"Finally" is a song by American singer-songwriter CeCe Peniston, released in September 1991 by A&M Records as her debut single from her first album of the same name (1992). Co-written by her, it received critical acclaim, becoming Peniston's first (and biggest) hit song, peaking at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1992. Prior to that, the track was a major success on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart, where it spent two weeks at number one in late 1991. In addition, a dance remix of the song, the "Choice Mix", peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in March 1992. Its accompanying music video was directed by Claude Borenzweig and won an award at the Billboard Music Video Awards. Rolling Stone and Billboard magazines ranked "Finally" among the best pop and dance songs of all time in 2022 and 2023.
Background and release Peniston grew up in Phoenix and began writing pop songs during school. The words of "Finally" were purportedly penned during a chemistry class, while thinking about dating in college. In 1989 and 1990, she won the Miss Black Arizona pageant, and took the Miss Galaxy pageant a short time later.
Her music career began in January 1991, when Felipe "DJ Wax Dawg" Delgado, her friend and a record producer based also in Phoenix, asked Peniston to record back-up vocals for Tonya Davis, a rapper known as Overweight Pooch. Though Overweight Pooch's album flopped on the market, Manny Lehman (a DJ and executive producer) had noticed the powerful voice of the back-up vocalist, Peniston. He offered Delgado a chance to produce a track for Peniston to cultivate her potential as a solo artist. Delgado called hometown friend and music producer, Rodney K. Jackson, to help co-produce Peniston's single, which would become "Finally".
Peniston was 21 years old when "Finally" was released. When asked about the song in a 2012 interview, Peniston said,
Composition The remix of this song is based on the piano riff from the house music classic "Someday" by CeCe Rogers from 1987. The song is performed in the key of B minor with a tempo of 120 beats per minute, following a chord progression of G – G/A – Bm, and Peniston's vocals span from B3 to D5. In 2017, Peniston told about recording the song,
Critical reception Upon the release, J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun praised the song as "a delightful surprise, marrying a muscular, insinuating groove to Peniston's soulful, insistent vocals."Considine, J.D. (1992). "CeCe Peniston – Finally". The Baltimore Sun – via Milwaukee Journal. (February 25, 1992). Larry Flick from Billboard magazine complimented it as "a delicious peak-hour houser that is in a vein similar to Alison Limerick's 'Where Love Lives'. Peniston wraps her lovely alto around a hook that seeps into the brain and body and never lets go." He also remarked that Peniston "proves her potential as a future diva on this brain-embedding, spine-stirring house anthem." Amy Linden from Entertainment Weekly commented, "The slammin’ house/pop single of the moment? It's CeCe Peniston's 'Finally,' and its sheer joy and verve." She explained further, "Grooving in the fabulousness of her newfound Mr. Right, and sorta amazed that it all happened, she wails deliciously, making you believe that true love will conquer all and that someday your prince (or princess) will come." Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report described it as a "bright and infectious" debut release and concluded, "I had a preview of this song back in July and have been in love with it ever since!" Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times viewed it as "lively".
Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated that "this newcomer gives further evidence that dance is still developing into a more song-oriented direction. The violins give the tune the ambiance of 'Backstabbers' by the O'Jays." Andy Beevers from Music Week complimented it as an "extremely classy and catchy garage-styled debut", naming it Pick of the Week in the category of Dance. A reviewer from People Magazine felt that it's "overflowing with verve and loaded up with joyous girlie glee", noting the "ecstatic, beat-heavy power" of the track. James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update labeled it as "cheerful wailing" and a "ex–Miss America's catchy Crystal Waters–type US pop smash" in his weekly dance column. Adam Higginbotham from Select declared "Finally" as "a superb slice of feel-good pop music. From its bassline – purloined from Ce Ce (no relation) Rogers' classic garage tune 'Someday' – to the inanely cheery lyrics." Tom Doyle from Smash Hits viewed it as a "rousing house song". Steve Pick from St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote, "This is a catchy disco number, building energy through repetition of the simple hookline and a solid bass/drum throb. Get on the dance floor to this one, and you'll move."Pick, Steve. (December 10, 1993). "An Update on the MTV Singles Scene". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Retrospective response Bill Lamb from About.com featured "Finally" in their list of "The Top 100 Best Party Songs", describing it as an "upbeat, celebratory song about love". Steven E. Flemming, Jr. from Albumism noted that it "skillfully melded the insistent grace of all that’s right about dance production values with grand vocals." AllMusic editor Craig Lytle felt that the song and its follow-up, "We Got a Love Thang", "employ that rapid dancehall groove better known as house music". Stopera and Galindo from BuzzFeed remarked, "When it comes to ‘90s dance songs you’d be hard-pressed to find another song that so perfectly incorporates other music genres that made the decade so great – i.e., R&B, house, and pop – which is what makes “Finally" the quintessential ‘90s dance song. And honestly, it's a feel-good hit! Just try being in a bad mood after listening to it!" A writer from Complex said that "this was the sound of the early 1990s, when everything was turning colorful and bright." Pop Rescue called it "a great track, with that fantastic hand-clap, bassline and piano opening", adding that Peniston's vocals are "sublime".
Chart performance "Finally" peaked atop the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart for two weeks in October 1991, while achieving respectable chart success overseas the following year. The song was re-released in the United Kingdom in March 1992, when it reached a new peak of number two during its second week on the UK Singles Chart, on March 22. "Finally" also charted at number one in Zimbabwe and on the RPM Dance chart in Canada, as well as at number eight in both Australia and New Zealand. In Europe, the song reached number three in Belgium and number five in Ireland and the Netherlands. In West Asia, it became a top-20 hit in Israel, peaking at number 18 in December 1991. Search "Finally" for Israeli chart history.
