Let You Down (NF song)

"Let You Down"
Single by NF
from the album Perception
Released	September 14, 2017 (2017-09-14)
Genre	Hip hop pop rap
Length	3:32
Label	Capitol Caroline NF Real Music LLC
Songwriter(s)	Nate Feuerstein Tommee Profitt
Producer(s)	David Garcia Profitt
NF singles chronology
"Green Lights" (2017) "Let You Down" (2017) "No Name" (2018)
Music video
"Let You Down" on YouTube

"Let You Down" is a song performed by American rapper and songwriter NF and is his most successful song to date. It serves as the third single from his third studio album, Perception, released on September 14, 2017. Available for digital download and streaming, it also includes an audio video.^[1]

The song is NF's highest-charting song to date, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Pop Songs chart. As well as reaching mainstream charts internationally, "Let You Down" charted on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs and Hot Rhythmic Songs, reaching the No. 1 spot on the former chart.^[2] It is his first song to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.^[3][4] It was later certified 8× platinum in the US,^[5] and also reached multi-platinum in several other countries, including Canada and Australia.^[6]

Song history

"Let You Down" was produced by David Garcia and Tommee Profitt. NF wrote the song about his relationship with his father and how he did not want to disappoint him, making it the first time he had publicly spoken about his relationship with his father, who raised him as a child. His parents went through a divorce, and his mother overdosed years later.^[7]

Music video

The official music video was released on November 9, 2017, on NF's Vevo channel.^[8]

The music video was directed and produced by Nathan Feuerstein (NF's real name) and Patrick Tohill. Given the song's lyrical content, the visual focus is on the relationship between an older Nate and his younger self. The clip shows an older man, presumably his future self, standing on a dock looking at a lake, while a fully clothed NF drowns right in front of him. As he flails and tries to keep from going under, the man just looks at him, and doesn't help. Then, the same man is seen staring at NF who is trapped in a burning car. As it's engulfed in flames, the man again makes no move to help. Then we see the older man in a field, staring into a freshly dug grave. Inside the grave is a coffin, and NF is inside, dead. The older man seems upset by this, and falls to his knees. In the final shot, the older man is back on the dock, looking at NF drowning once again. The camera switches views to an identical tattoo that NF has. Then a woman approaches him on the dock and says, "Nathan?"^[9][10]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Let You Down"	Nathan Feuerstein	David Garcia Tommee Profitt	3:32

Chart performance

"Let You Down" reached No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs and Mainstream Top 40 charts. It also reached No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, NF's first entry on the chart.^[11] The song achieved international success, charting in the UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand and Ireland.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2017–18) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 7 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 11 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 15 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 31 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 15 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[17] 12 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[18] 12 Denmark (Tracklisten)[19] 7 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] 6 Germany (GfK)[21] 9 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[22] 11 Ireland (IRMA)[23] 4 Italy (FIMI)[24] 44 Malaysia (RIM)[25] 17 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[26] 18 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[27] 7 Norway (VG-lista)[28] 2 Philippines (Philippine Hot 100)[29] 52 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[30] 52 Portugal (AFP)[31] 19 Scotland (OCC)[32] 14 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[33] 16 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 16 UK Singles (OCC)[36] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[37] 12 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[38] 25 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[39] 4 US Christian Songs (Billboard)[40] 1 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[41] 6 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[42] 1 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[43] 2

Year-end charts Chart (2017) Position Hungary (Stream Top 40)[44] 61 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[45] 68 US Christian Songs (Billboard)[46] 61 Chart (2018) Position Australia (ARIA)[47] 37 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[48] 95 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[49] 37 Denmark (Tracklisten)[50] 96 Estonia (IFPI)[51] 42 Germany (Official German Charts)[52] 64 Iceland (Plötutíóindi)[53] 38 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[54] 68 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[55] 57 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[56] 66 UK Cross Rhythms Annual Chart[57] 28 US Billboard Hot 100[58] 29 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[59] 21 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[60] 17 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[61] 15 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[62] 13

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[63]	8× Platinum	560,000^‡
Belgium (BEA)[64]	Gold	10,000^‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[65]	Platinum	40,000^‡
Canada (Music Canada)[66]	9× Platinum	720,000^‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[67]	2× Platinum	180,000^‡
France (SNEP)[68]	Platinum	200,000^‡
Germany (BVMI)[69]	Platinum	400,000^‡
Italy (FIMI)[70]	Platinum	50,000^‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[71]	Gold	30,000^‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[72]	Platinum	30,000^‡
Poland (ZPAV)[73]	Platinum	50,000^‡
Portugal (AFP)[74]	Gold	5,000^‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[75]	Gold	30,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[76]	2× Platinum	1,200,000^‡
United States (RIAA)[77]	8× Platinum	8,000,000^‡
Streaming
Sweden (GLF)[78]	4× Platinum	32,000,000^†
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. ^† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
United States	September 14, 2017	Digital download	Capitol CMG NF Real Music LLC	[79]
	October 3, 2017	Rhythmic contemporary radio	Caroline	[80]
	October 24, 2017	Contemporary hit radio		[81]

See also

• List of best-selling singles in the United States

References

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5. "NF's "Let You Down" Reaches 3× Platinum In US; "Perception" Certified Gold". Headline Planet. March 26, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
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