Better in Time

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Better in Time”
“Better in Time” cover
Single by Leona Lewis
from the album Spirit
A-side "Footprints in the Sand"
B-side "You Bring Me Down"
Released 7 March 2008 (2008-03-07)
(see release history)
Format CD single, digital download
Recorded Chalice Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California, 2007
Genre Pop, R&B
Length 3:54 (Single Mix & Album version)
Label Sony BMG, Syco
Writer(s) J. R. Rotem, Andrea Martin
Producer J. R. Rotem
Leona Lewis singles chronology
"Bleeding Love"
(2007)		 "Better in Time"/"Footprints in the Sand"
(2008)
Spirit track listing
"Homeless"
(3)		 "Better in Time"
(4)		 "Yesterday"
(5)
Alternate cover
Digital cover
Digital cover

"Better in Time" is a song written by J. R. Rotem and Andrea Martin and produced by Rotem for Leona Lewis's debut album, Spirit.[1] It is the fourth track on the album, and was released in March 2008 as Lewis's third single in the UK, as a double A-side with "Footprints in the Sand".[2] It was later released as Lewis's second international single following her debut hit "Bleeding Love". Its U.S. release is scheduled for June 17, 2008.

The single was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download on 9 March 2008, with a physical release on the following day, in aid of Sport Relief.[3][4][5] The song was remixed for the single release.[6] The day after the release of the album, the song charted on the iTunes hot 100 songs, debuting at number 15. "Better in Time" was BBC Radio 2's record of the week from 11 February 2008.[7][8]

Contents

[edit] Promotion

Leona Lewis performed the song live on Dancing on Ice on 9 March 2008.[9] Lewis also performed both sides of the single on BBC 1's Sport Relief on 14th March as well as on Good Morning America on 4 April 2008 and Jimmy Kimmel Live! along with "Bleeding Love".

[edit] Reception

In its review of the album, The Korea Times described "Better in Time" as "one of the best tracks [on the album] with impressive piano sounds harmoni[s]ed with her powerful vocals."[10] However, single reviews were less favourable, with Digital Spy calling it a "placid affair" with "its plinky-plonky piano and R&B groove resting uncomfortably next to Lewis's creamy vocal style".[11] The Manchester Evening News gave the single two stars, describing the song as "a smooth R&B, Mariah Carey-style break up song".[12] The BBC's reviewer described "Better in Time" as "very pretty and seems extremely nice in a generational-gap-transcending manner but doesn't actually do anything."[13]

[edit] Chart performance

"Better in Time"/"Footprints in the Sand" debuted at number seventy-four on the UK Singles Chart on February 24, three weeks before its physical release, but fell out of the chart the following week. "Better in Time" debuted at number thirty-eight as its own single, and reached a peak position of number twenty-three. It debuted at number thirty-four on the RIANZ Chart on March 17 2008, eventually climbing to number-nine in five weeks, and by its sixth week had climbed to number-six, thereby becoming her second consecutive top 10 hit in New Zealand.

When the physical single was released, the double A-side single jumped twenty-one places to number-two on the UK Singles Chart. It sold 40,476 copies and was held off the top spot by "Mercy" by Duffy, which sold 302 copies more.[14] The double a-side eventually sold 182,075.

In April 2008, "Better in Time" debuted at number twenty-four on the US Hot Digital Songs Chart, and entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the chart week of 26 April 2008 at number sixty-two as a result of the digital downloads which accumalated in the week of Spirit's North American release before dropping out of the chart the following week.[15] The song also peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Pop 100.[16]

It has so far peaked at number nineteen on the United World Chart, with a total of 986,000 points to date.

[edit] Music video

Lewis performing in the music video for "Better in Time".
Lewis performing in the music video for "Better in Time".

The music video for "Better in Time" was filmed at Hampton Court House School in London by acclaimed British director Sophie Muller in February 2008.[17][18] Lewis stated in an interview that part of the video was shot in Los Angeles.[19] The video is inspired by fashion design, and features Lewis performing in front of "unrelated photographic set-ups",[20] and showing what goes on behind the scenes.[19] Parts of the video also feature Lewis with a horse.[21][22][23] The video premiered on Lewis's YouTube channel on 29 February 2008 and was re-uploaded on 3 March.[24]

[edit] Formats and track listings

CD single

  1. "Better in Time" (Single Mix) (Jonathan Rotem, Andrea Martin) – 3:54
  2. "Footprints in the Sand" (Single Mix) (Richard Page, Per Magnusson, David Kreuger, Simon Cowell) – 3:58
  3. "You Bring Me Down" (Salaam Remi, Taj Jackson, Leona Lewis) - 3:54

