"I Don't Love You" (stylized as "i don't lovE you"[1]) is a song recorded by Canadian country music artist Lindsay Ell for her fifth studio album, Heart Theory (2020). The song was written by Adam Hambrick, Melissa Fuller, and Neil Medley. It was released by Stoney Creek Records on November 8, 2019 as the album's lead single and officially impacted American country radio on December 9, 2019.[2]
| "I Don't Love You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Lindsay Ell | ||||
| from the album Heart Theory | ||||
| Released | December 9, 2019 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | Stoney Creek | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Dann Huff | |||
| Lindsay Ell singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Content
edit"I Don't Love You" was written in June 2017, inspired by a hook contributed by co-writer Adam Hambrick.[3] The song follows a compound metre melody in 6/8 time with a "rambling, free-flow" vocal delivery that producer Dann Huff likened to a hip hop rhythm.[3] Lyrically, the song relies on references to restaurants and memories of an ex-lover to capture the back-and-forths in the aftermath of a relationship.[3] When the song was selected for recording by Ell, she and Huff decided to adjust the song's musical foundation from piano to guitar to better suit her musical sensibilities; Ell recorded blues-inspired guitar fills to complement the studio musicians.[3]
Critical reception
editLauren Jo Black of Country Now wrote that the song is "painstakingly beautiful" and "quite possibly Ell’s best vocal work to date."[4] Billy Dukes of Taste of Country praised Ell's delivery of the song, writing that her convincing emotion despite not writing the lyrics "speaks to her much-improved ability to tell a great, universal country story."[5]
Commercial performance
edit"I Don't Love You" was the most-added song at American country radio the week of its release.[6] It has since peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.[7] "I Don't Love You" has also peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Canada Country airplay chart and at number 99 on the Canadian Hot 100, her second career entry on the latter.[8]
Charts
edit| Chart (2019-2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] | 99 |
| Canada Country (Billboard)[8] | 6 |
| US Country Airplay (Billboard)[7] | 48 |
Release history
edit| Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | November 8, 2019 | Stoney Creek | [10] | |
| United States | December 9, 2019 | Country radio | [11] |
References
edit- ^ "Heart Theory - Lindsay Ell". AllMusic. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ Liptak, Carena (November 11, 2019). "Lindsay Ell Readies Searing New Breakup Tune, 'I Don't Love You'". The Boot. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Roland, Tom (December 23, 2019). "Makin' Tracks: Lindsay Ell Digs Deep For a Powerhouse Follow-Up to Her First No. 1 on 'I Don't Love You'". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ Black, Lauren Jo (November 11, 2019). "Lindsay Ell Drops Heart-Wrenching Breakup Ballad, 'I Don't Love You'". Country Now. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ Dukes, Billy (November 22, 2019). "LISTEN: Lindsay Ell Refines Her Sound With 'I Don't Love You'". Taste of Country. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ Cantor, Brian (December 10, 2019). "Lindsay Ell's "I Don't Love You" Ranks As Country Radio's Most Added Song". Headline Planet. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ a b "Lindsay Ell Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ a b "Lindsay Ell Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ "Lindsay Ell Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- ^ Taylor, Blake (November 8, 2019). "Lindsay Ell Releases Heartfelt New Song 'I Don't Love You'". iHeartRadio. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
- ^ "Lindsay Ell - I Don't Love You". Daily Play MPE. Retrieved January 23, 2020.