"Break Up in the End" is a song written by Jon Nite, Chase McGill, and Jessie Jo Dillon, and recorded by American country music singer Cole Swindell. It was released in February 2018 as the lead single from his third album All of It. The song features a lyric about following through on a relationship despite knowing that it will end in a breakup, and it is accompanied by a music video directed by Jay Martin which stars Swindell and actress Alicia Watson. The song has been noted for Swindell's vocal performance.
| "Break Up in the End" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Cole Swindell | ||||
| from the album All of It | ||||
| Released | February 23, 2018[1] | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:19 | |||
| Label | Warner Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Michael Carter | |||
| Cole Swindell singles chronology | ||||
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Content edit
Jon Nite, Chase McGill, and Jessie Jo Dillon wrote the song. McGill recorded a demo of the song on a keyboard, and sent it via Dropbox to Nite, who added his own vocals and an acoustic guitar.[1] Although the song had been pitched to Luke Bryan and Dan + Shay, it ended up being recorded by Swindell, who was unaware that Dillon, a songwriting partner of his, had co-written it.[1] Swindell said that he chose to record the song because he identified with its central theme of a breakup: "You still think the world of each other; it's just not gonna work out. [This song is] a love story, in a way. Every little line describes a place that I've been at some point."[2]
Dillon said that the title was inspired by the book John Dies at the End, and decided to write a song about a man who feels bittersweet over a relationship, and follows through on it even though he is aware that they will "break up in the end". An article in Billboard compared the song's theme and lack of animosity in the protagonist's experience to Garth Brooks' "The Dance", Clint Black's "A Better Man", and Trisha Yearwood's "I Would've Loved You Anyway".[1]
Swindell's recording of the song features an acoustic guitar accompaniment played by Billy Panda, along with muted percussion from Greg Morrow and piano chords from Michael Carter, who also produced the track.[1] Taste of Country described the song's sound as " an acoustic guitar-based ballad that's very different from any other single Swindell has released. It's one of the most unguarded vocal performances he's ever given."[3]
Commercial performance edit
The song has sold 162,000 copies in the United States as of November 2018.[4]
Music video edit
The music video premiered on March 30, 2018. Directed by Jay Martin, it features Swindell and actress Alicia Watson progressing through a relationship that is filmed in reverse.[5]
Charts edit
Weekly charts edit
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Year-end charts edit
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Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[12] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[13] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
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‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Roland, Tom (April 4, 2018). "It's Personal: Cole Swindell Finds the Heart Of 'Break Up In The End'". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ Liptak, Carena. "Story Behind the Song: Cole Swindell, 'Break Up in the End'". The Boot. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ Whittaker, Sterling. "Cole Swindell Shares the Story Behind His New Single, 'Break Up in the End' [Exclusive Premiere]". Taste of Country. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (November 7, 2018). "Top 30 Digital Country Singles Chart: November 7, 2018". RoughStock. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
- ^ Schillaci, Sophie (March 30, 2018). "Cole Swindell Debuts Heartfelt 'Break Up in the End' Video (Exclusive)". ET Online. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ^ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ^ "Country Airplay – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Cole Swindell – Break Up in the End". Music Canada. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- ^ "American single certifications – Cole Swindell – Break Up in the End". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 22, 2023.