"Closer" is a song by American EDM duo The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey. The song was released to digital retail and streaming formats on July 29, 2016, and impacted radio on August 2, 2016. The song became a commercial success, topping the charts in multiple countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A music video was released on October 24, 2016.
Closer was nominated in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Background[]
The existence of the song was first confirmed when a snippet was performed at The Chainsmokers's Coachella set. At the Bonaroo Arts and Music Festival, Halsey was invited onto the stage to perform the song with them, where it was announced that she would be included in the final version.
The song was written as a "conversational song" with two people telling each other want they want specifically. Speaking on this further to Bazaar, The Chainsmokers said the following:
...we ended up becoming friends with Halsey. We showed her the song and she made the second verse so it wasn't my one-sided story about some chick I used to date. She made it a conversation between the two of us, which added a really cool dynamic—it makes the song complete.[1]
Closer was included on The Chainsmokers's extended play Collage, which was released on November 4, 2016.
Videos[]
Music video[]
| Music Video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
|
Released | October 24, 2016 |
| Length | 4:07 | |
| Director | Dano Cerny | |
| Producer | Unknown | |
| Filmed | 2016 | |
| Location | Unknown | |
| VEVO views | 215+ Million views | |
The song's official music video was released on October 24, 2016. The video shows Drew Taggart and Halsey's characters' relationship. The two first met at a college party, and then hooked up afterward. At the pool, Halsey's character grows frustrated, and storms off. The characters are then sitting in their empty bedrooms. Throughout the video, it shows the party in the future where Halsey and Drew repeatedly gaze at each other. Eventually, Halsey leaves the party. Drew then follows her outside. The video ends with Halsey looking over her shoulder into the camera.
Lyric video[]
| Music Video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
|
Released | July 29, 2016 |
| Length | 4:22 | |
| Director | Rory Kramer | |
| Producer | Ben Wolin, Enes Kolenovic | |
| Filmed | 2016 | |
| Location | Point Mugu, California | |
| VEVO views | 1.5+ Billion views | |
Live performances[]
| Music Video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
|
Released | August 28, 2016 |
| Length | 4:10 | |
| Director | N/A | |
| Producer | N/A | |
| Filmed | 2016 | |
| Location | New York City, New York | |
| VEVO views | 61+ Million views | |
Charts and certifications[]
Charts[]
Lyrics[]
Hey, I was doing just fine just before I met you
I drank too much and that's an issue but I'm okay
Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them
But I hope I never see them again
I know it breaks your heart
Moved to the city in a broke down car and
Four years, no calls
Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar and
I can't stop
No, I can't stop
So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older
You, look as the good as the day as I met you
I forget just why I left you, I was insane
Stay, and play that Blink-182 song
That we beat to death in Tuscon, okay
I know it breaks your heart
I moved to the city in a broke down car and
Four years, no calls
Now I'm looking pretty in a hotel bar and
I can't stop
No, I can't stop
So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older
So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older (we ain't ever getting older)
We ain't ever getting older (we ain't ever getting older)
We ain't ever getting older (we ain't ever getting older)
We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older
No we ain't ever getting older
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- "Closer" is Halsey's first top ten and number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also The Chainsmoker's first number one of the chart.
- "Closer" is Halsey's first song to top iTunes in the United States.
- The song is The Chainsmokers and Halsey's first number one in Australia.
- Halsey and The Chainsmokers performed "Closer" at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards.
- The song went platinum the same day as Halsey's debut album Badlands.
- "Closer" topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 12 consecutive weeks. This makes it the longest running number one of 2016, as well as the third-longest running number one song of the decade.
- The song sold almost 2 million copies in the United States.
- "Closer" accumulated over 1 billion streams on Spotify.