Need You Now (Lady Antebellum song)

The lyrics describe placing a call to someone in the middle of the night due to being lonely and longing for companionship. Hillary Scott commented on the song, saying that "All three of us know what it's like to get to that point where you feel lonely enough that you make a late-night phone call that you very well could regret the next day." Charles Kelley told The Boot that the band's record executives initially had concerns regarding using the lyrics "I'm a little drunk", but he convinced the executives to leave the content in the song.{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=16541|title="Need You Now" song facts|access-date=September 26, 2010}}

"Need You Now" has received critical acclaim from music critics and is considered one of the best country songs of the 2000s. It won the 2011 Grammy award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

The song received a "thumbs up" review from Jim Malec of the 9513. He said that although Charles Kelley's voice had a "surprisingly stuffy tone," lead singer Hillary Scott's voice fit perfectly for "dark" songs like "Need You Now." He said that both singers had a rawness in their voices that made the song feel "real".{{cite web |url=http://www.the9513.com/lady-antebellum-need-you-now/ |title=Lady Antebellum – "Need You Now" |last=Malec |first=Jim |date=August 17, 2009 |access-date=August 27, 2009 |work=The 9513|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102102353/http://www.the9513.com/lady-antebellum-need-you-now/|archive-date=November 2, 2013}}

The track received a positive review from Ken Tucker of Billboard, who said, "the song finds alto Scott trading lead vocals with a soulful Kelley, and it will connect with anyone who's ever dumped a significant other and regretted it in the early morning hours."{{cite magazine| url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1070904/lady-antebellum-need-you-know| title=Lady Antebellum, "Need You Know"| last=Tucker| first=Ken| date=September 3, 2009| access-date=March 15, 2013| magazine=Billboard}}

Bobby Peacock of Roughstock gave a positive review as well, comparing its sound favorably to that of "I Run to You." He also thought the traded-off lead vocals gave the song "more depth," and that Kelley and Scott sang more strongly than on the debut album.{{cite web|url=http://www.roughstock.com/blog/lady-antebellum-need-you-now- |title=Lady Antebellum — "Need You Now" |author=Bobby Peacock |date=August 13, 2009 |work=Roughstock |access-date=October 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923221302/http://www.roughstock.com/blog/lady-antebellum-need-you-now- |archive-date=September 23, 2009 }}

Critics in Europe and North America have pointed to similarities between "Need You Now" and "Eye in the Sky" by The Alan Parsons Project.{{cite web |last=Rodgers D. |first=Patrick|url=http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/archives/2010/11/11/alan-parsons-camp-alleges-lady-antebellum-rip-off |title=Alan Parsons' Camp Alleges Lady Antebellum Rip-Off|work= Nashville Scene |date=November 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107191303/http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/archives/2010/11/11/alan-parsons-camp-alleges-lady-antebellum-rip-off|archive-date=November 7, 2011 }}{{cite news|title=Is this an Awards Show or What?|url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/music/story.cfm?content=179164|newspaper=NOW Toronto|date=February 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714203803/https://nowtoronto.com/daily/music/story.cfm?content=179164|archive-date=July 14, 2011 }}

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The song became the trio's second number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart dated November 28, 2009, where it stayed for five weeks, making it the first song to hold the number one position for more than four weeks since Taylor Swift's "Our Song" spent six weeks at number one between December 2007 and January 2008.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2008-01-26/country-songs|title=Country top 10 for chart week of January 26, 2008|magazine=Billboard.com|access-date=September 26, 2010}} No other song would spend more than four weeks at number one until January 2016, when Thomas Rhett's "Die a Happy Man" spent six weeks at the top.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

In the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song peaked at number two and stayed there for two weeks, making it their highest-charting single on that chart and their first Top 5. The song also peaked at No. 2 on the Canadian Hot 100, making it their highest-charting and first Top 5 single there as well. "Need You Now" is only the second country song to reach number one on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, the first being Faith Hill's "Breathe", which reached that same position in 2000.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2000-04-22/adult-pop-songs|title=Adult Top 40 top 10 for chart week of April 22, 2000|magazine=Billboard.com|access-date=September 26, 2010}} For the Billboard tracking period of March 29 – April 4, 2010, "Need You Now" broke the record held by Hoobastank's hit "The Reason" for most spins in one week on the Adult Top 40 chart.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/958702/chart-beat-wednesday-zac-brown-band-lady-antebellum-yoko-ono|title=Billboard chart beat|magazine=Billboard.com|access-date=September 26, 2010}} The song debuted at No. 28 on the UK Singles Chart in its first week of release. It was covered in a live performance for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Concert in June 2012 by English singers Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole which saw the song re-enter the UK Charts.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/This%20New%20Day |title="Need You Now" UK Singles Chart |publisher=The Official Charts Company |access-date=September 26, 2010 }} Over a month later it climbed to No. 15, its highest UK chart position and after 53 weeks in the chart.{{cite web |url=http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1050399&c=1 |title=Official Charts Analysis: Newton Faulkner needs just 16k sales to hit No.1 |access-date=July 16, 2012 |archive-date=November 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102231940/http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1050399&c=1 |url-status=dead }}

On December 9, 2010, the song was named the No. 2 Hot 100 song of the year by Billboard, behind "Tik Tok" by Kesha, marking the highest position a country song has ever reached since Faith Hill's "Breathe" was ranked No. 1 in the year-end chart of the year 2000.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/hot-100-songs|title=Year-end Hot 100 songs|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|access-date=December 10, 2010}}

In April 2011, "Need You Now" replaced Taylor Swift's "Love Story" as the best-selling country song of all time in the U.S.{{cite web| url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74349/week-ending-april-3-2011-songs-born-hot/| title=Week Ending April 3, 2011. Songs: Born Hot| work=Yahoo! Music| last=Grein| first=Paul| date=April 6, 2011| access-date=March 15, 2013}} It is also the second country song to sell over 5 million digital copies (after Swift's "Love Story").{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-april-17-2011-songs-youth-will-be-served.html|title=Week Ending April 17, 2011. Songs: Youth Will Be Served|publisher=Yahoo! Music|date=April 20, 2011|access-date=April 21, 2011|last=Grein|first=Paul|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140215092440/http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-april-17-2011-songs-youth-will-be-served.html|archive-date=February 15, 2014}} It has sold over 6 million copies by January 2013, the first country song to do so. As of June 2016, it had sold 6.7 million units in the U.S.{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2016/06/40523-top-30-digital-country-singles-report-june-28-2016 |title=Top 30 Digital Country Singles Report: June 28, 2016|first= Matt |last=Bjorke |date=June 28, 2016 |work=Roughstock }}

Due to the band winning four Grammys, "Need You Now" debuted at No. 32 on the German Singles Chart in February 2011, 10 months after the digital release of the single. Before that happened, the song did not sell enough to enter the chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.gfk-entertainment.com/news/roxette-gelingt-grandioses-comeback.html |title=Roxette gelingt grandioses Comeback |date=February 22, 2011 |access-date=March 15, 2013 |work=Media Control Charts |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622050341/http://www.gfk-entertainment.com/news/roxette-gelingt-grandioses-comeback.html |archive-date=June 22, 2015 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.de/dp/B003BBXYIK|title=Need You Now: Lady Antebellum: Amazon.de: MP3-Downloads|work=amazon.com|access-date=March 15, 2013}}

David McClister directed the "Need You Now" music video, using a treatment he wrote in 10 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://knowtheartist.com/david-mcclister/ |title=How David McClister shot LeAnn Rimes (in a music video) |publisher=KnowTheArtist.com |author=Armstrong, Josh |date=August 1, 2011 |access-date=August 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401030547/http://knowtheartist.com/david-mcclister/ |archive-date=April 1, 2012 }}

The video features all three members of Lady Antebellum acting out scenes pertaining to the storyline. It begins in a hallway of a hotel where Kelley is sitting against a wall and Scott is in her room, with Haywood playing the piano. Kelley goes to a cafe and has a coffee, where Haywood arrives with his love interest. Scott then leaves her room and hails a taxi. Kelley leaves the cafe and goes outside to walk to a costume ball, to which Scott is also traveling. When they arrive at the ball, they both see their love interests wearing masks and embrace them. Haywood soon arrives at the ball with his love interest. The video ends with all three members embracing their love interests. The video was filmed at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Ontario.{{cite journal|last=Paxman|first=Bob|date=September 28, 2009|title=Pulling an All-Nighter: Lady Antebellum's video shoot for "Need You Now" was an after-hours blast in Toronto.|journal=Country Weekly|volume=16|issue=33|page=25|issn=1074-3235}}

Of the changes between the song and its music video, one of the most noted is Kelley drinking coffee instead of whiskey, since the song states the character is intoxicated. In response, McClister admitted he simply did not want the video to be a literal adaptation of the song, as he felt sitting in a diner in the middle of the night was lonelier.

