| "So Yesterday" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byHilary Duff | ||||
| from the albumMetamorphosis | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | July 14, 2003 (2003-07-14) | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 3:35 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | The Matrix | |||
| Hilary Duff singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "So Yesterday" onYouTube | ||||
"So Yesterday" is a song by American singerHilary Duff for her second studio album,Metamorphosis (2003). It was written and produced byThe Matrix (a production team consisting ofLauren Christy,Scott Spock and Graham Edwards), with additional writing fromCharlie Midnight. The song is influenced bypop rock music, and the lyrics chronicle the protagonist getting over a breakup with her boyfriend, declaring him as "so yesterday". The song received mixed reviews from music critics, with some of them noting its close similarity toAvril Lavigne's works, while others named it one of Duff's best songs.
"So Yesterday" premiered onAOL Music's "First Listen" on June 27, 2003. It was serviced tomainstream radio in the United States on July 14, 2003. The song became Duff's first single to chart in the USBillboard Hot 100 where it reached number 42. It was more successful outside the US, reaching the top 40 in most countries it charted, peaking at number two in Canada, number six in Ireland, number eight in Australia and France, and number nine on theUK Singles Chart; in Australia the song was certified platinum.
The song was accompanied by a music video, directed byChris Applebaum, which showed Duff playing a prank on her ex-boyfriend. It was successful on various music video channels likeMTV andMuchMusic. Duff performed the song on her Metamorphosis Tour and has since performed it on all her concert tours. The song is also featured on the compilationsMost Wanted (2005),4Ever Hilary (2006) andBest of Hilary Duff (2008), and the 2009 music video gameBand Hero.
Although Hilary Duff recorded songs like "I Can't Wait", "Why Not" and "What Dreams Are Made Of", which received substantial airplay onRadio Disney,[1] executives atBuena Vista Music Group, Duff's record label, planned to help her reach a more mature audience.[1] So, Andre Recke, an executive at Buena Vista, along with Duff and her mother Susan Duff, enlisted the songwriting and production teamThe Matrix (consisting ofLauren Christy,Scott Spock and Graham Edwards) to produce songs for Duff's second studio albumMetamorphosis (2003).[1] "So Yesterday" became one of three songs produced by the team for the album, and was the last song recorded for the album.[2] Duff herself has said that when she first heard the song, she did not really like it; however, her opinion changed after she listened to it more often.[3] She then decided she would give the song a "100 percent" and not comment negatively of it.[3] According to her, she "ended up loving it", stating, "It was such a fun song, and it means a lot."[3]Bob Cavallo, chairman of Buena Vista Records, said that the song was "more mature than the past work that she's done."[4]
"So Yesterday" premiered onAOL Music's "First Listen" on June 27, 2003,[5] and it drew over 500,000streams in two days.[6] It was released tomainstream radio in the United States on July 15,[7] and was the "most added" song on the format in its first two weeks of release.[8] The song is featured on all of Duff's compilations album, includingMost Wanted (2005),4ever (2006) and her greatest hits album,Best of Hilary Duff (2008). It is also featured on the 2009 music video gameBand Hero as a bonus download.[9]
Lyrically, the song talks about someone who has got over a broken relationship, declaring the partner as "so yesterday".[10] According to Duff, the song's lyrics are very empowering towards breaking up with someone and getting over it.[3] In a 2006 interview withInstinct, Duff said that people often told her that "So Yesterday" was "the ultimate post-breakup anthem".[11] She said her mother Susan Duff instilled the notion of inner strength in her, and that she wanted the music she makes to be positive. "I don't think there's very much of that out there anymore.", she said.[11] She stressed the importance of strong songs that are not all about how "a boy broke your heart and you're never going to get on your feet again", saying it was good for girls to hear.[11]
Musically, "So Yesterday" is moderately paced, with influences ofpop androck music and moves at atempo of 76bpm. The song is set in the signature ofcommon time, and is written in the key of C major.[12] The song has the sequence of Am–G–Fmaj7 as itschord progression.[12] Duff's vocal range in the song spans from the note of G3 to the note of A4.[12]
