Nothin' at All (Heart song)

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For other songs, see Nothing at All (disambiguation).
"Nothin' at All"
Single by Heart
from the album Heart
B-side"The Wolf"
ReleasedApril 1986
Recorded1985
GenrePower pop[1]
Length4:13
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Mark Mueller
Producer(s)Ron Nevison
Heart singles chronology
"These Dreams"
(1986) 		"Nothin' at All"
(1986) 		"If Looks Could Kill"
(1986)
Music video
"Nothin' at All" on YouTube
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Number One[2]

"Nothin' at All" is a song by American rock band Heart from their eponymous eighth studio album (1985). It was released on April 3, 1986, as the album's fourth single.[3] The song was written by pop and musical theatre composer Mark Mueller.

The single peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's ninth top-10 entry.[4] Additionally, it peaked at number 38 on the UK Singles Chart in 1988, after reaching number 76 two years earlier during its original release.[5]

Musically, the track represents an embrace of the new wave and power pop styles of radio-friendly rock songs of the early-to-mid-1980s (akin to contemporary U.S. groups such as the Cars) with elements such as strident keyboard playing mixed in with an emphasis on rhythm guitar. This artistic choice was a softening from the heavier sound of earlier releases by Heart that were closer to hard rock while retaining the same melodramatic balladry driven songwriting.[1]

Background and music video[edit]

The track functions as a love song that describes a new romantic relationship which falls into place without any interpersonal conflict or even real effort. The song's title phrase is employed twice: both when the narrator describes the new relationship as being like "nothin' at all" (compared to everything else that she's previously experienced) and additionally when she asks the song's subject what he did to make falling in love so easy (him giving the exact response of "nothin' at all").

The music video for "Nothin' At All" touches on the lyrical content of the song only abstractly and features a combination of comedic elements such as Ann and Nancy Wilson debating each other on fashion choices as well as numerous moments of a large black panther stalking different environments in a darkened building. The clip additionally displays band members either miming to the track or pretending to play instruments. As of December 2022, it has been well-received on YouTube, with the release featuring over nine million views.[6]

Reception[edit]

The U.S. publication Cash Box stated that "Ann Wilson’s ever exhilarating vocal force is dynamic as ever here, aided by sizzling rock guitar musicianship."[7]

Music critic Joe Viglione of Allmusic praised the track for how it "explodes off the turntable", in his view, and he additionally remarked that it incorporates a "mix which is arguably producer Ron Nevison's finest moment." He commented how, musically, the track represents an embrace of the new wave and power pop styles of radio-friendly rock songs of the early to middle 1980s by Heart, bringing the group in line with the spirit of contemporary U.S. bands such as The Cars.[1]

Personnel[edit]

Heart[edit]

Additional musicians[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1986) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 87
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 29
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 76
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 10
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[12] 40
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] 6
US Cash Box Top 100[14] 11
Chart (1988) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 38

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Song Review by Joe Viglione
  2. ^ Beatmasters and P. P. Arnold (26 October 1988). "Review: Heart — "Nothin' at All" (Capitol)". Number One. No. 280. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 40—41.
  3. ^ "New Releases". The Friday Morning Quarterback. March 21, 1986. p. 35. OCLC 857904873.
  4. ^ "Heart". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "Nothin' At All". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  6. ^ "Nothin' at All".
  7. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. April 12, 1986. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 136. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0695." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Heart: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  11. ^ "Heart Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  12. ^ "Heart Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  13. ^ "Heart Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  14. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending June 28, 1986". Cash Box. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  15. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Nothing at All". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
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