Cruise (song)
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{{for|the song by David Gilmour|About Face (album)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Cruise
| cover = Cruise Florida Georgia Line.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Florida Georgia Line
| album = Here's to the Good Times
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = * Country music (original version)
- country rap (remix version)
- country pop (remix version)
| length = * 3:29 (album version)
- 3:26 (remix featuring Nelly)
- 3:07 (remix radio edit)
| label = * Big Loud Mountain
| writer = * Brian Kelley
- Tyler Hubbard
- Joey Moi
- Chase Rice
- Jesse Rice
| producer = * Joey Moi
- Jason Nevins {{small|(remix featuring Nelly)}}
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Get Your Shine On
| next_year = 2013
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Nelly
| type = single
| prev_title = Hey Porsche
| prev_year = 2013
| title = Cruise (Remix)
| year = 2013
| next_title = Get Like Me
| next_year = 2013
}}
{{Audio sample
| type = single
| file = Florida Georgia Line - Cruise.ogg
}}
{{Extra album cover
| header = "Cruise" (Remix)
| type = single
| cover = CruiseRemix.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = Cover for remix featuring Nelly.
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|8PvebsWcpto|"Cruise"}}}}
}}
"Cruise" is a song recorded by American country music duo Florida Georgia Line. It was first released to iTunes in April 2012 and then to radio on August 6, 2012 as the first single from their extended play It'z Just What We Do.{{cite news |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/03/31/florida-georgia-line-no-cruising-fast-lane/99722754/ |title=Florida Georgia Line: No cruising in the fast lane |first=Cindy |last=Watts|date= March 31, 2017 |work=Tennessean }} It was written by group members Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard with Joey Moi, Chase Rice, and Jesse Rice (no relation). It is included on their first album for Republic Nashville, Here's to the Good Times, released on December 4.{{cite news|last=Conaway|first=Alanna|title=Florida Georgia Line Reveal Release Date for Debut Album, 'Here's to the Good Times'|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/florida-georgia-line-heres-to-the-good-times-release-date/|access-date=November 10, 2012|newspaper=Taste of Country|date=October 19, 2012}} "Cruise" is the best-selling country digital song of all time in the United States as of January 2014.{{Update inline|date=July 2024}} The song is considered the foremost example of the genre of country music termed "bro-country".{{cite web |url=http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/clever-response-bro-country-songs |title=Taking Country Music Back from the Bros|date=July 24, 2014 |author=Ian Crouch |work=New Yorker }}{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/3502546/florida-georgia-line-bro-country/ |title='Bro Country' Is Still Thriving, Even If Everyone Hates It |author=Adam Carlson|date= October 14, 2014|magazine=Time }}
The recording by Florida Georgia Line reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 on its initial release, but dropped off the Hot 100 in February 2013. A couple of months later, a remix by rapper Nelly was released, and the song then re-entered the top 10.{{cite web |url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=27067 |title=Cruise by Florida Georgia Line |work=Song Facts }} The song reached a peak of No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart in its 34th week, one of the slowest climbs to the top five in the chart's history. The song also logged 24 weeks at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, becoming the longest-running No. 1 single on that chart at the time, until it was surpassed in 2017 by Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road".
The Nelly remix, produced by Jason Nevins, was released to iTunes on April 2, 2013, and to pop radio on April 16 of that same year.{{cite web|url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16691 |title=FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Nielsen Ratings, Music News and more! |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415071132/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16691 |archive-date=April 15, 2013 }} The remix was played at the end of Nelly's music video for "Hey Porsche", and it was included on the deluxe version of Florida Georgia Line's album, This Is How We Roll. In total, all versions of the songs have sold over 7 million copies in the US.
Background
The song was written by the two members of Florida Georgia Line, Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, together with Joey Moi, Chase Rice and Jesse Rice. According to Chase Rice, they (Brian Kelley, Chase Rice and Jesse Rice) were writing a different song, when Kelley started to strum a chord and hummed another melody, which ended up being the melody for "Cruise".{{cite web |url=http://radio.com/2014/03/25/florida-georgia-line-cruise-behind-the-song-chase-rice/ |title=Behind the Song: Florida Georgia Line's 'Cruise' |date=March 25, 2014 |author=Annie Reuter |work=Radio.com |access-date=January 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127031054/http://radio.com/2014/03/25/florida-georgia-line-cruise-behind-the-song-chase-rice/ |archive-date=November 27, 2015 |url-status=dead }} They decided to drop the song they were writing to write "Cruise" instead, which they finished in 45 minutes.{{cite web |url=http://tasteofcountry.com/chase-rice-admits-he-didnt-expect-cruise-to-become-a-big-hit/ |title=Chase Rice Admits He Didn't Expect 'Cruise' to Become a Big Hit|author= Christina Vinson |date=June 12, 2014|work=Taste of Country }} Kelley originally wrote the opening line as "Baby, you like a song", and the song then went through several edits when Florida Georgia Line recorded the song with producer Moi, with rewrites of some lyrics and the addition of a section after the solo.{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/cruise-behind-the-making-of-florida-georgia-lines-mega-hit/2013/09/26/b6960478-2586-11e3-ad0d-b7c8d2a594b9_story.html |title='Cruise': Behind the making of Florida Georgia Line's mega-hit |author=Emily Yahr |newspaper=The Washington Post }} In December 2011, the duo signed a publishing deal with Big Loud Shirt, and recorded "Cruise" that same day.
The song is a mid-tempo in the key of B-flat major with a main chord pattern of B{{flat}}-F-Gm{{sup|7}}-E{{flat}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0112062|title=Florida Georgia Line "Cruise" Sheet Music - Download & Print|author=Hubbard, Tyler|website=Musicnotes|date=December 4, 2012 }} It is about an attractive woman that the male narrator wants to cruise with in his pick-up truck.
Critical reception
Billy Dukes of Taste of Country gave the song four stars out of five, writing that "their formal training shows in the tight execution of this lyric-heavy summer song."{{cite news|last=Dukes|first=Billy|title=Florida Georgia Line, 'Cruise' – Song Review|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/florida-georgia-line-cruise/|access-date=September 6, 2012|newspaper=Taste of Country|date=August 22, 2012}} Matt Bjorke of Roughstock also gave the song a favorable review, calling it "a feel-good song from a band that likes to have a good time."{{cite news|last=Bjorke|first=Matt|title=The Weekly Single Recap: June 14, 2012|url=http://www.roughstock.com/blog/the-weekly-single-recap-june-14-2012|access-date=September 6, 2012|newspaper=Roughstock|date=June 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817142209/http://www.roughstock.com/blog/the-weekly-single-recap-june-14-2012|archive-date=August 17, 2012|url-status=dead}} Liv Carter of Urban Country News gave the song a thumbs-up, calling it "one of those disposable-yet-enjoyable country summer songs which will not only enjoy a healthy chart run, but find itself on radio playlists for many more summers."{{cite news|last=Carter|first=Liv|title=Single Review: 'Cruise' – Florida Georgia Line|url=http://www.urbancountrynews.com/single-review-cruise-florida-georgia-line/|access-date=September 10, 2012|newspaper=UrbanCountry News}} Ian Crouch wrote in The New Yorker that musically, the song is "forward-thinking, combining traditional country harmonies and a banjo backing with rock and roll stadium-show guitars and drums", and "has the hint of a dance-music". However, lyrically, he thought that the song is "ass-backwards".
