Heartbreak Anniversary

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Heartbreak Anniversary"
Giveon - Heartbreak Anniversary.png
Single by Giveon
from the EP Take Time
ReleasedFebruary 21, 2020
Genre
Length3:16
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Giveon singles chronology
"Like I Want You"
(2019) 		"Heartbreak Anniversary"
(2020) 		"Chicago Freestyle"
(2020)
Music video
"Heartbreak Anniversary" on YouTube

"Heartbreak Anniversary" is a song by American singer-songwriter Giveon. It was released on February 21, 2020, as the second single from his debut EP, Take Time (2020). Written from the perspective of a friend of Giveon's, the downtempo piano ballad finds him singing about the date of a breakup, reminiscing and grieving about a love gone wrong. The song became a sleeper hit, garnering chart success in early 2021, with a music video subsequently being released, and the song was sent to US radio, in March 2021. It reached number one in Malaysia and Singapore.

"Heartbreak Anniversary" was also included on Giveon's compilation album, When It's All Said and Done... Take Time, released in March 2021. The song has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Background and writing[]

"Heartbreak Anniversary" was written by Giveon from the perspective of someone else, as Giveon explained: "I was talking to a friend, and they told me they broke up with their significant other exactly a year ago, and I was like, 'Oh, alright, I'm going to write a song about that'".[1] In an interview with Billboard, Giveon said that he drew further inspiration from how he copes with a day that continues to bring many "lovesick" memories every year. He stated,

So "Heartbreak Anniversary" is just the anniversary of a heartbreak. Say you guys are heartbroken on Valentine's Day, February 14th. Every time Valentine's Day comes around you kinda revisit the pain and revisit the sorrow. So with this song, I tried to make pain sound beautiful.[2]

"Heartbreak Anniversary" was released on Giveon's birthday.[3] In early 2021, the song went viral on the video-sharing app, TikTok.[4] By March 15, 2021, the song had surpassed 143 million streams,[5] including 97 million streams on Spotify.[6]

Composition and lyrics[]

On "Heartbreak Anniversary", Giveon sings about the day his heart was broken, reminiscing about every detail, and the pain that comes with heartbreak.[2][6] He appears emotional and vulnerable,[7] "foolishly" hoping that his ex lover will return.[8] Musically, Giveon delivers soaring vocals over a largely piano and percussion-based mid-tempo electro and soul merged instrumental.[9] Apple Music noted how he creates "harmonies with himself that render a simple line like 'Don't want to let you out my head' as gospel".[10] Rolling Stone's Elias Leight labelled the song "a swelling, disconsolate ballad built around mournful piano and gnarled guitars.[11] Giveon's vocals on the song was compared to that of Frank Sinatra, but "with an R&B flavour and a young fresh take on the Rat Pack style".[12]

Critical reception[]

Milcah P. of HotNewHipHop called the song "enchanting", further stating: "The cut is characterized by a seamless mixture of Giveon's signature baritone and flawless falsettos. It's a wonderful display of range and composition and easily has Giveon pegged as one to watch within the R&B realm".[3] Writing for Manila Bulletin, Punch Liwanag said the track "is the best representation of who and what Givēon is all about, at least for the time being".[9] Uproxx's Wongo Okon called it a standout from Take Time.[13] Similarly, Billboard's Carl Lamarre said "Highlights [on Take Time] like 'Heartbreak Anniversary' and 'Favorite Mistake' showcase his penchant for pensive lyrics and moody soundscapes".[14] Pitchfork named the song among their "Pitchfork Selects" playlist for the week of March 22, 2021.[15] NPR's Sidney Madden included the song in their Heat Check feature for February 2021, noting the wishful lyrics: "being 'foolishly patient' will serve you no good here. This is the type of firmly rooted pain that only twists deeper".[16]

Music video[]

The official video was released on March 12, 2021, over a year after the single's release. It was directed by Salomon Ligthelm,[5] and released on the same day as Giveon's compilation, When It's All Said and Done... Take Time.[2] The "aesthetically pleasing"[17] visual finds Giveon grieving and reflecting on the good and bad times he had with his ex lover, played by Samantha Logan. He is seen transitioning between his "lonely present and his turbulent past".[13] In a May 2020 interview with Billboard, Giveon said he could see himself making a short film or story out of the song, because it has "so much depth [...] and a lot of stuff that wasn't told in the song. 'Heartbreak Anniversary' just talks about the break-up. It doesn't talk about what led to the break-up".[18]

Commercial performance[]

The song initially broke out in Asia, reaching number one on the Spotify charts in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and the top 10 of various other countries.[5] It has been certified Gold by the RIAA for units of over 500,000 in the US.[17]

Credits and personnel[]

Credits adapted from Billboard.[19]

  • Giveon – vocals, songwriter, composer
  • Sevn Thomas – songwriter, composer, production
  • Maneesh Bidaye – songwriter, composer, production
  • Varren Wade – songwriter, composer

Charts[]

