"Royals" is the debut single by New Zealand singer-songwriter
Lorde, included in her debut
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP) ''
The Love Club EP
''The Love Club EP'' is the debut extended play (EP) by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. At the age of 12, she was discovered by Universal Music Group scout Scott MacLachlan, and began writing songs. In December 2011, MacLachlan paired Lord ...
'' (2012) and debut studio album ''
Pure Heroine
''Pure Heroine'' is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 27 September 2013 by Universal, Lava, and Republic Records. After several unsuccessful sessions with songwriters, Lorde was paired with Jo ...
'' (2013). Lorde wrote the song with producer
Joel Little
Joel Little (born 13 February 1983) is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter. . "Royals" is a minimalist
art pop
Art pop (also typeset art-pop or artpop) is a loosely defined style of pop music influenced by art theories as well as ideas from other art mediums, such as fashion, fine art, cinema, and avant-garde literature. The genre draws on pop art's ...
and
electropop song with influences of
hip hop,
R&B, and
indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and su ...
. The track's lyrics express disapproval with the sumptuous lifestyle presented in songs and music videos by pop and hip hop-influenced artists.
"Royals" received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its songwriting, production, and Lorde's vocal performance. Since its release, the track has appeared on critics' year-end and decade-end song lists. The single attained international chart success, reaching number one in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In the US, "Royals" spent nine weeks atop the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified Diamond by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It sold 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the
best-selling singles of all time. It also was the second-most consumed song of 2013 in New Zealand and is certified nine-times platinum in Australia, seven-times platinum in Canada, and six-times platinum in New Zealand. In the media, the song has been credited for inspiring some artists to adopt its minimalist sound, and has been called an anthem for
millennials.
The music video for "Royals" was directed by Joel Kefali and premiered on Lorde's
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
channel on 12 May 2013. It shows teenagers in a suburban neighbourhood interspersed with minimal shots of Lorde. The track won awards for
Song of the Year and
Best Pop Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guides, the Best Pop S ...
at the
2014 Grammy Awards, and the
APRA Silver Scroll Award. Lorde performed "Royals" on her
Pure Heroine
''Pure Heroine'' is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 27 September 2013 by Universal, Lava, and Republic Records. After several unsuccessful sessions with songwriters, Lorde was paired with Jo ...
(2013–14),
Melodrama (2017–18) and
Solar Power
Solar power is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovolta ...
(2022–23) concert tours. Critics have credited the song for paving the way for other
alternative
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film
* ''The Alternative ...
-leaning pop artists.
Background and writing
In 2009,
A&R representative Scott MacLachlan of
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
(UMG) discovered 12-year-old singer
Lorde when he saw footage of her performing at a school talent show in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
, New Zealand. At age 13, Lorde began writing songs. In December 2011, after several unsuccessful sessions with songwriters and producers, MacLachlan paired Lorde with
Joel Little
Joel Little (born 13 February 1983) is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter. , a former singer and guitarist of the New Zealand
pop-punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti- suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other p ...
band
Goodnight Nurse
Goodnight Nurse was a New Zealand pop punk band formed in Auckland in 2001. The group originally began as a trio, but later changed to a four-piece prior to the release of their second album. It consisted of lead vocalist Joel Little, guitaris ...
.
Her vocal performance and songwriting abilities impressed Little, who composed songs with musical structures that were based on her lyrics.
Lorde wrote the lyrics to "Royals" in half an hour at her home in July 2012
and during a school break, she and Little recorded the song at Golden Age Studios in Auckland in one week.
Lorde and Little wrote songs for the
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP) ''
The Love Club EP
''The Love Club EP'' is the debut extended play (EP) by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. At the age of 12, she was discovered by Universal Music Group scout Scott MacLachlan, and began writing songs. In December 2011, MacLachlan paired Lord ...
'' in three weeks. The title "Royals" came to Lorde after she saw a 1976 photograph of
Kansas City Royals baseball player
George Brett
George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player who played all of his 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a third baseman for the Kansas City Royals.
