Who You Love

"Who You Love" is a song by John Mayer featuring Katy Perry, for Mayer's sixth studio album, Paradise Valley (2013). It appears as the sixth song on the album and is the third single from the record. Mayer co-wrote the song with Perry and co-produced with Don Was and released it as an Internet download on August 12, 2013.[3] Lyrically, "Who You Love" is a ballad about accepting falling in love with someone, on the theory that "you love who you love". The song has been praised by critics and has received mostly positive reviews.

For other songs with a similar title, see Who Do You Love?
"Who You Love"
Single by John Mayer featuring Katy Perry
from the album Paradise Valley
ReleasedAugust 12, 2013 (Hot AC radio)
Recorded2012–13
Genre
Length4:12
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
John Mayer singles chronology
"Wildfire"
(2013)		 "Who You Love"
(2013)		 "XO"
(2014)
Katy Perry singles chronology
"Roar"
(2013)		 "Who You Love"
(2013)		 "Unconditionally"
(2013)
Music video
"Who You Love" on YouTube

Background and recording

Mayer has stated that his relationship with Perry has been a private and "human" one. On writing the song, Mayer said: "Who You Love" is a sweet melody that tells the story of opening your heart up and allowing yourself to fully love the person in your life—or specifically to "love who you love, who you love." "It was a really great experience and the song is one of these like old FM '70s and '80s sort of like duets, and I listened back to it; it's, like, really convincing. And I watched it get made and I'm still kind of taken aback." Mayer also stated in an interview with Billboard magazine that the general idea behind the song can be best described as, "I love you based on the fact that I've tried to run and I'm not running and I give up." In regards to Perry writing the lyrics to her part of the song herself he said that "it was a really fun opportunity for her to write like, her answer to that."[4] During a speech at Oxford University, Mayer mentioned the song, saying "I wouldn't have brought [Perry] a song if I didn't think it was good and great and she wouldn't have said she would do it if she didn't think it was going to be great. So it was a completely artistic transaction."[5] Perry described their duet as "incredible", adding: "I'm so proud of it because people hear it, and they hear a different side of me."[6]

Composition

"Who You Love" has a length of four minutes and twelve seconds (4:12).[7] According to digital sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony-ATV Music Publishing, the song is written in the key of A major and the tempo moves at moderate pace of 144 beats per minute.[8] Mayer and Perry's vocal range in the song spans from the lower note of E3 to the higher note of D5.[8]

Promotion
Mayer and Perry performing "Who You Love" at the Barclays Center on December 17, 2013

Mayer first announced that "Who You Love" would be the third single from Paradise Valley on his Tumblr account during a Q&A session with fans. The single cover was revealed on December 2, 2013, and features a photograph of Mayer and Perry shot by photographer Mario Sorrenti. The cover was revealed amongst a photo shoot of the couple shot by Sorrenti for Vanity Fair magazine.[9] They performed the song together at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on December 17, 2013, which was the last night of his Paradise Valley tour.[10]

Critical reception

"Who You Love" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Andrew Hampp of Billboard considered the song to be "the centrepiece" of Paradise Valley.[11] Anthony Decurtis from Rolling Stone called "Who You Love" a "lovely duet".[12] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times said it has the feel of an "old soul classic", while the lyrics discuss "the joy of falling in love with someone when you least expect it."[13][14] In a less positive review, Caroline Sulivan of The Guardian called it "a country-pop amble that's entirely self-serving" and said Perry's presence on the song is "drowsy" and "rootsy".[2]

Chart performance

Prior to being released as a single, "Who You Love" managed to chart in US and Canada. On the week ending December 21, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 80.[15] On the week ending January 4, fuelled by a sudden surge in streaming due to the debut of its music video, the song reached its new peak of number 48 on Hot 100.[16]

Music video

On December 3, 2013, at the UNICEF Snowflake Ball in New York City, Perry confirmed that the video was recently filmed with director Sophie Muller. Perry described the video as "epic" and "beautiful". The video was released on December 17, 2013 on Good Morning America.[17] The video features scenes of various real-life couples, including Mayer and Perry, riding a mechanical bull, as well as scenes of the couple singing together. Towards the end of the video, Mayer fires a confetti cannon whilst the couple ride the bull, and fireworks rain down behind them.[18] During the video premiere on Good Morning America, Perry said the usage of the mechanical bull is a metaphor about love: "Relationships are kind of like riding a bull – you hold on for dear life. Sometimes you get a little buck here and there, but you get back on." On the video, Mayer said "We set the casting call up for real couples. It's just so authentic – they were having a great time. There's nothing scripted in that video except putting the bull in the middle of the desert."[19]

Credits and personnel

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[30] Gold 35,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[31] Gold 45,000‡
United States (RIAA)[32] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Wood, Mikael (February 14, 2014). "Review: Demi Lovato keeps it real at Honda Center". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  2. Sullivan, Caroline. "John Mayer: Paradise Valley – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  3. Gicas, Peter (February 26, 2014). "Katy Perry and John Mayer: Inside Their Relationship's Ups and Downs". E! Online. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  4. Nessif, Bruna (December 2, 2013). "Katy Perry & John Mayer Unveil "Who You Love" Cover Art". E! Online. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
  5. "John Mayer Talks Katy Perry at Oxford Union". MTV UK. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  6. "John Mayer, Katy Perry Unveil Duet 'Who You Love'". MTV UK. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  7. "John Mayer – Paradise Valley". iTunes. Columbia. August 20, 2013.
  8. "John Mayer – Who You Love Sheet Music (Digital Download)". Musicnotes.com. Sony-ATV Music Publishing. 7 November 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  9. Miller, Julie. "Exclusive: John Mayer and Katy Perry's First Portraits Together, Commemorating Their "Who You Love" Single". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  10. Maresca, Rachel (December 18, 2013). "Katy Perry joins John Mayer on stage for first-ever live performance of 'Who You Love'". NY Daily News. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  11. Hampp, Andrew. "John Mayer Returns with New Album and a Duet with Katy Perry". Billboard. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  12. Decurtis, Anthony. "John Mayer, 'Paradise Valley'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  13. Nikita (October 30, 2013). "Album review: John Mayer – 'Paradise Valley'". The Times. Times Media Group. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  14. Roberts, Randall (August 22, 2013). "Album review: John Mayer's redemptive 'Paradise Valley'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  15. Grein, Paul. "Chart Watch: "The Monster" Lives Up To Its Title". Yahoo. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  16. "Who You Love chart position on Hot 100". Billboard Magazine. Prometheus Global Media. January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  17. Video on YouTube
  18. Macatee, Rebecca (17 December 2013). "John Mayer and Katy Perry Debut Who You Love Music Video- Watch Now!". E! Online. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  19. "Katy Perry and John Mayer's Who You Love video: Couple ride a mechanical bull together". Metro. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  20. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 30 December 2013" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. December 30, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-01-13. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  21. "John Mayer Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  22. "Billboard Japan Adult Contemporary Airplay | Charts". Billboard JAPAN.
  23. "Katy Perry John Mayer – Lebanese Charts". The Official Lebanese Top 20. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  24. "John Mayer + Katy Perry - Who You Love". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  25. "John Mayer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  26. "John Mayer Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  27. "John Mayer Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  28. "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  29. "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  30. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  31. "Danish single certifications – John Mayer – Who You Love". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  32. "American single certifications – John Mayer – Who You Love". Recording Industry Association of America.
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