All Time Low (song)
Encyclopedia
"All Time Low" is a pop song by British boy band
The Wanted
, written by Steve Mac
, Wayne Hector
, Richard Jobling and Ed Drewett
. It was released as their debut single in the United Kingdom on 25 July 2010 on digital download
format and on 26 July 2010 on CD single
format through Geffen Records
. The song peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and at number nineteen in Ireland. "All Time Low" is upbeat with prominent dance-pop
musical characteristics. It has so far garnered a positive response from contemporary music critics. The song was accompanied by a music video
which was released on 3 June 2010. The Wanted have performed "All Time Low" live at the Summertime Ball
, Arqiva Awards
, and on various television shows including: GMTV
and The Hollyoaks Music Show, and online shows such as SBTV and The 5:19 Show
. On 2 July 2010, BBC
online magazine Slink
used "All Time Low" in their 'Snapped' feature.
in 2010 through mass auditioning, The Wanted recorded "All Time Low". It was one of six songs recorded by the band at the time for their debut album due for release in late 2010. The track was co-written by its producer Steve Mac
in collaboration with Wayne Hector
and Ed Drewett. It was mixed
by Dann Pursey and Ren Swan. Lyrically
, "All Time Low" is written in reference to rising from the difficulty of having someone special constantly on your mind. Speaking to Orange U.K., Max George from the band interpreted what the song was about:
by music website Popjustice
. While the line "I'm in pieces, seems like peace is the only thing I'll never know" was highlighted by Fraser McAlpine of the BBC
as being the most memorable in the song in addition to having a devilish internal rhyme
. "All Time Low" acts as The Wanted's debut single and first single from their debut album. The single was first released on digital download
format in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 25 July 2010. The following day "All Time Low" was released on CD single format in both countries on 26 July 2010.
at The Dome 55. On 11 September 2010, they performed the song at the Freedom Festival
in Hull
alongside "Heart Vacancy
" and "Lose My Mind".
who gave the song a four out five star rating. Love described the song as "a bit of a surprise" and gave praise to its opening "quite simply immense" strings. Love went on to call the song a "fresh 'n' fizzy indie-tinged pop gem". "All Time Low" received its second four out of five star rating after a review by Fraser McAlpine from the BBC
. McAlpine reviewed the track mentioning: "Now, for a transparent piece of silly old pop music, this has class cooties. The telltale signs are there in the string riff, and the mature, subtle way they approach the singing, and the restraint with which they have applied the autotune." He went on to say that the song was good despite sampling a melody
from Coldplay
's "The Scientist
" (2002). McAlpine added that the song boasts a memorable line with a devlish internal rhyme
: "I'm in pieces, it seems like peace is the only thing I'll never know".
on 29 July 2010 at number 19. The song debuted at number one in the United Kingdom
for the week ending 7 August 2010.
Source:
(1 week)
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
The Wanted
The Wanted
The Wanted are a British-Irish boy band based in London, England. The band consists of Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Tom Parker and Nathan Sykes. Their debut single, "All Time Low", was released in July 2010 and reached number one in the United Kingdom for one week...
, written by Steve Mac
Steve Mac
Steve Mac , is a songwriter, record producer and owner of Rokstone Studios in London.He has produced more than 22 number one singles in the UK and had several multi-million selling albums worldwide...
, Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector is an English songwriter.Wayne Hector has had over 30 number ones around the globe under his belt and numerous movie soundtrack credits, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters....
, Richard Jobling and Ed Drewett
Ed Drewett
Ed Drewett is a singer-songwriter signed to EMI Virgin Records. Drewett first came to public attention in 2007 on the BBC television show Any Dream Will Do but he did not make the final 12 chosen for the live shows. He is best-known, however, for the single "I Need You Tonight" produced by The...
. It was released as their debut single in the United Kingdom on 25 July 2010 on digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
format and on 26 July 2010 on CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
format through Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
. The song peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and at number nineteen in Ireland. "All Time Low" is upbeat with prominent dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
musical characteristics. It has so far garnered a positive response from contemporary music critics. The song was accompanied by a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
which was released on 3 June 2010. The Wanted have performed "All Time Low" live at the Summertime Ball
Summertime Ball
The Summertime Ball is a mini-festival held each June by Global Radio. The first ball was at Emirates Stadium and the second at Wembley Stadium both promoted and broadcast by 95.8 Capital FM...
