Infinity (One Direction song)
{{EngvarB|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Infinity
| cover = One Direction - Infinity.png
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = Promotional single
| artist = One Direction
| album = Made in the A.M.
| released = 22 September 2015
| recorded = 2015
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=09}}
| writer = {{hlist|Jamie Scott|John Ryan|Julian Bunetta}}
| producer = {{hlist|Bunetta|Ryan}}
}}
"Infinity" is a song by Irish-British boy band One Direction from their fifth studio album, Made in the A.M. (2015). It was released as a single on iTunes and Apple Music on 22 September 2015.{{cite web| title=Made in the A.M. (Deluxe Edition)|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/made-in-a-m-deluxe-edition/1040170924|website=iTunes|access-date=3 October 2015}} The song was at first announced as the third official single from the album,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/6777845/one-direction-next-single-infinity|title=One Direction Announces Next Single|author1=Billboard Staff|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|date=November 26, 2015|access-date=November 28, 2015}} but was eventually scrapped in favour of "History".{{cite web|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/one-direction-change-new-single-from-infinity-082401214.html|title=One Direction Change New Single From 'Infinity' To 'History'|website=Yahoo! News|author=Rachel Pilcher|date=15 December 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}}
Background
On 22 September 2015, One Direction announced the name of their album, Made in the A.M. and released "Infinity" as a promotional single along with the pre-order of the album.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/one-direction-detail-new-album-release-anthemic-infinity-40037/|title=One Direction Detail New Album, Release Anthemic 'Infinity'|magazine=Rolling Stone|author=Brittany Spanos |date=22 September 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} The cover art of the song also features a picture of One Direction's fragrance, Between Us. On 12 November, One Direction gave the first live performance of the song on BBC Radio 1.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0369cw6|title=Radio 1's Live Lounge - One Direction|website=BBC Radio 1|date=12 November 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} The band also performed the single at the final of The X Factor on 13 December 2015.{{cite web|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/one-direction-thank-fans-following-emotional-x-105126416.html|title=One Direction Thank Fans Following Emotional X Factor Performance|website=Yahoo! News|author=Stephanie Soteriou|date=14 December 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} Harry Styles stated that "Infinity" was one of the track's he was proudest of.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/11/10/one-direction-harry-styles-soundtrack-my-life|title=One Direction's Harry Styles: Soundtrack of My Life|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|author=Amanda Michelle Steiner|date=10 November 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112191418/https://ew.com/article/2015/11/10/one-direction-harry-styles-soundtrack-my-life|archivedate=12 November 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} The promo track was certified Gold in Italy for over 25,000 units in March 2016.
The song was supposed to be accompanied by a music video, but it was replaced by "History" as the album's third single, and the video was never finished.{{cite tweet|number=1327358644233506816|user=benwinston|title=@Kitty_16 @onedirection We never finished it. Label changed course and decided to go with History as the single ins… |date=13 November 2020}}
Composition
"Infinity" was written by Jamie Scott, John Ryan, and Julian Bunetta,{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/11/26/one-direction-infinity-single-mitam-liam-payne/|title=One Direction: Infinity will be third single off MITAM, says Liam Payne|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|author=Amanda Michelle Steiner|date=26 November 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} while production was handled by Ryan and Bunetta.{{cite AV media notes |title=Made in the A.M.|others=One Direction |year=2015|type= CD liner|publisher=Columbia Records|id=8-88751-30792-6}} According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, by Alfred Music Publishing, the track runs at 132 BPM and is in the key of E major.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0155625|title=Infinity by One Direction - Digital Sheet Music|website=Musicnotes.com|date=24 September 2015 |publisher=Alfred Music Publishing|access-date=3 February 2024}} Louis Tomlinson stated that "Infinity" was, "one that we played on the first day of writing."{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-news/one-direction-reveal-infinity-will-be-third-single-from-made-in-the-am/34239093.html|title=One Direction reveal 'Infinity' will be third single from Made in the AM|website=Irish Independent|date=27 November 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}}
Critical reception
Daniela Cabrera of Bustle wrote that she "heard traces of "Stop and Stare" by OneRepublic and a little bit of fellow Brit rockers, Keane and Coldplay" while adding that the song "is soaring, beautiful, and quite catchy" and that the "lyrics will hit home for anyone who's lost love".{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/112260-one-direction-infinity-lyrics-will-hit-home-for-anyone-whos-lost-love|title=One Direction "Infinity" Lyrics Will Hit Home for Anyone Who's Lost Love|website=Bustle|author=Daniela Cabrera|date=22 September 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} Ella Ceron of Teen Vogue stated that the track, "tries to hit the uncanny ground of pairing a slightly uptempo beat and swooping guitar riffs with lyrics that will rip you to shreds." She also added, "It is the kind of song you listen to on loop, or as part of a secret mix, the one you say you're only going to listen to when you really need to feel something."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/one-direction-infinity-heartbreak-anthem|title=One Direction's New Heartbreak Anthem Proves They Will Always Love You|magazine=Teen Vogue|author=Ella Ceron|date=22 September 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}}
Nick Levine of NME remarked, "'Infinity' reaches its peak as the final minute approaches and the producers super-size its sound with some big stadium drums and ravey synth riffs."{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/one-direction-pine-for-the-one-that-got-away-on-new-track-infinity-15312|title=One Direction Pine For The One That Got Away On New Track 'Infinity'|website=NME|author=Nick Levine|date=23 September 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} Madeline Roth of MTV described the song as "a beautiful, Coldplay-esque ballad that builds and builds until it reaches a soaring, chill-inducing crescendo about two-thirds of the way in."{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/hlusmn/one-direction-infinity-next-single|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203231802/https://www.mtv.com/news/hlusmn/one-direction-infinity-next-single|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 February 2024|title=One Direction Reveal Their Next Single|website=MTV|author=Madeline Roth|date=27 November 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}} Glenn Gamboa of Newsday called the track, "a mellower slice of guitar pop."{{cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/one-direction-unveils-new-song-infinity-plus-made-in-the-a-m-album-plans-j98501|title=One Direction unveils new song 'Infinity,' reveals album plans|website=Newsday|author=Glenn Gamboa|date=22 September 2015|access-date=3 February 2024}}
Jason Lipshutz of Billboard had a more negative review, stating that the "new ballad was limited by lyrics" and that "a unmemorable arrangement of kick drum and glistening guitar also helps 'Infinity' sound hamstrung by its clumsy lyrics", but he complimented the group's vocals, stating that the band "sounds vocally accomplished on "Infinity" in spite of the absence of Zayn Malik".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6706840/one-directions-infinity-song-review|title = One Direction's 'Infinity' Review: New Ballad Limited by Lyrics|magazine = Billboard|date = 22 September 2015}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (2015)
! Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Australia|22|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=3 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Austria|18|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=30 September 2015|rowheader=true|refname="Austria"}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|40|artist=One Direction|accessdate=28 September 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Czechdigital|47|year=2015|week=39|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Finland|12|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=7 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|France|24|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=1 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| Greece Digital Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/One-Direction/chart-history/GRE|title=One Direction Chart History (Greece Digital Songs)|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221204200/https://www.billboard.com/music/One-Direction/chart-history/GRE|archivedate=21 December 2019|access-date=1 February 2024|magazine=Billboard}}
| 2 |
| {{single chart|Hungarysingle|5|year=2015|week=39|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland|38|year=2015|week=40|accessdate=7 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Italy|10|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=26 September 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|59|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=3 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|28|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=2 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"|Portugal Digital Song Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/One-Direction/chart-history/POR|title=One Direction Chart History (Portugal Digital Song Sales)|magazine=Billboard|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222072813/https://www.billboard.com/music/One-Direction/chart-history/POR|archivedate=22 December 2019|access-date=1 February 2024}}
| 5 |
| {{single chart|Scotland|15|date=2015-09-26|accessdate=26 September 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Slovakdigital|21|year=2015|week=39|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| South Korea International Chart (GAON){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=week&hitYear=2015&targetTime=42&nationGbn=E|title=Gaon Digital Chart: 2015.10.04~2015.10.10|website=GAON|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107111634/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=week&hitYear=2015&targetTime=42&nationGbn=E|archive-date=January 7, 2016|access-date=April 16, 2024}}
| 67 |
| {{single chart|Spain|19|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=5 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|42|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=4 October 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|34|artist=One Direction|song=Infinity|accessdate=26 September 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|UK|36|date=2015-09-26|accessdate=26 September 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|54|artist=One Direction|accessdate=28 September 2015|rowheader=true}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Gold|artist=One Direction|title=Infinity|certyear=2020|relyear=2015|access-date=27 March 2016}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|award=Gold|artist=One Direction|title=Infinity|certyear=2016|relyear=2015|id=3403|access-date=27 March 2016}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Mexico|artist=One Direction|title=Infinity|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2015|certyear=2019|access-date=6 June 2016}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=One Direction|title=Infinity|award=Gold|relyear=2015|access-date=23 December 2024|certyear=2023|source=radioscope}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Silver|artist=One Direction|title=Infinity|certyear=2021|relyear=2015|id=14723-2449-1|access-date=27 March 2016}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{One Direction}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Jamie Scott
Category:Songs written by John Ryan (musician)