[edit] Release history

Region Date Label Format
Republic of Ireland 7 March 2008 Syco Music CD single, digital download
United Kingdom 9 March 2008 Digital download
10 March 2008 CD single
Europe 11 April 2008 Sony BMG CD single, digital download
Australia 19 April 2008[25] Sony BMG CD single, digital download
Germany 30 May 2008 Sony BMG CD single, digital download
United States 15 July 2008[26] Sony BMG CD single, digital download

[edit] Charts

[edit] "Better in Time"/"Footprints in the Sand"

Chart (2008) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[27] 2
European Hot 100 Singles[28] 8

[edit] "Better in Time"

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[29] 6
Austrian Singles Chart[29] 6
Belgium Single Chart (Flanders)[29] 23
Bulgarian National Top 40[29] 1
Canadian Hot 100 24
Danish Singles Chart[29] 3
Dutch Top 40[29] 15
Finnish Singles Chart[29] 13
German Singles Chart[29] 5
Irish Singles Chart 4
Italian Singles Chart[30] 6
Israeli Singles Chart 15
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart[31] 6
Norwegian Singles Chart[29] 19
Polish National Top 50[32] 3
Romanian Top 100[33] 6
Swedish Singles Chart[34] 20
Swiss Singles Chart[29] 6
Euro 200 Single & Tracks 8
Ukrainian Singles Chart[35] 40
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[36] 62
U.S. Billboard Pop 100 45
United World Chart[37] 19
Preceded by
"Mercy" by Duffy		 Bulgarian National Top 40 number-one single
April 27 - May 4, 2008		 Succeeded by
"4 Minutes" by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland

[edit] References

  1. ^ (2007) Album notes for Spirit by Leona Lewis [CD album]. Sony BMG (88697185262).
  2. ^ New single announcement!. LeonaLewisMusic.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
  3. ^ "Sign up for the Sport Relief Mile", BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-01-19. 
  4. ^ "Stars out in force for Sport Relief", What's On TV, 2008-01-15. Retrieved on 2008-01-19. 
  5. ^ "Leona reveals new single details", Digital Spy, 2008-01-30. Retrieved on 2008-01-30. 
  6. ^ "New single announcement", Leona Lewis mailing list (2008-02-01). Retrieved on 2008-02-01.
  7. ^ LATEST RECORDS OF THE WEEK - 11 February 2008. BBC. Retrieved on 2008-02-07.
  8. ^ "Radio news", Sony BMG, 2008-02-08. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  9. ^ "Leona Lewis' blades of glory", The Sun, 2008-02-29. Retrieved on 2008-02-29. 
  10. ^ "Album Reviews", The Korea Times, 2008-01-22. Retrieved on 2008-01-29. 
  11. ^ Fletcher, Alex. "Leona Lewis: 'Better In Time' / 'Footprints In The Sand'", Digital Spy. Retrieved on [[2008-03-09]]. 
  12. ^ Walters, Sarah. "Leona Lewis - Better In Time/Footprints In The Sand (BMG)", Manchester Evening News, 2008-03-06. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. 
  13. ^ Leona Lewis - 'Better In Time'. BBC (2008-03-06). Retrieved on 2008-03-08.
  14. ^ Digital Spy (2008-03-16). "Duffy holds Leona off number one spot". Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  15. ^ Billboard Hot 100 - Music Charts
  16. ^ Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales
  17. ^ Better in Time - behind the scenes. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  18. ^ Grammy Party!. LeonaLewisMusic.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-02-11.
  19. ^ a b Leona Lewis. Interview with Jo Whiley. Live Lounge. 2008-02-14. (Interview). Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  20. ^ Allen, Liam. "Lewis makes footprints in States", BBC News, 2008-02-15. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 
  21. ^ Harmsworth, Andrei. "Leona saddles up for chart success", Metro, 2008-02-15. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 
  22. ^ Lyons, Beveryley; Sutherland, Laura. "Brits Favourite Leona Lewis Is Back In the Saddle", Daily Record, 2008-02-15. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 
  23. ^ "Glamorous Leona Lewis horses around on the set of her new video", Daily Mail, 2008-02-15. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 
  24. ^ YouTube - Leona Lewis Better in Time
  25. ^ BETTER IN TIME (LEWIS, LEONA): Music: Herald Sun HiT
  26. ^ []
  27. ^ Leona Lewis - Better In Time / Footprints In The Sand. Onet.pl Blog. Retrieved on 2008-03-15.
  28. ^ European Hot 100 Singles. Billboard. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Better In Time aCharts. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  30. ^ Classifica
  31. ^ NZ Charts
  32. ^ Euro 200
  33. ^ "Romanian Top 100" Please see "Issue 21" of the year 2008
  34. ^ swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal
  35. ^ [1]
  36. ^ http://pulsemusic.proboards48.com/index.cgi?board=gmn&action=display&thread=58959&page=6
  37. ^ Global Track Chart
v • d • e
Leona Lewis
Albums
Singles
Related articles