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The Promise (Girls Aloud song)
Encyclopedia
"The Promise" is a pop
song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud
, taken from their fifth studio album Out of Control
(2008). The song was written by Miranda Cooper
, Brian Higgins
and his production team Xenomania
. Influenced by Phil Spector
and music of the 1960s, "The Promise" is an upbeat love song that was written to announce Girls Aloud as "a supergroup." Upon its release in October 2008, the single became Girls Aloud's fourth number one on the UK Singles Chart
, continuing their six-year streak of top ten hits.
The music video is set at a drive-in movie theatre
, where Girls Aloud watch themselves performing as a 1960s girl group on screen. "The Promise" was promoted through numerous live appearances, including a high-profile performance on The X Factor
, and served as the opening number of 2009's Out of Control Tour
. The song was praised and appreciated by most contemporary music critics, who lauded the song despite it being unusual for Girls Aloud. "The Promise" was awarded Best British Single at the 2009 BRIT Awards
, the group's first win at the ceremony.
to 1960s music, particularly Phil Spector
's famous Wall of Sound
technique. It has been described as "a 60s-influenced pop gem given a contemporary Girls Aloud twist". Peter Robinson
, however, noted that the song "also hinted at a mellower side of 70's New York disco, as if it were some sort of long soundtrack from a deleted scene in Saturday Night Fever
." The song is written in A major
with a time signature
in common time
and a tempo
of 88 beats per minute. The vocal range spans from G♯3 to C5
. The chord progression
varies throughout the song, but chord include E, Am, C, A, Dm, and D. "The Promise" is through-composed
, the chorus serving as the song's only repeated section. A key change takes place before the song's final chorus. The album version of "The Promise" is around fifteen seconds longer, opting for a repeat and fade.
The backing track for the song was composed by two Australian musicians, Jason Resch and Kieran Jones, who would later play the song for Brian Higgins
. Higgins and Miranda Cooper
, afraid they'd "ruin the moment", waited weeks to write the song's lyrics; they eventually wrote the song in seven minutes. Higgins said, "We knew that was the piece of music Girls Aloud needed to announce them as a supergroup in this country, so we knew we couldn't drop the ball melodically or lyrically." He elaborated, "Girls Aloud's records were more driving and pumping and innovative then than they are now because that's not what's required [...] "The Promise" was the sound of a big group, a group about to be huge. They needed the theme tune to the biggest girl group on the planet". As soon as Girls Aloud heard the song, they decided it should be the first single from Out of Control. The day before the song was due to be delivered to Fascination Records
, the entire backing track was ditched and replayed.
on BBC Radio 1
on 14 September 2008. During promotion, Girls Aloud announced dates for 2009's Out of Control Tour
.
The song was released as a physical CD single
in Ireland on 15 October 2008, followed by a digital
release in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 19 October. The physical CD was released in the UK a day afterwards. It was originally scheduled for release on 27 October 2008, but the release was inexplicably brought forward a week. The CD single featured a brand new b-side entitled "She", while an exclusive remix of "The Promise" by Jason Nevins
was available as an iTunes
exclusive. "The Promise" was also remixed by Dave Audé
. A limited edition picture disc was made available exclusively through Girls Aloud's official website, featuring a live performance of "Girl Overboard
" as the b-side. The song was digitally released in Germany on 16 January 2009 and physically on 27 March.
"The Promise" is the opening track on Now 71 and appears on the Brit Awards 2009 nominees album. The Flip & Fill
remix appears on Clubland 14
. The song was released Digitally
in New Zealand
and also was released in Australia
, unusual for an Independent
label from Fascination Records
, the sub label from Polydor.
referred to the single as "a cute, wistful pop song" with "some nice Spector
ish touches in the production and a lovely, classic-sounding melody" that "grows more persuasive with every listen." It was praised for its "heavenly harmonies and a chorus that glides in and scoops you up in its arms." Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian
felt the song was "disappointing" because "Girls Aloud's producers have always been capable of making exciting and innovative pop music". However, Caroline Sullivan of the same publication thought the song was an album highlight - "nothing hits the spot like the Phil Spector-like single The Promise, one of this year's better chart-toppers." John Murphy of musicOMH.com argued that although "it may lack the innovation and attitude of some of their previous work, but if you're looking for sparkling, fresh and sheer bloody fun pop music, then there's nobody better right now than Girls Aloud."
"The Promise" received criticism for "too many cooks spoiling the broth. The production is so overegged and the vocals so treacly [...] you'll get a sugar rush, but you won't feel good about yourself afterwards. It was also criticised for being "a shameless attempt at trying to cash in on the Duffy
and Winehouse
favoured 60's femme pop." On the other hand, Slant Magazine
said that while it "suggests the girls have [...] shallowly jumped aboard the retro-soul bandwagon led by Duffy and Amy Winehouse, [...] the song's go-for-broke, very modern re-imagining of Spector's Wall of Sound proves to be more authentic and entertaining than most other recent attempts". It has also received comparisons to Girls Aloud's previous single, "Can't Speak French
". It has also claimed , by Terry Wogan
, that the tune features the melody from the theme song of his 1980s British TV quiz show Blankety Blank
.
"The Promise" was honoured as Best British Single at the 2009 BRIT Awards
, Girls Aloud's first win at the ceremony. It was also awarded the Popjustice £20 Music Prize
.
at number one, knocking off Pink
's "So What
" from the top. Early midweek figures suggested that the song was outselling "So What" by nearly two to one. "The Promise" is Girls Aloud's first original number one single since their debut "Sound of the Underground
" (although the charity singles "I'll Stand by You" and "Walk This Way" both peaked at number one). "The Promise" sold 77,110 copies in its first week, making it Girls Aloud's second best first week, beaten only by "Sound of the Underground
" back in 2002. The single became the fastest selling single of 2008 until "Hero" - a charity single by the finalists on The X Factor
- sold in excess of 100,000 copies two days after release, and 313,244 copies overall. Cheryl Cole
, who is also on The X Factor, joked, "I don't mind being knocked off number one - for this cause only!" On 28 December 2008, the UK Singles Chart
listed "The Promise" as the number 17 best-selling single in their year-end countdown. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
in January 2009. PRS for Music named "The Promise" the sixth most played song of 2009 in the UK, using data taken from number of plays and performances online, live, and on TV and radio.
Additionally, the song entered the Irish Singles Chart
at number four, their first time in the top four since 2004's "I'll Stand by You". In its second week on the Irish Chart, "The Promise" had risen two places to number two only being kept off by The X Factor Finalists who were at number one.
Filming for "The Promise" music video was on 15 September 2008. The video premièred on AOL
's website on 25 September 2008. The music video was filmed by Trudy Bellinger
for Merge @ Crossroads Films, and produced by Golden Square. They had just over three days to produce an open air drive-in movie theatre
using Flame
and studio footage of five cars. Girls Aloud also reportedly auditioned the male actors/musicians in the music video, one of whom was guitarist Rene Woollard
.
In the music video, Girls Aloud are at a '50s
and '60s
drive-in movie theatre. Cheryl Cole
has a loose beehive
hairstyle, while Nicola Roberts
has a bouffant
style and Sarah Harding
channels the famous '60s model Twiggy
. The drive-in is actually playing a black-and-white
film of Girls Aloud performing "The Promise" in shimmering sequin
ed dresses which are extremely similar to dresses The Supremes
wore in 1966 for a televised appearance at The Hollywood Palace
. They are performing with a band and imitating girl groups such as The Supremes. Meanwhile, at the drive-in, other male customers flirt with Girls Aloud. Sarah Harding
gets out of the car and walks in front of the screen to sing her "Here I am... walking primrose..." verse, while the other girls laugh and Kimberley Walsh
sounds her horn at Harding. Girls Aloud occasionally sing along with their lines as well. The music video features flickering and flashes to emulate films of the time.
's Live Lounge
on 25 September, as well as a cover of Timbaland
and OneRepublic
's "Apologize
", although Sarah Harding
had originally wanted to perform "Sex on Fire
" by Kings of Leon
. Nadine Coyle
was not present, as she was ill with shingles.
