"I Will Wait" is a song by British rock band Mumford & Sons. The track was first released in the United States on 7 August 2012 as the lead single from the band's second studio album, Babel (2012). The song sold 153,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release and became their highest-charting song in the US to date, peaking at number 12. It also reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Irish, Canadian and Scottish national charts and was voted into fifth place in Australian radio station Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2012. The song is playable in the video game Guitar Hero Live, and was featured in The Book of Life covered by Diego Luna.

Music video

The music video was directed by Fred & Nick. It was filmed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.

Critical reception

The song has received generally favourable reviews. Grady Smith of Entertainment Weekly gave the song a positive review, saying how the song "hearkens back to their Grammy-nomination-festooned single "The Cave" with its shouted refrain, triumphant horns, a driving kick drum, and an earnest lyric about a relationship so perfect it has Marcus Mumford kneeling down in reverence, raising his hands, and wishing for his mind to be "freed from the lies."" Stephanie Middleton of The Celebrity Cafe said, "With untouched vocals and harmonies, the boys manage to create yet another genuine Mumford & Sons track."

Katie Hasty of HitFix gave the song a B+, saying "Marcus is a softie, but he's got a problem with repetition," but also said "they bring it home when they jump up an octave and beat the hell out of the chorus." She concluded with, "This song could be really huge." Liv Carter of Urban Country News awarded the song a 'thumbs-up'. Reviewing the song after it started receiving airplay at country radio, she called it "a perfect piece of folk-rock that more than deserves to be introduced to the wider country radio audience." Rolling Stone magazine named the song the 13th best song of 2012.

Track listing

Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."I Will Wait"4:36
2013 Brit Awards
No.TitleLength
1."I Will Wait (Live from the BRITs)"4:48

Awards

YearOrganizationAwardResult
2013Grammy AwardBest Rock PerformanceNominated
Best Rock SongNominated
MTV Video Music AwardBest Rock VideoNominated

Charts

Chart (2012–2013)Peak position
Weekly charts Chart (2012–2013) Peak position Australia (ARIA) 23 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 27 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 14 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) 11 Canada Hot 100 (Billboard) 9 Europe (Euro Digital Songs) 18 France (SNEP) 93 Germany (GfK) 53 Ireland (IRMA) 7 Japan Hot 100 (Billboard) 25 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 34 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 4 Norway (VG-lista) 20 Scotland Singles (OCC) 9 Spain (Promusicae) 48 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 50 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 39 UK Singles (OCC) 12 US Billboard Hot 100 12 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 11 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard) 1 US Country Airplay (Billboard) 37 US Pop Airplay (Billboard) 16 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) 1 US Rock & Alternative Airplay (Billboard) 1Year-end charts Chart (2012) Position Australia (ARIA) 90 UK Singles (OCC) 116 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) 19 Chart (2013) Position Australia (ARIA) 95 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 26 UK Singles (OCC) 89 US Billboard Hot 100 52 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 29 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) 6 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) 12 US Rock Airplay (Billboard) 7
Australia (ARIA)23
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)27
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)14
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)11
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)9
Europe (Euro Digital Songs)18
France (SNEP)93
Germany (GfK)53
Ireland (IRMA)7
Japan Hot 100 (Billboard)25
Netherlands (Single Top 100)34
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)4
Norway (VG-lista)20
Scotland Singles (OCC)9
Spain (Promusicae)48
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)50
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)39
UK Singles (OCC)12
US Billboard Hot 10012
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)11
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)1
US Country Airplay (Billboard)37
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)16
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)1
US Rock & Alternative Airplay (Billboard)1
Chart (2012)Position
Australia (ARIA)90
UK Singles (OCC)116
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)19
Chart (2013)Position
Australia (ARIA)95
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)26
UK Singles (OCC)89
US Billboard Hot 10052
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)29
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)6
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)12
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)7

Certifications

Certifications for "I Will Wait"
RegionCertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)3× Platinum210,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)Platinum60,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)5× Platinum400,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)Gold45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)Gold150,000‡
Italy (FIMI)Gold25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)4× Platinum120,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)2× Platinum20,000*
Spain (Promusicae)Gold30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)4× Platinum2,400,000‡
United States (RIAA)3× Platinum3,000,000‡
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat
United States7 August 2012Digital download
United Kingdom9 September 2012

External links