself to write another series of songs with the same runtime, leading to the development of "Need 2". [2] The song opens with a field recording of birds before segueing into a droning, despondent guitar riff. In a Reddit r/IAmA , Hall mentions his satisfaction with the original recording, which was made in his bedroom, [2] noting that while other songs in their catalogue have been re-interpreted over time, "Need 2" gets it right. [3] In the same thread, he reveals the song is a mediation on songwriting itself; [4] he expanded on the song's influences in a Rolling Stone piece some time later:

"I was just sort of bummed out, spaced out, bored, those classic early-Green Day tropes. And then, too, this is really a song about songwriting, ultimately, and just trying to spur myself on. [...] I was also reading a lot of Lydia Davis at the time, who’s known for flash fiction, I guess you could say, or prose poetry. So I was interested in writing songs that just had a single idea in them. And there are few lyrics in this song. It's pretty much just like, 'OK, and here I am, a human on this Earth; everything's a little bit fucked right now, and yet I am compelled to make things. Why is that? Isn't that strange? Why do I seem to need to?'" [2]

"Need 2" debuted as a part of that digital EP, Mixtape Two, first self-released on Bandcamp on May 29, 2014. At the time, Hall aimed to be conversational in his lyricism, more direct and to-the-point than concerned with interlocking themes, as in his past work. With Mixtape Two, he said: "That was a real turning point. It allowed me to move towards simplicity. Because complexity is a little bit of a defense mechanism." [5] "Need 2" was later included as a part of the band's early-career compilation, Everything So Far, first self-released on CD-R and cassette in 2014 and later widely released through Run for Cover in 2015. [6]

Release and reception

Jeff Ihaza from Rolling Stone viewed the song as "palpably moody". [2]

The song was the subject of a viral TikTok dance in 2023 dubbed the "Pinegrove Shuffle". [7] In the aftermath of the song's exposure, the band uploaded a lyric video of the song to YouTube, edited by Rena Johnson; [8] they also released a digital single of the song with three different versions of the song (a slow version, a sped-up version, and a "hyperspeed" version), [9] [10] owing to a larger TikTok trend of uptempo remixes of popular songs. [11]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Mixtape Two on Bandcamp. [12]

Pinegrove

Production

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Need 2"
Chart (2023)Peak
position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [13] 12

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Need 2"
Chart (2023)Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) [14] 62

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [15] Silver200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobody (Skindred song)</span> 2005 single by Skindred

"Nobody" is the debut single by Welsh reggae metal band Skindred, released in 2005 from the band's debut album Babylon. It peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 23 on its Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K Camp</span> American rapper

Kristopher Thomas Campbell, known professionally as K Camp is an American rapper. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, he first garnered attention following the release of his 2013 single "Money Baby", which led him to sign with Interscope Records. Released in December of that year, his single "Cut Her Off" became his first and highest-charting entry—at number 49—on the Billboard Hot 100. Both songs received platinum certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and preceded the release of his debut extended play (EP), In Due Time (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TV Girl</span> American indie rock band

TV Girl is an American indie pop band from San Diego, California, consisting of Brad Petering, Jason Wyman, and Wyatt Harmon.

<i>French Exit</i> (album) 2014 studio album by TV Girl

French Exit is the debut studio album by American indie pop band TV Girl. It was released on June 5, 2014 and follows the release of their first mixtape The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle and their third EP Lonely Women. The band describe the album's songs as "about lost lust, too much love and not enough."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinegrove (band)</span> American rock band

Pinegrove is an American rock band formed in Montclair, New Jersey in 2010. The band's lineup is largely fluid and variable, with singer-songwriter Evan Stephens Hall and drummer Zack Levine representing its core members. The two met as children and played in various bands before founding Pinegrove. The band's musical style, which uses instruments such as the banjo and pedal steel guitar, is commonly described as a mix between alt-country and emo. Pinegrove's early years were spent self-releasing music – including their debut album, Meridian (2012) – and performing do-it-yourself (DIY) house shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia O'Brien</span> American singer

Olivia Gail O'Brien is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to fame in 2016 after collaborating with Gnash on the single "I Hate U, I Love U", which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and number one in Australia. The success resulted in a recording contract with Island Records, with whom she released two extended plays, three mixtapes, and her debut studio album Was It Even Real? (2019).