The first televised performance occurred on 18 October 2008, on The X Factor
, on which Cheryl Cole
serves as a member of the judging panel. The group wore their hair in big bouffant style with sparkling gold dresses, similar to those in the music video. Positioned in front of a lit-up frame, they sang live and performed simple, synchronized choreography
. As the song's key change occurred, pyrotechnics
exploded from the ceiling and a shower of sparks fell behind Girls Aloud. At the song's end, a second explosion of pyrotechnics occurred at the front of the stage. The group also performed the song on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
, GMTV
, T4
, and This Morning
throughout promotion. Girls Aloud performed the song at the annual Children in Need
telethon, as well as year-end shows like Top of the Pops
' Christmas and New Year's Eve specials and 4Music
's Top Tunes of 2008.
For their variety show
The Girls Aloud Party
, which aired between The X Factors finale and its results show on 13 December, Girls Aloud wore tight silver fishtail dresses. The outfits were compared to those of Diana Ross
in the 1960s, as well as the movie musical Dreamgirls
. At the 2009 BRIT Awards
, Girls Aloud performed in sleeveless sequined leotards. Accompanied by male dancers in white suits, the group performed a routine involving pink feather fans, giving the illusion of nudity until they emerged from behind the fans. The performance was nominated for Most Memorable Performance the following year at the 2010 BRIT Awards
.
"The Promise" served as the opening song for Girls Aloud's 2009 Out of Control Tour
. Girls Aloud "first appeared rising up through the floor on podiums in a haze of silver sparkle" for the opening, in which they are "wearing long, spangly dresses which they whipped off to reveal short mini skirts." The dresses, described as "angelic, shimmering, full-length gowns," were designed by Welsh fashion designer Julien MacDonald
, along with the rest of the costumes. A dance-beat reprise of the song ended the show.
UK 7" picture disc (Fascination)
iTunes Exclusive digital download
The Singles Boxset (CD19)
|-
!Chart (2009)
!Position
|-
|UK Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|131
|-
!align="left"|Chart (2000–2009)
!align="center"|Peak
position
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles
|align="center"|99
|}
! Region
! Date
! Label
! Format
|-
|rowspan="2"| Ireland
| 15 October 2008
| rowspan="2"| Polydor Records
| CD single
|-
| rowspan="2"|19 October 2008
| rowspan="2"|Digital download
|-
|rowspan="2" | United Kingdom
| rowspan="2"| Fascination Records
|-
| 20 October 2008
| CD single
|-
|rowspan="2"| Germany
| 16 January 2009
| rowspan="2"| Polydor Records
| Digital download
|-
| 27 March 2009
| CD single
|-
|}
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
, taken from their fifth studio album Out of Control
Out of Control (Girls Aloud album)
Out of Control is the fifth studio album by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2008 by Fascination Records. Like their previous albums, Out of Control was crafted by the production team of Brian Higgins and Xenomania...
(2008). The song was written by Miranda Cooper
Miranda Cooper
Miranda Eleanor De Fonbrune Cooper has been on the UK charts longer than any other female songwriter in the country. In 2007 Harper's Bazaar wrote of her: ‘If it's a hit you want, you'd better talk to Cooper...
, Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins (producer)
Brian Thomas Higgins is a British music producer who has written and produced albums and tracks for several highly successful pop music singers and groups, most notably Girls Aloud, through his Xenomania production group...
and his production team Xenomania
Xenomania
Xenomania is a British songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed after Higgins met Miranda Cooper, Xenomania has written and produced for renowned artists such as Cher, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, and Sugababes...
. Influenced by Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
and music of the 1960s, "The Promise" is an upbeat love song that was written to announce Girls Aloud as "a supergroup." Upon its release in October 2008, the single became Girls Aloud's fourth number one 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 ...
, continuing their six-year streak of top ten hits.
The music video is set at a drive-in movie theatre
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
, where Girls Aloud watch themselves performing as a 1960s girl group on screen. "The Promise" was promoted through numerous live appearances, including a high-profile performance on The X Factor
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...
, and served as the opening number of 2009's Out of Control Tour
Out of Control Tour
The Out of Control Tour is Girls Aloud's fourth arena-based concert tour and their fifth tour overall. The tour started on 24 April 2009 in Manchester's MEN Arena, with the final show on 6 June 2009 in Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena...
