4x4xU
{{Infobox song
| name = 4x4xU
| cover = LaineyWilson4x4xU.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Lainey Wilson
| album = Whirlwind
| released = September 3, 2024
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:59
| label = BBR
| writer =
- Jon Decious
- Aaron Raitiere
- Lainey Wilson
| producer = Jay Joyce
| prev_title = Hang Tight Honey
| prev_year = 2024
| next_title = Somewhere Over Laredo
| next_year = 2025
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|m1zFk58Dohw|"4x4xU"}}}}
}}
"4x4xU" is a song by American country music singer Lainey Wilson. It was released on September 3, 2024, as the second single from her fifth studio album, Whirlwind.{{cite web|url=https://assets.countryaircheck.com/public/7055dfe0-a314-4b1a-baaad3c97c2b7342/b60b585b-bb8e-44ed-b9fb1198054489a2/Issue-924-August-26-2024.pdf|title=Country Aircheck Weekly August 26, 2024, Issue 924|date=August 26, 2024|website=Country Aircheck|accessdate=September 15, 2024}} It was written by Wilson, Jon Decious, and Aaron Raitiere, and was produced by Jay Joyce.
Background
Wilson co-wrote "4x4xU" with Jon Decious and Aaron Raitiere. Described as a soulful mid-tempo ballad, Wilson said the song is "about finding that someone that gives you the comfort and peace of home anywhere in the world as long as you're by their side".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/lainey-wilson-4x4xu-whirlwind-new-album-1235053743/|title=Lainey Wilson Finds True Love Riding Shotgun in '4x4xu'|author=Jonathan Bernstein|date=July 4, 2024|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=September 15, 2024}} She cited boyfriend, Devlin "Duck" Hodges, as inspiration for the love song: "The truth is, I write what I know, and I finally found a man worth writing about. So you know it's a love song because y'all probably thought, dang, she ain't got it in her, she ain't got it in her... but I do. I got me a cheerleader".{{cite web|url=https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2024/07/09/i-finally-found-a-man-worth-writing-about-lainey-wilson-shares-4x4xu-was-inspired-by-relationship-with-duck-hodges/|title="I Finally Found A Man Worth Writing About" – Lainey Wilson Shares "4x4xU" Was Inspired By Relationship With Duck Hodges|author=Mary Claire Crabtree|date=July 9, 2024|website=Whiskey Riff|access-date=September 15, 2024}}
Live performances
Wilson performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on September 11, 2024.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lainey-wilson-4x4xu-fallon-performance-1235099704/|title=Watch Lainey Wilson Perform Anthemic Single '4x4xU' on 'Fallon'|author=Emily Zemler|date=September 11, 2024|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=September 16, 2024}}
Wilson performed the song during her time co-hosting the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 20, 2024.{{cite web |title=Lainey Wilson Reminds the CMA Awards Audience Why She's the Reigning Entertainer of the Year with an Unforgettable "4X4XU" Performance |url=https://americansongwriter.com/lainey-wilson-reminds-cma-awards-crowd-why-she-reigning-entertainer-year-killer-4x4xu-performance/ |publisher=American Songwriter}} She was joined on stage by her full band and a string ensemble that included all three members of The Accidentals.{{Cite instagram |user=theaccidentalsmusic |postid=DCqgpKculQF|date=22 November 2024 |title= till so surreal. Huge thanks to @laineywilson |access-date=22 November 2024}} This version was released as its own live performance single on November 22, 2024.{{Cite instagram |user=laineywilson |postid=DCqA4P6tauq|date=21 November 2024 |title= Had a blast hosting the #CMAawards |access-date=22 November 2024}}
Music video
The music video for "4x4xU" premiered on July 4, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1zFk58Dohw|title=Lainey Wilson - 4x4xU (Official Music Video)|date=July 4, 2024|website=YouTube|access-date=September 15, 2024}} It was directed by Dano Cerny, and serves as a continuation to Wilson's music video for "Hang Tight Honey".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/lainey-wilson-hang-tight-honey-video-1235052556/|title=It's the Lainey Wilson Revue in New Video for 'Hang Tight Honey'|author=Joseph Hudak|date=July 3, 2024|magazine=Rolling Stone|accessdate=September 15, 2024}} In it, Wilson trades out the tour bus from "Honey" for the shotgun seat of an old pickup truck, with her leaning out the window and counting her gig money as her male co-star drives, focusing on the aftermath of being on tour and home life.{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/lainey-wilson-continues-her-story-with-new-4x4xu-music-video/|title=Lainey Wilson Continues Her Story With New "4x4xU" Music Video|author=Lauren Boisvert|date=July 5, 2024|website=American Songwriter|access-date=September 15, 2024}}
Chart performance
"4x4xU" was the most-added song at the country format upon impact, receiving 65 first-week adds.{{cite web|url=https://assets.countryaircheck.com/public/a2232325-7c8f-4671-9dba0392ebbe0e43/be83b217-5d59-4147-95d316227e3f7a6a/Issue-925-September-3-2024.pdf|title=Country Aircheck Weekly September 3, 2024, Issue 925|date=September 3, 2024|website=Country Aircheck|accessdate=September 3, 2024}} It debuted on the Billboard Country Airplay chart at number 55,{{cite magazine|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_2024_0906.pdf|title=Billboard Country Update|magazine=Billboard|date=September 6, 2024|access-date=September 5, 2024}} and at number 28 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_2024_0916.pdf|title=Billboard Country Update|magazine=Billboard|date=September 16, 2024|access-date=September 16, 2024}} It reached a peak of number four on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in February 2025.{{cite magazine|url=http://bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_2025_0214.pdf|title=Billboard Country Update|magazine=Billboard|date=February 14, 2025|access-date=February 21, 2025}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "4x4xU" ! scope="col"| Chart (2024–2025) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australia Country Hot 50 (The Music){{cite web|url= https://countrytown.com/charts/countrytown-hot-50?year=2024&week=48|title=Countrytown Hot 50 – 2024, Week 48|work=Countrytown|access-date=November 29, 2024}}
| 1 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canada|44|artist=Lainey Wilson|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2025}} |
| scope="row"|Canada All-Format Airplay (Billboard){{Cite magazine|url=https://ca.billboard.com/charts/canada-all-format/2025-03-08|title=Canada All-Format Airplay − Week of March 8, 2025|magazine=Billboard|access-date=April 3, 2025}}
| 6 |
| scope="row"| Canada Country (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://ca.billboard.com/charts/canada-country/2025-03-08 |title=Canada Country chart for March 8, 2025|magazine=Billboard Canada|access-date=March 5, 2025}}
| 1 |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|45|artist=Lainey Wilson|rowheader=true|access-date=January 7, 2025}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountryairplay|4|artist=Lainey Wilson|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2025|refname="Country Airplay"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|9|artist=Lainey Wilson|rowheader=true|access-date=February 20, 2025}} |