Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” wins Record and Song of the Year Grammys

Need You Now Lady Antebellum

Writer(s): Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood, Josh Kear (see lyrics here) Released: August 11, 2009 First Charted: August 29, 2009 Peak: 2 US, 3 RR, 115 AC, 19 A40, 15 CW, 15 UK, 2 CN, 27 AU, 7 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 9.0 US, 0.6 UK, 9.81 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.7 radio, 658.61 video, 498.83 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Lady Antebellum first made its mark in 2008 with its eponymous debut, an album which included the country chart-topping “I Run to You.” The country-pop trio had no problem battling the sophomore slump. The second album’s lead-off single, “Need You Now,” was a multi-format smash which first topped the Billboard country charts, but later reached the top slot of the adult contemporary and adult top 40 charts as well. It peaked at #2 on the pop charts. The song also took home Grammys for Song and Record of the Year, as well as ACM Awards for Single and Song of the Year. It was named the #2 song of the year by Billboard, behind only Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok,” WK and the most-played song on jukeboxes in 2010. SF As of April 2011, it was one of the top ten most downloaded songs in history and the top country download of all time. WK Lyrically, the song (which all three band members helped write) is basically a booty call. Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott said, “All three of us know what it’s like to get to that point where you feel lonely enough that you make a late night phone call that you very well could regret the next day.” SF Member Charles Kelley said record execs were leery about the line, “I’m a little drunk,” but were convinced to leave the line in. WK Billboard’s Ken Tucker said the song “will connect with anyone who’s ever dumped a significant other and regretted it in the early morning hours.” WK Critics also commented on how Scott’s voice fit perfectly with the song’s dark tone (Jim Malec, the 9513). WK Roughstock’s Bobby Peacock said her traded-off lead vocals with, as Tucker said, “a soulful Kelley,” WK gave the song more depth. WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Lady Antebellum SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: Last updated 10/19/2022.

Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now hit #1 on country album charts for 1st of 31 weeks

Need You Now Lady Antebellum

Released: February 26, 2010 Peak: 14 US, 131 CW, 8 UK, 13 CN, 5 AU Sales (in millions): 9.0 US, 0.3 UK, 9.3 world (includes US and UK) Genre: country

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Need You Now (8/11/09, 2 US, 3 RR, 115 AC, 19 A40, 15 CW, 15 UK, 2 CN, 27 AU, sales: 9.81 million) Our Kind of Love (2/6/10, 51 US, 12 CW, 61 CN) American Honey (1/2/10, 25 US, 12 CW, 50 CN, sales: 1 million) Hello World (10/9/10, 58 US, 39 CW, 70 CN) Perfect Day Love This Pain (1/23/10, 93 US) When You Got a Good Thing Stars Tonight If I Knew Then Something ‘Bout a Woman Ready to Love Again (1/30/10, 72 US) Total Running Time: 44:10 The Players: Dave Haywood (guitar, mandolin, background vocals) Charles Kelley (vocals, background vocals) Hillary Scott (vocals, background vocals)

Rating: 4.174 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings) Quotable: -- Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: With their 2008 self-titled debut, Lady Antebellum made their mark on country radio. The album topped the Billboard country album chart and scored three hits, including the #1 “I Run to You.” The band prove “there is no sophomore slump on Need You Now. Here, the band’s seamless, polished, and savvy brand of contemporary country is even more consistent than it was on their debut; it’s virtually flawless in its songwriting, production, and performance.” AMG The album was preceded by two singles. The title cut was released six months earlier and made it to #1 on the country chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. American Honey was released about six weeks before the album and also made it to the pinnacle on the country charts and was a top-40 pop hit. “This singing/songwriting trio – lead vocalists Charles Kelly and Hillary Scott, with multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist Dave Haywood – understand how Nashville works, and they know how to work it. On their sophomore effort, they stick very close to the formula of their debut: a slew of mid- and uptempo love songs, a sad ballad, and a couple of rocked-up good-time tunes, all self-written with some help from some of Nashville’s most respected writers.” AMG “Kelly’s baritone is emotive, expressive, and deep in the pocket, no matter what he’s singing. He shines on the soft rocking Love This Pain, which could have been a single. Scott’s voice is a little less distinctive, but she does possess a unique form of phrasing and reaches deeply into her protagonist’s personal situations, whether it’s the celebratory good-time girl in ‘American Honey’ or the wildly-in-love mature woman on Hold on Tight.” AMG “The group party anthem on the set – an obligatory addition these days – is Stars Tonight, which contains more than a few clichés, but has a killer guitar riff and an infectious chorus.” AMG Notes: For those who bought the album, new songs were offered via ladyantebellum.com. There were acoustic versions of “Need You Now” and “I Run to You” and live versions of “American Honey,” “Our Kind of Love,” “Stars Tonight,” “All We’d Ever Need,” “Do I,” “When You Got a Good Thing,” “Slow Down Sister,” “Love’s Lookin’ Good on You,” and “Hello World.”

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Lady Antebellum AMG All Music Guide review by Thom Jurek WK Wikipedia First posted 8/1/2021.