Potential Breakup Song

There are two versions of this song played on the radio. One is the official album version, which is played on mainstream radio, while a version with all of the violence and sexual innuendo removed is played on Radio Disney. In the Radio Disney chorus, when Aly and AJ sing, "gettin' me", the edited version adds a to between gettin' and me. Also, in the middle-eight, when Aly sings, "without me, you're gonna die," die is replaced with cry.

A departure from the duo's earlier guitar-based sound, "Potential Breakup Song" is primarily a pop song. It makes heavy use of vocal processing effects during the verses; and its lyrical content is, as the title states, about a break-up, mentioning that "our album needs just one".

The single was released on Radio Disney on May 12, 2007, containing the edited lyrics rather than the official version of the single. The song was made available for sale on the US iTunes Store on June 26, 2007,[6] along with a pre-order offer for their second studio album, Insomniatic.

The single was released digitally in the UK on October 1, 2007, followed by a physical CD single release on October 8. The album followed two weeks later on October 22. The song served as the group's second UK single when it was released in October, after their debut UK single, "Chemicals React" failed to chart in the UK in May 2007. Also, the bonus track for the United States Wal-Mart collector's edition "Careful With Words" serves as the B-side of the CD single in the United Kingdom.

The UK CD single was quickly recalled, resulting in the single only being available digitally.

Digital Spy said that, "by Disney Channel standards at least, 'Potential Breakup Song' is fairly adventurous, riding its bassline and tango-inflected rhythm track to a chipper, synth-fueled chorus."[7] The Celebrity Cafe said that the song "has an electronica-like melody to it that is perfect to be played in listeners' dance clubs."[8] Tommy2.Net said that "several tracks [on the Insomniatic album] point toward synth rock by the use of samples, loops and vocal processing including the lead single, 'Potential Breakup Song,' which proves to be a good barometer for the direction they're heading."[9] BBC Music said that they "already introduced 'Potential Breakup Song' on Back of the Sofa Tunes pt.2, after I bullied Steve P into listening to it until the poor lad was quite overcome by its brilliance and subsequently forced to bully Fraser into covering it."[10] Time voted it the ninth best song of the year, describing it as "winking pop that doesn't skimp on the hook ... or the emotion."[2]

The music video, directed by Chris Applebaum,[11] was shot on May 17, 2007, and was premiered on TRL on June 18, 2007.[12] It debuted at number ten on TRL on August 21, 2007, and peaked at number six on August 28, 2007.[13] On July 18, 2007, the video reached number one on AOL Music's Top 10 Video Countdown.

The video shows Aly and AJ singing the song on a grey set dressed in black, and oftentimes acting like DJ's assembling sets of drum machines. At the end of the video, the black ink floating on the air stains a blank paper, forming the group's new logo, as well as the sequence of letters XOXO. It also includes the web address to PotentialBreakup.com.

In the Disney Channel version of the video, the Radio Disney lyrics are used. The version also does not include the web address at the end. The music video was sometimes shown on Nickelodeon Asia.

"Potential Breakup Song" debuted at number 77 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on July 14, 2007.[14] The song peaked at number 17, becoming the group's best performing single on the Hot 100. As the song began to fall down the chart, dropping to number 50 about a month after its peak, it recovered and bounced back up to number 41 after Aly and AJ co-hosted MTV's TRL for one week.[15] As of March 2009, the song has sold over 1,000,000 digital downloads in the United States, enabling it to be certified Platinum by the RIAA.

In the United Kingdom, the single was released to download on October 1, 2007, and debuted at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart. Following the release of the physical CD, the song later peaked at number 22 in Britain.

• "Potential Breakup Song" is played in the video game Thrillville: Off the Rails.
• "Potential Breakup Song" is played in episode two of The Miley and Mandy Show.

"Potential Breakup Song"
Single by Ami Suzuki
from the album Dolce
Released	November 28, 2007 (Japan)
Genre	J-pop house
Length	3:51
Label	Avex Trax
Songwriter(s)	Alyson Michalka Amanda Michalka Antonina Armato Tim James
Producer(s)	Sugiurumn
Ami Suzuki singles chronology
"Free Free/Super Music Maker" (2007) "Potential Breakup Song" (2007) "One" (2008)

"Potential Breakup Song" was covered by Japanese singer Ami Suzuki under the label Avex Trax. It was released on November 28, 2007.[29]

The song was used in the Japanese horror film X-Cross, in which Suzuki had a lead role, alongside the original Aly & AJ version. The single was produced by Japanese DJ Sugiurumn and has a stronger club feel than Aly & AJ's version.

In June 2008, it was announced that the single would be Suzuki's final "joins" single.