Back Then, Right Now
{{about|the song by Tenille Arts|the song by Tyler Hubbard|Back Then Right Now}}
{{infobox song
| name = Back Then, Right Now
| artist = Tenille Arts
| album = Girl to Girl
| type = single
| cover = Back Then Right Now.jpeg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2021|05|24}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:02
| label = 19th & Grand
| writer = {{hlist|Tenille Arts|Dave Pittenger|MacKenzie Porter|Parker Welling}}
| producer = Dave Pittenger
| prev_title = Give It to Me Straight
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = Girl to Girl
| next_year = 2022
| misc =
{{External music video|{{YouTube|hILKkHtl10A|"Back Then, Right Now"}}}}
}}
"Back Then, Right Now" is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music artist Tenille Arts. The song was written by Arts, along with Dave Pittenger, MacKenzie Porter and Parker Welling.{{cite web|title=Back Then, Right Now - Tenille Arts, Song Info|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/back-then-right-now-mt0059394087|work=AllMusic|accessdate=December 10, 2021}} It was released on May 4, 2021, as the second single in Canada and lead single in the United States from her fourth studio album Girl to Girl.
Background
Arts stated the song was inspired by her upbringing in small town Saskatchewan, which she described as "really simple times" and "just like any other small town in America".{{cite web|url=https://www.audacy.com/music/country/tenille-arts-talks-back-then-right-now-and-between|title=Tenille Arts talks about 'back then, right now,' and everything in between|work=Audacy|first=Monica|last=Rivera|date=September 13, 2021}} The song was her follow-up single to her number one Mediabase Country hit "Somebody Like That" in the United States, and Arts admitted there was "a lot of pressure" when it came to picking the next single.{{cite web|url=https://southernillinoisnow.com/2021/10/21/tenille-arts-felt-a-lot-of-pressure-with-the-follow-up-single-to-her-hit-debut-somebody-like-that/|title=Tenille Arts felt “a lot of pressure” with the follow-up single to her hit debut, “Somebody Like That”|first=Carena|last=Liptak|work=Q92.1 Real Country}}
Critical reception
Carena Liptak of Taste of Country described the song as "mid-tempo" and "gently swinging", saying it was Arts' take on the "classic country trope of nostalgia, conjuring up crisp images of the carefree nights".{{cite web|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/tenille-arts-back-then-right-now/|title=Tenille Arts' 'Back Then, Right Now' Is a Tender Throwback to Simpler Times [Listen]|date=May 25, 2021|work=Taste of Country|first=Carena|last=Liptak}}
Commercial performance
"Back Then, Right Now" reached a peak of number 12 on the Billboard Canada Country chart for the week of February 12, 2022, spending 25 weeks on the chart in total and marking Arts' fourth career top 20 hit in her home country. It peaked at number 85 on the Canadian Hot 100 for the week of January 15, 2022, becoming her first charting entry on her national all-genre chart. In the United States, the song spent a total of 44 weeks on the Country Airplay chart, peaking at number 34 for the week of April 2, 2022.
Music video
The official music video for "Back Then, Right Now" premiered on July 27, 2021.{{cite web|title=Tenille Arts - Back Then, Right Now (Official Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hILKkHtl10A|website=YouTube|date=July 27, 2021|format=video|accessdate=December 18, 2021}} Arts stated that she had grown up dancing, but hadn't danced in a while. Despite being nervous, she learned the choreography for the dance in the video "pretty easily" and was ready after practicing before the video was shot.
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Chart performance for "Back Then, Right Now" ! Chart (2022) ! Peak |
| {{single chart|Canada|85|artist=Tenille Arts|rowheader=true|access-date=January 11, 2022|refname="Can Hot"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadacountry|12|artist=Tenille Arts|rowheader=true|access-date=February 7, 2022|refname="Canada Country"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountryairplay|34|artist=Tenille Arts|rowheader=true|access-date=March 29, 2022|refname="Airplay"}} |