One Thing (One Direction song)
"One Thing" | |
---|---|
Song | |
B-side | "I Should Have Kissed You" |
"One Thing" is a song by English-Irish boy band One Direction from their debut studio album, Up All Night (2011). It was released in various countries by Syco Music on 6 January 2012, as their second single, and as their third single in the UK on 13 February 2012. Additionally, Columbia Records sent it to contemporary hit radio playlists on 22 May 2012 as their second single in the United States. Written by Savan Kotecha and its producers, Carl Falk and Rami Yacoub, initially, the upbeat pop rock number was written as two different songs. As both tracks had elusive attributes, the trio decided to merge the two into one song. The lyrical content regards the protagonist's infatuation with a significant other.
"One Thing" garnered mostly positive reviews from music critics, who generally commended the track's catchiness. The single reached the top ten in Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom, while attaining top-forty positions in Belgium (Flanders), Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. The number has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of one million copies. Directed by Declan Whitebloom, the accompanying music video depicts One Direction performing in and around London. The group performed "One Thing" on televised programmes and four major concert tours: Up All Night Tour (2011–12), Take Me Home Tour (2013), Where We Are Tour (2014) and On the Road Again Tour (2015).
Background and release
After being formed and finishing third in the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010,[1] One Direction were signed to Syco Music.[2] Recording for their debut studio album, Up All Night, began in January 2011.[3] In February 2011, the boy band and other contestants from the series participated in the X Factor Live Tour.[4] After the tour concluded in April 2011, the group continued working on their debut album.[3] Carl Falk and Rami Yacoub produced three songs on the album: "What Makes You Beautiful," "One Thing" and "I Wish," all of which were co-written by Falk, Yacoub and Savan Kotecha.[5] Initially, "One Thing" was written as two different songs: "One had a really, really good verse" and the other track "had a really, really good chorus", as noted by Falk in a 2012 interview with Examiner.com.[6] Falk quipped that when they merged the two songs, "everything fell into place".[6] Additionally, Falk deemed it the perfect accompaniment to "What Makes You Beautiful" and selected it as his favourite "out of the three tracks [that I have on the Up All Night album]".[6]
It premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 21 November 2011.[7] One Direction confirmed that "One Thing" would be released as the third single from their debut studio album, Up All Night, on 22 November 2011.[7] Syco Music described the song as an "epic pop smash-in-waiting, featuring soaring vocal harmonies, powerhouse guitar riffs and an anthemic chorus that refuses to leave your head."[8] The track was released digitally in various European countries on 6 January 2012. "I Should Have Kissed You", the B-side to "One Thing", was confirmed on 25 January 2012.[9] CD singles, containing "One Thing" and "I Should Have Kissed You", were released on 13 February 2012 in the United Kingdom.[10] In addition, "One Thing" was released as second US single from Up All Night; Columbia Records sent it to contemporary hit radio (CHR) playlists on 22 May 2012.[11][12]
Composition
"One Thing" is an upbeat, uptempo pop rock number which runs for three minutes and ten seconds.[13][14] Its instrumentation includes piano lines, vocals, and guitar strings.[15] The lyrical content regards the protagonist's infatuation with a significant other, while the lead vocals are predominantly sung by members Harry Styles and Liam Payne.[16][17] According to the digital sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, One Direction's vocal range in the span from the note of B3 to D5.[15] Written in the key of D major, the song set in the time signature of common time at a fast-paced tempo of 128 beats per minute.[15] The track incorporates rock music influences and a simplistic guitar riff.[14][18] The chorus of the song is predominantly featured alongside the bridge and is backed by wordless chants.[14][19] The song has been noted as musically similar to the Backstreet Boys song "I Want It That Way" and to the group's debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful".[13][14][16][20]
Critical reception
Due to its resemblance to the aforementioned Backstreet Boys number, PopMatters's Zachary Houle suggested that there could occur "a pretty compelling case to launch a plagiarism lawsuit", concluding: "Homage or theft? You decide".[16] Brian Mansfield from USA Today felt the song's Backstreet Boys-references "may or may not be intentional," but noted that the attribute "is the same."[20] Lewis Corner from Digital Spy awarded the song four out five stars, complimented the song's guitar riff, its "forceful" chorus, and the melody as memorable, and summarised it as an "arena-ready hit".[18] A Newsround reviewer gave the song four and half stars out five stars, praising the group's vocal performance and its sonic palette.[14] Billboard correspondent Jason Lipshutz hailed "One Thing" as "perfectly executed pop rock" and opined that it "could own radio for months".[13] Cosmopolitan's Sophie Goddard lauded "One Thing" as an "upbeat, catchy, hit-in-waiting," and Entertainment Weekly writer Adam Markovitz commended it as "irresistibly bouncy".[21][22]
Commercial performance
"One Thing" peaked at number six on the Irish Singles Chart in the week ending 16 February 2012, becoming the band's third top ten appearance in Ireland.[23] The single bowed at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart dated 22 January 2012.[24] Buoyed by weekly sales of 31,602 copies in the week of 19 February 2012, it peaked at number nine in the United Kingdom and marked the group's third consecutive top ten hit.[25] "One Thing" was One Direction's second best-selling song in the UK by August 2012, denoting sales of 154,000 copies.[26] Due to strong digital downloads from its parent album, "One Thing" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 90 on 21 March 2012, and had sold 300,000 copies in the US by 21 May 2012.[11][27] After being serviced to radio formats on 22 May 2012,[12] "One Thing" peaked at number 39 for the week ending 20 June 2012.[28][29] On 21 September 2012, "One Thing" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[30] and as of November 2013, the song had sold 1,486,000 copies in the US.[31]
It peaked at number 17 on the Canadian Hot 100 and was certified platinum by Music Canada on 10 July 2012, denoting sales of 80,000 copies.[28][32] The song debuted at number 34 on the New Zealand Singles Chart on 23 January 2012.[33] After fifteen weeks of fluctuation around the top forty, "One Thing" rose from number 28 to 16, signifying its peak position.[34] "One Thing" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) for sales of 7,500 units.[34] The single bowed at number 32 on the Australian Singles Chart of 12 February 2012.[35] "One Thing" peaked at number three in its tenth charting week, becoming One Direction's highest peaking single in the country at the time and their second top ten hit.[35][36] One Direction became the second act of 2012 to have two singles simultaneously occupying the chart's top ten when "One Thing" was at number six and "What Makes You Beautiful" at number ten for the chart week ending 22 April 2012.[37] The single has been certified quadruple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), indicating shipments of 280,000 copies.[38]
Music video
The accompanying music video was directed by Declan Whitebloom in London on 28 November 2011.[39] Whitebloom approached shooting the clip with a "what you get, is what you get" sentiment, which, as he noted, "can create some real magic."[40] In regard to its concept, Whiteboom characterised the clip as "kind of Monkees or Beatles-esque", elaborating that it revolves around "five lads go[ing] crazy in London, it's like a big day out in London."[40] In a December interview with Capital FM, member Harry Styles reflected that the shoot was a fun, careless romp.[41] Premiering on YouTube on 13 January 2012,[42] the music video depicts the band performing in and around London.[42] As of June 2017, the music video has garnered more than 530 million YouTube views.[43] One Direction surged 35-10 from the previous week on Billboard's Social 50 chart.[42] Alex Hughes of The Huffington Post commented that the music video has an effortless element of happiness, proclaiming: "if you fail to crack a smile, there is a 100 percent chance that you are the devil."[44]
Live performances
One Direction performed "One Thing" live for the first time at Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball on 4 December 2011, at the The O2 Arena.[45] The group performed "One Thing" and "What Makes You Beautiful" on Dancing on Ice on 5 February 2012.[46] In the United States, One Direction performed the song along with "More than This" and "What Makes You Beautiful" for the first time on The Today Show at the Rockefeller Center on 12 March 2012. An estimated 15,000 fans descended on the plaza.[47] On 7 April 2012, One Direction performed "What Makes You Beautiful" and "One Thing" and appeared in a comedy sketch with Sofia Vergara on comedy television show Saturday Night Live.[48] The group played "What Makes You Beautiful" and "One Thing" and presented an award for "Most Popular New Female Talent" at the 54th Logie Awards on 15 April 2012.[49] On 6 September 2012, One Direction performed "One Thing" at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.[50] It was included on the set list of the group's headlining sold-out show at Madison Square Garden on 3 December 2012.[51] Additionally, One Direction performed the song on four of their major concert tours: Up All Night Tour (2011–12) and Take Me Home Tour (2013).[52][53] After Malik's departure in 2015, Payne took the first pre-chorus and did the high harmony along with Tomlinson doing the lead on the second pre-chorus.
