"Obsessed" | ||||
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Single by Olivia Rodrigo | ||||
from the album Guts (Spilled) | ||||
Released | March 22, 2024 | |||
Recorded | 2021 | |||
Studio | Amusement (Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:50 | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Dan Nigro | |||
Olivia Rodrigo singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Obsessed" on YouTube |
"Obsessed" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from Guts (Spilled), the 2024 deluxe edition of her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with Annie Clark and its producer, Dan Nigro. Geffen Records released it as a single alongside the deluxe edition on March 22, 2024. A rock, pop rock, and dance-rock song with pop-punk, punk rock, and grunge influences, "Obsessed" details Rodrigo's jealousy and ruinous preoccupation with her partner's ex-girlfriend.
Music critics believed "Obsessed" achieved an edgier sound than Rodrigo's previous output and directed praise towards its upbeat nature and lyrics. In the United States, the song debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. "Obsessed" became Rodrigo's seventh song to reach the top 10 on the Pop Airplay chart and ninth on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.
Mitch Ryan directed the music video for "Obsessed", which depicts Rodrigo facing her partner's ex-girlfriends in a beauty pageant and performing the song in an adjoining room. She included it on the set list for her 2024 concert tour, the Guts World Tour, where she sang it while spinning around and played a guitar solo. These performances received positive reviews alongside comparisons to 1990s rock artists, and the song attained viral popularity on video-sharing service TikTok.
Olivia Rodrigo conceived her second studio album, Guts (2023), at the age of 19, while experiencing "lots of confusion, mistakes, awkwardness & good old fashioned teen angst". [1] Dan Nigro produced every single track on it. [2] [3] They wrote over 100 songs, of which Rodrigo included the more rock-oriented tracks on the album because they drew a bigger reaction from her audiences during live shows. [2] 12 of the 25 songs recorded made it onto the standard edition of Guts. Rodrigo excluded some of them to not overpower the tracklist with too many similar songs and believed they would be released at some point in the future. [4] [5] She had recorded the track "Obsessed" in 2021 after writing it with Nigro and Annie Clark, a mentor to her during the album's creation process, which was one such song. [6] [7] [8]
Two days before the album's release, Rodrigo uploaded a parody infomercial which teased the names of four additional tracks, including the song. [9] [10] They were each included as a hidden track on a different color variant of its vinyls, with "Obsessed" appearing on some of them. [11] [12] Third Man Records released the four tracks on a limited-edition vinyl, titled Guts: The Secret Tracks, on November 24, 2023, to commemorate Record Store Day. [13] [14] [15]
In 2024, "Obsessed" became the only hidden track to be included on the set list of Rodrigo's Guts World Tour, and it attained viral popularity on video-sharing service TikTok. [16] [17] In March 2024, Rodrigo's fan hotline began playing a snippet of "Obsessed", [18] and it was subsequently announced as a single alongside the album's deluxe edition, Guts (Spilled) (2024). [19] She stated her enjoyment about performing the song on the Guts World Tour but noted that it had already been among her favorite tracks before that. [6] Geffen Records promoted it to contemporary hit radio stations in the United States on March 22. [20]
"Obsessed" is two minutes and 50 seconds long. [21] Nigro produced the song and provided vocal production, and he handled engineering with Dave Schiffman and Ryan Linvill. He plays guitar, bass, synthesizer, and drum programming; St. Vincent plays guitar; and Garret Ray plays drums. Spike Stent mixed the song at SLS Studios in London, and Randy Merrill mastered it. Recording took place in Amusement Studios in Los Angeles. [3]
"Obsessed" is a rock, [11] pop rock, [18] and dance-rock song [22] with influences of pop-punk, [22] [23] punk rock, [24] and grunge. [25] The song opens with Rodrigo harmonizing with herself: "Da da-da-da da-da-da", before yelling with increasing force. [18] It later incorporates ripped guitars, warped vocals, heavy bass, and drums. [23] [26] [27] "Obsessed" has gentle verses but a loud chorus, during which it becomes more panicky according to Billboard Philippines 's Gabriel Saulog. [25] [27] Eddino Abdul Hadi of The Straits Times likened this dynamic to old alternative rock bands, and Aadya Dusad of the South China Morning Post compared the song to the work of Avril Lavigne. [25] [28]
