Like You'll Never See Me Again
Encyclopedia
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" is a song by American R&B
and soul
singer–songwriter Alicia Keys
from her third studio album, As I Am
(2007). Written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers, Jr., it was released in November 2007 as the album's second single
. The song peaked at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second consecutive R&B chart-topper, remaining atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for seven weeks. The song was first heard on October 25, 2007 on Atlanta's V103 WVEE radio station. Keys performed this song on Good Morning America
on November 13, 2007. A official remix of the song featuring rapper Ludacris
exists. The song was ranked number forty-seven on Billboard
s Top Hot 100 Hits of 2008. The song went on to replace "No One
" at number one on the US R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
In 2008 the song won two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Music Video
and Outstanding Song
and an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Song.
In January 2008, it was used in advertisements for the ABC
soap opera All My Children
, hyping the return of supercouple
Jesse Hubbard and Angie Baxter. The song was used once again in the February 15, 2008 episode of the series, when the couple was reunited after twenty years.
as the Hot Shot debut of the week, jumping to number twenty-two in its second week, number fifteen in its third week, and to then number nine in its fourth. After climbing to number three in its fifth week, the song reached number two in its sixth week, and then rose to number one in its ninth week, beating off Keys' own song "No One
"—this made Keys the second artist since the R&B chart began using Nielsen SoundScan
data in 1992 to succeed herself at number one, as "Like You'll Never See Me Again" jumped from number two to number one and traded places with "No One", which had ruled the chart for ten weeks. Rapper Nelly
accomplished this feat in 2002 with "Hot in Herre
" and "Dilemma
". The song spent seven weeks atop the chart, after which it remained at number two for six weeks thereafter. As of the charting week of September 13, 2008, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" has remained on the chart for forty-five consecutive weeks, all of them inside the top fifty. Billboard ranked it as the most successful song on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart of 2008.
On the Billboard Hot 100
, it debuted at number ninety-three, jumped to number forty-five in its second week, and subsequently peaked at number twelve.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" was released on February 25, 2008 in the United Kingdom, peaking at number fifty-three, while "No One" was a non-mover at number twenty-six. It became her lowest-charting single there so far.
In Australia, it debuted and peaked at number seventy-seven on the ARIA Singles Chart
, number forty-four on the Physical Singles Chart, and number nineteen on the Urban Singles Chart the week of April 14, 2008.
, directed by Diane Martel
, features cameos by Common
(with whom Keys had previously worked with in the 2007 motion picture Smokin' Aces
) as Keys' love interest who is critically injured in a motorcycle accident and Keys' mother Terri Augello as a hospital medic. It tells the story backwards, and the viewer learns that the couple had been arguing. The video premiered on November 13, 2007 on MTV
's Total Request Live
and BET
's 106 & Park
. It debuted at number two on VH1
's VSpot Top 20 Countdown
on February 23, 2008.
European & UK CD single
Japanese promo CD single
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer–songwriter Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
from her third studio album, As I Am
As I Am
As I Am is the third studio album by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released in the United States on November 13, 2007 by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording studios during 2005 to 2007...
(2007). Written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers, Jr., it was released in November 2007 as the album's second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The song peaked at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second consecutive R&B chart-topper, remaining atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for seven weeks. The song was first heard on October 25, 2007 on Atlanta's V103 WVEE radio station. Keys performed this song on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
on November 13, 2007. A official remix of the song featuring rapper Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
exists. The song was ranked number forty-seven on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Top Hot 100 Hits of 2008. The song went on to replace "No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
" at number one on the US R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
In 2008 the song won two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Music Video
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video
The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding Music Video:-Stats:As of the 2010 ceremony, Alicia Keys has the most wins with 3. Whitney Houston, R. Kelly & Will Smith have 2 wins.*Most Nominations**1. Alicia Keys - 8 nominations...
and Outstanding Song
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song
The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding Song:...
and an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Song.
In January 2008, it was used in advertisements for the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
soap opera All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
, hyping the return of supercouple
Supercouple
A supercouple or super couple is a popular or financially wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or even obsessive fashion...
Jesse Hubbard and Angie Baxter. The song was used once again in the February 15, 2008 episode of the series, when the couple was reunited after twenty years.
