Hero ( Enrique Iglesias song ) - wikipedia Hero ( Enrique Iglesias song ) `` Hero '' Single by Enrique Iglesias from the album Escape Released August 13, 2001 ( 2001 - 08 - 13 ) Format CD Recorded February -- May 2001 Studio Angel Studio ( London, England ) Circle House The Hit Factory Critiera South Point Recording Studio ( Miami, Florida ) The Record Plant ( Los Angeles, California ) Genre Latin pop soft rock Length 4 : 24 ( album version ) 4 : 11 ( radio edit ) Label Interscope Songwriter ( s ) Enrique Iglesias Paul Barry Mark Taylor Producer ( s ) Mark Taylor Enrique Iglesias singles chronology `` Sad Eyes '' ( 2000 ) `` Hero '' ( 2001 ) `` Escape '' ( 2002 ) `` Sad Eyes '' ( 2000 ) `` Hero '' ( 2001 ) `` Escape '' ( 2002 ) `` Hero '' is a song by Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias from his second English - language studio album Escape ( 2001 ). It was written by Iglesias, Paul Barry and Mark Taylor. Iglesias released the song to radio on August 13, 2001 to a positive critical and commercial reception. To the date the single has sold over 8 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling singles of all time. After the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, which took place eight days after the song 's release on CD, it was one of the few songs chosen by radio DJs in New York City to be remixed with audio from police, firefighters, civilians at Ground Zero, and politicians commenting on the attacks. Iglesias was asked to sing the song live at America : A Tribute to Heroes. He had performed the song earlier at that year 's Miss Venezuela, but due to the terrorist attacks the show was not aired on television. The American television series Glee featured a version of the song as a mashup mixed with the Gipsy Kings ' `` Bamboléo ''. The release from the twelfth episode ( called `` The Spanish Teacher '' ) in season 3 of the show is named `` Bambolero / Hero ''. The main vocals were done by Chord Overstreet ( playing the character Sam Evans ). An Italian version of this song was covered by Micheal Castaldo, in his studio album Bergamot. Contents 1 Background 2 Chart performance 3 Music videos 4 Track listing 5 Television and film soundtracks 6 Awards and nominations 7 Charts and certifications 7.1 Weekly charts 7.2 Year - end charts 7.3 Decade - end charts 7.4 All - time charts 7.5 Certifications 8 See also 9 References 10 External links Background `` Hero '' has a meaning of love and assurance with a desire to be a hero for the love of a woman. Iglesias stated that his high school days were the inspiration for the song. During a 2013 radio interview with Ryan Seacrest, he stated, `` I went back to when I was 17 in high school, and this might be cheesy, but I thought about what would be the song I want to slow dance to with my prom date. When I wrote it, it felt good and... I thought I know there is something special in this song. '' `` Hero '' was first released on 3 September 2001, just eight days prior to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Due to the song 's subject matter, it was one of the few songs chosen by radio DJs in New York City to be remixed with audio from police, firefighters, civilians at Ground Zero, and politicians commenting on the attacks. Iglesias was also asked to sing the song live at the America : A Tribute to Heroes, which took place on September 21. His performance was broadcast from a warehouse in New York alongside Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and Sheryl Crow. The location of the warehouse was kept secret in case of further attacks. It was Iglesias 's first televised performance of the song. He had performed the song earlier at that year 's Miss Venezuela, but due to the terrorist attacks the show was not aired on television. Chart performance `` Hero '' topped many charts in the US including the Billboard adult contemporary chart for fifteen weeks. On the latter, the song would re-enter the top ten a year later, the first song ever to do so. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, though it is actually his most played song on the chart, outdoing prior singles `` Bailamos '' and `` Be with You '', both of which went to number one on the chart. A remixed recording also topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in January 2002. In January 2002, the song was released in the UK, where it debuted at number 86 before jumping 85 places to number one, where it remained for four weeks. Up to this point, Iglesias had already had two hits in the UK ( `` Bailamos '' and `` Could I Have This Kiss Forever '' ) but was largely unknown. `` Hero '' was seen as his breakthrough in the UK and it became the third best - selling single of 2002 there, whilst Escape was also the third best - selling album of the year. With sales of 836,500, `` Hero '' was the 17th best - selling single of the 2000s in the UK. In April 2015, it was announced that the song had sold 1 million copies in the UK. In Australia, the song reached number one on the ARIA Chart, becoming his first number - one in that country. The