Hometown Glory
Encyclopedia
"Hometown Glory" is the first single from Adele
's debut album 19
, released on 22 October 2007 in the United Kingdom. In 2008, the song was re-released as her fourth single. Adele wrote the song in 10 minutes after her mother tried to persuade her to leave her home town of West Norwood
in London for university.
In 2007, "Hometown Glory" was released on singer Jamie T's
Pacemaker Recordings label as a limited edition 7" vinyl single, of which only 500 copies were made. The song failed to chart initially. However, due to high downloads of the song during the release week of her 19 album, the song managed to chart inside the UK Singles Chart
Top 40 for the first time. In 2010, the song received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
.
. The song was added to Radio 1's B-list on 18 June 2008, and moved up to Radio 1's A-list on 2 July 2008. Its B-side now featured Adele's brand-new cover of the Etta James
song 'Fool That I Am', which was recorded during a live performance in Cambridge. The song was later released in 2008 as Adele's debut single for the U.S. market. Due to the popularity of the song in the UK, which resulted in the song charting inside the UK Top 40 twice on download sales alone, the song was (re-)released as the third single (fourth including the original single release) from the album on 21 July 2008. As of July, 2008, the track has become Adele's third consecutive UK Top 20 hit single.
The song is played in the key of B♭ Minor at a tempo of 60bpm. The vocal range is D♭3-A5.
, on top of the Iceland
/Wilkinson car park. The video shows Adele singing while posters of cities are moving around her.
, resulting in the song re-entering the UK Singles Chart
Top 40 at #32. Later that month, on 24 April 2008, the song was featured in episode 5.15 of One Tree Hill
. On 22 May 2008, the song was featured in the season four finale of Grey's Anatomy
. According to Adele's manager Jonathan Dickins, the powerful music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas
chose the song after seeing Adele perform at Hotel Café
in Los Angeles
following a recommendation by Columbia Records' creative licensing staffer Jonathan Palmer. On 10 June 2008, the song was used on popular UK soap Hollyoaks
, where it has been used again on the 13 October 2008 episode. It was used again on Hollyoaks
in the November 10, 2010 episode which featured the death of one of the UK's most popular television characters Steph Cunningham
. The opening of the song played as Steph said goodbye to screen-husband Gilly Roach
, choosing to perish in a housefire rather than face death from the cervical cancer
they had been informed was terminal. The episode was a season-high for Hollyoaks, viewed by 2.12 million viewers( including timeshift and E4 figures, 0.7, a high for the channel) - a high figure for a non-BBC
or ITV
show.
On 2 July 2008, it was featured on Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance
in a Mia Michaels
' contemporary dance
by Katee Shean and eventual winner, Joshua Allen
. It also featured in a season 2 episode of Secret Diary of A Call Girl
. A remixed version of the song was featured in the superhero drama-comedy Misfits
The track has recently been used on advertisements and promotional scenes for the UK soap Coronation Street
. The song was featured in a season 1 episode of American teen drama
series 90210
. It was also featured on The Hills
. The song was sampled by Mississippi Rapper Big K.R.I.T.
on his single "Hometown Hero," in Big Sean
's song Hometown from his mixtape Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG
, by French Rapper La Fouine
on his song "Vecu" featuring French Rapper Kamelancien, by The OCS on his song "Hometown" featuring Glasses Malone, Jay Rock and XO, and by Minneapolis hippy-hop artist Mod Sun on his song "The Same Way." The song has been used in various soap operas in accompaniment to the deaths of Danielle Jones, Steph Roach, Joe McIntyre, Archie Mitchell, and Bradley Branning. It has also been used in EastEnders: Revealed. Various reality singing and talent shows use the song in between performances such as The X Factor (UK)
, The X Factor (Australia), Britain's Got Talent
and Australia's Got Talent
.
Digital EP
7" vinyl
12" vinyl
at #32 following its showcase on an episode of Skins
. On 6 July 2008, the song re-entered the chart at #74 and then climbed to #49 the following week. The song eventually peaked at #19 on 27 July 2008, following its physical release.
The song received little attention when it was released in the United States and did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100
.
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
's debut album 19
19 (Adele album)
19 received generally positive reviews from critics. The album holds a 68 out of 100 rating based on 19 critical reviews indicating "generally favourable reviews" from metacritic. The album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize in the category of Best Album...
, released on 22 October 2007 in the United Kingdom. In 2008, the song was re-released as her fourth single. Adele wrote the song in 10 minutes after her mother tried to persuade her to leave her home town of West Norwood
West Norwood
West Norwood is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is primarily a residential suburb of south London but with some light industry near Knights Hill in the south....
in London for university.
