&Lights& is a song by English recording artist Ellie Goulding from her debut album, Lights (2010). Written by Goulding, Richard Stannard and Ash Howes, the song was inspired by Goulding's childhood fear of the dark. It was released in the United Kingdom on 13 March 2011 as the album's sixth single overall, and second from the Bright Lights re-release. Originally a bonus track on the iTunes edition of Lights, the song was re-edited for inclusion on Bright Lights in late 2010, serving as the single version.
&Lights& received critical acclaim from most music critics, who praised the song's production and Goulding's ðereal& vocals. The song was also a commercial success, reaching the top ten and top twenty in several countries. In the United States, &Lights& was a sleeper hit, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 after thirty-three weeks on the chart, and becoming one of the few songs to have spent more than a year on the Hot 100. The song has sold over four million copies in the US. In late 2012, &Lights& was ranked number five on the Hot 100 year-end chart, while topping the Pop Songs year-end chart.