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Sunflower (Post Malone and Swae Lee song)
"Sunflower" (alternatively titled "Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)")[3] is a song performed by American rapper Post Malone and American singer Swae Lee. It was released as a single from the soundtrack to the film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,[4] and is included on Post Malone's third studio album Hollywood's Bleeding (2019). The song was released on October 18, 2018.[5] It became Malone's third and Lee's first song as a soloist to top the Billboard Hot 100 and charted in the top ten of the chart for 33 weeks, at the time sharing the record for the most such weeks with "Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B and "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran (Post Malone would later break this record with his 2019 single "Circles").[6][7][8][9]
"Sunflower"Single by Post Malone and Swae Leefrom the album Spider-Man: Into the Spider-VerseReleasedOctober 18, 2018Genre
Length2:38LabelRepublicSongwriter(s)
Carter Lang
Carl Rosen
Billy Walsh
Carter Lang
Louis Bell
Post Malone singles chronology"Better Now"
(2018)"Sunflower"
(2018)"Wow"
(2018)Swae Lee singles chronology"Real Friends"
(2018)"Sunflower"
(2018)"Close to Me"
(2018)Music video"Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)" on YouTube
"Sunflower" was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
BackgroundEdit
Malone confirmed his involvement with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on October 2, 2018, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, in which he announced that he wrote "Sunflower", which he also performs, and played a snippet of the song.[10] On October 15, Swae Lee revealed that he would also be on the song with Malone, and released another snippet of the song. Lee said that he was "very excited" for people to listen to the song.[11] On October 18, 2018, "Sunflower" was released as a single.[5] Spring Aspers, head of music and creative affairs at Sony Pictures, said that "Post and Swae have delivered a song that’s both heroic and emotional, which is exactly what a Spider-Man story needs. It’s anthemic, but also heartfelt — the perfect soundtrack for Miles to discover the Spider-Man inside himself".[3] Swae Lee called Sunflower one of his favorites collaborations in 2018, which he stated it was "because it’s a movie placement [in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse]. The main character sings “Sunflower” and uses my vocals to calm him down in a certain situation—like my music was therapeutic for him".[12] Malone and Lee previously collaborated on the song "Spoil My Night" for Malone's 2018 album Beerbongs & Bentleys.
Music videoEdit
On October 18, 2018, a lyric video of the song was released. The video is composed of footage of the film. The lyrics are presented in the comic book style of the film, edited into the context of various scenes, such as graffiti scrawled by Miles Morales.[5] On January 10, 2019, an official music video of the song was released, which is live action. The video contains an exclusive look at the recording session for the song showing the film logo behind Malone and Lee and a live performance.[13] Since its release, the lyric video has received over 1.1 billion views on YouTube.
Critical receptionEdit
In Billboard, Gil Kaufman called it "a funky, dreamy ballad" after listening to a preview of the song.[10] Israel Daramola from Spin called "Sunflower" a "glitchy, soulful record" that "will appeal to fans of the more melodic songs made by Post and Swae Lee, as they commit to full crooning throughout. It’s a short and sweet, hazy little pop song that makes sense for a kid’s film or possibly an MTV show about California teens".[14] Patrick Doyle of Rolling Stone characterized the "hyper-catchy" song as "a diary of a rocky relationship, which walks the line between hip-hop and dream-pop".[1]
Commercial performanceEdit
Swae Lee (left) is first artist to top the Hot 100 as a solo artist in a lead credit after reigning with a duo or group, since Justin Timberlake (right) in 2016.[6]
"Sunflower" debuted at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. After spending three weeks in the top five, it reached number one on the chart issue dated January 19, 2019, rising from number three the previous week. It became Post Malone's third and Swae Lee's first song as a soloist to top the chart. "Sunflower" is the first song from a soundtrack to reach the top of the Hot 100 since Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling!" from the Trolls soundtrack (2016). Additionally, "Sunflower" is the highest-charting song from a Spider-Man franchise soundtrack, passing Chad Kroeger's "Hero", featuring Josey Scott, from Music from and Inspired by Spider-Man, which reached number three in 2002. "Sunflower" also marks the first Hot 100 number one by two co-billed male leads with no other accompanying acts since George Michael and Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1992).[6] Due to the large airplay lead of "Without Me" by Halsey, "Sunflower" descended to number two the following week. It continuously shuffled within the top five the following four months, going so far as to return to the runner-up spot in March and April. The song has thus far spent 33 non-consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100, tying both Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" and Maroon 5's "Girls Like You", featuring Cardi B, for the longest top 10 run in the chart's archives.[8][9][15] Malone's "Circles" broke the mentioned record in 2020, spending 38 consecutive weeks in the top 10.[16] "Sunflower" topped the Canadian Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks.