, Arqiva Awards
Arqiva
Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless...
, and on various television shows including: GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
and The Hollyoaks Music Show, and online shows such as SBTV and The 5:19 Show
BBC Switch
BBC Switch was the brand for BBC content aimed at UK teenagers. The brand launched on Saturday 20 October 2007 on BBC Two And ceased broadcasting on Saturday 17 December 2010...
. On 2 July 2010, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
online magazine Slink
Slink
Slink is an online magazine published by the BBC for teenage girls. The health articles on the site are written by Dr Mel, a regular contributor to BBC Radio 1's The Sunday Surgery and Top of the Pops magazine. Slink is created by members of BBC Switch....
used "All Time Low" in their 'Snapped' feature.
Background
After forming and being signed to Geffen RecordsGeffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
in 2010 through mass auditioning, The Wanted recorded "All Time Low". It was one of six songs recorded by the band at the time for their debut album due for release in late 2010. The track was co-written by its producer Steve Mac
Steve Mac
Steve Mac , is a songwriter, record producer and owner of Rokstone Studios in London.He has produced more than 22 number one singles in the UK and had several multi-million selling albums worldwide...
in collaboration with Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector is an English songwriter.Wayne Hector has had over 30 number ones around the globe under his belt and numerous movie soundtrack credits, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters....
and Ed Drewett. It was mixed
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
by Dann Pursey and Ren Swan. Lyrically
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
, "All Time Low" is written in reference to rising from the difficulty of having someone special constantly on your mind. Speaking to Orange U.K., Max George from the band interpreted what the song was about:
It's basically about a girl you can't get out of your mind - whatever you do, you just can't - and it describes how to get up from this all time low.Orange UK described "All Time Low" as having a "lovesick" theme to it. The lines "Waiting at the station/I'm late for work, a vital presentation" were said to take reference to Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint, usually just called PowerPoint, is a non-free commercial presentation program developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, and runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS X operating system...
by music website Popjustice
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
. While the line "I'm in pieces, seems like peace is the only thing I'll never know" was highlighted by Fraser McAlpine of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as being the most memorable in the song in addition to having a devilish internal rhyme
Rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...
. "All Time Low" acts as The Wanted's debut single and first single from their debut album. The single was first released on digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
format in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 25 July 2010. The following day "All Time Low" was released on CD single format in both countries on 26 July 2010.
Live performances
In August 2010, they performed the song in Hannover, GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at The Dome 55. On 11 September 2010, they performed the song at the Freedom Festival
Freedom Festival, Hull
The Freedom Festival is an annual Music and Performance Arts Festival held in the city of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.Named in honour of the slave trade abolitionist, MP and son of Hull, William Wilberforce.-2008:...
in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
alongside "Heart Vacancy
Heart Vacancy
"Heart Vacancy" is a song by British boy band The Wanted from their self-titled debut album. It was released as their second single in the United Kingdom on 17 October 2010 through Geffen Records. The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Cutfather, Lucas Secon, and Wayne Hector...
" and "Lose My Mind".
Critical reception
"All Time Low" received critical praise from Ryan Love of Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
who gave the song a four out five star rating. Love described the song as "a bit of a surprise" and gave praise to its opening "quite simply immense" strings. Love went on to call the song a "fresh 'n' fizzy indie-tinged pop gem". "All Time Low" received its second four out of five star rating after a review by Fraser McAlpine from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. McAlpine reviewed the track mentioning: "Now, for a transparent piece of silly old pop music, this has class cooties. The telltale signs are there in the string riff, and the mature, subtle way they approach the singing, and the restraint with which they have applied the autotune." He went on to say that the song was good despite sampling a melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
from Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
's "The Scientist
The Scientist (song)
"The Scientist" is the second single from British alternative rock band Coldplay's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for the album. It is built around a piano ballad, with its lyrics telling the story about a man's desire to love...
" (2002). McAlpine added that the song boasts a memorable line with a devlish internal rhyme
Rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...
: "I'm in pieces, it seems like peace is the only thing I'll never know".
Chart performance
"All Time Low" first debuted in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 29 July 2010 at number 19. The song debuted at number one in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for the week ending 7 August 2010.
