Format CD
digital download Length 4:14 | Recorded 2012 Label PRMD
Universal | |
Released 9 October 2013 (2013-10-09) Genre House
country pop
dance-pop | ||
"Hey Brother" is a dance song by Swedish DJ and producer Avicii from his debut studio album, True (2013). American bluegrass singer Dan Tyminski provides vocals for the track. It was written by Avicii, Ash Pournouri, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare and Veronica Maggio. "Hey Brother" sees Avicii giving his brother advice.
Contents
The song, which serves as the album's third single, was solicited to Australian radio on 9 October 2013 and later released on 28 October 2013 in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In March 2014, a version of the track remixed by Avicii himself was released on his remix album True (Avicii By Avicii), this time featuring new vocals from singer Salem Al Fakir. The song is written in the key of G Minor, at a tempo of 125 bpm.
Lyric video
On 1 November 2013, the lyric video for "Hey Brother" was released onto YouTube by AviciiOfficialVEVO. The video is an assortment of stock footage clips depicting regular people and obscure events in normal everyday life such as playing basketball, Aundrea Fimbres with her face off screen having a light snack on chocolate and an olive, popcorn popping, and having a snowball fight, all in slow motion and accompanied by an animated text representation of the lyrics.
Music video
The official music video was released on 9 December 2013. It depicts two brothers growing up in wartime America. There are pictures and clips of the Vietnam War interspersed in the video. At the end, it is revealed that the youngest boy thought of his older brother (who died in the Vietnam War) as the father he never had. It features two boys, the older boy is played by Zach Voss, while the younger boy is played by Jack Estes. The end of the video shows Avicii walking through the grass while fireflies are flying around.
A music video was also released for the Avicii by Avicii version on 9 April 2014 on Avicii's VEVO page. The video was directed by Nick Fung and Nate Olson and features clips from the Cartoon Hangover web-series Bravest Warriors. The video was released as part of "Channel 4", a project by Avicii which had several songs from his True (Avicii by Avicii) album made into music videos by various YouTube filmmakers and animators, which included MysteryGuitarMan, Keshen8, and YoMama, as well as Cartoon Hangover.
- "Hey Brother" (radio edit) – 4:14
- "Hey Brother" (instrumental) – 4:14
- "Hey Brother" (Syn Cole remix) – 5:00
- "Hey Brother" (extended version) – 5:30
- "Hey Brother (Avicii By Avicii)" - 6:09
Commercial performance
In the United Kingdom, after climbing for several weeks, "Hey Brother" peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart on 15 December 2013 ― for the week ending dated 21 December 2013 ― being held off the top spot by Lily Allen's cover of "Somewhere Only We Know". As of 9 February 2014 - for the week ending 15 February 2014 - the single has spent 10 consecutive weeks in the top 10. In addition, "Hey Brother" peaked at the top of the UK Dance Chart. Including previous releases "I Could Be the One", "Wake Me Up" and "You Make Me", Avicii therefore reached the summit of the UK Dance Chart four times in 2013 alone. The song spent a total of six weeks at the top spot on the UK Dance Chart, ended by "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne.
In the United States, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No.77 in December 2013. It continued climbing and rose to No. 19 in March 2014, and reached a million in total sales that week. After Clear Channel personnel noticed the song's success at pop and adult pop radio, they asked Island Def Jam to craft a remix that showcases the song's instruments more prominently. Support for this remix enabled "Hey Brother" to debut, and peak, at number 59 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart in March 2014.
In popular culture
In 2016, "Hey Brother" was used in an advertisement by the soft drink giant Coca-Cola. In a commercial known as "Brotherly Love", a teenager (played by Antonio Hidalgo) picks constantly on his younger brother (played by Victor Silvester), but then saves him from the bullies who are trying to take his bottle of Coke. The ad was created by Santo Buenos Aires and uses the Avicii song performed by Josh Jones and Space Camp, whereas in the original 2013 Avicii hit, the vocals are of the American bluegrass singer Dan Tyminski. "Brotherly Love" commercial was remade featuring all black actors with the same Avicii song.