Brett's 3,154 career hits are second-mo ...
signing baseballs with his team's name "Royals" emblazoned on his shirt.
She said during a
VH1 interview in September 2013, "It was just that word. It's really cool."
Lorde's interest in
aristocracy and monarchs such as
Marie Antoinette and
Henry VIII also inspired the song and her
stage name.
She said the lyric about driving
Cadillacs in dreams came from a diary entry she wrote when she was 12.
She also stated she took inspiration from pop and hip hop-influenced artists such as
ASAP Rocky
Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a membe ...
,
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
,
Lana Del Rey
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent r ...
,
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated Flow (rapping), flow in her rapping, alter e ...
,
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, and
Jay-Z—particularly West's and Jay-Z's 2011 collaborative album ''
Watch the Throne
''Watch the Throne'' is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, collectively known as The Throne. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to the r ...
''.
During the songwriting process, she criticized their references to extravagant alcohol and cars, which did not represent her reality.
Release
Lorde
self-released "Royals" for free download in conjunction with ''The Love Club EP'' on
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming s ...
on 22 November 2012. She released the EP for no cost because people her age are less likely to have access to a credit card.
The song garnered an immediate reaction on social media and that December, "Royals" had its first radio broadcast on New Zealand radio station
George FM
George FM is a New Zealand dance music radio station, owned and operated by MediaWorks from its Hargreaves Street headquarters and relayed on Freeview and radio frequencies around New Zealand. Its seventy-five regular presenters and additional ...
. On 8 March 2013, UMG removed "Royals" from SoundCloud and release it to online stores in New Zealand and Australia.
Lava
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or un ...
and
Republic Records released it to US radio on 3 June 2013.
According to
Jason Flom
Jason Flom (born c. 1961) is an American music industry executive, podcaster and philanthropist. He is the founder of Lava Records, and was previously the chairman of Atlantic Records and Virgin Records/Capitol Music Group. He is also an advocate ...
, president of Lava Records, a key step to popularising "Royals" internationally was its addition to a
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
playlist curated by American entrepreneur
Sean Parker
Sean Parker (born December 3, 1979) is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, most notable for co-founding the file-sharing computer service Napster, and serving as the first president of the social networking website Facebook. He also ...
on 2 April 2013. The song later debuted on Spotify's
Viral Chart, which lists the most popular songs among the service's users. "Royals" peaked at number one in May 2013. Two months later, the song was sent to
alternative
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film
* ''The Alternative ...
radio stations in the United States and on 13 August 2013, it was sent to
top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...
radio stations. In other regions, "Royals" was made available in August 2013, and in the United Kingdom it was released on 20 October 2013. "Royals" was also promoted through remixes released in partnership with artists
The Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
,
Rick Ross,
Wale, and
T-Pain. The latter's remix received criticism for making changes to the lyrics, and according to MTV, turning the "original's anti-bling sentiments into a celebration of the extravagant life".
Composition and lyrical interpretation
"Royals" is as an
art pop
Art pop (also typeset art-pop or artpop) is a loosely defined style of pop music influenced by art theories as well as ideas from other art mediums, such as fashion, fine art, cinema, and avant-garde literature. The genre draws on pop art's ...
and
electropop song that incorporates elements of
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
music, and draws influence from
R&B and
indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and su ...
. Its instrumentation consists of
finger snaps,
bass,
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...
, and a hip hop beat. The track's
low-fidelity production is enhanced by
synthesisers
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
and
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture ( sound design, audio post-produ ...
software. Its synth-influenced sound was compared to
Purity Ring
Purity rings (also known as promise rings, abstinence rings, or chastity rings) are rings worn as a sign of chastity. Since the 1990s, in the United States, Christian organizations, especially Catholic and evangelical Christian groups, promoting ...
and
Noah "40" Shebib
Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
.
Written in the key of D in
Mixolydian mode, the song has a moderate
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
of 85 beats per minute (Andante).
Lorde's vocals were compared to those of
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz.
A membe ...
