Better Than Me (Hinder song)

"Better Than Me" is the fourth single released from American rock band Hinder's debut album, Extreme Behavior (2005). This song was ranked number 66 on MTV Asia's list of Top 100 Hits of 2007.^[2]

"Better Than Me"
Single by Hinder
from the album Extreme Behavior
Released	January 29, 2007 (2007-01-29)[1]
Length	3:44
Label	Universal
Songwriter(s)	Brian Howes, Hinder
Producer(s)	Brian Howes
Hinder singles chronology
"How Long" (2006) "Better Than Me" (2007) "Homecoming Queen" (2007)

Critical reception

Billboard magazine called the single "smaller and less bombastic, but [as] equally infectious" as "Lips of an Angel".^[3]

Music video

The music video for the song starts with the band playing in a dark room, then shows a dysfunctional young couple at their home. The young man buys meth from a drug dealer in a pickup truck. While looking at pictures of him and his girlfriend together, he cracks open a light bulb with a knife, pours the meth into it, and heats it on a stove. After ingesting the meth, he has a violent, painful reaction to it, suffering a seizure and itching all over his body. His girlfriend walks in and begins to confront him. He starts to throw things at her. The lights of the room the band was in are turned on and it is revealed to be a cathedral. The funeral of the young man seen earlier is in progress, and it is clear that he died from an overdose. The girlfriend rushes forward, in tears, to his casket and puts an envelope into his hands after being stopped by her best friend.

A contest was held on YouTube challenging aspiring directors to create their own video for the song with the reward being the video being shown on television as well as an unpaid job as an assistant on the set of the official video. The winner was not shown on television, and most of the entries involved similar subject-matter to the official video, with very few entries not revolving around drug addiction and only a few not ending in suicide by overdose.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2006–2007) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 11 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[5] 16 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[6] 22 Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[7] 12 Canada Rock (Billboard)[8] 49 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 16 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[10] 70 US Billboard Hot 100[11] 31 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[12] 10 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[13] 37 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[14] 16 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[15] 14

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position Australia (ARIA)[16] 74 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 97 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[18] 29

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
United States	January 29, 2007	Alternative radio	Universal Republic	[1]
	February 6, 2007	Contemporary hit radio		[19]
Australia	June 4, 2007	CD single	Universal	[20]

References

1. "Modern Rock - Airplay Archive". FMQB. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
2. MTV Asia. "Top 100 Hits List" Archived December 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 27, 2007
3. Philipp, Sven (April 7, 2007), "Better Than Me". Billboard. 119 (14):38
4. "Hinder – Better Than Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
5. "Hinder Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
6. "Hinder Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
7. "Hinder Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
8. "Hinder Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard.
9. "Hinder – Better Than Me". Top 40 Singles.
10. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200710 into search.
11. "Hinder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
12. "Hinder Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
13. "Hinder Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
14. "Hinder Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
15. "Hinder Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
16. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
17. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
18. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
19. "CHR - Airplay Archive". FMQB. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
20. "New Releases Singles - Week Commencing 4th June 2007" (PDF). The ARIA Report. No. 900. Australian Recording Industry Association. June 4, 2007. p. 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 18, 2007. Retrieved September 4, 2021 – via Trove.