Music video A music video was made for "Finally", directed by Claude Borenzweig. It is very simple, showing Peniston performing the song within a variety of shapes and colors, sometimes with a guy dancing.
Impact and legacy DJ Magazine ranked "Finally" number 64 in their list of "Top 100 Club Tunes" in 1998. VH1 ranked it number 29 in their list of the "100 Greatest Dance Songs" in 2000. MTV Dance ranked the song number 28 in their list of "The 100 Biggest '90s Dance Anthems of All Time" in November 2011.MTV Dance. December 27, 2011. Heart TV ranked "Finally" number three in their list of "55 Biggest '90s Club Classics" in March 2017.Heart TV. March 3, 2017. Slant Magazine ranked it number 37 in their list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time" in 2020. The Guardian ranked it number 66 in their "The 70 Greatest No 2 Singles – Ranked!" in 2022. Alexis Petridis wrote, "House music as pure pop-soul, "Finally" was a hymn to an idealised boyfriend sung by a former Miss Black Arizona."Petridis, Alexis (November 17, 2022). "The 70 Greatest No 2 Singles – Ranked!". The Guardian. Same year, Pitchfork ranked it number 87 in their countdown of "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s" in 2022. In October 2023, Billboard magazine listed "Finally" number 447 in their "Best Pop Songs of All Time". The magazine praised its "magic moment"; "Peniston sings the word “finally” about 20 times in this song, but it’s lucky no. 13 where she destroys the word on the break, growling it out and turning a song about meeting the man of your dreams from a cloying concept into a hard-won victory cry."
Accolades YearPublisherCountryAccoladeRank1991The FaceUnited Kingdom"Singles of the Year" 51998DJ MagazineUnited Kingdom"Top 100 Club Tunes" 642000VH1United States"100 Greatest Dance Songs" 292005Bruce PollockUnited States"The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944–2000"2005Süddeutsche ZeitungGermany"1020 Songs 1955–2005"2011MaxAustralia"1000 Greatest Songs of All Time" 9192011MTV DanceUnited Kingdom"The 100 Biggest 90's Dance Anthems of All Time" 282013ComplexUnited States"15 Songs That Gave Dance Music a Good Name" 2015Robert DimeryUnited States"1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die, and 10,001 You Must Download (2015 Update)" 10022017Heart TVUnited Kingdom"55 Biggest '90s Club Classics" 32017BuzzFeedUnited States"The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s" 12018About.comUnited States"The Top 100 Best Party Songs of All Time" 602019BillboardUnited States"Billboards Top Songs of the '90s" 2972020Daily MirrorUnited Kingdom"Top 50 Happiest Songs Ever" 232020PopMattersUnited States"15 Landmark Dance Tracks of 1991"2020Slant MagazineUnited States"The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time" 372022BillboardUnited States"Best LGBTQ Anthems of All Time" 442022Classic PopUnited Kingdom"90s Dance – The Essential Playlist" 52022The GuardianUnited Kingdom"The 70 Greatest No 2 Singles – Ranked!" 662022PitchforkUnited States"The 30 Best House Tracks of the ’90s"2022PitchforkUnited States"The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s" 872022Rolling StoneUnited States"200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time" 832022Time OutUnited Kingdom"The 50 Best Gay Songs to Celebrate Pride All Year Long" 482023BillboardUnited States"Best Pop Songs of All Time" 4472025BillboardUnited States"The 100 Greatest LGBTQ+ Anthems of All Time" 772025BillboardUnited States"The 50 Best House Songs of All Time" 21
Music awards and nominations
ASCAP Awards Year Award Result 1992Song of the Year Pop Songwriter of the Year Most Performed Song of the Year
Billboard Music Video Awards Year Award Result 1992 Best Director – Dance (C. Borenzweig) Best New Artist – Dance Best Female Artist – Dance BMI Awards Year Award Result 1993 Urban Award of Achievement VH1 Awards Year Award Result 2000 100 Greatest Dance Songs Winter Music Conference Awards Year Award Result 1992 Best New Dance Artist Best Dance Artist – Solo Best 12-inch Dance Record
Track listings and formats
US cassette single "Finally" (7-inch mix) – 4:27 "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08
US CD single "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08 "Finally" (12-inch mix without rap) – 7:07 "Finally" (12-inch Choice mix) – 7:04
US 12-inch and CD maxi-single "Finally" (12-inch mix) – 7:04 "Finally" (Momo mix) – 7:02 "Finally" (7-inch mix) – 4:27 "Finally" (12-inch Choice mix) – 7:04 "Finally" (Journey mix) – 7:02 "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08
European and UK 7-inch, CD and cassette French single "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08 "Finally" (7-inch mix without rap) – 4:05
Australian CD and cassette single "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08 "Finally" (12-inch Choice mix) – 7:04
Dutch and UK 7-inch single "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08 "Finally" (7-inch PKA mix) – 3:58
Australian, European and UK 12-inch singles "Finally" (12-inch Choice mix) – 7:04 "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08 "Finally" (Somedub mix) – 7:07
UK 12-inch single "Finally" (12-inch Choice mix) – 7:04 "Finally" (12-inch PKA mix) – 7:08 "We Got a Love Thang" (The Factory Jam) – 7:08
UK CD single "Finally" (7-inch Choice mix) – 4:08 "Finally" (12-inch Choice mix) – 7:04 "Finally" (Somedub mix) – 7:07