Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way

"Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the twelfth track on their fourteenth studio album, Songs of Experience, and was released as its third single on 23 April 2018. In July 2018, it became U2's fourth number-one song on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and their first since their previous number one "Beautiful Day" peaked in 2001.

"Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way"
Beck remix cover art
Single by U2
from the album Songs of Experience
Released23 April 2018 (2018-04-23)
GenrePop[1]
Length4:00
LabelInterscope
Composer(s)U2
Lyricist(s)Bono
Producer(s)Jacknife Lee
U2 singles chronology
"Get Out of Your Own Way"
(2018)
"Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way"
(2018)
"Summer of Love"
(2018)
Music video
"Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" on YouTube

Background

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Andrew Taggart of The Chainsmokers contributed keyboards for "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way".

In an interview with iHeartRadio, lead singer Bono said "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" was about using love to overcome personal difficulties.[2] The song features Andrew Taggart of the Chainsmokers on keyboards.[3]

Release

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"Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" was released on 23 April 2018.[4] In May 2018, an acoustic rendition of "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" was recorded by U2 at Third Man Records for vinyl.[5] Throughout May 2018, multiple remixes were released including ones by The Funk Hunters and Cheat Codes. On 4 June 2018, American singer Beck also issued a remix version of the track.[6]

Music video

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The first music video for "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" was filmed in the fall of 2017. Photographer David Mushegain came up with the idea of incorporating his project on the Dublin youth lifestyle into a video after listening to U2's song.[7] He solely filmed the video using a movie camera and included various youth from his prior Dublin lifestyle project.[8] In the music video officially released on 27 April 2018, the video focuses on a group of Dublin teenagers dancing and posing while the song plays in the background.[9] Mushegain initially planned on solely featuring teenagers who identify as LGBT+ but later decided to include Dubliners with various sexual orientations.[10]

Chart performance

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On 24 July 2018, U2's rendition of "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" peaked at number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. It became the band's fourth number one on the chart and their first since "Beautiful Day" in 2001.[11]

Beck remix

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Music video

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On 12 July 2018, a music video of Beck's remix was released. In the clay animation remix video, a man is preparing to embark on a journey while coping with the death of his wife.[19]

Reception

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Lake Schatz of Consequence of Sound said Beck's version was a more energetic rendition of U2's song.[20] Alternatively, Joshua Copperman of Spin opined that the track sounded like a Jack Antonoff song but that Beck had created a modern-day version compared to the original.[21]

Release history

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Country Date Format Version Label
United States[4] 23 April 2018 AAA radio Original Interscope
Various 4 May 2018[22] Remixes
11 May 2018[23] Acoustic Version
25 May 2018[24] U2 X Cheat Codes
Italy[25] 1 June 2018 Contemporary hit radio Original Universal
Various
  • Digital download
  • streaming
Beck Remix[26] Interscope
20 July 2018[27] HP. Hoeger Rusty Egan Remixes

References

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  1. ^ Alexander, Dan; Vogt, Erin (25 July 2018). "Update: New group replaces Demi Lovato in Atlantic City". New Jersey 101.5. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  2. ^ Mastrogiannis, Nicole (11 May 2018). "U2 Talks Important "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way" Meaning". iHeartRadio. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  3. ^ Wood, Mikael (30 November 2017). "U2 reaches for optimism — and pop success — on 'Songs of Experience'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  5. ^ Legaspi, Althea (29 May 2018). "U2 Brings 'Love is Bigger Than Anything in its Way' to Third Man Records". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  6. ^ Rettig, James (4 June 2018). "U2 – "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way (Beck Remix)"". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  7. ^ McDermott, Michael (27 April 2018). "Exclusive: Interview with David Mushegain on his video of Dublin's LGBTQ youth scene for U2's new single – Love is Bigger Than Anything in its Way". Totally Ireland. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  8. ^ Borrelli-Persson, Laird (27 April 2018). "In "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way," Celebrating Dublin's Vibrant Youth and LGBTQ Community". Vogue. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  9. ^ Gaca, Anna (27 April 2018). "Video: U2 – "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way"". SPIN. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  10. ^ Grow, Kory (27 April 2018). "U2 Spotlights Ireland's Youth in 'Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  11. ^ Murray, Gordon (24 July 2018). "U2 Earns First Dance Club Songs Leader Since 2001: 'To Be at No. 1 Is Huge'". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  12. ^ "Earone Airplay - Settimana #23 dal 01/06/2018 al 07/06/2018" (in Italian). Earone.
  13. ^ "U2 Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  14. ^ "U2 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  15. ^ "U2 Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  16. ^ "U2 Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  18. ^ "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  19. ^ Haas, Anna (12 July 2018). "U2's "Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" (Beck Remix) Is Turned Into a Stop-Motion Story". Paste. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  20. ^ Schatz, Lake (4 June 2018). "Stream U2 – "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way" (Beck Remix): Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  21. ^ Copperman, Joshua (4 June 2018). "U2 – 'Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way' (Beck Remix)". Spin. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  22. ^ "Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way - EP". Amazon.
  23. ^ "Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way". Amazon.
  24. ^ "Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way". Amazon.
  25. ^ "U2 - Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way (Radio Date: 01-06-2018)".
  26. ^ "Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way". Amazon.
  27. ^ "Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way". Amazon.