Katy Perry’s ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ Isn’t A Guaranteed Hit For Now
Katy Perry’s new single “Chained To The Rhythm” isn’t taking off as fast as many had thought it would. In fact, unlike previous new songs from Perry, it has failed to hit No. 1 on iTunes. Currently, it sits at No. 3 but dropped to No. 5 before the Grammys. Many say it’s too soon to predict where the song will end up. Still, there are plenty of trolls on Twitter already declaring “Chained To The Rhythm” a flop.
The song gained some really good reviews right after its release Friday morning. Billboard said that Perry had embraced her “wokeness.”
“Katy Perry is now a political pop star! That’s what ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ — her highly anticipated new single released on Friday (Feb. 10), to be performed at the 59th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night — aims to declare with undisguised pride.”
The review praised the shimmering production and the lyrics that criticize us for being tone deaf. There certainly is a political message in the song that might go over the heads of casual listeners. Slant claimed “Chained To The Rhythm” is the type of song we need now.
“Rather than the stomping disco anthem the song’s title and inventive, albeit not always successful, pre-release promo might have suggested, ‘Chained to the Rhythm’ is a mid-tempo — but no less beckoning — invitation to the dance floor,” says critic Sal Cinquemani, who praises the song’s Caribbean flavor and light political statement.
However, Katy Perry’s new single hasn’t been unanimously praised. Pop Crush thinks the song is missing something.
“While the performer’s fizzy, rose-colored ‘purposeful pop’ return is welcome—and a nice break from the moody, atmospheric R&B sex-pop currently dominating Top 40—it lacks the bite and sacrifice of other artists who have tread into unfiltered social, cultural and political commentary in their music,” says critic Erica Russell, adding that the message of the song gets lost in the Max Martin produced rhythm she desperately is trying to get away from.
Despite the mixed reviews and mixed iTunes chart performance, Katy Perry still has Spotify on her side, at least according to Entertainment Weekly.
“As announced by Spotify on Saturday, the pop singer’s latest single broke a record for the music service with 3,062,293 streams after dropping early Friday morning. This sets a new bar for Spotify for being the highest first-day streaming for a single track by a female artist.”
Katy Perry performed “Chained To The Rhythm” at the 2017 Grammy Awards, and Joe Coscarelli of the New York Times says Perry’s performance was one of the best on the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhMF0UbYGQ4
“Ms. Perry’s feet weren’t squeezed into heels — they were in white sneakers, freeing her to leap into the air when the spirit of the song required being airborne. This wasn’t a performance concerned with perfection; it was meant to telegraph passion.”
The write-up notes the symbolism of the white picket fence Perry sings about, which is dismantled and turned into a canvas for the United States Constitution. The performance earned a standing ovation from the audience.
Katy Perry’s next album and tour haven’t been announced yet, but you can bet they will be soon. Let’s hope Katy Perry’s new era is a great success that shuts down all the trolls on Twitter just waiting to see her fail.
[Featured Image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]
