No Roots (song)

Last updated

"No Roots"
Alice Merton No Roots.jpg
Single by Alice Merton
from the EP No Roots and the album Mint
Released2 December 2016 (2016-12-02)
Genre
Length3:55
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Alice Merton
  • Nicolas Rebscher
Producer(s) Nicolas Rebscher
Alice Merton singles chronology
"No Roots"
(2016)
"Hit the Ground Running"
(2017)
Music video
"No Roots" on YouTube

"No Roots" is the debut song by German-Irish singer Alice Merton. [2] [3] [4] Merton co-wrote the song with producer Nicolas Rebscher. [5] [6] The song was released in Europe through Paper Plane Records in 2016 and in the United States by Mom + Pop Music on 2 February 2018. [7]

Contents

The song has reached the top 10 in Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, and Israel, and reached the top 20 in Switzerland, and reached number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song has been certified Gold in the United States (RIAA), [8] and Platinum in Germany (BVMI) and France (SNEP). [9] [10] It was added to the 'A' List of the digital UK station Radio X in March 2018 and was also receiving airplay on BBC Radio 1 and the UK's most popular station BBC Radio 2.

Writing

After moving from Canada to Germany, Merton wrote her first song, "Little Lighthouse", a song "about finding my way back home", she told Billboard . [11] Moving a total of 12 times in 24 years inspired her to write the song. [12] "No Roots" came together while she was visiting her parents in England. "I got to a point where I was feeling quite lost. So I decided to write a song that would make me feel better", she explained. [13]

Release and promotion

The original release date of the single, "No Roots" was scheduled for 18 November 2016 but was delayed until 2 December 2016. [14] [15] In the UK, Merton was part of the BBC Introducing radio programme on 18 March 2017. [16] She appeared on television, at prime time in the ProSieben show, Schlag den Henssler . [17] On 9 February 2018 she also appeared for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon performing "No Roots". [18] Later, Merton featured on the Viva Top 100 and VIVA elevator music. [19] Beginning in May 2017, "No Roots" is used as the soundtrack for an official commercial of Vodafone Germany. [20] [21] [22] [23] On 12 April 2018, Merton performed the song live during the German Echo Music Prize. [24]

Critical reception

Mike Jones of WWDC (FM) exclaimed that "No Roots" is "the start of greatness". [25] The song received a similar reception on WGN-TV, with WGN Music Producer Tom Barnas claiming that Merton "slayed it". [26] Hype Machine and music blogs positively received Merton's single, "No Roots". [27] According to Nielsen Music, in the United States, the song had been streamed 922,000 times as of August 2017. [27] Eleanor Pettipher of Fortitude Magazine wrote that "track is kept fresh and catchy by the undulating baseline [sic] and backing vocal emphasis on 'roots'". [28] Front View Magazine remarks that with success, the song "seems to sum up the life of the English/German singer". [29] Matthew Kent of The Line of Best Fit remarks that the song is "brought together perfectly by the powerful, repeating refrain". [30] Indie Obsessive stated that "No Roots" is "the most recent humility check. The song was released months ago. It was interesting, but not blogworthy. Over time, the attraction to the song grew". [31]

Year-end lists

Billboard magazine named "No Roots" the 81st best song of 2017. [32] Michael Kiwanuka - Cold Little Heart (Glastonbury 2019) is the guitarist on the studio version.

Usage in other media

The song was featured in a Mini car commercial in 2018, as well as the fifth season of the television series The Blacklist . [33] It was also used by dancers in Dancing On Ice, a British TV show, and in week 2 of the U.K. show Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 where Kate Silverton and Aljaz Skorjanec danced a tango to it.

The song was featured in the Brazilian soap opera Segundo Sol . It was also featured during several Sunday Night Football games on NBC during the 2018 regular season.

An instrumental version of the song was used in a series of 2019 and 2020 Miracle-Gro advertisements that aired in the US. [34]

The song was also used in American television series "Deception".

The song was performed by Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer at the BBC Live Lounge.

In May 2021, the song started to go viral on TikTok, appearing in 1 million videos.

In 2022, the song was featured in the Polish Netflix film Heart Parade.