In 2007, "Hometown Glory" was released on singer Jamie T's
Jamie T
Jamie Alexander Treays , known by his stage name Jamie T, is an English singer/songwriter from Wimbledon, South London.-Early life:Jamie Alexander Treays, was born in Wimbledon, South-West London...
Pacemaker Recordings label as a limited edition 7" vinyl single, of which only 500 copies were made. The song failed to chart initially. However, due to high downloads of the song during the release week of her 19 album, the song managed to chart inside 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 ...
Top 40 for the first time. In 2010, the song received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
.
Background and composition
As aforementioned, "Hometown Glory" was re-released on 21 July 2008 as the follow-up to second single Cold ShoulderCold shoulder
"Cold shoulder" is a phrase used to express dismissal or the act of disregarding someone. Its origin is attributed to both 19th-century literary works and as a result of folk etymology.-Early use:...
. The song was added to Radio 1's B-list on 18 June 2008, and moved up to Radio 1's A-list on 2 July 2008. Its B-side now featured Adele's brand-new cover of the Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
song 'Fool That I Am', which was recorded during a live performance in Cambridge. The song was later released in 2008 as Adele's debut single for the U.S. market. Due to the popularity of the song in the UK, which resulted in the song charting inside the UK Top 40 twice on download sales alone, the song was (re-)released as the third single (fourth including the original single release) from the album on 21 July 2008. As of July, 2008, the track has become Adele's third consecutive UK Top 20 hit single.
The song is played in the key of B♭ Minor at a tempo of 60bpm. The vocal range is D♭3-A5.
Music video
The initial limited edition vinyl release of "Hometown Glory" does not have a promo video. A video was filmed for the single's re-release in Hayes, West LondonHayes, Hillingdon
Hayes is a town in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. It is a suburban development situated west of Charing Cross. Hayes was developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries as an industrial locality to which residential districts were later added in order to house factory workers...
, on top of the Iceland
Iceland (supermarket)
Iceland is a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Iceland's primary product lines include frozen foods, such as frozen prepared meals and frozen vegetables - hence the name of the company...
/Wilkinson car park. The video shows Adele singing while posters of cities are moving around her.
In the media
On 7 April 2008, "Hometown Glory" was featured in the teen drama series SkinsSkins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
, resulting in the song re-entering 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 ...
Top 40 at #32. Later that month, on 24 April 2008, the song was featured in episode 5.15 of One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
. On 22 May 2008, the song was featured in the season four finale of Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
. According to Adele's manager Jonathan Dickins, the powerful music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas
Alexandra Patsavas
Alexandra Patsavas is an American music supervisor who has worked on over sixty films and television series, most notably The O.C., Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl.-Early life:Patsavas was born in Chicago, Illinois...
chose the song after seeing Adele perform at Hotel Café
Hotel Café
The Hotel Café is a live music venue located off an alley on the Cahuenga Boulevard strip in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California that has become known for helping to establish the careers of new singer-songwriters in the 2000s...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
following a recommendation by Columbia Records' creative licensing staffer Jonathan Palmer. On 10 June 2008, the song was used on popular UK soap Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, where it has been used again on the 13 October 2008 episode. It was used again on Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
in the November 10, 2010 episode which featured the death of one of the UK's most popular television characters Steph Cunningham
Steph Cunningham
Stephanie "Steph" Roach is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Carley Stenson. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 March 2000 and is the second longest featured regular female character in the history of Hollyoaks...
. The opening of the song played as Steph said goodbye to screen-husband Gilly Roach
Gilly Roach
Gilbert "Gilly" Roach is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Anthony Quinlan. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 4 October 2005. Gilly was created in 2005 by executive producer David Hanson. Gilly has often been portrayed as a...
, choosing to perish in a housefire rather than face death from the cervical cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
they had been informed was terminal. The episode was a season-high for Hollyoaks, viewed by 2.12 million viewers( including timeshift and E4 figures, 0.7, a high for the channel) - a high figure for a non-BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
or ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
show.
On 2 July 2008, it was featured on Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
in a Mia Michaels
Mia Michaels
Mia Michaels is an American choreographer best known for her judging and contemporary choreography on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance . She has worked with musical artists such as Celine Dion, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, and Prince...
' contemporary dance
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
by Katee Shean and eventual winner, Joshua Allen
Joshua Allen
Joshua Allen is the winner of the fourth season of So You Think You Can Dance. He had originally auditioned in Dallas, Texas with his friend and fellow contestant, Comfort Fedoke. Allen was announced winner of the show on August 7, 2008, winning $250,000.-Early life:Allen was born in Fort Worth,...
