Anything (Hedley song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Anything
| cover = Anything - Single by Hedley.jpg
| alt = A rainbow-filtered image of naked Barbie dolls being cooked on a grill.
| caption = Canadian single cover
| type = single
| artist = Hedley
| album = Wild Life
| released = {{Start date|2013|08|19}}
| recorded = 2013
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=11}}
| label = {{hlist|Universal Canada|Capitol}}
| writer = {{hlist|Jacob Hoggard|Brian Howes|Jason Van Poederooyen}}
| producer = {{hlist|Brian Howes|Jacob Hoggard}}
| prev_title = Kiss You Inside Out
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = Crazy for You
| next_year = 2014
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = single
| cover = Anything - EP by Hedley.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = US EP and international single cover
}}
}}
"Anything" is a song recorded by Canadian pop rock band Hedley for their fifth studio album, Wild Life (2013). The song was written and produced by Jacob Hoggard and Brian Howes, with additional writing by Jason Van Poederooyen. It was released to Canadian radio on August 19, 2013, through Universal Music Canada as the album's lead single.{{cite web|title=New Album 'Wild Life' Available November 11|url=http://www.hedleyonline.com/new-album-wild-life-available-november-11/|publisher=Hedley|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017011532/http://www.hedleyonline.com/new-album-wild-life-available-november-11|archivedate=October 17, 2013|accessdate=4 July 2014}} "Anything" was serviced to alternative radio in the US through Capitol Records in November 2013 as the band's fifth American single.{{cite web|title="Anything" Can Happen: Hedley Goes Stateside Once More|date=6 November 2013 |url=http://popgoesthecharts.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/anything-can-happen-hedley-goes-stateside-once-more/|publisher=POP! Goes the Charts|accessdate=4 July 2014}}{{cite web|title=Future Release on Alternative Radio Stations |url=http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases |publisher=All Access Media Group |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014203540/http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases/ |archivedate=October 14, 2013 |accessdate=November 2, 2016 |url-status=dead }}
Upon release, "Anything" was met with mixed reviews from music critics, but performed well commercially. The song peaked at number 5 on the Canadian Hot 100 and reached the top 10 on three national airplay charts. It also charted at 18 in New Zealand. In September 2016, "Anything" was certified 4× Platinum by Music Canada, making it the band's fastest and best-selling single to date.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/blackpress/docs/i20140321085039245/3|title=Coast to Coast Tour Stops in Abbotsford|website=Issuu|publisher=Black Press Media Group|date=March 21, 2014|access-date=November 11, 2024}} The group performed the song at the 2013 Grey Cup half-time show.{{cite web|url=https://themusicexpress.ca/hedley-they-can-do-anything/|title=Hedley:They Can Do Anything|website=The Music Express|author=Karen Bliss|date=December 2, 2013|access-date=November 11, 2024}}
Composition
{{Quote box
|quote=It's about no limitations. I think a lot of people, in their lives, face a lot of different objects and I think the song speaks to our own individual ability to be able to overcome adversity in our lives.
|source=Jacob Hoggard, on the message of "Anything"
|width=25%
|align=left
}}
"Anything" is an upbeat pop song with a duration of three minutes and eleven seconds. It is composed in the key of G and set to a BPM of 76.{{cite web|title=Anything - ERG Music Canada|url=http://www.ergmusic.com/can/search.asp?qt=1&q=Anything&art=Hedley|publisher=ERG Music Canada|accessdate=4 July 2014}} Its lyrics convey a message of defiance and believing that one can do anything they set their mind to, regardless what people may tell them or expect of them. With its anthemic nature, "Anything" expands upon themes found in previous Hedley singles including "Invincible" and "One Life".{{cite web|last1=Opoku|first1=Amandah|title=UM Review: Hedley -"Wild Life" - UMusicians|url=http://umusicians.com/post/83644338591/um-review-hedley-wild-life|publisher=UMusicians|accessdate=4 July 2014}} Lead singer and co-writer Jacob Hoggard explained that the song is, to him, about finding the strength to rise above life's hardships.{{cite web|author1=Melody |title=Go behind the scenes on Hedley's Anything music video |url=http://blog.muchmusic.com/go-behind-the-scenes-on-hedleys-anything-music-video/ |website=MuchMusic |publisher=Bell Media |accessdate=4 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811161257/http://blog.muchmusic.com/go-behind-the-scenes-on-hedleys-anything-music-video/ |archivedate=11 August 2014 }}
