The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, as well as number five on the singles chart in his native Canada. The song received positive reviews from music critics and was named the best song of 2013 by Pitchfork Media[6] as well as number 21 on its "Best Tracks of the Decade" list.[7] In 2021, it was listed at No. 129 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[8]
Backgroundedit
Before "Hold On, We're Going Home" was released, Drake had an interview with MTV News about the song during the 4th Annual OVO Fest saying, "It's me and 40 just channeling our Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson production duo,... Obviously no offense to the greats, I know we're not anywhere near that — it's just us kinda doing our thing, humbly attempting." He also added, "It's not a rap record,... It's not 'Versace,' it's not 'Started from the Bottom.' In approaching this album I was like man, it would be great if we had a record that was played at weddings in 10 years or that people that are away from their families in the Armed Forces could listen to. Something that just [has] timeless writing, timeless melody. So I did it with the group that we signed to OVO called Majid Jordan."[9]
Music videoedit
The music video is labeled a short film and takes place in 1985 Miami.[10] It was directed by Bill Pope and released on September 24, 2013.[11] In the video Drake plays a kingpin whose lover (Ashley Moore) is kidnapped by a rival gang. Throughout the video, Drake does everything in his power to rescue her from captor/mobster played by actor Micah Fitzgerald. Cameo appearances in the video included Fredo Santana, Steven Bauer, Johnny Simmons, Majid Jordan and ASAP Rocky among others.[10][11][12]
In 2015, on the voice Australia Nathan Hawes did an acoustic version of this.[citation needed]
On 2020-04-03 UK Artist Nerina Pallot released a compilation of the lockdown sessions covers titled "Best In Show" featuring "Hold On, We're Going Home" on track 6.
Commercial performanceedit
"Hold On, We're Going Home" debuted at number five on the US BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it Drake's thirty-third top 10 hit on the chart. This accomplishment broke the tie for second-most top ten hits with singer R. Kelly, only trailing behind rapper Lil Wayne, who has 36.[23] The song also made the top ten in the Canadian Hot 100, peaking at number five, making it his highest-charting single in his home country.[24] In the song's fifth week on the US Billboard Hot 100, it became Drake's 13th top ten hit, climbing at number eight. This feat gave him the most top ten hits of the year with four, including "Fuckin' Problems" (number 8), "Started from the Bottom" (number 6), and "Love Me" (number 9).[25] The song reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[26] becoming Drake's first song to reach the top five of the Hot 100 since "Find Your Love".[27] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[28] It sold over two million copies as of January 2014.[29]
The song sold 207,000 copies in Canada in 2013.[30]
The single reached a peak of number four in the United Kingdom, giving Drake his highest-peaking single there at the time ("One Dance" later reached number one in 2016).[31] It also received heavy rotation on South African radio stations, peaking a number one on the South African Airplay Chart.[32]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
^Sargent, Jordan (August 6, 2013). "Drake Goes Phil Collins on Synth-Poppy 'Hold on We're Going Home'". Spin. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
^Pitchfork Staff (October 7, 2019). "The 200 Best Songs of the 2010s". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 22, 2022. It's raw seduction, a disco-reminiscent ballad that borrows from Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing".
^ ab"Hold On, We're Going Home (feat. Majid Jordan) – Single". iTunes Store. Apple. August 7, 2013. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
^Steven Bauer (as the Villain) — Rating the Acting in Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home" Video | Complex
^Carrie Battan (August 15, 2013). "Listen: Dev Hynes Covers Drake's "Hold On We're Going Home"". Pitchfork.
^Luke Morgan Britton (13 September 2013). "Arctic Monkeys cover Drake's 'Hold On, We're Going Home' for BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge". The Line of Best Fit.
^""Hold On, We're Going Home" (Drake cover)". Pitchfork.[permanent dead link]
^"The Saturdays Cover Drake's 'Hold On, We're Going Home': Surfer Stephen's Viral Video Of The Day". 97.1 AMP RADIO. October 22, 2013. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
^Smith, Carl (October 17, 2013). "Ella Henderson covers Drake's 'Hold On, We're Going Home' and John Newman's 'Love Me Again' – Watch". Sugarscape. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
^Wood, Lucy (September 28, 2013). "Conor Maynard does an amazing cover mash-up of Miley's Wrecking Ball, Ellie's Burn, and Drake's Hold On – WATCH". Sugarscape. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
^Wass, Mike Wass (February 24, 2014). "Conor Maynard Covers Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home" Rather Nicely: Watch". Idolator. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
^Reiher, Andrea (April 28, 2014). "'The Voice' Season 6 Top 10: Kat Perkins, Christina Grimmie and Sisaundra Lewis keep leading the pack". Zap2it. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
^Perricone, Kathleen (June 24, 2014). "Foster the People Cover Drake's 'Hold On, We're Going Home'". RyanSeacrest.com. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
^"Nick Mulvey covers Drake's 'Hold On, We're Going Home'". DIY. September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
^Ramirez, Rauly (2013-08-15). "Drake Earns 33rd Top 10 Hit on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
^ abBliss, Karen (January 10, 2014). "Canada's Digital Music Sales Rise in 2013 Unlike the U.S.; Eminem, Robin Thicke Among Top Selling Artists". Billboard. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
^Lane, Dan (2013-09-29). "Jason Derulo scores second week at Number 1 with Talk Dirty". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
^"Entertainment Monitoring Africa :: Airplay Chart". Sa-ema.com. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
^"Drake Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201344 into search.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201425 into search. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
^"Drake feat. Majid Jordan – Hold On, We're Going Home". Tracklisten.
^"Drake feat. Majid Jordan – Hold On, We're Going Home" (in French). Les classement single.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201339 into search.
^"SloTop50: Slovenian official singles weekly chart" (in Slovenian). SloTop50. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
^"Canadian single certifications – Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home". Music Canada.
^"Danish single certifications – Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home". IFPI Danmark.
^"Danish single certifications – Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home (Streaming)". IFPI Danmark.
^"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Drake feat. Majid Jordan; 'Hold On, We're Going Home')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
^"Italian single certifications – Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Hold On, We're Going Home" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
^"Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved October 6, 2021. Type Drake in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Hold On, We're Going Home in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
^"New Zealand single certifications – Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
^"Portuguese single certifications – Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
^"Sverigetopplistan – Drake" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 3, 2021.