Circles (Jana Kramer song)

"Circles" is a song recorded by American actress and country music artist Jana Kramer for her second studio album, Thirty One (2015). It was written by Alyssa Bonagura, Brandon Hood, and Jeffrey Steele. "Circles" was first released to digital retailers in September 2015 as the first promotional single from the album. The song was serviced to American country radio through Elektra Records Nashville and Warner Music Nashville on July 18, 2016 as the record's fourth official single.

"Circles"
Single by Jana Kramer
from the album Thirty One
ReleasedJuly 18, 2016 (2016-07-18)
GenreCountry pop
Length3:59
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Scott Hendricks
Jana Kramer singles chronology
"Said No One Ever"
(2016)		 "Circles"
(2016)		 "I've Done Love"
(2017)
Music video
"Circles" on YouTube

Upon release, the song has been met with mostly positive reviews, but has performed only modestly well on the charts. "Circles" peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and at No. 47 on the magazine's Hot Country Songs chart.

Content

"Circles" is a mid-tempo ballad that describes an unbreakable bond of love.[1] Kramer described the track as a "really cool, dark and edgy love song," in an interview with Taste of Country.[1] The song's lyrics speak of "piecing together a broken heart," and refer to the narrator's love as "the only part of [her] unbroken."[2] Elias Leight of Billboard described the song as a sonic standout on the album, writing, "'Circles' ... forgoes guitar squalls in favor of a dark bass groove. At times, it sounds like something that might have been pulled from an early '80s record."[3] The song was written by Alyssa Bonagura, Brandon Hood, and Jeffrey Steele and produced by Scott Hendricks.

Reception

Critical

In a review of Thirty One, Chuck Dauphin on Sounds Like Nashville praised the song as an album highlight. "But, it's the ballads that really seem to soar here the most," writes Dauphin, "ranging from the heartbreak of 'Last Song' to the hopeful romantic feel of 'Circles.'"[4]

Commercial

"Circles" debuted at number 60 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart dated October 1, 2016.[5] It fell off the chart the following week but re-entered at 58 on the chart dated October 29, 2016.[6] The song rose to 55 on the chart dated December 24, 2016 and has since peaked at this rank.[5] "Circles" entered the Hot Country Songs chart at number 47 on the chart dated December 10, 2016.[7] The song has sold 43,000 copies in the US as of November 2016.[8]

Music video

An accompanying music video was directed by Sean Hagwell and premiered September 3, 2016.[9] Shot entirely in black and white, the video features different angles of Kramer performing the song on a stage illuminated by spotlights.[10] The video has been praised for its simple, "elegant" visual treatment.[10][11]

Charts
Chart (2016) Peak
position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[12] 55
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13] 47

Release history
Country Date Format Label Ref.
Worldwide September 4, 2015 Digital download (promotional) Elektra Nashville [14]
United States July 18, 2016 Country radio
[15]
gollark: English WILL consume all, and none will be spared from its badness.
gollark: I mean, it's been impossible for... about 500 years... but it's particularly impossible now.
gollark: It's now impossible. Bad poorly specified English has spread too widely.
gollark: English_irl.
gollark: At least the UK... has... Llanfairpwllgwyngyll?

References
  1. Vinson, Christina (June 29, 2016). "Jana Kramer Reveals New Single, 'Circles' [LISTEN]". The Boot. Townsquare Media. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  2. Black, Lauren Jo (July 16, 2016). "Jana Kramer Selects 'Personal Song' 'Circles' as New Single". Sounds Like Nashville. SpinMedia. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  3. Leight, Elias (September 24, 2015). "Jana Kramer Previews Country Album 'thirty one' Live in New York City". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  4. Dauphin, Chuck (October 7, 2015). "Album Review: Jana Kramer's 'thirty one'". Sounds Like Nashville. SpinMedia. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  5. "Chart history: "Circles" on Country Airplay". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  6. "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. p. 8. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  7. "Chart history: "Circles" on Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  8. Bjorke, Matt (November 29, 2016). "Top 30 Digital Singles Sales Report: November 28, 2016". Roughstock. Cheri Media. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  9. "CMT : Videos : Jana Kramer : Circles". CMT. Viacom. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  10. Reuter, Annie (September 12, 2016). "Jana Kramer Stuns in 'Circles' Video". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  11. Bernstein, Jonathan (September 7, 2016). "Watch Jana Kramer's Elegant 'Circles' Video". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  12. "Jana Kramer Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  13. "Jana Kramer Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  14. "Circles - Jana Kramer | Release Info". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  15. "Future Release for Country Radio Stations". All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on July 6, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
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