| "Stay" | |
|---|---|
| Song byPost Malone | |
| from the albumBeerbongs & Bentleys | |
| Studio | Henson (Hollywood, California) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:28 |
| Label | Republic |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers |
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"Stay" is a song by American musicianPost Malone from his second studio albumBeerbongs & Bentleys (2018). He wrote and produced it withAndrew Watt, withLouis Bell also receiving a writing credit. The song is an acoustic ballad with lyrics that center on a failing relationship.
Post Malone andAndrew Watt started to work on "Stay" after the singer expressed his wish to createfolk music and uselive instrumentation.[1] They met up at theHenson Recording Studios inLos Angeles where they wrote the song together.[2] While recording itsinstrumental, they played twoguitars at the same time, with Watt using a 1946Martin O-18 and Malone using a 1953Gibson J-45.[1]
Theworking title of the song was "George Forever", a reference toGeorge Harrison. Before the release ofBeerbongs & Bentleys, they decided to change the title to "Stay".[1]
"Stay" is anacousticballad.[3] It is composed in thekey ofC major, with atempo of 86 beats per minute. Malone's vocals span fromC3 toG4.[4]Billboard said of the track that it has a "1970s AM radio vibe"[3] and described it as "a hybrid ofBritpop melody and emo bloodiness".[5] Writing forThe Line of Best Fit, Ross Horton described the song's genre ascountry folk.[6]
The lyrics center on a falling relationship.[7] Larry Bartleet ofNME noted that Malone also sings about his bad habits and their effects, comparing this record to "Feeling Whitney", a bonus track from the artist's first studio albumStoney.[8]
On April 4, 2018, a preview of "Stay" was posted onYahoo! Entertainment's website.[9] Later that day, Malone performed it on stage for the first time during a live show played inNashville, Tennessee as part ofBud Light's Dive Bar tour. The performance was simultaneouslylive streamed online.[10]
On February 10, 2019, Malone performed a three-songs medley during the61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony. He started by performing "Stay" on the main stage while playing an acoustic guitar. It was followed by a solo rendition of "Rockstar" performed by the singer in a smokey tunnel. He carried on by joining theRed Hot Chili Peppers on the main stage for a joint performance of the band's 2016 single "Dark Necessities".[11]
Writing forVanity Fair, Erin Vanderhoof praised the song's lyrics, calling "Stay" a "testament to Malone's skills as a songwriter".[12] Beth Smith ofMelodic, wrote that it is "lyrically one of the strongest tracks of the album" and thought that it helped showcasing the singer's vocal ability.[13]
In the US, "Stay" debuted at 17 on theBillboard Hot 100 songs chart dated May 12, 2018. It was one of the singer's nine entries on the chart's top 20 that week, making him the singer with the most simultaneous top 20 songs, surpassing the record formerly held byThe Beatles andJ. Cole.[14] On March 13, 2019, "Stay" was certified platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for track-equivalent sales of one million units.[15]
A cover of "Stay" was recorded by Australian pop rock band5 Seconds of Summer and released in August 2018 forSpotify Singles alongside a toned-down version of their own single "Lie to Me".[16] Most of the vocals were provided by Luke Hemmings and Michael Clifford. The band's drummer Ashton Irwin explained onTwitter that they chose to cover this song because they find it "beautifully written", comparing it to the work of The Beatles.[17]
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[18] | 30 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] | 65 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] | 15 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[21] | 51 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten)[22] | 38 |
| Greece (IFPI)[23] | 39 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[24] | 16 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] | 66 |
| Netherlands (Tipparade)[26] | 15 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[27] | 20 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[28] | 37 |
| Portugal (AFP)[29] | 20 |
| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[30] | 24 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[31] | 46 |
| UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[32] | 21 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[33] | 17 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[34] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[35] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[36] | 3× Platinum | 240,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[37] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP)[38] | Platinum | 10,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[39] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[15] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
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