Breakeven (song)

"Breakeven", also titled "Breakeven (Falling To Pieces)" is a song by the Irish pop rock band the Script. It was released on 24 November 2008 as the third single from their first album, The Script (2008). The song peaked at number 10 in Ireland, number 21 in the United Kingdom, number 12 in the United States Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 in Australia.

"Breakeven"
Single by the Script
from the album The Script
B-side	"None the Wiser"
Released	24 November 2008
Recorded	2008
Genre	Pop rock
Length	4:21
Label	Sony Music
Songwriter(s)	Frampton O'Donoghue Sheehan Kipner
Producer(s)	Frampton Kipner
The Script singles chronology
"The Man Who Can't Be Moved" (2008) "Breakeven" (2008) "Talk You Down" (2009)

Music video

The music video premiered on BBC Radio 1's website on 29 September 2008.[1] It was recorded at the Great South Wall in Dublin. Before recording began, the Dublin radio station FM104 had a competition for a listener to appear in the music video. The music video shows clips of the band's home city of Dublin, Ireland and the band performing. The video almost created minor controversy when Danny O'Donoghue's ex-girlfriend was supposed to be cast as an extra but this was avoided when the producers chose a different girl.[2]

Live performances

The band performed "Breakeven" on an episode of The Paul O'Grady Show which was shown on 30 October 2008.[3] On 14 October 2009, they performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the United States.[4] The video was number 2 on the 2010 VH1's Top 40 Videos of the Year.

Track listing

• CD single[5]

1. "Breakeven" - 4:21
2. "None the Wiser" (Guardian Demo)

• German CD single[6]

1. "Breakeven" - 4:21
2. "Lose Yourself" (Radio 1 Live Lounge Session)

• German Maxi single[7]

1. "Breakeven" - 4:21
2. "None the Wiser" (Guardian Demo)
3. "Lose Yourself" (Radio 1 Live Lounge Session)
4. "Breakeven" (Music Video) - 4:15

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2008–2012) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[8] 3 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 75 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] 20 Canada AC (Billboard)[11] 6 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[12] 17 Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[13] 3 Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 71 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 10 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[16] 77 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 48 Scotland (OCC)[18] 12 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[19] 97 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 66 UK Singles (OCC)[21] 21 US Billboard Hot 100[22] 12 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[23] 12 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[24] 1 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[25] 1 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[26] 6

Year-end charts Chart (2008) Position UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] 119 Chart (2009) Position Australia (ARIA)[28] 24 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[29] 129 Chart (2010) Position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[30] 62 US Billboard Hot 100[31] 27 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[32] 9 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[33] 2 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[34] 21 Chart (2011) Position US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[35] 11 All-time charts Chart Position US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[36] 31

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37]	2× Platinum	140,000^^
Italy (FIMI)[38]	Gold	25,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[39]	Platinum	600,000
United States (RIAA)[40]	2× Platinum	2,709,000[41]
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

On 19 November 2012, Samantha Jade performed "Breakeven" during The X Factor Australia series four grand final performance show.[42] Her performance of the song debuted at number 87 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart.[43] On 25 August 2013, Jade and The X Factor Indonesia series one runner-up Novita Dewi released a cover version of "Breakeven" on the iTunes Store through Sony Music Australia.[44]

References

1. "The Script". The Script. 29 September 2008. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
2. "Breakeven video shoot". Daily Star. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
3. "The Script performing live on Paul O'Grady". 30 October 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2018 – via YouTube.
4. The Script - Breakeven: Live on Ellen Archived 22 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
5. "Breakeven by The Script". amazon.co.uk.
6. "Breakeven by The Script". amazon.co.uk.
7. "Breakeven by the Script". amazon.co.uk.
8. "Australian-charts.com – The Script – Breakeven". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
9. "Austriancharts.at – The Script – Breakeven" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
10. "The Script Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
11. "The Script Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
12. "The Script Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
13. "The Script Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
14. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Script – Breakeven". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Breakeven". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
16. "The Script Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard.
17. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Script – Breakeven" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
19. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200911 into search.
20. "Swisscharts.com – The Script – Breakeven". Swiss Singles Chart.
21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
22. "The Script Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
23. "The Script Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
24. "The Script Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
25. "The Script Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
26. "The Script Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
27. "2008 Year-End UK Charts" (PDF). Chart Plus. The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
28. "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2009". ARIA. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
29. "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
30. "Charts Year End: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
31. "Hot 100 Songs: 2010 Year-End Charts". Billboard.
32. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
33. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
34. "Pop Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
35. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
36. "Greatest of All Time Adult Pop Songs : Page 1". US Adult Pop Songs. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
37. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2012 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
38. "Italian single certifications – The Script – Breakeven" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 February 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Breakeven" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
39. "British single certifications – Script – Breakeven". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 July 2017. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Breakeven in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
40. "American single certifications – The Script – Breakeven". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 20 October 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
41. Grein, Paul (17 July 2013). "Week Ending July 14, 2013. Albums: Jay-Z Back On The Throne". Yahoo Music. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
42. "The X Factor Grand Final Song List!". The X Factor Australia. Yahoo!7. Archived from the original on 19 November 2012.
43. Ryan, Gavin (16 December 2012). "Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Spend Third Week Atop ARIA Chart". Noise11. Noise Network. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012.
44. "Breakeven – Single by Novita Dewi & Samantha Jade". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple. Retrieved 23 November 2014.

See also

• List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2010