Push (Matchbox Twenty song)

"Push" is a song by American rock band Matchbox Twenty. It was released in 1997 as the second single from their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996). After landing "Long Day" on several rock radio stations paving the way, "Push" topped the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and became one of the band's signature songs.

"Push"
Single by Matchbox Twenty
from the album Yourself or Someone Like You
B-side	"Tired"
Released	June 10, 1997 (1997-06-10)
Studio	Triclops Recording (Atlanta)
Genre	Alternative rock,[1] pop rock
Length	3:59
Label	Atlantic Lava Melisma
Songwriter(s)	Rob Thomas Matt Serletic
Producer(s)	Matt Serletic
Matchbox Twenty singles chronology
"Long Day" (1996) "Push" (1997) "3AM" (1997)
Music video
"Push" on YouTube

Composition

Vocalist Rob Thomas wrote the lyrics to "Push" with Matt Serletic. The song's lyrics are about the stress of falling in and out of love.^[2] Thomas stated that the man in the song (either himself or fictional) was the one being abused, either emotionally or physically, by a woman.^[3] Later after its release, some feminist groups were outraged and claimed the song was about abusing women, and Thomas expressed surprise when he heard that the song was being interpreted as misogynistic.^[3] In an interview with The Morning Call, the bass guitarist Brian Yale adding "We were kind of surprised when we heard all that stuff. [Our response] was, 'Wow, really? No, it's not about that.'^[2]

Music video

The video for "Push" was directed by Nigel Dick, and shot March 27–28, 1997, in Los Angeles.^[4] The video starts and ends with Rob Thomas playing with a puppet. Throughout the song, the band is seen playing in an alley. A couple of scenes feature Thomas chained to a wall. Another scene is of Thomas holding onto a barbed wire fence while the band stands in the background. He gets stuck by the fence but keeps putting his hands back on it. Thomas is also seen in a room containing a clock and a bed, though no windows are shown.

Track listings and formats

• 12-inch vinyl, cassette, and CD single^[5][6][7]

1. "Push"  – 3:59
2. "Tired"  – 3:44

• Maxi-single^[8]

1. "Push"  – 3:59
2. "Busted" (acoustic) – 4:24
3. "Tired"  – 3:44

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel are adapted from the Yourself or Someone Like You album liner notes.^[9]

• Rob Thomas – vocals, writer
• Kyle Cook – lead guitar, background vocals
• Adam Gaynor – rhythm guitar, background vocals
• Brian Yale – bass
• Paul Doucette – drums
• Matt Serletic – writer, producer, mixing, composition and arrangement
• Jeff Tomei – engineering
• Greg Archilla – mixing
• John Nielson – recording assistant
• Malcolm Springer – mixing assistant
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering
• Don C. Tyler – digital editing

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Push" Chart (1997–1998) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[10] 8 Australia Alternative (ARIA)[11] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 6 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13] 38 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[14] 4 Germany (GfK)[15] 91 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[16] 14 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 61 Scotland (OCC)[18] 30 Spain Airplay (Music & Media)[19] 5 UK Singles (OCC)[20] 38 US Radio Songs (Billboard)[21] 5 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[22] 2 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[23] 6 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[24] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[25] 4 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[26] 3 2023 weekly chart performance for "Push" Chart (2023) Peak position US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[27] 49 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[28] 17

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Push" Chart (1997) Position Australia (ARIA)[29] 33 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[30] 33 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[31] 65 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[32] 24 US Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard)[33] 21 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[34] 24 US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[35] 4 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[35] 5 US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[36] 21 US Triple-A (Billboard)[37] 7 Chart (1998) Position US Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard)[38] 36 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[39] 51 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[40] 52

Certifications

Sales certifications for "Push"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[41]	5× Platinum	350,000‡
United States (RIAA)[42]	3× Platinum	3,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Push"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	1997	Rock radio	Atlantic Lava Melisma
	June 10, 1997	Contemporary hit radio		[43]
Europe	October 20, 1997	CD		[15]
Japan	November 15, 1997		Atlantic Lava EastWest Japan	[44]
United Kingdom	March 23, 1998	CD cassette	Atlantic Lava Melisma	[45]

In popular culture

An extract of the song was used in the "Weird Al" Yankovic polka medley, "Polka Power!", along with many other popular songs of the late 90s, off the album Running with Scissors.^[46]

In the 2023 fantasy comedy Barbie, Ken (played by Ryan Gosling) adopts it as his favorite song after visiting the real world, and it becomes "a tongue-in-cheek anthem of patriarchal dominance" in Barbieland.^[47] While many reviews of the film interpreted this as a critique of the song,^[48][49] director Greta Gerwig said that she was a fan of Matchbox Twenty and "I never put anything in a movie I don’t love."^[50] Gosling's cover of the song was included on Barbie the Album (Best Weekend Ever Edition).^[51]

See also

• List of number-one alternative singles of 1997 (U.S.)