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Not Alone (Seventeen song)

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"Not Alone"
Standard cover
Single by Seventeen
LanguageJapanese
ReleasedApril 15, 2021 (digital)
April 21, 2021 (physical)
GenreJ-pop
Length3:18
LabelPledis Japan
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
  • Woozi
  • Bumzu
  • Haru.Robinson
Seventeen Japanese singles chronology
"24H"
(2020)
"Not Alone"
(2021)
"Power of Love"
(2021)
Music video
"Not Alone" on YouTube

"Not Alone" (Japanese: ひとりじゃない, Hepburn: Hitorijanai) is a song by South Korean boy group Seventeen. It was released as the group's third non-album and fifth overall Japanese single through Pledis Japan on April 21, 2021. The single debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, becoming the group's second consecutive chart-topper after "Fallin' Flower" in 2020.

Background and release

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In February 2021, Pledis Entertainment announced that Seventeen would be releasing their new Japanese single "Not Alone", following the success of the group's 2020 Japanese mini-album 24H and single "Fallin' Flower".[1] The CD single, which includes "Not Alone" alongside the Japanese versions of the group's Korean tracks "Run To You" and "Home:Run",[1] was marketed with six physical variations: Limited Edition A, Limited Edition B, and Limited Edition C, which each comes with a unique 36-page photo book; Limited Edition D, which comes with an M-Card; Regular Edition, which comes with a 16-page photo book; and Carat Edition, which features a special blu-ray.[2]

"Not Alone" was digitally made available on music streaming platforms on April 15, 2021; its CD was physically released on April 21.[2] A Korean version of the song was later released on Seventeen's greatest hits album 17 Is Right Here on April 29, 2024.[3]

Composition

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Continuing the theme of youth set forth by the group's previous EPs Heng:garæ and Semicolon, "Not Alone" has been described to be a song that conveys the courage and determination of those standing at the starting line of their dreams.[4] It has further been dubbed as a song of encouragement for those "spending their youth in the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic".[5] Relatedly, the track, which conveys the message of being connected despite being apart,[6] has also been noted to be an ode to Seventeen's fanbase, as well as a depiction of the group's yearning to meet them in person again, following the restrictions put into place on live performances by the pandemic.[1]

The song was produced by Woozi, with Park Ki-Tae credited as an arranger and composer. Songwriting credits were provided to Bumzu and Woozi, while Japanese lyrics were credited to Haru.Robinson.[7]

Music video

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The music video for "Not Alone" was released on April 18, 2021.[1] It depicts the group's members scattered across various locations while staying remotely connected before reuniting during the video's climax.[2] Commenting on the music video's theme, member DK shared, "There is a scene where the members, who were spending time in different places, connect via video call to celebrate my birthday. That scene left a particularly strong impression on me because it conveys the message that even though we were apart, we were not alone and were still connected."[2]

Promotion

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On April 27, 2021, Seventeen hosted a special online fan meeting titled Hare to commemorate the single's release.[8] A special performance of the song was aired on Asahi TV's weekly music program Music Station on May 7.[9]

Commercial performance

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In Japan, "Not Alone" debuted at number one on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, selling 372,913 copies in its opening week of April 19–25, 2021.[10][11] In the same period, it debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart,[12] recording 315,000 units sold.[13] It is Seventeen's second consecutive Japanese work to top the chart, after their 2020 single "Fallin' Flower" sold 334,000 copies in its first week of release.[13] This made Seventeen the second group in history to have two consecutive singles each exceed a first-week sales total of 300,000 units, after BTS, as well as the first foreign male artist to have three consecutive singles each exceed a first-week sales total of 200,000 units.[13]

Track listing

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Not Alone track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Not Alone" (ひとりじゃない)
  • Woozi
  • Bumzu
  • Park Kitae
Park Kitae3:18
2."Run To You" (Japanese version)
  • Woozi
  • Bumzu
  • Barbora
  • Woozi
  • Bumzu
  • Park Kitae
  • Bumzu
  • Park Kitae
3:14
3."Home;Run" (Japanese version)
  • Woozi
  • Bumzu
  • Nmore
  • Bumzu
  • Nmore
3:04
Total length:9:36

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications and sales for "Not Alone"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[18] 2× Platinum 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Basbas, Judine (February 9, 2021). "Seventeen to release new Japanese single 'Not Alone' this April". Bandwagon Asia. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d SEVENTEEN、新曲「ひとりじゃない」MV公開 [SEVENTEEN Releases New Music Video for "Hitorijanai"]. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). April 19, 2021. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  3. ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 18, 2024). "SEVENTEEN Reveal Full Tracklist For '17 Is Right Here' Greatest Hits Album, Which Includes 4 New Tracks". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  4. ^ SEVENTEEN|日本サードシングル『ひとりじゃない』4月21日発売 [SEVENTEEN: Japan's Third Single "Hitori Janai" to be Released on April 21]. Tower Records Online (in Japanese). February 3, 2021. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  5. ^ SEVENTEEN、新曲MVでDKの誕生日祝福「離れていても、ひとりじゃない」 [SEVENTEEN celebrates DK's birthday in new music video: "Even if we're apart, we're not alone"]. Oricon News (in Japanese). April 18, 2021. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  6. ^ Kuramoto, Yoshimi (April 21, 2021). SEVENTEEN『ひとりじゃない』人と人が会うことすらためらわれる時代だからこそ、彼らが今一番伝えたい思いが形に ["SEVENTEEN's 'Not Alone': In an era where even meeting people is something to hesitate about, they have turned the feelings they most want to convey right now into a song]. Mikiki (in Japanese). Tower Records. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  7. ^ "Not Alone". Apple Music. April 15, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ 세븐틴, 日 스페셜 토크쇼+온라인 팬미팅 성료 [SEVENTEEN, Japanese Special Talk Show + Online Fan Meeting Success]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). April 28, 2021. Archived from the original on August 24, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Kyung, Jimin (May 8, 2021). 세븐틴, 日 ‘뮤직 스테이션’ 또 휩쓸었다..고품격 퍼포먼스 선사 [Seventeen, sweeping Japan's 'Music Station' again..high-quality performance]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 24, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024 – via Naver.
  10. ^ a b "Billboard Japan Hot 100 - 2021-04-28" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  11. ^ "SEVENTEEN Soars to No. 1 on Japan Hot 100 With 'Hitorijanai'". Billboard. April 30, 2021. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Oricon Weekly Single Ranking: 2021-05-03" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c SEVENTEEN、最新シングル1位 エスクプス「困難な時代に青春を過ごす皆さんへエールを」【オリコンランキング】 [SEVENTEEN's latest single No. 1 S.Coups: "Cheers to all those who are spending their youth in difficult times" [Oricon Ranking]]. Oricon News (in Japanese). April 27, 2021. Archived from the original on January 4, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  14. ^ "Oricon Weekly Combined Single Ranking: 2021-05-03" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  15. ^ "Seventeen Chart History (World Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  16. ^ "Oricon Monthly Single Ranking: 2021-04" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  17. ^ "Oricon Annual Single Ranking: 2021" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "Japanese single certifications – Seventeen – Not Alone" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved August 23, 2024. Select 2021年4月 on the drop-down menu