. The song was praised and appreciated by most contemporary music critics, who lauded the song despite it being unusual for Girls Aloud. "The Promise" was awarded Best British Single at the 2009 BRIT Awards
2009 BRIT Awards
The 2009 BRIT Awards ceremony took place on Wednesday 18 February 2009. It was the 29th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, and was broadcast live on ITV1 on 18 February at 8pm...
, the group's first win at the ceremony.
Background and composition
"The Promise" is an homageHomage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to 1960s music, particularly Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
's famous Wall of Sound
Wall of Sound
The Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, California, during the early 1960s...
technique. It has been described as "a 60s-influenced pop gem given a contemporary Girls Aloud twist". Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (journalist)
Peter Robinson is a British music journalist. He is the creator of the pop music-based blog Popjustice. Robinson first came to the attention of music fans with his self-published biography/fanzine of The KLF, Justified and Ancient History...
, however, noted that the song "also hinted at a mellower side of 70's New York disco, as if it were some sort of long soundtrack from a deleted scene in Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance...
." The song is written in A major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
with a time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and a tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 88 beats per minute. The vocal range spans from G♯3 to C5
C (musical note)
C or Do is the first note of the fixed-Do solfège scale. Its enharmonic is B.-Middle C:Middle C is designated C4 in scientific pitch notation because of the note's position as the fourth C key on a standard 88-key piano keyboard...
. The chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
varies throughout the song, but chord include E, Am, C, A, Dm, and D. "The Promise" is through-composed
Through-composed
Through-composed music is relatively continuous, non-sectional, and/or non-repetitive. A song is said to be through-composed if it has different music for each stanza of the lyrics. This is in contrast to strophic form, in which each stanza is set to the same music...
, the chorus serving as the song's only repeated section. A key change takes place before the song's final chorus. The album version of "The Promise" is around fifteen seconds longer, opting for a repeat and fade.
The backing track for the song was composed by two Australian musicians, Jason Resch and Kieran Jones, who would later play the song for Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins (producer)
Brian Thomas Higgins is a British music producer who has written and produced albums and tracks for several highly successful pop music singers and groups, most notably Girls Aloud, through his Xenomania production group...
. Higgins and Miranda Cooper
Miranda Cooper
Miranda Eleanor De Fonbrune Cooper has been on the UK charts longer than any other female songwriter in the country. In 2007 Harper's Bazaar wrote of her: ‘If it's a hit you want, you'd better talk to Cooper...
, afraid they'd "ruin the moment", waited weeks to write the song's lyrics; they eventually wrote the song in seven minutes. Higgins said, "We knew that was the piece of music Girls Aloud needed to announce them as a supergroup in this country, so we knew we couldn't drop the ball melodically or lyrically." He elaborated, "Girls Aloud's records were more driving and pumping and innovative then than they are now because that's not what's required [...] "The Promise" was the sound of a big group, a group about to be huge. They needed the theme tune to the biggest girl group on the planet". As soon as Girls Aloud heard the song, they decided it should be the first single from Out of Control. The day before the song was due to be delivered to Fascination Records
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine...
, the entire backing track was ditched and replayed.
Release
Described by the band's website as a "stormer of a track", "The Promise" premièred on SwitchBBC Switch
BBC Switch was the brand for BBC content aimed at UK teenagers. The brand launched on Saturday 20 October 2007 on BBC Two And ceased broadcasting on Saturday 17 December 2010...
on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
on 14 September 2008. During promotion, Girls Aloud announced dates for 2009's Out of Control Tour
Out of Control Tour
The Out of Control Tour is Girls Aloud's fourth arena-based concert tour and their fifth tour overall. The tour started on 24 April 2009 in Manchester's MEN Arena, with the final show on 6 June 2009 in Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena...
.
The song was released as a physical CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
in Ireland on 15 October 2008, followed by a digital
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
release in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 19 October. The physical CD was released in the UK a day afterwards. It was originally scheduled for release on 27 October 2008, but the release was inexplicably brought forward a week. The CD single featured a brand new b-side entitled "She", while an exclusive remix of "The Promise" by Jason Nevins
Jason Nevins
Jason Nevins is an American DJ, producer and remixer, who is most widely known for his pop dance productions.-Career:In the early 1990s, Nevins began releasing singles under various monikers through various dance labels, but achieved global recognition in 1998 with his production of Run-DMC's...
was available as an iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
exclusive. "The Promise" was also remixed by Dave Audé
Dave Audé
Dave Audé is a Grammy nominated producer, house DJ, and remixer. He has done production for musicians such as KoЯn, t.A.T.u., DJ Keoki, Barenaked Ladies, Faith No More, Cause and Effect, Hilary Duff, Wanessa, Ashley Tisdale, The Pussycat Dolls, Lady Gaga, Lunascape, Madonna, Britney Spears, CeCe...
