Tik Tok (song)
"Tik Tok" (stylized as "TiK ToK" and pronounced as "tick tock") is the debut single by American singer Kesha, who co-wrote the song with its producers Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco. It was released on August 7, 2009, as the lead single from her debut studio album, Animal (2010).
For other songs and uses, see Tick tock (disambiguation)."TiK ToK"
August 7, 2009
2008
Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California
3:14
- Dr. Luke
- Benny Blanco
According to Kesha, the song's lyrics are representative of her and based on her life. In the lyrics, which have a carefree message, the narrator talks about not letting anything bring them down. "Tik Tok" is an electropop and dance-pop song incorporating Auto-Tune and a minimalist bitpop beat interspersed with handclaps and synthesizers. The verses use a rap/sing vocal style while the chorus is sung. Some critics complimented the production as catchy, but others took issue with it as generic and disposable compared to the mainstream pop-music scene.
In the United States, "Tik Tok" spent nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified eightfold platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Topping the charts in many other countries including Australia—where it was certified ninefold platinum, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, and Switzerland, it was the best-selling single worldwide in 2010, selling 12.8 million copies. As of 2019, the song has sold over 18 million digital copies worldwide and was also listed 61st on the all-time Billboard Hot 100 chart published in 2018.
Background and development[edit]
In 2005, Dr. Luke had just finished producing tracks for Kelly Clarkson's album Breakaway (2004) and was looking to expand further on his writing and producing credits. Luke solicited around to different people in the music business asking for demos from unknown artists. Two of the demos he received were from Katy Perry and Kesha. He was particularly taken with Kesha's demos which consisted of a self-penned country ballad and trip-hop track. The latter of the demos caught Luke off guard when she ran out of lyrics and started to rap, "I'm a white girl/From the 'Ville/Nashville, bitch. Uhh. Uhhhhh." The improvisation made her stand out from other artists that Luke had listened to, which he recalled: "That's when I was like, 'OK, I like this girl's personality. When you're listening to 100 CDs, that kind of bravado and chutzpah stand out." Following this, at the age of eighteen, Kesha signed to Luke's label, Kemosabe Records, and his publishing company, Prescription Songs.[1]
After being signed to Luke's label she also signed to David Sonenberg's DAS management company. While at the label she worked with record producer Greg Wells, which she attributes to developing her sound on her first record, Animal (2010). Although she was signed to Luke and his label, Kesha never took priority as he was busy with other projects at the time. It was not until 2008 when Luke was working with Flo Rida on "Right Round" that he pulled Kesha in to contribute, giving her the female hook. Within a few months, the song became a worldwide hit. The event led to different labels sparking interest in signing her, including RCA Records, to which she eventually signed.[1]
Composition[edit]
"Tik Tok" is an upbeat dance-pop and electropop song[6][9] that incorporates the sound of '80s video game noises in its production, to earn a bitpop beat.[10]
Kesha uses a spoken word rap style in the verses while the chorus is sung.[6][11] Throughout the song Kesha's vocals are heavily enhanced by Auto-Tune. The song also features two lines by P. Diddy ("Hey, what up girl?", which is said after he is mentioned in the lyrics, and "Let's go!")[5][6] Lyrically, the song speaks about "excess pleasures, from drinking ("Ain't got a care in the world but I got plenty of beer") to men ("We kick 'em to the curb unless they look like Mick Jagger")."[9] According to Kesha the lyrics are representative of herself, stating, "It's about my life. It's 100 percent me."[7]
Kesha uses a rap vocal delivery which was influenced by the Beastie Boys. She claims that the track's creation would not have happened if it was not for their influence on her music.[6] While the song was being crafted she took a different vocal approach to the song than in her earlier records, explaining, "I've done the country, done the pop-rock, done the super-hard electro, ... I was like, whatever, throw some rap in there, why not?"[6] The song is in common time with a moderate beat rate of 120 beats per minute. The song is set in the key of D minor.[11] It has the sequence of B♭–C–Dm as its chord progression and Kesha's vocals span from D3 to D5, similar to that of "California Gurls" by Katy Perry.[11] Musically, the song has been compared to Lady Gaga's debut single, "Just Dance", for their similar composition and lyrical context and to Fergie for their similar rap style.[6][12]
Chart performance[edit]
In the United States, "Tik Tok" debuted at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending October 24, 2009.[31] It was the first Hot 100 number one of the 2010s decade and stayed at the top for nine consecutive weeks.[32] On the ending December 31, 2009, "Tik Tok" broke the record for the highest U.S. single-week sales, selling 610,000 digital downloads.[33] The record was surpassed by Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (2012) when it sold 623,000 digital copies in its debut week.[34] On the week ending February 6, 2010, "Tik Tok" topped Pop Songs with 11,224 spins on airplay, breaking the record by Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" for the most single-week plays on pop radio.[35][36] On Billboard's year-end charts of 2010, it topped the Hot 100 and placed at number seven on Radio Songs and number eight on Digital Songs.[37][38][39] "Tik Tok" was certified eight times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for eight million units based on sales and streaming,[40] and by March 2016, had sold 6.8 million downloads.[41]
The single also peaked atop the Canadian Hot 100[42] and was certified seven times platinum by Music Canada.[43] "Tik Tok" peaked atop the singles charts of European and Oceanic countries including Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand Norway, and Switzerland.[44][45] It was certified nine times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association and double platinum by Recorded Music NZ.[46] In the United Kingdom, "Tik Tok" peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart[47] and by 2012, ranked at number 100 on the Official Charts Company's list of the 150 best-selling singles of the 21st century.[48] In South Korea, "Tik Tok" was the best-selling digital single by a foreign artist of 2010, selling 1.4 million downloads.[49]
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, the single sold 12.8 million digital copies worldwide in 2010, making it the best-selling single of the year.[50] As of August 2019, it had sold over 18 million copies worldwide.[51]
Music video[edit]
The music video for "Tik Tok" was directed by Syndrome.[52] It was shot in Kesha's old neighborhood and the car featured in the video belongs to her.[53] Kesha explained the experience saying, "the video I'm excited about because I actually got to shoot it in my old neighborhood and the guy driving my gold car is a friend of mine".[53] The video's party scene was shot in her friend's house, which they refer to as the "drunk tank". The singer said "the last party scene is in this house called the drunk tank, which is one of my friend's houses that we all go party at. So I like it 'cause it's super honest and genuine."[53]
The video begins with Kesha waking in a bathtub in a home as she stumbles out and begins to look for a toothbrush in the restroom. She makes her way down a staircase looking at the pictures lining the wall. Kesha makes her way to the kitchen and walks in on a family who are having breakfast, startling them. She shrugs and then leaves the home as the family gets up and follows her. When she arrives at the sidewalk, she picks up a gold bicycle lying against a fallen fence and rides off. Kesha meets a group of children and trades the bicycle for their boombox. The video cuts to another scene where she rejects a guy and is picked up by a man (Simon Rex) who drives her in a gold 1978 Trans Am. They are pulled over by the police, who handcuff Kesha. The scene then pans to her singing while standing in the T-top as she dangles the handcuffs hanging from her left arm. The next scene shows Kesha in an empty room filled with glitter. She then attends a party with Rex for the final scene. The video comes to an end with Kesha lying in a different bathtub from the one she woke up in, while Spanish voices in Mexican accents are heard in a market-like way, implying she ended up crossing the border.[52] The official music video has received over 670 million views on YouTube as of December 2023.[54]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Animal, Dynamite Cop Music/Where Da Kasz at BMI.[3]