, Lana Del Rey,
and
Florence Welch
Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28 August 1986) is an English singer, the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the indie rock band Florence and the Machine. The band's debut studio album, ''Lungs'' (2009), topped the UK Albums Chart and wo ...
.
The
National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
's
Ann Powers
Ann K. Powers (born February 4, 1964) is an American writer and pop music critic. She is a music critic for NPR and a contributor at the ''Los Angeles Times'', where she was previously chief pop critic. She has also served as pop critic at ''The ...
said Lorde's sultry voice, "intriguingly sleepy beats and lyrics ... captured the exquisite ennui of a precocious teenager".
On the song, Lorde performs with a
mezzo-soprano vocal range,
spanning
F3 to
F5.
''
Foreign Policy''s Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer noted "Royals" as an observation of
conspicuous consumption. The song expresses Lorde's displeasure at the sumptuous lifestyle presented by some pop artists in their songs.
She criticises
consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the su ...
and ridicules the luxury items mentioned in popular hip hop songs.
Other analysts noted themes of
income inequality
There are wide varieties of economic inequality, most notably income inequality measured using the distribution of income (the amount of money people are paid) and wealth inequality measured using the distribution of wealth (the amount of we ...
, and "unabashedly pop
ongsattacking unabashedly pop music". Chris Coplan of ''
Consequence of Sound
''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
'' described the lyrics of "Royals" as "romantic and playful" while Duncan Greive of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' called them "simultaneously vulnerable and imperious".
Matthew Perpetua of
BuzzFeed said the issue addressed in "Royals" is growing up in New Zealand "immersed in American
cultural imperialism
Cultural imperialism (sometimes referred to as cultural colonialism) comprises the cultural dimensions of imperialism. The word "imperialism" often describes practices in which a social entity engages culture (including language, traditions, ...
" and that the song's core is the alienation of social classes.
Sharing similar sentiments,
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' noted the track's verses describe "growing up in drab reality amid a popular culture that flaunts luxury brands and celebrates wildly conspicuous consumption". Jonah Bromwich of ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'' said "Royals" has the "potential to sound like a celebration of the very things" Lorde is criticising. Lorde said the song is about the opulence one finds in some music videos, which is "far from
erreality".
Reception
Critical response
"Royals" received widespread acclaim from music critics. Lewis Corner from ''
Digital Spy'' awarded the track a five rating and lauded its "addictive hook that thrives on its simplicity".
''The Guardian''s Duncan Grieve was impressed by the song's "direct response" to excess and wealth.
''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' writer James Reed selected "Royals" as the highlight of the album ''
Pure Heroine
''Pure Heroine'' is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 27 September 2013 by Universal, Lava, and Republic Records. After several unsuccessful sessions with songwriters, Lorde was paired with Jo ...
''. Rita Houston of
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
praised its melody, "heartfelt" songwriting, and Lorde's "rhythmic" vocals that combine to create a "polished little gem of a song". Jon Hadusek from ''Consequence of Sound'' also named the track the album's standout, singling out its "self-reflexive" lyrics and "catchy" production. ''PopMatters'' writer Scott Interrante felt that the song's sound was "distinct and fresh", while ''The New York Times''s Jon Pareles highlighted its clever message, describing it as a "class-conscious critique of
pop-culture materialism".
The lyrical content of the song was scrutinised after
Feministing blogger Véronica Bayetti Flores called it "racist". She felt that "
gold teeth
A gold crown
Gold teeth are a form of dental prosthesis where the visible part of a tooth is replaced or capped with a prosthetic molded from gold.
History
The academic paper titled "Gold Work, Filing and Blackened Teeth: Dental Modifications i ...
,
Cristal, and
Maybach
Maybach (, ) is a German luxury car brand that exists today as a part of Mercedes-Benz. The original company was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach, originally as a subsidiary of ''Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH'', and ...
s" were direct references to items used by mainstream black artists. This prompted responses from several media publications, including ''
The Washington Times
''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughou ...
'', ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'', and ''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'', who disagreed with Flores's comments. Journalist Lynda Brendish wrote that the song also critiques other stereotypes associated with affluent, high-profile personalities, such as
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
musicians,
socialites, and
Russian oligarch
Russian oligarchs ( Russian: олигархи, romanized: ''oligarkhi'') are business oligarchs of the former Soviet republics who rapidly accumulated wealth in the 1990s via the Russian privatisation that followed the dissolution of the Sovi ...
s. In contrast, ''Spin'' writer Brandon Soderberg argued that the inclusion of "Royals" on
urban
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
radio was an attempt by the music industry to
whitewash
Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a type of paint made from slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) or chalk calcium carbonate, (CaCO3), sometimes known as "whiting". Various other additives are sometimes used.
...
traditionally black radio stations.
Accolades
"Royals" appeared on several year-end song lists. Many media sources, including ''
Slant
Slant can refer to:
Bias
*Bias or other non-objectivity in journalism, politics, academia or other fields
Technical
* Slant range, in telecommunications, the line-of-sight distance between two points which are not at the same level
* Slant d ...
'', ''
The Boston Herald
The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Puli ...
'', and ''
Consequence of Sound
''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
'' named it the best song of 2013. ''Rolling Stone'' and ''The Guardian'' included "Royals" as the runner-up on their year-end lists. ''
Billboard'', ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'', ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'', and ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' included the song in the top ten of their end-of-year lists.
''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
''s
Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...
annual critics' poll to find the best music of 2013 ranked "Royals" at number two after
Daft Punk's "
Get Lucky" (2013). Listeners' votes placed the song in second place on Australian radio station
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broad ...
's
Hottest 100 of 2013, after
Vance Joy's "
Riptide
A rip tide, or riptide, is a strong offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal fl ...
" (2013).
On 15 October 2013, co-writers
Lorde and Joel Little won the
APRA Silver Scroll award, which honours original New Zealand songwriting. At the
56th Annual Grammy Awards
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid comp ...
, "Royals" won
Song of the Year and
Best Pop Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guides, the Best Pop S ...
and was nominated for
Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...
.
Lorde was the youngest New Zealander to win a Grammy and the third-youngest performer overall. "Royals" also won Single of the Year at the
2013 New Zealand Music Awards, and the Most Performed Songs distinction at the
ASCAP Pop Awards.
It received a nomination for Song of the Year at the
BBC Music Awards
The BBC Music Awards were the BBC's annual pop music awards, held every December, as a celebration of the musical achievements over the past twelve months. The event was coordinated by the BBC's music division, BBC Music. Held between 2014 and ...
and Best Track at the
''Q'' Awards.
Chart performance
North America
In its first seven days on sale, "Royals" sold 85,000 downloads and debuted at number 90 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the week ending 20 July 2013. In a later interview, Lorde said, "I had a sneaking suspicion that it might do all right".
On 31 August, "Royals" rose to number 17 on the Hot 100, becoming Lorde's first top-20 song in the US. With sales of 307,000 copies (up 17%), "Royals" became the fourth release by an up-and-coming singer to reach the top of the
Digital Songs chart. The song had the most digital downloads for five non-consecutive weeks.
On the 12 October chart, "Royals" replaced "
Wrecking Ball
A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most commonly in use during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball. An e ...
" by
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip ho ...
, which had been at the top for two straight weeks, as the number-one song in the US. Aly Weisman of ''
Business Insider
''Insider'', previously named ''Business Insider'' (''BI''), is an American financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Insider''s parent company Insider Inc. has been owned by the German pub ...
'' noted Lorde's performance of the song on ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' helped make it known to a wider audience. The song's rise to number one was attributed to 294,000 downloads made that week, 6.1 million streamings (up 12%), and an airplay audience of 128 million (up 22%) across all genres, earning Lorde the highest airplay gainer for the week.
The song topped the chart for nine consecutive weeks and was the year's top-selling song by a female artist.
"Royals" was certified
diamond
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...
in 2018 for selling over 10 million copies in the US.