Track listing
- UK CD single[10]
- "One Thing" – 3:19
- "I Should Have Kissed You" – 3:34
- Digital download[54]
- "One Thing" – 3:19
- "I Should Have Kissed You" – 3:34
- "One Thing" (acoustic) – 3:04
- "One Thing" (acoustic; music video) – 3:08
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[71] | 4× Platinum | 280,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[72] | 2× Platinum | 160,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[73] | Gold | 15,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[74] | Gold | 15,000* |
Japan (RIAJ)[75] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[76] | Gold | 30,000* |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[77] | Gold | 7,500* |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[78] | 3× Platinum | 30,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[80] | Silver | 200,000[79] |
United States (RIAA)[81] | Platinum | 1,486,000[31] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Austria[82] | 6 January 2012 | Digital download | Syco Music |
Denmark[83] | |||
Estonia[84] | |||
France[85] | |||
Germany[86] | |||
Greece[87] | |||
Hungary[88] | |||
Italy[89] | |||
Latvia[90] | |||
New Zealand[91] | |||
Poland[92] | |||
Portugal[93] | |||
Spain[94] | |||
Switzerland[95] | |||
United Kingdom[10] | 13 February 2012 | CD single | |
United States[12] | 22 May 2012 | Contemporary hit radio | Columbia Records |
References
- ^ Sperling, Daniel (12 December 2010). "One Direction finish 3rd in 'X Factor' final". Digital Spy (Hearst Corporation). Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ Lee, Cara (15 December 2010). "Father Xmas Si's three special gifts". The Sun. News International. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ a b Ed Miller (16 August 2011). "Sony excited about One Direction potential". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ Sophie Freeman (19 November 2010). "Now Treyc Cohen snubbed by X Factor for £100,000 tour... but reject Aiden Grimshaw IS invited". Daily Mail. London: Associated Newspapers. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ Up All Night (booklet). One Direction. London, United Kingdom: Syco Music, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. 2011.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c "One Direction songwriter/producer Carl Falk takes us inside the recording studio". Examiner.com. Clarity Media Group. 23 May 2012.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ a b "Exclusive vid: One Direction on third single One Thing". Sugarscape. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Lisa McGarry (24 February 2012). "One Direction's new single One Thing was released this week…have you bought it yet?". Unreality TV. Unrealitytv Limited. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "One Direction to release new song 'I Should Of [sic] Kissed You' as b-side to 'One Thing'". Capital FM. Global Radio. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
- ^ a b c "One Thing". Amazon. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ a b "One Direction single reaches double platinum sales in the USA". Music Week. Intent Media. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b c "Top 40/M Future Releases". Allaccess.com (All Access Music Group). Retrieved 11 June 2012.
- ^ a b c Lipshutz, Jason (21 March 2012). "One Direction, 'Up All Night': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Review: One Direction – One Thing". Newsround. BBC. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ a b c "One Direction – One Thing Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com (EMI Music Publishing). Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ a b c Houle, Zachary (16 March 2012). "One Direction: Up All Night". PopMatters. Buzz Media. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "One Direction new video: 'Live While We're Young' premieres early! (watch)". The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post Inc. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- ^ a b Corner, Lewis (2 February 2012). "One Direction: 'One Thing' – Single review". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ Andrew Unterberger (20 September 2012). "The Singles Bar: One Direction, "Live While We're Young"". PopDust. PopDust Inc. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ a b "Listen Up: Stay 'Up All Night' with One Direction". USA Today. Gannett Company. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ Goddard, Sophie (25 November 2011). "Why there's only One Direction...Cosmo reviews their debut album". Cosmopolitan. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ Markovitz, Adam (20 March 2012). "Music review Up All Night (2012) One Direction". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ^ a b "Chart Track: Week 07, 2012". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Singles Chart Analysis: Jessie J holds off Rizzle Kicks and Guetta". Music Week. Intent Media. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ Jones, Alan (19 February 2012). "Official Chart Analysis: Emeli Sande album sells 113k, DJ Fresh single shifts 128k". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ^ Dan Lane (2 August 2012). "One Direction sell 12 million singles, albums and DVD and Blu-rays worldwide". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ Paul, Williams (12 April 2012). "US charts: One Direction join The Wanted in Hot 100 top five". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ^ a b "One Direction > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ Gary Trust (30 June 2012). "Weekly Chart Notes: LMFAO, Katy Perry, Fiona Apple". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- ^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum – One Direction". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 29 June 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
- ^ a b Grein, Paul (13 November 2013). "Chart Watch: Waiting For Gaga". Chart Watch. Yahoo Music.
- ^ "Canadian digital certifications – One Direction – One Thing". Music Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ a b "One Direction – One Thing". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ a b "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". NZ Top 40 Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). Retrieved 3 February 2012.
- ^ a b c "One Direction – One Thing". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Discography One Direction". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Chart wrap-up: One Direction add 17% to #1 Album. The Music Network. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 8 February 2013.
- ^ "One Direction 'fight' on set of new video for 'One Thing'". Capital FM (Global Radio). 29 November 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ a b "One Direction One Thing (Behind the Scenes)". YouTube. United States: Google, Inc. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ^ "Harry Styles: "The One Thing video is literally One Direction being idiots"". Sugarscape. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ^ a b c Caufield, Keith (20 January 2012). "One Direction's 'One Thing' spurs big billboard chart jump". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ "One Direction – One Thing". One Direction/Vevo. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ Hughes, Alex (19 April 2012). "I love One Direction and you should too". The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post Inc. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ^ "One Direction reduce fans to tears during set at Jingle Bell Ball 2011". Capital FM (Global Radio). 4 December 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
- ^ "Watch again: One Direction's Dancing on Ice interview and performance". Sugarscape. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (27 March 2012). "One Direction & The Wanted: The Billboard cover story". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
- ^ "'What Makes You Beautiful' on 'SNL'". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
- ^ Peel, Sarah (18 April 2012). "One Direction present & perform at 2012 Logie Awards". BSC KIDS. Boomtron LLC. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
- ^ Butterfly, Amelia (7 September 2012). "One Direction win three MTV Video Music Awards in LA". Newsbeat. BBC. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
- ^ Hampp, Andrew (4 December 2012). "One Direction Headlines Sold-Out Show at Madison Square Garden". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ "One Direction Launch Up All Night UK Tour in Wolverhampton". Capital FM. Global Radio. 22 December 2011. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ^ "One Direction Launch 'Take Me Home' World Tour With Two Sold-Out Shows in London". Capital FM. Global Radio. 22 February 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
- ^ "One Thing – single by One Direction". iTunes (Apple Inc.). 10 February 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "One Direction – One Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "One Direction – One Thing" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ "One Direction Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "One Direction – One Thing" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Tutti i successi del 2012" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
- ^ "One Direction – One Thing" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201326 into search. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ^ "One Direction Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
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- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles 2012". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 4 January 2013.
- ^ "Canadian Hot 100 - 2012 Year End Chart: 51-60". Billboard.com. 25 December 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
- ^ http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusEOY2012.pdf
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – One Direction – One Thing". Music Canada.
- ^ "Certificeringer" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
- ^ "Italian single certifications – One Direction – One Thing" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2013" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "One Thing" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
- ^ "Japanese single certifications – One Direction – One Thing" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 27 January 2016. Select 2015年1月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 11 January 2014. Type One Direction in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and One Thing in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles". Nztop40.co.nz. New Zealand: Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). 7 May 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "Norway Awards". IFPI. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
- ^ "BPI's Certified Awards database". BPI. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ "British single certifications – One Direction – One Thing". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type One Thing in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "American single certifications – One Direction – One Thing". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "One Thing – Single" (in German). iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single". iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single" (in Estonian). iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single" (in French). iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single" (in German). iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single". iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single". iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single" (in Italian). iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single". iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single". iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single". iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single". iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single" (in Spanish). iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "One Thing – Single" (in German). iTunes Store (Apple Inc.). Retrieved 22 January 2012.
External links
- Official music video on YouTube