Falling Back (song)

{{For|other songs of the same name|Falling Back (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Falling Back

| type = song

| cover =

| alt =

| caption =

| artist = Drake

| album = Honestly, Nevermind

| released = {{start date|2022|06|17}}

| recorded =

| genre = House

| length = 4:25

| label =

OVO
Republic

| writer =

Aubrey Graham
André Boadu
Gregor Sütterlin
Alexander Lustig
Christian Astrop

| producer =

&ME
Rampa

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|sOreUnGoIMg|"Falling Back"}}|type=song}}

}}

"Falling Back" is a song by Canadian rapper and singer Drake. It was released through Republic Records and OVO Sound as the second track from his seventh studio album, Honestly, Nevermind, on June 17, 2022, along with the album.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2022/06/17/drake-marries-23-women-in-the-new-video-for-falling-back-6-key-takeaways-from-his-lead-single.html|title=Drake marries 23 women in the new video for 'Falling Back': 6 key takeaways from his lead single|website=Toronto Star|last=Assaly|first=Richie|date=June 17, 2022|access-date=June 17, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/06/drake-falling-back-tristan-thompson.html|title=Drake Makes 23 Women His Wives in 'Falling Back'|website=Vulture|last=Guy|first=Zoe|quote=Drake simultaneously marries 23 women in the nine-minute music video for his new single "Falling Back" off his latest album Honestly, Nevermind.|date=June 17, 2022|access-date=June 17, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/drake-marries-a-roster-of-women-in-falling-back-music-video-new-video.46881.html|title=Drake Marries A Roster Of Women In "Falling Back" Video|website=HotNewHipHop|author=Aron A.|quote=Upon the album's release, the rapper delivered a new set of visuals for the single, "Falling Back."|date=June 17, 2022|access-date=June 17, 2022}} Drake wrote the song with producers &ME and Rampa and additional producers Alex Lustig and Beau Nox. The song was mixed by 40 and Luca Pretolesi and was recorded by Noel Cadastre.

Composition and lyrics

"Falling Back" was described as "introspective house" by Consequence.{{cite web|last=Ragusa|first=Paulo|date=June 17, 2022|title=Song of the Week: Drake Falls Under His Own Hypnotic Spell on "Falling Back"|url=https://consequence.net/2022/06/drake-falling-back-song-of-the-week/|website=Consequence|access-date=June 17, 2022}} The production adds old-school tape hiss.{{cite web|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|date=June 17, 2022|title=Drake: Honestly, Nevermind review – brand new moods, same old moans|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jun/17/drake-honestly-nevermind-review-brand-new-moods-same-old-moans|website=The Guardian|access-date=June 17, 2022}}

Critical reception

"Falling Back" received negative reviews from music critics. Writing for Evening Standard, David Smyth felt that "the vocal melody and delivery sound like so many other mid-paced Drake songs, and the lyrics sound dashed off".{{cite web|last=Smyth|first=David|date=June 17, 2022|title=Drake – Honestly, Nevermind first-listen review: Summery background music and not much more|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/drake-honestly-nevermind-review-reaction-surprise-album-b1006807.html|website=Evening Standard|access-date=June 17, 2022}} NME music critic Kyann-Sian Williams described Drake's vocals as "monotonous and droning" and noted that his high-pitched vocals towards the end of the song starts off well but quickly gets worse as he repeatedly sings: "Falling back on me".{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Kyann-Sian|date=June 17, 2022|title=Drake – 'Honestly, Nevermind' review: rapper's house makeover provides long-overdue career boost|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/drake-honestly-nevermind-album-review-3250025|website=NME |access-date=June 17, 2022}}

Accolades

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="border:none; margin:0;" \|+Awards and nominations for "Falling Back" ! scope="col"\| Organization ! scope="col"\| Year ! scope="col"\| Category ! scope="col"\| Result ! class="unsortable" scope="col"\| {{Abbr\|Ref.\|References}}
scope="row"\| MTV Video Music Awards \| 2023 \| Best Direction \| {{nom}} \| {{Cite magazine \|last=Grein \|first=Paul \|date=August 8, 2023 \|title=Taylor Swift Is Top Nominee for 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (Complete List) \|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-mtv-video-music-awards-complete-nominations-list-taylor-swift-1235386794/ \|access-date=August 10, 2023 \|magazine=Billboard}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="border:none; margin:0;"

|+Awards and nominations for "Falling Back"

! scope="col"| Organization

! scope="col"| Year

! scope="col"| Category

! scope="col"| Result

! class="unsortable" scope="col"| {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

scope="row"| MTV Video Music Awards

| 2023

| Best Direction

| {{nom}}

| {{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=August 8, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Is Top Nominee for 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (Complete List) |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-mtv-video-music-awards-complete-nominations-list-taylor-swift-1235386794/ |access-date=August 10, 2023 |magazine=Billboard}}

Music video

The official music video for "Falling Back", directed by Director X, premiered alongside the release of the song and album on June 17, 2022.{{cite magazine|last=Iasimone|first=Ashley|date=June 17, 2022|title=Drake Has 23 Brides & Tristan Thompson as His Best Man in 'Falling Back' Video|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/drake-falling-back-video-brides-tristan-thompson-1235089482/|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 17, 2022}} It sees Drake marrying 23 different women. Canadian-American professional basketball player Tristan Thompson makes an appearance as his best man and Drake's mother, Sandi Graham, also makes an appearance.{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/drake-falling-back-video|title=Drake Drops Wedding-Themed 'Falling Back' Video Featuring Tristan Thompson Cameo|website=Complex|last=Shifferaw|first=Abel|date=June 17, 2022|access-date=June 18, 2022}} The video also features The Dan Band singing a cover version of Drake's popular song Best I Ever Had.

In the video, "Free YSL" is written in green capital letters to show support for American record label YSL Records, as some of their artists, including Drake's previous collaborators, American rappers Young Thug and Gunna, and some other artists and affiliates of the collective were arrested and held in jail without bond at the time of the release of the song and video after being named in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) indictment in May 2022.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/drake-marries-23-women-in-new-falling-back-video-watch/|title=Drake Marries 23 Women in New "Falling Back" Video: Watch|website=Pitchfork|last=Monroe|first=Jazz|date=June 17, 2022|access-date=June 17, 2022}} The marriage scene pays homage to the video for hip hop duo UGK's 2007 single, "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)", featuring fellow hip hop duo Outkast.{{cite web|last=Bustard|first=Andy|date=June 17, 2022|title=Drake Marries Multiple Women In UGK & Outkast-Inspired 'Falling Back' Video|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.71094/title.drake-falling-back-video-marries-23-women-wedding|website=HipHopDX|access-date=June 17, 2022}}

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\| Greece International (IFPI){{cite web \|url=https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html \|title=Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart – Week: 25/2022 \|publisher=IFPI Greece \|access-date=July 4, 2022\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704095436/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html\|archive-date=July 4, 2022\|url-status=dead}} \| 6
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Weekly chart performance for "Falling Back" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Austria\|51\|artist=Drake\|song=Falling Back\|rowheader=true\|access-date=July 8, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Canada\|4\|artist=Drake\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 28, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Denmark\|28\|artist=Drake\|song=Falling Back\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 29, 2022}}
{{single chart\|France\|70\|artist=Drake\|song=Falling Back\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 27, 2022\|refname=FRA}}
{{single chart\|Billboardglobal200\|7\|artist=Drake\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 28, 2022}}
scope="row"\| Iceland (Tónlistinn){{cite web\|url=http://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/\|title=Tónlistinn – Lög\|trans-title=The Music – Songs\|language=is\|publisher=Plötutíðindi\|access-date=July 3, 2022\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628031603/http://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/\|archive-date=June 28, 2022}} \| 7
{{single chart\|Ireland4\|10\|date=20220624\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 24, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Italy\|68\|artist=Drake\|song=Falling Back\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 25, 2022}}
scope="row"\| Lithuania (AGATA){{cite web\|url=https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s25/\|title=2022 25-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)\|publisher=AGATA\|language=lt\|date=June 27, 2022\|access-date=July 1, 2022}} \| 26
scope="row"\| Luxembourg (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/drake/chart-history/i12/\|title=Drake Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=June 29, 2022}} \| 10
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|43\|artist=Drake\|song=Falling Back\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 25, 2022}}
scope="row"\| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/2022-06-24\|title=NZ Top 40 Singles Chart\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|date=June 27, 2022\|access-date=June 25, 2022}} \| 14
scope="row"\| Norway (VG-lista){{cite web\|url=https://topplista.no/charts/singles/2022-w25/\|title=VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2022-25\|publisher=VG-lista\|access-date=June 25, 2022}} \| 36
{{single chart\|Portugal\|11\|artist=Drake\|song=Falling Back\|rowheader=true\|access-date=July 8, 2022}}
{{single chart\|South Africa2\|3\|year=2022\|week=25\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 1, 2024}}
scope="row"\| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web\|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/41?dspy=2022&dspp=25\|title=Veckolista Singlar, vecka 25\|publisher=Sverigetopplistan\|access-date=June 24, 2022}} \| 29
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|14\|artist=Drake\|song=Falling Back\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 26, 2022}}
{{single chart\|UK\|10\|date=20220624\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 24, 2022}}
{{single chart\|UKdance\|3\|date=20220624\|rowheader=true\|access-date=July 7, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|7\|artist=Drake\|rowheader=true\|access-date=July 7, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Billboarddanceelectronic\|1\|artist=Drake\|rowheader=true\|access-date=July 7, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Billboardrandbhiphop\|6\|artist=Drake\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 28, 2022}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+2022 year-end chart performance for "Falling Back" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/hot-dance-electronic-songs/\|title=Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2022\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=December 5, 2022}} \| 15

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+2022 year-end chart performance for "Falling Back"

! scope="col"| Chart (2022)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/hot-dance-electronic-songs/|title=Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2022|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 5, 2022}}

| 15