Chart performance for "Heartbreak Anniversary"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 12
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[21] 67
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[22] 15
Brazil (Top 50 Streaming)[23] 48
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[24] 25
Denmark (Tracklisten)[25] 28
France (SNEP)[26] 112
Global 200 (Billboard)[27][28] 10
Ireland (IRMA)[29] 30
Lithuania (AGATA)[30] 27
Malaysia (RIM)[31] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] 50
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[33] 2
Norway (VG-lista)[34] 33
Portugal (AFP)[35] 10
Singapore (RIAS)[36] 1
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[37] 57
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 58
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 34
UK Singles (OCC)[40] 35
UK R&B (OCC)[41] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[42] 16
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[43] 5
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[44] 14
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[45] 3
US Rolling Stone Top 100[46] 9

Certifications[]

Certifications for "Heartbreak Anniversary"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[47] Platinum 70,000double-dagger
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[48] Gold 20,000double-dagger
New Zealand (RMNZ)[49] Platinum 30,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[50] 2× Platinum 2,000,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Various February 21, 2020
[51]
United States March 16, 2021 Urban contemporary radio [52]
Australia April 2, 2021 Contemporary hit radio [53]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Hershal, Pandya (March 3, 2020). "Meet Giveon, the Rising Star Featured on Drake's "Chicago Freestyle"". DJ Booth. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Cho, Regina (March 15, 2021). "Giveon reminisces in his new "Heartbreak Anniversary" video". Revolt. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b P., Milcah (February 24, 2021). "Giveon Unleashes Enchanting "Heartbreak Anniversary"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  4. ^ Kipling, Ella (March 22, 2021). "Who sings TikTok's "The Day That I Met You"? Song title revealed!". HITC. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c Rashed, Ayana (March 15, 2021). "Grammy Nominated Singer Giveon Releases Deluxe Album 'When It's All Said And Done… Take Time'". Respect. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b GwandaCentral (Genius staff) (January 15, 2021). "Giveon Breaks Down The Meaning Of "Heartbreak Anniversary"". Genius. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  7. ^ Samuels, Keithan (February 24, 2020). "Listen to Giveon's New Song Heartbreak Anniversary'". Rated R&B. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  8. ^ Penrose, Nerisha (October 2, 2020). "Giveon Will Always Be Real With You". Elle. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Liwanag, Punch (March 13, 2021). "Audio Junkie: Givēon gives R&B and neo-soul the boost it needs – Manila Bulletin". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Take Time by Givēon on Apple Music". Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via Apple Music.
  11. ^ Leight, Elias (March 22, 2021). "RS Charts: Rising R&B Star Giveon Debuts in Top Ten". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  12. ^ Cornwall, Erica (March 27, 2021). "Giveon on his new EP "Take Time"". Wonderland Magazine. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Okon, Wongo (March 12, 2021). "Giveon's Grieving 'Heartbreak Anniversary' Video Arrives With His Lustful New Single, 'All To Me". Uproxx. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  14. ^ Lamarre, Carl (November 12, 2020). "5 Guys on the Rise In R&B". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  15. ^ Pitchfork (March 22, 2021). "Lambchop, Ethel Cain, Sofia Kourtesis, and More: This Week's Pitchfork Selects Playlist". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 23, 2021.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  16. ^ Madden, Sidney (February 24, 2021). "Heat Check: Caught Up And Curious". NPR. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b Mowatt, Robyn (March 12, 2021). "Givēon Unleashes Deluxe Album & "Heartbreak Anniversary" Visual". Okayplayer. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  18. ^ Lamarre, Carl (May 28, 2020). "Giveon Explains His Quick Rise, Songwriting Approach and The Impact of a Drake Collaboration". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  19. ^ "Giveon's "Heartbreak Anniversary"". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  20. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  21. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  22. ^ "Ultratop.be – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  23. ^ "Top 50 Streaming: Abril". Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  24. ^ "Canadian Hot 100: Week of April 10, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  25. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 14, 2021" (in Danish). Hitlisten. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  26. ^ "Top Singles (Week 16, 2021)". SNEP. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  27. ^ @billboardcharts (April 19, 2021). "The Global 200 top 10 (chart dated April 24, 2021)" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2021 – via Twitter.
  28. ^ "Global 200 Chart: Week of April 24, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  29. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  30. ^ "2021 17-os SAVAITĖS (balandžio 23-29 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 30, 2021. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  31. ^ "Top 20: Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles - Week 8 of Feb 19, 2021". RIM. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  32. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  33. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 22, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  34. ^ "VG-lista – Giveon". VG-lista. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  35. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  36. ^ "RIAS Top Charts - Week 9 (26 Feb - 04 Mar 2021)". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  37. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202117 into search. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  38. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 15". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  39. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  40. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  41. ^ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  42. ^ "Hot 100 Chart: Week of July 3, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  43. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart: Week of July 3, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  44. ^ "Pop Songs Chart: Week of August 21, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  45. ^ "Rhythmic Airplay Chart: July 3, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  46. ^ Leight, Elias (March 22, 2021). "RS Charts: Drake's Dominance Continues With 'Wants and Needs'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  47. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  48. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  49. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  50. ^ "American single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  51. ^ "Heartbreal Anniversary - Single by Givēon on Apple Music". Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via Apple Music.
  52. ^ "Urban/R&B Future Releases (Archived)". All Access. Archived from the original on 2021-03-15. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  53. ^ "The Music Network Singles to Radio Issue 1335". The Music Network. April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""