7 Years (Lukas Graham song)

"7 Years"
Single by Lukas Graham
from the album Lukas Graham
Released 18 September 2015
Format
  • 12"
  • digital download
Genre Soul-pop
Length 3:59
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
  • Future Animals
  • Pilo
Lukas Graham singles chronology
"Strip No More"
(2015)		 "7 Years"
(2015)		 "Golden"
(2016)

"7 Years" is a song by Danish soul-pop band Lukas Graham from their second studio album, Lukas Graham. The song was released as a digital download on 18 September 2015 by Copenhagen Records. The lyric video was uploaded to YouTube on 17 November 2015, and the music video was uploaded on 15 December 2015.

It topped the charts in Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, and Canada, while reaching the top ten in other European countries, as well as the United States. The song was written by Lukas Forchammer, Stefan Forrest, Morten Ristorp, and Morten "Pilo" Pilegaard. The song was produced by Stefan Forrest and Morten Ristorp under their stage name Future Animals, and Pilegaard. The song was mixed by Delbert Bowers and Morten Pilegaard.[1]

Background

Frontman Lukas Graham Forchhammer described "7 Years" as a song about his life so far and what he hopes to achieve in the future. He said that the reason the lyrics go as far as the age of 60 is because his father died at 61 and he needed to "pass it to believe it." He continued: "It's a song about growing older. I'm also coming to a realisation that being a father is the most important thing. My biggest dream is not to be some negative old dude, but to have my kids' friends say, 'You're going to visit your dad? Say hi! He's awesome.' I had a perfect father."[2]

Regarding the band's prior failure to break into the international market Forchhammer stated, "It's like my father died at exactly the right moment – and I know that's something I shouldn't say, but I just did! If my dad hadn't died in 2012 I wouldn't have written our song Happy Home, which catapulted us into a Scandinavian success story. I wouldn't have written 7 Years, which got us signed to a publisher in America and ultimately signed to Warner Bros."[3]

Composition

"7 Years" is a soul-pop song with hip hop influences,[4] written in the key of G minor. It runs at 60 bpm. It is accompanied by a midtempo piano line, a percussion backbeat, slideshow projector incorporations, and a synthesized string section.[5]

Critical reception

Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten critic Anders Houmøller Thomsen compared the song to The Beatles' "When I'm Sixty-Four": "The ballad '7 Years' sounds like a current answer to The Beatles' 'When I'm Sixty-Four'. '7 Years' bubbles with ignited storytelling about life's fast speed, when the daydreams of childhood and youth suddenly becomes replaced by retirement-melancholia. Graham finds his own path between sweet sentimentality and heartbreaking empathy, and like a young McCartney, Graham also has a similar instinctive ability to craft superglue-sticking choruses."[6]

Commercial performance

For the issue dated 6 February 2016, "7 Years" debuted at number 96 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became Lukas Graham's first single on the Hot 100.[7] The song peaked at number two on the chart dated 9 April 2016, and became the highest-charting Danish act since "Apache" (1961) by Jørgen Ingmann.[8] The song stayed there for four non-consecutive weeks, being held off of the top spot by Rihanna and Drake's "Work" and Desiigner's "Panda".[9] "7 Years" also debuted at number 28 on the US Digital Songs chart with 26,000 digital copies sold.[10] As of October 2016, it has sold 2.03 million downloads in the country, thus being the third best-selling song of the year, behind Flo Rida's "My House" and Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling!".[11]

On 12 February 2016, "7 Years" peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, with combined weekly sales of 105,000 units (including 3.65 million streams). The song became the first number-one single by a Danish act since Aqua's "Turn Back Time" (1998).[12] On 11 March 2016, "7 Years" spent its fifth consecutive week at number-one, becoming the longest-running number-one single by a Danish act.[13] On 18 March 2016, "7 Years" was replaced by Mike Posner's "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" at number one, selling 261 copies less than Posner.[14]

"7 Years" peaked at number one on the Australian Singles Chart, which makes Lukas Graham only the third Danish act to chart at number one (since Cut 'N' Move's "Give It Up", and Aqua's "Barbie Girl" and "Doctor Jones").[15] On the chart issue dated 11 April 2016, "7 Years" spent its eighth consecutive week at number one, becoming the longest-running number-one single by a Danish act. It overtook the previous record set by Aqua's "Doctor Jones", which spent seven consecutive weeks at number one in 1997–98.[16]

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "7 Years" was first released onto YouTube on 15 December 2015 at a total length of four minutes.[17] As of November 2016, it has received over 430 million views on YouTube.

