A Moment Like This

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For the 2010 Danish Eurovision Song Contest entry, see In a Moment like This.
"A Moment Like This"
Kelly Clarkson - A Moment Like This Before Your Love.jpg
Single by Kelly Clarkson
A-side"Before Your Love"
ReleasedSeptember 17, 2002 (2002-09-17)
Recorded2002
GenrePop
Length3:49
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Stephen Ferrera
  • Steve Mac
Kelly Clarkson singles chronology
"Before Your Love" / "A Moment Like This"
(2002) 		"Miss Independent"
(2003)
Music video
"A Moment Like This" on YouTube

"A Moment Like This" is the debut single by American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song was written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid (from Nightcrawlers) and produced by Stephen Ferrera and Steve Mac. It was released as a double A-side with "Before Your Love" as her coronation single after winning the first season of American Idol. The song was later included on her debut studio album, Thankful (2003). "A Moment Like This" was a huge hit in North America, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Singles Chart.

In 2006, the song was recorded and released by British singer Leona Lewis, the winner of the third series of The X Factor. Her version was the Christmas number one for 2006, outselling the rest of the top 40 combined. Lewis' version has sold 914,000 copies as of 2015.

Background[]

The song was co-written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid (of dance act Nightcrawlers) and produced by Stephen Ferrera and Steve Mac. It was written to be the first single for the winner of the first season of American Idol. As a result, the four remaining finalists, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Guarini, Nikki McKibbin, and Tamyra Gray each recorded a version of the song in case he or she won. The song was first revealed to the public when Guarini and Clarkson competed in a final showdown while singing this song, along with another track, "Before Your Love". After the American public had voted, Guarini performed the song (and Clarkson performed "Before Your Love") at the final show before the results were revealed. When Clarkson was announced as the winner, she became emotional, and sang the song as her final performance.

"Before Your Love", was also given to radio and had a video shot, which debuted on MTV's Total Request Live before "A Moment Like This" did; however, it failed to achieve the level of success of "A Moment Like This", but shares the Gold certification as a double-a sided single.

"A Moment Like This/Before Your Love" was certified gold by RIAA on October 18, 2002.[1] As of June 4, 2009, the single has sold approximately 1,047,000 copies.[2]

On March 5, 2013, Billboard ranked the song number 11 in its list of Top 100 American Idol Hits of All Time.[3]

Composition[]

The song moves at a tempo of 73 beats per minute[4] in common time. The first two verses are in the key of E♭ minor, and the chorus after each verse transitions to A♭ major. The final chorus transposes to B♭ major. Clarkson's vocals span from A♭3 to F5.[5]

Critical reception[]

This song received moderately positive reviews. Entertainment Weekly editor Henry Goldblatt wrote about Clarkson's performance of the song on American Idol: "the woman whose tears during her winning rendition of A Moment Like This were so heartfelt, grown men cried along with her."[6] David Browne, also of Entertainment Weekly, wrote: "A choir at the end of "A Moment Like This" is meant to indicate earthiness."[7] Arion Berger of Rolling Stone wrote that this song "signaled that Kelly might be headed toward the Mariah-Whitney-Celine radio-ballad sausage mill."[8] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that this song is "Adult Contemporary goo.[9] AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that the song "may have been a number one hit, but it was such a staid adult contemporary tune that it suggested that her career was over before it really began, since it was not a work that played to her age or audience, and it gave her no room to grow." He also marked this song as a standout on album Thankful.[10] The Huffington Post ranked the song at number 11 on "The 33 Greatest Pop Divas' Debut Singles" list.[11]

Chart performance[]

As the first single ever from American Idol, much pressure was put on "A Moment Like This" to perform well. The debut single from Will Young, the winner of the United Kingdom's Pop Idol (the forerunner to American Idol), sold 1.2 million copies in its first week, becoming the fastest-selling British debut single of all time; however, critics argued that the American singles market was different from the British market. The single became a hit in the U.S., debuting at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 21, 2002, and reaching number one on its third week on the chart. It sold 236,000 in its first week.[12] It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks and remained on the chart for 20 consecutive weeks. Sales of the commercial single also helped the song (as evidenced by its number-one peak on the Hot 100 Singles Sales) break records.

On the Billboard issue dated October 5, 2002 the song topped the Hot 100 chart with a single-week jump of 51 positions, the largest single-week jump to number one on the Hot 100.[13] She held that record until Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" single-week jump 63 positions to number one, on May 12, 2007.[13] Clarkson would break the record again when her song "My Life Would Suck Without You" jumped 96 spots from 97 to 1 on February 7, 2009.

Music video[]

The music video for "A Moment Like This" was directed by Antti J.[14] It has Clarkson exploring a vacant theatre, where she takes the stage to sing and perform the song. Clips of her singing on American Idol and getting emotional when she won the competition are also shown.

Track listing[]

CD

  1. "Before Your Love" – 4:00
  2. "A Moment Like This" – 3:50

DVD

  1. "Before Your Love" (video) – 3:52
  2. "A Moment Like This" (video) – 3:47

Release history[]

Release dates and formats for "A Moment Like This"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States September 17, 2002 CD single RCA [15]
November 26, 2002 DVD single [16]

Charts and certifications[]

Leona Lewis version[]

"A Moment Like This"
A Moment Like This (Leona).jpg
Single by Leona Lewis
from the album Spirit (UK edition)
B-side
ReleasedDecember 17, 2006 (2006-12-17)
Recorded2006
Genre
Length4:17
Label
  • Syco
  • Sony BMG
Songwriter(s)Jörgen Elofsson, John Reid
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Leona Lewis singles chronology
"A Moment Like This"
(2006) 		"Bleeding Love"
(2007)

In December 2006, the song was recorded as the UK debut single by British singer Leona Lewis, the winner of series 3 of The X Factor. The single was rush-released on Wednesday, December 20, 2006. This is unusual as most new singles are released on a Monday to gain maximum sales for the UK Singles Chart the following Sunday. The late release of "A Moment Like This" was because Lewis was only chosen as the artist on the night of Saturday, December 16, when the live final was transmitted. The song was available for download after she was announced winner of The X Factor.

