Īfter the release of the song, Phillips said that while the song and its writers are "really good", "it's not really something I would write". According to Holden, the song is about a friend who was going through a very difficult time, and it was his way of reaching out and saying that "you know someone's here for you". A demo was recorded, and Holden had performed the song in his tour, but he expressed no intention of releasing his recording of the song. Pearson cited Mumford & Sons, Arcade Fire, and a few Irish bands as influences for the song. Originally it had only two verses, but an arrangement change was made about a month after it was written, and the second verse was repeated. The song was written in three hours in Pearson's studio in Burbank, California in November 2011. Pearson and Holden had previously not met before but were brought together to write the song, with Holden the primary lyricist. According to Drew Pearson, it was originally intended for Greg Holden, but was submitted to Idol as a possible finale number by Pearson's publishing company, Pulse Recordings. The song was written by Drew Pearson and Greg Holden, and chosen by Jimmy Iovine as a coronation song for the eventual winner of Season 11 of American Idol, Phillip Phillips. It has sold over 5 million copies in the United States. It has the biggest digital sales week for any Idol winner's coronation song, and it became the best selling of all coronation songs, as well as the best-selling song by any Idol alum in the United States. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a first week sales figure of 278,000 downloads. The song was also included on his debut album, The World from the Side of the Moon, released later in November that year. His recording of "Home" was released as a single on and included as a track on the compilations American Idol Season Finale - Season 11 EP and Journey to the Finale released at the same time. Phillips first performed the song on the season's final performance night on May 22, 2012, and then again on the finale after he was declared the winner. The song was co-written by Drew Pearson and Greg Holden, and produced by Drew Pearson. " Home" is the debut single and coronation song from American Idol season 11 winner Phillip Phillips.