. It also featured in a season 2 episode of Secret Diary of A Call Girl
Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is a British television drama broadcast on ITV2 from 2007-2011 based on the blog and books by the pseudonymous "Belle de Jour," starring Billie Piper as Belle, a high-class London call girl. The series was written by Lucy Prebble, who is also known as the author of The...
. A remixed version of the song was featured in the superhero drama-comedy Misfits
Misfits (TV series)
Misfits is a British science fiction comedy-drama television series about a group of young offenders forced to work in a community service programme, where they obtain supernatural powers after a strange electrical storm. The first series started broadcasting on 12 November 2009 on E4, and was...
The track has recently been used on advertisements and promotional scenes for the UK soap Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. The song was featured in a season 1 episode of American teen drama
Teen drama
A teen drama is a dramatic television series with a major focus on teenage characters. The genre was relatively non-existent for the first 45 years of television; it came into prominence in the early 1990s...
series 90210
90210 (TV series)
90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
. It was also featured on The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
. The song was sampled by Mississippi Rapper Big K.R.I.T.
Big K.R.I.T.
Justin Scott , better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T. , is an American hip hop musician and record producer from Meridian, Mississippi.-Biography:...
on his single "Hometown Hero," in Big Sean
Big Sean
Sean Michael Anderson , better known by his stage name Big Sean, is an American rapper. Big Sean signed with Kanye West's G.O.O.D...
's song Hometown from his mixtape Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG
Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG
Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG is the title of the third mixtape by the American rapper, composer, producer and singer Big Sean. Released as a free online download, it was released by Kanye West's, G.O.O.D. Music and featured production from Sean himself, his label boss, Kanye West, Clinton Sparks, and...
, by French Rapper La Fouine
La Fouine
Laouni Mouhid, commonly known by his alias La Fouine or Fouiskin , is a French rapper of Moroccan origins from the city of Trappes, Yvelines in the Paris western suburbs. He is a growing figure of French rap. La Fouine signed with Sony Records in 2003 and released his debut album, Bourré au son,...
on his song "Vecu" featuring French Rapper Kamelancien, by The OCS on his song "Hometown" featuring Glasses Malone, Jay Rock and XO, and by Minneapolis hippy-hop artist Mod Sun on his song "The Same Way." The song has been used in various soap operas in accompaniment to the deaths of Danielle Jones, Steph Roach, Joe McIntyre, Archie Mitchell, and Bradley Branning. It has also been used in EastEnders: Revealed. Various reality singing and talent shows use the song in between performances such as The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
, The X Factor (Australia), Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
and Australia's Got Talent
Australia's Got Talent
Australia's Got Talent is an Australian reality television talent show which premiered on 18 February 2007 on the Seven Network. The show was based on the Got Talent series format that originated in the United Kingdom with Simon Cowell...
.
Re-release
CD Single- "Hometown Glory" 4:32
- "Fool That I am" (Live) 3:45
Digital EP
- "Hometown Glory" 3:40
- "Hometown Glory" (Axwell Radio Edit) 3:35
- "Hometown Glory" (Axwell Club Mix) 5:11
- "Hometown Glory" (Axwell Remode) 5:55
- "Hometown Glory" (High Contrast Remix) 6:36
- "Hometown Glory" (High Contrast Remix) [Instrumental] 6:35
7" vinyl
- "Hometown Glory" 4:32
- "Fool That I am" (Live) 3:45
12" vinyl
- "Hometown Glory" (High Contrast remix)
- "Hometown Glory" (High Contrast remix instrumental)
Official remixes
- Album Version
- Single Version
- Radio Edit (Single Version - Clean with omission of word "shit")
- High ContrastHigh ContrastLincoln Barrett, better known by the stage name High Contrast , is a Welsh drum and bass DJ and producer.-History:...
Remix - AxwellAxwellAxwell is a DJ, remixer, record producer and record label owner from Sweden. He is part of a three person group dubbed the Swedish House Mafia along with Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello...
Remix - AxwellAxwellAxwell is a DJ, remixer, record producer and record label owner from Sweden. He is part of a three person group dubbed the Swedish House Mafia along with Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello...
Remode Mix - AxwellAxwellAxwell is a DJ, remixer, record producer and record label owner from Sweden. He is part of a three person group dubbed the Swedish House Mafia along with Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello...
Radio Edit
Charts
On 13 April 2008, the song entered the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
at #32 following its showcase on an episode of Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
. On 6 July 2008, the song re-entered the chart at #74 and then climbed to #49 the following week. The song eventually peaked at #19 on 27 July 2008, following its physical release.
The song received little attention when it was released in the United States and did not chart 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...
.
| Chart (2007–08) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... ) |
25 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company 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 ... ) |
19 |
End of year
| Country (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 162 |