Hey Brother
A dance song from Avicii's debut album True, featuring bluegrass vocals from Dan Tyminski.
"Hey Brother" is a dance song by Swedish DJ and record producer Avicii from his debut studio album, True (2013). American bluegrass singer Dan Tyminski provides vocals for the track. It was written by Avicii, Ash Pournouri, Salem Al Fakir, and Vincent Pontare. "Hey Brother" sees Avicii giving his brother advice.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Avicii
- Released
- 28 October 2013
- Recorded
- 2012–2013
- Genre
- Progressive house, country pop
- Length
- 4:14 (album version); 3:13 (radio edit)
- Label
- PRMD, Universal
- Writer
- Salem Al Fakir
- Tim Bergling
- Veronica Maggio
- Vincent Pontare
- Ash Pournouri
Lore & Background
The song was written by Avicii, Ash Pournouri, Salem Al Fakir, and Vincent Pontare. It was released as the album's third single, hitting Australian radio on 9 October 2013 and later released on 28 October in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In April 2014, a version remixed by Avicii himself appeared on his remix album True (Avicii by Avicii), with Dan Tyminski remaining on vocals. The official music video, directed by Henry Scholfield and released on 9 December 2013, features an original narrative. It follows two brothers growing up in wartime middle America, with pictures and clips of the Vietnam War interspersed. In the end, it is uncovered that the older brother, implied to have died in Vietnam, was in fact actually the younger's father. The video features two boys: the older played by Zach Voss and the younger by Jack Estes. The end shows Avicii walking through grass while fireflies fly around.
Reader's Guide
In the United Kingdom, "Hey Brother" peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart on 15 December 2013 ― for the week ending dated 21 December 2013 ― being held off the top spot by Lily Allen's cover of "Somewhere Only We Know". It spent 22 weeks in the top 40 ― 10 of which were in the top 10. It also peaked at the top of the UK Dance Chart. Including previous releases "I Could Be the One", "Wake Me Up" and "You Make Me", Avicii reached the summit of the UK Dance Chart four times in 2013 alone. The song spent a total of six weeks at the top spot on the UK Dance Chart, ended by "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne. In the United States, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 77 in December 2013, climbed to number 16 in March 2014, and reached a million in total sales that week. After Clear Channel personnel noticed the song's success at pop and adult pop radio, they asked Island Def Jam to craft a remix that showcases the song's instruments more prominently. Support for this remix enabled "Hey Brother" to debut, and peak, at number 59 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart in March 2014. The song would become Avicii's final song to hit the top 40 before his death in 2018.
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