Release Me (Wilson Phillips song)

"Release Me" is a song written and performed by American pop group Wilson Phillips, released as the second single from their debut album, Wilson Phillips (1990). The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1990 and spent two weeks at number one. It also topped the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart for one week and reached number one in Canada the same month.

"Release Me"
Single by Wilson Phillips
from the album Wilson Phillips
B-side	"Eyes Like Twins"
Released	June 1990
Genre	Pop[1] easy listening[1]
Length	4:56 (album version) 3:50 (single edit)
Label	SBK
Songwriter(s)	Wilson Phillips
Producer(s)	Glen Ballard
Wilson Phillips singles chronology
"Hold On" (1990) "Release Me" (1990) "Impulsive" (1990)

Track listings

US cassette single and UK 7-inch single^[2][3]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Release Me"	Wilson Phillips	3:48
2.	"Eyes Like Twins"	Jeannette-Thérèse Obstoj, Rupert Hine	5:00

UK 12-inch single^[4]

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Release Me"	Wilson Phillips	4:56

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Release Me" (single edit)	Wilson Phillips	3:48
2.	"Eyes Like Twins"	Obstoj, Hine	5:00

UK CD single^[5]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Release Me" (single edit)	Wilson Phillips
2.	"Release Me" (album version)	Wilson Phillips
3.	"Eyes Like Twins"	Obstoj, Hine
4.	"Hold On"	Chynna Phillips, Glen Ballard

European maxi-CD single^[6]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Release Me"	Wilson Phillips	4:53
2.	"Release Me" (single edit)	Wilson Phillips	3:47
3.	"Eyes Like Twins"	Obstoj, Hine	5:00
4.	"The Dream Is Still Alive"	Ballard, Wilson Phillips	4:07

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1990) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 57 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 15 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 34 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[11] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 84 Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 37 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 15 Italy (Musica e dischi)[15] 25 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 15 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 14 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 18 UK Singles (OCC)[19] 36 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[21] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1990) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22] 6 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[23] 24 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 96 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 19 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26] 13 Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999) Position Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[27] 40

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[28]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	June 1990	Cassette	SBK
United Kingdom	August 6, 1990	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD cassette		[29]
Japan	September 12, 1990	Mini-CD single		[30]

References

1. Breihan, Tom (October 6, 2021). "The Number Ones: Wilson Phillips' "Release Me". Stereogum. Retrieved December 2, 2023. In Ballard's hands, "Release Me" works as effective soft-focus early-'90s easy-listening pop.
2. Release Me (US cassette single sleeve). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. 4JM-07327.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Release Me (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. SBK11.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. Release Me (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. 12SBK11.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. Release Me (UK CD single liner notes). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. CDSBK 11, 20 3986 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. Release Me (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. 560-20 3942 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 02 Dec 1990 (61–100)". ARIA. Retrieved September 23, 2016 – via Imgur.
8. "Wilson Phillips – Release Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
9. "Wilson Phillips – Release Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1286." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
11. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1322." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 38. September 22, 1990. p. IV. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
13. "Wilson Phillips – Release Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Release Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
15. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 8, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Wilson Phillips".
16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
17. "Wilson Phillips – Release Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
18. "Wilson Phillips – Release Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
20. "Wilson Phillips Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
21. "Wilson Phillips Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
22. "Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
23. "Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
24. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
25. "Billboard Top 100 – 1990". Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
26. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
27. Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
28. "American single certifications – Wilson Phillips – Release Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
29. "New Singles". Music Week. August 4, 1990. p. 27.
30. "リリース・ミー | ウィルソン・フィリップス" [Release Me | Wilson Phillips] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 8, 2023.