Since its release in the US, "Royals" has broken multiple records, many of them a result of Lorde's young age. At 16 years and 11 months old, Lorde became the youngest female artist in 26 years to top the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 since 16-year-old
Tiffany topped the chart with "
I Think We're Alone Now
"I Think We're Alone Now" is a song written and composed by Ritchie Cordell that was first recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells. It was a major hit for group, reaching number 4 on the US Hot 100 in April 1967. It finished at No. 12 on '' B ...
" in 1987. It also made Lorde the first New Zealand act to top the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a lead artist and the youngest musician to top the chart with a song written by the performer, surpassing
Soulja Boy, who achieved this at age 17 with "
Crank That (Soulja Boy)
"Crank That" is the debut single by American rapper Soulja Boy Tell'em. It served as the lead single from his debut studio album, '' souljaboytellem.com'' (2007) and accompanies the Soulja Boy dance. The song is recognized by its looping steelp ...
" in 2007.
Lorde became the youngest artist whose song stayed at number one for more than eight weeks, a feat that was previously achieved by 13-year-old hip-hop duo
Kris Kross
Kris Kross was an American hip hop duo that consisted of Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith.
Kris Kross was the youngest hip-hop duo to gain success, with gold and platinum albums at 12 and 13 years old. The duo was discover ...
with "
Jump
Jumping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory.
Jump or Jumping also may refer to:
Places
* Jump, Kentucky or Jump S ...
" in 1992. It also made Lorde the youngest solo artist to top the chart since
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his cre ...
who, at 18 years old, topped the chart with "
Let Me Love You" in 2005.
In August 2013, Lorde became the first solo female artist to top the
''Billboard'' Alternative Songs chart since
Tracy Bonham
Tracy Bonham (born March 16, 1967) is an American alternative rock musician, best known for her 1996 single "Mother Mother".
Raised in Eugene, Oregon, Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist, and is also a self-taught guitarist. S ...
in 1996.
"Royals" holds the record for longest spell at number one on the ''Billboard''
Alternative Songs chart by a woman, surpassing
Alanis Morissette's "
You Oughta Know
"You Oughta Know" is a song by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her third studio album, ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995) on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left MCA Records Canada and ...
" (1995), which spent five weeks at number one. The success of "Royals" has been credited to frequent airplay on stations playing different genres of music.
"Royals" debuted at number 58 on the
Canadian Hot 100 and in the following weeks it steadily rose up the chart. In its 12th week, on the chart dated 12 October, the song hit number one after selling than 29,000 copies. It remained there for six consecutive weeks. "Royals" returned to the top of the chart on the 23rd of that month, spending seven non-consecutive weeks at number one.
Music Canada later awarded the song seven platinum plaques, denoting sales of more than 560,000 copies.
Europe, Asia, and Oceania
The song debuted at number three on the
Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) Chart on 3 October 2013, before peaking at number one the following week and selling a further 309,000 copies.
On 28 October, the
Official Charts Company
The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
In the United Kingdom, its charts in ...
(OCC) confirmed "Royals" would enter the
UK Singles Charts
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top- ...
with sales of 82,551 units.
The same day, the song debuted at number one on chart. Lorde became the youngest solo artist to score a UK number-one single since 15-year-old
Billie Piper
Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer. She initially gained recognition as a singer after releasing her debut single "Because We Want To" at age 15, which made her the youngest woman ...
with her 1998 song "
Because We Want To". "Royals" competed for the top spot with
James Arthur
James Arthur (born 2 March 1988) is an English singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after winning the ninth series of ''The X Factor'' in 2012. His debut single, a cover of Shontelle's " Impossible", was released by Syco Music after the fi ...
's "
You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You
"You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You" is a song by British singer and songwriter James Arthur. Written by Arthur along with TMS, who also produced the record, it serves as his first single since winning the ninth series of ''The X Factor'' ...
", taking it with a sales difference of 7,000 copies. "Royals" sold 82,551 units.
Surprised by the news, Lorde commented; "I'm so incredibly excited to be in first place this week and very grateful to all fans in the UK who bought 'Royals'!" The single fell to number two in its second week, selling another 59,903 copies, and by April 2014 it had shipped more than 470,000 copies in the UK. In October 2020, it was awarded a
double platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
certificate by the
British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...
(BPI) for selling more than 1,200,000 copies in the country.
"Royals" also had commercial success elsewhere in Europe, reaching the top of the
Euro Digital Songs
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
chart and peaking within the top ten in European national charts including those of Germany,
Denmark,
Finland,
and Hungary.
In South Korea, "Royals" peaked at number 37 on the
Gaon International Singles Chart with initial sales of 4,331 copies and in Japan, it peaked at number 16. On 15 March 2013, "Royals" debuted at number one on the
New Zealand Top 40 and remained in the top position for three weeks.
In Australia, "Royals" was released simultaneously with ''The Love Club EP'' and was classified as a single for charting purposes. The EP spent two weeks at its peak position of number two on the
ARIA Singles Chart, being kept from number one by
Avicii
Tim Bergling (; 8 September 1989 – 20 April 2018), known professionally as Avicii (, ), was a Swedish DJ, remixer and music producer. At the age of 16, Bergling began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first re ...
's "Wake Me Up". The EP's sales were recorded as a whole and therefore tracks on the album could not chart separately. "Royals" was the fifth best-selling single of the year in Australia and it was accredited nonuple platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing ...
(ARIA) for selling more than 630,000 units.
"Royals" was the most-streamed song in Australia and New Zealand by a female artist in 2013. By November 2014, "Royals" had sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Royals" was directed by Joel Kefali and was released on Lorde's
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
channel on 12 May 2013.
In an interview with ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'', Lorde said the video's concept was to show how teenage life can be "so mundane and so boring." Lorde told the same publication in a later interview she felt her presence in the video was unnecessary, saying; "With pop music and pop musicians, you know everything about everyone all the time, particularly their physical appearance. With female musicians that's made a big thing of and I think people, certainly with me, have appreciated a bit of mystery."
The video begins with a monochromatic scene of an unmade bed, which fades to a receding suburban neighbourhood. A teenage boy wearing a necklace takes a shower and a static-filled television screen is shown. The boy stares out of his bedroom window, lays on a couch, eats breakfast and cuts his hair.
The same boy visits an indoor swimming complex and boxes with a friend in a living room. The boy stares at a mirror and pulls down his bloody lip to reveal an injury he sustained while boxing.
Lorde is briefly shown singing part of the song. The boy waits with friends at a railway station.
He rests his head against the train window with a dull expression on his face. In the final scene, the camera moves towards the suburban neighbourhood seen at the start of the video.
Since its release, the video has garnered over 900 million views.
''
Slant
Slant can refer to:
Bias
*Bias or other non-objectivity in journalism, politics, academia or other fields
Technical
* Slant range, in telecommunications, the line-of-sight distance between two points which are not at the same level
* Slant d ...
'' placed the video at number three on their list of the best music videos of 2013, noting her absence from it "speaks to both the 16-year-old's 'postcode' shame and her friends' suburban-teen ennui". The video won the award for
Best Rock Video at the
2014 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 24, 2014 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. It was the 31st annual MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé and Iggy Azalea led the nominees with eight nominations each, while Eminem followed them ...
. Critics were divided over its placement in the rock category. It received a nomination for Best Female Video in the MTV Awards ceremony but lost to
Katy Perry's 2014 song "
Dark Horse". "Royals" won best music video at the
2013 New Zealand Music Awards.
Live performances
On 13 August 2013, Lorde recorded a live performance of "Royals" for
KCRW
KCRW (89.9 MHz FM) is a National Public Radio member station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, where the station is licensed. KCRW airs original news and music programming in addition to program ...
's radio programme ''
Morning Becomes Eclectic
''Morning Becomes Eclectic'' (MBE) is a three-hour adult album alternative radio program first aired in 1977 and broadcast live every weekday from KCRW in Santa Monica, California. The show's name is a play on the Eugene O'Neill trilogy of plays, ...
