Break the Rules (Charli XCX song)
"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]
"Break the Rules"
Composition[edit]
"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–B♭5–A♭5–E♭5–F5, and Charli's vocals span from B♭3 to C5.[5]
Critical reception[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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.