All Time Low (The Wanted song)

"All Time Low" is the debut single by British-Irish boy band the Wanted, written by Steve Mac, Wayne Hector and Ed Drewett. It was released on 25 July 2010 as the debut single from their self-titled debut album The Wanted, via Geffen Records. The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, and number nineteen in the Republic of Ireland. "All Time Low" is upbeat with prominent dance-pop musical characteristics. It has so far garnered a positive response from contemporary music critics.

"All Time Low"
Single by the Wanted
from the album The Wanted and The Wanted: The EP
B-side	"Fight for This Love"
Released	25 July 2010
Recorded	Rokstone Studios, London, United Kingdom
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	3:23
Label	Geffen Def Jam
Songwriter(s)	Steve Mac Wayne Hector Ed Drewett
Producer(s)	Steve Mac
The Wanted singles chronology
"All Time Low" (2010) "Heart Vacancy" (2010)
The Wanted US singles chronology
"All Time Low" (2011) "Glad You Came" (2011)
Alternative cover
U.S. cover
Music video
"All Time Low" on YouTube

The song was accompanied by a music video which was released on 3 June 2010. The Wanted have performed "All Time Low" live at the Summertime Ball, Arqiva Awards, and on various television shows including: GMTV and The Hollyoaks Music Show, and online shows such as SBTV and The 5:19 Show. On 2 July 2010, BBC online magazine Slink used "All Time Low" in their 'Snapped' feature.[1] "All Time Low" was also released as the band's debut single in the United States on 1 July 2011, also becoming the lead single from the group's debut stateside release, extended play The Wanted.

Background and release

After forming and being signed to Geffen Records in 2010 through mass auditioning, the Wanted recorded "All Time Low".[2] It was one of six songs recorded by the band at the time for their debut album due for release in late 2010.[3][4] The track was co-written by its producer Steve Mac in collaboration with Wayne Hector and Ed Drewett. It was mixed by Dann Pursey and Ren Swan. Lyrically, "All Time Low" is written in reference to rising from the difficulty of having someone special constantly on your mind. Speaking to Orange UK, Max George interpreted what the song was about: "It's basically about a girl you can't get out of your mind - whatever you do, you just can't - and it describes how to get up from this all time low."[5] Orange UK described "All Time Low" as having a "lovesick" theme to it.[6] The lines "Waiting at the station/I'm late for work, a vital presentation" were said to take reference to Microsoft PowerPoint by music website Popjustice,[7] while the line "I'm in pieces, seems like peace is the only thing I'll never know" was highlighted by Fraser McAlpine of the BBC as being the most memorable in the song in addition to having a devilish internal rhyme.[8] "All Time Low" acts as the Wanted's debut single and first single from their debut album.

The single was first released on digital download format in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 25 July 2010.[9] The following day, "All Time Low" was released on CD single format in both countries on 26 July 2010.[10] In August 2010, they performed the song in Hannover, Germany at the Dome 55.[11] On 11 September 2010, they performed the song at the Freedom Festival in Hull alongside "Heart Vacancy" and "Lose My Mind".[12] In the United States, the single was released on 1 July 2011, however, it did not achieve any form of commercial success in the country.

Critical reception

"All Time Low" received critical praise from Ryan Love of Digital Spy who gave the song a four out of five star rating. The song was performed on Channel 4 on 15 August 2010. Love described the song as "a bit of a surprise" and gave praise to its opening "quite simply immense" strings. Love went on to call the song a "fresh 'n' fizzy indie-tinged pop gem".[13] "All Time Low" received its second four out of five star rating after a review by Fraser McAlpine from the BBC. McAlpine reviewed the track mentioning: "Now, for a transparent piece of silly old pop music, this has class cooties. The telltale signs are there in the string riff, and the mature, subtle way they approach the singing, and the restraint with which they have applied the autotune." He went on to say that the song was good despite sampling a melody from Coldplay's "The Scientist" (2002). McAlpine added that the song boasts a memorable line with a devilish internal rhyme: "I'm in pieces, it seems like peace is the only thing I'll never know".[8]

Chart performance

"All Time Low" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, with first-week sales of 84,174 copies.[14] In Ireland, the song peaked at number thirteen on the Irish Singles Chart.[15]

Track listings

• UK digital single number one[9]

1. "All Time Low" – 3:23
2. "All Time Low" (D.O.N.S. Remix Radio Edit) – 3:39

• UK digital single number two[16]

1. "All Time Low" (ForGold Remix) – 4:59
2. "All Time Low" (Daddy's Groove Remix) – 6:57

• UK CD single[17]

1. "All Time Low" – 3:23
2. "Fight for This Love" – 3:26

• U.S. digital single[18]

1. "All Time Low" (Single Mix) – 3:22

• U.S. digital remix EP[19]

1. "All Time Low" (Single Mix) – 3:22
2. "All Time Low" (Ralphi Rosario Radio Mix) – 3:44
3. "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Radio Edit) – 3:18
4. "All Time Low" (Single Club Mix) – 6:27
5. "All Time Low" (Ralphi Rosario Club Mix) – 8:01
6. "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Club Remix) – 6:02
7. "All Time Low" (Single Dub Mix) – 6:27
8. "All Time Low" (Ralphi Rosario Dub Mix) – 6:58
9. "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Dub Remix) – 6:17

