"Break Up Song"
Single by Little Mix
from the album Confetti
Released27 March 2020 (2020-03-27)
StudioMetropolis Studios; London, UK
GenreSynth-pop[1]
Length3:20
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Little Mix singles chronology
"One I've Been Missing"
(2019)		 "Break Up Song"
(2020)		 "Holiday"
(2020)
Music video
"Break Up Song" on YouTube

"Break Up Song" is a song by British girl group Little Mix. It was released on March 27, 2020, as the lead single from the group's sixth studio album Confetti (2020). The group co-wrote the song a year before it was chosen as the album's lead single with Frank Nobel and producers Kamille and Goldfingers. "Break Up Song" received positive reviews from critics who described it as a synth-pop track with influences of 1980s pop music. The song addresses themes of heartbreak, and independence with lyrics about over-coming an ex and celebrating independence.[2][3]

Composition

Little Mix members Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall wrote "Break Up Song" with Frank Nobel, and producers Kamille and Goldfingers.[4] According to Thirlwall, they wrote the song more than a year prior to its release with 1980s pop music and an element of nostalgia in mind, similar to that of their 2015 single "Black Magic".[5][6] Edwards, Pinnock and Thirlwall composed it during a whirl of creativity where they wrote seven songs with Kamille in one day, after having only one melody from a frustrating previous session.[7][8] The track's 1980s sound stemmed from a synthesiser they dabbled with in the studio.[5]

A different song was initially chosen as their sixth album's lead single with an accompanying music video already filmed. However, the group opted for "Break Up Song" at the last minute after hearing the demo again during a playback session.[5] The demo had only one verse and main line. Edwards described it as "very basic at the time. The beat was all over the place and it was really, really rough - but it just had something about it."[7] Thirlwall recalled, "We got that jittery feeling that we had with "Shout Out to My Ex" and "Black Magic" where it just felt special."[5]

Thirlwall described the track as "a very feel-good kind of empowerment song about going out and just forgetting about all your woes and troubles".[9] It was also called an "80s-synth pop anthem" about "getting over the end of a relationship".[1]

Critical reception

Glenn Rowley from Billboard described the song as an "80s-inspired anthem that see the members celebrate their independence after ditching the deadbeat men in their lives... the foursome sing over danceable pop production on the track's pulsating chorus."[10] Lewis Corner from Gay Times, wrote "The group are back with an 80s-tinged pop anthem that’ll swoop you out of your isolation blues. Break Up Song is a whopper of a return, pairing love-lorn lyrics with sky-soaring synths."[11]

Attitude said "After teasing the start of a new musical era, Little Mix are back today with retro-tinged, synth-slick track 'Break Up Song' – and it's making us reach for the legwarmers. As the name implies, it's a track about relationships that didn't last, and the aftermath that comes with them."[12] MTV wrote "Little Mix officially launched a new era on Friday with the shimmering, shake-him-off anthem 'Break Up Song.' It's a high-gloss single that fuses the perkiness of 'Black Magic' and the blissful liberation of 'Shout Out To My Ex'."[13] i said "Break Up Song is an 80s electro-pop opener that encapsulates the jubilant energy found throughout".[14]

Year-end lists

Break Up Song on year-end lists
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
idolator Best Pop Songs of 2021 26 [15]

Promotion

A Little Mix-themed filter on Instagram was made available to the group's followers to promote the track.[4] The song was released on 27 March 2020[9] and on the same day a Spotify vertical video and a lyric video were both released.[16][17] The latter was made by Kayleigh, a fan of the band from the Netherlands.[18]

Music video

Little Mix announced the official music video for the song on 7 May 2020 on their social media, and it was released a day later at 9am BST.[19] The music video, directed by Zac Ella, was semi-animated, as the planned video shoot for the song had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] The group filmed portions of the video at home using the original concept.[21] The animation of the video displayed felt fabric texture to depict the band. In the video, the animated part was focused on the group hosting a Good Morning Britain-style breakfast show on a television channel called LM TV. Leigh- Anne Pinnock is presented as a news reporter, while Jesy Nelson presents the weather forecast. Perrie Edwards is presented as a fitness mentor, while Jade Thirlwall tackles the latest fashion, with each of them having their own segment in their respective verses of the song. The video also includes real-life clips of the band dancing to the song while dressed in different styles of 80's clothing.[22][23]

Live performances

On 21 August 2020, Little Mix performed "Break Up Song" for the first time as part of the set list for their Little Mix Uncancelled concert.[24][25] The song was later performed on the eighteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing in December 2020,[26] with member Jesy Nelson absent from the performance.[27] The song was also performed on their seventh concert tour The Confetti Tour in 2022.

