Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)

{{Short description|2015 debut single by Silentó}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Watch Me

| cover = Silento - Watch Me.png

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = Silentó

| album =

| released = May 5, 2015

| format =

| recorded = 2014

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = *Snap

| length = 3:05

| label = Capitol

| writer = {{flatlist|

}}

| producer = Bolo Da Producer

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Lightning in a Bottle

| next_year = 2015

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|vjW8wmF5VWc|"Watch Me"}}}}

}}

"Watch Me" (also known as "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)") is the debut single by American rapper Silentó. In March 2015, he was signed to Capitol Records, which released the track as a single with an accompanying music video. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent six non-consecutive weeks. With a viral clip on YouTube, the song was popular for its dance despite negative reviews, a combination of two popular moves cited in the title: the "Whip" and the "Nae Nae"{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/2015s-10-most-viewed-music-videos-on-youtube-20151209 | title=2015's 10 Most Viewed Music Videos on YouTube | date=December 9, 2015 | first=Brittany | last=Stanos | magazine=Rolling Stone | access-date=July 5, 2016}} as well as other hip hop dances from various songs, such as "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" and "Stanky Legg".

Release

The song was released on May 5, 2015.

=Music video=

The music video was uploaded online on Silentó's Vevo channel on YouTube on June 25, 2015, and shot in Atlanta, Georgia. It was directed by Marc Klasfeld. Set in a high school gymnasium, Silentó performs the dance moves mentioned in the song with dance crews, high school, and university cheerleaders, fans, even a trio of conservative women who later join in on the dance, and also incorporates videos sent in by viewers. Lil Scrappy and Rich White Ladies make guest appearances in the video.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB5PtqPcXPg "Watch Me: Behind the Scenes"] from YouTube (Posted July 21, 2015) As of March 2023, it has surpassed 1.9 billion views on YouTube,{{Citation|last=SilentoVEVO|title=Silentó – Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) (Official)|date=June 25, 2015|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjW8wmF5VWc|access-date=August 17, 2016}} making it one of the site's 80 most viewed videos.{{cite web|title=Top 1000 Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL11E57E1166929B60 |publisher=YouTube|access-date=September 21, 2019}}

The video was listed as Vevo's second most watched video of all time.{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8533085/vevo-most-watched-videos|title=10 Most-Watched Vevo Videos of All Time|date=October 16, 2019|magazine=Billboard}}

=DanceOn campaign=

The digital media company DanceOn was crucial to the success of "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)." After striking a deal with Silentó, DanceOn reached out to its network of dance content creators to make instructional videos to the song for their #WatchMeDanceOn campaign. 50 of their creators made videos that they then posted on YouTube. Instantly they gained popularity bringing in more than 250 million views in under three months.{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/madonna-cofounded-a-company-that-creates-viral-dance-videos-and-whipnae-nae-was-its-first-monster-hit-2016-1|title=Madonna cofounded a startup that manufactures viral dance trends — and 'Whip/Nae Nae' was its first monster hit|work=Business Insider|access-date=December 9, 2017|language=en}} The campaign was launched on April 13, 2015, and by May 22, 2015, the track's sales tripled from 17,000 units a week to 42,000 a week.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6582886/atlanta-rapper-silentos-road-to-a-label-deal-chart-success|title=Atlanta Rapper Silento's Road to a Label Deal, Chart Success: Professional YouTubers|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 9, 2017}}{{Citation |title=Silento's 'Watch Me' Whip/Nae Nae Lesson - So You Know You Can't Dance Ep. 9 | date=July 9, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT3gGhTtJAQ |access-date=2023-09-14 |language=en}}

Reception

=Commercial=

"Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, where it has spent six non-consecutive weeks being kept from number one on the chart by songs such as "Cheerleader" by Omi and "Can't Feel My Face" by The Weeknd. It spent eighteen weeks in the top ten of that chart before dropping out on October 14, 2015.{{cite web|title=Silento Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/6495286/silento/chart|website=Billboard.com|access-date=June 14, 2015}} Internationally, the song has peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, as well as the top twenty of the charts in Denmark, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://acharts.co/song/91107|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|work=acharts.co|access-date=October 30, 2015}} The song reached over 2 million in sales by November 2015,{{cite web |url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.36270/title.hip-hop-single-sales-drake-justin-timberlake-the-weeknd |title=Hip Hop Single Sales: Drake, Justin Timberlake & The Weeknd |last=Mansell |first=Henry |website=HipHopDX |publisher=Cheri Media Group |date=November 14, 2015 |access-date=November 14, 2015}} and has sold 2,440,000 copies as of June 2016.{{cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160705145725/http://www.defjampromo.com/files/2009/10/BB-Digital-Songs-Chart-Wk.-Ending-6-16-16.pdf|title=Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 06/06/2016|publisher=Nielsen SoundScan|url=http://www.defjampromo.com:80/files/2009/10/BB-Digital-Songs-Chart-Wk.-Ending-6-16-16.pdf|archive-date=July 5, 2016|access-date=August 1, 2019|url-status=live}}

