This Town ( Niall Horan song ) - wikipedia This Town ( Niall Horan song ) `` This Town '' Single by Niall Horan from the album Flicker Released 29 September 2016 ( 2016 - 09 - 29 ) Format Digital download Recorded 2016 Genre Acoustic pop folk Length 3 : 52 Label Capitol Songwriter ( s ) Niall Horan Jamie Scott Mike Needle Daniel Bryer Producer ( s ) Greg Kurstin Niall Horan singles chronology `` This Town '' ( 2016 ) `` Slow Hands '' ( 2017 ) `` This Town '' ( 2016 ) `` Slow Hands '' ( 2017 ) `` This Town '' is the debut solo single by Irish singer, songwriter, guitarist Niall Horan, released on 29 September 2016 by Capitol Records. An accompanying music video of a live performance was released the same date. The song was written by Horan, Jamie Scott, Mike Needle, Daniel Bryer, Aodhán Dorrian and produced by Greg Kurstin. It is Horan 's first solo single, as well as the first solo single released by any of One Direction 's remaining members, following the hiatus of the band, which was announced earlier in 2016. It peaked at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Contents 1 Composition 2 Critical reception 3 Live performances 4 Charts 5 Certifications 6 Release history 7 References 8 External links Composition The song is written in the key of A major with a common time tempo of 112 beats per minute. Horan 's vocals span from D to E in the song. The acoustic track reflects on the things the singer never got to say to a lost lover. Critical reception Harriet Gibsone from The Guardian thought Horan 's `` This Town '' `` promotes his guise as an acoustic balladeer, '' while the video is `` reinforcing the authenticity of his future career as a credible artist with skills beyond being adorable. '' She concluded `` The modern music world can be discombobulating for those opposed to gender fluid pop stars or auto - tuned trap. '' Entertainment Weekly editor Madison Vain wrote `` the song shows growth thanks to its nuance in storytelling. He 's burdened by all the things he never got to say -- and it sounds believable. '' Vain also thought `` Horan has said he 's mining the sound of some of his biggest influences : Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. But with collaborator Greg Kurstin behind the boards, `` This Town '' skews more towards the modern, folk - influenced songwriting of Vance Joy and Ed Sheeran. '' For Raisa Bruner of Time is a `` lush, guitar - forward ballad in the vein of the band 's earlier tearjerkers, with hints of Sheeran in the small - town storytelling of the lyrics. '' For Noisey, Sarah Sahim was critical of the track, noting the song was `` nothing special, but its saccharine sweetness gives it all the makings of a decent hit. Live performances Horan gave the first televised performance of `` This Town '' on The Graham Norton Show on 22 October 2016. On 26 October 2016 he performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Later that day, he appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden to sing the single. On 13 December 2016, he performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He also performed the song at the Radio 1 Teen Awards, and the American Music Awards. In December, he made guest appearances across North America as part of iHeartRadio 's Jingle Ball Tour. On 4 June 2017, Horan performed `` This Town '' during the One Love Manchester benefit concert for the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. Charts Chart ( 2016 -- 17 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 5 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 24 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 22 Belgium ( Ultratip Wallonia ) 14 Canada ( Canadian Hot 100 ) 27 Czech Republic ( Singles Digitál Top 100 ) 30 Denmark ( Tracklisten ) 25 Finland Download ( Latauslista ) France ( SNEP ) 34 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 52 Hungary ( Rádiós Top 40 ) 25 Hungary ( Single Top 40 ) 18 Ireland ( IRMA ) 6 Italy ( FIMI ) 34 Lebanon ( Lebanese Top 20 ) 18 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 12 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 24 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 24 Norway ( VG - lista ) 20 Portugal ( AFP ) 20 Scotland ( Official Charts Company ) Slovakia ( Rádio Top 100 ) 70 Slovakia ( Singles Digitál Top 100 ) 19 Spain ( PROMUSICAE ) 22 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 18 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 40 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 9 US Billboard Hot 100 20 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) 12 US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) 12 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) Platinum 70,000 Belgium ( BEA ) Gold 15,000 Brazil ( Pro-Música Brasil ) Gold 20,000 Canada ( Music Canada ) 2 × Platinum 160,000 Ireland ( IRMA ) 2 × Platinum 30,000 Italy ( FIMI ) Gold 25,000 Sweden ( GLF ) Platinum 40,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Silver 200,000 United States ( RIAA ) Platinum 1,000,000 shipments figures based on certification alone sales + streaming figures based on certification alone Release history Region Date Format Label Ref. Worldwide 29 September 2016 Digital download Capitol United States 4 October 2016 Contemporary hit radio References ^ Jump up to : Spanos, Brittany ( 29 September 2016 ). `` Watch Niall Horan Go Solo With New Folk Single ' This Town ' ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` One Direction 's Niall Horan Surprises With First Solo Single ' This Town ' : Listen ''. Billboard. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2016. Jump up ^ Trust, Gary ( 3 January 2017 ). `` Rae Sremmurd Returns to No. 1 on Hot 100, Migos Soars to Top 10 ''. Billboard. Retrieved 4 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan `` This Town '' Sheet Music in A Major ( transposable ) ``. Musicnotes. Retrieved October 1, 2016. Jump up ^ Gibsone, Harriet ( 29 September 2016 ). `` Niall Horan 's This Town : a strangely retrogressive step into the stagnant past ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2016. Jump up ^ Vain, Madison ( 30 September 2016 ). `` Niall Horan 's ' This Town ' : EW Review ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 October 2016. Jump up ^ Bruner, Raisa ( 29 September 2016 ). `` One Direction 's Niall Horan Just Released an Emotional Solo Track ''. Time. Retrieved 2 October 2016. Jump up ^ Sahim, Sarah ( 7 October 2016 ). `` Niall Horan Will Never Escape One Direction and That 's a Good Thing ''. Noisey. Retrieved 7 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` ' The Late Late Show ' : Niall Horan performs ' This Town, ' downs salmon smoothie ''. USA Today. 27 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Watch One Direction 's Niall Horan Perform ' This Town ' on ' Fallon ' ''. Rolling Stone. 14 December 2016. Jump up ^ `` 2016, BBC Radio 1 's Teen Awards - And the special guest is... Niall Horan ! - BBC Radio 1 ''. BBC. Retrieved 2016 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan Performs ' This Town ' at the 2016 AMAs ''. Billboard. 21 November 2016. Jump up ^ Elizabeth, De. `` Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, and Niall Horan Are Going on Tour Together ''. Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2016 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ Iasimone, Ashley ( 4 June 2017 ). `` One Love Manchester : Ariana Grande Opens Benefit Concert With ' Be Alright, ' Joins Black Eyed Peas for ' Where Is the Love ? ' ''. Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2017. Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 8 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Niall Horan -- This Town '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 13 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Niall Horan -- This Town '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 12 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Niall Horan -- This Town '' ( in French ). Ultratip. Retrieved 28 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan -- Chart history '' Canadian Hot 100 for Niall Horan. Retrieved 31 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` ČNS IFPI '' ( in Czech ). Hitparáda -- Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note : insert 201640 into search. Retrieved 10 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Danishcharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Tracklisten. Retrieved 19 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan : This Town '' ( in Finnish ). Musiikkituottajat -- IFPI Finland. Retrieved 9 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Retrieved 8 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Archívum -- Slágerlisták -- MAHASZ '' ( in Hungarian ). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 6 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` Archívum -- Slágerlisták -- MAHASZ '' ( in Hungarian ). Single ( track ) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 7 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Chart Track : Week 40, 2016 ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Italiancharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Top Digital Download. Retrieved 8 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Official Lebanese Top 20 - Niall Horan ''. The Official Lebanese Top 20. 30 October 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- week 5, 2017 '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 3 February 2017. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Niall Horan -- This Town '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. VG - lista. Retrieved 22 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Portuguesecharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 18 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` SNS IFPI '' ( in Slovak ). Hitparáda -- Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note : insert 201641 into search. Retrieved 17 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` SNS IFPI '' ( in Slovak ). Hitparáda -- Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note : insert 201640 into search. Retrieved 14 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Spanishcharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town '' Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 4 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot 100 for Niall Horan. Retrieved 4 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan -- Chart history '' Billboard Adult Contemporary for Niall Horan. Retrieved 27 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan -- Chart history '' Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Niall Horan. Retrieved 14 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Niall Horan. Retrieved 23 February 2017. Jump up ^ `` Niall Horan -- Chart history '' Billboard Pop Songs for Niall Horan. Retrieved 10 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Accreditations ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop − Goud en Platina -- 2017 ''. Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Universal Music Brasil ''. Universal Music. Instagram. August 1, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Canadian single certifications -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Music Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Irish single certifications -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved March 29, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Italian single certifications -- Niall Horan -- This Town '' ( in Italian ). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved June 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Guld - och Platinacertifikat '' ( in Swedish ). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved December 7, 2016. Type Niall Horan in the top right search bar. Click on `` Sok '' and select This Town and see certification. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 29, 2017. Enter This Town in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Niall Horan -- This Town ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 29, 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` This Town - Single by Niall Horan ''. iTunes Store ( US ). Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` This Town - Single by Niall Horan ''. iTunes Store ( UK ). Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top 40 / M Future Releases ''. All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016. External links This Town ( Live, 1 Mic 1 Take ) on YouTube Niall Horan Studio albums Flicker Flicker `` This Town '' `` Slow Hands '' `` Too Much to Ask '' Concert tours Flicker Sessions 2017 Flicker World Tour Related articles One Direction Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=This_Town_(Niall_Horan_song)&oldid=808534262 '' Categories : 2016 singles 2016 songs Niall Horan songs Song recordings produced by Greg Kurstin Songs written by Niall Horan Songs written by Jamie Scott Capitol Records singles Folk ballads Debut singles Hidden categories : CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Swedish - language sources ( sv ) Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Wallonia Tip Singlechart usages for Canada Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Czechdigital Singlechart called without artist Singlechart usages for Denmark Singlechart usages for Finnishdownload Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Hungary Singlechart usages for Hungarytop10 Singlechart usages for Ireland Singlechart usages for Italy Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Portugal Singlechart usages for Scotland Singlechart usages for Slovakia Singlechart usages for Slovakdigital Singlechart usages for Spain Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Singlechart usages for Billboardadultpopsongs Singlechart usages for Billboarddanceclubplay Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for Belgium Certification Table Entry usages for Brazil Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for Ireland Certification Table Entry usages for Italy Certification Table Entry usages for Sweden Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Nederlands Português Edit links This page was last edited on 3 November 2017, at 12 : 53. 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Question: who did niall horan write this town about
Answer: the things the singer never got to say to a lost lover