Promises (Nero song)
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Promises
| cover = NeroPromises.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Nero
| album = Welcome Reality
| released = 5 August 2011
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=17}}
| label =
| writer =
- Daniel Stephens
- Joe Ray
- Holly Jervis
- Alana Watson
| producer = Nero
| prev_title = Guilt
| prev_year = 2011
| next_title = Crush on You
| next_year = 2011
}}
"Promises" is a song by British EDM trio Nero that appears on their debut studio album, Welcome Reality (track No. 4) on 5 August 2011. The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the group's first chart-topping single.{{cite web|title=Nero delivers Promises|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/chart-news/nero-delivers-promises/|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=15 August 2011|date=14 August 2011}} It sold 46,700 copies in its first week, the lowest first-week sales for a number one in 97 weeks.{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Alan|title=Nero continue UK domination with Promises|url=http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=22&storycode=1046266&c=1|work=Music Week|access-date=17 August 2011|date=15 August 2011}} In 2013, the Skrillex and Nero remix of the song, won the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. "Promises" was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award in the category of Best Contemporary Song. The song was featured on a Hewlett-Packard TV commercial in the United Kingdom, France, United States and Latin America, giving it a broader audience and more recognition. It was also featured in trailers from the video game Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. It also featured in the 2013 video game Saints Row IV.
Music video
A music video to accompany the release of "Promises", directed by Ben Newman, was uploaded to YouTube on 7 July 2011 at a total length of four minutes and sixteen seconds.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llDikI2hTtk|title=Nero – Promises – Official Video|via=YouTube|date=2011-07-07|access-date=2011-09-01}} It shows a woman in a dystopian regimented future society with mandatory drug consumption, similar in style to the film Equilibrium. By April 2022, it had surpassed 43 million YouTube views.
Critical reception
Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the song a positive review, stating:
"Promises, and they still feel oh so wasted on myself," she admits with her high-wired vocals over a thick, head-banging melody, fuzzy synths and pulsating basslines wobblier than our man's dodgy left knee. The result is the sharpest, most head-spinning of their releases to date – and given that we're in the year of dubstep-goes-pop, should leave fans fully equipped to handle the g-force levels of their first long player. {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a331681/nero-promises.html|publisher=Digital Spy|author=Robert Copsey|title=Nero: 'Promises'|date=26 July 2011}}
Impact and legacy
In 2022, American magazine Rolling Stone ranked "Promises" number 42 in their list of 200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time.{{cite magazine|first1=Jon|last1=Dolan|first2=Julyssa|last2=Lopez|first3=Michaelangelo|last3=Matos|first4=Claire|last4=Shaffer|title=200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/200-greatest-dance-songs-of-all-time-1372888/nero-promises-2011-1373237/|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 22, 2022|accessdate=March 10, 2023}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Digital download EP
| title1 = Promises
| length1 = 4:17
| title2 = Promises
| note2 = Skrillex and Nero remix
| length2 = 4:28
| title3 = Promises
| note3 = Calvin Harris remix
| length3 = 5:59
| title4 = New Life
| length4 = 4:33
}}
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Promises" ! Chart (2011–2012) ! Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|33|artist=Nero|song=Promises|rowheader=true|access-date=26 September 2011}} |
| scope="row"| Australia Dance Singles (ARIA){{cite web|url=http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_dance.asp?chart=1D20|title=Top 20 Dance Chart – Australian Record Industry Association|website=ariacharts.com.au|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420184249/http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_dance.asp?chart=1D20|archive-date=2008-04-20}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Austria|58|artist=Nero|song=Promises|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders|27|artist=Nero|song=Promises|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Wallonia Tip|7|artist=Nero|song=Promises|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|France|89|artist=Nero|song=Promises|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|67|artist=Nero|song=Promises|songid=839825|rowheader=true|access-date=30 December 2020}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|26|artist=Nero|song=Promises|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|1|date=20110820|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|34|artist=Nero|song=Promises|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|UK|1|date=20110820|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|UKdance|1|date=20110820|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|70|artist=Nero|rowheader=true|date=2012-07-14}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Year-end chart performance for "Promises" ! Chart (2011) ! Position |
| scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusEOY2011.pdf|title=End of Year Chart 2011|publisher=ChartsPlus|access-date=29 November 2021}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 135 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Promises"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2011|certyear=2012|access-date=26 March 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|title=Promises|artist=Nero|award=Platinum|digital=true|relyear=2011|certyear=2013|access-date=4 January 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Nero|title=Promises|award=Platinum|relyear=2011|source=radioscope|access-date=20 January 2025|certyear=2013}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|title=Promises|artist=Nero|award=Gold|relyear=2011|certyear=2021|id=10324-2394-1|access-date=23 July 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|title=Promises|artist=Nero|award=Gold|relyear=2011|certyear=2012|digital=true|access-date=4 January 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release history for "Promises" ! Region ! Date ! Format ! Label |
| scope="row"| Ireland[https://music.apple.com/ie/album/promises-ep/446357238 Promises – EP by Nero iTunes]
| rowspan="3"| 5 August 2011 | rowspan="3"| Digital download | rowspan="3"| {{flatlist| }} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Spain{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/es/album/promises-ep/1444858278|title=Promises – EP by Nero iTunes|publisher=iTunes Store|date=January 2011|access-date=2011-09-01}} |
| scope="row"| United Kingdom{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/promises-ep/1444858278|title=Promises – EP by Nero iTunes|publisher=iTunes Store|date=January 2011|access-date=2011-09-01}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llDikI2hTtk Official Vevo music video]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZMfhtKa-wo Official Skrillex remix]
{{Nero}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Mercury Records singles
Category:Number-one singles in Scotland
Category:UK singles chart number-one singles
Category:Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical