Anti-Hero (song)

"Anti-Hero" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the lead single from her tenth studio album, Midnights (2022). It was released on October21,2022, through Republic Records. Swift wrote and produced the song with Jack Antonoff. A pop rock, synth-pop, electro, and electropop track, "Anti-Hero" features a 1980s-inspired drum loop generated with a LinnDrum and retro synthesizers. Inspired by Swift's insecurities, the lyrics address self-loathing and the impact of fame on her wellbeing; the bridge depicts a nightmare in which her daughter-in-law murders her for the inheritance.

Music critics generally praised the production of "Anti-Hero" as catchy and featuring strong vocals. They deemed its lyricism candid and honest, showcasing Swift at her most self-critical. Many publications ranked the song among the best songs of 2022. "Anti-Hero" peaked atop the Billboard Global 200 and charted in the top 10 in many territories across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. In the United States, it spent eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and made Swift the first artist to have a number-one single on the Radio Songs chart in the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s decades. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, it was the ninth-most-streamed song of 2023.

Swift wrote and directed the music video for "Anti-Hero", which depicts her fears, insecurities, and eating disorder, using three different incarnations of her. The video reenacts the nightmare mentioned in the lyrics, starring Mike Birbiglia, John Early, and Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Swift's sons and daughter-in-law. "Anti-Hero" won a People's Choice Award, a Billboard Music Award, and two iHeartRadio Music Awards. At the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, it won six awards including Video of the Year, making Swift the first artist to win the category two consecutive years. At the 2024 Grammy Awards, "Anti-Hero" was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance.