Maybe Man
{{Short description|2023 song by AJR}}
{{For|the titular album|The Maybe Man{{!}}The Maybe Man}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Maybe Man
| cover = Maybe Man-Touchy Feely Fool.jpg
| alt =
| type = song
| artist = AJR
| album = The Maybe Man
| released = {{start date|2023|11|10}}
| recorded = 2022–2023
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:40
| label = *AJR
| writer = *Jack Met
- Adam Met
- Ryan Met
| producer = Ryan Met
| misc = {{External music video|type=song|{{YouTube|OU24A9C8BUk|"Maybe Man"}}}}
}}
"Maybe Man" is a song by American pop band AJR from their fifth studio album The Maybe Man, appearing as the opening track. The song was released alongside a music video on November 10, 2023, the day of the album's release.
Composition and lyrics
The song is composed in Time signature, with the first leg following a tempo of 145 beats per minute (BPM). "Maybe Man" musically builds as the song progresses, ending with a soft verse before a beat drop.{{cite web |last=Doty|first=Raena|url=https://www.fsugatepost.com/post/the-maybe-man-here-we-go-again|title='The Maybe Man' - here we go again|website=The Gatepost|language=en|date=November 17, 2023|accessdate=January 16, 2024}} The second leg of the song follows a tempo of 112 beats per minute (BPM), beginning with AJR's crew member Rob Piccione yelling "One, two, pandemonium".{{cite web |author=AJR|url=https://twitter.com/AJRBrothers/status/1718350037577850923|title="Breaking down The Maybe Man production"|website=Twitter|date=October 28, 2023|accessdate=November 11, 2023}}
Spanning 12 verses in length, "Maybe Man" acts as a table of contents for the rest of the album. Each verse of the song interpolates ideas from other songs on The Maybe Man,{{cite web |last=Keastead|first=Patrick|url=http://www.ramaponews.com/2023/11/15/ajrs-the-maybe-man-connects-to-fans/|title=AJR's 'The Maybe Man' connects to fans|website=The Ramapo News|language=en|date=November 15, 2023|accessdate=January 16, 2024}} such as the seventh verse taking from "The DJ Is Crying for Help" and the eighth verse taking from "I Won't".{{cite web |last=Alvarez|first=Maia|url=https://archeroracle.org/105821/arts-entertainment/review-the-maybe-man-by-ajr-calls-for-authenticity-in-the-music-industry/|title=Review: 'The Maybe Man' by AJR calls for authenticity in the music industry|website=The Oracle|language=en|date=December 6, 2023|accessdate=January 16, 2024}} This type of introduction differs from those of the band's previous albums, with Living Room, The Click, and OK Orchestra featuring sample-based overtures.{{cite web |last=Clemmensen|first=Meg|url=https://kindacoolmagazine.com/features/2023/11/27/ajr-swims-the-sea-of-life-in-the-maybe-man|title=AJR Swims The Sea of Life in "The Maybe Man"|website=kinda cool magazine|language=en|date=November 27, 2023|accessdate=January 16, 2024}}
Music video
An official video animated by Aaron Jasinski and directed by Edoardo Ranaboldo was released on November 10, 2023, alongside the album's release in the United States.{{cite web |author=ALT 105.1|url=https://www.alt1051.com/video-alert-ajr-maybe-man-animated-version/|title=Video Alert: AJR – "Maybe Man" (Animated Version)|website=ALT 105.1|language=en|date=November 10, 2023|accessdate=January 16, 2024}} The music video is painted, visually depicting Jack singing each verse of the song.{{cite web |author=Times Entertainment|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/music/english/watch-latest-english-official-music-video-song-maybe-man-sung-by-ajr/videoshow/105212745.cms|title=Watch Latest English Official Music Video Song 'Maybe Man' Sung By AJR|website=The Times of India|date=November 14, 2023|accessdate=November 21, 2023}} The video ends with Jack running through various settings including a forest, a hospital, and the autumn landscape of their 2021 album OK Orchestra before flying into space. This scene was additionally used to promote the album's reveal on August 28, 2023.{{cite web |last=Klaus|first=Jayden|url=https://centralrecorder.org/81690/arts-entertainment/the-maybe-man-is-the-latest-pinnacle-of-ajr/|title=The Maybe Man is the Latest Pinnacle of AJR|website=The Recorder|language=en|date=December 8, 2023|accessdate=January 16, 2024}}
=Nominations=
{{Awards table|5}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;" | 2024
| Best Animation
| "Maybe Man"
| {{nom}}
|}
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web |title=Credits / The Maybe Man / AJR |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/326417453/credits |date=November 10, 2023 |publisher=Tidal |accessdate=November 11, 2023}}
{{div col}}
- Adam Met – vocals, instruments, composer
- Jack Met – lead vocals, instruments, composer
- Ryan Met – instruments, composer, producer, programming
- Dale Becker – mastering engineer
- Joe Zook – mixing engineer
- Rob Piccione – additional vocals, engineer
- Katie Harvey – assistant mastering engineer
- Noah McCorkle – assistant mastering engineer
- Brandon Hernandez – assistant mastering engineer
- Ruth Kornblatt-Stier – cello
- Arnetta Johnson – trumpet
- Emelia Suljic – violin
- Austin Roa – vocals
- Chris Berry – vocals
- Dane Hagen – vocals
- Ezra Donellan – vocals
- Josh Plotner – woodwinds
{{div col end}}
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Maybe Man" ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|29|artist=AJR|rowheader=true|access-date=November 21, 2023}} |