Track listings
- UK digital download #1
- "All Time Low" – 3:23
- "All Time Low" (D.O.N.S. Remix Radio Edit) – 3:39
- Digital download #2
- "All Time Low" (ForGold Remix) - 4:59
- "All Time Low" (Daddy's Groove Remix) - 6:57
- CD single (includes a fold-out poster of the band)
- "All Time Low" – 3:23
- "Fight for This LoveFight for This Love"Fight for This Love" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her debut studio album, 3 Words. Initially, the song was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on 16 October 2009 by Fascination Records however, in 2010 it was also released in Europe as the...
" (Steve KipnerSteve KipnerSteve Kipner is a multi-platinum-selling songwriter and record producer with hits spanning over a 40 year history, including chart-topping songs such as Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", Chicago's Grammy-nominated "Hard Habit to Break", "Genie In A Bottle" by Christina Aguilera, for which he won an...
, Wayne WilkinsWayne WilkinsWayne Wilkins is a classically trained pianist, Record producer, songwriter, record engineer, and record mixer born in the southeast London neighborhood of Croydon...
, Andre Merritt) – 3:26
- US digital download
- "All Time Low" (Single Mix) – 3:22
- US digital download — remixes
- "All Time Low" (Single Mix) – 3:22
- "All Time Low" (Ralphi RosarioRalphi RosarioRalphi Rosario was a founding member of the influential Chicago DJ group, The Hot Mix 5. When this group formed in 1981 on radio station WBMX, Rosario, the youngest member of the group, was still in high school...
Radio Mix) – 3:44 - "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Radio Edit) – 3:18
- "All Time Low" (Single Club Mix) – 6:27
- "All Time Low" (Ralphi Rosario Club Mix) – 8:01
- "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Club Edit) – 6:02
- "All Time Low" (Single Dub Mix) – 6:27
- "All Time Low" (Ralphi Rosario Dub Mix) – 6:58
- "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Dub Edit) – 6:17
- Promo Remixes
- "All Time Low" (Frank E Pop Radio Edit) - 4:22
- "All Time Low" (Frank E Pop Club Mix) - 7:22
- "All Time Low" (Frank E Pop Dub Mix) - 6:28
- "All Time Low" (Pop Radio Edit) - 3:23
- "All Time Low" (Pop Club Mix) - 6:28
- "All Time Low" (Pop Dub Mix) - 6:28
- "All Time Low" (D.O.N.S. Aly Radio Edit) - 4:01
- "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Club Mix) - 7:52
Personnel
- SongwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
– Steve MacSteve MacSteve Mac , is a songwriter, record producer and owner of Rokstone Studios in London.He has produced more than 22 number one singles in the UK and had several multi-million selling albums worldwide...
, Wayne HectorWayne HectorWayne Hector is an English songwriter.Wayne Hector has had over 30 number ones around the globe under his belt and numerous movie soundtrack credits, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters....
, Ed DrewettEd DrewettEd Drewett is a singer-songwriter signed to EMI Virgin Records. Drewett first came to public attention in 2007 on the BBC television show Any Dream Will Do but he did not make the final 12 chosen for the live shows. He is best-known, however, for the single "I Need You Tonight" produced by The... - ProductionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and strings arrangementStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
– Steve Mac - EngineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
– Chris Laws, Dann Pursey - DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
– Chris Laws - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
– Dann Pursey - MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
– Ren Swan, Dann Pursey - LeadSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
– Tom Parker, Nathan Sykes, Jay McGuiness, Max George, Siva KaneswaranThe WantedThe Wanted are a British-Irish boy band based in London, England. The band consists of Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Tom Parker and Nathan Sykes. Their debut single, "All Time Low", was released in July 2010 and reached number one in the United Kingdom for one week... - MasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
– Dick Beetham
Source:
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
19 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 36 |
(1 week)
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 25 July 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Geffen Records Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:... |
| 26 July 2010 | CD single | ||
| Ireland | 25 July 2010 | Digital download | |
| 26 July 2010 | CD single | ||
| Germany | 9 August 2010 | Digital download | |
| 22 October 2010 | CD single | ||
| Canada | 1 July 2011 | Digital download | Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group... |
| United States |
See also
- List of number-one singles from the 2010s (UK)
- List of number-one singles from the 2010s (Scotland)
External links
- "All Time Low" Song Lyrics at TheWantedMusic.com