Cover versions

English singer Jasmine Thompson released a cover version of the song on 22 April 2016 through Atlantic Records.[18] On 24 April 2016, Dutch singer Jan Versteegh released a cover version of the song through 8Ball Music, which was later included on his debut album It Takes Swing which was released on 13 May 2016.[19][20] English singer Conor Maynard covered the song on the album Covers, which was released on 5 August 2016 by Parlophone.[21] Linkin' Bridge, an American musical group from Louisville, Kentucky covered the song during the semi-finals of NBC's America's Got Talent season 11 on September 14, 2016.[22]

Track listing

Digital download
No. Title Length
1. "7 Years"   3:59
12" vinyl[23]
No. Title Length
1. "7 Years" (album version) 3:57
2. "7 Years" (live from Denmark) 4:07

Charts

Chart (2015–16) Peak
position
Argentina (Monitor Latino)[24] 6
Australia (ARIA)[25] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[26] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[27] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[28] 4
Brazil (Billboard Hot 100)[29] 4
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[30] 1
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[31] 2
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[32] 1
Denmark (Tracklisten)[33] 1
Europe (Euro Digital Songs)[34] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[35] 5
France (SNEP)[36] 5
Germany (Official German Charts)[37] 6
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[38] 6
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[39] 3
Hungary (Single Top 40)[40] 3
Ireland (IRMA)[41] 1
Israel (Media Forest)[42] 2
Italy (FIMI)[43] 1
Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[44] 2
Luxembourg Digital Songs (Billboard)[45] 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[46] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[47] 3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[48] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[49] 4
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[50] 2
Portugal (AFP)[51] 2
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[52] 1
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[53] 3
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[54] 2
Slovenia (SloTop50)[55] 2
South Africa (EMA)[56] 6
South Korea International Chart (Gaon)[57] 63
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[58] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[59] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[60] 3
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[61] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[62] 2
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[63] 2
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[64] 1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[65] 1
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[66] 33
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[67] 24

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[68] 5× Platinum 350,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[69] Gold 15,000*
Belgium (BEA)[70] Platinum 30,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[71] 2× Platinum 160,000^
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[72] 4× Platinum 240,000^
Germany (BVMI)[73] Platinum 400,000^
Italy (FIMI)[74] 4× Platinum 200,000double-dagger
New Zealand (RMNZ)[75] 3× Platinum 45,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[76] 4× Platinum 80,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[77] 2× Platinum 80,000^
Sweden (GLF)[78] 7× Platinum 280,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[79] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[80] 2× Platinum 1,900,000[81]
United States (RIAA)[82] 4× Platinum 2,030,000[11]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
double-daggersales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Denmark 18 September 2015 Digital download Copenhagen
Worldwide 22 October 2015 Warner Bros.

