Back to Friends
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Back to Friends
| cover = Official single cover of "Back to Friends" by Sombr.jpeg
| type = single
| artist = Sombr
| album =
| released = {{start date|2024|12|27}}
| recorded =
| genre = {{hlist|Indie pop{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Derrick |title=Sombr 'Back to Friends' Is the Breakfout Single That Proves He's More Than a Viral Sensation |url=https://blurredculture.com/sombrs-back-to-friends-is-the-breakout-single-that-proves-hes-more-than-a-viral-sensation/ |publisher=Blurred Culture |access-date=April 11, 2025 |date=April 5, 2025}}|indie rock{{cite web |title=Back to Friends by Sombr |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/sombr/back-to-friends |website=Song Facts |access-date=May 20, 2025}}}}
| length = 3:19
| label =
- SMB
- Warner
| writer = Shane Boose
| producer = Boose
| prev_title = Makes Me Want You
| prev_year = 2024
| next_title = All I Ever Asked
| next_year = 2025
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|c8zq4kAn_O0|"Back to Friends"}}|header=Music video}}
}}
"Back to Friends" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sombr. Written and produced solely by Sombr, the song was released as a single on December 27, 2024, through Warner Records and his own imprint SMB.
The song became Sombr's breakout hit, alongside his 2025 single "Undressed", both of which entered several charts concurrently after going viral on the video-sharing app TikTok. In his home country, "Back to Friends" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 36. Outside the United States, the song reached the top five in Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, the top 10 in Latvia, Lithuania, the Philippines, Singapore and the United Kingdom, and the top 20 in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. It has accumulated over 200 million streams on Spotify.
Composition
"Back to Friends" is composed in the key of C-sharp major with a time signature of {{Time signature|4|4}}, and has a tempo of 93 beats per minute.{{Cite web |title=Back to Friends {{!}} Track Analytics {{!}} Songstats |url=https://songstats.com/track/gzunrtxm/back-to-friends?source=overview |access-date=April 22, 2025 |website=Songstats |language=en}}
Commercial performance
"Back to Friends" experienced a significant increase in on-demand streams in March 2025 following viral popularity on the video-sharing platform TikTok. The song subsequently debuted at number 140 on the Billboard Global 200 chart for the week ending April 5, 2025, becoming Sombr's first entry on the chart.{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Global 200: Week of April 12, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-global-200/2025-04-12/ |access-date=April 8, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} In its fourth week, it entered the top 50 at number 48,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-global-200/2025-04-26/|title=Billboard Global 200: Week of April 26, 2025|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 10, 2025}} and later peaked at number 17 in its ninth week.
In the United States, "Back to Friends" debuted at number eight on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart dated April 5, 2025.{{cite magazine |date= |title=Bubbling Under Hot 100: Week of April 5, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/bubbling-under-hot-100-singles/2025-04-05 |access-date=April 6, 2025 |magazine=Billboard |url-access=subscription}} The following week, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 90, marking Sombr's first appearance on the chart.{{Cite web |last=Zellner |first=Xander |date=2025-04-08 |title=Hot 100 First-Timers: Sombr Scores First Entry With 'Back to Friends' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/sombr-hot-100-debut-back-to-friends-1235941370/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}} It has since peaked within the top 50 at number 45. The song additionally charted on several rock and alternative charts,{{Cite tweet |number=1899528242538709476 |user=billboardcharts |title=sombr appears on Billboard's charts for the first time this week with 'Back To Friends.' The song, released on SMB/Warner Records, debuts at No. 23 on Hot Alternative Songs, No. 24 on Hot Rock Songs and No. 33 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs. |author=Billboard charts |date=March 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/bNvHz |archive-date=April 10, 2025 |url-status=live}} including a peak at number six on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.{{cite magazine |date= |title=Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of June 7, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/rock-songs/2025-06-07/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 4, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} In addition to rising streams, the song gained increased radio airplay, leading to its debut on the Alternative Airplay chart in the same week it entered the Hot 100, eventually peaking at number one.{{cite magazine |date= |title=Alternative Airplay: Week of June 14, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/alternative-airplay/2025-06-14/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 7, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} It also entered the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart on the issue date April 26, 2025,{{cite magazine |date= |title=Rock & Alternative Airplay: Week of April 26, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/rock-airplay/2025-04-26/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 22, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} later peaking at number 8 in its eighth week.{{cite magazine |date= |title=Rock & Alternative Airplay: Week of June 14, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/rock-airplay/2025-06-14/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 7, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} On Hot Rock Songs, it has peaked so far at number six,{{cite magazine |date= |title=Hot Rock Songs: Week of May 24, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-rock-songs/2025-05-24/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 20, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} and on Hot Alternative Songs at number eight.{{cite magazine |date= |title=Hot Alternative Songs: Week of May 24, 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-alternative-songs/2025-05-24/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 20, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} In Canada, the song debuted at number 74 on the Canadian Hot 100 for the week of April 12, 2025,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2025-04-12/|title=Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of April 12, 2025|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 10, 2025}} and has since peaked at number 33 in its tenth week.
