What Kind of Man (Florence and the Machine song)

"What Kind of Man"
Nicolas Jaar's remix artwork
Single by Florence and the Machine
from the album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Released	12 February 2015
Format	Digital download 12" vinyl
Genre	Garage rock[1] blues[2] pop[3]
Length	3:36
Label	Island
Writer(s)	Florence Welch Kid Harpoon John Hill
Producer(s)	Markus Dravs
Florence and the Machine singles chronology
"Lover to Lover" (2012) "What Kind of Man" (2015) "Ship to Wreck" (2015)

"What Kind of Man" is a song by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, written by Florence Welch, Kid Harpoon and John Hill,^[4][5] and produced by Markus Dravs. On 12 February 2015, it was released as the lead single from the band's third studio album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.^[6][7] The music video for the song was directed by Vincent Haycock and choreographed by Ryan Heffington, and premiered the same day.^[8] "What Kind of Man" is a blues-pop song.^[9] Vulture's Dee Lockett called it a "fiery rocker."^[10] "What Kind of Man" received two Grammy nominations, for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.

Composition

According to lead vocalist Florence Welch, the song represents a new guitar-driven sonic direction for the band. "It's got very loud guitars and that was very fun to record actually," she said in an interview. "Trying to get exactly the right tone of guitar - I never realised how complicated that is. It took us forever.... Every day there'd be a different guitar sound. We ended up layering with three different guitar sounds, one on top of the other, in order to create this one song."^[11]

The song builds slowly and breaks into heavy beat with tambourine and bass drum, and then becomes a textured pop song with heavy brass arrangements.^[9] The song lyrically focuses on an indecisive man who wronged her.^[9][10]

Music video

The video is a short film, that includes dialogue about the unifying power of tragedy in a relationship between a couple as they drive down a country road. Scenes of the couple driving at various points in their relationship are interspersed with examples of the woman and her relationships with different men, often taking on a smothering quality. The woman later is the centre of religious rituals that involve her being lifted by several men, including her love interest, speaking in tongues, baptism and exorcism.

Critical reception

"What Kind of Man" received universal acclaim from music critics. NME critic Al Horner wrote "It’s the perfect prelude to a song that, amid a fierce churn of arena-filling guitars and orchestral-pop grandeur, deals with the physical weight of sadness, where even basic human connection can feel like “trying to cross a canyon with a broken limb,” as Welch coos. “You were on the other side, like always, wondering what to do with life,” she sings to her "holy fool" of a lover, complaining at being left to “dangle at a cruel angle” in angry limbo. Despite it all, she holds for him "a fire of devotion that lasts for twenty years." Musically, it’s big. Wagnerian backing vocals and horn blasts turn ‘What Kind Of Man’ into a spectacle worthy of her new festival headliner status".^[12]

Commercial performance

The song debuted at number 57 on the UK Singles Chart.^[13] It later peaked at number 37.^[14] The song is currently peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart tying with their 2010 hit, "Dog Days Are Over", as their highest charting single.

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[15]	16
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16]	52
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17]	50
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[18]	1
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[19]	37
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20]	46
Canada Rock (Billboard)[21]	6
France (SNEP)[22]	74
Ireland (IRMA)[23]	31
Italy (FIMI)[24]	86
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25]	34
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[26]	44
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27]	42
UK Singles (Official Chart Company)[14]	37
US Billboard Hot 100[28]	88
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[29]	7
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[30]	7
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[31]	1
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[32]	8

References

1. "Florence and the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful". The 405. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
2. "AllMusic Review by James Christopher Monger". Allmusic. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
3. "Florence + The Machine: How Big How Blue How Beautiful Album Review". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
4. "Florence + The Machine Release Video for "What Kind Of Man" – Co-Written by John Hill & Kid Harpoon". THREEE. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
5. "Writers of What Kind of Man as shown in the official audio file: Florence Welch, Tom Hull & John Hill". iTunes. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
6. Gibsone, Harriet (12 February 2015). "Florence and The Machine announce details of new album, How Big How Blue How Beautiful". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
7. Copsey, Rob (12 February 2015). "Florence + The Machine reveal new album tracklisting, unveil single What Kind Of Man". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
8. Carley, Brennan (12 February 2015). "Florence + the Machine Announce Third Album, 'How Big How Blue How Beautiful'". Spin. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
9. Grow, Kory (12 February 2015). "Florence and the Machine Announce New Album 'How Big How Blue How Beautiful'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
10. Lockett, Dee (12 February 2015). "Florence and the Machine’s New Song Is Pretty Fierce". Vulture.com. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
11. "Hear: Florence + The Machine debut new single 'What Kind Of Man'". Triple J. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
12. "Florence + The Machine Wrestle With Melancholy On Triumphant Comeback Single 'What Kind Of Man' - First Listen Review". February 13, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
13. "Official Singles Chart UK Top 100 - 21st February 2015". Official Chart Company. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
14. "Florence & The Machine". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
15. "Australian-charts.com – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
16. "Austriancharts.at – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
17. "Ultratop.be – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
18. "Ultratop.be – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
19. "Ultratop.be – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
20. "Florence + The Machine – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Florence + The Machine. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
21. "Florence + The Machine – Chart history" Billboard Canada Rock for Florence + The Machine. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
22. "Lescharts.com – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
23. "Chart Track: Week 8, 2015". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
24. "Top Digital - Classifica settimanale WK 10 (dal 2015-03-02 al 2015-03-08)". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
25. "Charts.org.nz – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
26. "Spanishcharts.com – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
27. "Swisscharts.com – Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
28. "Florence + The Machine – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Florence + The Machine. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
29. "Florence + The Machine – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Florence + The Machine. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
30. "Florence + The Machine – Chart history" Billboard Rock Airplay for Florence + The Machine. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
31. "Florence + The Machine – Chart history" Billboard Adult Alternative Songs for Florence + The Machine. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
32. "Florence + The Machine – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for Florence + The Machine. Retrieved 11 April 2015.