"Good Luck, Babe!" | ||||
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Single by Chappell Roan | ||||
B-side | "Read & Make Out" (demo) | |||
Released | April 5, 2024 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:38 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Dan Nigro | |||
Chappell Roan singles chronology | ||||
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Lyric video | ||||
"Good Luck, Babe!" on YouTube |
"Good Luck, Babe!" is a song recorded by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released as a standalone single on April 5, 2024, through Amusement Records and Island Records. She wrote the song with Justin Tranter and the song's producer Dan Nigro. A synth-pop, baroque pop, and new wave track, "Good Luck, Babe!" references a compulsory heterosexual relationship, describing a lesbian woman trying to deny her romantic feelings for Roan and for women in general. It received critical acclaim from music critics, who included it on several mid-year and year end rankings of the best songs of 2024.
Praised by Billboard as a "well-deserved breakthrough", "Good Luck, Babe!" became Roan's breakout song and a sleeper hit, steadily rising the charts following various live performances including Coachella and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in June 2024. "Good Luck, Babe!" has charted at number one in Ireland and Poland, and within the top ten of the charts in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Latvia, Lebanon, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It also peaked within the top 20 in Austria, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. "Good Luck, Babe!" received nominations at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards for Song of Summer and the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Song. On November 29, 2024, the song reached 1 billion streams on Spotify.
"Good Luck, Babe!" is currently nominated at the forthcoming 67th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance.
In April 2024, Roan sent an email to fans stating that her new single "Good Luck, Babe!" would be released on April 5, 2024, writing that the song is "about wishing good luck to someone who is denying fate." [1] She added that it would be the "first song of the next chapter," following the release of her debut studio album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess in September 2023. [2] [3] Amusement Records and Island Records released the single through streaming and digital download on April 5, 2024. [4] An accompanying lyric video for "Good Luck, Babe!" was released on that day. [5] Inspired by early Internet culture imagery, the video includes extensive use of the Comic Sans typeface. [6] The song was later released as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl on June 28, 2024. [7]
Roan wrote "Good Luck, Babe!" with Justin Tranter and Dan Nigro, stating that she "was just wanting to write a big anthemic pop song", and that it "was a bitch to write". [8] The song originated in November 2022, during the making of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, as a "scratch idea" titled "Good Luck, Jane!", consisting of just a verse and a chorus. [9] [10] Roan and Nigro recorded a demo of the song, but Nigro said that it "felt like it wasn't right" at the time. [9] The two revisited the song a few months later and adjusted the chorus so that Roan sang some of the words in full voice. [9] Nigro said that Roan wrote the bridge herself "in like two minutes". [9]
Lyrically, the song speaks about compulsory heterosexuality, with Roan describing a relationship with a woman who tries to deny her romantic feelings for Roan and women in general. [11] Musically, "Good Luck, Babe!" has been described as a synth-pop, [12] [13] baroque pop, [14] [15] new wave, and soft rock. [16] The song is composed in the key of D major and has a shifting tempo centered around 117 beats per minute. [17] Roan's vocal range spans from the low note A3 to the high note of F♯5. [18]
"Good Luck, Babe!" received acclaim upon release, [19] [20] [21] with many declaring it Roan's breakthrough hit. Critics were particularly enthused by Roan's powerful vocal showcase, observing that it was symbolic of her concurrent ascent in popularity. [22] [23] Sydney Brasil of Exclaim! opined that the song was "a more realized version of her baroque pop vision, both airy and devastating in its delivery". [14] Stephen Daw from Billboard praised the combination of Nigro's production with Roan's vocal performance, writing, "The maximalist production—featuring chunky '80s synths and a multi-piece string section—fuels Roan's octave-jumping voice... As frustration, flirtation and self-confidence ooze from every syllable of Roan's impeccable delivery, it's no wonder why audiences are clamoring for more of the superstar's exceptional artistry". [22] Several commentators drew comparisons of Chappell Roan to the likes of prominent musicians of the 1980s, such as Kate Bush, Wham!, and Cyndi Lauper. [24] Shaad D'Souza of The New York Times compared Roan's vocals to those of singer Liza Minnelli, positing that the song highlights a theatrical element to how she delivers her narrative lyrics. [25]
Speaking for NPR, Sheldon Pearce chose the track as the best pop song of the year, writing of the refrain: "'You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling' is such a monumental read that feels like a gut punch. It's the kind of direct emotional attack that you can't escape even as a bystander". [26] Mary Kate Carr of The A.V. Club similarly praised the songwriting as an improvement from her debut album and "brimming with righteous anger". [27] Other critics praised the vivid storytelling of the bridge; [28] Jason P. Frank of Vulture praised it as a strong case against a current trend of artists omitting a bridge to shorten tracks. [29] Pitchfork named it one of the best songs of the first half of the 2020s. [30]
Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Billboard | The 50 Best Songs of 2024 (So Far) | 3 | [22] |
Consequence | 100 Best Songs of 2024 (So Far) | 7 | [31] |
Los Angeles Times | The 24 best songs of 2024 so far | N/A | [32] |
The New York Times | The 40 Best Songs of 2024 (So Far) | N/A | [33] |
Rolling Stone | The Best Songs of 2024 So Far | N/A | [23] |
NPR | The best songs of 2024 (so far) | N/A | [26] |
The A.V. Club | 25 Best Songs of 2024 (So Far) | N/A | [27] |
Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
NME | The 50 Best Songs of 2024 | 1 | [34] |
The Guardian | The 20 Best Songs of 2024 | 1 | [35] |
Rolling Stone | The 100 Best Songs of 2024 | 1 | [36] |
The Independent | The 20 Best Songs of 2024 | 2 | [37] |
Billboard | The 100 Best Songs of 2024 | 2 | [38] |
Business Insider | The Best Songs of 2024 | 2 | [39] |
Pitchfork | The 100 Best Songs of 2024 | 3 | [40] |
Exclaim! | The 20 Best Songs of 2024 | 4 | [41] |
Stereogum | The 50 Best Songs of 2024 | 5 | [42] |
The New York Times | Best Songs of 2024 | 9 | [43] |
ELLE | The Best New Songs of 2024 | N/A | [44] |
Associated Press | Top Songs of 2024 | N/A | [45] |
UPROXX | The Best Songs of 2024 | N/A | [46] |
Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Pitchfork | The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s (So Far) | 42 | [47] |
Upon release, "Good Luck, Babe!" debuted at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending April 20, 2024, becoming Roan's first entry on the chart and an eventual sleeper hit. The song peaked at number four on the chart dated September 28, 2024. [48] It was certified 3× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on November 18, 2024, for sales exceeding three million units. [49] It also peaked at number one on Billboard 's Pop Airplay chart and nine on the Adult Pop Airplay chart. On November 29, 2024, it reached 1 billion streams on Spotify, becoming her first ever song to do so, a milestone which Roan described as "cuckoo loco" on social media. [50] [51]
Elsewhere, the track topped the singles chart in Ireland and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, becoming her highest-charting single. It also peaked within the top ten in several countries, including Singapore (4), Australia (5), New Zealand (7), Canada (8), Iceland (10), and on the Global 200 (10). It receives 4× Platinum certification in Canada, 2× Platinum certification in New Zealand and Poland, Platinum in Greece, Portugal and the United Kingdom and Gold in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, and Spain. [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63]
Upon charting on the Billboard Hot 100, Hannah Jocelyn, writing for the publication, posited that the song's overt LGBTQ themes represented a breakthrough for not just Roan's career, but also a wider movement of young LGBTQ pop artists. [24] Natalie Sofia agreed, arguing that chart-topping "queer anthems" are imbued with subtext, blurring the lines between homosexual and heterosexual relationships at the expense of LGBTQ themes. She argued that Roan's inclusion of such themes spoke to her authenticity as an artist. [64] Juliana Tanner of The Michigan Daily echoed such optimism, commending Roan for not leaving any room for ambiguity in her homosexuality despite facing cynicism in the past, and avoiding fetishization of lesbian relationships for male audiences. [65]
Roan debuted "Good Luck, Babe!" at SOMA San Diego on February 22, 2024, [66] and a few months later it was added to the set list of the Midwest Princess Tour, performing it at her first Coachella set in April 2024. [67] Her first televised performance of the song was in June 2024, when she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . [68] On September 11, Roan performed the song at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. The medieval-themed costuming and production design attracted considerable praise. [69] [70]
In June 2024, Sabrina Carpenter covered "Good Luck, Babe!" as part of a set for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge; Carpenter had previously shared that she was a fan of the song. [71] After sharing an admiration for Roan's music, Kelly Clarkson and Miranda Lambert performed a duet cover version of "Good Luck, Babe!" on The Kelly Clarkson Show in September 2024. [72] "Good Luck, Babe!" has also been covered by various acts including Muna, [73] Franz Ferdinand, [74] the Jonas Brothers, Cxloe, and Girl in Red. [75] In December 2024, Filipino singer Sarah Geronimo covered the song on the Philippine variety program ASAP , altering the lyrics to make them heteronormative. The lyric changes went viral, with many Filipinos criticizing the perceived erasure and "censorship" of the song's lesbian themes, compounded by the fact that the original singer openly identifies as a lesbian. [76]
Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
MTV Video Music Awards | 2024 | Song of Summer | Nominated | [77] |
MTV Europe Music Awards | 2024 | Best Song | Nominated | [78] |
Danish Music Awards | 2024 | International Song of the Year | Nominated | [79] |
Grammy Awards | 2025 | Record of the Year | Pending | [80] |
Song of the Year | Pending | |||
Best Pop Solo Performance | Pending |
Weekly charts
| Monthly charts
Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Austria (IFPI Austria) [58] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [59] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [52] | 4× Platinum | 320,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [60] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [61] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [62] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [53] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [54] | 2× Platinum | 100,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [56] | Platinum | 10,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [63] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [57] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [49] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [55] | Platinum | 2,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | April 5, 2024 |
| [4] | |
United States | April 18, 2024 | Contemporary hit radio | [159] | |
Various | June 28, 2024 | 7-inch single | [7] | |
United States | July 15, 2024 | Hot adult contemporary radio | [160] | |
Italy | August 22, 2024 | Radio airplay | Island Italy | [161] |
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Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known professionally as Chappell Roan, is an American singer and songwriter. Working with collaborator Dan Nigro, the majority of her music is inspired by 1980s synth-pop and 2000s pop songs. Her aesthetic is heavily influenced by drag queens, and her music and performing style have been described by critics, including Rolling Stone, as "campy".
"Pink Pony Club" is a song by the American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released as a single through Atlantic Records on April 3, 2020, and later included on her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). Written by Roan and Daniel Nigro, "Pink Pony Club" is a synth-pop track that describes the story of a woman moving to Southern California from her home state of Tennessee, taking a job as a dancer at a gay strip club in West Hollywood despite her mother's wishes.
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is the debut studio album by the American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan. The album was released on September 22, 2023, through Amusement Records, an imprint of Island Records. It was met with widespread acclaim and praised by music critics for its bold and emotionally charged nature. Reviews also complimented the album's engaging blend of sharp songwriting, dynamic pop elements, and Roan's vocal performance. Several publications ranked it on multiple year-end best albums lists for 2023. The album earned Roan her first Grammy Award nominations at the 67th annual ceremony, including for Album of the Year. She is one of fifteen artists in history who have earned Grammy nominations in all of the "Big Four" categories in one night, along with her contemporary, Sabrina Carpenter.
"My Kink Is Karma" is a song by the American singer Chappell Roan, released on May 6, 2022 as the second single from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was produced by Dan Nigro. The song became a sleeper hit in 2024, as one of Roan's seven simultaneously charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100, along with "Good Luck, Babe!", "Casual", "Hot to Go!", "Red Wine Supernova", "Pink Pony Club", and "Femininomenon".
"Femininomenon" is a song by the American singer Chappell Roan, released on August 12, 2022 as the third single from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was produced by Dan Nigro and Mike Wise. The song became a sleeper hit in 2024, as one of Roan's seven simultaneously charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100, along with "Good Luck, Babe!", "Casual", "Red Wine Supernova", "Hot to Go!", "Pink Pony Club", and "My Kink Is Karma".
"Red Wine Supernova" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released in May 2023 as the sixth single from Roan's debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The song began charting in April 2024, following the success of "Good Luck, Babe!".
"Hot to Go!" is a song by the American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan, from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was released through Island Records and Amusement Records on August 11, 2023, as the album's seventh and final single. She co-wrote the track with its producer Dan Nigro. "Hot to Go!" is a synth-pop track that takes influence from new wave in its instrumentation and vocal inflections. Described as a queer cheer song similar to the Village People's "Y.M.C.A.", it was inspired by Roan's childhood dream of wanting to become a cheerleader.
"Casual" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released as a single on October 28, 2022 independently. It was later released as part of Roan's debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, through Amusement Records and Island Records as the fourth single from the album. She wrote the song along with Dan Nigro and Morgan St. Jean and Nigro is credited as producer along with Ryan Linvill. It is a dream pop song with country influences about casual dating, in particular a situationship between Roan and a love interest who is unwilling to commit.
Its lyric video, posted on YouTube, contains 80s Microsoft-esque visuals: sparkly comic sans, 8-bit gifs, and PowerPoint presentation transitions.
["Good Luck, Babe!"] is Eighties New Wave-meets-Nineties soft rock in its pop perfection...
This song, with its catchy melody and relatable lyrics, has resonated with listeners, earning widespread acclaim.
Released amidst a flurry of critical acclaim
'Good Luck, Babe!', which was met with acclaim for its unapologetic queerness and themes of compulsory heterosexuality.