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria) [79] Platinum30,000
France (SNEP) [80] Platinum133,333
Germany (BVMI) [81] 2× Platinum800,000
Italy (FIMI) [82] 2× Platinum100,000
Poland (ZPAV) [83] Platinum20,000
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [84] Platinum30,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [85] Silver200,000
United States (RIAA) [8] Gold500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Brother</span> 2013 song by Avicii

"Hey Brother" is a dance song by Swedish DJ and record producer Avicii from his debut studio album, True (2013). American bluegrass singer Dan Tyminski provides vocals for the track. It was written by Avicii, Ash Pournouri, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare and Veronica Maggio. "Hey Brother" sees Avicii giving his brother advice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Way Down We Go</span> 2015 song by Kaleo

"Way Down We Go" is a song by Icelandic rock band Kaleo, released as the second single for their second studio album A/B by Elektra Records and Atlantic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Be So Shy</span> 2015 single by Imany

"Don't Be So Shy" is a song by French singer Imany. The song was written by Imany and music by Nadia Mladjao (Imany) and Stéfane Goldman. A remixed version by Filatov & Karas became a pan-European and international hit for Imany and her biggest hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost on You</span> 2015 song by LP

"Lost on You" is a song recorded by American recording artist LP. It was released on November 20, 2015, as the second single from their third EP, Death Valley and the fourth studio album of the same name (2016). The song experienced commercial success, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe and Western Asia, and topped the charts of thirteen countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Way (Calvin Harris song)</span> 2016 single by Calvin Harris

"My Way" is a song by Scottish DJ, singer, and producer Calvin Harris. The song was released on 16 September 2016, through Sony Music and Columbia Records and included on his seventh studio album, 96 Months (2024). Harris announced the single on his Twitter page five days prior to its release. Like his previous 2010s singles "Summer" and "Feel So Close", Harris returns as a vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human (Rag'n'Bone Man song)</span> 2016 song by RagnBone Man

"Human" is a song by British singer and songwriter Rag'n'Bone Man, co-written by Jamie Hartman, and produced by Two Inch Punch. It was released as a download on 21 July 2016 through Sony Music and Columbia Records. The song is included on his debut studio album of the same name, released in February 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Give Up (Sia song)</span> 2016 single by Sia

"Never Give Up" is a song recorded by Sia, from the soundtrack of the Garth Davis-directed film, Lion (2016). Written by Sia and her producer Greg Kurstin, the song was released on 18 November 2016. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Song Written For Visual Media. It is an electropop ballad, with influences of Indian Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feel It Still</span> 2017 single by Portugal. The Man

"Feel It Still" is a song by American rock band Portugal. The Man. The song draws on the melody from the Marvelettes' 1961 hit "Please Mr. Postman"; written by the band along with producers John Hill and Asa Taccone, "Feel It Still" also includes a credit for Motown songwriter Brian Holland. It serves as the second single and first radio single off their eighth studio album, Woodstock. The song reached number one on the US Alternative Songs, Mexican and Russian Tophit airplay chart. It was also their first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming a sleeper hit, as it took eight months to peak at number four in November 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Be Mine (Ofenbach song)</span> 2016 single by Ofenbach

"Be Mine" is a song by French DJ duo Ofenbach. The song has peaked at number five on the French Singles Chart and reached the top 10 in nine other countries. A remixes EP featuring remixes from Agrume, Antiyu and Stone Van Brooken was released. The song was certified diamond by SNEP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Merton</span> Singer-songwriter

Alice Florence Clarissa Merton is a British-based German-Irish-Canadian singer-songwriter. Merton achieved mainstream success with her debut single, "No Roots". In 2017, she released her first EP of the same name and in 2019, she released her debut album Mint and in 2022, her second album, S.I.D.E.S. was released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OK (Robin Schulz song)</span> 2017 single by Robin Schulz featuring James Blunt

"OK" is a song by German DJ and record producer Robin Schulz. The song was released on 19 May 2017 as the second single from his third studio album, Uncovered (2017). It features vocals by English singer-songwriter James Blunt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whatever It Takes (Imagine Dragons song)</span> 2017 single by Imagine Dragons

"Whatever It Takes" is a song by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons. The song was released on May 9, 2017, as a promotional single through Kidinakorner and Interscope. It later became the third single from the band's third studio album, Evolve, on October 6, 2017. It was also the official theme song for WWE's PPV event Battleground, in addition to its inclusion in the video game Madden NFL 18. The song was sent to US contemporary hit radio on February 13, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">More Than You Know (Axwell & Ingrosso song)</span> 2017 single by Axwell & Ingrosso

"More Than You Know" is a song by Swedish dance music duo Axwell & Ingrosso featuring uncredited vocals from Kristoffer Fogelmark. The song was released in Sweden as a digital download on 27 May 2017 as the tenth single from their debut studio album of the same name. The song was written by Sebastian Ingrosso, Salem Al Fakir, Axel Hedfors, Vincent Pontare and Richard Zastenker. The song peaked at number two on the Swedish Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katchi (song)</span> 2017 single by Ofenbach vs. Nick Waterhouse

