What Ifs
{{Infobox song
| name = What Ifs
| cover = Kane Brown - What Ifs (single cover).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina
| album = Kane Brown
| released = {{start date|2017|02|06}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=08}}
| label = RCA Nashville
| writer = {{hlist|Kane Brown|Matt McGinn|Jordan Schmidt}}
| producer = Dann Huff
| chronology = Kane Brown
| prev_title = Thunder in the Rain
| prev_year = 2016
| next_title = Heaven
| next_year = 2017
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Lauren Alaina
| type = single
| prev_title = Road Less Traveled
| prev_year = 2016
| title = What Ifs
| year = 2017
| next_title = Doin' Fine
| next_year = 2017
}}
{{External music video|1={{YouTube|fM8V1XOI-14|"What ifs"}}}}
}}
"What Ifs" is a song recorded by American singer Kane Brown featuring fellow American singer Lauren Alaina for Brown's self-titled debut album.{{cite web |url=http://tasteofcountry.com/kane-brown-lauren-alaina-what-ifs/ |title=Kane Brown (Feat. Lauren Alaina), 'What Ifs' [Listen] |first= Billy |last=Dukes |date=January 24, 2017 |work=Taste of Country}} The song was released with the album through RCA Nashville and was serviced to radio as the second single on February 6, 2017.
Background
The song was written by Brown with Matt McGinn and Jordan Schmidt. The song is about a couple where the question "what if" is asked repeatedly about what would happen in their relationship. It features a duet with Lauren Alaina, a school friend from Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe High School when he was living in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.{{cite magazine |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/country/videos/kane-brown-on-new-album-why-he-wont-sing-first-hit-w453456 |title=Kane Brown on Personal New Album, Why He Won't Sing First Hit: Ram Report |first=Jon |last=Freeman|date=December 2, 2016|magazine=Rolling Stone }} According to Brown, the song was initially not intended to be a duet, he said: "Once we decided on adding a woman to "What Ifs," I knew that I wanted Lauren to sing it, and, of course, she killed it." According to Brown, another song was going to be used in the album, however, he was asked so much about "What Ifs" on social media that it was then decided that the song should be included in the album.{{cite web |url=http://www.nashcountrydaily.com/2017/02/08/kane-browns-current-single-what-ifs-with-lauren-alaina-almost-didnt-make-the-album/ |title=Kane Brown's Current Single, "What Ifs," With Lauren Alaina Almost Didn't Make The Album |first= Lisa|last= Konicki |date= February 8, 2017 |work=Nash Country Daily}}
Composition
The song is in the key of G minor with a moderately fast tempo of approximately 126 beats per minute. It follows the chord progression Gm-B{{flat}}-F. Brown's vocals range from F{{sub|2}}-B{{flat}}{{sub|4}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0178580|title='What Ifs' sheet music|work=MusicNotes.com|date=12 October 2017 |accessdate=5 February 2018}}
Chart performance
"What Ifs" sold 6,000 downloads in the US the week the album was released on December 2, 2016, allowing it to chart at number 37 on the US Hot Country Songs chart.{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2016/12/41228-top-30-digital-country-singles-chart-december-13-2016 |title=Top 30 Digital Country Singles Chart: December 13, 2016|first= Matt |last=Bjorke |date=December 13, 2016 |accessdate=February 5, 2017|work=Roughstock }} The song first entered the US Country Airplay chart for the week of March 4, 2017 at number 60.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/country-airplay/2017-03-04 |title=Country Airplay |magazine=Billboard |date=March 4, 2017}} It reached number one on Hot Country Songs in October 2017, ending the record breaking 34-week reign of Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road". The song is the first number one on the chart for both Brown and Alaina.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7997402/kane-brown-what-ifs-lauren-alaina-sam-hunt-hot-country-songs-chart |title= Kane Brown's 'What Ifs' Featuring Lauren Alaina Tops Hot Country Songs, Stopping Sam Hunt's Record Run |date=October 10, 2017 |first= Jim |last=Asker|magazine=Billboard}} The following week, for the chart dated October 28, 2017, "What Ifs" stayed at number one, as well as topped the Country Airplay and Country Streaming Songs charts, becoming Alaina's second number one on the former chart after her solo single, "Road Less Traveled", topped the chart earlier in the year. Together with the release of the deluxe edition of the album which also reached number on Top Country Albums, and another number one for a new track "Heaven" on digital sales,{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2017/10/42424-top-30-digital-country-chart-october-17-2017 |title=Top 30 Digital Country Chart: October 17, 2017 |first= Matt |last=Bjorke |date=October 17, 2017 |accessdate=October 17, 2017 |work=Roughstock }} Brown became the first artist to have simultaneous number ones on all five main country charts.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8005648/kane-brown-what-if-country-charts-record |title=Kane Brown Becomes First Artist To Simultaneously Lead Five Country Charts |first= Jim |last=Asker |date= October 17, 2017|magazine=Billboard }}