It was the United Kingdom's second best selling single of 2006.[29] In January 2007, the single was awarded Platinum status by the British Phonographic Industry.[30] The song has sold 943,000 copies in the United Kingdom as of December 2015, according to the Official Charts Company.[31]

In January 2007, "A Moment Like This" was shortlisted for Best British Single at the 2007 BRIT Awards. It made it to the second round but was eliminated and did not make it to the final selection. In May, it was awarded the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Best Selling British Single.

Chart performance[]

Lewis' version of the song broke a world record after it was downloaded 50,000 times within just 30 minutes of release.[32] It sold over 100,000 copies on its first day on sale (an X Factor winner record later beaten by Alexandra Burke in 2008 and then again by James Arthur in 2012)[33] and also went on to become the most downloaded song of 2006. On December 24, it became the Christmas number one, having sold 571,253 copies.[citation needed]

"A Moment Like This" stayed at number one for four weeks and also topped the Irish Singles Chart for six weeks.[34] On January 4, 2007, it charted at number three on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.[35] On October 28, 2007, after the release of Lewis's second single "Bleeding Love", "A Moment Like This" re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 55.

Music video[]

The music video, like Clarkson's, is very simple, with Lewis singing the song on a stage. It also features several clips from Lewis's time in The X Factor, from her first audition to the moment she was announced the winner. Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh, Kate Thornton and Ray Quinn all feature within the clips. The video was directed by JT.[36]

Track listing and formats[]

  • UK CD single
  1. "A Moment Like This" – 4:17
  2. "Summertime" – 2:27
  3. "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" – 2:52

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Platinum 943,000[31]

Release history[]

Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom December 17, 2006 Digital download Syco
December 20, 2006 CD

References[]

  1. ^ "RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - December 16, 2015". riaa.com. Archived from " the original on September 24, 2015.
  2. ^ How the American Idol coronation singles stack up, part 1, Idol Chatter.
  3. ^ "Top 100 'American Idol' Hits of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  4. ^ LLC, Blendist. "BPM for 'A Moment like This; by Kelly Clarkson on songbpm". Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  5. ^ Reid, John. "Kelly Clarkson "A Moment Like This" Sheet Music in Eb Minor (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  6. ^ "Thankful Review | Music Reviews and News". EW.com. 2003-04-25. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  7. ^ Browne, David (September 27, 2002). "Before Your Love/A Moment Like This". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  8. ^ Arion Berger (2003-04-22). "Thankful | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  9. ^ "Kelly Clarkson: Thankful | Music Review". Slant Magazine. 2003-04-16. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  10. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2003-04-15). "Thankful - Kelly Clarkson | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  11. ^ Jacobs, Matthew (February 8, 2017). "A Ranking Of The 33 Greatest Pop Divas' Debut Singles". HuffPost. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  12. ^ "'Idol' Clarkson's Single Sets Billboard Record". Billboard.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Jonathan Cohen, "Maroon 5 Makes 'Wondrous' Jump To Lead Hot 100", Billboard.com, May 3, 2007.
  14. ^ "Antti J". mvdbase.com. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  15. ^ https://www.amazon.com/Before-Your-Love-Moment-Like/dp/B00006JT6D
  16. ^ https://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Clarkson-Before-Moment-Single/dp/B00007FYQ2
  17. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 114 no. 40. 2002-10-05. p. 62. ISSN 0006-2510.
  18. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  19. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  20. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  21. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  22. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  24. ^ "Top 100 Songs of 2002 - Billboard Year End Charts". Bob Borst's Home of Pop Culture. Archived from the original on 2018-06-19. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  25. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Kelly Clarkson – Before Your Love/A Moment Like This". Music Canada.
  26. ^ Trust, Gary (September 10, 2017). "Ask Billboard: Kelly Clarkson's Career Sales & 'Wild Thoughts' About Rihanna". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  27. ^ "How the American Idol coronation singles stack up, part 1". USATODAY.COM.
  28. ^ "American single certifications – Clarkson, Kelly – Before Your Love / A Moment Like This". Recording Industry Association of America.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b "Top 40 Singles of 2006". BBC Radio 1. Archived from the original on 28 December 2008.
  30. ^ "LEWIS LEONA, A MOMENT LIKE THIS, Platinum, Fri Jan 5 2007". British Phonographic Industry. January 5, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-11-13. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b Myers, Justin (December 9, 2015). "The biggest selling X Factor winner's singles revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  32. ^ Bale, Karen (December 18, 2006). "LEONA'S THE DIVA OF DOWNLOADS". Daily Record. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  33. ^ Corner, Lewis (December 11, 2012). "X Factor James Arthur beats Little Mix, Leona Lewis to become fastest seller". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  34. ^ "Leona Lewis – A Moment Like This". acharts.us. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b Sexton, Paul (January 4, 2007). "Beatles Euro Chart Spell Continues Into 2007". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
  36. ^ "DVD". Spirit – The Deluxe Edition (DVD). Leona Lewis. Syco (Sony BMG). 2007. back cover. #88697359692.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  37. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – A Moment Like This". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  38. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  39. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  40. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  41. ^ "Best of Singles 2006". IRMA. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  42. ^ "British single certifications – Leona Lewis – A Moment Like This". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 28, 2020.

External links[]

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