According to the IFPI, "Sunflower" was fourth most successful song of 2019, selling 13.4 million global equivalents-units.[17] In the US, according to Nielsen Soundscan, it was the second-best performing R&B/hip-hop song of 2019, with 6.3 million equivalent units, including 668,000 digital downloads, and the fourth-best performing song on radio on that format.[18]
Awards and nominationsEdit
YearCeremonyCategoryResultRef.2019American Music AwardsCollaboration of the YearNominated[19]Favorite Song — Pop/RockNominatedClio AwardsAnimationBronze[20]Guild of Music Supervisors AwardsBest Song/Recording Created for a FilmNominated[21]Melon Music AwardsBest OSTNominated[22]MTV Europe Music AwardsBest SongNominated[23]Teen Choice AwardsChoice Song: R&B/Hip-HopNominated[24]Choice Song From a MovieNominated2020Grammy AwardsRecord of the YearNominated[25]Best Pop Duo/Group PerformanceNominated
ChartsEdit
Weekly chartsEdit
Chart (2018–19)Peak
positionArgentina (Argentina Hot 100)[26]51Australia (ARIA)[27]1Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[28]19Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[29]15Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[30]14Brazil (Top 100 Brasil)[31]87Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[32]1China Airplay/FL (Billboard)[33]22Croatia (HRT)[34]44Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[35]18Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[36]7Denmark (Tracklisten)[37]3Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40)[38]4Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[39]8France (SNEP)[40]63Germany (Official German Charts)[41]36Hungary (Stream Top 40)[42]5Ireland (IRMA)[43]3Italy (FIMI)[44]33Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[45]18Malaysia (RIM)[46]1Mexico Airplay (Billboard)[47]1Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[48]19Netherlands (Single Top 100)[49]33New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[50]1Norway (VG-lista)[51]6Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[52]81Portugal (AFP)[53]13Puerto Rico (Monitor Latino)[54]10Scotland (Official Charts Company)[55]15Singapore (RIAS)[56]2Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[57]59Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[58]6South Korea (Gaon)[59]160Spain (PROMUSICAE)[60]96Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[61]4Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[62]22UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[63]3UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[64]1US Billboard Hot 100[65]1US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[66]29US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[67]7US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[68]1US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[69]4US Rhythmic (Billboard)[70]1US Rolling Stone Top 100[71]6
Year-end chartsEdit
Chart (2018)PositionAustralia (ARIA)[72]85Chart (2019)PositionArgentina (Monitor Latino)[73]81Australia (ARIA)[74]4Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[75]94Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[76]61Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[77]2Denmark (Tracklisten)[78]20El Salvador (Monitor Latino)[79]21France (SNEP)[80]148Honduras (Monitor Latino)[81]43Ireland (IRMA)[82]12Latvia (LAIPA)[83]6Malaysia (RIM)[84]3Mexico (Monitor Latino)[85]9Netherlands (Single Top 100)[86]100New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[87]2Nicaragua (Monitor Latino)[88]90Portugal (AFP)[89]32Puerto Rico (Monitor Latino)[90]78South Korea (Gaon)[91]196Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[92]20Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[93]74UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[94]15US Billboard Hot 100[95]2US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[96]31US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[97]2US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[98]14US Rhythmic (Billboard)[99]3US Rolling Stone Top 100[100]2
Decade-end chartsEdit
Chart (2010–2019)PositionAustralia (ARIA)[101]61US Billboard Hot 100[102]11US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[103]4
CertificationsEdit
RegionCertificationCertified units/salesAustralia (ARIA)[104]10× Platinum700,000Belgium (BEA)[105]Gold20,000*Canada (Music Canada)[106]8× Platinum640,000Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[107]2× Platinum180,000France (SNEP)[108]Gold100,000Germany (BVMI)[109]Gold200,000Italy (FIMI)[110]Platinum50,000New Zealand (RMNZ)[111]4× Platinum120,000*Portugal (AFP)[112]2× Platinum40,000^United Kingdom (BPI)[113]2× Platinum1,200,000United States (RIAA)[114]8× Platinum8,000,000
*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone
Release historyEdit
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.ItalyOctober 19, 2018Contemporary hit radioUniversal[115]United StatesOctober 23, 2018Republic[116]Rhythmic contemporary radio[117]March 29, 20197-inch vinyl single[118]
Other versionsEdit
A remix of the song, featuring new lyrics performed by Nicky Jam and Prince Royce, was released on February 22, 2019, as a bonus track in a deluxe version of the soundtrack of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.[119]
American indie pop band Vampire Weekend covered "Sunflower" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, in reference to their single of the same name from Father of the Bride (2019).[120]
See alsoEdit
References
Last edited 2 days ago by Rynb99
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