Royals (Lorde song)

"Royals"
Single by Lorde
from the EP The Love Club EP and the album Pure Heroine
B-side	"400 Lux" "Bravado" "Tennis Court"
Released	3 June 2013 (2013-06-03)
Recorded	July 2012
Studio	Golden Age (Auckland)
Genre	Art pop electropop alternative pop
Length	3:10
Label	Universal
Songwriter(s)	Ella Yelich-O'Connor Joel Little
Producer(s)	Joel Little
Lorde singles chronology
"Royals" (2013) "Tennis Court" (2013)
Music video
"Royals" on YouTube

"Royals" is the debut single by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, included in her debut extended play (EP) The Love Club EP (2012) and debut studio album Pure Heroine (2013). Lorde wrote the song with producer Joel Little. "Royals" is a minimalist art pop and electropop song with influences of hip hop, R&B, and indie pop. The track's lyrics express disapproval of the sumptuous lifestyle presented in songs and music videos by pop and hip-hop-influenced artists, making them appear like modern-day royalty.

"Royals" received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its songwriting, production, and Lorde's vocal performance. Since its release, the track has appeared on critics' year-end and decade-end listicles. The single attained international chart success, reaching number one in Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, where it spent nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It sold 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. In the media, the song has been credited for inspiring some artists to adopt its minimalist sound and has been called an anthem for millennials.

The music video for "Royals" was directed by Joel Kefali and premiered on Lorde's YouTube channel on 12 May 2013. It shows teenagers in a suburban neighbourhood interspersed with minimal shots of Lorde. The track won awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2014 Grammy Awards, and the APRA Silver Scroll Award. Lorde performed "Royals" on her Pure Heroine (2013–14), Melodrama (2017–18) and Solar Power (2022–23) concert tours. Critics have credited the song for paving the way for other alternative-leaning pop artists. It was ranked number 30 on Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.^[1]