The lyrics of "Obsessed" are about Rodrigo's jealousy and ruinous preoccupation with her partner's ex-girlfriend. [11] [29] [30] The theme is explored through a sapphic narrative, similarly to the track "Lacy" from the album's standard edition. [22] [31] "Obsessed" is also about insecurity, channeling the negative inner voice in teenagers' minds and their persistent obsessive and envious thoughts. [28] Rodrigo admits to spending unusual amounts of time thinking about and looking at pictures of the partner's ex and researching personal details like her astrological sign and blood type. [32] [33] In the chorus, she wonders if the ex had slept in the partner's bed and warns him to be careful because she recalls everything he has told Rodrigo about her. [11] [34] In the bridge, Rodrigo asks him questions about the ex's sexual performance and behavior and if she was cosmopolitan and knowledgeable. [33]
Critical reviews for "Obsessed" were generally positive, with some highlighting its upbeat nature. Variety 's Chris Willman believed that like other songs on Guts: The Secret Tracks, which were "B+ tracks at worst", it was deserving of a placement on the main edition of Guts. [19] He and the Official Charts Company's George Griffiths described "Obsessed" as a "banger"; Willman thought it fit with the more upbeat songs on the album, and the latter added that it was a "banger" like Katy Perry's song "I Kissed A Girl" (2008) and Charli XCX's album Sucker (2014). [35] [36] Notion found the song catchy, and Uproxx 's Lexi Lane described it as a standout and included it in the website's weekly roundup of the Best New Pop Music. [23] [37]
Some critics believed "Obsessed" achieved an edgier sound than Rodrigo's previous output. Including it at number 25 in Billboard 's list of the best songs of 2024 as of June, Andrew Unterberger stated that it was her "most deliciously thrashing" and "least-likely radio hit", unsure if its production hurt or helped its commercial prospects. [38] Steffanee Wang of Nylon believed the song was the "edgiest" Rodrigo had ever sounded and she should take the same direction in her future material, and Andrew Pulver of The Guardian opined that she had never sounded more scathing or biting. [26] [39] Hadi described her delivery as progressively manic and thought it was perfectly complemented by the chorus's captivating hook. [25]
Others commented on the lyrics. Hadi thought they accurately encapsulated adolescent drama, and Dusad believed "Obsessed" expertly captured the theme of insecurity in relationships and would be relatable to teenagers who are insecure about the topic as well as enjoyable at karaoke bars. She picked two of the most memorable lyrics: "I'm staring at her like I wanna get hurt" and "I'm so obsessed with your ex." [25] [28]
"Obsessed" debuted at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 issued for April 6, 2024. [40] The song became Rodrigo's seventh to reach the top 10 of the Pop Airplay chart, at number 10. [41] It was her ninth to achieve the same milestone on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, at number 2. [42] In Canada, "Obsessed" entered at number 20 on the Canadian Hot 100 issued for the same date. [43] The song debuted at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and became Rodrigo's eighth top 10 single. [44] It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry. [45]
In Australia, "Obsessed" entered at number 16 and received a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association. [46] [47] The song charted at number 26 in New Zealand. [48] It debuted at number 17 on the Billboard Global 200. [49] "Obsessed" also reached number 12 in Ireland, [50] number 20 on the Japan Hot Overseas chart, [51] number 43 in Greece, [52] number 54 in Portugal, [53] number 59 in Sweden, [54] number 73 in Austria and the Netherlands, [55] [56] and number 92 in Poland. [57]
Mitch Ryan directed the music video for "Obsessed". [58] [59] On March 20, 2024, Rodrigo uploaded a teaser of it, in which she proceeds into a hall full of her partner's exes in white dresses. Each woman dons a patch bearing different superlatives like "Miss Still His 'Closest Friend'", "Miss 2 Summers Ago", and "Miss Mom's Favorite", while Rodrigo's reads: "Miss Right Now". [34] [60] The hairstylist Clayton Hawkins styled Rodrigo's hair into rough pixie cut bangs, with gentle flowing Bohemian waves reminiscent of the 1970s and two long braids. Her outfit was a gothic and bare-shouldered black prom dress with an overlay and Steve Madden's Lotti Mary Jane loafers and socks. [61] The video was released two days later. [58] [24]
