Sledgehammer (Fifth Harmony song)
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"Sledgehammer" is a song recorded by American girl group Fifth Harmony for their first studio album, '' Reflection'' (2015). The song was released on October 28, 2014 by
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and Syco Music as the record's second
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
. It was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor and Sean Douglas, and produced by Jeberg and
Harvey Mason Jr. Harvey Jay Mason Jr. (born June 3, 1968) is an American record producer, songwriter, movie producer and current CEO of The Recording Academy. He has written and produced songs for artists including Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Deniece Wil ...
Musically, "Sledgehammer" is a
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
song with influences of electronic dance music, new wave and 1980s pop music. Its lyrics utilize a
sledgehammer A sledgehammer is a tool with a large, flat, often metal head, attached to a long handle. The long handle combined with a heavy head allows the sledgehammer to gather momentum during a swing and apply a large force compared to hammers designed t ...
metaphor to describe the effects of being infatuated. Music critics generally gave positive reviews of the song, praising its production. Commercially, "Sledgehammer" peaked at number 40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it Fifth Harmony's first top 40 entry in the United States. It was eventually certified
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by the
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(RIAA) for sales of over one million copies. The song also reached the top 40 in
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, New Zealand, The Czech Republic and Slovakia. An accompanying
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for the track was choreographed and directed by Fatima Robinson. It features silhouette visuals and the members swinging on a scaffold, among other scenes. Critics noted the video's simple aesthetics as a growth in the group's visuals. Fifth Harmony performed the song live at the
2014 MTV Europe Music Awards The 2014 MTV EMAs (also known as the MTV Europe Music Awards) were held at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland on 9 November 2014. This was the first time since 2003 when the awards were held in Scotland and the fifth time the United Kingdom has h ...
, ''
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'', '' The Talk'', '' Today Show'' and '' The Ellen DeGeneres Show''.


Background and composition

During a live stream on October 23, 2014, Fifth Harmony announced that "Sledgehammer" would be serviced as the second
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
from their debut studio album, '' Reflection'' (2015). They described it as a transition from their precedent single "
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" (2014). The track was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor, and Sean Douglas, while production was handled by Jeberg and
Harvey Mason Jr. Harvey Jay Mason Jr. (born June 3, 1968) is an American record producer, songwriter, movie producer and current CEO of The Recording Academy. He has written and produced songs for artists including Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Deniece Wil ...
The group's vocals were produced and recorded by Heberg, Mason Jr. and Andrew Hey at Windmark Recording Studios in Santa Monica,
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. In an interview with
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, Trainor revealed that "Sledgehammer" was one of the songs she wrote for her solo debut album – later called ''
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'' (2015) – however,
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decided to release "
All About That Bass "All About That Bass" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, released on June 30, 2014, through Epic Records. The song was included on Trainor's debut extended play (EP) ''Title (EP), Title'' (2014) and her debut Title ( ...
" as a lead single, so Trainor offered the song to Fifth Harmony. "Sledgehammer" is a heavy
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
production backed by an electronic dance music (EDM) beat, taking influence from new wave and 1980s music. Lyrically, the song expresses the physical sensations of being infatuated, comparing it to a sledgehammer motif: "If you take my pulse right now, it would feel just like a sledgehammer." Jessica Hyndman of
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suggested that the song is about a kind of love that just "can't be contained". According to music sheet published at Musicnotes.com by
BMG Rights Management BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label. BMG was founded in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its ...
, "Sledgehammer" is written in the key of
G major G major (or the key of G) is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative minor is E minor and its parallel minor is G minor. The G major scale is: Notable compositi ...
and is set in a common time at 100 bpm with an upbeat
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melody. The quintet's vocals span from G3 to F5 and follow a chord progression of C–G–D–C–Em–D.


