"Outside" is a song by the Scottish DJ and record producer Calvin Harris featuring English singer Ellie Goulding, from Harris's fourth studio album, Motion (2014). It was released on 20 October 2014 as the album's fourth single. The song also appears on the deluxe edition of Goulding's third studio album, Delirium (2015). "Outside" marks the second collaboration between Harris and Goulding, following the single "I Need Your Love" (2013).

Composition With a tempo of 128 beats per minute, "Outside" is composed in the key of D minor. It follows a chord progression of B♭-Gm-Dm-C.

Critical reception The song received positive reviews from music critics, calling it a great follow-up of their previous collaboration, and noting it as a highlight of the album. Brent Faulkner of PopMatters praised the song as "one of Motions crème de la crème records" and wrote that it "latches from a first listen giving the set arguably its strongest pop hit." Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly commented that on "Outside", Harris "finds the perfect balance between [Goulding's] vulnerable warble and the warping synths underneath". Idolator's Robbie Daw found the song to be "just as pleasant, if not slightly more so, than Calvin and Ellie's previous outing together, 2012's 'I Need Your Love.' It's good to hear that there's still quite a bit of musical magic when these two hit the studio together."

Carolyn Menyes of Music Times stated, "There's something that works so well about Harris' string effect synth beats and Goulding's whispered ethereal voice. We've heard it before in 'I Need Your Love' and it's back here again in full force for yet another magical combination." Heather Phares of AllMusic felt that the track "doesn't quite recapture the magic of [Harris and Goulding's] previous work but does make the most of her deceptively powerful soprano, this time in a more upbeat setting." Slant Magazines James Rainis opined that "[t]he most notable characteristic of 'Outside' [...] is that the hook's cadence is exactly the same as the Carly Rae Jepsen/Owl City song 'Good Time,' but it lacks that song's cutesy charm." Chase Hunt of AXS viewed the song as "a decent pairing but an expected outcome."

Commercial performance "Outside" entered and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, selling 28,902 copies in its first week. It remained at number six the following week, selling 35,590 copies. In its third week, the song fell to number 10 with 33,208 copies sold.

In the United States, "Outside" became Harris's eighth number-one single on Billboards Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart for the week ending 7 March 2015, surpassing both David Guetta and Madonna, who along with Harris were tied with seven. It also gives Goulding her third number-one on this chart. On the Billboard Hot 100, the song peaked at number 29, making it Harris's eighth and Goulding's fifth top-40 single.

Music video The music video for "Outside" was directed by Emil Nava and filmed in Los Angeles on 20 October 2014. The video premiered on 12 November 2014.

The video depicts two separate couples in toxic and abusive relationships. Harris and Goulding each play partners in the separate relationships who both appear to be the chief recipient of the abuse. The video is also intercut with shots of Goulding singing directly to the camera in front while her boyfriend rides a motorcycle and Harris being attacked by his girlfriend throwing glass glasses and plates at him of a suburban house, surreal images that bend the fore- and background, objects in the frame freezing in time, Goulding being suspended in the air, and Goulding with a floating rectangular mirror that eventually shatters. The video ends with Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris together in the house in the midst of a mid-fight freeze frame, leaving the viewer to question which version was reality.

Track listings

Credits and personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of Motion.

Recording Recorded at Fly Eye Studio (London) Mastered at The Exchange Mastering Studios (London)

Personnel Calvin Harris – all instruments, production, mixing Ellie Goulding – vocals Simon Davey – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts + 2014–2015 weekly chart performance for "Outside" Chart (2014–2015) Peakposition Australia Dance (ARIA) 2 Colombia (National-Report Top Anglo) 3 Japan (Japan Hot 100) 87 Mexico (Billboard Mexican Airplay) 5 Mexico Anglo (Monitor Latino) 13 Netherlands (Dance Top 30) 3 Slovenia (SloTop50) 4 South Korea International (Gaon) 51

+ 2026 weekly chart performance for "Outside" Chart (2026) Peakposition Latvia Streaming (LaIPA) 11

Year-end charts + 2014 year-end chart performance for "Outside" Chart (2014) Position Australia (ARIA) 80 Australia Dance (ARIA) 17 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) 85 Hungary (Single Top 40) 60 Netherlands (Dance Top 30) 31 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 92 UK Singles (OCC) 84 US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) 57

+ 2015 year-end chart performance for "Outside" Chart (2015) Position Australia Dance (ARIA) 28 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 48 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 57 Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders) 37 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 41 Belgium Dance (Ultratop Wallonia) 17 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 58 CIS (Tophit) 31 Denmark (Tracklisten) 65 France (SNEP) 84 Germany (Official German Charts) 40 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) 56 Hungary (Single Top 40) 40 Hungary (Dance Top 40) 6 Italy (FIMI) 62 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 40 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 54 Netherlands (Dance Top 30) 13 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) 37 Russia Airplay (Tophit) 32 Slovenia (SloTop50) 27 Spain (PROMUSICAE) 35 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 77 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 40 Ukraine Airplay (Tophit) 63 UK Singles (OCC) 85 US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) 6 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 48

+ 2025 year-end chart performance for "Outside" Chart (2025) Position Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) 96

Certifications

Release history + Release dates and formats for "Outside" Region Date Format Label United States 20 October 2014 Digital download Germany 19 December 2014 CD single Sony United States 13 January 2015 Contemporary hit radio Columbia Italy 16 January 2015 Radio airplay Sony

Notes

References