<i>Meridian</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Pinegrove

Meridian is the debut studio album by American rock band Pinegrove, self-released on February 29, 2012. Pinegrove, formed in Montclair, New Jersey two years earlier, spent its early years self-recording its music at home. Meridian offers eight songs, including fan favorite "Recycling", that showcase its mix of alternative country and emo. All of its contents were composed by the band's frontman, singer-songwriter Evan Stephens Hall. He and drummer Zack Levine founded the group. Meridian also features contributions from occasional band members Nick Levine, Aidan Feliciano, and Nandi Rose Plunkett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surf Curse</span> American surf rock band

Surf Curse is an American indie surf rock band formed in 2012 in Reno, Nevada, and now based in Los Angeles. The band was formed by Nick Rattigan and Jacob Rubeck (guitars), and now also includes Henry Dillon and Noah Kholl. The band achieved mainstream success after their song "Freaks", written in 2011 and released in 2013, became popular on the short-form video platform TikTok in 2020. In 2024, their 2019 song "Disco", would also go viral on TikTok, topping the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in September 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beach Bunny (band)</span> American rock band

Beach Bunny is an American rock band formed in 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. Initially a solo project by guitarist and vocalist Lili Trifilio, Beach Bunny became a full band in 2017. The group achieved widespread popularity after their 2018 song "Prom Queen" went viral on TikTok in late 2019. Their 2020 song "Cloud 9" also after went viral on TikTok in 2021.

<i>Ho, Why Is You Here?</i> 2020 mixtape by Flo Milli

Ho, Why Is You Here? is the debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Flo Milli. It was released on July 24, 2020, by '94 Sounds and RCA Records. All songs were written by Flo Milli alongside their producers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Longest Johns</span> British folk music group

The Longest Johns are an English folk musical group from Bristol, England, consisting of Andy Yates, Jonathan "JD" Darley, and Robbie Sattin. They are known for performing folk music and sea shanties in the English tradition, and they also compose and record their own music. They gained popularity from their rendition of the folk song "Wellerman", which went viral on TikTok in early 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Break It Off (PinkPantheress song)</span> 2021 single by PinkPantheress

"Break It Off" is a song by English singer-songwriter PinkPantheress. It was officially released on 4 June 2021 through Elektra and Parlophone Records, as the lead single from her debut mixtape To Hell with It. An uptempo drum and bass and experimental pop song about heartbreak, it was written and produced by PinkPantheress and Adam F, and samples F's song "Circles". A snippet of the song went viral on TikTok, and it subsequently peaked at number 74 on the UK Singles Chart and at number 30 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. A visualizer for the song was directed by Malt Disney and released on 21 June 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salem Ilese</span> American singer and songwriter

Salem Ilese Davern is an American singer-songwriter best known for her viral singles "Mad at Disney" and "PS5". She has also co-written songs for artists such as Bella Poarch and Demi Lovato.

<i>To Hell with It</i> 2021 mixtape by PinkPantheress

To Hell with It is the debut mixtape by English singer PinkPantheress, released through Parlophone and Elektra Records on 15 October 2021. The mixtape, which runs for slightly over 18 minutes, features production from PinkPantheress herself, as well as from Oscar Scheller, Izco, Natalia Fletcher, Jkarri, Mura Masa, Zach Nahome, Kairos Laferme, Adam F, and Dill Aitchison. PinkPantheress began posting snippets of her songs to TikTok in early 2021, including "Pain" and "Break It Off", both of which went viral on the platform. She subsequently signed to Parlophone and Elektra Records, through which she released three of the mixtape's singles–"Passion", "Just for Me", and "I Must Apologise".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magdalena Bay (band)</span> American synth-pop duo

