"Play God" is the debut single by
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
singer and songwriter,
Sam Fender
Samuel Thomas Fender (born 25 April 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is known for his high tenor voice and thick Geordie accent, layered over music characterised by a roots-orientated rock approach. Fender's sound relies ...
. It was released on 30 March 2017 while a music video was released accompanying the video on 23 January 2019. The song was used in the trailer for the 2021
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
superhero series ''
Jupiter's Legacy''.
Music video
When describing the music video, Fender told NME that "Play God" is "set in an alternate dystopian reality that shares similarities with our own world."
Vincent Haycock, who directed the music video described the video as a "satirical interpretation of power".
Critical reception
Harvey James, writing for ''The Last Magazine'' praised the song and Fender's singing saying that he has"total mastery over his voice was immediately and strikingly apparent."
''
Clash'' called the song and the music video "provocative".
Maxamillion Polo, writing for ''
Ones to Watch
Ones to Watch is an American music blog primarily aimed at showcasing new talent. The website was created independently by House of Blues Entertainment (a division of Live Nation Entertainment) in October 2013, before becoming a collaborative ...
'' praised the relevancy of the track in regards to modern
neoliberalism
Neoliberalism (also neo-liberalism) is a term used to signify the late 20th century political reappearance of 19th-century ideas associated with free-market capitalism after it fell into decline following the Second World War. A prominent fa ...
. Polo wrote that "the track, which is equal parts Orwellian and a reaction to the landmark political decisions in both the UK and the US, is classic Brit-rock at its finest." Polo further complimented the instrumentation of "Play God" saying it is "driven by lush guitar melodies and Fender’s swirling mixture of questioning and positing, “Play God” draws the listener into his world defined by an increasingly uncertain future."
Charts
Certifications
References
External links
*
{{Sam Fender
2017 singles
2017 songs
2019 singles
Sam Fender songs
Polydor Records singles
Universal Music Group singles