"Katchi" is a song by French DJ duo Ofenbach with vocals by Nick Waterhouse. It is a remix of Waterhouse's original song. It was released on 25 August 2017. The song peaked at number one on the French Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leave a Light On (Tom Walker song)</span> 2017 single by Tom Walker

"Leave a Light On" is a song by British singer-songwriter Tom Walker. It was released to digital retailers on 13 October 2017. The song was co-written by Walker and Steve Mac. The song reached the top 10 in Austria, Wallonia, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, while reaching the top 40 in Australia, Flanders, France, Poland and the Netherlands. The song reached number 7 in the UK and number 34 on the Irish Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La cintura (song)</span> 2018 single by Álvaro Soler

"La cintura" is a song by Spanish-German singer-songwriter Álvaro Soler. It was released on 29 March 2018, as the lead single from his second studio album, Mar de colores (2018). A "Latin Remix" featuring Flo Rida and TINI is included in the album as a bonus track. The song was written by Soler, Jakob Erixson, Nadir Khayat, Simon Triebel, and Ali Zuckowski, and produced by T.I. Jakke, RedOne, Zuckowski, and Rune Westberg, all of whom had previously worked on his number-one hit single "Sofia" (2016). The song became a European success, reaching the top 10 in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural (Imagine Dragons song)</span> 2018 single by Imagine Dragons

"Natural" is a song by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons, whose members co-wrote the song with Justin Tranter, Klinsmann Lucas S. Bernardo and their producers Mattman & Robin. It was released by Kidinakorner and Interscope Records on July 17, 2018, serving as the lead single from the band's fourth studio album, Origins (2018), as well as the seasonal anthem of the 2018 ESPN College Football. It became their fifth number one song on the US Hot Rock Songs chart.

"In My Mind" is a 2012 song by Australian house music producer Ivan Gough and house music duo Feenixpawl, featuring the vocals of indie pop musician Georgi Kay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say My Name (David Guetta, Bebe Rexha and J Balvin song)</span> 2018 single by David Guetta, Bebe Rexha and J Balvin

"Say My Name" is a song by French DJ David Guetta, American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha and Colombian singer J Balvin. It was released as the seventh single from Guetta's album 7 on 26 October 2018. The track first charted upon the album's release in September 2018. It notably reached number two on Romania's Airplay 100 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speechless (Robin Schulz song)</span> 2018 single by Robin Schulz featuring Erika Sirola

"Speechless" is a song by German producer Robin Schulz, featuring vocals from Canadian-Finnish singer Erika Sirola. It was released by Warner Music Group Germany, to digital download and streaming formats, on 16 November 2018. The song was written by Schulz, Chris Braide, Teemu Brunila, Dennis "Junkx" Bierbrodt, Guido Kramer, Jürgen Rohr and Stefan Dabruck. Production was handled by Schulz and Junkx.

References

  1. Fischer, Reed (15 March 2018). "Alice Merton on 'No Roots' Melancholy Inspiration". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  2. Buschmann, Heiko. "Über 300 Gigs beim Eurosonic in Groningen" (in German). Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  3. "Eloy – The Vision, The Sword & The Pyre album review". Prog. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  4. "Track By Track: Alice Merton on her debut EP". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  5. "Alice Merton – No Roots Testo Canzone". Lyrics MTV (in Italian). Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  6. Villa, Mattia (1 December 2016). "Alice Merton – No Roots | Going Solo" . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  7. "Alternative Music Artist Info | New Information About Alternative Recording Artists | ..." All Access. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  8. 1 2 "American single certifications – Alice Merton – No Roots". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  9. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alice Merton)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  10. "Les Certifications – SNEP". SNEP (in French). 1 November 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  11. "Alice Merton's Wanderlust Anthem 'No Roots' Heads to U.S. After Blowing Up in Europe". Billboard. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  12. "Chartbreaker: How Alice Merton Turned Her Nomadic Past Into A Pop Hit". Billboard. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  13. "Singer-songwriter Alice Merton explores her nomadic past on "No Roots"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  14. "Alice Merton – No Roots". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  15. "Instagram post by Alice Merton • Nov 7, 2016 at 9:01am UTC". Instagram. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  16. "Alice Merton performs in the Solent Live Lounge, BBC Introducing: Solent – BBC Radio Solent". BBC. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  17. "Backstage Interview with Alice Merton". MySpass (in German). Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  18. Cantor, Brian (10 February 2018). "Alice Merton Performed "No Roots" on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon"" . Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  19. Alice Merton – No Roots (VIVA Fahrstuhlmusik) – Artists – MTV (in German), archived from the original on 4 December 2017, retrieved 4 December 2017
  20. "Gewinne zwei Tickets für Alice Merton". featured (in German). 8 November 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  21. "Vodafone: Song aus der GigaDepot Werbung – MUSIKRADAR.DE". musikradar.de (in German). 21 April 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  22. "Hitvorhersage: Alice Merton – "No Roots" (Video) | TONSPION" (in German). Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  23. "Siegener Zeitung :: LOKALES :: Durchbruch mit Alice Merton". www.siegener-zeitung.de (in German). Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  24. Schmidt, Axel (12 April 2018). "Skandal bei Echo 2018: Außenminister Maas meldet sich zu Wort – Farid Bang in Schlägerei verwickelt?". Tz . Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  25. "Mike Jones Talks With Alice Merton | Mike Jones | DC101". DC101. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  26. "Alice Merton performs 'No Root's' in studio 1 and slayed it". WGN-TV. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  27. 1 2 "Alice Merton's Wanderlust Anthem 'No Roots' Heads to U.S. After Blowing Up in Europe". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  28. "Fortitude Magazine | Single Review: Alice Merton – No Roots – Fortitude Magazine". www.fortitudemagazine.co.uk. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  29. "Listen to Alice Merton – "No Roots"". FrontView Magazine. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  30. "Singer-songwriter Alice Merton explores her nomadic past on "No Roots"". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  31. D & D (25 October 2017). "Indie Obsessive: "No Roots" by Alice Merton – A Song Review". Indie Obsessive. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  32. "Billboard's 100 Best Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  33. "Music from The Blacklist S5E09". Tunefind. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  34. "Miracle-Gro Performance Organics TV Spot, 'No Compromise: Order Online' Song by Alice Merton". iSpot.tv. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  35. "Alice Merton – No Roots" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  36. "Alice Merton – No Roots" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  37. "Alice Merton – No Roots" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  38. "Alice Merton Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  39. "Alice Merton Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  40. "Alice Merton Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  41. "Alice Merton Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  42. "Alice Merton Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  43. "Croatia ARC TOP 40". HRT. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  44. "CZ - Radio - Top 100 - No Rootes" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic . Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  45. "Alice Merton – No Roots" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  46. "Alice Merton – No Roots" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  47. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  48. "Tónlistinn – Lög, Vika 5 – 2018". Tonlist. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  49. "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 16" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  50. "Mexico Airplay: May 26, 2018" . Billboard. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  51. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  52. "Official Russia Top 100 Airplay Chart (week 5)" (in Russian). Tophit . Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  53. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  54. "SK - Radio - Top 100 - No Rootes" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic . Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  55. "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  56. "Alice Merton – No Roots". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  57. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  58. "Official Ukraine Top 100 Airplay Chart (week 19)" (in Russian). Tophit . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  59. "Alice Merton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  60. "Alice Merton Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  61. "Alice Merton Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  62. "Alice Merton Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  63. "Alice Merton Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  64. "Ö3 Austria Top 40 – Single-Charts 2017". oe3.orf.at. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  65. "Top Singles Annuel 2017 (physique + téléchargement + streaming)". SNEP(Syndicat National de l'Edition phonographique). Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  66. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  67. "Airplay 2017 – w pierwszej trójce Sheeran, Tiësto i Hyży" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  68. "SloTop50 – Slovenian official Year-End singles chart". SloTop50 . Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  69. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2017 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  70. "CIS Top Radio & YouTube Hits 2018". Tophit . Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  71. "TÓNLISTINN – LÖG – 2018". Plötutíóindi (in Icelandic). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  72. "Classifiche Annuali Top of the Music FIMI/GfK 2018: Protagonista La Musica Italiana" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. 7 January 2019. Archived from the original (Download the attachment and open the singles file) on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  73. "Russia Top City & Country Radio Hits 2018". Tophit . Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  74. "SloTop50 – Slovenian official Year-End singles chart". SloTop50 . Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  75. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  76. "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  77. "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  78. "Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  79. "Austrian single certifications – Alice Merton – No Roots" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  80. "French single certifications – Alice Merton – No Roots" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  81. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alice Merton; 'No Roots')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  82. "Italian single certifications – Alice Merton – No Roots" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 10 December 2018. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "No Roots" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  83. "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2018 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  84. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('No Roots')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  85. "British single certifications – Alice Merton – No Roots". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 10 July 2020.

Michael Kiwanuka - Cold Little Heart (Glastonbury 2019) IS THE GUITARIST ON THE STUDIO VERSION.