Eyes Open (song)

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This article is about the song by Taylor Swift. For other songs, see Eyes Open.
"Eyes Open"
Eyes Open by Taylor Swift (single cover).png
Single by Taylor Swift
from the album The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
ReleasedMarch 27, 2012 (2012-03-27)
Genre
Length4:04
Label
Songwriter(s)Taylor Swift
Producer(s)
Taylor Swift singles chronology
"Safe & Sound"
(2011) 		"Eyes Open"
(2012) 		"Both of Us"
(2012)
Lyric video
"Eyes Open" on YouTube

"Eyes Open" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for The Hunger Games movie soundtrack, The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond, though the song is not included in the film itself. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, it was released as the second single from the album and was sent to mainstream radio on March 27, 2012. A lyric video consisting of animation was released on Vevo in May 2012.

Background[]

The song was one of two songs that Swift wrote and recorded for the soundtrack to the film, The Hunger Games, the other song being "Safe & Sound". Swift first premiered the song during a performance in Auckland for her Speak Now World Tour, before launching into the song she told the crowd: "I'm really excited about it...but, I mean, you don't think I'd get in trouble if I played it now? Probably not, right?".[2] The song was leaked before its official release date of March 20, 2012.[3] A music video comprised as a lyric video was released on May 17, 2012, on Swift's Vevo account.[4][5] The video consists of animation with the song's lyrics.[6]

Composition[]

"Eyes Open" is a song of four minutes and four seconds in length. Critics deemed the song reminiscent of alternative rock.[7][8] According to Swift, she wrote the song about Katniss's "relationship" with the Capitol. Swift describes the song as the opposite of the melancholic "Safe & Sound," stating that "[it is] more frantic and fast-paced, a completely different shade of music."[9]

Critical reception[]

The song garnered general critical acclaim from contemporary critics - most of whom favorably noted the song's more rock-oriented tone as compared to her previous releases. While reviewing The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond, Matt Bjorke named "Eyes Open" as one of the "standouts" on the record.[10] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard also found the same description of the song - stating that it "[exists] more in the modern rock vein than her usual country-pop oeuvre."[11]

Awards and nominations[]

Year Organization Award/work Result Ref.
2012 Teen Choice Awards Choice Single by a Female Artist Won
[12]

Lyric video[]

A lyric video for the song was released on Swift's YouTube channel on May 17, 2012. As of January 2020 the video has over 20 million views.[13]

Chart performance[]

The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 as the Hot Shot Debut at number 19 with sales of 176,000 in its first week.[14] "Eyes Open" debuted on Billboard Pop Songs chart at number 28, making it Swift's highest Pop Songs chart debut,[15] later overtaken by "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" which debuted at number 18. The song would later reach number 20 on the said chart on the week ending April 28, 2012.[16] The song also debuted on Billboard Adult Pop Songs at number 24 and later peaked at number 11 on the week ending May 12, 2012.[17] The song became Swift's 16th million-seller and her second million-seller from the soundtrack to The Hunger Games.[18] The song has sold 1.4 million copies in the US as of November 2017.[19]

Outside the U.S., "Eyes Open" achieved moderate success. In Canada, the song entered the Canadian Hot 100 and peaked at number 17 on the week ending April 7, 2012.[20] In Australia, the song peaked at Australian Singles Chart at number 47 on the week ending March 26, 2012.[21] In New Zealand, the song peaked at number six, became Swift's third top ten hit there, following "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me".[22] "Eyes Open" also charted in Ireland and UK, where it peaked at number 65 and number 70 respectively.[23]

"Eyes Open" was the highest-charting single from all of The Hunger Games movies, until surpassed by "The Hanging Tree" by James Newton Howard featuring vocals from American actress Jennifer Lawrence, which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Charts[]

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[21] 47
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[24] 17
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[25] 34
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[26] 23
Ireland (IRMA) 65
New Zealand (RIANZ)[22] 6
UK Singles (OCC)[27] 70
US Billboard Hot 100[28] 19
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[29] 20
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[30] 50
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 11
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[32] 21

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[33] Gold 7,500*
United States (RIAA)[34] Platinum 1,400,000[19]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Country Date Format Label
United States March 27, 2012[1] Mainstream radio

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Archived 2012-03-21 at WebCite Archived by WebCite from the original on March 21, 2012.
  2. ^ Josh, Grossman (March 19, 2012). "Taylor Swift Unveils Hunger Games Song "Eyes Open"". E! Online. Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  3. ^ Bell, Crystal (March 15, 2012). "'Hunger Games': Taylor Swift's 'Eyes Open' And Kid Cudi's 'The Ruler And The Killer' Leak (LISTEN)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  4. ^ "Music Videos". Taylor Swift. Archived from the original on 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2012-06-11.
  5. ^ "Taylor Swift - Eyes Open (Lyric Version)". TaylorSwiftVevo. YouTube. 2012-05-17. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
    • Note: In the description of the video it clearly states: Music video by Taylor Swift performing Eyes Open. (C) 2012 Big Machine Records, LLC. making this the official music video.
  6. ^ "Taylor Swift, 'Eyes Open' – Lyric Video (Watch)". Erin Duvall. TheBoot.com. 2012-05-18. Archived from the original on 2012-05-20. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
  7. ^ "Taylor Swift Previews Hunger Games Song 'Eyes Open'". Archived from the original on 2012-03-16.
  8. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (15 March 2012). "Taylor Swift Keeps 'Eyes Open' on New 'Hunger Games' Tune". Billboard. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015. Existing more in the modern rock vein than her usual country-pop oeuvre, "Eyes Open" finds Swift living her own Hunger Games, clinging to survival...
  9. ^ Cooper, Brittany Joy (20 March 2012). "Taylor Swift Spills About Writing 'Eyes Open' for 'The Hunger Games' Soundtrack". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  10. ^ "Various Artists - The Hunger Games Soundtrack". Archived from the original on 2012-05-29.
  11. ^ Lipshutz, Jason. "Taylor Swift Keeps 'Eyes Open' on New 'Hunger Games' Tune". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  12. ^ "Teen Choice Awards 2012: Complete Winners List". MTV. July 22, 2012. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  13. ^ "Taylor Swift - Eyes Open (Lyric Version)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  14. ^ Trust, Gary (March 28, 2012). "Fun. Notch Fourth Week Atop Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  15. ^ "Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez Storm Pop Songs". Billboard.com. April 2, 2012. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  16. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 for Taylor Swift". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 18, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
  17. ^ "Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Taylor Swift". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 18, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
  18. ^ "Week Ending July 15, 2012. Songs: Blow Me (One More Hit)". yahoo.com.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b Trust, Gary (November 26, 2017). "Ask Billboard: Taylor Swift's Career Album & Song Sales". Archived from the original on November 26, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  20. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. March 28, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b "Discography Taylor Swift". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on August 26, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b "Discography Taylor Swift". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  23. ^ "Taylor Swift - Eyes Open - Music Charts". aCharts.us. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  24. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  25. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard.
  26. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard.
  27. ^ "Taylor Swift: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  28. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  29. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  30. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  31. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  32. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  33. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Taylor Swift – Eyes Open". Recorded Music NZ.
  34. ^ "American single certifications – Taylor Swift – Eyes Open". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links[]

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