song also topped the charts in Spain, Switzerland, the Philippines, Romania, Ireland and Canada. This is one of Iglesias ' best - selling singles and has sold 8 million copies. Music videos The music video for `` Hero '' was directed by Joseph Kahn. It features Iglesias as an honorable criminal hunted by his enemies, whilst Jennifer Love Hewitt plays his love interest and Mickey Rourke plays one of the men hunting him. The video follows Iglesias and Hewitt running from their enemies in the desert. Finally, Iglesias ' enemies track him down and confront him outside a church. The confrontation leads to Iglesias being floored by Rourke, before being struck with a baton. The video skips ahead where Iglesias and Hewitt are seen in the rain surrounded by police cars. Iglesias, though heavily injured, walks towards Hewitt and breaks down beside her. The video ends with Iglesias ' death. In addition to this video, a second video was made for the UK with less violence. The final shot of this video shows Iglesias ' legs moving, suggesting that he 's not dead. While originally made for the UK, this version has since replaced the original video on many music video stations throughout the world. It is also the version shown on Vevo and YouTube. Portions of the video were filmed in the ghost town Amboy, California in the Mojave Desert. As of January 2018, the video has been viewed over 283 million times on YouTube. Track listing UK CD1 `` Hero '' ( Album Version ) -- 4 : 24 `` Hero '' ( Metro Mix -- English Version ) -- 3 : 28 `` Bailamos '' ( Album Version ) -- 3 : 37 `` Hero '' ( Video ) -- 4 : 24 UK CD2 -- The Remixes `` Hero '' ( Metro Mix -- English Version ) -- 4 : 19 `` Hero '' ( Ventura & Colombo Remix ) -- 3 : 43 `` Hero '' ( Metro Mix -- Spanish Version ) -- 4 : 19 `` Hero '' ( Thunderpuss Radio Edit ) -- 3 : 18 DE CD single `` Hero '' ( Radio Edit ) -- 4 : 11 `` Be With You '' ( Thunderpuss Radio Mix ) -- 3 : 56 `` Hero '' ( Metro Mix -- Spanish Version ) -- 4 : 19 Japanese CD single `` Hero '' ( Radio Edit ) -- 4 : 11 `` Be With You '' ( Thunderpuss 2000 Remix ) -- 7 : 46 `` Hero '' ( Metro Mix -- Spanish Version ) -- 3 : 28 Japanese `` Hero / Escape '' maxi single `` Hero '' ( Album Version ) -- 4 : 27 `` Escape '' ( Album Version ) -- 3 : 30 `` Hero '' ( Instrumental Version ) -- 4 : 23 Television and film soundtracks `` Hero '' has become wildly popular due in part to the fact that it has been featured in many television shows and movies around the world. The earliest appearance of the song on an American television show was on a 2001 episode of The WB show Smallville entitled `` Craving ''. Since then the song has been featured in such American sitcoms and reality television shows as Scrubs, Saturday Night Live : The Best of Jimmy Fallon, Glee, The X Factor, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars and the mini-series I Love the New Millennium The song has also been featured in such international television shows as Hinter Gittern -- Der Frauenknast and So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Numerous films also feature the song, including Hot Tub Time Machine, Premios Amigo 2001, Zoom, Lady Godiva, Drillbit Taylor, Don Quixote, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Although the song has appeared in many television shows and movies the first televised performance of the song was scheduled to be Iglesias 's performance of the song at Miss Venezuela on September 11, 2001, but this performance was not televised due to the terrorist attacks on that day. The actual first televised performance of the song was when Iglesias performed the song at the America : A Tribute to Heroes concert on September 21, ten days after the attacks. Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Award Result 2002 My VH1 Music Awards Best Actor in a Video ( Jennifer Love Hewitt ) Nominated Is It Hot In Here, Or Is It Just My Video Nominated The Record of the Year Award Record of the Year Nominated Billboard Latin Music Awards Latin Dance Club / Play Track of the Year Won Canadian Fannie Awards Favourite Video Nominated Comet Awards Best Male Video Won MTV Europe Music Awards Best Song Nominated Lo Nuestro Award Video of the Year Won Los Premios MTV Latinoamerica Video of the Year Won MTV Video Music Awards Best Male Video Nominated Viewer 's Choice Nominated MTV Latin America ( North ) Nominated MTV Latin America ( Pacific ) Won 2003 ASCAP Pop Music Awards Song of the Year Won Ivor Novello Awards Best Selling UK Single Nominated Charts and certifications Weekly charts Chart ( 2001 / 2002 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) 19 Brazilian Singles Chart ( ABPD ) 10 Canada ( Nielsen SoundScan ) Denmark ( Tracklisten ) 5 France ( SNEP ) 43 Germany ( Official German Charts ) Ireland ( IRMA ) Italy ( FIMI ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) Norway ( VG - lista ) Philippines ( Radio Airplay Chart ) Poland ( Polish Singles Chart ) Portugal ( Portuguese Singles Chart ) Romania ( Romanian Top 100 ) Scotland ( Official Charts Company ) Spain ( PROMUSICAE ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) 12 US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) US Hot Latin Songs ( Billboard ) Spanish version : `` Héroe '' US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) Year - end charts Chart ( 2002 ) Peak position Australia Top 100 Singles 9 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 26 UK Singles Chart US Billboard Hot 100 22 US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Songs Decade - end charts Chart ( 2000 -- 2009 ) Position Australia Top 100 Songs of the Decade 45 UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade 17 US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Songs of the 2000s 5 All - time charts Chart Position Australia ( ARIA ) 268 Ireland ( IRMA ) 7 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) 2 × Platinum 140,000 Austria ( IFPI Austria ) Gold 20,000 Germany ( BVMI ) Gold 250,000 Sweden ( GLF ) Platinum 30,000 Switzerland ( IFPI Switzerland ) Platinum 40,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Platinum 1,010,000 United States ( RIAA ) Platinum 1,269,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone See also List of number - one singles of 2001 ( Canada ) List of number - one Billboard Hot Latin Tracks of 2002 List of number - one dance singles of 2001 ( U.S. ) List of number - one adult contemporary singles of 2001 and 2002 ( U.S. ) List of number - one singles in Australia in 2002 List of number - one singles of 2002 ( Ireland ) List of number - one singles in Romania List of number - one singles from the 2000s ( UK ) References ^ Jump up to : Aviles, Hector ( September 11, 2011 ). `` Released on Iglesias 's second English album, Hero shows love and determination ''. Retrieved August 18, 2016. Jump up ^ Marquina, Sierra ( September 24, 2013 ). `` Enrique Iglesias on New Single ' Heart Attack, ' His Writing Process ''. RyanSeacrest.com. Retrieved April 12, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Aviles, Hector ( September 3, 2011 ). `` Enrique Iglesias `` Hero '' Uplifted Nation After 9 - 11 Attacks ``. Latino Music Cafe. Retrieved January 23, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition ( Billboard Publications ) ^ Jump up to : Myers, Justin ( April 25, 2015 ). `` Ed Sheeran 's Thinking Out Loud passes one million sales ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Enrique Iglesias top 10 hits ''. Music Videos & Lyrics. Retrieved 23 January 2016. Jump up ^ Manan, Dazman ( October 12, 2002 ). `` At Home with Hewitt ''. Life & Times. Retrieved August 14, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Jennifer Love Hewitt in Enrique Iglesias ' ' Hero ' : The Best Music Video Celebrity Cameos Ever ''. Capital FM. Retrieved January 24, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Amazon.co.jp : ヒーロー / エスケイプ : エンリケ ・ イグレシアス : 音楽 ''. amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 9 June 2011. Jump up ^ Axelrod - Contrada, Joan. `` Iglesias, Enrique : 1975 -- : Singer, Songwriter. '' Contemporary Hispanic Biography. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. April 2, 2015 < http://www.encyclopedia.com > Archived December 29, 2016, at the Wayback Machine... Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero '' ( in French ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Brazil '' ( PDF ). ABPD. October 6, 2001. Retrieved April 1, 2014. Jump up ^ Steffen Hung. `` Danish charts portal ''. danishcharts.com. Retrieved February 22, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Chart Track : Week 2, 2002 ''. Irish Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Italiancharts.com -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. Top Digital Download. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Topp 20 Single uke 1, 2002 -- VG - lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958 '' ( in Norwegian ). VG - lista. Jump up ^ `` Nielsen Music Control ''. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Top40-charts.com ''. Retrieved November 24, 2015. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Spanishcharts.com -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero '' Canciones Top 50. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. Singles Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Enrique Iglesias Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Enrique Iglesias Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Enrique Iglesias Chart History ( Adult Pop Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Enrique Iglesias Chart History ( Dance Club Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Enrique Iglesias Chart History ( Hot Latin Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Enrique Iglesias Chart History ( Pop Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2002 ''. Aria.com.au. Retrieved 22 February 2011. Jump up ^ `` End of Year Charts 2002 ''. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 12, 2017. Jump up ^ `` ChartsPlus Year - end 2002 '' ( PDF ). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved July 13, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 2002 ''. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2011. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Chart Sales - End of Decade Top 100 Singles '' ( PDF ). Aria.com.au. Retrieved April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ Radio 1 Official Chart of the Decade, as broadcast on BBC Radio 1 on December 29, 2009, presented by DJ Nihal Jump up ^ ( 2 ) publisher : Billboard at the Wayback Machine ( archived May 17, 2012 ) Jump up ^ `` Best of All Time - Singles ''. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 15, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top 20 of All Time ''. IRMA. Retrieved August 15, 2016. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 2002 Singles ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Jump up ^ `` Austrian single certifications -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero '' ( in German ). IFPI Austria. Enter Enrique Iglesias in the field Interpret. Enter Hero in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen Jump up ^ `` Gold - / Platin - Datenbank ( Enrique Iglesias ; ' Hero ' ) '' ( in German ). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Jump up ^ `` Guld - och Platinacertifikat − År 2002 '' ( PDF ) ( in Swedish ). IFPI Sweden. Jump up ^ `` The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community : Awards ( Enrique Iglesias ; ' Hero ' ) ''. IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. British Phonographic Industry. Enter Hero in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Enrique Iglesias -- Hero ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Enrique Iglesias singles Enrique Iglesias `` Si Tú Te Vas '' `` Experiencia Religiosa '' `` Por Amarte '' `` No Llores Por Mí '' `` Trapecista '' Vivir `` Enamorado Por Primera Vez '' `` Sólo En Ti '' `` Miente '' `` Revolución '' `` Lluvia Cae '' `` Al Despertar '' Cosas del Amor `` Esperanza '' `` Nunca Te Olvidaré '' Enrique `` Bailamos '' `` Rhythm Divine '' `` Be with You '' `` Could I Have This Kiss Forever '' `` Sad Eyes '' Escape `` Hero '' `` Escape '' `` Love to See You Cry '' `` Do n't Turn Off the Lights '' `` Maybe '' Quizás `` Mentiroso '' `` Quizás '' `` Para Qué La Vida '' 7 `` Addicted '' `` Not In Love '' Insomniac `` Do You Know ? '' `` Somebody 's Me '' `` Tired of Being Sorry '' `` Push '' 95 / 08 Éxitos `` ¿ Dónde Están Corazón ? '' `` Lloro Por Ti '' Greatest Hits `` Can You Hear Me ? '' `` Away '' `` Takin ' Back My Love '' Euphoria `` Cuando Me Enamoro '' `` I Like It '' `` Heartbeat '' `` No Me Digas Que No '' `` Tonight ( I 'm Fuckin ' You ) '' `` Dirty Dancer '' `` Ayer '' Sex and Love `` I Like How It Feels '' `` Finally Found You '' `` Turn the Night Up '' `` Loco '' `` Heart Attack '' `` El Perdedor '' `` I 'm a Freak '' `` Bailando '' `` Noche y De Día '' Other singles `` Naked '' `` El Perdón '' `` Duele el Corazón '' `` Súbeme La Radio '' `` El Baño '' Featured singles `` To Love a Woman '' `` Gracias a Ti '' `` We Are the World 25 for Haiti '' `` I Like ( The Remix ) '' `` Messin ' Around '' `` Do n't You Need Somebody '' Promotional singles `` La Chica de Ayer '' `` Beautiful '' `` There Goes My Baby '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hero_(Enrique_Iglesias_song)&oldid=827847035 '' Categories : 2001 singles 2001 songs Enrique Iglesias songs Number - one singles in Australia Canadian Singles Chart number - one singles Irish Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in Poland Number - one singles in Romania Number - one singles in Spain UK Singles Chart number - one singles Billboard Dance Club Songs number - one singles Billboard Hot Latin Songs number - one singles Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Music videos directed by Joseph Kahn Songs written by Mark Taylor ( record producer ) Songs written by Enrique Iglesias Songs written by Paul Barry ( songwriter ) 2000s ballads Pop ballads Song recordings produced by Mark Taylor ( record producer ) Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from April 2017 CS1 German - language sources ( de ) CS1 Swedish - language sources ( sv ) Use dmy dates from December 2015 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Irish Singlechart usages for Italy Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Scotland Singlechart usages for Spain Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Singlechart usages for Billboardadultpopsongs Singlechart usages for Billboarddanceclubplay Singlechart usages for Billboardlatinsongs Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for Austria Certification Table Entry usages for Germany Certification Table Entry usages for Sweden Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Eesti Español فارسی Հայերեն Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Русский Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 27 February 2018, at 02 : 22. 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Question: who sang i can be your hero baby first
Answer: Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias