For the Night
"For the Night" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Pop Smoke featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby | ||||
from the album Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon | ||||
Released | October 3, 2020 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:10 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Pop Smoke singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lil Baby singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
DaBaby singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Audio video | ||||
"For the Night" on YouTube |
"For the Night" is a song by American rapper Pop Smoke, featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby, from Pop Smoke's posthumous debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (2020). The song was written by Pop Smoke, Lil Baby, DaBaby, and CashMoneyAP who are credited under their legal names of Bashar Jackson, Dominique Jones, Jonathan Kirk, and Alex Petit. It was also written along with Christoffer Buchardt and Cedric Leutwyler. CashMoneyAP and Palaze produced the song with assistance from Jess Jackson, Mike Dean, and Wylo. The song was released as the fourth single from the album on October 3, 2020, by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records, while an extended play (EP) was released for the song a few days later.
"For the Night" is a hip hop and trap song with lyrics about nighttime occurrences. The single debuted and peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving Pop Smoke his first, DaBaby his fourth, and Lil Baby his fifth top-10 hit in the US. It entered the top five on record charts in Belgium, Portugal, and Greece. It received platinum certifications in Australia and the US. Many critics praised the track as one of Pop Smoke's best songs.
Background
According to American producer CashMoneyAP, Pop Smoke found the song's original beat on Danish record producer Palaze's YouTube channel. CashMoneyAP commented that they got help to rework the song with Palaze, Daniel Mxras, Jess Jackson, and Mike Dean. CashMoneyAP added keys and bass while he got help from Palaze with the drums. Steven Victor stated when Pop Smoke recorded his part of the song, they were all very excited as it was their first time hearing Pop Smoke rap in a different tone. Victor later recalled that they were in the Bahamas working on the album when Pop Smoke played the song out of nowhere. Victor lauded the song and said they needed to add American rapper Lil Baby to it. Victor said it was originally supposed to feature Lil Baby and American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again. CashMoneyAP had been communicating with YoungBoy Never Broke Again before the song's creation and thought the song was his type of music. YoungBoy Never Broke Again wanted to be on it, but CashMoneyAP later changed his mind because he felt the timing was not right.[1]
Victor thought having Lil Baby on "For the Night" would be creatively and sonically good. Pop Smoke had always wanted to work with Lil Baby and have him on his album. When Lil Baby sent his vocals to Victor, the record executive thought the song was even more complete.[1] After 50 Cent joined Victor on completing Pop Smoke's album, he called American rapper DaBaby to be part of the song. DaBaby initially didn't know that Lil Baby would also be part of the track. DaBaby mentioned that it was a pleasure to be part of the song, saying it was special to work on it after Pop Smoke was murdered at the age of 20.[2] Jess Jackson had to figure out how to combine Lil Baby's timbre work with DaBaby on "For the Night". He opined that Lil Baby and DaBaby had "such bright, mid-forward, nasally vocal voices", while Pop Smoke was completely the opposite. Jess Jackson had Mike Dean had mixed and added additional production and for the track. The song originally had an original sample, but it was not clearable. The two producers recreated all of the music from scratch while keeping CashMoneyAP's drums.[1]
Writing and composition
The song was written by Pop Smoke, Lil Baby, DaBaby, and CashMoneyAP, who are credited under their legal names of Bashar Jackson, Dominique Jones, Jonathan Kirk, and Alex Petit. It was also written along with Christoffer Buchardt and Cedric Leutwyler. "For the Night" was produced by CashMoneyAP and Palaze. Jess Jackson, Mike Dean, and Wylo were credited as the song's additional producers.[3]
Musically, "For the Night" is a hip hop and trap, song.[4][5][6] The song incorporates an acoustic guitar, folk flutes, heavily autotuned vocals, and processed moans from Lil Baby and DaBaby.[7][8][9] Wongo Okon of Uproxx wrote that Pop Smoke, DaBaby, and Lil Baby "fantasize about nighttime occurrences".[10] Hannah Giorgis of The Atlantic commented that Lil Baby and DaBaby add "arioso and vigor" to the song.[11] Jade Gomez of Paste and Heran Mamo of Billboard magazine noted that DaBaby pays tribute to Pop Smoke in his verse: "Rest in peace to the Pop, make me smoke ya."[12][13] August Brown of the Los Angeles Times regarded DaBaby's verse as an elegy for Pop Smoke,[14] while Briana Younger of NPR said DaBaby eulogizes Pop Smoke explicitly, and noted the song's syrupy hook stands out from Pop Smoke's usual fare.[15]
Critical reception
Variety's A.D. Amorosi complimented Pop Smoke's ability to step outside his conventional style, writing: "[The song makes] you realize Pop Smoke had the potential for languorous, even sweet, song-craft beyond drill".[8] The staff of the Independent Tribune described the song as a "monster hit that also featured other acts leading the new class of rap".[6] Giorgos opined that the song evokes the "recklessness of a summer party or the languid flirtation of stoop-side conversations",[11] while Okon labeled the track as sinister.[10] In his review for Pitchfork, Alphonse Pierre regarded it as a "forced Rap Caviar-bound marathon".[16] The Independent critic Roisin O'Connor stated that the song's autotuned vocals and folk flutes seemed "passé ahead of Pop Smoke's gruff".[7] The Los Angeles Times ranked "For the Night" as one of the best song's of 2020, with August Brown saying it was a "convincingly dragged-out, haunting angle on his craft at the precipice of global stardom".[17]