In the United Kingdom, "Back to Friends" debuted at number 97 on the UK Singles Chart. In its twelfth week, it reached a peak of number nine. In Ireland, the song debuted at number 33 on the Irish Singles Chart and reached its current peak of number four in its fourteenth week, becoming Sombr's second top-five song in the country, following "Undressed".{{Cite web |title=Sombr Songs and Albums |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/sombr/ |access-date=May 30, 2025 |website=Official Charts Company}} Elsewhere in Europe, the song achieved top 10 positions in Latvia and Lithuania, and reached the top 50 in Greece, Norway, and Sweden.{{cite web|url=https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html|title=Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 19/2025|publisher=IFPI Greece|access-date=May 14, 2025|language=el|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250514080002/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html|archive-date=May 14, 2025|url-status=dead}}
In Australia, "Back to Friends" debuted at number 39 on the ARIA Singles Chart dated April 14, 2025,{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart/2025-04-14|title=ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=April 14, 2025|access-date=May 10, 2025}} and peaked at number three in its seventh week. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 36 for the week beginning April 4, 2025,{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/2025-04-04|title=Official Top 40 Singles|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=April 4, 2025|access-date=May 10, 2025}} and peaked at number four in its ninth week, dated May 30, 2025. It has been certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association and Gold by the Recorded Music NZ.
On April 19, 2025, "Back to Friends" surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, becoming Sombr's first song to reach the milestone. A month later, on May 19, the number exceeded 200 million.{{Cite web |title=back to friends by sombr - Spotify stream count |url=https://www.mystreamcount.com/track/0FTmksd2dxiE5e3rWyJXs6 |access-date=April 23, 2025 |website=My Stream Count}}
Music video
The music video, directed by Gus Black was released on April 3, 2025, and features model Charlotte D'Alessio.{{Cite web |date=April 3, 2025 |title=SOMBR SERVES UP 'BACK TO FRIENDS' VIDEO |url=https://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/releases/sombr-back-to-friends-video |access-date=April 8, 2025 |website=Hits Daily Double |language=en}}
Live performance
On May 20, 2025, Sombr made his television performance debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing "Back to Friends".{{Cite web |last= |date=2025-05-21 |title=Sombr Makes Late Night TV Debut On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon |url=https://www.antimusic.com/p/25/0521sombr_makes_late_night_tv_debut_on_the_tonight_show_starring_jimmy_fallon.shtml |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=antiMusic |language=en}}
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Back to Friends"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2024|certyear=2025|id=2025-06-09|access-date=June 6, 2025|refname="ARIA cert"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Sombr|title=Back to Friends|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2024|certyear=2025|access-date=May 22, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Sombr|title=Back to Friends|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2024|certyear=2025|source=newchart|id=2025-05-23|access-date=May 23, 2025|refname="RMNZ"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}