{{Infobox song | name = Not Meant to Be | cover = theory_of_a_deadman_not_meant_to_be.png | alt = Cover for "Not Meant to Be" single by Theory of a Deadman. | type = single | artist = Theory of a Deadman | album = Scars & Souvenirs | released = {{start date|2008|11|18}} | recorded = September 2007–January 2008 | studio = | venue = | genre = Alternative rock | length = {{Duration|3:33}} | label = *Roadrunner *604 | composer = *Tyler Connolly *Dave Brenner *Dean Back | lyricist = *Tyler Connolly *Kara DioGuardi | producer = Howard Benson | prev_title = Hate My Life | prev_year = 2008 | next_title = By the Way | next_year = 2009 }}
"'''Not Meant to Be'''" is a song recorded by Canadian rock group Theory of a Deadman for their third studio album, ''Scars & Souvenirs'' (2008). Band members Tyler Connolly, Dave Brenner, and Dean Back composed the song, while Connolly co-wrote the lyrics with songwriter and producer Kara DioGuardi. The song was released November 18, 2008 as the album's fifth overall radio single. It was the first song from the album to impact mainstream radio in the United States, concurrent with the release of "Hate My Life" to rock formats. In 2009, "Not Meant to Me" was included on the soundtrack to the science fiction action film, ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' despite not appearing in the film.<ref>{{cite web |title=Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Original Soundtrack |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-mw0000822519 |website=AllMusic |access-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref>
"Not Meant to Be" became the group's highest-charting entry in the United States, peaking at number 55 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as well as their first top ten hit on the ''Billboard'' Adult Top 40 airplay chart. The song has been certified Platinum by both Music Canada and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).<ref name="MC cert"/><ref name="RIAA cert"/>
==Content== "Not Meant to Be" is a ballad with influences of pop and rock music composed in the key of A minor and set in common time to a "slow" tempo of 120 BPM.<ref name="sheet music">{{cite web |title=Theory of a Deadman "Not Meant to Be" Sheet Music in A Minor |url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0084950#ProductDetails |website=Music Notes |access-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref> The vocals range over two octaves from D{{sub|4}} to G{{sub|5}}.<ref name="sheet music"/> The song is written from the point of view of a man who wants to be with his ex-girlfriend so much after their relationship ends, but she is never satisfied with him and keeps pushing him away, leaving him thinking that their relationship is "not meant to be." Lead vocalist Tyler Connolly co-wrote the lyrics with Kara DioGuardi at the latter's house. "We wrote 'Not Meant To Be' in 5 minutes," Connolly said in a 2009 interview with ''The Gauntlet''. "Our writing styles fit together so perfectly it was almost like it was 'meant to be.'"<ref name="gauntlet">{{cite news |title=Theory Of A Deadman shoot video with American Idol judge |url=https://www.thegauntlet.com/article/260/15150/Theory-Of-A-Deadman-shoot-video-with-American-Idol-judge |access-date=February 1, 2022 |work=The Gauntlet |date=February 3, 2009}}</ref> In the same interview, DioGuardi stated that "the best part about my job is that you never know who you are going to meet, and who's going to inspire you. Although I'd never worked with Tyler, when he started singing the song, I knew we were onto something special."<ref name="gauntlet"/> The song's mid-tempo composition has been compared to the work of labelmates Nickelback.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McDonnell |first1=Brandy |title=CD Review: Theory of a Deadman 'Scars and Souvenirs' |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/article/3231370/cd-review-theory-of-a-deadman-scars-and-souvenirs |access-date=February 1, 2022 |work=The Oklahoman |date=April 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name="allmusic"/>
==Critical reception== In a review of the album ''Scars & Souvenirs'' for AllMusic, Katherine Fulton identified "Not Meant to Be" as an example of the album's "derivative" sound, writing that its "melody and chorus bear more than a passing resemblance to" Nickelback's 2006 single "Rockstar".<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |last1=Fulton |first1=Katherine |title=Scars & Souvenirs - Theory of a Deadman |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/scars-souvenirs-mw0000497250 |website=AllMusic |access-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref>
==Music video== The band filmed the music video with Tony Petrossian in February 2009.<ref name="gauntlet"/> It features Kara DioGuardi (the song's co-writer) as the love interest.<ref name="MV IMDB">{{cite web |title=Theory of a Deadman: Not Meant to Be (Music Video 2009) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3661804/ |website=IMDb |access-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref> It was released on March 25, 2009.<ref name="MV IMDB"/> The video begins when Kara walks out on Tyler, breaks up with him and drives away. By the first chorus in the song, all of the non-singing scenes start running backwards: all the objects in the house (including a fish tank, a wine rack, a mirror, a table, two chairs and more) change from broken to unbroken and Kara's car is also shown travelling backwards, implying that the whole timeline of the main story is running in reverse. At the end of the video, Kara goes back to the house and hugs Tyler. The final scene depicts Tyler and Kara hugging each other.
==Track listing== '''Digital EP''' – released July 10, 2009<ref>{{cite web |title=Not Meant to Be - EP by Theory of a Deadman |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/not-meant-to-be-ep/322033662 |website=Apple Music |access-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref> # "Not Meant to Be" — 3:35 # "Not Meant to Be" (Acoustic) — 3:29 # "Not Meant to Be" (Music Video) — 3:33
==Chart positions== "Not Meant to Be" debuted at number 90 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart dated April 25, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2009-04-25/ |website=Billboard |access-date=February 1, 2022 |date=April 25, 2009}}</ref> It later peaked at number 55 on the chart dated July 4, 2009, the group's highest-charting entry to date.<ref name="Hot 100"/> The song experienced similar success in Canada, reaching number 53 on the Canadian Hot 100.<ref name="CAN Hot 100"/>
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" !Chart (2009) !Peak<br>position |- {{single chart|Canada|53|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022|refname="CAN Hot 100"}} |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadaac|23|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|21|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadahotac|13|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadarock|18|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} |- ! scope="row"| Mexico Ingles Airplay (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite web |title=Theory of a Deadman Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/theory-of-a-deadman/chart-history/ |website=Billboard |access-date=February 1, 2022}} N.B. select "Mexico Ingles Airplay" from the dropdown menu.</ref> | 46 |- {{single chart|UKrock|34|date=20091004|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true |song=Not Meant to Be|access-date=July 4, 2022}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|55|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022|refname="Hot 100"}} |- {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|28|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} |- {{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|4|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} |- {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|19|artist=Theory of a Deadman|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 1, 2022}} |}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable" !Chart (2009) !Position |- |US Adult Top 40 (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/adult-pop-songs|title=Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2009|work=Billboard|accessdate=September 28, 2019}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|20 |}
==Certifications and sales== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=Canada |type=single |award=Platinum |title=Not Meant to Be |artist=Theory of a Deadman |relyear=2008 |relmonth=11 |certyear=2023 |certmonth=3 |refname="MC cert" |accessdate=March 3, 2023}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=United States |type=single |award=Platinum |number=2 |title=Not Meant to Be |artist=Theory of a Deadman |relyear=2008 |relmonth=11 |certyear=2024 |certmonth=5 |refname="RIAA cert" |accessdate=May 8, 2024}} {{Certification Table Bottom |noshipments=true |streaming=true|nosales=true}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Theory of a Deadman}}
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Category:2008 singles Category:Theory of a Deadman songs Category:604 Records singles Category:Songs written by Kara DioGuardi Category:Music videos directed by Tony Petrossian Category:Songs written by Tyler Connolly Category:2008 songs