No Control (One Direction song)

Last updated
"No Control"
Song by One Direction
from the album Four
Studio Enemy Dojo (Calabasas, CA), Angel Face Studios (London)
Length3:19
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Bunetta
  • Ian Franzino
  • Ryan
  • Afterhrs

"No Control" is a song by English-Irish boy band One Direction from their fourth studio album, Four (2014). It was written by Louis Tomlinson, Ruth-Anne Cunningham, Jamie Scott, Liam Payne, Julian Bunetta and John Ryan. The song was not released as a formal single, however, fans pushed the song to be released as one starting an online campaign called #ProjectNoControl. It has charted in three countries.

Contents

Background

"No Control" is the eighth track from their fourth studio album, Four . [1] In 2015, fans began a campaign via social media called #ProjectNoControl. [2] The campaign was to get the song to be released as an official single from Four. [2] Fans would set a "release date" to request the song on radio, stream and download it via Spotify and iTunes to get the song to number one on the charts. [3] The project was also a way to support Louis Tomlinson, following an internet feud with Naughty Boy. [3] Additionally, fans created unofficial cover art and music videos in support of the song. [3] The hashtag trended worldwide and even garnered a response from the band, taking the fans for their support. [2] [4] [5]

Speaking on The Late Late Show with James Corden , Tomlinson explained that fans decided to do their own release of the song because "they loved it so much" and it was never chosen as a single by the band. [6] On a different episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden, the band released a "music video" for the song as a part of a skit of Carpool Karaoke, featuring the band along with Corden performing a synchronised choreography in denim shirts. [7] [8]

Composition and lyrics

"No Control" was written by Louis Tomlinson, Ruth-Anne Cunningham, Jamie Scott, Liam Payne, Julian Bunetta and John Ryan, while production was handled by Bunetta, Ryan, Ian Franzino and Afterhrs. [9] The song's BPM count is 148, and its key is E Major. [10] It was recorded at Enemy Dojo in Calabasas, California, and Angel Face Studios in London, while mixing was handled at the Dark Room. [9] One of the band's more explicit innuendo songs from the album, [11] the song is about sex. [12]

Critical reception

Brad Nelson of The Guardian described the track "as muscular and flexible as a Cheap Trick song", and compared the song's chorus to the Killers' "Mr. Brightside". [13] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard praised the song's production for its balance between the instrumentals and vocals. [14] It is also regarded as a "fan favourite" from the album. [15]

Chart performance

Due to the fan campaign, "No Control" topped the Billboard Twitter Real-Time chart, garning one million US streams in the week ending 17 May, and selling 5,000 digital downloads. [16] The song also peaked at number seven on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100. [17] The song reached number 135 on the UK Singles Chart. [18] It is the twentieth biggest One Direction song in the country. [19]

Personnel

Credits for "No Control" adapted from album's liner notes. [9]

Charts

Chart performance for "No Control"
Chart (2014–15)Peak
position
Mexico Ingles Airplay ( Billboard ) [20] 27
UK Singles (OCC) [18] 135
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles ( Billboard ) [17] 7

Certifications

Certifications for "No Control"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Mexico (AMPROFON) [21] Gold30,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [22] Gold15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] Silver200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ Erin Strecker (16 October 2014). "One Direction Release 'Four' Track List — and Have a Surprise for Fans!". Billboard . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Why One Direction fans want No Control as a single". BBC . 13 May 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Brie Hiramine (13 May 2015). "Directioners Launch a Campaign to Make 'No Control' One Direction's Next Single". J-14 . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  4. ↑ Jason Lipshutz (18 May 2015). "One Direction Discuss 'New Songs, New Vibe' & 'No Control' at Billboard Music Awards". Billboard . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  5. ↑ Emma Powell (13 May 2015). "One Direction launch Twitter campaign to release single No Control". The Standard . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  6. ↑ Savanna Swain-Wilson (22 July 2022). "25 things even die-hard fans probably didn't know about One Direction". Business Insider . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  7. ↑ Emma Powell (16 December 2015). "One Direction Carpool Karaoke: Watch the boys make video for No Control with James Corden on Late Late Show". The Standard . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  8. ↑ Christina Garibaldi (16 December 2015). "One Direction Finally Make A 'Music Video' For 'No Control'". MTV . Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Four (CD liner). One Direction. Columbia Records. 2014. 8-88750-23232-8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ↑ "One Direction "No Control" Sheet Music". musicnotes.com. Alfred Music Publishing . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  11. ↑ Jamieson Cox (17 November 2014). "Review: One Direction Hit Their Stride on Four". Time . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  12. ↑ Maeve Keirans (14 October 2016). "13 One Direction Songs That Were Definitely About Sex". MTV . Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Brad Nelson (24 August 2015). "One Direction – five songs that prove their pop star prowess". The Guardian . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  14. ↑ Jason Lipshutz (17 November 2014). "The Five Essential Songs on One Direction's 'Four'". Billboard . Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  15. ↑ Lewis Corner (14 May 2015). "Why are One Direction fans trying to get 'No Control' to No.1?". Digital Spy . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  16. ↑ Trevor Anderson (21 May 2015). "One Direction Takes 'Control' at No. 1 on Billboard + Twitter Top Tracks Chart". Billboard . Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  17. 1 2 "One Direction Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  18. 1 2 "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update – 29 November 2014". Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  19. ↑ Nick Levine (14 June 2013). "One Direction: Official Top 20 biggest songs ever in UK revealed". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  20. ↑ "One Direction Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)". Billboard . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  21. ↑ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas . Retrieved 6 April 2024.Type One Direction in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and No Control in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  22. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – One Direction – No Control". Radioscope. Retrieved 23 December 2024.Type No Control in the "Search:" field.
  23. ↑ "British single certifications – One Direction – No Control". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 6 April 2024.
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