Sledgehammer (Fifth Harmony song)

Background

On October 23, 2014, Fifth Harmony announced "Sledgehammer" as the second single from their debut album, Reflection, during a live stream event. The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor, and Sean Douglas, and produced by Jeberg and Harvey Mason, Jr.. It’s about the kind of love that just can’t be contained and forces you to let go. 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."

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'."

Mike Wass of Idolator called it "a sugary sweet synth-pop anthem with serious radio appeal". 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'". 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." 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."

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".

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". 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. However, it has since been surpassed by "Worth It" (which peaked at number 12) and "Work from Home" (which peaked at number 4). On June 26, 2015, "Sledgehammer" was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States.

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."

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. On November 21, 2014, MTV released an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of "Sledgehammer". On April 20, 2016, the music video for "Sledgehammer" earned the group their fourth Vevo certification for amassing over 100 million views.

Synopsis

The video begins the members 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.

After several scenes, 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. 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.

Reception

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". 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". 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".

Live performances

On November 9, Fifth Harmony performed "Sledgehammer" for the first time at the pre-show of the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards. On November 12, they performed the song on Good Morning America. That same week, they performed an acoustic version of the song on Access Hollywood Live. On December 16, they performed a stripped down jazz version of the song on VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live. The girls performed the song on Pitbull's New Year's Revolution that aired on Fox on December 31, 2014. 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, and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on February 25, 2015. 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.

Track listing

1. "Sledgehammer" – 3:52

1. "Boss" – 2:51
2. "Sledgehammer" – 3:52

Credits and personnel

Recorded at Windmark Recording Studios (Santa Monica)
Mixed at Larrabee Sound Studios (North Hollywood)

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Reflection.

Certifications

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