How Do I Say Goodbye
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"How Do I Say Goodbye" is a song by Australian singer and songwriter Dean Lewis. The song was released on 2 September 2022 as the third single from Lewis's second studio album, The Hardest Love.
At the 2023 ARIA Music Awards, the song was nominated for Song of the Year.
At the APRA Music Awards of 2024, the song won Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work.
Background
Lewis wrote the song for his father, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. Dean Lewis later said, "Although I wrote the song about my dad, my dad ended up being okay. I wrote the song assuming I was gonna have to say goodbye, and I didn't have to. My dad got a stem cell transplant and his cancer was an aggressive form of pre-leukemia, and he had a very small percentage chance of getting out of it."
Music video
The official video was directed by Sean Loaney (Lewis's brother) and premiered on 6 September 2022. The music video features footage taken by Lewis's father during the singer's childhood.
Track listings
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "How Do I Say Goodbye" | 2:43 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "How Do I Say Goodbye" (Chuksie remix) | 3:13 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "How Do I Say Goodbye" (Acoustic version) | 2:44 |
Charts
| Chart (2022–2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "How Do I Say Goodbye" Chart (2022–2023) Peak position Australia (ARIA) 14 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 38 Canada Hot 100 (Billboard) 42 Canada AC (Billboard) 24 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) 49 Canada Hot AC (Billboard) 20 Czech Republic Airplay (ČNS IFPI) 96 Czech Republic Singles Digital (ČNS IFPI) 42 Denmark (Tracklisten) 7 Germany (GfK) 24 Global 200 (Billboard) 82 Ireland (IRMA) 16 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 8 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 40 Norway (VG-lista) 5 Portugal (AFP) 88 San Marino (SMRRTV Top 50) 27 Slovakia Singles Digital (ČNS IFPI) 70 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 19 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 7 UK Singles (OCC) 23 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard) 5 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 23 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard) 3 | Year-end charts 2022 year-end chart performance for "How Do I Say Goodbye" Chart (2022) Position Australian Artist (ARIA) 28 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 111 Denmark (Tracklisten) 99 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 36 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 60 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 69 2023 year-end chart performance for "How Do I Say Goodbye" Chart (2023) Position Australia (ARIA) 68 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 27 Denmark (Tracklisten) 49 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 81 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 40 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 59 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 43 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) 7 2024 year-end chart performance for "How Do I Say Goodbye" Chart (2024) Position Australian Artist (ARIA) 24 2025 year-end chart performance for "How Do I Say Goodbye" Chart (2025) Position Australian Artist (ARIA) 28 |
| Australia (ARIA) | 14 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 14 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 5 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) | 38 |
| Canada Hot 100 (Billboard) | 42 |
| Canada AC (Billboard) | 24 |
| Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) | 49 |
| Canada Hot AC (Billboard) | 20 |
| Czech Republic Airplay (ČNS IFPI) | 96 |
| Czech Republic Singles Digital (ČNS IFPI) | 42 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten) | 7 |
| Germany (GfK) | 24 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 82 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 16 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 3 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 8 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 40 |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 5 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 88 |
| San Marino (SMRRTV Top 50) | 27 |
| Slovakia Singles Digital (ČNS IFPI) | 70 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 19 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 7 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 23 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard) | 5 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 23 |
| US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard) | 3 |
| Chart (2022) | Position |
| Australian Artist (ARIA) | 28 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 111 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten) | 99 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 36 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 60 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 69 |
| Chart (2023) | Position |
| Australia (ARIA) | 68 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 27 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten) | 49 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 81 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 40 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 59 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 43 |
| US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) | 7 |
| Chart (2024) | Position |
| Australian Artist (ARIA) | 24 |
| Chart (2025) | Position |
| Australian Artist (ARIA) | 28 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria) | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| Belgium (BRMA) | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | 2× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | 2× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
| France (SNEP) | Gold | 100,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI) | Gold | 200,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI) | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV) | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| Spain (Promusicae) | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| Streaming | ||
| Sweden (GLF) | Platinum | 8,000,000† |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone. |