Someone New (Hozier song)

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"Someone New"
Single by Hozier
from the album Hozier
Released2 March 2015
Recorded2013
Genre
Length3:42
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Hozier singles chronology
"Work Song"
(2015) 		"Someone New"
(2015) 		"Jackie and Wilson"
(2015)
Music video
"Someone New" on YouTube

"Someone New" is a song recorded by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier for his 2014 eponymous debut studio album. It was released on 2 March 2015 as the fifth single from the record and peaked at number 13 on the Irish Singles Chart. An accompanying music video was released featuring actress Natalie Dormer.

Writing and composition[edit]

"Someone New" is a pop-soul song listed as the fourth track on the album, written by Hozier and Sallay Matu Garnett.[1][2] It was the oldest song from Hozier's previous demos to make it onto the album; he has stated that it is the track that "resonated with him the least" by release.[3] The song has indie-rock influences with a pizzicato bass, distorted chord progressions, and choral harmonies intertwined with echoing vocals.[4][5] The lyrics are tongue-in-cheek and have an "overarching theme of love and theistic conflict" and are described as "uplifting" and a confession of his "wandering ways", describing the act of falling in love with strangers.[4][6] Hozier has stated that it is a "love song [...] about love at its most empty and vacuous and futile."[7][8][9]

Critical reception[edit]

"Someone New" received generally positive reviews from music critics, with The A.V. Club describing the song as "soulful" and "vintage" and Exclaim! stating that "...while the grandeur of Hozier's majestic vocals explore atmospheric heights, they also plunge cavernous depths as he taps into things primeval and animalistic."[8] The Irish Times praised the track for its "small touches" and "spectral choir", while The Arts Desk gave poor feedback, negatively comparing its guitar work to a James Morrison track.[10][11]

Commercial performance[edit]

The song peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot Rock and Alternative Songs Chart, and appeared within the top thirty on the Billboard Adult Contemporary, Adult Top 40, Alternative Airplay, and Rock Airplay charts, respectively.[12] "Someone New" peaked at number 13 on the Irish Singles Chart and scored charting positions in the United Kingdom, Scotland and Canada.[13][14][15][16]

Music video[edit]

The official music video for "Someone New" was released on 2 March 2015. It stars actress Natalie Dormer, while Hozier appears only in silhouette.[17] The video shows Dormer's character as a "women whose mercurial tendencies mask an overwhelming loneliness", traveling through the Underground toward the streets of London. She repetitively imagines having romantic encounters and exchanges with fellow passengers and passers-by, while Hozier performs the song in a local pub.[18][19] It has garnered over 86 million views on YouTube.[20]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[41] Platinum 70,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[42] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[43] Gold 45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[44] Gold 25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[45] Gold 7,500*
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[47] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom[48] 11 May 2015 Contemporary hit radio
United States[49] 19 May 2015 Modern rock radio Columbia

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Hozier learning to enjoy his newfound fame". Detroit Press. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Someone New". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Hozier on Seamus Heaney, Maltesers and why Nina Simone turns his brain inside out". The Guardian. 18 Feb 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, Michele (March 3, 2015). "Hozier – Hozier (album review)". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  5. ^ Brown, Helen (6 October 2014). "Hozier, Hozier, review: 'glorious and uplifting'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  6. ^ Pearce, Lawrence (4 February 2015). "Hozier: Hozier". Pop Matters. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  7. ^ McKinney, Kelsey (Apr 21, 2015). "Hozier's success means great things for the future of music". Vox. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b Herd, Mackenzie (Oct 7, 2014). "Hozier Hozier". Exclaim!. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  9. ^ Ehrlich, Brenna (March 2, 2015). "Hozier's 'Someone New' Video Is An Ode To Rebounds". MTV. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  10. ^ Boyd, Brian (19 September 2014). "Album Choice – Hozier: Hozier (Review)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  11. ^ H. Green, Thomas (30 September 2014). "CD: Hozier – Hozier". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  12. ^ "Hozier". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Someone New". Irish Charts. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Hozier Chart History". Billboard.
  15. ^ "Top 100". Scottish Singles.
  16. ^ "Official Singles Top 100". OC.
  17. ^ "Hozier Recruits 'Game of Thrones' Actress for 'Someone New' Video". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Hozier Premieres "Someone New" Music Video Starring 'Game of Thrones' Actress Natalie Dormer [WATCH]". Music Times. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Hozier Seeks 'Someone New' in Somber New Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  20. ^ HozierVEVO (2 March 2015). "Hozier - Someone New". YouTube.
  21. ^ "Hozier – Someone New". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  22. ^ "Hozier – Someone New" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  23. ^ "Hozier Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  24. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201526 into search.
  25. ^ "Hozier: Someone New" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  26. ^ Lagalistinn, Tónlist.is accessed 15 May 2015
  27. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Someone New". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  28. ^ "Hozier – Someone New". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  30. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201534 into search.
  31. ^ "Schweizer Airplay Charts 20/2015 - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  32. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  33. ^ "Hozier Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  34. ^ "Hozier Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  35. ^ "Hozier Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  36. ^ "Hozier Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  37. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2015". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  38. ^ "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  39. ^ "Adult Alternative Songs – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  40. ^ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  41. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  42. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Hozier – Someone New". Music Canada. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  43. ^ "Danish single certifications – Hozier – Someone New". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  44. ^ "Italian single certifications – Hozier – Someone New" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  45. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Hozier – Someone New". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  46. ^ "British single certifications – Hozier – Someone New". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  47. ^ "American single certifications – Hozier – Someone New". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  48. ^ Kyriazis, Stefan (3 March 2015). "Game of Thrones Natalie Dormer in Hozier video Someone New". Daily Express. Northern & Shell. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  49. ^ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
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