Doesn't Mean Anything
Encyclopedia
"Doesn't Mean Anything" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys
. It written and produced by Keys and longtime partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers for her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom
(2009), with its lyrics speaking about the importance of love against materialism and fake needs.
The track debuted on September 15, 2009, on Keys' official website and was released as the album's lead single
the following month, It attained chart success in several territories, reaching the top ten in Belgium
, Germany
, Japan
, Switzerland
, and the United Kingdom
, and although it did not experience success in the US, "Doesn't Mean Anything" managed to reach number fourteen on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart. This was her first lead single from a studio album that has lost the Top 10 on the Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
channel on September 22, 2009, after her performance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
along Jay-Z
, singing "Empire State of Mind
".
on September 22, 2009, and debuted on the Billboard
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
at number 32, making her highest debut on that chart, and has peaked at number 14. It has also debuted on the Billboard Hot 100
at number 61, making it her highest debut since "No One
", which debuted at number 71. It also appeared on the Canadian Hot 100
at number 66. Although it had a higher debut than "No One", "Doesn't Mean Anything" failed to chart high on the Billboard Hot 100, unlike the lead single from her previous album. It is one of Keys' least successful singles to date in the United States and her second lowest peaking song on the Billboard Hot 100. "Doesn't Mean Anything" was released on November 30, 2009 in the United Kingdom. Keys performed the song on The X Factor
on November 29, 2009, with a medley of "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" and "No One
". It debuted at number eight on the UK Singles Chart
, becoming Keys highest-charting debut there since "Fallin'" in 2001, and her seventh top ten single in the UK. "Doesn't Mean Anything" peaked at number four on the UK R&B Singles Chart
and has spent, so far, fourteen weeks on the UK Singles Chart.
magazine gave the song a positive review, commenting that "A truly confident woman lets herself be vulnerable at the right time" and compared favorably the song to Keys' previous hits 'No One
' and 'Superwoman
' by saying that "the comparisons are more than welcome, because—as Keys understands so well—everyone needs love, no matter how independent they may be." Nick Levine of Digital Spy
gave the song a favorable review, saying that "the production is classic and gimmick-free, the chorus has the same timeless feel that turned 'No One' and 'If I Ain't Got You
' into modern standards, and the whole thing oozes class the way a ripe brie oozes cheesey goodness" and then adding "the words 'classic' and 'timeless' apply to the lyrics too."
for "Doesn't Mean Anything" was filmed on September 27–28, 2009. It was directed by P. R. Brown
. The video was released on October 19, 2009. In the behind-the-scenes of the video, Keys explained the representation of the mountain climb scene, "Because we all have mountains to climb in our life you know? And you can reach the top, you can climb and you can make it. And as you observe the landscape, the question is 'Are you gonna fly or are you gonna fall?'. And I'm gonna fly, and we all gonna fly." The video ranked at number 42 on BET
's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009 countdown.
The music video begins with Keys walking onto the balcony of her apartment, looking out at the city uttering the words, "This beautiful city seems empty. All the people in the world and you can still feel lonely. What's the point of having it all without the person you love. Sometimes you just need to start again in order to fly." The song then starts to play, with Keys playing the piano in her apartment, and also scenes of her sitting on the couch, and looking out of the window at the sunset. Various objects around the apartment then start to disappear, including a photograph on the piano of her and her lover. The scene then changes once her surroundings have all eventually disappeared, showing Keys in a new outfit, in the middle of a desert-like setting, with her piano. She is then seen to walk up the path she is on, eventually leading to a mountain. Keys then climbs the mountain, and once she has reached the top, looks out at the landscape surrounding her.
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
. It written and produced by Keys and longtime partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers for her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom
The Element of Freedom
Keys began working on the album in May 2009. During this time, Keys and her audio engineer bought several vintage keyboards, describing the Moog as her "special best friend". Recording took place in The Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Keys expressed that she "didn't know what to do" when she...
(2009), with its lyrics speaking about the importance of love against materialism and fake needs.
The track debuted on September 15, 2009, on Keys' official website and was released as the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
the following month, It attained chart success in several territories, reaching the top ten in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and although it did not experience success in the US, "Doesn't Mean Anything" managed to reach number fourteen on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart. This was her first lead single from a studio album that has lost the Top 10 on the Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
Background
Keys called the song as "very different—it almost feels like you're flying. It has that piano, heavy-drum feeling." She elaborated the song's meaning, saying, "You dream of having all these things, you dream of going all these places. But what's the point of doing that, having that, if the one you want to be there isn't with you?" The song was released through Keys' YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel on September 22, 2009, after her performance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 13, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the best music videos from June 19, 2008, to June 29, 2009. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event for the second time in a row. The awards were held a few months after Michael...
along Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, singing "Empire State of Mind
Empire State of Mind
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 by his Roc Nation label in October 2009...
