I'm Just Ken

"I'm Just Ken" is a song performed by Canadian actor Ryan Gosling for Barbie: The Album, the soundtrack of the 2023 film Barbie. It was written and produced by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. As of September 15, 2023, the song has over 70 million streams on Spotify[1] and over 3 million views on YouTube.[2]

"I'm Just Ken"
Song by Ryan Gosling
from the album Barbie: The Album
ReleasedJuly 21, 2023 (2023-07-21)
StudioAbbey Road Studios, London
Manhattan Center Studios, New York City
GenrePop
Length3:42
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Mark Ronson
  • Andrew Wyatt
Music video
"I'm Just Ken" on YouTube

Background

"I'm Just Ken" is described as a sentimental "'80s power ballad."[3] Ahead of the film's release, marketing and promotional materials often contained the tagline, "She's everything. He's just Ken," an allusion to the song.[4]

Production

"I'm Just Ken" was one of the first songs written for Barbie: The Album. Producer Mark Ronson was inspired to write the ballad after reading the Barbie script and sympathizing with Ken's character.[4]

I instantly had this idea for this lyric: "I'm just Ken / Anywhere else I'd be a 10." It just seemed funny. It felt a little bit emo, like, this poor guy. He’s so hot, but can’t get the time of day.

— Mark Ronson, on writing "I'm Just Ken" for Barbie: The Album[4]

Ronson recorded a demo of "I'm Just Ken" and sent it to director Greta Gerwig, although he wasn't expecting it to be included in the film. Gerwig, however, loved the song and played it for Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken.[4] Gosling stated that it affected him "deeply"[3] and asked if he could perform it in the film.[5] Gerwig had to rewrite an important scene in the film to accommodate the new addition.[4][6]

Ronson's colleague and fellow producer on the soundtrack, Andrew Wyatt, wrote the rest of the song before Ronson flew to London to record the vocals with Gosling.[3] In an interview with Vulture, Ronson noted, "In the studio with Ryan, it was really his performance that lifted the whole thing. All these lines that felt a little bit throwaway-ish, delivered by him, suddenly took on much more."[6] Gosling only had three hours to record the track.[7]

After Gosling recorded his vocals, Ronson sent the track to Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, who found it "cool" and agreed to play guitar on the song.[7] Guitarist Wolfgang Van Halen and Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese also played on the track.[6][8]

Release

Ahead of Barbie's release, Warner Bros. released a clip of Gosling's performance of "I'm Just Ken" on July 10, 2023.[9][10] A "behind-the-scenes" music video mixing rehearsal footage with clips from the actual musical sequence in the film was released on August 21, 2023.[11]

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the CD liner notes of Barbie: The Album.[12]

  • Mark Ronson – songwriter, producer, bass guitar, synths
  • Andrew Wyatt – songwriter, producer, synths, background vocals, choir arrangement
  • Picard Brothers – additional production
  • Slash – lead guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Wolfgang Van Halen – rhythm guitar
  • Josh Freese – drums
  • Mike Richiuti – piano
  • Roger Manning – synths
  • Brandon Bost – programming, engineering
  • Geoff Foster – male choir recording engineer
  • Peter Cobbin – scoring engineer, female choir recording engineer
  • Kirsty Whalley – scoring engineer, female choir recording engineer
  • Daniel Hayden – Pro Tools recordist
  • Alex Venguer – orchestra recording, piano recording engineer
  • Matt Dunkley – orchestral arrangement
  • Ben Parry – choirmaster
  • Ricky Damian – engineering
  • Jake Ferguson – assistant engineering
  • Mike Clink – Slash recording
  • Tom Elmhirst – mixing
  • Adam Hong – engineering for mix
  • Abbey Road Studios Orchestra – orchestra

Charts
Chart performance for "I'm Just Ken"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 66
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 25
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[15] 48
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[16] 13
Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 67
Global 200 (Billboard)[18] 70
Ireland (IRMA)[19] 10
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 98
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 25
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[22] 55
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 60
UK Singles (OCC)[25] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 87
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[27] 5

References
  1. "Ryan Gosling's 'I'm Just Ken' song lands on Billboard's Hot 100". TODAY.com. August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  2. Jeffrey, Joyann (August 4, 2023). "Ryan Gosling makes Billboard's Hot 100 chart. He's not the 1st actor to do so". TODAY.com. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  3. Mendez II, Moises (July 6, 2023). "Mark Ronson Breaks Down the 'Barbie' Soundtrack". Time. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  4. Jarvey, Natalie (July 11, 2023). "Singing "I'm Just Ken" in 'Barbie' Was Ryan Gosling's Idea". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  5. Sherman, Maria (July 17, 2023). "How the 'Barbie' soundtrack came together, according to mastermind Mark Ronson". AP News. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  6. Curto, Justin (July 19, 2023). "Mark Ronson Went Full 'Batshit' on the Barbie Soundtrack". Vulture. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  7. Sharf, Zack (July 10, 2023). "Ryan Gosling Sings His Heart Out in 'Barbie' Music Video for 'I'm Just Ken': He Was 'Psyched and Satisfied' By the Power Ballad". Variety. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  8. Wang, Jessica (July 19, 2023). "Wolfgang Van Halen and Josh Freese also bring Kenergy to Barbie Land". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  9. @barbiethemovie (July 10, 2023). "Heard everyone was feelin' the Ken-rgy ✨ #BarbieTheMovie – only in theaters July 21. Tickets on sale now!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. VanHoose, Benjamin (July 10, 2023). "Ryan Gosling Flexes His Muscles and Sings His Ken Anthem in New 'Barbie' Sneak Peek". People. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  11. https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/im-just-ken-behind-the-scenes-ryan-goslings-barbie-1234809502/
  12. Various artists (July 21, 2023). Barbie The Album (Media notes). Atlantic Records. 075678616006.
  13. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 7 August 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1744. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 7, 2023. p. 4.
  14. "Ryan Gosling – I'm Just Ken" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  15. "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of August 19, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  16. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202332 into search. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  17. "Ryan Gosling – I'm Just Ken" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  18. "Billboard Global 200: Week of August 19, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  19. "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  20. "Ryan Gosling – I'm Just Ken" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  21. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  22. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202332 into search. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  23. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 32". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  24. "Ryan Gosling – I'm Just Ken". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  26. "Billboard Hot 100: Week of August 5, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  27. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of August 5, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
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