No Matter What (Boyzone song)

"No Matter What" is a song from the 1996 musical Whistle Down the Wind and popularised by Irish boyband Boyzone in 1998 when they recorded it to tie in with the show's first UK production. The song was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman, while Lloyd Webber, Steinman and Nigel Wright produced the track, with additional production by Franglen & Lupino. The song was also featured on the US edition of the soundtrack to the 1999 film Notting Hill, and was released to American radio on 10 May 1999.[1]

"No Matter What"
Single by Boyzone
from the album Songs from Whistle Down the Wind and Where We Belong
Released	3 August 1998
Recorded	1998
Genre	Pop, adult contemporary
Length	4:34
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jim Steinman
Producer(s)	Jim Steinman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Nigel Wright, Franglen & Lupino
Boyzone singles chronology
"All That I Need" (1998) "No Matter What" (1998) "I Love The Way You Love Me" (1998)
Music video
"No Matter What" on YouTube

The song became their fourth number-one on the UK Singles Chart, with its three-week stay atop the chart making it the band’s longest-running number-one single. It also became the first and only Boyzone song to have any chart success in the US. Jewels & Stone did a remix for the song for dance clubs which was popular. In the UK, the song has sold 1.15 million copies and another 3 million worldwide.[2] The song was performed by Meat Loaf as a B-side to his "Is Nothing Sacred" single in 1996.

Critical reception

Birmingham Evening Mail wrote, "Tina Arena has already had one hit from the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Jim Steinman stage musical 'Whistle Down The Wind' - but expect this one to do even better. As a change Stephen Gately shares lead vocals on what is essentially a simple but hugely memorable ballad. Prepare that number one spot now."[3] Daily Record noted that it "shows a depth of maturity that bodes well for the future."[4] They added that the band "are continuing their efforts to evolve into a group which will be able to appeal to an older audience."[5]

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song. It shows an African man leaving in a hot air balloon. The members of Boyzone are standing on the ground watching him depart. The African man eventually drops a small golden cross, in reference to the Christian themes of the play, "Whistle Down the Wind", from which the song originates. The video is filmed in The Roundhouse, London.

Track listing

CD single

1. "No Matter What" – 4:34
2. "Father and Son" – 2:47
3. "Words" – 3:55

CD single

1. "No Matter What" – 4:34
2. "Where Have You Been" – 3:08
3. "All That I Need" (Phil Da Costa's Oxygen edit) – 3:35

CD single

1. "No Matter What" – 4:34
2. "She's the One" – 3:12
3. "Live Interview with Boyzone" (video)

CD single

1. "No Matter What" – 4:34
2. "She's the One" – 3:12

US promotional CD single

1. "No Matter What" (album version) – 4:35
2. "No Matter What" (Jewels & Stone remix) – 5:45
3. "Secrets from the 'No Matter What' video shoot" (video) – 3:12

Japanese CD single[6]

1. "No Matter What" – 4:34
2. "Father And Son" – 2:47
3. "Words" – 3:55

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1998–1999) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 5 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 3 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] 3 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 51 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[12] 11 Denmark (IFPI)[13] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 2 France (SNEP)[15] 43 Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 2 Hungary (Mahasz)[17] 5 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[18] 15 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[23] 1 Scotland (OCC)[24] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 2 Taiwan (IFPI)[27] 1 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 1 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[29] 16 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[30] 12 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 35

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position Australia (ARIA)[32] 60 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[33] 24 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[34] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[35] 29 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[36] 5 Germany (Official German Charts)[37] 29 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[41] 7 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] 21 UK Singles (OCC)[43] 4 Chart (1999) Position Australia (ARIA)[44] 53 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[45] 31 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[46] 78 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[47] 63 Germany (Official German Charts)[48] 47 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[49] 66 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[50] 26

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[51]	Platinum	70,000^^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[52]	Gold	25,000^*
Belgium (BEA)[53]	Platinum	50,000^*
Germany (BVMI)[54]	Platinum	500,000^^
Netherlands (NVPI)[55]	2× Platinum	150,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[56]	Platinum	10,000^*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[57]	2× Platinum
Sweden (GLF)[58]	Platinum	30,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[59]	Gold	25,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[60]	2× Platinum	1,200,000
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Olson, Catherine Applefeld (8 May 1999). "Soundtracks And Film Score News". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 111 (19): 14. ISSN 0006-2510.
2. Copsey, Rob (17 March 2017). "The UK's 40 biggest selling singles by Irish acts of the last 20 years". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
3. "Single of the Week". Birmingham Evening Mail. 4 August 1998. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
4. "Chartslot". Daily Record. 18 September 1998. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
5. "Chart Slot". Daily Record. 2 October 1998. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
6. "Boyzone No Matter What Japan Promo 5" CD SINGLE (135975)". Eil.com. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
7. "Australian-charts.com – Boyzone – No Matter What". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
8. "Austriancharts.at – Boyzone – No Matter What" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
9. "Ultratop.be – Boyzone – No Matter What" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
10. "Ultratop.be – Boyzone – No Matter What" (in French). Ultratop 50.
11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8362." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8457." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
13. "Hits of the World: Denmark (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 10/01/98". Billboard. Vol. 110 no. 42. Nielsen Business Media. 17 October 1998. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510.
14. Billboard. 5 December 1998. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
15. "Lescharts.com – Boyzone – No Matter What" (in French). Les classement single.
16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Boyzone – No Matter What". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
17. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 45. 7 November 1998. p. 16. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (24.9–1.10. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 25 September 1998. p. 10. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – No Matter What". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
20. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Boyzone" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
21. "Dutchcharts.nl – Boyzone – No Matter What" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
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23. "Norwegiancharts.com – Boyzone – No Matter What". VG-lista.
24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
25. "Swedishcharts.com – Boyzone – No Matter What". Singles Top 100.
26. "Swisscharts.com – Boyzone – No Matter What". Swiss Singles Chart.
27. "IFPI Taiwan – Single Top 10 (1998/37)". Archived from the original on 3 February 1999. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
29. "Boyzone Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
30. "Boyzone Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
31. "Boyzone Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
32. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1998". ARIA. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
33. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1998". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 11 March 2020.
34. "Jaaroverzichten 1998" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
35. "Rapports Annuels 1998" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
36. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1998" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 51. 19 December 1998. p. 8. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
37. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1998" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
38. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1998". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
39. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1998" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
40. "End of Year Charts 1998". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
41. "Årslista Singlar, 1998" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
42. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1998". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 11 March 2020.
43. "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
44. "ARIA End of Year Singles Chart 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
45. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1999". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 11 March 2020.
46. "RPM 1999 Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
47. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1999" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 1. 1 January 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
48. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1999" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
49. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
50. "Swiss Year-End Charts 1999" (in German). Retrieved 5 February 2021.
51. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
52. "Austrian single certifications – Boyzone – No Matter What" (in German). IFPI Austria.
53. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
54. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Boyzone; 'No Matter What')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
55. "Dutch single certifications – Boyzone – No Matter What" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter No Matter What in the "Artiest of titel" box.
56. "New Zealand single certifications – Boyzone – No Matter What". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
57. "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
58. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
59. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Boyzone; 'No Matter What')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
60. "British single certifications – Boyzone – No Matter What". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 November 2020.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics