Hold On, We're Going Home

"Hold On, We're Going Home" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, featuring the R&B duo Majid Jordan. The song was produced by OVO Sound's Majid Jordan, Nineteen85, and Noah "40" Shebib. It is the second single from his third studio album, Nothing Was the Same, and was released for digital download on August 7, 2013,[2] following the 2013 OVO Fest. It was later released to mainstream and rhythmic contemporary radio on August 13, 2013.

"Hold On, We're Going Home"
Single by Drake featuring Majid Jordan
from the album Nothing Was the Same
Released	August 7, 2013 (2013-08-07)
Recorded	2013
Genre	R&B synthpop[1]
Length	3:47
Label	Young Money Cash Money Republic AMG
Songwriter(s)	Aubrey Graham Noah Shebib Majid Al Maskati Jordan Ullman Paul Jefferies
Producer(s)	Nineteen85 Majid Jordan Noah "40" Shebib (add.)
Drake singles chronology
"No Guns Allowed" (2013) "Hold On, We're Going Home" (2013) "Live For" (2013)
Majid Jordan singles chronology
"Hold On, We're Going Home" (2013) "A Place Like This" (2014)
Music video
"Hold On, We're Going Home" on YouTube

The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, as well as number five on the singles chart in his native Canada. The song received positive reviews from music critics and was named the best song of 2013 by Pitchfork Media[3] as well as number 21 on its "Best Tracks of the Decade" list.[4]

Background

Before "Hold On, We're Going Home" was released, Drake had an interview with MTV News about the song during the 4th Annual OVO Fest saying, "It's me and 40 just channeling our Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson production duo,... Obviously no offense to the greats, I know we're not anywhere near that — it's just us kinda doing our thing, humbly attempting." He also added, "It's not a rap record,... It's not 'Versace,' it's not 'Started from the Bottom.' In approaching this album I was like man, it would be great if we had a record that was played at weddings in 10 years or that people that are away from their families in the Armed Forces could listen to. Something that just [has] timeless writing, timeless melody. So I did it with the group that we signed to OVO called Majid Jordan."[5]

Music video

The music video is labeled a short film and takes place in 1985 Miami.[6] It was directed by Bill Pope and released on September 24, 2013.[7] In the video Drake plays a kingpin whose lover (Ashley Moore) is kidnapped by a rival gang. Throughout the video, Drake does everything in his power to rescue her from captor/mobster played by actor Micah Fitzgerald. Cameo appearances in the video included Fredo Santana, Steven Bauer, Johnny Simmons, Majid Jordan and ASAP Rocky among others.[6][7][8]

Cover versions

The song has been covered by British artist Dev Hynes under his Blood Orange moniker,[9] English band Arctic Monkeys,[10] Brooklyn-based synthpop duo Holy Ghost!,[11] The Saturdays,[12] Lissie and Ella Henderson did a mashup of the song with John Newman's "Love Me Again".[13] Conor Maynard did a medley with the song along Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball" and Ellie Goulding's "Burn".[14] He later performed a separate cover for the song.[15] In May 2014, The Voice contestant Christina Grimmie sang the song during the sixth season of the show.[16] In June 2014, Foster the People also covered the song on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.[17] In September 2014, Nick Mulvey also delivered an acoustic rendition of the song on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.[18] American singer Pia Mia also made a cover of the song and it went viral gaining over 10 million views.

Commercial performance

"Hold On, We're Going Home" debuted at number five on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it Drake's thirty-third top 10 hit on the chart. This accomplishment broke the tie for second-most top ten hits with singer R. Kelly, only trailing behind rapper Lil Wayne, who has 36.[19] The song has also made the top ten in the Canadian Hot 100, peaking at number five, making it his highest-charting single in his home country.[20] In the song's fifth week on the US Billboard Hot 100, it became Drake's 13th top ten hit, climbing at number eight. This feat gave him the most top ten hits of the year with four, including "Fuckin' Problems" (number 8), "Started from the Bottom" (number 6), and "Love Me" (number 9).[21] The song has reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[22] becoming Drake's first song to reach the top five of the Hot 100 since "Find Your Love".[23] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[24] It has sold over two million copies as of January 2014.[25]

The song sold 207,000 copies in Canada in 2013.[26]

The single reached a peak of number four in the United Kingdom, giving Drake his highest-peaking single there at the time ("One Dance" later reached number one in 2016).[27] It also received heavy rotation on South African radio stations, peaking a number one on the South African Airplay Chart.[28]

Track listing

Digital download

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Hold On, We're Going Home"	3:47

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2013–15) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[29] 8 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[30] 72 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[31] 20 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[32] 18 Belgium Urban (Ultratop)[33] 6 scope="row" Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[34] 5 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[35] 41 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[36] 50 Denmark (Tracklisten)[37] 4 France (SNEP)[38] 12 Germany (Official German Charts)[39] 27 Ireland (IRMA)[40] 7 Italy (FIMI)[41] [42] 42 Lebanon (Lebanese Top 20)[43] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[44] 11 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[45] 12 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[46] 9 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[47] 8 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[48] 93 Slovenia (SloTop50)[49] 43 South Africa (EMA)[50] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[51] 22 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] 40 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[53] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[54] 4 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[55] 1 US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)[56] 5 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[57] 19 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[58] 11 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[59] 4 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[60] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2013-2014) Position Australia (ARIA)[61] 59 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[62] 95 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[63] 42 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[64] 62 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[65] 39 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[66] 31 US Billboard Hot 100[67] 34 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[68] 9 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[69] 47 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[70] 7 Chart (2014) Position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[71] 49 US Billboard Hot 100[72] 55 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[73] 18 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[74] 21 Chart (2019) Position Portugal (AFP)[75] 1726 Decade-end charts Chart (2010–2019) Position US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[76] 41

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[77]	2× Platinum	140,000^^
Canada (Music Canada)[78]	Platinum	207,000[26]
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[79]	Platinum	20,000^^
Italy (FIMI)[80]	Gold	15,000^*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[81]	Gold	7,500^*
United Kingdom (BPI)[82]	2× Platinum	1,200,000
United States (RIAA)[83]	6× Platinum	2,718,000[25]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Label
United States	August 7, 2013[2]	Digital download	OVO Aspire Young Money Cash Money Republic
	August 13, 2013[84][85]	Mainstream radio
		Rhythmic contemporary radio
United Kingdom	August 8, 2013[86]	Urban contemporary radio

See also

• List of number-one singles of 2013 (South Africa)

References

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