Upon its release, the song received mixed reviews from critics.[13][14]Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic gave a positive review and commented that the song sounded natural coming from a teenager like Duff. He also noted the influence ofAvril Lavigne on the song.[15]Billboard gave a mixed review, also commenting on Lavigne's influence on the song.[16] Similarly, Spence D. ofIGN Music was mixed in his review stating, "[it's] like bubblegum ice cream: smooth and sweet at first listen, but the flavor eventually wears off, leaving somewhat generic pop anthems that will most likely be forgotten by the aforementioned throngs of young girl worshippers as they age along with Duff."[17] While reviewing Duff's compilationMost Wanted, Talia Kraines ofBBC Music commented that the song was Duff's best.[18] Similarly, Sal Cinquemani ofSlant Magazine, noted the track as "kind of cute."[19] Elysa Gardner ofUSA Today gave a negative review on the song's title writing, "[That] song title may, unfortunately, prove prophetic for an artist who seems so content to merely ride the wave of the moment".[20]
"So Yesterday" debuted on theBillboard Hot 100 of August 16, 2003, at number 53 and eventually peaked at number 42.[1][21] It spent 20 weeks on the Hot 100.[1] The song topped the USBillboard Hot 100 Singles Sales chart, making Duff the first artist in four months not affiliated withAmerican Idol to top the chart.[1] The song peaked at number two inCanadian Singles Chart.[22] In Australia, the song debuted at number 39, peaked at number eight in its eighth week, and remained on the chart for 20 weeks.[23] It was the 49th-best-selling single of 2003 in Australia,[24] and was certifiedplatinum in 2004.[25] In United Kingdom, the song debuted at number nine on theUK Singles Chart.[26] The song peaked within the top 10 on the charts in other European countries such asIreland, theNetherlands, andFrance.[27][28] As of July 27, 2014, the song had sold 252,000 digital copies in the United States and has been certifiedgold by theRecording Industry Association of America for equivalent sales of 500,000 units.[29]
The music video premiered onMTV on July 24, 2003.[30] It was directed byChris Applebaum.[30] It was also featured on MTV'sMaking the Video two days after the video's premiere on July 26, 2003.[31] According to Disney Music Group chairman Bob Cavallo, care was taken to see that the video would not be offensive to Duff's young fans and parents, but would work for MTV.[32]
In the video, Duff's plays a break-up prank on her aloof boyfriend. While he is at the beach, she steals his clothes, including an orange T-shirt that reads "Everything is bigger in Texas!". She spends several days taking snapshots of strangers wearing the T-shirt and anonymously sneaking them into his mailbox. His bewilderment turns to dismay when he receives the final package returning the garment along with a picture of Duff smiling, looking back, and wearing a shirt that declares, "you're so yesterday". Throughout the whole video, Duff is shown performing the song with her band. The music video ranked at number one onTotal Request Live.[33] It was a staple onTRL UK, the UK incarnation ofTotal Request Live, reaching a peak of number four. In late August 2003 it was the most streamed music video on AOL.[34]
"So Yesterday" was performed at the31st American Music Awards in November 2003.[35] The song was also performed at the British chart programTop of the Pops in 2003. Duff performed an acoustic version of the song at Sessions@AOL and Studio Disney.[36] Apart from the live television performances, the song was performed on many of Duff's tours. "So Yesterday" was performed on every show on her Metamorphosis Tour (2003). The live acoustic performance at Sessions@AOL was taped and is featured on Duff's video compilationAll Access Pass,[36] and the performance at the Metamorphosis tour is featured on Duff's 2004 live video compilationThe Girl Can Rock.[37]
|
|
Credits and personnel are adapted from theMetamorphosis album liner notes.[38]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[25] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[58] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | July 14, 2003 | Contemporary hit radio | [59] | |
| Canada | July 29, 2003 | CD single | [60] | |
| United States | [61] | |||
| Australia | September 8, 2003 |
| [62] | |
| United Kingdom | October 20, 2003 |
| [63] | |
| Japan | October 22, 2003 | [64] | ||
| France | January 5, 2004 | [65] | ||
| Germany | March 29, 2004 | [66] |
It received mixed reviews from critics due to its similarities in tone and style to Avril Lavigne
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Compilation albums | |
| Live and video albums | |
| Singles | |
| Bibliography | |
| Retail | |
| Related |
|
