Charli XCX Releases Rock Music Single and Video

Charli XCX, the British singer-songwriter known for her 2024 album Brat, released her new single "Rock Music" on Friday, along with an accompanying music video directed by Aidan Zamiri.

The track features crunchy guitar riffs layered over electronic elements and chopped vocals, marking a shift from the dance-pop sound of Brat. Lyrics include the chorus line, "I think the dance floor is dead, so now we're making rock music," and verses about friends hanging out, creating art, and embracing intense emotions: "Me and my friends, we go out / We take pictures and make stuff together / And sometimes we cry / We kiss each other, real incestuous vibes." Produced with longtime collaborators A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, formerly known as Easyfun, the song runs under two minutes and blends indie rock influences with pop sensibilities.

The black-and-white music video depicts XCX throwing a speaker and television out a hotel window, smoking cigarettes in piles, strutting through city streets, and leading a mosh pit. It also shows her performing with a band that includes her husband, The 1975 drummer George Daniel. XCX shared behind-the-scenes details on her unofficial Instagram account,...