=Critical=

Elliot Wilson listed it #2 on his list of 15 worst singles.{{Cite web|url=http://rapradar.com/features/15-worst-singles-1-wiz-khalifa-see-you-again/|title='15 Worst Singles #1: Wiz Khalifa "See You Again"|website=Rap Radar|date=January 8, 2016 }} Complex called it "One of the most annoying things to ever exist", and listed it among their "Songs We Hated in 2015".{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2015/12/worst-songs-of-2015/|title=Songs We Hated in 2015|website=Complex}}

It received a nomination for Song of the Summer at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards{{cite web|title=Song of Summer|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2015/song-of-summer/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820032658/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2015/song-of-summer/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 20, 2015|publisher=MTV|access-date=August 19, 2015}} and another nomination for R&B/Hip-Hop Song at the Teen Choice Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.chiff.com/pop-culture/teen-choice-awards.htm|title=2015 Teen Choice Awards, Nominees, Winners, TV Schedule|work=chiff.com|access-date=October 30, 2015}}

=Covers and adaptations=

In 2015, The Australian group The Janoskians released a parody of the song titled "We Don't (Whip/Nae Nae)".{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIgod3Y8wsY|title=The Janoskians: We Don't (Whip/Nae Nae)|website=YouTube|date=April 17, 2016 }}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)"

! Chart (2015–2016)

! Peak
position

scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Silent%F3&titel=Watch+Me+%28Whip+%2F+Nae+Nae%29&cat=s|title=Australian-charts.com – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|publisher=ARIA Top 50 Singles|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 9

scope="row"| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40){{cite web|url=http://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/oe3austriatop40/|title=Ö3 Austria Top40: Single-Charts|work=orf.at|access-date=October 30, 2015}}

| 65

scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/1569d6/Silento-Watch-Me-(Whip-_-Nae-Nae)|title=Ultratop.be – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|language=nl|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 31

scope="row"| Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)

| 6

scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/fr/song/1569d6/Silento-Watch-Me-(Whip-_-Nae-Nae)|title=Ultratop.be – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|language=fr|publisher=Ultratip|access-date=October 10, 2015}}

| 41

{{singlechart|Billboardcanadianhot100|15|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=September 22, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|46|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=September 22, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Czechdigital|40|year=2015|week=34|rowheader=true|access-date=September 22, 2015}}
scope="row"| Denmark (Tracklisten){{cite web|url=https://danishcharts.dk/showitem.asp?interpret=Silent%F3&titel=Watch+Me+%28Whip+%2F+Nae+Nae%29&cat=s|title=danishcharts.dk – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|publisher=Tracklisten|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 16

scope="row"| France (SNEP){{cite web|url=http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Silent%F3&titel=Watch+Me+%28Whip+%2F+Nae+Nae%29&cat=s|title=Lescharts.com – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|language=fr|publisher=Less classement single|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 19

{{singlechart|Germany|50|artist=Silentó|song=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|songid=1403350|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|Ireland|35|year=2015|week=35|access-date=August 28, 2015|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"| Italy (FIMI){{cite web|url=http://www.fimi.it/classifiche#/category:digital/year:2015/id:2110/page:1 |title=Top Digital – Classifica settimanale WK 37 (dal 2015-09-11 al 2015-09-17) |publisher=Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana |access-date=September 21, 2015}}

| 95

{{singlechart|Dutch40|17|year=2015|week=36|rowheader=true|access-date=27 October 2019}}
scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Silent%F3&titel=Watch+Me+%28Whip+%2F+Nae+Nae%29&cat=s|title=Dutchcharts.nl – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|language=nl|publisher=Single Top 100|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 17

scope="row"| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Silent%F3&titel=Watch+Me+%28Whip+%2F+Nae+Nae%29&cat=s|title=charts.nz – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|publisher=Top 40 Singles|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 11