In December 2010, Adele and Darius Rucker performed the song at the CMT Artists of the Year.{{cite web|title=Adele And Maroon 5 Add A Pop Twist To CMT Artist Of The Year Performances|url=http://idolator.com/5708352/adele-maroon-5-cmt-artist-of-the-year-performances|publisher=Idolator|access-date=February 21, 2013|date=December 5, 2010}}{{cite web|title=Adele and Darius Rucker: Better Than Lady Antebellum?|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/06/adele-and-darius-rucker-better-than-lady-antebellum/|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=February 21, 2013|date=December 6, 2010}} The song was featured in the 2012 film Zero Dark Thirty.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

Mia Silva performed a Portuguese-language cover version entitled "Preciso de Voce" on her 2011 album Saudade Magoa. Gary Barlow and Cheryl performed "Need You Now" at the Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace on June 4, 2012.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

In 2017, Shane Filan of Westlife included this song on his album Love Always which reached Top 3 in Scottish Albums Chart and Top 5 in UK Albums Chart and Irish Albums Chart. This was released as a promotional single in East Asia (with a new arrangement and a duet with a Filipina bossa nova music artist Sitti), and it charted in iTunes Top Songs in Laos, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia.{{Cite web|url=https://magicmusicmagazine.com/2018/02/08/shanefilan-4/|title = New Single : Need You Now (Lady Antebellum)- Shane Filan & Sitti|date = February 8, 2018}}

• Digital download

1. "Need You Now" – 3:57

• Other versions
• "Need You Now" {{small|(Jason Nevins Elektrotek Radio Edit)}} – 3:31
• "Need You Now" {{small|(Jason Nevins Hands Up Radio Edit)}} – 3:33
• "Need You Now" {{small|(Jason Nevins Rhythmic Radio Edit)}} – 3:29
• "Need You Now" {{small|(DJ Dark Intensity Remix)}} – 4:22
• 52nd Annual Grammy Awards
• "Need You Now"
• 53rd Annual Grammy Awards
• "If You Don't Know Me by Now/American Honey/Need You Now"

Adapted from the album liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title=Need You Now |others=Lady Antebellum |year=2010 |type=CD liner notes |publisher=Capitol Records Nashville |id=032062}}

• Chad Cromwell – drums
• Jason "Slim" Gambill – electric guitar
• Dave Haywood – background vocals, acoustic guitar
• Charles Kelley – lead vocals
• Rob McNelley – electric guitar {{small|(solo)}}
• Michael Rojas – piano, synthesizer
• Hillary Scott – lead vocals
• Paul Worley – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Craig Young – bass guitar

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Need You Now|artist=Lady Antebellum|type=single|relyear=2009|award=Platinum|number=3|certyear=2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Lady A|title=Need You Now|award=Diamond|type=single|relyear=2009|certyear=2024|access-date=July 3, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|title=Need You Now|artist=Lady Antebellum|certyear=2023|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2010|id=12356|access-date=April 21, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|title=Need You Now|artist=Lady Antebellum|certyear=2023|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2010|access-date=June 2, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|title=Need You Now|artist=Lady Antebellum|type=single|relyear=2010|award=Platinum|certyear=2010|source=archive}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|title=Need You Now|artist=Lady Antebellum|type=single|relyear=2009|certyear=2024|award=Gold|id=lady-antebellum-need-you-now-2|access-date=March 3, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|certyear=2014|relyear=2014|artist=Lady Antebellum|title=Need You Now|award=Platinum|type=single|source=artist}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Need You Now|artist=Lady Antebellum|type=single|relyear=2009|certyear=2022|award=Platinum|number=2|id=8678-2353-1|access-date=May 13, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Need You Now|artist=Lady A|type=single|relyear=2009|award=Platinum|number=12|certyear=2023|access-date=November 30, 2023|salesamount=12,000,000^{{{double dagger}}} / 6,700,000|salesref=}}

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• List of best-selling singles
• List of best-selling singles in the United States
• List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2010

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090927015359/http://www.cmt.com/videos/lady-antebellum/438918/need-you-now.jhtml?#fbid=CycKXIyx2gS Lady Antebellum "Need You Now" music video] at CMT.com

{{Lady Antebellum}}

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{{CMA Single of the Year}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Need You Now (Lady Antebellum song)}}

Category:2000s ballads

Category:2009 singles

Category:2010 singles

Category:2009 songs

Category:Lady A songs

Category:Songs written by Josh Kear

Category:Country ballads

Category:Number-one singles in Israel

Category:Grammy Award for Record of the Year

Category:Grammy Award for Song of the Year

Category:Song recordings produced by Paul Worley

Category:Songs written by Hillary Scott

Category:Songs written by Charles Kelley

Category:Songs written by Dave Haywood

Category:Capitol Records Nashville singles

Category:Songs about alcohol

Category:Songs about loneliness

Category:Male–female vocal duets

Category:Shane Filan songs

Category:Anggun songs

Category:Adele songs

Category:Music videos shot in Toronto