This Town (Niall Horan song)

"This Town"
Single by Niall Horan
Released 29 September 2016 (2016-09-29)
Format Digital download
Recorded 2016
Genre
Length 3:52
Label Capitol
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Greg Kurstin

"This Town" is a song recorded by Irish singer Niall Horan, released as his debut single on 29 September 2016 by Capitol Records. An accompanying music video of a live performance was released the same date. The song was written by Horan, Jamie Scott, Mike Needle, Daniel Bryer, Aodhán Dorrian and produced by Greg Kurstin.[2] It is his first solo single, as well as the first solo single released by any of the band's remaining members, following the hiatus of One Direction, which was announced earlier in 2016. Since its release, it has peaked at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] and number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[4]

Composition

The song is written in the key of A major with a common time tempo of 112 beats per minute. Horan's vocals span from D3 to E4 in the song.[5] The acoustic track reflects on the things the singer never got to say to a lost lover.[1]

Critical reception

Harriet Gibsone from The Guardian thought Horan’s "This Town" "promotes his guise as an acoustic balladeer," while the video is "reinforcing the authenticity of his future career as a credible artist with skills beyond being adorable." She concluded "The modern music world can be discombobulating for those opposed to gender fluid pop stars or auto-tuned trap."[6] Entertainment Weekly editor Madison Vain wrote "the song shows growth thanks to its nuance in storytelling. He’s burdened by all the things he never got to say—and it sounds believable." Vain also thought "Horan has said he’s mining the sound of some of his biggest influences: Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. But with collaborator Greg Kurstin behind the boards, “This Town” skews more towards the modern, folk-influenced songwriting of Vance Joy and Ed Sheeran."[7] For Raisa Bruner of Time is a "lush, guitar-forward ballad in the vein of the band’s earlier tearjerkers, with hints of Sheeran in the small-town storytelling of the lyrics."[8] For Noisey, Sarah Sahim was critical of the track, noting the song was "nothing special, but its saccharine sweetness gives it all the makings of a decent hit. Niall claims that it was inspired by Bob Dylan and The Lumineers, so that should give you an idea of just how basic it is."[9]

Live performances

Horan gave the first televised performance of "This Town" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on 26 October 2016. Later that day, he appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden to sing the single.[10] He also performed the song at the 2016 Radio 1 Teen Awards,[11] the 2016 American Music Awards.[12] and several arenas across North America as part of the Jingle Ball Tour.[13]

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[14] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] 24
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] 22
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[17] 14
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[18] 29
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[19] 30
Denmark (Tracklisten)[20] 25
Finland Download (Suomen virallinen latauslista)[21] 1
France (SNEP)[22] 34
Germany (Official German Charts)[23] 52
Hungary (Single Top 40)[24] 18
Indonesia (ASIRI)[25] 29
Ireland (IRMA)[26] 6
Italy (FIMI)[27] 34
Lebanon (Lebanese Top 20)[28] 18
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 19
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 24
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 24
Norway (VG-lista)[32] 25
Portugal (AFP)[33] 20
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[34] 2
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[35] 70
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[36] 19
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[37] 53
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 18
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 40
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[3] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[40] 25
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[41] 27
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[42] 17

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[43] Gold 35,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Worldwide 29 September 2016 Digital download Capitol [44][45]
United States 4 October 2016 Contemporary hit radio [46]

References

  1. 1 2 Spanos, Brittany (29 September 2016). "Watch Niall Horan Go Solo With New Folk Single 'This Town'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "One Direction's Niall Horan Surprises With First Solo Single 'This Town': Listen". Billboard. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Archive Chart: 2016-10-07" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  4. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7534375/hot-100-chainsmokers-halsey-closer-weeknd-gnash
  5. ↑ "Niall Horan "This Town" Sheet Music in A Major (transposable)". Musicnotes. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  6. ↑ Gibsone, Harriet (29 September 2016). "Niall Horan's This Town: a strangely retrogressive step into the stagnant past". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Vain, Madison (30 September 2016). "Niall Horan's 'This Town': EW Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  8. ↑ Bruner, Raisa (29 September 2016). "One Direction's Niall Horan Just Released an Emotional Solo Track". Time. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Sahim, Sarah (7 October 2016). "Niall Horan Will Never Escape One Direction and That's a Good Thing". Noisey. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "'The Late Late Show': Niall Horan performs 'This Town,' downs salmon smoothie". USA Today. 27 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "2016, BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards - And the special guest is... Niall Horan! - BBC Radio 1". BBC. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  12. ↑ "Niall Horan Performs 'This Town' at the 2016 AMAs". Billboard. 21 November 2016.
  13. ↑ Elizabeth, De. "Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, and Niall Horan Are Going on Tour Together". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  14. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Niall Horan – This Town". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  15. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Niall Horan – This Town" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Niall Horan – This Town" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Niall Horan – This Town" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "Niall Horan – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Niall Horan. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  19. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201640 into search. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  20. ↑ "Track Top-40 Uge 41, 2016". Hitlisten.NU. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  21. ↑ "Niall Horan: This Town" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  22. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 40, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  23. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Niall Horan – This Town". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  24. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  25. ↑ "Top 30 Singles Chart Indonesia". Retrieved December 3, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 40, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  27. ↑ "Classifica settimanale WK 40" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  28. ↑ "The Official Lebanese Top 20 - Niall Horan". The Official Lebanese Top 20. 30 October 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  29. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 2016" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  30. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Niall Horan – This Town" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  31. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  32. ↑ "VG-lista - Topp 20 Single uke 42, 2016". VG-lista. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  33. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Niall Horan – This Town". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  34. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2016-10-07". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  35. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201641 into search. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  36. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201640 into search. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  37. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Niall Horan – This Town" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  38. ↑ "Sverigetopplistan - Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  39. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Niall Horan – This Town". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  40. ↑ "Niall Horan – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Niall Horan. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  41. ↑ "Niall Horan – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Niall Horan. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  42. ↑ "Niall Horan – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Niall Horan. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  43. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  44. ↑ "This Town - Single by Niall Horan". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  45. ↑ "This Town - Single by Niall Horan". iTunes Store (UK). Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  46. ↑ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.

External links

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