"Better Days"
Single by Dermot Kennedy
from the album Sonder
Released28 July 2021 (2021-07-28)
Length3:18
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Daniel Nigro
  • Ryan Linvill
Dermot Kennedy singles chronology
"Don't Cry"
(2020)		 "Better Days"
(2021)		 "Something to Someone"
(2022)
Music video
"Better Days" on YouTube

"Better Days" is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy. It was released on 28 July 2021 via Island Records. Kennedy wrote the song with Daniel Nigro, Carey Willetts, Sam Roman and Scott Harris, and it was produced by Nigro and Ryan Linvill.[1]

Background

In an interview with Songwriter Universe, Kennedy stated he wrote the song in February 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In September, during his tour of America, he told American Songwriter: "The way I saw it, that was almost the voice of my mother and father telling me to hold out and to know that my music would work out someday. Anytime I felt disheartened, felt down, like it wasn't going to work out—that's where this song sits for me".[3]

Content

In a press release, Kennedy explained: "This is a song about patience. It's about believing in something brighter, and never losing sight of better days, no matter how hard things might get. In a time where so many people feel worried and exhausted, I would love for this song to remind even one person that things will improve. As an artist, I feel somewhat responsible to try to make people feel a little better, whether that’s making them think of someone they love, or just taking their mind off their problems for the length of a song. So this is my contribution to hopefully providing some people with a moment's solace. Better days will come".[4] The song "come[s] with the kind of optimism and hopes Dermot has been so vocal about throughout his career, providing support and solace to so many".[5]

Critical reception

Nora Onanian of WERS wrote that the song "feels like being lifted out of fog. [And] also gives a taste of a new direction Kennedy seems to be going in musically".[6] Ed Power of The Irish Times commented that it "skilfully binds together elements of every popular Irish artist of the past 25 years", like The Script, and " in the choral backing sung in Irish, of The Cranberries at their most ethereal".[7]

Music video

The music video was directed by Paul Gore. It showcases Kennedy "fighting a powerful jet stream underwater, push[ing] forward in scenes filled with tension, energy and movement", with him eventually "prevailing in his physical struggle".[8]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[9]

  • Clarence Coffee, Jr. – vocal producer
  • Curtis Elvidge – vocal producer
  • Neil Goody – vocal producer
  • Matty Green – engineer, mixing
  • Laurence Guy – primary artist
  • Scott Harris – composer
  • Dermot Kennedy – composer, primary artist, vocals
  • Ryan Linvill – drum programming, producer, recording, saxophone, synthesizer programming
  • Mitch McCarthy – mixing
  • Randy Merrill – mastering engineer
  • Daniel Nigro – bass, composer, drum programming, keyboards, piano, producer, vocals (background)
  • Chappell Roan – vocals (background)
  • Sam Romans – composer
  • Carey Willetts – composer, vocal engineer

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20] Gold 35,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[21] Gold 15,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[22] Gold 40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Dermot Kennedy Premieres New Song "Better Days" on BBC Radio 1". PM Studio. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  2. ↑ Kawashima, Dale (17 August 2021). "Acclaimed Irish Artist Dermot Kennedy Talks About His New Single "Better Days," His Excellent Album Without Fear, And His Hit "Outnumbered"". Songwriter Universe. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ↑ Uitti, Jacob (9 September 2021). "Ireland's Dermot Kennedy Treats People Well, Highlights "Better Days"". American Songwriter. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "'Better Days' the new single from Dermot Kennedy". Total Ntertainment. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  5. ↑ "Dermot Kennedy Better Days". Universal Music Ireland. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  6. ↑ Onanian, Nora (12 September 2021). "Pick of the Week: Dermot Kennedy "Better Days"". WERS. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  7. ↑ Poewr, Ed (28 July 2021). "Dermot Kennedy: Better Days – A great big Michael Flatley of a torch song". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "Dermot Kennedy Shares New Single And Music Video "Better Days"". Imprintent. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "Laurence Guy / Dermot Kennedy – Better Days / Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  10. ↑ "Dermot Kennedy – Better Days" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  11. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 202150 into search. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  12. ↑ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 49, 2021" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  14. ↑ "Dermot Kennedy – Better Days" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  16. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 202211 into search. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  17. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  18. ↑ Griffiths, George (9 January 2022). "Ireland's official biggest songs of 2021". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  19. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2022" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  20. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  21. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Dermot Kennedy – Better Days" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  22. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Dermot Kennedy – Better Days". Music Canada. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "British single certifications – Dermot Kennedy – Better Days". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
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