"Cruise" is credited with the rise of "bro-country", a musical trend in country music starting in 2013 that entails rock- and rap-influenced country by male artists, often with partying themes. Jody Rosen, a music critic who coined the term bro-country, described "Cruise" as the "most generic song", an "amiable lunk of a song", and that the "most extraordinary thing about it is its aggressive ordinariness." To Rosen, it exemplifies the genre of bro-country, "music by and of the tatted, gym-toned, party-hearty young American white dude."{{cite web |url=http://www.vulture.com/2013/08/rise-of-bro-country-florida-georgia-line.html |title=Jody Rosen on the Rise of Bro-Country |last=Rosen|first=Jody |work=Vulture |date=August 11, 2013 }} Its themes of women and driving are noted by critics to typical of the genre of bro-country, with its perceived objectification of women the target of criticism.{{cite web |url=http://tasteofcountry.com/what-is-bro-country/ |title=Bro-Country … What the Heck Is It? |author= Billy Dukes|work=Taste of Country |date=October 9, 2014 }} Some country purists also thought it too influenced by hip-hop, pop and rock to be country music, with one describing the song as "the death of modern country music".{{cite web |url=http://nashvillegab.com/2013/08/why-florida-georgia-lines-cruise-is-the-death-of-modern-country-music-a-rant.html |title=Why Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" is the death of modern country music [A Rant] |author=Ashley Anne-Helene |date=August 1, 2013|work=Nashville Gab }}{{cite web |url=http://theboot.com/florida-georgia-line-love-hate/ |title=Poll: Florida Georgia Line – Love Them, or Hate Them?|author= Sterling Whitaker |date=August 13, 2013|work=The Boot }}
Music video
The music video was directed by Brian Lazzaro and premiered in August 2012. It was filmed outside Nashville, and featured the duo driving and performing against an American flag backdrop at a colorful paint party, and showed shots of women as well as a game of strip poker.{{cite news|last=Wyland|first=Sarah|title=Watch Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise" Video|url=http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2012/08/28/watch-florida-georgia-lines-cruise-video/|access-date=September 6, 2012|newspaper=Great American Country|date=August 28, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120830115809/http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2012/08/28/watch-florida-georgia-lines-cruise-video/ |archive-date=August 30, 2012}} In the remix, it features the duo, Nelly, and another friend of theirs, driving down a road. It shows shots of women in country, cowgirl outfits and police uniforms on vehicles and riding with the men in the men's cars as they go down the country roads.
Chart performance
"Cruise" debuted at No. 54 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of August 11, 2012.{{cite news|last=Morris|first=Edward|title=Zac Brown Band's Uncaged Racks Up Third Week at No. 1|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1691182/zac-brown-bands-uncaged-racks-up-third-week-at-no-1.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808044608/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1691182/zac-brown-bands-uncaged-racks-up-third-week-at-no-1.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 8, 2012|access-date=September 6, 2012|newspaper=Country Music Television|date=August 4, 2012}} On the chart dated December 15, 2012, it reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart in only its 19th week, achieving the fastest climb to the top of the chart for a debut single since Heartland's "I Loved Her First" in October 2006.
"Cruise" went on to spend three weeks atop the Country Airplay chart—the most weeks at No. 1 on Country Airplay for a new act's first charted title since Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman" in early 2004—and 24 weeks (over three different runs including the Nelly remix) atop the new Hot Country Songs chart. When the song reached its tenth week atop Hot Country Songs on May 18, 2013, it became the second song (Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together") to spend that many weeks at No. 1 since Buck Owens's "Love's Gonna Live Here" (16 weeks between October 1963 and February 1964). On August 24, 2013, it logged its 24th week at No. 1, the longest run at No. 1 in the chart's 69-year history (the previous record was 21 weeks held jointly by three songs, the last of which was Webb Pierce's "In the Jailhouse Now" from February to June 1955). On November 9, 2013, the song logged its 66th and final week on the Hot Country Songs chart,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2013-11-09/country-songs|title=Country Music: Top Country Songs Chart - Billboard|magazine=Billboard}} setting a new all-time record of 56 weeks, previously held jointly by "Love Like Crazy" by Lee Brice and "Wanted" by Hunter Hayes, and just the sixth song to spend 52 or more weeks on the chart during a single chart run.
