Crush (Jennifer Paige song)

"Crush"
Single by Jennifer Paige
from the album Jennifer Paige
Released	June 16, 1998
Format	CD single, CD maxi
Recorded	April 1998
Genre	Pop
Length	3:19
Label	Hollywood
Writer(s)	Andy Goldmark, Mark Mueller, Berny Cosgrove, Kevin Clark
Producer(s)	Andy Goldmark, Jimmy Bralower
Jennifer Paige singles chronology
"Crush" (1998) "Sober" (1999)

"Crush" is a pop song recorded by American singer Jennifer Paige. The song was written by Andy Goldmark, Mark Mueller, Berny Cosgrove and Kevin Clark. It was released as the first single from her debut album, Jennifer Paige (see 1998 in music). The music video for "Crush" was produced by Kati Haberstok and directed by David Hogan.

"Crush" topped the charts in six countries in 1998 and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for four consecutive weeks (from September 5 through September 26), behind songs including Monica's "The First Night", Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", and Barenaked Ladies' "One Week". "Crush" spent an additional four weeks at #4. It was in the Top 10 for 17 weeks (from August 8 through November 28) and stayed in Hot 100 for a total of 25 weeks. "Crush" also peaked at #2 on the R&R CHR Radio Airplay Chart.

Background

After Paige recorded "Crush" in April 1998, producer Andy Goldmark immediately took a copy of "Crush" to legendary Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM. During the first week of May, KIIS-FM became the first radio station to begin playing "Crush". "We had no pictures, photography, gotten it mastered, mass-produced it, nothing...", Paige said. Edel made an initial press run of 20,000 copies of "Crush" which sold very quickly, and "Crush" became KIIS-FM's most requested song.

Critical reception

In the next few weeks, other major radio stations nationwide added "Crush" to their daily rotation. By this time, many music labels had expressed interest in signing Paige. In early June 1998, she signed a contract with Hollywood Records, and many more stations began to play "Crush." Once "Crush" began its rotation on other radio stations, critics gave a positive review: "Paige is excellent, almost impossible to be meaningful without resorting to typical cries" - declared Billboard.

On July 9, Paige made her first on-air appearance at KIIS-FM with Rick Dees. She also performed "Crush" for the first time live that day, and on July 24, "Crush" cracked the Top 10.

Blender put "Crush" at 189th place on their list of 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born. They described the song as "...an unusually supple and sophisticated teen-pop hit informed by the level-headed sass of great R&B... swept along by a breathy chorus, pulsing groove and Paige's exquisite multilayered vocals."

"Crush" was featured in the made-for-TV movie, Sabrina Goes to Rome.

Live performances and cover versions

On May 5, 1999, Paige performed "Crush" at the 1999 World Music Awards.

Washington, D.C.-based indie rock band The Dismemberment Plan recorded a downtempo version of "Crush" for a 2001 split EP with Juno.

Emperor Entertainment Group of Hong Kong bought a license of the melody, and made a Cantonese version sung by Cantopop singer Joey Yung called "Unknown", which is included on her debut album, EP/JOEY, and compilation album, Love Joey 2. It won "Best Performance of Cover Song award". This becomes Yung's first big hit in the Hong Kong music industry, achieving charting success with 3 number-ones (out of 4 charts in Hong Kong).

Lea Michele recorded the song for the November 18, 2009 episode of Glee. It is also featured on the second soundtrack album.

Jai Paul covered "Crush" on a collection of leaked demos, released on April 14, 2013.

In 2015, the song was covered by the French girlband "When We Were Young" from their album "Made in '90s".

In 2016, "Crush" returned to the Billboard Top 10 the week of May 21, 2016 when it reached #8 on the magazine's Smooth Jazz Airplay chart in a cover by jazz keyboardist John Novello. His version features R&B saxophone artist Gerald Albright on the chorus. As of the June 4, 2016 Chart, it had spent a total of 17 weeks in the Top 30. This cover version reached #2 on America's Smooth Jazz Top 20 airplay chart the week of May 28, 2016: http://www.smoothjazztop20.com

Chart performances

"Crush" became an international hit. It peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, was certified Gold by the RIAA, and sold 700,000 by the end of 1998. It went to number one in Spain, Denmark, New Zealand, South Africa, Russia, Australia, where it was certified 2x Platinum, and Canada, where it spent five weeks at number one on the Canadian RPM singles chart. "Crush" also reached the Top 5 in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Hungary, and No. 6 in Ireland, The Netherlands and Norway.

Formats and track listings

CD single

1. "Crush" — 3:19
2. "Crush" (dance mix) — 3:16

CD maxi

(Released in UK on July 7, 1998)

1. "Crush" — 3:19
2. "Crush" (Dance Mix) — 3:16
3. "Crush" (Instrumental) — 3:19

CD maxi - Remixes

(Released on October 19, 1998)

1. "Crush" (David Morales Radio Alt Intro) — 3:40
2. "Crush" (Tiefschwarz Radio Edit) — 3:49
3. "Crush" (David Morales Club Mix) — 7:10
4. "Crush" (Tiefschwarz Hollywood Extended) — 8:03
5. "Crush" (David Morales Alt Club Body) — 7:10
6. "Crush" (David Morales La Crush Dub) — 7:10

Charts and sales

Peak positions

Chart	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	10
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	17
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	7
Canada (RPM)	1
France (SNEP)	4
Germany (Official German Charts)	15
Ireland (IRMA)	6
Italy (FIMI)	3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	6
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	1
Norway (VG-lista)	6
Scotland (Official Charts Company)	5
Spain (AFYVE)	7
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	12
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	4
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)	23
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)	19
US Billboard Hot 100	3
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)	3
US Radio Songs (Billboard)	4
US Rhythmic (Billboard)	26

Year-end charts

Chart (1998)	Position
Australia (ARIA)	7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	52
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	43
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	45
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	21

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)	2× Platinum	140,000
France (SNEP)	Gold	250,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)	Gold	7,500
United Kingdom (BPI)	Silver	200,000
United States (RIAA)	Gold	700,000
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

Preceded by "Iris" (re-entry) by Goo Goo Dolls	Canadian Singles Chart number one single September 14, 1998 – October 12, 1998	Succeeded by "Slide" by Goo Goo Dolls
Preceded by "Rollercoaster" by B*Witched	Australian ARIA number one single November 29, 1998 – December 12, 1998	Succeeded by "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" by The Offspring
Preceded by "No Matter What" by Boyzone	RIANZ New Zealand number one single December 13, 1998 – December 20, 1998	Succeeded by "Goodbye" by Spice Girls

External links

• "Crush" live on Spanish TV
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics