Music is a funny thing because a song can belong to three different fanbases and mean something completely different to all of them. If you mention the What About Now song to a Gen X rock fan, they’re thinking of Daughtry’s gravelly 2000s post-grunge. Say it to a millennial who grew up in the UK or Ireland, and they’ll swear it belongs to Westlife. But the real ones? The die-hards know it actually started with a band called Lonestar.
It’s rare. Usually, a song gets covered and the original remains the definitive version, or the cover totally eclipses it. With this track, we have a weird, three-way tug-of-war for its soul.
The Lonestar Origins and the Nashville Pivot
Back in 2000, Lonestar was on top of the world. They had just come off the massive success of "Amazed," which was—and honestly still is—the go-to wedding song for millions. They needed a follow-up that didn't feel like a carbon copy but still pulled at those same heartstrings. Enter Ben Moody (of Evanescence fame), David Hodges, and Richie McDonald.
Wait. Ben Moody?
Yeah. It’s a strange collaboration. You’ve got the guy who co-wrote "Bring Me to Life" helping craft a country-pop ballad. That’s probably why the What About Now song has that specific "epic" feel to it. It’s not just a guy with a banjo; it’s built for stadiums. When Lonestar released it as the fourth single from Lonely Grill, it hit Number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It stayed there for four weeks.
The lyrics are basically a desperate, mid-relationship plea. It’s that moment where one person realizes the spark is fading and screams, "What about us?" into the void. It’s relatable because everyone has been in that position where they feel the other person’s feet are already out the door.
Daughtry and the Post-American Idol Explosion
Fast forward to 2009. Chris Daughtry is one of the biggest names in rock. He’s fresh off the massive success of his debut album and he’s looking for something for Leave This Town. Covering a country song was a gamble, but Daughtry has that specific rasp that makes everything sound like a high-stakes emotional crisis.
Honestly, the Daughtry version of the What About Now song is the one most Americans remember. It reached Number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. It wasn't just a radio hit; it became an anthem for humanitarian efforts. They used it for Idol Gives Back, and the music video featured powerful imagery of poverty and natural disasters.
💡 You might also like: Why the Primary Colors Movie Cast Felt So Real (And So Dangerous) in 1998
It shifted the meaning.
Suddenly, "What about now?" wasn't just about a breakup. It was about the world. It was about the people we ignore. It was about the urgency of the present moment. If you watch that video today, it still feels incredibly heavy. Daughtry took a song about a failing relationship and turned it into a call for global empathy. That’s a hell of a pivot for a cover song.
The Westlife Connection: A UK Phenomenon
While Americans were listening to Daughtry’s rock grit, the UK and Ireland were having a completely different experience. Westlife—the kings of the key-change ballad—released their version just a few months after Daughtry.
It was a total smash.
It went to Number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. If you grew up in London or Dublin in 2009, this version of the What About Now song was inescapable. It’s much more polished than Daughtry’s. It’s got that boy-band sheen, the soaring harmonies, and a production style that feels like a warm hug.
Purists usually hate it. They think it’s too "poppy." But there’s a reason it worked. Westlife knows how to sell a melody. They stripped away the rock guitars and focused entirely on the vocal blend. It turned the song back into a romantic plea, but this time, it felt more like a grand cinematic gesture than a gritty realization.
Why Does This Song Keep Coming Back?
There are thousands of songs written every year that vanish. Why did this one get three distinct, successful lives?
It’s the hook.
The structure of the chorus—that rising tension on "What about now? What about today?"—is a masterclass in songwriting. It creates a sense of immediate urgency. It’s a question that demands an answer. Most songs are statements, but the What About Now song is an interrogation.
It also taps into a universal fear: the fear of "too late."
The song asks what happens if we stop waiting for a "better" time to fix things. It’s a message that resonates whether you’re talking about a marriage, a friendship, or the state of the planet. We are a society of procrastinators, and this song is the alarm clock.
A Quick Breakdown of the Versions:
- Lonestar (2000): The country-pop original. Gentle, earnest, and very "Nashville."
- Daughtry (2009): The rock anthem. Gritty, high-energy, and used for social causes.
- Westlife (2009): The vocal powerhouse. Smooth, romantic, and dominated the European charts.
The "Mandela Effect" and Common Misconceptions
Kinda funny, but a lot of people think Nickelback wrote this song. They didn't. It just sounds exactly like something Chad Kroeger would have belted out in 2005. Others get it confused with "What About Us" by Pink or "What Now" by Rihanna.
There’s also a frequent debate about whether Daughtry "stole" it from Westlife or vice-versa since they came out so close together. In reality, it was just a case of two labels seeing a "hit" and wanting their artist to claim it for their respective markets. Simon Cowell was actually the one who pushed Westlife to record it after hearing Daughtry’s version, believing it could be a massive hit in the UK. He was right.
Technical Nuance: The Songwriting Magic
If you look at the chord progression, it’s not reinventing the wheel. It’s a fairly standard pop-rock progression. But the magic is in the bridge.
✨ Don't miss: Who Did the Super Bowl Halftime Show 2023: What Really Happened on That Floating Stage
The bridge shifts the perspective. It’s the "before we’re just a memory" part. That line is the emotional anchor. It forces the listener to imagine the end of the relationship. It uses "loss" as a tool to provoke "action." That’s a sophisticated lyrical trick. It’s not just saying "I love you"; it’s saying "I’m terrified of losing you."
Actionable Takeaways for Music Lovers
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of this track or just want to appreciate it more, here is how to actually experience it:
Listen to the versions in chronological order.
Start with Lonestar, then Daughtry, then Westlife. You can actually hear the evolution of pop production from 2000 to 2009. You’ll hear how the "country" elements were slowly stripped away and replaced by stadium-rock drums and eventually boy-band strings.
Pay attention to the bridge lyrics.
Next time you hear the What About Now song, listen specifically to the bridge. It’s the most important part of the song and explains why it was so successful as a charity anthem.
Explore the writers' other works.
David Hodges and Ben Moody are the secret weapons behind a lot of your favorite 2000s hits. If you like the "vibe" of this song, check out the early Evanescence catalog or Kelly Clarkson’s Because of You. You’ll hear the same DNA—the high-stakes drama and the minor-key tension.
Check out the live acoustic versions.
Daughtry has a few acoustic performances of this song on YouTube that are honestly better than the studio version. Without the heavy production, the desperation in the lyrics really cuts through. It turns from a "radio hit" into a genuine confession.
Ultimately, the What About Now song succeeds because it doesn't give you an easy out. It doesn't promise everything will be okay. It just asks a question. And sometimes, asking the question is the only way to start fixing the problem. Whether you prefer the country twang, the rock rasp, or the pop harmony, the core message remains: don't wait until it’s over to start fighting for it.