Games (Luke Bryan song)

"Games"
Promotional single by Luke Bryan
from the album Spring Break...Checkin' Out
ReleasedFebruary 24, 2015 (2015-02-24)
GenreCountry
Length2:56
LabelCapitol Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jeff Stevens

"Games" is a song performed by American country music artist Luke Bryan from his seventh extended play Spring Break...Checkin' Out (2015). It was written by Bryan and Ashley Gorley. First released to digital retailers on February 24, 2015 as the first promotional single off the EP, the song later received airplay on country radio.[1]

Content

"Games" is a mid-tempo country song about the frustration of people that the narrator cares about "playing games" rather than being upfront about their feelings.[2][3] The song has been praised by critics such as Bob Paxman at Country Weekly for departing from the "party" theme of Bryan's spring break releases and dealing maturely with the topic.[2]

Commercial reception

Despite not being officially promoted as a radio single by his label, "Games" was the ninth-most-added song on country radio for the week of March 16, 2015.[4] "Games" debuted on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at number 25 and on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart at number 46 for the week of March 14, 2015.[5] It also debuted from unsolicited airplay for the week of March 21, 2015, at number 57 on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart.[6] "Games" entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 97 for the week of March 28, 2015.[5] The song has sold 293,000 copies in the US as of August 2015.[7]

Chart performance

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[8] 46
Canada Country (Billboard)[9] 32
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 92
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[11] 20
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[12] 21

Year-end charts

Chart (2015) Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[13] 95
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[14] 68

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[15] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Amazon.com: Games: Luke Bryan: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b Paxman, Bob (16 March 2015). "Spring Break . . . Checkin' Out by Luke Bryan". Country Weekly. American Media, Inc. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  3. ^ Taste of Country Staff (10 March 2015). "Album Spotlight: Luke Bryan, 'Spring Break … Checkin' Out' Read More: Album Spotlight: Luke Bryan, 'Spring Break … Checkin' Out'". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  4. ^ Bjorke, Matt (16 March 2015). "The Most-Added Country Songs at Country Radio: March 16, 2015". Roughstock. Cheri Media. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Chart Search". Billboard – "Games" for Luke Bryan. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  6. ^ Trust, Gary (9 March 2015). "Chart Highlights: 'Loud' & Proud, Ed Sheeran Tops All Three Pop, Adult Airplay Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  7. ^ Matt Bjorke (August 28, 2015). "The Top 30 Digital Country Singles: August 28, 2015".
  8. ^ "Luke Bryan Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Luke Bryan Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
  10. ^ "Luke Bryan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Luke Bryan Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
  12. ^ "Luke Bryan Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  13. ^ "Billboard Country Update for December 14, 2015" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 14, 2015. p. 7. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  14. ^ "Best of 2015: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  15. ^ "American single certifications – Luke Bryan – Games". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 10, 2019.