Scared to Start
| "Scared to Start" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Michael Marcagi | ||||
| from the EP American Romance | ||||
| Released | January 12, 2024 | |||
| Genre | Folk | |||
| Length | 2:39 | |||
| Label | Warner | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | David Baron | |||
| Michael Marcagi singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Scared to Start" is a song by American singer Michael Marcagi, released as his second single on January 12, 2024, through Warner Records. It charted internationally, reaching the top 10 in both Ireland and the UK, and the top 20 in both Australia and New Zealand.
Background and promotion
Michael Marcagi, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, previously fronted the rock band the Heavy Hours. He previewed the song "Scared to Start" on TikTok in November 2023, after which it was used in over 70,000 videos on the platform.
Commercial performance
The song reached the top 10 in Ireland and the UK, as well as the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It also charted in Sweden at number 29, and peaked at number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the issue dated April 20, 2024.
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 12 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 17 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 33 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 20 |
| Germany (GfK) | 43 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 35 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 4 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 20 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 26 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 13 |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 13 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 19 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 16 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts) | 9 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 54 |
| US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard) | 36 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) | 5 |
| US Rock & Alternative Airplay (Billboard) | 11 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2024) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 18 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 71 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 45 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 116 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 45 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 24 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 35 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 76 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 20 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) | 15 |
| US Rock Airplay (Billboard) | 32 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
| Belgium (BRMA) | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | 5× Platinum | 400,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Netherlands (NVPI) | Platinum | 93,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA) | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||