Somebody Else (The 1975 song)

"Somebody Else"
In a city at night under beside the bridge, a pink-colored neon sign reading "Somebody Else" with the band's name, "The 1975", in white text on the top left.
Single by the 1975
from the album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It
Released15 February 2016 (2016-02-15)
Recorded2015
Genre
Length5:47
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The 1975 singles chronology
"The Sound"
(2016) 		"Somebody Else"
(2016) 		"A Change of Heart"
(2016)
Music video
"Somebody Else" on YouTube

"Somebody Else" is a song by English band the 1975 from their second studio album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It (2016). The song was written by band members Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, with the first two handling the production alongside Mike Crossey. The song was the last one written for the album; Healy developed the song's lyrics in Los Angeles while in the back of a cab. The singer focused on the after-effects of a breakup, centred on the themes of jealousy and guilt. It was released on 16 February 2016 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the fourth single from the album.

A slow jam, "Somebody Else" is a power ballad composed in the styles of electronic, R&B and synth-pop. The song contains elements of several genres, including house, chillwave, funk and neo-soul, with its sparse 1980s-style production incorporating synthesisers, 808 percussion, and techno beats. The lyrics explore the mixed emotions experienced after discovering a former lover has found a new partner, focusing on the themes of jealousy, grief, melancholia, and bitterness, among others.

Upon release, "Somebody Else" received widespread acclaim from contemporary music critics, several of whom deemed it the best song on I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It. Reviewers praised the song's production quality, 1980s-style sound and lyrical depth, with some comparing it to the work of Tears for Fears. It later appeared on numerous year-end and decade-end lists, including ones published by NME, Pitchfork and The Times. The song peaked at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart, number eight on the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, number 29 in Scotland, number 34 in Australia and number 70 in Ireland. The song was later certified gold in Australia and the United States by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), respectively, while it received a platinum certification in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

An accompanying music video, directed by Tim Mattia, was released on 7 July 2016. The visual depicts Healy's attempts to move on from his former relationship, engaging in various situations that explore themes of isolation and self-obsession. The video received positive reviews from critics, who highlighted the cinematic quality, introspective style and twist ending, with several comparing it to the work of filmmaker David Lynch and the film Fight Club (1999). To promote "Somebody Else", the 1975 performed the song on tour and at various music festivals, including the Reading and Leeds Festivals and Pohoda. In addition to appearing in several films and television shows, such as 13 Reasons Why and The Edge of Seventeen (2016), the song has been covered by several artists including Charlie Puth, Vérité and Lorde, with the latter citing it as a significant influence on her second studio album, Melodrama (2017).