. A limited edition picture disc was made available exclusively through Girls Aloud's official website, featuring a live performance of "Girl Overboard
Tangled Up
Tangled Up is the fourth studio album by the British all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 19 November 2007 by Fascination Records. Like their previous albums, Tangled Up was crafted by the production team of Brian Higgins and Xenomania...
" as the b-side. The song was digitally released in Germany on 16 January 2009 and physically on 27 March.
"The Promise" is the opening track on Now 71 and appears on the Brit Awards 2009 nominees album. The Flip & Fill
Flip & Fill
Flip & Fill are a Manchester, England based electronic dance music duo, consisting of the producers/remixers, DJs Graham Turner and Mark Hall. They are signed to the All Around The World record label.-Career:...
remix appears on Clubland 14
Clubland 14
Clubland 14 is a dance compilation album, from the Clubland series by Universal Music TV and All Around The World, released in 2008.-Track listing:...
. The song was released Digitally
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and also was released in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, unusual for an Independent
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
label from Fascination Records
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine...
, the sub label from Polydor.
Critical reception
"The Promise" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Although it was said to be "not what you'd necessarily expect from the gorgeous girl group," the song was praised for "it's fantastic melody". The song was described as "more interesting than the average retro-pop nugget." Digital SpyDigital 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....
referred to the single as "a cute, wistful pop song" with "some nice Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
ish touches in the production and a lovely, classic-sounding melody" that "grows more persuasive with every listen." It was praised for its "heavenly harmonies and a chorus that glides in and scoops you up in its arms." Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
felt the song was "disappointing" because "Girls Aloud's producers have always been capable of making exciting and innovative pop music". However, Caroline Sullivan of the same publication thought the song was an album highlight - "nothing hits the spot like the Phil Spector-like single The Promise, one of this year's better chart-toppers." John Murphy of musicOMH.com argued that although "it may lack the innovation and attitude of some of their previous work, but if you're looking for sparkling, fresh and sheer bloody fun pop music, then there's nobody better right now than Girls Aloud."
"The Promise" received criticism for "too many cooks spoiling the broth. The production is so overegged and the vocals so treacly [...] you'll get a sugar rush, but you won't feel good about yourself afterwards. It was also criticised for being "a shameless attempt at trying to cash in on the Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
and Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
favoured 60's femme pop." On the other hand, Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
said that while it "suggests the girls have [...] shallowly jumped aboard the retro-soul bandwagon led by Duffy and Amy Winehouse, [...] the song's go-for-broke, very modern re-imagining of Spector's Wall of Sound proves to be more authentic and entertaining than most other recent attempts". It has also received comparisons to Girls Aloud's previous single, "Can't Speak French
Can't Speak French
"Can't Speak French" is a song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their fourth studio album Tangled Up . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania...
". It has also claimed , by Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
, that the tune features the melody from the theme song of his 1980s British TV quiz show Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1978 Australian game show Blankety Blanks ....
.
"The Promise" was honoured as Best British Single at the 2009 BRIT Awards
2009 BRIT Awards
The 2009 BRIT Awards ceremony took place on Wednesday 18 February 2009. It was the 29th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, and was broadcast live on ITV1 on 18 February at 8pm...
, Girls Aloud's first win at the ceremony. It was also awarded the Popjustice £20 Music Prize
Popjustice £20 Music Prize
The Popjustice £20 Music Prize is an annual prize awarded by a panel of judges organised by music website Popjustice to the singer of the best British pop single of the past year....
.
Chart performance and sales
"The Promise" 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 number one, knocking off Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
's "So What
So What (Pink song)
"So What" is a song written by American pop rock singer Pink, Max Martin and Shellback. It was released as the first single from Pink's fifth studio album, Funhouse. Pink performed "So What" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, on September 7, 2008, and the song was used to promote the 2008 MTV...
