Unkiss Me
"Unkiss Me" | |
---|---|
Song by Maroon 5 | |
from the album V | |
Released | August 28, 2014 (2014-08-28) |
Recorded | 2013–2014 |
Studio |
|
Genre | Power ballad[1][2] |
Length | 3:58 |
Label |
|
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) |
|
"Unkiss Me" is a song by American pop rock band Maroon 5. It is featured as the fourth track on band's fifth studio album, V (2014). Despite the song's popularity, it has never been performed live by the band.
Composition
"Unkiss Me" starts off with a trap beat,[1] which dissipates during the chorus in favor of a synth instrumental section.[1][3] The entire song is more mid-tempo, along with the next track, "Sugar".[4]
Lyrically, "Unkiss Me" is about a failed relationship,[5][6] which Levine struggles to overcome.[6][7] The song features Levine using his lower register in his voice more so than in other songs.[8]
Reception
"Unkiss Me" had a mostly positive reaction from critics, with some saying it was the best track on the album,[9][10] although there were some more negative reviews.[11] Brad Wete from Billboard nominated the song to be released as a single.[6] It was noted as an album highlight by Jimmy Donnellin from Cultured Vultures.[7] The song has been compared to Boyz II Men.[12]
Chart performance and streaming
Due to the success of V, "Unkiss Me" (along with many other songs) charted due to strong sales numbers. It peaked at number 56 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart,[13] and 15 on the South Korean Gaon Chart.[14] The song has over 66 million streams on Spotify as of November 2022.[15]
Charts
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13] | 56 |
Canadian Digital Song Sales[16] | 30 |
South Korea International Chart (GAON)[14] | 15 |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from AllMusic.[17]
Maroon 5
- Adam Levine – lead and backing vocals, additional drums, songwriting
- Jesse Carmichael – keyboards, synthesizers, piano, backing vocals
- Mickey Madden – bass guitar
- James Valentine – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Matt Flynn – drums, percussion
- PJ Morton – keyboards, synthesizers, piano, backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Sam Farrar – backing vocals, programming
- Ross Golan – backing vocals, songwriting
- Johan Carlsson – songwriting, additional instrumentation, keyboards, mixing, production, programming, vocal production, backing vocals
Technical
- this list may be incomplete list of credits
- Ryan Tedder – songwriting, production, additional instrumentation, programming
- John Armstrong – assistant
- Astma – additional instrumentation, production, programming
- Tim Blacksmith – executive production
- Max Martin – executive production, vocal production
- Noah "Mailbox" Passovoy – production
- Tom Coyne – mastering
- Danny D. – executive producer
- Eric Eylands – assistant
- Rachael Findlen – assistant
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- Clint Gibbs – engineer
- John Hanes – mixing
- Seif "Mageef" Hussain – production coordination
References
- ^ a b c Anderson, Kyle (September 4, 2014). "V Reviewed by Kyle Anderson". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
Things get mildly better when the band slows down for the Bruno Mars-ian soul jam Sugar and the middle-school-dance power ballad Unkiss Me,
- ^ Chin, Aaron (March 18, 2015). "MAROON 5 – V (ALBUM REVIEW)". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ Floyd, Marcus. "Album Review: Maroon 5 – V (Deluxe Edition)". Renowned For Sound. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ Iandoli, Kathy (September 2, 2014). "Maroon 5's 'V': Album Review". Idolator. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ Adam R. Holz. "ALBUM REVIEW V". Plugged In. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
"Unkiss Me" asks a woman to respect a man enough to tell the hard truth about their failing relationship.
- ^ a b c Wete, Brad (September 2, 2014). "Maroon 5 Tightens Up on 'V': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ a b Donnellan, Jimmy (September 3, 2014). "REVIEW: Maroon 5 – 'V'". Cultured Vultures. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Maroon 5 returns with its fifth studio album, V. Adam Levine and company focus on delivering slick, modern pop songs". The Musically Hype. September 4, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
"Unkiss Me" continues adding colorful synths. "Unkiss Me" proves more pop/urban-oriented than "It Was Always You." Vocally, Levine's tone is exceptional here, finding him using his lower register more. Lyrically it shines thanks to wise moments like, "You can't light a fire, if the candle's melted," a larger statement of failed love.
- ^ Matthews, Katie (September 8, 2014). "Review: 'V' sees Maroon 5 return to their roots". The Bark. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "album review: 'v' by maroon 5". Spectrum Pulse. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "V Band: Maroon 5 Album: V". Rate Your Music. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ Goldstein, Luke (September 11, 2014). "Music Review: Maroon - 5". BlogCritics. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ a b "Maroon 5 Album & Song Chart History". Canadian Hot 100. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ^ a b "Gaon Chart" (in Korean). GAON. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
- ^ "Unkiss Me". Spotify. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Canadian Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ "V – Maroon 5: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- v
- t
- e
- Adam Levine
- Jesse Carmichael
- James Valentine
- Matt Flynn
- PJ Morton
- Sam Farrar
- Ryan Dusick
- Mickey Madden
- The Fourth World (1997)
- Songs About Jane (2002)
- It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007)
- Hands All Over (2010)
- Overexposed (2012)
- V (2014)
- Red Pill Blues (2017)
- Jordi (2021)
- 1.22.03.Acoustic (2004)
- Live – Friday the 13th (2005)
- The B-Side Collection (2007)
- Singles (2015)
- Call and Response: The Remix Album (2008)
- "Harder to Breathe"
- "This Love"
- "She Will Be Loved"
- "Sunday Morning"
- "Must Get Out"
- "Makes Me Wonder"
- "Wake Up Call"
- "Won't Go Home Without You"
- "If I Never See Your Face Again"
- "Misery"
- "Give a Little More"
- "Never Gonna Leave This Bed"
- "Moves like Jagger"
- "Payphone"
- "One More Night"
- "Daylight"
- "Love Somebody"
- "Maps"
- "Animals"
- "Sugar"
- "This Summer's Gonna Hurt like a Motherfucker"
- "Feelings"
- "Don't Wanna Know"
- "Cold"
- "What Lovers Do"
- "Wait"
- "Girls Like You"
- "Memories"
- "Nobody's Love"
- "Beautiful Mistakes"
- "Lost"
- "Middle Ground"
- "Not Falling Apart"
- "Lucky Strike"
- "It Was Always You"
- "Help Me Out"
- "Whiskey"
- "Out of Goodbyes"
- "Unkiss Me"
- Discography
- Videography
- Awards and nominations
- Songs
- Members
- 222 Records
- James Diener
- Square
- Operation Aloha
- Super Bowl LIII halftime show
- Sugar
Category