Dear Alcohol

"Dear Alcohol"
Single by Dax
from the album What is Life?
ReleasedMarch 11, 2022 (2022-03-11)
Genre
Length3:56
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Lex Nour
Dax singles chronology
"40 Days 40 Nights"
(2021) 		"Dear Alcohol"
(2022) 		"Depression"
(2022)
Music video
"Dear Alcohol" on YouTube
Alternate cover

"Dear Alcohol" is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian singer Dax. He wrote the song with producer Lex Nour.[1] A country music-inspired remix featuring American musician Elle King was released in June 2022.[2] The solo version was included on Dax's fourth studio album What is Life? in 2023.[3]

Background

Daniel Nwosu Jr., known by his stage name of Dax, began working on "Dear Alcohol" as poem during the COVID-19 pandemic, intended to reflect his own drinking habits that began after he moved to Los Angeles in pursuit of a music career.[4] He stated that he began drinking more after performing at many events, which led him to feel "more social, and more confident". He resultingly felt as though he was "chasing" that version of himself and trying to "bridge the gap between this super confident person when" drunk, and his "normal shy self". This served as the inspiration for the poem, that eventually turned into the song.[4] Dax described the song as "very personal' for him.[5] Shortly after the song's release, Dax announced that he had been sober for thirty days, partially thanks to "Dear Alcohol", which was the longest he had remained sober in eight years.[6]

Critical reception

Alex Harris of Neon Music described "Dear Alcohol" as "intense, confessional, and deeply personal," adding that it "serves as a reflection of the internal battles many face with addiction and self-worth".[3] Melody Lau and Andrea Warner of CBC Music called the song "a winner", while naming it the best song of Dax's career.[7]

Live performance

Dax performed "Dear Alcohol" live at the 2022 Canadian Country Music Awards at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta. The show was broadcast live on Canadian television network Global on September 11, 2022, and his performance was later uploaded to YouTube.[8]

Accolades

Accolades for "Dear Alcohol"
Year Association Category Result Ref
2023 CCMA Top Selling Canadian Single Of The Year Won [9]

Commercial performance

In the United States, "Dear Alcohol" peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of April 30, 2022, spending 23 weeks on that chart in total.[10] It also peaked at number nine on the all-genre Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart for the same week, spending seven weeks there in total.[11] The song has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[12] In Canada, "Dear Alcohol" received some airplay on country radio and peaked at number 36 on the Canada Country airplay chart for the week of October 22, 2022, spending eight weeks on there overall.[13] It has been certified Platinum by Music Canada.[14] The song was named the "Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year" at the 2023 Canadian Country Music Awards.[9]

Music video

The official music video for "Dear Alcohol" premiered on YouTube on March 11, 2022, and was shot by Logan Meis.[15] The official music video for the remix featuring Elle King premiered on August 10, 2022, and was filmed in Nashville, Tennessee.[16] It was also directed by Logan Meis, and opens with an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.[6]

Track listings

Digital download - single[17]

  1. "Dear Alcohol" – 3:56

Digital download - single[18]

  1. "Dear Alcohol" (feat. Elle King) – 3:08
  2. "Dear Alcohol" – 3:56

Digital download - single[19]

  1. "Dear Alcohol" (feat. Elle King) – 3:08
  2. "Dear Alcohol" (feat. Elle King) [Extended] – 4:40
  3. "Dear Alcohol" – 3:56

Charts

Chart performance for "Dear Alcohol"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Canada Country (Billboard)[13] 36
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[11] 9
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 28

Certifications

Certifications for "Dear Alcohol"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[14] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
United States (RIAA)[12] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Dear Alcohol - Single by Dax". Spotify. Records Label, LLC / Columbia. March 11, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "Dear Alcohol feat. Elle King - Single by Dax". Spotify. Records Label, LLC / Columbia. June 10, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Harris, Alex (August 20, 2023). "Dax's What Is Life?: A Philosophical Journey Through Music". Neon Music. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Cotton, Nia (April 8, 2022). "Rapper Dax on his hit 'Dear Alcohol'". Club Soda. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  5. ^ "Dax Reflects On His Relationship With Liquor On "Dear Alcohol"". HotNewHipHop. March 13, 2022. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Dax And Elle King Confront Addiction With 'Dear Alcohol' Video [WATCH]". Everything Nash. August 16, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  7. ^ Lau, Melody; Warner, Andrea (September 14, 2023). "Who is the future king of Canadian country music?". CBC Music. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  8. ^ "2022 CCMA Awards presented by TD - Dax "Dear Alcohol" Performance" (video). YouTube. September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Official 2023 CCMA Awards Presented by TD Winners". Canadian Country Music Association. September 16, 2023. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Dax Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Dax Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  12. ^ a b "American single certifications – Dax – Dear Alcohol". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Dax Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Dax – Dear Alcohol". Music Canada. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  15. ^ "Dax - "Dear Alcohol" (Official Music Video)" (video). YouTube. March 11, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  16. ^ "Dax - "Dear Alcohol" Remix (feat. Elle King) [Official Video]" (video). YouTube. August 10, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  17. ^ "Dear Alcohol - Single by Dax". Apple Music (Canada). Records Label, LLC / Columbia. March 11, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  18. ^ "Dear Alcohol - Single by Dax". Apple Music (Canada). Records Label, LLC / Columbia. June 10, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  19. ^ "Dear Alcohol - Single by Dax". Apple Music (Canada). Records Label, LLC / Columbia. June 10, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.