Sledgehammer (Fifth Harmony song)

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"Sledgehammer"
Single by Fifth Harmony
from the album Reflection
Released October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28)
Format Digital download
Recorded 2014
Genre
Length 3:52
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Fifth Harmony singles chronology
"Boss"
(2014)		 "Sledgehammer"
(2014)		 "Worth It"
(2015)
Music video
"Sledgehammer" on YouTube

"Sledgehammer" is a song recorded by American girl group Fifth Harmony. It was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor and Sean Douglas, and was produced by both Jeberg and Harvey Mason, Jr.. It was released on October 28, 2014 as the second single from their debut studio album Reflection (2015). It is a synthpop and electronic dance song about strong feelings for someone that are hard to ignore.

"Sledgehammer" garnered generally positive reviews from critics, many of whom credited the production and Trainor's lyrics for crafting a song that's both catchy and shows genre diversity in the group's repertoire. Others thought that it paled in comparison with their previous single "Boss" and was average at best. The song peaked at number 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it their first top 40 entry. It also appeared on the US Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Pop Songs charts at numbers 21 and 36 respectively. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 26, 2015, along with "Boss" and "Worth It". In Canada, it reached a peak of number 63 on the Canadian Hot 100.

An accompanying music video for the song, choreographed and directed by Fatima Robinson, was released on the band's Vevo page. They first performed the song live at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards pre-show and would make later appearances on Good Morning America, Access Hollywood Live, The Talk, the Today Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Background

Meghan Trainor performing on stage with blue stage lighting shining upon her
Meghan Trainor (pictured) wrote "Sledgehammer" for Fifth Harmony.[1]

On October 23, 2014, Fifth Harmony announced "Sledgehammer" as the second single from their debut album, Reflection, during a live stream event.[2] The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor, and Sean Douglas, and produced by Jeberg and Harvey Mason, Jr..[1][3] It’s about the kind of love that just can’t be contained and forces you to let go.[2] On the behind-the-scenes of the song's music video, they said they "decided to with 'Sledgehammer' for our second single because our album has such a variety of sounds, and we all like completely different genres... the transition from 'Boss' to 'Sledgehammer' just shows how eclectic our sound is. And it's a relatable concept, just being with the person that you like, and feeling your heart beat like a sledgehammer."[4]

Reception

Critical reception

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard gave a positive review saying, "Fifth Harmony's second offering from its upcoming debut is already known as 'the single written by Meghan Trainor,' who nailed this girl-group track. With an EDM-meets-new-wave beat and an immediate hook, 'Sledgehammer' is the best pop track about the physical effects of lovesickness since Demi Lovato's 'Heart Attack'."[5]

Mike Wass of Idolator called it "a sugary sweet synth-pop anthem with serious radio appeal".[3] Jessica Hyndman of MTV gave a positive review saying, "'Sledgehammer' takes on a fun pop vibe, vastly different from the girls’ hip-hop banger 'Bo[ss]' and last year’s 'Miss Movin’ On'".[2] Teen Vogue called it their "favorite song the girl group's released....ever". Lucas Villa of AXS favorably compared the song to Ciara's "Overdose" and added that "'Sledgehammer' fittingly sounds like it could be [Fifth Harmony's] true breakthrough."[6] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly stated on a positive review referring to the chorus' lyrics that "if that troublesome heart rate is the secret to creating club-ready delights like this, may they never get that checked out."[7]

Carolyn Menyes of Music Times gave a mixed-negative review of the song saying, "Fifth Harmony didn't get its band name randomly - these girls can meld their five distinctive voices perfectly. The resulting chorus makes for a sparkling, jangling and endearing musical moment. As for the rest of the song, 'Sledgehammer' falls completely into average territory. The mid-tempo pop ballad lacks the pizazz and sass of lead Reflection single 'BO$$' and, thankfully, it moves away from the slang-friendly and kitschy sampler song 'Them Girls Be Like'. There's something distinctly '80s about 'Sledgehammer,' be it the heavy hand of the synth or the perfectly melded melodies. If there were only a more interesting melody to really bump this song up, it could have been star status".[8]

Commercial performance

Upon release, "Sledgehammer" debuted on the US Mainstream Top 40 at number 28, and peaked at number 21 on December 25, 2014, becoming their highest position on the chart and surpassing their first single "Miss Movin' On".[9] The song went on to spend three non-consecutive weeks at its peak position so far. On December 4, 2014, the song debuted at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100. It rose to a peak of 40 on its fifth week on the chart with week sales of 85,000, marking Fifth Harmony's best week sales as well as their highest charting single and first Top 40 hit.[10] However, it has since been surpassed by "Worth It" which peaked at number 12 and "Work From Home" which peaked at number 6.[11] On June 26, 2015, "Sledgehammer" was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States.[12]

Awards and nominations

"Sledgehammer" was nominated for Choice Love Song at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards. The song lost to One Direction's single, Night Changes.[13]

Music video

The music video was uploaded to Fifth Harmony's official Vevo account on November 25, 2014. It was directed and choreographed by Fatima Robinson, who also directed the music video for "Boss". Scenes in the video include a swing set, an unicorn sculpture, and a silhouetted man swinging a sledgehammer. All while the girls of Fifth Harmony are dressed in colorful dresses and silky hair.[14] On November 21, 2014, MTV released an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of "Sledgehammer".[15] On April 20, 2016, the music video for "Sledgehammer" earned the group their fourth Vevo Cerfified award for amassing over 100 million views.

Synopsis

The members of Fifth Harmony portray themselves as silhouettes dancing in a background of blue and white shades.

