Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” won Grammy for Song of the Year

That’s What I Like Bruno Mars

Writer(s): Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown (see lyrics here) Released: January 30, 2017 First Charted: December 10, 2016 Peak: 11 US, 19 BA, 12 AC, 2 A40, 16 RB, 12 UK, 3 CN, 5 AU, 22 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 10.0 US, 1.2 UK, 12.66 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2000.1 video, 1691.41 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The 60th Annual Grammy Awards, held on January 18, 2018, proved to be Bruno Mars’ night when he won all six Grammys for which he was nominated. His 24K Magic won Album of the Year and R&B Album of the Year while the title track took Record of the Year. The big winner, though, was “That’s What I Like.” The song, which he’d performed at the Grammys the year before, walked away with honors for Song of the Year, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Performance. The song also won some other significant awards, including the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Song and the Soul Train Music Award for Song of the Year. Mars also performed the song at the 2017 Brit Awards and the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards. WK Released as the second single from 24K Magic, “That’s What I Like” spent 24 weeks in the top 5 of the Hot 100, one of only five songs to do so. WK It also spent 20 weeks on top of Hot R&B Songs, which tied it with The Weeknd’s “Starboy” and Drake’s “One Dance” for most weeks at #1. WK It became Mars’ fifth #1 song as a lead artist and seventh time on top overall (he was featured on B.o.B.’s “Nothin’ on You” and Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”). Mars was also on his way to another significant achievement – when the album’s fourth single, “Finesse,” went top 5 it made him only the second male artist in history (after Lionel Richie), to send at least three songs to the top ten from each of his first three albums. Ray Romulus, who was part of the song’s production team, talked about Mars’ writing process. “When he was in the studio he was…dancing for us and showing us, like, ‘I can’t move like that to this chord or to this drum…change it.’” SF Jonathan Yip, also of the production team, said “We would just go back and forth and were messing around with rhythms” SF because, as Mars had said, “We need to make this bounce.” SF Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: Last updated 7/21/2023.

 

“Uptown Funk” landed 14th week at #1

Uptown Funk! Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars

Writer(s): Jeff Bhasker, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson (see lyrics here) Released: November 10, 2014 First Charted: November 16, 2014 Peak: 114 US, 112 BA, 113 DG, 112 ST, 16 RR, 5 AC, 11 A40, 17 UK, 115 CN, 16 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 11.0 US, 3.0 UK, 20.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 5.0 radio, 5743.0 video, 1755.85 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Mark Ronson had released three albums under his name and landed four top ten hits in the UK. He’d never hit the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. as a solo artist, although he had produced hits such as Bruno Mars’ #1 “Locked Out of Heaven” (2012) and Amy Winehouse’s top-ten “Rehab” (2006), which won Grammys for Song and Record of the Year. For his fourth solo album, Uptown Special, Ronson tapped Mars for lead vocals and landed not just the hit of his career, but one of the biggest #1 hits of all-time. On the Hot 100, only Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” (1995) spent more weeks at #1 (16). In Canada, only the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” (2009) spent more weeks at #1 (16). WK The song was one of only four to top the Hot 100 and the UK charts for at least seven weeks on both charts. The others were Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” (1991), Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” (1992), and Rihanna’s “Umbrella” (2007). SF The song also set a worldwide record for highest number of streams in one week (15 million). WK The song grew out of a lick Mars and his band played on tour, but took over half a year to complete. SF They went with deliberately over-the-top lyrics, such as “gotta kiss myself I’m so pretty,” a line adapted from an interview with boxer Larry Holmes, who kissed his arms after saying how much he loved himself, and boxer Muhammad Ali, who boasted “I’m so pretty.” SF Mars and Ronson co-wrote the song with Jeff Bhasker, with whom they’d also collaborated on “Locked Out of Heaven.” Bhasker had also produced Kanye West, Drake, and Alicia Keys. SF The song gave Mars his sixth #1 and eleventh top 5 hit on the Hot 100, passing Katy Perry and Rihanna (both with 10) for the most of the 2010s. WK The song also featured Sharon Jones’ Dap-Kings on horns. Ronson previously used the group on Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and in his solo work. Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Mark Ronson SF Songfacts.com WK Wikipedia Related Links: Last updated 7/24/2023.