In the video, Rodrigo enters a hotel ballroom and encounters the partner's exes, one of whom blows smoke towards her. [62] [32] The women compete in a beauty pageant titled "Exes Gala", which turns into an award show where Rodrigo presents them trophies bearing titles like "The Life of Every Fucking Party,", "Good with Kids", and "She Even Speaks Kindly About Me". [33] [63] She gives a deadpan facial expression during most of the video, which Saulog believed represents her envy towards the exes. [58] [27] In other scenes, Rodrigo performs the song in an adjoining room with a tuxedo-clad band and sings the bridge while encircled by some of the exes. [62] [33] It concludes with her cleaning up the venue after everyone else has left. [58]
Saulog thought the events in the video represent the chaos in Rodrigo's mind: "[an] almost rage-filled party in her head". [27] Rolling Stone 's Tomás Mier described the video as a "fever dream", and Rania Aniftos of Billboard believed the concept flawlessly complements its lyrics about envy. [34] [32] It was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards and Best International Pop Video at the 2024 UK Music Video Awards. [64] [65]
On the Guts World Tour, "Obsessed" appears as part of a set of rock-oriented songs, alongside "Brutal" (2021), "All-American Bitch" (2023), "Good 4 U" (2021), and "Get Him Back!" (2023), which recalls 1990s rock artists like Alanis Morissette and Gwen Stefani according to Chicago Sun-Times 's Selena Fragassi. [66] After a white sheet burning to ashes is projected on a screen during a progressive rock-metal interlude, symbolizing "the death of innocence" according to The Tennessean 's Audrey Gibbs, Rodrigo sings "Brutal". [67] She performs "Obsessed" in a red bodysuit [68] [69] while spinning around on the ground and being shot by a camera from below. [70] [71] Rodrigo is joined by a seven-piece support band, from whom she clutches a drumstick and tosses it into the audience. [72] [73] She concludes with a solo on Music Man's St. Vincent Goldie signature guitar. [16] [74] [75]
Performances of the song received a highly positive fan reaction; [16] [17] Many critics described it as a highlight, [a] and Mier believed it was delivered "as if it were a single". [70] Kevin C. Johnson of St. Louis Post-Dispatch considered it the "most badass moment", and Melissa Ruggieri of USA Today praised the use of camera effects. [68] [78] Critics also characterized the performance as influenced by several genres. Michael Rietmulder of The Seattle Times thought it was influenced by grunge, and Sarah John of Nylon believed it was one of the moments that encapsulated the "pop-punk and riot-grrrl sensibilities" demonstrated throughout the show. [72] [73] Writing for the Vancouver Sun , Stuart Derdeyn likened the energy to Elastica and Hole and thought Rodrigo was a convincing rock performer, while USA Today's Ed Masley opined that it leaned into the reckless vitality of punk and the post-Nirvana alternative rock of the 1990s. [79] [80] A rehearsal video of her performing "Obsessed" was uploaded on April 9, 2024. [81]
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Guts (Spilled). [3]
Chart (2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [46] | 16 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [55] | 73 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [43] | 20 |
Canada CHR/Top 40 ( Billboard ) [82] | 15 |
Canada Hot AC ( Billboard ) [83] | 24 |
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [49] | 17 |
Greece International (IFPI) [52] | 43 |
Ireland (IRMA) [50] | 12 |
Japan Hot Overseas ( Billboard Japan ) [51] | 20 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [56] | 73 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [48] | 26 |
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) [57] | 92 |
Portugal (AFP) [53] | 54 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [54] | 59 |
UK Singles (OCC) [84] | 10 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [40] | 14 |
US Adult Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [85] | 11 |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [42] | 2 |
US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [41] | 10 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [47] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [45] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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United States | March 22, 2024 | Contemporary hit radio | Geffen | [20] |
