Break Up with Him

"Break Up with Him"
Single by Old Dominion
from the album Meat and Candy
Released	January 20, 2015
Format	Digital download
Recorded	2014–15
Genre	Bro-country
Length	3:28
Label	ReeSmack RCA Nashville
Writer(s)	Matthew Ramsey Trevor Rosen Whit Sellers Geoff Sprung Brad Tursi
Producer(s)	Shane McAnally
Old Dominion singles chronology
"Shut Me Up" (2014) "Break Up with Him" (2015) "Snapback" (2016)

"Break Up with Him" is a song by American country music group Old Dominion. It is their first official release for RCA Nashville.

Release history

Before the song was released as the second single from the band's debut EP, it gained popularity after receiving airplay on the satellite Sirius XM Radio's "The Highway" channel in late 2014. The band released the song on the independent label ReeSmack to radio on January 20, 2015.^[1] The band became signed to RCA Nashville in late February 2015,^[2] and the song was re-released on May 11, 2015 as an RCA single release. All five members of the band wrote the song, and Shane McAnally produced it.^[3]

Critical reception

Giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars, Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal wrote that the song "is mellow and distinct" and that "Their sound is crisp and unique, which stands out by a mile on the country radio airwaves."^[4] Jason Scott of AXS found the song's "hip-hop phrasing and definitive rock overtones" has comparable charm to Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line. He also thought that the song, "on its own merits of structure and quality, stands alone in the face of country music's other superstar groups", the band "have a different kind of spark that blazes through on this track."^[5] On its story told on the song of a man trying to seduce a girl over the phone, Billy Dukes of Taste of Country called it "wonderful selfishness" and praised its "refreshing boldness".^[6]

Commercial performance

The song became available for download with the release of the Old Dominion EP on 7 October 2014. It initially gained airplay on the Sirius XM radio stations and reached No. 1 on its chart, "The Highway" Hot 45 Countdown, at the end of 2014, 11 weeks after the song became available.^[7][8] It entered the Hot Country Songs chart at No. 58 for chart dated January 16, 2015, and entered the Hot Country Song chart at No. 50 two weeks later. The early sales were mainly due to SiriusXM airplay. The song began to gain traction on other radio stations, and rose steadily on the chart. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 99 for chart dated July 25, 2015. It reached No. 1 on Country Airplay for chart dated November 14, 2015,^[9] and peaked at Hot 100 at No. 44 the same week.

The EP was certified Gold by the RIAA on September 23, 2015.^[10] The song has sold 719,000 copies in the US as of May 2016.^[11]

Music video

The song's music video was released on July 9, 2015. Directed by Steve Condon, the video pays homage to the 1985 movie Back to the Future, with lead singer Matt Ramsey as Marty McFly.^[12]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2015) Peak position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13] 53 Canada Country (Billboard)[14] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 44 US Country Airplay (Billboard)[16] 1 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[17] 3 Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position US Country Airplay (Billboard)[18] 7 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[19] 11

Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Canada (Music Canada)[20] Gold 40,000 United States (RIAA)[21] Gold 719,000[11] ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

1. Matt Bjorke (January 20, 2015). "Old Dominion Releases “Break Up With Him” To Radio". Roughstock.
2. Alanna Conaway (March 2, 2015), "Old Dominion Signs With RCA Nashville", Roughstock
3. Bjorke, Matt (11 May 2015). "Old Dominion Releases “Break Up With Him” Via RCA". Roughstock. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
4. Papadatos, Markos (21 July 2015). "Review: Old Dominion triumph on new radio single 'Break Up with Him'". Digital Journal. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
5. Jason Scott (January 24, 2015). "Review: Old Dominion go bold with 'Break Up with Him' single". AXS.
6. = Billy Dukes (January 23, 2015). "Old Dominion, ‘Break Up With Him’ – ToC Critic’s Pick [Listen]". Taste of Country.
7. Matt Bjorke (December 22, 2014). "Old Dominion Tops The Highway’s “Hot 45 Countdown” Chart". Roughstock.
8. "Old Dominion’s “Break Up With Him” Reaches No.1 On Sirius XM’s “The Highway”". 94.5 Country.
9. Jim Asker (November 3, 2015). "Carrie Underwood Makes History With Sixth No. 1; Rhett, Hunt, Old Dominion Make Moves". Billboard.
10. "American certifications – Old Dominion – Break Up with Him". Recording Industry Association of America.
11. Bjorke, Matt (May 5, 2016). "Top 30 Digital Singles Report: May 5, 2016". Roughstock.
12. Hudak, Joseph (9 July 2015). "See Old Dominion's 'Back to the Future' Homage 'Break Up With Him'". Rolling Stone Country. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
13. "Old Dominion – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Old Dominion.
14. "Old Dominion – Chart history" Billboard Canada Country for Old Dominion.
15. "Old Dominion – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Old Dominion.
16. "Old Dominion – Chart history" Billboard Country Airplay for Old Dominion.
17. "Old Dominion – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Old Dominion.
18. "Best of 2015: Country Airplay". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
19. "Best of 2015: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
20. "Canadian single certifications – Old Dominion – Break Up with Him". Music Canada. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
21. "American single certifications – Old Dominion – Break Up with Him". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 12, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH