Sixteen (Ellie Goulding song)

2019 song by Ellie Goulding

"Sixteen"

Single by Ellie Goulding
Released| 12 April 2019 (2019-04-12)
Genre|

* Pop
* EDM
* dance-pop
* new wave
* pop rock
* alternative rock

Length| 3:21
Label| Polydor
Songwriter(s)|

* Elena Goulding
* Joe Kearns
* Rachel Keen
* Fred Gibson

Producer(s)|

* Mike Wise
* Fred
* Ian Kirkpatrick (co.)

Ellie Goulding singles chronology
| "Close to Me" (Red Velvet Remix)
(2019)  | "Sixteen"
(2019)  | "Hate Me"
(2019)

|
|

Music video
"Sixteen" on YouTube

"Sixteen" is a song by English singer Ellie Goulding, released as a single through Polydor Records on 12 April 2019.[1] It appears as an international bonus track on the digital and streaming edition of her fourth studio album Brightest Blue.[2] It was co-written by Goulding with Raye and Fred, and produced by Ian Kirkpatrick, Fred and Mike Wise. Goulding has said the song is about the "reckless days of adolescence".[3]

## Composition

[edit]

"Sixteen" is a pop, EDM and dance-pop ballad with an electronic beat that speaks about the "reckless days of adolescence".[4][5][3] It is written in the key of A-flat major with a tempo of 110 beats per minute.[6]

## Promotion

[edit]

Goulding announced the song on social media on 11 April 2019, also posting that she compiled the cover artwork from friends' photos of when they were sixteen years of age.[7]

## Music video

[edit]

The music video directed by Tim Mattia was released on April 17, 2019, reflecting on Goulding's teenage years, focusing on her and a friend bunking off school to steal alcohol, smoke cannabis, get tattoos, and meet boys at an arcade.[8][9][10]

## Track listing

[edit]

Digital downloadNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Sixteen"| 3:21

Digital download[11]No.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Sixteen" (Don Diablo Remix)| 3:13

Digital download[12]No.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Sixteen" (99 Souls Remix)| 3:32

Digital download[13]No.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Sixteen" (Acoustic)| 3:09

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (2019)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[14] | 85
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] | 41
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] | 50
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[17] | 35
Canadian Hot Digital Songs (Billboard)[18] | 44
China Airplay/FL (Billboard)[19] | 16
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[20] | 57
Germany (GfK)[21] | 64
Ireland (IRMA)[22] | 20
Lithuania (AGATA)[23] | 35
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] | 27
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[25] | 8
Norway (VG-lista)[26] | 26
Scotland (OCC)[27] | 10
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[28] | 16
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[29] | 52
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[30] | 37
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] | 95
UK Singles (OCC)[32] | 21
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[33] | 30

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[34] | Platinum  | 40,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[35] | Gold  | 15,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[36] | Gold  | 10,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[37] | Gold  | 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] | Gold  | 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[39] | Gold  | 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Region  | Date  | Format  | Version  | Label  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Various  | 12 April 2019  |

* Digital download
* streaming

| Original  | Polydor |
Italy  | Contemporary hit radio | Universal | [40]
United Kingdom  | Polydor  | [41]
Various  | 10 May 2019  |

