Glitter in the Air

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"Glitter in the Air"
A blond female performer wearing a top hat, standing in front of carnival posters holding a microphone, miming a vocal performance.
Single by Pink
from the album Funhouse
ReleasedJanuary 31, 2010
Recorded2008
GenrePop
Length3:46
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Billy Mann
Pink singles chronology
"I Don't Believe You"
(2009)
"Glitter in the Air"
(2010)
"Raise Your Glass"
(2010)
Alternative cover
Live version digital single cover

"Glitter in the Air" is a song recorded by American singer Pink for her fifth studio album Funhouse (2008). It was written by Pink and Billy Mann, with the latter producing it. The song is a pop ballad with a soft piano accompaniment and drum beats. Its lyrics discuss the power of love and taking a leap of faith, while using various metaphors. The song was released as the sixth and final North American single from Funhouse on January 31, 2010, by LaFace Records and Jive Records.

"Glitter in the Air" received mixed reviews from

aerial tissue. Pink similarly performed it at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (2010), where the performance received a standing ovation and was universally acclaimed by critics, and during The Truth About Love Tour
(2013–2014).

Music and lyrics

"Glitter in the Air" is a

beats per minute. Pink's vocal range spans from the high-tone of B♭4 to the low-tone of F3.[3] Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press commented that although the song did not display the power of Pink's vocals, "her voice is still potent, full of hurt and confusion that anyone can feel".[4] The song's lyrics discuss the power of love and taking a leap of faith.[4] Evan Sawdey of PopMatters said the song "reflect[s] on life's simple joys and simply savor[es] them just for what they are".[5]

Critical reception

Evan Sawdey of PopMatters said, "Of all the ballads, though, the quiet piano closer 'Glitter in the Air' takes the cake, never once overplaying its hand, remaining sweet without once ever succumbing to saccharine niceties (think of a Jason Robert Brown song without the vocal showboating). It's the sweetest moment on the entire disc, but it only succeeds because it's also the least complex song here".[5] Craig Emonds of The South End stated that while "every song has potential to do well and is quite likable, [...] Pink's vocals are strong and shine particularly in the ballad 'Glitter In The Air'."[6] Nekesa Mumbi Moodoy of the Associated Press said that "What makes the song so moving is that despite all of the heartache, she doesn't appear gun-shy about taking the leap again".[4]

Justin Pacheco of

The Good 5 Cent Cigar compared it to "I Don't Believe You", saying, "[it] exemplifies the sappy ballad [...] and would not seem out of place being sung by any other big pop singer. 'Glitter in the Air' is another big pop ballad along the same the same lines".[2] Patrick Ferrucci of the New Haven Register commented in the album review that "She does get a little wishy-washy though, going from tunes like 'Mean' and 'It's All Your Fault' to 'Please Don't Leave Me' and 'Glitter in the Air'". He also added that the high points of Funhouse were the four tracks produced by Max Martin.[7] Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine stated that one of the biggest problems in Funhouse was its songwriting, saying, "'Glitter in the Air,' with its emo-esque "You called me sugar" bridge, is overwrought with its clichéd imagery".[8]

Commercial performance

In the United States, "Glitter in the Air" impacted radio stations as a new single minutes after Pink's performance at the

adult contemporary radio, peaking at number eight on the Adult Top 40, becoming her fourth top-ten hit from Funhouse on the chart.[10] In Canada, the song debuted at number 13 on the Canadian Hot 100.[11]

Live performances

52nd Grammy Awards
performance.