Reception


Critical

"Sledgehammer" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Jason Lipshutz of ''
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'' praised the song's "EDM-meets-new-wave beat" and its "immediate hook", believing that "Sledgehammer" is "the best pop track about the physical effects of lovesickness since
Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
's "
Heart Attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
" (2013)". It was tied as the best ranked song of the week, sharing the honor with "
Don't It "Don't It" is a song written by Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley, and Jaren Johnston and recorded by American country music artist Billy Currington. It was released in October 2014 as the first single from Currington's 2015 album '' Summer Forever''. ...
" (2014) by
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singer Billy Currington. Mike Wass of Idolator called it "a sugary sweet synth-pop anthem with serious radio appeal". Jessica Hyndman from MTV noted that "'Sledgehammer' takes on a fun pop vibe" that lacked in the group's previous single, "Boss". A reviewer from ''
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'' deemed the track as "catchy", while Carolyn Menyes from Music Times gave "Sledgehammer" a mixed review. She praised the group's performance, commending that their distinctive voices sound "perfectly", but expressed that the single fell "completely into average territory." In a 2017 article published on Idolator, Mike Neid covered the song in the website's "Should Have Been Bigger" feature, stating that the track was one of the group's most "underrated" songs. Neid further commented on how their visuals were not as "sexy" as the music video for their 2016 single "
Work from Home Remote work, also called work from home (WFH), work from anywhere, telework, remote job, mobile work, and distance work is an employment arrangement in which employees do not commute to a central place of work, such as an office building, war ...
", but served as a "joyful and chic" reminder of their "youthful beginnings." ''Billboard'' ranked the song at number 57 on their 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time list. Lipshutz stated that though one of the lines is "more than a bit confusing", the group manage to "sell their tale of unsaid infatuation with dedicated melismas and gooey production". In 2017, ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' ranked "Sledgehammer" at number 57 on its list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks.


Commercial performance

Upon its release, "Sledgehammer" debuted on ''Billboard''
Mainstream Top 40 Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
chart at number 28. It peaked at number 21 in December 2014, becoming their highest position–surpassing their debut single " Miss Movin' On" (2013) at the time. The song went on to spend three non-consecutive weeks at its peak position. For the week dated December 4, 2014, "Sledgehammer" debuted at number 93 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It eventually rose to a peak of 40 in its fifth week on the chart, with sales of 85,000–aided by a price reduction on digital download services, which reported a 277 percent spike in sales. This marked Fifth Harmony's best week sales, as well as their highest-charting single and first top 40 hit; It has since been surpassed by " Worth It" (2015) and "Work from Home" (2016). On June 26, 2015, "Sledgehammer" was certified Platinum by the
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(RIAA) in the United States for sales of one million units. It also received a Gold certification in both Canada.


Music video

An accompanying music video for "Sledgehammer" was uploaded onto Fifth Harmony's official
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account on November 25, 2014. It was directed and choreographed by Fatima Robinson, who also directed the music video for "Boss". Scenes in the visual include a swing set, a unicorn sculpture, and a silhouetted man swinging a sledgehammer while the group is dressed in colorful dresses and silky hair. MTV released an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of "Sledgehammer" on November 21, 2014. The video begins with the members of Fifth Harmony standing in a background of white and blue shades, where Camila Cabello takes her pulse, the band starts dancing and the screen goes dark. The group is subsequently standing in a pyramid stair, with Cabello moving her hands in rhythm of the song before switching back to the prior scene. Following this, the screen goes dark several times, switching from a shot of a shirtless man moving a sledgehammer and the members in the white and blue shade background. The next scene turns into color, revealing the faces of the group for the first time, with each pounding their heart with their hands as the lyric "If you could take my pulse right now, it would feel like a sledgehammer" is sung. Choreographed dance moves such as the members throwing their fists in the air and the shot between the shirtless man moving the sledgehammer are alternated. Another seen has the girls on a swing set/scaffolding area barefoot and wearing different dresses. Normani is in a light green dress,
Ally Brooke Allyson Brooke Hernandez (born July 7, 1993) is an American singer. She is a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony. Brooke began to establish herself in 2017 as a solo artist, featuring on Lost Kings' " Look at Us Now" with rapper ASAP Ferg. ...
is in a red dress, Camila is in an orange dress,
Dinah Jane Dinah Jane Milika Ilaisaane Hansen (; born June 22, 1997) is an American singer and a member of girl group Fifth Harmony. In October 2017, she featured in RedOne's single " Boom Boom" with Daddy Yankee and French Montana. After the group's hia ...
is in a purple dress, and
Lauren Jauregui Lauren Michelle Jauregui Morgado (; born June 27, 1996) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl group ...
is in a blue dress. The screen then shows blue and orange colors, in a special effect mimicking lights moving around them. Final scenes shows the members individually singing, all wearing a different dress from the first shot. The video continues with repeating several scenes with the negative special effects becoming more present. In a different shot, the silhouette one of the group is seen with a fan blowing air towards her, waving her hair and dress simultaneously. The video rewinds the moment the shirtless man breaks pieces of brick apart to make it seem as if though the pieces are reforming, similar to when one is going through heartbreak. Writing for ''Billboard'', Lipshutz said the video's
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setting allows the group to "demonstrate their maturity". He also states that the video is "more of a relax fest" and called the "giddiness radiation" of the girls "pretty infectious". As of July 2020, the video has surpassed over 170 million views.


Live performances

On November 9, 2014, Fifth Harmony performed "Sledgehammer" for the first time at the pre-show of the
2014 MTV Europe Music Awards The 2014 MTV EMAs (also known as the MTV Europe Music Awards) were held at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland on 9 November 2014. This was the first time since 2003 when the awards were held in Scotland and the fifth time the United Kingdom has h ...
. The following week, the group performed the song on ''
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'' and performed an acoustic version on '' Access Hollywood Live''. Nearly a month later, the group performed a stripped down jazz version on
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's '' Big Morning Buzz Live'' and closed the year by performing the song on "
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's New Year's Revolution" that aired on
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. Upon the release of '' Reflection'', the group performed the song on '' The Today Show'' on February 3, 2015 and on '' The Talk''. Several weeks later, the group presented the song on '' Sunrise'' while promoting the album in Australia and on '' The Ellen DeGeneres Show''. Sledgehammer also appeared on the set list for Fifth Harmony's performances at the 2015 New York, New York; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; and Sunrise, Florida
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concerts. It was also included on the setlist for the group's headlined international tours, the
Reflection Tour The Reflection Tour was the first major headlining concert tour by American girl group Fifth Harmony. Visiting Europe, North America and Asia (one date in Adu Dhabi), the tour supported their debut studio album, ''Reflection''. Fifth Harmony ...
and the
7/27 Tour The 7/27 Tour was the second major headlining concert tour by American girl group Fifth Harmony, in support of their second studio album ''7/27'' (2016). The tour began in Lima, Peru on June 22, 2016, and concluded in Singapore on April 8, 2017. ...
.


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from ''Reflection''s
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. ;Recording and management * Recorded at Windmark Recording Studios ( Santa Monica) * Mixed at Larrabee Sound Studios ( North Hollywood) * Mastered at Big Noize Studios (
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,
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) * Published by BMG Platinum Songs BMI – All rights administered by BMG Rights Management (US) / LLC Year Of The Dog Music (
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), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) and Eastman Point Publishing (BMI). ;Personnel * Fifth Harmony – lead vocals, background vocals * Jonas Jeberg – songwriting, production, vocal production, all instruments, engineering * Meghan Trainor – songwriting, additional background vocals * Sean Douglas – songwriting *
Harvey Mason Jr. Harvey Jay Mason Jr. (born June 3, 1968) is an American record producer, songwriter, movie producer and current CEO of The Recording Academy. He has written and produced songs for artists including Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Deniece Wil ...
– vocal production *Andrew Hey – engineering *
Jaycen Joshua Jaycen Joshua is a mix engineer and music producer who owns the revered Canton House Studios in Studio City, California. Joshua started his mix career in 2005 when he became partners with his mentor Dave Pensado and formed The Penua Project. Joshu ...
– mixing *Ryan Kaul – mixing assistant *Maddox Chhim – mixing assistant


Charts


Certifications


Release history


References


External links

* *
Behind the Scenes of "Sledgehammer"
on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
{{Authority control 2014 singles 2014 songs American synth-pop songs Electronic dance music songs Epic Records singles Fifth Harmony songs Music videos directed by Fatima Robinson Songs with feminist themes Songs written by Jonas Jeberg Songs written by Meghan Trainor Songs written by Sean Douglas (songwriter) Syco Music singles Torch songs