Wikipedia

I'm Not Here to Make Friends

"I'm Not Here to Make Friends" is a song by English singer-songwriter Sam Smith. It was released on 27 January 2023 by Capitol Records as the fourth single from Smith's 2023 studio album, Gloria. The song was produced by Calvin Harris, StarGate, Jimmy Napes and Smith, and features vocals by RuPaul and Jessie Reyez. Smith previously collaborated with Harris and Reyez on "Promises" in 2018.

"I'm Not Here to Make Friends"
Golden uppercase text set against a black blackground that reads "Sam Smith – I'm Not Here to Make Friends", with the I in "Smith" being an anchor icon
Single by Sam Smith featuring Jessie Reyez and Calvin Harris
from the album Gloria
Released27 January 2023
Genre
Length3:49 (album version)
3:14 (radio edit)
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Sam Smith singles chronology
"Gimme"
(2023) 		"I'm Not Here to Make Friends"
(2023) 		"Vulgar"
(2023)
Music video
"I'm Not Here to Make Friends" on YouTube

Background

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Sam Smith announced through a social media post their fourth studio album Gloria, attached with the official cover art, on 17 October 2022 after the release of the album's lead single "Unholy".[1]

The track was announced on 30 November 2022, via a clip on Smith's official social media platforms. In the clip, Smith is mouthing the lyrics to the song while clothed in a pashmina dress, but is slowly revealed to be solely wearing fishnets over underwear with exposed thighs.[2]

Critical reception

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The track received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Jamieson Cox of Pitchfork described the song as "a whirlwind of grown-up lust that evokes George Michael... circa 'Fastlove' and 'Outside.'"[3] Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times describes the song as "sleek, glittery... [and] taps into the pop-disco revival ignited by artists like Dua Lipa and Jessie Ware, taking its shout-along hook from a common reality show refrain."[4]

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian refers to the track as one of the highlights of Gloria, describing it as a "disco-fied" track about "finding a one-night stand on the dancefloor."[5] Petridis later states that "elsewhere, their voice proves a problem. If you sing about loving yourself or flirtation in the same disconsolate tone that you sing about being abandoned by your recent ex-partner... it’s going to have a levelling effect, making the material seem less varied."

Year-end lists

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Select year-end rankings of "I'm Not Here to Make Friends"
Publication List Rank Ref.
Billboard The 100 Best Songs of 2023 (Staff Picks)
62
 [6]

Music video

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A music video for "I'm Not Here to Make Friends" was released on 27 January 2023.[7] It was directed by Tanu Muino. The video starts with Smith, wearing an enormous pink coat, arriving at Ashridge, Hertfordshire, by helicopter. Once inside, dancers and drag queens surround the singer for a series of routines, with Smith wearing different outfits for each routine. It received controversy online due to its suggestive nature.[8]

The video was nominated at the 2023 UK Music Video Awards for Best Pop Video – UK.[9]

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "I'm Not Here to Make Friends"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[47] Gold 35,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[48] Platinum 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release history and formats for "I'm Not Here to Make Friends"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 27 January 2023
Capitol [49]
Italy Contemporary hit radio Universal [50]
United States 30 January 2023 Adult contemporary radio Capitol [51]
31 January 2023 Contemporary hit radio [52]

References

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  1. ^ Mier, Tomás (17 October 2022). "Sam Smith Announces Fourth Album 'Gloria': It 'Feels Like a Coming of Age'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  2. ^ Daw, Stephen (30 November 2022). "Sam Smith Is 'Not Here To Make Friends' in Pantless Song Teaser: Watch the Clip". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Sam Smith: Gloria". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  4. ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (26 January 2023). "Sam Smith Seeks Self-Acceptance and Catharsis, and a Sound to Match". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 11 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. ^ Petridis, Alexis (26 January 2023). "Sam Smith: Gloria review – so-called experimentation only offers more anodyne anguish". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  6. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2023: Staff Picks". www.billboard.com. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Sam Smith - I'm Not Here to Make Friends". YouTube. 27 January 2023. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  8. ^ Swash, Rebecca; Collins, Riyah (31 January 2023). "What's behind the backlash to Sam Smith's video?". Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  9. ^ Peacock, Tim (28 September 2023). "Stormzy, James Blake Among Nominees For 2023 U.K. Music Video Awards". udiscovermusic. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez – I'm Not Here to Make Friends". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez – I'm Not Here to Make Friends" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez – I'm Not Here to Make Friends" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  17. ^ "HRT Airplay Radio Chart No. 1078 – Issue Date: May 8th 2023" (PDF). HRT. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  18. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 18. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez – I'm Not Here to Make Friends" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Sam Smith – I'm Not Here to Make Friends" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  22. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  25. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of February 8, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  26. ^ "2023 5-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 3 February 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 06, 2023" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez – I'm Not Here to Make Friends" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  29. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 6 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  30. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay" (Select week 25.02.2023–03.03.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  31. ^ "Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez – I'm Not Here to Make Friends". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  32. ^ "Russia Airplay Chart for 2023-03-17." TopHit. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  33. ^ "Top 50 – Radio San Marino RTV – 03/03/2023" (in Italian). San Marino RTV. 3 March 2023. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  34. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 10. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  35. ^ "Digital Chart – Week 7 of 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  36. ^ "Top 40 – 06 April Tot 13 April 2023" [Top 40 – April 6 to April 13, 2023]. Nationale Top 40 Suriname. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  37. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 6". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  38. ^ "Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez – I'm Not Here to Make Friends". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  39. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  40. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  41. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  42. ^ "Sam Smith Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  43. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Monthly Chart March 2023". TopHit. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  44. ^ "Digital Chart – February 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  45. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  46. ^ "Rapports annuels 2023" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  47. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  48. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Sam Smith – I'm Not Here To Make Friends" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  49. ^ "Spotify - I'm Not Here to Make Friends". Spotify. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  50. ^ Seminara, Emanuela Ali. "Sam Smith "I'm Not Here to Make Friends" (Radio Date: 27/01/2023)". radiodate.it. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  51. ^ "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". AllAccess. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  52. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". AllAccess. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
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