| "Heartless" | ||||
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| Single by Kanye West | ||||
| from the album 808s & Heartbreak | ||||
| Released | October 28, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | 2008 | |||
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| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:31 | |||
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| Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
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| "Heartless" on YouTube | ||||
"Heartless" is a song by American rapper and record producer Kanye West from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song was written by West, No I.D., Kid Cudi and Malik Yusef, while being produced by the former two. It was passed on to West during recording sessions, after originally being intended for inclusion on Jay-Z's eleventh studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). Following the song's debut at the 2008 Democratic National Convention (DNC), West shared an unmastered version via his blog on October 15, 2008. The song was later serviced to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the second single from 808s & Heartbreak on October 28, through Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam. A pop ballad with influences of hip hop and R&B, it features synthesizers.
In the lyrics of the song, West reflects on his break-up with Alexis Phifer. "Heartless" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly complimented West's performance. Some placed emphasis on the song's subject matter, while other critics praised the composition. At the 2010 BMI Pop Awards, it stood among the Award Winning Songs. The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. It further attained top 10 positions in Canada, New Zealand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Eventually being certified septuple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the song became one of the highest certified digital singles in the US. It has also received a quadruple platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in Australia and double platinum certifications in both Denmark and the UK by IFPI Danmark and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), respectively.
The song's music video, released on November 7, 2008, is a tribute to Ralph Bakshi's 1981 film American Pop. The video is animated, with it showcasing West expressing sadness over breaking up with Phifer. Critics gave the video favorable reviews, generally praising the animation. At the 2009 BET Awards, it received a nomination for the Video of the Year award. West performed "Heartless" at the 36th Annual American Music Awards and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2008 and 2011, respectively.
"Heartless" has been subject to cover versions by various artists, including the Fray. The band debuted their cover on the Live Lounge for BBC Radio 1 in February 2009, before it was released as a single on April 17. A pop rock ballad, the cover reworks the original. The cover received mixed to positive responses from critics, some of whom praised the musical direction. It charted at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100. An accompanying music video was released on August 18, 2009, which shows moving doodles that appear from a boy's notebook. Kris Allen also covered the song, premiering his version in May 2009 with a performance for season eight of American Idol, which he was the winner of. The performance gathered strong verdicts from the judges, including Simon Cowell. The cover was released as a single in May 2009, and it charted at number 16 on the Hot 100.