Forever Love (Gary Barlow song)

"Forever Love" is the debut solo single released by British singer-songwriter Gary Barlow, taken from his debut solo album, Open Road (1997). Released on 8 July 1996, it debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart six days later, becoming Barlow's first of three number-one singles away from Take That. Worldwide, "Forever Love" also topped the charts in Lithuania, Spain and Taiwan, while reaching the top five in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland. The song was used as the official theme for the film The Leading Man (1996).

"Forever Love"
Single by Gary Barlow
from the album Open Road
B-side	"I Miss It All"
Released	8 July 1996 (1996-07-08)
Studio	Metropolis (London, England)
Length	4:36
Label	RCA BMG
Songwriter(s)	Gary Barlow
Producer(s)	Gary Barlow Chris Porter
Gary Barlow singles chronology
"Forever Love" (1996) "Love Won't Wait" (1997)

Critical reception

British magazine Music Week rated the song four out of five, writing, "Barlow's undisputed writing skills are evident on this wistful ballad which builds to a dramatic climax. A surefire number one."^[1] Editor Alan Jones added, "An introspective ballad, it starts slowly and becomes increasingly urgent and compelling. Aside from Barlow's voice, which is in fine fettle, the song is dominated by piano and is a romantic tour-de-force of the kind his fans must have been hoping for. One of the year's biggest hits."^[2]

Chart performance

Selling 109,000 copies during its first week of release,^[3] "Forever Love" entered the UK Singles Chart at number one, where it stayed for one week, thus making Barlow the first member of Take That to top the charts with a solo record. It remained in the top 75 for a total of 16 weeks, being certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).^[4][5]

Music video

The official music video of "Forever Love" is shot in black and white and begins with Gary Barlow waking up alone and looking out of a window which critics believe symbolises the start of a new chapter in Barlow's career. He is then shown to partake in a number of day-to-day activities and finally ends up in a downtown cafe where he witnesses all types of love that exist between people before returning to his studio.^[6]

Track listing

All tracks were written by Gary Barlow.

Standard^[7][8][9]

1. "Forever Love" – 4:36
2. "I Miss It All" – 4:02
3. "Forever Love" (instrumental) – 4:37

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the UK CD single liner notes and the Open Road album booklet.^[7][10]

Studio

• Recorded and mixed at Metropolis Studios (London, England)

Personnel

• Gary Barlow – writer, piano, production
• Chris Porter – production
• Chris Cameron – piano, bass, strings
• Andy Duncan – drums, percussion
• Steve McNichol – programming
• Rob Cattermole – programming assistance
• Stylorouge – artwork design
• Norman Watson – artwork photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[11] 7 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[12] 11 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[13] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[14] 4 Czech Republic (IFPI CR)^[15] 3 Denmark (IFPI)^[16] 3 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[17] 3 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[18] 6 France (SNEP)^[19] 27 Germany (Official German Charts)^[20] 5 Hungary (Mahasz)^[21] 6 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[22] 38 Ireland (IRMA)^[23] 3 Israel (IBA)^[24] 3 Italy (Musica e dischi)^[25] 8 Lithuania (M-1)^[26] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[27] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[28] 6 Norway (VG-lista)^[29] 9 Scotland (OCC)^[30] 2 Spain (AFYVE)^[31] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[32] 12 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[33] 5 Taiwan (IFPI)^[34] 1 UK Singles (OCC)^[4] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[35] 43 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[36] 36 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[37] 45 Germany (Official German Charts)^[38] 56 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[39] 73 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[40] 78 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[41] 62 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[42] 14 UK Singles (OCC)^[43] 40

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[5]	Gold	400,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	8 July 1996	CD cassette	RCA BMG	^[44]
Japan	7 August 1996	CD		^[45]

References

1. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 29 June 1996. p. 23. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
2. Jones, Alan (22 June 1996). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
3. Jones, Alan (20 July 1996). "The Official UK Charts". Music Week. p. 21.
4. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
5. "British single certifications – Gary Barlow – Forever Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
6. "Gary Barlow - Forever Love". YouTube. 18 December 2011. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
7. Forever Love (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, Bertelsmann Music Group. 1996. 74321387962.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. Forever Love (UK cassette single sleeve). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, Bertelsmann Music Group. 1996. 74321387964.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. Forever Love (Japanese CD single liner notes). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, Bertelsmann Music Group. 1996. BVCP-8836.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Open Road (UK CD album booklet). Gary Barlow. RCA Records, Bertelsmann Music Group. 1997. 74321 417 202.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
12. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
13. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
14. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
15. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 41. 12 October 1996. p. 18. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
16. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 32. 10 August 1996. p. 11. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
17. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 31. 3 August 1996. p. 14. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
18. "Gary Barlow: Forever Love" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
19. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
20. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
21. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 35. 31 August 1996. p. 15. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
22. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (15.6. – 21.6. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 15 June 1996. p. 26. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
23. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Forever Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
24. 13 August 1996
25. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 37. 14 September 1996. p. 18. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
26. . M-1.fm. 18 August 1996. Archived from the original on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
27. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 31, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
28. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
29. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
30. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
31. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
32. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
33. "Gary Barlow – Forever Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
34. . 24 February 1998. Archived from the original on 24 February 1998. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
35. "Jaaroverzichten 1996" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
36. "Rapports annuels 1996" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
37. "Music & Media 1996 in Review – Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 51/52. 21 December 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
38. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
39. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1996". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
40. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1996" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
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42. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1996" (in German). Retrieved 26 November 2019.
43. "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. 18 January 1997. p. 25.
44. Pattenden, Mike; Gorman, Paul (29 June 1996). "Take That Pair Gets Set to Launch Solo Works" (PDF). Music Week. p. 3. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
45. "フォーエバー・ラブ | ゲイリー・バーロウ" [Forever Love | Gary Barlow] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 15 November 2023.