''. In New Zealand, she made her stage debut at a small venue in Auckland for a small audience, and on 18 September 2013, she made her television debut on ''New Zealander 3rd Degree''. Lorde made her UK television debut on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
'' on 1 October 2013 backed by a keyboardist and a drummer. Her performance was met with positive reviews. Three days later, she sang the song on the
''. Lorde also performed "Royals" on ''
''. Days later, Lorde appeared on the ''
'' and introduced "Royals" and other tracks from ''Pure Heroine''.
In early 2014, Lorde performed a reworked version of "Royals" at the
. ''Rolling Stone'' praised the performance, which included projections of statues behind her and made Lorde the most talked-about artist on social media during the ceremony. At the
". The
. The BRIT Awards performance debuted at number 72 on the UK Singles Chart.
festival and included "Royals" on her set list. The song was also added to the set list of the
(2022-2023).
Other artists have recorded and performed versions of "Royals". In August 2013,
appearance in Vancouver, Canada. American singer
performed an acoustic cover of "Royals" in April 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand, during his
. Lorde responded to it, commenting; "It's so exciting, it's a great honor, Springsteen is a fantastic songwriter, I was a little touched, it's really cool, it's crazy when someone like him is playing your song". American spoof-folk duo Black Simon & Garfunkel performed a cover of the song on ''The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon''; ''
'' considered the parody the best cover of the song by any artist.
''.
Its music video was released online on 16 July 2014.
described Yankovic's parody as "equally strange and brilliant". Novelty act Puddles Pity Party, played by singer
, performed "Royals" for Halloween in 2013; Lorde called it her favourite cover of the song at the time.
New York City Mayor
used "Royals" at his victory speech in Brooklyn in November 2013. According to ''The New York Times'', the song was chosen because it deals with
, one of de Blasio's main campaign themes.
. The satirical
''.
''. A remix of the song titled "Loyal" with new lyrics was performed by
''.
''. According to the
of her music prompted Scafaria to write Lorde a letter about the song's meaning to her and its importance to the film; Lorde approved her request.
d for a film.
Analysts have credited "Royals" as a precedent for mainstream pop music's transition to minimalist, dark, pop sounds.
.
Lindsay Zoladz from ''The Ringer'' noted the song's impact was "larger and harder to define because it completely rewrote the rules for young women making radio-friendly pop". Zach Schonfeld, writing for ''
'', said "Royals" led "a trail of imitators mimicking the song's effortless pop minimalism".
" because both tracks were disruptive to music charts and "decried the pop industry of which it became a part".
" become a top-five hit in the United States. According to Messitte, the song's success indicated "the smart money
on change" to find a new sound in pop music.
, described "Royals" as revolutionary.
Geoff Nelson from ''Consequence of Sound'' noted the track became "perhaps, the single most influential pop single of the decade". Phil Whitmer of ''Vice'' stated "Royals" is "alien by contrast" to the "legions of songs that imitated its vibe
failed to copy its mixolydian feel".
"Royals" featured prominently on several all-time and songs-of-the-decade lists. ''The Daily Telegraph'' placed the song at number 77 on their list of the 100 greatest songs of all time while ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it ninth on their 21st century catalogue. ''Rolling Stone'' also ranked "Royals" number 29 on their list of the 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time as well as number 30 on their 2021 revised list of the
.
NPR ranked "Royals" at number six on their list of the 200 Greatest Songs by 21st Century Women. In 2019, ''Slant'', ''Consequence of Sound'', ''Rolling Stone'', ''
while ''Billboard'' named it one of the 100 Songs That Defined the Decade. ''
'' ranked "Royals" as one of the eight best songs of the decade. NPR readers voted "Royals" the fourth most-popular song of the 2010s while ''Pitchfork''s readers poll placed it at number 34 on their decade list. ''
'' ranked the track at number 34 on their list of the 35 Best Songs of the Last 35 Years.