"Cruise" debuted at No. 99 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of September 1, 2012. It spent 26 consecutive weeks on it, peaking at No. 16. The song returned to the Hot 100 following the release of the Jason Nevins produced remix with Nelly,{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/country/florida-georgia-line-nelly-cruise-anniversary-bro-country-1235297264/ | title='GREAT F–KIN' IDEA!': How Florida Georgia Line & Nelly's 'Cruise' Teamup Made (Controversial) History | magazine=Billboard }} reappearing at No. 8 for the week ending April 20, 2013, and reaching a new peak at No. 4 in the issue dated July 6, 2013. The remix video featuring Nelly has over 91 million views as of November 2018.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmZ9xRO7M9M|title=Florida Georgia Line - Cruise (Remix) ft. Nelly|date=May 13, 2013|via=YouTube}} According to Nielsen SoundScan, the Nelly version of "Cruise" has sold 2.5 million copies as of January 2014. The song reached a peak of No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 6, 2013, and set an industry record for the slowest climb to the top five in the chart's nearly 55-year history, eclipsing the 30-week ascent of Lonestar's No. 1 "Amazed" in 1999–2000.{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1565048/macklemore-ryan-lewis-still-atop-hot-100-zach-sobiech-debuts |title=Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Still Atop Hot 100, Zach Sobiech Debuts |author= Gary Trust|date= May 29, 2013 |magazine=Billboard }} However, the record was soon broken by Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive", which peaked in its 43rd week.{{cite web|title=The Hot 100: Jul 06, 2013 {{!}} Billboard Chart Archive|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2013-07-06/the-hot-100|publisher=Billboard.com|access-date=July 25, 2013}}
The song became the best-selling song by a country duo in digital history by April 2013,{{cite news |url= http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-april-14-2013-songs-psy-gallops-221740402.html |title=Week Ending April 14, 2013. Songs: PSY Gallops Back |author=Paul Grein |work=Yahoo Music (Chart Watch)|date= April 17, 2013 |access-date=April 18, 2013 }} and it also became the fourth-selling song of 2013 with 4,691,000 downloads sold for the year.{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/music-news/chart-watch-top-10-albums-songs-2013-184702481.html |title=The Top 10 Albums and Songs of 2013|last=Grein|first=Paul|work=Chart Watch|publisher=Yahoo! Music|date=January 2, 2014|access-date=January 3, 2014}} By October 2013, the song has sold 6 million copies in the United States, then the second best-selling country song in history, behind Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now".{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-oct-20-2013-songs-women-charge-203158409.html |title=Week Ending Oct. 20, 2013. Songs: Women In Charge|last=Grein|first=Paul|work=Chart Watch|date=October 23, 2013|access-date=October 26, 2013}} In January 2014, it overtook Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" and became the best-selling country song in the US.{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/5862305/florida-georgia-line-cruise-sets-all-time-country-sales-record |title=Florida Georgia Line's 'Cruise' Sets All-Time Country Sales Record |author=Wade Jessen |date= January 6, 2014 |magazine=Billboard }} It was certified 9× Platinum by RIAA on January 29, 2015 (certification includes streaming in addition to downloads since May 2013).{{cite news|url=https://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?content_selector=riaa-news-gold-and-platinum&news_month_filter=5&news_year_filter=2013&id=C19496E7-CEC0-C453-D8A1-BD80E56E610F |title=RIAA Adds Digital Streams To Historic Gold & Platinum Awards |publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |date=May 9, 2013 |access-date=May 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604153636/http://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?content_selector=riaa-news-gold-and-platinum&news_month_filter=5&news_year_filter=2013&id=C19496E7-CEC0-C453-D8A1-BD80E56E610F |archive-date=June 4, 2013 }} The song, including all versions, reached seven million in total sales in September 2014.{{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911222045/https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/chart-watch-meghan-trainor-giant-slayer-204426293.html |archive-date=September 11, 2014 |url=https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/chart-watch-meghan-trainor-giant-slayer-204426293.html |title=Chart Watch: Meghan Trainor, Giant Slayer|author=Paul Grein |date= September 10, 2014 |work=Yahoo Music! Chart Watch }} It became the country's ninth all-time best-selling digital single in 2015.{{cite web |url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=295457 |title=The Rise of Uptown Funk: Could It Become the All-Time #1 Seller? |website=HITS Daily Double |publisher=HITS Digital Ventures |date=April 9, 2015 |access-date=April 9, 2015}} On April 1, 2016, the song was certified Diamond, the first country song to achieve this status. The certification includes streams, which numbered more than 155 million by April 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7318809/florida-georgia-lines-cruise-reaches-riaa-diamond-status |title=Florida Georgia Line's 'Cruise' Reaches RIAA Diamond Status |date=April 2, 2016 |publisher=Billboard }} As of November 2016, the song has sold 7,598,000 copies in the U.S.{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2016/11/41025-top-30-digital-singles-sales-report-november-1-2016 |title=Top 30 Digital Singles Sales Report: November 1, 2016 |first= Matt |last=Bjorke |date=November 1, 2016 |work=Roughstock }} The song was certified 14× Platinum by the RIAA on October 10, 2018.