Olivia Isabel Rodrigo is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She first became known for starring on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark (2016–2019) and the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–2022). Shifting focus onto her recording career, Rodrigo signed with Geffen Records to release her 2021 single, "Drivers License", which peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and raised her to international prominence. Her debut studio album, Sour (2021), was released in May of that year; it spawned her second number-one song, "Good 4 U", and won her three Grammy Awards. The documentary Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U followed in 2022, which chronicles the creative process of Sour. The following year, she released her second studio album, Guts (2023).
"So American" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from Guts (Spilled), the 2024 deluxe edition of her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer, Dan Nigro. It became available as the deluxe edition's 17th track on March 22, 2024, when it was released by Geffen Records. Musically new wave, pop, and rock and roll, "So American" was considered by publications as the first love song in Rodrigo's discography. It features her dating a non-American man and praising him.
For music from a year in the 2020s, go to 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24
American singer and actress Olivia Rodrigo has released two studio albums, one reissue, three extended plays (EPs), ten singles, and ten music videos. She contributed to the soundtrack of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, releasing ten promotional singles from it, with "All I Want" managing to chart worldwide at a peak position of 119. After signing with Interscope and Geffen Records in 2020, she released her debut single "Drivers License" in January 2021, which propelled her to international fame. "Drivers License" debuted at number one in the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it stayed for eight consecutive weeks, and topped the charts in 25 other countries. Subsequently, "Drivers License" was certified six times platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), eight times platinum in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), seven times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), three times platinum in Norway and Portugal, two times platinum in United Kingdom, Poland, New Zealand and Sweden, and platinum in 10 other countries.
"Deja Vu" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on April 1, 2021, through Geffen and Interscope Records, as the second single from her debut studio album, Sour (2021). Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer Dan Nigro, with Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, and St. Vincent receiving writing credits for its interpolation of Swift's 2019 song "Cruel Summer". An incorporation of various pop sub-genres, "Deja Vu" explores themes of nostalgia, heartbreak, and the complexity of moving on from a past relationship. Olivia Rodrigo reflects on the memories associated with her previous relationship and the struggle to let go, even as she acknowledges that the new couple is creating their own memories.
Sour is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on May 21, 2021, by Geffen Records. The album was written by Rodrigo and producer Dan Nigro. Originally planned as an EP, Sour was expanded into a full-length album following the viral success of her debut single, "Drivers License".
"Brutal" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released to Italian radio on September 3, 2021, through Geffen Records, as a promotional single from Rodrigo's debut album, Sour (2021). "Brutal" was written by Rodrigo and Dan Nigro, and produced by the latter.
"Good 4 U" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on May 14, 2021, through Geffen and Interscope Records, as the third single from Rodrigo's debut studio album, Sour (2021). The song was written by Rodrigo and its producer Dan Nigro who co-produced it with Alexander 23. Three months after the track's release, Hayley Williams and Josh Farro were retrospectively given co-writing credits due to influence from Paramore's "Misery Business" (2007), with the pair to receive a combined royalty share of 50%.
"Vampire" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. Geffen Records released it on June 30, 2023, as the lead single from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo co-wrote the song with its producer Dan Nigro. A pop rock tune, "Vampire" is driven by piano and rock instrumentation consisting of electric guitars, synthesizers, and programmed drums. An accompanying music video for the song directed by Petra Collins was released simultaneously.
