Format Digital download Label Atlantic | Recorded 2011—13, 2015 | |
Released March 13, 2015 (2015-03-13) Genre Country pop
electropop
Rock Length 4:04 (album version)
3:29 (single version) | ||
"Light Me Up" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Hunter Hayes. Co-written by busbee and Shane McAnally, it was originally recorded for Hayes's self-titled debut studio album (2011) but was only included on the 2013 Encore edition re-issue. The song was re-recorded in 2015, and was released to the UK and Oceania on March 13, 2015 as the lead single for Hayes's international compilation album, I Want Crazy (2015).
Contents
Composition
"Light Me Up" was written by Hayes with pop songwriter busbee and country music singer Shane McAnally as an upbeat country pop song about the excitement of love. Beginning with a drum loop and B-3, its instrumentation later incorporates guitar, banjo, and bouzouki. Bob Paxman at Country Weekly described the chorus, which features firework and sunshine imagery, as "uplifting".
The UK single version downplays the country elements of the original for a more pop-oriented sound. Drawing influences from electropop and dance-pop, the remix features a more heavily-processed vocal and synthesized backbeat.
Background and release
Conceived during the writing sessions for Hayes's self-titled debut studio album, "Light Me Up" was originally recorded sometime in 2011 but was ultimately not included on the original release of the album due to not fitting the tone of the album at the time. In 2012, the song was re-recorded and offered to fans for free through Hayes' official Facebook page as part of a partnership with Country Financial. After the success of "Wanted" and the inspiration he received during his Most Wanted Tour, Hayes began working on new material. It was mutually decided by Hayes and his label in late 2012 that it "[wasn't] necessarily the right time... to make a new record," so the Encore edition of the album was developed as an alternative to make the newly-written songs and a handful of re-recorded tracks (including a new version of "Light Me Up") available to the fans. In 2015, the song was partially re-recorded for a fourth time and given a pop mix for an exclusive UK single release.
Critical reception
"Light Me Up" was mostly well received by critics in review for its parent album. Marc Engel of Fox News praised the mainstream appeal of the song, noting that "with chiming guitars plus a sing-a-long chorus it’s easy to understand why “Light Me Up” has become a fan favorite." Matt Bjorke at Roughstock wrote that the song "feel[s] like [a] potential hit" and "gets the listener in a good mood," while complimenting Hayes's use of the song as a concert opener. Robert Silva at About.com was more critical of the song's repetitive lyrics and the overall same-ness of the new tracks on Encore.
Commercial performance
Upon the release of Hunter Hayes (Encore), "Light Me Up" sold over 13,000 units. This prompted a number 50 debut on the Billboard Country Digital Songs (the digital sales component of Hot Country Songs).
Music video
A lyric video for the UK version of the song premiered January 22, 2015 which depicts the lyrics to the song in neon lights.
The official music video premiered February 9, 2015 exclusively through Digital Spy. It features Hayes playing the guitar, keyboard, and drums to the song, and "letting his inner rock star out."
Personnel
Credits adapted from the Hunter Hayes (Encore) album liner.