Amazed

"Amazed" is a power ballad[1] by American country music group Lonestar, released on March 22, 1999, for country radio and on December 13 of that same year for pop radio as the second single from their third studio album Lonely Grill (1999).[2] It is the band's longest-lasting number one single and biggest hit, spending eight weeks at the top of the Billboard country chart. The song was written by Marv Green, Aimee Mayo, and Chris Lindsey. A remix of the song was released in December 1999, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts in 2000. The song has sold over 1,650,000 digital copies in the US as of February 2016.[3]

"Amazed"
Single by Lonestar
from the album Lonely Grill
B-side	"Tell Her"
Released	1999
Recorded	1998–1999
Genre	Country[1]
Length	4:00 (original) 4:29 (remix)
Label	BNA (65755)
Songwriter(s)	Marv Green Chris Lindsey Aimee Mayo
Producer(s)	Dann Huff
Lonestar singles chronology
"Saturday Night" (1999) "Amazed" (1999) "Smile" (1999)
Alternate cover
Alternate US pop cover
Music video
"Amazed" on YouTube

Only five years after Lonestar's "Amazed" topped the Billboard Hot 100 did another country song top the chart, as Carrie Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven" debuted at number one on the Hot 100 in 2005. "Amazed" and "Inside Your Heaven" are the only country songs in the 2000s decade to hit number one on the Hot 100.

Since the release of the original, the song has been covered by Bonnie Tyler, Duncan James, and Fady Maalouf, all of whom have released their respective versions as singles. Ben Mills, Boyz II Men and Shane Filan of Westlife have included covers in their respective albums. On The Sing-Off (season 4, episode 3), judge Shawn Stockman, of Boyz II Men fame, mentioned that the song had been offered to them first, and they decided to turn it down.

Content

"Amazed" is the second single from Lonestar's 1999 album Lonely Grill. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks and remained there for eight consecutive weeks until it was knocked off by "Single White Female" by Chely Wright. With this accomplishment, it set a record for the longest run at number one on the country chart since Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems was initiated in 1990. This run was later tied by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett's 2003 single "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere", which spent eight non-consecutive weeks at number one. "Amazed" spent 41 weeks on the country singles chart,[4] giving it the second-longest chart run of any country single in the 1990s.[5] In addition, the single crossed over into the pop airwaves entering the Billboard Hot 100 at number 81. It peaked at number 24 before falling off the Hot 100. It had sold 1,628,000 digital copies in the US as of December 2015.[3]

The song was then remixed for pop radio (a tactic commonly used to present country-leaning songs to mainstream audiences) and the new mix's popularity prompted the single to re-enter the Hot 100 at number 45. On this second chart run, it hit number one on March 4, 2000. In doing so, it became the first power ballad to top the chart since Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" in 1998, as well as the first new country song to top the pop charts since Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's 1983 duet "Islands in the Stream".[6] It also made Lonestar the first country band to place a song in the top ten of the Hot 100 year-end countdown. All remixes of the song made the single spend a combined total of 55 weeks in the Hot 100, and 41 weeks on Hot Country Singles & Tracks.

Only five years after "Amazed" topped the Billboard Hot 100 did another country song top the chart, as Carrie Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven" debuted at number one on the Hot 100, in June 2005.[7] "Amazed" and "Inside Your Heaven" are the only country songs in the 2000s decade to hit number one on the Hot 100.[8]

In the United Kingdom, "Amazed" reached a peak of number 21 and spent 22 weeks in the charts. It spent 17 weeks in the top 40 without ever breaking into the top 20.

"Amazed" is in the key of A♭ major with a vocal range from F3 to A♭4.[9]

Critical reception

A review in Billboard was mostly favorable, praising Richie McDonald's lead vocals for "perfectly convey[ing] the tenderness and wonder felt in a loving relationship" but saying that some of the lyrics were "a little too clichéd".[10]

Music video

Trey Fanjoy directed the music video for Lonestar's rendition. It premiered on CMT on July 20, 1999. It features the band performing the song in a dark room, and a model making seductive poses. The model is portrayed by Sunny Mabrey. This was the first video that Lonestar members do not wear cowboy hats, and Keech Rainwater no longer has long hair.