Guts is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, released on September 8, 2023, through Geffen Records. It was written and recorded with Rodrigo working closely alongside Dan Nigro, the producer and multi-instrumentalist of her debut album Sour (2021). Inspired by the period of time immediately following Sour's success, Rodrigo conceived Guts hoping to reflect the process of maturity she experienced toward the end of her teenage years.
"Bad Idea Right?" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo co-wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro. Geffen Records released it as the album's second single on August 11, 2023. A rock, pop rock, jangle rock, grunge, new wave, indie pop, and synth-pop song influenced by several other genres, "Bad Idea Right?" features Rodrigo contemplating whether or not it is a good idea to rekindle with her ex-boyfriend and weighing its pros and cons.
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote the song with the album's producer, Dan Nigro. The song became available as the album's fifth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released by Geffen Records. A pop-punk, pop rock, alternative rock, garage punk, and emo song, "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" is about social anxiety and features Rodrigo recounting embarrassing experiences at a party.
"Love Is Embarrassing" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer, Dan Nigro. It became available as the album's ninth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released by Geffen Records. A new wave song, "Love Is Embarrassing" has self-deprecating lyrics in which Rodrigo derides her crush and expresses embarrassment about how much she was attracted to him.
"Lacy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro. The song became available as the album's fourth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released by Geffen Records. A folk-pop and indie folk song with influences of theatrical folk, "Lacy" originated from a poem she wrote for a class assignment. The song chronicles Rodrigo's obsession over the beauty of a female figure whom she addresses by the same name and her resulting envy and self-hatred.
"Get Him Back!" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro. EMI Records released it as the album's third single on September 15, 2023. A rap rock, pop rap, and pop-punk song with influences of pop rock, "Get Him Back!" explores Rodrigo's desire to exact revenge from her ex-partner while simultaneously wanting to reconcile with him, with the titular phrase conveying a double meaning.
"All-American Bitch" is a 2023 song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts. Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer, Dan Nigro. It became available as the album's first track on September 8, 2023, when the album was released by Geffen Records. "All-American Bitch" begins as a folk song and transitions into pop-punk during the chorus, incorporating influences of punk, rock, grunge, and pop rock. Lyrically, it is satire and explores society's double standards and contradictory expectations for women.
The Guts World Tour is an ongoing concert tour by American singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Rodrigo in support of her second studio album, Guts (2023). It began on February 23, 2024, in Palm Desert, United States and is set to conclude on July 1, 2025, in Manchester, England, comprising 97 shows across North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. The Breeders, Chappell Roan, PinkPantheress, Remi Wolf and Benee served as supporting acts.
"The Grudge" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro. The song became available as the album's tenth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released by Geffen Records. A piano-driven power ballad, "The Grudge" details Rodrigo's regret and burnout after somebody she looked up to betrayed her trust. Critics varied in their interpretation of the song, with some interpreting its subject as the breakup of a romantic relationship while others believed it was about Rodrigo's relationship with Taylor Swift.
"Can't Catch Me Now" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from the soundtrack to the 2023 American dystopian action film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Rodrigo co-wrote the song with its producer, Dan Nigro. Geffen Records released it as the soundtrack's second single on November 3, 2023. A folk rock and chamber-folk ballad driven by acoustic guitars, the song has lyrics about vengeance and the narrator's inescapable presence in the subject's life, inspired by the film's plot.
"Making the Bed" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro. The song became available as the album's sixth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released by Geffen Records. A pop song which incorporates piano, guitars, synthesizers, and percussion and evokes dream pop, "Making the Bed" has introspective lyrics which feature Rodrigo reflecting on her flaws and attempting to persevere in spite of them, as it explores her disillusionment with fame and recurring dreams.