{{singlechart|Portugal|100|artist=Silentó|song=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2022}}
{{singlechart|Slovakdigital|43|year=2015|week=35|rowheader=true|access-date=September 22, 2015}}
{{singlechart|South Africa|6|date=2015-09-15|rowheader=true|access-date=September 16, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Spain|82|artist=Silentó|song=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|rowheader=true|access-date=September 19, 2022}}
scope="row"| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Silent%F3&titel=Watch+Me+%28Whip+%2F+Nae+Nae%29&cat=s|title=Swedishcharts.com – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|publisher=Singles Top 60|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 52

scope="row"| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/song/Silento/Watch-Me-(Whip-_-Nae-Nae)-1403350|title=Swisscharts.com – Silentó – Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|publisher=Swiss Singles Chart|access-date=September 22, 2015}}

| 41

{{singlechart|UK|19|date=2015-08-14|refname="UK"|rowheader=true}}
{{singlechart|UKrandb|2|date=2015-08-28|rowheader=true|access-date=September 22, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|3|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=July 8, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Billboarddanceairplay|24|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=August 18, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Billboardlatinairplay|36|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=September 22, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|2|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=July 9, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Billboardpopsongs|18|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=August 4, 2015}}
{{singlechart|Billboardrhythmic|3|artist=Silento|rowheader=true|access-date=August 4, 2015}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+2015 year-end chart performance for "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)"

!scope="col"| Chart (2015)

!scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-singles-2015.htm|title=ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2015|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|access-date=January 6, 2016}}

| 52

scope="row"| Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2015&cat=sr "Jaaroverzichten 2015: Urban"] (in Dutch). Ultratop Flanders. Retrieved September 10, 2018.

| 29

scope="row"| Canada (Canadian Hot 100){{cite magazine|title=Canadian Hot 100 Year End 2015|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/canadian-hot-100|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Media Group|access-date=December 13, 2015}}

| 42

scope="row"| Denmark (Tracklisten){{cite web|url=http://hitlisten.nu/top2015.asp?list=Track%20100|title=Track Top-100 2015|publisher=Hitlisten|access-date=September 18, 2022}}

| 60

scope="row"| France (SNEP){{cite web|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-singles-annee/?categorie=Top%20Single%20de%20l%E2%80%99ann%C3%A9e&annee=2015|title=Top de l'année Top Singles 2015|publisher=SNEP|language=fr|access-date=September 11, 2020}}

| 62

scope="row"| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/2015|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2015|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=October 27, 2019}}

| 89

scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2015&cat=s "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2015"] (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved September 10, 2018.

| 95

scope="row"| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/2015-12-31|title=Top Selling Singles of 2015|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=December 25, 2015}}

| 48

scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|title=Hot 100: Year End 2015|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-100-songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 9, 2015}}

| 8

scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=Year-end – US Hot R&B/Hop-hop Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 9, 2015}}

| 3

scope="row"| US Rhythmic (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/rhythmic-songs|title=Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2015|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 4, 2019}}

| 29

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+2016 year-end chart performance for "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)"

! Chart (2016)

! Position

scope="row"| Brazil (Brasil Hot 100){{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com.br/noticias/as-100-mais-tocadas-nas-radios-jovens-em-2016/|title=As 100 Mais Tocadas nas Rádios Jovens em 2016|work=Billboard Brasil|date=January 4, 2017|access-date=September 7, 2017|language=pt}}

| 69

scope="row"| Canada (Canadian Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/canadian-hot-100|title=Canadian Hot 100 Year End 2016|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 9, 2016}}

| 99

scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|title=Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2016|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/hot-100-songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 8, 2016}}

| 88

=Decade-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+2010s-end chart performance for "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)"

! scope="col"| Chart (2010–2019)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/decade-end/hot-100|title=Decade-End Charts: Hot 100 Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 15, 2019}}

| 81

scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/decade-end/hot-r-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=Decade-End Charts: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 13, 2020}}

| 32

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|certyear=2016|access-date=October 30, 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|title=Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)|artist=Silentó|type=single|award=Diamond|number=3|relyear=2015|certyear=2024|access-date=July 17, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Silento|title=Watch Me|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=2015|relmonth=05|certyear=2016|certmonth=4|digital=true|access-date=October 30, 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=Silento|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2015|certyear=2015|id=5098|access-date=September 18, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Silentó|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2015|certyear=2023|access-date=June 8, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Silentó|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2015|certyear=2016|id=3535|access-date=September 19, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Silento|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2015|id=2015-10-16|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relmonth=05}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Silento|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2015|relmonth=05|certyear=2016|access-date=October 30, 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|artist=Silento|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2015|certyear=2015|certweek=42|position=77|access-date=August 23, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Silento|title=Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2015|id=13433-4084-1|certyear=2016|access-date=October 30, 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Silento|title=Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)|award=Platinum|number=6|type=single|certyear=2016|access-date=October 30, 2016}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

References