The video begins the ladies of Fifth Harmony standing in a background of white and blue shades, where Camila claps her hands and the screen goes dark. The girls are now sitting in a pyramid stair, where Camila is moving her hands in rhythm of the song, before switching back to the prior scene. The screen goes dark momentartily several times, switching from a shot of a shirtless man moving a sledgehammer and the girls in the white and blue shade background.

The scene turns into color, revealing the faces of the girls for the first time, and each pound their heart with their hands as the lyric "If you could take my pulse right now, it would feel like a sledgehammer" is sung. Choreographed dance moves such as the girls throwing their fists in the air and the shot between the shirtless man moving the sledgehammer are alternated. The screen then shows blue and orange colors, in a special effect mimicking lights moving around the girls.

The setting switches back to Camila, who is wearing a white high-low dress with several black rose prints and stands next to an oversized unicorn. In the next shot, Normani is seen staring into the camera, with a simple white dress. After a couple takes from Camila, Lauren is shown facing sideways towards the screen and moving her shoulders upward, in a serious way. Ally is also shown flaunting her arms to the rhythm of the song, in a glittery dress. The scene turns to the girls sitting in a small pyramid stair again, but this time light is slowly more present as the girls unanimously move their hands in motion. Different scenes alternate before Dinah is shown alone, sporting a glittery dress, similar to Ally's. The same special effects showing blue and orange colors appear again as each girl starts singing.

In the next scene, the girls are standing in what appears to be a scaffolding used to support construction buildings. Each girl is wearing a different dress, with colors ranging from red, blue, and yellow. This is the first time where more color is exposed in the video. Fans are used to blow the girls hair and make them appear model-like. The shirtless man is then seen hitting a small sledgehammer on a metallic barrel, imitating the drum beat from the song.

After several scenes are repeated, the girls are now individually shown singing, all wearing a different dress from the first shot. The video continues with repeating several scenes and the negative special effects becoming more present. In a different shot, one of the girls (unknown due to her silhouette) is seen with a fan blowing air towards her, waving her hair and dress simultaneously. Normani then passionately sings in front of the camera, before switching to a shot of all the girls putting their hands on their waists and moving them lower as the light blinks slowly. The girls are individually shown singing again and more special effects are seen. The video rewinds the moment the shirtless man breaks pieces of brick apart to make it seem as if though the pieces are reforming, similar to when one is going through heartbreak.

In the final scenes of the video, the silhouette figure takes off a piece of fabric, in order to demonstrate a care-free and fervor emotion. The girls then are seen facing backwards, and dramatically face their faces towards the camera, before the scene goes dark.

Reception

The music video received mostly positive reviews, with some critics praising the visuals and the simplicity of the video. Maggie Malack of PopCrush gave a positive review, raving about the thoughts one has when they have "pure emotions of falling for someone". She also praised the group's "undeniable confidence" and their "incredible vocals." She continues her review by noting the video's "maturity and ethereal quality" which portrays the group as "pop royalty".[16] Lucas Villa of AXS praised the video's "style and simplicity". He notes the more "tame affair" the video has from their previous single, Boss and also sees the video as a "another side" to the "burgeoning girl group".[17] Writing for Billboard, Jason Lipshutz says the video's monochromatic setting allows the group to "demonstrate their maturity". He also states that the video is "more of a relax fest" and called the "giddiness radiation" of the girls "pretty infectious".[18]

Live performances

On November 9, Fifth Harmony performed "Sledgehammer" for the first time at the pre-show of the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.[19] On November 12, they performed the song on Good Morning America.[20] That same week, they performed an acoustic version of the song on Access Hollywood Live.[21] On December 16, they performed a stripped down jazz version of the song on VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live.[22] The girls performed the song on Pitbull's New Year's Revolution that aired on Fox on December 31, 2014.[23] On February 3, 2015, they performed the song on Today Show, and on The Talk on February 5, 2015, upon the release of Reflection. They also performed the song during their Reflection Tour (2015). On February 18, 2015, the group performed the song on Sunrise while promoting the album in Australia,[24] and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on February 25, 2015.[25] Sledgehammer is on the setlist for Fifth Harmony's performances at the 2015 New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; and Sunrise, FL Jingle Ball concerts.[citation needed]

Track listing

  • Digital download
  1. "Sledgehammer" – 3:52
  • UK Digital single[26]
  1. "Boss" – 2:51
  2. "Sledgehammer" – 3:52

Charts and certifications

Charts

Chart (2014–15) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[27] 88
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[28] 49
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[29] 21
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[30] 63
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 34
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[32] 27
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 83
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[34] 36
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[35] 30
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 75
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[37] 112
US Billboard Hot 100[38] 40
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[39] 36
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[40] 21

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[41] Gold 40,000ǂ
Sweden (GLF)[42] Gold 20,000ǂ
United States (RIAA)[43] Platinum 1,000,000ǂ

double-daggersales/streaming figures based on certification alone

* Since May 2013, RIAA certifications for digital singles include on-demand audio and/or video song streams in addition to downloads.[44]

Release history

Country Date Format Label
United States[45] October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28) Digital download
United Kingdom[26] December 7, 2014 (2014-12-07)
  • Syco

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  29. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer" (in French). Ultratip.
  30. ↑ "Fifth Harmony – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Fifth Harmony. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Fifth Harmony – Chart history" Billboard Canada CHR/Top 40 for Fifth Harmony. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  32. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 20154 into search. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  33. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 5, 2015". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  35. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 20154 into search. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer". Singles Top 60.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ "Fifth Harmony – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Fifth Harmony. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Fifth Harmony – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Fifth Harmony. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  40. ↑ "Fifth Harmony – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Fifth Harmony. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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