| "Love Like This" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byNatasha Bedingfield featuringSean Kingston | ||||
| from the albumPocketful of Sunshine | ||||
| B-side | "Stepping Stone" | |||
| Released | 2 October 2007 (2007-10-02) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:42 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | The Runawayz | |||
| Natasha Bedingfield singles chronology | ||||
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| Sean Kingston singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Love Like This" onYouTube | ||||
"Love Like This" is a song performed by British singerNatasha Bedingfield. It was included as the lead single of Bedingfield's second North American album,Pocketful of Sunshine, and features vocals from Jamaican-Americanreggae singerSean Kingston. The song was written by Bedingfield, Kingston,Louis Biancaniello,Rico Love,Ryan Tedder,Sam Watters, andWayne Wilkins, while production was handled by Biancaniello, Love, Tedder, and Watters under their production group, the Runawayz.[2] Its lyrics discuss finding love with a person who has "been there all your life and has always loved you, but you've never noticed it until now".[3] The official remix features vocals from rapperLil Wayne and a slightly different beat, produced byJim Jonsin.
The song was released in North America on 2 October 2007 to mixed reviews from critics. It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 7 April 2008. The song was a commercial success, reaching the top 20 on the majority of thecharts it entered, and topped theBillboardHot Dance Club Play chart in the United States.[4][5] On 12 March 2008, "Love Like This" was certifiedplatinum by theRecording Industry Association of America.[6]
In 2007, Bedingfield began writing and recording new material for her second North American albumPocketful of Sunshine.ProducerJ. R. Rotem had been working with Bedingfield on the album. Rotem introduced Bedingfield toreggae pop singer/rapperSean Kingston, who was also recording with Rotem. Bedingfield decided to work with Kingston because she "just Liked his thing".[3] In an interview withDigital Spy, she said that she respected rappers and seemed to "have a little thing with rappers" since she had previously worked withEstelle,Eve andBizarre fromD12.[3]
The song was written by Bedingfield, Kingston, Wayne Wilkins, Louis Biancaniello, Rico Love, Ryan Tedder from the bandOneRepublic, and Sam Watters—an original member of AmericanR&B groupColor Me Badd. It was also produced by Biancaniello, Love, Tedder, and Watters together as the Runawayz. The song is composed in the key ofF major and set incommon time. Bedingfield's vocals span from C4 to F5. TheAuto Tune effect is heard in a few parts of the song.[7] In the song, Bedingfield discusses finding love with a person who has always "been there all your life", but that "you've never noticed it until now". According to her, it is all about realizing how that person is actually the "love of your life".[3]
"Love Like This" received mixed reviews from critics. Chuck Taylor in a review forBillboard described the song as a "jaunty, youthful track that clears home base and should propel Nat forward",[8] while Chris Boeckmann ofStylus Magazine called it "useless" and a "dud".[9] Michael Slezak ofEntertainment Weekly found the song left him "feeling absolutely nothing". Slezak was unimpressed with the pairing of Bedingfield and Kingston, writing "it's as if two people who I'm not entirely convinced can sing got together and recorded a heavily focus-grouped song, then ran their vocals through a giant computer".[10]
In a review forAbout.com, Bill Lamb called the song "irrepressibly sunny, but forgettable".[11] In another review of the song, Lamb wrote that Kingston's vocals "serve no purpose other than providing an extra element for the single's marketing campaign".[12]
"Love Like This" debuted at number 19 on theBillboardBubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[13] The following week the song rose to number four,[14] before debuting on theHot 100 chart at number 94.[4] Fifteen weeks later "Love Like This" reached number 11.[4] The song did well on pop-oriented charts, reaching number 10 on thePop 100 chart and number 10 on theTop 40 Mainstream chart.[15] The single had crossover success in thedance charts, where it reached number one on theHot Dance Club Play chart and number 17 on theHot Dance Airplay chart.[5] The song has sold over one milliondigital downloads and has been certifiedplatinum by theRecording Industry Association of America.[6]
Elsewhere, "Love Like This" was largely successful, reaching number nine in Canada and number five in New Zealand.[4] In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 27 on 25 March 2008.[16] Four weeks later, it reached number 20 and remained on the singles chart for seven weeks.[4]
Themusic video was directed byGil Green and produced by Merge @ Crossroads.[17] Filmed inLos Angeles,California, the video features Bedingfield reuniting with a love from her past.[18] The video begins with Bedingfield singing in a park. She then meets up with a boyfriend (played by model Josh Slack) from her past. The two then remember the good times they had together while sitting on apicnic bench. The video concludes with Bedingfield singing and dancing at ahouse party. Scenes of Kingston in front of an ice cream truck and at the house party are intercut throughout the video.
The video premiered on Bedingfield's official US website on 27 October 2007.[19] In 2008, the video reached number two onVH1'sVSpot Top 20 Countdown in the United States.[6]
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Love Like This".
US vinyl single
Digital download single
Digital EP
| German CD single
German Maxi-CD single
UK CD single
|
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[41] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[42] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2 October 2007 | Contemporary hit radio | Epic | |
| United Kingdom | 17 March 2008 | Digital download | Phonogenic | |
| Germany | 4 April 2008 | Sony BMG | ||
| United Kingdom | 7 April 2008 | CD | Phonogenic |
