It's Been Awhile

"It's Been Awhile" is a song by American rock band Staind. It was released on March 27, 2001, as the lead single from their third studio album, Break the Cycle (2001).

"It's Been Awhile"
Single by Staind
from the album Break the Cycle
ReleasedMarch 27, 2001
Genre
Length4:25
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Josh Abraham
Staind singles chronology
"Home"
(2000)		 "It's Been Awhile"
(2001)		 "Outside"
(2001)

The song is Staind's most successful and is their best-known song, becoming a number five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2001—their only song to reach the top 10. It spent a second-best 20 weeks at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart[5] (behind "Loser" by 3 Doors Down) and a then-record 16 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.[5] Worldwide, the single became a top-20 hit in Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

The song is a playable track in the GameCube video game Donkey Konga 2.[6]

Background

Aaron Lewis originally wrote this song around 1996 along with "Outside" slightly prior to the release of Dysfunction and performed it with a short-lived acoustic side project called J-CAT, before abruptly shelving it until 2000 during the recording sessions of Break the Cycle.[7][8]

Reception

Eric Aiese of Billboard reviewed the song favorably, saying that the group handles the ballad well and packs "a lot of punch into the cut." Aiese said that the song "may be the group's greatest splash yet."[9]

Music video

The music video had its world premiere on MTV's Total Request Live program on April 13, 2001.[10] The music video begins with Aaron Lewis going through some old photographs, one of which is a picture of his wife. The video switches between him writing a letter to his wife and the band performing in a room full of candles. There are brief shots of Aaron alone in the streets and looking at himself in the mirror while having second thoughts. Throughout the video, Aaron is seen smoking cigarettes. At the end of the video, one of those cigarettes falls onto the floor and burns down his apartment.

The video was directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst.

Track listings

Charts and certifications

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States March 27, 2001
[44]
May 22, 2001 Contemporary hit radio [45]
Australia June 18, 2001 CD [46]
United Kingdom September 3, 2001
  • CD
  • cassette
 [47]

References
  1. Geffen, Sasha (October 7, 2013). "In Defense of Post-Grunge Music". Consequence. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  2. Grierson, Tim. "Top 10 Essential Alt-Metal Songs". About.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  3. "10 Nü-Metal Songs That Don't Totally Suck". September 12, 2019.
  4. Gary Suarez (December 12, 2012). "Aaron Lewis: The Road". PopMatters. Retrieved May 2, 2021. Strip off a few pesky layers of grime from a nu metal power ballad like "It's Been Awhile" or "Outside" and you'll find a country song hidden at its core.
  5. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 595.
  6. "Donkey Konga 2 - Song List (U.S. Version)". IGN. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  7. "J-CAT - It's been Awhile". Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 – via YouTube.
  8. Halbersberg, Elianne (September 2001). "Staind". mixonline. Mix Online. Retrieved September 1, 2001.
  9. Aiese, Eric (May 12, 2001). "Billboard". Google Books. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  10. "UTRL - daily recap". Archived from the original on March 24, 2002. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  11. It's Been Awhile (UK CD1 liner notes). Staind. Flip Records, Elektra Records. 2001. E7252CD1, 7559-67252-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. It's Been Awhile (UK CD2 liner notes). Staind. Flip Records, Elektra Records. 2001. E7252CD2, 7559-67253-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. It's Been Awhile (European CD single liner notes). Staind. Flip Records, Elektra Records. 2001. 7559-67248-5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. It's Been Awhile (Australian maxi-CD single liner notes). Staind. Flip Records, Elektra Records. 2001. 7559-67228-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. "Staind – It's Been Awhile". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  16. "Staind – It's Been Awhile" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  17. "Staind – It's Been Awhile" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  18. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 39. September 22, 2001. p. 11. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  19. "Staind – It's Been Awhile" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  20. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – It's Been Awhile". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Staind" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  22. "Staind – It's Been Awhile" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  23. "Staind – It's Been Awhile". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  25. "Staind – It's Been Awhile". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  26. "Staind – It's Been Awhile". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  27. "Staind: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  28. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
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  30. "Staind Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  31. "Staind Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  32. "Staind Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  33. "Staind Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  34. "Staind Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  35. "Staind Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 26, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  36. "BDS CHART : Top 100 of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 1, 2002. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  37. "End of Year Charts 2001". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
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  39. "Top 100 top played radio tracks in Canada in 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  40. "Greatest of All Time Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  41. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  42. "British single certifications – Staind – It's Been Awhile". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  43. "American single certifications – Staind – It's Been Awhile". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  44. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1394. March 23, 2001. pp. 98, 105. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  45. "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1402. May 18, 2001. p. 39. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  46. "The ARIA Report: ARIA New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 18th June 2001" (PDF). ARIA. June 18, 2001. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  47. "New Releases – For Week Starting September 3, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. September 1, 2001. p. 23. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
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