Critical reception
Emma Garland at Alter The Press! gave the song a mixed review, feeling that although "Anything" is "insanely catchy", the "uh-uh, fuck that" hook is "awkward" and "quickly gets irritating".{{cite web|last1=Garland|first1=Emma|title=ATP! Album Review: Hedley - Wild Life|url=http://www.alterthepress.com/2014/04/atp-album-review-hedley-wild-life.html|publisher=Alter the Press!|accessdate=4 July 2014}} Philip Lickley at UK music blog All-Noise described the song as "a stadium-friendly chanting song... with a strong message" that "screams out for radio play", and rated it a 7 out of 10.{{cite web|last1=Lickley|first1=Philip|title=Hedley - Anything {{!}} All-Noise|url=http://all-noise.co.uk/hedley-anything/8948/|publisher=All-Noise|accessdate=4 July 2014}} The single was nominated for two awards at the 2014 Juno Awards: Video of the Year and Producer of the Year.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/arcade-fire-serena-ryder-nab-juno-nominations-1.2522469|title=Arcade Fire, Serena Ryder nab Juno nominations|website=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=February 4, 2014|access-date=November 11, 2024}}
Music video
The music video for "Anything" was directed by JP Poliquin and was shot at The Great Hall in Toronto, Ontario. It premiered on the band's VEVO channel on September 10, 2013.{{cite web|url=https://renownedforsound.com/music-video-hedley-anything/|title=Music Video: Hedley – 'Anything'|website=Renowned for Sound|author=Nikita Oliver|access-date=November 11, 2024}} Speaking about the video, Hoggard stated, "In the spirt of the concept of the song, we were like, 'Hang on, f--k, this, let's just do whatever the f--k we want. I think that would almost be the truest form of expressing the sentimentality of that song in video form.'"{{cite news|url=https://torontosun.com/2014/02/21/hedleys-jacob-hoggard-enjoying-the-wild-life|title=Hedley's Jacob Hoggard enjoying the 'Wild Life'|newspaper=Toronto Sun|author=Jane Stevenson|date=February 21, 2014|access-date=November 11, 2024}}
Awards and nominations
Track listings
{{track listing
| headline = Digital download – single{{cite web|title=Anything - Hedley {{!}} Release Info|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/anything-mr0004018910|website=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|date=September 3, 2013|accessdate=November 2, 2016}}
| title1 = Anything
| writer1 = {{hlist|Jacob Hoggard|Brian Howes|Jason Van Poederooyen}}
| length1 = 3:10
}}
{{track listing
| headline = US Digital EP{{cite web|title=Anything - Hedley {{!}} Release Info|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/anything-mr0004058181|website=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|date=December 3, 2013|accessdate=November 2, 2016}}
| title1 = Anything
| writer1 = {{hlist|Hoggard|Howes|Van Poederooyen}}
| length1 = 3:10
| title2 = Headphones
| writer2 = {{hlist|Hoggard|Howes|Ryan Petersen|Nolan Sipe}}
| length2 = 3:33
| title3 = I'll Be with You
| writer3 = {{hlist|Lucas Banker|Hoggard|Patrick Nissley|Matt Squire}}
| length3 = 3:10
| title4 = Mexico
| writer4 = {{hlist|Hoggard|Ennio Morricone|Adrian Newman}}
| length4 = 3:46
| title5 = Heaven in Our Headlights
| writer5 = {{hlist|Hoggard|Howes|Sipe}}
| length5 = 3:09
| total_length = 16:50
}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|relyear=2013|certyear=2016|certmonth=9|certday=20|title=Anything|artist=Hedley|type=single|award=Platinum|number=4}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Hedley|title=Anything|award=Gold|digital=true|relyear=2013|access-date=December 22, 2024|certyear=2014|source=radioscope}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release dates and formats for "Anything" ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"| Canada
| August 19, 2013 | Radio airplay | rowspan="2"| Universal Music Canada |
|---|
| September 17, 2013
| rowspan="2"| Digital download |
| scope="row"| Worldwide
| November 12, 2013 | rowspan="3"| Capitol Records | {{cite web|title=Anything - Hedley {{!}} Release Info|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/anything-mr0004047730|website=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network|accessdate=November 2, 2016|format=Album Version|date=November 12, 2013}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"| United States
| November 18, 2013 |
| December 3, 2013
| Digital extended play |
| scope="row"| United Kingdom
| June 2, 2014 | Universal Music Canada |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Hedley}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Universal Music Group singles
Category:Capitol Records singles