"Maybe Man" is a song by American pop band AJR from their fifth studio album The Maybe Man, appearing as the opening track. The song was released alongside a music video on November 10, 2023, the day of the album's release.
| "Maybe Man" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by AJR | |
| from the album The Maybe Man | |
| Released | November 10, 2023 |
| Recorded | 2022–2023 |
| Length | 3:40 |
| Label |
|
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Ryan Met |
| Music video | |
| "Maybe Man" on YouTube | |
Composition and lyrics
editThe song is composed in 4
4 time signature, with the first leg following a tempo of 145 beats per minute (BPM).[1] "Maybe Man" musically builds as the song progresses, ending with a soft verse before a beat drop.[2] The second leg of the song follows a tempo of 112 beats per minute (BPM), beginning with AJR's crew member Rob Piccione yelling "One, two, pandemonium".[1]
Spanning 12 verses in length, "Maybe Man" acts as a table of contents for the rest of the album. Each verse of the song interpolates ideas from other songs on The Maybe Man,[3] such as the seventh verse taking from "The DJ Is Crying for Help" and the eighth verse taking from "I Won't".[4] This type of introduction differs from those of the band's previous albums, with Living Room, The Click, and OK Orchestra featuring sample-based overtures.[5]
Music video
editAn official video animated by Aaron Jasinski and directed by Edoardo Ranaboldo was released on November 10, 2023, alongside the album's release in the United States.[6] The music video is painted, visually depicting Jack singing each verse of the song.[7] The video ends with Jack running through various settings including a forest, a hospital, and the autumn landscape of their 2021 album OK Orchestra before flying into space. This scene was additionally used to promote the album's reveal on August 28, 2023.[8]
Nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Berlin Music Video Awards | Best Animation | "Maybe Man" | Nominated | [9] |
Personnel
editCredits adapted from Tidal.[10]
- Adam Met – vocals, instruments, composer
- Jack Met – lead vocals, instruments, composer
- Ryan Met – instruments, composer, producer, programming
- Dale Becker – mastering engineer
- Joe Zook – mixing engineer
- Rob Piccione – additional vocals, engineer
- Katie Harvey – assistant mastering engineer
- Noah McCorkle – assistant mastering engineer
- Brandon Hernandez – assistant mastering engineer
- Ruth Kornblatt-Stier – cello
- Arnetta Johnson – trumpet
- Emelia Suljic – violin
- Austin Roa – vocals
- Chris Berry – vocals
- Dane Hagen – vocals
- Ezra Donellan – vocals
- Josh Plotner – woodwinds
Charts
edit| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[11] | 29 |
References
edit- ^ a b AJR (October 28, 2023). ""Breaking down The Maybe Man production"". Twitter. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- ^ Doty, Raena (November 17, 2023). "'The Maybe Man' - here we go again". The Gatepost. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Keastead, Patrick (November 15, 2023). "AJR's 'The Maybe Man' connects to fans". The Ramapo News. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Alvarez, Maia (December 6, 2023). "Review: 'The Maybe Man' by AJR calls for authenticity in the music industry". The Oracle. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Clemmensen, Meg (November 27, 2023). "AJR Swims The Sea of Life in "The Maybe Man"". kinda cool magazine. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ ALT 105.1 (November 10, 2023). "Video Alert: AJR – "Maybe Man" (Animated Version)". ALT 105.1. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Times Entertainment (November 14, 2023). "Watch Latest English Official Music Video Song 'Maybe Man' Sung By AJR". The Times of India. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ Klaus, Jayden (December 8, 2023). "The Maybe Man is the Latest Pinnacle of AJR". The Recorder. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Berlin Music Video Awards (March 12, 2024). "Nominees Announcement | 2/14". berlinmva.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ "Credits / The Maybe Man / AJR". Tidal. November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- ^ "AJR Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2023.