References

  1. ↑ "Inside Track: Lukas Graham '7 Years' | Sound On Sound". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  2. ↑ Copsey, Rob (10 February 2016). "Who are Lukas Graham? 7 things about the 7 Years band". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  3. ↑ Copsey, Rob (19 February 2016). "Lukas Graham on taking over the world with 7 Years: Interview". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Vain, Madison (7 April 2016). "Meet '7 Years' singer Lukas Graham". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Lukas Graham "7 Years" Sheet Music. musicnotes
  6. ↑ "Jyllands-Posten". www.jp.dk. 29 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Empire of the Sun's 2008 Single Debuts at Last Thanks to Honda Ad Buzz". Billboard. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Trust, Gary (28 March 2016). "Rihanna's 'Work' Leads Hot 100 for Sixth Week, Meghan Trainor's 'No' Hits Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Trust, Gary (25 April 2016). "Desiigner's 'Panda' Claws to No. 1 on Hot 100, Bringing Americans Back to the Top". Billboard. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "G-Eazy & Bebe Rexha Near Top 10 With 'Me, Myself & I': Hot 100 Chart Moves". Billboard.
  11. 1 2 Christman, Ed (October 10, 2016). "Here's Why 2016 Is Set to Be Music Industry's Best Year Since 2009". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Lukas Graham take 7 Years all the way to Number 1".
  13. ↑ "Lukas Graham are officially the UK's longest reigning Danish Number 1". Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  14. ↑ Jones, Alan (18 March 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Mike Posner's I Took A Pill In Ibiza takes No.1 by slim margin". Music Week. Retrieved 25 March 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  15. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Australias Official Music Charts – Single, Album, Digital Charts and more – ARIA Charts".
  16. ↑ "Lukas Graham's 7 Years Hits Record-Breaking Eight Weeks At #1". ARIA Charts. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  17. ↑ Lukas Graham (15 December 2015), Lukas Graham – 7 Years [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO], retrieved 25 July 2016
  18. ↑ "7 Years – Single by Jasmine Thompson on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Jan Versteegh" (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  20. ↑ "It Takes Swing by Jan Versteegh on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "Covers by Conor Maynard on Apple Music". Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  22. ↑ Linkin Bridge & Silhouettes: Acts Team Up for "7 Years" Performance - America's Got Talent 2016. YouTube. September 14, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Record Store Day 2016 > Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  24. ↑ "Argentina Top 20 General" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  25. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  26. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  27. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  28. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  29. ↑ "Hot 100 Billboard Brasil – weekly". Billboard Brasil. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  30. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Lukas Graham. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  31. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201615 into search. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  32. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201610 into search. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  33. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Tracklisten.
  34. ↑ "Europe Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  35. ↑ "Lukas Graham: 7 Years" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  36. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  37. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  38. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  39. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  40. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  41. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 7, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  42. ↑ "{{{artist}}} – {{{song}}} Media Forest". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  43. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  44. ↑ "Latvijas Top 40". Latvijas Radio. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  45. ↑ "Luxembourg Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  46. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Lukas Graham search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  47. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  48. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  49. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". VG-lista.
  50. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  51. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  52. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2016-02-12". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  53. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201611 into search. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  54. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201611 into search. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  55. ↑ "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  56. ↑ "EMA Top 10 Airplay: Week Ending 2016-03-15". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  57. ↑ "2016년 12주차 Digital Chart" (in Korean). Gaon. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  58. ↑ "Top 100 Songs". PROMUSICAE. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  59. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Singles Top 100.
  60. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Swiss Singles Chart.
  61. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2016-02-18" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  62. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Lukas Graham.
  63. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Lukas Graham. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  64. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Lukas Graham.
  65. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Lukas Graham.
  66. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Lukas Graham.
  67. ↑ "Lukas Graham – Chart history" Billboard Rock Airplay for Lukas Graham.
  68. ↑ "ARIA CHART WATCH #397". auspOp. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  69. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Lukas Graham in the field Interpret. Enter 7 Years in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
  70. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2016". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  71. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Music Canada.
  72. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". IFPI Denmark. Click on næste to go to page if certification from official website
  73. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Lukas Graham; '7 Years')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  74. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Lukas Graham in the field Filtra. Select 2016 in the field Anno. The certification will load automatically
  75. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  76. ↑ "Polish single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  77. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years" (in Spanish). Novedades y Listas Oficiales de Ventas de Música en España. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  78. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2016" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Type Lukas Graham in the top right search bar. Click on "Sok" and select 7 Years and see certification.
  79. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Lukas Graham; '7 Years')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  80. ↑ "British single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". British Phonographic Industry. Enter 7 Years in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  81. ↑ Copsey, Rob (4 October 2016). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Songs of 2016 so far revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  82. ↑ "American single certifications – Lukas Graham – 7 Years". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links

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