• U.S. promotional CD single[20]

1. "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Radio Edit) – 3:18
2. "All Time Low" (Digital Dog Club Remix) – 6:02
3. "All Time Low" (Frank E Radio Edit) – 4:14
4. "All Time Low" (Frank E Remix) – 7:22
5. "All Time Low" (D.O.N.S. Radio Edit) – 3:40
6. "All Time Low" (D.O.N.S. Club Remix) – 7:44
7. "All Time Low" (Ralphi Rosario Club Mix) – 8:01
8. "All Time Low" (Ralphi Rosario Dub Mix) – 6:58
9. "All Time Low" (Daddy's Groove Remix) – 7:24
10. "All Time Low" (ForGold Remix) – 4:47

• U.S. digital live EP[21]

1. "All Time Low" (Live) – 4:57
2. "Glad You Came" (Live) – 3:20
3. "Gold Forever" (Live) – 4:24
4. "Heart Vacancy" (Live) – 4:25
5. "Animal" (Live) – 2:38
6. "Lose My Mind" (Live) – 4:13

Personnel

• Vocals – Tom Parker, Nathan Sykes, Jay McGuiness, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran
• Guitar – Dann Pursey
• Drums – Chris Laws
• Production, arrangement, keyboards, bass and strings arrangement – Steve Mac
• Songwriting – Steve Mac, Wayne Hector, Ed Drewett
• Engineering – Chris Laws, Dann Pursey
• Mixing – Ren Swan, Dann Pursey
• Mastering – Dick Beetham

Source:[22]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2010–2011) Peak position Germany (Official German Charts)[23] 44 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 13 Scotland (OCC)[24] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[25] 1 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[26] 19

Year-end charts Chart (2010) Position UK Singles (OCC)[27] 36

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[28]	Platinum	600,000
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom Ireland	25 July 2010[9]	Digital download	Geffen
	26 July 2010[10]	CD single
Germany	9 August 2010[29]	Digital download
	22 October 2010[30]	CD single
Canada[18]	1 July 2011	Digital download	Def Jam
United States[18]
United States	30 April 2013[31]	Mainstream radio

See also

• List of number-one singles from the 2010s (UK)

References

1. "BBC - Slink - Snapped Vs Nu Brand". BBC. Archived from the original on 25 July 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
2. Gentry, Colin (23 June 2010). "Introducing The Wanted". 4Music. Archived from the original on 25 June 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
3. "The Wanted - hot new boyband perform at Clothes Show London". Clothes Show London. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 6 September 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
4. "An interview with Max from The Wanted". Popjustice. Archived from the original on 21 June 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
5. "Meet The Wanted!". Orange U.K. Archived from the original on 6 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
6. "The Wanted - 'All Time Low'". Orange UK. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
7. "Popjustice - The Wanted - 'All Time Low'". Popjustice. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
8. McAlpine, Fraser (22 July 2010). "BBC - Chart Blog: The Wanted - 'All Time Low'". BBC. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
9. "All Time Low - Single by The Wanted". iTunes. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
10. "Wanted, The (5) - All Time Low (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
11. "The Wanted - All Time Low THE DOME 55". YouTube. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
12. "96.9 Viking FM - Freedom Festival 2010 - The Wanted". YouTube. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
13. Love, Ryan (23 July 2010). "Music - Singles Review - The Wanted: 'All Time Low'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
14. Jones, Alan (25 October 2010). "Kings of Leon and Bruno Mars top charts". Music Week. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – All Time Low". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
16. "iTunes - Music - All Time Low - Single by The Wanted". Itunes.apple.com. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
17. "hmv". hmv. 15 December 2005. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
18. "iTunes - Music - All Time Low (Single Mix) - Single by The Wanted". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
19. "iTunes - Music - All Time Low (Remixes) by The Wanted". Itunes.apple.com. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
20. "THE WANTED * ALL TIME LOW * 10 TRK PROMO * HTF * BN&M!". eBay. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
21. "iTunes - Music - iTunes Festival: London 2011 – EP by The Wanted". Itunes.apple.com. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
22. The Wanted (liner notes). The Wanted. Geffen Records. 2010.CS1 maint: others (link)
23. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Wanted – All Time Low". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
26. "The Wanted Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
27. "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2010". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
28. "British single certifications – Wanted – All Time Low". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
29. "All Time Low: The Wanted: Amazon.de: MP3-Downloads". Amazon.de. Archived from the original on 9 November 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
30. "All Time Low (2-Track): the Wanted: Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
31. "Top 40/M Future Releases - Mainstream Hit Songs Being Released and Their Release Dates ..." All Access. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011.

External links

• "All Time Low" Song Lyrics at TheWantedMusic.com
• Official music video on YouTube
• "All Time Low" Music Video - Behind the Scenes on YouTube