* Digital download
* streaming

| Don Diablo Remix  | [11]
31 May 2019  | 99 Souls Remix  | [12]
14 June 2019  | Acoustic  | [13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ @elliegoulding (11 April 2019). "Tomorrow" (Tweet) - via Twitter.
2. ^ "Ellie Goulding的《Brightest Blue》". Apple Music (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2020-07-16.
3. ^ a b "Ellie Goulding torna con il singolo Sixteen". Prima Radio (in Italian). 11 April 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
4. ^ "Don Diablo drops fresh remix of Ellie Goulding track 'Sixteen'". We Rave You. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
5. ^ Gilke, Chloe (12 April 2019). "Ellie Goulding's 'Sixteen' Is A Nostalgic Dance-Pop Anthem". Uproxx. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
6. ^ Ellie Goulding "Sixteen" Sheet Music in Ab major
7. ^ @elliegoulding (11 April 2019). "I asked my friends to send photos from when they were 16 this single's artwork, it was so much fun putting this tog…" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 April 2019 - via Twitter.
8. ^ Nied, Mike (April 17, 2019). "Ellie Goulding Celebrates Youth With Her "Sixteen" Music Video". Idolator.
9. ^ Aniftos, Rania (April 17, 2019). "Ellie Goulding Reflects on Her Teenage Years in 'Sixteen' Music Video: Watch". Billboard.
10. ^ Shaffer, Claire (April 17, 2019). "See Ellie Goulding Celebrate Her Teenage Friendship in 'Sixteen' Video". Rolling Stone.
11. ^ a b "Sixteen (Don Diablo Remix) - Single by Ellie Goulding". 10 May 2019.
12. ^ a b "Sixteen (99 Souls Remix) - Single by Ellie Goulding". 31 May 2019.
13. ^ a b "Sixteen (Acoustic) - Single by Ellie Goulding". 14 June 2019.
14. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
15. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
16. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
17. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
18. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Chart history (Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
19. ^ "China Airplay Chart/Foreign Language - 29/04/2019". Billboard China (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2019-05-09. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
20. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 16. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
21. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
22. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
23. ^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
24. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 18, 2019" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
25. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
26. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen". VG-lista. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
27. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
28. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 40. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
29. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 16. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
30. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
31. ^ "Ellie Goulding – Sixteen". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
32. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
33. ^ Top Radio Hits Ukraine Weekly Chart. TopHit. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
34. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Ellie Goulding – Sixteen" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
35. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Ellie Goulding – Sixteen". Radioscope. Retrieved 2 February 2025. Type Sixteen  in the "Search:" field.
36. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2020 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2024-11-02. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
37. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Ellie Goulding – Sixteen" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
38. ^ "British single certifications – Ellie Goulding – Sixteen". British Phonographic Industry.
39. ^ "American single certifications – Ellie Goulding – Sixteen". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
40. ^ "Ellie Goulding - Sixteen (Radio Date: 12-04-2019)". Retrieved April 12, 2019.
41. ^ "Radio 1 Playlist". BBC. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

* v
* t
* e

Ellie Goulding

* Awards and nominations
* Discography
* Songs

Studio albums|

* Lights
* Halcyon
* Delirium
* Brightest Blue
* Higher Than Heaven

Reissues|

* Halcyon Days
* Halcyon Nights

Extended plays|

* An Introduction to Ellie Goulding
* Run into the Light

Singles|

* "Under the Sheets"
* "Starry Eyed"
* "Guns and Horses"
* "The Writer"
* "Your Song"
* "Lights"
* "Anything Could Happen"
* "Figure 8"
* "Explosions"
* "Burn"
* "How Long Will I Love You"
* "Goodness Gracious"
* "Beating Heart"
* "Love Me like You Do"
* "On My Mind"
* "Army"
* "Something in the Way You Move"
* "Still Falling for You"
* "First Time"
* "Close to Me"
* "Flux"
* "Sixteen"
* "Hate Me"
* "River"
* "Worry About Me"
* "Power"
* "Slow Grenade"
* "Love I'm Given"
* "Easy Lover"
* "All by Myself"
* "Let It Die"
* "Like a Saviour"
* "Miracle"
* "By the End of the Night"
* "Somebody"
* "Free"
* "In My Dreams"
* "I Adore You"
* "Hypnotized"
* "Save My Love"

As featured artist|

* "Wonderman"
* "I Need Your Love"
* "Flashlight"
* "Outside"
* "Heavy Crown"
* "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
* "Powerful"
* "Mama"
* "Times Like These"
* "New Love"

Promotional singles|

* "Hanging On"
* "Lost and Found"

Other songs|

* "My Blood"

Concert tours|

* The Lights Tour
* The Halcyon Days Tour
* Delirium World Tour
* Brightest Blue Tour
* Higher Than Heaven Tour

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