Love Me (The 1975 song)
"Love Me" is a song by the English rock band The 1975, released as the lead single from their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It, on 8 October 2015 through Dirty Hit. The song was also included on the soundtrack of the 2018 film Love, Simon.
"Love Me" | ||||
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Single by The 1975 | ||||
from the album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It | ||||
Released | 8 October 2015 | |||
Genre | Funk rock[1] | |||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | Dirty Hit | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Mike Crossey | |||
The 1975 singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
![]() Alternative cover |
Background
According to Matthew Healy, the band's vocalist, the song was born out of confusion in response to the band's success.[2] He spoke on the song's genesis to Billboard:
It came from jamming. We're big Talking Heads fans, big Scritti Politti fans, and Japan as well. "Love Me" was just three years of being on the road and not wanting to soundcheck the same song every night. That riff just happened. "Love Me" sounded bombastic and ridiculous and a bit arrogant and I was like, "That's what it needs to be about. The rock star buying into his own self-constructed mythology." We found ourselves, as a band, being immersed in a world we didn't feel part of. So it's just… love me, if that's what you want to do.[3]
The song has been compared to "Fame" by David Bowie, and "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads.[4]
Release
The song debuted on BBC Radio 1 on 8 October 2015 as Annie Mac's "Hottest Record in the World".[5] The group performed the song alongside "The Sound" on their appearance on Saturday Night Live on 6 February 2016.[6]
Reception
"Love Me" has received positive reviews. Matthew Horton of NME wrote that the song "fizzes with overweening confidence, fitting for a song Healy says is about narcissism."[7] Nick Williams at Billboard dubbed it "an impressive coming-of-age shift" and a "spirited step away from the radio-friendly teen rock of its debut."[8] Brennan Carley of Spin's response was favorable: "A track that wouldn’t be out of place on any Neon Indian record, albeit with more heavily U.K.-accented vocals, "Love Me" shows the band loosening their grip on accomplishing much of anything beyond the sprawling, joyous fun of making good tunes."[9]
Music video
The song's music video, directed by Diane Martel,[10] was released on 28 October 2015. A press release accompanying the clip states that the "post-ironic self-indulgent performance parodies rock and roll in the digital age and the self-constructed mythology of the iPhone generation."[11] Healy commented on the video's meaning: "With "Love Me" we wanted to capture the neon-hued enthralling acquisition of success and excess, the screaming momentum, the sexy daze."[12] In the clip, the band performs surrounded by cardboard cut-outs of pop stars Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, and Ed Sheeran, among others.[2] Dan Stubbs of NME interpreted the clip as spoofing "the group's own rockstar pretensions, the generation's obsession with social media, and their contemporaries."[4]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[21] | Silver | 200,000* |
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References
- Trendell, Andrew (23 February 2016). "So, Let's Talk About The 1975's Huge New Album". Gigwise. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- Brittany Spanos (February 3, 2016). "Watch the 1975 Discuss 'Selfie Culture,' Facing Up to Fame". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Joe Lynch (January 28, 2016). "The 1975's Matt Healy on Fake Famous Friendships, His Secret Dance Project & Why Trap Is the New Punk". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Dan Stubbs (February 7, 2016). "The 1975 - The Full NME Cover Interview". NME. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "The 1975 reveal new single 'Love Me'". NME. October 8, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Mitchell Peters (February 7, 2016). "Watch The 1975 Perform New Songs 'The Sound' and 'Love Me' on 'Saturday Night Live'". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Matthew Horton (October 8, 2015). "The 1975 Channel David Bowie On Transformative Comeback Single 'Love Me' – Review". NME. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Nick Williams (October 16, 2015). "Single Review: The 1975, 'Love Me'". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Brennan Carley (October 8, 2015). "The 1975 Announce Lengthily Titled New Album With Funky Single, 'Love Me'". Spin. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Chandra Johnson (October 28, 2015). "The 1975 Hang Out With 'Harry Styles' In Very Pink 'Love Me' Video". MTV News. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Jeff Cornell (October 28, 2015). "The 1975 Release Colorful Parody Video for "Love Me"". Radio.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- Brian Leak (October 28, 2015). "The 1975 enjoy success and excess in '80s-inspired video for "Love Me"". Alternative Press. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "Australian-charts.com – The 1975 – Love Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "Chart Track: Week 40, 2015". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "The 1975 Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "The 1975 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "The 1975 Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
- "British single certifications – 1975 – Love Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 February 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Love Me in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.