"Better Now" is a song by American rapper and singer Post Malone from his second studio album, Beerbongs & Bentleys (2018). It was written by Malone, Billy Walsh, Louis Bell and Frank Dukes, with production handled by the latter two. The song was released to UK contemporary hit radio on May 25, 2018, and US contemporary hit radio on June 5, 2018, as the album's fifth and final single.

"Better Now"
Single by Post Malone
from the album Beerbongs & Bentleys
ReleasedMay 25, 2018 (2018-05-25)
Genre
Length3:50
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Frank Dukes
  • Louis Bell
Post Malone singles chronology
"Jackie Chan"
(2018)
"Better Now"
(2018)
"Sunflower"
(2018)
Music video
"Better Now" on YouTube

It reached the top 10 of the music charts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.[1] The song was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

Music and recording

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In an interview with Pitchfork, producer Frank Dukes revealed information about the song's creation, stating it was "frankensteined" out of existing scraps of other studio sessions with Malone. The song's verse melody was written first, but with no words, along with a completely different beat and hook. To them, the beat did not fit the melody, and its hook felt "awkward". The vocal engineer Louis Bell then remembered an unused snippet from an old session, which was the song's chorus. It replaced the old hook in the song, and Dukes rewrote a new backing track on guitar, taking inspiration from the American band Weezer.[2]

"Better Now" is described as a pop song.[3] The song's sheet music, published by EMI Music Publishing at Musicnotes, shows that the song is written in the key of B major, and follows a tempo of 150 beats per minute. The vocals in the song span from the low note of F3 to the high note of G4.[4]

Chart performance

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"Better Now" debuted in the top ten in various countries, including at number one in Norway, number seven in the United States, and number six in the United Kingdom, becoming his third top 10 in the latter country. The single became his fifth top 10 hit in Australia, peaking at number two. It peaked at number 3 in the United States (prevented from further chart movement by Juice WRLD's "Lucid Dreams" as well as Maroon 5 and Cardi B's "Girls Like You").[5]

Taylor Swift told Malone that she wished she had written the song, especially giving praise to its hook.[6]

Music video

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The official music video for "Better Now" premiered on October 5, 2018.[7]

Charts

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Certifications

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Sales certifications for "Better Now"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[100] 10× Platinum 700,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[101] Platinum 30,000
Belgium (BEA)[102] Platinum 40,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[103] 3× Diamond 480,000
Canada (Music Canada)[104] Diamond 800,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[105] 2× Platinum 180,000
France (SNEP)[106] Platinum 200,000
Germany (BVMI)[107] Platinum 400,000
Italy (FIMI)[108] Platinum 50,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)[109] 2× Platinum 120,000
Netherlands (NVPI)[110] 2× Platinum 160,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[111] 2× Platinum 60,000
Norway (IFPI Norway)[112] Platinum 60,000
Poland (ZPAV)[113] 2× Platinum 100,000
Portugal (AFP)[114] 4× Platinum 40,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[115] Platinum 60,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[116] 3× Platinum 1,800,000
United States (RIAA)[117] Diamond 10,000,000
Streaming
Sweden (GLF)[118] Platinum 8,000,000

Sales streaming figures based on certification alone.
Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release formats for "Better Now"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United Kingdom May 25, 2018 Contemporary hit radio Republic [119]
United States June 5, 2018 [120]
Italy June 15, 2018 Universal [121]
United States June 25, 2018 Hot adult contemporary Republic [122]

See also

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References

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