" from the top. Early midweek figures suggested that the song was outselling "So What" by nearly two to one. "The Promise" is Girls Aloud's first original number one single since their debut "Sound of the Underground
Sound of the Underground (song)
"Sound of the Underground" is the debut single by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, later featured on their debut album of the same name. The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, and Niara Scarlett, and produced by Higgins and his production team Xenomania...
" (although the charity singles "I'll Stand by You" and "Walk This Way" both peaked at number one). "The Promise" sold 77,110 copies in its first week, making it Girls Aloud's second best first week, beaten only by "Sound of the Underground
Sound of the Underground (song)
"Sound of the Underground" is the debut single by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, later featured on their debut album of the same name. The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, and Niara Scarlett, and produced by Higgins and his production team Xenomania...
" back in 2002. The single became the fastest selling single of 2008 until "Hero" - a charity single by the finalists on The X Factor
The X Factor (UK series 5)
The fifth UK series of The X Factor was broadcast on ITV in 2008. The series started on 16 August and was won by Alexandra Burke on 13 December, with new judge Cheryl Cole emerging as the winning mentor. Auditions in front of producers were held in April/May, with callbacks in front of the judges...
- sold in excess of 100,000 copies two days after release, and 313,244 copies overall. Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
, who is also on The X Factor, joked, "I don't mind being knocked off number one - for this cause only!" On 28 December 2008, 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 ...
listed "The Promise" as the number 17 best-selling single in their year-end countdown. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
in January 2009. PRS for Music named "The Promise" the sixth most played song of 2009 in the UK, using data taken from number of plays and performances online, live, and on TV and radio.
Additionally, the song entered the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
at number four, their first time in the top four since 2004's "I'll Stand by You". In its second week on the Irish Chart, "The Promise" had risen two places to number two only being kept off by The X Factor Finalists who were at number one.
Music video
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's website on 25 September 2008. The music video was filmed by Trudy Bellinger
Trudy Bellinger
Trudy Bellinger is a British music video director. Bellinger is currently affiliated with Merge @ Crossroads Films. In addition to music videos, she has also directed TV adverts for Rimmel and M & S fashion Spring and Autumn-Videography:1997...
for Merge @ Crossroads Films, and produced by Golden Square. They had just over three days to produce an open air drive-in movie theatre
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
using Flame
Autodesk Media and Entertainment
Autodesk Media and Entertainment, formerly Discreet, is based in Montreal, Quebec as the entertainment division of Autodesk. This division produces software used in feature films, television commercials and computer games. It also provides products for management and distribution to complement its...
and studio footage of five cars. Girls Aloud also reportedly auditioned the male actors/musicians in the music video, one of whom was guitarist Rene Woollard
Rene Woollard
René M.J Woollard is a British session musician.-Career:René's first work was with the Sugababes in 2003, where he made his first television appearance on Top of The Pops whilst performing their number 1 single "Hole in The Head"...
.
In the music video, Girls Aloud are at a '50s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
and '60s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
drive-in movie theatre. Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
has a loose beehive
Beehive (hairstyle)
The Beehive is a woman's hairstyle that resembles a beehive; it is elegant and it is also known as the B-52, for its similarity to the bulbous nose of the B-52 Stratofortress bomber. It originated as one of a variety of elaborately teased and lacquered versions of "big hair" that developed from...
hairstyle, while Nicola Roberts
Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts is a British recording artist and entrepreneur. In 2002 Roberts auditioned for the reality televisions series and competition Popstars The Rivals which saw her finish in the final line-up of a girl group named Girls Aloud...
has a bouffant
Bouffant
A bouffant is a type of hairstyle characterized by hair piled high on the head and hanging down on the sides.-History:The bouffant was a mainstream hairstyle in the mid-to-late 18th century in western Europe. It was thought to be created for Marie Antoinette, as she had relatively thin hair and...
style and Sarah Harding
Sarah Harding
Sarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
channels the famous '60s model Twiggy
Twiggy
Lesley Lawson née Hornby known as Twiggy is an English model, actress, and singer. In the early-1960s she became a prominent British teenage model of swinging sixties London with others such as Penelope Tree....
. The drive-in is actually playing a black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film of Girls Aloud performing "The Promise" in shimmering sequin
Sequin
Sequins are disk-shaped beads used for decorative purposes. They are available in a wide variety of colors and geometrical shapes. Sequins are commonly used on clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes and lots of other accessories. Large sequins, fastened only at the top, have been used on billboards and...
ed dresses which are extremely similar to dresses The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
wore in 1966 for a televised appearance at The Hollywood Palace
The Hollywood Palace
The Hollywood Palace is an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly on ABC from January 4, 1964 to February 7, 1970. It began as a mid-season replacement for the short-lived Jerry Lewis Show, another variety show which had lasted only three months...
. They are performing with a band and imitating girl groups such as The Supremes. Meanwhile, at the drive-in, other male customers flirt with Girls Aloud. Sarah Harding
Sarah Harding
Sarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
gets out of the car and walks in front of the screen to sing her "Here I am... walking primrose..." verse, while the other girls laugh and Kimberley Walsh
Kimberley Walsh
Kimberley Jane Walsh is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, television presenter and actress. She is best known for being a member of girl group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
sounds her horn at Harding. Girls Aloud occasionally sing along with their lines as well. The music video features flickering and flashes to emulate films of the time.
Live performances
Girls Aloud first performed "The Promise" on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
on 25 September, as well as a cover of Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
and OneRepublic
OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, the band achieved massive success on MySpace, becoming the most prominent unsigned act on the website then...
's "Apologize
Apologize (song)
"Apologize" is a song written by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder for OneRepublic's debut album Dreaming Out Loud. A remix version was included on the Timbaland album, Shock Value and on the deluxe version of Dreaming Out Loud...
", although Sarah Harding
Sarah Harding
Sarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
had originally wanted to perform "Sex on Fire
Sex on Fire
"Sex on Fire" is the first single to be taken from Kings of Leon's fourth studio album Only by the Night and as of September 2009, the second most-downloaded digital single ever in the United Kingdom...
" by Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
. Nadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle is an Irish singer, songwriter, actress, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the band Six before becoming a member of successful girl-group Girls Aloud. The group amassed a joint fortune of £25 million by May 2009...
was not present, as she was ill with shingles.
The first televised performance occurred on 18 October 2008, on The X Factor
The X Factor (UK series 5)
The fifth UK series of The X Factor was broadcast on ITV in 2008. The series started on 16 August and was won by Alexandra Burke on 13 December, with new judge Cheryl Cole emerging as the winning mentor. Auditions in front of producers were held in April/May, with callbacks in front of the judges...
, on which Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
serves as a member of the judging panel. The group wore their hair in big bouffant style with sparkling gold dresses, similar to those in the music video. Positioned in front of a lit-up frame, they sang live and performed simple, synchronized choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
. As the song's key change occurred, pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
exploded from the ceiling and a shower of sparks fell behind Girls Aloud. At the song's end, a second explosion of pyrotechnics occurred at the front of the stage. The group also performed the song on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
, GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
, T4
T4
- In airports and airlines :* The IATA airline code for Hellas Jet* Madrid Barajas Airport Terminal 4* London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4- In biology and medicine :* T4 phage, a bacteriophage* Thyroxine , a form of thyroid hormones* The T4 spinal nerve...
, and This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
throughout promotion. Girls Aloud performed the song at the annual Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
telethon, as well as year-end shows like Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
' Christmas and New Year's Eve specials and 4Music
4Music
4Music is a music and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and available on some digital television providers in the Republic of Ireland - its web component can be found at with its own and pages. It is the only channel within the Box Television Network to be branded under Channel 4 and...
's Top Tunes of 2008.
For their variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
The Girls Aloud Party
The Girls Aloud Party
The Girls Aloud Party was a one-off Christmas variety show starring British girl group Girls Aloud, produced for ITV. The show was aired on 13 December 2008, in between The X Factor series finale and its results show....
, which aired between The X Factors finale and its results show on 13 December, Girls Aloud wore tight silver fishtail dresses. The outfits were compared to those of Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
in the 1960s, as well as the movie musical Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls (film)
Dreamgirls is a 2006 musical drama film, directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures. The film debuted in three special road show engagements beginning December 15, 2006 before its nationwide release on December 25, 2006...
