Family Line (song)
| "Family Line" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Conan Gray | |
| from the album Superache | |
| Released | June 22, 2022 |
| Genre | Folk-pop |
| Length | 3:36 |
| Label | Republic Records |
| Songwriters | Conan Gray, Dan Nigro |
| Producer | Dan Nigro |
| Music video | |
| Conan Gray - "Family Line" (Official Lyric Video) on YouTube | |
"Family Line" is a song by American singer-songwriter Conan Gray. It is the eighth track on his second studio album Superache. Released through Republic Records, it was written by Gray and Dan Nigro, who later produced and composed the majority of the songs on the album.
Background
Gray began writing the song around the 2020 Quarantine of COVID-19, around the time his debut album, Kid Krow, was released and gaining its respective fame. He has stated that the Quarantine has caused him to think about his past and his childhood, hence the inspiration for majority of the songs and themes of the album.[1] Conan wrote the first verse and chorus of the song in 2020, and then proceeded to ignore it for about a year and a half. It was not until he played a demo of the song to his best friend, Ashley Combs, that he realized he had to finish it since Combs reportedly "sobbed in the car" to the song. The song itself took 2 years to fully finalize. The reason why, he comments, it's because he would "write one line then get scared and stop writing."[2]
They lyrics of "Family Line" circle around Gray's childhood trauma, involving the toxic and abusive environment in which he grew up. It shares elements of physical abuse, fear, and a grudge held against his father. In the track, he mentions trying to live a different life away from his family and their memories as possible. Regardless, he fails to ignore the similarities between himself and his family but eventually realizes there's no need to hide and embraces his past, realizing he can be whomever he wants.[3]
Critical reception
Carena Liptak from the Grammy's said the message of "Family Line" is clear, "In order to take control of your future, you have to come to terms with your past." They also call the song "the powerful fulcrum" of the record.[4] While similarly, Eva LaBeau from The Central Thread stated "I can't even begin to express my emotion for this song, but I can positively say that it's one of the most hard-hitting on the album."[5]
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified Units/Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[6] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
| Canada (MC)[7] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[8] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[9] | Silver | 400,000‡ |
References
- ↑ Zach Sang Show (2022-12-06). Conan Gray | Superache, Love, Touring, Working w/ Dan Nigro, Midnights. Retrieved 2026-08-22 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "conan gray (@conangray) on X". X (formerly Twitter). 2022-06-29. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "Superache by Conan Gray on Apple Music". 2022-06-24. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "Press Play At Home: Conan Gray Highlights The Painful Past Of "Family Line" With An Affecting Acoustic Performance". Grammy. 2022-07-18. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ LaBeau, Eva. "Conan Gray's Superache is an immaculate embodiment of the complexity of love, unreal in its accuracy". The Central Trend. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "2025 Single Accreditations.pdf" (PDF). Dropbox. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "Gold & Platinum". Music Canada. 2026-08-21. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "Single Certification Search – RadioScope". Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "BRIT Certified Awards". BPI Membership Community. Retrieved 2026-08-22.