For other uses, see Best Song Ever (disambiguation).
Best Song Ever
single
CoverBest Song Ever by One Direction.png
ArtistOne Direction
AlbumMidnight Memories
Released22 July 2013
RecordedDecember 2012
GenrePower pop
Length3:22
LabelSyco · Columbia
WriterWayne Hector · John Ryan · Ed Drewett · Julian Bunetta
ProducerJulian Bunetta · John Ryan · Matt Rad
Prev year2013
Next year2013

"Best Song Ever" is a song recorded by the English-Irish boy band One Direction. It was released on 22 July 2013 by Syco as the lead single from the group's third studio album, Midnight Memories. The song was written and composed by Wayne Hector, Ed Drewett, Matt Rad, along with the band's regular collaborators Julian Bunetta and John Ryan.

"Best Song Ever" debuted and peaked at number two on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 (kept off the top by Avicii's "Wake Me Up" and Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" respectively), making it their highest-charting single in the United States to date.

Composition

The song is written in the key of D-flat major with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of G-D-A.[1]

Critical response

Most critics agreed that the song was good, but some claimed that the song did not live up to its title. For example, Will Hermes from Rolling Stone gave "Best Song Ever" a score of 4 out of 5 stars, describing the track as "pretty irresistible".[2] Lewis Corner at Digital Spy also awarded the song 4 out of 5 stars, writing: "Sure the lyrics are cheesier than a 6-pack of Wotsits, and yes the sentiment is cornier than a Disney Channel rom-com, but as far as boyband pop anthems go it skirts dangerously close to fulfilling its title."[3]

In the course of a debate on Twitter, it was noted the song's basic structure was similar to "Baba O'Riley" (1971) by the Who. Fans suggested the "Best Song Ever" was copied from the Who's song. Who guitarist Pete Townshend responded to the claims by denying that the Who were pursuing legal action, and stated that he was a fan of One Direction's single and was happy that One Direction appeared to have been influenced by the Who, just as he had been by his own guitar heroes such as Eddie Cochran.[4]

Music video

The music video for "Best Song Ever" was directed by Ben Winston and written by comedian James Corden.[5] Filmed over two days at The Temple House in Miami Beach, Florida,[6] the video was released on the band's Vevo channel on 22 July 2013.

The video is over six minutes long and features the band arguing with clueless studio executives in a battle over the band's new image. Niall Horan plays studio executive Harvey (Harvey Weinstein), Louis Tomlinson plays studio executive Jonny (modelled after Tom Cruise's character Les Grossman in the movie Tropic Thunder), and Zayn Malik plays "The Sexy Assistant", Veronica. The studio executives are stoked to take the band to the proverbial next level, but they proceed to bring in an under-qualified crew consisting of Marcel, "The Marketing Guy" (Harry Styles) and Leeroy, "The Choreographer" (Liam Payne). Interspersed with scenes from their film One Direction: This Is Us, the band are shown wreaking havoc throughout the office and even throwing in a few dance moves for good measure.[7]

The music video won a British Video at the 2014 Brit Awards on 19 February 2014.

The video broke the Vevo 24-hour record with 12.3 million views, surpassing the 10.7 million views of Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" in June, although the record was later broken again by Cyrus' follow-up music video "Wrecking Ball", which garnered 19.3 million views.[8]

The video and song were previewed during the premiere for the Disney Channel Original Movie Teen Beach Movie three days ahead of the song's release. The band also filmed promotional videos that aired during the film's commercial breaks.[9]

Live performances

The group performed "Best Song Ever" live for the first time on 30 July 2013 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California during their Take Me Home Tour concert until their final live show in Japan. The song was subsequently added to the set list to all proceeding shows of the American leg. The group's first televised performance of the single was at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards on 11 August. The group also performed the song, along with some of their other hits, on The Today Show on 23 August, on America's Got Talent on 28 August, and again on The X Factor Australia on 27 October. On 15 November, the group performed "Best Song Ever" for the first time on British television at Children in Need 2013. Since its release, the song closed out all concerts for the 2014 Where We Are Tour and the 2015 On the Road Again Tour.

Musicians such as Gabrielle Aplin[10] and The Vamps[11] have covered "Best Song Ever". "Weird Al" Yankovic also covered the song as part of his polka medley "NOW That's What I Call Polka!" for his 2014 album Mandatory Fun.[12] In the 100th episode of Mad, there is a sketch where One Direction watches the show and sings a parody of "Best Song Ever" calling it the worst show ever.[13] "Best Song Ever" was also covered by Munch's Make Believe Band, the fictional band featured in Chuck E. Cheese's restaurants, in the fall of 2014.[14]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[15]

  • Matt Radosevich – producer, bass, engineer, guitar, keyboards, programming, vocal
  • John Ryan – producer, songwriting, background vocal, engineer
  • Julian Bunetta – producer, songwriting, background vocal, engineer
  • Ed Drewett – songwriting
  • Wayne Hector – songwriting
  • Ian Franzino – assistant engineer, background vocal
  • Ruth Cunningham – background vocal
  • Damon Bunetta – background vocal
  • Stefan Litrownik – drums
  • Petro Anastos-Prastacos – editor, vocal
  • Alex Oriet – engineer
  • John Hanes – engineer
  • Tom Coyne – mastering engineer
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2013–2014)Peak
position
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
Brazil (Billboard Brasil Hot 100)[16]59
Brazil Hot Pop Songs[16]19
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)[17]8
Hungary (Editors' Choice Top 40)[18]34
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
Lebanon (The Official Lebanese Top 20)[19]12
Mexico Anglo (Monitor Latino)[20]4
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
Slovenia (SloTop50)[21]40
scope="row"
South Korea (Gaon Music Chart)[22]11
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
UK Airplay (Music Week)[23]13
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
Venezuela Pop Rock General (Record Report)[24]2