The single became the third most-consumed country song of 2017, with 1,551,000 units including streams (599,000 in pure sales) sold in the year.{{cite news|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2018/01/04/country-musics-most-listened-artists-chris-stapleton-luke-bryan-thomas-rhett-2017/1003648001/ |title=Revealed: Country music's most listened to artists in 2017 |first=Nate|last= Rau |work=Tennessean |publisher=USA Today |date= January 4, 2018 }}{{cite news|url=http://roughstock.com/news/2018/01/42646-top-30-country-digital-singles-chart-january-3-2017|title=Top 30 Country Digital Singles Chart: January 3, 2018|first=Matt|last=Bjorke|date=January 3, 2018 |accessdate=January 14, 2017|work=Roughstock}} As of January 2019, the single has sold 889,000 copies in the US.{{cite news|url=http://roughstock.com/news/2019/01/43574-top-30-digital-singles|title=Top 30 Digital Singles: January 15, 2019|work=RoughStock|first=Matt |last=Bjorke |date= January 15, 2019 |accessdate=January 17, 2019 }} On February 26, 2025, the single was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and streaming equivalent units of over ten million units in the United States.
Music video
The official music video for the song was directed by P. R. Brown and produced by Steve Lamar. The video was filmed along the Californian coast at The Inn at Newport Ranch, a resort and cattle ranch to the north of San Francisco. It features Brown and his duet partner Lauren Alaina singing along the coast. It was released on May 14, 2017.{{cite magazine |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/country/news/watch-kane-brown-lauren-alainas-what-ifs-video-w482315 |title=Watch Kane Brown, Lauren Alaina's Picturesque 'What Ifs' Video |date=May 15, 2017 |magazine=Rolling Stone }} An earlier lyric video was first released on May 4, 2017, and shows Brown and Alaina cruising down a road.{{cite web |url=http://people.com/country/kane-brown-lauren-alaina-what-ifs-lyric-video/ |title=From Middle School Chorus to Nashville, Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina Team Up for Duet 'What Ifs' |first= Lindsay |last=Kimble|date=May 4, 2017 }}
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Chart (2017) ! Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canada|45|artist=Kane Brown|accessdate=October 24, 2017}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadacountry|3|artist=Kane Brown|accessdate=November 14, 2017}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|26|artist=Kane Brown|accessdate=October 24, 2017}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountryairplay|1|artist=Kane Brown|accessdate=October 17, 2017}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Kane Brown|accessdate=October 10, 2017}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2017)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Billboard Country Airplay{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/country-airplay-songs|title=Country Airplay Songs – Year-End 2017|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 18, 2017}}
| 7 |
| scope="row"| US Billboard Hot Country Songs{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/hot-country-songs|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2017|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 18, 2017}}
| 4 |
| scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/hot-100-songs|title=Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2017|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 12, 2017}}
| 72 |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2018)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2018|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2018/hot-country-songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 7, 2018}}
| 37 |
=Decade-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2010–2019)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/decade-end/hot-country-songs|title=Decade-End Charts: Hot Country Songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=January 5, 2020}}
| 6 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|title=What Ifs|artist=Kane Brown|relyear=2017|certyear=2022|access-date=September 5, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|award=Platinum|type=single|number=6|title=What Ifs|artist=Kane Brown|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|access-date=July 6, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Gold|type=single|title=What Ifs|artist=Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina|relyear=2017|certyear=2021|source=radioscope|access-date=January 5, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Diamond|type=single|title=What Ifs|artist=Kane Brown|relyear=2017|certyear=2025|refname=RIAA|access-date=February 26, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Kane Brown|state=autocollapse}}
{{Lauren Alaina}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Male–female vocal duets
Category:RCA Records Nashville singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Dann Huff
Category:Songs written by Kane Brown
Category:Songs written by Matt McGinn (songwriter)