Chart performance
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" debuted at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
as the Hot Shot debut of the week, jumping to number twenty-two in its second week, number fifteen in its third week, and to then number nine in its fourth. After climbing to number three in its fifth week, the song reached number two in its sixth week, and then rose to number one in its ninth week, beating off Keys' own song "No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
"—this made Keys the second artist since the R&B chart began using Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
data in 1992 to succeed herself at number one, as "Like You'll Never See Me Again" jumped from number two to number one and traded places with "No One", which had ruled the chart for ten weeks. Rapper Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
accomplished this feat in 2002 with "Hot in Herre
Hot in Herre
"Hot in Herre" is a popular song and single performed by the hip-hop artist Nelly, and was released in 2002 as the first single on his album Nellyville. The song's producers were The Neptunes...
" and "Dilemma
Dilemma (song)
"Dilemma" is a song by the American rapper Nelly, featuring R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The single was released in 2002 from the Nelly's album Nellyville, and Rowland's album Simply Deep...
". The song spent seven weeks atop the chart, after which it remained at number two for six weeks thereafter. As of the charting week of September 13, 2008, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" has remained on the chart for forty-five consecutive weeks, all of them inside the top fifty. Billboard ranked it as the most successful song on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart of 2008.
On the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, it debuted at number ninety-three, jumped to number forty-five in its second week, and subsequently peaked at number twelve.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" was released on February 25, 2008 in the United Kingdom, peaking at number fifty-three, while "No One" was a non-mover at number twenty-six. It became her lowest-charting single there so far.
In Australia, it debuted and peaked at number seventy-seven on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, number forty-four on the Physical Singles Chart, and number nineteen on the Urban Singles Chart the week of April 14, 2008.
Music video
The videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, directed by Diane Martel
Diane Martel
Diane Martel is a music video director and choreographer.-Choreographer:1989*Bloodhounds of Broadway 1991*"Shiny Happy People" - R.E.M...
, features cameos by Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
(with whom Keys had previously worked with in the 2007 motion picture Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces is a 2006 crime film, written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him...
) as Keys' love interest who is critically injured in a motorcycle accident and Keys' mother Terri Augello as a hospital medic. It tells the story backwards, and the viewer learns that the couple had been arguing. The video premiered on November 13, 2007 on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
and BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
. It debuted at number two on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's VSpot Top 20 Countdown
VSpot Top 20 Countdown
VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown is a weekly television show on the VH1 cable television network in the United States. The long-running series began in 1994 as the VH1 Top 10 Countdown, as part of VH1's "Music First" rebranding effort...
on February 23, 2008.
Track listings
U.S. promo CD single- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (Radio Edit) – 4:10
- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (Instrumental) – 5:17
- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (Call Out Hook) – 0:17
European & UK CD single
- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" – 5:15
- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (Seiji Remix) – 6:56
Japanese promo CD single
- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (main)
- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (Johnny Rockstar Remix)
- "Like You'll Never See Me Again" (Seiji Remix)
- "No One" (main)
Chart positions
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
77 |
| Australian Urban Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
19 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
20 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
63 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
48 |
| Romanian Top 100 Romanian Top 100 The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media.... |
97 |
| Slovak Airplay Chart Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna is the name of the Slovakian national airplay chart published by the IFPI Czech Republic on a weekly basis since the cancellation of the Slovakian national section on December 31, 2009.... |
100 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
57 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
53 |
| UK R&B Singles Chart UK R&B Chart The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week... |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
32 |
| U.S. Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs | 19 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 47 |
| U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–09) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 10 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United States | Platinum |
Chart procession and succession
Production
- Alicia Keys – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, stringStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
programming - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers – co-producer, drum programmingDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
- Ann Mincieli – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Zach Hancock – assistant engineer
- Seth Waldmann – assistant engineer
- Manny MarroquinManny MarroquinManny Marroquin, born 21 September 1971 in Guatemala, is a Grammy winning mixing engineer. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was nine due to the Guatemalan Civil War....
– mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Jared Robbins – mix assistant
Musicians
- Alicia Keys – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, lead MoogMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
, virtual synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s - Steve Mostyn – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- John "Jubu" Smith – lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...