Track listing

Digital download and streaming[28]

  1. "Break Up Song" – 3:20

Digital download and streaming – acoustic[29]

  1. "Break Up Song" (acoustic version) – 3:22

Digital download and streaming – Nathan Dawe remix[30]

  1. "Break Up Song" (Nathan Dawe remix) – 3:21

Digital download and streaming – Steve Void remix[31]

  1. "Break Up Song" (Steve Void remix) – 2:57

Streaming – Break Up Song – EP[32]

  1. "Break Up Song" – 3:20
  2. "Break Up Song" (acoustic version) – 3:22
  3. "Break Up Song" (Nathan Dawe remix) – 3:21
  4. "Break Up Song" (Steve Void remix) – 2:57

Personnel

Credits adapted from Qobuz.[33]

  • Jesy Nelson – vocals
  • Leigh-Anne Pinnock – vocals, songwriting
  • Jade Thirlwall – vocals, songwriting
  • Perrie Edwards – vocals, songwriting
  • Kamille – production, keyboards, vocal production, bass, background vocals
  • Goldfingers – production, drums, keyboards, programming
  • Raphaella Mazaheri-Asadi – vocal production
  • Frank Nobel – drums, keyboards, programming
  • Phil Tan – mixing
  • Paul Norris – engineering
  • Bill Zimmerman – engineering assistance
  • Randy Merrill – mastering

Commercial performance

"Break Up Song" reached the top ten of the Australian, Euro and Switzerland Digital Sales Charts. It reached the top ten of the charts in Belgium, Hungary, New Zealand, Netherlands and the UK, becoming the Little Mix's fifteenth top ten single in the country.[34] It also reached the markets in six other countries including Ireland, Greece, and Portugal. According to Official Charts, Break Up Song was ranked as one of the best selling songs of 2020, placing at number 33 on their list.[35] It has since been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and certified gold by the Pro-Música Brasil (PMB).

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[57] Gold 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[58] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Break Up Song"
Region Date Format Version Label(s) Ref.
Various 27 March 2020 Original RCA UK [28]
Nathan Dawe remix [30]
Steve Void remix [31]
Streaming Remix EP [32]
Australia Contemporary hit radio Original Sony [59]
Various 10 April 2020
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 Acoustic RCA UK [29]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Little Mix to drop new single Break Up Song this week". The List. 24 March 2020. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. ↑ "Little Mix to release new single 'Break Up Song' this week". Attitude.co.uk. 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  3. ↑ Rowley, Glenn (2020-05-08). "Little Mix Unveils Video For '80s-Inspired 'Break Up Song': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  4. 1 2 Murray, Robin (24 March 2020). "Little Mix Prep New Single 'Break Up Song'". Clash. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Corner, Lewis (27 March 2020). "Jade Thirlwall on how Little Mix's new era is all about having fun". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Bressani, Giulia (27 March 2020). "Little mix lança 'Break Up Song': 'Um aperitivo'". Revista Quem (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  7. 1 2 Savage, Mark (27 March 2020). "Little Mix star Perrie Edwards talks new music, panic attacks and knitting". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  8. ↑ Sehn, Rafaela (27 March 2020). "Entrevista: Perrie Edwards fala sobre 'Break Up Song', nova fase do Little Mix e lamenta não ter vindo ao Brasil". Papelpop (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  9. 1 2 Wass, Mike (24 March 2020). "Let Their New Era Begin! Little Mix Announces "Break Up Song"". Idolator. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  10. ↑ Rowley, Glenn (2020-05-08). "Little Mix Unveils Video For '80s-Inspired 'Break Up Song': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  11. ↑ Corner, Lewis (2020-03-27). "Jade Thirlwall on how Little Mix's new era is all about having fun". GAY TIMES. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  12. ↑ "Little Mix get real about their exes on new single 'Break Up Song'". Attitude.co.uk. 2020-03-27. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  13. ↑ Roth, Madeline. "Little Mix Expertly Shake Off Their Exes On The Shimmering 'Break Up Song'". www.mtv.com. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  14. ↑ Bray, Elisa (2020-11-05). "Little Mix's Confetti shows a group who have found their voice". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  15. ↑ "The 30 Best Pop Songs". Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  16. ↑ "Little Mix on Instagram: "Break Up Song vertical video is up on @spotify 🔥 Link in stories Thank you for all the love, we've missed you guys 😭"". 27 March 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 27 March 2020 – via Instagram.
  17. ↑ "Little Mix - Break Up Song (Lyric Video)". LittleMixVEVO. 27 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2020 – via YouTube.
  18. ↑ "Little Mix's 'Break Up Song' Lyric Video Was Made Entirely By A Fan". Capital FM (Music Video). 27 March 2020. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  19. ↑ Little Mix (8 May 2020). "Little Mix - Break Up Song (Official Video)". Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020 – via YouTube.
  20. ↑ "Little Mix transform into felt in official music video for Break Up Song". Metro News UK. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  21. ↑ "THE BREAK UP SONG VIDEO IS OUT NOW 💔 We were so gutted to have to cancel the official video shoot that ourselves and our team had worked so hard on. We loved the concept so much that we had to get creative to make sure you could still all see it! Hope you like it as much as we do #LMTV". Instagram. May 8, 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Little Mix's incredible 'Break Up Song' video hits over 10 MILLION views 💕". Hits Radio. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  23. ↑ Little Mix - Break Up Song (Official Video), retrieved 2021-06-16
  24. ↑ @LittleMix (August 21, 2020). "#AD Tonight's the night! Watch our exclusive Meerkat Music Show tonight at 8pm" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 September 2020 – via Twitter.
  25. ↑ Little Mix (21 August 2020). "Little Mix - Compare The Market - Meerkat Music Presents - Holiday". Archived from the original on 29 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020 – via YouTube.
  26. ↑ "Little Mix's Strictly performance song choice confirmed leaving fans 'beyond excited'". Evening Chronicle. 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  27. ↑ "Where is Jesy Nelson as Little Mix perform Break Up Song on Strictly?". Metro. 13 December 2020.
  28. 1 2 "Break Up Song - Single". Apple Music (GB). Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  29. 1 2 "Break Up Song (Acoustic Version) - Single". Apple Music (GB). Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  30. 1 2 "Break Up Song (Nathan Dawe Remix) - Single". Apple Music (GB). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  31. 1 2 "Break Up Song (Steve Void Remix) - Single". Apple Music (GB). Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  32. 1 2 "Break Up Song - EP". Apple Music (GB). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  33. ↑ "Album Break Up Song, Little Mix". Qobuz. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  34. ↑ "Little Mix's new single Holiday is the summer smash of 2020". GAY TIMES. 2020-07-24. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  35. ↑ "The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2020". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  36. ↑ "Little Mix: Chart History - Australia Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  37. ↑ "Little Mix – Break Up Song" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  38. ↑ "Little Mix – Break Up Song" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  39. ↑ "Little Mix: Chart History - Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  40. ↑ "Croatia ARC TOP 100". HRT. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  41. ↑ "Little Mix Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  42. ↑ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 13/2020". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  43. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  44. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  45. ↑ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  46. ↑ "Tipparade-lijst van week 17, 2020" [Tip parade list from week 17, 2020] (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  47. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Little Mix – Break Up Song". MegaCharts (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  48. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 6 April 2020. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  49. ↑ "Little Mix – Break Up Song". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  50. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  51. ↑ "Little Mix – Break Up Song". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  52. ↑ "Little Mix: Chart History - Switzerland Digital Song Sales". Billboard.
  53. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  54. ↑ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2020". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  55. ↑ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2021" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  56. ↑ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2022" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  57. ↑ "Brazilian single certifications – Little Mix – Break Up Song" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  58. ↑ "British single certifications – Little Mix – Break Up Song". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  59. ↑ "Singles to Radio". The Music Network. Australia. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
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