"Glitter in the Air" was performed by Pink on her 2009

pop-rock voices—and the most brazen moves—of her generation of stars, this final moment certainly did".[14]

On January 31, 2010, Pink performed the song at the

52nd Grammy Awards in a similar fashion. She began the performance walking out in a white silk robe, standing in front of a backdrop of electric blue screens. She descenced into the aisle and took off the robe to reveal the bodysuit. After being lifted from the tank of water, Pink kept twirling and spreading water into all directions, before finally descending to the main stage. The audience greeted her with a standing ovation.[15] The performance was deemed by various media outlets as the best of the ceremony.[16] Glenn Gamboa of Newsday commented, "With her stunning Grammy performance of 'Glitter in the Air,' Pink proved that you don’t have to be shocking or over-the-top to be the best or the most-talked-about. You just have to be amazing."[17] It was also voted on a readers' poll in MTV.com as the best performance of the night. Staff reporter Kyle Anderson said "It's easy to see why, as her acrobatic performance of 'Glitter in the Air' was not only visually gorgeous, but also technically impressive — she was able to keep singing even as she was spinning around in the air".[18] Pink later explained she had almost fallen during the song, saying, "When I do it on tour, I don't have lights above me. There were lights above me, so it almost went into a strobe thing, and I actually did get a little turned around. I thought... I was going to fall on my nude butt. But I worked it out."[19] In 2013, Brad Wete for Billboard ranked the performance as the best performance at the Grammy Awards from 2000 to 2012, commenting it "graceful, show-stopping performance of aerial, acrobatic and vocal brilliance."[20]

Appearances in other media

Track listing

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Glitter in the Air"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] Gold 35,000
Canada (Music Canada)[28] Platinum 80,000
United States 699,000[29]

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Glitter in the Air"
Region Date Version(s) Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States January 31, 2010 Original
Radio airplay
February 1, 2010 Live Digital download
June 15, 2010 Original

References

  1. ^ Pink (2008). Funhouse (CD). LaFace Records.
  2. ^
    The Good 5 Cent Cigar. University of Rhode Island. Archived from the original
    on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  3. ^ "Digital Sheet Music – Pink Glitter in the Air". MusicNotes.com. EMI Music Publishing.
  4. ^ a b c Mumbi Moody, Nekesa (2010-05-30). "Pink's potent on new CD". Erie Times-News. Rosanne Cheeseman. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
  5. ^ a b Sawdey, Evan (2010-05-30). "Pink: Funhouse". PopMatters. Sarah Zupko. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
  6. ^ Emonds, Craig (2010-05-30). "Pink less "fun", more emotional". The South End. Wayne State University. Retrieved 2008-10-29. [dead link]
  7. Journal Register Company. Archived from the original
    on 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  8. ^ Keefe, Jonathan (2010-05-30). "Pink : Funhouse Music Review Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Keith Uhlich. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  9. ^ a b c Pietroluongo, Silvio (February 11, 2010). "Ke$ha Holds Atop Hot 100, Pink Glows with 'Glitter'". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Pnk Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ^ a b "Pnk Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  12. MTV Networks
    . Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  13. ^ Pareles, Jon (2010-05-30). "Music Review Pink Step Right Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  14. Nielsen Company
    . Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  15. MTV Networks
    . Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  16. ^ Jones, Anthony (2010-05-30). "Pink's "Glitter In The Air" Soars Into iTunes Top 10". All Headline News. Retrieved 2010-02-01.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ Gamboa, Glenn (2010-05-30). "Grammys '10: In praise of Pink's Grammy performance". Newsday. Cablevision. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  18. MTV Networks
    . Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  19. ^ Showbiz, Bang (2010-05-30). "Pink had Grammy fall fear". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  20. ^ Wete, Brad (2013-02-08). "10 Best Grammy Performances, 2000-2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  21. ^ a b "Glitter In the Air (Live At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards) – Single". iTunes Store. February 1, 2010. Retrieved May 30, 2023 – via Apple Music.
  22. ^ a b "Glitter In the Air – Single". iTunes Store. June 15, 2010. Retrieved May 30, 2023 – via Apple Music.
  23. ^ "Pnk Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  24. ^ "Pnk Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  27. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  28. ^ "Canadian single certifications – P!nk – Glitter In The Air". Music Canada. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  29. ^ Mason, Kerri (October 2, 2010). "P!nk's Latest 'Greatest' Hit". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2023 – via Google Books.

External links