Year-end charts

Chart (2013)Position
Australia (ARIA)[25]97
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[26]96
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[27]97
France (SNEP)[28]195
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29]99
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30]82
Taiwan (Hito Radio)[31]51
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[32]50
US Billboard Hot 100[33]74

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabel
Australia[34]22 July 2013Digital downloadSony
Germany[35]
Italy[36]
United Kingdom[37]Syco
United States[38]Columbia
United States[39]23 July 2013Mainstream radio
Germany[40]16 August 2013Maxi singleSony
France[41]19 August 2013
United Kingdom[42]Syco
United States[43]20 August 2013CD singleColumbia
Japan[44]21 August 2013Maxi singleSony
Italy[45]27 August 2013

Awards

"Best Song Ever" won the award for Best Song of the Summer at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

YearCeremonyAwardResult
2013MTV Video Music AwardsBest Song of Summer
RockbjörnenBest International Songrowspan="3"
World Music AwardsWorld's Best Song
World's Best Video

See also

References

  1. ^ Anthony, Hector, Wayne; Edward, Drewett; John, Ryan; Julian, Bunetta; Direction, One (23 July 2013). "Best Song Ever". Musicnotes.com
  2. ^ "Best Song Ever". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 10 August 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  3. ^ "One Direction: 'Best Song Ever' review". Digital Spy. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  4. ^ Reed, Ryan (16 August 2013). "Pete Townshend Responds to Furious One Direction Fans". Rolling Stone
  5. ^ "8 Reasons Why One Direction's Video For 'Best Song Ever' Is The Best Video Ever". HuffPost UK. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  6. ^ "One Direction's "Best Song Ever" Video Filmed at World Famous Temple House". Marketwire. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  7. ^ "One Direction Play Dress-Up in 'Best Song'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  8. ^ Alicia Adejobi. "Miley Cyrus Beats One Direction's VEVO Record After 'Wrecking Ball' Becomes Most-Viewed Video In Less Than 24 Hours". EntertainmentWise. Archived from the original on 17 November 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  9. ^ "One Direction plus Disney Channel's 'Teen Beach Movie'". EW.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  10. ^ "Gabrielle Aplin Covers One Direction's "Best Song Ever" On BBC Live Lounge: Watch - idolator". idolator. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2017.[dead link]
  11. ^ The Vamps (28 September 2013), "One Direction - Best Song Ever (Cover By The Vamps)", retrieved 13 September 2017
  12. ^ Mandatory Fun (March 2020), "Mandatory Fun"[dead link]
  13. ^ "Cartoon Network's MAD Doubles the Funny for 100th Episode Celebration"
  14. ^ Chuck E's Mixtapes (2025-04-17). Best Song Ever - Munch's Make Believe Band. Retrieved 2025-04-20. – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "Credits / Best Song Ever (From THIS IS US) / One Direction". Tidal. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  16. ^ BPP (ed.) (November–December 2013). "Billboard Brasil Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard Brasil. ' (46): 88.
  17. ^ "Digital Singles Charts – Greece". Billboard. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  18. ^ "2013/44. heti Editors' Choice Top 40 slágerlista" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  19. ^ "One Direction". The Official Lebanese Top 20. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Ingles Top 20". Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013.
  21. ^ "SloTop50: Slovenian official singles weekly chart" (in Slovene). SloTop50. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  22. ^ "ko:8월 1주차 (2013.07.21~2013.07.27) 해외 디지털 차트" [1st Week of August (21/07/2013 – 27/07/2013) Foreign Digital Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Chart. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  23. ^ "Top 50 Airplay Chart". Music Week. 31 August 2013. p. 32. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  24. ^ "Pop Rock General" (in Spanish). Record Report. R.R. Digital C.A. 28 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  25. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2013". ARIA. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  26. ^ "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 2013" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  27. ^ "Best of 2013: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  28. ^ "Top de l'année Top Singles 2013" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  29. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2013" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  30. ^ "Year-end 2013: Singles" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  31. ^ "年度百首單曲: 2013" (in Chinese). Hit FM. Voice of Taipei Broadcasting. Archived July 11, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  32. ^ "End of Year 2013". UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  33. ^ "Best of 2013 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  34. ^ "Best Song Ever". – via Amazon.
  35. ^ "Best Song Ever". – via Amazon.
  36. ^ "Best Song Ever". – via Amazon.
  37. ^ "Best Song Ever". – via Amazon.
  38. ^ Amazon.com: Best Song Ever: One Direction: MP3 Downloads
  39. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". www.webcitation.org. Archived from the original on 2013-07-27.
  40. ^ "Best Song Ever". – via Amazon.
  41. ^ "Best Song Ever". – via Amazon.
  42. ^ "Best Song Ever". 15 November 2013. – via Amazon.
  43. ^ "Best Song Ever (Walmart Exclusive)". Walmart.com. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  44. ^ "ベスト・ソング・エヴァー". – via Amazon.
  45. ^ "Best Song Ever". – via Amazon.