".
Chart performance
The single was released on the iTunes StoreITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
on September 22, 2009, and debuted on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
at number 32, making her highest debut on that chart, and has peaked at number 14. It has also debuted on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number 61, making it her highest debut since "No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
", which debuted at number 71. It also appeared on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
at number 66. Although it had a higher debut than "No One", "Doesn't Mean Anything" failed to chart high on the Billboard Hot 100, unlike the lead single from her previous album. It is one of Keys' least successful singles to date in the United States and her second lowest peaking song on the Billboard Hot 100. "Doesn't Mean Anything" was released on November 30, 2009 in the United Kingdom. Keys performed the song on The X Factor
The X Factor (UK series 6)
The sixth series of British television music competition The X Factor started on ITV on 22 August 2009 and was won by Joe McElderry on 13 December 2009. Cheryl Cole emerged as the winning mentor for the second consecutive year, the first time in the show's history that a mentor has won back-to-back...
on November 29, 2009, with a medley of "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" and "No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
". It debuted at number eight on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, becoming Keys highest-charting debut there since "Fallin'" in 2001, and her seventh top ten single in the UK. "Doesn't Mean Anything" peaked at number four on the UK R&B Singles Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
and has spent, so far, fourteen weeks on the UK Singles Chart.
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews from the critics. Mariel Concepcion of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine gave the song a positive review, commenting that "A truly confident woman lets herself be vulnerable at the right time" and compared favorably the song to Keys' previous hits 'No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
' and 'Superwoman
Superwoman (Alicia Keys song)
"Superwoman" is a song by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am . Written by Keys, Linda Perry, and Steve Mostyn, the track was released as the fourth and final single from the album...
' by saying that "the comparisons are more than welcome, because—as Keys understands so well—everyone needs love, no matter how independent they may be." Nick Levine of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
gave the song a favorable review, saying that "the production is classic and gimmick-free, the chorus has the same timeless feel that turned 'No One' and 'If I Ain't Got You
If I Ain't Got You
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys. Released in February 2004 as the album's second single, the song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second...
' into modern standards, and the whole thing oozes class the way a ripe brie oozes cheesey goodness" and then adding "the words 'classic' and 'timeless' apply to the lyrics too."
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Doesn't Mean Anything" was filmed on September 27–28, 2009. It was directed by P. R. Brown
P. R. Brown
Paul R. Brown is a graphic designer, photographer, and music video director.In 1996 he founded Bau-da Design Lab, which currently operates out of Los Angeles and New York. P.R. Brown is well-known for his album designs for musicians such as Mötley Crüe, Korn, Godsmack, and early in his career he...
. The video was released on October 19, 2009. In the behind-the-scenes of the video, Keys explained the representation of the mountain climb scene, "Because we all have mountains to climb in our life you know? And you can reach the top, you can climb and you can make it. And as you observe the landscape, the question is 'Are you gonna fly or are you gonna fall?'. And I'm gonna fly, and we all gonna fly." The video ranked at number 42 on BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009 countdown.
The music video begins with Keys walking onto the balcony of her apartment, looking out at the city uttering the words, "This beautiful city seems empty. All the people in the world and you can still feel lonely. What's the point of having it all without the person you love. Sometimes you just need to start again in order to fly." The song then starts to play, with Keys playing the piano in her apartment, and also scenes of her sitting on the couch, and looking out of the window at the sunset. Various objects around the apartment then start to disappear, including a photograph on the piano of her and her lover. The scene then changes once her surroundings have all eventually disappeared, showing Keys in a new outfit, in the middle of a desert-like setting, with her piano. She is then seen to walk up the path she is on, eventually leading to a mountain. Keys then climbs the mountain, and once she has reached the top, looks out at the landscape surrounding her.
Track listing
-
- US promo CD single
- "Doesn't Mean Anything" (Radio edit) — 3:53
- "Doesn't Mean Anything" (Main version) — 4:36
- "Doesn't Mean Anything" (Instrumental) — 4:38
- "Dreaming" — 4:26
-
- UK CD & Digital download
- "Doesn't Mean Anything" — 4:35
- "Dreaming" — 4:33
Chart positions
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Italian Singles Chart | 65 |
| U.K Singles Chart | 160 |
| U.S R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 95 |
| Chart (2010) | Position |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 96 |
| Japanese Digital Track Chart RIAJ Digital Track Chart The is chart ranks the best selling digital singles in Japan, provided by the Recording Industry Association of Japan since April 2009. The chart measures cellphone downloads .... |
52 |
| U.K Singles Chart | 157 |