Forever After All

"Forever After All"
Single by Luke Combs
from the album What You See Is What You Get
WrittenJanuary 2019
Released
  • October 23, 2020
  • March 8, 2021 (country radio release)[1]
GenreCountry
Length3:52
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Luke Combs singles chronology
"Cold Beer Calling My Name"
(2020) 		"Forever After All"
(2020) 		"Cold as You"
(2021)
Audio video
"Forever After All" on YouTube
Acoustic version
"Forever After All" on YouTube

"Forever After All" is a song by American country music singer Luke Combs, It was released on October 23, 2020, as part of What You See Ain't Always What You Get, the deluxe edition of his second studio album, What You See Is What You Get. Following its release, the song broke Apple Music and Spotify's streaming records for a country song.

Commercially, the song debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, behind Ariana Grande's "Positions", and number one on the Hot Country Songs chart for the week ending November 7, 2020. This single, along with his cover of "Fast Car", is his highest charting song to date on the Hot 100.[2]

Background and writing

"Forever After All" was the first song Combs wrote after he and his wife, Nicole, moved into their house in Tennessee.[3] It was written in January 2019,[4] and was further co-written by Combs' frequent collaborators, Rob Williford and Drew Parker.[3] This was beneficial to Combs as he found it "easier to open up with guys that you've written with a lot".[3] The song was first previewed by Combs on August 27, 2020, on the video-sharing app TikTok.[5] He later shared a video on Instagram featuring some of the lyrics.[citation needed] Combs recalled, "once we teased the song, people's reaction was really awesome. I don't think we expected it to be that big".[3] He said they were "trying to hold [the song] back for a long time and not play it".[6] The song is a continuance of "Beautiful Crazy" and "Better Together",[6] which were both dedicated to his wife, whom he married in August 2020.[5][7][8] He stated, "You could write a generic love song, and not to say it couldn't be done, but my wife's impact on my life has weighed heavily on the outcome of these songs".[4]

Composition

"Forever After All" is a "tender",[8] "romantic" midtempo country love song.[8][9][10] It sees Combs harmonizing about his wife's unique attributes, and how, unlike material things, their love "last forever after all".[8][11] The ballad[7] reflects on how love is everlasting, even through death.[citation needed]

Live performances

On the day of the song's release, Combs, accompanied with a full band, performed it on Facebook Live along with the rest of the songs on the deluxe album.[11] The performance benefited the MusiCares foundation.[12]

Commercial performance

"Forever After All" set the record for the biggest first day streams for a country song on Apple Music, reaching number one on the platform's global chart.[4][8] It also earned the most first day streams for a country song by a solo artist on Spotify.[8] The song debuted at number one on the Hot Country Songs chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

"Forever After All" reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart dated June 5, 2021, making Combs the second artist to score six number one singles from a single album, and tying Luke Bryan for the most from an album.[13]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Forever After All"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] 3× Platinum 210,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[32] Platinum 80,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[34] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Future Releases for Country Radio Stations". All Access. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Trust, Gary (November 2, 2020). "Ariana Grande's 'Positions' Debuts at No. 1 on Hot 100, Luke Combs' 'Forever After All' Launches at No. 2". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "You See Ain't Always What You Get (Deluxe Edition) by Luke Combs on Apple Music". Retrieved October 29, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  4. ^ a b c Leimkuehler, Matthew (October 29, 2020). "Luke Combs is aiming for the country music history books (again)". The Tennessean. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Black, Lauren Jo (August 28, 2020). "Luke Combs Teases New Song 'Forever After All' Inspired By Wife, Nicole". Country Now. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Krol, Jacklyn (October 26, 2020). "Luke Combs Reveals His Favorite Song From Latest Album". Outsider. Retrieved October 29, 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ a b Dukes, Billy (August 28, 2020). "Luke Combs Teases Forever After All, New Wife-Inspired Love Song". Taste of Country. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Black, Lauren Jo (October 28, 2020). "Luke Combs Shatters Streaming Records With 'What You See Ain't Always What You Get'". Country Now. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  9. ^ Cillea, Houghton (August 31, 2020). "Luke Combs teases romantic new song, "Forever After All" – Music News – ABC News Radio". ABC News Radio. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  10. ^ Furdyk, Brent (October 28, 2020). "Luke Combs Teases New Ballad 'Forever After All', Tribute To Wife Nicole Hocking". Entertainment Tonight Canada. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Aderoju, Darlene (October 23, 2020). "Luke Combs Dedicates Romantic New Song 'Forever After All' to Wife Nicole Hocking". People. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  12. ^ "Luke Combs' New Deluxe Album 'What You See Ain't Always What You Get' Out Today". BroadwayWorld. October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  13. ^ Barnes, Hannah (June 3, 2021). "Luke Combs Ties Luke Bryan's Record After 'Forever After All' Hits No. 1". PopCulture. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  14. ^ "Luke Combs – Forever After All". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  15. ^ "Country Hot 50: Issue 1346". The Music Network. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Luke Combs Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  17. ^ "Luke Combs Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  18. ^ "Luke Combs Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  19. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  20. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. November 2, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  22. ^ "Luke Combs Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  23. ^ "Luke Combs Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  24. ^ "Luke Combs Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  25. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. October 30, 2020. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  26. ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  27. ^ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  28. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  29. ^ "Country Airplay – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  30. ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  31. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  32. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Luke Combs – Forever After All". Music Canada. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  33. ^ "British single certifications – Luke Combs – Forever After All". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  34. ^ "American single certifications – Luke Combs – Forever After All". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 11, 2023.