Dear Winter Explained

Dear Winter
Cover:Dear_Winter_Single.jpg
Type:single
Artist:AJR
Album:Neotheater
Recorded:2018
Genre:Pop
Length:2:48
Label:S-Curve
Producer:Ryan Met
Prev Title:Birthday Party
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:Break My Face
Next Year:2019

"Dear Winter" is a song by American pop band AJR. It was released on April 5, 2019 via S-Curve Records as the second single from the band's third studio album Neotheater.[1]

Background

Jack and Ryan Met attended Columbia University while writing and producing Neotheater. After the release of "Dear Winter", AJR put out a statement that "the song was a letter to [Ryan's] future child about the awkwardness of dating".[2] Ryan Met explains in an interview with iHeartRadio he wrote "Dear Winter" "after I asked a girl to hang out and she said no. And it wasn't quite a song about her, it was more of a song to my future kid about how strange and difficult it was to find their mom, and how weird it is to date in 2019".[3]

Ryan Met wrote the song in the living room of his and Jack's apartment in New York. When interviewed by Zach Sang on Zach Sang Show on the topic of him writing "Turning Out Pt. II" and "Dear Winter", Ryan says "I think my emotion, if it's used for something, to help someone else, or just to be out there, is a lot more valid than if it just disappears forever". Ryan also states that the song is his favorite on the album from a songwriting standpoint, while Jack states it's his favorite song Ryan wrote.[4]

Composition

"Dear Winter" is composed in common time and in the key of F major, with a tempo of 94 beats per minute (bpm).

Music video

The official music video was released on April 5, 2019. Jack Met appears alone on a boat in a lake and performs the song on acoustic guitar. As of August 2023, the music video on YouTube has received over 13 million views.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[5]

2.0 version

Dear Winter 2.0
Cover:Dear_Winter_2_Single.jpg
Type:single
Artist:AJR
Album:Neotheater
Recorded:2019
Genre:Pop
Length:2:50
Label:S-Curve
Producer:
Prev Title:Break My Face
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:Bang!
Next Year:2020

On October 24, 2019, AJR announced on Twitter that a version of "Dear Winter" with different production would be released the next day.[6] The version received additional production from Michael Mangini with vocal effects and added instruments such as drums, strings, and synths.[7] [8] The single released October 25, 2019.[9] "Dear Winter 2.0" along with "Bang!" were intended for a deluxe edition of Neotheater, but was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Composition

"Dear Winter 2.0" is composed in common time and in the key of F major, with a tempo of 94 beats per minute (bpm).

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AJR's Dear Winter Hits All The Feels. Better Spins. Snyder. Brett. April 15, 2019. August 17, 2023.
  2. Web site: Coes. Keith. AJR - Dear Winter. Lightning 100. October 19, 2019. August 17, 2023.
  3. Web site: Fields. Taylor. AJR Opens Up About the Meaning Behind Their Candid Single 'Dear Winter'. iHeartRadio. November 8, 2019. August 17, 2023.
  4. Met. Ryan. April 29, 2019 . AJR Breaks Down Their New Album Neotheater . YouTube video . English . August 17, 2023 . 58:40 . Zach Sang Show.
  5. Web site: Credits / Dear Winter / AJR . April 5, 2019 . . October 14, 2023.
  6. Web site: We reimagined Dear Winter, changing the production and upping the emotion. Dear Winter 2.0 comes out tomorrow. Twitter. October 24, 2019. August 17, 2023.
  7. Web site: Vagabond. Rick. AJR's "Neotheather" [Review]]. Rick Vagabond. April 27, 2020. August 17, 2023.
  8. Web site: Snyder. Brett. AJR Releases Dear Winter 2.0. Better Spins. October 28, 2019. August 17, 2023.
  9. Web site: Bosch. Eva. AJR Release New Version Of "Dear Winter". Strife Mag. October 25, 2019. August 17, 2023.
  10. Web site: Met. Ryan. Breaking down the production of Three-Thirty, Next Up Forever and Bang!. YouTube. en. April 20, 2020. October 13, 2023. April 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200429052108/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdjqrBN9QHY&t=0s. live.
  11. Web site: Credits / Dear Winter 2.0 / AJR . October 25, 2019 . . October 14, 2023.