Charts and certifications
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
= Weekly charts =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2012–2013) !Peak |
| Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue1224.pdf|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20130818140136/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20130819-0001/Issue1224.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 18, 2013|title=The ARIA Report: Issue 1224 (Week Commencing 12 August 2013)|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|page=4|access-date=December 19, 2021|via=Trove}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 63 |
| {{singlechart|Canada|38|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadaac|25|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|9|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
| Canada Country (Billboard){{cite web|title=BDSRadio Charts (Canada Country National Airplay)|url=http://charts.bdsradio.com/bdsradiocharts/charts.aspx?formatid=36|website=BDS Radio|publisher=Nielsen N.V.|access-date=September 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121123012723/http://charts.bdsradio.com/bdsradiocharts/charts.aspx?formatid=36|archive-date=November 23, 2012}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadahotac|5|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Dutch40|30|year=2013|week=27|artist=|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|New Zealand|34|artist=Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly|song=Cruise|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Scotland|59|year=2013|date=2013-08-25|artist=|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Slovakia|43|year=2013|week=27|artist=|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|UK|75|date=2013-08-31|artist=|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|4|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|13|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultpopsongs|6|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountryairplay|1|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|note=Original version|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|note=Original version|song=|refname=}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardpopsongs|7|artist=Florida Georgia Line|artistid=1870428|song=|refname=}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2012)
!scope="col"|Position |
|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{Cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2012/hot-country-songs | title=Best of 2012: Hot Country Songs | magazine=Billboard | year=2012 | access-date=December 14, 2012}}
| align="center" | 65 |
=Decade-end charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2010–2019)
!scope="col"|Position |
|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/decade-end/hot-country-songs|title=Decade-End Charts: Hot Country Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 5, 2020}}
| align="center" | 3 |
=Certifications=
{{certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=Florida Georgia Line|title=Cruise|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=2012|certyear=2019|access-date=October 4, 2021}}
{{certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Florida Georgia Line|title=Cruise|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2012|relmonth=8|certyear=2013|certmonth=4|type=single|digital=true}}
{{certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Florida Georgia Line|title=Cruise|award=Platinum|certyear=2021|relyear=2012|type=single|source=radioscope|access-date=January 2, 2025}}
{{certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Florida Georgia Line & Nelly|title=Cruise|award=Silver|certyear=2024|relyear=2012|type=single|id=19875-6728-1|access-date=April 5, 2024}}
{{certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Florida Georgia Line|title=Cruise|award=Platinum|number=14|certyear=2022|relyear=2012|type=single|salesamount=7,598,000|refname=RIAA|salesref=}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
{{col-end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Florida Georgia Line}}
{{Nelly}}
{{Billboard Year-End Hot Country Singles number one single of the year}}
{{CMA Single of the Year}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Florida Georgia Line songs
Category:Republic Records singles
Category:Republic Nashville singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Joey Moi
Category:Songs written by Tyler Hubbard
Category:Songs written by Brian Kelley (musician)
Category:Songs written by Joey Moi
Category:Songs written by Chase Rice
Category:Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles of the year