Track listing

US and Australia

1. "Amazed" (Captain Mix) – 4:29
2. "Amazed" (AC Mix) – 4:02

UK CD1

1. "Amazed" (Pop Remix) – 4:00
2. "Amazed" – 4:00
3. "Lonely Grill" – 4:22

UK CD2

1. "Amazed" (Mainstream Mix) – 4:29
2. "Amazed" (Huff Mix) – 4:02
3. "Amazed" (Mainstream Mix – Acoustic Version) – 3:58

Europe

1. "Amazed" (Captain Mix) – 4:29
2. "Amazed" (Huff Mix) – 4:02

Europe

1. "Amazed" (Huff Mix) – 4:02
2. "Amazed" (Captain Mix) – 4:29
3. "Amazed" (Acoustic Version) – 3:58

• The Captain Mix, Mainstream Mix are the same version. The AC Mix is the original "Acoustic Version" while the "Huff Mix" is the original album version. The Pop Mix is different to the Huff Mix, acoustic Mix and Captain/Mainstream Mix.

Release history

Format	Release date
United States (country radio)	March 22, 1999
United States (pop radio)	December 13, 1999
United States (retail)	February 8, 2000[11]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 19 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[13] 7 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[14] 1 Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[15] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 62 Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 91 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[18] 25 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 11 Norway (VG-lista)[21] 10 Scotland (OCC)[22] 17 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 21 UK Indie (OCC)[24] 5 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26] 2 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[27] 7 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[28] 1 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[29] 7

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[30] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[31] 85 US Country Songs (Billboard)[32] 1 Chart (2000) Position Australia (ARIA)[33] 49 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[34] 44 US Billboard Hot 100[35] 8 All-time charts Chart (1958–2018) Position US Billboard Hot 100[36] 572

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37]	Gold	35,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[38]	Platinum	600,000
United States (RIAA)[39] (physical)	Gold	500,000[40]
United States (RIAA)[39] (digital)	Gold	1,650,000[3]
Summaries
United States	—	2,150,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Duncan James version

"Amazed"
Single by Duncan James
from the album Future Past
B-side	"Save This Moment For Me"
Released	September 29, 2006 (Germany) March 12, 2007 (UK)
Recorded	2006
Genre	Pop
Length	3:58
Label	Innocent
Songwriter(s)	Marv Green Chris Lindsey Aimee Mayo
Producer(s)	Matt Prime
Duncan James singles chronology
"Can't Stop a River" (2006) "Amazed" (2006)
Music video
"Amazed" on YouTube

"Amazed" was the third and final single released from Future Past, the debut album of Duncan James, member of the English boy band Blue. It was released in the UK on March 12, 2007, but was withdrawn just days later, following James' being dropped from his record label due to poor sales of his previous singles and album. The single was also released in some European countries, such as Germany, where it peaked at number 181 on the German Singles Chart.

Track listing

UK CD single

1. "Amazed" [Radio Edit] – 3:57
2. "Save This Moment For Me" – 4:42

Germany CD1

1. "Amazed" [Radio Edit] – 3:57
2. "Part Time Love" – 4:01

Germany CD2

1. "Amazed" [Radio Edit] – 3:57
2. "You Can" – 3:55
3. "Part Time Love" – 4:01
4. "Amazed" [Videoclip] – 3:57

Chart performance

Chart (2007)	Peak position
German Singles Chart	181
Italian Singles Chart[41]	41
Turkish Singles Chart	214

Fady Maalouf version

"Amazed"
Single by Fady Maalouf
from the album Blessed
Released	2008
Recorded	2008
Genre	Pop
Label	Columbia Deutschland
Songwriter(s)	Marv Green Chris Lindsey Aimee Mayo
Fady Maalouf singles chronology
"Blessed" (2008) "Amazed" (2008) "Show Me Your Love" (2009)
Music video
"Amazed" on YouTube

In 2008, the runner up of the fifth season of Deutschland sucht den Superstar, the German version of Pop Idol, the Lebanese-German singer Fady Maalouf released a cover version of the song as his second single release immediately after the big success of his debut single "Blessed". The song also appears in his debut Blessed album's double CD rerelease, titled Blessed: New Edition.

Maalouf's version was a hit in Germany where it reached number 26[42] in the German Singles Chart. It was also released in Austria, reaching number 52 in the Austrian Singles Chart.

Track listing

CD single

1. "Amazed" – (3:58)
2. "Vole mon ame" – (3:42)

CD maxi

1. "Amazed" – (3:58)
2. "Vole mon ame" – (3:42)
3. "Show Me Your Love" (Dance version) – (4:31)
4. "Amazed" (Instrumental) – (3:58)
5. "Amazed" (Video)

Chart performance

Chart (2009)	Peak position
German Singles Chart	26
Austrian Singles Chart	52

References in other media

In 2014, country music duo Haley & Michaels co-wrote their debut single "Just Another Love Song" with Lonestar lead vocalist Richie McDonald. The song makes lyrical reference to "Amazed", and features McDonald singing its chorus.[43]

References

1. "Official Charts Flashback 2000: Craig David – Fill Me In". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2020. American band Lonestar landed inside the Top 40 with their country power ballad Amazed
2. Bjorke, Matt. "Lonestar - Lonely Grill CD Review". about.com. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
3. Bjorke, Matt (February 23, 2016). "The Top 30 Digital Singles: February 22, 2016". Roughstock.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
5. Whitburn, p. 644
6. Bronson, Fred (2003). Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits. Billboard Books. p. 396. ISBN 978-0-8230-7738-0.
7. "Carrie Underwood's 'Inside Your Heaven' Debuts as Best Selling Song in the Nation and Breaks Chart History". PRNewswire. June 23, 2005.
8. "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: Every No. 1 Song (1958-2013) - 2000-2013". Billboard. August 2, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
9. Contemporary Country (1 ed.). Hal Leonard Corporation. 1999. pp. 4–8. The sheet music is in A major, with a note that the song is recorded a semitone lower than written.
10. "Singles". Billboard: 16. April 17, 1999.
11. Pietroluongo, Silvio (February 12, 2000). "Hot 100 Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 112 no. 7. p. 71. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
12. "Australian-charts.com – Lonestar – Amazed". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9902." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. April 17, 2000. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
14. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9910." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. April 17, 2000. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
15. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 8397." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 19, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
16. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 26. June 24, 2000. p. 11. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
17. "Offiziellecharts.de – Lonestar – Amazed". GfK Entertainment Charts.
18. "Íslenski Listinn Sætin 21 til 40 (09.3– 16.3 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 10, 2000. p. 12. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Amazed". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
20. "Charts.nz – Lonestar – Amazed". Top 40 Singles.
21. "Norwegiancharts.com – Lonestar – Amazed". VG-lista.
22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
24. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company.
25. "Lonestar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
26. "Lonestar Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
27. "Lonestar Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
28. "Lonestar Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
29. "Lonestar Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
30. "RPM 1999 Top 100 Country Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 13, 1999. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
31. "Billboard Top 100 – 1999". Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
32. "Year End Charts – Year-end Singles – Hot Country Songs". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
33. "2000 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
34. "End of Year Charts 2000". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
35. "Billboard Top 100 – 2000". Retrieved August 31, 2010.
36. "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
37. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020.
38. "British single certifications – Lonestar – Amazed". British Phonographic Industry.
39. "American single certifications – Lonestar – Amazed". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
40. "Best-Selling Records of 2000". Billboard. BPI Communications Inc. 113 (6): 64. February 10, 2001. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
41. http://italiancharts.com/search.asp?cat=s&search=duncan+james
42. "Amazed" page by Fady Maalouf on the aCharts.us website
43. Dukes, Billy (May 8, 2015). "Haley & Michaels, Lonestar's Richie McDonald Share Story Behind 'Just Another Love Song' – Exclusive Video Read More: Haley & Michaels Share Story Behind 'Just Another Love Song'". Taste of Country. Retrieved June 4, 2015.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics