Want Me Back

"Want Me Back"
Single by Lindsay Ell
from the album Heart Theory
ReleasedJuly 13, 2020 (2020-07-13)
Genre
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lindsay Ell singles chronology
"I Don't Love You"
(2019)
"Want Me Back"
(2020)
"Good on You"
(2021)
Music video
"Want Me Back" on YouTube

"Want Me Back" (stylized as "wAnt me back"[1]) is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music artist Lindsay Ell.[2] She co-wrote the track with Kane Brown, Matt McGinn, and Lindsay Rimes.[3] The song was the second single off Ell's fifth studio album Heart Theory.[4]

Background

Ell said of "Want Me Back", "It’s all about stepping into your own power".[5] Co-writer Kane Brown stated: "I think Lindsay is an awesome artist. I was excited and grateful to be part of the song".[1]

Critical reception

Billy Dukes of Taste of Country called the track Ell's "most commercially friendly radio release to date," adding "the clean structure, guitar lines and verses recall and build off of the Brantley Gilbert collaboration 'What Happens in a Small Town'".[6] Soundigest called the song "upbeat" and an "empowerment anthem".[7]

Commercial performance

"Want Me Back" reached a peak of #1 on the Billboard Canada Country chart dated December 12, 2020,[8] becoming Ell's second number one.[9] The song also reached a peak of #89 on the Canadian Hot 100,[10] as well as #35 on Hot Country Songs and #52 on Country Airplay in the United States,[11][12] while it peaked at number 44 on The Music Network's Country Hot 50 in Australia.[13] In March 2021, the song was certified Gold by Music Canada, becoming the first single of Ell's career to achieve this status.[14]

Music video

The official music video for "Want Me Back" premiered on October 8, 2020.[15] The video finds Ell in a fictional duo named "Eddie and Ell" before breaking out as a solo artist herself. Chris Parton of Sounds Like Nashville said "the glamorous clip sends a powerful message … especially to young girls".[16] Ell told CMT: "The video captures the whole story line in which my whole persona changes from an unconfident, held-back woman, to then realizing my own self-power and stepping into it".[17]

Charts

Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australia Country Hot 50 (TMN)[13] 44
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] 89
Canada Country (Billboard)[18] 1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] 35
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[12] 52

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[14] Gold 40,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b "Lindsay Ell - wAnt me back". Daily Play MPE. June 22, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "Heart Theory - Lindsay Ell". AllMusic. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  3. ^ "Want Me Back - Lindsay Ell". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "Lindsay Ell Details New Album, 'Heart Theory'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  5. ^ Vacca, Brianna (June 29, 2020). "Lindsay Ell Releases "wAnt me back" and Reveals Album Details". NY Country Swag.
  6. ^ Dukes, Billy (June 26, 2020). "Lindsay Ell Checks an Ex During the Confident 'Want Me Back' [Listen]". Taste of Country.
  7. ^ "Lindsay Ell's "Want Me Back" is the Empowering Post-Breakup Song We Needed". Soundigest. July 1, 2020.
  8. ^ "Canada Country chart for December 12, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  9. ^ Cantwell, Nick (December 11, 2020). "Lindsay Ell Wraps Up 2020 With Chart Success For "wAnt me back"". Belles and Gals.
  10. ^ a b "Lindsay Ell Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Lindsay Ell Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Lindsay Ell Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "TMN Country Hot 50" (Issue 1309). The Music Network. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Lindsay Ell – Want Me Back". Music Canada. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  15. ^ "Lindsay Ell - wAnt me back" (video). YouTube. October 8, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  16. ^ Parton, Chris (October 9, 2020). "LINDSAY ELL FINDS HER POWER IN 'WANT ME BACK' VIDEO". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "Lindsay Ell Evokes Cher's Story of Solo Stardom in "wAnt Me Back" Video". CMT. October 8, 2020. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  18. ^ "Lindsay Ell Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2021.