Magdalena Bay is an American alternative pop duo from Miami, Florida, based in Los Angeles, California. The duo consists of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, who write and produce together. They have released two studio albums, three EPs, and three mixtapes. The mixtapes are called Mini Mixes and are composed of short songs with accompanying homemade green screen music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jiggle Jiggle</span> 2022 single by Duke & Jones and Louis Theroux

"Jiggle Jiggle" is a 2022 single by British-American journalist and documentary maker Louis Theroux, produced by Manchester-based DJ duo Duke & Jones. The song was created based on a rap trend that Theroux had been involved in, featuring a snippet of him rapping on the "Gangsta Rap" episode of the show Weird Weekends.

"The Bidding" is a song by American rock band Tally Hall. It was released on October 24, 2005 as track 5 of Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum. The song was written by Joe Hawley with vocals led by Hawley, Rob Cantor, and Zubin Sedghi. It received generally positive reception, amassing over 171 million streams on Spotify and 27 million plays on YouTube. In 2019, the song became a viral song on the social media platform TikTok, with many using the beginning verse and two ending verses as a sped-up soundbite on the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Habit (Steve Lacy song)</span> 2022 single by Steve Lacy

"Bad Habit" is a song recorded by the American musician Steve Lacy. It was the second released single from his second studio album, Gemini Rights, on June 29, 2022. The psychedelic and lo-fi R&B and bedroom pop ballad was produced by Lacy and is built around a slightly warped guitar riff, which is accompanied by a funky bassline, drums and synthesisers. Lyrically, it concerns Lacy's regret over a missed opportunity with a crush. His lack of confidence later shifts to a more confident perspective during the song's final breakdown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Record Player (song)</span> 2021 single by Daisy the Great and AJR

"Record Player" is a song by American pop bands Daisy the Great and AJR. It was released on August 31, 2021 via S-Curve Records as a single from the deluxe version of Daisy the Great's second studio album All You Need Is Time.

<i>Pagtatag!</i> 2023 EP by SB19

Pagtatag! is the second extended play (EP) recorded by the Filipino boy band SB19, released by Sony Music Philippines on June 9, 2023. The EP includes songs of genres pop, EDM, hip hop, soul, and R&B—all co-written by the band's leader, Pablo—as part of the band's desire to explore genres since their departure from the dance-pop music in their 2020 debut album. The EP was produced by Pablo, his brother Joshua Daniel Nase, Simon Servida, August Rigo, Brian Lotho, Len Calvo, and Ohwon Lee.

References

  1. Dunworth, Liberty (June 16, 2023). "Pinegrove Shuffle TikTok dance trend sees band re-release 'Need 2'". NME. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ihaza, Jeff (June 15, 2023). "Pinegrove Went on Hiatus ... Then Went Viral on TikTok". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  3. "Dive into anything". Reddit. March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  4. Brusie, Chaunie (June 14, 2023). "Where did the Pinegrove Shuffle dance on TikTok come from?". In The Know. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  5. "Pinegrove on How Being a Good Artist and a Good Person Are the Same Thing". Pitchfork. December 16, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  6. Joyce, Colin (October 6, 2015). "Pinegrove Sign to Run for Cover, Reinvent Optimist Rock on 'New Friends'". SPIN. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  7. Marcin, Tim (June 12, 2023). "TikTok's strange 'Pinegrove Shuffle' trend, explained". Mashable. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  8. "Pinegrove – Need 2 (official lyric video)". YouTube. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  9. Rettig, James (June 15, 2023). "Pinegrove Re-Release "Need 2" After Pinegrove Shuffle TikTok Dance Trend". Stereogum. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  10. "Need 2 – EP by Pinegrove". Apple Music. June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  11. Demopoulos, Alaina (January 10, 2023). "Why is Spotify full of faster versions of pop hits? Let's bring you up to speed". the Guardian. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  12. "Mixtape Two, by Pinegrove". Pinegrove. May 29, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  13. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of July 8, 2023". Billboard . Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  14. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  15. "British single certifications – Pinegrove – Need 2". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 16, 2024.