Break the Rules (Charli XCX song)

Last updated

"Break the Rules"
Charli XCX - Break the Rules.png
Single by Charli XCX
from the album Sucker
Released19 August 2014 (2014-08-19)
Recorded2013–2014
Genre
Length3:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Charli XCX singles chronology
"Boom Clap"
(2014)
"Break the Rules"
(2014)
"Doing It"
(2015)
Music video
"Break the Rules" on YouTube

"Break the Rules" is a song by English singer Charli XCX from her second studio album, Sucker (2014). It was released on 19 August 2014 as the album's second single. In a 2020 interview with Red Bull, XCX stated that she regrets recording the track. [1]

Contents

Composition

"Break the Rules" is an electro-rock and alternative rock song, [2] [3] set against a "propulsive" synth-pop groove. [4] The song is written in the key of E major in common time with a tempo of 124 beats per minute. "Break the Rules" follows a chord progression of C5–B5–A5–E5–F5, and Charli's vocals span from B3 to C5. [5]

Critical reception

Cosmopolitan listed "Break the Rules" at number five on its 2014 best songs list. [6] Ahead of the release of her 2022 album Crash , Consequence of Sound ranked the song as Charli's best, [7] which she disagreed with. [8]

Music video

The music video for "Break the Rules" was directed by Marc Klasfeld and premiered on 25 August 2014. [9] [10] The video was filmed at Birmingham High School while class was in session, so the lyrics "getting high and getting wrecked" had to be muted during playbacks. [11] According to Charli, the video draws inspiration from films such as Carrie (1976), The Craft (1996) and Jawbreaker (1999). [10] [12] It features a cameo from actress Rose McGowan, the star of Jawbreaker, as a school chaperone. [10]

Usage in media

The song was used in trailers for the 2015 film Goosebumps . It was also featured in the 2016 film Good Kids. [13] The song was also used in a 2016 Dish Network commercial and as the theme song of season 7 of Vietnam's Next Top Model . It is also used in both trailers for the 2020 film My Spy . Also the song was used in episode 4 of Quantico season 1

Track listings

  1. "Break the Rules" – 3:23
  1. "Break the Rules" (Tiësto Remix) – 4:25
  2. "Break the Rules" (Odesza Remix) – 4:00
  3. "Break the Rules" (Broods Remix) – 2:52
  1. "Break the Rules" – 3:23
  2. "Break the Rules" (Tiësto Remix) – 4:25
  1. "Break the Rules" – 3:23
  2. "Break the Rules" (Tiësto Remix) – 4:25
  3. "Break the Rules" (ODESZA Remix) – 4:00
  4. "Break the Rules" (Broods Remix) – 2:52
  5. "Boom Clap" – 2:49

Credits and personnel

Credits for "Break the Rules" are adapted from CD liner notes [18] [19]

Recording locations
Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Break the Rules"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [48] Platinum70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [49] Gold40,000
Germany (BVMI) [50] Gold200,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [51] Silver200,000
United States (RIAA) [52] Gold500,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Break the Rules"
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
Canada19 August 2014Digital download Atlantic [53]
United States [54]
Australia10 October 2014 [55]
Ireland
[56]
United Kingdom12 October 2014 [57]
Finland17 October 2014Atlantic [58]
Norway [59]
Sweden [60]
France27 October 2014 [61]
Ireland31 October 2014Digital download (remixes)
  • Asylum
  • Atlantic
[62]
United Kingdom2 November 2014 [63]
France3 November 2014Atlantic [64]
Australia21 November 2014
  • CD single
  • digital download (remixes)
Warner [17] [65]
United States24 November 2014Digital download (remixes)Atlantic [66]
Germany16 January 2015CD singleWarner [16]

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