The Nights

"The Nights"
Single by Avicii
from the album The Days / Nights EP and Stories
Released	1 December 2014
Format	CD digital download
Recorded	2014
Genre	Progressive house folktronica
Length	2:56 6:34 (extended mix)
Label	PRMD Universal
Writer(s)	Gabriel Benjamin Tim Bergling John Feldmann Nicholas Furlong Jordan Suecof
Producer(s)	Avicii Arash Pournouri
Avicii singles chronology
"Divine Sorrow" (2014) "The Nights" (2014) "I'll Be Gone" (2015)

"The Nights" is a song by Swedish DJ and music producer Avicii. It features uncredited vocals by American recording artist Nicholas Furlong, who co-wrote the song with Jordan Suecof, Gabriel Benjamin and John Feldmann. On 1 December 2014, it was released as a digital download by PRMD Music and Universal Island on Avicii's The Days / Nights, then on 11 January 2015 in the United Kingdom.^[1] The song peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and number 1 on the UK Dance Chart. On 23 January 2015, Avicii released "The Nights (Avicii by Avicii)", his own remix of the song.^[2] The song appears on the UK version of Avicii's second studio album Stories (2015).

Background

Furlong noted that he began writing the song as an ode to his father. The inspiration for the “pirate-y fight song” sound came to him while at a bar in Ireland. Furlong recalled:

"I had been going back and forth with Jordan and Gabe about this song idea that merged commercially sound rock music with the signature sound of an Irish drinking song. When I returned to Los Angeles we all went into the studio. As soon as Gabe began playing the guitar riff everything just sort of clicked."

Furlong sent the original idea, titled "My Father Told Me", to Arash Pournouri, Avicii's manager. Pournouri recognised an immediate draw to the track, saying that the song had that same sense of euphoria which characterises so much of Avicii's music. In an interview with Yahoo! Music, Pournouri said: "It made absolute sense to work on it with Ras...[Avicii and I just needed] to make it more 'us' and that's what [we] did."

Like his previous hits "Wake Me Up" and "Hey Brother", "The Nights" is a progressive house song containing elements of folk rock. It is written in the key of F#.^[3]

Music video

On 1 December 2014, a lyric video to accompany the release of "The Nights" was released on YouTube.

On 15 December 2014, the official music video for "The Nights" was released on YouTube and premiered on the front page of Yahoo Music. The video was produced, directed by, and stars "professional life liver" Rory Kramer, who filmed an exuberant action-packed recollection of his own life on roller coasters, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, balloon flying, etc. – living a life to be remembered.^[4][5]

Credits and personnel

Recording

• Recorded at Foxy Studios, Los Angeles, California

Personnel

• Songwriting – Nicholas Furlong, Gabriel Benjamin, Jordan Suecof, John Feldmann, Tim Bergling
• Production – Avicii
• Co-production – Ash Pournouri
• Vocals – Nicholas Furlong
• Engineering and vocal production – Zakk Cervini
• Acoustic guitar – Colin Brittain
• Lap steel guitar – Will Carter
• Live drums – Jordan Suecof
• Additional vocals — The Mighty Riot

Uses in popular culture

"The Nights" was featured on the soundtrack of the EA Sports video game FIFA 15.

The song was also used during Sportscenter's 'Images of 2014' segment on ESPN, recapping the year's best moments in sports.

"The Nights" will be featured on the soundtrack of the video game WRC 5.

It has been the goal song of the Carolina Hurricanes since the 2015–16 season, and the victory song of the New York Rangers since the 2015–16 season.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2014–15) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 9 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 6 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[9] 29 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] 43 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[11] 22 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[12] 9 Denmark (Tracklisten)[13] 22 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] 6 France (SNEP)[15] 79 Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 19 Hungary (Dance Top 40)[17] 8 Hungary (Single Top 40)[18] 21 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 7 Italy (FIMI)[20] 19 Japan (ZIP Dance Hits 20)[21] 5 Lebanon (Lebanese Top 20)[22] 18 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 19 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 20 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 12 Norway (VG-lista)[26] 3 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[27] 4 Poland (Dance Top 50)[28] 36 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[29] 22 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[30] 10 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[31] 17 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 17 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[34] 6 UK Dance (Official Charts Company)[35] 1 US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[36] 10 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[37] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position Australia (ARIA)[38] 45 Germany (Official German Charts)[39] 81 Italy (FIMI)[40] 59 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[41] 41 Poland (ZPAV)[42] 45 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[43] 30 Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Australia (ARIA)[44] Gold 35,000 Italy (FIMI)[45] Platinum 50,000 New Zealand (RMNZ)[46] Gold 7,500 Sweden (GLF)[47] Platinum 40,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Platinum 600,000 United States (RIAA)[49] Gold 500,000 ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone sales/streaming figures based on certification alone

References

1. "iTunes - Music - The Nights - Single by Avicii". iTunes.
2. Your EDM Staff. "Avicii Remixes Avicii's Latest Single - Your EDM". Your EDM.
3. "See It First: Avicii's Euphoric New Video, 'The Nights'". yahoo.com. 15 December 2014.
4. "Avicii - The Nights (Official Video)". Retrieved 2015-01-01.
5. "See It First: Avicii's Euphoric New Video, 'The Nights'". Retrieved 2015-01-01.
6. "Australian-charts.com – Avicii – The Nights". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
7. "Austriancharts.at – Avicii – The Nights" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
8. "Ultratop.be – Avicii – The Nights" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
9. "Ultratop.be – Avicii – The Nights" (in French). Ultratop 50.
10. "Avicii – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Avicii.
11. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201505 into search.
12. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201450 into search.
13. "Danishcharts.com – Avicii – The Nights". Tracklisten.
14. "Avicii: The Nights" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
15. "Lescharts.com – Avicii – The Nights" (in French). Les classement single.
16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Avicii – The Nights". GfK Entertainment Charts.
17. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
18. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 2015-03-05.
19. "Chart Track: Week 5, 2015". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
20. "Italiancharts.com – Avicii – The Nights". Top Digital Download.
21. "ZIP DANCE HITS 20". zip-fm.co.jp.
22. "The Official Lebanese Top 20 - Avicii". The Official Lebanese Top 20. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
23. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Avicii search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
24. "Dutchcharts.nl – Avicii – The Nights" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
25. "Charts.org.nz – Avicii – The Nights". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
26. "Norwegiancharts.com – Avicii – The Nights". VG-lista.
27. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
28. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Dance Top 50. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
29. "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201507 into search.
30. "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201501 into search.
31. "Spanishcharts.com – Avicii – The Nights" Canciones Top 50.
32. "Swedishcharts.com – Avicii – The Nights". Singles Top 100.
33. "Swisscharts.com – Avicii – The Nights". Swiss Singles Chart.
34. "Archive Chart: 2015-02-14" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
35. "Archive Chart: 2015-02-14" UK Dance Chart. Retrieved 2015-01-25.
36. "Avicii – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs for Avicii.
37. "Avicii – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Avicii.
38. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2015". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
39. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
40. "Classifiche “Top of the Music” 2015 FIMI-GfK: La musica italiana in vetta negli album e nei singoli digitali" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
41. "Top Selling Singles of 2015". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2015-12-25.
42. "Airplay – podsumowanie 2015 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
43. "The Official Top 40 Biggest Songs of 2015 revealed". Retrieved 4 January 2016.
44. Ryan, Gavin (14 February 2015). "ARIA Singles: Paul McCartney Scores First No 1 In 37 Years". Noise11. Retrieved 2015-02-14.
45. "Italian single certifications – Avicii – The Nights" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 2015-06-19. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Avicii in the field Filtra. Select 2015 in the field Anno. The certification will load automatically
46. "New Zealand single certifications – Avicii – The Nights". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2015-03-06.
47. "Avicii - The Nights" (in Swedish). Grammofon Leverantörernas Förening. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
48. "BPI Certified Awards". 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-08.
49. "American single certifications – Avicii – The Nights". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH