Never Too Late (Three Days Grace song)#Track listing
{{Infobox song
| name = Never Too Late
| cover = NeverTooLateRingleSingle.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Three Days Grace
| album = One-X
| released = {{start date|2007|5|7}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:29
| label = Jive
| writer = Adam Gontier
| producer =
| prev_title = Pain
| prev_year = 2006
| next_title = Riot
| next_year = 2007
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = single
| cover = NeverTooLate.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = Deluxe single cover
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|lL2ZwXj1tXM|"Never Too Late"}}
}}
}}
"Never Too Late" is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on May 7, 2007, as the third single from the band's second album One-X.{{cite web|title=Available for Airplay Archive: 2007 – May |url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771#2003 |website=FMQB |access-date=December 27, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322142732/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771 |archive-date=March 22, 2013}} Written by Adam Gontier and produced by Howard Benson and Gavin Brown, the song peaked at number 30 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, the song topped the US Mainstream Rock chart for seven weeks.
Background
The lyrical content of "Never Too Late" is inspired by feelings of depression, isolation and suicidal ideation. Adam Gontier, the songwriter and band's lead singer, stated, "I guess it's like feeling like you're at the end of your rope and deciding whether or not to completely give up or whether or not to try and sort of keep making it through another day."{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/three-days-grace-singer-feels-pain-wbna13106824|title=Three Days Grace singer feels the pain|website=Today|date=June 2, 2006|access-date=March 12, 2023}} He stated that the song was his favorite off the album.{{cite web|access-date=August 19, 2023|archivedate=July 20, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720070155/http://www.threedaysgrace.com:80/blog/tour-diary-week-one|date=May 5, 2006|title=Tour Diary - Week One|url=http://www.threedaysgrace.com/blog/tour-diary-week-one|website=threedaysgrace.com}} According to bassist Brad Walst, "Never Too Late" was the first track written from One-X.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/three-days-grace-five-songs-into-third-album-1052091/|title=Three Days Grace Five Songs Into Third Album|magazine=Billboard|author=Gary Graff|date=May 16, 2007|access-date=January 16, 2023}} The song was written by Gontier, while production was handled by Howard Benson and Gavin Brown.{{cite AV media notes|title= One-X |year= 2006 |type= booklet |publisher= Jive}} According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, by Alfred Music Publishing, the track runs at 75 BPM and is in the key of D Minor. Gontier's range in the song spans from the notes C4 to B{{music|b}}5.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0064359|title=Three Days Grace "Never Too Late" Sheet Music|website=musicnotes.com|publisher=Alfred Music Publishing|access-date=April 14, 2025}}
On October 23, 2007, Three Days Grace released a single featuring "Never Too Late" and two Clear Channel acoustic recordings of "Pain" and "I Hate Everything About You".{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/never-too-late-ringle--mr0002365187|title=Three Days Grace - Never Too Late (Ringle)|website=AllMusic|access-date=July 17, 2022}} On February 12, 2008, an EP was released through iTunes containing the album version of "Never Too Late", an acoustic version and the music video.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/never-too-late-deluxe-single/273432048|title=Never Too Late (Deluxe Single) by Three Days Grace|website=Apple Music|access-date=July 17, 2022}}
The song was featured in a promo for the television show Eleventh Hour.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlrSX-1iO1M|title=11th Hour - Three Days Grace|website=YouTube|access-date=March 12, 2023}}
Music video
The music video was directed by Tony Petrossian and was released in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://imvdb.com/video/three-days-grace/never-too-late|title=Three Days Grace - Never Too Late|website=IMVDb.com|access-date=July 17, 2022}} It was also released to MTV on February 14, 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/videos/three-days-grace/263584/never-too-late.jhtml|title=Three Days Grace - 'Never Too Late'|website=MTV|date=February 14, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027163028/http://www.mtv.com:80/videos/three-days-grace/263584/never-too-late.jhtml|archivedate=October 27, 2008|access-date=April 14, 2025}} The video tells a story about a girl who has a mental breakdown from childhood to adulthood.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/butt-rock-renaissance-nickelback-three-days-grace-1.7434566|title=Behold the butt-rock renaissance: celebrate the genre's return in 5 songs|website=CBC News|author=Eva Zhu|date=January 21, 2025|access-date=April 14, 2025}} Gontier stated that the concept was dark but there was a sign of hope towards the end of the video.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Fw-xM4gn0|title=Never Too Late - Behind the Scenes w Adam & Naomi|website=YouTube|access-date=August 19, 2023}} The music video features an appearance by Gontier's then-wife, Naomi Brewer and actress Matreya Fedor. The video has 301 million views on YouTube as of April 2025.
Chart performance
"Never Too Late" debuted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart at number 33.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks/2007-05-19/|title=Mainstream Rock Songs: Week of May 19, 2007|magazine=Billboard|date=May 19, 2007|access-date=March 5, 2024}} On the week of August 9, 2007, the song jumped from number three to number one, to overtake Finger Eleven's "Paralyzer".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/kingston-has-no-1-song-top-debut-on-hot-100-1050016/|title=Kingston Has No. 1 Song, Top Debut On Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|author=Jonathan Cohen|date=August 9, 2007|access-date=March 5, 2024}} The song topped the Mainstream Rock chart for seven weeks. The song also peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song reached number two on the Alternative Airplay chart, staying longer than their number one hits at 43 weeks, beating "Animal I Have Become" by two weeks and "Pain" by a hefty 13 weeks. The song is also the band's only cross-over hit to date charting on both the Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Top 40 formats at number 12 and number 13 respectively. The song peaked at number 30 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.
Awards and nominations
The song was nominated for two awards at the 2007 MuchMusic Video Awards for "Best Video" and "Best Rock Video".{{cite web|url=http://www.muchmusic.com/events/mmva07/nominees/index.aspx|title=MuchMusic Awards 2007 - Nominees|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416210259/http://www.muchmusic.com/events/mmva07/nominees/index.aspx|archivedate=April 16, 2008|access-date=March 20, 2022}} The song won a BDS Certified Spin Award based on the 100,000 spins it received in November 2007.{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2007/BB-2007-11-24.pdf|title=BB-2007-11-24|page=73|access-date=June 19, 2022}} The song was listed in Loudwire's "66 Best Hard Rock Songs of the 21st Century" in 2020.{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/best-hard-rock-songs-21st-century/|title=The 66 Best Hard Rock Songs of the 21st Century|website=Loudwire|date=October 2, 2020|access-date=April 12, 2022}}
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Awards and nominations for "Never Too Late" |
| align=center
! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Organization ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col"| Ref(s) |
| rowspan="3" | 2007
|rowspan="2" | MuchMusic Video Awards | {{nom}} |
| Best Video
| {{nom}} |
| BDS Certified Spin Award
| 100,000 spins | {{won}} |
Track listing
{{Track listing
|headline = Promotional single
|title1 = Never Too Late
|writer1 =
|length1 = 3:29
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = "Never Too Late" ringle (single+ringtone)
|title1 = Never Too Late
|writer1 =
|length1 = 3:35
|title2 = Pain {{small|(Clear Channel stripped version)}}
|writer2 =
|length2 =3:19
|title3 = I Hate Everything About You {{small|(Clear Channel stripped version)}}
|writer3 =
|length3 = 6:22
|title4 = Ringtone
|writer4 =
|length4 = 0:30
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = Never Too Late (EP)
|title1 = Never Too Late
|writer1 =
|length1 = 3:29
|title2 = Never Too Late {{small|(acoustic)}}
|writer2 =
|length2 = 3:31
|title3 = Never Too Late {{small|(music video)}}
|writer3 =
|length3 = 3:31
}}
Credits and personnel
Credits for "Never Too Late" adapted from AllMusic.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/never-too-late-mw0001599843/credits|title=Never Too Late - Three Days Grace Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=July 17, 2022}}
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
Three Days Grace
- Adam Gontier – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Barry Stock – lead guitar
- Brad Walst – bass
- Neil Sanderson – drums, backing vocals
{{col-2}}
Production
- Howard Benson – producer
- Gavin Brown – producer
- Michael Tedesco – A&R
{{col-end}}
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for "Never Too Late" ! scope="col"| Chart (2007) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| Canada Rock (Radio & Records){{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/2000s/2007/RR-2007-12-07.pdf|title=Top Canada Rock Songs|p=86|publisher=Radio & Records|access-date=January 14, 2024}}
| 12 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/alternative-songs/|title=Alternative Airplay Songs – Year-End 2007|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=March 18, 2022}}
| 11 |
| scope="row"| US Mainstream Rock Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/mainstream-rock-songs-artists/|title=Mainstream Rock Songs – Year-End 2007|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=January 19, 2022}}
| 7 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Three Days Grace|title=Never Too Late|award=Platinum|relyear=2006|certyear=2018|accessdate=14 February 2018}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Three Days Grace|title=Never Too Late|award=Gold|relyear=2006|access-date=December 22, 2024|certyear=2024|source=radioscope}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Three Days Grace|title=Never Too Late|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2007|certyear=2018}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | noshipments=true|nosales=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Region
!Date !Format !Version !Label !{{abbr|Ref(s).|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| scope="row" rowspan="2"| United States
| rowspan="2"| May 7, 2007 | rowspan="2"| Main | rowspan="5"| Jive |
| Mainstream rock
| align="center"| {{cite web|title=Available for Airplay Archive: 2007 – May|url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16698|website=FMQB|access-date=March 2, 2024|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125210945/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16698|archive-date=November 25, 2011}} |
| scope="row"| Various
| rowspan="2"| October 23, 2007 | CD | Ringle |
| scope="row"| United States
| Main |
| scope="row"| Various
| February 12, 2008 | EP |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Three Days Grace}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Never Too Late (Three Days Grace Song)}}
Category:Three Days Grace songs
Category:Music videos directed by Tony Petrossian