"Heartbreak Anniversary"
Single by Giveon
from the EP Take Time
ReleasedFebruary 21, 2020
Genre
Length3:16
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Giveon singles chronology
"Like I Want You"
(2019) 		"Heartbreak Anniversary"
(2020) 		"Stuck on You"
(2020)
Music video
"Heartbreak Anniversary" on YouTube

"Heartbreak Anniversary" is a song by American singer-songwriter Giveon. It was released on February 21, 2020, as the second single from his debut EP, Take Time (2020). Written from the perspective of a friend of Giveon's, the downtempo piano ballad finds him singing about the date of a breakup, reminiscing and grieving about a love gone wrong. The song became a sleeper hit, garnering chart success in early 2021, with a music video subsequently being released, and the song was sent to US radio, in March 2021. It reached number one in Malaysia and Singapore.

"Heartbreak Anniversary" was also included on Giveon's compilation album, When It's All Said and Done... Take Time, released in March 2021. The song has been certified 4× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Background and writing

"Heartbreak Anniversary" was written by Giveon from the perspective of someone else, as Giveon explained: "I was talking to a friend, and they told me they broke up with their significant other exactly a year ago, and I was like, 'Oh, alright, I'm going to write a song about that'".[1] In an interview with Billboard, Giveon said that he drew further inspiration from how he copes with a day that continues to bring many "lovesick" memories every year. He stated,

So "Heartbreak Anniversary" is just the anniversary of a heartbreak. Say you guys are heartbroken on Valentine's Day, February 14th. Every time Valentine's Day comes around you kinda revisit the pain and revisit the sorrow. So with this song, I tried to make pain sound beautiful.[2]

"Heartbreak Anniversary" was released on Giveon's birthday.[3] In early 2021, the song went viral on the video-sharing app, TikTok.[4] By March 15, 2021, the song had surpassed 143 million streams,[5] including 97 million streams on Spotify.[6]

Composition and lyrics

On "Heartbreak Anniversary", Giveon sings about the day his heart was broken, reminiscing about every detail, and the pain that comes with heartbreak.[2][6] He appears emotional and vulnerable,[7] "foolishly" hoping that his ex lover will return.[8] Musically, Giveon delivers soaring vocals over a largely piano and percussion-based mid-tempo electro and soul merged instrumental.[9] Apple Music noted how he creates "harmonies with himself that render a simple line like 'Don't want to let you out my head' as gospel".[10] Rolling Stone's Elias Leight labeled the song "a swelling, disconsolate ballad built around mournful piano and gnarled guitars.[11] Giveon's vocals on the song was compared to that of Frank Sinatra, but "with an R&B flavour and a young fresh take on the Rat Pack style".[12]

Critical reception

Milcah P. of HotNewHipHop called the song "enchanting", further stating: "The cut is characterized by a seamless mixture of Giveon's signature baritone and flawless falsettos. It's a wonderful display of range and composition and easily has Giveon pegged as one to watch within the R&B realm".[3] Writing for Manila Bulletin, Punch Liwanag said the track "is the best representation of who and what Givēon is all about, at least for the time being".[9] Uproxx's Wongo Okon called it a standout from Take Time.[13] Similarly, Billboard's Carl Lamarre said "Highlights [on Take Time] like 'Heartbreak Anniversary' and 'Favorite Mistake' showcase his penchant for pensive lyrics and moody soundscapes".[14] Pitchfork named the song among their "Pitchfork Selects" playlist for the week of March 22, 2021.[15] NPR's Sidney Madden included the song in their Heat Check feature for February 2021, noting the wishful lyrics: "being 'foolishly patient' will serve you no good here. This is the type of firmly rooted pain that only twists deeper".[16]

Accolades

Awards and nominations for "Heartbreak Anniversary"
Year Organization Award Result Ref(s)
2021 MTV Video Music Awards Best R&B Nominated [17]
Song of Summer Nominated [18]
2021 American Music Awards Favorite R&B Song Nominated [19]
2022 Grammy Awards Best R&B Song Nominated [20]

Music video

The official video was released on March 12, 2021, over a year after the single's release. It was directed by Salomon Ligthelm,[5] and released on the same day as Giveon's compilation, When It's All Said and Done... Take Time.[2] The "aesthetically pleasing"[21] visual finds Giveon grieving and reflecting on the good and bad times he had with his ex lover, played by Samantha Logan. He is seen transitioning between his "lonely present and his turbulent past".[13] In a May 2020 interview with Billboard, Giveon said he could see himself making a short film or story out of the song, because it has "so much depth [...] and a lot of stuff that wasn't told in the song. 'Heartbreak Anniversary' just talks about the break-up. It doesn't talk about what led to the break-up".[22]

Commercial performance

The song initially broke out in Southeast Asia, reaching number one on the Spotify charts in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and the top 10 of various other countries.[5] It has been certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA for units of over 3,000,000 in the US.[21]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Billboard.[23]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Heartbreak Anniversary"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[62] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[63] Gold 20,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[64] 3× Platinum 240,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[65] Gold 45,000‡
France (SNEP)[66] Gold 100,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[67] Platinum 60,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[68] Platinum 30,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[69] Platinum 10,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[70] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[71] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[72] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡
Streaming
Sweden (GLF)[73] Platinum 8,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Various February 21, 2020
[74]
United States March 16, 2021 Urban contemporary radio [75]
Australia April 2, 2021 Contemporary hit radio [76]

See also

References

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  2. ^ a b c Cho, Regina (March 15, 2021). "Giveon reminisces in his new "Heartbreak Anniversary" video". Revolt. Retrieved March 23, 2021.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b P., Milcah (February 24, 2021). "Giveon Unleashes Enchanting "Heartbreak Anniversary"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  4. ^ Kipling, Ella (March 22, 2021). "Who sings TikTok's "The Day That I Met You"? Song title revealed!". HITC. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Rashed, Ayana (March 15, 2021). "Grammy Nominated Singer Giveon Releases Deluxe Album 'When It's All Said And Done… Take Time'". Respect. Retrieved March 23, 2021.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b GwandaCentral (Genius staff) (January 15, 2021). "Giveon Breaks Down The Meaning Of "Heartbreak Anniversary"". Genius. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  7. ^ Samuels, Keithan (February 24, 2020). "Listen to Giveon's New Song Heartbreak Anniversary'". Rated R&B. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  8. ^ Penrose, Nerisha (October 2, 2020). "Giveon Will Always Be Real With You". Elle. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Liwanag, Punch (March 13, 2021). "Audio Junkie: Givēon gives R&B and neo-soul the boost it needs – Manila Bulletin". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Take Time by Givēon on Apple Music". Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via Apple Music.
  11. ^ Leight, Elias (March 22, 2021). "RS Charts: Rising R&B Star Giveon Debuts in Top Ten". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
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  13. ^ a b Okon, Wongo (March 12, 2021). "Giveon's Grieving 'Heartbreak Anniversary' Video Arrives With His Lustful New Single, 'All To Me". Uproxx. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  14. ^ Lamarre, Carl (November 12, 2020). "5 Guys on the Rise In R&B". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
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  65. ^ "Danish single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  66. ^ "French single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  67. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved June 3, 2022. Type Giveon in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Heartbreak Anniversary in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
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  69. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  70. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  71. ^ "British single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  72. ^ "American single certifications – Giveon – Heartbreak Anniversary". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  73. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Giveon" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
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External links

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