Play Date (song)

"Play Date" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melanie Martinez from the deluxe edition of her debut album, Cry Baby (2015). In April 2020, the song gained popularity due to its use in an edit of actor Timothée Chalamet which led to its widespread use on the video-sharing app TikTok, receiving over 1.9 billion views for the month.[1] On May 1, 2020, the song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 units in the United States. It was then certified Platinum on December 9, 2020.

"Play Date"
Song by Melanie Martinez
from the album Cry Baby
ReleasedAugust 14, 2015 (2015-08-14)
RecordedNew York City
Genre
Length2:59
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Michael Keenan
  • Jennifer Decilveo
Lyric video
"Play Date" on YouTube

Background

"Play Date" was recorded in New York and according to Martinez, was written "pretty quickly."[2]

Despite being released in 2015, the song became a sleeper hit and gained popularity in April 2020 due to widespread use on the app TikTok.[3] By May 8, the song had gained over 80 million streams on Spotify and 40 million views on YouTube.[2] The song has been featured on multiple prominent Spotify playlists, such as Today's Top Hits, Pop Rising and Teen Beats. Martinez was featured on the cover of both Pop Rising and Teen Beats.[4][5][6]

On April 28, 2020, Martinez posted on Instagram, addressing the song's success as the "best birthday present ever".[7] When asked if the song would be released as a single, Martinez said that she was not sure "because it very much lives on the Cry Baby album already."[2]

Composition

"Play Date" is a dark wave[8] and pop song.[2] It features a "catchy chorus"[9] and has been described as a "punchy pop anthem"[2] and "a serious mood."[9]

The song's lyrics narrate a woman who is involved in a casual relationship through the metaphor of two children on a play date. Throughout the song, the woman denies that she has romantic feelings for her sexual partner until the end, where she confesses that she does.

Music video

Martinez revealed on May 8, 2020, that she was planning to record a music video for "Play Date" from her home.[2]

A lyric video for the song was released on May 26, 2020. It debuted with 1.3 million views in the first 24 hours.

Eventually, Melanie scrapped the video to instead work on the video for her single “The Bakery”.

Charts
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 76
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[11] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] 46
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[13] 79
Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40)[14] 34
France (SNEP)[15] 138
Greece (IFPI)[16] 53
Ireland (IRMA)[17] 45
Lithuania (AGATA)[18] 33
Malaysia (RIM)[19] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[20] 27
Norway (VG-lista)[21] 23
Portugal (AFP)[22] 119
Russia (Tophit)[23] 274
Singapore (RIAS)[24] 6
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[25] 77
Swedish Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[26] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 78
UK Singles (OCC)[28] 78
US Alternative Digital Songs (Billboard)[29] 13
US Rolling Stone Top 100[30] 88

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[31] Gold 40,000
United States (RIAA)[32] Platinum 1,000,000

sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various August 14, 2015
Atlantic Records [33]

References
  1. "Tiktometer - Top TikTok Songs for April 2020". tiktometer.com. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  2. Wass, Mike (May 8, 2020). "Interview: Melanie Martinez Talks "Play Date" & Quarantine". Idolator. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  3. Schroeder, Audra (May 12, 2020). "Melanie Martinez's 'Play Date' soundtracks TikTok's Timmy trend". Daily Dot. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  4. "Today's Top Hits". Spotify. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  5. "Pop Rising". Spotify. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  6. "Teen Beats". Spotify. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  7. Martinez, Melanie (April 28, 2020). "Melanie Martinez on Instagram: '💕My song Play Date from my first album has taken on a life of it's [sic] own and it's the best birthday present ever💕 #streamplaydate 🌟link in bio🌟'". Instagram. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  8. Kovan, Brianna (April 21, 2016). "14 Mega-Famous Musicians Tell Us Exactly Who's Worth Listening to Now". Elle. Kevin O'Malley. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  9. Wass, Mike (April 29, 2020). "Melanie Martinez's "Play Date" Is A Belated Hit". Idolator. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  10. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 18 May 2020". No. 1576. Australian Recording Industry Association. May 18, 2020. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  11. "Ultratop.be – Melanie Martinez – Play Date" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  12. "Ultratop.be – Melanie Martinez – Play Date" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  13. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202021 into search. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  14. "EESTI TIPP-40 MUUSIKAS : Ründavad räpparid ja Ott Lepland" (in Estonian). Eesti Ekspress. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  15. "Top Singles (Week 20, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  16. "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 20/2020". IFPI Greece. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  17. "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  18. "2020 21-os SAVAITĖS (gegužės 15-21 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 22, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  19. "Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles In Malaysia". Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  20. "Tipparade-lijst van week 26, 2020" [Tip parade list from week 26, 2020] (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  21. "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single uke 22, 2020". VG-lista. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  22. "Portuguesecharts.com – Melanie Martinez – Play Date". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  23. "Melanie Martinez > Play Date" (in Russian). Tophit. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  24. "RIAS International Top Charts Week 20". Recording Industry Association (Singapore). Archived from the original on May 19, 2020.
  25. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202021 into search. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  26. "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 22". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  27. "Swisscharts.com – Melanie Martinez – Play Date". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  29. "Melanie Martinez". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  30. "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone charts. May 15, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  31. "Canadian single certifications – Melanie Martinez – Play Date". Music Canada. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  32. "American single certifications – Melanie Martinez – Play Date". Recording Industry Association of America. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  33. "Cry Baby (Deluxe Edition) by Melanie Martinez on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
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