Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah

What this video is

Released in 2006 and peaking culturally in 2007, 'Hey There Delilah' became one of the defining acoustic crossover hits of the MySpace era, when stripped-back confessional songwriting was gaining mainstream traction alongside the post-emo boom led by Fall Out Boy and Paramore. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 2007 and received double Grammy nominations in 2008. The video's split-screen…

Why it matters

A landmark of mid-2000s acoustic pop-rock that demonstrated the commercial viability of minimalist, guitar-driven songwriting in a post-emo landscape. Its chart ascent from indie EP to No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single represents a rare organic crossover, and the video's lo-fi realist aesthetic…

The director

Jay Martin is a filmmaker and music video director who began his career as a storyboard artist on major Hollywood productions including I Am Legend, Constantine, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and Ad Astra. He was also storyboard artist for Michael…