"Better Man"
Single by Westlife
from the album Spectrum
Released29 March 2019 (2019-03-29) (original and orchestral)
26 April 2019 (acoustic)
Length3:17 (original)
3:23 (orchestral)
3:13 (acoustic)
LabelVirgin EMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Mac (original and acoustic)
Tobie Tripp (orchestral)
Westlife singles chronology
"Hello My Love"
(2019)		 "Better Man"
(2019)		 "Dynamite"
(2019)
Music video
"Better Man" on YouTube

"Better Man" is a song by Irish pop vocal band Westlife. It was released by Virgin EMI Records on 29 March 2019 as the second single from the band's eleventh studio album, Spectrum. It is their second single released under Universal Music Group and Virgin EMI Records. The song was written by Ed Sheeran, Fred Gibson, Steve Mac and Wayne Hector. This is the most successful and highest-charting song and single co-written by Gibson for a pop and male band. As of 30 November 2021, this is their twentieth biggest single of all time in the United Kingdom.[1]

This is their second number-one hit in the UK Singles Physical Chart and number-two in UK Singles Sales Chart and Scottish Singles Chart in 2019 and in 2010s decade. The single is their 29th Top 10 hit in Ireland and 28th Top 40, and 29th Top 75 hit in the United Kingdom.

Background, development, and release

Since they announced their breakup in 2011 and their last appearance together in 2012, several rumors about them reuniting and making new musics have appeared. On 23 September 2018, several Irish news outlets started reporting that the group has been signed to Universal Music Group and Virgin EMI Records for a new music record deal. On 3 October 2018, the group announced that there would be new music coming soon.[2]

This song is set in the key of B major, in a moderate 4/4 time signature. The vocal range of this piece ranges from F#3 to B4 (Feehily's harmony).

Music video

The music video was directed by Lochlainn "Locky" McKenna and was filmed in Dublin, Ireland in two locations. The band were shot in the historic Windmill Lane Studios. The music video depicts a teenage romance blossoming in 1993, and they become estranged after the boy ignores her after a school performance, but they soon get back together. That same girl is shown in the recording studio where the band is singing the song, all grown up. And she is married to that same boy, and they have a kid together.[3]

Tours performed at

Formats and track listings

  • Digital download
  1. "Better Man" – 3:17
  • Digital download
  1. "Better Man" (orchestral) – 3:23
  • CD single / streaming
  1. "Better Man" – 3:17
  2. "Better Man" (orchestral) – 3:23
  • Digital download / streaming
  1. "Better Man" (acoustic) – 3:13

Credits and personnel

  • Westlife (Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan) – vocals, associated performer
  • Ed Sheeran – songwriting
  • Steve Mac – production, songwriting, keyboards, piano
  • Fred Gibson – songwriting
  • Wayne Hector – songwriting
  • Chris Laws – drums, engineering, mixing
  • Dann Pursey – engineering
  • John Parricelli – guitar
  • Dave Arch – strings, arranger
  • Steve Pearce – bass
  • Dick Beetham – mastering
  • Duncan Fuller – engineering
  • Mike Horner - engineering

Charts

Chart (2019) Peak
position
China Airplay/FL (Billboard)[4] 44
Denmark Digital Songs (Billboard)[5] 10
Hungary (Single Top 40)[6] 24
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 8
New Zealand Digital Songs (Billboard)[8] 9
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[9] 26
Scotland (OCC)[10] 2
Sweden Digital Songs (Billboard)[11] 5
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 26

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Version Label
Various 29 March 2019 Airplay, CD, digital download, streaming Orchestral, original Universal Music Group, Virgin EMI
26 April 2019 Digital download, streaming Acoustic

References

  1. ↑ "Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts" – via Official charts.
  2. ↑ "Westlife Official Instagram of Westlife" – via Instagram.
  3. ↑ "WATCH: Westlife's 'Better Man' video is a MASSIVE hit with fans". heatworld.com. 2019.
  4. ↑ "China Airplay Chart/Foreign Language - 15/07/2019". Billboard China (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  5. ↑ Man%22&f%5B1%5D=ts_chart_artistnameWestlife&refine=1 "Denmark Digital Song Sales - Westlife - Chart Search". Billboard. Retrieved 13 April 2019. {{cite magazine}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Westlife". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  8. ↑ Man%22&f%5B1%5D=ts_chart_artistnameWestlife&refine=1 "New Zealand Digital Song Sales - Westlife - Chart Search". Billboard. Retrieved 13 April 2019. {{cite magazine}}: Check |url= value (help)
  9. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  11. ↑ Man%22&f%5B1%5D=ts_chart_artistnameWestlife&refine=1 "Sweden Digital Song Sales - Westlife - Chart Search". Billboard. Retrieved 13 April 2019. {{cite magazine}}: Check |url= value (help)
  12. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  13. ↑ "British single certifications – Westlife – Better Man". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
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