When We Were Young (Adele song)

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"When We Were Young"
Single by Adele
from the album 25
Released 22 January 2016
Format Digital download
Recorded
Genre Soul[1]
Length 4:51
Label XL
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Ariel Rechtshaid
Adele singles chronology
"Hello"
(2015)		 "When We Were Young"
(2016)		 "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)"
(2016)

"When We Were Young" is a song by British singer Adele. It was released on 22 January 2016 by XL Recordings as the second single from her third studio album, 25 (2015). Adele co-wrote the song with Tobias Jesso Jr., while production of the track was provided by Ariel Rechtshaid. "When We Were Young" is a soul ballad, with lyrics that talk about reminiscing past memories with a loved one. Upon release, the song received critical acclaim from music critics, who praised the song's lyrics and Adele's vocals.

Following the release of 25, "When We Were Young" had already sold 150,000 digital copies in the United States as an album track.[2] It has reached the top 10 in Belgium, Canada, Finland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The song never received an official music video, although a version of the song filmed at The Church Studios was released via Vevo. Adele promoted the song with live performances on the BBC one-hour special Adele at the BBC, Saturday Night Live and Adele Live in New York City.

Composition and inspiration

In an interview with SiriusXM, Adele said the song "was based on us being older, and being at a party at this house, and seeing everyone that you've ever fallen out with, everyone that you've ever loved, everyone that you've never loved, and stuff like that, where you can't find the time to be in each other's lives. And you're all thrown together at this party when you're like 50, and it doesn't matter and you have so much fun and you feel like you're 15 again. So that's the kind of vibe of it really."[4] When interviewed by Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1, on the release of her previous single "Hello", Adele said that "When We Were Young" was her favourite track off the album 25.[5]

"When We Were Young" is a soul song written in common time in the key of E♭ major with a moderately slow tempo of 72 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of Cm–E♭/G–A♭–E♭/G–Fm7–E♭, and Adele's vocals span two octaves, from E♭3 to E♭5.[6]

Critical reception

The track received critical acclaim upon release by music critics. Pitchfork named it "Best New Track" and praised Adele's vocal performance and how she was "capable of elevating maudlin sentiment into high art".[3] Writing for Inquirer.net, Joseph R. Atilano remarked that "a single like this further showcases how lyrically intelligent she is as a composer as well as one of the greatest pure singers alive today".[7] Time named "When We Were Young" the fourth-best song of 2015.[8]

Live performances

Adele first performed the song live on Adele at the BBC, which was recorded at The London Studios on 2 November 2015 and broadcast on BBC One on 20 November 2015.[9] She performed the song on Saturday Night Live on 21 November 2015.[10] Adele also performed the song on Adele Live in New York City, which was recorded at a one-night-only show at Radio City Music Hall on 17 November 2015 and broadcast on NBC on 14 December 2015.[11] A version of the song was filmed live at The Church Studios, where much of 25 was recorded, and released via Vevo.[12] Adele performed "When We Were Young" as the closing song on the 2016 Brit Awards in London.[13]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from 25 liner notes.[15]

Charts

Chart (2015–16) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[16] 13
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[17] 11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[19] 22
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 9
Canada AC (Billboard)[21] 1
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[22] 24
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[23] 2
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[24] 37
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[25] 26
Denmark (Tracklisten)[26] 27
Euro Digital Songs (Billboard)[27] 7
Finland (Suomen virallinen latauslista)[28] 3
France (SNEP)[29] 15
Germany (Official German Charts)[30] 29
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[31] 11
Hungary (Single Top 40)[32] 11
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 12
Italy (FIMI)[34] 56
Mexico Airplay (Billboard)[35] 40
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36] 14
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37] 24
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[38] 23
Norway (VG-lista)[39] 23
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[40] 16
Portugal (AFP)[41] 10
Portugal Digital Songs (Billboard)[42] 5
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[43] 3
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[44] 3
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[45] 24
South Africa (EMA)[46] 8
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[47] 12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[48] 16
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[49] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[50] 9
UK Indie (Official Charts Company)[51] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[52] 14
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[53] 6
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[54] 3
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[55] 1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[56] 13
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[57] 46

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[58] Gold 35,000
Canada (Music Canada)[59] Platinum 80,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[60] Gold 7,500
United Kingdom (BPI)[61] Silver 200,000

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Italy[62] 22 January 2016 Mainstream radio XL
Australia[63] 5 February 2016 Digital download
Worldwide[64][65]

See also

References

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External links

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  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Adele – When We Were Young". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  17. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Adele – When We Were Young" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Adele – When We Were Young" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Adele – When We Were Young" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  20. ↑ "Adele – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Adele. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  24. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201620 into search. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201608 into search. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  26. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Adele – When We Were Young". Tracklisten. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ "Adele: When We Were Young" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  29. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Adele – When We Were Young" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  30. ↑ "Musicline.de – Adele Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  31. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  32. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  33. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 9, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Adele search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  37. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Adele – When We Were Young" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  38. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Adele – When We Were Young". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2016-03-10". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  44. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201616 into search. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  45. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201609 into search. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  46. ↑ "EMA Top 10 Airplay: Week Ending 2016-03-15". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  47. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Adele – When We Were Young" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  48. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Adele – When We Were Young". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  49. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Adele – When We Were Young". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  50. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2016-03-10" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  51. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2016-03-04" UK Indie Chart. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  52. ↑ "Adele – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Adele. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  53. ↑ "Adele – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Adele. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  54. ↑ "Adele – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Adele. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  55. ↑ "Adele – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Adele. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  56. ↑ "Adele – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Adele. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  57. ↑ "Adele – Chart history" Billboard Rock Airplay for Adele. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  58. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  61. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter When We Were Young in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
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