Bartender (Lady Antebellum song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Bartender
| cover = Bartender Single by Lady Antebellum.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Lady Antebellum
| album = 747
| released = {{Start date|2014|05|19}}
| recorded = 2013–14
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Country pop|pop rock}}
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=18}}
| label = Capitol Nashville
| writer = {{hlist|Dave Haywood|Charles Kelley|Hillary Scott|Rodney Clawson}}
| producer = {{hlist|Nathan Chapman|Lady Antebellum}}
| prev_title = Compass
| prev_year = 2013
| next_title = Freestyle
| next_year = 2014
}}
"Bartender" is a song written and recorded by American country music trio Lady Antebellum. Written by group members Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, and Hillary Scott along with Rodney Clawson, and co-produced with Nathan Chapman, the song was released to country radio by Capitol Nashville on May 12, 2014, as the lead single from the group's sixth studio album, 747, and it features lead vocals from Scott.{{cite web|title=Lady A Releases "Bartender" for 1st Single From Upcoming Album!|url=http://ladyantebellum.com/news/210633|publisher=Lady Antebellum|accessdate=13 May 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513024739/http://ladyantebellum.com/news/210633|archivedate=13 May 2014}} It was released to iTunes the following week, on May 19, 2014. In its first week at radio, "Bartender" was the second most-added song of the week (with 72), behind "Small Town Throwdown" by Brantley Gilbert featuring Justin Moore and Thomas Rhett.{{cite web|last=Canton|first=Brian|title=Brantley Gilbert, Lady Antebellum Erupt at Country Radio|url=http://headlineplanet.com/home/2014/05/20/brantley-gilbert-lady-antebellum-erupt-country-radio/|work=Headline Planet|date=20 May 2014 |publisher=Cantortainment Company}}
Music video
The music video was directed by Shane Drake and premiered on the Today Show on June 19, 2014. It co-stars model Kate Upton and Veep/Arrested Development actor Tony Hale.{{cite web|title=Watch: Lady Antebellum's video for 'Bartender' preimeres on Today|date=19 June 2014 |url=http://m.today.com/entertainment/watch-lady-antebellums-new-video-bartender-premieres-today-1D79825828|publisher=NBC "Today"|accessdate=June 19, 2014}}
=Synopsis=
The video begins with a woman (Upton) sitting in front of a vanity, receiving a phone call from a friend (Scott). The friend invites her to go out to a bar together with some friends to "forget his name."
At the bar they receive and go through many rounds challenges by the bartender (Hale). They beat the bartender and celebrate. There are cuts to performance scenes of the band during the video.
All three members are performing in the chandelier.
Live performances
Lady Antebellum debuted the song during the American Idol season thirteen finale on May 21, 2014.{{cite web|title=Lady Antebellum Perform Bartender on American idol Finale|url=http://us995.cbslocal.com/2014/05/23/lady-antebellum-perform-bartender-on-american-idol-finale/|publisher=US 99.5|accessdate=June 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024010336/http://us995.cbslocal.com/2014/05/23/lady-antebellum-perform-bartender-on-american-idol-finale/|archive-date=October 24, 2014|url-status=dead}} Two days later on the 23, they performed the song on Good Morning America. They have also performed "Bartender" on the Late Show with David Letterman and the 2014
CMT Music Awards on June 4, 2014. They performed "Bartender" on CMA Festival: Country's Night on August 5, 2014.
On September 30, 2014, the trio performed the song on the Today Show.
Critical reception
Matt Bjorke of Roughstock rated the song four stars out of five and spoke positively of the "fresh, new sound" the group is exploring. "The sing-song-y nature of ['Bartender's bridge and chorus] give the song some bite and make it the kind of song that should've always followed up 'Need You Now{{'-}}" said Bjorke. "{{'-}}Bartender' starts a new and exciting chapter in Lady Antebellum's career and gives us something to really look forward to with their follow-up to last year's Golden".{{cite web |last=Bjorke |first=Matt |title=Single Review: Lady Antebellum - Bartender |url=http://www.roughstock.com/reviews/single-review-lady-antebellum-bartender |work=Roughstock |publisher=Cheri Media |accessdate=30 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520112033/http://www.roughstock.com/reviews/single-review-lady-antebellum-bartender |archivedate=20 May 2014 }} Melinda Newman of HitFix placed "Bartender" at number 4 (of 21) on the website's Top Summer Songs of 2014, writing that "the upbeat melody and the time-honored tradition of drinking to forget, not to mention the banjo at the end, make this tune too much fun to be a downer".{{cite news|last=Newman|first=Melinda|title=HitFix's Summer Music Preview - "Bartender"|url=http://www.hitfix.com/summermusic/2014/top_songs/4-bartender|work=HitFix|accessdate=30 May 2014}}
Chart performance
"Bartender" debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart for the week ending May 31, 2014, soon reaching the top spot. It also debuted at No. 40 on Billboard Adult Pop Songs in November, their first song to manage crossing over to adult contemporary radio since "Just a Kiss" and reaching No. 25 to date. The song was certified Gold by the RIAA on September 11, 2014 and was certified Platinum on September 23, 2014.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Bartender|artist=Lady Antebellum}} The song reached its millionth sales mark in the US in November 2014,{{cite web | url = https://www.yahoo.com/music/chart-watch-grande-has-the-last-laugh-ariana-102494907431.html | title = Ariana Grande Nabs Her Fourth Top 10 Hit | author = Paul Grein | work = Yahoo! Music | date = November 13, 2014 }} and as of January 2015, it has sold 1,118,000 downloads.{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2015/01/32252-country-musics-top-30-digital-singles-week-january-21-2015/ |title=Country Music's Top 30 Digital Singles: Week of January 21, 2015 |author= Matt Bjorke |date=January 21, 2015 |work=Roughstock }} Sales figures given [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OQSwu651Nu1PpvWGslphCoewhgaloUOuo5-Ooh6iODM/edit#gid=0 here] In Canada, the song was also certified Platinum, indicating digital downloads in excess of 80,000 units.
Charts and certifications
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2014) !Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canada|29|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadacountry|1|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|31|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountryairplay|1|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|4|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultpopsongs|25|artist=Lady Antebellum}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
=Certifications=
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2014|award=Platinum|artist=Lady Antebellum|title=Bartender|digital=true|certref={{cite web|title=Canadian single certifications – Lady Antebellum – Bartender| work=Music Canada |url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?fwp_gp_search=bartender|publisher=Music Canada|access-date=21 March 2015}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|title=Bartender|artist=Lady Antebellum|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2014|salesamount=1,118,000|salesref=}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | noshipments=true}}
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"|Country
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| United States
| May 12, 2014 | Country radio |
| scope="row"| Canada
| rowspan="2"|May 19, 2014 | rowspan="2"|Digital download | {{cite web|title=Bartender - Single by Lady Antebellum |url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/bartender-single/id876676749 |work=iTunes Store CAN |publisher=Apple Inc }}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"| United States
|{{cite web|title=Bartender - Single by Lady Antebellum |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bartender-single/id876676749 |work=iTunes Store US |publisher=Apple Inc |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701053436/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bartender-single/id876676749 |archivedate=2014-07-01 }} |
| October 13, 2014 |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Lady Antebellum}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Capitol Records Nashville singles
Category:Songs written by Dave Haywood
Category:Songs written by Charles Kelley
Category:Songs written by Hillary Scott
Category:Songs written by Rodney Clawson
Category:Song recordings produced by Nathan Chapman (record producer)