Ashton Howard of Earmilk declared the rappers delivered a "phenomenally charismatic appearance".[18] In their review for HipHopDX, David Aaron deemed the song a "social media-ready smash".[19] The staff of Billboard magazine explained the song helped Pop Smoke prove his versatility, arguing that "he held court between the twin hurricanes that are all-stars Lil Baby and DaBaby, each of whom delivers succinct displays of just what make them such singular characters in the current hip-hop scene".[20] Writing for The Wall Street Journal, Mark Richardson noted the song was "more welcoming" than Pop Smoke's earlier songs.[9] In a less enthusiastic review, Charles Lyons-Burt of Slant Magazine saw it didn't "adept at complex wordplay", but praised DaBaby's vocals as "tough-talking" and a "chest-puffing brio".[21]
Release and commercial performance
"For the Night" was released on Pop Smoke's posthumous debut studio album Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, as the third track on July 3, 2020.[22] The song was later released as the album's fourth single on October 3, 2020, by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records.[23] An EP for "For the Night" of the same name was released on October 7, 2020. The EP also featured "Hello", "The Woo", "Got It on Me", "Creature", and "Aim for the Moon.[24]
Following the release of Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, "For the Night" debuted and peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100,[25] giving Pop Smoke his first, DaBaby his fourth, and Lil Baby his fifth top-10 hit in the US.[13][26][27][28] The song simultaneously peaked at number four on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number one on the US Rhythmic charts, becoming Pop Smoke's first song to top the Rhythmic chart and any Billboard chart altogether.[29] "For the Night" remained atop the Rhythmic chart five nonconsecutive weeks, making it Pop Smoke's longest reign at number one.[30] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the single a platinum certification, which denotes one million units based on sales and track-equivalent on-demand streams.[31]
The single also reached the top 10 in Canada,[32] New Zealand,[33] Norway,[34] and Switzerland.[35] "For the Night" further reached the top five in Belgium,[36] Portugal,[37] and Greece, with the latter of the three becoming the most successful, peaking at number one on the country's singles chart.[38] The song was certified platinum in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)[39] while being certified gold in Austria and the United Kingdom by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and British Phonographic Industry (BPI), respectively.[40][41]
Track listings
- For The Night - EP[24]
- "For the Night" (featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby) - 3:12
- "Hello" (featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie) - 3:11
- "The Woo" (featuring 50 Cent and Roddy Ricch) - 3:22
- "Got It on Me" - 2:45
- "Creature" (featuring Swae Lee) - 3:23
- "Aim for the Moon" (featuring Quavo) - 2:56
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[3]
- Bashar Jackson – vocals, songwriter
- Dominique Jones – vocals, songwriter
- Jonathan Kirk – vocals, songwriter
- Alex Petit – production, programming, songwriter
- Christoffer Buchardt – programming, songwriter
- Cedric Leutwyler – songwriter
- Palaze – production
- Jess Jackson – additional producer, mixing engineer
- Mike Dean – additional producer
- Wylo – additional producer
- Corey Nutile – recording engineer
- Rose Adams – assistant mixer
- Sage Skofield – assistant mixer
- Sean Solymar – assistant mixer
- Princston Terry – engineer
- Stephen Farrow – engineer
- Daniel Moras Raab – programming
- Thomas Mann – vocal mixing
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[39] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[40] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[31] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ a b c Skelton, Eric; Setaro, Shawn; McKinney, Jessica. "Cover Story: The Making of Pop Smoke's 'Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon'". Complex. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Lamarre, Carl (July 21, 2020). "DaBaby Talks Pop Smoke Guest Verse & Rap's 2020 MVP Debate: 'It's a Close Race, Ain't It?'". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ a b "Credits / Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon / Pop Smoke". Tidal. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ Schwartz, Danny (July 6, 2020). "Pop Smoke's Endless Summer Continues on 'Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Amorosi, A.D. (July 3, 2020). "Pop Smoke's 'Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon': Album Review". Variety. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ a b "Pop Smoke featuring DaBaby and Lil Baby, 'For the Night'". Independent Tribune. November 29, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
- ^ a b O'Connor, Roisin (July 3, 2020). "Pop Smoke – Shoot For the Stars Aim For the Moon review: Late rapper's album is brilliant and bittersweet". The Independent. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Amorosi, A.D. (July 3, 2020). "Pop Smoke's 'Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon': Album Review". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Richardson, Mark (July 8, 2020). "'Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon' by Pop Smoke Review: A Young Artist's Final Dispatch". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on September 11, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ a b Okon, Wongo (July 7, 2020). "Pop Smoke's 'Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon' Expands The Late Rapper's Mainstream Appeal". Uproxx. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- ^ a b Giorgis, Hannah (July 7, 2020). "Pop Smoke Made the Soundtrack of a Lost Summer". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Gomez, Jade (July 8, 2020). "Pop Smoke Transcends on Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon". Paste. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ a b Mamo, Heran (October 2, 2020). "Here Are the Lyrics to Pop Smoke's 'For the Night,' Feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- ^ Brown, August (July 5, 2020). "Pop Smoke's posthumous album: A chart-topping debut and a frustrating farewell". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ Younger, Briana (July 5, 2020). "Pop Smoke's First And Final Album Falls Between Two Worlds". NPR. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ Pierre, Alphonse (July 7, 2020). "Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ Brown, August; Exposito, Suzy; Roberts, Randall; Wood, Mikael (July 16, 2020). "The 50 best songs of 2020". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ Ashari (July 3, 2020). "Brooklyn legend, Pop Smoke shoots for the stars on his brilliant posthumous album". Earmilk. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ Brake, David Aaron (July 16, 2020). "Review: Pop Smoke's No. 1 Album Proves He Was A Star Outside Of 50 Cent & Quavo's Help". HipHopDX. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2020: Staff List". Billboard. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (July 8, 2020). "Review: Pop Smoke's Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon Is a Half-Baked Epitaph". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Crone, David. "Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon – Pop Smoke". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- ^ "For The Night [feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby] [Explicit]". Amazon Music. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "For The Night – Pop Smoke". Tidal. October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
- ^ Zellner, Xander (July 13, 2020). "All 19 Songs From Pop Smoke's New LP Chart on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- ^ Kyles, Yohance (July 14, 2020). "Pop Smoke Scores First Top 10 Hit With 'For The Night' Featuring Lil Baby & DaBaby". AllHipHop. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- ^ "DaBaby Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Lil Baby Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Anderson, Trevor (December 10, 2020). "Pop Smoke Is the First Posthumous Lead Act to Top Rhythmic Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ Anderson, Trevor (January 28, 2021). "Pop Smoke Posts Back-to-Back No. 1s on Rhythmic Airplay Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Pop Smoke – For the Night". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ a b "Pop Smoke Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "NZ Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single uke 42, 2020". VG-lista. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ a b "Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby – For the Night". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
- ^ a b "Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby – For the Night" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby – For the Night". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 32/2020". IFPI Greece. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ a b "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "Austrian single certifications – Pop Smoke Ft. Lil Baby & Dababy – For the Night" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ a b "British single certifications – Pop Smoke/Lil Baby/Dababy – For the Night". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ "Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby – For the Night" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
- ^ "Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby – For the Night" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 42. týden 2020 in the date selector. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 39, 2020". Hitlisten. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ "Top Singles (Week 41, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby – For the Night" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
- ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 42" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ "Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby & DaBaby – For the Night" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ Arvunescu, Victor (7 December 2020). "Top Airplay 100 - Piesa de care ai nevoie ca să ai cel mai bun mood posibil!" [Top Airplay 100 – The song that you need to be in the best mood possible!] (in Romanian). Un site de muzică. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202046 into search. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 39". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ "Pop Smoke Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
- ^ "Pop Smoke Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ "Pop Smoke Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
- ^ "Top 100 Songs, July 3, 2020 - July 9, 2020". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2020". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
- ^ "Ö3 Austria Top40 Jahrescharts 2020". Ö3 Austria Top 40. Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ "Track Top-100 2020". Hitlisten. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ^ "Top de l'année Top Singles 2020" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2020" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
- ^ "Årslista Singlar, 2020". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
- ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2020". hitparade.ch. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2020". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
- ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.