. At the 2009 BRIT Awards
2009 BRIT Awards
The 2009 BRIT Awards ceremony took place on Wednesday 18 February 2009. It was the 29th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, and was broadcast live on ITV1 on 18 February at 8pm...
, Girls Aloud performed in sleeveless sequined leotards. Accompanied by male dancers in white suits, the group performed a routine involving pink feather fans, giving the illusion of nudity until they emerged from behind the fans. The performance was nominated for Most Memorable Performance the following year at the 2010 BRIT Awards
2010 BRIT Awards
The 2010 BRIT Awards took place on Tuesday 16 February 2010. It was the 30th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. The ceremony was broadcast live on ITV1, hosted by Peter Kay with Fearne...
.
"The Promise" served as the opening song for Girls Aloud's 2009 Out of Control Tour
Out of Control Tour
The Out of Control Tour is Girls Aloud's fourth arena-based concert tour and their fifth tour overall. The tour started on 24 April 2009 in Manchester's MEN Arena, with the final show on 6 June 2009 in Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena...
. Girls Aloud "first appeared rising up through the floor on podiums in a haze of silver sparkle" for the opening, in which they are "wearing long, spangly dresses which they whipped off to reveal short mini skirts." The dresses, described as "angelic, shimmering, full-length gowns," were designed by Welsh fashion designer Julien MacDonald
Julien MacDonald
Julien Macdonald OBE is a Welsh fashion designer.Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Macdonald attended Cyfarthfa High School in Merthyr Tydfil. Macdonald was taught knitting by his mother, and soon became interested in design...
, along with the rest of the costumes. A dance-beat reprise of the song ended the show.
Track listings and formats
UK CD (Fascination / 1788035)- "The Promise" (radio edit) — 3:43
- "She" (Cooper, Higgins, Lisa Cowling, Tim Larcombe, Shawn Lee, Paul Woods) — 3:24
UK 7" picture disc (Fascination)
- "The Promise" (radio edit) — 3:43
- "Girl OverboardTangled UpTangled Up is the fourth studio album by the British all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 19 November 2007 by Fascination Records. Like their previous albums, Tangled Up was crafted by the production team of Brian Higgins and Xenomania...
" (Live at The O2The O2 (London)The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...
) — 4:31
iTunes Exclusive digital download
- "The Promise" (radio edit) — 3:43
- "The Promise" (Jason Nevins Remix) — 6:51
The Singles Boxset (CD19)
- "The Promise" (radio edit) — 3:43
- "She" — 3:24
- "Girl Overboard" (Live at The O2) — 4:31
- "The Promise" (Jason Nevins Extended Mix) — 6:51
- "The Promise" (Jason Nevins Radio Edit) — 3:57
- "The Promise" (Jason Nevins Dub Mix) — 6:07
- "The Promise" (Dave Audé Radio Edit) — 3:50
- "The Promise" (Dave Audé Club Mix) — 7:08
- "The Promise" (Dave Audé Dub Mix) — 7:12
- "The Promise" (Flip & Fill Remix) — 6:10
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Certifications
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (2008 2008 in British music This is a summary of the year 2008 in British music. 21 singles occupied the number one position during the year, with 11 being new. The average sale for a number one, for the whole of 2008 was 71,528, a vast improvement over 2007, when the average sale for a number one was 55,425... ) |
17 |
End-of-year charts
{|class="wikitable sortable"|-
!Chart (2009)
!Position
|-
|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 ...
| style="text-align:center;"|131
|-
Decade-end charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"!align="left"|Chart (2000–2009)
!align="center"|Peak
position
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles
|align="center"|99
|}
Chart procession and succession
Release history
{|class="wikitable"! Region
! Date
! Label
! Format
|-
|rowspan="2"| Ireland
| 15 October 2008
| rowspan="2"| Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
| CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
|-
| rowspan="2"|19 October 2008
| rowspan="2"|Digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
|-
|rowspan="2" | United Kingdom
| rowspan="2"| Fascination Records
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine...
|-
| 20 October 2008
| CD single
|-
|rowspan="2"| Germany
| 16 January 2009
| rowspan="2"| Polydor Records
| Digital download
|-
| 27 March 2009
| CD single
|-
|}