Black and White (Niall Horan song) explained

Black and White
Type:	single
Artist:	Niall Horan
Album:	Heartbreak Weather
Cover:	Niall Horan – Black and White Stripped (Official Single Cover).png
Border:	yes
Caption:	Stripped single cover
Genre:	Pop rock
Length:	3:13
Label:	Capitol
Producer:	Julian Bunetta Teddy Geiger
Prev Title:	No Judgement
Prev Year:	2020
Next Title:	Moral of the Story
Next Year:	2020

"Black and White" is a song by Irish singer Niall Horan from his second studio album Heartbreak Weather (2020), which it appears as the album's second track. The song additionally serves as the album's fourth single, being released on 21 April 2020.^[1]

Composition

Musically, "Black and White" has been described as a pop rock ballad.^[2] The song was compared to the works of Ed Sheeran^[3] and Horan's former band One Direction.^{[2] [4]} Lyrically, it is "a soaring declaration of eternal devotion" with visions of a wedding day and golden hour.^[5] In terms of music notation, "Black and White" was composed using common time in the key of D major, with a tempo of 148 beats per minute.^[6] Horan's vocal range spans from the low note A2 to the high note of D5 (in the backing).

Live performances

Horan first performed the song on The Late Late Show with James Corden on 13 March 2020.^[7] Horan also performed the song on 18 April 2020 on the Lady Gaga-curated One World: Together At Home television special, a benefit event by Global Citizen to raise funds for the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.^[8]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[9]

• Niall Horan – songwriting, vocals, backing vocals
• Julian Bunetta – production, songwriting, drums, guitar, piano
• Teddy Geiger – production, songwriting, guitar, programming
• Alexander Izquierdo – songwriting
• Scott Harris – songwriting
• Nate Mercereau – bass, guitar
• Erynn Hill – A&R
• Elizabeth Isik – A&R admin
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing, studio personnel
• Mike Wolach – assistant mixing, studio personnel
• Michael Freeman – assistant mixing, studio personnel
• Chris Gehringer – mastering, studio personnel
• Will Quinnell – assistant mastering engineering, studio personnel

Charts

Chart (2020)! scope="col"

Peak position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tiparade)^[10]	20
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)^[11]	10

Release history

Region! scope="col"

Date	Format	Label
Various	21 April 2020
United Kingdom	25 April 2020	Adult contemporary radio	Capitol	^[12]
Italy	1 May 2020	Contemporary hit radio	Universal	^[13]
Various	22 May 2020	(stripped version)		^[14]
	9 June 2020	(Oliver Nelson remix)		^[15]

Notes and References

1. NiallOfficial . 1252291624224223232 . Delighted to share that Black And White is the next single off Heartbreak Weather. Love this one more and more every time i listen to it . Video out tomorrow at 6pm UK. 20 April 2020 . 22 April 2020.
2. Web site: Niall Horan Picks "Black And White" As Next Single. Wass. Mike. 20 April 2020. 22 April 2020. Idolator.
3. Web site: Niall Horan 'Heartbreak Weather' Review: The Forecast Is Improving. DeVille. Chris. 9 March 2020. 22 April 2020. Stereogum.
4. Web site: Niall Horan: Heartbreak Weather review – 1D's quiet one comes good. Cragg. Michael. 15 March 2020. 22 April 2020. TheGuardian.com.
5. Web site: Niall Horan: Heartbreak Weather Album Review. Moreland. Quinn. 20 March 2020. 22 April 2020. Pitchfork.
6. Web site: Key & BPM for Black And White by Niall Horan. 22 April 2020. TuneBat.
7. See Niall Horan Confront His Fear of Pigeons on 'Carpool Karaoke'. 13 March 2020. 22 April 2020. Zemler. Emily. Rolling Stone.
8. Niall Horan Hits the Studio and the Road to Perform in New 'Black and White' Video. 21 April 2020. 22 April 2020. Rolling Stone. Legaspi. Althea.
9. Web site: Credits / Heartbreak Weather / Niall Horan. 22 April 2020. Tidal.
10. Web site: Tiparade Week 22. Dutch Top 40. 25 March 2024.
11. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 23 March 2020. 22 April 2020.
12. Web site: BBC – Radio 2 New Music Playlist. https://web.archive.org/web/20200430035504/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2qNJsnjYFvbLrK9CZ0CfYfM/radio-2-new-music-playlist. BBC. 30 April 2020. 30 April 2020.
13. Web site: Niall Horan "Black and White" . radiodate.it . 28 April 2020.
14. Web site: Black and White (Stripped) – Single by Niall Horan on Apple Music. Apple Music. 29 March 2021.
15. Web site: Black and White (Oliver Nelson Remix) – Single by Niall Horan on Apple Music. Apple Music. 29 March 2021.